21 June 2023

As we near the end of another successful semester at Radford, we thought it was timely to write a joint article updating you about:

the progress of our Sports Precinct;
the naming of the Sports Precinct and associated buildings; and
the budgetary challenges heading into 2024.

Visitors to the campus would have seen significant progress in recent weeks of the three remaining Sports Precinct projects - the Multi-Purpose Hall, the Cricket Centre and the extension of the G. Wigg Sports Centre.

We are delighted to report that with the roofs on and most of the walls up, work can continue on the fit outs through the wet winter weather.

Despite some unforeseen engineering and services issues that have arisen in recent months, all three projects are due to be completed by mid-to-late September. We are hoping that students will be using the facilities by early Term 4.

A recent tour of the sites highlighted how impressively designed these spaces are and how much they will be used and welcomed by students from all year levels. We are very fortunate to have such high-quality facilities, which will incorporate sport and other school requirements. We expect that in time, these buildings will also be sought out as hireable venues by organisations within Canberra when not being used by the Radford community.

With the opening of the facilities now imminent, the Board and management have been considering the names for these facilities that, in the tradition of the school, recognise the significant contributions made to Radford College. At a recent Board meeting, the naming of the facilities was approved as set out below.

The Baker Family Sports Precinct

This area incorporates the new outside courts and existing facilities on the southeastern edge of our campus. It is named in honour of former Board Chair, Steve Baker, his wife Mariana Galinec, and the extended Baker family. Steve served on the Finance Committee for five-and-a-half years, the latter three years as Chair. He joined the Board itself in 2014 and served as Chair from late 2017 until the end of 2021. Mariana served on the Building & Grounds Committee from 2010 until 2020, the last seven of these years as Chair. She also served on the Board from 2013 until 2017. Together, they have had five children educated at Radford. It is fitting that the Sports Precinct is named in Steve and his family’s honour as much of the preliminary ideas, concepts and designs were developed while Steve was Chair of the Board.

The Collegians Centre

The Multi-Purpose Hall (as it has been known) will, in the future, be officially known as the Collegians Centre in recognition of the generations of Collegians who have been educated at Radford and have now made contributions to their chosen field of endeavour. Along with our current students, we hope each and every one of the Radford Collegians will someday get a chance to experience this magnificent facility and appreciate all that Radford was able to provide for them while students here. Importantly, the Collegians Centre will, for the first time, provide space for our now 2100 students and more than 300 staff to gather indoors in the one place, at the same time. With our 40-year anniversary next year, the Board and Management thought this a fitting recognition of our alumni.

The Boorer Family Cricket Centre

In recognition of the Boorer Family’s very generous gift to the College of $5 million, the cricket centre will be named the Boorer Family Cricket Centre. Not only does this reflect the generosity of the family in providing the gift to the College, but also the commitment and passion that the Boorer Family has for the importance of sport in the holistic education of children.

The extension to the G. Wigg Sports Centre will be incorporated into the existing facility and will simply be referred to in the future as part of the G. Wigg Sports Centre.

One of the most pleasing aspects of these new facilities is that it will give our students considerably more options to stay indoors at recess and lunchtime when the weather is either too hot or too cold to be outside. They will be more than just buildings. They will be places where your children will learn, laugh and play.

2024 Budget and Fees

Over the next couple of months, the Board and management will be working on a considered budget for the 2024 academic year, reflecting the economic challenges that have been presented to us.

As we have both previously written, this budget will need to consider the substantial loss in funding experienced over the past 12 months, as well as the need to remain competitive with regard to the retention and remuneration of our staff. Many parents would be aware that the ACT Government, through the Education Directorate, has offered their teachers significant pay rises over the next 2–3 years. While it is pleasing to see the importance of the teaching profession recognised in this way, it does present the College with an added budgetary pressure. Radford will continue to strive to be an employer of choice, and part of that is the recognition of market remuneration. The College will respond to this in order to retain and attract the very best teachers. This is one of the most critical elements of successful schools. Aligned to this is excellent College Services staff to support the teachers and other services the College provides. In a dynamic and changing labour market reflective of uncertain economic conditions, we seek to continue providing the high-quality education and operations that our parents and caregivers expect.

Our deliberations on fee increases for 2024 will be reflective of these changes in our government funding and our operating costs. The Board will be looking to make an announcement regarding fees for 2024 by mid-September this year. We hope the early release of the 2024 fee schedule allows families to incorporate the increase in fees into the planning of their household budgets.

We acknowledge that you have a choice about where to educate your child or children. Thank you for choosing Radford and for being part of our community.

Wishing you and your families a safe and relaxing holiday, and we look forward to updating you further, later in the year.

By Rev. Dr Katherine Rainger, Senior Chaplain

*The Trinity* by Andrei Rublev depicts both the Trinity and the three angels who visited Abraham and Sarah.

I have just finished reading The Queen is Dead by Stan Grant. It is one of those books that stays with you after you finish reading it. Grant is coming to terms with the complex legacy we inherit from the generations before us.

He writes of his family history and the love that has shaped who he is. Stan finds powerful companions in the Country he belongs to, the trees and rivers of Wiradjuri land, and in his language. His Christian faith, shaped by the church he grew up in and the Aboriginal pastors who preached and ministered, also profoundly impacted him.

Stan writes of the racism that has impacted his family and the way anger and a deep sadness are also part of his inheritance. In an interview with Scott Stephens, Stan unpacks his motivation for writing this compelling and challenging book.

The legacy of past generations is present throughout the Bible. When Moses comes face-to-face with God and asks God’s name, God replies: “I AM WHO I AM . . . the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob . . .” (Exodus 3: 14-16)

In the reading set for this week (Genesis 18: 1-15), we are taken into the home of Abraham and Sarah. Abraham is sitting outside the tent, “near the great trees of Mamre,” when the Lord visits him in the form of three strangers. Abraham is quick to offer hospitality. The strangers reveal the news to Abraham and his wife Sarah, both of whom are advanced in age, that they will conceive a child and, thus, the promise of descendants is assured. The story that unfolds throughout the rest of Genesis contains blessing, providence, rivalry, cruelty, intrigue, and subterfuge. Grappling with the legacy of God’s faithfulness amid human frailties and failings is part of our inheritance.

NAIDOC Week ‘For Our Elders’

2–9 July

2023 National NAIDOC Week Poster 'For Our Elders'. Credit: www.naidoc.org.au/2023-poster

National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous-living cultures on earth. Whether you are in Canberra or visiting other places in the holidays, check out what is happening for NAIDOC Week.

Here are just a few of the NAIDOC Week events taking place in Canberra:

Bobbi Lockyer, a proud Ngarluma, Kariyarra, Nyulnyul and Yawuru artist - born and based on Kariyarra Country in Port Hedland - is the winner of the prestigious National NAIDOC Week Poster Competition for 2023 with her entry, For Our Elders. Bobbi writes about the inheritance that is shared from one generation to the next:

“Where there is knowledge there are our Elders. Our Elders paved the pathways for us, taught us our knowledge, our history, they passed down their art, stories and wisdom. Our Elders are the foundation of our communities and role models for our children. With this poster I wanted to showcase how important our Elders are in passing down traditions and culture to our children and future.”

Dirrum Dirrum Festival

Saturday, 12 August, 4-9 pm

Save the date for this year’s Dirrum Dirrum Festival! It promises to be a fantastic night of speakers, music, and food. We are looking forward to welcoming Brenda Matthews whose film The Last Daughter is currently playing at Dendy and Palace cinemas.

May the upcoming break be refreshing, fun and full of connection.

By Miss Mia Ma, Radford Dance Academy Administrator

Radford Dance Academy (RDA) students participated in Canberra Dance Festival from 10-11 June and had wonderful results.

Below are the results and photos.

Solos

Troupes

All our troupes did an awesome job and scored above 80 out of 100.

Thank you to the dance tutors who worked hard for this and to the students who participated and did an excellent job.

Student-athlete outstanding achievement

Congratulations to Miles Daly (Year 12), who recently won Gold at the 2023 National Wrestling Championships in Brisbane. Miles is now ranked number one in Australia in the U17 92.5-kilogram Olympic-style division.

As a result of being the highest-ranked Australian athlete in his weight and age class, Miles has been selected to represent Australia in the Oceania Championships in Sydney in August this year and the World Championships in Turkey at the end of this year.

ACT Cross Country

43 students competed at the ACT Cross Country in Week 8. Congratulations to the following students who placed in the top five in their age group:

Sarah Tompson (3^rd – 13 Years Girls)
Kaiya Barsby (2^nd – 14 Years Girls)
Astrid Evans (1^st – 15 Years Girls)
Katherine Maundrell (4^th – 16 Years Girls)
Patrick Maundrell (1^st – 11 Years Boys)
Emerson Ryan (1^st – 11 Years Boys Multi-Class)
Alexander Fillingham (3^rd – 13 Years Boys)
Matty Maundrell (5^th – 14 Years Boys)
Owen Toyne (1^st – 16 Years Boys)

A special mention goes to Emerson Ryan who broke the 11 Years Boys Multi-Class 3km record with a time of 17:02.94.

2023 Radford Snowsports – 30^th anniversary

Sunday, 18 June, marked the official start of the 2023 snowsports season during what is the historic 30th anniversary of the Radford Snowsports Program.

63 students from Years 3-12 ascended to Perisher Base for the first Sunday training session and were greeted by a consistent snowfall. Students taking part in the Sunday program have the opportunity to train on the slopes with professional ski and board instructors across six Sundays.

With a solid 40 centimetres of snow overnight, this coming Sunday (session 2), we will have access to Happy Valley and possibly Blue Cow.

Radford Holiday Sports Camps are back!

Radford Sports Camps are returning with the opportunity for students to fine-tune their skills in basketball, football (soccer) and cricket.

Head of Basketball, Mr Ryan Kinnane, has secured former Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) athlete Jessica Bibby. Jessica has played in more than 200 games and won several WNBL Championships. Mr Kinnane has also secured renowned Canberra Gunners’ guard and Basketball ACT development officer, Reece Kaye, to deliver sessions for students from U10-U19s.

Sports Operations Manager, Ms Dianne Wilson, has engaged Coerver Coaching ACT to target boys and girls from our U8-16 teams and help with their ball mastery, 1v1, and receiving and passing. In addition to the 12 hours of programmed Coerver Coaching sessions delivered by Coerver-accredited coaches, players will receive a Coerver Coaching training shirt, Adidas football, home study program and certificate of attendance.

And finally, Head of Cricket, Mr Wally Wright, alongside Head Development Coach Jason McNally and the ACT Meteors (Canberra’s professional women’s team) will be running a FREE Girls Cricket Clinic for Radford students at the ACT Cricket Indoor Centre in Phillip. No cricket experience is necessary and equipment will be provided for those who require it.

For further information, check out the Radford Sports Camp Flyer or contact:
Basketball: CCBasketball@radford.act.edu.au
Cricket: Wally.Wright@radford.act.edu.au
Football: Coerver Coaching ACT x Radford College Holiday Camp - June 2023 | Coerver Coaching (coerveract.com.au).

Orienteering – the adventure sport, a Radford co-curricular offering

Radford’s Orienteering Squad has experienced a great start, with returning orienteers and a bunch of newbies keen to acquire the essential skills of navigation. Orienteering is an adventure sport requiring both physical and mental agility. Every event in this sport offers a unique discovery tour on an ever-changing playing field.

The 2023 squad has embraced the challenges posed, and welcomes new members keen for the outdoor adventure experience. Students can join the squad anytime throughout the season. Orienteering training and events always cater for a complete range of abilities and experience. There is always an appropriate challenge for everyone.

Training

Wednesdays from 3:45-5 pm

Events

Saturdays from 10 am-1 pm

Like most sports, juniors start locally and rise to state and national events before taking on overseas tours. Several squad members are already on this trajectory, with Year 11 students Aoife Rothery, Max Johnson and Mia Kluth and Year 9 student Sanda Halpin competing last weekend in the Hunter Valley area. The week before, Sanda took to New Zealand, where she went up against some of New Zealand’s strongest juniors. Taking third place in the Middle Distance against 39 New Zealand girls is a clear sign that Sanda's skills and talent are on target.

Like all sports, orienteering offers young athletes a genuine pathway from beginner to high performance. The Radford Squad has the enviable record of producing many high-performing orienteers. In fact, Australia’s 2023 Junior World Orienteering Team includes two former Radford students currently on their way to Bulgaria and Romania for the European Youth Championships and the Junior World Orienteering Championships.

Furthermore, Radford’s orienteers will show their grit and determination at this year’s ACT Junior League Competition.

By Ms Rhiannon Richards, French Teacher

French language students experienced several cultural enrichment opportunities at the end of this term.

Year 7 French classes decorated drinks bowl with pictures relating to French culture. At first, they were surprised to learn that hot drinks can be enjoyed from a bowl rather than a cup or mug. It’s quite amazing where cultural differences pop up. Later, they enjoyed a hot chocolate from the bowls and a croissant, learning more about these items along the way. These might form part of a typical French breakfast, afternoon tea, or a snack after a long day at school in France. As this week also marks the 'Fête de la Musique' (Make Music Day) for the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, we also listened to some French music.

Year 8 French classes enjoyed a lovely baguette lunch, once again provided by the wonderful Café Breizh in Ainslie, which has been supplying us with great food for several years now. Year 8 students learnt how to order and had a choice of “poulet,” “jambon,” or “avocat.” The fact that the word for avocado and a lawyer are the same in French continues to provide amusement to today’s French students.

Year 10 French students were fortunate enough to visit Les Bistronomes restaurant in Campbell. A three-course meal was served, including rillettes (pâté), duck and the classic crème brûlée. Our vegetarian friends were also very well catered for. With full tummies, the walk back to the bus was somewhat slower than the walk to the restaurant! We would like to thank the restaurant for providing us with such delicious food and a great French culinary experience.

Senior French students are due to go on their excursions in the near future. Stay tuned for their updates.

Radford College's inaugural Careers Fair was a resounding success. A total of 26 universities, further education providers, trade and apprenticeship providers, employers and residential colleges showcased their offerings. Despite the heavy rain on the day, Year 10, 11 and 12 students and parents turned up in large numbers to discuss future career paths.

The event provided an excellent opportunity for students and parents to engage with educators and employers one-on-one at individual booths inside the Mackinnon Senior School. Attendees also had access to live and virtual presentations in the Heath and Leyshon Lecture Theatres to gain more insights into various career options.

We were also thrilled to offer Year 10 students and parents information sessions and the chance to meet with Heads of Departments, our Dean of Secondary Studies and Head of Student Pathways. This helped them plan and decide on their subject selections for the upcoming year.

Thank you to everyone who attended and participated in making this event a huge success. We plan to host the Careers Fair again in 2024 and hope to see you there!

On Saturday, 17 June, Radford College P&F Committee participated in a Persuasive Communication training course run by the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). This course was thanks to funds granted by the ACT Education Directorate, on behalf of the ACT Government, under the Parent Engagement Grants Program.

The following six members of the P&F Committee and one parent attended:

Lisa McPherson, President
Eleanor Bleesor, Vice-President
Nat Talbot, Treasurer
Agnes Kopras-Ianson, Secretary
Ke Ma (Mark), Assistant Treasurer
Stephanie Hinton, Ordinary Member
Nicholas Smith, Parent

The Persuasive Communication training course consisted of the following modules: Being Present; Active Watching and Listening; Status and Endowment; Setting Objectives; and Putting it into Practice.

During the Being Present module, P&F participants learnt how effective communication requires all parties to remain focused and remain in the present moment. NIDA instructor Lincoln talked about applying physical, vocal, and imaginative techniques to stay focused during high-stakes communications, such as interacting with parents and College staff.

The Active Watching and Listening module focused on how non-verbal communication can assist with ‘reading the room’ and empowering us to respond with confidence when conducting meaningful communication with the College community.

In the Status and Endowment session, participants analysed the notion of status and how it can be used to empower others and raise the stakes when needed. Participants discussed how to apply the concept of an endowment to help give our thoughts and ideas an appropriate level of weight and meaning, especially when communicating with the diverse range of stakeholders that the P&F Committee does.

Whilst these concepts may sound familiar to anyone who has worked in the corporate world or large government departments, NIDA has put their stamp on the concepts. NIDA’s approach centred on the theory behind the concepts and then focused on the practical aspects of working with one’s own body and voice, using it purposefully and meaningfully, as well as being able to read the non-verbal communication of others. Lincoln’s interest in neuroscience added an interesting layer to the content provided.

The final part of the course allowed participants to put into practice the concepts learnt throughout the day and to act in scenarios based on real-life situations that the P&F Committee faces, such as:

Enticing parents to volunteer at P&F events;
Working with Radford staff regarding grants funding from the P&F; and
Dealing with difficult stakeholders.

P&F participants were joined in the scenarios by professional actor Matt Holmes, known from Sea Patrol and Blue Heelers, and feedback was given by Lincoln and the rest of the Committee. Participants were then asked to re-perform the scenarios incorporating the feedback.

Whilst our performances were probably not Oscar-worthy, they were emotional, eye-opening, and kept everyone engaged until the end of the day.

"As an end-of-semester activity, the Year 10 languages team organised an opportunity for the classes to work together to display their language learning. Thus, the inaugural Year 10 'Celebration of Languages and Culture' was born. It was wonderful to see the students work together to display their knowledge creatively in a format of their choice. I would like to thank French Teacher Ms Rhiannon Richards for her leadership of this event, and the Year 10 language teachers and students for making the session a success" - Michele Sharp, Head of Languages.

A Celebration of Languages and Culture

By Ms Rhiannon Richards, French Teacher

The brief to students was to devise a performance or share information about an aspect connected to either the language they study or one they speak at home. On the day, we were treated to a wide variety, and were thoroughly entertained and educated at the same time. It was a testament to the students' and teachers' hard work.

The photos below show presentations from the Chinese class about different festivals; a French poem, piece of music and interview with our assistant; an explanation of marriage by members of the Japanese class and South American soccer by the Spanish class, whose chant sent us on our way to lunch and the students into their final week of a careers program.

In a conversation afterwards, one student noted that this was the first time our language classes had come together in such a way and that we should run this event again. Furthermore, it acts as a springboard into Semester 2 and our Languages Week. More information to come on that in the near future.

Thank you to all the students who participated or were supportive audience members and their teachers who coached patiently in the background.

21 June 2023

Term 2, Week 9

Staff Insights

From the Principal and the Chair

From the Principal and the Chair