7 February 2025

From the
Principal’s Desk
BSc. BAppSc. DipEd. DipMgt, MEd. EdD
Bonus Newsletter
With the start of the school year being very busy, it has become apparent that a supplementary newsletter is required. I hope the information included is useful to you.
Staff News
After thirty-seven years of outstanding service to the School, Mrs Karen Wallace, Deputy Head (Curriculum) of the Junior School, has announced her retirement. Mrs Wallace’s last day will be at the end of Term I.
Clearly, we were saddened by this decision, but fully understand Mrs Wallace’s desire to be more accessible for her family, especially her little grandchildren. Appropriate farewells will take place in the weeks ahead but, in the meantime, we have begun the process of advertising for her replacement.
We are also farewelling Mrs Mammone after twenty years of service from the Junior School at the end of this term, and wish her well as she and her family relocate to the Central Coast.
Communication
The School communicates with our parent community through multiple channels:
- Consent2Go – Used for excursion permissions and other activity approvals.
- OLLE – The primary hub for year group-specific information, including homework, assessments, cocurricular activities, calendars, timetables, attendance and daily school operations such as the canteen, transport and uniform updates.
- Newsletter – A fortnightly update featuring news and important announcements. It is emailed to parents and available on OLLE and the School’s website.
In urgent situations, particularly those involving unexpected or time-sensitive events, the School may also send an email or text message.
There are several ways in which parents can communicate with the School:
- Diary – Ideal for quick correspondence, such as uniform issues or incomplete homework.
- Email – Queries can be directed to the classroom teacher (for Junior School) or the Dean (for Senior School). Relevant contact details are available on your child’s year group OLLE page.
- Phone – For urgent matters, please contact the School Office:
- Junior School: 4220 0250
- Senior School: 4220 0200
For more serious matters, parents may wish to contact Ms Clayton, Head of Junior School, or Mr Hackett, Head of Senior School.
Communication with the School is highly regarded, and the staff and I are always keen to talk directly with our School parents.
Deputy Principal
Deputy Principal
Hope is an important human quality. Without it we wilt. With it we thrive. Hope is integral to the Christian faith. Christians hope for a new creation where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Rev 21.4). Moreover, in anticipation of that wondrous day, Christians hope to be conformed into the image of Jesus, the Son of God and perfect human being (Romans 8.29).
In March 2025, the combined churches of the Illawarra will be hosting an event called ‘Hope for the Illawarra’. The aim of the event is to hold out the hope contained within the Christian faith to all in the Illawarra.
I attended the launch of the event at Figtree Anglican Church last Friday evening. It was attended by over 400 people representing 55 churches in the Illawarra. Excitement for the event was palpable!
‘Hope for the Illawarra’ will include three events at the WIN Entertainment Centre. There will be a Youth event on Friday 28 March at 7pm; a Children’s event on Saturday 29 March at 11am; and an Adult event on Saturday 29 March at 7pm.
The Youth event will include a band and gifted speaker Dave Jensen; the Children’s event will include well-known musician Colin Buchanan and children’s specialist Adam Jolliffe; and the Adult event will include a message of hope from Dr Michael Yusuf, a gifted communicator from Atlanta Georgia.
The Chair of the organising committee is the Anglican Bishop of Wollongong, The Right Reverend Peter Hayward. Bishop Hayward has extended an invitation to The Illawarra Grammar School to be involved in the event. We are excited at the prospect of partnering with the churches of the Illawarra in such a worthy endeavour.
The Chaplaincy team is currently looking at ways we can be involved, but at the very least, it would be wonderful for students across the School to be planning to attend the events for children and youth. You might also consider attending the Adult event.
We will be sharing more information about the event shortly. I encourage you to look out for this communication.
Junior School News
Head of Junior School
Congratulations to our newly-appointed Junior School Year 6 Captains:
- Captains: Paolo Lu and Elliya Barrett
- Vice Captains: Yuqiao Ren and Rayna Chieng
We are incredibly proud of all our Year 6 students, who step up daily as role models, inspiring and leading the Junior School with dedication and care. Their warm welcome to new students has been admirable, and their attention to ensuring our play areas remain safe, clean and inclusive demonstrates true leadership in action.
This week, we celebrated the annual Junior School Captains Induction Assembly. Each Year 6 student proudly received their leadership badge and made a heartfelt pledge to lead and contribute positively to our School, symbolising their vital role in shaping our community throughout the year.
Next week, our Year 6 Captains will participate in a Captains’ Training Day, where they will develop essential leadership skills, foster teamwork and begin planning exciting initiatives to enhance the school experience for all students.
As a Christian school, we are inspired by the example of Jesus, whose leadership was shaped by humility, compassion and service to others. We encourage our students to follow this model of servant leadership, guiding and uplifting those around them with kindness and care.
We are excited to see the incredible contributions our Year 6 leaders will make throughout this year.
Thank you to all who attended the K-2 Information Evening on Monday night. It was a wonderful opportunity to share updates about the Junior School and for you to meet your child’s classroom teacher. For your convenience, the presentation slides are now available on your child’s year group OLLE page for future reference.
We would also like to remind parents that the Years 3-6 Information Evening will be held on Monday 10 February, at 5.00 pm. We look forward to welcoming you and sharing more about the plans for your child this year. Please note that this is a parent-only event.
Junior School Photo Day is set to take place on Wednesday 12 February.
Please ensure students wear their full summer uniform, as outlined in the diary and the recent communication.
Sibling photos for Junior and Senior students will take place on the day.
Please note, Prep photos will be taken later in the year. This will include sibling photos.
Please refer to your child’s OLLE page for detailed information about the Year 3 and 4 Instrumental Program. This includes an overview of the program as well as important details about instrument hire and purchase options. For further information please contact Mrs Bonaccorso or Ms Hollander, Junior School Music teachers.
Years 3-6 Information Evening – Monday 10 February
Assembly (6Y hosting) – Thursday 13 February
Photo Day – Wednesday 12 February
Swimming Carnival – Monday 17 February
NAPLAN Parent Information Session – Thursday 20 February at 4.00pm
Parents’ Welcome Evening – Friday 28 February (RSVP here)
Learn more at the OLLE Calendar.
Senior School News
Head of Senior School
We are pleased to introduce the new Senior School Cocurricular Timetable for Term I 2025. This program has been designed to offer students a wide range of opportunities and experiences beyond the classroom.
From debating to Chess Club to Christian groups to music and sport opportunities, there really is something for everyone looking to explore their interests or learn new skills.
We encourage all students to take advantage of these opportunities. Please visit the OLLE Cocurricular page for the timetable and information on how to register. Please note that as we go through the year, new activities will become available and there may be some slight changes made to the schedule, so be sure to check back at the start of each term for the most up to date information.
At the start of the School year, many students have set themselves targets for the term and year ahead. Developing strong study habits from the start of the year is one great way for students to maximise their academic potential.
The School Library will be open to senior students in Years 10, 11 and 12 from this Saturday. Opening hours are 9.00am until 2.00pm. Students should be dropped off, or may park, at our Powell Street Car Park and will need to swipe their Illawarra Grammar ID card as they arrive and exit the Library.
Students wishing to attend should dress appropriately (school uniform is not required) and ensure they are wearing closed shoes. Optional on-site academic tuition will be available in Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics from 11.00am and we will be increasing this offer as we go through the term.
I commend this opportunity to our senior students as a great way to consolidate their learning, complete their homework or prepare for assessments.
Dr Michael Molkentin, Director of Studies
Each year the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is undertaken by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Students participate in tests for writing, reading, conventions of language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and numeracy.
In 2025 NAPLAN tests at The Illawarra Grammar School will take place from Wednesday 12 March to Monday 17 March.
NAPLAN is just one part of our school learning assessment program. The tests assess literacy and numeracy skills your child is already learning at School. In the Senior School, students will participate in NAPLAN Online tests on the following days:
12 March: Writing
13 March: Reading
14 March: Conventions of Language
17 March: Numeracy
For students who are absent during any of these days, catch up tests will be arranged.
In preparation for NAPLAN Online, all students in Years 7 and 9 will receive support at School to install the NAPLAN locked-down browser on their own device. In addition, on test days students must ensure they have a fully charged laptop, headphones and two pencils.
The public demonstration site is available to sample the types of questions, tools and functions used in the NAPLAN tests.
Further information about NAPLAN is available on the NESA website.
Mrs Hughes, the Head of Academic Support, will communicate with the parents of students who qualify for disability provisions.
If you have any questions about NAPLAN Online, please don’t hesitate to contact the Director of Studies, Dr Michael Molkentin.
General School News
All parents are invited to our annual Parents’ Welcome Evening. Join us for an evening of meeting other parents and staff, while enjoying drinks and canapes on Library Lawn.
Event details:
- Friday 28 February
- 6.00pm – 8.00pm
- Library Lawn
- All parents welcome
Register your attendance here
Join us on Tuesday 4 March at 5.30pm for an online workshop designed to help parents navigate OLLE (OnLine Learning Environment) – The Illawarra Grammar School’s central hub for communication and information.
Throughout 2024, significant improvements were made to enhance OLLE’s functionality, making it the go-to platform for school resources and key information. This session will guide parents through its features, ensuring you can make the most of this valuable tool.
If you attended the K-2, Year 3-6, or Year 7 Information Evenings, this session will cover similar content to the OLLE explanation you received then, so you likely won’t need to attend. However, you’re welcome to join if you’d like a refresher.
Online meeting details:
Zoom link:
https://zoom.us/j/95992549499?pwd=0pN5aju12bJNolEg39Y9TF1hbaAhBU.1
Meeting ID: 959 9254 9499
Passcode: 076960
At Illawarra Grammar, we have a team of experienced instrumental tutors who can enhance and strengthen your child’s proficiency and love of music.
We offer private lessons across a wide variety of instruments; a full list is detailed in the application form linked below. Lessons are conducted on campus throughout the school day, with some tutors also offering before and after school options.
We ask any families wishing to participate in 2025 to complete the online application form, including those students who had lessons in 2024 and who would like to continue.
For Entry into Year 7 2026
Scholarship applications are open until 12 February for entry into Year 7 in 2026. Our academic, music and sport scholarships are open to internal and external applicants. We invite current year 6 families to learn more by visiting our website here.
For Entry into Year 10 2026
The Rev Richard Bosanquet Scholarship, funded by the TIGS Foundation, is available to a student entering Year 10, either from within or outside the School. Applications close on 12 February. We invite current Year 9 families to learn more by visiting our website here.
First P&F Meeting: 19 February
The first P&F meeting for 2025 will be from 6.00pm – 7.30pm on Wednesday 19 February.
The meeting will take place in the Goodhew Research Centre (Library). Please send agenda items to pandf@tigs.com.au.
There is also a Zoom option for those unable to attend in person. Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/9983031318?omn=98459497404
AGM: 26 March
The Annual General Meeting will take place from 6.00pm on Wednesday 26 March. This will be an opportunity to nominate for Executive positions. Please provide nominations by 16 March by filling out a form on the P&F OLLE page.
Future P&F Meeting Dates
Save the dates for future meetings:
- Meeting – Wednesday 21 May
- Meeting – Wednesday 20 August
- Meeting – Wednesday 5 November
Dates For Your Diary
10 February
Rees Hall
5.00pm
17 February
Western Suburbs Pool, Unanderra
19 February
The Goodhew Research Centre (Library)
6.00pm – 7.30pm
28 February
Library Lawn
6.00pm-8.00pm
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
Psalm 20:7
At The Illawarra Grammar School, we are committed to excellence in learning, leadership and character. But our confidence moving into the future isn’t built on results, strategies or reputation—it rests in God’s provision, power and guidance. That’s why prayer isn’t just important; it’s at the heart of what we do as a School. As we start the 2025 school year, we’d love for you—our school community—to stand with us in prayer, asking God to lead, sustain and bless all that we do for His glory.
Chaplain