Issue 133 Summer 2021 ISSN: 2204-938X
Summer 2021 Issue 133 Issue 132 Spring 2021 ISSN: 2204-938X
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The Rosewood Centre
Inside this issue
Received the 2021 AIA Daryl Jackson Award for Educational Architecture.
The Regulars 06 14 20 22 29 34
Junior School Primary Years Programme Exhibition Teaching and Learning Critical Thinking Visual Arts The Artist’s Journey Design and Technology Cultivating Speculators Drama Barker Goes Broadway Alumni Profile Dustin Gold (Class of 2009)
The Features 01 From the Head of Barker Phillip Heath AM
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04 From the Chair of Council David Charles 51
OBA President’s Message Angus Abadee
Life Beyond Barker Alec Renehan Class of 2010
SKILLED WORKPLACE GOLD
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Hall of Fame
Each year the Barker Redbacks are proud to compete as a part of the global FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) that provides inspiration and challenge for our students.
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Mental Health and Wellbeing
The word “thrive” means much more than simply to survive. It conveys the notion of seizing all we have to prosper and flourish.
Sharing Science with the State The Barker Science program is highly regarded throughout New South Wales, and another example is through the School’s public leadership in the Science Extension course.
Editor-in-Chief
Editor
Assistant Coordinators
Print Production
Art Direction
Phillip Heath AM
Julie McAllister
Mandy Loomes Karina Drummond
Ian Lindsay
Glenn Quevedo
From the Head
Three achievements for the ages Excellence with humility As the many generations of our School know full well, the Barker College motto is Honor Non Honores. Honores
Of all the schools in which I have had the honour to serve, the Barker motto is truly lived and truly loved by each generation of our community. Our motto is not something so abstract or so quaint as to be meaningless to the contemporary generation of students. Our students now talk about it. They understand what it means and they truly expect honor non honores of themselves and of each other. This tradition was established decades ago in the 19th century origins of Barker and it still binds us today. We seek to do something good and beautiful in the world. We do not seek the reward of honours and renown but the intrinsic affirmation of excellence. Excellence finds its own reward in the quiet assurance that we have done our best to reach our potential. If honours come, they are an unlooked for blessing to everyone involved. This includes all of our community, students, staff and parents from the past, present and future, whose combined energies make it good to be here. During this eventful year, three honours have been bestowed on Barker, its staff and its students. Let us celebrate the excellence with humility.
The 2021 Prime Minister’s Award for Science Education to our Head of Agriculture, Mr Scott Graham This Award requires the nominee to complete a rigorous application process, assemble referees (who must provide detailed and specific evidence of quality, of which I am all too aware), and be considered by a demanding panel of reviewers who ensure that the Award is issued to a candidate worthy of such an honour. The Award is part of the “Inspiring AustraliaScience Engagement Programme”. What is remarkable about this achievement is that the Award was issued to a teacher who specialises in Agriculture. Over the last decade, despite our urban location Barker has developed an astonishing work in Agricultural Science. The Award recognises Scott Graham’s leadership in this space, his innovative approach to the study of Agriculture and the opportunities for Australia that issue from enabling an educated and imaginative cohort of graduates in this field of study. Supported by a marvellously dedicated team, Barker Agriculture has achieved something very important for our students and for our nation.
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From the Head
The Rosewood Centre received the 2021 AIA Daryl Jackson Award for Educational Architecture Before the recent lockdown, the Rosewood Centre was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects 2021 William E Kemp Award for Educational Architecture in NSW. With nominees from across the education sector, including Universities, Colleges and schools, the NSW Award placed the Rosewood Centre in the national shortlist for the major national award for educational architecture in Australia. The magnificent planning team supported by Ms Natalie Potent and Chaired by Mr Tony Gamson from the School’s Building Committee, worked assiduously with our brilliant architects, Neeson, Murcutt and Neille. News of the award reached us in mid-November. It is worth sharing the Jury citation in full Brit Andresen, who was called on to give early design appraisals for this project, raised the obvious but oft-ignored challenge for large sports buildings: the need to “humanise the space.” The architect’s success in meeting this challenge at Barker College Rosewood Centre is a palpable element of the work and evident even through the Zoom screen. Large spaces are described by the necessary structure, poetically revealed and concealed for spatial effect. This engaging proposition of structure and space develops a sports hall for a child’s psyche. In the case of adolescents, architecture, as elusive as it may be, is able to influence a higher sense of order; and this is now possible at Barker College, a progressive coeducational private school. Transcending its use as a sports hall, this building has become a core entry building into the College. The architecture is carefully planned around an undulating landform and an adjacent playing field; a certain preciseness in dimensions contributes to a subtle relationship with the horizon. Equally, an understanding of materials, their permanence or fragility, is demonstrated in the judgements about how light might enter the space and how movement may transform an interior to develop that “humanity” which was sought and delivered in spades. This consideration of the nature of movement of both people and climate has a resonating presence in decisions about circulation and engagement with the landscape and the outside world, which is at once present and absent from focus.
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This building is a signal of optimism for Barker College that will have a reach into the spatial consciousness of many young adults for years to come.
Barker Robotics admitted to the FRC Hall of Fame (USA) Since 2013, Barker has been involved in the First Robotics Competition (FRC), pitching our students against the finest in the USA as well as the various zones of the world. In the annual competitions hosted by Houston, Texas, over the years the Barker Redbacks Team have won the FRC Chairman’s Award in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. In addition, we have consistently won Asia-Pacific Regional Robotics Competitions and hold a top ten world rank in our Robotics program. Just as significant is the reason for the FRC Chairman’s Award – the Barker approach is to foster excellence for other teams, not just for ourselves. Deep in the Barker philosophy of Robotics is to share ideas and encourage the development of Robotics in other schools and communities, especially those who are disadvantaged. Robotics programs now exist in other countries because of the support of the Barker Redbacks. In recognition of this contribution and of the excellence of the Barker Robotics ingenuity in its own right, the FRC has admitted us to their Hall of Fame. There is no equivalent in Australia, but US schools who have achieved this status have been invited to the White House to accept the honour. In our own country, the Barker Redbacks Robotics Team is only known to enthusiasts for this activity. They are making a contribution beyond the Mint Gates and are the first and only Australian school to achieve this recognition. Awards like these are rare. To receive three of them in the same eventful year is astounding. Peace Phillip Heath AM Head of Barker College
Design and Technology
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From the Chair of Council
Unprecedented times While making prophecies about emergency management, US presidential politics and climate change on his 1 October 2019 Disaster Zone program, presenter and commentator Eric Halderman declared that the ‘2019 Word of the Year’ was ‘unprecedented’. How often have we heard that word used during 2020 and 2021? It has been a difficult time for everybody. Certainly Barker’s community has been affected and as vulnerable to the vagaries and uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic as anyone, whether that is economic impact, risk to health, curtailed personal freedoms or just plain disruption to School life and routine. Barker’s students from last year’s cohort and now from the Class of 2021 have been resilient in the face of interruptions to their HSC examinations preparation and to end of school rites of passage. Since the beginning of Term 3 this year and for some of last year, Barker students from Pre-K to Year 12 with their supportive families, have had to adapt to a new rhythm of School life and routine: Learning from Home. Thankfully a return to face-to-face learning has now come during Term 4. The change to School routine did bring other opportunities including the very successful Kurrajong Heights Day on 18 August 2021. This meant students, parents and staff members, indeed, the Barker community generally, could hear via an online program from leaders in their fields - writers, scientists, sports people, musicians, historians, creators, social enterprise thinkers and change agents. There was something for everyone. Dr Benjamin Zander in his inspiring presentation: ‘The Transformative Power of Classical Music’, said that leadership has to be outward looking and about taking people with you.
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During the lockdown period, Barker’s teachers have been outward looking. They have led the way with steady assistance from support staff, and have been guided by the experienced stewardship of Barker’s ninth Head, Mr Phillip Heath AM. The teachers have ensured the most important members of Barker’s community - its current students – despite the impositions of Public Health Orders, have continued their education journey and their Barker experiences with minimum disruption and so importantly, that each and every Barker learner is valued and cared for. Remote learning has provided parents and carers with a fine appreciation of, and a new found admiration for, Barker’s teaching staff and for the leadership of Mr Heath and his Executive team. The School Council also acknowledges the splendid work of the teachers and the Support Staff in carrying into effect the online learning program, in ensuring students can still have access to some co-curricular experiences and, where possible, seeing that wellbeing opportunities are afforded to the students. While I have no doubt that teaching is a tough job, it is a calling and an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children and young people. I suspect it is an honour for any Barker teacher to be approached by a current or former student saying thanks or just sharing their life since School. Teaching is caring work, and the outcomes brought by the efforts of Barker’s teachers have real significance for future generations. Students never forget how their teachers made them feel. David Charles (75) Chair of Council
From the Chaplain
Where is God in the mess? Believers and doubters alike have been asking this question for the last 18 months. As case numbers rose and restrictions set in, it was natural to wonder where God was in all of this? This question is not new and each generation through history has had cause to wonder the same thing. Here are a few reflections on this perennial question. The starting point of the Bible is to establish that God is not a distant deity or blind force, but a personal Father who is with us. Psalm 145:18 declares, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” God is with us, in this mess yet at the same time remains above the mess, in charge of all that is happening and able to step in and put the situation right. As the Bible narrative unfolds, God takes the radical step of entering the mess. In the Christmas story the all-powerful Creator, took on the nature of a human. In his arrival, God sidestepped the usual fanfare reserved for Emperors or Kings, the only witnesses were Mary and Joseph and whatever animals may have been present. It means that everything we experience today, God himself has experienced too. What happened when the Creator took on the nature of a creature? John 1:11 sadly tells, “he came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” Jesus, God-on-earth, was not only rejected by the world, but suffered at the hands of the world. Although he never contributed to the brokenness, he felt the stings and cuts and bruises that this world dishes out. It’s in this moment when Jesus’ broken body hung on the rough wooden cross that the love of God for this world was displayed and a way out of the mess was established.
Jesus not only succumbed to death, he defeated death. Through his resurrection humanity may look ahead now to when God will make all things new, wiping tears from red eyes and settling mourning hearts. There is no doubt we are all wearied by the events of the year. For many of us the pandemic is no longer ‘out there’ but it has come close and affected our lives in profound ways. So as we walk through this broken world may we remember that God promises to walk every step of our journey with us, even those parts of the journey that are filled with pain, sorrow and loss. But he does much more. Through Jesus, God has created hope beyond this world. Beyond the mess. Rev Peter Tong Senior Chaplain
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Junior School
Primary Years Programme Exhibition The Year 6 team and Primary Years Programme Coordinator, Lisa Bonazza, take us on a journey through the process of Exhibition 2021 that has occurred through online learning.
The exhibition journey begins with the ‘tuning in’ phase, where students are challenged and inspired by a range of guest speakers. Each of these lectures begins to build the students conceptual understanding of the PYP Transdisciplinary Theme “Where we are in place and time.” During this phase, students hear from experts across a variety of fields who speak about their life journey, reflecting on the decisions they have made, where they have drawn inspiration from and how they have overcome adversity. This year, students attended lectures from Dr Nhi Nguyen, an Intensive Care Specialist at Nepean Hospital, Rachel Lack from the Class of 2012 and 2021 Olympic Softballer, Jon Tse from the class of 2005, a business entrepreneur and founder of the Karst stone paper company and Lisa Sthalekar from the Class of 1997 and former captain of Australia's international women's cricket team. Through this process students were challenged to draw connections between their own life journey and the exhibition Central Idea: “The future can be shaped by past experiences”. David Steel
The finding out stage of exhibition is the process in which students engage in the brainstorming, planning and researching of new information centred around their passions. ‘The future can be shaped by past experiences’ is the central idea for this year’s exhibition. Students deconstructed this central idea, exploring their passions and constructing individual lines of inquiry to critically examine globally significant issues. They were able to explain and define the key conceptual understandings in order to springboard their inquiry. Students chose real-life issues based on their passions and made connections to the sustainable development goals. To assist in their investigations, students developed individual lines of inquiry, providing a scaffold for their research as they recorded their findings through notes and summaries. Throughout the finding out stage, the learning community, which is made up of students, teachers, mentors and experts, are enabled to think as researchers and gather information from a variety of sources. Students are encouraged to go beyond the known and are challenged to use their skills to acquire new knowledge. Hannah Yeow
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Junior School Through the exhibition journey, an important step is ‘going further’, where students delve deeply into their chosen inquiry topic. Two key areas that assist the students with this are their regular mentor meetings and their need to find primary sources. Mentors play the important role of guiding, listening and challenging students’ understanding of their lines of inquiry. Year 6 were lucky to have mentors right across the whole school. Students emailed their mentors, prepared agendas, met with them weekly and reflected upon their meetings. The other key area is finding primary sources. Students emailed and had meetings with experts in their field to support and answer key questions. Through this process, students broadened their knowledge, revised key understandings and developed independent research skills.
During the sorting out phase of the Exhibition inquiry cycle, students learn to analyse and interpret data displays, tables and graphs. These skills add depth to each of the student inquiries and allow them to examine their research from various perspectives. The students explore the validity of the data source and compare it against other sources. Additionally, they are expected to be critical thinkers and pose questions about what the data is telling them and to make predictions for the future. Data is also supported in STEAM with students learning how to use Excel spreadsheets to collate data and graph it appropriately. Jodey Baylis
Tim Moyes
Essential to quality learning is “…the interplay between asking, thinking and doing…” (IBO: Teaching and Learning, 2018, p40). The stage of the exhibition we have labelled ‘making conclusions’ is where the learners look at, reflect upon and summarise their main findings about what they have come to understand throughout their exhibition journey. They started this process by summarising the findings of each line of inquiry. By doing this, they are drawing meaning through reflection, building connections between what they previously knew and now what they understand. They build connections to what it means for themselves, to their community and to their world. They continue to deepen their understanding between their questions, passions and issues. To finalise this phase, the question was posed ‘now you know what you know, what is the message that others need to hear about your issue?’ Through this, students have to reflect, synthesise and draw a conclusion about what is the essence or core of their issue. It is then in the next phase of ‘action’ that they can do something about this drawn conclusion.
The ultimate response to teaching and learning is action. The beauty of action is that it can happen at any time; it can be short or long term, revisited or ongoing. Therefore, it is something that can occur throughout our lifetime.
Beth Foord
Lisa Bonazza
Action takes many forms and particularly within the PYP framework and is intrinsically connected to agency, the learner profile and internationalmindedness. Throughout, and now towards the end of the exhibition process, the students have shared the ways in which they will take action. Some of the ways in which they seek to do this is through participation, advocacy, social justice, social entrepreneurship, or lifestyle choices. We are so very proud of our Year 6 students for the ways in which they have inquired into the central idea being guided by their own passions and interests through a local, national and global lens. The future certainly is looking bright!
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Junior School
News from the Northern Territory
It’s getting hot at Dhupuma Barker! The black cockatoos are wheeling around the sky, mangoes are ripening and the water in the bay is getting flat and glassy, perfect for fishing. The heat and humidity are rapidly rising but that hasn’t stopped us from continuing work during our busy days. Term 4 has started strong with high attendance and a lot of positive energy in the classroom. We have worked consistently to establish and maintain daily routines and are seeing the benefits of these efforts. We are delighted with the progress the students have made in English during Terms 2 and 3. We have been focusing on explicit teaching of phonics, spelling patterns, daily writing and guided reading. The Yolŋu teacher aides have been working with the students on writing sight words and simple sentences in Yolŋu Matha. In this way, the children are provided with the opportunity to develop basic Literacy in both languages. The students have worked hard to participate to the best of their abilities in all curriculum areas. Their favourite activity by far is getting out of the classroom and on to the beach. We have been fishing, collecting oysters, hunting for mud mussels in the mangroves 8 • The Barker • Issue 133 • Summer 2021
and taking beach walks. It is fantastic to see the deep love the children have for their country and the pride they take in sharing their vast knowledge with us and others. We have had several visitors to the School and the students are always welcoming and interested in finding out about other peoples’ lives. It is great to see the children growing in confidence when interacting with unfamiliar Balanda people. We are looking forward to some special events this term. We have a new bus; have already participated in the launch of the new Arnhem Space Centre; will be participating in a five week swimming program at the town pool; welcoming the Indigenous Outreach Hip Hop Project and working on an end of year community celebration. It will be another hot Christmas in the NT before we know it! Lori Cross Dhupuma Barker Teacher Tom Spencer Dhupuma Barker Teacher
Junior School
Positive experiences during online Learning
Dance has been an integral part of connecting with culture during online learning and it has allowed us to connect with members of our local community and beyond. Darkinjung Barker participated in multiple zoom dance sessions with our local dance company on the Central Coast, Brolga Dance Academy, learning traditional Gomeroi and Torres Strait Islander dances. We also connected with many students around the country, participating in the NAISDA (The National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth workshop. Indigenous Literacy Day presented us with an opportunity to connect live to the Sydney Opera House. The virtual event enlightened and engaged primary and early learners in song, stories, and language with celebrities such as Gregg Dreise, a proud descendant from the Gomeri and Yuwalayaay people, and Australia’s favourite Indigenous popsinger, Jessica Mauboy. During this session, students engaged with two delightful animations illustrating Kriol language: Yakai Beibigel Tudei en longtaim, and they learnt to yell out “Yakai Gregg!”, every time they saw a twirling, whirling boomerang during Gregg’s lively performance. A virtual flight to the Tiwi Islands also allowed the children to join in with the locals at the island swimming hole and hunt for mussels in the mangroves.
The Years 3 - 6 Darkinjung class participated with an online ‘Drawing for storytelling’ workshop run by Barang, one of our local not-for-profit Aboriginal organisations and some interesting stories were shared. We were also able to reconnect with our robotics teachers via Teams, and the Years 3 - 6 students really enjoyed participating in the weekly coding challenges. On our class blog, we shared stories, recipes and videos from home capturing our science experiments, outdoor play and creativity, including the cubbyhouse and Lego challenge. Overall, Book Week was a favourite, although done very differently this year, it was great to see all the homemade costumes to celebrate our love for reading. The School is indescribably grateful, inspired and touched by the commitment of the students, parents, carers, staff and community throughout what was a difficult and demanding Term 3 and early Term 4. Tahlia Scheermeijer Darkinjung Barker Teacher
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Junior School
Proud in Culture, Strong in Spirit
We have had a very busy period of online learning, full of celebrations and learning activities. We have had some fun and worked very hard both at School and at home and we finished a crazy, unusual time strong! ‘Proud in culture, strong in spirit” was the theme for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Day this year. This fits our school perfectly as we consistently focus on how to keep our spirit happy and strong and the importance of connecting our happy spirits to our family and each other. We celebrated Indigenous Literacy Day a little differently again this year, through virtual storytelling. Highlights of our programs have included; listening to stories in language, embracing music, drumming, dance, painting, sport, outdoor learning, gardening, language, virtual dance, art and craft. Here at Ngarralingayil we celebrate our students and our culture every day. Child Protection Week was a great opportunity to learn about feeling safe, having rules and especially learning to be safe online. We talked about the Respect Circle and keeping our digital footprint positive. What you say online shapes what people think of you now, and in the future. Be strong and proud of your online behaviour. We are aiming to ‘Be Deadly’ in everything we do and say online. In Science, K-2 have been learning about the water cycle through a lovely book called Little Raindrop. It follows a drop of water on an extraordinary journey from the sky, through the earth, and back again.
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We have been describing changes that occur in the sky, from the different colours to the shadows cast by the sun. We have discussed the Wonnarua word for sun (panyal), the Wiradjuri word (yiray) and the Darkinjung word (banal). Years 3-6 have been learning about Earth and Space as well as the natural vegetation of the land. They have linked natural disasters to their writing about how bushfires affect animals. In Geography, they have been learning about patterns of the sun and the night sky. They have also taken on the role of teaching the Infants "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" in Wonnarua language. It is tricky and a little fast, but everyone is getting the hang of it and enjoying the challenge. Spring has sprung! The days are warmer, the grass is greener, the leaves are returning to the trees and the flowers are blossoming, greens, purples, pinks and yellows to remind us of new beginnings. Country replenishes, and a new lease of life emerges. It’s a spectacular time of year and makes our spirit happy. Mandy Shaw Lead Teacher - Ngarralingayil Barker
Junior School
A Lifetime of Memories In the blink of an eye, we have travelled around the sun six times since the opening of Darkinjung Barker. The memories, emotions and sense of achievement sit so close to my heart as I write this piece. This has been an experience I never thought I would get, but one I am so proud to have been a part of. The establishment of Darkinjung Barker and more recently Ngarralingayil Barker, have been amazing experiences and ones that I am proud of the small part I have played. My life has been enriched by the people I have met, the families that have let me in and the children who I love dearly. Each and every one of you will always have a special place in my memories. Thank you for filling my heart each day and making my job full of life and laughter. Thank you all for making me smile and saying just the perfect thing to bring my spirits up on a tough day and thanks for keeping me up on the modern lingo, newest YouTube clips and helping me understand social media. You have kept me ‘extremely’ young.
As I move into the final weeks of a six-year journey, my goals do not change. I strive for what’s best for the ongoing development of these beautiful schools and am taking that little bit of time to reflect on what life has been like over the past six years. The achievements from a personal standpoint far outweigh any expectations I had commencing this journey. I don’t know where to start and where to end, but somewhere right in the middle is where I find my balance. I can only hope that you are as proud as I am of what we have been able to build together. You have all been part of my family and for that I’m blessed. Thank you for having the faith in me to do what I do. I look forward to still being able to see the children when they visit the Hornsby Campus, as I commence my new role in the Junior School. Jamie Shackleton Director of Aboriginal Campuses
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Junior School
Open-minded Risk-Takers Term 3 commenced like none of us could ever have imagined. Online learning became a reality, lessons were flipped, collaboration was paramount, technology was essential and our littlest Barker students rose to the challenge with diligence, determination and grace. They displayed the attributes of open-minded risk-takers on a daily basis. The Microsoft Teams platform gave us the capability to conduct multiple class meetings daily, including small group reading sessions. The SeeSaw platform enabled us to be able to set activities for our students to complete, provide relevant and timely feedback and maintain communication with families. The use of this technology was paramount, ensuring we were able to deliver high quality lessons for our students and maintain student-teacher and student-student relationships as best we could in the online learning environment. Teachers worked together to ensure that students were presented with a variety of open-ended activities that catered to a range of abilities, all the while allowing for student voice and choice. It was important to us that we found a balance between on-screen and off-screen time, incorporating as much movement into our day as possible. We know this is so important for our little people. We were so impressed with the way every child strived to attempt all tasks set for them. It was a joy to see their confidence blossom in the online space – developing the skills and confidence to ask questions and share ideas during class
meetings, navigating their way with the technology, independently inquiring about aspects of our world related to our UOI and sharing this information with us all and developing responsible learning habits that allowed them to succeed in learning. Kindergarten bravely undertook a variety of individualised reading assessments in the online space to determine our students' growth and progress over the term. We are thrilled with the results and very proud of our students. The data shows our children have retained all teaching and learning and have made solid gains across all areas of reading development. For that we are so grateful! Finally, we wouldn’t have been able to conduct such a rigorous and successful online teaching and learning program without the ongoing commitment and contribution from the families – Thank you! Cecilia Greer Junior School Classroom Teacher & Early Stage 1 Coordinator
Digital Art Comes Alive Art was alive and well for the Junior School during lockdown. Paper, pencil, paint and clay were replaced with the iPad and digital apps. Inquiring into large enduring ideas and using critical thinking and problem solving to express those ideas in visual form, was a continuation of normal practice. Many Year 5 students used digital media for the first time. Their task as part of their Leadership Unit of Inquiry, was to create a poster promoting a learning attribute they demonstrate in a leadership capacity. The art making process encompassed the development of the idea, investigating the features of excellent graphic design and learning skills and techniques using digital media, which led to a range of creative responses.
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A human animal hybrid creature morphing the student with an animal of choice was the brief for Year 6. This inquiry focused on the representation of characters within the larger idea of how stories can be constructed, told and interpreted in different ways. Venus and Mars, a painting by the Renaissance artist, Sandro Botticelli with its mischievous and captivating satyrs, was the provocation for the students’ art making. Cate Loder Junior School Specialist Teacher - Art
Junior School
My Magical Mirror Ines Lai is a Year 5 student at Barker who recently wrote and illustrated a book My Magical Mirror. She has been very fortunate to have this book published. She attributes the reason her book was published so quickly was because she wrote and illustrated the book herself. The publisher Ines used is Lilly Pilly Publishing which has the slogan ‘Dream Write Create’. It has been an amazing experience for such a young writer who is shy, humble and creative. Her book is available online at Booktopia and Book Depository. Ines’ journey as a Barker student began in Year 3. She acknowledges her teachers and parents who recognised her ability to write and encouraged her to keep writing. After holidays Ines would often shyly appear at the Junior School Library door with a hand-made copy of a book she had written during the break. She has been inspired to write through her love of reading. Her favourite series is Harry Potter but visiting authors to Barker including Deb Abela and Oliver Phommavanh, have resulted in Ines reading a wider variety of material. Ines has drawn from her mature outlook on the lockdown whereby she has felt that people might need a lift to overcome their problems. She hopes her book will inspire others to write stories and is stimulating her classmates to take part in writing.
She illustrates her books using digital art to create her pictures. Ines participated in Cartooning, offered in the Ignite program which has influenced her illustrations and motivated her into thinking that she might explore the idea of becoming a comic illustrator. There is a strong message of encouragement in her book and she hopes her future books will include messages to have a positive influence on readers. She says, “After they read my book, I hope they will feel something special.” The publisher on the website has these words: “We know that stories are created to inspire, to educate, to uplift, to empower, to entertain, to change and to connect.” Ines’ book certainly does all of those things and we wish her well in her future endeavours with her writing. Sharron Stokes Junior School Specialist Teacher - Librarian
Dance Troupes Junior School Dance Troupes were fortunate to continue rehearsals online during Term 3. The Barker Dance Troupes from Kindergarten to Year 6 were committed to practicing their jazz and hip-hop flavoured competition routines and technique trackers in preparation for performances. The troupes were excited to share their polished routines with their parents at the conclusion of Term 2 ready for competing, however, Sydney Eisteddfod and other performances will now be conducted online through the use of a rehearsal video. Whilst this is not our first preference, the students have demonstrated an enormous amount of commitment, resilience and professionalism and are also working on a new piece of choreography to perform in the end of year showcase.
Students collected their individual costumes orchestrated by a drive-thru at the beginning of Term 4 in preparation for a filming day as we are hopeful to celebrate Dance with the Barker community. Isabel Snowden Classroom Teacher & CCC Junior School Dance Summer 2021 • Issue 133 • The Barker • 13
Teaching and Learning
Critical Thinking This year, four Year 11 students successfully completed the Critical Thinking Course, offered by Macquarie University as part of the university’s gifted and talented entry program. The course is taught at tertiary level and focuses on teaching the foundations of critical thinking and reasoning. Students learn how to analyse and evaluate arguments, how to detect common fallacies in reasoning, and how to employ logic and creativity to their own thinking. The theoretical part of the course is then applied to arguments from the worlds of business, law, politics, philosophy, and the media. The course was completed by Chloe Lollback, Jess O’Bryan, Justin Ho and Nathan Mackrill. Jess went on to receive a High Distinction in the course an excellent accomplishment. Having to balance school work and the course, the students were grateful for the experience as it allowed for a greater understanding of the expectations of university. Nathan has his eye on attending Macquarie University once he graduates, which helped with the decision to partake in this course. “I thought it would be a good way to test the waters at Macquarie, to see what their courses are like. It diversified my options of what to study after School,” said Nathan. Jess and Chloe were keen to learn more about what university is really like. Jess elaborated on how she was “excited about learning more about the whole university experience especially whilst at School as the thought of uni is quite scary.” “This was a good opportunity to have a taste of what it is like so when it comes around to it, I won’t be as nervous,” said Jess. Justin added it was a useful experience for the future and believes it’s “important to have an understanding of how university works with the benefit of being able to add it to your resume’.” The students commended the independent style of learning as it needed to be completed alongside other commitments as well as examining types of arguments
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and texts which would coincide and help with school studies. "It was good to be learning about different types of arguments and delving into the nuts and bolts of the arguments. We looked at texts, the internals and how it makes the reader think a certain way,” said Justin. “I liked that the lecturer put in a lot of effort; he wanted to teach, found good examples and shared good resources,” said Nathan. Jess added “It was up to me to motivate myself and to seek help if I needed it. I liked the independence aspect.” An enjoyable part for Chloe was how flexible it was to finish. “The lessons were pre-recorded, which made it convenient to plan around School.” They had the following advice for current Year 10 students who are interested in completing the course: Chloe: Think about all your commitments you already have and be sure you’ll be able to balance your workload. Jess: Be smart about your studies, stay on top and keep it manageable. Do the weekly activities for feedback, it’s very helpful in the long run! Justin: Make sure you write comprehensive and precise summary notes. Don’t do it the night before. Nathan: Watch the lectures at double speed as it is an efficient way to intake information and to use time effectively. If you are a current Year 10 student (2021) and you would like further information about completing this course, please contact Greg Longney by the end of Term 4 2021 at GLongney@barker.nsw.edu.au Hannah McGrory Social Media Coordinator Greg Longney Director of Teaching & Learning
Professional Learning
Professional Learning during Online Learning When teachers are thrust into the middle of a pandemic, what do they do? They adapt to the circumstances, collaborate with colleagues and invest time into thinking about and learning how best to reach and teach their students behind a screen. Staff have engaged with a diverse range of professional learning opportunities to develop their skills to enhance learning outcomes for students during this period of online learning and beyond.
Thriving Online Professional learning was guided by the five focus areas of Barker Thriving Online Framework.
• How can students be both connected and accountable? • What content and skills should be prioritised? • How can we allow for student choice? • Should this be taught synchronously or asynchronously? • How can feedback be delivered efficiently and effectively?
Professional Learning Delivery In this dynamic time of teaching, professional learning was an integral aspect of supporting teachers working at home. This required delivery through online mediums and included both live events and asynchronous access. Opportunities included; • Interactive Webinars • Live Events • Teach Meets • Online courses • Teams Chat for written Q&A • Video podcasts • Written articles
What we have learnt
Teachers researched, collaborated, tested, reflected and adjusted strategies to answer common questions such as; • How do we continue to build and maintain connections behind a screen?
The fundamentals of teaching and the need to foster the student-teacher relationship remained in the online world. Perhaps they became even clearer due to the greater difficulty to achieve them, without the face-to-face connections and interactions. Yet schools are flexible and dynamic. They are a place of learning, not only for students, but for teachers as well. Sarah Clifton Director of Professional Learning
Summer 2021 • Issue 133 • The Barker • 15
Barker Institute
Embodying Values: What do they mean and where are they seen? Imagine an employee who meets all of their responsibilities; a son who shows cares for his family and friends by checking-in with them despite physical distance; a daughter pushing herself to try new things and standing up for herself and others; a student who completes all activities regardless of whether they are being observed or assessed. Imagine a world full of people who genuinely listen and respect others views and beliefs. Recent research has revealed that these are the ways our Barker students are demonstrating the School values in their lives. The five values of Barker College (commitment, compassion, courage, integrity and respect) are aspirational but also to be evident in each interaction within the School community. Through two research projects, the Barker Institute has been investigating the understanding and embodiment of values amongst the students. This has included interviews with Junior School students as part of a longitudinal study following a cohort of students as they journey through the School from Year 3 (2019) to Year 12 (2028), and focus groups and surveys of the Year 12 Class of 2021 in collaboration with external researchers MMG Education.
The character of Barker staff shapes the Barker students. In 2019, the 66 Year 3 students spoke of the Barker staff always showing “kindness”. Probing questions revealed the students’ appreciation of the patience, compassion, care and respect shown by Junior School classroom teachers and School leaders Martin Lubrano and Phillip Heath AM. An analysis of student responses was published in the 2019 Barker Institute Journal.
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Now in 2021, these same students continue to see kindness, but also recognise their teachers’ integrity, respect, care and compassion. Most interestingly, they are also reporting how fellow Barker students are embodying these values especially while completing online learning during COVID-19 restrictions. While modelling values begins with the staff, the Year 5 students have been able to recognise the increasing role that fellow students play in shaping the positive values of individuals and a school.
Barker Institute
I show commitment in my devotion to my studies.
I show commitment by adhering to my co-curricular obligations.
I show compassion by helping my friends and family when they are in need.
I show compassion by staying in touch with my friends despite physical separation.
I show courage by pushing myself to try new things.
I show courage by standing up for myself and others.
I show integrity by completing my schoolwork even when it is not checked.
I show respect by listening to people and respecting them and their views, beliefs and values.
The Year 5 students’ astute observations are consistent with those of the current Class of Year 12 2021. Independent research from MMG education revealed the Year 12 students see their values as influenced primarily by their teachers (54%), the Head of Barker College (31%) and their peers (13%). The report states three key observations: “Values are taught less through rote learning and more by living them day-to-day. Staff role model the values and acknowledge students when they display the values. Values start from the top.”
Barker students living the Barker values. Criteria for selecting a school will always include far more than academic results. Parents want their children to be developing noble values and demonstrating these even as students. So, what does courage look like in the lives of a current Year 12 Barker student? How do our students show compassion, respect, commitment or integrity? It is worth celebrating how positive values transcend one specific activity. The students display the School’s values in both their own attitudes but also their relationships (at home and at school), in both the academic and co-curricular domain, and during normal and COVID-19 socially distant times. Because of this, we can be optimistic that these characteristics will
continue to define Barker students as they graduate and go beyond the Mint Gates and the post-school impact of the Barker values will be an area for future research in the Barker Institute.
The unparalleled opportunities in sport and co-curricular activities at Barker. Sport and other co-curricular activities have always been an essential part of the Barker Experience and this recent research validates its importance especially in modelling and embodying the School’s values. In the research, Year 12 students overwhelmingly reported that it was on the sporting field, at trainings, on camps, through Cadets, Footprint, CRU, Chapel and Robotics that they see and practise values. They still believe it is the teachers who they learn their values from, but to them it occurs when relationships deepen beyond the classroom. As for the Year 3 - 5 students, we learned they find immense joy and opportunity in the co-curricular offerings. So we eagerly await how these joyful times can turn in to character-shaping moments over the next decade as they participate in the full Barker experience. Dr Matthew Hill Director of the Barker Institute
Summer 2021 • Issue 133 • The Barker • 17
Barker Institute
Research for Learning Connecting academic research to the teaching faculty through the Barker Institute’s new Research for Learning community.
"Research is fundamentally a collaborative pursuit". Community and connection have been repeatedly highlighted as important in these present, challenging times. They sustain us, helping us to develop and grow. Fostering community and connection remain significant parts of the Barker Institute’s work as an educational research centre as research is fundamentally a collaborative pursuit. To best facilitate collaborative practices amongst research-invested staff, this year the Barker Institute launched a Research for Learning Community (RLC). This community is a network of like-minded members of staff seeking to pursue deeper understanding of teaching and learning through conducting and interpreting research. It is also a forum for professional learning, enabling individuals to enhance their own practice. Members of the RLC come from different walks of life: current postgraduate research students, recently graduated PhDs and those who have held that qualification for longer, teachers and non-teaching staff just interested in hearing what others are studying. All share a passion for driving, developing and supporting education, and creating new knowledge.
"This community is a network of like-minded members of staff pursuing deeper understanding of teaching and learning through conducting and interpreting research."
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The RLC has had a positive start in what has been a challenging year. There have been online and face-to-face opportunities for the exchange of ideas, including topics such as the development of philosophies of learning, the importance of home languages in the classroom, and the experiences of working alongside Barker student researchers, such as students in the Year 12 Science Extension course. It has also hosted guest presenters, including a former Barker Headmaster presenting on his own doctoral research journey! Members have been active in representing the School at educational conferences such as the National Boys' Education Conference, as well as submitting articles for publication to journals external to Barker. Research-informed practice will continue to grow as the RLC grows, enriching every classroom and student learning experience.
"Research-informed practice will continue to grow as the RLC grows, enriching every classroom and student learning experience."
To learn more about Research at Barker or the Research for Learning community including viewing publications from students and staff visit www. barkerinstitute.com.au/research/barker-institutejournal. Dr Timothy Scott Barker Institute Research Fellow Dr Matthew Hill Director of the Barker Institute
Agriculture
PM’s Prize for Excellence
Barker’s Head of Agriculture, Mr Scott Graham, has received the Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools in the 2021 Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science. During his time at the School, Scott has continued to develop unique programs to engage students and to emphasise the positive difference agriculture makes to society. Scott’s aim is to highlight how agriculture can lead to diverse and unique careers across a range of both urban and rural industries. He draws on 12 years of teaching experience to educate students about the importance of agriculture in Australia and employment opportunities in this scientific and business-driven field. Student enrolments in Agriculture at Barker College have tripled over the past seven years. The School has more than double the number of Year 12 agriculture students than any other school in Australia. Around 30 per cent of these students have gone on to pursue agriculture-related degrees at a university level. “We teach predominantly urban students at Barker,” Scott explained. “Even if these students don’t pursue a career in agriculture, they are still going to have at least four interactions with agriculture every day. This could be anything from the food they eat to the
clothes they wear. Agriculture will have something to do with students every day for the rest of their lives, so it’s important they have something to do with agriculture. We want them to be informed about the decisions they make.” “One of our strategies has been to develop a range of resources and teaching materials that make students think about how agriculture fits into the bigger picture. Whether it’s dealing with food security or climate change, we want students to be involved in making a difference.” “To be recognised in the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Science acknowledges not only the importance of teaching and education, but the integral role of agriculture for our nation. I hope this recognition inspires students across Australia to take up agriculture, and teachers to continue to support the subject in schools across the country.” Julie McAllister Editor
Summer 2021 • Issue 133 • The Barker • 19
Visual Arts
The Artist’s Journey My body of work is titled Its Farshun Darlink. My inspiration came from my love of fashion photography and my desire to work in the fashion industry. This interest informed the physical and visual qualities of my work as I reference Instagram in the larger three panels and the production of a coffee table book which includes quotes from high end fashion designers. I wanted to explore the manipulation of the fashion image through the use of lighting, digital editing and carefully stylised compositions to show how the images of “reality” are manufactured. To create my work, I had over 30 photographic sessions with my models, both in the studio and at outside locations. I also took close to 1000 pictures each session which took a lot of time to decide, edit and curate my desired final images. I decided to capture the ideas of luxury and elegance through the style of fashion photography, as well as showcasing the artificiality of perfection. My body of work is a playful nod and a wink to our social media age when everyone is the artistic director of their own life. Paris Jones Year 12
In Year 11 I decided to experiment with portraiture on large canvases, finding that I really enjoyed the style and the impact that the large scale of the painting produced. During one of our lessons my teacher showed us a video on Kathrin Longhurst and her paintings. I instantly fell in love with her style and concept. I drew inspiration from her art, crafting my work around successful females in their chosen male dominated professions. I undertook a great deal of research so that I could celebrate females from across different career pathways and throughout history. I found many inspirational women and chose five who really resonated with me. Originally, I worked in acrylic but then I began to experiment with oil paint as I wanted a medium that would allow me to create a smooth blend and a realistic appearance. One challenge in using oil is that it can take years to fully dry which made putting frames on and transporting them a major problem. It is amazing to see the Body of Work come together and it has inspired me to continue to work on and improve my painting techniques even more. Brianna Lollback Year 12
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Visual Arts As an art student, I have always been attracted to colour and knew I wanted to implement this appreciation into my HSC Body of Work. I began researching heavily with assistance from Mrs Jongsma until I finally decided on abstracting the works of famous Rococo paintings that typified the 18th century. These paintings placed great emphasis on ‘perfection’ within all aspects of society and challenged me to step outside my comfort zone and play with abstract elements that I wasn’t familiar with prior to the commencement of the year. I experimented a lot in the early stages, struggling to mimic the elegance and levity of the original paintings, I found that by loosening my brush strokes and diversifying my colour palette, I was able to create works that allowed viewers to experience the same sentiments of those of the original work. Ultimately, through this trial-and-error process I was able to gain much greater confidence in abstract painting, a skill that I will utilise in my future artistic endeavours. Camilla Winterton Year 12 A nation of a billion souls, ancient culture, and varied natural landforms homes a plethora of rich characteristics that inspire feelings of pride, eternal-attachment, and confrontation. My vision of portraying a diverse version of my ancestral home, India, that I carry within myself, culminated in a series of distinct wheel-thrown clay pots that act as an authentic teaser to the country. My 12-month artistic journey was an enriching learning experience. It entailed throwing a series of similarly shaped vessels to represent a distinct region of India, kiln-firing them, glazing them, and finally selecting the most refined pieces. Repeating this process until I was sufficiently skilled and satiated with my work, my final set of refined vessels held information inherent to each selected Indian region. However, the clay medium is quite unpredictable, and my planning was varied by different kiln-firing and clay-drying times. Additionally, producing the Arabic, Odia and Ancient Tamil inscriptions on my vessels demanded extensive practise and research, and some vessels cracked in the kiln, frustrating my flow, but not my determination. Hence, ‘The Gift of India’ was a manifestation of a strong process of which experimentation was its forte. Looking ahead, I aim to continue to finesse my artistic skills which can kickstart a pottery business. After all, art is a conduit for the artist to express their deepest passions and global concerns, and a suppression of the creative mind translates to an imprisonment of pure emotions and visions. Aryan Sethi Year 12
I hope you have enjoyed this insight into the artist’s journey experienced by some of our Year 12 Art students. I am thrilled to announce that this year the Eckersley’s Peer’ Choice Award has been awarded to Talia Curnow for her series of drawings “A Trilogy of Fables”
Scan the code to view The 2021 Visual Arts HSC online exhibition.
Tara Jongsma Head of Visual Arts
Summer 2021 • Issue 133 • The Barker • 21
Design and Technology
Scan the code to view The 2021 HSC online exhibition.
Cultivating Speculators According to the American psychologist Jerome Bruner, the main thing about teaching is that it opens up a wider range of possibility. “You teach students about something in the past or the present, but you hope that your teaching will have the good effect of leading them into the world of possibility. That’s where intelligence lies. To get students to go beyond the information that is given, to get them to speculate.” Italian Engineer and sociologist, Vilfredo Pareto, states a similar view, though cautions that not all people are up for this challenge. He asserts that the world could be divided into two groups of people; the ‘rentier’ and the ‘speculator.’ The rentier being the routine, steady going unimaginative, conserving people. The speculator being constantly preoccupied with the possibilities of new combinations. The process of designing that our Year 12 Design and Technology students embarked on, is a journey of inquiry and discovery to identify a genuine need or opportunity for a major design project. Much time is spent by teachers clarifying to students how they can better observe, frame questions and speculate on what else might be. Students photograph and video people around them who engage in activities that could be improved. They analyse the tasks and operations being completed and seek entry points for improvement. However the human brain is hard wired to be critical and to overcome this barrier students are provided with a bag of tools to promote lateral and creative thinking. Reframing view points, combining unassociated ideas, generating
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provocations and pushing the critical evaluations to the side until later takes practice, commitment and repetition. In short it requires as James Webb puts it, ‘training the mind in the principles and methods which are at the source of all ideas. And not accepting that which is satisfactory, but demanding something new that is a radical idea, something that goes beyond what is expected. Going beyond what currently is, takes more than knowledge, it requires imagination. You can then work backwards with knowledge to determine how to get there.
Year 12 Design and Technology, Industrial Technology and Textiles and Design Major Projects. Congratulations to our Year 12 students who have finished their major projects for Design and Technology, Industrial Technology and Textiles and Design. They have persevered this year to complete creative and ambitious projects and the quality of work they have produced is exceptional. Following are some examples of our Year 12 students' work. Darren Woodrow Head of Design & Technology
Design and Technology Paris Jones
Ella Gattorna
Sophie Allen
Francesca Buffa
William Irish
Jack Lloyd Mia Cohen
Anesu Chibowora
Andrew Kelly
Harrison Lucas
Summer 2021 • Issue 133 • The Barker • 23
Robotics
Hall of Fame Each year the Barker Redbacks are proud to compete as a part of the global FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) that provides inspiration and challenge for our students. Every year we are impressed with the creativity, ingenuity and skill our students demonstrate as they create ever more sophisticated and impressive robots. However, we are most proud of the efforts we have taken to share our knowledge and understanding with teams locally in Sydney, and around the globe to help others foster and inspire their own students. Our aim is to lead by example, using the gifts and talents with which we have been blessed to serve others and see their success rather than just seeking it for ourselves. Over the last six years our team has received the Chairman’s Award as recognition for our efforts, part of the ethos of ‘Gracious Professionalism’ and ‘Coopertition’ that FIRST aims to inspire in students. This year, we’re thrilled to announce that the Barker Redbacks were recognised as having significant and long-lasting global impact, and won the Chairman’s Award for the Houston World Championship!
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The team has now been inducted into the FRC Hall of Fame as one of 28 teams in the history of FIRST who have done the most to grow robotics in our community and helped inspire others in Science and Technology. Having made it our team’s mission to have significant global impact, we could not be happier! Of course, the medals and trophies sure put a smile on our team’s collective faces too. We are truly humbled by this momentous achievement, and the pages that follow honour the dedication and passion so many students, teachers, and mentors have contributed to allow this success since the team’s inception. Please enjoy this very brief overview of our team’s efforts to contribute to the world in which we live. Certainly, there is not enough space to fully thank every person individually with the fullness of praise they each deserve, so I hope you’ll have an opportunity at some point to talk with past, present and future members of our team to find out more.
Robotics
A Decade of Success 2010
2013
2014
Macquarie University founds FRC in Australia under the direction of Michael Heimlich
‘Ultimate Ascent’ – Sarah Cormio and Barker students start the Barker FRC Team with the support and funding from Head of Science, Rob Paynter. Cameron Dearn mentors the team of 10 young and enthusiastic team members to build and program their first robot drive base with a net designed to play effective defence against frisbee shooting robots.
‘Aerial Assist’ – Team size: 10 Students
In 2010 Michael Heimlich founds FRC in Australia at Macquarie University with Team 3132.
2011 Barker students Matthew Buffa, Alastair Noble, Dave Muller, Lal Birch, Jamie McVicker join FRC Team 3132 at Macquarie University. Matthew Buffa and Lal Birch travel to World Championships.
2012 ‘Rebound Rumble’ Matthew Buffa, Alastair Noble, Lal Birch, continue with FRC Team 3132. Matthew Buffa and Lal Birch travel with 3132 to Orlando Regional, recognising their growing commitment. The FRC Off-Season event ‘Duel Down Under’ is held for the first time at Barker College. Science teacher Sarah Cormio and students begin conversations about starting a Barker Team.
Oliver Nicholls joins FRC Team 3132 and is passionately ‘hooked’ on FRC. John Nicholls and Angus Griffin join the team and mentor every Thursday night with Science teacher, Cameron Dearn as part of an Industry Sponsorship from AArnet. Sarah Cormio continues to promote, grow and co-ordinate the team. The team focuses on building a repeatable, reliable robot that integrates effective mechanical design and sensors for robot control. Barker ‘Red Crusade’ has the most reliable shooting mechanism at ‘Duel Down Under’ (hosted at Barker), qualifies first and wins the off-season event. John Nicholls invites Jeser Becker and Daiane Rodrigues to help mentor the Barker team in late 2014, and they help prepare the current Robotics Lab for use in the 2015 build season.
John Nicholls and Angus Griffin joined the team as Industry Mentors as part of a sponsorship from AArnet.
Barker hosts Dual Down Under in the MPH. Team 4613 qualifies first and wins the event. Barker hosts DDU in 2014 and 2015.
2015 ‘Recycle Rush’ - Team size: 20 students Captains: Alastair Noble, Matthew Buffa. Mentors: John Nicholls, Angus Griffin, Sarah Cormio, Jeser Becker and Daiane RodriguesBecker. The Barker Redbacks compete in a full FRC season for the first time, building the robot with hand tools. The team qualifies first and are Finalists in the inaugural FRC Australian Regional, qualifying to Champs on a wild card. The team are Semi finalists in their division at World Championships. The team volunteers at FLL events, FTC events, build and distribute a gearbox for an otherwise difficult to use motor in the FRC Kit of Parts. Dr Kimberly Leslie and Daiane Rodrigues start two FLL team s at Barker as part of the GAP program in Junior School. The team also runs workshops with Blacktown Girls HS (pneumatics), Abbotsleigh (Mechanical and basics). The team is invited to China by the Chinese Urban Youth Robotics Alliance (CUYRA) and runs introductory workshops in Shenzhen for new teams. Summer 2021 • Issue 133 • The Barker • 25
Robotics
2016
2017
Stronghold’ – Team size: 30 students
‘Steamworks’ – Team size: 35 Students
Captains: Sean Zammit, Oliver Nicholls.
Captains: Caelan Kippen, Saskia Ridley-Smith.
Mentors: Jeser Becker, Daiane Rodrigues Becker, John Nicholls, Angus Griffin, Emmanuel Zammit, Anthony Brian, Guy O’Hanna and Lael Grant.
Mentors: Jeser Becker, Daiane Rodrigues Becker, Emmanuel Zammit, Anthony Brian and Lael Grant.
The Barker Redbacks shift manufacturing techniques to utilise CAD and CAM, and implement an advanced robot with goal Vision Tracking, a rotating turret, and sensors to calibrate and correct autonomous accuracy.
Chairman's Video– scan to play!
2017 Robot Reveal – scan to play!
The team sees significant improvement in processes following the implementation of off-season training workshops in CAD, CAM and implementing a badge qualification system. The team wins:
Barker hosts a Reveal Day Strategy meeting at the start of build season, and a ‘Week 0’ scrimmage at the end of build season to allow other teams to test their robots on our mockup of the field. Barker students assist Abbotsleigh, Sydney Uni DropBears, and Marsden High to complete their robots.
• Shenzhen Regional and Engineering Inspiration awards • Southern Cross and John Nicholls wins the Woodie
The team wins the Australian Regional, and win the teams’ first Chairman’s Award. Alastair Pilley wins Dean’s List Finalist Award for his work developing the ‘RedBox’ gearbox for less privileged teams. The Redbacks are Finalists at Calgary Regional and Daiane wins the Woodie Flowers Award one week after Jeser wins the Woodie Flowers Award (Team 1772) . The Redbacks compete at World Championships, but do not qualify for play-offs. The team is invited by CUYRA to Shanghai to help run workshops for Chinese teams.
• New York City Regional and Chairman’s Award • Hopper division Finalist at World Championship after
The Redbacks present FRC to assemblies at Pymble Ladies College (PLC) and run weekly workshops at PLC in Term 4 to help establish the new team. Barker creates a Middle School robotics program with over 50 students signing up. Jeser, Daiane, Kathy Haigh and Emily Pratt mentor students in FTC with eight teams competing. A Barker alliance wins Nationals and qualifies to World Championships (2017). The Junior School program is expanded to two Robotics classes.
Flowers award
• South Pacific Regional and Excellence in Engineering award. Sean Zammit wins Dean’s List Award
ranking 6th in qualifying (team best). Wins Innovation in Control Award The Redbacks Present at EduTech – the largest educational conference in the Southern Hemisphere The Team is invited to Zhengzhou by CUYRA to help run workshops for beginning Chinese teams. Team Captains run robotics workshops for Darkinjung Barker Campus. A Barker FTC Team competes at World Championships in Houston. Barker Implements the VEX Robotics Competition in Middle School.
The team wins Shenzhen, Southern Cross, South Pacific and New York City Regionals and wins the Chairman’s Award at NYC. The team is a finalist in the Hopper Division at World Championships and wins Innovation in Control Award for autonomous software.
The team wins the 2016 Australian Regional, qualifying to World Championships.
John Nicholls wins The Woodie Flowers Award for his significant contributions to Barker and so many other teams in Australia.
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Robotics
2018
2018 Robot Reveal – scan to play!
2019
Chairman's Video– scan to play!
2019 Robot Reveal – scan to play!
Power Up’ – Team size: 45 students
‘Destination – Deep Space’ – Team size: 40 students
Captains: Matthew Brian, Matthew Sainsbury.
Captains: Jarrod Zammit, Lucas Parker.
Mentors: Jeser Becker, Daiane Rodrigues Becker, Emmanuel Zammit, Anthony Brian and Lael Grant.
Mentors: Jeser Becker, Daiane Rodrigues Becker, Sean Zammit, Alastair Pilley, Emmanuel Zammit, Anthony Brian, and Lael Grant.
The team continues to grow and build skills and capacity in students, and built an innovative small robot. Barker host a Chinese team during build season, who then go on to found another four FRC Teams the following year. The team wins the Southern Cross Regional along with the Industrial Design Award, and are finalists at the South Pacific Regional. The team ranks 3rd in qualifying in the Galileo Division at World Championships and compete in the quarter finals. Lael Grant presents to hundreds of teachers at EduTech on Robotics. The Redbacks travel to Qianjiang at CUYRA’s invitation to teach rookie teams how to design and build their first robot. The Barker Redbacks host and run the inaugural VEX Robotics Competition Tournament in Sydney with 20 teams competing. Jeser Becker and Daiane Rodrigues Becker travel to Africa and establish the first FRC team on the African Continent – Team 7523 – the Springbots.
For Destination Deep Space the team build a highly effective robot that wins the Southern Cross Regional and the Excellence in Engineering Award. During build season the team hosts interns from Brazil to help teach advanced design and CNC manufacturing techniques. Team 7523 travel to Australia for their first FRC Regional and win Rookie All Stars. The Team travels to Quebec are Semi-Finalists, and wins the Chairman's Award. At World Championships in Houston the team ranks 5th in the Turing Division and competes in the quarter finals. The Junior School program is expanded to three classes with the addition of a VEX IQ class led by David Frazer. Barker students demonstrate VEX robots at EduTech. The VEX Robotics Competition, hosted by the Barker Redbacks, grows to just over 30 teams, and Barker holds the inaugural VEX IQ Challenge in Sydney. Barker helps run VEX Nationals in Adelaide and has five teams compete. Lael Grant presents to rookie Taiwanese teams at the inaugural FRC off-season competition in Taiwan.
The Barker Redbacks host and run the inaugural VEX Robotics Competition in Sydney with 20 teams competing from multiple schools.
The tea wins Chairman’s Award at Quebec Regional, Canada.
Barker implements VEX Robotics in the Middle School.
Lael Grant presents to Rookie Teams at the inaugural off-season FRC competition in Taiwan.
Summer 2021 • Issue 133 • The Barker • 27
Robotics
2020
2020 Robot Reveal – scan to play!
2021
Chairman's Video– scan to play!
2021 Robot Reveal – scan to play!
‘Infinite Recharge’ - Team size: 60 students
‘Infinite Recharge’ – Team size: 70 students
Captains: Ben Schwarz, Tom Abbott.
Captains: Jack Wilson, Suzanne Brian.
Mentors: Jeser Becker, Daiane Rodrigues Becker, Sean Zammit, Alastair Pilley, Anthony Brian and Lael Grant.
Mentors: Jeser Becker, Daiane Rodrigues Becker, Sean Zammit, Alastair Pilley, Anthony Brian and Lael Grant.
The Team designs an advanced robot with fully machined turret, swerve drive, continuous targeting algorithms with feed forward predictive shooting and the most reliable and best assisted climber system in the world. Season is cancelled due to COVID-19.
2021 awards:
Barker partners with sponsor VEX Robotics to establish a VEX IQ robotics program at Darkinjung Barker, with Barker Robotics mentors providing weekly training sessions.
Hosted the inaugurual FTC State of Origin off-season event between NSW and Queensland teams.
Expanded Robotics program in Junior School with addition of VEX GO in Years 3-4 and FLL Explore in Years 1 - 2.
Southern Cross winner, Excellence in Engineering Award, Remote Competition Finalist, Chairman’s Award Pacific, Championship Chairman's Award and the Barker Redbacks are inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Barker Robotics facilitates a VEX sponsorship of robotics for Dhupuma Barker, and the provision of drones to encourage inquiry and inspiration in technology.
2020 awards: South Pacific Chairman’s Award
Barker hosts the inaugural FTC State of Origin Off-season competition between NSW and QLD FTC Teams.
The team wins the South Pacific Chairman’s Award after competing remotely online.
Baker Robotics partners with VEX to bring robotics to Darkinjung Barker, with weekly training sessions provided by Robotics mentors.
The Redbacks presents for the Chairman’s Award remotely over Teams creating a ‘Newsroom’ presentation leveraging our experience in live event video. The team wins The Pacific Regional, and the World Championship Chairman’s Award for our work fostering robotics locally and globally, and is inducted into the FIRST Robotics Hall of Fame.
Lael Grant Robotics Coordinator & Computer Science Teacher
Jack Wilson – FRC FTC Team Captain and Robotics Coach Jeser Becker appear on “FIRST Updates Now” after being voted Best FTC Robot in the World.
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Drama
Barker Goes Broadway I have been recalling the essence of the play now more than ever. That being, change. Barker Goes Broadway is an annual concert in which students perform some of their favourite musical theatre pieces. This year was slightly different as we were all in lockdown and were learning online. The students were challenged to edit together a video in which they lip-synched to their favourite Broadway song. We received several creative entries from Year 9 - 12 students including whole Drama classes performing songs. Students showed great innovation in their choreography and created fabulous costumes for these performances. My friends and I wanted to be part of this Barker event, so we put together a video of the song ‘Six’ from the hit musical Six. This musical is from the perspectives of the six wives of King Henry VIII. The song Six is their final number, where they sing about their preferred ending to each of their stories. It is a song about coming together with your friends, finding joy in life and making music. We got very creative with the costumes and tried to make them as close as possible to the official production’s look, using just what we had at home. Charlie J was our choreographer and gave us a great, cohesive look for our performance. I found it was an uplifting experience to take part in with my friends in lockdown, as it was a creative outlet for us and we were able to just dance and have fun with this great song. Emily Whiting Year 11
Having the privilege of editing together the show allowed me to really feel as if I was helping to get Barker Drama back into the spotlight. It was really inspiring seeing classes from all year groups getting creative with the task at hand and seeing several students outside of the Drama program getting involved was super exciting. These submissions along with a throwback to 2020’s Cancelled: The Musical culminated in a full hour of musical content from Barker alone, led excellently by the 2020 Drama Captains, Bailey and Jess. It was awesome to see the Barker community come together to watch Barker Goes Broadway and allow the younger years to get a taste of the performance experience that they have been missing. The Drama program is all about connections with peers and being able to absorb and celebrate the talent across the School, and it was so tough not being able to have that performance experience for all students across the program, but especially our Year 12 2021 cohort who lost their group performances which are always a highlight of Year 12 Drama. Fortunately, Barker Goes Broadway showed the drive and resilience of the entire Drama department, and although we could not congratulate each other on the night, it was clear as the show went on, that Barker Drama hadn’t gone anywhere during lockdown. We can’t wait to see that same passion in force and in person in 2022! Ben James Year 11
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Drama
Every Brilliant Thing… about Drama Online There is a beautifully personal play written by Duncan Macmillan called Every Brilliant Thing and a few years ago we had the opportunity to take a keen bunch of Barker Theatre Club students to see it at Belvoir Street Theatre. It is a one-person play centred around a boy who creates a list of everything that is brilliant in the world as a coping mechanism for his difficult life. He learns this list off by heart; repeating it and adding to it every time he thinks of something new. In these uncertain times it seems like a good idea to have a steady list of positive things that keeps growing and at the top of my list would be the people I work with. The Barker Drama Department really shone in the toughest of times transforming a world of practical, collaborative, physical learning into a meaningful one online. Here are a few of our Year 10s reflecting on their time. The important skill of communicating became harder online and through that I learnt to be patient and to accept other people’s ideas more readily. The best part about online Drama was the voice acting workshop. It opened our eyes to the world of voice performance, especially in cartoons. We learnt critical skills such as vocal warmups, how to create dynamic, unique characters that engage audiences. The best part of my day was looking at my calendar and seeing Drama, even on a Friday afternoon. My teacher had a way of always making it engaging and fun to be a part of. Jamison Cameron Year 10
I think the best part of Drama online was getting an insight into people’s lives, seeing them in a more casual setting, we met many pets and siblings. It wasn’t easy when there was no instant feedback from an audience as they often hid behind their screens, but my teacher did an excellent job at balancing work and games to ensure fun lessons. Drama was certainly my favourite subject to attend online because of her, so Thank You! Nick Strachov Year 10
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The best part of Drama online was working collaboratively with my peers to create a very interesting, funny mockumentary. One of the recent highlights was a voice workshop. It was very engaging and amusing to create a new character and make a voice for it. While being online, I definitely missed playing drama games and interacting with actual people instead of their School photos. Overall, Drama online was the one subject I looked forward to, it brightened up my day and made my week a whole lot better. Isabella Onsley Year 10
The best part of Drama online was being connected with people. It was the one class where everyone turned their cameras on and participated for the whole lesson. It was a great space to stay connected and added joy to the day. Online learning was quite challenging at times, and if there is one thing I could say to the Drama staff it is thank you for all of the hard work put into lessons; making them engaging and always making sure that everyone felt included. Max Bowles Year 10
And now, that we are back – we can start our own list of Every Brilliant Thing…together Pia Midgley Head of Drama
Drama
Year 9 Play The show must ALWAYS go on!!! Theatre has been around for centuries…and it will take more than a global pandemic to end it - that is what history tells us. During 1592 and 1593 William Shakespeare and much of England, endured lockdowns, and a loss of work due to the Bubonic plague and yet he wrote some of his best work during this time and his theatre company survived to go on to greater recognition. Throughout the Blitz in WWII London theatres were closed and the West End was quiet, yet each week secret concerts were held in the National Portrait Gallery to “boost morale”. Even when the bombing was at its most intense, the shows didn’t stop, they merely moved into basement rooms to keep everyone safe. In the heartbreaking year of 9/11 Broadway theatres were only dark for a few days, yet audiences were very slow to return. But now New York has struggled to its feet again, creating musicals such as "Come from Away” helping to show and celebrate the human spirit enduring against adversity. So how could we deny our Year 9 Drama students the opportunity to perform, to tell stories and to entertain because of COVID-19? The answer is of course, we couldn’t and although it has been an uphill battle to bring the Year 9 Performance Evening to the stage we did it!
Born of an idea when stuck online teaching Drama in Term 3, the Year 9 Performance Evening was an opportunity for our students to think, breathe and feel what it is to be on a stage - as another character, in front of an audience. And for those that know - there is nothing in the world that can mirror the incredible sense of achievement, pride and strength that comes with stepping out on a stage, in full costume, under lights to perform for a living and breathing live audience. Nothing in the world! We were so incredibly proud of the Year 9 Drama students - not only for their resilience and positivity during online learning but also, and perhaps more importantly, for their willingness to just have a go on stage. Such an important step on their theatrical journey through Barker Drama. Vive le théâtre!! Pia Midgley and Simon Thompson Directors
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Commercial Studies
The Apprentice This term Year 10 Commerce students participated in a new initiative; The Apprentice. Run by the Commercial Studies department, this program sought to replicate the demands of working in the corporate sector.
Students were tasked with creating policy advice for the Federal government in response to one of the following issues; housing affordability, national reconciliation, gender discrimination, climate change and income disparity in Australia. This required students to undertake research into the issue they selected to gain an understanding of the scope and complexity which must be overcome to resolve each matter. Once the research phase was completed a specific policy response was developed from the perspective of advising the Federal government on how to redress the problem. Students were fortunate to be collaborating with, and mentored by, professional Economists working for EY Sydney. EY works as a consultancy firm who advise a range of public and private sector clients on managing economic impacts of various social and market changes. Students were able to gain insight into how economists approach their work and gain feedback on their devised solutions. This aspect was essential to the program as staff sought to immerse students in the world beyond the Mint Gates.
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Having been placed into groups not based on friendship or classwork, students were required to adapt quickly to the pressures of collaborating with individuals not well known to them. This was again motivated by the realities of the professional working environment. Students participated in a team-building activity and special presentation designed to equip students with key strategies for managing collaborative team environments. Andrew Watts Commercial Studies Teacher Aleisha Ford Commercial Studies Teacher
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mental Health and Wellbeing The word “thrive” means much more than simply to survive. It conveys the notion of seizing all we have to prosper and flourish. Of holding our intellectual and spiritual self in a harmonious whole.
At Barker we have determined this as our purpose to inspire everyone in our community to thrive. Over the last three years we have developed a sustainable approach to staff wellbeing through the lens of psychological safety, understanding it is essential the work environment is conducive to strong physical health, robust mental health, good spiritual health and supportive for all our staff. A strategic review of the School’s Psychological Safety in 2018 – 2019 highlighted that staff at Barker are strongly aligned to the School’s Mission, Vision and Values and are passionate about contributing to the success of the School. The findings led to initiatives in leadership development, a focus on embedding a culture of continuous feedback and a priority area of staff wellbeing within the School’s Strategic Plan. Raising mental health awareness, decreasing the stigma of mental illness, and providing a framework for which to initiate a conversation is a significant component of a healthy workplace. In 2019, we launched our whole School approach to raising mental health awareness through a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Strategy. Mental Health First Aid is a global innovative program that was inspired by the successful physical first aid model. With accredited MHFA Instructors on staff, we facilitate training for
SKILLED WORKPLACE GOLD
our Support Staff in the Standard (adult) program and staff in key pastoral positions participate in the Youth program. We now have over 36% of our staff accredited. This year also saw the expansion of the program to our families. In recognition of our commitment to continuous improvement in mental health training and dedication to embed this program into our culture, Barker has been officially recognised as a Mental Health First Aid Gold Skilled Workplace 2021 - 2023. We look forward to incorporating the Teen MHFA program into future strategy, where our secondary students are educated to identify when their peers need support and how to seek the help of a trusted adult. We aim to ensure that all Barker students and staff are supported to develop and maintain positive mental health as we seek to continue to establish practices that are conducive to the ongoing promotion of a culture of positive wellbeing, capturing the essence of what it means to truly thrive at Barker. Alison Binet Deputy Head People & Culture
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Alumni Profile
Alumni Profile Dustin Gold, an Old Boy from the Class of 2009, is an Australian Public Servant based in Washington DC. Dustin recently chatted with Director of Alumni and Community Relations, Mandy Loomes about his career. What was the highlight from your time at Barker? There are so many great memories from my time at Barker, it’s really hard to choose a single highlight. What I loved was the variety of any given week or term. Barker really had something for everyone. For me, some really strong highlights were Swimming, Stage Band, Saxophone and Cadets. However, I also remember fondly Public Speaking, Surf Lifesaving, Mock Trial, Duke of Edinburgh, and Stage Crew. Was your time at Barker instrumental in your career direction and choices? Certainly. I vividly remember my disinterest in Cadets when I was in Year 7, but at Barker there’s an environment that encourages you to give everything a go. Some found incredible sporting talents but my friends will tell you that wasn’t the case for me. I couldn’t catch a cold – let alone a footy. In Cadets and Surf Lifesaving I found a sense of satisfaction through service and leadership, which I hadn’t experienced before. This led me to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and subsequently to the public service. My experiences
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in Public Speaking, Mock Trial and Debating, shaped my ability to communicate and led me to study Law. I have no doubt my time at Barker has been instrumental in my career to date. (That combination probably also accounts for my love of Sorkin’s The West Wing!) Have you had a mentor who has guided you along the way? In the early years, I was so fortunate to be guided by Barker staff who had previously worked in Government or the ADF, as well as friends who were a few years ahead of me at Barker. I fondly remember an ANZAC day about five years after I’d finished School. I was catching up with this diverse group of former Barker students, some from five years before me, some from five years after me as well as a few in my year group. We’d all joined the ADF in some form or another. It was so interesting to discuss our experiences, some shared, some different and talk about our goals and ambitions. I think we’re lucky to have access to that sort of mentoring, from a common base where we all had at least one common experience – Barker.
What has your career journey been? As a child I wanted to be a Qantas Pilot. I remember the careers team at Barker were fantastic at helping me choose the right subjects in my final years. I was really excited as I started the process with Qantas, in Year 12. But 2009 was the depth of the ‘global financial crisis’ and it would be several years before the aviation industry would bounce back. I also didn’t enjoy Maths or Physics, no matter how hard I tried. People told me to do what I loved, so I started reflecting on all those highlights from Barker. I realised my favourite moments were in Cadets and Surf Lifesaving. There were few similarities between the two, except both gave a sense of satisfaction when leading a team that was doing something for others. This experience led me to the ADF and from there the public service. Along the way I studied Law and spent some time working in the New South Wales public service before making the move to Canberra.
Alumni Profile
How has you career in the Australian Defence Force led you to where you are today? As an Officer in the ADF you gain experiences very early in your career, that in other professions might take many years. It's not uncommon to find yourself as an instructor, mentor, manager and leader, in your first few years. Often you’ll be working with people who have had very different life experiences to your own. My time in the ADF, both full-time and as a reservist, was foundational in qualifying me for international engagement, capacity building and operational work that I undertook early in my public service career. I think my current role, in Washington DC, has a lot to do with those prior experiences representing the Australian Government in our near region. What does your role in Washington DC involve? My role is a little different to many other Diplomats in Washington DC. I spend half of my time embedded with the Department of Homeland Security and half working out of the Embassy of Australia. My primary focus is building collaborative partnerships, working with our American counterparts on matters of national security and countering the impacts of serious and organised crime. I’ve had some tremendous opportunities in Washington DC and often find myself supporting the needs of our Government at a moment’s notice. I’m fortunate too that I’m able to continue my service with the Australian Army Reserve through a foreign exchange arrangement with the District of Columba National Guard. To be able to work in a Joint Task Force Headquarters, coordinating the tasking,
movement and logistics support of over 26,000 military personnel in support of this year’s Presidential Inauguration was an experience I'll never forget. Whether I’m working with the National Guard in my Army Reserve capacity or representing Australia’s interests with other American agencies and departments in my civilian role, the opportunity to exchange different approaches and tackle complex challenges has been truly incredible. What is it like working for Australia overseas? One of the great things is how closely the Australian team comes together – both personally and professionally. A few times I’ve said to colleagues here and those back in Canberra, that you’ve never really experienced interagency collaboration until you’ve seen it at a Diplomatic mission or post. We’re fortunate to be part of a high performing team, where everyone knows each other’s interests and has each other’s back. What’s more, there is a real sense of community within the Embassy family and with other Diplomats from our closest partners. Whether its trips away on weekends, happy hours, or getting together to watch a game, there’s always other Aussies around… and the Kiwis aren’t half-bad either (plus they’ve got a pool at their Embassy!) Do you get much spare time? How do you relax? There’s some really busy times, especially when senior officials or ministers are in town. The enduring challenge, as far as spare time goes, has to be managing all of the evening and late-night calls back to Australia. They’re essential to link up with our counterparts in Canberra and to help senior officials and ministers remain connected – especially with
COVID travel restrictions over the last 18 months. That said, essential travel is starting to resume and the US is starting to reopen domestically. I’m really looking forward to exploring everything the US has to offer and getting some of my weeknights back to catch up with friends. What are three words you would use to describe yourself? That’s a really hard question… My mum say’s I’m “quick thinking, a talker, and organised,” all things she attributes to her unrelenting efforts to nurture a young Dustin. My dad would say “talks too much, talks too much, and…. talks too much” all things he’d probably attribute in the same way. Have you got any words of wisdom for today’s Barker students? Sometimes when I’m thinking about home, I like to flick through Bill Bryson’s In a Sunburned Country. There’s a passage where Bryson considers one of Australia’s most significant policy issues and concludes that if he was asked how we could do better he wouldn’t have the faintest idea. When pressed for an answer he offers: “Do more. Try harder. Start now.” Barker is a place where you can do so much and apply yourself to anything that interests you. You don’t have to be an academic, athlete, cadet or debater, but you can do more, and we can always try harder at whatever we choose. The post-pandemic world will be increasingly fragile and contested. More than ever our businesses, communities and country will need strong leaders to help tackle global challenges. So...“Do more. Try harder. Start now.”
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Christian Studies
Pandemic Pivot in Christian Studies Where is God in a global pandemic? Is it ok to have doubts about God when faced with difficulties and challenges? What guidance does the Bible give when making ethical decisions related to health and medicine? How can we be a good neighbour to those around us? These were some of the questions students wrestled within Christian Studies during the Term 3 lockdown. In a pivot from our usual course work, Years 8, 9 and 10 engaged with issues relevant to COVID-19 in our country and around the globe. They explored ways in which our contemporary experience is echoed in the Bible and how we can draw strength and hope from the Christian faith. In Year 8 students probed Jesus’ teaching to be ‘salt and light’ (Matthew 5:13-16) by examining the work of Christian organisations in countries worse hit by the pandemic than Australia. They also considered how they might be ‘salt and light’ to those around them at home and in their neighbourhood. In Year 9 our Term 3 unit focused on making good decisions, with a particular focus on ethical scenarios related to the health crisis. Students were encouraged to engage with several different ethical perspectives, including what it might be to make decisions motivated by Jesus’ command to love God and love our neighbour (Matthew 22:36-40). In Year 10 we shifted from our normal unit on Bible stories in their narrative context to exploring ‘Bible stories of hardship and hope’. A particular focus was on David’s experience while persecuted by Saul, prior to becoming King of Israel. David’s heartfelt cry to God in the midst of his doubt, coupled with his trust in God’s goodness despite his circumstances, were investigated through Psalm 22. Students created a personal response to this Psalm and were guided to reflect on how they might find encouragement from its message and themes.
Our approach to Christian Studies in the Secondary School is to provide a hospitable classroom environment where the views of all students are respected and valued. We encourage students to wrestle with big questions about life and to seek to understand how the Bible and the Christian faith can offer deep meaning and purpose. We seek to inspire students to step empathetically into the shoes of others, as well as to personally respond to the material covered in the course. It is our hope that during their time at Barker, students will both understand and experience the love, grace and hope that are found in Jesus. W wrestling Wrestling with big questions from multiple perspectives.
U understanding Understanding Christianity and other viewpoints.
C communicating Communicating persuasively, appropriately and respectfully.
P PERSONAL Personally responding to the questions raised in class and acting for positive transformation in our world.
Shading The rich resources of the Christian faith are thoughtfully brought to bear upon all that we do.
Tom Anderson Head of Christian Studies
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Sharing The Christian Faith With Our Barker Community and Declaring The Love, Grace and Hope Found In Jesus
E empathy A willingness to enter into the shoes of others and to attempt to see the world from their perspective.
Mathematics
Mathematics Trust Enrichment During Term 3 2021, the Mathematics Department challenged students with thought-provoking questions from mathematical competitions and the Australian Mathematics Trust Enrichment series. Two of these competitions were the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) and the Australian Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad (AIMO). One student has shown his outstanding ability in these competitions claiming the Best in School position and submitting wonderful solutions to the AIMO. Lachlan Cassin in Year 9 won the title of Best in School in the AMC. In the AMC, the problems get progressively more difficult until the final problems which are very challenging to even the most gifted students and teachers. This is an outstanding result, ranking him in the top 1% of students competing in this international competition.
Tyler has a large number of square tiles, all the same size. He has four times as many blue tiles as red tiles. He builds a large rectangle using all the tiles, with red tiles forming a boundary one tile wide around the blue tiles. He then breaks up his rectangle and uses the tiles to make two smaller rectangles. Like the large rectangle, each of the smaller rectangles has four times as many blue tiles as red tiles, and the red tiles form a boundary one tile wide around the blue tiles. How many blue tiles does Tyler have?
Lachlan also completed the four-hour AIMO paper and submitted wonderful, carefully structured solutions. We look forward to seeing his results and are certain that he is to be a shining star in the mathematical world in the future. Here is the final question from the Intermediate AMC paper which Lachlan completed. Can you solve this problem? Allison Davis Assistant Coordinator Mathematics and Mathematics Teacher
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Languages
Aboriginal Languages
All Year 7 students and Languages staff are very excited to offer the Aboriginal Languages course for a second year at Barker. To build on the success achieved last year in embracing the language of the Dharug people, on whose land the School stands, Languages staff proactively sought support and collaboration from Jasmine Seymour, a Darug woman, artist, writer and a member of the Darug Custodian Aboriginal Corporation. The Barker Global team, William Clarke College and the Dharug organisation Muru Mittigar, have also played significant roles in advancing the learning experience for our students. Students and staff are extremely appreciative of this support and look forward to maintaining strong ties. In the first Year 7 Assembly of Term 4, led by James Denton, we were grateful to Phillip Heath for addressing the students with his words of encouragement as they commenced their course. It was also our honour to have Uncle Wayne Cornish1 join us to share his stories and knowledge, and to inspire all students and staff to embrace and enjoy this journey of language learning and cultural exploration.
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Through the themes of Country and Place, Ceremony and Dance, Story and Art, Animals and Weather and many more thought-provoking topics, students will work and learn together to develop the vocabulary in English and in Darug required to speak in a respectful and grateful way about the Dharug people. More importantly, the acknowledgment and celebration of cultural diversity at Barker contributes to students’ development of cultural sensitivity and understanding. Our Year 7 students and their Languages teachers are looking forward to an ochre painting experience, where we will have the opportunity to express our appreciation of and respect for Indigenous culture. Stephanie Chen Languages Teacher Uncle Wayne Cornish is a Ngemba man from Brewarinna NSW and is the Operations Manager at Muru Mittigar. Muru Mittigar, which means ‘pathway to friends’ in Darug language, is a Dharug Organisation that seeks to create a better understanding of Aboriginal culture in the wider community through student workshops, professional development for school staff, and land management consulting. 1
Barker Global
Creating Community at School and at Home Since 2017, First Nations students at Barker College in Hornsby have come together with Indigenous Education staff once a week for ‘Yarn Up’. Yarn Up takes place on Wednesday lunch times as a space for First Nations students to catch up with one another, share common experiences and form a community across year levels. Yarn Up is held in Mirrung Ngurang, the dedicated space for First Nations students on the Hornsby campus. Mirrung Ngurang, meaning ‘the belonging place’ in Darug functions as a break-out space where students can study, connect, relax, and access support staff. The room is decorated with artwork significant to the students, featuring many works created by the students themselves. The weekly sessions started with a group of three students and quickly became a founding element of Barker’s Indigenous Education program at Hornsby. Since then, Yarn Up has gone from strength to strength, with 12 students regularly attending in 2021, and nine students graduating last year. One of the program’s strongest assets is its facilitation of student leadership opportunities. Through Yarn Up Senior students can provide support to younger students, lead important School events such as the NAIDOC Assembly, and voice their thoughts on how to better pre-existing support programs.
Yarn Up students have continued to demonstrate leadership even after they graduate, returning to give back to the First Nations community at Barker. We are lucky to have Eliza Darney returning as a cultural mentor and tutor. Eliza is a Wiradjuri woman and graduate of the Class of 2020, now studying Clinical Science at Macquarie University on her path to becoming a doctor. Although we were not able to meet in person for over four months, Yarn Up has continued. Each week at the regular time, Yarn Up students and support staff logged on to spend Wednesday lunch times catching up, completing online jigsaws, sharing jokes, and supporting one another. Lucy Pitkin Dean of Indigenous Education Molly Glendenning Barker Global Research Assistant
Formal Logo
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Icon
Service Learning
Be active and share in the fun!
During the week of 16 August 2021, members of the Barker College community sprang into action! Staff, teachers, students and their families committed to being active as part of a Move-a-thon for Dignity. Dignity is a charity that empowers people who are experiencing homelessness, or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Students sought sponsors to help them raise funds to sponsor participants of Dignity’s new Ready To Work program. The program provides employment opportunities and housing for people experiencing homelessness. Students in the Junior School and High School participated in the Move-a-thon for Dignity sharing their sporting spirit and support for this worthy cause. We partnered with the PDHPE Get Active program being run at the same time which saw the step count for the High School reach the thousands!
Although we were apart, many photos and videos of students and their families being active were shared on the School socials which kept us motivated and connected. We are very grateful to the students and their generous sponsors for their support of the Move-a-thon for Dignity. ‘We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the Barker School community. It is so great to see students and their teachers moving for a cause and supporting our new Ready to Work housing program. Together, they raised $5,700 and we are so very grateful for their continued support.’ Suzanne Hopman, Dignity CEO Sherobhi Rajamantri Coordinator of Service Learning
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Cadets
New Challenges
The purpose of Cadets is to cultivate initiative and creative problem solving in young men and women, qualities that have been needed in the last term more than ever before. The Barker College Cadet Unit has been faced with new challenges, forcing us to adapt to circumstances we never could have predicted only two years ago. In April, our Year 10 and 11 Cadets attended their promotions camp before the start of the new Cadet year, but plans quickly changed as lockdowns began. As new Commanders were announced in the first few weeks of term, they had to navigate the regular challenges of taking a new command, as well as an evolving online environment. Nevertheless, it took less than a week for the new rank to step up and begin planning activities for Cadets to continue online. And so, the 2021/22 Cadet year kicked off with the newest Company Commanders meeting their junior rank in an online meeting – a theme of the Term, it would soon become clear. Our newest recruits soon started their Cadet journey, and the Unit’s activities were up and running for the year! The virtual environment didn’t stop our Cadets’ education – the unit rank worked hard to plan and record video lessons for their companies and platoons in a constantly changing environment, doing an amazing job at ensuring every Cadet was on their way to having the knowledge they need for Bivouacs next year. As well as their video lessons, Cadets also attended regular online Platoon meetings as a way of meeting those they are spending their recruit year with, and will be working with for the rest of their Cadet journey – this also
provided the opportunity for Cadets to catch up with their peers outside of class and to get to know their rank before we return to Cadets on campus. Lessons and meetings were not the only activities that made up our online Cadets program – the recruit companies also ran a variety of activities over the course of the term for the Captain Khong Cup, awarded each year to the best recruit company. Recruits were involved in activities where they recreated military images, camouflaged themselves, practised knot and lashings and built bush furniture. They also did some at-home drill practice! Meanwhile, Bravo company worked hard on their knots and lashing, their drill and their radio telecommunications – mostly revision together from recruits! This was a great series of exercises for our newest Bravo company as we begin the process of making sure we are well and truly prepared for AFX 2022! Our Unit Commanders and rank worked hard over the holidays preparing for an exciting term for the Cadets. Claire Kitching Year 11, CUO Tech/PR Wing
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Science & STEAM
Lockdown did not hold us back! Online learning and lockdown did not slow the creativity, imagination and energy that the outstanding Barker Science staff put into their work with our students. The agility with which we have been able to pivot from in-class, hands-on activities in our laboratories to rich online experiences, has been impressive and we can see that many of our students have continued to thrive in their love of all things Science. The Stage 4 students engaged in some fierce competition to showcase some of the things they had been learning in creative ways. We were thrilled with the entries and pleased to award prizes as soon as we were back on campus. A highlight was Jessica Bradford (Year 7) and her original song composition, We are Animalia, taking us through the classification of living things. She filmed the song with her whole family involved, set to the tune of Kokomo, by the Beach Boys. It is well worth finding on the Barker Instagram! The iSTEAM Year 10 projects were extraordinary, with the design of a biomedical device that ranged from prosthetic devices to nanotechnology for cancer therapy. Impressive research and innovative ideas were evident in their work and the projects will be showcased via a community link during Term 4. The STEAM@Home program in the Student Connect Hub was developed by our amazing Dr Alison Gates and she designed a wonderful set of activities for all students to engage with as Term 3 progressed from home. This worked through an interactive interface of a model home with recycling, astronomy, citizen Science projects and the pollinator program, where the Barker Bee Club kept on clubbing!
Science Olympiad Results Austin Lin (Year 11), was selected as a member of the Australian team earlier in the year and we are proud of his achievement of a bronze medal in this year’s International Chemistry Olympiad (123rd in the
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Top to bottom Barker Bee Club; Jessie Bradford (Yr 7) prize winning science song; STEAM special guest speaker, Dr Lisa Emerson, Biomedical Technologies.
world!). Austin will further develop his skills as he helps to coach aspiring Olympiad students in 2022. We are also proud of Matthew McHarg (Year 11), who has recently been offered a place at the Australian Science Innovations Earth and Environmental Science Olympiad Summer School. We look forward to seeing where this opportunity may take another one of our gifted Science students. Virginia Ellis Head of Science & STEAM
Science & STEAM
Sharing Science with the State The Barker Science program is highly regarded throughout New South Wales, and another example is through the School’s public leadership in the Science Extension course. Science Extension Publications and Public Lectures
Barker students recognised on the highest stage
The large number of students choosing to do this course reflects how Barker students value the experience to have unrivalled research supervision, teaching, and publication opportunities. Consistent with the Barker vision and values, this privilege is being shared with the wider community via the Barker Institute through publications, public lectures, and training opportunities.
Academic journal and magazines feature articles from university researchers with many years of study and research experience. According to the Australian Institute of Physics, Barker College Year 12 student (and 2021 Barker Vice Captain) Harry Breden’s research meets this standard. Harry’s research into “The Boundary of Chaos: An Investigation into the Length Ratio Dependent Chaotic Dynamics of a Planar Double Pendulum” will be published in the OctoberDecember edition of Australian Physics. Scientific publication while at high school is a great honour and a testament to Harry’s intelligence, creativity, and tenacity in the discipline of science, as well as to the amazing opportunities for Barker students through studying Science.
The third edition of Scientific Research in Schools has been released and shared widely (www.barkerinstitute. com.au/research/student-research) and is being used by teachers and students from various schools to inform their own research projects in this course. To launch the course for 2022, the Barker Science Extension teaching team offered three public lectures with an open invitation to every school across NSW. Hundreds joined lectures on Storytelling in Science Education (Dr Alison Gates), Philosophy of Science (Dr Matthew Hill), and for the first time in 2021 a talkback-style panel reviewing student project ideas (Dr Terena Holdaway-Clarke, Dr Alison Gates and Dr Matthew Hill). The Barker staff have also been involved in running training sessions for teachers through the Association of Independent Schools.
Dr Matthew Hill Director of the Barker Institute and Science Teacher
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Sport
Sports Science The Strength & Conditioning Department at Barker College is made up of several components. Our first and foremost is that the Strength & Conditioning Department provides an inclusive training space for the students at Barker. At the beginning of each term, the Strength & Conditioning Department releases a training timetable that caters for every student from Year 7 to Year 12, providing opportunities to train for sport or just for fun. Another component of the Strength & Conditioning Department is the sport science side of training, which is headed up by our resident sport scientist Andrew Smith. Barker is fortunate to be one of the only schools in NSW to have a full-time sport scientist working within the School. Within sport, the use of sport science assists coaches in decision-making to ensure that not only are our teams training effectively, but also training safely. Through the use of wellness questionnaires, training questionnaires,
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GPS units, and much more, coaches and Strength & Conditioning staff are getting an in-depth and highquality insight into how the students are going. Outside of sport, sport science is heavily involved with the PDHPE Department of the School. Throughout the year, students have the opportunity to experience and even get hands on with technology such as speed gates, GPS units and linear positional transducers within their PDHPE classes. Additionally, training and movement data that is accrued as a student trains can be utilised to provide the Strength & Conditioning Department with an insight into physical literacy trends at the School. Sandro Clarke Strength & Conditioning High Performance Coordinator
Sport
Fostering a Love of The Game Barker Sport aims to provide enjoyable experiences for all students across all sports. A sense of belonging is important, as is an environment that challenges students of all abilities. Our programs cater for beginners and high performing athletes alike. This year, two of our departing Year 12 students will be joining the professional sporting ranks on fulltime contracts. Barker Rugby Captain, Ned Slack-Smith, will be moving to Perth to join the Western Force on a two-year contract. The first year will see Ned join the Academy ranks where he will learn about the professional game and lifestyle and hopefully develop his already impressive Rugby skills and overall athletic potential. In the second year he will join the wider senior program and look to make his way into the Super Rugby squad. Ned will be studying a Bachelor of Business online during this time. When asked about his Barker experience, Ned commented, “Barker has helped me not only with their amazing Rugby program and coaching, but also fostered my love for the game and provided mentors to help me get to where I am today.” Ned was selected in the NSW Rugby Gen Blue U18 Squad this year, but unfortunately the pathway was cut short due to COVID-19.
She has an interest in sport science and exercise physiology and will be taking a year off from studying to concentrate on developing her game for long term success in the professional ranks. Georgie notes, “Barker has been imperative to the success of my footy, in particular the Barker Strength and Conditioning team. The staff are extremely good at what they do and provided a supportive environment, unique programs specific to the goals I had on and off the field and created a welcoming culture for everyone around.” Georgie also played Rugby 7s for Barker and attributes her attitude and mindset as an athlete to the program, as well as allowing her to just have fun and enjoy sport without the pressures of performing. “Barker as a whole has played its role in fostering maturity on and off the field and without the support from the School and the community, I’m not sure I would have the opportunities I do now, for which I am extremely grateful and forever indebted.” Adam Watson Director of Sport ‑ Operations
Georgie Fowler has signed a one-year deal with the Greater Western Sydney Giants AFL squad. Currently in pre-season training, Georgie is looking forward to Round 1 of the 10-week competition beginning early January.
Summer 2021 • Issue 133 • The Barker • 45
Sport
Designing for Future Generations
At Hornsby BMW we see design as an integral part of daily life. Architecture, vehicles, and even the future can be designed to be sustainable. The goal of sustainable design is to not only meet our needs, but more importantly, the needs of future generations. It's about building a better future by eliminating negative environmental impacts, minimising waste, creating healthy environments, and reducing the consumption of non-renewable resources.
drive, exceptional range, and powerful acceleration from a standstill.
Both the award-winning Rosewood Centre at Barker and our BMW dealership have implemented sustainable design with great success.
This applies to the solid-state battery too; it is 100% recyclable and made from mostly recycled materials.
The design goal of this visionary vehicle was to achieve a rate of 100% recycled materials or 100% recyclability. In addition to bio-based and certified raw materials, secondary materials that have already passed through a product life cycle are used.
The Rosewood Centre is a showcase of sustainable thinking, featuring ample natural light, mixed-mode ventilation, water-efficient appliances, and rainwater irrigation.
The principles of sustainability also carry through to our facility and services. Natural light is maximised throughout our whole building, and recycled water is used for our gardens, bathrooms and for cleaning our cars.
The space also contributes to a significant reduction in the School's carbon footprint with over 500 photovoltaic panels on the roof and charge points for electric vehicles.
Designing for sustainability is not new, but as more people become aware of the effects of climate change, it becomes more critical. Society is making a push towards sustainability in all aspects of life.
Likewise, at Hornsby BMW, we have five EV charging stations within our facility and another three stations planned. We are also collaborating with Hornsby Council to convert our power box into a public charging station.
We are proud to be considered, along with Barker, as front runners in the sustainability movement with the adoption of new attitudes and technologies – the Rosewood Centre and Hornsby BMW are superb examples of what can be achieved.
These innovations are part of our all-encompassing approach to sustainability which includes an everexpanding range of electric vehicles, such as the upcoming BMW iX3, BMW iX and BMW i4.
We invite you to join us in our drive toward sustainability. To be one of the first to experience the future of luxury electromobility, please register your interest with us: barker@hornsbybmw.com.au
Ready to test-drive soon, the BMW iX is spearheading areas of electromobility. It provides the joy of emission-free driving combined with electric all-wheel
Barker is grateful for the support provided by Hornsby BMW of the School's Sports program.
46 • The Barker • Issue 133 • Summer 2021
Barker College Parents' Association
Barker College Parents’ Association
A message from the BCPA On behalf of the parents of the School, we organised a cookie care package to be sent to each Year 12 student to send them our support through what was a very difficult time for them leading up to the Trial exams along with this message.
We know the last few weeks have been tough. So here is a little gift from everyone at the BCPA to say we are thinking of you all. We hope you enjoy and our very best wishes for the future which is bright.
Barker College Parents’ Association
Whilst the recent lockdown prevented us from going ahead with events and gatherings, we are now excited about focusing on a bright future and an exciting 2022. There is much to look forward to including: • BCPA Welcome, Inside the Mint Gates Friday 19 February • Welcome Morning tea – Senior School Friday 25 February • Welcome Morning tea – Middle School Friday 4 March • Welcome Morning tea – Junior School Friday 11 March • New Parent Dinner Tuesday 15 March
At our AGM in September the following Executive committee was re-elected:
• Trivia Night Saturday 14 May
President: Warren Davis
• Spring Fair Saturday 17 September
Vice-President: Michele Biet Secretary: Karen Gilbert Treasurer: Kris White Class Parent Coordinator: Deanne Uy
• Volunteers Afternoon Tea Friday 21 October • BCPA Christmas Lunch Friday 25 October
Class Parent Coordinator: Suzanne Gibson Warren Davis BCPA President
Summer 2021 • Issue 133 • The Barker • 47
Archives
Central Australia Safaris Ian Campbell was initially a Science and Geology teacher at Barker for just two terms in 1955, but his keen interest in the great outdoors meant that in that short time he attended the Cadet camp at Singleton and commenced a bushwalking group.
Upon returning to Barker in 1964, Mr Campbell joined the Cadet Unit, reestablished the Bushwalking Club and arranged for students across the School to travel to unfamiliar places with magnificent scenery, including Central Australia, New Zealand and Nepal. In his 25 years of teaching service to Barker, Ian Campbell ran over 150 camps including 15 ‘safari style’ major expeditions, open to all boys in the Secondary School, with these eventually becoming known as Adventure Country expeditions. Adventure Country’s tours to Central Australia were at a time when air travel was expensive so three-week trips with the husband and wife owned bus company Sundowner Tours, were arranged with students experiencing a true outback experience. “We were delayed for a day at Granite Downs Station while Mr Hand, Mr Campbell and Mr Hayman and a few of the boys repaired the clutch of the bus, which had
48 • The Barker • Issue 133 • Summer 2021
broken down in the middle of the Stony Desert…. On the way out to the Rock we lost safari member Drury Heath, who was flown by flying doctor to Alice Springs, because of what turned out to be an attack of German measles and an appendix which had to be removed” The College Barker, 1964, p.41. In 1989, after nine successful tours to Central Australia with Mr and Mrs Hand of Sundowner Tours, Barker College guided by Ian Campbell in his retiring teaching year, purchased The Grange at Mount Victoria and established the Outdoor Education program which continues at the School today. In 1991, Ian returned to Barker as the Alumni Liaison Officer, a role he held until his second, and final retirement in 2013. Jackie Rossington Assistant Archivist
Foundation
Towards a Culture of Giving Barker’s history is full of generous acts of giving and community fundraising efforts. It is the generous benefactors over the course of Barker’s history and across generations, along with those who actively support the growth of philanthropy today, who contribute to the ongoing development of the School. Reaching any philanthropic goals requires unprecedented generosity and support from the entire Barker community including families, alumni and staff. Accomplishing these goals, will continue to advance Barker College to new levels of excellence. The Foundation’s role is to work with the School to ensure the fabric of Barker stays strong now and in the future. The Foundation of Barker College firmly believes that fostering a culture of giving in the Barker Community is fundamental in making Barker the vibrant and dynamic community our students engage in and are inspired by each day. There are different opportunities to support the School and its initiatives including: Named Scholarships Named scholarships that will encourage a tradition of scholarships funded by the Barker community in areas of specific interest e.g. sport, academic, Indigenous, that align with the School’s values.
Bequest Program A bequest program is a gift in a will that supports the provision and ongoing enhancement of the educational opportunities provided at Barker for all students. Indigenous Education A practical two-way reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, based on education and on a dream that will close the gap between Indigenous learners and non-Indigenous learners and based on the celebration of aboriginal identity and cultural experience. Our focus is to support Junior School aged students ‘on country’ and support Secondary School aged students with scholarships to attend Barker. Please consider supporting the Foundation’s initiatives through termly giving or through the Barker website: www.barker.nsw.edu.au. If you would like more information about the work of the Foundation please email foundation@barker.nsw. edu.au or visit the Barker website: www.barker.nsw. edu.au. John Slack-Smith Foundation Chair
Master Plan To accommodate population growth and increased demand, Barker is preparing a master plan that focuses on the needs of students of Barker today, whilst building with the future in mind.
SummerSummer 2021 • 2021 Issue •133Issue • The 133Barker • The Barker • 49 • 49
Inside this issue 51 OBA President
60 Personal Notes
52 Life Beyond Barker
62 Community Chaplain
54 OBA Groups
63 Obituaries
59 Community Events
Old Barker Association Contacts
School Contacts
email: oba@barker.nsw.edu.au
Alumni and Community Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 kdrummond@barker.nsw.edu.au
(Please note that the number in brackets after a name is the graduating year) President Angus Abadee (07) 0433 108 525 Honorary Vice-President Emily Tutt (09) 0426 751 165 Honorary Treasurer Andrew Hassall (86) 0412 610 434 Assistant Honorary Treasurer Benjamin Ho (09) Honorary Secretary Josh Grace (90) Assistant Honorary Secretary Anna Sutton (05) General Committee Vanessa Bennett (91) Georgia Breckenridge (18) Gemma Dywer (Davies 09) Declan Flaherty (16) Anthony Hearne (90) Jenny Kalaf (Melville 78) Lachie Lloyd (18) Nominees to School Council Michael Brodie (79) Tony Gamson (78) David Trayner (84) OBA Ambassador Chris Russell (70) OBA Annual Patron Sandy Hollway (64) OBA Seniors Contact Ian Pont (63) oba@barker.nsw.edu.au
58
Archives Rachel Byrne Jackie Rossington (02) 8438 7291 archives@barker.nsw.edu.au Interstate and International Barker Contacts Adelaide Lane Hinchcliffe (00) 0412 130 935 (m) lane@lkggroup.com.au Brisbane Andrew Wilkie (01) 0412 779 383 (m) andrew.wilkie@morgans.com.au Canberra Andrew McColl (74) 0422 985 281(m) as.mccoll@icloud.com Melbourne Murray Anderson (65) 0457 000 407 (m) murray@capricorngroup.net.au Newcastle Nicholas Bedggood (88) 0410 565 101 (m) nickbedggood@yahoo.com.au Northern Rivers Jim Poulos (61) 0413 087 412 pamio@bigpond.net.au Perth Gus Elliot (92) 0416 298 774 (m) gus.elliot14@gmail.com
OBA Support for Life https://landing.mymirror.com.au/old-barkerassociation
Talk to an online psychologist today Old Barker Association is supporting you with 3 sessions with My Mirror online psychologist.
Contributions Welcome Please send contributions to Alumni and Community Relations, 91 Pacific Highway, Hornsby NSW 2077 or community@barker.nsw.edu.au. For further information please contact Alumni and Community Relations on 8438 7283. Personal notes are published in good faith, as a service to the Barker Community.
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Sunshine Coast Phil Benjamin (61) pandj.benjamin@bigpond.com Upper Hunter Charles Cooke (65) (02) 6545 8141 (w) charles_cooke@esat.net.au Canada, Ontario George Darling (70) gdarling@sandstormgold.com Hong Kong Vacant Japan Carl Bastian (93) carl@rwo.okinawa Middle East David Baker (85) +965 9950 1657 drwbaker2002@yahoo.co.uk New Zealand Michelle McLachlan (Dooley 96) +64 27 838 7838 mmclachlan@trustwave.com Oceania (Fiji) Neil Underhill (75) (679) 336 3968 (w) neilunderhill@connect.com.fj Papua New Guinea Johnson Kalo (83) (675) 305 6703 (w) jhnsnka03@gmail.com Philippines Steven Robinson (77) steve.robinson@dfat.gov.au Singapore Carly Switzer (94) carlyswitzer@yahoo.com.au UK, London Annette French (Slattery 88) (44) 1732 382 281 (h) annette.e.french@sky.com USA, East Coast New York Alex Skellet (94) (917) 251 3361 (h) alexandraskellet@gmail.com USA, West Coast Phoenix, Arizona Digby Cook (56) (623) 523 4321 (h) digbyhcook@gmail.com
From the OBA President
Talk to an online psychologist today Old Barker Association is supporting you with 3 sessions with My Mirror online psychologist.
OBA President’s Message The lockdown we have all faced over the past few months has made us change the way we live, how we work and how we interact with one and another. In talking to our members, it is clear it has been a challenging period we hope is never repeated. But out of this time we can see there have been new opportunities. We have embraced digital interactions like never before – providing a new way to connect with our friends and family around the corner or the other side of the world. We have explored new interests and taken stock of what is important.
We are also excited for the restart of community sport and live entertainment, which will give our affiliate groups, including BOBs cricket, OBA Big Band and the North Shore Wind Symphony a chance to get together and do some of the things they love. If you are interested in getting involved in one of these groups, please reach out to me or directly to our affiliates.
Throughout this time the OBA has focused not only on getting ready to be there for members and their families when we can all come together in person again, but ensuring we are there for you whenever we are needed. The extension of our Support for Life program to an online platform has been critical to our ongoing support of members who need a bit of extra help from regional areas or different time zones worldwide.
I would like to finish by acknowledging Mandy Loomes, who will be leaving her role as Director of Alumni and Community Relations at the end of the year to take up new opportunities. Mandy has been the lynchpin of the OBA – not only helping to drive the work of the OBA but being the person able to bring us all together.
Through the MyMirror platform we have put members in contact with experts in mental health support with a funding pathway through Medicare for professional future ongoing support if necessary. Our free initial consultations continue so that we can help all get the most out of life and because we want all members in our community to know they are not alone. We are collaborating with the Barker College Parents Association to raise funds for the Support for Life program for those who need extra support at this time. We want to make sure all members of our community are members for life. With restrictions lifted, we are also hoping to start getting together again over the Christmas break and into the New Year. One of our priorities will be running networking and mentoring events to provide support to those transitioning into workplaces, those looking to develop existing and new skills and those looking for new opportunities. For those of you on LinkedIn, I encourage everyone to sign up to the Official Barker College Alumni to keep up to date with what is happening.
Mandy joined the OBA when it was in a transition to a new way of engaging with members, the School and broader Barker Community and she leaves an indelible mark on the fabric of our organisation and the School as a whole. Mandy has worked tirelessly to run events for members, support our work to set up the Support for Life program, mentoring and networking and keep affiliates supported and growing. She has strengthened our connection with the School, the amazing work of the staff and the work of the Barker College Parents Association. But it is the personal connection she has made with countless alumni and their families during times of grief, times of happiness, and most recently the difficulties that COVID has brought that have made her truly special. On behalf of those people you have built those relationships with and helped through some trying times - thank you. Angus Abadee (07) OBA President
Summer 2021 • Issue 247 • The Old Barker • 51
The Old Barker
Life Beyond Barker Alec Renehan, an Old Boy from the Class of 2010 has successfully partnered with a friend from university to start a financial media company, Equity Mates. Director of Alumni and Community Relations, Mandy Loomes, recently caught up with Alec.
What did you study after you finished at Barker? I moved to Canberra and studied Law and Asia-Pacific Security at ANU. After studying law for five and a half years, I decided it wasn’t for me and joined the Coles graduate program in Melbourne. What was your inspiration to start recording your Equity Mates Investing podcasts? I grew up in a household that didn’t learn about investing. For me growing up, the journey to build wealth started and ended with property. So when I met Bryce, my co-founder, in Canberra and started learning about the opportunity in the share market - I was hooked.
52 • The Old Barker • Issue 247 • Summer 2021
Bryce and I listened to a lot of podcasts, but there wasn’t anything in the finance space for a beginner like me. So, we decided to start recording our journey, as a way to hold ourselves accountable and as an excuse to get experts to speak to us. We hoped a few people would be able to learn from our mistakes and we’ve been lucky to grow an audience over the years. How many recordings have you done so far? Over the past four and a half years, we’ve recorded almost 500 podcast episodes across the two podcasts we host - Equity Mates Investing Podcast and Get Started Investing. We’ve also launched five other shows under the Equity Mates brand with a variety of hosts from around Australia, all focused on breaking down the world of investing to make it accessible for everyone.
The Old Barker
What did you learn at Barker that has helped you on your journey? Barker was such an important springboard for me. I learned a lot, but the most important thing were the skills I developed. How to approach difficult problems, think creatively and come up with novel solutions. We’re trying to navigate a new industry and figure out how to build a sustainable business, and I am thankful for the skills I developed as a Barker student which have helped me do this. I also need to acknowledge Debating at Barker. I often think that Debating was the best subject I did at school. It taught me to communicate clearly, required me to think quickly, and forced me to become a better speaker. I know I wouldn’t be as good a podcaster if it wasn’t for Debating. However, whatever I do after this, I know I’ll be better for the experience as a School and university debater. For people reading who are still at Barker, I can’t encourage you enough to give it a go. Has there been anyone who has inspired and encouraged you to follow this path and your dream? We have met some incredible and inspirational people over the years at Equity Mates. For me, the most inspiring people are those who are right in the middle of building incredible businesses or careers but take the time to reach out and help those coming after them. Matt Leibowitz, the founder of online broker Stake, stands out as someone who has helped Bryce and I on our journey. For years, he was a mentor, a sounding board and an inspiration as he worked to build his own incredible business. He was trying to convince Bryce and I to quit our jobs for years and was the first outside investor in Equity Mates. We wouldn’t be here without him. Do you have a favourite memory of your time at Barker? There are so many good memories from my time at Barker. I look back on those later years of Year 11 and 12 as some of the most fun I’ve had. Playing low grade social sport with my mates and heading off on Cadet camps are some great memories that I look back on fondly today.
What do you do to relax? For the past 18 months, it feels like it's been a lot of Netflix. For the past few years, I’ve also been playing a fair bit of golf - although my handicap remains stubbornly high. One thing I always try to make time for is reading. When work and life get busy, I find it is sometimes the last thing I want to do. However, I think remaining curious and learning new things that are outside of my day-to-day helps me become a more productive and creative person. Do you have any advice for today's Barker students? I’ve got to start with - learn to invest. Once you understand the benefits of compounding, you’ll see why it is so important to start early. We have an opportunity to become a part-owner in businesses hiring the smartest people, working on the hardest problems and changing the world around us. The opportunity to find these great businesses and let your money grow over time is something I wish I understood when I was younger. At Barker, I would say take the opportunity to try things outside of the classroom. Sure, marks and classroom learning are important, but Barker offers an opportunity to try so many new things and build skills outside the classroom. If I think back on my time at School I don’t remember the marks I got. I do remember all of the extracurricular activities I got to try. Once you leave school, it becomes a lot harder to try new sports, to jump into something like Cadets or Duke of Edinburgh or to find people who would be interested in debating you or playing you in chess. Take advantage of the opportunities Barker offers because these are the things you’ll remember for years to come. Oh, and learn to code. That’s one skill that’ll hold you in good stead whatever you end up doing.
Summer 2021 • Issue 247 • The Old Barker • 53
OBA Groups
OBA Groups Old Barker Football Club Spring is in the air, or perhaps activities were thin on the ground during lockdown, because Old Barker FC is going through a baby boom!! Surrogate Barker alumni Josh Gadsby married to Old Barker girl Katie Allman (06) welcomed new life. It came as some relief for Chris Chong (06), who has undergone a precipitous decline in fitness, that he can now blame newfound fatherhood... History is made by those who write it. The Shore alumni playing roster at OBFC appears to have synced with Andrew Wiadrowski and Johnny Paton both becoming fathers. It’s been a particularly big year for Mr Paton with the birth of his son taking second place in the 2021 highlights behind business ‘Paton Power’ becoming Old Barker FCs Marquee sponsor. Player stock levels look in good shape for season 2038, we must
OBA Netball The Old Barker Netball Club began in 2015 and is a registered Club with the Hills District Netball Association (HDNA). Lauren Kirkby (07) is one of the two founding members and is the current President. Due to work and other commitments, Lauren would like to pass the running of the Club to a new generation of Barker girls.
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now turn our attention to the more immediate future. Season 2022 will see Old Barker Football Club register their inaugural over 35s team. Given the increased incident of injury and need for greater recovery time on the bench, we’d like to flesh out squad depth with a handful more players keen to become part of club folklore. The Premier League squad is also seeking to bolster squad depth, with an aging cohort in need of fresh muscle. This is a terrific opportunity for footballers looking to test their abilities at top-flight competition, with dedicated coaching, structured trainings, and a high level of commitment across the squad. With season 2021 abruptly ending at the halfway point and 2020 going largely unplayed, the Club anticipates legs being rusty in 2022. To get those legs lubricated, the Club will be putting together a range of pre-season activities,
If you would like to be involved and would like more information, please contact Lauren on 0414 837 992 or at barkeroldgirlsnetball@ gmail.com. You will always have the unwavering support of the Alumni & Community Relations Department at Barker as well as the Old Barker Association, so you are never alone. Over the years, the Club has
commencing in January 2022. Early season fitness work is open to any interested participants across the alumni network keen to sharpen their fitness. Weekend ball work won’t commence until mid-February. For those curious as to a taste of what pre-season fitness looks like, we run a series of bootcamps at picturesque locations around Sydney on Saturday mornings where we discuss the finer points of Descartes philosophy. The Frenchman famously questioned everything and leads us to question whether sweat is just fat crying? Or if pain really is just weakness leaving the body? To keep up with Club activities, join a pre-season fitness session, or for any other information, please visit our website – www.oldbarkerfc.com Matt Vickers (05)
played in the night comp seasons along with the Saturday winter competition at HDNA. If you would like more information about the Club and to get involved, please email barkeroldgirlsnetball@ gmail.com Lauren Kirkby (07) President: 0414 837 992
OBA Groups
Old Barker Rugby The 2021 season is now complete, sadly with only half the season played so our focus is now on the 2022 season. As planning approaches, we are always looking for more players to join the Club. Now’s the time to think about playing with Old Barker Rugby and talk with:
Barker Old Boys Cricket Club
Women’s 7s – Bianca Blake 0401 551 676
Cricket season is almost upon us which means Barker Old Boys Cricket Club is back again in 2022. This season we have eight to ten games including games against Knox and Aloys Old boys with all games being played at Barker on a Sunday afternoon. The games are good fun where all players get plenty of opportunity to have a bat and a bowl. We are always looking for new players of any age. We are looking forward to welcoming the new old boys into the Club at the beginning of next season.
We look forward to welcoming you to Turramurra Oval and to celebrate the opening of our new Clubhouse and Scoreboard. For more information, visit www. oldbarkerrugbyclub.com
Please send me a text on 0416 685 944 or email me on lachielloyd1@ gmail.com to be added to our Facebook group where additional information is available.
Grade – Jack Finnegan 0408 777 467 Colts – Angus Blakemore 0438 264 875
Josh Ballard (09) www.oldbarkerrugby.com
OBA Fencing The OBA Fencing Club is anticipated to open in 2022. Fencing, at a student level has fostered many long-term networks of friends well into their graduate lives, and such is the hope to return many ex-combatants to the fold. The club will be headed by the current coaching staff, including the legendary Steve Augoloupis. We support Foil and Epee but can facilitate Sabre in the future. The Club will cater for both social and competitive sporting, with the hopes of continuing Barker’s ferocious and medal winning spirit. Thomas Smart (18)
Lachie Lloyd (18)
connected with like-minded people with an interest in Agriculture. This is an invaluable network for careers, mentoring and keeping up with current and future trends in agricultural science, business and technology. This Society is being led and supported by Matt Nevison (16) and Barker’s Head of Agriculture, Scott Graham.
OBA Ag Society The OBA Agriculture Society has been created to provide our Alumni with the opportunity to stay
Our vision is to develop a community to support recent schools leavers, university students and recent graduates in their journey of understanding industry, creating networks and finding meaningful careers. We want to provide an opportunity for those already in industry to share
their experience, knowledge and enthusiasm for agriculture with the next generation of professionals. We are excited to be able to organise our inaugural event in early 2022. All details will be posted in our Facebook group. Joining the AG Society is done through our OBA Ag Society Facebook page: www.facebook. com/groups/2541392712616643. More information is available here too. Matt Nevison (16)
Summer 2021 • Issue 247 • The Old Barker • 55
OBA Groups
OBA Big Band The OBA Big Band is fresh out of the recording studio... in a parallel universe with no lockdowns. The band was looking forward to recording six pieces at Yap Yap Studios in Coogee in October. Our intention was to release an album in 2022 to celebrate the OBA Big Band turning 10! Fortunately, we have been able to reschedule our recording session to May next year. With this new milestone on the calendar, the
OBA Christian Fellowship Despite the Sydney lockdown, the OBACF has continued to grow, holding our first prayer event via Zoom. We logged on and prayed together about a range of things such as world issues, COVID-19 and our Barker community. We then broke off into breakout rooms and had the chance to catch up with each other, meet new people and pray more personally. I was so glad to see a number of new faces coming to the event online. The OBACF has also recently extended the invitation to join our network to Barker’s newest alumni, the 2021 cohort. I would like to extend the OBACF’s best wishes for their HSC and our hope to meet lots of them in the coming year at OBACF events. If you have just left School and are interested in joining the OBACF please don’t hesitate to contact me.
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band is as motivated as ever! Only a handful of members have had the opportunity to record in a studio and our emotions seem to be endlessly oscillating between elation and trepidation. Fears aside, we have complete faith that the entire recording session will be a positively memorable experience. To listen to (non-studio) recordings and find out more, visit www. obabigband.com. Luke Davis (09)
Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for upcoming events, starting with our Christmas event in mid-December! I am very excited for the events and opportunities coming up for OBACF as we come out of lockdown and welcome the new year! The OBACF aims to offer an opportunity for the multigenerational network of Barker Alumni to meet, connect and encourage one another in their faith journeys. We would love to grow our network even more. If you are interested in joining, please join our Facebook Group by private messaging Georgia Breckenridge (18) or contact the Alumni and Community Relations Department alumni@barker.nsw.edu.au Georgia Breckenridge (18)
OBA Groups OBA Support for Life This year has shown us that taking care of our communities and our collective wellbeing is of absolute importance. New challenges have relied on resilience, connection, and developing skills to cope with changes. In the interest of being there for you on your journey beyond being a Barker student we want to offer you support for your mental wellbeing. Support for Life, an initiative of the Old Barker Association that has been running for the past three years, has recently partnered with My Mirror online psychology to provide access to
Old Barker Association Theatre Group The OBA Theatre Company has been significantly impacted by COVID-19 restrictions over the last two years, with our production of ‘Candida’ getting tantalisingly close to performance nights only to be denied by the reintroduction of restrictions in July this year. Be that as it may, the talented and passionate cast and crew had remained focussed on preparing a show for audiences throughout the whole lockdown period, continuing to rehearse on video calls. Though the show’s future is currently undetermined, the team is waiting in the wings for the next available opportunity.
three videoconferencing sessions with an experienced psychologist at no cost to you. My Mirror is a leader in “online” mental health care and provides access to skilled professionals of many demographics with focussed specialisation in critical areas such as anxiety, depression, domestic violence, substance abuse, career difficulties and so much more. My Mirror psychology sessions can be accessed from the comfort of home or from any device up to 21 hours a day, seven days a week. These sessions are available to anyone feeling like they would benefit from talking to someone to get on track with how they
are feeling and navigating life's challenges. You do not require a mental health diagnosis to access or benefit from My Mirror sessions. My Mirror psychologists use evidence-based strategies to help you build skills and strategies for resilience and agency in your life. For more information and details on how to access these sessions please visit: https://landing.mymirror.com. au/old-barker-association. The entire Barker community is all in this together. Talk to an online psychologist today Old Barker Association is supporting you with 3 sessions with My Mirror online psychologist.
We encourage anyone who is passionate about theatre in any capacity to get involved in our annual shows. It’s a wonderful opportunity to reunite with old friends, and make new friends with like-minded alumni. We are always looking for new and exciting opportunities for shows. If you’d like to reach out with ideas to get involved, feel free to contact us via email (details below). We hope to see you soon! www.facebook.com/oba.theatre www.instagram.com/oba.theatre obatheatre@live.com Adam Roberts (14)
The OBA Theatre has been bringing past students back to the Barker stage since 2014, reuniting many classmates from years gone by and reigniting their passion for performance. Spending up to four months rehearsing and performing a show with a group of eccentric and exuberant thespians is a fantastic way to let out all the creativity bubbling over.
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OBA Groups
Kurrajong Society
OBA Seniors
If your children have left Barker and you would still like to support the School and be part of the Barker Community events, then the Kurrajong Society is for you. We send a regular quarterly newsletter, Kurrajong News to keep you updated on what is happening at Barker College.
If you graduated from Barker 50 years ago you are now a member of the Old Barker Association Seniors. This is a social group who organise a number of events each year. We look forward to seeing you at our next OBA Seniors event.
If you would like more information, please contact us at kurrajong@barker. nsw.edu.au.
If you would like further information, please contact the Alumni and Community Relations Office on (02) 8438 7283 or oba@ barker.nsw.edu.au Ian Pont (63) Honorary Secretary
OBA Careers and Networking Join our LinkedIn Group. The OBA committee is working on ideas for alumni networking and mentoring. These initiatives will help OBA members from various years, professions, interests and career stages to network and learn from each other. To help us facilitate communication via LinkedIn we would love you to do three things: 1. Join our group the Official Barker College Alumni 2. Switch on notifications so that you get our updates 3. Invite your other Barker LinkedIn connections to join as well so we build the community Of course, if you have information that you feel would benefit other OBA members, we'd welcome your posts in this group too. Thanks in advance!
OBA North Shore Wind Symphony North Shore Wind Symphony has begun recruitment for 2022 and looks forward to welcoming players back next year. If you are one of the many talented Year 12 students graduating this year we would love to welcome you into the group. The North Shore Wind Symphony was founded in 2016 and its members are passionate about making meaningful music. We promote a lifelong love of music by providing like-minded individuals the opportunity to perform quality
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wind ensemble repertoire in an environment driven by enjoyment and respect. With the support of the Old Barker Association, we strive to share this enjoyment of music-making across Sydney and beyond. Over this time we've won NSW States, played alongside Warringah Brass, filmed video projects, played in Carriageworks as part of an exhibition and even experienced a rehearsal entirely led in Japanese. I think this group is worth your time but don't take my word for it, try it out at the start of 2022 with no strings attached.
Please reach out if you have any questions about joining us as a member or at our concerts. manager@nsws.band.com.au www.facebook.com/ northshorewindsymphony Harry Nicol (14) NSWS Band Manager
Community Events
Community Events Adelaide Regional Event 9 September 2021 The Adelaide Regional Event was held on Thursday 9 September at the Naval Military and Air Force Club with attendees representing six decades at Barker plus some partners. Alumni who attended included Warwick Ward (56), David Prince (59), Tim Boon (62), Richard Weate (78), Alastair Cooper (88), Adam Noyce (94) and Max O’Reilly (09). Thank you to Alastair Cooper who organised the event. Everyone had a good time and are keen for an event again next year – it was 15 years since the last Adelaide reunion.
Perth Regional Event 20 November 2021 On Saturday 20 November 17 people from the Barker Community, including some partners attended a lunch in Dalkeith at the home of Gus Elliot (92). The Lunch included former Barker students, whose class years ranged from 1956 to 1994. Alumni were Peter Alexander (56), John Hall (63), Alan Rowe (68), Ian Christian (69), Bob Collier (69), Tom Hargreaves (69), Michele Thomas (Cook 76), Stuart Bell (91), Edward Wilson (92), Gus Elliot (92) and Catherine Bell (94). Given the challenges presented by travel restrictions into WA the lunch could not be represented by a current member of the Barker staff but a message was read from Phillip Heath (Head of Barker College) providing a detailed update on the school. The group were interested to hear about the establishment of two little schools on Country for Indigenous children. The group were also mindful of the challenging time that the Year 12 students have had in NSW in preparing to sit for their final exams. Barker seems to have done a great job in preparing the kids for their exams with the online rehearsals. We look forward to meeting up again next year! Gus Elliot (92)
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Personal Notes
Personal Notes (Number in brackets is the alumni year)
Gerald Allen (48) pictured with his grandchildren Leslie Mudie (19) and Mollie Mudie (20) celebrated his 90th birthday on 2 May with friends and family at his home in Narrabri, NSW. It was a very happy occasion. Gerry is very proud to have attended Barker as a boarder from 1941, graduating in 1948 and has many fond memories during this time. Gerry was School Captain in 1948 as well as Captain of the Barker Athletics Team in 1948 and was on the Barker Rugby Union First XV in 1947 and 1948. He was awarded Colours in Rugby (1947-1948) and Athletics (1946-1948). After studying Economics at Sydney University, he settled into a long and fulfilling career in Agriculture in north-western NSW. Gerry and his wife Mary of 60 years are blessed with good health and are enjoying a comfortable retirement in Narrabri, NSW.
Ian Walker (58) Following the loss of my dear wife, Cheryl Anne, in January 2017, I went through the usual grief of remembering many wonderful days, and again counting my blessings. Thankfully her fight with cancer was brief (just over three months). This year I finally turned my back upon the past and decided to sell my Vancouver home and join my daughter, Elizabeth, and her family in the province of Alberta. I sold a half-acre city home and bought a
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humble little cottage in the country! Okay - I always was one for understatement - how is a lot of just under half a section? This winter we shall be working on the plans for development - a new house, a permaculture farm with some ecologically sensitive areas, and who knows what else. You can't keep an old dog down! Bill Manning (59) has a blog post about his life, www. sailingcyan.com, with a recent post covering his 11 years at Barker as a boarder. Boarding School was very different from 1948 to 1959 from what it is now. One thing that has not changed however is that the friends you make are friends for life. Bill regularly still hears from or sees Archie Poulos (58) (his exaccountant), Michael Ratard (59), Tim Lawrance (58), Phillip Ruddock (59), Herb Ridley (58), and Richard Walsh (67). Jack Little (59), David Prince (59), John Woollett (59), Bruce McKinnon (59), Sam Pratten (58), and the late Tony Sherlock (58) were in the Barker College military Band with Bill.
Personal Notes
Drury Heath (65) I’m living in Perth (have been since 1990) and last year Pamela (my wife for 42 years) passed away so I am relearning the art of bachelorhood. To avoid failing retirement in 2018 I decided to train as a guide on Rottnest Island. Now, as one of over 300 Rottnest Voluntary Guides, I spend at least two days a month guiding visitors through several unique experiences on the island. I enjoy leading both nature based and historical tours and last year took up a role as one of the seven mentors who train new guides as well as refresh the skills and knowledge of current guides. On Remembrance Day this year I was stationed at the 9.2” Gun battery where three of us took 119 visitors through the extensive tunnel system and gun emplacement.
Sarah Onions (Hood 87) At the end of 2020, my husband, Peter, and I decided to take the opportunity to realise a long term dream of owning a farm. Due to the disruption Covid brought to the airline industry Peter took the offered retrenchment from Qantas after 33 years as an engineer. Our plan was for me to continue in my role of Director of Enrolments at Barker and commute to and from the farm. However after only a few weeks, we realised that the right decision was to do it together full-time. So we took a leap of faith, I resigned from Barker after nearly 8 years on staff, and being part of the community since the age of 2 - and haven't looked back. We love every day's new challenge and the serenity of where we now live. Three of our four children Timothy (09), Benjamin (11) and Brittany (13) no longer live in Sydney, with only Lachlan (18) based there now. Situated in our own private valley just off the scenic Bylong Valley Way, near Rylstone, our farm has a 100 year old stone cottage that we will be advertising for accommodation once the current health situation eases. Feel free to look us up and come stay if you're out this way. www.eaglestonefarm.com
Congratulations to Jim Page (71) who was recently announced as joint winner of the 2021 Banjo Paterson Writing Award. Jim is in good company, as fellow Barker alumnus David Astle (79) is also a Banjo Paterson Writing Award winner.
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Personal Notes
Lisa Sthalekar (97) joined the Year 8 and 9 2022 cricketers online in September and went through some great tips and tricks on mentality whilst playing the game. She also analysed how you should take advantage through visualisation and making the most of reducing your thoughts within overs and the time you have during play.
Tara Dodd (Hercok 12) was married in 2019. She graduated with a degree in Law and Arts (Psychology) in 2018 and has been practising as a lawyer since 2019. Quentin Cheng (17) was selected in the 24 man squad to play for Malaysia in their international friendlies against Jordan and Uzbekistan on 6 and 9 October respectively. Quentin spent the year playing for Penang FC in the Malaysian Super League and achieved selection based on his performances in a COVID interrupted season!
Ralp Hudson (20) I am studying medicine at Leicester University after a gap year working in a care home during the pandemic Baptisms in the Chapel After being married in the Chapel (18 December 2015) Priya and Jacob Cherian (01) returned with their daughter Grace Annabel Mary for her baptism on 17 October 2021
Queen’s Birthday Honours 2021 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division Congratulations to: Mr Edward Kerr OAM (70) for service to the community through charitable organisations. Dr John Edward Veron OAM (61/62) for service to marine research.
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Community Chaplain
From our Community Chaplain Rev Jeff Ware
Signing Off It has been an honour and an incredible joy to have been Chaplain at Barker College for the last 31 years. It doesn’t get much better than spending time with students who arrive and connect, grow and develop, mature and then move on as well-rounded, well-grounded, well-prepared young adults - a gift to this city and beyond. When I see someone discovering who and what they love, getting a sense of who they could be, increasing their capacity, having a go, taking some risks, learning from mistakes, moving forward - something in me rises, my heart sings. It inspires hope. I give heartfelt thanks to God for the thousands of students and their families, and the hundreds of colleagues I have journeyed with and worked alongside over these three decades. There have been so many good, talented and interesting people to get to know. I’m especially grateful for all of those I have worked closely with in the chaplaincy team and for the three fine Heads - Neil Tucker, Rod Kefford and Phillip Heath - who have each brought and contributed so much to Barker and to many people’s lives, both within and beyond the Mint Gates. This has been my spiritual home. Throwing myself into this precious community, I have become a ‘Barker Tragic’ - infected with ‘Red Fever’. Barker doesn’t always get things right, but there is so much to appreciate, celebrate and enjoy. I have loved teaching classes, coaching sport, inviting people to get on board the Christian faith where they can and to the extent they can, and lots more.
There have been memorable moments in the Chapel - weddings, baptisms and funerals included. It has been a privilege being able to share people’s high and holy moments, being able to walk and sing with them in times of delight and to sit with them in their seasons of despair. As I move on from Barker, I am not retiring. I’m getting myself ‘re-tyred’ and driving east, across the bridge, to work with the good people of South Head Anglican Parish, at Vaucluse and Watsons Bay. Feel free to come and join us. Let me leave you with these words: we have nothing more precious to give than a willingness to see the best in one another, to speak words of affirmation and gratitude, to lend a helping hand, to look out for each other, in other words to extend grace – to offer, where we can, yet another experience of that beautiful biblical word so full of acceptance and promise. The Lord bless you and keep you. Rev Jeff Ware Barker College School Chaplain 1991-2020 Community Chaplain 2020-2021
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Obituaries (Number in brackets is the alumni year)
Jeffrey David Bolt (1981) 1964 – 2021
Bose Professional ANZ Team, with the usual enthusiasm and gusto that anyone who knew him would expect. He will be sadly missed by an industry that he left an incredible imprint on. Jeff was a proud cricket and rugby fanatic. He gave much of his spare time to the local cricket community, as the Secretary and an honourable life member of the Lindfield District Cricket Club.
Jeff attended Barker College in the Senior School from 1976 to 1981. His brothers Chris (79, deceased), Simon (84), brothers-in-law Richard Wagschall (79) and John Wagschall (84, deceased), also all attended Barker. Jeff received many prizes for academics during his time at Barker particularly in French receiving awards each year. He participated in cocurricular activities including Drama where he performed in many plays (often two or three in a year). Jeff also played Rugby and Cricket and was Captain of the successful 16B XI Cricket team in 1980 where the team only lost one match. Following Barker, Jeff developed a strong interest in audio engineering and spent the next 29 years working in sales and travelling the world for a prominent audio distribution company. More recently Jeff had been successfully leading the
Jeff passed away suddenly on 10 October 2021 and is remembered with love by his wife Janet and his three children Annalise, Jono and Henry. Mark John Chatterton (1987) 1970 – 2021
Following Barker, Mark was awarded a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1994 in TV & Sound Production from Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga. He worked at TV Channel 9 in Sydney for a period and then as a Cable TV Installer on the Gold Coast until he suffered extensive head injuries in a motorbike accident. He moved to Mudgee NSW in 2004. He travelled quite widely within Australia, the United Kingdom, Africa and Europe. Mark, late of Mudgee, passed away on 27 July 2021 and is survived by his parents John and Val who live in Brisbane, his two children Ashur (11) and Isabella (6) who live with their mother at Beerwah, Qld. His sole remaining sibling Paul lives with his wife and family in Vienna, Austria. James ‘Jim’ Alfred Phipps (49) 1931 – 2021
Mark attended Barker College in the Senior School from 1982 to 1987. His siblings also attended Barker, Paul Chatterton (81), Lisa Chatterton (85, deceased), and Andrew Chatterton (91, deceased). Mark participated in music and sport at School and was a member of the Choir and played in the 16C Rugby team.
Jim attended Barker from 1940 to 1949 as did his brothers John (46/47), Peter (50/51), Robert (53) and his great nephews
Obituaries
Samuel (05), Saxon (07), Jordan (09), and Hamish (14). Jim was an outstanding sportsman during his time at Barker. He was a member of the Athletics Team from 1943 to 1949, including the CAS Championship teams in 1947 and 1949. Jim was also a member of the Swimming Team most years including the CAS Championship team in 1946. He was in the Cricket 2nd XI in 1948 and the 1st XI in 1949. Besides these incredible successes, Jim excelled in Rugby. He was in the 1st XV from 1947 to 1949 and was selected in the CAS Rugby representative team in 1949. He was awarded Colours in Swimming and Athletics in 1948 and 1949 and also Rugby in 1949.
In 1999 the playing field below the Barker College War Memorial Chapel was renamed Phipps Field in recognition of the Phipps brothers’ achievements in Rugby. Jim kept his ties to Barker over the years attending regional events held in Queensland and also school reunions.
Forbes branch when Bill started at Barker as a boarder in Plume House in 4th year (Year 11) in 1960. Many country boarders could relate to the stories that Bill would tell about travelling on the train, known as the Forbes Mail, to and from Barker. Bill made life-long friends during his time at Barker.
Jim, late of Blackwall, passed away on 22 October 2021 and is survived by his wife Gillian; daughter Debbie; son David and grandchildren Daniel, Charles, Lon and Ella.
Bill gained his Leaving Certificate in 1961 and for the next few years worked in offices in Sydney, including the Commonwealth Bank at Camperdown. In 1965 Bill joined the Royal Australian Navy and trained at HMS Cerberus in Victoria. He graduated as a Midshipman on 7 March 1966 and undertook further training on ships including HMAS Melbourne, HMAS Sydney and HMAS Anzac. In 1967 he was on operational service on HMAS Hobart in Vietnam and was Awarded the Vietnam Medal for his war service.
Arthur William ‘Bill’ Podmore (61) 1944 - 2021
Following Barker, Jim attended Hawkesbury Agricultural College where he was approached by Gordon Rugby Club to train with their senior side. His first game for the Club was the First Grade Grand Final. In 1952, Jim was selected to play for the City of Sydney before playing as a reserve back for both New South Wales (Waratahs No 882) and Australia (Wallaby No 399). Later that season Jim went on his first Wallaby tour to New Zealand, playing six non-Test matches. The following year Jim toured South Africa and made his Test debut in Johannesburg. Jim represented New South Wales on 11 occasions between 195357 scoring 11 tries. His five tries against Queensland at North Sydney Oval in 1955 is still the record for most individual tries in a match for NSW v Queensland. His four-year international career included 11 consecutive Tests. Jim retired from both representative and club rugby in 1957 following an injury-afflicted tour but continued his involvement with rugby as a coach, referee and club administrator.
From Little Billy as a youngster, to Bali Billy to his many mates in Australia and Indonesia, Bill Podmore had a remarkable, fulfilling and rewarding life. Early on, Bill almost died from haemorrhaging while undergoing an operation to remove his tonsils. He fought that setback and showed the same strength throughout his life, even until his last moments. Arthur William (‘Bill’) Podmore was born on 10 November 1944 at Cobram, Victoria, one of five children to Ken and Nell Podmore. Bill’s father worked at the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited (CBC, now the NAB), and was manager of the
Bill always had a sense of adventure and in 1968 he volunteered for submarine training, which he undertook at the Royal Navy Submarine School at HMS Dolphin at Gosport, England. He qualified as a Submariner in late 1968 and served on British submarines before navigating the new Australian submarine HMAS Ovens on its maiden voyage to Australia. Over the next decade Bill was an officer on the new Australian Oberon class submarines, including HMAS Oxley and HMAS Otway. Bill met his first wife, Margaret Lynch, as a junior naval officer, before marrying Elisabeth Black in 1978, with whom he had two children, Guy and Hugh. Bill and Elisabeth were married for 25 years, eventually separating in 2003. Following submarine service Bill held many staff positions, including naval intelligence and achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He undertook extensive training
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Obituaries
in the Indonesian language at Point Cook in Victoria and thus commenced his love of Indonesia. Bill attended the Indonesian Staff College, qualified as an Indonesian interpreter and made many lifelong friends in the Indonesian military. Bill was posted as the Assistant Naval Attaché at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta for many years. Following retirement from the Navy, Bill managed a number of businesses, including the Parliament House Shop in Canberra during the late 1990s. In an unusual move for the time, he introduced an ‘Australian made’ policy for as much of his stock as possible and was instrumental in gaining several prestigious retail awards for the Shop. Bill maintained his ties with Barker attending many Canberra events during this time. But for Bill, his love of Indonesia kept him in contact with his many Indonesian friends, travelling there frequently. In 2016 he married Tina from Jakarta after being introduced by one of his friends in the Indonesian military. Bill and Tina settled in Bali where Bill was happily known as ‘Bali Billy’. Bill was always active – in mind and body – operating business ventures as well as helping Tina with her businesses. Before settling in Bali, Bill would often house sit for friends in Sydney when they were away on holidays. They would always return to a ‘better’ home – Bill would have successfully undertaken many little jobs that his friends could never seem to find the time to do. As Bill used to say: “Have toolbox, will travel!” For the past almost 20 years Bill was the main organiser of an annual Christmas reunion of his Barker friends and partners. His great contribution each year was his 50 dozen Sydney Rock Oysters,
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which he would carefully open for everyone to enjoy. At future reunions, the oyster tradition will no doubt continue, in memory of ‘Billy’ – a great mate. Bill was last in Australia in the second half of 2020 and due to COVID-19 undertook hotel quarantine in Sydney. As was typical of Bill, he soon had the hotel staff responding to his every wish and he professed that quarantine was almost enjoyable. Sadly, that was the last time many of his mates in Sydney saw him. Bill passed away on 1 May 2021, aged 76, at home with Tina in Bali, after succumbing to cancer. Bill was always a strong and eternally positive person. The qualities that his friends will remember are his generosity, his innate ability to fix things, his boundless energy and curiosity, his staunch loyalty to his friends and his pride in his family, particularly his sons Guy and Hugh – he often talked about their successful careers. He regretted that due to his declining health, he was not able to meet his young granddaughter. But his memory will live on. Michael Noyce (61/62)
Robert John Ranson (56/57) 1939 - 2021
Robert attended Barker as a boarder from 1952 to 1957. He played Rugby from 1952 to 1955 but his real love was Cricket which he played throughout his time at Barker and was in the 1st XI Cricket team from 1955 to 1958. In his final year at Barker Robert was a Prefect, Captain of the 1st XI Cricket team and Vice-Captain of Plume Boarding House. Following Barker, Robert became a surveyor which combined his prowess in mathematics with his love for the outdoors. He later established his own business which thrived for over 40 years. In 2007, Robert was awarded a Certificate of Meritorious Service in recognition of his long service to the surveying profession in NSW, a career which spanned around 50 years. Robert had a range of other interests. He volunteered and coached soccer teams for East Gosford Soccer Club over many years. Robert was also a keen golfer with a handicap of two, an impressive drive and patient short game. He won the A Grade Stroke Championship in 1991 and the A Grade Club Championships in 1994. Robert also volunteered every Saturday at the Gosford Sailing Club as a race starter for the dinghy classes and was delighted to see young sailors later become Olympic and world sailing champions. His company proudly sponsored the Australian Olympic Yachting Team in 1988. Robert was the club treasurer from 1986 to 1989, secretary in 1996 and 1997 and a member of the executive board for over a decade. He was made a life member of the Gosford Sailing Club and the Social Golf Club in 1994 acknowledging his contribution.
Obituaries
Robert, late of The Entrance, passed away on 15 September 2021 and is survived by his wife Noelene, sister Judith Love, son David and partner Lyndall, daughters and sons-in-law, Susan and Reg, Margaret and Ron, Jennifer and Ben, and his many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Thomas ‘Tom’ Stanley Richmond OAM (57) 1941 - 2021
Tom attended Barker from 1948 to 1957. His older brother Peter (55) also attended Barker. His life-long love of Cricket began during his years at Barker. He was Captain of the 14C XI team in 1954, played in the 2nd XI team in 1955-1956 and in his final year was selected as a fast bowler in the 1st XI Cricket team, earning Cricket colours. Following Barker, Tom attended Wagga Wagga Teachers’ College for two years which led to a career in education. His first teaching position was in 1960 in Woodenbong, a small town near the Queensland border followed by Bonalbo Central High School. In 1964 Tom moved back to Sydney and taught English and History at Normanhurst Boys High School for four years and completed his Arts degree through the University of New England. He was promoted to Head English Teacher at Riverstone High School, then Head Teacher for
both English and History at Galston High School when it opened in 1974. In 1981, Tom accepted the Deputy Principal role at Windsor High School, then Principal at Evans High School in Blacktown from 1987. In 1990 Tom became Principal at Ku-Ring-Gai High School, a position he held until his retirement in 1995. Tom’s career in cricket spanned 50 years. He played at School, Teachers’ College, North Coast Inter-district Teams; Kissing Point, Perseverance, Thornleigh and Berowra. Tom also played A Grade as both a pace bowler and a leg spinner, captained Thornleigh A Grade and played Martin Shield representative cricket. He coached school, club and interdistrict representative teams and also umpired several finals and established coach training. He also held many offices within cricket associations including being the inaugural Chairperson of the Northern Metropolitan Cricket Council (NMCC) in 1993 and the Foundation Director of Northern Cricket in 1997. The Hornsby Kur-ring-gai & Hills District Cricket Association (HK&HDCA) representative player of the year trophy is named after him, as is the NSWDCA junior coaches’ trophy. He was a Life Member of HK&HDCA and Patron, Life Member of Northern District CC since 2012 and Life Member of HKHDCCA (Coaches’ Association) since 2014 and Patron. Tom was honoured to receive The Order of Australia Medal in 2002 for service to youth through sport and education, and for researching the history of Hornsby Shire. This acknowledged his contribution as a local cricket coach and administrator, his service as a Principal in the State school system and a life-long contribution to research and teaching of local history. Other awards included the
Australian Sports Medal (services to cricket), Australian Centenary Medal (services to local history), the Premiers’ Community Service Award (service to the community), NSW Seniors’ Award, and the Australian Volunteers’ Award. Tom’s other interests included the theatre, opera and country western music. He authored several books and wrote poetry and lyrics. In his retirement, Tom continued with local history activities especially involving the history of the Lower Hawkesbury and was a regular contributor to the Hornsby Advocate. Tom, late of Brooklyn, passed away on 14 September 2021.
Lisbeth Gow (Staff 1973 – 1987) 1932 - 2021
Or Lis as she was known to her many friends died in the early morning of Sunday 12 September in the Norfolk Island Community Hospital. Lis was a popular teacher at Barker and well regarded by fellow staff. Stuart Braga remembers: “Lis was a wonderful person, and a strong and positive force at Barker. For several years she hosted annual Spring events for staff at her lovely property at Mount Wilson. She had a host of friends”. Lis had attended Sydney Girls High and was a highly intelligent and vibrant student. Talented artistically, Lis studied art at the Julian Ashton Art School in the Rocks in Sydney. Summer 2021 • Issue 247 • The Old Barker • 67
Obituaries
A famous Australian artist William Dobell in a newspaper cutting described Lis as an extremely gifted young painter. Lis met and married Paul Gow. Tim (73) was born in Tamworth where Lis and Paul had moved in 1955 and Trevor (77) was born in 1959. She trained and graduated with a degree in Physical Education and commenced a life-long career in teaching. Upon returning to Sydney while teaching at Asquith Boys High she shifted her attention to Mathematics. She was respected wherever she worked as being hardworking, conscientious, reliable, and probably most of all great fun. From early on she involved herself in charitable organisations, had a deep love of the arts, found an absolute passion in gardening, cooking and entertaining. 24 hours in a day were hardly enough for her to pursue whatever consumed her interest on any given day. Nobody was a favourite to Lis, everybody was an equal and of interest to her. She loved her boys and following their careers and endeavours but still had room for absolutely anybody who possibly needed some help. After the passing of her husband Paul in 1983 Lis moved from the family home in Mt Wilson to take up residence with Trev in Norfolk Island before she required full time care at the Norfolk Island Hospital. Typically though Lis managed to find friends, her spirit still shining through, uncomplaining in any circumstance.
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She was buried in the beautiful cemetery on Norfolk Island, at the foot of beautiful rolling green hills, in full sunshine and looking out on the wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean. A small plaque will be placed in the Mt Wilson Cemetery to mark her links to Mt Wilson, a place which she truly loved. Bruce Davis (74)
Meet two of our OBA Committee Members Josh Grace (90) Honorary Secretary I graduated with the centenary class, 11 years after joining Barker. The fourth of eight Graces to attend the school. I subsequently earned the UTS Bachelor or Business degree at the nearby Ku-ring-gai campus. A 20-year career in advertising is followed by seven years in marketing, most recently as Chief Marketing Officer for Samsung Australia. I wasn’t much of an athlete at school, but did show some aptitude in sailing, winning multiple world championships and competing for Australia at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. I look forward to giving back to the school and alumni community that has given both me and my family so much.
Anna Sutton (05) Assistant Honorary Secretary Hi everyone, I joined Barker in 2003 and after being inspired by my Legal Studies teacher Mrs Wilson, I chose a career in law. Currently I am General Counsel for Syngenta Australia, a global agribusiness. Over the last two years I have had two Barker interns in my legal team. I spent six years as an expat in Singapore and enjoyed attending OBA events there. When I returned home to Sydney I was delighted to join the OBA Committee and give back to the school. In 2022 the OBA will be expanding our efforts for alumni mentoring and networking, to help Barker alumni with their careers. On a personal note, my Mum Sue Elliott was in the first year of girls at Barker, and I am excited that my daughter Elliott, is enrolled to start in year 7 in 2036! The incredible culture of Barker is what keeps me involved with the school.
James Angus AO James Angus AO (65) was sworn in as Lieutenant-Governor of Victoria on 12 November 2021. Professor Angus was Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at The University of Melbourne from 2003-2013 in a 45 year career spanning academic leadership, medical research and teaching. He is currently a Director of the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation, Chair of the Campus Council at the Melbourne Children’s Campus, Chair of the Australian Advisory Council on the Medicinal Use of Cannabis, Director of The Jack Brockhoff Foundation, Director of Science Australia Gender Equity Ltd and a Director of National Stem Cell Australia Foundation. He has been Honorary Secretary of the Victorian Rhodes Scholarship Committee. In 2003 Professor Angus was awarded the Centenary Medal for services to pharmacology and the community. In 2010 he was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished services to biomedical research, particularly in the fields of pharmacology and cardiovascular disease, as a leading academic and medical educator, and as a contributor to a range of advisory boards and professional organisations both nationally and internationally.
Barker Community Events 2022 Class Reunions 2015 – 5 Year Reunion Sat 19 Feb Sami Novis 0422 576 275
1986 – 35 Year Reunion Oct/Nov Mark Cooper 0400 344 697
Helen Shao 0423 260 990
Gaille Smith (Yeates) 0412 784 221
2000 – 20 Year Reunion Fri 11 Mar Hayley Gatt barkercollege2000@gmail.com
Jodie Eliott (Conomos) 0457 724 099
Mel Tait Facebook: barker college 20 year reunion
1961 – 60 Year Reunion TBA John Meagher john@driftwoodfilms.com.au
1981 – 40 Year Reunion TBA 2010 – 10 Year Reunion Jo Camp (Fisher) Sat 30 Apr 0407 951 356 Annie Unsworth jo.camp@pearson.com 0400 305 748 annaliseunsworth@gmail.com Jenni-Lee Williams (Lennon) 0412 412 726 Henry Wells jennilee13@mac.com +61400 493 553 henrycwells1@gmail.com 1991 – 30 Year Reunion TBA 1960 – 60 Year Reunion Vanessa Bennett Wed 15 June 0400 024 168 Geoff Sheppard vanessa.bennett.sydney@gmail. 0437 274 074 com Ian Nicholls 1995 – 25 Year Reunion 0412 954 971 TBA Peter Hassall Dimity Brown 0407 866 600 0412 926 500 dimity.brown@outlook.com Rob Warneford 0407 489 657 Larry Tout 0457 063 658 1962 – 60 Year Reunion Fri 5 Aug Graham Lawson emeri1@y7mail.com 0451 442 933 1971 – 50 Year Reunion Sat 6 Aug Wolfgang Hofbrucker 0428 993 964 w.hofbrucker@gmail.com
OBA Seniors Events
OBA Meeting Wed 16 Feb Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 kdrummond@barker.nsw.edu.au
Hornsby RSL Club Luncheon Tue 22 Mar Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 kdrummond@barker.nsw.edu.au
T20 Cricket Game OBA 1st XI v Barker 1st XI Wed 2 Mar Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 kdrummond@barker.nsw.edu.au
Back to Barker Day Wed 4 May Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 kdrummond@barker.nsw.edu.au
OBA v Barker Girls Sports Gala Sat 26 Mar Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 kdrummond@barker.nsw.edu.au
Regional Events
OBA AGM Wed 27 July Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 kdrummond@barker.nsw.edu.au
Please contact Mandy Loomes, mloomes@barker.nsw.edu.au for information about regional events or to update your contact details if you are living in a different location to your Barker mailing address, so we can invite you too!
OBA Golf Day Tue 6 Sep Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 kdrummond@barker.nsw.edu.au OBA Meeting Wed 14 Sep Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 kdrummond@barker.nsw.edu.au
Daniel Courtnall 0416 080 892 Barker2005reunion@gmail.com Facebook: https://fb.me/ e/28M1Z4gmt
OBA Annual Dinner Fri 4 Nov Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 kdrummond@barker.nsw.edu.au
t +61 2 8438 7999 f +61 2 8438 7609 w barker.college
AGM, Luncheon & Rugby Sat 6 Aug Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 kdrummond@barker.nsw.edu.au
OBA Meeting Wed 18 May Karina Drummond (02) 8438 7283 kdrummond@barker.nsw.edu.au
2005 – 15 Year Reunion TBA Chris Mackenzie 0411 874 426
Mike Langford 0414 781 291 drifting@bigpond.net.au
91 Pacific Highway Hornsby NSW 2077 Australia
OBA Events
Regional events provide a great opportunity to connect with members of the Barker community in your area.
Privacy Due to changes in Privacy Legislation we are required to inform you that your contact details may be shared with OBA reunion organisers with the strict guidelines that they are only to be used for the purposes of organising your OBA reunion. Please contact the Alumni Office if you wish to keep your details private.
Photos Photos from your event may be posted on the OBA Website (www.oba.net.au) and the Alumni Facebook page (www.facebook. com/barkercollegealumni) and in The Barker magazine. For further queries please contact the Alumni Office.
