From the Chair of Council

Leading the Way in Indigenous Education

In July, I attended the 2022 Garma Festival of Traditional Cultures, accompanied by six School Council colleagues, the Head of Barker College, staff members from the Hornsby campus, and 16 Student Leaders from Years 11 and 12.

It was an enriching and memorable experience. The festival occurs at Gulkula, traditional ceremonial grounds of the Yolŋu people, about a 30-minute drive on an unsealed road from the township of Nhulunbuy, NE Arnhem Land. Each year 2,500 guests from Australia and overseas are immersed in the rich cultural traditions of their Yolŋu hosts, experiencing miny’tji (art), manikay (song), bunngul (dance) and ancient story telling. The Barker Hornsby students were chosen to attend Garma to support the Youth Forum activities, which ran in conjunction with the festival. Barker’s Dhupuma campus is located nearby at Gunyangara in the former Annex of Nhulunbuy Primary School. The campus opened in April 2021 as a partnership between the Gunyangara Community of the Yolŋu people, the Yothu Yindi Foundation, and Barker College. Our Barker delegation along with other ‘corporate’ visitors to Garma, including Her Excellency, the US Ambassador, Caroline Kennedy, were able to witness first-hand the operation of the Dhupuma Barker school. It was a delight to see happy children as they undertook their learning, including a robotics activity. It was a joy to hear them recite the Junior School’s kindness prayer in Yolŋu Matha, then in English. The results at Dhupuma Barker have exceeded expectations - attendance and engagement are touching 90%, an exceptional achievement for a remote school. This has come from the excellent work of the Dhupuma Barker staff led by Tom Spencer and Lori Cross working alongside Yolŋu community teachers, and from the deep commitment of the Yolŋu leadership to support education on country in their community. Honouring the Yolŋu culture interwoven with the Australian Curriculum, so the children can safely walk and learn in two worlds. Barker College is privileged to be involved in Indigenous education. The School Council wholeheartedly supports the Vision of Barker’s ninth Head, Phillip Heath AM, for learning on country keeping the children within their own families and culture. The Vision embraces other Indigenous campuses - Darkinjung Barker at Yarramalong on the NSW Central Coast, which commenced in 2016, and Ngarralingayil Barker at Wollombi in the Lower Hunter Valley, which commenced in 2020. Together with Dhupuma Barker, these campuses are connected tangibly and emotionally, and in prayer with our Barker Hornsby campus. Barker’s partnerships with the Darkinjung, Wonnarua, and Yolŋu peoples in regional, rural, and remote Australia, respectively, work in harmony to strengthen an understanding of a new way for our nation. The Student Leaders were wonderful ambassadors for Barker at Garma. They will be at the height of their community responsibilities in the next few decades of this twenty-first century. On the final night, the Student Leaders joined us around the campfire for a friendly chat and to reflect upon their hopes and aspirations arising from the Garma experience. Their insights were beautiful and reassured that there is a way forward for non-Indigenous Australians and First Nations peoples on the Great Continent which we share.

David Charles (75) Chair of Council

A life of Service

In September the world heard the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

At her funeral Archbishop Welby, quoted Elizabeth on her 21st birthday, “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service … God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.” For 70 years the Queen exemplified a life of service, a model that she drew directly from the life of Jesus. In her Christmas message in 2017 she described Jesus as the anchor in her life of service. At School we long to foster a heart for service in our students. Looking at Jesus, the one who gave his life for others, is a great starting point. But we also need to see ourselves aright. Recognising the blessing and privilege we enjoy ought to foster a desire to serve others. A heart of service can be fostered by looking persistently to the world, identifying opportunities and needs in those beyond our immediate circle - not necessarily to provide a hand up, but walking alongside people and communities in partnership. Our vision is that students are so shaped and inspired by their time at Barker that they go into the world with a heart to serve, taking the love modelled in Jesus as they go. I am so encouraged by the myriad ways I already see this - long may it continue.

Year 12 Farewell Tour

The end of Term 3 meant saying goodbye to Year 12 2022. We ended with the Barker "Farewell Tour" at Chapel, hearing thoughtful biblical encouragements from staff members who have played a significant role in their Barker journey. Many of our Year 12s were involved through music, service leading, interviewing staff and presenting their incredible major works. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate of the gifts of our students and pray for them as they go and inspire hope beyond the Mint Gates. Spring Fair

Led by the always resourceful Joanna Yuen, the Chaplaincy team together with CRU student volunteers from Year 7 - 12 held a CRU stall at the Spring Fair. We saw so many friendly faces from our local community pop in to attempt trick-shots and the lolly guessing competition, enjoy the photobooth and Rev Tong’s magic tricks, and learn more about how they can be involved with CRU and Chaplaincy events. It was so encouraging to see our students working together to connect with so many people throughout the day.

CRU

Following Faith Week CRU invited the Barker community to see how the Christian faith stacks up to reason, wrestling with the big questions of life and faith. Lots of students joined us at CRU for the first time, with some eager to investigate the claims of the Bible for themselves. One highlight was seeing outgoing CRU Captain, Lucy Hood, share her answer to the question, 'If God is really there, why is there suffering?', offering profound insights from the Scriptures and her own experiences. Senior CRU Weekend Away Another highlight was our inaugural Senior CRU Weekend Away. Held in Katoomba with our Chaplaincy Staff and 25 of our Senior students. Our wonderful CRU Captains, Lucy and Micah Alley, also took the opportunity to exhort our Year 10 and 11s to keep perspective and continue prioritising the things of Jesus as they step into leading CRU. Through talks from Rev Tong on Ephesians, discussion groups, singing, open prayer, games, late night chats, and hearty meals, we witnessed God uniting our students in love for him and for one another.

Rev Peter Tong Senior Chaplain

Musical Joys

It has been wonderful this year to be able to see and hear gatherings of students at school preparing for the Junior School musical, Shrek the Musical JR.

It had been five years since a Junior School production, and it was certainly time to celebrate music, performance and the creative arts and bring a show to the stage! The production of Shrek the Musical JR was our first coeducational production and was a wonderful way to bring our community together! Musicals are an ideal way to celebrate talent and creativity and provide a sense of fun and collaborative atmosphere! Children (and adults) certainly did recognise the title "Shrek"- who hasn't heard of that misunderstood, loveable green ogre? There were musical numbers, dancing and an eclectic cast of characters in Shrek the Musical JR. This show contained many jokes aimed at capturing our young audience's humour! The musical was a delightful, fun, creative, wonderful story about love and acceptance ... a story about seeking what lies within rather than what appears on the outside. These are the very qualities that make us perfect. In our story, Shrek dreams of being more than an ogre... he dreams of being a hero. As everyone in fairytale land will tell you… “We are diff’rent. And united. You are us... and we are you!” For a term, our enthusiastic and creative students have worked extremely hard, and it was a joy to witness their individual creativity flourish. The cast of 150 students rehearsed weekly to prepare staging, dances and songs for the show! The Musical included all students from Year 3 to Year 6 as part of our choral year choirs. This was a showcase addition to the Musical as students sang many of the songs in the show. Under the Musical Direction of Peter Ellis, the very capable orchestra including our very own

talented Music staff, tutors and Secondary School students provided the music which was outstanding! Sincere thanks and gratitude to the Junior School staff who helped to produce the show. It would be impossible for an event like this to take place without the help and involvement of others. Peachy the Therapy Dog even had a role in the musical as the ‘Deer’ in the song, Morning Person. There were five energetic performances of Shrek the Musical JR. What a spectacular production it was! Our students worked tirelessly to perform energetic shows for our audiences. Well done on such a marvellous Musical full of energy, passion, and fun! We look forward to bringing the next Barker Junior School production to the stage!

Yvonne Howard Director