The Hills Grammar School

Congratulations to our HSC students who were informed today that they have been nominated for the possible inclusion in OnSTAGE.
Our students nominated were Siena, Deniz, Ethan, Reuben, Alex, Liz, Liv and Archella who made up two of our HSC Drama Group Performances, while Alex, Deniz and Reuben were all selected, additionally, for their Individual Performances.
This is a huge honour, and no doubt thanks to the tireless work of the students and Mr Clark.

Throwback Thursday | Throwing it back to that thrilling school ski trip! Who could forget the rush of gliding down the slopes with your mates? Embracing the comradery that comes with these special school trips. From the early morning bus ride filled with excitement to cozy evenings, it was a journey of unforgettable moments shared with friends.

Today, some of our Junior School students experienced an animal and reptile show.
Students enjoyed a visit from Sydney Zoo and Raptor Reptiles who brought along some of their special friends. Students learned the difference between living and non-living things, before working in teams to design and create habitats for particular animals, taking into account their survival needs. Students were then invited to have some close encounters with a leaf insect, green tree frog, blue tongue lizard and even a python!
The students, and teachers, enjoyed learning about some of their special features that have evolved over time. It's always lovely to see our students be immersed in hands-on learning.

TOHGA Tuesday | Cyrus Mehta, from the Class of 2007, confidently states that “Hard work negates luck and talent. You don’t need to be a genius to be a doctor, you just need commitment and perseverance”. After completing Year 12, Cyrus pursued medical degrees at the University of Sydney, then commenced his medical career as a junior doctor at Westmead Hospital in 2015. Seeking Orthopaedic surgery training, he completed a traumatology qualification at the University of Newcastle. After qualifying in 2023, Cyrus now specialises in trauma surgery in regional NSW. To read more about what inspired Cyrus’ career path visit the following link: https://www.hillsgrammar.nsw.edu.au/ais-cyrusmehta

On Saturday we welcomed back Hills Originals from the Class of 1994, 2004, 2014 and 2019 for their combined reunion. This milestone event was hosted in our RJ Phipps Performance Centre and was the perfect backdrop for plenty of conversations about what has changed in the School, and in these Hills Original’s lives, since graduating. The event was a roaring success thanks to the catering, musicians, current and former staff and of course, the excited return of our alumni! We look forward to hosting next year’s reunion. Make sure you follow our social pages for more details on when the next reunion will take place.

Last night our Junior School students welcomed staff, parents and family members to our RJ Phipps Performance Centre for a special screening of the Hills Grammar Film Festival. These students have been working tirelessly to create silent films using unique camera angles, dramatic performances and music to tell their stories of kindness.
The red carpet event was well received by guests who immensely enjoyed the show, one shared “I’m appreciative of the talent and creativity the students demonstrated in these silent films. It was clear the kindness at the core of each film was prevalent in the character of every student.”
Well done to the students and staff on this remarkable evening.

Throwback Thursday | Throwing it back to the epic moments of Father's Day! We are celebrating the hero in our lives, the one who dished out life lessons with a side of love and patience. Each year our students excitedly race to the Father's Day stall picking out their favourite mug or socks to surprise Dad. Then they enjoy a special morning activity. From tea time to footy games, our Dads have certainly embraced the celebrations each year!

Sport | Our aspiring junior tennis aces took to the court at the Todd Woodbridge Cup on Tuesday. Competing against several other schools from our metro zone area, the Hills Grammar teams played very well and showed commendable sportsmanship. A number of our players have progressed to the regional playoffs to be held in October. Thank you to the coaches from Max Tennis and Mrs Gray for helping our teams prepare and supporting them on the day.

Recently, Anoushka from our Junior School participated in the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee and received a perfect score.
Anoushka’s remarkable efforts have resulted in her position on the honour roll, where the top three participants in each category across the nation are listed.
Please join us in congratulating Anoushka on her extraordinary achievement.

Wishing all the Dads in our community a very happy Father’s Day. We certainly enjoyed seeing all the dads and special people in our Hills Grammarian’s lives at our Donuts with Dad morning on Friday. We hope you have a wonderful day with your nearest and dearest.

Sport | It has been a successful week for students participating in the various Hills Grammar sports programs.
We had a number of students competing at HZSA athletics this week. Congratulations to Navika and Michi who were Age Champions and to a number of our students who will now go on to AICES Athletics.
Congratulations to our Junior Athletics team who participated at HZSA Athletics on Monday. A number of students have now qualified for CIS Athletics.
This week three students, Chelsea, Josh and Will represented CIS Football at the NSWPSSA championships in Tamworth. Chelsea’s team made the grand final held yesterday, while Josh and Will’s team had three wins and three draws.
Our Equestrian team have continued to have a successful season with the most recent event being held at Arndell Interschools.
Charlotte placed 1st in Best Presented, 2nd in Hunter Show Horse, 5th in Ridden Show Horse and 3rd in Intermediate Sporting.

Today, Hills Grammar students, staff and community all donned their favourite jerseys in support of Jersey Day. This day brings to light the important topic of organ donation. This important day is the legacy of young Nathan Gremmo who tragically lost his life in 2015 but gave the ultimate gift of life to six people through organ donation.
To find out how you can register, please visit the following site: https://www.donatelife.gov.au/

Throwback Thursday | Tomorrow is Jersey Day, so we thought this was a great opportunity to look back over the years. Jersey Day represents a special time of year when the nation comes together, united in our beloved jerseys. Jersey Day wasn't just about team spirit; it was a stage for important conversations. Beyond the game, it was about honouring Nathan Gremmo's extraordinary legacy. A 13-year-old boy, who became a hero by bestowing the gift of life upon six individuals through organ donation. Jersey Day is about raising awareness and making a real difference. It’s our moment to create a lasting impact. Let's relive those moments and continue championing this noble cause!

Sport | Congratulations to our badminton teams who represented Hills Grammar at the Schools Novice event last Sunday.
Our Div 2 Boys team played an outstanding match and walked away with the gold medal. Our Division 1 teams played an extraordinary game, but the competition was just too tough, resulting in a runners up placement. Congratulations to all teams for this incredible season.

TOHGA Tuesday | Claudia Nielson-Jones, Class of 2008, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with Honours (Class 1) from Macquarie University in 2014. After her degree, she was grappling with the decision between clinical practice or research/academia. Diverse experience was acquired, including a stint as a Research Officer at UNSW, where she coordinated a state-wide trial on infant neurodevelopment. Subsequently, Claudia completed a Master in Clinical Psychology at the University of Sydney, with a specialisation in early intervention and family support. Claudia is currently a Clinical Psychologist at Karitane, her focus is on perinatal, infant, and child mental health, particularly specialising in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. To read more about Claudia’s career and what advice she offers our Hills Grammarians visit the following link: https://www.hillsgrammar.nsw.edu.au/ais-claudia-nielson-jones

Today, our Wellbeing team engaged Melinda Tankard Reist and her team to present to students from our Senior School on Navigating a s*xed-up world: How can we help our children resist harmful messages from media and pop culture and aspire to respectful relationships?
This important presentation focused on creating happy, healthy and resilient young people who value their dignity and self-worth and aspire to relationships based on respect and authentic connection.
We are grateful to these experts for their time, and for our Wellbeing team who provide resources to such vital topics.

That’s a wrap on the 2024 Book Week celebrations! Our Junior School embraced the moment to become the characters they know and love at today’s book parade. This year’s theme was Reading is Magic and acted as the perfect inspiration for the costumes. Students and teachers proudly walked in their classes around campus in celebration of the magic of books and the worlds they transport us to.

Throwback Thursday | With book week upon us, we couldn't resist sharing some of our favourite moments from book week throughout the years. From 1998's marvellous Pippy Longstockings to 2000's years of creative DIYs, to more recent years filled with princesses, wizards and stormtroopers. Do you have a favourite outfit that you wore? We would love to try and find a photo of it, let us know in the comments below.

Today, Youth Engagement Officer, Senior Constable Glenn Clark and Constable Alyssa Nakat from The Hills Police Area Command held a valuable presentation to various Senior School students.
The officers discussed important topics like Cyber Safety, Harassment and Assault and encouraged our students on the importance of safety and making smart choices.
We are grateful to NSW Police Force Youth Command for providing these presentations.

2024 Combined Reunion | Class of 1994 | 2004 | 2014 | 2019
We are delighted to invite you to your milestone reunion.
Your reunion will be held at Hills Grammar on Saturday, September 7, 2024, from 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm. Partners are welcome and we look forward to seeing you all there.
Post Reunion Venue
The Vicar | 271 New Line Road, Dural
Please RSVP via the link below to confirm numbers for catering purposes.
https://myhills.net.au/2024CombinedReunion
Please spread the word to your peers.

The celebrations have started for the 2024 Book Week, with the theme ‘Reading is Magic’ transforming our Senior Library into a magical wonderland.
Today students participated in a Jewellery Crafternoon, making ‘bookish bracelets’ during their lunch break.
The rest of the week will see activities like bookmark making, a poetry day and a book club meeting, and our Junior School will participate in the annual book parade.
For students wanting to join in on the fun, visit the bulletin to register.

This week, 17 of our Senior School students participated in the annual HICES Music Festival at The Tops Conference Centre and Sydney Town Hall. The 2024 Years 5-8 Festival and Jazz Academy featured students in 8 instrumental and vocal ensembles, as well as the festival finale ‘This is our World’ composed and conducted by Paul Jarman. Hills Grammar music staff, Emily Chapman and Isabel Szanto, accompanied students whilst at the camp and concert, with Emily conducting 50 students in the String Ensemble. Congratulations to all students who took part in this outstanding musical collaboration, alongside 350 students from HICES schools across New South Wales.

Sport | Our junior school Futsal team’s had an outstanding time at the Football NSW Futsal Schools Regional Championship today
Our Under 10 Boys team were the runners up and qualified for the State Championship later this term.

Our Senior Primary team won the final 3-0 going through the tournament undefeated.

Our Primary Girls also played coming away with two wins and finished 5th overall.

Congratulations to all teams on their extraordinary achievement!

Throwback Thursday | Hills Grammar has a proud history when it comes to our debating team. These students will often battle it out with persuasive arguments and outstanding rebuttals, all the while creating lasting memories. If you have a favourite moment from your debating days, share them below!

Today, a group of Senior School students attended a GME site tour to learn about all the different areas of engineering. Students heard about the diversity of the industry, including the different career paths that engineers can take. From mechanical engineers, and radio frequency experts, to industrial designers and testers, GME explained and demonstrated what each profession explores. Students then toured the facility to see the various workspaces, including test labs and prototype spaces where they witnessed a robotic arm, produced by the Mechatronic and Electronic engineers. This experience enhanced student’s understanding of such a diverse industry and provided further examples of the fields in which they can one day work. Thank you GME for providing such a comprehensive tour of your facility.

TOHGA Tuesday | Stephanie Triefus, Class of 2009, is on her way to completing a PhD in international law, focusing on how international law prioritises the interests of multinational companies over the rights of local communities. Stephanie studied law at Macquarie University and practised as a lawyer in a community legal centre and a commercial law firm, but it didn't feel like the right fit. After completing an LLM in public international law in the Netherlands, Stephanie found her passion in researching and teaching international human rights law. Stephanie is particularly proud of her collaborations with NGOs that focus on holding corporations to account for human rights abuses. Stephanie's advice for fellow Hills Originals is to "follow your own interests and principles, and don't be afraid if your path turns out differently than expected." Currently, Stephanie is working towards life Ph.D. as an academic at the Asser Institute in the Hague and Erasmus University Rotterdam, researching business and human rights, international economic law and climate change.

Last week was our annual STEM week for a cohort in our Senior School. The week saw students engage in a timetable dedicated to students understanding the requirements for designing a rollercoaster.
Students engaged in Science, Maths and Design and Innovation masterclasses before thoughtfully creating their own thrill seeking rollercoaster. Their designs were then awarded at the showcase for Best Design, Most Creative, Best Advertisement, Best Video Presentation, Most Creative Thrills and Best Collaboration.
This program focused on the key deep learning competency skill of collaboration.

Sport | The Hills Grammar Equestrian team made a remarkable showing at the recent Orange Anglican Grammar School K-12 Equestrian Interschools held in July 2024. The team, consisting of Charlotte, Natasha, Tifandy, and Lilah all delivered exceptional performances across various events, showcasing their dedication and skills against 140 other riders.
Some of their results included:
Lilah demonstrated her prowess in the 6-bar event, securing an impressive 2nd place.
Natasha exhibited her talent in the jumping events, earning a 3rd place in the first jump and a commendable 2nd place in the second jump.
Tifandy, also showcased her jumping abilities, securing 2nd place in the first jump round.
Charlotte added to the team's success in the Show Riding competition placing 3rd in the Novice Ridden category and achieving 4th place in both the Ridden Show Horse and Dressage events.
Lilah, Natasha, and Tifandy competed brilliantly in various mounted games events also with all 3 girls clinching 1st places in the bending event.
This competition provided an excellent platform for the students to demonstrate their hard work and passion for equestrian sports. The achievements of Charlotte, Natasha, Tifandy, and Lilah are a testament to their dedication and the supportive environment fostered by Hills Grammar. The equestrian team is now setting their sights on the upcoming Arndell Anglican College Interschools Equestrian Carnival. We look forward to seeing our talented riders continue to excel and represent Hills Grammar with pride.

Throwback Thursday | Over the years there have been many moments for students to engage in leadership programs, such as yLead. Each team-building exercise inspired growth and resilience through obstacles, discussions and unique challenges that united students. Join us as we look back at some of the best moments.

Our youngest Junior School students celebrated a major milestone in their education journey last week with their 101 days of Kindergarten. Students and their teachers dressed up as 101 Dalmatians and created special hats to celebrate the 101 Days of school.
Families were then invited to enjoy a picnic lunch with the students, alongside our Kindergarten teachers, Head of Junior School Mrs Sarah Black and Principal Karen Yager.
These students have spent their first year in primary school excelling both in the classroom and beyond. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for these young Hills Grammarians.