The McDonald College

We are thrilled to invite you to our Annual Art & Design Show, a vibrant celebration of creativity and artistic talent from our students. This year, the exhibition features a diverse array of artworks from Junior School students all the way through to Year 12. Expect to see a wide variety of mediums and styles, including paintings, sculptures, digital art, and mixed media.

Opening Night: Join us on Friday, 23 August at 5:30 PM for the grand opening of the show. This evening promises to be a festive occasion, offering a first look at the impressive works on display. Enjoy light refreshments and mingle with the artists and fellow art enthusiasts.

Ongoing Exhibition: If you can’t make it to the opening night, don’t worry! The exhibition will also be open on Saturday, 24 August from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Take your time to explore the artworks at your own pace and appreciate the dedication and skill of our talented students.

The Annual Art & Design Show is a highlight of our school calendar, bringing together the community to celebrate the achievements of our young artists. It’s a wonderful opportunity for family, friends, and the public to see the culmination of the students’ hard work and creativity. The show also provides a platform for students to gain valuable experience in presenting their work to an audience.

Today, our Year 9 students took a short walk down George Street to hone their sketching skills. Inspired by the local architecture, they put pencil to paper, creating detailed drawings line by line until each scene came to life.

Many of our students are diligently working on their Visual Arts assignments in preparation for the upcoming Art & Design Show, scheduled for August 23 and 24. Attendees can look forward to seeing the artworks our Year 9s created today, along with a wide array of pieces from Junior School to HSC students. The exhibition will feature paintings, drawings, sketches, sculptures, and multimedia artworks. Stay tuned—you won’t want to miss it!

Vale Peg Dickinson
At almost 101 years of age, Peg was a huge supporter of The McDonald College. We will never forget your finger puppets, herb garden, Saturday stall and so much more.
A friend to us all - young & old.
Thank you Peg!
R.I.P.

Dancer, model, model scout, fitness and boxing instructor, Australian Survivor contestant (season 6), Instagram personality and mom! These are some of the hats that our former student Shannon Lawson ( model ) (class of 09) wears.

Shannon became quite famous after she participated in the famous reality show Survivor Australia. An athlete at heart, Shannon boasts an impressive background as a trained dancer and a certified boxing instructor. Her fitness regimen is intense and designed to push limits, promising to get anyone in her Tribe sweating and working hard. For Shannon, fitness is more than a routine—it’s a lifestyle. She advocates for a balanced approach to health, focusing on building strength and endurance. Her goal is to inspire others to lead healthier, fitter lives, and she does this by sharing her journey and tips on social media.

Today we celebrate our Head of Classical Ballet, Jane Kesby! 🌟 Starting her ballet journey as a student at The McDonald College, Jane continued her studies at the Australian Ballet School and danced professionally with the West Australian Ballet, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Zurich Ballet. After 10 years on stage, she earned her RAD Professional Dancer’s Teaching Diploma in London with distinction.

In 2024, Jane marks her 20th year as an educator at The McDonald College, teaching in both the day school and After Hours program. She's been instrumental in guiding students to international competitions and nurturing many successful alumni. Jane has also served as Assistant to the Artistic Director of the Premier State Ballet Youth Company for over five years, and in 2015, she was promoted to Head of Ballet.

Jane is a remarkable educator who understands the diverse needs of her students, helping them develop physical and mental awareness. Her professional and academic background has shaped thoughtful and well-rounded individuals, many of whom have become beautiful dancers under her guidance.

Jane champions creativity and academic excellence, encouraging students to explore different paths in a supportive environment. She believes in the exceptional dance training available in Australia and the balanced approach that prepares students for various careers.

Jane Kesby embodies magic and discipline, earning respect and admiration from her students and peers. Here's to celebrating her incredible journey and dedication to ballet education!

Last week, our Year 9 students took part in a Science webinar on actionable environmental solutions. There was a great line-up of speakers, which included: ACMI's Community Coordinator, comedian, and former Triple J presenter Anton De Ionno as moderator, Maree Lowes aka Dirt Girl, STTOP's host and YouTuber Mat McKenna, CEO of Planet Ark, Rebecca Gilling and a few others. Students submitted their questions via Zoom chat and had a discussion on the various aspects behind tackling environmental issues, such as pollution and climate change, from policy design to personal actions that can make a difference.

This was a part of last week's School Tree Day 🌳 🍃 💚

High Performance Season tickets are on sale now! Are busiest time for performances of the year is approaching, and with it comes a lot of expectation and excitement. Watch our students demonstrating their skills on the NIDA stages on four nights that promise to deliver a fantastic number of performances. The shows are: Junior (Years 7 – 9) and Senior (Years 10 – 12) showcases, a Primary showcase (Starburst) and Dance + (our After Hours students). Attendees should expect to see performances including Classical Ballet, Contemporary and Commercial Dance, Music and Musical Theatre. It is certainly one of our most awaited events of the year!

Head to our events page to book your tickets: https://www.mcdonald.nsw.edu.au/news-and-events/upcoming-events/

Congratulations to Genevieve (Year 12) (), a finalist at the 2024 InterContinental Music Awards (ICMA) for her original works. The Los Angeles-based awards recognize musicians from every continent and region worldwide, providing a platform to be recognised amongst an international community of music enthusiasts.
The 2024 ICMA Awards Ceremony will be streamed live from Los Angeles on 25 August, when winners be announced.

Being nominated alone is an honour and quite an achievement, and so we are incredibly proud that Genevieve and her singing/performer skills have gotten her this far. We will certainly be cheering for gold next month! Well done, and good luck in the final round!

This past week was another big one for our performing arts students, taking on stages beyond the school grounds.

On the weekend, Angela (Year 5) came 1ST place at Ryde Eisteddfod in the Classical Ballet solo section.

Also on the Ryde Eisteddfod, Imogen (Year 7) came first in the U11 Classical ballet section, managed a second place with her lyrical solo performance (this being on her second-ever performance), and won another gold for her contemporary solo. Additionally, she participated in the U12 Scholarship competition for which she was one of 5 finalists after an open class, classical solo and her lyrical.

Sophie Dang (Year 11) received 1st Place at Ryde Eisteddfod for Open Age Lyrical and a Highly Commended for Open Age Contemporary.

Alyssa (Year 6) wowed judges and placed all of my vocal solos in the Menai Eisteddfod singing competition.

Julia Zhou (Year 7) participated in the Ryde Eisteddfod today in the 12-year-old Jazz session and won first place.

Sharon Meng (Afterhours Student) went to the Shine Bright Dance Challenge over the weekend and got 1st place for 12/u Classical Open and 2nd place for 12/u Contemporary Open.

A big congratulations to all our performers whose training and dedication pay off, making results such as the above a reality. And well done to teachers whose efforts allow students to flourish with such grace.

Join us next Thursday for an enchanting evening of dance as our talented HSC Dance students take to the stage. Witness the culmination of a year’s hard work and dedication as they present their Core Performances, Major Performances, and Core Compositions. 💃✨🎟️
Showcase starts at 7pm (doors open at 6:45pm) - Fraser Auditorium. Free entry.

Our Year 3 – 6 Acting students are proud to present their production of ‘The Kids Who Fell Into A Book‘. 🎭📚🕵️‍♂️

Tickets via link: https://mcdonald.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/137036

When best friends Kevin and Kate go to sleep, they wake up to find themselves smack bang in the middle of their favourite detective story. Little did they know that to find their way home, they would have to navigate through a series of wildly different books. What begins as an exciting adventure with their beloved detective, Rockfish Slim, and the enigmatic Femme Fatale, Rhonda Croft, quickly spirals into a whirlwind book tour that challenges their wits and courage.
As they venture from one genre to another, Kevin, Kate, and their new literary friends must adapt to the unique rules and environments of each book. They face riddles, solve puzzles, and outwit villains in thrilling mysteries. Along the way, they discover that each genre offers its own set of lessons and that working together is their best chance to make it back home.
In this high-energy, imaginative romp through the pages of literature, The Kids Who Fell into a Book combines humour, suspense, and heartwarming moments. It’s a celebration of storytelling and the power of friendship.

A huge round of applause to Year 7's Ayumi, who won the Girls 12/u category in the Rafa Nadal Tour last weekend in South Australia. Ayumi was exceptional in her performance, disputing a tough final, with the victorious result 6-4 5-7 6-1. As always, these great results don't happen in a vacuum, but are fruit of rigorous training and continuous dedication. Congratulations to Ayumi and our friends at Voyager Tennis Academy, who are behind getting her Tennis skills up to such performance levels. 👏 🎾 🏆

Welcome back!
"Logic will get you from A to B. Creativity will get you everywhere." Albert Einstein

SydneySchools

Former student Meg Mac () has been touring Australia with world sensation Teddy Swims (). It is incredible to see our alumni out in the world, achieving such amazing accomplishments. One day they were performing at a music showcase, the next, they are on a stage singing for thousands of people.

Congratulations Meg on all the well-deserved success!

Bravo to our dancers, who for another week performed fantastically at the Eisteddfod competitions.

Charlize A (Year 7) scored her first-ever position at an Eisteddfod on her second time performing the solo and first year competing, she finished 2nd in the Shine Bright Eisteddfod in 12U combined specially restricted/restricted for contemporary 🥈

Charlize P (Year 10) was a semi-finalist (out of 200 dancers!) in the Sydney Eisteddfod Ballet Championship, performing the Nikiyas Death Variation. 🙌

Charlotte R ( Year 10) was a semi-finalist in the Sydney Eisteddfod Ballet Scholarship Semi-final 🙌

Anneke S (Year 8) received a Highly Commended in the 13-years Demi Character section at Sydney Eisteddfod 🙌

Isabella and Sophia (Year 11s) scored 3rd place in the Sydney Eisteddfod's Open Age Lyrical Duo 🥉 🥉

Oliver Austin (Year 8) received 3rd place for the Wee Lees Trust Ballet Championship (13 years) and Highly Commended for Classical Ballet (13 Years) at Sydney Eisteddfod 🥉 🙌

and Jasmin (After Hours) took 1st Place in 12/U Classical and Demi-Character and 2nd Place in Contemporary 🥇 🥈

A huge success! A big round of digital applause goes to our teachers/trainers who keep our dancers on their toes, quite literally! Congratulations everyone involved! 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

Congratulations Sebastian (Year 7 - ) for the amazing results, directly from the JUFA 2024 Europe Junior Tour in Austria. Sebastian was finalist in the singles boys 12 and scored gold 🥇 in the boys 12 doubles, along with his partner Novak Palombo.

Well done Sebastian and the team, who is behind all the rigorous training that goes into a victory like this. 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

Former student Gina Brescianini (.brescianini) started her ballet training at The McDonald College at age five. After honing her skills with us, Gina advanced to the Australian Ballet School and joined the Australian Ballet in 2000. Over her impressive 10-year career with the company, Gina rose to the rank of Soloist, performing both traditional and contemporary ballets across Australia and around the globe.

Gina’s dedication to her craft extended to her wellness routine; she began practicing yoga in 2001 to support her demanding ballet schedule. Today, Gina is the Lead Teacher, Teacher Trainer, and Performance Coach at Power Living Yoga Australia, where she oversees all education and programs. We’re incredibly proud of her achievements - she is an inspiration to us and our students 🩰 🧘‍♀️ ❤️

Congratulations to Imogen (Year 7) on receiving Highly Commended for her Classical and Lyrical performances at the Sydney Eisteddfod! As always, it is a pleasure to watch hard work and dedication truly shine through. Bravo Imogen all to all teachers involved 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

Alumna, Simone Waddell, along with Damien Copper, and featuring James Napier (also a former student), are releasing a new single today, titled Calling You. If you haven't heard it yet, head to https://ffm.to/sdcallingyou or find Simone's work on Spotify or the streaming platform closest to you.

Congratulations Simone! We love watching our former student's success out in the world 🎶 👏 🥰

Congratulations to After Hours student Sophia Minol, who recently took part in the 9 Years Classical Ballet Solo and 9 Years Demi Character Solo sections at the Sydney Eisteddfod. She received a Highly Commended in the Classical Ballet section and 1st Place in the Demi Character section performing her dance titled The Magician. A big round of digital applause to Sophia and all her teachers who made this victory possible 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

Congratulations to Year 11 Isabella Driver (), who had amazing success at the Eisteddfod at the BDA Shire Festival of Dance over the weekend. Isabella went home with the 1st place in Open Lyrical, 1st place in Open Contemporary and 2nd place in Open Classical.

And if that wasn't enough, she was also awarded the Adjudicators Award for most Outstanding Performer for the Senior section.

A big round of digital applause to Isabella and her dance trainers here at The McDonald College. This is the result of lots and lots of hours of preparation and tremendous dedication. 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

A graduate of The McDonald College, Dimity Clancey has carved out an extraordinary career in journalism. Starting in the NSW Central West, she moved to Nine’s Sydney newsroom in 2010, where her fearless reporting on crime quickly gained her respect and acclaim.

Dimity's dedication to uncovering the truth has seen her cover major news stories both in Australia and globally. Her exclusive story on Malcolm Naden's confession earned her a prestigious Walkley Award in 2016, and her relentless pursuit of justice continued with a second Walkley nomination for investigating the misconduct of obstetrician Dr. Emil Gayed.

In 2020, she received the Kennedy Award for Outstanding Nightly Current Affairs Reporting for her investigation into prescription drug abuse. Through her work at A Current Affair, Dimity has resolved police investigations, influenced law reform, and empowered the vulnerable by giving them a voice.

Dimity Clancey is a shining example of the impact and excellence our graduates achieve. Her commitment to holding power to account and advocating for the disempowered inspires us all. Congratulations, Dimity! 🎉👏

Term 2 was a phenomenal one for our tennis stars, marked by impressive debuts, remarkable victories, and national recognition. From sweeping titles at local JT 125 events to shining on the international stage, our young athletes have showcased their talent, hard work, and dedication. Their outstanding performances, whether in singles, doubles, or team events, have brought pride and joy to our community, highlighting the bright future of our budding tennis champions. Here are some of the standout achievements from this season of unmatched success:

April brought stellar debuts and victories:

Oscar Luo swept his first JT 125 title in 12&U singles and doubles at Weston Creek.
Eva Bourgeois & Ellie Zhao won the 12&U doubles at JT 125 Newcastle.
Ami Dalla Pozza won 14&U singles, while Sebastian Lavorato took home singles and doubles titles.
At the Australian Clay Court Championships, Ethan Domingo became the 2024 14&U Clay Court Australian Champion.
Jacob Cairncross & Harry Forsyth earned their first ITF points in Fiji.
May saw national recognition:

Harry Forsyth won the Australia Cup (18u singles) and Pizzey Cup (18u teams), making the All-Australian team.
Peter Domingo & Oscar Luo won Gold at the NSW PSSA State Tennis Championships, with Peter advancing to the Bruce Cup Nationals.
June brought remarkable performances:

Minhoon Lee, Chase Zhao, Saravjot Saggu, and Ethan Domingo shone at the J30 & J60 in Darwin.
Long Weekend Tournament Highlights:

Ayumi Ito: 14/u doubles winner at 250JT Wollongong
Edmund Libert: 12/u winner at 125JT Springwood, also won doubles with brother Julian
Levi Dassakis: 12/u Tier 3 winner

Congrats to all our champions! 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

AND bon voyage as many of them head to Europe to dispute international courts during the school break, while others will be in the Gold Coast for the J60 ITF 🎾 🎾 🎾 The life of a tennis player!

A huge congratulations to Samantha Cristovao (Year 9) for the amazing 1st place in the 14&U Contemporary section at Expression Dance Eisteddfod. Our students continue to make us proud, week after week.

Congratulations Samantha and to everyone involved in the training and dedication that is behind every victory, like this one.

Catch former student Mimi Zhou (class of 2020) performing in a Jolly Good Musicals production, Ghost Quartet.

The show features 4 performers accompanying themselves (piano/violin/guitar/guzheng and more) as they retell their favourite stories together.

"Musical by Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812) is more than just a song cycle - it's a journey through love, loss, and the whispers of the past. Four singers weave tales of a shattered camera, a murderous sister, a stargazing child, and even the ghost of Thelonious Monk."

4th - 6th July
The Red Rattler, Marrickville


MCD students, families and staff get 10% off - DM us for the discount code.
See Jolly Good Musicals for tickets.

Debating success! On Friday, members of the Senior Debating Team participated in their third debate for the Australian National Virtual Debating Competition (ANVDC), presenting the Affirmative side for the topic:
That the government should regulate the ethical development and deployment of artificial intelligence systems.
Very topical, particularly given today's staff professional development focus on the risks and benefits of AI in education.
The team was victorious!!!🏆 Our students defeated Central West Leadership Academy in Dubbo. The adjudicator commented in particular on the sophistication of the team's model for a better future which capitalised on the positive effects of AI while minimising the harms.
Each debate in the ANDVC is conducted via zoom. The team has one hour to prepare their arguments, with only 15 minutes to conduct internet research. Each speaker then has 7 minutes to present their case and rebut the opposing team's ideas.
We commend the team's dedication, particularly given the busyness of this term, requiring these students to balance multiple assessments and performances with their love for debating.
They have demonstrated wonderful collaborative and critical thinking skills, speaking with passion and conviction in each of their three online debates.
The McDonald College Senior Debating Team consists of Year 12 students:

Speaker 1 - Samuel Dunnicliff
Speaker 2 - Emma King
Speaker 3 - Daniel Harris
Silent 4th member - Caitlin Dooley

These students, who also perform in our Music and Musical Theatre streams, are living proof that Performing Arts and traditional academic subjects can coexist harmoniously.

From our school stages to Broadway, Kim Taylor (class of 05) and Robert Walter (class of 07) share a common amazing achievement, a dream-come-true for most artists in Musical Theatre, to be cast in Hamilton, on Broadway.

As per usual, we are extremely proud of how far our students (and former students) allow their dreams to guide them. Dedication is always a common feature in all cases of student success such as this. Congratulations to both ( and ) on all the success!