What a truly beautiful event! Our K-2 Christmas Pageant was expertly led by Mr Jorgensen-Hull, Stage 1 Coordinator, with the wonderful support of Mrs Cook, Early Stage 1 Coordinator, and the dedicated K-2 teaching teams.

It was inspiring to see the Christmas message shared in such a heartfelt and meaningful way, reminding us of the joy and hope that this season brings. The students shone brightly, sharing their voices and talents with confidence and enthusiasm.

A very special thank you to our Year 2 parent helpers, especially Mr and Mrs Ward, Mr Wu and Mrs Yan, and Mrs Latis for their careful and creative stage design which added so much to the atmosphere of the event.

We are looking forward to celebrating our Years 3-6 Presentation Day on Monday 8 December. This is a significant occasion where we acknowledge the achievements of our students across the year.

Families of Year 6 students, please note that this will also be the time when your child is formally acknowledged as they prepare to transition to the next stage of their learning journey. We warmly invite you to attend and share in this special moment.

Our recent Stage 2 and Stage 3 Camps were an outstanding success! These experiences provide invaluable opportunities for students to develop independence, resilience and confidence while building friendships and creating lasting memories.

A heartfelt thank you to our teachers for their commitment and care in making these camps so enriching. In particular, we acknowledge Mr Carroll, Stage 2 Coordinator, and Mrs Young, Stage 3 Coordinator, for their exceptional organisation and leadership. Their efforts ensured that every detail was thoughtfully planned and every student supported.

As we conclude the 2025 school year, we acknowledge and celebrate several Junior School teachers who are concluding their time with us and moving on to new adventures in 2026.

After an incredible 35 years of service, Mr Jeff Robinson will retire from his role as part-time Biblical Studies Teacher. Throughout his time at Illawarra Grammar, Mr Robinson has held many roles and made significant contributions to our School community. He is looking forward to retirement and spending more time with his family, a well-deserved next chapter!

Miss Boswell and Miss Pather will be pursuing further studies. Miss Boswell will attend Moore Theological College, while Miss Pather will move interstate to the University of Melbourne to complete a Masters of Education degree.

We also acknowledge Miss Gargett and Mrs Gilbett, who will return in 2026 in various capacities, including casual teaching and Long Service Leave cover.

We look forward to celebrating these wonderful colleagues during our end of year events and expressing our gratitude for their dedication and impact on our Junior School.

On Monday, our Junior School TIGS tennis team headed to Sydney to compete in the CASA Junior Tennis Tournament. With a slightly different lineup from our Todd Woodbridge Cup squad, the team stepped up brilliantly.

The tournament was fun and a little different, with students competing in singles matches and single-sex doubles. Our players rose to the challenge, showing skill, resilience and adaptability across every match.

Overall, Illawarra Grammar won against every CASA school they faced. It was a fantastic display of the depth and strength of our tennis program, highlighting the quality and commitment of our young athletes.

A great day of tennis and another proud moment for The Illawarra Grammar School!

Congratulations to Mrs Dodge and the Prep team for hosting such joyful Celebrations of Learning this week. Students in Marana and Elanora were celebrated as they shared their learning and reflected on their growth throughout the year. These events provided a wonderful opportunity for families to come together and acknowledge the achievements of our youngest learners, a lovely way to conclude the year.

Ameila Murray – Year 9

The first weeks of Term IV were a busy time with Yearly Exams for Years 7 to 10 demanding our full attention. 

Following the exam period, I sought to understand the experiences of other students and interviewed two Stage 5 students, Matilda Vermey (Year 9) and Georgia Agnew (Year 10), about how they approached preparation, completion and reflection.

I first wanted to gain an understanding of the study techniques and tools other students used for their exams, and which they found to be the most effective. Georgia told me that “past papers and questions under timed conditions” helped her to know “how long [to] spend on each section of the exam”, while Matilda similarly explained that previous exams “helped us review the content we’d learned and understand what the questions would be like in the exam”.

My next question explored how they managed the increased workload in Years 9 and 10. Georgia spoke about the importance of a study timetable, explaining that “my timetable listed each subject, when I would study it, and how long I’d allocate to study. This helped keep me organised and on track during the exam period”. Matilda took a similar approach, setting “specific days for different subjects” and, “if something was due the next day… prioritis[ing] that subject”.

I closed the interview by asking Georgia and Matilda what advice they would give to their peers. Georgia encouraged her peers to “revise regularly throughout the year, not just before exams, so the content is actually absorbed and retained”, as well as emphasising the importance of “ask[ing] your teachers for feedback – it’s one of the best ways to grow and improve your skills”. To underscore the value of consistent study and revision, Matilda spoke about how “when it comes time to prepare for exams, having notes to refer back to is really helpful”, whether from homework or classwork. Additionally, she told me that “reviewing content throughout the year is key”, explaining that when you learn something, it’s important to “look at it that night, then again a few days later, to make sure you understand the content”.

In summary, drawing on the experiences of these students, key strategies that can help in your next assessment period include:

• Using past exam papers and questions as a primary study tool
• Approaching your workload with careful organisation and effective time management
• Maintaining consistent revision throughout the year to consolidate your understanding and mastery of the content
• Asking for feedback regularly when you have questions or are unclear about aspects of your learning.

Pearl Bramble – Year 10

Guiding and shaping our understanding of our own choices and how they reflect our past, present and future societies, humanities are a vital part of any human’s outlook on the world; whether it be from understanding and developing our philosophies or studying the consequences of human choice over decades, centuries and millennia. History in particular is key to understanding our national identity and how we commemorate national struggle, reflecting how past suffering continues to impact our society today.

Every year, on the 11th of the 11th, at 11:00 am, a minute’s silence is observed, marking the hour the armistice ended the world’s first global war, a war that carried tragedy and suffering in its nature of warfare in a way that had never been observed before. Remembering those who served our country and their service is a practice that not only remembers their sacrifice, but reminds us of the importance of protecting peace for future generations of Australians, honouring those who came before us who will not get to grow old as we do.

This term, Year 9 students completed a task where they were required to research a WWI veteran, using the National Archives of Australia. Some chose to focus on soldiers from different parts of Australia, while some decided to further investigate our local history. 

Lina Sulimani looked more deeply into the service of AIF nurse Daisy Richmond, immersing herself in the stories of women in service in a time when they were vital on the frontlines, reflecting her bravery and her importance in treating wounded soldiers in harsh and dangerous conditions. 

Additionally, Evie Rahim researched a soldier named Alfred Chaplin Jones who served in multiple places, such as Egypt, Gallipoli and the Western Front, reflecting upon the courage, pain and dedication shown by Australian soldiers on the battlefield. 

Zaria Nguyen explored Wollongong’s own service history by investigating the past and service of a local soldier, John Nicholas Crowley Senior, who served in the battle of Ypres, representing the bravery and sacrifice of people who had chosen to give up their everyday lives back at home in order to defend their country. 

Ultimately, reflecting upon the experiences of these WWI soldiers reflects the importance of history and studying it in our curriculum – we cannot understand the present without remembering the past.

Joanna Miller – Year 7

Throughout the past year, about twenty Year 7 students have taken part in some of the most entertaining and fast-paced drama games you can imagine: Theatresports.

Theatresports is a competitive, improvisational set of 40–60 short games, each lasting 1–3 minutes. Teams of 3–5 create scenes, establish characters, and build a story that’s engaging and comical, all while following extra rules. For example, the one-minute game “Death in a Minute” is exactly what it sounds like: someone must die accidentally (no murders allowed!), and the other characters must respond.

Everyone in Mr Trenerry’s Drama Club learned about 30–40 of these games throughout the year. After plenty of practice, chaotic and sometimes absurd scenes and a lot of laughter, five students, including me, Cora Gunkelman, Yolanda Karakaidos, Harrison Head, and Sophia Hernandez, were chosen to represent The Illawarra Grammar School at the ‘Impro Australia’ Theatresports competition. Each round involved three completely improvised games. As a group who hadn’t worked together very often before, we had to quickly learn each other’s strengths and start collaborating effectively.

Our first round took place on Tuesday of Week 4. We were buzzing with excitement and practically bounced to the car after fourth period. After a lively road trip, complete with McDonald’s and a whole lot of enthusiastic singing, we finally got to share our passion for Drama with others who felt the same way. We started with a warm-up workshop, then at 7.00pm the competition began. Our games were “Death in a Minute,” “Character Dubs” (two people speak, the others lip sync), and “Oscar Winning Moment,” (gloriously over-dramatic moments worthy of an Oscar). We didn’t place near the top, but we learned a lot and had so much fun.

The second and final round was held at Sydney Girls Grammar on Friday of Week 5. With the lessons from Round One under our belts, we tackled new games: “Gibberish,” “Asides” (private thoughts shared with the audience), and “Sing About It.” This time, we placed fourth and felt proud of our improvement. But I’m also beginning to learn that scores aren’t everything. Theatresports is really about expressing yourself, having fun and using feedback to make the next scene even stronger. I highly recommend this style of Drama to everyone. Improvisation builds performance skills, comedic timing, stage presence and confidence. If you’re interested, Years 7 to 10 can join Mr Trenerry’s Drama Club next year, or you can visit Impro Australia for more information.

Jemima Hemmes – Year 12

Over the weekend of Week 4, our newly-appointed Year 12 students had the privilege of volunteering at Sony Camp, an initiative run by the Disability Trust. 

Sony Camp is an annual event for school-aged children with physical, mental or developmental disabilities. It gives them a chance to enjoy a weekend away from home, try new activities and form meaningful friendships, while also providing parents and carers with a well-deserved break. For the past 16 years, The Illawarra Grammar School has partnered with the Disability Trust to help run this camp, giving our students a rare insight into the lives of people living with disabilities.

Arriving at the Disability Trust on Friday afternoon, students met their new buddies and set out to spend the weekend together. Camp activities ranged from archery and canoeing to nature art, rock climbing and even running a county fair. 

Each activity was designed not only to be fun but to help participants gain confidence, make friends and feel included. Many of the participants return home with memories they talk about for months, even years after, cherishing the friendships and experiences they gained during the weekend.

Spending time with these amazing young people gave us a glimpse into the challenges they face every day and the courage, joy and determination with which they live their lives. It reminded us how easily we can let assumptions or preconceptions cloud our understanding, and how important it is to see each person for who they truly are, beyond any preconceptions.

I would definitely recommend Sony Camp to everyone, especially to the current Year 10s who will have the chance to take part next year. It is a powerful way to make a meaningful difference in someone else’s life while gaining a deeper understanding of empathy, resilience and the value of human connection.

A big thank you to Mr Toombs for organising this camp, and to Mrs Cassidy, Mr Tome, Mr Parsons, Mrs Das Neves and Mrs Panozzo for accompanying us. This experience would not have been possible without the guidance, support and dedication of our teachers.