Campus News
Haileybury’s Reconciliation Action Plan & National Close the Gap Day
As part of our Reconciliation Action Plan and continued commitment to promoting reconciliation between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, on Thursday, 16 March, our campuses supported National Close the Gap Day.
National Close the Gap Day is celebrated annually with an aim to close the gap of health and life expectancy between First Nations people in Australia to those of non-Indigenous Australians.
Students and staff created a ‘Sea of Hands’ installation, an iconic symbol of reconciliation and a way for communities around Australia to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues and events.
In 2022, Haileybury created its first Reconciliation Action Plan that encompasses all its Melbourne campuses. Its aim is to celebrate the diverse identities and cultural heritage of staff and students who have come to our school from different communities across Australia. Through a journey of reconciliation, we will continue to create a culturally safe and respectful world-class school.
The School’s Reconciliation Action Plan can be found on the Haileybury website.
International Women’s Day – Keysborough
More than 300 senior girls at Keysborough joined together before school for a locker bay party to mark International Women’s Day with plenty of singing, dancing and tasty cookies.
On Tuesday, 7 March our Haileybury Girls College Assembly was held in Aikman Hall and via Zoom. The message from our guest speaker, Tasneem Chopra, was about the importance of International Women’s Day and the role of activism in facilitating change.
She spoke powerfully about the additional challenges for women of colour and for those with disability and living in poverty. She drew on her own experiences as a South African-born woman of Indian heritage growing up in country Victoria.
Tasneem was inspiring and her audience was captivated by her story. School Captain, Neeraja Ahielan and Prefect, Edie Piastri, also addressed the audience and spoke about the challenges that face girls and young women growing up in a society that is still striving for equality.
International Women’s Day – Berwick
Our Senior girls at Berwick celebrated International Woman’s Day with a special lunch. Old Haileyburian (2018) Cara Villella spoke about her journey as a young woman in the Navy.
International Women’s Day – City
City campus celebrated International Women’s Day with student-led events and activities across the week. On Monday morning, our student leaders spoke about the importance of the day for women around the world. On Tuesday, the girls gathered on Level 9 to stream the IWD Assembly for the Senior girls from Keysborough, while the boys explored the inequities that continue to confront women and why it’s important to acknowledge and challenge these.
On Wednesday, the girls enjoyed a ‘campfire songs’ breakfast on Level 9 with hot chocolate, singing and cupcakes before the week finished on Friday with a joint Middle and Senior Schools lunchtime party on Level 4.
International Women’s Day – Brighton
Castlefield Middle School and Brighton Senior School jointly celebrated International Women’s Day with a breakfast event. It was wonderful to host this with our community and there were more than 300 parents, staff, special friends and students in attendance.
The morning was a huge success with outstanding speeches from our Head of Campus, Katrina Manson, Kayla Johnstone (Year 10) and Middle School Girls Captain, Julia Zaitseva, who shared their views on what International Women’s Day means to them and their thoughts on the theme of ‘embracing equity’.
The crowd was then treated to performances from Year 2 student, Cameron Curley, and Year 6 student, Zoe Ryan, who sang This Is Me from The Greatest Showman and Slipping Through My Fingers by ABBA.
The morning was a wonderful celebration and a chance to connect with all members of our community.
International Biology Olympiads
James Johnson (Year 12) attended the International Biology Olympiads (IBO) Summer School at ANU in Canberra in January. James worked very hard and, as a result, has been chosen to represent Australia in the International Biology Olympiads (IBO) in Dubai in July. This is quite an achievement as only four young Australians were chosen.
We congratulate James on his amazing accomplishments and wish him the very best in the upcoming competition!
Berwick Dodgeball Competition
On Friday, 3 March the Berwick Senior School staff and student dodgeball competition took place. In the first match, 15 staff matched up against a super-confident student team of Years 10–12 students. In the second game, mixed teams of staff and students battled it out.
The final game, staff versus Year 12, was the main event for the coveted title of 2023 Champion Team. Despite spirited opposition from the staff, the students reigned supreme in a dominant display and took home the winner’s shield for the second year.
This was a fun way to finish Week 5 and certainly put a smile on the dial’ of all the players, and the spectators were treated to a free Zooper Dooper as they watched the games.
Term 2 Uniform
In Term 2, students wear winter uniform, however, during the three weeks at the beginning of the term, students may continue to wear summer uniform. Term 2 classes resume on Wednesday, 26 April.
Theo Georgakopoulos
Acting Head of Haileybury Senior Schools
