Volume 18 2025

As we conclude the 2025 school year, we have much to celebrate and reflect upon. The year has been a triumph of academic, sporting and cultural achievement, both within the College and out in the community. We are proud of those students who have demonstrated a genuine commitment to their learning, whether excelling in the limelight or reaching and surpassing their own goals as quiet achievers.

Just as important are the successes and obstacles overcome on a much more personal level – the student who found the courage to join a Lunchtime Club, who played their instrument in public for the first time, who stopped to talk to someone who sat alone, who pushed past tremendous anxiety just to make it to class each day, or who had that “Aha!” moment as they finally understood fractions! These are the real-life everyday moments of growth and achievement and big or small, we celebrate them all.

In today’s ‘selfie’ society, I acknowledge the students who weren’t afraid to look up and look out and discover moments through the year to be selfless. Those acts do not go unnoticed. And if they did, well the true test of our character of course, is what we do when no one is watching. As parents and teachers, I think some of the most important advice we can impart to the young people in our care, comes from Charlie Mackesy’s ‘The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse’, including this simple and poignant exchange:

“What do you want to be when you grow up?" asked the mole. "Kind," said the boy.”

As we prepare for the break, I thank all the parents who have contributed to making this year such a memorable one. Your continued support, whether through volunteering, attending events, sharing your feedback, or supporting fundraisers, is instrumental to our ongoing growth.

For those who like to be well-prepared, here with the details for ‘Day One’ of the 2026 school year.

Thursday, 29 January

Students: Year 7, Year 12 and Year 10 Peer Support Leaders
Uniform: Full summer uniform
Cafeteria: Closed on this day – BYO morning tea/lunch
Dismissal: 2:40pm

Friday, 30 January

Students: All year groups return
Uniform: Full summer uniform
Cafeteria: Open
Dismissal: 3:10pm

I will reconnect with you all via email before the start of Term 1. Until then, I wish you a blessed and holy Christmas and a safe and rejuvenating holiday break.

In our final newsletter of the year, you’ll find student reflections on recent events, along with important reminders to help you prepare for everything coming up in Term 1, 2026.

While the InspirED Booklet will be released early in the new term, several activities take place within the first six weeks, so we encourage students to register now.

EnrichED opportunities that will be available during PACE in Term 1 include:

• Chess Coaching
• Da Vinci Decathlon
• Ethics Olympiad (Senior School)
• Future Problem Solving
• Model United Nations Assembly
• Rosebank Writers 

Students interested in these activities should sign-up via TASS now!

Some of the events listed above require strict participant numbers due to the competitions they feed into. For these activities and for certain one-day events that do not involve PACE training, students are encouraged to sign-up via this link to ensure they are prioritised for inclusion in the following: 

• Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge
• Da Vinci Decathlon
• Ethics Olympiad (Senior School)
• OzCLO (Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad)

Swap Till You Drop
Monday, 1 December saw the College’s inaugural Swap Till You Drop event, with staff and students bringing along clothing items they wished to exchange for a fresh new item. This event came about as the result of an InnovatED Project that explored the toll fast fashion takes on the environment and looked at strategies to mitigate that impact. From what they discovered, Georgiana and Isabel (Year 8 students) were inspired to host a sustainable community event. 



Thanks to their outstanding efforts, word has reached as far as Canada Bay Council. The Community Development Officer, through the Schools Partnership Network, has invited these two dynamic and motivated students to collaborate on hosting a clothing swap during the Sustainable Youth Fair, held in the final four days of the Term 1 school holidays.

Congratulations to these two Year 8 students whose leadership and passion have earned them recognition and exciting opportunities beyond the College.

Write a Book in a Day Soiree and Book Signing
The students who comprised the two teams representing Rosebank in the Write a Book in a Day Competition celebrated their achievement with a soirée and book signing in the SRSC on Tuesday, 25 November.



Family and friends attended to share an afternoon tea, admire the work of these students and collect a signed copy of the books: Hive and Seek and Detours and Dismounts.

World Scholars’ Cup 
On Wednesday, 5 November, our World Scholar’s Cup (WSC) Tournament of Champions journey began. An, Andrew and I joined a long line of teams in a bustling ballroom to check in, surrounded by thousands of scholars from every corner of the globe. The cultural diversity was remarkable, with participants representing countries such as Kenya, Vietnam, Cambodia, Oman, Canada and Hungary.

The week began in Yale’s impressive Woolsey Hall with a vibrant opening ceremony featuring international delegations and lively performances. We then enjoyed an A Cappella showcase and an insightful talk from a Yale faculty member before heading out on a campus-wide scavenger hunt, an early highlight that brought our team closer together.

Over the next days, we tackled the core academic events: Debating, Collaborative Writing and the Scholars’ Challenge. From fast-paced debates with rapid preparation windows, to creative writing under pressure and finally a rigorous 120-question exam, each event pushed us to think critically and work as a team.

At the Toyota Oakdale Theatre, we joined more than 1,000 scholars for the high-energy Scholar’s Bowl, an exciting buzzer-based contest followed by a colourful talent show showcasing performances from around the world. The Cultural Fair was another standout, with hundreds of schools sharing food, traditions and cultural treasures.

The week concluded with the closing ceremony and prize-giving. While our team didn’t place overall, we were proud to earn several medals and celebrate the achievements of new friends from across the globe.

It was an unforgettable experience, challenging, inspiring and filled with connection. We encourage anyone considering the WSC to give it a go next year; the friendships and memories are truly worth it.



By Alexandra Yeates (Year 8)

Middle School Ethics Olympiad
On Friday, 28 November, a team of Year 8 students: Henry Baker, Andrew Taw, Georgiana Thoma, Alexandra Yeates and myself, supported by Lauren Lledo from Year 7 as our Technical Assistant, competed in the Middle School Ethics Olympiad against 25 other schools across New South Wales.

In the Olympiad, teams discuss eight scenarios, each presenting a series of ethical dilemmas. Throughout Term 3, we prepared during PACE sessions, working as a squad of 12 to analyse each case in depth. Our preparation included researching and applying a range of ethical frameworks:

• Deontology, which focuses on following rules and considering what would happen if everyone acted the same way
• Utilitarianism, which aims to choose the outcome that brings the greatest good to the greatest number
• Virtue Ethics, which centres on acting in ways that help us become better people
• Care Ethics, which explores the responsibilities we have toward others in different situations

For the competition itself, each of the five competitors specialised in two cases. As captain, I needed to understand all the scenarios and the arguments we had developed. The Olympiad was held via Zoom, with the first round serving as a practice session to help us adjust to the format. The remaining three rounds were scored by university Philosophy students and ethicists from around the world.

By Rebecca Cawrse (Year 8)



On the day we faced many different challenges and met many different teams. There were many deep ethical issues which we all had to consider. One of my favourite cases was called “You can only save one. Which do you choose?”. This case was themed around a ship in space which received a call for help from another ship with 30 workers on them, soon after another ship which was full of 20 very wealthy students who came from a college cruise. We were asked the question that if the numbers were restricted in a situation like this, who would you save and why? 

By Henry Baker (Year 8)



During the heats I observed many comments and opinions that changed my way of thinking about the different ethical dilemmas we had prepared for. I saw many teams and perspectives on the cases, such as Case 4: "Bullfighting". This case raised the question about how we treat aggressive animals and if traditions such as bullfighting should be considered more important than the pain and suffering of animals. During the heat, the other school/team asked the question “is eating meat considered animal abuse?” This changed the way I thought about the case and my viewpoint. Another case was Case 1: “You can only save one. Which do you choose?” This case sparked debate about factors on who you should save in this case and how you would decide who to save. This time the other school asked us “what if an important person was on the ship such as a president or a politician, then would it change who you would save?” I pondered for a long time on this question and am still thinking about how to answer that question.

By Lauren Lledo (Year 7)

Cheryl McArthur
Gifted Education and iThink Teacher, EnrichED Program Facilitator
cmcarthur@rosebank.nsw.edu.au

Rosebank had a standout day at the Battle of the Bands held at St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill, with two fantastic groups proudly representing our community: Gamma Radiation and Etherwake. Both bands delivered outstanding performances, showcasing the talent, teamwork, and creativity of our students.

A special congratulations goes to Etherwake, featuring Kaya Koktas (Year 9), Lukas Peat (Year 10) and Monte Menken (Year 9), who took out 1st place in the Original Song competition, earning an impressive $500 prize. Their original track captivated the judges, highlighting the trio’s musicality, innovation and stage presence.

Gamma Radiation also shone on stage, bringing energy and enthusiasm to their performance. The band, made up of Molly Lucas (Year 11), Sienna Lau (Year 11), Lukas Peat (Year 10), Noah Jones (Year 11), Kaya Koktas (Year 9), William McNamara (Year 11), Justin Nguyen (Year 11) and Olivia Nero (Year 11), delivered a polished and engaging set that made Rosebank proud.

It was a fantastic day filled with music, community spirit and outstanding talent. Congratulations to both bands for representing Rosebank with such passion and professionalism!

If you were to walk past Q Block in the morning and hear melodies pouring out it shouldn’t come as any surprise as Adamson Year 7 2025 has been gifted in many ways, but in particular with fantastic singers!

We are so proud of the achievements of John Kulikov, Isabella Scaravilli and Indi ToelleAtkinson, in particular who have been taking part in a variety of events to showcase their incredible skills!

Rising Star: John Kulikov’s Remarkable Singing Journey in 2025

For John Kulikov, 2025 has been a very successful year in his singing journey. Starting in February, John travelled to Perth with the Russian Orthodox Male Choir of Australia (ROMCA) and soloed with them at the State Library of Western Australia, singing 'Kalinka', a famous Russian folk song, for the 'Favourite Slavic Folk Songs' concert.

In May, John performed at the City Recital Hall, singing a solo, 'Kolokolchik' (Little Bell), also a famous Russian folk song, for the 'Tales of the Homeland' ROMCA and Sydney Chamber Orchestra (SCO) collaboration. For this performance John was reviewed by Jansson J. Antmann from Limelight Magazine, who described John as having "the purest of voices" and being "one of the finest boy trebles".

Then in August, John was invited to sing a boy-soprano solo part 'In Dreams' from 'The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring', alongside the FilmHarmonia Orchestra at the Independent Theatre. 

Most recently in the October school holidays, John attended an intensive five day Choral Musicians' Conference in Sydney which involved instructional workshops on vocal technique, note reading, diction, conducting, lectures on famous composers and numerous rehearsals culminating in a large scale two choir ensemble singing the Vigil and Liturgy services.

Isabella Scaravilli Returns to Opera Australia for Turandot at the Sydney Opera House

Isabella has been cast in the Children’s Chorus for Opera Australia’s upcoming production of Turandot, running at the Sydney Opera House from Monday, 15 January to Friday, 27 March 2026.

This is Isabella’s second engagement with Opera Australia, following her acclaimed performance in La Bohème from Saturday, 23 August to Saturday, 20 September 2025. Throughout that production, she successfully balanced the demands of school with performing in all shows.

 

La Bohème marked Isabella’s professional musical debut, a significant milestone that she embraced with great poise and talent.

Indi ToelleAtkinson’s Stellar Year in Theatre

Indi ToelleAtkinson has had an incredible year on stage, playing Princess Fiona in Shrek Junior the Musical and starring in Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. Over the Christmas break, she will take on dual roles as Willy Wonka and Veruca Salt in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Indi also showcased her talent at the Junior Theatre Festival Australia in Newcastle, where her group won the Outstanding Singing Award. Back at Rosebank, she was awarded the prestigious Staff Choice Award in this year’s Rosebank’s Got Talent competition, a well-deserved recognition of her dedication and skill.

If you get a chance to see any of the productions that include our wonderful Rosebank students you can be assured that the talent is well proven even at such a young age. We look forward to seeing much more from these wonderful performers, particularly in future Rosebank Musicals, but just know that if you see an Adamson student they will likely have a song in their hearts!

Students in Mr Hurley’s, Ms Lucas’ and Mr Comninos’ Year 9 Industrial Technology Timber classes have been applying impressive effort, skill, and creativity throughout the semester as they worked on their major serving tray projects.

A serving tray is a practical household item, useful for carrying and presenting food, drinks, or small items safely and neatly. This made it an ideal project for students to develop both functional design skills and confidence in the workshop.

Throughout the term, students constructed their trays using meranti timber, incorporating rebate joints to join the frames together. Each tray features a personalised marquetry design, allowing students to express their creativity through timber veneers and pattern work. To complete their projects, students applied a clear oil finish, highlighting the natural beauty of the timber and providing a durable protective coating.

The dedication and craftsmanship shown by all students has been outstanding. Their trays are a testament to the hard work, persistence, and growing technical skill they have demonstrated across the year.

Congratulations to all Year 9 Industrial Technology Timber students on a fantastic effort!

This term in ConnectEd, students have been studying Ancient Egypt with a strong literacy focus on spelling. Each Friday, students completed a spelling test featuring progressively more challenging words. At the end of the term, the best speller from each class went on to compete in a Spelling Bee Grand Final. In an exciting knock-out style competition, students were given difficult words to sound out and spell. These words were drawn from the Words of the Day that appeared each day on screens around the school.

Demonstrating impressive confidence and accuracy while spelling complex words such as perdition, bloviate, and languid, Andy Apostolakis (Year 7) distinguished himself from the field and was awarded the 2025 Spelling Bee Trophy.

Congratulations to all students for their spelling achievements and enthusiastic participation in this year’s Spelling Bee!

On Friday, 21 November, Dwyer House hosted our annual ‘Soda and Swing’ fundraiser for our House charity, House of Welcome. The House of Welcome provides transitional housing, employment assistance and advocates for refugees and asylum seekers who have recently arrived in Australia and empowers them to rebuild their lives here. They truly embody the Benedictine values of hospitality, compassion and service that we foster here at Rosebank.

We as a House cannot express our gratitude enough for the students' support on this day as we had a record-breaking turnout of customers wanting a Krispy Kreme doughnut and soft drink for their Friday lunchtime! We would especially like to thank the Rosebank Jazz Band and some of our incredibly talented singers for entertaining our customers throughout lunch. A special thanks to their conductor Mr Comninos, Music Teacher, for his support of this fundraising initiative.



Thank you all so much for supporting Dwyer House and our efforts to fundraise for such an important cause. Thanks to your generosity and support, we raised an incredible $990 for House of Welcome which is an amazing effort by all. We look forward to doing it all again next year!