Principal’s Message

Thought for the holidays
“Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.”
Benjamin Franklin

“No man is happy who does not think himself so.”
Publilius Syrus

With our focus squarely on “Copenhagen” and the climate issue, we have reached the end of a very full, very exciting and very successful year. When we consider everything that has taken place this year it is hard to see how it could have all fallen into 2009. Our graduating students will be eagerly waiting to see if they have got into the tertiary course of their choosing, or the occupation they wish to follow. We wish them well and know that they will be guided into doing what is best for them.

We have said farewell to our Junior School Headmistress, Tansy Cruttenden and also to Mr Magner and Mrs Green from the Senior School. Miss Claire Werda also leaves to go to Ormond Primary school after being our replacement teacher this past semester. Our laboratory technician, Dr Judith Wright has departed for England and our loss is certainly their gain.

Thank you to everyone who attended our Junior School Speech Night or Senior School Speech Day. They were well attended, the music was outstanding and it was good to recognise the achievements of so many students and of our school.

As we move into the holiday season it is appropriate to reflect on the spiritual environment that we all create. Each time you have a kind word for someone else; each time you share a smile or lift someone up, you are making the world that little bit better. Do some random act of kindness these holidays; just help someone out of the blue; they will be astounded and will feel good all day. At this time we think of giving, of gratitude and of celebration. I am so grateful to all of you for having been a part of our journey this year. I am grateful to every student for what they have brought to the school and what they have given to the community. Thank you so much to everyone who has assisted with school activities like the Fete, the PTA, suppers for the various shows and events and to those who have attended the events we arrange. Please celebrate with joy, with happiness and with peace; let’s leave the negative aspects of celebration out of the picture.

To the graduating Year 12 class – congratulations on your excellent results! I would like you all to remember that your ENTER score does not define who you are; you define what it means to you. You are all wonderful individuals who are going to do great things in the world. We wish you everything of the best as you make your way in the world.

Have a blessed and happy holiday.
Sholto Bowen

December 15 2009 | All and Principals Message | No Comments » |

PTA Page

Diary Dates:

• Huntingtower Used Textbook Sale – Sunday 6 December, 2-4pm

• PTA Annual General Meeting – Monday 22nd February 2010.

Huntingtower Used Textbooks Sale
The 2009 Used Textbook Sale will take place on Sunday December 6th 2 – 4pm.
Years 7-9 in M2, Years 10-12 in M3.
Payments are by cash, cheque, Visa or Mastercard.
A current booklist showing books which can be resold for use in 2010 will be sent out shortly with a Text Book Sale form and will also be available on the school website.
Books can be deposited with a completed Text Book Sale form secured in a bag into the Green Bin located in the Senior Library foyer from Monday November 16th.
All queries in relation to the Textbook Sale should be directed to Janine Rawlins – 9807 1984, Jean Barrand 9893 6660, Cindy Higgins 0411 239 492 

AGM & Committee Vacancies

The Annual General Meeting for the PTA will be held on Monday the 22^nd of February 2010 in the PAC.  We’d be delighted for any interested parents or teachers to attend.

The Committee is seeking 8 members next year.  Committee members carrying forward include Brett Stringer, Deb Davey, Debbie Jones, Bernadette Day, Dorothy Smycz and Catherine Jenkins.  Rahul Kapadia has resigned due to significantly increasing work commitments.  We would like to thank Rahul for his tremendous effort this year, in particular for all the work facility managing the Fete.
As a consequence, the Committee will commence accepting nominations for the 2 vacant positions.  Please contact Catherine Jenkins at catherine.jenkins@iinet.net.au if you are interested, we’d love to hear from you!

Non-alcoholic Wine Sales:

We’re delighted to offer parents and staff the last cases of our non-alcoholic wine at cost price.  .  First in Best Dressed!  Please contact any PTA rep to order.
Cooler                         $60                           2 cases
Muscat                        SOLD OUT
Lambrusco                  $65                           1 case & 9 bottles
Strawberry                 $60                           3 cases & 9 bottles
Mango                         $65                           1 case & 9 bottles
Ginger                         $60                           4 cases & 2 bottles
Passion                        $60                           2 cases

Final Note for the Year

The PTA cannot thank you all enough for your support during 2009.  We’ve had a busy year with a variety of fund & friend raising efforts and we could not have achieved such a wonderful result without all your help.  Particular thanks go to the class reps, fete reps, teachers, office and maintenance staff, parents, students and of course Sholto! 
Have a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.  See you all in 2010!

December 15 2009 | All and PTA | No Comments » |

Holiday Swimming

An intensive holiday program will be held in January. Training and lessons will be held for:

*   the School Swimming Team
*   students who normally swim with Helen Aden – Kan (Huntingtower’s   School Coach) in Senior Squad, Junior Squad, Pre-squad and Learn to Swim classes
*   any Huntingtower student who would like to be involved in the extensive program catering for students of all abilities from learn to swim to squad training.

For all the particulars please refer to the details contained in your school report packages or email Helen Aden-Kan – helenaden@gmail.com

December 15 2009 | All and Sport | No Comments » |

2010 Hockey Preseason Clinic

As discussed at the end of the Summer Stix season, the senior hockey players are going to start training for the EISM season a in the week before 2010 classes start. The EISM 2010 competition starts on Wednesday 3 February, thus a bit of training will be a great start to the season.

Two clinics are being held at the HT hockey field by a State League 1 coach

Dates: Wednesday 27 January and  Thursday 28 January
Time:  9.00am – 10.30am.

Cost $10 per session per player, payable on arrival at the clinics.

While Term 1 is the Senior Boys season, all senior school players are invited to attend.

 Be sure to bring your hockey stick, (you can borrow one from school if you need to), mouth guards, shin pads and water bottles! Be sure to have eaten breakfast at least one hour before start time!

Please confirm your participation in the clinics/preseason training days by either emailing Ms Savage (jsavage@huntingtower.vic.edu.au) or leave a note at the office.

NB – the Men’s Champions Trophy International hockey competition between the top 6 hockey nations in the world is in Melbourne – watch out for matches that are broadcast and cheer on the Kookaburras!

December 15 2009 | All and Sport | No Comments » |

Music Notes

HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS AND SINCERE THANKS TO….

• Every student in the Junior School for his/her wonderful contribution to the music at Junior Speech Night last week. Everyone was involved in the massed singing (as a singer or orchestral player) and the result was electrifying. The Junior Choir, Junior Chamber Choir, Junior Orchestra, Little Symphony and Junior Ensemble also performed superbly. Special thanks to the amazing Junior School staff who give so much support throughout the year and a huge thank-you to Mrs Tansy Cruttenden for her vision and promotion of quality and excellence in the performing arts. She will be greatly missed and we wish her all the very best as she transfers her wonderful work to her old school in England.

Another huge thank-you to Mrs Anne Wilson who will also be in England next year but thankfully for only 12 months after which she will return and share all her special experiences with us. Mrs Wilson will also be greatly missed but we wish her all the very best in her teaching and studying in the UK and Hungary and look forward to her return.

• All the musicians in the Senior School who have been preparing assiduously throughout the week for what will be some superb performances at Senior Speech Night – the dedicated contribution from each student is sincerely appreciated.
• The musicians who performed at a recent special Mayoral dinner to commemorate the 25^th birthday of the Monash Civic Centre.
• The musicians who will perform Christmas carols before an NBL match to be held later in December.

All the members of the Music Department extend our sincere gratitude to you all for a wonderful year and wish you all the very best for a happy and peaceful Christmas season and a refreshing holiday. Please don’t hesitate to contact me (Lynley Bramble BH 9807 8888 AH 9803 7701 email lbramble@huntingtower.vic.edu.au) if you need any information or assistance over the holidays (eg. about music tuition, choosing/trying out instruments etc.)

HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS  AND SINCERE THANKS TO….

• Every student in the Junior School for his/her wonderful contribution to the music at Junior Speech Night. Everyone was involved in the massed singing (as a singer or orcestral player) and the result was electrifying. The Junior Choir, Junior Chamber Choir, Junior Orchestra, Little Symphony and Junior Ensemble also performed superbly. Special thanks to the amazing Junior School staff who give so much support througout the year and a huge thank-you to Mrs Tansy Cruttenden for her vision and promotion of quality and excellence in the performing arts. She will be greatly missed and we wish her all the very best as she transfers her wonderful work to her old school in England.
  Another huge thank-you to Mrs Anne Wilson who will also be in England next year but thankfully for only 12 months after which she will return and share all her special experiences with us. Mrs Wilson will also be greatly missed but we wish her all the very best in her teaching and studying in the UK and Hungary and look forward to her return.
• All the musicians in the Senior School who prepared assiduously for the superb performances at Senior Speech Day – the dedicated contribution from each student throughout the entire year has been sincerely appreciated. Senior Choir, Senior Chamber Choir, Senior Orchestra, String Orchestra and Concert Band all performed magnificently but we also appreciate magnificent performances by other groups (Middle School Orchestra, Middle School Chamber Choir, Brass Ensemble and other small ensembles) throughout the year. We are sincerely grateful to our Year 12 musicians who have given us such wonderful music over so many years. We will miss you all very much indeed but hope that you will come back often and perform with us.
• The musicians who performed at a recent special Mayoral dinner to commemorate the 25^th birthday of the Monash Civic Centre.
• The musicians who will perform Christmas carols before an NBL match to be held later in December.

TERM 1 2010 MUSIC DATES

1.      Commencement Assembly Rehearsal
Senior Orchestra – Monday 1 February 6.30pm-8.30pm PAC

2.     Combined House Orchestra Workshops
Thursday 4 February 7.50am Orchestral Room
Friday 5 February 7.50pm Orchestral Room

3.     House Music Solo Auditions
Years 7-9 Tuesday 9 February 3.45pm
Years 8-9 Wednesday 10 February 3.45pm
Years 10-12 Thursday 11 February 3.45pm

4.      Senior Solo Concert (Years 7 to 12) – Thursday 18 February 7pm Orchestral Room

5.     Senior House Music Festival (Solos and Ensembles) – Monday 1 March 7pm PAC

6.     Senior House Music Festival (Orchestras and Choirs) – Thursday 4 March 7.30pm Besen Centre, Mt. Scopus College

7.      Open Day – Sunday 14 March 2-4pm TBA

8.      Years 5 and 6 Solo Concert – Thursday 25 March 6pm Orchestral Room

NB. The Senior House Music Festival is extremely early next year so auditions for soloists will be held in the second week of Term 1 2010. Musicians are encouraged to start practising for the auditions now!!! More details about the auditions will be sent out toward the end of the holidays.

• All the members of the Music Department extend our sincere gratitude to you all for a wonderful year and wish you all the very best for a happy and peaceful Christmas season and a refreshing holiday. Please don’t hesitate to contact me (Lynley Bramble BH 9807 8888 AH 9803 7701 email lbramble@huntingtower.vic.edu.au) if you need any information or assistance over the holidays (eg. about music tuition, choosing/trying out instruments etc.)

December 15 2009 | All and Music | No Comments » |

Basketball @ Huntingtower

Basketball @ Huntingtower – the Complete Basketball Program
Huntingtower is taking the next step in developing our Basketball Program of Excellence in 2010. We want to offer you a program that would be similar to that which elite players receive at the AIS or through the Basketball Victoria’s Intensive Training Centre Program.
It will involve individual skill development, team skill development, strength and conditioning training and sport science services.
The program will take place before and after school on Mondays to Thursdays – varying times and days for the different age groups.
Who is able to attend?  Any Huntingtower student who wishes to trial for the EISM Basketball teams should undertake the Term 1 Program from Year 7-12.  This is the ideal personalised program to prepare or develop representative players.
Information Evening:  Wednesday 3 February 7.00pm

December 15 2009 | All and Sport | No Comments » |