The idea of communicating can be captured in a quote from the television series Ted Lasso: “Be curious, not judgmental.” As a community, we grow when we communicate with empathy and curiosity. By approaching conversations with curiosity, we become better listeners and communicators. Seeking to understand how others think and receive information helps build stronger relationships, reduce misunderstandings and create a culture where everyone has the opportunity to learn, belong and thrive. Judgement can create barriers, while curiosity builds bridges.

Together, let us continue to communicate in ways that reflect respect, understanding and care for one another, choosing curiosity over judgement as we strengthen our positive learning community.

Our Middle and Senior School students then experienced an equally powerful week with Pastor Robby Morgan, who explored the theme “Faith Under Construction”. This timely message reminded us that faith is a journey—we are all works in progress, and God continues to shape, grow and build us throughout every season of life. 

One of the highlights of our Middle and Senior School WOW was seeing over 250 students actively involved in helping make the week possible. Their enthusiasm, leadership, creativity and willingness to serve contributed enormously to the energy and success of the program. 

We are incredibly grateful for the fun, laughter, worship, conversations and connections shared across these weeks. Most importantly, it has been a joy to see both students and staff learning more about God and discovering how faith can make a real difference in our everyday lives. 

May God continue to build our faith as we trust that He is still at work in each one of us.

“For we are God’s handiwork...” —Ephesians 2:10 

A big thank you to our student leaders, who invested countless hours planning, organising and running the event, as well as the staff and volunteers who supported them, and the Year 5–12 students who embraced the day by dressing up and getting involved in the activities. 

Competition remained close throughout the afternoon, with Phillip House extending their advantage to take home the trophy and the title of 2026 House Culture Day Champions. Congratulations! 

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped share this important message of generosity, compassion and giving the gift of life.

At the primary event, the following students placed in their events: 

3rd – Amelia S – Long Jump, Zara S – High Jump, Cade B – Long Jump 

4th  – Indie A – 1500m 

6th – Fadel D – High Jump, Zara S – Long Jump, Reyansh K – Shot Put, Cade B – 800m 

7th – Finley P – 1500m & Discus, Aleena S– 100m, Amelia S – Discus,  Li Wynn C – Discus, Indie A – 100m 

Congratulations to Indie A, who placed 5th overall in her age group along with Cade B and Finley P who placed 8th and 9th respectively in their age group. 

And for the secondary event, special congratulations goes to the students who have progressed through to AICES in their respective events: 

Isaac (Year 10) – 3000m, 1500m and 800m 

Anna (Year 7) – 800m, 400m and 1500m 

Kairaa (Year 7) – 200m 

Vihaan (Year 7) – High Jump 

Isobel (Year 10) – 400m 

Kyran (Year 8) – Javelin. 

We are incredibly proud of the way our students represented our school and their willingness totry their best, challenge themselves and celebrate their accomplishments. Competing at this level is a fantastic achievement, and each student should be proud of their efforts and the commitment they demonstrated throughout the day. 

We recognise that every child's learning journey begins with discovery. Just as the bear's chance encounter with the piano led him to uncover a talent and passion, children develop confidence and skills when they are encouraged to explore their interests and follow their curiosity. Our dress-up theme celebrated the importance of nurturing creativity, supporting children's unique abilities, and fostering a lifelong love of learning and literacy.

Throughout the day, students were encouraged to follow the four steps: Ask “R U OK?”, Listen, Encourage Action and Check In. We also encourage families to continue these important conversations at home by discussing how they can support one another and check in with friends and loved ones. Together, we can help build a caring, connected community where everyone feels supported.

Establishing a regular study routine, taking breaks to maintain focus, and prioritising sleep, healthy food and physical activity can all help students study more effectively and avoid burnout.

This Special Report provides practical tips to support your young person as they prepare for exams and develop healthy habits that can benefit them well beyond the classroom.

We sincerely thank Mrs Pinar Krajcik, Mrs Dijana Jelacic and Ms Kimberly Millar for their outstanding leadership, organisation and dedication in bringing the event to life. We also thank our dedicated teachers for encouraging, supporting and rehearsing with students throughout the preparation process, helping them grow in confidence and skill. Our appreciation also goes to the Middle and Senior School student volunteers who worked behind the scenes to help the evening run smoothly.

A heartfelt thank you to our talented students for sharing their gifts so enthusiastically, and to our parents and families for their ongoing encouragement and support. Together, we enjoyed a wonderful celebration of learning, creativity and community that truly reflected the heart of our Christ-centred learning community.

Students also enjoyed visits from children’s author Nathan Luff, who entertained and inspired students with his stories and writing tips.

The Scholastic Book Fair was another highlight, with purchases helping provide approximately 60 new books for our library.

A huge thank you to our staff, students, families and helpers for making Book Week such a wonderful celebration. We hope it continues to inspire a lifelong love of reading across our College community!

A special congratulations goes to Ria, Ruiheng and Natalia, who each achieved the prestigious Gold Sport Award. This significant milestone recognises their outstanding excellent commitment and achievement in sport carnivals, gala days and Hills Zone, and we are incredibly proud of their efforts. 

We celebrate all award recipients and thank our parents for partnering with us in nurturing students who pursue excellence, demonstrate character and contribute positively to our thriving school community. 

Through engaging activities, students explored empathy, kindness, positive communication and ways to express their feelings respectfully. On Thursday, students created yellow wristbands with encouraging messages as reminders to check in with friends and reach out to others.

Together, we are creating a community where every student feels valued, supported and connected — Together We Belong.

From setting up and serving to leading and participating, students embraced the opportunity to contribute and made WOW a truly community-driven event.

With Pastor Robby Morgan joining us throughout the week, students also had opportunities to engage with big questions about faith, life and their relationship with God.

It was a week filled with memorable moments, new connections and plenty of energy and a great reminder of what can happen when our school community comes together.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion, the Australian Government is contributing funding to our school in the amount of $30.00 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

Pick-up Procedures - Junior School

We would also like to share a few helpful reminders regarding our Junior School afternoon pick-up procedures at Kellyville. These processes help us ensure a safe, efficient and positive end to the school day for both students and families.

Students in Kindergarten to Year 4 finish their school day at 2:40 PM and will then make their way to the car pick-up lines, bus waiting area (until 3:07 PM), after-school care or their external provider class.

For students being collected by a parent or carer, we kindly ask families to keep the following in mind:

• Students should remain seated with their bags until their name is called and a duty teacher escorts them to their vehicle.
• Parents and carers are asked to remain in their vehicle while in the pick-up line, with students entering from the passenger side to support safety in the car park.
• To assist duty teachers in calling students promptly, parents are encouraged to display a clearly visible sign with their child's name on it.

Parents are welcome to create their own sign or use the template provided below.

Hills Adventist College – Pick-up Sign (Template)

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support in helping us maintain a safe, efficient and caring environment for our students each day.

Extra-curriculars – Kellyville campus

♟️ CHESS – Sydney Academy of Chess

Day/time: Mondays, 12:30 PM – 1:20 PM
Start date: 3 August
Flyer: Sydney Academy of Chess
Registration: https://sydneyacademyofchess.com.au/payment

🤖 ROBOTICS & CODING – RoboThink

Day/time: Mondays, 3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Start date: 3 August
Flyer: RoboThink Kellyville
Registration: Enrol Today - RoboThink Australia

🏀 BASKETBALL – Basketball Star Academy

Day/time: Tuesdays, 2:45 PM – 4:15 PM
Start date: 28 July
Flyer: Basketball Star Academy
Registration:

Ages 5 – 7: https://sportstaracademy.com/basketball/programs/clinic?id=21556

Ages 8 – 14: https://sportstaracademy.com/basketball/programs/clinic?id=21557

🩰 DANCE – The Studio Entertainment Academy

Day: Thursdays (see times below)
Start date: 30 July

Under 10s – Teacher collects students at 2:40 PM
Acro: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Jazz: 3:45 PM – 4:15 PM
Hip Hop: 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM

Under 12s – Teacher collects students at 2:40 PM
Acro: 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Jazz: 3:45 PM – 4:30 PM
Hip Hop: 4:30 PM – 5:15 PM

Under 14s – Teacher collects students at 3:10 PM
Acro: 3:30 PM – 4:15 PM
Jazz: 4:15 PM – 5:00 PM
Contemporary: 5:00 PM – 5:45 PM

A full timetable for Kellyville is also available. For more information or to enrol, contact Danielle Penman:
📧 [email protected] | 📞 0499 997 636

🌏 MANDARIN – Shine Chinese Community School
Day/time: Thursdays, 3:15 PM – 5:15 PM
Start date: 30 July
Flyer: Shine Chinese Community School
Registration: See flyer

🎨 ART – Art on Canvas for Kids
Day/time: Fridays, 2:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Start date: 31 July
Flyer: Art on Canvas for Kids
Registration: Hills Adventist College - Kellyville (After-school Art Program Registration Form)

Extra-curriculars – Castle Hill campus

♟️ CHESS – Sydney Academy of Chess

Day/time: Mondays, 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Start date: 3 August
Flyer: Sydney Academy of Chess
Registration: https://sydneyacademyofchess.com.au/payment

🌏 MANDARIN – Shine Chinese Community School

Day/time: Tuesdays, 2:50 PM – 4:50 PM
Start date: 28 July
Flyer: Shine Chinese Community School
Registration: See flyer

🩰 DANCE – The Studio Entertainment Academy

Day: Wednesdays (see times below)
Start date: 29 July

Under 10s – Teacher collects students at 3:00 PM
Acro: 3:15 PM – 4:00 PM
Jazz: 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM

For more information or to enrol, contact Danielle Penman:
📧 [email protected] | 📞 0499 997 636

🎨 ART – Art on Canvas for Kids

Day/time: Thursdays, 2:45 PM – 4:00 PM
Start date: 30 July
Flyer: Art on Canvas for Kids
Registration: Hills Adventist College - Castle Hill (After-school Art Program Registration Form)

Music programs

Private instrumental and vocal tuition is available to students from Kindergarten to Year 12 at our Kellyville and Castle Hill campuses. These weekly 30 ‑ minute lessons take place during school hours.

To enquire about or enrol in music lessons, please contact the relevant tutor listed below:

Vocal and Piano – Katia Pronin ( [email protected] )

Vocal, Guitar, Bass, Ukulele (see flyer ) – Tom Erceg ( [email protected] )

Students are expected to practise regularly, and fees are paid directly to the tutor.

If your child is interested in learning an instrument not listed above, please email Mrs Kimberly Millar at [email protected] to express your interest.

A reminder that all extra-curricular activities incur an additional cost to families.

If you have any questions about the programs or services listed above, please contact the relevant external provider or College Reception on 02 9851 5100 (Option 2 for Kellyville; Option 3 for Castle Hill).