Our Visual Arts
During work experience week, Year 10 students Leah and Sharni curated a small art exhibition in the library that included ceramic sculpture forms by Year 10 pottery students.
Working as a team, and with the help from library staff, the colourful display attracted lots of interest from students.
In July, Unit 2 Art Making & Exhibiting students visited the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory to view the famous National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards. The aim of the visit by VCE Art students was not only to provide intellectual stimulation and opportunities for educational growth but to study how art galleries present and display artworks in an exhibition. The students proudly stood in front of an artwork from their Tiwi home community. Tiwi artist Conrad Tipungwuti Kamilowra has painted a large ochre pigment canvas titled: Kulama: sun, moon, stars.
Anne McMaster
Head of Visual Art
Pure Imagination
How amazing is the work that our students and staff are doing in preparing the scenery for our upcoming production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - the new musical?!
Giant lollipops, over 200 Wonka bars, and giant nuts are being prepared for what is going to be a musical to delight the senses! Have you got your (golden) tickets yet? Our show has three performances at the Darwin Entertainment Centre on September 13 and 14. Book now to enjoy a show of escapism and Pure Imagination.
Year 9 Ochre Art class visited the MAGNT Museum this term. They viewed the NATSIAA AWARDS (National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards) and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. They loved the artwork which inspires them in their own practice.
Marianne Foster
Visual Arts teacher
Food, Glorious Food!
Students had to design a healthy dish for lunch or dinner built around the humble noodle. Any type of noodle could be used, Hokkien, soba, vermicelli, and instant noodles.
When cooking day arrived, the kitchen was a riot of aromatic odors like garlic, ginger, chili, lemongrass, and sesame oil. Of course, as part of the Assessment, Ms Bugden and Mrs Fryer had to taste test the dishes!
And the results are in. 10/10 for all dishes served up! A quick message to all families of students in the classroom, you should be expecting dinner on the table this week.
During NAIDOC Week, Year 9 Ochre class requested to make something that reminded them of home, and Chicken Curry was chosen. They were lucky to have guests from Shepherdson College in Galiwinku visiting. They greeted our guests and invited them to watch the class, and more importantly, taste their culinary skills. They spoke about home style cooking with the guests and shared recipes and memories of eating bush tucker.
Our visitors later took a tour of the kitchen and were very impressed, taking videos and ideas back to set up their kitchen.
Emily Fryer and Bronwyn Cruse
Food Technology Teacher and Assistant Teacher
Year 12 VCE English Film Screening
Recently, our Year 12 VCE English students had the unique opportunity to attend an incursion screening of Billy Wilder's film noir classic, Sunset Boulevard (1950) in our auditorium. It was wonderful to see so many students engaged in this enriching experience, which offered a chance to delve into a close analysis of the film — a critical component of their English studies this year. We debated the different theoretical lenses that could applied, and we demonstrated how to look beyond the surface to the more figurative meanings of the film. The detailed examination of Sunset Boulevard not only highlighted the film's homage to the artistry of the silent film era but also exposed its sharp critique of Hollywood's star-making machine.
The session provided invaluable insights that will be essential for students as they prepare for their upcoming and final assessment for Year 12 English.
As Year 12 English students prepare for the exams, we strongly encourage all families to watch this film together at home. Continued analysis and discussion will be crucial for students as they refine their analytical writing skills and deepen their understanding of the film's central ideas. Your support in this aspect of their study will make a significant difference in their end of year performance.
We know it is a busy time of year and we thank all students and their families for making this possible. Thank you also to the teachers and staff who made this opportunity possible.
Susannah Ritchie
Year 12 English Teacher
Creativity shining bright
In Junior School, everyone smiling from ear to ear,
As a Nganabaru competition brought a fun frontier.
Students joined their Houses, bright and keen,
To craft Olympic rings in a Minecraft scene.
Judges sought the rings just right,
In size and shape and colours bright.
Transition students sketched with flair,
Drawing Olympic rings to share.
Collaboration turned to art,
As each design set them apart.
Nganabaru’s event shone through,
Everyone had so much fun—that’s true!
Marion Hoy
Nganabaru House teacher
Biomes unveiled
Ochre students are completing an integrated Humanities & Science Unit on biomes this term. Students are exploring different biomes and habitats that can be found around Darwin. To do this we are going on three On-Country excursions to Rapid Creek, Holmes Jungle and Lee Point. At each location students are looking at the species of flora and fauna that can be found in that biome, the adaptions they have which make them suitable to thrive in those locations, and how humans interact with the locations.
On our recent excursion to Rapid Creek, students explored the mangroves and saw how infrastructure has shaped the location and how humans use the area.
As a part of the integrated Unit, Stars superstar Amanda organised for Tyson from Crocodylus Park to come in and speak to the class about saltwater crocodiles. Tyson brought in three friends, two baby saltwater crocodiles, and crocodile expert and influencer Savannah Boan.
Daniella de Koster-Hill
Head of Ochre Program
Senior AFL team
Haileybury Rendall School entered our inaugural team in the NT Suns Senior School AFL competition. The team have played two games against O’Loughlin Catholic College and Casuarina Senior School. Whilst the boys couldn’t quite beat O’Loughlin, they were successful in grabbing the win against Casuarina. The team have shown great enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and skill across all games.
Simone O'Brien
Sports Coordinator
NT Children’s Book Council Brunch
In anticipation of Book Week, Year 5 students Frankie, James and Joharney attended a Sunday brunch at Darwin City Library.
They showed great confidence and vivacity while delivering reviews of shortlisted books for a mixed audience of writers, teachers, librarians and other students from across Darwin.
Kym Diprose
Head of Library Services
Senior School Chinese students excursion
Our Senior School Chinese students recently had the unique opportunity to visit the Confucius Institute at Charles Darwin University (CDU). The visit was an enriching experience that allowed students to deepen their understanding of Chinese culture beyond the classroom.
Educators from CDU introduced our students to the intricate art of Chinese paper cutting, a traditional craft that has been passed down through generations. Students were not only able to observe the delicate techniques used but also had the chance to create their own paper cuttings, gaining a hands-on appreciation for this ancient art form.
In addition to paper cutting, the students participated in a Tea Culture experience, where they learned about the significance of tea in Chinese society and the various customs associated with its preparation and consumption. The educators demonstrated the traditional Chinese tea ceremony, allowing students to taste different types of tea and understand the cultural importance of this practice.
This immersive experience provided our students with a deeper insight into Chinese traditions and fostered a greater appreciation for the cultural diversity that is integral to their language studies.
Lei Shangguan
Head of Languages
