Secondary Camps

I am writing this from the five-star accommodation at Emu Gully where our Year 11 students have been challenged by a program that demands resilience, teamwork, mental strength, communication and creative problem solving. The Year 11 students have demonstrated pleasing grit and determination in how they have tackled the problems presented to them by the Emu Gully staff. They have been challenged physically and mentally whilst on this camp and it has been wonderful to have spent two days with them whilst they were on camp.

Our secondary camp program develops the above-mentioned skills in our students right across the secondary school. The benefits of involvement in camps range from development of soft skills right through to the development of valuable life skills. Thanks to all of the secondary staff who support the program and to those who stayed back at school to work with the Year 12 students on study skills and assessments.

STEAM Centre Update

The final concrete pours are scheduled for this week and the interior fit out, commissioning and defect identification and rectification process continues. Weather permitting, we will have possession of the building in two weeks' time. This will then allow staff familiarisation and furniture deliveries to take place.

It is going to be a magnificent moment for Hills when the first students have lessons in this building. It has been an incredibly exciting and fulfilling project to be part of and will be a real stand out facility for our staff and students for many years to come.

NAPLAN Testing 

NAPLAN commences on 11 March, and it is imperative that our students bring fully charged devices and headphones for each day of testing. Students who are not prepared impact severely on the smooth delivery of the tests. Your cooperation is required to ensure that NAPLAN runs smoothly.

Beach Schools Cup

Congratulations to all of our students and staff involved in our beach volleyball program. There were some excellent results in this major tournament that was held on Coolangatta beach last Sunday and Monday. Mr Robinson and Coach Gaviglio prepared the students very well for some incredibly high standard competition. There were over 170 teams involved from schools right across southeast Queensland.

More detailed results will be shared with the community via

Year 12 PARTY Program

Last Friday I spent the day with the Year 12 students and several staff involved in the PARTY Program at the PA Hospital at Buranda. The presentations and simulations were all designed to prevent our young people from ending up in hospital due to a road accident, alcohol or drug related trauma or other risk-taking behaviours. Thanks to Mrs Parer for her organisation of the day.

My School Website Update

The federal government My School website has recently been updated with attendance and NAPLAN data from 2025. It was pleasing to see overall progress in our NAPLAN results when compared with similar schools.

We are continuing to work on improving our results in NAPLAN as a consequence of our literacy and numeracy focus in Primary. This focus is very intentional and involves Decodable Readers Australia strategies across the Primary coupled with Multi Lit interventions to support students with their literacy development. 

In the Secondary the literacy focus has paid off with some pleasing gains in writing and reading results.

Strategic Planning Update

In 2026 we are continuing to roll out strategies to support the implementation of our strategic plan 2025-2029. One of the strategies is the implementation of Universal Design for Learning framework. This supports inclusive education but actually assists all students to learn. 

UDL is an educational framework that ensures all students have equal opportunities to learn by providing flexible methods, materials, and assessments tailored to diverse learning needs.

What is UDL?

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a teaching and learning approach designed to accommodate the diverse needs of all students by removing barriers to learning and providing multiple ways to access content, engage with material, and demonstrate understanding. Unlike a one-size-fits-all method, UDL emphasizes flexibility in instruction to support individual strengths, preferences, and challenges, benefiting all learners, including those with disabilities or English language learners.

Core Principles of UDL

UDL operates on three main principles:

Engagement – Capturing students’ interest and motivating them to learn through choices, relevance, and challenges.

Representation – Presenting information in multiple formats (text, audio, visuals, interactive media) to address diverse learning styles.

Action and Expression – Allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge in various ways, such as writing, speaking, creating projects, or using technology.

Upcoming Calendar Events

Term 1 Week 7

Wednesday 11 March - Friday 20 March

NAPLAN Testing Window - Years 3,5,7,9 - NAPLAN timetable has been sent out via separate letter.

Wednesday 11 March

Hills First Nations Community Meeting - 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Thursday 12 March

Parent Wellbeing Community meeting - 4:00pm - 5:00pm

Term 1 Week 8

Monday 16 March-Friday 20 March

Harmony Week

Tuesday 17 March

P and F General Meeting - 6:00pm - Library

Friday 20 March

Primary Assembly - 2:15pm

Term 1 Week 9

Wednesday 25 March

Staff vs Student Volleyball-Lunchtime - Volleyball courts

Primary Beginners Music Concert - 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Friday 27 March

Hills Interhouse Cross Country

Thank you to our wonderful community for continuing to nurture high expectations for our students. Your support plays an important role in helping our children take pride in themselves, their learning, and our College.

This week, we commenced our Connection Assemblies, which guide students in understanding and reflecting on College expectations. These assemblies provide a shared language and consistent reminders that support positive routines and responsible choices across the school.

Our focus this week has been on uniform expectations and sun safety, including wearing hats to and from school. We also reinforced expectations around learning readiness, particularly bringing the correct device accessories and ensuring devices are fully charged each day. These are important habits that support learning and organisation, and a daily reminder to your child is greatly appreciated.

Peer Mediation Program

We are also excited to introduce our new Peer Mediation Program. This initiative will see our Year 6 students trained to support younger peers in resolving minor conflicts, strengthening friendships, and making positive choices. Peer Mediators model our College values and promote student agency, responsibility, and respectful problem solving across our Primary community.

Primary Captains in Action

I also invite you to check out the Captain Captions later in this edition of Hills Times. Our Primary Captains have been busy working on a Hills Kid class poster, drawing on the College L.A.W.S and seeking valuable feedback from their peers.

The Captains will be visiting classrooms to speak about this poster as a reference point for what is expected as the norm in being a Hills kid. This work highlights strong leadership, collaboration, and student voice in action.

Congratulations to our Captains and thank you to all students who contributed to this important and meaningful document.

NAPLAN

Wishing our Year 3 and Year 5 students the very best as they prepare for NAPLAN, which takes place from 11–16 March. NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) is a nationwide assessment that helps track students’ progress in reading, writing, language conventions, and numeracy. While it is just one measure of learning, NAPLAN provides valuable insights into student development and helps schools refine teaching strategies to best support each child’s growth. We encourage our students to approach the tests with confidence, do their best, and remember that this is simply an opportunity to showcase their learning. We are proud of their efforts and know they will take on the challenge with a positive mindset! As mentioned earlier in this article, we are seeing an increasing number of students not having devices charged or the correct accessory. For NAPLAN, this means working with headphones and a keyboard. Families, please actively check your child's device and accessories in the lead-up to this mandatory testing.

It is so hard to believe that we are moving into Week7!

Matthew Noel
Head of Primary

matt.noel@hills.qld.edu.au

Captains Captions

This week, we proudly unveiled the Hills Kid Poster, a shared guide that highlights how we live the L.A.W.S. each day. The poster will be displayed across all classrooms and used as a consistent reference to support safe, positive choices for all students.

We sincerely thank the students who contributed their ideas and voices to this work. Their input has made the poster more meaningful and authentic. We look forward to seeing how each class brings the Hills Kid Poster to life and continues to build on what it means to be a Hills Kid.

We are also very excited to be joining the National Youth Leadership Summit in Brisbane on Tuesday. This will be a wonderful opportunity for our student leaders to work alongside other young leaders and learn from inspiring speakers.

The Primary Captains

Essential Agreements at Hills: Building the Foundations of the PYP

At Hills, the opening weeks of the school year are intentionally focused on establishing strong learning communities grounded in the philosophy of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). A key part of this work is the development of Essential Agreements in every classroom.

Essential Agreements are a central feature of PYP practice at Hills. They reflect our belief that students learn best in environments where expectations are clear, shared and built on mutual respect. Rather than being imposed rules, Essential Agreements are co-constructed with students, giving them voice, ownership and responsibility for the culture of their classroom.

Through guided discussion and reflection, students consider what it means to be a learner at Hills and how the values of the PYP come to life in everyday actions. Questions such as How do we show respect?, What helps us learn together? and What responsibilities do we have to ourselves, others and our environment? support students to think deeply about the kind of learning community they want to create.

This process closely aligns with the IB Learner Profile and the development of Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills, particularly social skills, self-management and communication. As students articulate shared values and expectations, they are learning to be principled, caring and reflective members of a community, key attributes of the PYP learner.

Once established, Essential Agreements are visible and actively used within classrooms at Hills. Teachers and students regularly refer to them to celebrate positive choices, guide behaviour and support restorative conversations when challenges arise. Because the agreements are created together, students understand not only what is expected, but why these expectations matter.

Importantly, Essential Agreements are not static documents. They are revisited and refined as classrooms grow and change throughout the year, reinforcing the PYP belief that learning is an ongoing, reflective process.

By investing time early in the year to develop Essential Agreements, Hills classrooms build strong foundations for wellbeing, learning and community. These shared commitments help ensure our learning spaces are inclusive, respectful and purposeful. Places where every student feels safe, valued and empowered to grow as a confident, capable PYP learner.

Mr Stuart Ablitt

Deputy Head of Primary and Head of IB Programmes

Secondary Insights

What a monumental Week 6 it has been! The stories returning from our Year Level Camps suggest that the "real-world" learning happening off-site has been invaluable.

Camps are an important part of our Secondary calendar and seeing students step out of their comfort zones reminds us that education is a holistic journey. These shared experiences build the resilience and social cohesion that define our school culture.

A huge thank you to the dedicated staff who traded their own beds for sleeping bags this week. Beyond their tireless supervision, it was truly the spirit of mentorship and genuine shown by our staff who missed their own families to support our students ensuring every student felt safe, included and challenged to grow.

Next edition of the Hills Times, I will focus on those students who were exemplary with their leadership on Camp. Their support, encouragement and kindness demonstrated the very heart of our College LAWS of diligence, success, compassion and integrity. Watch this space!

While the excitement of camp is still fresh, Week 6 also signaled a shift back into our academic calendar. As we settle back into a routine, students need to focus on the specifics of:

Drafting: With assessment checkpoints approaching, students will now receive feedback on their initial submissions

Rest: After a big week of outdoor activity, a focus on recovery this weekend will set everyone up for a successful Week 7.

We look forward to seeing the "camp spirit" translate into the learning environments as we power through the second half of Term 1.

Just a reminder that if there is any Secondary academic matter you require a response for, please do not hesitate to contact me at the College. I am always available for any academic matters which have arisen.

Mrs Julie-Anne Skelton

Head of Secondary

Teaching and Learning- Term 1 English Highlights

Welcome back to a vibrant Term One at Hills! 

The English Faculty is thrilled to dive into a term packed with dynamic and enriching learning experiences for our students.

Faculty News: We warmly welcome Ms Hope Frawley to our team. Ms Frawley brings her expertise to Year 8 and 10 English.

Exciting Learning Units Across Year Levels:

Year 7s are loving their first novel study of Louis Sachar’s ‘Holes’ under the tutelage of Mrs Melanie Clifton, Ms Jacinta Goyne, and Ms Alexandria Salmon. They are focusing on dissecting the novel’s narrative elements in order to develop their own literary interpretations.

Year 8s are being guided through their first poetry course by Mrs Clifton, Ms Frawley and Mrs Leah Stone. Students are learning how to interpret a range of poems in order to create their own.

Year 9s are developing their abilities in the areas of persuasive text analysis and development, as well as speech and presentation skills. Mrs Clifton and Ms Bianca Tyne are introducing students to various youth issues that are currently being discussed in the media in order to challenge them to consider their own positions on matters that affect them.

Ms Frawley and Ms Goyne are spearheading a persuasive communications course in which Year 10 students create and produce their own podcast episodes. This project-based unit enhances students' skills in research, argumentation, and public speaking, preparing them to host informed, live discussions on current issues.

Year 11: In-Depth Textual Studies and Creative Expressions. Ms Goyne's General English class has recently concluded a media literacy course and is now transitioning into assessment, crafting persuasive speeches about issues in the media world for a media convention audience. Mrs Grace Dwyer’s Literature students are studying the art of film language in the Martin Scorsese film ‘Shutter Island’. Ms Tyne’s Essential English students are creating podcasts about changes in self-selected workplace industries in the 21st century.

Year 12: Advanced Studies and Analytical Insights. Ms Alexandria Salmon is leading her General English students through a comparative study of Jane Austen’s "Pride and Prejudice" and the film "Barbie," exploring intertextuality and thematic resonance across two cultural contexts. Mrs Dwyer’s Literature students are nearing completion of their first unit which focuses on a deconstruction of Guillermo del Toro’s twisted fairytale ‘Pan’s Labyrinth’. Ms Goyne’s Essential English students are getting passionate about current affairs, creating calls-to-action about a range of social, economic, political, and cultural issues.

This term promises to be a thrilling journey of literary discovery and intellectual growth for our students. Stay tuned for more updates and showcases of student work.

(Pictures courtesy of Google Images; 6/03/2026)

Ms Jacinta Goyne

Secondary Teacher – Head of English

Teaching and Learning- Design Technologies

As a warm‑up to Year 7's upcoming assessment, students are currently taking part in a hands‑on bridge‑building challenge designed to test both their engineering skills and teamwork. Working in groups, students have been challenged to design and construct a bridge that could span a twenty centimetre gap, remain clear of the “water” below and be built using just fifteen straws and tape. Throughout the task, students explored the forces acting on structures, identifying points of strength and testing for potential structural failures. Beyond the engineering concepts, the learning experience placed a strong emphasis on communication, collaboration and problem‑solving, as teams worked together to refine their designs. This learning experience provided a valuable foundation before moving on to the construction of Paddle Pop stick bridges.

This is a great example of practical learning that brings theory to life!

Mr Samuel Wockner

Technologies Teacher

Ms Nicola Starchurski

Marketing

STEM Conference 

Our Year 10 STEM Ambassadors Lead the Way at the 2026 STEM Ambassador Conference.

Four of our dedicated Year 10 STEM Ambassadors had the exciting opportunity to attend the 2026 STEM Ambassador Conference at Griffth University on 25 February. Guided by our STEM teacher, Miss Danielle Sim, the students joined ambassadors from across the region for a full day of creativity, innovation and future-focused planning.

The conference featured inspiring sessions, including a school showcase, a hands‑on workshop with Associate Professor Senyard on solving real‑world problems through STEM, and a strategic planning workshop where students developed practical ideas to strengthen STEM engagement in their own schools.

Throughout the day, our ambassadors collaborated, brainstormed and refined an action plan to boost STEM visibility and participation within our school community for 2026. They returned energised, full of ideas, and ready to lead new initiatives that champion curiosity, innovation and student voice.
We are incredibly proud of their leadership and can’t wait to see their plans come to life!

Miss Danielle Sim

Mathematics Teacher

How do I talk about the global situation with my children?

Recent weeks have seen a sharp escalation of violence across the Middle East, with strikes reported in Iran, Israel, Dubai, Lebanon and other parts of the region. International agencies note that children are being heavily affected, with attacks hitting civilian areas and even schools, and widespread fear and displacement across multiple countries.

Because conflicts like these dominate the news cycle and social media, children in Australia – even very young ones – often become aware of them. Social media platforms especially are polarising be definition, because they operate on narrow viewpoints and ‘click-bait’ headlines.

Without guidance, young people may fill the gaps with imagination or misinformation. Below is age‑appropriate advice to help families respond calmly, keep children safe from unnecessary distress, and build resilience.

Core Principles for All Ages

1. Stay calm and factual.

• Children take emotional cues from adults. Use simple, steady language grounded in verified information (e.g., ABC, BBC, UN and UNICEF updates). These agencies highlight that while the situation is serious, global efforts toward de‑escalation and protection of civilians are ongoing. Remember, your children are listening even when you’re not talking directly to them.

2. Correct misinformation.

• Social media often exaggerates the scale of danger, and children may assume the threat is local. Clarify what is happening, where it is happening, and that Australia remains safe.

3. Limit graphic media exposure.

• Images of damaged buildings, injured children, and displacement – widely reported in the region – can heighten anxiety.
• Encourage children to take breaks from news feeds. Remember, young people under 16 absolutely should not be accessing social media platforms on personalised accounts, as this will absolutely increase the chances of algorithmic escalation of graphic media exposure of any type.

4. Emphasise helpers and safety efforts.

• Agencies are delivering humanitarian aid, advocating for protection of children, and working for de‑escalation.
• Stories about helpers build hope.

5. Keep routines predictable.

• Routine anchors children during uncertain times and strengthens their sense of security.

Age‑Specific Guidance

Early Childhood (Prep – Year 2)

What they may be feeling:

• Young children pick up tone more than details. They may worry that violence is happening “near us” or to people they know.

How to talk to them:

Use simple, concrete language:

• “There is fighting far away between some countries. It is not happening here, and we are safe.”

Reassure gently and repeatedly:

• Young children need repeated confirmation that adults are keeping them safe.

Protect them from graphic news:

• They do not need exposure to images of destruction or injury.

Respond to feelings, not facts:

• “It sounds like that made you scared. I’m here with you. We are safe.”

Primary Years (Years 3–6)

What they may be feeling:

• Children become more curious and may hear about the conflict from peers or online. They may ask why it is happening or whether it will spread.

How to talk to them:

Give brief explanations with context:

• “Some countries are fighting because they have disagreements. The United Nations is asking them to stop and protect civilians.” (Reflecting current UN efforts for de‑escalation.)

Correct misconceptions:

• “This isn’t happening in Australia. The people most affected live far away.”

Validate their empathy:

If they express sadness for children affected, acknowledge it:

• “It’s kind to care. Lots of organisations are helping them right now.”

Encourage action:

• Small acts—drawing a picture, writing a message of peace, or helping someone locally—give a sense of agency.

Lower Secondary (Years 7–9)

What they may be feeling:

• Students this age often consume online news and may encounter unverified claims, alarming videos, or polarised commentary. They may feel overwhelmed or angry.

How to talk to them:

Promote media literacy:

• Teach them to question sources, recognise deepfake or edited videos, and avoid accounts spreading unverified claims.

Explain civilian impact with care:

• Sharing factual updates (e.g., UNICEF reporting on school strikes harming children) can build empathy, but avoid graphic detail.

Discuss global citizenship:

• Explore how international law aims to protect civilians and why agencies call for restraint.

Invite questions:

• Adolescents appreciate honest, calm discussion and will often bring nuanced worries.

Upper Secondary (Years 10–12)

What they may be feeling:

• Older teens engage with political content, may feel pulled toward blame or take on heavy emotional weight.

How to talk to them:

Encourage critical thinking:

• Explore complexity: multiple countries are involved, with attacks and retaliations across the region, mass displacement, and diplomatic efforts for de‑escalation.

Acknowledge moral frustration:

• Teens may be distressed by civilian harm, as documented across several countries.
• Validate that feeling without amplifying hopelessness.
• Discuss responsible engagement:
• Encourage fact-based discussion rather than inflammatory online discourse.
• Promote wellbeing strategies:
• Sleep, exercise, reduced doom‑scrolling, and opportunities for positive contribution.

When to Seek Additional Support

Our goal is not to shield children entirely from world events but to help them understand those events in a safe, age-appropriate, and empowering way. With steady guidance, children can develop resilience, empathy, and critical thinking—even when global news feels heavy.

The wellbeing team at Hills is available and ready to provide support, guidance, and check-ins for you and your children should you feel the need. We can also provide access to links that contain reliable information.

Please contact wellbeing staff or mental health professionals if your child:

• shows ongoing anxiety, sleep disruption, or intrusive thoughts
• withdraws from activities
• expresses persistent fear about safety
• is distressed after exposure to graphic or violent content online

Golden Sands!

Last weekend, Mr Robinson, Coach Gaviglio, and Ms West took 7 BV@H teams to the Beach Volleyball Schools Cup at Coolangatta.

Amongst the nearly 600 teams, and 60 courts, it would be easy to believe that a fledgling team like ours would barely ruffle a feather, but they absolutely soared!

Our Year 8 Girls 1 were the standout performers.  The team of Evie Panther, Piper Musgrave, Alyce Castner, and Cleo McLaren were outstanding, and were thoroughly rewarded with an absolutely well-deserved GOLD!

The team 2 of Caoimhe Stone, Ariah Matthews, Eloise Yeomans, and Lillyarna Eaton also played their hearts out, and were unlucky to just miss out on the podium finish we think they deserved, finishing fourth overall in their group.

After an unlucky injury, our outnumbered Year 9 girls 4s (Sienna Peterson, Tahlia Ostler, Gemma Holloway, and Lilly Heaton) struggled, but did themselves proud with their grit and teamwork.  The Year 9 girls pairs (Tianna Van Der Vyver and Indigo Harradine) played an outstanding competition as a new partnership and were unlucky to be pipped at the post for a very rewarding 5th place finish.

The same could be said of our Year 8 and 9 boys' teams, with both also unlucky not to finish among the medals.  The Year 8s (Sheldon Noun, Thomas Self, Jaxson Drakoulas, and Oliver Buckley) finished in 6th, and the Year 9 boys (Tristan Gaviglio and Vincent Leahy-Pizzica) finished 4th.

Our senior boys demonstrated utter commitment to their training.  With only 3 players (Jared Waters, Kelly O'Gorman, and Travis McCall) against the 4 from every other team, the boys stood up and established themselves, finishing in 6th overall.

Next week, Alyce Castner, Sheldon Noun, and Tristan Gaviglio will be back on the sand representing QLD at the Nationals - and our whole BV@H program will be there to cheer for them on Wednesday!

Thanks to the coaches, parents, staff, and supporters who made the whole weekend possible.

Lilly branches out!

Lilly O'Neill, our hugely successful Inline Speed Skate champion, has branched out into Triathon.  Recently, Lilly participated in the Gold Coast Triathlon Pink Breast Cancer Fundraiser and raised $352.22.

Lilly was 1 of 95 participants on the 13-49 years Long Course. This consisted of 300m Swim / 8K Bike Ride / 5K Run.

Lilly came in 10th out of the whole 95 and was 3rd in the 15 years age group. (Lilly just turned 11 in December.)

Her time was 56.07 (56m 07sec)

This was Lilly’s very first Triathlon and we are so proud of her achievements.

AND Inline Success!

In January, Lilly competed at the Nationals for Inline Skating, and performed incredibly well:

🥇 100m Juvenile Track Sprint
🥇 3000m Juvenile Track
🥈 3000m Junior Track Relay

🥇 500m Juvenile Indoor
🥉 1000m Juvenile Indoor
🥈 3000m Juvenile Indoor

🥉 Junior 21k (1/2) Marathon

Clearly, Lilly has great sporting potential and represents Hills as an amazing young ambassador for herself, her family, and all of our LAWS!

Well done, Lilly!

First Camp Report - Year 10!

Over the next few Hills Times, I'll be providing updates on all the secondary camps we enjoyed this week.  

The Year 10 camp is a great opportunity to build friendships and acceptance as students move into the senior years of learning.  While it's not the most physically demanding of camps, there are some significant social and emotional journeys that we encourage and support, and the feedback from students is always that this camp is just the best kind of community builder!

This year, the students were exceptional.  Our exceptional staff, Mrs Newbery, Dr Pope, and Ms Goyne, joined me and we were all genuinely impressed with the way our students were able to work as a group to support one another.  The focus from our camp excellent facilitators from Character Builders is always on cohesion and understanding, and this year marked a true high point in this effort.

As always, the free time was a highlight for all our students, with fishing, sport, make-up tutorials, and card games serving to build a strong community of future leaders.

Even when we returned to school, we were regaled with story time reading by Narayan and Bailey - much to the amusement of the cohort!

In-country connections - Thailand

Last week, I had the honour to represent the College in Thailand at the CETA Worldwide Education Overseas Secondary School and Skills Excellence Expo in Bangkok, Thailand. This was a great way to meet prospective families and share the many amazing and unique attributes of Hills College with our Thai friends. I also had the opportunity to meet a current international student's parents, and connect with them in a personal way. it was fantastic to put a face to a name!

I hope we are able to develop our existing relationship with Thai students through wonderful events like this!

International Student Profile - Jennifer Chen

What's your name?

- My name is Jennifer Chen.

What is your nationality?

- I'm from Hong Kong.

What is your favourite subject?

- I like Math and HPE.

Is there anything interesting that you would like to introduce to others about your culture?

- I want to introduce dumplings to people. They are very delicious.

What hobbies or interests do you have outside of school?

- I love talking with my friends and playing badminton!

What are you looking forward to the most while staying at our school?

- I'm looking forward to meeting many friends from various countries.

Interviewed by SeoYoon Jang

Year 10 student

Harmony Week - 16-20 March

Harmony Week is coming! Time to find your brightest orange clothes or prepare your traditional/cultural dress. More details will come out next week, along with information about ordering a delicious Japanese bento lunch!

Welcome to the Team - Amy Westwood

We are delighted to welcome Amy to our team. She brings a wealth of experience in Inclusive Education, spanning primary, secondary, and senior schooling. In addition to her leadership roles, Amy is an experienced English teacher, with a strong commitment to developing literacy and communication skills across diverse learners. She also works with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA), helping to ensure equitable assessment access for students across the state during Grade 12 External Exams. Amy combines strong pedagogical knowledge with a genuine passion for ensuring every student can succeed on their chosen pathway.

Please join us in giving Amy a warm welcome—we are excited to have her expertise, energy, and learner centred mindset on board. She is looking forward to working with the students, families, and teachers at Hills.

Welcome to the Team - Tenneille Lynham

We are thrilled to welcome Tenneille Lynham, an experienced educator and school leader with a rich background in trauma informed, inclusive education and curriculum design for diverse learners.

Tenneille joins us after a long and impactful tenure at Ohana College, where she held a range of senior leadership roles including Principal, Deputy Principal, Head of Teaching and Learning, Head of Learning Support, and most recently General Manager – Educational Projects. In these roles, she led whole school operations, compliance, and strategic growth for a Special Assistance School supporting over 200 students. Her leadership has been deeply grounded in wellbeing, relational practice, and reengagement in learning.

Tenneille has extensive experience leading multidisciplinary teams, strengthening behaviour and wellbeing frameworks, and embedding restorative and trauma-informed approaches. She has also overseen NCCD processes, developed individualised learning pathways, and driven data informed school improvement initiatives. Her work with Griffith University through an educational research partnership reflects her commitment to evidence-based practice.

Please join us in welcoming Tenneille—her expertise, leadership, and compassion will be a wonderful asset to our community.

Mrs Tracy Ashbridge
Head of Inclusive Education