Penrith High Towers-Alumni

Welcome to the most recent edition of Towers-Alumni! This term we have been busy connecting our current students and families with our incredible past students through 3 key events or initiatives which I’d like to share with you all in this Principal’s Message:

Alumni Learning Labs

This term we have been focused on launching an initiative called, ‘Alumni Learning Labs’. This initiative aims to support our current Year 11 and 12 students by providing them with access to small group coaching sessions led by high performing alumni. The Alumni Learning Labs are held each Monday, Tuesday and Thursday between 3:30pm and 4:30pm in the School Library. So far we have launched support in HSC Advanced and Extension 1 Mathematics, HSC Advanced English, HSC PDHPE, HSC Business Studies and HSC Modern History.

We are still looking for suitable alumnus to return and provide coaching to our senior students in the subjects of Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Engineering and Software Design and Development. If you are a recent graduate who is familiar with these HSC courses, please contact the school to discuss employment opportunities (jaclyn.m.cush@det.nsw.edu.au).

Term 2, Week 7 P&C Forum

During our Week 7 P&C Meeting, we welcomed back students from the class of 2022 to take part in a forum where they shared their experiences with parents, as well as providing insight into how their families best supported them during their high school life.

By learning from the journeys of our recent graduates, our current families have gained a deeper understanding of the academic challenges they faced and the strategies they employed to overcome them. On behalf of our P&C Committee and families I’d like to share a message of thanks from one of our parents in the lead up to the event: “…I attend each year to listen to the stories and advice the students share. These equip parents with valuable knowledge and tools to nurture our children's academic growth and overall happiness. Thank you.”

Alumni Night 2023

In the present, the impact of our alumni continues to reverberate through the halls and classrooms of Penrith High School. These remarkable individuals, who once walked the same paths as our current students, serve as a testament to the transformative power of education and this was showcased at our 2023 Alumni Night.

Thank you to the Alumni who returned to Penrith High for this year’s mentoring event- some for the first time and many for the second, third, fourth or fifth time! Thank you for sharing your accomplishments in academia, contributions to various professions, and your unwavering commitment to making a difference in your communities with our current Year 10, 11 and 12 students. Your generosity in sharing your expertise, mentorship, and resources, has positively impacted our current students, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Having our Alumni return to Penrith to take part in these events and initiatives have allowed the school community to take a moment to reflect on the invaluable role that our esteemed Alumni have played in shaping our school’s journey. From the foundation of our school to the remarkable strides we have made in the present, and the limitless possibilities that await us in the future, our Alumni are beacons of inspiration, fostering a profound sense of community and excellence - For that we are grateful and we hope that the continuation of this publication allows those of you who have not been able to return on-site to Penrith, to continue to feel connected to our school.

The feel of the night can be summed up in a quote from Ian Coleman SC "it was an honour to be invited to participate and inspirational to experience the intelligence and enthusiasm of your students" and Alumna Anne Elliott " I'm very proud of the school. "

In addition, Alumnus Stephen Keens wrote "I sincerely enjoyed the opportunity and experience last night.

Despite being slightly anxious about returning to Penrith High for the first time in 35 years (...running out the hall after my last HSC exam!), I was truly heartened to see so many students greeting the Alumni at the entrance, lining the halls with smiles and congregating outside the hall. There was a positive atmosphere and I felt truly welcomed back to a school I still have such vivid and good memories of.

I know it was a big ask for the students so focused on studying, travelling distances to get to school and staying back so late to be attentive and interested in what I said; but they were and fought through shyness and uncertainty to engage and listen. I could see a mixture of confidence and confusion in their eyes and words, so I hope I could reassure some that life at University and in the "real world" of employment generally sort themselves out over time as they gain more experience; and just to be patient with themselves.

The whole organisation and running of the event was faultless, so I think everyone involved should be happy their hard work contributed to (what I felt looking at the huge crowd of students) a successful evening."

My thanks to Ms Lee, Ms Fayle and Mrs Ryan for their leadership of this event.

Please share this publication as you see fit and get in touch with our editor, Ms Cathie Fayle, should you have any news or memories for our future editions.

With heartfelt appreciation,

Jaclyn Cush

Relieving Principal

Congratulations to our 2022 graduate, Aatish Budhwani, who is this year's winner of the Bateman Battersby Law Bursary. Aatish achieved an ATAR of 99.75 in the 2022 Higher School Certificate. The Bateman Battersby Law Bursary, first offered in 1990, was established to encourage high school students in the Penrith and Blue Mountains local government areas to undertake legal studies at a tertiary level. Many of the previous winners of the Bursary have gone on to achieve great success in practising law in a variety of fields, working in high level management positions in both the private and public sectors and teaching law at universities both in Australia and overseas.

This is the 12th year a local PSHS graduate has won this award.

Aatish is currently studying a combined Bachelor of Laws Degree at the University of Sydney. As the 33rd winner of the award, Aatish was presented with the Bateman Battersby Bursary Trophy and winner's bursary to assist him in his initial year of legal study by the firm's partners John Bateman and Michael Battersby.

A great achievement Aatish!

Penrith High School's Business Society Presidents, Rabeet Nisar and Muhammad Abdullah, hosted a successful Investment Banking Seminar for all students, open to many selective schools and private schools around the state, inviting Alumni and current Vice-President of Jarden Investment Banking, James Beckett. James revealed the untold truths about investment banking and guided the students around the stepping stones to becoming a successful Investment Banker. His advice and experience proved to be extremely helpful for students, with amazing feedback from all attendees. Rabeet and Abdullah asked a range of questions stemming from the salary of an investment banker to whether his life was like ‘Suits’. To which James replied “Haha, funny you mention that, the first season of Suits was actually based on Investment Banking and I’d say it’s pretty similar.”

Over 50 guests and students attended the seminar, with amazing feedback from the top private schools and selective schools around the state. We thank James for taking the time out of his busy schedule and making the night a success. We hope to see more seminars from Penrith students in the future.

This term, PSHS has launched a new initiative which we've called 'Alumni Learning Labs'.

Alumni Learning Labs are small group coaching sessions run by our highest performing graduates. They are after school Monday, Tuesday and Thursday afternoons for an hour in the school library.

So far we have launched Alumni Learning Labs for the following HSC courses: Advanced Mathematics, Extension 1 Mathematics, Advanced English, PDHPE, Modern History and Business Studies with more to come!

Thank you to our Alumni who are giving up their time to help our senior students for now but with a view to supporting our 7-10 students in the future!

In week 9 this term, the school hosted the Semester 1 Music Tutoring Recital for for 2023.

An intimate recital for family and friends of students who participate in small group or individual tutoring at our school. Thank you to our fantastic tutors, Ying Artwoeger, Ryan Thomas, Julia Parashko and Alumnus Anders Ernest and Mr Jack Rolls, who organised the event.

Thank you Anders for giving back to our students as so many of our Alumni are doing with tutoring in many areas across the school.

Anders helps with violin tutoring.

Early in the term we had a visit from Susan Baidy and Daniel Zhou, both from the Class of 2022.

Susan is studying a Bachelor of Engineering and will study a Master of Engineering(Electrical) at the University of NSW.

Daniel is studying a Bachelor of Psychology at Macquarie University.

We wish them well at University and hope they return soon to let us know how they are going!

Mr Bob Stockton was a Social Studies teacher who taught at Penrith High in the 1950s.

Bob was the founding principal of Cambridge Park High School and it was the defining role for Bob. He loved this school and he was regarded as one of the most significant educators of his time. His articles in professional journals broke new ground giving advice to new principals. It was innovative but like all Bob's endeavours it was practical and it worked.

His career has been chronicled in his autobiographical work: " You Taught my Father". (Blue Mountains Gazette 20/08/08)

Bob passed away in 2008.

* You can find a copy of his book in most libraries and thanks to PHS Alumnus Harold Marshall we now have a copy in our school archives.

A huge thank you to Jillian Lucas (Class of '71) who donated her Towers Magazine to the school archives.

The quote below written in the back of one of the Towers leaves food for thought??!

Anthony Lauer attended Penrith High School from 1949-1951.

Tony passed away at his home in Glenmore Park.

He was married for 67 years to his wife Joy and had 4 children, 15 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.

He was a devoted policeman who came from the lower ranks to reach commissioner and his goal was for a better, stronger police force.

He was also President of the Police Association and after retiring from the Police Force he became Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge for NSW and ACT.

He believed you could achieve anything if you set your mind to it.

Information courtesy of Debbie Thornhill-Tony's daughter

Retired Commissioner Anthony Raymond Lauer APM passed away on Wednesday, 30 November, aged 86 years. He joined the Police Force in April 1955 and served as Commissioner from March 1991 until his retirement in January 1996. Over 40 years of service, retired Commissioner Lauer served in general duties, as a traffic patrol cyclist and in a range of criminal investigative roles. He was President of the Police Association, Chief Superintendent in Charge at the Criminal Investigation Branch, Assistant Commissioner at Professional Responsibility and Deputy Commissioner before his appointment as commissioner in March of 1991. He was a graduate of the University of Sydney, Australian Police Staff College in Manly, and attended the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Information courtesy of the NSW Police Force

Email: penrith-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Website: http://penrith-h.schools.nsw.gov.au
Location: Penrith Selective High School, 158-240 High St, Penrith NSW, Australia
Phone: (02) 4721 0529
Facebook: facebook.com/penrithselectivehighschool