It has been, unquestionably, a rewarding start to the year—such happiness amongst the girls as our regular activities came to life once again, such pride amongst the teachers seeing the efforts and progress of their students and, I hope, great satisfaction amongst our parents to see, perhaps their:
- Year 7 daughters commencing at Girls Grammar come home more secure, independent and happy even than they had hoped
- Year 11 daughters, if somewhat overwhelmed by the demands of their senior studies, boldly embrace the challenges and get ‘stuck in’
- Year 8 daughters, now in their second year at BGGS and as such more familiar with the rhythm of Term 1, and their learning within and beyond the classroom
- Year 10 daughters stand a little taller, having chosen ‘their’ subjects and establishing ever-closer relationships with their teachers as they set the foundations for the future
- Year 9 daughters embrace their studies armed with a fuller understanding of themselves, their strengths, and their passions
- Year 12 daughters experience a depth of meaning in their experience that only comes from knowing their final days at the School are coming to an end and yet an exciting future beckons.
The term has flown past, filled with events, achievements and notable occasions in all areas of the School:
- We celebrated the School’s fourth Rhodes Scholar recipient, Ms Josephine Auer (2015), at our Foundation Day Assembly
- Year 7 and 9 students completed NAPLAN testing, which has moved to Term 1, and our Year 11 and 12 students approached exams confidently, well prepared by their teachers, and determined to do their best
- Our musicians once again delighted audiences on larger occasions such as the International Women’s Day Concert and Jazz Concert, alongside many smaller but no less significant concerts, particularly for those performers, throughout the term
- Water Polo players celebrated 50 years of the sport at BGGS, bringing home four winning trophies
- Our community gathered for opportunities to connect, whether at the New Parents Welcome Reception earlier this term, or at last week’s Mothers Group Autumn Luncheon, and participate in discussions about important topics, including the Embrace Kids screening presented by 2023 Australian of the Year, Taryn Brumfitt
- The School’s many Service groups supported charities and causes including food drives, bake stalls, and, of course, announced the 2023 School Charity, Hummingbird House
- Some very interesting and thoughtful conversations with many students, staff, and others in our Girls Grammar community were released through the Illumine podcast, exploring topics from first-day nerves to artificial intelligence.
I hope that with the full experience of education now returned, girls continue to find ways to challenge themselves, try new things, be authentically themselves and encourage that in others. Equally, there are certain expectations we have of our students that are shared, common to all and ensure we continue to provide an environment where we understand that our individual actions have a profound impact on our peers and those around us.
Autumn will, surely, soon arrive and I wish our families a happy holiday. For those who may be camping out under the stars—and there will be many—an excerpt from The Little Prince written by French writer, poet, journalist and pioneering aviator, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944):
‘All men have the stars but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travellers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky. For others, who are scholars, they are problems. For businessmen they were wealth. But all these stars are silent. You—you alone—will have the stars as no one else has them.’
We look forward to the safe return of the girls in Term 2.
Ms Jacinda Euler Welsh
Principal
