Courage is a feeling we all have inside us. Sometimes, we don’t even realise when we’re showing it. It comes in many forms – physical, social, moral, emotional, intellectual, and even spiritual. At its core, courage means acknowledging fear and choosing to act despite it. — Harriet, Year 6
As a school community, we celebrate International Women’s Day and Week and have enjoyed welcoming our community to share recognition of the achievement of women at local, state, national and international level. Together students, staff, parents, alumnae and friends of MGGS have united to salute what women can do and the contribution we can make in bringing gender equity across all facets of work and life into balance.
Thirty years ago, the world committed to a bold vision for gender equality through the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Since then, we’ve seen women break barriers, reshape policies and ignite global movements. Yet, despite significant progress, the promises made remain largely unfulfilled for millions of women worldwide. We are simply not where we should be. As a community that supports girls’ education, we know this too well and although on a daily basis we are doing so much together to create strong, capable and courageous girls and women, this time of year gives us the opportunity to celebrate our achievements as women. It’s time to turn promises into progress and this year the theme for International Women’s Day and Week is ‘March Forward: for all women and girls’ and it is about brave individual and collective action. Harriet Waterson’s opening quote is an important reminder for us all!
We have listened to so many exceptional speakers over International Women’s Week. I thoroughly enjoyed all MGGS celebrations. First, our Year 12 Father Daughter Breakfast at The Terrace in the Royal Botanic Gardens was a wonderful and well-attended occasion. Guest speaker, MGGS Council member, Chair of the MGGS Governance Sub Committee, father and CEO of Abbeyfield Australia, Mr Dimitri Kiriacoulacos gave a heartfelt address about being a dad and reminded us all of the joy of parenthood and of the precious moments our daughters bring us. Our 2024 Emily Hensley Award co-recipient alumnae Paris Thomson (2008) inspired our Grammarians and community alike with her dual addresses at our students’ IWD Assembly and at IWD community Luncheon at the Lyceum Club. 2025 School Captain, Stephanie Fourlanos gave a brilliant speech at the Lyceum Club and represented the Grammarian cohort with pride and poise. Reverend Kirsty Ross, Dr Monique Webber and I represented MGGS at the Lyceum Club’s annual IWD dinner for professional women. Dr Angelia Grant gave an inspiring speech titled ‘March Forward; Inspiring the next Generation of Leaders’. Dr Grant, Australia’s G20 Sherpa and one of the nation’s foremost macroeconomists, explored the 2025 International Women’s Day 2025 theme and gave good reasons why it is all our responsibility to support girls and young women. Dr Grant has held a distinguished career on the international stage shaping policy on global challenges such as financial stability, climate change and sustainable development and has positioned her as a transformative leader. Dr Grant implored the audience to inspire the next wave of trailblazers to champion equity and opportunity. Additionally, eight Year 12 Grammarians, accompanied by Mrs Broadway and Mrs Kelly, will represent MGGS joining all girls’ schools in Melbourne at the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools Breakfast event in Queen’s Hall, Parliament House tomorrow morning. MGGS definitely has a seat at the table of IWD!
You may have seen in the media recently the comment on gender pay gaps, especially at independent girls’ schools. We acknowledge that at MGGS we have a gender pay gap of 11%. Essentially this is because females make up the predominant number in our workforce. The ‘devil is in the detail’, and it is in the distortion caused by a largely female staff at MGGS. I shared the following recently with staff.
1. What is the reason behind the MGGS gender pay gap?
At Melbourne Girls Grammar we have a staff of close to 500 employees (including casuals) made up of educators from Early Learning to Year 12, wellbeing staff, coaches, business, finance, marketing, operations and IT professionals, and maintenance and administrational roles. The gender mix is approximately 80% female and 20% male. Our CEO is female, and in the Executive team of 10 members, only two are male. Additionally, our middle management also reflects the 80/20 gender split in favour of women. Thus, with a predominantly female workforce, this distorts the figure so that there is a perceived gender pay gap. In reality women could be seen to be advantaged at MGGS compared to their counterparts in other industries.
2. How does the school plan on addressing the gap?
MGGS employs all staff based on merit and equity and abides by all Fairwork legislation. We hire the best person for the position regardless of gender, however, as a girls’ school we are conscious of the importance of having female role models at all levels of the organisation (and on our Board, including its Chair) as well as providing opportunities for early MGGS alumnae, especially into the positions of academic, sporting, debating coaches and junior administration.
3. What kind of a message does this pay gap send to students at the school?
It is the unfortunate reality that gender equity is still adversely affecting women across different industries. MGGS is conscious of hiring role models in non-traditional areas and ensuring strong female leadership is visible within the school as well as in the vital role our Board plays in its governance. Within a girls’ school, we can also demonstrate a steadfast commitment to the advancement of women in society, remove gender biases across different discipline areas that characterise our robust and diverse curriculum and co-curricular offering and build programs where the female voice is encouraged and heard. You can see evidence of this in the strength of our debating program, back-to-back AFLW team’s state premierships, as well as the successes in VCE across diverse subject areas from STEM to Philosophy and Global Politics. We do not focus on one issue alone, but advocate for gender equity across its many facets including the future of the workforce and the role women play in it, and the importance of diverse and gendered opinion. We look to a future where men and woman speak out about injustice and inequality. We see our responsibility as developing in young women today the agency to be ethical women of action; women who can and will make a difference in the future. Rather than simply identify the problem, we create in our Grammarians the capabilities to design and build the solution.
We acknowledge that gender equality is not only a regulatory requirement but also a fundamental value we aspire to uphold. Our commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace is pivotal to the positive experience of our Grammarians, staff and community.
In closing, I am pleased to welcome Professor Hamish Coates as our new Parents’ Association President. Professor Coates brings a wealth of experience to this role. He is a strong advocate of girls’ education and father of a daughter in the Middle Years. I know you will warmly welcome him and support him in this role. We are grateful for the generosity of spirit of all our parent volunteers.
Yours in learning,
Dr Toni E Meath
Principal