This morning, just before dawn, I marvelled at the conjunction between Venus and Jupiter which were still visible in the eastern sky. Venus is the brightest of the planets, but it is rare to see such a distant planet in such proximity. This special celestial event reminded me of the importance of our celebration of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Week and how impactful these disciplines are because of their relevance to our daily lives.
Week 4 began with the STEM Assembly led by our STEM Captains, Diana and Isabel . Our guest speaker was an ophthalmologist from CERA, Dr Jennifer Fan Gaskin who spoke about her work on treating and preventing Glaucoma and her pathway to research on eye health and the opportunities for girls in careers in Science/Medicine/Engineering and Technologies. Her message to our Grammarians was to get involved and put yourself forward for as many opportunities as possible.
On Tuesday, Ross Hall was buzzing with Science and Technology, with demonstrations, displays and activities related to STEM. The Extravaganza at lunchtime featured a wide variety of activities hosted by students and staff: make your own terrarium, robotics, exploring battery power, microscopic explorations, spinning wheels, cosmetics club and invisible ink lemon juice, along with displays of entries for the National Science Competition including books, board games and posters.
After school, Ross Hall came alive again, with families of students from both Morris and Merton Hall, visiting the displays and gathering for the exciting, inaugural Year 11 Product Design Fashion Parade featuring ethically sustainable garments – elegant evening wear made from recycled materials. Guest speakers included Old Grammarian Imogen Rea (2011), an aerospace engineer working on zipline drone deliveries in the US, and Charlie Barlow, media manager for Girls On Track, who promoted engineering careers for women in motorsports. We are very fortunate to have an amazing team of teachers in these fields and a very enthusiastic STEM Auxiliary and we thank them for organising such a wonderful evening.
The first House Hydro Powered Rocket Challenge was held on Wednesday at lunchtime on the Multipurpose courts, after months of designing, testing and trialling the prototypes by each House. It was an awe-inspiring sight to watch the rockets flying towards the spectators on the bleachers, and the relief when they landed close to the target zone. Thank you to Andrew Lee, Josephine Lim and all who supported this competition from start to finish.
On Thursday evening, the ‘Best of British’ annual Music Concert was held at Malvern Town Hall for the first time. The musical talents of our wonderful Grammarians shone as families and staff were treated to a broad repertoire of musical genres: classical, folk, pop, film and television, opera and musical theatre, as well as iconic composers, performers and characters from stage and screen. Performers included Morris Hall Voiceworks and orchestra, Wildfell students and Merton Hall choirs, ensembles and singers. Warmest congratulations to our Director of Music, Elizabeth du Blet and all the Music staff and students who contributed to such a special night!
On Friday 8 August, MGGS hosted the final event of the Domain Cup, the Years 9 to 12 Netball match against MGS in the Artemis Team Zone, along with a sausage sizzle and bake sale. This event drew a huge crowd from both schools and tensions were high as the minutes ticked by. We were so proud of the efforts of our netballers and the skills they demonstrated on the court. In the end, Melbourne Girls Grammar managed to secure victory, so the Cup will be back at our School for 2026.
After winning the GSV Australian Football Grand Final for the fourth time in a row in June, our Senior A football team qualified to participate in the Herald Sun Shield competition. Our Grammarians starred in defence and goal kicking in the Semi Final against SEDA College on Thursday 7 August and won convincingly 7.9.51 to 4.2.26, with exceptional performances by Edie M (Year 12) and Agnes C(Year 10). This win earned them a spot in the Herald Sun Shield Grand Final to be played in Port Melbourne tomorrow against Caulfield Grammar. The Merton Army will be out in force to cheer them on and we hope they have a wonderful game. Go Melbourne!
Term 3 is a busy and complex term, when the focus on the end of the year is sharpened and the workload spikes for our Year 12 Grammarians and their teachers. It is also the time when the School starts to think seriously about the next year, with a focus on gathering information from students and staff to build the timetable, plan our calendar of events and elect our student leaders. The School Captains for 2026 were announced at Assembly last Monday and we are delighted to congratulate Vice Captains, Jemima R and Katherine Y and School Captain, Xanthe O on this achievement!
Enjoy the lengthening days and the delight in new discoveries and achievements each day.
Yours sincerely
Lynn Broadway
Deputy Principal, Educational Leadership: Wellbeing