Term 2 has started with a burst of activity, and it seems as though we have well and truly settled into the tempo of the term. As the Earth tilts further from the sun and autumn progresses, it is an important term for learning, studying hard and making the most of every opportunity here at MGGS. The gorgeous autumn weather has provided a backdrop for a series of important occasions in our first few weeks, starting with our Term 2 Commencement Assembly where we reflected on the importance of Anzac Day and our achievements in Term 1. In Week 1, some of our Year 10 and 11 Grammarians travelled to Arnhem Land for a rewarding cultural experience, while our Year 7 and Year 8 students headed off on camp the following week. We also held Domain Netball at Artemis on Friday 28 April as part of the Domain Cup, it was a dynamic Round Two and everyone played well but MGS got the win. I would be remiss, however, not to highlight how we finished our first term. The 56th House Drama Festival held on the last day of Term 1 was spectacular, with over 400 students participating. Thank you to our House and Drama Captains for leading our Grammarians in this culturally significant MGGS event.
Welcome back to all families who have travelled over the holiday break, including our Grammarians and Mrs Broadway who travelled to the UK for the Godolphin Exchange. Our students have been fine ambassadors for our School, for Victoria and for Australia. With the inclusion of Easter and Anzac Day, it was quite a lengthy holiday period and provided many staff and students an opportunity to travel widely.
Our first day back for staff focused on continuing our professional learning. Staff day on Wednesday 26 April set the scene for our attention to learning and intervention as we use a multi-tier system of support for our Grammarians. Guest presenters, educators Emina McLean and Bron Ryrie Jones, challenged staff to think about what learning is. You can read more about this in the Learning and Innovation section of Messenger. Additionally, over 50 staff members updated and completed First Aid and CPR training, ensuring that across the School we have the highest proportion of First Aid qualified employees possible.
Melbourne Girls Grammar aims to be a school that is continuously improving and one that values feedback and make decisions based on sound data. To that end, I would like to invite you to participate in our Parent Engagement Survey to better understand your family’s view of the education provided to your daughter. The primary purpose of this survey is for you, as a parent/guardian of a child who is learning at Melbourne Girls Grammar, to provide feedback on our staff, programs and practices. The survey is anonymous and will take about 10-15 minutes to complete. We realise that many of you have more than one daughter and for each child’s experience your perspective may be a little different, so if you have more than one child who attends the School, please answer the survey with respect to your oldest child. Please provide honest, constructive feedback. Information gathered will be used to affirm what is working well and to provide guidance around what can be improved. A link to complete the survey will be sent to you on Monday 15 May. Please note that one email will be sent for each household and will be sent to the primary contact within our system. Where we understand a Grammarian to come from two family homes, we will issue the survey to both contacts. If you experience any technical difficulties, please contact Insync on surveys@insyncsurveys.com.au, or phone (03) 9909 9251. If you believe that you should have been sent the link to complete the survey and have not received it, please contact my Executive Assistant – Ms Shannon Sweeney, shannon.sweeney@mggs.vic.edu.au.
Uniform
The school uniform is an important visible symbol of MGGS as an entity and of a student’s membership to our community. I have always believed strongly in the power of the uniform to bring everyone together and create a positive school morale and sense of belonging. All students are expected to wear the uniform appropriately and this is clearly set out in the School diary. The wearing of a uniform symbolises affiliation and pride and how it is worn speaks volumes of the School and the student body who attends. Overall, most students are wearing the uniform well, however, I seek support from parents to ensure that their daughters arrive each day with blazers, appropriate length of skirt and the correct socks and shoes. Some students are still learning to knot their ties, however, by this stage of the year, it should be well practised. Nail polish, make up and jewellery are not a part of the uniform and should not be worn during the school week.
In our first few weeks of Term 2, we continue to focus on the sustainability agenda and our Grammarians have been diving deep into the ‘why, how, and what’ of the impact we make as humans and the ways we might individually and collectively make a positive difference. At our Commencement Assembly, I spoke to our Grammarians about what it also means to be sustainable as a learner, and how making good choices allows us longevity as scholars. We continue to work across the School reducing our carbon footprint by using less paper, composting, recycling and committing to using energy wisely. We are currently planning for our next tranche of solar panels due to be placed on the roof of Artemis and our Green Team and Environment Captains are leading the charge around recycling.
I am pleased that we continue as education partners of the Melbourne Writers Festival, which was held from 4 to 7 May 2023. We have been most fortunate to listen to outstanding writers and hold a special event at the State Library of Victoria. Our Grammarians have thoroughly engaged in the opportunities the festival has presented and it has been fabulous to see a student-led book review appear as part of our assemblies. In closing, I hope to see you at the upcoming Senior Years Musical for 2023, Mamma Mia! This is an energetic and fun-loving musical based on songs written by the Swedish group, ABBA. So, please ensure that you hold one of the evenings of June 1, 2 or 3 free to attend.
For our mothers, grandmothers and stand-in mother figures, I hope that you are spoiled on Sunday with homemade presents and breakfast crumbs in bed! Thank you for all that you do to support our Grammarians and our beautiful School.
Yours in learning
Dr Toni E. Meath
Principal