Year 12s
Last Friday evening our Year 12s celebrated their formal. It commenced with the walkthrough, a traditional event where the girls walk past family and friends. Unfortunately, due to current restrictions, we had to make some changes to the event, restricting it to current students and staff. The excitement as the girls arrived was electric – our Prep to Year 11 girls loved seeing their glamorous big sisters arriving in their cars and walking down the red carpet. It was wonderful to see the looks of awe on their faces and to hear their squeals of delight as they greeted each Year 12 student.
Our Year 12 girls looked amazing and I would like to commend them for how they approached the formal events. Changes had to be made, including the elimination of traditional formal activities such as dancing. Our girls took their opportunity to shine, embraced the day in its new format and enjoyed the evening with their families and guests.
Thanks must go to Mrs Christie Dey and Mrs Emma Whitehand, Year 12 mentors, for their coordination and organisation of the evening. My thanks also to the Rockhampton Leagues Club for working closely with us to implement our COVID safe plan. I would also like to express my appreciation to all our families for their support in providing the girls with a night that is a key milestone for senior cohorts.
The Year 12s will now begin their preparations for the final pieces of their Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE), starting with mock examinations next week. When we return in Term 4, the Year 12s will have two weeks of revision, targeting the areas identified in the mock exams, followed by a study week at home. From Week 4 they will sit the external examinations that will form up to 50% of their final result. I am sure our school community will offer them every support as they complete the final few weeks of their secondary schooling.
Ponytail Project
Girls Grammar is a generous community and, throughout the year, there have been many times that our staff, students and families have given of their times and energies to support those in need. This week on assembly we saw girls participate in the Cancer Council’s Ponytail Project. Ponytail Project empowers girls to get together and raise vital funds for Cancer Council by cutting off their ponytails. Our girls have been growing their hair for many months and, in the process, fund raising money to donate to the Cancer Council. Currently the girls have raised just under $25,000, a significant contribution for a school the size of Girls Grammar. Furthermore, the donated ponytails will be used to make wigs for those living without hair as a result of medically-induced hair loss-conditions. It takes 20 ponytails to make just one wig and over 4,000 wigs are needed every year.
The ponytail project is a great example of our girls’ generosity and selflessness. I was proud to see them participate yesterday.
Fathers and Male Role Models
This Sunday is Fathers’ Day, a day to celebrate all the fathers, honorary fathers and significant male role models in our girls’ lives. It is also a good day to celebrate all the significant male figures our girls have in their lives who mould and influence them.
We know that it is vital that girls have good female role models, and I am grateful to all the strong, intelligent, articulate, warm women who guide and influence them. Our students will aspire to be like these women, to follow in their footsteps.
However, just as girls need to see positive female role models, they also need to observe good male role models. They need boys and men they can trust, males who role model how men act in good, caring, respectful and stable friendships and relationships. Studies show that girls who feel respected and connected with the males in their lives will develop positive and healthy relationship with the males in their future. The men they interact with throughout their developmental years will go on to influence how they will interact with men in their adult years – in relationships, in the workplace, in their social interactions and within their own families.
I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge all the wonderful fathers, grandfathers, honorary fathers and significant male roles models who every day make our girls feel valued and cared for. I would also like to thank them for encouraging our girls to take risks, believe in themselves and pursue their aspirations. Our girls will be clever, confident and connected because of the excellent male and female role models they have in their lives.
Whatever you are doing, I wish you all a lovely day on Sunday.
Mrs Deanne Johnston
Principal
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