It has been so wonderful this week to welcome students and staff back to regular assemblies again. Having the long-awaited opportunity to engage with the secondary girls as a group in the morning and then the primary girls in the afternoon, has been a return to ‘normality’ that I have been eagerly anticipating.
During both assemblies I had the pleasure of introducing one of our newest staff members to the girls. I am very excited to share that Tamara Wickham joined the Girls Grammar team on Monday as our new school counsellor. Tamara’s skills and qualifications in psychology and counselling has enabled her to support women, youth and children in particular find their strength and develop psychological, emotional and physical wellbeing. Tamara will be on site Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and is looking forward to working with our girls on building strong coping strategies, improving wellbeing, developing their emotional regulation and in helping them reach their full potential. I know this is a role that the girls themselves have expressed a strong interest in having at school, and one that parents and staff value highly so we are so fortunate to have Tamara join us. We will be providing further details on student referral processes along with parent information sessions in the very near future.
This week the girls received exciting news from Mrs Vanessa Hemson, our Year 4 teacher who presented information on both assemblies about her passion project. Mrs Hemson has invested many hours and much energy, enthusiasm and love in to making her passion project become a reality. This reality arrived at school today in the form of Sunny, her labradoodle. Sunny will be joining Mrs Hemson and the Year 4s as a classroom companion and will be interacting with the girls during break times around the school. Sunny was VERY loved by students (and staff!) today during her first visit and has already made a big impression and fits in perfectly wearing her Girls Grammar tartan bandana. Information about Sunny and her role was shared with families via a letter emailed this week. It has been heart warming to hear the overwhelmingly positive feedback following the news of Sunny’s arrival from girls across all year levels and parents that have contacted Mrs Hemson. It’s wonderful that so many members of our school community appreciate the value and benefit in what a dog brings to the wellbeing of others.
This afternoon I had the absolute privilege of accompanying seven out of our ten Year 12 Prefects to the Rockhampton Secondary Schools Student Leaders Induction Ceremony at St Joseph’s Cathedral. All girls represented Girls Grammar with confidence and pride when introduced in front of their fellow secondary school leaders and their school Principal’s, while taking their oath of leadership. Not only did our Prefects demonstrate confidence but also connection during the afternoon tea following the ceremony. Our school leaders took the opportunity to meet and mingle with the student leaders present from 13 out of the 15 secondary schools in the district. And from what I witnessed, the girls represented themselves and our school with pride and established many connections with leaders across many other schools.
On Friday Head of Boarding, Stacey McCarthy and I commence the first of our Regional Tours for 2022, travelling to Moura, Biloela and Tannum Sands. I look forward to meeting with many of our existing parents and connecting with new families at each of these locations.
Kara Krehlik
Principal
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