From the Principal

It is difficult to believe that we have already reached our final issue of eLink for this term. Time has certainly flown by very quickly during this exceptionally busy, exciting and productive Term 3. 

Amid the flurry of activity, our teaching staff have been diligently preparing to roll out the new Australian Curriculum (Version 9.0) next year from Preparatory to Year 10. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) reviews the curriculum every six years, with this latest iteration being the result of an extensive consultation process with teachers, education departments and the community. While at Girton Grammar we are continually assessing and evolving our learning content to ensure we’re providing a world-class education, implementing a new curriculum gives us a beneficial opportunity for a deeper renewal and adaptation of our materials, and to put our culture of continuous improvement into practice. 

It now rests with our teaching staff to incorporate the updated curriculum into lesson plans specifically designed for the needs and goals of our students at Girton Grammar, drawing on their sound professional judgment. Our School is fortunate to have such a devoted, enthusiastic and experienced teaching faculty, which is evidenced in our students’ performance in testing measures such as NAPLAN. We are incredibly proud of the results achieved in the 2023 NAPLAN testing, which have been analysed in greater detail by our Deputy Principal, Mr Jay Weston, further in this issue. 

National curriculum aside, we have also been busy reviewing our Senior School’s social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum in preparation for our Co-connect sessions next year. SEL plays a powerful role in enabling our students to develop the knowledge and skills they need to understand and manage their emotions, set positive goals, show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Studies have shown that students who receive quality explicit SEL instruction demonstrate improved attitudes, behaviours and emotional wellbeing, as well as higher academic performance. 

Over this week’s ArtFest, we have been focused on creativity, culture and community – themes that are very important to us at Girton Grammar. Over in the Junior School, it was wonderful to welcome so many families to join their children for International Day and Grandparents and Special Friends Day. We enjoyed celebrating the diverse cultures that make up our School community, through involvement in various parent-led activities such as Bollywood dancing, Babushka doll making and Chinese paper craft. It was a privilege to witness this cultural celebration and marvel at the vibrant array of traditional cultural garments, music, dances and cuisines. As for creativity, I am continually amazed by the artistic talents of our students (and teachers!), and was highly impressed by the student works on display in our ‘Around the World’ themed Art Show, which was beautifully curated by our Head of Visual Arts, Mrs Nic James. Thank you to all the parents and staff who have assisted with the impressive setup.

Tomorrow’s Art Show open day promises to be a wonderful family day out, and I encourage anyone who can make it to come along from 9am to 1pm to see the incredible works our students have created, along with enjoying the music performances and art activities. I am also looking forward to seeing our students’ acting, singing and dancing skills in the spotlight in our Middle School Production of Fame Jr, which will be held in our Black Box Theatre over four nights from next Monday. 

In addition to being our last week of Term 3, next week we observe Mental Health Week in our Senior School, with the highlight being R U OK? Day on Tuesday. Apart from the entertaining spectacle of our staff versus Year 12 student netball match, this day provides an important reminder to prioritise our wellbeing and check in with the people in our lives who might be struggling. An important part of self-care is taking time to relax and connect with our loved ones – and as we approach the spring holidays, I am encouraging all our students and staff to use this time to rest and recharge after such a busy term. 

Wishing you and your family a restful and enjoyable weekend and upcoming holiday break.

Dr Emma O'Rielly 

Principal