From the Deputy Principal
Farewell from a parent perspective
The start of a child’s schooling life and the end of their schooling life are such significant events for families and teachers alike. At the start of any year, we welcome our new Kinders as they embark on one of their biggest life adventures – school. At the end of their Year 12 we celebrate their graduation from school that signifies the start of a whole new adventure.
As part of our Year 12 Graduation traditions, we invite a parent or guardian to speak at the Graduation dinner. To hear from a parent’s perspective about their child’s schooling adventures is valued and insightful. This year’s speech by Kathryn Douglas was particularly special as Rebecca is the last of Kathryn and John’s four daughters to complete their schooling at Moama Anglican Grammar.
It is with permission that I am able to share with you Kathryn’s speech from the evening of our 2023 Year 12 Graduation dinner. Thank you Kathryn.
Good evening all,
My husband, John, and I have four daughters who all attended Moama Anglican Grammar
for their secondary education.
Our association with the school began in 2009 when our eldest daughter commenced Year 7. At that time, we lived on our farming property which is 60km from Moama, so this was also the start of many 40km round-trips to the secondary bus twice a day added to our existing 24km round-trip twice a day to the primary bus. In 2018 we moved to town, but John still drives the 60kms – rain, hail or shine - to work on the farm and thankfully the weekly 650km bus-runs are now part of our history.
It has been amazing to watch the many changes at MAG since that time. In 2009 the junior school was an architect’s design on paper, the TAS centre, tennis courts and gym didn’t exist. The first bi-annual student’s overseas journey to Italy was in the planning stages for 2010 and there wasn’t a drumline or a jazz band. Over the years, there has been continuous growth in the artistic, creative and performing arts areas for students which is an important part of a rounded education.
During our time, there have been five principals overseeing the Grammar. We have also seen the introduction of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden and the agricultural program which gives students a “hands-on” idea of where their food and fibre comes from and I believe these initiatives are positive and encouraging for students who come from a farming background and want to continue on that path at school.
The parenting role is a rollercoaster ride of ups-and-downs from day one but the ever-evolving advancement of online learning is on another level of human understanding! I’m sure we have all experienced the “eye-rolling” from our teenagers as we try to understand concepts that are a world away from our “pen and paper” education. The huge benefit of this technology was very apparent and necessary during the challenge of COVID learning. However, even with all these advancements, I find it very ironic that the final HSC exams are still often a 3-hour written paper which is a big challenge for our keyboard kids.
As the online world continues to advance at a rapid pace, the school has introduced new subjects using these concepts for further study and has also started the VET program which enables students to begin an apprenticeship while still at school. I believe this is a big step forward for those students whose talents are found away from traditional school subjects.
I believe the continued development of the diversity of subjects and experiences offered at MAG will enable and encourage future students to understand and believe that there truly is no limit on “what comes next” after finishing secondary school. In our family, we have a P-12 teacher, an apprentice cabinetmaker, an aspiring film director and screen writer and all going well, in a few years, an architectural engineer.
On a lighter note, one thing all our girls pursued enthusiastically was the challenge of the lunchtime down-ball competition. I’m sure the Douglas family has donated a few down-balls onto the school roof. The boasting rights that come with holding the position of King on the court will continue to be the utmost highest playground honour.
To the Year 12 graduates, as the next adventure begins, I offer some words of wisdom that will ensure peace and harmony in your life (as our daughters will attest to) - when your parents call you, answer the phone that we know is superglued to your hand, because “Hell hath no fury like a parent whose phone call hasn’t been answered”.
Finally, for John and I, it is the end of uniforms, homework, fees, lunches, bus-runs, camps, 22 years of parent-teacher interviews, fundraisers, committees, raffles, gold-coin donations, timetables, sports carnivals etc – it’s almost a never ending list.
The end of an era – we too have graduated!!
Thank you.
Kathryn Douglas
As teachers it is an honour to live the schooling adventure with our students and their families. It is an even greater honour to follow from afar as our Alumni experience their life adventure(s) beyond school. To top this, we even sometimes have the privilege of experiencing some of our student’s future with them as fellow teachers!
Kathleen Kemp
Deputy Principal