From the Principal's Desk

I hope all our mothers felt the love, support, and gratitude from your family on Sunday; just as you should every day of the year. For our School family we ensured the students could bring their mothers a carefully selected and wrapped gift arranged by our wonderful PHPA. Hundreds of gifts were prepared by a marvellous group of parent helpers; thank you for your support.

And then, the social function of the year! The Pittwater House Mothers' Day Luncheon; and what an outstanding success. Over 260 mothers and grandmothers came together for an event that began at 11am and finished at…. A late hour! 

We changed the venue this year to accommodate everyone who wished to attend. The response was overwhelming in its positivity. As the photos show, the room looked marvellous. The food was outstanding, and the vibe throughout the day, very special. Your children had been photographed showing their messages of gratitude and love and these were scrolling through continuously. One of the key elements is the Raffle and this year did not disappoint. Over 30 hampers were put together thanks to the generosity of you all in supporting your Network parent to create a basket of excitement, surprise, and desire. I have created somewhat of a reputation of encouraging parents to buy a raffle ticket from me, to ensure success! And there are many mothers who do just that, having purchased a ticket from me and taken home their fabulous collection, year after year. So, make sure you find me next year at the lunch… and be a winner!

Although I left the event mid-afternoon to return to my desk, I have pictorial evidence of the large number, (I am told at least half) of mothers who continued to enjoy each other’s company for many additional hours… such is the sense of community, and family, in our School. Frequently I remind you of this significant feature of Pittwater House and you know it is very real when, as occurred again this past week, a group of prospective families shared with me at the end of my Tour that the overwhelming sense they got from the morning, was community. Our students use the word, our Staff do, and so do you. 

Whether it is a key annual celebration such as Mothers’ Day, or a heaving crowd in the Hall for Year 8 Parent-Teacher meetings, community shines brightly. There was not one parent at the Parent-Teacher meetings with whom I spoke, who did not feel indebted to the Staff, and the experiences their children were having. It was a packed Hall, just as it will be next Tuesday when Year 9 have their meetings. Year 9 is our largest cohort at 151 students and continuing applications to join are received. For those of you who have friends who are potentially seeking to move across to Pittwater House, please be advised that there are very limited opportunities, however a conversation with our Enrolments Manager kellie.finlay@tphs.nsw.edu.au is certainly a worthy starting place. 

This week we were delighted to welcome a large cohort of visitors to our Junior School Open Morning. In excess of 80 folk had the opportunity to tour this lovely place of learning for our youngest members, and as always, see and hear the student voices. We take great pride in encouraging families to engage with our students, to ask them any questions pertaining to their learning and day to day experiences. Our students are always our greatest advocates.

I look forward to our Assemblies each Friday, separated as they are for our Junior and Secondary Schools. I am very proud of our student leaders who own the stage and microphone with such easy composure. It is a time to engage with the students on many levels; and sometimes to do something unique. Hence last Friday we ended our Secondary Assembly with the whole Hall dancing… yes, led by our Prefects, Just Dance eased us into lunchtime after a challenging week of rain. 

So, as we prepare for all the challenge, opportunity, and excitement of the coming fortnight, I look forward to continuing my engagement with you all. I do hope the weather will be kinder and the many sporting events cancelled or postponed will allow our students to take to the courts and fields once more.