From the Principal

Last Friday, as the sun shone brightly over Bendigo, the community came together at Ulumbarra Theatre to shine a spotlight on Thom Hosking. In a poignant and touching memorial service, Thom’s family and friends shared memories and painted a clear picture of his calm, considered nature in a celebration of his life.

At assembly on Monday, I commended our students for how they showed respect for Thom, his family and each other at that service, and for how they represented the school. A number of Girton students spoke at the service, and I cannot overstate how proud I am of how they honoured Thom and his memory. 

I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to the broader Girton community for your continued support of our staff and students during this difficult time, and for your understanding about our decision to close the school for the day. Friday’s service was a wonderful reflection of Thom and his impact on those who knew and loved him.

This week, we have packed up the school’s temporary memorial site for Thom with the intention of creating a permanent tribute, developed in collaboration with Thom’s family and friends. Our goal is to ensure that what we create in his memory will be enduring and meaningful to all who knew and loved him. More information about this and about how we will continue to support our students has been sent to parents and carers today from Deputy Principal Mr Jay Weston. We will continue to provide support to our students and staff, and we are mindful of the importance of routine and connection as we do so. 

This week, I have watched a sense of quiet calm and determination settle over the Senior School. VCE exams began on Tuesday, starting with the English exam in the morning. We wish the class of 2025 all the best with their remaining exams, and know that their hard work will pay off.

The exam period for our students in Years 7-11 is also approaching. On Monday, I reminded our students of our discussions about how we learn, how we can combat forgetting, and the role of continual revision in moving what we learn to our long-term memory. I shared this knowledge with students so that they can approach learning, homework and revision with a sense of confidence.

This knowledge is included in our new Teaching and Learning Framework, which will be rolled out in 2026 when Mr Wilbur Donovan joins the school as the new Head of Teaching and Learning. The framework articulates a shared vision and approach to pedagogy based on the science of learning. It is designed to equip the teaching staff with evidence-informed strategies to ensure that all students have equitable access to effective, quality instruction, enabling every learning to achieve their best academically.

We invite you to learn more about the Teaching and Learning Framework at an information session for parents and carers on Monday 3 November. I will be joined by Board Member Professor Pamela Snow, and together we will present the framework and answer your questions. To learn more about the session and to register to attend, please visit this post on Astra. I look forward to seeing you there.

Last week, I had the honour and pleasure of attending the Junior School’s performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Over four performances in just 50 hours, our students in Years 2, 4 and 6 wowed audiences with their characterisations, singing and dancing, all while teaching us some important life lessons. I would like to congratulate all students who performed and otherwise supported the show, and the many staff who contributed to the production’s success, ably led by the core production team of Co-Directors Mrs Lucy Butler-Rees and Mrs Georgiana Rice, Musical Director Mrs Laura Dusseljee, and Production Manager Ms Natasha Rowe.

In closing, I would like to acknowledge and congratulate our RULER team at Girton, which includes Mrs Vanessa Juergens, Mrs Prue Milner and Mrs Georgiana Rice. They were invited to the RULER Implementation Conference at the Yale Centre for Emotional Intelligence in New Haven, Connecticut in the United States of America. 

Mrs Juergens and Mrs Milner attended this week and presented a session titled “Regulate to Elevate: Building Emotionally Resilient Students In- and Outside of the Classroom.” They showcased Girton’s innovative HQ and Body Break room, and explored how emotional regulation strategies are embedded in the future of Girton’s Junior School. We are proud to be one of the longest-standing RULER schools in Australia, and I know that Mrs Juergens and Mrs Milner will have represented us well.

Dr Emma O’Rielly

Principal