Principal's News 

It has been wonderful to welcome both students and staff for the commencement of Term 3. The extended winter break, is always most welcomed and much needed after a busy first semester. It has been lovely to hear about what people got up to over the break, and whether that involved local or overseas travel or indeed activities closer to home. The break from the regular routine seems to have restored and energised people ready for the term ahead. Over the break I was lucky enough to have a few days visiting my brother in a picturesque part of Launceston, where the vista was beautiful but the air was 'crisp,' with overnight temperatures dropping to  -6°! I am always so grateful for this extra time to spend with loved ones. I hope that the break also allowed each of you  a little extra precious time to spend with family and friends.

As you will read throughout this edition of the newsletter, the term has started with an exciting array of activities and achievements. Last week, I had the privilege and pleasure of attending the Premier's VCE 2023 Award Ceremony, where Sasha K was presented her Study Award for Health and Human Development. This is an outstanding achievement and a very prestigious award. I congratulate Sasha not only for receiving this honour, but for her dedication, persistence and commitment to her studies. Further information about this award can be found in the Student Wellbeing update.

Staffing Updates

I am thrilled to welcome Susan Wang to the Shelford Girls' Grammar Mathematics Faculty. Susan is an enthusiastic educator with a deep passion for mathematics, eager to share her love for the subject with her students. She creates a highly engaging, challenging, and supportive learning environment, ensuring that each student thrives. With several years of teaching and tutoring experience, Susan excels at differentiating content to meet the diverse needs of individual learners.  Susan has a Master of Teaching (Mathematics Education,) and a Bachelor of Pharmacy. I am confident that her expertise and dedication will greatly benefit our school community.

Unfortunately, Narelle Bentley accepted a role at another school, with last Friday being her final day at Shelford. I am thrilled that even within a very short time frame, we have been able to recruit two outstanding educators to the Visual Arts Faculty.

I am delighted to advise that we have appointed Emma Rickards as the new Unit 4 VCD teacher. Emma is an accomplished educator and the author of the new VCE Visual Communication Design study design, as well as several other key Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority resources. In addition, Emma is a talented designer in her own right and is currently a Clinical Teaching Specialist from The University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Education. With extensive experience teaching in the Master of Teaching (Secondary) and Master of Education programs, she has also delivered comprehensive courses in Visual Arts & Design. Emma brings over a decade of experience teaching Visual Arts and Design to students in Years 7-12 and holds postgraduate qualifications in Graphic Design. She has previously taught at Ave Maria College and Korowa Anglican Girls’ School. In recognition of her innovative research, Emma was awarded the Freda Cohen Prize in 2021 for her work on pre-service education for Visual Communication Design teachers. Having worked with Emma at a previous school, I know that our Unit 4 students will be in very capable, experienced and caring hands with Emma. 

I am also delighted to welcome Madeline Pattinson as our new Year 3 and Years 8 – 11 Visual Communication Design (VCD) and Arts Teacher. Madeline is a passionate educator, holding a Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) and a Master of Secondary Teaching (Double Visual Arts Methods). With several years of teaching experience across both junior and secondary levels, Madeline is eager to create a collaborative, supportive, and encouraging learning environment for our students. I am confident that our students will be drawn to Madeline’s warm and dynamic style. 

All the best for the term ahead.