From the Principal's Desk

We were all transfixed by our screens on Wednesday evening; willing on our Matildas. As was mentioned so much, the hopes of our nation rested with these superb athletes. The Women’s World Cup has been transformational. Parallels have been drawn to other moments in our glorious sporting history, but what will be its legacy?

Sport at any level provides so many growth opportunities. And whilst the Matildas will play over and over their game, tactics, and missed opportunities, they must take heed of the universal admiration they have garnered. They too, have rightly requested that their deeds must be the catalyst for change and greater equality of support from corporate sponsors, and government, alike. The groundswell is there for this to be a defining moment for women’s soccer, and women’s sport in general. 

So how do these extraordinary few weeks impact on Pittwater House students? Soccer continues to be a strong sport for us. We have alumni who are representing our nation, and others, on the global stage. Students have been involved in representative and state level, and our school teams are places where skills are further honed. What I love to see, though, is the sense of team and the enjoyment students gain from getting out on the pitch. Seeing students working together, with varied skill levels, but a great commitment to their team members, and the sheer fun of participating, is surely a valued element of our sporting structure.

What too is vital is learning how to both win and lose, gracefully. None of us can ever go through life as winners, always. At every point, we will be challenged by those with more skill or substance in every field. Learning how to deal with these highs and lows is a critical point of the schooling experience. 

At this point in the annual calendar, we begin the process of choosing our 2023/2024 student leaders. There is always disappointment from those who do not gain the position they seek, or indeed a position on the leadership team. This is an important life lesson. And it is sometimes the first time that parents cannot intervene on behalf of their child. Our process is extremely thorough, it is lengthy, and it takes into account many factors beyond the knowledge and understanding of parents. I am sure this year will be no different to years past. But I stand by the decisions that are made; as with most elements of the Pittwater House schooling experience, it is done in team and follows wide consultation. So let us use all that we observe from the loss by the Matildas in their over-hyped semi-final to be better versions of ourselves when we face adversity.

Another week of action in our building works. This week, I am pleased to report on the installation of temporary stairs in the middle of South Wing, and the use of the new stairs at the end of South Wing. Once more students and Staff have been magnificent in adjusting to all that is being asked of them. We are really getting the feel for the finished project with partial use of the South Wing balconies too. 

Whilst folk were glued to their screens on Wednesday night, we had 30 fine musicians take to the stage of the Sydney Town Hall in the 2023 HICES Music Festival. Following four days of intense music making at the much-feted HICES Music Camp, our students performed with their fellow HICES musicians. This is a stellar event. And we are full of praise for their music-making and performance on the night, including Mr Abraham on the magnificent Town Hall organ with the Symphony Orchestra. Mrs King was chosen to accompany the Vocal Ensemble and Mrs Colless worked alongside the Conductor and Manager of the Vocal Ensemble. And again this year, Mr Cosentino was the Camp on-site coordinator, facilitating and leading the 380 students from 35 of the HICES schools, over the days at the camp.

The richness of experience our students enjoy is widely recognized and applauded throughout our community. Congratulations to you all for the past two weeks.

Pittwater House is renowned for the support given to our students beyond our Campus. As the only weekend activity under the School banner, our 7 Netball teams have had another great season. This weekend saw the first finals played, and once more our girls were backed by parents and staff. With a further two weeks of finals, we are reaching an exciting crescendo and our best wishes go to those still seeking a podium position. 

Meanwhile the HSC students with major works as part of their courses, are performing and putting the finishing touches to their works. We wish them well in these final endeavors for their courses.

With every good wish.