Special Announcement from the Headmaster

The national search and appointment process for the instalment of a new Deputy Head is now finalised, and I am delighted to announce that Dr Emma O’Rielly will replace our esteemed outgoing Deputy, Mrs Robyn MacCulloch.

Apart from the important business of teaching, the sheer range of tasks that a Deputy may be required to perform, and then on occasion perform on behalf of the Head, is extraordinary.

Maintaining high-quality planning, preparation and marking for students, while fulfilling other strategic and supporting roles, and the day-to-day business of helping to lead the school, requires skill, organisation and a persistent drive, all of which Dr O’Reilly has already demonstrated in her time at Girton Grammar School.

Dr O’Rielly was educated in Bendigo and completed her Bachelor of Applied Science at Latrobe University in 1998. She was awarded a scholarship to undertake her PhD and during this time worked at the University of Newcastle, UK and later at the Austin and Repatriation Hospital in Melbourne and was awarded her PhD in molecular microbiology after discovering seven new species of bacteria. Dr O’Rielly has published 13 scientific papers in internationally peer reviewed journals and her work has been cited more than 300 times worldwide in various scholarly papers.

Dr O’Rielly then accepted a post-doctoral placement as project manager of a collaborative research project between La Trobe University and South East Water in Melbourne. During her time at University, she was involved in teaching Undergraduate students from the faculty of Health Sciences. This was when she discovered her love of teaching, relocating to Armidale, NSW to undertake a Diploma of Education while working casually for the University of New England as a practical demonstrator in the Science faculty and later teaching full time in Armidale.

In 2007, Dr O’Rielly relocated back to Bendigo and commenced work at Girton Grammar School as a senior Biology teacher, followed by positions as the Head of the Science, Senior Years Curriculum Leader and most recently, the Head of Teaching and Learning. Dr O’Reilly has an outstanding record in educational innovation and in project implementation. She is highly motivated in pursuing ways to continually improve the educational experience for our students founded on evidence-based research.

I look forward to working with Dr O’Rielly in her new capacity as Deputy Head and to continuing the work in curriculum, co-curriculum and student wellbeing that sets our school apart and makes it such a wonderful place to work and to learn.