From the Acting Head
It has been my honour and privilege this week to accept the appointment by the Board to the position of Acting Head of Girton Grammar School.
While my predecessor’s departure was unexpected, Girton is a dynamic school full of capable and resilient leaders and teachers who have supported me before in the Acting Head role and who will do so again. The Senior Leadership Team who I work closely with each day, are deeply committed to the school and its continuing success. Between them, they have a wealth of Girton experience, complemented by fresh perspectives from newer team members.
Change, while unpredictable, does not necessarily equate to disruption and certainly not to setbacks. I can say with true confidence that despite the loss of Dr Clayton Massey’s contributions to the school, there will be no leadership vacuum or disruption as a result of his departure. This I know because of the loyalty that staff and students have for the school and one another. By remaining true to what we value, we will set a tone of continuation and persistence for our students.
I am aware that many people in our community have questions about Dr Massey’s resignation and would appreciate a fuller explanation as to the reasons for his unannounced departure. Please understand that Dr Massey’s departure was a personal decision and that we, as a school, alongside the Board, have committed to respecting his privacy in this matter.
Dr Massey was Head of Girton Grammar School for eighteen months. While this is not a long time, as I have said to our students and staff, the duration of a Headship of a school is not the only measure of its value. Being the Head of a school is entirely about service, and every day in service to the education of young people is beneficial. I have expressed gratitude on behalf of students and staff for the service of the 18th Head of Girton Grammar School and would like to formally do so now on behalf of the wider Girton community.
Dr Massey commenced at the school while the COVID-19 pandemic was still having an enormous impact in Victoria and on education. Despite this, the school continued its journey of COVID- resilience under Dr Massey’s leadership, delivering a model of remote learning that kept students engaged and resulted in outstanding VCE results last year. With far too many Victorian students disengaged from learning owing to COVID-19 disruptions, we are immensely proud of the resilience shown by our students and teachers last year under Dr Massey’s leadership.
I am grateful that Dr Massey willingly accepted that he commenced at the school during uncertain times. He adapted quickly and with a sense of optimism and encouraged others to do so with warmth and good humour.
As we deal with the tail-end of the pandemic and a return to normal operations - with an eye to the impending winter – I have asked Girton staff to remain firmly committed to relationships. The preservation of relationships with one another and with our students will allow us to remain connected as a community and connected to our work and learning.
It is my pleasure to be Acting Head at Girton, a place where the students and my colleagues have given me more than fifteen years of immense professional and personal fulfilment.
Dr Emma O’Rielly
ACTING HEAD
