Is the saying, beside every great Principal is an even greater Principal? If not, it should be because it would sum up the rather wonderful Natalie Jensen who stood beside Marilyn Smith for so many years. But I worry that the indelible mark she has made on our School in her nine or so years with us may not be quite as well known as it should be. I hope in a small way to set things to rights.

Natalie joined the Arlington staff as a curriculum coordinator back in 2012, having worked in International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) schools, and having a real passion for inquiry based, concept focused curriculum. She was a bright star in our School, and with her energy, passion and warmth her influence was immediate.

When Marilyn, endorsed by School Council, began the move of transforming Preshil into an International Baccalaureate World School, it was felt that the Middle Years Programme (MYP) was the most natural starting point. Not the beginning of the journey, and not the end, but right smack in the middle. When Marilyn was looking for someone to build the IB Programme from scratch, she immediately chose Natalie.

Natalie stepped into the role of MYP Coordinator, and had the task of overhauling not only the Years 7 to 10 curriculum, but blazing the trail for all three IB Programmes. This was a challenging transition as some staff felt that the IB would overpower the very nature of a Preshil education, that we might lose something quintessentially Preshil with its adoption. It takes a very special person to balance the behemoth of the IB against the strength of purpose of our little School, and Natalie did just that. Beautifully. She realised ways to ensure that we stayed true to our core, while introducing the Programme and the benefits and rigour it brought.

One achievement, and one which is regularly shared as an example of how Preshil is truly progressive within the IB community, was our exemption from having to issue number grades for MYP assessments and reports. This is no small issue. At our heart is the belief that children should not be measured against one another, and with Natalie making this argument on our behalf, the IB yielded.

What Natalie achieved in creating a space for the introduction, adoption and adaptation of the IB Programmes to meet our needs has ensured that when she leaves us, to further her passion for the IB in a new setting, she leaves us a much stronger, smarter and courageous school. How can we ever show our gratitude?

Many years ago my teacher mentor, the wonderful Faye Lee, said to me: there are three Ls in teaching; Love, Liberation and Limits. Natalie ensured that the boundaries, the limitations required by the IB, were set down. She ensured that within those boundaries we continued to be truly progressive and liberated by them. And she did so with so much love for the School that we are.

As our School begins the cycle of self-evaluation required by the IB programmes, with the MYP undergoing the process this year, we must not only reflect on what we have achieved, what we are developing, and what we wish to be, but we might also reflect on how we got here.

In no small part due to Natalie Jensen.

Cressida Batterham-Wilson

Interim Principal

cressida.batterham-wilson@preshil.vic.edu.au

Preshil - Arlington Argus

Issue 10 · 16 Jun 2021

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