Principal's report
Katrina Brennan
It is wonderful to have all of our students and staff at School and resume most of our activities, albeit with continued restrictions on our operations. Our community has had to be flexible, as we make necessary changes, such as moving the Senior School HPA to a day activity to be filmed next Monday, postponing the Spring Concert and coping with a very quick decision by the Government to allow Sport this week!
Whilst the operational requirements are out of our hands, as we work within Government guidelines, we are aiming to have as much normality as possible for our students and to proceed with events as scheduled where it is possible to do so. As such, our athletics and GSV training/games and ensembles and music activities, resume this week. Debating has continued online with both the Year 9 and Year 10 teams winning their debates last week. Congratulations to Wendy (Year 9) and Georgie (Year 10) for being awarded best speaker in their respective debates.
We are streaming assemblies and chapels where we can, so that students can still celebrate achievements and be aware of important occurrences, even though we are unable to gather together in the hall or Church at this time. Wellbeing sessions are continuing with smaller group gatherings where required.
We have opted to postpone Justin Coulson’s presentations for students, staff and parents scheduled for this week, as we really want Justin to join us on campus later in the year. We are very pleased so many people have registered to see Justin and we hope to have a new date to you all soon.
May I ask any parents that have not already done so to download the Shelford App to receive news items from Shelly, so that you are aware of any changes to activities and dates. We are moving away from sending emails to parents and instead, news items and notices can be accessed through Shelly, with these being pushed out to parents through the App – your one-stop-shop for all things Shelford.
Over the weekend, the Board and I were involved in a Strategic Retreat day. Whilst primarily a day of planning and discussion, it also included a presentation by Deputy Principal’s Karen Whelan and Dan Belluz and Director of Student Wellbeing and Development, Pauline Cutajar, on their portfolios within the School’s operations; the work that has been done and the future directions in these areas.
The Executive and I have been building on the excellent programs in place at Shelford. In future newsletters, you will see the detail of the many activities and programs occurring and the positive impact this has on the growth and learning of the students of Shelford.
We emphasise in our work with students and staff that Shelford Girls’ Grammar strives for excellence in girls’ education, with a focus on contributing to the development of all facets of our students; including the academic, spiritual, emotional, social and physical.
Our mission has been recrafted to reflect a contemporary approach to girls’ education: Shelford Girls’ Grammar aims to provide a vibrant, caring, challenging and inclusive environment in which our students thrive. We prioritise learning and living in the present in order to lay academic and wellbeing foundations for the future. Access to opportunities enables our students to build upon their strengths, develop resilience and explore their creativity and curiosity, so that they emerge as independent women, who live with a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
It is a great honour to work with the students of Shelford every day and their strength and resilience in the face of the pandemic and the ongoing challenges that this presents, is a credit to them and their families. I hope that you all stay well in the coming weeks.
Katrina Brennan
Principal
Marketing survey
Shelford is currently conducting some market research on parental awareness and perceptions within our catchment area. We would appreciate your input as a Shelford parent to compare against the wider audience sample. The short online survey takes about 5 minutes, is entirely anonymous and confidential, and you’ll also have the chance to win a cash prize for participating: https://whichschoolsurvey.questionpro.com
Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia
We are pleased to share a recent Alliance news article highlighting new research showing that girls at single-sex schools are more mentally tough than their co-ed counterparts. Alliance President Marise McConaghy was also interviewed about the research by Channel 7 news.
Excerpt from the article (we are unable to share the full article due to copyright restrictions):
Study finds all-girls schools create ‘stronger’ women
Girls studying at single-sex schools are more mentally tough than those from co-ed campuses, a new study has found. Experts attribute this to a lack of harmful gender roles and no male-domination of traditional subjects. A UK study of nearly 3000 students has found students in girls’ schools are more confident and have better emotional control than those in co-ed settings, making them better equipped to deal with stress, pressure and challenges.
Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia executive officer Loren Bridge said single-sex female schools 'create a unique environment in which girls are encouraged to embrace competition, fearlessly explore subjects that are traditionally male dominated and challenge each other every day'.
'In addition, girls’ schools have extremely strong pastoral care programs, all tailored to the needs of girls, supporting their mental health and also equipping them with the tools to build resilience,' she said.
Marise McConaghy, principal at Strathcona Girls Grammar, said girls’ schools boost the confidence of their students, which research shows tends to dip between the ages of eight and 14. 'Without the presence of boys and the increased self-consciousness often attached to this, girls feel more empowered to participate fully,' she said.
Ms McConaghy said research suggests 'girls’ self-confidence can be eroded by the effects of gender biases and stereotyping found in some coeducational settings'.
'Girls’ schools challenge unhelpful and harmful gender roles by providing a safe environment for girls to try new things, take risks, and pursue excellence in any area they choose, including traditionally male-dominated subjects such as mathematics and the sciences,' she said.