Principal’s Report

As we approach the end of Term One, Melbourne Girls’ College is a hive of activity. I would like to acknowledge the efforts and energy of very many of our students, staff, and families at this time.  I would also like to take a moment to reflect and recognise the communities affected by the recent events in Ukraine and floods in Queensland and New South Wales. We wish them our very best in what continues to be a very challenging time.  

I have been embracing every opportunity to visit classrooms and meet as many students as possible, and I am pleased and proud of the way in which our students have established their learning routines. Our teachers continue to shine at creating strong connections with students, and together creating a positive and safe learning environment.

School Council 

The School Council election process concluded earlier this this month. We’d like to extend our welcome to new parent representatives John Downie and Rodrigo Latorre, staff representative; Shaunagh O’Connell and Nancy Sandilands and student representatives; Louella Breach and Ana Sofia Schaefer. We also welcome back Heather Pritchard, Emmy Andriotis, Raechel Forster, Alex Artavilla, Rachel Robertson, Matthew Hanrahan, and Kristina Popova. 

We farewell, Vicki Sharp, Jade Johnson, Isha Jain, Sonia Sharpe, and, Hamish Thomas, Sefija Demirova, and say thank you to them for their contributions to School Council. 

International Women’s Day

On Friday 4th of March, our College Captains and Principal Team were invited to participate and attend the International Women’s Day Breakfast at Parliament House which was held in the Queens Hall. The keynote speaker of the event was Melbourne Lord Major, Sally Caap. She not only shared with us her journey, but Sally was generous enough to share the story of a few of the most inspirational women in Melbourne. 

We celebrated International Women’s Day on Wednesday 16 March at MGC. The theme for this year was, ‘Break the Bias’ and held a breakfast that recognised the achievements of three Alumni; Sha Hotskin (General Manager with Shine Lawyers), Ella Jackson (Program & Content Manager at Future Women) and Dr Katherine Grigoriou (Research Fellow RMIT Aerospace Engineering & Aviation). It was inspiring to hear about how MGC had contributed so positively to their lives, and how their experiences have helped shaped the people they are today. 

Top Arts – Grace Palumbieri “Rusted Sculptures”

Wednesday 16 March was the opening of the 2022 Top Arts, which showcases extraordinary works of art and folios that achieved outstanding results in VCE Art or VCE Studio Arts. Grace Palumbieri, who graduated last year from MGC, had her work shown in this exhibition. It was an honour and privilege to be invited to this opening and share the celebration with Grace and the other artists. You cannot help being inspired by their creative processes, skilful use of materials, and imaginative development of ideas.

Head of School Girls Rowing (HOSG)

The final event on the rowing calendar took place on Thursday 17 March to Sunday 20 March.  It was my first HOSG event, but I can guarantee it will not be my last.  I was just so impressed and in awe of our students. They represented themselves and the college in the best way possible and exemplified what it means to “lead and achieve”.  A very big congratulations to the athletes, teachers, coaches and incredible team of volunteers and families who assisted with marshalling, other duties and of course the mammoth task of feeding our rowers and coaches.

Harmony Day

Harmony day at MGC was celebrated on Friday 18 March. It was a celebration of cultural diversity. Our message for Harmony Day was 'everybody belongs', which aimed to promote respect for cultural and religious diversity throughout Australia. The Diversity Team led by our 2022 Diversity Captains created an online assembly to celebrate diversity at Melbourne Girls’ College. The pre-recorded assembly showcased the talent of our students through song and dance and students also embraced the free dress day. Thank you to the Senior School Executive for their work in planning and organising the event.

Parent Student Teacher Conferences

We have our first Parent Student Teacher Conferences coming up on Tuesday 5 April from 12pm until 7:30pm. They will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams and will provide families with the opportunity to meet with their child’s teachers to discuss learning progress while maintaining a COVIDsafe environment. 

Communication is such a critical element to our successful partnerships and as a college we strive to connect to our students, parents and families, and the community every day. We will continue reach out to you with regular compass newsfeeds, emails, and text messages. We also encourage you to visit our website and follow our social pages including Facebook and Instagram, for announcements, information, and celebrations.

We would not be the innovative school that we are without the help and support of  our community and we express our sincere gratitude for this. 

Tamy Stubley

Principal