The sound of youthful chatter and laughter is increasing each day at Lowther Hall as the girls gradually return to Leslie Road. Now that a little more “normality” and routine has settled in, we can turn our attention to matters beyond the immediate challenges we are facing within our school gates. In Senior School assemblies this week, Ms Healy and I spent some time reflecting with the girls on the events that are dominating the news in America and around the globe at the moment – the protests in response to the death of George Floyd and the associated advancement of the “black lives matter” movement overseas and here in Australia. The assemblies coincided with the end of National Reconciliation Week, which runs each year from 27 May to 3 June and we challenged the girls to take some time this year to be more informed about the “black lives” that matter in the Australian context. After briefly reflecting on some key aspects of Australian Indigenous history some students were inspired to think about what they could do if they wanted to take action in response to the facts they had encountered. This year, in the context of COVID-19, joining a major protest in the city, with crowds of people, is not something we would encourage. Instead, learning more through reading, viewing and discussing could be a really valuable investment over the coming days. A good starting point for those who might be thinking about how to approach the subject of “black lives matter” with young children might be the children’s talk given at the Cathedral for National Reconciliation Week. It is presented by Reverend Helen Dwyer and is sensitively communicated, offering an important message for all. It is available online at:
The Nora Collisson Centre (the School’s library and research department) are in the process of putting together some resources on the subject which will be available shortly.
As we prepare to bring our full return of students on Tuesday next week, we are continuing to review our policies and practices which, at present, are serving us well. Towards the end of next week I will be seeking some further feedback from you as we move into planning for the final weeks of term. Thank you for your ongoing support of the girls and the School as we navigate the ongoing challenges associated with COVID-19. I particularly thank families for ensuring that any girls displaying symptoms of illness stay home. To date, we have been able to do very well with minimising the risk of infection at school and I have been delighted with the ways in which girls have embraced the new expectations are routines. I look forward to seeing everyone back together next week.
Ms Elisabeth Rhodes
Principal