What a week! Last Friday our entire school community made the mental and practical adjustments necessary to start this week in “remote mode” with only our Kindergarten girls and the children of essential workers on-site. The campus was very quiet but that was not a reflection of the action and energy taking place in our virtual classrooms across the School. Thank you to our parents and caregivers, our girls and our magnificent staff for adapting so quickly and allowing learning to continue almost uninterrupted for the majority of year levels. I would also like to acknowledge the work of our IT Department, who once again rallied to ensure all girls had access to their teachers and their learning, and that any technical challenges were addressed swiftly and efficiently.

On Wednesday, girls from Years 2 to 12 participated in Ash Wednesday services, to mark the beginning of Lent – the time in the Christian calendar where we prepare for Easter and, traditionally, experience a period of restraint, reflection and “going without”. Most religious traditions have some kind of similar period at some time in the year, with the purpose of such a time being to assist us to refocus on what is truly important and to be even more appreciative of the many blessings we have. Perhaps it is apt, then, that we moved into Lent without being physically together. Our remote time, our time of going without our face to face contact, without our classrooms, without many of our usual programs, helps us to remember how much we value these things and to appreciate them even more when we are able to return to them. Whilst pivoting in and out of COVID restrictions is tiring and inconvenient, it provides us a richer appreciation for all that we usually enjoy! Thank you to everyone, once again, for coming on the journey!

Ms Elisabeth Rhodes
Principal