Despite the disappointing news that lockdown and as a result, remote learning, is to continue to the end of term, the publication of the 2021 National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results this week provided reassurance that the global COVID-19 pandemic has had no significant impact on students’ literacy and numeracy achievement at Lowther Hall.

​What a fantastic Lowther Literary Festival last week! Students across the School were visited (virtually) by authors and illustrators who delivered talks, workshops and Q&A’s.

Despite not being physically present, it has been a busy and exciting week at Lowther Hall. Staff and students alike have been buzzing with the excitement generated by the Lowther Literary Festival and we have been privileged to have a number of author visits and special events to inspire and foster a love of reading within our community.

On Monday 23 August, Samantha Ratnam, leader of the Victorian Greens Party, came in for a lunchtime Q&A session with the girls in alignment with the Prefects’ Term 3 focus of Environmental Awareness. Samantha is an avid advocate for the environment and social justice and her passion for these topics was inspiring and thought provoking for many of the girls who attended the session.

​On Friday 13 Aug we held our Virtual Music Camp! 150 students signed up to select from a program of 13 online workshops and masterclasses. These were led by music staff as well as external music industry experts! (Volume up!)

Last week, the Chaplain, the Deputy Principal and I attended the Anglican Schools Australia conference, a biennial event which brings together leaders of Anglican schools across the country for two days of professional learning, discussion and worship.

Inside this issue: Honouring outgoing Chair of School Council, Learning for life, Multi-generational Lowther families, Olympic connections.

​Celebrations for 100 days in Prep were held recently! Our girls participated in a special assembly which was live-streamed to families, at which each girl presented something she has enjoyed learning at school in the past 100 days.

As we heard about the extension of lockdown 6.0 this week, I was comforted by some research that has come out of the UK recently, which gave me reason to remember that our girls are well positioned to be mentally tough! The study has found that girls who attend single-sex schools are generally more confident and emotionally in control than girls attending state and independent co-educational schools.

​At Lowther Hall we value respectful relationships which give rise to everyone having a voice. I spoke to the Senior School girls about this aspect of the School’s Values Statement in assembly recently and reminded them of the ways in which we try to foster the development of student voice through committees, voting processes and cross age programs.