Dear CGGS community,
It has been so wonderful to begin my CGGS journey this week officially. I have felt warmly welcomed by students, staff and the Parents and Friends Association at the meeting on Tuesday night. I also enjoyed spending a couple of hours last Saturday with the Class of 1982 for their 40 year reunion at Yhuuramulum.
The women of the Class of 1982 recounted many personal and profound memories of their time at the School. The common theme of their stories was that the School inspired them to believe that girls could do anything, and at the end of their schooling they were ready to choose a path that best suited their talents.
They also pointed to the inclusivity of the culture which ensured that each individual was appreciated for their individual gifts and supported to make informed decisions about how best to employ these for their benefit and the benefit of others. Alumna flew in from Japan, The Hague, and states across Australia for the event, and it was a privilege to spend time with this accomplished and interesting group of women. I am grateful to those in attendance for their generosity in sharing their experiences of CGGS with me.
The weather has certainly been kind to us for the first week of Term 4. Given the experiential learning opportunities that took place for students in Years 9 and 10, the sunshine has been very welcome. Despite Year 9 Camp having to be relocated closer to home than anticipated, we are hopeful our students will return with many stories of engaging learning and effortful fun to share.
Year 10 students participated in Work Experience this week and will have discovered a lot about themselves and the careers currently of interest to them. I am sure the opportunity to immerse themselves in workplace learning has proved a valuable experience. For some, it will affirm and cement their choice, for others, it may open new horizons and prompt further questions or fuel reconsideration. No matter the outcome, work experience is always fertile ground for reflection and growth.
With spring signalling new beginnings it was wonderful to welcome Year 6 students, from the Junior School and across Canberra, for Familiarisation Day on Wednesday. There was a tremendous energy in the air and students returned home with useful information and a sense of all that awaits them as they prepare to transition to the CGGS Senior School.
Recruitment for Executive roles
During the break, I attended the interviews for the Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School roles and took time to consider afresh the Executive structure that the School needs for 2023. We had a strong field of candidates in the two rounds, and I am delighted to announce that Ms Tara Dunstall has been appointed to the role of Deputy Principal, Head of Senior School from January 2023.
Tara is an experienced educator who joined CGGS in 2008 to teach Legal Studies after a career as a Senior Solicitor with the Australian Government Solicitor. In addition to her teaching roles, she has held the positions of Director (Curriculum), Director (Studies), and since September 2021, has been the Deputy Head of Senior School at CGGS. Tara will continue working closely with Ms Joanna Leaman, current Acting Deputy Principal, Head of Senior School, to ensure a smooth transition.
In 2023, Joanna will resume her substantive role as Executive Director (Staffing) and continue to focus on supporting staff wellbeing and professional practice to ensure all members of staff are equipped and inspired to bring their best selves to the important task of educating and nurturing our children and young people. Joanna’s deep knowledge of the School and breadth of leadership experience includes ongoing involvement in assessing teachers applying for Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher with the Teaching Quality Institute. We are grateful to Joanna for her contribution to the School in the acting role and look forward to evolving our approach to professional learning and teaching quality under her strategic direction.
To complement the appointment of a Deputy Principal, Head of Senior School and to encourage a whole school approach, Mr Peter McDonald will be appointed to the role of Deputy Principal, Head of Junior School from January 2023. Currently Head of Junior School, the elevation of this position recognises the significant contribution Peter has made to the students, parents and staff of the School as well as his strategic leadership to date.
I am grateful to these three outstanding educators for their ongoing commitment to CGGS and their support of our community. Overall, I have been very impressed with the calibre of the staff at CGGS and am pleased we will begin 2023 with a stable, strong Executive with Ms Kate Hill and Ms Ellena Papas completing the team. As a whole staff we will continue to pursue the goals of the Strategic Design 2020-2025 and relentlessly strive to create and sustain the optimal learning environment for our students.
I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible in the weeks and months ahead, with the famed CGGS fete the first of many opportunities to immerse myself in the community.
Yours sincerely,
Terrie Jones
Principal