This term has provided many opportunities for our girls to engage with ideas that reach beyond their day-to-day learning and explore the role they can play in shaping the future.
Recently, our Year 6 and Year 12 students attended an address by former New Zealand Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern at St Peter's College. Her reflections on resilience and staying true to your values resonated strongly.
For our Year 6 girls in particular, the experience connected closely with their learning in civics. Through their studies, participation in Junior School Student Parliament and trip to Canberra earlier this term, they have been exploring democratic systems and active citizenship. Hearing those ideas reflected in the experiences of a female political leader brought these concepts to life and helped them see how their own leadership can make a positive difference within their communities today.
Each year, we celebrate National Boarding Week and the many ways our boarders enrich life at Wilderness. From the hotly contested Day Girls versus Boarders netball match to shared breakfasts and the Teddy Bears' Picnic, students enjoyed opportunities to strengthen friendships and spend time together. Boarding has long been an important part of Wilderness, and I am pleased to share that applications for our 2028 Boarding Scholarships are now open. If you know a family who may be interested in boarding at Wilderness, I encourage you to share this opportunity with them.
Founders Day and National Reconciliation Week invited us to reflect on both our history and the responsibilities we carry forward.
On Founders Day, we acknowledged the vision and legacy of the Misses Brown, whose commitment to the education of girls continues to shape Wilderness more than 140 years later. During National Reconciliation Week, we were privileged to hear from guest speaker Courtney Summers, who challenged us to consider how we can be ‘All In’ for Reconciliation through the choices and actions we take each day. Reconciliation is an ongoing journey, and we are grateful for the opportunity to continue learning together.
As always, preparing girls for the future remains central to our mission. Recent events including Careers Week, our Medicine and Pathways Information Evenings, and the Activating Identities and Futures Expo, allow our girls to explore study and career possibilities while identifying their own strengths and aspirations.
As we approach the end of the financial year, I would like to thank our community for its ongoing generosity and support. Through our 2026 Taxation Appeal, we seek to strengthen the learning environments and scholarship opportunities that help more girls access a Wilderness education. We warmly invite contributions to this year's Taxation Appeal before 30 June.
As this will be my final newsletter for the term, I would also like to thank our students, staff and families for a wonderful semester. I will be taking study leave next term to undertake further study in governance and futures education and look forward to returning at the start of Term 4. During this time, Mr Brad Snell will serve as Acting Principal, and I know the School will be in very capable hands.
