It is hard to believe that we are already halfway through week 3! So much has happened in the boarding house, both over the holiday break but also once the girls returned. This year we welcomed fifteen new families to our boarding community and all girls, both new and returning have settled into the house and its rhythm seamlessly.

The girls have been excited to return to the house, particularly our Year 12’s who are loving their refreshed common space. All girls received a welcome letter, boarding bear and a boarder’s calendar, which featured personal photos from thirteen of our girls. Our new girls also received a welcome pack, carefully curated by our boarding Captains, Ella and Annabel, which included staple boarding items.

The girls have been busy in house with a range of activities to encourage them to start forming those all important boarding relationships. Our new girls were introduced to the House favourite Yo Chi and a trip to a very windy Glenelg. Our first weekend saw them getting crafty with jewellery making and painting a plant pot and planting a plant for their room.!

The first week got off to a glamourous start with the Year 11 and 12 Formal. The girls looked absolutely stunning, as did their partners and the atmosphere in house at the pre-formal function. It sounds like the night lived up to expectations and while this is the last formal for our Year 12’s, the Year 11’s get to do it all again next year!

Another very special event took place in week 2, with the launch of our Mary Home House Cup. This is an initiative of our Captains, Annabel and Ella, to continue to build on those all important relationships, to foster a strong sense of connection and to provide a weekly coming together of girls at ‘family dinner’. Each girl has been allocated to a ‘family group.’ There are 5, named after the streets that surround the School: Dutton, Briars, Edwin, Hawkers and Stephen.

Every fortnight each family will compete against each other in some fun activities, and once a term there will be a larger activity, involving the whole family. Points are awarded and will contribute to a score with the winning family announced in Term 4. Everyone is super excited about this initiative and we are looking forward to it becoming a lasting legacy of Annabel and Ella’s leadership in 2025.

It has been a jam packed start to the year, but there is an excited energy in the house. Our new girls have settled in so well, with our returning girls back to boarding like ducks to water!

Carolyn Matthews
Head of Boarding