It has been a whirlwind start to this academic year, but it has been wonderful to be able to welcome parents back on campus after an extended absence in 2020.

Last week, I was fortunate to attend one of the Merit Ceremonies at Government House and catch up with several of our 2020 Year 12 graduates who had achieved a Merit, placing them in the top 1% of all students in the state for a particular subject. I particularly want to highlight and thank the teaching staff who supported and guided these girls throughout their journey and congratulate those who received a Merit for their studies.

Last Saturday saw the first Super Series Rowing Regatta held at West Lakes hosted by Wilderness School. The support of the Rowing parent community was exceptional under COVID-19 restrictions, as was the performance of all crews, which was rewarded by the commitment and hard work put in by all girls over the summer. We look forward to following the girls’ progress as we head towards the Head of the River on Saturday 20 March.

On Monday, the School community gathered to present the Year 12 girls with their Year 12 badges at the annual Dedication Service. This is an important service to acknowledge all girls as leaders in their final year at Wilderness. Our Principal, Ms Jane Danvers, highlighted in her address that…

As Year 12s, you are now the leaders in the School. This is a tremendous opportunity. Your success this year and your sense of achievement will be linked to the contribution you make. While there are many of you who have formal leadership roles, every one of you leads by example and by the nature of your position in the School. How well you lead will be determined by your attitude, by how you choose to contribute to the life of our school.

I challenge all girls in the Senior School to step out of their comfort zone and contribute fully to the life of Wilderness throughout 2021. With this in mind, all Year 10-12 girls will receive a link to the Term 1 Assessment Planners this week. I encourage all girls to review these carefully so they can plan their term effectively.

In 2021 we are pleased to have introduced Yondr pouches for students in the Middle and Senior School with mobile phones. I encourage you click here to read more about our implementation of the pouches and how we hope it supports our girls to focus on their learning and social engagement.

As we look forward to the coming weeks, the girls are busy preparing war cries for the Middle and Senior School Swimming Carnival to be held on Friday 19 February at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre. All girls regardless of their swimming ability are encourage to participate in the first Inter House Carnival for the year.

This weekend is an exeat for our boarding girls. For those who are going home, we hope you travel safely and have a wonderful time with your family.