Our involvement with Round Square is something we are very proud of at Wilderness School, as it supports us in achieving our Wilderness mission: to enable every girl to be the best they can be throughout their life.

This week, both students and parents have had the chance to hear about our identity as a Round Square school, from those who are most closely involved. First, our student ambassadors held a Round Square Assembly on Monday. Then, at the Parents and Friends Association AGM on Wednesday night, Mrs Stephanie Andrews, Head of Global Learning, spoke about the value of being a Round Square School and how, through the lens of the Round Square ideals, and an emphasis on ‘being’ as well as ‘doing’, it will continue to support our students in becoming well-rounded, active and informed global citizens.

Our Wilderness Round Square committee has already set in motion some wonderful initiatives for 2023, starting with the introduction of five new green waste bins, a sustainable “School Garage Sale” and a map which will represent the Wilderness community’s global identity—all of which contribute to the ways in which our students actively engage in the world.

Just as our Wilderness values are embedded into the daily life of our school, the Round Square ideals (internationalism, democracy, environment, adventure, leadership and service) help to shape the way that students develop initiatives, complete projects and engage with the world. As the variety of the initiatives above shows, Round Square has proven a great framework for our students to develop a sense of belonging to a greater purpose—within our school, their local community and the world—with opportunities to give back and serve.

I am so pleased to see how the Round Square committee is growing in number each year, and in addition to our 2023 Round Square Representative, Claudia John (Year 12), we have also appointed ambassadors. These girls hold a leadership role in the committee, and were selected because of their demonstrated commitment to the committee and ideals.

Our 2023 Round Square Ambassadors are:

• Eloise Broster (Year 11)
• Nidhi Karachur (Year 12)
• Willow Rann (Year 11)
• Natasha Lippett (Year 11)
• Jess Henderson (Year 9)
• Zara Hill (Year 9)
• Felicia Xing (Year 9)
• Claudia John (Year 12)

A key aspect of our Learning That Matters framework is ‘Global Consciousness’—"the capacity to examine local, global and intercultural issues, to understand and appreciate the perspectives and world views of others, to engage in open, appropriate and effective interactions with people from different cultures, and to act for collective wellbeing and sustainable development.”

We feel fortunate to be one of two Round Square member schools in South Australia connected to a global network comprised of 230 schools, from 50 countries across six continents, whose actions and character match up to their stated values, that we can collaborate with, learn from and serve alongside as we develop Global Consciousness in each and every student.

This membership enables outstanding experiences, with students throughout the whole school taking part in a range of virtual and face-to-face conferences. Our Junior School girls have participated in virtual collaborations with fellow schools, such as Godspell College in Argentina and The Sagar School in India.

Last year, a small group of Year 10 and Year 11 students and staff travelled to Europe for the Round Square International Conference, and we plan to attend the next conference in 2024.

We also hope to offer our students the opportunity to take part in International Service Projects and exchanges, where they will be able to live out the Round Square ideals in another country and observe how these values and actions translate in another culture.

Collectively, these Round Square opportunities complement our ambition to grow each girls’ character as they step into their identities as global citizens and embrace what they can offer to the world.

COVID-19 Update

We wish to remind parents that if your daughter tests positive for Covid-19, it is strongly recommended that she remains at home for five days at a minimum and/or until symptoms resolve.

Should your daughter present with symptoms, please continue following SA Health's advice and test when appropriate. If your daughter's test is negative, we ask that she continues to remain at home until her symptoms resolve.