We are always excited to welcome girls back for the commencement of a new term, and this time we were also pleased to be able to meet with parents. After only being able to host phone interviews in 2020, we were grateful to conduct face to face Parent/Teacher Interviews with Middle School families in the first and second week of Term 2. Teachers appreciated meeting with parents about their daughter’s learning progress so that we can work together to ensure the success of our girls. After reports were sent home at the end of Term 1, the interviews are an excellent opportunity to discuss results and plan for future learning. Thank you to all of the parents who made the time to attend over the two nights.

Cross Country

After postponing until the afternoon due to wet weather, the sun made an appearance for our annual Interhouse Cross Country Carnival last Thursday. The previous day, the girls at REALISE ran their own Cross Country at our Crawford campus. Congratulations to the Middle School girls who took out the top three places:

1. Isabel Jackson, Year 8
2. Caitlin Hardin, Year 7
3. Sasha Hardin, Year 9

REALISE

REALISE Group 2 is well underway, and the girls have already experienced rock climbing, a First Aid course, two food shops, an environmental beach study and a kayaking expedition across the clear, glassy Coorong. The girls also woke early for a Dawn Service on Anzac Day, placing their commemorative poppies at Crawford. Most interestingly, there is a new resident at Crawford, a wild echidna has been spotted enjoying the property!

Having recently returned from their REALISE experience, Core Group 1 student, Anna McAuliffe, shares her experience with us.

REALISE is an opportunity for all Year 9 girls to step out of their comfort zones and emerge themselves in new learning experiences over three weeks while staying at the School property Crawford, located along the Coorong.

We were challenged in many aspects, from living with peers to kayaking along the Coorong. This camp introduced us to new daily tasks such as morning fitness, meditation, sustainable waste systems, and more environmentally friendly substitutes for materials we use at home. We learnt how to be responsible for our actions towards the environment and in our temporary homes.

We learnt about ourselves, our passions, strengths and weaknesses, and how we can strive through challenges and stay motivated when our bodies are tired. We learnt how to problem solve, work as a team, and achieve our personal goals in the different activities we engaged in throughout the program. This experience helped us grow as individuals and responsible young adults.

We explored many different activities and environments during the camp, which exposed us to more hands-on learning and many other skills which we cannot develop in a classroom. Each activity encouraged us to challenge our perspectives, keep an open mind, and form our own opinions. We discovered new passions and topics of interest, which we can continue to expand and develop for the rest of our lives. Some of the key learning developments included exploring Indigenous Australians' issues and supporting the environment by using plastic-free, compostable or biodegradable products.

Taking a step back from our everyday lives at Wilderness School, we learned to appreciate the opportunities we have and the support we are given. Every day we are encouraged to learn and grow into better people, and we are fortunate to have the resources to participate in REALISE. Every day we increased our practice of reflection and gratitude towards our peers, teachers and aspects of our lives at home, such as our families, friends, school, healthy learning and loving environments. Many girls took aspects of REALISE home with them to create a positive change in their lifestyle. Each girl has a different experience at Crawford, but all of us will forever be grateful for our adventure.

Anna McAuliffe