The last two weeks for all girls in the Senior School have been busy and I am sure that everyone is looking forward to the mid-year break at the end of next week.

The Year 11 and 12 girls have completed their mid-year exams and I am grateful to the staff for their preparation and marking of these exams to provide important feedback to the girls on their progress in their subjects. Parents/Caregivers will also receive a comprehensive academic report for their daughter at the end of this term, which I encourage you to review carefully together. It is important to reflect on the feedback in this report and from exams to set the foundation for Semester 2. As always, if you have any concerns, you are encouraged to contact the relevant teacher so we can work together to resolve any issues or put appropriate plans in place.

Year 10 girls have been involved in Pathways Week. This included visits to UniSA, The University of Adelaide and Flinders University on Monday and Tuesday. The final three days have allowed all girls to undertake work experience. I am grateful to Mrs Caroline Palmer and Mrs Deb Cleggett for their tireless work to make this week possible. I mentioned to the girls at the start of the week to keep their minds open and not fixed. The world of work has changed significantly over the last 10 years and while the cliché is often stated that we are preparing girls for ‘jobs that do not exist today’, as parents we must be conscious that the ways of entering the workforce we once experienced have changed and we cannot use a ‘biscuit cutter’ approach for every girl. The pieces of feedback I have received from the girls highlight the benefit of this week. The opportunity to experience the workforce has been enjoyed and opened their eyes to future possibilities.

All Year 11 girls attended the Year 11 Relationships Day at St Peter's College on Tuesday this week. This annual event—held in conjunction with St Peter's College, Walford and St Peter's Girls—is an important event in the promotion of healthy and safe relationships. While we see our students conduct themselves with a high degree of integrity in schooling contexts, the ‘digital street corner’ (often not visible to schools and parents) is mediating the development of young people when it comes to sexual experiences; this is especially the case with respect to the influence of pornography and the impact of social media. A strong field of academic experts contend that if we do not have a well-informed, frank conversation with young people about the broader issues relating to relationships, we relinquish the opportunity to influence their development. To have students hearing the same message from leading experts is vital to their ongoing education in this area.

A couple of weeks ago, all Senior School girls had sessions with Paul Dillon on the topic of Drugs and Alcohol. Paul has worked in the Drug education field for almost 25 years. His message is not one of telling students what not to do, but highlighting the risks and the importance of safety and looking after your friends. Next Tuesday 28 July at 6.00pm, Paul will present an online parent session: ‘Teens, parties, gatherings and alcohol: What do parents need to know?’ All parents are encouraged to spare an hour and listen to Paul’s important messages. The online link will be forwarded to all parents this week.

Finally, as this is the last newsletter for Term 2, I take this opportunity to wish you a safe and happy mid-year break with your daughters.

A Sterling Bushwalk

A group of students recently returned from completing their Adventurous Journey, as part of their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award. Please enjoy this reflection from Year 10 student Eloise Broster, who was part of this exciting trip.

“Recently, I had the amazing opportunity to be part of the Flinders Bushwalk for my Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award Adventurous journey. Across the five-day journey, we walked along a section of the Heysen Trail from Aroona to Wilpena Pound, which was close to 50kms in total.

In preparation for the journey, the girls involved made a menu plan, organised our food, packed our rucksacks and created route cards mapping out our journey. Across the four nights, we slept in tents with one or two other girls and camped in beautiful campsites with the most amazing views.

Using teamwork and our own initiative, we made our way along the trail. Everyone played a vital part for our team, whether they be the front/back markers of the group or the navigators for the day. Although the long days were challenging, we pushed on up and over the mountains and all enjoyed both the amazing views and each other’s company.

Not only did we gain a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but we also established new friendships and bonds we will always remember. Without each other and our humorous progression tactics, we would not have made it nearly as far as we had. I for one am not going to forget this camp and am so grateful for the experience.”

Year 12 Class Representative Event - Reminder to RSVP

Please join us at the Year 12 Parent Reflection Party to celebrate raising courageous young women, and reflect on our time at Wilderness as parents of the 2022 student cohort.

Saturday 27 August
7.00pm – 11.00pm
National Wine Centre

$100 per person
Ticket price includes a range of hot and cold canapes for all food preference types and a glass of wine/beer upon arrival. Additional drinks can be purchased on the night from an extensive wine list.

The dress theme for the evening is: SPARKLE

Click here to purchase your tickets