As we prepare for the October school holiday break, and begin thinking about the end of the year and all of the excitement it brings, we acknowledge that our Year 12s are approaching a very special time in their final year of school. As they look forward to upcoming events such as the Walk of Honour, Valedictory and Speech Night, they are also managing their final academic deadlines and thinking about pathways after school.

For this reason, moments where girls can connect with one another and feel joyful are essential. House and SRC-led events are two key ways that we facilitate these moments throughout the year. Our 2023 SRC Executive of Allegra Kleinig, Jessica Craig and Georgia Brown hosted the Colour Run, which created a kaleidoscope of colour at the Park Lands. It was a wonderful chance to unify our Middle and Senior cohorts and raise proceeds for Wilderness in Nepal.

The recent Middle and Senior Athletics Carnival was another opportunity for girls to strengthen their relationships beyond the classroom, as they teamed up to compete for their Houses and cheer each other on. Antholiza House were the Overall Winning House, while Cedar took home the Team Events Trophy. Congratulations to everyone who took part, both by earning points and lifting their voices to encourage other girls. The sportsmanship and House spirit on display is always a highlight.

I am also pleased to report success from our SUBS in Schools teams who recently competed in the state final, first participating in sea trials to test their ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles), followed by creating their trade displays at the Royal Adelaide Show.

Wilderness School’s participation in this event was more than doubled from the previous year, with eight Year 9 teams electing to take part in 2023. This incredible engagement is testament to the keen interest that our girls show for learning about STEM education and career pathways, which is fostered by our exceptional teaching staff.

Once again, the state champions came from Wilderness School, with the NUKUMI-23 team (Briege Williams, Sophie Proudman, Lily Harper, Jessica Felstead and Molly Przibilla) named as overall winners, and collecting certificates for Best Graphic Design and Best Team Verbal Presentation.

In addition, two other Wilderness School teams qualified for the national final. Drebbel Dragons (Molly Thomson, Evelyn McArdle, Whitney Johns and Isabella Beaumont) placed third with the Innovation Award, while ORCA-207 (Tam Do, Elena Reu, Ella Meyer and Ariana Dimovic) earned five certificates (Best Managed Enterprise, Best Team Portfolio, Outstanding Industry Collaboration, Best Team Marketing and Best Team Trade Display).

Just as our 2022 state champions, Argo-22, went on to win their national final earlier this year, we hope that these representative teams from Wilderness will see the same success at nationals in 2024.

As this is our final newsletter before the school holiday break, I wish all families a restful October break—whether you are staying close to home or venturing far away. Take care, and we will see all girls back on Monday 16 October for Term 4.

Road Safety Update

I wish to remind families about the importance of road safety around our Medindie campus. To ensure the safety of our community, we ask that all drivers please observe the speed limit, and take particular care during busy drop off and pick up times.

Please remind your daughters to be vigilant when crossing Hawkers Road or Northcote Terrace to access the school grounds – to look up from their phones and remove their headphones/ear buds before crossing the road – to avoid distraction from their surroundings and potential danger.

As drivers, please be careful when dropping off and picking up students. We particularly request that parents do not attempt U-turns on Hawkers Road near the School, to prioritise the safety of both pedestrians and other vehicles. We hope that all parents will model responsible road usage to our students, and show respect and safety to fellow parents, staff and Senior students on the roads.