Alliance Vol.25 Dec 02
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in● lliance● THE ALLIANCE OF GIRLSa’SCHOOLS (AUSTRALASIA) LTD VOLUME 25 PO BOX 296, MALVERN, VICTORIA 3144 AUSTRALIA NOVEMBER 2002 in alliance The Alliance of Girls’ Schools (Australasia) Ltd Executive Director: Edwina Sear Tel: 03 9813 8916 Fax: 03 9886 9542 President: Barbara Stone MLC School, NSW Executive: Beth Blackwood PLC, WA Lesley Boston The MacRobertson Girls High School, Vic Carolyn Hauff Clayfield College, Qld Nancy Hillier Annesley College, SA Susan Just Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School, Qld Suzanne McChesney Seymour College, SA Ann Mildenhall Queen Margaret College New Zealand Co-opted Executive Member Carolyn Grantsklans Wilderness School, SA Ex Officio Member Ros Otzen Korowa AGS, Vic in this issue ● BoardingBoarding && ExchangeExchange ProgrammesProgrammes inin ourour schools.schools. In Alliance Editorial Deadlines for 2003 FROM THE EDITOR... Volume 26 Thursday, 20 February 2003 …little things lead to wonderful outcomes Student Leadership Conference 2003 & Perspectives on Leadership As I ponder the pages in Bradley Greive’s The opportunity provide. Ruyton has been sending Volume 27 Meaning of Life, the wisdom and pertinence girls overseas for some years and we read not Thursday, 19 June 2003 comes to the fore. We are too often “…impressed only of the way the programme is linked to the Annual Conference 2003 & by and obsessed with objects and achievements curriculum but also of the way the girls have Passing the Baton of immense scale, when it is actually the tiny little responded to such experiences. Saint Peter’s (transition points in our things that, when put together, make big things Collegiate School tells of their Japanese sister schools) possible.” And so it is with this edition of school and their annual visit to Adelaide. In Volume 28 In Alliance. When we combine the day to day welcoming our new member from Sydney, St happenings and the dreams and aspirations of our Clare’s, we are delighted they are highlighting Thursday, 28 August 2003 young women and their families, with the their international perspective with us. Keeping in Touch – alumni challenges of change and adventure, the results In each of these programmes, it is the little and community liaison can be wonderful. things that make the difference. Volume 29 48% of Alliance members have a Boarding We are also providing some interesting Thursday, 23 October 2003 component to their school and whilst the rural material from PLC Perth challenging us with their Staff (inductions, review sector is in deep crisis with drought, the facilities Junior Primary and Middle School approach to processes, aspiring Heads) we offer to these families, together with thinking skills. As always we hope that these international students and those who for a myriad editions give an opportunity to think through our Copy on the above topics of reasons need or seek to board, are necessarily approaches and how our settings may be critical. Some of our schools are centred on is welcome and should be improved and adjusted. submitted to Edwina Sear boarding, others have had boarders at some time at The Alliance office in their history, or have a small group who live at With another year almost behind us, we can PO Box 296, Malvern, school ‘24/7’ and we know these places are very all pause to reflect on the events of the year: the Victoria 3144 or to special. highs and lows we all experience as we go about the most vital of professions; the development of [email protected] Our Boarding Houses provide a myriad of our future generation. Again the year has been experiences and daily become more focussed on marked by great tragedy and global tension, the individual needs of girls at such an important challenging us to make meaning of this for our phase in their lives. It is the little things that really girls. matter when we are assessing life away from home. The opportunities we read of here from Although I will no longer be at Annesley next Kambala, “Star Living” at MLC Kew and the year, I have accepted the offer of the Executive of exciting adventures for boarders at St Margaret’s the Alliance to continue my Editorship of would make our Old Scholar boarders green with In Alliance and excitingly, to prepare other envy. Toorak College has undertaken significant materials for distribution in our schools, drawing work to address the particular needs of its on many of the wonderful articles provided in international cohort, the aptly termed Third this magazine over the years. I very much look Culture and New England Girls’ School has seen forward to continuing working with you all next the great benefits to be derived from girls year. I ask that all copy for future editions of bringing their horses to board with them - the In Alliance be sent directly to Edwina where I bonding, the assistance with the inevitable will have access for review. homesickness and the care of their 60 “horse May the forthcoming break from your school boarders…” be rewarding, refreshing and revitalising. Another facet to this edition reviews the growth of sister schools and the impact these international components of our educational Nancy Hillier, Editor SUGGESTIONS FOR IN ALLIANCE WELCOME & We would be pleased to receive any suggestions for CONGRATULATIONS COVER themes for future Volumes of In Alliance. Please forward Molly Taylor (Year 9, to Gilmore Girls’ your ideas to Edwina Sear at [email protected] New England Girls’ School) College, Footscray, successfully competing in the We thank all member schools who have provided copy for NEGS Horse Trials Victoria for being the In Alliance 2002. The variety and richness of articles is testament held on 19 - 20 October 2002 100th member of on her horse, ‘Blue Print’. to the excitement and strength of programmes in our schools. 2002 © Cinch Photographs Your on-going support is very much appreciated. AGSA 2 FROM THE PRESIDENT... …variety of alignments leads to strength From 1975 until quite recently there has been growing policy It is timely, then, in closing, to reflect upon the invaluable service level support for making special provision for girls in Australian given to AGSA by two retiring members of the Executive, Vice- schools. The National Policy for the Education of Girls (1987) president, Ms Suzanne McChesney, and Editor of In Alliance, provoked all educators to look at the special needs of girls from a Dr Nancy Hillier. variety of viewpoints, from addressing sexism in the curriculum, to Ms Suzanne McChesney is standing down from her position as broadening patterns of subject choice and pedagogy. the Principal of Seymour College, Adelaide, at the end of the year to Some would see the recent Senate Inquiry into Boys’ Education return to Melbourne. Suzanne joined the Executive of AGSA in 1996 as a potential threat to the continuing development of efforts to as part of her advocacy for girls’ single sex education. As she says, develop appropriate learning environments for girls. It is better seen “Having worked in co-educational schools prior to my appointment as a validation of our “specialist” approach to the gender differences at Seymour College, I was pleased to find that the rhetoric about the of learners. To flourish, strong girls’ schools need strong boys’ advantages of girls’ schools was indeed true.” Suzanne has done schools. Our interests are aligned, not at odds. much to promote the Alliance, having run leadership functions, a members’ breakfast with visiting speakers and general functions to The lens of gender has already helped us to break down some of promote the business and membership of AGSA in South Australia. the barriers between education sectors. We need to take hold of this current opportunity to strengthen our alliances with boys’ schools. Dr Nancy Hillier, retiring Principal of Annesley College, Adelaide, The “Think Tanks” already held in both Melbourne and Sydney has also given remarkable service to AGSA. As well as hosting local about the future of girls’ schools, both highlighted this need. functions to encourage and sustain AGSA membership, she joined the Executive in 1998 and took on the mantle of Editor of The conference at Southport in 2000 brought leaders of girls’ In Alliance, which she has deftly reshaped into the very polished schools and boy’s schools together in a productive dialogue. We and professional publication it is today. She hosted the last two need to develop more opportunities to promote this conversation, to Student Leadership Conferences at Annesley, because as she puts it, build a sense of collaboration that transcends brother-sister school “… it was a pleasure to do so and to see so many girls getting so convenience, a coalition that advances both of our causes. much from this marvellous networking experience and learning of AGSA presents, in many respects, a useful vehicle, despite state their ongoing association with girls from the Student Leadership and national boundaries for Meeting the Challenges Together. Your Conference.” current role in preparing the ground for the AGSA sponsored Nancy’s words also help to sum up why the Executive team alumnae research is much appreciated; planning for the student works so hard for AGSA: “I was overwhelmed with these girls and all leadership and annual member conferences is almost complete; they offered for our future.” Suzanne and Nancy will be greatly increasing use of the website has enabled us to offer new members’ missed as members of the Executive. There are however, two silver services; the standard of our publications continues to climb and linings in the cloud hovering over our national operation: Carolyn membership is growing. Grantskalns, Principal of the Wilderness School, has agreed to be Much of this comes from your commitment and participation.