in● lliance● THE ALLIANCE OF GIRLSa’SCHOOLS (AUSTRALASIA) LTD VOLUME 27 PO BOX 296, MALVERN, VICTORIA 3144 AUSTRALIA AUGUST 2003 in alliance The Alliance of Girls’ Schools (Australasia) Ltd President: Barbara Stone MLC School, NSW Executive: Beth Blackwood PLC, WA Lesley Boston The MacRobertson Girls High School, Vic Carolyn Grantsklans Wilderness School, SA Carolyn Hauff Clayfield College, Qld Susan Just Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School, Qld Ann Mildenhall Queen Margaret College New Zealand in this issue ●● 20032003 AnnualAnnual ConferenceConference ●● TransitionTransition IssuesIssues ●● TechTech AngelsAngels In Alliance Editorial Deadlines for 2003 FROM THE EDITOR... Volume 28 Thursday, 28 August 2003 …a transition point for The Alliance Keeping in Touch – alumni and community liaison Volume 29 Whilst this edition of In Alliance focuses on The Annual Conference brought together Thursday, 23 October 2003 the Annual Conference held at Loreto Kirribilli almost 200 attendees from member schools and Staff (inductions, review and gives an overview of transition programs in beyond. We had staff from co-educational schools processes, aspiring Heads) some of our member schools, there are other and a number from schools contemplating joining aspects we must address. the Alliance, an organisation that has grown so A new initiative of the Alliance is to provide much under Edwina. The conference setting was two students from member schools the delightful and Janet Freeman and her Staff are to opportunity to attend be commended for the National Coalition their support. This of Girls Schools conference was Student Forum in organised out of the Virginia in July. On Alliance office with page 13 of this issue no Committee set up we profile the for the purpose; winning entrants, particular thanks are Katie Keene from therefore due to Walford Anglican Edwina for her superb School for Girls in co-ordination of Adelaide and Naomi speakers, venue, Hart from MLC accommodation and School Sydney. Katie the myriad of details and Naomi will be to be covered. Having asked to reflect on worked out of the their experience for Alliance office for the next edition of In many months, in Alliance. support of various tasks, I can appreciate Of great the array of tasks the significance for the Executive Director is Alliance, however, is called upon to play. the resignation of the Executive Director, Our last edition Edwina Sear who provided some joined the Alliance in The 2003 AGSA Conference Opening Ceremony commentary on November 2000. We Mentoring. In this pay tribute to Edwina’s work in this edition. The Edition, we look at how Mentoring is occurring in accolades she received, and continues to receive, ICT at Wellington Girls’ College, the “Tech demonstrate the esteem in which she was held. Angels” of the College. See the article on page 14. Letters, emails, cards and telephone calls have all How are you using mentors in your school? been showered upon her and acknowledge the As noted in my report to the Annual General importance of someone sitting just aside from the Meeting, this magazine is a forum for members to traditional educator who otherwise may sit in the share their wonderful programmes and for us all Director’s Chair! As Edwina noted in her parting to appreciate the diversity of opportunity email to members, “it is always difficult knowing available in Alliance schools. Over the years of when to leave a one person organisation”; but my Editorship, I have attempted to showcase a having seen through such a successful Annual range of issues: thus the remaining editions for Conference and placed the Alliance on a firm 2003 respond to areas not covered to date. financial footing, the time seemed right. In Alumni, bequests, fund-raising, staffing and retirement, she had hoped to spend more time recruitment are all areas of focus facing school with her mother, whose health was failing. Most leaders annually. We look forward to you sharing sadly, on the night of her final day in the office, some of what you are doing. and farewell from Victorian members, her mother died. Nancy Hillier, Editor Cover: Mr Max Eulo at the 2003 Annual Conference Opening Ceremony 2 FROM THE PRESIDENT... ...a tribute to Edwina Sear Few can appreciate the diversity of tasks growth rate from 78 schools to 106 (with 3 Edwina is called upon to undertake. Edwina further schools in the pipeline) has been was asked by the Executive to take on the significant, the Student Leadership and position of Executive Director, having come Annual Conferences run smoothly and from a large Architectural company where profitably and the profile of the Alliance has she was Executive Assistant to the Chairman. developed substantially. Your grace, poise Prior to this role she had worked in schools and sense of what needs to be done have and her own education had been as both a been a hallmark of this time. day and boarding student in girls’ schools, We wish you and David every happiness both in New South Wales and Victoria. She as you move on to other ventures in life’s knew what to expect! journey. What we have seen in her leadership is Edwina and David Sear with Fiona and Dennis Godfrey My Report at the Annual General Meeting testament to her wide-ranging skills and at the Conference Dinner of The Alliance held at Loreto Kirribilli ability to cope with students at the Annual highlighted key elements of the past year. Our new Student Leadership Conference, staff, in their on- strategy: “Meeting the Challenges Together” going requests and we, as leaders of girls’ schools… continues to be pursued whether viewed through no mean feat. new initiatives such as the AGSA Ambassador Just as the role of Principal is seen as lonely and Program or the State “Think Tanks” as we isolated, so to is someone working alone in an envisioned our possible futures… The demographic organisation. It has been to Edwina’s credit that she and economic pressures on schools are likely to knows the members so well. Her extraordinary increase, the teacher’s role is inexorably changing attention to detail, her meticulous record keeping and and AGSA needs to ensure it meets the needs of well-developed links with banks, caterers, publishers girls’ schools in this context. As an Executive we see and designers, ASIC, lawyers, accountants and the a role of clearing house and a driver of best practice Tax Office, not to mention the Post Office, portray a in the operation of girls’ schools… hence our little of what it means to operate an organisation such Edwina and Heather Schnagl at the Annual Conference this year, “Knowing Women as The Alliance. Victorian farewell Growing Girls” was most timely. Thank you Edwina for all you have done in the time with us. The Barbara Stone, President, FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR... ...farewell Recent review of current materials from a range of increasing range of opportunities for all. Of particular joy to me organisations allows me the opportunity to muse on the maturing has been the increase of membership to our current 106 and the Alliance and how it fits within the context of societal and increased involvement of Government and Catholic Colleges. It is business change. Headings such as “Self-Directed School only through such understanding that this organisation can be Reviews”, texts with sub-titles such as “Education in the age of reflective of current thinking and assist in new ways of being. insecurity” and conferences with titles “Implementing Great As indicated in my email to you, the timing of leaving a one- Governance” and “The Strategic Board” clearly demonstrate a person organisation is not easy. However, with another successful new order of operation. The Alliance is at a point where Student Leadership Conference, the Audit, the AGM and the decisions are being made around the new strategy of: “Meeting Annual Conference all successfully concluded, I felt the time was the Challenges Together”. right for another person to take on these ventures for 2004. I Andy Hargreaves in his text, “Teaching in the Knowledge have left at a time of strength of administration and wish you and Society” notes “the benefits of creative learning communities are your schools success and prosperity as you take on the most often offered to teachers of the affluent. Prescribed challenges so clearly articulated in the titles of papers and programs of teaching and learning are inflicted on the rest”; I programs daily passing your desk. would hope that my time with the Alliance has offered an Edwina Sear, Executive Director 3 THE TRANS-TASMAN VIEW... REFLECTIONS... ...challenging and power-packed The AGSA Annual Conference 23-25 May 2003 What could be more exciting than waking up in Sydney on a Knowing Friday morning, a short walk from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and in full view of that jewel of an Opera House on a shimmering Harbour! Women: In fact as darkness lifted, I was stroking the lengths of the Olympic Pool before linking with the 8.45am bus that would take Growing me on a tour of 3 of the 10 schools that had opened their doors to Girls visitors. I came away from all three visits with great ideas for current projects in my own college, here in Wellington, New Zealand; the held at Loreto Kirribilli, Sydney building project at Queenwood, the new library at Pymble Ladies’ College, the gym and pool at Abbotsleigh. The tour was a great start When The Hon Justice Stone opened our 2003 Conference, to an invigorating few days. she shared the issue of choice we make as women: a woman can do everything but not all at once! There tend to be feelings Conference was an intellectually challenging time.