From the Head of Senior School

Staff news

Baby boom!

We are excited to share some wonderful news. Our Senior School is experiencing a delightful baby boom! Currently, six of our dedicated teachers Sarah Papachristoforou (Head of PDHPE), Danielle Rodrigues (Director of Curriculum Year 11 and Year 12), Linda Chui (Science teacher), Emily Osborne (Head of Booralee and PDHPE teacher), Amanda Lavender (Music teacher), and Derek Truong (Mathematics teacher, who is on short-term leave) are enjoying time with their growing families on parental leave. Looking ahead to Term 2, Emily Marsh (Head of Year 7), Helene Schmidt (Languages teacher) and Xavier Maling (History/RE) will be joining them and there may be more, making this an especially joyful period for our staff.

will be joining them and there may be more, making this an especially joyful period for our staff.

As a school, we are incredibly proud to support our teachers as they embark on this important life stage. We recognise that welcoming a new baby doesn’t always follow a precise schedule, and as a result, some teacher changes will be necessary. Our community’s understanding is greatly appreciated as we navigate these transitions together.

Where possible, we made adjustments to the timetable before Term 1 started, and staff have been scheduled off classes as support whenever feasible. These changes were designed to ensure continuity, though of course, there will be some changes where we need to recruit for short term replacements.

Andrew Taylor, Deputy Head of Senior School (Wellbeing)

Andrew has accepted a position as Dean of Student Wellbeing with St Augustine’s College in Brookvale from Term 2. This is a wonderful move for Andrew given that his very young family lives a 5-minute drive away from the school. Andrew has brought a thoughtful and strategic approach to our Wellbeing programs for the benefit of girls. We wish Andrew all the best and thank him for his contributions to the School.

Study Hub Next Week

– Joanna Graffen
Head of Senior School