FROM THE DIRECTOR OF STUDENTS

Guiding Your Daughter Through Ending Friendships Gracefully

Friendships play a vital role in our students’ lives, shaping their experiences and influencing their growth. As your daughter develops her values, sense of self and identity, it is natural for friendships to evolve and change alongside her, allowing for new connections that align with her personal growth and aspirations. Sometimes, these changes mean they may need to end a friendship that no longer serves them. We must guide them in this process, helping them navigate these transitions with grace and empathy.  

You can help your teen navigate this experience in several ways. Consider the following suggestions:

  • Provide emotional support. Ending a friendship can be emotionally challenging for your daughters. Be there to listen to their thoughts and feelings. Frequently, they are left with feelings that they cannot identify, cope with or articulate. Create an emotionally safe environment for them to process and navigate their experience. Reinforce the importance of self-care during this time, and remind them that it is okay to feel a range of emotions. It is important to acknowledge that during this process your daughter may need time to process the change and may experience moments of feeling awkward or uncomfortable as she adjusts to the new dynamics in her social circle. 
  • Emphasise personal boundaries. Help your daughter recognise the importance of personal boundaries and how they contribute to healthy relationships. Discuss with them signs that indicate a friendship may no longer be beneficial, such as consistent disrespect, betrayal, or a lack of support. Please encourage them to reflect on whether their values and boundaries align with those of their friends.  
  • Focus on empathy and kindness. Remind your daughter that ending a friendship doesn’t have to be an act of aggression. By supporting your daughter to end friendships, you empower her to be assertive, confidently say no when necessary and express differences of opinion, nurturing her growth into a strong, confident woman who values her voice and choices. Ensure you encourage her to approach the situation with empathy and kindness, considering the other person’s feelings while staying true to her own needs.  
  • Foster new connections. Remind your daughter that by letting go of the friendship it will open space for another friendship to develop. Encourage your daughter to engage in the many extracurricular activities on offer at the College and to join groups where she can to meet new people who share similar interests. Assisting them in finding new social connections will help ease the transition and provide a positive distraction during this period.  

Ending a friendship is an essential life skill that will equip our young people with valuable skills that will benefit them in future relationships. By guiding them through this process with empathy, kindness, honesty and open communication, we equip them with the tools to navigate friendships effectively.  

As always, our Heads of House and Heads of Year are available to support your daughters through any challenges they may face as we continue to work collaboratively to provide guidance, and a supportive environment that helps our young people make positive decisions, navigate social challenges and cultivate meaningful and healthy friendships.

Uniform Expectations

I would like to thank parents/guardians for supporting their daughter in meeting the College’s uniform expectations.  However, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight a few important points regarding our Uniform Policy.

Firstly, it is essential to note that sports jackets cannot be worn with the academic uniform.  Students are required to wear the College jumper or blazers.  Regarding sports uniforms, Hi-Top or Converse shoes are not permitted.  Instead, students must wear joggers to ensure safety and proper attire for physical activities.  All students (excluding Year 12) must also have a College school bag.  The College is aware that some College bags experienced some durability issues.  We assure you that we have addressed this concern with Wearitto, who assured us that the issue has been rectified.

We currently have many Academic hats in our Lost Property.  Please encourage your daughter to check if her hat is among the items there.  I ask that all uniform items be clearly named, as this will greatly assist in promptly returning lost items to their rightful owners.

Maria Franettovich

DIRECTOR OF STUDENTS