Message From the Principal

 

This Sunday marks the 45th anniversary of the decision by the United Nations General Assembly to announce that March 8 would acknowledge International Women’s Day. Only last week, our student Senior Prefect Team attended a Soroptimist International IWD Breakfast event, hosted by Ignatius Park College, where the Hon Pru Goward spoke from a place of incredible honesty, passion and experience. She was able to create a sense of urgency, responsibility and a call to action, never forgetting that “the goals of the #EachforEqual movement have been in existence for over a century and that we all carry the hopes and dreams of the women that have walked before us.”

Ali Clarke (nee Lyons), College Alumna 2001, qualified barrister, business owner and proud feminist spoke from the heart at our International Women’s Day Assembly last Wednesday. She was able to beautifully articulate for our students the importance of their roles as individuals in changing the narrative of women in society. She challenged them to face the real statistics of inequality and injustice for women globally. She empowered them to seek to be genuine champions of real change in this regard. Ali reminded them that they each have the power within them to lift each other up, call out bias and injustice and seek out male champions of change to walk alongside them towards a more gender equal world for the betterment of everyone.

We are incredibly fortunate in an all-girls school environment to provide the ultimate environment for our young women to feel empowered to use their education to embrace every opportunity, take their seat at the table of life and use their voice to effect change that is for the betterment of all. Our students know that gender equality is a human rights issue and fundamentally a question of power. Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations delivered a powerful speech only last week on ‘Women & Power’. He stated that ‘only through equal participation of women can we benefit from the intelligence, experience and insights of all humanity’.

We remind our students regularly about the notion that empowered women, empower women. They are encouraged to believe in themselves and those around them. As key role models, our teachers and staff demonstrate in behaviour, word and action that we always seek to lift up our female peers, celebrate the strengths of women and help to spread the good news about women instead of tearing them down.

I feel very blessed to work with a women’s empowerment environment and have also been incredibly fortunate to have worked for and alongside incredibly strong and fearless female role models and genuine male champions of change. However, sadly there is still much work to be done in the world for all women and the real power lies within each of us, individually changing the narrative for a gender equal world.

I have some staffing updates to share with our community. Sadly, I have accepted Ms Anderson’s resignation from the College at the end of this term. Ms Anderson has during her time here, completely fallen in love with the place and its people. She is an extraordinary teacher and has carried out her role as Powers Head of House with compassion and commitment. We will officially farewell Ms Anderson at the end of this term as we send her off with our blessings and love as she joins her partner Chris in Cairns.

As you would be well aware through my updates to families via email, the Australian Government announced updated measures that specifically address travel restrictions from a number of countries. I will continue to provide updates to our community via email. For more information, please refer to the Queensland Health website:  http://conditions.health.qld.gov.au/HealthCondition/condition/14/217/838/novel-coronavirus These are important preventative measures that have been put in place in the interest of public health.

Queensland Health urges all communities to be vigilant about health and hygiene at this time and to that end, have asked us to remind communities of simple hygiene practices that support public health by: 

  • Cleaning hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rubs;
  • Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue or flexed elbow when coughing or sneezing; and
  • Avoiding contact with anyone who has flu-like symptoms.

If your daughter is unwell or show symptoms of illness, they should see their doctor. As always, the health and wellbeing of your daughters, and our staff, remains our priority.

Please be rest assured we continue to take advice from Queensland Health and the Department of Education in relation to this matter and the latest information is available at novel coronavirus on the Queensland Health website. Again, thank you for your understanding and attention to this important matter.

Lastly, I am looking forward to welcoming parents to the annual P&F Welcome Function tonight at 5:30 pm.  Following this, excitement is building for our Twilight Open Evening being held next week on St Patrick’s Day, where will we showcase the College to our community.

May God bless you and your families.

Amber Hauff

College Principal