Celebrating Our Girls
"To live with courage, purpose, and connection - to be the person whom we long to be – we must again be vulnerable. We must... show up, and let ourselves be seen."
Brené Brown, Daring Greatly
“I hope you both have a wonderful rest of the afternoon” were the genuine wishes articulated to Mrs McGuire and myself by a Junior School student as she trailed past following Tuesday’s Junior School assembly. It was the authenticity – and the expression on her face, that has intermittently crept into my thoughts throughout this past week.
And so, now that we are at the mid-point of this third term, I adopt a pensive outlook as I share my many reasons to be cheerful. In this time of uncertainty and anxiety, not knowing how the pandemic situation might unfold, I share some of the uplifting moments dotted throughout the week that was. Student life, that is the student experience, was in full swing last week.
Having face-to-face assemblies in VPAC meant I was able to congratulate a good number of Middle Years students and present Academic Excellence Awards to recognise student achievement at Monday’s Senior School assembly. In my address, I relied on Herman Munster from the 1960s television sitcom, The Munsters. In showing the girls a YouTube clip of Herman giving his son, Eddie, a lesson on kindness, we reflected on Herman’s sage advice:
“What does matter is the size of your heart and the strength of your character.”
Coincidentally, and so very apt, was the address shared by Sisley B (9B) and Suhani G (9C), our Middle Years Captains, who also spoke on the kindness theme. Our Captains shared an animation, which helped everyone in the audience understand the importance of embracing difference and treating others the way they would like to be treated. You can view the clip here.
In these times of uncertainty, I try to encourage a mantra of kindness and I want the girls to learn the importance of showing care and concern for others and the world around them. Tuesday’s Junior School assembly was led by our enthusiastic Prep students, and they too showed us the importance of being kind. While our youngest members of the School shared some reminders about the reasons to be kind, I definitely left the VPAC with a smile and a pervading sense of positivity stayed with me as the week unfolded.
Mid-week meant that I was delighted to dine with the boarders for Invite Night. Our Year 11 boarders did their Year 12 boarding sisters proud, as they themed the Bentley Dining Room with decorations from Matilda. My colleagues from the Leadership Team entered 'the chokey' with a sense of trepidation, and were compliant as Miss Trunchbull commanded my dining companions to proceed to our allocated dining table. An evening of entertainment unfolded, and although I didn’t 'get' all the in-jokes, it was very special to spend some time with the boarding family. A fond affection and genuine camaraderie exists between the Seniors and their younger sisters, accentuated through the period of absence experienced earlier this year.
Thursday’s highlight was spending time with the Junior School students for their Interhouse Athletics Carnival at Dunn Road, aka Somerfields. It was great to see the girls enjoying ballgames, as well as the track and field events. Not being allocated a house, I was attired in a range of colours, so that I could join in with various cheer squads. A major omission from my ensemble was the colour 'red', so an obliging Franklin supporter gave me her Franklin sign to hold up for cheering on the 400 metre event! The joy of the girls was contagious and a fun time was had by all on a perfect winter’s day with blue sky and sunshine.
Friday culminated in our second attempt to hold the Senior Years Interhouse Athletics Carnival. Bad weather had ruined our previous plans, so we were grateful to have our Year 10s and 12s out at Somerfields, partaking in their track and field events. The high jumping attracted support with serious house spirit on display and it was obvious that a good time was had by all! As 2020 unfolds, our Year 12 students are accepting of the changes affecting the expected rites of passage associated with their final year of schooling, and we are determined to make sure that some semblance of tradition is retained where possible. Their gratitude and happiness to be out in the fresh air was evident and I am glad we had the chance to hold the Interhouse Athletics Carnival, despite our Year 11s being back at school to hold the fort with assessment tasks and learning.
Finally, it was this email, written by a visitor to the School Café, that highlights my pride in the young women of Somerville House. I share it with you:
“I must say, I was at Under the Clock earlier this week and a few Somerville House students were the perfect example of what everyone should be thinking and doing during these times. One spoke of supporting her grandparents who were too nervous about going out amongst crowds. She proceeded to go with them and run in and out of shops while they sat in the car. Another had helped entertain younger siblings while Mum and Dad were both trying to work from home during school holidays. They were in front of me in line and kindly offered me to order first while they pondered their order choices. It was heart warming to hear that conversation and they were a fantastic representation of your student body.”
Parents – thank you for giving us the privilege of educating your daughters. Each girl is a wonderful young woman and we look forward to playing a part in her continued development and growth.
Enjoy this shorter week, courtesy of the RNA Show, and I hope everyone gets to spend time for relaxation and family time this coming weekend.
Community Business Directory
I would like to inform you of the Somerville House Business Directory (SHBD); a new initiative to connect our small business-owning families and suppliers with the wider community.
If you own a small business, I invite you to advertise it on the SHBD by completing this online form.
As a school community, we recognise that small business owners have been doing it tough in the time of COVID-19 and we would like to play a role in helping them manage this challenging period. For further information, please email [email protected].
I encourage you to continue to look for ways to actively support local businesses.
Financial Challenges
We are acutely aware of the hardships being experienced by many across the community, knowing that some parents will have lost significant employment or business income due to COVID-19. The School’s immediate priority is to provide as much stability as possible for the ongoing education of all students, with a commitment to providing flexible and confidential financial assistance. We want to help you with managing your school fee commitments for the remainder of 2020.
We appreciate that it may be difficult for parents to come forward with financial concerns, but we assure you that each case is handled with care and discretion. We understand that many families are already under great pressure and strain. Any family facing financial difficulty due to the impact of COVID-19, should contact the [email protected].
Staff Announcement
We thank Mrs Mary Dixon for assisting Christian Education classes for the past three weeks while Mrs Sandy Pfingst was on leave.
Mrs Kim Kiepe
Principal
