It continually astonishes me how creative and responsive a community can be when we work together for the benefit of our students. This has been highlighted in so many ways throughout Term 3. This week alone in the Senior School we have hosted the inaugural Queenwood and Knox, Big Ideas Refugee Conference where Year 11 students were presented information on the current global situation regarding people experiencing both internal and out of country displacement. The students were introduced to basic laws that people seeking asylum and refugee status in Australia encounter. They were then asked to participate in group case studies and share their learning. On the same day, our Year 12 students organised a heartwarming thank-you morning tea for their teachers. Complete with speeches and letters of gratitude. This gesture not only expressed thanks and respect but also emphasised the strong bonds between our students and staff. During lunchtime this week house netball games were organised for all girls wishing to be involved, led by Year 12. We ended the week with two significant celebrations, the Senior Service for Year 11 that endorses our 2024 leadership team and our favourite event of the year, the School’s Birthday. This is an occasion where we honour the tradition of sharing our birthday posies with local residents and nursing homes and reflect on the joys and experiences from a Queenwood education. In the last week of Term 3 we will celebrate the final days of Year 12, starting with a farewell from Junior School (that always leads to tears from both staff and students) followed by the Valete Assembly and Valedictory Dinner to which parents are welcome.
At Queenwood we consider who, why and how we connect with our own and the wider community as we want our girls to engage openly and confidently, be respectful of other perspectives and grow in wisdom and knowledge because of the connections they have made. While we celebrate the significance of a girls’ school education, we also recognise the value of forging partnerships with boys and coeducational schools. This year, we've dedicated ourselves to building programs with Mosman Preparatory School, Shore, Knox and Unity Grammar across activities that include, science, sport, robotics, social justice and service.
We have also reconnected with international partnership schools in France and the UK, offering Year 10 girls the opportunity to participate in enriching international exchanges. This year for the first time, fifteen very fortunate Year 10 and 11 girls will travel to North East Arnhem Land and stay on country with an Indigenous community. Queenwood continues to hold a relationship with this homeland one that we have been privileged to be a part of for a number of years. These opportunities are truly one-of-a-kind, and every Queenwood girl faces the delightful challenge and opportunity of choosing which experiences to embrace, thereby broadening her perspective on the world and the importance of connection.
At Queenwood, our commitment to building a sense of community is unwavering, and we believe that this can only be achieved through spending time together. As a community, our collective purpose is to nurture the young minds entrusted to our care, providing them with authentic and meaningful connections. Our goal is to help them become young women who are not only curious and generous in spirit but also deeply committed to shaping the world we all share.
As we draw Term 3 to a close, the Queenwood community continues to thrive and grow, fuelled by the collective efforts of our dedicated staff, talented students, and supportive families. We are excited about the connections we've made and those still to come.