“As the story grows and our history continues,
We’ll have played our part, been the best that we can be.
And when the time comes, we’ll remember.
The journey that brought us all together,
We are one, I stand with you and you with me.”

— Michelle Mah, Brighter than Ever Before, 2023

A warm welcome to Term 4! This is a big, busy, and enjoyable term and I look forward to the many events of celebration, and the culmination of the efforts of our Grammarians in 2024. From our first assembly to House celebrations; to the 2025 SEC Inauguration, our Celebration of Sport evening, launching our exceptional Sports and Activewear Range, opening of the Annual Art Exhibition, to beginning to farewell the Class of 2024; our message has been one of encouraging our Grammarians to step forward into the future with self-confidence and poise.

The Navy Blue Party was a tremendous success. Thank you to all who supported this event with their attendance or donated auction items. The Parents Association and the Navy Blue Committee are to be congratulated for their tireless energy and enthusiasm. The optimism and sense of community spirit this event brings to MGGS is always gratefully appreciated.

At our first assembly for Term 4, I spoke to our Years 5 to 12 Grammarians about the importance of words and belonging. A sense of belonging for all of us anchors us into our context. We belong to our immediate family, wider family, friendship groups, classes, year level, co-curricular groups, school, city, state, and country, and when our Grammarians graduate, they belong to our Old Grammarians alumnae network. When we belong, we find the courage to be ourselves and to pursue our passions and dreams. A sense of belonging is essential for growth and security, as is communicating genuinely and thoughtfully. We help each other belong through our language and care. The words we use matter and are often remembered for a lifetime. We must choose them carefully, and with kindness and clarity.

As an advocate and leader in girls’ education, I receive research data through the ICGS. I encourage you to read the brief article here that outlines the findings of recent work by the LEGO Group. This article reminds us of the importance of the language we use, especially around girls and young women, and how words matter. How often do we praise our children or encourage their creative efforts? The benefits of creative play are immense, and how we engage with children can have a significant impact on them – not least on young girls aspiring to be creative or seeking to pursue careers in these fields. The LEGO study highlights that girls as young as five feel intense pressure to be perfect. But when girls feel free to play, their creativity soars. So, what can we do to support girls’ creativity? Researchers talk about ‘creative confidence’, the ‘power of play’ and ‘everyday language’. LEGO breaks this down to show how we can support girls’ creative confidence and challenge the pressure of perfection that is impacting girls. And it’s as simple as changing the words we use. 

Another way you can put this into practice is to come to the Art Exhibition when all our Grammarian’s creative pursuits will be on show in the Artemis Team Zone from the opening on Wednesday. Providing your daughter the capacity to show you their work and witness your amazement as you hear about the creative process she undertook is one way to reinforce the value of creative problem-solving. You can encourage her to apply this to other areas of study too where innovative thinking and ideas are also applicable. You will see works from budding architects, designers, filmmakers and visual artists as they explore mediums that give voice to what they see in the world around them and the creative ideas that are stimulated. While Lego references our biases towards building with blocks, we know that the beginning of creativity start in our ELC with our Grammarians building with wooden blocks and other materials as they realise their ideas for the physical world – a world shared equally between girls and boys.

Currently, our Year 12 students are focused and paying attention to being the best they can be for their VCE and beyond. This is a time of varied sentiments for our senior students as they prepare for their final VCE examinations and begin to leave the School. The 2024 Year 12s have been a fantastic cohort; extraordinary Grammarian representatives in every way and fine role models to our younger students. I thank them personally for their fine contribution to their school. I have observed them over the last term putting in the hard work required to reach their personal best, and I know that their teachers and families have wrapped much support around them. They are a united cohort, and they have lived the values of the School. Their Year 12 motto has been ’24K Magic’ and they have championed inclusion and diversity with lots of magic and fun in their delivery. They have been out the front leading in Swimming, Athletics, STEM, The Arts, Drama, Debating, Social Service and Academia. They have actively participated, engaged our younger Grammarians and have been fine role models. Over the coming weeks, they will be studying hard with the support of their teachers so that they are well prepared for the upcoming exams. I wish to thank the outgoing School Captain, Emily Walters and Vice Captains Amelia Banks and Sophie Johnson, the 2024 Student Executive Council, and the entire cohort for their outstanding service to the School and the legacy they will leave. We wish them well as they head into the VCE examination period, and I know that they are well prepared not only for the exams, but for life. 

In closing, I encourage all our dads and father figures to attend the upcoming lunch at the MCG with guest speaker, 22nd Chairman of the VRC, Mr Neil Wilson. It is sure to be a wonderful event!

Yours in learning

Dr Toni E Meath
Principal