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Home  From the Headmistress
From the Headmistress 
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Deanne King's Address at her Installation |
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Thursday, 15 January 2009 |
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Bishop, clergy, Chairman and members of the Board, Heads, staff, guests and girls.
I recall sitting in the Close under the stars on a glorious African night late last year. We were here to celebrate the achievements of you, the girls of St Mary’s School at the Senior School Prizegiving. Helen Zille spoke to us about having a purpose. We are gathered here today in the Close to confirm my commitment, and yours, to the School. My Installation, has led me to contemplate purpose or having a purpose. A far more rewarding endeavour may I say, than questioning: “Who am I, or why do I matter?”
As a young woman, my purpose was not at first evident to me and I certainly did not think that it lay in teaching. Perhaps, I believed, it was in being a wife, a mother; but girls, as Father Bailey will tell you, “God’s plan is not always our plan.” I cannot say exactly when my purpose became evident, but I do know that it happened in a classroom. It was in a classroom that I realised what mattered to me, I realised what I wanted to do with my life. My purpose is teaching, it is education, in other words it is you, girls.
I believe that it is the sense of possibility that resonates through a school, which captivated me then, and continues to do so even now.
A classroom filled with active, inquiring and creative minds holds endless possibility. A school that accepts the paradox of honouring the past yet embracing the future also speaks of possibility. And so, what begins in a classroom permeates a school and moves into a community, and then the world...
This sense of possibility, which is so tangible at St Mary’s, confirms my purpose. I am committed to education and I believe it to be a right, and a privilege, and a true gift to our young people depending on the context.
How happy then am I to have such a vocation, whereby all my actions contribute to a broader and better world. It is a hope of mine that some of you girls will choose to teach and in so doing, contribute to a sustained future for our country. At the same time, seeing to the meaning of your existence; finding your purpose.
Finally, I am profoundly aware of the responsibility that I assume as Head of St Mary’s and I thank the Board for this immense opportunity. I will serve St Mary’s with head and heart and with God’s help...
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 24 January 2009 )
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Deanne King's first communication to the School community |
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Monday, 12 January 2009 |
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To the St Mary’s community
It is a privilege to become a member of your community and to take the helm of a school that exists as a beacon, not only for schools in this country but also for international schools.
I am profoundly aware of the rich history and heritage of St Mary’s, and its resonance in the school’s daily life. The Anglican ethos that anchors the School and drives its values is responsible for the wellbeing of our institution. These cornerstones together with a dedicated and professional staff ensure that the girls of St Mary’s have the space and opportunity to develop their talents.
St Mary’s is a remarkable school: it has a proud tradition in the sports arena; it offers varied opportunities in cultural endeavours; academic excellence endures and has been further enhanced by the Matric results of 2008 which were outstanding; our campus is first class and our girls’ achievements are impressive, both team and individual.
This excellent character of the School is the outcome achieved through the efforts of the entire community. It is a reminder to us that we are accountable for its future. The School must continue in a manner that upholds the traditions that have gone before, and we must work for a sustainable investment in the future of St Mary’s through its staff and pupils. That future requires us to be a dynamic institution.
The world needs leaders who live according to values; it needs educated young women who seek to make a difference and who care about the issues that threaten our world. Our young women must be equipped to lead and initiate change, and to live for the common good. I am mindful that we should be both a South African school and a school with international relevance. It is imperative that we keep abreast of international educational developments and trends, while using our own context to formulate policy.
I begin my journey with the St Mary’s community, confident in the knowledge that our School has the heritage, the resources and the courage to make a significant educational impact through the girls of St Mary’s.
Yours sincerely
Deanne King
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 22 January 2009 )
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Senior School Tel: (011) 531-1800
Fax: 086 504-1122
Email: smsenior@stmary.co.za |
Corner Athol & Burn Streets,
Waverley, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Postal address: PO Box 981, Highlands North 2037 |
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