From the head’s desk: 4 June 2021

Deanne King

Your adolescent daughters will identify with me when I state that I have battled against avoidance about writing this article. The deadline for submissions is usually lunch time on a Monday but by, close of school on Wednesday, Boniswa Matiwane was still waiting for me.

There are so many topics that I could address and there is an endless necessity for ongoing communication. Much in past weeks has been negative in nature. You would have received numerous letters this week about managing Covid-19 and concerns about general behaviour; it is likely that more will follow next week. Covid fatigue is ubiquitous and the stresses on our community are evident. One such stress is that our children are socialising on social media, and this is a challenging experience at best.

However, as this week comes to a close, I realised through my communication with several individuals - pupils, parents, and staff – that today was better than yesterday (as Sarah Warner wrote last week). Parents have been contacting the school leadership team directly with queries and concerns; senior girls have been grappling with the true meaning of accountability; pupils are engaging their teachers in meaningful discussions – our St Mary’s community is communicating and doing so constructively.

A community such as ours is complex and complicated but “what I know for sure” as Oprah would say, is that we have a treasure in our school and we share a common purpose in wanting our school community, and especially our girls, to THRIVE.

DEANNE KING
HEAD OF SCHOOL

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