From the Principal
Semester 1, 2023
Ms Jacinda Euler Welsh
Principal
As we reflect on the first semester of 2023, there has been a new energy and happiness amongst the girls as they embraced once again the full range of curricular and co-curricular activities. There has been such pride amongst the teachers seeing the efforts and progress of their students and, I hope, great satisfaction amongst our parents.
The year began with our annual Interhouse Swimming Carnival, and shortly after, our Interhouse Cross Country, where the determined spirit that Grammar girls embody was enthusiastically evident. Foundation Day was a most appropriate occasion to hear from alumna, Josephine Auer (2015), who was awarded the 2023 Rhodes Scholarship—the fourth Grammar Woman to receive this prestigious award. Josephine will use the scholarship to study a Master of Philosophy in Economics at the University of Oxford. And our musicians, once again, delighted audiences at the International Women’s Day Concert and Cathedral Concert. Our parent community gathered for opportunities to connect through events such as the Mothers Group Autumn Lunch and Father and Daughter Dinner.
One the last day of Term 2, 45 students and staff flew to the US for Space Camp, a decades-long tradition of our School. There has been much research about the direct link between adolescent travel and positive educational outcomes—quite apart from the inherently wonderful experiences and friendships that unfold. This is a very special trip where they will study celestial navigation, aeronautics, and engineering.
Of course, we are again proud of our 2022 Year 7 and 9 NAPLAN results and ATAR scores which are an affirming outcome of our approach to education at Girls Grammar, where the focus is not merely on results, but rather on developing in girls a genuine love of learning and deep interest in their subjects.
I hope you enjoy reading about the activities of the year so far and look forward to welcoming future students and their families to Brisbane Girls Grammar School at our long-awaited 2023 Open Day on 28 July.