Director of Service, Mrs Lynne Mungomery, first commenced at the School in 1995 as a Health and Physical Education Teacher. Mrs Mungomery has since held a number of roles, including coordinating sports and acting as a Head of House, before being appointed to her current position in 2014.
When I was younger, I loved sport. I was willing to compete in everything—swimming, athletics and softball—but my passion was artistic gymnastics.
I had a wonderful gymnastics coach, who I’m still in contact with today. As part of our commitment to the club, he encouraged us to give back to the sport through coaching younger gymnasts.
I was fascinated by anatomical, physiological and biomechanical principles related to the human body—how it moves and what it is capable of doing—which, when combined with the joy I found in helping gymnasts develop their skills, is what led me to teaching.
I completed a Bachelor of Human Movement Studies, majoring in Education at The University of Queensland. After graduating, I returned to my hometown of Townsville to a position at a local primary school. However, after studying and living in Brisbane, I missed the city and decided to return.
I had always wanted to work at a school like Girls Grammar, so when a role became available I didn’t hesitate in applying. I think if I wasn’t in Townsville, I would have loved to have been a Grammar girl myself. I was very involved at school; I was on the Student Council, helped organise the formal and participated in school concerts and service activities.
The best part about my job is working with students. I also love the variety of work I am able to do in School Service, encouraging girls to connect with the charities and organisations the School supports.
The School’s Service Program is so diverse—from the Grammar Environmental Conservation Organisation (GECO) that coordinates sustainability initiatives such as the installation of the School’s bee hive, to the Study Buddies Program or Doctors Without Borders, there really is something for every student.
Girls are first introduced to service in Year 7 through the Jump Rope for Heart Program. In Year 8 and 9 they continue to learn the importance of empathy and helping others by sponsoring a child, and in Year 10 girls complete 15 hours of community service at an organisation of their choice. There are also a number of School Service Groups that girls can join, most of which offer student-led discussions and initiatives.
We encourage girls to have their own input as it enables them to develop their communication and leadership skills. It’s important their experience is transformative, rather than transactional.
Girls Grammar has a long history of philanthropy, and service develops a sense of pride, belonging and a shared purpose among girls across the School. Open Day captures much of what the service program is about—a celebration of the spirit of Girls Grammar, but also an opportunity to meaningfully engage with the broader School community and give back.
The girls fundraise for their chosen charities through their House stalls and it’s an important exercise in leadership for our Year 11 students who manage these displays. The girls spend weeks preparing for the day—discussing their charity at House Assemblies, why the cause is important and how they can provide support.
The other lovely thing about Open Day is the number of past students that return to the School. It’s a wonderful opportunity to reconnect and hear about what the girls have done since leaving Girls Grammar. It is these connections, and the relationships I have developed with other staff members, that I love most about the School. I have taught many of my friends’ children. To see their daughters mature over the six years is very special. There’s a profound sense of community here at the School, one which I feel very privileged to be a part of and work within every day.
