I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all of our Middle School families, both those returning and those joining us for the first time.

There is nothing I love more than when the campus is filled again with the buzz of excitement over the first few weeks as the students begin to settle into the New Year. For some girls and their parents, the settling in period will have been reasonably stress-free and yet for others, it may be taking a bit longer for your daughters to feel relaxed and comfortable. Please be reassured that this is a very normal part of the change process and we are here to support you all.

By now you will have met some of the key staff in your daughter’s life at St Margaret’s and you will be becoming aware of the breakneck speed with which we seem to operate. Summer sports have been beginning and winter trials are also happening. Sign-ups for the year’s activities have been completed and many of these activities are beginning to get underway. Homework routines are being established and the girls will be getting into their academic programmes. Please remind the girls if they have any concerns or worries about classwork to talk with their teachers and tutors, as we have numerous support networks available.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the girls for their passion, enthusiasm and the sheer joy they bring. I am just back from our Year 9 Camp week where the girls enjoyed bees, tramping, mountain biking, bees, tree climbing, bushcraft and did I mention the bees?

We are now around the 4-6 week mark where girls will be settling into class routines. It is about now that the homework and rigour of the programmes heat up. We also review our class placements to ensure the girls are where they need to be, to be successful in their learning journey. We may make a few changes to classes if necessary.

A key focus of our Middle School Assemblies will be celebrating our Middle School Champions with a particular focus on the characteristics of curiosity, kindness, spirit, bravery, pride, inclusivity and respect. Please share your daughter’s successes with her tutor as “Her success is my success and our success.”

Together we achieve more and together the Middle School at St Margaret’s College will be in for another successful year.