Even though we are still having some wintery days as is the norm in Melbourne, there is a change in mood at this time of year as Spring approaches.  

I have just come back to the office after spending lunchtime out in the school grounds talking to students. There was definitely a bounce in everyone’s step with the warm sunshine, trees in flower and our famous roses starting to bud. A group of Year 12 girls brought some skipping ropes and provided music. Pretty soon there were girls of all ages joining in the fun and the mood was very festive. 

This lunchtime fun belies the fact that for our Year 12 students, the end of their School journey is imminent. For many, they will have final SACs next week and then commence preparation for their exams starting at the end of October. Their happy mood today was for some students, masking their increasing level of focus on the busy academic time ahead.  

Next week marks the end of term and everyone, including our amazing teachers, are all looking forward to the two weeks break as an opportunity to recharge ahead of Term 4. For Year 12 students and Year 11 girls studying Units 3&4 subjects, the holiday period is a time to commence revision and doing some practice exams and questions. 

As I walked around the School today, I also spent some time in the Wintergarden and Frank Osborn Centre and couldn’t help but think of the major project about to commence for our School.  

The Music School construction, which will start early next year, will be extraordinary for our community. 

McIldowie Partners Architects have created an inspiring and beautiful design which will change our School forever. The architects have been working long and hard to ensure we have something very special. Steve and John McIldowie talk about the value of listening. They work with clients allowing their aspirations, values and operational needs to influence the design. Being true to their word, we had a wonderful experience with them this week.  

Steve and John consulted with several Year 11 students regarding the refurbishment of the Year 12 Common Room. The girls were challenged to develop their thinking and provide input for the space.  

Next year, these girls will be in Year 12 and have an obvious interest in the final design being something they will love and enjoy. For over two hours Steve and John worked with the girls and guided them through a process, the same as would be done in a commercial environment. The girls worked in small groups and presented their ideas and design concepts. The conversations that took place were mature and thoughtful.  

While I observed this process, I found myself thinking about where these girls will end up after School. The very adult conversations, thinking and collaboration which took place, gave me absolute confidence that their futures are bright. 

The current Year 12 girls are now in heads down mode with the finish line firmly in sight. While today offered a bit of play in the sunshine, they all know there is still work to be done to achieve a great result. Our budding Year 11 architects also know that to achieve a great design result to produce a wonderful common room, they too had to engage in some deep thinking and hard work.  

Whether it’s preparing for exams, working on a project, or developing a design, deep thinking, hard work, and resilience is usually a good combination for an excellent outcome.