Barbreck comes to life when our girls are onsite. Their laughter, chatter, giggles and singing provide the backdrop to busy, happy girls, learning and thriving in our Junior School.

It has been wonderful to again be able to share wonderful moments together as a community, celebrating the end of a full, and challenging school year, and the growth of our girls.

On Tuesday, our Year 6 girls, along with their parents and teachers, joined together to celebrate their graduation from their Barbreck home, into the exciting and fresh opportunities of the Senior School. We know they have received a wonderful foundation on which to build from, and they will do well whichever path they take. Our Barbreck best wishes are with them always.

Yesterday, we celebrated the end of the school year with our Junior School Church Service at Toorak Uniting Church, as well as our inaugural Barbreck Community Christmas Picnic. The Picnic provided a wonderful opportunity to close out our school year and our newly refurbished Village Green provided a fitting venue for the occasion, allowing everyone in our Barbreck community to join together in friendship and celebration.

This morning, during our final Barbreck Assembly for 2021, we acknowledged and thanked our 2021 Captains for their exceptional leadership over this past year. As is the tradition within Barbreck, our outgoing Captains passed on the responsibilities of student leadership to the incoming 2022 Captains, through the handing over of their Barbreck sash, placing it around the incoming 2022 Captains.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognise and thank our Year 6 Student Leadership Team, ably led by our outstanding Junior School Co-Captains, Chloe Nash and Claudia Driver, who have distinguished themselves this year with their leadership and representation of the student voice. Congratulations to all our student leaders for their remarkable contributions to Barbreck and their fellow students. I look forward to working with our 2022 Student Leaders in the year ahead.

This week we farewell Ms Simone Schilte, Mrs Loretta Iacuone, Mrs Lola Ballis and Mrs Melissa Dods – all longstanding and much-loved teachers of Barbreck. We thank them for their outstanding contributions. Their work is part of the very fabric of our great School and many girls have benefitted from their expertise and care. We wish them every success and continued happiness as they move to new ventures. We also wish Mrs Jessica Easton well as she takes parental leave in 2022.

With the exciting growth in student numbers in Barbreck, this term, and at the commencement of the 2022 school year, we are pleased to welcome several new staff to Barbreck, whose expertise across various fields will further strengthen our Barbreck team. We welcome:

• Ms Kristen Dhono Isworo – Barbreck Performing Arts Coordinator
• Ms Auveen Twomey, Year 4 Classroom Teacher
• Mrs Louise Thompson, Year 2 Classroom Teacher
• Ms Ilse Johansen, Year 5 Classroom Teacher 
• Dr Lena Wintermantel, Provisional Educational Psychologist
• Ms Victoria Shaw, STEM Specialist
• Ms Kellie Dunstan, Junior School Administrator

Further details on our newest staff are available here. I know the Barbreck Community will join with me in warmly welcoming these highly skilled and talented women to our School. We are still finalising the final teaching placement and will advise of the successful applicant as soon as possible.

I wish the Barbreck Community health, happiness and the best for the festive season. I thank you all for your continued support and I look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Warmest regards and good cheer.