WELCOME FROM THE PRINCIPAL

CONTENT

WELCOME FROM THE PRINCIPAL 02

Drawing on the stoic philosophy that underpinned the leadership of Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, Dr Briony Scott talks about leading Wenona through a global pandemic, and the courage, strength, grace and wisdom of the Wenona community in adapting to profound change.

WELCOME FROM THE DEPUTY PRINCIPAL (STAFF AND STRATEGY) 04

As Mark Staker observes, there have been some silver linings as a result of the global pandemic, with the pivot to remote learning leading to growth, knowledge and collaboration.

FELLOWSHIPS 12

Head of Drama, Ms Tiffany Crittle, travelled to New York, Paris and Amsterdam to immerse herself in physical theatre, while Junior School Teacher, Mr Nick Amato headed to North America to learn more about the IB’s PYP programme.

SEEDING GRANTS 28

Ms Vanessa Furlong Alexanderson immersed herself in the French language and culture of New Caledonia, while English Teacher, Ms Sara Verge, headed to Northern Vietnam to teach English.

FEATURES 40

From prestigious Science awards, to exploring eSafety, to promoting international mindedness, our staff share how their professional development has contributed to the School community this year.

ENGAGE & GROW 56

From studying for a Masters of Educational Leadership to a Bachelor of Education (Secondary Education - Visual Arts), our staff are embracing further learning opportunities across the School.

NEW STAFF 2018/19

Meet the newest members of the Wenona team, including our new Head of Junior School, Ms Justine Lind.

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WELCOME

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

DR BRIONY SCOTT

PRINCIPAL

YOU HAVE POWER OVER YOUR MIND - NOT OUTSIDE “ EVENTS. REALISE THIS, AND YOU WILL FIND STRENGTH.”

MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS

Between AD166 to AD180, a terrible plague swept across the known world. Known as the Antonine Plague, it plunged lives into crisis, killing a third of the population, and shrouding the social, political and economic order in a fog of uncertainty. During this time of fear and loss, Marcus Aurelius - Roman Emperor and the last Stoic philosopher of antiquity - wrote Meditations. He intended the book to be a series of notes to himself, a personal reminder if you will to remain calm in the face of adversity, to prize rational thought, to act on credible information, and in his words, to accept that: “The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make of it.”

Meditations remained unpublished in Marcus Aurelius’s lifetime; it was discovered alongside his mortal remains. But Marcus’s abiding wisdom about human behaviour has proved to be an insightful tool for leadership. And never more so than now, a time of precipitous global uncertainty. A time when our collective character, resilience and courage are being tested like never before.