Principal’s Thoughts

2020 SPEECH DAY ADDRESS

PRINCIPAL’S THOUGHTS

Each school year takes us on a distinctive journey. Significant moments are forever imprinted in our memories. None of us could have imagined the usual routines and rhythms of life would be upended quite so comprehensively in 2020. At this time we come together, girls, families and staff to celebrate and reflect on our achievements. This year is no different, albeit that we join so many of you remotely. And we yearn for the time when we can reopen our gates without the need for social distancing protocols. Living through the pandemic has re-shaped everything we do. Around the world, nations, cities, villages, families and individuals strive for a future normal. No one has been untouched by this pandemic. For our students, the experience will be formative, in the same way living through any global crisis defines a generation. As we reflect, it is not COVID-19, however, that takes centre stage. Rather, a more compelling narrative is emerging - the story of how we responded to the protective measures and how we go forward from here. In Australia, and particularly in Adelaide, we navigated the challenge with positivity, with the best science we could assemble and a willingness to trust our leaders. We were called to be flexible. To put the safety and wellbeing of others before our own desires and we responded with cooperation and trust. While at times there have been a few irregularities, overwhelmingly our shared stories have been of kindness, social responsibility, and a generosity to those at risk.

We saw long queues at testing stations as our fellow citizens took responsibility for their health and acted on behalf of others. Trips away and anticipated celebrations were deferred, reimagined online or relinquished with resignation but without malice.

People across the community had a shared sense of purpose to readjust. We were in this together. There is an elemental shift in the way we live. We have a fundamental need to belong - to one another, to friends, family, culture, and community. Our earliest ancestors, as hunters and gatherers, recognised the undeniable advantage of communal life over solitary existence. It was social, safe, more bountiful and more fun.

Research supports what we instinctively know - our sense of belonging is positively correlated to self-efficacy, self-esteem, and our ability to thrive. Belonging gives us power to act. To build a society where we look for the best in each other - to participate, contribute and bear responsibility for the common good. It is not surprising, therefore, that for young people, their personal connection to school is the single most important determinant of academic success and wellbeing. And it is the relationship between student and teacher that is the strongest contributing factor to the belief, ‘I belong’. A spirit of belonging permeated Wilderness this year more than ever. We felt it viscerally when we sent our girls home to learn remotely. We saw it manifest on their happy faces when they returned. Each member of our school made an indelible contribution, uniting to stay true to our promise, to provide a meaningful education for the young women in our care. For as Miss Mamie observed in her 1951 Speech Day address, in the long run it is the girls who make the School.

Our teachers adapted and responded with optimism, purpose, and determination to do what was needed to continue the learning of our girls, wherever they were. Usual House activities and celebrations were transformed. Sport days refashioned. Performances streamed.

We changed, innovated and focused in on what really mattered. Things looked different but were no less meaningful and rewarding. Our professional support staff gave willingly and tirelessly, working long hours to ensure that we were ready, and we could respond. Our exceptional leadership team always held the wellbeing of our girls and our staff at the centre of their decision making, working with dedication and resolve. Our Governing Council trusted us to do our best and walked alongside us every step of the way. I am enormously grateful for the gracious willingness of our parents, grandparents and old scholars to understand, to adjust and to compromise the moments they most look forward to. In particular, I wish to acknowledge our international families

who have been separated from their daughters physically but connected in heart and mind. We thank you for your confidence and belief in our school.

The true nature of an organisation is evident when faced with adversity. And this has been such a year. The challenge as we go forward is how we continue to grow our empathy and connection, our solidarity and togetherness. We have strengthened our community. We have been resilient and compassionate and in doing so, have opened a window for a better, hopeful future. We have known what it means to truly belong. We have known what it means to focus on a simpler less cluttered school year - to identify what for us is fundamental in our girls’ experience as they grow towards adulthood. As we move toward the end of our year, we do so in the sure knowledge that those lessons learned in unanticipated complexity have only served to enrich and intensify our relationships with one and other.

And our Year 12s - what an extraordinary year! When you started in January little did you know what you would be called upon to achieve. Your flexibility, your tenacity, and your deep commitment to each other have demonstrated the calibre of who you are now and will continue to become. You have set a remarkable legacy as role models for the girls who follow you. Collectively you have been adaptable, receptive, and agile. Know that you will take the lessons from this uncommon time with you into each stage of your future lives.

I have watched as you nourished your connections with each other, with your teachers and with your families. So many of you shared your appreciation of those moments at home and at school, so often taken for granted. Hold on to those noticing; they will hold you in good stead. As you leave the secure world of Wilderness and venture beyond, it is unclear exactly how it will look. But what we know is that the world will open up. There are many adventures to be had, horizons to seek and some bridges to cross. You take with you not only the experience of this year but also all that came before.

As a year level, the class of the new decade, you are so well placed to make the most of any opportunity put in your path. You have the capacity and the capability to value those things that really matter to you. You have the capacity and the capability to make decisions based on your ambition, your dreams, and your desire to have an impact on the future normal. So, step confidently and courageously into your future. Be true to yourselves and each other. And though you enter a very different world from the one you expected, it is a world that needs you. Know that your voice and your contribution are of value and can make a difference. Remember we are always learning and growing. It never stops. But you have already demonstrated you have the courage to take new risks and embrace the possible. As you go forward, hold tight to the people and places to whom you belong. Consider how you can continue to foster your own sense of identity and belonging both within your new learning environments and beyond. Choose careers that fulfil you, speak to your passions and are situated in organisations that align with your values. Poet and philosopher David Whyte reminds us that:

To feel as if you belong is one of the great triumphs of human existence — and especially to sustain a life of belonging and to invite others into that…

Remember always, that today, and for all of your life, you belong. You are now, and always will be a Wilderness woman. So, as we gather together as a community in person and virtually, I wish each and every one of you a peaceful and joyous Christmas season. I hope you have time to reflect on all that we share together and are grateful for. We look forward to a new year with optimism and hope to welcome you back to Wilderness School in person very soon. Jane Danvers Principal