​This week we had the final farewell to the class of 2020 – a cohort who have demonstrated incredible resilience throughout their very unusual Year 12 year. At their valedictory service on Wednesday, the girls carried a candle, lit from the altar candle, symbolically out into the world.

This week we have revelled in the return of the Years 8, 9 and 10 girls to face to face learning and enjoyed the energy that their return on-site has brought. It is joyous to see the girls reconnecting with one another, enjoying their classes and making the most of their lunchtime and recess breaks to catch up with friends.

​As a passionate educator, I am always interested in new research that can shed light on young people and the various challenges that they may encounter. Our work as Lowther Hall educators is informed by research about learning and teaching which has been curated and written about by John Hattie, Robert Marzano and Loris Malaguzzi, helping us to craft classroom experiences for the girls that will be meaningful and that will assist them to synthesise, remember and apply the concepts and knowledge that they encounter.

You may have noticed we were featured in the Sunday Herald Sun over the weekend! The article referenced the work we and other schools are doing to provide students the same valuable experiences in creative COVID-safe ways. In addition to our ‘reimagined’ Prep & Year 12 Gift Exchange, new initiatives include Auslan and body percussion in our Choral program, dry-land training for our rowers and virtual music and snowsports camps.

As we prepare for the Lowther Hall Literary Festival which begins on Monday, I have spent some time this week reflecting on significant books. Much of the reading that I do these days is non-fiction, and of late, I have been once again dipping into an all-time favourite, Martin Seligman’s the Optimistic Child. If you haven’t read it, I wholeheartedly recommend it!

Our treasured ‘Prep & Year 12 Gift Exchange’ ceremony was held yesterday, virtually! Each Prep girl pre-recorded a video message of thanks to each Year 12 girl, as well as making her a paper flower. In return, our Preps received special envelopes of sunflower seeds as well as handwritten cards from each Year 12. This annual ritual symbolises the growth of all girls during their time at Lowther Hall.

​It has been delightful to have our Kindergarten girls back on-site this week and it was also lovely to see the VCE students who were at school to sit the General Achievement Test on Wednesday. Of course now we are excitedly anticipating the return of the girls in Prep to Year 7 as well as the Year 11 and 12 students on Monday. We feel so sorry for the Years 8, 9 and 10 students who must patiently endure another two weeks of remote learning before they will join us in person!

What a blessing it is to be moving into Spring, with its warmer weather and promise of new life and growth. This week I had the opportunity to speak with the Senior School girls about having optimism and hope for the future, a quality that we try to foster in every Lowther Hall girl!

Earlier this week I shared with the Senior School girls, a new COVID obsession that I have developed, which is watching the Peregrine Falcons that are nesting on the building at 367 Collins St in the CBD. If you haven’t seen the livestream, it can be viewed at https://www.367collinsfalcons.com.au/