Well, what brought me to Ivanhoe Girls’ in the first place? 

I wasn’t looking to move from where I was in Geelong, but the Principal at the time, Dr Schnagl AM and her recruitment team clearly had other ideas in mind. They invited me in for a casual chat on a Sunday afternoon to their offices in Collins Street and I vividly recall them telling me that they would just be in their jeans and, as I was going to be in Melbourne, in my jeans, coincidentally on that Sunday, I thought sure why not so in I went. 

Before I knew it there was a meeting set up with Heather for a ‘chat’ at the School some days later. When I found the School on the proposed afternoon, confused and trying to negotiate my way from Noel Street to the Administration Building, I was approached by two Years 7 or 8 students who were sitting chatting in the late afternoon on the lawns. They asked if I was lost and promptly guided me to the Principal’s Office. I was immediately impressed by the perceptiveness and thoughtfulness of these students.

Whilst I was sitting waiting for my meeting, I picked up a Lux Mea and recognised the name of an Ivanhoe Girls’ student who had won a prize in a film competition. Coincidentally, I had just finished a unit on film making at my previous school and I had shown that same girl’s film as an exemplar – so you can imagine my surprise to read that she was a student at the School. 

I was impressed again and this time with the innovative learning taking place here! I had my ‘chat’ with the Heather and by the end of our conversation it was dark. I said that I was getting a taxi to a school function in another part of the city. Heather insisted on calling the taxi for me and waiting for it to arrive. Whilst a little embarrassed, I was impressed again with this demonstration of care in the School from the top this time.

Invited to return as a guest for Celebration Night, I will admit, I was not initially overexcited by the prospect of a long commute in from Geelong in the middle of a busy school week. Well, was I pleased that I had made the effort!

I was totally unprepared for the quality of the performances I witnessed. To say I was stunned was an understatement. I could not believe that students of such a young age could sing, play, articulate with such confidence in front of an audience of 500 plus people. The quality of the singing from both the choir and the massed singing of whole Junior School together was something I had not witnessed before in any of the schools I have been lucky enough to be a part of, both here in Australia and overseas.

It did not stop there – out came the instrumental groups who played with incredible passion and of such a high standard I felt I could have been in the Concert Hall! Moreover, I was amazed by the way the students conducted themselves throughout the evening and how both the students and staff all seemed to be having fun! 

The Year 6 students were presented with a book that evening and I happily noted the Year 6 students delving through the pages of the book together in delight at the end of the evening. A culture and love of reading at the School was evident – another tick!

The School’s philosophy fits nicely with my own. Living with an academic with a PhD in leadership where many mealtime conversations over the years were around leadership, I know that research tells us to be strong, ethical, deliberate leaders; people who need to model selfless behaviour; reflect on the way we use our position; be accountable and empathetic. 

I have endeavoured to model this behaviour from those initial visits, in all my contacts with the Junior School community and especially my students.

It has been a great honour to be chosen to lead the Junior School and it has been an incredibly tough decision to leave it behind.

Ms Mary Bourke
Head of Junior School