Welcome back! I hope you all had a rejuvenating and joyful holiday.
Unlock the World
It was a joy to see our school community come together once again today to celebrate International Day with this year’s inspiring theme, Unlock the World. International Day is part of the rich culture and history of IGS, an annual event reignited after the interruption of the pandemic.
It has been a special day. Our students have celebrated and explored the world and what it means to be part of the global community. With diverse activities, from immersive cultural experiences, international food stalls up on the roof, and multicultural dance workshops, the School has been a sea of colour, with many students in national costume as they toured various Country Rooms across the campus, enjoying the displays and activities on offer.
The idea that languages can unlock the world is entwined in our School’s DNA and in our rich history. Our students shone at the School Assemblies held over the course of the day. And we welcomed a special guest speaker, Dr Robyn Moloney. Dr Moloney taught Languages at IGS from 2002 to 2008 and was our Director of Languages. Of her many achievements, Robyn created International Day as we know it today. She did so driven by her belief that this day each year would be a joyful expression of the IGS commitment to the vision of our founder Professor Reg St Leon to unlock the world through an education enriched by the study of languages.
I cannot thank enough all of the staff, parents and students who came together to make today such a unique and memorable experience – with special thanks to our Director of Languages, Luisa Navanteri, and all of our languages teachers. Thank you all so much.
See more photos from International Day here.
The Addams Family Musical
Each year, Term 3 brings us so much to look forward to. This year, we are transforming the Seymour Centre into an IGS theatre for our Musical – The Addams Family. The cast and crew are putting the show on in this incredible professional performing arts space in our very own creative neighbourhood. The IGS Musical happens each year, and it’s like magic.
We hope to see you all at the show in early August. Tickets can be purchased directly from the Seymour Centre here.
Farewell Year 12
This term is also happy and sad because we’ll farewell our Year 12s. In a beautiful IGS tradition, Kindergarten will spend a day with Year 12 at the Zoo as will the year groups that missed out in this memorable experience due to COVID. Kindy will sing a song to Year 12s at our graduation assembly and Year 1 will play a special role there too. And at the end of the term, I look forward to giving each Kindergarten student their very own IGS teddy bear and picture book at our Teddy Bear’s Picnic in the Bibliothéque.
The Renaissance Centre
In other good news, we will open our new Renaissance Centre this term. This centre houses our School’s first academic lecture theatre that will seat a whole year group, seminar and meeting rooms, along with the Manuela Bachmann Dance Studio and dressing room, supporting our introduction of Dance for the HSC and the expansion of our offerings in the Performing Arts.
Built across the road from our main campus, in the Fusion Building, it is a signature site expanding IGS on the corner of Mountain and Smail Streets.
When you step into the space, you’ll be surrounded by enormous images of great artworks by Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Botticelli. Students will also see drawings of the skyline of Florence, the beautiful Italian city which, over 400 years ago, was the centre of the Italian Renaissance. This was a special time in history when amazing things happened in art, science, mathematics, and learning. I hope our students feel inspired to love learning even more than ever when they walk into the Renaissance centre. We’re so looking forward to welcoming our students to this beautiful space later in the term.
The Retreat Kangaroo Valley
We’ve also invited our ELC, Kindergarten, and Year 1 IGS Families to experience and explore The Retreat, nestled in the breathtaking Kangaroo Valley. This will be a very special day of outdoor recreation, immersed in nature, where families can explore the beautiful property together with their children and friends.
All 600 high school students have now visited The Retreat, and it’s time for our Primary School students to venture forth together. Embracing the natural world, our rural campus will expand our students’ sense of connectedness, peace, and belonging. The Retreat will be a place where memories are made for this and the next generations of IGS students during their formative years. Day trips for the Primary School begin next week.
My wish for our students this term is that they experience deeper learning each day and that smiles and simple acts of kindness continue to soften and warm what it means to come to this place, our school every day.
Have a wonderful term.
Ms Shauna Colnan
Principal