I love rituals and I also see the benefits of them in the lives of our young people. Participating in rituals can assist in reducing anxiety, fostering social connection, and providing a sense of structure and meaning. Term 2 began with our Whole School Assembly – a ritual which brings the whole school together to unite as a community from Kindergarten to Year 12. We have songs that we sing together at these events each term to remind us of our connection to each other and our connection to Lowther Hall. A sense of belonging is further underscored as we welcome new staff and students through the presentation of a Lowther Hall bear, which is a tangible representation of membership within our school. This particular start of term ritual helps to remind us of our values, our traditions, our identity and our shared goals and plays an important role in setting the tone for the weeks to follow. This term, I took the opportunity to share a story with the girls about my recent sand tobogganing experience in Kangaroo Island and some lessons that I had re-visited about taking a considered risk and the role of self-talk in stressful learning situations! 

At the end of the week, across the School we have participated in another important ritual, the ANZAC Day service. With the Senior School girls this year, we shared photos of service men and women specifically connected to members of our own school community. I felt extremely proud to have my Great Uncle George, who served in World War I honoured as part of this presentation. With recent statistics revealing that our young people feel quite disconnected from ANZAC Day and those who lost their lives in service of our country, I value the opportunity to share this important ritual with the girls in order to help them appreciate the sacrifice of others and to be inspired to continue to work for peace across our globe.  We are, unashamedly, a school where rituals play an important part. I believe that this is a factor in our girls reliably reporting at the end of their school journey that they feel that they have developed a strong set of values and a deep sense of belonging. Hopefully these qualities will continue to stand them in good stead in the adult world. It has been a delight to share these significant rituals with the girls this week and I look forward to many more in the coming months! 

Ms Elisabeth Rhodes
Principal