1990 Annual Report

are producing comprehensive documents that can be easily edited or extended. By using Word Perfect as a desk-top publisher, classes have produced their own magazines and brochures, and other creative and functional language responses. The School hopes to make more use of the modem to communicate with other schools throughout Australia and the rest of the world. Through organisations such as Computer Pals, project-based communication will result in meaningful exchanges between students from different cultures in mutually beneficial ways. As well, we will be involved in data collection for scientific data bases which will give a better understanding of what is happening in the world. Girls leaving Grammar will now have the skills to undertake research using these facilities and will be able to seek out information both for recreational and continuing life-long educational purposes. This year there has been a continuing emphasis upon addressing Award Restructuring, under which all Awards will be eventually rewritten. Recently, new salary classifications for teachers have been determined, but negotiations continue to determine effective a\Yard coverage for teachers in promotional positions, as well as appropriate strategies for staff appraisal and professional development, all of which will help improve the quality and status of the teaching profession. During the year I was actively involved with negotiations on behalf of the Grammar Schools and gained a much greater appreciation of the complexities of the entire process. I believe that unless we continue to address the matters raised in Award Restructuring, the status and career appeal of the teaching profession will continue to decline. It is imperative that we do develop better career paths for our teachers, otherwise we will face an even more serious situation in the foreseeable future in attracting the right people into this worthwhile profession. The negative ramifications for the education of our children and the future well-being of ,our society as a whole, if we fail to do this, are obvious. In conjunction with Award Restructuring, I have determined to rationalise our administrative structures, with the result that from the beginning of 1991, the House system will be strengthened and the Housemistresses/Masters will assume many of the responsibilities which were previously the province of the Level Supervisors. These positions were advertised amongst the staff and it was pleasing to see that there were twelve applications, all of a high calibre, for the seven positions. It was therefore no easy task to determine who would hold these senior administrative positions in 1991 and I congratulate Miss Derrington, Miss Forster, Mrs Kimber, Mrs Kings, Ms O'Neill, Miss O'Sullivan and Mr Walsh on being selected. The position of Level Supervisor will be superseded by these positions. Since 1979, the School has not had the position of Deputy Principal in its administrative structure. With increasing enrolments and ever-greater responsibilities being devolved to schools by Governments, the Board of Trustees have supported my decision again to appoint a Deputy Principal. A large number of excellent applications were received and a final decision was made to appoint Miss Felicity Williams, presently Head of the History Department, to the position. Miss Williams is an Old Girl of the School and was, prior to returning to Girls' Grammar at the