2020 Annual Review

were offered each morning throughout remote learning, keeping girls moving and in touch as they navigated home learning. Creative Arts Our staff explored new and exciting ways to deliver creative experiences for our girls, including the annual student-led Arts Fest that was re-envisioned to facilitate a mix of virtual and live events, to engage students at home and on campus. While the cast of the Year 9 and 10 Drama Production, Trailer by Vanessa Bates, enjoyed performing to live audiences in October, the Drama Studio experimented with an entirely new performance medium. Understanding virtual performances were becoming the ‘new normal’, students sought to find innovative ways to enhance the audience experience and incorporate interactive elements into their project, The Chronos Chronicles . Exploring the concept of time travel, the students’ journey led them to discover lesser-known, yet incredible women of substance from diverse backgrounds whose impact was profound in the twentieth century. Designed to allow the audience to navigate their own journey through the work, threads of the storyline were revealed in multiple ways, positioning each viewer with a different perspective on their journey to understanding the whole. Service Perhaps one of the greatest positives to emerge at BGGS from the COVID-19 pandemic was Grammar girls’ deepened desire to contribute to a greater purpose through the School’s Service Program. Through a number of initiatives, such as Notes of Hope and the Rural Aid’s Gift of Music Program, Grammar girls reached out to connect with those in need as a result of drought, bushfires and the global pandemic. Through Notes of Hope, Grammar girls sent more than 500 cards to those in our community who needed support during such challenging times: farmers; residents in aged-care homes; and frontline workers. After COVID-19 disrupted Rural Aid’s Gift of Music Program, in which volunteers visit rural schools to teach music to students, Grammar girls compiled

musical performances by some of the School’s most talented musicians into a virtual concert and shared it with Rural Aid. In 2020, the Grammar Environmental and Conservation Organisation (GECO) and Grammar Goes Green (GGG) Service groups introduced an incredibly impressive array of sustainability initiatives that have already made a substantial impact within the School. LED lights, organic waste management, recycling initiatives, compacting and redirecting waste, solar panels, composting, a worm farm, and water and energy efficient systems were installed as part of the School’s commitment to sustainability. Students also gave their time and abilities, reading and tutoring—online or via phone at times—local primary school students; donating personal items as part of the Share the Dignity campaign; preparing food and coffee for local community members experiencing homelessness through the Ecumenical Coffee Brigade; and assisting Brisbane women facing hardships through the Second Chance Programme. Sport The School continued to offer 18 competitive sports in 2020, however competitive seasons were impacted. Only four of the 18 sports were able to hold a season where pennants could be awarded—and in 2020 BGGS secured six pennants. Thirteen students were selected in Queensland squads; two girls represented Australia; and five students were selected in Queensland merit teams that would have represented the state at Nationals if competitions were able to proceed. BGGS rowers claimed a historic victory in Rowing’s Head of the River’s First and Second VIII events— the first time the School has won Head of the River. A culmination of a very successful rowing season, the wins perfectly encapsulated the indomitable Girls Grammar spirit that strives to achieve mastery and personal best. My sincere thanks go to staff, parents and students for their commitment to the School’s Co-curricular Program in 2020.

Brisbane Girls Grammar School Annual Review 2020

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