Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 2013

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STAFF PROFILES

MRS ANNE INGRAM Dean of Students & Head of Multi-strand Science

Growing up in an extended family of teachers was bound to exert a strong influence over my choice of career. With my grandfather a primary school principal, my father a school inspector and my mother a specialist in learning disabilities, my early childhood years were spent travelling the coast of Queensland as my family moved from one school placement to the next. With each new location, I became quite proficient at adapting to new environments, new cultures and new friends.

My teaching career began in the 1980s, after graduating from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Science degree and Diploma of Education. Music, which I studied from an early age, has also always been a passion of mine, and the completion of my Associate Diploma in Music Australia (AMusA) in piano, awarded by the Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB), was personally very satisfying. My first teaching placement was at a co-educational state high school in a socially disadvantaged demographic in Ipswich. The work was challenging and many of the students even more so; however, I found the vibrancy of school life uplifting and the role that I played exceptionally rewarding. It was here that I came to the realisation of the vital importance of the role student care plays in schools. Having a sense of belonging impacts on many aspects of individual and educational outcomes, and it became clear to me that students who did not feel secure, who did not feel that they belonged, were the ones to struggle with many aspects of their school experience. Connectedness is the key. Students need to feel that they matter, that their contributions are valued and that others care about them. It is only then that they are able to flourish. In 1993, my teaching path brought me to Brisbane Girls Grammar School where I have enjoyed many rewarding years as a member of this exceptional School community. My current role as Dean of Students has afforded me the opportunity to work closely with many facets of the School — the Student Care team, the teachers, the students and their families. We continue to develop a student care structure within the School that provides essential support for the students, and also encourages the girls to thrive by seeking personal challenges and rich opportunities. I see Brisbane Girls Grammar as a community of people that feel positively connected with each other. This degree of connectedness culminates in a level of social capital in which trust and reciprocity predominate and members of the community support each other to attain shared goals. Within the Girls Grammar community, the focus on ‘we’ rather than ‘me’ is in everyone’s best interest. I attended a co-educational state high school in Sydney’s south which, regrettably, didn’t have much to be proud of. Fortunately, that helped motivate me to want to be one of the few students to go to university. I loved uni and knew that I wanted to do something in the economics/business world but, as I was unsure what that could be, I trained as an Economics, Business Studies and Geography teacher. I enjoyed teaching and was truly inspired by working in schools with history, heritage, a sense of community and generations of school pride displayed across the ‘school family’. It was a natural progression for me to be drawn into the community engagement and philanthropic aspects of helping schools turn their Boards’ visions of providing the best possible educational facilities and resources for their students into reality. Further study beckoned and, after completing a Master of Business Administration with a triple major in project management, marketing, and not-for-profit organisations, I began developing a culture of philanthropy in my then school through establishing a range of events and community engagement activities for past students, as well as parents and staff. I now enjoy presenting at conferences and sharing what I’ve learnt — so, as life has it sometimes, I’ve come full circle in some respects with enjoying teaching again! In my role as the inaugural Director of Development at Girls Grammar, I look forward to getting to know the ‘heartbeat’ of our School. We must have the courage to ask everyone who loves Girls Grammar to consider making their own personal best gift (which starts with me), because that’s what a close community does; it pulls together in the same direction to transform dreams into reality — a reality where every girl will directly benefit for many generations to come. This is a remarkably exciting time to be at Brisbane Girls Grammar, and I’m honoured to join you as we write the next chapters in our School’s history together. MS LEA WALKER Director of Development I’ve always loved learning and meeting people. So whether as a student, teacher, parent, or a director on the executive team, schools have always played a major role in my life. My appointment at Brisbane Girls Grammar provides the opportunity to work at a girls’ school, whereas previously I’ve worked in boys’ schools (Newington College and Trinity Grammar in Sydney) and two co-educational schools.

GRAMMAR GAZETTE