Lucy M. Gowdie, Head of School
6 June 2025
Today, I shine a spotlight on the school itself.
As this day marks the greatest milestone in our story since the late 1990s, we celebrate all that our school is.
As the red and white tape drape the entire circumference of the Main Building, we turn the page on this new chapter.
It is remarkable to have witnessed the agility of our entire school as we have moved in out, up, down, around, and under. Our staff and our students have shone as we have worked to prepare for this moment, as we have pushed The Pavilion to its limits, and made it possible for our Grade 12s to sit in the sanctuary of the island that we created in the DSC.
Today, as the storm clouds roll over, our Main Building sits empty for the first time since its creation. By the time our students return from their Field Trip experiences, the entire building will be scaffolded and internal works on the ground level will have commenced.
I want to take this opportunity to pay homage to Hester Dekker, our project manager.
Working in what was once a male dominated world, Hester has stoically and strategically led us to this day. She has studied our school in a way no one else has, and understands the intricacies of the buildings in a way that creates a safety we will need as we step into this phase of our building project.
I honour the work of our Maintenance team, who have spent days, nights and weekends preparing for this day. We have moved over 800 children and 200 staff over the past four weeks, and have done so with a discipline that only comes with significant, years long preparation.
I know many in our community are excited by what lies ahead, we all are. A space created for expression, for thought, for the necessity of the Arts is on our horizon – and there is no more important time in history to celebrate this than now.
Like any school that evolves over time, change is synonymous with hope, and now is the most hopeful time for us in recent memory.
Thank you for the faith you have had in the school to make this dream a reality – and thank you for helping us move forward into our future full of faith in the possibilities that lie ahead.
Lucy M. Gowdie
Head of School