We celebrated Spirit Week at Ruyton 17-21 May 2021 with the theme Heart and Soul. In a world where we have a new appreciation for and understanding of gratitude, Spirit Week provided us the time to tell stories and share perspectives on how we see and hear the heart and soul of our school. We heard thoughtful reflections from Junior School staff and students at Assembly and shared observations of small acts of kindness and their big impact; thoughts on the happy sounds of South House and the collaboration and creativity that happens within and around that space. Year 3 girls noted that their teachers’ belief in them has empowered the students to also believe in themselves and Year 1 girls reminded us that it is okay to make mistakes because we learn from them. Students articulated that personal best is the best we can be and our endeavour and attitude are what really counts, others celebrated the importance of the Fig Tree, always watching over us. Staff and students referred to Ruyton as their second home, their family, their safe place, the school they love. These are our stories.
At Ruyton we know that girls achieve their personal best when they are respected, nurtured, challenged and empowered; that is our culture. Our approach to learning and teaching is focused on girls’ learning needs and preferences and we provide a broad range of curricular and co-curricular activities, encouraging girls to be adventurous and challenge themselves. The size of our school enables us to know each girl as an individual and to support her academic and personal growth and her skill development. This enables our girls to believe in themselves; to be adventurous, take risks and rise to the challenge. It creates a strong sense of self-worth and belonging and a culture where girls actively support each other to achieve their personal best.
Ruyton girls have a reputation for maintaining a high level of engagement in co-curricular activities. These include drama plays and musicals; music ensembles, orchestras and choirs; public speaking and debating; and a wide range of sports. We see our girls develop so many valuable life skills through this involvement – collaboration, teamwork, problem solving, time management and leadership skills. Whether it be on the sporting field, on the stage or in a support role behind the scenes, we see our girls discover their passions and a depth of grit, their ability to dig deep and find what it takes to meet new challenges head on. This is exactly what we saw on show during Spirit Week at our Contemporary Music Concert, the student lunchtime concert and as our girls ran at the GSV Cross Country preliminaries. It is our girls at their best, finding their strength and inspiration as they strive together.
At Ruyton our girls know we believe in them and champion them to be their best, both individually and collectively. When faced with challenges, they know they have the support of our staff, students, parents and wider community. They have the ability to step up and believe in themselves and each other. This is the spirit of Ruyton, this is our heart and soul.
Linda Douglas
Principal
Ruyton Girls' School
May 2021