Message from the Head of School and the Chair, Board of Governors

Story appeared in the 2019 issue of QMS Connections Magazine.

BY WILMA JAMIESON, HEAD OF SCHOOL; MARY DELURY, CHAIR, QMS BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Intuitively we know change is happening around us all the time, even in schools. In his recent article, Why should schools change?, internationally-recognized thought leader on the transformation of K-12 education, Grant Lichtman, proposed schools change because they must; that the transformation of schools into ones of deeper learning that prepare students for success in a rapidly evolving future is inevitable.

The 2018-2019 school year was marked by many changes—new students and staff joined our community, a focus on inquiry and experiential learning brought the curriculum to life for students in a variety of ways, and we began this year of transition and preparation for a move to a student body that welcomes all genders. Embrace-the theme for this past school year, thoughtfully chosen by our Senior School Student Leaders, was the perfect descriptor to accompany the concept of change.

Researchers believe “Embracing,” the act of accepting or supporting something willingly or enthusiastically, is key to success and happiness in work and in life. Embracing change means diving into a world that acquires meaning for us through conscious awareness and active participation. Embracing change means seeing challenges and new ways of doing as opportunities for growth and evolution, becoming more than we were yesterday.

We are heartened by those highlighted in this 7th edition of Connections Magazine who have embraced our dynamic world with curiosity and an open mind, eager to explore, ask questions and design solutions. Words made famous by Benjamin Franklin over 300 years ago, “When you’re finished changing, you’re finished,” have never been truer today. Our QMS Founders, Miss Norah Denny and Miss Dorothy Geoghegan, could not have imagined things like blogs, wikis and Facebook when they created Queen Margaret’s School in 1921. Yet fortunately, they imbued members of our school community with a spirit of tenacity and adaptability, future-proofing all who have had the opportunity to be immersed in our school life for the myriad of changes that have occurred over the past century and which are yet to come.

We know that the foundations received at QMS have equipped students well as they evolve into the next generation of future leaders. As highlighted in the article by Alexandra L. Floersch, Life Ahead at 20 Something, “This is not the time to fear possibilities. It’s the time to embrace the endless opportunities in front of us.”