From the Principal - Edition 2 - 2021

Last Friday, 12 February, we held a special 60^th Anniversary Assembly to celebrate the Official Opening of Westminster School, which took place on Sunday 12 February 1961. We were delighted and honoured to welcome Foundation Old Scholars and Staff from the very first classes held at Westminster on Tuesday 7 February 1961. Headmaster Doug Forder’s immortal words “Let the life of the School begin” were fondly recalled and if Doug could be with us now, he would see a school very much alive, bursting with activity, and a community that took his words to heart. It was a wonderful occasion and a perfect start to the 60^th Year of Westminster School. You can view a gallery of images from the event on our 60th Celebration Events page.

It’s now mid-February and we are already running our second Westventure. The Year 12s have been on their very valuable retreat and, along with our Year 11 students, they are starting to feel an increase in the tempo and pressure of their academic studies. Summer sport is being played in earnest across the whole School. Rehearsals for the School musical ‘School of Rock’ are in full swing. Overall, we are enjoying a fantastic start to the school year.

However, as we have seen in Victoria, this can all come to a sudden halt. As the year progresses, we all have to be mindful of the fact that restrictions around COVID-19 could be brought in at any time. We will be ready to continue teaching and learning online should these circumstances eventuate but we have to be aware that School events and activities could be significantly impacted.

As a school, we are continuing to follow the recommendations and guidelines of SA Health while keeping school life as ‘normal’ as possible. Events at school are still being directed by these guidelines and we continue to ask that all members of our community help us enforce them by following them, especially around school drop off and pick-ups.

Thank you all for the support you have shown the School in the opening weeks of the year. I hope that you continue to look, with purpose, for opportunities to be engaged in the School community wherever possible. In adversity, there are still opportunities and we all have to keep making the most of them.

Simon Shepherd
Principal