Roseville College celebrated its 109-year milestone on International Women’s Day.
In March, Roseville College marked International Women’s Day by celebrating the school’s 109th birthday with students from Kindergarten to Year 12, at the school.
“This week, 109 years ago, Miss Isobel Davies gathered with seven students in a small cottage known as Hinemoa, on the site now known as Roseville College,” says principal, Ms Deb Magill.
Ms Magill has a significantly larger audience in today’s all school birthday assembly, where more than 900 teachers and students from Kindergarten to Year 12 gathered to celebrate the school’s 109-year milestone. With the birthday celebrations falling on International Women’s Day*, Ms Magill says the timing is a sober reminder that, while there is so much to celebrate, there is still work to be done in defending and advancing the opportunities and preparedness of women for the future.
“Roseville College is a dynamic learning environment for girls where we also guide them as they develop a healthy perspective about how to approach the world beyond school,” adds Ms Magill, who says many members of the college community, especially Old Girls (alumni), are dedicated to protecting the environment, working with charities and the less able, trailblazing in traditionally male-dominated fields, and pursuing positive change for women.
The 2017 theme for International Women’s Day is #BeBoldForChange, so the college themed its celebrations accordingly. Ms Magill believes that environments, like Roseville College, continue to be important and relevant today in championing education for all women, promoting opportunities for women, and challenging bias. “Our 109th birthday celebrations focus on the characteristics of change makers, which are available to every girl at Roseville College as she pursues her destiny. That includes 10 world-changing values: kindness, generosity, authenticity, caring, honesty, respectfulness, wisdom, innovation, love and compassion,” explains Ms Magill.
“Today, we celebrate Roseville College’s heritage and our identity as women with dignity and joy. In the words of St Catherine of Siena, ‘Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire’.”
As the college prepared for the formal Commissioning Service of Ms Magill as its 10th principal on 21 March, there is great cause to honour Miss Davies’ foresight, courage and diligence, as well as to honour the subsequent eight strong women leaders who have held the role of headmistress or principal in the years in between.