A Monthly News Update From the St. Margaret's Campus

Vol. 3, No. 6 Tappahannock, Virginia, January 2001

CAPTAIN'S CORNER

Dear St. Margaret's friends and families,
Margaret R. Broad

By the time you read this issue of River Views, I will be settled back in my riverfront office on a cold winter's day, but I've now had one last month of summer "down under" that I'm delighted to be able to share with you. These final weeks have provided a synthesis of my time away: one more visit to a sister school, another week on my own in Australia, a reunion in New Zealand with my husband, David, after the longest we've ever been apart, a magnificent five-day trek along the Milford Track, Christmas with our newfound New Zealand relatives, and one final week on a sailboat in the Bay of Islands.

Visiting St. Margaret's School, Berwick, outside Melbourne, provided a first taste of how coming home might feel. This beautiful small school, in a small town outside Melbourne, with a mixture of historic and modern buildings, felt so much like our St. Margaret's! Here I was greeted by all eight of our former and future exchange students, teachers who had visited us or met us in London last year, and my very good friend Virginia Henry, retiring this year as Headmistress. Here again, I had an opportunity to speak during their chapel service, to look out on the congregation of girls, listen to the choir, and marvel at the reverberations of St. Margaret's message down the years and across so many boundaries. No wonder this has been such a successful exchange!

And what am I bringing home? An annotated photo album of this journey; a video of the Thanksgiving chapel service at St. Margaret's College Christchurch; a personal journal covering my travels, reading, writing, and discoveries; chapters for a St. Margaret's book; a new sense of the scope of our mission; and deep appreciation for all those who made this experience possible. I end as I began, with thanks to our Board of Governors, especially our Chair, Sarah Belle Parrott, to my assistant Hazel Laughton, and to my enormously talented administrative cabinet - Kim McDowell, Monecia Naggs, Cathy Sgroi, Nancy Smith, and especially Acting Head and Chaplain Ann Riggs. Their wisdom and skill guided our community through these three months. I am grateful to be able to return to share this life with them again.

Yours sincerely,

Margaret R. Broad, Headmistress

    COMPASS POINTS

    The Right Choice - Girls' Schools: The Right Choice
    Studies, graduates show that girls' schools make a difference.

    College Bound - Seniors Celebrate Early College Acceptances
    Seniors receive early college acceptances, thanks to SMS support.

    Enriching Experiences - Exchanges Enrich the SMS Experience
    Australia, New Zealand exchanges benefit all students.

    Parent-to-parent - Beating the "Blahs"
    You can help your daughter beat the winter "blahs," here's how.


    THE CURRENT

    The Parents' Council wants to meet your needs for information and support. Here are their thoughts about the council's role; share yours by e-mailing parents@sms.org.

    Martha Heric, Chair (Kelly '02): "My goal is for the council to move forward within the greater framework of the school's mission statement, monitoring each step to ascertain that the direction that we are moving meets the expectations and needs of the parents, as well as maximizes the potential of the school."

    Thomas Clark (Jennifer '05): I am willing to do anything possible to allow the school to continue to provide a rich learning experience. I feel that constructive communications between the school, students, and parents are critical to this environment."

    Julie Gilbert (Phoebe '05): "If we all put our heads together and shared ideas, complaints, information, and worries, I believe we could build a stronger network for the girls and take some of the pressure off the staff."

    Tricia Houstoun (Martha Anne '04): "We hope that the council will facilitate more communication within the parent group - especially for those of us who are separated from our daughters by a significant distance."

    Philip and Amy Ridderhof (Robyn '04): "We feel that the council, in conjunction with the administration, can provide all parents with an additional network of support."

    Other council members include Tom Burdette, Gary Cutler, BJ DeBauche, Michele Faulkner, Kate Muller, Kathy Parker, Linda Sydnor, Richard LeBlanc, Roger Moore, and Susan Stephenson.



    THE FORECAST

    Important Dates:

     February
  • 8 - Long weekend begins after 2 p.m.
  • 11 - Boarders return by 7 p.m.
  • 23 - Second trimester ends
  • 26 - Minimester begins
    • March
  • 2-4 - Minimester ends
  • 9 - Spring break begins after 2 p.m.
  • 25 - Boarders return by 7 p.m.

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