This month we celebrate 10 years of extraordinary leadership at IGS. Your vision, dedication and personal connection with our school community have shaped IGS into the vibrant innovative place it is today. As we also mark our 40th anniversary, there’s no better moment to thank you for everything you’ve brought to the school and the countless lives you’ve touched.
Over the past decade Ms Colnan, you have redefined what learning looks like at IGS. Your passion for experiential learning, exemplified by your design and implementation of the award-winning SAGE Program, has opened up life-changing opportunities for students to step outside the classroom and into the world. Whether it’s the Shakespeare Bootcamp, The Rocks Quest, Opera on Kelly Street or Tasmania – Writing the Island, you’ve created programs that inspire curiosity, creativity and a deep love of learning for all IGS students.
Your focus on the performing arts has ushered in the golden era of the IGS musical, highlighting the remarkable talents of our students and staff.
With your award-winning credentials and continued dedication to Shakespearean scholarship and performance, you have cultivated a deep appreciation for classical theatre and elevated the standards of excellence across our school.
Beyond the classroom, you’ve introduced so many diverse ways for students to engage with the world around them—most recently at the School’s idyllic new rural campus The Retreat Kangaroo Valley.
And of course, your introduction of the Experts in Residence program has brought leading professionals and public intellectuals into our classrooms, sparking inspiration across our campus.
Despite the many demands of your role as Principal, you continue to teach Year 12 Extension English 2, sharing your passion for literature and critical thinking with our students at the highest level. Your presence in the classroom goes beyond leadership; it is a testament to your dedication to the craft of teaching.
Your expertise in strategic planning and your drive to make sustainability a core aspiration of the school has empowered students to take action and make a real difference.
Additionally, your introduction of over 20 new courses, including Aboriginal Studies, Critical Thinking, Commerce, Dance, Textiles, Legal Studies, Business Studies and Philosophy, has enriched student choices and made our curriculum more diverse.
You’ve strengthened student wellbeing with the introduction of Heads of Year, Heads of Stage, the school nurse and Head of Academic Care and you have engaged with students across the school with energy, warmth and kindness.
You have forged enriching professional learning opportunities for staff locally, nationally and internationally.
The portfolio leadership structure that you designed for our Year 12 students has seen student voice and agency become powerful and inspiring forces for good in our school. Your introduction of effort grades has embedded the idea that if you work hard you do well. New awards such as the annual Global Scholar’s Prize and Alum of the Year further highlight the talents of our students and the accomplishments of our community. The Year 12 Graduation Dinner, now in its 10th year is one of the Year 12 rituals that you introduced that sees us celebrate our much-loved Year 12s and their families in their final week of school.
You ensured that our Founding Principal Reg St Leon was awarded with an OAM for his profound contribution to education as you continued to keep his memory alive here at IGS and tell his story.
There are too many innovations and new initiatives to list here – including the reimagination, redesign and expansion of our campus which is transforming teaching and learning opportunities at IGS – each contributing to the enriched, vibrant environment we enjoy today.
During the challenges of the COVID pandemic, your wise and steady leadership was vital in keeping our community safe, supported and connected. Your care, creativity and foresight helped us navigate those uncertain times and now, as we continue to build back together, your vision guides us into a stronger, more resilient future.
Thank you for your hard work and dedication, your bold and expansive vision and for always leading with heart. We are so fortunate to have you at the helm, guiding IGS into a future filled with endless possibilities.
Happy Anniversary Ms Colnan!
