Reflection and Celebration

As I prepare for a gradual exit from my role as Principal, I find myself absorbed by stories of fearless women from Branksome and beyond

BY KAREN L. JURJEVICH

In early December, I spoke in our Monday Assembly on the theme of reflection and celebration. As one who has always been intrigued by stories of women across cultures, industries and professions, a recent article in the Life & Arts section of the Financial Times (FT) featuring “The Women of 2022” caught my eye and made me think about celebrating the complexities of leadership and the women who fearlessly step up and make a difference.

So I took the opportunity to tell the Grades 7–12 students about Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, recently appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States and the first Black woman to ascend to America’s highest court in its more than 230-year history. I also described Sanna Marin, the youngest prime minister of Finland, who, aged 37, has absorbed the challenges of leading a country while dealing with the type of media outrage that tends to be reserved only for female leaders. And, lastly, it was an honour to tell the students about Mia Mottley, the prime minister of Barbados, whom the FT identified as “the designer of democracy” and who recently led Barbados to become a republic. Mottley firmly established herself as a formidable leader of her generation when she spoke at the

UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) on the failure of industrialized states to meaningfully invest to halt climate change.

As I absorbed the inspirational stories of the 24 “Women of 2022” featured in the FT, representing politics, law, human rights, sports, arts and literature, I reflected on my experience at Branksome Hall, where we are creating our own version of heroes, creators and leaders, featured here in this special issue of The READ.

The words below, which I shared with our students in Assembly, ring equally true for you, our alums:

“At Branksome, we think big and bold. We encourage voice and agency and do so in a manner that reflects informed, educated and thoughtful discourse. As I contemplate the many student celebrations from this past term, I am in awe of the wide range of skills, extraordinary talents and exceptional abilities that each of you possesses in your own individual way. I know of no group of students who is more capable to influence and to lead.”

As we think about leadership journeys, my own is in transition. I am both excited and nostalgic as I prepare to transition out of my role in June 2024 after 25 years serving as Branksome’s seventh Principal. It seems extraordinary to consider that Branksome’s next Principal will be only the eighth to serve in this role since the school’s founding, now in its 120th year.

While a year and a half may seem like a long transition, it is merely a moment in time when one considers the impact of leadership change on a venerable institution such as Branksome Hall. Like the six wise, bold and dedicated women who shaped and guided Branksome before me, I am committed to leaving the school in a position of strength and readiness for the next Principal.

There is a lot to do in the coming period. We will begin to execute our refreshed strategy, which has been approved by the Board of Governors. Its focus on IB excellence, innovation, social-emotional learning, and diversity, equity and inclusion will propel us to deliver what is most essential to unlock our students’ potential. Campus renewal will continue, with construction of our new Innovation Centre and Studio Theatre (iCAST) underway. The opening, scheduled for spring 2025, will set the stage for the next phase of Branksome’s impact in innovation on the world stage.

I am proud to lead Branksome Hall, a school that has always been future-focused and distinguished by the extraordinary people who have learned and led here. It is with a deep commitment to serve and see Branksome continue to thrive, as we look to the future together, that I thank each of you for your support, your friendship and your fierce love for this great school. R