Coming 'home'

Written by Julie Jorritsma

This year marked my return to my alma mater, the school that helped shape me into the woman that I am today; where green became part of my colour scheme for life and where I learned that to be a fearless female is admired and encouraged. I returned not as an interested alumna but as the Head of Senior School.

I graduated in 1996, after eight happy years at the School. Encouraged by my parents, particularly my mum, who was determined to give my sister and I a good education, we thrived on being inspired, challenged and given the freedom to be ourselves. My dad ran the Hot Dog stall at the Fete every year, and I was so proud of him for doing that; parent commitment is integral to making the school community come alive.

My experience at CGGS was life-forming, it provided me with the foundation of who I am today. My parents were excellent parents and gave me the solid base of manners, values and ethics, which were complemented by the education I received at CCGS (CCEGGS in those days). The opportunities afforded to students at CGGS are fantastic and they have only improved since I was a student at the School. Being a girl at an all-girls school allowed me to be myself and go through the awkward challenges of adolescence without the added pressure of being around boys. In classrooms, it allows for your voice to be heard, where girls step forward and not backwards to allow for the often dominant voices of the boys. An all-girls school allows girls to be the leaders, thrive amongst the sisterhood and to graduate as part of a special collection of women who are always united by their green hearts!

I was a netballer and it is probably how most girls of my era would remember me. I was happiest in a green pleated skirt and playing my heart out on a netball court. I played softball in summer but winter was my favourite sport season. Off the sport courts, my friends remember me in the drama productions and always in the fashion parades, including MCing the Textiles Department Fashion Parade, when I was in Year 12. You can see the fruits of my labour in the formal photo included in this article, I made the dress and the bolero (including the hand beading).

From day one, I was proud of being a Grammar Girl. I wore my bottle green bucket hat with pride, even when the boys from other schools would steal it off my head on the bus on the way home, I would retrieve it and continue wearing it. I was proud of what my uniform represented. I am still proud of what being a Girls Grammar girl represents, and even now when my ATAR is long forgotten, I am still proud to respond when people ask me where I went to school.

In the back of my mind, coming back to CGGS was always something I had wanted to do. Funnily enough, on the day the Head of Senior School role was advertised, I had friends texting me to encourage me to apply, even before I had seen the advertisement myself.

There have been times when walking through some of the corridors and spaces that have not changed since I graduated have sent me skyrocketing back to my youth, wondering where my bestie was, as I was walking towards what was once our History classroom. Every day, as I explore more and more of the campus, more memories hit me and I am trying hard not to bore colleagues with stories of what it was like ‘when I was here’. For staff alumni there is an instant connection and it takes the edge of being ‘the new kid’. This is a colleague with a shared history, someone who recognises and understands part of the story of your past. For a school, as a workplace and employer, this is truly of benefit to them. These are staff members who understand and appreciate the culture, and who have sought it out in their career.

My teaching experience both nationally and internationally has allowed me to bring a new perspective to CGGS, which combined with my own personal experiences of the School will hopefully allow me to grow the institution, the staff and the students to make the School a place where anything is possible for all of us.

The best thing about being back at CGGS is the chance to leave a legacy and to add to the amazing Canberra institution that the School is. This is a remarkable period in time for education and working with the Principal, Mrs Anna Owen, on how we will lead and grow the School is exciting.

Many teachers may be considering the idea of returning to their alma mater as an employee and are not sure when the time is right to make their triumphant return. From an employer’s perspective, having time and space between graduating as a student and returning as a staff member is important; it gives the alumna time to hone her craft in new or varied environments and, allows distance between them and the current students. For an alumna, the time is right when you feel that you have the commitment and drive to return, when you have established yourself as a teacher in your own identity and making. There is no magic number of years between graduating and returning, the decision is about your skills and attitude. It took me more than 20 years to return and feel that the time was right, and it’s slowly feeling like I’ve come home.

Thank you to the old girls who have been in touch already and offered me such exceptional support for my role, their words have meant so much to me. I hope that I can make you all proud and lead the school to even more success. And please, come and visit; I am happy to take you on a personal tour!

Julie (centre) with friends Jacinda Still and Tessa Du, 1996

Julie (left) with her sister, Karen, 1994

Julie in Year 5, 1989

Julie (right) at Formal with her sister, Karen

Julie Jorritsma is the Head of Senior School at Canberra Girls Grammar School and has worked in all girls, all boys and co-ed education. She has worked internationally in Hong Kong and in schools in Sydney and Canberra. Julie’s passion in education is in curriculum design and development, in building curriculum that is relevant, engaging and future focused. She also has strong interests in staff welfare, student welfare and is known for her practical, common sense approach to leading. Julie is one of 17 Grammarians who currently work at Canberra Girls Grammar School.