Letter from our Board Chair

Dear Friends and Members of the Mulgrave Community,

The past year was one of important work for our Board and community. At the AGM in October 2021, John Wray announced that he would move on from his role as our Head of School in the summer of 2023, after what will be 13 years of service. Of course, the Board was saddened by this decision, as we all respect John immensely and appreciate his depth of strategic thinking, foresight in the world of education, and valuesdriven leadership of Mulgrave.

The Board set out on a highly consultative process to identify the traits necessary in our incoming Head of School and to find the person who will continue to move us forward on our trajectory amongst world-class international schools while offering the warmth and personalised care for which Mulgrave is known. We had incredible interest in the role from around the world and had the opportunity to get to know a small, yet diverse and highlyqualified, group of school leaders. Ultimately, we chose Craig Davis, who knows Mulgrave well from his time at our school as Senior School Principal. Craig brings great international experience and impressed the Board with his thoughtful approach, alignment with our values and strategic goals, and knowledge of IB education. In tandem, the school was also advancing the first year of the 2021-24 strategic plan. The Board’s accountability for strategic direction and oversight resulted in the plan’s development over the last few years and it has been gratifying to see it introduced to our community and great headway already made. In addition, the opening of the Athletics and Performing Arts Centre and the partnership with Easter Seals to create the SOLE Centre were two pieces of work that the Board committed to in recent years. To see these efforts around campus planning and strategic goals result in places in which students can explore, learn, and play in new ways is wonderful.

As the Board reflected on how we move forward in today’s context and through the lens of our school values, we’ve also begun our own journey of learning about diversity, equity, and inclusion and especially Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation. We are acutely aware that we have the responsibility to play an active role in our school community and beyond, and this will be an area of focus for us as we work to expand our thinking and make the strategic decisions for which we are responsible.

This report is but a glimpse at what makes Mulgrave so special. What doesn’t show are the countless hours invested and unwavering dedication of the faculty and staff, leadership, families, students, volunteers, caregivers, alumni and their families, and my fellow Board members.

What we collectively accomplish every year is truly remarkable, and I thank everyone for their contributions.

Yours truly,

Gopi Chande (she/her) Chair of Mulgrave’s Board of Directors