Issue 57 – October 2016 – QUEEN MARGARET CALLING

From the Board

Paul Foley

Consistent with the Board’s wish to reinforce the

College’s position as Wellington’s leading independent

girls’ school, I was delighted to announce at the end

of August two exciting projects.

First, the development of a 40-room boarding hostel

to be called “Queen Margaret House” located onsite

in the area of our car park by Katherine Avenue.

This is an opportunity for us to provide high quality

accommodation for our international students and

also New Zealand students living outside Wellington.

Whilst our roll is at record numbers, the Board

is always seeking ways to ensure the continued

success of the College. In this context, Queen

Margaret House will provide further resilience to our

operations as it will contribute another important

dimension to the quality independent education

QMC offers.

The hostel project is expected to be largely self-

funding in terms of any interest and operating costs.

Once completed, the hostel is expected to assist our

roll numbers and allow girls from all around the

world to experience our educational offering.

The 18-months of building activity will see some

disruption to the College but will deliver an early

benefit, with the second project, the redevelopment

of the Junior School playground and courtyard,

programmed for completion in early 2017. The

much loved Neptune playground, provided by the

Parents’ Association in 2009, is being refurbished,

a modular playground structure built and a long

slide and stepping stone equipment installed. We’ve

taken advice from experts in choosing the new

equipment and it will be supplied by New Zealand’s

leading supplier of playground facilities. With the

addition of new decks, paving, outdoor furniture and

planting, the area will be transformed into an inviting

recreational space.

Last term, the Board farewelled Sharon Ensor and

Carol Weston. I would like to thank them both for

their contribution to the Board. Carol Weston has

graciously accepted a request to continue to help

our project team on the hostel development so we

will see her around the site over the coming months.

We have welcomed Old Girl Jane Ball and parent

Rachel Taulelei to the board as well as Andi Shirtcliffe

who returns as a Parent Representative after a brief

absence due to work commitments. Lynne Dovey

has joined Anna Davis as the Presbytery’s nominee

on the board. Together they all bring a wide range of

experience.

The Board will be

holding a strategy

review day later this

month. It will be

an opportunity for

us to recalibrate the

themes and goals

that are contained

in Momentum Plus

as we position the

College for its second

century of creating

Passionate Learners, Resilient Women and Future

Leaders. We will also be looking at ways to use our

Centenary in 2019 to celebrate the achievements

and contributions that QMC Old Girls have made to

Wellington and the world in our first 100 years.

NEW PROJECTS: An artist’s impression of the new

boarding hostel, Queen Margaret House, and the Junior

Playground.