At Queenwood, we believe that raising strong, confident, and resilient girls is not the work of one party alone but the shared responsibility of a connected community. Our Parent Seminar Series is built on that belief. These sessions are information evenings that manifest a deeper philosophy: that meaningful partnerships between parents and educators are among the most powerful protective factors in a young person’s life.
As Queenwood Director of Wellbeing and a long-time educator, I’ve seen how the landscape of childhood and adolescence has changed dramatically. Increasing rates of anxiety, self-doubt, and social pressure, especially for girls, demand a more collaborative approach to wellbeing It was this understanding, supported by my postgraduate research in student wellbeing at the University of Melbourne, that led to the creation of The Parent Code, a K–12 parent engagement initiative.
Our seminar series is designed to meet the real challenges families face today, including social media, anxiety, friendship dynamics, identity development, academic pressure, and to build stronger bridges between home and school. We don’t simply present solutions; we open up space for dialogue, insight, and mutual support. Across all year levels, these events consistently reflect a shared desire to raise our girls with compassion, wisdom, and strength.
A recent highlight was the Year 5 evening, Unpacking the World of a Tweenager, which brought together staff and families for a refreshingly honest and sometimes humorous look at pre-adolescence. Teachers explored topics like social-emotional learning, self-image, social media, and resilience. As Maggie Dent reminds us, “If a girl’s sense of identity is based on beauty, it is at the mercy of other people, not herself. There are so many other ways we can compliment our girls: her energy, her strength, her compassion, her problem-solving, her empathy, her humor, and her thinking capacity are just a few.”
What struck me most at the Year 5 evening was the generosity in the room: parents willing to listen and reflect, staff offering their deep understanding of the girls, and a collective acknowledgement that parenting in 2025 is a vastly different terrain.
What sets our seminars apart is their focus on building relationships, not just transferring knowledge. When we laugh together, exchange ideas, and empathise with one another, we build the trust needed to guide our children through uncertain waters. And when parents leave feeling not only better informed, but also more connected and supported, we know the evening has served its true purpose.
We understand that modern life is busy, and some families wonder why these events are in-person only. The answer is simple: presence matters. These evenings are designed to create a sense of shared purpose, something difficult to replicate on a screen. However, we always encourage ongoing conversations. If you miss a session, please reach out. The connection doesn’t end with the event.
With upcoming seminars for Years 3–4, 8, 10 and 12, we look forward to continuing this journey together. As Maggie Dent so powerfully writes, “Our girls are swimming in opportunity yet floundering in unprecedented levels of confusion.” The antidote, we believe, is not just information but partnership, empathy, and collective wisdom.