Pittwater Life March 2017 Issue

Young Life
Abbotsleigh welcomes
its new headmistress
The 11th Headmistress
of Abbotsleigh, Mrs
Megan Krimmer, was
officially inducted in February
by the Archbishop of Sydney,
the Most Reverend Dr Glenn
N Davies, before a crowd that
included Mrs Krimmer’s family
and four past Abbotsleigh
Headmistresses – Kathleen
McCredie (1970-1987); Diane
Nicholls OAM (1988-1996);
Judith Wheeldon AM (1996-
2004) and Judith Poole (2005-
2016).
Speaking at the service
Mrs Krimmer honoured the
School’s long history, saying:
“Over the past 132 years
Abbotsleigh has been led by
10 extraordinary women of
faith, wisdom and vision. I am
honoured to join their rank
and deeply humbled by the
extraordinary support I have
Book Review
received from Abbotsleigh
and the wider educational and
Anglican communities.”
Mrs Krimmer began her role
as Headmistress in January
2017 as successor to former
Headmistress Mrs Judith Poole
who retired at the end of 2016
after a 12-year tenure. Mrs
Krimmer follows a long line
of remarkable female leaders
that followed after founder
and first Headmistress of the
School, Miss Marian Clarke
(from 1885-1913).
Mrs Krimmer’s
commencement sees a period
of new leadership at the
School, with Mrs Krimmer
joined by new Deputy
Headmistress, Mrs Victoria
Rennie – an Abbotsleigh Old
Girl and current parent of
students at the School.
Beginning her career as an
Mr Romanov’s Garden in the Sky
Robert Newton
Penguin Books $17.99
Robert Newton, Melbourne firefighter
and Prime Minister’s Literary
Award-winning author, paid Beachside
Bookshop a visit on the eve of
publication of his latest young adult
novel. He believes that the right
book at the right time in someone’s
life has the ability to change their
path, and we believe Mr Romanov’s
Garden in the Sky is one of those
special books.
Thirteen-year-old Lexie lives
with her frequently absent mum
in a housing commission tower. Lonely and trying to parent
her mum, plus grieve the death of her dad, she by chance
saves the life of an elderly Russian neighbour, Mr Romanov.
An unlikely friendship is struck which leads to an epic road
trip of self-discovery for all.
Newton wrote this story to give a young girl he met in the
line of duty a voice, and while some of us will never experience
the big themes the characters of this novel tackle, there
are readers who will. For the rest of us it’s about empathy
and awareness and beautiful storytelling. We are reading Mr
Romanov’s Garden in the Sky for our April parents & kids
Book Club; contact us if you’d like to join.
– Libby Armstrong
New Abbotsleigh Headmistress Megan Krimmer (far right) with her predecessors
(from left) Kathleen McCredie (1970-1987); Diane Nicholls OAM
(1988-1996); Judith Wheeldon AM (1996-2004) and Judith Poole (2005-2016).
English/History/Languages
teacher, Mrs Krimmer has
held a number of middle
management and executive
positions in the areas of
administration, curriculum
and pastoral care. Her most
recent position prior to joining
Abbotsleigh was as Principal
of Roseville College, a position
she held since 2011. Before
her appointment at Roseville
College, Mrs Krimmer was
Director of Curriculum at
Abbotsleigh, so she enters
her new role as Headmistress
with a strong understanding
of the education of girls from
Kindergarten through to Year
12, as well as an appreciation
of the School’s Early Learning
Centre and Transition programs.
Throughout her career,
Mrs Krimmer has advocated
strongly for the education
and equality of girls, believing
firmly in the importance
of leadership training and
‘student voice’ for girls. Mrs
Krimmer holds a Bachelor of
Arts, Diploma in Education
and a Masters of Education
from the University of Sydney
and is recognised as a leader
amongst her peers. She is
currently the President of
the Association of Heads of
Independent Girls’ Schools
(AHIGS) and a member of the
Executive of the Association of
Heads of Independent Schools
of Australia (AHISA).
Young Life
MARCH 2017 33