Hello again,
Here’s what is featuring this month in my newsie:
- A new opinion piece on educational choice
- Annabel’s story told 17 years later
- Goondiwindi & The Future Room
- Moree Popup and Tamworth Expos
- And a few of the things we’re loving right now…. Motherland’s Village program for rural Mums of teenagers; my interview with Mamamia that ignited a small town’s ‘rage’; an update on my wedding garden era.
This month I’ve found myself reflecting on a question that seems simple on the surface but is surprisingly complex once you start unpacking it:
Are rural families truly free to choose?
Recently, following a national media interview about educational opportunity in regional, rural and remote Australia, I watched a familiar conversation unfold. A conversation that many of us have experienced personally. One where choosing a particular educational pathway can sometimes be interpreted as a judgement on another. Where discussions about opportunity become discussions about loyalty. Where parents can feel as though they need to justify decisions made with nothing but love and hope for their children.
The article below is not about boarding schools versus local public schools. It is not a criticism of rural educators, many of whom perform extraordinary work every day. It is about something much bigger than that. It is about educational equity. It is about recognising that not every family starts with the same range of options. And it is about asking whether rural parents should feel guilty for exploring the opportunities that best fit their child.
For some families, the local school is exactly the right choice. For others, it may be a regional school, distance education, boarding school or relocation. The point is not which pathway a family chooses. The point is whether they feel genuinely supported to make that choice.
I’d love to know your thoughts after you’ve read it.
Away from the article, this month’s edition is full of the conversations that sit at the heart of what we do.
One of the most special pieces of content I’ve shared this year is a two-part episode of Letters from Home featuring my daughter, Annabel. Like many of your children, Annabel left home as a young teenager and headed to boarding school. Now, as a 29-year-old occupational therapist, she reflects on those years. Together, we unpack the realities of homesickness, friendship, resilience, identity and the things parents worry about most. As both a mother and interviewer, I learnt things I didn’t know, and I think many current and future boarding parents will too.
We’re also preparing for an exciting few months on the road.
In July we’ll launch The Future Room in Goondiwindi, bringing together 12 Queensland boarding schools for an intimate evening designed for families who are beginning to explore what secondary education could look like for their children. The evening will also provide our first public introduction to the Spirit of the Bush Foundation and the vision to support rural and remote families to remain living and working in the communities they love.
Registrations continue for our Moree Pop-Up Boarding Schools Expo and the Tamworth Boarding Schools Expo. With 38 schools heading to Moree and 41 schools joining us in Tamworth, families will have an opportunity to speak directly with principals, heads of boarding and admissions staff from these boarding schools. I say it alot, and I’ll say it again, there is no substitute for a face-to-face conversation when you’re making decisions that could shape the course of your child’s future.
And finally, in our “Things We’re Loving” section this month, we’re shining a light on something very close to our hearts. Motherland’s Village Program for rural mums with teenagers is now welcoming new participants. Like The Boarding School Collective, Motherland understands the value of connection, lived experience and having a community of people who simply get it. If you’re navigating the teenage years in rural or remote Australia, it’s well worth exploring.
As always, thank you for allowing us to be part of your family’s journey. Whether you’re just beginning to explore your options or you’re years into the boarding school experience, we’re grateful to toddle along with you.
I’D LIKE TO START A CONVERSATION ABOUT CHOICE
When educational choice becomes a question of loyalty, everyone loses.
Following a recent national media interview about educational opportunity in regional, rural and remote Australia, I found myself reflecting on a question that continues to surface in communities across the country: are rural families truly free to choose?
This month’s opinion piece explores educational equity, community loyalty, and why parents should never feel compelled to justify a decision made in the best interests of their child.
IF YOU’RE SENDING A CHILD TO BOARDING SCHOOL LISTEN TO THESE FIRST… TO MY CHILDREN
She struggled to find her feet… then got so good at putting one in front of the other, she flew.
What happens when you stop asking a boarding parent about the journey and ask the child instead? In this special two-part Letters from Homeseries, I sit down with my daughter, Annabel, to reflect on her years at boarding school through the eyes of the adult she has become. Honest, thoughtful and unexpectedly emotional, these conversations offer invaluable insight for every current and future boarding family.
NOT READY FOR AN EXPO? START HERE
The Future Room: An evening for families just discovering boarding
Every family’s journey begins with a conversation.
The Future Room is an intimate evening designed to help rural families explore educational pathways, discover what modern boarding schools really look like and ask the questions they’ve always wanted answered.
Join us in Goondiwindi as 12 Queensland boarding schools come together alongside the launch of a vision that could change the future for rural families – the Spirit of the Bush Foundation.
*Numbers are limited registrations essential.
SPEED DATING FOR YOUR CHILD’S FUTURE
38 Schools. 41 Schools. One conversation that could change everything.
If you’ve ever wondered how you’ll choose the right boarding school, this is where to start.
Think of our Expos as speed dating for your child’s future. Come with your questions, a little strategy and an open mind.
Meet 38 boarding schools in Moree and 41 in Tamworth, compare your options side by side and discover the schools that genuinely feel like the right fit for your family.
*Numbers are limited registrations essential.
Here are the things we’re loving right now…
WHO’S LOOKING AFTER MUM?
Because raising teenagers in the bush was never meant to be done alone.
As our children grow, so do the questions, the worries and the need for people who truly understand our world.
Motherland’s Village Program connects rural mums with a small group of women navigating the same season of motherhood.
If you’re raising teenagers on the land, or anywhere in rural Australia, this six-week online program could become the village you didn’t know you needed -but will wonder how you ever lived without.
A NATIONAL CONVERSATION
When one interview sparked a bigger discussion about rural education.
Last month I had the opportunity to speak with Mamamia about educational equity for regional, rural and remote families.
The conversation reached thousands of Australians and, perhaps more importantly, sparked important discussion about opportunity, access and parental choice.
It also inspired this month’s opinion piece, reminding me that while the challenges may differ, every rural family deserves the right to explore the best pathway for their child.
THE BEAUTY OF WINTERING
When my wedding garden looks more like an award winning crop of weeds than a country wedding venue….
If I’m honest, the wedding garden is testing my patience this winter. Instead of the romantic country setting I imagine, it currently resembles an award-winning crop of weeds.
My instinct is to panic, tidy and force it back to life. Then I came across the idea of wintering – the reminder that not everything is meant to bloom all year round. Sometimes the quiet seasons are where the real preparation happens, long before anyone sees the flowers.
Meanwhile AI’ing images of my garden for Inspo’ …oh dear
Have you finished your boarding school journey ? Do you know a family that is unsure how to begin their research into boarding schools? Share our news…. tell your friends and family who might be on their way. Our website provides 22 years of resources and experience to families and students considering their options and beginning their days at boarding school.
