30 Days of the New Principal
Tregelles (now the Junior School) began 30 years ago this academic year. What has our new Principal, David Griffiths, done in his first 30 days?
Excluding weekends, because mental health is important, David’s 30th day as Principal of The Mount was Tuesday this week.
In that time, the school has:
- Hired new piano teacher Alison Forster to join our team of outstanding Music peripatetic teachers,
- Applauded individual sporting excellence with Gold in the North Yorkshire Indoor Athletics championships U20 Women’s Pole Vault, yachting, the North Yorkshire Schools’ Cross Country regional finals, the National Schools’ Equestrian Association Show Jumping qualifiers, Show Jumping and Arena Eventing, and the Northern Runner Cross Country League,
- Hosted a visit from Olympic rugby coach Euan Mackintosh,
- Confirmed a delegation for the the Bath International Schools Model United Nations conference,
- Had Junior School’s Coding Club commence a project to design a bespoke website for the Junior School,
- Launched The Mount Borealis Academic Society with Nigel Bidgood FRGS, including exciting expeditions to the Arctic in 2022 and 2024,
- Taken the boarders to Friargate for a Quaker Meeting and to meet with members of Committee and Barbara Windle, herself a former Principal of The Mount,
- Welcomed palaeontologist Dr Liam Herringshaw to speak with Junior School about fossils,
- Had Year 9 welcome Junior School girls into their specially curated Museum of History,
- Celebrated Junior School girls’ poetry being published in a new anthology by Young Writers,
- Announced our new Director of Studies, Tim Pattison,
- Celebrated pupils’ achievements in the performing arts,
- Been inspired by the art of Jill Townsley,
- Investigated diffraction gratings,
- Brought in new iMacs for our Music Technology facilities,
- Held a fantastic Dance Showcase featuring dancers from Junior School through to College II,
- Played Netball fixtures against All Saints, Bootham, Durham, Read School and St Peters,
- Competed in Swim Meets with Bootham, Harrogate Ladies’ College and Terrington Hall,
- Explored Fantastic Mr Fox in Year 3 English,
- Celebrated the Lunar New Year throughout the school,
- Explored the power of Music,
- Revelled in Chemistry competitions with the Royal Society of Chemistry,
- Enjoyed the Spring Term Lunchtime Recital Series on Thursdays in the Music room,
- Welcomed back Amy Granville, an old scholar, for a Medical Society Lecture,
- Attended a concert by the York Guildhall Orchestra,
- Welcomed our new House Captains in Senior School,
- Heard from five of the UK’s top scientists in GCSE Science Live!
- Convened the Junior School Eco-Committee,
- Celebrated Children’s Mental Health Week,
- And, of course, prepared for the annual School production Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, which commences tonight.
He’s been busy! We look forward to seeing what the coming months will bring.
