Marymount London
From Margaret Giblin, Head of School, Marymount London
From my first steps in the recruitment process, the vision “That all may have life and have it to the full” resonated profoundly with me. It aligned with my educational philosophy, recognizing the intrinsic value of each individual while enabling all to develop their gifts and talents to the full. The genuine commitment of the staff, students, and wider community to realizing this vision has been so heartening to see. The school is a welcoming environment where all are challenged to be the best version of themselves.
During this year of the pandemic, we sought (as the sisters did before us) to meet the needs of our community, which at this time was to feel together yet apart. This became the theme of our school community and we connected with all our constituents in shared daily prayer, and through streaming our key celebrations such as Father Gailhac’s Feast Day.
It is a huge privilege to be Head of this school, and I (and my senior leadership team) hold a keen awareness of the responsibility that comes with this as stewards of the mission. Here in London, we are fortunate to have the guidance of current RSHM sisters on our governing body. There is a tangible commitment to send our students out into the world as compassionate global citizens, who are firm in faith, vibrant in hope, rooted in love, and one in service. What a wonderful endeavor!
Marymount Paris
From Sarah Thomas, Head of School, Marymount Paris
We have called this year at Marymount Paris our retour aux sources (back to basics). This goal led us to contemplate the guiding principles of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, and to reignite in our students the fire that inspires them to learn and seek knowledge. As 2020 made abundantly clear, never before has the world more clearly needed a generation of leaders who will act for the causes of humanity and creation and transform their world in the spirit of justice and peace.
I stepped into the role of Head of School humbled by the incredible journey of the RSHM and their vision of international education over the last 100 years. I was also inspired and strengthened by the faith and determination of our founders and the women who have stood upon their shoulders. While I have worked at Marymount Paris for over a decade, and found much joy in it, my new role of leadership revealed another dimension to me. It is a desire to continuously deepen my understanding of Pere Gailhac’s charism — both how it translated to a visionary model of educating the whole child and how it has infused the modern incarnation of our schools today through the RSHM, and now with lay school leaders.
Our newly formed senior leadership team saw this as a spiritual exercise. We were lucky to be shepherded throughout the year by the RSHM sisters in Neuilly. Sr. Marion Shanahan has shown us the power of the oral tradition of storytelling to infuse a community with a shared mission.
As summer comes, I look forward to a time for contemplation on what I have learned this year and how I can put that at the service of Marymount Paris in the years to come.
