The Principal, Term 3 Week 8 2026
Celebrating Our Navy Blue Spirit
One of the great privileges of being Principal is seeing our students discover what they are capable of and, often, achieve things they may not have thought possible. This week provides a wonderful example of the breadth of talent, commitment and opportunity at Pulteney, with outstanding achievements across Tournament of Minds, Chess, Dance, Musical Theatre and Drama.
Our Tournament of Minds teams have achieved an exceptional result, with all three teams receiving significant recognition. Our Primary Social Sciences team and Secondary STEM team both won their divisions, while our Secondary Social Sciences team received an Honours Award. As division winners, our Primary Social Sciences and Secondary STEM teams will now represent South Australia at the Tournament of Minds International Final in Darwin later this year.
These are remarkable achievements in a competition that demands creativity, complex problem-solving, collaboration and perseverance. I was particularly pleased to see the way our students supported and encouraged one another throughout the competition. A wonderful demonstration of the teamwork and collective spirit we value so highly at Pulteney.
My sincere thanks to Ms Roff, Ms Lee, Ms Baker, Ms Mavropoulos and Ms Guilfoyle for their guidance, expertise and encouragement.
Our Pulteney Blue Chess team has also enjoyed a terrific result, claiming victory in its division final this week.
Chess demands critical thinking, strategy, resilience and persistence, and the team’s success is a wonderful demonstration of these qualities. Congratulations to all members of the team, and our thanks to Ms Mozer for her support, care and coaching that meant their preparation and development.
It has also been a wonderful week for the Arts at Pulteney.
I recently had the pleasure of attending our Dance Showcase evening and was delighted by the talent, energy and enjoyment on display. It was particularly wonderful to see the progression of our students, from our youngest performers beaming with pride through to our senior students demonstrating remarkable confidence and polish. A particular highlight for me was the MJ tap dance number – simply brilliant!
My thanks to Ms Dobre and our talented dance instructors for the time, expertise and passion they bring to our students.
And there is plenty more to look forward to this week, with our Year 5/6 Musical, “Dare to Dream JR”, playing to sell-out audiences on Wednesday and Thursday, followed by our Year 12 Drama Production, “Girl Asleep” on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at the Holden Street Theatre.
My sincere thanks to Ms McGill and Ms Hibbert, respectively, for their hard work, expertise, guidance and encouragement. Their commitment enables our students to develop the confidence to step outside their comfort zones and accomplish things they may once have thought were beyond their reach.
Whether on a stage, a chess board or in a demanding problem-solving challenge, these experiences are about much more than winning or performing. They are about having a go, working with others, persevering when things are difficult and discovering what you are capable of.
These are the qualities that define our Navy Blue ethos.
I congratulate all of our students on their achievements and thank the many staff who continue to challenge, encourage and believe in them. It is through these opportunities and experiences that our students grow not only in capability, but also in confidence, character and courage.
There is much to celebrate at Pulteney, and our students continue to give us every reason to be proud.
Greg Atterton
Principal