In order to help you discover our community, we spoke to five staff members. They told us about their roles at MGGS, what it feels like working and being part of the community at MGGS and something about them they love to do.

Gigi Yiu (2000) – Uniform Shop Manager

When did you start at MGGS?  

I started last year, three days before school finished.  

What is your role at MGGS?  

I'm the uniform shop manager. We sell everything that is required for uniforms, including sports club uniform, which is aquatic, gymnastics and netball. The shop is definitely growing compared to when I first started. I was by myself when I started, but now we have three or four casuals working.  

Describe your first impression of the School.  

I'm an old girl and an ex-boarder here. So, it definitely brought up a lot of memories to be working on campus. It's nice to see all the familiar buildings and some changes as well. The Artemis Centre is something new; I never got to experience that fantastic building as I finished in 2000.  

How do you feel about being part of the MGGS community?  

It's very different now that I'm a staff member. When I started, I got a lot of help, especially from the finance team. Everybody was really welcoming and gave me a lot of help, which I'm very grateful for.  

What do you love most about the MGGS community?  

It's a lovely school for students and staff members; it's a great place and everyone is very supportive. I like this job because I get to meet all the new families and greet all the new students when they first try on their uniform and their mums are taking photos and they are so excited.  

What is something about you that few people in the MGGS community would know?

‍I'm a classical music lover. My son sings for the Victorian Opera in one of the children's choruses. So, my family is involved in a lot of music events. Since I started this job, we've been to all the MGGS music events, the musicals and the School concert, and we enjoy it. I play the piano. I started at a very young age but stopped once I started university. I enjoy Mozart's music a lot, he’s one of my favourite composers.  

If you had to describe MGGS's community, what would you say?

It is a great place to work, and everyone is friendly. Come and say hello to me in the shop when you are free.

Alice Tsui – Compass Chartwells Functions Manager

When did you start at MGGS?  

I started in 2019, and this is my fourth year here.  

What is your role at MGGS?  

I'm the Function Manager here with what was previously Sodexo, but now we have rolled over to Compass. Basically, I look after all the catering for the functions here at MGGS. Most of the time, I also do the lunch orders, but if it is at the same time as a function, then the kitchen staff will take over the lunch orders and I concentrate on the function.  

Describe your first impression of the School?  

The School environment is really good. The students are very polite. I get to build a relationship with our clients and the students because I also work in the T-Bar (cafeteria). I love seeing students every day and talking to them. I remember the faces and the names of a lot of the students that come in every single day.

How do you feel about being part of the MGGS community?  

I feel lucky to be included in this community. I have built a relationship with people here, and I feel like they see me as part of the School now. When we first started, people didn't know us, so we felt like we were the new contractors from Sodexo. But now, I'm happy to say that I'm from the catering team at the School.  

What do you love most about the MGGS community?  

People here are very helpful. After COVID, it was a bit of a challenge for us from time to time, staff-wise and food supply chain-wise as well. The people here are very understanding and helpful.

‍What is something about you that few people in the MGGS community would know?

‍I like building Lego. I have all the Chinese New Year collections. I like the time that I can concentrate, and then at the end, after building it, I can show it off and say, 'Look at this. I built this on the weekend'.

If you had to describe the MGGS community, what would you say?

I'll say delightful. Because, again, everyone is helpful and calm, and everyone is just lovely.

Sam Day – Artemis Operations and Services Lead

When did you start at MGGS?    

I started in April 2021. It was in and out of lockdowns, which was a bit strange. I met a lot of people on Zoom for the first time. But nothing compared to being back on campus with everybody here; it's definitely a much more impressive atmosphere. I was very happy to come on board and join the team then.  

What is your role at MGGS? And what is involved in it?  

I'm the Operations and Services Lead at Artemis. I provide administrative support to all the sporting programs open to students and community members. It involves a lot of planning and problem-solving. I'm responsible for our online platform, Fusion, where we launch all our programs. I also do a lot of work in our Artemis communication space and building customer and stakeholder relationships. My team and I are the first contact point for students, parents and community members, so giving the best customer service is important, it creates their first impression of Artemis. We really try and maintain that standard throughout their experience with us here. I also have a strong involvement in the Aquatics team, particularly the Learn to Swim program. Being internal/external, we try and act to bridge the gap for the community. I'm quite an organised person and I try and bring that to my role.  I loved my time at School and being involved in sport, so it's a real highlight for me to be able to work in both here.  

Describe your first impression of the School?    

I was really taken aback by the campus; it's beautiful. It honestly just feels like a place of opportunity. Artemis was a standout for me, being my zone. And it's really special because we have nearly all members of the MGGS community come through here, whether it's for sport, events or, even at the moment, exams; it's amazing. Artemis feels like a real hub of the School and I’m lucky to get to be a part of it. It has fantastic people and facilities, and it's in a great location with the Yarra and the [Royal] Botanic Gardens close by. I thought it was a really welcoming campus, I love how inclusive it is. Being a bit smaller as it’s an inner-city campus, you get to know everyone in the community and for its size there are so many opportunities. So, I was really excited to contribute to that overall atmosphere.  

How do you feel about being part of the MGGS community?    

I love being part of the community. It's a welcoming environment, with very talented people working here. Students have the opportunity to learn a lot, but I also think this extends to staff who collaborate. I have learned a lot from so many people here, which is amazing. Particularly within Artemis, I've seen a great culture of inclusivity, growth, and collaboration. I love the variety of sports on offer and the different approaches taken, whether that be performance, participation, or wellbeing, which I think caters for everybody. I'm very passionate about my role, and I feel very driven and encouraged to push my limits and challenge myself to contribute to the community.  

What do you love most about the MGGS community?    

The genuine connections I've made with the people here. I feel very lucky to have made real friendships and feel supported by everyone I work with. I have amazing people working with me in my small team, the broader Artemis team, and the School. I can't thank them enough for all the support they have given me. In my role, I've got a lot of touch points with parents and students across all sports, which has been an amazing way to get to know everybody. We strive for growth here, working to offer the best we can for our students. Being a part of that is something special that I take pride in as the work that goes on behind the scenes contributes to continuing to improve the community.  

What is something about you that few people in the MGGS community would know? ‍

I enjoy playing social netball. However, if you know me well, you know I'm quite competitive, even though it's social. I will never miss a game, but I'm always stuck finding fill-ins for other people. So, if you know anybody that's decent, come see me.  

If you had to describe MGGS's community, what would you say?    

It is welcoming, supportive and lively. Starting a new job is always daunting; however, I felt really comfortable here after a short time, and it's a testament to the staff, students and parents. Getting to know the families has made me feel really connected and driven. There's always so much going on here at MGGS, and I love it. It takes a lot of co-operation, dedication and flexibility to deliver such amazing opportunities – sports, arts, academic and social – and the community always strives for excellence, which is really motivating to be a part of.

Jenny Quiroga – Prep Learning Assistant

‍When did you start at MGGS?    

I started the year that COVID hit, so 2020.  

What is your role at MGGS? And what is involved in it?

I'm a learning assistant, and I've been in the Prep class for the last three years. I help the teachers within the classroom with the children. I run small learning groups for children who need to be extended or need extra support with their reading, writing and spelling.  

Describe your first impression of the School?  

I loved it when I started here because I came from a school that didn't really have a great community feel. It was nice coming here. It was a really warm and welcoming environment.  

How do you feel about being part of the MGGS community?  

Now I feel like I'm part of the furniture. But I still say to everyone; this is my first year here because of the two years of lockdown. I missed out on seeing productions, musicals, their choir concerts; I hadn't been part of any of that, so this is my first year where I've actually seen the School running as normally as it can possibly run.  

What do you love most about the MGGS community?  

We've got an amazing Parents Association that has been really supportive. They're great with their contributions to the School. The parents have been great, but our contact with them is limited because we don't have that contact anymore with parents coming in to pick up their girls and having that morning or afternoon chat with him. I'm looking forward and hoping that next year we will open up and parents will be allowed to come in so we can return to having that proper community feel like a school used to have pre-COVID. I have missed that side.  

What is something about you that few people in the MGGS community would know?

I'm a bit of a fitness junkie. I used to do marathons, and I hurt my Achilles recently, so I've had a year off. I'm hoping that next year I can run another marathon if everything goes according to plan. I love zoning out, and I don't like the first 10kms, but after that, I'm just in my own world, and I solve the problems of the world.  

If you had to describe MGGS's community, what would you say?  

They're really kind and caring. The parents I've met through Prep in the last three years have been fantastic. They've spoiled us rotten; even through lockdown, they were all putting together care packages for us and ensuring we were okay. We were stressing out more about the children, but they worried about us and our mental health and having to do everything online and videotape ourselves with lessons. So, it was nice to know that you know that they were actually thinking of us, not that we were expecting that.

Phil Hall – Gardener

When did you start at MGGS?  

Four years ago  

What is your role at MGGS?  

Landscaper and gardener. I'm still looking after a fair few gardens that were here before me but aiming to improve them all.  

Describe your first impression of the School?  

I've never worked in a large organisation like this. I've worked at other schools before but not for most of my working time. I really like having projects that I can keep working on. I did private landscaping contracts for a long time, and one of the downsides of those contracts is you finish a project you often never even see that garden again once you've finished. It’s different here; every day I see my work and continue working on it.  

How do you feel about being part of the MGGS community?  

I've never worked in a large organisation before and seen how people treat each other; everyone's lovely.  

What do you love most about the MGGS community?  

I feel like I have got a lot of friends around here. There are a lot of people I really like around here, and it's nice to see them on a regular basis.  ‍

What is something about you that few people in the MGGS community would know?

‍I produce music and am a qualified audio engineer. I did it for a while, and I was going around and mixing bands and stuff, but it's mostly to work in my own studio at home. I make dub and ambient music. I'm pretty close to finishing an album that I've been working on for about six to seven years.

If you had to describe MGGS's community, what would you say?  

Everyone is nice, and there's a healthy working culture.