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Mrs Judith Wheeldon (1996 - 2004) Mrs Judith Wheeldon came to Abbotsleigh as the ninth Headmistress in 1996 after being Headmistress at Queenwood School for Girls in Mosman. She had been on the staff at Abbotsleigh from 1982 to 1984 as an English and Languages teacher and as Director of Studies. During her tenure as Headmistress significant initiatives were developed, in particular Service-Learning. It was Mrs Wheeldon who encouraged the concept of Abbotsleigh as The Australian School for World Citizens. She developed the existing student exchange program into a more extensive network. She brought international community service into existence through a visit in 2001 to Crossroads International in Hong Kong. The lasting result of this is an established annual program of current students visiting Hong Kong to assist the local team of volunteers, several of whom are Abbotsleigh Old Girls. Mrs Wheeldon’s vision for Abbotsleigh also involved retrieving Abbotsleigh’s sporting supremacy. The swimming team enjoyed three consecutive IGSSA triumphs and the coveted Tildesley Shield once again came into Abbotsleigh’s hands after a gap of many years. Mrs Wheeldon always credited the improvements in varied sporting achievements with the opening of the Aquatic Centre in 1999, maintaining that the ability to train throughout the year in the excellent indoor centre increases the girls’ fitness and capacity to perform well in all sports, not simply in swimming itself. Mrs Wheeldon’s legacy to Abbotsleigh is as formidable one. She retired in December 2004, welcoming as the tenth Headmistress of Abbotsleigh Mrs Judith Poole MEd BA (Hons) MACE who had been her Deputy Headmistress since 2003. Mrs Judith Wheeldon AM, BS (Wis), MEd (Syd), FACE, MAICD, MAIM As a community we celebrate the honour bestowed on Mrs Wheeldon in the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours List. She has become a Member of the Order of Australia for her commitment to education and various committees and boards. She has been not only Headmistress of Abbotsleigh but also of Queenwood and was the founding Principal of Yeshiva Girls' High School. She is currently a member of several boards including: Member, Federal Ministerial Advisory Committee on AIDS, Sexual Health and Hepatitis - Hepatitis C Subcommittee; Director and Member of the Board of The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education; and Trustee for the Power House Museum. Her citation for the award of AM is:
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