1990's

"When I first started teaching here, I was amazed at how well-behaved the students were" 

-Kathleen Lonergan 1991 ("Blues" 2005)

With the technological advancements of the world, the decade of the 90’s fabricated the school’s push toward what it is now, an institution with flexible learning, women encouraged in tech, school comradery and helpful, empowering, programs. With new technological advancements and a new incentive for women in the workplace, especially in male-dominated professions, Penshurst Girls' High School excelled significantly over the years in both community and national aspects. This decade altered the curriculum and programmes offered at the school, provided fresh possibilities for students, furthered women's empowerment, and built a sense of camaraderie.

Technological Advancements

With the influx of new technology, Penshurst Girls’ High School seized the opportunity and began to create improvements to the school. With the $1.5 million the Education Department allocated to the school it was spent in two stages commencing in Term 3, 1993. The first stage involved the addition of two classrooms, a Science laboratory and Science staffroom, a three-storey building for staff rooms, interview rooms and a Year 12 study area. Most exciting of all was the new addition of the performance Space Laboratory in Term 1, 1994, allowing a practical teaching space for theory and practice in Drama. The second stage commenced in 1994 providing interior changes to the office area, modernised kitchens, a Design and Applied Science staffroom, a Careers staffroom and a PE change room, for the first time, with hot showers (Penshurst Girls Union,2005, pg 113).

In 1994 the Parents and Citizens’ Association provided funds for new terminals and colour monitors and the OASIS system was running well. With the improvement of technology, it provided a gateway to new programs and subjects as well as enhancing students' academics. In 1994 Years 7 and 8 were completing projects with the use of computers and other technological equipment ( Penshurst Girls Union, 2005,  pg 111).

New programs

Work Studies then became an official subject towards the HSC in 1994, (Penshurst Girls Union, 2005, pg 114). Having this subject allowed students the ability to study business for their High School Certificate and get into the corporate lines of work, in typically male-dominated workforce.

Peer tutoring was a program that originally had senior students support junior students who struggled with reading (Penshurst Girls Union 2005, pg 124 - 125). Encouraging the girls to read and overcome their reading difficulties pushed them to become more studious and to care more about their own education with the help of their older peers. The senior student also learnt a great deal from mentoring the younger students. This included developing their confidence and communication skills and making a change to a multitude of students’ lives and education.

Peer Support Leadership was introduced in order for Year 11 students to connect with the younger students and help the younger girls have a better understanding of higher education and getting through with how it works (Penshurst Girls Union 2005, pg 124 - 125). This helped to build the confidence of the new students as they were brought into a new environment and had a lot to learn. Having been taught by the experienced older students and being able to communicate with them as their own older peers helped them to become more independent and confident with making their own decisions and experiences.

Penshurst Girls High introduced new programs to further help the development of students and their reading skills such as DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) and RIBIT (Reading in Bed is Terrific) which proved to make a significant impact to the student’s attitudes towards reading (Penshurst Girls Union 2005, pg 124 - 125).

Community Commitments

Penshurst girls’ students were committed to helping within the community and have undoubtedly shown their selflessness and pure determination to help when others need it. In 1994 the Pole Depot was turned into a co-operative garden for unemployed people. This scheme was proposed by the Penshurst Girls’ High in partnership with St George Unemployment Services. In the same year, Cherie Garvin and Kristy Wyatt (Year 10) attended these meetings and helped set up the Hurstville Town Centre Community (Penshurst Girls GRC, Penshurst Girls Union, 2005, pg 115 - 116).

In 1994, younger girls had shown initiative when the changed train timetable wasted thirty minutes of their time. They petitioned the then Minister for Transport, Mr Bruce Baird, who met them at the station and agreed to change the timetable to suit their needs (Penshurst Girls Union 2005, pg 116).

Awards and Acolades

The students of Penshurst Girls’ High have undoubtedly shown their tremendous work ethic and talents through the sheer amount of academic accolades that they have received. In 1991 Penshurst Girls’ High School was awarded the special designation, “A Centre of Excellence in Comprehensive Education for Girls. In 1992, Penshurst entered 174 students in the Australian School Science Competition, organised by the University of NSW. Penshurst won 32 certificates which included 5 distinctions, 25 credits and 2 certificates of Achievement (Penshurst Girls Union 2005, pg 121 - 123).