Girton teachers to appear at international conference

TWO Girton Grammar School Junior School teachers, Vanessa Juergens and Prue Milner, are preparing to jet off to the United States in October to present at the 2025 RULER Implementation Conference.

RULER, which stands for Recognising, Understanding, Labelling, Expressing and Regulating emotions, is an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence New Haven, Connecticut, where the conference will take place.

Girton has been implementing the RULER approach for more than 12 years, making it one of the longest-standing RULER schools in Australia.

Ms Juergens and Ms Milner will present a session titled Regulate to Elevate: Building Emotionally Resilient Students In and Outside of the Classroom.

The session will explore how emotional regulation strategies are embedded in the culture of Girton’s Junior School, supporting students’ wellbeing, academic success and personal growth.

It will include a video case study featuring student and parent voices, offering insight into how emotional regulation is actively practised and supported in everyday school life in and out of the classroom.

“We’re honoured to represent Girton and Australia on this global stage, and to share the work that we do at Girton,” Ms Juergens said.

“Regulation is the foundation of all learning, and our approach ensures students feel safe, seen and supported, both inside and outside of the classroom.”

A recent statement provided by Girton said the opportunity reflects further recognition of its work in emotional intelligence and wellbeing following its selection as a 2025 RULER Spotlight School in late 2024.