eNews Archive Issue 38 1 Dec 2016

Although we are about to start a long holiday period, a lot of work will occur at the school over the holidays; in fact, St Margaret’s will be a hive of activity in December/January.

Below is a list of some of the works that will be occurring over the break. Work will begin on Monday 5 December and include:

• Landscaping of the bitumen area between Toorak, Avoca and Boarding (West and East Wing). This is an exciting and significant project that will commence in December and will conclude late in Term 1. There will be some changes to access around these areas during construction. Thank you to the P and F who have made a significant donation of $120,000 to help towards the cost of this project.
• M’s Café will be created and fitted out in the room next to the current Food Technology kitchen. It was a former science lab and is being turned into a lovely informal space to be used by staff and students and to illustrate the history of St Margaret’s. Thank you to the Old Girls’ Association for their $20,000 donation to this project.
• Transforming two secondary classrooms in Avoca - one is a Year 7 classroom and the other is the Chinese Room.
• Resowing fields at Windsor Park.
• The installation of stained glass at the entry of Mooloomburram - as a result of the Year 12 Senior Gift to the School.
  
  

You will also see some evidence of a significant amount of maintenance and/or alterations around the school including:

• Roof and gutter cleaning around the school
• Mulching and replanting annual flower beds
• Replacement of steeple on Mooloomburram (which was toppled in a recent storm)
• Upgrading boarding laundry cubby holes for boarders
• New lockers will be housed in Dalhousie
• Some minor reorganisation work in the Toorak staffroom due to changes in the Faculty structure
• New cold room being installed in the boarding kitchen
• New bain-maries in the boarding house dining room
• The temporary move of the Activities Office to the Philip Harris Sports Centre while the landscaping work continues.
  
  

Please note Gate 2 (Boarders Gate) will be closed to car and foot traffic once the works on the Toorak landscaping begins on 5 December and it will remain closed for the first few months of 2017 while the work is completed.

I look forward to welcoming you all back here at school for the start of Term 1, 2017, on Tuesday 24 January 2017. Please note that the school closes for a two week period over Christmas from 3pm, Tuesday 20 December 2016 - 8:30am Wednesday 4 January 2017.

Ros Curtis

It is thus with some sadness that I bid goodbye to this community to whom I have grown close during my relatively short time here. I will miss the smiles, upbeat conversations, empathy and, at times, the challenges that our spirited students provide. I will miss the support, laughter, passion, professionalism and warm congeniality of the staff. I will miss those supportive and understanding parents who work so well with the staff in making this the special place that it is for their daughters. Thank you to all of you for giving me the opportunity to help develop our students into ‘confident, compassionate and capable young women able to contribute to a global community’ (St Margaret’s Mission Statement).

I would also like to make special mention of the Leadership Team who, under the guidance of Ms Ros Curtis, a truly visionary leader in education, tirelessly lead the St Margaret’s staff as they create an environment where quality teaching and learning flourish.

Wishing you all a very blessed Christmas and New Year and years of contentment and fulfilment at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School.

Kim Cohen

Last week, we enjoyed the Prep Nativity Play at the P-4 Celebration. This week, the joy has continued with the Year 6 Graduation Chapel and presentation and the Pre-Prep Blessing service. We have so much to be thankful for! Our school year finished with the Whole School Christmas Service today in the Philip Harris Sports Centre.

It is fitting that we gather to celebrate the year that was and prepare for the season ahead. As we approach Christmas, may each of us be always mindful of what we have to be grateful for. May we be conscious of those in our world who have little and yet still rejoice, those who suffer and yet still smile and those who are alone and yet still reach out to others.

When we spend quality time (during Advent in particular) in prayerful contemplation of the meaning of Christmas, we find that amongst our worldly possessions and the gifts of the latest phone, gym memberships and GoPros, a small powerful truth emerges - our greatest gift comes directly from God. Through the gift of Jesus we can know true love, true sacrifice and true forgiveness.

May this Christmas bring you closer in your relationship with God, with others and with yourself. May you and yours be blessed with peace and joy.

The Reverend Nicki Colledge

Firstly, the food is remarkable at St Margaret’s. Girls are provided with a wide array of delicious meals day in, day out, not to mention our spectacular feasts for special occasions. Scott and the entire kitchen team are always willing to accommodate the girls’ busy co-curricular activities and keep our dining room incredibly clean and inviting.

Shirley and her Laundry assistants work tirelessly to get the boarders’ uniforms and casual clothes back to them in a timely manner; perfectly folded and their uniform ironed.

Our Facilities team, led by Andrew and Steve, is always on call for any ‘fixings’ required or building issues, while the dedicated team of cleaners ensure the dorms are ready for the girls when they arrive back after a tiring school day.

We would be nowhere without our amazing Garden Room Assistants, Angela and Alice, keeping us informed and organised each day. Finally, thanks to our wonderful nurses in the Health Centre, Helene, Mary-Jo, Lisa and Kellie who are very much part of Boarding life. The quality of care our nurses extend to the boarders is appreciated by everyone.

On behalf of the Boarders, thank you to our ‘extended family’, the wider team of staff for helping to make life in boarding so very agreeable.

Dimity Harris
Deputy Head of Boarding
 

As the year ends it is important to remember that every day is always a new beginning. This is an empowering thought, emphasising the renewal and possibility inherent in our human existence. We can take what is good from the year that has been and leave what has not been so positive.

I commend the girls for their hard work this year and encourage them to reflect upon their experiences honestly so they can keep the behaviours and attitudes that serve them, and those around them, well and change those that do not. We will assist them with this at the beginning of the 2017 school year, but now is the time for holidays and rest.

I hope that you find time during this break to enjoy the ordinary moments in life with those you love. I have included a poem which I heard in 1993 in a speech given by the School Captains of that year. It has remained with me since that time and I hope that it resonates with many of you in the same way.

If I Had my Life to Live Over (by Nadine Stair)

If I had my life to live over,
I'd dare to make more mistakes next time.
I'd relax, I would limber up.
I would be sillier than I have been on this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances.
I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers.
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.
I would perhaps have more actual troubles,
but I'd have fewer imaginary ones.
You see, I am one of those people who has lived sensibly and sanely,
hour after hour, day after day.
Oh, I've had my moments, and if I had to do it over again,
I'd have more of them.
In fact, I'd try to have nothing else.
Just moments, one after another,
instead of living so many years ahead of each day.
I've been one of those people who never goes anywhere without a thermometer, a hot water bottle,
a raincoat and a parachute.
If I had to do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.
If I had my life to live over,
I would start bare foot earlier in the spring
and stay that way later in the fall.
I would go to more dances.
I would ride more merry-go-rounds.
I would pick more daises.

 I wish you all a peaceful Christmas period and look forward to meeting many of you again in January.

Samantha Bolton
 

Of course, we should not forget the tremendous amount of learning which has taken place in all classrooms during the year. Throughout all of these activities our students have demonstrated great growth mindset. I am looking forward to what next year brings as we continue to grow as teachers and learners across all areas of the curriculum.

At the end of each year, however, the challenge of managing change can always be a little unsettling. Year 6 girls are preparing to move into Year 7 which is undoubtedly one of the bigger transitions that happens in school. New classes, teachers and subjects are on the horizon for all students. So as we prepare to take a well-deserved break, I would like to leave you with some thoughts and wisdom from “100 Acre Woods” by AA Milne through Winnie the Pooh and his friends.

“Pay attention to the little things.”
“It’s important to have days when you do nothing.”
“You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”
“The things that make me different are the things that make me.” “Don’t rush, take time to think, think, think.”
“It’s ok to feel gloomy now and then… but try to look at the bright side of life.”

Have a safe and happy holiday and I look forward to sharing the journey of next year with you all.

End of the Year Reporting Process
End of Semester Reports will be accessible through Parent Lounge on Friday 9 December after 3:00pm.

Each student’s report will consist of a comment from her Head of Year, as well as a page for each subject. The final page of the report is the Grade Point Average (GPA) graph which records the student’s overall level of achievement and tracks this from semester to semester.

For each subject there is a list of the course content, marks for the criteria assessed, a table showing the distribution of achievement levels within the subject, an assessment of your daughter’s attitude to her learning and, for students in Years 7, 8 and 11, a comment from the teacher. The academic results reflected in the reports are based on the assessment completed throughout Semester 2.

Nicole Devlin

As 2016 draws to a close, we can look back on another remarkable year of achievements at St Margaret’s. Each year, I hope as a school we sow the seeds that will help every girl flourish and leave a positive influence through all her interactions. It has been gratifying to see the commitment of our students to their studies, their extra-curricular activities and their compassion shown through supporting the School’s community service and fundraising efforts. Equally committed are our teaching staff in creating a supportive environment where young women can discover and explore their passions and develop a deep love of learning.

The term finished with a Primary School Assembly. This Assembly is always of special significance, not because it is the last one for the year and the girls are able to toss their panamas into the air, but it is one where I present Head of Primary certificates.

Congratulations to:
• Sophia Buys: for being a resilient student, positive thinker and a great friend.
• Lucy Damman: for encouraging Spirit in the Primary School.
• Millie Nucifora: for working exceptionally hard to improve her academic outcomes and achievements.
• Sarah Snape: for always persevering and for being a happy and helpful smiling class member at all times.

At this time of year we are reminded to show gratitude for all that we have in our lives.

Gratitude is an element of our spiritual practices, but there is emerging research highlighting gratitude as a potential bridge between students’ academic and social well-being. It has found that grateful youth have higher GPAs, experience more positive emotions and ultimately go on to live more meaningful lives. Research also suggests that practising gratitude at a young age promotes later development of self-control and self-regulation, both qualities that contribute to lifelong success.

Gratitude is defined as ‘affirming that there are good things in the world - gifts and benefits that we’ve received - and reorganizing that these sources of goodness come from outside ourselves’ (Zakrzewski, 2013). Expressing gratitude is a skill that can be taught both at home and at school. For egocentric, 6 and 7 year old children, gratitude can be fostered, but it doesn’t fully materialise until ages 10-14 when students develop the ability to empathise.
 
Teachers and parents should encourage children from an early age to verbalise why they are grateful. Adults need to model this again and again for children to think more deeply in terms of why they’re grateful for someone or something. When children express gratitude, teachers and parents should encourage them to notice intentions (the thought behind the gift that they have received), appreciate costs (someone went out of their way or made sacrifices to help them) and recognise the benefits (someone provided them with a gift or a kind act that has personal value).

Gratitude does start with the adults in a child’s life. By modelling gratitude, you encourage your child to do the same and together you will value others more and strengthen your relationships. On that note I would like to thank you for giving your child the gift of a St Margaret’s education.
Wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday and thank you for a great year.

Angela Drysdale

Music Ensembles 2017
Lists for 2017 Choral and String Ensembles have been displayed in both the Sister Helen Orchestra Room and the Primary Music Room. 2017 Band Ensemble lists will made available at the start of the new school year. Music ensemble rehearsals will begin from Week 2 in 2017. Information will be sent out to students during the first week of school to advertise ensembles times, venues and other relevant information. We look forward to having many girls involved in the Music Program next year.

Racecourse Road Community Christmas
Congratulations to Encorah on their performance at the Racecourse Road Community Christmas held in the grounds of St Augustine’s last Friday evening. The event was a wonderful success with many in attendance. Many parts of the local community were represented and I know that it was a real thrill for our girls to be able to perform at the event. Thank you to all in Encorah who participated and thank you to Ms Brennan for putting together such a wonderful program of music.

Private Music Lessons 2017
If your daughter is currently undertaking private music tuition she will automatically be placed on her current teacher’s roll for 2017. Parents do not need to fill in a new application form. However, if your daughter does not wish to continue lessons in 2017 we ask that you email the Music Department as soon as possible at Music@stmargarets.qld.edu.au to enable rolls to be updated. (If your daughter has not previously undertaken private music lessons and is wishing to do so in 2017, please find attached an application form to be returned to the Music Department).
 
Process for Commencing Private Music Lessons in 2017
On Friday 27 January (Friday of Week 1, Term 1), a meeting will be held in the Sister Helen Orchestra Room for music students in Years 5 - 12 who will be undertaking private music lessons. At this meeting your daughter will be able to meet her teacher and arrange an initial lesson time. Private music lessons will start from Week 2. If your daughter is in Prep - Year 4, you will be contacted directly by the teacher during the first week of Term 1 to arrange a lesson time.

Music Support Group
The first Music Support Group meeting for 2017 will be held on Tuesday 7 February at 5:00pm in the Primary Music Room (Chaseley). All welcome to attend!

Thank You
A very big thank you to all in the St Margaret’s Music Community for a wonderful year. It has been another busy year, but one in which we have achieved much. I know that the girls will end the school year with many wonderful memories from experiences had throughout 2016. I feel very blessed to be part of such an amazing community and am very grateful for the contributions made by so many. Thank you to all of the music staff for their continued hard work and professionalism, thank you to all of the parents for your continued support in encouraging your daughter’s music education, and of course thank you to all of the girls who show ongoing dedication and commitment to the St Margaret’s Music Program. I wish you all a very happy and safe Christmas break and look forward to seeing everyone in 2017, refreshed and ready for another school year!

Brad King

This year, the inaugural Jacqueline Noyes Encouragement Award was introduced to the Year 5 Eisteddfod to honour Jacqui who passed away earlier this year. Jacqui made a significant contribution to the life of Speech and Drama at St Margaret’s. She taught Private Speech and Drama here for 21 years from 1980 to 2001. During that time, she inspired students with her love of literature and passion for performing. Jacqui later adjudicated our end-of-year Eisteddfods from 2009 to 2015, allowing many more students to benefit from her experience and expertise.

As a teacher and adjudicator at St Margaret’s, Jacqui provided warm encouragement and inspiration to many Speech and Drama students. The Jacqueline Noyes Encouragement Award will be presented each year to a Year 5 student who the adjudicator believes demonstrates note-worthy potential through their Eisteddfod performances. Congratulations to Leah Webb who is the 2016 recipient of this Award.

Maria Chamberlain
Private Speech and Drama Coordinator 

smART Club in 2017 will begin with a free activity. We need a small, but dedicated, team to paint the sets for The Sound of Music. We will be creating the house and also some of the lovely alpine landscapes featured in the musical. smART Club is open to all Secondary students in Years 7-12. The Term 1 activity will run from Week 2 until the Musical in Week 8 of Term 1. Our new Visual Art Captains, Annabel Kennedy and Eliza McKendry, welcome volunteers.

Finally, thank you so much to all in the community who have supported our Art events in 2016. Wishing you all a lovely Christmas break from the St Margaret’s Visual Art team.

Lisa Smith
Secondary Visual Art Coordinator

Altered/Extended Trading Hours:
Friday 2 December 2016, 10am - 2pm

Open by appointment only:
Monday 5 December 2016
Tuesday 6 December 2016
Wednesday 7 December 2016

The School Supplies Shop closes on Friday 2 December 2016 (except for appointments) and re-opens Monday 16 January 2017.

Monday 16 January 2017, 9am - 2pm Tuesday 17 January 2017, 9am - 2pm Wednesday 18 January 2017, 9am - 2pm Thursday 19 January 2017, 9am - 2pm Friday 20 January 2017, 9am - 2pm Saturday 21 January 2017, CLOSED
Sunday 22 January 2017, CLOSED
Monday 23 January 2017, 1pm - 5pm Boarders Only
Tuesday 24 January 2017, 8am - 2pm Wednesday 25 January 2017, 10am - 5pm Thursday 26 January 2017, CLOSED

A numbering system for ALL purchases will operate during the January 2017 trading hours. All parents and students wishing to purchase from the School Supplies Shop will be required to take a number and wait to be attended to.

Normal Trading Hours Resume Wednesday 25 January 2017
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
8am - 2pm
Wednesday
10am - 5pm
Public Holidays Closed

For all enquiries, please contact the School Supplies Shop on 07 3862 0776 or email:
suppliesshop@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Terisa Arnold
Coordinator - School Supplies Shop

Please note:
• Listings from the 2016 edition do not automatically roll over into the 2017 Family Directory.

Advertising in the 2017 Family Directory
To secure great value advertising in our directory, please refer to our advertising options for full details.

 Athlete’s Foot  Chermside - School Reward Program (PDF 9.9MB)


 

Did you know that every time you purchase a pair of shoes from The Athlete’s Foot Chermside, and you nominate St Margaret’s at time of purchase, $5.00 will be donated to our school? This applies to the whole family and across their entire range of footwear. There are no restrictions and it is unlimited so please spread the word!
 
P&F Association
The St Margaret’s Parents and Friends Association has established a strong tradition of giving back to the school through its social and fundraising activities. The P&F is comprised of an active group of parents within the school. The Association is responsible for organising an array of events, which not only benefit the students (through fundraising) but also lead to considerable camaraderie amongst parents and friends of St Margaret’s.

P&F General Meetings
The P&F invites the school community to share your views and ideas, at the General Meetings, held in the Arts Centre Foyer from 6:30pm on the following dates:
Monday 27 February 2017
Monday 8 May 2017
Monday 31 July 2017
Monday 30 October 2017

Event Dates 2017
Term 1
Friday 3 March - Mothers’ Luncheon
Thursday 30 March - Father Daughter Breakfast

Term 2
Saturday 27 May - Community Ball Friday 9 June - Fathers’ Dinner

Term 3
Saturday 2 September - Race Day

Luanne Wishart

Some offers will be made between the release of Year 12 results and the 16 January offer round date to courses not requiring you to compete for a place.

Most offers in courses will be made on their major offer round date. Check the course offer dates page to find out when your institution will make offers:
Find out how we work out if you'll get an offer. Go to your Application Services account to check your
application status. For more information, please email go.enquiries@qtac.edu.au.

What is an ATAR?
The ATAR allows the tertiary admissions centres to compare students from across Australia when they apply for tertiary places. The ATAR is a number between 0 and 99.95, in increments of 0.05. ATARs below 30 are not reported. For more information, visit: www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/630.html.
 
Do I need to apply for my ATAR? No. The QCAA provides all Tertiary Entrance data (OP/FPs and ATAR) to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC). If you are applying for tertiary entrance in Australia, the tertiary admissions centre can obtain your ATAR directly from QTAC. If you want to know what your ATAR is, use this application to apply for an ATAR statement. https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior/atar_app_form.pdf

QUT
When you defer: what happens the following year?
Many students choose to defer their QTAC offer and take up studies the following year. But how do they go about enrolling and what if they want to change courses, or no longer want to study? Students who are on deferment will receive an email from QUT in late October to advise them of their username and password to enrol at QUT from mid-December for the following year. They just need to follow the instructions in the email to work through the process to enrol.

If a student has changed their mind about what they want to study, they will need to apply back through QTAC for a new offer. This is the case for all course changes, including changing campuses or to another course at QUT, whether in the same or a different faculty. They don’t necessarily need to let QUT know that they don’t want to take up the deferred offer, as it will lapse past the deadline for enrolment. Sometimes students change email addresses in this time so they should advise QUT by emailing their new details to qut.applications@qut.edu.au. For information about deferring offers visit the deferment page on our website

Summer and Semester 1 bridging courses
Registration for bridging courses commencing in Semester 1, 2017 will open soon. Students can register their interest and QUT staff will get in touch once class registration is open. Students who haven't studied the subjects as part of their senior studies can complete these courses to gain the assumed knowledge subjects for QUT courses. Where possible, it is recommended that students complete bridging courses prior to commencing university to gain assumed knowledge.

For details see the course pages:
• Maths B
• Chemistry
• Physics.

Upgrading programs at QUT
Many students are worried that they may not receive the OP or rank they need to get into their chosen course. Now is the time for them to investigate entry programs that may provide bonus OPs/ranks, as well as courses they can use to upgrade in case they miss out on their preferred course.

QUT International applications
International students studying Year 12 in Australia submit applications to QUT through QTAC. From late October, international students will receive offers, conditional on meeting course requirements, from QUT.

UQ and QTAC offers for 2017
With recent changes to the QTAC process UQ may make offers of admissions to Year 12 applicants from Wednesday 21 December 2016. The major offer round for Semester 1, 2017 remains as Monday 16 January 2017, however, UQ may make limited early offers in some programs. This will not include high demand programs such as Medicine, Physiotherapy, Dentistry, Vet Science or Midwifery (or related dual programs).

Applicants for the Bachelor of Music (Honours) would have received offers from Friday 18 November 2016 at the earliest. Please check the QTAC website for more details:
http://www.qtac.edu.au/key-dates---fees/course-offer-dates.
 
After the release of OP results
UQ: OP Results Advice Night www.uq.edu.au/opresults
• Monday 19 December 2016
• 4:00pm - 7:00pm
• UQ Centre (St Lucia)

QUT: Real Decisions https://www.qut.edu.au/study/events/real-decisions
• QUT Gardens Point
• Tuesday 20 December 2016
• 9:00am - 1:00pm

Griffith: Know Your Options Change of Preference Event
• Saturday 17 December 2016 (tbc)
• 10:00am - 5:00pm
• Nathan and Gold Coast campuses

ACU: Know your Options Evening www.yourfuture.acu.edu.au
• Monday 19 December 2016
• 3:30pm - 6:00pm
• Brisbane Campus, 1100 Nudgee Road, Banyo

KEY DATES:
Friday 9 December
Due date to submit documentation for QTAC 16 January offer round

Saturday 17 December
Year 12 results mailed by QCAA

OP results available from Student Connect website: https://studentconnect.qcaa.qld.edu.au/

GRIFFITH: Change of Preference Event

Monday 19 December
UQ: OP Results Advice Night
ACU: Know Your Options Evening

Tuesday 20 December
QUT Real Decisions, Gardens Point and Caboolture

Wednesday 28 December 2016
Year 12 OP ineligible ranks available from QTAC

Monday 9 January 2017
Final date to change preferences for the QTAC January offer round

Monday 16 January 2017
QTAC January offer round


Elizabeth Johnston