eNews Archive Issue 12 - 30 April 2026

I dreamt I stood in a studio

And watched two sculptors there;

The clay they used was a young child's mind,

And they fashioned it with care.

One was a teacher, the tools he used

Were books and music and art:

One a parent, with a guiding hand,

And a gentle, loving heart.

Day after day the teacher toiled,

With touch that was deft and sure:

While the parent laboured by his side,

And polished and smoothed it o'er.

And when at last their task was done,

They were proud of what they had wrought,

For the things they had moulded into the child

Could neither be sold nor bought.

And each agreed he would have failed

If he had worked alone,

For behind the parent, stood the school,

And behind the teacher, the home.

Ros Curtis AM

As the new term has commenced, this is a timely reminder about the importance of volunteering in our school and the processes that support a safe environment for all students. Volunteers play a vital role in enriching school life — whether assisting in classrooms, attending excursions, helping with P&F events or contributing at sporting activities. Your involvement makes a meaningful difference to students’ learning experiences and strengthens our sense of community.

At the same time, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a fundamental responsibility for all Queensland schools. In line with Queensland Child Safe Standards requirements and our school’s Child Safe policies, all volunteers must complete the Volunteer Application process prior to commencing any volunteer activity.

If you wish to volunteer at the school, please complete the Volunteer Application Form, available on the following page on St Margaret’s website: https://www.stmargarets.qld.edu.au/discover-st-margarets/student-protection/volunteering-at-st-margarets/volunteering-at-st-margarets

This webpage provides detailed information about volunteering expectations, child safety requirements and access to the Volunteer Register form. Please note that all volunteers are required to submit a new form each calendar year, as applications are valid for one year only.

As part of our shared commitment to student safety, volunteers are also expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to the Volunteer Code of Conduct, which is available at the bottom of the same webpage. This Code outlines appropriate behaviour and reinforces our collective responsibility to uphold a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for all students.

We sincerely appreciate the time, care and support our volunteers provide, and thank you for partnering with us to maintain high standards of safety and wellbeing across our school community.

Nicole Devlin

It is inspiring to reflect on the Society of the Sacred Advent’s recent past and to realise that, under the SSA’s previous constitution, Sr Sandra’s passing would have triggered the ending of the Society of the Sacred Advent, leaving only the SSA Schools and our memories to carry on their ethos. Changes to the SSA constitution, led by Sister Gillian and Sister Sandra, mean that the SSA can continue to live out their ethos in innovative ways, holding firm to their commitment to the spirituality and leadership of women and girls. We honour the legacy and continuing contribution of the Society of the Sacred Advent. We now experience a new chapter in the life of the SSA which is bearing much fruit in the life of the church and our schools. We give thanks to God for Sister Sandra’s faithful and wholehearted life and service.

Reverend Sister Jan Crombie, offered this prayer in a recent SSA communication:

God of all that lives and dies,

you sent Jesus to share our earthly life.

Christ facing death on the cross gives us courage;

Christ rising from the dead brings us hope.

Because Jesus lives, nothing can separate us from your love,

which unites us now with those we mourn.

The dawn breaks and gives us light for the new day.

Help us to share his victory,

and give us the hope to look forward again.  Amen.

(Based on a prayer from A Prayer Book for Australia, 1992)

 Years 4-6 Holy Communion Service

On Tuesday 12 May, at 6pm, we will gather at St John’s Cathedral for the Years 4-6 Admission to Holy Communion Service. This is a joint service with Churchie and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate together. This year, our Archbishop Jeremy Greaves, will be preaching at the service. If you would like your daughter to be baptised or admitted to Holy Communion, could you please fill in this form as soon as possible.

Rev’d Jazz Dow

At its core, prep exists to prioritise homework and study. It establishes clear expectations around quiet concentration and respect for others’ learning. When students engage properly with prep, they build routines that support academic progress, time management, and the self‑discipline skills that become increasingly important as they move into the senior years.

A structured prep environment also ensures equity. Every boarder, regardless of year level or academic confidence, is given the same opportunity to work in a calm and purposeful setting that supports learning.

For our younger boarders, completing prep in classrooms offers significant benefits. Classrooms provide clear boundaries between social time and study time, helping students stay focused and avoid distraction. This structure is especially important in the early boarding years, when students are still learning how to manage their time, regulate behaviour, and develop effective study habits.

Classroom prep also allows staff to more easily support organisation, expectations, and routine. For many younger girls, this supervised environment builds confidence and consistency, reinforcing that prep is non‑negotiable learning time rather than an extension of free time.

As students progress through the boarding house, prep gradually becomes an opportunity to practise independence. Older boarders are trusted to apply the habits they have developed managing distraction, respecting silence, and taking responsibility for their academic commitments. This transition mirrors the expectations students will face at university and in the workplace, where independent study is essential.

Importantly, boarders are never expected to manage their learning alone. Each evening, teachers rotate through the boarding year levels to provide academic support during prep. This gives students access to subject‑specific help, clarification of homework tasks, and guidance with study strategies.

This consistent presence reinforces the message that learning is valued and supported within boarding. It also encourages students to ask questions, seek help early, and take ownership of their academic growth.

Prep works best when students, staff, and families share a commitment to its purpose. When respected, prep time becomes a powerful tool for academic success, confidence building, and personal development. By providing age‑appropriate structure, clear expectations, and ongoing support, boarding aims to equip every student with the skills they need to thrive both in school and beyond.

Gracemere Mataia

Year 10

Year 10 students are currently attending their Career Avenues follow up consultations. This forms a part of the subject selection process. In the coming weeks, students will also attend the Broadening Horizons Conference and Subject Selection evening. Following this, the girls will need to fill out their SET planning documentation and meet with a staff member to discuss their subject options for Years 11 and 12. Students are welcome to book in with me to discuss any questions they have throughout this process. Bookings can be made via the bookings tile on the Year 10 POD page.

From the end of Week 3, updated Curriculum Handbooks will be available on the Subject Selection page on the POD.

“Don’t compare yourself to others, because everyone works differently.” – Ella Welsh, ‘25

Caitlin McCluskey

This term the following staff will be hosting pre-service teachers from Queensland University of Technology and The University of Queensland:

These members of staff will be working with the pre-service teachers to develop their skills in preparation for demands connected with the teaching profession. These experiences are very powerful in that they provide real opportunities for the pre-service teacher to develop their proficiency in planning, organisation, classroom management, and teaching practice. 

I would like to welcome the pre-service teachers to St Margaret’s, and thank the supervising teachers for supporting these new teachers entering our wonderful profession.

Chris Dunn

Research consistently shows that physical activity improves mood, concentration and resilience while reducing stress and anxiety. As the World Health Organisation notes, “Regular physical activity is proven to help prevent and manage noncommunicable diseases and improve mental health.” For young people, this translates into better emotional regulation and increased self‑belief.

At school, we encourage students to find forms of movement they enjoy—whether that is team sport, dance, walking with friends, or yoga. At home, families can support this by prioritising screen‑free movement time and modelling healthy habits themselves.

It is also important to remember that exercise supports learning. Studies show that students who move regularly demonstrate improved focus and memory, reinforcing the strong link between body and mind. As Dr John Ratey explains, “Exercise is the single most powerful tool you have to optimise your brain function.”

By encouraging movement as a daily habit rather than an obligation, we help students develop lifelong wellbeing practices that support both academic and personal growth.

References:
World Health Organization (2022); Australian Institute of Sport; Ratey, J. Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain

Cleanse your Closet for a Cause 

We all have that wardrobe piece that’s really nice, but hardly worn, and just not quite you any more … why not turn what you no longer wear into something meaningful?

Hanworth House is transforming Labels on the Lawn into Labels on Tour and is excited to bring the best sustainable fashion event of the year to The Prop House Collective for 2026. Shoppers can embrace labels and pre-loved designer pieces while supporting Women’s Legal Service Qld (WLSQ) and its vital work supporting women and children impacted by domestic violence. 

We are collecting pre-loved and new designer items that you are ready to part with as we head towards raising $1.5 million for WLSQ. Help us reach this milestone by donating clothes, shoes, bags, hats, belts, jewellery and accessories (all sizes welcome!) 

If your designer item is valued at $100 RRP or more and still has plenty of life left, it could make a real difference. PLUS It's the perfect excuse to create space for all your amazing finds to come - so clean out your closet for a cause!  All donations can be brought to Community House in a bag with your name clearly on it if you wish to go into the draw to win two Golden Tickets to Labels 2026 - these tickets cannot be bought and give you access to the event before anyone else on 20 June 2026.

A variety of strategies have been identified to help students to engage with positive thinking and mindfulness.

Encouraging risk taking and resilience is very important as fear and anxiety can get in the way of trying something new.  Listed below are the strategies we use in the face of anxiety which parents might find useful.

1. Building Capacity to handle uncertainty:

   Building capacity to handle uncertainty helps the child to develop confidence, resilience, and trust in themselves whilst reassurance (eg, you’re fine) is teaching the child that they need an adult certainty to manage anxiety.

2. The Curiosity Shift:

   We ask the children, “I wonder what advice you would give your friend who felt like this?” or “What is the worst thing that could happen, and what things helped you last time?” instead of “Don’t worry.” Encourage curiosity.

3. Avoid - Validating Avoidance:

   We give children the opportunity to learn it was not as bad as they feared. When we allow a child to skip the scary thing, we confirm their brain’s false alarm that the situation was dangerous. We don’t want to keep them stuck in negative thoughts and fear about the situation.

4. Connect First:

   Connection is the bridge to courage. If a child does not feel seen, she will not feel safe enough to take the risk. We offer words such as “I see how hard this feels...”

5. Share Your Own Vulnerability:

   We share our own “doing it scared” moments.  Let the child see the process instead of just the polished result. If you act like you are never scared, they feel like “anxious” is a broken identity not a way of learning and emotionally growing.

6. Assisting Problem Solving:

   We encourage the child to try to navigate social challenges independently, thereby conveying our confidence in their ability to manage situations prior to adult involvement.

7. Focus first on Effort:

   We prioritise celebrating effort so that success is not the only thing recognised. When children are praised only for outcomes, they can become fearful of failure. Instead, we celebrate their willingness to have a go regardless of how successful they are.

8. The Right Feeling:

Brave feelings are created through action. We must do the thing first; confidence comes later. We don’t wait for students to feel brave before they act, because if we do, we may be waiting forever.

The hard truth? Our job is not to protect our students from the world. It is to prepare them for it.

Angela Drysdale

Simone Biles -the greatest gymnast of all time, Steve Jobs – the guy that invented Apple, Daniel Radcliff – the actor who played Harry Potter and Albert Einstein…what do they all have in common? All these amazing people are neurodiverse and have made a huge impact on the world we live in. Hi, I’m Izzy and I will be selling scrunchies I have made to raise awareness for neurodiversity, and to help support our school library to get more books that celebrate all kinds of brains.

What is neurodiversity? Neurodiversity is a word that describes the fact that people’s brains can work differently. Just like your hair colour, your eye colour, what you like or how sporty you are people’s brains can work differently too. You may hear words like ADHD, Autism, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, OCD or Dysgraphia. These are some of the types of neurodiversity. Some brains process information differently. Some think slowly, some quickly, some in pictures and some in words, some in ways you might not even see. Neurodiversity effects how you learn, how you interact with others, how your muscles work and even how you see the world.

Imagine the world as a box of crayons; if everyone was the same blue crayon the world would be boring. Neurodiversity brings lots of different coloured crayons to the box. Some are pink, some are yellow, red, green or purple. Some are even sparkly rainbow crayons, and we all work together to make our community a vibrant picture. This is why neurodiversity is so important, because everyone in our community deserves to learn, to contribute and to be celebrated.

Books help us to be able to walk in someone else’s shoes and to see what it is like to be different. Every scrunchie you buy helps our library to get more resources so that everyone can learn more about neurodiversity and see how awesome it is to think differently. All scrunchies will be $5 and you can buy them in Week 3 in the Atrium. The important thing to remember is being different doesn’t mean being less, it just means that you have a brain that works in its own special way, and that’s something to celebrate.

Annette Box

ANZAC DAY Service

A special ANZAC Day Service was held last Thursday in remembrance for all those who served or died in war, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. Thank you to Exultate for their moving performance of In Flanders Fields and also the Sculthorpe Quartet for their assistance with the hymns and national anthems. A very special thank you to Hope (Yr 11) for playing The Last Post/Rouse on the trumpet as part of the service. This contribution is very much appreciated by our school community.

Extracurricular Photos

Photos for students in extra-curricular music ensembles will be held next Wednesday 6 May in Eton Hall. A schedule with times is attached here and is also available on the POD. Students are to ensure they bring their performance uniform (if required) and their instrument on the day.

Music Support Group

Help Us Bring a World-Class Steinway to Life

We are on an exciting journey to raise funds for a beautiful Steinway Piano for our new performing arts complex, and we are approaching the halfway mark! We would love your support to help us reach the finish line. As part of our upcoming Classics in the Cathedral event, we are seeking raffle prize donations to make the experience even more special. We welcome contributions of all kinds, including:

• Music-themed items
• Gift vouchers
• Unique experiences
• Restaurant vouchers
• Or a monetary donation to help us create an incredible prize.

Every donation, big or small, brings us one step closer to filling our space with the rich, inspiring sound of a Steinway. If you’d like to be part of something truly special, please get in touch with Amy James (amy@njames.com or 0425 333 329). Thank you for helping us create something extraordinary for our community.

Parents Support Group POD

Keep up to date with all the Parents Support Group activities here - by joining this POD group: https://pod.stmargarets.qld.edu.au/homepage/8562/

Meeting dates

The next meeting date is Tuesday 2 June. All primary and secondary parents are welcome. Meetings will be held in the Canopy Café at 5:00pm.

Brad King

This weekend is the beginning of the Club Netball season at Downey Park. In 2026, St Margaret’s will have 40 teams competing most Saturdays until September. A shout out to our volunteer team managers who will be working with our sports staff and coaches throughout the season. We are looking forward to building on the successes of last year and wish all the teams the very best for the upcoming season.

This week, St Margaret’s commenced its 2026 Lifesaving campaign with training on Wednesday before school. For anyone new to the school, Lifesaving has a very successful and strong tradition at St Margaret’s with a winning record for over 20 years.

On Wednesday, our Cross-Country team travelled to Brisbane Girls Grammar School’s playing fields at Rangakarra for the second practice meet of the season. On Monday, the team enjoyed the last Cross Country Breakfast for this season following a rather wet season! Thank you to our support group who make these opportunities available to our students. Last week’s meet at Yeronga had a strong showing for our runners with many of them making some great times and hopefully this week, those times will be improved!

Rowing is back in full swing. Thank you to all parents and students who attended the First Stroke event at the rowing sheds last Friday evening. It was a great opportunity for families to gather and hear more about the upcoming season and for the blessing of some of the new boats that our rowers will be using this season. Thank you to Reverend Jazz and to Ms Ros Curtis for both speaking and being part of this ceremony and evening.

The sport team is happy to recognise the outstanding achievements and representation of students participating at a national level, outside of the school sport pathway.

Congratulations to Year 12 student Ashley B who, during the last school holidays, competed at the Australian Athletics Nationals hosted here in Brisbane. Ash medalled twice with a Bronze in the Under 18s and Under 20s High Jump. Her performances have now led to her being named as part of the Australia Under 18s teams to compete at the Oceania Championships in May in Darwin.

Congratulations also to another Year 12 student, Bless D, who has been named in the Australian Stingers Water Polo team. Bless will be competing in World Cup Qualifiers in the Netherlands in early May.

I look forward to continuing to hear from our community regarding such outstanding achievement. Please directly contact Ms Williams via awilliams@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

A reminder to all families that students should be bringing student ID cards to all trainings and fixtures for bus travel. If you have misplaced your card, please visit School Support for a new one.

For the latest sport news and information please check out the following Secondary School Sport POD Pages:

• Basketball (Autumn Sport) - (The POD - Secondary Basketball (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Soccer (Autumn Sport) - (The POD - Secondary Football (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Touch Football (Autumn Sport) - (The POD - Secondary Touch Football (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Cross Country - The POD - Secondary Cross Country (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Club Netball - The POD - Club Netball (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

Anne Louise Williams

Blazer Orders

Blazers for Years 9 and 10 are now available for collection from the Supplies Shop with blazer collection for Years 7 and 8 to follow. The Supplies Shop will work closely with the Heads of Year to coordinate the collection of blazers over the next couple of weeks.

Winter Uniform Items

We are pleased to advise that the following items are now available for purchase from the Supplies Shop:

• Formal jumper (poly/cotton and wool/nylon options)
• Pre‑Prep and Prep fleecy tracksuit
• School tracksuit jacket and pants
• School scarf
• Winter tights – St Margaret’s Brown

Families are encouraged to visit the Supplies Shop early to ensure availability and the best fit.

Years 7–12

For additional warmth during early morning and/or late afternoon training sessions, the new ¼‑zip training jacket is now available for purchase.

Please note that no other garment may be worn with the school tracksuit to training sessions, other than the approved ¼‑zip training jacket.

Blazer Pocket Embroidery

Blazers requiring pocket embroidery must be submitted to the Supplies Shop by morning tea on Thursdays. Please allow approximately two to three weeks for embroidery to be completed.

Tickets will be available to you to purchase online from 9.30am Tuesday 28 April 2026, or from 9.30am Monday 27 April for Year 12 and Boarding families.

Event Details

Date:     Thursday 18 June 2026
Time:    6:45am for a 7:00am start. Concludes at 8:00am
Venue: Circular Drive and Arts Centre Terraces

Aspiring Young Women’s Network Breakfast - with guest speaker, Brittany Luhrs (’13)

Join Brittany as she shares her journey from St Margaret’s to the creative industries, and offers an insight into what a passion for the arts, combined with the right skills, can lead to.

We invite parents and senior students to join us at the first Aspiring Young Women’s Network Breakfast event of 2026 to hear from Brittany Luhrs (’13), a creative and driven marketing professional who has built a dynamic career at the intersection of digital strategy and the arts.

 After leaving St Margaret’s, Brittany went on to earn a Bachelor of Business and a Bachelor of Creative Industries, both with a focus in Marketing, from QUT, followed by a Master of Business (Marketing). Brittany’s early career saw her channel her entrepreneurial spirit into founding The Social Flamingo, her own bespoke social media consultancy, while simultaneously developing her skills across a range of marketing and communications roles. Her work spanned content strategy, digital campaigns, graphic design, copywriting, and large-scale social media campaigns reaching millions of people.

Now in her eighth year at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), Brittany has grown from intern to Senior Marketing Coordinator, playing a key role in promoting one of Australia’s most celebrated arts destinations. Her work encompasses strategic marketing campaigns, digital and e-commerce initiatives, and audience engagement across both traditional and digital channels, most recently as part of the team behind the highly anticipated launch of the Glasshouse Theatre, the largest performing arts centre under one roof in Australia.

Date:                     Thursday 28 May 2026

Time:                    6.45am arrival for 7.00am - 8.45am

Location:             Eton Hall, St Margaret's Anglican Girls' School, 11 Petrie Street, Ascot
Format:                Continental style breakfast  

Tickets:                $38 Adults/Student
To purchase tickets please click here

We thank our series sponsors Pitcher Partners and the St Margaret’s Old Girls’ Association

Reunion Weekend 2026

St Margaret's warmly invites graduate students from 2016, 2006, 1996, 1986, 1976, 1966 and VIP graduates from the years 1965 and prior to return to the school to celebrate their milestone reunions. The reunion events will be held at various locations at St Margaret’s over the weekend of Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July.

The annual Old Girls’ Day Chapel Service and Morning Tea, open to graduates from all years, will be held from 9.00am on Sunday 26 July, and is always a wonderful opportunity to reconnect, remember and share personal histories with one another.

To find out more and to register to attend, please visit the Reunion Weekend webpage: https://paststudents.stmargarets.qld.edu.au/events.

Lara Pickering