eNews Archive Issue 19 - 13 June 2024

The three-week June/July break affects students less, but nevertheless, studies show that in any holiday period, Australian students spend less time per week in sports (about 12 mins) and 70 minutes more in screen time. The upshot of these statistics is that students expend less energy when on holiday.

Children’s diets also change during holiday breaks. Without the scheduled times for morning tea and lunch as part of the school day routine, students eat less fruit and generally their diet is poorer due to the greater opportunity for ‘snacking'.

School terms provide structure to the day that encourages healthy sleeping and eating habits and regular physical activity. Therefore, if your child is not involved in ‘camps’ during the holiday, like rowing camp, the music tour, QISSSN netball or vacation care, and you are not travelling anywhere, you may wish to consider the following suggestions.

• Rediscover the outdoors by going on a family hike.
• Become aware of and participate in a number of the activities that museums or other local area councils offer at holiday time.
• Catch public transport rather than driving to venues (this usually requires some walking to the event).

Whatever you are doing, I hope you have a safe and enjoyable holiday break. School returns on Tuesday 9 July for all students, with secondary parent teacher interviews on Monday 8 July.

Two of our senior teachers have secured promotions o\in other schools for Semester 2. We thank Ms Kate Wiedemann (English/History/French) and Ms Dominique Nielsen (Assistant Head of Faculty - Science) for their service to the school community and wish them well in their new roles.

Source: Dirmud, D. Why school routine is good for kids’ health. April – June 2024, Education Matters Secondary.

Ros Curtis AM

I am very happy to be an academic advisor to some Year 12 students this year. Our academic advising program is one where many staff connect with students in Years 9 to 12 to walk alongside them, assist them in setting goals and clarifying their progress. With the students I see, we started with articulating goals for the year, and then I assist them with planning, identification of areas to develop, and any other issues that may arise.

I think that academic advisors, form teachers, classroom teachers and parents all can act as academic lifeguards to our students. Being a lifeguard helps to prevent students from drowning academically. There are many systems here at school to assist students, and they are not alone if they are in need of support at any time during the school year. Reports will be coming out in the holidays, and I urge students to reflect on their results and feedback they are given, and if they are in need of assistance to make sure they formulate a goal that allows this to happen. Secondary parents are also encouraged to bring any questions they have to the Parent Teacher interviews on the first day back in Term 3.

I hope all can have a restful break, and we look forward to welcoming all back next term. Perhaps it can be a time when all (parents and students) can catch up on some reading. Not only is reading enjoyable and informative, reading can boost your brain power as it stimulates the mind and improves your memory function. It is also an important literacy skill to have. Students learn to read from an early age, often to begin with from their parents and then through robust reading programs such as that which is in our primary school. By the time students reach secondary school, reading becomes something they need to do to gather, interpret and form opinions about information in all the subjects they choose.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all students and their families a well-deserved rest. We look forward to seeing all our students back next term refreshed and ready for the semester ahead.

Karen Gorrie

On Monday night, we gathered for our annual Confirmation service. It was an occasion of joy and celebration. Congratulations to the students who participated. 

It has been an abundant term. As the break arrives and the weather turns colder (admittedly, I am writing this in the cold of Canberra winter), I pray you find space for rest and spending time with the people you love. 

A Winter Blessing - an excerpt
Joyce Rupp & Macrina Wiederkehr

Blessed are you, winter,
dark season of waiting,
you affirm the dark seasons of our lives,
forecasting the weather of waiting in hope.

Blessed are you, winter,
you faithfully guard a life unseen,
calling those who listen deeply
to discover winter rest.

Blessed are you, winter,
you teach us valuable lessons
about waiting in darkness
with hope and trust.

Blessed are you, winter,
season of blood red sunsets
and star-filled, long, dark nights,
faithfully you pour out your beauty.

Jazz Dow

Boarding at St Margaret’s offers its own distinct environment where students from diverse backgrounds come together and share their own values and beliefs. Within all these individual differences, both staff and the girls must develop the ability to compromise, challenge assumptions and, through this, foster personal growth for the betterment of oneself and the community. This does require both staff and students to question their own worldviews and take time for self-reflection. Navigating boarding requires a willingness to seek common ground and engage in compromise. 

In boarding, we strive to treat every person with dignity but to do this, we must question our unconscious bias. For boarding staff, we must do this regularly to ensure that we treat each student with the respect that they deserve.  Language is the most dangerous tool we have in a Boarding community.  We must teach ourselves and the girls that words have an effect and can impact how one feels in this community. It is not just the words we use but the tone and our body language which can have an impact on any situation. Understanding the context that each girl comes from, and how this may influence their actions, is integral to developing a caring and nurturing environment where every individual feels safe.  Striving to seek common ground and engage in compromise is essential to a healthy and happy community.

Lesa Fowler

Term 3 is a busy term and one of transition in the senior secondary school. Year 12 students are finishing their last internal pieces of assessment. They have their last Chapel Service, the Knot Service, and move into Mock Exams. Year 11 students are going through the process to become leaders of the school, as well as finishing up their last formative pieces of assessment. I will hold a Parent Information Evening in Term 3 to explain what school will look like for Year 11 students moving forward.

Year 10 students have their final semester before they start their selected Senior Subjects. Sometimes this can be challenging as they may be studying a subject they know they will not continue with. I encourage parents to have a conversation with their daughter(s) about how to manage this change in motivation. While not all students will continue with their current subjects, they still have another semester to continue developing skills that will be relevant for future endeavours. A student’s role in school is to be an engaged and proactive learner, which means committing to the end of the year regardless of what next year looks like.

I look forward to seeing everyone on the other side of the June/July holidays, relaxed and refreshed!

Caitlin McCluskey

As the semester draws to a close, however, it is important for students to take the time to reflect on their progression towards the academic goals they set in Term 1 – where they have succeeded and where they have struggled. Thomas Carlyle once said, ‘The greatest of faults is to be conscious of none’ – an adage that could not be more relevant for students navigating the challenges of high school.

Two questions I always ask students to reflect on are:

1. What academic achievement are you most proud of from the past semester? And, most importantly, why did this make you proud?
2. What academic challenges did you face in this past semester? And, most importantly, how do you think you changed as a result of facing them?

I wish all St Margaret’s families a happy and safe holiday and look forward to seeing many of you at Secondary Parent Teacher Interviews on Monday 8 July.

End of Semester Reports

A reminder that End of Semester 1 Reports will be available on the Parent Lounge from 3:00pm on Friday 21 June.

Chris Dunn

Holidays also allow students to spend quality time with family and friends, fostering stronger social connections and support networks. These interactions are critical for emotional development and provide opportunities for children to develop social skills in a less structured environment than school.

Additionally, school holidays offer opportunities for experiential learning and personal growth. Students can explore new interests, engage in hobbies, travel, or participate in cultural and recreational activities that broaden their perspectives and enhance their life skills. Such experiences are often enriching and contribute to a well-rounded education.

For teachers, holidays are a time to rest and recharge, which is necessary for maintaining effective teaching practices and enthusiasm in the classroom.

Overall, school holidays are critical in balancing academic pressures with relaxation and personal development, ensuring that students return to school refreshed, motivated, and ready to learn.

Nikki Townsend

It was wonderful to have so many grandparents and significant adults attend and share in the day. Thank you to all who attended, surrounding the girls with a community of caring adults, reinforcing the notion that they are supported and valued.

As a school we value a grandparent's presence in a grandchild’s life because a grandparent is a treasure who can provide stability, wisdom and love and enrich a child's world in countless ways. Grandparents bridge the past and the present and provide a sense of continuity and belonging and offer a wealth of life experience.

The wisdom of grandparents is like a compass, which helps find a child’s way through life's complex journey. A grandparent’s love is unconditional, a friend to whom a child can talk and laugh with and a role model of kindness, humour and patience.

Thank you also to the significant adults, who attended - aunts, uncles, godparents, or family friends, who provide additional layers of support and perspectives. These adults can offer mentorship, introduce new ideas, and sometimes, be the ones children turn to when they need someone outside the immediate family to talk to.

The benefits of these relationships are mutual. For grandparents and significant adults, engaging with children, I’m sure, brings a sense of purpose and joy. It keeps you connected, active, and mentally stimulated which benefits both sides.

Grandparents and significant adults are essential, as they provide love, wisdom, and stability, acting as anchors in a child's life and embody that old adage that "it takes a village to raise a child."

I know the girls and staff loved performing in the interhouse Verse Speaking competition which offered so many challenges - understanding the nuances of poetry, learning, and reciting a poem and presenting in unison. These performances do not happen without the dedication and guidance of all the house teachers. This type of learning is not common, so for both the girls and the teachers, the competition offers some form of challenge. However, as role models, the teachers accept the challenge of the competition and plan, prepare, and support the girls in their house to present their very best efforts as a verse speaking choir.   Thank you to Maree Clancy, who kindly volunteered to do the difficult job of judging.  Congratulations to Chaucer who took out the event.

Thank you also to all the visitors who stayed to watch the interhouse Ballgames competition and to the HPE staff for their organisation of this sporting event and Mrs Mace for presenting the Mace Cup to the winning house Tennyson.

To the visitors, thank you for purchasing many books at the book fair. A percentage of the sales goes towards purchasing more books for our library, so both the girls’ home library and school library benefitted from the purchases. 

I wish everyone a happy, warm holiday and look forward to everyone returning safely in Term 3.

Angela Drysdale

Explanation of the Report

Each subject report includes:

• Teacher’s Name
• Course Content: Knowledge and skills covered during the semester
  
  

  Academic Learning Features

  Prep to Year 2: Progress is indicated using five levels of achievement:

  •            Extending: Extending with depth beyond the achievement standard

  •            Advancing: Working beyond the achievement standard

  •            Demonstrating: Demonstrating the achievement standard

  •            Developing: Working toward the achievement standard

  •            Emerging: Beginning to work towards the achievement standard

  Years 3 to 6: Progress is indicated using five levels of achievement A-E.

  No Result (NR): Insufficient evidence to make a judgment due to absence or another reason

  Attitude to Learning

  The Primary Attitude to Learning - Effort is graded on a four-point scale

  •            Excellent

  •            Good

  •            Satisfactory

  •            Needs Improvement

  Accessing Your Daughter’s Semester Report

  To access the report, please follow these steps:

  1.           Go to The POD

  2.           Select Parent Lounge

  3.           Click on Student Details

  4.           Choose Academic Report

  While we take utmost care with data entry and report checking, if you have any questions about the results, please contact the classroom teacher or the Assistant Head of Primary – Curriculum, Kate Frewin.

  Thank you for your continued support and engagement in your daughter’s academic journey.

Kate Frewin

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Music Tour Choir Music Tour Wind Ensemble

Mayo Arts Festival

Our St Margaret’s music ensembles are very excited to be performing at the upcoming Mayo Arts Festival on Saturday 27 July. The day will be filled with musical entertainment along with the opportunity to explore artisan stalls, food trucks, rides and other fun activities. Music performances will be provided from 12:00pm through to 7:00pm on Circular Drive. The draft schedule for music performances is below (the finalised schedule will be printed in Week 1, Term 3). All girls performing are asked to wear the Mayo t-shirt with smart jeans and sneakers on the day.

12:00pm           Elayne Jones Percussion Ensemble        

12:15pm           Chaseley Concert Band

12:30pm           Jackson Wind Ensemble           

12:45pm           Sister Helen Wind Symphony

1:00pm             Combined Bands Performance

1:15pm             Boarding Island Dance Group

1:30pm             Solo Performances

1:50pm             Tutti Strings

2:00pm             Amati Strings

2:15pm             Stradivari Strings

2:30pm             Chamber Strings

2:45pm             Combined Strings Performance

3:00pm             Encorah

3:15pm             Volare

3:30pm             Exultate

3:45pm             Ballare 

4:00pm             Solo Performances

4:20pm             Boarding Island Dance Group

4:35pm             Serenata

4:50pm             Chorale           

5:05pm             Belle Voci        

5:20pm             Ballare 

5:50pm             Stage Band

6:05pm             Highly Strung

6:15pm             Monday Rock Band

6:30pm             Combined Choirs Performance with Tuesday Rock Band

6:40pm             Tuesday Rock Band

7:00pm             EVENT FINISH

V101 – DRAMA SHOWCASE

1:00pm and 4:00pm

MUSIC SUPPORT GROUP

The next Music Support Group meeting will be held on Tuesday 6 August at 5:00pm in the Circular Drive Classroom 01 (in front of the Arts Centre Foyer). We encourage parents from both primary and secondary schools to become involved.

Brad King

• QGSSSA HOCKEY - The POD - Secondary Hockey (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• QGSSSA NETBALL - The POD - Secondary Netball (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• QGSSSA TENNIS - The POD - Secondary Tennis (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• QGSSSA VOLLEYBALL - The POD - Secondary Volleyball (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

To assist your daughter. please mark the following dates in your diaries:

• Round 1 – Moreton Bay College – AWAY – Saturday 13 July
• Round 2 – St Hilda’s – HOME – Saturday 20 July
• Round 3 – Ipswich Girls Grammar – AWAY – Saturday 27 July
• Round 4 – Brisbane State High – HOME – Saturday 3 August
• Round 5 – St Aidan’s – AWAY – Saturday 10 August
• Round 6 – Brisbane Girls Grammar – HOME – Saturday 17 August
• Round 7 – Somerville House – AWAY – Saturday 24 August (Tennis Friday 23 August)
• Round 8 – Clayfield College – HOME – Saturday 31 August
• Round 9 – St Peters – HOME – Saturday 7 September

We wish all teams the very best of luck for the season ahead.

Sporting Achievement

It’s with great pleasure that we can recognise the outstanding sport performance and representation of St Margaret’s students at a national and international level. I would like to highlight and congratulate the follow student on her recent achievements:

• Congratulations Elkie W. (Year 7) who earlier in the year represented Met North at the Queensland School Sport Swimming Championships. Elkie competed in the 13 Years Backstroke.
• Congratulations Lucy C. (Year 11) and Taylah N. (Year 10) who have both been selected to represent Queensland in the development teams that will contest the 2024 Interstate Challenge, taking place at the AIS Canberra in July. We wish both girls all the very best of luck in their representation.
• Congratulations Ashley B. (Year 10) who won the bronze medal at the recent Oceania Championships representing Regional Australia. Ashley, the youngest in the field, jumped 1.68m and narrowly missed clearing her a new personal best height at 1.72m. We congratulate Ashley on her performance.

We would like to continue to recognise the outstanding achievements and representation of students’ participating a national level, outside of the school sport pathway. I look forward to continuing to hear from our community regarding such outstanding achievement. Please directly contact Mr Knight via lknight@stmargarets.qld.edu.au

Latest Sport News and Information

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

• QGSSSA Hockey - The POD - Secondary Hockey (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• QGSSSA Netball - The POD - Secondary Netball (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• QGSSSA Tennis - The POD - Secondary Tennis (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• QGSSSA Volleyball - The POD - Secondary Volleyball (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

• Athletics - The POD - Secondary Athletics (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Rowing - The POD - Secondary Rowing (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Rhythmic Gymnastics - The POD - Secondary Rhythmic Gymnastics (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Club Netball - The POD - Club Netball (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Club Swimming - The POD - Club Swimming (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

Lloyd Knight

In response to this, Jennifer’s artwork powerfully showcases the vulnerability of lions through the controlled and precise detailed carvings she employs. By skillfully manipulating positive and negative space and incorporating relevant bold symbols, she effectively communicates the causes and threats leading to the endangerment of this iconic species.

Awarded by 2024 Visual Art Captains – Sara Jo, Amy and Amelia

Ruby achieved the highest result in Queensland for her Grade 5 AMEB Speech and Performance exam in 2023 - an outstanding achievement!

Along with other very talented students from throughout Queensland, Ruby performed at the 78^th anniversary of the event, captivating the audience of more than 200 guests with her portrayal of Jordan from The Great Gatsby.

The Communication, Speech and Performance Teachers Inc. first established the Barbara Sisley Awards in 1947 to honour the outstanding contribution Miss Sisley made to teaching and the Arts in Queensland over many years. Barbara Sisley was a creative and dynamic actor, director, producer and teacher of Speech and Drama who taught here at St Margaret’s for some time during her early career.

Maria Chamberlain
Private Speech and Drama Coordinator

PUPIL FREE DAY TRADING HOURS: FRIDAY 14 JUNE - 10am to 1:30pm

School Resource Partner

We wish to advise that our new Textbook and Stationery Supplier is going to be Campion Education.  Please click on the link provided to find out more: Campion Education Resource Partner

Further details regarding booklists for 2025 will follow in the coming months.

Blazer Pocket Embroidery

Blazers that require pocket embroidery must be submitted by morning tea on a Wednesday and takes approximately two to three weeks to be returned to the Supplies Shop from collection. 

Student Card Purchases

Student Card fund top-up

Please allow up to 24 hours for funds to clear when depositing funds onto student cards.

Flexischools Daily Limit

Please ensure the daily limit is set high enough to cover the cost of the uniform items being purchased. We will not be able to complete the purchase if there are insufficient funds available on the Student Card.

Please refer to the attached Information Guide for full booking terms and conditions. We are unable to accept bookings via email or text message. The OSHC registration and Debitsuccess form must be completed, signed and sent back to us to finalise your booking. Please read the information guide carefully as some information has changed. OSHC Registration and Debitsuccess can be completed via the My Family Lounge.

PLEASE COMPLETE YOUR VACATION CARE BOOKING FORM VIA THE MY FAMILY LOUNGE APP

We are very excited to inform you that St Margaret’s OSHC has subscribed to a fantastic online Booking and Waitlist management program called QK Enrol. This program will give you access to manage your own account information, where you will have the ability to make bookings requests and allows you to complete and submit an online enrolment form for your child. You can do this and much, much more all within a parent portal called ’My Family Lounge’.

How do I log in?

Please navigate to the link below and either sign in with your existing My Family Lounge account or Register for an account if you do not already have one. Please note all families who have previously submitted an enrolment form will have an account already set up; all you will need to do is click ‘forgotten password’ and use the email address you used to receive this form.

https://www.qkenhanced.com.au/Account/Embeddable/?databaseId=9385

When making a Vacation Care booking please select Casual bookings, not Permanent.

What is the cost?*

Fees: $68 per day*

Bookings close: 19 August 2024

*Incursions and excursions incur additional costs. These are compulsory for all students and therefore you are able to claim CCS.

What are the hours of operation?

The service is open from 7:00am until 6:00pm.

How can I obtain more information?

If you would like further information regarding our OSHC Program or if you would like to make a booking, feel free to contact me on 0423 547 653 or email: oshc@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Palu Ingram

Date:                  Thursday 15 August, 2024
Time:                  11.30am - 2.30pm
Venue:               Brisbane City Hall
Tickets:               $180 per person - includes a 2 course lunch and a 3 hour deluxe drinks package including Australian sparkling wine. All tickets will be sold individually and will require full name, email address and mobile phone number to be entered at the time of booking.
Tables:                Maximum table capacity is 10 people. Seating requests can be made by nominating a Table Captain or Year Group at the time of booking. Best efforts will be made to meet any requests.
 Enquiries:           P&F@stmargarets.qld.edu.au

This event is proudly supported by Maggies Supporter, Jimena Alejandra.

Professional Women’s Network Breakfast – Featuring Emma Covacevich (‘93), Chief Executive Partner of Clayton Utz

Tickets are available for the third Professional Women’s Network Breakfast on Tuesday 20 August, with Guest Speaker Emma Covacevich (’93). 

Emma is the Chief Executive Partner (CEP) of Clayton Utz - a leading Australian law firm, and recently celebrated 25 years with the firm.

Emma has deep expertise in the energy sector in Australia and New Zealand, and has advised major energy companies and supported new entrants establish themselves in the Australian energy market.

Prior to being appointed CEP, Emma was the Deputy CEP from 2020 to 2023, a Clayton Utz Board Member from 2017 to 2022, and has been a Partner of the firm since 2007. Emma was on the Queensland Symphony Orchestra Board from 2017 until late last year and is a member of Chief Executive Women.

Event Details

Date:                  Tuesday 20 August 2024
Time:                  6.45am arrival for 7.00am - 8.45am
Location:            Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's Anglican Girls School, 11 Petrie Street, Ascot
Format:              Sit down breakfast  
Tickets:               $85 Adult, $40 Student (Years 10-12/Tertiary). 
Corporate tables: $850 (10 seats), includes company logo displayed on table and acknowledgement during event.
To purchase tickets: Click Here

We thank our series sponsors, Major Sponsor: Pitcher Partners, Supporting Sponsors: Wolff Coffee Roasters, Downer, Clear Insurance, Move Recruitment Solutions and O’Reilly Shaw Family Lawyers.

Georgia Mitchell