eNews Archive Issue 5 - 26 February 2026

Of course, another way parents can engage with the school is by attending Open Day on the 7th March (9.30am – 12.30pm). This is a compulsory morning for all students. Open Day is an enjoyable day for the students – where they engage in activities and/or performances to showcase the school to our visitors. We also welcome our current parents, grandparents, and their guests to come to the school to see the school in action from 9.30am to 12.30pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to become more familiar with the St Margaret’s and its offerings.

Just another reminder that the P and F AGM and Welcome drinks will be held on Monday 17^th March at 6.30pm in the Arts Centre Foyer. All our parents are invited to the meeting. I will be talking about the school’s master and strategic plans. I do hope you can attend. 

Looking forward to early Term 3, all members of our community are invited to attend the school’s Mayo festival. Some of you may not be aware but we hold this festival every two years. In the alternate year, we stage the school musical.

Mayo Arts Festival

This year, St Margaret’s will host our Mayo Arts Festival on Saturday 1 August.

For those new to St Margaret’s, the festival is a wonderful opportunity to explore the vibrant displays of students’ visual artwork, appreciate a full program of musical performances and enjoy dance and dramatic displays. The day also features many other highlights including children’s amusement rides, traditional fair activities, market stalls selling jewellery, homewares, ceramics and more and a range of food trucks serving delicious fare.

Thank you to our sponsors for their support of the event including Major Sponsor - Oliver Jonker - Coronis Ascot, Supporting Sponsor – Village Voice, Mayo Supporters – CMBM and FVS Fire Solutions and to those community members who have sponsored a year level stall. If you are interested in supporting the event, please contact Pru Reed via preed@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Ros Curtis AM

St Margaret’s Way is a pastoral framework that gives language to how we are and how we strive to be in our interactions with one another. It reinforces that wellbeing is a shared responsibility: every member of our community contributes to the wellbeing of all.

The framework centres on two reflective questions:
How do I want to feel every day when I come to school?
And what am I doing to ensure others can feel this way too?

Two key focus areas guide this vision:

• We appreciate and acknowledge — each other, our students, and our families.
• We are aligned and accountable — to ourselves, to each other, and to the school’s vision.

Last year’s launch of Stymie in the secondary school is a practical example of this accountability in action, encouraging students to be kind, proactive and responsible for the safety of their peers. Our primary students, likewise, continue to embrace the expectations and spirit of St Margaret’s Way.

While our culture of belonging is strong and continues to be a defining feature of St Margaret’s, we are all aware of the rapid flow of messaging our young people receive from peers, media personalities and other mediums such as online platforms. While some content is harmless and entertaining, other messages — often delivered by unvetted ‘influencers’ or anonymous accounts — can be overwhelming, confusing, or even harmful to developing minds.

This is why it is more important than ever that we, as adults, remain active partners in supporting our children’s wellbeing online.

Across Australia, there is continuing and increasing national conversation around the Social Media Delay that was implemented on 10 December 2025. Essentially this initiative encourages families to work together to delay children’s access to social media until they are developmentally ready, acknowledging the growing evidence around the impacts of early social media use on emotional health, sleep, attention, and self-esteem.

One impact that makes Social Media Delay powerful is that it removes the sense of isolation many families feel. Instead of one child being “the only one without social media,” groups of parents collectively agree to support healthier boundaries. This helps children avoid:

• exposure to mature or harmful content before they are prepared
• pressure to perform or compare themselves to others
• addictive design features that encourage constant scrolling
• unregulated contact with strangers
• the emotional weight of online conflicts or miscommunication

As a school, we strongly support families who choose to follow a Social Media Delay approach. It aligns with the principles of St Margaret’s Way, which champions wellbeing, connection, safety and respectful relationships.

However, not all information young people receive comes through digital platforms; ideas and beliefs are also shaped through peers, family members, online personalities, and wider social influences. That’s why our programs — including On Being Human (OBH) and our broader pastoral care curriculum — provide safe, guided spaces for students to ask questions, challenge perspectives, and express diverse views respectfully.

In my Year 7 OBH classes, I often see students bravely ask difficult questions or share views that may challenge others. Together, we agree that every person in our community brings a valid perspective, and that respectful dialogue is essential.

Our school values, the St Margaret’s Way, and our intentional teaching programs empower students to navigate the expectations and messages of their social and digital worlds.

And with parent partnership — including initiatives like Social Media Delay — we can work together to strengthen the wellbeing, safety and resilience of all our young people.

Nicole Devlin

Sometimes the storms of life feel completely overwhelming. There are too many coinciding due dates, the to-do list is growing longer, we are balancing work and study and the many things we deal with in our personal lives. It can feel like wave after wave rocking our boat. And, when the boat is rocking, it can feel impossible to find internal peace.

God offers the same words to us, as Jesus offered the storm: “Peace. Be still.” However, they are not just words. It is a promise of presence. That in the midst of life’s uncertainty, anxiety, and tumult, God is present, offering a deep peace that surpasses all understanding.

We offer that peace to one another. In a kind exchange, a shared smile, being present to one another’s joy and pain. In so doing we share the peace of God, the peace that can calm the winds and waves.

“Thy sea, O God, so great,

My boat so small.

…

Save as Thy goodness opens paths for me

Through the consuming vastness of the sea.”

Excerpt from the Breton Fisherman’s Prayer.

Rev’d Jazz Dow

These formal dinners are far more than a change of menu. Carefully curated by staff, each evening is themed around a different country, culture, or concept, with thoughtful attention to detail that turns the night into a full cultural experience. From authentic cuisine to traditional music, themed décor, and interactive moments, no two dinners are ever the same.

More than anything, these events are a beautiful way to celebrate each year level as its own unique cohort. Each formal dinner is exclusive to one year group, offering an intimate and age-appropriate space to connect, reflect, and celebrate shared experiences. Sitting together at one long beautifully set table, students are encouraged to slow down, engage in meaningful conversation, and practise good table manners, an important part of growing up in a community and preparing for life beyond school. It is also a special treat to enjoy these special nights at different areas of the school other than the Dining Hall.

To start the year, we hosted our Year 12 formal dinner in the beautiful Barley Sugar Garden, transforming the space into a soft, elegant celebration themed around ‘Galantines’. The evening embraced the spirit of friendship and appreciation among the senior girls, with flower décor, delicate table settings, and thoughtful touches that set a warm and joyful tone. As the first formal dinner of the year, it created a memorable moment for the cohort, offering them a chance to unwind, celebrate one another, and enjoy a special night together in a setting that felt both intimate and festive.

These dinners are such a special part of boarding life. It makes boarding feel like family. Each event is led by the boarder representatives of the year level, who serve as MCs for the night. They are joined by staff and the year level’s boarding captains and prefects, who sit alongside the students, helping create a warm, celebratory atmosphere that breaks from the usual pace of school life and dinner sittings.

These dinners are more than a fun tradition; they quietly teach empathy, respect, cultural appreciation, and confidence in social settings. They also strengthen year group bonds by allowing students to share a meal in a formal setting, where listening, conversation, and gratitude are just as important as what’s on the plate.

As each term progresses, the theme for the next dinner remains a well-guarded secret, sparking excitement and speculation among the boarders. Wherever in the world they’re taken next, one thing is certain, it will be a night to remember.

Gracemere Mataia

I have included below some time management strategies that you may wish to discuss with your daughter below:

• Prioritise tasks. Identify the most important and urgent tasks and allocate time accordingly. Ideally, if tasks are prioritised correctly then important tasks will end up being completed BEFORE they become urgent. This helps to reduce the potential for late nights before exams or assignment submissions.
• Minimise distractions. Social media (if 16) is the number one distraction for adolescents. If having the phone out of the room for homework and study sessions isn’t an option, try downloading an app like Flora or Forest to block access to your phone for periods of time to help you focus.
• Take regular breaks. Short, regular breaks are so important to maintaining effective focus. During a break, students should get up from their desk and move. A few star jumps or squats are all it takes to get the blood moving and oxygen into the brain. Drinking plenty of water is also beneficial.

Implementation of the above strategies can help students to optimise their productivity, reduce stress and achieve academic success.

“Don’t burn yourself out! Keep doing the things you love, hang out with the people you love and make sure to rest.” – Evie Jenner, ’25.

Caitlin McCluskey

For the tests, girls are reminded that they must bring:

• wired headphones (no Bluetooth earphones or AirPods)
• fully charged laptops
• pens/pencils

If any parents have any questions or concerns about the NAPLAN testing process, please feel free to contact my office on 07 3862 0703.

Years 9 and 10 Study Hall

In Years 9 and 10, students will have Study Hall days scheduled into every term. During these days, normal classes are suspended for these year levels, and students may have examination and performance assessments scheduled (please refer to your daughter’s Assessment Calendar on the POD).

When girls are not sitting assessment during Study Hall, they are afforded time to undertake independent study, where they can continue with other schoolwork and assessments.

Term 1 Study Hall dates are as follows:

Study Hall schedules will be made available to students next week through the Years 9 and 10 POD pages.

Chris Dunn

To support the continued growth of our school, we would greatly appreciate your assistance in promoting this event to friends, colleagues, and networks who may be considering a St Margaret’s education for their daughter.

A reminder that Open Day is a compulsory school day for all students. All students are required to attend in full school uniform and participate in curricular, cocurricular, or community activities. Students should arrive no later than 9:15am to ensure they are prepared for their scheduled commitments.

If, due to extenuating circumstances, a student is unable to attend Open Day, we ask that families provide a written note or email requesting leave to studentleave@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Nikki Townsend

Turning negative moments into positive glimmers offers a range of powerful benefits for both emotional wellbeing and personal growth. Here are some of the key benefits:

1. Builds Emotional Resilience

Reframing challenges helps us bounce back more quickly from setbacks. When we find meaning or growth in difficult moments, we build inner strength and adaptability— skills that are especially important for children as they develop.

2. Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Focusing on glimmers shifts the brain’s attention away from stress and threat. Over time, this helps calm the nervous system and reduces the intensity and duration of anxiety or overwhelm.

3. Strengthens Optimism

By actively seeking out the good — even in tough situations — we train our brains to develop a more hopeful and balanced outlook. This supports a more optimistic mindset, which has been linked to better mental and physical health.

4. Enhances Relationships

When we practice gratitude and share glimmers with others, it fosters connection. This can deepen relationships, build empathy, and create a more positive social environment at home, at school, and in the wider community.

5. Encourages a Growth Mindset

Seeing mistakes or setbacks as opportunities to learn helps children and adults alike develop a growth mindset. This fuels motivation, curiosity, and a willingness to try again.

6. Creates Lasting Habits of Joy

When we regularly pause to notice glimmers — like a shared laugh, a moment of quiet, kind word — we start building a habit of appreciation. Over time, this habit rewires the brain to seek out more of these moments, making joy more accessible and frequent.

I encourage the girls to notice glimmers, name them, and share them, so we grow a culture of gratitude. This aligns the school's commitment to share gratitude daily in the lead up to Easter. When a person demonstrates gratitude, optimism will flourish. 

“Glimmers are those small moments in our day that bring joy, peace or gratitude.” Unknown

Parenting Education Webinar

The Pastoral Care program used weekly (Years 2 – 6) is called Open Parachute created by a clinical psychologist Dr Hayley Watson. It has been in use in the primary school since 2021 and the teachers have found it a beneficial way to help nurture the students’ emotional wellbeing. We are fortunate to be able to offer an online parenting program presented by the Open Parachute founder. More detail is available on the Primary POD page.

Angela Drysdale

At the beginning of each term students complete an assessment called the Star Reading test to determine their best-fit reading level and set their termly targets. Once identified, students can choose from a selection of levelled, colour-coded books in the library. After reading, they then take a quiz on the AR platform, providing teachers with data to monitor comprehension and track progress.

The Process of Accelerated Reader at St Margaret's

Book Selection

• Students select books from a levelled and colour-coded library, ensuring they choose books that match their reading abilities. With over 162,000 AR quizzes available, students can find books that align with their interests and abilities.

Reading and Quizzing

• After finishing a book, students take a short quiz on the AR platform. Books are assigned points based on length, and students earn points depending on their quiz performance. These tests can only be done on school days and within school hours. They are not to be taken at home.

Earning Points

• As students’ complete quizzes, they accumulate points. This system motivates students to read more and challenges them with a variety of books. The total points reflect the amount of reading completed and track progress over time.

Millionaires’ Morning Tea

• To celebrate reading achievements, students who reach significant milestones are invited to Millionaires’ Morning Tea. Students who read one million words receive a certificate, and those who reach higher milestones are recognised at assemblies or with special morning teas.

Reading Beyond the Level

• While students are encouraged to read within their best-fit reading level, they may choose to read outside of these levels. They are also encouraged to explore books across genres.

At St Margaret's, the Accelerated Reader program is a vital tool in fostering a genuine love for reading and supporting students as they become confident, skilled readers. By selecting books at the best-fit level, tracking progress, and offering motivating incentives - such as the Millionaires' Morning Tea -we ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive.

It is important to note that this program is not a competition between students. Instead, it is a personalised journey designed to help students reach their own independent reading targets. By focusing on individual goals, we celebrate personal milestones and ensure that every reader, regardless of their starting point, can experience the pride of achievement.

Kate Frewin

Open Day Times

The St Margaret’s Music Department is excited to be presenting music performances at the upcoming Open Day to be held on Saturday 7 March. Performance times are listed below:

Circular Drive Stage

9:30am             Sculthorpe String Quartet                                

9:45am             Amati Strings                           

10:00am           Chamber Strings                                              

10:15am           Stradivari Strings                      

10:30am           Exultate                                                           

10:45am           Chorale                                                                       

11:45am           Stage Band

12:00pm           Highly Strung                                       

12:10pm           Tuesday Rock Band                                          

12:20pm           Monday Rock Band

Eton Hall

9:30am             Elayne Jones Percussion Ensemble                    

9:45am             Sister Helen Wind Symphony                                       

10:00am           Jackson Wind Ensemble                                    

10:15am           Chaseley Concert Band                       

10:30am           Belle Voci                                                        

10:45am           Encorah                                              

11:45am           Speech & Drama Performances                                                

12:00pm           Serenata

12:15pm           Volare 

Canopy Café

11:00am           Brass Ensemble                                                           

11:10am           Saxophone Ensemble   

11:20am           Flute Ensemble                        

11:30am           Clarinet Ensemble

11:40am           Beath String Quartet    

Primary Atrium

10:00am           Tutti Strings

Performance Uniforms

Students are required to wear a performance uniform for some senior auditioned music ensembles. Students are encouraged to purchase the uniform as soon as possible at the School Supplies Shop in preparation for Open Day (7 March). Please check the Music Cocurricular POD page for further details.

Past Student Awards Dinner

The Music Department is very excited to share that Maggie James (’97, nee Leung) is the recipient of the Spirit of Service Past Student Award. Maggie was a Music Extension student and heavily involved in the school’s Music Program. Maggie now specialises in neurologic music therapy within the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, supporting babies, children, and young people who are critically unwell or receiving palliative care. Her work focuses on using music to enhance neurological engagement, activate neural pathways, and promote developmental recovery. Drawing on her MBA, Maggie is committed in creating sustainable, equitable music therapy services that will benefit children and families for years to come. Maggie will share the evening with other award recipients Professor Catherine Greenhill (’87) and Natalie Charlton (’12). Further details of their achievements may be found here.

We would love you to consider coming along to the Past Student Awards Dinner to hear from and celebrate these inspirational St Margaret's women who have made outstanding contributions to our society and achieved great success in their chosen field. Enjoy canapes and the breathtaking view on the terraces, followed by a two-course meal and drinks package. Details are as follows:

Date: Wednesday 25 March 2026
Time: Pre-dinner drinks and canapes at 6.30pm, Dinner at 7.00pm (including Awards presentation)
Venue: Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's AGS

Please RSVP by 5:00pm Thursday 19 March 2026. Tickets may be purchased via the link below, or by calling the Development and Community Office on (07) 3862 0768.

St Margaret's Past Student Awards Dinner | Events | St Margaret's Old Girls' Network

A Message from the Music Support Group

Thank you in advance to everyone who will be assisting with the Music Day Camp to be held this Saturday. The Music Support Group will also be assisting the Music Captains at the upcoming Open Day music display on Saturday 7 March. If you can spare some time, we would love to see you: https://signup.com/go/GRdBOCw

Please see the next three meeting dates below for Term 1 and Term 2.  All primary and secondary parents are welcome. Meetings will be held in the Canopy Café.

Term 1, Week 8 - Tuesday 17 March, 5pm

 Term 2, Week 2 - Tuesday 28 April, 5pm

Term 2, Week 7 - Tuesday 2 June, 5pm

Brad King

Our students enjoyed the opportunity to compete in a variety of events including 6 x 50m freestyle relay events, 50m events across all four strokes as well as novelty relays including the noodle relay and the water polo relay which seemed to be a highlight for those supporting from the grandstands. These types of events provide all our students with the opportunity to participate and embrace all that is to be part of the St Margaret’s community.

Thank you to our House Captains and Coordinators for all their hard work in preparing their Houses as well as the teachers and support staff involved in the coordination of the day.

Here are the final results and the trophies were presented by Ms Curtis at the end of the carnival.

Don’t forget, if you are looking to stock your freezers for when the weather begins to cool…please support our students in our Pasta drive. The following sports will benefit from the drive - Cross Country, Touch Football, Athletics, Hockey, Dance, Tennis, Volleyball as well as Artistic Gymnastics and Rhythmic Gymnastics.

To order, please click here: https://www.trybooking.com/DHREE

Orders Close on Monday, 16 March.

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. 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

Anne Louise Williams

We invite all current and prospective families to our Open Day on Saturday 7 March, 9:30am to 12:30pm, to experience the joy to be found in a St Margaret’s education.

If our current families know of friends or relatives interested in a St Margaret’s education, we encourage them to share details of our Open Day next week. It’s a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the school, hear from our Principal Ms Ros Curtis AM, meet senior educators, speak with our student sporting leaders, enjoy music and drama performances and, importantly, tour the school with our students to witness learning in action and view the school's facilities.

The event is not just for prospective students and families but also a great opportunity for our current families to attend and watch their daughters' musical performances or sporting demonstrations or observe them engaged and challenged in the classroom.  For our primary families, it’s also a chance to explore the secondary school in more depth.

The Open Day Program is now available here (PDF 1.2MB).

2026 Past Student Award recipients

Distinguished Past Student
Professor Catherine Greenhill (’87), Head of the Combinatorics group in the School of Mathematics and Statistics, UNSW Sydney

Catherine's research provides tools, such as new formulae and algorithms, that shed light on fundamental mathematical objects such as networks

Young Past Student of Distinction
Natalie Charlton (’12), Performance Pathways Lead, Paralympics Australia

Natalie has been recognised for her leadership in sports management across grassroots sports, major events, professional team management, and international events.

Spirit of Service Past Student Award
Magie James nee Leung (’72), Clinical Lead of Music Therapy at Queensland Children’s Hospital

 Maggie supports babies, children, and young people who are critically unwell or receiving palliative care, using music to aid neurological engagement, activate neural pathways, and promote developmental recovery. 

Event Details

Date:                    Wednesday 25 March 2026
Time:                    Pre-dinner drinks and canapes at 6.30pm
                              Dinner at 7.00pm (including Awards presentation)
Venue:                  Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's AGS
Price:                   $99 adult, $69 student.
Tickets:                Please purchase your tickets here.

For enquiries please contact the Development and Community Office on (07) 3862 0768 or email developmentandcommunity@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Join us for a PWN Breakfast in 2026

We look forward to hosting several exceptional leaders as guest speakers and panellists in 2026.

Whie tickets have sold out for our first event, we encourage you to join the waitlist, or secure your ticket or corporate table for our upcoming events:

• PWN 1: Friday 27 March, with guest speaker, Clare Stewart, CEO, Youngcare; previously the first female Mayor of Noosa Sold out – Join the waitlist
• PWN 2: Thursday 14 May with guest speaker, Peta Bistany (née Dee) (’86), Specialist Advisor, International Sports Expansion (London); Board Member, Great Ormond Street Hospital
• PWN 3: Wednesday 26 August, Panel - Urban Transformation and Business Opportunities ahead of 2032
• PWN 4: Thursday 29 October with guest speaker, Chelsey Drake, Chair, Allens | Member, Australian Government Takeovers Panel

To purchase tickets or a corporate table:  Click Here

We thank our series sponsors, Major Sponsor: Pitcher Partners. Supporting Sponsors: Wolff Coffee Roasters, Clear Insurance, Resource Innovations, and The Bathhouse Albion.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for the PWN Series. If your company is looking for an opportunity to support and empower women in business and education, connect with Brisbane’s corporate community, host clients or staff for professional development and hear from inspiring leaders in a variety of industries, please contact the Development and Community Office via (07) 3862 0822 or developmentandcommunity@stmargarets.qld.edu.au. 

Parents & Friends Association AGM and Welcome Evening

You are invited to the Parents and Friends' Association Annual General Meeting and Welcome Evening on Tuesday 17 March 2026.

The first meeting of 2026 is an informal evening where the P&F welcomes new and current parents, accepts nominations to join the P&F Executive and Committee, and connect over some light refreshments. Principal Ros Curtis AM will also provide an update on the St Margaret's Strategic and Master Plans. 

Date: Tuesday 17 March 2026
Time: 6.30pm to 8.00pm (followed by light refreshments)
Location: Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's 

RSVP:  https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1535540

There is also an option to join this meeting remotely via Microsoft Teams for those unable to attend the meeting in person.

The P&F warmly welcomes new volunteers to join the P&F Management Committee or to assist with the organisation of P&F events. To nominate for the P&F Management Committee, please complete a nomination form by Tuesday 3 March 2026.

Secondary Mother Daughter Summer Social– wrap up

Sunshine, city views and great company set the scene for the 2026 Secondary Mother Summer Social last weekend. Around 370 mothers and daughters gathered at Lina Rooftop for an afternoon of connection, delicious food and a touch of magic.

The P&F Association thanks all guests for their support, and will be in touch with guests shortly to share photos from the event.

Thank you to our generous Prize Donors: Lina Rooftop, Verve Portraits, Studio Pilates Clayfield, Footpoint Podiatry, New Farm Seafood, Edito Boutique James Street, Studio Pilates Nundah, and Comuna Cantina Newstead.

Lara Pickering