eNews Archive Issue 9 - 27 March 2025

One of the important abilities we can help young people develop is self-regulation, which is the ability to resist doing something that is immediately pleasant or satisfying for a greater future gain. Generally, children do not have good skills in delayed gratification in their early years, and adults have to help them develop their self-discipline when children are between three and seven years old. By the time they are seven, a child should be able to do what the adult says most of the time and their anger or tantrums should not be frequent or endless. An adult can still help a child to develop their self-regulation after the age of seven, but by then it will be much harder for them.

If you constantly have to remind a child to do things, from gentle prompting through to outright nagging, it is likely they lack self-regulation. Judith Locke in her book, The Bonsai Child, offers insight into ways parents and teachers block children from developing self-regulation. The most common way is by constantly reminding children of what they need to do. When parents do this, particularly at ages when the child or teen should remember these things for themselves, they don’t allow their children to take responsibility for organising themselves. When a parent always reminds their child to do things, the child does not think they ever need to remember – because it is clearly not their job – and they are protected from experiencing the consequence of not planning what they need to do.

Clearly, parents (and teachers) must step back at some stage, so children step up for themselves. As students travel each year through each grade, teachers will expect more self-regulated behaviour from students.

So how can we all encourage greater self-regulation? Predictable routines and rules help where the child understands what is expected of them. Implementing effective rules which have predictable and unchanging consequences for poor choices is also important. Over time, adults need to give children fewer reminders of what they need to do, and sometimes, when they don’t step up, they need to bear the brunt of any failure to be organised. It is not always productive when adults step in and fix things for them at the last minute or get them out of a school consequence. Self-regulation is a very important life skill for highly functioning adults and having high expectations of self-regulated behaviour is important both at school and at home.

The Bonsai Child – Judith Locke

Ros Curtis

Whether in the classroom, on the sports field, on the stage or participating in a wide variety of extracurricular activities, the students have demonstrated their commitment to themselves, their friends and the wider school community. Our students have shown remarkable resilience and adaptability, embracing new challenges with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn. I look forward to next term and continuing to see the girls grow as individuals and as members of our school community.

However, as we move towards the end of the term and into the holidays, this is a timely reminder about the importance for all of us to audit and reflect on our own use and our students’ use and interactions in the online environment. As our students become more independent and tech-savvy, it's crucial to ensure they navigate the online world safely. Here are some valuable tips to help keep our students safe online, focusing on mobile phone use, screen time, and overall online safety.

Mobile Phone Use

1. Set Clear Guidelines: Establish rules about appropriate phone use, such as no phones during family meals or after a certain time at night.
2. Monitor and Discuss: Regularly review your child’s phone usage and have open conversations about their online activities. This helps build trust and allows you to address any concerns together.
3. Privacy Awareness: Teach your child about the importance of privacy settings on social media and the risks of sharing personal information. Encourage them to think twice before posting or sharing their location.

Managing Screen Time

1. Create a Balanced Schedule: Help your child balance screen time with other activities like sports, hobbies, and family time. Use screen time management tools to set daily limits if necessary.
2. Encourage Regular Breaks: Remind your child to take breaks from screens to rest their eyes and move around. The 20-20-20 rule (every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds) can be beneficial.
3. Model Healthy Habits: Demonstrate healthy screen habits by limiting your own screen time and engaging in offline activities together as a family.

Online Safety Tips

1. Stay Informed: Keep up-to-date with the latest apps, games, and social media platforms your teens are using. Understanding these can help you identify potential risks and discuss them with your teens.
2. Promote Open Communication: Create an environment where your child feels comfortable discussing their online experiences with you. Encourage them to talk about anything that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
3. Educate About Cyberbullying: Discuss the signs of cyberbullying and how to handle it. Encourage your teens to report any incidents to you or another trusted adult.

Finally, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every member of our school community. Your support, kindness, and enthusiasm have made my first term as Deputy Principal a truly memorable one. I am honoured to be a part of this wonderful community, and I look forward to many more successful terms together.

Nicole Devlin

This week we explored Courage: A St Margaret’s girl has strength of character and confidence in doing what is right. She is a part of a long line of women of faith who have had the courage to embrace challenge and change.

In class we spent time reflecting on the challenges of living out the value of courage in situations where gossip and rumours are taking place. We learned about bystanding and workshopped ways we can show courage when gossip takes place.

Whether we are children, adolescents, or adults, standing up for what we believe in situations that we think are wrong or unjust takes enormous courage. We live in complex times. There is much happening in our local and global contexts that leave us feeling powerless and exhausted.

However, we always have the choice to do the right thing, and change can occur through one person standing up for what they believe is the right thing. This can begin in a very local context and have far reaching consequences for good.

I am reminded of the words attributed to the 18^th Century theologian, John Wesley: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”

Rev’d Jazz Dow

To celebrate Harmony Day, we had boarders perform traditional dances from home during lunch time. We had Indigenous dances performed by our Yalari students, a traditional Thursday Island dance performed by our Torres Strait boarders, and Funga Yee (Year 11) performed a dance from the Solomon Islands. It is always a beautiful thing to see our girls so open to sharing their cultures with the wider school community, and in turn seeing the community embrace their culture and traditions with an open mind and willingness to learn. Additionally, we decorated the Dining Hall and boarding reception to celebrate.

It is so important that we as a boarding school recognise the vast array of cultures that constitute our school community. We are lucky enough to have girls and families from all over Australia, the Torres Strait, Soloman Islands, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong and many more places. It is essential that we maintain an openness to learning about their cultures and embracing this as a positive learning experience that can make us more rounded, informed global citizens.

For the boarding house, it is imperative that we all come together for days like Harmony Day, but every other day in the school year, to learn about our peers and continuously reflect on our understanding of others, different cultures, and the significance of the traditional customs we have been privileged to be part of or welcome to see. When the girls are living together for many years in the boarding house, we need to ensure that they understand that home is different for everyone and may not be mimetic of their own. Harmony Day in the boarding house, therefore, is just the capstone on top of all ongoing, everyday cultural celebrations of the rich diversity of the boarding house.

I encourage our boarders and boarding parents alike to continue to seek opportunities to learn more about the cultures that exist in the boarding house. We are a school focused on forming students with a global outlook, and the perfect place to start this is with a genuine understanding of cultural diversity and the importance of multiculturalism in our wider, global community.

Lesa Fowler

It would also be worth noting this so that in Term 2, you can support your daughter in implementing a more balanced approach earlier in the term. An Eisenhower Matrix (urgent/not urgent, important/not important) can assist with prioritising tasks. Ideally, 80% of time should be spent working on “important, not urgent” tasks. If time is distributed appropriately throughout the term, there should be a limited number of tasks that fall into the “important, urgent” category.

Year 11 Academic Progress Meetings

Early next term, I will be meeting with all Year 11 students to reflect on their progress in Term 1 and assist with goal setting moving forward. The meetings will run for approximately ten minutes and will be available before, during and after school hours. Students will have access to book in for these meetings via the “Year 11 Academic Progress Meetings” tile on the POD. This will become live in Week 1 of Term 2. Parents are more than welcome to attend these meetings either in person, via Teams or phone.

Caitlin McCluskey

“Whatever your 100% is for the day, give it your best effort” – Sarah Sorensen, ’24.

• For Years 7 to 10 assessments – results and comments are released two school weeks after their submission/sitting date.
• For Year 11 – most results and comments are released two school weeks after their submission/sitting date, however, for some larger assessments it will be three school weeks.
• For Year 12 - results and comments are released three school weeks after their submission/sitting date.

To access these results, please log into the Learning Analytics Parent Portal and click on the Continuous Reporting Quick Link button.

Interim Attitude to Learning Grades

Interim Attitude to Learning grades will be available for parents and students to view through Learning Analytics from next Thursday 3 April.

To access these results, please log into the Learning Analytics Parent Portal and click on the Pastoral Care Quick Link button.

If you have any questions regarding parent access to Learning Analytics, please don’t hesitate to contact me (07) 3862 0703.

Supervised Study Sessions

Supervised Study Sessions (SSS) will recommence in Week 2 of Term 2. It will operate out of the Eunice Resource Centre (Senior Library) on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. Each session runs from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm, with students having the option of purchasing dinner from the boarding house for $12.50.

The purpose of these sessions is to provide girls with a quiet and well-resourced space that is conducive to productive homework and study time. Each SSS will be staffed by up to two tutors, who offer advice and guidance on how to plan effectively for upcoming assessments. The SSS tutor group is made up of ten young women who are currently studying at university.

For students attending SSS after an afternoon of sport, transport is available to and from Windsor Park. For those staying on after school to attend SSS, the Eunice Centre is open until 5pm prior to the commencement of the study sessions.

Parents who book their daughters in via Flexischools can feel comfortable knowing that their daughters are receiving academic support but are also interacting with peers in a physically and emotionally safe environment.

With the popularity of Supervised Study Sessions increasing, I ask that you take note of the following conditions:

1. The booking cut off through Flexischools is 9:00am on the day. This enables us to plan and advise the kitchen on the number of meals that will need to be catered for in the evening. Please note, that we can only accept a maximum number of 25 students, so therefore, we recommend you book well in advance to avoid missing out.
2. For bookings that miss the cut off, no dinner can be provided but students are welcome to attend SSS provided the maximum number of students has not been reached. An email notifying the school of their attendance is necessary, and this will be noted on the supervisor’s roll.
3. Dinner will be provided at the set time of 6:00pm to allow for the boarders’ dinner sittings to be finalised. 

Kelly Alford

Carol Dweck, a renowned psychologist, emphasises the power of a growth mindset, stating, "Becoming is better than being." This perspective encourages individuals to view abilities and intelligence as qualities that can be developed through effort and perseverance. By adopting this mindset, people are more likely to take on challenges and persist through difficulties.

In professional contexts, growth is vital for innovation and success. As John F. Kennedy once said, "Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future." This highlights the importance of adaptability and continuous learning in a rapidly evolving world. Organisations that foster a culture of growth empower employees to explore new ideas and drive progress.

Personal growth also involves emotional and social development. Brené Brown aptly states, "Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change." Embracing vulnerability allows individuals to form deeper connections and cultivate empathy, leading to more meaningful relationships.

Here at St Margaret’s, we are encouraging growth. Ultimately, prioritising growth leads to a more fulfilling and successful life. By seeking new experiences, learning from failures, and remaining open to change, individuals can unlock their true potential and inspire others to do the same.

Nikki Townsend

First, it highlights our school’s strong sense of community. We are connected within our school walls, to our local community and globally, but the visit from our Sister School helps us build and strengthen international bonds. It is an amazing opportunity to connect with students from Japan, learn about their culture, and share our own.

The highlight of the visit is the Year 5 girls’ interaction with the Japanese students through a variety of activities. These activities allow our students to share typical Australian school and student experiences. The girls enjoy learning about the differences and similarities between our two countries and their education systems.

In return, some of our students will visit Japan in September, where they will experience life at the Sister School firsthand and immerse themselves in Japanese culture. Both experiences are important as it helps students develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of cultures beyond their own, broadening their perspectives.

The second reason is the timing of the visit which takes place on Harmony Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the rich cultural diversity within our school and our country. Harmony Day is about respect, inclusion, and embracing our differences. When our visitors from Japan join in this celebration, it strengthens our commitment to cultural understanding and mutual respect.

Thank you to Ms Box, Ms Spooner and the Year 5 teachers who helped make this visit such a memorable success. We look forward to continuing this valuable relationship with our Sister School in Japan and can’t wait for next year’s visit!

Connection with Andrews Cup schools community

Last week many girls participated and competed against nine Andrews Cup schools in swimming at Chandler. The girls’ commitment came to fruition with the following results:

Overall: Aggregate Cup – 3^rd place

Springfield Cup relay – 3^rd place (Madeline M, Madeline T, Lexie F and Sienna S)

Age group results:

8 years – 2^nd place, 9 years – 2^nd place, 12 years – 3^rd place

Broken Records:

Isabella H – 9 years 50m Breaststroke Division B

Madeline A – 9 years 50m Breaststroke Division A

9 years medley relay – Georgia H, Madeline A, Emily T and Isabella H

I was very proud to witness the school spirit as the girls encouraged each girl who competed. Thank you to Morgan Rowe who planned and ran the day. It was huge and very successful because of her efforts.

Involvement in the Andrews Cup competition is much more than a competition for the girls, it is essential for developing a strong sense of community and connection with each other and girls from other schools. Through teamwork, mutual respect, and shared experiences, students build friendships, foster school spirit, and learn valuable life skills that extend far beyond the pool and playing field.

Angela Drysdale

We strongly encourage you to take the time to review the feedback alongside the grades. The teacher comments provide insightful information, highlighting strengths, areas for growth, and actionable steps for improvement. This feedback is an essential tool for understanding not only what has been achieved but also how to continue developing moving forward.

Please see the dates below for the release of assessments and comments. Results will be accessible to both parents and students through the Learning Analytics portal.

We hope this feedback fosters meaningful conversations at home and supports continued learning and growth for all students.

Kate Frewin

Thank you also to all the wonderful parent helpers who worked behind the scenes, assisting with props and costumes, as well as running a nightly raffle. The school musical is a very special event within the school’s calendar, bringing together many different parts of the school community. Musicals provide students with a very unique performance opportunity, and we believe that everyone involved will remember and treasure the memories created for many years to come.

Student Congratulations

Congratulations to Charlotte (Yr 10) whose composition for violin, viola and cello was featured at a special High Tea Fundraiser in support of the Anglicare Southern Queensland’s Youth Homelessness Accommodation Project. Charlotte composed a piece entitled “Waterways” which was performed by professional musicians and thoroughly enjoyed by all in attendance, including The Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO. This is a wonderful achievement, Charlotte!

Music Support Group

The next Music Support Group meeting will be held on Tuesday 29 April 2025 at 5:00pm in the Circular Drive Classroom 01 (in front of the Arts Centre Foyer). Parents from both the primary and secondary school are welcome to attend.

Brad King

Our Basketball teams played the previous week against Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School but this week all sports made it on the field!

It was a carnival atmosphere at Windsor Park with all Touch Football fields playing the QG competition and our social teams also having an opportunity to play. The parent support group bake sale was a fantastic addition to the afternoon with treats available to all players and spectators.

Our football teams played at Brisbane City Football Club and our Basketball teams had matches at St Margaret’s and St Rita’s.

Water Polo Gold Medal contenders

This weekend we have two teams playing for the Gold Medals in the final weekend of Water Polo QLD season 2024/2025.   

15 White – Div 4 – 1:00pm

15 Blue – Div 3 – 12:30pm

Both matches will be played at Somerville pool - it would be great to have as many spectators as possible to support our players.

Congratulations to our Bronze medal winners - 14 Orange and 18 Orange. Our other teams, 13 White and 17 Orange, played well but unfortunately didn’t come away with a win on the day.

Well done to all Water Polo teams on a great season. Our numbers continue to grow in this program and we are looking forward to continuing this growth for season 2025/ 2026!

A friendly reminder…please sign out

A friendly reminder that all students must sign out with a teacher before leaving each fixture on completion of matches. Our staff have a duty of care to ensure that all girls are collected before leaving venues themselves. To be able to sign out, students must also bring the parent/guardian or caregiver collecting them to the teacher to complete the sign out process. Thank you for your cooperation on this matter.

QLD Athletics Championships 2025

From Thursday 13 to Sunday 16 March, the Queensland Athletics Championships took place in Brisbane at the QLD State Athletics Centre in Mt Gravatt. Thirteen St Margaret’s students competed across the weekend in a range of events, achieving many great results including personal bests, national qualifiers and medal winning performances.

The sprinters showcased their speed across all age groups, with Erin G, Evie T, Georgina F, Ebony O, Leah C and Georgia H delivering exceptional performances. Erin secured bronze in the 200m, while Ebony claimed bronze in the 100m and silver in the 200m. Georgia dominated the 100m hurdles, winning gold. While Leah demonstrated an impressive combination of speed and endurance to earn silver in the 400m.

In the middle-distance events, Charlotte R, Georgiana R, and Charlize H took to the track with determination. Both Charlotte and Georgiana competed strongly in the 1500m, while Charlize ran an outstanding race to take home bronze in the 800m.

The field events also brought success for St Margaret’s students, with Lily H, Lauren M, Lucy R, Evie T and Ashley B delivering strong performances. Ashley soared to victory in the high jump, winning gold, while Lily secured bronze in the triple jump.

Well done to all girls who competed, the competition was tough and you should all be extremely proud of yourselves.

We would like to continue 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 email me at awilliams@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Anne Louise Williams

We will be OPEN to assist with any uniform requirements on Friay 4 April (Student Free Day), between the hours of 8:00am and 2:00pm. 

Winter Items

The School Supplies Shop now has the following winter uniform items in preparation for the cooler months. We would encourage all families to call into the Supplies Shop as soon as possible to avoid missing out on your preferred size.

• Formal jumper – both Poly/Cotton and Wool/Nylon
• School Scarf
• Pre-Prep to Year 1 Fleecy Tracksuit top and pants
• Winter Tights – St Margaret’s Brown

The school tracksuit for Years 2 to 12 will be available for purchase from the commencement of Term 2.

Student Card Purchases

Flexischools daily limit - Please ensure the daily limit is set high enough to cover the cost of the uniform items being purchased, otherwise we will not be able to complete the transaction.

We have fun-filled and exciting activities planned for our Easter Vacation Care Program. Further details of the program can be found here (PDF 492.9KB).

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?*

Early Bird Fees: $63

Early Bird Bookings close: 14 March 2025

Fees: $68 per day*

Bookings close: 28 March 2025

*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

We invite parents and senior students to join us at the first Aspiring Young Women’s Network Breakfast event of 2025 to hear from Elise Gane (’04), a physiotherapist with 16 years of clinical experience.

Elise will share her journey, from completing a PhD in cancer rehabilitation to her current role as a Principal Project Officer at Queensland Health where she works in digital health projects.

Elise’s experience across the public health service as a clinician, researcher, and project officer, give her a unique insight into the current challenges facing the public health system in Queensland and the critical role allied health professionals play in the delivery of quality healthcare services to Queenslanders.

Date:                    Thursday 29 May 2025

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

St Margaret’s 2025 Online Business Directory – Together we are stronger

Now more than ever it’s important to get behind business owners within our community and support those who support the school.

If you are looking for services such as accommodation, accounting, automobile, healthcare or legal, looking to buy or sell property or make home improvements take a look at the St Margaret’s Online Business Directory.

The 2025 Directory can be viewed via this link: https://www.stmargarets.qld.edu.au/community/business-directory

Wanting to get your business or service in front of the St Margaret’s community?

Contact the Development and Community Office at developmentandcommunity@stmargarets.qld.edu.au  or phone (07) 3862 0768.

Lara Pickering