eNews Archive Issue 2 - 2 February 2017

The St Margaret’s Past Students Awards have been established to:

• recognise the many achievements of St Margaret’s Past Students, both professionally and personally
• celebrate the diverse achievements of Past Students and provide an opportunity to share stories of success
• increase connections between the School and Past Students to honour their legacy.

 

Engaging with our valued Old Girls’ community and recognising the achievements and contributions of Past Students creates a significant impact on our current students, as they seek and gather the inspiration they need to fly upwards.

 

Please draw this to the attention of our Past Students or act by nominating a past student for the award. Details on how to nominate are on the Community section of the website and are outlined in the Nomination Forms which can be downloaded here. Please note that 2017 nominations close on Monday 13 March.

 

I was really interested to read and hear last week the words of Michelle Simmons in her Australia Day address. Professor Michelle Simmons, a professor of quantum physics at the University of New South Wales, expressed concern about the dangers involved in some recent trends in education in Australia when she said that ‘when we reduce the quality of education that anyone receives we reduce the expectations we have of them’ and ‘if we want young people to be the best they can be at anything, we must set the bar high, then expect them to jump over it.’

 

In our attempts to make education accessible to all, we should not reduce the inherent challenge in learning. Students should not shy away from the discomfort involved in learning something new and growing to understand something difficult.

 

Professor Simmons’ Australia Day speech focused on the need for all Australians to attempt the difficult things in life. She said that ‘It is better to do the things that have the greatest reward; things that are hard, not easy.’ In reference to Australia Day celebrations, Professor Simmons also said that: "On occasions like this, we tend to emphasise the beauty of our natural environment, our great lifestyle and the easy going character of our people. This is a mistake ... it encourages us to shy away from difficult challenges. It will stop us from being as ambitious as we might be ... I want Australians above all to be known as the people who do the hard things.’

 

I would like to think that St Margaret’s girls will be young women who are not afraid of doing the hard things - that they have resilience in their studies and in their relationships with others.

 

Last week, at our first assembly for the year, I encouraged all students to recalibrate their thinking around the word ‘failure’. Using the footage of Derek Redmond breaking down in the 400m in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and referring to our St Margaret’s Day theme, ‘With Integrity and Purpose’, I indicated that ‘if you go about all your activities with integrity and purpose, you may not win, you may not succeed but you have not failed. This is because you have stood firm with your values, looked for and created opportunity, added to the strength of your identity - who you are as a person - and participated well enough to have another experience from which to grow. That is not failure - that is success but just in another form.

 

Derek Redmond finished his race, but not in the way he would have liked, but he still received a standing ovation from an audience of 65,000 people as he remained committed to his goals and was determined to finish his race, even with a torn hamstring. In other words, ‘when you don’t give up, you cannot fail.’

 

I would encourage all parents to share with their daughters about times they failed and what they learned and how they grew through that process. I have great concerns that young girls today have an impossible view of how ‘perfect’ they should be and they choose easy options or do not participate so they cannot fail. Many don’t appreciate that challenge and overcoming it is as important in life as achievement.

 

Our students all engage in goal setting at the beginning of the year and the staff will encourage our students to create challenging goals, ones, where achievement of those goals is worthwhile and therefore, rewarding.

There is excitement around entering a new year level, starting a new subject, meeting new teachers, opening those fresh new books and becoming organised with new stationery.

As students and families discuss their goals and the year ahead, it is important to realise the capacity of our young people to navigate these waters themselves. Of course, some will inherently find this journey easier than others.

I read recently in an educational journal that one of the most difficult things for parents and teachers to do is to resist the urge to rescue them. When we do that, we reinforce the idea that it is about getting it right and not necessarily about the struggle of learning. Mistakes happen, we learn from them. Allowing our young people to experience failure in a caring and supportive environment is key to ensuring they learn that failure is a valuable part of the learning process.

However, asking for help is also important. As children grow, they can become less likely to engage in adaptive help-seeking behaviours where they ask for just enough information to continue to solve a problem themselves. Instead, it can be easier to just ask for the answer and move on without forming a deep understanding of that context.

Our young people are never going to know everything. The ultimate skill for us as adults is to teach them to know what to do when they don’t know what to do.

As parents and teachers, it is important to consider how we help our young people. Are we encouraging a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset? Are we encouraging them to question for understanding rather than just a quick answer? Are we resisting the urge to rescue them? I wish everyone a wonderful week.

Karen Gorrie

The theme for this year’s 7 and 8 Family Service will be ‘At First Sight … Love?’. Members of the Senior Leadership Team, Form teachers, along with other members of the St Margaret’s community will be joining with families to explore this idea through song, Scripture and drama. Traditionally, a retiring collection will be taken at the conclusion to the service to support the Bush Ministry Fund.

For more information, please contact me on 3862 0716 or ncolledge@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

A Sunday Service for those with Younger Children

If you are looking for a church environment on a Sunday morning where you may feel comfortable to bring younger children and your family, then please come along to our Young Families Services throughout the year.

Sunday 5 February, 9am (this Sunday!) will be our first gathering in the School Chapel. Our Year 8s assist with children’s activities and songs and all are invited to stay for morning tea in the Barley Sugar Garden afterwards. If interested, I’d love an idea that you are coming so resources are provided where needed. I look forward to sharing this time with you and your children. Children and adults of ALL ages are, of course, welcome.

St Mark’s, Clayfield Youth Group and Dan Warlow in concert!

Please see below information about a great young musician playing on Friday night, 24 February at St Mark’s Clayfield, Bonney Ave.

Upcoming Services

Sunday 5 February: 9am, Young Families Service, Chapel

Friday 10 February: 2:15pm, Primary Chapel, ALL are welcome!

Monday 13 February: 8:45am, Year 6 Leaders’ Induction, Chapel

Monday 13 February: 6:30pm, Years 7 and 8 Family Service, Chapel

Wednesday 22 February: 6pm, Boarders’ Eucharist with Baptisms, Chapel

 

Reflection

Release us from judgment so we can receive the stories
of our sisters and brothers with respect and attention.

Open our hearts to the cries of a suffering world
and the healing melodies of peace and justice for all creation.

Empower us to be instruments of justice
and equality everywhere. Amen.
Source: www.worldprayers.org

 

With every blessing on you and your week ahead,

The Reverend Nicki Colledge

Our Year 11 and 12 girls certainly stood out as terrific role models for all the boarders. Their smiling faces and willingness to help anyone and everyone has already had an enormous impact on our community. Our Activities Coordinator kicked off a spectacular event in the Sports Hall, with each grade donning a different colour as they fiercely faced off in Dodgeball.

On Saturday night, our Boarder Captains, Susanna Lehman and Christine Murr, energetically facilitated several games and activities for the entire Boarding House, including the popular Mannequin Challenge. Their leadership was outstanding, catering for the mixed ages and never shying from the opportunity to create a sense of fun for their fellow boarders. Sunday’s success was ‘Wet n Wild’, a tradition for many Boarding schools in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. We couldn’t have wished for a better weekend, knowing that everyone felt included, engaged and suitably orientated for their start or return to life in boarding.

House Mothers 2017
Years 6 and 7: Leonie Betts, 0413 447 553
Years 7 and 8 Float: Linda High
Year 8: Gracemere Brown, 0420 937 083
Year 9: Chris Vidal, 0420 937 084
Years 9 and 10 Float: Melissa Young
Year 10: Cheryl Harrison, 0420 937 085
Year 11: Janet Caitens, 0420 937 086
Years 11 and 12 Float: Melita Gul
Year 12: Fiona Spooner, 0420 937 087

Dimity Harris 

Firstly, it is important to focus on the process of learning rather than the outcome (that is, the mark). Girls need to think about what they are doing not what they are going to get in terms of marks. By doing this they will deepen their understanding and develop their skills. In terms of learning, the marks are unimportant - it is the process that has the power. Students must believe they can learn and make progress. We know that this is a valid way of thinking because scientific understandings regarding the brain and the way it functions support the idea that a person’s experiences alter her brain so that it may become stronger in some areas. Given this, it is clear that what an individual does makes a difference to her learning outcomes. While there is a significant amount of contested research regarding neuroscientific implications for learning there is general agreement that learning is experiential. That is, that it is behaviour based. A student who applies themselves in an effective way will make progress.

I strongly recommend that students create schedules which help them to organise their time and to begin work from the very beginning of the term. Planning time for homework, rest and recreation allows young people to feel more in control of their commitments. Schedules are most useful when they change regularly and are shaped to suit the needs of an individual. Following these steps can assist in creating a learning schedule which can be followed.

1. First mark the times when you will not do school work. It may be that you know you will not work on Friday night or that you have a favourite TV program that you would like to watch or a family dinner with grandparents each week. Put these times in as rest/relaxation sessions.

2. Then mark in times when you have specific activities you engage in - sport, music, dance, drama.

3. Then you can see what time remains for you to schedule for school work.

4. Note when you arrive home from school and when you will realistically start your school work.

5. Make sure that you have plenty of sleep and breaks when you can rest or exercise or do something you enjoy.

6. Make your study sessions about an hour long.

 A study schedule for a Year 8 student may look like this. It contains 10 hours of homework time each week. This is a great deal of time (perhaps more than is needed) but if you look at the schedule there is quite a bit of free time. Managing time is so often about thinking ahead and planning.

TIMES	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY	SUNDAY
	SCHOOL	SCHOOL	SCHOOL	SCHOOL	SCHOOL	SLEEP IN	SLEEP IN
	Home 4pm	Netball	Home 4pm	Music lesson and practice	FREE TIME
6PM	HOMEWORK	Not home until 5.30, BREAK	HOMEWORK			Homework 10-11am	FAMILY TIME
7PM	Dinner, Shower etc.	Dinner, Shower etc.	Dinner, Shower etc.	Dinner, Shower etc.
8PM	HOMEWORK	HOMEWORK	HOMEWORK	HOMEWORK		Homework 3-4pm	Homework 2-3pm
8.30PM	TV		RELAX

Samantha Bolton

Therefore, there is a need to assist and educate students to use this data and feedback. Tucker (2015) writes about the need to educate students to use data to personalise their learning, by ensuring data/feedback is ongoing, informative and about the students’ own needs. As we move towards the full implementation of Continuous Reporting across the school, we are in a place to start this journey with our students.

In educational settings students are provided with feedback that can be either performance oriented (grades and comparison against others) or mastery oriented (focussing on developing and improving skills). The process of continuous reporting provides students with a hybrid of performance and mastery orientation to enable students to focus on individual improvement, to enable personal evaluation of results, as well as giving the student responsibility and ownership of their learning. To enhance the process of continuous reporting from a student’s point of view, a Student Academic Mentoring Portal has been developed to assist students to transform the grades and feedback provided into a useful tool to assist learning. Because as Farrell et al (2015) noted: "Engaging students with their own data allows them to gain a better understanding of their strengths, their weaknesses and how to improve."

Through the Student Academic Mentoring Portal, the students will be able to see and reflect on their results and feedback to set goals for their learning path. This portal will be supported by a mentoring process between the student and their Form teacher to support the girls academically and build a base to allow for successful learning and increased self-worth. This aims to increase the girls’ learning capacity and enable them to gauge their own learning. Mentoring programs have the ability to greatly improve student educational experiences, and it’s through the student ownership of school data, the mentoring from a staff member and the increasing conversation between teachers/students and student/parent about learning that we will cater for each individual learner.

Information to access Continuous Reporting

We are currently in the process of entering all assessment data into the reporting system in preparation for the roll out of Continuous Reporting from Years 5 to 11. All information about assessments and due dates will be available on Parent Lounge on 24 February. After this date parents will be able to log into Parent Lounge to view assessment details.

This week, at the Parent Information Evening, the Heads of Year shared details about how to access Continuous Reporting through Parent Lounge. Please click here to view the details.

If you have any questions about reporting, please email ndevlin@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Supervised Study Sessions

Supervised Study Sessions started this week for students in the Secondary School. At these sessions, the girls worked with tutors to organise a study plan for the term. The main goal of the Supervised Study Sessions is to assist students to revise work covered so far and support and extend their understanding of learning from lessons so they are prepared for assessment.

Supervised Study Sessions operate in the senior library on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Each session runs from 5pm to 7:30pm, with students having the option of purchasing dinner from the Boarding House for $10 (at approximately 6pm).

To take advantage of this program, parents need to log into Flexischools from the Quicklinks dropdown menu on the home page of the school website and select ‘Supervised Study Sessions’. Bookings are limited to 25 participants each night and when a session is full, no further bookings can be made for that session. Bookings are essential and should be made in advance to ensure a place is secured. If dinner is required, payment must be paid at the time of booking and this option selected in Flexischools.

For all enquiries about this program, please contact Nicole Devlin via the Executive Assistant to the Dean of Pedagogy and Dean of Studies, Mrs Lisa Beeney, on 3862 0826.

Nicole Devlin 

These outside professionals not only offer a spiralling curriculum, they also have expertise in the knowledge of the girls’ developmental stages and needs. We have found that the students respond well and welcome the opportunity to hear from others in the community who are not their teachers or parents. Heads of Year and Form class teachers have an opportunity then to discuss issues which arise from these workshops during Form class and Year Level meetings. Examples of topics explored in this education program are health - growing and changing, alcohol and drug use, relationships, personal nutrition, sexual health, adolescent and mental health issues, and social media to name a few.

In the comings weeks Years 7 to 12 will learn to fine tune theirs social and community building skills to ensure the students have a great year ahead.

Year 7 Camp

The Year 7 Camp will be held at The Mapleton Centre on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland from Monday 6 February to Wednesday 8 February, and will be organised by QCCC. Making new friends and enhancing cohesion as a year group is important for all students. One of the main aims of this camp is to give the Year 7 girls the opportunity to interact widely with all their peers in a fun and challenging environment. As well as developing interpersonal skills, the camp is structured to promote individual self-esteem and enhance teamwork within the year level.

Nikki Townsend

Phoebe will be speaking about her experience at an upcoming school assembly. Approximately 200 students from around Australia are selected to attend. Congratulations to Phoebe on her success. Justine Solomon (Year 10), Hannah Campbell (Year 8) and Lillian Campbell (Year 7) had the exciting opportunity to travel to America to participate in the HASSE Space School. We can’t wait to hear from these girls about their experiences.

There are some fantastic opportunities for Science students coming up this year. Here are a couple which are open for application:

Applications are now open for the 2017 QUT High School Research Internship Program. You can access the program video here. View all information regarding this year’s program on our website, including a step by step guide through eligibility and the online application process. This Program offers students a week-long placement over the Easter break at one of QUT’s state-of-the-art institutes. The students work in pairs under the mentorship of leading QUT scientists, and contribute to a real-world research project. The Internship Program aims to give students the opportunity to experience new areas of knowledge in scientific research, be exposed to cutting edge technologies, improve their laboratory skills and experience a taste of university life. The Program is funded by QUT with no cost to accepted students.

Research placements on offer in 2017 include:

Biomedical internship placements:

• Cancer and ageing, prostate cancer and tumour invasion research at the Translational Research Institute
• Infectious diseases and microbiology at QIMR
• Genomics and cell and molecular bioscience research at the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (IHBI)

Science and Engineering Internship Placements:

• Molecular science in the Mass Spectrometry Development Laboratory
• Genome and DNA analysis in the Genomics lab using the The PacBio Sequel DNA sequencer
• Nanoscopic investigations in the Optical and Electron Microscopy Laboratory

These are all undertaken within QUT’s Institute for Future Environment’s Central Analytical Research Facility.

Important dates for the Program:

• Applications close Sunday 12 February
• Student induction day at QUT on Monday 27 March 2017 (after school)
• Work placement week Monday 3 - Friday 7 April 2017
• Teacher placement visit and morning tea Friday 7 April
• High School Research Internship presentation evening Wednesday 24 May 2017

Eligibility requirements:

To be considered for this program, students must:

• Be a current Queensland Year 12 student
• Be studying and receiving 2 or more VHAs in a science, advanced mathematics or engineering technology (preferably biology for the biomed interested students and physics and chemistry for the science and engineering interested students).
• Obtain parental/guardian permission
• Obtain a letter of recommendation from their school.

Please contact your Year 12 Science teacher for more information if required.

A second great opportunity for Science students is FEAST. Future Experiences in Agriculture, Science and Technology (FEAST) is a five day residential program designed to inspire and inform high school students of the range of exciting and rewarding science careers in the agriculture, animal, plant and food sectors.

Why attend FEAST?

• test drive university and meet other students with similar interests
• explore science disciplines through hands-on activities and workshops
• attend industry run sessions reinforcing the many exciting career outcomes on offer to graduates
• experience living in the Halls of Residence and take part in fun social and sporting activities
• chat with current university students and staff and have all your questions answered
• expand your knowledge of UQ study options and programs, careers and campus life

Cost: $450.00. Price includes 4 nights accommodation, all meals, program activities and bus tours.
Where: The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus
When: Check in Sunday 25 June 2017 and depart Thursday 29 June 2017
Enquiries: science.events@uq.edu.au

FEAST is open to students in Years 10, 11 and 12, however, preference will be given to Years 11 and 12 students if numbers are limited.

Find out more about UQ science programs.

Trish Kirkpatrick
Head of Faculty - Science and Technology

These include:
• Higher motivation and self-efficacy for learning
• Better school connectedness
• Improved behaviour
• Better overall wellbeing

More recent research has found parent involvement is a two prong approach
 1. Family-school partnership
 2. Family-led learning

The components of these areas are:

Family-School Partnership
 • Parent-teacher communication - regular positive channels of communication are essential to building a strong partnership
• School-based involvement - attendance at events, helps child develop a sense of connectedness to and value of the school community. Connectedness influences academic outcomes.

Family-Led Learning
 • Setting a high bar - expectations
 • Conversations - about learning, relationships
 • Reading together
 • Creating a learning environment
 • Supporting wellbeing

At the Parent Information Night, I focussed on the first two: setting the high bar - which is the expectations parents set. These are influential in a child’s own value of learning and their sense of academic competence. The second - conversations - is talking to your child about learning, relationships with others, what they like to learn, what they’re good at and not so good at. These two things (setting the bar, conversations) have an immediate impact on your child’s learning dispositions; that is, their attitudes and habits of mind which contribute to their self-efficacy, one’s belief in one’s ability to succeed in tasks and situations. Self-efficacy impacts how one approaches life and learning.

There has been a lot of research about how children learn and dispositions they need to be successful learners. James Nottingham has developed a powerful approach to learning for children. He uses the analogy that deep learning is like going into a pit or chasm of the unknown - you end up in the bottom in a cognitive conflict state. With dispositions of learning, you work your way out as you think through the learning challenge.

As adults, we have done this all our adult lives. When adults learn new things such as driving a car, playing golf or dealing with challenges in your working day, you end up in the pit before coming out the other end when you have achieved your outcome. I am currently in the learning pit as I am finalising my research masters and in doing so, writing a thesis which is very different from the way I would normally write. Our teachers participated in professional development before the start of the school year. As a staff, we were challenged by new pedagogy. As adults we tolerate frustration as part of our learning process, we are not rescued when we can’t do something. Feeling uncomfortable when learning, is learning. As it has been stated, “If you do not have to work hard to make sense of what you are learning then you are less likely to remember it in six weeks’ time.” (Dylan William, 2016).

As a school, we have identified the learning dispositions - that is the attitudes and habits of mind we believe students should possess to be a learner with self-efficacy:
 • Optimism - positive self-talk - I can do this!
 • Perseverance/Persistence - giving effort (growth mindset) within your control: working tough, ‘I can do it’, keep trying - you start to make sense of it
• Responsibility for own learning
• Independence • Self-regulation – organised - planning time, setting goals
• Resilience - is focussing on things that are going well and what we are grateful for, rather than the problems we face. What have you learnt by going through the pit? How can I apply these to new learning - adapt, apply, transfer, review?
• Confidence - is not being concerned with what others think if you make a mistake. If we believe in our capabilities then we have a greater ability to go through tough times.

I would encourage you to read the book “The Little Engine that Could” with your child. Discuss how the little engine had self-belief he could pull the train up the hill.

When your child goes through the learning pit, she can apply this new learning by adapting, applying, transferring and reviewing. We would encourage you to support the school in the development of these dispositions. These are messages you can give when you are having the conversations about learning and setting expectations. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you cannot do.”

On that note, I am currently facing fear head-on and completing my thesis, and I will take leave for Term 1 to do this. Mrs Trudi Edwards will fulfil the position of Head of Primary and she will be supported by Mary Surtees who will take leave from her teaching for the term to fulfil the role of Assistant Head of Primary.

Upcoming Events

Monday 13 February: Year 6 Leaders’ Induction Service
22, 23, 24 February: Year 4 Camp
Wednesday 1 March: Ash Wednesday Service
Friday 3 March: P&F Mothers’ Luncheon
Saturday 4 March: Open Day - Compulsory School Day 9:30am - 12:30pm
Friday 10 March: Primary Family Fun Night
Friday 24 March: Primary Swimming Carnival

Angela Drysdale

If your daughter is wishing to enrol in private music lessons, and you have not yet sent in an application form, it is not too late to do so. An application form with terms and conditions can be found at this link.

We have been receiving numerous requests from parents for lesson times to occur outside of school hours or at specific times during the school day. Whilst every effort will be made to accommodate these requests, it may not always be possible due to the large number of students undertaking private music lessons. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Music Staff News

As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, we have several new staff members joining the Music Department at St Margaret’s. We welcome:
• Ms Melanie Simpson (upper brass and upper strings teacher)
• Mrs Alicia Cush (voice teacher and choral conductor of Belle Voci and Elevarsi Voices)
• Ms Stephanie Taylor (voice teacher)
• Ms Evelyn Stephan (voice teacher)
• Mrs Kerry Riley (piano teacher)

Music Ensemble Rehearsals

The majority of music ensembles have now started rehearsing. It has been wonderful to hear so much music emanating from our rehearsal spaces. If your daughter is not currently in a music ensemble and would like to join one, please encourage her to see Mr King (Secondary students) or Ms Brennan (Primary students) to find out what opportunities may be available to them.

Please note that there have been some changes to the ensemble rehearsal program. Click here for the amended timetable.

Music Support Group

The St Margaret’s Music Support Group (MSG) is a committee of dedicated parents who meet regularly to support the students who participate in the School’s Music Program. The MSG organises and assists with refreshments at school concerts and fundraises to purchase a range of instruments/equipment to enhance the department. The first MSG meeting for 2017 will be on Tuesday 7 February at 5:00pm in the Primary Music Room (second floor of Chaseley). Parents from both the primary and secondary schools are welcome to attend.

Brad King

There is no time to ease into the sporting year with Round 1 fixtures for cricket and softball commencing this week. Friday night is the first swimming meet and our tennis girls will be hosting the Sacre Coeur tennis this weekend. Please click here for the current Training Schedule for Term 1. Information on match times and venues and sport specific uniforms can be found on the Team App.

It is also a busy time for the Metropolitan North representative season with trials across many sports commencing next week. All girls have been sent a link to express their interest in both team and core sports. Please remind your daughter to sign onto these trials and utilise the Queensland School Sport Pathway.

Kiara Olsson, a 2016 graduate, has been selected in the Women’s Volleyball Excellence Program. Kiara will be moving to the Australian Institute of Sport and hopefully be part of the next generation of the Volleyroos. Congratulations, Kiara!

Uniforms

We had over 200 girls attend the first training session at Windsor Park on the first day of school. It was fantastic to see the commitment from the girls on such a hot afternoon. When training at Windsor Park, the girls wear their HPE uniforms, a sports cap and sports shoes. It is St Margaret’s School Policy that bike pants are to be covered with the sports skirt or HPE shorts when travelling to and from Windsor Park. The bus company does not allow students to wear soccer or touch boots on the buses.

Girls attending swimming meets and Autumn fixtures wear their representative uniforms to travel to fixtures and change into their playing kit on arrival. The representative uniform is the St Margaret’s sports skirt, white representative polo shirt, white socks, brown shoes and panama.

It is always challenging getting back into the school routine at the beginning of the year and if you realise your daughter has forgotten something they need our coordinators are only an email away. In a couple of weeks this will all become second nature once again.

Athletics

At the end of the school year we had a team of St Margaret’s girls compete in the All Schools National Athletics with great success. The team of Holly Gall, Tyla Proctor, Lucinda Crouch, Lara Crouch, Vanessa Haynes, Madeleine Rackemann and Paris Urban finished in 4th place. Congratulations to the girls and parents who supported the team at this event.

Nicky Barrie
Head of Sport

Swimming

Eighty-eight keen Maggies girls packed the buses and headed to Runaway Bay for the long awaited 2017 Swim Camp. On the first day there was paddle boarding and a treasure hunt at Harbour Town, finishing with team building and swimming. On our second day we welcomed Olympic swimmer Jack McLoughlin, who shared his inspirational journey to the Rio Olympics. Jack emphasised the need to have a balance across all areas in your life; sporting, academic and socialising. He also demonstrated to the squad some tips and tricks to race starts and relay changes.

Day 2 was a huge training day with multiple sessions including swimming, land, spin, pilates and boxing, leaving all the girls hungry and ready for a great movie night to end the day.

On the last day was Kev’s signature time trials at 5 o’clock in the morning, followed by a delicious breakfast at Southport Lagoon run by the Parent Support Group for our big day at Aqua Splash and Sea World.

This year’s camp saw a group of strong Maggies' girls come together as a team from the little Year 7s to the big Year 12s; oh, and we can’t forget to mention how good the team was at swimming. We would like to thank Mrs Barrie and Mrs Alford for organising the camp and making sure it all ran smoothly, as well as the Parent Support Group for the breakfast on the last morning and all the delicious home bakes for mid-day snacks. Our thanks of course also to Kev, all the coaches and Mr Mandla for their efforts around the pool deck.

Tea Krause and Kirrily Siebenhausen
Swimming Captains

We would appreciate any donations of large sheets of corflute (the plastic laminate sheets often used for real estate signage) for our musical sets.

Don’t forget, every Wednesday, Mrs Lishman will offer Art Workshop in room V103 from 3:30pm-5pm. Art Workshop afternoons are a great opportunity to catch up on class art prac work or just to enjoy a creative afternoon in the art studios. We also encourage students to come along and work in the studios any lunchtime during the week.

Our Visual Art Captains, Annabel Kennedy and Eliza McKendry, have selected the February Artwork of the Month, congratulations Charlotte Caro (pictured above).

Charlotte’s social comment artwork is both audacious and thought provoking, highlighting the issue of obesity in society. Her clever twist on the universally recognised fast-food logo combines with her bold choice of colouring and wordplay which engages the viewer.

Lisa Smith
Secondary Visual Art Coordinator 

Our program, which is reflective of the national ‘My Time, Our Place’ framework, allows time to relax after a busy day at school, take part in exciting activities and also have time to complete homework with tutoring help from our staff, many of whom are currently studying a Bachelor of Education. Our Before School and After School Care Programs are delivered in a relaxed and caring environment, which allows for personalised activities that reflect the needs and wants of the students.

Staff

The St Margaret’s OSHC team are child care professionals who support and respect the uniqueness and individuality of children and families. The day to day operations of the OSHC service is managed by OSHC Coordinator, Palu Ingram. All OSHC staff are trained annually in CPR, First Aid, Asthma and Anaphylaxis and hold a Suitability (Blue) Card.

Hours

Before School Care: 7:00am - 8:15am - Breakfast will be served between 7:15am and 7:45am
After School Care: 2:45pm - 6:00pm - Afternoon tea is served
Vacation Care - 7:00am - 6:00pm

Fees

Before School Care $12
After School Care $25
Vacation Care $60

Where is OSHC Held?

The OSHC Program for Pre-Prep to Year 6 will be held in the dedicated OSHC room, located under the Primary School Reception.

How do I make a booking or find out further information?

If you would like further information regarding our Outside School Hours Care Program or if you would like to make a booking, feel free to contact me via mobile on 0423 547 653 or email oshc@stmargarets.qld.edu.au. Please note, we are unable to accept your booking without a completed enrolment and Ezidebit form. These can be obtained by emailing oshc@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Palu Ingram
Outside School Hours Care Coordinator

The students are female and usually around 15 to 17 years old and would love to enjoy the cultural experience of living with an Australian family.

They will attend normal school classes with our current students and will often have some excursion time included in their program. You will normally be asked to host two students at a time and will need to provide them with a comfortable room with bathroom facilities. You will also need to provide them with 3 meals per day, which will include a packed school lunch.
They will need you to bring them to and from school each day.

As a homestay host you will receive $40 - $43 per night, per student. This amount is considered as a voluntary payment for taxation purposes and not considered part of your income for up to three students!

Your family will enjoy a wonderful cultural experience and most often you may enjoy communicating with your students in the future.

If your family would like to welcome two students during these study tour times, please communicate with me, on behalf of St Margaret’s.

Margaret
Phone: 0408 429 542
daganme@hotmail.com
Australian International Student Tours

 

Listings for the 2017 Family Directory close this Friday 3 February.
This is a great resource for parents and students, full of valuable school information, contact details and important dates. Family contacts are listed by year group, which is designed to assist in the organisation of non-school gatherings for parents and students.

This is your very last opportunity to list in the Family Directory if you haven't already.

To submit your details please click here, nominate one parent as a point of contact, or list both - it's up to you! There is no cost to list and participation is optional.

All information must be submitted by Friday 3 February to be guaranteed inclusion.

Thank you for supporting this P&F Initiative.

P&F General Meetings 

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

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

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

Term 3
Saturday 2 September - Race Day

ST MARGARET’S P&F ASSOCIATION INC
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
NOTICE is given that the Annual General Meeting of the St Margaret’s P & F Association Inc is to be held on Monday 27 February 2017 in the Arts Centre Foyer at 6:30pm.

NOMINATION FOR POSITION
 Any one member of the P&F shall be at liberty to nominate any other member to serve as an officer or other member of the Management Committee.

If you are interested in joining the P&F Association, all positions of the Management Committee will be declared vacant at the AGM and a new committee for 2017 will be elected.

Nominations can be made by downloading and completing a Nomination for Position form. All nomination forms must be returned to P&F@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or via School Reception by Friday 10 February 2017.

Old Girls' Events 

10 Year Reunion – Class of 2007 – Friday 21 July 2017
20 Year Reunion – Class of 1997 – Saturday 22 July 2017
30 Year Reunion – Class of 1987 – Friday 21 July 2017
40 Year Reunion – Class of 1977 – Saturday 22 July 2017
50 Year Reunion – Class of 1967 – Saturday 22 July 2017
60 Year Reunion – Class of 1957 – Saturday 22 July 2017
Chapel Service and Morning Tea – Sunday 23 July 2017
1938 – 1956 (60+) Year Reunion – Monday 24 July 2017
OGA Annual Brunch – Sunday 11 June 2017
AGM – Tuesday 28 November 2017

Luanne Wishart

UMAT 2017 Key Dates:

Registrations opened	First week in December 2016
Registrations close	Friday 2 June 2017 - 5pm AEST
Late registrations close	Friday 16 June 2017- 5pm AEST
Applications for Special Testing Conditions close	Friday 16 June 2017
UMAT Test date	Wednesday 26 July 2017
Results released	Late September 2017

The only identification documents accepted for UMAT 2017 are:

• Current passport
• Current photo-bearing driver's licence (full, probationary or learner's permit)
• Current photo-bearing Australian Keypass
• Current photo-bearing Australian Proof of Age Card

Candidates who do not possess a current passport or driver's licence are strongly recommended to apply for a Keypass or Proof of Age Card as soon as possible, as some of these documents can take up to one month to obtain. Please note there is a Keypass Under-18 card for candidates under 18. No other forms of ID will be accepted.

IMPORTANT NOTE: If a candidate is intending to use their driver's licence as identification and needs to renew or update their licence before the test date (for example changing from a learner's permit to a probationary licence or from a probationary licence to a full licence), they must ensure they allow adequate time to receive the new licence. A temporary licence without a photograph will not be accepted as identification at the test centre.

For further details, please refer candidates to the UMAT website. Candidates without correct identification will not be permitted to sit UMAT 2017 and will be turned away from the test centre.

UMAT is only available once every year. If you do not register by 2 June 2017, you will have to wait until 2018 to sit the test.

UMAT Preparation

MedEntry: If you are interested in studying Medicine or a career in health that requires sitting the UMAT Test, visit the MedEntry website for assistance in your preparation: www.MedEntry.edu.au. MedEntry is the only government accredited training organisation for UMAT preparation.

MedStart: is an organisation that assists students to prepare for UMAT. Courses are available in Brisbane. Check the MedStart website http://www.medstart.com.au for more details.

NIE UMAT Workshops Australia

Are you committed to doing your best in the UMAT?

Along with the 8 or 10 UMAT books, our Premium, Platinum and Concession courses include the intensive one-day UMAT preparation and training workshop. Our workshops are designed to cover every UMAT construct (previously known as UMAT sections), the various types of questions to be encountered and how to tackle them, and then to check where you are at with respect to UMAT-specific study, throwing a full-blown UMAT NIE practice test at you. How will you fare? How have you been going? Which UMAT style questions still need work?

Brisbane: 
Wednesday 5 April 2017, School Holidays UQLD, St Lucia Campus Enrol Now
Wednesday 28 June 2017, School Holidays UQLD, St Lucia Campus Enrol Now
Sunday 23 July 2017, School Holidays UQLD, St Lucia Campus Enrol Now

ANU Tuckwell Scholarship
Receiving a Tuckwell Scholarship is not just about your intellect It is about your desire and determination to use your natural abilities, if given the opportunity, to realise your full potential so that you can make a difference in the world.

An invitation to attend the ANU Scholarship Roadshow
The national ANU Tuckwell Scholarship Roadshow, touring February and March 2017, is where you can learn about the Tuckwell Scholarship Program and the opportunities that applying for the scholarship can open up. Hear from uniquely qualified individuals from ANU, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience) Professor Richard Baker and our current Tuckwell Scholars.

Roadshow Dates:
Brisbane - Thursday 23 February, 5:30-7:.30pm register

Introduction to Sound Production
Workshop details:
Date: Saturday 11 March 2017
Time: 9am to 1pm
Venue: QSFT Campus, 22 Warwick Street, Annerley, QLD 4103
To apply: Download and complete the Application Form
Email application form to applications@qsft.qld.edu.au. You will receive a confirmation email once your application is processed.

Friday 27 and Saturday 28 May 2017
The National Careers and Employment EXPO (Brisbane Convention Centre). All Year 10 students will attend this exciting event on the morning of Friday 27 May.

Friday 2 June UMAT Registrations close 5pm

Wednesday 26 July UMAT Exam

Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 July 2017
The 36th annual Tertiary Studies Expo (TSXPO), Australia's largest tertiary studies expo, offers a unique opportunity for anyone interested in starting, changing or upgrading their career! It features many local, interstate and overseas education providers, student services and support agencies. Don't miss this great opportunity to map out your future, all in the one location! This is a great opportunity for students to collect information from a huge number of exhibitors.

Time: 8am - 4pm
Venue: RICC Brisbane Showgrounds

Elizabeth Johnston
Careers Counsellor