eNews Archive Issue 38 - 30 November 2017

Below is a list of some of the works that will be occurring over the break. Work will begin on Monday 4 December and include a lot of maintenance and upgrading. I know that many of you who go past the school during the summer break are curious to know what all the tradesman and facilities staff are working on.

Of course, the major project will be the completion of the refurbishment of the top floor of Jackson to create The Loft, the collaborative lecture space. Thank you to the P and F and to the School Foundation for their generous donations to The Loft project.

Holiday works include:

Boarding

• Refurbishment of the Boarding Sutherland bathroom
• Replacement of doors within Boarding with sliding doors
• Replacement of the Kitchenette for Year 10 Boarding
• Interior painting of Old Mez for Boarding
• Wardrobe locks fitted throughout Boarding
• Leak investigation of Boarding roof areas – this involves scaffolding on the road side of the building

Primary

• Softfall repairs to Junior School Dragon playground
• Replacement of furniture for Years 2 and 5 and Library

Secondary

• Paint interior classrooms A101/102 and replacement of furniture

Whole School

• Redo uneven pavers outside entrance ways to Main Dining Hall and ACF

• Electrical works infrastructure and upgrades in Jackson and Chaseley

• Windsor Park oval treatments and aerating
• Continuation of exterior paint program
• Roof repairs on Community House and Eunice

It has been another great year for St Margaret’s and I am grateful for the support of so many associated with the school – your generosity, goodwill, commitment and energy are very much appreciated. We are a community which has highly involved students, active parents and interested past students who volunteer a tremendous amount of time and effort and, therefore, contribute greatly to the success of St Margaret’s. Thank you.

I look forward to welcoming you all back here at school for the start of Term 1 2018 on Tuesday 23 January 2018. Please note that the school closes for a two week period over Christmas from 3pm, Tuesday 19 December 2017 until 8:30am Wednesday 3 January 2018.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas, a restful holiday and a Happy New Year.

UPDATE YOUR 2018 FAMILY DIRECTORY CONTACT DETAILS
The Family Directory will be distributed to all families early in Term 1 2018. It contains useful school information and family contact details by year group. This information is invaluable for arranging non-school gatherings for parents and students, arranging play dates or finding a parent to help with a pick-up if the need arises.

Simply click here to complete the online form. This P&F initiative is separate to the online parent lounge directory. I encourage everyone to participate and to also promote the directory to potential advertisers. Any advertising enquiries can be directed to akelly-roberts@hitc.com.au.

Ros Curtis 

1. Read - Reading is so important for literacy development, and I think it is a good idea for students to make sure they continue to read each day. They could visit a bookstore, request books as presents for Christmas, or take the opportunity to borrow some books from the local library. They could explore different genres of books, or simply stick with what they prefer. How lovely to take some extra time in the morning to relax with a book, or even before bed of an evening.
2. Relax – Many of us have a busy time catching up with friends and family over the Christmas holidays, travel, and basically catching up on things that couldn’t be achieved during the school term. This is great, but I also urge students to take time to relax. This could involve sleeping in, having a ‘pyjama day’, catching up with friends and family in a relaxed atmosphere, but also spending time by themselves to simply be.
3. Get ready – Towards the end of the holidays, I encourage students to start thinking of the year ahead, set some goals and get organised with their school supplies and timetable. The timetable for all students will be ready around 11 January, so students will be able to access these timetables electronically through the POD. Getting ready can also mean preparing their workspace at home – clear that messy desk, set up a system of organisation that will mean that they will be able to keep on top of things throughout the term and keep to deadlines.
4. Spend time with friends and family – This is so important!

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the St Margaret’s community for welcoming me so warmly in my first year at the school. It has been a fantastic year; I’ve enjoyed getting to know the students and families. I hope that all families enjoy a safe and relaxing break, and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Karen Gorrie 

Traditional Advent calendars take us along the journey of ‘waiting’, beginning with December 1st. The Christian traditions have morphed over the years so that Advent Calendars frequently are now little more than a way of getting a chocolate treat each day of December, some offer samples of beer or gin! But the more reflective Advent calendars are the ones that gradually reveal the nativity scene, inviting us to take time to ponder and pause to reflect.

Perhaps there is space in your family this year for a new challenge in the Christmas lead up? How about an Advent Blessing jar? Choose a charity that your family would like to support. This jar uses paddle pop sticks to mark each day, placed upright in a jar. On each, write an overlooked blessing of your home - sources of fresh water, ceiling fans, shoes ... each day of Advent pull out a stick, read the blessing and count the number of that item in your home. For each, place a coin in the jar. For example, if a blessing reads ‘ways to cook food’, add up the oven, hot plates, microwave, grill, BBQ, toaster ... and place 50c or more for each. When the sticks are gone, count up your money as a family to see how much you have to donate to a chosen charity. By recognising the everyday blessings we may take for granted, the process of gratitude and giving this Advent may take on a different meaning.

Other possible ideas might include a ‘Reverse Advent Calendar’. Take a box and every day add a grocery item. By Christmas, take the box of goods and donate to a food bank or needy family.

Another possibility could be a ‘Kindness Advent Calendar’, there are many available online, where an offering of kindness and niceties for others make an action every day in the lead up to Christmas.

Primary Ichthus Camp for those entering Years 4-7 in 2018, 10-13 January 2018
Each year, the Anglican Diocese runs youth camping programs for Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary students. For the past 4 years I have loved giving a little back to the Youth Camping Program that gave me so much in the late 80s and 90s. The theme for next year’s Primary School “Ichthus” camp is ‘Endure’, which is based upon the ‘Survivor’ reality show. We are planning on equipping our campers with a spiritual survival kit to help them through life, whilst having lots of activities to challenge them and most importantly, to have heaps of fun!

Where: APEX campsite, Mudjimba
When: Wednesday 10 to Saturday 13 January 2018
Cost: $199 which covers all food, accommodation and activity costs while on camp

Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions: ncolledge@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or 3862 0716, otherwise you can register at: www.trybooking.com/234731.

Prayer for the Week Ahead
Gracious and ever-present God, fill us with a spirit of gratitude and generosity, seeking out ways to assist those who are truly in need this Advent-tide.

Open our eyes and reveal to us the gifts we take for granted, the blessings we accept without thought and the potential we each have for making a difference in this world.

As we wait for the gift of your Son, we wait in stillness and reflection.

Amen.

With every blessing on you all this Advent Season,
The Reverend Nicki Colledge 

Boarders are brave, there’s no doubt about it, so it’s only natural that they feel completely ready for holidays, both mentally and physically. Nothing compares to the love they receive from family and friends back home and we wish everyone a safe and happy summer break. It’s been a spectacular year for us all, we seem to be going from strength to strength in terms of community spirit, the ‘sisterhood’ and day to day success. On behalf of the House Mothers, our Garden Room Assistants and the Management team, we are very proud of the Maggies’ boarders and look forward to seeing their fresh, smiling faces in 2018.

Dimity Harris 

This is reflected in the creation of the School’s own Framework for Quality Teaching and Learning, and in the implementation of the Learning Analytics Program which allows access to a suite of data relating to student learning. Alongside these two major innovations there are a myriad of other pedagogical and pastoral initiatives which have been implemented to enhance learning at St Margaret’s.

It has been professionally and personally rewarding to work as part of such a dedicated and thoughtful staff. The incredible commitment to both challenging and nurturing our girls is visible in classrooms, on sporting fields, in Ms Café and in the music rooms. This is a place where young people are encouraged to believe in their capacity to learn and to make progress in all their endeavours. Thank you to my colleagues for their tenacity, their humour and their thinking.

The culture at St Margaret’s is rich and diverse. There is something special about it. It is characterised by a deep and palpable core of care which imbues all elements of the School. I feel blessed to have spent five years as part of this wonderful community.

Samantha Bolton 

Of course, we should not forget the tremendous amount of learning which has taken place in all classrooms during the year. Throughout all of these activities our students have demonstrated a great growth mindset. I am looking forward to what next year brings as we continue to grow as teachers and learners across all areas of the curriculum.

However, at the end of each year the challenge of managing change can always be a little unsettling. Year 6 girls are preparing to move into Year 7, which is undoubtedly one of the bigger transitions that happens in school. New classes, teachers and subjects are on the horizon for all students. So, as we prepare to take a well-deserved break, I would like to leave you with some thoughts and wisdom from “100 Acre Woods” by AA Milne, through Winnie the Pooh and his friends:

“Pay attention to the little things”

“It’s important to have days when you do nothing”

“The things that make me different are the things that make me”

“Don’t rush, take time to think, think, think”

A reminder - End of the Year Reporting Process

End of Semester Reports will be available through Parent Lounge after 3:00pm on Friday 8 December. Please note also, all Continuous Reporting information will be available from this date as well.

Each student’s report will consist of a comment from her Head of Year, as well as a page for each subject. The final page of the report is the Grade Point Average (GPA) graph which records the student’s overall level of achievement and tracks this from semester to semester. Students also have had access to their results through Learning Analytics. This learning environment is dynamic and has been tracking your daughter’s GPA over the last term as assessments have been uploaded. The GPA is calculated by weighting subjects according to their number of lessons per week, therefore the final calculation of your daughter’s GPA is included in her End of Semester Report, and Learning Analytics will record this final GPA once all weightings have been included. Therefore, although your daughter has been tracking her GPA all semester, there may be some minor change on her final report.

As well as GPA and Overall Grade Information, the report includes a list of the course content, marks for the criteria assessed, a table showing the distribution of achievement levels within the subject and an assessment of your daughter’s attitude to her learning for each of her subjects. The academic results reflected in this report are based on the assessment completed throughout Semester 2.

Have a safe and happy holiday and I look forward to sharing the journey of next year with you all.

Nicole Devlin 

As 2017 draws to a close, we can look back on another remarkable year of achievements at St Margaret’s. Each year, I hope as a school we sow the seeds that will help every girl flourish and leave a positive influence through all her interactions. It has been gratifying to see the commitment of our students to their studies, their extra-curricular activities and their compassion shown through supporting the School’s community service and fundraising efforts. Equally committed is our teaching staff in creating a supportive environment where young women can discover and explore their passions and develop a deep love of learning.

Nikki Townsend 

Congratulations also to the Years 1 – 3 students who supported the Prep girls. Thank you to the Year 4 students for their last performance in this event before they attend the Years 5-12 Speech Night next year. Many thanks to the teachers for supporting all the girls and to Miss Surtees for her organisation of the event.

Earlier this week, the Year 6 students shared their Primary School journey at their Chapel Service and morning tea. Thank you to the Year 6 teachers for supporting them on this special occasion. I will miss the Year 6 girls’ confidence, humour and enthusiasm and I know as they move to the next stage of their life they will take many Primary School memories with them.

The Term finished with a Primary School Assembly. This Assembly is always of special significance, not because it is the last one for the year and the girls are able to toss their panamas into the air, but it is one where I present the Head of Primary Certificates to the Year 6 girls.

Congratulations to:

Elizabeth Barakat: for improved attitude and commitment to her learning journey

Chisako Takada: for strength and courage in developing her debating skills

Grace Kinloch: for consistency in her attitude, effort and application in all areas

Madeline Hignett: for having a positive attitude day in, day out and continually showing respect to all around her

Abbey Del Favero: for improved attitude and commitment to her learning journey

At this time of year, we are reminded to show gratitude for all that we have in our lives.

Gratitude is an element of our spiritual practices, but there is emerging research highlighting gratitude as a potential bridge between students’ academic and social well-being. It has found that grateful youth have higher GPAs, experience more positive emotions and ultimately go on to live more meaningful lives. Research also suggests that practising gratitude at a young age promotes later development of self-control and self-regulation, both qualities that contribute to lifelong success.

Gratitude is defined as ‘affirming that there are good things in the world – gifts and benefits that we’ve received – and reorganising that these sources of goodness come from outside ourselves’ (Zakrzewski, 2013). Expressing gratitude is a skill that can be taught both at home and at school. For egocentric, 6 and 7 year old children, gratitude can be fostered but it doesn’t fully materialise until ages 10-14 when students develop the ability to empathise.

Teachers and parents, however, should encourage children from an early age to say why they are grateful. These adults need to model this again and again for children to think more deeply in terms of why they’re grateful for someone or something. When children express gratitude, teachers and parents should encourage them to notice intentions (the thought behind the gift that they have received), appreciate costs (someone went out of their way or made sacrifices to help them) and recognise the benefits (someone provided them with a gift or a kind act that has personal value).

At the P-4 Celebration, Ms Curtis spoke about kindness and set the girls a challenge to perform 10 random acts of kindness and during the holidays will be the perfect time to do so. Whilst there will be no checking after the holidays, it is hoped, by committing to these random acts, the satisfaction of carrying them out will be the reward.

I encourage parents to help others and model the gratitude on the receiving end of an act of kindness. As gratitude does start with the adults in a child’s life, by modelling gratitude, you encourage your child to do the same and together you will value others more and strengthen your relationships. So, can I just say thank you for giving your child the gift of a St Margaret’s education. Thank you to the teachers for their commitment. Thank you and best of luck to the departing teachers. In particular, Mrs Edwards, in the two short years you have been here, you have made a significant impact on the teaching and learning in the school and I thank you on behalf of the staff, students and families.

Racecourse Rd Community Christmas

Lucia Owen (Year 6) spreading the joy at the local Racecourse Rd Community event, held last Friday 24 November.

I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday and thank you for a great year.

Angela Drysdale

P.S. Don’t forget to read with your child and encourage them to read. Research has shown that the amount of independent reading a child does outside of school relates to their growth in vocabulary, verbal fluency, reading comprehension and general knowledge. Children who read on their own improve their reading skills, have greater content knowledge and score higher on achievement tests than children who do not open a book outside of school. Food for holiday thought! 

Private Music Lessons 2018

If your daughter is currently undertaking private music tuition she will automatically be placed on her current teachers’ roll for 2018. Forms were due back last week to confirm enrolment. If you have not yet returned the 2018 enrolment form, please complete and return to the Music Department as soon as possible. If your daughter is wanting to discontinue lessons in 2018, we ask that you please email directly to the Music Department at Music@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or complete the attached form (PDF 164.6KB) and return as soon as possible.

Process for Commencing Private Music Lessons in 2018

On Thursday 25 January (Thursday of Week 1, Term 1), a meeting will be held for music students in Years 5 - 12 who will be undertaking private music lessons in the Sister Helen Orchestra Room. At this meeting your daughter will be able to meet her teacher and arrange an initial lesson time. Private music lessons will start from Week 2. If your daughter is in Prep - Year 4, you will be contacted directly by the teacher during the first week of Term 1 to arrange a lesson time.

Music Ensembles 2018

Lists for 2018 Band, Choral and String Ensembles have been displayed in both the Sister Helen Orchestra Room and the Primary Music Room. 2018 Rock Band lists will be made available at the start of the new school year. Music ensemble rehearsals will begin from Week 2 in 2018. Information will be sent out to students during the first week of school to advertise ensembles times, venues and other relevant information. We are looking forward to having many girls involved in the Music Program next year!

2018 Date Claimer

The Music Camp will be held at the end of Week 6, Term 1 2018 from Friday afternoon 2 March through to Sunday afternoon 4 March at the Gold Coast Recreation Centre. All girls in Years 7-12 who are involved in the Co-curricular Music Program are invited to attend.

Music Support Group

The first Music Support Group meeting for 2018 will be held on Tuesday 13 February at 5:00pm in the Primary Music Room (Chaseley). All welcome to attend.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

A very big thank you to all in the St Margaret’s Music Community for a wonderful year of music making. It has been a very big year with many special performances. Thank you to all parents for your continued encouragement of your daughter’s music education, thank you to all the music staff for their continued hard work and professionalism, and of course thank you to all the students who show ongoing dedication and commitment to the St Margaret’s Music Program. I wish you all a very happy and safe Christmas break and will look forward to seeing everyone in 2018, refreshed and ready for another school year!

Brad King

smART Club Christmas
A large group of girls worked every Monday afternoon for 6 weeks during Term 4 to create the lovely Christmas Stars installation currently on display at the St Augustine’s Anglican Church on Racecourse Rd. Pictured below are Charlotte Hoey and Sophia Wightman with some of the hand painted decorations.

A final reminder for 2017 to save the date for our MAYO Festival Gallery Opening and Cocktail Party to be held on Friday 25 May 2018. The committee have now confirmed more than 40 ceramicists, sculptors and jewellers for our signature event.

At our recent Year 12 Visual Art Graduation Evening we joked that each student should be given a ‘gift’ of powder cleaner and a scrubbing brush to clean up the ‘Art’ areas at home. Joking aside, the end of the year is timely to say thank you parents on behalf of all in Visual Art for the support you give to your girls and their creative endeavours. Have a lovely Christmas all.

Lisa Smith 

Throughout the four days of performances, students demonstrated their developing skills in storytelling, mime, improvisation, poetry recital, prose reading, impromptu speaking and drama. External adjudicators provided invaluable feedback to performers and commented on the very high standard of presentation.

In 2016, the Jacqueline Noyes Encouragement Award was introduced to the Year 5 Eisteddfod to honour Jacqui who passed away last year.

Jacqui made a significant contribution to the life of Speech and Drama at St Margaret’s. She taught Private Speech and Drama here for 21 years from 1980 to 2001. During that time, she inspired students with her love of literature and passion for performing. Jacqui later adjudicated our end-of-year Eisteddfods from 2009 to 2015, allowing many more students to benefit from her experience and expertise.

As a teacher and adjudicator at St Margaret’s, Jacqui provided warm encouragement and inspiration to many Speech and Drama students. The Jacqueline Noyes Encouragement Award is now presented each year to a Year 5 student who the adjudicator believes demonstrates note-worthy potential through their Eisteddfod performances. Congratulations to Isobel Desmond who is the 2017 recipient of this Award.

Maria Chamberlain

We currently have 15 St Margaret’s girls away on Exchange; Japan, England, South Africa, Germany, and USA, and we look forward to welcoming them back in Term 1 next year. Students who participated in the Exchange program during Terms 1, 2 and 3 were presented with their certificates at the Year 10 assembly last week.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our 2017 Exchange families for their participation and support.

Correspondence from St Margaret’s Students currently on Exchange
We recently received updates from student on exchange to England, USA and Japan: 

We have been really enjoying ourselves here, and it’s sad to think it’s almost over. We had a boarders’ Halloween party and dinner a few weeks ago, where we all got dressed up and did our makeup. We’ve visited many of the towns around the area too with our host families, such as; Bracknell, Windsor and Reading. A few weekends ago I went up to Nottingham to visit Georgia’s sister. It was nice to catch up with her again, as I haven’t seen her since she came to Australia. There have been many boarding trips on the weekends that we’ve been on, including ice skating and small walks. Everyone in the house is so nice and we’ve made many friends from other countries, not just England. We now know people from Spain, Ukraine, China, Italy and many more countries!

Megan Roxburgh (also on behalf of Nina Conomos and Indira Laifoo) - LVS, England

We had the installation of the new Principal which involved a lovely ceremony and a party with all the students and staff. I can speak for both us when I say we greatly enjoyed it. We then had parents where all the parents got to experience a day at Emma. One of my exchange partner’s parents stayed with me throughout the day, but unfortunately Matilda’s exchange partners’ parents were unable to come. We then had a long weekend. Matilda spent her long weekend in New York City with the South African exchange girls. I went ziplining and to a football game at the military academy, which was absolutely incredible! I went to a charity event and ended up winning a whole bowl of soap which was interesting. We also had to say goodbye to the German exchange girls which was extremely sad. We had Emmaween which was extremely fun-filled with costumes, fried food, trick-or-treating and a meet for my swim team. I did very well at the meet and all the girls in the team are very inviting. On this weekend, we went to a field of horrors with a bunch of other boarding schools, which definitely got us in the mood for Halloween. I also got the chance to carve a pumpkin which was very spooky. Overall, we are having a great time at Emma and make sure you say hi to all the Maggies girls from us. 

Charlotte Wala (also on behalf of Matilda Palmer) – Emma Willard, USA

Time has just flown here in Japan. We have done many things. Izzy and I used our new skill of making and serving traditional tea at the Konan Woman’s University’s Annual Festival. We have explored many places like Kyoto, Kobe and Osaka. We went to Universal Studios for Halloween! We were invited to Kyoto a few weeks ago to participate in the 37th Annual Tea Ceremony for International Students which Izzy and I both found mesmerising. The next day, we visited the aquarium which was also very cool. Two weekends ago, I travelled to Tokyo via the Shinkansen to go see my brother for the long weekend, which was so much fun! It has been 3 years since the last time I saw him and his wife so I was very excited and had an amazing time. Last weekend, Izzy and I explored Kyoto again going to the Golden Shrine and The Orange Gates; indulging in the many cuisines offered like Korean and Japanese food. Last week, the school also had a visit from an Indian tour group of 10 girls. They were all lovely, but didn’t know a word of Japanese so I helped them out on the days they were here. This week, we are on the school “camp” (a flight to see Okinawa, whilst staying at resorts) in Okinawa - an island off the south of the mainland. They even have a different version of the Japanese language here. We are learning a lot about the history of this place and even with the narrowing language barrier. We are having a blast here in Japan, we can’t wait to come home but also don’t want to leave!

Amelia Stapley (also on behalf of Isabella Corby-Bakkelund) – Konan, Japan

German Exchange
Ms Claudia Temming took our St Margaret’s girls, who are currently on Exchange at Ursulinenschule, to Paris and they all had a wonderful time.

2018 Exchange
We look forward to another exciting and rewarding year of Exchange in 2018. In Term 1, we will have Olivia Magnay and Margot Lisle away on their Rowing exchange to St Margaret’s in New Zealand. We will host students from Shawnigan Lake Crofton House, Saint-nom-de-Marie and St Stephen’s College.

Angelin Achari 

Bookings for the St Margaret’s OSHC December/January School Holiday Program have closed, however, if you require care during the school holiday period, please contact Palu on 0423 547 653 or email: oshc@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.  

What is the cost?*
$60 per day. Incursions and excursions incur additional costs. These are compulsory for all students and therefore you are able to claim CCB/CCR for these.

What are the hours of operation?
The service is open from 7:00am until 6pm.

Palu Ingram

1st Round Deliveries only:
Deliveries 1st – 18 Dec 2017

2nd Round Collection and Deliveries:
Collection from St Margaret’s, Eton Hall on Friday 19 January 2018, 9am-2pm
Deliveries 2nd – 16 Jan 2018

Speech Night - Church Dress Hire
All church dresses should already be returned (except Year 6). A late fee may apply if not returned.
Hire Return Year 6: Thursday 30 November

There is a $100 deposit at time of hire with a $70 refund when the church dress is returned as per conditions on hire form.

Shop Trading Hours
Thursday 30 November 2017, End of Term, 8am-2pm
Friday 1 December 2017, 10am-2pm
Monday 4 December 2017, Shop Closed, 8am-2pm - Appointments only
Tuesday 5 December 2017, Shop Closed, 8am-2pm - Appointments only
Wednesday 6 December 2017, Shop Closed, 8am-2pm - Appointments only
Shop closed from Thursday 7 December 2017 and Reopens on Monday 15 January 2018
Monday 15 January 2018 to Friday 19 January 2018, 9am-2pm
Monday 22 January 2018, Boarders only, 1pm-5pm
Tuesday 23 January 2018, Students return, 8am-2pm
Wednesday 24 January 2018, 10am-5pm
Thursday 25 January 2018, 8am-2pm
Friday 26 January 2018, Australia Day Public Holiday - Closed

All new students wishing to purchase uniforms before the end of 2017 will be required to make an appointment.
A numbering system for ALL purchases will operate during the January 2018 trading hours. All parents and students wishing to purchase from the School Supplies Shop will be required to take a number and wait to be attended to.

Normal Trading Hours Resume from Monday 29 January 2018
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
8am-2pm

Wednesday
10am -5pm

Public Holidays Closed

For all enquiries, please contact the School Supplies Shop:
Phone: 07 3862 0776
Email: suppliesshop@stmargarets.qld.edu.au

Terisa Arnold 

Advertise your business in the Family Directory

This A5 full colour booklet is a frequent ‘go to’ reference for school parents throughout the year, full of valuable school information such as staff contact details, the 2018 school calendar, sports venue locations, bell times, parent contact details and much more.

Our advertising prices remain unchanged from last year with full colour ads starting from as low as $125.00, for an Eight Block, up to $1000 for a full page.

We have limited advertising space available on both the inside front and inside back covers, half page below the table of contents and, for the first time, on the back cover of the directory. If you are interested in securing one of these prime positions, please contact Annette Kelly-Roberts to discuss.

For standard advertising options, pricing information and to access the online order form please click here.

For any enquiries please contact Annette Kelly-Roberts, P&F Association, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School:

Mobile: 0407 328 707

Email: akelly-roberts@hitc.com.au

P&F General Meetings

The P&F invites the school community to share views and ideas, at the General Meetings, held in the Arts Centre Foyer from 6:30pm on the following dates:

Monday 26 February 2018 – Annual General Meeting and Welcome Drinks

Monday 14 May 2018
Monday 30 July 2018
Monday 29 October 2018

Event Dates 2018
Term 1
Friday 2 March - Mothers’ Luncheon
Wednesday 28 March - Father Daughter Breakfast

Term 2
Friday 15 June - Fathers’ Dinner

Term 3
Sunday 12 August - Mother Daughter High Tea
Saturday 8 September - Race Day

Development and Community Office 

Whitehouse Institute of Design
Certificate lll in Design Fundamentals CUA30715 (VET for Secondary Students)
This course is offered in Sydney and Melbourne during the 2018 school holidays.

Stage 1: Monday 9 April – Friday 13 April (5 days)
Stage 2: Monday 8 July – Friday 12 July (5 days)

Our Certificate III in Design Fundamentals CUA30715 offers Secondary students the unique opportunity to undertake design focused studies at either of our Melbourne or Sydney campuses in conjunction with their Secondary schooling. This course is open to students who are currently enrolled in a Secondary school and are in Years 10, 11 or 12. Whitehouse Institute is considered a leader in Australian design education since its founding in 1988. Upon the completion of this course, students will be given first preference to apply for the Whitehouse Bachelor of Design. The Certificate III is offered in three key areas of design; Fashion, Interior and Creative Direction Visualisations. Speak to one of our Student Recruitment Officers to book a time to see the campus and discuss your options.
http://www.whitehouse-design.edu.au/courses/certificate-lll-in-design-fundamentals-cua30715-vet-for-secondary-students?mc_cid=bb11f34801&mc_eid=b2129a7c34

UMAT
UMAT is developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the UMAT Consortium universities. The test is used specifically to assist with the selection of students into the medicine, dentistry and health science degree programs at undergraduate level at the universities listed on this website.

UMAT scores can be used for admission to any of the UMAT Consortium universities ONLY in the year following the test. For example, results from UMAT2018 can be used for undergraduate medicine or health science courses beginning in 2019 but NOT 2020. Do not register for UMAT2018 (registrations open early December) unless you are planning to apply for a course commencing in 2019 AND you meet the eligibility criteria specified in the UMAT2018 Information Booklet. For more information, visit: https://umat.acer.edu.au/.

Bond University
Applications for Bond University’s January 2018 Student for a Semester Program are now open and will close on Friday 15 December. This program is the perfect chance for next year’s ambitious Years 11 and 12 students to gain an authentic and memorable university experience, as they study a Bond subject, meet current Bondies and get involved in university life. For more information visit: https://bond.edu.au/future-students/study-bond/see-yourself/student-semester

You can apply direct to Bond right now. Applying online to study at Bond University is free and easy. We encourage you to lodge your application as soon as you have decided what you would like to study. There’s no application fee – no obligation to accept a place if it is offered – it simply gives you another option when it comes to making a decision about your future. https://bond.edu.au/future-students/study-bond/how-apply

New Psychometric Testing as an entry requirement to the Bond Medical Program
The top 500 eligible applicants will be invited to complete a compulsory online psychometric assessment. Applicants will be required to pay a fee to sit the test. The results will identify 250 applicants who will be shortlisted and invited to attend an interview to gain selection into the Medical Program.

QUT For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
QUT’s Oodgeroo Unit offers the Centralised Assessment Selection Program entry pathway from mid-October for QTAC applicants who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and place QUT within their top three preferences. Applicants need to have their Confirmation of Australian Indigenous Heritage from a registered Indigenous corporation and as this process can take time, we recommend students and/or their parents start this process early.

QTAC:Selection guidelines for initial teacher education courses (pre-service teachers)
As part of the Australian Institute for Teaching and Leadership (AITSL) revised Standards and Procedures (2015), all applicants to initial teacher education courses (pre-service teachers) must satisfy both academic and non-academic entry criteria for selection to the course. This requirement applies for the 2018 tertiary admissions period onwards. Details, including a new video, may be found at: http://www.qtac.edu.au/courses---institutions/initial-teacher-education.

Students can upload their completed personal statements to their applications by logging in to QTAC Applications Services. Normal QTAC documentation due dates apply.

KEY DATES:
8 December, 10am
Due date to supply documents to QTAC for 21 December and 16 January offer rounds

15 December
QCAA posts QCEs, Senior Statements, Statements of Results, QCIA and Tertiary Entrance Statements to Year 12 students.

16 December
QCAA publishes Year 12 results and OPs in student learning accounts on the Student Connect website: https://studentconnect.qcaa.qld.edu.au/learning.html

16 December – 22 December Griffith University: Know Your Options
Chat online with our expert study advisers after you have received your tertiary entry score, to discuss your study options. Find out about pathways, entry requirements and program options, plus what you can do if your score was higher or lower than expected.

18 December
UQ OP Results Advice Night, Advanced Engineering Building, St Lucia campus, 4:00pm - 7:00pm. OP Results Advice Night is the perfect opportunity to discuss your study options at UQ after receiving your OP.

19 December
QUT: Real Decisions, Gardens Point Campus, 9am – 1pm
Throughout the day, staff and current students from each faculty will be on hand to answer your questions and provide advice on courses and career outcomes.

21 December 2017
QTAC offer round

16 January 2018
QTAC January offer round

Elizabeth Johnston