Latest eNews

In saying this, all activity does not cease for two weeks. We have SWOTVAC for our Year 12 students, State titles in rowing and Sony Camp. All the best to all students involved in those activities.

By now, all our Year 12 parents should have received an email from specialist education consultancy MMG Education who are conducting an online survey of St Margaret’s Year 12 parents, on behalf of the school. The survey gives you the opportunity to express confidentially your views of the ways in which the school has met your needs and those of your daughter/s.

I would like to encourage all Year 12 families to complete the survey. Your feedback is invaluable and will assist the St Margaret’s School Council and Senior Leadership Team to review the school’s operations and plans for the future.

All responses will be treated by MMG Education in strict confidence and no parent will be identified to the school by MMG Education.

If you have not received an email from MMG Education with a link to the survey, please contact our Director of Marketing and Communications, Ms Wendy Johnston, who will follow up with MMG Education. Email wjohnston@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or phone (07) 3862 0837.

Thank you in advance for your participation in this important project.

See you all in Term 4!

Ros Curtis

We are finishing our term in a big way with a number of our students attending the QGSSSA Athletics Carnival. We are pleased that this event is back to normal, with spectators allowed to attend again and therefore many of our students in Years 9 and 11 attending to cheer on their fellow students.

Good luck also to the rowers attending the State Rowing Championships near Bundaberg this coming weekend. There are many schools competing in this event, and we wish all the rowers best wishes for a safe and successful regatta.

The annual Sony Children’s Holiday Camp is on again this year, and a number of girls in Year 11 have been preparing for this. Run in conjunction with Churchie, the weekend-long camp brings together students from St Margaret’s and Churchie along with doctors and nurses from across Brisbane to partake in activities with guests with disabilities and special needs in order to give their families respite. It is a life-changing camp for our students and we wish them well.

The first day back at school is Tuesday the 4^th of October, and on this day will be the Prize Reading assembly. At this assembly we will announce those students who will receive awards and prizes at our Annual Speech Night on the 11^th of October. Year 12 parents are now able to reserve their tickets through a link that was sent to them last week. Another link will be sent to families in Year 7-11 on the 4^th of October.

We will also have some awards presented at our Sports Awards Evening on the 7^th of October, as well as our Special Awards Ceremony and Music Dinner, both on the 14^th of October.

Karen Gorrie

We live in a busy and noisy culture. Very rarely do we get moments of stillness and silence – and yet these moments are vital to our health and wellbeing. In 1859, Florence Nightingale said, “Unnecessary noise, then, is the most cruel absence of care which can be inflicted either on the sick or the well”. (Phosphorescence, p.15).

We need spaces of silence – not necessarily the absence of sound, but as Julia Baird writes, the absence of human and mechanical noise. These spaces might be in nature, beholding the sounds of the earth, or taking time to read a book. Julia Baird writes:

“The idea of quietly staring at a rock, piles of sand, or blinking stars for hours, if not weeks, seems, weirdly, profoundly countercultural today, in a world where people tweet bubbles, livestream the arching of eyebrows and spend holidays distracted by how best to market themselves on Instagram #goals #bestlife… Yet if generations of mystics and seekers have insisted that something connects silence with the sublime, you have to wonder who we could be if we paused more often”. (Phosphorescence, p.62-63)

These holidays may you carve out space for rest, moments for noticing, and replenishing your wellbeing.  

Rev’d Jazz Dow

The morning started with a yoga session, followed by jewellery making and colouring-in in the dining hall at morning tea. Lunchtime saw a number of students capitalise on the sunny day and have a picnic on circular drive, with skipping, hopscotch and chalk art. The dining hall was a sea of yellow at dinnertime which saw our usual navy tablecloths swapped for yellow and a ‘best dressed in yellow’ competition. Students also used the resources from the official R U OK Day website to prompt conversations that centred around wellbeing with their dinner table. The Boarding House was decorated with positivity posters and students have also been able to contribute to our display outside boarding reception by writing a thank you note to someone who has helped them during a time they weren’t ok.

R U OK Day is just one of the many events that we celebrate in the Boarding House throughout the year. While the events of the day are fun and something that alters the monotony of the day-to-day, the aim is that the legacy that such celebrations leave extends beyond an event in the calendar. We hope that initiatives like these underpin our Boarding House culture, encouraging our girls to come together to provide support and contributing to building a community of resilient, empathetic and well-rounded girls.   

Hannah Calcino

In Term 4 there are a few things to note:

Year 12

All students have copies for SWOTVAC timetables and the External Assessment Timetable, provided via email and on the POD. They have covered all the content for the exams, the teachers are here to support, but the hard work and commitment to get them to their final exams is up to them. Many thanks to the teachers who have generously given up holiday time to run sessions in SWOTVAC.

Year 11

The current Year 11s will begin their Unit 3 study next term. Each Year 11 has access to the Assessment Calendar until the end of the year that includes Internal Assessments for Unit 3 that counts towards your daughters ATAR calculation. There will be an Information Evening on Thursday 10 November for Year 11 parents to take a closer look at the Year 12 course of study, including our preparation for External Assessment. Year 11 students will also receive their first ATAR prediction based on their Unit 1 and 2 results.

Year 10

All students have received confirmation of their subject selection for Year 11 2022/Year 12 2023. At this stage of the process there are always some doubts. I have been meeting with students who have been having second thoughts to discuss their selections. As the timetable has been created for next year, it is possible that not all subject changes are able to be accommodated.

For all girls, over the holidays, take some time to relax and recharge. I certainly will be and am looking forward to reading plenty of books. Find the activity that fills your bucket and make time for it in the holidays so that you are ready to come back refreshed for Term 4!

Caitlin McCluskey

QUT Pre-Service Teachers

This week, we farewelled our five QUT pre-service teachers who have been with us for the past six weeks. All of these pre-service teachers are in their final teaching placement at university, and it has been fantastic to hear how fondly they have talked of our girls and our school. St Margaret’s is proud to contribute positively to the development of new teachers, and we wish each of these pre-service teachers the very best as they enter our wonderful vocation next year.

NAPLAN Individual Reports

Pleasingly, after a two-week nationwide delay, NAPLAN Individual Reports went home to Years 7 and 9 students today. Students who did not receive these reports today will do so in the first week of Term 4. Congratulations to all students on their efforts. I would also like to thank our dedicated teaching staff for their ongoing commitment to excellent education for our students.

Chris Dunn

The most remarkable element of the Holiday Camp Program is the life changing effect it has on all involved. The student companions will need to work together in teams to help support their guests, while our helpers prepare food for over 100 people.

Each year Churchie and St Margaret’s play a friendly game of netball, held at both schools where students also sell baked goods and have a sausage sizzle to raise money for the camp. Yesterday, St Margaret’s hosted the event and our girls won 17 to 16. Years 10, 11 and 12 students attended and enjoyed the afternoon festivities. Thanks must go to Mr Smithers, Mrs Flanagan, Ms Buckingham, Ms Walker and Ms Jansen for assisting to make the afternoon so special for the students. Next term we hope to organise another friendly competition against Churchie for our Years 7, 8 and 9 students.

Term 4 will be upon us very quickly with some major events such as the Senior Leaders 2023 Induction, Special Awards and Graduation Ceremony, Speech Night, Valedictory Dinner and the Year 10 lunch. I would like to wish all of our students and their families a safe and restful break and I look forward to seeing all of our young women in Year 12 ready to embark on the final term of the year.

Nikki Townsend

The teachers’ dedication and professionalism are evident when they will conclude this week and term with parent teacher interviews. I thank them in anticipation for their preparation and for a very successful term.   

I know teachers, families and students are looking forward to a well-deserved break. A holiday is perfect family time, where memories are made, and meaningful learning experiences happen. Use this time to encourage your child to read and write. Research has found that 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!

Use the time also to read aloud together. As an adult, take time to model and share your love of reading.While doing so, engage in conversation with your child: chat about the characters, the story, the words, the values, and the ideas.Choose a book that is beyond your child’s reading level, never underestimate what children can manage as listeners. Encourage your child to keep a holiday diary, write emails/letters.

Harness other learning opportunities: visit galleries, museums, parks, go for a hike, get sand between your toes, make, create, and just TALK.

Have a restful holiday.  Make the most of the time you share together with your child and I look forward to sharing a busy Term 4.

“Kids want to know they matter; you communicate that through the gift of time and attention” (Julie Morgenstern)

Angela Drysdale

Alongside these two types of assessment, our students are encouraged to practise self–reflection.  Self-reflection provides the potential for improved learning and increases a student’s self-regulation.  It achieves this by providing opportunities for students to share with each other and their teacher their thoughts and feelings about learning. Students are encouraged to reflect regularly on:

• What they are learning
• How they are learning
• What they are achieving
• How they view themselves as a learner

At this week’s interviews, your daughter’s teacher will share information about her progress and ways she can improve her learning to experience personal success. Success means different things for different people, for example greeting every day with optimism, having a goal and working towards it. This term our Years 5 and 6 students will participate in Student-Led Interviews. These interviews have been carefully prepared with your daughter and her teacher and she will share this information with her teacher’s support. We look forward to speaking with you at these interviews.

Kate Frewin

The theme for the 2022 Music Dinner is ‘Iconic Songs’. Students (and parents!) are encouraged to choose an iconic song and dress in a costume that represents their chosen song. Music Dinner is an occasion for students and parents to celebrate a wonderful year of music-making at St Margaret’s with awards given, and presentations made to acknowledge the girls’ many achievements. It is open to students in Years 6-12 who have been involved in the Co-curricular ensembles throughout the year. It is always a very special night and we look forward to having many in attendance!

Auditions for 2023 Music Ensembles

Auditions will be held in Week 3 for students wishing to participate in Music Ensembles in 2023, with audition music available from the Sister Margaret’s Music POD page. 2023 Music Ensembles will then commence from Week 4 of Term 4. (Primary ensembles will remain as they are for the remainder of the year. If a Primary student is accepted into a Secondary Ensemble, eg Stradivari Strings, they will have the option of attending their new ensemble whilst still participating in their current ensemble.) Audition times are as follows:

Monday 17 October

7:00 - 8:20am String Auditions (current Primary students), SHOR

3:30 - 5:00pm Volare Auditions (current Year 6 and 7), SHOR

3:30 - 5:00pm Rock Band Auditions for guitar, bass guitar, and keyboard, J002/003 (Rock Band Room)

Tuesday 18 October

7:00 - 8:20am String Auditions (current Primary students), SHOR

10:25 - 10:50am String Auditions (current Secondary students), SHOR

3:30 - 4:30pm Chorale - Primary Sing Along – Get to know your voice (current Years 3, 4 and 5), Primary Music Room

3:30 - 5:00pm Rock Band Auditions for Vocals (current Years 9-11), J002/003 (Rock Band Room)

3:30 - 5:30pm String Auditions (current Secondary students), SHOR

Wednesday 19 October

7:15 - 8:15am Band Auditions for current Primary students, SHOR

7:15 - 8:15am Stage Band Auditions (all instruments) for 2023 Secondary students, J101

1:05 - 1:50pm Drum kit Auditions for Rock Bands and Stage Band, J002/003 (Rock Band Room)

3:30 - 4:30pm Highly Strung Auditions (Primary) for guitar, bass guitar, keyboard and drumkit, J002/003 (Rock Band Room)

3:30 - 5:30pm Band Auditions for woodwind/brass (current Secondary students), SHOR

3:30 - 5:00pm Band Auditions for percussion/drums (current Primary and Secondary students), SHOR Percussion Room

Thursday 20 October

7:00 - 8:20am Band Auditions for woodwind/brass (Primary and Secondary), SHOR

3:30 - 5:30pm Exultate Auditions (it is preferable for younger students to have been in Volare to show rehearsal commitment), SHOR

Auditions for Musical 2023

Audition material is now available on the Musical POD page for the 2023 St Margaret’s school musical Strictly Ballroom. Students are required to learn a short singing excerpt as well as present a short monologue. All initial auditions are to be submitted via Flipgrid with call-backs to be held in person during Week 2 of Term 4. All resources and further details are available on the Musical POD page.

Music Support Group

The next Music Support Group meeting will be the AGM and will be held on Tuesday 8 November at 5.00pm in M’s Cafe. Parents from both the Primary and Secondary Schools are welcome to attend.

Brad King

Term 4 will see a commencement of our Summer Sports, with further sport information being found on the respective POD pages:

• QGSSSA Junior (Year 7-9) AFL
• Knowles Cup Tennis POD Page
• Club Water Polo
• QGSSSA Swimming POD Page

Term 3 Captains Wrap Report

We hit the ground running this term with the interhouse athletics carnival on the first day of term. Despite the shaky weather, the day was full of spirit, colour and participation across all year levels. It was certainly a day to remember.

On Friday of week 4, the rhythmic gymnastics team amazed the judges with their ball and hoop routines at the annual QGSSSA Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships. They had an incredible day with the grade 8 division placing 1st, the B grade division placing 2nd and the opens division placing third. All the athletes at this event should be immensely proud of what they achieved, and we are extremely excited to see what you will all achieve next year.

On Saturday of week 7, our rowers headed out to Wyaralong dam for the highly anticipated Head of the River competition. The early mornings and hard work certainly paid off as the crews’ refined technique, power and teamwork resulted in the shed taking away the Percentage Cup. The day was a great success with the Year 8’s placing 4th and the Year 9s, 10s and seniors placing 3rd. The banks of Wyaralong were flooded with fluorescent orange, brown, white and blue to witness the suspenseful first VIII race, cheering them on to yet another memorable victory.

Last weekend we saw our winter sporting teams take on their last match against Ipswich Girls Grammar School. All teams played exceptionally well and should be extremely proud of their efforts. Hockey had a very successful season with the Senior As placing 3rd in their division. The volleyball 7As and the tennis Junior A team both placed 3rd overall. The Netball teams had a great season, the Senior Bs, 9Bs and 7As came 2nd and the 9As and 7Bs came 3rd. The Open Hockey and Open Netball teams did exceptionally well, coming away with 4th place in their divisions. Well done to everyone who participated in winter fixtures this year.

Term 3 has been jam-packed culminating in the QGSSSA Track and Field Championships taking place today. We wish the best of luck to all of the athletes competing today.

As we start the holidays remember to take a well-deserved break, keep active and don’t forget to stay sporty girls.  

Kate Bloomfield & Amelia Butler-Wood

Sport Captains

GO MAGGIES!

Lloyd Knight

The Year 9 students have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities to meet with the Prep students and reading books, playing games and interviewing the students to gauge where their interests lie. Our exploration will culminate in a scripted performance to share with Prep classes in November which include a combination of song, dance, rhyme and a very important life lesson.

Adrian Walker

The students remarked that it was excellent. Some of the insights that students enjoyed were:

• Finding out that her business grew through interpersonal skills before social media’s influence
• Gathering inspiration from all around world and her design process
• The timeline of developing an idea and the parts that various people play in the business of fashion

We’re so grateful for the interest that Sarah-Jane Clarke took in our students and the generosity and openness that she demonstrated in coming to speak and answer our questions.

Nikki Anderson

Current Year 11 Students only

Booklists for Year 11 Term 4 are now available on the St Margaret’s website and the POD. Orders can also be placed through Sequel School and Office Supplies at www.sequelbooks.com. Orders that were placed by Sunday 21 August will be delivered by Friday 30 September. Orders that were placed after 21 August will be packed and sent ASAP, but Sequel cannot guarantee delivery for commencement of Term 4.

Current Year 11 students will be required to have textbooks and stationery for the commencement of Term 4 2022.

Delivery is free within Queensland. If you are going to be away during the school holidays, you may nominate an alternative delivery address ie a neighbour, relative or business address. Boarders can have their book pack delivered to St Margaret’s for pickup on their return to school in Term 4 by confirming in the delivery address: Boarder – Deliver to St Margaret’s AGS.

All other year levels will have access to the 2023 booklists around mid-October 2022.

Uniform Fitting Appointments – Online booking system

Bookings for October, November & December 2022 and January 2023 are available online. We encourage families to book a fitting appointment as soon as possible as appointments are filling fast.

Book your appointment online via the school website http://www.stmargarets.qld.edu.au/admissions/supplies-shop

Appointment times are either 30mins or 60mins depending on your fitting type. Fitting types include: New Student, Existing Student, Boarder Only, Pre-Prep and School Blazer Fitting.

• One appointment = one student fitting
  If you are booking for two or more students, please book separate fitting appointments for each child. These can be at the same time if times are available.

• All fittings will take place in the School Supplies Shop which is located onsite, just off Circular Drive through Gate 1 at the top of Petrie Street.

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 booking 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 per day

Early Bird Bookings close: 5 September 2022

Fees: $68 per day*

Bookings close: 12 September 2022

*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

While many people associate the P&F with fundraising activities, it also works to promote a spirit of genuine cooperation between parents, staff, and students alike and support a range of community endeavours for the general well-being of all members of the school community. 

The P&F Association meet once a term to share our views and ideas, and we encourage parents to join us at these meetings throughout the year. 

Our final meeting of 2022 is an informal evening where we will hopefully welcome some fresh faces and share our thoughts over some light refreshments.

Date: Monday 24 October 2022

Time: 6.30pm to 7.30pm (followed by light refreshments)

Location: Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's Anglican Girls School

St Margaret’s Online Business Directory

Looking for an experienced real estate agent, solar installation services, healthcare or accounting and wealth management services? St Margaret’s Online Business Directory has you covered for all these providers and much more. As a community we are stronger together and we encourage you to support those who support our school. Many are providing special offers/discounts for St Margaret’s families.

View the full listing of services and providers online at: https://www.stmargarets.qld.edu.au/community/business-directory

Tickets are selling fast for our last Professional Women's Network Breakfast of 2022.

We welcome Amanda Johnston-Pell, Chief Digital Officer, Vice President Digital Sales Japan + APAC, IBM, who will share her inspiring journey from human movement studies into business leadership in-conversation with Sarah Clarke, Award-winning journalist and TV presenter.

This is a wonderful opportunity for you to attend with your daughter or to take a corporate table and host your colleagues or clients.

Amanda Johnston-Pell is global leader in the fields of Business Transformation, Digital Sales, Marketing, Brand and Entrepreneurship. Her career spans 25 years working across US, Canada, APAC and Japan markets in both Executive and Non-Executive roles. She currently serves as the Vice President Digital Sales, Chief Digital Officer for IBM Japan, Asia Pacific and Greater China.  Prior to this appointment, she held several executive positions within IBM, Telstra, where she was an Executive Director in the Brands + Marketing Communications Group, and BigPond, among others.

Amanda is a highly respected business leader and pioneer in her field, espousing an entrepreneurial spirit and an 'anything is possible' mantra. Her entrepreneurial credentials as Co-Founder and Founding Co-CEO of a New York City based start-up have helped drive agility, cohesion and a growth mind-set within the remits she has led.

She was the 2021 recipient of The University of Queensland Vice Chancellor’s Alumni Excellence Award and the inaugural Women’s College (at the University of Queensland) Alumna Award – awarded for outstanding leadership in business, and for services to community, education and private diplomatic initiatives.

Sarah Clarke is an award-winning journalist and TV presenter now based in Australia. She works for the international TV network, Al Jazeera English covering stories across the Asia Pacific region.

She returned to Australia in 2021 after 8 years living and working in Hong Kong covering the rise of the pro-democracy movement in 2014 and the more recent protests which saw hundreds of residents and journalists detained and jailed under China's national security law. Sarah began her career in Australia and spent 20 years with the ABC working out of Brisbane, the Canberra press Gallery and Sydney as the National Environment and Science Reporter.

Date: Wednesday 19 October 2022

Time: 6.45am arrival for 7.00am start. 8.45am finish.

Location: Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's Anglican Girls' School, 11 Petrie Street, Ascot

Format: Sit down breakfast 

We also invite you to enjoy Barista Coffee from the Wolff Coffee Roasters cart, before and after the event!

Tickets: $85 Adult, $40 Student (Years 10-12/Tertiary)

Corporate tables: $850 (10 seats), includes company logo displayed on table and acknowledgement during event.

Book now via Try Booking: https://www.trybooking.com/CBLHB

We thank our 2022 PWN Series Sponsors for their support.

Major Sponsor: Pitcher Partners, Associate Sponsors: Programmed Property Services and Wolff Coffee Roasters, and Supporting Sponsors: Downer, Clear Insurance, Westpac, O’Reilly Shaw Lawyers, Uniform Link and Move Recruitment Solutions.

Lara Pickering