Latest eNews

Secondary Teachers:

Rowena Bracken (Head of Faculty – The Arts/Drama/Art)

Alex Field (Maths)

Brianna Shaw (Visual Art)

Sophie Butler (French/English)

Ryan Mitchell (Humanities/English)

Sophie Boller (English/Humanities)                                

Tony Zhang (Primary and Secondary Chinese)

Katherine Sills (HPE/Geography/EES)

Melissa Faulkner (HPE/STEM)

Primary Teachers:

Thea Cowdroy-Ling (Year 2)

Nikita Uscinski (Year 1)

Alex Dyall (Learning Enhancement)

A new school psychologist has been appointed: Michelle Alexander. We also welcome back Faye Ryan (Primary and Secondary Chinese) from a year’s leave.

Ysabella Dawson, Kirsty Krynauw and Kimberley Bachman resigned after the last newsletter was published at the end of last year. We wish them well in their new roles in their new schools.  

Some refurbishment work occurred over the holidays, particularly in the primary area. All damage from the intense rain in February 2022 has now been fixed.

I look forward to seeing you at the parent information evenings in the first couple of weeks of school and please do not forget the P and F AGM and Welcome drinks on Monday 13 February in the Arts Centre Foyer at 6.30pm. The P and F welcomes all parents to attend and to become involved at whatever level they can manage given work and family constraints.

I look forward to seeing you over the next few weeks.

Ros Curtis

I was excited to attend our very first ski trip to Japan in early January with an impressive group of 36 students and six other staff. The trip, led by Mr Thomas Smithers, was a huge success. We spent six days at Hakuba perfecting our skiing and snowboarding, and we were also able to spend a day at Tokyo Disneyland, see a couple of sights in Tokyo, visit the snow monkeys and attend a Taiko drumming performance. All students and staff had a wonderful time and have lots of stories to share!

Statement of Commitment

St Margaret's AGS supports the rights of children and young people and is committed to ensure the safety, welfare and well-being of students. St Margaret's is therefore committed to responding to allegations of student harm resulting from the conduct or actions of any person including that of employees.

This commitment includes the provision of a safe and supportive living and learning environment for all students and requires all employees, visitors and volunteers to model and encourage behaviour that upholds the dignity and protection of students from harm.

In support of this commitment, St Margaret's AGS is dedicated to our Child and Youth Risk Management strategy which includes having relevant policies, procedures and training in place to effectively address the safety and well-being of students in our care. 

The Child and Youth Risk Management strategy can be found on our school website.

Student Protection Officers:

Student Protection Officers are persons designated as liaison people to whom students may refer if they are not feeling safe; or to whom they make complaints of harm, inappropriate behaviour or physical/sexual abuse.

The St Margaret's Student Protection Officers are:

- Deputy Principal - Karen Gorrie

- Head of Boarding - Lesa Fowler

- Dean of Academics – Caitlin McCluskey

- Head of Primary School - Angela Drysdale

- Assistant Head of Primary - Wellbeing and Operations (PP-6) - Annette Box

- Dean of Students - Nikki Townsend

- Head of Year – Nicole Walker

Karen Gorrie

We are proudly an Anglican school with our traditions being built upon the ethos and philosophy of the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent. The Sisters founded our school in 1895. Their mission was to provide education and empowerment to women and children who faced disadvantage. This core value runs through the DNA of our school. We care about the world and all who are in it.

Throughout the year there are regular worship services which your child will attend. We have a beautiful chapel, St Margaret’s Chapel, within our school grounds. There are opportunities for families to attend special services throughout the year, including Admission to Holy Communion and the opportunity for baptism and confirmation. Please note some important dates for term one and two in the table below. Letters will be sent to families in due course regarding the respective services.

Please be assured of my prayers and support as we begin this new school year together.

The School Prayer

God of all being, look with favour on this school dedicated to your servant, St Margaret of Antioch. Bless those who teach and those who learn and those who work to support and maintain this school. Grant wisdom and courage in our lives, gentleness of heart and compassion for all. May each seek to know and love the truth and in humility of heart, ever look to you, the source of all wisdom and understanding.
We ask these things through your Son’s name, Amen.

Important Dates: Term One and Two

Note: Our annual confirmation service will take place on Friday 18 August 2023 (for Year 9 and above).

Rev’d Jazz Dow

This weekend is all about connection and building community. Our Boarders Closed weekend is an opportunity for us to build relationships, get to know each other and share our stories. Over the course of the closed weekend, we offer the girls time to enjoy activities whilst forming friendships with girls that they may not necessarily know. On Friday night the girls will participate in a dodgeball competition and Just Dance. Saturday will start with the Big Sister/Little Sister Brunch and then all the girls will have a one-hour session with a dietician. The focus for the dietician is on healthy eating and this will be broken into two groups – Years 6-9 and Years 10-12. The girls will then rotate through a range of different activities including a cooking class, yoga class, boxing class, smoothie making, pottery class, painting activity and ball games. In the evening we will enjoy a barbeque on the terraces and a ‘decorate your dorm’ competition. On Sunday we will all head off for a day at Wet n Wild. 

This weekend is vital to developing relationships and community and we look forward to all the girls participating.

Lesa Fowler

As students settle back into their school routine, it’s a good time to remember some of the positive habits that would have been developed over previous years. All students are encouraged to have a dedicated study space that is free from clutter and distraction. Planning out time helps to avoid procrastination and also makes the most of the time you do have available, especially if you have lots of non-academic commitments.

At school, the Year 12 students are reminded that they have access to the Senior Study Centre until 5pm only. If students wish to stay at school beyond 5pm they may sign up to Supervised Study which occurs in the library from 5pm – 7:30pm. Supervised study will begin in Week 2 of each term. In addition, all day students are reminded that no tutors are permitted to work on St Margaret’s school grounds.

Congratulations to all students who received awards at the Academic Assembly earlier this week and I am looking forward to celebrating the 2022 Year 12 cohort’s successes at the Scholars’ Assembly next week.

Caitlin McCluskey

Supervised Study Sessions

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

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

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

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

Dates for the sessions and when bookings open are below:

2023 Supervised Study Sessions

Please note the following conditions:

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

Chris Dunn

The beginning of a new year can present a plethora of emotions among our student body. For many there is excitement about catching up with friends after the long summer holidays. Some are eager to try new subjects and meet new teachers, while others may experience nerves or anxiety, especially if they are new to the school. An unfamiliar environment and the fear of the unknown can be daunting. We understand that each girl walking through the gates this week, whether a returning student or a fresh face to the campus, will have her own story and her own needs. With the assistance of our experienced and well-qualified staff we will endeavour to assist your daughters to settle into St Margaret’s for 2023.

Each girl in the Secondary School is allocated a Form teacher (Years 7 and 8) or Academic Adviser (Years 9 to 12), who will have face-to-face contact with your daughter most days. There is also a Head of Year assigned to each cohort of girls, who will work closely with the Form teacher or Academic Adviser to oversee student well-being and academic progress. Along with these key people, a number of other staff may be of assistance to your daughter; namely the Heads of Faculty, Dean of Academics, Dean of Studies, School Pyschologist and Chaplain. Boarders will also have access to the Head and Heads of Junior and Senior Boarding, House Mothers and the Pastoral Care Co-ordinator.

As parents, I encourage you to keep the lines of communication open with your daughters as to her schooling experience. Each year can present new challenges, socially and academically, and often these challenges are unexpected. All of the staff can be reached by telephone or email, and I encourage you to contact your daughter’s Head of Year if you have any concerns with your daughter throughout the year.

We look forward to meeting parents at next week’s Parent Welcome and Information Evening held on Thursday 2 February in the Philip Harris Gym at 6:30pm. If you were unable to attend, these sessions will be recorded, and a link will be sent by email from your daughter’s Head of Year.

Here’s to a productive and enriching 2023 where your girls will flourish!

Nikki Townsend

We also welcome two new teachers this year, Ms Nikita Uscinski and Mrs Thea Cowdroy-Ling. Thank you to everyone for helping new members of our school community with their transition. The teachers have worked tirelessly to create stunning learning environments and programs that will help uncover all aspects of each child’s personality and development (social, emotional, academic, spiritual, physical).

The Primary Parent Handbook is a useful source of information. All new parents will receive a hard copy from the class teacher, and it is also available on the POD. I would encourage parents to use the POD constantly as a source of information and ensure that you set notifications for the primary school class and any groups that your daughter is involved in. Please refer to the POD Parent Guide (PDF 512.9KB) for assistance using the POD and St Margaret's APP set-up instructions (PDF 381.9KB) to assist you in setting up the App. The two communication systems work together, and we recommend you have both accessible on your device. Importantly, to receive information regarding the activities and extra-curricular groups your child is involved in, you will need to request to “join” those groups. Instructions on how to do this are included in the attached POD guide. At present this concerns Primary and Secondary Swimming, as they are currently training. You are welcome to “join” the other sports and activities too and familiarise yourself with the information on the pages in preparation for these Sports commencing in 2023. Please note the whole school parent handbook can be found on the main St Margaret’s POD page. The Primary Handbook is located on the Primary POD page.

I look forward to meeting parents at our Parent Information Night on Wednesday 8 February. Please check the POD for details about the evening. In the upcoming weeks I will also meet with the new students at morning teas. This is an opportunity for each of us to get to know each other.  

Thank you to the many parents who ensured the before and after school arrangements went smoothly this week. Students are to wait in the Atrium under teacher supervision and move to their classes at 8.15am. As a school, we encourage the children to be independent throughout their school day. Therefore, we request that parents do not accompany their child to the classroom so that each child is responsible for organising herself for the school day.

In the afternoons, a teacher is on gate duty in Butler Street, (Monday to Thursday until 3.40pm, Friday until 3:30pm) however no teacher is on duty in Lapraik Street. For safety purposes we request that children and adults are not to go to the rear of the vehicle to load bags. Instead, bags are to be placed inside the car. Please note that this area is a 2-Minute Zone and is a set down and collection point only. Parents of students in Years 1 – 6 are requested to not park there and walk into the school but to meet your child outside Gate 3 or in the pickup line. These arrangements are in place to help reduce the congestion at the school crossing. All procedures are available in the Parent Handbook on page 4.

Four parking bays are allocated to Pre-Prep parents for drop off and pick up for a maximum of 10 minutes. We request that only Pre-Prep parents park in these bays with their permit on display in their car.

I thank parents in anticipation of their support and contribution throughout the year. Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding any aspect of your child in the Primary School.

Angela Drysdale

Continuous Reporting – Years 5 and 6

Once again, Years 5 and 6 will continue to utilise Continuous Reporting. For our new parents, this is a process that enables teachers to provide timely feedback on assessed work. Throughout the term, Years 5 and 6 will be provided with assessment grades and feedback on assessment tasks. Feedback on each task is provided to assist students to identify areas that require improvement and to acknowledge success. Given that feedback has a very high effect size in relation to student achievement, this initiative supports our commitment to evidence-informed teaching.

Students will be able to access their feedback and results via Learning Analytics and parents will be able to access it in Parent Lounge - Student Details - Curricular Activities via The POD.  A description of the assessment task and dates when the assessment is started and completed are outlined in Parent Lounge. As assessment and feedback become available in Parent Lounge you will be notified via the POD.

Kate Frewin

Information updates will be provided via the St Margaret’s Music POD page. All parents who have daughters involved in the St Margaret’s Music Program are encouraged to join this page, along with Strings, Band and Choral pages, dependent upon your daughter’s involvement.

You are welcome to contact the Music Department via phone: 3862 0705, email: Music@stmargarets.qld.edu.au

2023 Dates

Please note important music dates for 2023.

Open Day 4 March (Term 1, Week 6)
Musical 9 – 11 March (Term 1, Week 7)
Churchie Event (Stradivari Strings/Jackson Wind Ensemble) 21 April (Term 2, Week 1)
Music Camp 5-7 May (Term 2, Week 3)
Movie Magic Ensembles Concert 16 May (Term 2, Week 5)
Soaring Upwards Festival (Community) 29 July (Term 3, Week 3)
Soaring Upwards Festival (Students) 1 August (Term 3, Week 4)
Year 3 & 4 Strings and Year 5 Band Concert 2 August (Term 3, Week 4)
Boarder Musicians Recital 10 August (Term 3, Week 5)

Classics in the Cathedral 15 August (Term 3, Week 5)
Interhouse Music Week 25 - 31 August (Term 3, Week 7/8)
Music Dinner 6 October (Term 4, Week 1)
Speech Night 10 October (Term 4, Week 2)
2024 Ensemble Auditions 16 – 20 October (Term 4, Week 3)

Soloist Recital Series    
    22 March (Term 1, Week 9)
    7 June (Term 2, Week 8)
    6 September (Term 3, Week 9)
    8 November (Term 4, Week 6)

Performance Presentations    
    19 – 25 May (Term 2, Weeks 5/6)
    23 – 27 October (Term 4, Week 4)

Staff News

Please note there have been some staffing changes in the Music Department for 2023. Over the holidays, Ms Bradbury resigned from her position as singing teacher at St Margaret’s. We thank Ms Bradbury for her wonderful contribution to the school and wish her well with her ongoing endeavours with Opera Queensland. We welcome a new singing teacher, Ms Tenille West. Ms West has had extensive teaching experience both in schools and through her private teaching studio and has completed post-graduate studies in vocal pedagogy through the Griffith Conservatorium of Music. She also has a wealth of performance experience that I know our students will greatly benefit from.

We also welcome a new staff member to our Strings Program. Mr Jason Tong has taught and directed string ensembles at St Peter’s Lutheran College and St Columba’s and is a professional performer, working as a core member of Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, Camerata, and maintains regular contract work with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. Mr Tong will bring much expertise to our strings program and we look forward to having him at St Margaret’s.

Finally, we welcome Ms Katharine Willison who will teach our double reed students (oboe and bassoon). Ms Willison has a wealth of teaching and performing experience, both in Australia and in Europe. She is currently also teaching at Churchie and West Moreton Anglican College, and we are very pleased to have her join our music program.

Private Music Lessons will start in Week 2

Private music lessons will commence from Week 2. On Friday 27 January during lunchtime, students from Year 5-12 are asked to come to the Sister Helen Orchestra Room (SHOR) to meet their private music teacher and arrange a lesson time for Week 2. If a student is in a younger grade, or is unable to attend that day, the music teacher will contact parents/students directly to arrange a lesson time. Please note it is not too late to enrol your daughter in private music lessons. Please click here for the enrolment form:

Application for Private Music Tuition

There have been many requests from parents for lesson times to occur outside of school time. Whilst every effort will be made to accommodate these requests, it may not always be possible. Older students in the Secondary School will be given first preference for these time slots. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

Music Ensemble Rehearsals will start in Week 2

Rehearsals for String and Band ensembles will commence from Week 2 and we are looking forward to having many girls involved! Ensemble lists have been placed on the String and Band POD pages.

Choir rehearsals will also commence rehearsals in Week 2 with the exception of Encorah. Please note that Encorah will commence rehearsals from the start of Term 2 upon completion of the school musical. Exultate and Volare will rehearse during Term 1 on Thursdays 3:30-4:30pm.

If students are interested in participating and have not yet auditioned, please contact the Music Department in order to arrange an audition time.

MUSIC SUPPORT GROUP

The next Music Support Group meeting will be held on Tuesday 31 January 2023 at 5:00pm in M’s Café. We encourage parents from both primary and secondary schools to become involved.

Brad King

Our sport staff have been busy harnessing their skills and knowledge in preparation for the sport seasons ahead. This year, our team explored research presented by renowned sport psychologists Jean Cote, titled ‘Positive Youth Development: A Measurement Framework for Sport’. This research addressed four key outcomes that coaches should aim to achieve within their practice:

1. Competence - Conceptualised high levels of achievement, performance or athletic ability. Taking into consideration the learning of technical, tactical, physical and mental skills.
2. Confidence - Belief individuals possess about their ability to be competent and successful in sport.
3. Connection - Conceptualised as a measure of the quality relationships and degree of interaction with peers and coaches
4. Character - Development of sportspersonship, prosocial behaviour & the idea of contributing to others

This research highlights to us that coaching the whole person is just as important as coaching the athlete. This can be expressed and measured in the way in which our student-athletes go about playing their sport, rather than just the outcome they achieve. We aim to focus on process and the development and contribution each student has within their respective sports. Our staff are aligned in the transcending quality sport has towards life and are committed to preparing confident, compassionate, capable women able to contribute in a global community.

Vierimaa, Matthew & Erickson, Karl & Côté, Jean & Gilbert, Wade. (2012). Positive Youth Development: A Measurement Framework for Sport. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching. 7. 601-614.

Term 1 Sport

Term 1 is a jam-packed term for sport. Please make sure you are up to date with your respective sport POD pages (linked below) to ensure you receive all the important information. 

If you have any questions, please reach out to your respective Sport Coordinators or head down to the Sports & Activities Office, below the primary school, opposite the Philip Harris Gym. 

Looking forward to a great term ahead. 

GO MAGGIES! 

Week 1 Sport Commencement: 

• Swimming - Monday 23 Jan (The POD - Secondary Swimming (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Water Polo - Wednesday 25 Jan (The POD - Club Water Polo (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Cricket Trials - Wednesday 25 Jan (The POD - Secondary Cricket (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

Week 2 Sport Commencement: 

• Cross Country - Monday 30 Jan (The POD - Secondary Cross Country (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Senior AFL Trials - Monday 30 Jan (The POD - Secondary AFL (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Artistic Gymnastics - Tuesday 31 Jan (The POD - Secondary Artistic Gymnastics (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Autumn Sport (Basketball, Soccer, Touch Football) Year 7 & 8 Come n Try Clinics 

Week 3 Sport Commencement: 

• Basketball Trials - (The POD - Secondary Basketball (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Soccer Trials - (The POD - Secondary Football (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)
• Touch Football Trials -  (The POD - Secondary Touch Football (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

Swimming Camp

Energy. Action. Maggie’s spirit. Four words that perfectly sum up the 2023 Swim Camp! The girls rocked up with lots of energy early on Tuesday morning to kick off our first session at 6:00 am. The camp was action-packed with three great training sessions on the first day. I know all the girls were extremely happy with the breakfast that Mr Knight, Mr Mandla, Ms O’Brien, and Ms Cescotto supplied, not to mention the amazing subway lunches each day. We also played some team games that of course involved some ‘friendly’ competition (quick shout out to team two who won the kickboard race).

On the second day, we were privileged to hear from Australian Olympic Champion and world record holder Kaylee McKeown. I know a lot of us (including myself) were fangirling when she spoke! When the muscle soreness started to kick in, we were very lucky to have Mr Knight run his stretching and wellness activities. Although Matt and Boo challenged us, we will be extremely grateful when QG arrives.

Finally, to cap off this spectacular start to the year, we went to Bli Bli Aqua Park to dash around the floatable course (or in the Senior girls’ experience, mostly fall off every obstacle). Thank you so much Matt and Mr Knight. This camp was amazing! Can’t wait to see what 2023 will hold.

Let’s go Maggies!

Sophie Martin and Charli Fahrensohn

Swimming Captains

Rowing Information Session

If you'd like to learn more about rowing at St Margaret's in 2023, please join the Rowing Information Session either in person or online.

• WHO: Students and Parents in Years 8 -12 welcome
• WHAT: Rowing Information Session
• WHEN: Monday 30 January 5:30 - 6:30pm
• WHERE: The Loft (Jackson Building) or online via the Rowing POD page (link will be provided on 30 January)

Check out the Rowing POD for more information: The POD - Secondary Rowing (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

Jared Bidwell

Head of Rowing

Club Netball Registration

Club netball sign-up is currently open. Once sign-up is complete, a registration and payment link will be sent directly to families. All registration and payments close Wednesday 15 February.

Key Information:

• Training begins week 7
• Round 1 Begins Saturday 22 April
• Uniforms are available in the school supply shop and will be needed by this date
• All Year 7s will play in the 13 years age divisions and attend those clinic and trial times
• All Year 8s, plus any students turning 14/15 years in 2023, will play in the Cadet divisions and attend those clinics and trial times
• All students turning 16, 17 or 18 years in 2023 will play in the Inters division and attend those clinics and trial times

Everyone who trials makes a team!

Please check out the Club Netball POD for all the information related to sign-on and trials/clinic information: The POD - Club Netball (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

Gayle Coutts
Head of Netball

Welcome Josh Partridge, Head of Athletics and Development

It's with great pleasure that we officially welcome Josh Partridge, Head of Athletics and Development to our St Margaret's community.

Josh brings a wealth of knowledge and experience towards our program having coached passionately in athletics and working extensively with youth development athletes in the gym. Josh's experience has seen him guide school, club and elite-level athletes to achieve their goals. We are really excited to see him lead our program into the new season and beyond.

Josh can be contacted at jpartridge@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or through the Activities Office.

We look forward to officially welcoming Josh to Athletics as the Cross-Country programs recommence on Monday 30 January.

About Josh Partridge

Josh has a wealth of experience in working with young athletes, having spent the past nine years as a strength and conditioning coach and athletics coach. He has a broad range of experience in training athletes across various sports and at all levels of development, from complete novices to junior world champions. Additionally, Josh has worked with elite athletes from teams such as the Brisbane Bullets and QLD Firebirds, as well as at the internationally renowned training facility, ALTIS. After a period of working in business management and leadership, Josh's desire to make a positive impact on the lives of young athletes led him to join the team at St Margaret’s.

Private Speech and Drama lessons commence in Week 2 for enrolled students in Years 2 to 12.

If your daughter is not already enrolled and you would like her to commence Speech and Drama lessons, please complete the online Application for Tuition form as soon as possible by clicking HERE. Places in the Program are limited and are provided to continuing students and then to new students based on the order in which enrolment applications are received and according to availability of spaces in each year level.

If you have any enquiries about the Private Speech and Drama Program, please contact the Coordinator, Maria Chamberlain at mchamberlain@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

We are looking forward to another exciting year of cultivating confident, capable communicators.

Pixevety provides two important functions:

a)      A St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Gallery which gives parents/carers direct online access to a selection of school photos captured by the school.

b)      An online image permission module which gives greater choice and control over how images of your child should be used and shared by the school.

Last week, all St Margaret's parents should have received an email asking them to create a Pixevety account if they hadn’t done so already, as well as highlighting the opportunity for parents to review these permissions, which can occur at any time.

Please note, if an account is not created, it will be presumed that parents accept the school's default settings.

If you did not receive the email, it may because you have previously unsubscribed from our Vision 6 email software.

Next week, an email will be sent out from Pixevety as a reminder to all parents who have not yet created an account.

In the meantime, if you have any enquires, please feel free to contact the marketing team by emailing our content producer, Mitch Hollywood at mhollywood@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Wendy Johnston
Director of Marketing and Communications

We have a calendar full of exciting events for our community to attend this year and we look forward to connecting with you all. Below are just a few of the opportunities coming up over the coming month or two.

Interested in joining the Parents & Friends Association?

Notice is given that the Annual General Meeting of the St Margaret’s P&F Association Inc will be held as follows:

Date:          Monday 13 February 2023

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

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

RSVP:         RSVP online

The meeting will be followed by Welcome Drinks which is a wonderful opportunity to get to know fellow parents and members of the committee.

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 2023 will be elected.

Nominations can be made by downloading and completing the Nomination for Position Form. All nomination forms must be returned via email to P&F@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or via School Reception by Friday, 10 February 2023. Alternatively, you may bring your completed form with you to the AGM.

We warmly welcome new volunteers to join the committee. Previous members of the P&F will be happy to propose and second new members on the night should you need assistance completing your nomination form. 

Fathers’ Dinner with guest speaker, Wayne Bennett AM – Additional tickets available!

We are delighted to announce that after working with the venue organisers we can now offer additional tickets to purchase for the 2023 Fathers' Dinner. It is important to note, some seating may experience an obstructed view of the guest speaker, however we will be investing in additional AV to address this for guests.

This annual event features guest speaker, Australian Sporting Royalty, Wayne Bennett AM, and provides a wonderful opportunity for fathers to come together and connect. 

Wayne is a well-known and respected Australian, whose motivation and drive to innovate rugby league saw him become one of the greatest coaches ever seen. Wayne has been recognised as one of the most influential individuals in rugby league and as acknowledgement of his dedication, in 2012, he was inducted into the Australian Sport Hall of Fame. He is the longest serving coach of a single club in rugby league history in Australia and has one of the best winning percentages in rugby league.

Event details

Date:                     Friday 3 March 2023

Time:                     6:30pm arrival for 7:00pm start

Venue:                   Queensland Cricketers Club, Ground Floor Gabba Towers, 411 Vulture Street, East Brisbane

Cost:                     $175 per person

Tickets:                 On sale now [CLICK HERE]. Please note, tickets are non-refundable.

RSVP:                    9:30am, Thursday 16 February, unless sold out prior.

Tables:                  Maximum table capacity is 10 people. Seating requests can be made by nominating a Table Captain or Year Group at the time of booking. Best efforts will be made to meet any requests.

Enquiries:            P&F@stmargarets.qld.edu.au

2023 Professional Women’s Network Events

We are excited to announce another inspiring line up of guest speakers for this year’s Professional Women’s Network (PWN) Series. These events are excellent opportunities for you to attend with your daughter or to take a corporate table and host your colleagues or clients.

While our speaker list features female leaders, the events are attended by male and female members of the Brisbane business community.

Tables and tickets for the first event with guest speaker, Sue Johnson, Group Executive, Queensland, Transurban, in March can be purchased via this link: https://www.stmargarets.qld.edu.au/community/professional-womens-network

PWN 1: TUESDAY 21 MARCH 2023 - Sue Johnson, Group Executive, Queensland, Transurban.

Sue Johnson has had a successful career embracing the pace of technology change, innovation and business adoption, applying the substantial value they bring to better change people and communities. She has held a number of senior executive roles. Most recently, she was Transurban’s Group General Manager, Customer Operations and Human Resources, bringing more than 20 years of global customer and HR experience across multiple industries and organisations. Sue has completed the Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Education, a Bachelor of Business, and a Bachelor of Science and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of the Premier’s Innovation Advisory Council, a member of the Advisory Council for the Committee for Brisbane and a member of the Advisory Panel for the Queensland Government’s Land Restoration Fund – a world’s first environmental initiative for the Queensland government.

Time: 6:45am arrival for 7:00am-8:45am. Enjoy barista coffee from a Wolff Coffee Roasters cart, before and after the event.                                        

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

Tickets: $85 adults, $40 students (Years 10 to 12/tertiary), $850 corporate table (10 seats)

Available online via https://www.trybooking.com/CEJFF

PWN 2: WEDNESDAY 10 MAY 2023 - Tracy Cooper-Lavery (’87), Director, Gallery & Visual Arts, HOTA (Home of the Arts).

PWN 3: THURSDAY 24 AUGUST 2023 - Jane Carland, General Manager (Australia and New Zealand), Castrol.

PWN 4: WEDNESDAY 18 OCTOBER 2023 - Julia Spicer OAM, Queensland Chief Entrepreneur.

We thank our series sponsors, 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.

Finally, I would like to introduce the rest of the team here in the Development and Community Office.

Georgia Mitchell – Manager, Development and Community

Danielle Guinea - Manager, Relationships and Mentoring

Virginia Cordingley – Administration Assistant - Development and Community

Should you have any enquiries regarding the work of St Margaret’s Foundation, P&F, Old Girls’ Association, Professional Women’s Network, or are interested in corporate partnerships and sponsorship opportunities, please do not hesitate to contact us (developmentandcommunity@stmargarets.qld.edu.au). We look forward to your enquiry. 

Lara Pickering