eNews Archive Issue 2 - 3 February 2022

Validate Her Anxiety – If you see signs of anxiety, letting your daughter know that you appreciate and understand that they may be anxious about the return to school is an important validation for your child and helps them feel safe and secure.

Help Her Prepare - For younger students, discussion about what to expect with school and helping them understand school procedures and safety measures are important. For example, focus on the positives, ask them what they are looking forward to and check in regularly in the first weeks. It is a good idea to talk about the friends and teachers that your daughter will be seeing again after the long break and the new friends she is about to make; reassure her that she will soon feel comfortable in her new routines.

Limit Expressing Your Expectations - You may need to limit conversations about your expectations for the year – especially academic ones in this early stage. It may only add to your daughter’s anxiety now and you will have plenty of time to discuss these during the year.

Remember that working through the change takes up a lot of energy, so your daughter may become tired, and a bit more grumpy than usual. Make sure she has plenty of free time to relax after school while she settles into the year.

The long break and the uncertainty that comes with the current pandemic and what to expect in the future has taken a toll on parents as well. You need to ensure that you are caring for your own well-being if you are going to be the calm positive carer your daughter needs. Flexibility is going to be a necessity in the coming months, I suspect, and you will need to ensure that you maintain your resilience as you help build your daughter’s resilience! This is not easy… so good luck!

Ros Curtis

Acknowledgement: Anxious Kids, 2019, by Michael Grosser and Dr Jodi Richardson

Ms Curtis has communicated and will continue to let our families know of any developments that occur here at school in line with Queensland Health directives. All parents should have also received notification via the POD of an updated document ‘Risk Management of COVID #2’ that includes the measures we are taking within the school to manage the COVID risk when students return. This document has been written in line with the government’s ‘Back to School Plan’ for 7 February to 4 March. We will continue to update this Risk Assessment as necessary.

A number of students I have spoken to this week have been working really hard and keeping up with their lessons. Many have said that there “isn’t much to do” otherwise. Can I suggest that they access the online Strength and Conditioning training sessions offered through the sports page on the POD. There are other suggestions there for activities that they could do as well. Stepping away from the computer at the end of the day, going for a walk or just getting some fresh air is certainly good for the mind and the body.

It would also be good for students to consider their academic goals for the year. In Years 9 to 12, this will be done in consultation with their Academic Advisor and submitted through Learning Analytics, and with younger year levels they will be discussed with form teachers, Heads of Year and classroom teachers. It would be worth discussing these with your daughter and talking through what is going well and what she needs to develop further.

Karen Gorrie

There are some exciting events planned in the Chapel space this year. Here are some initial dates for your diary:

Term 1

Term 2

**More dates will be added in the coming weeks.

You will receive more information about these events in due course. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions: jdow@stmargarets.qld.edu.au

This week in RVE, we are focusing on cultivating joy (or “sparking joy” in the words of Marie Kondo). It has been a heavy start to the year, so I share with you a poem that reminds us that we are created for joy.

The Rev’d Jazz Dow

We are looking forward to welcoming the boarding students back on the weekend. It will be lovely to have the noise and chatter of a full house of excited young ladies catching up with friends and getting back into the routine of school and boarding life.

Angela Crowe

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) is always updating and providing many resources to keep teachers and parents up to date with the new Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). To find out more, you can visit their website: https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/senior-qce.

The Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) is responsible for calculating ATARs and managing student applications to tertiary institutions. To find out more, you can visit the website: https://www.qtac.edu.au/atar.

Careers Information and Portfolio Pathway

Ms Naomi Holley, Head of Faculty – Student Pathways and Futures, and Ms Liz Johnston form the Careers and Pathways team. Both staff members are available to meet with students who are looking for direction in study and work post school. Their office is located in the Senior Library and is open to all year levels. Students are most welcome to drop in before and after school or during break times. Parents and students requiring a longer meeting, or specific time, should email either Ms Johnston (Careers Counsellor): ejohnston@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or Ms Holley (Head of Faculty – Student Pathways and Futures): nholley@stmargarets.qld.edu.au to arrange an appointment. Please refer to the careers section of the eNews for more information about how they can assist your daughter.

Year 12 - Term 1 Exam Morning and Day

This term, the Year 12 students have an Exam Morning on Monday 21 February. Year 12 Chemistry students are required at school at 8:00am on this morning, with all other Year 12 students not required at school until 9:50am for the start of the Prefects Assembly. On 11 March, Year 12 students have an Exam Day. On this day, only Mathematical Methods and Design students are required at school. The girls involved will be sent the organisation for this day.

Years 11 and 12 Exam Block

The schedule of exams for the Term 1 Years 11 and 12 Exam Blocks will be made available on the year level pages of the POD by the end of Week 4. If your daughter is unable to complete an exam, the ‘Request for an Extension’ form is located on the Academic Hub page on the POD. The list of exams that will be included in the Exam Blocks are recorded on the Assessment Calendars. Both Years 11 and 12 students have been provided with a study day to enable them to prepare for their exams. Now is a perfect time to ensure your daughter is preparing a study schedule in the lead up to exams and making sure their assessment is a priority during this time.

Caitlin McCluskey

We aim to provide students with their Assessment Calendars early in the semester to give them the opportunity to practise and hone effective time management and organisational skills. Students can see from the outset that there will be some weeks that are more demanding than others. In turn, the girls can use this information to develop clear strategies to prepare for these times.

To identify and plan effectively for these busier weeks, I encourage all girls to reflect on the following advice to start this semester:

1. Firstly, over the next few days, I encourage them to input all assessment, extra-curricular and out-of-school commitments into their diaries for the semester.
2. Identify their busier weeks of the term early.
3. Devise a study/homework timetable that provides them with realistic and sufficient times in the week to devote to schoolwork. This step could be done in consultation with their Academic Advisor or Form Teacher.
4. Discuss with their Academic Advisor or Form Teacher about how they can best plan their approach to the busier weeks of the term. Consider:
   • What other events or commitments are in close proximity to these weeks?
   • Are there aspects of some assessments that could be completed earlier in the term?
   • Can they chunk the assessment into mini-deadlines or checkpoints to ensure they are making continual progress?
5. For exam-based assessments, how much prior study (in hours) should they be factoring into their weekly routine to ensure they are adequately prepared?
6. Reflect on their progress regularly to ensure they fulfil all their obligations and deadlines.

I wish all students the very best as they navigate the demands of the upcoming semester.

Chris Dunn

1. Promote Belonging: We all need to feel connected. We can do this in our own relationships, and with our communities through work, sporting groups and other clubs and organisations. Resilience is built on our sense of belonging.
2. Have Some 'Mooch' Time: We often find ourselves rushing from one structured activity or event to another. Find some time each week just to be at home without anything structured happening.
3. Rediscover Family Rituals: It doesn’t matter whether it’s a family walk after dinner, Sunday roast or Saturday morning clean-up, rituals are highly protective. The best rituals often cost nothing.
4. Spontaneity and Curiosity: Spontaneity and curiosity are the building blocks for good mental health. You cannot tell someone how to have better mental health and you can’t give it to them by getting them to read about it in a book. Fuller’s message here is that if you want your child to have mentally healthy lives, you are going to have to have a good time yourselves. If you want your children to succeed, you have to show them that success is worth having.
5. Love Kids for their Differences: When families function well, people are allowed to be different and be loved for those differences. Having children who are strongly individual and have a sense of who they are is a sign of good parenting.
6. It is Clear who is in Charge: Families do not work well as democracies. In fact, they seem to work best as benevolent dictatorships in which the parents consult a lot with their children, but at the end of the day the parent has the final say. Some parents fear that if they take charge, they will lose the friendship of their children, but often the reverse is true.
7. Consistency: Consistency is the ideal. Having parents who agree on rules and standards and who convey the same sorts of messages, and who value compassion over coercion clearly have the best outcome in terms of children’s wellbeing.
8. Teach the Skills of Self-esteem: Families that work well seem to praise one another a lot. Compliments are made and positive efforts are commented upon. Optimism is in the air.
9. Know How to Argue: Families that work well know how to argue. The family is where we really learn to resolve disputes fairly. The way in which parents teach children how to resolve differences of opinion with siblings provides the basis for sharing, negotiating and problem-solving in the world beyond family. While differences in opinion should be allowed to be expressed, children also need to learn that they should not be able to win at all costs.
10. Parents are reliably Unpredictable: It is important to have structure and routine, but it is useful to act in ways that your children would not expect. This keeps them interested in learning from you or at least wondering what you are up to.

Nikki Townsend

Research has found that people who practise gratitude face problems and challenges in their lives with resilience. They also have an ability to reframe problems as a possibility for growth. Gratitude has physical, psychological, and social benefits. Gratitude is an element of our spiritual practices and there is also emerging research indicating that gratitude has the potential to bridge between academic and social well-being. It has been found that grateful youth have higher results, experience more positive emotions and ultimately go on to live more meaningful lives. 

I would like to acknowledge my gratitude. I am grateful for the staff, parents, and students at St Margaret’s. Thank you to the teachers for their preparation for online learning, teaching online and supervising students while preparing their classrooms for the start of the new year. Thank you also to the support staff who have been behind the scenes helping with preparation. Thank you, parents, for supporting your daughters in their learning, especially when you are also engaged in your own job. Thank you to the students for demonstrating resilience and effort to be the very best learner you can be. I am grateful that I am part of a community who work together in support of each other.

As a parent you may wish to encourage your child to begin an evening ritual of recording in a gratitude journal. Engaging in this practice encourages gratitude and in turn helps build resilience.

The key points for every evening are to:

1. Record your daily tasks – tick when you achieve it – by doing this
   • you feel grounded and in control
   • it builds self-regulation (I have achieved, I am in control)
2. Appreciation
   • Focus on things you appreciate about yourself – it builds self-worth
3. Gratitude
   • Record three things that went well for you today and/or you are grateful for
4. What are you looking forward to most about tomorrow?

If you would like to read more about this area, a great but simple read is The Resilience Project Finding Happiness through Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness by Hugh Van Cuylenburg.

Angela Drysdale

UPCOMING MUSIC ENSEMBLE REHEARSALS IN WEEK 3

With the recent announcement by the Queensland Government of back-to-school measures, there have been some adjustments made to the way in which music ensembles will be delivered over the coming weeks. Here is an overview:

Choral Program

Large non-auditioned choirs: Rehearsals for large non-auditioned choirs (Serenata/Belle Voci/Encorah) will have a delayed start. We are planning to commence rehearsals for these choirs from Week 7.

Smaller auditioned choirs: Rehearsals for smaller auditioned choirs (Chorale/Volare/Exultate) will commence from Week 3. Students will be required to remain masked for rehearsals and will be seated in a socially distanced manner within a well-ventilated space.

Band Program

Large Concert Bands: Rehearsals for large concert bands (Chaseley Concert Band/Jackson Wind Ensemble/Sister Helen Wind Symphony) will commence from Week 3 but only in sectionals to reduce numbers. Students will be seated in a socially distanced manner within a well-ventilated space.

Smaller Instrumental Groups: Rehearsals for smaller instrumental ensembles (Stage Band, Flute/Saxophone/Clarinet/Brass/Percussion ensembles and Rock Bands) will commence from Week 3. Students will be seated in a socially distanced manner within a well-ventilated space. Non-wind/brass students will be required to wear masks.

Strings Program

All String Ensembles will commence rehearsals from Week 3. Students will be required to remain masked for rehearsals and will be seated in a socially distanced manner within a well-ventilated space.

Please check respective POD pages for specific notices relating to individual ensembles.

MUSIC REHEARSAL DAY

Our biennial Music Camp had been scheduled for the weekend of 18-20 February; however, due to the current covid situation in Queensland, we have decided instead to run a Music Rehearsal Day to be held on the school campus on Saturday 19 February 10:00am – 3:00pm. Students involved in the following Secondary Music Ensembles will be asked to attend: Stradivari Strings, Chamber Strings, Jackson Wind Ensemble, Sister Helen Wind Symphony, Volare and Exultate. The focus of the Day Camp will be two-fold; the day will be an opportunity for students to spend time rehearsing new repertoire in preparation for performances on Open Day, and it will also allow students to further build friendships with others across the Music Program. Lunch will be provided to the students with the assistance of the Music Support Group.

MUSIC STAFF NEWS

We welcome Ms Kathryn Bradbury, a new singing teacher to the St Margaret’s Music Program. Ms Bradbury has previously taught at Melbourne Girls Grammar and more recently has been working as a performing artist with Opera Australia and Opera Queensland. She has also taught singing privately through her own singing studio over the past two decades. Ms Bradbury brings a wealth of singing knowledge and performance experience and we look forward to having her as a member of the St Margaret’s music team.

MUSIC SUPPORT GROUP

The St Margaret’s Music Support Group is a committee of dedicated parents who meet regularly to support the girls who participate in the school’s Music Program. The Music Support Group organises and assists with refreshments at school concerts and fundraises to purchase a range of instruments/equipment to enhance the department’s resources. The first meeting for 2022 will be held on Tuesday 22 February at 5.00pm in M’s Café. Parents from both the Primary and Secondary Schools are welcome to attend.

Brad King

Sport Registration

With trials taking place across Week 3 for all Summer and Autumn sports, it is essential that if your daughter has not yet registered, she please do so before Friday 4 February.

If your daughter is unable to attend her sports trial for whatever reason, it is important that this be communicated to the coordinator of the respective sport:

Swimming and Cross-Country – Ms Uhlmann – suhlmann@stmargarets.qld.edu.au 

AFL – Ms Lobegeiger – hlobegeiger@stmargarets.qld.edu.au 

Cricket – Mr Peinke – npeinke@stmargarets.qld.edu.au 

Artistic Gymnastics – Ms Chappell – pchappell@stmargarets.qld.edu.au 

Touch Football (Yrs 10,11 & 12) – Ms Harre – sharre@stmargarets.qld.edu.au 

Touch Football (Yrs 7, 8 & 9) – Mr Stuart – bstuart@stmargarets.qld.edu.au 

Basketball – Ms Galpin – jgalpin@stmargarets.qld.edu.au 

Football – Mr Forster – cforster@stmargarets.qld.edu.au 

Water Polo – Ms O’Callaghan – tocallaghan@stmargarets.qld.edu.au 

Sporting Achievement

It’s with great pleasure that we can recognise the outstanding sport performances and representation of St Margaret’s students at a national and international level. I would like to highlight and congratulate the following students on their recent success:

• Bree Craven and Lucy Bourke for their selection within the Queensland Country Cricket team.
• Tiffany-Rose Kimeklis for her selection within the Australian Futsal team.

We would like to continue to recognise the outstanding achievements and representation of students’ participating a national level, outside of the school sport pathway. I look forward to continuing to hear from our community regarding such outstanding achievements. Please contact Mr Knight via lknight@stmargarets.qld.edu.au   

Go Maggies!

Lloyd Knight

The changes are summarised below however we encourage you to head to the Red and White website (http://www.coachaustralia.com.au/schools.php) to fully explore any implications these changes may have for your daughter.  

Please do this before next Monday and discuss any changes with your daughter to ensure they understand and feel confident about any new arrangements.

Changes to the Afternoon Pick Up Location

Last year, students would catch the Pink Run in the afternoon to St Rita’s, where they would transfer to other buses for the run home. This shuttle-type service will no longer operate in 2022.

Instead, the new pick-up point for all afternoon bus services (except for a new local Blue run) will be in Oriel Rd, outside the Telstra Museum (opposite the shops – see map).  All the different colour bus runs (except the Blue run) will depart there at 3.33pm. Students will need to walk down Butler St promptly at 3.20pm after school is out to the Oriel Road bus stop and wait for their run to pull up at the stop.  

Morning Drop Off

All buses will continue to drop off at St Margaret’s Butler Street bus zone in the mornings.

Red and White coaches have advised there are changes to some of the timetables so all families using their services should check the website and view the timetables.

New Blue Run

Red and White Coaches are trialling a new local bus run for Term 1 which will service Banyo, Northgate, Nundah, Toombul, Hendra, and Clayfield. Check out the timetable and stops here.

If the service is well patronised, Red and White Coaches have advised it will continue beyond Term 1 but otherwise, if the uptake is not sufficient, it will be cancelled. Therefore, if this service works for your family, consider using it throughout the first term.

The Blue Run picks up and drops off at St Margaret’s Butler St bus zone.

Fares

Please note, Red and White have advised of fare increases (the first since 2018). For all school runs except the Blue Run, fares are as follows:

• Single fare one way $5.00
• 10 trip ticket $45.00
• Term 1 pass $360.00
• Annual pass $1400.00

For the trial Term 1 Blue Run, fares are:

• Single fare one way $3.00
• 10 trip ticket $25.00

Single trip and 10 trip tickets are available from the driver and term and annual passes are purchased through their office. For queries call 3269 6466.

Enquiries

Please check their website www.redandwhitecoaches.com.au for all updates. For all enquiries, please email operations@rwcoaches.com.au  or call 3269 6466. (Please do not call St Margaret’s as we will only refer you to the above website or contact details).

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

Please note, it is a requirement that those physically attending the meeting have had the mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations. Those who are not vaccinated are encouraged to participate in the meeting online via Microsoft Teams. 

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 2022 will be elected.

Nominations can be made by downloading and completing this Nomination for Position form (PDF 72.4KB).  All nomination forms must be returned via email to P&F@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or via School Reception by Friday, 11 February 2022. 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. 

St Margaret’s 2022 Mothers’ Luncheon – New date to mark on your calendar!

We are excited to announce a new date for the 2022 Mothers’ Luncheon. The event will now be held on Friday 6 May 2022 at Brisbane City Hall. It is always a wonderful opportunity for all mothers of St Margaret’s, past, present and future to come together. Please mark this new date in your diaries. We look forward to seeing you there.

Lara Pickering

The University of Queensland invites students and parents to attend this online event titled ‘Making an Impact with Engineering’, hosted by UQ’s Women in Engineering team.

Date: Monday 28 February 2022

Time: 4:00pm – 5:00pm AEST

Location: Free online event – tickets via Eventbrite. RSVP

UQ | Career Pulse

If you’re in Years 11 or 12 and are thinking about your future career options, UQ’s Career Pulse is a must-attend event.

Date: Thursday 21 April 2022

Time: 8:45am – 3:00pm

Location: The University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus and online

Find out more: https://future-students.uq.edu.au/events/uq-career-pulse

Whitehouse Institute of Design | Foundation Portfolio Workshop, Online

Date: Saturday 5 February 2022
Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm

Find out more: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/foundation-portfolio-workshop-tickets-250068811547?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

How and why you might need to register for the SAT

Australian students who’d like to apply to study at universities overseas may well need to complete an SAT exam as part of the application process. You can read more about the SAT and what’s involved in these resources:

https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/registration/international-testing

https://www.crimsoneducation.org/au/blog/test-prep/how-to-register-for-SAT-internationally/

Test dates for 2022 are coming up on 12 March and 7 May but you’ll need to register by 11 February and 8 April respectively

Applications are now open for the Bond Business School Year 12 Extension Program!

The program is a two-day workshop where students will gain an insight into university life to assist them with the transition from high school to university. The program will be completed well before ATAR exams and students will be able to receive an early offer before QTAC's offer rounds.

FIND OUT MORE