eNews Archive Issue 23 - 4 August 2022

We had thousands through the gate on Saturday and a very large crowd at the Gallery opening on the Friday evening. MAYO 2022 was a very successful event, and we are very fortunate to have such a supportive, energetic, and passionate school community. The support of our donors and sponsors and the generosity of our parents and staff with their time and expertise have ensured a financial and community-building success.

Also very successful was the Ponytail Project with 98 students, six staff members and two dogs raising funds for the Cancer Council and the Amanda Minotti Trust. Congratulations to all involved and a huge thank you for the community support for this student-led initiative. The Prefects’ Assembly on Tuesday was also a lovely celebration of the students’ commitment to the Ponytail Project and the support by the primary students with their crazy hair was very much appreciated. The opportunity to donate is still available by clicking on this link . At the time of writing this newsletter article, the students had raised more than $93,000.

Next week, our new Head of Swimming will commence at St Margaret’s. Matt Brown was a competitive swimmer in the late 1970s through to the mid 1980s and was a regular member of the Australian team during this time. He started coaching after his retirement from swimming in 1987 and has been coaching ever since. He has been the coach of Australian and Chinese swimmers who have been on the podium at every summer Olympics between 2008 and the 2021. Matt received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, recognising his commitment and achievements to swimming in Australia. At the 1996 and 1998 Australian Swim Coaches and Teachers awards, Brown was named Coach of the Year.

Some of his achievements are as follows:

Olympic Coach for Australian Swim Team 2008 and 2012
Olympic Coach for Chinese Swim Team 2016
Commonwealth Games Coach 2010 and 2014
Pan Pacific Games Coach 2010 and 2014
Paralympic Head Coach for Australian Team 1996 and 2000
Brisbane Commonwealth Games Swimming Team 1982
Pan Pacific Championships Swimming Team 1983

Ros Curtis

Sleep is also necessary to achieve optimal mental health. In the Mindmatters literature, there is a quote from Dr Alexandra Parker of the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health that emphasises the importance of simple lifestyle interventions. She says it is important to “support young people in having some structure and routine, and remember the importance of sleep, diet and exercise. These have been shown to be modifiable risks factors for developing depression or developing anxiety disorders. They are influences which young people can change and have some control over.”

Here are some tips for our students to promote a good night’s sleep:

• Try to get up at about the same time each morning.
• Do physical activity during the day, preferably outside.
• If you're worrying about things during the night, set aside some time for problem-solving during the day.
• Avoid drinks that contain caffeine (e.g. tea, coffee or soft drinks) after 4pm as it’s a brain stimulant.
• Allow yourself time to wind down before going to bed. If you're working or studying, stop at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Try to relax before bed, avoiding phones, tablets and TV.

(Source: www.mindmatters.edu.au)

Karen Gorrie

I find celebrating the feast of the transfiguration at the same time we commemorate the anniversary of Hiroshima a poignant correlation.  On one hand, we have Jesus being transfigured by the love, glory and peace of God, and then, on the other, the power of humans to transfigure the world for ill in the bombing of Hiroshima.

In Year 10 Chapel this morning, we marked the anniversary of Hiroshima by learning the story of Sadako Sasaki, an incredible young girl who was committed to finding a path of inner peace in the midst of the pain and anguish of leukemia (caused by the bomb). Sadako’s family have carried on her legacy by spreading a message of peace and presenting paper cranes to places where peace is needed.  We also remembered Jesus’ words on the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the Peacemakers”, and prayed for peace in the world, that our actions may transfigure for peace and not harm.

Rev'd Jazz Dow

Once they have decided if they will take up the sport, which many of them do, the real fun begins with afternoon training on the river. The girls return from these sessions tired but full of enthusiasm for their new-found love. They eagerly awaited their first regatta which was meant to be held on Saturday 23 July; however, due to bad weather, the girls had to wait an extra week.

The Captain of Rowing, Ruby, came and saw the girls on the Thursday night prior to the regatta to offer them advice and information, and it was wonderful to see the girls so excited about what was ahead of them. On Sunday night, we asked a few of them about their experience on Saturday and this is what they had to say:

It was so much fun! – Phoebe

It was so great to catch up with friends from other schools. We had such a good time. - Dieselle

We are so glad they all enjoyed themselves and we look forward to watching their journey over the coming regattas leading up to the Head of the River.

Angela Crowe

Year 11

The Year 11 block timetable has also been made available via the POD. This is the final exam block that contributes towards Unit 1 and 2 results. If any Year 11 students are reconsidering their subject choices, they should make an appointment to meet with me as soon as possible. A reminder that subject changes are not always possible as they do depend on current numbers in the subject as well as the current subject choices.

Year 10

Year 10 Study Hall has also been released and is available via the POD. Next week, I will be meeting with Year 10 students to assist them in setting up their QCAA Student Portal Access and get started on the Academic Integrity Course. This course is so important in helping the students to understand the role they play in maintaining their own academic integrity as they move into their senior years of schooling.

Caitlin McCluskey

• Reflect on their academic strengths and weaknesses from their previous semester.

• Set target grades for each of their subjects this semester, and devise clear strategies, in consultation with their teachers, as to how they can realistically achieve these target grades.
• Construct at least 3 S.M.A.R.T. goals that become a key focus for their semester.

One common theme that arises in the formulation of S.M.A.R.T. goals, is the issue of time management. Below are some of the top strategies developed by The University of Melbourne (2022), to help students manage their time more effectively:

1. Reflect on your current approach and ask:
   • Do I generally plan my time?
   • Do I like to be on time and have things done on time?
   • Do I find it relatively easy to juggle competing tasks?
   • Am I able to prioritise tasks?
   • Do I use tools to plan my time?

   Keep this evaluation with you as you consider the other tips.

2. Identify demands on your time – what are your current school, work, family, extracurricular demands? And, do you have sufficient free time as well to stay healthy after taking all of these out of your weekly schedule?
3. Prioritise your tasks – ensure you always categorise your tasks based on what is flexible and what is not. Try to order your tasks from high importance/high value to low importance/low value
4. Break your tasks down – Use checkpoints to help categorise larger tasks into smaller, S.M.A.R.T.er achievements.
5. Use planning tools – Term and Weekly Planners, and Daily Checklists are a great way to ensure you can plan for the busy times well in advance. Try to have detailed planners with checkpoints and smaller tasks listed, and share these with people in your life so that they know your busy periods too.
6. Develop a regular pattern of study – The habit of studying effectively does not happen overnight, nor will it occur over just one week. A habit of success can take 3-4 weeks to become mainstream, so students must be dedicated in their implementation of anything new.

A full list of time management tips can be found in the below link.

Chris Dunn

References

The University of Melbourne, 2022. 10 tips to manage time and tasks. [Online]
Available at: https://students.unimelb.edu.au/academic-skills/explore-our-resources/time-management/10-tips-to-manage-time-and-tasks [Accessed 30 July 2022].

You are still able to donate - Will you help St Margaret’s girls make a difference? Please visit the following link: https://www.ponytailproject.com.au/fundraisers/StMargaretsAnglicanGirlsSchool?ref=ch_1HCaeaIDjeqpXrxBysLfhc2V

The Ponytail Project is such a big part of our community and the school would like thank everyone who has been involved as well as our hairdressers from Ink Hair Wilston and dog groomers (CC and Lucy) from CC Pampered Pets. We look forward to continuing our campaign in the future. The challenge for 2023 has been set!

Nikki Townsend

There was a real buzz on Saturday as everyone mingled, engaged in the activities, was entertained by the amazing performances, and ate all the yummy food.  It has been said, ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and MAYO is like a child, and it certainly took the whole school community to make it a success. 

There are two key committees (Gallery and Festival) which drive this festival.Thank you to Lucy Hulme and David Gravino, who ably led the parent gallery committee. Thank you to Sally Quayle and Cath Hudson, two parents who have been key players in the success of the past six MAYO Festivals with this festival being their last one. I thank them for their drive and creativity over the years.Thank you to Pru Reed and Meg Cohen, who worked tirelessly to ensure the festival was the success it was. Every department in the school contributed to the success of this event. Thank you also to marketing, facilities, finance, community and development, and the school’s catering departments - we couldn’t have done it without each of you.

I was overwhelmed on Saturday when I saw the stalls, not only seeing all the preparation come to fruition but the way in which the stalls were thoughtfully decorated. Thank you to the primary parent ambassadors and parents who dutifully worked on the stalls during the festival.Thank you also to the Heads of Year for supporting students in their year level in preparing the stalls and then, together, running the stalls. It was affirming to watch the older girls engage with the younger girls at these stalls and I know relationships were built between them.Thank you to primary and secondary staff who worked at the cocktail party, conducted workshops, helped musicians, ran stalls, and oversaw students as they ran stalls and workshops.

It was wonderful to see so many Year 12 parents assisting on their stall, ironically using the popcorn machine they had donated when the Year 12 girls were in Year 6.The cake stall was, once again, well supported by the whole school, both in donations and sales. It was so wonderful to see the effort students put into decorating their boxes. I know Ms Curtis had a difficult job judging this competition. Congratulations to Anastasia Traill Year 5 (1^st), Madeleine Adsett Year 1 (2^nd) and Caitlyn Burrows Year 4 (3^rd). Thank you to whole school community for the many donations for the school-run stalls.   

It is testament to our Arts program when student performances can fill a whole day’s program of entertainment.The music, dance and drama performances were remarkable. Thank you to Brad King, Regina Brennan, Jonny Ng and Camille Syntagero for all that they did to bring the stage alive. It was wonderful to watch the sun set to the sweet sounds of the Stephanie Taylor Trio as many visitors enjoyed the new addition of ‘After Dark’.

MAYO is an act of giving: the act of giving goods and time I witnessed in the lead up and on the day of Mayo is affirmation that we are a strong community. In addition to this, by demonstrating generosity, parents also help their children to develop into happy giving and sharing adults. The MAYO Arts Festival is a clear demonstration of the wonderful community that is our school.

Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed in some way; each person’s contribution went to make this event another huge success.

Angela Drysdale

With younger children:

• Explain that all books have a title and an author, how to hold a book, that we turn the pages from the front to the back, and we read the words from left to right down the page.
• Point out letters in words and talk about their sounds.
• Include books with an interesting variety of words to develop vocabulary. Talk about the meaning of new or unfamiliar words.
• Include classic fables and fairy tales from a variety of cultures to develop cultural literacy.

With older children:

• Choose books for shared reading that are more challenging than your daughter is capable of reading on her own, which will expose her to words, ideas, themes, and concepts that will contribute to her vocabulary and general knowledge.
• Alternate books by contemporary authors with books by classic authors like Rudyard Kipling, CS Lewis, and Robert Louis Stevenson.
• Encourage your daughter to be more adventurous in her book choices.
• Don’t insist on finishing a book if she is not enjoying it after the first few chapters. Put it aside and maybe come back to it another time.

Kate Frewin

Well done to all the students on their performances and thank you to all our music staff for their efforts in preparing the girls for the event. A special thank you also go to the Music Support Group for their outstanding efforts in providing refreshments to those who attended the festival throughout the day. Their tireless efforts in supporting the Music program at St Margaret’s is very much appreciated!

PONYTAIL PROJECT – ROCK BAND PERFORMANCE

Congratulations to the Tuesday Rock Band who performed at the recent Ponytail Project event held at lunchtime last Tuesday. This is always a very special day with money raised for a very worthwhile cause. The rock band’s musical contribution was very much appreciated.

ANGLICAN SCHOOLS MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Anglican Schools Music Festival is fast approaching. This event brings together the top musicians from Anglican Schools from southeast Qld to perform in the spectacular QPAC Concert Hall. Students will perform under the direction of guest conductors Loreta Fin (String Orchestra), Rob McWilliams (Symphonic Band) and Sandra Milliken (Choir). The students will also perform a work written specially for the event by famous Australian composer Paul Jarman who will conduct the performance on the night. For those who are interested in attending the Gala Concert, tickets are now available from QPAC (www.qpac.com.au or call 136 246) for $36. We are hoping to have many in attendance to support our student musicians.  

MUSIC SUPPORT GROUP

Thank you to all those who attended the last Music Support Group meeting. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 6 September at 5.00pm in M’s Cafe. Parents from both the primary and secondary schools are welcome to attend.

Brad King
Head of Performance

After three rounds, our Open hockey and netball teams sit equal atop of their respective ladders, undefeated for the season, while our Open volleyball and tennis teams remain in the top half of the draw. Next week, our Open volleyball team will play a special match against Somerville House on a Monday afternoon at 4:30pm in the Philip Harris Gym. We encourage any spectators to get along and support the team.

It was fantastic to hear of the success of our rowers over the weekend. The weather was great and provided the ideal platform for our rowers to get some good racing and practice in at Wyaralong Dam. We look forward to the coming weekends of racing as we build towards Head of the River.

For a full list of QGSSSA results, please check out the following POD News post and for future information regarding fixtures please see our Sport POD Page.

Further QGSSSA sport information can be found on the following POD pages:

• QGSSSA Hockey POD Page
• QGSSSA Tennis POD Page
• QGSSSA Netball POD PAGE
• QGSSSA Volleyball POD Page

Netball Report

Round 3 was another fantastic, but tough, day of netball against Brisbane Girls Grammar School. The Opens, Seniors As and 9As worked hard to get ahead and came out with comfortable wins, while Senior Bs and 7Bs fought tirelessly until the end. A special mention goes to the 10Bs and 7As, who came out with a win, despite close scoring games, and another mention for all Maggie’s netballers, who despite the score, stayed spirited and never gave up! 

We can’t wait to see you all on the courts this Saturday against Sommerville! 

Netball Captains: Chelsea Johnson, Syren Letizia, Emily Millar, Chelsea Uisa-Kainiu

Hockey Report

On the weekend, our St Margaret’s hockey players went up against Brisbane Girls Grammar School. The Open team had a fantastic game, taking out a 2-0 win. Each player played with determination, teamwork, and enthusiasm for this rewarding result. Some of our youngest players, Holly Williams (Year 8) and Emily MacDowell (Year 9), were our goal scorers, helping us to defeat BGGS this year. Our Open team holds equal first place on the ladder, making it an exciting season for them.

Our Senior A team had a close game but went down 3-1. Ebony Black (Year 12) scored an amazing goal with a mid-air deflection. This game took the Senior As to second on the ladder. There's no doubt our players are more eager for this coming week’s game and are training hard to take the win.  

Congratulations on everyone’s effort from this weekend, and we wish our players the best of luck for a big game this weekend against Somerville House and look forward to seeing everyone at training this week bright and early.

Hockey Captains: Annabel Lauder, Grace Shearer

QGSSSA Athletics Practice Meets

In lead up to the QGSSSA Track & Field Championships set to take place on Thursday 15 September, our Maggies team will be participating in several practice meets this term.

For further information please see the Athletics POD PAGE.

Club Water Polo Sign-up

Sign-up has now opened for the St Margaret’s Club Water Polo Season. Club Water Polo competes within the Brisbane Water Polo Inc. (BWPI) competition, which takes place each Saturday across Term 4 2022 and Term 1 2023.

2022 students of Year 5 through to Year 11 are eligible to participate within the program with 'come ‘n’ try' sessions taking place before trials in the coming weeks. All program information and the sign-up link is available through the Club Water Polo POD Page. Sign-ups will close Friday 12 August.

Participation within the Club Water Polo program does require a commitment of students for the entire season and will incur a registration fee.

For further information, please contact Mr Lloyd Knight, Director of Sport (lknight@stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

Netball Support Group Notice

Trivia Night (Saturday 20 August)

Single trivia night tickets are now available! Come along for a fun community evening and support the Netball Program here at St Margaret’s. The whole school community is invited, as are friends and family. 

Buy a table of 8 - or purchase a single ticket or 2, and we will organise tables of 4, 6 and 8 for you. We are looking forward to seeing you all there. 

Book here: https://www.trybooking.com/BZTUR

Support Group Meeting

Thank you to all those who attended the last Netball Support Group meeting. The next meeting will be held in Week 9 - Tuesday 6 September at 6.00pm in M’s Cafe. Parents from both the primary and secondary schools are welcome to attend.  Any feedback, ideas or questions, please email Katrina (President - Netball Support Group) on aandkcarrick@optusnet.com.au

Hockey Support Group Notice

The Hockey Support Group will hold its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 24 August at 6.00pm in M’s Cafe.  All parents and supporters are welcome to attend this meeting and if willing, encouraged to nominate for a number of Committee positions available and to vote on the election of Officers to these positions.

Sporting Achievements – Sport Awards Evening

Within our St Margaret’s Sport Awards Evening, we recognise and acknowledge the achievements of students who represent team Queensland and Australia within their respective school sport and club sport pathways.

Given club sport is external to St Margaret’s, we do appreciate students and/or parents/guardians notifying the Activities Office of student representation at this level. Recognition is acknowledged of those students who are selected and compete within a representative Queensland or Australian team.

If your daughter has represented at this level, could you please notify the Activities Office by Friday 9 September, with the suitable details to assist.

Please email Mr Lloyd Knight, Director of Sport (lknight@stmargarets.qld.edu.au)    

GO MAGGIES!

Lloyd Knight

Each week Ahrianna (Prep) shows an interest in playing the piano, and this week was no different.  One of our educators, Ruth, has been teaching Ahrianna, and has taken it upon herself to make a beginners piano notebook. It is wonderful to see the children build their own self identities here at St. Margaret’s OSHC.

Palu Ingram
Outside School Hours Care Coordinator

The Ponytail Project is a tradition for St Margaret’s students and was adopted by the Cancer Council Queensland and launched state-wide in a bid to gather a groundswell of support from schools across Queensland in 2018. If you would like to support a student or team to #ROCKTHECHOP for Cancer Council’s Ponytail Project this year, the donation page will still be open over the weekend via this link:

https://www.ponytailproject.com.au/fundraiser/StMargaretsAnglicanGirlsSchool2022

Last chance to secure your ticket or corporate table for PWN 3!

Join us for our third PWN Breakfast on Thursday 18 August, with guest speaker, Heidi Cooper, CEO of Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ).

This is a wonderful opportunity for you to attend with your daughter or to take a corporate table and host your colleagues or clients. Ticketing closes on Thursday 11 August.

Heidi Cooper is the CEO of CCIQ and is passionate about driving Queensland’s strategic growth.  Throughout her career, Heidi has worked extensively for the advancement of business in Queensland. With over 20 years’ experience in law, corporate affairs and policy making, Heidi has successfully driven strategies for major ASX companies. She has specialised in leading sustainable business initiatives with a key focus on economic growth, job creation, education, sustainability and community engagement. Heidi is currently a member of the Jobs Queensland Board and Brisbane Festival Giving Committee. She also has a longstanding commitment to community and not-for-profit initiatives and is a member of the St Margaret’s Foundation Board and the St Joseph’s College Gregory Terrace School Advisory Council. 

Date: Thursday 18 August 2022

Time: 6.45am arrival for 7.00am - 8.45am

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 the Try Booking link: https://www.trybooking.com/BZDES     

We thank our 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