eNews Archive Issue 33 - 25 October 2018

Two members of staff – Nanette Dodd and Tansy Cruttenden are retiring at the end of 2018 and we thank them for their service to the school and wish them well for this next stage of their life. Mrs Dodd has had a long association with St Margaret’s. She has worked continuously at the school since 1991, initially in the Primary school and then in the Secondary school when Year 7s became part of the Secondary school. However, she had worked for 5 years at St Margaret’s before 1981 when she went to PNG and taught at the Sir Herbert Murray International School. Tansy Cruttenden has been teaching in the Primary school since 2014 and although Mrs Cruttenden is retiring we will still see her in the school on occasion doing supply teaching and short contracts.

Mr Chris Farrelly is leaving us, earning a position with Ipswich Grammar School as Head of the Science Faculty. Mr Farrelly started his career at St Margaret’s in 2005 as a teacher of Physics and in 2007 he became the Head of Science. In 2016 he took leave from St Margaret’s to work as the STEM Teacher in Residence at QUT and returned to St Margaret’s as the STEM Enrichment Manager, which is his current role. We thank Mr Farrelly for his service to the school community in all his roles and we wish him well at his new school.

Thank you, too, to Hannah Calcino (Secondary) and Marguerite Erasmus (Primary) who are leaving us at the end of the year and we thank them for their contributions this year.

Ms Kelly Alford is changing roles within the school and is going to take on the role as Director of Durack College; Ms Talia O’ Callaghan will assume the role as Head of Year 11 in 2019.

Ms Ysabella Dawson (nee Chambers) will be the Head of Year for Year 7 in 2019.

We will, of course, be welcoming new members of staff to the St Margaret’s Community in 2019 and I will announce those who are joining us in a later newsletter.

Research by Pennsylvania State University and Duke University, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and published online in the July 2015 issue of the American Journal of Public Health affirms the view that being nice matters.

Children who have good social and emotional skills in Primary school are more likely to have better outcomes later in life.

In a revealing research project, teachers rated how well their students performed in categories like how well they resolved conflicts with peers, how well they listened to others, how much they helped others and how well they shared and co-operated with others. The researchers then tracked these children for two decades. They recorded positive and negative milestones such as whether they graduated from high school, obtained university degrees or developed a criminal record or substance abuse problems.

The result: children who had scored high in social and emotional skills in the first years of school were found to have better outcomes as young adults than children who scored lower.

Children who scored higher in the social and emotional competence skills as youngsters:

• were more likely to graduate from high school
• were more likely to obtain a degree in early adulthood
• were more likely to have a full-time job at age 25

  Those who scored lower on the social and emotional skills:

• Had a higher risk of being arrested
• Had a higher chance of using marijuana
• Had a higher chance of being on a waiting list for public housing

This American study shows there is a clear link between good social and emotional skills and success later in life and these skills can be seen very early on. As children get older, there is less emphasis on social and emotional skills. Parents and teachers may think children are just the way they are, and they’ll sort it out as they grow. That doesn’t always happen.

Having children focus their time and energy on reading, maths and playing a musical instrument or excelling on the sports field are important. But it is also vital to pay attention to building skills like sharing, having empathy for others, co-operating and being kind and nice. These skills will affect how they fare in life.

The key message is that parents and teachers can make a difference and influence the social and emotional skills that help lead to a fulfilling life, and it is a good idea to start as early as possible.

Ros Curtis

This year, we will again be booking tickets for Speech Night online through QPAC booking system.

Bookings are now open for Year 12 parents only, and these families would have received an email this week with the details of how to make their booking.

Tickets for all other year levels will open to the rest of the school on the 1st November.

Your daughters will receive their tickets at school (they will not be sitting with you) and therefore you do not need to book seats for them.

This year, there is the added option of print@home which will make it much easier for families to access their tickets. Of course, families are still able to choose the option of QPAC box office collection; however, please be aware that the box office is a busy place just prior to the event so you may wish to opt for print@home.

We look forward to seeing many students and families at our annual Speech Night and Prize Giving Ceremony.

Karen Gorrie 

Amongst it all, it doesn’t hurt for us to be mindful that not everyone faces the conclusion of schooling the same way. We cannot ever know what is happening in the hearts and lives of everyone. Happy faces may belie a deeper sadness or concerns. Making fun and playing jokes might just be one person’s way of hiding a deeper pain and worry. As our community responds to what life brings our way, may we remember those who are silent and hidden.

As we rush towards the end of the year and as we find ourselves wishing time away, may there also be a rush of compassion within, a rise of generosity of heart and an avalanche of kindness towards all those with whom we spend our precious time. May we remember those who suffer, those in drought-stricken areas, those closer to home who yearn for time to slow down.

We pray for our seniors, but also for their parents watching life move too quickly. We pray for all those in our community, both near and far, who are in need of comfort, peace, courage and hope.

Upcoming Services
Thursday 1 November: 7am, Final Year 12 Boarder Chapel
Sunday 4 November: 9am, Young Families’ and All-Ages Service
Dadirri Prayer Spaces, Monday 5 – Friday 16 November, Chapel
Thursday 15 November: 10am, Thanksgiving Service, St John’s Cathedral

Prayer
Holy God, as this year draws rapidly to a conclusion, we ask for your abundant blessings to shine upon our seniors as they conclude their school days, and we pray for their parents and families.

We take a moment to hold in our hearts all those who need your special care … for those who are unwell in body, mind or spirit. May your love be shown in the actions and words of all who care.

We ask for your blessings, through your Son’s name. Amen.

With every blessing on you and your week ahead,
The Reverend Canon Nicki Colledge 

From the beginning of 2019, we will have a Head of Junior House and a Head of Senior house and I am very pleased to let everyone know that we have appointed Fiona Spooner as Head of Junior House and Gracemere Mataia as Head of Senior House. Both Fiona and Gracemere have shown great leadership skills in their work in the Boarding House and we congratulate them on receiving these positions.

The roles of Head of Senior House (10, 11 and 12) and Head of Junior House (7, 8 and 9) form part of a team of three (including the Pastoral Care Coordinator – Boarding) who effectively manage the day to day operations of the Boarding House, in support of the Head of Boarding. The purpose of these roles is to ensure that the Boarding House has a culture of best practice by embedding a focus on communication, care, safety and the St Margaret’s Way. These roles will enhance the overall management of the Boarding House and provide more effectives ways of communicating with all members of the St Margaret’s Boarding Community.

Lesa Fowler 

Professor Pankaj Sah is renowned for his work in understanding the neural circuitry of the amygdala, an area of the brain that plays a central role in learning and memory formation. Dysfunction of the amygdala leads to a host of anxiety-related disorders. His laboratory uses a combination of molecular tools, electrophysiology, anatomical reconstruction, calcium imaging and behavioural studies to examine the electrophysiological signatures of different brain regions and their impact on disease. Recently, his laboratory has been working with patients undergoing electrode implantation for deep brain stimulation, which is used to treat a variety of disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome and essential tremor. Pankaj is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Nature Partner Journal Science of Learning, the first journal to bring together the findings of neuroscientists, psychologists, and education researchers to understand how the brain learns.

Professor Sah’s work at the Research Centre is successfully connecting teachers, students and the community to share knowledge about learning. Parents and teachers will find his work related to the findings of neuroscience, psychology and education helpful for improving the power of the brain and boosting learning at home and in the classroom.

The Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC) is a collaboration between scientists and educators trying to bring an evidence base into education. At this event, Professor Pankaj Sah will speak about how the SLRC is bringing together research and education in Australia.

Jo Butterworth 

The first thing I know is study is a skill and it can be taught and needs to be practiced. Or as I explained to my Year 7 Science of Learning class last week, you cannot expect to make it into the Olympic team if you start training a week out from the competition. Training in a sport or practice for an instrument and study are the same, you need to commit to the plan to develop good study habits.

Below are some tips to help develop good study habits:

1. Spaced Practice: Space out your studying over time. Far too many students wait until the night before a test to study for it. It is important to front load, do a bit each night over the weeks leading up to the exam. Create a studying calendar to plan how to review for the exam.

2. Retrieval Process: Practice bringing information to mind without the help of materials. Many people think of ‘studying’ as simply re-reading notes, textbooks or other materials. But having the information right in front of us doesn’t force us to retrieve it from memory; instead, it allows us to trick ourselves into thinking we know something. Recalling information without supporting materials helps us learn it much more effectively.

3. Elaboration: Explain and describe ideas with many details. This method asks students to go beyond simple recall of information and start making connections within the content. Students should ask themselves open-ended questions about the material, answer in as much detail as possible, then check the materials to make sure their understanding is correct.

4. Interleaving: Switch between ideas while you study. Common knowledge tells us that to learn a skill, we should practice it over and over again. While repetition is vital, research says we will actually learn that skill more effectively if we mix our practice of it with other skills. This is known as interleaving.

5. Dual Coding: Combine words and visuals. When information is presented to us, it is often accompanied by some kind of visual: an image, a chart or graph, or a graphic organiser. When studying, pay attention to those visuals and link them to the text by explaining what they mean in their own words. Then, students can create their own visuals of the concepts they are learning. This process reinforces the concepts in the brain through two different paths, making it easier to retrieve later.

One more piece of advice on how to maximise these strategies for learning:

Combine them - these strategies don’t necessarily work in isolation. You can space out your retrieval practice, and when doing retrieval practice, try to recall concrete examples, elaborate, or sketch out a concept. When doing retrieval practice, you can interleave between different concepts.

Nicole Devlin 

Kindness is treating others with respect, compassion and care. When people are kind, they are more accepting of others and their differences, and they are better-able to form meaningful and strong social connections. The ability to be kind is an essential trait that can help contribute to a person’s personal and professional success. Research shows that kindness is linked to increased peer acceptance, improved academic performance and positive mental health. The social world of high school is often challenging, with some teens experiencing bullying or being left out of cliques, and it is a crucial time to talk to your teenager about the value of being kind and welcoming to others.

Show your teen that kindness counts. A person’s kind deeds can have a profound impact on others, and organizations like Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Habitat for Humanity are good ways for your teen to put kindness into practice. You may want to ask your teen to volunteer at these organizations to mentor young children or help build homes for those in need. Your teen can volunteer at a local animal shelter or serve meals at a homeless shelter as well. You can also encourage them to do random acts of kindness for others. It can be something like smiling to another person as they pass by, listening to a sibling vent about their hard day, or standing up for someone if they are being bullied. Explain to your teen that these types of actions may seem small, but they have the ability to brighten a person’s day or turn their moods around. Exposing your teen to ways that they can make a difference will teach her an important lesson in the value of kindness. The good feelings that come from helping others are linked to emotional well-being. Studies have found that many people experience a rush of endorphins, often called a “helper’s high”, when they are kind to others, and this can have a positive effect on your teen’s confidence, self-worth and sense of belonging.

Provide examples of compassionate behavior. A good way to show your teen the value of kindness is to talk about great leaders and thinkers and point out examples of how they helped and empowered others. For example, Mother Teresa dedicated her life to helping the poor, sick and helpless. It was through her acts of kindness that she was able to provide medical services to help those in need, build homes for orphans and those with terminal illnesses, and set up programs to help impoverished families. Talking to your teen about individuals like Mother Teresa and discussing how their efforts changed the lives of many individuals will help them understand the importance of helping others.

For this full article, including many other ideas on how best to support your daughter in becoming emotionally intelligent please visit this link: https://www.parenttoolkit.com/social-and-emotional-development/advice/social-awareness/supporting-kindness-in-teens

Nikki Townsend

Speech Night will be held on Tuesday 13 November, 7:00pm at QPAC. Parents of Years 5 and 6 students will receive information on how to book tickets in the coming week. Speech Night is a wonderful celebration, acknowledging the girls who have excelled academically (Honours) commending those who have worked to their potential (Commendation), those who reflect the School values (Spirit) and congratulating those who have achieved exceptionally in the sporting and cultural arena.

The process for calculating Academic Awards is listed on pages 14 and 15 of the Primary School Parent Handbook, which is also available on the School website. Other awards presented on this evening include:

Sport Awards

• The Biggs Trophy for Best All-round Sports Girl
• The Julie Kaeser Trophy for Most Consistent Effort in Primary School
• The Twelve9teen Sports Medicine Award for Commitment and Integrity
• Junior, Intermediate and Senior Swimming/Athletics Champions
• Outstanding Contribution to Primary Sport

Music Prizes

• Outstanding Contribution to Music
• The Excellence in Music Award
• Years 5 and 6 Band, String and Choral Awards
• Music Support Group Award for Commitment and Effort

Special Year 5 Awards

• The Shirley Andrew Memorial Prize

Year 6 Special Honours Awards

• The Susan Wilson Memorial Honours Prize
• The May Alcorn Memorial Honours Prize
• The Leila Hair Memorial Honours Prize

Other Awards

• The Alessandra Hall Citizenship Prize
• Past Staff Association - All Round Effort

Year 6 Awards (announced at Speech Night)

• Archbishop’s Prize – improvement across all endeavours
• Primary Proximate Accessit to the Dux of St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School
• Primary School Dux

Recipients for prizes will be announced at the Prize Reading Assembly held in the Philip Harris Sports Centre on Monday 29 October, 9:50am.

Speech Night is compulsory for all students in Years 5 and 6. Students who will be recipients of awards and members of Primary Chorale are required to wear a white Church dress. Other students may choose to wear their middy or a white Church dress. The Church dress is available for hire through the School Supplies Shop. Years 5 and 6 parents will be notified on Monday if a white Church dress is required.

Speech Night is an opportunity to celebrate the school as a community, and this event certainly enhances each student’s sense of belonging and connectedness to the school.

On Friday 23 November, girls in Prep to Year 4 will have the opportunity to celebrate their achievements for the year. Students in Prep to Year 2 will be awarded a book for their hard work throughout the year. Students in Years 3 and 4 will be acknowledged with a certificate identifying a particular Key to Success (Confidence, Getting Along, Persistence, Organisation and Resilience) which is relevant to that child. In addition, some girls will receive ‘Conscientious Effort’ awards. (See page 12 of the Primary Parent Handbook.)

In between these presentations students will also share their talents. The Prep students will perform a Nativity Play with the students in Years 1, 2 and 3 as the choir for the play. Year 4 will sing in recognition of the last time they will attend the P – 4 Celebration. Amati Strings will also perform. I look forward to celebrating with students, family and friends.

Whilst it is wonderful for students to have their efforts acknowledged at these two events, each student; however, should be proud of her results if she has worked throughout the year to achieve her personal best.

Upcoming Events
Friday 26 October: Day for Daniel
Friday 2 November: Free Dress Day
Friday 2 November: Second Hand Clothing Stall
Thursday 8 November: Pre-Prep Orientation morning

Angela Drysdale 

Thank you to the Clarinet Ensemble
Thank you to the Clarinet Ensemble for their performance in the Barley Sugar Garden last Friday during morning tea. The performance was thoroughly enjoyed by all in attendance.

Stage Band Performance at Music Fest
On Friday 2 November, Stage Band will be competing in Music Fest to be held at Calamvale Community College Performing Arts, 11 Hamish Street, Calamvale. This is a valuable experience for the girls where they will receive feedback on their performance and have the opportunity to hear similar ensembles from other Brisbane schools. A letter with further details is provided here (PDF 126KB).

Primary Chorale Performance at St Mark’s Anglican Church
Primary Chorale have been invited to perform at the St Mark’s Anglican Church Arts Festival on Saturday 3 November, 6:30pm (corner of Bonney Avenue and Bellevue Terrace, Clayfield). This is a wonderful opportunity for our girls to perform in the local community. Please feel free to come along and support this event. Further information is provided here (PDF 171.6KB).

Music Dinner
Music Dinner will be held on Friday 9 November, 6-9:30pm in Eton Hall. The annual Music Dinner is an occasion where students and parents celebrate the culmination of a wonderful year of music at St Margaret’s. This year’s theme is ‘The Golden Age of Hollywood’. Music Dinner is open to students in Years 6-12 who have been involved in the following Co-curricular ensembles for the whole year: Amati Strings, Beath String Quartet, Stradivari Strings, Chamber Strings, Sculthorpe String Quartet, Belle Voci, Primary Chorale, Elevarsi Voices, Encorah, Jackson Wind Ensemble, Sister Helen Wind Symphony, Flute Ensemble, Clarinet Ensemble, Saxophone Ensemble, Elayne Jones Percussion Ensemble, Regale Percussion Ensemble, Highly Strung, Senior Rock Band, Junior Rock Band and Stage Band. Tickets are available only via Flexischools (www.flexischools.com.au). For catering purposes, it is imperative you include any dietary requirements and that payments are made by 4pm, Sunday 4 November, as Flexischools will be unavailable after this time. Please be mindful there is a capped number, so book your tickets early! Please find attached a letter (PDF 243.8KB) from the President of the Music Support Group with further details.

Performance Presentations
A reminder to parents that all students from Year 2 upwards undertaking private music lessons will be giving performance presentations during Week 4. This is a new initiative introduced this year to provide students with a goal to work towards and provide the opportunity to receive feedback on their progress. Students will now have received their presentation times and be aware of their presentation requirements.

Old Girl News
Congratulations to Old Girl, Xenia Puskarz-Thomas (’13) who this week won the 2018 Opera Foundation for young Australian’s Lady Fairfax New York Scholarship. This is a very prestigious national scholarship open to young opera singers. Five finalists from around the country presented performances in the Verbruggen Hall in the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. This scholarship is an extraordinary opportunity for Xenia and will support an intensive study program in singing, acting and performance in New York with internationally renowned teachers. This year, Xenia was also the proud recipient of the Tinkler Encouragement Award at the IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition and the Senior Vocal Scholarship, sponsored by Dr Bruce Caldwell, at the Sydney Eisteddfod. Her Conservatorium awards include the Sir Mostyn Hanger Opera Award, Donald Penman Prize for Voices in Combination, the Linda Edith Allen Undergraduate Award, the Barbara Hebden Music Bursary and the Doreen Ord & Lyceum Club Prize. These achievements are absolutely wonderful, and we offer our sincere congratulations to Xenia!

Music Support Group
The next Music Support Group meeting will be the Annual General Meeting to be held on Tuesday 27 November at 5:00pm in the Primary Music Room. We encourage parents from both the Primary and Secondary schools to become involved in this dedicated group of parents who consistently provide wonderful support to the St Margaret’s Music Program.

Brad King 

My thanks must go to the many families who attended and my congratulations to not only the award recipients, but to all St Margaret’s students who have achieved so much this year. I am very aware of the many amazing sporting feats that so many of the students achieve and their efforts do not go unnoticed. Congratulations to the winners of the following special awards:

Summer Team of the Year: Cricket Division 1

Autumn Team of the Year: Year 9A Touch Football and Year 7I Artistic Gymnastics (equal)

Winter Team of the Year: Senior A Netball

Captain of the Year: Rhythmic Gymnastics Captain – Paris Hall

Coach of the Year: Gayle Coutts (Netball)

Service to St Margaret’s Sport: Sports Administration Assistant – Mrs Delia Eastland

Water Polo
We are going into the third round of the Brisbane Water Polo competition and for some it will only be their third game of Water Polo! Despite this, our girls have been steadily improving from week to week, with numerous teams having close games, the U13C and U16C teams winning and the U13B drawing their game 5-5.

A reminder, all Water Polo players must attend their skill training sessions and the Monday afternoon Water Polo specific swimming session.

For the playing schedule for Saturday 27 October, visit the Water Polo POD page or click here (PDF 256.4KB).

Badminton
Good luck to our Badminton teams who will compete over the next two Saturdays. The first round of competition commences this Saturday 27 October for the following teams:

• Open, Snr A, Snr B
• Yr 10A, 10B, 10C

The second round of competition will be held on Saturday 3 November for the following teams:

• Yr 9A, 9B, 9C
• Yr 8A, 8B, 8C
• Yr 7A

The schedule for all teams is found below:

Saturday 27 October

Saturday 3 November

All girls wishing to catch transport to their competition venue must complete the transport request form found on the Badminton POD page.

Women in Sport Breakfast
Seven students and three staff members attended the annual ‘Women in Sport’ breakfast at the Brisbane Convention Centre on Wednesday 24 October. This event celebrates and recognises the incredible sporting talent amongst women and girls in Queensland, including three of our own students with Sports Captain, Lara Crouch and Senior, Rhiannon Revell-Blair both receiving a Highly Commended Award in the Senior Sporting Star category and Year 7 Student, Isabella Harte awarded a Commendation Award in the Junior Sporting Star category. A panel of high achieving elite female athletes were also interviewed to share their challenges, successes and tips with the audience, which resulted in a truly inspiring morning!

Hockey Support Group AGM
The Hockey Support Group will be holding its Annual General Meeting, followed by a General Meeting on Thursday 25 October at 6pm in the Secondary Library. All interested parents are invited to attend.

Helen Logebeiger

St Margaret’s Club Netball
This week during assembly, Ms Curtis presented medallions to the selected St Margaret’s Club Netball players from each of our 17 teams who received the Suncorp #Team Girls Awards.

Players were selected based on the following criteria:

• Displays confidence or has grown more confident throughout the season
• Shows respect to all
• Positively supports teammates and players from other teams
• Has a willingness to learn and grow, especially from tough experiences (losing a match, learning a new skill or not getting game time)
• Participates in Club and Team activities

# Suncorp Team Girls is about having each other’s back, being authentic and loyal, girls standing united as a team on and off the court, in and out of the classroom, online and offline and knowing that together we are stronger.

Congratulations to the following girls: Lauren McDonnell (Team 1), Hilary McKie (Team 2), Annabel Reddacliff (Team 3), Georgie Gaspar (Team 4), Elizabeth Hancock (Team 5), Ella Woods (Team 6), Chelsea Johnson (Team 7), Poppy Tritton (Team 8), Elizabeth (Bess) Sloman (Team 9), Lucy Piggott (Team 10), Gabrielle Butcher (Team 11), Georgia White (Team 12), Zoe Rossiter (Team 13), Freya Elliott (Team 14), Millicent Hume (Team 15), Georgiana Rombola (Team 16) and Zoe Emanuel (Team 17).

Here at St Margaret’s, we are very lucky to have a well-established Netball Club with quality coaches and training facilities. It provides a wonderful opportunity for any Maggies girl aged 8 to 18, beginner through to advanced, to join our wonderful netball community. Everyone is welcome and anyone interested in making new friends, spending time with old friends or just learning a new sport and having fun please contact Gayle Coutts, Head of Netball, on 07 3862 0774 or email: gcoutts@stmargarets.qld.edu.au and keep an eye out for information on the St Margaret’s 2019 Club Netball season.

Gayle Coutts
Head of Netball

Year 12 Art students met with renowned Queensland artist, Ian Smith last Friday. The school currently has several large works by Ian on loan. Ian spoke about his life as a figurative artist in the era of abstraction. His anecdotes of art college adventures were also most entertaining for the girls. Ian is a passionate and highly skilled artist and our girls were lucky to have the opportunity to learn more about his creative processes.

Lisa Smith 

Tiffany-Rose and Emi joined other Years 7 and 8 students from schools across Brisbane to present their ideas on the topic: Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference (Winston Churchill).

Both girls prepared thoroughly, rehearsed enthusiastically and delivered their speeches with confidence, conviction and a fine sense of audience engagement. All participants benefited greatly from the in-depth, individualised, constructive feedback provided by the highly-esteemed adjudicators, Patsy McCarthy and Caroline Hatcher.

Maria Chamberlain 

For Secondary students, the Sustainable School Shop offers a second-hand textbook trading system. Please click here to register. Registration is free for all St Margaret families.

Church dress hire for Speech Night – Tuesday 13 November 2018
The hire of church dresses will commence from Wednesday 31 October 2018. Before fitting, a completed and signed form (Hire Conditions of Church Dress) is to be returned to the School Supplies Shop, together with a deposit of $100. This form is available on the St. Margaret’s website as well as from the School Supplies Shop.

Plain white, fold down ankle socks (not St Margaret’s competition socks), clean brown school shoes and a white ribbon (for long hair) are to be worn with the church dress on Speech Night. Socks are available from the School Supplies Shop for $8, as is a white ribbon for $1.

The return date of the church dress for all students, except Year 6, is no later than Monday 19 November 2018. Year 6 students must be return their church dress no later than Thursday 29 December 2018. All church dresses must be laundered, ironed and returned as per the ‘Hire Conditions’ for an amount of $70 to be refunded.

Second hand uniforms
The Supplies Shop offers a selection of second hand uniforms when stock is available.

If you would like to sell your uniforms or bags to the School Supplies Shop, please note:

• Clothing must be in good condition, freshly laundered and ironed ready for sale.
• Middy uniforms with stains or damaged stitching e.g. hems, pleats and underarms will not be accepted.
• Other uniforms, including extra-curricular sports with stains will not be accepted.
• Please clean bags and check all pockets. Old branding will not be accepted.
• Payment for items excluding consignment stock may take up to 2 weeks to process.
• Consignment stock (payment when item sold) includes blazers, leotards, art smocks and some extra-curricular sports uniforms.
• The Supplies Shop reserves the right to assess each item and all decisions made regarding uniform submissions are final.
• Items unable to be purchased by the Supplies Shop can be donated to the Global Exchange Program.

School Supplies Shop extended trading hours
Thursday 29 November 2019 - 8am-2pm
Friday 30 November 2019 - 10am-2pm

The School Supplies Shop closes on Friday 30 November 2018 and re-opens Monday 21 January 2019

A numbering system for ALL purchases will operate during the January 2019 trading hours. All parents and students wishing to purchase from the School Supplies Shop will be required to take a number and wait to be attended to.

Monday 21 January 2019 - 9am-2pm
Tuesday 22 January 2019 - 9am-2pm
Wednesday 23 January 2019 - 9am-2pm
Thursday 24 January 2019 - 9am-2pm
Friday 25 January 2019 - 9am-2pm
Saturday 26 January 2019 - CLOSED
Sunday 27 January 2019 - CLOSED
Monday 28 January 2019 - 9am-12 midday – all welcome
(Australia Day Public Holiday) 1pm-5pm – Boarders only

Normal trading hours resume from Friday 1 February 2019:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8am-2pm
Wednesday: 10am-5pm
Public Holidays Closed

Enquiries: St Margaret’s AGS School Supplies Shop
Phone: 07 3862 0776
Email: suppliesshop@stmargarets.qld.edu.au

Terisa Arnold 

Please click here (PDF 175.1KB) for further information and ISCA’s contact details.

Emily Labinsky 

Save the Date!
P&F Mothers’ Luncheon 2019
The St Margaret’s Parents and Friends Association has established a strong tradition of giving back to the school through its social and fundraising activities. One of the flagship P&F events is the annual Mothers’ Luncheon.

Please save the date for the 2019 Mothers’ Luncheon:
When: Friday 1 March 2019
Where: Hotel Grand Chancellor, 23 Leichardt Street, Brisbane

Tickets will be on sale via Flexischools early 2019

Old Girls’ Association AGM
The Old Girls’ Association Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 27 November, 7:00pm–9:00pm in the Mooloomburram Boardroom. Past students of St Margaret’s are warmly invited to attend to share their views and ideas.

Professional Women’s Network
For the final event in 2018, the Professional Women’s Network travelled to Brisbane CBD and hosted a cocktail evening for 130 guests, overlooking the Story Bridge.

Guests were treated to a remarkably inspiring presentation by Dr Lavinia Codd, who shared personal insights from her experience of a stroke at 31, and how it was her self-belief that kept her going through the toughest moments.

If you missed the event, or would like to hear Lavinia’s speech again, you can listen online at www.stmargarets.qld.edu.au/community/professional-womens-network.

A huge thank you to our wonderful corporate sponsors:

• Major sponsor: Laureate Universities
• Associate Sponsors: Pitcher Partners and McCullough Robertson
• Special Table Sponsor: Programmed Property Services
• Supporting Partner: Downer Group

Thank you to Price Waterhouse Coopers for providing the venue and sponsoring the drinks.

We would also like to thank our generous raffle prize donors: Pitcher Partners, Annabelle Chaplain, Albion Fine Trades, James Becker & Co and MTA Mobile Travel Agents.

All funds raised from the Professional Women’s Network events support the School through our Endowment Fund, which assists with bursaries and the future development of facilities at St Margaret’s.

Lara Pickering 

ACU Know Your Options Information session for Year 12 students
ACU Brisbane Campus
1100 Nudgee Road, Banyo
Saturday 15 December, 2-4pm REGISTER TO ATTEND

UCAT Changes to entry for Medicine, Dentistry and some clinical science courses at Australian and New Zealand universities
There will not be a UMAT Test in 2019. UMAT Admissions Test will be replaced by University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) in 2019. 2019 applicants to medicine, dentistry and certain clinical science courses at Australian and New Zealand universities will be required to sit the UCAT from 2019. For more information about the new test, including testing dates and format visit: https://www.ucatofficial.com/.You can find the official preparation materials at: https://www.ucatofficial.com/ucat-anz/preparation.

University of the Sunshine Coast
Pathway Diplomas: A USC Pathway Diploma is a stand-alone qualification that gives you direct entry and up to one year's credit into selected bachelor's degrees. Go to https://www.usc.edu.au/pathwaydiplomas for more information.

Early offer guarantee: The Early Offer Guarantee is designed to give Year 12 students the opportunity to secure an offer into an undergraduate degree as early as November, before final results are known. Go to: usc.edu.au/early-offer for more information.

UQ Enhanced Studies Program
High achieving Year 11 students are invited to apply for UQ's Enhanced Studies Program (ESP). ESP provides students with an opportunity to complete a university subject in Semester 1 of Year 12. Applications close on Wednesday 31 October. Apply now.

UQ College University Prerequisite Course - apply now
Four-week Intensive Program to assist any student that requires a prerequisite subject for their desired tertiary program in the QTAC January Major Offer Round. Courses in Mathematics B, Biology or Chemistry are delivered on the UQ St Lucia campus from Tuesday 20 November - Saturday 15 December. Discover more here.

Queensland Mathematics Summer School - register now
The Queensland Mathematics Summer School at UQ (QMSS) is a five-day program from Monday 21 - Friday 25 January 2019 for mathematically talented Year 10 students planning to study Year 11 Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics in 2019. Discover more here.

UQ Economics Scholarships - apply now
The Year 12 Equity and Diversity Scholarship is a full fee waiver scholarship for a student with a keen interest in economics, but who has experienced disadvantage throughout high school. Applications for the UQ Economics Scholarships will close on Sunday 11 November. Discover more here

UQ Law Scholarship - apply now
The TC Beirne School of Law Scholarship is open to students enrolling in a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) or related dual program who can demonstrate academic merit and significant financial need. Applications for the TC Beirne School of Law Scholarship will close on Friday 22 February 2019. Discover more here

The Science Experience (Years 9 and 10, 2019)
Students in Years 9-10 in 2019 are invited to apply for the Conocophillips Science Experience. Applications close on Tuesday 30 October. Discover more here

Griffith University
2019 scholarship applications are open! Explore scholarship options and apply online at griffith.edu.au/scholarships

QUT
Students considering QUT in 2019 should explore scholarships now. Opportunities include the Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarships for academic, sporting and creative excellence, and business scholarships with corporate partners, honours programs, academic excellence and Indigenous scholarships.

START QUT applications are now open and close 31 October
Year 11 students can apply now to study QUT units in 2019. https://www.qut.edu.au/study/study-options/start-qut

Australian Catholic University (ACU)
Elite Athlete and Performer Program (EAPP) applications – open now. Applications close on 4 December. Head here for more information.

Reminder: Non-Academic Requirements for Teaching Entrance (NARTE)
Teaching suitability assessments have been introduced to Queensland for all initial teacher education courses to assess if future students possess the desired qualities to become effective teachers. Further information is available at: https://www.qtac.edu.au/courses---institutions/teacher-entry

KEY DATES:

2018
October QTAC supporting documentation should be completed

16 November: QTAC 1st round offer Year 12

15 December: OPs released

15 December: ACU Know Your Options information session, 2-4pm

17 December: OP Advice Night UQ Centre, St Lucia campus, 4-7pm

18 December: QUT Real Decisions, Gardens Point campus

20 December: QTAC offer round

2019
8 January: 4:30pm - last day to change preferences for 16 January offer round

16 January: QTAC offer round

25 January: QTAC ‘top up’ offer round

31 January: QTAC ‘top up’ offer round

5 February onwards: QTAC ongoing offer rounds

Other dates are available: https://www.qtac.edu.au/key-dates-fees

VTAC: Key Dates www.vtac.edu.au

UAC: https://www.uac.edu.au/key-dates

Elizabeth Johnston