eNews Archive Issue 8 - 16 March 2023

This week the school had a curriculum review with the Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER). Thank you to those parents who came in to answer the questions of the independent reviewers. Both the Primary and the Secondary departments of the school received a very positive review with appropriate commendations and recommendations. The review process uses a framework called the National School Improvement Tool which was developed by ACER, and it will help us further develop our focus on the teaching and learning program.

2023 Next Step Year 12 Completers Survey

All our students who completed Year 12 last year will soon receive an invitation to do the Next Step survey from the Queensland government. The short five-minute survey asks graduates about the study and work they have been doing since finishing school. The de-identified results from the survey are shared with school.

If you are related to or know someone who graduated Year 12 in 2022, please encourage them to complete the survey. If their contact details have changed, please assist survey interviewers with their updated details or forward the survey to their new address so they can participate. Graduates may receive an invitation by mail, email, or phone. The survey can be completed online or by phone.

For more information about Next Step, including previous results, visit www.qld.gov.au/nextstep.

Ros Curtis

Check your daughter’s phone. Children should know that you can ask for their mobile phone at any time and expect full access. While some people may feel this is an invasion of privacy, it is important to make a distinction between privacy and safety. A parent is still responsible for monitoring what a child does online. This involves what they are sending out and also what they are receiving as well. If you find the content inappropriate, talk to your child about why you do – and ask them what they think. Verbalising thoughts can help them to think things through and apply values to what they are doing online.

Be app-savvy. If your child is on it, you should be too, or at least have tried it out so that you know how the app works. If your children know that you understand the social media they are using, they are more likely to come to you to talk about issues that may arise.

Help children to understand their ‘why’. Help children to build their own filters. Encourage them to ask why questions – Why am I picking up the phone? Am I bored, lonely, sad, insecure? Why am I posting this? Does this make me feel good or not good? This helps them to separate online experiences from real-life ones. It also helps to slow down impulsive online communications and encourages them to make smarter choices.

Set clear ground rules. Talk to them about appropriate social media and mobile phone use before you give them a phone. Clearly state rules and expectations and stick to them.

Do a digital detox. Learn to be okay with being offline. As a parent, start by modelling that behaviour: no phones at the dinner table, no checking texts while you’re talking with your child. While most children won’t admit it, it can be a relief when parents put restrictions on how and when children can use technology.

Please remember that our mobile phone policy means that no students can have their phones during school time; they are to be in their lockers (secondary school) or handed in to the office (primary school). Students in the secondary school are permitted only to check their phones if needed (for example to access an urgent message from parents) at their lockers during breaks, but they are not to move away from the locker space and are not to access social media during this time.

Karen Gorrie

On Wednesday 22 March at 6pm in the School Chapel, Years 9 and 10 will gather with their families for their Family Service. During this service there is the opportunity for Baptism and Admission to Holy Communion. A letter has been distributed to Years 9 and 10 families regarding the service.

Another date to draw to your attention is Wednesday 19 April when we will celebrate the Years 4-6 Baptism and Admission to Holy Communion Service (with the option for Baptism) at 6pm. This year we are excited to be joining with Churchie at St John’s Cathedral for this service. A letter has been distributed to Years 4 to 6 families regarding this service.

I have the privilege of teaching the Year 4 RVE class over the next few weeks, with a focus on symbols, Holy Communion and Baptism. We have been having wonderful class discussions on the many different denominations and faith traditions that are represented within our community and highlighting the many things that we have in common, as well as celebrating and honouring our differences. The students have shared much wisdom on the journey.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions: jdow@stmargarets.qld.edu.au

Rev’d Jazz Dow

In boarding, the St Margaret’s Way helps by providing valuable knowledge which eases the girls into a very different environment. We use an acrostic of the word Way to help assist students in their understanding:

W – With others

A – Academic Achievement

Y – You

Staff work through a comprehensive booklet which looks at these three different areas and gives the girls an understanding of which staff to seek out if they are having difficulties, the expectations in boarding and the day school and also how to ensure that they are looking after themselves both physically and mentally. Our boarding staff and the events we have planned for our boarders are instrumental in this process and support the girls through their transition to understanding the St Margaret’s Way. It also assists us in our planning and implementation of events and activities to ensure that each girl is building a sense of belonging, feels supported and a sense of security and inclusion and that they are celebrated and feel they are a valued member of the community. 

Last week we celebrated the Years 6 and 7 boarders at their very first Formal Dinner. Senior leadership staff, the Head of Year 7 and Head of Primary were invited to attend. The Boarding Styling Club made beautiful flower arrangements for the event to honour the theme flourishing. Our Year 7 Boarder Representatives hosted the event, and for both it was their very first time speaking behind the microphone in front of so many. There was a beautiful prayer that was said by two girls who nominated themselves, and a lovely song sung by Merrick Bindoraho and Zali Fullerton which was a nice surprise for everyone. A beautiful event such as this one leaves a positive impact for the girls.

Gracemere Mataia

When attending exams, all students need to have the following equipment:

1. Their Student ID to be presented to the supervisor on entry into the exam room.
2. Approved equipment in a clear, sealed plastic bag, this includes:

• Black or blue pens
• 2B pencils, sharpener and eraser

• Note: a 2B pencil is only required for multiple choice questions and drawing graphs or diagrams. Black or blue pens must be used for all other written responses.

• Highlighters
• Clear plastic ruler
• Water in a clear unlabelled bottle
• Asthma inhaler
• A QCAA approved calculator with memory cleared and ready for checking prior to entering the exam room (if required).

1. Please note that white out and erasable pens are NOT permitted into the exam room.
2. Mobile phones and Smart Watches are NOT permitted in the exam room.

Finally, can I please remind all Years 11 and 12 day students that if they are attending school during the exam block to study or meet with a teacher, they need to be in full school uniform and all other school rules apply, including the use of mobile phones. Years 11 and 12 boarding students also need to be in full school uniform if they are meeting with a teacher.

Caitlin McCluskey

It is important to recognise, however, that it is the quality of the homework, not the quantity, which determines so much about its impact on student learning.

Below are some important tips for students to improve the effectiveness of their homework time:

Tip 1 - Plan your homework sessions

Homework is invariably split into two components:

1. Immediate class tasks
2. Exam revision and assignment work

Taking the time at the start of your homework session to construct a plan of what you will realistically accomplish can significantly improve your productivity. Amongst the completion of immediate tasks, you should also schedule in time to ‘chip away’ at the larger revision and assignment-based tasks.

Tip 2 – Chunk your revision

Avoid doing long sessions of revision on the same subject in a night. The research indicates that ‘spacing’ revision for a subject throughout the week, or indeed the term, is far more beneficial to improving memory retention and consolidation of knowledge in students.

Tip 3 – Checkpoint your assignments

Create a list of checkpoints that you want to reach for your assignments at the end of designated homework sessions. This step could be in consultation with your teacher. It is important to then make sure you hold yourself to accountable to these checkpoints.

Tip 4 – Seek guidance but don’t let others be the doers

The research suggests that motivation and support provided by parents and siblings during homework exercises has an immensely positive effect on the learning that takes place. It is important, however, that you make certain this support doesn’t turn into them ‘doing’ the thinking for you. Homework is critically important in building academic resilience and independent learning skills in students. Allowing others to assist too much reduces its positive impact on you as a learner.

Chris Dunn

References

Barger, M. M., Kim, E. M., Kuncel, N. R., & Pomerantz, E. M. (2019). The relation between parents’ involvement in children’s schooling and children’s adjustment: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 145(9), 855–890.

Carpenter, S. (2020) Distributed Practice or Spacing Effect. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. Retrieved 17 Feb. 2022, from https://oxfordre.com/education/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264093.001.0001/acrefore-9780190264093-e-859.

Nota, L., Soresi, S., & Zimmerman, B. J. (2004). Self-regulation and academic achievement and resilience: A longitudinal study. International Journal of Educational Research, 41(3), 198-215.

Yasmin is an experienced speaker and is also an ambassador for SheEO: SheEO is a global community of radically generous women + non-binary folks working on the World’s To-Do List. Activators activate their buying power, networks and expertise to create an equitable and sustainable world. Since launching in 2015, 7,000+ Activators around the world have collectively loaned out $7M to support 100+ SheEO Ventures.

In addition to this, the School Prefects were briefed to educate students at assembly regarding local, national and global gender issues. Prefect, Gen Heather delivered the following educational address:

Today is a day for celebration. Today, we recognise and honour the social, economical, cultural and political achievements of women globally. Today, here at St Margaret’s, we celebrate International Women’s Day. As many of you will know, tomorrow, the 8^th of March marks International Women’s Day. This day originated in 1911, with the support of over a million people. Fast forward over a hundred years, and billions mark this day in their calendars and unite under the purple, white and green banner.

Mary Parker Follett, a social worker, philosopher and one of the great pioneers of organisational theory once said, “Unity, not uniformity must be our aim. We attain unity only through variety. Differences must be integrated, not annihilated and not absorbed.” International Women’s Day belongs to all groups collectively, everywhere. IWD is not country, group or organization specific. It belongs to all of us.

Mary’s words ring true through this year’s theme of ‘Embracing Equity’. Before I get into that though, I’d like to discuss the difference between equality and equity. You see, often one is mistaken for the other, whereby equality equals equity. But this is simply not the case. It works under the assumption that if everyone is provided with the same equipment, they should be able to achieve the same goal, as seen behind me (PWP slide). This assumption doesn’t leave room for difference of any kind, therefore, according to Mary Parker Follett, we cannot be united if we only strive for equality. In other words, “equality is leaving the door open for anyone that has the means to approach it; equity is ensuring there is a pathway to the door for those who need it.”

IWD is about women's equity in all its forms. For some, IWD is about fighting for women's rights or celebrating success. While for others IWD means festive gatherings and parties. Whatever choices you make, all choices matter, and all choices are valid. Your choices of activity can contribute to, and form part of, the thriving global movement focused on women's advancement.

Girls we are so fortunate at this school to be able to access so many wonderful opportunities. So today, I urge you to get involved with the many activities on offer to show your support for women around the world and your peers. By doing this we can all embrace equity and ignite and unite in the blue, brown and white.

Nikki Townsend

Our club extracurricular program keeps growing each year, with both user pay and free clubs. Our clubs are categorised according to five headings: - Art and Design, Communication, Thinking Outside the Box, Caring for the Environment and user pay sport. Many students have participated in the clubs offered this term.Click here (PDF 119.9KB) to see the overview of clubs and the new clubs which will be offered in Term 2. Relevant club information will be available on each POD page next term. A popular one has been Homework Club and because of its popularity, it will run in a five-week block so a new group will commence in Term 2.

Chess club has been a long-standing user pay club with students from Years 1 – Year 6 participating. Last week a team of chess players consisting of nine girls from Years 1- 4, headed off to compete in their first chess competition. The girls enjoyed playing chess against many different aged students from various schools. Thank you to Stephanie Gillan, Morgan Rowe and parent helper Mr David Taft.

Congratulations to swimmers Charlie Beirne, Charlotte Roy, Minti Barnier and Edie Juniper who have been selected for the Met North Team and will be heading to the Queensland State Championships later this month.

Angela Drysdale

Once the school day finishes, the girls can access their phones, but as long as they are on school grounds, in school uniform or engaged in school activities, our policies still apply; students should not take or post any images or footage of themselves or peers in uniform, the school’s location is not to be tagged and their devices should remain in their bags while they are engaged in any training or extracurricular activities. As is the case during the school day, these sessions should be spent immersed in the activities run by our staff and external providers, making the most of the social benefits of such pursuits as team sports and clubs. The presence of phones only serves to detract from the potential to establish and strengthen friendships and social connections.

The last component of this is when the girls arrive home. To strengthen the home-school partnership, the more aligned the approaches adopted at home are with school policies, the better. Please encourage your daughters to consider these friendships and the benefit of face-to-face interactions when they use their devices at home. While many of the apps available to them may be called ‘social media’, as we know all too well, they are often the source of socially unacceptable behaviours. We engage in eSafety programs and education about the appropriate use of digital platforms and technology is part of our pastoral care program, but we need you, the parents, on board to assist with encouraging prosocial behaviours, especially as many of your daughters navigate their way through social media and online sites for the first time. Together, we can enhance and improve the social aspects of your daughter’s education by promoting the benefits of authentic, in person interaction and engagement as the most meaningful way to take their friendships into secondary school and beyond. For further information on our policies surrounding mobile phone use and technology, please see the Primary Parent Handbook on The POD on the main primary page. 

Annette Box

Music Camp

The Music Department is very excited to invite secondary students involved in music ensembles to a music camp that will take place on the weekend of Friday 5 to Sunday 7 May 2023 at Sunshine Coast Recreation Centre, 80 Currimundi Road, Currimundi. The camp will be open to students in Volare, Exultate, Jackson Wind Ensemble, Sister Helen Wind Symphony, Stradivari Strings and Chamber Strings, and it is an expectation that students in these ensembles attend. Time will be spent rehearsing in music ensembles improving musical skills and participating in other fun activities. This will be an excellent opportunity for girls to not only learn new music repertoire within music ensembles but also build relationships with other students in the music program. The cost for the weekend will be $230 for each student, which includes bus travel, t-shirt, meals, accommodation, tuition and activities. Registration and payment for the Music Camp can only be made via Parent Lounge. To assist in the organisation of the camp, please register as soon as possible, and no later than Friday 31 March 2023. A letter with further details is attached here. (PDF 261.5KB)

Music Support Group – Next meeting

The next Music Support Group meeting will be held on Tuesday 18 April 2023 at 5:00pm in M’s Cafe. We encourage parents from both Primary and Secondary schools to become involved.

Brad King

There have been many challenges this past season, not just for me but for all of us. Firstly, we all had to learn a whole new system of coaching and management. After 20 years with Kev Sargent at the helm as coach, everyone had to adjust to a different approach. I’m extremely grateful that “The Buy In” from the group was pretty much immediate, especially during the early months when our staff numbers were low.

As our numbers grew and the commitment followed our capacity for more became unstoppable.

When we started our Internal Friday night swim meets in Term 4 last year, our swimmers bonded and supported each other.

The training camp at the end of the summer holidays proved that not even 3-4 weeks out of the water could slow us down. The camp was a great success and the leadership that emerged from our senior girls was fantastic to see.

The lead up meets over the next five weeks allowed our very large contingent of swimmers to get the necessary practice and experience against the best the competition could offer. Each Friday night, there was an opportunity for our more than 80 swimmers to race.

By the end of the St Peter’s lead up meet # 4, I knew we were ready to stand tall on the following Wednesday at the Brisbane Aquatic centre.

It wasn’t smooth sailing to the day. Some of our strongest swimmers encountered debilitating injuries which meant we were without some of our most potent fire power on the night. But as strong teams do, we rallied and overcame the hardship to rise above and show great resilience.

On the night, it was amazing to watch our Maggies girls execute the skills that many have practiced consistently over the past six months. In particular, our relay swimmers showed focus and consistency beyond their years. With 20 different relay teams across all age groups, 12 years to 17/18 years, over 60 changeovers, we had zero relay breaks! What an amazing effort by all our swimmers.

We finished in 2nd place, behind St Peter’s despite leading after event 37.

I must acknowledge the following people, who without their support, we would have not have been so successful. Thank you to the Swimming Support Group, including President Andy Lincoln and especially his work with the Bunnings fundraiser. Thank you also to Mrs Sue Anderson and all the mums who supplied the magnificent pastas for the Friday night lead up meets (all four of them) and the magnificent luncheon last Wednesday.

Thanks also to the swim team leadership group of Year 12 girls, wonderfully led by Captains Charlie Fahrensohn and Sophie Martin. These girls set a fantastic example in and out of the water for the duration of the season. The commitment and passion displayed was inspiring right through to the very last event of the night. Congratulations ladies and thank you.

To my coaching staff, Boo Fox, Renata Hasell, John Dempsey and to the teaching/coaching staff of Ms Cesscotto, Ms O’Brien and Mr Mandla a massive thanks for your commitment, drive and passion. Special thanks goes to my 2IC, Boo, who has given me the balance and made the pool deck a very rewarding and fun place to be. The level of your astute swimming knowledge has given us a great runway to land into 2nd place.

Last, but certainly not least, to Mr Lloyd Knight, our tireless Director of Sport. What a champion he is. I cannot sing his praise high enough. From guiding me like a blind rookie when I first arrived at St Margaret’s, through the maze of administration to enable the swim team to function on a daily level, to his unwavering support to the new direction of the program.

What a great way to finish my first QGSSSA! Now we work towards NOT just being 2nd next year!

Matt Brown

Head of Swimming

Autumn Sport – Touch Football Report

In a thrilling display of skill and determination, St Margaret's emerged victorious in their recent Touch Football matches against St Peters in Round 1 of the QGSSSA Autumn Season. The two schools, both renowned for their athleticism and spirit, put on an impressive performance at Windsor Park.

St Margaret's won every single match they played (including 1 Draw!). From the opening play to the final point, our girls dominated the field with their speed, strategy, and tenacity.

In addition to the games played against St Peters, St Margaret’s also hosted its intra Touch Football Competition, pegging our Orange Teams against the Navy Teams. The addition of this competition saw over 250 Maggies students participating in Touch Football on Friday afternoon, creating a great spirit and atmosphere at Windsor Park. We look forward to continuing to develop this intraschool competition across the season.

Congratulations to all teams on their fantastic games and bring on Round 2!

Latest Sport News and Information

For the latest sport news and information please check out the following Secondary School Sport POD Pages:

• Basketball (Autumn Sport) - (The POD - Secondary Basketball (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

• Soccer (Autumn Sport) - (The POD - Secondary Football (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

• Touch Football (Autumn Sport) - (The POD - Secondary Touch Football (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

• Cross Country - The POD - Secondary Cross Country (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

• Artistic Gymnastic – The POD - Secondary Artistic Gymnastics (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

• Cricket - The POD - Secondary Cricket (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

• AFL (Yr 10,11&12)) - The POD - Secondary AFL (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

• Club Netball - The POD - Club Netball (stmargarets.qld.edu.au)

GO MAGGIES!

Lloyd Knight

Blazer Pocket Embroidery

Blazers that require pocket embroidery must be submitted by morning tea on a Wednesday and take approximately two weeks to returned to the Supplies Shop from collection.

Student purchases at the Supplies Shop

Student Card Fund Top-ups

Please allow up to 24 hours for funds to clear when depositing funds onto student cards.

Flexischools Daily Limit

Please ensure the daily limit is set high enough to cover the cost of the uniform items being purchased. We will not be able to complete the purchase if there are insufficient funds available on the Student Card.

Winter Items

We now have supply of the following winter uniform items in preparation for the cooler months:

• Formal jumper – both poly/cotton and wool/nylon
• Pre-Prep fleecy tracksuit
• School tracksuit jacket and pants
• Blazers – compulsory Years 10 to 12
• School Scarf

We would encourage all families to call into the shop as soon as possible to avoid missing out on your preferred size.

We have fun-filled and exciting activities planned for our April School Holiday Program. Further details of the program can be found here (PDF 298.8KB). Boys and girls, siblings, friends and family welcome!

Please refer to the attached Information Guide for full booking terms and conditions. We are unable to accept bookings via email or text message. The OSHC registration and Debitsuccess form must be completed, signed and sent back to us to finalise your booking. Please read the information guide carefully as some information has changed. OSHC Registration and Debitsuccess can be completed via the My Family Lounge.

PLEASE COMPLETE YOUR VACATION CARE BOOKING FORM VIA THE MY FAMILY LOUNGE APP

We are very excited to inform you that St Margaret’s OSHC has subscribed to a fantastic online Booking and Waitlist management program called QK Enrol. This program will give you access to manage your own account information, where you will have the ability to make bookings requests and allows you to complete and submit an online enrolment form for your child. You can do this and much, much more all within a parent portal called ’My Family Lounge’.

How do I log in?

Please navigate to the link below and either sign in with your existing My Family Lounge account or Register for an account if you do not already have one. Please note all families who have previously submitted an enrolment form will have an account already set up; all you will need to do is click ‘forgotten password’ and use the email address you used to receive this form.

https://www.qkenhanced.com.au/Account/Embeddable/?databaseId=9385

When making a Vacation Care booking please select Casual bookings, not Permanent.

What is the cost?*

Fees: $68 per day*

Bookings close: 24 March 2023

*Incursions and excursions incur additional costs. These are compulsory for all students and therefore you are able to claim CCS.

What are the hours of operation?

The service is open from 7:00am until 6:00pm.

How can I obtain more information?

If you would like further information regarding our OSHC Program or if you would like to make a booking, feel free to contact me on 0423 547 653 or email: oshc@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Palu Ingram

Dr Susan Pendlebury has spent her career managing patients with cancer. She is a specialist Radiation Oncologist, undertaking undergraduate medicine at Queensland University before commencing her early career at the Royal Brisbane Hospital. She then completed her specialist training in Sydney before completing a two-year fellowship in the UK. On her return to Australia, she commenced work at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where she ran a specialist breast cancer practice for 10 years, followed by 10 years at St Vincent’s Private Hospital where she led the radiation oncology breast and GI tumour streams and was Department director. In 2017, she left metropolitan practice to run the department in Tamworth. 

Kate Goodfruit (’14) is an Australian diplomat at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta where she leads on Australia’s economic cooperation and trade relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - a political and economic union of ten member states in Southeast Asia. Her role involves working with counterparts from foreign governments, the private sector, academia and think tanks to support stronger economic relations between Australia and ASEAN whilst reporting back to the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra.

Event details

Date:               Saturday 25 March 2023

Time:              Pre-dinner drinks and canapes at 6:30pm

Venue:            Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's

Cost:               $90 Adults | $60 Students 
Adult ticket includes canapes, two course meal and drinks package
Student ticket includes canapes, two course meal and non-alcoholic drinks package

Tickets:           Available online via https://www.trybooking.com/CEFBD until Monday 20 March 2023 (unless sold out prior).

Mothers’ Luncheon – Additional tickets available

We are delighted to announce that we can now offer a limited number of additional tickets to the 2023 St Margaret's Mothers' Luncheon.

Tickets will be available to purchase online from 9.30am Friday 17 March via https://www.trybooking.com/CDLVZ

Event details

Date:                Friday 12 May 2023
Time:                11.30am - 2.30pm
Location:          Main Auditorium, Brisbane City Hall (entry via King George Square). 
Tickets:             $175 per person - includes a 2 course lunch, a champagne cocktail on
                        arrival, and a 3 hour platinum drinks package including Moët & Chandon
                        Impérial Brut NV.

All tickets will be sold individually and will require full name, email address and mobile phone number to be entered at the time of booking.

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

Father Daughter Breakfast Raffle

Whether you are attending the event or unable to join us this year, you can purchase raffle tickets to win one of the amazing prizes on offer.

Raffle prizes include, an iPad (9^th Generation) generously donated by Datacom, a Kailo Wellness and Medispa voucher, a deluxe Basket of Easter Chocolates and a Scenic Rim Farm Box.

The raffle is open to all in our community. Tickets can be purchased here.

P&F AGM – Monday 27 March
Notice is given that the Annual General Meeting of the St Margaret’s P&F Association Inc.

Date:                     Monday 27 March 2023
Time:                     6.30pm to 7.30pm
Location:               Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's Anglican Girls School or online
RSVP:                     https://www.trybooking.com/CFXRP

Please note, at this Meeting the 2023 Executive and Committee Elect positions will be ratified and the P&F Financial Audit Report will be presented.

The 2023 Executive and Committee Elect were nominated at the General Meeting with the Special Election of Office Bearers on Monday 13 February.

Lara Pickering