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The service was also an opportunity to talk a little about the history of our school and to make donations to Anglicare, as part of our school's service to the wider community. The day ended with the St Margaret’s Run, a 20+ year tradition. Fortunately, this year, we had wonderful weather for the whole school to be out celebrating on Circular Drive.

St Margaret’s Day celebrations were also followed by our whole weekend dedicated to the reunions of Old Girls from prior to 1964 (our VIP Reunion), 1964, 1974, 1984, 1994, 2004, 2014 and the Old Girls’ Chapel service on Sunday. This year over 500 Old Girls visited the school across the weekend.

Excitement is building for the MAYO Arts Festival this weekend - a signature community event in our school calendar. On Saturday, the festival runs from 10am to 7pm,  with a program full of things to see and do. Entry to the festival is free. Gourmet food and drink, artisan markets and live music and performing arts displays will fill the day.

You can plan your day ahead by downloading the festival program here. (PDF 1.2MB)

Our school community including students, parents, teachers, and support staff have worked tirelessly to make this event a great success. Additionally, we are grateful to the support of our festival sponsors who have offered outstanding support to the event.

Schools are busy places and I know Saturday sport and other commitments will impact on some people’s ability to attend. However, I look forward to seeing many of you this weekend.

We are doing really well so far with donations to the Ponytail Project. However, to meet our target, we need every student and staff member who is participating and being sponsored to double their current donations. Can this be done? We will see on the 30 July. Thank you to those members of the community who have held morning teas in their community and provided donations. It is not too late to organise a morning tea for friends and to donate to this very worthy cause.

Ros Curtis AM

It was heartwarming to see all our students in the school up on Circular Drive cheering on the participants and having lots of fun together. I was particularly impressed seeing older students dancing and connecting with younger students. There was lots of laughter and cheer, and it really was a special day.

This week sees another major event in our school calendar – the Mayo Arts Festival. This is a wonderful celebration of the Arts. On Saturday, we will see many stalls, displays of student work and be able to enjoy many music performances from both our primary and secondary students, and much more. I hope to see many of you there.

Next week, on Tuesday, we are looking forward to the Ponytail Project. Students, staff, Old Girls, current and past families and many more have all signed up to have their hair cut to raise money for the Cancer Council and the Minotti Trust. This will be a huge day as we strive to reach our target of $1 million raised over the 10-year period that we have been undertaking the Ponytail Project. I urge all in our school community to consider donating to this cause.

We are so fortunate that we can have these events in our school. They are fabulous opportunities for our students to come together and to be involved and support their friends and classmates. It is always great to see our community come together for these events!

Karen Gorrie

As Chaplain, I have the privilege of interviewing potential Sacristans. During these interviews the students are asked about their contributions to the spiritual life of St Margarets, their ideas and goals for 2025, and how they will inspire others. Every student I interviewed (over 30 students in total) spoke with wisdom and great insight.

We are also in the midst of celebrating NAIDOC week. NAIDOC week invites us to “celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on Earth.” ().

On Tuesday night, we held a film night for students who chose to attend. We watched the Australian film The Sapphires. The film is a wonderful showcasing of Australian film and is based on the stage play written by Aboriginal man, Tony Briggs. Based on a true story, it is a brilliant film which tells the story of a First Nations girls' singing group who toured to Vietnam to sing for the troops.

In our NAIDOC assembly this morning, we celebrated the achievements of our First Nations Students in their third publication, Yumi Kaikai, Yumi Stories, a publication that tells the story of the students and shares recipes from their cultures. Congratulations to all students and staff involved in making this project a reality.

The Rev'd Jazz Dow

The process of writing the song was deeply collaborative, with the girls gathering stories, memories, and sentiments from their fellow boarders. Late-night study sessions, homesickness, midnight feasts, and the unbreakable friendships formed within the dormitories all found their way into the lyrics. The melody, both uplifting and poignant, reflects the emotional highs and lows of a ‘Maggies boarder’. The first debut of this song was to farewell the 2023 graduating boarders and their families last year. The girls now sing this song very proudly at all of our special events.

For the boarders, singing this song is more than a mere performance; it is a ritual of unity. The song becomes a powerful reminder of the unique bond they share, one that transcends the confines of the school and the passage of time. Below is a little preview of the boarder song.

First Verse

Some things in life are meant to fly
And others, they were born to run
You can't keep them back when leavin'
Like the changing of the seasons
Good things, they come and then they go

Chorus

Like a runaway southbound train
Like tears shed like falling rain
Like lightning in the sky
Like a sister bond we tie
Like a journey just begun
Like parting when the time will come
Through the gates into her second home
That girl is going to be strong

Second Verse

Cherishing core memories that we’ve made
And the friendships that will never fade
I can't hold on to letting go
Change the way the river flows
Keeping hers like roping in the wind

…….

Gracemere Mataia

NAIDOC Week

This week, St Margaret’s celebrated NAIDOC Week. On Tuesday we held our NAIDOC Week Movie Night in Eton Hall, watching The Sapphires. Today we had our NAIDOC Week Assembly where we were fortunate to have Songwoman Maroochy, our Turrbal Elder, perform a Welcome to Country. We launched our third in a series of magazines, 'Yumi Kaikai, Yumi Stories'. All students who contributed to this were acknowledge for their efforts. We were also treated to a didgeridoo performance and dancing and have been blessed to have some of our boarding families able to join us for these celebrations. 

Following last year’s appointment of our first Student Co-Chair of the Reconciliation Action Plan Committee, we announced our next Co-Chair. We are very excited to have Frances Drummond and Cheyanne Yamashita as our Student Co-Chairs for the next twelve months.

Caitlin McCluskey

With all the commentary in the news about the dangers of technology, particularly with adolescents and screen time, this seminar will provide interesting insights for teachers and parents about the evidence-based ways to integrate technology into educational settings.

Primary and secondary teachers from around South-East Queensland are most welcome to attend this free event, as are St Margaret’s parents.

For more details, or to register, please click on the following link:https://shorturl.at/Y8ewP

NAPLAN 2024

Last week, NAPLAN results were released to schools and, once again, St Margaret’s has performed exceptionally well in all areas when compared to the state average. The 2024 overall school results can be viewed here on the school’s website.

Student achievement is now reported to parents using proficiency standards for each assessment area at each year level. The standards are set at a challenging but reasonable expectation of what students know and can do at the time of testing. For further information on this new reporting system, a Parent Information Brochure is available .

Congratulations to all students on their efforts. I would also like to thank our dedicated teaching staff for their ongoing commitment to excellent education for our students.

Chris Dunn

As adults, we are all well aware that life will have its fair share of disappointments and frustrations. At home, reacting to these stressful situations might start with shouting, hiding or feeling sorry for oneself. At school and in the girls’ future careers, these types of behaviours could in fact harm their reputation.

We must remember that decisions will be made but it is the individual’s final decision and choice as to how they behave and react. Individuals are encouraged to do the following if they find themselves disappointed:

• Have a positive mindset – realise that not all things will go your way all of the time. Look for something positive.
• Adjust your goal – if you are disappointed that you did not reach your goal, that does not mean the goal is unreachable in the future
• Record your thoughts – writing allows your negative feelings to be expressed and released
• Smile and support those who have been successful – this shows a lot more about your character if you can rise above your disappointment and continue to be the best person you can be.

“Disappointments are just God’s way of saying: “I’ve got something better. Be patient, Live Life and Have Faith”. Anonymous

Ponytail Project

Students are eagerly looking forward to the Ponytail Project to be held next Tuesday. We are hoping to raise $300,000 to move the needle to the $1 million total across the ten years for the Cancer Council and the Minotti Trust. Again this year, we have the generous hairdressers from Rogue Hair, Ascot, cutting the students’ and teachers’ (and some parents' and Old Girls') hair. If you wish to get your daughter’s haircut after the day by Rogue Hair, they are offering a shampoo, cut and blow dry for $70. Please book early as there are limited spaces.

Nikki Townsend

The presentations focused on two main themes: global perspectives and wellness in education. Through both the formal presentations and informal discussions with fellow attendees, I gained valuable insights, some of which were directly applicable to our context, while others provided a broader perspective. Each presenter enriched my understanding and reinforced my commitment to being a lifelong learner.

A recurring theme in many wellness presentations was the concept of the Eight Dimensions of Wellness. Originally developed by Dr Peggy Swarbrick, this framework helps define factors that contribute to overall wellbeing and illustrates how each dimension can be balanced. The dimensions include Emotional, Environmental, Financial, Occupational, Physical, Social, and Spiritual. Many presenters shared their programs, which were based on these dimensions, and the adaptions they made to fit their specific contexts.

I presented on the evolution of our school’s wellbeing program and found it interesting that we, too, have always based our program on our own set of dimensions since its inception in 2006: Body, Heart, Mind, and Soul. Over time, this evolved into our whole-school flower framework. Our 6-petal framework includes dimensions that are like Swarbrick's: Spiritual, Intellectual, Social, Emotional, Vocational, and Physical. This newfound awareness of Swarbrick’s dimensions will provide a basis for reviewing our program to ensure all aspects of these dimensions are addressed and to explore incorporating the Financial and Environmental dimensions into our offerings.

The symposium began with an insightful keynote speech by Betty Liebovich, who emphasised the importance of promoting a positive school culture through mental health support, safe and inclusive environments, anti-bullying initiatives, and the wellbeing of teachers and staff. She also stressed the significance of balancing physical and holistic education with academic goals—elements that are integral to our own programs.

The global emphasis on well-being is mirrored in Australian research, which shows a significant increase in schools prioritizing children’s wellness—from 31% in 2018 to 48% in 2023 (Schools Plus). I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to both share and learn from worldwide experts on wellbeing. The information shared at the symposium highlighted that our school’s program aligns well with current approaches but also accentuated the necessity of continuous review to remain at the forefront of current research. This year, our focus is on mental health well-being and the development of mental self-care practices.

Angela Drysdale

Student achievement is now reported to parents using proficiency standards for each assessment area at each year level. The standards are set at a challenging but reasonable expectation of what students know and can do at the time of testing. For further information on this new reporting system.

A Parent Information Brochure is available .

The 2024 overall school results can be viewed here on the school’s website.

Kate Frewin 

Reunion Performance

Congratulations and thank you to the Stage Band for their wonderful performance provided at the Reunion event last weekend. The Stage Band performed a twenty-minute set of music that greatly contributed to the special atmosphere of the event. Thank you to Mr Mackenzie for preparing the girls for the performance and Dr Syntageros and Ms Katahanas for their assistance on the day.

 Years 3, 4 and 5 Music Performance

On Friday 26 July 2024, students in Years 3,4 and 5 will be providing some pre-Mayo Festival entertainment. Please note this is a special performance opportunity for our Years 3 and 4 Strings students and our Year 5 Band students, in addition to the performances by our extra-curricular ensembles on Saturday 27 July. A stage will be set up on Circular Drive and parents are invited to come and hear the performances from 9:00am – 10:00am.

MAYO ARTS FESTIVAL

Our St Margaret’s music ensembles are very excited to be performing at the upcoming Mayo Arts Festival on Saturday 27 July. The day will be filled with musical entertainment along with the opportunity to explore artisan stalls, food trucks, rides and other fun activities. Music performances will be provided from 12:00pm through to 7:00pm on Circular Drive. The schedule for music performances is below. All girls performing are asked to wear the Mayo t-shirt with smart jeans and sneakers on the day.

12:00pm           Elayne Jones Percussion Ensemble        

12:15pm           Chaseley Concert Band

12:30pm           Jackson Wind Ensemble           

12:45pm           Sister Helen Wind Symphony

1:00pm             Combined Bands Performance

1:15pm             Solo Performances

1:35pm             Boarder Island Dance Group

1:50pm             Tutti Strings

2:00pm             Amati Strings

2:15pm             Stradivari Strings

2:30pm             Chamber Strings

2:45pm             Combined Strings Performance

3:00pm             Encorah

3:15pm             Volare

3:30pm             Exultate

3:45pm             Ballare 

4:00pm             Solo Performances

4:20pm             Boarder Island Dance Group

4:35pm             Serenata

4:50pm             Chorale           

5:05pm             Belle Voci        

5:20pm             Ballare 

5:50pm             Stage Band

6:05pm             Highly Strung

6:15pm             Monday Rock Band

6:30pm             Combined Choirs Performance

6:40pm             Tuesday Rock Band

7:00pm             EVENT FINISH

MUSIC DINNER THEME ANNOUNCEMENT

The Music Captains are very excited to announce the theme for upcoming 2024 Music Dinner which will be held on Friday 11 October. The announcement will be made via the Music Co-curricular POD page on Friday 2 August, so stay tuned!

MUSIC SUPPORT GROUP

The next Music Support Group meeting will be held on Tuesday 6 August at 5:00pm in the Circular Drive Classroom 01 (in front of the Arts Centre Foyer). We encourage parents from both primary and secondary schools to become involved.

Brad King

With Circular Drive lined with cheering supporters, each race was hotly contested, with some fast laps and plenty of spirit on show. Ginger Cox (Year 12) was crowned St Margaret’s Run champion, with an overall best time of 3 minutes and 16 seconds. We congratulate the following students on achieving line honours in their representative age races:

Latest Sport News and Information

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

• QGSSSA Hockey -
• QGSSSA Netball -
• QGSSSA Tennis -
• QGSSSA Volleyball -

• Athletics -
• Rowing -
• Rhythmic Gymnastics -
• Club Netball -
• Club Swimming -

Lloyd Knight

Food and Drinks
It will be foodie heaven on Circular Drive with food vendors serving up everything from burgers and brisket rolls, to donuts and Dippin' Dots, plus plenty of classic fair favourites including snow cones, fairy floss, popcorn, lollies and homebaked goods. If you'd like to donate baked goods or treats to our bake sale, please sign up here: 

The Comiskey Distillery Bar will be serving up a wide selection of beverages including feature cocktails: an Aperol Spritz and Comiskey G&T.

Rides and Activities
Take advantage of the earlybird price of $40 for armbands and save. Pre purchase armbands here: .

Ride bands and individual ride tickets will also be available from the Merchandise Stall on the day. The rides will kick off at 11am and finish at 5pm while the animal farm will operate between 11am and 3pm.

The Barley Sugar Garden will be abuzz with fun activities including face painting, putt putt, bracelet making, pet rock painting and lucky dip.

Market Stalls
Browse over 30 market stalls in Eton Hall, Eton Courtyard and the Arts Centre Foyer selling everything from art, sculpture, homewares, fashion, ceramics and more. 

Student Performances and Displays
Browse the work of our visual art students, sit back on the lawn with a bite to eat and beverage while you watch the music and dance performances on Circular Drive and then head to our drama theatre to appreciate the theatricality of our drama students.

Mayo Money

Mayo Money will be needed to purchase items at school-run stalls (not visiting market stalls or food trucks). Some of these stalls will also have EFTPOS. Mayo Money will be available for purchase from the Merchandise Stall in bundles of $35, $50 or $70. 

Win in the Festival Raffle
There is over $14,000 worth of prizes up for grabs in the Festival raffle. You don’t need to be attending the event to enter. Purchase tickets online here: 

Thank you to our prize donors: jeweller Barbara Heath, the Alford family, Brisbane Festival, Jimena Alejandra, Lancaster & Co Beauty Therapy, the Comiskey family, Carys Martin, Earth Fibre, Essential Earthing, jeweller Hannah Tempany, Dainty Little Creations, VESTIRSI, Status Quan, The Goodnight Co., Two Plums Design, Alan Innes, This and That Styling, Cath’s Crafts, Tula Homeware, Wild Baskets, Catherine’s Kitchen, L’Nor Designs, Silver Corvidae and TR Jewellery Design, Paula Boo Studio, Clear Insurance, Alcie May, The Athlete’s Foot, the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Carly Scoufos, Story Bridge Hotel, Shut Up and Relax Ceramics, Cacycat, Itsy Betsy Shop, Hey Good Looking, Jacinta Stewart, Claudia Mazzotta, Cool Cabanas, Robyn Ready, Kraftie Chickie and Short Stuff Creations.

In Conversation with Lindy Lee and Alison Kubler

We are incredibly excited to welcome artist Lindy Lee to Mayo this year. Lindy has extraordinary projects currently under development throughout Australia and Asia, most notably ‘Ouroboros' for the National Gallery of Australia's 40th anniversary. This event is a unique opportunity to hear from and be inspired by Lindy's artistic career, which she will discuss with arts writer and curator Alison Kubler.

Tickets are $30 students/$40 adults. Purchase here: 

With so much to see and enjoy, we hope you can join us at this year's Mayo Arts Festival!

Gates open at 10am and entry is free. The music entertainment, food trucks and bar will continue into the evening, concluding at 7pm. Download the to plan your day out.

A free shuttle bus will run between Oriel Park and Gate 2 at St Margaret's from 11am to 3pm.

Thank you to our Mayo Supporters Comiskey Distillery, All Clear Print & Signs, Village Voice, the Lord Mayor’s Community Fund and the Hamilton Ward Office as well as the many businesses that have sponsored a stall or donated prizes towards the raffle.

SEE YOU THERE!

The Mayo Committee

If you are a current parent who is rocking the chop with us on Tuesday 30 July, we do need to know to expect you, so we are asking any parent who intends cutting their ponytail to (PLEASE NOTE, STUDENTS DO NOT NEED TO COMPLETE THIS FORM).

The main event will be held on Circular Drive at 1pm on Tuesday 30 July. Those parents lopping their ponytail will need to arrive by 12.45pm.

St Margaret’s donates the ponytails to Real Fringe Hair Bands. Here are some frequently asked questions about the process of cutting the hair. 

I want to donate my hair, but it is coloured.

That is no problem at all, we accept both natural and dyed hair, even funky purple shades.

How long does the hair have to be?

We accept hair as short as 15cm and as long as you like over 15cm.

How is hair collected from a donor?

For hair donations, hair must be washed and dried prior to cutting. At school, the hair will be sectioned into a ponytail, or multiple ponytail bunches if the hair is very thick. Elastic bands are applied to the bunch of hair at the top closest to the head. The band needs to be quite tight to secure the hair during transport. The hair is then cut at least 1cm above the elastic band. The hair donation is then placed in a ziplock bag and mailed to Real Fringe Hair Bands. If you are having your hair cut at school, we will section your hair and supply the elastic bands ready for cutting and a ziplock bag.

Please note, when we say ‘rock the chop’, while we have professional hairdressers - our lovely friends at Rogue Hair Hamilton () - it really is a quick chop. You may wish to follow up with your hairdresser (or go ‘Rogue’) to refine your new shorter style. Rogue is offering a $70 shampoo, cut and blowdry for those who #rockthechop on the day.

If you have any queries, please email Wendy Johnston, Director of Marketing and Communications, on wjohnston@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or call (07) 3862 0837.

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.

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

What is the cost?*

Fees: $68 per day*

Bookings close: 19 August 2024

*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

Date:                  Thursday 15 August, 2024
Time:                  11.30am - 2.30pm
 Venue:               Brisbane City Hall
Tickets:               $180 per person - includes a 2 course lunch and a 3 hour deluxe drinks package including Australian sparkling wine. 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

Tickets are on sale via

This event is proudly supported by Maggies Supporters, , , and . 

Georgia Mitchell