eNews Archive Issue 8 - 19 March 2026

WHOLE SCHOOL

From the Principal

The St Margaret's Mayo Committee is busily planning for this year’s Mayo Arts Festival, which will be held on Saturday 1 August. Please mark this date in your diary. Plans so far include:

For children, the Petrie Street precinct will be a playground of fun with amusement rides including a rock-climbing wall, teacups and saucers, a giant slide and the super flyer chair ride. There will also be an animal farm.

Eton Hall and the adjoining courtyard will be for those keen to wander the market stalls which will sell everything from art and homewares to jewellery and other wares.. We are now accepting applications for stallholders and if you or someone you know is interested in having a stall at the event they can register their interest here: . After the popularity of our student stall initiative in 2024, we will soon be inviting the budding entrepreneurs among our student cohort to submit their ideas for a stall and the Arts Centre Foyer will be transformed into a Student Makers’ Market.

In the Circular Drive classrooms and the Arts Centre, we will be showcasing the work of our visual arts students and our drama students will provide performances in our drama space.

The Barley Sugar Garden, as always, will be a hive of activity with putt putt and traditional fair activities including lob a choc, lucky dip, custom slime and face painting.

There will also be a range of food trucks and areas for socialising and listening to a full program of student music performances.

All proceeds from the Mayo Arts Festival will go towards supporting and raising the profile of the arts within our school community through the acquisition of work as an invaluable teaching and learning resource. Whether through appreciation or practice, we endeavour to nurture a passion for the arts for every girl.

Thank you to businesses and community members who are supporting the event: Major Sponsor - Oliver Jonker - Coronis Ascot, Supporting Sponsor – Village Voice, Mayo Supporters – CMBM and FVS Fire Solutions and to those who have sponsored a year level stall.

I look forward to sharing more updates about the event in the coming months.

Ros Curtis

From the Deputy Principal

It is hard to believe that in just two weeks we will be celebrating Easter with family and friends. As this approaches, there are many signs at school that the term is drawing to a close.

At this time, students are entering their assessment period. While assessments mark the end of a learning cycle, they do not mark the end of the school term or of learning. Teaching and learning will continue right through to the final day of Term 1, with staff supporting students to consolidate skills, extend learning, and maintain strong routines.

For this reason, it is essential that all students continue to attend school every day until the end of term. Regular attendance ensures learning gains are maintained and that students finish the term settled, focused, and well prepared for what comes next.

Why finishing well matters

It reflects character and integrity. Completing work with care shows responsibility and pride, even when energy levels are low.
It supports long-term success. Habits such as persistence, focus, and follow-through developed now shape future performance.
It influences others. Maintaining high standards to the end builds confidence and trust within our community.

Practical ways to finish strong

Stay focused on priorities. Identify what matters most and give it your best effort.
Look after yourself and others. Prioritise sleep, nutrition, and positive relationships.
Support one another. A kind word or small gesture can make a real difference.
Reflect and celebrate progress. Acknowledge achievements and begin thinking ahead to next term.

Finishing well is not just about reaching the end of the term—it is about doing so with purpose, pride, and momentum. I wish all students the very best with their Term 1 assessments, and I encourage everyone to remain engaged and committed right through to the final day of term.

Nicole Devlin

Chaplain

Last week we held On Being Human Masterclasses with Years 11 and 12 respectively. In the Year 11 Masterclass we reflected on the dynamics of herd mentality and the possibility of using this mentality for good – social contagion. During the class we launched the 1000 hearts project. Each student made a heart from felt, that will contribute to our school’s collective efforts to make 1000 hearts and spread kindness within our community.

This initiative has been led by Year 11 student, Meg. Meg addressed the Cohort with the following speech (shared with permission):

Take a second and think to yourself: What does kindness actually look like? We use that word all the time, but it can feel a bit abstract. For me, kindness is intentional. It’s the choice to go out of your way to help someone, whether that’s a massive gesture or something so small it fits in the palm of your hand.

Recently, Reverend Jazz, a few other students, and I have been meeting at lunch to bring a new initiative to our school.

I am so excited to introduce you to the 1000 Hearts Project. I first discovered these hearts back in primary school. My neighbour’s sister actually started this project and shared it with my mum. Before long, our house was filled with felt and thread. My mum began making hundreds of them for my siblings' schools and mine. I saw firsthand how something as simple as a small, handmade felt heart could change someone’s entire day.

The concept is simple: using just felt, needles, thread, and stuffing, we create small symbols of pocket-sized compassion. But it’s not just about the craft; it’s about the impact. In a world and a school year that can feel overwhelming, handing someone a heart is a way of saying, "I see you, and you’re not alone." It’s a physical reminder that someone cared enough to spend time making something just for them.

We want to bring that culture of quiet, consistent kindness to our campus. Whether you’re an expert with a needle or have never sewn a stitch in your life, we want your help. By joining this project, you aren't just making a craft; you’re helping us start a movement of empathy across the school.

Watch this space as the project unfolds. Toc H and Ms Flanagan will continue to grow the movement within the school.

You can read more here:

Rev’d Jazz Dow

Deputy Head of Boarding

Harmony Week, held from 16–22 March 2026, invites Australia to celebrate the national message that “Everyone Belongs.” This annual event recognises the nation’s cultural diversity and promotes the values of inclusiveness, respect, and belonging, principles central to thriving both in school and within our boarding community.

For our boarding students, who come from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, Harmony Week provides a meaningful opportunity to appreciate what makes our shared home unique. It encourages us to honour each student’s identity and heritage while strengthening the supportive relationships that shape daily life in boarding.

Boarding reflects Australia’s multicultural landscape on a smaller, more personal scale. Students arrive from cities, regional towns, remote communities, and international backgrounds, bringing with them stories, customs, and languages that enrich the community. This year’s theme, “Everyone Belongs,” highlights the importance of mutual respect and social connection.

As part of our celebrations, a group of boarders performed a cultural dance at the whole school assembly and again on Circular Drive, as well as sharing traditional musical pieces in the boarders’ chapel. Their peers embraced and celebrated these performances, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere.

Harmony Week encourages students to value differences and recognise the equal worth of every community member. Although the week itself lasts only seven days, its lessons carry throughout the year. By uplifting cultural diversity and celebrating the many identities within our boarding family, we continue to nurture a home where every student feels seen, valued, and safe.

Gracemere Mataia

Dean of Academics

Next week, the Years 11 and 12 students will begin their end of Unit Exam Blocks. The Year 12 Exam block begins on Monday 23 March with a study day and concludes on Monday 30 March. The Year 11 Exam Block is longer, starting on Friday 20 March with a study day and concludes on Tuesday 31 March. Only Years 11 and 12 girls who have exams need to attend school on these days. A reminder to all students, that when they come to an exam they need to be in full school uniform with the appropriate equipment for the exam.

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

Their Student ID to be presented to the supervisor on entry into the exam room.
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).

Please note that white out and erasable pens are NOT permitted in the exam room.
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 and jewellery. Years 11 and 12 boarding students also need to be in full school uniform if they are meeting with a teacher.

Caitlin McCluskey

“If the most direct path to follow your dreams doesn’t work out, there’s always another path to where you want to be” (Mr Compton) – Amelia Stanfield-Gates, ’25.

Dean of Studies

Interim Attitude to Learning Grades - Term 1

At the end of Term 1, all secondary students will receive an interim Attitude to Learning grade for each of their subjects. This will provide students and their parents, with a preliminary assessment of how they are faring in relation to their work ethic, conscientiousness, punctuality, and preparedness for learning in each of their subjects.

Interim Attitude to Learning grades are subject to change in Term 2, with a final Attitude to Learning grade to be published for each subject in the Semester 1 Academic Report. Students and parents will be able to view the interim Attitude to Learning grades through Learning Analytics from Thursday 2 April.

A reminder that the Attitude to Learning grade is a four-point scale:

Excellent
Good
Satisfactory
Needs Improvement

Teachers will apply a ‘best-fit’ approach for each student, using the criteria table below, when determining an appropriate Attitude to Learning grade.

GRADE	EVIDENCE
EXCELLENT	Homework and classwork – always completed as required Contribution to class activities is exceptional Always maximises her class time and completes set tasks Never distracted by laptop and use technology appropriately Consistently persists when reaching an academic challenge Always punctual and comes prepared to class
GOOD	Homework – nearly always complete Contributes effectively to class activities and sometimes asks questions to further knowledge Nearly always uses class time effectively and completes set tasks Uses laptop in the classroom appropriately, rarely a distracting influence Often persists when reaching an academic challenge Usually punctual and prepared for class
SATISFACTORY	Homework usually completed as required Makes a satisfactory contribution to class discussions and does what is expected Completes most class tasks and utilises time satisfactorily, and, at times, seeks to expand knowledge Occasionally distracted by laptop, but generally uses technology appropriately. Generally, persists when reaching an academic challenge, but may need some encouragement Sometimes late for class and/or unprepared
NEEDS IMPROVEMENT	Homework rarely completed Does not contribute to class discussions and makes little attempt to remain focussed Rarely attempts to expand knowledge and is easily distracted from tasks set in class Is easily distracted by technology (laptop) Is often disruptive to the learning environment Often is late to class and usually is not prepared for class

Note: If a student fails to submit a draft or final assessment in a subject, they cannot be awarded any more than a Satisfactory for Attitude to Learning.

Chris Dunn

Dean of Students

Leadership - Inspiring Others Through Action

Leadership is not about titles or authority—it is about influence, service, and inspiring others to grow. John Quincy Adams captured this beautifully:
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” (Adams, as cited in WeAreTeachers, 2024).

Developing leadership in students builds confidence, responsibility, and empathy. Through roles in clubs, sports, and service projects, students learn that leadership means listening, collaborating, and modelling integrity. Leadership education fosters problem-solving and adaptability—skills essential for life beyond school (Bass & Avolio, 1990).

At St Margaret’s, we encourage students to lead by example, whether through mentoring younger peers or contributing to community initiatives. These experiences teach that true leadership is grounded in humility and service, not power. When students understand that leadership is about lifting others, they become agents of positive change in their communities.

By cultivating leadership qualities, we prepare our students to step confidently into the future—ready to inspire, innovate, and lead with compassion.

References
Adams, J. Q. (n.d.). Quote on leadership. In WeAreTeachers. Retrieved from https://www.weareteachers.com/leadership-quotes/
Bass, B. M., & Avolio, J. (1990). The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. Consulting Psychologists Press.

Nikki Townsend

eNews new feature photo 11 June 2019 Angela Drysdale_HoP

Head of Primary

One of the great strengths of our school is our vibrant sense of community, a feeling of belonging where members matter to each other and share the same values and beliefs. Each term, a range of events helps nurture and celebrate this community, from parent and student morning teas and information evenings to Open Day and special social gatherings.

The Pre-Prep to Year 2 students (dressed in pyjamas) and families will head to school for our Twilight Service and Picnic tomorrow night, and next week the Years 3 and 4 students will ‘dance the night away’ at their disco. These two nights provide a wonderful social opportunity for parents and students to come together as a community. They do not just happen; they involve a huge amount of work and organisation. Thank you to Ms Box for overseeing the preparation and coordination of these evenings, and to Reverend Jazz, Ms Brennan and our class ambassadors for helping ensure each evening runs so smoothly. A heartfelt thank you also to our teachers for their wonderful support of the girls.

At these events, raffle tickets will be on sale. This is the major means of fundraising in the primary school, and we truly appreciate the support with this once‑a‑year initiative. Thank you to the many parents who donated goods for raffle prizes. These donations allow volunteers to create a wonderful variety of hampers. Rather than reserving donated items for a single event, we distribute them across the year to support a range of community‑building activities. These prizes are used for:

Raffle Ticket Sales & Prize Draw Schedule

Term	Events Where Tickets Are Sold	Drawn
Term 1	PP – Year 2 Twilight Service & Family Picnic Year 3 & 4 Dance	End‑of‑Term 1 Assembly
Term 2	Primary Breakfast for Mother’s Day	Drawn at the event
Term 3	Primary Breakfast for Father’s Day	Drawn at the event

Two hampers are used as prizes for the following events and tickets are not sold:

Grandparents Day (Term 2): Lucky Door Prize
End‑of‑Year Assembly (Term 4): Lucky Door Prize

These prizes are created using your generous donations and help make these community events even more special.

Raffle tickets have been sent home and can be returned to the primary office with payment (cash and EFTPOS available). Tickets can also be purchased directly from the primary office and will be available at both upcoming events. Thank you to all the parents who have already purchased tickets — your support is greatly appreciated.

I look forward with great anticipation and gratitude to these upcoming events, where we come together to celebrate everything that makes our school community so special.

Angela Drysdale

Assistant Head of Primary

Found Property

As the term draws nearer to a close you may be finding that not all your child’s items are coming home with them. To ensure that their belongings come home for the holidays too, here is a list of measures you can take or that the school has in place that can be of assistance before you resort to re-purchasing. Some may feel obvious, but it is worth stating to try and reduce the likelihood of losing personal items…

Clearly name all items in a manner that won’t fade with wear. If you have bought a second-hand item, please don’t rely on the previous owner’s name as the identifier. When staff and students come across named items they come to the primary office, and we ensure they make it back to your child
When unpacking and washing uniforms and school items, please check to ensure the name tag is still there, still legible, and that the item is in fact your child’s. Many students are accidentally taking home belongings of others
If an item becomes lost students can check in with the primary office where the year level pigeonholes are, with their teacher or in the clearly marked Lost Property box in the Atrium. We also suggest retracing steps and having a thorough hunt under bag racks and their classroom area
If your child’s water bottle is found and unnamed these are lined up on top of the bubblers in the Atrium so they can check there
If the item still can’t be found, there is hope that it might emerge in the End of Term Assembly ‘Show and Sell’ segment that the SRC run. Any Lost Property items are on display and made visible to the students then. If you know your child is missing an item, please remind them before the last day to be on high alert during this segment
If an item cannot be found, there may be an interim item that can be borrowed from the primary office to give time to pursue a proper search, so please do contact us.

We do our best to ensure that all students have their personal belongings returned to them when found, but them taking responsibility for locating the item is an important skill to develop. Thank you for working together with us to ensure that the St Margaret’s experience runs as smoothly as possible for all.

Annette Box

Head of Performance

Soloists Recital

Congratulations to all students who performed at the first Soloists Recital for the year on Wednesday afternoon in the Arts Centre Foyer. It was a lovely afternoon of music with a wide range of styles performed on a variety of different instruments. All girls should be exceptionally proud of their performances!

Music Support Group

The next meeting dates for Term 2 are listed below. All primary and secondary parents are welcome. Meetings will be held in the Canopy Café at 5:00pm.

Term 2, Week 2 - Tuesday 28 April
Term 2, Week 7 - Tuesday 2 June

Become a Friend of St Margaret’s Music

Parent support is pivotal to the success of the St Margaret’s Music Program. Become a Friend of St Margaret's Music, to further expand opportunities for music excellence at St Margaret’s with Gold and Silver Memberships available. Your donation includes priority seating at Classics in the Cathedral and your name will be added to the Friends of St Margaret's Music Honour Board displayed in the Sister Helen Orchestra Room. To find out more, click here:

Brad King

Director of Sport

Last week was a great start to our Autumn Fixtures with Round 1 against Moreton Bay College for our Touch Football, Basketball and Soccer teams. This week we will be playing our first official home rounds against Clayfield College so please come along and support our teams.

Last weekend was the final round of AFL Senior season with our Year 12s playing and representing St Margaret’s for the last time in AFL. Congratulations to all players in our Opens, Senior A and Senior B competitions for a great season and thank you to our coaches for their efforts. Our Opens team were undefeated all season only losing the final game against BSHS 34-14. This team played an outstanding season, and it was a privilege to watch the final two matches. They all played technically so well but also supported each other and gave it everything demonstrating the very best of Maggies sport.

This is the last opportunity to support the Swimming Support group Beach Raffle with two fantastic prize packs available to win. These packs include items for the whole family to enjoy whilst holidaying at the beach and recovering from the hustle and bustle of Term 1. Tickets are $10 each and winners will be drawn tomorrow, Friday, 20 March.

The sport team is happy to recognise the outstanding achievements and representation of students participating at a national level, outside of the school sport pathway. I look forward to continuing to hear from our community regarding such outstanding achievement. Please directly contact Ms Williams via awilliams@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

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

Basketball (Autumn Sport) - (
Soccer (Autumn Sport) - (
Touch Football (Autumn Sport) - (
Cross Country -
Artistic Gymnastic –
Cricket -
Club Water Polo -
Club Netball -

Anne Louise Williams

Supplies Shop

Trading Hours (Term Time)

Monday 8am – 2pm
Tuesday 8am – 2pm
Wednesday 10am – 5pm
Thursday 8am – 2pm
Friday 8am – 2pm

Public Holidays Closed

Winter items

Blazer Orders

Students who placed an order for a school blazer at the end of last year will be notified as soon as stock arrives. At this stage, our supplier has advised that delivery is expected between 30 March and 15 April, subject to current transport conditions.

Winter uniform items are beginning to arrive, and we are pleased to advise that the following items are now available for purchase:

Formal jumper – both poly/cotton and wool/nylon
Pre-Prep/Prep fleecy tracksuit
School tracksuit jacket and pants
Years 7 to 12 - ¼ Zip training jacket
School scarf
Winter tights – St Margaret’s Brown

Blazer Pocket Embroidery

Blazers that require pocket embroidery must be submitted by morning tea on a Thursday. Pocket embroidery takes approximately two to three weeks prior to being returned to the Supplies Shop for collection.

Student Card Purchases - Flexischools daily limit

Please ensure the daily limit is set high enough to cover the cost of the uniform items being purchased. Purchases cannot be completed it there are insufficient funds available on the Student Card.

Lara Pickering Development and Community 2018

Director of Philanthropy and Stakeholder Engagement

Your invitation to PWN 2 featuring Peta Bistany (nee Dee '86) - The Inspiration of Sport

*Limited tickets remaining

At its best, sport inspires ambition, resilience, teamwork, and performance under pressure.

But in the modern professional game, the biggest moments don’t always unfold on the field. Increasingly, they happen off it - in boardrooms and crisis meetings where culture, trust, and long‑term outcomes are scrutinised just as closely as performance.

Peta Bistany (nee Dee ’86), Sports Consultant and former Executive Director of the Premier League, brings a rare behind‑the‑scenes perspective on this shift. During a period of rapid growth and intense scrutiny, she worked at the centre of global sport as it evolved into a high‑stakes enterprise, where decisions were made under constant public and commercial visibility and scrutiny.

Drawing on senior executive roles with the UK Premier League, The English Football Association and the England & Wales Cricket Board, Peta will share practical insights into governance under pressure, leadership in moments of crisis, and the strategic choices that shape culture and performance.

Date:                    Thursday 14 May
Time:                    6:45am arrival for 7:00am-8:45am
Venue:                  Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's Anglican Girls School
Format:                Sit down breakfast with grab and go barista coffee on arrival
Tickets:                 $90 adults, $55 students (Years 10 to 12/tertiary)
Corporate tables: $850 (10 seats), includes company logo displayed on table and acknowledgement during event.

To purchase tickets or a corporate table:

We thank our series sponsors, Major Sponsor: Pitcher Partners. Supporting Sponsors: Wolff Coffee Roasters, Clear Insurance, Resource Innovations, and The Bathhouse Albion.

Introducing your 2026 P&F Management Committee

St Margaret's is blessed with a large body of helpful supporters who assist the school in many ways. The P&F Association is an active and committed group of parents who take carriage of signature events designed to bring the community together. The P&F also help fund new school assets and services used for the benefit of the students.

On Tuesday evening the P&F Association hosted it’s AGM where the 2026 Management Committee was elected.

We congratulate our parents listed below on their new and continuing positions for 2026:

Rebecca Polley - President

Melanesia Carson - Vice President

Peter Jones – Treasurer

Chris Herrald - Secretary

Karen Grant-Taylor - Committee Member

Jeremy Peck- Committee Member

Trevor Slogrove- Committee Member

Nicola Swarbrick - Committee Member

We also thank those who have volunteered to support the organisation of P&F events for the year ahead.

We would also like to thank and acknowledge our parents who are volunteering on the P&F Support Group Executives and Committees in 2026.

Thank you for supporting the 2026 P&F Fathers Dinner

The P&F Association thanks all guests for their support of the 2026 Fathers’ Dinner.

Thankfully, the rain stayed away for guests to enjoy an evening of great food, and fabulous company listening to tales from the king, Wally Lewis.

Thank you to our 2026 Fathers’ Dinner Supporting Sponsor: Morgans, and the businesses and people within our community who kindly donated prizes to the raffle or supported the event: V8 Supercars Corporate Experiences, Wineism, Data3, Verve Photography, Howard Smith Wharves, GoBoats, The Breakfast Creek Hotel, Crosbys Bar & Grill, Studio Pilates, New Farm Seafood at Merthyr Village, The McDonnell & McDonald Family, The Carrick Family, The Festa Family, The Campbell Family, The McGuire Family, The Lin Family, The Coorey Family, The Cannon Family, The Flynn Family and The Barnier Family.

Congratulations to all our raffle and live auction winners. If you are the holder of ticket #8 in our lucky ticket raffle, please contact the Development and Community Office to claim your prize by 01 April 2026.

Lara Pickering

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