¸£ÀûÐÂÇøÒ»Çø¶þÇø

By now every member of the school community should have received a letter from the School Foundation and a brochure detailing the nature of the development of the Sports Precinct. Work will begin on the project on 1 December 2018. Very shortly, we will share with the community ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ as we know that students and parents will have questions about how the school will respond to the temporary changes which will take place while we are in construction. The good news is, that unlike other building projects, the construction is contained to the lower third of the school campus and we can move classes and many activities up to the upper two-thirds of the school site. Please watch out for our communications about these changes, but in the mean time you may wish to check out the virtual tour of the sports precinct on our Website and Facebook. It is a really exciting project and it was clear from the reaction of the students last Friday, that they are excited too.

After school finishes on Friday this week, we begin our whole weekend dedicated to the reunions of Old Girls from 1958, 1968, 1978, 1988, 1998, 2008 and an Old Girls’ Chapel Service on Sunday. On the following Monday, we have invited past students from 60 years or more to come to the school for a luncheon. It is a busy weekend – one which sees just short of 500 past students return to the school.

Six members of the teaching staff have been nominated by the community for the National Excellence in Teaching Awards (NEiTA). Congratulations to the following teacher in the Primary School, Regina Brennan (Music) and in the Secondary School, Tom McCormick (Head of Faculty – Sociocultural Studies); Alina Layton (Head of Faculty – English); Mathew Stein (Head of Faculty – Global Studies; Kate Montgomery (Head of Year 9); Tom Smithers (Science and PE).

These awards are designed to encourage and support educators through recognising those who are examples of excellence in their profession. NEiTA is a wonderful way to recognise the fantastic and important work of our teachers. 

Ros Curtis 

A lot of thought and discussion goes into creating the subject lines and the initial subject preference submissions; feedback from Year 10 students via a subject selection survey, data from previous years, as well as staffing and student numbers are all taken into account. As you will understand, not all students will be able to do their preferred subject choices and this is unfortunate – I would so love to be able to accommodate all individual preferences. However, the very nature of a timetable makes that impossible. Students in Year 9 in 2019 are able to take subjects in a major or minor strand, and students in Year 11 2019 should be choosing subjects according to what they enjoy and what they are good at; these are the ones that will put them in the best position to achieve well in years to come. We also have set criteria in terms of groups of subjects students should choose from – this is to give our students the best possible chance of achieving their potential and open up as many pathways as possible after Year 12 and beyond. It is unreasonable to determine subject choices based on the career that they wish to pursue, as very few people at the age of 13, 14 or 15 years can know with any level of certainty what their career will be.

Sometimes, students may need to move out of their comfort zones and try something that they would normally shy away from. They would certainly need parent support in order to take up this challenge. Luckily, in this day and age, the only subject prerequisites for university courses are English, a particular level of Mathematics, possibly a Science and, occasionally a language. This should make choices easier when limited by subject lines.

On the afternoon of the 6th of August, all students in these year levels will receive an email with the information required for entering their subject preferences online. It is very important that this is done by 3pm on Monday 13 August as this is when the portal will be closed. For your records, please print a receipt of your subject selections. This is for your reference only - there is no need to submit this receipt to the school as we have an electronic copy of your preferences.

Karen Gorrie 

Our service this Sunday, 9:30am in the School Chapel, will be a celebration of both sacrament and story-telling. Please pass on details of this service to any past students you may know. If they are unaware of the event, check that their details are included on the Old Girls’ list of contacts!

Leadership 2018-2019 – the Role of Sacristan

This week, I interviewed some young women who have offered themselves to be considered for the role of Sacristan for the coming year. St Margaret’s uses the traditional term “Sacristan” as opposed to “Chapel Captain” or “Spiritual Leader”. Over my time at St Margaret’s, I have enjoyed working alongside nearly 30 girls in the role. The responsibilities and demands on these girls has remained largely the same; however, there are some differences as well.

Each year, I encourage the Sacristans to be creative and if they are looking for ‘change’ then to make that change happen! Some leaders in the past have chosen to create and lead a youth service, some have created reflective space with prayers in the garden. Others have felt moved to have the courage to tell of their own life’s faith journey. Others are remarkably enthusiastic about simply encouraging other students to get involved.

Whatever their strength, the role of Sacristan is unique and often one that quietly walks alongside other St Margaret’s girls. In reality, sometimes they are a very public face of prayers and assembly, chapel and functions. Sometimes their role purely involves setting up and washing up! The Chaplain relies on Sacristans to also be the voice of the congregation at times… for good or for bad!

Upcoming Services

Sunday 29 July: 9:30am, Annual Old Girls’ Service, School Chapel

Sunday 19 August: Young Families’ Service, 9am, School Chapel

Sunday 22 August: Boarders’ Mid-Term Eucharist, 6pm

Sunday 16 September: Young Families’ Service, 9am

Other Events for the Diary!

St Mark’s Anglican Church Garage Sale - this Saturday 28 July, 8am – 12pm 

With every blessing on you and your week ahead,

The Reverend Canon Nicki Colledge 

The weekend included different cooking classes from strawberry protein balls to ‘sop, sop’ (a traditional dish from Thursday Island passed down from Jo Loban’s grandmother) to many girls sharing their musical talents. They enjoyed learning different dances and then performed these for the rest of the Boarding House. We also participated in a session of Tai Chi, run by Serina He in Year 12, learnt how to make flower crowns from the Pacific Islands and gained an understanding of their significance in the Islander culture. Our international girls ran a chopsticks challenge, teaching us how to use them correctly. We should also not forget the excitement of the very Australian whip cracking demonstration.

One of the highlights of the festival was a traditional PNG dance performed by Christine Dawanincura (Boarder Captain) and her family. This was followed by the Acknowledgment of Country by our other Boarder Captain, Pru Brosnan. All of the Year 12s played an integral part in the success of the weekend, demonstrating outstanding leadership skills.

This weekend would not have been possible without the wonderful inspiration and organisation by Janet (Year 12 Housemother) and Grace (Year 8 Housemother). We would also like to acknowledge the kitchen staff for the variety of international foods they provided over the weekend and a huge thank you to the facilities staff for all of the set up. Most importantly, I would like to thank all of the girls for their enthusiasm towards all aspects of the festival. It was a wonderful weekend shared by us all.

Lesa Fowler 

Years 11 and 12 Subject Selection update

Subject Information night is on Monday 6 August for Year 10 students selecting subjects for Years 11 and 12. On this night, I will provide information about the new Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) system, tertiary institutions will be present, and each Head of Faculty will be available to provide information about subject options. With the introduction of the new QCE system there a few new subjects being offered to the girls, including Literature, Design and Digital Solutions. Heads of Faculty will be presenting information about each of these subjects to assist your selection. Final subject selections will be required by Monday 13 August.

The final SET Plan interviews will take place this week and next week for girls who have been on Term 2 exchange or were unable to make their Term 2 interview. The students will be notified of their interview in the coming days.

Year 12 QCS Program Term 3

The countdown is on to the QCS Test on 4 and 5 September for our OP eligible students. The girls have been preparing for this test since Year 11 and their practice tests show some promising results. In the lead up to the test, your daughters will have the opportunity for extension classes, feedback sessions, tutorials and one more practice writing task. They know that everyone’s performance matters and together we can achieve a great result. The details about the Term 3 program and tutorials can be found on the QCS page of The Pod.

Year 11 Learning Development program - Term 3

This term in Year 11 Learning Development, the girls will focus specifically on improving and identifying their numeracy and literacy strengths and weaknesses. The girls require highly refined skills for achieving well in their senior subjects, as well as in the QCS Test in Year 12, so these lessons are relevant to all girls. To identify their strengths and weaknesses, the girls will complete an online literacy and numeracy test in the coming weeks that will provide specific information about their performance.

Year 12 Selection Rank Program Term 3

Many of the non-OP eligible girls have worked hard to complete their Diploma of Business, so in Semester 2 an alternative program has been developed to continue to build their experiences. The program will take place on Monday lessons 2A/B and Thursday lessons 1A/B. Some of the activities include Senior First Aid training, How to Write a Curriculum Vitae, Primary School reading visits and completion of the Responsible Service of Alcohol course. The full program of activities is available on the Year 12 POD page. Participation in these activities will incur no additional cost for families.

Year 11 OP Predictions

Next week, each of the Year 11 OP-eligible students will be emailed an invitation to meet with me to receive their first OP prediction based on their Semester 1 results. This prediction offers your daughter an indication of their mid-year progress and is stated as a range not a single score. In our meeting we will discuss key areas for improvement and strategies for achieving this improvement. As parents, you know that this prediction is received with much anticipation and I would like you to be very aware that your daughter’s results in Semester 2 and beyond can change this prediction. I encourage you to continue the conversation at home about your daughter’s goals for Semester 2 and if you would like to meet and discuss any issues please contact me.

Jo Butterworth 

If you were unable to attend these interviews, please remember that you can access your Years 5 to 11 daughters’ results (both End of Semester Report and Continuous Reporting) in Parent Lounge. A reminder that End of Semester Reports are found under Academic Reports and Continuous Reporting can be found under the cocurricular activities section in the student details tab on the front page of Parent Lounge.

Academic Advising and Goals Setting

Academic Advisors and Form Teachers are beginning to work with the girls again to set learning goals for Semester 2. The focus for goals in Semester 2 will be around teacher feedback from the continuous reporting process. It is important to note that while student results are an indication about how a student is going in class, they do not add a measure for the significant learning, engagement and motivation that is displayed by our students on a daily basis.

As a staff, we have been challenging ourselves to construct classrooms based around personally significant learning for all learners to enable them to understand and appreciate;

• That learning matters more than knowing
• The discomfort of learning should not be avoided
• The need to develop relentless curiosity, knowledge agility and have the ability to unlearn

Therefore, we are increasing the expectation on the students in terms of their engagement and motivation for their own learning. After all, the intention of learning is that it needs to be ‘owned’ by all who engage in it (McWilliam and Taylor 2012). As teachers, we are in a new era for educating young minds. Once being a teacher meant being the ‘Master’ of the classroom, holding all the knowledge and controlling the path students take to learn knowledge. Up until a decade ago the words ‘student engagement’ were used in a binary way, students were either working or not working (Antonetti and Garver 2015). Antonetti and Garver say it best; “Engagement for its own sake is just fun, to enhance learning, students must be engaged in a cognitive way” (2015:80). Therefore, if the intention of learning is that it needs to be ‘owned’ by all who engage in it, the challenge has been set for teachers to facilitate a classroom of co-learning, modelling, risk taking and resilience, be a true ‘Meddler in the Middle’ to challenge and engage (Antonetti and Garver 2015, McCrindle 2016, McWilliam and Taylor 2012).

So, put simply, the secret to student engagement at St Margaret’s is understanding that accountability, high stake testing and technological devices will come and go, but the experience of students and teachers learning from each other is timeless.

Supervised Study Sessions

Please note the booking system in Flexischools for Supervised Study Sessions has now been fixed and is ready for your term bookings. Supervised Study Sessions will run every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday until 13 September, from 5.00-7.30pm in the Eunice Resource Centre. These sessions are supervised by tutors from Durack College and have been a great support to the girls who attend. While the study session is free of charge, if you would like your daughter to have dinner this can be purchased for $10 at the time of booking the session on Flexischools.

Nicole Devlin 

Students and staff enjoyed the Secondary School Interhouse Athletics Carnival held at Windsor Park last Tuesday 17 July. Whether competing or supporting, this is a compulsory activity and it was pleasing to see such good attendance and observing the girls from all year levels encouraging each other.

Last term, the Year 11 students had a series of leadership focused personal development lessons and a 3-day program held in the last week of Term 2. The student nomination process for all senior leadership roles is now underway and we look forward to announcing the 2019 leadership positions in the coming weeks.

Year 12 students will continue to work towards their exit goals this term, both academically and as leaders of the school. This cohort has shown generosity in both the time they have given to younger students and raising awareness about various world issues. They are to be commended on their efforts and continue to receive the support of the whole school community as they move into their final semester.

Lastly, St Margaret’s Day held last Friday 20 July was a fantastic celebration of our wonderful school for both staff and students.

Making a Difference Conference – St Margaret’s 13 and 14 October

We would like to recommend to our students the ‘Making a Difference Conference’ to be held at St Margaret’s on 13 and 14 October. The Alliance of Girls Schools Australasia has developed a two-day program to give girls who want to make a difference in their own lives, their communities and the world the confidence, skills and ideas to step up and lead. Making a Difference will empower girls to bring their social conscience and inner leader to life. Filled with workshops, fun activities, inspiring mentors and powerful speakers ‘Making a Difference’ will give girls the opportunity to develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills.

Who should attend: Years 9, 10 and 11 girls 

The take home:

• gain confidence to step up and lead
• develop entrepreneurial skills
• learn techniques needed to be a strong advocate for change
• build a powerful support network
• work on real projects that can make a difference
• find your passion

Conference overview: ‘Making a Difference’ is packed with dynamic sessions that will take girls on a learning journey that uncovers creative leadership and entrepreneurial skills, explores effective advocacy and develops communication skills needed to effect change.

You can register your daughter for this event . 

Nikki Townsend

The Primary Art department are currently experiencing a greater flurry of activity as Years 5 and 6 girls prepare art to wear for Arts Spectacular on 31 August. These subjects provide a creative outlet for students, but as educators we would be foolish if we believed and limited creativity to the Arts.

As a school we are committed to helping students foster and harness their creativity, as creativity alongside critical thinking, are identified as two core capabilities that will help students to prepare for the world and workplaces of tomorrow. Since 2006, Sir Ken Robinson has been espousing the virtues of creativity and the role of schools in developing it. He believes “creativity is not just an ability to be inventive but a vast suite of skills, capabilities and dispositions”. Creativity and critical thinking are identified as two of the three learning and innovation skills needed for the 21st century learner; they help prepare students for an increasingly complex life and work environments. In 2015, the Primary school staff identified what these and the other skills (communication and collaboration) look like and how they are developed.

Our new Atelier Space will be an area where children will create as they explore, design, experiment, test and try and problem solve through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) projects, learn the skills of coding and create and cook produce grown in the kitchen garden. More details about this space and programs were described in the eNews at the beginning of last month. Whether it is the Arts or STEM subjects, as a staff, we continue to find ways to develop the skills and resources to nurture young creative minds.

“Creativity is the greatest gift of human intelligence. The more complex the world becomes, the more creative we need to be. Yet many people wonder if they have any creative abilities at all.”

Sir Ken Robinson

Date Event

Friday 27 July: Primary Sports Photos

Thursday 2 August: Debate/Public speaking with St Aidan’s at St Margaret’s, 4-5pm

Friday 3 August: Free Dress Day

Tuesday 6 August: Year 6 Debate with St Aidan’s

Friday 10 August: Primary Interhouse Athletics and Ballgames Carnival

Tuesday 14 August: Classics in the Cathedral

Angela Drysdale 

Thank you very much to Mr Ng and Ms Williamson for their incredible work in putting together such an entertaining evening. Thank you to the Music Support Group for supplying refreshments prior to the concert and for their assistance in putting together the raffles. Their support of the St Margaret’s Music Program is always greatly appreciated. Thank you also to the Year 3 parents for their very generous raffle donations.

Community Choir

The St Margaret’s Community Choir commence rehearsals this week (Thursday 26 July). This is always a fantastic way of connecting with the broader St Margaret’s community. This year, the Community Choir will again participate in our annual Classics in the Cathedral concert held in St John’s Cathedral singing Karl Jenkin’s Benedictus, and will also perform at the whole of school Choral Concert held in Eton Hall at the end of Term 3. There is no need to register in advance for the choir - just come along to the first rehearsal this week in the Arts Centre Foyer. If you can’t make the first rehearsal, we would still love to see you the following week. Please find attached a letter (PDF 217.5KB) with further details, and feel free to advertise the choir to family and friends!

Classics in the Cathedral

The St Margaret’s Music Department is very excited to again present our annual Classics in the Cathedral concert. Classics in the Cathedral will be held this year on Tuesday 14 August in St John’s Anglican Cathedral at 7pm. This is a spectacular evening of beautiful music, performed within the stunning setting of St John’s Cathedral and is one of the St Margaret’s Music Department’s very special music events. Tickets are $25 for adults (no cost for students/children). Tickets may be purchased through Flexischools or at the door. Further information will be provided to students soon.

Music Support Group

The next Music Support Group meeting will be held on 31 July at 5:00pm in the Primary Music Room (second floor of Chaseley). Parents from both the Primary and Secondary Schools are welcome to attend.

Brad King 

St Margaret’s Run

It was a brilliant day in the winter sun for the 20th annual St Margaret’s Run. The Run, which is part of the St Margaret’s Day celebrations, encapsulates the amazing spirit of the students in a one lap race around the school. Congratulations to all runners, winners of the divisional races and the overall St Margaret’s Run Champion who is the runner with the fastest time of the day.

Junior Primary Division: Kate Greenwood

Senior Primary Division: Milla Roberts

Junior Secondary Division: Isabella Harte

Inter Secondary Division: Ciana Jamieson

Senior Secondary Division: Lara Crouch

St Margaret’s Run Champion: Isabella Harte

Winter Sports

It was a tough start to our Winter Fixture season with our first opponent being Brisbane State High last Saturday 21 July. Congratulations to our Open Netball team and the Year 10 Volleyball team who brought home the only wins for St Margaret’s. This round has provided our girls and coaches the opportunity to assess our progress and identify areas to work on in future trainings. We are looking forward to seeing some more gutsy efforts and steely determination from all girls at our second home games this weekend against Moreton Bay College. For this week’s schedule, please click here (PDF 261.4KB).

BSRA Rowing Regattas Begin

The first rowing regatta for the 2018 BSRA season kicks off this weekend at Wyaralong Dam. ALL Rowers must travel to the Regatta on the Bus. We race as a shed, therefore we travel as a shed.

The bus for the regatta will depart from Butler Street at 5:20am. All Rowers will be transported back to the Tony Elliot Boatshed, where they can be collected. Boarders will be transported back to the school by bus.

Year 8s and Seniors are rostered on this week to boat unload. Once unloading is completed all girls will be dismissed together.

Depart 5:20am from Butler Street - Years 8–12 

Finish
3pm: Pick up Years 9 and 10, Boatshed
4pm: Boat unloading - Year 8 and Seniors, Boatshed (If we can, we will finish earlier)

The Rowing Support Group (RSG) will host a barbecue and drinks for all parents at the Boatshed after Regattas 1, 2, 4 and the Head of the River whilst the girls are unloading. Once the unloading is finished, the girls will be able to join their parents at the school end of the Boatshed.

Detailed information regarding this weekend’s regatta can be found on the Rowing POD page and is emailed out each week.

Should you have any further questions, please contact Jared via email on: jbidwell@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Netball Trivia Night

The Netball Support Group is holding its annual fundraiser, the Netball Trivia Night on Saturday 4 August, from 6:30pm in the Philip Harris Sports Centre. All parents and friends of St Margaret’s are invited to form a table of 10-12 for a great night of trivia, music and auctions and to come together as a community to celebrate sport.

Auction items include:

1. Netball coaching clinic with Vicki Wilson, Paula Stuart and Tracey Bruce
2. Lee Bodimeade Hockey coaching clinic
3. Panda Pearls jewellery piece valued at $400

To book a table, please see the attached flyer (PDF 391.1KB) for further details.

Congratulations…

Isabella Harte (Year 7), Maicey Lynch (Year 8), Chloe Fenwicke (Year 9), Ciana Jamieson (Year 10) and Bella Donaldson (Year 11) who competed at the State Cross Country Championships on the weekend. Great success was had with the girls recording the following places:

Isabella Harte – 1st Place 13 Years and 1st Place 4 x 1.5km Relay

Maicey Lynch – 16th Place 13 Years and 1st Place 4 x 1.5km Relay

Chloe Fenwicke – 6th Place 15 Years

Ciana Jamieson – 4th Place 16 Years

Bella Donaldson – 14th Place 16 Years

Helen Lobegeiger 

I was cast as one of the lead characters, Noelle – a bully who has come from a very dysfunctional family and longs for the power she doesn’t have in her own home. It was so interesting to see what happens on the other side of the camera and to meet all the amazing film crew who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly. I learnt so much about the film-making process; from the concept of ‘continuity’ (making sure everything looks exactly the same if a scene is shot over multiple days), to the way in which lighting is manipulated to create a certain atmosphere on screen. Such a positive experience with an incredible cast and crew has undoubtedly confirmed my desire to continue to pursue a career in acting and the performing arts.

Jordan Small

Drama Captain 

Artwork of the Month - July 2018
Congratulations to Sophie Ryan (Year 12) for Artwork of the Month - July 2018. Please click here (PDF 658.5KB) for full details.

Lisa Smith

Returning Exchange Students

We welcome back the following students who were away on their Exchanges in Term 2:

• Shawnigan Lake, Canada: Sophie Gerlach-Zuch
• Saint-Nom, Canada: Emily Pitt and Margot Davis
• St Anne’s, South Africa: Bianca Licina, Indigo Hill and Mackenzie O’Brien
• Nga Tawa, NZ: Lily-Kate Charles and Margot Behrend
• St Stephen’s, Hong Kong: Rebecca Lauder
• Crofton House, Canada: Olivia Garland and Sophia Colledge

Outgoing Exchange Students

The following St Margaret’s students are currently away on their Exchange to St Anne’s, South Africa this term and we wish them well: Anna Dunning, Harriet Warby and Lucia Capelli.

Exchange Meetings

Our weekly Exchange meetings recommenced on Tuesday 24 July in the Wearing Room, 1:15-1:45pm.

Important Dates

Applications for the 2019 Global Exchange Program close at 4pm on Friday 27 July. Year 9 students wishing to apply may hand in their applications to me via Main Reception or email me on: aachari@stmargarets.qld.edu.au. We encourage all Year 9 students to apply as this is a fantastic opportunity for personal growth and to experience a new culture and school environment in an overseas setting.

Angelin Achari 

Please click here (PDF 570.8KB) for further information. 

Our hope is to start a conversation that may lead to a parent/guardian network of business mentors that might offer advice, guidance and support and ignite a fire in the belly of our girls and show them that there are many ways to get from where they are to where they want to be.

We would like to start this conversation on Wednesday 1 August in M’s café at 5:30pm. If you would like to be involved in this business mentoring community (either a little or a lot), then we hope to see you there. If you are not able to make it but would still like to be involved, please send an email to mstein@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Hetal Raniga, Emily Labinsky and Mathew Stein 

This project – which includes the creation of a water polo sized heated pool, new tennis courts with lights, a modern gymnasium, a strength and conditioning gym and new HPE classrooms – will be one of the most significant developments in the School’s history, transforming almost one third of the School’s campus. This amazing new facility will be funded in part through the Enhancing Excellence Capital Campaign.

Information on the project, and how to get involved, has been mailed to our parent and past student community.

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank those in our community, including past students, parents and staff, who have made philanthropic contribution to support this project so far.

If you would like to find out more, or make a donation to show your support, please visit our website or contact me on 07 3862 0884 or email foundation@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

P&F General Meeting

The P&F invites the school community to share their views and ideas at the General Meetings. Our next meeting will be held in the Arts Centre Foyer on Monday 30 July 2018 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm.

2018 St Margaret’s Race Day Raffle

The St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Race Day will be held at Doomben on Saturday 8 September 2018. This is a highly popular social event and is a major fundraiser for the school. A considerable proportion of the fundraising comes from the Race Day Raffle.

This year, Race Day Raffle Tickets are available online via a dedicated RaffleTix website, allowing you to purchase your raffle tickets using your computer, iPad or smartphone. To buy tickets, please

We are greatly indebted to the generous individuals and businesses whose donations have allowed us to assemble a very attractive list of valuable and diverse prizes. To view the full prize list, please click here (PDF 924.2KB).

For this year’s Raffle to be a success, we need the support of the entire school community. Whether you are attending the Race Day or not, please be a part of this important fundraising activity.

Netball Support Group Trivia Night

The P&F – Netball Support Group will be hosting a Trivia Night (PDF 391.1KB) in the Philip Harris Sports Centre on Saturday 4 August at 6:30pm. Come along for a night of entertainment, fabulous 80s music, trivia, great prizes and plenty of laughs. BYO Food (bring a cheese platter or order a pizza!), Cash/EFTPOS bar.

Tickets are $25 per person on tables of 10-12. To book your table, please contact Megan Stanley on 0434 212 247 or email meganstanley@live.com.au.

Professional Women’s Network

Fewer than 10 tickets remaining for our next Professional Women’s Networking Breakfast!

Guest Speaker: Alison Quinn CEO - RetireAustralia.

Alison Quinn is the Chief Executive Officer of RetireAustralia, the largest privately owned retirement village operator in Australia. As one of Australia’s most experienced property executives with an extensive track record of success, Alison has extensive development and investment experience in the seniors housing, property and constructions sector. A proud St Margaret’s Old Girl, Alison holds a degree in Commerce from the University of Queensland and is currently the President of the Retirement Living Council.

Join us for our third exciting breakfast in 2018 and learn how Alison has achieved outstanding success in her long and distinguished career in the property sector.

When: Thursday 23 August 2018

Where: Arts Centre Foyer

Tickets: Corporate tables $800 for 10, $60 adult and $40 students (Years 10-12/tertiary)

Lara Pickering 

Raymont Open Day
Raymont is a residence for a small caring community of tertiary students that attend all four of the major universities and TAFE in Brisbane. Its inner-city location and easy access to public transport add to its appeal.

Raymont Open Day will be held on Sunday 29 July from 9am to 3:30pm and coincides with the QUT Open Day. Come along for a tour of Raymont and a receive a complimentary lunch between 11:30 am – 1:30 pm! More information, including registration, is available at: .

Crimson Education
Crimson Education are holding an event on the evening of Thursday 2 August, for students and parents to provide information on the advantages of a US/UK University Degree, covering everything from campus lifestyle and academic life, to employment opportunities.

There will be a quick US/UK Admission Essay workshop with recent high school graduate, Rizina Yadav, who will be flying in from Sydney. This year, Rizina will be attending Stanford University to study Psychology and Public Policy, but was also accepted into Yale, Princeton, and Oxford (Law).

This is a link that will provide St Margaret's students with free general tickets, and half-priced VIP tickets ($10), the latter includes the workshop with Rizina: .

QUT
Creative industries events
Students interested in pursuing a creative career are invited to on 29 July and on Sundays during August. Students seeking entry to specific courses with portfolio, audition or interview requirements can attend an on 5 August.

ANU ¸£ÀûÐÂÇøÒ»Çø¶þÇø, Scholarships and Accommodation
Last month, ANU announced major changes to student admissions for 2020. We've been travelling around the country to tell you all about this new admissions process. We would like to invite you and your school community to attend the following events:

Brisbane - 31 July, 5:30pm -

The University of Queensland
UQ: Extension - Application for Music auditions to 8 August
Please note that the application deadline for Bachelor of Music (Honours) auditions has been extended. Applicants wishing to audition for the program will be required to have all documentation submitted no later than Wednesday 8 August. This is a revision from the application date printed in the QTAC guide.

UQ: Engineering and Computing Careers Evening
Do you want an exciting and fast-paced career, with qualifications that enable you to work around the world, as well as the skills to solve both local and global challenges? Find out how you can have all this and more with a career in Engineering or Computing.

Date: Thursday 23 August
Time: 6pm - 8pm
Venue: GHD Auditorium 200, Advanced Engineering Building (#49)

ANU
ANU is changing how we do admissions, making it easier for students to apply to Australia's National University. Students wishing to commence at ANU in 2020 will apply directly to ANU in a single application that covers admissions, scholarships and accommodation.

Timeline

• March to May 2019 - Students apply to ANU
• August 2019 - Early outcomes are released, conditional on meeting ATAR requirements, outcomes including admissions, scholarships and accommodation offer.

We will make early offers to students based on Year 11 results, conditional on achieving the required final OP/ATAR. This means students will know they have a place at ANU much earlier and they can start planning for their life at University.

QTAC
QTAC applications for current Year 12 students open 2 August. All applications are submitted online via the QTAC website. Some courses have earlier closing dates but the general early closing date is 28 September 2018.

Griffith University Scholarships
Each year, Griffith University provides more than 40 million dollars in direct financial support to help new and continuing students successfully complete their degrees. More than 600 scholarships are available to cover tuition, education and living expenses, and students can apply for multiple scholarships with just one application. Applications for 2019 opened on 20 July 2018.

Explore scholarship options and apply online at .

The University of New England
Benefits of UNE Early Entry Direct:

• Apply directly to UNE online
• No application fees
• Know earlier (November) that you have a place at UNE to relieve the pressure of waiting for results, and let you plan your big move
• No QTAC application required - Applying through UNE Early Entry does not prevent you from making another application through a tertiary admissions centre so it’s a great way to increase your chances of getting into the course you want.

Who can apply for Early Entry?
Early Entry is available for most UNE degrees, for current Year 12 students. For most courses you are offered you will also have the option to accept the offer and defer for up to two years.

Apply via: on or before Friday 28 September 2018.

Australian Catholic University

What is CAP?
ACU's Community Achiever Program (CAP) is designed to acknowledge commitment to our local communities. Regular volunteer work in your community – through a social justice organisation, sporting, performance, cultural or religious group – may be rewarded through our Community Achievers' Program with entry into an undergraduate degree.

A successful CAP application means you could receive an offer as early as August to study at ACU. Being part of this CAP group also offers unique opportunities to enhance your leadership and volunteering skills, while you study with us.

CAP entry is only available for Undergraduate bachelor level degrees at ACU. Remember: the experience must have been voluntary, so ACU will not consider community involvement undertaken as part of your schoolwork, work experience or paid employment.

CAP applications to study in 2019

• Close - Midnight Tuesday 31 July 2018
• Offers will be released by the end of August 2018

Monash University
Audition preparation course – jazz and popular voice studies
This is a two-day course for jazz instrumentalists, jazz voice and popular voice students. Students will explore the performance and ensemble processes helping them build the skills required to audition for entry to the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music. Students will learn what is expected during the auditions for our jazz and popular voice courses.

Event details:
Date: Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 August 2018
Time: 10am – 3pm
Location: Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music, Clayton campus
Cost: $330
Register at:

Engineering prerequisites
Did you know engineering graduates are among the highest paid graduates in Australia, with a median starting salary of $64,000 pa? (2017 Graduate Outcomes Survey) The Faculty of Engineering at Monash offers a flagship Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) degree enabling graduates to qualify as an engineer after just four years of study.

If are interested in entering this course at Monash, it’s imperative to select appropriate subjects early on, to ensure you can satisfy the course prerequisites:

• English
• Higher Level Mathematics
• Physics or Chemistry

(all Australian Year 12 equivalent)

For more information, visit:

Bond University Scholarships for Australian students
Scholarship applications for Year 12 Australian students opened on 1 June 2018. View each of the scholarships below to find out more about each scholarship, their eligibility criteria, value and how to apply. Download your copy of the Also review our for Year 12 scholarship applicants.

The University of Queensland
Changes to Doctor of Medicine program from 2021
The UQ Academic Board have approved changes to the selection process for UQ's Doctor of Medicine (MD) program that will impact current high school students. These changes will be progressively introduced over the coming years, allowing students ample time to prepare.

What are the changes?
There are two main changes to the selection process for the MD Program at UQ:

• The introduction of a Mini Multiple Interview as part of the selection process (only impacting current Year 10 students, or younger)
• The introduction of prerequisite courses to ensure students are well prepared for the first two years of the program (impacting all students)

Why the change?
Our revised admission process is designed to ensure the highly sought-after places in the MD program are offered to applicants who demonstrate the attributes and abilities most suited to the profession of medicine, and most likely to succeed in the MD program.

ANU
A pathway to medicine at ANU
The Bachelor of Health Science offers a pathway to the postgraduate at ANU without having to sit the GAMSAT. At the end of their second year in the Bachelor of Health Science up to 30 students will receive an offer of entry to the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery (MChD), contingent upon their grade point average (GPA), an interview process and successful completion of the Bachelor of Health Science. Ten of the 30 places in the Doctor of Medicine and Surgery (MChD) program are reserved for rural and Indigenous students from the Bachelor of Health Science.

Program details: QLD OP: 6 and other prerequisites apply. For further details on admission, fees and program requirements, visit the .

UQ Pharmacy Experience Day - save the date
Pharmacy Experience Day is an annual UQ showcase which invites students to discover where a Bachelor of Pharmacy can take them. Throughout the day guests will take part in a range of hands-on laboratory activities, meet and quiz current students and participate on a guided tour through the world class facilities. All members of the public are invited to attend the Pharmacy Experience Day, to be held on Sunday 19 August 2018.

UQ New Bachelor of Arts Program Planner
The Bachelor of Arts offers students unrivalled flexibility, but this often causes confusion among new students. UQ have launched a new as a resource for guidance officers, teachers and students.

University Open Days

Australian Catholic University (ACU)
28 July 2018 (Saturday) Open Day Brisbane 9am-2pm

Bond University (BOND)
28 July 2018 (Saturday) Twilight Open Day Gold Coast

CQUniversity (CQU)
9 August 2018 (Thursday) Brisbane Open Day 3pm-6pm
11 August (Saturday) Bundaberg and Mackay

Griffith University (GRIFFITH)
12 August 2018 Open Day Gold Coast, Nathan and South Bank Campuses

James Cook University (JCU)
19 August 2018 (Sunday) Townsville Campus
26 August 2018 (Sunday) Cairns Campus

Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
29 July 2018 (Sunday) Open Day Gardens Point (City) campus

Southern Cross University (SCU)
29 July 2018 Gold Coast Open Day 10am-2pm

The University of Queensland (UQ)
5 August 2018 (Sunday) St Lucia Campus 9:00am-3:00pm
19 August 2018 (Sunday) Gatton campus 9:00am-3:00pm

University of Southern Queensland (USQ)
19 August 2018 (Sunday) USQ Toowoomba
1 September (Saturday) USQ Ipswich
7 September (Friday) USQ Springfield

University of the Sunshine Coast (USC)
Fraser Coast: Saturday 23 June
Sippy Downs: Sunday 22 July
Caboolture: Sunday 5 August

KEY DATES: 

Friday 20 July 2018
Griffith University: Scholarship applications opened

Tuesday 31 July 2018
ACU: Closing date CAP applications to study in 2019

Wednesday 1 August 2018
UAC (NSW Tertiary) Applications open
Early bird applications close Friday 28 September

Thursday 2 August 2018
QTAC (Qld Tertiary) Applications open
Early bird applications close Friday 28 September

Monday 6 August 2018
VTAC (Victorian Tertiary) Applications open
Close of timely applications: Thursday 27 September
Close of Scholarship applications: Friday 12 October

Sunday 19 August 2018
UQ Pharmacy Experience Day, 9:30am-1pm

Friday 28 September 2018
UNE closing date Early Entry application

Monday 17 December 2018
OP Advice Night: UQ Centre, St Lucia campus 4-7pm

Tuesday 18 December 2018
QUT Real Decisions, Gardens Point campus

Elizabeth Johnston

​