eNews Archive Issue 4 - 16 February 2017

WHOLE SCHOOL

From the Principal

Scholars Assembly
It was lovely to welcome back to the school on Tuesday some of our OP 1 - 5 scholars. What an interesting group of young women, intending to complete a variety of university courses; some were unavoidably absent, already into their journey by travelling overseas or commencing their ‘gap’ year. The students at the assembly received really good advice from the past students. The Scholars Assembly is held annually, not just to celebrate the high achievement of the previous years’ seniors, but also to provide strong academic role models to younger students.

In my address I spoke to the students about the ‘10 things that require zero talent’ (). Inspired by an online post, I shared this information with the students and highlighted three important traits - Attitude, Be Coachable and Be Prepared. I completed my address with this final paragraph, which I borrowed from the post, and thought I would share it with you as it may be a useful conversation starter at some point:

‘Each of you has the unique ability to be, do, and have absolutely anything you wish in the world. It will not be given to you however. It is up to you and only you. The real keys to success are really as simple as these ten traits. And, only you have control over your success or position in life; No one else; no outside influence - only you. Your parents and teachers can help set you up but only you can be responsible for your learning.’

Research
Some interesting recent research from the US investigating if students could apply reason to information sourced online is a source for concern about students’ critical thinking abilities. The researchers were assessing whether lower secondary and upper primary students (that is middle school aged students) could distinguish an advertisement from a news story, or whether older students could determine if information was generated by interest groups and whether university students could detect bias in information. The study found the majority of students could not differentiate news from sponsored content or detect disinformation about civic issues. According to the study, 82% of the younger group of students (middle school age) participating in the study could not distinguish between an advertisement marked as sponsored content and a real news story. Many said they judged the credibility of news based on how much detail was given or whether a large photo had been included, rather than the source. Key questions we as educators and parents need to encourage our young people to ask when assessing online content are ‘Who is behind this information, and what is their motivation?”

Parents need to be aware of two apps that are cause of concern for the privacy and safety of young people. The first one is call live.ly

Live.ly is live video streaming in a social networking app that allows users to broadcast live video to anyone online. As you can imagine, with any live streaming service, there are concerns about what children will share online and what they will see of other people sharing online.

Musical.ly is another app developed by the same people, and children use their musical.ly account to log on to live.ly. Cyber safety expert, Susan Maclean http://www.mamamia.com.au/is-musical-ly-safe-for-kids/ , issues this warning about musical.ly

18+ content in the song’s lyrics. Swearing and adult concepts in the provided music. Some song lyrics are clearly inappropriate for children and most adults don’t hear the words anyway.
Musical.ly users can search for other users to view or follow near their own location/city (uses GPS technology).
User generated videos can be viewed and shared onto other social media and messaging apps increasing exposure. You lose control of the clip.
Public comments on Musical.ly, which can be nasty.
Friends commenting that you have ‘ruined’ their favourite song and bullying in real life as a result.
Users can publicise their messenger usernames or social media profiles on their Musical.ly profile.
Large numbers of very young children from about 8yrs on the site.
Predators being able to watch the videos of your child, take them, and store them.

I offer this information to you all because I realise that it is impossible for parents and carers to be on top of the social media use of their daughters. I hope this helps as you monitor the use of your daughter's social media.

Ros Curtis

From the Deputy Principal

At the beginning of the year, all staff took part in a professional learning session with wellness expert Meg Durham. We learnt the power and importance of looking after ourselves, under the mantra of “if it’s to be, it’s up to me". We learnt that if we are to look after others, we need to look after ourselves first.

I think that a message like this is so important for both staff and students (and families) alike.

We learnt that if we have a positive mindset, our brains are 31 per cent more productive than if we are in a state of negative emotion or stressed. This is therefore so important when our students are studying and needing to retain new and difficult information along their learning journeys.

Being positive comes naturally to some, while to others it may not, perhaps understandably due to several different influences or experiences in our lives.

I think that as a community, it is important to remind ourselves, our colleagues, our classmates and our friends about what we can be positive about and that we are there to support them in times of need. We will all be dealt challenges, so equipping ourselves to deal with those challenges and by surrounding ourselves with support networks can assist us through those times. If we need help, we need to be empowered to ask for it.

Some questions conclude with:
1. If I bring 5 per cent more awareness to my positive emotions today …
2. Actions I can take to improve my wellbeing are …
3. I am becoming aware …

I wish everyone an enjoyable week.

Karen Gorrie

Chaplain

Introducing our Student Chaplain for 2017
Mrs Juliana Bate has joined the team at St Margaret’s for the 2017 school year. As a Student Chaplain, working part time alongside The Reverend Nicki Colledge, she will be observing, learning and participating in the dynamic role of School Chaplaincy.

Mrs Bate is currently studying a Bachelor of Theology at St Francis Theological College in Milton, and is a first-year ordinand for Priesthood in the Anglican Church. A mother of two, and wife to Reverend Christopher Bate, Juliana is passionate in her faith, views diversity and differences as a gift, and believes that everyone can positively contribute to the world in which we live, each in our own special and unique way.

I am sure you will join me in welcoming Juliana to the St Margaret's family!

Youth Group of Girls at St Mark’s Anglican Church, Clayfield
Youth group starts this Friday night at 7pm for girls aged in Years 7-10. Activities this week include diary making and decorating. Bring a friend and also check out the flyer for a visiting musician in 2 weeks’ time: http://stmarksclayfield.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Youth-Group-Dan-Warlow.pdf.

Upcoming Services
Wednesday 22 February: 6pm, Boarders’ Eucharist with Baptisms, Chapel
Friday 24 February: 2pm, Primary School Eucharist, Chapel, ALL are welcome!
Wednesday 1 March: 9:40am, Ash Wednesday Service, PHSC, ALL welcome!
Sunday 12 March: 9am, Young Families' Service, Chapel
Wednesday 29 March: 6pm, Boarders' Eucharist

Prayer for the Week Ahead
God of Grace, God of Hope, this week may we find many small and unusual moments to cherish and celebrate! Even if we underestimate ourselves, help us to always remember that you anticipate great and amazing things from us and for us. No matter our strengths, no matter our challenges, may we celebrate that which sets us apart and makes us ‘new creations’ each and every day.
Amen.

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

Deputy Head of Boarding

All students are required to use their electronic devices in an ‘appropriate’ way. It is the ongoing plight of boarding staff to manage girls’ understanding of what that exactly means. Teenagers are faced with the daily challenge of peer influence and impression, new and exciting social media sites and their personal understanding of the dangers and the consequences of poor choices. Our education surrounding what is ‘appropriate’ is continually renewed and revisited to ensure the students’ safety at all times.

Every girl at St Margaret’s must adhere to the Online Communication Services: Acceptable Usage of School Students Policy. This focuses on the school laptop and network usage. Many girls, however, own personal devices which come with personal data. Smart phones are impressive devices with new functions being introduced regularly. One of our current issues is the use of other people’s ‘hot spot’. Not only does this allow for shared data, something which parents have not necessarily set up for their daughter, it comes without restriction. Girls could be exposed to any number of ‘inappropriate’ websites. On-line sites such as ‘Instagram’ have a ‘live streaming’ capability which girls may see as a fun tool, yet this function presents the potential for regret once the moment of excitement and spontaneity has passed. Students’ actions require respect for one another’s privacy. Staff, parents and care givers must continually reinforce these expectations through the conversations we have with the young people in our care.

Boarders should always seek permission to post photos of others and must be made aware that their use of internet and online communication can be audited and traced by authorised staff at any time. The use of personal devices should follow common sense and respectful behaviours which are understandably difficult for some girls to discern against their desire to be accepted by their peers. We advise no sharing passwords, hacking into other people’s phones, sending prank messages or filming other girls without their knowledge. We have our school rules in place and with some of these actions, there are legal implications.

To ensure safety, we strongly encourage girls to promptly tell a staff member if:

they suspect their device has been hacked into - spam or otherwise
they have received a message or image which makes them feel uncomfortable
a stranger seeks personal information, asks to be telephoned, offers gifts by email or wants to meet a girl - day or boarder.

We have an ‘open-door’ policy where boarders can present to staff anything they are unsure about. Any unsolicited communication could be used as ‘evidence’ in following up a serious issue. In turn, girls who come forward with information about known misuse of electronic devices in the Boarding House will be supported and their identity protected.

Personal use of the school laptop should be kept to a minimum. Internet and online communication services are provided for educational purpose. Use of unauthorised programs and intentionally downloading unauthorised software is not permitted. ‘Bypassing the network’ in any form is not acceptable here at St Margaret’s and is unlawful. As a boarding community, we acknowledge girls need to access parental contact and may do so at scheduled times through social networks.

We encourage you to be aware of the sites your daughters are using. This web-site is very informative: . The school provides sufficient technology usage. Personal data usage must be monitored by parents. We appreciate your support as we help the girls to make the right choices in regards to their use of social media on their personal devices.

Dimity Harris

Dean of Pedagogy

Scholars’ Assembly
This week, we held our Scholars’ Assembly. This is an important event in our school calendar and I include the remarks I made at its opening.

This morning we are recognising and celebrating the efforts of the young women sitting before you. We are recognising them for their academic efforts. Efforts that resulted in very successful outcomes at the end of their senior years. We are recognising them as young women who have been successful learners during their senior years at school.

Despite this, if you think of all the learning we do in our lives as a mountain they are still in the foothills. That means they are still at the bottom of the mountain. They have so much in front of them, so many wonderful opportunities which will enable them to develop and grow as human beings. The quote on the screen and on the front of the order of service, which some of you have, has been chosen purposely. I particularly like one sentence of it - Learn why the world wags and what wags it! I like it because it draws our attention to the whole purpose of learning, of education. That is, to understand the world and contribute to it. Last year at this assembly I said that, “we have more information, better technology and greater scientific advances than ever before in human history yet the need for us to think and build wisdom has never been greater”. This remains true, in fact recent world events have reinforced the importance of assisting young people to think deeply through their education.

Girls you are the people who will be required to make important decisions in the future, decisions about the world and the way it will operate. I urge you to think deeply about the world around you and your contributions to it. Have an opinion, an informed opinion about the things that matter. Your education is a gift which will not only allow you to make a contribution, but should compel you to do so.

Academic Mentoring for Year 12 Girls
This year, we will be implementing an academic mentoring program for Year 12 students to assist them in the development of the productive learning behaviours which will ultimately lead to improved outcomes. Each girl will have the opportunity to develop a mentoring relationship with a staff member. This will allow the student to discuss issues relating to their learning and receive guidance regarding the most effective management of their academic demands. I emailed the girls at the beginning of the week regarding the way this program will work and the expectations of them regarding facilitating the relationship. Basically, the process outlined to them was as follows:

The student will contact their mentor to arrange a time for an initial meeting.
The first meeting should be used to discuss the student’s learning goals for the term. These goals should be based on the student’s experiences last year, their academic report and any feedback they have received. The goals need to be focused on process rather than results. Materials relating to goal setting will be made available to staff and students to assist with the process.
At the end of the first meeting arrangements should be made to meet prior to exam block to discuss the student’s learning challenges and the best approach to meet them.
A final meeting should be held in the last week of term or at the beginning of the following term to reflect upon the term and evaluate the approach taken by the student.
New goals should be set as a result of this evaluation.

Obviously, the process articulated above is a guide and may be varied to suit the needs and commitments of the staff member and the student. Teachers and students are aware of the importance of keeping in mind a focus on deep learning which facilitates understanding and cognition rather than merely retention. The questions below are important ones for all learners.

a. How do I think about learning/what is my mindset?
b. What do I do in terms of my learning/do I have a schedule?
c. Do I focus on the purpose of what I am doing? What am I actually meant to be learning?
d. Am I thinking about the concepts and cognitions associated with what I am learning?
e. How might I be asked to apply these concepts and cognitions?

I look forward to some very positive outcomes emerging from this new initiative.

Samantha Bolton

Dean of Studies

“You can’t be what you can’t see”
Darcy Vescio, 2017 Carlton AFLW Player

This is a quote that I picked up on one of those postcards from a local coffee shop. It made me think about the countless number of conversations I have had with girls this year around goal setting and what their goals should be. Sometimes it is hard to set a goal when you don’t know what you want to aspire to.

Too often our girls set themselves endless goals that are aimed at “specialness or success”. The problem with this is that these goals are often linked to potential or societal expectations of what they should be doing; hence, moving their goalposts beyond sight and ultimately morphing their definition of success, rendering the goal meaningless.

Frequently in the media it is reported about the ever-increasing numbers of the younger generation feeling disillusioned and anxious about what their future holds for them. They feel they need to be better, do better and be the best to have success. They are results driven, outcome based and often their own worst critic. However, this obsession being the ‘best’ is often delaying their ability to feel at ease with themselves. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi suggests that there is not an inherent problem with our desire to pursue goals, as long as we enjoy the struggle along the way. “The problem arises when people are so fixated on what they want to achieve that they cease to derive pleasure from the present. When that happens, they forfeit their chance for contentment."

Over that last four weeks, all students from Years 7 to 12 have been setting goals for their learning. They have been looking at what they want to achieve and how they might go about doing this. Form teachers, Heads of Year and I are catching up with girls to discuss their goals and their expectations. I invite you all as parents to start the conversation with your daughter about her expectations of herself. Make sure that she is not inhibiting her capacity for contentedness by striving for what other people want her to become. Csikszentmihalyi explains that most of our daily activities or goals are exotelic, meaning we reap the benefits somewhere in the future, rather than enjoying them for their own sake in the present. Remind your daughter about ‘learning for learning's sake’, enjoy the process and experience as this is when we work at our best and are at ease with ourselves.

Nicole Devlin

Dean of Students

Year 7 Camp Reflections
Year 7 Camp… what a blast! From low ropes to giants swing, bush-walking, canoeing a bonfire, even indoor rock-climbing, we did everything! With three action-packed days and two action-packed nights, it was no wonder that on the way back the buses were nearly dead-quiet. With so many activities in so little time it was amazing that no one had fallen asleep on the way back. I’d have to say my favourite moment would have been the movie under the stars, where everyone sat on camp chairs with their pillows and insect repellent lathered on, groaning in unison whenever the movie would pause from a scratch.

Mapleton Camp was an amazing experience where, yes, sometime we were pushed out of our comfort zones, but for the best. New friendships were made, some friendships were even strengthened and everyone enjoyed it. Year 7 Camp was unforgettable and definitely something for future Year 7s to look forward to. If every other camp in the future is like this one, well, that won’t be too bad.

Jordan Muduioa

The morning of camp was a mixture of excitement, anticipation and nerves, as 120 Year 7s clambered on the awaiting buses. Waving goodbye to our parents, we set our sights on the camp ahead, eager to embark on one of the greatest adventures of our school lives. What a terrific way to commence our high school journey together.

The Year 7 camp was an amazing experience. I was tested and pushed beyond my comfort zone but also treated to some of the most thrilling adventures and felt a real sense of achievement.

Coming back from camp was a blend of relief and sadness. I made so many new friends, and really enjoyed bonding with new girls in our grade. Although I am glad to be home, I will never forget the best camp of my life! I am very grateful for our wonderful teachers and Ms Gscheidle who made this camp so special.
Ella Woods

Year 7 Camp Poem - by Ella Woods
The golden sun was shining bright,
At eight o’clock, the time was right,
As year sevens boarded the bus,
We really did make quite a fuss.

In Mapleton, we did arrive,
And by then we were feeling high,
We split in groups, and made our tents,
Then prepared for the day’s events.

Into the woods we ventured deep,
And what we found was quite a treat,
The Giant Swing, so very high,
Launched us up into the sky!

By dinner we were quite fatigued,
But there was more, we were intrigued,
A movie watched under the stars,
It really, truly was a blast.

That night inside the tent was hot,
30 degrees! I kid you not,
But though our talking was quite loud,
The way we slept was very sound.

Then suddenly, the sun appeared,
And all our sleepy heads were cleared!
Breakfast time! What would it be,
I guess we’d have to wait and see.

Soon after some bacon and eggs,
Back to the tents, to clean up dregs,
Then we learned how to cook milo,
Bush style! It was really yummo!

First, liquid gas, to light the fire,
Then boiling water is required,
Mix it together, with some milo,
Then add some milk, and drink it slow.

By this time we were at the boil,
But there was a lake for us to roil,
Splashing in our bright canoes,
Just like we had nothing to lose!

Low-Ropes Course, we won’t forget,
Which caused us all to break a sweat,
A test of strength and how much trust,
We put in friends, the answer: Not much!

But we made it through, with barely a scratch,
Before heading to dinner, to relax,
By then we were shattered, but still there was more,
An outdoor bonfire and marshmallows galore!

We slept our last night in cabins of eight,
And woke up at five, to play UNO, it was great!
Before finally heading to our last activities,
A bushwalk, rock-climbing, to end our festivities.

On year seven camp I had such a great time!
Bonding with new girls and old friends of mine,
Many thanks to the teachers and helpers we met,
Who worked hard to give us a camp we won’t forget!

Student Representative Council (SRC), Form Captains and Vice Form Captains
Congratulations to the following students on their appointment as leaders of their Year levels:

7A
Form Captain: Alexandra Cattanach | Form Vice Captain: Mary Kinross
SRC: Lillian Campbell

7B
Form Captain: Ruby Greenup | Form Vice Captain: Grace Ramsay
SRC: Holly Marchant

7C
Form Captain: Ava Tarabay | Form Vice Captain: Sophia Buys
SRC: Arabella Burke

7D
Form Captain: Ella Woods | Form Vice Captain: Isabel Stephens
SRC: Stephanie Licina

7E
Form Captain: Kristy Ching | Form Vice Captain: Elena Kearns
SRC: Annabel Lauder

8A
Form Captain: Lucinda MacPherson | Form Vice Captain: Emma Arnott
SRC: Charlotte Russell

8B
Form Captain: Ashleigh Pomeroy | Form Vice Captain: Lucy Howard
SRC Representative – Hanna Gustafsson

8C
Form Captain: Sofia Turner Garcia | Form Vice Captain – Jemilla Halliday
SRC: Ellen Tracey

8D
Form Captain: Paloma Fajardo | Form Vice Captain: Rosie Turnbull
SRC: Halle Scriven

9A
Form Captain: Sophie Leggett | Form Vice Captain: Grace Hutcheson
SRC: Emily Pitt

9B
Form Captain: Eva Campbell | Form Vice Captain: Mercedes Breslin
SRC: Alyssa Renaut

9C
Form Captain: Zali Fisher | Form Vice Captain: Olivia Howard
SRC: Sophia Colledge

9D
Form Captain: Bianca Licina | Form Vice Captain: Alexandra Fisher
SRC: Sophie Gerlach-Zuch

10A
Form Captain: Amelia Stapley | Form Vice Captain: Samantha Morgan
SRC: Sophie Cosgrove

10B
Form Captain: Matilda Palmer | Form Vice Captain: Ellen Brennan
SRC: Maria Dines Muntaner

10C
Form Captain: Bella Gray | Form Vice Captain: Emily Woods
SRC Representative: Hilary McKie

10D
Form Captain: Elizabeth Fowler | Form Vice Captain: Emma House
SRC: Isabella Corby-Bakkelund

11A
Form Captain: Philippa McNamee | Form Vice Captain: Katharine Fleming
SRC: Xanthe Lowe-Brown

11B
Form Captain: Bridgette Smith | Form Vice Captain: Millicent McKendry
SRC: Bonnie Attwooll

11C
Form Captain – Charlotte Preston | Form Vice Captain: Isabelle MacPherson
SRC: Wing Tung (Angel) Lau

11D
Form Captain: Madeleine Brady | Form Vice Captain: Leah Reiher
SRC: Paris Hall

11E
Form Captain: Rosemary Corcoran | Form Vice Captain: Katerina Marshall
SRC: Penelope Crothers

12A
Form Captain: Felicity House | Form Vice Captain: Emi Watterson
SRC: Clare Adcock

12B
Form Captain: Bronte Thompson | Form Vice Captain: Georgina Rankine
SRC: Lauren Butler

12C
Form Captain: Paris Martin | Form Vice Captain: Ayla Beagrie
SRC: Lucy Woodrow

12D
Form Captain: Ashaya King | Form Vice Captain: Sienna Townsend-Sim
SRC: Pwasima Somare

12E
Form Captain: Freya Callway | Form Vice Captain: Emily Kinross
SRC: Chelsea Walker

Nikki Townsend

Acting Head of Primary

Daily Reading
“The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more things that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
Dr Seuss

The wisdom of Dr Seuss has been proven time and time again; reading matters and daily reading has a significant impact on student attainment. Extensive reading has been linked to improved measures on general knowledge, vocabulary, spelling, verbal fluency and of course, reading comprehension.

It is critical that students spend time each day rehearsing fluent reading behaviours by accessing books at a suitable level. Books that are too challenging lead to students practising ‘struggling’ reading behaviours and this impairs both fluency and comprehension development.

To support, encourage, monitor and assist each girl’s book selection and reading development in Years 3 - 6, we are introducing the Accelerated Reader Program in the coming weeks. AR, as it is known, is a computer program that assists teachers to manage and monitor children’s independent reading practice. Each student undertakes a range of reading assessments to ascertain their best fit reading level and then selects books from the Library at her level. When the book is finished, students take a short quiz on the computer which provides teachers with information about how well students have comprehended the text. With over 32,000 AR quizzes available, many books in our Primary Library have been levelled and colour coded to assist the girls to select a book which should be able to be read without frustration or loss of motivation. These books all have AR quizzes which will be completed once the book has been read. Books are also assigned points based on the length of the book. Students earn points or a portion of a book’s points depending on how well they do on the reading quiz.

Different motivational strategies will be put into place to encourage students to read and make the most of the AR program. As way of example, a Millionaires Morning Tea will be held and students who have read a million words (teachers can monitor the number of words read over time using the AR program) will be invited to the celebration. Other class and school-wide strategies will be developed throughout the year to further encourage each girl’s reading.

Class teachers will provide a colour code to students in the coming weeks and will encourage them to borrow a book which has been coded with this colour. Students are not required to read only books within this colour band and will always be encouraged to read broadly, however, they will be guided to read books at their level so that staff can monitor student’s developing comprehension. Once students have consolidated their comprehension at one colour level, they will be directed to a new level.

As with all differentiated strategies and personalised learning, comparisons between students are both unhelpful and unmotivating. We strongly encourage and request that you focus on encouraging your daughter in her reading by discussing the book she is reading with her and ensuring she is reading each night. Positive encouragement of good reading habits far surpasses discussions focused on reading levels and colours. Teachers will monitor each girl’s reading and provide guidance as to future book selection. Parents can best assist by ensuring their daughter reads each night and to continue to read aloud to their daughters to model fluent and expressive reading, as well as to instil a love of literature.

Years 5 - 6 Continuous Reporting

Data entry for continuous reporting is currently being done and parents will be able to access the results of their daughter’s assessments later this term. The processes relating to Continuous Reporting for students in Years 5 - 6 will be outlined in next week’s eNews.

City District Swimming

Congratulations to Evangeline Phillips who broke the record for the 50m fly. Congratulations also to Evangeline Phillips, Portia Creevey, Grace Kinloch, Sophie Ellis, Lani McWilliam, Olivia Peck, Anna Lincoln and Emma Fahy, who all made the City Districts team for swimming.

Arrival Time at School - OSHC

Girls are encouraged to arrive at School at 8:00am each morning. This allows them to arrive in ample time to move to class and be prepared for the start of lessons at 8:20am. Staff are on duty from 8:00am in the Atrium to care for the girls as they arrive. We are noticing that an increasing number of students are arriving much earlier than 8:00am and we need families to book their daughters into OSHC if they arrive at school early. All students up to Year 6 can attend OSHC from 7:00am. This is a fantastic service which ensures your daughters are supervised in a caring environment.

We understand that there are many rehearsals, sports sessions and other co-curricular events that occur at St Margaret’s each morning and each of these events is supervised by a staff member. Students arriving early and not attending such events are required to be in OSHC to ensure they are being supervised and cared for.

Meet and Greet Leaders

Starting next week, there will be Year 6 girls in the drop-off zone every morning from 8:00am – 8:15am to meet and greet primary students (especially Preps and Year 1 girls). They will be wearing Hi-Viz vests and will be easily recognisable. They are there to assist parents at drop-off time. They will escort children into the Atrium so that parents need not leave their cars in the drop-off zone.

Afternoon Pick-Up

We ask that you please allow time for your child to get to the pick-up zone in the afternoons. As girls are not dismissed until 3:20pm, they won’t arrive at the zone before 3:30pm. Parents who come early and stay in the pick-up zone create a traffic problem. Our zone is a ‘rolling-zone’ where parents pull in, the child gets into the car and the car then departs. When cars stay in the zone, this cannot happen and it creates a backlog of cars which snakes right back into Towers Street. If your child is not in the pick-up zone when you arrive, you need to do the block and come back. It is illegal to stop at the crossing unless directed to do so by the crossing supervisor. If you do stop at the crossing to await a space in the zone, you can be fined. Fines currently stand at $300 and police frequently do spot patrols. If everyone follows procedures, our pick-up zone does work and all parents can safely collect their child.

Medication
There has been a large number of students requesting Panadol throughout the day. Some girls are coming as early as 8:30am and presenting with requests for Panadol. If your daughter has a need for Panadol we request that you administer this at home before she comes to school. If you feel there is the occasional time when she may require Panadol at school, a note in the diary is of assistance to us. To this end, we will be reticent to administer Panadol before lunch time for headaches and will encourage the girls to have a large drink of water to ensure we are addressing the underlying issue of hydration, which is often a cause of headaches in children. Your support in talking with your daughters about how to manage the causes of headaches by staying out of the sun, drinking lots of water and stopping physical activity if they feel a headache coming on will be helpful.

Open Day - Saturday 4 March
Open Day will be held on Saturday 4 March from 9:30am - 12:30pm. This is a wonderful morning where the children have the opportunity to share their academic, cultural and sporting talents with family and friends. All students from Prep - Year 6 are expected to attend Open Day. Pre Prep students are welcome to attend as the Advent Centre will be open.

Primary Family Welcome - Friday 10 March
Preparations are under way for our Primary Family Welcome. We encourage all families to attend this evening. It is a fabulous opportunity for both parents and students to catch up with old friends and make new ones. The children will enjoy the fun activities organised for them.

We will be forwarding an invitation shortly and Class Parent Representatives will be contacting you regarding donations for raffle prizes.

Upcoming Events

Date	Event
Friday 17 February	Class Parent Representatives Morning Tea - 8:30am Primary Library
22 - 24 February	Year 4 Camp - Alexandra Headland
Friday 24 February	Primary Eucharist - 2pm, Chapel
Wednesday 1 March	Ash Wednesday Service
Friday 3 March	P&F Mothers’ Luncheon
Saturday 4 March	Open Day - Compulsory School Day, 9:30am - 12:30pm
Tuesday 7 March	Andrews Cup Swimming - Chandler
Friday 10 March	Primary Family Welcome Night
Sunday 12 March	A Sunday Service for Families - 9am, Chapel
Friday 24 March	Primary Swimming Carnival - Centenary Pool, Spring Hill
Thursday 30 March	End of Term - 12noon
Thursday 30 March	Parent/Teacher Interviews 1pm - 6pm
Friday 31 March	Parent/Teacher Interviews 9am - 5pm

Trudi Edwards

Head of Performance

Open Day Music Performances
All girls involved in music ensembles have been working hard in preparation for our upcoming Open Day on Saturday 4 March. Please note that if girls are new to ensembles, some will require a performance uniform. These are available from the School Supplies Shop.

Uniform requirements are as follows:

Choral Ensembles
Serenata, Belle Voci: School middy
Primary Chorale: White Church Dress
Elevarsi Voices: Black performance uniform with black shoes (ballet flats)
Encorah: Black pants with a plum coloured shirt and black jazz shoes

Band Ensembles
Wind Ensemble, Regale Percussion Ensemble: School middy
Wind Symphony, Stage Band, Saxophone/Clarinet/Flute/EJ Percussion Ensembles: Black performance uniform with black shoes (ballet flats)

String Ensembles
Tutti Strings, Amati Strings, Beath String Quartet: School middy
Stradivari Strings, Chamber Strings, Sculthorpe String Quartet: Black performance uniform with black shoes (ballet flats)

Rock Bands
Highly Strung: School middy
Junior and Senior Rock Bands: Smart blue jeans, sneakers and ‘M Factor’ polo shirt

Music Support Group
The next MSG meeting will be on Tuesday 7 March at 5pm 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 2017 Musical Production

St Margaret's Anglican Girls School is very proud to present the all-time classic, The Sound of Music. Although staying true to the tradition of providing the journey of Maria's transformation of the Von Trapp family amongst an ever-changing political climate, this will be a musical like no other.

Performed at La Boîte, audiences will be enthralled by a cast of over 60 actors, an awe inspiring band and choreography that will have everyone singing and tapping along. In the words of Mother Abbess, this production will certainly take the audience on a journey that sees them "Climb Every Mountain… till you find your dream”.

The Sound of Music features music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, suggested by “The Trapp Family Singers” by Maria Augusta Trapp.

Performances:
Thursday 16 March: Evening performance - 7 pm
Friday 17 March: Evening performance - 7 pm
Saturday 18 March: Matinee performance - 1 pm and Evening performance - 7 pm

Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday 24 February. The link to QTIX will be available on the school website.

John O’Sullivan-Williams
Head of Faculty Art and Design
Musical Director

Visual Art News

Congratulations to Year 12 Visual Art student, Ayla Newman, who was selected to participate in the National Summer School at the National Gallery of Australia over the Christmas break. The program is open to Year 11 Art students, but only two are selected from each state. Ayla had the opportunity to participate in: workshops with up and coming Australian artists; life drawing sessions at the ANU, group sculpture making, a tour of the conservation team area at the NGA and a tour ofAboriginal and Asian art with an Aboriginal curator. Ayla has shared her creative experiences with Years 11 and 12 students. We congratulate Ayla for her motivation and creative commitment to Visual Art.

A reminder, we are looking for donations to assist the musical set painting girls with their task. We would appreciate either a donation or loan of between 6-12 aluminium decorative veranda panels (like the cast iron ones which graced old Queenslanders). Please contact me via the Secondary Arts Staffroom or email: lsmith@stmargaets.qld.edu.au if you can assist.

Lisa Smith
Secondary Visual Art Coordinator

Sport

QGSSSA Sports
Windsor Park played host to the second round of cricket last Wednesday. The Open team fielded tightly until the final two overs when Somerville House found the boundaries and won the match. The Senior team played Moreton Bay College and were defeated convincingly. The girls continued to work on both batting and fielding this week and look forward to playing Clayfield College in the Open division and Brisbane Girls Grammar in Division One.

Despite the heat on Saturday, the girls played softball and are holding their position on top of the ladder, remaining undefeated. The girls played well across the diamond to defeat Clayfield College. At training this week they will continue to focus on batting to ensure they are able to make the bases this week against Brisbane State High School, who is also undefeated this season.

With only two weeks left in the swimming season the girls, once again, were strong in numbers at the Moreton Bay meet. After looking at the times, I stopped counting the Personal Best swims once I reached thirty. Congratulations to Kev and the girls on the commitment they have shown thus far. This week, St Margaret’s hosts the swim meet at the Valley Pool.

St Margaret’s Fastest 50m Freestylers - Meet 2

12 Years	13 Years	14 Years	15 Years	16 Years	Open
Chelsea Johnson	Teneille Allen	Hayley Forster	Mia Fahrensohn	Lauren Masters	Holly Pilgrim

Swimming Carnival
Next Tuesday, House Spirit will be on the line at the Valley Pool for the Interhouse Swimming Carnival. House themes for the day have been set with march-on rehearsals taking place over the school as the girls build house spirit in preparation. Interhouse events are the highlight of my school calendar year as the focus is on participation and house spirit. Every girl has the opportunity to swim across a range of 50m events with houses using strategy to nominate their strongest swimmers to try and gain the most points,all with the aim of winning this year’s right to be champion house.

All girls will begin the day in form classes before being transported by bus to the Valley Pool. Girls are required to wear their House colours which includes their House coloured polo shirt, PE skirt, coloured socks, coloured ribbon, panama, HPE school togs and coloured cap for competition.

Girls are welcome to use the pool kiosk and bring a little extra money to support the charity stalls. There will be limited food and drink available at the venue, therefore it is highly advisable for girls to also bring their own morning tea and lunch, as well as sufficient drinks to maintain a good level of hydration.

Swimming Carnival
8:20am: Form classes at St Margaret’s
8:40am: Students transported to the Valley Pool
9:30am: March-on
10:00am: Events commence
12:30pm: Lunch
1pm: Open 50m events and relays
2:15pm: Captains' Race
2:30pm: Students return to St Margaret’s via bus

Outside School Hours Care

St Margaret’s Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) offers high quality before and after school care, as well as a vacation care program for school-aged children including Kindergarten.

Hours

Before School Care: 7:00am - 8:15am, Breakfast will be served between 7:15am and 7:45am
After School Care: 2:45pm - 6:00pm, Afternoon tea is served
Vacation Care: 7:30am - 6:00pm

Kindergarten and Prep students are escorted to their classrooms in the mornings and to the OSHC room in the afternoon. The OSHC educators can escort the students to their after school extra-curricular activities when required in the afternoons.

Fees (as at 24 January 2017)
Before School Care: $12 per day
After School Care: $25 per day
Vacation Care: $60 per day (incursions and excursions may incur additional costs)

Late Collection
St Margaret’s OSHC are strictly licensed to run between the hours of 7am and 6pm. It is essential that all children be collected by 6pm. A late fee of $10 for the first 10 minutes or part thereof, and $1 per minute thereafter will apply if your child is collected after the closing time of the centre. Please note late fees are charged per child.

Cancellation Policy
If your child is unable to attend OSHC as arranged, please advise as soon as possible. Fees will not be charged for non-attendance if 48 business hours or more notice is given. Cancellation should be made in writing to oshc@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or by phoning 0423 547 653. Notification is also important for safety reasons and to prevent time being spent looking for a child who is not present.

Bookings and Further Information
If you would like further information regarding our Outside School Hours Care program or if you would like to make a booking, feel free to contact me via mobile on 0423 547 653 or email on oshc@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Palu Ingram
Outside School Hours Care Coordinator

Expand your Horizons: Be a Homestay Family!

Homestay Families needed for our Study Tour Program in February and March 2017

St Margaret’s and Australian International Student Tours are planning to bring two short-term Japanese study tours to our school during February and March, 2017. The confirmed dates are 27 February to 1 March (2 nights) and 7 March to 12 March 2017 (5 nights).

We URGENTLY need families for these dates!

The students are female and usually around 15 to 17 years old and would love to enjoy the cultural experience of living with an Australian family.

They will attend normal school classes with our current students and will often have some excursion time included in their program. You will normally be asked to host two students at a time and will need to provide them with a comfortable room with bathroom facilities. You will also need to provide them with 3 meals per day, which will include a packed school lunch.
They will need you to bring them to and from school each day.

As a homestay host you will receive $40 - $43 per night, per student. This amount is considered as a voluntary payment for taxation purposes and not considered part of your income for up to three students!

Your family will enjoy a wonderful cultural experience and most often you may enjoy communicating with your students in the future.

If your family would like to welcome two students during these study tour times, please communicate with me, on behalf of St Margaret’s.

Margaret
Phone: 0408 429 542
daganme@hotmail.com
Australian International Student Tours

St Margaret's Bus

It is very important that students have a valid bus pass when they travel on the bus, as this helps the bus to run on time as well keeping the cost of administering the service affordable.

How do you purchase a valid bus pass?

Using your child’s student ID: the buses are fitted with Rovr - a Samsung mobile device - which will scan your child’s student ID card and this will charge your Flexischools account for an individual trip. Instructions on how to set this up can be found by clicking here (PDF 1.3MB) or by calling Flexischools on 1300 361 769 who will be able to assist you. Please make sure sufficient funds are available on the student card and that your daughter’s student ID card number has been linked to your account.
Logon to Flexischools: to pay for a 10-trip ticket online and collect the bus pass from the Finance Office.
Purchase a 10-trip ticket directly from the Finance Office with cash or credit card.

If you require assistance setting up your Flexischools account, please contact 1300 361 769, from 8am Monday to Friday.

Miles for Minotti

DON'T FORGET: IT'S ON AGAIN THIS SUNDAY. Unpack your not so mellow yellow and get ready for Miles for Minotti. While we are not quite having a tropical heatwave, it will still be warm, so be an early worm. We look forward to your support. All funds raised go towards the Minotti Trust.

Director of Philanthropy and Stakeholder Engagement

Professional Women’s Networking Breakfast

Tickets are selling fast - Purchase your tickets today!
Wednesday 15 March 2017 with guest speaker
Penelope Twemlow (’00),
CEO, Energy Skills Queensland
APAC Insider, 2016 Asia Pacific CEO of the Year
2016 Telstra Queensland Business Woman For Purpose and Social Enterprise
Founder and Chair of Women in Power
Chair of the Electrical Safety Education Committee

Read more about this exciting event and guest speaker.

to buy your tickets.

Nominations for the 2017 Past Student Awards are now open.

These awards have been established to:

recognise the many achievements of St Margaret’s Past Students, both professionally and personally
celebrate the diverse achievements of Past Students
provide an opportunity to share stories of success and increase connections between the School and Past Students to honour their legacy.

There are two award categories:

1. Distinguished Past Student
2. Young Past Student of Distinction

2017 nominations close on Monday 13 March 2017 at 5pm (AEST) and winners will be announced at a dinner on Friday 21 April 2017.

2017 Nomination Form

P&F General Meetings

The P&F invites the school community to share your views and ideas at the General Meetings, held in the Arts Centre Foyer from 6:30pm on the following dates:
Monday 27 February 2017
Monday 8 May 2017
Monday 31 July 2017
Monday 30 October 2017

P&F Event Dates 2017
Term 1
Friday 3 March - Mothers’ Luncheon
Thursday 30 March - Father Daughter Breakfast

Term 2
Saturday 27 May - Community Ball
Friday 9 June - Fathers’ Dinner

Term 3
Saturday 2 September - Race Day

ST MARGARET’S P&F ASSOCIATION INC

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
NOTICE is given that the Annual General Meeting of the St Margaret’s P&F Association Inc is to be held on Monday 27 February 2017 in the Arts Centre Foyer at 6:30pm.

AGENDA
The business to be transacted at the Annual General Meeting will be as set out in the attached Agenda (PDF 227.5KB).

NOMINATION FOR POSITION
Any one member of the P&F shall be at liberty to nominate any other member to serve as an officer or other member of the Management Committee.

The nomination, which shall be in writing and signed by the member and the member’s proposer and seconder, shall be lodged with the secretary at least 14 days before the annual general meeting at which the election is to take place. The meeting will consider whether nominations received after that date will be accepted. .

To nominate for a position on the Management Committee, please complete the attached Nomination for Position form (PDF 141KB) and lodge with the secretary within the time specified either by leaving the form at Main Reception or emailing it to P&F@stmargarets.qld.edu.au .

Miranda Dunning
P&F Secretary

Old Girls' Events

10 Year Reunion – Class of 2007 – Friday 21 July 2017
20 Year Reunion – Class of 1997 – Saturday 22 July 2017
30 Year Reunion – Class of 1987 – Friday 21 July 2017
40 Year Reunion – Class of 1977 – Saturday 22 July 2017
50 Year Reunion – Class of 1967 – Saturday 22 July 2017
60 Year Reunion – Class of 1957 – Saturday 22 July 2017
Chapel Service and Morning Tea – Sunday 23 July 2017
1938 – 1956 (60+) Year Reunion – Monday 24 July 2017
OGA Annual Brunch – Sunday 11 June 2017
AGM – Tuesday 28 November 2017

Luanne Wishart

Careers

Queensland School of Film and Television - Introduction to Video Production
Workshop details:
Date: Saturday 25 February 2017
Time: 9am to 1pm
Venue: QSFT Campus, 22 Warwick Street, Annerley, QLD 4103
To apply: and Complete Application Form. Email application form to applications@qsft.qld.edu.au OR Fax to 07 3392 7511
You will receive a confirmation email once application is processed.

Bond University College - a Pathway to Bond University
Bond University recognise that the traditional linear pathway from Secondary school into university is not the same for all students. As every student is different, so too is every journey. Since 2007, Bond College, as the inaugural academic pathway provider for Bond University, has been offering pathway programs to bridge the gap and support the transition to further studies.

From 2017, with an augmented program offering, Bond University College, will continue this valuable service. The programs will include a range of diplomas for students who have completed Year 12, including Business, Communication, Criminology, Legal Studies, International Hotel and Tourism Management, Sports Management, Sustainable Environments and Planning and Health Sciences.

ANU Tuckwell Scholarship
Receiving a Tuckwell Scholarship is not just about your intellect. It is about your desire and determination to use your natural abilities, if given the opportunity, to realise your full potential so that you can make a difference in the world.

An invitation to attend the ANU Scholarship Roadshow
The national , touring February and March 2017, is where you can learn about the Tuckwell Scholarship program and the opportunities that applying for the scholarship can open up. Hear from uniquely qualified individuals from ANU, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience) Professor Richard Baker and our current

Roadshow dates:
Brisbane - Thursday 23 February, 5:30 – 7:30pm,

SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design)
Attend a SCAD information session near you and discover more than 100 innovative programs of study, meet one-on-one with an admission representative and help start their journey at the university for creative careers.

Sydney - Saturday 4 March, 2 pm
117 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia
Learn about SCAD's innovative academic programs, art and design career options, and admission requirements. Students also can participate in a Q-and-A session with admission representatives. Please register to attend.

UMAT
Registrations for UMAT 2017 are open. Copies of the Information Booklet can be downloaded from the UMAT website: . Please note that before registering for the test, students are required to carefully read the UMAT 2017 Information Booklet, which will only be available online from the UMAT website.

UMAT 2017 Key Dates:
Registrations opened the first week in December 2016
Registrations close Friday 2 June 2017, 5pm AEST
Late registrations close Friday 16 June 2017, 5pm AEST
Applications for Special Testing Conditions close Friday 16 June 2017
UMAT Test date Wednesday 26 July 2017
Results released late September 2017

The only Identification documents accepted for UMAT 2017 are:
• Current passport
• Current photo-bearing driver's licence (full, probationary or learner's permit)
• Current photo-bearing Australian Keypass
• Current photo-bearing Australian Proof of Age Card

For further details, please refer to the UMAT website. Candidates without correct identification will not be permitted to sit UMAT2017 and will be turned away from the test centre. UMAT is only available once every year. If you do not register by 2 June 2017, you will have to wait until 2018 to sit the test.

UMAT Preparation
MedEntry: If you are interested in studying Medicine or a career in health that requires sitting the UMAT Test, visit the MedEntry website for assistance in your preparation:. MedEntry is the only government accredited training organisation for UMAT preparation.

MedStart: is an organisation that assists students to prepare for UMAT. Courses are available in Brisbane. Check the MedStart website for more details.

NIE UMAT Workshops Australia
Along with the 8 or 10 UMAT books our Premium, Platinum and Concession courses include the intensive one-day UMAT preparation and training workshop. Our workshops are designed to cover every UMAT construct (previously known as UMAT sections), the various types of questions to be encountered and how to tackle them, and then to check where you are at with respect to UMAT-specific study, throwing a full-blown UMAT NIE practice test at you. How will you fare? How have you been going? Which UMAT style questions still need work?

Brisbane Workshops (during school holidays):
Wednesday 5 April 2017 at UQLD, St Lucia Campus
Wednesday 28 June 2017 at UQLD, St Lucia Campus
Sunday 23 July 2017 at UQLD, St Lucia Campus

KEY DATES:
Friday 27 and Saturday 28 May 2017
The National Careers and Employment EXPO (Brisbane Convention Centre).
All Year 10 students will attend this exciting event on the morning of Friday 27 May.

Friday 2 June
UMAT Registrations close 5pm

Wednesday 26 July
UMAT Exam

Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 July 2017
The 36th annual Tertiary Studies Expo (TSXPO), Australia's largest tertiary studies expo, offers a unique opportunity for anyone interested in starting, changing or upgrading their career! Featuring many local, interstate and overseas education providers, student services and support agencies. Don't miss this great opportunity to map out your future, all in the one location! 8am - 4pm, RICC Brisbane Showgrounds. A great opportunity for students to collect information from a huge number of exhibitors.

Elizabeth Johnston
Careers Counsellor

��һ��