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St Margaret’s is very much a learning community. Those who are studying in 2017, and although not necessarily for a Masters level qualification, but still role modelling professional engagement and a commitment to lifelong learning, are:

Teaching Staff

• Nicole Walker - Master of Educational Leadership - University of Wollongong
• Claire Bloomer - Master of Education - Leadership and Management - QUT
• Kirsty Krynauw - Master of Sports Coaching - University of Queensland
• Tom McCormick - Master of Philosophy - Historical Research - University of

  Queensland

• Kate Montgomery - Master of Education - General Studies - QUT
• Angela Bowen - Master of Education - Leadership and Management - QUT
• Angela Drysdale - Master of Education (Research) - QUT
• Samantha Bolton - Master of Philosophy - University of Queensland
• Alina Layton - Master of Education - Leadership and Management - QUT
• Sharon Stone - Psychology Internship Program - Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA), Psychology Board of Australia.

    

Support/Boarding Staff

• Juliana Bate - Bachelor of Theology - Charles Sturt University
• Janet Caitens - Bachelor of Social Work - Griffith University
• Kirsty Longworth - Bachelor of Education - Australian Catholic University
• Nina Wildman - Bachelor of Music (Classical Voice) - The Queensland Conservatorium

Outside School Hours Care Staff

• Emma Swan - Bachelor of Primary Education - UQ
• Tim Todd - Bachelor of Secondary Education - University of Southern Queensland
• Holly Brain - Bachelor of Secondary Education - UQ
• Courtney Peel - Bachelor of Primary Education - QUT
• Sharney Florence - Bachelor of Primary Education - QUT
• Alyssa Ittensohn - Bachelor of Primary Education - Griffith University

Professional Women’s Network

Please do not forget the Professional Women’s Network on Wednesday 15 March. This is a great way for new and current parents to get to know each other over breakfast and to listen to a fascinating guest speaker. We are very fortunate to have past student Penny Twemlow (’00), 2016 Telstra Queensland for Purpose and Social Enterprise Award winner and CEO of Energy Skills Queensland, as our guest speaker; details about the event may be found at this link. I hope to see you there. 

Ros Curtis

In the article I read, students were asked to define a ‘community of kindness’. They came up with the following maxims:

• Look at things from others’ point of view - stand in their shoes
• Avoid the drama! NO RUMOURS!
• Don’t use nicknames unless someone tells you it’s okay to use them
• If you have hurt someone, apologise with sincerity rather than offering a casual sorry and moving on
• Lose the sarcasm
• Listen more, talk less
• Let your friends make new friends
• Don’t be a bystander
• Eliminate the phrase ‘just kidding’ from your vocabulary

(“The Reporter: Creating a Community of Kindness at School” in Independent School, Spring 2014)

This week, a group of staff and students will be joining me in having our first meeting of the St Margaret’s Way Committee.

In 2016 the St Margaret’s Way was launched. The vision of St Margaret’s Way is to ensure social and professional interactions between all within our community - students, staff, families - foster a sense of belonging, coherence and wellbeing. The St Margaret’s Way is a set of values and behaviours to which all members of the St Margaret’s community adhere. It grew out of questions put to the community: How do I want to feel every day when I come to school? What am I doing to ensure that others feel this way? The vision of this plan is to ensure social and educational interactions that foster a sense of belonging, coherence, wellbeing and accountability amongst staff, students and parents. Essentially, it is a pastoral approach that is designed to give a language to the way we are and strive to be in our interactions with each other. It is a focused energy on wellbeing, noting that all within the St Margaret’s community have a role to play in the well being of all in our community. There are two key focus areas - firstly we appreciate and acknowledge (each other, students, parents), and we are aligned and accountable (to ourselves, to each other, to the vision of the school.

I look forward to a year where our community can continue to embrace and foster the St Margaret’s Way.

Karen Gorrie

To commemorate the 125 years of the Order of the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent, the order of nuns responsible for numerous schools across Queensland, both St Margaret’s and St Aidan’s schools are joining for a celebratory service at St John’s Cathedral on Thursday 9 March, at 10am.

Our Years 4 and 8 students will be attending this special event. A letter will be coming to families very soon.

Ash Wednesday and the Season of Lent

Easter is the highlight of the Christian year. It is the message of hope, life beyond that which we see; it is the promise of Jesus and his resurrection that reminds us that God conquers all darkness. And so, to prepare ourselves and open our hearts fully to the possibilities God has for each one of us personally within this message, we take time to prepare … time to ponder … time to restore our souls … time to put aside the things that distract us from the journey.

Ash Wednesday (this year it falls on 1 March) begins the time known as LENT. It lasts for 40 days (not counting Sundays) and Christians may choose to respond in a variety of ways. ‘Fasting’ or ‘giving something up for Lent’ has changed a little even from when I was a child. Fasting may be seen as giving something up to open up a space in the hope that the space will be filled by God (Kemp, C., “Into the Desert”, ABM Lent resources 2017).

On Wednesday next week, students and staff and other members of the school community will gather in the Philip Harris Sports Centre at 9:40am for an Ash Wednesday Service. Whilst we will certainly offer the traditional mark of ashes (a reminder of our humble humanity, our need for refreshment), it is a symbolic gesture that can be powerful for those of all faiths and none. We invite everyone to receive either on their forehead or on the back of their hand. In the Christian faith it is a sign of repentance. For all humanity, it can be a sign of recognition of wrongdoing, a recognition of the need to say sorry to self, others and the world. With this service, our Lenten journey will begin.

Term 1 Prayer Space

St Margaret’s offers a sacred and hands-on reflective space each term. Known as the ‘Prayer Space’, all members of the community are invited to come and spend time there. Many classes from both the primary and secondary schools will utilise the set up over the week. This term’s Prayer Space will be open from Friday 3 March until Monday 13 March. Come along and take some time to spend there on Open Day! All are welcome.

Upcoming Services

Friday 24 February: Consecration of our new Northern Region Bishop, Jeremy Greaves, St John’s Cathedral, 7pm.

Wednesday 1 March: Ash Wednesday Service, 9:40am, PHSC, all welcome

Thursday 9 March: Mother Emma’s Day, Celebrating 125 of the SSA in Australia, St John’s Cathedral, 10am, all welcome.

Sunday 12 March: Young Families’ Service, 9am, Chapel

Wednesday 29 March: Boarders’ End of Term Eucharist, 6pm, School Chapel

Wednesday 19 April: Whole School Easter Service, 9:30am, PHSC, all welcome

Sunday 23 April: Young Families’ Service, 9am, School Chapel

Thursday 27 April: Years 9 and 10 Family Service, St Augustine’s, Hamilton

Reflection and Prayers for this Week

This week, as a school community, we remember and give thanks for the life of Olivia Campbell. There are many emotions and expressions of grief. I am available to the whole school community - staff, students, families, past students - and I can be contacted directly on 3862 0716 or ncolledge@stmargarets.qld.edu.au. Hope can be found in surprising places. I have been encouraged by the students gathering together to share stories. I have been touched by those who have chosen to walk the silent path, alone at times, towards prayer.

I will be using the Anglican Board of Mission Lent resource quite a bit this year. This week, I leave you with these words from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s “Letters and papers from prison”:

“May God lead us kindly through these times,

but above all, may God lead us to himself”.

May you each know God’s peace this day, may you each share this same peace with others,

The Reverend Nicki Colledge 

Ms Curtis reminded the seniors of the importance of table etiquette and the art of conversation, something worth practising as they approach life beyond school. Staff and the entire boarding community have been thrilled with the way these seniors have interacted with all year levels, presenting themselves as ideal role models. The evening was also a chance to acknowledge their wonderful start to the year and we have no doubt that these Year 12 girls will continue to show warmth and willingness to come together as a solid group supporting one another through all that this year brings.

Dimity Harris 

It is important to understand where the strengths and challenges of each individual lie, as this information is used to shape our program. Those students who are performing below what would be expected of them, given their in-class school achievement, will be asked to join a group to assist them to correct this discrepancy.

The girls have QCS folders which contain a range of material, including the list of Common Curriculum Elements that the QCS papers test. You may find it interesting to have a look at this list and ask your daughter to show you examples of questions designed to test specific CCEs.

Assessment Calendars and Time Management
Assessment calendars have now been uploaded to the POD. Students need to use these to help them manage their academic commitments for the rest of the term. They have been encouraged to follow these steps:

1. Carefully examine the assessment calendar and identify where your assessment is.
2. Use the blank term planner you have been sent to create your personal assessment calendar.
3. Once you have identified your assessment pieces, you need to check that you do not have more than three pieces of assessment on a single day – two exams and an assignment.
4. If you do, please email me to let me know so I can have a look at the calendar.
5. Once you have identified where your assessment is, you can shape your study timetable to suit your commitments.

 
Students often feel pressured by the task of managing their commitments. While most students have good intentions regarding their school work, their approach can sometimes be limiting. They may have a lack of motivation, feel overwhelmed or use their time inefficiently. Developing a comprehensive yet flexible schedule can be a very powerful way to address these issues. I wrote about this in some detail a couple of weeks ago.

Exam Block
The Block Exam period is fast approaching for girls in Years 11 and 12. The Year 12 girls have a Study Day on Monday 20 March and begin their exams on Tuesday 21 March, while the Year 11 girls have exams scheduled from Wednesday 22 March. Classes resume from Wednesday 29 March and all girls are expected to be at school as usual. During block exams, as many of you will know, girls are not required to attend school except to sit for scheduled assessment. Students are welcome to come to school during this time to make use of the environment and resources for assessment preparation. Please be mindful that they must be in complete and correct uniform when they are at school.

Exam block allows senior students to focus on preparing well for their assessment. It is not for activities which are unrelated to academic work. While it is important that girls can relax during this time so that they get the best from their learning, they are encouraged to choose forms of relaxation which assist with their general wellbeing. Their ‘study’ time should be balanced with periods of rest and physical exercise. It is also very important for them to eat well and get enough sleep. Students should not underestimate the importance of diet and adequate rest in terms of their academic performance. The role of exercise in healthy brain function is becoming an increasingly highlighted topic in research relating to good learning.

This year, there will be two study days for Year 10 students (20 and 21 March) and one study day for Year 9 students (2 March). Girls are required to attend school on these days but will not be in scheduled classes. Instead they will have supervised study time and whole year level testing. This will assist them to become more familiar with block testing and the strategies to use in managing it, as well as giving them the opportunity to refine their learning behviours.

If a student (at any year level) is unwell she should not push herself to attend school to sit an exam. It is better for her to obtain a medical certificate (Years 11 and 12 students require this) and sit the test at a later time than to perform poorly on the scheduled day. In this circumstance please notify the school as soon as possible.

Trends in Education Seminar 1 for 2017
Our first seminar for the Year is scheduled for Tuesday 7 March. This seminar promises to be a most stimulating and relevant address for those interested in twenty-first century education. We are fortunate to have Mr Chris Farrelly as our speaker. Chris has many years of experience in the primary resources industry, and in tertiary research, has been a science teacher and was a Head of Faculty for over ten years. He recently returned to St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School as Manager - STEM Enrichment Programs, following a year in the role of STEM Teacher in Residence at QUT in 2016. His presentation will review what is meant by STEM in education in the Queensland context, how STEM education is being enacted in many schools, and the effectiveness of approaching STEM as a trans-disciplinary subject, rather than through the traditional curriculum. Please find the details below. 

When: Tuesday 7 March 2017
Time: 5:30pm – 6:45pm
Where: St Margaret’s Arts Centre Foyer
RSVP: Friday 3 March 2017 to Mrs Lisa Beeney
Ph: +61 7 3862 0826
E: lbeeney@stmargarets.qld.edu.au
Refreshments provided on arrival

Samantha Bolton

As we are heading toward the middle of the term, all teachers have been gathering information about the students in their class in regards to their attitude to learning, self-efficacy and engagement in class. To allow for a formal feedback session between students, teachers and parents, interviews will be held on Thursday 30 March and Friday 31 March. At these interviews parents and students will have the opportunity to meet with teachers to discuss the information on these reports, as well as enable students to increase their understanding of the learning process and their role in it.

The intention of Parent/Teacher Interviews is to allow for open dialogue with parents to be part of their daughter’s learning journey. Letters regarding the interview booking process will be emailed in March. It is hoped that from this you and your daughter/s will have time to reflect on the feedback given and along with the teachers can work towards developing the traits of academic resilience within your daughter/s.

Academic resilience or ‘Grit’ is about students who bounce back, hang in there and those who never stop trying when they are working on developing the areas of learning that challenge them. It is important for your daughter/s to enjoy school; however, sometimes your daughter is going to encounter failure and frustration at school. As a staff, St Margaret’s teachers strive to provide support and encouragement to develop ‘grit’ in all the girls. As a group, we understand the importance for students to work outside their comfort zone and not to give up in the face of failure or disappointment.

Thank you in advance for showing your support by attending the interviews and I look forward to watching your daughters become resilient and robust scholars.

Assessment Calendars

All students have been provided with a copy of their Semester 1 Assessment Calendar. These have also been uploaded to the POD for student reference. Parents will be able to access the list of assessments and due dates after the 24 February through Parent Lounge via curricular activities.

Supervised Study

A reminder that there a few spaces for girls to access the Supervised Study Sessions. During these sessions, two tutors work with the girls to complete homework, support assignment work and assist with concepts not understood in class.

To book, parents will need to log into Flexischools via the home page of the school website and select ‘Supervised Study Sessions’. Bookings are limited to 25 participants each night and when a session is full no further bookings can be made. Bookings are essential and should be made in advance to ensure a place is secured. If dinner is required, payment must be made at the time of booking and this option selected in Flexischools.

Nicole Devlin 

Furthermore, Saturday 4 March is a day when we require all of our students to be present at school, in full uniform and either participating in curricular, co-curricular or community activities. Students have been asked to arrive at 9:10am for a 9:30am start. Each student will receive an individualised program for the day.

If due to extenuating circumstances a student is unable to be at school on Open Day, we will require a written note or email requesting absence to: Studentleave@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Nikki Townsend 

The clip explained the thinking and processes involved when students are challenged in their learning, and stressed the importance of drawing upon resilience in the face of challenge. We will continue to support our girls’ developing resilience as a critical learning disposition through encouraging them to ‘Get into the pit of learning’ and skill them to think critically and strategically to solve challenges.

Reporting

Students in Pre-Prep to Year 2 receive an end of Semester Report at the end of Terms 2 and 4 each year. Pre-Prep reports are based on the Early Years Framework and are mailed out. Prep - Year 2 reports provide an achievement standard for core subjects along with teacher comments. These reports are available online through the Parent Lounge, and you will be notified by email when they are available at the end of Semester 1.

Students in Years 3 - 4 receive an end of Semester Report at the end of Terms 2 and 4 each year which outlines an achievement standard for subjects undertaken, along with teacher comments and an attitude to learning rating. These reports are available online through the Parent Lounge, and you will also be notified by email when they are available at the end of Semester 1.

Parent-Teacher interviews are held twice a year in Terms 1 and 3. These interviews prioritise literacy and numeracy through offering parents the opportunity to meet with their daughter’s English and Mathematics teachers. Specialist Music, HPE, Art and Modern Language teachers are also available to meet with parents if required. Information with regards to booking interviews will be sent home mid-March. Parent/Teacher interviews will be held Thursday 30 March, 1:00pm – 6:00pm and Friday 31 March, 9:00am – 5:00pm.

Continuous Reporting Trial Years 5 - 6

Continuous reporting was trialled for students in Years 9 and 10 in 2016 with great success, and, as a result, this trial has been expanded to include Years 5 - 11 in 2017.  Continuous reporting enables teachers to provide timely feedback on assessed work. Given that feedback has a very high effect size in relation to student achievement, this initiative supports our commitment to evidence-informed teaching.

As parents, you will be notified of assessment tasks that your daughter will be undertaking by accessing Parent Lounge. A description of the assessment task, starting dates and due dates for each task are listed, and the dates when grades and feedback will be available is outlined. In the Primary School, starting dates will usually be listed as the starting date of a specific week, as lessons occur on different days for different subjects in any one year level. Generally, the due date will also be listed as the final date of a specific school week. As all assessments are done in class, the actual task may be due on a Monday for one class, and a Wednesday or Friday for another class depending on the day/s that each student has the specific subject. All students will be given the same amount of class time to complete assessment tasks irrespective of the day it is due. An email will be sent to parents of Years 5 and 6 students in the coming weeks which will outline how to access continuous reporting via the Parent Lounge. We recommend that you check Parent Lounge on a regular basis from approximately the end of Week 6 this term in order to access results of assessments throughout each semester.

The results of each assessment will be available for parents to access on Parent Lounge. Feedback from teachers will be given in the form of ‘Feedback’ - how well specific aspects of the task have been addressed, and ‘Feed-forward’ - explicit advice on ways to improve. This form of feedback/feed-forward provides information for you to discuss with your daughter to assist her in setting goals for future learning. Such discussions can positively support your daughter to take responsibility and ownership of her learning and channel her energy in positive, targeted ways for improved academic outcomes.

At the end of each semester, parents will be able to access Parent Lounge and view/download a copy of their daughter’s semester report. This report will outline each student’s attainment in each subject and an effort grade will be assigned, along with a general Form teacher comment. Subject comments will no longer be made on Year 5 and Year 6 End of Semester Reports, as the feedback from teachers on each assessment task through continuous reporting provides comments and targeted feedback throughout the semester.

All parents in the Primary School will access their daughter’s End of Semester Reports through Parent Lounge. Each family has been provided with log-in details to access Parent Lounge. We strongly recommend that you access Parent Lounge in the coming weeks and keep your log-in details safely stored, as you will require these throughout the year to access your daughter’s reports. The Primary Office does not have access to parent log-in details and are unable to assist with Parent Lounge inquires. Any inquiries for assistance should be directed to School Support at: schoolsupport@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Messages to Students through the Primary Office

The Primary Office is receiving messages daily with regards to changes of plans at the end of the day. Please be advised that we cannot guarantee that any phone messages that come to the Primary Office after 1:30pm will be able to be delivered to students. Our timetable means that students may not be with their Form teacher after lunchtime; they may be in PE on the oval, in Cluster classes, in the Art room or in Modern Language classrooms. Not all classrooms are equipped with phones and teachers do not access their emails during lessons. Their focus at these times is on students, teaching and learning. We encourage all families to ensure that pick up and after school arrangements are understood clearly by the girls before they come to school.

As stated in the Primary Parents Handbook, which is available on the St Margaret’s website, students will be supervised at the gate in Butler Street from Monday to Thursday until 3:40pm and Friday until 3:30pm. Students who are not picked up by this time will be escorted to the Primary Office to check for messages. If no contact has been made by the nominated ‘pickup’ adult, the student will be checked into Outside School Hours Care (OSHC). Parents will be charged at the full afternoon school care rate.

City District Basketball

Congratulations to Grace Marchant on making the City District Basketball Team.

Upcoming Events

Trudi Edwards 

There is extensive research to suggest this is absolutely not the case and overwhelmingly the overriding factor in achieving success on a musical instrument is practice over sustained periods of time.

Some students may need help in learning how to practise appropriately. Needs will be different for students dependent on how long they have been learning; however, I would like to suggest a few general guidelines which are probably obvious but may help in establishing a healthy practice routine for the girls.

Routine - Students should build practice into a daily routine. Practice should become a habit that students know they need to schedule into their everyday daily activities. Parents can certainly help in setting that expectation of the girls.

Identify sections to work on during practice sessions - Many students will be great at performing the first part of a piece of music but then fail to work on more difficult sections that occur midway or towards the end. Students should be encouraged to identify particular sections of their set repertoire that require attention.

Practice sections slowly and deliberately - Sometimes students may play through parts or all their music mindlessly, without any kind of focus or deliberation. They may rely on what is called muscle-memory and go into ‘auto-pilot’ mode. By focussing on particular sections with a goal in mind (using correct rhythms, fingering etc.) improvement will occur much more quickly.

Repetition - Our brains require repetition for the appropriate neuronal connections to occur that are required for musical performance. For repetition to be beneficial, it is important that the practice is initially slow and correct to avoid reinforcing musical errors. It is important to also remain positive through this process. Sometimes during practice sessions, students may feel that they are not improving a particular section despite repetition using careful deliberate practice. However, what will often happen is that the next day the girls will notice a big difference in their ability to perform that section as the brain has had time to process much of the information from the previous day’s practice session. It is always exciting when this occurs and worth encouraging the girls when you see/hear that in action.

Dedicated Practice Space - It is important that the girls can practice in a space away from distractions (such as mobile phones and other electronic devices) and where their instrument is easily accessible.

Parental Involvement/Encouragement - Parents are encouraged to occasionally sit beside students in their practice sessions and listen to what they are working on. Perhaps the girls might like to teach parents something they have learned recently. It is very motivating for students when parents can also perform with their daughters - maybe it’s time to dust off that musical instrument that has been hidden away in a cupboard. Please be sure to encourage and praise the girls when they show some improvement or achieve some kind of musical milestone.

Use technology to engage and motive - Whilst phones and other electronic devices may be distractions during practice time, technology can also be a useful tool in engaging and motivating students in their musical development. There are countless apps available for download that are both educational and fun. Some of these apps actually provide real time advice for students by listening to performances via the microphone, giving feedback on the accuracy of rhythms and notes played.

Observe others, listen/watch performances - Listening to recordings and attending concerts can provide students with much motivation when learning an instrument. YouTube can be a fantastic resource in providing students with renditions of pieces they may be learning.

Finally, please encourage your daughter not to give up! In a society that seems to thrive on receiving instant gratification, it is important that our students understand that to become excellent at something, sustained practice over a significant period of time is required. There is no getting around the point that it takes time to become good at something. This is not only important musically, but it is also a great life lesson for our students.

If you would like further advice on ways in which your daughter might get the most out of her practice sessions, please feel free to get in touch with your daughter’s private music teacher who will be able to provide more specific details.

Happy practising!

Boarder Music Practice

The Boarder Music Practice Program has started again for 2017. This program is designed to facilitate a regular practice routine for boarders undertaking private music lessons. All boarders who are currently enrolled in private music lessons will be required to sign up for a minimum of two supervised practice sessions per week consisting of thirty minutes each. These practice sessions will be available to students Monday through to Thursday evening from 6:30 to 8:00pm in the Darnell Music Building. Sign-up sheets will be placed in the Garden Room where students will be required to nominate times. The sheets will be collated of an evening and girls marked for attendance. The Music Department will follow up to ensure that all girls enrolled in music tuition are undertaking the required two sessions per week.

Music Performance Times on Open Day

Open Day provides a fantastic opportunity for our music ensembles to present musical performances to the broader community.

Open Day Music Performances – Performance Uniforms

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: School Middy (still required to purchase a White Church Dress for future performances)
Elevarsi Voices (not performing on Open Day): 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 Rock Band (not performing on Open Day) and Senior Rock Band: Smart blue jeans, sneakers and ‘M Factor’ polo shirt

Congratulations to Old Girl Kyla Matsuura-Miller
Congratulations to Kyla Matsuura-Miller (’10), who received the Richard Pollett Memorial Award last week in the Sydney Town Hall at the Australian Youth Orchestra’s 60th Anniversary Concert. Each year this award is given to an AYO alumna violinist who displays outstanding personal and musical attributes. This is a wonderful achievement and we sincerely congratulate Kyla.

Music Support Group

The next MSG meeting will be on Tuesday 7 March 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 

Can the 2017 performance of “The Sound of Music” eclipse the spectacular that was “Annie”?

It will be close. Only one way to know for sure - come and see it!

Tickets:

$40 Adult

$30/Concession and Child

Available from qtix at this

Performances:

Evening 7 pm - Thursday 16 March / Friday 17 March / Saturday 18 March

Matinee 1 pm – Saturday 18 March 

Activities planned:

Monday – Interhouse Bench Ball

Tuesday - St Margaret’s Interhouse Swimming Carnival

Wednesday - Surprise challenge games in the Philip Harris Sports Centre

Thursday - Staff verse Students Volleyball

Friday - Free lunch time swim at the pool

Interhouse Swimming Carnival

Congratulations to our 2017 House Captains who created an atmosphere at the Interhouse Swimming Carnival strong in school spirit and high in participation. We had Little Miss Lawson, Milton Military, Spenser Snorkelers, Tennyson Toga’s, Bede Bahama’s, Chaucer California, Herrick Hill Billy’s and Kendall ‘Koaches’! The March on to commence the day was a sight to behold with the girls creating their own lyrics and routines to old and new favourites. On a day filled with sunshine we also included four all comer’s races for the girls to get into the pool and take on their own challenge. What a fantastic display of St Margaret's way, with all students being involved, celebrating together, and showing wonderful school spirit. Congratulations to Bede, led by Sophie Ryan and Isabella Thomas, for taking out the bragging rights of Champion Swimming House for 2017. The overall House results are listed in the table below.

Cricket

The girls played Clayfield College at home last Wednesday. The team once again showed improvement in their batting and some consistency in the field. Unfortunately, the girls lost by two runs in the Open team with the Division One girls losing to Brisbane Girls Grammar School in their match as well.

Softball

There has been no relief from the heat for the Saturday morning softball. The girls played two matches in Round three against St Peter’s Lutheran College and Brisbane State High School. Their fielding was tight and batting strong against St Peters and they had an easy win. State High was a fantastic contest of the two pitchers and fielding teams. It took two innings before a runner from either side made the diamond and from there, unfortunately for our girls, State High ran away with the win. Tyeena Pang once again pitched with outstanding statistics striking out ten batters at the plate.

QGSSSA Swimming

The girls are in their final week of preparation for the QGSSSA Swimming. I would like to commend the girls on their efforts and commitment to training. The squad has had strong attendance at the swimming meets and training sessions and I feel confident the girls are prepared and ready to perform to their potential. The Year 7s will be guided by the Year 12s while attending their first QGSSSA event as supporters and I look forward to watching their school spirit grow. An email has gone out to the parents in Years 7 and 12 with information about the supporters’ transport arrangements.

Team Schedule for Wednesday 1 March 2017

10:30am Send off at Circular Drive and Photos

11:00am Photos and warm up in the St Margaret’s Pool

11:30am Team meeting and Hero Faxes

12:15pm Lunch in the Arts Centre Foyer

12:45pm Guest Speakers

1:15pm War Cries on Circular Drive

1:30pm Buses Depart

2:10pm Warm up at Chandler

8:30pm Meet Concludes and buses depart shortly after

Team Uniform: St Margaret’s Rep shirt, Sports Skirt, Brown Shoes and White Socks, Panama, Blue QGSSSA race swimmers.

Supporters Uniform: St Margaret’s Middy and Panama with respective badges and school shoes.

Parents are welcome to collect their daughter from Chandler Aquatic Centre at 8:30pm. Please have your daughter’s name marked off the roll prior to departing.

Metropolitan North

It has been a busy couple of weeks across the representative season with girls swimming, playing softball, volleyball and netball. Next week, netball will continue along with basketball, soccer and hockey. If your daughter is attending these trials, please email: studentleave@stmargarets.edu.au to ensure her absentee records are maintained accurately and to avoid unnecessary phone calls.

Autumn Date Claimers

Nicky Barrie

The girls thoroughly enjoyed the activities and I look forward to seeing many of them at our regular Robotics Club meetings to be held every Wednesday during lunchtime in D108. 

For students who are interested in more Robogals activities, here are a few suggestions:

Throughout the holidays, Robogals UQ runs Girls in Robotics days for young females who would like to experience engineering. For more details, please .

Additionally, Robogals International runs a science challenge every year. In this challenge, students can make a video about any STEM related activity and upload it for a chance to win. More details can be found .

Trish Kirkpatrick 

Bookings for the St Margaret’s OSHC April School Holiday Program open Monday 27 February. If you require care for the upcoming school holiday period, please return your booking form before 24 March 2017.

How do I book?
Complete the official booking form attached to the program. For further details please email: oshc@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

What is the cost?*
$60 per day. Incursions and excursions incur additional costs. These are compulsory for all students and therefore you are able to claim CCB/CCR for these.

What are the hours of operation?
The service is open from 7:00am until 6pm.
The service is closed from 14 April 2017 - 17 April 2017.

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

Palu Ingram

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

Gathering together in celebration of the life of our friend, colleague and teacher, Amanda Minotti, the group created a beautiful atmosphere as mums and dads ran with their daughters, girls in yellow tutus dancing and skipping the route, ‘Old Girls’ reuniting and others being pulled along by their puppies! 

It was lovely to see many members of Amanda's family as well as families and friends from the boys' school, St Kevin's. 

The ongoing efforts of Hannah Polovich, Alena Smith and Sharon Ryan are much appreciated. Due to the generosity of participants and others who donated, we can deposit over $3,000 to the Minotti Trust. 

Jenny Lishman 

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 and
• 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:

Distinguished Past Student
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 their 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 Assocation 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

Miranda Dunning
P&F Secretary

Old Girls' Association 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

Lattitude Global Volunteering
International Placements for 17 - 25 year oldsIf you are looking to volunteer in an English speaking country with a culture similar to Australia, the UK may be the right place for you. You’ll have the opportunity to create an energetic and positive environment for young students, camp-goers, program participants and residents. Exercise your good communication skills and leadership qualities by becoming a role model for those who need it most. You’ll have the opportunity to meet other hardworking volunteers from all over the world, explore the British culture like a local, and gain a sense of independence during this longer placement. More information is available from: .

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.

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

SCAD (South Carolina Academy of 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 your students start their journey at the university for creative careers. 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.

Sydney, Australia: Saturday 4 March, 2pm at the Intercontinental Hotel
117 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000. .

UMAT

Registrations for UMAT 2017 are open. Copies of the Information Booklet can be downloaded from the UMAT website at: .  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 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 2017 Workshop dates (all held at UQ, St Lucia):

• 5 April
• 28 June
• 23 July

UQ Guides

Copies of the UQ Australian Undergraduate Guide 2018 are now available from the Careers Corner in the Library. Individual Faculty Guides will be available later in the year.

QUT Guides

Copies of the QUT ‘Real Choices’ 2018 guide to undergraduate study is available via this .

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 at the RICC Brisbane Showgrounds. A great opportunity for students to collect information from a huge number of exhibitors.

Elizabeth Johnston