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COVID-19 highlighted the importance schools play in society. However, Queensland independent schools are valued economic contributors, supporting the livelihoods of tens of thousands of employees, building critical social infrastructure and injecting billions into the state economy. Here are some interesting facts:

The direct and indirect contribution Queensland independent schools make to the state economy has been estimated to be $4.88 billion. On average, one enrolment at an independent school adds $40,300 to Gross State Product.

In terms of jobs – a key economic indicator – the sector supports the livelihoods of 33,600 full-time workers either directly employed or supported through the sector’s purchase of goods and services. That translates to one job for every 3.6 students enrolled at Queensland independent schools and a total wages investment of $2.95 billion.

In terms of construction, independent schools invest more than $300 million annually in new and upgraded facilities – the majority of which is met by parent contributions and borrowings.

In Queensland, for every $1 of combined public recurrent and capital investment in the sector, Queensland derives $3.66 in economic benefits.

In addition, by not taking up a fully funded place at a state school, independent school families free up $1.02 billion in recurrent and capital funding annually for governments to spend on other essential services and nation-building programs.

Term’s notice of withdrawal

This is just another reminder to parents that if your child is not returning to St Margaret’s in 2021, we require one full school term’s written notice if you intend to withdraw your child from the school. Otherwise, you will be charged one school term’s fees in lieu of notice. Currently, we are working on the 2021 timetable and staffing, and it is important that we have accurate enrolment numbers. In some year levels, we have waiting lists and we need to be able to contact those on the list who are hoping to secure a place at the school. To meet the requirement of a term’s notice, advice can be received up to the last Friday of the September school holidays. Advice may be emailed directly to me or to our admissions via admissions@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Ros Curtis

This year, we will again be booking tickets for Speech Night online through the QPAC booking system. Please note that due to COVID restrictions, our venue QPAC is only able to have 50% audience capacity. Therefore, each student can only have 2 guests attend the evening.

Bookings will open this Friday 11 September at 10am for Year 12 parents only. Parents will receive information about how to do this via email on this day.

The Prize Reading Assembly for students occurs on 6 October, so tickets for the remainder of the theatre allocated to parents of prize winners in Years 7-12 will open up at 5pm on this day. Seats will be limited, so families are urged to make reservations as soon as they can before the allocation is exhausted.

When booking your tickets, please note that QPAC will require contract tracing information, as part of their COVID Safe Event Plan.

This year, Year 12 students only will be in the audience. We are pleased to have received recent approval from QPAC that they will all be sitting together (not with families as previously advised). Therefore, your daughters will receive their tickets at school (they will not be sitting with you) and so you do not need to book seats for them.

Karen Gorrie

This week, there have been several activities for the students around wellbeing, including our RUOK Day themed Boarder chapel services. RUOK Day was created to raise awareness, to help people to find support, and to prompt people to ask friends and family if they are OK? By creating an intentional day, it reminds us of the importance of wellbeing, that we need to talk with each other and take the time to listen deeply to their response. Asking RUOK can make all the difference in people’s lives.

One of my favourite sayings, which is said to be from an old African proverb is, “it takes a village to raise a child”. The wellbeing of our children is the responsibility of the whole community. At St Margaret’s, we take this seriously. During our time of online learning, a new platform, the Student Wellbeing Hub, was created on the POD. Please take the time to visit the Student Wellbeing Hub, there are many valuable resources freely available. Please also take the time to check in with each other and ask, RUOK, not just on the 10th of September, but regularly. Our village, at St Margaret’s, is a place where we care for each other which can make a difference. How are we going to make a difference?

God of grace and wisdom let us respond to others’ needs with an open and compassionate heart. Amen.

Susan Crothers-Robertson

To endeavour to do all that we can to support our community, we are taking the unprecedented step of opening the Boarding House for the first time for the full duration of the September holidays for students outside the border bubble in NSW and from overseas. While we understand that this will be difficult for those girls who cannot go home due to border restrictions, we will endeavour to provide the most positive environment for the girls who will remain in the Boarding House.

Ms Curtis has been working with Independent Schools Queensland in relation to border restrictions and had the opportunity as recently as last Friday to participate in Zoom conversations with representatives of ABSA, ICPA and Toowoomba schools about a way forward. This is a very difficult time for some of our families and parents can be assured we are doing everything possible to care for the health and wellbeing of their daughters, while advocating for the most appropriate way forward to reunite families.

Lesa Fowler

These sessions are supervised by tutors from Durack College and have been a great support to the girls who attend. Bookings for all sessions can be made via FlexiSchools on the schools’ website. While the Supervised Study Session is free of charge, if your daughter requires dinner this can be purchased for $10 at the time of booking. Bookings are essential and should be made before 9am on the day of each session.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Bookings for Parent Teacher Interviews have now closed. This allows the teachers sufficient time to prepare for each interview.

Tom McCormick

“What kids do and post online, the sites they visit and the things they say are permanent. This digital footprint denotes their digital reputation and there’s nothing to stop someone from saving and storing that information about your child.”

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg

Social media has become such an integral part of a teenager’s life that it can cause anxiety and lower their self-esteem. Modern teens are learning to do most of their communication whilst looking at a screen instead of another person. They are missing out on very critical social skills.

And dependant on what they are communicating online, it can affect their digital reputation. Friendships, relationships and even future job prospects are all at risk. As a parent, it is very important that you are aware of what picture they are painting of themselves online.

Once information makes its way online it can be difficult to remove. Images and words can be misinterpreted and altered as they are easily and quickly shared around. Privacy settings on social media sites need to be managed in order to protect your child’s digital reputation.

Nikki Townsend

In terms of celebrations, last week I listed the celebrations and changes that will occur in Term 4. Please note, the Years 5 and 6 event, “Awards Afternoon” will take the place of the Years 5 and 6 girls attending Speech Night.

For Years 3 and 4, we can confirm that these students will each share their musical ability with their families at their year level strings morning. The girls’ work and character dispositions will also be acknowledged with a certificate at this event.

Angela Drysdale

Head of Primary

Keeping Safe

It is fitting that Father’s Day marks the start of two very significant events; National Child Protection Week and National eSmart Week. Here at St Margaret’s, we acknowledge and involve the school in both occasions.

Keeping children safe and well is everybody’s business – families, schools and communities work in partnership to ensure that every child is, indeed, safe from all forms of harm. All adults can be role models for children. Children learn from people they spend time with so, as adults, we have an incredible opportunity to make that influence a positive one. Excellent resources can be found at: .

As an accredited eSmart school, staff and students are working to safeguard everyone when they are online. Parents are urged to connect with the esafety website, a government initiative, where you will find numerous resources: . In each level of the Primary school, our students are taught online safety, specifically how to be safe and how to stay safe when using technology. Used wisely, the internet is the door to the world, and we endeavour to ensure that the students open that door equipped with the skills to deal with safety issues online.

The physical safety and the online safety of every child is everyone’s responsibility. You are invited to have a conversation with your child about safety – hear what they have to say. Please to view online safety tips.

Mary Surtees

Assistant Head of Primary School – Wellbeing and Operations

Term’s notice of withdrawal

A courtesy reminder to parents that if your child is not returning to St Margaret’s in 2021, we require one full school term’s written notice (or one school term’s fees in lieu of notice) when withdrawing a student from the school. We are currently working on the 2021 timetable and staffing, and it is important that we have accurate enrolment numbers. In some year levels, we have waiting lists and we need to be able to contact those on the list who are hoping to secure a place at the school. To meet the requirements of a term’s notice, advice can be received up to the last Friday of the September school holidays. Advice may be emailed directly to Head of Primary or to our admissions teams via: admissions@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Tickets are available only via Flexischools (). For catering purposes, it is imperative you include any dietary requirements and that payments are made by 4pm, Friday 18 September, as Flexischools will be unavailable after this time. Please find attached a letter from the President of the Music Support Group (PDF 120.4KB) with further details.

Student Congratulations

Congratulations to Lily Song (Year 7) who recently completed her AMusA on the violin with a Distinction. AMusA is a diploma level performance qualification that requires an incredibly high level of performance ability. This is an absolutely outstanding result, particularly for a student of Lily’s age. Congratulations Lily on this wonderful achievement!

Music Support Group

The next Music Support Group meeting will be the Annual General Meeting and will be held on Tuesday 10 November 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

This weekend, Saturday 12 September, is the final round of winter fixtures for Hockey, Netball, Tennis and Volleyball against St Aidan’s. For all game schedules for each sport, please ensure you visit the Secondary Sport POD page or the individual sport pages. We are also grateful that two spectators per player will be welcome at each venue this weekend, including Volleyball. See below for the details:

Netball at Ambiwerra Netball Courts - Spectators 2

Hockey at Ambiwerra Fields - Spectators 2

Volleyball at Centenary State High School - Spectators 2

Tennis at Ambiwerra Tennis Courts - Spectators 2

QGSSSA Athletics

The Athletics season is in the final stages with the last practice Meet being held on Friday 11 September at Windsor Park and several compulsory sessions before the big one - QGSSSA Championships on Thursday 18 September. The squad is over 100 athletes strong and is aiming to better the 2019 result. To support the team in this endeavour, a number of key events will take place as detailed below:

• Final Practice Meet: Friday 11 September at Windsor Park, 3:30pm-5:00pm
• Compulsory Training: Sunday 13 September at Nudgee College, 9:00am-12:00noon
• Compulsory Training: Monday 14 September at Winsor Park, 6:30am-7:45am
• Compulsory Training: Wednesday 17 September at Windsor Park, 6:30am-7:45am
• QGSSSA send-off: Wednesday 17 September on Circular Drive, 10:25am
• Pre-QGSSSA Lunch: Wednesday 17 September in the Barley Sugar Garden, 1:10pm
• QGSSSA Championships: Thursday 18 September at QSAC, 6:30am-3:30pm

Badminton

All girls registered to play Badminton will commence training in Week 10 in the new Sports Precinct. All details regarding training for each year level can be found on the Secondary POD page and Badminton Page. The QGSSSA competition will be held on Saturday 10 October for our Senior (Years 11 and 12) and Year 10 teams and Saturday 17 October for all Years 7, 8 and 9 teams.

No horsing around at these State Championships

Two St Margaret’s students are currently preparing for the forthcoming Queensland State Championships for Endurance Horse Riding, during the October long weekend.

Year 8 student, Piper O’Brien and Year 7 student, Eadie McWilliam ride for one of Australia’s leading Arab horse endurance breeders and trainers, Toft Endurance. The girls are both accomplished Open Riders, with Eadie placing first in the Stirling’s Classic 80km event in Imbil last year. At the State Championships, they will be riding in a competition covering 160km within 20 hours or less. That’s roughly the distance from St Margaret’s school to Byron Bay.

Endurance Horse Riding is a tough sport that requires riding skill, a significant level of fitness (think of doing 10,000 squats!) and a love of horses and all elements of the outdoors.  Horses are vet checked throughout the day, as their wellbeing is top priority.

The State Championships will be held at Stirling Crossing, Australia’s first purpose-built horse endurance facility adjacent to the Imbil State Forest, not far from Gympie.

We wish our girls all the best.

Congratulations…

A group of nine students competed at the 2020 Queensland Cross Country Championships on Saturday 5 September, at the notoriously tough course at Limestone Park, Ipswich; Estella Uhlmann (Year 2), Ruby East (Year 7), Priya Madders (Year 7), Charli Spies (Year 7), Annabel Bright (Year 8), Matilda Lee (Year 8), Milla Roberts (Year 8), Isabella Harte (Year 9) and Aimee Young (Year 9). Special mention to our three podium finishes which is an outstanding result for one school:

Isabella Harte - 1st place (15 Years)

Annabel Bright - 2nd place (13 Years)

Estella Uhlmann - 2nd place (8 Years)

Helen Lobegeiger

It was a very enjoyable evening and we thank the parents who attended. Thank you also to Ms Jane Martens who organised this special evening and guided the girls through two years of creativity, and to our Art Technician, Mrs Claudia Mazzotta for the careful display of student work.

Lisa Smith

Jewellery: Jane Kessler

Ceramic Vessel: Kerry Holland

Sculpture: Donna Marcus

We are still working through our planning for MAYO and are working with Metro North Health to deliver a COVID safe event. We hope to be able to share more details about the event soon. In the meantime, please see some updates below.

Stall Donations - We need your support

We need your help to make the MAYO stalls a huge success. Next time you are shopping, you might like to add an item or two to contribute to MAYO. We invite all families to donate goods during the identified weeks or by donating all at once.

Week 9 (7 September) prizes for lucky dips and bottles of wine.

Week 10 (14 September) cans of soft drinks/bottled water and bags of lollies/chips and chocolate bars.

View a suggested list of donation items and details on how to donate here (PDF 2MB).

Workshops

Details of each of the workshops are listed below and bookings can be made through Flexischools.

Macrame – Students will choose from a range of beautifully coloured recycled t-shirt material before learning the basic techniques of this tactile art form to create a potholder. All materials included.

Date: Wednesday 7 October

Time: 3:30pm-5:00pm

Price: $55 per student

Suitable for: 12 years and up

Maximum 10 in this workshop

Pinch a Pot – Participants will make a Pinch a Pot bell or small hanging or standing pot by working with a sandy coloured clay and decorating with a Royal Blue slip. Pieces will be fired, glazed and available for collection two weeks after the workshop. All materials included.

Date: Thursday 8 October

Time: 3:30pm-5:00pm

Price: $35 per student

Suitable for: 8 years and up

Maximum 10 in this workshop

Please note: Tickets will be available on sale through Flexischools within the next week for this workshop.

Terrarium Log – Students will create their own Terrarium Log with all materials provided.

Date: Saturday 10 October

Times: 12pm, 1pm and 2pm

Price: $30 per student

Maximum 15 in each workshop

Resin Jewellery – In this workshop, students can make their own resin jewellery piece, either a bangle, a pendant or a ring. All materials included.

Date: Saturday 10 October

Time: 1:30pm-2:30pm

Price: $50 per student

Suitable for: 12 years and up

Maximum 15 in this workshop

St Margaret’s Outside School Hours Care will be operating for the upcoming September Vacation Care. The Service is open from 7am until 6pm daily on Friday 18 September to Friday 2 October. School resumes Tuesday 6 October 2020. Please note, OSHC will be closed on Monday 5 October for the public holiday.

Please refer to the attached Information Guide (PDF 495.2KB) for full booking terms and conditions. We are unable to accept bookings via email or text message. The OSHC registration and Debitsuccess form must be completed, signed and sent back to us to finalise your booking. Please read the information guide carefully as some information has changed. OSHC Registration and Debitsuccess can be completed via the My Family Lounge.

Please complete your vacation care booking form via the ‘My Family Lounge’ App.

We are very excited to inform you that St Margaret’s OSHC has subscribed to a fantastic online Booking and Waitlist management program called QK Enrol. This program will give you access to manage your own account information, where you will have the ability to make bookings requests and allows you to complete and submit an online enrolment form for your child. You can do this and much, much more all within a parent portal called ’My Family Lounge’.

How do I log in?

Please and either sign in with your existing My Family Lounge account or Register for an account if you do not already have one. Please note, all families who have previously submitted an enrolment form will have an account already set up; all you will need to do is click ‘forgotten password’ and use the email address you used to receive this form.

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

What is the cost?*

Early Bird Fees: $60 per day

Early Bird Bookings close: 11 September 2020

Fees: $65 per day*

Bookings close: 14 September 2020

*Incursions and excursions incur additional costs. These are compulsory for all students and therefore you are able to claim CCS.

What are the hours of operation?

The service is open from 7:00am until 6:00pm.

How can I obtain more information?

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

Palu Ingram

Orders must be placed by midnight, Friday 18 September 2020 to ensure students have their textbooks and stationery in time for Term 4 2020.

Home delivery is free for all orders placed before Friday 18 September 2020.

If you are going away during the holidays, you may nominate an alternative address e.g. a relative, neighbour or business address for deliveries to be sent to.

Only Boarders may have their book pack sent to St Margaret’s by completing the address on their order as (Student’s Name), St Margaret’s Boarding, 11 Petrie Street, Ascot, Qld, 4007.

Terisa Arnold

Caitlin McConnel was a Boarder at St Margaret's from 2003 to 2007 and was recently recognised in St Margaret’s 125th Anniversary Notable Old Girls’ project. Caitlin is currently a Senior Associate in the commercial litigation, restructuring and insolvency and agribusiness and food industry groups at Australian law firm, Clayton Utz. In March 2020, Caitlin was recognised as one of the top 50 early-career lawyers in Australia, as an Australasian Lawyer 2020 Rising Star.

Caitlin will share how she has successfully juggled her career, dividing her time equally between the city and her family’s land at Cressbrook Station. Mental health in rural areas has been a significant challenge for many, particularly due to the COVID pandemic, and Caitlin will talk about these issues, as well as insights into what she believes is to come for the next generation of agri professionals.

Date: Thursday 8 October

Time: 7:00am arrival for a 7:15am start - 8:45am finish

Location: St Margaret's Anglican Girls School, 11 Petrie Street, Ascot

Format: Sit down breakfast (COVID safe and socially distanced)

Tickets: $80 Adult, $40 Student (Tertiary, Years 10-12)

This event has limited spots available, so if you are interested in purchasing a ticket, please contact the Development and Community Office: developmentandcommunity@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Professional Women’s Network Sponsorship 2020/2021

We sincerely thank our corporate sponsors for their generous support of the Series.

Major Sponsor: Pitcher Partners

Associate Sponsor: Programmed Property Services

Supporting Partners: Downer Group, NAB and Clear Insurance

The Development and Community Office are currently looking for corporate sponsors who may be interested in joining the Series in 2021. Please contact Lindsay Khushal, Director of Philanthropy and Stakeholder Engagement at: lkhushal@stmargarets.qld.adu.au for further details and a copy of our 2021 Corporate Sponsorship Proposal.

Lindsay Khushal

SCU

The STAR program closes on 11 September. It allows you to secure your place in a Southern Cross University degree before your Year 12 results are even released. Applications are free and direct to Southern Cross University at: .

2021 Scholarship Applications Now Open - Southern Cross University offers a range of scholarships for undergraduate and Indigenous Australian students. Please visit our website for more information and to apply: .

Medview upcoming seminars and events:

Live webinars across a range of medical school topics - attend from the comfort of your home! to attend a free MedView webinar or visit: .

QUT Year 12 Early Offer Scheme

The scheme applies to courses in the areas of business, creative industries, IT, justice, public health and science. Eligible students who include one of the specified courses in their top three QTAC preferences will be invited to apply for an early offer by uploading the Year 12 grades they have achieved so far this year, to their QTAC application by 4:30pm on Friday 6 November 2020.
Eligible students will receive their QUT course offer via QTAC on Friday 20 November, the final day of school.

Durack College

Applications for Durack College are now open for 2021. Durack College offers a boutique residential experience, with a personalised focus on educational success. We work hard to create a culture and environment based on academic excellence. The small but vibrant community of female learners is offered a tailored living environment, making the transition to new routines easier and more rewarding. There are only 25 residency places, allowing Durack College to be both a private sanctuary and a busy and exciting community.

University of the Sunshine Coast

Students and their parents are invited to our online Headstart Information Evening where we’ll take them through everything they need to know to get started.

Date: Thursday 17 September via Zoom

Time: 5:30pm-6:30pm

Who should attend: Parents and students in Years 10-11

Elizabeth Johnston