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Recently, I read of some research into finding out the effect of people saying, ‘I don’t, rather than ‘I can’t’.

Imagine you are a student, and it is time for revision (which it very much is currently in the school calendar). There are many distractors from this – social media or Netflix for example. Would there be a difference if you say: ‘I can’t miss my revision’ or ‘I don’t miss my revision?’ Most would think it wouldn’t, but apparently it does.

According to researchers, the ‘can’t’ word makes us want to rebel and assert our independence; whereas the ‘don’t’ word suggests self-control and maturity. Saying ‘don’t’ is much better; saying ‘can’t’ implies others are in control and imposing rules, whereas saying ‘don’t’ suggests being self-directed or principled. This is a wonderful example of the importance of word choice and the power of language.

Combining the reading of this summary of the research about the use of ‘can’t’ and ‘don’t’, and the work we have been doing about when do we see our school values in action, I was reminded of that saying: ‘Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.’

It is hard in this day and age for us all to distinguish between what we can do and what we should do. We can only try as a school to help students along this journey as they come to know themselves, who they are and what they stand for. 

Ros Curtis

At school the staff are continuing to support the students right until the end of term. As we are now embarking on our last pieces of assessment for the year, students are urged to persist and work to their potential.

It is important though that they look after themselves and each other. They must ensure they are getting enough sleep, eat nutritious meals each day, and work at maintaining positive relationships with their family and friends around them.

This week our Student Representative Council (SRC) arranged many activities for our students to partake in as part of Mental Health Week. Activities included Bath Bomb Making in the Science Labs, Rock Climbing, Lunch with Luna in the Barley Sugar Gardens and Just Dance. Congratulations to all members of the SRC and our teacher co-ordinator Jenny Matheson for their leadership and organisation of all these wonderful events.

Recently we received some information from Safe on Social about a new adult Netflix show, Squid Game. Please click here (PDF 114.1KB)for the information. (please note it includes a Trigger Warning - Violence). As a school, we acknowledge the danger of this show for children because of the very violent and sexual content(in fact it’s rating is MA15+). I implore parents to ensure that children are not exposed to this show, inadvertently or via YouTube. This is also relevant to other programs that show explicit adult content. There have been reports that some students have knowledge of this show and are bringing their interpretation of this adult content into discussions with their friends. The biggest issue with this show is that it is based on common, innocent playground games. We are currently working with the girls on adaptions of playground games so that students are not banned from playing games but are instead playing games that are appropriate and without connotations.

Karen Gorrie

 

It is always a delight to see the students interact with the different stations in their own time and way. I am most grateful for all the students who worked behind the scenes to set up and take down the Prayer Space the year eight students, the sacristans and a student doing their Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Some of the highlights of the week included a pre-prep student when asked what God was like said, “God is love and kind, and cares for me like mummy and daddy do”. Another pre-prep when asked to take a stone and think about any mistakes they had made, then bury it into the sand as they let go, said, “I made a big mistake, I ate a whole bag of lollies.” The teacher said, “Let’s bury it and God will take away,” to which the child responded, “I sure hope so.”

A Year 1 student said “I love this Missed Journey station, because it reminds me if I do something wrong, I can bury the stone, knowing that I am forgiven and I can forgive others.”

In the Journeying towards the Star station, the students reflected about being thankful, it was so special to see so many students say they were thankful for parents, staff, students, and housemothers.

At the end of our time in Prayer Space we gathered to talk about how the students felt or which station they enjoyed the most. One Year 6 student said “I looked back at something I thought was big, and now realise that it was only small, and it was okay now”.

Prayer Space- Dadirri- gives the students time to reflect, think and pray if they choose. The Prayer Space, The Christmas journey invited the students to think and reflect about the year, and if they chose to let go of those things that were causing them issues and to celebrate and give thanks for the special things and people. Interacting with the students and listening to their comments I believe this happened.

Rev Susan Crothers-Robertson

The girls are also exposed to a large group of culturally diverse girls and girls who are different to them. They are, therefore, exposed to a broad spectrum of cultural views and this helps them develop a much broader appreciation for and sensitivity to groups and peers. The girls learn to understand different values and morals and the importance of making good choices. By becoming more openminded their analytical skills can be highly developed as they are able to view situations from multiple perspectives. In a highly globalised world, it is essential to have a mindset filled with multiple perspectives to succeed.

The skills that they learn prepares them for future educations, careers, and social interactions. It fosters independence, and they learn to co-operate with others and practice basic life skills. This helps to continually sharpen their communication skills, they can become expert negotiators. They learn resilience and adaptability. Adaptability helps them navigate new settings and challenges in the future.

Preparing the girls for their future beyond St Margaret’s is something that we value highly in Boarding and everyday we encourage the girls to strive to develop as many social skills as possible which will benefit them in all their future endeavours.

Lesa Fowler

I have seen students before the exams pace, laugh, focus, talk excessively about anything and everything and just be. But it is in the exam room where you best see the character of this year 12 cohort with regard to their studies. I am impressed by the determination, the courage, the perseverance, and methodical approach they are taking to these exams. In the 2 hours and 15 minutes I spend in the exam room with the students I feel myself ride every emotion with them as they navigate themselves through the exam. But my overwhelming feeling is proud!

I know that some girls come out of the exams and feel unhappy with their perception of how they went, and some girls are just unsure, but when it is done it is done and they should feel proud of how they have approached these exams from the onset. So, if your daughter is coming home unhappy about the exam, the questions and the things they did not know, tell them you are proud and remind them that the windscreen is bigger than the rear vision mirror. You need to glance back, but it is important to keep looking forward and navigate to the next bend on the road.

Finally, thank you to all Year 12 parents who are supporting their child in this. I am sure you too are feeling all the emotions that I feel with your daughters!

Year 12 2022 Parent Information Session

An invitation was sent home to all Year 11 parents with regards to a Parent Information Night being held in The Loft at 7pm on Thursday 11 November. At this night I will share key information for parents about the QCE system, including assessment timelines, SWOTVAC and how to best support your child through their final year. Please RSVP through the invitation to book your seat.

Nicole Devlin

There are lots of different ways to prepare for exams, but having a plan is the first and most important task. If you have a plan, you can reflect on its effectiveness after your exams and know what to change for the next time. Through this continual reflection of your actions and subsequent achievements, you will be able to identify the strategies and routines that work best for you.

Your plan could start with your environment: where will you study? A cluttered desk or table in a noisy kitchen may not be the best location. Find a space that works for you. This may involve working in the library in the afternoons or taking advantage of Supervised Study Sessions. How long you should plan to study for is something else to consider. If you already have a good study routine, you may find you can work for long periods without losing focus. However, if you are just starting to build your routine then you should be realistic, and plan breaks every 20 – 30 minutes to help you maintain your focus and work effectively.

Spending the time to consider what you should be studying will save you time in the long run. Rather than studying every single topic for your maths exam, quiz yourself first to find out what you know and what you don’t know. Then spend your time focussing on what you don’t know, using your textbook, notes, study buddy and taking advantage of any tutorial sessions on offer at school. Rather than spending time reading or highlighting notes, try creating quizzes or flashcards and test your retrieval, which studies have shown to be one of the most effective ways to test your knowledge.

At the end of the term, take some time to stop and reflect on what you have done. Have you been able to stick to your plan? Did you really work efficiently when you were in your room, or did you spend some time in a YouTube spiral? What you could adjust in your plan to avoid this happening next time? Working smarter doesn’t happen overnight, but with some consistency and reflection, you can create study habits that will work for you.

Caitlin McCluskey

Happiness is defined as the balance of positive and negative emotions, combined with overall life satisfaction. Happiness and gratitude have been studied in positive psychology for many years and researchers have found that gratitude is always strongly associated with greater happiness. Although everyone has their own definition of happiness, many of us want to feel more positive emotions than negative ones. However, negative emotions are still important. They have a lot to teach us and alert us when things need to change. Practising gratitude helps people feel more of the positive emotions, enable us to relish good experiences, improve our overall health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.

Our students at St Margaret’s are privileged to be educated at such a great school, we believe it is important for students to give back to their community through service to others. It is through service they learn about people who are disadvantaged and realise that they should be grateful for many things. I would like to commend the year 9 students who have prepared over 200 birthing kits and raised over $1000 for the Birthing Kit Foundation who supports sending tools for safe birthing to women in Third World Countries.

Nikki Townsend

Playground Games

Recently the P &F generously paid and subscribed the school to a Safe on Social toolkit. Safe on Social is a service that provides information about all aspects of student wellbeing. The subscription includes professional development for staff and access for parents to Safe on Social Parents Toolkit. On a regular basis we will share parent newsletters and parents may also complete an online course to help keep their kids safe online. This course may be accessed through the .  

Parents, please follow these steps to sign into the Safe on Social Toolkit.

• To redeem your free access to the Safe On Social Parents Toolkit please click this link: 
• Click the 'Buy' Button (*don't worry you won't be charged!)
• Create your profile
• On the purchase page please click the 'Have A Code' link
• Enter your unique code: stmargaretsanglican2021
• Click Apply - the cost should default to $0.00
• Submit the 'Enrol Now' button to gain immediate access to the Parents Toolkit

Recently we received some information from Safe on Social about a new adult Netflix show, Squid Game. Please click here (PDF 114.1KB) for the information. (please note it includes a Trigger Warning - Violence). As a school, we acknowledge the danger of this show for children because of the very violent and sexual content (in fact it’s rating is MA15+). I implore parents to ensure that children are not exposed to this show, inadvertently or via YouTube. This is also relevant to other programs that show explicit adult content. There have been reports that some students have knowledge of this show and are bringing their interpretation of this adult content into discussions with their friends. The biggest issue with this show is that it is based on common, innocent playground games. We are currently working with the girls on adaptions of playground games so that students are not banned from playing games but are instead playing games that are appropriate and without connotations.

Orientation for New Families

Last week, we welcomed 70 new students to the Years 1 to 6 Orientation Day. All girls enjoyed getting to know each other and finding out about their new year level. Next year, we look forward to welcoming 24 students who were overseas or interstate at the time and therefore were unable to join us for this day. Thank you to Kate Frewin and Jodi Grimshaw for organising the day and for the staff and girls for ensuring everyone felt welcomed. This event was followed up this week with an information night for the parents of our new students where I heard many stories about each girl’s positive experience at their new school. 

Opti-MINDS Challenge Results

The Opti-MINDS Challenge is an opportunity for all those with a passion for learning and problem solving to showcase their skills and talents. Under the guidance and leadership of Mrs Crockett and Ms McNally, students worked in teams and were presented with a challenge that they worked on for six weeks without any help from teachers. Through the process, students experiment and try to come up with the best solution to the challenge. This year, our teams worked on a range of challenges that they then presented online to a panel of judges. Congratulations to the three teams, especially Team 1 (Lily Tribe, Isobel Stobie, Chloe Nheu, Piper Chalmers, Anjelica Owen, Emma Kardooni, Allegra Pople) who were awarded Spirit of Opti-MINDS and Team 3 (Christy Lok, Gia Comino , Stella Rhode, Georgia Van Riel, Bella Goodrick) who achieved Honours.

 Angela Drysdale

Saxophone Ensemble – Primary School Performance

Thank you to the Clarinet and Flute Ensembles and Dr Syntageros for their entertaining performances provided during morning tea last week in the Primary Atrium. They were very much enjoyed by all in attendance!

 

Auditions for 2022 Ensembles

Thank you to all students who auditioned for 2022 ensembles. Ensemble lists have now been placed on .

2022 Private Music Tuition

If your daughter is currently undertaking private music tuition, she will automatically be placed on her current teachers’ roll for 2022. Parents do not need to fill in a new application form. However, if your daughter is wanting to discontinue lessons in 2022, we ask that you please email directly to the Music Department at music@stmargarets.qld.edu.au prior to the end of the school year.

Music Support Group

The next Music Support Group meeting will be our Annual General Meeting and will be held on Tuesday 9 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

Well done to our Intermediate and Junior teams who finished 5^th and 8^th in their respective ladders, and we look forward to continued involvement from these players in the years to come.

Many thanks to our coaches Beck Meares and Skye Littlewood for their continued commitment, knowledge, and encouragement of our team. Also, thanks go to our families for their constant support over the season. We wish our Semi-Finalists all the best for Saturday.

 

Cricket Pre-Season Training

Pre-season training for all our budding cricketers currently in Year 6 – 11 in preparation for the QGSSSA season in Term 1 2022. In partnership with Wilston Norths Cricket Club, sessions focused on skill development will be offered to all interested students for the month of November. Further information including how to register can be found on the .

New to Netball Program

Head of Netball, Gayle Coutts will be running a ‘New to Netball’ program for any girls who have not played competitive Netball before or who may have not played for an extended period. The program will focus on the foundational skills, techniques and rules of the game. Further details of this program can be found on the Primary and Secondary .

Water Polo Support Group Meeting

A water polo support group meeting will be held on Wednesday 3 November. All interested parents are welcome with details of the meeting found on the

Congratulations

Kate Ryan (Year 10) for becoming the Queensland Figure Skating Champion in the Intermediate Women’s category at the recent State Championships.

Ashley Blackman (Year 7) and Annabel Livingstone (Year 7) for representing Metropolitan North at the Touch Football Under 12 Queensland School Sport State Championships.

Helen Lobegeiger

When booking your appointment please consider the following:

• Appointment times are either 30 minutes or 60 minutes depending on your appointment type.
• Available appointment types include:
  • New Student – for students who are about to start at St Margaret’s and require a full uniform fit out (60-minute fitting).
  • Existing Student – for existing students who require a uniform 'top up' (30-minute fitting).
  • Boarder Only - several times a year we offer Boarder Only fitting days for students who are or will be boarding at St Margaret’s. Their families have often travelled long distances and are only at the school on select days when the students are returning from or departing for school holidays (60-minute fitting).
  • Pre-Prep / Prep – for little ones who will be starting in Pre-Prep or Prep at St Margaret’s (30-minute fitting).
  • School Blazer Fitting – for any student who requires a new school blazer, compulsory for students in years 10, 11 and 12 (30-minute fitting).
• 1 appointment = 1 student fitting
  If you are booking for two or more students, please book separate fitting appointments for each child. These can be at the same time if times are available.

• All fittings will take place in the Supplies Shop which is located onsite, just off the Circular Drive through Gate 1, Petrie Street, Ascot.

Book your appointment online via the school website

EXTENDED TRADING HOURS **

2021 – ** APPOINTMENTS ONLY

Monday 29 Nov ember  8:00am – 2:00pm

Tuesday 30 November 8:00am – 2:00pm

Wednesday 1 December 11:00am – 5:00pm

Thursday 2 December  8:00am – 2:00pm

Friday 3 December       8:00am – 2:00pm

Monday 6 December    8:00am – 2:00pm

Tuesday 7 December    8:00am – 2:00pm

Wednesday 8 December 11:00am – 5:00pm

Thursday 9 December  8:00am – 2:00pm

Friday 10 December     8:00am – 2:00pm

2022

Please note: Customers without an appointment in January will be required to take a number and will be served as soon as a staff member is available.

Wednesday 12 January 8:00am – 2:00pm

Thursday 13 January     1:00pm – 6:00pm

Friday 14 January          8:00am – 2:00pm

Monday 17 January       8:00am – 2:00pm

Tuesday 18 January       8:00am – 2:00pm

Wednesday 19 January 8:00am – 2:00pm

Thursday 20 January     1:00pm – 6:00pm

Friday 21 January          8:00am – 2:00pm

Saturday 22 January      9:00am – 11:00am

                                       1:00pm – 3:00pm - BOARDERS ONLY

Sunday 23 January        1:00pm – 3:00pm - BOARDERS ONLY

Monday 24 January    Regular trading hours resume

TRADING HOURS (Term Time)

Monday                        8:00am – 2:00pm

Tuesday                       8:00am – 2:00pm

Wednesday                 10:00am – 5:00pm

Thursday                      8:00am – 2:00pm

Friday                           8:00am – 2:00pm

Public Holidays Closed

PURCHASING LIMITS 

The global pandemic has resulted in supply chain disruption around the world and unfortunately, we are starting to feel the impact of this in our Supplies Shop. Overseas production and freight delays, means we are currently experiencing difficulty in replenishing stock levels.

Due to these extenuating circumstances which are beyond our control, purchasing limits will be in place for all new and existing families throughout Nov 2021 to Feb 2022.

For in stock uniform items:

• Day students will only be permitted to purchase two of the same item, and
• Boarding students will only be permitted to purchase three of the same item (due to shared washing facilities).
• For uniform items that are out of stock at the time of fitting, parents will be able to order and pre-pay for these items with collection from the school scheduled from the 12th Jan 2022

Kielee Alcantara

Enrolments for Private Speech and Drama lessons for 2022 are now open for students who will be in Years 2 to 12 next year. If you would like further information about the Program, please contact the Coordinator on mchamberlain@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or phone 3862 0750 or refer to the Private Speech and Drama Handbook on the website or Private Speech and Drama POD Page.

If you would like to enrol your daughter in Speech and Drama for 2022, please complete and return the Application for Tuition form by clicking . Places in the program are limited and are provided to continuing students and then to new students based on the order in which enrolment applications are received and according to availability of spaces in each year level.

New enrolments are requested by Monday 22 November 2020.

Parents of current students – please remember to confirm or cancel your daughter’s place in the program for 2022 by completing and submitting the electronic form that was emailed to you by your daughter’s Speech and Drama teacher. Your consideration regarding this procedure is greatly appreciated. Accurate enrolment numbers are essential for ensuring successful timetabling, suitable staffing arrangements and a smooth start to the year for current and new students.

Lessons for 2022 will commence in week two of Term One. We are looking forward to another exciting year of cultivating confident, capable communicators.

Maria Chamberlain

Year Level Representatives/Parent Ambassadors are a liaison for the parent body within their daughter’s year level. It is hoped that for each year level we have at least two volunteers who will work to support the parents, students, teachers and the Head of Year. A Year Level Representative/Parent Ambassador may engage in the following activities.

• Meet and support new parents of the School
• Develop a sense of community within the year level
• Coordinate social events or activities to bring all families from the year level together
• Help support P&F and School functions and fundraising events by coordinating a year level table or attendance at an event
• Encourage parents to attend P&F General Meetings and events
• Be a point of contact for parents who have queries about school activities and events
• Meet as required with Heads of Year to plan and discuss current and upcoming activities
• Do keep an eye on your email as more information and the link to sign up for 2022 will be sent to you shortly.

Lara Pickering

ADF | Defence Careers Virtual Information Session

Thursday 28 October 2021, 6:30pm - 7:30pm, Online

Consider a career like no other and represent Australia with pride in the Navy, Army or Air Force.

Tune in for a virtual info session to speak with current serving members and ask your questions – is a career in the Australian Defence Force for you?

Find out more:

iCanMed | How to Double Your Chances of UCAT Success by Starting in October / November

Sunday 31 October 2021, 1:00 pm - 3:30 pm, Online

In this webinar, Ray, iCanMed’s education advisor, will share with you the difference that starting now could make for you (compared to the summer break) with reference to the following points:

All the advantages of starting UCAT preparation 8 – 9 months before the test date (NB: UCAT is sat in July every year)

The most proven ways to solve UCAT questions and how to get your techniques under your belt

A perfect prep plan to get you up to scratch in terms of timeline and workload distribution

An up-to-date mini mock test containing UCAT questions based on the 2021 exam

Comprehensive teaching to help you learn how to solve questions correctly and prepare for the UCAT intelligently

Find out more:

Queensland Police Service | Recruiting Information Session

Wednesday 3 November 2021, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm, Queensland Police Service Headquarters

Interested in becoming a Queensland Police Officer?

Not sure if you:

Meet the requirements?

Are you the right person for the job?

Get paid as a police recruit?

How you progress in the QPS?

What is expected during the recruiting process and the cost involved?

These and many more questions will be answered during this Recruiting Information Session.

This information session is conducted by experienced, current serving police officers. Not only will they explain the requirements for entry, but they may also give you an insight into their own experiences.

During the information session you are welcome to ask questions. Recruiting staff will also be available after the presentation to answer questions.

Find out more:

Naomi Holley