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The PWN has a strong and loyal following with up to 160 professionals attending each event. They are not necessarily associated with St Margaret’s. Those attending represent people at all levels of their careers including CEOs, Executive and Non-Executive Directors, business owners, senior management professionals, consultants, career-focused working parents and those transitioning (through business succession) or re-launching their careers.

Students from Years 10, 11 and 12 are also encouraged to attend. Immersing young women in an environment where they can test their networking skills and be given the opportunity to build relationships sits at the heart of the St Margaret’s value in empowering young women.

Key to the success of this series are our corporate sponsors. Along with our students having the unique opportunity to be inspired by our guest speakers, the funds raised by St Margaret’s Professional Women’s Network series assist the school in meeting its financial commitment to the partnership with Yalari. In 2018, $64,000 was raised over the four events largely due to the generosity of sponsors and businesses which bought corporate tables for their clients and staff to attend.

I am pleased to report that several of our corporate sponsors have renewed their support of PWN for 2019; Pitcher Partners, McCullough Robertson, Programmed and Downer; however, there are still opportunities to sponsor this important initiative and for your business to gain broader exposure through PWN’s corporate network. If you would like to discuss sponsoring PWN in 2019, please contact our Director of Philanthropy and Stakeholder Engagement, Lara Pickering on 07 3862 0884.

Although we are about to start a long holiday period, a lot of work will occur at the school over the holidays; in fact, St Margaret’s will be a hive of activity in December/January.

Below is a list of some of the works that will be occurring over the break. Work will begin on Monday 3 December and there will be a lot of smaller projects – which are maintenance, repaints and resurfacing, and upgrades. I know that many of you who go past the school during the summer break are curious to know what all the tradesman and facilities staff are working on, so I have listed them below.

Of course, the major project will be the demolition for the new Sports Precinct.

• Sport Precinct Demolition
• Movement/Storage of furniture etc. as a result of the demolition and the project’s refurbishment of bottom floor of Chaseley
• Movement of Primary school (starting this week) out of Chaseley and into Dalhousie and the Wearin Room
• Minor refurbishment of Eton Hall – approximately $75,000 – new fans, lights, carpet and repaint
• Refurbishment of Eton Hall toilets
• Construction of a multipurpose court next to Cairnmore in Petrie
• Repainting some of the interior of the Boarding House
• Redistribution of lockers (and new ones purchased as needed)
• Topdressing of the Windsor Park ovals, plus some rectification work on the long jump pit
• 2 news classrooms of furniture in Avoca
• Setting up ILC as a classroom for 2019
• Boom gate installation at Gate One
• Miscellaneous roof, gutter and drain repairs and rectification all around the school property

I hope you have a Merry Christmas, a restful holiday and a Happy New Year.

It has been another successful year for St Margaret’s students and I am grateful for the support of so many associated with the school – your generosity, goodwill, commitment and energy are very much appreciated. We are a community which has highly involved students, active parents and interested past students who volunteer a tremendous amount of time and effort and, therefore, contribute greatly to the success of St Margaret’s. Thank you.

I look forward to welcoming you all back here at school for the start of Term 1 2019 on Tuesday 29 January 2019. Please note that the school closes for a two-week period over Christmas from 3pm, Friday 21 December 2018 until 8am Monday 7 January 2019. 

Ros Curtis 

Holidays are a time to rest, recalibrate and get ready for the next school year ahead. It is important for students to have some down time, but also important to keep their brains active and ready to learn. Here are three suggestions for how students could do this:

1. Read – pick up that novel that you have been putting off, pre-read the English set text prior to school beginning, ask for books for Christmas from family members. Reading keeps the mind active, helps with language acquisition, and can be enjoyed by young and old. Many studies show that strong readers are academically strong in the classroom, so reading needs to continue over the holiday period.
2. Keep up with current affairs – education is about so much more than what can be read in a textbook. Building general knowledge and watching what happens throughout the world, and more importantly ‘why’, builds problem-solving capacity and critical thinking. Watching the daily news program, reading the newspaper and then having family conversations about what is going on in the world can expand general knowledge.
3. Find at least one time during the holidays to again go over the continuous reporting comments. Interrogate these comments and use this information to start thinking about your academic goals for 2019. Think of clarifying questions to ask your Form teacher or Academic Advisor in the new year.

It has been wonderful to share another year with the St Margaret’s community and I wish you all a safe and enjoyable Christmas holiday. I look forward to seeing everyone again in 2019.

 Karen Gorrie 

Ichthus camps have been around since 2002. Many of the leaders on these camps grew up attending them. Sophia Colledge, a 2019 Year 11 St Margaret’s Student, will be a Junior Leader on this camp, after attending camp for the past 6 years! The word ‘Ichthus’ comes from Koine Greek and means ‘fish’. In Koine Greek, it is also an acronym for ‘Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Saviour’.

What can participants expect to experience?
Primary Ichthus provides a big, fun-filled program that includes a variety of games, such as water, outdoor and team games. This year, we will be taking advantage of being on the Sunshine Coast and will be going to Red Jacket Water Park, as well as enjoying a lot of other activities on site.

A key aspect of the camp is the worship and small group time, giving the participants a chance to discuss and reflect with others their own age on what the Spiritual Director’s talks mean to them.

Do participants need to be Anglican/religious?
No, there is no requirement for participants to be Anglican or Christian. There will be Christian input and worship throughout the week. Participants are expected to respect the faith and beliefs of others and can expect to have their own faith and beliefs respected.

So, the basics:
Primary Ichthus 2019, 16-19 January
$199 for Years 4-7 starting in 2019
Register at to book your child’s spot as registrations will close on 20 December.

Reflection
This Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent, the beginning of a time of preparation, waiting and anticipation ... A time that leads to the coming of Christ, God made flesh. Advent is our time to make ready for Christmas. This Sunday would be a most appropriate time to set up the Christmas tree!

Traditional Advent calendars take us along the journey of ‘waiting’, beginning with December 1st. The Christian traditions have morphed over the years so that Advent Calendars frequently are now little more than a way of getting a chocolate treat each day of December, some offer samples of beer or gin! But the more reflective Advent calendars are the ones that gradually reveal the nativity scene, inviting us to take time to ponder and pause to reflect.

Perhaps there is space in your family this year for a new challenge in the Christmas lead up? How about an Advent Blessing jar? Choose a charity that your family would like to support. This jar uses paddle pop sticks to mark each day, placed upright in a jar. On each, write an overlooked blessing of your home - sources of fresh water, ceiling fans, shoes ... Each day of Advent pull out a stick, read the blessing and count the number of that item in your home. For each, place a coin in the jar. For example, if a blessing reads ‘ways to cook food’, add up the oven, hot plates, microwave, grill, barbecue, toaster etc. and place 50c or more for each. When the sticks are gone, count up your money as a family to see how much you have to donate to a chosen charity. By recognising the everyday blessings we may take for granted, the process of gratitude and giving this Advent may take on a different meaning.

Other possible ideas might include a Reverse Advent Calendar. Take a box and every day add a grocery item. By Christmas, take the box of goods and donate to a food bank or family in need.

Another possibility could be a Kindness Advent Calendar, there are many available online, where an offering of kindness and niceties for others make an action every day in the lead up to Christmas.

May this Christmas bring you closer in your relationship with God, with others and with yourself.

May you and yours be blessed with peace and joy!

May you have a reflective Advent and a Merry and Holy Christmas!

The Reverend Canon Nicki Colledge 

We are also very blessed in Boarding to have a wonderful team who support the girls on a daily basis, including our wonderful Housemothers who work with the girls and provide support to help guide them on their journey here at St Margaret’s; Sandra, for her ongoing commitment to the welfare of the girls and Ange who help so many in a day. To the Kitchen staff, Shirley in the laundry and the Facilities staff, as a Boarding community we would like to thank all who have made this year a success.

We wish all of our Boarding families a very happy and safe Christmas and look forward to seeing you all in 2019.

Lesa Fowler 

It’s hard to believe we are talking about 2019 already; however, it is also important to note that your daughters will receive another OP prediction at the start of Year 12. I will meet with each of the girls to discuss their progress and goals for 2019 in the first couple of weeks. You are most welcome to attend these meetings as well, so that we can work together to support your daughters in Year 12.

Best wishes for the holidays
I would like to wish all families an enjoyable and restful break over the Christmas holidays. As always, I encourage your daughters to read over the break and to do this you might consider some tips I read about holiday reading. Firstly, read whichever books look good to you. Holiday reading is about kicking off the shoes, staying up much too late, reading all day with no one caring what you’re doing.

Secondly, give your daughters permission to read easy. A student lost in a book, measuring herself against the main character, arguing with a decision made, laughing at antics, and holding her breath in the harrowing escapades of the hero, is reading with far more rigor than the student trudging through a book that makes little sense or one that is filled with unknown vocabulary that leaves her convinced she does not like to read.

And finally, celebrate reading series books. Research on this suggestion shows that a critical step in becoming a lifetime reader is, at some point, being a series book reader. I have very fond memories of reading Trixie Belden and the Famous Five series growing up and I’m sure they set me up for a lifetime of enjoyable time-out.

I look forward to working with you and your daughters in 2019. Merry Christmas and stay safe.

Jo Butterworth 

At the end of each year, the challenge of managing change can always be a little unsettling. Year 6 girls are preparing to move into Year 7, which is undoubtedly one of the bigger transitions that happens in school. New classes, teachers and subjects are on the horizon for all students. So, as we prepare to take a well-deserved break I would like to leave you with some thoughts and wisdom from 100 Acre Woods by A A Milne through Winnie the Pooh and his friends:

“Pay attention to the little things.”
“It’s important to have days when you do nothing.”
“The things that make me different are the things that make me.”
“Don’t rush, take time to think, think, think.”

A reminder - End of the Year Reporting Process
End of Semester Reports may be accessed through Parent Lounge after 3pm on Friday 7 December. Please note also that all Continuous Reporting Information will be available from this date as well.

Each student’s report will consist of a comment from her Head of Year, as well as a page for each subject. The final page of the report is the Grade Point Average (GPA) graph which records the student’s overall level of achievement and tracks this from semester to semester. Students have had access to their results through Learning Analytics.

As well as GPA and Overall Grade Information, the report includes a list of the course content, marks for the criteria assessed, a table showing the distribution of achievement levels within the subject and an assessment of your daughter’s attitude to her learning for each of her subjects. The academic results reflected in this report are based on the assessment completed throughout Semester 2.

Have a safe and happy holiday and I look forward to sharing the journey of next year with you all.

Nicole Devlin 

As 2018 draws to a close, we can look back on another remarkable year of achievements at St Margaret’s. Each year, I hope as a school, we sow the seeds that will help every girl flourish and leave a positive influence through all her interactions. It has been gratifying to see the commitment of our students to their studies, extra-curricular activities and compassion shown through supporting the School’s community service and fundraising efforts. Equally committed is our teaching staff in creating a supportive environment where young women can discover and explore their passions and develop a deep love of learning.

I wish you and your family a happy and holy Christmas.

Nikki Townsend 

This week has certainly been about the Year 6 girls. The highlight was when they shared their Primary school journey at the Chapel Service and morning tea. Thank you to the Year 6 teachers for supporting them on this special occasion and once again, Miss Surtees for her organisation. It was wonderful to have so many parents to share this experience and emotional farewell to the Primary school. I will miss the Year 6 girls’ confidence, humour and enthusiasm and I know as they move to the next stage of their life they will take their Primary school memories with them.

The term finished with a Primary School Assembly. This Assembly is always of special significance, not because it is the last one for the year and the girls are able to toss their panamas into the air, but it is one where I present the Head of Primary certificates.

Congratulations to:

Alice Baxby: for generosity and perseverance in raising funds for the Drought Angels.

Annabel Devereaux: for exemplifying the school values in all aspects of her work.

Abbey Kelso: for exemplifying The St Margaret’s Way with her positivity every morning.

Sienna Kendall: for her willingness to assist others and her positive attitude to all aspect of school life.

Emma Fahy: for her commitment to reading.

Yajie (Jessica) Wang: for courage, perseverance and outstanding levels of spirit.

Daniela Sorbello: for endless enthusiasm and kindness.

School does not finish this week for four Year 6 girls; Caitlin Williams, Brianna Higgins, Georgia White and Lilly Young. They will travel to Melbourne to compete for the National Competition for Gateways Challenge. We wish them well and thank Kimberley Bachmann for attending with the girls and for Ailsa Crockett supporting the girls in the lead up. We look forward to hearing the results.

As you prepare for the long summer break, it is important for learning to continue. Studies show that during the summer break, students tend to lose some of the important academic gains made during the school year and this is regarded as ‘Summer Loss’. At the P-4 Celebration, Ms Curtis spoke about the importance of reading and set the girls a challenge to read during the summer holidays.

For my top three summer activities: Read, Write and Maths and a few others are listed below:

Read! Read! Read!

• Lead by example, read the newspaper, pick up a magazine at the doctors, pack a paperback into your beach bag. If children see the adults around them reading, they understand that books and other reading material are a fun and important part of their summer days.
• Tell your child why you liked a book, what you learned from it, or how it helped you.
• Make some time for reading, such as before bedtime or after breakfast.
• Summer is a time when children can read what, when and how they please.
• Have plenty of reading material around: storybooks, newspapers, magazines. Encourage them to read about an interest or to extend their knowledge or read books that teach children how to make or do something.
• Start an engrossing book at the start of the holidays. It can become a highly anticipated part of the day for all the family.
• Students choosing their own books based on their interests; this is especially important for early readers. Matching books to students’ reading levels is less important than interest.
• Students getting 10 – 12 books for the summer.
• Students owning the books (versus borrowing them); research across 27 countries found that a home library is as important as parental education and twice as important as the father’s occupation in predicting educational outcomes.
• Students getting books with familiar language and literacy elements.
• Students selecting slightly more challenging books each summer.
• Students getting e-book or audio formats that provide access to more challenging material.

Research has shown that the amount of independent reading a child does outside of school relates to their growth in vocabulary, verbal fluency, reading comprehension and general knowledge. Children who read on their own improve their reading skills, have greater content knowledge and score higher on achievement tests than children who do not open a book outside of school. If your children are less than enthusiastic, consider putting in an incentive program to help keep them motivated to read: e.g. reward each time they reach a certain number of books.

Write

• Writing is an extension of reading. They go hand-in-hand. Whether it’s keeping a scrapbook, writing in a journal, or blogging online.
• Write a letter to Santa, Christmas cards, thank you notes.

Play

• Board games are a great way to have fun as a family over the holidays. Board games enhance skills such as: problem solving, quick thinking, vocabulary skills, identifying patterns, deduction, memory, decision making, teamwork, persistence and creativity/imagination.

Maths

• Use a Christmas catalogue to work out the cost of presents.
• At the supermarket, add up the cost of items, practise rounding or calculating change.
• Watching a sports game, talk about what players’ statistics mean.
• When cooking, try halving or doubling a recipe and assist children in figuring out the new proportions.
• Reading maths-focused stories to help children can help boost maths scores in school.
• Games like Yahtzee and Monopoly rely on skills for maths, such as counting, categorising and building.
• Playing with blocks and assembling jigsaw puzzles can help children learn spatial skills and recognise patterns.
• Small amounts of practice with basic formulas can help.
• Problem-of-the-day maths calendars are a great way to practise basic maths problems on a small scale.

Other

• If you are going on a family trip, take the time to research the destination beforehand. Discuss the different things they will experience – climate, food, dress, local customs etc.
• Cooking includes maths (measurement) and following instructions (reading).

Parents, I encourage you to look for creative ways to ensure your children stay ahead in their learning, despite the long gap in their formal education. Learning is a lifelong skill and needs to be consolidated beyond the classroom.

Staffing for 2019
There will be changes to the number of classes and teachers next year. We will have two classes of Prep and one class of Year 2. The number of other classes will remain the same. In regard to teaching staff, two Year 5 teachers will leave us; Mrs Tansy Cruttenden will retire from full time teaching and Ms Marguerite Erasmus will return to relief teaching. A formal goodbye to these teachers was conducted at the final Assembly. They both leave us with our gratitude and best wishes.

We will welcome a new teacher to our staff, Miss Lucardia Moulton as the Year 5 teacher. We also welcome back Mrs Jess Fumar from maternity leave. Mrs Fumar has worked part time in Year 6 for 2 years. Previous to this she was the Year 5 teacher. This year she will share the role with Mrs Marilyn Ivers. Mrs Ivers has been a long-time staff member of St Margaret’s who began in the Primary school and most recently has taught in Learning Enhancement and Modern Languages as a French teacher. Miss Surtees will continue to work in Year 5 and 6 in the subject areas, RVE and Pastoral Care.

Mr Michael Crowe will work as our Maths specialist next year and Mr Steve Box will be heading back into the classroom.

The 2019 class and teacher allocations are as follows:

Pre-Prep: Katie Bryant

Prep B: Kylie Briggs

Prep G: Deanna Lawliss

Year 1B : Karen Andrews-Close

Year 2B : Briar Bracey

Year 3B : Melissa Garbutt

Year 3G: Nicole Jonathan

Year 4B : Janice Emmett

Year 4G: Steve Box

Year 5B : Evan Chia

Year 5G: Kate Porter

Year 5R: Lucardia Moulton

Year 6B: Georgina Stevenson

Year 6G: Jess Fumar/Marilyn Ivers

Year 6R: Kimberley Bachmann

I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday and thank you for a great year.

Angela Drysdale 

Alice Baxby, Mariana Breslin, Rose Brown, Hilary Davis, Gabriella Frederiksen, Grace Gillies, Lucy Goodall, Lucia Hickey, Brianna Higgins, Georgia Johnston, Audrey Kerle, Charlotte Kerr, Olivia Malouf, Grace Marchant, Sharlize Mufti, Mokhyada Nanda, Sasha Peach, Caitlin Pitt, Ruby Reynolds Campbell, Sarah Sorensen, Teresa Sweeney, Georgia White, Sara Wright, Lilly Young.

2019 Private Music Tuition
If your daughter is currently undertaking private music tuition she will automatically be placed on her current teachers’ roll for 2019. Parents do not need to fill in a new application form. However, if your daughter is wanting to discontinue lessons in 2019, we ask that you please email directly to the Music Department at music@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Music Support Group
Thank you to all those involved in the Music Support Group throughout 2018. The St Margaret’s Music Department very much appreciates all the incredible level of support provided by this group. Special thanks must go to our outgoing President, Ms Dani O’Neill who has worked tirelessly in the role for three years and provided outstanding leadership to the group. Thank you also to Ann-Louise Woods for her work as Secretary and Sharon Solomon for hers as Treasurer throughout the year. We are very grateful for the commitment shown to supporting the girls in their musical endeavours at St Margaret’s.

The Annual General Meeting was held last Tuesday evening and we are very pleased to announce the following office holders:

President: Shannon Marshall

Vice-President: Kerrith Matyear

Secretary: Ann-Louise Woods

Treasurer: Sharon Solomon

Thank you to all parents who attended and who have offered to assist in a variety of capacities throughout 2019. The next Music Support Group meeting will be held on Tuesday 5 February 2019 at 5:00pm in the Primary Music Room. We encourage parents from both the Primary and Secondary schools to become involved.

Thank you and Merry Christmas!
A very big thank you to all in the St Margaret’s Music Community for a wonderful year. I know that the girls will end the school year with many wonderful music memories from experiences had throughout 2018. Thank you to all the music staff for their continued hard work and professionalism, thank you to all of the parents for your continued support in encouraging your daughter’s music education. Of course, thank you to all the girls who show ongoing dedication and commitment to the St Margaret’s Music Program. We wish Mrs Samantha McDonell and Ms Melanie Simpson all the best as they leave St Margaret’s, and we also send our best wishes to Mrs Alison Brown who will be away on maternity leave from Terms 1 to 3. I trust you all have a very happy and safe Christmas break and will look forward to seeing everyone in 2019 for another musical year!

Brad King 

All sport information for Terms 1 and 2 in 2019, including registrations is now available via the Secondary Sport POD page and can also be found below. Further information regarding each sport, including trial and training schedules, will be become available in January.

Terms 1 and 2 Sport Registrations:

Artistic Gymnastics - Trials commence on Thursday 31 January and Friday 1 February -

Basketball - Trials commence Term 1, Week 2. Weekly Friday fixtures starting on 8 March -

Football (Soccer) - Trials commence Term 1, Week 2. Weekly Friday fixtures starting on 8 March -

Touch Football - Trials commence Term 1, Week 1. Weekly Friday fixtures starting on 8 March -

Cricket - Weekly Wednesday Fixtures commencing on Wednesday 6 February -

Senior Softball - Trial held on Thursday 31 January. Weekly Saturday fixtures commencing on Saturday 9 February - (Players needed)

Cross Country - Training commences Term 1, Week 2 every Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 6:30am. Commencing Monday 4 February -

Swimming Holiday Training - Training will be held Monday - Friday in December and January at Nudgee Swimming Pool -

Club Netball - Trials to commence mid-February -

Sacre Coeur Tennis - Competition is played in February -

Water Polo
The Water Polo season has hit the halfway point and will break for the holiday. All training will recommence on Wednesday 30 January with games recommencing on Saturday 2 February. If there are any girls from 12–15 years who would like to continue to refine their Water Polo skills, there are opportunities to participate in two holiday camps with the Water Polo Academy at the Valley Pool. Details on these camps are below:

2018 Pre-Christmas Camp
Dates: 17, 18 and 19 December 2018
Times: 8:30am - 11:30am each day (doors open from 8am)
Where: Valley Pool
Who: Girls and Boys, 8-15 years
Cost: $150/player

2019 Back to School Camp
Dates: 8 and 9 January 2019
Times: 8:30am - 11:30am each day (doors open from 8am)
Where: Valley Pool
Who: Girls and Boys, 8-15 years
Cost: $100/player

Please visit Academy Water Polo's website to register: .

Swimming Holiday Training
St Margaret's will be offering swimming training over the holiday period at Nudgee College Swimming Pool, 2199 Sandgate Road, Boondall. These sessions are ideal for girls to regain their swimming fitness, so they are ready for the competition season in Term 1, 2019.  Please, register through the link , so we can determine the numbers over this holiday period.

Dates:
Monday 3 December - Friday 7 December, 8:15-9:30am
Monday 10 December - Friday 14 December, 8:15-9:30am
Monday 14 January - Friday 18 January, 8:15-9:30am
Monday 21 January and Tuesday 22 January, 8:15-9:30am

Helen Lobegeiger 

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A final congratulations for 2018 to our December Artwork of the Month (PDF 188.2KB) recipient. Ebony Seery (Year 10) created a much admired tonal drawing for the recent Year 10 Surrealism task. Well done Ebonie!

smART club for 2019 (PDF 116.3KB) begins on Wednesday afternoons in Term 1 with Musical sets. Students must apply to Ms Smith to be selected for the team. We will produce sets and props for the school musical, The Addams Family. There is no cost associated with this activity.

Lisa Smith 

Throughout the four days of performances, students demonstrated their developing skills in storytelling, mime, improvisation, poetry recital, prose reading, impromptu speaking and drama. External adjudicators provided invaluable feedback to performers and commented on the very high standard of presentations.

In 2016, the Jacqueline Noyes Encouragement Award was introduced to the Year 5 Eisteddfod to honour Jacqui who passed away that year.

Jacqui made a significant contribution to the life of Speech and Drama at St Margaret’s. She taught Private Speech and Drama here for 21 years from 1980 to 2001. During that time, she inspired students with her love of literature and passion for performing. Jacqui later adjudicated our end-of-year Eisteddfods from 2009 to 2015, allowing many more students to benefit from her experience and expertise.

As a teacher and adjudicator at St Margaret’s, Jacqui provided warm encouragement and inspiration to many Speech and Drama students. The Jacqueline Noyes Encouragement Award is now presented each year to a Year 5 student who the adjudicator believes demonstrates note-worthy potential through their Eisteddfod performances. Congratulations to Millie Campbell who is the 2018 recipient of this Award.

Maria Chamberlain 

Correspondence from St Margaret’s Students away on Exchange:
We recently heard from Cyrah Finlayson who is currently away on her exchange to Ursulinenschule in Germany:

I thought that I would update you on my Exchange so far, as we just came back from a two-week break. During the holidays I visited Bavaria with my host family. We stayed in a small village next to the Alps and did many hikes throughout the Alps. We visited the Zugspitze, which is the highest mountain in Germany, and were fortunate enough to experience amazing views of both Austria and Germany. We also had the opportunity to go sledding in the snow on the mountain. We visited nearby villages and got to explore the amazing paintings on old houses. We also visited Schloss Neuschwanstein and had a tour of the interior of the castle. We were also able to see another one of Ludwig’s castles, Schloss Linderhof. We explored Munich for a day, which was such an amazing city! We visited the Olympic Ski Jumping site in Garmish-Partkirchen.

During the second week of our holidays, Ilka and I travelled to Berlin with her father, Ralf. We stayed close to the city centre and were constantly out exploring Berlin. It was an amazing cultural and historical experience, as well as a great shopping trip. The subway and trams made traveling throughout Berlin super easy and efficient. We visited many cultural sights, some of which included the East Art Gallery where the Berlin wall was painted, an exhibition and untouched site of the Berlin wall, checkpoint Charlie and other historical sites. We also did a tour of the Reichstag building, the parliament house in Berlin. This was an amazing experience as we were able to get an in-depth insight into the political background of the city and Germany. We visited many museums and shopping malls, which allowed me to really get a deeper understanding of Berlin, from a cultural perspective. I have attached some images of my travels.

Angelin Achari

Textbook and stationery orders made after Monday 26 November 2018 may still be placed with Sequel via email, phone or visiting their retail shop. Please check with Sequel for approximate delivery times.

For Secondary students, the Sustainable School Shop offers a second-hand textbook trading system. Go to to register.  Registration is free for all St. Margaret families.

Church dress hire returns
All students should have returned their church dresses, except for Year 6 students whose dresses must be returned no later than Thursday 29 November 2018.

Dresses must be laundered, ironed and returned as per the ‘Hire Conditions’ for an amount of $70 to be refunded.

Blazers
Blazers will be compulsory in 2019 for Years 10, 11 and 12. Stock is now available.

Second hand uniforms
The Supplies Shop offers a selection of second hand uniforms when stock is available.

If you would like to sell your uniforms or bags to the School Supplies Shop, please note:

• Clothing must be in good condition, freshly laundered and ironed ready for sale.
• Middy uniforms with stains or damaged stitching e.g. hems, pleats and underarms will not be accepted.
• Other uniforms, including extracurricular sports, with stains will not be accepted.
• Please clean bags and check all pockets. Old branding will not be accepted.
• Payment for items excluding consignment stock may take up to 2 weeks to process.
• Consignment stock (payment when item sold) includes blazers, leotards, art smocks and some extra-curricular sports uniforms.
• The Supplies Shop reserves the right to assess each item and all decisions made regarding uniform submissions are final.
• Items unable to be purchased by the Supplies Shop can be donated to the Global Exchange Program.

School Supplies Shop Extended Trading Hours
Thursday 29 November 2018: 8am-2pm
Friday 30 November 2018: 10am-2pm

The School Supplies Shop closes on Friday 30 November 2018 and re-opens Monday 21 January 2019

 A numbering system for ALL purchases will operate during the January 2019 trading hours. All parents and students wishing to purchase from the School Supplies Shop will be required to take a number and wait to be attended to.

Monday 21 January 2019: 9am-2pm

Tuesday 22 January 2019: 9am-2pm

Wednesday 23 January 2019: 9am-2pm

Thursday 24 January 2019: 9am-2pm

Friday 25 January 2019: 9am-2pm

Saturday 26 January 2019: CLOSED

Sunday 27 January 2019: CLOSED

Monday 28 January 2019: 9am-12 midday – all welcome

(Australia Day Public Holiday): 1pm-5pm – Boarders only

Normal Trading Hours Resume from Friday 1 February 2019

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 8am-2pm

Wednesday: 10am-5pm

Public Holidays Closed

Enquiries: St Margaret’s AGS School Supplies Shop

Phone:  07 3862 0776

Email: suppliesshop@stmargarets.qld.edu.au

Terisa Arnold 

Our students raised a record $94,568.84 for the Cancer Council Queensland and The Minotti Trust through the annual Ponytail Project.

With generous support from the community and the P&F Association, the collaborative lecture space, The Loft, was opened in Term 1. The P&F have had a busy year with a number of highly successful sold out events which all serve to both build community and raise funds for the school. These included: Mothers’ Luncheon, Father Daughter Breakfast, Fathers’ Dinner, Mother Daughter High Tea and the annual Race Day.

It has also been heart-warming to see the investment made in current students by our past students through donations to the scholarships and bursaries.

The St Margaret’s Day Service this year was a very special one, with the announcement of our plans for a new sports precinct which best serves the health and wellbeing of our students, enhances the value of our outstanding sports program and adds to the depth and relevance of our curriculum.

This bold new vision – to be funded in part by the Capital Campaign – will be one of the most significant undertakings in the recent history of St Margaret’s. It has been wonderful to see such generosity from our community with many of our parents, past students and staff making a philanthropic gift to support the Campaign.

So far, we have raised $790,000 of our $1m target, but it will be the participation of our community that helps us to achieve this goal. All donations are gratefully received.

If you would like to join us in supporting this important project, you can through the St Margaret’s Foundation Building Fund, or please feel free to contact me directly on +61 7 3862 0884 or email: foundation@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

We are excited to announce that we will commence work on 6 December 2018 with demolition and site establishment, with the expected completion date in early 2020.

All consultants are onboard and the design is well underway. The development plan boasts a water polo sized heated pool, enabling students to swim and train for sports such as lifesaving and water polo all year round, new tennis courts with lights, a new gymnasium, a strength and conditioning gym and HPE classrooms.

We are pleased to report that a Sports Precinct Operations Committee, including sports teaching staff, has been established to ensure minimal disruption to education during the build. 

Four highly successful Professional Women’s Network events were held again this year, with the last being a Cocktail event held in the evening in Brisbane CBD. Sponsorship and corporate interest has grown which has generated an outstanding philanthropic contribution of $64,000 to support a number of financial need-based bursaries and scholarships, for students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to benefit from a St Margaret’s education.

St Margaret’s also played host to special decade reunions, which attracted a record of more than 500 past students back to campus across the Reunion Weekend. We have also welcomed our past students back for the Past Student Awards Dinner, Old Girls’ Association Brunch and Old Girls’ Association Chapel Service and Morning Tea.

This office continues to be supported by a small team of wonderful and dedicated volunteers who continue their great work in locating past students who may not remained connected with the school.

The Mayo Arts Festival and Friends of Mayo Cocktail Party was also held this year with a great deal of support generated for the Arts Program at St Margaret’s. We have also been very grateful for generous donations and loans of artwork that are enriching the students’ studies.

Throughout this year, the school has been supported by many organisations in a whole range of ways. All of these activities directly support the education of our students now and into the future.

We sincerely thank them all for choosing to invest in the future of our young women.

My colleagues, Julie Gibbons and Bronwyn Small, and I look forward to working with you all to achieve great things for St Margaret’s in 2019.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Lara Pickering

NOTICE OF P&F 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 25 February 2019 in the Arts Centre Foyer at 6:30pm.

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

If you are interested in joining the P&F Association, all positions of the Management Committee will be declared vacant at the AGM and a new committee for 2019 will be elected.

Nominations can be made by downloading and completing this Nomination for Position form (PDF 152.9KB). All nomination forms must be returned to: P&F@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or via School Reception by Friday 15 February 2019.

2019 Milestone Reunion Dates
We are pleased to announce the dates for our 2019 Milestone reunions!

10 Year Reunion – Class of 2009 – Friday 26 July

20 Year Reunion – Class of 1999 – Friday 26 July

30 Year Reunion – Class of 1989 – Friday 26 July

40 Year Reunion – Class of 1979 – Saturday 27 July

50 Year Reunion – Class of 1969 – Saturday 27 July

60 Year Reunion – Class of 1959 – Saturday 27 July

Chapel Service and Morning Tea – Sunday 28 July

60+ Year Reunion – Monday 29 July

2019 Professional Women’s Network
Our Professional Women’s Network events program for 2019 has been confirmed!
Please add these dates to your diary:

• Professional Women’s Network Event 1 – 21 March 2019
• Professional Women’s Network Event 2 – 15 May 2019
• Professional Women’s Network Event 3 – 20 August 2019
• Professional Women’s Network Event 1 – 17 October 2019

UQ College: Transition to University with your Best Foot Forward
Dates: Monday 4, Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 6 February 2019
Cost: $100 1 Session per day over 3 days, 4-hour session per day
Times: 8:30am-12:30pm or 1pm-5pm
Resources provided. Register now by emailing info@uqcollege.edu.au

QTAC How to respond to your offer:

For detailed information visit:

QTAC Documentation: Key Dates

Griffith University VET Pathways
Griffith will continue to accept stand-alone Vocation Education and Training (VET) qualifications completed at high school, private providers and TAFE Institutes for admission in 2019 and 2020. Visit: for more information.

Australian Catholic University Know Your Options Information session for Year 12 students
ACU Brisbane Campus 1100 Nudgee Road, Banyo, Saturday 15 December, 2-4pm

Changes to entry for Medicine, Dentistry courses at Australian universities
UMAT ¸£ÀûÐÂÇøÒ»Çø¶þÇø Test will be replaced by University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) in 2019. For more information about the new test, including testing dates and format visit: .

Preparing for UCAT
You can find the official preparation materials at:

Australian Catholic University (ACU)
Elite Athlete and Performer Program (EAPP) applications close on 4 December. .

ACU - Apply now for 2019 scholarships
Explore our scholarships.

KEY DATES:  

15 December: OPs released

15 December: ACU Know your options information session, 2-4pm

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

18 December: QUT Real Decisions Gardens Point campus

20 December: QTAC offer round

For more information about interstate key dates:

• VTAC website
• UAC: https://www.uac.edu.au/key-dates

Elizabeth Johnston