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Please put Open Day, Saturday 4 March, in your calendars. This is a compulsory morning for all students. We understand that some students will have unavoidable clashes or significant reasons why they cannot attend on that day. If this is the case for your daughter, we require a letter indicating her inability to attend. Open Day is an enjoyable day for the students – where they engage in activities and/or performances to showcase the school to our visitors. We also welcome our current parents and their guests to visit and see the school in action from 9.30am to 12.30pm. This is a great opportunity to become more familiar with St Margaret’s and its offerings.

There are many and varied ways parents can get involved with the school and show support for their daughters and the school itself. There is the opportunity to be on the P and F committee, or to attend P and F meetings (four times per year); be active in your daughter’s sport or music support group; attend the functions at the school mostly organised by the P and F; attend a range of school organised events and functions. In addition to Open Day, this can include the school musical (this year Strictly Ballroom); the Friends of Mayo lunch, Family services; parent/teacher interviews and information sessions, and some special assemblies. Another important avenue for connection is the Professional Women’s Network Breakfast. These occur four times per year. The first one this year will be held on Tuesday 21 March in the Arts Centre Foyer. Please click here for further information and to book. You may wish to purchase a ticket for yourself, bring a friend or even better take a corporate table. We have fabulous speakers for all four events and it is a wonderful way to connect.

Ros Curtis

At the Secondary Information evening I spoke a little about St Margaret’s Way. Perhaps your daughters have mentioned the St Margaret’s Way to you at home? If you are new to the school, I’m sure that over the coming weeks you will be able to hear more about it.

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

All staff and students have information about St Margaret’s Way on their computers when they log in each day. It is a daily reminder of how they are to treat each other and all members of the community with respect, and in return receive respect from them. It is underpinned by our values of Spirit, Inclusivity, Integrity, Courage, Respect and Passion.

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

Karen Gorrie

In chapel last week, we reflected on one encounter between a teen and their older buddy. It was family night and the teen’s parents met his buddy and invited her to family dinner. The invitation was extraordinarily moving for the older woman, as she had very little family, and the idea of being welcomed into this new family was transformational for her. Her life was affected by a seemingly small and achievable invitation.

God’s posture toward humanity is always welcome and love. From this welcome and love, we asked how we can share this welcome within our community. As a school this welcome is expressed in the two questions that underpin the St Margaret’s Way. How do I want to feel every day when I come to school today? What am I doing to ensure others can feel this way? I find these questions are a helpful habit to adopt, as they help to align priorities, shift perspective, and ensure that we, and others, are included and respected in our daily endeavours.

Rev’d Jazz Dow

The opportunity to interact with students from other Brisbane boarding schools is always well received. The activities coordinators from all the schools work together developing the term calendars to ensure that there are a number of chances to come together. Many of our boarders use this time to catch up with siblings or with friends who they don’t get to see regularly. It can also foster many new friendships between the students.

The upcoming weekend demonstrates the variety of activities available to the girls. A Friday afternoon shopping trip to stock up on necessities is always a popular option. The destination alternates between DFO and Chermside and this week is a trip to Chermside. On their return, they can choose to then venture off to Marist Ashgrove for a pool party along with students from Stuartholme. On Saturday, the girls can burn off some energy at Urban Xtreme while on Sunday they can opt to head into the city for a little retail therapy. There is plenty on offer for the girls to stay busy and entertained throughout the weekend.

Angela Crowe

To set realistic goals, I encourage your daughters to read their Continuous Reporting comments from last year, think about their own study habits and consider the range of activities in their life they need to balance. You will have an opportunity to discuss your daughter’s goals with her Academic Advisor at the upcoming Parent Teacher Interviews.

Year 12 Portfolio Pathway Meetings

Year 12 Portfolio Pathway students will have received an appointment to meet with me to discuss their progress and track QCE points. It is important that all students attend these scheduled meetings or let me know in advance if they are unable to make it. Parents are also welcomed to attend these meetings with your daughter.

Caitlin McCluskey

To identify and plan effectively for these busier weeks, I encourage all girls to reflect on the following advice to start this semester:

1. Firstly, over the next few days, input all assessment, extra-curricular and out-of-school commitments into your diaries for the semester.
2. Identify your busier weeks of the term early.
3. Devise a study/homework timetable that provides you with realistic and sufficient times in the week to devote to school work. This step could be done in consultation with your Academic Advisor or Form Teacher.
4. Discuss with your Academic Advisor or Form Teacher about how you can best plan your approach to the busier weeks of the term. Consider:

• What other events or commitments are in close proximity to these weeks?
• Are there aspects of some assessments that could be completed earlier in the term?
• Can you chunk the assessment into mini-deadlines or checkpoints to ensure you are making continual progress?
• For exam-based assessments, how much prior study (in hours) should you be factoring into your weekly routine to ensure you are adequately prepared?

• Reflect on your progress regularly to ensure you fulfil all your obligations and deadlines.

I wish all students the very best as they navigate the demands of the upcoming semester.

Parent Teacher Interviews

In the Secondary School, all parents have access to Parent Teacher Interviews twice a year (Terms 1 and 3). The Term 1 Interviews will be held with the student’s Form Teacher (Years 7 and 8) or Academic Advisor (Years 9-12). The focus of these interviews is to share with parents the goals that their daughter has set with either her Form Teacher or Academic Advisor. Parents of Year 12 students can also book times to see their daughter’s Year 12 subject teachers to discuss the progress of their learning. 

This year, we are pleased to be offering both online and face-to-face interview options. On Monday 6 March, there will be face-to-face interviews in Eton Hall and the Circular Drive Classrooms; and on Thursday 16 March, there will be online interviews conducted via Microsoft Teams. Both sessions will run from 3:30pm-6:00pm and further information regarding bookings will be emailed to parents next week.

Term 3 Parent Teacher Interviews for Years 7-12 will give parents the opportunity to meet with their daughters’ subject teachers. The Term 3 Interviews will be held on Monday 10 July from 10:00am to 8:00pm.

It is important to note, however, that you are welcome, at any time of the year, to contact your daughters’ subject teachers, Form Teacher or Academic Advisor, if you have any questions.

Chris Dunn

Here is a snippet of their address: “This theme was chosen by our entire senior cohort. When deciding on this theme, we all asked ourselves, when is our school community at its best? We found that many of our favourite memories came from moments where the Maggie’s spirit was ignited, and the school was united. Like in our yearly camps, interhouse competitions, and even our day-to-day interactions with friends, classmates and our teachers and staff.

So, here’s our goal:

This year, “ignite” your individual passions, and your spirit and pride in our school community. Each one of you has so much to offer, so nurture that potential. Do that activity or try that idea. Find that spark inside and ignite it, harness it to fly upwards. 

Be united. Embrace and appreciate those around you. Our school prides itself in being a sisterhood, inclusive of all. Choose to grow your relationships with others. Introduce yourself. Support and be supported by others.   As you walk out of here today, keep our theme in mind: Ignite and unite in blue, brown and white”.

Beyond the Panama

It has been pointed out time and time again that schools don’t do enough in educating students about financial literacy and soft skills. At St Margaret’s we have recognised this gap.
Through Beyond the Panama program for Years 11 and 12 we aim to upskill our students on financial literacy and soft skills so that our students feel more confident, compassionate and capable young women when they leave school…and beyond.

Last Friday the students learnt about the importance of understanding tax and superannuation from Old Girl Kimberly Middlemis (’93. They also heard about university life and offerings at a Tertiary showcase. Also included in the program was our RVE Masterclass where Rev’d Richard Browning presented an engaging session titled "The questions we ask become the story we live”. The students were asked to consider what is important to them and they participated in mindfulness activities which focused on noticing the small things. Rev’d Richard is the Director of Mission at the Anglican Schools Commission and his thoughts prompted the students to reflect on the questions that drive their vocation and way of being in the world, and to try and view questions from a different perspective. Some of the students’ questions included:

Am I a good person? 

What really makes me happy? 

How do I stand out?

Am I ready to leave school and be an adult? 

Am I good enough? 

What does success look like?

Do I choose to be the person I am?

How do I choose to live life to the fullest? 

Nikki Townsend

As a school, we have had a commitment to differentiation for over twenty years. It is one of the five pillars of our school-based Quality Teaching and Ó£ÌÒ¸£ÀûÊÓƵ Framework. Most recently, the Primary School staff members have undertaken an ongoing professional development with renowned expert, Bronwyn McLeod.

The principles and guidelines of differentiation are rooted in years of educational theory and research, started during the 1980’s. Differentiation refers to the methods teachers use to extend the knowledge and skills of every child, in every subject, regardless of the starting point. Throughout the school day, all teachers make modifications in small but significant ways. However, the aim of a planned, explicit differentiated program is to lift the performance of and provide appropriate challenge for all students. At the core, differentiation is a response to modify instruction considering student differences.

There is no recipe for differentiation, but the research identifies a few principles which guide the practice of differentiation (Tomlinson, 2000). By way of the professional development and in consultation with Bronwyn McLeod, the school has identified relevant and guiding differentiated principles for planning. These include: -

• Recognition of and commitment to plan for student differences
• Planning centred around a guiding question supported by core questions
• Planning addresses concepts, understandings, and skills
• Planning includes adjustments in – content (what is taught), process (how students make sense of content), and product (how students demonstrate what they know and understand)
• Planned tasks are open ended and allow students to work at different levels
• Planned variety of teaching strategies, resources, and group compositions

As stated above, differentiated teaching occurs in the teaching of all subjects. This year, students in Pre-Prep to Year 4 will undertake a planned integrated (HASS, STEM) Mspired unit of work planned using this differentiated teaching approach. Students in Years 5 and 6 will participate in planned differentiated HASS and Science lessons.

Our teachers draw on evidence of the students learning through checking their readiness, their progress and knowledge of individual student learning profiles. Teachers collect this data from a variety of sources - these are addressed below in Kate Frewin’s article. Once the teachers have all this information, adjustments are made (in planning) for individuals, so all students experience challenge, success, and improved learning.

The overarching goal of a differentiated classroom is to maximise student growth and promote individual success.

Angela Drysdale

Mathematics Groupings

Over the last two weeks students in Prep to Year 6 have completed the MAP Growth Mathematics assessment. This assessment tests student achievement in the three strands of the Australian Curriculum. The careful analysis of these results has informed our differentiated groupings in Years 2 to Year 6.  The creation of these groups helps to ensure our students are appropriately challenged regardless of the group they are in. As well as informing our flexible groups, the MAP Growth tool provides us with accurate, actionable evidence to help inform next steps in our students’ learning.  Our teachers implement targeted learning using these flexible groups to address students’ current needs. As students gradually master the required skills teachers may adjust groupings.

Kate Frewin

The following ensembles require performance uniforms:

Choral Ensembles: Volare & Exultate (Black performance uniform with black ballet flats)

Band Ensembles: Sister Helen Wind Symphony (Black performance uniform with black ballet flats)

String Ensembles: Chamber Strings & Sculthorpe String Quartet (Black performance uniform with black ballet flats)

Rock Bands: Secondary Rock Bands (Smart blue jeans, sneakers and ‘M Factor’ polo shirt)

Please note students may wear the school middy for all other ensembles.

Boarder Music

The Boarder Music Program has restarted for 2023. A number of new initiatives have been implemented this year to support our boarder musicians in developing a consistent practice routine.

Boarder Music on the POD

There is now a that includes important information, a link to the practice sign-up spreadsheet, photos, spotlight videos and calendar dates. This can also be accessed from the main Boarder POD page.

Supervised practice

There are new supervised practice times for 2023! They are Monday to Thursday from 5:30pm-7:00pm in the Darnell Music rooms. Students can only sign up for one 30-minute session to allow everyone the opportunity to attend in the evening if they wish. If they attend a session and there is availability after their set time, they may stay longer to practice.

Unsupervised practice

Unsupervised practice opportunities will be offered before school from 7:00am-8:00am. A key will need to be collected from SHOR for weekday mornings. Students may also practice Sunday afternoons from 2:00pm-5:00pm. A key will need to be collected from the Warden or Garden room for weekend practice sessions. Students are asked to add unsupervised times into the Boarder Music Practice Sign-up Sheet.

Sign-up sheet for Practice

There is an online, shared Excel document where students can sign up for practice sessions, either supervised or non-supervised, with availability for the entire term. There are tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet showing each week. Students are asked to plan their practice for the coming week and complete the form by Sunday night. Alterations to times can still be made during the week if necessary. Every Monday morning, the schedule for the week will be emailed to all students, parents, and house mothers to assist in keeping students accountable for regular practice.

Prizes

At the end of each term there will be an M’s Café voucher awarded to the student who has completed the most practice. A Boarder Music Prize will also be presented at Music Dinner to a boarder musician nominated by a music teacher for the most consistent practice and significant improvement on their instrument.

Performance Opportunities

The Music Department hopes to see (and hear) our boarder musicians performing as part of everyday boarding life. In addition to the annual Boarder Recital (10 August), boarders will have performance opportunities at Boarder Chapel Services and Year Level Dinners.

Music Support Group

Thank you very much to the Music Support Group for providing a barbeque lunch to the cast and orchestra of the upcoming school musical Strictly Ballroom. This was very much appreciated by both students and staff involved in the musical!

The next Music Support Group meeting will be held on Tuesday 21 February 2023 at 5:00pm in the ACF (please note this is a change of venue). We encourage parents from both primary and secondary schools to become involved.

Brad King

Interhouse Swimming

On Wednesday 15 February, our secondary school students will participate in the Interhouse Swimming competition. This is a compulsory event for all students with a variety of swimming and spirit events on offer. Students can find out more information via their House Meetings and Year Level Assemblies.

Event: Interhouse Swimming

Date: Wednesday 15 February

Location: Valley Pool

Transport: Students are transported to and from the Valley Pool via St Margaret’s transportation.

Important Information:

• All students attend school as per normal. Transport to and from the Valley Pool will be in form groups and year levels.
• Students are to wear their House Sports uniform from school to the Valley Pool and on return
• All day students must only bring their bag with morning tea, lunch, towel, sunscreen, water bottle.
• St Margaret’s HPE togs only & House swim caps must be worn when swimming.
• All girls must wear their panama throughout the day.
• A note for non-participation is required and must be handed to your House Coordinator as soon as you arrive at the pool.
• Hats and house shirts are to be worn all day – unless swimming
• No student is to leave the pool area unless they have authorisation.
• Reapply sunscreen during the day.
• Drink water regularly during the day.

We look forward to a great Interhouse Carnival. 

Sporting Achievement

It’s with great pleasure that we recognise the outstanding sport performances and representation of St Margaret’s students at a national and international level. I would like to highlight and congratulate the following student on her recent achievements:

• Charli Spies (Year 10) - We congratulate Charli on her recent success at the Queensland School Sport Triathlon. Charli had a particularly strong bike and run leg to finish second overall. This performance has seen Charli selected to represent Queensland at the National Championships in Tasmania.

We would like to continue to recognise the outstanding achievements and representation of students’ participating a national level, outside of the school sport pathway. I look forward to continuing to hear from our community regarding such outstanding achievement. Please email myself via lknight@stmargarets.qld.edu.au   

GO MAGGIES!

Lloyd Knight

Who: Students in Years 7-12 (a maximum of 15 students will be selected)

When: Tuesday afternoons from 3:30pm - 4:30pm

Start Date: Tuesday 14 February (Week 4)

Where: V103

Coordinator: Mrs Shaw

Cost: Free

To register in joining Digital Art Club please email cmazzotta@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.  

Important Note:

Please ensure the daily limit is set high enough to cover the uniform items being purchased. We will not be able to complete the purchase if there are insufficient funds available on the Student Card and will no longer be calling parents to secure payment.

Order Online via  - Parents/students can place an order online via Flexischools (). Please click on 'Register' and follow the prompts. Payment can be made via credit card, paypal or direct debit. 

Delivery and Collection Details

• Orders made by 5pm Monday will be available Wednesday lunchtime
• Orders made by 5pm Wednesday will be available Friday lunchtime
  
  Delivery
• Pre-Prep orders will be delivered to the Pre-Prep room
• Prep to Year 3 orders will be delivered to the Primary Reception, available for collection by the student or parent. 

  
  Collection

• Years 4 - 12 orders are available for collection at the Supplies Shop by the student or parent. 
• Mixed orders can be collected at the Supplies Shop by the senior student

Over the last week, the girls, through their arts and crafts, have been showcasing our identities and place of belonging. They made a banner of our own handprints to stick up on our OSHC wall. The girls had so much fun creating our OSHC 2023 banner…what do you think?

Palu Ingram

We look forward to seeing you on Monday evening to elect our new Committee and provide you with an update on key events and activities from the P&F, school and Support Groups.

Date: Monday 13 February 2023

Time: 6:30pm

Venue: Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret’s AGS

The Meeting will be followed by Welcome Drinks which is a wonderful opportunity to get to know fellow parents and members of the committee. There is also an option to join this meeting remotely via Microsoft Teams for those unable to attend the meeting in person. Please to join.

The AGM will now be held on Monday 27 March at which time the P&F Financial Audit Report will be presented. 

NOMINATION FOR POSITION

Nominations can be made by downloading and completing this Nomination for Position form .   Nomination forms can be returned via email to P&F@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or via School Reception by Friday, 10 February 2023. Alternatively, you may bring your completed form with you to the Meeting.

We warmly welcome new volunteers to join the committee. Previous members of the P&F will be happy to propose and second new members on the night should you need assistance completing your nomination form.

Fathers’ Dinner with Wayne Bennett AM – Last chance to secure your tickets

It is not too late to secure your ticket for the 2023 Fathers’ Dinner with guest speaker Wayne Bennett AM. Ticket sales close 9.30am Thursday 16 February, unless sold out prior.

This annual event features guest speaker, Australian sporting royalty, Wayne Bennett AM, and provides a wonderful opportunity for fathers to come together and connect.

Date:   Friday 3 March 2023

Time: 6:30pm for 7pm start

Venue: Queensland Cricketers' Club, Ground Floor Gabba Towers, 411 Vulture Street, East Brisbane

Cost:   $175 per person

Tickets: Purchase until 9:30am, Thursday 16 February, unless sold out prior. 

We thank our 2023 Fathers' Dinner sponsors: Morgans, Wheelchair Vehicle Sales and Belbaker Bus Charter.

Professional Women’s Network Breakfast with Sue Johnson, Group Executive, Queensland, Transurban.

Join us on Tuesday 21 March for the first instalment in our 2023 Professional Women's Network series with guest speaker Sue Johnson, Group Executive, Queensland, Transurban. These events are excellent opportunities for you to take a corporate table and host your colleagues or clients, attend with your daughter, hear from female leaders in industry and build connections within Brisbane’s business community.

Sue Johnson has had a successful career embracing the pace of technology change, innovation and business adoption, applying the substantial value they bring to better change people and communities. She has held a number of senior executive roles. Most recently, she was Transurban’s Group General Manager, Customer Operations and Human Resources, bringing more than 20 years of global customer and HR experience across multiple industries and organisations. Sue has completed the Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Education, a Bachelor of Business, and a Bachelor of Science and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of the Premier’s Innovation Advisory Council, a member of the Advisory Council for the Committee for Brisbane and a member of the Advisory Panel for the Queensland Government’s Land Restoration Fund – a world’s first environmental initiative for the Queensland government.

Date: Tuesday 21 March 2023

Time: 6:45am arrival for 7:00am-8:45am. Enjoy barista coffee from a Wolff Coffee Roasters cart, before and after the event.                                       

Venue: Arts Centre Foyer, Ó£ÌÒ¸£ÀûÊÓƵ Anglican Girls School

Tickets: $85 adults, $40 students (Years 10 to 12/tertiary), $850 corporate table (10 seats)

Available online via

We thank our series sponsors, Major Sponsor: Pitcher Partners, Associate Sponsors: Programmed

Property Services and Wolff Coffee Roasters, and Supporting Sponsors: Downer, Clear Insurance,

Westpac, O’Reilly Shaw Lawyers, Uniform Link and Move Recruitment Solutions.

Aspiring Young Women’s Network Breakfast

The Aspiring Young Women’s Network Breakfast (AYWN) Series provides an opportunity for secondary school students, from Years 9-12, to hear firsthand from alumni who have recently transitioned to university or their chosen career at these networking breakfast events.  

Parents are welcome to attend these events with their daughters.

The first Aspiring Young Women's Network Breakfast for 2023 will be held on Thursday 16 March with guest speaker Clare Sheng ('00).

When:  Thursday 16 March 2023 | 6:45am arrival for 7:00am start, concluding at 8:10am

Where:  Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret’s AGS

Cost: $38 Adults/Students

Tickets: Available online via

Past Student Awards

Nominations are closing soon for St Margaret’s Past Student Awards.

The Past Student Awards recognise the many achievements of St Margaret’s past students, both professionally and personally. We celebrate the diverse achievements of past students and provide an opportunity to share stories of success and increase connections between the school and past students to honour their legacy.

Nominations for the 2023 Past Student Awards are now open and can be found here. Submissions close Friday 24 February 2023.

There are two award categories:

•           Distinguished Past Student (for alumnae who have passed their 20th reunion)

•           Young Past Student of Distinction (for alumnae in their 20th reunion year or younger) 

We look forward to announcing the winners and celebrating them at the Past Student Awards Dinner on Saturday 25 March 2023.

Event Details

Date:   Saturday 25 March 2023

Time: Pre-dinner drinks and canapes at 6:30pm

Venue:            Arts Centre Foyer, Ó£ÌÒ¸£ÀûÊÓƵ

Cost:   $90 Adults | $60 Students 
                         Adult ticket includes canapes, two course meal and drinks package
            Student ticket includes canapes, two course meal and non-alcoholic drinks package

Tickets: Available online via until Thursday 16 March, 2023 (unless sold out prior)

SAVE THE DATE

Father Daughter Breakfast

Date: Thursday 30 March

Time: 6:45am for a 7:00am start. Concludes at 8:00am

Venue: Circular Drive and Arts Centre Terraces

Further information on ticket sales will be provided to the community in the coming weeks.

Mothers' Luncheon

Date:     Friday 12 May

Time:    11.30am - 2.30pm

Venue:   Brisbane City Hall

Tickets on sale: Online from 9.30am Tuesday 28 February 2023.

Further information on ticket sales will be provided to the community in the coming weeks.

Lara Pickering