Issue 37 – 24 November 2016
ST MARGARET’S COMMUNITY BALL
Saturday 27 May 2017
The St Margaret’s Community Ball was successfully brought back to life after too long a hiatus in 2015
and is expected to have an attendance of at least 300 in 2017. A raffle and silent auction is held on the
night and many hands help make this evening such a success.
If you would like to be a part of the volunteering team that works hard behind the scenes please join
Angela and Miranda at the first Community Ball meeting on Tuesday 29 November 2016.
All you need is great spirits and a willingness to help - from decorations to prizes, to setting the room your input and helping hands will build a magical evening for our community… no experience necessary!
Enthusiasm is all that is needed!
Community Ball Meeting @ Vanilla Pod
Tuesday 29 November 2016
2:00pm
If you cannot make this meeting, but would like to volunteer, please contact:
Angela Pratt: [email protected]
Miranda Dunning: [email protected]
PRINCIPAL
PLEASE NOTE SCHOOL ENDS AT 3:00PM ON THURSDAY 1 DECEMBER 2016
At this week’s assembly I announced the Primary School Captains for 2017. Congratulations to Evangeline
Phillips and Isabella Bluett.
Also at the Assembly I announced the winners of the Primary writing competition. Eris Roberts in Year 2
won the competition this year, which included entries from Years 1 to 6. At the suggestion of one of our
parents, David Lisle, the stimulus for the writing competition was the story I wrote in an earlier eNews
about finding the 1955 student bloomers in the chocolate tin in the chimney in my office. The girls were
asked to write a story about how the bloomers got there! I read Eris’ story to the whole assembly and the
older girls particularly were very impressed with her work. Thank you to David Lisle for providing the
winning entry prize.
As we come to the end of the academic year, I would like to take the opportunity to thank those members
of staff who have contributed to a successful 2016 and celebrate the service of those members of staff who
are leaving us to pursue their personal and professional goals.
I would particularly like to thank Kim Cohen for her work over the last three years as Deputy Principal.
She has worked diligently and effectively, taking responsibility for the day to day running of the school.
Mrs Cohen is leaving us to take up the position of Principal of The Glennie School from January next year
and we wish her all the best and thank her for her service to the school community.
Anne-Marie Gerlach, our current Head of Faculty - Humanities, has also secured a promotion and she is
leaving us after 10 years of committed service to take on the role of Head of Teaching and Learning - Years
5 - 12 at another Anglican School, Canterbury College. Ms Gerlach is also known nationally for her
contributions to Geography teaching and St Margaret’s has benefitted greatly from her expertise in the
area.
St Margaret’s is certainly getting a reputation of developing leaders of the profession.
Steve Rowe is currently our Head of Faculty - Languages and is leaving us after being at St Margaret’s for 26
years to take up a similar role at Moreton Bay College. Mr Rowe has been a committed professional leading the School in languages learning and being involved in the School’s extra-curricular program,
particularly Cricket. He is a dedicated teacher and a respected colleague who will be missed by both
students and staff.
Mr Ray Geise is an icon in the school and much-loved and respected. As the Founder of Toc H at
St Margaret’s he has left an enormous legacy for current and future generations of students. He was
employed as an Indonesian teacher on a part-time bass and therefore joined the Languages Faculty in 1993.
In 1994 he was offered a fulltime role as Mr Geise was a very versatile teacher. His involvement in the
Duke of Edinburgh Scheme at St Margaret’s as well as Toc H has been most appreciated. From about 2005
Mr Geise was part-time again and coordinating the Religious and Values Education (RVE) Program. In later
years, Mr Geise had a small part-time role teaching RVE and we wish him well in his retirement and good
health.
Deb Cohen commenced work at St Margaret’s on 8 May 2001 as the Primary Music Teacher and she has
held this role and coordinated Primary Extra-curricular Music. During the last 15 years the Primary Music
Program - both Curriculum and Extra-curricular - has been in very good hands. Mrs Cohen for the last 15
years has been a dedicated teacher focussing on the importance of music education and the value of extracurricular music, overseeing and/or coordinating the work of Senior Choir, Junior Choir, Chorale, Primary
Rock Band, Beath Quartet, Amati Strings, Wind Ensemble and Percussion. Her high energy and her
generous and kind manner will be very much missed. St Margaret’s wishes her well in retirement and for
this next phase of life’s journey.
I am also farewelling at the end of this year, Mrs Lisa Chadwick, our International Students Coordinator.
After 10 years in this role Mrs Chadwick has proven herself to be a highly skilled professional and has taken
on many responsibilities. For many years she was our coordinator of the Global Exchange Program, ESL,
Across Curriculum Learning, Mandarin and she was also Deputy Head of Boarding for 2 years.
Mrs Chadwick has been teaching Japanese, Chinese and English as a Second Language and has nurtured our
international students throughout her time at St Margaret’s. We wish her the best in her future endeavours
and in her next role.
Caitlin Craik, Secondary English Teacher, who joined us at the beginning of 2015, is also leaving us. She is
much respected by the students and staff for her curriculum knowledge and the support she provides all
her students. We wish her well in her next role and thank her for her service.
A number of our support staff are also leaving us and we thank them for their service to the school
community - Rosemarie Parisi (Primary School) and Debra Black (Prep Teacher Aide).
Our 2017 dates have been on the School website for some time now but I want to alert parents that like
2016, we will again be running the Day/Boarder Weekend and that there is a student free day at
St Margaret’s on Tuesday 2 May. We have added this day to the Labour Day long weekend. The purpose of
the Day/Boarder weekend is that the Boarders will take Day girls home with them on the 4-day long
weekend. This is an opportunity for our day students to understand more about our Boarders, where they
come from and how their lives differ. One of our goals in our current Strategic Plan is Broadening Horizons
and we felt, for our Secondary students, and perhaps some of our Year 6s, this may be an opportunity to
broaden their horizons in the homes of our boarder families. We regard this as an educative experience
and one which can bring both the Boarding and Day girl communities closer together.
This student free day applies to both our Primary and Secondary school. ‘Vacation’ care will be available on
that day for those in the Primary school who require that service. I hope our families find it possible to take
advantage of the opportunity to have a short 4 day holiday in May next year and for those who participate
in the Day/Boarder program find it a valuable experience.
Ros Curtis
Principal
DEPUTY PRINCIPAL
Next week, your daughters will bring home The St Margaret’s Way brochure. This brochure is a summary of
the philosophy underpinning the culture of how we treat each other at St Margaret’s. It is the culmination
of over a year’s worth of work done by a group of staff across Primary and Secondary schools and across
teaching and support areas. They gathered information and ideas from all sectors of our community
through conversation, meetings and surveys.
The St Margaret’s Way 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 all interactions foster a sense of belonging, coherence, well-being and accountability amongst staff,
students and parents.
The St Margaret’s Way was launched to staff and students throughout Term 4 and culminated in a hilarious
quiz on assembly this week hosted by Mr O’Sullivan Williams and Mrs Devlin. There was much competition
as the Secondary and Primary students worked together in an attempt to be the victors.
Key aspects of The Way are:
Appreciation:
Self:
 We appreciate our strengths, acknowledge the good that we bring to our community and offer
these unique qualities to others.
 We acknowledge our areas requiring development and embrace a mindset for continual
improvement.
 We demonstrate respect for, and appreciation of ourselves by always acting with integrity,
consideration and compassion.
Community:
 We genuinely appreciate and acknowledge others in order to strengthen and support our
community to be the best we can each day and to boost our relationships with peers, students,
staff and parents.
 We acknowledge each other with respect and ensure that all communication is based on this value,
with no preconceptions regarding intent of behaviour.
 We appreciate those with whom we share the responsibility for creating a dynamic learning
environment.
Alignment and Accountability:
Self:
 We align ourselves with the values of St Margaret’s and endeavour to fulfil the ethos and vision of
the School.
 We are accountable to ourselves through the way we behave, fulfilling our positive role as student,
teacher or parent.
 We take responsibility for our own actions and do not seek to place blame.
Community:
 As a community we operate through our six core values, thus ensuring a strong sense of
cohesiveness through alignment and accountability to a common cause.
 We are aligned towards achieving our key goals - academically, pastorally and philanthropically - in
order to ensure improved outcomes for all students.
 We actively choose to give of our best to all members of the community and in times of challenge,
seek out solutions together.
Already students and teachers are referring to the properties St Margaret’s in their daily interactions and
discussions and we are looking forward to it becoming an integral part of life at St Margaret’s.
Kim Cohen
Deputy Principal
CHAPLAIN
Advent - a time to wait
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 ... 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 needy family.
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.
Primary Ichthus Camp for those entering Years 4-7 in 2017, January 11-14 2017
Each Year, the Anglican Diocese runs youth camping programs for Primary, Junior and Senior Secondary
students. For the past 4 years I have loved giving a little back to the Youth camping program that gave me
so much in the late 80s and 90s. The theme for next year’s Primary School Ichthus camp is ‘Endure’ which
is based upon the ‘Survivor’ reality show. We are planning on equipping our campers with a spiritual
survival kit to help them through life while also having lots of activities to challenge them and most
importantly, to have heaps of fun!
Where:
When:
Cost:
APEX campsite, Mudjimba
Wednesday 11 to Saturday 14 January 2017
$199 which covers all food, accommodation and activity costs while on camp
Feel free to get in touch with me if you have any questions - [email protected] or phone
3862 0716, or you can register at www.trybooking.com/234731.
Upcoming Services:
Tuesday 29 November: Year 6 Graduation Chapel, 8:30am
Thursday 1 December: Whole School Christmas Service, Philip Harris Sports Centre, 9am, ALL ARE
WELCOME!
Prayer for the Week Ahead
Gracious and ever-present God, fill us with a spirit of gratitude and generosity, seeking out ways to assist
those who are truly in need this Advent-tide.
Open our eyes and reveal to us the gifts we take for granted, the blessings we accept without thought and
the potential we each have for making a difference in this world.
As we wait for the gift of your Son, we wait in stillness and reflection.
Amen.
With every blessing on you all this Advent Season,
The Reverend Nicki Colledge
Chaplain
BOARDING
Last week we bid farewell to our Senior Boarding students of 2016. These girls have been inspirational
leaders in the Boarding House and they will be missed by staff and fellow boarders. We now look forward
to a new year with many new students entering boarding in 2017.
In the Boarding House we have a Big Sister program in place to support all new girls coming to board at
St Margaret’s. Being a Big Sister is a very powerful way to enhance the lives of all new boarders. Boarding
students in Years 9, 10 and 11 are encouraged to apply for a position to be a Big Sister. Applicants are
interviewed to ensure they are committed to the position for two years.
The characteristics of a Big Sister include honesty, dependability, being caring and empathetic. The girls are
also given guidelines to ensure they are successful in this role. The eight principles of being an effective Big
Sister are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Be a friend - you are a role model and can provide support and gentle guidance.
Have realistic goals and expectations.
Have fun together.
Be positive.
Let your little sister have most of the control over what the two of you talk about.
Listen.
Respect the trust that your little sister places in you.
Remember that you are responsible for building the relationship.
Congratulations to all of the girls who volunteered for one of these positions; we know that we will have a
very successful Big Sister program next year.
Lesa Fowler
Head of Boarding
DEAN OF PEDAGOGY
Reading for Learning
One of the things I most look forward to over the summer break is having the time to read for pleasure.
Immersing myself in a novel is one of joys of my life and has been since I was very young. I am conscious
when speaking with others who do not have the same relationship with books of just how much they are
missing out on. As teachers and parents one of our tasks is to try and find the key to unlocking the joys of
reading for the young people in our lives.
Reading is obviously central to good learning. I have had many conversations with the parents of girls about
to enter Secondary school who have been concerned with how to prepare their daughters for the
transition. The short response to such queries is that students are prepared for Secondary school through
the myriad of educational and broader life experiences which form the basis of their first eleven to twelve
years of life. There is, however one skill which is central to good learning in all academic disciplines
throughout primary, secondary and tertiary education - reading.
For some children, as for some adults, reading is a joy. For others though it is a chore which is often
avoided. Encouraging those reluctant readers to open a book can be difficult, but I believe that it is possible
with persistence, patience and organisation. One approach is to encourage children to read for 10 minutes
a day aside from the compulsory school reading. This extra reading should preferably be related to
something they enjoy. A consistent commitment to finding a series of stories or a non-fiction text or even a
magazine which children enjoy will eventually pay off. This practice can result in what started as a task,
becoming enjoyable.
When students are required to read for information it is important to provide them with strategies to
make the task easier. Reading with purpose is a skill which enhances the capacity of girls to process
information in a meaningful way. This is relevant throughout life and I suggest that many adults automatically
employ strategies to facilitate this. Identifying one’s purpose before grappling with text makes the process
more efficient and effective. Highlighting key words in a set task and looking for them within a piece of text
is one of the strategies which can be very useful.
Samantha Bolton
Dean of Pedagogy
DEAN OF STUDIES
With the school year drawing to a fast close and the teachers assessing and reporting on students’ success
in 2016, our focus is turning to 2017. Over the past term we have been not only assessing our students for
their success, but also assessing the success of the teaching and learning programs conducted in the
Secondary School.
In Queensland we are embarking on a very exciting time in education. The changes to Senior Schooling are
having an effect on all levels of education across our State. In fact, as a staff we have been reinvigorated and
challenged to audit, review and enhance our programs to ensure we are delivering the education that is
personally significant for all our students; the education which will prepare them for their future in the 21st
century. So what does this mean? I believe Erica McWilliam and Peter Taylor (2013) explain it best in the
following statements:
"The problem is that global transformations have made nonsense of the scripts we still invest in to prepare
young people for their living, learning and earning futures. There is no point in preparing them for the
twentieth century future by relying on the rules for social advancement that worked for us". In fact,
McWilliam and Taylor see the real trouble in education is that the current system is allowing students to
avoid the discomfort of learning and the complications of error. Education is often regarded as preparation
for a test where students have become too reliant on teachers and parents telling them what to do or, in
fact, doing the work for them. Students, parents and teachers should understand that a university degree is
no longer a passport to employability and financial security.
With this future focus, initiatives being developed from our curriculum reviews involve changes to the
Learning Enhancement program to support Literacy and Numeracy skills, as well as auditing the Academic
Flyers Program. In addition to this, each Faculty has been backward mapping their curriculum to ensure that
all students can access the curriculum and be prepared for the new Senior Syllabus. Along with the
advances in the process of Continuous Reporting and Academic Mentoring for 2017 as mentioned in
previous articles, these initiatives are planting the roots for a robust education for our students into the
future.
Years 9 and 10 Continuous Reporting
The following new subject areas are available for viewing, along with results already released:
Year 9
German - Reading Test
Mandarin - Writing Test
Drama - Forming Task
MMS - Folio
Year 10
Mandarin - Listening Test
Drama - Presenting Task
Business - Report
Nicole Devlin
Dean of Studies
DEAN OF STUDENTS
Welcome Day - 25 November2016
This Friday, we welcome 2017 new students to St Margaret’s. All Year 10 students will be buddies to a
2017 Year 7 student. All new students from other year levels will have a buddy from their Form class. The
Buddy Program provides our current students with a great opportunity to lead and to be ambassadors for
our wonderful school. The day is filled with ‘get to know you’ games, tours and an activity afternoon where
students rotate through music, science, drama, sport and art sessions. Thank you to Mrs Barrie,
Mr King, Mrs Lishman, Mrs Rider, Ms Kirkpatrick and Mrs Flanagan for assisting with these activities. We
look forward as a community, to welcoming our new students to St Margaret’s.
White Ribbon Day
Student Representative Council members, Charlotte Wala (Year 9) and Sophie North (Year 8), addressed
this week’s assembly raising awareness regarding White Ribbon Day. Please see their speech below:
This Friday 25 November is White Ribbon Day. In 1999, the United Nations General Assembly declared
November 25 the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the White Ribbon
has become the symbol for the day.
This Friday, your SRC representative will bring White Ribbons to your form class for you to wear on your
Middy pocket for the day. By doing this, we show that we are educated and are taking a stand against all
forms of violence against women and children.
Domestic violence against a woman can involve one or more of the following:
 Physical abuse
 Verbal abuse
 Sexual abuse
 Emotional abuse
 Financial abuse
 Psychological abuse
 Isolating a woman from her friends and family
 Stopping a woman from practising her religion
The 5 values of White Ribbon Australia are very similar to the values we uphold at St Margaret’s, so we all
know what a difference these can make to people’s lives. The first three are actually identical to our core
values:
1. Courage
2. Integrity
3. Respect
4. Collaboration
5. Leadership
By combining these values with initiatives across Australia, White Ribbon Australia hopes to put an end to
the disturbing prevalence of violence against women in our society. So wear your white ribbon with pride on
Friday to show that we believe in a nation in which every woman lives confidently in safety. St Margaret’s, in
partnership with Churchie, are committed to having a proactive approach in this area. Both schools have
held events to educate our young women and men and we look forward to continuing to work with our
brother school next year on various projects.
Nikki Townsend
Dean of Students
PRIMARY
Every year, girls have the opportunity to write a story to submit for the writing competition. The writing
competition was introduced in the Primary School in 2003. This competition was initiated and sponsored
by a family who wanted to provide the opportunity for girls to have their writing abilities acknowledged
through a competition. They wanted to provide the forum for great writers, in the same way sporting and
musical competitions are available for students.
The writing competition continued over the years and in 2009 the School Foundation sponsored the
competition by providing perpetual trophies. These are housed outside the Primary library.
Entry for this competition is voluntary and students may choose to write a poem or narrative and are
judged in cluster groups - Years 1 and 2, Years 3 and 4 and Years 5 and 6.
This year was the first year that students were given a writing stimulus. This stimulus was ‘The Bloomer
Story’ told in the eNews by Ms Curtis. Further stimulus was provided by a display in the library featuring
bloomers and a tin.
Dr David Lisle was intrigued by the bloomer story and suggested that the school community be invited to
write a story to explain why the bloomers were found in the Mooloomburram chimney. Dr Lisle offered to
provide a prize for the overall winner in the Primary School and this was awarded to Eris Roberts (Year 2).
The winners for all the categories will be announced at the final Assembly to be held in the Primary Atrium
on Thursday 1 December at 2:00pm.
How to Stimulate Summer Learning
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. Ideas for my top three summer activities: Read, Write and Play 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.
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 compared to 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.
Other
Cooking includes maths (measurement) and following instructions (reading). Use a Christmas catalogue to
work out the cost of presents. At the supermarket, add up the cost of items, practise rounding or calculate
change.
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.
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.
Upcoming Events:
Date
Friday 25 November
Tuesday 29 November
Wednesday 30 November
Wednesday 30 November
Thursday 1 December
Thursday 1 December
Event
Prep - Year 4 Celebration
Year 6 Final Chapel Service and Morning Tea
Primary Activities Day
Pre Prep Chapel Service
End of Term Assembly, 2-3pm
School concludes 3pm
Angela Drysdale
Head of Primary
ST MARGARET’S OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS CARE: VACATION CARE PROGRAM
WE ARE OPERATING! BOOKINGS OPEN! SECURE YOUR SPOT!
The School Holidays are just around the corner and we can’t wait to show you the fun-filled and exciting
activities we have planned in our December/January School Holiday Program. Further details of the
program can be found here.
Bookings for the St Margaret’s OSHC December/January School Holiday program are now open. If you
require care for the upcoming School Holiday period, please return your booking form before 30
November 2016.
How do I book?
Complete the official booking form attached to the program. For further details please email
[email protected].
What is the cost?*
$58 per day. Incursions and excursions incur additional costs. These are compulsory for all students and
therefore you are able to claim CCB/CCR for these.
What are the hours of operation?
The service is open from 7am until 6pm.
The service is closed from 17 December 2016 - 8 January 2017.
How can I obtain more information?
If you would like further information regarding our OSHC program or if you would like to make a booking,
feel free to contact me via mobile on 0423 547 653 or email on [email protected].
Palu Ingram
Outside School Hours Care Coordinator - SSA
CHINA TOUR 2017
Discover the real China for yourself - secure a place by Monday 28
November 2016!
High-lights include:
 Great Wall Hiking; bullet train; Xi’an Wall Biking and
Shanghai sky walk
 Stay in a unique hutong Hotel; make dumplings at home…
 Eat the most authentic Chinese food (vegetarian diet
available)
$4,500 covers all expenses. Only 4 days left to secure a space, so to avoid disappointment contact Mrs Faye
Ryan: [email protected] today.
Faye Ryan
Secondary Teacher
HOMESTAY FAMILIES WANTED FOR STUDY TOURS IN 2017
St Margaret’s, in conjunction with Australian International Student Tours, are planning to bring two shortterm Japanese study tours to St Margaret’s during February and March 2017.
Study Tours involve students from various overseas countries, particularly from Japan, who visit schools for
a short period to experience intensive English language classes, classroom immersion and tourist activities.
The confirmed dates for the two tours visiting St Margaret’s are as follows:
 25 February to 1 March 2017
 7 March to 12 March 2017
The students are female and usually around 15 to 17 years old and would love to enjoy the cultural
experience of living with an Australian family.
Host families are required for both study tours. Below are the requirements needed to host a student/s:




Ability to host two students at a time.
Provide a comfortable room with bathroom facilities.
Provide 3 meals per day, which will include a packed school lunch
Transport to and from school each day
Payment: A homestay host will receive $40 per night, per student. This amount is considered as a
voluntary payment and therefore is not taxable.
Your family will enjoy a wonderful cultural experience and most often you may enjoy communicating with
your students in the future.
If your family would like to welcome two students during these study tour times, please contact Margaret
from Australian International Student Tours, on behalf of St Margaret’s on the below details:
Australian International Student Tours
Margaret - Ph 0408 429 542
Email: [email protected]
2016/2017 SCHOOL SUPPLIES SHOP EXTENDED TRADING HOURS
All new enrolments requiring uniform fittings during Term 4 2016, please call the School Supplies Shop on
3862 0776 for an appointment.
Altered/Extended Trading Hours:
Friday 2 December 2016, 10am - 2pm
Open by appointment only:
Monday 5 December 2016
Tuesday 6 December 2016
Wednesday 7 December 2016
The School Supplies Shop closes on Friday 2 December 2016 (except for appointments) and re-opens
Monday 16 January 2017.
Monday 16 January 2017, 9am - 2pm
Tuesday 17 January 2017, 9am - 2pm
Wednesday 18 January 2017, 9am - 2pm
Thursday 19 January 2017, 9am - 2pm
Friday 20 January 2017, 9am - 2pm
Saturday 21 January 2017, CLOSED
Sunday 22 January 2017, CLOSED
Monday 23 January 2017, 1pm - 5pm Boarders Only
Tuesday 24 January 2017, 8am - 2pm
Wednesday 25 January 2017, 10am - 5pm
Thursday 26 January 2017, CLOSED
A numbering system for ALL purchases will operate during the January 2017 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.
Normal Trading Hours Resume Wednesday 25 January 2017
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
8am - 2pm
Wednesday
10am - 5pm
Public Holidays Closed
Book Lists
The book lists for 2017 for all year levels are now available on the St Margaret’s website, via the School
Supplies Shop link. On-line ordering can be done through Sequel Bookstores. Instructions for on-line
ordering are available with the book lists.
Second Hand Textbooks
The Sustainable School Shop is an on-line website that gives St Margaret’s parents/students the opportunity
to buy and sell second hand textbooks. You can register at: www.sustainableschoolshop.com.au. The annual
subscription has been kindly provided by St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School. The helpline for the
Sustainable School Shop is 1300 683 337 should you need any further assistance.
For all enquiries, please contact the School Supplies Shop on 07 3862 0776 or email:
[email protected].
Terisa Arnold
Coordinator - School Supplies Shop
MUSIC
Racecourse Rd Community Christmas
Encorah will be performing at the upcoming Racecourse Rd Community Christmas. This is always a special
event involving many parts of the local community. Encorah will be performing from approximately 5:15 5:45pm in the grounds of St Augustine’s Church on Racecourse Rd. Please feel free to come along and be a
part of this lovely event.
Music Support Group
Thank you to all parents who attended the Music Support Group Annual General Meeting this week. The
office bearers for 2017 are as follows:
President: Ms Dani O’Neill
Secretary: Mrs Ann-Louise Woods
Treasurer: Mrs Sharon Solomon
Thank you very much to these parents for their willingness to take on these roles. Thank you to all parents
in the Music Support Group for their wonderful ongoing support of the St Margaret’s Music Program. The
first meeting for 2017 will be held on Tuesday 7 February at 5:00pm in the Primary Music Room
(Chaseley). All welcome to attend!
Brad King
Head of Co-curricular Music
DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY OFFICE
P&F 2017 Family Directory
Don’t forget to update your contact details online before 28 November 2016.
The St Margaret’s P & F Association invites you to be part of the 2017 Family Directory. This is a
convenient booklet containing useful information including school and family contact details. The directory
is only be circulated to 2017 St Margaret’s school families and will be distributed in Term 1 2017.
Participation is optional. If you would like your details to be included in the 2017 publication please update
them via the online form. If you would like to secure a colour advertisement in the directory please refer
to our advertising options for full details.
Please note:
 Listings from the 2016 edition do not automatically roll over into the 2017 Family Directory.
 We cannot guarantee the inclusion of any submissions received past the 28 November deadline.
Athlete’s Foot Chermside - School Reward Program
Did you know that every time you purchase a pair of shoes from The Athlete’s Foot Chermside, and you
nominate St Margaret’s at time of purchase, $5.00 will be donated to our school? This applies to the whole
family and across their entire range of footwear. There are no restrictions and it is unlimited so please
spread the word!
Old Girls’ Association - Annual General Meeting
Date: Tuesday 29 November 2016
Time: 7pm for 7:15pm
Venue: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School,
Mooloomburram Board Room, 11 Petrie Street, Ascot
All past students are welcome to attend. Please join us to support your
association and contribute to moving forward in the future.
Jan Moody
OGA President
P&F Association
The St Margaret’s Parents and Friends Association has established a
strong tradition of giving back to the school through its social and
fundraising activities. The P&F is comprised of an active group of parents
within the school. The Association is responsible for organising an array
of events, which not only benefit the students (through fundraising) but
also lead to considerable camaraderie amongst parents and friends of
St Margaret’s.
P&F General Meetings
The P&F invites the school community to share your views and ideas, at
the General Meetings, held in the Arts Centre Foyer from 6:30pm on the
following dates:
Monday 27 February 2017
Monday 8 May 2017
Monday 31 July 2017
Monday 30 October 2017
Event Dates 2017
Term 1
Friday 3 March - Mothers’ Luncheon
Thursday 30 March - Father Daughter Breakfast
Term 2
Saturday 27 May - Community Ball
Friday 9 June - Fathers’ Dinner
Term 3
Saturday 2 September - Race Day
Lu Wishart
Director of Development and Community
CAREERS
QTAC
2016 Queensland Year 12 students applying for courses not requiring their Year 12 results will start
to receive their tertiary study offers from midday, Friday 18 November 2016. You should remember that
this is the first day that you can receive such an offer. If you don't get an offer on this date, then you may
through the coming months.
Some offers will be made between the release of Year 12 results and the 16 January offer round date to
courses not requiring you to compete for a place.
Most offers in courses will be made on their major offer round date. Check the course offer dates page to
find out when your institution will make offers:
Find out how we work out if you'll get an offer. Go to your Application Services account to check your
application status. For more information, please email [email protected].
What is an ATAR?
The ATAR allows the tertiary admissions centre to compare students from across Australia when they
apply for tertiary places. The ATAR is a number between 0 and 99.95, in increments of 0.05. ATARs below
30 are not reported. For more information, visit: www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/630.html.
Do I need to apply for my ATAR? No. The QCAA provides all Tertiary Entrance data (OP/FPs and
ATAR) to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC). If you are applying for tertiary entrance in
Australia, the tertiary admissions centre can obtain your ATAR directly from QTAC. If you want to know
what your ATAR is, use this application to apply for an ATAR statement.
https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/senior/atar_app_form.pdf
QUT
When you defer: what happens the following year?
Many students choose to defer their QTAC offer and take up studies the following year. But how do they
go about enrolling and what if they want to change courses, or no longer want to study? Students who are
on deferment will receive an email from QUT in late October to advise them of their username and
password to enrol at QUT from mid-December for the following year. They just need to follow the
instructions in the email to work through the process to enrol.
If a student has changed their mind about what they want to study, they will need to apply back through
QTAC for a new offer. This is the case for all course changes, including changing campuses or to another
course at QUT, whether in the same or a different faculty. They don’t necessarily need to let QUT know
that they don’t want to take up the deferred offer, as it will lapse past the deadline for enrolment.
Sometimes students change email addresses in this time so they should advise QUT by emailing their new
details to [email protected]. For information about deferring offers visit the deferment page on
our website
Upgrading programs at QUT
Many students are worried that they may not receive the OP or rank they need to get into their chosen
course. Now is the time for them to investigate entry programs that may provide bonus OPs/ranks, as well
as courses they can use to upgrade in case they miss out on their preferred course.
QUT International applications
International students studying Year 12 in Australia submit applications to QUT through QTAC. From late
October, international students will receive offers, conditional on meeting course requirements, from
QUT.
UQ College: Intensive Four Week Prerequisite Courses
UQ College will deliver prerequisite courses in Math B, Chemistry or Biology in intensive mode over a four
week period from Tuesday 22 November - Saturday 17 December 2016 at St Lucia Campus.
Successful completion of these courses will satisfy the prerequisite requirements in Maths B, Chemistry or
Biology at The University of Queensland and other universities. Results will be available to be used in
applications for the January 2017 QTAC Offer Round: http://www.uqcollege.edu.au/programs.php
UQ and QTAC offers for 2017
With recent changes to the QTAC process UQ may make offers of admissions to Year 12 applicants from
Wednesday 21 December 2016. The major offer round for Semester 1, 2017 remains as Monday 16
January 2017, however, UQ may make limited early offers in some programs. This will not include high
demand programs such as Medicine, Physiotherapy, Dentistry, Vet Science or Midwifery (or related dual
programs).
Applicants for the Bachelor of Music (Honours) may receive offers from Friday 18 November 2016 at the
earliest. Please check the QTAC website for more details:
http://www.qtac.edu.au/key-dates---fees/course-offer-dates.
Endeavour College of Natural Health
Endeavour College of Natural Health is offering up to five scholarships for Secondary school leavers who
are seeking a career in the natural health and wellness sector. This is for students that are looking to
commence full-time study in 2017 at any one of our six campuses around Australia. The recipients of these
scholarships will have the ability to act as a student role model and college ambassador to promote
Endeavour's courses to school leavers.
Successful applicants will have the first year of their tuition covered by Endeavour for their study in any of
Endeavour's Bachelor of Health Science degree programs in Naturopathy, Nutritional and Dietetic
Medicine, Acupuncture, Myotherapy and our online Bachelor of Complementary Medicine. Applications
close Monday 28 November 2016. To apply:
http://www.endeavour.edu.au/?mc_cid=6357ba0659&mc_eid=4f5f24f1fd.
After the release of OP results
UQ: OP Results Advice Night www.uq.edu.au/opresults
 Monday 19 December 2016
 4:00pm - 7:00pm
 UQ Centre (St Lucia)
QUT: Real Decisions https://www.qut.edu.au/study/events/real-decisions
 QUT Gardens Point
 Tuesday 20 December 2016
 9:00am - 1:00pm
Griffith: Know Your Options Change of Preference Event
 Saturday 17 December 2016 (tbc)
 10:00am - 5:00pm
 Nathan and Gold Coast campuses
ACU: Know your Options Evening www.yourfuture.acu.edu.au
 Monday 19 December 2016
 3:30pm - 6:00pm
 Brisbane Campus, 1100 Nudgee Road, Banyo
KEY DATES:
Friday 9 December
Due date to submit documentation for QTAC 16 January offer round
Saturday 17 December
Year 12 results mailed by QCAA
OP results available from Student Connect website: https://studentconnect.qcaa.qld.edu.au/
GRIFFITH: Change of Preference Event
Monday 19 December
UQ: OP Results Advice Night
ACU: Know Your Options Evening
Tuesday 20 December
QUT Real Decisions, Gardens Point and Caboolture
28 December 2016
Year 12 OP ineligible ranks available from QTAC
9 January 2017
Final date to change preferences for the QTAC January offer round
16 January 2017
QTAC January offer round
Elizabeth Johnston
Careers Counsellor