Issue 37 – July 2010
From the
Principal
I was fortunate recently to attend the
Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia
Conference held in Ascham College, a large,
independent girls’ school in Sydney’s eastern
suburbs. Entitled ‘Skating on the Glass
Ceiling’, the event was appropriately opened
by Australia’s first female Governor-General
Quentin Bryce A.C.
A
presentation by Professor Germaine Greer followed.
An outspoken and fearless feminist from the 1960’s, she
was named in 2003 as one of Australia’s ‘Living National
Treasures’. She emphasized girls need to learn to debate, speak up
and let their voices be heard – and the best place for girls to develop
such confidence is in a girl’s school.
Another keynote speaker, Professor Andrew Martin
demonstrated, through his research project conducted at the
University of Sydney, how motivation and engagement is different
International Baccalaureate Diploma Maths students from Queen Margaret
and Scots Colleges took part in a joint three-hour workshop this term.
During the session the students practised portfolio tasks using the computer
programme Excel.
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QUEEN MARGARET CALLING – Issue 37 – July 2010
for boys and girls, particularly in their senior school years. In his
findings he reported girls rate significantly higher than boys in: self
belief, valuing school, learning focus, planning, task completion
and persistence. However, girls also had significantly higher levels
of anxiety and uncertainty than boys.
Academic resilience is characterised by girls being able to deal
effectively with academic setbacks, stress and study pressure. At
some stage in every girl’s life, she will experience poor performance
or pressure that must be managed. Although these negative aspects
of learning can never be eliminated, we can help girls deal with
these and build their confidence. Addressing these needs, Professor
Martin argued, is better facilitated in the single-sex classroom which
allows teachers to focus on the specific learning and pastoral needs
of girls rather than in a co-educational environment.
Most memorable for me was the closing speaker, Dr Dale
Spender, who asserted girls could be skating on the thin ice of
educational achievement if they cannot share in the shaping of the
digital world. And who comes to mind when you think of those
who have been most influential in creating ‘the Knowledge Society’?
Bill Gates – Microsoft, Mark Zuckerberg – Facebook, Steve Jobs –
Apple, Jimmy Wales – Wikipedia, Linus Torvalds – Linux and Sir
Richard Taylor – Weta Workshops.
Too few girls are taking engineering, ICT or mathematics
courses. This was a point made by many of the speakers although,
pleasingly, I can report both QMC’s 2008 and 2009 duxes are
currently studying engineering at Auckland University. Despite
LEADING
the superiority of girls as readers and
writers and as school achievers accounting
for 55 per cent of university graduates,
we now live in an age which also requires
digital literacy.
As print literacy has done for past
centuries, digital literacy now forms the
framework for the way we think, the way
we learn, work, play and communicate in
the 21st century. Therefore, I am delighted to
report this term we cut over to a fibre-optic,
ultra-fast broadband internet connection
which will support our digital classrooms.
Our connectivity has increased substantially
from the copper-based system previously
serving the College.
This has been a very busy term with the
visit of 20 girls from our sister school, St
Margaret’s Chile, an inaugural exchange to
France with Scots College, a large number of
sporting and cultural competitions and the
opening of Stage One of the Development
Plan – a Junior School Classroom complete
with interactive white board and extensive
digital infra-structure.
Our proudly independent school
provides a wealth of opportunities for your
daughters.
Carol Craymer
Principal
Year 6 mentor their Juniors
Year 6 students continued to mentor Year 2
girls again this term.
The younger girls are expanding their ICT
skills using the school’s laptops and under the
guidance of the Year 6 mentors are able to work
at a pace which suits their individual needs.
During the session [pictured] girls
published their own explanation writing
and were exploring and learning to include
features such as, font styles and colours,
different size text, borders, word art for titles
and inserting photographs.
Junior teacher Jeannine Winton says it
is a really affirming opportunity for the Year
6 girls.
“They are required to articulate and
demonstrate their own understanding
and build communication strategies and
skills with younger members of the Junior
School,” she says.
Contents July 10
LEADING
Queen Margaret College,
53 Hobson Street, PO Box 12274
9 Shakespearean tragedy proves a winner
2 From the Principal
for QMC
3 Year 6 Mentor their Juniors
Winning design brought to life
10 Junior School’s publishing venture
4 From the Chairman
Barbershop Chorus makes it six
New Board Appointments
Thorndon, Wellington 6144
5 Queen Margaret Day’s double celebration
11 Film created in just 48 hours
T 04-473-7160
6 From Hobby House
16 From the Sports Office
F 04-471-2773
E [email protected]
www.qmc.school.nz
Shared Harmonies
7 New HOD exchanges one top school for
LINKS
another
11 Mums engage in homework debate
Staff benefit from international experience
12 From the Development Office
13 Fun & funky replace regulation
LEARNING
14 Old Girls’ Association News
8 Cultural exchanges grow global citizens
Parents’ Association News
Front Cover – on the left: Junior School Prefect Laura Campbell and youngest Prep Clare Ryan wait patiently
on the Atrium stairs for the start of the Queen Margaret Day double celebration.
Issue 37 – July 2010 – QUEEN MARGARET CALLING
3
LEADING
From the Chairman
It has been another very busy term for the College and girls, and it is hard to believe we are
nearly halfway though 2010! It is pleasing to report the College remains in very good heart and
the school roll continues to build on the very good start to the year and now stands at 685.
I
n the last Queen Margaret Calling I
discussed the work the Board and College
have been undertaking in regard to
development of our buildings and facilities.
It was pleasing to see the very successful
completion of Stage One of those plans with
the opening on June 11 of the new Junior
School classroom abutting Fitzherbert Terrace
and the unveiling of the Foundation Donors’
Board on the same day. These activities are
concrete evidence of the work the College’s
management and Board have been pursuing
over the past two or so years to provide the
best possible facilities for our girls.
The opening of the new classroom has
enabled some space to be freed up in the
Junior and Middle School and several of the
girls will have shuffled classrooms recently.
Having completed Stage One of the
development plan with the opening of the
new junior classroom, the Board remains very
focused on rising to the challenge of raising
funds for the more ambitious Stage Two
development designed to produce a state-ofthe-art gym and language classroom complex
for our girls. Several donors have already
provided very generous donations towards
this development and it is good to see this
momentum building in advance of what the
Board hopes will be the successful granting of
a Resource Consent for Stage Two soon. The
Stage Two facility is expected to cost about
$7 million with the Foundation and Board
charged with trying to raise at least 50 per cent
of this by way of donations and bequests.
The Foundation and Board with the
Development Office have begun implementing
a plan of events, lunches and dinners to build
the profile of the College’s development plans.
In addition to the building projects,
the College is continuing to build on and
roll out its IT resources to enable our girls
to have the best available technology and
tools to complement their curriculum. In
particular the College has adopted ultrafast broadband infrastructure in the past
two months which will considerably expand
opportunities to deliver the curriculum in
novel ways.
I would like to thank Marni Gaskell
for her service to the Board as the Old
Girls’ representative and to announce the
appointment to the Board of Andi Shirtcliffe
(Parents’ representative) and Emma Lawler
(Old Girl’s representative). Former Parents’
Association representative Carol Weston,
who chairs the Development/Property
Committee, remains on the Board as an
appointee bringing the complement of
Board members to 12.
Nigel Bingham – Chairman
New Board Appointments
Emma Lawler
The new Old Girls’
representative on the
Board, Emma is a full
time mother of five. The
daughter of an Old Girl
as well as the mother
of a current student she has had a long
association with QMC.
Emma attended Victoria University
where she gained a BA in English
Literature.
She is actively involved with Heart
Children New Zealand, Friends of the
Malaghan Institute and the Wellington
College Mothers’ Executive.
Andi Shirtcliffe
Queen Margaret College Board of Governors – Back row (from left to right): Marni Gaskell, Carol Weston,
Murray Coppersmith, Lilias Bell, Andi Shirtcliffe, Kara Eglinton-Ryall. Front row: Jo Brown, Paul Foley,
Nigel Bingham (Chair), Carol Craymer, Sharon Ensor, Georgia Dry.
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QUEEN MARGARET CALLING – Issue 37 – July 2010
Andi is a consulting
pharmacist currently
working in psycho
geriatrics and has
a special interest in
polypharmacy
and
medicines’ use in the
elderly.
She has had extensive governance
experience in the not-for-profit sector in
health (in particular as Deputy Chair of
the Pharmacy Council for five years) and
Pharmacy education. She is an honorary
lecturer with Auckland University’s School
of Pharmacy and is a member of the Institute
of Directors.
Andi has just taken on the role of President
of the Queen Margaret Parents’ Association.
She has a daughter in Year 2 at QMC.
LEADING
Queen Margaret Day’s double celebration
Honoured Old Girl and Foundation Chair Judge Carolyn
Henwood twice called out “shall we cut the ribbon?” to
current students gathered to celebrate the opening of the new
Junior classroom before she was satisfied there was sufficient
passion in their “Yes” for the deed to go ahead.
Foundation Chair Carolyn Henwood cuts the
ribbon to unveil the Foundation Trust’s Donor’s
Board.
T
he Foundation provided the
seeding capital for the classroom,
which is Stage One of the College
development plan.
Judge Henwood was assisted in her
task by youngest Prep Clare Ryan, who was
enjoying day three at school, and Deputy
Principal Kathleen McDonnell.
Reverend Margaret Mayman of St
Andrews on the Terrace was called on to
give the blessing, and Junior School Prefect
Laura Campbell helped light the candle
symbolizing the aroha (love) of the blessing
which went out to the teachers and all the
girls who will learn in the classroom now
and in the future.
Year 4 relocated to the new classroom in
time for the opening and their Class Leader
Lucy Poole spoke on their behalf at the
celebration.
“We are proud to have this new classroom
and hope other children will enjoy learning
in here for many, many years to come,” she
said in her speech which was a collaborative
class effort. “We are happy to have all the
equipment such as electronic whiteboards
and laptops to enhance our learning in this
new room.”
The Year 4 and 5 students performed a
special waiata, and once the ceremony was
over there were cupcakes for Pre-Schoolers
and the Year One to Six girls.
The June 11 opening was part of a
double QMC celebration held to coincide
with Queen Margaret Day.
Earlier Judge Henwood cut the ribbon to
unveil the Foundation Trust’s Donors’ Board
in the Atrium.
Year 4 girls enjoy the celebratory cupcakes in their new classroom.
She told those present flying home the
previous day following a prison visit she
could not help but think of how blessed
she was to have been educated at “such a
fabulous school” as Queen Margaret.
“The school’s ideals of ‘passionate
leaders, resilience women, future leaders’
really strike a chord with me,” she said. “I
believe in the education of young women
and in their potential.”
Young women, in balance with young
men, would lead us forward into the future,
and as such were “molden gold to this
world”.
In thanking the Donors and Patrons
listed on the Donors’ Board, Judge Henwood
said the Foundation is rekindling the idea
of philanthropy and encouraged others to
answer the call and give generously toward
further stages of the Development Plan.
The Foundation is tasked with raising $4
million.
Stage Two involves a new state-of-the-art
building with a full-sized gymnasium and
classroom block designed specifically for the
teaching of languages, plus an all-weather
court. Stage Three will see the addition of a
new entrance to the existing gymnasium and
an attached covered walkway.
Year 13 Media Studies students (from left to
right): Sophie Carden-Horton, Amy Dalziell and
Jessica Chaplin recorded all the action on Queen
Margaret Day.
Issue 37 – July 2010 – QUEEN MARGARET CALLING
5
LEADING
From Hobby House
Winter has truly hit Hobby House this term, with ever-growing queues for the microwave and
an ongoing lack of Milo. Yet despite the cold and rain, school carries on and so has Year 13.
W
e have (arguably) been the busiest this term, attending
year level dances, helping with various collections and
preparing for the upcoming (and fiercely competitive)
House Performing Arts Day. Not to mention the countless sports,
early morning scholarship classes and after school music or drama
rehearsals. It is somewhat scary to see “one full term left, ever!”
written on the Hobby board and I don’t doubt many girls are making
the most of it.
What amazes me is the girls’ ability to continue smiling and
supporting each other, despite the stresses of Term Two and the
‘every man for himself ’ attitude in the kitchen. In the ‘cosy’ space
of Hobby there is little room for pessimism – after all it is hard to
stay stressed when you have 80 other girls (plus 20 ‘Chile pups’) to
share the load.
I have particularly enjoyed learning ‘useful’ words in Spanish
from the visiting St Margaret’s girls, who have become honorary
Hobby House dwellers.
Whether it’s helping run ‘crazy shoe day’ or cheering on the Year
13 netball team, the term has had many highlights.
I can only imagine what next term will be like. With winter
tournament week, school exams and the much talked about ball,
I’m sure it will be busy as ever!
Zoe Webster – Head Girl
Stirling House perform their Melodrama on House Performing Arts Day.
QUEEN MARGARET COLLEGE & SCOTS COLLEGE PRESENT
Shared
A MUS I CAL S HOWCAS E
WEDNESDAY 4 AUGUST 2010
IB DIPLOMA
www.ticketek.co.nz
Head Girl Zoe Webster and Scots Head Boy Nick Wellwood are the face of the Queen Margaret and Scots Colleges’ joint promotional Billboard and
media campaign for Shared Harmonies. This fundraising musical showcase will take place at the Wellington Town Hall at 1pm and 7.30pm on August 4.
The first venture of its kind between brother and sister school, Shared Harmonies will feature music and instrumental groups across all age
levels.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Wellington Presbyterian Support Services and interwoven between musical items will be the story of
the two schools, their shared history and activities including community service, so much a part of the lives of both Colleges.
Zoe and Nick along with their deputies will act as “collaborative MCs” for the event.
6
QUEEN MARGARET CALLING – Issue 37 – July 2010
LEADING
New HOD exchanges one top school
for another
New Head of Languages Jacqueline Hill comes to QMC from Hutchesons’ Grammar School,
Glasgow which last year achieved the highest academic results in Scotland.
S
he
replaces
Kate Ryan who
has returned
home to the United
Kingdom.
Jacqueline
feels QMC offers a
similar environment
to Hutchesons’ where she taught French and
Spanish for the past 10 years.
“Queen Margaret also has a really good
reputation and high academic standards,” she
says. “Then, of course, I am a Scot and there
is the Queen Margaret Scottish connection.”
Jacqueline also discovered another quite
unexpected QMC link on her first day here.
“I was waiting outside the Principal’s
office looking at the Prefects photo of 1990
when I was amazed to spot my old pen
friend Janet Leggat,” she says. “She spent a
year at my primary school in Glasgow when
we were both about eight. When she left we
wrote to each other for years and years before
our correspondence dwindled to Christmas
cards and finally stopped altogether.”
Jacqueline says she had no idea Janet
attended Queen Margaret.
“Last I heard she was in Wales while I
have now ended up here.”
Jacqueline and her husband decided to
settle in this country in order to give their
two young children a better environment
and lifestyle.
1990’s prefects
Janet Leggat can be found top right in the back row. The photograph, which appeared in Te Karere 1990,
carried the following report …The well-spoken, well-balanced member, although when let loose, the ‘rager’
of the team was Peer Support prefect Janet Leggat. She organised the entire third form and the seventh form
support leaders – TROUBLE. She coped amazingly well.
Next to Janet in the back row [circled] is another familiar face, that of Marni Gaskell who has just stepped
down as the Old Girls’ representative on the Queen Margaret College Board of Governors.
Staff benefit from international experience
Q
ueen Margaret Pre-School and
Junior School staff took part in a
two-day International Bacclaureate
Primary Years’ Programme Professional
Development workshop in April.
The workshop, which focused on
teaching, learning and assessment, was run
by Whangarei-based IB trainer Trish Fenton.
Deputy Principal Kathleen McDonnell
describes Trish as “very, very knowledgeable”
and says staff learned a great deal from her
experiences.
“Although she is a New Zealander, Trish
spent 13 years at international IB schools.
She and her husband Bill had their first
involvement with PYP in Frankfurt in 1993
spending five years in Germany before
moving on to PYP schools in Norway,
Columbia and Qatar.
Bill Fenton carried out Queen
Margaret’s PYP pre-authorisation visit
in May and will be back to carry out the
authorisation visit in September. Junior
School staff are currently working towards
meeting the IB standards and practices for
authorisation.
Issue 37 – July 2010 – QUEEN MARGARET CALLING
7
LEARNING
Cultural exchanges grow
global citizens
For the first time Queen Margaret and Scots Colleges have
joined forces on French and Chilean cultural exchanges. Both
Exchanges are designed to further equip students with the
skills they need for life in the 21st century global village.
I
n April seven senior French students
from Scots and eight from Queen
Margaret travelled to France for a
month to immerse themselves in the
French language and culture. They visited
Paris, Rouen and Arras where they were
billeted with French families and attended
Baudimont High School for three weeks.
The students also spent time at SaintMaclou-la-Briere, a small village in the
Seine-Martime region of Normandy, home
to the memorial to New Zealand Pilot
Officer and Scots Old Boy James Stellin
who on August 19, 1944 gave his own life to
save the village’s inhabitants. The villagers
turned out in force to greet their young
Kiwi visitors. Speeches were made, the
New Zealand flag raised and our anthem
played before the students were treated to
“posh” lunch in the community centre.
In recent weeks Scots and Queen
Margaret have both hosted Chilean
students. Queen Margaret has a group
exchange biennially with St Margaret’s,
Chile, for senior students. From this year
these joint exchanges are being run in
conjunction with Scots College as they
have established a relationship with the
MacKay School in Chile (brother school to
St Margaret’s).
During their month here, the St
Margaret’s girls attended classes, went on
various sightseeing excursions and attended
the Year 12 Formal. A joint brother and
sister schools’ farewell event was held in
the QMC Auditorium with both QMC and
Scots host families and Chilean Embassy
officials in attendance.
All Margaret girls: as is traditional on the last day of the Exchange QMC and Chilean students swapped
uniforms for the group photograph.
8
QUEEN MARGARET CALLING – Issue 37 – July 2010
Principal Carol Craymer stresses there
is far more to these group exchanges than
the excitement of learning, living and
experiencing another culture.
“Exchange programmes are a real-life
study of a country’s cultural traditions,
language, etiquette and history,” she says.
“They give young adults the opportunity to
mature on a personal and intellectual level
by boosting self confidence, encouraging
leadership through independent thinking
and challenging students academically.”
Carol Craymer adds exchanges are
also a way for young people to enhance
their future employment opportunities
in business, international affairs and
government service.
“This is because exchange programmes
offer students professional, career and life
skills advantages,” she says. “They improve
cross-cultural
communication
skills,
enhance analytical skills, help participants
gain the ability to adapt and be flexible to
new circumstances and constructively cope
and deal with differences. They provide
an understanding and familiarity of local
customs.”
Shakespearean tragedy
proves a winner for QMC
N
ot only did Queen Margaret
College win two awards at this
year’s national Sheilah Winn
Festival, but Alex Hamer and Cassandra
Tse were both selected to go to the National
Shakespeare Schools Production week in
September from which a small national
company will be chosen to travel to London’s
Globe Theatre in 2011 for workshops and
performances.
QMC won the awards for ‘Best
Communication With The Audience’ and
‘Effective Delivery Of Text’.
Head of Drama Denise O’Connell who
directed the Queen Margaret entry, excerpts
from William Shakespeare’s tragedy Julius
Caesar, says competition at the Nationals
was “fierce” with about 500 students from
all around the country taking part.
“It is a very big competition, truly
national”, she says. “For our girls to have won
awards is a real credit to them. And only 45
students were selected to travel to Dunedin
to take part in the September week-long
intensive workshops and performances.”
Denise O’Connell says QMC’s Julius
Caesar involved four lead actors with Drama
Prefect Alex Hamer as Brutus, Gabriella
Greig as Mark Anthony, Cassandra Tse in
the role of Cassius while Madeline Boles
played Caesar.
“We also had a chorus of eight drummers
who were used to make the transition
between scenes and to give the performance
a military feel,” she says. “Additionally we
placed 25 Year 13 students, not all of them
drama students, in the audience and they
performed from different seating areas
Gabriella Greig as Mark Anthony at the national
Sheilah Winn Festival.
Photograph by Amy Schulz Photography
as the crowd. It was quite effective and
admittedly also gave a few people in the
audience a bit of a scare.”
In the past five years three QMC
students Louise Burston, Eloise Jack and
Hayley Sproull have been selected for the
Globe trip and variously reported their
experiences there as “amazing”, “fantastic”
and “life changing”.
Winning design brought to life
P
ippa Sim got a real thrill from seeing
her costume design – and hard
work – come to life on stage at the
awards ceremony for this year’s Bernina/
Shakespeare Globe Centre of New Zealand’s
costume design competition.
The Year 13 Materials Technology
student gained third place in the competition
which meant her design, along with those of
the three other finalists, was professionally
created and made its first public appearance
on the night. It is now on display at London’s
Globe Theatre.
“I didn’t expect to be a finalist, it was
quite a shock,” says Pippa. “It was amazingly
exciting to see my costume being modeled.
It looked exactly like my drawings even
down to the special detailing.”
Pippa chose Mercutio from Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet for her costume design.
She had to put together a comprehensive
portfolio on this loyal friend of Romeo which
included research into his character – “who
he is, what influences he runs off ” – concept
design and drawings, materials investigation
and a price list making sure to keep to a
budget of $100.
“I used some bright colours to highlight
Mercutio’s bold personality,” says Pippa.
“Colours like yellow and red but because
it was a costume to wear to a masquerade
ball I also used formal colours like grey and
black to suit the occasion.”
Retro fashion was another design
influence… “exaggerated collars and semi
open shirt”.
“Another influence was military to
enforce the fact Mercutio is always prepared
to battle alongside Romeo. This military
influence can be seen in the stripes of the
pants and the boots. I also made sure to
design a mask as it is a masquerade ball. I
made this masculine, Zorro like.”
Pippa’s design also incorporated the
themes of death (“Mercutio dies at the end
of the play”) and friendship.
“The skulls and crossbones represent
death with the colour red for blood.
Mercutio’s great friendship with Romeo
is highlighted with the handshake printed
inside the crest shield on Mercutio’s back.”
The judges liked the way Pippa had
interpreted both her character and the story,
and also made particular comment on her
use of death and friendship symbolism.
As one of four finalists Pippa Sim had the opportunity to see her costume come to life on awards night.
Issue 37 – July 2010 – QUEEN MARGARET CALLING
9
LEARNING
Junior School’s publishing venture
Junior School students, under the leadership of teacher Jane Heather-Sclater and with the help
of QMC parent Jane Woodrow, are engaged in an exciting and innovative publishing project
designed to raise funds for Mary Potter Hospice.
A
team of about 20 authors,
described by Jane Heather-Sclater
as the Junior School’s talented and
enthusiastic writers, are collaborating on a
book titled Halo’s Quest. It tells the story of a
little girl with cancer who goes on a journey
of hope. The writing team is being inspired
by ideas from other Junior girls.
“It has been a good experience for the
authors as they have had to learn it is not
only about their own writing but everyone
else’s,” says Jane Heather-Sclater. “They
are all working together, brainstorming
together and sentences or parts of sentences
from each child will be included in the
book.”
The illustrations for Halo’s Quest are also
being created by the girls with the more
talented of Year 6’s artists drawing the main
characters and all students from Years One
to Six working on collaborative collages for
each scene.
“Again the book will include a small
picture by every girl,” says Jane.
There will also be subtle Queen
Margaret College links running through the
book like the use of blue and yellow colours
and places names like Thorndonville and
Hobson House.
The book project reflects the
International Baccalaureate Primary Years’
Programme especially its caring and
international themes.
“On her journey the little girl meets and
is helped by three different characters”, says
Jane. “This has meant the girls have had to
look outside of themselves and take account
of the needs of others.
“The little girl’s journey also takes her
through three different lands. This has
meant the girls have had to look outside
New Zealand and at the differences and
similarities of other countries to their
own.”
Jane says Halo’s Quest will work on
different levels.
“Adults will recognise its deeper
concepts like hope while for children it will
be an easy read. The book is designed for
parents to read to children when they or a
sibling are sick or for a child to read if they
have a sick parent.”
Getting down to the job at hand: Teacher Jane Heather-Sclater works with Halo’s Quest authors.
10
QUEEN MARGARET CALLING – Issue 37 – July 2010
About 1000 copies of Halo’s Quest will be
produced thanks to the generous sponsorship
of Black Diamond Technologies and the
book is due to be launched at the Hospice’s
annual Strawberry Festival in Midland Park
in November. Mary Potter Hospice will
receive the bulk of the revenue from sales
with a small percentage earmarked for the
Queen Margaret College Development
Plan.
But as is the case with all great books
there is also the possibility of movie
rights…
“The girls went to Weta cave to see how
their book could be made into a movie,”
says Jane. “This was organised by some of
the lovely parents here at school who work
at Weta.
“We also submitted the book and art
work so it could be considered for a movie
script!”
Barbershop Chorus
makes it six
QMC’s Barbershop chorus, The Sweet
Margaritas, has made the National Finals of
the Barbershop Competition for the sixth
time in the past seven years.
The Sweet Margaritas earned their
place at the Nationals after coming second
in the Wellington Regional Barbershop
Competitions held at the Te Rauparaha
Arena, Porirua in May. The chorus will now
travel to Hamilton in August to defend their
top ranking title of 2009.
Two QMC Barbershop Quartets,
‘Quart in the Act’ and ‘Mack Attack’, also
took part in the regional competition and
won sixth and ninth placings out of a field
of 14.
The senior chorale, Charisma, performed
creditably at the recent Wellington Regional
Big Sing Competition, gaining a commended
award for their performance of a Gospel/
Spiritual song.
LEARNING
Film created in just 48 hours
Queen Margaret College entered a team in this year’s V48HOURS, the World’s Number
One Limited-Time Filmmaking Contest. Hundreds of teams write, shoot, cut and hopefully
survive making a short film in one weekend.
T
he QMC team of 25 girls and four
staff members, led by Jen Lloyd was
given the genre of romantic comedy.
They managed to create a cute and quirky
short film in 48Hours with very little sleep
but having a whole lot of fun.
The final product was shown at Readings
Theatre during the premiere evening and
was well received by the audience of other
school entries.
Jen Lloyd says the process allowed the
Teacher Jen Lloyd (centre) leads the QMC
V48HOURS team in a brainstorming session.
girls to understand the complex and allconsuming process of film making.
“They also got to work together as a
team,” she says, “and become familiar with
the technical requirements of the equipment
which will also help them with their learning
and assessment in Media Studies.”
Jen Lloyd said thanks are due to Sarah
Neal, Hannah McGee, Daniel Garland,
Harry Lloyd and all the parents “who
dropped off wonderful food”.
Mums engage in homework debate
Deputy Principal Kathleen McDonnell decided to start the Junior School’s annual Mothers to
School Day differently this year.
“We started in the Library with a session
for Mums to talk about the home/school
connection,” she says. “The idea being to
share ideas on how mothers can better
engage with their daughters’ learning and
the curriculum at home.”
But Kathleen says the session soon
turned into a debate on the contentious
issue of homework, and it is a debate she
welcomes.
“There are a number of studies on
the subject with conflicting conclusions.
Professor of Education University of
Auckland John Hattie has come up with
100 factors contributing to student success
and homework is well down on the list.
Queen Margaret agrees with his view that if
homework is to be given it should be reading,
maths and other activities supporting the
classroom programme.”
Kathleen says following the “debate”
Junior School teachers met to agree a clear
set of homework guidelines and have since
adapted their homework programmes to
comply with these.
“It is all about making homework
effective,” she says, “with the ultimate goal
being to encourage independent work
habits.”
The “great homework debate” over the
Mothers took part in classroom activities,
were treated to morning tea and a concert
followed later in the day by the annual
cross country event.
Year 7 held a special Mother/Daughter
lunch in the Atrium which included games
and quizzes.
Year 5 Mums work with their daughters on Mothers to School Day.
Issue 37 – July 2010 – QUEEN MARGARET CALLING
11
LINKS
From the Development Office
Q
ueen Margaret College
Old Girls can be found
almost everywhere. On a
recent holiday to Akaroa Manager
of School Administration Judy
Francis visited the Giant’s House,
an historic Akaroa home with
original artworks situated in a
Garden of National Significance
(NZGT) with sculptures and
mosaics.
The Giant’s House experience
is the creation of artist and QMC
Old Girl Josie Martin (1964) [pictured]. Josie has won numerous
awards for both her art and gardening works, including the Supreme
Award for My House My Castle in 2006.
Check out Josie’s website for a visual treat: http://www.
thegiantshouse.co.nz
Vanya Pyne (Head Prefect
1991) [pictured] will feature
in an article in the Dominion
Post about what Head Prefects
go on to achieve after they leave
school. In Vanya’s case, after 12
years with The Radio Network
(seven of those as General Sales
Manager) she started her own
business Awaken.
Vanya has an 18-month-old
daughter and wanted flexibility
in her career to spend time with
her. So she launched Awaken to
enable small to medium sized businesses to access experienced, skilled
professionals in Sales Management and Marketing, on a fractional
management basis.
Vanya is also on the board for Netball Wellington Region.
Victorious Magazine published an article
in its autumn edition about research by
Dr Jane Bryson (Head Prefect 1978)
[pictured] from the University of
Victoria Management on the relationship
between optimal human capability
and work place human resources and
management practices.
The research findings have been used
to develop a framework for examining
the institutional and social structures
within and around workplaces in order
to determine whether they facilitate or constrain individuals from
achieving their potential.
12
QUEEN MARGARET CALLING – Issue 37 – July 2010
Karen Radford (1973) was recently
appointed to the GST Advisory Panel
set up to help businesses and the
Government implement the GST rate
increase announced in the Budget.
The panel will monitor how businesses
are dealing with the changes so the
Government is aware of any particular
issues which may arise in recording
and charging GST at the new rate of
15 per cent.
QMC Girl emerges as fashion designer
Alex Walker (2005), a former winner of the Shakespeare Globe
Centre of New Zealand’s costume design competition, took part in
the Emerging Designer Awards at iD Dunedin’s 11th Annual Fashion
Show earlier this year. She was one of 29 finalists from all over the
world with her entry Between the Lines.
The Development Office was recently invited to address the Queen
Margaret College Old Girls’ Association (QMCOGA) Committee
[pictured below] on the work of the QMC Foundation Trust and the
Development Office in fundraising for the Development Plan. The
School values the support it gets in so many ways from Old Girls
and both the Development Office and Foundation look forward to
working alongside the QMCOGA to make the Plan a reality. We are
also keen to support a vibrant and active Old Girls community.
Back row (from left to right): Odette Frost, Louise Kleingeld, Emma Lawler,
Christine Mander, Gillian Press, Joan Turner.
Front row (from left to right): Joanne Wright, Lynne Speight and Georgia Dry.
Winter Garden Cheer for Auckland Old Girls
Principal Carol Craymer and Development Director Karen
Radford hosted a function in the Winter Garden at Auckland’s
Northern Club for Auckland Old Girls. Over 40 women ranging in
age from (almost) 90 to 22 attended the soiree where Carol Craymer
talked about the life of their ‘alma mater’ in the 21st century and the
plans for its future.
LINKS
Jenny Brown (left) Carolyn Blackburn and
Dawn Ralph.
(From left to right): Michelle Johnson, Rebecca
Gray, Laura Hubbard, Sarah Hitchings,
Jacqueline Fisher and Carol Craymer.
Many of the women who attended reconnected with friends they
had not seen since their schooldays. It was a very festive occasion
and a repeat session was requested by all the guests.
The Principal intends to host functions in other places she visits
so keep an eye out in these pages for an invitation to attend in your
area.
Obituaries
It is with sadness we note the passing of the following women:
Helen Preston (nee Young 1952) in April in Tauranga. Her
daughters Melissa Preston and Karenza Paine are also QMC
Old Girls. Louise White in Wellington in December last year
whose daughters Victoria (1996) and Georgina (1992) are also
Old Girls.
(From left to right): Wendy Dickinson, Lois Morrison,
Judy Main and Beryl Boswell.
Share Cookbook purchases can earn House Points
Attention All Old Girls. The school is running a competition
whereby all sales of the Share cookbook
WIN 20 House credits.
Share is jammed with gorgeous, tried
and true recipes and fabulous photography
and costs only $39.95 plus delivery ($5.50).
So place your order now and support your
House in its quest to win this competition.
Send your orders with a cheque to: the
Development Office, PO Box 12274, Thorndon, Wellington 6144.
Include your name and address and contact details (telephone or
email) for delivery and let us know which House you belong to and
we will credit it 20 points for every purchase you make.
Fun & funky replace regulation
C
ommunity Service Prefect Katja Heesterman is behind an
initiative which will see Queen Margaret College sponsor a
village in Uganda for the next five years.
“I started thinking about the possibility of us sponsoring a child
at the end of last year,” she says, “and this developed into the idea of
sponsoring a whole village. We’re a group and they’re a group sort
of thinking.”
Katja made contact with the Watoto Village Project supported
by Tear Fund in Uganda, and then carried out a survey of girls from
Year 7 up to see what they thought about the idea.
“It was important the rest of the school supported the initiative
and it was not just me passionate about something,” she says. “The
idea is for the community service prefect to take responsibility for
the village sponsorship each year.”
The survey response was “very positive” and Katja moved on
to the next step – fundraising. The cost of sponsoring a village
is $600 a year. A brainstorming session came up with the idea of
holding a school-wide Crazy Shoe Day where girls could ditch
their regulation footwear for the day in return for a gold coin
donation.
It was not a new idea, Katja remembers a Crazy Shoe Day when
she was in Year 7.
“We held it to raise money for flood victims in the Wairarapa I
think and I remember I wore my dad’s big fishing boots.”
Katja says the brainstormers decided a Crazy Shoe Day would be
fun and generally something everyone could do.
“Girls could get involved as little or as much as they wanted and
it had appeal across a lot of age groups.”
In the event the 2010 Crazy Shoe Day was a great success raising
about $550 toward village sponsorship. Next term funds will be
augmented with a sausage sizzle.
Term Two also saw Year 13 and several Year 12 girls involved in
street appeal collections for Life Flight, Mary Potter Hospice, Heart
Children, Autism and St John’s.
Issue 37 – July 2010 – QUEEN MARGARET CALLING
13
LINKS
Old Girls’ Association News
O
ld Girls’ Day started this year
with a wonderful ceremony for
the opening of the new Junior
School classroom and the unveiling of
the Foundation Trust’s Donors Board by
Honoured Old Girl and Chairperson of the
Foundation Judge Carolyn Henwood.
The Old Girls’ Association was very proud
to announce in assembly the addition to our
Honours Board of two worthy recipients:
Joan Turner (Gianoutsos) for services to
Save The Children, Meals on Wheels and
the QMCOGA, and Helen Elizabeth Winter
(Plimmer), who received an MBE in 1996,
for services to Girl Guides.
Coming back to QMC and attending
assembly is so familiar to us all; we are so
Honoured Old Girls Elizabeth Winter (left) and
Joan Turner.
Old Girls and former House Leaders: Suzie Fitzgerald (left), Berwick, and Lynne Speight, Stirling
presented the House Banners this year with their daughters and current House Prefects Sarah Fitzgerald
and Nikki Speight.
fortunate nothing has really changed despite
the years! Even our old House banners come
out for the announcement of House totals
with Old Girls and current House Leaders
placing them together.
The weekend concluded with our AGM
and Seniors Lunch on Saturday both of
which were very well attended. It was such
a privilege to meet up with many lovely old
girls of all ages over the weekend and to
hear their happy and highly entertaining
memories of their time as QMC girls.
I would like to thank Georgia Dry
(Turner) for the fantastic job she has done
over the past two years in the President’s
role. She will remain on the committee.
Any Old Girls who would like to join
us, whether it is attending meetings or
helping at the various functions we put
on throughout the year will be welcomed
with open arms. So if you are thinking of
becoming involved, please get in touch.
Emma Lawler (Olphert) – President
Parents’ Association News
I
t was with pleasure I took over as President
of the Parents’ Association committee
last term and it has been a busy time
for everyone on the committee. We have
a number of new members this year: Tom
Byrne, Pip Taylor, Bridget Cooper, Carolyn
Gebbie and Karren Vizcarra-Joubert.
I would also like to acknowledge all of
the hard work and enthusiasm put in by
the outgoing members of the committee.
Not least of all a big thank you to outgoing
President Jo Brown for her commitment
over her five years in the role. We have been
tremendously fortunate in that Jo and a
number of the old committee are staying on
for a while to help pass over the reigns.
This term has been a busy time at the
College with the opening of Stage One of
the Development Plan in the Junior School
on top of the usual bustle and activities. The
new classroom is looking fabulous, and the
14
Parents’ Association is looking to raise funds
toward the development of the area outside
so it can be enjoyed by the girls.
Another fundraising focus for the
Association will be to complement the
College library resources with the view to
strengthening the IB focus of the current
collection.
The Parents’ Association now has a page
on mag.net and we are in the process of
uploading information for the benefit of the
parents. Watch this space! We would also
like to hear from people who are happy to
add their name to a list to be contacted for
one-off small jobs. If you can help please do
not hesitate to get in contact on: ashirtcliffe@
clear.net.nz or 027 230 3795.
Thank you to the parent body for their
support of the Parents’ Association’s first
fundraiser for the year. Sex in the City II,
the New Zealand premiere, was a complete
QUEEN MARGARET CALLING – Issue 37 – July 2010
sell out and much fun was had by all who
attended. Thank you to the committee for
helping out on the night as well.
Our annual fundraising through
Entertainment Books has been a success
again this year. I would like to extend a big
thank you to all the parents who were able to
support us in this way.
Last, but my no means least the next big
event on the Parents’ Association calendar
is a Latino casino evening on September 4.
This evening should be a wonderful event
with opportunities to indulge in a bit of
casino activity, watch the Latin dancing
demonstrations or even try out a few of
your own steps on the dance floor. Put this
date in your diary and keep your eye on the
Parents’ Association page on mag.net for
more details.
Andi Shirtcliffe – President
LINKS
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Fundraising Concert
A family concert will be held in the Queen Margaret College Hall on
Saturday, August 21 at 4pm to raise money for the Sarah Lilli Fund.
Sarah Lilli was due to attend QMC and would now have been in Year
13, but she died suddenly of a rare brain disorder just after her 10th
birthday.
:::/,0,7('(',7,216&21=
liday
School Ho
pecial
Portrait S
Queen
Just for 20
s Families
Margaret’
Her family set up the Sarah Lilli Fund in 2006, in conjunction with
Barnardos, to honour her memory and help disadvantaged children by
giving them a chance to:
• pursue an educational, creative, sporting or social opportunity that
is their chosen interest, and of benefit to their development and
wellbeing, or
• enjoy a special celebration, experience or holiday
Since it started, the Fund has been able to help nearly 600 children with
grants such as: Body Jam classes for a term ($55), school camp costs
($70) and $230 to send two brothers to summer camp for a week.
This will be the second Sarah Lilli Family Concert after a sell-out
performance at the Ilott Theatre last year. Associate Concertmaster
with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Donald Armstrong has put
together another great line-up of talented young musicians, dancers,
circus performers and singers including Opera stars Ben Makisi and
Aivale Cole and QMC’s Barbershop Chorus, the Sweet Margaritas.
For further information,
or to book tickets for the concert,
contact Ruth Payne email:[email protected] or
phone 388 9089
$550.00 voucher to Mandi Lynn
Photography for only $50.00
(which is donatedd back to
the school)
Don’t miss out. Mandy
dy Lynn has donated
vouchers worth $550.00 to the school
20 vouche
so that you can have beautiful art created
of your family
fam during the school holidays.
Just be one
on of the first 20 families to enter
coupon code
the coupo
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QM
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on the enquiry
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All you have to do is go on to www.mandilynn.co.nz and fill in the enquiry form.
Issue 37 – July 2010 – QUEEN MARGARET CALLING
15
LEARNING
From the Sports Office
T
he students
who partake
in the QMC
Sports Academy have
been honing their
mental skills this
term. The girls have
been challenged in
Academy sessions to
consider their strategy
when approaching an event, training or
game. Reflecting on how this affects their
own performance has been an interesting
and enlightening process.
QMC’s Senior Underwater Hockey Team is
off to the New Zealand Secondary Schoolgirls
National Competition in September after
taking home the bronze medal at the recent
Central Zone tournament.
Seven of these senior players have been
named in the Under 18 Wellington squad
– Zoe Webster, Abby Vorstermans, Kristen
Stewart, Freya Slessor, Millie Carr, Rebecca
Daley and Elizabeth Young.
At the Central Zone tournament Junior
Underwater Hockey coach Old Girl Nicole
Privett received a new WUWH award for
Most Fair Coach.
With winter tournament week fast
approaching, our senior teams are working
hard to ensure they are competitive at their
respective tournaments. The senior A netball
and underwater hockey and 1st XI hockey and
soccer teams and our Year 7 and 8 ski team
will all represent the College next term.
We are now starting to reap the rewards
of a plan put in place several years ago to
develop hockey in the College. Just before the
end of term the 1st and 2nd XI hockey teams
played in promotion/relegation games. The
1st XI won 12 nil and the 2nds won three
nil to secure their place in Premier 2 and
Premier 3 respectively.
A number of QMC’s Hockey players
have made representative sides this season.
They are: U15 – Joanna Jacobson, Sophie
Macadre; U15B – Georgia Garden-Bachop,
Phoebe Slessor, Therese Featherston; U18B
– Emma Ramsay.
The continued focus on development
of players in the Junior and Middle School
years is a contributing factor in the success
of this sport to date.
Across the board we have about 40 senior
students who support the sports programme
in the College through coaching. Students as
young as Year 7 give up their time to ensure
our sports teams have a quality experience
on the sports field. It’s a great opportunity
which benefits both the team and coach. It is
timely to thank these students for their time
and effort on the sideline.
Sports Director – Nadine Stembridge
Diving to new heights
Madeleine Knowles is the second best one
metre board diver in the country for her 11
years and under age category. She took the
title at the National Dive Competition held
at Kilbirnie Pool recently.
Madeleine says she did five different
dives at the competition, and while she
usually performs best with her back straight
dive on this occasion it was her one-andhalf somersault which most impressed the
judges.
“My somersault was really good,” she
says, “and I got eight and eight-and-a-half
out of 10 which was exciting.”
Madeleine has been diving for about two
years, before that her favoured sports were
gymnastics and swimming.
16
QUEEN MARGARET CALLING – Issue 37 – July 2010
Swimmers prove competitive in pool
QMC’s Year 9 and 10 swimmers proved competitive
at the Huia Cup held at Lower Hutt’s Huia Pool in
May.
In the swimming relays: (pictured here left to
right) Hannah Andrews, Charlotta Cutfield,
Victoria Smaill, Claudia Simpson finished third
of all the Wellington girls’ school taking part and
gained fourth place overall.
Gymnast representing NZ
in Australia
Rhythmic gymnast Lydia Hingston is not
letting a troublesome back problem get her
down. The 16-year-old has been training an
impressive 14 hours a week in the run up to
the Australian Gymnastic Nationals being
held over the July holiday period.
Lydia, who has been selected as a
member of the New Zealand Levels team to
compete in the Level 9 competition in Perth,
will take part in the Ball, Clubs, Hoops and
Rope categories.
“Since I injured my back I have had
to modify my training which is quite
frustrating,” she says. “I have had a MRI
scan and an x-ray but they are not sure what
the problem is. It could just be that I’m a
teenager and growing.”
She was introduced to rhythmic
gymnastics in Year Two at QMC when a
former teacher started a group. It ran for
a few years until the teacher left and Lydia
like others in the group transferred to the
Capital Gymnastic Club.