huddle
St Aidan’s
JUNE I 2013
contents Editor Cassandra Erbs Contributors Courtney Phelps, Karen Spiller, Kim Kiepe, Rev Paul Bland, Professor Neil Dempster, Tony Markwell, Mark Bell, David Madden, Tracey McFie, Sue Russell, Wendy Biggs, Megan Daly, Ros McCracken, Louise McGuire, Nathan Beveridge, Dr Ela Martin, Syliva Hicks, Gaye Brown, Dr James Cuskelly, Nigel Bailey, Tracey Jeanes-Fraser, Vivian Dowd, Meg Bishop, Jenny Crombe, Kristen Lewis, Shaleen Prowse, Jo Cameron and Jo Lane and Focus Magazine.
Leadership
2
Senior School
3
Teaching
13
Kindergarten
20
Junior School
22
Sport
24
Community
29
Alumni
42
Faith
53
Design Annie Fanning Photography Lindsay Varvari, Alison Chandler, Free Rein Photography, Chris Biggs, Gaye Brown, Annie Fanning and Nathan Beveridge. Printing Print Systems Australia Editorial queries, feedback and change of address E: marketing@staidans.qld.edu.au
St Aidan’s
Front Cover Audrey van Herwaarden at farewell ceremony from Mitrata Higher Secondary School, Satrasay Village Nepal after completion of project.
Disclaimer The Editors have gone to great efforts to ensure the accuracy of the information compiled in this publication but can accept no responsibilty for inaccuracies or omissions. Although the Editors support the right of expression by members of the student body and other writers, we wish to make it clear that the views expressed by individual authors are not necessarily those held by the Editors or St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School, Corinda.
from the principal I am sure you will enjoy this edition of the Huddle. The energy of our school is palpable as girls and staff take the Philosophy and Vision of our Sisters forward in their daily lives. St Aidan’s girls have always had big hearts and a determination to do and try anything. While this issue highlights Science, it also profiles Creative Arts, Academic Results, Sport and Community Service. It tells the stories of past and current students as they embrace school life in 2013 and contribute to the betterment of local, Australian and International Communities. St Aidan’s girls enjoy every opportunity available to them and equally our students embrace the opportunity to support others. Karen Spiller Principal
As I write this editorial I am mindful of the vast array of activities our school is involved in over a 48 hour period this weekend. They include: the final round of the Autumn Sports, our Equestrian Team hosted their Eventing Championships, exchange students from our Sister School in Hobart are with us, 1973 past students returned for their 40 year reunion, students attended and respected National Sorry Day at a local ceremony, girls collected for the Red Shield Appeal, over 200 students performed in the Gala Concert and St Aidan’s hosted the inaugural Aspiring Women in Science Conference which featured internationally acclaimed scientists including Professor Mark Kendall (Nanopatch vaccines) and 2013 Queensland Australian of the Year, Professor Adele Green AC (Melanoma Research). I commend this edition of the Huddle and the stories of our school it shares,
future “ The belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. Eleanor Roosevelt
“
to you.
Karen Spiller BA, BEdSt, MEdAdmin., MBA, FACE, FAIM, FACEL, FAHRI, FAICD
Lion’s Youth of the Year Our congratulations to Christabelle Stafford-Smith (Year 12) who won the Sherwood-Oxley club final for Lion’s Youth of the Year, and competed in the District final in March. Victoria Poon (Year 11) and Irene Mengel (Year 12) also represented the school well in this competition.
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senior school - academic results
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For more than 84 years St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School has enjoyed a rich
The Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent, are committed to nurturing and teaching young women.
“
history of consistent academic and extra-curricular success. Our Founders, the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent, were committed to nurturing and teaching young women; this premise remains as our cornerstone. Today our Mission is simple – we promote and empower our girls through education and opportunity. We do this by giving them support, excellent female role models, confidence to thrive, and a belief that they can achieve anything. Each year we celebrate our graduates who have truly excelled … our Senior girls who achieved above and beyond. Our list of Honours recipients is an example of the St Aidan’s girls who have put in the hard work and have been rewarded at the end of their school life by being accepted into their tertiary course of choice. They truly are an inspiration to their peers and younger students and we are proud to have played a part in the lives of these remarkable young women; I know they will go on to do truly great things. I look forward to celebrating their achievements in future editions of Born to Fly – our award-winning Alumni publication that celebrates our girls’ successes.
I in 3 achieved an OP 1-5 St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School students have again achieved outstanding OP results with over 97% of the 2012 Senior students gaining an OP between 1 and 15 with 6% achieving an OP of 1. These consistent outcomes (over 93% OP 1-15 each year since 2010) point to the high quality education the School delivers year after year. The results show St Aidan’s is well above the State average in all OP categories and is one of the top performing independent schools in Queensland. One hundred per cent of our students also attained their Queensland Certificate of
97%
of the 2012 Senior students obtained an OP between 1 and 15 with 6% achieving an OP of 1.
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Education. These results reflected the hard work and diligence of the 2012 cohort and the quality and professionalism of the teaching staff and educational experience offered at our School. This is enhanced by focused academic management on every student’s performance.
senior school - academic results
OP Results (2012)
OP 1
6% (State 2.68%)
OP 1 – 3
22% (State 10.24%)
OP 1 – 5
36% (State 19.69%)
OP 1 – 10
73% (State 48.90%)
OP 1 – 15
97% (State 78.89%)
These results are particularly noteworthy as the vast majority of the total St Aidan’s 2012 cohort were OP eligible.
St Aidan’s vs State OP Data (2012) 100 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
St Aidan's State Average
OP 1
OP 1-2
OP 1-3
OP 1-5
Queensland Core Skills Test Results (2012) A
31% (State 16.9%)
B
40% (State 30.09%)
C
23% (State 35.66%)
D
6% (State 17.03%)
E
0% (State 0.33%)
OP 1-7 OP 1-10 OP 1-15
IT/Business/ Creative Arts/Music
Society and Culture (Arts, Psych, etc)
25%
29% Area of Study 2013
Law
Tertiary Institution Destinations Institutions
2013
The University of Queensland
38%
Queensland University of Technology
38%
Griffith University
14%
TAFE Qld
4%
Australian Catholic University
3%
University of Southern Queensland
2%
James Cook University
1%
12%
Education
8%
Health
13% Science, Engineering, Architecture
13%
I00% attained their Queensland Certificate of Education huddle I june 2013 3
Honours students (2012) Students who achieved an OP 1-5
senior school - honours students 2012
Grace Burgess-Limerick Bachelor of Arts/ Bachelor of Laws UQ Madeleine Chan (absent) Bachelor of Animation GU Madeleine Colquhoun Bachelor of Speech Pathology UQ Fiona Daly (absent) Bachelor of International studies UQ Lauren Danckwerts Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology)/Bachelor of Laws QUT Lucy Earle Bachelor of Veterinary Science James Cook University Meredith Elliott Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws Sevannah Ellis Bachelor of Biomedical Science UQ Claire Emmerson Bachelor of Fine Arts (Creative and Professional Writing)/Bachelor of Laws QUT Claire Fender Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) QUT Kimberley Hughes Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology)/Bachelor of Laws QUT Sophie James Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Creative Industries QUT Elizabeth James-Jenks (absent) Bachelor of Veterinary Science UQ Sarah Krause Bachelor of Media and Communication/Bachelor of Laws QUT Alexandra Leigh Bachelor of Business Management/Bachelor of Arts UQ Sarah MacKenzie Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws UQ Jessie Madden MBBS (Provisional Entry) UQ Tegwen Marsdon Bachelor of Music Technology GU 4
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Rachel McDonell Bachelor of Business QUT Grace McKellar (absent) Bachelor of Speech Pathology UQ Ashleigh McRae Bachelor of Business Management/Bachelor of Economics UQ Susan Nowland Bachelor of Business Management/Bachelor of Commerce UQ Kate Pidgeon Bachelor of Commerce UQ Charlotte Pittaway Bachelor of Psychological Science UQ Emily Plath Bachelor of Engineering UQ Emma Pollard Bachelor of Architectural Design UQ Brooke Schampers Bachelor of Veterinary Science James Cook University Teagan Scrimgeour (absent) ADFA - Engineering Megan Sherington Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Laws QUT Olivia Smith Bachelor of Arts UQ Emily Stevens Bachelor of Physiotherapy UQ Elissa Stewart Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Laws QUT My-Linh Vu Bachelor of Oral Health in Dental Science GU Lauren Williams Bachelor of Medical Imaging Science QUT Kate Woodhouse Bachelor of Business Management/Bachelor of International Hotel and Tourism Management UQ Rebekah Yeo Bachelor of Fine Arts (Fashion) QUT
senior school- research with dr ela martin
Year 10 student, Julika Geotz, can now claim firsthand experience in cutting edge scientific research, having begun an extended experimental investigation with University of Queensland biology researcher and St Aidan’s teacher Dr Ela Martin. A chance viewing of a Catalyst episode on ABC TV first sparked Dr Martin’s interest in exploring a biological concept known as ‘quorum sensing’. As Dr Martin explains: “Bacteria produce and detect small molecules with a specificity that allows them to distinguish and count their own, their cousins, and “unrelated” others in their vicinity, and change their behaviour as a group in response to the results of this “census”. Although she was not teaching at the time, Dr Martin said she remembered thinking the topic would make an interesting unit of work for biology students. The opportunity to work with Julika this year allowed her ideas to come to fruition. “Researchers who study quorum sensing believe this ability is the origin of multicellularity and communal behaviour,” said Dr Martin. “One of the key behaviours bacteria invoke in response to a quorum of their own species is to mount a pathogenic attack – that is, turning on genes that produce toxins, kill other cells, and otherwise cause infection.”
“It is therefore seems logical that drugs that target quorum-sensing behaviour (preventing the bacteria to “talk” to each other) could be the next generation of antibiotics.” Dr Martin and Julika’s study looks specifically at marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri, which exhibits quorum-sensing behaviour in a unique and very visual form. The pair has conducted their research at laboratories at the National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, University of Queensland. “This investigation has allowed Julika to experience the processes involved in conducting scientific research; starting with the initial review of literature, to designing the experimental procedures, conducting the experiments and now she is at the point of learning how to critically analyse and present data for her final report,” said Dr Martin. “Not all investigations will allow students to experience every kind of investigational procedure, so this has been a unique and enriching learning experience for both of us.”
The bacterium Vibrio fischeri is a marine bacterium that exhibits quorum-sensing behaviour in a unique and very visual form, whereby colonies of Vibrio fischeri collectively bioluminesce upon reaching a certain cell density. The bioluminescence intensity reflects the overall health of the organism as the luminescence reaction reflects healthy metabolism. This unique biological process has allowed us to study quorum sensing in a water toxicity assay. The assay utilizes the light emission in naturally bioluminescent Vibrio fischeri as a measure of general “energy status”. For waters containing toxic chemicals, a lowered energy status (light output) will largely reflect the underlying baseline toxicity of the water sample. In other words, a substance toxic to Vibrio fischeri will inhibit its metabolic activity and reduce or completely suppress the intensity of bioluminescence.
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academic- stem
engaging girls in
S T EM at St Aidan’s
In Australia, about half of all professional occupations suffering skills shortages are in core STEM areas such as engineering, and the majority of the rest are in the associated field of health (West, 2012). Yet, St Aidan’s students continue to buck national trends of declining participation in elective science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects, with roughly 13 percent of the 2012 senior cohort this year undertaking further study in Science, Engineering or Architecture.
Congratulations to our............. 6
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STEM
at St Aidan’s
academic- stem
The success of the Science program at St Aidan’s hinges upon a number of key assumptions regarding girls’ attitudes towards the subject: •
Girls enjoy studying Science;
•
Girls are good at Science;
•
Given the right opportunities, girls will choose to study more Science than the “bare minimum” prescribed by the Australian Curriculum;
•
Girls are interested in Science that is explicitly connected to their everyday experience, and shows how a career in Science is a career helping other people;
•
Girls like Science courses that take advantage of their ability to communicate and to connect with other people; and
•
Not all girls are the same – the opportunities presented to them need to reflect their diverse interests and capabilities.
•
While none of these assumptions are particularly controversial, together they describe an education manifesto for “doing Science differently”, a mandate that has wide-ranging curricular and co-curricular implications.
At St Aidan’s, our approach towards Science is firmly rooted in the curriculum. According to recent Australian research, good teachers rated as the single most important individuals in students’ decisions to take STEM courses, ranking higher than the influence of peers or parents (Lyons et al., 2012). As such, students from Year 7 onwards are taught by dedicated Science specialists, and experience a course that unapologetically prioritises interest, engagement, and building foundational skills. From Year 8, students are then able to select Science elective subjects in addition to their core Science course. These semester-long electives are highly contextualised, exploring themes such as neuroscience, robotics, environmental science, space exploration, and mining. Focusing on the development of students’ experimental and research competencies also brings about opportunities for more adventurous projects, such as the production of a short Mythbusters-style video, or the use of forensic techniques to “solve a crime”. The popularity of these courses is clearly evident: over half of the Year 9 and 10 cohorts regularly choose at least one Science elective course each year, with a significant number of our students going on to study three or even four extra semesters of Science before they reach Year 11. In the senior phase of learning, St Aidan’s eschews multi-disciplinary subjects such as MultiStrand or Science 21, and instead offers the traditional Sciences of Biology, Chemistry and Physics. When our students choose a Science at the senior level, it is because they intend to succeed in a rigorous, challenging course of learning, not as a “soft” option. Encouragingly, enrolments in the Senior Sciences have increased by almost fifty per cent over the last seven years, defying national and international trends (Lyons and Quinn, 2010). St Aidan’s also aims to make full use of the opportunities presented by Queensland’s system of moderated school-based assessment. Less than half of the assessment in any of our senior Sciences is conducted through testing, and assignment work is given a real-life context wherever possible. Examples of this may include an energy audit of the School, research into evidence of anthropogenic global warming, or a presentation of scientific concepts to younger students. The epitome of this approach is our Year 11 Biology cheese-making project, which has seen St Aidan’s win a number of ribbons at the Royal Brisbane Show for our delicious Brie and Camembert cheeses. huddle I june 2013 7
academic- stem
Of course, Science learning does not occur in a vacuum: it is experienced every day within a rich context of experiences in other subjects.
We also take time to celebrate the “fun” of Sciences, such as at our Open Day Science “Magic” Show, a regular highlight for students, as well as the extravaganza of movies, activities, and competitions held annually at the School as part of Science Week. Of course, Science learning does not occur in a vacuum: it is experienced every day within a rich context of experiences in other subjects. As such, we have made significant progress in aligning our expectations and processes with those of other faculties such as English, Mathematics, Geography and History. In 2013, this has culminated in the development of a combined Year 9 and
10 unit called Big History/Big Science, based on the internationally renowned Big History Project developed by Professor David Christian (Christian, 2013). This yearlong elective seeks to utilise the inquiry approach common to both History and Science, and explore the history of our universe from 14 billion years ago through to the present day. Our key co-curricular program comes through the Australian Space Design Competition, bringing together students across year levels to solve a multidisciplinary engineering challenge. St Aidan’s students have gone on to represent Australia at the International Space Settlement Design Competition at
the Johnson Space Centre in the United States, and on three occasions have scooped up first place. Involvement in such a competition provides our students with a unique opportunity to work together with other schools on a significant project requiring high-level teamwork, creativity and integration of ideas, as well as the application of scientific and engineering principles learnt back home in the classroom. In 2012, St Aidan’s girls worked as a part of a team to prepare a tender response to a major infrastructure project located on Venus, and develop operational plans to maintain the community and fulfill its business objectives. Given just 48 hours to fully
Research shows girls attending all-girls schools are six times more likely to go on and study science at university. This has never been truer at St Aidan’s with 13% of the 2012 cohort going on to study science or engineering. Here are profiles of three recent St Aidan’s graduates who have all made the choice to continue their studies in STEM. Jessie Madden (2012) Jessie received Provisional Entry into Medicine at the University of Queensland after receiving an OP1, and will now spend the first three years completing a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Biomedical Science. “I really enjoyed Science at school, and so I was always drawn to a career in Science,” Jessie said.
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“In particular, in Year 9 I did a science elective subject that studied neuroscience. This really interested me, and I hope to specialise in neuroscience later in my career.” “My teachers always encouraged me to challenge myself and to be willing to push myself to do things I didn’t think I could achieve. This flowed into me choosing a career I believe will challenge me through my life.”
academic- stem
St Aidan’s students have gone on to represent Australia at the International Space Settlement Design Competition at the Johnson Space Centre in the United States, and on three occasions have scooped up first place. understand the design brief and submit a 50-page proposal to a group of NASA engineers, the students walked away with the gold medal. The crowning glory of the St Aidan’s hands-on approach to Science this year, the inaugural Aspiring Women in Science conference, brought together top scientific researchers from the University of Queensland and major research institutions with current students aspiring to further study in Sciencerelated professions. Across the course of a weekend in May, participants attended a series of workshops, discussions and participatory learning experiences, all related to various aspects of the Science field.
Each of these curricular and co-curricular components fit together to create an effective, exciting, multi-faceted approach to Science at St Aidan’s, and in doing so seek to communicate a number of key messages to girls: it is normal to be interested in Science; it is expected that, with work, you will be successful in Science; and if you are interested in making a tangible difference in the world, study Science. It is hoped that such an approach has produced a program that is as diverse and fascinating as the STEM disciplines themselves.
David Madden Head of Science
References West, Michael. (2012). STEM Education and the Workplace. Accessed at http://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/wp-content/ uploads/OPS4-STEMEducationAndTheWorkplace-web.pdf. Christian, D. (2013). Big History Project. Accessed at www.bighistoryproject.com/. Lyons, T & Quinn, F. (2010). Choosing Science: Understanding the declines in senior high school science enrolments. University of New England Research out of the United States shows that jobs in STEM core occupations are the fastest-growing sector after healthcare, with 2.4 million new job opportunities expected between 2008 – 2018 (Carnevale et al., 2011). Carnevale, A et al. (2011). Science Technology Engineering Mathematics. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, p20-21.
born to fly Aimee Hanson (2010) Aimee is currently in her final year of a Bachelor of Science majoring in Genetics at the University of Queensland, and hopes to complete her Honours year in 2014. Aimee said she was interested in pursuing a career in scientific research that was “at the forefront of learning”. “I think there is something particularly enticing about being in a position where you are the one disclosing novel information and optimising treatments... that can be of benefit in a clinical setting,” she said.
Aimee is also a keen artist and spends much of her free time painting portraits, particularly of animals. “Art is very much just a hobby of mine, but I definitely have a greater appreciation for the intricacies of the observable world after studying science.” “If I could find a career that was equal parts research and art, I couldn’t be happier!”
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senior school - aspiring women in science conference
Aspiring women in Science Conference Hosted by St Aidan’s and The University of Queensland, the Aspiring Women in Science conference brought together 115 students from 28 schools to explore the exciting and diverse careers offered in Science. From 24 – 26 May, the inaugural science immersion experience provided participants with the unique opportunity to learn about world-leading scientific research being conducted in Queensland, and hear from inspiring female scientists already active in the local and international scientific community. Across the weekend, students heard from women working in the areas of Engineering, Marine Biology, Mathematics, Information Communication Technologies, Physiotherapy, Environmental Science and Chemistry. In total, those attending the conference heard from 21 speakers, as well as talks from numerous past St Aidan’s students. Acting Head of Science Sylvia Hicks said that it was an excellent opportunity for students aspiring to a career in Science to ask questions and discover the numerous pathways into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professions.
“Conferences like these provide our students and others around Queensland with a unique opportunity to see and hear from leading women in these sectors,” Mrs Hicks said. Mrs Hicks said two particular highlights were presentations from keynote speakers Professor Mark Kendall from the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and
Nanotechnology, and 2013 Queensland Australian of the Year Professor Adèle Green AC from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. The final day of the conference featured a forum titled Facing the Challenges Head On and chaired by Ms Elske Shepherd AM, one of the first women to gain a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Queensland. Forum panelists ranged from experienced researchers such as the University of Queensland’s Professor Jane Hunter, to St Aidan’s old girl and current fourth-year Engineering student Caitlin Prior. Each spoke about the highlights of their careers and the challenges they had faced as women in Science. Last year 1,494 girls graduated from Year 12 Physics in Queensland, compared with 4,311 boys.
Professor Mark Kendall Biomedical Engineer, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Hons I), Doctor of Philosophy (Mechanical Engineering) 2011 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Interdisciplinary Research
Professor Kendall is internationally recognised as a leader in the field of vaccine and drug delivery, culminating from his focused 15 years of research and development in the area. His innovation lies not only in the generation of novel ideas (an inventor of 96 patents), but also in his ability to take those ideas forward towards medical device products. At UQ, Mark and his team advanced the Nanopatch needle-free delivery system from an idea to providing vast improvements to several vaccines.
Mrs Hicks said that the conference was a good way for girls to hear and talk with women currently working in science, particularly for students making subject selections at school and later, at university. “From a pedagogical perspective, we know that role modelling is a key catalyst for women when choosing career paths,” said Mrs Hicks. “The conference is another example of St Aidan’s commitment to STEM and broadening our students’ world perspectives.”
Professor Adèle Green Senior Scientist and Head Cancer and Population Studies Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR)
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senior school - aspiring women in science conference
UQ Racing Car maintained by UQ students.
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academic - science
Victoria looks to solve the ills of the world The inaugural Queensland University of Technology Vice-Chancellor’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Camp brings together high-achieving Year 11 students to solve some of society’s most pressing issues, and Victoria Poon is thrilled to be among them. The St Aidan’s student is one of only 80 young people from around Queensland to be handpicked for the camp, which will run during the July school holidays. The hands-on camp offers its participants the opportunity to experience the STEM disciplines through an interactive exploration of a project in their preferred field. Students will research and offer solutions to some of the world’s major problems in the twenty-first century, in areas such as energy, food supply, medicine and the environment. Victoria is currently studying Chemistry, Physics, Maths C and Year 12 Maths B, and said she was excited to experience what was sure to be an “intellectually challenging” four days.
“I expect to learn a lot more about what a career in the STEM areas actually involves.” Students will work in the cutting edge learning facilities of QUT’s new $230 million Science and Engineering Centre. Proving that she is indeed an all-round student, Victoria also recently performed at the annual Buddha’s Birthday Festival, in front of a large audience that included Premier Campbell Newman and his wife Lisa along with many other officials. “It was slightly nerve-wracking. I performed an International Kung Fu routine, which is like a dance routine but with kung fu moves. It was a huge event and I felt very privileged to perform there.”
“I was ecstatic when told that I had been accepted, I felt very lucky and privileged to have Congratulations been chosen,” said Victoria. 12
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to our Academic Excellence Awardees
leadership - teachers connecting with teachers
Teachers connecting with teachers Recent research suggests that teacher collaboration is regarded as a positive condition for teacher learning. Collaboration leads to professional reflection and the type of debate integral to the facilitation of educational inquiry. Teachers consider collaboration with colleagues as a professional learning practice that brings about a strong learning environment (Kwakman, 1999; Lohman, 2005; Meirink , Imants, Meijer and Verloop, 2010). Tarcnoczi (as cited in Maloney and Konza, 2011, p.76) supports collaboration and teamwork practices have positive outcomes for teachers’ professional learning. During these professional conversations and moments of collaborating, teachers can share ideas and experiences, deliberate over new materials, receive viewpoints from colleagues, and give each other encouragement (Albrecht, 2003; Borko, Jacobs and Koellner, 2010; Meirink, Meijer and Verloop, 2007).
Early discussions revolved around conversations between participants, which allowed the committee members to explore the issues of importance to them. A sample of the responses from those group discussions are listed under the following themes:
As a professional learning community, our teaching staff spend many hours developing resources and refining their classroom practice to optimise students’ learning time, both in and out of the classroom. Simplico (1999) suggests that fellow educators can be an invaluable source of expertise and inspiration. The realisation that an untapped resource existed within our teaching staff became the nexus for the development of a “Great Ideas for Teachers” Committee.
The initial focus concentrated on the topic of how teachers might best select students for group work. The benefits of group work are well documented in the academic literature. At St Aidan’s we encourage students to work in groups in a variety of settings and for a plethora of purposes. When setting group tasks, teachers should always assign students to groups. These groups can be created by any means a teacher decides, but they should never be selected by students.
GIFT is an acronym for “Great Ideas For Teachers”. Teachers from Junior and Senior School were invited to join the GIFT Committee, with a view to sharing classroom experiences and generating great ideas for teachers.
Reinforcing this supportive school environment policy was easily achieved through the work of the teachers on the GIFT committee. Individuals were assigned to interview other members of the teaching staff, with a view to collecting the strategies used by those teachers in determining group composition. The GIFT team also researched the body of literature to reveal the benefits of collaborative learning. Videos were made of teachers allocating students to different groups. Student interviews were conducted (and recorded) to gain their viewpoint on group work.
Creation of the GIFTS Initially, the GIFT Committee members explored the question – ‘5 Things All Great Teachers Have In Common’. Great teaching often has less to do with wisdom and skills, but more to do with a teacher’s attitude to their student, their subject and their work. These discussions gave the opportunity to debate the top five characteristics of great teachers and how teachers might incorporate these characteristics into their own repertoire.
1 2 3 4 5
Technology in the classroom Giving effective feedback Motivating the disinterested student Reflective Practice Brain-based Teaching and Learning
The Focus
These GIFTs – the strategies used by teachers; the academic literature; the filmed interviews of teachers in action and video montage of student thoughts were shared amongst staff.
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teachers - teachers connecting with teachers This GIFT resource hub (housed on the School’s intranet) also contains the regular GIFT Newsletter, Video Insight, Professional Reading, Soap Box Discussion. The professional sharing between teachers occur through these resources in addition to face-to-face discussions. Emergence of the GIFT Vision Simplico (1999) contends teachers can extend their repertoire of useful ideas by increasing their knowledge through sharing in the experiences and ideas of other successful teachers. The GIFT Committee was originally formed with a vision to share innovative and effective classroom approaches to teaching and learning. The Committee members determined their aim was to generate and share great ideas for teachers. In conjunction with this professional sharing, the GIFT Committee also sought to provide advice about professional learning for teachers and assist in the development of opportunities for professional learning. In 2012, it was determined that a focus on “Brain Based Teaching and Learning” would be the imperative. Hansen (2010, p.52) comments “teachers have a tendency to learn instructional practices best when they learn from other practitioners at their school site.” From an individual perspective, the best thing to come from the inception of the GIFT Committee was the increase in collaborative networking. Through the monthly meetings and collegial sharing, teaching bonds were created. Harris (2012) advocates that authentic deep learning needs to happen in positive, collaborative environments where relationships are functional. In 2012, St Aidan’s engaged in regular Pedagogical Rounds. Pedagogical Rounds are one of the primary ways for teachers to observe and discuss effective teaching. This professional development strategy is designed to increase the collective pedagogical expertise of an entire school. Hansen (2010) refers to the dynamic of colleagues working collaboratively, which in turn brings about an increased commitment and acceptance of such programs, while simultaneously engaging some very vocal
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cheerleaders to champion new programs’ induction. This concept was reflected in the conversations between GIFT members, who wholeheartedly endorsed the model of Pedagogical Rounds and brainstormed ways to make the concept available to more teachers. This email extract from a member of the GIFT Committee, highlights the idea of teachers championing the cause: Meg & I had quite a stimulating pedagogical discussion and we came up with a number of ideas we think would broaden the scope of our current conceptualisation of the ‘pedagogical round’ as a vehicle for teacher reflection. We think these ideas might be helpful because the approach has the advantage of: • Tapping into the talent we have here •
Maximising use of the Professional Learning Budget by using what we have already
•
Setting up collaborative networks of teachers across faculties who have the opportunity to ‘touch base’ much more regularly and so follow up on the Professional Learning
•
Creating a culture of collaboration and critical reflection
The educational research literature contains an extensive examination of the benefits of collegial sharing between teachers. The process of improving teacher practice begins with identifying the ways of sharing best practice within a learning community or professional learning network. The GIFT Committee encourages teachers to endeavour to aim for improved practice through learning from what is working for colleagues in other classrooms (Patrick, Elliot, Hulme and McPhee, 2010). Intentional teaching is fundamental to improving outcomes for all students, so this will be a future focus of the GIFT Committee. A future focus also lies in responding effectively to the challenges associated with collaborative work in conjunction with the critical exchange of ideas necessary for meaningful professional growth. Mrs Kim Kiepe Deputy Principal
References Albrecht, N. R. (2003). “University faculty collaboration : a transformational model for professional development.”. International Journal of Learning, 10, p.2585. Borko, H., Jacobs, J., & Koellner, K. (2010). Contemporary approaches to teacher professional development. P. Peterson, E. Baker, & B. McGaw (Eds.), International Encyclopedia of Education, (7), pp.548-556. Oxford: Elsevier Hansen, S.D. (2010). Inviting Observation. Principal Leadership, 11 (2), pp.52-54, 56. Harris, S. (2012). Teamwork, collaboration and relationshipbuilding. Principal Matters Journal for Secondary School Leaders in Australia, 90, pp.32-34. Kwakman, C.H.E. (1999). Teacher learning during the professional career; Studies of professionalism at the workplace in secondary education. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Lohman, M.C. (2005). A survey of factors influencing the engagement of two professional groups in informal workplace learning activities. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 16, pp.501–527. Maloney, C. & Konza, D. (2011) A case study of teachers’ professional learning: Becoming a community of professional learning or not? Issues in Educational Research, 21 (1), pp.75-87. Meirink , J., Imants, J., Meijer, P. & Verloop, N. (2010): Teacher learning and collaboration in innovative teams. Cambridge Journal of Education, 40 (2), pp.161-181 Meirink, J.A., Meijer, P.C., & Verloop, N. (2007). A closer look at teachers’ individual learning in collaborative settings. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 13, pp.145–164. Patrick, F., Elliot, D., Hulme, M. & McPhee, A. (2010). The importance of collegiality and reciprocal learning in the professional development of beginning teachers. Journal of Education for Teaching, 36 (3), pp.2770 289. Simplicio, Joseph S.C. (1999). Some simple and yet overlooked common sense tips for a more effective classroom environment Journal of Instructional Psychology,
leadership - teachers
With the shift of Year 7 into Senior School, St Aidan’s has appointed a Year Co-ordinator for Year 7, Jenny Crome. Ms Crome will move with the girls through their journey at St Aidan’s, a path that now sees six years in the Senior School. St Aidan’s will be the first school in Queensland to have its Year 7 students as part of secondary with the move of the girls into classes in July. The beginning of the year also saw the appointment of Meg Bishop as the Year 8 Co-ordinator who will also move through the Senior School with this cohort.
Jenny Crome Year 7
Meg Bishop Year 8
How long have you been at St Aidan’s? I have been at St Aidan’s for 11 years.
How long have you been at St Aidan’s? I was appointed to St Aidan’s at the beginning of 2009.
What subject areas do you typically teach? Originally as a Junior School teacher, I have taught across all subject areas ranging from English and Maths, to Science to Art and Music. However, at University I majored in History and this year, with my move into the Senior School, I have been teaching Year 7 English, Geography and will teach History in Semester Two.
What subject areas do you typically teach? I have a Master Degree in Environmental Education – so my passion is Biology. I also teach the Junior Sciences and elective science units.
What do you bring to the role of Year Co-ordinator? I hope I bring my personal philosophy, which is encouraging each individual to maximise her potential at all levels, combining with the St Aidan’s motto of Per Volar Sunata. I also hope to bring to the role enthusiasm and passion for the development of the girls in my care.
What do you bring to the role of Year Co-ordinator? The role of Year Level Co-ordinator plays an integral role in this pastoral care program, ensuring all girls have the opportunity to make the most of their St Aidan’s experience. My role is to ensure the Year 8 cohort have the opportunity to discover social, emotional and academic success in a positive and caring environment. As a mother of three children, together with 20 years’ experience working within schools, I am aptly placed to help support and encourage my students as they navigate this new and exciting phase of their lives.
What is the most exciting aspect of the role? The most exciting aspect of this role will be watching the spiritual, academic, social, emotional and cultural growth of all the girls over the next six years. I am looking forward to watching the girls develop into confident, accomplished young women who will find their place in the world.
What is the most exciting aspect of the role? The opportunity to share and experience the happiness and exhilaration when a girl conquers her goals and achievements – it’s amazing!
What’s coming up for the Year 7s in Semester Two? For the Year 7 girls, the end of Semester One celebrated the important milestone of finishing their time in the Junior School. This was tinged with sadness for quite a few of our girls as this marked the end of an eight-year association with the Junior School, beginning back in Prep. This will be followed by the exciting transition in Semester Two into fully-fledged members of the Senior School. Our first taste of Senior School life will be the Athletics carnival in the third week of Term Three. We are also looking forward to getting to know our Year 11 buddies, who we are sure, will help make us feel right at home.
What’s coming up for the Year 8s in Semester Two? As always, Semester One has been packed full of activities, as we transition girls into the senior school environment. We have had lip-sync competition, peer support lunches and activities, our three day camp to Kindilan, year level chapel, our first Interhouse Swimming carnival and Cross Country, Readers’ Cup, spelling bees, and guest speakers for a year level retreat. This is on top of all of our classes and extra-curricular activities. Semester Two will focus on our service activities and initiatives like YGAP, an initiative to raise funds to reduce poverty in developing economies by pooling our loose change. Girls will also have the opportunity for more year level retreat days and activities as well as time with their peer support buddy. huddle I june 2013 15
arts - creative generation
St Aidan’s STAGE Dance team has been wowing audiences across South East Queensland and scooping up trophies and prizes with a range of dynamic routines. Results to date include three first places, two second and three Very Highly or Highly Commended. You can view the routines on our YouTube channel
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creative arts
and design studies
Kodály Symposium
Two St Aidan’s staff members will be attending this year’s International Kodály Symposium in Kecskemét, Hungary to present papers on the theme “Music and music education in the 21st Century – global challenges”. Head of Creative Arts Dr James Cuskelly, vicepresident of the International Kodály Society, has been invited to present a keynote speech on the topic of School Music Education and Choir. Music Teacher Ms Sarah Landis will speak about the application of an aural methodology in music education in a range of geographical contexts. The symposium is held every second year and hosted by the International Kodály Society, an organisation founded in 1975 to promote the musical, educational and cultural concepts associated with Hungarian composer and educator Zoltán Kodály.
ABOVE : Claudia Leggett -School Vice Captain RIGHT: Junior Gala Concert conducted by Ms Sarah Landis.
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creative arts
and design studies
Hor sing aro und This is one horse that won’t be racing anywhere fast.
Supervised by the Junior School Art Captains, a team of girls took to a life-size fibreglass horse with their paintbrushes, with the final result to be judged in the AAMI Stradbroke Schools Painting Competition as part of the Brisbane Racing Carnival. Head of Art Gaye Brown said the project had taken about three weeks to complete, with a mix of Year 6 and 7 students spending their lunchtimes in the art room to prepare the horse for its photo finish. The theme for this year’s competition, now in its fifth year, was ‘Great Carnival Moments’. “The green represented the home straight of the racetrack, while the numbers represent the numerical nature of racing: betting, course length, horse times, correct weight of the jockey,” said Mrs Brown. The pink flowers on the horse’s blanket were a nod to Priscilla Schmidt, the first female jockey permitted to ride in Brisbane races, and the important role women now play in the racing industry. While this year saw Marburg State School take out the win, St Aidan’s receive $500 which the students have chosen to donate to Riding for the Disabled Association of Australia (RDAA) who provides opportunities for anyone with a disability to enjoy safe, stimulating, therapeutic, horserelated activities. The organisation was close to the girls hearts as many involved in the equestrian program have worked and volunteered with RDAA seeing firsthand the real difference the organisation has made in the lives of those involved.
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creative arts
and design studies
Students stop for no one As cinematic technology continues to expand at rapid rates, Year 8 Art students are going back to where it all began with a study on stop motion animation. Stop motion animation is a frame-by-frame filming technique used to make static objects appear to move. The process involves photographing increments of movement as separate frames that are then played in sequence to create a sense of movement. Year 8 art teacher Kasia Janczewski said the students were enjoying learning about the technique, well known for ‘claymation’ productions like the Wallace & Gromit series, and were using it to expand on ideas from previous projects. “After creating a series of surreal monoprints that explore and express the subjectivity of memory, the Year 8 Art students are now in the process of transforming and reinterpreting the special moments and feelings captured in these artworks through digital media.” “The girls are currently acting as collaborating artists, sharing their personal and artistic perspectives by collaging their monoprints together and making them move in stop-motion animations that bring these past experiences back to life in a new way.” To view some of the creations produced by the Year 8 Art students, use a QR Reader to scan the barcode.
GOMA exhibition
Jessie Chandler (2012) currently has a series of works Alchemic Vessels on display at the state wide exhibition, Creative Generation in Visual Art. 31 works showing an incredible richness and diversity of media and ideas showcase the talent of the 30 chosen recipients. Below Jessie with her work and also with father Don, as they tune into a video presentation where Jessie explains the genesis and development of her work.
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kindergarten - active learning
A place to
play
From the dry creek bed that winds past a raised wooden stage, to the cubby houses and tepee, to a hidden pocket of the garden shrouded in hanging charms, the new additions to the Junior School playgrounds have brought fun and learning into the great outdoors.
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kindergarten - active learning
Kindergarten teacher, Shaleen Prowse said that the School had responded to a need for students to have more diverse play opportunities available to them in their playgrounds. “The new equipment has been designed in an open unstructured format that promotes value of time to play, socialise, develops friendships, allowing children to create games and explore space in the outdoor play space,” said Mrs Prowse. “From an educational perspective it is exceptionally good for developing narrative structure. The children learn through living a story that a story has a beginning, a middle and an end, which helps when the children write a sentence, a paragraph and later a short story.” A glance around the new play spaces shows just how positively students have responded. One group of children can be found ‘digging for fossils’ in the digging pit, while another gathering perches on large rocks beside the dry creek bed, talking about the creepy crawlies they are quietly observing in the garden. A little further up, students have plugged a classroom iPad into the speakers, and playing music and instruments for a concert on the new stage. “When you scan the outdoor spaces you see happy, engaged children,” said Mrs Prowse. “Literacy learning through storytelling and dramatic play; history, science and geography learning through natural investigation; group work, problem-solving, and sharing of resources. When you stop and think about it, a lot can be learnt when a young child plays outside.” Over at the Ambiwerra sports fields, the Kindergarten students are also offered a unique opportunity to explore and promote physical wellbeing through the National Schools Partnership Program with Tennis Australia (Queensland). Tracey Jeanes-Fraser, Head of Junior School Sport and Physical Education, said the program taught students how to correctly throw and catch, and helped to develop tracking and fine motor skills. “The children explore and manipulate the tennis equipment using appropriate physical education language to engage in increasingly complex motor skills and movement patterns,” she said. “As the weeks progress the children have demonstrated increased spatial awareness and an ability to orient themselves around and through their tennis environment confidently and safely.” “These skills help foster a child who have a strong sense of wellbeing and promote physical wellbeing and sense of autonomy.”
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jScience u n i o r s- space c h o o ldesign - earth angels
green thumbs up for earth angels The St Aidan’s Junior School Earth Angels have been given a green thumbs up, with a nomination in the prestigious Keep Australia Beautiful Sustainable Schools Awards. Judges visited the Junior School in early May, and heard talks from Earth Angels student leaders about the many ways the club has improved sustainability at St Aidan’s. Now in its sixth year, Earth Angels provides lunchtime learning and leadership activities for girls interested in nature, gardening and reducing their ecological footprint. “The Earth Angels are a group of girls who strive to make our school environment a better place through the development of sustainable practices,” said co-ordinator Mrs Megan Daley. “Students develop a passion for learning about how to best sustain life on Earth and human endeavour without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” The Junior School vegetable patch, planted and maintained by up to 60 Earth Angels students under the guidance of Mrs Daley and Year 2 parent Ngaire McGraw, provides a bumper crop of produce throughout the year. “The students have to write a planting calendar, based on research they do in the library about when things should be planted and in what conditions,” Mrs Daley said. “Younger Earth Angels water the seeds each day according to a roster and are ‘Nut Grass Busters’, while older students twist beans, stake tomatoes and remove grasshoppers.”
“ Upcycling is the process of converting broken
or no longer needed items into something new and useful rather than adding the item to landfill.
“
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S e n i o r jSu cnhi o ro ls c- hBoi o g l H- i setaorrtyh Parnogj e cl st
When vegetables are ready for harvest, the girls cook with their produce in the Junior School kitchen. This year students have learnt to make an impressive array of healthy dishes, from corn on the cob with herb butter, to roasted beetroot salad and basil pesto. Earth Angels also oversees a number of projects outside the garden, including community tree planting, waste auditing, management of a re-usable tuckshop bag system, and the maintenance of worm farms and composting systems with a Westpac Junior Landcare grant. Mrs Daley said that the club was a great way for students to learn new skills that tied into their education back in the classroom. “St Aidan’s strives to provide excellence in education in a caring, friendly, ethical, ecologically sustainable environment,” she said. “Sustainability is woven through all areas of the new Australian curriculum and lessons are connecting with the vegetable garden and Earth Angels in many areas of classroom learning.”
St Aidan’s
earth angels
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sport -junior school swimming and athletics
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s p o r t - s en i or s chool swimming
Cross country winners
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sArts p o r- tlanguages - artistic gymnastics
Artistic Gymnastics soaring to new heights
The St Aidan’s artistic gymnasts are soaring to new heights this season, scoring some of the best results in the history of the team. The Year 8 team won the pennant for first place in their division, the highest achievement by artistic gymnasts at St Aidan’s. Under the leadership of Captains Catriona Gale and Melissa Watkin, St Aidan’s also had its first full Open team since 2010 and trained harder than ever under new coaches. “Everyone worked well as a team, which really helped for competition. Girls cheered each other on and encouraged each other to do their best.” Sign up for the next season of Artistic Gymnastics commences in Term 3, with the Captains hopeful the team will continue to flourish. “Hopefully we get even more girls involved this time around!”
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sport - cross country
Cross Country success and clean sweep for Jade A season of hard work has well and truly paid off for the St Aidan’s Cross Country team. In the space of just three years, the team has jumped from sixth to second place in the Queensland Girls’ Secondary Schools Sports Association (QGSSSA) Cross Country Percentage Cup. “One of the things I like most about Cross Country is that students are very much in charge of their own destiny in terms of how they perform,” said Head of Senior School Sport Nigel Bailey. “There is virtually always a direct correlation between training effort, attitude and race performance, and so it proved with our girls on the day.” The team is managed by Head Coach Jayden Russ, who is now in his second season at St Aidan’s. This year also saw the introduction of the inaugural Cross Country Camp, held at the Tallebudgera Recreation Centre on the Gold Coast. As well as promoting fun and friendship, the twoday camp helped to develop a strong team culture that set the team up for the rest of the season. Cross Country Co-Captain Jade Dowling, who is also a member of the Australian Mountain Running team and represented Australia at the World Championships in Italy last year, won the race for runners 17 years and over. The win marked a clean sweep of QGSSSA Cross Country victories for Jade, dating back to 2009 taking out her age group every year in the competition from 13 to 17 years! “This is a remarkable achievement to produce such a consistently high performance over such an extended period,” said Mr Bailey.
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sport - equestrian
Top results for team One of the biggest competitions on the equestrian calendar is the South East Queensland Regional Championships, and the St Aidan’s team was out in force this year. Held at the Beaudesert Showgrounds, the event was a culmination of many hours of hard work and training and the riders performed exceptionally well against a tough field of competition. In particular, the Junior School riders came away victorious with the Overall Primary School Champion trophy. The Interschool Queensland President Tracy Vardy presented the trophy to the Primary team at the St Aidan’s Dressage Day in Fig Tree Pocket. Other top team results included:
Top photo: Liliana Tamai, Cassandra Butler, Isabella Arabejo, Shaya McAdam, Georgina Chandler , Olivia Sharkey Middle photo: Rosanna Relton Bottom photo: Cassandra Butler on Rambler 28
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Champion Junior Showman Team – Isabella Arabejo, Liliana Tamai and Georgina Chandler
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Champion Primary Showjumping Team – Georgia Rink, Georgina Chandler and Kirsten Mackie
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Champion Primary Show Horse Team – Isabella Arabejo, Georgina Chandler and Olivia Sharkey
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Reserve Champion Primary Dressage Team – Isabella Arabejo, Liliana Tamai, Olivia Sharkey and Georgina Chandler
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Third place for Secondary Dressage Team – Rosanna Relton, Isabella WilkinsonMcIntyre, Cassandra Butler and Edwina Badgery
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Third place for Secondary Showjumping Team – Isabella Wilkinson-McIntyre, Amy Morssinkhof, Loren Morssinkhof and Kate Prostamo
community - antipodeans
far from home antipodeans
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community - antipodeans
For many people, the idea of being in an unknown country far from the comforts of home is a confronting prospect. However, this was the reality faced by 32 St Aidan’s students and six teachers last December, as they embarked on an adventure of a lifetime to Nepal with Antipodeans Abroad. Now in its ninth year at St Aidan’s, Antipodeans Aboard is an Australian company connecting students with unique volunteer and travel experiences throughout the world. St Aidan’s offers the Antipodeans opportunity every second year, and students have travelled all over the globe to Vietnam, Southwest China, Peru and Cambodia. In 2012, the Nepal team broke into three small groups for sightseeing, trekking through magnificent mountain
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ranges and National Parks, as well as volunteering on a community project. “The experience of volunteering at Mitrata Higher Secondary School was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and truly made me realise as an individual how much the children loved their education and how grateful they were for what they had,” said Year 12 student Amy Morssinkhof. “It was that moment I was so thankful for all the opportunities that I receive at St Aidan’s and all the wonderful things they offer us.” Co-ordinator Ros McCracken said it was this sense of gratitude that was most evident in students returning from an Antipodeans trip.
c o m m u n i t yS p- oarnt t i- pfoednecai n gs
gave me a per fect experience to “ Itexplore more things about myself. I think I needed it so that I could fully experience other par ts of the world.
”
“Contact with local communities increases their awareness of the difficulties many people experience on a daily basis to access the things we take for granted: food, hygiene, transport, resources and an education,” Ms McCracken said.
“Ultimately they see the happiness of people living without the many ‘things’ we often consider necessities and realise how frivolous our need for material goods is.” Back in the classroom, Head of English, Lynda Wall said she also noticed a difference in the girls who challenged themselves by undertaking one of these adventures. “The trip obviously has a profound impact on the girls’ understandings of the world and the ways different people live and think. In English lessons, knowledge of the world is crucial in
gaining deeper understanding of world literature; the Antipodeans girls benefit so much from having had some firsthand experience,” Ms Wall said. For St Aidan’s Old Girl, Eloise Phelps (2009), her Antipodeans trip to Peru led her to her chosen career as a social worker. She said her time overseas had instilled in her a sense of adventure, influencing her decision to finish her university degree in India this year. “My time in Peru ignited my desire to work alongside people to improve their quality of life,” said Eloise. “I believe the Antipodeans program finds a good balance between gentle exposure to diversity and facilitating a truly helpful contribution to a community’s resources in a way that is ethically sound.” Planning is now underway for the 2014 St Aidan’s Antipodeans trip.
“
The friendships that I have made and the memories that I will keep with 13 other awesome people for the rest of my life.
”
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community - visited planet
Broken cameras culled from the Junior School library’s collection have found new homes in southern and northern India, as part of the inspiring initiative Cameras for Asia. The project is led by Jo Lane, a Brisbanebased photojournalist who collects unwanted digital cameras and spends several months each year travelling throughout Asia to teach photographic workshops and distribute the equipment. With her business Visited Planet, Ms Lane has taught roughly 200 people in basic photography skills since 2010, and has distributed several dozen cameras to communities throughout Asia. St Aidan’s students involved in Interact and Penguin Aid are putting the call out to families for more digital cameras no longer used or needed, to be gifted to eager learning photographers in Nepal, Myanmar and India. “The Cameras for Asia project fits in with the broader focus of my business, Visited Planet, that has been designed to educate, equip and empower underprivileged people around the world,” Ms Lane said on the blog Speaking Globally. “While it’s only the beginning of this project and there is much more to do, the opportunity to share simple skills, provide people with a creative outlet and gift them with a device that is no longer used elsewhere has already been well received,” she said. You can support the project by purchasing a calendar which has been developed using the images taken by St Aidan’s cameras. Profits go directly into Cameras for Asia and the projects/places it visits.
Learn more about the project at www.visitedplanet.com 32
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community - visited planet
Waste not, want not huddle I june 2013 33
community
International Women’s Day Almost 130 people from the St Aidan’s school community put their best foot forward to raise money for the Mater chicks in pink, as part of the annual International Women’s Day Fun Run/Walk. The team was organised by the St Aidan’s Interact Club, with participants choosing to run or walk the 5km route. The course started and finished in the South Bank parklands. “The International Women’s Day Fun Fun/Walk was a wonderful opportunity to bring our school community together with students, teachers and family members all joining the fun,” said Interact Club Co-ordinator Mrs Kristen Lewis. The top three St Aidan’s runners on the day were Rhoda Thornton (Year 10), Laura Sharkey (Year 10) and Romany Beckinsale (Year 8). The St Aidan’s team walked away with the School Team Challenge trophy and a $500 gift voucher that will become a raffle prize at Interact’s major fundraising event on 11 October, QuizIt.
Singing for Australia St Aidan’s sisters Bethany (Year 11) and Kate Johannsen (Year 7) are singing a happy tune after being selected to join the Australian Girls’ Choir – for Kate, the third year in a row.
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The talented students were invited to perform with the choir at a range of events in May in June.
The girls performed in front of a packed stadium of more than 50,000 rugby fans – by far their largest audience to date.
However the highlight, according to Bethany, was singing before the British Lions vs Australian Wallabies match at Suncorp Stadium on June 22.
Bethany has also been selected for the Australian Girls’ Choir tour later this year and will travel to Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Boston and New York.
community
Chelsea Higgins
“
My dream has always been to represent my country at the Olympic Games
18-year-old, Chelsea Higgins (2011) always dreamt of competing in equestrian on the international stage and now looks likely to do so. However the path she has taken has not been a traditional one, as many in the St Aidan’s community may know.
”
A serious accident in 2010 at the Equestrian Australia Interschool Championships in Sydney left her in a coma for nine days and with a brain injury and a long road to recovery. Chelsea said after the accident she never considered giving up riding. “My dream has always been to represent my country at the Olympic Games. “Even though my pathway has changed remarkably due to my accident that dream is still very much a reality.
Photography courtesy of Free Rein Photography
“My love and passion for riding inspired me to continue my journeys in my riding career. With the help of family and friends, Chelsea worked her way back to competitive riding and last year she was selected as
the youngest member of the Equestrian Australia’s Paralympic Shadow Squad. The return to riding hasn’t been without its challenges according to Chelsea. I have to manage my fatigue – that’s a really big issue for me, because I’m not always physically and mentally tired,” said Chelsea. My brain will be active but my body is completely exhausted. That’s one of my biggest challenges. Chelsea has accumulated many awards including the 2012 Qld Para Equestrian of the Year award and was a finalist for the Women in Sport Junior Rising Star of the Year. She is now focused on being selected to represent Australia at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.
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community 16-year-old St Aidan’s student Olivia McDonald has been selected as the face of this year’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival Brisbane. The stunning 1930s-inspired hero image being used by the festival, in which Olivia features, was chosen for its ‘old-world glamour meets a youthful edge’. Having modelled for the likes of Dior and Tory Burch and recently returning home after working in Dubai, Olivia considered landing the face of the Fashion Festival to be her most significant modelling role to date. “It was really exciting when I found out, because the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival Brisbane is such a significant and prominent Australian fashion event. To me, it’s so special to be able to represent that,” Olivia said. “The concept for the shoot was so different from previous years, and it had a really beautiful and strong emotional aspect to it.” The shoot was staged in the spectacular Auditorium of the newly refurbished City Hall, which in 2013 celebrates 83 years since its opening in 1930. Fittingly, the Fashion Festival Icon Shot channels the glamour of 1930s screen goddesses, paying tribute to the roots of our heritage venue, with a youthful and contemporary edge. “Our 2013 Icon Shot embodies the charisma of old-Hollywood starlets, with a modern, fashion-forward relevance,” explained Festival Director Lindsay Bennett. “We also wanted to capture the grandeur of City Hall and Olivia brought to the campaign a youthful, classic beauty, so the two were a perfect fit.” The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Festival Brisbane will be staged from Sunday 25 – Friday 30 August 2013. 36
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The Face of Brisbane Fashion
Rebekah Yeo (2012) Rebekah is in her first year of a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in Fashion at the Queensland University of Technology, and is the recipient of a prestigious Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship (Creative Industries). The scholarship includes fee support, entry into a special camp prior to the beginning of semester, as well as membership into the QUT College of Excellence.
Rebekah said it was an opportunity to see the QUT Fashion Design students’ graduating show three years ago that led her to the course. “Everyone looked so interesting and the students’ final collections were just so amazing. I knew I wanted to work hard doing something I’d love, and I wanted to be a part of that.”
She said her dream job would be making “fantastical costumes” for circus performers.
parents and friends
community - p&f president’s report
The P&F continues to work strongly with the School to meet the aims of the St Aidan’s students. The past six months have seen a new operations set up with the appointment of an Operations Manager and new helpers in the P&F office and in Text & Calculator Hire. Therefore the P&F Office is now open every school day. We also undertook two successful (and very well attended) School Dances which have raised significant funds for our girls. We have also been out and about encouraging and sustaining our vast volunteer base – so important to everything we do within the school community. The P&F has continued as focus and facilitator for co-curricular activities sporting and cultural, as well as running the Tuckshop and Uniform Shop, where our co-ordinators do a magnificent job on a daily basis. The second half of the year will see the P&F working towards the goal of being able to contribute funds of $50,000 toward the Science Appeal for the building of two new Science laboratories in preparation for the move of Year 7 into the Senior School. There are also a number of School Dances on the calendar and our continued work with our volunteers and support groups to ensure our students have the support to be able to reach their potential. Mark Bell P&F President
Photographs courtesy of Free Rein Photography. huddle I june 2013 37
Supporting the Sciences
community - foundation
Don Chandler Don Chandler joined UBS Wealth Management in November 2012 after 21 years at Ord Minnett Ltd in Brisbane. Don was the Ord Minnett State Manager and managed the firms Brisbane office for eight of those years.
Science Appeal
Following five years as a boarder at Churchie Don attended QUT, graduating in 1987. He holds a Bachelor of Business Management and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
2014 START DATE Science has always played a large role in the student’s lives and the Foundation decided late in 2012 to support the School’s plans to revamp its science classrooms to provide students with the best facilities possible to experience science at a very practical level during their time at the School. To this end you will notice at each of the events this year, speakers are themed around science to showcase what a career in science might look like. The Directors of the Foundation think this Appeal to be a worthwhile cause for the students and look forward to seeing this come to fruition in the year ahead. Special Donation As most of you will have heard by now, our ever busy Principal has been busy telling the St Aidan’s story and has secured a significant donation to the Foundation. The donation not only ensures that the 2013 year will be successful but is conditional on the school raising an additional $300,000 in new donations to our Science Appeal. This
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donation provides us with the opportunity to make a significant impact on the School and our student experiences. More on this appeal target will be forthcoming in the coming months. Incoming Foundation Chair In addition to all that has been happening I am pleased to announce the incoming Chair of the Foundation to be Don Chandler. Don has already served as a Foundation Director and brings to the role his extensive business experience having held roles as President of the Brookfield Show Society and President of the Queensland Club. He is currently non-Executive Chairman of a private family investment company, and Director of the Queensland Club Foundation. I look forward to supporting Don in his new role and I know he will continue to have a positive impact on the Foundation during his term as Chair. Don is also a current parent. Tony Markwell Foundation Chairman
Don provides advice to a broad range of wholesale and private clients on Equity Investments, Asset Allocation and Portfolio Management and Construction. Don has held previous positions as President of the Brookfield Show Society and President of the Queensland Club. He is currently non Executive Chairman of a private family investment company, a Director of the Queensland Club Foundation and Chair of the St Aidan’s Foundation. He is happily married to Alison and they have four children. Angus is studying Commerce at UQ, Jessie (St Aidan’s 2012) is studying a Bachelor of Business Management and Bachelor of Creative Industries at QUT. Lachie is in Year 10 at Churchie and Georgina is Year 7 at St Aidan’s.
community - foundation
Libertine Lunch Once again the organisers of the Foundation events performed admirably in setting up the year ahead for all of the functions and setting such a high standard. This year’s lunch was very well attended again with more than 100 people attending to hear Old Girls Geraldine Moses (1980), Amanda Wood (2002) and Aimee Hanson (2010) speak about their careers and raised more than $6,000 for the Foundation. All those who attended praised the mouth-watering food and the event as an enjoyable afternoon in a great setting
Mother Daughter Breakfast This year the organisers took on a new challenge trying to work out how to make what has been a very successful event even better. This event is always looked forward to by the students and we have to thank Lucy Goodman (2001) for attending to speak about her personal science journey. Once again the event raised a significant sum for the Foundation. Tony Markwell Foundation Chairman
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technology - website
It was with great excitement that we saw the re-launch of the St Aidan’s website early this year. One of our main goals was to create a user-friendly and simple to navigate site. Our new design allows users to quickly find the contents thanks to its low hierarchical structure.
Check the website regularly as we’re constantly adding new content daily including videos, photographs, and latest news and achievements.
Something doesn’t look right? • If you see something not looking like it should or not working like it should please send an email to website@staidans.qld.edu.au with the details of: • What page (copy the url) you’re looking at where something isn’t right • Details on what’s not working like it should / incorrect info / etc.
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10 useful new features The re-launched website has been designed with: 1.
A fresh new look and updated information about the school with lots of images of our wonderful students. 2. User-friendly navigation including a drop down ‘mega menu’ which means you can get to EVERY page from any other page of the website in only one click. 3. E-commerce functionality with the new Shopping Cart including the ability to pay for tickets and other items online. 4. A new powerful search functionality at the top of every page. 5. Latest dates / events. 6. The ability to easily add multimedia (video, images and audio) so you will see a lot more of this sort of content in coming months. 7. A centralised location for all School publications. 8. Integration with our social media channels of Facebook and Twitter with links to latest posts running across our home page. 9. Use of metadata for SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and links to social networks. 10. Our mobile enabled site (or ‘app’) for smart phones and mobile devices. There are many more than 10 new features but these are just a highlight of some of great new things developed to assist with improved communication to our community. Coming soon… Over months you’ll see some more features including: • An interactive map of the School; • New e-Newsletter and e-Newsroom ; • An integrated Parents’ Portal to bring together things like Sports Hub, Parent Lounge etc. with single parent log-in; and • Additional information on our Exchange program/Global links, our publications as ‘flip books’ plus much, much more!
technology - mobile app
St Aidan’s new App Live updates for emergencies Push notifications will be sent to inform you of any urgent or important information. The latest school updates & notices – The notices section keeps you informed of important daily notices as they become available. School calendar Carry the school calendar in your pocket and keep up to date on all the events at the School. If you’re searching for an event location – find out the location using the Campus Map or Google map features
Virtual school map Search for building by name, pinpoint them on the map, see their location relative to your current location on campus
The St Aidan’s App introduces a new dimension of connectivity to our school community. With a single tap our parents, teachers and students now have instant access to live updates and information, allowing everyone to stay connected.
Photo gallery The app contains an interactive photo gallery showcasing live at the school and events throughout the year.
Video gallery Check out the latest videos released via the St Aidan’s YouTube channel
Digital newsletters Read the latest edition of the School Newsletter in the palm of your hand and be informed of the latest news and events
Contact directory Want to contact the School urgently? Access the school contacts directory even when on the move! Need Reception? Call them straight from the app.
Available now
Customise Sign up for the notices and events you wish to know about. So, if your child is in Year 5, you can choose to receive only Junior School information on the app, and not any information for Secondary School parents
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Then and Now
Technology at St Aidan’s
1934 - Wireless donated to school
1929 - School Established
Mid 1940s
1941
Chemistry and Physics available
1960
First “purpose built” Physics/ Chemistry Laboratory
1948
First Science Laboratory established. Generous parent donations enabled the School to obtain most of the equipment for Physics and Chemistry.
Girls can study Zoology for Senior
1955/56
1963 - Senior Chemistry class
Mrs Mairi Potts introduced Science to the Junior School.
1966
Second Science Laboratory built
1963 - Senior Physics Class- Hazel Buchanan,
Helen Amies, Mrs Potts and Margaret Nicholson.
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1966
- Mrs Potts in new Science laboratory
Science has had a long history at St Aidan’s since very early days. The School has also had significant success with girls receiving national recognition for their work in competitions and academics back to the 1940s. The School has also been at the forefront in the adaptation of technology in classroom from the early days of wireless and some of the earliest models of computers to today’s interactive whiteboards and iPads.
Then and Now
Technology at St Aidan’s
1969
New science prizes created in memory of St Aidan’s parent, Mr Viv Walker who worked arduously in promoting Science at the School.
1969 - Man landed on the moon and due to the marvellous medium of television, almost every girl in the School watched this significant event. 1977 Helen Luxton wins Agricultural Science Award.
1989
Science Club formed
1980 1992
1979 - First Apple Macintosh computer introduced to the School
- Students continued to take part in various Science competitions
First computer in the School and computer training offered to students
1995
Susan Malone named as top Science student in Queensland
1993 - St Aidan’s trials hands-on-science pilot program from Australian Academy of Science.
1992 - CD -ROMs become prominent form of storage in the School huddle I june 2013 43
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Then and Now
Albert Einstein
Technology at St Aidan’s
2004
2003-The Archer and Templeton Science and Technology Centre opened
- Junior School Science Fair
2010
2010 - Laptops introduced for every 2008 - Interactive whiteboards 2007 - Students travel to the USA
“Superlab” in Junior School for science established. The laboratory includes laptops, low set benches, moveable demonstration bench and mobile interactive whiteboard.
Senior School student
introduced
for the International Space Settlement Design Competition for the first time.
2013
Aspiring Women in Science Conference established
2011 - iPads introduced 2012 - Junior School Science Fair 44
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alumni - ascension day
Ascension Day This year Old Girls gathered together on Ascension Day 9 May. Ascension Day, has always held a special place in the School’s calendar and has been celebrated at St Aidan’s since the very beginning of the School. This year Old Girls enjoyed a picnic lunch on the Chapel Lawn followed by a special whole school assembly showcasing the talents of our students.
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alumni - creating a living bridge
Congratulations
Births Emily Lurje (Cooper 1995) with Benjamin and Sebastian welcomed Samuel James on 3 February
Australia Day Honours Old Girl Sharen Keating (1973) has been honoured at the Lord Major’s 2013 Australia Day Awards, which recognises those who go beyond their civic duty to improve the lives of others in their community.
Sarah Duval (Kearney 1995) with Adam welcomed Thomas on 23 February 2013 weighing 3.5kg Sophie McNutt (1990) and Justin Way welcomed Giorgiana Lily on 3 February 2013
Sharen is the founder of Unit Watch, an extension of Neighbourhood Watch rolled out in 2012 to provide support to tenants in Public Housing facing difficult and often violent incidents in their unit complex.
congratulations
Sharen said she had no prior knowledge of her award nomination, and was “over the moon” when she received the news in the mail.
46
Deaths Patricia Chancellor (Koch 1936) on 21 May 2013
Lord Mayor Graham Quirk presented Sharen with the award at a ceremony in January.
Clementine Fox (2007) was one of 40 participants in the interdisciplinary ‘International Space University Southern Hemisphere Summer Space Program’ held at the University of South Australia. She was only one of four females and the only participant from a Humanities-Law background. The participants and lecturers came from all over the world, and the subjects they covered crossed science, history, philosophy and more. One very exciting celebrity lecturer was Andy Thomas, Australian born astronaut now working at NASA. Shaneen Leishman (2001) completed her Doctorate in Philosophy with her Thesis on ‘The Oral Systemic Connection: Inflammation, Immunity and Atherosclerosis’. Amy Burkett (2008) graduated from NIDA with a Bachelor of Dramatic Art (Production). Lauren McComb (2012) when graduating noted her goal was to ‘secure a role at one of the mines (either in a kitchen or driving one of the huge dump trucks), make and save lots of money and start her own business’. Well Lauren has done just that – landing at a mine driving large trucks and is well on her way to developing her nest egg. Tara Schultz (2007) has accepted a Federal Agent position with the Australian Federal Police, after graduating from the Australian National University with a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws with Honours.
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Stephanie Dunstan (Clatworthy 1938) on 7 March 2013 Beryl Hebblewhite (Allen 1939) December 2012
Peggy McKeller March 2013 at the fine age of 99 years and 11 months Pamela Rudder (Cribb 1945) on 17 December 2012 Vale Bishop Adrian Charles Bishop Adrian was Warden to the Sisters, a member of our School Council and for 6 months was our Acting Chaplain prior to Helen Phillips starting with us. He was also father of past teacher and student Jenny George and grandfather of past students Katie and Zanny George.
Marriages Victoria Holland (2007) married Joseph Thorne at St Stephen’s Cathedral, Brisbane on 4 May 2013.
alumni - creating a living bridge
deep in thought 50 years
on
For a few dozen St Aidan’s old girls, it seemed extraordinary 50 years have somehow slipped past since we left school. Ours were very happy and productive years at St Aidan’s and, at our lovely reunion afternoon tea, we enjoyed many ‘do you remember?’ conversations. On our tour of the School, we tried to place in our minds where our classrooms were, where the Assembly Hall had been, where we sat for lunch – the famous ‘arbours’ were often mentioned – and tried to remember precisely when the ‘new’ science laboratories were opened. We were all relieved to see that ‘mecca’ (as we named the toilets) still stood, but demoted to the status of a store-room. It was thrilling to see the exciting developments: the magnificent science laboratories, the superb music rooms, the enormous new buildings and the wonderful facilities for art. We were all astonished at the maturity of the Year 8 girls who talked to us about our experiences. It was a lovely afternoon and we felt just as privileged to be back at St Aidan’s as we did when it was an everyday experience. Helen Gregory (1963)
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alumni - creating a living bridge
20 Year Reunion Saturday 18 May saw the Seniors of 1993 revisit their old stomping ground to celebrate their 20 year reunion. 20 years since we last tied a bow in the shoelaces around our necks and now we were going back to where it all began. I admit I was nervous. Who would show up, what are they doing now and will we even know our former classmates when we see them? It is the 20-year reunion where the true passage of time is felt. As it turned out, the name tags were unnecessary, as were the nerves. We were greeted by photos that took everybody straight back to a simpler time with cries of ‘wow, I look so young!’ suitably followed by louder cries of ‘you haven’t aged at all’ and ‘you look exactly the same!’ To further remind us of the cruel passing of time our senior video was unearthed and enjoyed throughout the evening. The footage of the ‘Barrett Bikies’ tearing around at the swimming carnival or the ‘Austen Amigos’ treading the boards at the drama competition, made sure that our focus was rightly concentrated on who we once were as opposed to who we are now. Thanks must go the Alumni team for all of their hard work in organising the event and putting up with a very rowdy group of old girls. Thank you for allowing us to feel 17 again – if only for one night! Nichola Cox (1993)
A l um n i B rea k fa st s
After the success of our inaugural law breakfast last year, we are gathering our Old Girls working in the law sector back together on 24 July for this now annual breakfast. Those in the Business sector will have their first breakfast on Tuesday 23 July and the Health Sciences sector on 31 October.
Business 48
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Law
Health/ Sciences
These Breakfasts will be held at the Brisbane Club at 7am and further details can be sourced by contacting the Alumni Office on P: +61 7 3373 5961 or E: past students@staidans.qld.edu.au
Tuesday 23 July Wednesday 24 July Thursday 31 October
Business Breakfast The Brisbane Club 7am Law Breakfast The Brisbane Club 7am Health Sciences Breakfast The Brisbane Club 7am
alumni - creating a living bridge
Did you know?
Adding to are the Archives Where they now? We would like to thank the following members of the community for their many and varied generous donations to the St Aidan’s Archives: Janette Gibson (McKay 1954) Tonia Lassman (Bentley 1983) and also Kylie Joyce (Bentley 1985) Janie Gibson (Griffiths Davies 1961)
Karen Spiller joined our past students over the weekend of 17 and 18 May in Sydney and Canberra. It was lovely to see girls from across the eras share their memories of St Aidan’s. It is always amazing to hear where past students’ lives have taken them.
Shaleen Kopittke (1987) Hazel Lahey (Buchanan 1963) from Shirley Lahey Helen Barrett (1938) Postscript One of the most interesting donations included a pair of embossed leather book ends made by Miss Sutton, one of St Aidan’s first Kindergarten teachers, donated by Melva Brumpton (Holland 1946). The bookends were a gift organised by Melva’s mother for her graduation.
Natalie (1993) and Justine Hoare (1992) Joanna (2011) and Sarah (2005) Sandford Courtney Phelps (2007) Elizabeth Fleming (Robinson 1975)
Reunions and Old Girl Events 2013 Date Time Reunion Details Tuesday 23 July 7am Business Breakfast
Contact Alumni Office 3373 5961 or paststudents@staidans.qld.edu.au
Wednesday 24 July 7am Law Breakfast
Contact Alumni Office 3373 5961 or paststudents@staidans.qld.edu.au
Sunday 4 August 1pm Melbourne Reunion
Contact Alumni Office 3373 5961 or paststudents@staidans.qld.edu.au
Friday 18 October 7 pm “Young Old” Girls Event
Contact Alumni Office 3373 5961 or paststudents@staidans.qld.edu.au
Thursday 31 October 7am Health/Science Breakfast Contact Alumni Office 3373 5961 or paststudents@staidans.qld.edu.au huddle I june 2013 49
alumni - creating a living bridge
It is with sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Bishop Adrian Charles AM, a former parent and grandparent of our school, School Council member and also Warden of the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent. For a time in 2001, Bishop Adrian also took on the role of Chaplain in our school. He was a wonderful and gentle man who will be sadly missed. RIP. ABOVE : 1988 Bishop Adrian Charles Bicentenary of Federation
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c o m m u n i t y - T h e R i g h t R e v e r e n d A l i s o n Tay l o r
ta ylo r m ade – Br i s bane ’s f ir s t wo m an b ish o p Steven Henderson finds out more about the life of Alison Taylor who is the new bishop for the Diocese’s Southern Region. For many in the Brisbane Diocese they will know her simply as the ‘new Bishop’, but the life of the new Bishop of the Southern Region, The Venerable Alison Taylor shows a rich tapestry woven both in and out of the clergy. Formerly the Melbourne Diocese’s Archdeacon of International Partnerships, she is also the Vicar of St John’s Anglican Church in Camberwell in the eastern region of Melbourne. Senior appointments following her 1997 ordination included Chairing Anglican Overseas Aid, the Melbourne Archbishop’s emergency relief and overseas development agency. In 2009, Archdeacon Taylor was personally invited by the Archbishop of Canterbury to be a member of the Steering Group for the newly created international Anglican Alliance for Development Relief and Advocacy. Archdeacon Taylor has also served as Archdeacon of Kew in the Eastern Region of Melbourne. Growing up in Sydney and Melbourne, Archdeacon Taylor had a distinguished career in the public sector including as a Board Member of the Renewable Energy Authority of Victoria and a Director of Tianjin Urban Conservation Project in China. Immediately prior to starting her priestly studies Archdeacon Taylor was Senior
Lecturer in Urban Studies at the Victorian University of Technology. That urban knowledge will come in handy as now she is consecrated as Bishop of the Southern Region. Archdeacon Taylor will be presiding over 47 parishes stretching south from the Brisbane River down to Coolangatta and the New South Wales border. When interviewed before her consecration, Archdeacon Taylor said “I look forward to March when I will move to Brisbane, which I find to be an exciting and interesting city, known for the value placed on women’s ministry and its sense of mission. It’s also great that I get to serve on the Gold Coast, the fastest growing urban area in Australia.” Archdeacon Taylor said she has always been an active member of the Church, but it wasn’t until the birth of her daughter Miranda that she felt a greater calling. “I’d been so focused on having a child that once that marvellous milestone was passed I knew there was something out there for me beyond urban planning,” she said. “Watching with interest the ordination of women in the early 90s prompted me to consider my vocation. I still encourage people to be urban planners, but for me the reality of God was very strong.”
Archdeacon Taylor started her training for the priesthood in 1993, the year after the first ordination of women priests in Australia. Pride in faith and service isn’t always something that’s easy to verbalise but for Archdeacon Taylor, this comes easily, who says that she is proud to be part of the church. She also hopes to explore the possibility of continuing her work in international partnerships within the Anglican Church. “I think we gain tremendous amounts from talking to each other, including wisdom and shared resources along with vitality and optimism from developing ourselves and the wider church,” “Our faith community is strengthened by all of us and this faith and this work doesn’t stop at the church gate.” Archdeacon Taylor replaces former Bishop of the Southern Region, The Right Reverend Geoff Smith who has taken on the role of General Manager of the Diocese. Bishop Alison is also the new Chair of the Anglican Schools’ Commission. ABOVE: Daughter – Miranda, The Right Reverend Alison Taylor and husband Trevor. huddle I june 2013 51
Faith - learning by doing
Learning by doing 52
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faith - learning by doing
It has been a great term for learning by doing. Our Year 9 and 10 girls (or half of each cohort, at least) have been learning to apply their Christian faith by serving in a variety of places either in placements in school time or in places arranged by themselves. What a great experience it has been. We’ve had girls repairing teddy bears who have fallen on hard times; we’ve had girls cooking meals for families in crisis; we’ve had girls working in aged care facilities. Some of the placements have been fairly ‘safe’; this was the experience of the girls who volunteered to help with our own school kindergarten or after school facility. Some of the placements have been very challenging: imagine what it was like to work on the day before Mother’s Day gift wrapping parcels at a shopping centre for Montrose Access. Some of our girls have met people they would never otherwise have the chance to meet. This was certainly the experience of the girls who worked in classrooms at Milpera with refugee children or in the St Vincent de Paul Shop in Bardon. The stories the girls brought back from their placements every week showed they were engaged, committed and resourceful. Not all of the placements worked, of course and some of the girls actually wished for more challenge than came their way. But the commitment and enthusiasm was infectious and so was the sense that the girls were making a difference to others. Mother Teresa has noted if you are kind, people may accuse you of having ulterior motives. Her response is simple: Be kind anyway! Lots of our girls have learned this important lesson at first hand. It’s an important and vital step on our pilgrimage walk and one that the Sisters themselves have taught us to value highly. The Reverend Paul Bland Senior Chaplain
St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
confidence and success 11 Ruthven Street Corinda Qld 4075 T: 61 7 3373 5999 F: 61 7 3379 9432 E: school@staidans.qld.edu.au www.staidans.qld.edu.au A School of the Society of the Sacred Advent