Huddle St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School S P R I N G
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Huddle Editor Alice Tidmarsh Contributors Lynda Wall Holly O’Sullivan Williams Wendy Biggs Gaye Brown Jackie Child James Cuskelly Megan Daley Catherine Grant Maddy Hole Nicole Jones Tim Kemp Deb Koh Shane MacDonald Andy McGregor-Lowndes Gillian Moses Toni Riordan Holly O’Sullivan Williams Claire Rush Sue Russell Rosie Sanders Rachel Sakurai Bess Sellars
Graphic Design Annie Fanning Photographic Contributors Lynda Davidson Annie Fanning Liesa Hogg Marc Pricop
Open Morning Join us for our final Open Morning
Please register at www.staidans.qld.edu.au/events
Thursday 21 November 8.45am-11am
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From the Principal Ninety years ago, in 1929, the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent established St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School. Since this time, our school has grown to be a place of quality education for over 7,000 alumni. We’ve celebrated a long history of educating girls in Brisbane and developing strong young women, so many of whom lead with passion in their chosen fields. This year, we have celebrated the memories and collective achievements as part of a range of 90th Birthday events and occasions. During our annual
Ms Toni Riordan PRINCIPAL
B Ed, M Ed Le, MACEL, MACE, GAICD
Reunion Week, held towards the end of May, we hosted 120 Old Girls as special guests at The Brisbane Club for Ascension Day Lunch before moving on to St John’s Cathedral to join the school community for our Ascension Day Service. We shared worship with Sisters Gillian, Eunice and Sandra, with past principals, Ms Majorie Neil and Mrs Patricia Evans, Past Council Chairs, Mrs Janette Gibson and Mr Rob Morphet. Old Girl and past Council Director, Reverend Jan Crombie preached and staff, past and present, parents and of course our students were in attendance. It was a genuine opportunity to be reminded of the faith-filled and nurturing education offered at St Aidan’s.
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STUDENT LEADERS - 2019
In July, the St Aidan’s Foundation hosted the Signature Ball at Howard Smith Wharves. Over 300 community members, including many Old Girls and past parents came together for a glittering and elegant evening to acknowledge the history of our school, to share stories, particularly of much-loved teachers but also to dare to gaze to the stars. We were reminded on this night that St Aidan’s girls are ‘Born to Fly’ and that there is much to look forward to in the future years of our school. Each year, we reflect on St Aidan, his life and lessons for us, at our St Aidan’s Day celebrations and it is always a day of colour, beginning with Messy Church for our Kindergarten to Year 4 students, and concluding with a whole-school (Prep to Year 12) Charma ringing across Ambiwerra fields. Bright House shirts, even brighter-coloured House cupcakes, craft creations and outdoor games were the beautiful backdrop to this year’s very special occasion, which was to have our ‘Day 1’ Old Girl, 97-year Old, Mrs Helen Barrett OM, cut our 90th birthday cake with our youngest student on the roll, Bella in Kindergarten. In a busy year of looking back and remembering, we have also introduced significant initiatives for the future. I thank St Aidan’s Foundation for their generous gift of the Karen Spiller Fellowship to St Aidan’s staff. Financial sponsorship of professional learning and research allows us to continue to innovate and consolidate our reputation as a place of the highest quality teaching and exceptional learning experiences for our students. For our wonderful Old Girls, we introduced a third Alumni Award - the Mother Emma Award, honouring Mother Emma’s enterprise and innovative leadership of the Society of the Sacred Advent during World War I and The Great Depression. This new Award rewards entrepreneurial or game-changing endeavours and sits in a suite of three Alumni awards, which allows us to acknowledge the achievements of Old Girls and to put in front of our current students the life stories of exceptional, ‘home-grown’, female role models. Finally, our gaze to the future standing from the strong position of a successful history is no better reflected than in our introduction of the new QCE system. For our current Year 10 and 11 students, their parents and teachers, stepping into a brand new chapter for senior schooling in Queensland, one in which graduating students will receive an ATAR, consistent with other states and in which external assessment becomes part of the landscape is symbolic of what St Aidan’s community has always done, faced the future with confidence, hard work and care for each other. I wish you all the very best for the remaining months of 2019.
Ms Toni Riordan Principal
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The Way Forward Introduction of Digital Solutions, Literature, Psychology Mrs Lynda Wall Dean of Studies
We have recently introduced three subjects that are new to senior studies in Queensland and which will enrich girls’ education at St Aidan’s. The new ATAR syllabuses provide exciting opportunities to teach 21st century skills.
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Digital Solutions
Psychology
Based in a problem-based learning framework, Digital Solutions addresses the need for skilled professionals who can work with algorithms, computer languages and user interfaces to manage data.
The newest Science subject, Psychology, teaches students about individual development, behaviour and thinking. It’s proven popular with St Aidan’s girls keen to gain insight into the workings of the brain.
Amie, Lucy and Katie explained:
Katherine, Annie and Jess said:
Amie: It’s fun and should be taught to a lot of girls. Technology will be involved a lot in the future. It’s important for equity in the workforce. It’s basically learning another language.
Katherine: The content is interesting as it gives us an understanding of our emotions and motivations, particularly through the workings of the brain.
Lucy: Understanding technology is a life skill. In the future it will be as important as Maths. Digital Solutions is like a mixture of Maths and Language, with a design element. Katie: There is a lot of problem solving that involves coming up with solutions to help get in customerbased work. It enables you to become better at understanding user needs and how you can help them reach their goals.
Literature
Jess: It’s valuable to understand how brains develop; it impacts on how we understand relationships and enables better communication. Our focus on sleep and its impact on cognitive development was relevant to our lives. I enjoy the experiments we do. Annie: It’s useful to understand the stages of life. In Psychology, you learn the science behind everyday things that you wouldn’t otherwise think about. St Aidan’s students continue to thrive with the diverse learning opportunities available to them inside and outside of the classroom.
With an emphasis on appreciation of the aesthetic and conceptual aspects in imaginative writing, Literature offers a more specialised alternative in the suite of English subjects. Students write creatively, as well as studying classics such as King Lear, Twelfth Night, Persuasion and Frankenstein, and modern literature such as Black Medea, White Tiger and The Poisonwood Bible. Justine, Keelah, Gabrielle and Elizabeth described the subject: Justine: Literature lets us explore topics that you might not get to experience in other subjects. The novels are mature and challenge the way society is, so what we study impacts on the way we view other writing and the world. Keelah: It’s interesting to think deeply about novels and stories in Literature because they are written to be meaningful and are full of knowledge. Gabrielle: In class, we have great conceptual and philosophical discussions about significant questions. Elizabeth: I enjoy the creative work, like paralleling a myth with a modern re-telling. Literature lets me go a step further in thinking and writing.
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Reconciliation at St Aidan’s
“We’re all equal. I don’t care what their colour is, or religion. Just as long as they’re human beings they’re my buddies.” – Mandawuy Yunupingu. Rev Gillian Moses Chair, St Aidan’s RAP Working Group St Aidan’s began working on a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) almost 2 years ago. Encouraged by our relationships with local elders, including Aunty Theresa Clancy-Power and Gaja Kerry Charlton, we have taken our first steps to understand what reconciliation looks like in this place. The process is slow, by necessity, as we learn more about the long history of Corinda and all the people who have walked on this country over thousands of years. You may have noticed some of our progress, including regular Acknowledgments of Country at assemblies, in services and on other occasions. We now fly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags on assembly. We continue to welcome Aunty Theresa and other aboriginal elders into our classrooms and gatherings. We are exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and tradition in a number of curriculum areas. We observe days of significance such as Sorry Day, Mabo Day, and Harmony Day. But there is much still for us to do. With the encouragement of Benarrawa Community Association and the Elders Learning Circle, we are building
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relationships both with more of our local elders and also with other schools working for reconciliation in this part of the world. These partners have introduced us to a walk on country which follows the Brisbane River and Oxley Creek from the Walter Taylor Bridge to the Bronze Canoe near Pamphlett Bridge. Our Duke of Edinburgh students have experienced this walk on country already. We are planning a bush tucker garden on school grounds. We celebrate National Reconciliation Week with a reconciliation-themed prayer space and chapel services, as well as our continuing participation in the local Sorry Day observance. Our RAP is progressing well, and we look forward to the future and more learning. We want to develop a sense of pride in our shared history of this land, which has nurtured people for so long. There is a lot to learn, and a long way yet to walk. “So I take this word reconciliation and I use it to reconcile people back to Mother Earth, so they can walk this land together” – Max Dulumunmun Harrison
ACADEMIC
Creating a Wellbeing Toolbox Ms Holly O’Sullivan Williams Dean of Students Recently, I was invited by the Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC) in conjunction with the Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL) to be on a panel to discuss all things wellbeing with a focus on what we do at St Aidan’s. I can still recall when I first heard the term ‘student wellbeing’. Attending a conference that was primarily about student engagement some years ago, the notion of looking after one’s wellbeing was presented as an imperative for educators. Soon after, the buzz surrounding wellbeing was iterated by The World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2014: Mental health is defined as a state of wellbeing in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community (World Health Organisation, 2019). What followed at the SLRC panel discussion was affirmation with regards to how we at St Aidan’s focus on student wellbeing. As a member of our Pastoral Care Team, we assist students in realising their potential through SEL lessons, extended form, camp, chapel and the list goes on. We aim to provide students with a toolkit of strategies so that they can manage everyday school life and the busyness that ensues from school work, extra-curricular activities and all the other exciting things that come with being an adolescent.
Of course, there are moments when a student feels the strain of being busy and wonders how they will cope with exam block, a timetable change, wet weather days for sport or the fact that they have not charged their laptop the night before. What comes from this instant of strain though, is a vital learning experience that contributes to our toolkit of wellbeing strategies. It is okay to feel tired. It is normal to have moments when you wonder if you will ever cross something off that list. There is nothing wrong with feeling overwhelmed. It is what students (and teachers, parents, guardians, grandparents) do to cope, when the scales are tipping precariously close to the point of subjugation, that is important. From mindfulness, yoga, knitting and meditation to dodgeball, dancing and study sessions with Year Level Coordinators, students at St Aidan’s are learning to take charge of their wellbeing and as a result, are thriving. Wellbeing is not a buzzword. Looking after our students’ wellbeing is an imperative. It builds resilience, equips them for future challenges and creates moments in time which they can reflect on to adjust their study practice, training and so on. What works for one student may not work for another but, by learning and trying different wellbeing strategies, the toolbox becomes full of possibilities for personal growth and development.
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Award
Breaking Down Barriers Using assistive technology in the classroom Rosie Sanders & Bess Sellars SWAN Coordinators St Aidan’s students in both the Junior and Senior schools are embracing innovative assistive technology in order to show their academic potential. The SWAN (Students with Additional Needs) staff work with students, their families and external specialists to maximise their learning outcomes and to celebrate their individual strengths. Learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, make reading and writing, in the traditional sense, more challenging for what is thought to be approximately 5 – 10% of the general population. As a school we recognise that a student’s reading age or spelling ability is not a
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sign of aptitude and encourage girls who struggle in these areas to use the tools available to them, just as we would encourage a student who struggles to see the board to wear their glasses. Whilst many of the following options have been designed for people with literacy challenges, they can also be useful for students with vision impairment or broader learning and attention difficulties. Whether you access and absorb information through ‘eye reading’ or ‘ear reading’ what matters is whether you are learning, thinking and making connections.
Some of the assistive technology used by our students includes: Microsoft Learning Tools Available to install on all students’ school laptops within the suite of software from Microsoft. This includes options for text spacing as well as an easy to use Dictate tool which works automatically with the compter’s built-in microphone or using a headset. Additionally, the Immersive Reader tool, which reads typed text is also useful for ‘ear readers’ to access documents, listen back and edit their own writing.
School Library resources Wheelers eBooks and Audio Books – ‘eye readers’ can easily adjust font size, background colour and spacing of eBooks to suit them, whilst a wide range of audio books are available on the ePlatform App for ‘ear readers’. Databases available through the library Aidan’s Central page make ear reading articles accessible with built in tools, as well as eye reading level options. Read Write Gold Available for installation on school laptops, Read and Write literacy software provides a toolbar of fantastic options to making it easier to access documents, websites, pdfs and other electronic sources. It also has writing functions such as predictive text, confusable words checker and picture dictionaries. Dragon Dictation Used by students and professionals all over the world, Dragon Dictation is chosen by some students as their writing tool of choice. It allows creativity to flow and extensive vocabularies to be exposed, without the challenge of spelling and handwriting. Pre-recorded Tests This year, for the first time, eligible SWAN students in years 7 & 8 have been able use pre-recorded exams. SWAN staff have pre-recorded the questions from the maths test papers to allow independence and access for these students. The students appreciate that they can listen to a question as many times as they need, without needing to ask their reader. References: Foss, B. (2013). The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan. Ballantine Books, NY Understood.org. (2019). Understanding Dyslexia. [online] Available at: https://www.understood. org/en/learning-attention-issues/child-learning-
Never Never Alone The St Aidan’s Drama Club presented Never Never Alone in August as part of their 2019 production season. Audiences were enthralled by Natalie Nunan’s story of Clara, Lane and Alexandra, set against a blistering Australian landscape. This mysterious tale of the murdered, the missing and the maligned was in equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking. Students from both St Aidan’s and Brisbane Boys’ College worked together for five months to bring this production to life, and their hard work was evident on stage with fantastic performances from all cast members. This opportunity for our students to reveal their talent in a new and exciting way will hopefully stay with them for many years to come. We are deeply grateful for the support of the P&F and all staff at the school for their assistance before the show and on the performance nights.
disabilities/dyslexia/understanding-dyslexia [Accessed 18 Aug. 2019].
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READING IS MY SECRET POWER
Reading is my
SECRET P OW E R
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So many schools around Australia take time to celebrate CBCA Book Week and celebrations at St Aidan’s this year were enjoyed by all. This year’s theme ‘Reading is My Secret Power’ became the thread for an array of activities throughout the week.
St Aidan’s, with remarkable dedication to costumes shown by both staff and students. In the Junior School students dressed as their favourite book character and in the Senior School everyone embraced the Harry Potter theme, including staff!
Buddy Reading on Tuesday in the Junior School gave time for all girls to drop everything and just read. Older girls spent time reading picture books to younger students and spending quiet time interacting with the words and illustrations.
A special mention must be made to the Year 6 students for getting into the spirit for their last parade and to Emma Schafer and Melissa Welsh who, with their artistic kindy students, created their own costumes for The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the Butterfly from Eric Carle’s famous book.
Students in Years 2-5 and Year 9 and 10 were enthralled by visiting author Rosanne Hawke who uses her many years of experience as a foreign aid worker to inform her writing. An award-winning author of over 25 books, Rosanne’s visit cemented our 2019 Book Week aim of helping others to experience the power of reading. Students in Year 7 and 8 enjoyed a session with Australian Children’s Laureate, Morris Gleitzman. Many students also took part in a lunch time Kahoot Harry Potter quiz and entered the Design a Book Cover competition. Wednesday’s Free Dress day is undoubtedly our favourite day at
A total of $516.40 raised from the Free Dress Character Day has been donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF), where many literacy programs and resources will be funded for Indigenous students around Australia. The Second-Hand Book donations were thankfully received, and these will be sent to Romana’s Garden Children’s Orphanage in India to create a much-needed library in their school. Thank you to all families who donated. This exercise, together with the ILF donations, helped our students learn about education in other parts of the world and the need to help other communities.
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Born
to fly... to the moon and beyond!
St Aidan’s girls are ‘Born to fly’. This year our school motto carried special significance for Space Design students as they competed in the International Space Settlement Design Competition at NASA Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, USA in July. After winning the Australian Space Design Competition with their partner school, Patrician Brothers’ College, from Sydney, St Aidan’s qualified for the international finals. St Laurence’s College in Brisbane, Catherine McCauley College and Parramatta Marist High School, from Sydney, also joined the team as invited schools. Under the moniker ‘Vulture Aviation’ they formed a company with 60 other students, working around the clock for three days to produce an innovative and exciting design for a lunar settlement in the year 2059. St Aidan’s Year 11 students Sharada Athuraliya, Mai-Lyn Foong, Cindy Liu, Harriet Robertson, and Year 12 student, Evelyn Unwin Tew, worked across different departments including Structural, Human, Automation and Operational Engineering as well as Business/Marketing. At the Centre for Space Education, NASA Kennedy Space Centre, leading experts in the space industry briefed students. Chris Ferguson, astronaut and NASA’s commander of the final Space Shuttle mission, addressed students about life as an astronaut and his latest project for Boeing, the Starliner, part of NASA’s Crew Development Program. ISSDC founder Anita Gale advised students on the finer details of the competition as well as the complexities of the lunar surface and the importance of dust mitigation in their design brief. The US National Space Society’s Geoffrey Notkin, an advocate for space exploration and UK television host, gave the competitors helpful advice on speaking in front of a large audience.
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The Australian team spent a week in the United States touring Air and Space museums in Washington DC and New York City, in the lead up to the competition. The team was most fortunate to have the opportunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Lunar Landing alongside thousands of spectators gathered in Washington DC for a stunning film and lights’ show celebrating this historic achievement. The Saturn V rocket that took the Apollo astronauts to the moon was projected onto the Washington Monument; the aspiring space students were reminded not only of this incredible feat of 50 years ago but also of their aspirations, dreams and passion for space travel, design and engineering into the future. The reality of modern space design was brought home in an astonishing way during the visit to Kennedy Space Centre with the launch of an uncrewed Space X rocket. The team witnessed the Falcon 9 Dragon spacecraft on a cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station, only several kilometres away from the launch pad at Cape Canaveral. St Aidan’s girls are born to fly. Only time will tell how what the future holds for these Space Design students and many aspiring STEM students as they reach for the stars and beyond. In a new era of space design and private investment into space travel, it is an exciting time for students wishing to pursue a career in this arena. We want to extend our special thanks to Women in Engineering, University of Queensland, for their continued support and guidance; the Australian Space Agency for providing sponsorship, and local businesses who generously donated as part of our fundraising ventures. Mr Tim Kemp - Coach Ms Josephine Mitchell - Assistant Coach
Blue Buddy in the USA Mrs Jackie Child Junior School Technologies Coordinator Lucinda, Rachel and Samantha identified a problem in their local community to solve, then researched and documented a solution in a business plan, built a working app prototype and pitched it in a public video. They were matched with a female tech mentor who met with them weekly for 12 weeks. The girls developed the app ‘Blue Buddy’, which provides family members of depression sufferers with the necessary support to provide care while maintaining their own mental health. Their app is unique in its focus on those who care for and live with someone suffering from this debilitating mental illness. The Blue Buddy team won the State Finals and were given the opportunity with the Tech Girls Movement to travel to Silicon Valley, visiting a number of tech companies and attending the Technovation World Pitch. The tour started with two days exploring San Francisco; Alcatraz, Pier 39 and
Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street, a Cable Car ride, visiting Boudin and Mecanique Museums, cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge and enjoying Sausalito. Our week as official ambassadors for Tech Girls are Superheroes started by visiting three companies; Salesforce, Accenture and Skedulo. The girls pitched their app and received positive feedback with some very helpful tips for further development. The next day was spent at Google, again the girls were given the opportunity to pitch their app and listen to female employees talk about their work and journey at Google. This continued throughout the next four days at Facebook, eBay, Nutanix, Rubrik and The Rainbow Mansion. The tour was a wonderfully inspiring experience for the girls to see the possibilities of the future for women in technology.
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Early Music Learning and Improved Language Capacity Dr James Cuskelly OAM PAR - Music
Kodály music educators place great importance on establishing the fundamentals of music in the lives of children as early as possible. Kodály believed that music education should start “nine months before the birth of the child,” moreover “nine months before the birth of the mother.” In a school context, “music teaching should be started in the kindergarten, so that the child can grasp the fundamentals of music at an early age” since the development of musical hearing can only be successful if started early and in a playful way. 14
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Students at St Aidan’s, particularly those in the early years, have a rare opportunity for immersion in a music program based on the Kodåly Philosophy. Our Every Day Music program is designed to directly target core activities which maximise outcomes; students sing and chant, move and play, develop independent abilities in the key areas of beat, rhythm and pitch perception and do so in a social context of collaborative learning. While these are all musically-rich learning experiences, they are also presented in a fun and playful manner with lots of role-playing, songs, games and rhymes. Research indicates that such activities provide opportunities for a multitude of long-term benefits not only specifically in the discipline of Music, but also in a wide range of school-related activities. The Music Program has been developed with a deep understanding of relevant research. Gaab and Tallal (2006) posit that musical training assists processing of the spoken word in the brain. According to these researchers, improved auditory processing can significantly facilitate processes associated with language acquisition and therefore, the development of literacy. This idea is perhaps more profoundly understood if viewed from the other perspective: children who exhibit a specific deficit or constraint in the speed of information processing and/ or production of essential components of language learning (referred to as rapid auditory processing) are at high-risk of becoming poor readers. Importantly, it seems that such children may benefit from musical entrainment or whole-body beat keeping. Student participation in our Music Program supports the development of positive causal relationships between movement, music perception skills, phonological awareness, linguistic development and literacy capacity. While researchers remain somewhat cautious in their advocacy of music benefits, it is apparent that there is growing support for the notion of a direct link between musical training, language acquisition and literacy development. References: https://kodalyhub.com/main-principles-of-kodaly-s-musicpedagogy
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Science and Technology Showcase The much loved Junior School Science and Technology Showcase was held again in August, with students from Prep to Year 6 delighted by a range of activities focussed on science, technology, engineering and maths. Students are always excited for this opportunity to show family members some of the work they have been doing in class and share what they have learned throughout the year!
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Physics is more than a binary choice Mr Shane MacDonald Assistant Head of Faculty - Science Despite popular sentiment and refrains I hear from parents, reasons for choosing Physics in senior schooling are much wider than the consideration of it being useful for medicine or engineering. As the in-house advocate for all-things physics, I commit a fair amount of time to educating (some would say evangelising) Year 10 students about post-school opportunities afforded to them after completing Physics at school. Last week, we were fortunate to have Dr Pegah Maasoumi visit us, on a national speaking tour as the current recipient of the John Mainstone Award from the Australian Institute of Physics. Pegah contributes to the physics community in Australia via a research position with Melbourne University and Exciton Science (https:// excitonscience.com), conducting research into sustainable energy alternatives and the possibilities of transforming light into energy and energy into light. She is passionate about environmental sustainability, and a keen advocate for the continued uptake of girls into the wider range of STEM-related fields. Pegah spoke about the critical role of research in furthering what we know about the world around us, and taking the time to be both observant and wondering.
Solutions in science “are limited only by your imagination” was a premise given by Pegah as she explained the origin of some of her research – for example being lost in the Gold Coast hinterland on a bush walk a few years ago and noticing that the leaves on different trees have different thicknesses and colours. This led to her considering the scientific processes that nature uses to change light into life, from a Physics and Chemistry perspective.
She talked about how her struggles with Physics at school, and only really finding her passion and interest later at university – identifying that it was “hard work and not being good at Physics” that got her to where she wanted to be. Pursuing science at university was highly recommended to all of the girls, singling out the skill of analytical thinking developed when undertaking science as a key asset considered by employers post-university.
She uses ideas like this to develop flexible organic-material based solar panels, and technology that allows windows to harvest light energy as it passes through.
Pegah outlined for the girls an enormous range of jobs and careers available that she could have pursued within the STEM field, from car manufacturers to working with technology giants like Google, Samsung and Apple, but talked about work-life balance and job-security considerations as well. She outlined some of the amazing capabilities of her work (working predominantly in the nanotechnology area), and highlighted some of the weaknesses in current technology (e.g. OLED screens). Finally, the idea of researchers working in isolation was addressed – Pegah works in a close-knit team with researchers from multiple streams of science including chemistry, biology, engineering and medical fields, and wouldn’t have it any other way!
With more than 50 girls in the room from Year 10, there was a significant number of questions and interest from the student-body. One girl (clearly not a current physics student!) asked why Pegah had taken physics at school. Pegah smiled with delight – I guess she waits for that question at every girls’ school! She talked about being in Year 10 at school herself, and being frustrated with her own and others perceptions about what she should be studying at school and later at university – her pivotal realisation was expressed as a personal call-to-arms: “I’ll do what I can do, not defined by what I think I can’t do”
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RED EARTH Immersion
Mrs Catherine Grant and Mrs Joanne Wise Red Earth Coordinators
Red Earth immersions are a unique way for school students to connect with Indigenous culture in a safe and meaningful way. The program is designed to maximise the time spent on Country with Elders and Traditional Owners, connecting with Indigenous culture through the people and their stories (Red Earth 2019). 18
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In June, St Aidan’s students and staff departed from Brisbane, traveling thousands of kilometres to Kakadu and Arnhem Land. There was much excitement among the group as the girls did not really know what to expect from the experience. Once we arrived in Darwin, we were met by Josh and Jess who would be our group leaders for the next ten challenging days. After leaving Darwin we travelled on our trusty 4WD bus, capably driven by Peter who would look after all our travel throughout the trip. We headed to South Alligator River for our first night and learnt the ins and outs of successfully putting up tents and fold up beds. After dinner we held the first of many interesting campfire chats to talk about what we had learned, what we expected and the general reflections of the day. Day two was when we really started to get into the real Northern Territory and after a few hours’ drive on bumpy dirt roads we arrived at Murdudjurl, where we met Mandy and Tina, two incredible Indigenous women running their community on the edge of Kakadu National Park. Unfortunately, as we arrived Mandy had received some sad news about a death in her extended family. Tina explained how a death in the family affects the whole community, so we paid our respects and headed to what would be our camp for the next few days. They reassured us that camping at least 50 m away from the billabong would keep us safe from crocodiles!
The next part of our immersion took us further into Arnhem Land to the very remote community of Mumadwarre. While at Mumadwarre we spent time learning more about traditional Indigenous crafts by helping the women collect pandanus, roots and flowers. We then spent a wonderful day by the creek learning how to strip pandanus (a VERY tricky job) to dye the pandanus and then to weave and create earrings. We learnt that this weaving craft is especially important to the community as they sell them in the Innulak Arts Centre, a four hour drive away across very bumpy, dusty roads that disappear in the wet season. Highlights in Mummadwarre included a traditional welcome to country ceremony (this time using water), playing footy with the children and chatting with the elders. Finally, it was time to farewell the community and head back to Darwin. On the way back, we made a stop at Ubirr rock where we saw ancient rock art dating back thousands of years and we made the strenuous climb to the top of the rock for a spectacular view across Kakadu National Park.
Over the next few days we helped the community build some storage shelves, clear out the garden and add a roof to the camping shelter. When not working on the project, the group experienced traditional Aboriginal culture through the stories and Dreaming places of the Elders. Elders and Traditional Owners shared their culture with us by welcoming us to the Country with a traditional smoking ceremony, visiting sacred places, telling the stories and history of their families and the local area. The group learnt firsthand about the challenges of living in the remote areas. We also had time to play with the children, conduct hairdressing sessions and play games. One of the most enjoyable tasks was when the local women showed us how to collect pandanus and flowers, to dye the strands and then weave it into beautiful coloured bracelets. Every night Josh and Jess ran a reflection session with the whole group to build a narrative for the experience and ensure everyone was getting the most out of the immersion. We talked about what we had seen, the difficulties faced by remote communities and the importance of sharing our thoughts. Thankfully Mandy was able to take us on a private guided tour of the waterways of Kakadu. She shared her immense knowledge of the land, the animals and traditional tales of this truly unique area. We witnessed firsthand the vast variety of birds, crocodiles basking in the sun and a wild buffalo furiously trying to rid himself of flies. We also learnt of the destruction caused by introduced species including the buffaloes, pigs and donkeys. huddle I spring 2019 19
Empowerment Self Defence Mrs Deb Koh Junior School Teacher The Year 5 students have been given the opportunity to participate in Empowerment Self Defence Workshops thanks to the generous funding provided by the P&F Association. The Year 5 girls are the first group of St Aidan’s students to be involved in the workshops as a trial of a new and innovative program of self-defence designed specifically for women. The program aims to provide students with the verbal, physical and mental skills to enable them to effectively respond to situations in which they may feel threatened or unsafe. Originally developed for women perceived as especially vulnerable, the ESD workshops have been adapted to cater for specific age groups. The focus is to empower our students to recognise abuse, coercion and boundary violations, and to subsequently respond assertively to protect themselves and prevent escalation into potentially harmful situations. It is our vision that all St Aidan’s students will undertake similar, age-appropriate sessions in the future.
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Kohville Mrs Jackie Child Junior School Technologies Coordinator As part of the Year 5 Humanities and Social Sciences curriculum students in 5K analysed the characteristics of places in the local environment. Studying local maps and how the built environment is represented, the girls created a 3D map with roads and buildings. After planning and designing a community called Kohville, the students were able to program Spheros to navigate the environment and demonstrate a variety of functions in their code. Spheros are ball-shaped robots that can be controlled using an app on a phone or tablet through a coding program. The students designed, modified and followed simple algorithms involving sequences of steps, repetition, controls and sensors. Using a Mambo mini-drone, students were able to video the community and take aerial photographs. Kohville also provided a fabulous background for Year 3C students to photograph in ScratchJr and code avatars to explore the community, while Year 3R programmed ProBots to discover Kohville!
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Visiting our Nations Capital In May, Year 6 students embarked on the highly anticipated inaugural Canberra Trip, a four-day educational tour of our nation’s capital city. The tour gave students an insight into Australia’s history, culture, heritage and the road to democracy. Visiting the national capital reinforces topics covered in the Year 6 Civics and Citizenship curriculum and is supported by the Australian Government. The trip created an opportunity for students to make authentic links between what they had learned in the classroom and real life. It provided memorable experiences for the girls and gave them an appreciation and understanding of Australia’s history and culture.
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Highlights: Day 1: Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex. Among the highlights of the science-based presentations, students heard the story of the 26-metre antenna which was responsible for returning the ‘first’ pictures of Neil Armstrong walking on the Moon in July 1969. Day 2: St Aidan’s were taken on guided tours of Anzac Parade, the site of many major military memorials, the Australian War Memorial where the girls explored the reasons why we continue to remember the service and sacrifice of Australian servicemen and women, particularly on Anzac Day and Remembrance Day each year. Students had the opportunity to participate in a short commemorative poppy laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier. The afternoon consisted of visiting Parliament House with extensive tours of the House of Representatives, Senate chambers and parliamentary exhibits. The girls participated in a mock bill-passing event where they pretended to be Members of Parliament and had to present arguments for and against a proposed bill. To conclude the very busy day, St Aidan’s visited the Australian Institute of Sport and were given a unique insight into the life of elite athletes. Day 3: The day commenced with a visit to Reconciliation Place, a symbolic area in the heart of Canberra filled with sculptures and artworks, recognising the shared history of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and the
progress towards a reconciled nation. The next stop was to Old Parliament House for an educational program entitled “Who’s the Boss”, an electronic trail that highlighted Australia’s history towards a democracy. The group then proceeded to the High Court of Australia. The High Court was in session and students witnessed a court case and heard convincing arguments by one of the barristers. Later in the afternoon, the visit to the National Arboretum gave everyone a well-earned rest, quick play and snack while overlooking forests of rare and endangered trees from around Australia and the world. At the end of Day 3, Questacon, the National Science and Technology Centre was enjoyed by everyone! Day 4: On the final day in Canberra, St Aidan’s visited Government House which has been the residence of Australia’s Governor-General since 1927. A highlight of the trip was the personal welcome by the Governor General, Peter Cosgrove who came to meet the students and answer their questions about life in office. Following this, we visited the National Gallery of Australia and then the Royal Australian Mint before heading to the airport for the trip back to Brisbane. The Canberra tour was a huge success and we look forward to its continual part of the Year 6 camp program for many years to come.
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Rowing Camp Returns Ashley Dighton Head Coach
Among many reasons, this season is notable in that we saw the much-loved return of an away rowing camp. As the entire St Aidan’s squad travelled from Brisbane to Maroochydore the excitement was impalpable, with students never having attended a rowing camp, only the coaches and staff knew what to expect of the days ahead. With accommodation and facilities scattered around a secluded lagoon off the main river, the peaceful atmosphere on arrival was quickly injected with much excitement and delight from the girls. An away camp is a critical part of the training calendar, both as an opportunity for the girls to complete several weeks’ work of conditioning and technical development in a condensed period, but also as an opportunity for them to develop the closeness as a crew that makes rowing such a unique sport. While the training was the focus, it wasn’t all long kilometres and hard work, with shed-wide games’ nights and dress ups for the coaches that ranged from brilliant to nightmarish. The week was embraced by both students and staff and was integral in building momentum for the future. We look forward to many more successful rowing camps over the coming years!
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Four in a Row Congratulations to our Open Tennis team who recently won the QGSSSA Premiership. St Aidan’s has won the Open Premiership for four years in a row and seven times in the last nine years. Opens Coach, Heath Denman said that he was proud of the girls’ strength and determination, particularly Cailin, who had a huge turnaround to win her singles after a doubles match loss to St Peter’s, “Ruby Fraser played an impressive singles match and I was really pleased with the turnaround of Cailin with her singles win (6-1) after an unsuccessful doubles match. Cassidy was impressive around the net in her doubles match with Ruby. Congratulations to Ruby and Cailin who both played their best singles match of the season.” Principal, Toni Riordan, added “St Aidan’s has a long history of producing great tennis players and it’s wonderful to see our tennis program continue to thrive with the Open team winning a premiership for the fourth year in a row.” Sophie, Ruby and Cassidy also played in the 2018 Open premiership winning team. huddle I spring 2019 25
Sporting Success 2019 Australian Cross Country Championships In August, Bridget McCormack (15 yrs), Mackenzie Cullinane (17 yrs), Isabelle Mortensen (10 yrs), EmmaKate Watt (15 yrs) and Tayla Behr (17 yrs) travelled to Wollongong, NSW as part of the QLD Cross Country team, to compete at the Australian Cross Country Championships. It was a very flat and fast course, so performance relied heavily on a well thought out race plan. All girls ran well against very talented fields of athletes from all around Australia. Isabelle’s 10yrs QLD team finished with two bronze medals; one in the team event and one in the 5x1000m relay.
QLD Nitro Schools Challenge The QLD Nitro Schools Challenge is a team based Athletics competition where 7 or more girls come together to score points across a variety of track and field events with the top two teams progressing to the National Final in Perth in December. Schools from across South Queensland are invited to compete and this year there were some new team events including the 2x2x400m relay. There are some team strategy options such as the ‘Power Play’ and an opportunity to earn bonus points which made the event exciting and fun. St Aidan’s were represented in all three age divisions and our Senior Team won the State Final, placing first in five of the ten events. St Aidan’s will now represent Queensland at the Athletics Australia Nitro Schools Challenge National Final in Perth in December. SENIOR TEAM: Bridget McCormack, Emma-Kate Watt, Tayla Behr, Angelina Tignani, Haley Webster, Gemma Casaceli, Ella Edwards, Lily Paige.
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Frances Whiting in The Living Room Frances Whiting is Queensland’s favourite and best-known female columnist. For over a decade, her weekly column in the Sunday Mail has engaged her readers in the highs, lows and unique absurdities of life
She is also Associate Editor of the Sunday Mail and Senior Feature writer for Q Weekend in the Courier-Mail. Married with two children, when she gets the time Frances plays the guitar (badly) and surfs (also badly). She has published two collections of her columns, Oh To Be A Marching Girl, and That’s A Home Run, Tiger! and a novel, Walking on Trampolines. Her new novel The Best Kind of Beautiful will be published in November 2019 and available for early purchase and signing at this event. The Best Kind of Beautiful Florence Saint Claire is a loner. Albert Flowers is a social butterfly. Good friends who think they know each other. But, somewhere between who they are, and who people think they are, lies The Best Kind of Beautiful. Award-winning journalist and author Frances Whiting brings her renowned warmth and empathy to this witty and gentle novel about bringing out the best in each other.
W E D N E S DAY
30 OCTOBER
6.00pm for 6.30pm
The Living Room, St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
Tickets: $25 via eventbrite.com.au Includes drinks & grazing table
PRAISE FOR THE BEST KIND OF BEAUTIFUL ‘The Best Kind of Beautiful is the best kind of book: touching, funny, whimsical and mysterious! A special story about a delightful family.’ Liane Moriarty
‘Florence, a fresh contemporary irresistible heroine, holds a cast of fascinating, brilliantly drawn characters together. Frances Whiting at her best, warm, witty, provocative, a wise observer of human nature, family, life...It’s true, you can’t put it down.’ Quentin Bryce AD CVO
LIVING ROOM
THE
‘There are moments when Frances Whiting writes about family dynamics and relationships where you wonder if the woman has a hidden camera set up inside your soul. On a single page she’ll tickle your ribs with three laugh-out-loud gags then punch your gut with some deep observation on living. All heart. All soul. All kinds of beautiful.’ Trent Dalton
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We honour past students
who pursued creative pathways and their legacy that inspire us to
glow.
glow
Now combined with the Junior School Art and Music Show!
CELEBRATING STUDENT MAKING A N D C R E AT I N G
Enjoy an evening of Junior School Art and Music and Senior School Visual Art, Engineering, Design and Home Economics.
Wednesday 4pm 7pm
16
October 2019
CHC & THE LINK
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Heritage listed Fancutt’s house finds new tennis home at Ambiwerra In January 1962, Mrs Fancutt (86) and husband Trevor (84) embarked on a venture that would cement their name among Brisbane families for decades to come. Never in their wildest dreams would they imagine that their tennis centre at Lutwyche would go on to operate for over 50 years and then the pre-1911 house would find a new home of tennis, at Corinda in 2019.
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You may have noticed that recently, a dishevelled house, currently in a few pieces has arrived at Ambiwerra. The house has been donated to the school and we are excited that it will be restored and become part of the facilities available at Ambiwerra in the coming year. RetireAustralia Senior Development Manager Judi Hutchison said the house was one of five on the Fancutt’s site that have been relocated, ensuring they all would be restored and reused. “We’re very excited about this outcome, particularly for the former house of Mr and Mrs Fancutt as the relocation will ensure its connection to tennis is maintained while serving a new purpose for future generations of young sportspeople,” Ms Hutchison said. Principal, Toni Riordan, echoed the statement from RetireAustralia “we are very excited to be receiving such a historical and iconic home. The house will be restored and then put to use as offices and meeting spaces until a long-term use is determined through our current master planning process.”
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F O U N D A T I O N
From the Foundation Chair
Mrs Rachel Sakurai
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Celebrating
A huge thank you to everyone who supported the Foundation Signature Ball in July – for those that attended I am sure you’ll agree it was a fantastic event promoting true community spirit. A very special thanks to all that made it possible including our Directors, School Leadership team, subcommittees and sponsors. The Foundation is currently focussed on revamping our corporate partnership program and exploring our next strategic capital projects – we look forward to sharing some initiatives with you over the coming months.
Signature b a l l 2 019
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M E B O R N C U - 2019 -
L U E P
LUNCH EON T U E S D AY 5 N O V E M B E R 1 1 a m
Indoorooopilly Golf Club, Meiers Rd, Indooroopilly Tickets are $110 each or tables of 10 for $1,100 each. www.flexischools.com.au For more information contact the St Aidan’s P&F Office: 3278 5124
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Start organis ing your group now so that y ou don’t miss ou t!
Pa re nt s & Fr iend s What a cracker of a night we had at the St Aidan’s P&F 2019 Trivia Night. The theme of “Back to the 90’s” was well embraced, and a serious amount of effort went into some superb costumes and tables. We raised $8,500 towards supporting the School in funding the pilot program in Term 3 for our girls in Empowerment of Young Women. The program provides easy to learn tools and practice for students to protect themselves emotionally, verbally and physically. It teaches self-defence techniques to support everyone to become more empowered, aware and self-reliant. A huge thanks must go to all of those who supported the event and came along on the night. Finally, thank you to our sponsors for their support: Ethos Orthodontics and the Woolley, Boyd, Sherlock, McDonald and O’Dwyer families.
Parents & Friends Association
Cocktail Party & Art Exhibition 22 Februar y 2020
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St Aidan’s UPCOMING EVENTS TERM
4
QUIZ IT is coming
Blessing of the Animals
Commences TERM 2 Commences Tuesday 8 October
QUIZ IT Wednesday 9 October CHRISTINE HARTLAND CENTRE St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
glow CELEBRATING STUDENT MAKING A N D C R E AT I N G
SENIOR INDUCTION ASSEMBLY Tuesday 15 October, 8.45am CHRISTINE HARTLAND CENTRE St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
K IN DY TO Y EA R 6
dancing
stars with the
K-6 DISCO Friday 25 October, 6.30pm CHRISTINE HARTLAND CENTRE St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School 38
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GLOW
Wednesday 16 October, 4pm - 7pm CHRISTINE HARTLAND CENTRE & THE LINK St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
M E B O R N C U
L U E P
P&F MELBOURNE CUP LUNCH Tuesday 5 November, 11am Indooroopilly Golf Club
PET BLESSING
Saturday 12 October, 4.30pm CHRISTINE HARTLAND CENTRE St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
Parents & Friends MEETING
P&F MEETING
Wednesday 23 October, 6.30pm AUDITORIUM St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
STAGE BREAKFAST
Wednesday 6 November, 7am AUDITORIUM St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
UPCOMING EVENTS
St Aidan’s St Aidan’s UPCOMING EVENTS St Aidan’s
Annual Awards
2 0 1 9
C E R E M O N Y
DANCE FEST.
Saturday 9 November, 7pm CHRISTINE HARTLAND CENTRE St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY
Monday 11 November, 7pm Queensland Performing Arts Centre
6
from little things big things grow VALEDICTORY EUCHARIST AND DINNER
Thursday 14 November, 2pm St John’s Cathedral and BCEC.
Kind Heart Fierce Mind Brave Spirit Y E A R YEAR 12’S FINAL ASSEMBLY Friday 15 November, 8.40am CHRISTINE HARTLAND CENTRE St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
6
2 0 1 9
YEAR 6 EUCHARIST & DINNER Wednesday 20 November, 5pm The Link & Hillstone
KINDY CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Friday 22 November, 12.30pm CHRISTINE HARTLAND CENTRE St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
TERM
4
concludes K-6 MESSY CHURCH Wednesday 27 November, 9am CHRISTINE HARTLAND CENTRE St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
YEAR 6 CROSSING OF THE ROAD Wednesday 27 November, 1.30pm RUTHVEN STREET St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School
TERM 4 CONCLUDES Wednesday 27 November
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St Aidan’s Chapel Celebrates 30 Years Mrs Wendy Biggs Archivist
The St Aidan’s Chapel celebrates 30 years in 2019. There has been a long journey travelled before reaching this milestone, with a great history to explore. We recently recovered some artefacts which have inspired us to focus on our chapel’s history in this edition.
1971 Sisters at gates with chapel and art room. 40
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Over St Aidan’s 90 years, growth and development have enriched the facilities provided for our students’ education. Perhaps none was so joyfully anticipated as the opening of the St Aidan’s Chapel in May 1989. The occasion was a glorious culmination of many years planning and several temporary chapels where the Sisters and school community had worshipped. In 1949 the Recorder reports that services have been held regularly in the school hall, converted into a chapel, during the year. In August 1949 Dean Barrett blessed the school banner, which had been made for us in England, and the cross which was a gift from Helen Barrett (Old Girl 1938). The timber cross, made of wood native to the Solomon Islands, and inlaid with shell has strong links with our St Aidan’s family. The cross was hand made by Rev Dr Hemming, a long-time friend and colleague of Helen Barrett. They both worked as Missionaries in the Solomon Islands. Helen’s father, Rev Dean Barrett married Hemming and his wife Phyllis Burdon, who was one of St Aidan’s first teachers. In his address, Dr Hemming suggested that the cross “will serve to remind us of our link with the Missionary work of the Church in Melanesia”and of the part which Helen Barrett played. In 1964 the Rector of St Mark’s Church Albion, presented St Aidan’s with an altar, which was installed with sliding doors in a recess behind the stage in the Assembly Hall; hence the hall could be used as a chapel. This was the first semipermanent chapel at St Aidan’s. The highlight of this first semi-permanent chapel came in September 1965 when His Grace, the Archbishop Strong blessed the sanctuary end of the Assembly Hall. The first Holy Communion service using our new altar was taken by Rev Canon Sharwood on 29 October for the students with their parents before the Senior and Junior examinations. Several parents identified themselves with our chapel annex by presenting many valued gifts for the sanctuary. Among these were a pair of Melanesian timber candle sticks. They were made to match the cross given earlier by Helen Barrett and given in memory of Rosemary Stevenson (1939) by her mother and sister, Rosslyn (1936).
Rosemary had been a student at St Aidan’s and later returned as a teacher of speech and ballet before she tragically passed away at a young age in 1965. In 1970, due to the construction of a new library block, the temporary senior classroom building had to be relocated. It was moved to the eastern end of the school grounds next to the Harrowby Street entrance. This gave Sister Rachel the opportunity to fulfil her dream for the school – a dedicated chapel. The chapel was large enough to accommodate one hundred people, while upstairs there was room for several classrooms, including an art room and a common room for the seniors. A beautiful memorial to Rosemary Hill (Stevenson), was created with the construction of sandstone entrance gates near the chapel. A gift from the Old Girls, the gates were blessed, and the plaque unveiled by Rosemary’s sister, Rosslyn. You can still see the gates and read the plaque today between the Science and Technology Centre and the Christine Hartland Centre. At the Blessing of the chapel by Canon Sharwood in September 1971 a large congregation assembled and listened appreciatively to the interesting and inspiring address given by Rev Mother Lois. Sister Rachel was delighted with the new chapel. This chapel remained in use until 1987 when the foundation stone was laid for a new and permanent chapel. The chapel was designed to be central in the school, and as part of the new performing arts complex. The Sisters recognised the need for a Chaplain in the School and with the building of the new chapel, it became even more desirable to appoint such a person. After a long search, Father David Binns, was appointed and was commissioned by the Archbishop on St Aidan’s Day in August 1988. He later designed the stained-glass windows in the chapel which remain today. And so, we celebrate thirty years of our beautiful St Aidan’s Chapel, but recognise it as part of the ninety years of St Aidan’s journey.
1971 Chapel interior huddle I spring 2019 41
ALUMNI News Alumni Awards St Aidan’s is proud to acknowledge the diverse achievements of our alumni and provide an opportunity to inspire others through their recognition. From leadership in their professions, enterprise and entrepreneurship or service to global and local communities, the accomplishments of our alumni bring honour to themselves and
Engagements Elise Hoyer (2010) to Nick Edwards
Marriages Emily McLaughlin (2007) to Hugh Norton on 24 August 2019 Emma Cumerford (2008) to Ryan Croft 14 June 2019 Jessie Gartside (2007) to Ben Dowlong on 7 September 2019.
their school.
Births
Congratulations to our 2019 Alumni Award recipients who will be formally
Emily (Strickland 2007) and Matt Bennison welcomed Isabel Jean Bennison on the 22nd of March.
acknowledged at the Annual Awards Ceremony in November:
Emma Betts Award (Under 30 years old): Eloise Skinner (Stephenson 2007)
Amy (Rickleman 2006) and Sam Clark welcomed Bonnie Elizabeth on 23 February 2019. Kate (Jacques 2009) and Alex Colby welcomed Jack Henry on 24 August 2019.
Deaths Cynthia Baillie (Kilgour 1940) 18 January 2019 Nancy Pratt (Yule 1947) 13 February 2019
Mother Emma Award
Ashley Gair (2004) 24 March 2019
(Entrepreneurship and Innovation):
Nancy Borsht (1975) 15 April 2019
Jano Kotzas
Jennifer Porter (1965) 25 March 2019
(Robertson 1986)
Judith Webb (Stewart 1965) 25 April 2019 Jacqui Beckman (Chambers 1945) 10 June 2019 Billie Roberts (Walker 1951) 1 July 2018
Caroline Amy Award (Industry Leadership): Miranda Kalinowski (Dowie 1986)
Marguerite Kisvardai (Ulcoq 1942) 12 July 2019 Elizabeth Rickleman (1977) 22 July 2019 Ailsa Goldfinch (Todd 1972) 27 July 2019 Marcia Cottew (Manson 1943) 14 August 2019 Dr Beth Howard (1945) 5 May 2019  
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ALUMNI News Where are they now Carla McGlynn (2006) studied Music at QUT. In May 2019 she released debut single “Paper Cut” under her stage name Carla Thursday. Nisha Rawal (2002) recently become one of the youngest female
Congratulations
Directors of Urbis.
Sarah-Jane Clarke (1991)
Helen (1956) and Sally Pickburn visited St Aidan’s in June, their sisters
the Order of Australia) in the
Ann (1955) and Julie (1956) also attended St Aidan’s in the 1940s for
2019 Queens Birthday honours
a few years. Ann studied journalism and went on to become the first
for significant service to the
female radio producer at the ABC. Julie Pickburn also studied journalism
fashion industry, and charitable
then went on to study occupational therapy. Helen studied nursing
organisations.
received an AM (Member of
and midwifery, then taught, specialising in ESL, teaching migrants and refugees. Lily Van Gilst (2018) has been part of the Centenarian Portrait Project by Teenagers, an uplifting inititative matching 100 teenage artists with 100 of Queensland’s oldest residents. Lilly painted 102 year old Jim Jackson who inspired her with his love of trains, gentle wisdom and patience. After a number of visits and preliminary sketches Lilly completed this powerful and emotive portrait. Practising taxidermist and artist Ali Hill Douglas (1987) talked to Year 11 art students about her role at the Queensland Museum. Ali shared her incredibly diverse journey that began as a student at St Aidan’s and now sees her conserve, and inform people about Australian animals through her work. She seamlessly moves between the worlds of art and science and sees both as being equally inspirational.
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Donations
Reunions Each year we host Young Old Girls, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 year reunions as well as interstate events for all graduating years. We hope you enjoy our photographic highlights from these joyful events.
Young Old Girls REUNION
10 Year
REUNION
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20 Year
REUNION
30 Year
REUNION
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40 Year
REUNION
50 Year
REUNION
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Ascension Day 120 Old Girls joined us to celebrate St Aidan’s 90th birthday with a delicious high tea luncheon at the Brisbane Club followed by a service at St John’s Cathedral. We were delighted to incorporate a special reunion gathering for Old Girls from 1949 (70 year reunion) and 1959 (60 year reunion) as part of the luncheon.
60 Yea r
REUNION
70 Year
REUNION
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2020
Re u n i o n s & E ve n t s at St Aidan’s 40 Year Reunion
Sunday 17 May, 12 noon
50 Year Reunion
Tuesday 19 May, 10am
Ascension Day 60 & 70 Year Reunions Thursday 21 May, 11am
Young Old Girls Drinks Friday 22 May, 5pm
(Graduating students from 2011 to 2019)
20 Year Reunion
Saturday 23 May, 12 noon
10 Year Reunion
Saturday 23 May, 6pm
30 Year Reunion
Sunday 24 May, 12 noon
15 Year Reunion
Saturday 30 May, 12 noon
Don’t miss your event invitation, update your details www.staidans.qld.edu.au/community/alumni or email paststudents@staidans.qld.edu.au Follow us www.facebook.com/st.paststudents
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THE LAST WORD
The Last Word Living Abundantly There is a gospel story told by Jesus about a rich fool. The fool has done well for himself, and his land has been greatly productive. Revelling in his good fortune, the fool decides to tear down his barns and build bigger barns to cope with the abundant harvest. This seems like a sensible thing to do! He tells himself to eat, drink and be merry, and celebrate his wealth. Alas, for the poor fool, as that very night ‘his life was demanded of him’. What good now were his bigger barn and all that grain, when he was not around to enjoy it? The moral of the story comes easily – life does not consist in the abundance of one’s possessions! St Aidan’s has reached a grand milestone of 90 Years, a true abundance of years. But we are not fools, and we know that the value of St Aidan’s does not lie in that abundance. It is not being around for a long time that makes us special. There are plenty of older schools! What I think makes St Aidan’s a remarkable place is the connections that exist between the lives that have unfolded here, the countless students, staff and families who have been associated with us.
I recently shared some of the early stories of the Sisters with the peak bodies of the school community and what came clearly through those stories was absolute importance of people, especially the young and the vulnerable. The Sisters looked for opportunities to nurture and enrich the lives of those in their care, often in very poor circumstances. It is the love and compassion, not the buildings and possessions, that we remember with gratitude. As we draw to the close of our celebration year, it is right to give thanks to God for both the abundance of years and the abundance we have shared in over those 90 years. In our alumni, in our current students, in all whose lives have been part of our common life, we have been richly blessed. Let us not be fools, and store up these blessings for ourselves, but continue to share them well beyond the school gates, for many more years to come. The Reverend Gillian Moses Chaplain
Anglican Girls’ School
St Aidan’s
AUTHENTIC CARING CONFIDENT C R E AT I V E CONNECTED
11 Ruthven St, Corinda Qld 4075 Australia P +61 7 3373 5999 F +61 7 3379 9432 E reception@staidans.qld.edu.au www.staidans.qld.edu.au A School of the Society of the Sacred Advent ABN 71079817981 CRICOS Provider Number 01194k