the Bridge The magazine of Brigidine College St Ives
November 2016
Contents
Principal’s Message
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he year 2016 has been an exciting and successful one for the College with a variety of achievements across a broad range of areas. I often write or speak about holistic education but I cannot stress too emphatically the impact that has on girls to develop into well-rounded young women with the capacity to act in the world with wisdom and strength. Opportunities abound for greater participation and what we see at Brigidine are the benefits of involvement and the capacity building that comes from this. The girls who are most successful academically are almost always involved in a range of activities from leadership through to sport, music, debating, mock trial, drama, social justice and service. We should never underestimate the value of this involvement. Girls learn to balance the demands of these activities, excel in time management and ultimately succeed. I mentioned in the first edition of The Bridge this year, the impact of quality teaching on student learning and, in this edition, it is pleasing to be able to bring to you a brief overview of the research and recommendations made by the Brigidine teaching staff to improve practice in our community. It is a great source of pride to see the investment made by the staff in their own school and ultimately their recommendations come to fruition. The talent of the girls and their ability to rise to the challenge of competition have been commendable. The Dance Spectacular and the achievements of the Eisteddfod groups, the Senior Vocal Ensemble winning the National A Capella Championship, the Sports Aerobics Teams winning in NSW and going to the national titles in Queensland, the selection of girls in NSW and national sporting teams and individual representation are just some of the worthy moments in the year. Add to that the notifications of academic excellence filtering through from the NSW Board of Studies in the HSC, the Tournament of Minds’ successes and many more than are possible to list here, and you have a school that thrives in all arenas. There might come a time when we don’t enjoy so much success and, when that happens, we will focus on developing humility rather than pride but, until then, we will continue to encourage participation and enjoy any success that comes from it, especially the growth in confidence of our girls. Jane Curran Principal
4 Graduation Week 4 Congratulations to the Class of 2016
5 The ALTitude Project 5 Action Learning Teams with attitude
8 Spotlight on Staff 8 Behind the Scenes 9 Meet the Board
10 Latest News 10 2017 Student Leaders announced 11 ‘Under the Surface’ at Brigidine 12 Community connections in Goodooga 13 A visit from Malek Fahd Islamic School
14 Our Community 14 2016 Snapshots 16 Love, Peace and Trivia 17 Annual Giving
Issue 2, November 2016 www.brigidine.nsw.edu.au
18 Event Highlights 18 Speaking with eloquence 19 Impressive Filmmakers Awards 20 Romeo(s) and Juliet 21 Creativity on Display
22 Sport and Cocurricular Clubs 22 Sport and Club Highlights 23 Kicking goals in Sport development 24 A Spectacular Event 25 Scaling new heights in Music
26 Back to Brigidine 26 Alumni events 28 Weddings 29 Births and Deaths 30 Where are they now?
Graduation Week
Congratulations to the Class of 2016
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Action Learning Teams with attitude The ALTitude Project
It is generally accepted that the single most significant contributor to student success is the quality of the teacher. Research over the past 20 years confirms this and our own experiences as children support the idea that we excelled where we had respect for the teacher and the teacher’s knowledge and capacity to “switch us on”.
where teachers are taking on new challenges with their methodologies, sharing successful practice with colleagues and modelling to students their own capacity and willingness to adapt and change. All of this has the single purpose of enhancing quality teaching and learning, thus enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes.
… the quality of teaching and learning provision are by far the most salient influences on students’ cognitive, affective, social and behavioural outcomes of schooling … what matters most in making schools better is quality teaching: by competent teachers beginning with initial teacher education and training supported by strategic, ongoing capacity building via teacher professional development.1
This openness to growth gave us the confidence to take the challenge one step further. The Leadership Team identified 11 areas within the College that might benefit from research and review. These areas were:
Over the past few years, Brigidine has witnessed the growth of a more collaborative learning community
• Student Leadership • Service Learning • Spiritual Formation in the Development of Girls’ Wellbeing • Optimising Student Wellbeing • Optimising Professional Learning • Learning spaces.
• Alternative modes of delivery • Neuroscience and adolescent learning • STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) • Assessment for Years 7–9 • Learning Beyond the Classroom
practical significance little training needed
purpose: to improve practice
literature review plus what is happening in other schools
flexible, quick timeframes
connect with innovative practices across the globe
generate new insights
contribute to research and practice
“The Importance of teaching: ensuring better schooling by building teacher capacities that maximise the quality of teaching and learning provision – implication of findings from the international and Australian evidence-based research.” Dr Kenneth J Rowe, Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) 2004
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Action Learning Teams with attitude The ALTitude Project
will focus on the areas of STEM, Literacy, Student Leadership and Social Justice. A Project Leader has been appointed to each of these areas to continue the work done in the ALTitude Project and implement initiatives.
STEM
Every teacher chose a topic of interest to them and, in groups, began their action research. Action research is the integration of action (implementing a plan) with research (understanding what is effective). In other words, researching an area with the express purpose of bringing about change which improves practice and consequently outcomes. The Action research became known as ALTitude (Action Learning Teams with attitude)!
The ALTitude Project began in Term 3 2015 and concluded in July 2016. Each group presented its findings and wrote a report which currently is being published in a professional journal for the staff to keep as evidence of their work. Each Project Group has also met with the Principal to discuss their recommendations. The first phase of recommendations will come into effect from 2017. These
The ALTitude Project, as it became known, had the secondary purpose of allowing teachers a voice in the improvement of their school. Too often it is forgotten that teachers are highly educated with the professionalism and understanding to contribute to their workplace and add value to a student’s educational experience. There were four phases to the ALTitude Project: research, reporting, implementing and evaluating. The research involved various methodologies including academic research, surveys, visiting other schools and institutions, conversations with experts, guest speakers and conferences.
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The Project Leader STEM will be responsible for the development, implementation, delivery and monitoring of STEM initiatives and opportunities. While the College has many of these in place, the Project Leader will bring these into a cohesive whole and develop them further. The Project Leader STEM will work with the teachers of Mathematics, Science and TAS, the Centre for Excellence Coordinator and the Honours Coordinator to organise and promote interdisciplinary STEM activities that are aligned with both the curriculum and cocurriculum programs within the College. The STEM project will draw on research provided by STEM, Neuroscience and Adolescent Learning, Alternative Modes of Delivery, Assessment for Years 7–9, Learning Spaces and Learning Beyond the Classroom.
The ALTitude Project
Literacy
Student Leadership
The Project Leader Literacy will be responsible for the development, implementation, delivery and monitoring of a whole school literacy policy in accordance with the Australian Curriculum. They will work with the Heads of Departments and teachers to organise and embed literacy initiatives and practice in all areas of teaching and learning. The Literacy project will draw on research provided by Neuroscience and Adolescent, Assessment for Years 7–9, Learning Spaces and Learning Beyond the Classroom.
The Project Leader Student Leadership will draw on the research provided by the ALTitude project on Student Leadership, Service Learning, Optimising Student Wellbeing and Spiritual Formation in the Development of Girls’ Wellbeing to “ensure that students learn about varying ways of leadership practice so they can reach their potential” (ALTitude 2016). The Project Leader will use the research to implement initiatives to develop leadership capacity and implement processes that enable this to occur. They will review Student Leadership within the College and embed programs that build capacity from Year 7 up, working with Year Coordinators,
The Australian Curriculum mandates the interdisciplinary nature of the Literacy continuum represented in the diagram below.
Mentors and classroom teachers. In addition, they will explore more effective ways for developing student voice within the College.
Social Justice The Project Leader Social Justice will work with the Assistant Principal Religious Formation, Liturgy Team, Year Coordinators and Project Leader Student Leadership to organise and promote Social Justice activities that are aligned with the Strategic Plan of the College and the broader context of Kildare Ministries. They will have oversight of current programs in charity, Justice and Democracy and the Year 10 Community Involvement Program and draw on the research provided by Student Leadership, Service Learning, Optimising Student Wellbeing and Spiritual Formation in the Development of Girls’ Wellbeing. They will develop the framework within which Social Justice initiatives sit and seek out opportunities for new initiatives as the research tells us that social justice is integral to girls’ understanding and practice of leadership and their wellbeing. These positions will come into effect in 2017. While some initiatives will be immediately evident, the Project Leaders will develop a staged plan for implementation in 2018. Jane Curran Principal
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Spotlight on Staff
Behind the Scenes Staff profile:
Amy Hockey College Psychologist Amy Hockey is a Clinical Psychologist who has worked with adolescents in various settings for over 15 years. After completing her undergraduate degree, Amy travelled extensively and worked as a volunteer helping underprivileged youth in Asia, Central America and Hawaii. She returned home to complete her Masters in Clinical Psychology and first arrived at Brigidine in 2009.
Aquathlon Age Group World Championships In September, Learning Support teacher Irene Burkett competed in the Aquathlon Age Group World Championships held on Cozumel Island Mexico after qualifying in the Australian National race earlier this year. Completing the 5km run and 1km swim in extremely hot and humid conditions, Irene was very pleased with her results. She rewarded herself by taking an extended holiday through Mexico and Cuba.
Highly Accomplished Recognised by BOSTES In August, BOSTES President Tom Alegounarias recognised the teachers in NSW who have achieved accreditation at the level of Highly Accomplished or Lead Teacher based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. Only around 150 teachers have achieved these levels at this stage. The process is
Amy loves working in an educational setting alongside teachers, and is very happy to have psychologist, Clarissa
Tebbatt, on board as a welcome addition to the counselling team this year. Together they are currently working on some exciting projects which they hope will provide prevention and timely intervention for a wide range of wellbeing needs amongst our students.
rigorous and acknowledges the excellent work being done. Kath Tobin, English teacher at Brigidine College, was acknowledged at this ceremony having been among the first to be accredited Highly Accomplished. Kath has been generous in her encouragement and guidance of new teachers undergoing their accreditation at Proficient Teacher level.
Walking for a Cause Drama teacher, Chris Rutherford, has been a long-time supporter of a cancer centre in Melbourne that bears Olivia Newton-John’s name. Since opening in 2012, the ONJ Cancer, Wellness & Research Centre has quickly become a world leader in its field, offering an innovative wellness program that focuses on the holistic treatment of its patients with activities such as art and music therapy, massage and meditation. In September, Chris flew to Melbourne and participated in the ONJCWRC’s annual Wellness Walk raising funds that allow these complementary treatment programs to continue. Inspired by his family’s experience with cancer, he was generously supported by Brigidine staff and students who helped him to raise over $4300 for the cause. His team was also the highest fundraiser, contributing over $41,000 and receiving a special The Bridge
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mention from Olivia on her Facebook page! He even managed to walk beside Olivia for much of the distance, crossing the 5km finish line with her. Don’t forget to come and see the 2017 Brigidine musical, an adaptation of Olivia’s 1980 film Xanadu – maybe for next year’s Walk, Chris will have his roller skates on!
Spotlight on Staff
News from Abroad Head of Drama, DiAnne McDonald, will be coming home with inspiring ideas and themes as part of a professional development Drama Teacher Tour. A highlight of the trip has been a special performance of the play Oedipus Rex at the Greek Theatre of Epidavros – the most amazing Ancient Greek theatre and the original place where Oedipus was performed in 550BC! Here’s what she had to say about the experience:
“I was cast as Oedipus’ wife, Jocasta. It was singularly the most incredible moment I’ve had as a performer. Tourist groups stopped to watch as we performed in 38C heat amidst the ghosts of the ancient performers.” DiAnne McDonald, Head of Drama
Meet the Board Dr Kerry-Ann O’Sullivan I am a “Brigidine girl” – a past College Vice Captain and Prague House Captain, a former Head of English, and briefly, College Board Director in 2007. Brigidine Sisters have nurtured me, as teachers and as my friends, with their warmth, intelligence and committed service over many years. Now, as a
Australian All Schools Athletics Championships Learning Support teacher, Carmel McCudden, has been selected as the female Para-Team Manager at the 2016 Australian All Schools Athletics Championships. College alumna and a senior academic and member of the Academic Senate at Macquarie University, I’m privileged to contribute my professional expertise in education, research and governance as well as sharing my enduring passion for the College. I’m inspired by the strength and gentleness of all of the Brigidine community, the obvious beauty of its people and place. There is a tangible spirit of inclusive welcoming, deep humanity, and a love of learning.
Koos Kruger During my tenure on the Board the key focus has been on the future planning of the College and how that translates to the facilities that are required to meet those needs. As Chair of the Future Planning Committee of the Board, our focus has been on overseeing the
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The pinnacle of Australia’s Athletics development pathway, the Australian All Schools Championships will be conducted at the AIS Track and Field Centre, Canberra, over three days in December. The event sees the best school-aged track and field athletes compete for the coveted title of national champion. This competition provides young athletes with an opportunity to qualify for the IAAF World Junior Championships. In her role as female Para-Team Manager, Carmel will be ensuring that all athletes are well prepared for their events and liaise with Technical Officials. building development at the College and ensuring that the Master Plan remains relevant. Being a member of the Board provides an opportunity to give something back to the community I live in, and I believe that Brigidine College is a key contributor to the St Ives community. Brigidine will always have a special place for me, as it has provided a solid foundation for my daughter and continues to do so for many girls on a daily basis – Strength and Gentleness.
Latest News
2017 Student Leaders announced C
ongratulations to our student leaders for 2017. A variety of girls, each of them different and unique who will bring their own special quality to the role they assume. At their core is the common humanity that connects us all and their shared purpose to serve their school and the students and staff within it. They have the support of all of us and this will give them the courage to lead with strength and gentleness. Jane Curran Principal
Honours: Sonia Elliott and Laura Watts
Senior Six
Hockey: Sophie Callaghan-Gilmour and Emily Thornton
College Captain: Valentina Buay Senior Vice Captain: Sophie Wright
Justice and Democracy: Elizabeth Gehringer and Amelia Malone
Vice Captain Houses and Sport: Chloe Grant
Languages: Sophie Hyde
Vice Captain Social Justice: Raihana Mangal Vice Captain Academic: Celine Nalbandian
Lourdes: Georgia Hooper and Sarah Lhuede
Vice Captain Student Leadership: Joanna Oud
Prague: Olivia Ramage and Natasha Warian
Year Ambassadors Grace Atkinson Elizabeth Chan Leah Dawson Annelise Hall Madeleine Harry
Club, Sporting and Cocurricular Leaders Art: Helena Ammitzboell and Daniela Caruso Athletics: Courtney Young Basketball: Natasha Warian and Hannah Wong Dance: Mia Barbour and Claire Thomson Debating: Caitlin Thai
House Captains Fatima: Ashley Roberts and Ellen Weiley Kildare: Thea Azzouni and Juliet Costanzo
Drama: Sonia Elliott and Devina Maurice DEA: Elizabeth Gehringer and Melinda Thomas Football: Bianca Avanus and Alexandra Cheeseman The Bridge
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Mock Trial: Sarah Lhuede and Zoe Palacios Music: Linda Borthwick and Abby Flynn Netball: Renee Davison and Anna Silva Public Speaking: Caitlin Thai Softball: Katie Kimmorley and Claire Zillman Sports Aerobics: Jessica McNamara and Emma Shlager Swimming: Francesca Copas Taekwondo: Isabelle Tezak Tennis: Lauren Djani and Melinda Thomas Textiles: Meredith Paterson Touch Football: Jessica O’Donnell and Sarah Wackett Volleyball: Renee Davison and Emily Thornton
November 2016
Latest News
‘Under the Surface’ at Brigidine at planning tasks and assessments with student wellbeing in mind and created time for more reflection, mindfulness and thinking about teacher feedback. This work is ongoing; with more teacher training and with wider experience the Positive Education principles will continue to grow and enable more girls to have a sense of accomplishment and health, have more effective relationships and be more engaged in their education and its purpose.
O
ver a number of years, the levels of students experiencing stress and anxiety have increased in the community. There are many factors for this including changes to parenting styles, increased pressure for placement in school and for future success as well as the normal adolescent pressure around conforming and identity. It was time to look ‘under the surface’ of the seemingly confident and calm students in the community and explore more of the issues they were really concerned with in their lives. Brigidine College began a proactive approach in 2012 known as ‘Positive Education’ which explored the notion of positive psychology and the art of human flourishing. This was developed and applied to the Pastoral program at the College promoting a positive mindset, outlook, supportive practices like yoga, exercise, hydration, greater sleep time and developing character strengths. Links were also made to our Camps program and students were encouraged to know their strengths and apply them to their lives and learning through pastoral presentations and inspirational guest speakers. It was felt that with greater levels of social and emotional intelligence and by being more aware of a healthy mind and body, students would be able to better manage the inevitable challenges and pressures of teenage life. The College also looked
With a recent survey of student health at Brigidine revealing similar levels to the national average in stress, anxiety and depression it was also timely to increase the ‘safety net’ for students who experience these debilitating impediments to their education. In 2016 the College increased its Counselling options to two full-time Psychologists. Currently Mrs Amy Hockey and Mrs Clarissa Tebbatt are working effectively in partnership to support a range of student emotional needs and provide the skills for assessment of students and a thorough understanding of student mental health and social issues. They are an integral part of the Pastoral Team focused on student ‘wellbeing’ and have been proactive in setting up online resources for students and getting out amongst the students to reduce anxiety around ‘speaking to a counsellor’ and talking with a trusted adult about their concerns. In June, the College staged a parent evening in the Murray Theatre to outline the survey information and the statistics around student mental health and the impact of social media. The 200 parents who attended were taken through the data and then shown The Bridge
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how the College is responding to these current issues for our girls. More work is to be done with parents in providing some of the Positive Education literacy so that both parents and educators can speak the same language to the girls to provide a supportive and effective partnership and framework. There are many issues facing our girls, including increased sexualisation of girls in the media and on social media, cyber safety concerns and a 24/7 connection to one another, and the many challenges to their sense of worth, identity and belonging. With this dual approach of enabling the strong to flourish and providing an opportunity for the weak to be supported, we feel we are doing more for student wellbeing in the College and providing the chance for more girls to reach their potential and make a difference. Brian Loughland Assistant Principal Pastoral Care
College Psychologists Amy Hockey (left) and Clarissa Tebbatt November 2016
Latest News
Community connections in Goodooga met on this trip has brought about an understanding of others in me. Goodooga started off as just a place on a map quite far away from where I live, but now that I have been there it is so much more. Ella Clements The immersion taught me how important family and community are and to value all the opportunities I am presented with, especially education. It opened my eyes to the challenges that come with living in a remote, rural area and made me re-evaluate some aspects of my own life. The people of Goodooga don’t have a lot in the way of material possessions, but they do have a great deal when it comes to the happiness found in family and their community.
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he journey to Goodooga Central School in August was a brilliant opportunity for fifteen Year 10 students to learn more about our Indigenous culture while experiencing the traditional Brigidine values of generosity and service. With nights spent sleeping on the library floor, days were spent getting to know the Goodooga Central School students, both primary and high school. Helping to prepare for the Community Goodooga Games Disco and Games Day with traditional music, dance and games was a special honour. We are so privileged to have shared this unique experience. Well done to all girls for demonstrating the true Brigidine spirit at all times. We will all treasure the relationships and memories for years to come. The girls were asked to reflect on their Goodooga experience. Here are some of their responses. Kate Ryder and David Chant Teaching Staff
Jacinta McGrath
Immersing yourself in a different culture means you get to experience things from a totally different perspective – I did not realise just how much I would take away from this experience! It taught me to be grateful for what you have, not to stress over the little things, the importance of family and community, and that even the smallest of actions, like a simple smile, can have the greatest impact. Hannah Collins I loved being able to interact with Indigenous people and learn more about their culture and their spirituality, as well as its importance to their everyday lives. It really opened my eyes to another aspect of Australian culture that can often be neglected or forgotten. Recognising this and being able to actively take part to make a difference is not only rewarding, but a life-changing experience. Lucy McKern I now understand that there are other people out there that may be roughing it much worse than all Brigidine girls but they still have such amazing personalities and their smiles made the immersion all the more worthwhile. The connections made with all of the inspiring people we The Bridge
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Overall the trip was one of growth, where we learned to be patient, erase prejudicial views and embrace the community. It taught me how lucky we are to be living in Sydney with dedicated teachers, government support services and financial support. Living in a community and being the minority was confronting but the goodness of the community did not make us feel like the minority because we became family. This experience is so genuine and real – you hear real stories and talk to real people who will influence you for the rest of your life though you may never see them again. You talk to people who are just as interested in you as you are of them, and the indescribable goodness of everyone we met shone through. Eloise Carroll We were all so surprised by the fact everyone there knew each other, it felt like they were one big family. It made me think how different it is to living in places like Sydney where everything seems to happen so quickly without us truly appreciating the little things such as these crucial community connections. I have gained a greater insight into different ways of life which has helped me to broaden my own outlook of the world and issues in our society. The immersion has also helped me develop a greater appreciation of community connections. Annabelle Ambrogio
Latest News
A visit from Malek Fahd Islamic School A
ll schools plan and program a diverse curriculum that encourages students to think critically, engage with real world problems and contemplate solutions underpinned by contemporary values that are founded on mutual respect, tolerance, fair play and a compassionate regard for others. At a time when we are bombarded with information and news that is invariably selective and frequently funnelled through the lens of terrorism, causing many people to feel anxious and others to feel affirmed in their ignorance, schools have needed to consider the role they can play to address this. In schools therefore, programs are continually being evaluated to select topics and activities that challenge students’ thinking about their world and their role in it, encouraging them to be appropriately informed before developing an opinion whilst at the same time remaining open to alternative viewpoints that might change that opinion. In August, such an opportunity occurred when Year 10 were able to return the hospitality that had been shown to them by the Malek Fahd Islamic School, a school that represents a highlight when Year 10 visit on their Urban Challenge Camp. Twenty-nine girls and four teachers arrived, striking a sharp contrast to our girls in their ankle length skirts and bright white headscarves. It was a breath of fresh air to observe the warm welcome, to listen to the curious questions and to note the respectful religious consideration of each other. One could not help but see that they were all Australian girls sharing a common story of adolescence. The inevitable question of “What is it like to be a Muslim girl in Australia?” was asked of the girls from Malek Fahd. It was answered by Juwariya Malik, a Year 11 girl, at the College assembly. Her message, insights, self-deprecating humour and simple ordinariness were a rare treat for which she received long, rapturous applause. What Juwariya shared with the girls is worth sharing with the Brigidine community; it contains simple truths upon which we can all reflect. Sue Martin Assistant Principal Teaching and Learning
When I was first researching this topic, it was as if typing “Muslim...girl… Australia…” in the same sentence in the Google search bar, was some sort of trigger, and after clicking enter, for miles and miles there was not one positive article to be seen. There were words like terrorism, and Islamophobia, and Pauline Hanson! It almost put me off, to be honest, from writing this. Like a big ‘NOPE’ flashing in LED lights. But then I came across something that changed my perspective. I’m sure you’ve all heard of the 7pm Project…One of the hosts of the show, Waleed Aly, a Muslim, recently won a gold Logie for TV week, as chosen by the audience. Let me repeat that, as chosen by the audience. The Australian people. His acceptance speech was honestly one of the most inspirational pieces I’ve heard since Barack Obama was elected (Yes, We Can!). But it wasn’t just his witty delivery, or charming attitude that encouraged me to share this story with you, it was actually when the video ended, and I scrolled down the page, down the video, to the comments. They were primarily of encouragement! In a world brimming with fear and hostility, seeing comments of absolute strangers, encouraging and stimulating positivity, for not only Waleed, not only for Muslims, but for every Australian citizen striving to be a better person, and human, really made me glad to be an Australian. To be honest, being a Muslim girl is predominantly no different to being any kind of girl in Australia. We have the same kind of problems: lack of sleep, procrastination, binge TV watching, Macca’s runs, Weetbix for breakfast, last minute assignments, impulsive buys from Gloria Jeans, and the list goes on and on. But you all must be wondering, what is it really like being a Muslim out in public…Recently, it’s become increasingly difficult for Muslims like
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myself to easily roam around in the public eye. And that brings me to the elephant in the room, terror. Now, let me make this abundantly clear. Islam does not support, encourage, or incite any form of unprovoked terror over the innocent. Large terror-inciting groups, such as (you guessed it) ISIS, the Taliban, the KKK, and so on, are absolute abominations, and pathetic excuses of any form of representation of religion. There is no possible justification for the murder of any human being. And for a group such as ISIS to victimise and blatantly murder humans all over the world, and then pin it all on the religion of Islam is poignant. A religion which advocates peace, which says in its holy book, the Quran, “Whosoever kills an innocent human being, it shall be as if he has killed all mankind, and whosoever saves the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind.” (Chapter 49, Verse 10). How can this ideology possibly be responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent civilians across the world, the murder of people who are not Muslims, but also those who ARE Muslims. Around 82–97% of those massacred by ISIS are actually Muslims! Terrorism is just disgusting. Period. And in a time of these blatant violations of human rights, instead of being a society divided by a hateful minority, the larger portion of Australian society should and does remain the strong multicultural nation it is, and has always been. Why should we all listen to racists and bigots, when we can uphold true Australian values, values of mateship, togetherness and brotherhood? Because at the end of the day, we are all Australians. We are born in this country, and FOR this country. So let’s forget all the hate, and have a halal snack pack together. Juwariya Malik Malek Fahd Islamic School
2016 Snapshots Founders Day
Father’s Day Mass
Gold Duke of Edinburgh
Year 9 Commerce Market Day Open Day
Past Staff Lunch and Sr Anita’s birthday
The Greatest Shave The Bridge
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Year 10 Indigenous Awareness Day
Year 10 St Vincent de Pau l Winter Appeal
Winter Sleep Out
Music Gala Concert
Year 7 Grandparents Day
Year 8 Afternoon Year 9 Mothers Brunch The Bridge
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Love, Peace and Trivia P&F Trivia Night
Woodstock 2016 or was it 1969? “Are you on the bus, or off the bus?” That was the question we asked 300 guests at this year’s annual Trivia and Auction night and the answer was most definitely “We are on the bus!” As guests entered Bowie Hall they were transported back to Woodstock 1969. The vibe was awesome and the outfits superb. Winners of the Best Dressed Table went to The Scooby Doo team, whilst Gabrielle Sheridan and Peter Geftakis won Best Dressed Female and Male. The aim of this year’s event was to raise funds towards the cost of one of two new College buses. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would cover the entire cost of a bus, but that is exactly what we did! Thanks to the generous donations of auction items from our parent community, their enthusiastic bidding on the auction site and the amazing support from our sponsors we bought the bus! I had great pleasure in handing over a cheque on behalf of the P&F to College Principal, Jane Curran, for $41,000. On behalf of the P&F I would like to extend special thanks to our Sponsors for their support of this event. Thanks also to the businesses that were kind enough to donate items for the auction and raffle. These donations were vital in helping us reach our target and we are extremely grateful for their support. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the huge efforts of an amazing team. The creative flare of Suzanne AbelaHartard, the witty communications
from Patty Isabelle, the persuasive skills of Frances Whitfield and Sarah Gillard, plus Penny Wilkinson, Debbie Jenkins, Maria Lowe, Shona Cooley and Ingrid Eyres for their organisation of bookings, wrapping and décor, and of course the masters of the raffle, Jim Breen and Kieran Flynn. These parents together with the dedicated support of the talented College Maintenance Team made it happen!
With the Trivia Night completed and our mission accomplished, we are already planning the 2017 Welcome Cocktail Party. I look forward to seeing you all there, on what promises to be another special night! Pip Inman P&F President
Thank you to our sponsors: Principal Sponsor:
exetel.com.au
Gold Sponsors:
fujixerox.com.au
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americanexpress.com/australia
November 2016
Silver Sponsors:
brasvgroup.com.au
forestcoachlines.com.au
Our Community
Annual Giving Departments, Brigidine girls can have some imaginative experiences which are encouraging them to delve further in their study of STEM. One of the key objectives of these initiatives is to expose students to real world applications of STEM and to motivate a continuance of interest thus creating a pipeline for future innovators.
We know that choosing a career path today is complex and no longer a life-time decision “But did you know that 75% of the fastest growing occupations now require STEM skills and knowledge?” Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) have always been important but now more than ever. Preparing our girls for the future needs to involve STEM because the career and further study options are far greater for those with skills in these areas. Yet beyond a career focus STEM is also intertwined in our everyday life from the mechanical to the complexity of modern technology. It is through knowledge of the fields of STEM that we gain understanding of the world in which we live today. We are indeed surrounded by technology.
With experience and skills in robotics and coding we can see them emerging further as the scientists, mathematicians and engineers of tomorrow.
Help us today. Make your gift online through our website www.brigidine.nsw.edu.au by clicking on Support then Annual Giving. You can click the Donate Now button to take you straight to Payments. Whatever your gift, it will be greatly appreciated and will make a difference to our girls. Di Lawrence Director Development and Community Relations
Fostering engagement in STEM depends on two things: inspiring teaching and inspiring resources. This year’s Annual Giving projects are supporting the acquisition of Engineering Robotics and Electronics Coding kits to give our girls hands-on experience. The introduction of a STEM Project Leader on staff in 2017 will support these opportunities. These projects have received support from parents, alumni and donors but we have not yet reached our goal to make these resources available. We thank the following donors and those who chose to give anonymously Wendy Baxter
Jaime and Cecilia Ferrer
Jenny Bellenger Paul and Maria Bezinovic Biggs Family Bowesman Family
Furthermore a STEM education creates critical thinkers through its approach to problem solving and cultivation of a sense of curiosity and intrigue. It “allows young minds to challenge their world, understand new concepts, make wellinformed decisions and pursue new interests – effectively enabling the next generation of innovators.” (http://www.3plearning.com/au/stem/)
Camilleri Family
At Brigidine College girls are introduced to the breadth of STEM thinking across a range of subjects, courses and activities. However, through initiatives in Robotics and Coding in our Science and TAS
Rolfe Family Rose Family
Tracy Gill
DiAnne McDonald
Anthony Rous
Gillard/Boyse Family
Sue Martin
Angela Glover
Silvestro and Rose Morabito
Philippa Goddard
Caroline Mouret
Coakes Family Cooley Family
Griffiths Family
Cornes Family
Graham Hughes
Crowe Family
Debbie Jenkins
Jane Curran
Judd Family
Sean Dengate
Keyser Family
Elliott Family Encina Family
Charity and Paresh Khandhar
Fang Family
Pat Landon
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Angelika and Stephen Lewis
Karen and Michael Reid
Maher Family
John and Geok Gordon
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Di Lawrence
November 2016
Anne and Peter Nanayakkara Raimund Navakas Kerry-Ann O’Sullivan Lindsay Piacentini Kerrie Powell Prins Family Preziuso Family
Russo Family Joanne Seve and Francis Kelly Leone Smyth David Supierz Surjan Family Sharni Tucker Vitoria Family Wang Family Diane and Stephen Ward Stuart Wilson Wilson Family Jack Zhu and Christine Shen
Event Highlights
Speaking with eloquence
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Brigidine College Public Speaking Competition The finals of the annual Brigidine Public Speaking Competition were held at the College in September. Students spoke on challenging topics such as: • “Did I miss anything?” (Year 7) • “The gift of words” (Year 8) • “I was told there would be cake” (Year 9) • “Well behaved women rarely make history” (Year 10) • “The pen is mightier than the keyboard” (Year 11). Our guest speaker was Georgia Boyle, College Captain Class of 2011. Georgia spoke about how her embracing of public speaking opportunities at Brigidine had
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Year 8
helped shape her career success in the areas of public relations and journalism.
Highly commended: Chloe Christie, Claudia Dixon, Laura Collins
The adjudicators included Brigidine alumni who commented on the high standard of the speeches as well as the strong sense of social justice and knowledge of current affairs evident in the presentations.
Winner: Abigail Ries Year 9 Highly commended: Olivia McNamara, Sarah Lowry, Helena Smith Winner: Grace Mirabello
The prizes were awarded by Sr Anita Murray and College Principal Jane Curran, with the overall winner being Valentina Buay (Year 11).
Year 10
Congratulations to all participants.
Highly commended: Matilda Christie, Abby Butler, Ciara Flynn
The prize winners were:
Winner: Aimee Miller Year 11
Year 7
Highly commended: Grace Atkinson, Kate Hoefnagels, Laura Watts
Highly commended: Tara Thai, Charlotte Price, Stella Hall
Pat Moran Prize for Runner Up: Sonia Elliott
Winner: Courtney Wilkinson 3.
Overall Winner: Valentina Buay Brett Harrison Head of English 1. Vicky Boyd Class of 2010, Katherine Goode Class of 2015, Stephanie Long Class of 2014, Amy-Elizabeth Dugan Class of 2014, Isabella Christenson Class of 2014, Nyssa Chennell-Dutton Class of 2011, with guest speaker Georgia Boyle Class of 2011. 2. Year 11 winners (L–R): Laura Watts, Sonia Elliott and Valentina Buay. 3. Winners of the 2016 Public Speaking Competition, Years 7–9.
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Event Highlights
Impressive Filmmakers Awards T
he BrigFest 2016 Short Film Festival Awards were celebrated in August with another night of impressive productions. Our judging panel was delighted with the quality of the productions and the tremendous response from 53 budding filmmakers! The event and competition were made possible through not only the efforts of the girls, their parents and staff but also through the ongoing support of our Principal, Jane Curran, who introduced this competition in 2010. We also thank our judges who gave their time and expertise to the competition: Brett Harrison, Chris Rutherford, DiAnne McDonald, Lu Buckley, Lucille Flory, Sharon Cimon and Louise Smith (Film Depot). Thanks also to Leah Crockett in planning and running the event and the Girls in Black for their technical assistance. We are sincerely grateful to our sponsors for the Award prizes: East Coast Audio Visual (Rob Muir), Videocraft, Film Depot (Louise Smith) and AFTRS – The Australian Film, Television and Radio School.
Prizes included an AFTRS voucher for $500 towards a short film course, Sony bluetooth speakers from ECAV, Videocraft vouchers valued at $250, a filmmakers tutorial with Producer Louise Smith and VMax movie vouchers. We congratulate all the entrants on their fine work and look forward to seeing even more entries next year. The winners of the 2016 BrigFest Awards are: Years 7 and 8 category Highly commended: Micaela Mulholland and Catherine Failla for Worth a lifetime, and Charlotte Thomson and Charlotte Price for Mirror Mirror
Winner: Zephya Semaan, Caitlyn Pryor, Dyandra Prins and Hannah Emms for Girl in the Mirror Years 9 and 10 category Highly commended: Georgia North for Step Out Winner: London Hartard for Run Years 11 and 12 category Highly commended: Mimi Rosenbaum for A simple reflection Winner: Therese Kelly for The Castle Mirrored Encouragement Award: Natalie Guyot of Year 7 for Serious Revenge Overall Best Film for 2016: London Hartard of Year 9 for Run Di Lawrence Director Development and Community Relations
Highly Commended award recipient Georgia North (Year 10) with Overall Best Film Winner London Hartard (Year 9) and Louise Smith of Film Depot.
Thank you to our sponsors: The Bridge
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Head to the BrigidineStIves YouTube channel to watch the Overall Best Film for 2016 – Run by London Hartard.
Romeo(s) and Juliet Year 11 Play
Verona. 2016. Somewhere in Sydney. Juliet Capulet, young daughter of Deputy Mayor and shady property developer Lord Capulet, and his flamboyant trophy wife, Lady Capulet, is a social media devotee and doesn’t realise the dangers that lurk within the digital world. When she connects to the Romeo(s) hidden online, it can only mean one thing. Or does it?
Ellen DeGeneres and Taylor Swift, who collectively have 420 million followers! Today the ubiquitous cyber world that our students inhabit is difficult to navigate from the outside.
Romeo and Juliet is arguably one of the most well-loved (pun intended) plays in the world. Exactly 20 years ago Baz Luhrmann’s landmark film production propelled an innocent and sweet-faced young Leonardo di Caprio onto the world, and offered a fresh and contemporary perspective for modern audiences. In the Drama Department we teach Shakespeare in Performance as part of our Year 10 Drama studies, and it’s always struck me how many students believe that Shakespeare has no relevance to their world, or that they simply don’t ‘get’ Shakespeare. So this production was an attempt to allow our students to ‘get’ our glorious bard. We live in a world where Instagram and Twitter have decreed that the most popular people in the world are Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber,
Potential dangers lurk in the dark recesses of the world wide web, and through social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and Tinder, the perception of real or fictionalised identity can be transformed by the simple press of a button. The concept of a person’s self-worth or popularity can often be valued by their measures of ‘likes’ or ‘friends’, far beyond the actualisation of having a physical presence. These concerns have fashioned the directorial concept of casting four different Romeos, all of whom Juliet has connected to online, without her parents’ knowledge or consent, clearly with consequences beyond the initial frivolous and fun tweet, image or comment. A production like this also teaches students about commitment, dedication, discipline and teamwork. Shakespeare’s original players had come about when Elizabeth I issued a proclamation in 1559 calling for all travelling troupes of ‘players’ to be licenced, and the informality of acting prior to this had become more formalised. Companies of players working together for the good of the production sprang up around London at this time as their
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devoted audiences demanded more plays from young up and coming playwrights like Shakespeare. Much like our own beloved Year 11 Play Company. We spent many hours together rehearsing, laughing, eating, and enjoying each other’s company as we worked through the demands of the script. This production also could not have come together without a number of fantastic staff. Thanks is extended to Bob Walker, who not only constructed our magnificent set piece, but along with the Maintenance Team, moved it into position for every single rehearsal and performance. I thank assistant director and stage manager Brigitta Williams for her wonderful commitment to rehearsals and attention to detail, Leah Crockett for her whizz-bang ability to create amazing technical bits, Chris Rutherford for his wonderful promotional design, Katrina Pattalis and Linda Borthwick (Year 11) for their party scene choreography and to the Brigidine staff who have so graciously volunteered their time to assist us during the running of this production. DiAnne McDonald Director
Event Highlights
Creativity on Display The Opening night of ThExhibition, celebrating the creativity of students’ HSC Major Projects from the subject areas of Textiles and Design, Visual Arts, Society and Culture, Extension History and Extension English, was one of the highlights of the Term 3 calendar this year. This exhibition showcased the HSC Bodies of Work from Visual Arts and the Major Projects and supporting documentation from Textiles and Design, and gave the audience an opportunity to view these works in Bowie Hall before being submitted to the Board of Studies. The Visual Arts bodies of work demonstrated students’ abilities across a range of expressive forms including painting, drawing, graphic design, textiles and fibre, film and digital media. The skill and resolution evident in both the conceptual and material practice is a credit to the girls who have worked so hard to achieve such impressive artworks. The Textiles major projects demonstrated students’ abilities in a range of textile materials and decorative techniques. Garments were inspired by cultural and contemporary inspirations and used a variety of traditional sewing methods and surface decoration techniques. We congratulate the girls on their achievements in making ThExhibition such a vibrant and creative evening of celebration. Following the HSC showcase we finished the week exhibiting works from Years 7–11 in both Visual Arts and the TAS subjects of Textiles and Design, Food Technology and Design and Technology. Highlights from this exhibition included: Year 11 Visual Arts – De/construction of the found object represented across drawing, printmaking, sculpture and painting. Year 10 Food Technology – catered for the evening with sweet canapes
Photographic and Digital Media – films and magazine cover Textiles technology – carry bags and makeup cases. Year 9 Savoury catering from our talented Food Technology students Textile Kimonos hand dyed using the traditional Japanese methods of Shibori
Year 7
Visual Arts – The Still life in charcoal, studies from nature in drypoint etching and assemblage Photographic and Digital Media – design studies from Bondi and film Design and Technology – resin jewellery and wooden storage boxes. Year 8
Deck chairs from Design and Technology
Visual Arts – Lino prints inspired by nature and sculptural cardboard constructions inspired by architecture
Paintings in landscape and expressive portraiture from Visual Arts
Technology – Silver rings, boxer shorts and moving toys. The Bridge
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Technology – Dream rooms and food packaging designs Visual Arts – Portraiture in mixed media and ceramic fish sculptures. Thanks to the combined efforts of the many staff members involved from Visual Arts, TAS, Maintenance, Communications and Events for helping to make both exhibitions successful and memorable events. Tawney Peachy Head of TAS Lu Buckley Head of Visual Arts
Sport and Cocurricular Clubs
Sport and Club Highlights Centre for Excellence News Legacy Junior Public Speaking Regional Final
2016 Sport Highlights
Swimming
Congratulations and well done to the following girls on their sporting achievements.
Mia Rolfe (Year 10), who is a member of the College Representative Swimming team, continues to lead the way with her impressive results at school and club swimming events. Most recently she won gold in the 15 years 100m Backstroke at the Australian Age Championships, securing her position as the Australian Age Champion in this event.
Olivia McNamara (Year 9) recently took part in the Regional Final of the Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award held at The Arts Centre, Lewisham. Olivia gave a fiveminute prepared speech entitled ‘Social Media Validation’ and she was also required to give an impromptu speech on the topic ‘Climbing the Ladder’. Olivia spoke very well and represented Brigidine College with enthusiasm in a competition with exceptional public speakers.
Water Polo Congratulations to our Elite athletes, Hayley Ballesty (Year 10) who has been selected for the Born 2000 Australian Water Polo team, and Ta’alili Feaunati (Year 8) who has been selected for the NSW 7’s Girls Elite Rugby Union program.
Tournament of Minds Congratulations to our Brigidine team who gained Tournament Honours at the State Final of the Tournament of Minds that was held at UNSW in September (pictured below). The girls’ challenge area was Language Literature. The team had to work together to develop an event or situation that was significantly confused or complicated by errors in communication. The challenge was to incorporate six sets of words that may be spelt the same but have two different meanings. The team chose the story of Cinderella. The girls were given three hours to complete the preparation for the challenge including costumes and props. During the 3-hour period, they also tackled a Spontaneous Challenge. The final performance was absolutely wonderful! Team members: Zoe Re, Alice Stafford, Isabella Behrens (all of Year 10), Bianca Henderson-Brooks, Mia Teuma and Meagan Trimble (all of Year 7). Jan Whiddon Centre for Excellence Convenor
Netball Abby Ballesty, Sarah Corfield (both of Year 12) and Renee Davison (Year 11) were selected for the IGSSA Open Netball team. Ainsley Hermann (Year 9) was selected for the U15 IGSSA Netball team. Sarah Corfield was also selected in the NSWCIS Open Netball team and named in the NSW All School Open Netball Honour team. Sailing Juliet Costanzo (Year 11) was a member of the sailing team that won the Australian Women’s Match Racing Championships in Hobart.
Athletics The Cross Country team who were awarded the Most Improved Trophy at the IGSSA Carnival last Friday at Frensham. The team finished 13th out of 25 schools, a significant improvement from last year’s result of 21st and a perfect acknowledgement of the success of our first College Cross Country carnival this year. Many girls competed for the first time because of their success at the school carnival. We had 45 girls compete. Belinda Moore Director Sport
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Sport and Cocurricular Clubs
Kicking goals in Sport development • team selections that are skills based, involving qualified and independent selectors and, from 2016, are all held on a Saturday afternoon for all age groups • appropriately skilled coaches who have recognised skills and experience
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tudies show that involvement in sport and activities helps nurture and develop students in all aspects of life. Students are assisted in developing teamwork and leadership skills, thereby increasing confidence and resilience. School sport offers the opportunity to be involved in an interschool sporting competition with other schools that share similar values and cultures. It also encourages girls to appreciate the positive role sport plays in their lives and provides opportunities for every girl to participate in a variety of sports at her own level. Girls at Brigidine are fortunate to have 17 sports and activities available to them including carnivals, Saturday sports and mid-week activities. Since 2014, the sport and activity opportunities at the College have been transitioning. Many changes have occurred to improve the equity across sports and activities, maximise the benefits to students, monitor and facilitate student participation and provide effective communication throughout the school and wider community. These changes have required a review of policies and procedures and a renewed focus on how sport and activities can flourish within the whole school context.
• coach inductions to all coaches that inform them of their duty of care and expectations related to coaching at the College • opportunities to acknowledge participation and success of the individual, team, sport and whole school, such as sport assemblies and presentation nights each term • communication that is effective and available to all players, parents, coaches and staff and is updated regularly, such as TEAMApp
• interstate and international sporting opportunities such as Indooroopilly and the New Zealand Hockey and Netball Tour in 2016.
• a member of the Sport Department at as many venues as possible at training and at games to support and monitor coaches and players
By providing a variety of sports and activities and working collaboratively with parents, coaches and sporting associations we hope that all girls benefit from and contribute to school sport in some way while at the College.
• the opportunity to attend either IGSSA or BBSSSA representative selections, depending on the pathway for each sport, and
Research indicates that the main reason for girls to participate in sport is ‘to have fun’. Often, the social aspect is the most important reason to participate. It is this attitude that also ensures girls continue with team sport beyond their school years. To ensure that sport is enjoyable, and that there is skill and knowledge development, the Sport Department is committed to providing: • opportunities for every girl who wants to participate in either graded sport or more social activities like fitness and Zumba The Bridge
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Belinda Moore Director Sport
Sport and Cocurricular Clubs
A Spectacular Event
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ur annual Brigidine College Dance Spectacular was held in August at Glen Street Theatre Belrose, which was a new venue for us this year. The smaller size of the new venue meant that we had to hold two shows, a matinee and an evening performance. The evening show sold out within 2 days, with the matinee selling out within 4 days, which was record breaking for the Dance Club. It was a fabulous performance showcasing 260 Dance students from Years 7 to 12. There were 28 acts performing a variety of genres such
as Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical/Contemporary, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre and Salsa. Our award winning Eisteddfod Group also performed the two routines they have been competing with throughout the year. For the first time, we showcased some HSC performance pieces as well as some HSC composition pieces that were choreographed by Year 12 students throughout the year. Our teaching staff in 2016 consisted of three past Dance Club Captains as well as some excellent new teachers.
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Thanks to Taylor Gleeson Class of 2015, Demi Schofield Class of 2014, Mala White, Maddison Burton and Katrina Pattalis. With the introduction of Dance as a curriculum subject at Brigidine in 2016 and the constant growth of Dance Club as a cocurricula offering we are very excited for another successful year in 2017. Lauren Grieve Dance Club Convenor
Sport and Cocurricular Clubs
Scaling new heights in Music
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usic at Brigidine College is making a noise, and a rather good one too. Membership of the Music Club now exceeds 200 members and continues to grow. Students involved get the chance to make new friends, perform at exciting events and attend numerous excursions. If asked to come up with a motto for the Music Club, we believe our students would respond with ‘fun, enjoyable, excellence’ – which is exactly as the staff wish it to be. We value highly the making of music and all that it brings with it, offering fond memories to students later in life when they have left their Brigidine journey behind them. Since 2013 the Music Club has gone from strength to strength and we have seen some fantastic results. The last two years have seen our Senior Vocal Ensemble progress twice in the Sydney Eisteddfod and place in the top four school choirs. We were thrilled when they were crowned National Champions in this year’s AUSACA Australian A Cappella Awards after being runners up last year. Our Choir, Junior Concert Band and Senior Concert Band have experienced success with wins at both the Ryde Eisteddfod and the Northern Beaches Eisteddfod, and Silver Awards at the NSW Band Festival. So, for tangible success we are doing extremely well, but success comes in many different forms. This year has seen the first International Music Tour to New Zealand. In April, 50 students from the Concert Band and
Vocal Ensemble travelled to Rotorua for five days of performances including a collaboration with Carmel College in Auckland. There were opportunities to enjoy cultural and adrenaline activities as well, from a visit to Tamaki Maori Village to see ceremonial rituals, to a highspeed ride on the luge track at Skyline Rotorua Luge. A one-day tour to Newcastle was held for the first time in May where our Junior Concert Band joined with Callaghan College for a music workshop and performance, and another day was spent performing and enjoying the activities at Sydney’s Royal Easter Show. We continue our support of the local community by playing at Ku-ring-gai Council’s annual Festival on the Green, The Bridge
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Fernbank Retirement Village and Terrey Hills Nursing Home. Music Club members are also given a number of opportunities to perform at concerts and various events held at the College, including our termly Solos Concerts. This year’s Music Club Gala showcased all of the Club’s ensembles and featured soloists, with our members being treated to a party and some laser tag afterwards! And what better way to end the year but with another Carols by Candlelight on the beautiful grounds of the College? Are we busy? Yes – but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Charlie Lovelock Head of Cocurricular Music
Back to Brigidine Alumni events Welcoming our newest Alumni History was made at last year’s Year 12 graduation dinner when two of our Alumni mothers from the same Year group (Class of 1984) helped to welcome their daughters, also from the same Year group (Class of 2015), as the newest members of the Brigidine Alumni community. 1.
Our Alumni Patron Sr Anita was also there to celebrate this milestone.
1. (L–R) Emma and Laura Welch with mum Libby (nee Lester), Sr Anita and Jenny Holman (nee Preston) with daughter Mia, College Captain Class of 2015.
Sr Anita also reunited with other graduates from the Class of 2015 and their Alumni mothers Cecilia Ferrer (nee Lopez) Class of 1977 and mother of Jemma, Anne Baillie (nee McElhone) Class of 1980 and mother of Madeleine, and Shane Grieve (nee Donlan) Class of 1988 and mother of Sophie.
International Alumni connections Current member of staff, Jan Whiddon (TAS Teacher and Centre for Excellence Coordinator), recently caught up with Alumni sisters, Diana Clocchiatti Class of 1965 and Jeanette Clocchiatti Class of 1964, in Gradisca d’Isonzo Vicenza, Italy.
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2. (L–R) Alumni mothers Cecilia Ferrer (nee Lopez) Class of 1977, Anne Baillie (nee McElhone) Class of 1980 and Shane Grieve (nee Donlan) Class of 1988.
Diana and Jeanette also had a visit from former classmate Jane Tyrrell Class of 1965. It had been over 40 years since they had seen each other and their reunion happened after making contact with each other through the College Alumni network. The Clocchiattis said it was wonderful to catch up with old friends and to hear the local news.
London Catchup
Current College staff member Jan Whiddon (centre) in Italy with Alumni sisters Jeanette Clocchiatti Class of 1964 and Diana Clocchiatti Class of 1965.
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Our own Head of Drama, DiAnne McDonald (“Miss Mac”), recently caught up with HSC Drama OnStage award winner Megan Taylor Class of 2015 at the Globe Theatre in London.
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Class of 2015 Yearbook Afternoon Tea
13th Annual Pioneers Reunion The 13th annual Pioneers Reunion for our Golden Girls (Alumni who graduated over 50 years ago) and 1960s era alumni was held at Eryldene, Gordon in April. The historic house was the former home of Eben Gowrie Waterhouse who founded the well-known Camellia Grove Nursery at St Ives in 1939. Eben was influential in the fields of art, architecture, horticulture and design. During his lifetime Eryldene became a lively centre for discussion attracting many well-known artists, writers, architects and designers as well as Vice-Regal visitors and diplomats.
The Class of 2015 braved the cool weather in June as they returned to the College to collect their Yearbooks. There was plenty of catching up to be done amongst former classmates and teachers with many stories to share about life after Brigo. Peals of laughter filled the hallway as the girls glanced through their Yearbooks and reminisced about their school days. Some of the varied areas of study the Class of 2015 have taken up since their graduation include Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical engineering, Paramedicine, Clinical Science, Occupational Therapy, Sport/Exercise Science, Design, Fine Arts, Social
This year’s event was different from previous years in that there was no Class of 1966 to admit as Golden Girls due to the Wyndham system being introduced the year they would have graduated. The Wyndham system marked the start of a new era in education whereby students stayed on to complete another year of schooling, extending the number of years spent at high school to six, as it currently stands now. The Pioneers group joined a tour of the beautiful Eryldene garden, immersed themselves in the history of the house and then enjoyed high tea on the veranda. The day was a wonderful way to catch up with former classmates.
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Science/Politics, Media Communications, Nursing and Business/Commerce. A few girls are also taking a Gap year to work and travel. We wish all members of the Class of 2015 every success in the years ahead and look forward to staying in touch!
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Weddings Caitlyn BrukarzSmith (nee Brukarz) Class of 2004 Caitlyn married Richard Smith, a member of the Aloysius College alumni, on March 12 2016 at Chevalier Catholic Chapel, Bowral, on a beautiful sunny autumn day.
Caitlyn was supported on her “perfect” day by Alumni members (from left to right): Elizabeth Stoten and Claire Brown (nee Hookham) from the Class of 2004, sister Ella Brukarz Class of 2006, and fellow members of the Class of 2004 Alana Conlay, Hayley Johnston, Tess Hayman, Briana Nelson-Young, Amy Smith, Anna Cashman and Jenna Daly.
“We chose Bowral because of the amazing country scenery and instantly fell in love with the French provincial style of Milton park where we held our reception. Because I work at record label Universal Music I was able to secure Paulini (from the first season of Australian Idol) to perform our favourite ballad I Have Nothing by Whitney Houston. It was the perfect day.”
Felicity Farncomb (nee McHugh) College Vice Captain Class of 2010 Felicity and Alexander were married on 4 June 2016 (which was the crazy Sydney storm weekend – luckily, all the venues were inside!). The ceremony was held at The Prayer Chapel, C3 Oxford Falls, which was the church where they first met, and the reception was at Three Williams in Redfern. The bridal party included Emily Briggs Class of 2010 and Grace McHugh Class of 2007. Class of 2010 Alumni in attendance were Rebekah Hammond (nee Mackay), Sara Mackay, Sigrid Westhoff, Gabriella Hooper, Anastasia Natoli, Hannah Goodwin and Hayley Stewart. Jordan Spalding (nee Mackay) Class of 2008 was also there to join the celebration. After a honeymoon in New Zealand and Melbourne the couple are now living in Surry Hills.
Jackie Last (nee May) Class of 2003 On 30 January 2016 I married Matthew Last at Moby Dicks Whale Beach. A huge storm rolled in all over Sydney with major disasters everywhere – except at Whale Beach which remained totally dry! We were so lucky and the storm clouds over the water gave the atmosphere a dramatic and exciting feel. There were four Alumni members in the bridal party – my sister Melissa May Class of 2005, Courtney Hurst
(nee Allsop), Gemma Cavallaro and Shara Tilbrook (nee Foley) all from the Class of 2003, together with my cousin, Karen March. We loved the semi-casual atmosphere of the wedding and reception, and being surrounded by family and friends was a wonderful way to celebrate our special day. We saved our honeymoon until the European summer and have just returned from a wonderful four weeks spent predominantly in Italy and the Greek Islands.
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Back to Brigidine
Births and Deaths Lillian (Lily) Rose Byrne Was born on 1 May 2016 at the Mater Hospital North Sydney weighing 3.270kgs. Lily is the daughter of Elissa Shirvington Class of 1993 and Daniel Byrne, and the granddaughter of our past staff member Mr Phil Shirvington. Lily is definitely a “bundle of joy” for all the family.
Vale: Sr Therese (Mother Theresita) Bonser Sr Therese was a past Principal of Brigidine College St Ives from 1966– 1967, and also taught Mathematics, Science and Religion. She was an unassuming yet intense woman with a good sense of humour. Despite only being at the College for two years, there was significant growth in student numbers during that time for her to oversee a building program that catered for the first graduates of the newly implemented Wyndham Scheme.
class teacher to a variety of students across many Year groups.
Sr Therese returned to Brigidine College St Ives between 1977 and 1981 as the Community Bursar and a
Sr Therese passed away on 2 June 2016 after suffering a heart attack. She was 89.
Vale: Geoff Copeland
This was a gift from the Class of 1995 and was erected in 1996. After retiring in 2001, Geoff continued to work parttime until 2004.
30 July 1936 – 5 October 2016
Eliza Jane Pennings Lindsay Pennings (nee Gilroy) College Vice Captain Class of 2000 gave birth to Eliza Jane at 9.28am on 15 April 2016 at Royal North Shore Private, weighing 3.71kg and 51cm long. Lindsay and John are so in love with their little miracle and cannot imagine their world without her in it now. She is an absolute blessing and a very special little girl.
Geoff came to Brigidine from Knox Grammar School in 1981 as a Science teacher and, over the next 10 years, he also held the position of Science Coordinator. He stepped down from this position in 1992 as he was studying Design and Technology and researching the establishment of the woodwork, metalwork and electronics workshop for our new Design and Technology (D&T) building, which was opened in 1993. That year, students in Years 7 and 8 were the first able to undertake these workshops. Geoff also attended external professional training to ensure he could teach these new courses at the College as he made the transition from Science to D&T. In 1995 he designed and supervised the installation of a new cross for the Convent building to replace the old deteriorating one.
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Geoff was a highly respected teacher and colleague as evidenced by the many past members of staff who attended his Memorial. His past students always speak highly of his dedication, love of his subject matter and skill in teaching. Geoff was a man with many interests which included travel, environmental issues and bush care. He dearly loved his family and together with his wife, Judy, enjoyed family gatherings with his four children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
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Where are they now? “Early in my career I was awarded Rookie of the Year in NSW which gave me the drive to strive for bigger and better. I proved that, despite the odds of my young age and gender, I could make a difference.”
Nicole Cannon Class of 1996 After leaving Brigidine I couldn’t wait to go to university. I was enrolled to do Economics and Marketing, but the uni lifestyle created in my mind was so far from the truth, for me. I was completely overwhelmed by the experience, and after my first exam, I left and never returned. I started working full-time and completed a Business Diploma and a Marketing Management Diploma through TAFE, both with Distinction Honours. Jump ahead 5 years, I went to purchase my first property. I used a mortgage broker and the experience was awful. No communication, goals or direction as to how I could achieve my dreams. The experience inspired me to become a mortgage broker. I have great customer service skills, I can motivate and inspire, and I love helping people achieve their dreams. All I needed to do was learn the “product”. Simple, right? I started in 2002, and had I known how hard it would have been, I honestly would never have pursued it. I had to survive on $250 a week! But persistence and determination kept me going. Early in my career I was awarded Rookie of the Year in NSW which gave me the drive to strive for bigger and better. I proved that, despite the odds of my young age and gender, I could make a difference. In 2009 I created my brand, Pink Finance. I wanted to incorporate all of
my passions – my work, my community and cricket (I am a self-confessed cricket tragic!) – and soon became a corporate friend of the McGrath Foundation. Pink Finance donates 10% of ongoing trails to the Foundation every month. Through donations, events and sponsorships, Pink Finance has contributed over $100,000 to the foundation. Not bad for a crew made up of one full-timer (me!) and one part-timer. The industry embraced Pink Finance’s ethos and passion. We have become Australia’s most recognised mortgage broking firm for Ethics, Social Responsibility and Community Engagement, having won awards every year since 2011. We are again a finalist in this year’s Australian Mortgage Awards for Community Engagement. We have helped achieve the dreams of hundreds of home buyers and have saved our clients thousands of dollars. Being able to make a significant difference to people’s lives every day is so rewarding. Am I where I imagined I would have been as I left Year 12 in 1996? Definitely The Bridge
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not. Am I proud of where I am and what I have achieved? Absolutely. Would I change anything? Not at all. It’s amazing how lessons at a young age shape you in your adulthood. Brigidine was very influential for me with two big life skills and lessons: public speaking and giving back to those in need. I am grateful to have a wonderful family who gave me a great education which made me appreciate values such as community, giving back and focusing on helping others. I would not have achieved all this if it wasn’t for those valuable life lessons. Nicole was unable to attend the Class of 1996 20 year reunion as she was in the UK as part of a national 30-person delegation on a research mission on the mortgage industry.
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Karen Hastings (nee Vernon) Class of 1986 “Follow your bliss.” Writer Joseph Campbell’s wise and much-quoted words have guided me for years and helped me create all the things I most love in my life. After graduating from Brigidine College, I took a year off to work before university and, by chance, landed an accountancy position with a large multinational firm. I hated the job but I am so grateful for the experience, learning what I am not passionate about motivated me to pursue
Share your Story Have you got great experiences to share and inspire others? It could be YOUR story that inspires others, so don’t keep it hidden away, share it with us! Whether it be baby news, weddings, what you are up to career-wise, or an amazing story about your journey since leaving school, we want to hear about it! Simply send your news to Alumni Coordinator, Wendy Baxter, at alumni@brigidine.nsw.edu.au and attach a recent photo of yourself that is at least 2MB in size.
what I love. Though I was offered a lucrative cadetship with the accounting firm, I shunned the money and decided to follow my heart. I had a burning desire to write so I enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts at Macquarie University, with a double major in Mass Communications and Psychology. This decision transformed my life. I loved my courses, and after graduating from university, I decided to continue following my bliss. From a young age, I had always dreamed of travelling the world. Even as a child, I had a fascination with airports and foreign lands. I imagined all the adventures I could have and how fun it would be to write about my travel experiences and share them with others. So once again, I decided to take a risk and live my dreams. I bought a one-way ticket to London via the States and travelled the world for three years, working odd jobs along the way to fund my adventures. Within the first few months I met my husband. Not long after, I wrote a heart-felt letter to a New York editor offering my services and scored an assignment reviewing luxury hotels in Africa and the Caribbean. I rode elephants in Botswana, dived in the Turks & Caicos Islands, and stayed in luxury Caribbean resorts for free, all the while pinching myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Following my bliss brought my travel dreams to life. That first assignment sparked a flow of steady work, which continues to this day – from writing travel guidebooks and hotel profiles, to crafting online travel content and editing the work of other writers. Thanks to my decision to follow my dreams, I have lived in nine different countries and visited more than 30. Every morning I wake up excited to start work. For those who are about to graduate, my best advice is to find your bliss; pinpoint what makes you truly happy and follow that path. This, I believe, is the key to your purpose and the way to create a life of fulfilment and joy. The Bridge
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November 2016
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Special option for Alumni
We have had many requests from Alumni all over the world for an e-version of The Bridge. We are delighted to announce that this is now available for you. If you would prefer to receive your copy of The Bridge electronically please email your details as indicated below directly to Wendy Baxter, Alumni Coordinator, at alumni@brigidine.nsw.edu.au • First name • Surname • Maiden name (if applicable) • Year of graduation • Email • Mobile If you are currently receiving The Bridge electronically but would prefer a hard copy be posted to you in the mail, please email your details as above to Wendy Baxter.
Term Dates 2016 Term Dates for Students
2017 Term Dates for Students
2017 Reunion Dates
Term 4
Term 1
Friday 2 December: TERM 4 ENDS
Thursday 26 January: Australia Day Public Holiday
Class of 2012 5 Year Reunion Saturday 21 October Contact: Wendy Baxter alumni@brigidine.nsw.edu.au
Monday 30 January: Year 7 and New Student Orientation Day Tuesday 31 January: TERM 1 COMMENCES Friday 7 April: TERM 1 ENDS Thursday 13 April – Monday 17 April: Easter
Class of 2007 10 Year Reunion Saturday 21 October Contact: Wendy Baxter alumni@brigidine.nsw.edu.au
Term 2 Tuesday 25 April: ANZAC Day Public Holiday Wednesday 26 April: TERM 2 COMMENCES Monday 12 June: Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday
Class of 1997 20 Year Reunion Saturday 21 October Contact: Wendy Baxter alumni@brigidine.nsw.edu.au
Friday 23 June: TERM 2 ENDS
Term 3 Tuesday 18 July: TERM 3 COMMENCES Friday 22 September: TERM 3 ENDS
Term 4 Monday 9 October: TERM 4 COMMENCES Friday 1 December: TERM 4 ENDS
Class of 1987 30 Year Reunion Saturday 21 October Contact: Wendy Baxter alumni@brigidine.nsw.edu.au
Class of 1977 40 Year Reunion Saturday 21 October Contact: Wendy Baxter alumni@brigidine.nsw.edu.au
2017 Alumni Day: Saturday 21 October
The Bridge November 2016 Editor: Aleisha Conlay Development and Community Relations Department Brigidine College St Ives Artwork: www.somersaultgroup.com.au
Brigidine College St Ives A Catholic Independent Secondary School for Girls 325 Mona Vale Road St Ives NSW 2075 Australia www.brigidine.nsw.edu.au