Lauriston Life, July 2021

EMMA

PHOTO COURTESY OF TEDXMIDATLANTIC

Contents

PRINCIPAL’S PERSPECTIVE

A CONVERSATION ABOUT CONSENT MEET OUR HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL MEET OUR HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL HOWQUA – RISING TO THE CHALLENGE MY YEAR IN THE BUSH DIRECTOR OF KINDERGARTEN #CHOOSETOCHALLENGE

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY MEET OUR TEACHERS TAKING THE PATH LESS TRAVELLED CULTURE VULTURE FIT FOR LIFE SUPERSTARS

MEET EMMA BELCHER

A SPECIAL GROUP OF SUPPORTERS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO HELP BUILD THEIR FUTURE

ULLMER ANNOUNCEMENT A WALK THROUGH OUR HERITAGE DONATIONS TO THE ARCHIVES THANK YOU FOR THE MEMORIES WHERE ARE THEY NOW? WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING VALE/ANNOUNCEMENTS OLA EVENTS

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Principal’sPERSPECTIVE

Our current Year 6 students were born in the same year that the first iPad was released. Since that time, we have seen the continued rapid progress of technology. We now see individuals in our society being impacted by the rise of prediction, where algorithms and AI will pre-emptively provide them with newsfeeds, products and services before they even know they want them.

Within the context of rapidly changing technology, significant changes in employment, and a landscape of social and political problems which will continue to impact our world, we have been thinking about how our School can continue to best prepare our girls and young women to lead difficult conversations and make meaningful and impactful contributions to the broader society in their lives and careers.

I wonder what the Irving sisters would have to say about the responsibilities placed on schools today in educating young people?

Not only do we have the responsibility for the provision of a curriculum and the development of “employability” skills such as collaboration and empathy, but we must ensure that our students’ digital skills enable them to find future employment opportunities and allow them to ethically navigate their way through the myriad content now available through the internet. Schools have become central to the overall wellbeing of young people, with the responsibility of developing resilience to manage and adapt to change.

As we begin our 120th year, we are focusing on our priorities moving forward as a School, whilst reflecting on lessons learned from the past, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The concept of the teacher standing in front of the classroom while students listen and respond to direction is not one that enables our students to become effective and lifelong learners.

Our teachers are expert in their subject disciplines, but they also undertake considerable hours of professional learning which supports them in engaging with their students, promoting curiosity and facilitating learning, whether through direct teaching or blended learning approaches.

During 2021 our teachers in the Junior School will focus on the teaching of Mathematics, while both Junior and Senior School teachers will begin their participation in the Quality Teacher Rounds program, which provides a teacher-driven framework that enables participants to analyse and improve their practice. We continue to drive the development of digital skills and the use of various platforms for communication between teachers and students.

In Term 1 we began our work of reviewing assessment and grading for all students. Our aim is to ensure that students and parents clearly understand the academic progress made throughout each term and how this can be improved.

Community and a sense of belonging are key to our success as a school, and we have seen many examples of the strength of our Lauriston community already this year in the Anniversary Picnic, Autumn Concert, Blairholme Picnic Day, and various other events. Sport has recommenced and we have seen increased participation in both competitive sport and recreational activities. Student participation in co-curricular music ensembles and choirs, along with the introduction of more music performance opportunities for our students are also a priority. Our Community Service strategy has gone from strength to strength as students, staff and parents are actively engaged in activities and fundraisers that support those in the community who

We provide an education that prepares our girls for a future filled with possibilities and inspires them to have courage, persist in the face of challenge, and find their place in the world.”

have felt the impact of the pandemic. Our students have commenced the year with involvement in co-curricular activities and clubs as wide-ranging as Greenies, Girl-Up, Model UN and Coding. Tertiary institutes and employers are looking for young people who can demonstrate 21st-century skills – knowledge, aptitudes and experiences – beyond their ATAR study score, and participation in these co-curricular activities and clubs provides many opportunities to develop these skills. In addition, Lauriston Creds, our micro-credentialling program launched last year, enables our students to earn “digital badges” that recognise these skills.

Our Year 9 Howqua program is a milestone year for our students, and this year’s review of the program will help us continue to meet the needs of our future students and support them in exploring their identity, building relationships, and giving them the courage and resilience to step outside their comfort zone and engage fully in life and learning.

Like the Irving sisters, our vision to educate young woman is the driver behind our decision-making and initiatives at Lauriston. We provide an education that prepares our girls for a future filled with possibilities and inspires them to have courage, persist in the face of challenge, and find their place in the world.

2021 HIGHLIGHTS

AUTUMN CONCERT

Our Years 5 to 8 ensembles and choirs performed a broad repertoire from Laurietta’s take on ‘Route 66’ to the Concert Band playing Dvorak Themes from the New World.

JAZZ CABARET

It was wonderful to participate in such a fun evening of jazz classics. Our students found their jazz rhythm, as did Madame Curnow.

HOUSE ATHLETICS

The weather may not have been sunny, but the House spirit and athletics performances were full of energy and warmth.

BLAIRHOLME PICNIC RACES

It was terrific to have our picnic races on the oval once again and our students were filled with excitement. My favourite event was the Egg and Spoon Race.

HOUSE DRAMA

I am always impressed with the calibre of the scriptwriting and performances from our Year 10 students.

YEAR 12 PLAY

I felt that I had returned to my primary school days and the ensemble performance was excellent.

A Conversation ABOUT CONSENT

At the start of 2021 there was much read media coverage regarding the topic of sexual consent and stories from young women about sexual assaults.

Chantel Condos established a petition about the need to begin education on the topic of consent earlier than Year 10 when she received information from her school. In Victoria, many schools responded by writing to their communities commending the young women who spoke out and making it clear that more must be done to address this matter.

Released in May 2019, and conducted every four years, the 2017 National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey (NCAS) Youth Report highlighted a number of concerning findings. Research showed many young people, and in particular men, blamed women for sexual assault and failed to fully understand consent. VicHealth acting CEO Dr Lyn Roberts said that:

“Despite young people being more supportive of gender equality in the workplace and in public life, many held outdated views about the roles of men and women. Men still considered they were in charge when it came to relationships.”

The report findings at the time called for more work to be done through education programs.

In the articles I have read, young women indicated that they needed to have the topic of consent addressed more explicitly within their own school curriculum and in earlier year levels to raise their awareness.

At Lauriston, our Health and Wellbeing program throughout the Junior School and Year 7 provides the foundation for teaching about consent by covering concepts such as positive relationships, communication and conflict management.

From Year 8 onwards, the curriculum does involve explicit teaching about sexual consent, with the aim of helping to reduce sexual coercion, harassment and assault.

Our Health and PE teachers reference a variety of resources and there is a number of sequential and age-appropriate learning outcomes in relation to consent that Lauriston covers at each year level from as early as Kindergarten. These include external providers such as Bravehearts (Kindergarten to Year 2), Beyond Blue SenseAbility program (Year 7); Victoria Family Planning and Kellie Nash body image (Year 9); ; safe partying and consent with Paul Dillon and Sonya Karras (Year 10); sexting, pornography and consent with Elephant Ed (Years 11 and 12); and cyberbullying and digital safety with Susan McLean (Senior School).

Throughout the curriculum offered to the girls, teachers re-visit topics covered previously and introduce different aspects of topics that are age-appropriate and build on previous content and activities.

Parents play a significant role in having open and frequent discussions with their children about consent. In a webinar to our parents, acclaimed child and teen psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg suggested that parents begin by asking their children what consent means and ensure that they have a clear understanding.

Principal Susan Just discusses consent, how it is addressed within our School curriculum, and the significant role that teachers and parents play in raising awareness about consent.

We know and appreciate that conversations about consent can be challenging for parents and their children, but it is important to persist and for parents to be accessible when their children have questions or concerns.

At Lauriston we will continue to review our curriculum because we are aware that we must continue to reflect on whether we are doing enough for our girls. Just as important, we will continue age-appropriate discussions with our students and ensure they are not only well informed but have an opportunity to raise questions and speak with us should they wish to do so. External presenters also provide another avenue for students to raise questions.

At our recent International Women’s Day (IWD) Breakfast, our School Co-Captains spoke about the importance of all females speaking out and leading the way to a more equitable society.

Dr Katie Blunt, one of our IWD panel presenters and School Co-Captain (2013), spoke to the audience about the conversations she has with her male friends about the need to change their own actions and thoughts regarding equitable relationships between men and women in the workforce and in personal life.

An important value of our School is relationships, and as educators our commitment is to the academic and personal growth of all girls. We want our girls to be safe and to enjoy respectful relationships with boys and young men where there is no imbalance of power.

Above: Susan McLean, Cybercop

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We will open a dialogue with our girls about consent and other issues regarding changes needed in our broader community that demonstrate equity between males and females. We encourage young women to speak openly about sexual consent and all matters where there is inequity between men and women because their voices will result in change.”

Meet our

COVID-19 has caused many challenges during the past 18 months. Hence, a focus on gratitude has been more important than ever this year.”

Scientists have discovered that there are several benefits to practising gratitude. These include increased happiness, positive mood, reduced stress, increased resilience, improved sleep and improved physical health. When we make a habit of gratitude, we have a more positive attitude.

Our teachers encourage girls to make gratitude a habit in a variety of ways. We incorporate the concept of gratitude into our assemblies. In their school diary and gratitude journal, the girls consider what they are grateful for and discuss what went well that day. They are also encouraged to express their gratitude to people around them and spend five minutes at night discussing what they are thankful for with their family. Last year, the girls wrote gratitude letters to people who helped keep us safe during COVID-19, such as nurses, doctors and scientists.

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During 2021 we will be continuing our partnership with ‘The Resilience Project’ which has a strong focus on the importance of gratitude. ‘The Resilience Project’ will provide incursions for the girls, a seminar for parents and a professional development workshop for staff.

We also need parents to model gratitude to our children. Our children want to be like us. We provide the blueprint for what to say and what to do and in what context. Expressing gratitude through words, writing and small gifts or acts of reciprocity are all ways to teach children how to think and behave gratefully.

CHRIS TOMS

INTERVIEW

Chris Toms

What have been the positive outcomes from COVID-19?

Our girls developed their resilience, adaptability and independence and a greater appreciation for aspects of School which they may have previously taken for granted. Their Information Technology skills also improved significantly as they navigated Zoom, Google Classroom and Seesaw on a daily basis. We were very proud of our Junior School girls last year.

What are some highlights so far this year?

We are delighted that we are again able to hold special community events such as musical concerts, sporting events, assemblies and parent evenings. The girls have embraced the variety of co-curricular activities on offer and have returned to learning in the classroom with enthusiasm.

What are the Junior School’s greatest strengths?

It is “cool to learn” in the Junior School and the girls enthusiastically partake in everything and celebrate each other’s accomplishments. We emphasise that mistakes are viewed as opportunities to learn and encourage a growth mindset. Innovation is present across all subject areas, while our Coding and FabLab programs provide the girls with creative opportunities. We also have a strong community service program, which develops global citizenship and empathy. I am also proud of our caring, dedicated and talented teachers.

“Our programs are designed to enable the girls to develop their confidence , courage, empathy and resilience, and we have a strong focus on developing positive relationships.”

Meet our HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

Our students are remarkable young people. We know that every student possesses a range of strengths which she can utilise to help her navigate the ups and downs of day-to-day life and to help her feel connected, engaged and authentic.

Through the SHINE wellbeing program and through tutor group discussion, we encourage students to reflect on their strengths and to use those strengths when facing the challenges of school life. This might be academic challenges, social challenges or simply the challenge of managing competing interests in a busy day.

This year we introduced another element to our already comprehensive wellbeing program – tutor coaching. Coaching is a powerful tool. At its simplest, it involves a purposeful conversation between the student and her tutor. Coaching is about “unlocking a person’s potential to maximise their performance. It is about helping them learn rather than teaching them.”

At Lauriston, every student deserves to have a regular, purposeful, one-on-one conversation with a significant adult in the School about her wellbeing, learning, goals and aspirations. Our tutor coaching program ensures that this is a reality.

Coaching is a solution-focused, strengths-based approach to supporting our students in clarifying specific goals and identify strategies to achieve these goals. Tutors begin by working with the tutor group as a whole in talking about goal setting, and helping students to understand that they have the power within

themselves to apply their own strengths and focus on the solution. They then schedule a one-on-one meeting time for each student once a semester to sit down with her for a coaching conversation. This might be as prag matic as a Year 7 student committing to getting her folders and locker organised, or using the homework diary to keep track of due dates and tasks to be completed.

A Year 12 student might identify specific subjects or skills they want to improve, or commit to asking her teacher for help. The students work with their tutor in identifying the steps to take and their measurement of success.

The tutors are already finding that the coaching conversations give them new insights into their students and help them to establish a strong and trusting working relationship. Tutors are supported in developing the skills required of effective coaches through a range of resources and professional learning. Coaching is very different to teaching in that it is focused on prompting the student to find her own solutions, rather than providing the answers. The coaching program at Lauriston is in its early stages, but is already resulting in positive feedback from tutors and students alike. The conversations focus on understanding the student’s strengths, development through questioning, active listening, identifying challenges and assisting the student to realise her potential, both academically and personally.

Our response to COVID-19 really boosted our confidence in what we are capable of achieving when we work together.”

INTERVIEW

Anne Wallington

You joined Lauriston after nearly 15 years away and I wonder what attracted you to the School?

Lauriston was my first school when I began teaching and I was very fortunate to have wonderful mentors and a range of interesting and challenging roles during those first 11 years. I went from a part-time teaching load, teaching Year 12 IB Economics, through to tutor, Head of Faculty, Year Level Coordinator and finally Head of Senior School. The girls were a highlight, and working in an environment which aspired to excellence at the same time as being supportive and caring was a lovely balance. When the opportunity arose to return, I was ready to move to a role that was across a broader age range of students and in a smaller and more intimate environment.

How has the School’s response to COVID-19 advanced the School?

My first year back was 2020, so not quite what I had expected! I remain in awe of the School’s response to COVID-19 and, in particular, Susan Just’s unwavering commitment to do whatever it took to maintain our students’ wellbeing and minimise any interruptions to their learning. I think as a staff team we achieved both of these goals. I think our response to COVID-19 really boosted our confidence in what we are capable of achieving when we work together. The student leaders were brilliant in thinking up ways of keeping students enthusiastic and engaged in House and other activities, and teachers were agile in adapting to different ways of delivering learning. That sense of community, adaptability and confidence in what we can do together is still evident.

What do you think is the “Lauriston difference”?

Community and kindness are two characteristics that spring to mind in response to that question. I was really impressed last year with the sense of parents being right behind us in the decisions we made. I am sure not everyone always agreed with every decision, but nevertheless, they were supportive and mindful of the importance of working together as a community. Sim ilarly, in Term 1 (pre-COVID-19 remote learning) every day I would be struck by how kind and welcoming staff and students were towards me. It was lovely to walk across the courtyard and be greeted with big smiles and “Good morning Mrs Wallington” from students from Years 7–12.

What is your focus for the coming year?

This year I am focused on establishing the tutor coaching program and empowering student voice, particularly through the SRC. The SRC is made up of one student from each tutor group from Years 7 to 12. They are not only the voice of their own tutor group, but are also representative of the student body as a whole. The SRC is already busy working on some significant proposals and there is more being planned. 2021 is also the year of the social. We have the Year 12 Formal, of course, but we are also working with the 2020 School Co-Captains to organise a Year 13 Social, as well as the inaugural Year 11 Social run jointly by the School and Year 11 parents. I’ll need to see if my wardrobe is up to three formal events in one year.

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Each student learns about their own strengths and weaknesses and how persistence in extending self-imposed limitations brings success in the most challenging of situations –be they physical, emotional or social. This ability to bounce back from setbacks or challenges with confidence and optimism is a vital tool for any young person as they enter adulthood.”

Howqua RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

Journeying and learning first-hand about a variety of environments allows the girls to develop a sense of adaptability as new country is explored.

When we speak of ensuring that our students are well prepared for the future, there are few skills that will be more in demand than the ability to adapt to an ever-changing environment; to be able to understand that change is not something to be feared but rather something to be recognised and embraced.

Our three-day hike this year in May was no exception. Our students left well prepared, expecting possible inclement weather and some challenges along the way. No one could have foreseen that the road in for two groups would have been blocked by an incident; that the girls would have to modify their routes and campsites, change their expectations and alter their mindsets, walking further and longer than anticipated.

Not only did our Howqua girls move on with a positive “can do” attitude, but they exceeded their own expectations and those of the staff who were accompanying them. They rose to the challenge, walking into the night with head torches on, remaining upbeat and unified.

This moment, like so many others I have witnessed over the years here, illustrated the inherent value of our Howqua program in developing determination, collaboration, courage – skills that our Howqua girls will carry with them throughout their lives.

Sam Ridley – Vice Principal, Howqua

WHY EVERY STUDENT SHOULD EXPERIENCE OP

Why is the Outdoor Program (OP) at Howqua so important for the Howqua girls? More specifically, what is it that makes journeying into natural environments so special that we mould the girls’ lives around it during their time at Howqua?

OP supports and reinforces pastoral curriculum in the most practical of settings. Students work together in small, professionally facilitated groups dealing directly with concepts such as leadership, followership, awareness, compromise and inclusiveness, the value of working towards a common goal and the recognition of the unique attributes each individual brings to the team.

Each student learns about their own strengths and weaknesses and how persistence in extending self-imposed limitations brings success in the most challenging of situations – be they physical, emotional or social.

This ability to bounce back from setbacks or challenges with confi dence and optimism is a vital tool for any young person as they enter adulthood.

OP is an opportunity for the girls to test their boundaries and step outside their comfort zone. This “becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable” helps the girls create a new sense of self-awareness and enables them to better understand themselves. It is a life skill that, once developed, will hold our Howqua girls in good stead for the rest of their lives.

OP is designed to help students recognise that risk can be dealt with responsibly and thoughtfully – a lesson that is applicable to their personal lives. We apply guided reflection to help the girls recognise how they might approach a similar situation again. Thus, a vital element of the experience is the transfer of learning into everyday contexts.

Journeying and learning first-hand about a variety of environments allows the girls to develop a sense of adaptability as new country is explored. Familiarity brings a respect for the natural world and often a commitment to protect and enhance it.

Finally, on the most basic level, OP provides simple physical exercise, healthy living and an opportunity for staff and students to interact and build strong relationships away from the normal classroom environment.

Evan Brophy – Director of Outdoor Program

My favourite part about Howqua so far is living with others and embracing in the Howqua community and program. Outdoor Program is the best fun ever and everyone gives it their best. The whole aspect of living in a community gives you the ability to learn multiple new life skills.”

BELLA NOLAN

“Howqua has given me so many opportunities and exciting experiences to take part in and learn about myself and those around me.”

“Howqua is the place to learn, grow and challenge yourself in a place like no other.”

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ALICE GUNN

ISABELLA CORNISH

My Year IN THE BUSH

“Howqua has pushed me to take part in experiences I would never have imagined anywhere else.”

“I love the experience of living with my friends.”

“I have learnt how to be more independent and live with others.”

“I love the relationships built between girls and teachers.”

JOSETTE BLAMEY

TABITHA INGHAM ZOE JEFFS SHARON SUN

Director of Kindergarten FIONA IRELAND

WONDER OF OUR CONNECTIONS

The Wonder of our Connections is the title of Kindergarten’s Big Idea for 2021. As we began our planning for the year ahead, we knew as educators that children would need strategies to support them with their social interactions and the development of relationships because social play had been put on hold for much of 2020. The word “connections” was purposefully chosen as it embraces all that we strive to do as we aim for growth in all areas of development.

Children thrive on connections. As babies, this starts with family, then widens as toddlers; once in preschool, children are wired to connect with

teachers, peers and the wider community. In fact, learning and development depend on it. Friendships blossom as children are given opportunities to build connections through play.

Connections are made in all aspects of a child’s learning: connections to a sustainable environment, to nature, and to emotions, so that children gain control of their feelings and notice whether they are calm or excited. These are just a few of the “connections” the children make as their ideas and wonderings lead our discussions and projects. The connections the children make to these ideas drive the learning to a deeper level of understanding.

o provide children with intentional strategies in the development of peer relationships, the Kindergarten has adapted the Stay, Play and Talk program. Stay, Play and Talk is a peer-mediated intervention designed to increase the social interactions of children who find social interaction difficult. We have adapted this program and use it with all the children in our Kindergarten.

Children are allocated a buddy from within their class group. This is the choice of the teacher and is likely to be someone the child does not usually choose to play with. One of the children is assigned the role of leader and the other of follower. The leader chooses where they will play and what tasks they will do.

While children are engaged in this program, many things are happening. Children are widening their friendship group and they are experiencing the joy of interacting in a different way with tasks and activities they may not otherwise choose. Children are building resilience for when friendships fail. Children are learning how to be a leader and steer the play, but also how to be a follower and the art of listening and acting on others’ ideas.

T STAY, PLAY AND TALK

As we implement this Stay, Play, Talk program, we are witnessing magical moments as children make wider choices among their peers and fully realise each of their peer’s potential and what they can learn from each other. We view this program as an inbuilt protector which allows new relationships to flourish and gives children skills for life.”

#ChooseTo

CHALLENGE

ur alumnae have careers across many industries, and each has experiences and stories to share with our students. Our annual International Women’s Day Breakfast is a chance to celebrate this diverse community.

The 2021 International Women’s Day theme (IWD) Choose to Challenge was about choosing to have a voice and speaking up on gender inequality to incite change. This year we were fortunate to have three wonderful leaders from our alumnae – Senator the Hon. Jane Hume (1988), Dr Katie Blunt (2013) and Dr Emma Belcher (1994) – share their experiences and discuss the challenges they have faced and are still facing in their careers.

In light of this year’s IWD theme, our guest speakers also discussed the importance of having a voice and the courage to use it to address gender inequality and incite change in the workplace.

Jane Hume is Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy in the Morrison Coalition Government. A member of the Liberal Party, Jane was first elected as a Senator for Victoria in 2016 and was appointed Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on

Economics. Prior to her election to parliament, Jane worked in banking, finance, investment, economics and superannuation, and was on the Boards of The Royal Children’s Hospital and Federation Square.

Despite an ATAR of 99.8, leading Lauriston Girls’ School as its School Co-Captain and rising to become an elite water polo player, Katie Blunt was sure her first-choice university course – a Bachelor of Medicine – was beyond her reach! Fast forward to 2021 and Dr Katie Blunt has been recently awarded Junior Doctor of the Year by the Postgraduate Medical Council of Victoria. Katie is a passionate advocate of rural and regional health and currently works at Bendigo Health. She is also a former Co-Chair of the Pre-Vocational Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society (PVOGS) ANZ Committee.

Emma Belcher has spent the last 20 years in the US advocating for the need to acknowledge, humanise and ultimately solve the existential threat of nuclear weapons. She was recently appointed President of Ploughshares Fund, a Washington-based organisation, which supports people and organsiations around the world in a quest to reduce and eventually eliminate the dangers posed by nuclear weapons.

our interview with Emma on page 31.

Inspiring our young women to have a voice in decision-making, not only as citizens but as leaders . Because from challenge comes change.”

The Power

OF COMMUNITY

120 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Despite inclement weather, our Lauriston community came out in force on Sunday 21 March to celebrate 120 years of girls’ education at our 120 Year Anniversary Picnic.

tudents, their families, staff and alumnae enjoyed old-fashioned games, took a trip down memory lane thanks to an impressive Archives display, sang along with the musical performances, including the newly formed Old Lauristonians’ choir (The Huntingtower Singers), were enthralled by the student performance of Picnic at Hanging Rock and ate WAY too much fairy floss and ice-cream!

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The tours of the Lauriston Arts Association (LAA) Student Art Acquisition Prize were a hit. The LAA has played a crucial role in recognising our rich and diverse visual arts program and the wonderful artists the School has produced. The art exhibition celebrated 30 years of VCE and IB student art acquisitions.

Principal Susan Just announced her intention to be first down the Adventure Playground slippery slide once work on our new unified Junior School and Ullmer Centre is complete at the end of Term 1, 2022.

Susan also unveiled the maquette for Jumping for Joy, a new sculpture by Old Lauristonian Heather Ellis, commissioned to mark our 120th anniversary and funded generously by members of our community. The full-size sculpture was unveiled recently and has pride of place under the boughs of the Moreton Bay fig.

Meet our TEACHERS

Kim Beale

hat made you choose teaching as a career?

After completing university and having children I wanted to do something really worthwhile. For me, this was teaching so I decided to do a Postgraduate Certificate in Education. Working with young children and helping them to be happy, enlightened learners is a source of great satisfaction.

Favourite things about teaching?

It is really important for me to have a strong connection with my students that helps them reach their potential. Teaching provides the scope to create a fun learning environment and work with a range of abilities, enabling each one to find their way.

Something no-one knows about you?

I represented the ACT and Oxfordshire County in Netball.

How would you describe yourself in five words?

Fun, caring, diligent, positive, patient.

What do you like doing in your downtime?

Gardening and spending time in the Otways with my family and our dog.

I love seeing their independence and confidence grow with each ‘lightbulb ’ moment.”

Rachael Collier

Prep

What made you choose teaching as a career? I have wanted to be a teacher since I was a child. I have worked in other fields, but they all led to education in the end! I feel as though teaching is a vocation, not just a career.

Favourite things about teaching Prep?

I love the glee and delight of the Prep girls. Their enthusiasm for life and laughter is infectious. I also love seeing their independence and confidence grow with each “lightbulb” moment. My goal as a teacher is for all the girls to transition into Year 1 loving school and loving learning. It is so rewarding to see that eventuate.

Something no-one knows about you?

I practically lived on liquorice bullets during home learning last year!

How would you describe yourself in five words?

Kind, empathetic, supportive, happy to laugh at myself, finds it hard to stay within word limits.

What do you like doing in your downtime?

My ideal weekend would involve watching a “feel good” movie, going for a walk in nature, visiting family, and having a cup of tea over a jigsaw puzzle with a friend.

What do you like about teaching at Lauriston?

I feel very fortunate to work alongside such supportive and professional colleagues. I also value the close-knit community and the way families support each other. Most importantly, I love the Lauriston values. We strive to develop girls who are engaged, creative, empathetic, curious and courageous. I believe wholeheartedly that these characteristics will equip them as women who can contribute meaningful solutions to many of the challenges they will face as individuals and as part of a global community.

Taking the Path LESS TRAVELLED

If you are a wine lover, the name Sarah Gough may be familiar to you. Sarah was chief wine writer at The Age, led the marketing for Brown Brothers Winery, and has been the chief winemaker at Box Grove Vineyard in Tahbilk for more than a decade.

The start of Sarah’s journey as a winemaker began in her mid-teens when she began a part-time job wrapping Christmas hampers at Crittenden’s wine store in Toorak. She found herself immersed in a world where wine was discussed at length.

After graduating from Lauriston in 1974, Sarah undertook an Arts degree; however, she was disappointed that it failed to deliver the intellectual spark she was seeking. Sarah shared her disappointment with Doug Crittenden, who offered to help her get into Roseworthy Agricultural College in South Australia to study wine production and marketing.

“I wasn’t the only girl at Roseworthy in the mid-70s, but one of a small handful. It was dusty and dry and desolate when I got there. I watched my mum drive away in a cloud of red dust and wondered what on earth I had got myself into, but before long I loved it. I made some lifelong friends and built up a network of people in all fields across the industry who I could call, any time, for help or advice. I still ring former lecturers to ask them for advice or information.”

After graduating from Roseworthy, Sarah spent a year on a vineyard in the south-west of France. It was an opportunity for her to deepen her knowledge not only of wine and winemaking but also of France.

“They say if we are lucky, we connect with one teacher in our education; someone who lights a fire in us, shows us what we are good at and encourages us and nurtures us in in that interest. I think in my education at Lauriston, Madame Rogers was that person. The stories she had of life in Paris, the French countryside, French style, French cooking and history must have sat inside me lying dormant until I got there, where it all completely came to life in me.”

“I wrote her a letter while I was in France saying how I loved living there and the way the French work with the seasons. I loved the simple traditions and rhythms of life there and how food and wine are the cornerstones of all they do. She wrote back and said how proud she was and that she had read my letter out in assembly! I guess to inspire other keen French students!”

While in France, Sarah’s role was broad – she took care of guests, accompanying them to surrounding vineyards; when there were no guests, she worked in the vineyard. During her year in France, she developed a deep appreciation of food and its relationship with wine, as well as a heightened awareness of the influence of seasons and the terroir on food and wine.

On her return to Melbourne, Sarah began submitting occasional articles for The Age before becoming chief wine writer in 1983. In 1986 Sarah was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to explore the future of Australian wine in the Japanese market. During a trip to Japan, she was offered a job in Brown

Sarah credits former French teacher Madame Rogers with instilling her with a love of France and all things French.

SARAH GOUGH

Brothers’ marketing department a role she remained in for more than a decade.

In 1995 Sarah and her husband Vivian bought a property in the Nagambie area. Brown Brothers, attracted to the quality of the soil in the area, invited Sarah to become a grape grower. They supplied grapes to Brown Brothers for more than a decade before establishing Box Grove Winery in 2009. The winery also offers an osteria where guests can enjoy regional specialties paired with beautiful wines while enjoying the views over the vineyard.

At Lauriston we often talk about adaptability, flexibility and following one’s passion. Sarah also stresses the importance of lifelong learning.

“My Lauriston education has taught me that no matter what I learned at school or at Roseworthy, I had really only just begun learning, and that we are always learning. If we stop learning, we go backwards. It encouraged me to have an inquisitive mind. It also equipped me with the resilience and resourcefulness that is necessary for life in the country, in a tough industry. The wine industry is a funny amalgam of fashion and agriculture. We can have curveballs thrown at us by Mother Nature in the form of frost, drought and bushfires and then in the marketplace by a GFC, a sudden imposition of 200% tariffs and an overnight change in taste for a grape variety or a winestyle. It has taught me to stay on my toes and be ready to anticipate all these subtle changes and seize the opportunities that come my way.”

Intergenerational Research Project

We had the pleasure of meeting Sarah Gough and her sister Anna Le Deux (1980) at a recent Archives lunch. Also at the lunch were Sarah and Anna’s mother, Rosemary Gough (Upjohn, 1947), her aunt June Cameron (Upjohn. 1951), sister Anna Le Deux (1980) and family friend Naomi Tippett AM (Jacobi, 1948). After lunch we explored the family’s connections with the School and established that 18 family members (including Rosemary’s brother John Upjohn) had attended Lauriston.

As part of our 120th anniversary celebrations, we have begun identifying families with deep or wide connections to the School and are planning to hold an Intergenerational Lunch for these families in November 2021.

If your family has an extended connection to Lauriston, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us via email at 120years@ lauriston.vic.edu.au with details of those who attended Lauriston and we will be in touch.

I loved the simple traditions and rhythms of life there and how food and wine are the cornerstone of all they do.”

“

Laurie’s Listening mental health week saw early morning yoga sessions, lunchtime mindfulness activities, an inspirational speech from Poppy Eather (Year 12) about acceptance and identity, and workshops with Steph Chantal (I am Mindful) about the importance of practising and implementing positive mental health strategies to build resilience and empathy and drive change. Laurie’s Listening is a funda mental part of our Wellbeing program and aims to engage, empower and educate students and teachers and encourage them to reach out. In light of the rising numbers of mental health issues in youth post-COVID-19, this message about the power of community is more potent now than ever before.

THE QUEST FOR THE BEST

It was an afternoon of comedy, tears, dance moves and high drama as the 2021 Senior School House Drama competition took place. Students wrote scripts, ran auditions and rehearsals, choreographed dances, designed costumes, sets and make-up, and did the lighting and sound. The theme for this year was The Quest and it was thrilling to see the creativity and collaboration brought to the stage, led by our Year 12s and House Drama Captains. Congratulations to Kirkhope, our overall House Drama winners!

YEAR 6 MADHATTERS PARADE

Our Year 6 milliners paraded their wonderfully wacky hats in front of family and peers for the annual Madhatters Parade. The girls looked at everyone from King Tutankhamun to Lady Gaga for inspiration and created their masterpieces in Art class.

NIGHT TO

It was an absolute delight to be in the audience of our Years 5–8 Autumn Concert. From choirs and percussion ensembles to guitar, there was something for everyone. The varied and fun repertoire showcased the Junior School’s music program. Perhaps even more inspiring than the confidence, collaboration and skill on display was the pure joy on each student’s face as they performed for families and friends.

Junior School was delighted to host a Mother’s Day breakfast on the green under blue skies. The girls had a chance to buy a “secret” handmade gift at the LPA Mother’s Day Stall.

Recently our talented Year 12 VCE Theatre students produced two intimate and inspired productions of The Small Poppies by David Holman, delighting staff and parents. Students were engaged in direction, acting and the design of set, lighting, props, costume, makeup and sound. Collaboration and creativity were also important aspects.

BLAIRHOLME PICNIC RACES

Sack races, egg and spoon, and cheering family – what better way to spend a sunny Friday afternoon! There were proud grins from the Prep to Year 2 girls as they showed off their teamwork and sporting prowess. Thank you to our wonderful School community for making our Blairholme Picnic Races so special for our girls.

The Year 12 Graduation Dinner at the Forum was a fitting tribute to our Class of 2020 and marked the beginning of a special Year 13 for them. We had wonderful speeches from our School Captains and guest speakers, and an astonishing performance from graduate Hannah Donnelly. We’re so proud of our 2020 cohort, who supported one another through an incredibly challenging year. Their results – a combined (VCE and IB) median ATAR of 91.5, more than half ranking in the top 10% of the state and 84% achieving an ATAR of 80 and above – are testament to their resilience, determination and courage. These traits will stand them in good stead for the future. Of our 2020 graduates, 87% received their first or second preference for tertiary courses of study in Victoria and 76% will undertake courses at the University of Melbourne and Monash University. There will be many more opportunities for our girls to return to Lauriston for events and informal get-togethers.

Courage is one of our core values at Lauriston and in Term 1 our Year 5 girls explored this concept – what it means to be courageous and how they can demonstrate this quality in their everyday lives. They researched and investigated a courageous hero of their choice and presented it as a project to family and friends at their Courageous Heroes Expo.

OF POLITICAL IDEAS

As part of their Political Speech Unit, Year 10 students were given insights into a career in politics – from speech writing and media liaison to negotiation and strategic communication – by a line-up of incredible women. Kate Hely (Mayor of the City of Stonnington) and Tania Coltman (ex-senior ministerial advisor to the Kennett Government and Deputy Chief of Staff for the Hon. Kelly

O’Dwyer MP) spoke passionately about the importance of women in politics and have hopefully inspired our Year 10s to explore public relations and politics as a potential career.

CELEBRATING OUR CLASS OF 2020

COURAGEOUS HEROES

Our Chinese New Year Junior School Assembly was a nod to past traditions and to the future of our young leaders. We were treated to two colourful Chinese New Year performances, presentation of the Years 3–6 SRC badges and a musical performance by our talented music staff. School Captains Megan Ho and Amelie Graham gave a speech on the history of Lauriston and at the conclusion of the assembly each girl was presented with a badge to celebrate Lauriston’s 120-Year Anniversary.

INSPIRING COURAGE

The Year 5 girls took part in three fun-filled, challenging days of talks and activities around resilience, communication and critical thinking as part of their Courage Conference. They were inspired by mental health leader and women’s advocate Dr Sylwia Greda-Bogusz (OAM), entertained by runner Tristan Miller (52 marathons in 52 weeks in 42 countries in 7 continents!), and demonstrated their own courage with the Climbing Wall and other team-building activities organised by The Coach Approach team. All in all, it was a great start to building on those essential life skills that will see our Year 5 girls through their final years as leaders of Junior School.

At Lauriston, we believe that all girls have the capacity and potential to lead. Each of our Year 6 girls are given opportunities throughout the year to demon strate leadership, responsibility and initiative. Our Year 6 Leadership Conference commenced with a family breakfast at Kooyong Tennis Club and an inspiring presentation by Jacqui Cooper. Jacqui is a five-time Olympian and World Cham pion in aerial skiing, and she captivated the girls with a speech about the power of persistence, determination, goal setting and self-belief.

DANCE FESTIVAL!

Irving Hall stage exploded with a riot of colour, music and (mostly) choreographed moves as we witnessed the culmination of weeks of “secretive” lunch-time practice and Taylor Swift lyrics. The Senior School Dance Festival is a Term 2 highlight, and it was great to see so many girls braving the stage and demonstrating their hard work and collaboration with such enthusiasm.

LEADERS OF TOMORROW

Two decades ago, Lauriston was the only girls’ school to offer Aviation. This year we were delighted to offer a new STEM elective: “Aviation and Space Science”. For our passionate Year 10 students, the highlight of the course was an inaugural excursion to Moorabbin Airport, where they had the opportunity to sit in the pilot’s seat, experience a full-motion simulator session, and explore some of the iconic aircraft at the Australian National Aviation Museum. Thank you to Zara Dennis, our Lead Teacher of STEM, for inspiring our girls to pursue a career in aviation.

CYBER SAFETY WORKSHOP

Widely known as the “cyber cop”, Susan McLean is Australia’s foremost cyber safety expert and was the first Victorian Police Officer appointed to a position involving cyber safety and young people. In a presentation to Years 5 and 6, Susan skillfully wove amusing anecdotes and case studies with serious themes such as online predators, cyberbullying, and legalities and safety issues around popular social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram.

CAREERS EXPO 2021

We were delighted to welcome entrepreneur, social sector leader, podcast host and author Jan Owen AM to launch our Careers Expo. Jan was joined by a panel of Old Lauristonians Sophie Bainbridge (2011), India Read (2010) and Feng-Yuan Liu (2004) to discuss the future of work, young people and the intergenerational workforce. Over the next couple of days our Senior students heard from over 20 alumnae, who volunteered their time to share their experiences, career paths and advice across industries such as Design & Architecture, Marketing, Business & Finance, Construction, and Conservation.

ON TOP OF THE WORLD

It’s not often one gets to reflect on the day’s challenges from the top of a mountain. Our Howqua girls arrived back from their 3-day hikes weary but triumphant having experienced the High Country in all its winter glory, from minus temperatures, snowfall, mist and rain to perfect winter sunshine.

Fit for LIFE

SENIOR SCHOOL HOUSE SWIMMING & DIVING CARNIVAL

MSAC reverberated with cheers of triumph and team chants as the 2021 House Swimming & Diving Carnival got underway. It was a thrilling race to the end, but Andrews left the pool as our overall 2021 House Champions. Year Level Champions were Stella Smith (Year 7), Charlotte Roberts (Year 8), Ella Louey-Waring (Year 10), Sophie Allen (Year 11) and Penny Hunt-Smith (Year 12) and Diving Champions: Alice Gilfillan (Year 7/8), April Lumby (Year 10) and Jade Parker (Year 11/12). The team spirit and support were inspiring and we look for ward to more colourful (and noisy) House events throughout the year.

MAKING WAVES AT GSV

Lauriston has dived straight back into the pool with resounding success after nearly a year away! Our GSV Swimming & Diving Squads won both the Swimming AND Diving Championship Trophies at the Division 2 Championship Carnival at MSAC. This was a huge achievement for the squad and Year 12 Squad and Captains (Penny Hunt-Smith, Amelia Fox and Maddie O’Callaghan) were integral in leading the teams and encouraging them to do their best.

KICKING GOALS

It was a nail-biting match as our AFWL team pitted their footy skills against St Catherine’s in the annual Huntingtower Heyington Shield AFL Game. The girls demonstrated spectacular sportswomanship both on and off the field and came away with a draw 2.3.15 vs 2.3.15. We look forward to reclaiming the shield next year!

HOUSE ATHLETICS

Team spirit and enthusiasm were the winners at the Junior School House Athletics Carnival. Kirkhope House ran, threw and leapt home to take out Overall Champions, followed by Irving (2nd), Andrews (3rd) and Mitchell (4th). Congratulations also to Irving House, who were awarded the House Spirit Cup.

HOUSE CROSS COUNTRY

Just before the Easter break, our Junior School students pounded it out around the track in pursuit of the title of House Cross Country Champi ons. It was a great display of determination and persistence and Kirkhope emerged victorious for 2021!

DISTRICT SWIMMING

Our Junior School team carved it up at the District Swimming, representing Lauriston with pride and coming in 4th out of 8 schools. A highlight of the day was the Year 6 girls’ exciting race to 2nd in the freestyle A relay.

Superstars

NICOLE KASSIMIOTIS

Congratulations to Nicole Kassimiotis (Year 7), whose T-shirt design was displayed as part of the Concern Australia Walk in My Shoes exhibition at Fed Square this week. The exhibition included an Augmented Reality experience aimed at raising community awareness and response to youth homelessness. All the profits raised from sale of the T-shirts and hoodies are donated to Steps Outreach Service and young people experiencing homelessness.

RISING WATERPOLO STAR

Georgia Reeh (Year 10) was recently selected by WaterPolo Australia to be a part of their “Launch to LA” camp, a pathway program to the LA Olympics in 2028. A terrific achievement and a testament to the hard work Georgia puts into her sport

DEBUTING ON THE WORLD STAGE

During the Easter break, Beattie Goad (2015) was kicking goals for Australia in her debut soccer match for the Matildas against Germany.

ZART FINALIST

Our “Fabulous” FabLab Coordinator, Georgina Campbell, was a Finalist in the ZartArt National Teacher-Artist Prize. The National Teacher-Artist Prize is a new annual art prize for Australian teachers. It aims to nurture, recognise and celebrate the visual art practice of school-based teachers. This achievement is great recognition of the expertise and passion of our Lauriston teaching staff.

A BRIGHT FUTURE IN DESIGN

Class of 2020 graduate Zoe Parker Nentis’ set and costume design for the character of Jack from Into the Woods was chosen to be exhibited as part of 2021 Top Designs (Theatre Studies). Described as “the future of Australian design”, Top Designs showcases Victoria’s most talented VCE students from 2020.

TAKING THE STAGE BY STORM

Earlier this year, our talented 2020 Theatre graduates Amy Sandles, Charlie Sutterby and Charlotte Graham performed live at the Arts Centre Melbourne in the Top Class Drama and Theatre Studies 2021. Part of the VCAA Season of Excellence, Top Class showcases the creativity and originality of the top VCE performing arts students across Victoria.

JUNIOR CONCERTMASTER!

Clara P (Year 6) was recently appointed the Melbourne Youth Orchestra’s Junior Strings Concertmaster! This is an incredible achievement and we are very proud of her.

Meet Emma Belcher CLASS OF 1994

Emma Belcher

T

ell us about your career path and what you’re doing now.

As president of Ploughshares Fund in the United States, I’m proud to be the leader of an organisation that works to reduce and eliminate the existential threat of nuclear weapons.

My path was varied. While completing an arts degree at Melbourne University, I was an exchange student at Georgetown University in Washington DC. This cemented my interest in international relations.

Since then, I’ve worked at the Australian embassy in Washington DC, in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. For almost 10 years I ran the Nuclear Challenges program at the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. I’ve done a masters and PhD at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

Highlights are giving a TEDx talk that has almost two million views, and being listed as one of Washington DC’s most influential people for foreign affairs in 2021 in the Washingtonian Magazine

How do you think the role of women in the workplace has changed since you began your career?

We have definitely come a fair way, but we have a long way to go. The number of women at the highest levels of government and organisations is still less than representative of the population, and there are many ways in which women’s expertise and contribution to society are overlooked. And, for a long time, men have dominated conversations about issues facing women.

As the pandemic has highlighted in so many ways, the overwhelming share of childcare and home management still disproportionately falls to women, whether women are employed outside the home or not. Another challenge is that women are historically in more tenuous or casual employment and have therefore been the first out the door when employers inevitably downsized.

What do you think is the future of women in the workplace?

The good news is that there’s a lot of attention on these issues right now. And there’s attention on issues of bias and inequality in general when it comes to race, disability and sexual identity. I hope the inequities that have been high lighted during the pandemic and the issues of sexual assault and harassment in the workplace lead to sustainable change. We need to make sure that we don’t return to the status quo.

This is important because diversity matters. Evidence in multiple sectors indicates that a diversity of views makes public discourse more robust and

leads to better outcomes. So, it’s not just tokenism – including diverse voices is actually better for the work you’re doing.

The more we can have people in leadership positions who exemplify diversity and bring their perspectives to decision-making, and the more we can normalise and institutionalise diversity, the better off we will be.

What would you consider key ingredients for success in the workplace?

A willingness to always learn and to make connections with others. And to try again if you fail.

What skills have you found most crucial in your life journey so far?

An ability to adapt if things don’t work out the way you’d hoped. One specific skill that’s been particularly helpful to me is public speaking, which I honed on the debating team at Lauriston.

What is your advice to our young women of the future?

Take advantage of opportunities that come to you and be open to doing something a bit differently than what you thought at the end of Year 12. Don’t be shy about finding mentors. Chances are they were mentored by women who went before them and will be keen to pay it forward.

What was your key takeaway from your education at Lauriston? Studying the International Baccalaureate opened my mind to an international career, particularly studying 20th-century history. I made some lifelong friendships with wonderful and interesting women from my time at Lauriston.

What do you think are key global issues young people should be concerned with as they look to the future?

Addressing climate change, nuclear weapons, forced migration, global health, racism, artificial intelligence and disinformation are just some of the key global issues to focus on. But it’s how we govern these global issues and work with others to address complex problems that will be important. The decisions we make now will be consequential for the future. The crisis in governance and challenge to global institutions over the last several years have eroded international cooperation. The pandemic laid this bare in a devastating way. We need leaders who see the interconnectedness of these issues and act in ethical ways with regard for how action in one part of the world can affect others, and we need innovators to solve our way out of our shared problems.

A Special Group OF SUPPORTERS

The celebration of 120 years of Lauriston education brings into focus the stories and histories of people who have helped make Lauriston the School it is today.

Our founders’ vision was to empower young women by providing them with a well-rounded education that featured sport, the arts, debating and outdoor education, in addition to a challenging academic curriculum. Our community has supported this vision by giving generously of their time and their expertise to benefit our girls and our School. Many have also provided financial support to help fund scholarships for deserving girls, or to help build the teaching and learning facilities our students need to achieve their potential.

Another important aspect of our community’s generosity is gifts that have been included in wills. Our bequestors and their families recognised that leaving a bequest was a way they could truly make a difference in the lives of Lauriston girls

In April we held a special Gifts in Will Week to celebrate the giving spirit and generosity of our community and their gifts, which have helped the School to educate generations of accomplished women.

As part of these celebrations, we unveiled plaques at the School commemorating three of our bequestors: Lilian Bayly, Sarah Hollyer and Richard Halliday. All three valued girls’ education and wanted to ensure future generations had access to the programs and facilities needed to succeed in a constantly changing world.

We also hosted the Elizabeth Kirkhope Circle (EKC) annual luncheon. The EKC was established to honour benefactors who have chosen to support the School directly through a gift in their will.

We are proud of our bequestors, who had the foresight to invest in girls’ education and understood the transformative power education wields.

There is a growing group of parents, grandparents, alumnae and staff who, over the years, have left gifts which helped fund the development of new facilities, establish new programs, and provide scholarships, bursaries and prizes for students. Gifts left in wills continue to have a major impact on the School’s ability to deliver contemporary teaching and learning facilities, and to provide deserving young women with the opportunity to experience an outstanding education.

We thank our past, current and future bequestors and share our gratitude for their generous gifts, their loyalty to the School, and their foresight in giving to the future of girls’ education.

www.lauriston.vic.edu.au/bequests

founders’ vision was to empower young women by providing them with a well-rounded education.”

Your Opportunity

HELP BUILD THEIR FUTURE

We invite all members of the Lauriston community to help build this exciting future for our girls.”

YOUR OPPORTUNITY

As we celebrate 120 years of our girls’ education, we are also looking forward and constructing vital new sports and learning facilities for future generations of Lauriston girls. We invite all members of the Lauriston community to help build this exciting future for our girls and celebrate their family’s connection with Lauriston in three ways.

TAKE YOUR SEAT IN THE COMMUNITY HUB

The Ullmer Sports and Wellbeing Centre will become a hub for students, families, and the broader community as they gather to watch our girls compete. Your gift in support of a seat is a special way for your family to be a part of the transformation of Lauriston’s sporting facilities. Your gift of $500 will see your family name on a 120th Supporters seat, while a gift of $750 will secure a 120th Courtside seat. A limited number of “boxes” for larger groups are also available.

All gifts over $2 are tax-deductible. For further information on any of these opportunities, please visit www.lauriston.vic.edu.au/support.

MAKE A GIFT OF $120 FOR 120 YEARS OF LAURISTON

Celebrate the Irving sisters’ vision for girls’ education by making a special gift of $1 for each year of Lauriston’s history.

BE A PART OF THE 120 TREE ART INSTALLATION

The Moreton Bay fig is the symbolic heart of Lauriston. In our 120th year, we are creating a 12m x 3m metal sculpture inspired by our fig tree. Be part of this unique project by gifting a leaf to add to the tree. These metal leaves vary in size: bronze and silver are 15cm, while gold and platinum are 20cm. Your leaf will be engraved with your family name. Only 300 leaves are available.

Choose your leaf:

• Bronze $2,000

• Silver $3,500

• Gold $5,000 (fully subscribed)

• Platinum $10,000 (fully subscribed)

There are also three branches available which may be of interest to intergenerational families or groups. This spectacular artwork will be mounted on the external wall of the new Ullmer Sports and Wellbeing Centre and will stand as a lasting reminder of your family’s connection with the School.

Building THEIR FUTURE

The Armadale campus is a hive of activity as work continues on the second stage of the building project: creating a sports and wellbeing precinct and unifying the Junior School by transforming the existing gymnasium into learning facilities for Years 5 and 6 girls and building new classrooms for our Prep girls.

Our builders, DEVCO, returned to site in the final weeks of 2020. Their first task was to remove Michael House (former home of the 3-year-old Kindergarten). The existing entrance to the swimming pool was also removed in preparation for a new shared foyer. This was then followed by bulk excavation of the site and retaining walls to ensure the ground level for the new Ullmer Sports and Wellbeing Centre matched the level of the existing swimming pool.

Once the site had been levelled, inground services including plumbing, electricity and fire services were installed and the perimeter footings poured. Steelwork is now in place for the three concrete pours which are needed for the floor of the Ullmer Sports and Wellbeing Centre.

Work on transforming the existing gym is also well underway. The gym has been gutted, the existing internal staircase removed, and new widows and doorways cut into the external walls. Provision has been made for a new lift, inground services added, and structural steel ordered in preparation for the new mezzanine level in the Learning Centre.

Work continues as scheduled and we anticipate construction of the new facilities will be completed by the end of Term 1, 2022.

ANNOUNCING THE ULLMER SPORTS AND WELLBEING CENTRE

The Ullmer Family Foundation has demonstrated its commitment to girls’ education by making one of the largest gifts the School has ever received. The gift, in support of the new Ullmer Sports and Wellbeing Centre, will help deliver these vital facilities which will benefit Lauriston students and the broader community for generations to come.

Principal Susan Just and School Council Chair Rick Ball welcomed the family’s philanthropic contribution, which takes the total funds raised through the It’s Her Turn campaign to over $3.2 million. In recognition of their support through this wonderful gift, the School Council has resolved to name the new centre the Ullmer Sports and Wellbeing Centre.

The Ullmer family has a long history with Lauriston across multiple generations. Jenny and Michael Ullmer AO joined the Lauriston community in 1985 when their daughter Jane commenced in Prep. Michael served as Treasurer of the School Council for two years after having previously sat on the Lauriston Foundation Board from 1989 to 1991.

“The Ullmer Family Foundation is excited to announce its first major gift focused on girls’ education in support of the Ullmer Sports and Wellbeing Centre. The Foundation is proud of its commitment to youth education, classical music and arts programs for communities that have lower levels of access and participation. This gift helps to address the inequality in funding and participation rates in girls’ sports as compared to boys. We also welcome that the facility will be made available to the broader community.” Jenny Ullmer (Chu)

William Ullmer and wife Jenny (Chu, 1999) have three daughters currently at Lauriston – Victoria (Year 5), Elizabeth (Year 4) and Charlotte (4-year-old Kinder) – and their fourth daughter Catherine will commence 3-year-old Kinder next year.

Jane Ullmer (1997) attended Lauriston through to the completion of Year 9 at Howqua, leaving only due to the family’s relocation to Sydney. Her connection with Lauriston remains strong through the lifelong friendships she made there, and she recalls her formative experiences at School (such as Howqua) fondly. She is a doctor working in public health and lives in New Zealand with her three daughters, Madeleine, Lucy and Annabelle.

A tax-deductible gift to the It’s Her Turn campaign will help deliver vital new sports and learning facilities that will benefit future generations of Lauriston girls. Make It Her Turn by making a gift at www.lauriston.vic.edu.au/donations.

Above: William & Jenny Ullmer and family

Above: Jane Ullmer and family

Above: Jenny and Michael Ullmer AO

“

I encourage all members of our extended Lauriston community to come and see the Heritage Trail panels throughout our School grounds. The Heritage Trail will also be published online at www.ola.org.au for those who are unable to visit the School. I certainly look forward to providing other class groups with this unique experience of taking a walk both literally and academically through Lauriston’s enduring history.”

A Walk throughour Heritage LISL BLADIN, ARCHIVIST

In late 2019 I spoke to Marina Johnson, our Director of Advancement, about working with her team on a Heritage Trail project for Lauriston. This collaboration achieved a milestone on 21 March this year when the Heritage Trail was officially opened by Principal Susan Just as part of our School’s 120th celebrations.

The aim of the Heritage Trail was to use Lauriston as a backdrop to highlight aspects of our School’s history. We have installed the first four of 10 interpretive panels throughout Lauriston’s grounds, providing information on topics such as Lauriston’s founders Margaret and Lilian Irving, and the original “Brocklesby” mansion known as the “Old House” that was demolished in 1966 to make way for the new Special Studies Wing.

The four panels you can currently see are: Our Founders (front gate); Boarders (between the Science & Resources Centre and the tennis courts), Moreton Bay Fig (next to the tree); and Uniform (Irving Courtyard).

An important part of the Heritage Trail was to involve current students in developing historical content and embed the study of our School’s history within the curriculum.

Our Year 7 students undertook a pilot Heritage Trail project as part of their Humanities subject at the end of 2020. Each class was allocated one of the first four topics that are represented by the current interpretive panels. The students had a package of online resources to develop their multimedia presentations, including oral histories, newspaper and School magazine articles, photographs, and other secondary material from reference books. Both Marina and I provided the Year 7s with an introduction to the Heritage Trail project. Marina also organised for some of the girls in the class researching our boarders to conduct an online interview with Heather Ellis (Class of 1954).

Wherever possible, I provided the students with access to more tangible resources and collection items from Lauriston’s archives. The students’ opportunities were limited by the pandemic, especially having to fit the pilot subject into the remaining face-to-face lesson time at the end of the academic year. I was able to showcase examples of our past School uniform and organise for one of our gardeners to talk about the ongoing conservation of our Moreton Bay Fig. The Senior Library staff also assisted the Year 7s in consulting past editions of our School magazine.

Before the pandemic hit in 2020, we planned for the Heritage Trail project to include all Year 7 classes interviewing our alumnae on their specific topic.

We certainly hope in the future to have our students undertake oral history interviews as part of an intergenerational program that promotes the value of history and cultural heritage. These oral histories will form the basis of an ongoing oral history bank that preserves our alumnae’s memories, especially those now in their 80s or 90s.

The Year 7 multimedia content was available for our Lauriston family to see at our 120th Anniversary Community Picnic in March. Many of the students who had participated in the Heritage Trail Project brought their families into the Senior Library to see these presentations. These students certainly should be proud of what they achieved. Their audio-visual content has been incorporated into a subject menu so other students can learn more about Lauriston’s history through our Year 7s’ perspectives. (Photo bottom left: Frame from the Year 7 multimedia presentation on the Moreton Bay Fig Tree with Nouvelle Murray, now in Year 8.)

The Heritage Trail Project has been a team effort involving several areas within Lauriston’s administration including the Advancement Office, Senior School, Humanities teaching staff, Library Services, and, of course, our Year 7 students of 2020.

Donations to THE ARCHIVES

Lauriston lapel pin c. 1914–1918

Photographs, memorabilia, Prospectus 1930s, Lauriston Certificate and Prize Lists 1930s, student exercise book for Betty Mander (Murdoch, 1939), Biology exercise book 1937

Form 3B Science exercise book 1978, Junior School bag, straw and synthetic summer hats

Several items of uniform, badges, photographs, School reports and certificates, memorabilia, ceramic pot, batik fabric, The Lauristonian magazines.

Sports tunic

School Captain’s badge, 1951

Uniform comprising: School blazer, summer dresses, ties, polar fleece, winter skirt

Memorabilia, Lauriston Certificate and Prize Lists 1940s, badges, OLA newsletters, The Lauristonian magazines

Blazer, badges, winter skirt, tie, Prize book

Winter beret, sports tunic, tie, School blazer

School assignments 1984, Prize book

Summer School hats, coin purse

Two Prize books 1945 and 1947, copies of photographs

Handmade WWII Evacuation bag with stitched-on Lauriston crest

Felt winter hat

Norman Baldwin

Trish Redman (Mander, 1968)

Maree Dettmann (Campbell, 1981)

Georgina Campbell (1978)

Suzie Hill (1969)

Gill Cook (Ferguson, 1951)

Marianne Rose (1997)

Martin Adams, son of Judith Adams (Johnston, 1946)

Anna Wilson (Murray, 1990)

Caroline Morrison (Hatfield, 1984)

Juliette Lee (1984)

Wendy Brand (1982)

June Cameron (Upjohn, 1951)

Rosemary Gough (Upjohn, 1947)

Frankie Gallucci (2008)

Rosemary Gough (Upjohn, 1947): handmade WWII evacuation bag

Object

Donor

John Winduss

“My dad and I also came along to the Valedictory in 1982, a farewell to Susan and the opening of the newly refurbished Irving Hall. Wow, it looked good. Sir Ninian Stephens opened the hall, and boy was it a hot night as there was no air-conditioning in those days. I remember getting involved in replanting the garden at 1070 Malvern Road to prepare for a dinner for the Governor-Gener al that was held in the front room of Michael House.”

John remembers back to a time when Lauriston students climbed the Moreton Bay Fig and other trees on campus before the conservation program to preserve Lauriston’s botanical heritage.

“I remember them sitting in the V shape of the tree and having to clean up the leaves and figs that constantly fell to the ground. The students also climbed the trees in the Montrose gardens. Kids used to make cubbies before the major landscaping was done. There was a Cyprus hedge at Blairholme that the kids would climb and run around behind. One morning I walked round to Blairholme and one of the staff informed me that the hedge had burnt down last night.”

John’s father, John Senior, worked at Lauriston Girls’ School as carpenter from 1977 to 1992. John Senior was part of the official ceremony to plant a Moreton Bay Fig at Blairholme in 1987. He got on well with the Drama teacher Val Heath and was often involved in building wooden sets for School productions. John’s father was admired for the quality of his workmanship around our School and it’s wonderful to see the family legacy continued.

This year John Winduss will celebrate 40 years as a gardener at Lauriston, having officially started here in late 1981 at age 17. He is passionate about maintaining the grounds and preserving Lauriston’s significant trees.

In his first year, Principal Susan St Leon lived on campus at 1070 Malvern Road (formerly Michael House). John would see her drive to School with her dog Lucy, who played around the School during the day. He remembers Susan St Leon’s farewell at the end of his first year at Lauriston.

STAFF SPOTLIGHT

Top right: Maintenance 1991 L-R: S. Kapeh, J. Winduss Jnr, D. Hayden, I. MacKenzie, J. Winduss Snr., G. Herbert.

These are some of the wonderful items on loan for the

of Lauriston” display.

PAM GAWITH (1971)

Samples of craft work consisting of Hardanger embroidery in blue woven cloth 1969, handsewn and embroidered purse circa 1966–7, leather purse circa 1967, and cross-stitch needle case circa 1966–7.

PAT REYNOLDS (1962)

French doll named “Suzie” who belonged to Margaret Barber (1927). The doll and her clothes were made between 1886 and 1890, and probably belonged to Alice McLean (Pat’s grandmother) or one of her sisters. The Lauriston uniform was handmade by Jessy Wright, Margaret’s aunt, around the early 1920s.

GABBY WALTERS (1982)

Bblazer pocket with her School colours as a Social Service representative, and her Duke of Edinburgh Record Book which documents her Gold Award in 1982.

Thank you for THE MEMORIES

LISL BLADIN

One of the most interesting aspects of celebrating our 120th year has been my work collecting contributions from our alumnae for the Memories of Lauriston display that is in cabinets throughout the Armadale campus for all of 2021.

I have received written memories from our past students that have been incorporated into narrative panels with photographs. I have also received on loan some tangible mementos from their School years. These narratives reveal that our School has provided generations of Lauriston girls with shared experiences. I have enjoyed the humour in their stories and a fondness in reminiscing about their School days.

These narratives reveal that our School has provided generations of Lauriston girls with shared experiences. I have enjoyed the humour in their stories and a fondness in reminiscing about their School days.

Our alumnae’s memories are varied: reminiscing about dedicated teachers who provided inspired learning (Miss Howie is a favourite); the subjects they enjoyed the most; student involvement in co-curricular activities such as Drama and Sport; memorable School spaces and buildings; blazer pockets with School colours that represent personal contributions to both Lauriston and the wider community; changes in the Lauriston uniform; and quirky student experiences that reflect a bygone era, such as the “posture girdle” (white woven cord belt worn with the sports dress), that over 60 years ago was only worn by students who were awarded this belt for exemplary deportment.

The objects on display include scrapbooks, book prizes, examples of craft work, school assignments and exercise books, badges and blazer pockets, certificates and awards, uniforms, and Lauriston memorabilia. One of my favourite items is a Victorian doll wearing a handsewn Lauriston uniform made around the early 1920s. “Suzie” the doll is on loan from Pat Reynolds (1962) and has been owned by her family for over a century.

I am looking to regularly change the display and welcome more contribu tions from our alumnae. Your memory can be a significant event, something sentimental, quirky, funny or even critical. I am interested in stories from the 2000s as much as those from the mid-20th century or earlier. Not all the panels have related objects and I welcome stories from your student days that can be emailed to Lauriston.

Image: Pam Gawith (1971) Form IV (Year 10) science notebooks, 1969

Drawing of old and new Sports Uniform by Georgina Campbell (1978).

Where are

THEY NOW?

PROFESSOR NILMINI WICKRAMASINGHE (1987)

It is with pride and great pleasure that we announce that Nilmini Wickramasinghe has been elected the recipient of a Humboldt Research Award.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation was established by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and is funded by the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, as well as other national and international partners. It promotes international academic cooperation between excellent scientists and scholars from Germany and from all over the world.

The award has been granted to Nilmini in significant recognition of her past accomplishments in research and teaching, and Nilmini has been invited to undertake research in collaboration with colleagues in Germany. Congratulations to Nilmini – this is a prestigious award of great international standing in the scientific community.

DOROTHY COOPER (WHISTLER, 1939)

At age 97, Dorothy Cooper is still connected with her School.

Earlier in January we received a lovely letter from Dorothy, who said that she was not able to attend the Founders’ Day Assembly and Lunch on 8 February. We noted her apology in the Lunch Program, and after the event sent Dorothy a copy of the program along with a commemorative 120 Anniversary pin. A few weeks later, we received this letter:

I am writing on behalf of Dorothy Cooper (nee Whistler) who attended your school from 1930–1939. She now resides in an aged care facility in Yarra Junction, Victoria.

She received her program and badge the other day in the mail and was very grateful that you had thought of her. She was so excited that we took a photo with her items to share with you.

Dorothy is 97 years old and has been with us for 6 years. She is still visited weekly by her family and is widely known within the community. She attends the local church for services and likes to attend our High Tea days.

Once again thank you for sending your program to Dorothy.

Regards Bronwyn Walburg

JEANETTE GUNN AM (PAST STAFF)

The Lauriston community is excited to congratulate much-respected past staff member Jeanette Gunn, who was recently awarded an AM for her significant service to water polo at an elite level.

Jeannette was manager of the Australian women’s water polo team that won gold at the Sydney Olympics, was a Maths teacher and was instrumental in the introduction of Water Polo at Lauriston Girls’ School.

Jeanette was a valued member of the teaching staff at Lauriston for over 20 years, and we were delighted to welcome Jeanette back to School in February to be part of the 120th Anniversary celebrations at Founders’ Day.

KATE SELLARS-JONES (1983)

Kate Sellars-Jones was recently featured in the May edition of Domain Review. She is one of several creative artists who has a studio in the bayside suburb of Highett along a traditionally industrial strip that has now evolved into house studios occupied by milliners, printers, pottery workshops and artists like Kate. With the growing intensity of people’s relationships with their pets during COVID-19, it’s no wonder that Kate’s dog portraits have taken off.

Everyone has a wall at home where a portrait of a beloved pet should hang! Check out her instagram @fetch_portraits

Katie is a tutor for Primary School students and is making a difference to the wellbeing of children. Katie offers one-on-one tutoring in all areas of Primary schoolwork and uses specialised maths and literacy techniques that suit all children. Katie is also an accredited Hahnemann Healer and her skills help children cope with the emotional side of their lives. This means that if your child has trouble coping and perhaps suffers anxiety with their schoolwork, feels unhappy in their friendship groups, or feels frustrated and cannot express their needs, then Katie can help. Katie is naturally kind, and her understanding way helps children feel safe, nurtured and supported.

Tutoring and/or healings in the privacy of your home will help support your child achieve their learning and social goals. To get in touch with Katie, email katie.grace.2017@outlook.com or call 0413 163 195.

KATIE GRACE (GEORGE, 1990)

OLA FELLOWSHIP

IThe OLA was thrilled to launch a new initiative – the OLA Fellowship – awarded to a past graduate of Lauriston. If you are embarking on something remarkable in your life or in your career, the OLA would love to support you. The successful candidate will receive $5,000 to go towards further education, a new business opportunity or travel that supports career. Applications are now open via the OLA website or scan the QR code to start your application now! Full terms and conditions at https://ola.org. au/#olafellowship

It is hard to believe that 120 years ago, sisters Margaret and Lilian Irving founded a school that has evolved to become one of the most reputable girls’ schools in Australia. In honour of this wonderful milestone, we celebrated Founders’ Day with an assembly for students and a beautiful lunch for past students and guests. The Assembly included entertainment, performances from the students and an address by Guest Speaker Dr Kate Fitz-Gibbon (2004).

Kate is Director of the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre and Associate Professor of Criminology in the School of Social Sciences at Monash University. She is an Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Law and Social Justice at University of Liverpool, and a proud Old Lauristonian.

The School adhered to social-distancing restrictions and was live-streamed for the entire community to enjoy. It was a wonderful occasion for all who were able to attend.

Congratulations to our newly formed Huntingtower Singers on their inaugural performance at the 120th Community Picnic held on Sunday 21 March. This choir of nearly 30, of varying talent and experience, is exclusive to Old Lauristonians and spans a remarkable six decades!

So far this year they have been busy rehearsing and have had a terrific time getting to know each other and formulating their song lists. The Huntingtower Singers, led by Suzie Hill (1969), is an evolving group and welcomes Old Lauristonians who are interested in joining. Rehearsals are held at the School in the evening during the week and occasionally on a Saturday.

If you are interested in joining, please email ola@lauriston.vic.edu.au.

HUNTINGTOWER SINGERS

What’s been

HAPPENING

INTER-SCHOOL GOLF CHALLENGE CUP – 19 APRIL 2021

The 92nd Inter-School Golf Challenge Cup was held on Monday 19 April at Commonwealth Golf Course. There were 116 women playing, representing 29 schools. Lauriston was admirably represented by Bronny Sterck (1976), Phoebe Dixon (1974), Barb Hurley (1973) and Sarah Bernard (1973). As always there was an individual stableford event as well as a team event. The winners were:

Individual A Grade: Kristine Vandertop – Clarendon (35 points)

Individual B Grade: Susan Hocking – Morongo (35 points)

Team Event: Clarendon (with an aggregate 124 points)

Barb Hurley also scored a very handy 35 points and was unlucky to miss out on the individual prize on a countback. It was a lovely day, and, as the result of a successful raffle, produce stall and donations, a cheque for around $3,500 will be presented to McAuley Community Services for Women.

CAPTAINS’ EVENING

In celebration of 120 years of leadership at Lauriston, the School wel comed past School Captains and Vice-Captains to return for a wonderful evening on Wednesday 5 May. Past leaders enjoyed a tour of the School followed by a special get-together in Irving Hall beneath the Past Princi pals’ portraits where they caught up and took a trip down memory lane, sharing School stories and updating each other on what they have done since graduation.

We were delighted to have 45 past leaders attend, including our oldest known School Captain June Danks (1948) right up to our most recent past School Captains Veasna Gunawan and Jessica Detering (2020). The new OLA Fellowship was announced and the highlight of the evening was a performance from the newly formed OLA choir ‘The Huntingtower Singers’ made up of past students from the past six decades. It was a wonderful evening.

Image: Kate Fitz-Gibbon (2004)

Vale

MARYBEL MOORE (1953)

It is with much sorrow that we learn of the passing of past School Captain (1954) Marybel Moore. Marybel presented the Weekly Talk at School assembly and was a committee member of the Music Club, presenting the Club with a new hymn book in 1954. Marybel was also the President of the Inter national Study Group and an avid fan of the Lauriston Hockey Team. Marybel passed away in London on 30 January 2019 and will be missed by her brother Michael and her friends from Lauriston.

JESSICA BLACKMAN (SPENCER, 1985)

Lauriston Girls’ School, together with the Old Lauristonians’ Association, offers sincere condolences to the family, and friends from the Class of 1985, on the passing of Jessica Blackman (Spencer, 1985). Jessica passed away on 18 February 2021 surrounded by her loving family, partner Ron and children Laura, Liz, Will and Kate. Jessica’s life was celebrated at a funeral on 26 February 2021.

AILSA FAULKNER (PURVIS, 1947)

The School is saddened by the passing of Ailsa Faulkner, who passed away in the early hours on 28 December 2020. Ailsa attended Lauriston from 1938.

Ailsa’s daughter Louise said that Lauriston was a pivotal part of Ailsa’s life. She made many lifelong friends at School and, more importantly, her connec tion with Lauriston and the establishment of the OLA – NSW Branch was a great support to her when she moved to Sydney in 1960. The OLA NSW Branch has met in each other’s homes three times a year for almost 60 years, the most recent being in November and hosted by Ailsa.

Ailsa achieved much during her life and had an enormous sense of duty and community spirit. She particularly supported the Red Cross, Pymble Branch, Meals on Wheels and her local bowling club. She often held executive

positions and was a terrific organiser. Above all else, she was a wonderful mother, always up for a chat and welcoming anyone and everyone into her home.

Ailsa will be sadly missed by her children, extended family, friends, and her Lauriston family.

JILLIAN HOCKING (1976)

It is with great sadness that the Old Lauristonians’ Association recently learned of the passing of Jillian Hocking. Jillian passed away on 8 November 2017 after a two-year battle with the disease glioblastoma.

Jillian worked as a journalist at ABC Radio National, trained journalists at SBS, and was Head of Radio Broadcasting for the United Nations in Afghanistan. She also trained journalists in eastern Europe and the Arab world before returning to Australia to become a highly regarded journalism academic in Melbourne.

Sincere condolences to Jillian’s family, Bruce Kirkman and sons Max and Oscar.

BARBARA MAY BUCK (BARKER, 1940)

The School is saddened by the passing of Barbara Buck on Friday 22 January 2021, aged 97. Barbara had a strong and powerful connection with the School which started as a young girl and as great niece of the School’s founders, Misses Margaret and Lilian Irving. Barbara’s cousin Lynne Loth (Merrifield, 1941) also attended Lauriston and we extend our sincere condolences to the family, having also lost Lynne just two days prior to Barbara’s passing.

Even though Barbara lived in NSW, she often visited the School and attended as many occasions as possible to remain connected with her Lauriston friends and to the School. The photo of Barbara was taken at the Senior Old Girls’ Music Lunch in 2016, where Barbara enjoyed a wonderful day catching up with many friends.

Barbara will be sadly missed by her children, numerous grandchildren, extended family, friends, and her Lauriston family.

DOROTHEA “LYNNE” LOTH (MERRIFIELD, 1941)

The School is saddened by the passing of Lynne Loth, who passed away peacefully on Wednesday 20 January 2021. Lynne maintained a deep connec tion with the School throughout her life, which started as a young girl and as great-niece of the School’s founders, Misses Margaret and Lilian Irving. Lynne has recounted stories of her great-aunts in the past, referring to them as Aunt Lil (the sporty one!) and Aunt Mage (the brainy one!).

Lynne’s mother also attended Lauriston – Mary Merrifield (Barker, 1908) and features in her sports uniform on the cover of Carolyn Rasmussen’s book Lauriston, 100 years of educating girls 1901–2000. Lynne’s sisters Noela (1939) and Ruth (1942) also attended Lauriston, as did her cousin Barbara Buck (Barker, 1940).

With her quick wit and dry sense of humour, Lynne has told us stories of girls climbing the high branches of the Moreton Bay fig tree and sliding down when reprimanded by a teacher; returning books to the local library that contained inappropriate content; and a very funny story about how her mother in the early 1900s, wearing a full-length sports skirt, lost the hockey ball, only to find it later tucked up in the hem of her skirt!

Lynne married Egbert Loth and had three children – Richard, Joanne and Alison (dec.). She will be sadly missed by her children, numerous grandchildren, a great-grand son, extended family, friends, and her Lauriston family.

WENDY VICARS COGHILL (FOOTE, 1949)

Lauriston Girls’ School, Old Girls from the Class of 1949 and the Old Lauristonians’ Association are sad to announce the passing on 6 January 2021 of beloved friend and proud Old Lauristonian Wendy Coghill.

Wendy spent nine years at Lauriston, was Captain of Kirkhope House and a Prefect in 1949. Wendy was a regular visitor at the School and enjoyed catching up with many of her friends and reminiscing about their School days at occasions such as the Music Luncheons and annual Founders’ Day event.

Wendy will be especially missed by her good friend Marylou Philip (Doggett, 1949), Wendy’s daughter Nikki Coghill (1979), son-in- law Michael Randall and their daughters Elly and Hayley.

VANESSA HASKETT (BARRAND, 1964)

RUTH DUNBAR (HARVEY, 1953)

The Old Lauristonians’ Association was saddened to learn of the passing of Ruth Dunbar, who passed away in 2020. We extend our deepest and sincere condolences to Ruth’s family and to her friends from School. Ruth enjoyed returning to School and especially loved catching up with friends at the Senior Old Girls’ Annual Music Luncheon. She will be missed.

The Old Lauristonians’ Association and Lauriston Girls’ School was saddened to hear that Vanessa recently passed away in May.

It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of Judith Gregory on 21 November 2020 after a short illness. We extend heartfelt condolences to Judith’s daughter Jillian Gregory (1980) and granddaughters Tory Gregory (2006) and Joanna Gregory (2009), all Old Lauristonians.

Judith was a Laurie girl through and through and had a special connection with the School that continued throughout the years. She enjoyed catching up with many of her friends and attending a variety of events including the Music Lunches and Founders’ Day celebrations each year. Judith was a 2nd-generation Old Lauristonian, her mother Nina Lang (1910) being a foundation student of Lauriston.

When she returned to Australia, Susan taught for a year at MLC, worked with the Australian Inland Mission in Halls Creek in the Kimberleys, pursued further study at the Melbourne Bible College and then spent her life as a missionary and teacher with the International Overseas Missionary Fellowship in Indonesia. She also spent a short time as the first native-speaking teacher of English at a university in East Timor, where she experienced the birth of the new country. She remained devoted to Lauriston and was a proud Old Lauristonian.

SUSAN SANDRAL (1949)

Lauriston Girls’ School, in conjunction with the Old Lauristonians’ Association, extend deepest condolences to the family and friends of Susan Sandral, who passed away on 2 January 2021.

Susan was a keen baseball and hockey player and loved music, singing in the choir and playing the clarinet in the School Orchestra and also in the Melbourne Junior Symphony Orchestra. Susan was twice awarded the Junior and Senior Angus Mitchell Prizes and was the Secretary of the Music School and a Prefect in her final year.

At the end of her School days, Susan was awarded the Angus Mitchell Scholarship to study for four years in Oklahoma USA. This scholarship was given by the Rotary Clubs of Oklahoma to honour Sir Angus Mitchell, an Australian who was elected World President of Rotary International.

Announcement

JESS VAN ROOSENDAAL (1998)

The OLA is delighted to announce the marriage of Jess van Roosendaal (1998) to her beloved husband Vinay Koka. After a beautiful ceremony at St Kilda Botanical Gardens, Jess and Vinay and their guests were serenaded by saxophone as they walked down Acland Street to The Stokehouse where they had their wedding reception. Congratulations to Jess, Vinay and, of course, their beautiful baby girl Florence. Happy days!

JUDITH GREGORY (TURNER, 1947)

OLA Events