The Penrhosian No. 70

Summer 2018

Be the best you can be

No. 70

#LearnStrong at Wooleen Don’t let your fears hold you back

Why birds matter Artistic responses from the Junior School

We respectfully acknowledge the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation as the traditional owners of the land on which we stand and pay our respects to elders past, present and future. Together, we acknowledge the contributions of Aboriginal Australians and nonAboriginal Australians to the education of all children and people in this country we all live in and share together – Australia.

Contents

No. 70 Summer 2018

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Welcome from the Principal

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Have a Go program with Curtin University

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Top performers at the Western Australia Junior Mathematics Olympiad

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A few wrong turns for Julie Kenny

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STEM Mentors excite

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Year 10s walk across Wooleen

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Junior School artists making real-world impressions

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Samantha Jade performs at Penrhos

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‘Ngala Maya’, our place

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Christmas reflections

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Cultural immersion — embracing difference

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Boarding perspectives

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Friends with China

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From the Foundation President

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School production under the sea

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Photo gallery: Penrhos College events

COVER PHOTO

TEAM

Aaliyah Ninyette (2023) embodying our whole person paradigm: strong mind, strong heart, strong body and strong spirit — photo by Joanne Yong

Editor Maggie Marshall Contributors and Photographers Meg Melville, Paula Barrow, Tanya Brooks, Shannon Brunalli Design Joanne Yong

Welcome from the Principal Meg Melville Principal

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he year 2018 has been one of reflection, planning and managing those curved balls that life has a way of sending out to challenge you.

I am pleased to say that we did not drop the ball but caught it and sent it flying back!

We have been enjoying the feedback on our Learn Strong campaign; we know that some absolutely love it and some absolutely do not. It is a bold campaign and it has certainly sparked discussion, debate and feedback which is healthy. Our intent is to take our campaign to the next layer across our whole person paradigm: strong mind, strong heart, strong body and strong spirit and support this with positive images to reflect these threads.

As part of our reflective process, at the commencement of the year, I asked our College Leadership Team to envision what they would like the learning experiences for our students to look like over the next five years; the ideal learning environment for our girls across all aspects of mind, heart, body and spirit. They independently came back with core beliefs that were well aligned. We then tested this with our Staff Leadership Group and then more broadly with our staff. Fundamentally, we all want the same thing for our students — to be happy and engaged, to have a clear sense of where they are at on their learning journey and what they need to do

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to grow and develop to the next stage. The emphasis lies in growth as the means to achievement of personal best. This applies across all aspects of our whole person paradigm: mind (intellectual), heart (emotional wellbeing), body (physical wellbeing) and spirit (meaningful spirituality). The Parent Satisfaction Survey and Student Wellbeing Survey undertaken in 2018 have also informed our strategic directions. College Council has endorsed this direction for the College and looks forward to seeing this unfold.

We have developed three key strategic statements that encapsulate this: Have a deep knowledge of each student’s strengths and areas for development across the whole person paradigm.

Create relevant and engaging experiences and opportunities to foster each student to be future ready.

Optimise engagement between parents, staff and students to facilitate a personalised learning journey.

Embedded in these statements are a myriad of tactics to realise the intent. We have to be realistic about what is desirable, feasible and viable in the context of the College’s resources and we have therefore identified

Welcome from the Principal

“The ideal learning environment for our girls across all aspects of mind, heart, body and spirit.” a series of six key projects that will unfold over the next five years, commencing in 2019. Whilst these statements may appear to be unremarkable on the surface, there are many layers of complexity that sit behind them as we interrogate how we operate in all aspects of our students’ education at Penrhos and ultimately, the best possible holistic outcome for our students in a rapidly changing world.

Project 1: The Transition to Year 7 — Know Thy Student.

Project 2: The Place of Spirit at Penrhos — Making Spirituality Meaningful to Generations Y and Z. Project 3: The Learning Management Project to Enhance Communication at the College.

Project 4: What we Reward and Award at Penrhos — Have We Got This Right?

We are excited by the prospects of setting this new direction for the College and engaging members of our community as these projects unfold.

2018 has seen many truly fabulous things happen at Penrhos. The College is a very dynamic and experience-rich learning environment for all. This would not be the case if we did not all value and believe in common and well aligned goals.

I am indebted to the staff of Penrhos College for their deep belief in the work they carry out with their students and colleagues.

I am also grateful for the trust the College Council has placed in the College Leadership Team in managing the operations of the College.

Project 5: Revisiting the Phases of Development in the Context of Age Appropriate Learning in the 21st C.

I would particularly like to thank retiring Chair of Council, Paul Owen for his exceptional leadership of the College Council for the past eight of his 10 years on Council. I have appreciated his wise counsel, pragmatic approach to problem solving and wonderful sense of humour.

Project 6: Scoping Out Co-Curricular Programs K to 12 Across Mind, Heart, Body and Spirit.

Please enjoy this summer edition of The Penrhosian and I wish you all a wonderful festive season.

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Top performers at the Western Australia Junior Mathematics Olympiad

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Penrhos College competitors at the UWA Junior Mathematics Olympiad Top two performing girls Heidi Leow and Nahyun Kim receiving their awards

Penrhos was proud to have 16 students in the UWA Junior Mathematics Olympiad this year, with our best results ever.

UWA works with the Western Australia Mathematical Olympiad Committee to host the annual WA Junior Mathematics Olympiad for exceptional Year 7, 8 and 9 students with the objective of finding the youngest mathematical minds in the state.

Nearly 500 students took part, with Christ Church, Perth Modern, St Hilda’s, All Saints, Hale and Rossmoyne all sending their best students to compete.

Prizes included awards for the most outstanding Year 9 and

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Year 8 student, as well as for the best mathematics team.

Following the individual round, Penrhos was some way behind — ­ but our determined team (Nahyun Kim, Heidi Leow, Harriet Jones and Aleta Louden) worked superbly in the next section and came 2nd overall, beating Christ Church by one point.

This is the first time an all-girls team has achieved a top 5 position since 2010! Huge congratulations to all the Penrhosians who took part in this challenging competition — especially to Nahyun Kim and Heidi Leow, who were the top two performing girls overall.

STEM Mentors excite This year Penrhos continued to build on the strength of an extensive co-curricular STEM program that presents the girls with an opportunity to explore new areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths through real-world problems and challenges. More than 80 students took part in a range of innovative experiences led by industry professionals.

The mentors of our 2018 program included staff from SciTech and CSIRO, engineers, university professionals and of course members of our very own Penrhos staff.

Through the expert delivery of a range of innovative and stimulating STEM activities, the Penrhos approach is designed to foster a love of learning whilst instilling a passion for problem-solving.

“Whether the girls are exploring, designing, building or testing, it’s clear that all our students are engaged and having fun with STEM,” says STEM coordinator Clare Walshe. “I am surprised each week to see what new Virtual Reality rollercoaster our students might be designing, or the new 3D printed wheels for their solar car.”

Many of our STEM programs are linked with competition days in partnership with other organisations, involving activities where students are able to apply their learning and realise solutions: • Our younger Year 7 scientists watched strawberries grow in an automated garden system they built and coded themselves, under the guidance of a CSIRO scientist.

• The University of Western

Australia challenged the girls to create medical devices for third world countries to help solve major resourcing issues such as lack of medical supplies.

• At Murdoch University, our girls learned about chemical rockets, wind turbines and forensics facial recognition. From using power tools to coding electronic systems, every student came away with a new set of skills.

Our co-curricular program of reallife exploration and collaboration with the wider industry is dynamic and ever-changing, just like the world of STEM. We look forward to finding out what our young innovators think up next year.

BELOW

Co-curricular STEM activities

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Junior School artists making real-world impressions Penrhos College Junior School has earned international acclaim in its quest to shift practice and improve student engagement under the consultation of Global Digital Citizen Foundation founder Lee Watanabe Crockett.

Our Junior School drew one of the bigger crowds at the recent Australian Primary Principals’ Association Conference. Following the impact of Learning Technologies Coordinator Nathan Ducker’s presentation at the conference, Penrhos was approached by Perth Festival to assist in the development of its 2019 education program which encourages students to support biodiversity through artistic expression.

We will look to build on relevant projects already undertaken in Visual Arts, where Junior School Art Teacher Amanda Whitford has been busy inspiring young learners to use Lee Watanabe Crockett’s ‘Creativity Fluency’ and ‘Solution Fluency’ concepts to create meaningful artwork that conveys an important message for everyone. These learning experiences encapsulate a biodiversity theme and are perfectly in keeping with Perth Festival’s ‘Ground Beneath Our Feet’ initiative. The statement which underpinned our students’ wonderful work this year was ‘why birds matter’.

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Pre-Primary students approached the challenge by researching the thinking of artist Sayaka Ganz, who believes that if we can learn to view plastic with more respect then we may begin to value it enough to stop wasting so much of it. Inspired by their own observations, girls then chose to use plastic to create their own artistic messages outlining why birds matter.

Our Year 1 students became guardians of the Carnaby’s Cockatoo and created fabric replicas of the bird with prominent features; Year 2s created lifelike clay models of the critically endangered Ground Parrot whilst Year 3 girls offered their artistic response in the form of handmade jewellery.

Some of our creations will be shared via social media to help promote the importance of biodiversity, whilst our upper primary students will also construct seed pod lanterns that will light up the night sky of Perth Festival’s Seeds of Change event in Kings Park in February 2019.

See Lee Watanabe Crockett’s blog here: wabisabilearning.com/success-stories Perth Festival’s Seeds of Change: www.perthfestival.com.au ABC News: Perth Festival opening of Boorna Waanginy: The Trees Speak puts student talent on display

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Year 1 student working on her Carnaby’s Cockatoo piece Year 1 Carnaby’s Cockatoo piece Year 3 ‘Why do birds matter?’ piece Year 6 students with their Seed Pod lanterns

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By sharing our stories, it gets them to understand more about our culture.

Brooklyn Roberts

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When I saw my fabric, I thought it was cool – I was like ‘that’s my design’.

Chiara Miller-Sabbioni

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‘Ngala Maya’, our place A small group of our students with Aboriginal heritage have been involved in kickstarting their first arts and culture project with the support of the PALS grant. PALS stands for Partnership, Acceptance, Leadership and Sharing; the program is run through the Department for Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.

stationery or make-up) and pillow cases, which will be available for sale. Proceeds will support a student-led program of sharing Aboriginal perspectives, culture and history with our School community by inviting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, performers, speakers and workshops into the day-to-day life of our School.

participation. Our girls have been encouraged to connect with traditional languages and, as a school on Whadjuk country, we have especially focused on local Noongar language. Where appropriate, this is included in the titles of the designs and has helped to make culture an integral part of our students’ work.

Our students were inspired to share their stories through art after attending a talk by significant Noongar artist Laurel Nannup, as part of her residency here at Penrhos. The girls went on to design and digitally print fabrics with patterns and imagery of personal significance.

The students’ designs are all accompanied by a short but personal story, often around themes of family, connection to Country or cultural practices. Each piece is handmade and comes with the hope that a sense of pride may be shared, and a greater level of cultural awareness and understanding be fostered within our school, our students and families.

These stories and artworks have already raised important discussions amongst students, both around the celebration of Aboriginal culture in our school and in promoting a spirit of reconciliation.

Students are responsible for the running of this program and they learn valuable management and business skills through their

They are boola moorditj!

The project is entitled Ngala Maya, which in Noongar language translates to ‘our place’.

These unique fabrics have been crafted into storage pouches (for

If you would like to find out more or place an order, please visit www.ngalamaya.com

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Cultural immersion — embracing difference Our everyday lives are often spent in familiar environments, in which we don’t typically tend to think about the broader traditions and culture which surround us.

Cultural immersion can lend a deep and valuable new perspective; through this source of rich personal development, we can learn to embrace contemporary practices entrenched in ancient knowledge and traditions, and appreciate cultural differences as we experience new environments.

In today’s fast-paced world, those opportunities to take a little time out to recognise our cultural heritage, to give back to our communities and to celebrate our nation’s diversity are both precious and rare.

Penrhos strives to provide ongoing opportunities for our students and staff to develop meaningful connections and deep understanding of the broad contexts of our nation’s first peoples and their rich culture.

We are delighted to offer 12 of our current Year 8 and 9 students the chance to participate in a lifechanging expedition in 2019.

Students are invited to travel to a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory where they will be living, learning with and from, the local children and Aboriginal elders about our nation’s rich heritage.

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This is part of a cultural engagement initiative to be launched at Penrhos in conjunction with 2 Way Learning Director Craig Davies, former triple Australian Olympian, and educational leader.

In addition to our time immersed in the Barunga Community, located five hours south of Darwin, the girls will be spending time with students from both Clyde Fenton Primary School and Katherine High School. The group can expect to experience every aspect of Aboriginal life, with their peers who live in remote communities, from sharing meals to learning to speak in a different language.

Katherine High School is home to Stars Foundation — a program that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and creates a positive school environment with learning experiences that best promote opportunities for engagement with tangible outcomes.

The Stars Foundation offers a range of extracurricular initiatives, including sport and physical activities, art, music and dance to build girls’ confidence and provide opportunities for self-reflection and personal growth.

There are many important life-skills to which Penrhos students are not routinely exposed in the classroom.

by Paul McCarthy Dean of Co-Curricular The synergy that exists between Penrhos College’s aim to develop the whole person paradigm (learning to be strong in mind, heart, body and spirit), and our relationship with the organisation 2 Way Learning, focus on experiences to build knowledge and foster authentic and respectful relationships. This expedition is designed to allow our students to walk with, understand and learn from our First Nation’s peoples.

Having spent some time in these communities preparing for this student opportunity, I cannot recommend this growth experience highly enough, and hope it will be a rich reciprocal experience for both the Aboriginal community we will visit and our girls fortunate enough to be selected.

“The more we share our cultures with one another, the more we understand the significance they place in our own lives… by celebrating cultural traditions that are important to locals and Indigenous cultures, and educating more people about these traditions, these cultures are more likely to be shared with future generations”.

Discover Corps.

Our first Northern Territory Indigenous Immersion Expedition, which will run from 29 May to 5 June 2019.

Friends with China The winner of the 2018 Australian China Friendship Society (ACFS) WA Friendship Award is our very own Kerry Jenke, Learning Support teacher and Asia Engagement leader for the Junior School.

Jingcheng Experimental School.

This year, three teachers from Jingcheng spent a week at Penrhos observing classroom practice and examining the Western Australian curriculum.

Kerry was nominated for the award due to her tireless work in building the inter-cultural understanding and language of students and staff in the Junior School, since signing the Agreement with Hangzhou Jingdu Primary School in September 2014.

Kerry’s work has also positively impacted our Early Learning Centre language program, with the introduction of Chinese (Mandarin) Language classes from PreKindergarten to Year 1 which will expand upward in year levels in the coming years.

Kerry’s efforts have led to the introduction of our Chinese co-curricular classes, including activities such as Skype calls with our sister school, a cultural excursion to the Confucius Institute, and students sitting the Youth Chinese Test with certificates presented by Professor Chu, who was the Associate Director of the Confucius Institute at UWA up to the end of 2017, when he returned to China.

Penrhos has also entered into a teacher exchange program with one of our sister schools – Hangzhou

Her professionalism and willingness to develop and maintain the College’s cultural co-curricular program by strengthening the friendship between China and Australia is an absolute credit to Kerry.

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Kerry Jenke receiving her award from the Australia Chinese Friendship Association of WA Kerry Jenke and other award recipients with the Chinese Consulate General, Lei Keizhong Kerry Jenke with Ming Gao, the Confucius Institute teacher for the Junior School, 2018

The ACFS WA Friendship Award is an annual award, designed to honour and thank those organisations and individuals who have made a significant contribution towards the promotion of friendship between China and Australia. Well done, Kerry!

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The annual school production in July saw the Rixon Theatre journey above and below the waves in our very own adaptation of Disney’s The Little Mermaid — the story of Ariel, an adventurous young mermaid fascinated with the human world and her encounter with a human Prince.

With around 90 students involved — on stage, in the orchestra pit and backstage — this year’s fantastic production featured a range of original costumes, magnificent choreography, and a breathtaking set which combined the underwater kingdom and the Princess Palace in a truly spectacular show.

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The lead role of Ariel was shared by talented Year 12 and 11 students Erin Barrett and Maya Curtis.

In the shared role of Scuttle the seagull, Year 12 student Grace Pooley said she was excited to get on stage for her final Penrhos production and told us “finding a balance between the animal and human aspect, while singing and dancing, was a fun challenge.”

The show was — ­ as always — a huge success, with many uplifting songs and toe-tapping routines enjoyed by students, parents and the Penrhos community.

“The school production is an absolute highlight of the Penrhos community calendar. We are very much looking forward to the forthcoming Penrhos College production of ‘My Fair Lady’ in July 2019. Local schools are already committing to seats at our special ‘schools’ matinee’ and of course we always anticipate a full house for the regular ‘seniors’ matinee’ during production week.” President, Friends of Dance and Drama 2018

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Have a Go program with Curtin University Recently the Australian Sports Commission released findings from their youth participation research that identified the rapid decline in sport participation in children aged 13 to 17. The report identified the greatest demographic of disengaged students in sport and physical activity as predominantly female, older and/or from culturally diverse backgrounds. These students are therefore less confident in trying a new sport or being physically active.

Penrhos acknowledges the importance of physical activity and recreation for their students. To offer a program that suits all ages and abilities, we have worked closely with the Curtin Sport and Recreation Team and coordinator Chris Earl to develop and implement a strategic plan to engage more of our students in physical activity.

The Have a Go program was developed to create long-term engagement for Penrhos students in non-competitive physical activity, to complete our robust competitive sport offerings. This is a program that mitigates some of the barriers around offering sport and recreation programs within a school environment — such as curriculum pressures, teacher capability, sport workforce and delivery network.

The Have a Go program offers an increased variety of classes and physical activity opportunities available for students to selfnominate their time before or after school. The classes range from fitness, yoga, pilates, badminton, self-defense and gymnastics. To

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maximise engagement, classes were initially facilitated for one hour, once a week, for up to eight weeks each term ensuring the program length was long enough for students to engage, learn and begin to master skills.

To ensure the high level of facilitation of the program, Curtin Sport and Recreation provides a highly trained and expert team across all program sessions. Skilled coaches and instructors are used from Curtin University sport clubs to identify methodology for maximum engagement.

The program has facilitated 44 different programs in 2018, with over 230 sessions held and the result is in our students being active for nearly 3,000 more hours in a range of activities. In November, Chris Earl was announced as the winner of the Curtin University ViceChancellor’s Award For Excellence in collaboration for the Have a Go Program at Penrhos College.

“I have been thrilled to see the 98% increase in participation hours from 2017 to 2018, including many students who have not previously chosen to be involved in physical fitness opportunities at the College.

In responding to student interest and feedback, we look forward to adapting the program in 2019, to include increased access to personal trainers in the Penrhos gym for multiple mornings, the offering of badminton as a year-round recreational pursuit, and the addition of rock-climbing,” says Dean of CoCurricular Paul McCarthy.

A few wrong turns for Julie Kenny Teacher of Media, Photography and Design, Ms Julie Kenny took a few wrong turns on a recent road trip through Tasmania. Little did she know that her detour would lead her to discover and capture imagery of enchanting surroundings that would go on to be recognised in a national photography competition.

The Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) Victoria Photo Competition 2018 have announced Ms Kenny is in the top six finalists of the open category, under the heading ‘Freedom of Discovery’.

Being a teacher is so rewarding, but it can also be quite regimented. I find that my day is often defined by bells: when to teach, when to eat, when to finish the day. I am often so busy helping others with their photography that I have little time for my own work. This is why my solo road trip through Tasmania in April was so rewarding.

We heard more from Julie about her amazing journey through Tasmania.

Even the more challenging aspects of my trip were rewarding. Navigating those winding roads in wet and icy conditions — and making it to the end of the trip without adding

I had the freedom to explore different locations, to trek at my own pace at Cradle Mountain and to take in the sunset at Binalong Bay. I stayed up late to photograph Tasmania’s southern lights — Aurora Australis, bonded with a wombat on Maria Island and rose early to capture the sunrise over tessellated pavement on the Tasman Peninsula.

to the roadkill toll — was a win. Discovering the different environments of Tassie was eyeopening — passing through amazing forests and then experiencing and capturing the visual shock of a cleared plantation was quite something.

I have noticed that some of my students are afraid of making mistakes. I try to encourage them to accept ‘epic fails’, as I call them, as key learning experiences. Some of my mistakes and wrong turns during my trip to Tasmania led to the unexpected discovery of some the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen — I feel so lucky to have stumbled across it.

I think the reason I felt so energised during my trip was because I could immerse myself in the beauty and diversity of Tasmania’s landscapes — without the interruption of a lunch bell!

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Year 10s walk across Wooleen Our Year 10 Camp is the pinnacle of the Camp Program at Penrhos. Students have the opportunity to explore the vast open land and to learn from the local Wajarri Yamatji people, as they travel on foot across Wooleen Station in the Murchison Region.

Drawing on all of the skills developed through previous camps to demonstrate their leadership and independence, the eight-day journey culminates with students completing the final leg independently, without the company and support of staff. Students leave Wooleen with heightened self-belief and confidence, a connection with the unique environment they have inhabited and memories that will last a lifetime. We hear Sophie Alchin’s experience‌

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In the last week of Term 3, all Year 10 students had the opportunity to go on camp to Wooleen Station, a cattle station eight hours north of Perth. I had heard a lot about the infamous camp, more bad than good, and I was quite anxious about going. I wasn’t the camping type and the thought of not showering for a week disgusted me. I took a journal so that I could write down my frustrations and emotions. But there was nothing frustrating to write down — instead, I brought home a book full of the most amazing memories that I will cherish forever.

When we arrived at Wooleen after the long drive, the buses came to a stop in the middle of nowhere. There was one windmill, our instructors and red dirt as far as the eye could see. I felt overwhelmed by the reality that I would be living out of a tent for the next eight days.

We were told that the week would be full of highs and lows, but there were definitely more highs. We saw and did so many amazing things — totally carefree from tests, due dates and the schedules we left behind in the city. Every day, we woke up at 4am and watched the sun rise whilst eating breakfast. One night, we slept on the rocks under a sky full of stars. We also saw so many animals ­— tiny chocolate bats in a cave, six baby emus, kangaroos and lizards.

We were visited by Gloria Merry,

a Wajarri Yamatji woman from the area, who cooked kangaroo tail and damper with us and told us stories of her time growing up on the station.

Whilst there are too many highlights to mention, my favourite moment would have to be the last night — but not because we were leaving the next day. It was after our solo expedition without the instructors, an evening through which I felt so appreciative for the opportunity to spend time with different groups of girls and form new and stronger friendships. We sat around the fire, eating nachos, and had a laugh about the memories we had made during the week. We had a bit of a cry too, because the week gave us the opportunity to reflect on the people we are grateful for in our lives.

It was always going to be a challenge, but that is why I felt such a sense of achievement when we were able to overcome challenges and come out the other side just fine, if not better than before. It was such an amazing week and I was actually sad to leave. The things I learnt about myself during the week were so valuable, and I definitely grew as a person during my time in the wild. The only thing I can suggest for those who will go to Wooleen in future years is to not let your fears or doubts hold you back and just go — you will have the time of your life!

Sophie Alchin, Year 10

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Samantha Jade performs at Penrhos Watch the video here: youtu.be/iOvqpC9Iq1Q Budding songwriters from Penrhos College were treated to a visit from Aussie pop sensation Samantha Jade as part of her visit to Western Australia, as the national ambassador for the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal.

Samantha Jade performed three songs in front of Penrhos College students in the Margaret Way Courtyard, followed by a visit to the Year 9 Music class.

Penrhos College was the only school involved in her visit to WA as part of the Salvos’ Christmas Appeal this year. Sammi wants to encourage people to help The Salvation Army in their quest to serve more than 100,000 meals, distribute more than 500,000 gifts and toys and support more than 70,000 families in need or affected by poverty this Christmas.

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Samantha Jade performing in the Margaret Way Courtyard RIGHT

Visiting the Year 9 Music class

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Music teacher Catherine Clarnette said it was fantastic for the Year 9s to receive advice from a professional singer/songwriter during their current music project.

Jade continued for our boarders the following morning, as they appeared live on TV from the South Perth Foreshore on Channel 7’s breakfast show Sunrise.

“The Year 9s have just been doing a hands-on industry project, where they write and record their own original songs and it was perfect for them to discuss this with Samantha Jade,” she said. “For her to talk candidly in an intimate setting was very meaningful for our students.”

“Last year I was involved in the Christmas Appeal, so this is my second year as ambassador for the Salvos,” Samantha Jade said. “I want people to know it’s so easy to help, so easy to give to those less fortunate.”

The excitement surrounding Aussie pop sensation Samantha

Penrhos encourages everyone to support The Salvation Army: www.salvos.org.au

Christmas reflections

by Rev Claire Pickering Chaplain The coming Messiah Long, long ago, in a land of deep shadow and toil, the prophet Isaiah received a promise from God that a Messiah is coming. “The Lord will give you a sign — the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and will name him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us’).”

Isaiah shared this promise with the people of God over and over again.

But many people did not believe that this was God’s ultimate plan, and they stopped listening to Isaiah and rebelled against God. But the prophet Isaiah and those people who believed this promise did what God asked. With hope and faith, they kept watch and waited for the Messiah. They never stopped hoping that a Saviour would come.

Seven generations later, a virtuous teenage girl was drawing water from a well in Nazareth, when an angel appeared with a message from God. “Don’t be afraid, Mary.

God is pleased with you. You will have a baby and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of God.” Born in a stable The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem wouldn’t have been easy – the days were hot, the nights

were cold, and donkeys were not known for their speed. The road could be dangerous, as well.

Mary and Joseph must have felt anxious, and would have been pleased to see Bethlehem appearing in the distance.

When they arrived in Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph needed to find somewhere to stay. Eventually, a kind innkeeper took pity on them.

He led Mary and Joseph to his stable, and offered them shelter with his animals.

Mary and Joseph were grateful.

That night, amidst the straw, the lowing of the ox, the baaing of the sheep and the braying of the donkey, baby Jesus was born. They wrapped him in cloths and placed him in the manger. As they looked down, what wonder and joy filled their hearts.

Witnesses to the birth Some ordinary shepherds were spending watching over their flock of sheep. Suddenly, a blinding light shone in the sky and an angel appeared with a message from God. “Don’t be afraid. I am here with good news, which will bring great joy to all people. Today, in Bethlehem, your Saviour has been born – he is the Messiah. You will find him wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Then a multitude of angels appeared, praising God and celebrating the good news. “Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and goodwill towards others!”

The shepherds turned to each other trembling, amazed and excited. They gathered a few items and hurried off to Bethlehem.

The star of Bethlehem On the night that Jesus was born, in the first light of dawn, an unusually bright star rose in the east. A group of Magi in a foreign land had been studying the stars and their patterns for many years, and they were very wise. They had often heard about a special star that would appear one night and would lead them to the promised King – the long-awaited Messiah. The Magi knew instantly that this was the special star.

They packed their belongings and three precious gifts for the new King, and began their long journey. One night, the Magi saw that the special star had stopped over Bethlehem.

When they found the stable and saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with joy and knew in their hearts “our Saviour has come!” And they knelt down, worshipped him, and presented him with their three precious gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh.

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A boarding parent’s perspective

by Jodie Dunkeld Mother of Grace (Year 8 boarder) and Hannah (Year 10 boarder) They say, when you have a baby, a little piece of your heart is walking around outside of your body. When your babies then go off to boarding school, it is truly heart-wrenching to have those pieces of your heart living five hours’ drive away!

It requires a lot of faith and trust to hand the day-today raising of your children to someone else, but — for our family — that trust has been well-placed and wellmet with the wonderful care our girls have received at Penrhos College.

For those who have a choice in keeping their children at home for secondary school and do not understand the difficulty of distance, we have often been asked “how can you do it?” Although it is not always an easy ride — with many ups-and-downs — we actually consider the boarding experience to be a privilege for our girls, and not a punishment.

As we watch our daughters grow in independence, see them form wonderful friendships and become involved in a broad range of experiences that they would not have the chance to partake in if they didn’t go to boarding school, we feel the decision we made and the sacrifices involved are more than worth it.

Raising teenage girls is challenging. Raising more than 80 of them is truly remarkable! But that is what the staff at the Penrhos Boarding House do so well. To deal with so many different personalities and parent expectations is a mammoth task, and one that Michele Hay and her staff work tirelessly to deliver against and to accomplish.

Whilst the facilities are A1, the food in the restaurant is of excellent quality and the social events are great fun, it is the relationships the girls have with the staff that make the Boarding House a home. From Michele

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1 Hannah Dunkeld, Jodie Dunkeld, Grace Dunkeld 2 Hannah holding the flag with this year’s winning Boarders netball team 3 Grace and Hannah at the Wildcats 4 Hannah (centre) with fellow boarders Leah Varone and Amber Dixon 5 Hannah and Grace 6 Hannah (second from left) with boarding and day girl friends from Penrhos celebrating her 16th birthday 7 Grace and fellow boarder Jasmine Taylor at the footy

and Kris up front, keeping order and dishing out love and guidance, to the house mothers cheering on at the netball, cooking up a storm with the girls or just having a chat on the couch, the relationships formed here are very special.

As a parent, to know that the girls will get a ‘high five’ when things are good and a cuddle and a milo when times are tough, is such a comfort. It is when the chips are down that the depth of care offered by the Boarding House — and by the College as a whole — is truly apparent. This is something we have experienced first-hand this year.

Our girls have special bonds with the boarding staff and receive an excellent level of care from the Health Centre and Pastoral Care team – we are so grateful to all the staff who help to look after our girls.

There is no place like home. But, whenever I am in the Boarding House and there are girls running around the corridors playing ‘Jail Break’ or filling up the paddle pool for a splash, concocting yummy recipes or competing in a table tennis tournament, I know that they are indeed at their ‘home away from home’.

Life as a boarder Year 10 student Amber Dixon is from a wheat and sheep farm near the small country town of Tammin.

Amber started boarding at Penrhos in Year 7 and shares her experiences with us.

Why did your parents decide to send you to Penrhos?

My mum went to St Brigid’s during her Year 11 and 12 schooling years, so my sister and I always expected to follow in her footsteps. When my older sister Nicola went for her interviews, Penrhos made a lasting impression not only on my parents, but on Nicola as well. They all said everyone smiled at them and made them feel welcome. I then came to Penrhos too.

How did you feel when you first came to Penrhos? What did you find most challenging or difficult in your first few weeks?

I remember having a mixed ball of emotions in my first few weeks at Penrhos. I was excited for all the new opportunities I would have, the tremendous amount of sport I would play, and the new friends I would make. At the same time, I knew this next chapter of my life would be all new to me, and this scared me a little as well.

I found leaving my home, my parents and feeling homesick very challenging. I was a young Year 7 and only 11. I quickly began to adapt to the new routines and lifestyle, as well as the size and navigation of the school. I made some awesome new

friends, and we helped each other through the first few weeks. Now I’ve been boarding for four years, and it just feels natural to me — ­ like a second home. I have built up a sense of belonging and community at Penrhos, which makes me feel happy and comfortable to continue with my last two years here.

How often do you travel home to Tammin to spend time with your family? Does your family come to visit here at the Boarding House?

I rarely travel home unless it’s mid-term break or holidays, but I like that because it generates this whole new appreciation for the beauty and the amount of SPACE that is on the farm. The contrast between Perth and Tammin is so stark, it has certainly made me feel more grateful to live in such a remote area. My parents tend to come up most weekends for a visit or to watch my sport. I also enjoy spending time out with my older sister.

What are the benefits of being a boarding student at Penrhos?

Firstly, getting your own room! I also like having my independence and developing my organisational skills, as there are a lot of new things to juggle. Having the opportunity to grow as a person in such a nurturing and supportive environment is also a great benefit. Penrhos boarding is like a small community to me, where I’m constantly supported and ALWAYS laughing.

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From the Foundation President

by Tony Connors Foundation President

Meet the Board 2018 Board members • Tony Connors, President • Sondra Anderson, Vice-President • Sally Audeyev • Alastair Baron • Chris Gee • Helen Jones • David Wallace • Simon Woods Representatives from the College who sit on the Foundation Board: • Meg Melville, Principal • Stephen Cooper Director Finance & Administration • Paula Barrow Director Marketing & Development • Tanya Brooks Interim Development Coordinator • Karen Ambrose, Board Secretary

2018 continued at a good pace.

Capital campaign Following Council approval for the next exciting phase of the College’s Estates Master Plan — the development of a cutting-edge Science Innovation Centre, build to begin at the end of 2019 — the Foundation stepped up its activities for supporting fundraising activity in close collaboration with the College Development office. Based on the external feasibility study conducted earlier this year, we began to set targets, and to identify and approach a small number of key advocates to

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help spearhead both the quiet and public phases of the campaign.

We continue to work closely with Director of Marketing and Development Paula Barrow and Interim Development Coordinator Tanya Brooks, alumna and current parent, who joined the team in October to cover Emma Cornwall’s parental leave.

Together, we will champion the capital project next year and I will look forward to revealing more about our various first stage initiatives when I next report in July. The College Development Office is also working with key members of our alumni body to leverage the generosity of our 9,500 members in terms of both advocacy and giving across the capital campaign.

Leavers In other news, we made an ask of Year 12 parents for the second time this year (the first time was around Flower Day in 2017) with some continued success, and we are pleased to report some very positive feedback on our new giving form which was enclosed for the first time – unfortunately, however, it seems the form may not be fit for purpose as several parents reported it was too nice to sign and return; rather, our departing Year 12s wanted to make it a keepsake!

Bursaries The Foundation confirmed its two annual bursaries for 2019, both of which provide opportunities for girls who may not otherwise have been able to attend Penrhos. We are committed to the continuous revision and evolution of our Scholarships and Bursaries strategy to meet the needs of our community.

Board membership The welcome addition of Chris Gee is the only change in this second half of the year – Chris brings significant financial and business acumen, which will be invaluable in the management and growth of the existing Foundation funds and in our essential fundraising activities.

Looking ahead As we enter an exciting new year, the Penrhos Foundation will continue to explore and invest in a range of new opportunities and initiatives as we prepare for the major capital campaign which will be our primary focus through 2019 and 2020. We are committed to ensuring everyone has the option to give back in a way that is individually meaningful and we remain ever-grateful to you, our generous community, for your ongoing support.

Our College purpose is to inspire girls to become extraordinary women.

The current Penrhos advertising campaign focuses on the importance of a learning experience that is designed

to nurture strength of character in each individual girl – strength in mind, strength in heart, strength in body and strength in spirit.

Penrhos seeks to empower students to achieve their personal potential and to become the very best they can be in all respects; to determine their own life path, to challenge convention and slay stereotypes along the way. With your help, we will remain pioneers of ever-higher standards in girls’ education and we will put our outstanding new Science Innovation Centre firmly on the WA map as the next shining light in our Estates Master Plan (in line with our investment in our state-of-the-art Creative Arts and Design Centre and our world-class Rixon Theatre for the Performing Arts) as a celebration of our continued success in STEM. Thanks to our donors The Penrhos College Foundation sincerely thanks the following donors, who have generously given to the College since the previous edition of The Penrhosian.

• Sin Seng Chan • Loretta Dease • Robin, Richard and Emma John • Helen Knott • John & Marylee Maserei • Lesley McPherson • Laurie Packham • Terry Strapp And thanks to all those who support us I would like to thank my fellow Board members and Representatives from the College for their contribution and efforts. All give significantly of their personal and business time and I value their expertise.

Finally, with the festive season already upon us, I would like to extend the warmest of wishes to you and your family for a safe and happy Christmas on behalf of the Penrhos Foundation.

Have you left your mark?

There are still opportunities for you to have your name feature on a seat in the impressive Rixon Theatre.

• All seats are fitted with an engraved plaque with the chosen wording of the sponsor • All sponsors are recognised on the honour board and enjoy special benefits, including early access ticket booking to College productions • To find out more, please contact Development Coordinator Tanya Brooks by emailing giving@penrhos.wa.edu.au The Penrhos College Foundation wishes to acknowledge Gabrielle Lesque, who has taken a seat plaque in the Rixon Theatre since the last edition of The Penrhosian.

Dads and daughters Always a big event, the Year 12 Father Daughter dinner is held on campus and sponsored by the Foundation towards the end of each school year. This year was my first exposure to this event, and I was honored to open the evening with a brief presentation on the role of the Foundation and the importance of fundraising for Penrhos. Feedback from the girls and their dads indicates the night was once again a great success, and I felt personally filled with both hope for and pride in these sensational young women.

The Foundation is also delighted to share the news that long-standing Penrhos College Parents Support Group for dads — Menrhos — is in the process of being reinvented and relaunched under the direction of new Chair and Foundation member, Simon Woods.

Menrhos will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2019 and we want to make sure it’s firing on all cylinders again, so we can be proud of our achievements and have good cause to celebrate. There are a number of Parent Support Groups already doing great work for the College and for our girls, but they are

mainly run by mums — dads have a lot to offer too.

The purpose of Menrhos is two-fold. Firstly, to create great opportunities for dads to spend quality time with their daughters – school years are such a precious time and dads have an important role to play in helping their daughters to successfully navigate the many challenges they will face through these formative years.

Secondly, to raise funds for the College, to ensure we’re always at the cutting edge and can continue to offer the very best learning experience to future generations – for our granddaughters and our great granddaughters. To this end, we are currently working on some exciting ideas for release early in 2019, and we also hope to work much more closely with the Alumni Committee in the delivery of some great fundraising initiatives.

Any dads who are interested in signing up for Menrhos should please contact Simon directly by emailing simon@waib.com.au – particularly, interest would be welcomed from Secondary School dads who are currently underrepresented.

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Photo gallery: Penrhos College events

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1 Boarders Movie Night 2 Junior School Book Week 3 Junior School Fathers Day Breakfast

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4 Menrhos Fathers Day Breakfast: Alistair Baron, Cassie Baron, Lisa Smith, Alan Smith 5 Science department celebrating Science Week

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6 Year 7 Grandparents Day: Sophie Strachan with grandparents

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7 Year 12 P Day: Vivienne Holt, Peter Chandler 8 Year 12 cohort celebrating P Day

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9 Year 12 Flower Day: Ellyse and Katelyn Kalajzic (2014) 10 Year 12 cohort celebrating Flower Day

11 Art Week: Emily-Grace Yuen, Stella McLaughlin, Abigail Vis 12 Junior School placing their handmade poppies for Remembrance Day

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