The Penrhosian and Extraordinary Women No. 74

No. 74 Summer 2020

A warm welcome to Incoming Principal Kalea Haran

Tuition Fee Raffle winner Congratulations Brittany Martin

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. 74 Summer 2020

4

Welcome from the Acting Principal

19

Your Round Square journey of discovery is about to launch…

6

Kalea Haran's 2021 vision

20

Penrhos is crowned top WA girls’ volleyball school

8

Co-ed learning opportunities at Penrhos

22

Summer reflections — a Christmas story

10

Fond farewells for Helen Hepworth and Nathan Ducker

23

Community pen-pal connections

11

Maths Mentor program extends to Junior School

24

Life as a boarder: Ruby Sanderson

12

Love grows here: Wayne Revitt

26

A boarding parent's perspective: Penny Cattle

14

Connecting parents with their daughter’s learning

28

From the Penrhos Foundation President

16

NAIDOC Week at Penrhos College

31

Inaugural Tuition Fee Raffle winner

COVER PHOTO

TEAM

Penrhos resets in 2021 with incoming Principal Kalea Haran

Editor Maggie Marshall Contributors and photographers Rob Taylor, Paula Barrow, Tanya Brooks, Rowan Courts, Caroline Jenkins Design Joanne Yong

Welcome from the Acting Principal Rob Taylor Acting Principal

2020 has been a year like no other. The COVID-19 pandemic has dominated global events, although there is no doubt we have been extremely fortunate to have been less affected here in Australia — ­ and even less so in WA. While we may not currently have high rates of infection, the tentacles of impact are still widespread — be they economic or personal — and the effects are with us, or very nearby. Who knows when this will be over? Perhaps we will need to adjust to a new normal; many before us have faced challenges and have looked to their personal compass to navigate a way forward in the face of all kinds of adversity.

Although the experience of living with COVID-19 this year provided its challenges, it also delivered its own lessons to our community and has made many of us focus far more acutely on those things that are most important to us. The question I posed to our Leavers of 2020 was this — “What will be the enduring values or beliefs that you will live your life by and look to when times are both good and not so good? What are the values that will define you as a person, that will endure and remain constant long after school achievements, results and ATARs have faded?” They may not be evident to our newest graduates yet but, through the life experiences that lie ahead, they will become apparent. Penrhosians are all thoughtful, capable women, with the compass of our College values to refer to and our community always here for them; our 2020 Leavers have the love and support of family, and friendships all around — each should be incredibly confident about the future that awaits her… and the world is a better place because she is in it.

4

THE PENRHOSIAN

We look forward to a fresh start in 2021 with some big changes ahead. Particularly, we will welcome the seventh Principal of Penrhos College, Kalea Haran, who is scheduled to arrive with her family in Perth just in time to see in the new year — you can read more about Kalea on page 6.

We will open the new Science Innovation Centre to students at the beginning of the year, and we will also hold a naming ceremony for the building in Term 1 in honour of Penrhos' sixth Principal Meg Melville. I would like to thank the many generous members of our community who have so kindly donated to our new state-of-the-art flagship facility, whether through sponsorship of plaques on the giant Periodic Table which will grace two floors of the main central space, to taking the naming rights of labs and flexible learning spaces.

Among the many other events we look forward to are the launch of the new Library and Digital Literacy department, designed to enhance the Library as a future-focused epicentre of information that better connects our Junior and Secondary schools; also, the implementation of our highlyanticipated Education Management System, Compass.

My sincere thanks to the College Council, Parent Support Groups, teachers, staff and broader community for the year that was 2020; especially, I would like to extend my gratitude and appreciation for your support during my time as Acting Principal. We look to 2021 with great optimism and anticipation, as we embark on a new chapter in the life of Penrhos.

In spite of these uncertain times, Penrhos remains firmly committed to our scholarships and bursaries program for families who would not otherwise afford a private education for their daughter.

Find out more about how Penrhos College scholarships and bursaries can present your family with the opportunity of a lifetime: penrhos.wa.edu.au/scholarships-bursaries Closing date 19 February 2021.

THE PENRHOSIAN

5

COVER FEATURE

My 2021 vision: bold, kind and true Kalea Haran Incoming Principal

When I first became a teacher, in 1999, I wrote my first philosophy of education statement. Twenty-one years later, as I look forward to joining Penrhos as Principal, these words are still the foundation of what I believe education stands for:

‘ A quality education is where students develop lively, enquiring minds, a desire and passion for learning, a better understanding of themselves and their world, and a constant willingness to strive to achieve their personal best.’

I have always believed that school should be a challenging adventure that creates excitement and happiness; this is why I chose to join Penrhos. I see our College as a free and open environment, where girls can support each other as they explore who they are and who they want to be. Penrhos is a community where girls have a sense of belonging and lifelong friendships are made.

6

THE PENRHOSIAN

I look forward to becoming a part of this unique community. I would like to recognise Meg Melville, who led the school magnificently for the 10 years prior to July 2020, building a strong sense of community and excellent academic standards. Also, Rob Taylor, who has taken stewardship in Semester 2 — I would like to personally thank him for his support in facilitating a strong transition.

In my first few months at Penrhos, I will be doing a lot of listening and observing. I look forward to meeting you all and having an opportunity to understand your needs.

Students, teachers, staff, parents, Council and alumni all make the Penrhos community what it is — you are all connected, and you all have a voice. I look forward to becoming a part of the Penrhos conversation.

I value Penrhos’ holistic approach to learning; the aim of developing the whole student, the approach that builds confidence and curiosity in our girls. The Penrhos whole person paradigm is founded in our shared appreciation of the need to nurture the mind, heart, body and spirit of each and every student.

As Principal of Penrhos, I will continue to create a nurturing environment where we encourage girls to become extraordinary women; to ignite the power of their inner dragon and to strive for the highest.

COVER FEATURE

I see Penrhos as a place where our girls are encouraged to be: Bold Kind, and True.

This is how I envision a Penrhos girl: Her Mind: a Penrhos girl is a creative thinker. She is innovative and future-facing. As a change agent, she uses her knowledge to look at new solutions.

She is a trailblazer, a rebel. She aims to advance society, shape a new reality and improve our future world.

Her Heart: a Penrhos girl is passionate; she is energetic, curious and has a love of life. She is always looking for possibilities. She knows she has the power to influence change and is not afraid to challenge the status quo. She is happy, optimistic and resilient. She shows courage and tenacity as she works hard to achieve her dreams.

Her Body: a Penrhos girl is balanced. She is confident in her uniqueness. She is willing to harness opportunities, try new things and achieve her best. She is an original.

Her Spirit: a Penrhos girl is kind and strong. She shows empathy and respect. She celebrates diversity and stands for empowerment, for herself and others. She will not be a bystander; she speaks up and will fight injustice. She protects what she believes is true.

Kalea Haran with husband Werner, Leo (2yo) and Sebastian (9yo)

We are blessed at Penrhos to have such dedicated and passionate teachers who create an environment of belonging and acceptance for our girls; this develops their understanding of their self-worth, self-esteem and overall happiness. Through looking after our girls’ wellbeing, we can expect to promote engagement in the classroom and excellent academic results.

Overall, my goal is to work with our teachers, staff, parents and alumni to unleash our girls’ potential, so they can leave us as balanced, inspired, and resilient young adults. We want our graduates to believe they can do good in the world and to have the confidence to make it happen.

Our extraordinary young women will leave us: Bold – standing up for justice Kind – protecting and serving others True – having integrity and empathy In closing, I thank you for welcoming me to your community and in anticipation of your future support. I am excited to be joining Penrhos and look forward to spending time with you all in the coming months and years ahead.

THE PENRHOSIAN

7

Co-ed learning opportunities at Penrhos While Penrhos is firmly committed to an all girls’ learning environment, we also offer a host of initiatives which are designed to facilitate student collaboration in co-ed working environments.

Penrhos Wesley Year 7 collaboration days Year 7 students from Penrhos collaborate in academic and pastoral learning opportunities over three jampacked days with their counterparts from brother school Wesley College.

Penrhos Aquinas Art Club for Indigenous program Penrhos Ngala Maya students will meet with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander boys from Aquinas College each term to collaborate as part of the new PenrhosAquinas Art Club project.

Hosted across both campuses, students apply their 21st century skills to navigate modern world activities — at Penrhos, small groups of 10 girls and 10 boys take to the dancefloor to choreograph their own pop or jazz routine, cook up a storm in the MasterChef challenge, try their hand at podcasting, virtual reality and 3D filming, Minecraft design and textiles challenges.

Student art collaboration with a cultural focus is a significant opportunity for the sharing of stories, ideas and experiences. Through the process of creating their artworks, students talk about the messages they want to share with the broader community and students from both schools offer support to each other as they explore current issues such as racism, prejudice, educational opportunities and access to culture.

At Wesley College, the other half of the cohort cycle through some phenomenal team-building exercises including percussion composition, STEM-focused Formula One engineering, Indigenous and cultural activities as well as design and technology projects.

The final day provides some competition between groups through an Escape Room challenge, as well as bit of down-time around a social sausage sizzle.

“The days are full of excitement, friendship and comradeship as girls and boys work together to solve real-world problems, use innovative technologies and learn new skills. This is just one way we are preparing our girls to be future-ready and prepared for a coed working environment,” said Assistant Dean of Teaching and Learning, Shannon Armitage.

The first artworks will be a set of murals, one for Penrhos and one for Aquinas, which celebrate this year’s NAIDOC theme of ‘Always Was, Always Will Be.’ “In contemporary Aboriginal communities, the differentiation between women’s business and men’s business is still most evident in the custodianship of stories and sacred places.” Working Two Way (2020).

“There are times where it may not be appropriate for students of either gender to participate in an activity or practice, however it may be important for them to witness and appreciate these. Co-ed collaboration allows students to access and gain a general understanding of both sides.” says Penrhos Aboriginal Liaison Officer, Jess O’Donnell.

By forming a relationship with boys’ schools, Penrhos students can learn more about the knowledge which Aboriginal males have custodianship for. Penrhos girls give back reciprocally and will share their experiences and knowledge wherever appropriate. For example, on a recent visit to Aquinas, the boys demonstrated their dancing and spear throwing and played the didgeridoo so that our students can begin to understand and appreciate their significance.

8

THE PENRHOSIAN

Big-world thinking with Scotch College Students from the Year 9 Critical and Creative Thinking class work with Scotch College Philosophy students to tackle big world concepts together in Term 3 each year, with the topic of Eugenics as our theme for 2020. UWA Professor Rob Wilson delivered a thoughtprovoking lecture on how Eugenics has evolved and is still having an impact on people today, followed by two student-led ‘communities of inquiry’ on relevant current ethical issues.

As the students work together, they soon discover they have many shared ideas and different perspectives — these, they further developed in training for the 2020 Middle School Ethics Olympiad on 9 November. This state-wide competition saw Penrhos students compete with 20 other schools as they developed their skills in communication, critical thinking and respectful discourse to deal with contentious ethical issues. This year included a range of cases from ESA (emotional support animals) to the ethics of mass quarantining and campus no-platforming; recognition was based on excellence in moral reasoning and Penrhos received honourable mention.

“We felt it was important to provide opportunities for our girls to work their minds in more collaborative endeavours with boys from other schools. Although they might feel a bit uncomfortable at first, they do ultimately find the experience very motivating,” says Gifted Specialist Teacher, Nicole Johnson.

The College Production Our annual College Production is a wonderful opportunity for Penrhos students to creatively collaborate through performing arts in a co-ed context, over 12 weeks of rehearsal and performance time. This generally includes a cast, backstage crew and orchestra

members of more than 90 Penrhos students from Year 7-12, along with several current and former students from numerous independent boys’ schools.

“The College Production is a creative outlet that extends both girls and boys in a collaborative pursuit, culminating in a final performance on stage in front of a sell-out crowd. With time, the awkwardness we observe at the beginning of the rehearsal process develops into joyous teamwork and strong friendships, which often continue beyond the Production and indeed school life,” says Head of Drama, David Ballantyne.

While these are all examples of annual opportunities for collaborative learning, the Penrhos calendar is also full of co-ed social events including the annual Penrhos versus Wesley netball game, highly anticipated Year 11 and 12 Ball, Socials for Years 7-10 and reciprocal invitations to Boarding House dinners (to which boarding students are encouraged to invite family, friends and guests from local boys’ schools, most often their siblings).

At Penrhos, we believe exposing our students to working and social opportunities with boys will help promote their self-esteem, develop their social skills and better prepare them for a diverse world in life beyond the classroom.

THE PENRHOSIAN

9

Helen Hepworth

Nathan (far left) and Helen (second from right) at the Governor's School STEM Awards

Fond farewells for Helen Hepworth and Nathan Ducker At Penrhos, we are honoured to have amongst us some long-standing members of staff who have been part of the College for many years — even decades. In this issue of The Penrhosian, we would particularly like to celebrate two such members of staff from our Junior School.

We fondly recognise that, after 26 years of outstanding care and dedication in the Junior School, Helen Hepworth will conclude her time at Penrhos at the end of 2020.

From Junior School teacher to Deputy Head of Junior School, and as a valued member of the College Leadership Team, Helen is a highly regarded educator, who has been instrumental in shaping the warm and positive culture in our Junior School community— her kind and caring nature has helped support thousands of young girls and their families as they embark A Junior School student's drawing on their Penrhos of Helen learning journey.

Helen was an integral part of the team that led our Junior School to work with Global Digital Citizen Foundation founder, Lee Watanabe Crockett. Helen presented at several national and state conferences in this context and hosted many delegates from around the world to celebrate and observe the excellence in practice 10

THE PENRHOSIAN

that resulted from this leading-edge collaboration from 2017 to 2019.

Helen is a dedicated and passionate educator, who is well known for always going above and beyond to make sure our Junior School students receive the best possible education across the areas of mind, heart, body and spirit, in pursuit of their all-round personal best.

“I have regularly observed her interactions with the little ones in the ELC — they all vie for her attention, as she listens intently to their stories, interests and passions.” Debbie Scott, Learning Enhancement Teacher.

“Helen was my mentor in the mid-nineties when I arrived to teach Year 5… at the time, the laptop program had just begun. We opened the folding doors between our classes and engaged in a multitude of integrated, educational adventures over the years.” Sass Gray, former Year 5 teacher.

“Rita Pierson, an American educator said, ‘Every child deserves a champion: an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists

they become the best they can possibly be.’ I think this sums up Helen, her love for what she does and for the students in her care.” Rob Taylor, Acting Principal.

We also bid a fond farewell to Nathan Ducker, who has been a driving force in the integration of technology in the classroom and throughout the College. In Nathan's 19 years at Penrhos College, he has travelled with students to Space Camp in the US, developed rich STEM programs with a focus on biodiversity and sustainability, been innovative in his approach and advocated for studentcentred learning (as illustrated in his accreditation as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert).

“Nathan is a dedicated, expert educator and his contribution to the Junior School is greatly appreciated.

We wish Nathan well for his future endeavours.” Rob Taylor, Acting Principal.

“Nathan provided strong support for enquiry learning, future focused learning and student engagement, he is always most humble about his considerable talents and educational contributions.” Trish Somers, former Head of Junior School.

Nathan Ducker

Maths Mentor program extends to Junior School Penrhos is excited to announce the amalgamation of the Maths Mentor program across Junior and Secondary Schools, to create a significant point of difference in the Penrhos Maths learning experience.

Referring to the program formerly known as Maths Extension in Junior School, Maths Mentor Coordinator Peter Chandler says “by building on the good work established in Junior School and opening up the Maths Mentor program across the whole College, we can offer more opportunities to those younger students who are excelling in Maths — including the chance to make the team for the annual World Mathematics Team Championship.”

Junior School Learning Extension teacher Corinne Hollingsworth believes our younger mathematicians will revel in the student comradery offered by both our Uni and Student Maths Mentors; she says “by building relationships with likeminded students, so too will the girls’ confidence grow in a subject they are passionate about.”

Abigail Alvarez and Professor Cheryl Praeger

Prime Minister’s Award for Science. Professor Praeger is one of the most well-known mathematicians in WA and all our Maths Mentor students were inspired by her story.

“Being introduced to the Maths Mentor program in Term 3 allowed me to participate in so many different competitions,” said Abigail. “The Australian Maths Competition and the Australian Maths Challenge were just a couple of the highlights of the year — we also participated in the World Mathematics Team Championships, where the questions challenged us to use our problem-solving skills and our critical thinking abilities, while collaborating with other students all over the world.”

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Praeger encouraged our students to pursue those STEM careers that will be essential for the future. “Australia needs the best creative problem solvers and critical thinkers, who are passionate about seeing a better world,” she told the room as part of her captivating MathsNight speech.

Students from our Junior School have achieved some outstanding maths results this year; one of the highlights was our Year 5 and 6 team placing third in the state-wide Have Sum Fun Competition in October, against some very tough opposition — the second year in which we have placed in the top three schools in WA.

As we continue a trajectory which takes us from strength to strength, we are also proud to welcome Tim Birrell as our new Head of Department. Previously Head of Maths at Rossmoyne Senior High School, Tim believes students successfully respond to challenges when they are surrounded by positive and passionate peers, mentors In the 2020 national Australian Mathematics Competition, and teachers. He is a strong supporter of the Maths Year 6 student Abigail Alvarez was recognised as one of Mentor program and is enthusiastic about its extension the top students in Australia. She was presented with her into Junior School, saying the guidance and friendships medal at the 2020 MathsNight@Penrhos by Professor of older Maths Student Mentors will help prepare Junior Cheryl Praeger, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at the School girls for their important transition into Secondary University of Western Australia and holder of the 2019 School.

Junior School students crunching numbers

2020 Have Sum Fun Mathematics competition

THE PENRHOSIAN

11

By Wayne Revitt Head of Junior School

In recently asking our students to reflect on how they feel about their school, little Evie in Year 2 simply wrote ‘love grows here’ — she embellished her answer with a love heart and her signature. This is a beautifully succinct and revealing reflection of what our students cherish most — so much so, that it has become a motto for our new vision for the Junior School.

In recent weeks, I have presented to various groups on our new vision including the Penrhosian Club (former staff and friends of Penrhos), our new families on Orientation Day and prospective families on tour events.

I begin by noting the two facts that motivate me most in my new leadership role as Head of Junior School.

Firstly, our youngest Penrhosies in Pre-Kindergarten will potentially still be in the workforce in the year 2090 — which takes them some way beyond our current

12

THE PENRHOSIAN

focus on 21st century skills! Secondly, by 2030, our little Penrhosies will be graduating from Secondary School at a time when the World Health Organisation projects depression and anxiety will be the greatest burden of disease across the planet. These are significant challenges for educators to consider.

A proactive approach is required, to prepare our children for the challenges ahead — an approach that is backed by research (by the voices of 5,000 WA students from Year 4 to 12, in the Commissioner for Children’s report, February 2020). Significantly, female students rated their wellbeing lower than male students in areas of mental health, peer conflict, relationships, personal safety and independence — and this gap widened with age.

Research like this clearly highlights how different girls are to boys, and why an all girls’ learning environment is of benefit from the outset.

“ From their very first day with us, we want our students to have the courage of their convictions, the strength to speak up for themselves (and for others) and to do what is right. And from little acorns do great oaks grow; Penrhosies grow into Penrhosians — young women who are committed to the pursuit of their dreams, to supporting each other and to making a positive contribution in the world.”

What has been our response in the Penrhos Junior School? A focus on wellbeing has always been our key priority; however, the year 2020 and its global pandemic has given us cause to more keenly reflect on what is most important in our lives. Our family.

Our children. In order to fully appreciate what is most important to us, we are determined to work still harder to embed a sense of love and belonging among our girls.

In the early years, evidence consistently tells us that ‘nurturing and responsive relationships build healthy brain architecture that provides a strong foundation for learning, behaviour, and health’ (Jack P Shonkoff, 2006). Simply put — love grows brains. We know that if a child is feeling safe and secure, she is ready to learn. I am puzzled as to why parents often place more importance on the Secondary School years, with some families waiting to enrol later — the greatest benefit to your daughter is in enrolling her sooner. It is in the early years that we form the secure emotional and cognitive base, from which she is positioned to then take on the world!

Through the primary years ‘children begin to hone a sense of self… it is this period of co-regulation that lays the groundwork for healthy independence and reciprocity in adolescent and young adult relationships’ (Madeline Levine, 2012).

How strong are your own memories of Year 4, 5 and 6? How crucial is this time, in becoming the person we are today? Research indicates these years are the springboard into a healthy adolescence and this knowledge informs our new upper Junior School focus. As part of our wellbeing program, we include work on a new language based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy; our girls learn how to re-frame their emotions, to de-catastrophise situations and to proactively use positive self-talk. Our focus is

on creating a supportive environment, in which we can nurture growth mindsets and praise our girls for their efforts, along with their achievements.

This is just the start of our work towards our vision for 2021 and beyond, across the Early Learning Centre and Junior School. The core values of the Early Years Learning Framework (a focus on Belonging, Being and Becoming) are paramount and remain fundamental to all year groups, from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 — we all need to feel we belong, through warm relationships and a supportive culture. Our girls also have a right to simply ‘be’ — to delight in the present; they thrive best in an environment that enables them to become reflective learners and active community members.

From their very first day with us, we want our students to have the courage of their convictions, the strength to speak up for themselves (and for others) and to do what is right. And from little acorns do great oaks grow; Penrhosies grow into Penrhosians — young women who are committed to the pursuit of their dreams, to supporting each other and to making a positive contribution in the world. Penrhosians are prepared to challenge convention and smash ceilings. This is what we stand for; it is what makes Penrhos quite different, and very special — from day one.

This year seems to have both rushed by and, somehow, to also have progressed quite slowly. We have met our challenges and developed some innovative plans for the future. An ongoing positive experience for me is the continual sense of joy, humour and love of learning in which I am immersed each day, as I visit classrooms and chat to students in the playground. I am learning from you all, and I look forward to continuing to learn with you through the years ahead. As Evie so beautifully puts it ‘love grows here’ — what a wonderful starting point for us to have… let’s build on it, together.

THE PENRHOSIAN

13

Connecting parents with their daughter’s learning Remote learning in 2020 sparked unprecedented levels of interest from parents wanting to know what and how their daughters were learning in new and exceptionally challenging circumstances. In response, Penrhos offered a range of initiatives for parent involvement, which we have continued to evolve now that we are once again able to welcome parents and caregivers onto campus, to actively participate in the girls’ development and growth.

To ensure the most cohesive support framework, our teaching staff typically collaborate with parents to develop specific individual goals to nurture both the academic and the social / emotional development of each student. As part of this process, parents are invited and encouraged to engage in seminars, to make regular visits to the classroom (where relevant) and to participate in fun events.

Here are some initiatives to look forward to: • The Year 5 Great Debate, Parents vs Daughters • Year 7 Celebration of Learning Sundowner • Year 8 Crunchy Eyebrow Evenings coming in 2021 • Penrhos Full Circle: a 2020 initiative from Penrhos College psychologists

14

THE PENRHOSIAN

The Year 5 Great Debate, Parents vs Daughters A debate involves communication between two people or parties with differing points of view. The Year 5s have decided to formalise the debates that may happen in homes on a day-to-day basis between our students and their parents — normally resulting in heated conversations around bedtimes, eating vegetables or use of electronic devices. Sound familiar? Parents and students in Year 5 will be invited to take part in a Great Debate around these topics and more — parents versus students. The exercise will have many benefits including improved communication skills, planning experience, public speaking and honing persuasive arguments. There will be only one winner and being sent to bed will not be an option!

Year 7 Celebration of Learning Sundowner The student-led Year 7 Celebration of Learning evening provided an opportunity for parents and caregivers to view and participate in their daughter’s development and growth during her first year of Secondary School. Families were able to hear student reflections on their Year 7 experience and enjoy music

and drama performances, before taking part in a student-led tour of key learning and co-curricular areas where girls showed off work that they were most proud of from the year. The tour was followed by a Parent Sundowner where families mingled and connected with fellow parents, teachers and College staff. One parent commented, “It was great to see students lead the evening with confidence and to hear the pride they had in both their work and the College.” Due to the success of the evening in 2020, we look forward to seeing the initiative take place again in 2021.

Year 8 Crunchy Eyebrow Evenings coming in 2021 Our Crunchy Eyebrow Evenings are so-named to reflect the brow-furrowing expressions which result from intense analytical thinking. These evenings provide the chance for Year 8 students and their parents to attend a variety of workshops in which they must work collaboratively to complete tasks requiring both critical and creative thinking. Hosted in the new Meg Melville Science Innovation Centre, these workshop activities will be focused on each of the four MESH areas (Maths, English, Science and HASS).

Penrhos Full Circle: a 2020 initiative from Penrhos College psychologists Like all schools, Penrhos offers ‘inward’ looking programs that teach wellbeing skills and provide opportunities for skill development to students. But we want to do more. We know that partnering with parents is crucial in providing security, consistency and a shared language to support our girls. And so, the idea of a more ‘outward’ looking service was born — connecting with our caregivers to offer best practice psychological skills and understandings, to support our girls as they grow and develop in an ever-changing landscape. Penrhos Full Circle psychologists work with groups of adults — large and small, face to face and via technology to offer seminars, workshops, small group discussions, coffeecatch-ups and digital resources. Our aim is to support the adults in our girls’ lives to consolidate wellbeing universals, develop resilience, stay connected and be on the front foot — together. We are confident that the benefits will come back full circle to the girls.

THE PENRHOSIAN

15

NAIDOC Week at Penrhos College This November, we celebrated NAIDOC Week at Penrhos as we respectfully acknowledged the Whadjuk people of the Noongar nation as the traditional owners of the land on which we stand.

Festivities opened with a beautiful Welcome to Country by special guest Ingrid Cumming. A proud event for all which included an amazing speech by Year 10 student Chiara and dance performances by students from Penrhos and Aquinas College, whilst the Yidaki/Didgeridoo and tapping sticks were played. A spectacular sand mural celebrating connection to Country was created to cover the Rixon Amphitheatre, and students enjoyed tastings of delicious damper with bush tucker and ‘roo stew. Many thanks to the Student Reconciliation Committee for hosting and to the NIAA, MADALAH and Future Footprints for their support.

16

THE PENRHOSIAN

Always was, Always will be.

Speech and artwork by Chiara Miller-Sabbioni Kaya, I am Chiara Miller-Sabbioni and I am a Wadjuk woman of the Noongar nation and a Budimaya woman of the Yamitji nation.

I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land on which we are meeting, the Wadjuk Noongar people. My ancestors walked, occupied and inhabited this land for tens of thousands of years. Our culture is the longest, continuous culture on earth, so we take NAIDOC Week to cherish, celebrate and commemorate the first nation people of Australia.

Celebration of our culture should not be restricted to one week alone but should be an integral part of an all-embracing Australian culture, as it is essentially the founding culture of our nation.

Traditional owners of this nation occupied various countries. You may be thinking how is this possible?

Imagine Europe with no Germany, no France, no Spain, no Sweden and no England. Their culture taken away, their languages murdered and their traditions forbidden, followed by a new alien culture established over the whole of Europe. Their land is stripped away, and the people dispossessed. They need to learn a whole new language and a whole new way of dealing with daily life.

This scenario is comparable to what happened to Australia and my nana’s great grandmother.

For 232 years the institutions of our society such as the education, housing, justice, political and health systems have failed to integrate the first nations peoples’ culture.

Therefore, those establishments that I have mentioned do not cater for Indigenous Australians and never have. The inter-generational

dealings have mostly seen first nations peoples feeling rejected and excluded from mainstream society.

Institutional racism is defined as “the systematic distribution of resources, power and opportunity in our society to the benefit of people who are white and the exclusion of people of colour”.

Since the birth of Australian colonialism, non-Aboriginal people have been preoccupied with defining ‘what is Aboriginality’.

British colonialists tended to define Aboriginal people by the ‘amount of blood’ they had, as well as the colour of their skin. This notion was absurd, particularly considering when in Noongar culture the collective that lives on the boodjar (country) is considered as moort (family) irrespective of pigmentation. This theory laid the foundations for racist discourse in this country and normalised it within society.

An example to clear up any confusion: hypothetically, I would be defined as a ‘quartercaste.’ This language is structural dehumanisation, which not only has disenfranchised Aboriginal communities but has been at the centre of manifesting issues with identity. Furthermore, this theory perpetuates racial discrimination in this country which directly affects me.

I myself am a victim of this, I have suffered inter-generational trauma as a result of this theory. In Year 3, my class was reading an article on an Aboriginal woman. I jumped up like a jack-in-the-box, proudly proclaiming my Aboriginality for the first time in a public setting, before being slammed straight back in that box of conformity; the class made sure I knew my place — I, of course,

was “too light to be an Aboriginal” or “only a quarter”.

Racial legislation is definitive proof of racism, as it takes the form of implemented policy reinforced by the authority of the state. In 1905 in WA, many oppressive laws were imposed upon the ‘Aborigine’ of this state. These laws were enforced by the ‘Protector of Natives’ — usually the local police — who had power to decline marriages, for example (which Aboriginal people had to ask for in the first place).

Furthermore, in the state of WA, Aboriginal people were not allowed to be on the streets after 6pm unless they had a ‘dog license’ — ­­ a citizenship certificate which had to be applied for and required the holder to cut ties with their Aboriginal family and friends. This legislation was in place until 1971, within the lifetime of many people in this room.

Lastly, the most oppressive and far-reaching piece of legislation was the control and authority which the Protector of Natives had over the guardianship of Noongar and other children — essentially, this would be the foundation for the Stolen Generations in decades to come.

There is still no treaty and no makarrata or peacemaking process.

In Aboriginal ways of being, recognition of wrongs of the past sparks greater understanding on both sides of the conflict.

Have you learned about the history of genocide on Wadjemup (Rottnest Island)? Let me share with you another hidden truth.

4,000 men and boys from across Western Australia were imprisoned THE PENRHOSIAN

17

in the ‘Aboriginal-only Rottnest Island Prison’ between 1838 and 1931. These men were prisoners who built the prison they were to be forced into. Aboriginal men at this prison were violently treated to the point of death.

I’ve got one, simple question for you — would you go to Auschwitz and have a party there?

In spite of an alien culture and the challenge of walking in two worlds, many achievements have been made

by Indigenous Australians in all walks of life. Such as Jessica Mauboy, Cathy Freeman, Buddy Franklin and David Unaipon (who was well-known as the Australian Leonardo Da Vinci and is on our $50 note) — just to name a handful from a long list of achievers in the fields of arts, law, medicine, education, politics and media.

Non-Indigenous people can be allies to first nations peoples by amplifying our voices and by acting consciously to break the cycles of disadvantage. Allies can help by donating to organisations who fight to Close the Gap. Allies seek truth and work to understand

that Aboriginal people are not all the same and come from many unique cultural backgrounds. Allies learn about Aboriginal ways of doing, knowing and being that are connected to the place they too call home. Allies speak up when they hear someone say inappropriate things about Aboriginal people and keep educating themselves on current issues.

As efforts are made to reconcile cultural differences and create a unified Australia, connection to land and country will always be unique to our people. NonIndigenous Australians could never have or acquire the connection to land that traditional owners have, as this is one which flows through from our ancestors — over 60,000 years of knowledge, passed from generation to generation. What can be achieved, however, is an appreciation and respect for this depth of knowledge.

This connection that we have to our ancestor’s land cannot and will not be broken therefore Always was, Always will be.

Penrhos’ Reconciliation Action Plan Penrhos College formally began its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) process with a first Working Group meeting on 18 November 2020.

We would like to thank those who have volunteered their time to assist the College in this important initiative. Presently, the Working Group includes more than 35 community members (families and alumni) and 20 staff with a wealth of experience and knowledge — we together look forward to evolving the RAP through a process of listening and conversation through 2021.

The first meeting of the Working Group was devoted to reflection on ways of knowing, being and doing at Penrhos. The group focused on raising key questions and hearing

18

THE PENRHOSIAN

ideas, concerns and observations as we move towards formulating a vision statement to guide the first Action Plan. We are thankful for the involvement of families and alumni, for reaching out regardless of geographical location, to participate both in person and through video link — including our incoming Principal Kalea Haran, who dialed in from overseas as she prepares for her move from Singapore to Australia.

Our RAP will be designed to support our College community in developing an educational environment that fosters higher levels of knowledge and pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions, for the benefit of our whole community. Our Action Plan will be centred around our

Core Shared Values of Synergy, Respect, Integrity, Growth, Knowledge and Empathy. Through our RAP, we will commit to strengthening relationships, respect and opportunities in the classroom, around the College and with our community.

Developing our RAP is a longterm commitment that will require ongoing consideration and collaborative effort. The next meeting of the Working Group will be held early in Term 1 2021.

The focus will be on creating a vision statement to direct the first year of our Reconciliation Action Plan process — key points such as classroom content and cultural awareness for staff will be first on the agenda.

Your Round Square journey of discovery is about to launch…

Paul McCarthy Dean of Co-Curricular In the previous issue of The Penrhosian, I shared with you that Penrhos was seeking to obtain membership of the Round Square Organisation, a collective of 220 likeminded schools across 50 countries — and I am now pleased to share that, with the generous support of the Penrhos College Foundation, we have been successful!

International members of the Round Square Organisation are bound together by a very particular values-based approach to education, centred on the importance of student agency. Shared experiences across the globe are based on the Round Square IDEALS of Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism, Adventure, Leadership and Service. We are delighted to now wear the exclusive Round Square badge with pride, as one of only two member schools in Perth.

Here’s what membership means for our Penrhosians: • Internationalism – Round Square schools encourage their students to seek out, discover and embrace similarities and differences between cultures and nationalities in ways that promote meaningful and lasting understanding and respect.

• Democracy – Round Square schools encourage their students to develop a ‘spirit of democracy’ — a sense of equality, fairness, justice and a desire to do what is right for the greater good.

• Environmentalism – Round Square schools encourage their students to understand our place in the universe, the forces that shape our surroundings and the impact we have on those surroundings.

Penrhos students will research the ways in which they will serve the society, and positively impact the environment of the communities they tour.

• Adventure – for Round Square schools, the ‘spirit of adventure’ is defined by those who push themselves beyond their perceived limits, cross boundaries and discover that they are capable of more than they thought. Penrhos Round Square tour immersion opportunities will be unlike anything we have previously offered — get your passport ready!

• Leadership – for Round Square schools, ‘spirit of leadership’ is founded in recognising that the most successful leaders are driven by their desire to be of service — to nurture, guide, develop and help others to improve and succeed. Penrhosians will lead their own tour itineraries and will design their leadership experiences in the context of the Round Square IDEALS. • Service – for Round Square schools, ‘spirit of service’ is a celebration of personal development through the practical experience of bringing sustainable support and benefit to others — our well-established community service and culture of giving will be taken to new heights, through the opportunities on offer through Round Square.

In 2021, we will develop opportunities for both Junior School and Secondary School to engage with the Round Square IDEALS — what that will look like across the College will change with the age of the students. Be it collaborative — via online interactions — or face-to-face in cultural or service opportunities, regionally, nationally or internationally (when global circumstances allow), our students will engage in realworld learning and periods of reflection.

I look forward to leading the Penrhos team responsible for embedding the Round Square IDEALS over the coming months and years. The selection process we went through was rigorous — it involved nomination from another Round Square global member school, site visits and evaluations

by Round Square global representatives along with the Principal of another Round Square School (in our case this was completed by Alec O’Connell, Principal of the only other Round Square school in Perth — Scotch College), formal application and audit. Many students were involved in the journey, along with members of staff from both Junior School and Secondary School — I would like to thank most sincerely all those who embraced this opportunity as we now prepare to introduce and roll out Round Square opportunities to our co-curricular, tour, exchange and service learning offerings.

I invite you all to be part of our Round Square journey — this is an exciting time to be a Penrhosian!

THE PENRHOSIAN

19

Penrhos crowned top girls’ volleyball school in WA for 2020 We can now proudly say we are the top girls’ volleyball school in the state! Well done to all 100 girls who participated over the five-day, 2020 WA Volleyball Schools Cup competition in September – from which Penrhos walked away with no less than five gold and five silver medals. Winning the Overall Female Trophy was the biggest coup, as this is traditionally won by Rossmoyne Senior High School — our biggest volleyball rival!

One of the most dramatic nights in the competition was for our Year 9A team who faced off against IGSSA rival St Mary’s Anglican Girls School. It was a nailbiter in the second set, with Penrhos coming from behind to take the set by 26-24. The drama didn’t end there — Penrhos still had to come back from 10-14 down in the decider, to win the match 16-14.

The WA Overall Female Volleyball title came down to the last match of the tournament, the Year 9 Honours

20

THE PENRHOSIAN

Gold Medal game — Penrhos vs Rossmoyne. The Penrhos girls started strong, taking a 2 set to 0 lead, but the momentum swung back to Rossmoyne and the score evened out to 2-2. The epic game pushed late into the evening (until 11pm!), with hundreds of supporters looking on and cheer squads from both schools lining the courts to create a truly electric atmosphere. Penrhos girls held nerves of steel as they took the final set 15-12, and secured the outright title of 2020 Overall Female Volleyball school.

Amid the high of winning, we bid farewell to those outstanding Year 12 veterans — Aimee Di Virgilio, Sarah Burton, Sophie Alchin and Lucy Tyler — who have been part of the Penrhos Volleyball Program since Year 7. These talented and determined young women leave Penrhos with back-to-back WA state titles in the Open Honours division and the clean sweep of five consecutive IGSSA A-division winning pennants — what a legacy!

Penrhos results from the 2020 WA Volleyball Schools Cup competition

Elizabeth Alchin (Year 10) and Sophie Alchin (Year 12)

Open Honours – Gold vs Rossmoyne 3-0 Coach: Mike Ruggiero/ Kenrick Armitage Year 11 Honours – Silver vs Rossmoyne 0-3 Coach: Sam Dodd (2018) Year 11A – Gold vs Merredin College 2-0 Coach: Emily Nixon (2018) Year 11B – Silver vs Mercedes 2-0 Coach: Emma Jones (2019) Year 10 Honours – Silver vs Rossmoyne 1-3 Coach: Sam Dodd (2018) Year 10B – Silver vs Canning Vale College 0-2 Coach: Emma Jones (2019) Year 9 Honours – Gold vs Rossmoyne 3-2 Coach: Emily Nixon (2018) Year 9A – Gold vs St Mary’s 2-1 Coach: Rohan Price (2017) Year 8 Honours – Gold vs Greenwood 3-0 Coach: Kyla Sanchez (2018) Year 8A – 5th Coach: Jess Burton (2018) Year 7 Honours – 5th Coach Kate Pickerill (2017), Lexi Zammit and Elizabeth Alchin (Year 10s) Year 7A – Silver vs Rossmoyne 0-2 Coach Claire Pickerill (2017) Year 7B – 5th Coach: Hazel Hartley (Year 10)

Thanks goes to Penrhos coaches Michael Ruggiero, Kenrick Armitage and our alumni volunteers, who so passionately gave up their time to lead our girls to victory across so many age groups.

An equally big thank you to those parents who support Penrhos volleyball — our community and team spirit go a long way in making this sport so special. 2020 was a fantastic year for all involved in Penrhos Volleyball and sets a great benchmark for further success in 2021!

Year 7B (Year 6 Green) – 3rd Coach: Alex Thomason (Year 11) Year 7B (Year 6 Red) – 7th Coach: Sam Shillington and Harriet Jones (Year 11s) The following girls won Most Valuable Player for the finals; these are awarded to the best player on the court for the Gold Medal game in their division.

• Elizabeth Alchin Open Honours • Jennifer Parker Year 11 A • Rosie Alchin Year 8 Honours • Shanoa She Cheong Year 9 A

At the 2020 WA Volleyball Schools Cup Competition

THE PENRHOSIAN

21

Summer reflections — a Christmas story

by Rev Claire Pickering Chaplain There’s a Christmas story, Trouble at the Inn by Dina Donohue, that always warms my heart and makes me smile.

Our Year 3s performed it in their Nativity play, when the familiar story takes an unexpected turn because of one thoughtful boy.

This story reminds me of what is truly at the heart of the Christmas season — relationships, and the immense importance of making room for acts of hospitality, generosity and kindness. In this time of ongoing challenge and uncertainty, and amidst the busyness and festivities of the Christmas season, we can reach out to others and make a difference. Simple words and gestures can show someone in our families and communities that we notice and care.

I wish your family much joy and peace this Christmas season, and I hope this story warms your heart and makes you smile.

For years now, whenever Christmas pageants are talked about in a certain little town in the Midwest, someone is sure to mention the name of Wallace Purling. Wally’s performance in one annual production of the Nativity play has slipped into the realm of legend. The old-timers who were in the audience that night never tire of recalling exactly what happened.

Wally was eight that year and in the third grade. He was big for his age and a bit clumsy. Wally was average in his class, but he always tried his best at everything. Wally was well-liked by the other children in his school and town, all of whom were smaller than he was, though sometimes the boys had trouble being patient when Wally would ask to play soccer with them. Most often, they’d find a way to keep him off the field. But Wally would hang around anyway — not sulking, just hoping.

Wally was a helpful boy, always willing to share and lend a hand. He was also a natural protector of the underdog. Sometimes, if the older boys chased the younger ones away, it would always be Wally who’d say, “Can’t they stay? They’re no bother”.

Wally fancied the idea of being a shepherd, with a shepherd’s crook in the Nativity play that year. But the play’s director, Miss Lumbard, assigned him to a more important role — the innkeeper. She reasoned the innkeeper did not have too many lines, and Wally’s size would make the refusal by the innkeeper to take in Mary and Joseph more forceful.

22

THE PENRHOSIAN

And so it happened that the usual large, enthusiastic audience gathered for the town’s yuletide extravaganza of camels, sheep, cows and mice, halos and crowns, presents and crooks, stars and straw, and a whole stage full of very excited voices. No one on-stage or off was more caught up in the magic of the night than Wallace Purling. They said later that Wally stood in the wings and watched the performance with such fascination that, from time to time, Miss Lumbard had to make sure he didn’t wander on-stage before his cue.

Then the time came when Joseph appeared, slowly and gently guiding Mary to the door of the inn. Joseph knocked hard on the wooden door, set into the painted backdrop. Wally the innkeeper was there, waiting.

“What do you want?” Wally said, swinging the door open.

“We seek lodging,” Joseph cautiously replied.

Wally looked straight ahead and spoke vigorously, “Seek it elsewhere.

The inn is filled.”

Joseph pleaded, “Sir, we have walked all over town and have asked everywhere in vain. We have travelled far and we are very weary.”

“There is no room in this inn for you.” Wally looked properly stern.

Joseph pleaded once more, “Please, good innkeeper, this is my wife Mary.

She is heavy with child and needs a

Community connections Our thriving Penrhos community is defined by the groups within it — current students and Old Girls, current and past staff and parents, wider families and friends — and the strong, authentic connections we foster between them.

place to rest. Surely you must have some small corner for her. She is so tired.”

Now for the first time, the innkeeper relaxed his stiff, dismissive stance and looked down at Mary. With that, there was a long pause, long enough to make the audience a bit tense and nervous.

Miss Lumbard whispered from the wings, “No! Begone!”

“No!” Wally repeated automatically.

“Begone!”

Joseph sadly placed his arm around Mary and Mary laid her head upon his shoulder, and the two of them turned and started to move away.

But the innkeeper did not return inside his inn and close the door.

Wally stood there in the doorway, watching the dejected couple. His mouth was open, his brow creased with concern, his eyes filling unmistakably with tears.

And suddenly this nativity play became different from all the others.

Wallace Purling cried out, “Don’t go, Joseph! Bring Mary back!” And his face grew into a bright smile.

“You can have my room.”

Some people in the audience thought that the play had been ruined. Yet there were others — many, many others — who considered it the most Christmas-y of all the Nativity plays they had ever seen.

The Penrhosian Club was established in 1977 as a social group comprising of alumni — the mothers and grandmothers of former students — along with past members of staff, who wish to maintain links with the College. Club members meet on campus bi-monthly to connect with each other, to keep abreast of Penrhos news and attend College events. New members are always warmly welcomed.

In Term 3, Penrhosian Club members stepped in to act as ‘adopted’ grandmas for Year 7 students at the annual Grandparents and Friends Day. Due to the success and popularity of the initiative, we looked to identify more opportunities for inter-generational engagement, to further enhance the culture of warmth and affection which surrounds our Penrhos community.

In keeping with the unofficial motto of the Junior School ‘Love Grows Here’, and with the support of new Head of Junior School Wayne Revitt and incoming ELC Coordinator Lauren Balen, Penrhosian Club members and our Year 2 Penrhosies started to form a special relationship this term.

The girls were delighted to surprise Penrhosian Club members as special guests at their last meeting, where they spent time talking with and getting to know the ladies before inviting them to become pen-pals. By writing to each other, we hope our Penrhosies and Penrhosian Club members will forge and share special relationships for the duration of the girls’ time in Junior School, and beyond.

The shared joy inspired by this heart-warming initiative was immediately evident.

The students excitedly handed out their first penpal letters at the annual Penrhosian Club Christmas luncheon in November, at which they also sang Christmas songs and performed instrumental solos, told Christmas jokes and shared Christmas cards created especially for their new friends. Penrhosian Club members visibly shared in the girls’ enthusiasm, as evidenced in their beaming smiles and obvious delight, as well as the glowing feedback to follow.

The next Penrhosian Club meeting will be held on Wednesday, 17 February at 1pm in the Colwyn Centre. Please contact Community Engagement Coordinator Caroline Jenkins on jenkic@penrhos. wa.edu.au or 9368 9539 to register your interest or to request further information.

THE PENRHOSIAN

23

Life as a boarder: Ruby Sanderson Q&A with Ruby Sanderson Year 7 boarder

Why did your parents decide to send you to Penrhos?

We live on our family’s wheat and sheep farm, three hours north-east of Perth. My dad was a boarder at Hale and so were my brothers. My mum (Sally Cole, 1989) and her sisters went to Penrhos — they weren’t boarders, but mum was the Rome Captain and did a lot of early morning sport, so regularly ate breakfast in the Boarding House. She says it's changed a lot since then, but it’s still got the same tightknit feel, which is why my parents wanted me to come here.

How did you feel when you first came to Penrhos?

I knew three of the eight other girls in Year 7 boarding before we started, because they are also from small central wheatbelt towns. It didn’t take long to get to know the other five girls, after all, we’re all from the country and have a lot in common.

All the older girls have been so friendly and kind. We have really good traditions in the Boarding House ; on birthdays and special occasions there are fun things we do that are special to all of us.

The Boarding House staff help us whenever we need it, they are really kind and they care about us.

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

Both of my brothers are at university in Perth now, so I see them a lot — Olly is studying Law at UWA and Zac

24

THE PENRHOSIAN

is at Curtin, studying Agribusiness. I see my parents on the weekend and know I can FaceTime and talk to them whenever I need to.

I also have lots of other family members in Perth, and was really lucky to have both my mum and dad’s parents come to Grandparents Day last term.

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

In primary school, to be involved in anything like netball, gymnastics, swimming, athletics or dance meant I had to travel long distances in the car; to give you more of an idea of numbers, there were only two of us in my whole school year group!

This year, I have played IGSSA volleyball, netball and basketball. The boarders’ netball season was great, spending time with my second sisters and cheering each other on — we even won the grand final, which was a huge highlight. I also did IGSSA dance, I couldn’t believe my luck to have just a 30 second walk to the dance studio and so many good dancers to dance with me!

This term I have been enjoying swimming. It’s great to have a one-minute walk to get to training and I love to meet new people at the pool.

School work is very different to my primary school — we learn so much every day and have lots of extra

help available when we need it. In boarding, having a routine helps with keeping on top of homework and I feel fortunate to have two amazing prep tutors and an awesome library to do it in.

I feel really lucky to be a boarder at Penrhos. With so many friends around the Boarding House, there is always something fun going on — I am certainly never bored!

How did you manage remote learning?

I ended up back on the farm when the Boarding House closed during COVID-19. Mum and dad bought a booster so our internet signal was strong enough to use WebEx for online learning.

The best thing about being home at that time was having two new pet lambs, Grace and Larry. They filled up the hours when there was no school and no IGSSA sport.

I also ran a dance class for little kids in town via Zoom, through our local CRC (Community Resource Centre). It was so cute seeing the little kids dance on Zoom and try out the routines I set for them. I also attended my own dance classes online — my dance school was very quick to get set up remotely.

When school started back in Term 3, the Boarding House was still closed. Mum came to Perth with me, so I could be a day girl for two weeks — I was really happy when the Boarding House re-opened and we could get back to normal.

THE PENRHOSIAN

25

A boarding parent’s perspective: Penny Cattle

by Penny Cattle Mother of Cadence Cattle (Year 7 boarder)

When I was younger, I would admire girls wearing the green Penrhos uniform and wish I was a student there.

I thought Penrhos was a very prestigious school, which provided lots of opportunities for those who attended.

When our first daughter — Cadence — arrived, we didn’t hesitate to put her name down to attend Penrhos.

daunting prospect of schooling three daughters to consider, I thought we had nothing to lose in applying for the scholarships and bursaries available at Penrhos.

Cadence went through the application and academic testing processes and then we received a phone call we weren’t expecting — to let us know Cadence had made it through to the next-stage, the interview process!

We live on a farm outside of Bruce Rock where we run a welding and fabrication business. Out here, we only have a district high school which goes to Year 10 and then we are all forced to make the difficult decision as to whether our children will board. I never boarded as a student and, while my husband Mark did, it was only for a short period. However, we made the decision that boarding was right for our family when Cadence was in Year 7, largely due to dwindling numbers at the local school.

We knew Cadence wanted to go to boarding school more than anything. She wanted to meet new friends with different backgrounds, and she wanted to explore the new experiences that Penrhos could offer in terms of extracurricular opportunities and academic choices.

Mark and I were so nervous sitting with Cadence in front of Mrs Melville, Mr Moore and Mrs Gillam, but their warmth and welcome made us feel at ease while they asked Cadence an array of questions.

After Cadence, we were blessed with two more daughters, Lucy (12) and Piper (7). With the somewhat

26

THE PENRHOSIAN

The whole process was a bit of a surreal blur but, when we heard the news that Cadence had been awarded a Red Dragon All-Rounder bursary, we all burst into

“ She is more confident and resilient, more independent and proficient with her time management, adapting to most situations with ease. She has made some amazing friends and thrown herself into boarding life and all it offers, including drama, volleyball, softball and rowing.”

tears. Mark and I could not believe our biggest little girl would be going away to boarding school the very next year. Cadence was so grateful to have been selected for the bursary — and we could not have been prouder and more excited for her.

After the surprise and excitement settled down, we were immediately busy with preparations — the uniform appointment, school book list and the all-important big shop to deck out Cadence’s Boarding House bedroom.

Since that first day, I have seen many positive changes in Cadence — she is more confident and resilient, more independent and proficient with her time management, adapting to most situations with ease. She has made some amazing friends and thrown herself into boarding life and all it offers, including drama, volleyball, softball and rowing. We aim to take Cadence out for a night or two every month, which she always enjoys — but, at the same time, she is always very eager to return to the Boarding House.

On ‘drop-off’ day, Cadence was a little apprehensive — but we could feel the warmth and sense of family in the atmosphere. Boarding House staff and the other parents were all so welcoming; the girls were hugging and laughing — clearly so glad to be back together. It was hard for Mark and I to leave Cadence for the first time and there were inevitably some tears — but, when I took a deep breath and turned around again, she was already walking off with a new friend… and she has been completely at home at Penrhos ever since.

This year, so many people have asked how we are coping — we just smile and explain how easy it has all been! We haven’t had a single teary phone call yet; in fact, we find ourselves reminding Cadence to call us because she is so busy all the time! We are incredibly grateful to Mrs Hay, Mrs Callaway and all the gorgeous house mums for creating such a beautiful environment for our daughter to thrive in. We know the decision we made to send Cadence to board at Penrhos was the right one, and we are proud to be a Penrhos boarding family.

THE PENRHOSIAN

27

FROM THE PENRHOS FOUNDATION PRESIDENT

From the Penrhos Foundation President Chris Gee Foundation President Meet the Board 2020 Board members • Chris Gee President • Sondra Anderson Vice President • Sally Audeyev Secretary • Ailsa Allen • Alistair Baron • Bruce Broadbent • Helen Jones • Simon Woods Representatives from the College who sit on the Foundation Board: • Rob Taylor Acting Principal • Stephen Cooper Director, Finance & Administration • Paula Barrow Director, Marketing & Development • Tanya Brooks Fundraising Coordinator • Emma Cornwall Development Coordinator • Karen Ambrose Board Secretary

28

THE PENRHOSIAN

2020 continued through Semester 2 in the same way that it began — ­ both interesting and challenging in equal measure!

Mission for 2021 2020 has been largely spent raising funds in our hugely successful campaign for the Science Innovation Centre, towards which we hoped the first-ever Penrhos College Foundation Gala Ball would play a major part in June 2020. Although our plans for the Ball were scuppered by COVID-19, I am delighted to share with you that this event will now be reinvented as the first Foundation Gin and Jazz Soiree on 27 March 2021.

This will be a fantastic community event and its new format aligns perfectly with our focus on all-College stakeholder engagement for 2021.

The Foundation has long held a somewhat low-key role in the College community — its key priority was for some years promoted as the protection and growth of a corpus of funds to safeguard the future of the College. Over the last three years, our purpose has evolved and we are now keen to grow wider awareness and understanding of the Foundation as the body through which financial support is directed and funds distributed in line with the needs, interests and requests of the Penrhos community — students, staff and Parent Support Groups.

FROM THE PENRHOS FOUNDATION PRESIDENT

Our objectives are both for the long term future of the College and to work in partnership with our community to anticipate and provide for funding needs that are over and above those covered by school fees and government grants. Foundation funds are allocated across a General Fund, Scholarship Fund, Building Fund and Future Fund. These Funds provide a means to support the continuous enhancement and development of the College and also provide the ability for the community to support the College, current and future students through donations, bequests and gifts.

Ours is a virtuous cycle of giving and giving back.

2021 will see the launch of the Foundation’s Helping Hand initiative, via which students, staff and Parent Support Groups will be able to apply for funding, with the aim of supporting our students, staff and the College. We are hugely excited at the potential to enhance many aspects of College life in this way — we will share details of the process just as soon as they are finalised.

Round Square In 2020, the Foundation provided a five-year commitment to the College for membership of Round Square, an international initiative involving 200 like-minded schools across the globe. Membership provides Penrhos with the opportunity to continue to expand and improve on its extensive co-curricular program, for the benefit of all students. It was fantastic to see such a strong response to the first Round Square Year 5-8 Leeuwin Day Sailing Adventure — we know Round Square will provide many unique and rewarding opportunities for students across both Junior School and Secondary School as we develop our association.

Full Circle The Foundation is also very pleased to be supporting Tracy Hart and the continuing development of Full Circle in 2021. Support for Full Circle will assist families and students in building and sustaining wellbeing, which aligns very well with the launch of the Foundation’s Helping Hand initiative. One of the primary considerations in the allocation of Foundation support is the ability to provide a benefit to many (rather than to just a few); with Full Circle the benefits are clearly far-reaching, for both our students and caregivers (parents and teachers) within the Penrhos community.

Capital campaign We are delighted to report that our community remained closely engaged with our capital raising campaign for the new Science Innovation Centre in spite of all the doubt and uncertainty of 2020 – at the time of writing, we are still taking last minute requests for sponsored plaques to feature on our giant feature Periodic Table, and our running total now sits at an impressive $674,000 which is a significant stretch past both our original target of $500,000 and our revised target of $600,000. In recognition of the Foundation’s separate contribution of $2m towards our state-of-the-art new STEM facility, we are proud to have secured naming rights for the central group presentation space in which the giant Periodic Table will feature — thus, the heart of the building is truly testament to the wonderful generosity of our donor community.

We are pleased to continue to support the Alumni Lookout Campaign, in collaboration with the Penrhos College Alumni Association — see Helen Carr’s article on page 2 of Extraordinary Women.

Having so far secured donations amounting to $33,900 from 113 Old Girls, the Alumni Committee is looking for a further 137 alumni (or parents of current students i.e. future alumni) who would be willing to donate $300 towards a special plaque on the wall of the SIC’s new rooftop garden, on which to have their name (or their daughter’s name) feature for the lifetime of the building. The concept is truly lovely – for the archetypal Penrhos alumni body to look out over the College and its students, present and future. If the Committee can achieve its Lookout target of 250 contributions to form a Collective and jointly raise $75,000, then naming rights for the whole of the rooftop area will be awarded. In the process of engaging with our alumni on this project, the Committee hopes to also establish a fundraising base for advocacy amongst our wider alumni community — if you are interested in becoming a founding member of this core Collective, please email alumni@penrhos.wa.edu.au to secure your spot.

Thanks to our donors The Penrhos College Foundation sincerely thanks the following donors, who have generously given to the SIC campaign and to the College more broadly since the last issue of the Penrhosian in July 2020.

THE PENRHOSIAN

29

FROM THE PENRHOS FOUNDATION PRESIDENT

Anonymous x4

T Cielak

J & M Keil

L & L Michels

K Sinclair

J Abbott

N Cooper

M & A Adebayo

J Corica

C & A Gee

R Kempton & A Pickard

C Minshull

C Slyth

T Moorhouse

N & T Alvares

S Cornelius-Moor

C Godley

J Smith

F Kermode

F Morcombe

T Anderson

E Cornwall

G Spiers

M Godwin

L Keyes

A Morgan

I Stanbury

A Ang A Arthur

K Craker

J Haak

N & Q Khan

J Munns

S Strickland & J

C Crotty

S Hampson

M Kinsella

L Nicholls

L Avern

L Daniels

C Hannah

S Kraus

O Olubodun

K & B Sumich

S Bailey

J Davies

L Hansen

H Lassam

D Ord

S Tan

B & S Bal

A De Asis & M

J Harris

T Le & G Ma

L O'Sullivan

D Tanner

K Heliams

M Ledger

S H Park

C & L Tay

K Ballard

Barinos

N Freeman & P Castel

Perry-Strickland

S Batt

L Dease

C Holt

E Lee

F Payne

R Taylor

P Best

M Delaney

D & G Izzard

R Lewis

N Phillips

C Teo

R Bowler

P Della Vedova

S Jabez Huang

S Lewis

N Pitts

C Thomson

L & S Brockhurst

I & M Delroy

C Jenkins

C Liggins

S & L Preston

C Tiwari

T Brooks

H Dowzall

B Jiang & Y Zhang

T Lloyd

E Priest

P & H Trueman

S Brunalli

C & B du Plessis

M John

T Mao & J Zhang

S Ramachandran

P Turner

J Brunalli

P Eddy

E John

M Marinelli

A.R. Retnam & R

H Van den Broeck

C Burton

G Edwards-Smith

Z Johnson

L Marquis

R Butcher

R English

K Jones

M Marshall

J Rhatigan & S Tiong

L Warr

G Cacho

J Everett

D Jones

C Martin

E & M Richter

L & H White

H Carr

S Farrant

H Jones

S Mason

H Rodoreda

C White

C Carrigan

K Fewster

T Jones

L McPherson

S Sanderson

S Williamson

J & H Carter

L Folks

P & T Jones

L Meade

B Schofield & S Singh

A & J Wilson

H Chernoff

A Fowler

R & S Kanwal

M Melville

F & C Schwab

P Woollard

H & E Kato

C Meyerkort

A & S Senior

A Yaksich

D & K Christophersen N Freeman

We are committed to ensuring everyone has the option to give back to the College and to our community in a way that is individually meaningful, and we remain ever-grateful to our generous community for your ongoing support. The Penrhos learning philosophy is designed to ensure that our students thrive in an ever-changing and more challenging world - to remain at the forefront of girls’ education, we need leading-edge programs, outstanding staff and first-class resources. The Board is focused on finding new ways to progressively engage the Penrhos community in Foundation projects for the long-term benefit of the College, for current and future students.

And thanks to all those who support us It only remains for me to thank my fellow Board members, and representatives from the College, for their time and expertise — particularly in the context of current and recent challenges. All give significantly of their time and I value their contributions greatly.

30

THE PENRHOSIAN

Leahy

& J Wolmarans

A special mention and thank you to Tanya Brooks, for her energy and efforts in the College fundraising role in which she has delivered so significantly in support of the Science Innovation Centre Capital Campaign over the last two years.

Finally, I would particularly like to recognise Sondra Anderson for her seven years of dedicated support for the Foundation, most recently as President and Vice President, as she leaves us this year upon the graduation of her daughter Caris. Sondra’s support and commitment for the Foundation, the Penrhos community and — most especially — for our girls (and their netball!) has been immense and her support to me has been outstanding. I would also like to sincerely thank Ailsa Allen, who steps down from the Board following her much-appreciated year in service as Alumni Committee representative.

I wish everyone a peaceful Christmas and a prosperous new year — let us look forward to welcoming incoming Principal, Kalea Haran, in January 2021 for the next exciting chapter in the Penrhos story.

COVER FEATURE

PENRHOS FOUNDATION INC.

Inaugural Tuition Fee Raffle winner What an incredibly warm welcome to Penrhos College for the Martin family. Single ticket holder Brittany Martin is the very lucky winner of our first-ever Tuition Fee Raffle, receiving a $20,000 credit towards her daughter’s 2021 tuition fees!

Foundation President Chris Gee drew the winning ticket at our recent Volunteers’ Sundowner event, at which he emphasised the Foundation’s mission to give as much back to the community as possible. The Penrhos Foundation is committed to an annual Tuition Fee Raffle moving forward — next year, it could be you!

“I thought it was a prank when Chris rang to say I’d won,” said Brittany Martin, who shared the excitement of the win with husband Damian and two daughters Maggie, due to start Kindy in 2021 and Bonnie starting in Pre-K in 2022.

The Martins’ introduction to the Penrhos community was a little less than conventional. Through Brittany’s work as a Specialised Programs Manager for Global Roaming Pilbara Foundation (GRPF), she first visited the College with current Penrhos parent, Fiona WhiteHartig, Managing Director of GRPF, with the objective of providing boarding scholarships for young girls from the regions.

“The Global Roaming Pilbara Foundation aims to give young people the opportunity to realise their full potential by building self-confidence through entrepreneurial activities, modelling and deportment, health and education, sport and community engagement,” explains Brittany.

“The program is all-inclusive and helps offer opportunities to all young people regardless of gender, race, or socioeconomic status. We can’t wait to work with Penrhos to support families from the Pilbara region and beyond.”

Having set the wheels in motion for those GRPF boarding scholarships, Brittany attended Orientation Day and says after that she was completely sold — she vividly recalls saying to herself “there’s no way I’m not sending my girls here”. What began as a meeting looking for the right school for the Global Roaming Pilbara Foundation scholarships, soon turned into an equally important discovery for Brittany — she realised she wanted more than anything for her daughters to be educated at Penrhos. “I am a big believer in nature and nurture both having an impact on our children’s upbringing and Penrhos appeared to be a positive influence for both.”

The all girls’ learning environment was also a big draw card for the Martins, while Brittany specifically loved that our youngest students learn to speak Mandarin from Kindy. As the former captain of state basketball team, the Perth Wildcats, Maggie and Bonnie’s dad Damian is passionate about sport and was super-impressed with the co-curricular opportunities Penrhos offers — not only in sport, but also in language, mathematics, drama and the arts.

We can’t wait to welcome the Martin family to Penrhos, they certainly are off to a flying start! Thank you to everyone who bought tickets to the Tuition Fee Raffle and keep an eye out for your chance to win next year!

THE PENRHOSIAN

31

Photo gallery: Penrhos College events

2

4

1

3

5

6

7

9

1-3 College Production 'My Fair Lady' 4-6 MathsNight@Penrhos 7-11 Year 7 Grandparents and Friends Day

32

THE PENRHOSIAN

8

10

11

1

2

3

4

6

5

7

8

9

10

1-3 Remembrance Day Service 4-5 Volunteers' Sundowner 6-8 Flower Day

11

9-10 Penrhosian Club Christmas Lunch 11 P&F Picnic and Christmas Carols

THE PENRHOSIAN

33

34

THE PENRHOSIAN

THE PENRHOSIAN

35

Extraordinary Women

Science Innovation Centre Opening Term 1 2021

Alumni in STEM Inspiring our next generation

Biannual magazine for the Penrhos alumni community

Extraordinary Women… and a few good men In recognition of the members of our alumni who studied with us as boys (1952– early 1980s)

Contents

2

From the President of the Alumni Committee

4

Alumni in STEM — inspiring our next generation

8

Peter Phillips — he’s seen it all!

10

Out and about

13

Vale: Helen Alguire 8.6.1988 – 16.8.2020

14

Photo gallery: alumni events

15

Recap on reunions

COVER PHOTO World-ready for the future: Year 1 students Minnie Bellamy, Hannah Jones, Tiffany Yeo and Nadiya Anthony at the site of the Meg Melville Science Innovation Centre build — photo by Joanne Yong

2

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

From the President of the Alumni Committee Helen Carr Alumni Committee President What a year 2020 has been, my first in the role of incoming President. The first half of this year was marked with cancellations and uncertainty due to COVID-19, while the second half has been busier than ever. We are delighted many events were able to take place, including the highlight of the Year 12 calendar — the Mother Daughter dinner — when we welcomed the Class of 2020 into our alumni community, and the Alumni Soiree on the opening night of the College Production, My Fair Lady. We were fortunate in that we were able to reschedule reunions for the Class of 2010, 2000, 1990, 1980 and 1970 together with the 18-month Leavers' Reunion for the Class of 2018, including the virtual attendance of classmates who were unable to travel.

We paid special tribute to former Head of Junior School, Jennifer Robertson, who sadly passed in May 2020, at our Founders’ Day celebrations this year. We also welcomed members of the Old Kobeelyans’ Association Committee. We value our shared history with Kobeelya and we are proud to recognise former students as members of our alumni community. Alumni and their families joined us as we presented their daughters and granddaughters with the Alumni Family Badge — worn on the students’ blazers — to symbolise their family’s multi-generational relationship with the College.

Our Meg Melville Alumni Endeavour Award recipient this year was Isabella Crees, who plans to assemble birthing kits for women in developing countries to enable them to give birth safely at home. We look forward to sharing her progress with you, along with that of 2019 recipient, Felicity Lindquist.

FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE ALUMNI COMMITTEE

Following the comprehensive alumni survey, conducted

by MMG earlier this year, members of the Alumni Committee and I have worked closely with the College on some fresh new initiatives, designed to incorporate your feedback. I am especially pleased to report significant progress on two programs which will be launched in Term 1 2021.

Mentoring Program — provides the opportunity for alumni to connect with and offer support to fellow alumni in a professional capacity.

Business Directory — provides the opportunity for alumni to showcase their successes and promote their businesses.

Sadly, Anna passed on 1 September 2019, and our Be Amazing Bursary is now named in her honour. We hope and anticipate that the recipient of Anna’s very special legacy will fulfill her potential and make Anna’s wish come true. We remain in close contact with her brother Gerald, who intends to visit Anna’s plaque in the Alumni Memorial Garden as soon as the borders open again, along with other members of their family.

Carol Carrigan contacted the College earlier this year to pledge a bequest for the benefit of a worthy local Indigenous girl to attend Penrhos in Years 10-12. Carol’s gift will be beautifully named the Reaching for the Stars Bursary.

As a Committee and a body, we are keen to work with the Penrhos College Foundation for the ongoing benefit of our students and wider community. In line with this commitment, we launched our own dedicated Alumni Lookout project to help raise funds for the new Science Innovation Centre and to claim a special place for alumni recognition in this new STEM centre of excellence.

We sought 250 alumni to form a Collective by each contributing $300 (in a one-off payment or over 10 months) to raise the $75,000 required to secure naming rights for the rooftop deck for the lifetime of the new building. We are so far delighted to have raised $33,900 via 113 contributions, sincere thanks to those who have already taken a place. We will keep the campaign open until December 2021 with the objective of achieving our target and naming the rooftop deck, where all may enjoy a breathtaking view of the Perth skyline. Those who have contributed so far will be invited to a special preview of the new building in January 2021, but I especially look forward to the time we can celebrate taking ownership of the deck and hosting our own naming event up there!

Carol told us she owes “Mrs Margaret Way and Penrhos College a depth of gratitude for accepting my enrolment at a very difficult time”. She says she loved every moment of her Penrhos school days and considers her learning experience was a great influence in shaping her vocational journey — after qualifying to be a teacher, Carol pursued further academic qualifications to gain a Diploma of Teaching, Graduate Diploma of Educational Studies (Aboriginal) and Masters of Education.

This year, we have been especially warmed by two bequests — one now active and one most graciously pledged — from members of our 1966 alumni, Anna Ward-Woerlee and Carol Carrigan.

It only remains for me to thank my fellow Committee members for their wonderful generosity and commitment.

We farewell Ailsa Allen (1961) and thank her most sincerely for 10 years of exceptional service to the Committee, and 20 years as the Old Girls’ tennis coordinator. Thank you to Priscilla McLellan (Burnett, 1991) for taking on this role from 2021. We also farewell Alumni Committee Treasurer Molly Delaney, who is joining the Penrhos College Foundation in 2021, and warmly welcome our new Treasurer, Amanda Gould (2012). Our next meeting is Tuesday, 9 February at 6pm in the Colwyn Centre at the College — all are welcome and we would love to see you there.

Anna re-visited the College towards the end of 2019, where she met with then Principal Meg Melville and Director of Marketing and Development Paula Barrow to discuss her wish to create a bursary for a student who might enter in Year 10. Anna wanted her bursary to inspire a young girl to ‘be amazing’ — she asked the College to ensure her gift would go to a determined and resilient young woman, who could demonstrate she would make the most of any opportunity life sent her way, and who might otherwise be unable to attend Penrhos due to financial reasons.

Her impressive 40-year career with the NSW Department of Education and Training included roles as a School Principal, Education Consultant, Inspector, Director of Education, Assistant Director General and Regional Director, North Coast NSW. “Without Penrhos, none of this would have been possible for me,” Carol says.

I am constantly humbled by the thoughtfulness of our community, who continue to give back to the College so generously in order that future generations of Penrhos students may benefit from their legacy.

Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas and all the best for the new year.

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

3

COVER FEATURE

Alumni in STEM — inspiring our next generation As we prepare for the opening of the new Meg Melville Science Innovation Centre early in 2021, we shine a spotlight on three members of our alumni who have gone on to pursue successful careers in STEM-related fields.

Suzanne Williams (1985) Researcher and Head of the Invertebrate Division, Natural History Museum, London After graduating from Penrhos in 1985, Suzanne obtained a Bachelor of Science from UWA, with a double major in Zoology and Biochemistry. While her initial plan was to pursue a career in Biochemistry, Suzanne was drawn to working with animals. She accepted a three-year post at the Australian Institute of Marine Science in Townsville to study how populations of giant clams are connected genetically across the Pacific. Suzanne describes the role as a truly wonderful experience — which involved diving on dozens of reefs along the length of the Great Barrier Reef, as well as travelling to many tropical islands to collect specimens.

Suzanne then embarked on her PhD at James Cook University, studying the population genetics of a tropical, blue starfish, after which she took up a post-doctoral position at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. There, Suzanne explored genetic divergence between species of snapping shrimp that were separated around three million years ago by the rise of the Isthmus of Panama.

Suzanne soon realised she needed to learn Spanish to make the most of her time in Panama, which not only enriched her experience of the country, but helped her to travel more easily around other countries in Latin America.

4

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

From Panama, Suzanne moved to London to accept a post-doctoral position working on the global evolution of tropical periwinkles at the Natural History Museum. After two years, she was offered a permanent post and Suzanne has been living in London ever since (almost 20 years).

Her research focuses mainly on molluscs (snails, clams, scallops and octopus, etc.); most recently with particular focus on the evolution of colour and vision.

The Anna Ward-Woerlee Be Amazing Bursary at Penrhos College Penrhos College is delighted to offer this golden opportunity for girls who aspire to attend Penrhos College for finishing school; years 10, 11 and 12.

The Anna Ward-Woerlee Be Amazing Bursary will provide 100% remission on tuition and on costs for the remainder of their schooling at Penrhos College.

Suzanne highly recommends a career in science: her work has taken her to more than 50 countries and enabled her to visit many places that are typically difficult to access; she has experienced numerous fieldwork adventures and considers herself blessed to continually work with inspirational people. Suzanne notes it takes both hard work and a certain amount of luck, but she really cannot think of a better job!

Brioni Moore (1999) Senior Research Fellow, School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University Brioni always wanted to be a doctor and worked extremely hard to achieve her goal during her time at Penrhos. It was a devastating blow when she was not accepted to study Medicine at UWA. Instead, Brioni decided to enrol at Curtin to study Biomedical Science as a pathway back to Medicine; but, along the way, she fell in love with the science behind it and decided medical research was the career path she wanted to follow.

Graduating First Class Honours in BSc (Medical Science), Brioni embarked on a PhD in the School of Pharmacy at Curtin focusing on the development of novel malaria treatments. This led to being offered a position with the UWA School of Medicine (UWA) as a Postdoctoral Research Associate. In this role, Brioni moved to Papua New Guinea for five years to manage collaborative research trials in [continued on next page...]

This bursary is named in the honour of Anna Ward-Woerlee, a much-loved and vibrant member of the College’s Class of 1966. Ms Ward-Woerlee generously left a planned gift to the College in the hope that a young woman, who may otherwise not be afforded a private education, would be able to realise her full potential as a student of Penrhos College.

Our special Penrhos All-Rounder bursaries are made available to girls who will flourish in our stimulating environment and whose parents may be unable, for financial reasons, to send their daughter to Penrhos College. We are looking for girls who demonstrate a track record in all-round effort and achievement, together with a positive attitude to their academic study and a willingness to embrace new challenges and engage in a range of exciting co-curricular activities.

In short, we are looking for those girls who will benefit most from the Penrhos learning experience across the whole-person paradigm of Mind, Heart, Body and Spirit.

Bursaries are awarded following a review of the submitted application form and after an interview with the Principal.

This bursary is on offer to girls entering Year 10 in 2022 and is available to students not already enrolled at Penrhos College or any other independent all-girls’ school.

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

5

COVER FEATURE

complete a Masters in Biomedical Engineering, as the course was not available in WA. Elise completed seven years of university and in the three short years following, she is already the CEO and founder of a biomedical start-up company.

antimalarial pharmacology, between the PNG Institute of Medical Research and UWA. In 2012, Brioni was awarded a National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career Fellowship, which enabled her to continue her research in clinical antimalarial pharmacology in Papua New Guinea. In 2016, Brioni returned to Curtin’s School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences as a Senior Research Fellow, where she now leads a team of clinical staff and researchers (both in Australia and PNG) conducting clinical trials of new treatments for children and pregnant women with malaria, and other infectious diseases.

During her final year of university, Elise undertook a bio design unit where students were tasked to create an idea and bring it to life. Her team worked in a hospital, in the field of medical technology. Their idea was to innovate around traditional diagnostic procedures for cardiac patients. Typically, the diagnosis of coronary heart blockages is through coronary angiograms — a scan of coronary blood vessels which is very much dependent on the personal experience of the consulting cardiologist.

Elise’s idea was to create new nanoscale technology, to allow for internal imaging in the blood vessel for much greater detail. By way of nanoscale technology, specialists would be able to see the size of any blockage and its consistency, together with what size stent would be required to keep the narrowed artery open and what the best course of treatment would be.

The company is still in its research and development phase, with plans for live trials in the next two to three years.

Whilst her passion for improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations continues, Brioni now dedicates much of her time to training and supervising junior researchers as they embark on their research careers.

It is her hope that, through combined specialist efforts, we will be able to eradicate diseases such as malaria, so that we may contribute to a healthier, safer and more equitable world for all.

Elise Sutherland (2011) Founder, CEO – medical device company, Stelect After graduating from Penrhos in 2011, Elise Sutherland completed a Bachelor of Science (Engineering) at UWA before moving to Melbourne to

6

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

Elise’s hard work and innovation has not gone unnoticed. Earlier this year, she was awarded the prestigious Forbes 30 under 30 award in the field of science for the APAC region. This award celebrates top young entrepreneurs across the globe. Elise also won Med Tech’s Got Talent, a national MedTech start-up competition in which her company raised ~$1M in capital funding to help support the commercialisation of her new nanoscale technology.

Elise’s advice to those considering embarking on a less conventional career journey: “Take risks whilst you’re young — educated risks. You have nothing to lose, but so much to gain!”

PENRHOS COLLEGE ALUMNI INC.

Join the Alumni 'Collective’

The Alumni Committee is seeking 137 members of Penrhos alumni to form an exclusive ‘Collective’ and play a significant role in supporting the College’s largest fundraising venture to date — our capital campaign for the College’s new Science Innovation Centre.

• 250 spots only (113 already taken) • $300 one-off membership or $30 per month for 10 months • Permanent recognition for the lifetime of the building • Fully tax-deductible Alumni subscribing to this exclusive ‘Collective’ will have their full name and year of graduation displayed on an honour board, to be positioned on the new Science Innovation Centre roof-deck, celebrating all Penrhosians and the generosity of the ‘Alumni Collective’.

Closing date for contributions and plaque recognition December 2021 (or when we have our 250 names!).

Interested for yourself or for your daughter, as a future member of our alumni? Email Caroline Jenkins (Windsor, 1991), Community Engagement Coordinator, on jenkic@penrhos.wa.edu.au to find out more.

Peter Phillips — he’s seen it all!

With such a long and distinguished history at Penrhos, there is a lot to say about Peter Phillips. Peter started at the College in 1978 and, during his time, has filled a variety of different roles — but mostly as a valued member of the maintenance team.

Peter has worked alongside six different Principals — he has gone out of his way to help and befriend literally hundreds of staff — and he has seen more students pass through the Penrhos gates than anyone else!

Peter has always been a fantastic support for staff at the College. If someone wanted something done, Peter would do it. If someone had an issue or a problem, Peter was the one to fix it. If someone lost something, Peter would find it. If someone needed something stored, Peter would know just the place. No fuss, no nonsense.

For any intel on just about anything, Peter would be the go-to man.

plan. I went to catch the ferry into the city and was very confused when the boatman asked if I would prefer red or white wine! Turns out I had accidentally got on a wine cruise to the Swan Valley. I turned around and came straight back to Penrhos.”

As great as he has been at his job, what we will remember most about Peter is his wonderful capacity for friendship.

Peter always has time for a chat, to share an anecdote, a joke or to discuss world affairs. He has an understated sense of humour, which is given away by the glint you can catch in his eye, his wry smile and the nod of his head. Pete laughs back “that glint in my eyes will be a cataract!”

“During my 42 years with the College, I have only ever attempted to go to one job interview, but it didn’t go to

Peter’s love of sport — in particular, for his beloved AFL team the Tigers — is well known by all. Of course, he has had every right to boast; but, in spite of his team’s

1978

1981

1986

1995

1998

2000

The legendary Peter Phillips joins Penrhos College, hired by second Principal, Dr Vincent Horner.

Rev. Alan Green becomes third Principal.

The iconic Margaret Way Courtyard, named after our first Principal and forming the heart of the Secondary School, is completed.

The Performing Arts Centre is officially opened, later to be renamed the Rixon Theatre.

Jimmy the Boarding House dog is stuck on the roof!

A new comprehensive building program commences, including an upgrade and extension to the Sports Centre, Dining Hall and Boarding House. The Main Administration building also benefits from a facelift and extension.

The Chapel is opened and dedicated — previously, Chapel was held in the pine forest!

Graham Rixon becomes fourth Principal.

8

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

Penrhos College is one of the first schools in WA to establish a Middle School, dedicated to the education of girls in Years 7 to 9 — Mrs Vicky Sunderland is appointed as the inaugural Head of Middle School.

consistently strong performance, Peter has been almost bearable — that is, until the last grand final!

His own fitness was put to the test one day when Pete had to step into an urgent campus security role. “I’ll never forget the day a male streaker from a local boys’ school ran through the Margaret Way Courtyard — I tried to chase, but I was in such shock I wasn’t going to catch him!” Pete explains that the loud, raucous noise that filled the school from the girls’ screams was deafening!

It would not be possible to include all the kind words people want to share about Peter, as he leaves Penrhos — caring, generous, helpful, knowledgeable, giving, hard-working, reliable, dependable, friendly and loyal.

Val was alerted when she heard the girls’ frantic cries, as they shouted to let everyone know that ‘Jimmy is on the roof!’

“Sure enough, there he was,” says Val, “nonchalantly walking along the rooftops. My first priority was to prevent the girls from trying to rescue him — and I wasn’t keen to try my own luck in climbing up after him.

So, what to do? Ring for Peter, of course!”

Peter and his team managed to entice Jimmy back down, the way he had come — safe and sound. To the best of Val’s knowledge, Jimmy didn’t attempt this feat again (she thinks Peter probably had a quiet word in his ear).

Former Vice Principal Val Mayger says it didn’t take her long to realise Peter was the ‘go-to’ person for any problems outside teaching — one particular instance that comes to her mind when she thinks about Peter concerns Jimmy the Boarding House dog.

Peter has seen the comings and goings of many faces and is most proud to have worked alongside one that is especially familiar to him — Peter’s second son Nathan joined the Maintenance team in a part-time role, aged just 17. They have shared a lift to work every day since 2002 and Peter is pleased that Nathan will continue the Phillips name at Penrhos for years to come.

As Val tells it, “Jimmy was an inquisitive Jack Russell.

One day, Jimmy was busy investigating the campus and had found a way to somehow climb up on to the roof of the Boarding House from the Junior School quad. From there, he had travelled along the rooftops until he was three stories high, on top of the Senior School classrooms.”

Penrhos won’t be quite the same without Peter; he is valued as a member of the Penrhos community for much more than the work that he has done — but for the kind of person he is. Although Peter officially leaves his employment at the College this year, we know he will always remain very much a part of the Penrhos family and there will always be a special place for him here.

2002

2008

2011

2012

2016

2019

2020

The College celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Long-serving Administrator, Mr Llew Woodford, retires and the Function Centre is named in his honour.

Meg Melville becomes sixth Principal.

The new Colwyn Staff Centre is opened.

The new Creative Arts and Design Centre is opened.

Major works for the Meg Melville Science Innovation Centre commence — now on track to open in Term 1 2021.

Peter Phillips takes retirement.

Peter Phillips’ son Nathan Phillips, aged 17, joins his father part-time on the Maintenance Team — he is still with Penrhos today.

Dr Glenda Parkin becomes fifth Principal.

The Early Learning Centre opens, supported by the Federal Government’s ‘Building the Education Revolution’ scheme.

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

9

Out and about Pam Steer (Gliddon, 1963) would love to hear from fellow classmates from the Class of 1963 to arrange a reunion in the new year. Please get in touch with Pam email at pls@iinet.net.au.

Ros Malone (Littleton) attended Penrhos 1981-1984, before finishing her schooling at Kobeelya College in Katanning, accompanied by her horse, Woody. Ros has a Bachelor of Arts (Librarianship and Corporate Information Management) from Curtin University and is the Archivist at Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School. Ros was recently appointed to the National Council of the Australian Society of Archivists.

We were fortunate to have Jodie Perram (1991) return as an Alum Mentor earlier this year to speak to our Year 11 students about creating a professional digital profile. Jodie has been working in recruitment for the past 28 years and is the Founder and Director of Itch — a business focusing on white collar recruitment, drilling and resources. Jodie has two children Tia (21) and Nicholas (19) and in September 2019 married her childhood sweetheart and Old Wesley Boy Simon Moir (1991) with Kate Gaspar (Salomons, 1991) as her witness. Yolande Stone (Barrett, 1991) flew in from Melbourne, also at the wedding was Emma Tierney (Woods, 1992), Elizabeth Perron (1983), Elizabeth O’Sullivan (1986) and Kellie Phillips (1988).

Jodie, pictured with fellow 1991 alum, Fundraising Coordinator Tanya Brooks and Community Engagement Coordinator Caroline Jenkins (Windsor)

10

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

The Marketing & Development Office invites alumni to contribute to The Penrhosian magazine by emailing news items to alumni@penrhos.wa.edu.au. We publish alumni submissions in good faith, in the spirit of sharing and celebrating good news.

Wendy Were (1991) gained a PhD and spent 20 years in senior leadership positions in the creative sector, including Artistic Director and CEO of Sydney Writers Festival. Wendy is currently Executive Director at the Australia Council for the Arts.

We are very proud to learn that dual rowing world champion and Penrhos alum Amber Bradley (1997) is one of three sporting greats to be inducted into the WA Sporting Hall of Champions. With two world championships, two Olympic appearances and six Australian sculling titles to her name, Amber is the first rower to be featured in the illustrious hall of fame.

We were lucky to have 1999 Penrhos School Captain Megan Wynn (1999) return as an Alum Mentor, to chat with our Year 11 Media Production and Analysis

students recently. Meg is an award-winning producer working predominantly in the UK film and television industry. Having also worked on local Australian productions such as ‘Offspring’ and ‘Rush’, as well as international films like ‘The Invisible Man’, ‘You Should Have Left’ and ‘The Mountain Between Us’, Meg had a wealth of knowledge to share with students.

Now mum to one year old Jack, Sophie still operates a hairdressing salon from her home in Como.

After completing a Bachelor of Economics and Commerce at UWA, Layli Hosking (Seow, 2005) pursued a career in commercial banking. Layli and husband Tom are delighted to share news of the arrival of their son.

Penrhos alumna, Genevieve McCarthy (2005), is proud to present the best of Disney at her upcoming production — The Magical Music of Animation! Alongside West-End star Amy Manford and The West Coast Philharmonic Orchestra, this musical extravaganza will feature hits from Frozen, The

Sanita McVee (Santoso, 2001) is working at the Department of Justice and Community Safety in Victoria, where she is involved in large-scale construction projects. Sanita and husband Tim are proud parents of two beautiful daughters — Penelope is nearly four and Jennifer is turning two years old.

Sanita tells us she wishes for nothing more than to be able to visit Perth soon to be reunited with her family and friends.

Little Mermaid and Trolls.

After undertaking university studies in Sustainable Development, Emma Reid (2005) has enjoyed a career in exploration, mining, land care and natural resource management. Emma is currently working in the Goldfields on a native title with an Indigenous environmental trainee and loves being part of Women in Mining WA.

Sophie Anderson (2005) studied hairdressing and went on to train at Vidal Sassoon in London, before working in some of Australia’s best salons.

Sophie became a makeup, theatrics and hairdressing educator in Melbourne before opening her own salon in Mount Pleasant.

Cassandra Kural (Smith, 2009) married husband Daniel in front of 100 family and friends on 21 March this year, just before the COVID-19 lockdown.

The gorgeous bridal party included Cassandra’s cousins Tiffany Wheatley (2016), Jacinta

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

11

Wheatley (2018) and Chantelle Wheatley (Class of 2021).

Shona Brown (2012) completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in Environmental Science and has worked in the composting industry for three years since graduation.

At the beginning of 2020, Shona moved to South Korea to teach English and is having a wonderful time there.

2018 leaver Alexandra Casey runs her own business, Beyond the Break Photography — specialising in fashion, wedding and event photography, content creation, marketing and social media for brands and small businesses. Her ocean and travel-inspired photographs and prints are sold in a number of retail outlets – see her work here: instagram.com/beyondthebreakphotography

Congratulations to 2019 leaver Maddison HinsonTolchard, who was crowned winner of the Royal Fremantle Amateur Golf Open. Not only is she the first female to have accomplished this feat, but Maddison also set a new course record with a hole-in-one.

Lauren Ford (2013) completed a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) in 2019, graduating with distinction. Lauren now works at Esperance Senior High School, teaching lower school Science and Year 11 ATAR Human Biology.

Congratulations to Michelle Coogan (2016) on her recent graduation from Curtin University with a Bachelor of Science (Nursing).

12

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

Following graduation, Holly Hodgkinson (2019 — Runner up Dux in the VET program), applied herself and scored so well in the STAT test at Murdoch University that she was offered course entry into no less than three major universities! ECU for both Business and Psychology, Murdoch for a double degree in Criminology and Psychology, and Notre Dame for Business. After testing out Business at Notre Dame, Holly transferred into a Behavioural Science course, in which she is now thriving.

VALE

Helen Alguire 8.6.1988 – 16.8.2020

by Claire Cummings (2005)

Helen Alguire (Class of 2005) was an inspirational woman and a very treasured friend.

Helen joined the Penrhos College community in Year 8 in 2001. Tall, energetic and long-limbed, she was an immediate asset to the netball, tennis and athletics teams, and represented the College at the highest levels in many sports throughout her five years at Penrhos.

A born student, Helen was very engaged in academia and excelled at Penrhos and later at university.

After graduating from Penrhos, she completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering) with First Class Honours, as well as a Bachelor of Economics (Economics & Quantitative Economics), at the University of Western Australia.

Helen gave almost ten years of dedicated service at BG&E Consulting Engineers as a structural engineer specialising in bridge design — she was hugely loved and admired by all those who worked with her. Travelling in Perth and its surrounds, you can guarantee that Helen designed at least one of the bridges you pass on your journey. Her most recent project was the Bayswater Station upgrade, which was highly complex — it was a big role and she was excited to run with it.

Helen had the most extraordinary energy. Fuelled by cups of strong coffee, she filled her days with activity.

Helen dedicated an enormous amount of time to her close networks of friends and was always the first to organise bringing together those she loved. For a close group of 2005 Leavers, this will be the first time in fifteen years that Helen won’t be at the Christmas brunch.

Her passion for travel saw her ski in Japan and Canada, swim in Croatia, camp in Alaska, tour the USA and Europe and shop in London and New York City. Helen and her partner Michael shared a love of outdoor adventure and walked, drove and sailed their way around Western Australia on their holidays together.

A tragic car accident in rural WA took Helen from the many people who loved her. At the service celebrating Helen’s life, there was both laughter and tears as friends and family shared funny and tender anecdotes of a clever child, a talented and committed professional, and a lively, caring, generous and wonderful woman.

It was an utter privilege to have so many years as one of Helen’s close friends — I only wish there had been many more. Helen modelled loyalty and determination in everything she did. Her memory is an inspiration to expect much from life, and then go on to achieve even more.

Our most sincere sympathies go to Helen’s partner Michael, her parents Lynne and Hugh, and her families in Australia and Canada. She is very dearly missed.

The Penrhos College community extends its deepest sympathy to the loved ones of alumni and friends who have passed away. We remember and celebrate the lives of those no longer with us at our Founders’ Day chapel service, in our College Book of Condolences and in our Alumni Memorial Garden.

Whilst we make every effort to notify the community of the passing of our alumni with the consent of their families, we rely on your assistance in this by kindly informing us of any losses in your family and networks. In this respect, please contact us at alumni@penrhos.wa.edu.au.

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

13

Photo gallery: alumni events

1

2

3

5

4

7

9

1-3 Class of 1970 50-year reunion 4-6 Class of 2000 20-year reunion and Class of 2010 10-year reunion 7-11 Class of 1980 40-year reunion and Class of 1990 30-year reunion

14

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

6

8

10

11

Reunions in 2020

Save the date

Class of 2010 10-year reunion Friday, 30 October 2020 The girls from the Class of 2010 recently returned to Penrhos to celebrate their 10-year reunion. The evening began with a lively campus tour led by their former Head of Year, Sean Ebert, followed by drinks and canapés at the Colwyn Centre. The group then enjoyed reading the wise words and predictions of their younger selves as their time capsule letters, buried in the Margaret Way Courtyard for the past decade, were unearthed! The Alumni Committee was delighted to see such a wonderful turnout and we would like to thank Eliza Stuart for coordinating the evening.

This year, we were happily able to reschedule our reunion events from the earlier part of the year (during the period of COVID-19 restrictions) by doubling up the cohorts. Although we received fantastic feedback on the night(s), we recently followed up with a survey to determine whether to keep the new format moving forward. The feedback received indicated a clear preference for single cohort events and so these are what we will deliver!

Class of 2000 20-year reunion Friday, 30 October 2020 Twenty years on, the Class of 2000 took a walk down memory lane as they toured the campus to see all of the changes that have taken place since their graduation. Gathering in the Colwyn Centre afterwards to reconnect with classmates and teachers, it was fantastic to see so many Old Girls come together to celebrate this significant milestone. The chat and laughter didn’t stop as everyone shared exciting stories and the latest news. The Alumni Committee would like to thank Sophie Ecker for her support in organising the event.

Please see below the dates for reunions in 2021: Class of 2019 Leavers’ reunion Friday, 5 March 2021

Class of 1990 30-year reunion Friday, 6 November 2020 The Class of 1990 began the night with a campus tour including the Rixon Theatre, built in the years following their graduation. The ladies spent their evening reflecting on their Penrhos memories in the Colwyn Centre, where old canteen favourite — ‘chunions’ were received with much nostalgia and excitement. The Alumni Committee would like to acknowledge Vanessa-Jayne Moir for her efforts in making the night such a wonderful success.

Class of 2011 10-year reunion Friday, 12 March 2021

Class of 1980 40-year reunion Friday, 6 November 2020 The Class of 1980 caught up for a wonderful night in the Colwyn Centre to celebrate their 40-year reunion. The ladies met at the Chapel before Head of HASS, Laura Rutherford, led a campus tour which outlined some of the more recent changes at the College. The night was even more special when former classmates dialed in from across the globe to share in the evening’s celebrations. With music from the 80s and plenty to catch up on, the night was loved by all who attended. The Alumni Committee gratefully acknowledge Lesley Thompson for her efforts in helping to organise this event.

Class of 1981 40-year reunion Friday, 14 May 2021

Class of 1970 50-year reunion Friday, 23 October 2020 Because of ongoing concerns with regard to hosting events for the more senior members of our community on campus in the context of COVID-19, the Class of 1970 celebrated its 50-year reunion at The Island Brew House, in Elizabeth Quay. Time flew by and the evening was filled with laughs and happiness from old times stories and present-day news. The Alumni Committee wishes to thank Kerry Mellor (Kingston) for helping to organise this wonderful event.

Class of 2001 20-year reunion Friday, 19 March 2021 Class of 1991 30-year reunion Friday, 21 May 2021

Class of 1971 50-year reunion Friday, 13 August 2021 Please send reunion enquiries to Rowan Courts at alumni@ penrhos.wa.edu.au or (08) 9368 9508.

We invite you to connect with us and each other via our dedicated Penrhos alumni social media channels on LinkedIn and the Penrhos College Alumni Facebook page.

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

15