Heritage - October 2021 by Perth College

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To Hold With Care

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

Perth College is honoured to be situated on the ancestral Lands of the Whadjuk Noongar people. We acknowledge the First Australians as the Traditional Owners of the Lands we stand on and pay respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders both past, present and future for they hold the memories, the traditions, the cultures and hopes of Australia’s First Peoples.

Cover image: The 'Solar Deity' dance piece for this year's SPIN: Origins production. Inside cover image: Year 8 students enjoy the sunshine. Heritage Editor: Kaylee Meerton Contact: kaylee.meerton@pc.wa.edu.au

Inside In AC K N O W L E D G E M E N T O F CO U N T RY FRO M T H E PR I N C I PA L

I N T H E PE R T H CO L L EG E CO M M U N I T Y

R ECO N C I L I AT I O N AC T I O N PL A N

S PA RC 10 I N S I D E O U T

JUNIOR SCHOOL NE WS

SENIOR SCHOOL NE WS

FRO M T H E B OA R D I N G H O U S E

PE R F O R M I N G A R T S

V I S UA L A R T S

SPORT 28 S TUDENT NE WS

S TA FF N E W S

S PI R I T UA L I T Y 3 5 FRO M T H E H E R I TAG E C E N T R E

S PEC I A L E V E N T S

S AV E T H E DAT E S

FRO M T H E PR I N C I PA L

Perth College 2022 and Beyond At Perth College, we aim to work in partnership with our students, parents and guardians to form remarkable, agile women capable of embracing an uncertain future while positively influencing society. We strive to be future focused, with the care of our students at the heart of everything we do and with respect for our past in the spirit of the Sisters, who displayed great courage to break barriers for women from the inception of our school.

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This year, we completed further research and surveys to guide our thinking and planning for 2022 and beyond. We are so grateful to our community for providing fabulous feedback to assist us in our future thinking. Our Strategic Intent (towards 2025) and associated Perth College Operational Plan respects the practices and structures that currently serve the School well, while also embracing new and exciting opportunities.

VISION Perth College Girls: Remarkable Women Perth College women shape their own futures and positively influence society. PURPOSE We actively pursue and embrace new approaches and world-class educational excellence within an inclusive and vibrant community. VALUES Capable

Courageous

Caring

STR ATEGIC INTENT FOCUS Pillar 1

Pillar 2

Pillar 3

Pillar 4

Educational Excellence

Cultivating Connections

Leadership and Innovation

Stewardship and Sustainability

LEADERSHIP TEAM 2022 Team of 8

One of our main research projects in 2021, Taking the Temperature, analysed our current structures and processes to assess how they support our Strategic Intent. It became clear that some resource realignment for the future was required in the areas of wellbeing, learning and teaching, innovation, efficient operations and the Junior School. As a result of this research, and in combination with feedback also collected from multiple recent surveys, we have realigned our resourcing for 2022 to ensure these key areas receive additional attention. Our Leadership Team structure for 2022 and beyond will be realigned with our Strategic Intent pillars to ensure clarity and effectiveness. We will also further resource wellbeing support for students, learning and teaching innovation, the Junior School leadership structures, the Arts and Sport through additional time, positions, programs, processes and facilities. The realignment of our resources will see us introduce five new roles in 2022:

Director of Junior School Vice Principal

Director of Marketing and Community Relations

PRINCIPAL

Director of Finance and Commercial Services

Director of Learning and Teaching

Director of Wellbeing

Director of Innovation

The vision is that, by realigning our resourcing to meet the needs of our students and community, we will all support Perth College students to:

Shape their own futures and positively influence society Achieve future success in a changing world Grow as a whole person

• Director of Learning and Teaching • Head of sparc • Head of The Arts • Head of Junior School Wellbeing •H ead of Junior School Learning and Teaching A number of other existing roles will have additional time allocations to further ensure a personal approach to student care and progress is at the centre of all that we do at Perth College. We move forward courageously and with the best intentions for our students at the heart of our decision making. These are exciting times for Perth College as we contribute to the future success of our school and our students.

Helen Aguiar P R I N C I PA L

I N T H E PE R T H CO L L EG E CO M M U N I T Y

Generous Donations to Families Affected by Cyclone Seroja The Perth College community rallied behind fellow West Australians affected by Cyclone Seroja in April. Families and Old Girls generously donated items to make more than 70 activity packs and care packs which were then sent to Binnu, Northampton, Yuna, Nabawa, Morawa and Perenjori townships, as well as farming communities in the Mid-West region. The care packs included toys, books, pens and heartfelt messages of hope from Perth College students, which were well received by families affected by the natural disaster. Yuna Primary School Principal, Roseanne Ullrich, thanked Perth Collehe for the “generous donation”. “The students were terribly excited and absolutely loved them. It certainly brought a little light into their lives, and they felt very special indeed,” she said.

“Thank you to your staff and students for thinking of us in this time of recovery.”

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Conversations with Perth College Conversations with Perth College was launched virtually last year during COVID-19 to support the Perth College community and inform them of relevant issues and best practices to help their children thrive.

On the Road with Perth College! Perth College hit the road in 2021 with trips across the northwest of WA in May and August! With help from the Health and Physical Education department and West Coast Eagles AFLW team, Perth College hosted a number of free sports clinics and community sundowners. Physical Education teacher and WCE AFLW player, Courtney Guard, was joined by teammate Isabella Lewis in Carnarvon and Exmouth, and Parris Laurie in Port Hedland and Karratha. Together, they hosted football clinics to help students in Years 3 to 10 improve their kicking and handballing. Students also had the chance to learn some new netball skills with workshops run by Roxy Edwards from the Perth College Netball Academy!

In 2021, the event series was expanded to embrace new approaches on our path to achieving world-class educational excellence and expand our inclusive, vibrant community. This year, special guests have included Child and Family Mental Health Speaker, Claire Orange; Period Queen, Lucy Peach; Sexuality Educator, Deanne Carson; and McCrindle’s Director of Strategy, Grant Dusting, among many others!

Perth College hit the road in 2021 with trips across the northwest of WA in May and August!

These clinics were followed by community sundowners where regional families were able to enjoy food and drinks together and learn about Perth College's vibrant, caring Boarding House. The Enrolments team were also joined by our impressive Music students to welcome regional families at the Dowerin Field Day in August.

R ECO N C I L I AT I O N AC T I O N PL A N

Working Towards Reconciliation

In May, Perth College joined the rest of Australia in acknowledging National Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week – a chance for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

In support of this year’s theme 'More than a word. Reconciliation takes action', an assembly was held with an Acknowledgement of Country, a Noongar song performed by Kindergarten students, and a speech from Year 9 student, Jorjah, about the purpose of National Reconciliation Week and the School’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

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Launched last year, the RAP shows our commitment to our role in the collective journey towards reconciliation and has continued this year with action in the classroom, around the School and within the community to drive change. Throughout National Reconciliation Week, students also participated in an art installation project, constructing a symbolic pathway on Lawley Crescent to demonstrate how we, as a community, walk together with First Nations people on a path to reconciliation. Junior School students also took part in a National Acknowledgement of Country, joining thousands of people across Australia to acknowledge the traditional owners of the Country on which we live, work and learn. Later in the year, in September, Perth College celebrated the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through NAIDOC Week.

Set against this year’s theme of ‘Heal Country’, some of the highlights included tours of the Bush Tucker Garden, a Great Book Swap to raise funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, incursions, excursions and a special assembly.

New Service Program Changing Lives Sharing Dance Passion Through Dandjoo Midar The Senior School eP!C Youth Co. Dance Collective established a new project this year to unite dancers from different backgrounds and experience levels through a passion of dance. Dandjoo Midar, which means ‘Together Dances’ in Noongar, has seen 15 students work with special guest artists and local Elders throughout the year with the stimulus of the Six Noongar Seasons. They have worked with both Olman Walley, who led an immersive interactive workshop, and Nadia Martich from the Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company, who mentored students through improvisational choreographic processes. Dance and Drama Academic Co-ordinator, Samanda Sankowsky, said the process had allowed staff and students to get to know each other through the language of dance. “As the seasons have continued to change, the dancers have worked together utilising their own dance experience, as well as the learned processes and choreographic tools, to explore each Noongar season through Contemporary Dance movement,” she said. The project will culminate at the end of this year in six contemporary dance works at Presentation Night.

It was an experience to remember with positive outcomes to last a lifetime. In July, 15 students from Years 10 and 11 headed off to Laverton in the far northern Goldfields of WA for the inaugural PCOutYonder immersive service program. As part of the experience, they delivered specialist teaching programs to students at Laverton Primary School, ran the School Breakfast program, created a community canvas and played netball after school with local teams. They also took part in the community’s NAIDOC Week activities, experienced hunting for Honey Ants and Yilpa and learned traditional styles of cooking, spear throwing and dancing. The aim of the tour was to immerse students in a remote community and help them develop a deeper cultural awareness of Aboriginal traditions and practices. Students worked with the team at Teach Learn Grow for 14 weeks in the lead up to the trip, training to prepare themselves to mentor students at Laverton Primary School and become aware of the challenges students in such rural areas face. They put their skills to the test with students in the Perth College Out of School Hours Care program before working in collaboration with Shooting Stars to connect with local students and the community through sports. They also worked hard to organise fundraisers throughout the year, bringing in more than $10,000 to support Shooting Stars projects throughout Western Australia.

Accompanying staff member, ShandaFleur Lane, said she was proud to engage in such a “meaningful immersion and service opportunity” on behalf of Perth College. “The trip had a profound impact on students and staff alike as we grew in appreciation of the opportunities and access we experience here at PC and from living in Perth,” she said. “We were blessed to be able to interact with the wider community and spend time ‘out bush’ immersed in Aboriginal culture… and receive lessons from other prominent Elders and leaders from the local area who opened our eyes and gave us new perspectives on the intricate and beautiful nature of Aboriginal culture and kinship.” Year 11 student, Annabelle, said the trip was one of the “best experiences” of her life. “It is difficult to put into words how grateful I am for all we were able to learn from the Laverton community, the Elders and the amazing students we had the privilege of tutoring,” she said. “The Laverton community and all the students were so welcoming. It was an honour to be a part of.”

S PA RC

Experiences that Spark Passion, grow Attributes and build Relationships to Contribute to the world. This year saw the launch of sparc – a new learning framework aimed at helping students flourish now, and into the future. Throughout Semester One, students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 10 had the chance to take part in a number of incredible opportunities and brave, bold experiences from working behind the counter at Grill’d to planting trees and developing solutions to homelessness. Years 3 and 4 Pre-Kindergarten to Pre-Primary Planting native seedlings at Inglewood Triangle, a recycling partnership with BossMan Café, organising a Mother’s Day picnic, fundraising for Pantry2Pantry – sparc in the Early Learning Centre had it all last semester! Underpinned by the idea of exploring citizenship, students were challenged to consider their place in the world by exploring genuine connections with, and showing care for their friends, family, the community and the environment. Years 1 and 2 Semester One experiences for Year 1 and 2 students included considering how they grow older, recording the stages of growth of seeds and asking curious questions about their future selves as they explored what it takes to make a community. Working on their critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaborative skills, students also designed and created a village for their community of DASH robots.

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Walk in someone else’s shoes – that was the focus of sparc for students in Years 3 and 4. They considered what it would be like to live with a disability from mobility issues, to hearing or sight impairments and even being left-handed in a predominantly right-handed world. Students developed a model of a product to assist someone with a particular problem, building on their empathy, perspective and innovation. Years 5 and 6 It was an exciting Semester One for Year 5 and 6 students who worked on a number of projects focused on collaboration, communication and creativity. Firstly, they teamed up on a Positive Impact Project to communicate an idea that would make a positive impact at Perth College. Groups put together a two-minute pitch each with the top six teams selected to perform their pitches in the Theatre in front of a panel of five judges for ‘sparc Tank’. The winning team are currently bringing their idea to life, creating an

Aboriginal Bush Tucker Trail around the School complete with QR codes at each stop. Students also had the opportunity to choose from a range of innovative experiences as part of their sparc journey, including Body Mechanics, Making a Difference, Enterprise, Robotics and Future Farming. In Enterprise, students experienced what it’s like to work in the hospitality industry at Grill’d, tasked with designing and serving a customised burger to their guests while in Robotics, students learnt about the use of automation with a visit to the Rio Tinto Operations Centre.

Year 7 With a focus on ‘Making Connections’, Year 7 students stepped out of their comfort zones and embarked on their own leadership journeys. They took part in team-based challenges, including coming up with solutions to drop an egg without breaking it, to build strong relationships and positive group dynamics. They also developed target skills and attributes by reflecting on their personal strengths through a Passport Challenge. These reflections were able to be documented in real time, with families able to view and comment on them throughout the journey. Year 8 Setting goals, achieving independence and growing personal responsibility – those were the topics explored by Year 8 students in Term One of sparc. Term Two was based around being a capable innovator and caring citizen with students given a choice to take part in either the Young Change Agents or Nxplorers program. They developed their design skills, decisionmaking and problem-based learning

This year saw the launch of sparc – a new learning framework aimed at helping students flourish now, and into the future.

strategies as they learnt about how to make a difference in society, think critically and be positive agents in the process of change. They have also explored the characteristics of worthy charities and the impact of different charities on the community. Year 9 Year 9 students have taken part in a number of exciting opportunities through sparc so far this year. They worked through a design thinking process to provide solutions to issues affecting young people in WA from mental health issues to neurodiversity, alcohol abuse, parent and school expectations and homelessness. They also took part in programs to learn Auslan, Heal with Horses and much more!

Year 10 Year 10 students spent the semester considering their employability and their pathways for Year 11 and 12, as well as life beyond Perth College. They had time to research and plan individual career paths, hear from experts at career expos, learning conferences and Young Old Girls. They took part in a presentation by Paul Litherland, a WA Police Officer for 20 years and creator of Surf Online Safe, who spoke to students about the safe use of social networking applications and the legalities of sharing explicit images. Students also focused on learning about financial literacy, leadership and wellbeing.

I N S I D EO U T

Taking InsideOut Beyond the Classroom

Making connections, building strength and stepping up were the focus of the InsideOut programs embedded in the Year 7, 8 and 10 camps this year. In Year 7, students focused on making connections and identifying character strengths as part of a number of InsideOut workshops and activities. They made friendship bracelets using coloured pieces of string which were each matched to a character strength such as humour, love or forgiveness. Students were tasked with choosing character strengths they use often or feel they are good at, as well as those they think they could use more effectively. On Year 8 camp, students participated in two InsideOut workshops focused on mental toughness and mindfulness to help them build strength. They made a video journal of how they put challenge, confidence, control and commitment into action on camp. They also practiced progressive muscle relaxation (sleep meditation) and experienced ‘Shinrin-yoku’ or Forest Immersion – an ancient Japanese

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cultural practice involving being mindfully present in surrounding bushland, focusing on what you can hear, smell and feel. In Year 10, with a focus on ‘stepping up’, students took part in a solo afternoon and an unaccompanied hike. In preparation for the experience, they completed an online resilience course derived from University of Pennsylvania and Yale University content. The course, which is a WACE Endorsed Program, covered optimism, thinking traps, mindfulness, character strengths and emotions to prepare them for the camp and teach valuable everyday life skills. Leader of InsideOut, Emily Lockhart, said these workshops and activities would also expand to Year 11 next year with the introduction of the new Year 11 BOLD Retreat. “Coming in 2022, this retreat will be hosted at Rottnest Island and will use the ‘Dare to Lead’ framework by Brene Brown,” she said. “Students will be organised into groups of 10 and will focus on vulnerability, leadership, courage and goal setting with a ‘Dare to Lead’ trained staff member."

Becoming an Emotion Scientist Year 8 students learnt all about the characteristics of an Emotion Scientist at this year’s InsideOut Day in August. They learned about the RULER system of emotion recognition and regulation developed by Yale University, practiced using the Mood Meter, learned about triggers, shifting emotions, mental toughness and grit, and assessed their self-compassion using the Neff Self-Compassion Scale developed by the University of Texas. “Students found the day very interesting and learned a lot about themselves along the way,” Head of InsideOut, Emily Lockhart, said.

“This staff member will then check in with the group every term in Years 11 and 12 and take them through a refresh day at the start of Year 12 to review their goals and progress and set the right mindset for the year.”

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Welcome The Junior School is always a hive of active engagement and authentic experience in recognition that it is essential to grow the ‘whole child’. This focus on holistic development allows each student to explore their passions and identify their strengths, while also learning to sit with the uncomfortable feeling that comes with being challenged or recognising things they may not be so good at. It is an exciting time to be involved in education as we strive to ensure that contemporary learning and teaching is informed by research and evidence-based practice. With the student at the heart of all decisions, we recognise that learning and teaching, wellbeing and innovation must be considered to prepare individuals for an unknown future. An allocated period of time is devoted to InsideOut as part of PreKindergarten to Year 6 timetables to support student wellbeing. Research has shown the significance of wellbeing as core to educational outcomes. Students flourish when they experience positive emotions, are engaged in what they are learning, accomplish their goals, enjoy good relationships and have a sense of meaning. We understand that individuals each have their own character strengths and we seek to encourage and guide them to ensure these can be seen, heard and experienced.

from the Head of Junior School, Katie Petchell

for the future world – a world for which jobs have not yet been created, for technologies that have not yet been invented and to solve problems that have not yet been anticipated. Learning and teaching is based on a balance of teacher-guided explicit instruction and student-initiated experiential opportunities. For maximum student engagement, there needs to be an element of inquiry or project-based learning integrating conceptual knowledge and understanding in a purposeful way. Student voice and choice is also critical to establish a sense of ownership of the learning process.

This focus on holistic development allows each student to explore their passions and identify their strengths.

The Heritage showcases just a few examples of how learning and teaching, wellbeing and innovation can be seen in action. For weekly updates of life in the Junior School, jump onto our Facebook or Instagram page.

Katie Petchell HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

Also taking place each week is sparc, blending a unique, future-focused framework designed to prepare students with the knowledge, skills, attributes and values that will see them thrive now and into the future. There is a need for us to prepare our students

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School Holidays Offer Something for Everyone Vacation Care and School Holiday Workshops at Perth College are more popular than ever, with this year’s winter program the biggest yet. Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) and Holiday Program Manager, Evline Berger, said 323 workshop tickets were sold, while more than 120 children attended Vacation Care in the first two weeks of the holiday break alone. It's no wonder when there are so many options to keep children from the ages of three to 15 entertained! From cake decorating, to dance experiences, coding opportunities, football workshops and more – there is always something for everyone! Ms Berger said, by offering such a range of activities, students had the opportunity to develop their skills in creativity, problem solving, digital literacy, communication and collaboration, design thinking, intellectual risk-taking, self-regulation and more. “It’s so important to offer this range of activities to maximise learning opportunities by providing students with an interactive, engaging environment,” she said.

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“It also caters for students’ unique interests and abilities and introduces them to new ideas and experiences they may not have as part of their school curriculum.” Families have the option of enrolling their children into Vacation Care, which offers a flexible program of activities every day of the holidays from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm, or exciting workshops run by partner providers. “Vacation Care is child-centred, child-directed and play-based learning and involves a significant element of responsive teaching,” Ms Berger said. “The staffing team are consistent, highly-qualified educators who build positive relationships with children and cater for their individual needs." “Holiday workshops are specialised and focus on particular abilities and specific interests. They are run by experts from a variety of fields and industries and utilise industry-specific equipment.” Families may also be eligible to claim the Government Child Care Subsidy for Vacation Care as it is a registered childcare provider. For more information about OSHC, Vacation Care and upcoming School Holiday Workshops, visit the Perth College website.

From cake decorating, to dance experiences, coding opportunities, football workshops and more – there is always something for everyone!

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A Touch of Yellow to Spread Sunshine and Support Eco Warriors Meet with Politicians In June, the Year 6 co-curricular club, Eco Warriors, had the honour of presenting to Environment Minister, Amber-Jade Sanderson, and Member for Mount Lawley, Simon Millman. Their meeting with the politicians stemmed from the news that Greenbatch had gone into liquidation earlier in 2021. The students had been collecting and sorting plastic lids and containers for Greenbatch, who recycle them locally. To express their disappointment and proactively encourage the State Government to invest in a similar recycling facility to process small plastics, the students wrote to Mr Millman as well as Premier, Mark McGowan. A few weeks later, they heard back from Mr Millman’s office asking to meet with them. Students prepared their presentations and practised their speeches ahead of the visit when they were able to clearly explain the problem and their solutions. The Environment Minister responded to their concerns and shared that a new company would soon start

processing plastic bottle lids through the Containers for Change depots. “It was a great experience and has motivated the students to continue campaigning for the environment,” supervising teacher, Jo Harmsworth, said.

Students also took the opportunity to discuss protecting animals and climate change, as well as pitch their ideas for reducing fossil fuels and improving recycling practices in WA. “It is good to know that the plastic bottle lids we have collected will be recycled and not create more rubbish,” Alex said. “I liked that they commented on our mascot at the end of our presentation,” Ellie added. “It was great to learn that there is a solution, and the State Government are planning for more environmentally friendly options,” Tiare said.

In June, Junior School students came to school wearing ‘a touch of yellow’ to signify a special new friendship with Burbridge School as part of the Pre-Kindergarten to Pre-Primary sparc classes. Students donated food to the Pantry2Pantry food collective to wear their yellow socks and hair accessories and support families at Burbridge School. Yellow was chosen to spread sunshine and brighten the days of the Perth College and Burbridge School communities and recognise the growing connection between the schools. Head of Junior School, Katie Petchell, thanked the Perth College community, Burbridge School and Pantry2Pantry for the collaborative effort. “Our Junior School community filled 26 food hampers and brought brightness and joy to families at Burbridge School,” she said. “Both schools also delivered handmade artworks representing a growing reciprocal friendship which will be displayed outside the Founders Art Room." “Thank you also to Pantry2Pantry for their inspiration and support!”

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Welcome This edition of the Heritage is reflective of the many experiential learning opportunities that take place across the Senior School to develop the whole child, in and out of the classroom. If education is to prepare students to meet the demands of our unpredictable world, we must support learning to take place beyond the traditional setting of a classroom. The articles published in this edition highlight the multiple forums in which students build knowledge, develop character and broaden their sense of place. Students better engage and retain new information when the subject matter can be experienced through activity, rather than theory alone. Being an active participant in the learning process consolidates students’ understanding of new knowledge by bringing their understanding of a subject to life through experience. Excursions, co-curricular activities, competitions, camps and work experience are all examples of how learning is enrichened through experience. Students not only broaden their knowledge of curriculum-based concepts, they develop essential life skills, including teamwork and confidence, to equip them for the real world. With the world a much more uncertain place than in recent years, generosity of spirit to help those less fortunate than ourselves has never been more important than now. I am so proud of

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from the Head of Senior School, Shani Andrews

the efforts of Senior School staff and students to support those in need this year. From care packages for those impacted by Cyclone Seroja (page 6) to the Year 12 students that cut or shaved their hair (page 19), the SRC’s promotion of Blue Tree Project (page 18), the inaugural PCOutYonder program (page 9) and the more than $12,000 raised for the Anglicare School Sleep Out (page 19). These projects are evidence of our values in action, bringing comfort and support to those in need as well as a sense of perspective, comradery and accomplishment for those who give. Student voice matters in the Senior School and acknowledging students’ perspectives on their experiences has helped shape our understanding of what is important to them. Led largely by the SRC and Year 12 Council of Student Executive, students have engaged in numerous opportunities to have their say about school life this year, identifying some key areas in which we will continue to progress – student wellbeing, inclusivity of all students, the ongoing conversation to support mental health, raising awareness regarding respectful relationships and protective behaviours, as well as consultation on key student policies (page 19). I hope you enjoy reading about the diverse and rich offerings we have experienced so far this year.

Shani Andrews HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

Student voice matters in the Senior School and acknowledging students’ perspectives on their experiences has helped shape our understanding of what is important to them.

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Year 9 Students Help to Improve Ecology at Copley Park In Term Two, Year 9 students tested their resourcefulness and knowledge in Science through project-based learning.

“Some of the students love learning this way because it isn’t assessed traditionally like with a test, but you can present your learnings in different ways. The focus is on the students guiding their own discoveries.”

Focused on the topic of ecology, students visited Copley Park throughout the term to assess the park for negative human impacts, Indigenous relevance, biological interactions and endemic animal and plant life. In teams, they were tasked with suggesting three changes to decrease the human impact and increase ecological interactions and Indigenous plants to benefit the park's ecology. Following park visits, experiments, research, lectures by visiting experts and peer critiquing, these proposals were proudly presented at an Ecology Exhibition in June. Perth College staff, special guests from Millennium Kids and a City of Stirling biologist were invited along to judge the best ideas. Some groups looked at building gardens on top of the toilets to increase the surface area of vegetation in the park, while others suggested introducing bees and pollinators. One group researched how to convert dog droppings and food scraps at the park to make a compost and another looked at decreasing the number of bricks at the park to improve evaporation and water run-off. Science teachers, Shea Halge and Beth Axford, said they were impressed with the students’ engagement in the process and the quality of their final projects. “This task started three years ago. We were trying to bring in more of a teacher-guided learning area, rather than teacher-centric,” they said.

Ninghan Station the New Home of Year 10 Camp The annual Year 10 camp headed north for the first time this year for 10 days of hiking through Ninghan Station, four and a half hours north of Perth. With an unaccompanied hike, Indigenous culture information session and a solo day also thrown into the mix, the camp focused on building resilience and fostering connections. Year 10 student, Rhiannon, described the experience as challenging, yet also grounding.

“We saw wildflowers of all shapes and colours and even animals, such as wild horses and echidnas. Although we were thrown out of routine for 10 days, I’ve never felt more at peace within myself,” she said. Somy said she wasn’t expecting to even be able to complete the requirements of camp, let alone actually enjoy it. “I found it very hard, as most things I was expected to do I had never done before. Thankfully, I was able and the sense of achievement felt rewarding,” she said. “I’m very happy to be back in the real world, I’m also grateful I decided to go on camp as it taught me many valuable life lessons, like never taking things for granted.”

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Raising Awareness for Blue Tree Project This year, the Student Representative Council (SRC) chose to raise awareness of Blue Tree Project – an organisation that encourages people to speak up about their mental health concerns. By painting trees blue, they help break down the stigma that is still largely attached to mental health and spread the message that "it’s OK to not be OK". There are now more than 600 blue trees registered in Australia. Blue Tree Project CEO, Kendall Whyte, visited Perth College in May to chat with the SRC, answering their questions and giving them ideas to help raise awareness and funds for Blue Tree Project. Kendall also spoke about the devastating loss of her brother which inspired her to start Blue Tree Project, and the importance of developing the program in schools. "Obviously the youth are our future, and it is so important to the Blue Tree Project that we are reaching our younger generations in that prevention space," she said.

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"The biggest thing is kicking that stigma and making this a topic that isn't taboo. We all need help, that's for sure, and there's no age limit to that, which is why the youth are so important to us." Following Kendall’s visit, the SRC held a Raising Awareness Day (RAD) to support Blue Tree Project and open up conversations about how to look after our mental health and support friends and family. As part of the important event, there was an assembly, year group activities during Kaya and students painted blue handprints on canvases which were then placed around the School to encourage anyone to speak up if they need to. "We believe this a very important charity to be representing, as many people all over the world experience difficulties with mental health. When you feel as though you are listened to and that there isn’t any shame associated with speaking up, it all helps for the better," said 2021 Charity Ambassadors, Sophie and Allegra. For a list of support services, visit the Blue Tree Project website.

By painting trees blue, they help break down the stigma that is still largely attached to mental health and spread the message that "it’s OK to not be OK"

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Fundraising Efforts Bring in Thousands of Dollars Senior School students displayed their generosity with a number of events this year to raise awareness and funds for charities close to their hearts. In June, 37 brave Year 12 students took to the stage at the Judith Cottier Theatre, their hair tied with dozens of elastics ready to donate their locks to Little Princess Trust. Friends and supporters stood behind each student, armed with sharp scissors to do the honours of cutting each ponytail. Thirty-two students cut off and donated at least 20 centimetres of hair. Five brave students, Erin, Ionia, Therese, Phoenix and Claire, put

their hands up to shave off and donate all of their hair, as well as raise more than $6,700 in funds. “Although it was tough to part with my long hair, it was such an uplifting experience to do with friends and knowing it was going to make a positive impact on others,” Year 12 student, Lauren, said. The students’ hair will be used by Little Princess Trust to make wigs for young people with cancer. In August, 23 Year 10 students spent the night at Optus Stadium for the Anglicare School Sleep Out with almost 450 other participants. They had the opportunity to experience a taste of the daily struggles homeless people go through and raised $12,120 for Street Connect to help young people on the streets.

Students Encouraged to Speak Up

Collaboration and Consent the Focus of Forum

The Council of Student Executive (CoSE) held an inaugural ‘Global Café’ in May to promote student voice across the Senior School.

Establishing and maintaining healthy, fulfilling relationships was the focus of this year’s Healthy Relationships Forum in collaboration with Hale School.

Officials invited their peers to join them for lunch and learn about school initiatives, including the Genders and Sexualities Alliance and Reconciliation Action Plan. 2021 Student Executive, Annabel, said students of all ages were encouraged to ask questions, raise any concerns and voice their ideas. “A range of year levels attended, we discussed a range of topics, including mental health, and many different perspectives were expressed which the CoSE have been using to guide initiatives and actions,” she said.

Year 10 student, Laila, was announced as the top fundraiser in WA bringing in more than $2,410 on her own. Laila said she was passionate about the event and everything it aimed to achieve, including creating a less judgemental, more empathetic society. “The Sleep Out was so much fun and really inspiring, but it showed how homelessness is such a big issue within today’s society. Through the activities, I really felt in my heart how hard it is and how much judgement people on the street get,” she said.

Over three after-school sessions, Year 12 students from Perth College and Hale discussed relationship issues and heard from Dr Jacqui Hendriks on the meaning and importance of consent. Head of Senior School, Shani Andrews, said it was wonderful to see such constructive conversations take place that she hoped would benefit students.

“Students left with an understanding of the factors that will help them establish and maintain healthy, fulfilling relationships as they move through high school and further into their lives beyond school,” she said.

FRO M T H E B OA R D I N G H O U S E

Glammed Up for the Boarders' River Cruise

Rural WA on Display During Boarders’ Week Pet lambs, a beef cattle production display and homemade goodies from boarders’ hometowns – this year’s Boarders’ Week had it all! From 3 to 7 May, the Boarding Executive planned activities each lunchtime which culminated with a ‘district display’ at the end of the week.

It was a night of glitz and glam for the Year 10 to 12 boarding students at the Boarders’ River Cruise in May. The Perth College Boarders’ Social, which is organised by the Boarding Executive and usually held in the Pavilion with invites extended to other boarding schools around Perth, looked a little different this year due to COVID-19. The Boarding House was a hive of activity after school as students got dressed up for the new and exciting occasion. They arrived at Barrack Street Jetty to board the Crystal Swan with their partners and friends.

“It was a wonderful night spent dancing and having fun,” Head of Boarding, Jill Miller, said. “The boarders and their partners' behaviour were exemplary, and we all thoroughly enjoyed the evening.” Year 12 Boarding Executive student, Lily, agreed the river cruise was a “huge success”. “Everyone looked stunning and had a great night dancing the evening away to the DJ on the bottom storey dancefloor or sitting in the area on the top storey,” she said. “There was even a reunion with two Year 12 students who were invited along who were part of the original Year 7 boarding group but have since left.”

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As part of the experience, day students were able to get a taste of their boarding peers’ hometowns through stalls featuring souvenirs, information and even homemade goods from all around rural Western Australia. 2021 Boarding Captain, Tamsyn, said they also made a video to showcase the lives of boarders to the wider Perth College community. “It is so important to share the diversity of cultures and backgrounds of our Boarding House so we can create a more connected school by showing off the parts of boarding that our day students don’t see to allow them to connect with us and understand our lives on a new level,” she said. A special thank you to Nicola for providing the beef cattle production display and Sharon for bringing Damo, the pet lamb.

FRO M T H E B OA R D I N G H O U S E

Life Outside the Boarding House There are always so many fun and engaging activities on offer to keep boarding students entertained on the weekends and week nights, from themed dinners to excursions, arts and crafts, community service and events with students from other boarding schools. Some of the highlights have included a pamper night, a Caribbean cooking lesson with Chef Courtney, a trip to AQWA, learning to rollerskate, taking part in an inter-school volleyball competition and a Scitech adventure. Year 9 student, Kayla, said the pamper night was her favourite. “We got to pamper ourselves and each other by putting on facemasks and indulging in some sweet treats while we chatted around the table. Even the staff couldn’t help but join in the fun,” she said. Cooking with Courtney was a unique opportunity to spend the afternoon cooking Caribbean curry, soup and dumplings and learning tips and tricks from resident Perth College chef, Courtney. “We got a hands-on lesson about different spices, how and when to use them, how to make two types of soup dumplings and the best way to cook food in order to keep all the nutrients. We all learnt a lot and it was a great way to spend time together,” Year 12 student, Haidee, said. Perth College students joined other schools for an AQWA adventure in May, taking a look at some of the

world’s most unique corals, jellyfish, sharks and starfish. Meanwhile, Year 9 and 10 boarders enjoyed a night of skating, music and games at a social at the Rollerdrome.

“At the Rollerdrome, it was great to see everyone smiling and laughing and, although there were a few tumbles, all the girls were willing to lend a helping hand,” Year 9 student, Leah, said.

In June, some Year 7 and 8 boarders headed to Scitech for an exciting, educational activity and another group of Year 8 boarders joined those from Aquinas, Scotch, Hale, MLC and Penrhos for games of Volleyball.

“At Scitech, we played around with all the different experiments, including thermal imagery, generating power on a bike and seeing your shadow,” Year 8 student, Lauren, said.

“My favourite part of AQWA was the underwater view of all the sea creatures,” Emily (Year 7) said.

PE R FO R M I N G A R T S

Perth Speech and Drama Festival Showcases Talent The Perth Speech and Drama Festival wrapped up in June after three weekends of Poetry and Drama performances, with Perth College students taking part in the annual festival to showcase their talent, develop resilience and demonstrate courage. Speech and Drama teacher, Deb Mitchell, congratulated the participants who she said “performed above expectation”. “They can feel proud knowing they achieved their personal best… they have gained personal success, more confidence and refined their performance skills,” she said. It was a bittersweet moment for Ms Mitchell, who resigned shortly after the event following almost 20 years of leading the Perth College Speech and Drama program. She leaves with fond memories, having created a legacy of positive and capable students, and we wish her all the best!

POETRY WINNERS Chloe, Sophie, Harley, Izabella, Cassidy, Valentine, Zara, Genevieve (Year 5); London, Michelle (Year 6) POETRY HIGHLY COMMENDED Millie, Alexander (Year 6); Isla, Sophia, Sylvie (Year 7); Nadia, Madeline (Year 8); Cleo (Year 9) YEAR 10 POETRY SPEAKING FIRST PRIZE Eliza YEAR 10 POETRY SPEAKING HIGHLY COMMENDED Emily YEAR 11 DRAMA MONOLOGUE HIGHLY COMMENDED Jasmine

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Making Memories at Music Camp It was a weekend full of exploring creative passions, rehearsing new songs and refining musical skills at the 2021 Music Camp in May! Year 7 to 10 Music students headed to Hillarys for two days before hosting a ‘Camp Concert’ for friends and family on their return to school. Bands, orchestras and choirs rehearsed for more than 10 hours to bring six pieces up to performance level for the concert which Year 10 student, Cindy, described as “tiring but worth it in the end”. Cindy added that the experience was about so much more than making music. “Life in the dormitories around other Music students was great. Everyone had a lot to say when it came to the thing we are all passionate about – music. We had some really good chats in the dorms, I got the chance to talk to people I don’t normally talk to and I made some great friends,” she said.

PE R FO R M I N G A R T S

"The show gave Junior School students an opportunity to step into another world."

Under the Sea for the Junior School Musical From ‘Under the Sea’ to ‘Part of your World’, this year’s Junior School Musical featured everyone’s favourite Disney songs and characters from the underwater kingdom of Atlantica. The performance of The Little Mermaid JR had audiences tapping and singing along when it took to the stage in September. Students from Kindergarten to Year 6 brought the 1989 Disney film to life with fantastic acting, engaging dance numbers and, of course, beautiful singing! Based on the classic story by Hans Christian Andersen, the show followed Ariel, a mermaid who dreams of the world above the sea and gives up her voice to find love.

Director, Tyler Jones, said everything about the production, from the costumes to the set, was “truly unique and spectacular”. “(The show) gave Junior School students an opportunity to step into another world – a colourful underwater fantasy land filled with vibrant and memorable characters, catchy songs, high drama, side-splitting comedy, and sweeping romance," he said. "Students loved putting their own stamp on this much-loved tale, and I was so impressed with the energy, enthusiasm and imagination they brought into the rehearsal room."

PE R FO R M I N G A R T S

Sharing Stories Between Generations Through Drama

This year saw the launch of an extra special m!n! eP!C Youth Co. Drama project involving Year 1, 2 and 7 to 12 students, as well as an incredible group of residents from Juniper St David’s. Throughout Terms One and Two, students spent lunchtimes listening to stories and playing games with their buddies from St David’s before writing, designing and directing their own performance creations based on the favourite stories that were shared with them.

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Buddies, friends and families were then invited along to a wonderful presentation of their performance in June, before a celebratory, heart-warming morning tea and the opportunity to reminisce on the project and share sentimental life lessons. 2021 Drama Captains, Ionia and Lauren, described it as a “mini project with mini people that provided epic opportunities for courage, connection, community and collaboration”. “As Drama Captains, we had the honour of guiding them through this process alongside guest artist, Tayla Fordham from Curtin University,” they said.

“It was a joyful and inspirational moment for us to be able to step back and see the ensemble flourish on stage and their buddies ignite with delight in the audience.”

PE R FO R M I N G A R T S

A Dance Spectacle of Concepts and Origins “SPIN: Origins celebrates the birth of concepts we might have grown to underappreciate in our ever-evolving world.”

Senior School students worked collaboratively with 2021 Dance Captains, Emily and Chelsey, Old Girls, staff and guest choreographers to create performance pieces from a wide variety of genres.

It was a dance spectacle audiences won’t forget any time soon.

Dance teacher, Amy Fittock, said many of the choreographers were Old Girls who grew up performing in SPIN.

This year’s SPIN production, Origins, used concept starting points as a stimulus to celebrate people, the land, the environment and evolution into the 21st century. Following rehearsals in Term Two, students took to the stage in August for two incredible shows as part of the biennial co-curricular dance production.

“It is a heart-warming experience to see them return with eagerness to share their passion for dance with our current students,” she said. “The sense of community Dance at Perth College offers encapsulates our values of capable, courageous and caring."

“While I was on maternity leave for the actual show, my thoughts and well wishes were with the students for the performances and with Miss Caitlin McNulty who assisted and supported throughout the production.”

PE R FO R M I N G A R T S

Celebrating Creativity at House Arts Day! Singing, dancing, telling stories, performing, costumes, workshops and more – this year’s House Arts Day really had it all! The much-loved annual event was postponed until the first week of Term Three after a circuit-breaker lockdown was announced, cancelling all school events during the last week of Term Two. The last-minute rescheduling didn’t stop it from being one of the best House Arts Days ever, with Arts and House Captains working hard in the lead-up to the event to make it enjoyable and memorable. Houses took to the stage against one another in the House Drama competition, there was a fashion parade for students dressed in costumes and plenty of festival activities and creative workshops to take part in, all based on this year’s ‘Storytelling’ theme. Workshops included puppet making, theatre sports, circus skills, floral art, hip hop dance and video editing – just to name a few. As if the day couldn’t be more exciting, the Year 3 to 9 students also worked together as part of a House Dance Competition, while Year 4 to 6 classes collaborated with Senior School students to take part in the House Choir competition. Year 6 Student Leaders organised an artistic House activity to bring the Junior School students together and Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2 students participated in an interactive suitcase circus program and an African drumming circle. With the Theatre at capacity and parents unable to spectate in person, a livestream was set up for each of the House Drama, Dance and Choir competitions to share the incredible performances with the Perth College community. Principal, Helen Aguiar, described the atmosphere of the School on House Arts Day as “electric”. “It was truly wonderful to provide students and staff with the opportunity to get together in a different context and celebrate creativity at its best,” she said. “The House spirit was uplifting and the competition was fierce." “Congratulations and thank you to everyone involved in making it happen.”

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COMING UP: Don’t miss the Year 7 to 9 eP!C Youth Co. production of Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl 3 to 6 November in the Judith Cottier Theatre Book at

V I S UA L A R T S

2021 Art Exhibition Explores ‘New Age, New Narrative’ Theme The New Age, New Narratives Art Exhibition was officially opened on 15 September with speeches and an awards ceremony presented by 2021 Artist in Residence and highlyacclaimed contemporary Perth painter, Harrison See. The 2021 Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 display celebrated the diverse artistic talents, imagination and creativity of Junior and Senior School students. Featured artworks were made using a range of different media from painting to drawing, sculpture, glass, printmaking, photography, jewellery and design – all while exploring prominent themes of identity, family, culture, gender and the environment.

THE WINNERS Principal’s Acquisition Jenny (Year 12) Junior School 2D Art Award Indigo (Year 4) Junior School 3D Art Award Amelie (Year 6) Senior School 2D Art Award Jessica (Year 12) Senior School 3D Art Award Brianne (Year 12) Head of Junior School Acquisition Emmeline (Year 4)

Developing Creative Excellence in Art Club Students have been putting their creative talents to the test and developing masterpieces as part of the after-school Art Club. Throughout Term Two, students worked on a joint project, ‘Flower Fairy Lights’. Together, they created, spray painted and assembled plastic flowers from recycled bottles to display in the Junior School Library. Other projects on the horizon for Art Club this year include branding for the Bush Tucker Garden and the Dragon Project.

“Art Club provides students with the opportunity to connect and create art in a relaxed and collaborative setting,” said Visual Arts Co-ordinator, Nicole Harbison. “Most of the time, students in Art Club work on an installation project which is for display somewhere in the School." “It is through Art Club that students can further develop their motor skills, language skills, social skills, decisionmaking, risk-taking, and inventiveness.”

SPORT INDIVIDUAL CROSS COUNTRY ACHIEVEMENTS YEAR 7 Eildh (4th) YEAR 9 Sophia (3rd) and Neve (4th) YEAR 10 Dannielle (7th) YEAR 11/12 Nina (5th)

Battling the Cold at Junior School Winter Games Our Junior School students braved some chilly conditions to take part in Term Two’s Winter Games.

Impressive Performance at IGSSA Competitions There was plenty of action at the 2021 IGSSA Cross Country and Athletics competitions! It all started in June, where Perth College performed strongly to place sixth overall in Cross Country. As a cohort, the Year 7s placed fourth, while the Year 9 runners placed third.

In September, the Senior School Athletics team headed to the State Athletics Centre for the IGSSA Carnival for another day of impressive achievements. Perth College placed third overall, showing how capable and courageous they are and putting in their best efforts for every event.

Health and Physical Education teacher, Courtney Guard, said she was proud of the capable and courageous students, who put in an impressive effort.

As a cohort, the Year 8s and 9s both placed third and there were a number of notable individual achievements from Eilidh and Leah (Year 7), Ella (Year 8), Evelyn (Year 9), Dannielle (Year 10) and Nina and Hana (Year 12).

“The team trained hard all term under the expert guidance of their coaches and many personal bests were achieved on the day,” she said.

It was a well-deserved outcome for Perth College athletes, coaches and staff after months of training and dedication.

Year 4 students headed to St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School to play a variety of sports, while Year 5 students participated in Soccer, Netball and AFL sessions at Perth College with professionals in the field, and Year 6 students played Netball at the WA State Netball Centre, Basketball at Bendat Stadium and Soccer at Alderbury Reserve. Year 5 students, Abigail and Geneivieve, said despite the weather, they were grateful for the experience of the Winter Games. “We jumped onto the bus and arrived to freezing weather, greeted by more than 600 of our JIGSSA friends… We stepped onto the battlefield drenched, but desperate to win, and what a battle it was,” they said. “We soldiered on and didn’t give up. Lollies were given out to sugar coat and distract from the soaking rain." “In the end it was a great day and everyone is definitely looking forward to it again next year if it doesn’t rain!”

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SPORT

Saddled Up for the Interschool Equestrian Festival The Perth College Equestrian team showcased their talents at the 2021 Interschool Equestrian Festival, claiming a number of impressive accolades. Senior School students Olivia (Year 8), Brooke and Lana (Year 10) and Equestrian Captain, Tahlia (Year 12) headed to the State Equestrian Centre to represent Perth College at the competition during the Term One holidays. They were joined by more than 100 other competitors from 28 schools across WA for what Equestrian Co-ordinator, Alex Hulsdunk, described as a “really high-standard event”. “There was a greater emphasis on team spirit this year and a great community feel throughout the whole event,” she said.

All Star AFL Opportunity Perth College was well represented at this year’s inaugural All-Star AFL competition with two students making the IGSSA team and one of our resident AFLW superstars and Health and Physical Education teacher, Amy Lavell, picked to co-coach the side. Tamsyn (Year 12) and Annabel (Year 11) made it through a tough selection process in May to make the IGSSA school’s top 25 students.

“It is wonderful to be able to recognise the efforts of students who commit such a huge amount of time to their passion outside of school, which often goes unnoticed, and celebrate them.” Olivia came 10th in Preliminary 1B dressage and 11th in 60cm show jumping, and Brooke came fifth in 80cm show jumping while Lana did well in all five of her events, including claiming fourth place in 80cm show jumping. Equestrian Captain, Tahlia, who came third in the participant Preliminary 1A dressage test and ninth in the participant Preliminary 1B dressage test, said she was sad she didn’t get to compete again next year. “I love taking part in the event every year because it’s fun and gives us an opportunity to get together as a school and ride. I wish I could compete again, but I will definitely be there next year watching and cheering the PC riders on,” she said.

After just one training together, the team donned the Fremantle Dockers AFLW guernseys in August to go up against the Associated and Catholic Colleges (ACC) and School Sport: WA (SSWA) teams in a round robin competition at Claremont Oval. Tamsyn and Annabel, who both play football in local competitions, were able to celebrate a win against SSWA alongside their teacher and coach, which they described as both “surprising and awesome”. Ms Lavell said it was a great test of her coaching skills.

“It was a pretty awesome experience for me. I’ve obviously done a lot of coaching with the Fremantle Dockers, but to not have any idea what the athletes played like, or what positions they played, was challenging,” she said. “The best part about it was that it is another really good pathway for AFLW and the perfect opportunity for girls to showcase their talent with talent scouts and the Fremantle AFLW Head Coach there."

“Plus, it was just so fun and the kids really enjoyed it, which was fantastic to see.” In another effort to open up opportunities for students to play football, AFL will be officially offered as an IGSSA sport to choose during Term One next year for all Senior School students.

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PE R T H CO L L EG E N E T B A L L AC A D E M Y

Another Bumper Season for PCNA 2021 has been a big year for the Perth College Netball Academy, with almost half of this season’s teams finishing in top positions and going on to play finals. Despite a few hiccups and fixture changes due to last-minute lockdowns, the season was far less interrupted by COVID-19 than 2020 and students were able to enjoy plenty of healthy competition, as well as further improve their skills and sportsmanship. The club also welcomed Fran Farrington as a PCNA Co-ordinator in 2021 after wishing the long-standing Anne Green well with her retirement last season. Ms Farrington and her fellow PCNA Co-ordinator, Kerrilee Kenny, said there was so much to love about being a part of PCNA. “This year specifically, a highlight has been how our clubs have pulled together to provide fill-in players when players are away or unable to play – we have some players playing two, even three games a day to help out other PCNA teams,” they said. “PCNA is and always has been created to allow everyone to enjoy the game of Netball. Our club is for all Perth College players, regardless of ability." “Even if playing is not your thing, you can also be involved through umpiring, coaching, or mentoring and we love that our Old Girls continue to give back to the program through coaching, umpiring and mentoring as well.”

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Ms Farrington and Ms Kenny said one of their favourite parts of the year were the end-of-year festivities.

“Our wind up and presentations event, featuring a DJ and dancing, is just the best way to finish off a great season and celebrate everything PCNA,” they said. PCNA also celebrated three teams competing in grand finals this season. We are already looking forward to seeing students back on the Netball courts next year!

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RO W I N G

Perth College Claims Second Place in IGSSA Rowing Season Perth College rowers put in an outstanding effort throughout the 2021 IGSSA Rowing season to finish second overall! Perth College was due to host the first regatta for the season on May 1, however, it was cancelled due to a snap lockdown. Instead, Presbyterian Ladies' College held Regatta 1 on May 8 at the famous Champion Lakes and Perth College hosted Regatta 2 on 22 May. St Hilda’s third regatta on 29 May was also cancelled, so the final regatta, hosted by John XXIII College, was held on 12 June. These regattas culminated in the flagship event, the Head of the River, on 26 June where Perth College took home bronze in the main race. There were plenty of great results to celebrate at all three events. Teacher in Charge of Rowing, Karlie Payne, said it was a well-deserved reward for crews’ hard work all year. “We had some impressive efforts at Head of the River… and we finished second over the year which really shows the depth of our program,” she said. “As always, our rowers were noticed by the officials on the water with how they presented themselves at the start and finish lines, plus we had the biggest Shed, which we have done over the last few years which is a positive.

“Rowing is a lot of hard work, but we all get a lot out of it. We try to focus on not just the racing component of rowing but being a part of the community, so I think that’s why students keep coming back – plus the good breakfasts and sunrises!”

Bedford Celebrates a Win at House Rowing Regatta It was all celebrations for Bedford who took home their first win since 2017 at this year’s House Rowing Regatta! There was a strong turnout for the annual event with dozens of exciting races, a fundraising BBQ by the Friends of Rowing and plenty of good energy down by the Shed.

Results REGATTA 1 1st place in the Senior C and D Coxed Quads, Year 9 B and D Coxed Quads, Freshman D Coxed Quad, Senior Coxed Eight and Second Coxed Eight REGATTA 2 1st place in the Senior D Coxed Quad, Year 9 C and D Coxed Quads, Freshman A and D Coxed Quads, Year 10 B Coxed Quad and Senior Coxed VIII REGATTA 3 1st place in the Freshman A, C and D Coxed Quad, Year 10 D Coxed Quad and Senior Coxed VIII HEAD OF THE RIVER

Starting with the Junior Quad races, competition between the Houses was tough, but the green team absolutely smashed the Senior VIII race, claiming first place by over a boat length. They also won the infamous ‘Ergo Relay’ thanks largely to Head of House, Joel Morrison, and Old Girl, Jaymee Park (2018). Campion managed to secure second place, followed by Barron in third and Lawley rounding out the four. Teacher in Charge of Rowing, Karlie Payne, said it was great to see such high spirits, strong competition and support between rowers. “House events are always a wonderful part of our calendar and we’ve definitely grown the event in the last few years,” she said.

1st place in the Freshman A Coxed Quad, Year 9 D Coxed Quad, Year 10 B Coxed Quad, Senior Coxed VIII

STUDENT NE WS

Students Strive for Sports Dreams LEAH

Perth College students are always working hard in their chosen pursuits outside of school, striving for success in the activities they love! LIV

This year, we have had so many athletes recognised for their passion, courage and talent in a variety of sports. In Year 5, Sophie took out the silver medal in both the 50m and 100m backstroke at her first Junior State Swimming Championship. As well as her medal haul, Sophie achieved a personal best in all her events and placed in the top ten for each one. Fellow Year 5 student and avid golfer, Rosie, won third place in the 2021 South West Crunch and Sip Junior Tour Stableford Division. Tavia, also in Year 5, received a Gala Award at the Royal Academy of Dance Competition for the Best Contemporary Dancer Aged 10 to 12 – a significant testament to her passion for Dance. Year 7 student, Leah, was selected to represent WA in the 12/U State School Girls’ Hockey team. Bonnie (Year 7) won silver in the 13/U Double Mini Trampolining at the WA State Gymnastics Championships and bronze in Tumbling. Rhiannon (Year 8) was chosen to be a part of the 13 to 19 Years Swimming State Squad for 2021. Meanwhile, fellow Year 8 student, Rosie, was selected for the WA 13/U State Athletics team. Year 9 student, Emily, made the final squad for the 15/U State School Girls

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RHIANNON

SOPHIE

Netball team, following on from her success in the 12/U team. Emily was also chosen to play in the IGSSA All Stars team in October. Evelyn (Year 9) placed silver in the 14/U 100m and 200m finals at the 2021 Little Athletics State Track and Field Championships and was selected for the WA State 14/U Athletics team. Stella, also in Year 9, won a silver medal in the 14/U 200m backstroke at the Hancock Prospecting WA State Short Course Championships. She is also training for the WA State Long Course Championships, which are scheduled for April 2022. Year 10 student, Olivia, represented WA at the 2021 Paddle Australia Canoe Sprint Championships alongside Year 12 student, Hana. The duo both started kayaking through the WAIS Talent Identification Program and competed in a number of team and solo events at the competition in Adelaide. In Year 11, Rebekah, played GK for the Rangers Netball Club in the 20/U Gold Industry Group Western Australian

HANA AND LIV

TESSA AND AQUILLA

Netball League grand final. The Rangers came away victorious, beating the Sharks 55-35. Year 12 rowers, Tessa and Aquilla, made waves on the water after they were selected into the 2021 WA State Pathway VIII squad. The program is a collaboration between Rowing WA and WAIS, made up of the best school student rowers in the state. Congratulations to all of our aspiring sport stars!

STUDENT NE WS

Workplace Learning Provides Opportunity for Real-Life Experience

Tara described the experience as the “best opportunity” Perth College could have provided ahead of her future.

Life-changing. Amazing. Rewarding. Those were the words Year 12 student, Tara, used to describe the opportunity she had in May to complete her Workplace Learning at Mount Lawley’s St John of God Hospital. She followed a different nurse each day in a number of areas of the hospital, including the mental health ward, endoscopy, speech pathology and surgery. “Each day I was in a different ward with different nurses who were so friendly and able to get me involved in whatever they were doing, from checking patients’ blood pressure to surgery to getting wisdom teeth removed to wrapping up a cut-off toe,” Tara said.

“The thing that stood out the most and really stuck with me was being able to watch a caesarean. I wasn’t expecting to see that, but it was so amazing and something I will never forget.” “The opportunity made me realise what nursing is really like and how rewarding it is,” she said. “After my work placement, I was sure and comfortable in my decision to study and do nursing as a career and I am now currently in the process of applying to study nursing at Notre Dame University. “I am still deciding whether to be a midwife or work in mental health, but I’m hoping to make my decision once I get more into the nursing world.”

Writing Her Way to Success Alexia (Year 9) has always loved writing. Putting her pen to paper, she can invent new characters and escape to new worlds.

“I love the creativity of it, that you can do anything with it,” she said. With that creativity, Alexia recently placed first in the South Perth Young Writers Award (SPYWA) Lower Secondary category – for the second year in a row! The awards, which encourage excellence in creative writing in Junior and Senior School students around South Perth, are judged by a panel of librarians, writers and children’s literature enthusiasts. Alexia won with her 1,500-word story, Walls Around My Heart, which follows two people in a toxic friendship. “One of them wasn’t sure how to escape it and then there was a bit of a twist at the end,” Alexia said. “I’ve entered the competition a few times now and won it two years in a row, which is amazing. It’s a nice community to be a part of.” The award will hopefully be another of many for Alexia, who hopes to pursue a career as a writer.

S TA FF N E W S

Top Catering Award for Chartwells

Returning to Perth College to Learn the Ropes

New Face in the Learning Engagement Team

Our wonderful and dedicated catering team, Chartwells, were recognised for their top work at the Restaurant and Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence in August.

Introducing Archivist and Heritage Officer Intern, Georgia Macdonald!

Perth College welcomed a new Head of Learning Engagement this year and, with more than 20 years’ experience behind her, Nicola Rose comes to the role with a passion and love for equal education opportunities.

They won best Site/Industrial Caterer at the awards night, which was held at Optus Stadium to acknowledges cafes, restaurants and caterers across metropolitan and regional areas for their commitment to good food and service. Catering Manager, Glenn West, said he was thrilled for his team and proud of what they supply to Perth College students, staff and the wider community. Head of Boarding, Jill Miller, also praised Chartwells for their hard work, exceptional food and outstanding service. “The offer a very contemporary dining room experience, serve students great food and work hard to ensure an enjoyable experience at all mealtimes. We acknowledge their efforts in acquiring such a prestigious award,” she said.

Last year, Perth College announced the inaugural internship program to give Old Girls the chance to return to the School and work in a department relevant to their studies. In this edition of the Heritage, Georgia Macdonald (2015) who is currently studying a Master of Information Management at Curtin University, tells of her experience so far as the Archivist and Heritage Officer Intern.

“The opportunity to have the hands-on experience in the field I want to work within is invaluable,” she said. “All the PC staff have been so friendly and helpful with any questions I have had. At times I think it’s a bit weird being allowed in the staff room and I also still find it hard to call teachers I had in school by their first names!" “With my (Master) qualification, I hope to continue to work as an Archivist. Ultimately, my dream would be to work in a large Museum or the National Archives.” You can read more from Georgia on page 36!

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“I have always loved the importance of developing a positive rapport with students within a holistic framework,” she said. “Every day is different, and every student is unique.” The Learning Engagement team have been hard at work introducing new roles to better address the learning needs of students with English an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) and students who are high ability and/ or gifted. Nicola said she hopes this will continue their focus on “support differentiation and inclusive learning communities”. “One of our goals in Learning Engagement is to ensure that every student is catered for and extended in every lesson,” she said. “These tailored roles have enabled us to create bespoke programs that are flexible and responsive alongside extension opportunities as part of differentiated teaching programs." “It is an exciting time to be in Learning Engagement!”

S PI R I T UA L I T Y

Building on Foundations I recently discovered that Perth College served as a place of training, formation and discernment for young women wanting to enter the order of the Community of the Sisters of the Church. While there wasn’t a huge number of postulants between 1908 and the early 1960s, from the 1940s, Perth College was the Australian novitiate for members of the Community – most of whom would finish their training at the Mother House in England. In the late 1980s and early 90s, The Most Reverend Kay Goldsworthy AM was chaplain at Perth College. When she started in 1988, she was known as Deacon Kay. The next few years were noteworthy in the Anglican Church as Deacon Kay was amongst the first women ordained as a Priest in Australia in 1992, along with Reverend Judith Peterkin (1959). This followed a tumultuous period in the Church as women (and men) fought for this right. More recently, The Reverend Pat Deeny served some time as Deacon, then Priest, as a part-time Chaplain here. For the last two years, Mr Andrew Milne, has been testing his vocation as a formation student in the Anglican Church, moving from working as a Maths teacher to working towards ordination as a Deacon, with one of his placements at Perth College. This semester, we also welcome The Reverend Joanna Colgan (1994) to the Chaplaincy team. Joanna is a Deacon who is working toward being an ordained Priest. She is a member of the Army and will return there at the end of 2022 to begin her career as an Army Chaplain. As an Old Girl, she has fond memories of the Perth College community and is very much looking forward to the opportunity of making new memories with students, staff, families and Old Girls. A life dedicated to the Sacred and Holy is not an easy one. It is not a path chosen by multitudes. It takes dedication, courage, compassion and a raft of other qualifications, requirements and expectations. While following a call to a religious life, particularly for women, looks different to the minimal possibilities Sister Emily and the Community of the Sisters of the Church had at their disposal, we continue to build on the foundations they laid in the faith development of each individual who is part of the School. The Christian Faith in its understanding of the resurrection, recognises the possibilities for personal, cultural and systemic transformation as central – new life in places where we perhaps least expect it. I am proud to be part of the heritage of Perth College as we look towards a variety of new possibilities in the future.

Reverend Linda Pilton

FRO M T H E H E R I TAG E C E N T R E

Remembering World War II With Remembrance Day just around the corner, it is an opportune time to reflect on the role Perth College played during World War II. In 1942, Perth College was poised to take on the role as a military hospital before Lieutenant General Gordon Bennet decided Perth College was ideal for Perth’s command headquarters. Occupation of Perth College by the Army caused some strain on the School, resulting in the boarders relocating to Parkerville Children’s Home and Mundaring Day Scholars, and Senior School day students moving into Junior School classrooms. In an oral history interview for the Perth College archive, Merle (Giese) Best 1 (1944) recalled digging trenches in the schoolyard before the soldiers took up residence at school. She said the war years united students who became very close and helped one another through times of grief, as well as tried their best to support each other to maintain an ‘ordinary school day’ and daily life during this period. Perth College was occupied by the Australian Army from April 1942 until December 1943. To express their gratitude with the School’s cooperation during the occupation, the Western Australian Army’s III Corps presented the School with a flagpole, which still stands at the School to this day.

It is always good to remember that, in times of need, Perth College students and staff have always displayed the School’s values of being capable, caring and courageous. During World War II, this was no different – not only were the fathers and brothers of students off to fight, but over 80 courageous Perth College alumni capably served in the Armed Forces. Old Girls occupied many positions including as nurses, telephone operators, transport and dispatch drivers, members of the Women’s Land Army (AWLA) and Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) – just to name a few. Perth College students also formed a junior detachment of the VAD under the supervision of staff, Miss Potts, Miss Talbot and Miss Broadfoot.

Can You Help? Do you know of any Old Girls who serve or have previously served in the Armed Forces? We would love to have a complete and up-to-date record of Old Girls who have served. If you have any information, names or even photographs you would like share or donate to the Heritage Centre, please call Georgia Macdonald on 9471 2124 or email heritage@pc.wa.edu.au

Even members of the Old Girls' Association, who were not serving within the Army, also acted with the School’s values to support the war effort by knitting children's clothing for victims of air raids in Great Britain, and assisting with the making of equipment such as bandages, swabs and masks to be sent to hospitals. The end of World War II saw life return to relative normalcy with buildings used by the war effort slowly reoccupied by students. Perth College was able to publish the Myola for the first time since the School had been partially evacuated, and saw the tradition commence of students taking control of the annual publication.

Georgia Macdonald A R C H I V I S T A N D H E R I TA G E OFFICER INTERN

Have contacted Merle out of courtesy for use of oral history interview; taken from Old Girl Transcript of 1996 OC TOB ER 2 021

S PEC I A L E V E N T S

2021 Year 11 Dinner Dance

JESSICA, CARA AND SIMRAN

JASMINE AND ISABELLA

ALANNAH, LAC HONG AND LEILA

CHARLOTTE, DANEEKA, GABRIELLE AND ALICE

FINLAY AND AMELIE

INDIGO AND ELOISE

2021 Year 12 Ball

ERIN, MIRIAM, JESSICA AND BRIANNE

MIA, ASHLEIGH, NINA, BEATRIX, SOPHIE AND ALEXANDRIA

MIA AND KATE

MATILDA, ESTELLE AND BONNIE

RUBY, AQUILLA, EMMA,

SHENYCE, ELIZABETH,

TAMSYN AND TESSA

ERIN AND TRISHA

S PEC I A L E V E N T S

Head of the River Rowing Celebrations

Senior Music Night

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S PEC I A L E V E N T S

St Michael’s Day 2021

ST GABRIEL AWARD WINNERS, ELLA AND KAYLEE, AND ST MICHAEL AWARD WINNER, BREANNA, WITH PRINCIPAL, HELEN AGUIAR

U P CO M I N G E V E N T S

Save the Dates OCTOBER 20

Old Girls’ Association Year 12 Leavers Breakfast

Year 12 Last Day

Year 12 Valedictory

Old Girls’ Association 20 Year Reunion

Following in their Footsteps Assembly

Year 8 to 11 Orientation Day

NOVEMBER 3

Chamber in the Chapel

Year 7 to 11 House Swimming Championships

PC Student for a Day – Pre-Kindergarten to Year 9

Coffee with Helen

Year 7 Orientation Day

Pre-Primary to Year 6 Orientation Day

Perth College Community Christmas Carols

Year 6 Graduation

Year 11 Last Day

Pre-Kindergarten to Year 3 Christmas Concert and Nativity

DECEMBER 2

Presentation Night

Term Four ends for Pre-Kindergarten to Year 10

All events are subject to change at any time based on Western Australian State Government COVID-19 restrictions. Please visit the Perth College website for the latest information.

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In 2022, Perth College is celebrating 120 years of shaping great futures! To share your Perth College memories, email development@pc.wa.edu.au

PERTH COLLEGE ANGLICAN SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

31 Lawley Crescent, Mount Lawley WA 6050 PO Box 25, Mount Lawley WA 6050 Phone. (08) 9471 2100 Email. info@pc.wa.edu.au perthcollege.wa.edu.au ABN 16 204 058 121 CRICOS Code 00445D

Heritage - October 2021

Articles inside

SPORT

SPIRITUALITY

FROM THE HERITAGE CENTRE

STUDENT NEWS

VISUAL ARTS

STAFF NEWS

PERFORMING ARTS

JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS

SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS

FROM THE BOARDING HOUSE

SPARC

INSIDEOUT

IN THE PERTH COLLEGE COMMUNITY

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN