The
December 2023 Edition 17
Crest
I Belong, Everyone Matters, Together We Achieve
I Belong, Everyone Matters, Together We Achieve
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
From the Prncipal
I am honoured to write the Principal’s message for the final edition in 2023 of The Crest! In my address at the Secondary Prize Giving Evening, I challenged those present to consider who or what has inspired them in 2023. The genesis of this question came from my reflection on the inspirational opportunities provided at our School. These opportunities are highlighted daily on our Facebook page and while I will not recount every activity now, I will touch on a few events that have been particularly inspiring over the past 12 months.
Inspiration was clearly on display at our Art Exhibition and Twilight Markets in November. The creative talent of our students is exceptional, as is the ability of our teaching staff who are able to draw out such skill and flair from our students on a regular basis.
On the sporting field there were inspirational performances at our Interhouse and Interschool Carnivals. From winning the Girls Shield at the ACC Cross Country Carnival, to finishing 3rd out of 90 schools at the ACC Athletics Carnival, to winning every Primary School NIPSSA event and our near miss for promotion to A Division at the ACC Swimming Carnival, there is no doubt that our students have excelled athletically in 2023
The continuing strong development of our students across all aspects of the performing arts, is always inspirational. I am forever in awe at the talent and confidence students display on stage, supported by the encouragement of their teachers. This was never more noticeable than during the production Aladdin Junior with 77 students involved in bringing the show to life. These examples are but a few of the opportunities available to students at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School. Encouraging our students to see and take full advantage of these opportunities is central to the work we do at PMACS. We want our students to be inspired, but we also want them to be inspirational, and ultimately we are striving to help them become active and informed citizens within the global community.
Master Plan I am pleased to advise that the School has recently commenced work on a new Master Plan. Master planning is a comprehensive process that will ultimately create a roadmap for the development and enhancement of our school's physical infrastructure, academic programs, and overall educational experience. The School’s previous Master Plan was developed in 1999 and was officially completed in 2019 with the opening of St Gregory’s Chapel, a very significant moment in the School’s history. Unfortunately, the pandemic meant the next iteration of the School’s Mater Plan was put on hold after some preliminary discussions in 2020, however we are now ready to resume! In the coming months, we will continue engaging with all key stakeholders, including students, staff, parents, and the broader community, to contribute towards our next Master Plan. This work commenced Term 3 with groups of students and staff from across the School providing their views. Rest assured, there will be multiple opportunities for all key stakeholders to provide feedback and input, and we are very much looking forward to identifying the short, medium, and long-term priorities for our school. I will share further details with all members of our community in due course.
Reverend David Lord The Reverend David Lord, former Chaplain at PMACS, passed away in September. Reverend David was instrumental in setting the Chaplaincy path at our School and was an ever present support for staff and students alike. Fortunately, Reverend David was able to do a final visit to our campus, attending Peter Moyes Day in August with his wife Lynne. At the time Reverend David mentioned that it was great to be ‘home again’. Several PMACS staff members attended Reverend David’s funeral and we will consider ways in the coming months to permanently memorialise Reverend David at our school.
Yipirinya School Visit I am pleased to report that several of our senior students visited Alice Springs in August as part of an inaugural Service Learning trip for our school. Led by Reverend Schroeder and Ms Oxley, students spent a week at the Yipirinya School working with indigenous students, engaging them with various games and learning activities. Our students also explored some of Australia’s most iconic outback destinations including Uluru. The feedback from staff and students was overwhelmingly positive, with lifelong memories made. We are very much looking forward to building our relationship with the staff and students at the Yipirinya School in the years ahead.
Future Directions As always, we love to hear stories of Alumni success and I encourage you to reach out to us with your exciting news. You can send news and photos to alumni@pmacs.wa.edu.au anytime! I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of the Alumni Association in coordinating and promoting opportunities for past students to engage with each other and the School Community. The Committee have been ably supported by Mrs Sue Webb, Mrs Belinda Lockyer, Mrs Lauren Knapp, and Mrs Annemarie Creegan from the PMACS Admin Team and I a very grateful for their continued efforts.
In conclusion, 2023 has been a very busy and positive year at our School with many new developments and outstanding student achievement. I trust you will enjoy the latest edition of The Crest and I hope that you all have a happy and relaxing Christmas. May God’s Peace be with you all as we head towards the Festive Season, and I look forward to seeing you on campus soon. Every Blessing. Benjamin Lomas PRINCIPAL
From The Alumni A Glance at 2023 – A message from the Chairperson As we bid farewell to 2023, it brings me immense joy to share the incredible achievements and memorable moments that have defined this remarkable year at PMACS. From alumni triumphs to student successes, it has truly been a year to remember. Firstly, I am delighted to have been elected as the Chair of the Alumni Committee. A heartfelt thank you to Jorjah for her outstanding contributions to the role. To all our esteemed alumni, I am looking forward to hearing about your continued success in your new adventures. The PMACS Alumni community is a thriving network, and I am excited about the connections and shared experiences that lie ahead.
A warm welcome goes out to the graduating class of 2023. It was an absolute pleasure to present you with gifts at your graduation ceremony. On behalf of the Alumni, we extend our best wishes for your future endeavours. We eagerly look forward to hearing about your achievements and successes, so please keep us updated on your journey. This year treated us to the spectacular musical production of Aladdin. From the talented performers to the dedicated backstage staff, the props, and the enchanting set design – it was a truly mesmerising experience. I highly recommend that you don’t miss the next musical; it’s a testament to the incredible talent within our school community. The Twilight Markets and Art Exhibition added a creative flair to our year, showcasing the artistic talents of the students at PMACS. The vibrant atmosphere and diverse range of artworks were a testimony to the creative spirit that thrives throughout the school community. Celebrating the achievements of students at the Year 7 – 12 Prize Giving Ceremony was another highlight. Many from the graduating class received welldeserved awards, showcasing the commitment to excellence that defines our school.
A nostalgic highlight of the year was the successful 10-year reunion for the Class of 2013. Old friends reunited, sharing memories and celebrating the diverse paths each has taken since graduation. The event serves as a reminder of the continuing friendships forged at Peter Moyes. Anticipation is building for the coming year, we are excited about the sundowners, providing Alumni with the opportunity to tour the school and experience the new facilities. Our first 20-year reunion in 2024 promises to be a special celebration of two decades of shared memories and accomplishments.
As we welcome the new year, I want to extend words of encouragement to the graduating class. Remember, Peter Moyes ACS is always here to support you. Your journey is just the beginning, and we believe in your potential to achieve great things. Consider joining the Alumni Committee – your unique perspective and experiences will undoubtedly enrich our community. As we wrap up on the incredible achievements of 2023 at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School, I want to express my sincere gratitude to each member of our community for making this year truly special. From alumni to graduating students, from captivating performances to heart-warming reunions, it’s been a year filled with shared successes and memorable moments. As we approach the festive season, I wish everyone of you a safe and joyous Christmas. May the holiday season bring warmth, laughter, and moments of reflections on the meaningful relationships we’ve fostered within the PMACS family. Whether you’re surrounded by loved ones or enjoying a quiet moment of peace, I hope the spirit of Christmas fills you hearts with happiness and gratitude. Here’s to a Merry Christmas and a New year filled with hope, prosperity, and continued success for the Peter Moyes ACS community. Until we meet again in the exciting year that lies ahead, take care, stay safe, and cherish the festive magic that surrounds us.
Rebekah Birch Alumni Association Chair
If you are interested in joining the Alumni Committee please email alumni@pmacs.wa.edu.au
Welcome to the Class of 2023 Congratulations to the Class of 2023 on your graduation! Welcome to the PMACS Alumni We hope you enjoy a well deserved break and wish you all the best of luck with your future endeavours
The Staff - Celbrating 24 years of service Those of you who were with us from the beginning of PMACS time will remember Mrs Starcevich and Mr Parkes, they are the only “Day Ones” still here, part of the furniture you may say!
Alumni at PMACS!
Harry Buck Class of 2022 has returned to PMACS on the other side this time he is currently working in the Music Department teaching Drum lessons.
Alumni In The Spotlight
Karen Windsor Class of 2004 has been working a PMACS since 2015 and is now the PA to the Principal/Human Resource Officer. More recently however she has featured in the Daily Maily and Mamamia.com see below Karen’s story.........
I Belong, Everyone Matters, Together We Achieve
'My GP found a 5cm tumour in my spine. What I didn't expect to feel was relief.'
I was 35 years old, newly married, had a four-year-old daughter and a mortgage when my doctor told me that I had a 5cm growth in my spine. It was a Monday afternoon and I’d rushed straight from work to make the appointment. My GP got to the point very quickly. She told me that the results of my third MRI showed a lesion in my spinal canal that was putting severe pressure on my nerves. After the initial shock wore off and I left her office, paper referral to a neurosurgeon in hand, I felt relief, which initially surprised me. But I was relieved – I finally had an answer for the months of debilitating pain I'd been experiencing. The struggle had been mental as well as physical. Those months had given me an intimate perspective on life with chronic pain and it was a daily test of my willpower and resilience to keep going.
During these months I was scared to stop, even for a day. I was scared to take a day off work. Scared to stop and feel the pain as it was too much to handle so much of the day. I was scared that one morning I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed at all; scared my daughter would see me like that.
As it was, she saw me dozens of times cringing in pain and deep breathing like I was in labour again. She was always so kind and sympathetic, coming to comfort me. But it hurt even more that she had to see me like that, her being so young. My pain had started randomly as acute pain in my left glute and hip before progressing to sciatica nerve pain. I couldn’t sit down or lay down without being in excruciating agony. I stood up all day long at work and at home, until I couldn’t stand anymore. Come the evening, I would collapse onto the couch with three strategically placed heat packs along my back, glute and upper leg.
I dreaded getting up as I would have a surge of intense nerve pain every time – honestly, it was worse than childbirth (and I had a natural labour without pain relief!). In the months before my diagnosis, I’d seen the doctor, chiropractor, physiotherapist, acupuncturist and my sports massage therapist multiple times and never found any relief. I had scripts for oxycodone, tapentadol, tramadol and other painkillers, but they didn’t even take the edge off. My first MRI on my left hip showed nothing.
It wasn’t until I had a second MRI on my lumbar spine that the medical team started to get a true picture of what was going on – and it was the third MRI, which was done on my spine using a contrast dye, that showed the tumour and surrounding nerves in more detail (although I didn’t know that at the time). After being in pain for nearly three months, I finally had the answer. The technical term for my tumour is a myxopapillary ependymoma. My neurosurgeon told me that it had likely been growing in my body for the past 10-15 years, slowly putting more and more pressure on my nerves as it grew.
I'd had no idea the whole time – and once I had my specialist referral, it was less than three weeks before I had surgery. I am forever grateful for my neurosurgeon. He was friendly and professional and put my mind at ease from the first time I met him. My surgery was scheduled for a Friday afternoon, and considering the seriousness of the procedure, it took less than two hours. The surgeon told me that once they had drilled through a section of bone in my vertebrae, sliced a small incision into my spinal cord and clamped the blood supply to the tumour, the growth practically popped out. I was wheeled out of the hospital on the fifth day and spent the next three weeks slowly recuperating at home. Whilst physically I was doing really well, I was mentally exhausted from the months of pain, so I used those weeks to process my experience and allow my body and energy to restore (Netflix in bed was the best medicine).
I'm now nearly a year on from my surgery and no one would know what I’ve been through unless they saw the scar on my back. Life has gone back to normal and the only side effect of my tumour is some numbness in the tip of my right big toe and my left butt cheek – both things I can live with. I know it might sound cliche, but my perspective and outlook on life has completely changed. What if I had received a life-threatening diagnosis instead that day? I know I am one of the fortunate ones. This experience was definitely a wake-up call to start living and appreciating life even more.
Adam Inder Class of 2010
Having graduated from PMACS in 2010 as Head Boy, I quickly re-engaged with the School in 2013 throgh the Alumni Association, eventually chairing it in 2018. The Alumni I joined the School Council as an Old Scholar representative and i have been involved for the last 7 and half years. I have loved working with the School council, including an amazing line up of chairsJohn Filippone, Dr Michelle Ellis and Elly Sullivan ACMA. It has been a pleasure sharing my Council journey alongside PMACS Principal Ben Lomas GAICD and Business Manager Alan Wright, although they didn’t know me as a student they worked hard to draw on my Old Scholar perspectives, and maintained that sense of community I experienced as a student. This week marked my final meeting with the PMACS Council. In 2024 I am stepping down from my role to create space for exciting new professional and personal opportunities, including the birth of my second child due in May. It will be hard not to be engaged with PMACS in a more formal capacity as it has been a place of safety, opportunity and success for me. I am excited to see what PMACS continues to deliver in the years to come and deeply thankful for the opportunities it has given me.
Adam
Alumni at the Twilight Markets It was great to see The Alumni showcasing their businesses at our recent Twilight Markets. Do you or any family or friends have your own business? Why not contact us and get yourself a stall at the 2024 Twilight Markets.
Taleisa Kuipers Class of 2021 Coastal Creations
Grace Harrington Class of 2021 143 Clothing
Katie Richards Class of 2013 The Scrapbook Hub
Life at Peter Moyes was always so fun and exciting. My teachers from Primary School all the way up to Senior School were so supportive. Many of which knew and cared for me when I was in a back brace! I was sad to leave PMACS, but excited to start my journey into adulthood. Since leaving I met the love of my life, got married, and have had a beautiful baby girl who is teaching me that no matter how old you get, you still have so much to learn. In my career I have gained a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and found a passion for helping children who have gone through trauma. I am now studying a Bachelor of Psychology with a goal to be a child psychologist for trammed children. On the side, I have started a Scrapbook business and attended the Peter Moyes Twilight Markets which was an amazing experience. Thanks so much Peter Moyes for all you have done to make me into the woman I am today.
Katie
Contact Us Peter Moyes love having Alumni come back into the School to help out in specialist areas like sport, drama, dance, technologies any skill you may have let us know. Alumni are welcome to come into School to give inspirational talks with current students and be guest speakers at School events. If you have something you would like to give back to the School please let us know.
If you have any happy news you would like to share or know of any Alumni that have graduated, started new jobs, got married, had a baby absolutely any good news we would love to share this with PMACS Alumni Community. We would also love to hear from any Alumni that have their own business so we can include you in our Spotlight on Small Business section. alumni@pmacs.wa.edu.au
PMACS Alumni are a very special part of the School community, please keep in touch, via phone, social media or email.
Alumni Facebook Page Did you know the PMACS Alumni have a face book page? All PMACS Alumni are encouraged to join this page, it is a great way to connect with others and keep up to date with events that are being planned. If you have not joined this page, go to: http://www.facebook.com/groups/petermoyesalumni
PMACS Playgroup Do you or friends and family have little ones? Why not introduce them to the PMACS Family and bring them along to playgroup which runs on Wednesday mornings during term time, see details below:
Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year
From The Alumni Association
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
alumni@pmacs.wa.edu.au www.petermoyes.wa.edu.au/community/alumni-association www.facebook.com/groups/petermoyesalumni/ (08) 9304 5500