The Dragon | Edition Two| 24 February 2023

THE DRAGON

From the Principal

Tina Campbell

It has been wonderful this year to be able to re-establish our wide and varied face-to-face connections across the whole school community of St George’s as we return to being able to more fully be together to share learning, celebrate achievements and acknowledge several special events and milestones across the School to commence the 2023 academic year.

This term we have already celebrated our Year 12 Leaders and the induction of our 2023 Captains and Prefects, seen our new Year 7 students experience their camping adventures in the Swan Valley, held our first Parent Teacher Interviews, been impressed by our swimmers at the Inter House Swimming Carnival, enjoyed the fierce competition and entertainment of our uniquely special and sensational Inter House Synch Swim Competition, loved seeing our Year 12 students enjoy their Enchanted Garden Graduation Ball and been able to socialise with St George’s families at both our New Parent and Gandhi Parent Sundowners held here in the heart of the CBD.

Whilst we undoubtedly acknowledge the incredible way that we

navigated the trials and tribulations of the last two years of COVID based restricted education practices, we now actively celebrate that special sense of community that has shone through as we have gathered to commence 2023. Being able to socialise together in large groups has reminded us of the importance of connections and community – these are indeed to be cherished and remain at the very heart of our School.

Our sense of community continues to grow and evolve as we see the cast and crew come together for the 2023 School Production of PUFFS under the careful direction of our new Coordinator of Dance and Drama, Miss Jessica McGaw. Our musicians are busily rehearsing for the ASC All Schools Music Extravaganza which will take place at Perth Concert Hall on Friday 31 March which has been ably created by our Head of Performing Arts, Mr Michael Newton. Our Year 10 and 11 students are preparing for their River Cruise onboard the Crystal Swan and our Year 8s have a social event to look forward to before the end of Term One. Even in our classes we are actively taking our students out and about enjoying new

camaraderie and connections. This week Year 10s headed off on a Humanities Excursion and next week the Year 8s all head off campus for an English excursion. What a delight it is to be able to return to more normal practices for our students.

Community engagement remains a critical and crucial factor for improving the progress, achievements, confidence, collaboration, and wellbeing of all St George’s students. By working together, we hope to develop these supportive relationships promoting a sense of ‘connectedness’ and ‘belongingness’ for all within the school.

If you do not have them in your diaries already, please try to join us here at the school for the Lincoln Parent Sundowner on Thursday 18 May from 6pm – 8pm or the Mandela Parent Sundowner on Thursday 31 August from 6pm – 8pm. It is a competition between the Heads of House I am told to see which House has the best attendance rates and do please endeavour to wear the House colour with pride!

We look forward to seeing you join these wonderful opportunities to connect – how lucky are we to be able to do so.

Best wishes,

Mrs Tina Campbell Principal

Mai Kajita

Year 9

Congratulations to Mai on her recent selection in the 2023 Australian Youth Women’s Championship Baseball Team. Mai only started playing baseball last November after she arrived in Australia and was looking to play a sport!

The St George’s community wish you the best of luck Mai in your upcoming tournament being held in Melbourne on 7-12 April.

Chaplain’s Corner

Observing Lent with Gratitude

On Wednesday 22 February, Christians from mainline Churches [Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and other denominations] across the world began observing LENT, the forty weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter.

In these forty days Christians practice intense fasting, praying, repentance, and reading of Scripture. During this time Christians recall how God redeemed his people from Israel where they were slaves, and the forty years he led them in the wilderness as they journeyed to the Promised Land [Canaan].

For Christians today, Lent is a time for preparation for Easter. Every day is an invitation to “carry one’s cross” and follow Jesus “on the way,” which is the way to the Cross in Jerusalem where Jesus will be crucified, and the glory of God will be revealed.

Christians during this time are big on fasting. Many people will fast from their favourite foods such as chocolates, cakes, meats, and wine during this period. The money saved from not buying these during Lent is donated to the Church where it is used to look after the poor. Yet fasting, despite its nobleness, can turnout as a meaningless “weight loss exercise” if we forget the spiritual purpose behind it. God denounced the fasting of the Israelites because they remained arrogant, and still oppressed the poor. God preferred

fasting to make people humble, kind, loving and to practice justice.

Our 2023 School theme, Let’s G.R.O.W together! invites us to observe this Lent with a true spirit of gratitude. Grateful people are humble, compassionate, and kind. They seek to share with others the daily blessings they receive from God.

As School Chaplain therefore, I encourage all of us to try and express our gratitude this Lent by being humble, compassionate, kind, and loving to others. Let us seek to walk the Jesus Way of Love.

God Bless

Father Gift

School Photos Day

On Wednesday 1 March, all students will be participating in the first of two school Photo Days in 2023. On this date we will only be taking individual photos. Order forms for purchase will be distributed to families after the second Photo Day in August, once the group photos have been completed. Individual photos will be able to be order at that time.

On 1 March students are required to wear their full summer uniform and their blazer. They are not to wear make-up, long hair needs to be tied back and presentation needs to be as per the school uniform policy (refer to student diary for reference).

A schedule for the day will be published on SEQTA .

Curriculum Update

Anthony Bochrinis

Year 7 and Year 12 Parent Teacher Interviews

We would like to express our gratitude to all Year 7 and 12 parents who attended the in-person interviews at St George’s this week. We truly appreciate your presence and participation in discussing your child’s academic progress with our teachers and setting ambitious goals for the upcoming year.

Please note that bookings are now available for the Online Year 7 and 12 Parent Teacher Interviews scheduled for Wednesday 1 March, from 4pm to 8pm via Microsoft Teams. You would have already received detailed instructions on how to book these interviews via email, and we encourage you to do so before the deadline on Monday 27 February at 4:00pm.

For parents with children in Years 8-11, we have planned Parent Teacher Interviews for Face-to-Face delivery on Wednesday 3 May and Online delivery on Thursday 11 May. We will send you further information on how to book these interviews via email in early Term 2, and we look forward to your participation.

As always, should you wish to contact your child’s teacher at anytime you are encouraged to do so via Direqt Messaging on SEQTA.

OLNA (Year 11 and 12)

Our Term One OLNA Window for Year 11 and 12 students begin this week! Please see below for our schedule.

earphones that are compatible with their device for all tests. We will not have headphones or earphones available for students to borrow at this time. Moreover, we highly recommend that students also bring their charger cable and ensure their devices are fully charged for all NAPLAN tests to guarantee sufficient battery life for the duration of the assessments.

In following these recommendations, students will be able to focus on demonstrating their academic abilities without any technical interruptions during the NAPLAN.

We appreciate your cooperation and attention to these essential details, which will contribute to a smooth and productive testing experience for all.

Any questions or queries regarding OLNA or NAPLAN can be directed to myself, Mr Anthony Bochrinis, Head of Curriculum.

Study Resources: Year 12 ATAR and APEx Students

As we prepare our Year 12 ATAR and APEx students for the upcoming WACE exams (Term Four) and Externally Set Tasks (Term Two), we are pleased to provide access to a comprehensive collection of practice papers and resources.

It is vital to familiarise yourself with these resources during Term One to start practicing the relevant content covered in class and improve your personal levels of achievement.

To facilitate your study routine, we have compiled a list of recommended resources that can aid in your preparation for these assessments. Please refer to the following resources.

Year 12 ATAR Students

• Past WACE Exams

• Past VCE (Victoria) Exams

• Past HSC (New South Wales) Exam

Year 12 APEx Students

• EST 2023 Topics

We would like to inform our students that additional details about the date and location of the upcoming OLNA tests have been conveyed through SEQTA Direqt messages from our OLNA Coordinator, Ms Cristi Jonas.

We would also like to bring to your attention that the OLNA in Term One is an opportunity for all Year 11 and 12 students to take part in the assessment, while Year 10 students can participate in the OLNA during Term Two and Term Three.

NAPLAN (Year 7 and 9)

NAPLAN is fast approaching for our Year 7 and 9 students and will occur in Weeks 7 and 8 of this term. Please see below an outline of the schedule for each assessment.

NAPLAN Writing Wednesday 15 March

NAPLAN Writing Catch-Up

NAPLAN Reading

NAPLAN Language Conventions

NAPLAN Numeracy

NAPLAN Catch-Up

NAPLAN Catch-Up

Thursday 16 March

Friday 17 March

Monday 20 March

Tuesday 21 March

Wednesday 22 March

Thursday 23 March

It is important that all students bring a pair of headphones/

We encourage you to make the most of these resources to help you achieve your academic goals and perform to the best of your abilities. With early preparation and a diligent study routine, you can approach the upcoming assessments with confidence and readiness.

HASS Week

Our School has been recently adorned with captivating posters to promote this year’s HASS Week theme, ‘The Great Reset’. This theme has provided a unique opportunity for students to explore how humanity has learned to manage the consequences of COVID-19 and the implications this may have for the future world.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our esteemed Head of Humanities, Mr Brian Mac Gabhann, and our dedicated Humanities teachers for providing our students with engaging and informative lunchtime activities and experiences. In particular, we would like to acknowledge Mrs May’s daily PCG quizzes, which have been a source of great interest among students. Thursday’s Australian Citizenship Test, in particular, proved to be a challenging task for all.

We applaud our students for their active participation and enthusiasm in learning more about the complex issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the global response. We believe that these efforts will enable them to become informed global citizens who are equipped to navigate the complexities of our ever-changing world.

Pastoral Focus

Hilton Hardman

2023 Student Mentors

This week during the Student Leaders Assembly, we had the opportunity to introduce our student mentors to the St George’s School community. As we all know, education is not only about academic achievement but also about personal growth and development. This is where our student mentors come in.

Student mentors are individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, empathy, and commitment towards helping others and putting the needs of others above their own. They have been appointed to their roles to support, guide, and encourage their fellow students within their Pastoral Care Group (PCG) and House.

This year will see a group of 24 students take on the key role of Student Mentor within their PCG.

This group will work closely with their Head of House and PCG tutor to develop a supportive atmosphere within their PCG by promoting activities in the mornings, supporting new students as they settle into their PCG and understand the ‘St George’s Way’ as well as being a friendly face to all within the School. They will also work with their Head of House to come up with new ideas for PCG activities and house activities during Wednesday’s extended PCG time.

We look forward to seeing this group lead positive change within their PCG and develop events that bring their PCG and House closer. I encourage them to wear their mentoring badge with pride and to strive to make a positive difference throughout this year.

Congratulations to the following students:

G1 – Ava Watters M5 - Jessica Bakes

G2 – Ben Humphries M6- Leah Thompson

G3 – Katie O’Connor M7 - James Pardo

G4 – Isla Andrews M8 - Hamish Monk

G5 – Mackenzie Marshall L1 - Jasper Brieshke

G6 – Ben Gardner L2- Katherine Mullaney

G7 – Azeva Sukadis L3- Alicia Gregory

G8 – Rory Bingham L4 - Tom Fulton

M1 -Will Moesker L5 - Orla Neri

M2 - Eli Holbeach L6 - Georgia Rose-Dewar

M3 - Zuri Hawkins L7 - Kaylee Chin

M4 - Amelie McKeon L8 - Sofia Warren

Student Leaders Assembly

The Student Leaders have committed to promoting and discussing the School theme for 2023 – Let’s G.R.O.W. Together. G.R.O.W is an acronym that stands for gratitude, resilience, optimism, and welcoming.

On each seat in the cathedral, students were given a leaf-shaped piece of paper entitled “What am I grateful for?” The School Captains asked students to take a minute to write down something they were grateful for – perhaps you might ask your child what they wrote.

These were collected at the end of the assembly and the Student Leaders have created a tree on the ground floor with the leaves to allow students to view what each member of our School Community is grateful for.

Ophelia Burchell, the School Service Captain then provided further reflection on the theme of Gratitude:

“Gratefulness can also depend on your circumstances. When asked about gratitude, some people may be grateful for their pets or Wi-Fi, while others may be grateful to have a roof over their head and food on the table. This doesn’t mean you are not allowed to be grateful for your dog, but taking a moment to think about the differences in these answers gives us perspective and allows us to see how lucky we are that we can be grateful for things that aren’t necessity. So, today, when you leave the cathedral, make a plan to show your gratitude for one person in your life, whether that be voicing to them how grateful you are for what they do or helping them out to give them a bit of a break”.

We look forward to our student’s reflections on these messages and how they will impact those around them positively. As we come into the city each day we indeed have much to be grateful for in our lives.

Heads of Year Reports

Year 7 and 8

Ms Taryn Sephton Head of Year 7 and 8

The start of Week 3 brought with it our Year 7 Camp at the Swan Valley Adventure Centre, Middle Swan. Intentionally scheduled for early in Term One, the purpose of the Camp was to provide opportunities for students to make connections and foster friendships within the cohort not merely within their class based groups.

On Monday the mercury soared to the high 30’s and plenty of water breaks and sunscreen applications were essential while the students participated in the various team building challenges undertaken. Tuesday and Wednesday brought more comfortable conditions with the students rotating through canoeing, raft

Year 9 and 10

Miss Katie Wilkinson Head of Year 9 and 10

Our Year 9 and 10 students are currently working through their Pathways course and looking at the big question of ‘Who Am I?’. I wanted to highlight this not just within the classroom but as a broader topic of conversation for our students. I encourage you to discuss how our students see themselves, where they see themselves in the future and what their strengths are – there are many of them!

Year 11 and 12

Mrs Ingrid May

Head of Year 11 and 12

Welcome to Week Four of Term One! It’s great to see that our senior students have settled in and are busy navigating their APEx and ATAR courses.

Last week, we had the Inter-House Swimming Carnival, and it was fantastic to see so many Year 11 and 12 students participating in such a variety of events and getting involved in house spirit. It was the highest number of senior school students I have seen participate, and they all displayed great sportsmanship and celebrate house wins with great gusto. If they weren’t swimming, they were assisting their Heads of House or actively cheering on their mates. It was truly a joy to see so much positive House spirit on display.

As we move further into the term, students are starting to sit assessment tasks. It’s important for students to understand that they should maintain a balance with schoolwork, homework, work,

building, a commando course, frisbee golf, crate stack, abseiling and the flying fox. The activity program was designed to provide variety and challenge each student in a safe and supportive environment.

The evening activities were enjoyed by the students with games and challenges as well as a movie night which kept them entertained after dinner in a more relaxed way. A wink murder night was an exciting activity to conclude our final night together.

A heartfelt thank you must go to the attending staff who supported, encouraged, championed and guided the Year 7 students across the three days: Mr Dempers, Mr Hardman, Ms Sephton, Mr Sloan, Mrs Taylor and Miss Yoxall.

I hope it was a camp that created happy memories for the students.

Term One is a great chance to try something new, to explore an alternative way of doing things, or to push one’s boundaries. Whether that be trying out for our new play ‘Puffs: the musical’, or giving swimming a go during Phys Ed classes, it can be a multitude of things that can be a bright start to the year.

I would also be remised if I didn’t briefly talk about how excited myself, the staff, and the students are for our upcoming Year 10 and 11 River Cruise. It promises to be a night of good food, dancing and taking in our beautiful city scenery from the Swan River and the delights of the Crystal Swan.

If you have any questions, please do let myself or Mrs May know.

and their social commitments. We know that many of our students have part-time jobs and other responsibilities outside of school, so it’s crucial that they manage their time effectively.

I ask you to encourage your child to use the School Diary or an online calendar to help them stay organised and to make use of the many after school study sessions available to them here at St George’s.

We also want to remind our students that they can always contact their teachers to organise a time to discuss coursework or if they are experiencing any difficulties with the content being taught. A Direqt SEQTA message, email or a friendly face outside of the staff room or their class will always be responded to. We want our students to feel comfortable asking for help, and our teachers are always willing to provide additional support.

Finally, I would like to thank you for your ongoing support. Parental involvement is crucial to a student’s success, and we appreciate all that you do to support your child’s learning journey here at St George’s.

G ANDHI HOUSE

We are thrilled to announce that Gandhi House has emerged victorious in the Inter-House Swimming Carnival held last week. It was an intense competition, and our students’ hard work, dedication, and commitment paid off.

LINCOLN HOUSE MANDELA HOUSE

It has been an exciting start to the year with many School and House events. It was lovely seeing the Year 12s at the ball, and we even managed to get a Year 12 Lincoln Leaders photo.

What a fortnight it has been!

Firstly, a huge congratulations to Mandela for winning the highly competitive Sync Swim Challenge. It is great to have it in our hands again. Well done to all of Mandela for making this happen. Unfortunately, we did not win the Swimming Carnival but a huge congratulations and well done to all Mandela students for having a go and getting in the water. I know they had a great time and what a wonderful venue Claremont Pool was.

We are proud to say that we won by a whopping 400 points! Our hope is to continue to harness this success as the rest of the Inter House Competitions begin. One of the main reasons for our success was the highest participation rate from Gandhi House. Our students showed their enthusiasm and willingness to put in their best efforts, and it certainly made a difference. They demonstrated incredible sportsmanship, and their cheers of encouragement and support for each other were truly impressive and inspiring. Although we fell short in winning the Inter-House Sync Swim competition, I would like to think that we are the “People’s Champion”. I would like to thank the Gandhi House Dance Squad, for all their efforts in the organisation of the routine. Watch this space because we are hungrier than ever to win Sync Swim in 2024!

A massive thank you to Ms Jodie Scheele and her Physical Education Department on what was a successful Swimming Carnival. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the parents who joined us at the inaugural Gandhi House Sundowner. It was a fantastic event, and we appreciate your presence and support. We understand that your involvement and support plays a critical role in our students’ success, and we value your contribution to our community. We are confident that we will have the best attended event as we are undoubtedly the best house!!!

Mr Peter Quan Head of Gandhi House

I had a wonderful time meeting many of the new Lincoln parents and guardians at the New Parent Sundowner. In Term Two it will be Lincoln’s turn to host our Parent House Sundowner, and I look forward to seeing all the Lincoln parents, guardians and carers coming together and supporting their House at this night. I encourage you to wear something yellow for the occasion.

The Swimming Carnival was our big event last week and I was so proud to see so many Lincoln students show up, dress up and support the House. Thank you to all the Lincoln students who participated and jumped into the pool, each and every student counts for points towards their House.

Congratulations to Ameesha, Kareena, Lorelei, Ben, Joss, Sophia and Katherine for winning awards on the day. Second place was an awesome effort and I look forward to seeing how we compete in our next Inter-House event! I would also like to thank the incredible Year 12s who dressed as bananas for the day and were just incredible at encouraging house spirit and involvement.

Once again, I encourage all students to participate and earn as many points as possible for Lincoln! The House Cup is also determined by house tokens and so these are as important as being victorious in a range interhouse events.

Go Lincoln!

Mr Vincent Lim Head of Lincoln House

Next week in Mandela House we will see our first Morning Breakfast. All Mandela students will be able to help themselves to some free pancakes and milo before school, have a chat and get to know each other a lot better. With our vision of Service this year, each PCG will host the event once per year. This term, Mr Sloan’s PCG (M7) and mine (M8) will have the special honour.

This Friday, we say goodbye to Ms Pedler and wish her all the very best for her new adventure into parenthood as she starts her maternity leave. She has had such a huge positive influence on Mandela House and will be greatly missed while she is on leave.

I will have big shoes to fill while she is away and we look forward to seeing baby Pedler dressed in green at all future House activities and events.

Mr Tom Dempers Head of Mandela House

Learning to GROW at St George’s What Does Gratitude Have to Do with a Successful Career?

This year at St George’s Anglican Grammar School we are focusing on growing together. Each term will focus on a different letter of the acronym ‘G.R.O.W’ and the focus for Term One is Gratitude.

So, what, might you ask, does gratitude have to do with a successful career path? A recent study in Current Psychology found an overwhelmingly positive correlation between gratitude and job satisfaction amongst 360 professionals. The key benefits of practicing gratitude are an improvement in job performance, a reduction in stress, greater career advancement, enhanced job satisfaction and increased resilience.

Gratitude is the essential ingredient for career satisfaction, so why not start practicing gratitude today!

Ask your child to share a gratitude each day and reflect on how it makes them feel. It might even lead to an increase in their school performance and is a good dinner table conversation for our reluctant conversationalists!

Mrs Sharan Tagore APEx and Careers Coordinator

After a month of furious activity the Laurence Library is full steam ahead for a year of reading and imaginative journeys. Our collection is growing and students are flocking to the library to borrow. Since the beginning of term we have issued 263 book loans. Classes from Years 7 to 10 are coming into the Library to borrow and read as part of their English curriculum. We have been able to spend time teaching students to use Oliver to reserve books and to review or rate their borrowed books.

We run a new Bookflix theme on the School eboards every two weeks to pique student interest in the collection. A lot of thought goes into creating visual displays to capture our students’ imagination and encourage them to read. For example, our “romance” activities to celebrate Valentine’s Day were popular with students exploring the option for a blind date with a book. This has led some students to explore new genres.

Week Four is HASS Week. The Library has developed a series of informative digital presentations for our students. From The Great Reset to philosophical questioning of the way in which we amass knowledge and information, these presentations should interest our students and encourage them to think about the world around them.

Lego Club is proving to be a magnet for our students with many coming to build, or watch the build in awe. Furthermore, we are proving to be a haven for a whole new clutch of eager readers as our Year 7 students stream into the Library to read at recess and lunchtime. My heart warms to see so many students trotting into the Library, with a book in hand, to read whenever they can.

Homework Club is becoming busy. Teachers are available after School until 4.30pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to support students with their learning. On Wednesday afternoon I am in the Library until it closes. I am able to help students across all their humanities subjects. I have teaching experience to ATAR level in English, Literature, History, Politics and Law and Art. Students needing support with writing are encouraged to ask for help, as it can make a substantial difference to their ultimate results in the ATAR.

My own reading has been varied with yet another nonfiction book, Red Notice by Bill Browder. This is a confronting story of money, corruption and murder in Russia. As an antidote to this I also read John Galsworthy’s The Forsyte Saga. This is an old favourite as I enjoy the prospect of many volumes exploring the development of this story through the twentieth century. I have also started East West Street by Philippe Sands and The Ash Garden by Dennis Bock. It is interesting as both books explore the consequences of the second world war, one nonfiction and the other fiction. Together, let us read.

Dr Annette Pedersen Library Services Coordinator

Around the School

Inter-House Swimming Carnival

Division Sportsmanship Award Winner

U/13 Alec Farrell

U/14 Lorelei Barnes-Smith

U/15 Eli Holbeach

U/16 Sophia Warren

Open James Claricoates

St George’s joined the ACC in 2017 and since then we are proud of our swimming alumni that has been responsible in advancing our school from I-Division up into E-Division.

What an amazing day we all had our 2023 Inter-House Swimming Carnival. The Claremont Aquatics Pool was a fantastic venue, which we have already been able to secure for our 2024 carnival. It enabled us to demonstrate our wonderful spirit of “togetherness” alongside the healthy inter house rivalry.

We saw some incredible swimming techniques and determination in the pool.

Our Sync Swim event was most entertaining, and we congratulate everyone that was there on the day and made the day such a success!

Thank you also to the many parents and supporters who came to be part of the carnival.

Overall House Result:

Sync Swim Result:

1st Mandela

2nd Gandhi

3rd Lincoln

Division Champion Runner-Up

U/13 Girls Kareen Brien Ameesha Brien

U/13 Boys Thomas Marco Alec Farrell

U/14 Girls Brooke McKeon Keira Bradley

U/14 Boys Marcus Owen Sam Fletcher

U/15 Girls Anouk Potter Alyssa Peake

U/15 Boys Benjamin Manning Daniel Lim

U/16 Girls Amelie McKeon Joss Walker

U/16 Boys Campbell Bradley Owen Lane

Open Girls Katherine Trager Milla Howard

Kyan Ambrosio

This year will see the team compete at HBF Stadium’s indoor pool on Monday 20 March and we wish our swimmers all the best at the ACC Carnival.

The Carnival will be lived streamed and more information will be sent out closer to the date.

Competitors are encouraged to attend morning swim training which takes place every Monday and Wednesday mornings at Trinity Pool, 6.30am.

Ms Jodie Scheele Head of HPE

Announcing the ACC Swim Team

This Year St George’s will participate the in E-Division ACC Swimming Carnival which will be held at HBF Stadium on Monday, 20 March.

Open Boys

Jared Moro

William Owen Austin Aggiss

Please see the full team list on the next page.

Kareena Brien

Ameesha Brien

Isabel Callaghan

Lola Lyon

Brooke McKeon

Keira Bradley

Lia Watters

Scarlett Momberg

Mia Starkie

Anouk Potter

Alyssa Peake

Eva Callaghan

Holly Evans

Amelie McKeon

Joss Walker

Ava Watters

Lara Jones

Katherine Trager

Milla Howard

Hannah Seymour

Audrey Hunt

Under 13

Thomas Marco

Alec Farrell

Denison Ransom

Lucan McAuliffe

Under 14

Marcus Owen

Sam Fletcher

Oliver Lam

Rafael Milner

Elijah Moss

Under 15

Benjamin Manning

Daniel Lim

Sebastian Munday

Adam Lazarevski

Under 16

Owen Lane

Campbell Bradley

Benjamin Humphreys

Jay Kapica

Open

Kyan Ambrosio

Jared Moro

William Owen

Samuel Beck

ACC Championship Basketball

Week 5 Basketball Fixtures:

Tuesday 28 February St George’s Year 7-9 Girls Team vs Mercy College

Tuesday 28 February St George’s Year 7-9 Boys Team vs Aranmore Catholic College

Wednesday 1 March St George’s Year 10-12 Boys Team vs JSR

Fremantle Arts Centre - The Arrival

Our Senior Boys competed in their first round of the ACC Championship Basketball Round Robin on Wednesday 22 February at St Andrew’s Grammar School. It was a tight match with St George’s going down in the final minute, 49-47, but great signs for their future matches.

We wish our teams all the very best in the next round of fixtures.

On Tuesday and Wednesday the Year 9 students met with Anna Hardy, from the Fremantle Literature Centre, participating in a tailored workshop that explored Shaun Tan’s graphic novel, The Arrival, building on work completed on graphic novel conventions and reflecting on the way Shaun Tan used those conventions to encourage readers to empathise with migrants and migrant experiences.

This is a powerful text, for the times we live in, and one that our students have made some very interesting and relevant observations of.

Mr Damian Kerrigan Head of English and Languages

Anglicare Ambassador Launch

On Wednesday 22 November, the 2023 St George’s Student Anglicare Ambassadors gathered at Christ Church Grammar School Chapel, in Claremont, for the Anglicare Ambassadors’ Launch.

This event offered the Ambassadors an opportunity to learn more about a non-government organization, Anglicare, that supports people in need; to meet other Ambassadors from all Anglican school in WA; check out the Street Connect Bus and receive an

Ms Jodie Scheele Head of HPE

Ms Jodie Scheele Head of HPE

This year, Anglicare Ambassadors will lead all the fund-raising activities in our school. They will also raise the profile of Anglicare, inside and outside our school, and they will develop their internal service compass for their own futures.

Mr Ryan McBride Religion Teacher

Feet First Collective: Anne Bogart Workshop

Art and Architecture

Year 9 Visual Art students are currently exploring concepts of home and place.

As part of this process, we are focusing on architecture as our subject matter and learning a range of different drawing techniques and skills.

The Year 12 ATAR and APEx Drama students had the opportunity to work with Feet First Collective to develop their understanding of Physical theatre through Anne Bogart’s Viewpoints.

The workshop co-ordinators Teresa and Sam provided the students with insight into devising and applying physical approaches in their rehearsal process and written responses. Their bespoke approach to Bogarts philosophy encouraged the students to become bolder and more enthralled as the workshop progressed.

In this workshop, the students focused on developing Bogarts physical viewpoints of tempo, duration, repetition, kinaesthetic response, spatial relationships, topography, shape, gesture and architecture and then further explored these viewpoints in their group performance during class.

After conducting a class reading and developing contextual research, the ATAR students will soon begin to realise their performance of the World Text ‘Endgame’ by the absurdist playwriter Samuel Beckett.

APEx Students will be taking note of the skillset they develop in this workshop for a semester two application, as they identify the differences between realism and non-realism approaches.

After this workshop, students were eager to create more stylised movements and identify where they could extend upon their practitioner application.

We look forward to inviting Teresa and Sam back in Week 5 and beyond to continue their workshopping with the students.

Miss Jessica McGaw Coordinator of Drama and Dance

Last Friday, we visited the Bell Tower and the Supreme Court House and spent time sketching different aspects of architecture we observed in real life. Despite many students feeling tired after the Swimming Carnival, everyone enjoyed the fresh air and found the experience of sketching with real sun light very informative.

Miss Mia Kelly

Visual Art and Design Teacher

2023 School Production Auditions

Over the past few weeks, students have been busy preparing for their auditions for the 2023 Production of “Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic” by Matt Cox.

Audition 1: Improvisation

On Wednesday 15 February, students attended their first of two auditions which explored the application of improvisation and collaborative skills. Students took part in a whole cast warm-up titled “I Wonder…”, which asked students to use kinaesthetic awareness and collaborative skills to walk through the space exploring various tempo.

Anglicare Ambassadors badge.

Students were then provided with prompts to create improvised tableaus in randomised groups. Some tableaus included: a potion, sorting hat, mermaid, a certain castle and Mr Voldy.

Following this, the students were split into randomised groups and given a group improvisation to create, which explored: setting, character(s) and actions. Students had 15 minutes to create an engaging improvisation that explores their task. They then performed their improvisation to an audience and had the chance to showcase their incredible characterisations. Some of the memorable lines from these improvisations included:

“We can’t because we’ll get copyrighted”. “You must dieeee!”

“Ratifyyyyy!”

“Dancifyyy!”

“When life gives you lemonade… make lemons”.

“This is why students come to this school, not for the lemonade, but for the Cedric”.

“Was that my eye that just rolled under the desk, or my dignity”.

“Yas Meg YASSSS!”

“Ow! *Grabs forehead* He’s back!”

“Expect the unexpected!”

Audition 2: Monologues

Students were also tasked to learn one or two of the provided monologues to perform individually at a set performance timeslot.

To say I was blown away, is an understatement… Students displayed an impressive showcase of individuality, creativity, and commitment during these monologue auditions. They all took control of this opportunity to showcase their talent and did not hold back. Even when tasked with spontaneous improvisations at the end of their monologue (that may have included rolling around the floor, wafting through the space and performing elaborate cartwheels), the students took onboard all challenges willingly and performed with zest and spirit.

As the auditions ended on Friday 17 February, it became very clear how challenging the casting process was going to be. Students showcased eclectic talent which could be applied to any character

in the text. It is an absolute pleasure to have the opportunity to cast from such a high standard of auditions.

I am looking forward to working with the selected cast, creative team and backstage crew to develop this magical production. Full the full cast list click here

If students would like to get involved this year, we are still hoping to find more backstage crew and creative team members.

Miss Jessica McGaw Coordinator of Drama and Dance

Outdoor Education

This term has been a busy term in Outdoor Education. We have been lucky enough to use the city as our teaching space. All students have been very enthusiastic, and all have been working well in class.

Year 9s are learning how-to Stand-Up Paddleboard at Matilda Bay in Term One and developing their Orienteering skills at Elizabeth Quay in Term Two.

Year 10s are taking part in the fun and challenging sport of Indoor Rock Climbing at Adrenaline Vault, Belmont in Term One, and will jump on their Mountain Bikes in Term Two where they will ride from Elizabeth Quay around the city developing their endurance, core strength, balance and bike handling skills.

Dates for the diary:

Year 9 and 10

State Orienteering

Year 9

Orienteering Excursion

Year 10

Mountain Bike Excursion

Venue TBC

Kalamunda

Dwellingup

Yip Yip Circus Workshop

Wednesday 7 June 8:30am - 3:30pm

Thursday 23 June 8:30am - 4:00pm

Thursday 27 July 8:15am - 5:00pm

This year we have welcomed back Yip Yip Circus to continue to provide students with immersive and creative experiences. On Friday 17 February, the Year 7 Drama students had the opportunity to work with Marinus, a circus skills expert, to develop their

physical comedy and circus skills. It was great to see everyone engaged and excited about the performances and activities.

Dance Company Auditions

Yip Yip is a theatre company that specialises in interactive performances for young people. Throughout the incursion, students explored the art of physical comedy and storytelling and how it can be brought to life through physical movement, props, and expression. Students learned how to use circus props, their bodies and their voices to create different characters and convey emotions.

Students then worked together in groups to create their own unique performances, using the techniques they have learned over the past three weeks. It was incredible to see the creativity and imagination of our students, and I’m sure we have some budding playwrights among us.

Overall, I hope this incursion inspired students to explore the art of physical comedy further. Drama is all about expressing ourselves and connecting with others through performance, and today’s experience was a perfect example of that.

Thank you to Yip Yip for sharing their talent with us and giving us a workshop to remember. I look forward to welcoming them back for the next cohort of Year 7 drama students and I can’t wait to see what stories the students all create in the future for their upcoming performance assessment.

Miss Jessica McGaw & Mrs Lynette Taylor Dance and Drama

The 2023 Dance Company auditions took place on 17 February during lunchtime in the Drama Room. The turnout was beyond impressive, as 38 passionate dancers blew everyone away with their level of talent and enthusiasm.

The audition process was rigorous, and each dancer had the opportunity to showcase their skills and demonstrate their passion for dance. Students had 15 minutes to learn an advanced Hip Hop phrase which tested their coordination, rhythmic and collaborative skills. It was impressive to watch the diversity of the dancers, and the creativity and individuality of their performances.

I want to thank each and every student who participated in the auditions. The level of dedication and passion for dance that was showcased was truly inspiring. I appreciate the time and effort that you put into preparing for the auditions, and I know that the decision to audition can be a nerve-racking one.

Due to the large amount of interest this year, I am pleased to announce that there will be two Dance Company groups for 2023:

Monday 7:10am-8:15am: Lyrical/Liturgical

Tuesday 7:10am-8:15am: Advanced Hip Hop

Students were asked complete a poll via TEAMS to select one of these groups to attend.

I am very much looking forward to working with such positive and encouraging young dancers this year. Dance Company for 2023 is going to be amazing!

Miss Jessica McGaw Coordinator of Drama and Dance