Ammonite | Semester 2, 2019

SEMESTER TWO

CONTENTS The Sustainability Issue In this edition of Ammonite we highlight the wonderful sustainability initiatives that are happening in and around the School, along with other stories from the St Hilda’s community.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL Dear St Hilda’s Community

From the Principal

2

From the Council

4

World’s Greatest Shave

6

Lids4Kids 7 Synchronising in Slovakia

8

Science in Shantou

9

Plant, grow, harvest, cook and share

10

A Feast for the Eyes

12

Clean Up Australia

14

Greenbatch Partnership

15

Shark Bay

16

Friendology 18 Beautiful Boy

20

Year 6 Hoodies

22

A Soaring Production

24

I Gave Up

26

Author in Residence

28

Solar Installation

30

2019 Sport Recap

32

Q&A with Mia Lovelady

34

The Best Medicine

36

St Hilda’s P&F Report

37

Old Scholars’ Advice

38

During my commencement in January, I shared with the St Hilda’s community my belief that collaboration is the most powerful weapon in modern education.

This year I have been driven to work strategically with the School Council, staff, students and community to together ‘Dare to Dream Big’, building on St Hilda’s history of excellence and leading the way in girls’ education.

In Term 3 we commenced an 18-month journey to determine St Hilda’s next strategic direction and 2020 Action Plans.

We have reflected deeply to develop an understanding of the St Hilda’s experience. Our next steps will be to determine our aspirational goals and the actions we need to implement to achieve them. Through a series of surveys in Semester 2 all members of our community were invited to provide us with valuable feedback on many aspects of our School. Staff and student forums were held in Term 4 and parent sessions are scheduled for Semester 1 in 2020.

In preparation for the future, a newly established 2020 School Leadership Structure has been developed. It was presented and approved by School Council in Term 2 and shared with staff in Term 3. The 2020 Leadership Team

has been assembled to specifically drive our next Strategic Intent (2021 – 2025) and our School’s Action Plans, with the key focus of ensuring St Hilda’s strategic goals become a reality.

Central to the review of our School Leadership Team was a structure to support strategy and best sustain our goals to offer exceptional educational experiences and opportunities for our girls.

The key purpose of the School Leadership Team re-structure is to:• Further consolidate St Hilda’s position as a leader in girls’ education; • Strengthen the educational and cocurricular opportunities and experiences for our current students and future students; • Increase St Hilda’s desirability to families in an increasingly competitive school market; • Improve efficiency of the school operations and increase the performance capacity of each individual; and • Generate long term business sustainability and ongoing engagement strategies.

Our new 2020 Leadership Structure reflects leading educational models with an appropriate balance of education and business at an executive level. Our re-structure allowed us to actively recruit the skill set, expertise and visionary leadership needed to successfully deliver St Hilda’s next Strategic Plan, with a balance of internal promotions, supporting a culture of people growth, and external appointments.

We are currently drafting a School Reconciliation Plan and have appointed Mr Matt Berry (Head of Outdoor Education) as our Indigenous Liaison Coordinator. This role is pivotal in working closely with our Director of Boarding in overseeing regional and remote visits in April - June next year. Key to this role will also be oversight of our student selection process, ensuring that the girls chosen are positioned to flourish and make the most of a St Hilda’s education.

St Hilda’s girls are committed to making a difference in the world and will continue to be a generation of young women looking for post schooling pathways which allow them to make a positive impact in some way. They are ecoconscious and concerned about humanity’s impact on the environment.

They are a pleasure to engage with and exude warmth and kindness. Our School’s values of Excellence, Inclusion, Respect and Justice continue to guide our girls as they develop into young women who aspire to be their personal best.

I would like to thank our graduating Class of 2019 for their leadership this year under the exceptional guidance of Chloe Fretwell, our Head Girl and our School

Officials. We will miss your energy, spirit and passion. You will always be special to me as my first Year 12 seniors.

I know you will always stand tall as St Hilda’s graduates. As you commence your adult lives remember to surround yourself with people that bring out the best in you. Try to find something you love as you enter a fast paced and ever changing workforce. In the coming years, know that you will bring diversity to the workplace. Learn to embrace change as it will be a huge part of your future. You will be fuelling entrepreneurialism and continually learning, unlearning and relearning. You have so much to offer and as an employer of Millennials, I’m excited by what you will bring to the workforce.

Thank you to our Junior School girls and Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten boys for allowing me to be a part of your learning this year. There have been many proud moments when you have challenged yourself, exceeded your expectations and learnt something new. Your smiling faces and eagerness to engage with me has been a personal highlight of the year.

It has been a privilege to lead the St Hilda’s Academic, Operational and Boarding Staff. We are gifted with a highly accomplished and dedicated teaching staff who bring expertise and a love of learning to our School community.

I am frequently overwhelmed by the pride and dedication you all have in your work. You go above and beyond to provide excellent learning experiences for our girls. Thank you to all of the

Administrative and Operational staff for all that you do behind the scenes to support teaching and learning. We are blessed with a beautiful learning environment and a team of staff who enable teaching and learning at the core of all that we do.

Thank you to members of our Parents’ and Friends’ Association, led by their President Sally Vasudavan, our Parent Representatives, Parent Volunteers and Support Groups for giving so generously of their time to support, fund and assist the School in many endeavours throughout the year. It has been a joy to work alongside Treffina Dowland as President of The Old Scholars Association (OSA) this year. The OSA continues to foster opportunities for St Hilda’s graduates to continue lifelong friendships and establish professional networks.

I would finally like to thank and acknowledge the support, guidance and wisdom of our School Council, in particular Nita Peploe (Council Chair) and Murray Johns (Deputy Chair). Great governance is the foundation of all successful organisations and it is through the generosity of their time, resources, skills and expertise that St Hilda’s is able to achieve our objectives and drive continual improvement.

Yours faithfully Mrs Fiona Johnston

3 AMMONITE 2019

I was delighted to share with our School community our renewed commitment to providing scholarship opportunities to Indigenous girls at St Hilda’s in 2021. Throughout 2019, our Director of Boarding, Mrs Rachel Stenslunde and I, re-established Indigenous partnerships and conducted several school and university visits in preparation for reintroducing Indigenous scholarships to girls. We are pleased to be working in partnership with Madalah, a non-forprofit organisation that specialises in offering financial support to rural and remote indigenous children during their secondary and tertiary years of schooling.

This year I have had the joy of developing a deeper understanding of what makes a St Hilda’s girl confident, courageous and eloquent. After journeying with our girls through 2019, there are a number of things I know. Our students are a generation of strong young women who are optimistic about the future, hard-working and creative. They are still children at heart and their adult characteristics are yet to be fully developed. They are increasingly selfaware, self-reliant and goal-orientated.

They are highly educated and inquisitive.

FROM THE COUNCIL The School Council update in this edition provides an opportunity for reflection on another busy year for St Hilda’s, filled with many outstanding achievements and strategic intent.

In 2019, School Council has worked closely with our Principal, Mrs Fiona Johnston, as she has settled into a busy first year leading and guiding St Hilda’s. We have been excited and enthused by Fiona’s energy as she has immersed herself in our community, culture and traditions, whilst analysing our strengths and weaknesses. Fiona has now completed her probationary employment term and School Council is grateful for and acknowledges her dedication and commitment to St Hilda’s, and anticipates positive outcomes in the years ahead.

4

Back (L to R): Ms Margaret Nadebaum, Mr Joshua Thomson SC, Mrs Kate Owenell Middle (L to R): Mrs Sally Vasudavan, Mr Paul Ostergaard, Mrs Treffina Dowland Front (L to R): Mr Douglas Craig, Ms Nita Peploe, Mr Murray Johns Absent: Mr Robert Breden, Prof. Deborah Terry AO, Mrs Anu van Hattem

As many of you have personally witnessed, the schedule of a St Hilda’s Principal is highly demanding and exhausting, including early morning starts and late evenings, leading and participating in countless meetings, functions and events. We thank both Fiona and her family for their continued dedication to St Hilda’s and are pleased the Johnston family is enjoying being part of our community and all that our West Australian lifestyle has to offer. We also thank our community for the kind

words and actions which are regularly conveyed in supporting our Principal in her inaugural year of leadership at our School.

An important component of Council’s work this year has involved collaboration with the Principal in approving a new Leadership Structure for 2020. The new structure reflects global best practice and provides the Principal with the resources and skills necessary to achieve our strategic goals. We look forward to working with the new leadership team as we strive to continuously improve, innovate and consolidate our reputation of excellence, and increase opportunities and personal outcomes for our students and staff. Thank you to all in our community who are assisting with formulating the future direction of St Hilda’s by providing valued feedback via surveys and forums. It is a wonderful opportunity to be involved with the next chapter of our School and I encourage all to contribute where possible.

Council has also worked closely this year with our School Foundation in recognising the importance of the School’s economic future, including our ability to continually invest in major capital works and educational programs when faced with an uncertain government funding model.

A newly appointed Director of School Development and Philanthropy has been made possible by the support of the School Foundation. We thank our Foundation President, Jo Lester, and all members of the School Foundation, for their prudent deliberations and investment in the future of our School.

Our Finance Committee, chaired by

Our Buildings and Grounds Committee, chaired by Murray Johns, has been exceptionally busy focusing on the physical environment our staff and students utilise every day. The summer break will see the transformation of the remaining senior boarding areas into a brighter contemporary living environment. These works will complete the two year investment program in our Boarding House. All works are scheduled to be ready for our boarding community on day one of Term 1, 2020.

Much of the Committee’s work this year has been on our new Master Plan which was formulated and shared with our

community in 2018. The Committee continues to work through the Local Development Plan process with the Town of Mosman Park, to enable the execution of our Master Plan. We anticipate announcing the next phase of our capital works priorities during the course of 2020.

It is pleasing to witness increasing engagement with our brother school, Christ Church Grammar School. From the Early Learning Centre through to our senior students, our staff and parent groups, a wide variety of interactions and learnings are being enjoyed by many.

At a Council level, we have continued to work on strategic opportunities for St Hilda’s with Christ Church and, in Term 3, we hosted the Christ Church School Council in the PAC foyer for a collaborative evening resulting in mutually beneficial discussions. This event will become embedded in our Council calendar and we look forward to collaborating with Christ Church in the future for the benefit of both schools.

As the School year draws to a close, our thoughts and well wishes are with our Year 12 students and their loved ones as they undertake their final school examinations and assessments

Personally, I have had the privilege of witnessing the schooling journey of many of the 2019 graduating class, from their beginnings at our Chidley campus or junior years at Bay View, to the confident, compassionate and impressive young women they now are.

We wish them well for their future plans and aspirations as they embark on their independent adult lives and look forward to following their future contributions to our wider community and society.

Finally, on behalf of School Council, I wish all in our community health, happiness and enjoyment for the upcoming end of year holiday period and thank you for choosing to be part of St Hilda’s.

Ms Nita Peploe Council Chair

5 AMMONITE 2019

School Council is committed to best practice and continuous improvement.

Our Governance Committee, chaired

by Margaret Nadebaum, continually reviews our governance policies and practices to ensure effective strategic oversight of the School. Governance is in the process of finalising a Council Nomination and Appointment Policy which seeks to provide a vibrant and effective Council with the appropriate balance of skills, experience, diversity and tenure. Already, to ensure diversity, we are guided by a Skills Matrix when reviewing the professional expertise and contribution of current and prospective Council members. Council operates under a clear Code of Conduct to ensure the absence of perceived or actual conflicts of interests in our discussions and deliberations. We have recently conducted a rigorous board evaluation process to critique our decision-making processes and board diversity, and Council members undertake personal professional development to remain informed of best practice educational governance issues.

Douglas Craig, continues to oversee the School’s fiscal position with professional rigour. Our most recent annual benchmarking review against like schools has reaffirmed our strong financial base. This enables the School to continue its commitment of prioritising resources to our holistic educational activities whilst driving efficiencies with our administrative activities. A recent consolidation of non-core assets has enabled the School to better direct resources to achieving our purpose of providing a vibrant school community for our students. Most significantly, after an historic period of major capital investment at our Bay View Campus which has provided our 50m Pool, Performing Arts Centre and Science Centre, the School is now in the enviable position of being debt free and looks towards the future with confidence and certainty.

#

6

WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE Written by Shani Chalumuri Community Service Captain

The World’s Greatest Shave has always been a highly anticipated and requested event at St Hilda’s, however I was still blown away by the enthusiasm and support shown by the girls this year.

Right now, more than 110,000 Australians are living with blood cancer or related disorders.

All proceeds raised from the World’s Greatest Shave support families facing these issues and fund research into helping more people survive blood cancers like lymphoma, leukaemia and myeloma. To fundraise this year, we organised a 5-cent coin drive in order to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation and I’m proud to say that through this student run initiative, we have raised $565.45! This was a fun way

to use your loose change for a good cause and the girls were more than excited to dig through the depths of their couches to find those pesky 5-cent coins.

On top of this, the nine Year 12 students who participated in this event raised a whopping $1,400. Each of them donated well over 20 cm of hair, which will be transformed into wigs for those with cancer. As daunting as it was to part with our hair, we were still eager to help this important cause and ended up with some very chic hairstyles just in time for Mocks. I hope that our work has brought a sense of normalcy into the lives of those affected with this heartbreaking illness and the solidarity shown by the students of St Hilda’s was amazing to see.

Thank you to Molly from MA Hair Artists for donating her time to cut the hair and well done to the girls!

LIDS4KIDS 7

The Community Service Committee was made aware of the Lids4Kids initiative by Year 3 student Alyssa Galati.

“At home we have been collecting lids for about three months now. Mum says we have about 72 in our ginormous bowl” said Alyssa.

At Envision, lids are cleaned and sorted into colours before they are shredded and fed through an extruder, creating a filament that can be used in 3D printing to create plastic prosthetics, like hands.

AMMONITE 2019

In Term 3, the Junior School Community Service Committee announced they would begin supporting Lids4Kids, an initiative aimed at collecting plastic bottle lids which will then be turned into mobility aids for child amputees

by Australian not-for-profit group, Envision.

“I think it is important because kids who can’t pick up things easily can use these hands to do it. They go into a machine and that shapes the lids.”

Bottle caps are fully recyclable, however, are not recycled in Australia. Supporting Lids4Kids has allowed the Community Service Committee to not only be environmentally friendly, but contribute to changing the lives of disabled children in developing countries.

The Junior School Community Service Committee has collected over 2000 lids so far from both campuses and hopes to continue running this program into 2020.

SYNCHRONISING IN SLOVAKIA At the 2019 FINA World Youth Artistic Swimming Championships held in Slovakia in September, Year 10 student Georgia Brown along with her teammates achieved a personal best score for Australia in the age group.

8

Now at the beginning of her third competitive season of synchronised swimming, Georgia got into the sport by attending a Synchro WA ’Come and Try’ Synchronised Swimming event. Loving it so much, she joined the West Coast Splash Synchronised Swimming Club.

“In my age group, competitive artistic swimming consists of two parts: Routine and Figures” explains Georgia.

“Routine is the team event where the team swims together. Figures is an individual competition that tests each swimmer’s technical elements. Athletes have to nominate for National Team selection and selection is based on the nominated athlete’s Figures results at the Australian Open.”

After the National Team was chosen, they immediately started training at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. Georgia attended further training camps during school holidays, trained twice a week with the WA National Team and continued swimming and training with her own club in the lead up to representing her country in Slovakia.

“I feel privileged to have represented Australia.

Seeing all the other countries arrive at the training

pool was when it all sunk in and I couldn’t quite believe it! It was an amazing experience that I will never forget.”

Asking what Georgia’s future in Synchronised Swimming entails, she explains that “I expect synchronised swimming will be in my future! With Years 11 and 12 coming up, I will not be trialling for National Team selection as the training and competition commitments are largely during Term time, but I intend to remain competitive through my club. We are currently training for the 2020 Australian Open which will be in Perth. As I will be turning 16 next year, I can also start coaching, and once I finish school… who knows!”

The Hancock Prospecting Artistic Swimming Championships (Australian Open) will run from 1 April to 6 April 2020 at HBF Stadium.

Congratulations to Georgia for making the National Team and representing Australia with pride at the prestigious competition.

SCIENCE IN SHANTOU Year 12 student Stephanie Harrington grew up as a very curious kid, always asking questions about the world. Despite developing a love for science at a young age, it wasn’t until Year 7 when she realised Science was actually helping to make sense of these questions.

This passion and depth of knowledge for science which has continued throughout Senior school was made evident when Stephanie was selected as one of only eight Australian students to attend the 2019 Asian Science Camp in Shantou – Guangdong, China.

Taking part from 28 July to 3 August, the Asian Science Camp brought together 200+ students from Asia and Oceania in celebration of science and friendship.

The camp provided a rare opportunity of knowledge sharing sessions by Nobel Laureates and world-class researchers along with interactive and hands-on discussions and activities.

Each day of the camp consisted of 4 90 minute long lectures. Students also completed a group project which they presented on the final day.

“Our group looked at how to securely integrate AI into the healthcare system which was fascinating and unique” says Stephanie.

“With 253 students attending the camp from 28 countries, I made lots of friends as well as hearing from some amazing Professors. I particularly enjoyed listening to Professor Thomas Chang, who invented artificial cells which can be used for blood substitutes such as emergency blood transfusions or stem cell therapy.”

Although Stephanie is still deciding on what career path she’d like to go down, studying Chemistry and Physics in Year 12 has been influential in leaning her towards a science or engineering pathway.

9 AMMONITE 2019

“OUR GROUP LOOKED AT HOW TO SECURELY INTEGRATE AI INTO THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WHICH WAS FASCINATING AND UNIQUE”

10

Lykke Honnens and Eva Carlberg Environmental Committee

11 AMMONITE 2019

PLANT, GROW, HARVEST, COOK AND SHARE

Recently Dave Ricci, Chidley Maintenance, completed a redevelopment of the Junior School vegetable garden. This provided the opportunity for the Environment Committee to embrace the sustainability practices of gardening.

Students planted a vegetable garden consisting of basil, baby spinach, tomatoes, capsicum, beans, rosemary, parsley and lemongrass, with the intentions of using some of the harvested produce to make delicious pizzas.

This project based on the slow food

movement enabled the students to plant, grow, harvest, cook and share the crops. A working worm farm provided the nutrients for plants which allowed recycling of organic waste.

Lunchtime gardening sessions required the committee members to supervise younger students to plant, water, weed, prune and harvest the vegetable garden.

This popular lunchtime activity provided an opportunity for different year levels to come together, share a common interest and enjoy eating fresh produce straight from the plant.

A FEAST FOR THE EYES Our Food Science and Technology Students create food which is brightly coloured, made of all the freshest produce, radiates delicious aromas and fills a room with flavour.

12

Could this be the world’s healthiest pizza?

Claire Metcalf sharing her knowledge of food styling.

13 AMMONITE 2019

In Years 11 and 12 Food Science and Technology is offered as a General course at St Hilda’s, with students studying a range of topics from wet and dry processing techniques to nutrition and health issues, and more recently, food styling, photography and advertising.

fashion, food and homewares stylist, and St Hilda’s mother, Claire Metcalf.

Class teacher, Colleen Mayer, recounts, “It was wonderful having Claire in as a professional stylist explaining to the students all the tricks of the trade with food styling”.

The students were asked to create and style a dish, then take photos to be turned into some form of advertisement, such as a billboard or a magazine cover. To guide this process St Hilda’s called in the help of

Students enjoy the course particularly the practical component where they are devising, adapting and cooking every week. And what’s even better than cooking food? Eating it!

CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA

“We all did our small part to help make the world a little cleaner...”

Towards the end of Term 3, a group of Senior School girls gave up their time to participate in a Clean Up Australia event along the Freshwater Bay foreshore.

Initiated by the Environmental club, the event drew together girls who are passionate about key environmental issues such as loss of biodiversity, marine conservation and waste management.

14

“As school students, we are in such a position of privilege but there isn’t always an awful lot we can do in issues that seem too big to tackle,” Nicoletta Hay in Year 11.

“The environment is such a foundational element of our society but is often neglected. We all did our small part to help make the world a little cleaner, something so vital for us youth to take part in, given that we are the ones who will be living with the repercussions of the actions of the many in regard to our environment and the climate.”

Discovering most of the litter was in the water, the girls took off their shoes without hesitation and entered the shallow water, collecting mostly plastic items, plus the unexpected larger items of a crab net and the head of a spade.

Year 12 student and co-captain of the Environmental Club, Bridget Smith, explained that what she found most disturbing was “How unrecognisable the plastic was in the water. Some of the pollution looked all too much like seaweed and rocks, and it has given us all a new appreciation for the struggle that the local marine life must go through to avoid ingesting these harmful materials.”

Clean Up Australia has continued to grow over the last 30 years and encourages the younger generations to get involved through their School and Youth Group Programs.

GREENBATCH PARTNERSHIP

plastic containers and turn them into 3D printing filament.

After hearing about this, various departments at the Senior School including Science, Maintenance and the Environmental Committee invited Greenbatch to speak at assembly. Shortly after their insightful presentation, our partnership with Greenbatch began and two brightly coloured purple and green bins were placed around the Senior School. This partnership aimed to not only educate the girls about the enormity of plastic waste in Australia, but also reduce the School’s ecological footprint and save plastic from entering landfills and oceans.

To continue raising awareness about waste and the importance of the 4 R’s (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) the Environmental Club ran two stalls on September 6. The first stall sold secondhand clothes which were kindly donated to the school community and the girls were very excited by the bargains on offer such as bags, jeans and faux fur jackets. The second stall sold an array of beautifully crafted homemade beeswax wraps created by Year 7 students Brodie Rowand and Tilly Noble.

The stalls raised a combined total of $418 which went towards the school’s Greenbatch Recycling Program and other future environmental initiatives.

The Greenbatch School Recycling Program aims at giving waste plastic a new life and help save the environment, one bottle at a time.

Find out more about Greenbatch at www.greenbatch.com

15 AMMONITE 2019

“BY 2050, THERE WILL BE MORE PLASTIC IN THE OCEAN THAN FISH”

Determined to reverse this, recent start up and local Perth Company, Greenbatch, are building WA’s first plastic reprocessing plant. With no local plastic reprocessing facilities, the plastic we place in our recycling bins is currently sold by the tonne to an overseas market, with only a small portion being recycled.

If the proposed ban on exports of our waste is implemented, it will be a requirement for Australia to keep this waste onshore. The recycling plant being built by Greenbatch will help reduce the amount of plastic being sent to landfill.

Through offering drop off days to the public and partnering with schools, Greenbatch aims to collect old PET

SHARK BAY

16

In the first week of the October holidays a group of 12 students and staff undertook an adventure of a lifetime, sea kayaking the entire length of Dirk Hartog Island in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area.

The group started their paddle from the Western most point of the Australian mainland, Steep Point. They paddled across to the island and spent the next week paddling up the Eastern

side of the island carrying all of their supplies in their kayaks. They had some of the most unbelievable wildlife interactions and were immersed in a coastal environment that few people experience. Some of the highlights included getting up close to Dugongs, feeding Manta Rays, and encounters with sea snakes, dozens of turtles, whales, dolphins and countless sharks.

17

AMMONITE 2019

FRIENDOLOGY There are four important facts to remember about friendship when growing up and moving through School.

These include: - No friendship is perfect - Every friendship is different

18

- Trust and respect are the two most important qualities of friendship - Friendships change…and that’s OK! These four facts derive from a program titled ‘Friendology.’ This year, we introduced the ‘Friendology’ program at St Hilda’s to students in Years 5-8, using interactive and collaborative sessions on navigating friendship, based on the curriculum from URSTRONG. The program has been tailored to begin with Year 5 students as not only is it an entry year, but it also provides the appropriate amount of time to teach these skills leading up to the transition into the Senior School. Continuing the program through to Year 8 also gives new students arriving to the Senior School at Year 7 an opportunity to learn these skills.

This year, the girls had the opportunity to work with girls in their year group as well as girls in other years.

For example, Year 8s visited the Junior School campus to perform friendship role-plays to the Year 6 girls. They covered friendship skills such as

assessing the healthiness of a friendship, how to talk out ‘friendship fire’ and what to do when you experience “mean on purpose behaviour” along with techniques on using quick comebacks to let someone know their behaviour is not okay. These role-plays align closely with the main criteria of the program and Year 6s gained valuable insight and advice from girls who have already made the transition from Junior to Senior School, learning how this plays a role in friendship dynamics.

Millie McLeod, our Junior School Psychologist for Years 4-6 emphasises that the rationale behind the program is “Recognising that striving towards attaining healthy friendships is a key component in contributing to wellbeing in our girls at St Hilda’s.”

As we look to develop this program further in the coming years, it is important to note that the program will be catered and altered to each year group depending on group dynamics. The Friendology program is just one of our many initiatives centred on wellbeing and gives the girls an opportunity for in-depth discussions on a topic not often found in textbooks; social and emotional development.

19 AMMONITE 2019

- NO FRIENDSHIP IS PERFECT - EVERY FRIENDSHIP IS DIFFERENT - TRUST AND RESPECT ARE THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT QUALITIES OF FRIENDSHIP - FRIENDSHIPS CHANGE…AND THAT’S OK!

BEAUTIFUL BOY Mrs Barrett explains how the Year 10 Media Class produced the music video for Charlotte Sharrin’s original song.

20

After witnessing Charlotte Sharrin perform her original song Beautiful Boy at an assembly, my Year 10 Media students came to class acutely moved by the emotion, sophistication and impact of the song; it was very obvious that each class member was experiencing something unique.

As the conversation continued, the question was asked ‘Is there a music video for the song on YouTube?’ and after a very quick search, we discovered an audio-only recording Charlotte had uploaded. It was decided that a music video might be the perfect way to promote Charlotte’s talent, as well as continue to further spread her message to the world. At this point, the students jumped out of their seats and proposed a change to the focus of the course. As a class we could produce, direct, film, edit and premiere a music video for Charlotte. Charlotte could then have this as a marketing and promotional tool to build momentum around this song and showcase her talent. I was thrilled by this suggestion and reworked the two-period Media course to be a production-based, workshop-style experience where the students are assessed on event management skills, production skills and team collaboration skills.

As the class is made up of only 6 students, the production logistics could be managed quite simply. Each student specialised in a production role and assisted in a secondary role. In my role as Executive Producer, I was able to oversee the entire production and ensure roles and production values were executed to their best abilities. The class dynamics were constantly inspired and productive; the type of synergy that only occurs in a classroom context where creativity is the principal focus. This style of learning is often difficult to create authentically in mainstream classrooms because the foundation is always syllabus driven, but by removing the more traditional structures and giving the students more creative scope, deadlines were still met and the assessment parametres were met and also exceeded.

After months of planning, shooting, editing, re-shooting and putting together the final touches, the video was ready to be premiered to the Senior School. On Friday 9 August at lunchtime, the PAC was full of excited students, the nervous Year 10 Media Class and of course, Charlotte.

The emotional music video, which focused on three boys’ struggles with mental health was received with piercing cheers by the girls and a smiling Charlotte as the credits rolled. Looking at my students, some of who were emotional, it was evident premiering a project of this magnitude to the School community was something of which they were so proud.

From the feedback I received and the positive energy I witnessed across the semester, I’d like to think the students learned more about themselves than anything relating to the curriculum. They learnt that they are more capable and talented than they thought they were.

They discovered the value of working in a group to share ideas, brainstorm and workshop ideas and support each other.

They enjoyed the satisfaction that comes from working in a team with strong dynamics and learnt about success AND failure, while being fearless in meeting both of those head on and dealing with each as they developed.

Valuable, genuine learning experiences like this, whether through extension projects, work experience or artists-inresidence programs support authentic learning and student achievement, engagement and wellbeing.

21 AMMONITE 2019

THE EMOTIONAL MUSIC VIDEO, WHICH FOCUSED ON THREE BOYS’ STRUGGLES WITH MENTAL HEALTH WAS RECEIVED WITH PIERCING CHEERS BY THE GIRLS AND A SMILING CHARLOTTE AS THE CREDITS ROLLED.

YEAR 6 HOODIES

22

The Year 6 Production of Robin and the Sherwood Hoodies was an exciting tale of tights, fights and spotlights in which the Year 6 students shined on stage and brought lots of humour to the audience.

23 AMMONITE 2019

A SOARING PRODUCTION

24

25 AMMONITE 2019

This year’s Senior School production of Peter Pan reached great heights and blew audiences away with the talent and professionalism both on and off the stage.

26

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE YEAR 11 GIRLS WHO RAISED $5422.49 THROUGH THE ‘I GAVE UP’ CAMPAIGN.

Photography by 3P Photography

I GAVE UP

Written by Nadia Pereira

A red carpet lined with fairy lights.

Booming cannons of sparks as you enter the doorway. A dazzling tunnel with three hundred and sixty degrees of stars encompassing you. Never have I felt closer to royalty. On 9 August 2019, St Hilda’s hosted the annual dinner dance in the School Hall which was completely transformed into a starry night.

The Silver Chain Foundation is an organisation which provides compassionate palliative care, and other services to families in need, all carried out by volunteers. Operation Rainbow on

Throughout the week, girls brought in money to donate and in return were given a card designed by our very own Imogen Kowald, on which they could write what they gave up.

Finally, the night had arrived and each girl, whether they were riding solo, with a friend, a fingers crossed or a Facebook official, looked absolutely beautiful. The night was outstanding with amazing food from nachos to popcorn chicken, and not to forget the chocolate fountain. With a professional photographer, photobooth and a DJ it was a memory that will last.

The room was decorated with fairy lights, paper trees, and a huge full moon to complete the starry atmosphere.

From the Class of 2020, we owe a big thank you to our Head of Year, Ms Sewell, Ms Webster, the amazing committee who were behind the scenes generating the ideas to make the night so special and the parent volunteers, who put in a tireless amount of time to create this magical evening. With a combined effort, the School has provided us with a memory which will last a lifetime and will always be held near to us.

27 AMMONITE 2019

In the lead up to our fairy tale evening, girls began the beauty process, from hair and nails, to makeup and tans.

However, the humble Year 11s, led by our Year Reps, proposed the “I Gave Up” campaign, to keep in perspective, our good fortunes. So instead of spending a huge amount of money on all things extra, the Class of 2020 reduced costs and chose to forego one of those allimportant beauty essentials and instead donated to The Silver Chain Foundation, in honour of the Warren-Hicks Family and Operation Rainbow, to honour the Olney Family. Year Representatives also requested if any leftover funds from the evening could be added to their campaign. Because of this request, expenses were reduced and the surplus was donated.

the other hand is an organisation which travels to developing countries to aid children in severe need of better health conditions and aims to bring these countries towards self-sufficiency.

28

THE ALL NEW MUST HAVE ORANGE 430 AND A

Michael Speechley, a graphic designer, high school teacher, author and illustrator spoke to Years 2-6 on 9 September. His first picture book, The All New Must Have Orange 430 was chosen as an Honour Book in the Children’s Book Council Awards in 2019.

Students learned how to draw Michael’s cat, LouLou

Although a funny and entertaining story, it’s the strong environmental and sustainable messages and focus on the perils of consumerism which make the book stand out. Michael explained that he wanted students to think about their purchases and obsession with stuff first, rather than immediately wanting and getting the newest items on the market.

Michael’s presentation to the Junior School was funny, engaging and informative and thoroughly enjoyed by all. With some fun activities such as teaching girls how to draw a shark using the letters in the word shark to create the image, it taught the girls the value of creativity and using creative mediums to explore real-world issues. Michael is no stranger to St Hilda’s, being involved in the designing of the School logo, so it was lovely to welcome him back to our Community.

29 AMMONITE 2019

Michael’s second picture book, The Gift published in September 2019 champions simple acts of kindness and explores the importance of friendship and the joy of giving.

30

“ SCHOOLS RUN ON TEACHING AND LEARNING BUDGETS AND THE MORE WE SAVE IN OTHER AREAS SUCH AS POWER MEANS THE MORE WE CAN DEDICATE MONEY TO OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING PROGRAMS” Mrs Fiona Johnston

31 AMMONITE 2019

With the recent installation of solar panels across both campuses, we will see a reduction in energy consumption and our carbon footprint.

BAY VIEW CAMPUS The panels are expected to deliver an annual consumption reduction of 21% and offset up to 5707 tonnes of carbon emissions over 25 years.

CHIDLEY CAMPUS The panels are expected to deliver an annual consumption reduction of 44% and offset up to 2925 tonnes of carbon emissions over 25 years.

2019 SPORT RECAP 32

Sport is a core part of our School program where girls can participate in a variety of competitive and noncompetitive sporting opportunities.

2019 saw the implementation of a newly revised IGSSA sporting program. The imperative supporting these changes is to encourage even greater participation in IGSSA sport through the provision of a wider range of contemporary sporting options for girls.

Netball is our biggest IGSSA sport and this year, St Hilda’s fielded 22 teams across Years 7-12. The Year 7 and 8 Netball teams all played at a central location, Matthews Netball Centre, which catered for the increased number

of teams and also created a carnival atmosphere.

This year, we also introduced a one day Badminton competition for Year 9 and 10 students in Term 1 as well as Australian Rules football for Years 7-10 in Term 4. A one day 7 and 8 Badminton competition will be introduced in 2020.

2019 has been yet another busy and successful year for St Hilda’s sport resulting in two championship wins (Tennis and Cross Country) and many team pennants won. Student representation at the state and national sporting level also continues to grow with 31 of our Year 7-12 students representing Western Australia in their chosen sport

and 4 girls representing Australia. At a School level, 10 students gained 24s Club status. These girls have competed in 24 or more IGSSA sports over their years at St Hilda’s.

My thanks to all who have been involved in the success of St Hilda’s sport including the students, coaches, umpires, staff and wider school community. It takes a whole school to achieve success in the sporting arena. We look forward to more growth and another prosperous sporting year in 2020.

Ms Emme Wild Head of Sport

24s club

State Representatives

Congratulations to the following award recipients who have competed in 24 or more IGSSA sports over their years at St Hilda’s.

Year 12

Year 11 Sienna McDonald

Year 10

Stella Berry Sascha Bowyer Lotte Keogh Madeleine Parkin

Hockey Hockey Hockey Karate

Year 8 Madeleine Blair Sophia Bull Jessie Culley Jessica Freedman Monique Hashem Ingrid Holmes a Court Jaynie Kinnell Lesley Snowball

Year 11 Sprint Kayaking Hockey Tennis Hockey Ice Skating Hockey Gymnastics Tennis

25 sports Year 9

Year 10 Daisy Hewitt

25 sports

Trinity Chisholm Hockey Daisy Hewitt Open Water Swimming Mia Lovelady Sailing Meghana Maganti Indoor Hockey

Jessica-Monique Bojanjac Zali Dale Tilly Wittenoom

Calisthenics Orienteering Swimming

Neli DeSilva Sophie Lim Darcy Mason

Athletics Open Water Swimming Triathlon

Year 12 Ruby Culley Charlotte Le Page Sophie Lloyd Sara Mullins Claire Rogers Jolie Sertorio Elizabeth Wallwork Nieve Walsh Victoria Wright

Tennis Cross Country Surf Lifesaving Show Jumping Rowing Hockey Athletics Athletics Indoor Soccer

2019 Australia

National Representatives Year 8 Jessie Culley Tess Hay

Year 10 Tennis Artistic Swimming

Georgia Brown Mia Lovelady

Artistic Swimming Sailing

IGSSA WATER POLO 4TH OVERALL Year 9/10 C

IGSSA SWIMMING 3RD OVERALL Year 7 Year 10

IGSSA TENNIS IGSSA CHAMPIONS Year 11/12 A (=1st) Year 9/10 B Year 7/8 A Year 7/8 C Year 7/8 D

IGSSA VOLLEYBALL 7TH OVERALL Year 9/10 E (=1st)

IGSSA CROSS COUNTRY IGSSA CHAMPIONS Year 7 Year 8

IGSSA NETBALL 4TH OVERALL Junior A

IGSSA HOCKEY 3RD OVERALL Year 7/8 A Year 7/8 B (=1st)

IGSSA ROWING 3RD OVERALL

4th 1st VIII HEAD OF RIVER:

Year 9 B Quad

Freshman C Quad

Freshman D Quad

Year 10 D Quad

Schoolgirl Senior B Single Scull CONSISTENCY PENNANT:

Schoolgirl Scull B

Freshman Quad D

IGSSA ATHLETICS 7TH OVERALL

IGSSA SOCCER 5TH OVERALL

IGSSA BASKETBALL 3RD OVERALL 7/8 F

33 AMMONITE 2019

Paris Chisholm 24 sports Stephanie Harrington 24 sports Sophie Lloyd 24 sports Rosie Gaffey 25 sports Olivia Sladden 25 sports Nieve Walsh 25 sports Elizabeth Fowler 25 sports Alicia Sewell 27 sports

Year 7

2018/19 Pennant Winning Teams

2019 West Australian

IGSSA Sports

IGSSA SOFTBALL 4TH OVERALL

Q&A

WITH MIA LOVELADY

34

1.

What competition have you recently been involved in?

I have just returned from competing in the 2019 Laser 4.7 Youth World Championships at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, Kingston, on Lake Ontario Canada. I travelled 36 hrs from Perth via Melbourne and Los Angeles and finally to Toronto. I spent 2 days in Toronto prior to travelling to Kingston for some exploring and jetlag recovery. From here, we travelled 3 hrs east to Kingston, Lake Ontario, which was the venue for the 1976 MontrĂŠal Olympics. The regatta was contested by 185 sailors from 35 countries over 6 days and 12 races.

The weather conditions varied over the course of the regatta, from hot and humid to cool and windy. The races are generally 1hr long.

However, with the unpredictable nature of the weather and having to sail multiple races on each race day we had long days on the water. Physical fitness, mental and emotional strength were critical to ensure sustaining peak performance towards the end of the regatta. And sometimes a bit of luck helps!

3.

On the first day of the competition I was determined to get out there and prove that all my training and hard work was worth it. Nerves probably got the better of me and I had some mixed results on day one.

The Laser 4.7 Youth World Championships is one of the most popular and highly ranked events to compete in. Qualification took many stages, a lot of hard work and dedication.

First your country gets invited to compete. Then you compete in the National Championships in order to receive a ranking. They will then decide whether or not you meet the criteria (this takes a few months). Once your expression is approved you then enter yourself into the event and begin your journey. The planning starts about 12 months before each World championship and includes many pre-regatta events to qualify in, train in and prepare as part of the overall program. This also includes travelling around Australia and sailing and training against the best Australian competitors. I have been part of WAIS via the Western Australian Sailing Squad.

This has supported me with structure training, including training against older sailors, and physical training.

What was it like competing in a World Championship?

Being at the highest event possible before Olympic level I was extremely fearful of mucking up, and as it was my first World championship, I was nervous as to how good the competition would be, and I started to doubt myself a lot.

However, I remained focused throughout the event and my nerves settled and I became so determined and focused to improve and do the best I could.

During my best races the adrenalin was fantastic. I was more focused on the competition and all of the information I needed to collect in relation to wind patterns and current, that I wasn’t really feeling any nerves and I had a determined and persevering mindset.

Winning is important, but competing at the highest level, against the best sailors in the world and setting goals to focus on is why I love this sport so much. There are so many variables that you can’t control including weather, waves, current, wind shifts, competitors, etc. I worked with my overall strategy and game plan for each race then worked tactically on each leg of the race to get the best result.

What was the qualification process like?

4.

How did you go in the competition?

Overall, I performed well considering the unstable conditions and the level of competition. I finished 27th girl out of 185 competitors, 35 countries and 63 girls.

“MY BEST RESULT WAS A 2ND PLACE IN ONE RACE AND THIS ASSURED ME I HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN, AND ALSO THE SELFBELIEF TO WIN”

5.

What do you think your future in sailing looks like?

I am setting my goal of competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics or beyond. Before that my journey will see me compete at the National and Youth National Championships in Melbourne in January 2020. These events will qualify me for the 2020 Laser 4.7 Youth Worlds, held on Lake Garda in Italy. After the Worlds next year, I am unsure as to what class of boat I will be sailing. Over the coming years, I hope to qualify into the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) as well as the Australian Sailing Team (AST) which is the Olympic team. I have a busy future ahead of me and I am putting my all into my training on and off water to get me to where I need to be in order to achieve my goals. Plus I am very focused on balancing my school, music and language interests.

35 AMMONITE 2019

2.

Photo by Shea Rafferty

36

Photo by Arya Moodley

Photo by Luella Sanderson

THE BEST MEDICINE

Some amazing student photography from a photographic brief earlier in the year titled ‘Laughter is the best...’

Photo by Annabelle Barrie

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT The P&F has undergone a significant transition within the last three years, evolving into an organisation that is well placed to achieve both its immediate and long-term objectives of serving the families of St Hilda’s.

The completion of the restructure of the P&F has been timely, coinciding with the commencement of Mrs Fiona Johnston in her tenure as Principal of our School.

We are all excited to be “Dreaming Big Together” and embarking on the next stage of our journey. We have also enjoyed convening together at several social functions over the last twelve months including the Annual Sundowner prior to the start of the academic year, the Dusty Boots function at Steve’s Hotel at the end of Term 1, and the combined

At the timing of submission of this report, the P&F is preparing for its annual elections to determine the office bearers and general committee for next year. Notwithstanding an increase in the number of available general committee positions, we have received nominations to fill all roles and have multiple talented and committed candidates contesting for the role of President. These are certainly exciting times.

As my three-year term as President draws to its conclusion, I would like to express my gratitude for the continued support of my fellow Members of School Council, the School’s Leadership Team, current and former P&F Committee Members, Year Group Representatives and fellow parents for their commitment to building engagement at St Hilda’s.

It has been an esteemed honour to serve as President, and I am confident the P&F is well structured and positioned for the next stage of its evolution and wish the incoming President and Committee all the best for 2020 and beyond.

Sally Vasudavan P&F President

I would like to express my gratitude for the continued support of my fellow Members of School Council, the School’s Leadership Team, current and former P&F Committee Members, Year Group Representatives and fellow parents for their commitment to building engagement at St Hilda’s.

37 AMMONITE 2019

Key initiatives included i) the merger of the P&F and Auxiliary in 2017 ii) the completion of a Strategic Review in 2018 iii) the adoption of a new Constitution in line with over-arching legislative changes, and iv) the establishment of Operational Guidelines in 2019. We have reviewed and refined how we operate and how we bring parents together with a focus on increasing awareness of our activities and capabilities, facilitating greater involvement amongst the School community, and increasing the transparency in how we conduct ourselves.

cocktail party in Term 2 with parents from Christ Church Grammar School, hosted at Freshwater Bay Yacht Club.

38

OLD SCHOLARS’ ADVICE Career Mentoring Day

The ammonite pin presentation

One of these new initiatives was the presentation of an ammonite pin to students, who are daughters and/ or granddaughters of old scholars, to wear on their blazer. These pins were introduced to recognise students who have connections with old scholars and to acknowledge the traditions and values of the Association. Presentations were held throughout the year to these students from Years 7 to 12.

Another initiative to promote the OSA’s profile in the school community was the production of a video which gives an overview and highlights the many events and functions organised by the OSA. This video has been shown at school assemblies, on social media and at

39

70 Plus Morning Tea

many OSA functions throughout the year. A special thank you to old scholar Susannah Wilson for producing the video.

Every year the School is fortunate to have numerous Old Scholars return to share their stories and offer advice to students.

This semester the students obtained an insight into Forensic Psychology from Julie Hasson (1987), heard from Rhodes Scholar Katherine Noonan (2005), whose work in research prevents and cures childhood illness and found out about the journey of Harriet Marshall (1991), from criminal law to opera singer. To celebrate ‘Film Week’ three old scholars Miranda Edmonds (1994), Bridget Tighe (1987) and Nel Minchin (2001) returned to St Hilda’s to talk about their experiences in the film industry.

We also welcomed Carolyn Oldham (1979), a Professor in the School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering at UWA, who kindly took time out to judge a Year 7 STEAM project. A sincere thank you to these wonderful mentors.

Throughout the second semester many Old Scholars were back on campus to attend various events organised by the Old Scholars Association, including the Career Mentoring Day and the very popular 70 Plus Morning Tea. We also had many current students and parents join old scholars at this year’s Career Networking Series, focusing on Women in Mining and Resources, sharing in some interesting panel discussions about the future for women in the industry. The release of the feature film ‘Ride like a Girl’, starring old scholar Sophia Forrest (2012), also provided an opportunity for the school community and old scholars to come together to attend a wonderful fundraising movie afternoon.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my first term as President of the GHS & St Hilda’s Old Scholars Association. I have particularly enjoyed working with such an amazing Committee. Each committee member

has been wonderful to work with and I wish to sincerely thank them for their hard work, support, diligence and dedication to the Association during the year. A big thank you also to the OSA Alumni Officer, Leo Nye, for all her hard work in making everything run so smoothly during the year. I would also like to acknowledge the many old scholars who have been extremely generous with their time and for supporting all the OSA events held during the year. I look forward to an exciting 2020.

Treffina Dowland President GHS & St Hilda’s Old Scholars Association

AMMONITE 2019

2019 has been a very busy and successful year for the Old Scholars Association with many new initiatives introduced to promote the OSA’s profile in the school, as well as continuing to promote a friendly spirit between present students and old scholars and to keep old scholars connected with the school and with one another.

COVERT ART: 'Natural Selection' “Each household in Australia is estimated to produce almost 1.5 tonnes of waste each year...” – Australian Bureau of Statistics There’s no denying that waste has become a staple of modern life. Every single day you will encounter it whether you see it, make it, or clean it up. It has become so common to see an abandoned piece of litter that you would be more likely to find rubbish in urban landscapes than the native flowers that once filled this land. In order to represent the invasion of man-made waste into our natural environment, I have taken inspiration from botanical artists who document endemic and, sadly, rare flora so it may be remembered.

I have created a painting that transforms everyday litter into a simulacrum of a living flower. The faux flower appears stiff and lifeless; a hollow imitation of nature’s design. Underneath the painting is a play on the scientific name belonging to the flower. I used the Genus name of the actual flower, Burdett’s Banksia, and then created a species name that describes the material composing it.

I hope that this painting will question the complacency society feels towards litter, and provoke conversations about the issue.

Elizabeth Hart , Year 12

St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls

Contact Us

BAY VIEW CAMPUS CHIDLEY CAMPUS

POSTAL PO Box 34, Mosman Park, WA 6912 PHONE 08 9285 4100 EMAIL sthildas@sthildas.wa.edu.au

Bay View Terrace, Mosman Park McCabe Street, Mosman Park

Stay up-to-date by following us on Facebook www.facebook.com/sthildaswa www.facebook.com/sthildasosa www.sthildas.wa.edu.au

CRICOS Provider Code 00452E