Fideliter November 2016

November 2016

St Ma r y’ s Anglican Gi rls’ S ch ool

FIDELITER

FOUNDATION YEARS

S T M A R Y ’ S C E L E B R AT E S

95 years O F E D U C AT I N G G I R L S

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21 47

17 4

PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

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CHAPL AIN’S REPORT The Spirit of Chapel

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FROM THE FOUNDATION

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THE JUNIOR SCHOOL’S VISION Teacher Spotlight - Rachel Newman

10 JUNIOR SCHOOL SPEAKER CHALLENGE AWARDS 12

JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS Magnificent Maths Mandarin Culture and Language Teaching in China Contributing to the World St Mary’s Playgroup Year 4 Mother and Daughter Camp Year 6 Leadership Junior School Art Exhibition

21 95 TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS Music at Metricup 95th Birthday Dinner Dance St Mary's World Fair 25 ACHIEVEMENTS Medical Tour to Tanzania Oxford University Experience Tech Girls Code Their Way to San Francisco National History Challenge Awards 28 SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS LEAP Programme Year 7 Canberra and Sydney Tour Mauritius Marine Science and Dive Trip Year 10 Exchange Programme Indigenous Student Focus CAPAF Day

Senior School Art Exhibition Music at St Mary's Legally Blonde The Witches St Mary's Newest Residents, The Spice Goats School Tree Day Tech Support for Seniors Year 12 Mother and Daughter High Tea Insight Breakfasts 42 OUT AND ABOUT 44 ARCHIVAL ANECDOTES ‘There is simply the rose …’

46 DONATIONS 47 PARENTS’ SOCIET Y AND ST MARY’S AUXILIARY 48 OLD GIRLS’ PRESIDENT’S REPORT Upcoming Events 49 OLD GIRLS’ DAY A ball had by All 50 OLD GIRLS’ NEWS AND EVENTS 52 OLD GIRLS' SURVIVOR PROFILES 54 NEWS FROM OLD GIRLS 56 VALE 59 OLD GIRLS' ASSOCIATION GIFTS

FIDELITER INFORMATION Fideliter is a publication of St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School. please direct all correspondence to:

St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School, PO Box 105 Karrinyup WA 6921 telephone: (08) 9341 9111 fascimile: (08) 9341 9222 email: publicity@stmarys.wa.edu.au editors: Anne Pesic and Amanda Kemp design and production: Dessein

Contents

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PRINCIPAL’S REPORT THE 95TH BIRTHDAY YEAR IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE. IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL TIME, INVOLVING A SERIES OF FANTASTIC CELEBRATIONS CULMINATING IN THE BRILLIANT ST MARY’S WORLD FAIR.

Thousands of people poured through our gates to enjoy food, fun, rides and produce. Elizabeth Price and Robyn Birkin and their Committee did an outstanding job.

Over $110,000 was raised to develop our outdoors play and exercise equipment. It is a handsome sum indeed, complemented by a very happy day for our school and local community. Congratulations to parents, staff, Old Girls and students who contributed in some way.

Among the many favourites, I have to say the tomato relish from the boarders’ area won the day for me!

We have had other major reasons to celebrate during the year. High on the list was when Tina Campbell, Head of Boarding, was honoured at the national conference of the Australian Boarding Schools Association. Mrs Campbell received the Premier Leadership Award, the most prestigious recognition given by the Association.

It is little wonder that St Mary’s is the school of choice for boarding.

In addition, the Junior School has been short-listed along with four other schools across WA for the Governor’s STEM Award. Given that the competition is also from high schools, this is a tremendous accomplishment. It was with much excitement that three Year 11s, Delany Eastabrook, Teale Lyon and Kira Molloy, were nationally recognised and will travel to San Francisco in August 2017 to demonstrate what they have developed with technology. Recently too, Sarah Samnakay has been named the National winner of the Australian Wartime Experience category in the National History Challenge. Sarah will travel to Canberra to receive her award. And, the ever enthusiastic Head Girl, Robyn Fairbairn, is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Vynka Hohnen Scholarship to attend Bond University in 2017. There has been a flurry of activity and success to conclude the year.

This year, a number of well-known and loved longserving staff are retiring from St Mary’s. Averil Carpenter, Debbie Steinepreis and Deb Kennedy are the longest serving in the group, completing their 20th year or more at the School. Many will happily remember Mrs Carpenter and the cakes rising in Home Economics; Mrs Steinepreis and her amazing lessons in the early learning years; and Mrs Kennedy and her passion for netball and Health Education. I wish them all very happy years ahead and look forward to seeing them back at St Mary’s on future occasions.

The year began with the opening of The Polson Room and closes with a gift from the Old Girls’ Association for the School’s 95th birthday – a piano that will enhance the many functions that we hold there. I wish to thank Amy Dawson, President of the Old Girls’ Association, and her committee for this splendid gift. And speaking of Old Girls, it has been lovely to see so many come along to the Junior School Playgroup, with their young children.

Helen Adams and the Junior School staff have provided an exciting programme for these pre-school children.

Visiting the action took me well out of my comfort zone.

December 25 is almost upon us. I wish you all a happy and holy Christmas and wonderful family time together.

Lynne Thomson Principal

Left: Mrs Tina Campbell (Head of Boarding) and Mr Richard Stokes (Executive Director, Australian Boarding Schools Association) with some of our boarding students.

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Principal’s Report

CHAPL AIN’S REPORT THE SPIRIT OF CHAPEL ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY WEEK IS K-2 CHAPEL. IT IS THE SHORTEST SERVICE I CONDUCT, BUT IT IS BY FAR THE MOST EXHAUSTING. I AM IN AWE OF THOSE WHO TEACH IN THE FOUNDATION YEARS, FOR THEIR ORGANISATIONAL

SKILLS,

CREATIVITY,

PATIENCE,

ENTHUSIASM AND ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AND TO ENGAGE THEM AT THEIR VARIOUS STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT.

K-2 chapel is very simple, but aims to lay the foundation of the practice of worship in a Christian community. The girls enter the chapel in silence and sit quietly until everyone has arrived, and they are by far the best group in the school at achieving the notion of silence before worship begins. The Year 2 girls act as leaders, giving them the opportunity as the oldest students in the Chapel, to practise leadership by taking responsibility to help and serve others, a message which is an important part of life at St Mary’s.

Two students will ring the bell to call everyone to worship, another student will process with me to music, carrying a small cross which is placed on the Altar, and then the student will light a candle. The silence, the carrying of the cross and lighting of the candle are simple ways of teaching ceremonial and marking that our worship is about to begin. The girls learn the formal words of greeting, two prayers (which small children easily commit to memory), and a number of songs with actions, giving us the opportunity to move and in many cases, simply have fun. Four Year 2 students lead the songs by guiding the congregation through the actions.

My message during the service is usually based on a bible story and often centred on loving and caring for another. l also like to convey that the Chapel is a place where we can celebrate important feast days and special occasions in our lives, but in a Christian community like St Mary’s, we can also gather there when we have sad things to recall or at times when deep sadness affects our families or school. It is always a great joy when I have the opportunity to welcome one of our families to the Chapel for baptism.

On 28 August, Kealey Allen, a lively member of St Mary’s Junior School, came with her baby sister, Carys, for both to be baptised. Kealey helped pour the water for the baptism and assisted in the lighting of their baptismal candles. I hope that by taking part in the baptism, Kealey will remember that not only was she baptised but she was also a significant assistant in the baptism of her baby sister. Congratulations to Kealey and Carys.

May God bless all who have been baptised, confirmed and admitted to Holy Communion in the Chapel of St Mary during 2016. A special service was held on 19 June, with Bishop Kate Wilmot presiding. Congratulations to Zoe Blake, Stella Hitsert, Lucy Lönnqvist, Stephanie See Toh and Annika Weibel, who were confirmed, to Chloe Atkinson, Sienna Maccondruin and Siena Stasiw, who were baptised and admitted to Holy Communion, and to Phoebe Atkins, Ava Brades, Lilia Bradley, Juliet Crabb, Cinzia De Mattia, Laura Frederic, Grace Fulham, Lily Hearn, Kara Kelly, Darcey McDonald, Ella Muir, Isabelle Park and Kate See Toh, who were admitted to Holy Communion.

The Reverend Geraldine Nixon School Chaplain

Chaplain’s Report

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FROM THE FOUNDATION YOUR SUPPORT MEANS SO MUCH TO ST MARY’S. EVERY GIFT, SMALL OR LARGE, MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO OUR STUDENTS AND IN THIS, OUR 95TH BIRTHDAY YEAR, WE HAVE RECEIVED MORE DONATIONS THAN EVER TO ANNUAL GIVING. EVERYONE WHO IS A PART OF OUR FAMILY OF DONORS IS HELPING TO ENSURE THAT THIS AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF ST MARY’S GIRLS ENJOY THE VERY BEST EDUCATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

THANKS TO YOU THE FIRST ‘ANNUAL GIVING SCHOLAR’ WILL JOIN ST MARY’S IN 2017 I am delighted to share with you that, thanks to your gifts to the Scholarship Fund since 2014, the inaugural ‘Annual Giving Scholarship’ has been awarded.

This contribution from the St Mary’s community of supporters is tremendous and I am sure you will share the sense of joy I feel in knowing that this young woman will have the opportunity of a St Mary’s education.

We look forward to welcoming the 2017 Scholar to St Mary’s next term.

Applications for the 2018 Annual Giving Scholarship for Year 10 students are now open. Please visit www.stmarys.wa.edu.au/scholarships for more information.

THANKS TO THE CLASS OF 2016 Thank you to the Class of 2016 and their families for their generous Class Gift to name a vine row at the St Mary’s at Metricup vineyard. The Class of 2016 Gift will help to build the Scholarship Fund which supports students in financial need. We look forward to providing each member of the Class of 2016 with a complimentary bottle of Frankie’s Folly in 2020.

The Foundation is pleased to continue to pay the Old Girls’ Association Life Membership Fee for each graduating student so that they can maintain a strong connection to St Mary’s.

Ron Farris Chairman of the Board of Management of the St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School Foundation

EXPANDING HORIZONS – BISHOP RILEY BEQUEST SOCIETY Members of the Bishop Riley Bequest Society and their guests met for lunch in The Polson Room on a beautiful sunny Sunday in August. The Year 8 piano trio, Anouk Pope, Nancy Lin and Grace Cornforth, performed two beautiful pieces before everyone sat down for a delicious lunch.

Danika Buurman (’07), the recipient of the 2013 Esmee Byatt Scholarship for Medicine, was the guest speaker. Danika described how the scholarship enabled her to work at a hospital in the Cook Islands and in a rural health clinic in Kenya, broadening her medical knowledge in many areas and treating illnesses rarely seen in Australia.

“Receiving the scholarship when I was five years out of school reinforced to me that St Mary’s provides so much encouragement and support, not only to girls currently attending the school but also to Old Girls many years after they have left. Without the Esmee Byatt Scholarship I would not have been able to have these two very different experiences. My connection with St Mary’s will be lifelong, and I will always be grateful for everything that St Mary’s has provided for me.”

Esmee Byatt (Templeton ’30) was a student at St Mary’s from 1921-1930 and she left a gift in her will to establish a scholarship for St Mary’s Old Girls studying medicine at UWA. If you have made or are considering making a gift to the school in your will, you can find more information at www.stmarys.wa.edu.au/bequests or please contact Linzey Allinson, Community Relations Manager on (08) 9341 9120 or lallinson@stmarys.wa.edu.au

Above: Danika at the hospital in the Cook Islands Right: Danika (far right) and other elective students

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From the Foundation

MEANS-TESTED SCHOL ARSHIPS FOR TALENTED SENIOR SCHOOL GIRLS

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES: 2016 ANNUAL GIVING We are thrilled to share with you that the 95th Birthday Annual Giving Appeal has passed $95,000! What a generous and supportive community St Mary’s is!

Your gifts this year will help us toprovide meanstested scholarships, enrich our libraries with new online databases and encyclopaedias, create new play and exercise areas for the girls to enjoy, and showcase the talents of our musicians with The Polson Room Baby Grand Piano.

A BABY GRAND PIANO FOR OUR MUSICIANS

It is truly heartening to receive so much support from parents, Old Girls, staff and friends in this special year for the school. We greatly appreciate every gift you give to St Mary’s and we use every dollar to enhance the learning environment for the girls.

Thank you!

NEW PL AY AND EXERCISE SPACES FOR THE GIRLS TO ENJOY

MAKE A GIFT YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO TODAY'S GIRLS AND THOSE OF THE FUTURE

• Visit www.stmarys.wa.edu.au/online-giving • Telephone Linzey Allinson on (08) 9341 9120

NEW ONLINE REFERENCE DATABASES TO ENRICH OUR LIBRARIES

• Complete the form that accompanies this issue of Fideliter Thank you!

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$

IN CELEBRATION OF ST MARY'S 95TH BIRTHDAY, 95 BEAUTIFUL ROSES ARE EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE. St Mary's Girl has been bred from an old world Tea Rose by Old Girl Di Durston (Wallace ’67).

It has a delightful pearly pink coloured loose bloom with a deeper reverse to the petal.

The fragrance is typical of a Tea Rose with spicy and fruity undernotes.

To order a rose, please telephone (08) 9341 9120. All roses will need to be collected from St Mary's Anglican Girls' School. $10 from each sale will go to the St Mary's Anglican Girls' School Foundation's Scholarship Fund which provides places for girls who could not attend St Mary's without financial assistance.

From the Foundation

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THE JUNIOR SCHOOL’S VISION “WE AIM TO PREPARE OUR GIRLS FOR A COMPLEX, CHALLENGING AND CHANGING WORLD THAT WILL REQUIRE CREATIVE GLOBAL SOLUTIONS.”

Play is where everyone starts their learning journey, so what better place to lay those learning foundations than St Mary’s Playgroup. The children joining the playgroup are immersed in many learning opportunities. Building with blocks is providing children with the fundamentals of engineering, and blowing bubbles allows them to dabble in science.

Developing friendships and gaining independence from parents are all vital for children in their development, socially, emotionally and academically.

These foundations are built from a very early age and further developed throughout the years. Establishing

Above (l-r): Isabel Italiano and Lucy Pilgrim

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The Junior School’s Vision

an understanding of the school culture and gaining a sense of belonging to our community are also very important for all the girls. The Junior School offers opportunities for girls to be challenged both in and out of the classroom, and across all curriculum areas.

Providing girls with learning opportunities where they can experience success enables them to develop confidence and a passion for their learning. Our goal is to encourage happy, enthusiastic and engaged learners.

Helen Adams Head of Junior School

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT

RACHEL NEWMAN

I’VE BEEN TEACHING AT ST MARY’S FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS. THEY HAVE BEEN THE MOST REWARDING PARTS OF MY CAREER YET. EVERY DAY I FEEL BLESSED TO TEACH SUCH KIND, THOUGHTFUL AND SUPERCHARGED STUDENTS. THE GIRLS AT ST MARY’S ALL HAVE A THIRST FOR EDUCATION AND ARE ALWAYS SO KEEN TO IMPROVE. IT’S REALLY A WONDERFUL PLACE TO WORK WHEN YOU KNOW THAT EACH DAY THE GIRLS ARE EAGER TO LISTEN AND LEARN.

I am not sure why I chose teaching as a career. Perhaps it had something to do with always being the one to entertain my parents’ friends’ littlies. After all, a great deal of teaching in primary school is about putting on a performance and getting your audience to join in, being passionate about what you teach, and bringing the girls along with you.

I believe that every student has a talent, even the quietest soul at the corner of the classroom. I haven’t done a very good job at the end of the year if every child in my class can’t tell me something that she is good at.

It’s all about self-belief, getting the girls to feel confident enough to make mistakes, allowing them to always ask questions, and getting them to be able to talk about their learning.

My favourite subject would have to be Maths. I love teaching Maths out of all of the subjects in primary school. I studied Maths and Education at Cambridge University in England. At the time, I had always been led to believe that if you learn the algorithms and revise, it was all that was needed to do well. Mathematics at Cambridge was a bit of a shock to the system!

I don’t really think that I’ve had any amazing achievements in my career that I could put in my memoirs, but a particular highlight that stands out would be that several years after teaching my very first class as a newly qualified teacher in a rather challenging school, a young man walked back into my classroom and asked very politely to speak to me. He wanted to thank me and apologise for being such a difficult child.

There were a few of them in that particular cohort! I was so overwhelmed that seven years later he wanted to come and speak to me. It just goes to show that no matter how little you think you have impacted on a student at the time, you will have made some sort of a difference. Hopefully a good one!

Parents at St Mary’s are always proud to see their daughters up on stage receiving certificates, performing in assembly or graduating in Year 12. I know that I am not the only teacher who also proudly sits there, smiling up at the stage as a past or present student has her turn to shine. This is the part of my job that I love, seeing the girls on their journey and feeling very blessed and privileged to be a part of it.

I now tell my students on a daily basis, “Mathematics should occasionally make you furrow your brow.” I firmly believe that if students feel comfortable in your class and are confident enough to make mistakes, then they should experience challenge. “If they are only ever given easy things to do, all they will be able to do are easy things.”

I was asked to find some adjectives that describe me.

My husband would definitely say, “Bossy, shop-aholic, people-pleaser.” I would rather consider myself to be an organised, experienced consumer and someone who thinks of others!

The Junior School’s Vision

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Saskia Pope

Lusia Martino

Anastasia Panagodimos

2nd Place Silver medal

1st Place Gold medal

3rd Place Bronze medal

JUNIOR SCHOOL SPEAKER AT ST MARYS, WE BELIEVE THAT PUBLIC SPEAKING IS A CRUCIAL PART OF THE CURRICULUM.

It can be a very scary and daunting experience for many children, but a thoroughly worthwhile journey of confidence building and a tool kit for the future. So why do we put our students through these very challenging tasks?

1. IMPROVED COMMUNICATION SKILLS It is crucial that the girls can communicate their ideas clearly and well. This takes practice. It is a fantastic opportunity for the girls to put their ideas and opinions across to the world. Not all families in these busy times filled with sporting activities, homework and shopping, sit down around the Sunday dinner table any more to discuss world events or have a good old family debate.

Public speaking, in particular speech giving, is a way of expressing how we feel and what is important to us, without being interrupted.

2. INCREASED SELF-ESTEEM An incredibly nerve-wracking and intimidating process for many of us, public speaking has huge benefits.

Once upon the “stage” and a well-rehearsed speech is being delivered, a rush of adrenalin kicks in and the girls seem to relax and enjoy the performance. Even the most nervous of students have a sense of pride and achievement for completing a task that they wouldn’t naturally choose to do. “I can’t believe that I did it; I actually started to enjoy it,” was the flushed-faced, elated comment from one very anxious Year 6 student after giving her four-minute talk on “My Worst Fears”.

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3. PLANNING EXPERIENCE Planning skills are an increasingly important part of adolescence. Children are often told what to do and how to spend their free time and what actions to take.

It is a great step for the development of our students to take responsibility and learn the skills of planning and preparing. Public speaking requires an immmense commitment to these skills. It allows children to think about how they are being perceived by an audience and what they wish to communicate to others, and work towards a goal that can achieve that. These are skills that will certainly serve them well for the future.

4. THE POWER OF PERSUASION Why is performing a speech important? It can be to instruct, inform, entertain or persuade. Surely these are the skills we want all of our children to have as they progress into adulthood. More than merely using these skills to pass exams, they are important to be successful in life, whatever the girls' chosen field of endeavour.

One of the most important factors of being a leader, innovator, or successful business person, is knowing how to persuade others.

Recent research from the University of Cambridge also intimates that “Children who are taught these skills, perform better in maths, science and reasoning tests”. Surely the advantages outweigh any worries or nervousness about public speaking.

Junior School Speaker Challenge Awards

Public speaking is certainly a challenge, but the rewards that students can reap are uplifting.

CHALLENGE AWARDS IN THE CLASSROOM So what have the Year 6 students been doing to address the need for public speaking?

In Term 2 every Year 6 student was required to plan, prepare and perform a four-minute speech. The speech could be a special interest talk or argument. The special interest talk encouraged the girls to give information about something they knew well or in which they had an interest.

Alternatively, the girls could plan an argument in which they were trying to persuade the audience to hold the same view that they had.

After all 81 girls had performed to their class teachers, a selection of seven girls’ speeches were chosen to enter the St Mary’s finals.

COMPETITION TIME Lusia Martino, Anastasia Panagodimos and Saskia Pope were then asked to represent St Mary's in the “Speakers Challenge Competition” at the Dickinson Centre, Scotch College, competing with over 50 students from 18 schools.

The girls gave such wonderful talks on a range of subjects. Lusia convincingly persuaded her audience that Star Wars was a religion. Anastasia informed the entranced audience about living with two cultural identities, and Saskia entertained everyone with her tales about pigs and society’s unfair treatment of any vocabulary linked to pigs.

SUCCESS After a thrilling competition and several knock-out rounds, all three girls were through to the finals. The quality of the competitors’ speeches was outstanding.

The attending parents of the three girls were elated when the judges announced the overall winners for the “Speak Up Challenge 2016”. St Mary's had been awarded all three medals!

Anastasia Panagodimos 3rd Place - Bronze medal Saskia Pope 2nd Place - Silver medal Lusia Martino 1st Place - Gold medal We wish to congratulate the girls on their success.

Public speaking is certainly a challenge, but the rewards that students can reap are uplifting. We acknowledge the importance of developing these skills throughout our students’ time in the Junior School. The girls are encouraged to join in the extracurricular activities of debating and public speaking.

Every student has a voice that should be heard. It is our job as educators to empower our girls and give them the confidence and skills needed to speak up.

Rachel Newman Year 6.1 Teacher

Junior School Speaker Challenge Awards

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Above: Piper Rosenbayer

MAGNIFICENT MATHS WHEN CHILDREN FIRST COME TO SCHOOL, THEY BRING INQUISITIVENESS AND AN ABUNDANCE OF MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE INTUITIVELY DEVELOPED. MATHEMATICS HELPS YOUNG CHILDREN MAKE SENSE OF THE WORLD AROUND THEM. THE PETER ARNEY CENTRE IS A PLACE WHERE CHILDREN EXPLORE AND MANIPULATE MATHEMATICAL IDEAS WITH KEEN INTEREST. TEACHERS PROVIDE AN EVER-CHANGING ENVIRONMENT THAT IS DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS ARE EMBEDDED INTO THE DAILY LIFE OF STUDENTS.

Subitising is an essential part of developing number sense in the early years. It is vital that children relate numbers to actual items or groups of items. This is known as number conservation. It is not uncommon that young children learn to count by rote but do not really understand the meaning behind what they are doing.

Subitising associates a quantity with a numeric symbol.

Subitising – the ability to instantly recognise the number of objects in a small group without the need to count them. Partitioning numbers involves breaking up a number into parts. In the early years it refers to the ability to think about numbers as made up of two parts.

By looking at groups of items, children can start to develop their partitioning skills. Partitioning is an understanding of how a number is made up: for example, seven dots could be a set of three dots and a set of four dots, or a set of six dots and one dot.

Understanding the magnitude of what a numeric symbol means is an important foundation skill. Teachers in the Peter Arney Centre for Early Learning develop fun and engaging subitising activities that allow students to physically manipulate objects. Engaging in such activities helps students to develop an understanding of the part-part-whole relationships. As they separate and combine numbers, their understanding of addition and subtraction is conceptualised.

Number of the day - the magnitude of number is explored and numbers are represented in different ways.

Mathematics is too important to be left to chance.

Learning experiences are intentionally planned for, and focus on a particular mathematical concept or set of related ideas. A balance is struck between explicit teaching and teacher-planned activities that provide a platform to extend the girls' mathematical understandings. Mathematical experiences in the Peter Arney Centre are integrated throughout a variety of learning experiences.

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Above (l-r): Milly Flood and Iman Clarke

Junior School News

Maths Mat Session – whole class engaged in mathematical enquiry.

Construction Area – a place to explore 3D shapes and experiment with design.

Bush School – discovering patterns and shapes in nature, collecting and classifying, estimating number, investigating length and width, collecting and counting collections.

Dramatic Play Areas – a space where students role play. Mathematical concepts are often introduced with a sharing of a Big Book, another way of giving mathematical vocabulary a rich context.

Cooking – exploring volume and capacity in a meaningful context.

Through whole-class, small group and guided instruction, teachers aim to positively engage all students in mathematical enquiry. The rich and broad learning experiences offered in the Peter Arney Centre are designed to develop a love of learning and create a firm foundation on which girls can become confident, curious and successful mathematicians.

Above (l-r): Shannen Curtis and Ella Porzig

Above: Ms Julia (Junxia) Qin, Mandarin teacher

Above: Year 2 Class

MANDARIN CULTURE AND L ANGUAGE THIS YEAR SAW THE INTRODUCTION OF MANDARIN CULTURE AND LANGUAGE INTO THE JUNIOR SCHOOL, IN YEARS 1 TO 4, WITH THE VISION OF IT BEING TAUGHT UP TO YEAR 6. THE MANDARIN LANGUAGE PROGRAMME INTEGRATES CULTURE AS A MEANS FOR STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THE RICH CULTURAL CONTEXT OF THE LANGUAGE.

Ms Julia (Junxia) Qin is teaching the girls Chinese, explaining the significance of special events and traditions.

Students are introduced to important festivals in Chinese culture that are celebrated according to the Chinese calendar, throughout the year. Students also experience Chinese cuisine as a contrast to Australian cuisine.

Throughout the year students learn to greet others and develop their own personal introduction in Chinese. The lessons are very active and involve games, songs and plays to provide the students with multiple ways of learning and practising their Mandarin language skills. There is an emphasis on developing students’ interests and their love of learning, by creating a safe learning environment for everyone ‘to have a go’.

Junior School News

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Above: Andrea Dingley, Principal Zhaomin and Marie McNeil

Above: Andrea Dingley with students from Jiulong Kindergarten in Beijing.

TEACHING IN CHINA THIS YEAR ST MARY’S JUNIOR SCHOOL YEAR 1 TO YEAR 4 STUDENTS ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN TAUGHT MANDARIN

BY MS JULIA QIN. HER PRESENCE HAS BEEN THE CATALYST FOR A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES, MOST NOTABLY THE ORGANISING OF A TEN DAY BEIJING TEACHING EXPERIENCE FOR TWO OF OUR JUNIOR SCHOOL STAFF.

During the July school holidays, Mrs Marie McNeil (Art Specialist in the Junior School) and Mrs Andrea Dingley (Academic Centre for Enrichment teacher) worked in Beijing with early years groups from two schools, focusing on activities related to Science and Art. Staff and parents observed these lessons which were considered quite different from the classes that the students were accustomed to. The students certainly enjoyed the hands-on approach and parents and teachers felt they would like to adopt some of the techniques demonstrated.

Later Mrs McNeil and Mrs Dingley travelled to an area known as Pinggu at the foothills of the mountains north of Beijing, well known for its cultivation of peaches and its lush green landscape. Here Marie and Andrea worked together at a residential camp, teaching a STEAM (integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) project, based on the book by Ronda and David Armitage called "The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch". The story provided a basis for exploring some challenging engineering and art-based problems relating to the STEAM focus, including rocket-making and constructing electrical circuits and pulley systems.

An appropriate design technology process was taught and used throughout the workshop.

Mrs McNeil and Mrs Dingley also enjoyed a very rich cultural experience and spent a number of days touring some of Beijing's well known locations. Highlights included an introduction to the skills of traditional Chinese calligraphy and hand embroidery, visiting many cultural sites, and exploring the architecture of the 2008 Olympic Stadium and Water Cube. Another extraordinary experience was walking part of the iconic Great Wall of China and viewing the landscape of this most amazing country. The Great Wall certainly stands as an awe-inspiring symbol of the grandeur of China’s ancient history. Mrs McNeil and Mrs Dingley travelled to the Mutianyu section of the Wall by train, which in itself was a rewarding experience.

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Junior School News

It would not have been possible to leave Beijing without experiencing some of the iconic dishes, in particular, Peking Duck – a dish once reserved for emperors – and Mrs McNeil and Mrs Dingley were a part of the carving ceremony prior to their feast. They were also welcomed into one of the teacher’s homes, where they were shown how to make dumplings and enjoyed sharing teaching experiences and stories with new friends.

The teachers were billeted with local families in the heart of Beijing - a significant aspect of their experience in that city. The heart and soul of Beijing are its ‘hutong’ areas, comprising narrow alleyways that criss-cross the centre of the city, some dating back almost 800 years.

It is here that Mrs McNeil and Mrs Dingley stayed. The wonderful generosity and consideration offered by their hosts was deeply appreciated. Marie's and Andrea's experiences were not only enriching and informative, but have also provided the basis for ongoing friendships and a much deeper understanding of life in China.

In August, ten students from Beijing visited Perth where they studied at the Centre for English Language Teaching (CELT) at the University of Western Australia.

Mrs McNeil, Mrs Dingley and Mrs Quin enjoyed spending time with this group of 15 to 18 year olds, inviting them to their homes and introducing them to some Australian and English cuisines and customs. One of the highlights for these students was attending the “Legally Blonde” St Mary’s production and being a part of some afternoon lessons held in the Senior School Drama Department.

There may be future possibilities for St Mary’s families to host Chinese students who will be studying in Perth for four to five weeks each year.

Above (l-r): Sienna Rossow, Jessica McKillop, Charlotte Bradshaw, Emily Rose Brennand, Jordi Kaisaer, Lily Sickinghe and Marla Stewart

CONTRIBUTING TO THE WORLD WASTE AND RECYCLING THE JUNIOR SCHOOL IS EMBARKING ON A NEW SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE WAY WE HANDLE OUR RUBBISH.

Two years ago I started the Sustainability Vegetable Garden in the Junior School in order for students to learn the benefits of growing their own organic vegetables. Many students have loved being a part of the whole process, from planting the seeds to harvesting the produce and then cooking, as well as eating the wonderful fruits of their labour. This project has led to the next stage, which involves closing the food loop by reusing food scraps to create fertiliser for this productive seasonal garden.

By joining forces with “Waste Wise WA” we are hoping to rethink the products we purchase, reduce the amount of waste we create, reuse as much as possible and recycle whatever we can. We will be doing this so we can minimise the amount of waste the Junior School takes to landfill. However, we are also hoping to do this in such a way that can be sustainable for our community and maintained in the long term.

So how are we going to ensure the sustainability of our sustainability project? Well, we will encourage all students to be involved and actively participate with the

various initiatives. Our first step will be implementing paper recycling bins throughout the Junior School and to creating a “Waste Wise Wednesday” wrapperfree lunch day. Students will be asked to bring their lunch to school without wrappers and packaging, which encourages smarter, eco-friendly thinking about purchasing of products at school and at home. Bins will be covered over on these “Waste Wise Wednesday” lunch days and food scraps will be collected for composting. This will all be helped along by the “Waste Wise Warriors”, as well as each class taking their turn to help with the collection of the food scraps and maintenance of worm farms.

We are all looking forward to working hard to towards sending as little waste as possible to landfill. This will lead to considerable benefits for the environment and most importantly, many varied opportunities for students to develop ecologically-sound attitudes and habits.

Lexi Doheny Junior School Teacher

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Above: Wendy and Sadie Atkinson Right: Juliana Turner

ST MARY’S PL AYGROUP THIS YEAR HAS SEEN THE EXCITING LAUNCH OF OUR NEW ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL PLAYGROUP. WE HAVE BEEN DELIGHTED WITH THE HUGE RESPONSE FROM MANY FAMILIES IN OUR AREA AND BEYOND, KEEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FUN, INTERACTIVE SESSIONS. OUR PLAYGROUP RUNS SEVERAL TIMES PER TERM ON A TUESDAY MORNING FROM 10.00AM – 11.30AM IN THE KINDERGARTEN AREA. DATES ARE ADVERTISED ON OUR WEBSITE.

Parents have been able to bring their little ones along and get to know each other while participating in the wide range of educational activities provided.

The benefits of joining a playgroup cannot be underestimated. Group play at any age provides vital social interaction that enables children to learn about kindness, resolve conflicts, develop friendships, improve communication skills, play collaboratively, learn about their emotions and the emotions of others, and develop confidence outside the home environment, plus all the benefits of learning new skills in a stimulating environment.

Our St Mary’s playgroup promotes: 1.

Social interaction – Babies and toddlers benefit from the opportunity to socially interact with other children of similar age. In turn, this will enable them to understand, adapt and cope in different situations.

2. Building confidence – Children seem to have a natural ability to be confident. Social interaction within playgroups encourages a range of opportunities for children to develop their confidence as they learn to play with others.

3. Meeting other parents – Playgroup doesn’t just benefit babies and toddlers but also parents. It is a time for adult interaction, meeting and engaging with other mums and dads, learning new things and seeing how your own children cope in different environments and situations.

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Junior School News

4. Meeting their mental and physical needs – Playgroup is great for encouraging stimulation in babies and toddlers. As parents and educators, we know how important stimulation is both mentally and in meeting children’s physical needs.

5. A great lead-in to Kindergarten – Finally, a benefit of taking your child to playgroup is that it prepares them for what to expect when they do attend Kindergarten.

We are thrilled to be hosting these playgroup sessions and encourage everyone to spread the word!

YEAR 4 MOTHER AND DAUGHTER CAMP IN SEPTEMBER, THE YEAR 4 MOTHER AND DAUGHTER METRICUP CAMP WAS HELD. THE MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS SPENT THE WEEKEND AT METRICUP, BEING INVOLVED IN A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES AT THE CAMP SITE. ART MASTERPIECES WERE PRODUCED ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE USE OF WATER COLOURS, PENCILS OR CHARCOAL.

The camp provided the girls with the opportunity to experience Metricup in readiness for their upcoming Year 5 camp. Both mothers and daughters benefited from staying at the property, knowing where they would be sleeping and spending their time. The girls were very proud of their work on laying stones for run-offs, and benefited from the collecting of firewood for their bonfire that evening. Cooking of marshmallows on the campfire saw the girls learning how to find the most suitable long stick, preferably with multiple forks at the end so they could load up at least three marshmallows at a time.

An early morning run or walk around the property was an option for many and they were rewarded by the sighting of many kangaroos. A group yoga session after breakfast was a wonderful relaxing way to end their camp before the drive back to Perth. The camp was a great success and it will now become a fixture on the Year 4 calendar.

Above (l-r): Lani Baxter and Madeline Baxter

Above (l-r): Lilia Dorfman, Danielle Neppe, Ava Brades and Elisha Read-Smith

Above (l-r): Emma Luckley and Emma Reid

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YEAR 6 LEADERSHIP ALL YEAR 6 STUDENTS ARE CONSIDERED LEADERS OF THE JUNIOR SCHOOL AND ARE PRESENTED WITH BADGES.

There are five committees: Chapel, Library, Community, Assembly/Media and Sport. The idea behind this model is to promote service to school and community. All Year 6 students are given the opportunity to take part in a variety of activities and will hopefully, build confidence.

The students will also be taught the various skills for speaking publicly, running meetings, working as a group and in a group, showing initiative, and being active school community members.

The students nominate which committee they want to work on in Semester 1 and then they choose another committee for Semester 2.

The girls then work together as a group, carrying out duties associated with their committee.

ď ´ SPORT COMMITTEE The Sport Committee helps with the daily running of the sport shed and the bigger carnivals such as swimming, cross country and athletics. They also plan sport activities for lunch times.

ď ą COMMUNITY COMMITTEE The Community Committee assists with fundraising activities as well as activities within the Junior School which promote community. This may be clean up of the play areas and community outings.

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Junior School News

 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE This committee is responsible for the running of fortnightly assemblies and other school functions. Articles and photographs are also submitted into the electronic newsletter reporting on these.

 CHAPEL COMMITTEE The Chapel Committee works with the School Chaplain and Deputy Head, Pastoral Care.

Each week they participate in Chapel as well as other liturgical celebrations.

LIBRARY COMMITTEE  The Library Committee runs book clubs for different year levels, promotes new reading material and helps with the organisation of the annual Book Week Parade.

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JUNIOR SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION Art in the Junior School is a broad-based subject where students learn a range of skills that have many applications and ongoing benefits for children’s learning.

The simplest tasks, such as sewing on a button, cutting out a dress pattern or learning to paint a ‘Rebecca Cool’, contribute to children’s holistic learning and enjoyment. Art is also an opportunity for students to express ideas using acquired skills and knowledge.

A feature of our Junior School Annual Art Exhibition this year is a collection of dolls, celebrating St Mary’s 95th Birthday. The dolls are the culmination of many skills, creative learning and a great deal of ‘heART’. Each of the girls who has made a doll, from Years 1 to 6, has given her best effort, many far and above the ‘brief’. With assistance from our helpful education assistants and oftentimes from kind parents and grandparents, great things have been achieved. From cutting patterns for dresses, to making ‘hair’, embellishing using laces, leather, fur, beads and more, each doll has an element of ‘mini-me’.

One faithful helper whom I would like to acknowledge, affectionately known to the girls as ‘Nana’, produced a beautiful bride doll that has been the inspiration for many of the girls’ creations. Mrs Bennett and I are always very grateful for the assistance we regularly receive in class from such generous ‘heARTed’ folk. The girls particularly benefit from the extra attention and encouragement from our extended ‘family’.

Mrs Marie McNeil Art Specialist

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Junior School News

Above (l-r): Georgia McAlpine, Hannah Coopes, Head Girl Robyn Fairbairn and Principal Mrs Lynne Thomson

Above: Kindergarten classes

95

TH

BIRTHDAY

CELEBRATIONS

AT S T MA RY ’S

THE EXCITEMENT OF THE 95TH BIRTHDAY COMMENCED EARLY ON WEDNESDAY 14 SEPTEMBER 2016, WITH COLOURED BALLOONS ADORNING THE SCHOOL GATES AND GROUNDS.

At the start of the school day, class photos were taken of all of the girls to mark the special occasion.

A morning tea followed of scrumptious vanilla sponge cupcakes, topped with maroon sparkles, in commemoration of the traditional high tea of the 1920s era, and the exquisite cakes that were served during St Mary’s founding year in 1921.

95th Birthday Celebrations

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Join us for an afternoon of

musical melodies at Metricup

Above (l-r): Patsy Bedford, Wendy Chidgey, Jan James and Jan McAulay

Above (l-r): Judith and Rodger Gibson

Above (l-r): Christina Katsimbardis (’98) and Lynette Taylor

MUSIC AT METRICUP ON SATURDAY 18 JUNE 2016, OVER 150 MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY GATHERED IN THE RON FARRIS LIVING CENTRE OF THE LADY TREATT CENTRE FOR LEARNING AND LEADERSHIP AT METRICUP, IN THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH-WEST FOR A FABULOUS AFTERNOON MUSIC CONCERT.

The music showcase featured guest artist and Old Girl, violinist Christina Katsimbardis (’98), member of the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, who performed with St Mary’s singers, string ensemble and chamber groups. Along with a surprise aria by Mrs Lynette Taylor, Acting Director of Music at St Mary’s.

The perfect winter musical was followed by delicious canapes and wine by the fireplace.

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95th Birthday Celebrations

95 TH BIRTHDAY DINNER DANCE A DAZZLING EVENING TOOK PLACE AT FRASER’S STATE RECEPTION CENTRE, KINGS PARK ON SATURDAY 25 JUNE 2016, WITH OVER 200 MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THE SCHOOL TURNING 95.

The night was themed red, white and black for the most glamorous event on the 95th birthday calendar. Thank you to Old Girl, Jessica Gethin (Walker ’97) for undertaking the master of ceremonies duties for the evening.

Highlights of the evening included magicians, Mario the Almost Magnificent and Ola Nilsson, the Greg Schultz Band and a surprise performance by Bravo Singing waiters, who broke out in song during the main course to some very surprised guests. Also, an exclusive act was performed by Diversions Dance Group, which comprised of six Old Girls from the Class of 2015.

The raffle, live and silent auctions raised over $12,000, which went to the St Mary’s Scholarship Fund, the Senior School outdoor exercise park and the Junior School nature-based play equipment.

Above (l-r): Mr Ron Farris (Chairman of the Board of Management of the Foundation), Mr Reza Behjat, The Hon. Liz Behjat and Lynne Thomson (Principal)

Above: Jessica Gethin (Walker ’97)

Above (l-r): Graham and Karen Fairbairn

Above (l-r): Geraldine Drabble, Elise Sandy, Rosalie Brades, Jo Wilkinson, Helen Shaw, Andrea Dingley and Caylee Holmes

Above: Ngaire Viner and The Hon Ian Viner AO QC (Former Chairman of the Board of Govenors 2000-2006)

Above: Dick Sherwood and Marlene Carter (Senior Vice Chair of the Board of Management of the Foundation)

95th Birthday Celebrations

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Above: Our Year 6 mums looking great at Ooh La La Cupcakes

Above: We think this photograph sums up the day

Above: The World Lob-a-Choc Championships run by our Year 9s

Above: Our whole school flash mob

ST MARY'S WORLD FAIR SMILING, LAUGHING FACES OF KIDS AND ADULTS HAVING FUN, HELPING OUT, AND ENJOYING THE SUNSHINE. WHAT A PERFECT WORLD FAIR DAY!

There was the usual last minute rush to get stalls set up, with parents bringing in all their goodies for sale, and making their stalls look fabulous! Rides arrived and were ready for their guests. Food was prepped and the cooking underway. The boarders put the finishing touches to the Country Fayre, and the sheep were ready for shearing!

There was a fun-filled ride zone, with thrills and excitement to suit all ages. There was so much fun to be had, it was exhausting to watch.

And then the fun began!

We all love watching and listening to our girls play beautiful music, so it was a real treat to see so much talent on display for everyone to enjoy.

People started arriving and the crowds continued to grow. You could just tell it was going to be a great day.

There was so much colour and activity all around the school grounds that it was hard not to be in awe of the incredible atmosphere.

The class stalls were all simply amazing. The quality of the displays, the incredible range of things to buy and things to make, was so exciting! What an awesome job by each and every year group. The Kindys and Preprimarys outdid themselves with their A-maze-ing Race set up. The Year 2s and 3s had everyone occupied with guessing activities and crafty Christmas things to do.

The Year 4s took over the role of paparazzi with their photo booth, while the Year 6s ooh la la’d us into cupcake heaven. There were sweets and treats galore at the Year 7 stall, while the Year 8s took care of cake for home! There were lots of people enjoying chocolatey goodness from the Year 9 lob-a-choc, before you could get scared silly at the House of Horror run by the Year 10s. The Year 11s resurrected an old favourite and had everyone panning for gold! Far too much fun was had by the Year 12 parent team running the World Wine Wheel, which was a huge success.

Of course, the boarding families all came together to create a stunning Country Fayre area. There was so much on offer, from jams and preserves, to cakes, teddy bears, and even wreath-making workshops. It certainly was a crowd pleaser.

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95th Birthday Celebrations

Food? There were plenty of yummy options available in the food area, including Mrs T’s German Sausages, which were a big hit.

When you see so many families come together for an event like the Fair, you really have to stop and appreciate the contribution and sense of community displayed by absolutely everyone.

It’s a once-in-five-years opportunity to celebrate the school’s birthday, and what a celebration it was. This massive event could not have happened without an extraordinary amount of work from a passionate and truly dedicated committee. When planning began in early 2015, it was clear that we had a talented group of people. Thank you all for your part in creating this amazing event. What a team. Thank you Elizabeth, Priscilla, Peter, Daina, Arlene, Tarn, Tara, Bec, Lisa, Dawn, Tania, Jill, and our school liaison, Robyn.

Thank you to all the school staff who got involved and embraced the whole process. The teaching staff, administration staff, music department, kitchen, grounds and maintenance staff, have once again been absolutely amazing.

To the entire school community, thank you for making the World Fair such a success for St Mary’s 95th birthday!

Balloons, sticky fairy floss fingers, bungee screams of delight, sheep without coats, tea n’ scones, goodies galore – now that’s a fun day!

2021…..birthday 100! See you there!

MEDICAL TOUR TO TANZANIA IN THE JULY HOLIDAYS, I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO TRAVEL TO KILIMANJARO, TANZANIA FOR A MEDICAL PLACEMENT AT A RURAL HOSPITAL. THE JOURNEY COMMENCED WITH TREPIDATION AND NERVES OF EXCITEMENT AS MY JOURNEY SPANNED 32 HOURS AND THREE FLIGHTS TO MY FINAL DESTINATION. ON ARRIVAL, I WAS MET BY THE WONDERFUL STAFF FROM GAP MEDICS AND FROM THAT MOMENT ONWARDS I KNEW I WAS IN SAFE HANDS. THEN, MY AFRICAN EXPERIENCE BEGAN.

Above: Nisha Jayachitra and Dr Muselya

The first week, I was placed in Gynaecology and Obstetrics with two other students and our wonderful mentor, Yohana. The whole maternity ward consisted of one operating theatre and one examination room with patient beds on one side. Three minutes into our orientation, a newborn unconscious baby came through!

From that minute I was hooked into this department.

We were lucky enough to witness caesareans and natural labours, along with some minor procedures.

The patients were obliging and kind enough to let us practise general and foetal exams on them. Taking blood pressures, checking for anaemia, using a fetoscope and my bare hands for examinations was amazing. We were taught so much and walked through every surgery. I was even offered the opportunity for a cervical exam.

But the highlight had to be when I told Yohana that a new patient had twins; three nurses and an ultrasound later, I ended up being right! Our education varied from the right way to examine a placenta to examining a newborn baby, and exceeded all the textbooks!

In the second week I was placed in internal medicine with hakuna matata Dr Muselya, who became my ever cool-hero. We did ward rounds with patients who faced a variety of diseases including tuberculosis, pneumonia, malaria, diabetic feet, COPDs and stage 4 HIV progressed into AIDS, which we would never see in Australia. We had the opportunity to clean infected wounds under our doctor’s supervision. Due to the cost of anaesthesia, it was usually avoided in many procedures and ‘pole anaesthesia’ (sorry anaesthesia) was given instead. The strength of the patients and the bravery of the doctors to manage these situations was remarkable, even if distracting the patient came in the form of negotiating a dowry for me! All the doctors, nurses and patients went out of their way to make sure we learnt from them. They enforced questions, made sure we understood everything and taught us like medical students. Dr Muselya, with his dedication but laid-back attitude whilst functioning on three hours of sleep, became an inspiration. He set me on the medical path by posing us ethical questions, showing us interesting cases and even making us stand in a morgue reciting cranial nerves till the cold and smell didn’t bother us anymore.

However, the best part had to be all the like-minded students from around the world I had the opportunity to meet and become instant friends with. My only regret was that this trip wasn’t longer and I can’t wait to hopefully become a medical student one day and go through this exciting career. I would like to thank all the people who helped me make this trip a possibility: my parents, Mrs Thomson, the WA Journal of Medicine and the staff of Kibosho hospital and Gap Medics.

Asante sana!!

Nisha Jayachitra Year 11

After each day at the hospital we had the opportunity to visit the town, the local orphanage or the markets.

This was followed by global health tutorials by doctors on prevailing issues in their hospitals, such as malaria, HIV, malnutrition and trauma. We also enjoyed Swahili lessons by our ever-smiling staff at the house. We visited an African village, Rundugai, where we met a traditional midwife and a herbalist and swam in natural hot springs. During the weekend we headed to Tarangire Safari Park, where we viewed magnificent giraffes, elephants, zebras and the cast of The Lion King within a gorgeous landscape. It was an amazing retreat into the heart of Africa after an action-packed first week.

Achievements

25

Oxford University, England

Above (l-r): Meghann Gallagher, Aryanne Caminschi, Sophie Longmire, Sayalee Tak and Sidonia Barwood

OXFORD UNIVERSIT Y EXPERIENCE OVER THE COURSE OF THE JULY HOLIDAYS, ARYANNE CAMINSCHI, SOPHIE LONGMIRE, SAYALEE TAK, SIDONIA BARWOOD AND I TRAVELLED TO THE PRESTIGIOUS OXFORD UNIVERSITY IN ENGLAND FOR TWO WEEKS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OXFORD EXPERIENCE. THE TRIP WAS BASED AT THE OXFORD ROYALE ACADEMY, WHERE WE PARTICIPATED IN COURSES RANGING FROM ECONOMICS TO PSYCHOLOGY TO JOURNALISM WITH A RANGE OF STUDENTS FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

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In Oxford we stayed and studied in the university colleges, St Catherine’s and Queens, and were taught

by Oxford PhD students and experts in their fields.

The courses were interesting and eye-opening, and the multicultural perspectives in the classes were beneficial in providing different viewpoints to consider.

A definite highlight of the trip was the visit to London on the final day, where we were able to go sightseeing in some of the most iconic areas of Britain, such as Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus. After this we were lucky enough to watch a West End production of Guys and Dolls, which starred Rebel Wilson.

However, we weren’t just studying - we also had freedom to sightsee in the picturesque town of Oxford, attend talks from various inspirational people such as polar explorers or astrobiologists, attend parties and generally experience life as a university student in Oxford. We also had the opportunity to go on excursions to the historic Woburn Abbey and learn about Britain’s history and culture.

From the Oxford Experience, we have learnt so much, not only in our chosen courses, but also about independence and university life, and gained a really beneficial insight into what it is like to study at a university overseas. I am so grateful to have been able to experience this amazing trip, and I know all of us will remember it for a long time.

Achievements

Meghann Gallagher Year 11

TECH GIRLS CODE THEIR WAY TO SAN FRANCISCO TEALE LYON, KIRA MOLLOY AND DELANEY EASTABROOK IN YEAR 11, HAVE BECOME THE NATIONAL 2016 AUSTRALIAN TECHNOLOGY GIRL SUPERHEROS AND WILL FLY TO SAN FRANCISCO TO PITCH THE APP THEY HAVE CREATED, VOCABULARY VOYAGERS.

The girls began developing the Vocabulary Voyagers app as part of the 2015 Search for Next Tech Girl Superhero, a competition run by the non-profit, Tech Girls Movement (TGM). The competition brings together girls from all over the country, to build and code their own apps, while also focusing on the business aspect of their product.

The girls were inspired to produce the literacy app after it was revealed that NAPLAN results were not improving in spite of increased government funding.

Vocabulary Voyagers is targeted at students in Years 2 to 6 to help improve their literacy rate by focusing on spelling, vocabulary and reading.

The girls will fly to San Francisco next August and will spend a week visiting technology companies in Silicon Valley and will pitch their app at the University of San Francisco. The girls were also the 2015 WA State finalists and returned to Sydney in 2016 as Ambassadors for the competition. The team's coach, Mrs Michelle Fitzpatrick, Head of Technology and Enterprise, is extremely proud of what the girls have achieved. "They had no app development experience 14 months ago.

Above: Delaney Eastabrook, Kira Molloy, Teale Lyon and Mrs Fitzpatrick

With continued dedication as a co-curricular pursuit, the team now has a viable entrepreneurial solution to a realworld community issue. I’ve been lucky to work with such an inspirational group of girls, and how exciting it would be if they became future leaders in technology."

NATIONAL HISTORY CHALLENGE AWARDS 2016 WE ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR STUDENTS IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES;

NATIONAL WINNER in the Category “Australian Wartime Experience” Sarah Samnakay Year 10 (Open Category) – essay on the Battle of Coral Sea

History of Sport (Open category) Winner – Fiona Nguyen (Year 9) essay on Jesse Owens Runner Up – Phoebe Jones, Noelle Chitty, Sarah Bond (Year 7) Indigenous History (Open category) Winner – Wini Taylor-Williams (Year 9) essay on land rights – America and Australia Museum Display

The following girls were awarded in the Western Australian Open Category; Australian Wartime Experience (Open category) Winner – Sarah Samnakay (Year 10) Runner Up – Phoebe Blaxill (Year 10) Runner Up – Kate Lucas, Charlotte Waugh, Hannah Hopkins (Year 7)

Winner – Lucy Lönnqvist (Year 7) C.Y. O’Connor Women’s History (Open category) Runner Up – Olivia Nolan (Year 8) Year 9 Category – Western Australia Runner Up – Wini Taylor-Williams Runner Up – Nalani Gleeson

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Above (l-r): Maddy Barrett, Katie Millen and Abby D'Sylva

Above: UCLA Campus, California, USA

LEAP PROGRAMME - FOLLOWING

DREAMS AND CHASING STARS

SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2007, THE LEAP FOUNDATION HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPORTING HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE IN FOLLOWING THEIR DREAMS AND CHASING THE STARS. LEAP STANDS FOR LEADERSHIP, EXCELLENCE, ACCELERATING, POTENTIAL AND STRIVES TO DO JUST THAT. IT IS A PROGRAMME DESIGNED TO INSPIRE YOUNG INDIVIDUALS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 15 AND 24 TO LOOK BEYOND CONVENTIONAL LIFE AND THE OBVIOUS ROLES IN SOCIETY AND BECOME SOMETHING MORE. OVER THE WEEK WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LEARN A WEALTH OF VALUABLE LIFE SKILLS, AND WE EACH GAINED INDIVIDUAL GEMS THAT RESONATED WITH US.

MADDY BARRETT My favorite speaker was Holly Ransom, an Old Girl from MLC. By attending LEAP, Holly has become one of the most sought-after inspirational and motivational speakers on the planet. She taught me skills such as goal-setting and the importance of them. As a result, I have used Holly’s tips and I carry my goals in my purse and have even stuck them to my bedroom ceiling. But that’s not all. It wasn’t just listening to people such as Holly or Dr Bill Dorfman the billionaire founder of dentistry, it wasn’t just education that was important. It was also the experience. I learnt lots of skills and I apply them but I also made a lot of new friends from all around the world. We skype call each other every now and again and it really brings back fond memories for me. So here I am. Enlightened, excited and eager to put these skills to the test. I had the time of my life at LEAP and intend to return in two years after WACE is over. LEAP has changed my life and I hope to use these connections to the best of my ability in the future.

ABBY D'SYLVA As corny as this sounds, the LEAP programme has become a pivotal moment in my life. It was lifechanging. The most valuable lesson I learned was about having gratitude. This was reinforced by the fact that the great majority of the 400 participants were from homes where they experienced incredible hardships. I was not prepared and had no sense of the adversity and disadvantage so many of my peers around the world have. Many were orphans whose parents were drug addicts. Others had suffered intolerable abuse. I went to LEAP thinking about what skills can I get out of this to make my life better? I came away realising how much I already have and how much capacity I have to give.

It taught me that gratitude is one of the fundamentals of life. I have begun implementing these ideas into my life and am already seeing big shifts in my thinking and outlook. I am excited about the future and the part I will play in it.

KATIE MILLEN At the LEAP Leadership programme, we learnt about the illusion of failure, and a speech was delivered to us about how we shouldn’t be afraid of it. We were told that the only real ‘failure’ in life is the failure to try. This motivational speech encouraged me never to be afraid of failure, and revealed that failure was just an obstacle on the pathway to success. There was one quote that especially resonated with me, which reads, “failure isn’t happening to you, it’s happening for you.”

Above (l-r): Katie Millen, Maddy Barrett and Abby D'Sylva

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Senior School News

Above (l-r): Kate Spencer, Sophie Lawson and Ashlyn de Barros Right (l-r): Daisy Casey-Trinder and Neve Glynn

YEAR 7 CANBERRA AND SYDNEY TOUR THE CANBERRA/ SYDNEY TOUR HAS BEEN A LONG-STANDING HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR 7 PROGRAMME, WITH THE 2016 TOUR FULFILLING ALL ITS PROMISES. THE TOUR IS THE CULMINATION OF EXTENSIVE STUDIES ON OUR GOVERNMENT SYSTEM, AUSTRALIA'S INVOLVEMENT IN MAJOR CONFLICTS AND THE BRITISH SETTLEMENT OF AUSTRALIA, AND AS USUAL, THE GIRLS WERE ENGAGING AND ENTHUSIASTIC TRAVEL COMPANIONS.

It is hard to choose a highlight of the tour. After listening to the dramatic accounts of our guides at the Australian War Memorial, it was impossible not to be drawn into the emotion of the moment, as representatives of our school laid a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and we all stood to attention as the sounds of the Last Post echoed through the hall.

At the National Gallery, the enthusiasm of the guides was infectious and many girls discovered a new appreciation of art. The magnificent building that houses our parliament made us all feel very patriotic, and we kept an eagle eye out hoping to glimpse a politician.

It wasn’t all hard work in Canberra, though. We played sport at the AIS, were amazed by science at Questacon and took miniature train rides through Cockington Green. We left Canberra with a new-found appreciation of the beautiful city and all its treasures. Sydney

was the reward for all our hard work in Canberra. We started at the zoo, with its magnificent backdrop of the harbour. Thursday saw us exploring The Rocks and touring iconic sites such as the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Our evening was spent being bedazzled by the costumes and sets of the stage production of "Aladdin". Our last day in Sydney provided some well-deserved downtime. We cruised the harbour, seeing Sydney from a new perspective, then headed off to the Paddy's Markets to buy presents for family and friends.

It is hard to do this tour justice in a few words. These were just a few of the highlights. New friendships were formed, new interests aroused and I'm sure these memories will be revisited often in future years.

Judy Lague Head of Year 7

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MAURITIUS MARINE SCIENCE AND DIVE TRIP DURING THE JULY SCHOOL HOLIDAYS, WHILE THE MAJORITY OF PERTH SOAKED IN THE HORRIBLE WET WEATHER, SIXTEEN OF US ST MARY’S GIRLS, ALONG WITH MR STANIFORTH AND MADAME MACRAE, PACKED OUR DIVE BAGS AND HEADED TO THE TROPICAL ISLAND OF MAURITIUS FOR AN ACTION-PACKED-TEN-DAY SCUBA DIVING TRIP. AFTER AN EIGHT HOUR FLIGHT, CONSISTING OF MR STANIFORTH’S PARANOIA OF FLYING, AND HIS MEMORISATION OF THE WHOLE EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE, WE ARRIVED IN GRANDE BAY.

Our first five days were spent diving on some of the island’s most beautiful reefs, encountering everything from sea turtles to the world’s most beautiful tropical fish. During our time away, we were lucky enough to be the world’s first school to dive with, and qualify as, Nitrox-enriched air divers, as well as gain our deep dive qualification to 30 metres. As if the diving wasn’t enough, we spent the last few days travelling through some of the country’s most spectacular sights. We were even fortunate enough to eat lunch on the highest peak in Mauritius.

We were so lucky to view some of the island’s dormant volcanos, visit temples, walk with the lions, and swim amongst a pod of wild dolphins. We also had a talk on marine conservation from the Mauritius Marine Conservation Society. On our final day we had a catamaran day trip around the surrounding islands of Mauritius and we spent this time discovering and exploring the islands on foot. These experiences were once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and we can’t thank our incredible teachers, Madame MacRae and Mr Staniforth, enough for some of the most memorable experiences.

The sub scooter was next on the agenda. This is a two-person underwater scooter. Picture the most claustrophobic vessel imaginable, though I’m sure most of the other girls will disagree.

Indiana Scanlon and Jess Pearce Year 12

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Senior School News

YEAR 10 EXCHANGE PROGRAMME Before I left for exchange I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness. I was so excited to be flying across the world to a new country; however, the prospect of being away from my family for five weeks was quite daunting. I was travelling to Bruton School for Girls, which is in the very beautiful Somerset, England. The school is a lot smaller than St Mary’s, with only about 250 students. However, this allowed me to get to know all the girls in the time I was there. The setting of the school was also a change. It was amidst rolling green hills, dotted with cows and sheep, quite different from St Mary’s.

My exchange partner, Alina, and I got on extremely well from the start and definitely built up a sister-like relationship. She is a boarder at Bruton and I was very excited to experience boarding, something I had never done before. There were only nine girls in the wing that I was staying in, the majority of whom were international students. These girls were my family during my exchange and I now have friends in France, Spain and China as well as England.

Whilst I was at Bruton I did some incredible things, such as crawling through very narrow caves, seeing the sights of London, riding rollercoasters in Thorpe Park and taking part in barn dancing on the May Bank Holiday.

Going on exchange was a huge accomplishment for me. The highlight of the trip was definitely the friendships I made and I now feel so much more confident in myself and my ability to adjust to new situations. It has inspired me to travel when I am older and possibly study overseas.

Above (l-r): Alina Cochrane and Ellen Weiss

Ellen Weiss Year 10

In Term 2, I went to Stanford Lake College in South Africa on exchange. Before I left I was feeling very nervous about travelling on my own to South Africa. I had no idea what to expect when I got there, which made me a little scared. Once I was standing in South Africa meeting my exchange family all my fears went away and I started to feel excited for the adventure I was about to journey on.

Stanford Lake College is a small, co-ed school that has around 200 students. They have many different subjects from the Year 10 course at St Mary’s. Some of the subjects were Chemistry, Physics and Accounting and they also took Afrikaans, which was a compulsory subject, like English.

The school is surrounded by amazing scenery and the people I met over there were very nice and welcoming, which helped me feel right at home. Even now I am still in touch with some of my friends there.

I experienced some of the most memorable moments of my life so far in South Africa, one of which was Kruger Park.

Kruger Park is a national game park where you can see wild animals up close. I got to see many wild animals such as elephants, giraffes, hippos and hyenas. I even went fishing and hiking through the bush.

I have learned to be more independent and confident, and to be comfortable with myself. Exchange is an amazing experience that I cannot put into words. It is something I will cherish forever.

Evie Cousins Year 10 Left: Evie Cousins

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INDIGENOUS STUDENT FOCUS ST MARY’S IS VERY PROUD TO PRESENT SOME OF OUR INDIGENOUS GIRLS WHO WILL BE GRADUATING THIS YEAR. THEY HAVE WORKED HARD, LEAVING THEIR FAMILY AND COMMUNITIES, TO MAKE THE MOST OF THE SCHOLARSHIPS PROVIDED

BY ST MARY'S, MADALAH, MINARA MINES AND THEIR LOCAL LANGUAGE GROUPS. WE CELEBRATE THEIR PASSION AND INPUT INTO MAKING OUR SCHOOL A MORE CULTURALLY AWARE AND DIVERSE DYNAMIC COMMUNITY GROUP AND GIVING US AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE WONDERFUL ABORIGINAL CULTURE THAT IS A PART OF OUR NATION.

If I could go back in time and change something, I wish that in Year 8 and 9 I was involved in so many more activities that were on offer, because getting older and being in Year 11 and 12 there is so much work that you are too busy to do other extra activities.

My name is Marlanie Haerewa and I come from the Nyikina language group, which is located in the north west of the Kimberley region. I commenced boarding at St Mary’s in Year 8, 2012. I was 13. I come from a small town called Derby, around 2,500 km north of Perth so the move to Perth was very challenging.

What I have loved about St Mary’s is the endless opportunities the school has given me that I definitely wouldn’t have had if I was in Derby. I have been able to explore the love I have for music and singing, with the opportunity to perform regularly on stage. Also, going on the Europe History tour in Year 11 was amazing. St Mary’s boarding has also given me the warm feeling of being at home, whilst this year I have had the opportunity to be Hamilton Wing Captain in Anne Symington House, which I have enjoyed so much.

My best memory was my first performance at St Mary’s.

Coming from Derby my confidence was not very high, I was shy and quiet until the girls said that I should get singing lessons. In Years 10 and 11 I was successful in my auditions and was given the chance to perform on stage in front of the Senior School. It was amazing. If I were in Derby I wouldn’t have had the experience or confidence to do this.

What I would like people to know about Aboriginal culture is that we all come from different language groups and they all hold completely different laws and rules. Coming from the Kimberley region, I learnt new languages from the girls who come from Kalgoorlie and Perth. They have shared their stories from home and I have shared mine with them. This is what I have loved about being a part of the St Mary’s Indigenous group at school, that we learn so much more about our culture each and every day.

Next year I am applying and hope to be accepted into WAAPA to study Aboriginal Performance.

I am Kaitlyn Weldon and I am from the Wongatha language group in the Eastern Goldfields region of Western Australia. I started school at St Mary’s when I was in Year 7, in 2011. I was at the Mt Margaret Remote Community School during my primary school years and have been a boarder since then. I live in a small town in the Goldfields called Laverton.

What I have loved about St Mary’s is the amazing opportunities it has given me throughout the past five years. I have tried to use these experiences to my advantage in all areas of my life. I have made amazing friends that I will have for a lifetime, and I will cherish all the memories I have here. My best memories would be within the boarding house. All the friends I’ve made over the years have given me funny, crazy, sad and very memorable times that I will always remember.

I would like people to know that being Aboriginal doesn’t make us any different from anyone else. I would like to change the perspective so that we all have the same opportunities for our future and education in life regardless of our skin colour. Next year I would like to go to Curtin University to complete a Diploma in Business Management.

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Senior School News

Above: Wearable Art

CAPAF DAY

CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL CAPAF DAY 2016 WAS A WONDERFUL HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR. EACH YEAR THE CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL SEEMS TO GET BIGGER AND BETTER, AND THIS YEAR WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE.

CAPAF day caters for a diverse range of artistic interests, which were displayed around the school. This included Photography, Art & Design works, technological creations in the IT centre, as well as public speaking, spelling and typing competitions. The CAPAF concerts showcased a wide range of artistic talent, including the winning junior and senior dance troupes and ensembles, outstanding music performances, and the highly anticipated ‘Wearable Art’ parade, which blew us all away. The cake-decorating competition followed the theme of ‘anniversary’ to tie in with St Mary’s 95th, and the calibre of cake displays was incredible. There was very strong competition in the House Singing this year and it was a very entertaining end to the day. Wittenoom won the cup after blowing the crowd away with a rendition of ‘Wings’. The House Music Captains put in such an amazing effort and the choirs sounded fantastic.

Thanks to the staff, for the work that goes on behind the scenes to allow the day to run so smoothly, and well done to all the girls for their participation. CAPAF Day was sensational!

Grace Walker Year 12

Above: Wardle House Senior Troupe

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SENIOR SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION The annual St Mary’s Senior School Art Exhibition was held for the first time in The Polson Room, opening on Sunday 4 September. It was a beautiful venue and the evening was attended by about 250 guests including Old Girls, students and families. In the crowd were Old Girls including Ms Lee Kinsella (1989), author and Project Co-ordinator of the Lawrence Wilson Gallery, and Ms Lisa Young (Head of Art, 1989-2001 and Old Girl, 1981), as well as past students from recent year groups.

Hannah Spendlove, Art Captain, opened the exhibition and introduced a Wearable Art Parade which featured wonderful costumes and headpieces inspired by the theme, Futuristic. A special thank-you to Mrs Pleasance, the co-ordinator, for her commitment to the programme.

Five of this year’s wearable art costumes were selected as finalists in the Apex Teenage Fashion Awards.

Amira Benterrak won the Society and Environment section of the award and travelled to the National finals in Melbourne where she was placed first. What an achievement.

Below: Amira Benterrak with her Wearable Art creation

The bold, diverse works of 45 Year 12 Visual Arts and Design students featured in the exhibition. This year the motion picture and time-based works of five ATAR students were presented on large audiovisual screens.

Painting, printmaking, textiles, sculpture and threedimensional design were also popular art forms with Year 12 students. Crowd favourites at the exhibition were the portrait paintings of grounds staff, Craig and Gary. The fabulous works of younger students featured a range of outstanding drawings, ceramics, jewellery, mixed media and three-dimensional architectural models.

The outstanding works on display reflect the individual skills and dedication of our talented art department. A special thanks to Ms Cooper, Ms Clarko, Mrs Dalli Cani, Mrs Sanders, Mrs Wilson, Mrs Pleasance, Mrs Ryan and Mrs Luckley.

Keryn Cooper Head of Art Department Below: Georgia Hard

Below: Georgia Radley-Kohrs

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Senior School News

Far left (front row l-r): Rachel Griffiths-Szeto, Kathleen Dwyer, Holly Isaacson (back row l-r): Sophie Dwyer, Naomi Kitney and Brittany Yang Above: Hannah Coopes Left: The Reverend Canon Gerry Nixon

MUSIC AT ST MARY'S TERM 3 HAS SEEN A MYRIAD OF MUSICAL EVENTS TAKE PLACE SHOWCASING THE AMAZING TALENTS OF OUR ST MARY’S STUDENTS. IT IS ALWAYS ONE OF THE BUSIEST TERMS ON THE MUSIC CALENDAR, AND 2016 HAS BEEN NO EXCEPTION.

We started the term with piano students Diane Keong (Year 12), Rhianna Figueiredo (Year 12) and Nancy Lin (Year 8) playing at the New Parent Dinners, held for the first time in the new Polson Room. This was quickly followed by our senior and junior musicians performing at the Whole School Eucharist on 10 August. The 4/5/6 Chorale, Senior Chorale, Senior Strings and a specially created Eucharist Orchestra accompanied this beautiful service, celebrating the Feast Day of St Mary.

To celebrate St Mary within the wider community, our Senior Chorale took part in the Our Lady in Winter service at St George’s Cathedral. The girls sang some very challenging repertoire beautifully, accompanied by Mr Stewart Smith on the organ and Sophie Ngo (Year 12) on violin. St George’s Cathedral is a magnificent venue and we are very grateful for the opportunity to perform there. We are very appreciative of the support of our Chaplain, The Reverend Canon Gerry Nixon, our Friends of Music led by Mrs Elizabeth Price, and Mrs Jo Pengelley for all they did to make our service run so smoothly. Thanks also go to the members of the St George’s community, including former St Mary’s parent Mrs Margaret Jago, for their generous assistance during our visit.

The Creative and Performing Arts Festival is a highlight of the St Mary’s calendar and there are numerous music performances that are part of this exciting event. On Monday 15 August, the music performance section of CAPAF was held in the Lady Treatt Music and Dance Centre. Over 90 students took part in the afternoon’s

proceedings, including vocalists, instrumentalists, pianists and many ensembles. We are reminded at this time every year of how truly talented our girls are. The House Singing competition then took place on Friday 26 August, with every girl in the Senior School singing as part of their House choir. The standard of the choirs was exceptional this year, with almost every group attaining an Outstanding grade. This is a first for this competition and our House Music Captains should be amazingly proud of their own efforts and those of the students in their Houses.

The last significant performance for the term was the September Concert – Cirque de St Mary’s, which was held on Wednesday 7 September in the Lady Wardle Performing Arts Centre. This event is an opportunity for our intermediate students to step onto the stage and show their many musical talents and to enjoy the wonderful feeling of performing to an almost full house of staff, friends and family. The girls shone in every capacity and were treated to guest artist, Jan Albertson, who is a professional juggler from Circus Joseph Ashton. It was a wonderful night of musical excellence and joyful performing of students from Year 4 right through to Year 12.

We are also very grateful to the music students who support the many extra events around the School such as the Old Girls Chapel Service, Year 12 Mother Daughter High Tea and the Baptism and Confirmation service. It is wonderful for our girls to use their gifts in service of others.

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LEGALLY BLONDE SENIOR SCHOOL PRODUCTION IT IS NO SECRET THAT STUDENTS WHO TAKE PART IN THE ARTS BENEFIT FROM INCREASED CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS. STUDENTS INVOLVED IN A SCHOOL PRODUCTION ADD TO THIS LIST THE ABILITY TO LEAD, EMPATHISE, COLLABORATE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY – THEY GAIN A HUGE SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT.

LEGALL

When the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts performed Legally Blonde as their major musical in 2015, it became an instant hit with Perth audiences, and several of our senior St Mary’s students. It was these students who planted the seed and well and truly drove the process of bringing this Broadway hit to the stage for this years Senior School Production. The challenges involved in staging a major musical are varied, and presented the cast and crew with a range of problems that required some creative solutions. Led by Drama Prefect, Eloise Orr, the cast worked tirelessly to learn 18 complex musical numbers under the tuition of Musical Directors, Nikki D’Agostino and Ben Hogan. This group of talented students rehearsed for three months to bring their characters to life, often working in small groups during our sessions to further perfect their scenes. The leadership shown by our senior girls during this time was outstanding, and the success of the show is a tribute to their passion for developing such a high standard of performance.

Opening night was met with a sell-out crowd, and audiences got to see Eloise Orr perform her flawless rendition of the sassy Elle Woods, who reminded us that appearances aren’t everything (even if blondes do have more fun). Indiana Scanlon, Emma Bonaccorso and Rebecca Fingher in their roles of hairdresser Paulette, fitness queen Brooke Wyndham and passionate activist Enid Hoopes respectively, filled the stage with performances mature beyond their years. The spirited Delta Nus brought a smile to the audience’s face every time they flitted, flipped or magically appeared onstage as we followed Elle from Malibu to Harvard. Teamed with a myriad of wonderful cameo roles, as well as

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Senior School News

our clever male cast members and of course two brilliant canines – Legally Blonde left audiences talking long after the final curtain.

BLONDEY The Musical

Music Lyrics by Laurence O'Keefand e and Nell Benjam in

Book by

Heather Hach Based on the nove motion picture l by Amanda Brown and the Metro-Go ldwyn-Mayer

Licensed exclusively All performance materby Music Theatre International (Austr alasia ials supplied by Hal Leonard Australia. ).

4 – 6 August

7 PM evenings

THE LA DY WAR DLE

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2016

1 PM Saturday matinee

PERFOR

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Complete with flips and tricks, the superbly talented dance ensemble created magic under the choreographic instruction of Lauchlan Bain. Our Year 12 dancers were an integral part of the process, leading the younger students through extra rehearsals to perfect routines that wowed audiences during every performance. $25 avai labl

e at ww w. s t

marys.w

a.edu.au

The glitz and glamour of Elle’s world contrasted with the mahogany halls of Harvard in a visually stunning set and lighting design overseen by the artistic crew, including Lars Jensen and Scott Maney. Nicola Gredziuk created a remarkable array of costumes that brought each and every individual character to life.

This gifted group of people allowed the audience to be transported into the world of Legally Blonde that the girls worked so hard to create.

It was a pleasure to work with such a phenomenal group of students on this year's production. The energy and passion they displayed, both on and off the stage, will no doubt transfer into their next great achievement.

Kathryn Shaw Head of Drama

THE WITCHES “HORRIBLE THINGS CAN BE EXCITING, GIRL. TAKE… WITCHES” (DAHL, 1983).

THE

I am delighted to be able to bring Roald Dahl’s scariest book The Witches to life onto the stage at St Mary’s.

It is a terrifically terrifying treat for the entire family.

The Witches was one of my favourite Roald Dahl books when I was younger, and after re-reading the faithful play adaptation I remembered why. The Witches was published in 1983 and set partly in Norway and partly in the United Kingdom. The play explores the adventures of a young boy (in our case, a girl) and her Norwegian grandmother as they battle against evil English witches who find all children repulsive. With threats to, “wipe them out like weasels”, to “squish them, bish them, bash them and mash them”, the young girl and her grandmother find they have the lives of all the children in England in their hands.

W TCHES

They have truly embodied

BY ROALD DAHL the positive attitude and & ADAPTED BY DAVID WOOD the courage of a girl faced 3RD TO 5TH N OVEMBER with a challenge that is reflected in the play you see tonight. We hope you tremble and smile as you follow the little girl on her journey to discover that, “it doesn't matter who you are, or what you look like, so long as somebody loves you”. (Dahl, 1983) 7P M EV EN ING S 1PM SATU RDAY LA DY WA RD LE PE MATIN EE RF OR MI NG AR TS CE NT RE

TIC KET S

$15 AVA ILA BLE AT WW W.S TM ARY S.WA.E DU

BY ARR AN .AU GEM ENT WIT H OR ON BEH ALF IGI OF SAM UEL N™ THE ATR ICA L, FRE NC H, LTD. 75 ELL IOT T ROAD KAR RIN YU P WA 60 18

ST MA RY’ S

Sophie Ntoumenopoulos Director

The play offers so many opportunities for fantastic illusions, magic, puppetry, creative costumes and magical scenography. None of this would have been possible without our wonderful team, including Lars Jensen, Nicola Gredziuk, Scott Maney and Caroline Brand who have done an incredible amount of work behind the scenes to create the magic you see on stage.

I am especially proud of the way the girls took on a new director. As an Old Girl of St Mary’s, it has been a delight to take on this guest director role in leading the Lower School Production for the first time. During the rehearsal process, I encouraged the older girls to take on leadership roles and we would then come together as a group to discuss, reflect and polish the work that the girls had produced. While my approach may have been different, the girls have impressed me with their flexibility, commitment and positive attitudes.

Above: Cast and Crew

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37

ST MARY'S NEWEST RESIDENTS, THE SPICE GOATS -

'CHILLI, SAFFRON AND GINGER'

BILLY THE GOAT WAS FIRST INTRODUCED TO THE SCHOOL IN 2011 WHEN HE QUITE LITERALLY WALKED THROUGH THE GATES OF ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS SCHOOL FROM WHERE HE SEEMED TO TAKE A LIKING TO THE SCHOOL. IT WAS HERE BILLY STAYED UNTIL 2016, WHEN UNFORTUNATELY HE PASSED AWAY.

Our school was distressed with this news, so much so, that thanks to Mrs Thomson, Ms Cooper and our maintenance men, our school surprised us with the new arrival of three baby goats at our assembly to start Term 3. At the time, our Head Girl, Robyn, Senior Boarder, Georgia, and Senior Day Girl, Hannah, carried three beautiful little kid goats on to the stage. For me, this will probably stand as one of the most memorable assemblies thus far.

Due to the arrival of the new goats, the school held an official goat-naming competition and after a few weeks to ponder over the names, St Mary’s declared the goats to be named Chilli, Saffron and Ginger. I am fortunate enough to be able to spend time with all the goats and I have grown an immense liking towards them, whether it’s Chilli’s playful manner, Saffron’s shy and quiet impressions or Ginger’s ravenous appetite. In the course of various weeks I have fed, walked and watched over our school’s endearing baby goats and I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute.

Pippa Chitty Year 8

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Senior School News

SCHOOL TREE DAY

YEAR 10S PLANT 24,000 SEEDLINGS Above (l-r): Skylar Chong, Brittany Yang, Katie Ward and Yasmin Blaxell THIS YEAR THE YEAR 10 STUDENTS HAVE AGAIN BEEN INVOLVED IN ASSISTING THE CHITTERING LANDCARE GROUP TO PLANT A STAGGERING 24,000 SEEDLINGS. THIS IS ONE OF SEVERAL COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES ORGANISED FOR THE YEAR 10 STUDENTS TO ASSIST THEM IN COMPLETING THEIR 20 HOURS MINIMUM COMMUNITY SERVICE REQUIREMENT.

This activity took place in the Bullsbrook region and despite the weather working against us, the girls managed to plant 22,000 seedlings around the swampy area and nearby paddock. Later during September, we assisted the Landcare group by pulling out a range of weeds, including lupins and cape tulip that threaten these replanted sites.

Next year we hope to replicate and possibly surpass the success of the Year 10s in 2016 and plant even more seedlings, perhaps managing to get all 24,000 into the ground.

TECH SUPPORT FOR SENIORS Throughout Term 3, 20 girls from the Senior School have been meeting with a group of ‘seniors’ from nearby Amana Living Karrinyup (Moline Village), to help introduce them to technology through a programme known as Moline Connect. The aim of this programme is to help the seniors learn basic technological skills, to reduce the social isolation that comes with living in a world where all their family members are online and they are not.

Throughout the programme, we have covered several topics with the participants. These include: yy yy yy yy yy yy

Introduction to the iPad Surfing the Web Using Email Social Media Basics Apps 101 Taking Photos

Above: Pat Childs and Alannah Murphy

Participating in this programme has been a really worthwhile experience. Knowing how to use technology easily is a privilege that those of us who have grown up with the resources available often take for granted. It has also been lovely to chat with the other participants in the programme and get to know them, as they bring different perspectives and have been very quickly and willingly picking up the skills that they have learnt through the programme. Many are now finding it much easier to check the news online, or be able to communicate with family members through email or text message.

Lily O’Meara Year 12

Senior School News

39

YEAR 12 MOTHER AND DAUGHTER HIGH TEA I can remember it as if it were yesterday – I would sit on the bathroom cabinet swinging my legs and singing while mum would do my hair and make-up for my dancing concerts. On 27 August 2016, I was able to relive this moment in reverse. While my mum sat in the bathroom as I once did, I did my mum’s make-up for the Mother/Daughter High Tea. It was lovely being able to give something back to her after all she’s done for me. On arriving at the Parmelia Hilton and having our photos taken, we were seated with friends to share in an afternoon filled with good food, good memories, and lots of laughter. Everyone went to so much effort, filling the room with 200 beautiful women. You can certainly see where all of us girls get our good looks! To top off the afternoon, Georgia McAlpine and Hannah Coopes serenaded us in their beautiful rendition of Best Day by Taylor Swift, making me question whether I should have put waterproof mascara on my mum – there wasn’t a dry eye in the whole room! Both the song and speeches consolidated the special bond we share with our mums. So to all the Year 12 girls and their mothers, thank you for making it the “Best Day”. It truly was.

Indiana Scanlon Year 12

Above: Deborah and Indiana Scanlon

Below (l-r): Claire and Diana Doran

Above (l-r): Kelly and Jordyn Nixon and Rebecca and Jennifer Lyons

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Senior School News

Above: Chanel Bowen (’10) and Gemma Nisbet (’03) with Year 11 and 12 students for Insight into Arts

Above: Hayley Hamp (’11) and Gemma Serjeant (’07) for Insight into Commerce

Above: Rubin Trehan (’10) and Maddy Clohessy (’07) with Year 11 and 12 students for Insight into Law

INSIGHT BREAKFASTS - WELCOMING BACK

OLD GIRLS TO INSPIRE YEAR 11s AND 12s

EACH YEAR WE ARE DELIGHTED TO WELCOME BACK YOUNG OLD GIRLS TO SPEAK TO THE CURRENT YEAR 11 AND 12 STUDENTS AT PROFESSIONAL INSIGHT BREAKFASTS.

These Old Girls are able to offer our students an invaluable, real-world insight into tertiary study and work life, which can help make choosing that right study and career path a little less daunting. This year our thanks go to the following Old Girls for willingly sharing their experiences and advice, and braving some very cold winter mornings: yy Health Sciences - Cassidy McAlpine ('12) and Siobhan Wilkins ('10) yy Medicine - Jessica Perring ('12) and Mel Simonds ('10) yy Arts (Film & TV, Journalism) - Chanel Bowen ('10) and Gemma Nisbet ('03) yy Science and Engineering - Brooke Shaw ('11) and Aislinn Kowald ('11) yy Law - Rubin Trehan ('10) and Maddy Clohessy ('07) yy Commerce - Hayley Hamp ('11) and Gemma Serjeant ('07)

The various disciplines were chosen based upon feedback from our Year 12 students. The Breakfasts are held in an informal setting and students are encouraged to ask the Old Girls a whole range of questions. There are no silly questions in this forum!

This year we heard a resounding theme of ‘be yourself and follow your own path’. Many of our speakers reminded the girls that you shouldn’t follow a particular path just because your friends are going that way; be your own person and do what makes your heart sing! You will find success when you are passionate about what you are doing.

If you would like to be involved in the Breakfasts and share your advice next year, please contact the Community Relations Department on email oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au

Senior School News

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OUT

and

ABOUT

q NEW PARENT DINNERS

Over three nights in July, Mrs Lynne Thomson, the Board, Executive and staff from both the Junior and Senior Schools joined new parents for dinner in The Polson Room. Each night saw a different Old Girl talk about her journey since leaving the gates of St Mary’s and guests also listened to current students play the piano before dinner. The delicious meal was prepared by the school’s very own Head Chef, Eric Barlette.

l-r: Tony and Davinya Ferguson

l-r: Cassandra and Olivier Letrone

l-r: Natasha Ehrenfeld, Yulia Merrill and Lisa Clancy-Lowe

l-r: Victoria Molinos de Brown and Rob Brown

l-r: Todd Melville and Melanie Watson

l-r: Craig and Kylie Slator

q Y EAR 12 FATHER DAUGHTER BREAKFAST

Over two very early and chilly mornings on 7 and 8 June, our Year 12 girls and their fathers enjoyed a breakfast together at Rendezvous Hotel in Scarborough to celebrate the girls’ final year at St Mary’s. Sophie Wiegele, Head Girl (’10), our guest speaker, really set the bar high for our Dads by sharing many stories of her travels with her Dad, Harry Wiegele, as well as his love and support through her life so far.

Sophie is currently finishing a medical degree at UWA whilst managing, and playing in, an Indi rock band.

Above: Sophie Wiegele guest speaker

42

Out and About

l-r: Geoffrey and Marlanie Haerewa

q O VERSEAS DINNERS

Above (l-r): Danya Breman (Scott ’88) and Tulley Breman

Above (l-r): Robert and Tracy Gibb

The second half of the year is a very busy time for visiting all of our overseas families. At the end of August, Mrs Lynne Thomson and Mrs Tina Campbell hosted dinners in Jakarta, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, where they enjoyed meeting with future, current and past families of St Mary’s. q KUALA LUMPUR

l-r: Tamara and Taleisha Dyson

l-r: Sherrie and Mark James Left: 95th Birthday cake for the Karratha breakfast celebrations

Above: Salynn Chong, Kwan Ho, Grace Fu, Holly Zhou, Stephanie Tang (’15), J-Mee Chong (’13) Tina Campbell and Mary Lee- Tang

q JAKARTA

Right: Naomi Gillespie and Ayah GillespieMcCallum

q KARRATHA BREAKFAST

Mrs Tina Campbell and Miss Julie Garnett held a breakfast in Karratha on Sunday 31 July, and it was lovely to see our current families, meet new families and reunite with so many Old Girls.

Above: Lynne Thomson, Kumar Jairamdas Aildasani and son Eshan K. Kewalramani, Harish and Jaya Mirwani, Tina Campbell, Vimla Kishinchand Kewalramani and Alia Sultana

q SINGAPORE

Above: Amanda (’06), Joanna, Nicole (’07) and Paul Sie

l-r: Jordy and George Shaw

Above: Bradley and Sharon Clarke

Above: Stephanie (’12), Zachary and Victor Goh

Out and About

43

‘THERE IS SIMPLY THE ROSE …’

This year is the 95th Birthday of St Mary’s! We have celebrated it with music concerts, a dinner dance, presentations, a ball gown parade, high teas and a fair. We have all gathered on the top oval in the shape of a number 95, waving madly at the drone overhead.

We have consumed our gorgeous birthday cupcakes and bobbed around the school with the helium-filled balloons. But quietly, growing peacefully in the Year 12 lunch area, has been the St Mary’s Girl rose. Bred and donated by Di Durston (Wallace’67) in 2014, the St Mary’s Girl rose is a pale pink tea rose, and 95 bushes have been grown for release to celebrate the School’s 95th Birthday. As Di said, “It’s a very nice day to have St Mary’s Girl come home to grow in the grounds of the school. I am delighted to share St Mary’s Girl with the school community.”

The theme of the rose for the 95th birthday year was derived from the rose window at St Mary’s Church West Perth. Every year the Year 3s visit Reverend Jacob Ng and the St Mary’s Church as part of their History of the School programme. An enduring feature and highlight of the Church is the rose window, facing west, high above Colin Street. The light from its beautiful coloured and patterned glass dances across the altar of the Church in the midday and afternoons, and fills the Church with life. A favourite part of the Year 3s’ day at the Church is to try and record the window. In recent years Mrs Marie McNeil, the Junior School art teacher, has helped the girls sketch and interpret the window.

The patterns of the tracery, or masonry framework, the choice of colours, the central white dove of peace and the positioning of the window, are all considered.

Other Junior School year groups have interpreted the rose window in creating rose-themed, ceramic tea cups, rose pattern print dresses for their heritage dolls, and designing their own rose window patterns using the fleur de lis as schematic.

The original St Mary’s West Perth Parish was constituted on 1 October 1899, with the Parish Hall, designed by the famous architect, J. Talbot Hobbs, being constructed in the same year. The Rectory was built in 1901 and the Church was designed by the

architect, P.W. Harrison, and consecrated on 6 May 1906.

It was never a completed building, with a colonnade along the western side, or Colin Street frontage, and a significant bell tower dedicated as a memorial to King Edward VII, on the north-western corner, never being built. This would later be a mitigating factor in supporting the demolition of the Church. The furnishings of the Church were gifts and donations from parishioners, including the rose window from D. Sedgwick.

The Reverend Charles Lawrence Riley, who was the Rector of St Mary’s Church West Perth, was contacted

by Mrs Blanche Gouly of the Girls’ Grammar School, whose lease on the Meerilinga building on Hay Street was expiring.

Reverend Riley suggested combining the Girls’ Grammar School with the Alexandra High School, which was operating from the St Mary’s Parish Hall, to create a Church of England school for girls, just as Hale School was operating in what is now the Constitutional Centre on Havelock Street, running a Church of England school for boys.

On 14 September 1921, the first day of school for St Mary’s was celebrated with a whole-school photo, including 98 students, members of staff and the Board of Governors.

St Mary’s was a Parish school until 1962, which meant the Church was its heart and soul. With the very limited number of buildings and restricted grounds, the girls spent a significant amount of time in and around the Church. When the School moved to Karrinyup between 1966 and 1970 and permanently changed campuses, the Parish was left with a dwindling number of parishioners and the Church’s significance was diminished. By 1980, with the commercialisation of the West Perth area, the Anglican Diocese made the difficult decision to demolish the aging Church and school buildings, and build a smaller, modern Church to reflect the changing needs of the Parish and Anglican community in Perth.

Although greatly upsetting to many of the previous parishioners of the Church, countless Old Girls of

Inset: The rose window, St Mary's Church, West Perth

44

Archival Anecdotes

Above: Mrs Marie McNeil with Year 3, interpreting the rose window Left: Original design for the Church, with colonnade and bell tower

St Mary’s and Old Boys of Hale School, Canon W. Painter explained at the last service held in the Church, 17 March 1980, “The real church is not a building, it is people…there must be regret at the passing of the building,… but this does not matter as long as the church, meaning people, still exists.”

Much to the delight of those who were attached to the previous Church building, the magnificent rose window that had been such a prominent feature, was painstakingly segmented and rebuilt into the new Church. The rose window, which referenced medieval churches in Britain and Europe and the homelands of many of the original founding families of the Parish, was reset in a contemporary, white, geometrical building. The rose theme was saved and revived and is celebrated by the current St Mary’s Parish and the School to this day. The words of Ralph Waldo Emerson have never been more relevant: “The roses under my window make no reference to former roses or better ones; they are what they are; they exist with God today. There is no time to them. There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.”

Stephanie Neille Archivist Acknowledgement to ‘A History of St. Mary’s Church West Perth’ by Kay Keng Khoo, 2006

Above: Dismantling the rose window, 12 April 1980

Above: St Mary's Church of England, Colin Street, West Perth

Archival Anecdotes

45

DONATIONS THANK YOU TO ALL OF THOSE FROM OUR ST MARY’S COMMUNITY WHO HAVE DONATED TO THE ARCHIVES, ASSISTED MRS RONDA BECK WITH THE ORAL HISTORY PROGRAMME, PROVIDED BALL GOWNS AND IMAGES FOR THE OLD GIRLS’ DAY BALL GOWN PARADE, HELPED WITH INQUIRIES, AND BEEN PART OF THE WONDERFUL GROUP OF ARCHIVES VOLUNTEERS.

THE RECORDING OF THE

HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL, ARCHIVES CURRICULUM PROGRAMMES AND COLLECTION, AND OLD GIRLS’ EVENTS AND FUNCTIONS, WOULD NOT BE THE SAME WITHOUT YOUR

Above: Donated by Betty Marmion (Ramm ’47)

CONTINUED SUPPORT AND ENTHUSIASM.

yy John Kelly for his mother, Linda Lucy Kelly (Green ’28) yy Jenni Davies for Mary Davies (Law ’40) yy Barbara Hurst (Cuming ’47) yy Betty Marmion (Ramm ’47) yy Helen Hyslop (Judge ’50) yy Ann Lewis (Brierley ’54) yy Rosalind Brown (Hunt ’54) yy Jennifer Stewart (’55) yy Pam Edmonds-Hill (Norcott ’55) yy Robert Hanlin for Maxine Hanlin (Brice ’55) yy Judy Martin (Spark ’56) yy Diane Porter (Wardle ’60) yy Jennifer Pohl (Kirby ’61) yy Dianne Marshall (Hooper ’62) yy Keeva Verschoor (Wittwer ’62) yy Pip Murdoch (Lefroy ’78), and for Jenny Scott (Lefroy ’62) yy Marlene Carter (’63) yy Helen Moyle (Weston ’64) yy Jan Ring (Hatfield ’64) yy Barbara Sewell (Parker ’65) yy Cynthia Last (’65) yy Jan Stewart (Elliott ’65) yy Lyn Hancock-Walker (Hancock ’65) yy Marg Trinder (Hulme ’65) yy Judy McGuire (Burton ’66) yy Lynne Malone (Eakins ’66)

yy Pam Mann (Beard ’67), and for Megan Hardwick (’91) yy Beryl Anderson (Waghorn ’68) yy Georgina Wigley (’68) yy Virginia Benedetti (current staff), for Pam Muhling (Page ’68) yy Sue White (Hasleby ’70) yy Jaye Modra (Penny ’71) yy Pat Dodson (’71) yy Jane Crisford (’72) yy Jane Milloy (’72) yy Judy Wilson (’72) yy Margaret Jago (Parker ’72) yy Debra Fordham (’73) yy Sally Wilson (’74) yy Swanna Hughes (Waldeck ’75) yy Janet Lankester (’76) yy Jenny Shaw (’76) yy Robin Anne Leake (’76) yy Robyn Teede (’76) yy Dana Hlavacek (’79) yy Ruth Guarino (Arbuckle ’79) yy Wendy Dymond (Metcalf ’80) yy Jane Crisp (Cyprian ’81) yy Lisa Young (’81) yy Nikki Briegel (’86) yy Leanne Nickels (’87) yy Carolyn Nickels (’89) yy Daina De Mattia (Gale ’90) yy Michelle Pedretti (Miller ’90) yy Trudi Fischer (’90) yy Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94) yy Annabel Anderson-Nicholls (Maitland ’94) yy Katy Keddie (Knowles ’94) yy Michelle Jenkins (’05)

Left: Donated by Lyn HancockWalker (Hancock ’65) Right: 1939 Prefects, donated by the daughter of Mary Davies (Law ’40)

46

Donations

yy Alex Moir (’10) yy Alexis Mann (’11) yy Linzey Allinson for her son, Harry Allinson (’25) yy Jill Raynor (former staff) yy Kerryn and Peter Mead (former staff) and parents of (Katherine Mead ’05) yy Marg Mansfield (former staff) yy Margaret Hector [daughter of Mrs Anne Symington (Paton ’33)] yy Maria Stannage (former staff), and for Fiona Stanley (niece of Mrs Joan Benson, former staff) yy Middy Redenbach (wife of Campbell E. Redenbach, former member of the Board of Governors) yy Pat Cansfield (past parent and former staff) yy Rev Joyce Polson (Chaplain Emeritus) yy Simon Draper for Margaret Rose Draper (former boarding house staff)

Above: Original blue blazer pocket, donated by the son of Linda Lucy Kelly (Green ’28)

PARENTS’ SOCIET Y

ST MARY’S AUXILIARY

AS I FLICK THROUGH EACH

THERE WAS A BUZZ IN THE SCHOOL

EDITION OF FIDELITER IT IS NOT

THAT IS UNDENIABLY GENERATED

HARD TO SEE THE PRIDE ON

BY THE SCHOOL’S 95TH BIRTHDAY

THE FACES OF THE STUDENTS,

CELEBRATIONS.

STAFF AND PARENTS, PAST AND PRESENT, WHO FEATURE ON THOSE PAGES.

Not only is it an acknowledgement of the achievements of those who have risen to great heights, but it is also a reminder that St Mary’s is more than just a school. St Mary’s is a community.

As the traditional African proverb says, “it takes a village to raise a child”. I believe it takes more than great teachers and state-of-the-art facilities to make a great school. I believe it takes a community - a community of parents, who show a keen interest in the education of their daughters, and perhaps even some friendly goats to keep us grounded when things get a little hectic. This is why I chose to become involved in the Parents’ Society. Not only has this given me the opportunity to meet on a regular basis with various heads of the school, but it has enabled me to foster relationships with like-minded parents.

More importantly, it has helped me gain a stronger appreciation of the community to which we as parents entrust our daughters, a community with a proud tradition dating back 95 years. I can assure you that the rewards far outweigh the relatively small investment of your time. If you haven’t previously considered being a part of the Parents’ Society, why not come along to one of our meetings? And just like our goats – we don’t bite.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank those involved in the World Fair. Many parents had not experienced the fun of a fair at the school before (including my daughter and I as she is only in Year 2).

It was exhilarating and I encourage everyone to volunteer for the Centenary, and to bring as many friends and family as you can.

In June, the Auxiliary hosted a very successful Biggest Morning Tea for the Cancer Foundation, with the very inspiring Natalie Baldock speaking to a number of the parents about nutrition and real food as prevention of disease.

The beginning of spring brought about our annual Grandparents' Day. So many grandparents gave the Auxiliary compliments for serving them afternoon tea, and also to the school for holding an event just for them.

This is one event we support that brings joy to so many.

Thank you again to our wonderful Auxiliary committee and class representatives for a fabulous 95th Anniversary of activities.

Angie Powell President of St Mary’s Auxiliary

Eric Martino Parents’ Society Vice President Right: Natalie Baldock and Angie Powell (President) at the Biggest Morning Tea

GRANDPARENTS' DAY Above: Frank Schelle and Alexa Shillington Left: Evita Benitez and Brianna Hasson Right: Zara Del Borrello with her grandparents, Lorraine and Terry Salotti

Parents’ Society and St Mary’s Auxiliary

47

OLD GIRLS’ PRESIDENT’S REPORT WE HAVE HAD A WONDERFUL YEAR CELEBRATING THE SCHOOL’S 95TH BIRTHDAY WITH THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. MANY OLD GIRLS HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE CELEBRATIONS INCLUDING JESSICA GETHIN (WALKER ’97), EMMA PEARSON (’97), LIANNE LEUNG (’13), JANE MILLOY (’72) AND CHRISTINA KATSIMBARDIS (’98), AS WELL AS OLD GIRLS WHO GENEROUSLY DONATED AUCTION ITEMS FOR THE 95TH BIRTHDAY DINNER DANCE.

We celebrated as Old Girls at Old Girls' Day on 17 September with school tours, a chapel service and lovely lunch in The Polson Room, complete with a "Ball Gowns through the Decades" Parade. What a fantastic event, with many memories stirred and laughs to be had.

Thank you to the Year 11 and Year 6 girls who modelled the dresses and some of the old uniforms from the early years.

2017 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: TUESDAY 4 APRIL 2017 You are invited to join the OGA Committee for the 2017 Annual General Meeting. Please contact us at oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au if you would like to attend or join the OGA committee.

OGA committee members whose terms expire and who will seek re-election in 2017 are: yy Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94)

On 19 October we welcomed our newest Old Girls at the Valedictory Service and we wish them all the best in their future endeavours.

In closing I would like to thank the Committee and all the staff who support the Association and I look forward to a productive and enjoyable 2017.

Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94) President of the Old Girls’ Association

2017 OGA MEETING DATES All Old Girls are welcome to attend our committee meetings. Meetings in 2017 will be held in the Seminar Room in the Senior School Administration building from 7.00pm on the following Tuesdays: 14 February

13 June

12 September

14 March

8 August

14 November

9 May

yy Jane Crisp (Cyprian ’81) yy Bree Buxton (’98) yy Peta-Jane Secrett (Hogg ’98) yy Margaret Jago (Parker ’72) yy Hannah Jago (’07) yy Julie O’Meara (Grose ’81) yy Necia Drazevic (Moffet ’87) yy Sandi Holborn (Della-Posta ’92) yy Tanya Subramaniam (’94)

OGA LIFE MEMBERSHIP The Life Membership fee for the Old Girls’ Association is $200. Life Membership fees contribute to scholarships and prizes offered to current St Mary’s students, as well as major capital development and special projects at school.

If you would like to become a Life Member of the OGA, please email oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au

UPCOMING EVENTS PLEIADES TENNIS TOURNAMENT

LONDON REUNION

Would you like to join our Old Girls’ Tennis team for the Pleiades Tennis Tournament in March 2017? If so, please contact Penny Chellew (Devine ’70) on email penny.chellew@bigpond.com for more information.

Save the date … Join Mrs Thomson and fellow Old Girls, living in London and surrounds, for a breakfast reunion on Friday 21 April 2017.

OLD GIRLS’ DAY 2017

Save the date … our newest Old Girls will be invited back to St Mary’s for their Year 13 Reunion on Saturday 13 May 2017. More details will be available in the new year. Please make sure your email address is up to date.

Save the date … Old Girls’ Day 2017 will be held on Saturday 18 March 2017. A special invitation is extended to the members of the Class of 1947, 1957, 1967 and 1977 who will be celebrating their 70th, 60th, 50th and 40th anniversaries. If you would like to be the class rep for your year group please contact us.

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Old Girls’ President’s Report

CLASS OF 2016 – YEAR 13 REUNION

To register your interest in the above events or to update your details please contact us at oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au

A BALL HAD BY ALL THE "BALL GOWNS THROUGH THE DECADES" PARADE WAS A HIGHLIGHT OF A FANTASTIC DAY OF REMINISCING AND CATCHING UP WITH OLD FRIENDS AT OLD GIRLS' DAY ON SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 2016.

Old Girls toured the school, taking in some of the most recent developments, and enjoyed the opportunity to admire the girls' work in art and media, the most common cry being 'How lucky are the girls today!" Next was morning tea in the Old Girls' foyer of the Lady Wardle Performing Arts Centre, which was followed by a special 95th Birthday Chapel Service. The recently opened Polson Room was the venue for a delicious lunch where the noise levels reached fever pitch.

gone by. Year 6 girls modelled the early school uniforms, before Year 11 girls wowed the crowd in ball gowns from the 1940s through to the current day. The Ball Gown Parade was accompanied by a presentation of images of Perth, the School and St Mary's dances since 1921.

We took a trip through the decades and experienced the fashion, music and school dances and balls of years

We look forward to seeing you all next year!

Our thanks to everyone who came along, to those Old Girls who donated their dresses for the parade, and to all those who gave their time to make this such a special day.

Above: Year 6 and Year 11 student models for St Mary’s "Ball Gowns through the Decades" parade

Above: Jessica Wolff (’76) on her maiden bell-ringing opportunity!

Above: Georgina Wigley (’68) and Year 11 student, Lauren Evans

Right: Class of 1976 Below left (l-r): Katy Keddie (Knowles ’94), Amy Dickson (Paterson ’94), Peta-Jane Secrett (Hogg ’98) Reverend Joyce Polson, Reverend Canon Gerry Nixon, Bree Buxton (’98), Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94), Michelle Shea (Hancock ’94) and Kirrilee Lehman (Hoffman ’94) Below right (l-r): Julie Hawkins (Moorhead ’73), Helen Moorhead (’70), Carmel Capewell (Southee ’70), Jane Gillon (Fisher ’70) and Sue White (Hasleby ’70)

Old Girls’ Day

49

OLD GIRLS' NEWS AND EVENTS MELBOURNE UNITES OUR FINAL ON-THE-ROAD REUNION TO CELEBRATE ST MARY’S 95TH BIRTHDAY WAS HELD IN MELBOURNE ON 1 JUNE.

Mrs Thomson enjoyed catching up with over 30 Old Girls at ‘Locanda’ in the heart of the city. It was fantastic to welcome so many Old Girls, and especially those who have just moved to Melbourne, and share the excitement of maroon memories.

Above (l-r): Katie Clarke (’01), Kate BennettEriksson (Bennett ’88), Suzanne Barton (’01) and Kate Gibbings (Moore ’01)

Above:(l-r): Rachel Ettridge (’15), Jane Moore and Grace Hamp (’15)

Above (l-r): Sam Mofflin (’08) and Natasha Pritchard (’08)

CLASS OF 2011 REUNION What a welcome our Class of 2011 got when they returned to school for their five-year reunion in August. The latest additions to the St Mary's family, three adolescent pet goats aptly named the Spice Goats, were on the loose and decided the reunion was a great place to have a stickybeak! Once the excitement and the oohs and ahhs had settled, the Class of 2011 enjoyed afternoon tea with a glass or two of bubbles in The Polson Room. Mrs Haak took everyone back to their valedictory events when she played ‘Unwritten’ by Natasha Bedingfield, and shared some images of their final year. It was lovely to see many of the Class of 2011 and hear about their time since leaving St Mary's.

YEAR 13 REUNION IN A NEW INITIATIVE THE CLASS OF 2015 WERE INVITED TO COME BACK TO SCHOOL FOR A YEAR 13 REUNION. OUR AIM WAS TO ENCOURAGE OUR NEWEST OLD GIRLS TO CONTINUE TO KEEP IN CONTACT WITH US AND EACH OTHER BUT ALSO HELP THEM SETTLE INTO THEIR FIRST YEAR AWAY FROM ST MARY'S.

We welcomed back two Old Girl guest speakers, Lianne Leung ('13) and Elyce Johnston ('08), to share their experiences and advice for coping with the first year away from school. Lianne and Elyce have had very different experiences since leaving St Mary's and it was this that really resonated with our leavers from 2015.

They were reminded that the first year isn't always a smooth transition and it's important not to get caught up in thinking that you have to be like everyone else.

The Class of 2015 commented that it was great to have two very different perspectives and to be reminded that not everyone's experience will be the same.

Above right (l-r): Isabella Masi (’15), Evie O’Meara (’15), Jaclyn Clarke (’15) and Sarah Coopes (’15) Right (l-r): Miss Watts, Lianne Leung (’13), Elyce Johnston (’08) and Mrs Thomson

50

Old Girls’ News and Events

Above:(l-r): Kirree de Burgh (’86), Petrese Ivey (’86), Justine Oxley (’86), Tiffany Scotney (Bullivant ’86) and Jane Mulder (Scott ’86)

Above:(l-r): Anastasia Atzemis (’86), Meredith Fonti (Roberts ’86), Heidi Briggs (’86), Arianne George (Pearce ’86), Gabrielle Page (Hollick ’86) and Gia Smith (Marlow ’86)

CLASS OF 1986 REUNION It’s tricky to lie about your age when you’ve just celebrated your 30th year since leaving Year 12 but there were some who still looked exactly the same. And then there were the rest of us, who had changed so much (in a good way, of course). Of the sixty people who could make it to the reunion we had a number who travelled significant distances to attend. Some were from rural WA, the eastern states and one even made it from New Zealand. It was wonderful to catch up on 30 years worth of news and the evening came to an end too quickly. Facebook and emails connected us initially, so please get in contact if you see this message. I hope it isn’t ten years until we next meet again.

Felicity Letch (’86)

51ST COMBINED INDEPENDENT GIRLS SCHOOLS GOLF DAY What a relief to play golf in such fantastic conditions after the winter cold. Shirt sleeves were the order of the day and the course at Royal Perth was in tip-top condition. We played foursomes stableford, which is always a challenge, and St Mary’s fielded a team of eight pairs, a competitive showing as only two pairs count for the trophy.

After a great lunch and conviviality, the much-awaited results came through. The pairs of Cheryl Miller (Lamplugh ’65), Bev Moxham (Brown ’69), Lynne Malone (Eakins ’66) and Marg Lutz (Prichard ’66) were announced as the counting pairs for St Mary's and with a score of 65 points, we came sixth. St Hilda’s had a grand total of 72 points to win, closely followed by MLC on 71.

A tentative date for 2017 is 16 October, so mark it in your diary. We all look forward to next year’s competition and hope some more of you will join us.

Lynne Malone (Eakins ’66)

SENIOR DAY GIRLS SENIOR DAY GIRLS FROM 2000 – 2015 CAUGHT UP WITH FORMER HEAD OF YEAR 12, MR CHIDGEY, AND CURRENT HEAD OF YEAR 12, MISS WATTS, AT THEIR BREAKFAST REUNION IN JULY.

Above (l-r): Lauren Smith (’06), Nandika Manchanda (’07), Anna Mulholland (’02) Yvette Tan (’03), Emily Jasper (’08), Mr Chidgey, Miss Watts, Claudia Tatlow (’11), Julia Tatlow (’15), Keely Johnson (’13), Nicky Sandover (’04)

Old Girls’ News and Events

51

OLD GIRLS' SURVIVOR PROFILES WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY DURING OUR 95 YEARS OF EDUCATING GIRLS, FROM OUR SMALL BEGINNINGS IN THE CHURCH HALL IN WEST PERTH TO OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITIES AT KARRINYUP, YET THE THINGS THAT REMAIN STRONG ARE OUR ETHOS AND FOUNDATION. OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUIPPING GIRLS WITH THE LIFE SKILLS TO FACE THE WORLD BEYOND ST MARY’S BEGINS FROM THE MOMENT THEY DON THE MAROON. OUR ‘SURVIVORS’ AS WE AFFECTIONATELY CALL THEM, ARE THE GIRLS WHO COMMENCE WITH US IN THE EARLY YEARS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL. AS AN OLD GIRL RECENTLY SAID, “YOU CAN TAKE THE GIRL OUT OF MAROON, BUT YOU CAN’T TAKE MAROON OUT OF THE GIRL.” FOUR OF OUR SURVIVORS SHARE THEIR STORIES BELOW.

DANA HLAVACEK (’79) I started in Grade 1 at St Mary’s in 1968 when the Junior School was still in Colin Street in West Perth. I undertook all my schooling at St Mary’s, other than 18 months spent in Darwin.

projects. I was also able to build knowledge across many aspects of the business, which were all very valuable for the directorships I now hold.

In Year 12 I decided I wanted to take a non-traditional path (at the time) and studied engineering. It was quite a change for an only child who had been at a girls’ school until then. I only lasted two terms at UWA. Being thrown in with a mass of boys behaving strangely was overwhelming!

I am currently a non-executive director with a portfolio that includes Melbourne Water, the Victorian Arts Centre Trust, and the Greater Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust, and I chair the audit committee of the Brotherhood of St Laurence.

My experience now allows me to work in a variety of organisations.

After working as a poolie in Fremantle, I realised I definitely wanted an indoor career and completed a Bachelor of Commerce at UWA. I spent the next 7 years at KPMG, building a valuable skill base.

I then moved to Rio Tinto where I stayed for the rest of my executive career, moving to Melbourne in 1992. There I had many wonderful opportunities, including leading and participating in global

MORWENNA MACGILLIVRAY (HODGES ’91) My years at St Mary's were exactly the 80s - I started in Year 1 in late January 1980 and finished Year 10 in December 1989. Looking back on that decade, I recognise the school had a far greater influence on my life than I have been conscious of. Working towards my PhD in Modern History, I am immersed in the last 50 years of Australian cultural history: feminism, Indigenous rights, the struggle for gay equality and social justice. I am struck by how fortunate I was to grow up from a young girl to a young woman in a nurturing community of women at a time when society did not always view girls as equal to boys, or women equal to men. When all the school prizes are won by girls, no matter the subject area or achievement, you take for granted female role models and potential for success.

I completed Years 11 and 12 in the UK, before a Bachelor of Arts, Masters of Arts and Master of Philosophy and then I kind of ran away and joined the air force (for 16 years). All of the most memorable experiences and successes I have enjoyed have been in part the result of luck – being in the right time at the right place.

Yet, luck can be made. The strong, confident women 52

Old Girls' Survivor Profiles

One of the greatest gifts from St Mary’s has been lifelong friendships. Even though I have lived in Melbourne for over 20 years, whenever I meet up with the group of St Mary’s girls, some of whom I started Grade 1 with, it is as though the conversation hasn’t been interrupted – we just pick up where we left off. There is something very special about the relationship I have with girls I have grown up with.

We are really privileged to attend St Mary’s. Take advantage of opportunities and experiences on offer, even if they don’t sound like something you would enjoy. You just don’t know until you try – take the risk to test yourself!

Left: Grade 1-2 in 1968. Dana is second from the right in the front row.

leaders who shaped my school years, like Deaconess Polson and Mrs Audrey Jackson, gave me the courage to try, to apply, just to put myself forward and see what happens rather than allowing self-doubt or Above: Morwenna MacGillivray (Hodges ’91) the daunting sailing in the “Sydney Hobart Yacht Race” in achievements of 2009. others to stop me having a go. Mercifully, I have forgotten most of the times I was not successful or selected – but that’s really the point. Applications, interviews, selection processes, exams, can be immensely intimidating, but they are also opportunities to learn, to gain experience and even to network, so it is always worth having a go.

GEMMA NISBET (’03) When I graduated from St Mary’s in 2003, I had notions of becoming the next Anna Wintour (I was reading a lot of Vogue magazines at the time), but beyond that it was all about keeping my options open. I went straight into studying a Bachelor of Arts at UWA and basically just pursued what I found interesting. This meant I changed my major a few times before I graduated with First Class Honours in English in 2008, having also done work experience at a few publications and started working as a freelance journalist alongside my studies.

I then spent the best part of a year travelling before returning to Perth. I’d been planning to pursue further study but was offered a short-term part-time job at The West Australian which, seven years later, has turned into a career as a travel photojournalist. Among other things, my role involves travelling locally, interstate and internationally to write and photograph stories for The West’s Travel supplement and new digital platform sevenwesttravelclub. com.au. I’m frequently reminded that it’s a pretty strong contender for the best job in the world.

I have always followed my instincts in terms of study and career choices, and my twelve years at St Mary’s set me up well for this, giving me great opportunities to try new things, learn from some really wonderful teachers and make

Above: Gemma Nisbet (’03) on assignment at Singapore Zoo earlier this year.

lasting friendships. I’ve only recently come to appreciate how valuable it was to grow up in a school environment where girls and women were front and centre.

For what it’s worth, my advice to current St Mary’s students is to follow your interests and see where that leads you.

Get to know yourself and your strengths, and be prepared to challenge yourself and push the limits of what you’re naturally good at. Most of all, don’t worry if you don’t know what you want to do: it’s normal to be uncertain, and it’s fine to change direction along the way.

MARINA BRUNO (’14) ­Life beyond St Mary’s seemed a little daunting after being in the same comfortable environment since I was four years old. After graduation I felt I wasn’t ready to go straight into university, so I deferred my placement at UWA for a Bachelor of Commerce and set off to the USA to travel and gain some life experience. While visiting, I toured the campus of The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in the heart of New York City and fell in love with it. I am now studying Advertising and Marketing Communications at FIT and loving every second of being in one of the most vibrant cities in the world.

Taking a gap year was the best thing I could have done as it allowed me to clear my mind and as clichéd as it sounds, to find myself. I learned what is really important to me and to follow my heart, even if it seems impossible. If you had told me at my high school graduation that I was going to be studying at what has just been named the 6th best fashion school in the world, I wouldn’t have believed you.

In Year 12, I wish I had known that it is more than okay not to know exactly what you want to do. I felt like there was this huge pressure on me to jump right into university and get my degree, but thankfully the teachers at St Mary’s and my parents reassured me that it’s my journey and I don’t need to feel pressured in that way.

My advice to girls graduating this year, and for years to come: even if your dream seems impossible, go for it and try; otherwise you will regret it. St. Mary’s has provided us with all of the building blocks we need to make it in the real world, and with a little bit of hard work anything really is possible.

Above: Marina Bruno (’14) in front of The Fashion Institute of Technology, New York

Old Girls' Survivor Profiles

53

SCHOL ARSHIPS FOR OLD GIRLS ST MARY’S OFFERS A NUMBER OF SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OLD GIRLS STUDYING AT UNIVERSITY ACROSS A RANGE OF DISCIPLINES.

Bonny Milne Scholarship in Medicine for students commencing their second year of an undergraduate medical degree or the first year of a postgraduate medical degree.

Esmee Byatt Scholarship for Medicine for students commencing their second year of a postgraduate medical degree at the University of Western Australia.

Deborah Cook Scholarship for Nursing for students commencing their second year of a nursing or midwifery degree.

Helen Judge Art Award for students commencing their second or third year of a fine art-related degree.

For further information about how to apply for these scholarships please visit www.stmarys.wa.edu.au/old-girls-scholarshipsand-awards or telephone (08) 9341 9120.

Applications close on Friday 26 February 2017.

Fay Bailey Scholarships for Engineering, Science and Law for students commencing their third year of a science-related, engineering or law degree or the first year of a postgraduate law degree.

NEWS FROM OLD GIRLS Sarah Madden (Keen ’87) has lived in Albany since leaving school and now has a nine-year-old son who keeps her very busy. She has worked in various roles within the health industry, including 23 years with Silver Chain.

Lucy Morris (Macleod ’03) welcomed a little girl, Evelyn Lucy Morris on 7 March 2016. Evie weighed in at 2.86kg and 47cm long. She is now six months and loved attending the St Mary's Playgroup!

LORRIE TURNS 100!

Lorrie Maley (Rowledge ’33), one of our oldest Old Girls, celebrated her 100th birthday in August.

Lorrie attended St Mary’s in West Perth from 1923 until 1932. She was a school Prefect in 1932 and an avid sportswoman, serving on the tennis, basketball, swimming and the athletics teams. She was also often ‘treading the boards’ in the school plays. To this day she is still a regular attendee at many Old Girls functions. Congratulations, Lorrie!

Above: Lorrie Maley (Rowledge ’33)

Helen (Marion) Moore (’71) has recently returned to Perth after working overseas and interstate for more than 25 years.

Felicity House (’84) has been appointed Principal of Peter Carnley Anglican Community School (commencing in 2017), after nine years as Deputy Principal of Perth College. Felicity made an outstanding contribution to the Perth College community, especially in the area of pastoral care and the well-being of students. Congratulations, Felicity!

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News from Old Girls

Above: Lucy Morris’s (Macleod ’03) baby girl, Evie

Alana Gasson (’15) has put her studies of medical and business administration on hold for a while, as she has been offered an office assistant role. She is loving working full time.

Heather Rogers (Whiting) former St Mary’s German teacher from 1984 – 1987 arranges a Champagne Breakfast once a year with a group of former students who studied German with her during her time at school.

The girls also bring their children along. Here is this year’s breakfast with Michelle Rhodes (Northover ’88) and her daughter, Maia, Natasha Williams (Rogers ’87), Heather Rogers (Whiting), and Ainslie Mitchell (’90), with her daughter, Ruby.

Sophia Drazevic (’15) represented Australia at Buckingham Palace for the 60th anniversary celebrations of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. She was one of 40 young people chosen from around the world to attend a breakfast at London’s International Award House in May and to receive her Gold Award at Buckingham Palace. It was presented by Mr Charley Boorman, global adventurer and Award Patron, and they were joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.

Above: Madhulika (Madge) Thomas (Mukund ’01) with the Hon Julia Gillard, Chair of the Board of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).

Madhulika (Madge) Thomas (Mukund ’01) is a qualified lawyer and moved to New York in 2015 after serving as General Counsel at the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in WA, and within the International Legal Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra prior to that. She is now working for Global Citizen, an Australian-grown, international advocacy organisation and NGO based in New York, with offices in the UK, Canada and Australia.

She oversees their global policy teams that work on issues related to ending extreme poverty (including food and hunger, girls and women, education, water, sanitation hygiene (WASH) and child health). Madge also leads their global education campaigns and works closely with Julia Gillard and her team, in the Global Partnership for Education, as well as with Save the Children, the UN (particularly UNICEF), leaders of governments around the world, corporate CEOs and celebrities who perform at their annual Global Citizen Festival in Central Park. Madge's role is quite exciting at times - she was interviewed for 'Teen Vogue' in July this year and attended their festival launch party alongside some of the big-name artists, as well as meeting with various government representatives to try and secure millions of dollars in aid funds for those living in extreme poverty. Madge also worked with the organisers of the UN General Assembly and President Obama's refugee summit, having input into responses and planning for children in emergency and conflict settings.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award empowers young people aged 14 to 25 to explore their full potential, regardless of their location or circumstance. Sophia completed her Bronze and Silver Awards whilst at St Mary’s and achieved her Gold Award within 18 months.

She participated in many activities including junior golf coaching, golf training, serving as an acolyte at St George’s Cathedral, an ocean sailing camp in Busselton and attending Western Australia’s Youth Parliament, as a member of their first Women’s Interest Committee.

Sophia said, “I am so grateful to St Mary’s and the school’s Award Co-ordinator and my Award Leader, Mr Brad Stewart, who supported me on my award journey.

It has been life-changing and has enabled me to achieve meaningful and lasting personal growth and success, which I now employ to assist others undertaking their award journey, in my role as the Duke of Ed Award Leader at Notre Dame University Australia.”

Above: Sophia Drazevic (’15) with Charley Boorman

For the past 6 years Jessica Blake (’00) has had the honour of working in the world of elite sports as a Sports Chaplain. This job has taken her around the world and she is currently working in Auckland, New Zealand. Most recently she was in Rio working with Kiwi athletes alongside 30 chaplains from around the world. A sports chaplain’s role is to provide pastoral care for athletes. On a day-to-day basis at home and in Rio that means meeting with athletes, being a confidential ‘ear’ for them to talk to, process some of their challenges with, celebrate their victories and joys, as well as, for some, pray with them and lead small group Bible studies.

Left: Jessica Blake (’00) at the Rio Olympics

News from Old Girls

55

VALE IT IS WITH SADNESS THAT WE RECORD THE DEATHS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE ST MARY’S COMMUNITY MERRILEES SALTER (LUKIN ’36) 25 JUNE 1919 – 18 SEPTEMBER 2016

Merrilees came to St Mary’s aged nine and boarded at first with the Misses Tothill and was awarded a Soldiers’ Scholarship in 1930 on the death of her father. She was not averse to playing up in school, and would much rather be at netball practice than at music! She loved the dramatic and musical performances at school and that passion continued through her teaching life in country towns.

Sport was another lifelong passion. She was captain of both the netball and tennis teams. She remembered that they used to do physical education with stockings on, until Miss Mills managed dramatic changes to little red tunics and red bloomers. In her final year, 1936, Merrilees became a prefect and was Dux of the school.

After university, and teacher training, she began a long and illustrious career with the Education Department.

She maintained that her first class at Kellerberrin, teaching evacuees during the war, was so difficult that she had to use all the intelligence, skill and ingenuity she could muster, and that the discipline required there stood her in good stead for the rest of her life. Her final seventeen years of work were spent as Deputy Principal of Hollywood Senior High School.

Merrilees always kept close contact with her friends from St Mary’s and with many of her students. She enjoyed life, got involved in everything and was certainly not afraid of a fight! She is remembered with great affection and admiration by her students, of whom I am privileged to have been one!

Ronda Beck (BERTHA) MARY DAVIES (LAW ’40) 8 JANUARY 1923 - 29 JULY 2016

Mary was born in Colin Street, West Perth, the same street where St Mary’s was first located, and where she attended school from 1930 until she was 16 years old. A few years after leaving St Mary’s, Mary joined the Air Force and became a wireless operator. During this time, she met and married her first husband, an American submariner but, sadly, he was killed in action. After the war, Mary moved to America to be with her husband’s family and spent the next few years working and travelling around America and Mexico before returning home to Perth.

In 1947, Mary married John Davies and had three daughters. Throughout her life, she had a great love of travelling and history, and her suitcase was always full of treasures she had discovered along the way. Mary was also a keen bridge player, obtaining her Grand Masters Certificate and playing competition bridge for

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Western Australia and her club. She also enjoyed going to the theatre (especially ballet), music and gardening, the love of which she passed on to her children and grandchildren.

Mary was a loyal friend, mother and grandmother. She was generous, caring and wise, with a witty sense of humour and will be missed by all who knew her. Mary passed away quietly on 29 July after enquiring where her suitcase was - ever ready for her next adventure.

Jenni Davies MARGARET VAN HAZEL (ALTORFER ’41) 3 DECEMBER 1923 - 19 AUGUST 2016

Margaret was born to Arthur and Eileen Altorfer and had an idyllic childhood in Geraldton. Her father was a very popular local solicitor and was a lover of animals, so she always had plenty of pets including baby kangaroos rescued by her father. When Margaret was 14, Arthur died and shortly afterwards the family moved to Perth where she joined St Mary’s in West Perth. Margaret quickly became involved in the life of the school and made many of her best and longest friends at St Mary’s. Margaret loved drama and was a frustrated actress all her life.

After leaving school she worked in a bank and then as a secretary to a professor at UWA. In 1943 she married Dutch Naval Lieutenant, Cornelis (Neil) Van Hazel, and at the end of the war they travelled to Holland to live.

After a few years they returned to Australia.

One of her hobbies was writing and she submitted some short stories to the ABC and was invited to read them on the air. One was called “My life in Holland” and a few years later another focused on ‘Life with Louis’, the family’s particularly mad French poodle! Margaret was a wonderful cook and dressmaker and became an expert at playing bridge online. She loved a party and loved organising them - she started a long-running 23 drop party for all those born in 1923 and a ‘Margaret party’ for anyone named Margaret, something that would have difficulty raising a quorum these days.

She was a much loved mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother and will be much missed.

Guy Van Hazel

HELEN HYSLOP (JUDGE ’50, HEAD GIRL) 1 OCTOBER 1933 – 15 SEPTEMBER 2016

Helen attended St Mary’s in West Perth from 1946 when Mrs Elizabeth Myles was Headmistress and was made Head Girl in 1950.

After leaving school she trained to be a nurse at Royal Perth Hospital, graduating in 1955. She then worked as a midwife at King George V Hospital, Sydney and Townsville General before returning to WA to nurse at Collie District and Hollywood Repatriation Hospitals. Helen married Ray, an obstetrician, in 1960 and had four children before returning to nursing.

Helen had a huge zest for life and her many accomplishments included creating a horse stud for Australian stock horses, painting, windsurfing and sailing her 38 foot yacht on Lake Macquarie. She was a great friend and supporter of St Mary’s and, with her love of art, established an Art Prize for Year 12 students and an Art award for an Old Girl studying Fine Art at university. Although living on the east coast, Helen maintained her interest in the School and its students and regularly attended Old Girl events in Sydney, even travelling when her health was failing her. A lady of great strength, determination and generosity, she will be sadly missed.

Our condolences to her husband, Ray, and family.

Linzey Allinson PAMELA BENNETT (WHITE ’51) 23 OCTOBER 1936 – 11 OCTOBER 2016

How do you sum up in a few words a life that has been well and truly lived? There are, of course, statistics – a bare summary of what she did – a Life Member of the Parents’ Society and the Ladies’ (now St Mary’s) Auxiliary, a committee member of the Old Girls’ Association and its representative on the Board of Governors, a member of the Inner Wheel of Rotary, a faithful member of the Anglican Church. A wife, a mother, a grandmother…

Pam was a person who reached out to everyone. If she was not taking meals to people in need, or doing their shopping, and, of course, caring for a husband and four girls, then she was comforting day girls who needed a shoulder to cry on, or redecorating the bathrooms of the boarding house because she felt they needed to be more ‘feminine’. Or being present, year after year, at the Inter-School Swimming Carnivals as the ‘voice on the microphone’.

for others. In all the years I knew her I never heard her complain about herself or any other person; never saw her angry except when she felt another person was being treated badly. She had a great sense of humour, she could laugh at herself when most people would be in tears, she could laugh at situations that would make most people want to give up.

Pam might well have been the original pattern of the last verse of our School Hymn – Life’s work more nobly wrought, life’s race more bravely won, life’s daily conflict faced and fought, life’s duty done. She has set us an example that we all could aspire to. We give thanks to God for all she shared with us.

Reverend Joyce Polson LORNA DOUBIKIN (WOODHEAD ’54) 23 OCTOBER 1936 - 17 JUNE 2016

Lorna attended St Mary’s in West Perth between 1949 and 1951.

PAMELA STONEY (WHYTE ’62) 7 SEPTEMBER 1944 - 3 AUGUST 2016

Pam, who came from Kondinin, joined St Mary’s as a boarder in 1957 and left in 1962 after completing the Leaving Certificate.

Her classmates remember well that she was a good all-rounder, who shone in the classroom, and that she was also captain of Riley House and the school hockey team. After she left school Pam completed nursing training at St John’s, Subiaco and later gained a reputation for her high level of competence.

Pam married Allan Stoney, an architect, in 1967 and after gaining suitable qualifications, assisted him to run his firm as the office manager. Allan later discovered that he had in fact worked in an office just opposite St Mary’s in Colin Street while Pam was still a boarder.

Pam had a son and a daughter and three grandchildren, two of whom are twins. She and Allan enjoyed travelling overseas, and socialising and golfing with good friends.

After being diagnosed with advanced cancer just eight weeks earlier, Pam died at home with her family around her. As she had requested, her many friends and relatives remembered her at a convivial riverside restaurant gathering.

Deepest sympathy is extended to Allan and family.

Keeva Verschoor (Wittwer ’62)

She was a very loving person. It didn’t matter what difficulties she may have been carrying, she was there

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VERONICA BROOMHALL (SOUTHEE ’65)

JASMIN HORTON (KING ’78)

14 MARCH 1948 – 12 JULY 2016

6 APRIL 1959 - 9 AUGUST 2016

Veronica attended St Mary’s in West Perth in 1962 and 1963. She lived in the UK for many years. She married Peter and had five children.

Jasmin was born in Merredin and lived in Geraldton before moving to Perth and starting primary school. Jasmin enrolled at St Mary’s in 1969.

She loved her school days and the many, valued, lifelong friendships she made. The school cruise to Fiji and the Pacific Islands was a highlight.

Our condolences to her sisters Carmel (’70) and Lynne (’71) DEBRA CAMPBELL (POOLE ’70) 31 MARCH 1953 - 27 AUGUST 2016

Deb was living in Norseman when she began attending St Mary’s as a boarder in 1967.

With a dynamic personality she was well-liked by all. She loved all things sporting, excelling in swimming. She became Wittenoom House Captain in 1970, with the Almerta that year describing the captain as the ‘famous infamous Debbie Poole’. Deb was a founding member of Deaconess’s cricket team. In interschool sports she represented St Mary’s in swimming and athletics.

On completing her Leaving, Deb settled in Esperance.

With her passion for the water, Deb taught swimming and was teacher in charge and an examiner. She considered teaching swimming to disabled children one of her greatest achievements. Deb was also a volunteer St John ambulance officer.

Deb married Ian (Bear) Campbell and had two daughters and four grandchildren. Sadly Deb suffered from debilitating diabetes, gradually losing her sight and also having a leg amputated above the knee. She faced her predicament with tenacity, and courage, and her famous sense of humour. Earlier this year Deb’s kidneys began to fail and along with ongoing infections in her remaining leg, Deb’s battle ended on 27 August.

Her wonderful husband, Bear, had cared for her for the last ten years.

Testament to her personality, Deb wrote her own eulogy, all eight pages of it! Her funeral was conducted by a friend and past employer who said that, ‘Deb didn’t have acquaintances, she only had friends.’ Deb certainly made many friends during her time at St Mary’s. Farewell Deb, too special to forget.

Pat Filinski (Bird ’70) and Jenny Pitman (Griffin ’70)

Jasmin’s family, especially her parents, were always a very important part of her life. She worked in several family-owned businesses, adding her own brand of cheeky fun and her big smile to the friendly banter with their customers.

In 1984 Jasmin and David married and moved to Canberra and in 1988 moved to Kalbarri to team up with her parents to run the newsagency/post office there. In 1999 Mark was born. Three weeks later he had heart surgery in Melbourne and ten days later, flew back to Perth, peacefully asleep in Jasmin’s arms.

In 2003 after six months caravanning around Australia the family moved back to Perth, happily for Jasmin, close to the shopping/coffee precinct of Subiaco and school. Jasmin involved herself in every class and school activity she could. The completion of a new, large home on the old block in 2013 was the source of much happiness and pride.

Jasmin passed away unexpectedly in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and is very sadly missed by all her family and friends.

David Horton JOHN D LIDBURY 21 MARCH 1926 – 29 JULY 2016

As a Partner at Hobbs Winning Leighton and Partners, John was the architect of many of the buildings constructed at St Mary’s in the 1970s and 1980s.

His design for the Chapel of St Mary won the Royal Australian Institute of Architects Commendation in 1981.

In recent years, we were pleased to show John the St Mary's campus and how it has developed over time.

Our condolences to Fleta (Nattrass ’65) and family.

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ST MARY’S MEMORIES A collection of Old Girls’ stories, anecdotes and memories of years gone by at St Mary’s.

The stories build a picture of the school through students’ eyes over the generations. St Mary’s Memories is sure to bring a smile, a laugh and a tear to your eye. $25.00 plus $10 postage and handling.

ROYAL DOULTON SIGNATURE PLATINUM TEA CUP, SAUCER AND PLATE GIFT SET We are pleased to be able to offer Old Girls the chance to purchase their own little piece of OGA history with the OGA’s 90th Anniversary Royal Doulton fine china Signature Platinum teasets.

A Royal Doulton Signature Platinum tea cup, saucer and side plate presented in a lovely gift box. $48.00 each The following items may be ordered separately: Teapot, sugar bowl and milk jug set Teapot Sugar bowl Milk jug

$150.00 $75.00 $40.00 $40.00

OGA WINE GLASSES Why not enjoy a glass of Frankie's Folly in your very own OGA wine glasses embossed with the fleur de lis? $30.00 a pair ALSO AVAILABLE Silver Fleur de lis charm Silver Fleur de lis charm with chain Gold Fleur de lis charm St Mary’s Fleur de lis keyring

$25.00 $35.00 $175.00 $10.00

To purchase any of the OGA Memorabilia please contact us: o ga@stmarys.wa.edu.au (08) 9341 9132 www.trybooking.com/GZDA

Enjoy Frankie’s Folly this Christmas What better way to celebrate than with a glass of St Mary’s Frankie’s Folly Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon?

The wines are made from grapes grown at the St Mary’s at Metricup vineyard in the heart of the Margaret River wine region and are produced by award-winning winery, Redgate Wines. They are named after Lady Treatt (Frankie Wilson ’32) who made an exceptional donation towards the development of St Mary’s at Metricup: The Lady Treatt Centre for Learning and Leadership.

2013 Chardonnay

$10.00 per bottle ($120.00 per carton)

2014 Cabernet Sauvignon $12.00 per bottle ($144.00 per carton)

To place your order, please visit www.frankiesfolly.com.au or telephone (08) 9341 9105

ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL INCORPORATED 75 Elliott Road Karrinyup Western Australia PO Box 105 Karrinyup WA 6921 telephone: (08) 9341 9111 facsimile: (08) 9341 9222 website: www.stmarys.wa.edu.au CRICOS Number 00454C

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