Fideliter | Summer Edition 2023

FIDELITER

ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL • SUMMER EDITION 2023

COVER: Eve Sewell, Rylee

McCormack, Jaida Agett,

Lexi Ward, Sidney Westlake and Holly Green

12 FIRST CLASS RESULTS

16 FEATURE: WELLBEING

20 FEATURE: TOURS

22 FEATURE: WEARABLE ART

24

FEATURE: DANCE

26 FEATURE: BOND BLOCKS

28 FEATURE: CHAPEL ICON

FIDELITER

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

email: marketing@stmarys.wa.edu.au

editor: Rhys Dickinson

editorial assistant: Joan Karmelita

design and production: Dessein

feature photography: Baeley Amalfi, Daniel Carson, Josie Nolan, Stefan Gosatti, Pete Harmsen, Scott Maney and Rift Photography

FROM THE P rinci Pal

This year is the time for our students to immerse themselves in trying something new to discover their passions, and to give of themselves to our incredible community. A St Mary’s education is hallmarked by opportunities, and as these opportunities return to our calendar, I am filled with hope for the resulting advantages.

I am especially looking forward to seeing our students make the most of their experiences beyond the classroom, engaging with the healing ways of time spent in the outdoors where there is ample opportunity to reflect and calm busy minds. Numerous experts espouse the benefits of green space on mental health, reporting benefits such as enhanced self-esteem, self-image, selfcontrol, self-confidence, self-empowerment and decision-making. Additionally, emotional states are improved, with reduction in stress, agitation, anger, apathy and depression.

Our students are fortunate not only to enjoy a leafy and spacious 16-hectare campus in Karrinyup, but also our 84-hectare outdoor education facility, St Mary’s at Metricup: The Lady Treatt Centre for Learning and Leadership. Thanks to a generous Centenary gift from the St Mary’s Foundation, our Metricup property now boasts an adventure challenge course, mountain

OPPORTUNITIES

I believe there is reason for the St Mary’s community to be very optimistic about the year ahead. As we commence 2023 free from the limitations imposed by the global pandemic over the past three years, we can once again truly aspire to dream big.

biking and walking trails, and a bush chapel, which will allow the girls to enjoy the positive health benefits that a change of environment and pace brings. They will at times feel out of their comfort zones while participating in some outdoor education activities, but that sense of being ‘comfortably uncomfortable’ can be a good thing, as it is where the deepest learning can occur.

Our 2023 Head Girl, Nandini Sharma, spoke of the joy that embracing nature had brought to her life during her acceptance speech at this year’s Prefects and Captains Investiture Assembly. Nandini revealed that she became a green thumb during the holidays and amassed more than 15 house plants in her bedroom alone. She felt that the plants brought a fresh perspective to her living space because of what they represented: new beginnings, growth and nurture. In her mind, plants are constant reminders of the importance of continuing to grow as a person and to nurture the relationships around you. In the Junior School, our Year 6 girls received portulaca seedlings during their first assembly of the year. Why portulacas? Because they are resilient, grow well together and need to be nurtured – much like our students. They are also colourful and vibrant, which reflects the personalities of our Year 6 students, who, I am sure, will lead our Junior School with distinction throughout the year. I am excited to witness the growth of our students this year. As always, our staff will cultivate a safe, supportive and nurturing environment that will provide the girls with every chance to thrive. However, it is ultimately their responsibility to embrace the opportunities at their disposal to break through the surface and flourish. I have no doubt that they will do this in spades throughout 2023.

Mrs Judith Tudball Principal

RETURN

As an Anglican school informed by the teachings and example of Jesus, serving others, especially those less fortunate, has always been a part of St Mary’s culture. Over time, this has taken on many forms and by 2019, our Service Learning Program included a number of trips to Indigenous communities for our Year 10 students and a Cambodian experience for our girls in Year 11.

I am delighted that we will be able to recommence the program in 2023. Based on a model called Service In Action that I created during my time as Director of Service Learning and Leadership at Christ Church Grammar School, the four ‘pillars’ include educational exchange, cultural awareness, learning through service and leadership development.

While away, our students live in community, which is a rare opportunity, and they effectively act as teacher aides as they help with literacy, numeracy, IT skills, health and physical education, and other activities that the teachers or the community may ask for assistance with. The girls also try to learn more about the community’s history and culture and engage with children, staff and parents at after-school events.

This year, 23 Year 10s will enjoy an Indigenous immersion experience alongside boys from Christ Church Grammar School and Hale School in places like Looma, Tambellup, Marble Bar, Kununurra, Nullagine and One Arm Point. Twelve Year 11s will join boys from Christ Church Grammar School in Cambodia, where we have partnered with the outstanding Cambodian Children’s Fund for the last decade.

The feedback and outcomes from these experiences over the years have been wonderful. Many former students talk about service learning being a lifechanging experience and go on to include serving those less fortunate than themselves as an important part of their lives. It will be a privilege to see these programs up and running again and I look forward to meeting and working with the impressive young people who will volunteer their time and their talents in the service of others.

The Reverend Richard Pengelley

Did you know that 2023 is the Year of the Rabbit? The rabbit is a symbol of longevity, peace and prosperity in Chinese culture, and therefore 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope – and that feels just right to me. After three difficult years where the St Mary’s community has been tested, I am optimistic that 2023 will be a year of great joy and positivity.

As we open up following COVID restrictions, we will be reimagining and reigniting our exchange programs, our cocurricular activities and, of course, the endless possibilities for our outdoor education program at Metricup – an extraordinary 84 hectares of opportunities. These are just some of the things that I would consider to be the ‘icing on the cake’ for a wonderful, well-rounded and exciting educational experience for all of our students.

It will also be the year that we see our new Creative Arts and Design Centre completed. After being enthralled by our Wearable Art students at last year’s

Speech Night, we are all excited to see how high the creativity bar can continue to be raised with a new arts hub to spark our girls’ imaginations.

If the Year of the Rabbit is also about longevity and prosperity, I am excited that we as a community will be building on the successes of the past to engage hearts and ignite curious minds as we begin to gather support and funding for the next major project of St Mary’s Masterplan 2019-2030 – the new Science and Technology Centre. This new facility will help us to continue developing curious girls who are driven to find solutions for a better tomorrow.

On behalf of the Board of Governors, I thank you for choosing to be a part of the St Mary’s community and to be part of providing opportunities for the next generation of young women to make their mark on this world. Here’s to a year of hope and grand ideas.

Elizabeth Carr (’81) AM Chair, Board of Governors

“Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.”

John Steinbeck

FROM THE F oundation

The St Mary’s community’s willingness to help others, in particular those they have not met before, is something that I have the pleasure of witnessing during my various roles at the School. It is this principle of ‘giving back’, whether through volunteering time and expertise or through kind donations, that I believe helps makes our community so unique, strong and connected.

I feel fortunate to lead the Foundation, which is committed to investing in the continual development of the School’s facilities and educational opportunities.

While the Foundation carefully invests funds to safeguard the School’s future, we also rely on the generosity of our community and its culture of ‘giving back’ to allow us to continue offering life-changing opportunities to deserving students, via such initiatives as our Annual Giving Scholarship.

In 2022, the Foundation received $305,602 from 186 donors. I am pleased to report that owing to the generosity of our community, we will be awarding the first Spirit of St Mary’s Scholarship in 2024.

I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this scholarship possible. I am in awe of those who gave and continue to give, in whatever capacity that might be. In 2023, I hope that you will again consider joining me in giving your time, expertise or a gift to help another.

Bree Rosagro (Buxton ’98) Chair of the St Mary’s Foundation

KEE BUNDU SCHOLARSHIP

We are pleased to announce Eliysse Johnson as St Mary’s inaugural KEE Bundu Scholar.

Eliysse, who commenced Year 7 at the beginning of the year, is a second-generation St Mary’s student, following in the footsteps of her mother, Latarney Johnson (McGinty ’02). Eliysse is enjoying attending St Mary’s alongside her older sister, Siennah.

The full tuition and boarding scholarship will enable Eliysse to enjoy all the benefits of a St Mary’s education. Without this scholarship, she could not attend St Mary’s.

Damon and Clayton Spiers from KEE Group and Ivan Thompson of Bundu Contracting, founded their charity, KEE Bundu Pty Ltd, to ensure that all funding directly benefits, supports and provides opportunities to Indigenous families.

The charity offers industry partners a clear and transparent opportunity to achieve goals relating to Indigenous support, with the knowledge that all proceeds from the charity are independently audited and help Indigenous families where they need it most.

“We believe that education is the catalyst for change and are extremely passionate about providing lifechanging scholarships direct to Indigenous families and communities. We believe that St Mary’s will give Eliysse the life skills and opportunities that she needs to succeed in life. We look forward to following her journey and watching her grow and flourish over the next six years,” Damon said.

Philanthropy, drawn from the Ancient Greek philos and anthropos, translates to ‘a love of humanity or mankind’, or simply put, to benefit people you do not know.

than K s to You 2022 DONOR ROLL

St Mary’s extends its gratitude to everyone who supports our vision to be a leader and innovator in the education of girls. This Donor Roll records the names of donors who have supported St Mary’s between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022.

Donors listed in maroon have supported St Mary’s for five or more consecutive years and are recognised as members of the Fideliter Society

ANNUAL GIVING SCHOLARSHIP FUND, BUILDING FUND, LIBRARY FUND AND SPIRIT OF ST MARY’S SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Helen Adams

Afilaka Family

Linzey Allinson

Vanessa Anderson

Appleby Family

Atkins Family

Attwill Family

Rod and Lyn Baker

Wendy Barnao

Bronwyn Barnes (Cooper ’84)

Glenn and Lisa Barrett

Baskerville Family

David Bean and Miriam Borthwick

Adrian Beck

Tyson and Allison Bennett

Benson Family

Carol and Frank Black

Jenna Blair (’14)

Sandra Botica

Bouckaert Family

Brades Family

Paul, Victoria and Lilia Bradley

Daniel and Kelly Brand (Fear ’00)

Briggs Family

Brindal Family

Vanya Burton

Paul and Wendy Butler

Andrew and Dee Caldow

Carey Family

Elizabeth Carr (’81)

Marlene Carter (’63)

Olena Caswell (’65)

Chen Family

Andrew Chitty and Justine

Harding

Virginia Christie

Civitico Family

Jason and Kristy Cooke

Andrew and Nikki Cornfield

Carolyn Cover (Walden ’74)

Dr Leonie Coxon

Crabb Family

Jane Crisp (Cyprian ’81)

Jaslyn Cullen (Gibson ’94)

Irene Cumming

Cyprian Family

ENDOWMENT FUND

The families of all new students in 2022 who contributed to the Foundation’s Endowment Fund, which provides for the longterm future of the School

INDIGENOUS SCHOLARSHIPS

Two donors who wish to remain anonymous

Sheevaun Darby

Anita Daw

Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94)

Amy Dickson (Paterson ’94)

E P Dodson

Douglas Family

N Doyle

Shirley Duncan

Peter Evans

Feng Family

Frederic Family

Paul and Nerida Gardner

Gibb Family

Rodger and Judith Gibson

Gaye and Chas Giglia

Jamie and Fay Gilbert

Gillmore Family

Gillon Family

Alisa Silaratkit

Dionn Godinho

The Hon Justice Michelle

Gordon AC

Elizabeth Gorey (’71)

Gray Family

Gregory Family

Griffiths Family

Gurgone Family

Cheryl and Bernard Haak

Hall Family

Hancock Family

Kerrie and Ian Hardy

Fiona Harris

Lisa Harris

Dr Hawksley and Dr Patel

Marjorie Heaney (Long ’65)

Terri Herbert (Jasper ’98)

Erica Herron

Lybus Hillman (Manning ’65)

Dana Hlavacek

L Hocking

Holdaway Family

Michelle Houwen

Vander Wal Family

Hurst Family

Ireland Family

Isaachsen Family

STUDENT AWARDS AND PRIZES

Jago Family

Deborah Jarman

Jasmine Jeffs (’06)

Johansen Family

Johnson Family

Cate Johnson (’20)

Johnston Family

Joan Karmelita

Leo Kelly and Marlene Downing

Kemp Family

Kercheval Family

Knight Family

Komaromi Family

Koranis Family

A Lambert

Lowson Family

Mary Ellen MacDonald

Coral Mack (Hayes ’64)

Scott Maney

Manuel Family

Marnie Marsden

Judy Martin (Spark ’56)

McLean Family

Millett Family

Jane Milloy

Molloy Family

Moncrieff Family

Morrell and Hinkley Family

Muir Family

Juliana Murray (2021)

Vicki Neil

Stephanie Neille

Nguyen Family

Patricia Nicholls (Hobbs ’59)

Amity Oakley (2021)

Palmer Family

Dr Nikki Panotidis

Joan Parke

Rebecca Payne

Anne Pesic (Nicolau ’91)

Pham Family

Phan Family

Jo Philpott (’78)

Buzynski Family

D Porter

Chris Preston (Ereth-Purves ’58)

Pritchard Family

Lesley Prowse

Ramel Family

Louise Richardson (Kelly ’85)

Grace Richardson (Snook ’48)

Bree Rosagro (Buxton ’98)

Margaret Saunders (Harris ’70)

Scanlon Family

Jenny Scott (Lefroy ’62)

Peta-Jane Secrett

Jacinta Sirr-Williams

Smith Family

Jeanie Sojan (Smith ’72)

Spencer Family

Spencer Family

Stout Family

D Thomas

J Thomas

Lynne Thomson

Thomson Family

Kate and Douglas Thomson

Debbie and Rik Thornton

Rosemary Torvaldsen (Huggins ’79)

Dana Trtica (’63)

Judith and Rod Tudball

Liam Twigger

Louise Tyson

Roger and Pam Veary

Jade and Sophie Vella

Sharon Warburton

Weerakody Family

Giles and Elspeth West

Catherine and Andrew Wheeler

Karla Williams (Floan ’82)

Sarah Woods

Wu Family

Zamudio-Concha Family

19 donors who wish to remain anonymous

238 St Mary’s staff members who made a donation ahead of attending the Staff Dinner

Donors who provide awards and prizes that recognise the outstanding achievements and service of students and Old Girls:

Estate of Kerensa Allason (’89)

Estate of Fay Bailey (’40)

Estate of Esmee Byatt (Templeton ’30)

Dr John Craig, in memory of Frances Craig MBE

Estate of Deborah Cook (Parker ’29, Head Girl)

Marilynn Freitag

Jacqueline, Serena, Malcolm and Graham in memory of Helen Hyslop (Judge ’50, Head Girl)

Genevieve Irwin (Stone ’74)

Audrey Jackson AM

Joan Karmelita

Denise Lane (Marshall ’79)

Pamela Mathers

Ruth Phelps, in memory of Ruth Rowell (Robinson ’33)

Maria Stannage

St Mary’s Parents’ Society

St Mary’s Old Girls’ Association

St Mary’s Foundation

Robyn Taylor

Lynne Thomson

Estate of Lady Treatt (Wilson ’32, Head Girl)

Western Australian Journal of Medicine

Every effort has been made to ensure that this list is accurate. If an error has been made, please accept our sincere apologies and contact us on (08) 9341 9111 or giving@stmarys.wa.edu.au. Please note: some minor adjustments have been made to align with our naming conventions. Should you wish to view the list of approved formats, please contact our Philanthropy team.

speech night 2022

The heart and soul of St Mary’s are our students, and the focus of Speech Night is always to honour their achievements, with the presentation of prizes for academic success, citizenship and service, sporting prowess, and musical and artistic talents. Students from Years 7 to 10 were honoured for Academic Excellence, and Attitude and Effort, with the top academic students in Years 7 to 11 also recognised. Students in Years 11 and 12 received subject prizes. The top academic student in the Year 12 Elevate program was Anastasia Panagodimos and Dux of the School was Chloe Ryan, who was also awarded the prize for each of her six ATAR subjects, an outstanding achievement. Of course, those who receive Speech Night awards are only a small number in our total population, and it is important to acknowledge and celebrate the fact that in the whole student body, there are myriads of talents, skills and fine achievements, for which all our girls must be congratulated. It was fitting that the evening highlighted the extraordinary creativity of our Wearable Art girls, who showcased their imagination and talents in a colourful presentation of their works.

It has become a tradition of Speech Night that an Old Girl is chosen as Guest Speaker. This year, we heard from Danella Ashwin (’10) who shared an inspirational story of her pursuit to become a doctor. After completing first a Science and then a Nursing degree, Danella endured a series of rejections. However, her resilience and strength of purpose helped her to realise her dream. She has now achieved her medical degree and is loving her hospital placements. Along with her message to the girls of the importance of persevering to achieve your goals, Danella talked about not allowing that pursuit to consume your whole life, and having a hobby, something creative for balance, to keep you grounded. For Danella it has been music, regularly playing gigs as a student, and continuing to do so now, along with being a doctor. The final part of Danella’s message was about not listening to the “imposters”, the voices in your head that might tell you that you won’t succeed, or that you don’t belong. This inspiring young woman then concluded her presentation by performing a song she had composed, especially for the Year 12s, urging them to use their wings and fly.

Music was a beautiful feature of the evening, the finale being a stirring performance of Lanterns by the Speech Night Choir (Years 5 to 12), accompanied by the Senior Concert Band and special guest musicians. Speech Night was over for another year. It was time for “goodbyes” and happy holiday wishes. Attendees left, perhaps feeling a little chilled by the night air, but warmed by having seen and heard so much about the extraordinary knowledge and talents, imagination and optimism, of St Mary’s girls and all that they will have to contribute to the world beyond the School’s gates.

FIRST CLASS results

Congratulations to the Class of 2022

“The Class of 2022 are confident and curious young women who achieved exceptional results. They shared a deep love of learning and brought much joy to the School community throughout a challenging, COVIDimpacted year. The girls are to be commended for their leadership and extensive contribution to the broader cocurricular life of the School. I wish the Class of 2022 every success in their future endeavours.”

Mrs Judith Tudball, Principal

Congratulations to our exhibition and award winners

General Exhibition Winners

Chloe Ryan

Gabrielle Pang

99ers

Membership is for sudents who achieved an ATAR of 99.0 or over. In 2022, we welcomed 13 members.

Megan Atwill

Juliet Crabb

Alyssa Dehne

Amelie Embry

Rebecca Garas

Alexandria Moncrieff

Gabrielle Pang

Isabella Pettingill

Chloe Ryan

Hanah Samnakay

Audrey Tan

Jade Wallwork

Sarah Zsolt

ATAR Certificates of Excellence

Mackenzie Burbridge (Biology)

Amelie Embry (Biology)

Rebecca Garas (Chemistry)

Hanah Samnakay (Chemistry)

Maggie Farquharson (Food Science Technology)

Audrey Tan (Human Biology)

Chloe Ryan (Literature)

Fleta England (Mathematics: Applications)

Isabel Italiano (Mathematics: Applications)

Tayla Hancock (Media Production and Analysis)

400 Club

To become a member of the 400 Club, students require an ATAR of 96.7 or over. In 2022, we welcomed 47 members.

Laura Acosta Vargas

Megan Atwill

Mackenzie Burbridge

Olivia Brades

Juliet Crabb

Nathalie Chan

Daniella Conradie

Alyssa Dehne

Amelie Embry

Fleta England

Olivia Fitzgerald

Rebecca Garas

Giordana Gismondi

Sophie Gorman

Grace Hailes

Tayla Hancock

Kate Hawkesford

Isabel Italiano

Menaaz Khan

Samantha Lourey

Kate Mackie

Mia McBride

Caitlin McIlveen

Abbey McPhee

Alexandria Moncrieff

Zoe Moore

Grace Morcombe

Maya Neish

Gabrielle Pang

Mia Peel

Isabella Pettingill

Madeleine Peirce

Amelie Ree

Chloe Ryan

Kiera Sabavala

Hanah Samnakay

Ella Smith

Madeline Spencer

Saanvi Tak

Audrey Tan

Annabelle Trezise

Jade Wallwork

Senuri Warusawithana

Darcie Westlake

Annabelle Willis

Jorja Young

Sarah Zsolt

On 2 February 2023, the St Mary’s community gathered in Hearn Hall to celebrate the members of our Class of 2022 who achieved exceptional academic results in our ATAR and Elevate pathways. Attendees were treated to inspiring addresses from Chloe Ryan, who was one of just 16 students in Western Australia to achieve an ATAR of 99.95, and Anastasia Panagodimos, who excelled in our Elevate Pathway. They also enjoyed a moving musical performance from 2022 Craig Music Captain, Brooke Moore. The Class of 2022 achieved outstanding results. More than 64 per cent of our students who achieved an ATAR earned a ranking of 90 or over. The cohort attained a median ATAR of 93.57 and our Elevate students earned two Certificate II, 23 Certificate III and 19 Certificate IV qualifications across a range of industries.

HIGH FLYERS ASSEMBLY

well being

Developing courageous, compassionate and confident young women

Positive relationships and feeling part of a community are excellent indicators of good mental health. When we feel welcome and valued and have a sense of belonging, the foundation is set for us to learn successfully and thrive. The school environment is therefore a crucial setting for promoting the wellbeing of adolescent girls.

By fostering a culture of care and wellbeing, St Mary’s provides a nurturing environment for each girl to learn, socialise, develop her skills and find her passion. Complementing our curriculum and cocurricular activities, our targeted wellbeing and pastoral care programs help our students to develop the skills and mindset that they need to thrive both academically and personally.

When it comes to adolescent girls, we understand that they face unique challenges and pressures that can impact their wellbeing. Our approach is to provide a range of resources and support systems that cater specifically to their needs.

At St Mary’s, all our teaching and non-teaching staff play an important role in supporting the wellbeing of our students. We are also fortunate

to have a team of leaders who are focused on overseeing specific elements of our wellbeing programs, including our Associate Deans of Students and Wellbeing, Heads of Year, Psychology Services Team, School Chaplain, Head of Boarding, Indigenous Student Coordinator, Associate Dean of Cocurriculm and Junior School Coordinator of Wellbeing. Together, they facilitate opportunities for our staff and students participate in a range of wellbeing and pastoral care programs that foster compassion, courage and confidence.

As Deputy Principal (Students and Wellbeing), I am privileged to work with such dedicated and passionate staff, who together promote and support the overall pastoral care and wellbeing of our students. Our priority is to foster an inclusive culture where everyone feels known, safe and respected, so that they can flourish as they navigate the unique challenges facing young people of today and embrace the myriad of opportunities on offer.

Rebecca Payne Deputy Principal (Students and Wellbeing)

Felicity Monck Associate Dean of Wellbeing, Senior School Psychologist

As Associate Dean of Wellbeing, my role is all about supporting the systems of care around our girls so they can thrive as their authentic selves. Wellbeing is a broad term that encompasses a range of teachable skills and behaviours which grow more readily in healthy systems. With the Wellbeing Team and the Pastoral Care Committee, I work to ensure that the girls learn and practise these skills in a whole school context that promotes connectedness, belonging and mattering. I believe every teacher is a teacher of wellbeing and all learning is social-emotional. I work with teaching staff to promote pedagogies that create a positive climate in each classroom, so that every girl can enjoy a supportive and inclusive environment.

Jules Weeks Head of Psychology Services, Senior School Psychologist

Psychology Services consists of a team of committed psychologists who provide consultancy regarding mental health and wellbeing, as well as direct psychological counselling support to Junior and Senior School students and families in times of need. We offer students access to specialised care regarding their neurodevelopmental, social, emotional and academic growth, and our psychologists sometimes act as a liaison to coordinate care at school with a student’s external health specialists. The team also delivers staff, student and parent workshops on important mental health or protective behaviour topics. Drawing on current psychological research, our psychologists also contribute to the planning and delivery of St Mary’s broader academic and wellbeing programming, with the goal to enhance all students’ socialemotional learning outcomes.

Reverend Richard Pengelley School Chaplain

In my role as School Chaplain, I create experiences that allow for times of mindfulness and reflection based on but not limited to the Anglican Christian tradition. At St Mary’s, we are blessed with a beautiful chapel and delightful natural surrounds, which provide the perfect space for students to slow down, relax, breathe and feel. I am also excited about the opportunities that St Mary’s at Metricup’s new bush chapel will offer and the life lessons that our girls will learn via our community service and service learning immersion experiences, which I lead and facilitate.

The

By fostering a culture of care and wellbeing, St Mary’s provides a nurturing environment for each girl to learn, socialise, develop her skills and find her passion.

well being

Pastoral care is the top priority for all staff in Anne Symington House. Our role is to provide St Mary’s boarding students with opportunities to enjoy the many social, cultural and recreational aspects that our school has to offer. We provide an environment that allows our boarders to feel cared for, connected and engaged in a positive environment where they can thrive. I work closely with our boarding housemothers to support the day-to-day needs of our boarders, which can range from their health requirements and emotional needs to their social connections. I also collaborate with our Boarding Recreation Manager to develop an engaging recreation program for the girls, and I meet regularly with a peer-selected Boarders’ Council, which provides agency and a student voice regarding all matters in boarding. Most importantly, my team provides a valuable link between parents, students and the day school, as our boarding families navigate the move into a residential environment.

As St Mary’s Indigenous Student Coordinator, I am responsible for creating a safe and supportive environment for our Indigenous students. My primary role is to act as an approachable and readily accessible point of contact, who is available to discuss the girls’ wellbeing, academic progress and personal development. I meet with the girls on a regular basis to build a sense of identity within our Indigenous student cohort, plan group activities and projects, and create a safe space for the girls to raise any concerns that they might have. I also advise our teachers about how to best support our Indigenous students academically, and I facilitate professional learning activities to broaden our staff’s understanding of Indigenous culture and traditional practices.

As Associate Dean of Cocurriculum, I oversee, plan and evaluate all the Senior School’s cocurricular offerings and support the Dean of School Operations with the strategic development of our cocurricular opportunities. It is my strong belief that cocurricular activities play a critical role in the development of well-rounded students and are an essential component of a comprehensive and holistic education. They complement and enhance the academic curriculum and provide students with opportunities to develop a wide range of skills and competencies that are important for their personal, social and professional growth.

Kellie Douglas Head of Boarding

Julie Garnett Indigenous Student Coordinator

Jennifer Patriquin Associate Dean of Cocurriculum

Associate Dean of Students (Years 7 to 9)

As Associate Dean of Students (Years 7 to 9), I am responsible for ensuring that our students feel safe, supported and known during their transition into the Senior School, while also making sure that they feel adequately prepared for the future demands of their schooling journey. I work closely with the Deputy Principal (Students and Wellbeing), Heads of Years 7, 8 and 9, Associate Dean of Students (Years 10 to 12), Psychology Services Team, Learning Support, boarding house and class teachers to ensure the care of our students. As a team, we provide opportunities for girls to participate in a range of activities, engage with guest speakers and learn practical skills to benefit their wellbeing. I am a strong advocate of cultivating a community and creating a sense of belonging in which every young person can thrive in an environment where they feel valued for their individuality.

Associate Dean of Students (Years 10 to 12)

Supporting the wellbeing and academic progress of our students who are readying themselves for life beyond school is my primary role as Associate Dean of Students (Years 10 to 12). I work in conjunction with the Heads of Years 10, 11 and 12 to help them develop and implement wellbeing programs and initiatives that are specific to each year group, and I liaise with the School’s Careers Advisor to offer the students guidance regarding their potential tertiary and professional pathways. I also work closely with the Deputy Principal (Students and Wellbeing), the Associate Dean of Wellbeing and Associate Dean of Students (Years 7 to 9) to implement whole school initiatives that support the holistic wellbeing of our students.

As a wellbeing leader in the Junior School, I have a personal passion for supporting the improvement of mental health, wellbeing and personal achievement for all students. In my role as Wellbeing Coordinator, I support the Deputy of Junior School (Pastoral Care) in providing leadership, overseeing student wellbeing and working to embed social-emotional learning pedagogies alongside evidencebased wellbeing and character strength programs. I also work closely with our Junior School psychologist to facilitate our Bonds and Bridges wellbeing sessions, which provide information on a variety of topics, foster parent engagement and enhance connection. What I enjoy most about my role is that it allows me to provide guidance and support to both students and staff, promoting positive wellbeing practices to enhance the overall wellbeing of our Junior School students.

Megan O’Leary

Josie Detata

Emma Gerloff Junior School Coordinator of Wellbeing

... our targeted wellbeing and pastoral care programs help our students to develop the skills and mindset that they need to thrive both academically and personally.

The last few years of COVID-19 challenges have reminded me that we are meant to be part of a community, and of the vital importance we need to place on developing and strengthening our global connectedness and positive impact.

Our purpose at St Mary’s is to ‘engage hearts and ignite curious minds’, while championing the School’s values of courage, respect, aspiration, compassion and Integrity. It is within this context that I am so pleased to announce that St Mary’s regional, national and international study tours and exchange programs are about to relaunch in 2023.

I am particularly excited to advise that preparations are under way for the relaunch of our outstanding Year 10 International Exchange Program in 2023, which will see a number of St Mary’s students, by application, choose to study internationally for a period of five to six weeks at some outstanding schools around the globe. These exchanges are scheduled to take place in Semester 2.

Reigniting tours in 2023

Our Year 11 Cambodia Service Expedition will take place in December this year. The purpose of the trip is to provide educational assistance to students and teachers at the Cambodian Children’s Fund’s (CCF) community schools, and deliver one-on-one instruction in the areas of literacy, numeracy, language acquisition and cultural sharing. Father Richard Pengelley will lead this expedition.

St Mary’s Year 10 Regional Indigenous Community Immersion trips will also resume in 2023. These are unique and impactful opportunities to experience for one week, life in a remote community and gather a deeper understanding of Indigenous Australians and their culture. The purpose of these trips is to provide educational assistance to students and teachers in the communities, and to run after-hours community activities throughout the week. This year, our students will visit the following locations:

• Looma

• One Arm Point

• Tambellup

• Kununurra

• Marble Bar

• Nullagine

Further to these outstanding exchanges and immersion experiences, several major tour initiatives are now under way or in the process of being advertised, for our Senior School students in 2023:

Tours

Eligible Year Groups

Abrolhos Dive Tour Years 10 to 12

Coral Bay Dive Tour Years 10 to 12

Year 7 Canberra Tour Year 7

Japan Study Tour Years 9 to 11

Kokoda Trek – Papua New Guinea Years 10 to 11

France Study Tour Years 10 to 12

New York City Arts Tour Years 10 to 11

Paul McCarthy Dean of School Operations

WEARABLE ART CULTIVATES CREATIVE COMMUNITY

For more than 20 years, St Mary’s Wearable Art program has provided students with a forum to push the limits of their creativity, hone their artistic skills and, ultimately, bring to life figments of their fashionforward imaginations. In Term 3, the girls are afforded an opportunity to showcase their eye-catching creations at the School’s annual Creative and Performing Arts Festival (CAPAF). After months of toiling away in relative secrecy, they get to don their garments, strut their stuff on the main stage of the Lady Wardle Performing Arts Centre and revel in the admiration of their classmates. It is not only a highlight of the festival, but the entire school year.

In 2022, two students, Bernadette Arto and Ruby Barrows, invited Fideliter to document their Wearable Art journey. The innovative duo provided some fascinating insights about the processes they undertook to conceptualise and construct their outfits. However, the biggest takeaway from our discussions with Bernadette and Ruby was that Wearable Art is much more than a setting for students to express themselves creatively – it is a community.

Last year was Bernadette’s third in the Wearable Art program. She could not wait to sign up after witnessing her first Wearable Art parade at CAPAF and now it is a staple of her cocurricular diet.

“I was inspired by previous Wearable Art showcases. There was one year in particular when a student had a lantern costume with a big fan at the back and I thought that was amazing. It was so well made and it really inspired me.”

Each year, the Wearable Art students work to a theme set by Mrs Maria Pleasance, who has been coordinating the program for the past 11 years. Bernadette had often pondered portraying the Greek gods in one of her garments, so she could not have been more excited when the 2022 theme was revealed to be Art in Literature.

“The inspiration for my piece was Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. I started by making a storyboard, which involved taking pictures from the internet and magazines, and then I sketched random designs to put all my ideas down on paper. I narrowed them down before settling on a final design.

“The top half of my costume is inspired by mermaids, my headpiece is based around Medusa, and then I featured a lot of gold, because gold jewellery is prominent in Greek history. I developed patterns to design the skirt and I pleated fabric to create the top half and used ribbon to cover up straps. With the belt

of the costume, I used a technique I had never heard of before called worbla, which an Old Girl, Catherine Shepherd (’19), taught us. I was experimenting with wire for necklaces and used a lot of hot glue; I trialled a lot of techniques to bring it together.”

Bernadette loved the creative freedom that she was afforded in the Wearable Art program.

“The most enjoyable aspect of the program is making something from scratch. You can make whatever you want and showcase it to the entire Senior School on one day, which I think is really cool.

“You are able to express yourself in any way you want and on the final day, you are showing it to all your peers. It is really amazing on that day when it all comes together and you get to showcase your costume.”

She also spoke to the sense of community and camaraderie that was fostered in the program.

“I think what makes the Wearable Art program so special is everyone coming together and everyone making something they absolutely love. Everyone receives so much support, no matter what they are making. No matter how difficult it might be, everyone is there to help you. It is so great

“It is the main thing that I look forward to every year and I think it is going to be the thing that keeps me going in 2023.”

RUBY BARROWS

Unlike Bernadette, who is a seasoned Wearable Art campaigner, Ruby was a newcomer to the program last year.

“The Wearable Art program appealed to me because I just cannot get enough of art. I do all the electives, so I thought why not do some cocurricular art too?

“I have sat in the audience for the past two years and I was just like, ‘whoa’. It just looks so cool.”

While many students choose to build mesmerising gowns, Ruby elected to go down a different path with her debut garment. Drawing inspiration from a book titled Dangerous World, which focuses on a central character who channels her struggles into street art, Ruby set about creating a modern, edgy costume.

“I had my heart set on a street art piece from the outset.

“The piece went through quite an evolution. I felt confident with the art side of things, but constructing the costume was a bit more challenging. I leaned on girls who had been in the program for a while, and Mrs Pleasance. My skirt was originally satin, so I dyed it and graffitied it. I embroidered my top and put wool and other materials in there and then I stitched over it. The top was a combination of wire and beads.

“I think my wearable art piece was quite unique because although it sat in a genre of gothic and horror, it was a big splash of colour.”

As chuffed as she was with her garment, Ruby admitted to being racked with nerves before taking to the stage for the Wearable Art showcase at CAPAF.

“I was very nervous, but once I had been on the stage for 10 seconds, I just told myself to embrace the moment. It would have been a waste of all my hard work if I was scared the whole time. That helped me to calm my nerves and be bold on stage.

“When you are standing there in front of your whole school in something you have created it is just an incredible feeling. You really feel like you have accomplished something.”

ST MARY’S: A destination for dance

Dance plays an important role in the everyday life of St Mary’s. It is a feature of ceremony, celebration, worship and leisure. In recent years, St Mary’s has witnessed marked growth in dance participation, which comes as no surprise given the School’s investment in its facilities, the calibre of instruction and range of in-class and cocurricular offerings. It goes without saying that St Mary’s has quickly become a destination school for dance.

In the past year, St Mary’s has expanded its dance program to ensure that every girl, from those in Kindergarten all the way through to Year 12, can experience the joy that dance brings to one’s life.

Head of Performing Arts, Megan Cullen, said that broadening the program to cater for Junior School students presented a raft of exciting opportunities.

"Growing interest in our Years 11 and 12 Dance ATAR courses made a really strong case for expanding our dance program into the Junior School,” Mrs Cullen said.

“We have teachers who are really willing to develop the program in response to parent and student demand. I think this will strengthen the calibre of dance at St Mary’s even further. Laying the foundations and expectations in the Junior School will mean that not all of our students will be starting from scratch when they enter the Senior School program. I think that over the next few years

we will see a really strong group of students come through dance. We have that now, but we might have students participating who otherwise might not have picked dance as a pathway because they didn’t have opportunities when they were younger.”

The program caters to all levels of dancers, from students who simply want to dance for enjoyment to those who are aspiring to make a career out of the art form. Our Junior School students enjoy instruction from our highly-trained Senior School dance teachers as part of their in-class curriculum. In the Senior School, there are myriad inclass and cocurricular dance options. Students wishing to study Dance ATAR are encouraged to join the

In the past year, St Mary’s has expanded its dance program to ensure that every girl, from those in Kindergarten all the way through to Year 12, can experience the joy that dance brings to one’s life.

School’s Dance Extended elective, which begins in Year 10, and aspirational dancers can audition for our Junior (Years 7 to 9) and Senior (Years 10 to 12) Dance Companies, who train together, choreograph items and perform at the IGSSA Dance Festival and St Mary’s annual Dance Showcase. Our Liturgical Dance Ensemble, which performs at some of the School’s most significant ceremonies, is another option for committed dancers, as are our Lower School and Senior School productions.

Girls who love to dance for fun are encouraged to participate in our Years 7 to 9 and Years 10 to 12 Interhouse Dance Competitions, which are always a highlight of the year.

“We love seeing girls who simply enjoy dancing, involving themselves in our Interhouse Dance Competitions. They just love being on the stage and learning a range of skills, like teamwork, confidence and presentation. It’s not all about the dance steps; there are a lot of other skills that girls learn through dance that can be useful to them during and after school,” Mrs Cullen said. Not all in-class and cocurricular programs culminate in performances, but the ones that do are truly spectacular due to extensive team of staff members who help bring them to life. Aside from St Mary’s brilliant dance teachers, the School is fortunate to have highly experienced professionals working in production, costuming and much more.

“We pride ourselves on producing shows that are of a professional standard. That gives our students a sense of the level to be expected beyond school. We all take it very seriously because we want the girls to as well,” Mrs Cullen said.

BOND BLOCKS build strong maths foundations

For the past 10 years, St Mary’s Junior School Academic Centre for Enrichment (ACE) has been using the Maths Assessment 1:1 Interview to evaluate and determine the mathematical understandings and misconceptions of our Kindergarten to Year 3 students. This information is shared with classroom teachers so that they can better understand each student’s mathematical strengths and weaknesses. In 2023, our teachers will have another tool to help them develop individualised learning plans for our girls’ mathematical learning journeys: Bond Blocks.

Developed by experienced teacher, Narelle Rice, and renowned Western Australian mathematics education consultant, Dr Paul Swan, Bond Blocks is an evidence-based system made up of ready-to-go, sequenced resources designed to build early years students’ counting and calculating skills. The Bond Block program, which boasts more than 100 sequenced lessons, activity boards and games supported by teaching videos, was the winner of the 2022 Primary Student Resource Mathematics Numeracy Award.

St Mary’s trialled Bond Blocks with select classes in 2022 and such was its success, the program will be implemented in all Kindergarten to Year 3 classrooms this year.

Coordinator of the Teaching and Academic Centre of Enrichment, Helen Shaw, said that she was excited to utilise Bond Blocks in a greater capacity this year.

“We have seen evidence that this program is assisting us in providing the missing link, to help students move from concretely counting by ones to abstractly adding using numbers and symbols,” Mrs Shaw said.

“Andrea Dingley, our ACE Numeracy Support Teacher – Early Years, and I have been excited to witness the growing confidence of our students, who are now more willing to respond to the Maths Assessment 1:1 Interview questions. Bond Blocks is providing them with a way of explaining their mathematical thinking.”

Mrs Dingley said that she was amazed at the progress some students made by utilising Bond Blocks.

“Every year, I assess our early years students using the Maths Assessment Interview. They always struggle with the question, subtract nine from 12. However, this year when conducting the Maths Assessment Interview with the Year 1 students, I was amazed at how many could quickly respond to the problem of how many strawberries were left in a punnet of 12 when nine were eaten. In previous years, this has been so hard for them, as they would struggle with trying to count up or count back or not find they had enough fingers to cope. This year when I asked, ‘How did you do that so quickly?’, the response was often ‘Bond Blocks’,” Mrs Dingley said.

Last year, St Mary’s early learning staff participated in two full days of training and established a close working relationship with Narelle Rice. This year, our staff will meet with Narelle twice per term so that they can extract maximum value from the Bond Blocks program. They will also be supported in the development of a data-informed numeracy program, which will help further improvements in student learning, classroom practice and overall student wellbeing. The data-informed practice is typically a cyclical process: Plan, Teach, Assess, Analyse and Adjust.

“There is compelling evidence that following Plan, Teach, Assess, Analyse and Adjust cycle will result in improved results. Meeting regularly with Narelle and coordinating fortnightly meetings where teachers will discuss class observations, the ‘sticking points’ in mathematical understandings being observed and curriculum content, will ensure that our early years students are being provided with every opportunity to gain confidence, experience success and enjoy maths,” Mrs Shaw said.

Iconic artworks light up Chapel

When designing the Chapel of St Mary, architect Mr John D. Lidbury did so with simplicity in mind. First and foremost, Mr Lidbury set out to fill the sacred building with natural light where possible. He also sloped the floor to allow all worshippers clear sight of the altar, made sure to project the sanctuary into the congregation space and intentionally kept the walls plain to allow for decoration.

In recent years, those plain, white walls have come to life thanks to the installation of several meaningful artworks. In 2010, the School commissioned Senior School Art Teacher, Ms Giada Dalli Cani, to write an icon, Madonna

and Child with Eucalyptus, and in 2021, the Old Girls’ Association commissioned Giada to write a second icon, Jesus Blesses the Children, to commemorate St Mary’s Centenary year. The stunning piece was presented to the School at the Centenary Old Girls’ Chapel Service on 20 February, 2021.

Now the School community has a third chapel icon to behold, thanks to the generosity of the St Mary’s Parents’ Society and Giada’s extraordinary artistic talents.

On Wednesday 30 November 2022, a small ceremony was held to unveil and bless Resurrection. The icon depicts the most important facet of the Christian story, Jesus Christ’s resurrection, which is told in John 20:11-18.

chaPel icon

ABOVE: The Reverend Richard Pengelley and Ms Giada Dalli Cani pictured with the Chapel of St Mary's newest icon, Resurrection

Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,[a] “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

During the ceremony, Giada offered a glimpse into her journey as an artist, and specifically her history with iconography. She revealed that her passion for the traditional art form developed during her time studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in her hometown of Verona, Italy.

“I have been asked often why I do iconography. I feel like contemporary artists can often feel like islands. They are out there doing a lot of swimming to try and educate themselves in order to understand their language and what they are talking about, which is necessary, because visual language is like any language – you need to understand the vocabulary to create and read works,” Giada said.

“Religious art is quite different because it has social meaning; these works underpin communal values and the people within that society understand it. They have the key to unlock the stories and symbolism of the art. Icons are useful for teaching moral and ethical values; they have a different social importance.”

Giada also spoke to some of the uniquely Australian elements of Resurrection, which included incorporating native flora into the background of the painting. She also drew inspiration from Western Australia’s rugged coastline, specifically Cottesloe beach, when depicting Jesus’ tomb.

“I am a keen gardener. Initially, I had just green vegetation without any specific plants, but my colleagues said, ‘Why don’t you put some Australian flora in there?’ I think that was a great suggestion,” Giada said.

“For a European coming to Australia, some of the flowers that we have here look quite alien and spectacular. I grew up with roses and daisies, and then I came here and saw things like kangaroo paws. I have always been fascinated by Australian flora. Also, Australia’s rock forms are quite different. I spent a lot of time at Cottesloe beach trying to replicate the coastline. I ended up with approximately 14 metres of coast on the wall.”

All members of the St Mary’s community are welcome to view Resurrection, Madonna and Child with Eucalyptus, and Jesus Blesses the Children when visiting the Chapel of St Mary. Principal, Mrs Judith Tudball, also invites all to admire another of Giada’s extraordinary icons, Saint Mary, which she commissioned on behalf of the School. It takes pride of place in the Principal’s office, where it will remain in perpetuity.

Madonna and Child with Eucalyptus

Saint Mary Jesus Blesses the Children

2023 PREFECTS and CAPTAINS INVESTITURE

HEAD GIRL’S P ers P ective

NANDINI SHARMA

SHARMA

Ihave a love for the many different types of plants that you can buy. For example, I have managed to squeeze around 15 different plants into my once empty bedroom. They have added so much life into my room and to me they represent new beginnings, growth and nurture. The plants in my room are a continuous reminder to keep growing as a person and nurturing the relationships around you.

As I am partial to a good joke, let me ask you, why do trees have so many friends? Because they branch out! It is my hope that all members of our St Mary’s community branch out this year, whether you are making new friends or trying something new. I also think that a plant can represent what lies ahead for us in 2023. In its infancy, a plant is little more than a seed embedded in the soil. But in time, it grows into something vibrant and wonderful.

While writing this, I was trying to think of something fun that I did during the holidays that would blow your minds, but I realised my most treasured memories came from simple activities, whether that was waking up at 5.00am to jump into the ocean or attempting to becoming a professional golfer. All the simple things that I did were so special because I created memories from them. I might have accidently hit the roof while at the driving range, but laughing with my friends for 15 minutes afterwards made the idea of not being a professional golfer okay. For someone else, that might have been an unenjoyable experience, but it is all about what you make out of a moment.

If you haven’t noticed by now, my motto for this year is ‘create something out of nothing’, which outlines two main points; one, to be creative, and two, to have fun. It is that simple.

You have the power to do anything you want. Let 2023 be the year that you try new activities, like joining interhouse dance, even if you are not a dancer. You just never know how much fun you’ll have! Create something out of nothing. If you have nothing, then create something, because nothing will exist by itself unless you let it. Take a ‘leaf’ of faith, because the worst thing that can happen is you fail, and even that can help you to grow as a person. And you know what? There is always next time to try again.

I want 2023 to be fun for all of us; don’t sweat the little things and enjoy the moments that you have in class and around the campus. Try something new, because you never know what you might love. Have fun and let’s create something out of nothing.

Nandini Sharma Head Girl

“...my motto for this year is ‘create something out of nothing’, which outlines two main points; one, to be creative, and two, to have fun. It is that simple. ”

OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION

Iwould like to extend a warm welcome to our newest members of the Old Girls’ Association (OGA), the Class of 2022! We look forward to observing and supporting your journeys as you venture beyond the gates of St Mary’s as Old Girls. While we are busy planning a wonderful program of Old Girl activities for 2023, it would be remiss of me not to mention some highlights from last year.

Our St Mary's community turned out in force to hear from cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr Nikki Stamp (’98), as we celebrated the release of her new memoir, Scrubbed. Congratulations to Nikki, who was recently appointed as Medical Affairs Lead in the Cardiovascular Renal Metabolic Area for AstraZeneca in London. We were also fortunate to have media personality and journalist, Mimi Kwa (’91), visit the school for a number of speaking engagements throughout 2022. We hope to celebrate Mimi’s many achievements, including the success of her bestselling memoir, House of Kwa, later this year.

We were delighted to host more than 40 guests of the Fleur de Lis Club for a special high tea. It was especially wonderful to see Dorothy Harbisher (Van Dal ’39), Honorary Life Member and past President of the OGA, who celebrated her 100th birthday last year. We were also honoured to host another St Mary’s treasure last year when Reverend Joyce Polson OAM visited the Marlene Carter Heritage Centre to view some of her archived items.

In 2022, the OGA also introduced a new tradition, a special pin to signify students whose mother, grandmother or great grandmother are Old Girls. I had the privilege of handing out these special pins to students, who now wear them proudly on their lapels.

I would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate the 2023 recipients of the Marlene Carter Scholarship, Helena Drescher (Year 7), and Ethel Beaton Scholarship, Rose Meharry (Year 11). These are special scholarships available to current students who are daughters and granddaughters of OGA Life Members.

To round out 2022, we were privileged to hear from the very talented Danella Ashwin (’10), who gave an inspirational address at Speech Night that explored perseverance and normalised imposter syndrome, as well as highlighting the importance of maintaining your hobbies outside of work. She finished her speech by performing an original song that she wrote for St Mary's, Fly Your Wings

This year we are excited to host several events and activities, including our beloved Old Girls’ Day and Fleur de Lis Club events. We are also busy planning a special garden party event to reveal our Centenary gift to the School.

In closing, I would like to thank Mrs Judith Tudball, the School and, in particular, the Alumni Relations team, for their support in helping us to continue delivering a variety of initiatives and events that reflect the diversity and different life stages of our thriving alumni community.

I look forward to seeing you at an Old Girls’ event in 2023.

Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94) President, Old Girls' Association

OLD GIRLSʼ EVENTS AND NEWS

Old Girls’ Day

Saturday 11 March

Former students are warmly invited to attend Old Girls’ Day. A special invitation is extended to Old Girls from the Classes of 1963, 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003 and 2013, who are celebrating significant anniversaries since leaving St Mary’s. We hope that you can join us to reminisce and reconnect with old friends.

Boarders’ Long Table Lunch

Saturday 18 March

Connect with fellow past and present boarding families as you enjoy a delicious lunch, live music, lawn games, tours of Anne Symington House, a silent auction featuring local boarding businesses and much more. We encourage you to share this invitation with fellow St Mary's boarders and boarding families.

Old Girls’ Tennis Day

Thursday 30 March

If you are interested in a friendly game of tennis followed by lunch, please contact oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au

Fleur de Lis Morning Tea

Wednesday 6 September

Save the date for this special morning tea reserved for Old Girls who left St Mary’s 50 or more years ago. This year, we look forward to welcoming the Class of 1973 into the Fleur de Lis Club.

Scholarships for Old Girls

Applications for our 2023 scholarships are now open in the areas of medicine, nursing, science, law, engineering and fine art. We also invite applications for the Molly Riley RISE Award, which recognises Old Girls who are inspiring role models in their careers, in the community, or in the world of the arts or sport. Please visit the Old Girls section of our website or email oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au for more information or to apply.

Applications close Friday 24 March.

St Mary’s Girl Rose

In preparation for the Old Girls’ Association’s 100th anniversary in 2025, we will be taking pre-orders for a limited release of our unique St Mary’s Girl rose. The roses will be bred by Di Durston (Wallace ’67). If you would like to pre-order a rose to be seeded ready for 2025, please contact oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au

Molly Riley RISE recipient advocates veteran mental health

2022 Molly Riley RISE Award recipient Talia Nicholson (’10) found her purpose during her time with the Army Reserve as a combat engineer, where she discovered her passion for aiding veterans’ mental health. The Award will allow her to keep working towards the completion of her psychology degree while also involving herself in events that advocate for the mental health of veterans. Talia will be a guest speaker at this year's Old Girls' Day.

Little Bar Cart’s big venture

Congratulations to Pippa Candido (’97) who was inducted into the Belmont and Western Australian Small Business Awards ‘Hall of Fame’ for her business venture, The Little Bar Cart. Pippa also won the Accelerating Women category at the recent 2023 WA Telstra Best of Business Awards.

After phenomenal success in Australia, Pippa has taken her business to the USA and Canada. She is also exploring opportunities in Singapore.

Pippa looks forward to keeping our boarding families refreshed when The Little Bar Cart makes an appearance at our upcoming Boarders’ Long Table Lunch.

JILL BROUWER (’14)

Jill’s career the ultimate ‘ice breaker’

It goes without saying that Jill Brouwer (’14) has lived a life of discovery since leaving St Mary’s. After graduating as Proxime Accessit, winning the Year 12 Marine Science prize and earning a General Exhibition following her WACE exams, Jill elected to study a Bachelor of Science at the University of Western Australia, majoring in Chemistry and Marine Science.

She was successful in applying for an internship with CSIRO Hobart and spent the summer of 2018/2019 working with the acoustics team on their vessel, the RV Investigator. During that internship, Jill identified her passion for Oceanography and decided to leave an honours project in favour of volunteering on the RV Falkor, a vessel operated by the Schmidt Ocean Institute, during the summer of 2019/20.

While on board the Falkor, Jill applied to University of Tasmania’s Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) in the hope of completing an honours project with a specific oceanographic focus. Upon being offered a place, she promptly moved to Hobart, where she graduated from IMAS at the end of 2020 as its top student.

In 2021, Jill secured a role as an acoustics officer with the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD). Jill was on board when Australia’s new icebreaker, the RSV Nuyina, made its maiden voyage to Antarctica in December 2021.

Despite working full time, Jill continued to work on and refine her honours project findings with her IMAS honours project supervisor, and on 16 June 2022 her paper, Altimetric observation of wave attenuation through the Antarctic marginal ice zone using ICESat-2, was accepted and published in The Cryosphere science journal.

Jill continues to work with the AAD as an acoustics officer, a role that she is extremely passionate about. Working on the RSV Nuyina provides her with a unique opportunity, as the icebreaker boasts a ‘quiet stealth mode’, which enables the scientific equipment that she works with to make more accurate readings due to a reduction in the vessel’s motor operation noise. Jill is also excited about contributing to a global oceanography project that is dedicated to mapping the Earth’s entire ocean floor by 2030.

Senior Counsel appointment for Old Girl

On 26 October 2022, the Hon Justice Peter Quinlan announced the appointment of seven Senior Counsels for 2022, one of whom was St Mary’s Old Girl Rachael Young (’00). Appointment as Senior Counsel is based on eminence in the practice of law, especially in advocacy, unquestioned integrity, availability and independence. A committee advises the Chief Justice on applications for appointment.

The Committee, chaired by Chief Justice Quinlan, comprised the President of the Court of Appeal (the Hon Justice Buss), the Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court (the Hon Justice Kenneth Martin), the President of the State Administrative Tribunal (the Hon Justice Pritchard), a judge of the Federal Court (the Hon Justice Banks-Smith), the Chief Judge of the Family Court (the Hon Justice Sutherland) and the Chief Judge of the District Court (Chief Judge Wager). The consultation process conducted by the Chief Justice incorporated the opinions of more than 100 members of the legal profession and the judiciary.

Rachael was admitted to practise in Western Australia in 2008 and has practised as an independent barrister since 2017 from Fourth Floor Chambers. She was previously Assistant State Solicitor at the State Solicitors Office and served as an assistant to prosecutors at the United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials in 2012. Rachael practises extensively in commercial litigation, together with administrative and constitutional law and civil matters generally. She also conducts an extensive pro bono practice. Additionally, Rachael teaches advocacy at the Australian Bar Association's Essential Trial Advocacy Course and is a mentor for young lawyers and law students as part of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association.

Sophia’s full circle experience

Sophia Drazevic (’15) was recently reminded of a seminal moment in her St Mary’s schooling journey while realising her dream of becoming a lawyer. Sophia’s full-circle story started in 2013 when she was contemplating options for her Year 10 work experience placement.

“I had a keen interest in law and believed that undertaking my work experience in an international law firm would provide an excellent first step towards a future career. I typed a letter and posted it to the human resources department of King & Wood Mallesons. A representative of their human resources team contacted me and said that although they had never taken on a work experience student before, the firm could arrange to provide me with a similar experience to a new law clerk,” Sophia said.

The partner overseeing Sophia’s placement was Mr Michael Lundberg, a leading commercial litigator and arbitration lawyer who, in September 2022 was appointed as Western Australia’s first Aboriginal Supreme Court judge. Much to her surprise, Sophia was invited to sit in on several client meetings and was provided with the opportunity to review and summarise legislation and cases.

“His Honour Justice Lundberg spoke to me in depth about being a lawyer. Having access to his experience and wealth of knowledge was invaluable. I got to see first hand the structure of a law firm and the way that graduates, associates and partners worked together collaboratively. I just loved it. I came back from the experience so sure that law was I wanted to do,” Sophia said.

Nine years later, Sophia happened to spot a familiar face, His Honour Justice Lundberg, while attending her Admissions Ceremony at the Supreme Court Gardens of Western Australia on 4 November 2022.

“At your Admissions Ceremony, a lawyer moves your admission, and mine was one of my mentors, Barrister John Fickling. It was fortuitous that the moving council for a fellow graduate at the same ceremony was none other than His Honour Justice Lundberg. After the ceremony we all moved out to the gardens and I had the opportunity to speak with him. I said, ‘Hi, it’s so lovely to see you. You probably don’t remember me…’. At that point he jumped in and said that he remembered me and that it was so wonderful that I had achieved what I set out to do following my placement at King & Wood Mallesons. It was a very meaningful moment for me.”

Having spent more than two years working as a legal researcher for Tax Barrister John Fickling, Sophia began a new position on 19 December 2022 at the District Court of Western Australia as Usher to Her Honour Judge Whitby.

JANE MILLOY (’72)

Class of 1972 intrigues Old Girl

The life and times of St Mary’s Class of 1972 is poised to be the subject of a paper compiled by avid researcher and Old Girl Jane Milloy (’72) After attending several St Mary’s events and reunions where remarks were made that members of the Class of 1972 were among the first group of graduates to pursue professions other than nursing, teaching or secretarial roles, Jane thought it would be interesting to interview her fellow classmates to explore the validity of the widespread observation.

“Being a researcher and continuing to hear those comments from others, I figured it was an interesting subject for a research project. The research would assist in determining if it were fact or just perception, and if there were any possible reasons why the Class of ’72 may have made different career choices from the students from earlier years,” Jane said.

“I have always been interested in student experiences and most of my earlier research focused on that topic. The importance of understanding how students perceive specific experiences in education and the reasons for those perceptions provide inspiration to search for ways to improve the student experience and the current situation or system. However, in this instance, I saw my research as more of a journey of friendship, discovery and reconnection, which hopefully, will provide an historical account of choices made by a group of women from St Mary’s.

“I am a very proud Old Girl who wants to see the School and its students continue to climb the ladders of life as and when culturally, socially and academically, things change. St Mary’s was such a significant part of my life that it overshadows most of what I have ever

Vale

St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School offers its condolences to the families of the following members of our community who passed away recently:

done. It is all the people who were there before me, during my time and since that time, who have continued the positive St Mary’s story and made, or continue to make, the School the outstanding and distinguished institution she is today. Therefore, being able to assist with the maintenance of the position our Grand Old Lady holds, is an absolute pleasure and a great honour.”

Jane, who now resides in New South Wales, conducted interviews with several Old Girls while attending last year’s Class of 1972 50year reunion. She also visited several former classmates located in Western Australia’s South-West during a road trip from Perth to Victoria. To date, she has interviewed 22 members of the Class of 1972 for her research paper.

“Any member of the Class of 1972 who is yet to respond or who has responded but was unavailable when I was in WA, can still be involved. It is not too late, and I would be delighted to include anyone from the class who is interested,” Jane said.

Members of the Class of 1972 who are interested in contributing to Jane’s research project are encouraged to contact her by email via kinloch_55@icloud.com or phone on 0488 288 448.

Barbara Brand (Green ’49)

Edith Clarko - Teacher 1971-1989

Robin Ding (Bennett) - Teacher 1961-1966

Lila Dixon (Favas ’39)

Sue Eldridge (’58)

Peggy Gale - Teacher 1976-1988

Barbara Hurst (Cuming ’47)

Mary Smith (Ellis ’59)

Stephanie Thomas (Scott ’62)

LEFT TO RIGHT: Jan Sangster, Sue Dansey, Linda Hearn, Jillian Strain (Kehoe), Jan Waldeck, Dianne West, Judi Wilson, Margaret Jago and Lorraine Pustchen at the Class of 1972 50-year reunion school tour.

MISS PAULINE RILEY BEM

Catherine Pauline Riley, known as Pauline, is the longest serving member of the Board of Governors of St Mary’s. She was born in Preston, Lancashire England in 1887, the eldest child of Archbishop Charles Owen Leaver Riley, the first Anglican Archbishop of Western Australia, and Elizabeth Riley nee Merriman. She had two sisters and three brothers, one being Bishop Charles Lawrence Riley CBE, the founder of St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School. The family moved to Perth in 1895, residing in Bishop’s House on Mounts Bay Road. Archbishop Riley believed in equal education for all his children, be they boys or girls. Pauline was educated by a governess at home, and later by Lionel and Blanche Gouly at Eumeralla Ladies’ School. Lionel Gouly was a famous sportsman, and Blanche Gouly would later be the Principal of the Girls’ Grammar School, that would combine with the Alexandra High School to create St Mary’s in 1921.

Pauline sat for university entrance examinations and attended Newnham College at the University of Cambridge from 1907, obtaining a Master of Arts in 1910, which was not awarded to her until 1925, when women became entitled to hold the degree. Pauline worked as a governess, taught religious instruction in state schools, helped her father in Church correspondence and, additionally, held the position of Librarian at the Patients’ Library at Royal Perth Hospital in 1911. She continued the role in a voluntary capacity until her retirement in 1976.

Pauline was awarded the British Empire Medal (Civil) for her voluntary services to the hospital and the

wider community, and upon retirement at the age of 82 years, she said, “I wouldn’t leave until it was all tied up”.

Pauline joined St Mary’s Board of Governors in 1932, as a representative of the St Mary’s Parish, to help in the management of the school that her brother had founded. After 37 years of dedicated service, she retired from the Board of Governors in 1969 as her nephew, Canon Lawrence William Riley, had been appointed Honorary Chaplain to the School and was also a newly appointed member of the Board. Pauline would later be involved in the ‘Friends of St Mary’s’ group that attempted to save the old St Mary’s Church in West Perth from demolition. On her 100th birthday, she was visited by St Mary’s students from Year 2, and photographed with one of her many childhood dolls, which she had donated to the Museum of Childhood as part of what is now known as ‘The Riley Gift’. She passed away at 101 years of age in 1988 at the Home of Peace in Subiaco, after donating much of the Riley family’s memorabilia to the Western Australian Museum and Royal Western Australian Historical Society. Pauline once said, “I would have liked to have been a teacher if I’d had to earn my own living”. Pauline is remembered for her devoted service to St Mary’s with the naming of the Pauline Riley Foyer of Anne Symington House and the annual Miss Riley’s Prize for Citizenship at Speech Night.

Stephanie Neille, Archivist

‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?’

Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

TOP LEFT: St Mary’s Year 2 students with (l-r) Brian Shepherd, Dr Peter Carnley, the Archbishop of Perth, and Pauline Riley on her 100th birthday

TOP RIGHT: Pauline Riley c 1910 at the University of Cambridge

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