SAINTS THE
All Saints Anglican School SEMESTER 1, 2018
OUT WITH THE OLD... Unpacking the transition to the ATAR system Α Ω
+ GIVING BACK
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WONDER ROOM
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LION KING
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CONTENTS Goodbye OP Hello ATAR
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Everything you need to know about the transition
Expanding the way we think
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All Saints Anglican School - Office of Marketing and Public Relations
Service Learning at All Saints
Production
Roaring round of applause Junior School’s Lion King a smashing success
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All Saints launches #PROJECTRASE
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Inside the new International House
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Student spirit shines bright at APS 2018
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All Saints’ partnership with Anglican Church Robina
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Alumnus Jesse Adler taking a bite out of Apple
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Junior School artwork at Commonwealth Games
All Saints Anglican School
For updates and editorial enquiries please contact us on the details below.
102 Highfield Drive Merrimac 4226
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We always love hearing from members of the All Saints community.
All Saints’ ground-breaking autopsy table technology
How students learn through the spirit of giving back
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Enquiries
Ph: +61 7 5587 0309 Email: saints@asas.qld.edu.au
Editors Maria Egan, Head of Marketing & Public Relations Camilla Jansen, Managing Editor Business News Australia Journalists Paris Faint David Simmons Nick Nichols Yasmin Bonnell Ryan Bedford Design Paris Faint Photographers David Perry Luke Marsden Tim Marsden Publisher Business News Australia PO Box 1487 Mudgeeraba QLD
Headmaster’s Letter
UNVEILING A NEW CHAPTER Welcome to the first edition of our new bi-annual magazine The Saints, an evolution of the old Friends Quarterly.
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Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world. - Joel Arthur Barker (author of Future Edge).
It is our sincere hope you enjoy this new style of publication which will continue to share stories about our students and our school, but will also offer a greater glimpse into why we do what we do and hopefully foster a deeper connection amongst all members of our community – current families, past students, staff and friends. I have often said that the education of young minds and hearts is a most dynamic enterprise and if a school is standing still, it is in reality going backwards. The rate of change in modern times seems to be developing an exponential quality which can be unnerving, but, as my father used to say to me, ‘Patrick, when the wind changes, you need to adjust your sails’. It is in this spirit of transformation that All Saints continues to thrive after 32 years, and we introduce The Saints. Within the pages of this first edition, you will read about exciting innovations championed at All Saints, from autopsy tables and pioneering social health programs to the new ATAR system and what it means for the future of schooling in Queensland.
You will also read stories about life at school, as well as the wonderful achievements of some of our past students who are adding to the fabric of modern society. The secret to evolving as a school is of course to change those things which need to be changed but also to hold fast to the values and principles which define who we are as an institution and as people. Whilst we will continue to explore new ways in which we can engage and inspire the students we serve and thus better prepare them for whatever the future might hold, we will also be constantly reminding them that who they are will always be more important than what they do. The faster the world changes, the more important the development of their characters and their adherence to a clear set of values and principles becomes. I warmly invite you to take the time to make yourself a nice cup of tea and settle down to read about some of the endeavours with which we have been preoccupied in this first semester of 2018.
Patrick Wallas
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Preparing students for the real world
EXPLORING LIFE BEYOND SCHOOL
Year 9 student Cocomi Zhu during her mock interview
Year 9 students had a taste of real-life experience in Term 2 by participating in mock job interviews. Community members comprising parents, grandparents and friends participated in the program as ‘interviewers’ looking to hire prospective ‘employees’. Some 175 students took part in the initiative, which was described by Julie Deane, the Assistant Head of Middle School and the program coordinator, as a wonderful addition to the Year 9 curriculum. “Many of our Year 9 students are wanting to enter the workplace so this alternative program fits the bill perfectly,” Mrs Deane says. “For our Middle School students to invest in their learning they need to be able to see relevance, meaning and a connection to them personally.” As part of the unit of study, students were also taught vital skills that involved putting together a resume, applying for a tax file number, developing open communication techniques, learning how to present for an interview and the importance of personal grooming. Mrs Deane says students grew in many ways through the program. “They gained confidence and a greater awareness of the importance of engaging in self-reflective practice to identify their individual strengths and dedicate extra attention to areas that require further development,” she says. Mrs Deane also commended the wealth of knowledge imparted on students by the All Saints community volunteers or ‘employers’. “Each student received constructive feedback from their interviewers, highlighting strengths and areas for future development,” she says.
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Olivia Broadley (L) at the National Youth Science Forum
In January, Year 12 students Katie Taylor and Olivia Broadley attended the National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) where they gained a glimpse of life as a scientist beyond school. The NYSF is a 12-day program held across two sessions at the Australian National University in Canberra, and a third session at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. About 200 students took part in the NYSF which included visits to worldclass research centres such as the CSIRO headquarters and NASA’s Deep Space Communication Complex in Canberra. Katie says the program was a unique opportunity to learn things that couldn’t be taught in a classroom and to discover new career pathways. “Every single day there was an opportunity to learn things that lie outside of the school syllabus and extend our horizons to things we hadn’t even considered possible,” Katie says. “Overall, I met a so many incredible people who I would say have genuinely changed my life.” Senior School Head of Science Mark David-Tooze says the program is an ideal way for students to discover what they want to do after they leave school. “When they come back they know a lot more about the different career
fields in science,” says Mr DavidTooze. “They get exposed to a lot of professionals in different fields and it helps them make their mind up about what they would like to study at university.” Mr David-Tooze says the NYSF is complemented by several other opportunities afforded to All Saints students which help give them a clearer picture of their tertiary goals. Lucy Webster and Genaya Bardsley were recently invited to take part in Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Vice-Chancellor’s STEM Camp, a five-day program where selected Year 11 students work at the university to solve major challenges facing society. The STEM Camp involves study units across areas such as robotics, medicine, games and interactivity, and mathematics. Mr David-Tooze says student involvement across both the NYSF and STEM Camp is a testament to All Saints’ growing science program. “We had 12 classes of senior science students back in 2008, and now we have 22 – the number of senior classes has doubled in the last 10 years,” he says. “We have achieved so much as a school since building the Centre for Scientific Inquiry back in 2004.”
School News
THE FRENCH CONNECTION For many years, All Saints has enriched the academic experience for its language students by forming close partnerships with schools from around the world. All Saints recently celebrated the 10year anniversary of its sister school partnership with Collège Sacré Coeur in New Caledonia, a mutual exchange program that has helped countless students improve both their English and French language skills. The founder of the program and former Chief of Staff at All Saints Ken Symonds gave a short address at the celebration assembly on April 27.
Headmaster Patrick Wallas then presented Madame Joëlle Cadiou, the Collège Sacré Coeur Headmistress, with a commemorative plaque. New Caledonian exchange student Titouan Gangutia says the exchange between his school and All Saints helped ‘open his heart’ to people from other cultures. “It helped me improve my English and it gave me the opportunity to discover another way of life and another culture,” says Titouan.
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It helped me improve my English and it gave me the opportunity to discover another way of life and another culture. - Titouan Gangutia
“I learned so many things - I’ll remember that trip forever.”
All Saints and Collège Sacré Coeur students celebrate 10 years of partnership
LEADERSHIP TRADITION CONTINUES Keeping up with a long tradition at All Saints, a cohort of 75 students from Year 12 participated in a leadership camp the week before the start of the school year. The leadership group embarked on a three-day camp at Tyalgum Ridge Retreat, joined by the Assistant Head of Senior School, Bryn Evans. “We covered a number of different aspects of leadership and the practical matters of public speaking,” says Mr Evans. “This included how to hold meetings and run activities, right through to the bigger picture of how to inspire others and lead effectively.
“We have great students with a social conscience and strong ethics, and we want them to be shaping society in the future.” There were 10 teachers present for the duration of the camp, and another 10 that visited throughout the period, to offer guidance to the students. Students with leadership roles were elected in 2017 through various means. “For most positions students apply and then peers vote,” says Mr Evans. “For some specific positions the staff make the choice based on interviews and previous performance in each area.” All Saints Anglican School
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All Saints teachers help shape the future Earlier this year two All Saints Junior School teachers, Rebecca Pearson and Tanya Dejager, spoke at the 2018 National Future Schools Conference in Melbourne. National Future Schools brings together world-leading educational experts to share innovative ideas and cutting-edge teaching and learning practices in an effort to improve the quality of education within the school system. Mrs Pearson and Mrs Dejager found that current research illustrates the significant impact collaboration and problem solving will have on successful future employment. Forty per cent of current occupations in Australia are likely to become obsolete in the next 10 to 15 years due to technological advances, and these skills will play a pivotal role in 21st century work places.
PREMIER’S ANZAC PRIZE HONOUR All Saints Year 12 student Fenlan Miller was among eight students across Queensland to be chosen for the 2018 Premier’s Anzac Prize. The prestigious prize provides an opportunity for high school students to experience the Anzac tradition first-hand through a tour of important memorial sites in England, France and Belgium. Earlier this year, Head of Department for Humanities Erin Merrin encouraged All Saints students from Years 8 to 11 to apply for the 2018 prize. Entrants were asked to submit a video that answered the question of how the Anzac tradition is still relevant in modern Australian culture. All Saints submitted the maximum allowable number of two entries for the prize. Ms Merrin praised the calibre of each of the submissions which were solely completed by each student.
“Fenlan has been an excellent role model for the program, and his passion and dedication will continue through future applicants from All Saints,” Ms Merrin says. “Now Fenlan has been successful, I hope we will have the permitted number of students apply for the competition and continue to be successful each year.” Ms Merrin believes All Saints captures the spirit of Anzac Day by encouraging students to reflect on its significance. “School services are held in the lead up to Anzac Day across all three subschools. Students are also encouraged to attend community services on the public holiday and wear their school uniform as a further sign of respect and commitment to their local community,” she says.
Furthermore, jobs that require high levels of entrepreneurial, technological, creative or social skills will be far more resilient to technological change. “With statistics such as these it is our belief that we need to prepare students for their future,” Mrs Pearson says. “This means teaching them to be problem solvers, exposing them to the creative process, allowing them to participate in meaningful collaboration and increasing their critical thinking skills.” The pair spoke about the implementation of the new Digital Technology Curriculum in an early learning environment through a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) lens. “Moving away from a traditional thematic-based curriculum to a STEMbased engineering unit is a unique point of difference,” Mrs Pearson says. Their presentation focused largely on a collaborative problem-solving model and a design process implemented in a way that ensures students are better prepared for the future.
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Fenlan Miller on his tour of Australian war memorial sites throughout England, France and Belgium
School News
BREAKING THE
LANGUAGE BARRIER A group of 36 students represented All Saints at the Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad (OzCLO) in March, competing against other schools in complex language-based problem-solving challenges.
Senior School Teacher and French Coordinator Jerome Richalot says the competition is a unique chance for students to immerse themselves in lesser-known languages while honing essential team-building and problem-solving skills.
OzCLO is an international competition and All Saints students performed well in the initial rounds against 85 teams from 11 schools across Queensland.
“There is a real excitement in discovering that they can actually solve a problem in an African language they’ve never heard of before,” says Mr Richalot.
The junior team of Year 10 students Kento Seki, Leo Xu, Tom Hauck and Yasmin Sparks came third in its division as did the senior team of Year 11 students Izma Haider, Meg Jones, Neta Murphy and Selina Liu. Both teams advanced to the national round held in Brisbane.
All Saints OzCLO senior team
“You can also see there’s a great dynamic when the students bounce ideas off each other and finally find the key to the problem. It’s great that at All Saints we are involved in competitions that enable students to reach their full potential, push themselves and realise there is a definite bridge between different subjects they are learning.”
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There’s a great dynamic when the students bounce ideas off each other. - Jerome Richalot
Members of the junior team
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Goodbye OP Hello ATAR Everything you need to know about the transition away from the Overall Position system, and what it will mean for future graduates
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Queensland will soon say its final goodbye to the Overall Position (OP) system which has informed students’ tertiary selection across the state for the past 25 years.
“According to the Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority (QCAA), the ATAR system is coming into place so that Queensland can fall in line with the rest of Australia,” says Ms Klein.
Queensland is currently the only state in Australia that uses the OP system, however that is set to change when the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is introduced next year for Year 11 students who are graduating in 2020.
“This is so that every state will have ATAR, rather than Queenslanders alone having the OP. It’s a system that is recognised in all other states.”
All Saints Director of Studies Julie Klein says the transition will align the state with the rest of the country, making it easier for high school students to move between states and apply for courses Australia-wide.
Ahead of next year, when the new system will officially begin for Year 11 students, here are some answers to a few of the burning questions which are commonly asked about the OP-ATAR transition.
All Saints Anglican School
Feature What is going to change? By far the biggest difference between the two systems is that Year 12 students will no longer sit the Queensland Core Skills (QCS) test. Instead, a student’s ATAR score will be calculated by combining the scaled scores from their best five academic subjects. Most grades will be determined by the school, however there will be one assessment at the end of Year 12 to be determined by the Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority (QCAA). Another big change is that students will no longer be required to complete five ‘authority subjects’, based on syllabuses that have been approved and set by the QCAA. Now a student can choose to complete an ‘applied subject’, for example Essential Mathematics or Essential English which can contribute to their ATAR score. Students must still pass English to be eligible for an ATAR, but whichever English subject they choose doesn’t need to be counted among their top five best subjects. While ATAR only officially applies to the final two years of a student’s schooling life, All Saints has also updated its Year 10 curriculum to create a more direct and seamless path into Year 11 and 12 ATAR studies.
How should students prepare for the transition? Ms Klein says it’s important for students to choose subjects that they are good at, which they enjoy and will support further studies and career aspirations. She encourages students to avoid decisions which are based purely on subjects that are perceived to be scaled higher than others, for example Mathematical Methods over General Mathematics. “People are often concerned about the scaling process, but a student is going to do better in a subject that they are good at, irrelevant of how it scales against others,” says Ms Klein. “If a student chooses a subject that they have to work too hard at, it will often be detrimental to their results in other subjects.”
How can parents help support their children? According to Ms Klein, parents should encourage their children to do their absolute best in whatever subjects they choose, remembering that subjects which scale higher don’t necessarily mean students will achieve a better ATAR result by doing them. It’s important that students also be aware of prerequisites for whatever tertiary course they may choose to pursue. “A lot of universities have reduced their list of prerequisites, but it is important students check the requirements of their desired course,” says Ms Klein. All Saints Anglican School
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Where inside knowledge meets
OUTWARD
THINKING Ever wanted to know what the inside of a 2,000-year-old Egyptian mummy looks like? Students at All Saints can now sate this curiosity through the latest addition to the Wonder Room - a 3D imaging autopsy table. All Saints is the first school in the world to use this technology which features CT-scanned images of human corpses, animals, sea-life, bugs and even a real Egyptian mummy inside a sarcophagus. The equipment, which has only been publicly seen in the likes of British and American natural history museums, allows students to peel back the layers of a subject and virtually dissect parts for a unique anatomical view. The autopsy table program was created by Swedish company Interspectral and implemented by Prendi, a team of digital entrepreneurs from Brisbane. Director of Learning Culture at All Saints Jason Wainwright says the table inspires a whole new calibre of learning. “This technology generates curiosity and curiosity is at the core of wisdom; it’s what we want,” says Mr Wainwright. “We don’t want a machine that delivers answers because the world already has one of those. It’s called Google. We want a machine or an idea that generates thought and generates questions.”
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Judging by student feedback and interaction with the new autopsy table, it’s safe to say the interest has been piqued. Mr Wainwright says the tech goes far beyond the boundaries of STEM and is generating attention across other subjects including art and physical education. It’s also motivating students to think about life’s biggest questions. “Because the table is right next to my office, the conversations I hear from students of all ages is mind blowing,” he says. “I’m hearing young students voice thoughts that aren’t constrained by a classroom, but by the thoughts of humanity. They are asking the big questions like ‘why’ and ‘how’.” “The mental links and observations they are making is the thing that strikes me most, and how untamed their thought processes are.” Complementing the ethos of the Wonder Room, Mr Wainwright says the autopsy table is an invaluable tool for challenging the standard of traditional learning and thought processes. “Students, teachers and even parents can fall into certain habits of thinking and, in doing so, they leave behind opportunities for growth,” he says. “We are fortunate as a school to be able to do things differently.”
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Jason Wainwright with Year 9 students at the autopsy table
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Young students voice thoughts that aren’t constrained by a classroom, but by the thoughts of humanity. - Jason Wainwright
The Wonder Room
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All Saints students visiting aged-care residents
With great
PRIVILEGE comes great RESPONSIBILITY All Saints is a community built on compassion, a trait which shines bright in its commitment to Service Learning. The Service Learning program at All Saints was established in 2009 and is focused on creating ways for students to engage with society while simultaneously completing the school’s curriculum. Service Learning Coordinator Catherine Carpenter says the program embeds community service into the academic lives of the students, with the aim of creating graduates who can use their gifts as responsive and socially conscious citizens. “We want our students to have a real awareness of what their contribution to society will look like, and how they can make a difference in the world,” says Mrs Carpenter.
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One example of Service Learning is the Year 5/6 Pen Pal program. Students communicate with residents in retirement communities on the Gold Coast, as part of their English and History and Social Science (HaSS) units. “The program is based around writing letters, sharing information about their lives and asking questions about their histories,” says Mrs Carpenter. “The students really enjoy writing to a real person whilst also giving them the opportunity to connect with people they otherwise may not have the chance to.” Similar programs embedded into the All Saints curriculum include the Year 9 Service and Leadership Camp where students spend time with residents in higher-care nursing homes.
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A group of staff and children at Kili Kids Orphanage, one of the Tanzanian organisations supported by our Service Learning program
Year 11 ESL English students are also given the opportunity to visit refugee high school students in Brisbane, using the experience to more accurately understand the concept of ‘conflict’ which is an essential component of this Year 11 subject. The program doesn’t just extend beyond the classroom locally, it even benefits students to engage with communities around the world. A group of students and staff are travelling to Tanzania on a three-week expedition over the June/ July school holidays where they will work with the locals on various projects while simultaneously learning about African culture. Tanzania Expedition Coordinator Erin Merrin says the key aim of the trip is to help local students become more confident in English, while also giving All Saints students a rare opportunity to broaden their cultural horizons.
“Our biggest aim is to help the local students improve their English skills,” says Ms Merrin.
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“In Tanzania, students sit an exam at the end of Year 7 which is entirely in English, and if they don’t pass that exam they can’t move forward with their education.” “For our students, it reduces the stereotypes and allows them to have a greater intercultural understanding.” Mrs Carpenter believes Service Learning at all levels of education is essential to the character of a faithbased school.
I think as a school we need to model what we stand for. - Catherine Carpenter
“I think as a school we need to model what we stand for,” says Mrs Carpenter. “I’ve always felt that with great privilege comes great responsibility.” All Saints Anglican School
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The rise of
#PROJECTRASE “
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To refer to #PROJECTRASE as just a ‘sex ed’ program is to really undervalue the program. - Julie Deane
Thought Leaders
Year 8 students working as a group in a #PROJECTRASE class
New program for Middle School students, #PROJECTRASE, is not your average sex education course. Conceived by the Assistant Head of Middle School, Julie Deane, in collaboration with True All School, #PROJECTRASE is going beyond lessons of anatomy and puberty. Where RASE stands for Relationships and Sex Education, the program is designed to teach Middle School students about everything from healthy relationships to discrimination. Tired of traditional sex education programs, Mrs Deane says she wanted something that was fresh and new that was able to prepare students for more than just bodily changes. “To refer to the program as just a ‘sex ed’ program is to really undervalue the program in my opinion, because it’s so much more than that,” says Mrs Deane. “These are topics that parents and teachers are often terrified of addressing, and there’s still a certain taboo around talking about sexual relationships and sexual awareness.”
puberty, responsible decision making, and mutual consent. The project, two years in the planning, has been warmly received by Middle School students who started undertaking classes at the beginning of 2018. “I was very mindful of working through a planned process,” says Mrs Deane. “I started with providing professional development for the staff because I really needed them to feel confident and to understand the reasons why we are implementing the program.
“All students should have access to an education that empowers them with the knowledge and skills to encourage healthy and safe choices concerning their relationships and their sexual health and well-being,” says Mrs Deane. The Middle School course offers a positive and open view of relationships and sexuality and is respectful of diversity. Resources utilised aim to be inclusive and representative of different cultures, religions, sexual orientation, gender identity and family values.
“I needed them to own it too because all of the research suggests that we (schools, parents and the community) all have to be involved in delivering this sort of information to our adolescents.
“Comprehensive relationships and sex education helps to empower all children and young people to develop a positive body image and manage important transitions such as puberty.
“Our staff were provided with two full days of professional development as a means to providing them with age-appropriate information, skills and understanding.”
“It also contributes to their ability to make informed decisions concerning relationships, reproductive and sexual health and well-being.”
“We launched the program at the Year 9 camp and the students were completely on board from the very beginning.”
Mrs Deane says All Saints has been empowered to implement the elements of RASE as per the Australian Curriculum of Health and Physical Education and to continue with this ground-breaking program.
Whilst students involved in the #PROJECTRASE program will still complete sex education classes in Year 7, 8 and 9, the entire course revolves around much more.
Mrs Deane’s hope is for all students, from Pre Prep to Year 12, to eventually have #PROJECTRASE as part of the curriculum. The project sits within the Australian curriculum and enables teachers to investigate the learning area and address opportunities to adopt lifelong, healthy living.
The key elements of #PROJECTRASE are all about respectful relationships, responsible social media use, bullying and cyber-bullying, online and digital citizenship, as well as sex education, sexting, reproductive health, body image,
Relationships and sex education should begin at birth and continue throughout life. The School aims to deliver age and developmentally appropriate information to students which contributes to the lifelong learning process.
“I could not be happier with how it’s been so positively embraced,” she says. “It’s exciting for us. It’s all about caring for our students, and for the whole student. Proactively providing education in this area prior to relationship experience gives the students the confidence and information required for them to engage in responsible risk taking and decision making.” All Saints Anglican School
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PERFORMING
ARTS By Scott Mason, Director of Performing Arts YEAR 5 BAND CONCERT
In Terms 1 and 2 the Year 5 students showed off their newly acquired instrumental skills at a special concert for parents. Over the last two terms the students have been learning a new instrument as part of the Year 5 Band program. These instruments included: oboe, flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, horn, euphonium, tuba, and percussion. The Year 5 Band program continues to be a great springboard to learning an instrument for Junior School students.
TWILIGHT CONCERTS The school calendar was highlighted by various ensemble performances at the end of Term 1. This year’s Twilight Concerts saw the string, band, and choral ensembles perform music from film or theatre. The music was thrilling, with the Milestones Big Band performing music from the Disney film The Incredibles, whilst parts of the movie were projected onto a screen in the background. The Malcolm Arnold Wind Ensemble performed music from Man of La Mancha, and the Copland Concert Band performed selections from the beloved series Ghostbusters. Every student involved is commended for the extra effort put into preparing for the Twilight Concerts which are held after just four or five rehearsals.
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The Malcolm Arnold Wind Ensemble perform in the Twilight Concerts
Madeleine Stephens
Performing Arts
CONCERTO COMPETITION
MUSIC CAMP
The biennial Concerto Competition demonstrated the best of the best in terms of solo performance at All Saints. With the heats for the competition held in February, students had two months to prepare for the finals on May 17.
In late April the Malcolm Arnold Wind Ensemble, Senior Strings, and the Milestones Big Band spent a weekend at Lennox Head in New South Wales for the 2018 music camp. Over the weekend, the three ensembles rehearsed against the backdrop of natural beauty at Lennox Head.
There were three finalists in both the Middle School and Senior School finals, with all students performing to an exemplary standard. Luke Harrison (voice) in Year 8 was the winner of the Middle School finals with Year 9 students Annabelle Dwyer (flute) and Cocomi Zhu (piano) as runners up. Year 12 Nina Fan (piano) was the winner of the Senior School category with Madeleine Stephens (voice) in Year 12 and Ryo Takamizawa (piano) in Year 10 both coming runner up.
Mr Malcolm Liddell
Rinne Kodo
MIDDLE & SENIOR SCHOOL THEATRE FEST The annual Middle School & Senior School Theatre Fest was, once again, a resounding success. Competing students had to perform a themed presentation demonstrating their acting skills over five minutes for Middle School competitors and eight minutes for Senior School students. The winner of the Senior School competition was Year 10 student Alexander Andersen who presented a performance titled Compelled to Write. The Middle School winner was Year 9 student Taye Grant who presented a performance titled Massacre. Each winner received a Drama and Communications Scholarship for one year, entitling them to one free 30-minute drama and communications lesson per week. Congratulations to all participating students for their hard work and preparation in the lead up to the competition.
Taye Grant
PERFORMING ARTS STAFF CONCERT Once again, the Performing Arts staff came together on Friday 23 February to put on a world-class display of skill for students, staff and parents. Leah Humbert
The 35 staff performed a variety of musical pieces from classical to jazz and finished with a fun and exciting rock band performance. Students, staff and parents were inspired by professional musicians performing at their brilliant best. All Saints Anglican School
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Magical journey to
AFRICA
Junior School students were instantly swept into the African savannah in June as they donned lion masks and hopped onto stilts for their electric production of The Lion King.
a frightening hyena or backstage in the production team.
The beloved Disney musical was brought to life by the cast of students from Years 5 to 6 who sang, danced and acted their way through the music and lyrics of Elton John and Tim Rice.
D’arcy Taylor’s menacing portrayal of Scar, the villain of the show, was a stand-out, and was nicely balanced by the hilarious performances from Sarah Hartnett and Joshua Herbert as Timon and Pumbaa, the kooky meerkat and warthog comedy combo.
The Lion King has captivated audiences both young and old around the world since it first appeared as an animated musical film in 1994. The incredible interpretation, directed by Junior School Drama Specialist Naomi Middlebrook, saw the talented actors and actresses embody the well-known characters by toiling for months in advance to master what is certainly one of the most ambitious Junior School productions to date. The production was a great opportunity for any student who wanted to be involved, whether that was on stage as
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Both Jake McMahon and Hugh Arthur brought the loveable character of Simba to life, and Madeleine Cooke, Kyla Scholz, and Hallie Bosiljevac performed their hearts out as Simba’s closest friend Nala.
Luca Nakagawa-Morrison’s heartwrenching performance as Mufasa took the iconic wildebeest stampede scene to a new level. Mrs Middlebrook says the students loved putting on the show, which was warmly received by everyone in the audience each night. “It’s just such a loved Disney show and it appeals to all ages,” she says. “Every time the first few bars of The Circle of Life begin to play people are in tears. It’s just such a wonderful show.” The production was buoyed by the
generous time and effort put in by staff, students and especially parents, who took time out of busy schedules to join in working bees, construct sets and design the intricate and awe-inspiring costumes. “I’m sure we are all familiar with the wellused phrase that ‘it takes a village’. The creation of our show has indeed taken a village,” says Mrs Middlebrook. “The production saw a record number of parents and grandparents involved.” Shelley Travers, the Head of the Junior School, says the skills learnt by all the students involved in The Lion King will stick with them for life. “I know that this experience will have created lifetime memories and will have helped forge confidences today that will guide them into tomorrow,” says Mrs Travers. “I could not be prouder of these magnificent young people and hope they will treasure their time as an integral member of The Lion King team as we have treasured the opportunity to watch them grow and flourish throughout their journey.”
Performing Arts
The foyer of the Nairn Theatre transformed into a scene out of Africa
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Where student spirit
SHINES All Saints’ Middle and Senior School athletes served up another stellar performance across all Associated Private Schools (APS) sporting events in the first semester of 2018. The junior and senior divisions accrued numerous wins, both team-based and individual, at the APS Swimming, Cross Country and Winter Sport meets. All Saints took to the pool at Somerset College on a sweltering hot February day in Term 1, digging deep to deliver an impressive performance. In the senior and middle division, the school was named overall champion in the Swimming, marking its 17th win in 22 years, and narrowly missed out on the top spot in Cross Country. The senior team’s success was complemented by outstanding individual achievements, including Daesyn Cook, Tom Hauck and Brooke Napper who each won the Age Champion title across their divisions. Fergus Leslie with Swimming Captains Samson Conochie and Chelsea Austin
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We have an outstanding sporting culture at All Saints and every student genuinely wants to compete for the School. - Fergus Leslie
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Jack Sparke and Michael Jin also stood on the champion’s podium, achieving second and third place respectively in their age groups. Jack Sparke, Brooke Napper, Daesyn Cook and Tom Hauck smashed several APS Swimming records and were each named Outstanding Swimmers of the Meet, a remarkable feat considering there are only four of these awards named each year and All Saints athletes won them all. Tom alone broke four separate records in the 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke and 50m butterfly events for his age group.
Sport
The Junior Cross Country team
The Junior APS Swimming Team also performed admirably, narrowly missing out on a top three spot in the overall placings.
as well as Georgia Seaton and Hamish Slater who placed second, and Bali Kohring who placed third in their respective age groups.
Levi Ashcroft was named Age Champion in the 12-year boys division, while Cade McKissack and Emma Steele placed second in their respective age groups, and Max Allars placed third.
“The Cross Country was excellent; it was probably the most well-prepared we’ve ever been,” says Mr Leslie.
Director of Sport at All Saints Fergus Leslie says each of the students who competed on the day were outstanding, given the taxing weather conditions. “There were discussions on the day among the staff about whether the event should be called off because of the heat, but the day turned out to be excellent and the students were all brilliant,” says Mr Leslie. “It was an absolute pleasure to take the team to this event and be part of their success.” At the APS Cross Country, Mr Leslie says the school fielded arguably its best-prepared and most enthusiastic team to date. While the senior team finished second overall, the 80 competing students performed well beyond expectations both on the day and in the lead up to the event. Outstanding student achievements included Daisy Fahey, who placed second in her age group, as well as Luke Imrie, Sakura Sugiyama and Amy Suzuki who each finished third in their age groups. Not to be outdone, the junior division took home the overall champions trophy at the Cross Country, marking the team’s 23rd win in a row. Exceptional individual performances included Adelaide Hooper who was named Age Champion,
“The numbers at training were higher than they’ve ever been. We couldn’t fault any of the students; they were magnificent on the day.” Most recently, All Saints wrapped up its APS Winter Sport season for competitive team events including rugby, hockey, football, tennis, volleyball and netball. Out of a possible 57 grand final matches, All Saints fielded teams in 35 of them and took out the title of premiers in 17 tier-one sports as well as three tier-two sports. The Open A Girls Volleyball team recorded a particularly impressive win against reigning champs Emmanuel College, a team which had previously been undefeated since before the introduction of the new APS Winter Sport format in 2013. Mr Leslie says all of the APS events wouldn’t have been the same without the efforts of supporting staff, as well as sport captains. According to Mr Leslie, every student exemplified All Saints’ values of participation and good sportsmanship across both APS meets. “We have an outstanding sporting culture at All Saints and every student genuinely wants to compete for the School,” he says.
SPORT CAPTAINS 2018 SWIMMING Chelsea Austin Samson Conochie CROSS COUNTRY Tayla Coulson Angus Reardon ATHLETICS Maya Krizanic Daniel Mason FOOTBALL Maya Krizanic Lachlan Orchard HOCKEY Luke Capper Elena Nairn NETBALL Sophie McPhail RUGBY Samuel Schimke TENNIS Alex Deans Ellen Zou VOLLEYBALL Daniel Mason Lana Reynolds
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WHY WE LOVE ALL SAINTS “
If a child is good at something, it is celebrated. Whether it’s drama, sport or academics, everybody has an outlet to be a star. - Astra Ciobo Astra and Steven Ciobo believe that strong values are essential to a good education. Mr and Mrs Ciobo are the proud parents of Asher (Year 4) and Tennyson (Prep), and for the past six years the family has loved being a part of the All Saints community. In his role as the Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Mr Ciobo knows the importance of being a well-rounded citizen. For the pair, it was imperative to find a school that would support their children’s individual talents, as well as inspire them to be good people. “We wanted a school that would instil strong values in the boys, and we were very attracted to All Saints in that regard,” says Mr Ciobo. “In my role I’m exposed to many schools on the Gold Coast and over the years having dealings with All Saints and Patrick Wallas, it was a clear decision that the school was an excellent choice to enrol the boys in.” Since the boys began their education at All Saints, Asher has developed a love for academics and reading books while Tennyson is a budding sportsman, particularly fond of soccer and AFL. Mrs Ciobo appreciates how the staff at All Saints can nurture her boys’ diverse interests and pay sincere attention to their development. “What the kids love and what we love about All Saints is exactly what everyone says about the school: there isn’t one skill or one talent that’s valued above another,” says Mrs Ciobo.
The Ciobo family meeting tiger cub Mya at Dreamworld
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“If a child is good at something, it is celebrated. Whether it’s drama, sport or academics, everybody has an outlet to be a star.
Community
“We just felt that with the different personalities of our kids and the fact that we didn’t know what they might enjoy or be good at, All Saints would give them the broadest opportunities.” Aside from her role as mum and her work as an interior designer, Mrs Ciobo is also involved in the All Saints learning environment where she helps with reading and maths groups, assists on sport days and supports teachers in the classroom.
The makings of an
ALL STAR
As with the bond between students and teachers, she finds that connections formed between all members of the school community are just as supportive and meaningful. “When I first came to All Saints with Asher, I formed such a tight bond with the other parents in his grade and have really got to know them well after six years,” says Mrs Ciobo. “Then when Tennyson started at the school, I wasn’t really expecting to have that same bond with the next year group I was involved with, but it’s been just as strong and has been a lovely surprise.” The Ciobos say that if parents are trying to find a school to bring out the best in their child, both on an academic and personal level, All Saints is where the search ends. “I’m a very firm believer in not only the importance of a quality education, but also about those life values and the kids’ approach to community, as well as the disciplines they have in their life,” says Mr Ciobo. “I would recommend All Saints to other parents for all the reasons that we were attracted to the school. “It’s a very inclusive community comprised of great people and the children are very encouraged to form strong bonds and also strive for success.”
On an average weekday, Tom Hauck will beat the sunrise to his first training session of the morning. The Year 10 swimmer has a deep passion for the sport which spurs him on to start the day at 4:30am with a two-hour training session before school. Then, after a full day of classes, Tom returns to the pool again for another session before heading home at 6pm. Such a demanding schedule must be taxing, but not for Tom. The swimming prodigy was just 13 years old when he broke his first national swimming record and he’s since broken four more to date, including the 13 years and under 200m freestyle record previously held by Ian Thorpe. Tom also recently became the youngest male swimmer to make the Australian team for the 2018 Junior Pan Pacific Championships, which will be held in Fiji in August. He says that while competing at the highest athletic levels is a difficult lifestyle to maintain, he wouldn’t have it any other way. “The constant training is never easy,” says Tom.
Asher Ciobo (L) and Tennyson Ciobo (R)
“Every session, up to eight or nine sessions a week, it’s always very hard to keep going and also keep up with school. It’s definitely a challenge, but for me it comes naturally. I think it’s just who I am.”
If excelling in the pool wasn’t already enough, Tom is one of All Saints’ most successful students in the academic arena. He’s a regular participant in high-level academic competitions including the Australian Maths Competition where he has won accolades for seven years in a row. He has topped the state three times in the ICAS Maths Competition. Tom was also part of the fourperson junior team that came third in Queensland at the Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad. Swim Coach and the Pool Manager of All Saints, Ken Sabotic, says that across both his athletics and academics, Tom’s mental toughness is his biggest strength. Mr Sabotic is also proud of his deep connections and loyalty to the All Saints swim team. “He’s a very dedicated person, he comes to all of our club nights and the younger kids definitely look up to him,” he says. “Even though swimming is an individual sport, he gives time back to the club. That’s one of his best traits.” Mr Sabotic says if Tom performs well at the Pan Pacs in August, it could mean a decent shot at the Olympic dream. “He’s on the radar with Australian swimming and they all realise the talent he’s got,” he says. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he soon made the Australian Olympic team.” All Saints Anglican School
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Netting a
BRILLIANT CAREER Long before Raphael Cendrillon (Class of 1995) entered the tech big leagues, helping shape the internet we use today, his journey began on a humble Commodore 64 computer. Mr Cendrillon’s father gave him the machine as a gift after it hit the market in 1982, sparking what would become a lifelong passion for computing technology. “In the early days you couldn’t really do much with computers unless you learned basic programming skills. So, I think that opened the door to my interest in computers, electronics and that sort of stuff,” he says. After graduating from All Saints in 1995, Mr Cendrillon completed a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Queensland (UQ) where he graduated with first-class honours. During his time at UQ, Mr Cendrillon truly realised the internet’s potential and started theorising how fibre optic networks could advance it. “I thought ‘wow, if we all had a fibre optic connection at home then it could change the world’, which it kind of did actually,” he says. Mr Cendrillon went on to complete a PhD in Engineering (summa cum laude) in Belgium specialising in telecommunications and he has since contributed to developing and implementing algorithms that modern DSL internet modems now use.
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His algorithms form part of the ITU and ANSI standards on broadband networks. “I found some interesting mathematical tricks that would let you transform an extremely complex mathematical problem into a problem you could solve in seconds, tripling the speed which you could get with DSL modems at the time and that had a big impact on the industry,” he says.
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When I went to All Saints there were a lot of teachers who were passionate about what they were teaching. - Raphael Cendrillon
Mr Cendrillon worked as a Tech Lead Manager at Google for five years, where he developed large-scale machine learning systems for ad targeting, early detection of disease and wireless network design. During his time at Google spin off Verily, he also worked on wearable technologies for detecting cancer in its very early
stages, as well tracking the efficacy of treatments for neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease and MS. “It was right up my alley because it involved lots of signal processing stuff. For example, you’ve got this watch that sends a light to your skin, it refracts through the underlying tissue and depending on what’s happening with your veins, the amount of light that refracts will change,” he says. Verily opened the door to Mr Cendrillon’s interest in life sciences and he now works as Head of Artificial Intelligence (AI) at Silicon Valley start-up Syllable. The company is working on conversational AI (chatbots) which are used by hospitals and medical providers to help patients with everything from scheduling appointments and getting referrals, through to answering questions about treatments, drugs and hospital services. Mr Cendrillon says his time at All Saints had an extremely positive impact on his life and career. “When I went to All Saints there were a lot of teachers who were passionate about what they were teaching, whether it was Maths, Science or Japanese – whatever it was, they were really passionate and they genuinely cared about their students,” he says. “When I was at school it was the general assumption that you would go to university. I think that’s a very healthy environment to be in. It had a very positive impact on my career and life in general.”
Community
Taking a
BITE
out of Apple
He’s worked for some of the world’s most influential tech companies, but now Jesse Adler is taking on his biggest role yet.
After his graduation from All Saints in 2012, it didn’t take long before Jesse Adler scored a gig at one of the world’s most renowned companies. Mr Adler currently works as an iPhone program manager at Apple and says he has been consistently shaped by the leadership experiences he had during his time at All Saints. He first discovered his passion for leading teams as a director and producer of films for the annual All Saints Shindig Film Festival. “At All Saints I took great delight in producing video projects for Shindig and Omaru, which is something I did for many years,” he says. “A lot of the time, leading the team towards a common vision was just as rewarding as the end product we were creating.
current role on the iPhone Operations team. His first assignment involved launching the iPhone X. Today he spends most of the year at Apple’s new headquarters in California, however he also travels a few months of the year to China to launch new products. “I am on a team that runs iPhone assembly factories in China. I manage the ‘new product introduction’ stage of manufacturing which involves facilitating product design maturity and ramping up to large volumes before we announce,” he says. Mr Adler believes effective teams are fundamental to achieving impactful results, a philosophy which has been pivotal to his career and one of the main reasons he decided to move away from engineering in favour of program management.
“These experiences certainly have led me to my current line of work.”
“The lone genius that changes the world is mostly a myth. If you have a great idea, building a team towards the vision is a critical process that groups of people often struggle with.
After graduating from All Saints, Mr Adler spent six months at the Beijing Language and Culture University furthering his knowledge of Mandarin Chinese.
“You can assemble the best technical abilities, the money and all the other resources, but if an organisation can’t work together effectively then none of that is actually worth anything.”
“I had been studying Chinese since Junior School, so it was an inevitable continuation of that,” he says. He then went on to study aerospace engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), during which time he interned at NASA and drone company DJI. In July 2017, Mr Adler landed his
Mr Adler reflects on his time at All Saints with deep gratitude and credits the supportive staff and mentors with inspiring his path post-graduation. “All Saints served as an extraordinary place to explore and cultivate my passions. I’m indebted to the wonderful people there for helping me grow.”
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The lone genius that changes the world is mostly a myth. If you have a great idea, building a team towards the vision is a critical process. - Jesse Adler All Saints Anglican School
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Language students tap into ‘second soul’
Daisy Rice (L) with a member of her host family in Japan
As international borders blur and the world continues to connect in new ways, being a cultureconscious citizen is now more important than ever. Each year, All Saints gives its language students an opportunity to learn overseas and gain first-hand experience in an authentic environment. Year 12 Japanese students Daisy Rice and Daniel Mason recently travelled to Tezukayama Izumigaoka Gakuin High School in Osaka, where they spent three weeks as exchange students to hone their language skills. The duo participated in regular Japanese high school classes and cultural activities including popular after-school clubs. Daniel says the experience significantly improved his speaking capabilities and has motivated him to continue with Japanese studies.
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“I have learned so much about the Japanese culture and my language-speaking skill has improved significantly,” he says. “I feel like this trip has changed me for the better and has motivated me to keep studying Japanese.” Daisy agrees, adding that Tezukayama was an ideal place to learn as the school’s community was incredibly supportive. “The students were so welcoming, the staff were extremely accommodating and the atmosphere of the school was genuinely exuberant,” she says. “My Japanese skills improved significantly, my confidence was boosted and I was immersed in what felt like an entirely different world.” In addition to its relationship with Tezukayama, All Saints shares strong bonds with Chiba Eiwa High School and each year several students go on exchange between the two schools.
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My confidence was boosted and I was immersed in what felt like an entirely different world. - Daisy Rice
Community
A NEW INTERNATIONAL STANDARD
Artist impression of the new International House building Chiba Eiwa and All Saints students in the library’s Room with a View
International House is soon to reveal its new flagship building, a multimillion-dollar development that is set to become the home for senior international students at All Saints. The new building will house around 25 students to complement the existing International House which currently accommodates 45.
Daisy Rice and Daniel Mason on exchange in Japan
Chiba Eiwa sends 20 students annually to study English at All Saints in March, as well as two students on an intensive exchange during July and August. Hiro Suita, Senior School Teacher and Japanese Coordinator at All Saints, says studying abroad helps enrich students’ lives and is an important part of personal growth and academic study. “They become aware of how to be global citizens and speaking other languages opens doors for them. They learn how to be flexible and understanding,” says Ms Suita. “Students have said to me that speaking another language is like having another soul. They say their perception of the world and even their own lives totally changes.” Ms Suita looks forward to welcoming back students from Tezukayama and Chiba Eiwa soon.
Headmaster Patrick Wallas says the new building will allow the school to welcome more homestay students back into dorms on campus, as well as contribute to All Saints’ excellent reputation for international education. “The new International House is the first of a two-phase project which will house around 25 students, and a crucial difference is that each student will have their own room,” says Mr Wallas. “We don’t expect to increase the number of international students we have. However, it will allow us to bring more children in from homestay to the dorms.
house master and a room that members of the All Saints community can use on an asneeded basis. All Saints has traditionally been well hidden from travellers on Highfield Drive. However, Mr Wallas says the new building will give the school unprecedented visibility to the public. “While I did love the fact that All Saints in the past has been a bit of a well-kept-secret, passers-by will now very clearly know that there is a school here,” he says. “Towards the end of next year, when we have completed construction of the new administration building, which will sit alongside the new International House, the School will have an impressive façade for the first time in our history.” Mr Wallas says the plan is to turn the School’s existing Main Administration into ‘The Heart Space’, a facility entirely devoted to student well-being.
“It also helps us to maintain what I feel is a leading position in the international schooling market in Queensland by offering state-ofthe-art facilities.”
“It will be a place for counselling, learning support and workshops around social interactions and relationship building, helping us to continue our mission to encourage all members of our community to be kind to each other and kind to themselves.”
In addition to the new student rooms, the building will include accommodation for the boarding
The new International House building is scheduled for completion in November 2018.
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Mother’s Day with a
ROYAL TWIST On Monday 10 May, the Parents & Friends Association once again hosted the highly anticipated All Saints Mother’s Day Morning Tea. The sold-out event was attended by All Saints mothers, grandmothers and special guests, featuring entertainment from All Saints performing arts students and catering by hospitality students. The lavish affair was topically themed ‘Royal Wedding’, with guests donning tiaras and attire fit for The Duchess of Sussex. Most importantly, it provided an opportunity for All Saints mothers to connect and raise funds to support the valuable work of the Parents & Friends Association.
All Saints mums and special guests enjoying the annual P&F Mother’s Day Morning Tea
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Community
The event featured a fashion parade with designs from Lisa Brown and children’s label Franky & Zara
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Taking the road
LESS TRAVELLED
Phoebe Nind at Le Than Duy Primary School in Vietnam
For most Year 12 students, the typical path after leaving school is a beeline for university. It was the same path that School Vice-Captain Phoebe Nind (Class of 2015) was initially destined to take, however when a rare opportunity presented itself, she decided on a leap of faith instead. Throughout her senior years, Ms Nind became heavily involved in social justice initiatives and volunteering programs. In 2015, she signed up to be part of the Oaktree Foundation’s Live Below the Line program, a fundraising initiative where participants live on just $2 a day for five days, the Australian equivalent of the extreme poverty line. Ms Nind worked tirelessly to raise money for the cause and found out that her hours of time and energy had earned her a place in the top five positions of most funds raised by all school aged participants in Australia. As a result, she was shortlisted to win a fullyfunded volunteering placement with the Oaktree Foundation.
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While it was the opportunity of a lifetime, Ms Nind wasn’t quite sure what she’d do if she won, considering it was her final year of high school and her heart was set on going straight into Law studies at the University of Queensland (UQ). “Everyone was very much in the OP mindset at the time, no one was thinking about doing volunteering placements overseas; it was quite an unconventional option,” she says. “I remember having a chat with my mum about it and she said ‘What have you got to lose? Everything happens for a reason, just go through this interview process, you might not get it, but who knows, you might, and that could change what you do next year’.” Ms Nind sailed through the interview process and was awarded the volunteer placement. It came as a shock initially, but it ultimately inspired a change in her outlook. After finishing Year 12, instead of heading to UQ, Ms Nind went on to teach English in a rural school in Vietnam for three months with other students from Australia, Canada, and the UK.
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When you’re given independence and the belief that you can make a difference, you can achieve so much more. - Phoebe Nind
Community
The placement was fully funded by the Oaktree Foundation and run by Latitude Volunteering. Ms Nind also travelled across Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, before heading over to Europe on a well-earned holiday. “I think at that point I realised that I needed a break,” she says. “I didn’t really realise when I was in Year 12 how much I would need the break when it was offered to me. I think that’s what a lot of students don’t recognise, that taking a break is an option after school.”
EMBRACING A NEW COMMUNITY
Upon returning home, Ms Nind decided to undertake a volunteer placement at the Oaktree Foundation instead of going to university. The Oaktree Foundation is Australia’s largest youthrun NGO, entirely operated by Australians under the age of 26. Its task is to eliminate world poverty and it starts by partnering with local organisations in the South Pacific to empower young people with education supplies and give Australian youth a platform to make a social impact. As part of the outreach team in Brisbane, Ms Nind was involved in contacting various communities, conducting petition signing and social mobilisations. After a few months she was promoted to the role of Project Coordinator for the Queensland State Team. A highlight for Ms Nind was being able to work on Live Below the Line, the campaign that started it all for her. In her last six months with Oaktree, she moved into the position of Assistant State Director. In this role, Ms Nind liaised with the national team, developed national and state goals for the organisation and helped new volunteers get involved in Oaktree’s various campaigns. “It was a really inspiring place to be,” she says. “Every single day I went into the office was inspiring and people were working towards such amazing goals. “As young people I think we often don’t have a seat at the table and aren’t really given the opportunity to have independence and make decisions. But at Oaktree I saw that when you’re given independence and the belief that you can make a difference, you can achieve so much more.” All good things must come to an end, and eventually Ms Nind finished up at Oaktree. She’s now studying a Bachelor of Arts and Law at UQ majoring in peace and conflict studies and international relations. She says her time at Oaktree has thoroughly prepared her for the future. “In terms of a career I’d love to combine my love for social justice with a legal career. “I’m doing some volunteering at the moment at RAILS, the refugee and immigration legal service in Brisbane. I’m still experiencing things and seeing what I like, but we’ll see where it all takes me.”
Settling into a new school is never without its challenges, but Year 7 student Mollie Tucker has embraced her new community with open arms. Mollie commenced at All Saints at the beginning of 2018 and says the experience of coming to a new school was far more exciting than nerve-wracking. “Everyone has been so welcoming from the day that I came here,” says Mollie. “I’ve had so many people come up to me asking me to come sit with them and eat lunch, and I have met so many nice and different friendship groups.
of the debating team, the Middle School choir and she also helps in the Junior School library for community service. She’s even picked up learning piano this year, which has helped her discover a love of music and performance. “I want to have a go at everything and see what I’m into. Having all these opportunities is really good,” says Mollie. Being involved in one All Saints School musical a year is a mammoth task, but Mollie has signed on for two. She will appear on stage in the Middle School production of Rex and helped out back-stage in the Junior School production of The Lion King.
“I’ve met so many lovely people, I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”
While she loves music, drama and performing, Mollie says she’d love to follow her passion and one day work with kids.
Since joining All Saints, Mollie has thrown herself into everything the school has to offer. She’s part
“I’d love to be working with little kids and children. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher.”
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A partnership
IN GOOD FAITH Anglican Church Robina (formerly known as the Trinity Anglican Mission or TAM) has been an integral part of the All Saints community for many years. The symbiotic relationship between parish and school is a flagship partnership in the Anglican diocese. All Saints students, staff and family members engage with the church regularly in both celebration and worship, but it is also a relationship that extends beyond the chapel walls.
Equally, Mother Ann also regularly preaches and presides at ACR services including eucharists. At a community service level, the School also has Op Shop bins where families can drop off clothes which are then distributed by the church. A number of All Saints students volunteer at the ACR Op Shop. Dale Lennon, Director of Youth, Young Adults and Music Ministry at ACR, says the two organisations work hand in hand, sharing the goal of supporting the personal growth of every student. “All Saints and ACR have a shared identity,” says Mr Lennon.
School Chaplain, Mother Ann McGuinness says both All Saints and Anglican Church Robina (ACR) staff are constantly finding new ways to help each other, including running community events and sharing valuable expertise.
“We want to help the students and support them. Some are going to have faith, some aren’t, and that’s fine. We just want to see all students grow on their journey, and we hope to enable that by hosting these kinds of events and activities together.”
“I think the biggest benefit is that we can draw on one another’s expertise, talents and gifts,” says Mother Ann.
According to Mother Ann, the partnership is also a way to help faith flourish within the emerging generation.
In the Junior School, for example, instead of having a service at All Saints, students are welcomed to ACR with their families at a Messy Church service, a relaxed event that focuses on whole-family interaction with Christianity.
“Because we are a faith-based school, I think our students develop a stronger sense of purpose and meaning,” she says.
ACR’s Senior Minister, Reverend Stewart Perry is an integral part of life at All Saints regularly participating in All Saints eucharist services. He is also a newly appointed member of the School Council and his children attend the School.
Mother Ann McGuinness takes students through the All Saints Chapel
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“We have a generation who are searching for a way to situate themselves in the context of the world in a meaningful way. “As a School Chaplain, I know that I can confidently recommend students and their families to ACR, a parish that is always hospitable and welcoming.”
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We just want to see all students grow on their journey. - Dale Lennon
Chaplaincy
The Sharry bridal party
Reconnecting through life’s biggest moments Once a part of All Saints, always a part of the community. This is the driving spirit behind the School’s connection with its alumni, one that is wonderfully displayed through the use of the school chapel as a place to celebrate of some of life’s biggest moments. Stuart Sharry (Class of 2007) recently returned to All Saints to marry the love of his life Yukiho Fukuda in the All Saints chapel. While Mr Sharry lives and works in Japan, he made the trip back to the Gold Coast for the wedding which was attended by close family and friends.The guest list also included Mr Sharry’s long-time friend from All Saints Eddie Whiteway (Class of 2007) who was the best man. Reverend Tony Rowbotham of Griffith University, Mr Sharry’s tertiary alma mater, preached at the wedding while School Chaplain Mother Ann McGuinness officiated the ceremony. Mother Ann, who has personally officiated several student and staff weddings since the opening of the new chapel in 2012, says it’s very gratifying when past students return to their roots to celebrate the most special occasions in their lives.
Mother Ann baptises Henry Spencer
“It’s lovely to see so many past students coming back because many of the guests are also friends they had while at school.” The school chapel has been the setting for 10 alumni and staff weddings since its establishment, as well as 159 baptisms including students, children of past students and children from the broader community. Recently, Prue Spencer (née Andrewartha, Class of 2003) baptised her son Henry at All Saints, where the same ceremony was also previously held for her twin girls Annabelle and Pippa. According to Mother Ann, alumni have called the new All Saints chapel ‘the best kept secret on the Gold Coast’ when it comes to celebrating special occasions. She also says it’s heart-warming to see past students reconnect with the school community. “When students come back they want to go for a walk around the school grounds, visit their old teachers and see what’s new,” says Mother Ann.
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It’s lovely to see so many past students coming back.
- Mother Ann McGuinness
“It’s so wonderful for me to be able to show them around, and the staff love to see that too.” All Saints Anglican School
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Courtney Sutherland, Year 6
CREATIVE LEGACY OF THE GAMES Chilli Kira, Year 5
Angus Walker, Year 6
In partnership with the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Year 5 students painted 134 canvases that were hung in the bedrooms of competitors at the Athlete’s Village. Yvette Challen, Year 6
After the closing ceremony, each athlete was encouraged to take home their original and unique slice of Gold Coast artistry. The canvases depicted different interpretations of the Gold Coast, Commonwealth Games and Australia, with acrylic paint as the medium used. All Saints Year 5 students were given 100 blank canvases to work on, with the remaining 34 canvases becoming an optional activity for the Year 6 students. Pat Ciafardini, Junior School Visual Arts Teacher, says the students’ creations really captured the spirit of the Commonwealth Games. “We had an array of interpretations – from surfing kangaroos, to Borobi scaling high-rise buildings,” says Mrs Ciafardini. “Students were aware of the keepsake value of their canvas and went over and beyond to present original, endearing designs.” Shelley Travers, Head of Junior School, received a letter from Australian 100m sprinter Melissa Breen thanking Benjamin Leeds, Year 6, for the canvas that she found in her room.
Nina Murphy, Year 6
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“The gratitude she expressed exemplified the spirit of the Games and it was so pleasing to know that the heartfelt work of a young student from All Saints had such a positive and lasting impact upon one of our outstanding athletes,” says Mrs Travers.
Events
UPCOMING EVENTS
4 AUGUST
All Saints Fair
JULY
26-28 JULY
Rex - Middle School Production
Wed 18 Year 11 2019 Subject Selection Evening Thu 26- Rex - Middle School Production Sat 28 Fri 27
Year 10 Dinner Dance
AUGUST Wed 1
Senior School Honours Assembly Year 12 Careers Dinner
Sat 4
All Saints Fair
Tue 14 Evening of Short Plays Wed 15 Celtic Chapel Service Tue 28 Year 7 Eucharist Thu 29 Year 10 2019 Subject Selection Evening
NOVEMBER
SEPTEMBER
Thu 1
All Saints Day
Tue 4
Year 3 to 6 Concert
Tue 4- Wed 5
Year 12 QCS Test
Thu 8
Year 8 Celebration Evening and Art Show
Thu 6
Past Students Association AGM
Sat 10
Year 12 Formal Class of 2008 10 Year Reunion
Thu 20 Anglican Church Robina Concert
For more information about upcoming events visit asas.qld.edu. au/calendar.
Mon 12 Parents & Friends Association AGM Wed 14 Senior School Speech Night
OCTOBER
Thu 15 Tunnel of Love Year 7 Celebration Evening and Art Show
Mon 15 Threads 2018
Fri 16
Wed 17 Year 11 Family Eucharist
Tue 20 Junior School End of Year Celebration
Wed 24 Year 9 Family Eucharist
Thu 22 Year 9 Celebration Evening and Art Show
Wed 31 Middle and Senior School Musical Showcase
Mon 26 Year 6 Celebration Evening
Year 12 Graduation and Valedictory
You can also download the All Saints Anglican School app to view our calendar, term dates and all Saints Alive newsletter editions.
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ALL SAINTS FAIR 2018 SATURDAY 4 AUGUST | 10AM-7PM
RIDES | FOOD STALLS | SIDESHOW ALLEY | FIREWORKS | MARKETS Plus don’t miss the inaugural O’Neill Cup rugby match between parents and past students at 3pm The Fair is run entirely by donations and volunteers from our great All Saints community. All funds raised from the event are used to purchase new equipment and resources for All Saints students.