VOLUME
29
BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL / WINTER 2017
IN THIS ISSUE PAGE 04 / SENIOR DRAMA PRODUCTION
PAGE 08 / FACULTY OF WONDER AND AWE
PAGE 12 / BRISBANE ROAR PARTNERSHIP
PAGE 24 / GRAMMAR WOMEN
CONTENTS PAGE 01 /
FROM THE PRINCIPAL by Ms Jacinda Euler
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LETTERS I could not be more grateful to the teachers and leaders who inspired me daily during five years of exceptional education.
THE SISTERHOOD ... OUT OF THE BLUE by Lucinda Duke (12H) and Elizabeth Prins (12B)
JANE WORME (1997)
PAGE 03 /
I attended the memorial service for the 74th Anniversary of the Sinking of the AHS Centaur … girls from your Chamber Singers performed during the service. I was blessed to be in the presence of such beautiful voices. I felt as though I was hearing angels singing, to the point that I was drawn to tears. Thank you and I congratulate the girls on their professionalism and performance.
BEYOND CLASSROOM MATHEMATICS by Dr Peter Jenkins
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SENIOR DRAMA PRODUCTION: SPONTANEOUS HUMAN COMBUSTION by Mrs Katrina Riveros
PAGE 06 /
OPEN DOORS: A NEW MODEL OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING by Dr Kay Kimber
PAGE 07 /
ANNUAL CATHEDRAL CONCERT by Mr Owen Clarke
PAGE 08 /
FACULTY OF WONDER AND AWE by Dr Sally Stephens
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CATHERINE FINLAY (Year 4 classroom teacher, St Kevin’s Geebung) The Years 7-9 Parent Seminars were a fabulous showcase of the expertise the School has to offer … demonstrating the calibre, depth and breadth of BGGS staff and the School’s conviction for students to be professionally and appropriately supported as they journey through high school.
STUDENT CARE: A COLLECTIVE TASK by Mrs Anne Ingram
ELIZABETH BODEN (current parent)
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The participation rate for BGGS Cross Country was excellent and the spirit of the team shone through, your organisation was seamless. The numbers that ran for BGGS on Saturday were impressive. In all, a highly successful year. It was clear that the School really backed the Cross Country team. Ms Euler’s speech was a ‘call to arms’ that I have not heard before – outstanding. Thank you to all the coaches and the support staff for their support of Cross Country and their guidance to my daughter in particular.
STUDENT CARE: THE BEDROCK OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS by Mrs Jody Forbes
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GIRLS GRAMMAR PARTNERING WITH BRISBANE ROAR by Ms Sally Northcroft
PAGE 14 /
GRAMMAR GALLERY
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FRIENDS OF GIRLS GRAMMAR ARTS EXTENSION PROGRAMME by Mr Andrew Pennay
DAVID FOGDEN (current parent)
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DEBATING’S WINNING WAYS AT GIRLS GRAMMAR by Mrs Anne Byrne
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THE FUTURE OF SENIOR SCHOOLING: PLANNING FOR AND EMBRACING THE FUTURE by Mr James Keogh
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GRAMMAR WOMAN, JULIE McKAY IS WELCOMED TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
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QGSSSA SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS by Ms Jane Martel
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BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL’S ART COLLECTION by Mrs Lorraine Thornquist
Front cover: Quiet study in Brisbane Girls Grammar School’s award-winning Research Learning Centre overlooking the immense branches of an historic Moreton Bay fig on Gregory Terrace
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VOICE TEACHER AWARDED DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS
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GRAMMAR WOMEN by Ms Antonia Swindells
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GRAMMAR WOMEN: THE WAY FORWARD by Mrs Janine Schmidt AM
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SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER FOR A DAY AT MARRAPATTA
GRAMMAR GAZETTE VOL 29 WINTER 2017 Managing Editor: Dr Belinda Burns, Director Communications and Engagement Editor: Elizabeth Stafford, Senior Communications Officer For Grammar Gazette enquiries and comments: T +61 7 3332 1300 E communications@bggs.qld.edu.au To receive an electronic, rather than printed, version of Grammar Gazette, please email communications@bggs.qld.edu.au
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FROM THE PRINCIPAL
AUTHOR
Ms Jacinda Euler Principal CALVIN AND HOBBES CARTOONIST BILL WATTERSON ONCE SAID, ‘THE TRUTH IS, MOST OF US DISCOVER WHERE WE ARE HEADED WHEN WE ARRIVE.’ GRAMMAR GIRLS PLAN THOUGHTFULLY FOR THEIR FUTURES AND AIM HIGH, BUT IN REALITY THEIR FUTURE PATHS ARE LARGELY UNCERTAIN. KNOWING THIS, WE EDUCATE THEM TO DEVELOP DISCIPLINED HABITS IN THEIR LEARNING, TO ACHIEVE THEIR PERSONAL BEST IN ALL THAT THEY DO AND TO LEARN HOW TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES. At Girls Grammar, we provide opportunities for girls to develop a depth in their scholarship and excellence in their pursuits that are balanced with a broad outlook and open-minded approach to life and learning. Through myriad diverse opportunities and experiences, we aim to inspire girls to dare to dream, without fear of failure, and to be brave and adventurous in exploring the unknown or unfamiliar. Just one compelling example of how our girls are encouraged to push boundaries and expand their thinking includes our Senior Drama Production of the original work, Spontaneous Human Combustion. Commissioned by the School, and written and directed by award-winning playwright, Daniel Evans, the play gives voice to a teenager’s struggle to deal with loss and change with authenticity and wicked wit, valuing young people’s experiences without compromising on theatrical sophistication. Employing rhythmic language and the conventions of Magical Realism, the production was unapologetic in its frenetic pace, fiery delivery and dynamic staging — and, if you were fortunate enough to see the girls’ stunning performances, you would certainly agree.
Finally, the School is eagerly anticipating the delivery of the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Observatory — a remotely operated, robotic telescope and observatory — to our Marrapatta Memorial Outdoor Education Centre campus later this year. As the first girls’ school in Australia to benefit from such an extraordinary asset, the Observatory will provide infinite opportunities for girls to engage in deep practice-led learning across the curriculum, from Junior Science and Physics to Mathematics, Information Technology, Visual Art and beyond — the sky truly is the limit. The Observatory will provide rich opportunities for our girls to work alongside professional research teams from universities, scientific and commercial organisations, and the wider global scientific community. Through these inspirational projects and many others, our intention is for our girls to develop enduring personal and leadership skills, while becoming resilient and adventurous in spirit — graduating as balanced, confident and optimistic young women, equipped to live meaningful lives. The more varied the girls’ experiences and the greater their exposure to perspectives different from their own, the wider the lens they will have to understand the bigger picture and to adapt to an ever more complex and rapidly changing world. Throughout the past 142 years, Brisbane Girls Grammar School has remained committed to the provision of an exemplary broad, liberal education for girls and young women. High expectations, and a learning culture that encourages asking questions and taking intellectual risks, characterise the School’s unique learning environment. Challenged beyond the classroom to strengthen their minds and bodies, Grammar girls are adaptable young women who readily embrace change, experience growth through performance, and develop grit and determination — surely the best foundation for a full and rewarding life.
Another fine example of this approach to thinking outwardly centres on the School’s belief in the importance of judicious and ethical action, demonstrated in a willingness to speak up in line with one’s convictions. Acknowledging the School’s strong international outlook and under the leadership of Service Captains, Alice Dunn (12E) and Ayesha Kumar (12G), our students carefully considered their choice of School Charity for 2017. This year, the girls reflected on the current ‘unprecedented displacement crisis’, stemming from millions of people fleeing conflict, persecution, violence and war in countries around the globe; and, based on this, elected to assist people seeking asylum in Brisbane. Through fundraising and community service activities this year, Grammar girls are supporting the work of the Romero Centre, a local charity that helps newly arrived asylum seekers to access support through individualised case management services. WINTER ISSUE / 2017
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THE SISTERHOOD ... OUT OF THE BLUE
AUTHORS
Head Girls (pictured above) Lucinda Duke (12H) and Elizabeth Prins (12B) Brisbane Girls Grammar School 2017 ‘OUR ABILITY TO REACH UNITY IN DIVERSITY WILL BE THE BEAUTY AND THE TEST OF OUR CIVILISATION.’ MAHATMA GHANDI As a Student Council, our visions for the year were clear from our very first meeting where three main goals of celebrating diversity, embracing gratitude and promoting teamwork were developed. These three simple goals for 2017 were encapsulated in our motto: Out of the Blue. We hoped that these four short words would not only inspire a sense of curiosity and excited anticipation within the School, but also that this year we would celebrate our diversity within the Blue, be grateful as individuals who emerge from the Blue and promote teamwork as a school community — as Grammar sisters — as the Blue. Diversity is one of the richest resources at our disposal. Without it, we limit our perspectives, ideas and opportunities. At Brisbane Girls Grammar School, we are incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by almost 1400 girls who come from different backgrounds, boast different talents and bring different visions to our community. In our modern, global world, our Out of the Blue aspiration felt particularly appropriate this year — perhaps more so than any other — and so it was the potent resonance of this idea within the Student Council and within the School, that has made it so powerful. This year, we want to acknowledge our diverse environment, we want to express our gratitude for it and we want to capitalise on it to fill 2017 with both tradition and change. To be a Grammar girl, is to be given opportunity. This includes the opportunities we receive on a regular basis, such as the phenomenal teachers and resources to which we have access, but also the incredible opportunity for choice. The sky is the limit although, with an impending astronomical observatory, perhaps even this barrier shall
be shattered. This year, more so than any other, we wanted to imbue our School with a strong sense of appreciation, a certain self-awareness and an acknowledgement of the privileges we receive by virtue of our exceptional education. It is easy to forget that this opportunity is not universal, and to become complacent in that forgetfulness. It was with this pursuit of active engagement in mind that our School charity, the Romero Centre, was selected. We wanted the expression of gratitude to extend beyond our own campus to lend financial support to an organisation that cares for refugees in Brisbane. We wanted all of us to be aware of our responsibilities as liberally educated Grammar girls, and as global citizens. At Brisbane Girls Grammar School we are so fortunate to learn in a positive, welcoming environment every day. The essential element of this warm environment is the student body, the sisterhood, the team. We would be nothing without this and, in the words of Mattie J.T. Stepanek, ‘Unity is strength... when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.’ This idea of teamwork was one that really resonated with the Student Council. Many girls are involved in sporting teams, debating teams, a production cast or an ensemble, but the real team is us, the sisterhood … ‘the Blue’. We may not all be on the field or stage, but we are in the stands, in the audience, in the crowd supporting and celebrating the talent and the spirit demonstrated by all Grammar girls. Throughout this term, we have been thrilled to recognise such a positive response to our goals. Our principles and priorities have begun to shape the year and already our teamwork was demonstrated at QGSSSA swimming where we were proud to have the largest number of Year 12 supporters on record. This enthusiasm was also reflected in Galentine’s Day and Blue Days. Girls have embraced mindfulness and gratitude with open arms, with many utilising their diary’s weekly ‘What am I grateful for?’ section. With Autumn concerts and fixtures, and the Senior Drama Production now complete, our celebration of diversity will continue to escalate. With such an enriching and fulfilling beginning to 2017, we cannot wait to see what emerges Out of the Blue.
GRAMMAR GAZETTE
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BEYOND CLASSROOM MATHEMATICS
Yu-Zhen (Eva) Seet (9B) and Camilla Bastow (9H) at Mathapatta
AUTHOR
Dr Peter Jenkins Director of Mathematics ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTES OF A MATHEMATICS TEACHER IS THE ABILITY TO INSPIRE A PASSION FOR MATHEMATICS IN THEIR STUDENTS. ONCE THIS HAPPENS, A STUDENT’S CURIOSITY DRIVES THEIR LEARNING, AND THEY CRAVE THE CONSTANT REWARD OF NEW IDEAS MAKING SENSE, EVEN WHEN THE PATH TO THIS UNDERSTANDING IS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING. In the classroom, we all do our best to inspire our students; however, there are many fascinating and worthwhile mathematical ideas outside the curriculum that we unfortunately do not have time to explore in our lessons, and yet help to spark students’ curiosity. The annual ‘Mathapatta’ camp, held early in Term II at Marrapatta, provides an ideal environment for interested students to learn about such ideas. Mathapatta is a two-day camp for girls in Years 9 and 10 who have a particular interest in mathematics. It was an initiative developed in 2010 by Mathematics teacher, Mrs Jenny Winter, and former Mathematics teacher, Mr Rick Bowman, and has been refined over the subsequent years under the leadership of Mrs Judy Muller and Mrs Lee Mazzaglia (both current Mathematics teachers) with the help and support of the entire Mathematics Faculty and Marrapatta staff. The camp consists of a number of a sessions on a variety of interesting mathematical topics; some of these sessions extend ideas encountered in the classroom, including linear and non-linear functions, geometry and trigonometric modelling. Others are introductions into fascinating areas of mathematics outside the curriculum such as Cryptography, Game Theory, Propositional Logic and Linear Programming. Several sessions each year are based outdoors, and all are designed to be challenging, useful and fun.
One of the most valuable aspects of Mathapatta is that students are developing their mathematical thinking in an environment that fosters risk-taking, creative approaches to solving problems and team-work. This falls very much in line with the life-wide learning goal in our School’s Strategic Design 2016-2019. Indeed, feedback from girls who have attended the camp is often focused on how much they enjoyed working with their friends towards a common goal, without the pressure of an exam to worry about. Since the introduction of Mathapatta, the Mathematics Faculty has also introduced a variety of ‘out-of-classroom’ experiences, collectively known as ‘Sigma Maths’, designed to enrich the learning of interested mathematics students of all Year levels. The Sigma Maths programme includes more than twenty different individual and teambased competitions run at various universities and schools in Brisbane each year, as well as after-school workshops and ‘problems of the week’ in which students electronically submit a solution to a challenging problem before the end of each week. Naturally, none of these learning experiences are possible without a team of teachers who genuinely love mathematics and understand how such experiences can help ignite a similar passion in our students.
Portia Ward (10W), Nigella McAuliffe (10L), Matina Samios (9W), Nadia Robertson (9L)
WINTER ISSUE / 2017
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SENIOR DRAMA PRODUCTION: SPONTANEOUS HUMAN COMBUSTION Joan of Arc (Rosie Dann, 12B) instils Astrid (Harper McIlroy, 11W) with the courage to enact her mission
AUTHOR
Mrs Katrina Riveros Head of Curricular Drama THIS YEAR’S SENIOR DRAMA PRODUCTION WAS AN OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE THAT STUNNED AUDIENCES AND RECEIVED ACCOLADES FOR ITS PROFESSIONAL CALIBRE AND INCOMPARABLE QUALITY. IT WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL AND UNIQUE EXAMPLE OF A SCHOOL/ INDUSTRY ARTS COLLABORATION AND A JOYOUS AND VERY REWARDING EXPERIENCE FOR ALL INVOLVED. Spontaneous Human Combustion was a significant project undertaken by the School that commissioned award-winning playwright, Daniel Evans, to write a new and challenging play for young actors that employs the conventions of the theatrical style Magical Realism. Daniel directed an ensemble of twenty Senior Drama students, staging a stunning and truly memorable season of sold-out shows. A second phase of the project will see the publication of the text as well the creation of a complementary digital educational resource in alignment with new curriculum frameworks outlined in the incoming syllabus due for implementation in 2019. Placing stylistic constraints on the development of a play may hinder the creative writing of such a work, but Daniel tackled this challenge head on. It was in fact at one of our first discussions that Daniel pitched that Joan of Arc, a fascinating historical figure, could be a key character, out of her own time place, who intervenes in a present day world. And so the story began…
Spontaneous Human Combustion is a story that is moving and personal, and theatrically very innovative. The narrative cleverly interweaves the young protagonist, Astrid’s, difficult journey with her visioning Joan of Arc; paralleling Joan’s determination, the obstacles she faced and her sense of mission. The play delves into the realities and challenges of a teenager who is dealing with loss and coping with grief with great sensitivity and depth, thus validating and valuing a young person’s experience. The energy and dynamism apparent in the language is visceral. Daniel’s wicked wit tempers the piece with great comic relief offered when needed. Above all though, it is the characters that the cast found most endearing. It was a privilege to not only have had Daniel write a new work for us, but to have him direct the play too. Rehearsals were a joy to watch and to experience. Daniel’s generosity of spirit, his hilarity and his sharp creativity ensured the process was fun and light-hearted, as well as being a valuable learning experience. Insight into his diligent
The stunning climax as Astrid sets the school oval ablaze in memory of her sister, Lucy
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Frog dissection in Biology class (in stylised unison choreography as the frog sang Edith Piaf)
Hadley Berger’s (Cara Avenia, 12W) friendship with Astrid starts on a train ride home
A student’s (Zoe Skoien, 12L) History oral presentation explores the scepticism around Joan of Arc’s death
preparation, innovative directorial vision and creative agility was an excellent example of best practice in direction. For students to see an industry professional employ creative problem-solving skills and stagecraft first hand has enriched their understanding of theatre-making.
with vigour, stamina and curiosity. The proof was in their masterful performances.
The young actors should feel immensely proud, too, as we are of them. The intense physicality of the play was incredibly demanding. Dance choreography, fight scenes, frenetic and risky action sequences that all took place on/between/under rows of narrow desks were only some of the challenges that confronted the actors. Daniel drilled these sequences in rehearsal with military precision, resulting in an impressively tight and dangerously exciting performance. Within the ensemble, each actor needed to individualise her character, direct focus of onstage action, respond with emotional nuance and subtlety, be incredibly kinesthetically aware and shift mood and tension with adept sensitivity. The actors rose to this challenge with aplomb, as they approached each rehearsal
Spontaneous Human Combustion is a powerful and moving story. As Astrid battles with her anger at losing her sister, she heeds Joan’s call to battle. Audiences laughed and cried … and gasped when the stage set ablaze in the climactic moment of defiance. Journeying with the characters as they revealed their foibles and faced their fears reminded us that we are all only human. That we share a common experience of finding our way through life. And that we need to remain connected. This play leaves us with a message of hope: that if we are driven by spirit and justice and courage … we may find our purpose; a cause truly worth fighting for. And just as Astrid left her mark on her school in the world of play, indeed this play has left its mark on our School. ‘You will remember the name’ — Spontaneous Human Combustion
WINTER ISSUE / 2017
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OPEN DOORS: A NEW MODEL OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING feedback from the 2016 Professional Review Conversations attests to the personal and professional growth experienced.
AUTHOR
Dr Kay Kimber Director of Centre for Professional Practice SINCE BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL’S FOUNDATION IN 1875, OUR DEDICATED TEACHERS HAVE BEEN MENTORS AND ROLE MODELS OF SCHOLARSHIP FOR LEGIONS OF GRAMMAR GIRLS. INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY, THEIR PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE HAS CREATED STIMULATING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR THEIR STUDENTS ON A DAILY BASIS, YET OFTEN REMAINING UNKNOWN TO OTHER TEACHERS. COULD OPENING CLASSROOMS TO TEACHING COLLEAGUES WITHIN AND ACROSS FACULTIES CREATE A NEW PROFESSIONAL LEARNING SPACE FOR TEACHERS AND ENRICH STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP? Such was the impetus for framing the School’s new Open Doors model for teachers’ professional learning. Its rigorous, authentic process ‘was designed to be a genuinely reflective approach to professional practice and … a pathway for rich collegial interaction and creative dialogue’ (Euler, 2016). In the Open Doors model, teachers negotiate an observational focus with a colleague from their own or another faculty for classroom visits and subsequent professional conversations. Drawing on readings from designated school-wide texts like Embedded Formative Assessment (Wiliam, 2011) and The Expert Learner (Stobart, 2014), teachers probe the effectiveness of particular teaching strategies to stimulate student engagement and deep learning. Educational research has revealed that acquiring professional expertise requires more than adding knowledge. Rather, effective honing of expertise arrives after frequent opportunities for ’deliberate practice’ (Stobart, 2014; Wiliam, 2016) are coupled with informed peer feedback. Hence, ‘new’ professional knowledge transforms theory or intuition into enacted practice, so becoming part of the teacher’s self. Australian researchers have also found that: the best professional learning is more than collaborative, targeted, and ongoing … it deeply involves the teacher or school leader’s notion of self. Learning that taps into educators’ identities seems to have the most impact on belief, thought, behaviour, and practice (Netolicky, 2016, p. 280). This transformational outcome of professional learning is at the heart of our Open Doors model. It now underpins a three-year cycle that culminates in a Professional Review Conversation with the Principal or her delegate. Staff
One staff member who found the initial thought of being observed ’intimidating‘ came to appreciate how ‘inspiring‘ the experience had been. She had been willing to experiment and incorporate new ideas into her classroom practice. Another teacher defined his cross-faculty observational experiences as ’energising‘ and a ’catalyst‘ for reconsidering examples for helping his students grapple with complex theoretical concepts. Research has found this collegial, growth-model to be the most effective for teacher professional learning and for elevating student achievement. Canadian researchers, Mitchell and Sackney (2016), observed that the intensity of professional conversations in fifteen high-capacity schools concerned teaching, learning and the impact of particular strategies on students’ understanding. Certainly, an integral component of our Open Doors has been engendering robust conversations to prompt self-reflection and adjustments to practice within a culture of trust. At our Staff Professional Learning Day earlier this year, several cross-faculty presentations recounted Open Doors experiences. Ms Anna Flourentzou (Humanities) and Mr Andrew Lanning (Mathematics), for example, spoke enthusiastically about the formative assessment strategies they had selected to stimulate ’thinking about thinking‘ and understanding learning intentions in a Year 11 Maths C and a Year 10 History Class. The benefits of implementing student peer feedback and questioning for students and teachers were explored by Mrs Romy Fritz (Humanities) and Miss Kayley McCorley (Health and Physical Education). Through adopting the Open Doors model, the professional learning landscape and performance review process at the School have been reframed. 2017 begins the next three-year cycle of Open Doors and it is expected that further personal-professional, departmental and faculty growth will ensue, thereby continuing to enrich our girls’ broad, liberal education.
REFERENCES Euler, J. (2016). Professional Review 2016 [Internal email communication]. Brisbane Girls Grammar School. Mitchell, C. & Sackney, L. (2016). School improvement in high-capacity schools: Educational leadership and living-systems ontology. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 44(5), 853–868. Netolicky, D. M. (2016). Rethinking professional learning for teachers and school leaders. Journal of Professional Capital and Community, I(4), 270–285. Stobart, G. (2014). The Expert Learner: Challenging the myth of ability. New York, NY: Open University Press. Wiliam, D. (2011). Embedded Formative Assessment. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press. Wiliam, D. (2016). Leadership for Teacher Learning: Creating a culture where all teachers improve so that all students succeed. Great Britain: Learning Sciences International.
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ANNUAL CATHEDRAL CONCERT
Fiona Qiu (12R), Isabella Fenwick (11R), Catherine Nicholls (12L)
AUTHOR
Mr Owen Clarke Director of Instrumental Music OUR ANNUAL CATHEDRAL CONCERT, AGAIN HELD IN THE SUBLIME ACOUSTIC SURROUNDS OF THE CATHEDRAL OF ST STEPHEN, WAS ONE OF MANY EVENTS HELD THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF 2017, SHOWCASING THE TALENT AND DETERMINATION OF OUR GRAMMAR GIRLS. A range of musical styles was masterfully performed by our senior ensembles each expressing the quality and depth of the Instrumental Music programme at Girls Grammar. The choirs presented the beauty of our girls’ voices on their own as well as blended with boys from our brother school, Brisbane Grammar School. Our Winds, Brass and Percussion students performed an eclectic and uplifting programme that included some lesser seen instruments such as harp and piano accordion. Our Strings also performed as beautifully as ever.
Laura Kimble (12E)
Kimberley Lin (12E), Julia Shield (12R)
For many in the audience, ‘It Takes One to Tango’ for Solo Cello and Chamber Orchestra, performed by Young Min Kim (12G), was a standout performance during the evening, as was the atmospheric candle-lit piece ‘Fiat Lux’ performed by the Chamber Singers. With the life-wide learning goals of inspiring girls to dream, and fostering a love of music and musical performance at the heart of what the Instrumental Music programme offers, it was a great privilege to work with our girls and staff to help bring this occasion — the School’s first largescale musical event for 2017 — to life. The calibre of musical performance and technical precision on display throughout the evening was exemplary and an enormous credit to the School, students, parents and staff. Brisbane Girls Grammar School looks forward to welcoming its community to the second event in the School’s annual concert series, Gala Concert, to be held in October later this year.
SAVE THE DATE FOR GALA CONCERT Brisbane Girls Grammar School Gala Concert 7 pm, Saturday 21 October 2017 The UQ Centre Young Min Kim (12G)
WINTER ISSUE / 2017
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FACULTY OF WONDER AND AWE
Extract from Lady Principal (1882-1889), Miss Sophie Beanland’s 1883 Foundation Day Speech ‘THERE HAS BEEN AN EXTENSION OF INSTRUCTION IN NATURAL SCIENCE, WHICH EMBRACES SUBJECTS FULL OF FASCINATION TO YOUNG STUDENTS, AND POWERFUL AS INSTRUMENTS IN CULTIVATING THE FACULTIES OF OBSERVATION AND ACCURATE DESCRIPTION, AND IN AROUSING KEEN INTEREST AND DELIGHT IN THE WONDERS AROUND US.’ students ready to launch! As those who have gone before them, they will be part of immersive astronaut and pilot training activities that will culminate in either a challenging extended-duration simulated space mission or — with their newly acquired aeronautics and survival skills — the planning and execution of a simulated rescue mission.
AUTHOR
Dr Sally Stephens Director of Science Much is written in current media about the ‘need to encourage women and girls into science’ and the waning interest in science more generally in Australia. This is not the case at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. As it has throughout our 142-year history, Science thrives at this School and the tradition of ‘inspiring wonder and awe’ continues. Last year (2016), more than 90 per cent of our Year 12 cohort studied one or more Science subject and of that group, more than forty per cent are now undertaking a science-based university degree. Our students are already highly motivated. We attribute the popularity of our elective science courses to two things: well-credentialed, specialist, skilled teachers who present stimulating, well-resourced, differentiated curriculum to all Year levels; and an evolving array of enriching experiential learning opportunities in settings outside the classroom and even across the world … including the captivatingly named Space Camp.
Beyond the scientific learnings and insights Space Camp brings, enduring and valuable life-wide lessons abound for our young adventurers. Our girls face myriad cognitive, social and emotional challenges as they mix long-haul travel with intense learning experiences among students from all over the world: new science concepts; foreign historical, political and geographical contexts; unfamiliar cultural idioms; and being away from the comforts and security of home. Being Grammar girls, they are wellplaced to absorb and process these challenges and can be rewarded with a new or modified outlook on life. Often a parent has commented that they struggle to reconcile the self-reliant, considerate young woman who returned from Space Camp with the dependent child they farewelled a mere two weeks or so earlier.
SPACE CAMP Since 1992 our participation in Space Camp has seen more than 350 Grammar girls attend an intensive handson learning programme in the USA during the June/ July holidays. On what will be our fourteenth ‘mission’ to Space Camp, this year we have thirty-two excited
Grammar girls teamed with other students at Space Camp
GRAMMAR GAZETTE
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TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE A new initiative for 2017 is seeing four of our Year 11 students — Sarah Wilkey (11L), Jessica Weavis (11H), Caitlin McGrath (11R) and Sylvia King (11L) — being supervised by and working alongside biomedical professionals on two research projects at the Translational Research Institute (TRI). The TRI is a Brisbane-based, world-class medical research centre that combines clinical and translational research to advance laboratory discovery to application in the community.
IYPT 2017 will be held in Singapore from 5-12 July and will be hosted by the National University of Singapore. The Australian team has been announced, and includes a Grammar girl, Xuan-Nghi Pham (12O) [pictured].
The two real-life research projects — bone marrow macrophage responses to immune challenges; and, identifying the mechanism of a new drug combination to treat lung cancer — are bringing with them a wealth of learning opportunities for our students. It is a robust environment for expanding their skills and knowledge. It is wonderful for them to be supported by professionals in the development of real research to enrich their own theoretical and experimental research and science communication skills, while producing work that may contribute to medical advances or scientific discoveries.
INTERNATIONAL YOUNG PHYSICISTS TOURNAMENT (IYPT)
Xuan-Nghi Pham (12O) readying for IYPT 2017 to be held in Singapore in July
Established in 1988 in what was the USSR, the IYPT is now one of the world’s largest and most well-known science competitions, bringing together student teams from all over the world once each year to present solutions to assigned complex physics problems. The IYPT promotes real research into authentic problems. Brisbane Girls Grammar School Head of Physics, Mr Alan Allinson, ‘discovered’ the tournament in 1997 and since that time, has led the Australian arm of the competition. After first entering a team in 1998, he has provided oncein-a-lifetime opportunities for many Grammar girls to be part of the five-student Australian team each year. Several months prior to the competition, IYPT organisers release seventeen complex problems that must be theoretically and experimentally researched to arrive at a presentable ‘solution’ at the competition. The research is open-ended and encourages students to utilise higher order thinking to understand challenging concepts so as to develop solutions. The validity of the students’ research must be justified and defended against the criticism of their peers in a manner reminiscent of the processes practising professional scientists use to publish their work. All of the School’s senior Physics students complete two IYPT problems during their senior course to enable participation by all in a genuine research community. One of the most remarkable learning outcomes of the School’s involvement in IYPT is the repression of the ‘illusion of certainty’ among our girls during laboratory investigations. Instead, scepticism and uncertainty are accepted as being right and healthy. Students are now better able to reflect on the selection, utilisation and outcomes of their strategies, and to continue working until they achieve a level of confidence in their results.
THE REMOTELY OPERATED, ROBOTIC TELESCOPE AND OBSERVATORY While the resources and initiatives activities mentioned above are for a select few, once operational later this year, our Marrapatta-based remotely operated, robotic telescope and observatory will potentially open the intrigue of astronomy to all Grammar girls. Astronomy is probably the most ancient of sciences; however, long gone are the days when observations were reliant on the five human senses or having to peer down the eyepiece of a telescope. As will be the case for our observatory, astronomers now use sophisticated digital cameras attached to telescopes to capture images that are sent to computers for analysis. It is then up to the researcher to make sense of the captured data. Although our students will use the telescopes to observe celestial objects that are visible with the naked eye, most of their projects will involve deep space objects, perhaps focusing on a part of the night sky that ‘appears’ empty, but is in fact, teeming with astronomic activity. With tasks such as: determine the orbital period of short period double stars and determine the combined mass of the stars; and, use spectra to measure the rotation rate of fast-rotating stars, our young astronomers can expect to be both challenged and richly rewarded. For many, the study of astronomy evokes strong and varied emotional responses … wondering if there are other forms of life ‘out there’ and feelings of insignificance or — in contrast — warmth toward other people around the world and connectedness with ancestors. All very much in line with our 142-year history of inspiring wonder and awe within the questioning minds of Grammar girls.
WINTER ISSUE / 2017
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STUDENT CARE: A COLLECTIVE TASK
AUTHOR
Mrs Anne Ingram Deputy Principal (Students) ADOLESCENCE IS OFTEN DESCRIBED AS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PERIOD OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT. IT IS A PERIOD OF INTENSE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEVELOPMENT, AND IS ALSO A TIME OF CHANGE WHERE GIRLS ENTER A NEW FIELD OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES. Adolescence is fundamentally characterised by the increasing importance of social contexts beyond the home, as young people gradually move, step by step, towards independence. These changes include a shift in autonomy away from family-centred relationships. Adolescents transfer their focus to school and peer group interactions. During this time, they become more socially conscious, self-assertive and increasingly loyal towards their friendship group. At the same time, a teenager’s moral outlook also becomes progressively more abstract. Moral convictions become heightened and justice emerges as a dominant moral force. The previous focus on egocentricity now begins to shift to reveal an outward-seeking attitude towards the service of humankind. Parents can certainly attest to the fact that adolescence involves a phase of heightened emotionality that can sometimes be difficult for all parties to manage and negotiate. The transition to adolescence involves significant changes for young people as well as their parents and carers. New parenting demands requires some renegotiation of the parent-adolescent relationship and there is enormous pressure placed on parents to be ‘perfect’, to create ‘perfect’ children and to lead ‘perfect’ lives. We know this is not the reality. Our daughters are each unique and on a life journey that we cannot (and should not) craft for them. It certainly can be an uncomfortable feeling, supporting from the sidelines, as our daughters find their way, but this is made easier with
the support of extended families and wider communities. The development of familial, interpersonal and institutional relationships at this critical stage in life may have lasting influences throughout life. Adolescents need to hear different voices and encounter a range of interpretations of our diverse world if they are to learn to make sense of it and find their unique place within it. ‘When schools — and the numerous potential mentors they contain — are brought into the equation, the spectrum of understanding, support and available guidance is widened further’ (Wright, 2013). At Brisbane Girls Grammar School, the role of engaging with parents is seen as critical to the development of each girl. The School offers many formal opportunities throughout each year for parents to engage with the staff. Examples of these are the Parent Information Evenings, Parent Seminars and Parent-Teacher Interviews. Through these forums, staff share their expert knowledge of educating teenage girls, and this can be a powerful opportunity for parents who are seeking support about their teenager’s development and behaviour as well as their own experience of parenting teenagers. Informal moments also present themselves — a casual chat on the sports sideline, a phone call, a quick check in at the Student Reception Office or a brief word in the Student Drop Down area in the morning before school. In all of these ways, a firm and positive relationship can be built with families, a sense of community becomes strengthened and staff can come to know the students in a more complete way. Schools exist to educate young people, but this education must not be seen as separate from, or at odds with what happens beyond the school gates. At Brisbane Girls Grammar School, staff invest in helping everyone associated with each student — her parents, her friends, her other teachers and most importantly, herself. It is a collective task performed over the years to strengthen her strengths, to build her in areas where she is less strong, to foster resilience and optimism for the future and to grow her heart, her mind and her soul.
REFERENCES Wright, H. (2013). Raising Girls: why schools and parents make a perfect combination. Dr Helen Wright’s Education Blog Education Changes the World January 28 2013
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STUDENT CARE: THE BEDROCK OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS
AUTHOR
Mrs Jody Forbes School Psychologist and Student Counselling Coordinator STUDENT CARE AT BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL IS AN INTRINSIC PART OF THE EDUCATION WE PROVIDE. WE KNOW THAT GIRLS LEARN BETTER WHEN THEY FEEL CONTENT, SAFE AND CONNECTED. OUR BELIEF IS SUPPORTED BY RESEARCH WITH STUDIES SHOWING SCHOOLS WHO PRIORITISE STUDENT WELLBEING REPORT GREATER NAPLAN SCORES (WATERS, 2016) AND UP TO AN 11 PER CENT GAIN IN ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT (DURLACK, SCHELLINGER, WEISSBERG, DYMNICKI & TAYLOR, 2011). THUS STUDENT CARE AT GIRLS GRAMMAR REMAINS THE BEDROCK UPON WHICH OUR ACADEMIC RIGOUR AND SUCCESS IS BUILT. Including five years of data, the recently published Youth Mental Health Report’s findings prove sobering. In addition to an increased prevalence of serious mental illness since 2012, it was found that young women were twice as likely as young males to experience a serious mental illness. Key recommendations from the Report behove schools, as the universal access point for young people, to embed wellbeing and mental health prevention and early intervention into their remit. With a strong commitment to holistic education, nourishing both character and spirit, as much as minds, has always been an essential feature of a Girls Grammar education. At the core of our Student Care structure lies our House system where each Head of House is responsible for the welfare and care of each girl within her House. Further, the School’s commitment to holistic education is evidenced by the unique provision of a dedicated support team including the School Psychologists and Registered Nurse. Complementing the House structure is our Ethics programme where girls participate in a specialised programme designed to meet the specific developmental needs of each Year level. In 2015, an extension of our student care saw the introduction of Balance@BGGS, which aims to enrich student wellbeing by offering a matrix of resources and activities traversing social, emotional, cognitive and physical health. Mindfulness — considered an essential tool for the twenty-first century — is now fully incorporated into the fabric of our School. While many schools are dabbling in mindfulness, Girls Grammar is considered a trailblazer in regards to both our adoption of the ‘gold standard’ mindfulness programme for adolescents and the establishment of a dedicated mindfulness practitioner. Our long-serving Head of Art, Mr Donald Pincott, possesses expert experience and skills in mindfulness practice and was charged with the task of embedding an evidence-based, thoughtful, mindfulness framework
within the School. Unlike any other educational facility in the country, Brisbane Girls Grammar School provides our students with evidenced-based mindfulness opportunities throughout the school day, delivered by a team of dedicated and highly trained teaching staff. While the Student Care structure and resources at Girls Grammar are impressive, it is what lies beneath this that proves the defining feature of Girls Grammar care. Not easily captured or measured are the thoughtful, careful and individualised conversations, deliberations and decisions occurring on a daily basis. These conversations may involve a teacher passing on an observation of a student’s reduced engagement in class, adding to the pieces of the puzzle already held by the Head of House. It may be a Head of House, a teacher and a counsellor coordinating the most supportive time and place to deliver a disappointing exam result to an anxious student. Or perhaps a House Group Teacher orchestrating a seemingly random meeting between two students who independently have been reported by their parent to feel lonely. Throughout each day, hundreds of student-centered reflections and conversations are had within the white picket fence of Girls Grammar. Many of our girls have no idea of the depth of care in which they are enveloped and, perhaps, nor should they. Just as a stage crew works painstakingly behind the scenes allowing performers to shine, so too does our dedicated Student Care team continue in their judicious, meticulous and generous approach to enabling each Grammar Girl to thrive. REFERENCES Durlack,J. A., Schellinger, K. B., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B & Taylor, R. D. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1): 405-432. Waters, L. (2016). Keynote address at AHISA Conference, Adelaide Convention Centre, August 25, 2016.
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GIRLS GRAMMAR PARTNERING WITH BRISBANE ROAR
Brisbane Roar Women’s Football Club Coach and players, Mel Andreatta, Angela Beard and Allira Toby; with Girls Grammar Football Captains Meg Charlton (12R) and Annabel Charlton (12R), and Girls Grammar Open Team Coach, David Joncheff
AUTHOR
Ms Sally Northcroft Director of Sport IN LATE SPRING 2016, I WAS INTRODUCED TO MS MEL ANDREATTA THROUGH GRAMMAR WOMAN (AND CURRENT WOMEN’S BIG BASH LEAGUE QUEENSLAND HEAT PLAYER), KIRBY SHORT (2003). MEL HAD JUST BEEN NAMED AS THE HEAD COACH OF THE BRISBANE ROAR WOMEN’S FOOTBALL CLUB (BRWFC) AND WAS SEARCHING FOR A PRACTICE VENUE FOR THE TEAM WHERE THEY COULD TRAIN OUTSIDE OF REGULAR WORKING HOURS. Discussions between myself and Ms Andreatta explored shared philosophies that are perpetuated across the spectrum of sport at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. That is, to value the efforts that girls make in sport — encourage and mentor them to become outstanding citizens in both sport and in the world beyond the playing field. Based on our mutual ideals, we realised that there was an opportunity to create history, perhaps not only in Brisbane and/or Queensland, but possibly internationally, by working together. A partnership ensued that grants the Roar’s National Premier League’s Queensland 2017 Women’s Squad access to our Rangakarra Recreational and Environmental Education Centre playing fields as their home training ground for this season. In return, the Roar coaching staff and squad members are delivering a programme of mentoring and skills-building activities to Girls Grammar footballers and our coaches. It was timely (and perhaps befitting of the occasion) that the partnership was announced in the week of International Women’s Day and Female Football Week.
The idea that a club could access a sporting field owned by a school is not unique in itself; however, the plan to develop a partnership that provides elite athletes with excellent facilities while involving them in the development of an entire school football programme is unchartered. This partnership sends a clear message to current Girls Grammar athletes and coaches that we take them seriously and there is a plan for their development that would go much further than the delivery of the occasional football skills clinic. I am particularly excited to be a part of making this partnership come to fruition. For the girls who play football for the School, and all other girls who train at Rangakarra, it is an opportunity to have their motivation and pursuit of excellence through sport affirmed. When girls see other young women striving for and reaching their dreams, they believe that it is something that they too can achieve. The partnership is an outstanding opportunity for Grammar girls to learn from and be challenged and inspired by these elite sportswomen. Ms Andreatta said that she is delighted to have a new training base of such an excellent standard for the Roar Women’s programme and the opportunity to train at a wonderful venue with a school with so much history is an absolute privilege for the Roar women players. ‘The partnership is not only about football but also educating, mentoring and providing a pathway for Girls Grammar students,’ Ms Andreatta said. At the first whole School Assembly in Term II 2017, Girls Grammar Football Captains very proudly handed two jerseys signed by the BRWFC to Principal, Ms Jacinda Euler, in recognition of the partnership and thanks for the support given to the team by the School.
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The first step in the partnership process has been to assign Roar players as mentors to each team. Brisbane Girls Grammar School football team
Matched with BRWFC team member/s
Junior A
Kaitlyn Torpey
Junior B
Angela Beard and Allira Toby
Intermediate
Abbey Lloyd
Senior A
Amy Chapman and Summer O’Brien
Open
Captain, Clare Polkinghorne and Head Coach, Mel Andreatta
Grammar Woman and Girls Grammar Coach, Brianna Black (2015) observing the BRWFC team training at Rangakarra
The players are working with the current coaches to implement the fundamental skills that are essential to football across the whole programme. Girls Grammar teams will then support their respective players during the National League season. Ms Andreatta will also deliver a coaching seminar to current Girls Grammar coaches. Her initial message will be on how she approaches the preparation and development of a team and how to manage feedback to players. Much of Ms Andreatta’s experience comes out of her extensive teaching, playing and coaching experience with both high-school and National-level players. As the partnership progresses, the skills of both Roar and Brisbane Girls Grammar School players will no doubt improve. Over time, there is a bigger focus on ensuring that the pathways of opportunity are achieved and that the support given to our School players and those in the BRWFC continues to create a framework that can be viewed as a reference guide for more sports organisations. I am extremely proud to have structured a model that enables the School to develop sporting partnerships as a conduit for women’s growth, development and success.
BRWFC Head Coach, Mel Andreatta, with the Girls Grammar Open Team during a pre-game strategy session
Brisbane Girls Grammar School football players with Brisbane Roar women football players
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GAZETTE GALLERY BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL PROVIDES GIRLS WITH AN EXEMPLARY BROAD LIBERAL EDUCATION THROUGH DIVERSE OPPORTUNITIES TO STRENGTHEN NEW AND EXISTING TALENTS, AND TO NURTURE AN INDOMITABLE SPIRIT THAT STRIVES FOR MASTERY AND PERSONAL BEST. STRONG EVIDENCE OF THIS PHILOSPHY OF LEARNING THROUGH EXPERIMENTATION IN ACTION IS APPARENT ACROSS THE VISUAL ART PROGRAMME.
In the Junior School, Visual Art teachers work with students to establish a solid technical base within the girls to enable them to venture into more experimental and wide-ranging art work as they grow. In this edition of the Gazette, we introduce the Gazette Gallery to proudly showcase the breadth of creativity within our Visual Art programme and exhibited by our students. This inaugural selection of works from Terms I and II 2017, is curated around the theme ‘Painting and Drawing at Brisbane Girls Grammar School’. It highlights the clear growth in technical skill and sophistication of message, from refined curiosity through to a statement about what it means to be human.
Lost Lunch, Vivian Wang (8H)
What It Means To Be Human, Emma Macbeth (12G)
What It Means To Be Human, Olivia Byrom (12E)
Creature, Lily Counsell (7L)
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Curiosity, Sylvia Wu (9B)
Kaleidoscopic Brisbane (New Derain), Indee Lee (11R)
Valentine Story, Madilyn Shipley (11L)
Curiosity, Fenella Counsell (9L)
Lost Lunch, Giselle Vellnagel (8R)
More Than a Pretty Face, Finn Tilbury (10G)
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FRIENDS OF GIRLS GRAMMAR ARTS EXTENSION PROGRAMME
AUTHOR
Mr Andrew Pennay Creative Arts Director EACH YEAR THE FRIENDS OF GIRLS GRAMMAR AWARDS A BURSARY TO A STUDENT IN YEAR 11 TO ENABLE HER TO ATTEND AN EXTENSION PROGRAMME IN THE ARTS DURING THE SUMMER VACATION PRIOR TO HER COMMENCEMENT OF YEAR 12. Current Year 12 Drama student Ailish Luke Martin (12O) was the recipient of the 2016 bursary. Ailish attended a week-long course at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA). The specific NIDA programme Ailish attended was designed for young artists who demonstrate commitment and curiosity. Ailish was keen to explore these facets of her own craft. ‘Artists gather inspiration from everywhere, and we take such an interest in history, science and politics. So much of our modern day can be incorporated into not only the presenting and expression of art, but the creation of art,’ Ailish said. Participating in diverse workshops across the week, from non-gendered, non-contextualised two-person scripts that contained vague dialogue through to an immensely over-dramatised monologue from Romeo and Juliet, Ailish was excited to explore many new techniques on stage.
‘As an actress, I love learning the tools with which to deliver a dramatic performance that embodies a statement and leaving the audience moved.’
Creative Arts opportunities at Brisbane Girls Grammar School are carefully crafted to encourage communication, collaboration and teamwork. Ailish drew connections between this school learning and her involvement in the NIDA course, noting that ‘the egalitarian environment opened a platform of vulnerability, honesty and clear and effective communication between individuals; an element pivotal to creating any work of art.’ In addition to developing very specific drama skills, Ailish had time to reflect more generally on the ways creative arts can help students develop necessary twenty-first century personal and social skills such as adaptability, resilience, self-awareness, cultural awareness and ethical understanding. ‘This is one of the most important lessons Girls Grammar has taught me over the years, to be strongly opinionated, to support your ground with evidence, and to be selfaware and culturally aware in the process.’ This purposeful engagement with the arts community beyond Girls Grammar has helped Ailish hone her sense of the role of the arts. ‘ I stepped into an auditorium on a Monday, with a room full of unfamiliar adolescents and a mentor. I left that Friday with life-long lessons, strong friendships built on a supportive ensemble and a deeper understanding of the arts, myself and the world.’ Ailish hopes to continue developing her skills in different genres of performance through the Sydney Drama Tour excursion during the mid-year school holidays.
Ailish Luke Martin (12O) [right], pictured with Georgia Perry (11G) [left] and Isabel Horsley (11G) [centre] during rehearsals for the 2017 Senior Drama Production Spontaneous Human Combustion
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DEBATING’S WINNING WAYS AT GIRLS GRAMMAR year, Girls Grammar is hosting this prestigious competition and already many of our Year 11 girls are eagerly preparing for the opportunity to compete.) Later in 2016, Year 11 and 12 Girls Grammar debaters won the QDU Women in Debating Trophy with Isabel Nolan being awarded the Speaker of the Competition Trophy. Earlier that year, Isabel was also offered a position on the Queensland Debating Team, which subsequently retained the National Trophy.
AUTHOR
Mrs Anne Byrne Science Teacher and Debating Co-ordinator IN 2017, MORE THAN TWO-HUNDRED GRAMMAR GIRLS ARE ARGUING WEEKLY IN WHAT SEEMS TO BE EVERY CORNER OF THE SCHOOL. TRANSLATED, THIS MEANS THAT AROUND ONE IN EVERY SEVEN GIRLS IS DEBATING IN ONE OF FORTY-SEVEN TEAMS COMPETING ACROSS FOUR TERMS IN FOUR MAJOR COMPETITIONS. WE CAN LAYER THESE EVENTS WITH THE YEAR 7 INTER-HOUSE DEBATING COMPETITION, WHICH ENGAGES ALL NINE HOUSES IN A GLORIOUS MULTI-COLOURED, VIBRANT BATTLE LOADED WITH ASSERTIVELY DELIVERED REBUTTAL. IN STILL OTHER LAYERS, THERE HAS BEEN THE STATE TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP IN APRIL, THE NATIONAL DEBATING CHAMPIONSHIP IN MAY AND, STILL TO COME, THE AUSTRALIAN INDIVIDUAL DEBATING AND PUBLIC SPEAKING CHAMPIONSHIP (AIDPSC) IN SEPTEMBER … ALL TO BE HOSTED IN BRISBANE, WITH THE LATTER TWO BY GIRLS GRAMMAR. Debating has always been a popular and valued cocurricular activity at the School. So why the emergence of so very many argumentative girls willing to work so hard to make their voices heard? Reasons are many and varied. Clearly and importantly, one benefit is the tangible cognitive support Debating offers academic learning. But for most, the real appeal lies with the exhilaration of participating in a robust competition while working with a team to achieve shared goals. And of course, it is always fun to stretch and flex the brain, challenging it to think logically and deeply in order to vanquish a (temporary) foe. Equally, we cannot ignore the impact of the ‘can-do’ factor as increasing numbers of Grammar girls have been earning places on representative teams at state and national levels, even competing in overseas arenas. This has never been more evident than throughout 2016 and in the 2017 year so far.
This year, Isabel is the 2017 Captain of the Queensland Debating Team and Girls Grammar debaters had the opportunity to watch her in action when we recently hosted a day of the National Schools Debating Championship. Following nearly a full week programme of accomplished and compelling arguments, although making it through to the Grand Final, the Queensland team was defeated by their rival team in a split decision between seven judges. Isabel’s formidable debating reputation, however, was further strengthened by her being selected as one of the five-student National Team to represent Australia at the 2017 World Schools Debating Championships to be held in Indonesia in August. Thanks goes to Grammar Woman, Ms Sadie MacDonald (2014), who was the State Coach this year. She is also currently coaching our 11.1 team, having coached the 2016 11.1s to the QDU State Final win. Sadie is also a member of the National Universities Team which reached the finals in the World Championships in January of this year. Also for 2017, two Girls Grammar teams reached the Grand Final of the BGDA competition with our 12.1 team comprising Lucinda Duke (12H), Abirami Somasundaram (12O) and Ellen Wilson (12L) being the convincing winners of the tournament. So it is that most mornings and afternoons the energetic arguing continues around the School as our girls prepare their cases and hone their attacks. It is still early days in the 2017 Debating Calendar and many challenges lie ahead before our very capable 230 debaters will feel able to take a short rest in anticipation of picking up their pens to begin the cognitive jousting once more.
Last year (2016), Brisbane Girls Grammar School Debating saw three Queensland Debating Union (QDU) teams reach the State Semi-Finals with the Year 11.1 winning the QDU Grand Final. This team also won the Brisbane Girls Debating Association (BGDA) Senior Trophy, with Isabel Nolan (12B) – who was in Year 11 at the time competing as a member of the Year 12.1 team – being presented with the Speaker of the Series Award. Also last year, one of our Year 12 students, Caitlin O’Meara (2016), travelled to the USA to represent Australia in the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championship and Elizabeth Prins (12B) as part of a Girls Grammar team-of-four, competed in the AIDPSC Finals at Canberra Girls Grammar School. (In September of this
Isabel Nolan (12B), captained the 2017 Queensland Debating Team and has been selected as one of five students to represent Australia on a national team at the 2017 World Schools Debating Championships
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THE FUTURE OF SENIOR SCHOOLING: PLANNING FOR AND EMBRACING THE FUTURE
of which that will be externally set and marked; no single common external test (i.e. Queensland Core Skills Test); and a change from a broad band score (OP) to a finer grained score (ATAR) for tertiary entrance processes. AUTHOR
Mr James Keogh Dean of Studies and Learning Analytics LEARNING IS NOT A STATIC ENDEAVOUR. LEARNING IS DYNAMIC, CHALLENGING AND TRANSFORMATIVE, AND OCCURS WITHIN CONTEXTS OF TIME, PLACE AND NEEDS. SYSTEM-WIDE PROCESSES THAT SUPPORT LEARNING REQUIRE, AT TIMES, REVIEW, AMENDMENT AND SOMETIMES EVEN WIDER SCALE CHANGE TO ENSURE LEARNING OUTCOMES MEET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND SOCIETY IN THE NEAR AND FURTHER FUTURE. IT WAS SUCH A REVIEW, COMMISSIONED BY THE QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT IN 2014 AND CONDUCTED BY THE AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH (ACER), THAT HAS LED TO THE NEW SENIOR ASSESSMENT AND TERTIARY ENTRANCE SYSTEM BEING INTRODUCED ACROSS QUEENSLAND COMMENCING FOR YEAR 11 STUDENTS IN 2019. In comparing the studies of future senior students with those of current senior students, many more similarities than differences are likely to be found. Similarities will include: access to a wide range of subjects; the continuation of in-class, or school-based assessments; ability to attain a Queensland Certificate of Education, and a post-secondary tertiary pathway with five subjects used to calculate the score for this pathway. The differences that our future seniors may note are: a reduced overall assessment load with only four assessment pieces per subject in Year 12, including one
Regardless of similarity or difference between current and future systems, Brisbane Girls Grammar School’s commitment to exceptional scholarship and high-quality student outcomes has ensured considered review, active planning and purposeful change has occurred and will continue in preparation for implementing the new system at the School. Our academic staff’s expertise and pedagogical knowledge has been utilised by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) in development or review of many of the new syllabuses and assessment processes. In addition, the School has been, and will again be, involved in QCAA trial external examinations. The in-depth understanding gained from these activities has fed directly into our teaching and learning programmes. In consideration of both current and future systems there have already been both subtle and more overt changes to a range of academic endeavours and processes. Through the expert leadership of the Dean of Curriculum and Scholarship, Dr Bruce Addison, academic departments have undertaken reviews of pedagogy and assessment styles in light of appropriate balance between learner support and learner autonomy. We have seen amendments to examination procedures along with using external invigilators, extending stand down through to Year 10, and changes to and within assessment tasks. The review and change process is ongoing and supports students’ development over time so that they are equipped with the system and learning skills to embrace and flourish in the new senior assessment and tertiary entrance structure.
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GRAMMAR WOMAN, JULIE McKAY IS WELCOMED TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES WE RECENTLY WELCOMED MS JULIE MCKAY (2000) TO THE BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES. Throughout her career, Julie has worked to advance gender equality and understands the critical role that the education of girls and women plays in realising the benefits of equality. Along with her exceptional skills and experience, Julie brings an international outlook and a strong ongoing desire to lead and advocate for positive change. Julie is the inaugural Gender Advisor to the Chief of the Australian Defence Force and has recently been appointed as Partner, leading diversity and inclusion for PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC). She previously spent a decade as the Executive Director of the Australian National Committee for UN Women, a role she accepted at the age of twenty-three. Julie attended Brisbane Girls Grammar School (19962000) and went on to study a Bachelor of Business/Arts at The University of Queensland. She has also completed a Master of Public Policy through the Australian National University and an Executive MBA through the University of Sydney. Shortly after commencing her career in a graduate banking position, Julie recognised that her passion lay in supporting people to reach their full potential and addressing the laws, policies and attitudes that prevent gender equality and social justice. In her role as Executive Director of UN Women, Julie worked with government, business and community organisations to challenge the laws, policies and attitudes that perpetuate gender inequality. She led the organisation’s fundraising and, in addition to growing the operations, raised $2.5 million for international development projects empowering women and girls. Julie has worked with a range of businesses to design their diversity and inclusion strategies, including coaching CEOs and senior leaders of leading Australian businesses in understanding the biases and attitudes that prevent women reaching senior leadership roles.
Julie was the 2013 Young Australian of the Year and 2012 Telstra Young Business Woman of the Year in the Australian Capital Territory. She has completed a Churchill Fellowship continuing her research into women’s leadership in non-traditional sectors, is a Fellow in Ethical Leadership at the Melbourne Business School and was appointed the Chair of the Women’s College within the University of Sydney in 2016. She also convenes the Queensland Male Champions of Change, a network of ten CEOs of Queensland’s largest employers, working to challenge their thinking on driving workplace equality. Of her time at secondary school here at Girls Grammar, Julie said that the School instilled in her the idea that with the privilege of education comes great responsibility. ‘I always had an interest in social equality, but having such a strong, feminist education meant that I became very aware of the need to stand up for human rights, equality and justice in my work and life. ‘ Much of the work I do now to challenge attitudes about women’s role in society is underpinned by having had access to a good education. I am certain that the education of women is central to empowerment and equality and this helps to drive my thinking and work,’ Julie said. ‘ It is an incredible honour to be appointed to the Board of Trustees of Brisbane Girls Grammar School. I am passionate about ensuring our students continue to receive an exceptional education and when they leave, they enter a world that treats them as equals. I hope I can make a lasting contribution to both through this role. ‘ I am really looking forward to getting to know more of the current students and working with the Board to ensure our girls’ dreams and potential are realised through our strategic and master planning.’
‘Every time I walk through the front gates, I am reminded of what the School gave me: an education, a sense of purpose, an understanding of my own authentic leadership style, and most importantly, lifelong friendships. I feel very humbled to now have the opportunity to take on a leadership role for Brisbane Girls Grammar School.’
Ms Julie McKay (pictured right)
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QGSSSA SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS who willingly swam the 200-metre Individual Medley as she realised this would help strengthen the overall result of, and be best for, the team.
AUTHOR
Ms Jane Martel Teacher Health & Physical Education and Co-ordinator of Swimming IN MARCH EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE 100-MEMBER STRONG 2017 BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL SWIMMING TEAM DESCENDED ON THE BRISBANE AQUATIC CENTRE, CHANDLER, TO COMPETE AT THE QUEENSLAND GIRLS’ SECONDARY SCHOOLS SPORTS ASSOCIATION (QGSSSA) SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS. LED BY SWIMMING CAPTAINS MINNA ATHERTON (12B) AND KATE NORRIS (12O), THE TEAM PERFORMED ADMIRABLY AND PLACED A WELL-DESERVED FOURTH PLACE OVERALL. THE EXCITING NIGHT WAS PUNCTUATED BY A NUMBER OF OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES BY GRAMMAR GIRLS, INCLUDING MINNA ATHERTON (12B), ELIZA KING (11E), CATHERINE McLEOD (11E) AND NIAMH BEDGGOOD (7O), ALONG WITH WONDERFUL RELAY PERFORMANCES BY 16 YEARS MEDLEY RELAY, 12 YEARS AND UNDER MEDLEY RELAY, AND THE OPEN BROCKWAY CUP TEAMS. The meet was successful in that it brought girls from a range of backgrounds and Year levels together; each with the goal of doing the best they could for the betterment of the team in what is traditionally regarded as ‘an individual sport’. For Girls Grammar this was epitomised by Minna Atherton, current 100-metre Backstroke world junior record holder,
Swimming creates opportunities for friendships to develop. Anecdotally it is evident that girls form bonds with others, not only from their own Year level, but also within their age group and across Year levels. It’s not unusual to see a Year 10 student training with a Year 8 student, or a Year 12 student talking to a Year 7 student at a meet or around the School. This creates a supportive environment that helps to strengthen the ‘we’re all in this together’ mentality that is so important to help the team achieve at QGSSSA. Mullen (2016) contends that ‘swimmers on teams... learn to work together, to encourage each other, to communicate, and to become leaders.’ This in turn leads to success, both in and out of the pool. Swimming Captain Kate Norris exemplified this at QGSSSA Swimming. Her first and only event was ‘Event 1’ of the programme. Kate then spent the remainder of the evening in the lead position of the cheer squad, where she was always the first person to congratulate our swimmers as they left the water. Swimming can help children and teenagers develop life-skills and improve academic achievement. Swimming has a role in developing sportsmanship, time-management, self-discipline, resilience and an increased sense of self-worth. A Griffith Institute of Educational Research study (Jorgensen, 2013) was able to show that young children who swim could demonstrate more advanced cognitive and physical abilities compared to children who were non-swimmers, and there is potential for these swimmers to transfer these advances to their early years of schooling.
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Catherine McLeod (11E)
CAPTAINS’ PERSPECTIVES ON SWIMMING Kate Norris (12O) pictured left above
Eliza King (11E)
Minna Atherton (12B)
12 years medley: Nicole Choo (7B) Lauren Chudleigh (7R) Niamh Bedggood (7O) Hannah Bigby (7G)
Thankfully the benefits of swimming aren’t simply restricted to students. Swimming is a sport that can be pursued by people of any age, and for a variety of reasons. It can be used to promote health and fitness, relaxation and a broad love of sport. This season there were six assistant swimming coaches, all of whom are past Girls Grammar swimmers. Their experience as student-athletes allows them to mentor our girls — guiding them as they look to achieve their personal goals. Swimming at Girls Grammar continues to develop balanced, principled students who strive for excellence while developing life and leadership skills. REFERENCES Jorgensen, R. (2013). Early Years Swimming: Adding Capital to Young Australians. Brisbane: Griffith Institute of Educational Research. Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://media.wix.com/ ugd/438ac6_ab695f7ad49f4decb7a2a3c9db453b6c.pdf. Mullen, G.J. (2016) 10 Hidden Benefits of Swimming. Retrieved April 16, 2017, from https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/ news/10-hidden-benefits-swimming/
Swimming has always been my favourite sport. I grew up in the water participating in my primary school’s swimming club and swimming lessons every week and would regularly watch it on television. I came to Girls Grammar as a confident swimmer who was eager to become involved in the swimming programme but knew there were plenty of other girls faster than me, and also knew that swimming was just one of the many sports I wanted to try. Despite this, swimming at Girls Grammar became a way for me to get to know a new group of girls at the same time as participating at my favourite sport. I’ve been on the team ever since and love how much support the School gives to swimming despite what level each swimmer may be at. This is one of the reasons I have enjoyed being Captain with Minna. Even though she is competing at an international level and I have stayed at a more social competitive school level, we have been able to support each other fully both as Captains and as close friends. Minna Atherton (12B) pictured right above My experience in swimming is different to Kate’s in that I train eighteen hours a week for fortyeight weeks a year. I swim at a highly competitive level at events that range from local meets to international competitions. Outside of the pool, I somehow manage to fit in recovery time (including physiotherapy and massage), school work, a social life and, most importantly, sleep. Trying to fit everything in definitely requires effort. Managing my time can be challenging and I often find myself having to make difficult choices. For example, most of the time, I choose recovery over a social life and sometimes I have to balance swimming with schoolwork. I am incredibly grateful that the School is understanding and supportive of me and my pursuit of excellence in the pool as well as in the classroom.
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BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL’S ART COLLECTION those students studying Visual Art, while also creating an aesthetically vibrant learning environment. Student art from the curriculum programme is exhibited in designated spaces and this student work sits proudly alongside the historical School Art Collection.
AUTHOR
Mrs Lorraine Thornquist Manager, Art Collection IN THE CORRIDORS AND OFFICES OF BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL, ON MOST WALLS AND SPACES, IS A RICH ART PRESENCE IN THE FORM OF PAINTINGS, SCULPTURE, FURNISHINGS AND DECORATIVE OBJECTS. THE SCHOOL HOLDS A SIGNIFICANT COLLECTION OF ART WORKS, MANY CREATED BY PAST AND PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY. THE SCHOOL HAS ACQUIRED ARTWORKS FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES IN ITS HISTORY, AND SINCE THE LATE 1970S A MORE CONSIDERED APPROACH TO PURCHASING HAS BEEN COMBINED WITH GIFTS TO UNIFY THE COLLECTION. It is the School’s intention to develop greater cohesion and a coordinated display for the Art Collection to promote awareness of the importance of art, develop student appreciation of art and provide a stimulus for
To consolidate the purpose and function of an art collection, to ensure that it is well protected and to create an underlying philosophy for further acquisition, the Principal created a new role this year — Manager, Art Collection. Previously, the Archivist managed the art collection, however, while there is a natural overlap for the two areas and a continuing connected relationship, the importance of both Archives and Art Collection in the ongoing history of the School suggested that each deserved a renewed and particular focus. The Girls Grammar Art Collection is now part of the fabric of the School and in order to make it more accessible, in a manner consistent with industry standards for the management of cultural heritage material, Girls Grammar is defining practices and strategies for acquisition, and managing and curating this collection. (Pictured above) Anne Wallace, Talking Cure Anne Wallace lives and works in Brisbane. Her works reflect her interest in film, particularly film noir, literature and mid-twentieth century culture. She is represented in a number of national galleries across Australia.
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Beyond the work of updating the database and determining policy, there are a number of exciting projects underway both internally and beyond that seek to develop collaborative relationships with other educational institutions and commercial galleries. The School is already forging links with local institutions, which are loosely forming a Spring Hill ‘art precinct’ and the value of some of our art work was recognised in the loaning of Talking Cure by Anne Wallace, to the National Gallery of Victoria in 2015 where it featured prominently in the exhibition Lurid Beauty, Australian Surrealism and its Echoes. Many of our former students have become prominent artists and we are proud to display and promote their work. During our 140th anniversary year (2015), we welcomed Grammar women, Dr Susan Blyth (1970),
Robyn Stacey, Coral and Ledenmeister Former student, Robyn Stacey (1969) is acknowledged as a photographic artist of significance. Work from this series reflected her interest in the history of early research of flora and fauna.
Jan Jorgensen (Geoldner, 1960), Susan Rado (van Kempen, 1978) and Kylie Elkington (1983) — each practising and celebrated artists — as panellists at the Grammar Women in Art event to acknowledge and share with our community the rich meaning and legacy of their creative work. As part of the School’s curatorial direction and scholarship programmes, we intend to maintain and extend our connections with Grammar Women artists. As our students walk into a future where understanding, appreciation and imagination will be invaluable resources in all aspects of their lives, the arts are crucial to developing these attributes. This is the time then to draw the School’s Art Collection to the forefront in our intent to nurture a culture of deep and ethical learning and of stewardship.
Jan Jorgensen, Brisbane Girls Grammar School Former student, Jan Jorgensen (1960) is a well-known painter who documents Brisbane surrounds. This painting was commissioned for the 140-year anniversary of the founding of this School.
VOICE TEACHER AWARDED DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC VOICE TEACHER, DR GARY HOLLEY (PICTURED) WAS RECENTLY AWARDED HIS DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS FROM GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY, QUEENSLAND CONSERVATORIUM OF MUSIC. His thesis was titled From Classical to Music Theatre: A Vocalist’s Experience and explored the transition from classical singer to musical theatre performer. The research was autoethnographic and drew on his previously acquired knowledge as a classical singer and the relevance and application of this knowledge to music theatre performing. Gary’s study challenged the current trends in voice teaching and provided feedback as to the importance of interdisciplinary voice training in the teaching studio, particularly in music theatre.
him to provide current and relevant vocal pedagogy for his students. Gary is keen to continue research in this field and in the area of instrumental teaching within the school setting. This is Gary’s ninth year at Girls Grammar and he is enjoying sharing his acquired knowledge, particularly in contemporary voice, with his students. ‘I’m proud of the unique all-inclusive programme that the Instrumental Music faculty provides at Girls Grammar that assists students to reach a higher level of musical excellence,’ Gary said. ‘Being able to see the transformation happening in my students’ voices highlights the relevance of my study to vocal pedagogy.’
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GRAMMAR WOMEN
AUTHOR
Ms Antonia Swindells Community Relations and Events Manager
GRAMMAR WOMEN CONTINUE TO BE RECOGNISED FOR OUTSTANDING LIFE-WIDE ACHIEVEMENTS. In the 2017 Australia Day Honour Roll announced earlier this year, Grammar Woman, Miss Hilda Merydith Reid (1943) received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to golf and to the community. Miss Reid was part of a hard-working group of women who lobbied for support and raised public awareness of women’s access to golf courses and boldly challenged perceptions that golf was regarded as only a wealthy man’s sport.
Past student, Mrs Noela O’Donnell (Mason, 1961), was recognised in the recent Queens Birthday 2017 Honours List, being made a Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for her significant service to women in rural and regional areas of Queensland, to medical research fundraising and to the community. Mrs O’Donnell is a passionate advocate for women, is the co-founder of Relay for Life in Cairns and is the National Council of Women Queensland Vice President. She has raised thousands of dollars for cancer research and helped establish bursaries to help women in rural and regional areas study in the city. Girls Grammar extends a very warm congratulations to Miss Reid and Mrs O’Donnell for this exceptional national recognition. Stories such as theirs are great inspiration for our students, staff and broader community and exemplify the School’s intent of establishing the educational foundation for young women to contribute confidently to their world with wisdom, imagination and integrity.
SERVICE IN OUR DNA: LEADING SOCIAL CHANGE The annual Young Women’s Forum Service in our DNA held by the BGGSOGA in association with the National Council of Women Queensland was held on the evening of Tuesday 9 May. This event is always inspirational and the 2017 event emphasised the leadership aspects of service in a new title, ‘Service in our DNA: Leading Social Change’. Chaired by past student Chloe Yap (2013), the gathering heard from Zoe Kansky (2012), Education Director, IMPACT Social Enterprise; Erin Cunningham, Past National Council of Women Bursary recipient; and Cara Philip, Associate of Operations Palladium.
Service in our DNA: Leading Social Change event
All who attended, including a group of current girls at the School, were inspired and impressed by the work undertaken by these young women.
UPCOMING BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL REUNIONS We look forward to celebrating three milestone reunions on Saturday 29 July at various locations around the School from 4.30 pm – 7.00 pm • Class of 1977 — 40 Year Reunion • Class of 1997 — 20 Year Reunion • Class of 2007 — 10 Year Reunion The Class of 1967 — 50 Year Reunion will be celebrated on Saturday 9 September 4.30 pm – 9.00 pm Starting Class of 1954 — 60 Year Reunion will be celebrated on Saturday 21 October 11.30 am – 2.00 pm For more information, contact our Events Officer on +61 7 3332 1448 or visit https://www.bggs.qld.edu.au/community/ grammar-women/reunions/
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Left-right: Ms Georgie Somerset, Ms Julie Hammer and Ms Lucy Carne with Principal, Ms Jacinda Euler
BE BOLD FOR CHANGE Grammar Women — Be BOLD for Change, was the first event in our 2017 Grammar Women series and was held in late May. The theme, ‘Be Bold for Change’, adopted the 2017 International Women’s Day catch cry, which is a rousing call for women and men around the world to unite and act to address barriers to gender equality that persist, even today. Principal, Jacinda Euler, was very pleased to be joined on the panel by three women who epitomise this call. Grammar women, Retired Air Vice-Marshal Ms Julie Hammer AM CSC (1971) and Ms Lucy Carne (1998), alongside Ms Georgie Somerset. The panel guests discussed how they each enabled careers in the male-dominated fields of engineering, the media and agribusiness. A lively, candid and generous conversation ensued. Retired Air Vice-Marshal Ms Julie Hammer AM CSC (1971) served for twenty-eight years in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as an electronics engineer. She was the first woman to command an operational unit in the RAAF, the Electronic Warfare Squadron, and the first woman to achieve One Star and Two Star rank in the Australian Defence Force. Julie discussed how her parents encouraged her to pursue study in areas she enjoyed and where she excelled. Julie said that engineering is not easy — that it’s a challenging profession by nature, but young people, and particularly girls, should not shy away from anything just because it’s intellectually taxing. Julie acknowledged that the gender balance in the engineering sector was only slowly improving, and that it remains essential for girls to be introduced to high-quality maths and science teaching and inspiration while they are very young, to pique their interest even before they commence secondary school. Her advice for young girls to be successful in their careers was to ‘be hard-working, plan well and be professional and competent — if you’re a professional, it won’t take long to win respect’. Ms Lucy Carne (1998), currently the Editor of Rendezview, is a persuasive and articulate multi-skilled journalist, with an editing and reporting career spanning Australia, Europe, UK
and the USA. At the age of 27, Lucy Carne was appointed as Chief-of-Staff for Brisbane’s The Sunday Mail, making her Queensland’s youngest female Chief-of-Staff in history. Lucy said she handled the challenge of managing a team of thirty journalists, including many older men ‘with dogged commitment to quality that garnered the respect of my colleagues’. Lucy is a passionate believer that education is essential for any successful person, particularly when taking a road less travelled. In journalism, that meant for her embracing the digital world, skilling herself in web design, analytics and SEO, and embracing change. While Lucy recognises that inequality persists in her industry, a mindset she developed during her Girls Grammar schooling — that gender isn’t an obstacle — has continued to keep her grounded. Her three golden rules as a journalist are to keep emotions off the newsroom floor, to rise above the small stuff and to play the long game, not the short game. Ms Georgie Somerset, an agricultural leader and strategist, is Vice President of AgForce Queensland and is on the boards of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, Children’s Health Queensland, the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland) and the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority. In the early 1990s, at a time when the option to select ‘farmer’ as a career wasn’t available to women on the Australian Census, Georgie founded the Queensland Rural Regional and Remote Women’s Network. Georgie said that building a strong network was a key part of her success and is important for all women to do, whatever stage they may be at in their careers. She said, ‘Whether you’re just starting out, or you’re on the twenty-second floor, women must build scaffolding around them — with people who can support and guide them — including men.’ At Brisbane Girls Grammar School, when we ask girls ‘to be the change they wish to see in the world’, we hope to give them the intellectual tools, the inspiration and the confidence to help them chart their course to success. Our engagement with Grammar Women and other inspiring women in the community is just one of the ways we do that.
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GRAMMAR WOMEN 2017 OLD GIRLS ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Mrs Julie Caton (Cleghorn, 1981) was elected President of the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Old Girls Association (OGA) at the recent Annual General Meeting. As we welcome Julie, she said that when her daughter commenced at the School in 2012, she realised that her feelings of connectedness to Girls Grammar were still very strong. Although physical aspects of the School had changed since graduation in 1981, Julie saw that the values and essence of it remained intact. ‘The Brisbane Girls Grammar School OGA is an important working group within the School community and I look forward to leading it as we continue to foster links between the School and Grammar Women as well as current students and their families,’ Julie said. As it always has been, the current OGA Committee is made up of a group of very special ladies. With three other 1981 graduates also joining the committee this year, I feel like I am back at the School in more ways than one. The OGA is committed to maintaining a valuable presence in the School community, particularly with Year 12 students who will, we hope, maintain and strengthen their connections to Girls Grammar following their graduation.’ As we mark the departure of Mrs Janine Schmidt AM (Hogg, 1964) from the role of President of the OGA, we thank her for her outstanding contributions to the School community and acknowledge work in shaping the OGA; most notably through her finalisation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the School and the OGA (outlined on the following page).
Janine’s connection with the School started in 1961 when she was a student until her final year in 1964. Her daughters Bronwen (1996) and Madeline (1999) were students during the nineties and Janine was on the School’s Board of Trustees from 2002-2004. Janine is a world-renowned librarian by profession and has lived and worked in special libraries, state libraries and university libraries throughout the world. Janine continues to be an active and vibrant contributing member of the community and is involved in numerous professional associations. Janine was made a Fellow of the Australian Library and Information Association in 2004; and in 2013, she was awarded Membership of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division ‘for significant service to the promotion of library services, particularly through the development of electronic access initiatives’. In a professional association article Janine penned in 2016, she stated: ‘Creative, fearless, imaginative, passionate, visionary and reflective leaders are required to deliver the future destiny of libraries’ … characteristics Janine has brought (and continues to bring) to her extensive portfolio of roles throughout her life, including that of the President of the Brisbane Girls Grammar School OGA 2012-2017.
OGA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Key outcomes of the 117th Annual General Meeting of the Brisbane Girls Grammar School OGA held 19 March 2017 included reinforcement of the Association’s role and purpose; review of the past year’s activities; and election of the 2017 Management Committee (pictured below).
OGA 2017 Management Committee (left to right): Secretary, Dr Sue Wilson (1981); Mrs Sylvia Pegg (Gaulton, 1965); President, Mrs Julie Caton (Cleghorn, 1981); Mrs Sue Jordan (Squire, 1967); Dr Kim Morgan-Short (Skuce, 1981); Treasurer, Mrs Leigh Fielding (Gow, 1984); Vice President, Mrs Grainia Schmelzer (King, 1981); Mrs Ann Caston (Pressland, 1958); Mrs Janine Schmidt AM (Hogg, 1964); Mrs Dorothy Bourguignon (Scotney, 1958) Not in photo: Committee members Mrs Kirsten Whip (Macallister, 1981), Mrs Jenny Gray (Vallis, 1969), Mrs Michelle Tully (Oswin, 1981) and School Representative, Mrs Pauline Harvey-Short (Harvey, 1971)
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GRAMMAR WOMEN: THE WAY FORWARD
AUTHOR
The role and purpose of the OGA established 1899 is:
Mrs Janine Schmidt AM (Hogg, 1964) Past President of the OGA
Grammar Women
• ’Friendraising’ for the School and enhancing its reputation
• Supporting School events and activities
• Sponsoring and assisting with organising functions and events, particularly reunions, to forge links among Grammar Women and Old Girls and strengthen connections with the School
• Maintaining the School’s traditions and championing the School’s strategic direction
• Passing on the School culture and its spirit to new generations of Grammar girls and Grammar Women
• Forming networks for mentoring and career/life skills development
Incorporating the OGA est. 1899
BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND THE OGA WISH TO WORK MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER ON SCHOOL ACTIVITIES RELATING TO PAST STUDENTS. FOLLOWING DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, THE SCHOOL AND THE OGA DURING 2015 AND 2016, A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) WAS SIGNED IN DECEMBER 2016 OUTLINING THE ROLES, RELATIONSHIPS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE VARIOUS PARTIES CONCERNED WITH COMMUNICATION AND SERVICE TO PAST STUDENTS OF THE SCHOOL. The Brisbane Girls Grammar School OGA was established in 1899 and for many years provided the focal point for the involvement of past students with the School with a Management Committee coordinating its activities. In the early 2000s, the term ’alumni’ began to be used by the School in communications and dealings with past students. The term was the description applied to a broad range of activities conducted by the School and encompassed former trustees and staff, past parents and past students. As a result of the MOU, the term will no longer be used and the preferred term for past students of the Brisbane Girls Grammar School is ‘Grammar Women’. Current students of the School are referred to as Grammar girls; once they have left the School, they will be known as Grammar Women. The School and the OGA each continue to be separate organisations with a range of responsibilities to their respective and shared communities. The School and the OGA have common interests in fostering, encouraging and supporting a thriving community of past students of the School to have ongoing positive relationships with the School and collaborate in the planning of mutually agreed activities, events and publications.
Going forward, the School will continue to provide professional support, assisting with communication and providing staffing and financial resources for Grammar Women and the OGA. The OGA will continue to provide a Management Committee to conduct its affairs and assist the School. Consequently, in implementing the MOU, the fees for membership of the OGA were set at nil for the foreseeable future at the Annual General Meeting of the OGA held in March 2017. This approach is in keeping with the practices of similar associations in other schools. All members of the OGA have OGA lifetime membership from January 2017 and no annual fee will be charged in the future. Life members will continue to enjoy the links to the School already established. Past students of the School who are not members of the OGA will be invited to opt in to a continuing relationship with the School through Grammar Women incorporating the OGA established 1899 and membership of the OGA. Recent and future graduates of the School will be invited to continue their relationship with the School through Grammar Women incorporating the OGA established 1899 and membership of the OGA. The OGA is grateful to the School for its provision of professional services which will improve the operations of the OGA.
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SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER FOR A DAY AT MARRAPATTA
2017 MARKS THE THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL’S PURPOSE-BUILT OUTDOOR EDUCATION CAMPUS — THE MARRAPATTA MEMORIAL OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTRE (MARRAPATTA). TO HELP CELEBRATE THIS MILESTONE IN OUR HISTORY OF EXCEPTIONAL SCHOLARSHIP, THE SCHOOL EXTENDS A VERY WARM INVITATION TO PAST AND PRESENT STUDENTS, FAMILIES, STAFF, AND OUR COMMUNITY FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS — TO ‘SAVE THE DATE’ OF SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER TO JOIN US FOR A DAY AT MARRAPATTA. The day at Marrapatta will be a wonderful opportunity for families to tour the grounds, see displays and to experience something of the outdoor education programme that our girls have enjoyed for the past several decades. The School will also launch its remotely operated, robotic telescope and observatory — the first of its kind at a girls’ school in Australia. Although outdoor education has been an important element of our School since 1978, the Marrapatta campus, which is located in Imbil in the beautiful Mary Valley two-hours’ drive north of Brisbane, first opened its doors to Grammar girls in 1987. Marrapatta is where our girls’ joy of learning is expanded through a programme of activities that synergise classroom learning with those experienced in the outdoors and are more physical in nature.
SHARE YOUR MARRAPATTA MEMORIES To help celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Marrapatta, the Girls Grammar community is invited to share their stories and memories of Marrapatta with the School. Please submit photos, videos (including dates and names of people) and/or personal reflections on Marrapatta and/or the School’s outdoor education programme to communications@bggs.qld.edu.au by Friday 21 July.
While enjoyment and creating unforgettable memories are important aspects of our outdoor programme, our three key learning focus areas are: personal discovery and reflection, social development, and environmental appreciation and awareness. Our outdoor education programme helps to foster within our girls a culture of inter-dependent participation, commitment to and fair competition among the group to inspire contribution to a greater purpose. For example, canoeing encourages the girls to communicate effectively and work as a team to achieve a goal. On expedition, the girls use multimodal transport to reach a destination — working through the journey together becomes as important as the destination itself. That is, for the individual girl to realise the potential within herself and the greater that lies within the collective. The School looks forward to welcoming its community later this year on Sunday 15 October for a day at Marrapatta to celebrate and commemorate thirty years of outdoor education at this special campus. Refreshments (soft-drinks, tea, coffee) and a barbecue lunch will be available to purchase on the day. Guests will also be welcome to bring their own picnic lunch to enjoy in the grounds. Further information about the day at Marrapatta will be published closer to the time of the event. Please register your interest in attending at www.bggs.qld.edu.au/marrapatta30
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OPEN DAY FRIDAY 28 JULY 4PM – 8PM Open Day presents the vibrancy and essence of the Brisbane Girls Grammar School community. Spend time with students and staff, view academic and co-curricular displays, enjoy performances and tour the School. Join us to discover why Girls Grammar has been a leader in exceptional scholarship for more than 140 years. Register at www.bggs.qld.edu.au/openday2017
Experience
BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Brisbane Girls Grammar School Gregory Terrace Brisbane QLD 4000 Australia T +61 7 3332 1300 F +61 7 3832 6097 E communications@bggs.qld.edu.au facebook.com/BrisbaneGirlsGrammar twitter.com/BGGS linkedin.com/company/brisbane-girls-grammar-school
www.bggs.qld.edu.au