De La Vida Term 3 by Karen Bickerton

De La Vida TERM 3 2014 EDITION 20

Arts Festival Weekend | Purple Bra Day | SMC Comets Fly High | And more!

Welcome

Principal’s Message This edition of the De La Vida magazine captures the extensive curricular and co-curricular activities that makes Santa Maria College a vibrant learning community. Also featured in this edition are messages from the Parent Council, Old Girls’ Association and College Archivist, who all play a vital role in maintaining and strengthening our links with current and former students. The College is made up of three sub-schools: Junior School,Years 5 and 6 Middle School, Years 7 to 9 Senior School, Years 10 to 12 I would like to briefly comment on the article on the Middle School that appears on Page 18. Our Middle School aims to optimise the learning opportunities of young women so their potential to live and work in contemporary society, now and in the future, is enhanced. In order to achieve these aims the College has adopted a broad spectrum of interdependent and age-appropriate practices across curriculum. The projects referred to on Pages 18 and 19 are designed to promote a love of learning. With the Year 7 Sustainable Water Project the emphasis is not in the final assessment; it is on the process of learning, using cross-curricular initiatives. We are very proud of the level of student achievement and this is reinforced with the feedback from parents, grandparents and other visitors who view the final products. The Strive9 Project focuses on social justice and social action in students. This project is based on the values of Catherine McAuley and is central to the College’s Mission Statement. Every year our Year 9 students design amazing activities so as to reach out to less fortunate groups in our wider community.

In this Edition... i - Principal’s Message

I hope you enjoy reading about these Middle School initiatives as well as the many other articles in this third and final edition of De La Vida for 2014. Mr Ian Elder, Principal

1 - College News 22 - Community News

Contributors A warm thanks to those who helped put this magazine together.

23 - Old Girls’ Association News Ian Elder

Helen Chaffer

Claire Newton

Karen Bickerton

Michelle Carrick

Zoe Court

De La Vida

Roberta Cowan

Lisa Bowden

Jacqs Harris

Published Terms 1 to 3

Danielle Cattalini

Paul Kinsella

Lisa Winkler

Please direct all correspondence to:

Sue McLennan-Atkins

Amanda Huxtable

James Condon

Andrea Dopson

Connie Quattrini

Tracy Webster

Nikki Chandler

Scott Print

Carol Bell

Simone Sawiris

Matt Galligan Photography

25 - Archives

De La Vida Santa Maria College Locked Bag 1, Melville, WA 6156 Telephone: +61 8 6330 0200 Facsimile: +61 8 9317 2838 Editor: Kimberly Maslin Graphic Design: Kimberly Maslin Email: delavida@santamaria.wa.edu.au

De La Vida | Term 3 2014

Arts Festival Weekend The Arts Festival Weekend was a wonderful way for the Santa Maria College Community to recognise the gifts and talents of our wonderful artists and the contribution they make to the College. Held from Friday 12 September to Sunday 14 September, audience members were treated to a range of performances, as well as the hospitality of the Parent Council through the Parent Network, who provided refreshments across the entire weekend.

‘If the Crown Fits’ Art Exhibition & Fashion Parade Kick starting the Arts Festival Weekend on Friday 12 September, the Visual Arts Department were proud to host the 2014 ‘If the Crown Fits’ Art Exhibition and Fashion Parade. This event was a culmination of our students’ youthful, creative spirits and ambitions presented for the community to appreciate and enjoy. Combined with an impressive Art Exhibition, our designers also presented a dazzling fashion parade, both which reflected their inquiring, creative minds and committed approach, confirming they are passionate, hard-working, innovative individuals who are not afraid to take challenges, to push boundaries or to express themselves! A sea of invisible crowns definitely graced the evening as students proudly showcased their artwork. Ms Lisa Bowden, Head of Visual Arts

Music Showcase Wandoo, McDonald Building was transformed on Saturday 13 September to include a three-tier stage with full sound and lighting design, to accommodate the highlight of the Music calendar - the Music Showcase. A wonderful audience of 550 guests were treated to performances from nearly 250 students involved in the College’s choral and instrumental groups, as well as the Co-curricular Music Program. This included performances from the Concert Band, McAuley Concert Band, String Orchestra and McMahon String Ensemble, along with the smaller ensembles of the Flute Choir, Flute Quartet, Saxophone Ensemble and Swing Band. The second half of the concert featured our Year level choirs and chorales performing contemporary favourites with the staff band accompanying. The Ireland Tour Chorale, who have been rehearsing over the past six months in preparation for their 2015 Performance Tour, also gave their debut performance. At the conclusion of the showcase we farewelled our Year 12 students - some who have been involved in the program for up to eight years. The Music Department sincerely thanks each one of the Year 12 students for their leadership and friendship during their time as part of the Music Department. Thank you to all parents, staff, family and friends who came along to support the students and help make the Music Showcase such a successful performance event.

Mr Paul Kinsella, Director of Music

Dance and Drama Showcase The dance and drama students once again dazzled all who attended one of the three mini-sessions held throughout Sunday 14 September. Fifteen items were presented by almost 300 performers from Years 5 to 12. Two terms of rehearsals were conducted in the lead-up to the showcases, and this effort was evident in the high quality of performances on the day. Both the audience and performers were given the opportunity to learn and reflect. The audience at times were entertained, while at other times challenged and encouraged to think about the world we live in. The performers meanwhile, were continuously developing their communication skills, confidence, problem solving skills, collaboration skills, focus and creativity. We are very proud of all our performers, backstage helpers and contributing staff members for the effort they put into another successful showcase. Ms Amanda Huxtable, Director of Performing Arts Photo captions Cover photo: SMC Comets competition. 1.

Music Showcase.

Dance & Drama Showcase.

Visual Arts Fashion Parade.

College News

Mercy Day On Friday 19 September, the College celebrated Mercy Day. The day began with a whole College Mass and Assembly, where Dillon was announced as winners of the McAuley Shield. Following this was a Tug of War Competition and a variety of food and activity stalls. These included everything from pizza, to face painting to a jumping castle. To wrap up the day, the Year 12 Soccer team took on the staff in a friendly - but highly competitive - soccer match. All money raised throughout the day will be donated to Mercy Secondary School, Yarapos in Papua New Guinea.

Eco Sisters The Eco Sisters Service Group have been busy making upcycled beanies from jumpers and toilette bags using towels, filling them with shampoo, conditioner, soaps, toothbrushes and other useful items. The group has been meeting every Tuesday lunchtime throughout the term, determined to complete these useful products for the less fortunate. After a term of work, we made over thirty toilette bags and twenty beanies. These were donated to St Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Community Support Centre in Fremantle for the homeless. The centre was blown away with the outstanding quality of these handy and valuable gifts for their clients. They are extremely thankful for these donations, especially the beanies which have been very practical during the cold winter months in Perth. These projects were very successful and we will continue to make them in the future. It is great to see recycled and upcycled projects being so helpful to the less fortunate.

Sophie Lucivero (Year 12, Byrne)

Winter Sleepout The Young Vinnies Service Group work hard each term to promote the value of service. The project for Term 3 was the annual Winter Sleep Out. This is a night where girls from Years 10 to 12 get to sleep outside. This event aims to raise awareness of the homelessness that occurs on the Perth streets every night. This year seventy students and four teachers slept out for one night. For dinner we were served soup and bread, and set up our sleeping gear on the Figure Eight. After dinner we had two guest speakers present to us about their experience with homelessness in Perth. One works with the homeless, going out on the streets and helping them while the other was currently homeless herself. The two gave insightful comments and really conveyed the reality of homelessness in Perth. One spoke of her tough and traumatic childhood and how difficult it is to live on the streets. This really made us think about how fortunate we are. Each girl who participated brought a donation of $10, we were then able to proudly hand over $700 to Elena to help with her work for the homeless. After various activities such as quizzes and reflections, it was time for the prayer vigil. Each small group wrote a prayer for the homeless and we gathered under the stars with our candles lit, ready to read out all our prayers. After this reflection it was time to make our way to our sleeping bags and wrap ourselves up in as many layers as possible to get ready for the cold night ahead. There was no cloud cover, and so there was cold misty air and damp grass, a real experience! As we awoke at 5.30 am the next morning, we did not want to leave our sleeping bags. We assembled for a final morning prayer before leaving the College. The Winter Sleep Out is a rewarding experience and allows girls to realise the harsh reality of homelessness in Perth and to take action in the community. Anna Houston (Year 12, Byrne), Young Vinnies President

De La Vida | Term 3 2014

Purple Bra Day

Purple Bra Day is a very special day in the College calendar, where as a community we are able to raise money for such a worthwhile cause, breast cancer research. Breast cancer has had a major impact on the lives of many and through every studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s generosity we are able to raise both money and awareness of this disease to help make an impact in the community and support those who may be affected. This year at Santa Maria, there were a number of activities run by the Student Leadership Council. At recess, there was a delicious cake stall and a photo booth where students were able to pose with their friends and their best purple accessory. This was followed by the annual Purple Bra Day Ball dress parade, where the Year 12 girls paraded their beautiful ball dresses. The Junior School students held a Purple high tea, and at lunchtime there was a sausage sizzle, a purple treasure hunt for the Junior School girls and a special cheerleading performance by the SMC Comets. As always, Purple Bra Day was a great success with the total amount raised reaching $3,300, we cannot thank everyone enough for their participation. This day would not have been possible without the organisation and planning done by the Student Leadership Council and most importantly the generosity of the students and staff, so thank you very much for all your efforts. We hope that this sense of charity and enthusiasm for Purple Bra Day carries on for many years to come as we continue to raise awareness and show our support for breast cancer research. Alice Anderson (Year 12, Frayne), Deputy Head Girl Photo Captions 1-2. Mercy Day activities. 3. Donating hand-made products to St Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Community Support Centre. 4-5. Winter Sleepout. 6-12. Purple Bra Day activities.

College News

Art Week The Arts are often looked past or dismissed as integral to education sometimes forgotten, left to bubble quietly in the corner of the room. This year, however, Santa Maria College was challenged by the element of surprise and entranced by the ordinary, through the richness of creativity in Art Week. During Art Week, the school was saturated with mystery, the landscape ‘dressed up’ in fabric and yarn, provoking thought and encouraging the girls to ponder and question. The school was drowned in genius, with quotes from revolutionary artists, innovators and thinkers - while the bathrooms mirrors, usually distracted with the girls own selfportraits, were instead replaced with the famous portraits engraved in our history. On Wednesday, the Visual Arts Committee dressed as some of the most important artists of our time, offering the school a Parisian styled afternoon with the opportunity to have their portrait sketched masterfully. On Thursday the contemporary sphere of the Arts was embraced with a performance piece inspired by Marina Abramovic’s, ‘The Artist is Present’ titled ‘Still Life’ being exhibited – which raised questions and the occasional eyebrow, to the curious and hesitant onlooking audience.

Monique Chiari (Year 12, O’Donnell), Visual Arts Captain

Languages Week As another Languages Week rolled around, the 2014 Cultural Committee turned the school into a cultural bazaar. With the first ever belly dancing show starring Amy Hutchison (Year 12, Dillon) and Josephine Barbera (Year 11, Byrne) staged in the Great Court, it was a joyful experience to see the girls come together to be part of this culturally enlightening activity. Of course some tried a hand at it, and needless to say belly dancers make it look a lot easier than it really is!

Junior School was able to take part in some crepe flipping activities, Bocci and Kendama, where I am certain a few Guinness World Records were broken. Whereas other girls tried their hand at spaghetti architecture building the Eiffel Tower out of dinner is much harder than it sounds, but some impressive structures were created. Then a game of Tombola was hosted, where girls were able to try their luck in the traditional Italian bingo, with the Exchange students reading out the numbers in different languages. As Wednesday rolled around the Cultural Committee girls dressed in their finest international gear and wandered the halls promoting discussion about other traditions and countries; there were mimes, Geishas and Mexicans wandering the school all day - a veritable melting pot. Finally, to wrap up the events Gelato was sold, a sweet goodbye to a very successful Languages Week at Santa Maria College. Ophelia Schilizzi (Year 12, de la Hoyde), Cultural Captain Photo Captions 1.

Portraits at lunchtime, Art Week.

‘Still Life’ art performance, Art Week.

Dressing up for Languages Week.

Belly dancing show, Languages Week.

Year 5s dehydrating fruit, Science Week.

Lunchtime experiments, Science Week.

Dressing up for Literacy Week.

AJ Betts book signing, Literacy Week.

The National Science Week theme this year was ‘Food for the Future’ which encouraged students to consider alternative sources of food to feed a growing world population. Hence, some girls dared to taste crickets, beef tongue and seaweed. Thank you to the staff of the Sawle Literacy & Research Centre for their enthusiasm in creating great displays and activities to engage the students in this theme. Middle School students completed a delicious simulation activity that raised the issue of sustainable fishing and the effects of over fishing on communities. The Junior School students visited the laboratories for a custom-designed lesson for their current Science units. The Year 5 students explored the topic of space food and created their own dehydrated fruit salad. The Year 6 students investigated the process of photosynthesis by testing leaves for starch. Lunchtimes saw the ever-popular science demonstrations, with compulsory smoke, sparks and flames. Finally, there was a sweet ending to the Science Week festivities, with a taste of dry-ice ice cream. Delicious! Thank you to the wonderful Science staff for their passion, creativity and generosity in creating new ways to engage our girls in the scientific world around them during this special week. It is a credit to them that the love of science is alive and well at Santa Maria. Mrs Simone Sawiris, Head of Science

Astronomy Night

A particular highlight of Science Week was Astronomy Night. Many girls attended and also some family members. The guest speaker for the evening was Mr Richard Tonello who presented some amazing information, along with photos he had taken of the sun and the earth’s Milky Way Galaxy. The most interesting part of the evening for me was Mr Tonello’s amazing analogy of earth in the whole solar system, and the mind blowing comparisons. I am looking forward to the next Astronomy Night and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about our planet, galaxy and solar system! Sophia Ridolfo (Year 8, Dillon)

Literacy Week

Throughout Literacy Week, many exciting events were organised and the culture of the school was explored in many ways. Literacy is considered extremely important at Santa Maria College. This year there were a number of events to encourage literacy around the school. On Tuesday, the Middle and Senior School students were asked to dress up as their favourite book character to raise money for the students at the School of St Yared’s, Ethiopia. This ranged from Thing 1 and Thing 2 to Daisy from The Great Gatsby. We also had two guest authors speaking to Junior and Middle School students, Elaine Forrestal and AJ Betts, both accomplished and world-renown authors. Both spoke about their life experiences and accomplishments. I sincerely thank both Elaine and AJ for taking time to come and share their love of literacy with us. Last but not least, the Year 12 Student Leadership Council and staff went head to head in a game of Quidditch. This whole week could not have been possible without the Cultural Committee, Mrs Chandler, Mr Phillips, Sawle Literature & Research Centre staff and English Teachers. I hope the students benefited from this day and that more books are being read, because reading gets you far in life! Courtney Withers (Year 9, de la Hoyde), Middle School Cultural Captain

De La Vida | Term 3 2014

Science Week

College News

Interhouse Athletics Results 1st Dillon 2nd Frayne 3rd O’Donnell 4th de la Hoyde 5th O’Reilly 6th Corbett 7th Byrne 8th Kelly

The Athletics Carnival was once again a great success this year, and although the weather was cold in the morning, and rather trying for the 1500m competitors, it soon warmed up and made it very pleasant for spectators and competitors. The Physical Education staff organised the day perfectly with the help of Mr Kinsella as the announcer, who was not only helpful but also entertaining. All the students seemed to really enjoy themselves and may have found their new calling as a Sports Star, congratulations to everyone who participated and cheered. The team spirit and enthusiasm is what makes all Interhouse Carnivals so much fun and enjoyable, for not only the students but for the teachers as well. Congratulations yet again to Dillon and Frayne who continue to dominate the carnival events this year. Lastly, congratulations to the many students who broke records this year, to the Year Champions and Runners up and of course to all of the competitors for helping to make the day such a triumph. Lucinda Lefroy (Year 12, Corbett), Sports Captain

IGSSA Dance Our two IGSSA dance routines were choreographed by guest choreographer Bernie Bernard for the second time this year. When Bernie told Ms Huxtable that both routines would be space themed you could see her panic as she imagined antennae, silver space suits and ‘Flyin’ Purple People Eaters’! Turns out there was no need for her to panic. Bernie had the perfect routines for each group, with sophisticated and current choreography that continued to challenge the very talented dancers that represent Santa Maria College.

Photo Captions 1-3. Interhouse Athletics Carnival. 4-5. Preparing for IGSSA Dance performance.

The Junior Troupe consisted of twenty-seven students from Years 7 to 9. Floating Fragments was all about our mission to clean up space. Space junk ricochets, bounces and shatters to disturb the tranquillity of space. A solar panel floats by on a collision course with a discarded telescope, creating smaller fragments that burst into being with catastrophic consequences.

The Senior Dance Troupe’s item Tranquillity Base...? was about the human obsession with the vastness of space. It is the fear of the unknown as well as the possibility of discovering other life that continues to fascinate people us. This troupe of eighteen dancers explored this journey with one small step and a giant leap into this unknown. Emily Wilkes (Year 12, Corbett), Performing Arts Captain

Punmu Immersion Program

During the July school holidays fifty-four Year 10 students and six staff flew to Canberra for four days of intensive sightseeing, which included highlights such as Old and New Parliament House, High Court, National Gallery, the Mint and Government House, with the favourite for many being the Australian War Memorial and ANZAC Parade. We were given a book on women in the Navy as a memento of our visit to Government House, particularly because the girls were very interested in the female Equerryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role. Wherever we went our girls were complimented on their presentation and manners. They were attentive during tours and participated with enthusiasm in the role playing activities at Parliament House. The tour was capped off with three days skiing at Perisher Blue. Everyone had a wonderful time in the snow and all skied like professionals by day three. The practicing of the twenty-four strengths students have been learning about in the Pastoral Care Program was evident during the tour, and the cohort was proactive, positive and collegial in their daily interactions with each other and the staff. The tour was lead by Ms Lisa Taylor who managed the tour efficiently, enthusiastically and set high standards for the girls who responded with respect and enthusiasm at every turn. The students were great ambassadors for Santa Maria College and we were very proud of them. The social and educational value of this enduring Canberra Tour cannot be underestimated, and it is a perennial favourite for both staff and students.

On Saturday 2 August, twelve Year 11s and three teachers flew to Port Hedland, before driving seven hours to a remote Aboriginal Community called Punmu. We stayed in one house for the seven day program and assisted at the local school, RAWA Community School. The Martu people are the local Aborigines who live in Punmu and they were so welcoming and friendly toward us.

Mrs Claire Newton, Head of Year 10

Throughout the week we painted nine new murals at the school, played games with the children, held a fun run and athletics carnival, went hunting for witchity grubs, marvelled at the views from Punmu Hill, enjoyed some freshly made damper, were taught how to speak Martu and weave baskets, and danced the night away at the disco. All who participated in this program will agree it was a very special trip that allowed us to learn not only about the Aboriginal culture, but about ourselves and each other. Many of the kids have access to electronics but choose to spend their day playing with the younger children instead of sitting inside on Facebook. There is a strong value of family, but especially among the children. When we went hunting, it was incredible to be able to experience the way the elders lived. The elders grew up in the bush eating witchity grubs and damper, and weaving baskets to survive. Whenever we got into these activities, it excited the elders because we were experiencing their way of life. We were all so sad to say goodbye to this remarkable community and all our new friends. We thank Mrs Court, Mr Court and Ms Rooke for taking us on this amazing experience. Katherine Wilkes (Year 11, Corbett)

Punmu Immersion Program

De La Vida | Term 3 2014

Canberra Tour

College News

The Three Cs

Ancient History

While the three Rs are still vital for a student’s success, the Mathematics and English Departments have combined forces to ensure our Year 8 students also have the three Cs covered, ‘Communication,’ ‘Collaboration’ and ‘Creative Problem Solving.’ These three Cs are fast becoming the core attributes that current employers are seeking. In Term 1, the Mathematics Department launched the first Three Cs task with inspiration coming from the classic, The Three Little Pigs. With just twenty plastic drinking straws and 1m of wool, each group was required to build the strongest bridge of their own design that could span a gap of 25cm, as well as have the capacity to hold a plastic cup of weights. The bridge that carried the most weight won. The second Three Cs task, held in Term 2, offered our students another opportunity to respond rapidly to a situation. With inspiration from past texts such as Alice in Wonderland, Honey I Shrunk the Kids and even King Kong, the students were asked to create a written or digital text, where the scale of the setting and characters were precisely created, so the audience could suspend their disbelief and enter a world of ‘tiny people’ or ‘a land of giants.’ These learning opportunities held outside the classroom offer students something extra. Students can spend hours studying for the ‘expected,’ however these afternoons offer an opportunity for students to deal with a limited time frame and the more challenging ‘unexpected’ learning scenarios. Ms Jacqs Harris, English Teacher

At the end of last term, led by our teacher Mrs Court, our Year 8 Humanities & Social Sciences class took our study of Vikings and Ancient Japan to the Junior School for a special storytelling session. We got to become teachers for one afternoon, sharing the books we wrote and illustrated ourselves, with students from Years 5 and 6. Following our storytelling, we led the Junior School students in a fun activity where they made Viking hats and origami. Lots of learning and fun was had by all, and we really enjoyed the opportunity to work with the Junior School students. Thank you to Miss Hackett and Miss Lombardo for having us. Year 8, Humanities & Social Sciences Class 7

Japanese Exchange Program The definition of an exchange student is ‘A student from one country who attends a school in another country.’ To fourteen Santa Maria girls, it means much more. For over two weeks, these students hosted a Japanese exchange student from Wayo Konodai Girls High School who lived with us, came to school with us, and became life-long friends. It all began on Wednesday 23 July, when the exchange students arrived, ready to begin their first day at Santa Maria College, beginning with a two period English lesson. For the next two weeks, depending on their schedule, we would either take them to their next class or bring them to our own classes. After school would often be full with some kind of co-curricular activity. The weekends were when our friendships grew. During the two

Megan Lee (Year 10, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell)

Forensics Incursion On Tuesday 19 August, Year 8 students participated in a very interesting incursion about Forensic Science. On this day we learnt how forensic scientists inspect a crime scene through identifying shoe imprints, fingerprints and DNA samples. We went around to multiple stations and completed activities assisting us to solve the mystery of how a young girl died. Through various techniques and processes we were able to identify many facts from the clues provided. We were able to identify time of death, the cause of the death and most importantly, who was responsible. We all had a very enjoyable time and learnt many new things. It was a very entertaining and effective way to show how great science can be and may even encourage and motivate girls to strive to gain a profession in this area.

Rebecca Darmago (Year 8, Corbett) & Zehira McQuie (Year 8, Kelly) Photo Captions 1. Year 8 Forensic Science Incursion, held during Literacy Week. 2. Getting to know the Japanese exchange students. 3. Testing out bridges, Three Cs task. 4. Year 8 and Junior School students with their Viking hats.

De La Vida | Term 3 2014

weeks, our Japanese language skills improved, while we watched as the Wayo girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s English skills developed. When it was time to say goodbye, there was a continuous flow of tears, hugs, photos and last goodbyes ending with the final wave as the bus drove away, taking them to the airport and back to Japan after two good weeks.

College News

Learning beyond the classroom... Karridale

Perth Hills

On Monday 18 August, sixty-six excited girls and five brave teachers piled onto the buses, destined for Karridale. For the next four days we would be living off our backs; literally carrying all our food and camping supplies in our packs. We were camping with Explorus, who ran many fun and challenging activities for us. Some of these included abseiling off and climbing up the Wilyabrup cliffs, canoeing on the Blackwood River and a game called Dangle Duo. Throughout this time our eyes were opened by the breathtaking environment and the serenity of the bush. Canoeing tested our teamwork and strength while abseiling pushed us to the edge and beyond. Cooking our own meals made us smile and Miss Barter was very impressed with our menus. With a flushing toilet in mind we stumbled back onto the bus, most dozing off before we got to the 3km mark. Our days away felt like a lifetime and were full of excitement and adventure. Cooking and looking after ourselves on camp increased our independence and resilience. We left as school girls and came back as outdoor educators; full of knowledge about our land and an enhanced relationship with nature.

On Thursday 14 August, the Year 11 Geography class headed to Mundaring for our sustainable forestry management excursion. We were all excited to begin our hike into the bush, but first we were introduced to the Beelu National Park and the natural environment that we would soon be encountering. While on the excursion we had to investigate how we are using and impacting our forests and whether forests can be managed in a sustainable way for future generations.

Bronte Winterbottom (Year 10, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell) & Madison Gleeson (Year 10, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell)

With everyone ready with their clipboards, pens, pencils and walking shoes, we began our journey down the track into the bush. Through a series of hands-on activities we looked at the forest system, issues being faced and conducted a transect activity in the Jarrah and Pine forest where we identified plant species, soil types and canopy cover. This allowed us to gain an insight into how local forests are managed in a sustainable way for the wide range of users wanting to access the forests and how past choices have influenced current forest use. After a full day of activities we were back onto the bus, for the journey to school which was mostly quiet due to many now sleepy hikers. Thank you to the Hills Forest Discovery Centre for having us and providing us with an informative excursion. Natalie Matthews (Year 11, Kelly)

De La Vida | Term 3 2014

Perth Zoo

Pinjarra

On Tuesday 5 August, the Year 12 Human Biology students had the opportunity to visit their primate ‘relatives’ at the Perth Zoo. It was a beautiful morning and the girls attended a very informative lecture about the evolutionary trends seen in primates, from pygmy marmosets to ring tailed lemurs and finally the orangutans. We learnt about the amazing features of the primate group, to which humans also belong. We also visited the new interactive orangutan enclosure and heard about the success of the Perth Zoo’s wonderful breeding and conservation program.

Organised by Curtin University and run over five days in the July School Holidays, the WASM: Focus on Mining Camp is a camp open to all Year 11 and 12 students interested in pursuing a career in mining or engineering. As part of a group of twenty-six Western Australian Secondary students, Taylor Donati and myself spent the week in Fairbridge Village in Pinjarra. Each day, we took a bus trip out to various mine sites. At each mine site, we were given a tour of their pit and refinery facilities, as well as being given the opportunity to ask questions of people in varying professions who worked in the mining industry. The mine sites we visited were, Newmont Boddington Gold, Alcoa Bauxite, BHP Worsley, and Talison Lithium; as well as Bunbury Port. Although there were many hours spent on the bus each day, it was a great time to bond and become close friends with others attending the camp. On our final night of the camp, we participated in a ‘networking pizza night’ where we were able to talk with industry professionals about our futures in the mining workforce. It was an eventful week that left us all exhausted, but at the same time, it such a rewarding experience, and one I will never forget.

Mrs Simone Sawiris, Head of Science Photo Captions 1.

Year 11 Geography excursion, Perth Hills.

View from Pinjarra.

Year 12 Human Biology excursion, Perth Zoo.

Year 11 Geography excursion, Perth Hills.

Year 10 Outdoor Education Camp, Karridale.

Danielle Bailly (Year 11, Byrne)

College News

Bon Appétit! Year 8 Japanese dinner On Tuesday 12 August, our Year 8 Japanese class went to the Yuki Japanese restaurant. On arrival, I greeted a very keen Sensei and Mrs Fisher. When everyone was there and settled we were given a bowl of miso soup. Our main courses started to arrive, as the waiter handed each of us our food we said ‘itadakimas’ perfectly. The food was amazing and everyone on my table was impressed. The evening came to a close and I wish we could have stayed longer. After saying thank you and goodbye to both Sensei and Mrs Fisher we all went home very happy with our dining experience. Arigato!

Kelsey King (Year 8, O’Reilly)

Year 8 Italian dinner On the nights of Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 August, Year 8 students studying the language of Italian attended the Numero Uno Cafe in East Fremantle for the long anticipated Italian dinner. It was a night full of laughs and lots of traditional Italian food. For entrée, we had lovely gnocchi with napoletana sauce and for our main we had chicken parmigiana with a side of chips. To finish the night off, we had a choice of ‘un gelato al cioccolato o alla vaniglia’, but the only way to get one was to order it in Italian! With our stomachs about to explode with scrumptious Italian food we travelled home knowing that we would not go hungry for quite a while! Grazie mille!

Claire Ryan (Year 8, O’Donnell)

Year 8 French dinner Our French dinner was on Wednesday 13 August. Much to our delight it was right here at the College, in the Mercy Community Room. We arrived to a beautifully decorated room with flowers, balloons and French flags. For entrée there was garlic bread and pumpkin soup. Then there was a vegetable tart and Poulet Cordon Bleu. Dessert was a delicious Mousse au Chocolat and Croquembouche. We had an excellent time at the French dinner and we were so glad to be able to experience the food after learning about the language and culture through trying some classic French dishes. Merci beaucoup to our French Teachers for their amazing organisation and contribution to this very special evening. Skyla Pengilly (Year 8, Dillon), Jessica Wilkes (Year 8, Corbett) & Alexandra Nelson (Year 8, Dillon)

Photo Captions 1.

Year 8 Italian dinner.

Year 8 Japanese dinner.

Year 8 French dinner.

Middle School Production.

Year 9 Investing & Enterprising students.

De La Vida | Term 3 2014

A Little Princess

The 2014 Middle School Production, A Little Princess was an enjoyable experience for all involved. It was an excellent opportunity for us to showcase our talents to family, friends and the College Community. It was nice for all our hard work to be recognised and acknowledged, and the fame and glory we received from being in the production made us all feel quite special. We all do drama because it is what we love and enjoy, and being part of this show is an experience we will cherish forever. Many friendships were created throughout this time, previous production friendships were rekindled and new ones were born. The younger students who are new to the Middle School Production were welcomed and mentored by the older girls and I know I have made friendships during this production that will be ever-lasting. Being in the Production has allowed me to develop my leadership skills and confidence. Having a range of cast members from Years 7 to 9 was fun, exciting and stressful at the same time. The Year 9s were given extra responsibilities throughout the process and during the shows, and this gave us a chance to step up and show our maturity as leaders of the Middle School. As with any Performing Arts show, it can be quite nerve-wracking performing to an audience but as time progressed, my confidence started to build and we were able to overcome these nerves. We were pushed out of our comfort zones and expressed ourselves the best we could, to perform a great show.

It was so much fun and we had all spent so much time together that when it was over and we had to say goodbye, there were many tears shed. We were relieved the long days and nights were over but also sad that our story of A Little Princess had come to an end. Laura Gale (Year 9, Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly)

Just Start It! Just Start It has been a fantastic program for the Year 9 Investing & Enterprising students at Santa Maria to be involved in. It has enabled them to have first hand experience at developing a start up idea, with a clear week by week structure. The mentors have been an essential part of this program, bringing a wealth of knowledge and sharing their expertise, advice and experiences with the girls. They have also invited several colleagues to lessons to give talks on their specialised areas such as how to develop a pitch, estimating costing for an app as well as general app design. Having three groups work on this project with the knowledge that only one will go through to the Gala Night also developed some healthy competition among the girls. They have identified their own areas of strengths and weaknesses as well as those of their peers. This led to the development of their best possible product. The program culminated with a Gala Night at Curtin University on Monday 30 June where the best idea from each school was pitched to potential investors. The girls won best video diary on the night! Mrs Lisa Winkler, Technologies & Commerce Teacher

College News

Comets fly high! On Wednesday 9 July, the SMC Comets headed to the Gold Coast to compete in the Aussie Gold International Cheer and Dance Championships. After winning a bid in 2012, the team had been working hard to build their skills in order to compete at the highest level. The girls enjoyed a fun filled packed tour. In the days leading up to the competition the girls spent the mornings training in the park, and the afternoons visiting some of the Gold Coast’s finest attractions, including Sea World and shopping at Pacific Fair Shopping Centre. Finally, the day that had been two years in the making, had arrived. It was an exciting time for the girls and it was great to see all their hard work pay off with extremely successful results. The SMC Comets shone bright showing the rest of Australia and New Zealand they were a force to be reckoned with, winning not only their division but beating fifty other teams to take out Overall Level 1 Champions. This is an enormous accomplishment as they were competing against

clubs who train twice as much with state of the art facilities. The days after the competition were filled with a workshop, where the girls were able to learn higher level skills under the guidance of top American coaches. It was a great trip and an experience that I am sure the girls will always remember and treasure. Mrs Lisa Winkler, SMC Comets Coach Aussie Gold International Cheer and Dance Championships 2014 Results: •

SMC Eclipse: Senior Level 1 Group Stunt, 2nd Place

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SMC Mercury: Senior Level 2 Group Stunt, 1st Place

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SMC Galaxy: Secondary Pom, 1st Place

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SMC Comets: All Star Level 1 Cheer, 1st Place and Overall Level 1 Champions

2 Photo Captions 1.

SMC Comets.

Junior Piano Trio, L-R: Kate Naunton-Morgan (Year 6, Dillon). Gwyneth Chua (Year 6, de la Hoyde ) & Celine Ng (Year 6, Frayne).

Catholic Performing Arts Festival Congratulations to all students who entered the Catholic Performing Arts Festival for the many hours of preparation, rehearsal and performance time required for these events. Thank you also to piano tutor Mrs Julia Ng for your work with the Junior Piano Trio and congratulations to all students participating for the excellent results achieved at this year’s festival.

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Madison Trench (Year 8, Frayne) & Sinead Smithies (Year 8, Dillon) – Instrumental Duet (Secondary Woodwind)

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Kyra Harvey (Year 12, de la Hoyde) & Hannah Page (Year 11, Frayne) – Instrumental Duet (Secondary Woodwind)

Honourable Mentions & Shield Winners •

Sinead Smithies (Year 8, Dillon) – Instrumental Solo (Secondary Woodwind)

Certificates of Merit

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Gwyneth Chua (Year 6, de la Hoyde) – Primary Piano Solo

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Isabelle Appleton (Year 5, O’Donnell) - Instrumental Solo (Primary Woodwind)

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Celine Ng (Year 6, Frayne) – Primary Piano Solo, Instrumental Solo (Primary Strings. Celine was also the shield winner for her

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Bethany O’Connor (Year 7, O’Donnell)– Instrumental Solo (Secondary Woodwind)

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Madison Trench (Year 8, Frayne) – Instrumental Solo (Secondary Woodwind)

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Stephanie Yap (Year 7, O’Donnell) – Instrumental Solo (Secondary Strings)

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Kyra Harvey (Year 12, de la Hoyde) – Instrumental Solo (Secondary Woodwind)

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Helena Kang (Year 6, Frayne) & Sophie Molony (Year 6, Frayne) – Instrumental Duet (Primary Woodwind)

Mr Paul Kinsella, Director of Music

violin performance and was awarded The Sisters of Mercy Perth Award. Celine performed at the Festival Concert at the Perth Concert Hall on Monday 15 September. •

Santa Maria College Junior Piano Trio – Primary Instrumental Ensemble. Year 6 students Gwyneth Chua (Year 6, de la Hoyde), Celine Ng (Year 6, Frayne) and Kate Naunton-Morgan (Year 6, Dillon). As the shield winners, the Trio was awarded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart Award and were presented with the shield at the Festival Concert.

We would like to acknowledge and congratulate the following students on their various achievements: Camille French (Year 7, Corbett), who was a place getter in the City of Perth Young Writers Award. She was presented with her certificate and prizes on Thursday 31 July at the City of Perth Council Chambers. Fioline Oetomo (Year 8, Corbett), Emily Mascaro (Year 8, Dillon), Natalie Doray (Year 8, Frayne) and Amelia Bunn (Year 8, Frayne), who were finalists in the Science Communication - Video Category of the 56th STAWA Science Talent Search. Abby Ouwendyk (Year 8, Byrne), who was selected to represent Western Australia in the 2014 State Cross Country Team and competed at the National Schools Championships in Albany during August. Sarah Ciccarelli (Year 9, de la Hoyde), who was selected as a State finalist in the SAY Project 2014. Amy Kinsman (Year 9, Dillon) who won two gold medals for her trio and group routines at the National Clubs Aussie All Stars rhythmic gymnastics competition. Imogen Taylor (Year 9, de la Hoyde), who has been invited to the Little Athletics Australia National Under 15 Athletics Camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra during September. McKenzie Parsons (Year 9, Kelly), who participated in the Football West Singapore Tour in late October. Ava Gamblin (Year 9, Dillon), Meisha Raynes (Year 9, O’Reilly), Sophie Jameson, Nina Wright (Year 9, Dillon) and Caitlin McKeown (Year 9, Dillon), who won Highly Commended Fra Angelico for their Year 9 Group Entry at the Angelico Exhibition. Sofie Pontre (Year 10, Dillon) and Sofia Chaves (Year 11, O’Reilly), who represented Australia in the Born-98 2014 Pan Pacific Water Polo Games in New Zealand.

Zoe Fisher (Year 10, Kelly) and Alexandra Morgan (Year 12, O’Donnell), who competed in the State League Netball Grand finals in July, and won. Home Economics Teacher, Miss Emily Gecas and former student Isabella McLernon (Class of 2012) competed in the Reserves Division of the same event. Isabella Cammarano (Year 11, Kelly), who has been selected as one of the Black Swan State Theatre Company Student Ambassadors for 2015. Paige Spence (Year 11, O’Reilly), who won the Under 18s West Australian Young Poetry Competition. Ruth Loveridge (Year 11, O’Donnell), who was accepted as a finalist in the Mandorla Art Award for 2014. The twenty Year 11 and 12 students who competed in the Volleyball WA Schools Cup 2014. Monique Chiari (Year 12, O’Donnell), Jessica Baker (Year 10, O’Donnell) and Georgia Bertolini (Year 9, Byrne), who have been short listed to exhibit in the Black Swan Portraiture Awards, Youth Category. Lauren Halls (Year 12, Byrne), had her portrait work selected for the “Salon des Refuse.” Monique Chiari (Year 12, O’Donnell), Sarah-Rose Sharp (Year 12, Dillon) and Georgina Hollingworth (Year 11, de la Hoyde), who submitted works in the prestigious St George’s Cathedral Art Awards. Monique received a Highly Commended award for her artwork. Jessica Sidi (Year 12, de la Hoyde), who was the joint winner in the Mercy Foundation Youth Awards for 2014. Lucy Franklin (Year 12, Frayne), who won the Caritas Award at the Angelico Exhibition. Millie Charlton (Year 12, Frayne), who won a Highly Commended in the Year 11-12 General Category at the Angelico Exhibition. Emily Wilkes (Year 12, Corbett) and Simona La Macchia (Year 12, Kelly), who were successful in their applications for traineeships with Price Waterhouse Coopers.

The Big Science Competition The Big Science Competition is a national competition that challenges students to think critically and solve problems using everyday examples. Well done to the students who competed and performed so well.

High Distinctions: •

Eva Quattrini (Year 8, Corbett)

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Fioline Oetomo (Year 8, Corbett)

Junior division: participating students were from Year 8

Intermediate division: participating students were from Year 9 and Year 10

Distinctions:

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Claire Ryan (Year 8, O’Donnell)

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Kathleen Urquhart (Year 10, Frayne)

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Eva Cocks (Year 8, O’Reilly)

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Lucinda Cahill (Year 10, O’Reilly)

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McKenzie Nagle (Year 8, Kelly)

High Distinctions:

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Priscilla Rossi (Year 8, Dillon)

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Katelyn Etelaaho (Year 10, Frayne)

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Orla Mulholland-Patterson (Year 10, Corbett)

De La Vida | Term 3 2014

Student Achievements

Junior School News

Head of Junior School’s Message The promise of a quiet term is rarely an option in the Junior School, as one week rolls into the next with many activities to enthrall the students. This term we have been involved in Interhouse Athletics Carnival, IPSHA (Independent Primary Schools’ Heads Association) Winter Games over several days, an excursion to Gin Gin Gravity Centre for the Year 5 students, Open Night and Grandparents’ Mass and Morning Tea, Purple Bra Day, the hosting of the IPSHA Visual Arts Exhibition in the McDonald Building, Mercy Day and the election and commissioning of our new Junior School Student Representative Council for 2014/2015. Along with these events, the curriculum work of the classrooms continues and the teachers and students are engaged in many exciting pursuits and activities.

Junior School Open Night There were bright and inviting classrooms open for parents and family to see late in August when the Junior School Open Night was held. Swarms of people came to see what the girls had been up to over the past weeks in preparation for the evening.

The presentations were colourful and beautifully laid out for all to see and many parents were in awe of the level of work prepared for their perusal. The girls were also visibly proud of what they had made and written and were eager to show off their work. The Year 6 students have worked very well on their Family Histories and many of the girls could not wait to share the story of one of their ancestors with others. Many of the Year 5 students were keen to show off their animal adaptation information posters or 3D constructions. The students were proud of what they had completed and were able to walk their visitors through the processes that went into the completion of their work.

Grandparents’ Mass & Morning Tea The following morning over 200 grandparents arrived in the McDonald Building for a Eucharistic celebration with Father Sean Fernandez. Morning tea followed before the visitors were entertained by the Junior School Choir under the direction of Ms Kelly Read. The choir entertained with a medley of songs and then encouraged many of the grandparents to join singing and following the actions of the tune ‘My Hat it has Three Corners.’ The grandparents then visited the classrooms and were very enthusiastic in their praise of the work the girls had to show. Mrs Andrea Dopson, Head of Junior School

IPSHA Cross Country On Monday 1 September, the Junior School Cross Country team jumped on a bus and headed to Perry Lakes Reserve. The girls were all excited to race and were ready to run. The weather was perfect, not too cold. I would like to thank Mrs McAnuff, Ms Wood and Miss Hackett for the training and cheering us on. I would also like to thank the parent helpers for guiding us so we did not get lost. We had a great day at Perry Lakes Reserve. Congratulations to all the girls, but especially Cleo Kenny (Year 5, Dillon) for an amazing race and coming first. Meg Hebiton (Year 6, Dillon)

Photo captions 1-3. Grandparents’ Mass & Morning Tea. Right montage: IPSHA Arts Festival exhibition.

De La Vida | Term 3 2014

IPSHA Arts Festival This year Santa Maria College hosted the IPSHA Arts Festival. The theme was ‘We ART Family’ – and explored the theme of family, with an emphasis on portraiture. The exhibition was opened on Sunday 24 August by acclaimed local artist Abdul Abdullah, and was then open to participating schools for public viewing on Wednesday 27 August. This was a unique opportunity for students to showcase their work, and an ideal way to encourage peers and parents to explore and challenge their own beliefs about what children can learn and achieve through creating visual art.

Middle School News

Head of Middle School’s Message Middle School girls have had a great term being busy with the many academic, co-curricular, faith and social aspects of the College. The Year 9s have taken their tag of ‘I strive’ to great heights by completing their hugely successful Strive9 Social Action Projects. With so much time, thought and planning all were very excited at the end of Implementation Day, that they had given so much to others and that the rewards of their hard work had exceeded their expectations. Leadership has been high on the agenda this term. The 2013-2014 leaders have completed their term of leadership successfully, learning many new skills along the way. In Pastoral Care Time girls in Years 7 and 8 have completed activities that have had them look at the qualities of a leader and at their own leadership abilities. Students have since voted in new leaders for 2014-2015. This process has given many girls a new opportunity to demonstrate their leadership. It will be a challenging journey for all as they now face the many demands of being a leader. Year 8 students are looking forward to undertaking Expore8 next term, and it will be wonderful to see what ideas they implement as part of their final project.

Sustainable 7s Water Project Year 7 students had a great two weeks at the end of Term 2 working on the Sustainable7s Water Project. During this project they learnt some wonderful skills they will apply throughout their journey through secondary school; how to research effectively online, how to reference, how to create research notes, how to write a report and how to reflect on the work they have done each day. Along with these great skills the girls have developed a greater knowledge of water and its place in their lives and the world. The booklets, including their reports, have been completed to a high standard as

have their creative products, which demonstrate what knowledge they have gained. The girls also shared what they had learnt with their class, focusing on one really interesting fact they learnt about water and one thing we can all do in their area of study to sustain water in the future. Thank you to all the girls for working so hard on this project. Thank you also to the Year 7 Teachers for their wonderful support of this invaluable cross curricular project on sustainability.

Strive9 Implementation Day Implementation Day for Strive9 finally arrived on Thursday 28 August. Three terms of hard work and planning culminated in some very successful projects. The students were grateful the weather was fine and they were able to commence their projects as planned. Finishing touches were done early in the morning by some Homerooms, while others headed out to venues and to meet with their groups. It was pleasing to see the students had again decided to work with a range of organisations this year. From the elderly, to young mothers to primary aged children, the Strive9 projects were diverse, allowing the students to gain a greater understanding of the needs of many in our community. The life skills the students learnt throughout this process has proved invaluable and I know they all very much enjoyed implementing their projects. The smiles on the girl’s faces, as they excitedly relayed their experiences upon their return to the College, indicated just how successful their projects had been and how they had been able to handle any challenges that came their way. I know the groups the students worked with also appreciated their efforts, with many emailing to congratulate the students and to thank them for the time they had taken in preparing such wonderful experiences. It is our hope, that through this project, the students will be more aware of social justice issues and will continue to strive to improve the lives of all in our community. Mrs Tracy Webster, Head of Middle School

Year 8 Bush Dance

R U OK Day was celebrated at Santa Maria on Thursday 4 September and was a great success. The day was organised by the Middle School Leadership Council and filled with happiness and the asking of the question “R U OK?” We are never too young to be asking “Are you okay?” and the question can change a life. On any normal day someone can ask “Are you okay?” but this is the day teenagers, normal Santa Maria students, are encouraged to have the confidence to ask people they love and are concerned about. Balloons and posters were everywhere, we gave out stickers and badges to celebrate the day and had yellow all around the College. Each aspect of the College got into the theme, including a decorated display in the Sawle Literature & Research Centre, R U OK soup and drink cups in the Cafe and a big banner was up at the front of the College. A professional, happy video was made by the Middle School Leadership Council which encouraged people to ask the question, and be happy. All of the leaders wore special yellow T-shirts, and we encouraged other students to participate by wearing a yellow ribbon in their hair, and being happy. Girls went around to all the Homerooms in the morning and asked if they were okay, spreading the message and getting everyone involved. It was an important and effective day that made people think and care about others, on a deeper level. Many questions and smiles were shared throughout the day, and all the girls and teachers participated in a wonderful day of happiness.

On Friday 8 August we attended the long awaited social with Aquinas College. The late change from a quiz night to a Bush Dance left us all a little surprised and not knowing what to expect. The Bush Dance led by the Mucky Ducky Bush Band was a fun experience dancing around whilst acting like real cowgirls and boys dressed in our very stylish checked flannelette shirts. Beginning the night with a partner dance really showed us who the experts were in the room, but the rest of us managed to keep up and stay in time with the music. Once we had participated in a lot of different cultural dances we slowed down and had a well deserved rest and began socialising with a few of the boys. We had a slice of pizza and a nice cold soft drink, we were then revving to go for more dancing. The evening left us with great memories, many new friends and a lot to look forward to for our social next year. Olivia Walton (Year 8, O’Donnell) Photo Captions 1.

Year 8 Bush Dance.

Corbett Strive9 Implementation Day.

Sustainable 7s Water Project excursion.

Year 9 Dillon Homeroom.

Laura Gale (Year 9, O’Reilly)

Preparing for Strive9 Implementation Day.

Year 8 Bush Dance.

Sustainable 7s Water Project excursion.

De La Vida | Term 3 2014

R U OK Day

Senior School News

Head of Senior School’s Message

Year 12 Retreat

In the Senior School we work with students to create well rounded young women who can draw from many experiences to learn lessons that will benefit them in life after Santa Maria College. The Senior School students have a wonderful commitment to service and interest in improving the world around them. They are moved by the plight of others and actively think beyond themselves. We see this in many aspects of College life from the service groups through to our student led whole College events like Purple Bra Day. This event gets bigger each year and the ability of the girls to raise funds for women living with cancer in their own community is indeed very special. I commend all our girls for their leadership, hard work and commitment to making a difference this term.

At the Year 12 Retreat, students are invited to undertake a journey of deep inquiry into the truth of who they are at the very core of their being, by reflecting on who they were, who they are now and who they want to be. Their regrets, their fears, and their hopes and dreams for the future are woven through this contemplation. Further to this, students embark on ‘The Quest,’ a reflection of the ancient hero’s quest for the Holy Grail, where they are challenged through a series of difficult outdoor team activities, to meet their true authentic self. This rite of initiation into the self requires the student to explore their context within the journey of life, authenticating themselves within their connection to a web of relationships – themselves, others, God and all creation.

We have also enjoyed a number of social events this term, such as the Year 10 dance lessons and much anticipated Social and the annual Year 11 Father-Daughter Dinner. I am sure all girls and parents involved enjoyed the opportunity to spend some quality time together.

Mrs Helen Chaffer, Deputy Principal, Mission & Mrs Michelle Carrick, Head of Religious Education

Mrs Carol Bell, Head of Senior School

Year 10 Dance Lessons Dancing lessons ran for four Mondays in a row for Year 10 Aquinas and Santa Maria College students. The students had a great time learning some new dances and socialising with each other. There was a great atmosphere on Monday afternoons at both venues with everyone trying hard to get the steps right. There was plenty of laughter and good humour from the students who were ably instructed by Pam, Ryan, Heather and Steven from Gilkison’s Dance Studio. The Santa Maria students alternated between Santa Maria and Aquinas Colleges for the lessons. The dancing lessons proved to be a big hit with the students who demonstrated their prowess on the dance floor at the Social held at Aquinas College on Friday 29 August. Aquinas staff and students were welcoming hosts and students enjoyed the chance to dress up and show off their skills. The supper was excellent and everyone enjoyed the night. Mrs Claire Newton, Head of Year 10

Photo Captions

On Wednesday 2 July, the Year 12 cohort went on a retreat to Serpentine Camping Centre. For us, a retreat was definitely needed as we have all worked very hard so far this year. Reflection was one of the many gains from this retreat, in addition to growing closer with our peers. We were divided into groups, with teachers who allowed us to talk about our lives and influences. Those small groups allowed us to connect with other people in our cohort who we normally would not associate with and develop nice friendships with them. We were also fortunate and grateful for the teachers, including Mrs Court, who enlightened us with her high school experience, Mr Court and Ms Rees, who talked about their adventures after high school, Mrs Winkler and Mrs Martin who gave us an insight into family and relationships and Mrs Hicks and Mrs Valentine who gave us a very down to earth talk about the loss of a significant person in their lives. The amazing experiences of retreat were enhanced due to the beautiful environment that surrounded us. This encouraged our reflective time and also allowed us to separate ourselves from societal distractions. The warm fuzzies would have to be one of the best parts of retreat. We were able to write small messages to others stating the things we appreciate about them. Others did the same thing back, which allowed us to all to feel appreciated and gave us a burst of happiness. Retreat was a turning point in this intense school year. Antoinette Raphael (Year 12, O’Reilly) & Samantha Kelly (Year 12, Corbett)

1. Year 11 Father-Daughter Dinner. 2. Year 10 Social. 3. Reflecting at the Year 12 Retreat. 4. Year 11 Father-Daughter Dinner. 5-6. Year 12 Retreat. 7. Year 10 Social.

De La Vida | Term 3 2014

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Community News

Parent Council Chairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message I am very proud to be a part of the current Parent Council; we have a great group of enthusiastic men and women representing the College Community from Junior, Middle and Senior schools. We meet twice a term and work towards enhancing the links between parents, students and staff to strengthen the feeling of belonging and pride, as well as to encourage parent involvement, in the Santa Maria College Community.

Our Mozzie Men have been busy supporting the dads of the College Community. There was an outstanding turn out to the Fathering Project breakfast held in July with 102 dads attending! Given the success of the breakfast the Parent Council has made a commitment to support the Mozzie breakfast as a regular yearly event, with a different guest speaker each year. I would like to extend an invitation to all parents to attend the Parent Network meetings. The meetings are held once a month with the next meeting on Wednesday 15 October at 9.00 am. Should you have an hour to spare, I encourage you to attend. New faces are always welcome! The Parent Network has been busy striving to meet their mission of service, hospitality and friendship in the College Community through year cohort social events and College events where hospitality is required.

After much discussion and deliberating I am delighted to announce a decision has been made to spend the 2014 Parent Council Levy on new air conditioning for the Doyle Building. The Doyle Building currently houses Student Services, six Junior school classrooms, and two general purpose classrooms. The general purpose classrooms are also utilised by staff and students from the Middle School. This work will convert the Doyle Building air conditioning from evaporative to refrigerated and make learning environments more tolerable in the hotter months. The work will be completed over the January holiday break and be ready for student and staff return in Term 1, 2015. A wish list for the 2015 Parent Council levy has commenced, with a number of items already on the list. I would welcome suggestions from the College Community to add to the wish list at anytime. You can contact me via Mrs Karen Bickerton T 6330 0230 or E bickerton.karen@santamaria.wa.edu.au. Mrs Sue McLennan-Atkins, Chair, Parent Council

Interhouse Athletics Carnival The 2014 Athletics Carnival kicked off to a chilly start with blue skies and moderate winds that cut through any scarf. The Parent Network were hard at it starting at 8.00 am with the traditional panic of getting the urns turned on in preparation of the expected 300+ coffees and cutting 650 rolls in preparation of the onslaught of the hotly sought after Aussie hot dog. Donations were again plentiful with a huge selection of yummy cakes, sweets, slices and biscuits. Thank you to all of the mums who generously donated their time and cooking skills to the cause. The catering was perfect with no waste at all. All of the sweets and hot dogs were consumed providing a healthy profit for the Parent Council of over $2,000. The day finished up with some exceptional records being broken by huge margins that may not be broken again for many years to come. Many thanks goes out to the girls and mums for their great efforts and all of the Mozzies, who without them we may have ended up with burnt sausages and under cooked onions. Mr James Condon, Mozzie

Old Girls’ Association President’s Message Thank you to all who attended the recent Santa Maria Old Girls’ Association Mercy Day Mass and morning tea held on Sunday 14 September 2014. Mercy Day is a very special day for the Santa Maria College Community and it is a wonderful opportunity for the Old Girls to get together and celebrate. It was an added bonus to have the boarders attend Mass and we thank all who participated.

This year we have held a number of reunions including an interstate reunion in Melbourne, held in early September. It was an ‘all ages and years’ event and was well received by those who attended. Holding events such as these in the Eastern States, is considered valuable by the Association and we hope to hold similar events on a two-yearly basis. The Association would like to extend our thanks to the College for their continued support and special thanks to Karen Bickerton and Charmaine Versluis (Priest, Class of 1977) for their hard work in making events such as these happen. Ms Danielle Cattalini, President, Old Girls’ Association

Thank you, Prue

Recently, former student Prue Ward (Roche, 1979), assisted the Year 9 Corbett Homeroom with the implementation of their Strive9 project. Prue works at Best Beginnings, and spent months assisting the Homeroom organise some of her clients - young mothers and their babies - to attend the Strive9 Implementation Day, which involved a range of positive activities. It is wonderful to see these strong links forged between current and former students, and we wish Prue all the best with Best Beginnings.

Photo Captions 1. Parent volunteers, Interhouse Athletics Carnival. 2. Mozzie volunteers, Interhouse Athletics Carnival. 3. Fathering Project breakfast. 4. OGA Mass & Morning Tea. 5-6. 1974 Reunion. 7. OGA Mass & Morning Tea. 8. Golden Girls Luncheon.

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De La Vida | Term 3 2014

Old Girls’ Association News

Where are they now? Congratulations, Amy and Fiona! The College is very proud of two former students who are finalists in the 2014 Telstra Businesswoman of the Year awards. Amy Moonen (1999) Woodside Energy Ltd From dux of her high school to mechanical engineering graduate in 2005, Amy Moonen now works on the North West Shelf Project, an integrated production system comprising off-shore and on-shore gas and oil facilities. As a senior mechanical engineer, Amy’s role is production optimisation; setting weekly production targets to optimise production from all parts of the integrated North West Shelf system, operated by Woodside, Australia’s largest independent oil and gas company. Passionate about an industry she never expected to be part of, Amy visits local schools to share her enthusiasm for her work with students. She is particularly keen to foster an interest in engineering among female high school students. As a member of Woodside Young Professionals, Amy, is striving to increase the representation of women in middle and senior management roles and is involved in graduate recruitment and mentoring. “Many of my opportunities to excel have been provided because of relationships with mentors and colleagues. Excellence is not achievable without building good relationships, and providing support in turn for others to excel in their own tasks.” Fiona Gebauer (Simms, 1999) Perth International Arts Festival From the time Fiona Gebauer picked up a small violin she was hooked on the arts. Fiona was Music Captain at the College in 1999 and during her time here, taught viola and classroom music with Mr Paul Kinsella. She went on to play in the Western Australian Youth Orchestra before teaching music and studying music and journalism. Playing in bands and working in the arts industry, Fiona landed what was supposed to be a twelve-month position at the Perth International Arts Festival. Three years on and her role

in Sponsorship Acquisitions sees her helping to deliver the $18.5 million program, regarded as the oldest and largest of its type in the Southern Hemisphere. Passionate about the arts, Fiona manages relationships with up to 180 supporters including corporate partners, contra sponsors, donors, trusts/foundations and government grants. It’s a competitive area with many organisations competing for the corporate dollar, but Fiona has forged ahead on the basis that if you don’t ask, you’ll never know the answer. “I’m motivated by artists who have inspiring talent and unwavering dedication, and I’m thrilled by the journey of taking ideas from page to stage for the benefit of the Western Australian community.”

A visit from Carmen During Term 3, the Year 11 cohort were fortunate to receive a visit from former student, Dr Carmen Lawrence (Class of 1964). During her presentation, Carmen shared her story with the girls about how she became involved in Politics and about her time as Western Australia’s first female Premier. We are very grateful to Carmen for giving up her time to speak with our Year 11s and inspire them to consider a career in politics.

History of the Primary School The post-war period with migration from Europe and increase in the birth-rate, meant a demand for education infrastructure. The Attadale Parish met this demand by opening a Primary School in 1955. The school was a tin shed at Point Walter and was staffed by members of the Attadale Convent, Sr M. Mercedes Griffin and an unnamed junior professed sister. This school would become St Joseph’s Pignatelli. At around the same time a Primary School was starting in Willagee – Our Lady Queen of Peace. This school was also staffed by the sisters from Attadale Convent. Throughout the 1950s and into the 1960s there were four Catholic Primary Schools in the Attadale Parish. Due to an increase in primary aged students in the Parish, at the end of the 1950s a decision was made to build a separate primary section at Santa Maria College in the early 1960s. The need was still growing in the area and so a further Primary School was built at Corpus Christi Primary School in Myaree in 1964 (now known as Pater Noster).

The Primary School building program at Santa Maria College began with a two classroomed structure built on the former hundred yard running track. Each room catered for composite grades. The building was opened in the latter half of 1962. The second section of a further two classrooms was complete by August 1964. By the October 1970 the third section of the Primary School building was constructed with a further classroom and a staffroom. It was during the 1960s that the number of lay-staff began to increase at all Parish Primary Schools. The cost of salaries for lay-staff was borne by religious congregations who were constantly finding it difficult financially. The numbers of Catholic Primary School children continued to increase during the 1960s as the numbers of young religious decreased. Teaching moved from part of religious life to a paid career. In 1971 The Record reported the establishment of the Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia. The establishment of CECWA and federal funding increases in the 1970s Catholic education in Western Australia was placed on a firm base. It was in this environment that the Attadale Parish primary schools were amalgamated into a single entity in 1973. The entity was known as Mel Maria Primary School. The College primary campus was one of a number of campuses of Mel Maria Primary School. The Sisters of Mercy had an arrangement with the Catholic Education Commission for use of the primary facility until 2008.

Photo Captions 1.

Year 11 students with Dr Carmen Lawrence (Class of 1964).

Primary School ca 1966.

Three sisters ready for Primary School.

An administration section divided by a breezeway was constructed ca 1983. In 2001 an undercover area was built. In 2008 this was named the Mary McKillop Building. In 2004, two portable classrooms F1 and F2 were bought from Iona Presentation College and placed in the south west corner of the primary campus. In 2009 the campus reverted to Santa Maria College. In 2009 the former primary school became known as the Junior School. Dr Roberta Cowan, College Archivist

Some teaching staff at Santa Maria Primary School (1962-1972): Sr M. Gabriel Blake

Sr M. Ambrose Lorkin

Miss Farnsworth

Sr M. Gemma Cassidy

Sr M. Giovanni [Maureen] McCarthy

Mrs Hofmeister

Sr M. Ephrem Flynn

Sr M. Anne [Eileen] McVittie

Mrs Hullell

Sr M. Cabrini Fontana

Sr M. Peter O‘Callahan

Mrs Leembruggen

Sr M. Antonio Giumelli

Sr. Joanne Stanley

Mrs van Noort

Sr M. Stephanie Horne

Sr M. Hilarion Walker

Mrs Sutton

Sr M. Hilda Keane

Mrs Ainsworth

Mrs Wales

Sr M. Vernard Kelleher

Mrs Carrier

Mrs Waters

De La Vida | Term 3 2014