The Thinking Agenda 2021 by St Catherine's School

St Catherine’s School VOLUME ONE | 2021

The Thinking Agenda

Mrs Michelle Carroll

125 Year Foundation Day Service Address

Mrs Gina Peele

Where Girls Thrive

Mrs Angela Klancic

Champion Disposition in our St Catherine’s Learners

Ms Merran O’Connor

Living our School Values

Mrs Sue Collister

Historical Treasure

Ms Sarah Bethune

Developing the Young Inquiring Mind

Ms Melissa Campbell

Celebrating a Centenary of the Written Word

Ms Karen McArdle

Student Engagement in Learning

Mrs Vicki Marinelli & Ms Julia West

Interpretations of Lockdown

Ms Sarah Bethune

Building Resilience

Mr Robert Marshall

Invention from Motivation

Mrs Michelle Carroll

Benefits of Girls Only

Ms Merran O’Connor

Compassion and Creativity Combine in Community Service

Ms Sarah Bethune

STEM in the Early Years

Lucy Campbell & Clementine (Cece) Newton-Brown

Year 12 Co-Captain Final Assembly Speeches 2021

Mrs Michelle Carroll

Education, the Weapon to Change the World

Mr John Toulantas

A.I. Detects Copywrite of Moon

Ms Karen McArdle

Courageous Girls

Ms Merran O’Connor

Respect, Reflect and Connect

Ms Karen McArdle

A Model of Academic Care

Mrs Michelle Carroll

An Ode to Their Expertise

Mrs Ceri Lloyd

Disrupting the Norms to Transform Learning

Ms Alison Cassidy

In My Classroom

Mr Robert Marshall

Academic Extension Challenges Students

Ms Lyn Zarifis

Global Pathways Offer Global Opportunities

Ms Liv Cher

The Quiet Time

WELCOME

St Catherine’s School aspires to graduating intellectually and emotionally agile young women, fully prepared to navigate their futures across new and emerging industries, thrive within global and digital communities, persevere during adversity and remain authentic and fearless in all they pursue. At the heart of the St Catherine’s experience is the relationship between teacher and student.

to embed a Thinking Agenda for every girl, in every classroom.

In 2021 we proudly implemented our Towards 2025 Strategic Plan to guide and inform our planning and focus over the next five years, including our commitment to enhancing the student experience through the engagement of exemplary staff, committed to girls’ education and wellbeing.

Our outstanding VCE results, and position as the top performing girls school in Victoria in 2021, are testament to this targeted program and the exceptional academic care our teachers provide to every student, particularly during the challenges of the COVID pandemic over the past two years.

The continued growth in our VCE and NAPLAN results over the past four years are indicative of this commitment and our exceptional teachers and rigorous educational programs.

The articles published within our inaugural edition of The Thinking Agenda showcase this expertise, as well as the extraordinary level of care our educators place in every student.

Three years ago, St Catherine’s commenced a partnership of professional learning for our teachers with the University of Queensland,

Please enjoy the 2021 edition. Michelle Carroll Principal

T O WA R D S 2 0 2 5 Bold. Independent. Resilient. Creative.

T OWA R D S 2 0 2 5 – S T C A T H E R I N E ’ S S C H O O L’ S S T R A T E G I C I N T E N T S The St Catherine’s School Strategic Intents guide and inform our approach to life at St Catherine’s for our students, staff and wider School community, to fulfil our Charter as a leader in nurturing and empowering young women. To achieve this, St Catherine’s commits to six strategic intents:

Academic Achievement

Wellbeing & Leadership

Co-Curricular Opportunities

Embed an unwavering focus on intellectual curiosity through a rigorous academic program, sensitive to the needs of individual pursuits.

Encourage our students to be proud of their accomplishments, seek out challenge and build personal leadership and confidence.

Empower young women to discover through experience and find their voice in the communities and world around them.

Exemplary Staff

Embrace Community

Equip Our Future

Enhance the student experience through the engagement of exceptional staff, committed to girls’ education and wellbeing.

Ensure opportunities for our students through a cohesive, diverse and inclusive community of current and past parents, St Catherine’s alumnae and wider school network.

Envision the delivery of learning environments for students and staff that lead the world in innovative and contemporary design and the delivery of exceptional educational programs.

Name: Michelle Carroll Title: Principal Date: 4 February 2021 Strategic Intent: Embrace our Community

1 2 5 Y E A R F OU N DAT ION DAY S E RV IC E A DDR E S S

On this day, 125 years ago, our Founding Principal, Miss Jeanie Hood opened the doors to a girls’ school in Castlemaine, which is now known as St Catherine’s School, Toorak.

develop “not only students, but girls gifted intellectually, morally and physically to be the women of the future.” This intention resonates into the 21st century and is just as relevant today for our girls as it was 125 years ago.

In her early years as Headmistress, Miss Hood is quoted as saying, “Without an intelligent knowledge of the past, can the present be rightly understood? For the two – past and present – are irrevocably joined together.”

It speaks to core values that transcend and echo through time. Since our School’s Foundation on 4 February 1896, St Catherine’s School has remained committed to Miss Hood’s vision through the work of Principals such as, Miss Ruth Langley, Miss Edna Holmes, Miss Mary Davis, Miss Dorothy Pizzey AM, our Head of Junior School, Miss Anne Smith – all stewards of the School for a time. These impressive leaders, and others, were all earnestly committed to educating generations of remarkable young women.

It is this sentiment that encapsulates much of what we are celebrating today. We reflect and pay respect to the vision and dedication of Miss Hood, who, at the age of only 34, left her familiar surrounds of Richmond to establish, enrol, nurture and educate young girls in regional Victoria. This week our Year 12s challenged the Senior School students to adopt the word ‘Dare’ as their guiding ‘thought’ in their actions this year. One cannot help but see a clear thread that endures into the past when a young woman dared to conceive the idea of establishing a new school. One can only imagine the thoughts of Miss Hood as she stood on Templeton Street, Castlemaine, 125 years ago today (probably at this exact time, 9am) and opened the school for the very first time and welcomed students inside. Little could she perhaps imagine how that one act, coupled with her hard work and foresight, would engender stories that span generations of St Catherine’s School students, stories that changed lives. Little did Jeanie Hood know at the time, that she had just opened the front door to a school that has, through its 125-year history, established itself within the educational culture and fabric of Melbourne and Australia. A visionary leader and contemporary educator of her time, Miss Hood’s aspiration for her School was to

So that today, in 2021, 125 years later, their names remain familiar to our current students and staff, as they walk the halls of the Edna Holmes Centre for Science, the Dorothy Pizzey Centre, the Ruth Langley Research and Learning Centre and, of course, the much-loved Mary Davis Centre. Our Barbreck girls arrive at School every day and walk Anne Smith Avenue – these are all places in our School that today honour their contribution to St Catherine’s. Indubitably, as our School’s future unfolds, we recognise that our success is contained in respect for this past. As we celebrate this magnificent milestone, I would like to think Miss Hood would be proud to witness the success of our students, the commitment of our staff and the warmth and strength of our School community. Thank you for attending this Foundation Day Service today and for supporting St Catherine’s School. Michelle Carroll Principal

Name: Mrs Gina Peele Title: Director of Student Programs Date: 25 February 2021 Strategic Intent: Co-curricular Opportunities

WHERE GIRLS THRIVE

Co-curricular programs at St Catherine’s School provide opportunities and experiences to enhance the development of the whole child, complementing skills learned in the classroom and nurturing lifelong learners. Every opportunity and program present a different environment for our girls to thrive, by empowering and nurturing independent globally responsive students who approach all endeavours with empathy, integrity, commitment, and determination. With an increasing emphasis on soft skills in university placements and the workforce, there is a requirement for young people to expand their skills and experiences beyond the classroom. “The large-scale social, economic, environmental and technological changes that have taken place across the globe, are elevating softs skills as essential learning in school,” (Griffin et al, 2012, Bruett, 2006; Autor et al, 2003, Trilling and Fadel, 2012, Voogt and Roblin, 2012). Opportunities for our girls to develop resilience, empathy, and curiosity by challenging themselves to step outside their comfort zones in a supportive and safe environment, opens the gateway to learn through goal setting, success, and failure. The OECD states, “Students will need to apply their knowledge in unknown and evolving circumstances. For this, they will need a broad range of skills, including cognitive and meta cognitive skills (e.g., critical thinking, learning to learn and self-regulation): social and emotional skills (e.g., empathy, self-efficacy and collaboration): and practical and physical skills (e.g., using the latest information and communication technology devices.”

With an increased focus from the tertiary sector on students’ skills and achievements, the Co-curricular programs, and activities at St Catherine’s School, that promote the ongoing engagement of our girls, and facilitate their learning outside the classroom, is essential. Soft Skills are defined by Slade and Lambert, 2019, as: “fluid and malleable, adjustable, suited to multiple situations and circumstances. They adapt, change, and grow. They morph, are usable and fit (because they are fluid) into every arena. They are necessary for everyone…” St Catherine’s School’s Co-curricular programs from the Early Learning Centre to Year 12, has prioritised the following eight soft skills underpinning our programs: • Resilience, Persistence and Responsibility • Cultural Learning and Global Citizenship • Leadership, Confidence and Responsibility These soft skills are valuable in the journey our girls take as they learn through each stage of their schooling, tertiary pathways, and careers. The variety of Co-curricular choices at St Catherine’s offers avenues for our students to pursue their interests, talents, and passions, whilst finding their place in our community. The journey through these programs supports students with the learning experience through persistence, practice, and failure. The ongoing learning, reflection, and development of skills in a variety of experiential programs through the School’s Cocurricular program provides the development of soft skills. In learning skills and developing knowledge, gaining feedback is a key component of this process. Feedback is what tells you what went wrong, or what went right, and obtaining feedback

can be as simple as gaining information about how well you are performing each time you practice or apply a skill. The Skills Feedback Loop comprises six stages: • Acquire – The acquisition of new skills allows for growth and practice. • Feedback – Gaining feedback from a coach or teacher to understand what you have done well and how you can improve on the skill being learned. • Reflect – Reflection provides the opportunity to reflect on what you have done well and what you still need to do to achieve success. • Feedback • Improve – Continue to practise the skill to continue the learning process. • Feedback It is important to recognise these phases of learning when building skills and knowledge in one area and building on the skills and knowledge learned through a variety of contexts.

This feedback loop is evident in the Co-curricular programs that have occurred throughout the holidays and the start of Term 1. In January, our Rowing Program spent time training on the Yarra and Nagambie Lakes in preparation for the racing season. Our rowers have condensed six months of Rowing training and skills’ learning into a shorter timeframe from November until now. During this time, each rower has received feedback on technical skills that has assisted their performance and boat movement. Many of our Junior School Swimmers enrolled in the H20 Squad programs held over the summer holidays, to gain more time in the pool in readiness for the SSV District trials and competition. Skill development takes time, effort, and persistence, like many good things in life. We must work hard to reach a goal and perform. Preparing St Catherine’s girls for a future that allows for the instantaneous gaining of knowledge through the digital age, requires a complementary set of skills. In each of their goals, gaining feedback and knowledge from their teachers, coaches, and respected others in preparation for their final goal, is a vital skill in life. Mrs Gina Peele Director of Student Programs

Name: Mrs Angela Klancic Title: Head of Mathematics Date: 3 March 2021 Strategic Intent: Academic Achievement

CHAMPION DISPOSITION IN OUR ST C AT HER I N E’S L E A R N ER S

Over 600 players with a range of experience and skills recently landed on our shores and battled it out for the ultimate prize – a Grand Slam title at the 2021 Australian Open. These athletes are classed as highly skilled, passionate, and tenacious professionals within their sport. They can all hit the ball with an elevated level of accuracy and precision. Which begs the question, what sets the good apart from the best? All players, no matter their rank, will say they all spend countless hours practising on court and are dedicated to their sport. Many will argue that the ‘best’ have something ‘special’ in their DNA. This certainly may be true, however, there appears to be more than DNA that sets the best apart from the rest. What makes Ash Barty and Serena Williams so dominant in the women’s draw? Why have the ‘Big Three’ in men’s tennis had such long and successful careers? To answer this, we must also consider what other dispositions the elite possess that develops them into champion players, enabling their performance to stand above the rest. What can we draw from these sportspeople to encourage and inspire in our learners? At St Catherine’s School, our teachers of Mathematics use several pedagogical approaches to enhance understanding, instil confidence and enable cognitive development in each of their students. Indeed, as a tennis player needs a reliable set of skills to be highly competitive on the tennis court, our students need to acquire a strong set of skills and techniques to solve a range of mathematical problems. However, this is only one of the elements that creates a functional mathematician. Students will be asked to tackle familiar mathematical problems, and other problems that will challenge, test, and demand higher-order thinking. Just

like no two tennis matches are the same, no two questions in Mathematics are exactly alike. A tennis player relies on skill, strategy, and experience to respond to the opponent’s attack across the net. The elite tend to also have an incredible ability to think logically under pressure. Therefore, it is important that a tennis player, like a mathematician, adapts and applies skills to overcome the challenges that lie ahead. A student’s ability to dissect, draw out key information when reading questions, and then use a thinking routine or a strategy to attack a problem is essential. Tennis players at the highest level have excellent skills but they surround themselves with coaches, to mentor and guide them. This team will assess and review the player’s technical and tactical performance. Their learning journey never ends. Student performance is also assessed, they are encouraged to take advice and feedback from teachers, and their peers, to consolidate their understanding and improve their skills ready for the next challenge. This also encourages a student to contemplate, reflect and review different processes. It is this very practice that consolidates understanding. Just as a tennis player celebrates what they did well, they welcome the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. The challenge is to keep persevering even when things are not going to plan, and to try and find new ways of solving. Therefore, much like an elite tennis player, the role of our students is to continually develop themselves to operate at their highest level, achieved through continued effort, perseverance, resilience to perfect their craft under the guidance of their teachers. Mrs Angela Klancic Head of Mathematics

Name: Ms Merran O’Connor Title: Deputy Principal, Director of Student Wellbeing Date: 22 April 2021 Strategic Intent: Wellbeing & Leadership

L I V I N G O U R S C H O O L VA L U E S

“Values are things you live by. You cannot “do” nouns. You can only “do” verbs.” SIMON SINEK

2020 was a year that placed a spotlight on how important our personal and community values are. The COVID-19 pandemic caused us to reflect on what we truly value in the face of adversity and uncertainty. The St Catherine’s School Values provided a roadmap for remote learning behaviours, online interactions and the resilience to persist with a sense of purpose and optimism despite the challenges.

the abstract nouns. Justin Kerr, in his article Values are Verbs, questions, “How do you integrity something?’ He concludes that “Core values are not supposed to be a list of dead nouns painted on a wall…values are verbs.” As we move towards the implementation of the new Towards 2025 Strategic Plan, the Values that truly reflect the St Catherine’s School Community are:

Our School Values of Empathy, Gratitude, Integrity, Curiosity and Perseverance helped to guide us through fears, isolation and unprecedented change. The challenges of the past year also enabled us to reflect on how we interpret these Values. It was decided that to more readily align the School Values with tangible actions we would create ‘active’ value statements that guide behaviours as well as ideals. These statements will serve to create shared meaning, relevance and accessibility to the guiding principles for the whole School Community. A School Values Committee was formed, with representation across the sectors of the School. The Committee was charged with establishing statements to ensure that students, staff and community members can easily identify practices, behaviours and beliefs that align with the School Values. Student and staff input was sought and a plethora of lively conversations unpacking the essence of our values ensued. Key factors considered in this process included the need to consider age appropriate language to include the whole community, including students from 3-Year-Old ELC to Year 12. In order to communicate the actions as well as the intent we used active verbs to lend action to

Ms Merran O’Connor Deputy Principal, Director of Student Wellbeing

Name: Mrs Sue Collister Title: Director of Boarding Services Date: 11 May 2021 Strategic Intent: Equip Our Future / Wellbeing & Leadership

HISTORICAL TREASURE

As the School celebrated its 125th birthday on 4 February 2021, it was interesting to peruse the School’s history St Catherine’s – A Centenary Celebration 1896-1996 edited by DE and IV Hansen. This book is an outstanding read for not only those associated with the School but also for those interested in Melbourne’s history. One of the chapters, Leafy Toorak by Sylvia Black, explores the suburb when St Catherine’s moved here in 1922. An aerial view of Toorak circa 1925 showcases the many large estates including Beaulieu (now Sherren House) and Illawarra (our Boarding House) which are still part of the School today. Although most of these large estates have been redeveloped, it is wonderful that St Catherine’s School is the current custodians of two of these historical treasures. A recent discovery by School Council member, Mr John Stevens has located the original gates of Illawarra, at the entrance to Chapel off Chapel on Malvern Road, Prahran. Historical writings state the gates were bought by Stonnington (then Prahran) Council in 1924 when the Illawarra estate was subdivided. The gates were then moved to the entrance to Princes Park (Gadd, 2020). Another chapter titled, Forget the Address by DE and IV Hansen, includes discussions about the life of the boarders. As the authors state, “boarders develop camaraderie in a way day students never can. St Catherine’s has always had boarders.”

Life for boarders over a hundred years ago was much more restrictive – no leave outs to visit friends and no hot water bottles for the winter (or heating). Reading about the lives of boarders sleeping out on open verandas in the middle of winter is so different to the lifestyle of the modern boarder. However, the skills developed by the boarders both over 100 years ago and today remain the same: resilience, integrity, respect for each other, empathy, resourcefulness, and the desire to be included and to make friends. Communication with parents is vital within a boarding community. Modern day boarders stay connected with their families through their mobile phones and the internet. It was not that long ago that boarders relied on postal mail and the weekly phone call home as their only contact. When the recent lockdown occurred in Melbourne during February 2021, nearly all the boarders remained at Illawarra to complete their online learning. It was a privilege to be a spectator to how the boarders quickly adapted back into remote learning and to witness how much they have enjoyed the company of others. Meal times and breaks during the day gave everyone a chance to get off their notebook computers, eat and enjoy some fresh air. Many of the girls went for long walks or runs, or to Toorak Village for a quick shop. Throughout the history of the School, the impact of boarders has continued to be an important part of the fabric of the School and its history. Mrs Sue Collister Director of Boarding Services

Name: Ms Sarah Bethune Title: Head of ELC Date: 18 May 2021 Strategic Intent: Academic Achievement

DEVELOPING THE YOUNG INQUIRING MIND

Young children have naturally curious minds and a yearning to ask lots of questions. They want to know how things work and why things happen. This is one of the ways in which they make sense of their world. Questions are a powerful tool for educators to promote children’s thinking and learning. They exercise their sense of agency and develop complex problem-solving skills by asking questions and having opportunities to explore their curiosities. Within our Early Learning Centre (ELC), we take an inquirybased approach to our curriculum. This captures the children’s spirit of curiosity, creating an engaging curriculum that places the children’s questions at the centre of their learning. Whilst inquiry tends to develop spontaneously as children engage with their questions and ideas, educators plan learning experiences with specific outcomes in mind. The curriculum is therefore responsive and flexible, and can adapt to the children’s ideas and questions. Their learning becomes more enriched, meaningful and contextual. Young children learn best through active, hands-on discovery where they can think, hypothesize, predict, problem solve and discover their own answers. When educators support children to investigate their own ideas, they foster independence and autonomy and promote inquiry and exploration as valuable approaches to learning. Our ELC philosophy acknowledges our belief that children are capable learners, and active constructors of their own knowledge and understandings. This view reinforces the need for experiences that offer children opportunities to pursue their interests and shape their own learning. The child’s sense of agency is promoted with opportunities to make decisions,

and have a voice. This motivates and empowers them as they feel valued, respected, and in charge of their own learning. “Inquiry-based learning provides an opportunity for early learners to develop student voice and agency, as their ideas and interests spark and extend learning possibilities.” Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) The inquiry-based approach is characterised by a depth of learning. Educators scaffold deeper thinking by asking open-ended questions, provoking the children’s curiosity. Questions such as “What do you think…” or “How else could you do this…” challenge the child’s thinking and prompt them to dig deeper with their thoughts. Children typically become absorbed, fascinated and motivated as they explore their interests, and over time, make connections and develop significant understandings. The children’s learning is supported by the educators who use intentional teaching to scaffold and extend the children’s thinking and ideas. There is less transmission of knowledge and more support and extension of the children’s own attempts at understanding. Inquiry is a collaborative process. Children’s learning is enriched when they work with others to solve a problem or investigate an area of interest. Exposure to other ideas and perspectives helps to broaden individual understandings. Within St Catherine’s Early Learning environment, it is our aim to nurture and further develop the inquiring minds of our young learners. In doing this we are fostering life-long skills that will support their learning journey through school and beyond. Ms Sarah Bethune Head of ELC

Name: Ms Melissa Campbell Title: Archivist Date: 25 May 2021 Strategic Intent: Embrace Our Community

CEL EBR AT I NG A CEN T ENA RY OF THE WRITTEN WORD

As St Catherine’s celebrates 125 years of history, one hundred years ago in 1921 a new and significant tradition began with the first St Catherine’s Magazine. The launch of the annual magazine, also coincided with the move to Toorak, and would become the record of School activities, milestones and announcements. The first ever St Catherine’s Magazine, consisting of 12 pages, begins the editorial with: “St Catherine’s Magazine has appeared at last! We have heard so much of it, we began to wonder if it was all “a castle in the air” and would melt into space before we had time even to glance at it. But here it is, and we can actually turn over its pages. Here is our motto! Nil Magnum Nisi Bonum. What does it mean. Do you understand it girls! To love the highest and the best, and never to be satisfied with anything less. Look at our colours. Are they not the very best colours in the world. They are to a girl at St Catherine’s. There is the blue – God’s heaven above us; the yellow – God’s sunlight dispersing all the shadows. Are they not emblematic? High ideals carried out in the joyousness of service.” The Magazine also announced the formation of the Old Girls’ Association (SCOGA) to ensure an enduring connection to the School. The first report goes on to announce:

“We are going to initiate an Old Girls’ Association. We need a good secretary – one who is enthusiastic for her old school and has time for correspondence… Marjorie Beckingsale is pursuing her musical studies at the Conservatorium. Sybil Taylor has only six months to complete the Pharmacy Course. We were glad to see Boo Randall back in Australia. She has had a beautiful time since she left St Catherine’s – first at school in England, then at school in Paris, from there to California to visit her brother, who has an excellent position there.” A poem titled, Miss Langley’s Heaven of a School, is very much like the School we know today listing the dream of a basketball court all chalked out and ready, a hockey field and a library that would hold ‘bout a million books and “The Assembly Hall would come first in good looks.” As a historical document, the annual Magazine serves to preserve our history. Featuring a wonderful array of historical events, the Principal’s Annual Report; calendars of the year; Valete and Salvete lists; team photographs; clubs and auxiliaries; artwork and original contributions of stories and poetry by students. To journey through our library of Magazines, is to take a step back through time. A reminder that while so much has changed, some things very much remain the same. Ms Melissa Campbell Archivist

Name: Ms Karen McArdle Title: Head of Junior School Date: 1 June 2021 Strategic Intent: Academic Achievement

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN LEARNING

The teachers at St Catherine’s Junior School, Barbreck, aim for girls to see themselves as successful learners. But what are the characteristics and classroom behaviours of successful learners and importantly, how do teachers assist this journey in the classroom? Designing a learning environment that is considered safe and ensures the learning is visible encourages girls to think about their role in the process of the learning journey. A safe learning environment ensures girls feel able to take risks with their learning, where the opportunity to make mistakes is welcomed and the environment for learning is respected by all. The old adage ‘we learn more from our mistakes’ is very true. Girls are encouraged to explore, to be curious and to try new things. As students transition through the Junior School, the opportunity to study more complex investigations requires a curious mind to pose questions and respond by researching answers. Encouraging girls to explore answers to questions without always being provided the answer immediately, makes for a better learner, one who can think more deeply, consider more carefully and make decisions based on sound, researched information. Visible learning in the classroom is evident when students understand what they need to know, this is commonly referred to as the Success Criteria. A teacher who ensures

clarity and encourages students to clearly articulate what it is they are learning and the standard to which they need to demonstrate are great examples of Visible Learning. As such, a Barbreck teacher will also ensure clarity is provided at the beginning of each lesson with an explanation of the Learning Intention and what success will look like for the girls. Encouraging girls to see themselves as a learner supports their understanding of self and how they can optimise their learning. As teachers, we encourage such behaviours that are effective for successful learners, thus aiding students to be purposeful and engaged in the learning process. In our Barbreck environment, students are encouraged to ask questions, seek clarity when confused, attempt tasks before seeking assistance, articulate what they need to succeed, know they can improve, and appreciate feedback as assistance to improving. The Barbreck personalised approach to student learning ensures the best academic care for our girls, that supports each student at their own level, and provides guidance and a learning framework to enable progress. We hope to always nurture their curiosity so they can confidently participate, explore, investigate and solve – all of which make for successful lifelong learners. Ms Karen McArdle Head of Junior School

Name: Mrs Vicki Marinelli & Ms Julie West Title: Head of Arts & Media Teacher Date: 30 July 2021 Strategic Intent: Academic Achievement

I N T ER PR E TAT IONS OF LOCK DOW N

Some of the most poignant images of the COVID pandemic emerged from St Catherine’s Media Studies classes, as students explored the societal impact of the lockdowns.

culture on media productions, the way women, men and race are represented and the way media in general is created and consumed from a legal perspective.

In 2020, Year 10 students investigated the genre of documentary photography, exploring their restricted five-kilometre world, capturing the isolation and the impact on families and work.

The study of media is broad and reasons for studying it can include:

VCE student Alice Menzies King re-wrote her Media film when she could not assemble her cast due to restrictions. The resulting film Stage 4 is a poignant and often funny reflection of how the pandemic affected her film making. Media teacher Ms Julia West provides an insight into Media as a subject and why students have the depth and capacity to approach challenging themes such as the pandemic.

• Enjoyment of media production and mastery in the skill. • Creating a folio for interview-based courses featured at many universities. • Passion for psychology and sociology and investigating the impact of ‘outside forces’ in our lives – the media being one of them. • Strong interest in economics and financial markets, with media organisations some of the biggest and most successful companies in the world.

Julia West: “The study of Media is a relatively new area of academia. The development of the subject is influenced by the disciplines Sociology and Psychology, as well as Economics, the Law, and the Humanities in general.

• Desire to study law and to learn about the tensions between governments, business and the legal frameworks employed to navigate issues such as privacy, copyright, and regulation.

Early in the 20th century, Sociology researchers began to see a trend whereby people were attracted and influenced by what they viewed in the media. Interestingly, in the study of Media, the audiences are also known as consumers, with the premise that we are not just looking at media images and productions but consuming them as well. Media affects the social fabric of society and is more than just an art form or entertainment, it is also a lucrative industry.

Past Media students from St Catherine’s School, have transitioned into a wide range of university studies including Criminology at ANU, Law at Deakin and Monash and Professional Communication at RMIT. Others have entered Media and Communications at RMIT and Deakin, Fine Art Painting at VCA, Design at Monash, Film and Television at VCA, Photography at RMIT and Arts at Melbourne to name a few. These courses range from ATAR entrance scores to folio interviews. In each case St Catherine’s alumnae have gained the appropriate skills and knowledge required for their tertiary pursuits from our Media Studies subjects in the Senior School.”

When students study Media, they do not just construct a series of photographs or create a film. They also study the effects of the media on our lives, the global media markets, media regulation in Australia, the effects of

Current Year 12 student, Zara Carter is interested in a career in the media, with plans to study Film and TV courses. Zara loves the opportunity film making provides her to guide audiences through narratives – transporting the viewer into another world and evoking different emotional states. Zara is fascinated by how and why the media constructs and reflects reality and, how audiences engage with, consume, and produce media products. She is also curious about how current technologies such as social media, have created a landscape in which anyone can be a viewer, producer, and influencer of media content. Zara’s VCE short film, examining the complex relationship between a father and daughter, along with other Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 Media products, will be exhibited during the St Catherine’s School 125 Art Show from 10 to 15 September in the Senior School Hall. Mrs Vicki Marinelli & Ms Julia West Head of Arts & Media Teacher

Name: Ms Sarah Bethune Title: Head of ELC Date: 6 August 2021 Strategic Intent: Wellbeing & Leadership

BUILDING RESILIENCE

All children will experience obstacles and challenges as part of their everyday lives. Resilience is the ability to bounce back when these challenges or setbacks occur. It is important children begin to develop resilience from a young age, as it builds their confidence and helps them to feel more prepared for the next time, they encounter a challenge. Young children build resilience over time and with experience. “Building resilience helps children not only to deal with current difficulties that are part of everyday life, but also develop the basic skills and habits that will help them deal with challenges later in life, during adolescence and adulthood.” Beyond Blue When things do not go well, children can feel anxious, sad, disappointed, afraid, or frustrated. Resilience helps them to understand these uncomfortable emotions do not last forever and they can work through them. Relationships are integral to building resilience. Strong, positive relationships with family and educators help children to feel safe, secure, and loved. This sense of security provides the child confidence to explore their world and recover from any setbacks they may experience. Children learn resilience through experience. Each time they overcome a problem, it builds their confidence and skills to manage the next challenge. Resilient children are often more willing to try, even if things do not go the way they had hoped. They have the confidence and problem-solving skills to work their way through a range of different situations.

Here are some examples of how children can build resilience:

Encourage Independence Provide your child time and space to solve problems for themselves. Avoid predicting and preventing problems for your child as you will be denying them the opportunity to learn and grow. Ask questions and bounce the problem back to the child, then brainstorm solutions together. Children will demonstrate how competent and capable they can be when given the opportunity.

Identify, Acknowledge and Manage Emotions Help your child to identify and manage their emotions. Talk to them about how they are feeling and acknowledge those feelings. For example, “It’s okay to be feeling sad because we can’t visit Grandma now. What could you do to tell Grandma how much you miss her?”

Promote a ‘Can Do’ Attitude Encourage your child to have a go or try again when they think they cannot do something or, when things do not work out the first time. As adults we need to promote the importance of trying or “having a go” and acknowledge the child’s efforts.

Embrace Mistakes It is important children understand it is okay to make mistakes and that it is how we learn and grow. This should be modelled and promoted with young children. Our aim is to promote a growth mindset.

Promote Healthy Risk Taking

Role Model Resilience

It is important for young children to experience a healthy level of risk. They need to experience what it feels like to step outside their comfort zone. This might include trying an activity or skill they have not previously tried, interacting with new people, or trying out new play equipment at the playground.

Role model how you respond to challenges. When your child sees you adapt because something does not go to plan, or let frustration go, or display a positive attitude in a challenging situation, they learn they can do the same.

Promote Optimism Optimism and resiliency go hand in hand. Optimism can be nurtured in young children. Your conversations and questions can help support the child to see the positives in situations rather than becoming fixated on the negative.

Encourage Problem Solving Skills If your child talks to you about an issue that has occurred during their day, rather than giving them solutions, ask them what they could do or who they could talk to about this problem if they encounter the same thing again. Through encouragement you are providing your child strategies and a plan for how to handle similar situations in the future.

These are some of the strategies our educators utilise in our Early Learning programs at St Catherine’s to support the development of resilience in the children. By working together, families and educators can best support resilience building in the children and, ensure they are well-prepared for any challenges they may face in their everyday lives. Ms Sarah Bethune Head of ELC

Name: Mr Robert Marshall Title: Deputy Principal, Director of Teaching and Learning Date: 6 August 2021 Strategic Intent: Academic Achievement

I N V E N T I O N F R O M M O T I VAT I O N

Who does the vacuuming in your household? In my house it is me. I love doing this domestic task although, perhaps many would consider it a chore. I used to regard vacuuming with a level of dread but, then we bought a Dyson! This little cordless and lightweight marvel transformed a once thankless task into a joyful one (for me). I enjoy vacuuming so much that my wife thinks I am somewhat obsessed by it. Maybe I am a bit weird, but I genuinely love using this beautifully designed piece of modern engineering. It is just plain fun to use. Sir James Dyson, the creator of the Dyson vacuum cleaner and a host of other household products, started from humble beginnings. Now, his company is a multi-billion-dollar global behemoth manufacturing 30 million products per year. Oddly enough, Dyson is not a qualified engineer. He trained as a designer at the Royal Academy of Arts and in an interview with The Australian last week he says, “I’m an ordinary person. I didn’t even do science at school and yet here I am developing new technology.” He goes on to say, “I don’t want young people to be put off by what their education has been, or what people have told them they are, because actually, they can do whatever they want to do, provided they are motivated.” Dyson has just released the book, Invention: A Life, in which he encourages young people to take risks, be resilient, pick themselves up off the floor when things go wrong and to possess the courage to commit and jump in when things go right. An interesting element of the memoir is where Dyson explains the continuing ‘snobbishness’ he encounters about his non engineering and manufacturing background.

Dyson in effect, highlights a famous analogy written in an essay by C.P Snow in 1959, The Two Cultures, where Snow argues that the intellectual life of western society was divided by science and humanities. Effectively Snow establishes there are two cultures of thought which created a major handicap in solving the world’s great issues. Snow explains the division in a most elegant way: “A good many times I have been present at gatherings of people who, by the standards of the traditional culture, are thought highly educated and who have with considerable gusto been expressing their incredulity at the illiteracy of scientists. Once or twice, I have been provoked and have asked those present how many of them could describe the Second Law of Thermodynamics. The response was cold: it was also negative. Yet I was asking something which is the scientific equivalent of: Have you read a work of Shakespeare’s. I now believe that if I had asked an even simpler question – such as, what do you mean by mass, or acceleration which is the scientific equivalent of saying, can you read? – not more than one in ten of the highly educated would have felt that I was speaking the same language. So, the great edifice of modern physics goes up, and the majority of the cleverest people in the western world have about as much insight into it as their Neolithic ancestors would have had.” Snow’s influential essay, even though it was written more than 60 years ago, still resonates. Lawrence Kraus writing in the Scientific American laments the cultural divide “that separates two great areas of human intellectual activity, science and the arts still exists.” Kraus writes, “Snow argued that practitioners in both areas should build bridges, to further the progress of human knowledge and to benefit society.”

In recent years there has been an emerging focus on STEM in schools and the need to improve the scientific literacy amongst our graduating students. At St Catherine’s we have also been focused on encouraging and supporting our students in STEM. A most recent example has been moving our Science curriculum in Year 10 to disciplined based semester long courses. This enables students to study the equivalent of two years of Science in Year 10 if they choose this pathway. We are currently exploring the learning offerings within our School, particularly in Years 5 to 9 and how we can further enrich STEM within the curriculum. While Science is an important feature of our curriculum, we are mindful of the need to ensure we have a balance of intellectual offerings. We must do this so our students have an intellectual bridge between the “two cultures,” so in the future, our students can further the progress of human knowledge and society. Dyson has managed to bring art, design, and engineering together and create extraordinary devices that have changed the world. Must dash, I have some vacuuming to do! Mr Robert Marshall Deputy Principal, Director of Teaching and Learning Reference: www.scientificamerican.com/article/an-update-on-cp-snows-two-cultures/

Name: Michelle Carroll Title: Principal Date: 10 August 2021 Strategic Intent: Wellbeing & Leadership

B E N E F I T S O F G I R L S O N LY

This week, I was interested to read fresh research from the UK concluding that girls who attend single-sex schools are generally more confident and emotionally in control than girls attending state and independent coeducational schools. AQR International’s ‘Mental Toughness’ Report also indicates the COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated gaps and differences that already exist between students – with girls who are mentally tougher having an advantage when dealing with the pandemic – compared with girls who demonstrate less confidence and emotional control. Chief Executive of AQR International, Mr Doug Strycharczyk, shared this research with school principals in the UK, commenting these findings will have significant implications for much of the UK’s population, during and after the pandemic. Strycharczyk’s research demonstrated that girls who attend single-sex schools are more effective at dealing with challenge, opportunity, stress and pressure and less likely to be anxious or depressed. Undoubtedly, developing young people’s mental toughness is an investment made towards creating a more resilient society of the future, one that is capable of managing new challenges with a positive outlook.

The Report adds to a growing body of research which speaks to the resilience of students who attend all-girls schools. Earlier this year, the Mission Australia’s National Youth Survey 2020 found girls at single-sex schools fared better than the national average during the pandemic. From our perspective at St Catherine’s, this is an extremely positive demonstration of the power of all-girls schools and reveals the impact of single-sex schooling on girls’ confidence and emotional resilience. It serves to reaffirm the decision made by parents and highlights that grit and resilience are characteristics of girls in our School. This also further validates the emphasis we place on a strong wellbeing program highlighting the School Value of Perseverance. Certainly, providing a learning environment where girls are free from gender-weighted scrutiny and are encouraged to take risks, be competitive, challenge gender stereotypes and associate failure as a part of their learning all contribute to their mental toughness and will benefit them both at School and in life beyond the Heyington Gates. Michelle Carroll Principal

Name: Ms Merran O’Connor Title: Deputy Principal, Director of Student Wellbeing Date: 13 August 2021 Strategic Intent: Wellbeing & Leadership

C OM PA S SION A N D C R E AT I V I T Y C OM BI N E IN COMMUNITY SERVICE

Our time on campus has taken on a new and precious tenor this year. A sense of community has never been more important, both at School and in the wider community. Reflecting on the past weeks, the strength of our community has been very evident. St Catherine’s students and families have reached out to volunteer, donate and participate for the greater good. Community service events and activities have highlighted both the power of individuals and the impact of teamwork. Combining their passion for creative writing, the Years 7 and 8 English Honours classes formed two teams and took part in the Write a Book in a Day competition. In addition to raising funds for The Kids’ Cancer Project, this initiative promotes literacy, collaboration and creativity. The students were given ten hours to write, illustrate, and submit a storybook targeted to a youth audience. The completed books were uploaded to an online library to give access to children undergoing treatment in hospitals across the country and have also been included in the Barbreck and Nicholas Library fiction collections. Challenges such as these build empathy and social awareness, as well as giving the students the opportunity to develop life skills such as teamwork, problem-solving and leadership. Through gaining sponsorship for the writing challenge, the students raised funds for vital medical research into childhood cancer. Christine Chi, a member of the Year 8 Right2Right team, shared her enthusiasm for the activity saying, “The best thing about doing this is that

you get to do something you love, knowing it is going to a good cause. I also enjoy collaborating with my friends.” The Fight MND cause is close to the heart of Year 10 student Mietta Passon, who raised, not only community spirit, fun and laughter, as students delighted in dunking teachers, and even the Principal, but over $10,000 to go towards research to help find a cure for MND. The Big Freeze ‘Dunk a teacher’ initiative was part of Mietta’s Dark Blue Leadership Diploma, which encourages Year 10 students to plan, facilitate and lead a community event or activity. Similarly, the CF Walk, initiated by Year 7 student Kari Prendergast, enabled Kari to pursue a cause that is close to her heart to raise awareness and funds for Cystic Fibrosis research. All Years 7 and 8 students participated in the walk on Monday 2 August. The ‘One Day, Two Futures’ Giving Day campaign provided an opportunity for the whole community to come together to contribute to the St Catherine’s Hardship Fund. The generosity of the community raised funds to cover the tuition fees for two future students whose families would otherwise not be able to afford a St Catherine’s education for their daughters. In keeping with the goals of the Towards 2025 Strategic Plan, our School fosters a sense of student agency, adherence to the Values of Integrity and Empathy and a strong sense of service engagement and endeavour. Ms Merran O’Connor Deputy Principal, Director of Student Wellbeing

Name: Ms Sarah Bethune Title: Head of ELC Date: 20 August 2021 Strategic Intent: Academic Achievement

S T E M I N T H E E A R LY Y E A R S

Young children are naturally curious and have an innate desire to explore the world around them. When they explore their surroundings in a hands-on manner, this ignites questions and a need to investigate. This habit of questioning and trying new things lays the foundation for learning in early childhood and continues through the children’s lives. STEM, is the exploration of the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. These areas of learning are incorporated into the early learning program both in a planned and naturally-occurring way. They are also interconnected as children explore these disciplines in a multi-modal manner. Incidental opportunities for the children to engage in STEM learning occur on a daily basis. The discovery of a butterfly in the garden can lead to a conversation and investigation into life cycles. Collaborative block building can become an engineering exercise as the children problem solve the height, weight, angles and balance of their building. An interest in the prehistoric world can be explored through research on the iPad. Play with natural materials and loose parts can lead to a mathematical experience in counting, sorting and classification. Although STEM experiences can occur spontaneously within the classroom program, there are also experiences intentionally planned by our Early Learning educators. In St Catherine’s Early Learning Centre, our STEM learning experiences are linked to the children’s current projects and inquiries. When undertaking an inquiry into volcanoes,

educators may plan a science experiment for the children to learn and experience how a volcano erupts. An investigation into the elements of winter may involve the children experimenting with melting ice and learning about liquids and solids. Opportunities for digital research are facilitated by educators and linked directly to the children’s current investigations. As an extension of our classroom STEM learning, the children in our 4-year-old classes also have opportunities to connect with the STEM Lab in St Catherine’s Junior School and our STEM expert, Mr Luke Russell. Through our ‘Step into STEM’ program the children have been able to extend their classroom learnings by experiencing a range of connected STEM experiences in the Lab and access STEM-specific equipment and resources. The children have begun exploring simple coding using the Beebots. They will also have the opportunity to engage in STEM experiences enabling them to explore the concepts of virtual reality, construction/ engineering, electricity, sustainability and more. Learning in the area of STEM occurs daily in our ELC through the children’s observations, explorations, investigations, experimentation and play. The children are naturally curious and amazed by the discoveries they make. This sparks a desire to investigate and a genuine love for learning. “All the world is a laboratory to the inquiring mind.” MARTIN HENRY FISCHER

Ms Sarah Bethune Head of ELC

Y E A R 12 CO - C A P TA INS’ F I N A L A S S E M B LY S P E E C H E S 2 0 2 1

LUCY CAMPBELL This time last year, Cece and I delivered our first speeches as School Co-Captains to the Class of 2020, where the rest of you watched on a screen from your Form Rooms. In these speeches we acknowledged the strength and resilience of that cohort, and we were truly in awe of how they carried themselves throughout such a treacherous, and unprecedented year of COVID and online learning. Yet, here we are, a year later, and we reflect on a year that really does not seem much different from last. But I do believe it would be inadequate to speak about this year as if it were the same as 2020, as this year has come with its very own unique challenges that we have all had to endure. Where we have had to persevere and truly draw upon the St Catherine’s spirit to get through.

spirit. We are strong in kindness, in empathy and in warmth. And I believe all our successes this year could not have been achieved without this sustaining force. But what makes us empathetic, kind, and warm? It is our persistent ability to show up and support one another. It is our continuous effort to get involved. And it is our unwavering generosity. This year we have all demonstrated this support more than ever in small and big moments. Whether you went down to support our athletes in Rowing or Football, by cheering along on the sidelines. Whether it was going to online class 1a 1b when it would have been easier to stay in bed. Whether it was simply doing the dares and House challenges presented to you by the Year 12 Cohort that made us feel connected to everyone. Or whether it was turning your microphone on to sing happy birthday to your friend on Teams. Every single action of support this year has helped everyone endure. Especially to the Year 12 Cohort, every individual action has helped the entire team finish this marathon of what we call VCE.

However, it is the disappointment and sense of loss we have felt over the past two years that makes this moment so special. The moment where our entire School – teachers and students alike, are sitting in our Hall as one. One group of strong individuals who have survived and conquered over these past two years.

Whether it be reassuring one another in the Common Room that we are all behind in work. Wishing each other good luck for SACS. Constantly posting polls on the Facebook page to decide on themes for events that may or may not happen. Or simply just playing some music in the Common Room to boost the spirits.

Whilst COVID tried its hardest to shut us down, and keep us physically distanced, the strength of a global pandemic just does not stand a chance against the St Catherine’s

Overall, it has been the strength of our Cohort to band together in the good times and the bad. Standing with each other as lockdowns are announced and running together

to celebrate the end of our schooling. We truly are a team who have worked together and carried each other through. Throughout the past two years, the generosity of our teachers has really shone. Throughout Learn@Home, all our teachers have truly been forced to merge their school and personal lives together, as we impose on their homes through a screen. To say we are incredibly grateful for your support and warmth throughout such a tough year would be a gross understatement. You have made yourselves available every hour of the day for us, whether that be responding to our emails at 10:00pm at night or calling us on Teams on the weekend to help us with content. Everything you have done has not been overlooked and especially from the Year 12 Cohort, we say thank you. And of course, our School spirit is not isolated to those who walk through the Gates daily. It is also radiated and upheld at home through our families. All our families have watched on for two years of online learning, and undoubtedly have empathy for us. For me, I know that my family’s constant support and presence is what helped me through. Although they were reluctant at times, they would always sit down and listen to me recite countless speeches and listen to me ramble the entirety of all my subjects’ content enthusiastically, to the point where I am sure all of them could sit my exams and write out exactly what I had preached – from the Ottawa Charter Action Areas in Health to the definition of sovereignty in global. Thank you for supporting my every endeavour throughout my entire schooling. For driving me to Tennis and Choir in Year 7 or picking me up from Debating after School when I could have just walked home. And even in these last two weeks, now that exams are over, thank you for constantly trying to help me find clarity in my jumping thoughts of what I am going to do next year, thank you for embracing my stresses. Thank you for facilitating my last-minute enthusiasm, including making my cut-up School dress until 11.00pm the night before I needed it. But most of all, thank you for giving me the

greatest gift I could ever ask for, and that is sending me to St Catherine’s. Where we can all agree I have truly made the best friends for life, have had the most extraordinary teachers, and have been given the platform to feel comfortable in myself and pursue whatever my heart desires. Thank you And finally, to the person who embodies the St Catherine’s spirit the most, my partner in crime, Cece. Cece you were the first person I sat next to on my first day of Year 7, and whilst we did not say much, your simple “hi” really did stick with me and immediately made my first day a lot less daunting. Whilst a simple hello does not seem like a lot, it really does reflect Cece’s inclusive nature and how she is genuinely one of the kindest people you will ever come across. Cece you are smart, kind, and funny, and everyone in Year 12 and this School would undoubtedly agree with me in saying that we all wish we were a bit more like you. This year I have genuinely enjoyed writing speeches last minute with you on FaceTime, and always going for the default combined speech. You keep me organised and on track, always reminding me where we need to be and what I need to get done. But not only have I enjoyed being Co-Captain with you this year, I have loved being your friend for the past six. You will always be one of my best friends and it feels fitting that on my last day of school today, I sit next to you, truly completing my journey here. So overall, at St Catherine’s we are a family. A family of Year 12 girls who have each other’s backs, no matter what. We are a family of individuals, from ELC to staff, who would do anything to help each other out. And we are one huge community that can never be broken. Whether you are receiving an Award or celebrating the end of the academic year, we all have something to be proud of. We have all been daring and caring in our actions this year. What we have achieved is not a single effort, it is a testament to the strength of our School and the support and warmth that it radiates within it. So, thank you St Catherine’s, thank you for everything.

CLEMENTINE (CECE) NEWTONBROWN

ruckus of “yeah Scotts,” the two other crews began calling out “yeah Loreto,” and it was quite funny because we all had a shared wavelength where we thought, “no way, let’s make more noise than them,” and we all cheered more, and tapped the boat, which quietened down the other crews.

It is great to be back and speaking to you for my last time. As it is my last speech to you and the last time the Year 12s will be in this Hall with you, I wanted to do something special with them.

Not only was it the unity of The Scott that stuck with me, but it was also the way, within 30 seconds of our ruckus, we were all ready to race, and we raced as one. Here at St Catherine’s, we have all endured devastating losses and victorious wins in Sport, but the wonderful thing is that no matter the result, we always come out the other side better off, having learned something. This is testament to the network of support we have, of our parents watching our games, or the other girls cheering us on. Sport at St Catherine’s is unlike any other school, and because of this I am so happy that I was able to experience it in my time here.

So, Year 12s, throughout my speech we will be playing ‘never have I ever’, so using one hand, please put a finger down accordingly and I will check back in on the game at the end of my speech. But before that, I would just like to say how glad I am that Lucy and I were able to provide a last address to you all in person and say thank you to everyone involved with making that possible. So, to start off, Year 12s, put a finger down if you have ever competed in a GSV (Girls Sport Victoria) sport against another school. This experience is something I wanted to touch on because Sport at St Catherine’s has been a pivotal part of my school life and development. Whether it is the long Tennis games in the sun, or cold winter mornings for Hockey, every sport at St Catherine’s has impacted me for the better. Most notably, Rowing from Years 8 to 12, has taught me the value of commitment and the strength of comradery. It was not any medal at a regatta that led to this, it was the hours training and the offthe-water relationships with each of the girls. My favourite memory from my season this year was when my crew, The Scott, rowed up to the 500m final at Nationals and we had two Loreto crews either side of us. As we started our usual

Okay, next up, put a finger down if you have ever been white water rafting on camp. The camps at St Catherine’s are unmatched – to me, every camp has been a chance to become friends with girls you would not necessarily be friends with beforehand. There is something about making your own food and doing it rough that forges new relationships, or the neardeath experiences that bind us all. I still vividly remember dramatically leaning out of my raft, extending my paddle to my partner who had fallen into the river, like it was a life-ordeath situation. And how one of us fell onto our cooking fire in her wetsuit and another got a leech in her eye (both are completely fine by the way). But I bring these up to remind you that it is not the long hikes that you remember, camps are not there as a strictly physical exercise, it is the memories with old and new friends that stay with you. The most amazing thing about camps is that every time you return, your cohort becomes more unified as one, and for my class, we felt that most after Fiji in Year 9. Camps are so underrated, and I wish I could go on another one now. So, enjoy any that you have coming up and make the most of every activity there.

Okay, put a finger down if you have ever been nervous on stage. Yeah, I was about five minutes ago, but the great thing is that here, St Catherine’s both enables and supports stage fright. We are given so many opportunities to feel nervous, whether that is Debating, Public Speaking, performing in a musical or a play, or simply performing in Drama class. Whether you like it or not, you always learn something from nerves. When I was in Year 8, I was at the Gala Concert in the orchestra playing Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker and it sounded amazing, but I was so nervous that I was going to make a mistake and somehow the audience would be able to deduce that it was my violin that had played the wrong note among all the instruments. So, as later pointed out by my sister who sat at the back of the Hall and could see me, I was air playing, just moving my bow up and down, hovering above the strings. Afterwards, I came to the obvious realisation that I had not done enough violin practice. But more importantly, I did not get in trouble or scolded for not playing and that is what was so special, that when we are given these opportunities to feel nervous in front of a lot of people, whether you are amazing or completely flop, there are no consequences. Here we are given the opportunity to fail and consequently the opportunity to grow, which is something that should not be shied away from. All right, put a finger down if you have ever had a teacher go out of their way for you. This one is one of the defining factors of St Catherine’s. We undeniably have the best teachers ever. Not only have they been resilient and inspiring over the past couple of years, but it is the little things they do that really amaze me. Offering to Teams call on the weekend or during their holidays, and always going the extra mile to make sure we understand concepts, are just a couple of examples of how your support has been invaluable to us.

A couple of examples are, one day I was feeling a bit down and Ms Cortez brought me chocolates to cheer me up, or Ms Gunn motivating our Year 7 Water Polo Team with Haigh’s, and of course Mrs Matt giving us chocolates and biscuits after our SACs. And yes, the instances I remembered all centred around chocolate, but it is what the chocolate represents rather than the actual food, it is the encouragement and support. I know I am not alone when I explain how the teachers go beyond for us, and they are the backbone of St Catherine’s, so I would like to extend a thank you to all the teachers for your never-ending support. Finally, put a finger down if you were part of the best cohort ever (girls you should all be putting down a finger). I would like to give a shout out to the Class of 2021, this year, even with all the difficulties, has still been my favourite year with you yet. The chats in the toastie lines at lunch or spares, where we took a well-earned break and had a chat – I will never forget. I am so proud of each one of you. I am proud to say that I was a part of this Cohort, so thank you for a wonderful year. And while we are here, could you all please hold up your hand with how many fingers you have left so everyone can see…not only was this game a snippet of our time here, but this is what is to come for you all in the coming years. It is what we are celebrating today, the sporting, creative and academic achievements and the diverse range of opportunities open to you at St Catherine’s. I thoroughly encourage you all to take advantage of these opportunities. I know it is said every year, but time really does fly. You only get to do school once, and so I implore you to get involved and dare to take up all these opportunities. Before I leave, I would like to say thank you to my Co-Captain, Lucy. Thank you, Luce, for being my partner on this journey,

although I did not appreciate them in the moment, the Sunday night FaceTime calls, where we would smash out a speech and the way you had me fix your collar every single time we would go on stage, is special to me. I am continually inspired by you, your tenacity and, although you will not admit it, your pursuit of perfection. It has been a blessing to experience this ride with a close friend, so thank you for all we have done together this year, I have enjoyed every moment of it. And to my family. My siblings, Gretel, and James, thank you for your undivided support this entire year, your guidance this year has been invaluable, and thanks for picking up the slack by doing my share of the dishes. And Mum and Dad, I genuinely do not think I could have more loving, generous, and dedicated parents. You have been on this roller coaster with me for 18 years and I would like to say a huge thank you, especially for this year. I am so lucky to have such a great family who have cared for me so persistently and kept me on the right track all the way to the end, I love you all very much. Finally, thank you to all of you, it has been such an honour and privilege being one of your School Captains this year.

Name: Michelle Carroll Title: Principal Date: 23 August 2021 Strategic Intent: Academic Achievement

EDUC AT ION, T HE W E A PON TO CHANGE THE WORLD

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” NELSON MANDELA

Following the COVID-19 pandemic and its unprecedented global disruption to education, UNESCO estimates 11 million girls may never return to school. This is on top of the already staggering estimation that 65 million girls around the world were not already in school prior to COVID-19. It was with great unease and sadness that I watched the coverage of the unfolding situation in Kabul. The disruption of political order has caused profound fear amongst women and their families living in Afghanistan, adding to the humanitarian disaster with 900,000 people already displaced in the past 12 weeks. The dichotomy of experiences evident for young women across the globe, has not been lost on us. This week at St Catherine’s, we congratulated six Year 11 students on their selection to the 2022 Student Executive. These young women are harnessing leadership and advocacy opportunities within our School, guided by our Towards 2025 Strategic Plan, and in particular, our student leadership agenda ‘Use Your VOICES,’ which enables our students to explore and discover their own leadership capacities. This is in stark contrast to the violation of human rights the world fears for the women and young girls of Kabul today. Undoubtedly, the gains made by Afghan women over the past 20 years, particularly in education, employment and political participation, are under grave threat.

The Washington Post reported this week on a girls’ school hidden deep in the concrete wall maze of central Kabul. The seniors of the all-girl Zarghoona High School keep one eye on their homework – and the other on the Taliban’s growing territory. Zarghoona students of the Class of 2021, are too young to have experienced the Taliban’s brutal years in power, but they are old enough to understand what they have read in history books. Many of them took their midterm exams last month ahead of graduation later this year, a rite of passage into an increasingly uncertain future. “We share the same thoughts, jokes, plans and even future careers,” said 17-year-old Belqees Niazi. “We want to enjoy our teenage years. We motivate each other. We make each other laugh.” Education can be a powerful weapon to change the world. It is one of the greatest resources the world has to offer. Unfortunately, young girls and women, half of the world’s population, are rarely given the same opportunities as boys to learn, study and succeed. Of the 774 million people who are illiterate around the world, two-thirds are women. There are 33 million fewer girls in primary school than boys. Education is essential for human development; it is the most enduring capital you can provide a child. Despite our own discomfort during online learning, the boredom of our 5km radius and frustration with the lack of clarity around our own city in the forthcoming weeks, I encourage every student, supported by their families, to treasure every day of learning this term.

Remember how fortunate and privileged our students are to have a laptop and a dedicated teacher on every Teams call to guide them through their academic programs. With the extension of COVID-19 restrictions, I encourage our girls to re-set for a two-week lockdown period, lean-in to learning and challenge themselves to be the best they can be. 65 million girls are not in school today. We have an obligation to ensure our next generation of leaders have a voice for all girls who are not in school, today, tomorrow and well into the future. Michelle Carroll Principal References: www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/08/10/afghanistan-girls-education/ https://en.unesco.org/news/girls-education-and-covid-19-newfactsheet-shows-increased-inequalities-education-adolescent

Name: Mr John Tolantous Title: Director of ICT Date: 3 September 2021 Strategic Intent: Equip our Future

AI DETECTS COPYWRITE OF MOON

As a technology trailblazer I am all for the advancement and evolution of the planet we currently inhabit. Earlier this year I wrote a hard-hitting thought-provoking Blue Ribbon piece demystifying the – umm – myths surrounding artificial intelligence (A.I.). For some, A.I. is a new evil. Hollywood director James Cameron and his The Terminator movie franchise have a lot to answer for – establishing the unfortunate stigma bested upon A.I. For those of you born post 1990, The Terminator is a science fiction action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cyborg assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whose unborn son will one day save mankind from extinction from hostile artificial intelligence. Pretty cool movies but it is not what A.I. is designed to do – extinguish the Earth. No doubt you read my previous article and now know A.I. is changing the way we live, making tasks that we do today easier and more efficient than ever before. However, A.I. is still evolving and does not always get it right. Last week, I came across a fascinating blog from a site I frequent, dedicated to copyright law. Hey, do not judge me, lockdowns are doing strange things to me! The blog detailed a story about Facebook blocking a video of the moon because it breached copyright. Sounds weird? Read on. British filmmaker Philip Bloom recently filmed the moon in Greece. After sharing it on social media, he was surprised when the video was blocked due to a claim by Universal Music Group, claiming copyright to the generic shots of the moon.

Being a budding photographer myself (which you would also know if you read my other Blue Ribbon pieces), Bloom shot the footage on his Sony Alpha 1 mirrorless camera using a Sony 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM lens, but that detail is not important right now, and has no relevance on the story. I simply mention it for others like me who are interested in photography equipment. Now, let’s get back on track. Soon after the video was uploaded to Facebook, Bloom was met with a notice stating, “your video is blocked and cannot be viewed in 249 locations.” The reason for the block? There was a copyright infringement claim by Universal Music Group, the global music corporation. The A.I. system used by the social media giant detected the moon video as a copyright breach. Apparently the “video matches 30 seconds of video owned by UMG.” If you did not know, many social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter use artificial intelligence systems together and machine learning to scan and check every post and content for copyright, fraud and other breaches of laws in countries that allow these social media platforms. “I uploaded some shots of the moon to Facebook earlier last year, shot with the Canon R5 but it was only a picture of 2/3rds of the moon,” Bloom said. “It looks like their (Facebook) A.I. is looking for full moon shots.” Many A.I. adversaries will say this is a failure in the technology. A.I. simply did not work because how can anyone have copyright of the moon? I would have to agree. I am baffled by the fact that a simple shot of the moon could be flagged for copyright infringement. How can UGM own licensing rights over the moon? But it does raise questions about the A.I. being used on Facebook… unless they actually have bought the moon?

Upon further research I discovered that UGM claimed copyright of a music video which contained a short video of the moon in the music video. UGM did not copyright the moon, just the video. The Facebook A.I. system was doing what it was programmed to do – detect copyright claims. It just so happens that the programming algorithm was at error. Here is another fun fact – at St Catherine’s we utilise A.I. in our Learning Management System to detect plagiarism and copyright in work students submit online, with the program Turnitin. Just so we don’t hurt anyone’s feelings we prefer to call this a “similarity’ check. The A.I. scans the submitted work in real time and searches a database of the internet for the original source and author. The submitted work is then allocated a “similarity” percentage score. This score informs the teacher how much of the work submitted was ‘copied’ from the internet. As you can imagine this is a powerful tool for teachers.

As an experiment I submitted this article through Turnitin to demonstrate how much of this article I copied from the internet. Admittingly, I took some quotes from the blog source for my article. I will credit the blog below for transparency’s sake. So, what is the end result? How much of this writing piece was copied from the internet? I know how excited you are to find out so let’s not tease this out any longer. Drum roll please (insert rolling of the tongue sound here)… my plagiarism score is 7%. Now, the real question here is; did I pass or should I be blocked? But I know what you are really thinking – John, for goodness sake, get a life! Mr John Toulantas Director of ICT Reference: https://petapixel.com/2021/08/26/umg-seems-to-think-it-copyrighted-the-moon/

Name: Ms Karen McArdle Title: Head of Junior School Date: 8 October 2021 Strategic Intent: Wellbeing & Leadership

COURAGEOUS GIRLS

It is difficult to describe the many emotions our girls have experienced over the past two years. It is also difficult to list the many ways in which they may have changed. However, there is one thing I have noticed – the girls always show courage. Courage is defined as ‘the ability to do something that frightens oneself’. As a teacher and school leader, I see our girls exhibit courage every day. I have seen girls with little knowledge of devices become experts, girls not fully understanding some of the work being covered but forging ahead with determination, and girls experiencing challenges due to isolation and lack of contact with friends but making sure they are onscreen every day for their lessons with a smile (even though they may not be smiling on the inside). This week, I saw courage demonstrated when groups of girls from Prep through to Year 4 became “expert panellists” for our St Catherine’s Junior School Orientation Mornings, held to welcome our incoming 2022 students.

As panellists, the girls responded wonderfully to the questions asked from the 2022 students. These young girls demonstrated such courage working within this situation as they did not know what to expect, did not know many of the questions they would be asked, they were online and away from their teachers and they were in a situation where they were being spotlighted in a very public way. I congratulate all the girls involved – whilst they were a little nervous and apprehensive of what might happen – they showed great courage and forged ahead! While the Fearless Girl statue in New York is designed to drive a conversation about elevating women in corporate roles, it has become a message for girls around the world to be fearless when facing challenges, as our girls in the lower years are demonstrating already, daring to be courageous. Ms Karen McArdle Head of Junior School

Name: Ms Merran O’Connor Title: Deputy Principal, Director of Student Wellbeing Date: 12 October 2021 Strategic Intent: Wellbeing & Leadership

R E S P E C T, R E F L E C T A N D C O N N E C T

The importance of respect, reflection and connection have shaped wellbeing and mentoring conversations across St Catherine’s School in 2021. While we have been very focussed on the need to maintain connection, particularly during lockdown periods, we have also ensured we do not overlook other essential aspects of our Academic and Wellbeing Programs.

The School Values of Integrity and Empathy promote care, kindness, character and responsibility. Rights and Responsibilities also frame the St Catherine’s Student Charter and student agency is fostered in the Use Your VOICE program. VOICES is an acronym for Voice, Ownership, Inclusion, Compassion, Empowerment, Strength, all qualities equipping young women to find their voice and be heard.

The ability to reflect is an imperative ingredient to emotional and academic growth and is practised in both the Wellbeing sessions and the Academic Advisory sessions. The process of reflecting on School involvement and learning has been formalised through the inclusion of the Student Reflection on the Semester Report.

These attributes are particularly important given the media spotlight shone on the critical social issues of harassment, sexual abuse and non-consensual behaviours, resulting in the need for systemic change. St Catherine’s School’s Wellbeing Team and the Health Faculty have combined this year to establish a ‘Consent Strategy’ to ensure our students are empowered and informed in an age-appropriate manner.

Reflection underpins the Academic Advisory sessions to encourage student ownership of their learning and facilitate student agency. A focus this semester has been mapping the independent learning journey for each student. While the Independent Learning Tutorials are specifically timetabled in Years 10 and 11, the attributes of independent learning are taught across the School. Academic Advisory sessions provide students with an integral touch point with their tutors to ensure each student’s academic journey is monitored and supported. The House tutors use current and historical academic and learning behaviour data to support students with goal setting and a targeted approach to their organisation and study skills. Respect remains a key aspect guiding young people’s moral compass and is essential to all interactions, including developing friendships and maintaining respectful relationships.

The importance of connection, social support and friendship for young people cannot be underestimated and the ongoing bouts of separation from friends can take its toll. The Wellbeing Program has swiftly adapted to ‘lockdown mode’ when students have been remote learning, to ensure level meetings provide a fun, relaxed and interactive opportunity to relate to peers. Trivia competitions, scavenger hunts, re-creation of an album cover, photo competitions, along with many other group and individual challenges have boosted student spirit and ensured smiles all round, albeit onscreen. House Tutors and Heads of Year have conducted ‘wellbeing check-ins’ as a reminder that we are here to support. Ms Merran O’Connor Deputy Principal, Director of Student Wellbeing

Name: Ms Karen McArdle Title: Head of Junior School Date: 12 October 2021 Strategic Intent: Academic Achievement

A MODEL OF ACADEMIC CARE

This year, our Barbreck Strategy was released in conjunction with the School’s Towards 2025 Strategic Plan. This Strategy defines a unique and exceptional focus on the journey of the ‘whole child’ within the warmth and care of the Barbreck environment. This focus encompasses the development of young minds and embraces a carefully crafted academic program and a personalised approach that recognises and nurtures every Barbreck girl’s ability and potential – academically, physically, socially and emotionally. Underpinning this Strategy is the design of the Barbreck Teaching Model that establishes a culture of classroom practice empowering every girl to engage in their own personal learning journey. Understanding that every learning journey is unique, and a ‘one size fits all’ approach does not necessarily capture the strengths and challenges of every classroom member, the Barbreck Teaching Model is designed to, ultimately, recognise differing rates of learning and the varying capabilities of each student. The greatest strength of the Barbreck Teaching Model is a teacher’s knowledge of each students’ learning journey. This Model defines a level of academic care that requires teachers to enhance student learning, wellbeing and resilience and to embed these in every classroom experience. Our Barbreck teachers know how each girl learns, their personality, their pace of work, their concerns, their levels of confidence and importantly, their interests. In shaping the Barbreck Teaching Model, the implementation of the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) has been adopted in every classroom. This pedagogical approach is defined by teacher-led instruction, providing modelling, scaffolding and guidance of students through to independent practice. This approach enables

teachers to build every students’ confidence with their learning and at all levels of their academic journey. Through a learning cycle of assessment, targeted differentiation, reflection and timely feedback, each girl is provided a safe and supportive environment to enable them to academically thrive. Defined by a collection of academic data, individual learning plans are tailored to suit each girls’ pathway with the instructional level personalised to enable growth and academic development. St Catherine’s School’s 2021 NAPLAN results again reveal our strengths across our Literacy and Numeracy programs and provide evidence to the success of the Barbreck Teaching Model introduced in 2019. Suffice to say, even with the COVID-19 lockdowns endured, our Barbreck NAPLAN data demonstrates considerable growth in the academic performance of our current Years 3 and 5 students. These results remain similar to 2019, when NAPLAN was last conducted, and when Barbreck students were placed as the top performing school in the region – compared to local independent and government schools. Indeed, our Junior School is an exquisite environment for young girls to build their confidence as learners and to enjoy every day at School – exploring their strengths through our comprehensive academic programs and within the warmth of Barbreck’s pastoral care. Over the course of the past two years, we have learnt much about our capacity to deal with change. We have also understood with a sense of wisdom, the capacity of our students. Indeed, they are significantly more independent, resilient and motivated than we have ever given them recognition for in the past. Ms Karen McArdle Head of Junior School

Name: Michelle Carroll Title: Principal Date: 15 October 2021 Strategic Intent: Exemplary Staff

AN ODE TO THEIR EXPERTISE

I have always loved that schools are noisy places, girls laughing, balls bouncing, and the odd squeal of delight when something funny has clearly occurred. I position my desk at the window so I can take in the view of the action normally happening, and the girls often give me a wave as they stroll past. With the return of our VCE girls this week, several teachers have also commented on the change in sounds – like me, they all share a sense of excitement at the re-awakening of our St Catherine’s campus. Further to my anticipation of the full return to campus by all our students, I have been keen to investigate research undertaken more globally about the impact of COVID teaching, and how this knowledge can assist in shaping our response more broadly as a school. Most notably are the stories of angst about the marked effects of the pandemic on the social and emotional health of children and teenagers. The negative and strong emotions of anxiety, frustration, surface motivation (just doing the work) and boredom are clearly referred to on a regular basis in our check-in phone calls with parents. So, to are they reported in the media – with calls to the government on the emerging mental health crisis in a generation of young people and adults. One of the world’s leading educational researchers, Professor John Hattie, has presented his latest research studying the impact of COVID in schools in his paper: An Ode to Expertise: What have we learnt from COVID and how can we apply our new learning.

Hattie’s Research Paper highlighted studies into student wellbeing pre, during and post lockdown. Hattie’s meta-analysis of research undertaken from across the world revealed, relative to baseline, the average depression scores in adolescents went up, and wellbeing went down during lockdown. However, on previous occasions, students have ‘snapped’ back to pre-COVID levels when emerging out of lockdown and back to regular schooling. Our Head of Year 12, Mrs Tracey McCallum and Deputy Principal, Ms Merran O’Connor, individually met with every Year 12 girl to ascertain their level of wellness upon their return to School this past week. Our heightened level of academic care and emotional support, together with the quite simple “are you okay?” question, hopes to provide a platform to land as the girls’ step towards the forthcoming exams. In one study highlighted by Hattie, the effects of adolescents’ feelings of isolation pre and during COVID learning, showed results that adolescents were not overly concerned with the impact that COVID-19 was having on their education or their health. Research found students are most concerned about friendship issues during lockdowns. A need to return to Co-curricular activities on campus, and soon, I believe, is necessary for all children and teenagers. It is the joy of the social interactions that occur when playing sport, rehearsing musicals, and singing in choirs that provides a vehicle for creating the feeling that ‘you belong’ and is critical to their social and emotional health. Whilst St Catherine’s holds dear the blue-ribbon connection and our unique student-teacher partnership is held in

high regard, COVID schooling lifts in the teacher’s mind an increased need to check on their students’ emotional and social health. Implemented on Mondays in the Senior School is a ‘high-five’ wellbeing check-in conducted with girls by House Tutors. The check-in is a subtle and careful screening process to flag students for further follow-up by specialists, such as our School Psychologists, or simply a second conversation with Heads of Year. Our Barbreck teachers, working with their girls for greater lengths of time, also undertake the wellbeing checks throughout the day. It was soon discovered that teaching online reduced the surveillance capacity to ensure students were ‘doing’ the work, usually observed whilst walking around the classroom and peering over shoulders. COVID teaching required a switch to more of a triage approach – listening to where students were, what they were struggling with and providing feedback as ‘where to go next,’ making the lessons more like a short story with a beginning, a middle and end. Pivotal to each lesson is a need to be clear about what success looks like as they start a series of lessons, considering the efficiencies as well as effectiveness of lessons.

Adopting the Goldilocks principle of challenge (not too hard, not too easy, and not too boring), combined with the integration of social and emotional health in every lesson, are some of the key learnings from COVID teaching. Australians have experienced many disasters such as fires, floods, and cyclones. Once again with COVID, there is much evidence of resilience, getting on with solving problems and looking after and helping each other. Educators have continued to show these attributes during COVID times, hence Hattie’s research title, An Ode to their Expertise. Hattie calls to all communities to “honour their expertise, their care and investment in every student and to applaud the excellence of educators. Along with nurses and doctors, teachers are among the true heroes of COVID.” Michelle Carroll Principal Reference: J Hattie, 2021. An Ode to Expertise: What have we learnt from COVID teaching and how can we apply our new learning? Paper presented at the Victorian Education State Principals Conference, August 2021.

Name: Mrs Ceri Lloyd Title: Head of English, Project Leader – Senior Years Learning Model Date: 22 October 2021 Strategic Intent: Academic Achievement

DISRUPTING THE NORMS TO TRANSFORM LEARNING

“The Literature teacher in me contemplates the broader philosophical view that in life we are always thrown challenges that seek to define us. The crisis of Covid-19 allowed St Catherine’s School to enact powerful change and the momentum is well and truly building in this era of disruption,” explains Mrs Ceri Lloyd in her research article Disrupting the Norms to Transform Learning. An abridged version below outlines how St Catherine’s turned disruption into the Senior Years Learning Model. “Real change takes place in deep crisis, you will not stop the momentum that will build.” (Andreas Schleicher, 2020, Director for Education and Skills, Special Advisor on Education Policy to the Secretary-General OECD) The “deep crisis” came in the form of Covid-19, a pandemic none of us could have predicted which created the catalyst for significant educational change and reform. Educators recognised the necessity to shift their educational delivery and pivot quickly into a remote learning environment. St Catherine’s Learn@Home program in 2020 saw the students develop greater adaptive expertise and growth in their learning and wellbeing. The program pointed the way forward for implementing a change in educational practice at the School. We knew we wanted to create a form of hybrid learning that breaks down the traditional walls of teaching, providing the right mix of all learning possibilities in blended online and offline environments and, can prepare students for a world where knowledge is not fixed, ensuring the development of lifelong skills and enabling them to thrive in a rapidly changing world. (Mahat, 2020)

Our research and consultation demonstrated the need to embrace the benefits of both face-to face teaching and online delivery. Most importantly, we needed to create a model that enhanced student agency by giving students choice, self-direction, independence and ownership in their learning. The learning model had to meet key objectives including; flexibility through asynchronous delivery, reinforcing student learning by reviewing content, more choice and autonomy and developing independence in their learning. We wanted students to control the pace of their learning, develop problem solving skills, creativity and engagement. Consultation was conducted with various tertiary institutions where it became clear universities were going to continue remote learning and online lectures/ tutorials. The findings showed this sector would not shift back to full time on-campus learning and students would have choice in their future modes of delivery. Furthermore, career pathways and changes to workplaces reflected that remote work would become a feature of future employment. These changes created a dialogue on the possibilities and the preparedness of senior students for post school study and employment. Schools could not afford to revert back to their traditional delivery of lessons if they wanted to effectively prepare students with the character and competencies for life post school. In 2021, St Catherine’s introduced the Senior Years Learning Model in Years 10 to 11. A hybrid model facilitating both face-to-face learning and asynchronous Independent Learning Tutorials (ILTs). Courses are delivered as a combination of 10 synchronous face-to-face lessons on campus, complemented by a program of ILTs.

Masterclass lectures have become key components of the ILTs. Focusing on the concepts, content or skills relevant to subjects. The Masterclasses require students to view, listen and engage with a range of multimedia and independent study. A key benefit of the Masterclass is the opportunity it provides students to consolidate, review, revise and replay lectures, allowing for deeper learning in each subject. Students engage with a suite of lectures on texts on historical context, views and values as well as skill development on the various essay types. Problem solving strategies are developed through working through mathematical equations, responding to analysis questions or listening to lectures in another language that students maybe studying to consolidate oral language skills. The more practical subjects like the Arts and Physical Education have embraced instructional videos on how to cut a lino print, construct a stage set model, plus short vignettes on visual diary annotations and game strategies in matches. The ability for students to self-pace lectures and tutorials to suit their own learning style and review as many times as they need has become a key feature of the Learning Model and has enriched student learning. Ongoing professional development and support is provided to all teachers, enabling them to trial various approaches. Discussions on the Learning Model have led to heightened professional collaboration and critical thinking for teachers across Faculties. Accessing and learning how to use the most effective digital technologies has been a significant focus for teachers in the development of the Masterclasses. Recently, our data analytics has allowed for student tracking to see when students are accessing the Masterclasses and how often.

Most importantly, this Model has improved our professional development program in Teaching for Thinking, a pedagogical approach that maximises student outcomes, optimises the efforts of teachers and integrates a number of critical educational concerns. Pedagogical imperatives are developed around shifting the focus from knowledge to enquiry, thinking and planning in the language of student cognition and working collaboratively where thinking can be shared. (Ellerton, 2020) The Senior Years Learning Model has built on the Teaching for Thinking learnings and allowed teachers to develop lectures and tutorials that focus on student cognition allowing students to adopt critical thinking and values of enquiry. Six months since its implementation, the Learning Model is being consistently evaluated – using student and staff surveys and data – to inform changes and ensure the best learning opportunities for students. Targeted student interview groups, consultation and communication to parents has been a consistent part of the process. Importantly, we have found students understand the rationale for the introduction of this Model. They see it as “building on the positives of online learning, responding to university reality, creating flexibility to take control of their learning and to have less reliance on teachers.” They also understand the benefit of the Model as they comment they are learning, “how to prioritise, manage work load, study independently, engage with active learning not passive, and it is setting them up well for careers after school.” The implementation of this Model has created a unique partnership between students and teachers, learning collaboratively. Furthermore, students have a voice and agency over their learning and

offer suggestions for further improvement – a crucial aspect to developing the Model further. A testament to the impact of any new educational reform must be that it offers positive student outcomes – empowering them in their learning and preparing them for post school life. I conclude with comments from a Year 10 student. “Through the asynchronous learning structure, the ILT’s have enabled us to develop an entirely new set of skills that we otherwise wouldn’t have had access to and can apply to all aspects of our learning – both in class and during ILTs. The integration of the ILT’s has taught students to look beyond the obvious solution and has allowed us to utilise and develop different methods of learning. Through the focus on working independently, students have both learnt and developed new learning techniques and skills in which we are able to gain more confidence in our own learning abilities. However, most importantly, I believe that the ILT’s prepare students for life beyond the classroom, they allow us to utilise skills that will be necessary in university, future careers and ultimately, for the rest of our lives.” Mrs Ceri Lloyd Head of English, Project Leader – Senior Years Learning Model References: Ellerton, P. (2020) Teaching for Thinking. A short introduction to critical thinking pedagogies. The Centre for Critical and Creative Thinking. Mahat, M (2020). Transforming schools for a whole new world. From https://www.unimelb.edu.au/professional-development/ insights/society/Transforming-schools-for-a-whole-new-world

Name: Ms Alison Cassidy Title: Visual Communication Design Teacher Date: 22 October 2021 Strategic Intent: Exemplary Staff

IN MY CLASSROOM

This year has once again been turbulent for many of us. It has prompted a revisit to sudden changes in our lives. For me personally, I used the opportunity to extend my professional practice, with the intention of enhancing my students’ learning. Each year I reflect on my teaching and ask myself ‘what does successful classroom pedagogy look like, and have I achieved this’? Most years the response differs slightly, however over the past two years, on reflection, there has been significant growth. The past two years have provided new challenges for every teacher. We have been forced into a whirlwind of online learning without warning, and from this a new phase of teaching has emerged. The teaching model as we currently know it has shifted. Therefore, my teaching pedagogy must do the same. In line with the times, I have re-invented my classroom. Whilst, my classroom has always been far from the ‘traditional’ setting, I constantly challenge myself to explore new and creative teaching tools, now, my classroom is a blend of face-to-face and digital teaching strategies. St Catherine’s School’s Senior Years Learning Model (SYLM) is exemplary in its framework for providing flexible learning models for all students to take control of their learning. In the Visual Arts Faculty, the Masterclasses, and Independent Learning Tutorials within the SYLM are

utilised as stepping stones to further students’ learning and provide deeper knowledge of the topics explored. When a student enters my learning space, they have a multitude of options to cater to their individual learning needs. Students receive face-to-face teaching instruction, along with practical demonstrations in conjunction with scaffolded learning through structured steps on the mystcatherines portal. Each unit of work has a combination of written, visual, and video prompts to guide and assist students through their own creative process. The aim is to ensure every student excels in my classroom. Whether you are a visual or sequential learner, I have witnessed success both in student engagement as well as academic achievement through our SYLM framework. Visual Communication Design is a place for students to explore and develop their creativity, critical thinking, and reflectiveness. Students who are independent and willing to step outside their comfort zones thrive within this subject area. My classroom will foster a love of 21st Century teaching styles and nurture in students the skills to navigate their own learning, preparing them for the world and challenges ahead. Whilst COVID has disrupted the world as we knew it, it has also challenged us to reflect and reassess. I am proud that my students, St Catherine’s School, and myself will be better for it. Ms Alison Cassidy Visual Communication Design Teacher

Name: Mr Robert Marshall Title: Deputy Principal, Director of Teaching and Learning Date: 29 October 2021 Strategic Intent: Academic Achievement

ACADEMIC EXTENSION CHALLENGES STUDENTS

Designing and implementing a school learning program which caters to the needs and interests of all students is a challenging exercise. Learning is not a process where ‘one size fits all.’ At St Catherine’s our students come from a variety of backgrounds and have an equal variety of interests inside and outside the classroom. Our teachers are experts at developing learning programs which are interesting, engaging and will stimulate the intellectual curiosity of our girls. However, ensuring this always occurs, for all students, is quite a stretch, even for our team of highly talented and skilled teachers. It is well known in education circles and indeed ask any parent, that boredom for a bright teenager is a very real and common experience. The most academically able students can often feel a lack of challenge, disengagement from a class, and downright boredom, when the learning being asked of them is too easy and lacking the right challenge and /or complexity. When a task is pitched at just the right level of challenge, we often refer to this as the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). This was first described by renowned psychologist Lev Vygotsky. Put simply, the ZPD refers to the “difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner.” For our high achieving students, a regular class may at times, fail to match their ZPD. In my previous Blue-Ribbon article Being in the Zone, I wrote about the concept of flow, developed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. It is a state of mind in which a person becomes fully immersed in an activity. The activity needs to be at just the right level of challenge or complexity relative to the skill or ability level of the participant. The diagram above demonstrates the concept. The educational

implications of this are clear. Provide learning experiences which are too hard, the learner will not cope. Provide opportunities which are too easy, and boredom will soon appear. For a learner to be in a state of flow or in the ZPD, the task needs to match a learner’s ability with the set task or challenge. Not too hard, not too easy, it must be just right. It might be described as a Goldilocks zone. At St Catherine’s, we want to ensure all our students are provided with learning opportunities which stretch and challenge their thinking. In Years 7 and 8 we have developed the Honours Program which caters specifically to a select group of our high achieving academic students. A small group of students are selected, based on academic performance and results of benchmark testing. Students can be invited to attend Honours classes each week in one of English, Humanities, Science and Mathematics classes. The program takes students beyond the normal classroom curriculum and challenges them with more demanding and intellectually enriching material designed to stretch their thinking. This year for example, the Year 7 students in Science Honours, have been studying Hooke’s Law (Fs = -kx for the scientifically minded) which examines the theory of elasticity. Classes have examined this concept and the teacher, set the task of constructing a catapult and performing experiments, including examination of acceleration and how varying surface area affects the flight of a paper plane. Pushing the girls’ thinking to an even deeper level, the class analysed their results using techniques that are vital at VCE, such as data tables and graphing in Excel. With guidance from Mr Brown, the girls were able to find the gradient of a graph, find the R2 values to evaluate how good their data was and examine trendlines, again useful skills at VCE level. Not the usual Year 7 Science subject matter at all.

In Humanities Honours, the teacher has taken the students on an adventure in History exploring the life of Cleopatra in Ancient Egypt. The class examined a range of primary and secondary sources which you do not see in your standard Year 7 History texts. The students were required to evaluate the reign of Cleopatra rather than merely being required to remember some key dates and events. By contrast, the students to use a detailed template that consolidated the expertise and experience needed of VCE students in terms of the vocabulary and skills required to write well in History. The focus has been for the students to see history through the lens of an historian and write at a complex level to gain deeper understanding of the world around them. These two examples of the Science and Humanities Honours programs are typical of the approach in the Honours classes at Years 7 and 8. The girls are stretched and challenged in their thinking. They are required to think deeply. This capacity to engage in Deep Work as described

by Cal Newport (who is currently Provost’s Distinguished Associate Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Georgetown University and author of the acclaimed book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World) is “the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task.” This is an essential skill and disposition all students need to succeed academically. While every student is supported to reach their individual potential in our classes, whether they are in the youngest of Year levels right through to Year 12, we must also ensure we enrich and extend the thinking of all students, including our most academically able, so they are never, ever bored. Our challenge as teachers, is to ensure they are in a state of flow as often as possible.

Mr Robert Marshall Deputy Principal, Director for Teaching and Learning

Name: Ms Lyn Zarifis Title: Head of Global Pathways Date: 29 October 2021 Strategic Intent: Co-curricular Opportunities

G L O B A L PAT H WAY S O F F E R GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES

Establishing our Global Pathways and Partnerships program is at the heart of our Values at St Catherine’s School. Our Global Pathways and Partnerships Program provides our students with global opportunities and experiences. It provides a vital platform to deliver our School’s commitment to equipping our students with Integrity, Empathy, Curiosity, Gratitude and Perseverance. Our Global Pathways and Partnership Program is multifaceted, incorporating our School’s commitment to maintaining and broadening worldwide connections and partnerships to offer our students global opportunities and experiences. In doing this, not only do our current students benefit, but future students, parents, teachers, and all those who work and engage in the St Catherine’s community. Through our experiential Global Programs, our students gain the skills necessary to perceive and act appropriately and responsibly within varying cultural and environmental contexts. Connecting with people from diverse cultures and within different environments provides our students with the abilities to interact on both an intellectual, as well as emotional level. Through our immense and varied programs, students are exposed to many aspects of the world. These include: • Adventure programs such as the Duke of Edinburgh Program, the New Zealand Expedition and The Tasmania Expedition, where students engage with the natural world, learn physical skills, and gain a sense of the world around them.

• Service projects such as Heyington to Highlands and World Challenge, open students’ worlds to lifestyles vastly different to their own, within cultures experiencing food insecurity, limited schooling opportunities and limited health support. These projects operate to instil the idea of establishing passion for action, empathy, and gratitude in our students. • Our Language Exchanges to France, Japan and Italy encourage students to immerse themselves in another way of life, living with local families and attending a local school, enables them to see the day-to-day nuances of different customs, learning and respecting cultural subtleties. The Exchanges also highlight to students the similarities people from around the globe can have. • Exchanges within Australia, the UK, USA, and Canada see the students live with a local family and attend a local school for an extended amount of time. This lends itself to establishing long-term friendships and an in-depth understanding of other countries, local people, and local concerns. St Catherine’s School is hoping to expand this program through membership of the Round Square Organisation. • Our Academic Programs including the Visual Arts Program, the Ocean School Marine Biology Program, NASA Space Camp and Global Young Leaders are once-in-a-lifetime experiences, where students learn by being and doing. What better way to experience marine life than being immersed in the Great Barrier Reef with Marine Biologists as your teachers or gaining a sense of different political systems through the Global Young Leaders’ Program.

Our Global Pathways and Partnership Program extends to inviting and hosting students within St Catherine’s through our Study Tour Program. Although this has been hampered by the pandemic, we hope to establish relationships with schools around the world, providing students from around the globe an experience of our School, our culture, our hospitality, and our friendship. Instilling in their students the values we hope to instil in ours. My favourite word in the English language is wanderlust, meaning “an innate desire to travel.” For me, this word means more than just a desire to travel and explore the world.

It means to explore yourself, to experience, understand, investigate, establish gratitude, empathise, question, establish a drive to want to do more and then give back. To understand we are part of something bigger, to see world issues through other people’s eyes and respecting that, being able to debate and discuss issues in an intellectual and informed way. Real growth occurs when we are out of our comfort zone. Wanderlust is the perfect word to define our Global Pathways and Partnership Program. Ms Lyn Zarifis Head of Global Pathways

Name: Ms Liv Cher Title: Head of Year 7 Date: 12 November 2021 Strategic Intent: Wellbeing & Leadership

THE QUIET TIME

The return to school has been a joyous time for many students, parents and staff alike. The roses surrounding the St Catherine’s Fountain encapsulate the renewal of life within our School grounds. Our campus is finally, once more filled with the familiar chatter, rekindling of friendships, Sport, Drama and Music and classrooms of curiosity, persistence and learning as it was before. Whilst there is a sense of joy within our School, it must be noted that at times the pivot has not been easy for everyone. The higher-than-normal screen time in lockdown has overstimulated some brains, making it difficult for us to focus at times. The looming assessment period can also be a challenge and balancing act, along with the change in routine being a jolt for some. Reacquainting old friendships post lockdown, and the idea of not always knowing what comes next in the pandemic, can be a cause for anxiety. In addition, our students continue to face a globalised world where family, schools and media compete for their attention, providing their minds with stimulation, but also generating expectation. Globally, there is an increased pressure for students to succeed at school, and as such, self-imposed expectations to meet these standards can be a cause for stress in students’ lives (Hagen & Nayar, 2014). Not only does this affect students’ mental health and wellbeing, it can have impacts on their level of achievement at school (Hagen, 2009). When talking about mindfulness, it is important to note that results from the Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing show adolescents (15 to 18 years) are the most likely to suffer from a mental disorder (AIWH, 2007). More recent data from the Australian Adolescent Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing found anxiety disorders are the most common form of mental disorders in children aged 12 to 17 years (AIWH, 2020). It showed

young women were more likely to suffer from anxiety and depressive disorders than their male counterparts. To improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes for our young, it is imperative students have a balance of life, wellness and mental health. This should include a healthy relationship with their family, peers and teachers. They must have the ability to self-regulate mentally, emotionally and behaviourally (Hagen & Nayar, 2014). To achieve this, the development of resilience is key. Our young people have the capacity to function as an agency for their own wellness, in partnership with their friends and family. However, they rely on the environment set by society to create the potential for this. In her presentation on, Supporting Young People in the Covid Normal, earlier in the year, Dr Charlotte Keating highlighted the need for “relaxation and quiet time.” This builds perspective, empathy and gratitude. Two practices that research has shown to improve outcomes in these critical areas are mindfulness (Walsh & Shapiro, 2006) and yoga (Khalsa SBS, 2013). Mindfulness is a self-regulation practice focusing on training awareness and attention to enable a person greater control over their mental processes. By fostering calmness, concentration and clarity, it has been found to improve mental health and wellbeing (Walsh & Shapiro, 2006). Importantly, it decreases rumination, promotes metacognitive awareness, improves working memory, and increases concentration (Chambers et al., 2008). The practice of mindfulness reduces stress, decreases anxiety (Hoffman et al., 2010) and alters people’s ability to emotionally regulate (Farb et al., 2010; Williams, 2010). Studies show that those who practice mindfulness have an increased ability to focus

their attention and supress distraction (Moore & Malinowsky, 2009). It leads to a decrease in emotional reactivity (Ortner et al., 2007) and an improvement in cognitive flexibility, that is, the ability to disengage automatic pathways and react in the present moment. It also develops the part of the brain that formulates adaptive responses in stressful situations (Cahn & Polich, 2006; Davidson et al., 2003). Yoga is a practice that uses postures, hand poses, breathing techniques and meditation to regulate breathing, develop selfawareness of the body and relax the mind (Haygen & Nayar, 2014). Studies have shown that yoga in schools assists young people in improving mood, resilience and self-regulation pertaining to stress and emotions (Khalsa SBS, 2013). It helps to facilitate student well-being, and positive social interactions. The increase in focus and concentration can lead to better academic performance (Kauts & Sharma, 2009). Importantly, it can guide relaxation, eradicating the fight or flight sensation caused by sensory overload (Vempati & Telles, 2002).

back to this stillness in the lead up to their examinations. In explaining her thoughts on mindfulness meditation to the Year 7s, 2022 School Co-Captain, Maddie Powell said that this is “a tool I use throughout each week to selfregulate and take the time to focus.” She recommends the Calm app, for those who are keen to try it at home. In conjunction with the mindfulness meditation sessions, it has also been pleasing to note the inclusion of a Yoga offering in the Co-curricular program. Again, led by our School Co-Captain Maddie Powell, this is open to all students in the Senior School. Whilst this began in the online space of Microsoft Teams, it has now shifted to take pride of place in the Sherren House Ballroom on Friday mornings. Those seeking some inner calm and focus are encouraged to attend. Ms Liv Cher Head of Year 7 References

At St Catherine’s School, led by the 2022 Student Executive, Summer Balla-Kellett, Ciara Jenkins, Arabella Llewelyn, Eloise Rudge, Madeline (Maddie) Powell and Angela Yu, our Year 7 students have been taken through mindfulness meditations in Wellbeing this term.

Hagen, I., & Nayar, U. S. (2014). Yoga for children and young people’s mental health and well-being: research review and reflections on the mental health potentials of yoga. Frontiers in psychiatry, 5, 35.

This stillness brought them into the present moment. It slowed their stimulation to a clear focus and prepared them for the challenges of the day. These meditations will continue throughout Term 4, where the baton of leadership for the mindfulness sessions will be handed over to Year 7 students.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2020). Mental health. Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/mental-health

Some of our younger girls shared that it felt “strange, but calming.” Some reported feeling the shift in their mood, and some a shift in their focus. Many of the Student Executive commented it was incredibly powerful for them to be taken

Hagen I. (2009). The role of new media technologies and the internet in the promotion of mental health of children. Thematic Conference: Promoting of Mental Health and Well-Being of Children and Young People – Making it Happen, Stockholm (p. 32–8). Swedish National Institute of Public Health.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2020). Health of young people. Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/ reports/australias-health/health-of-young-people Walsh, R., & Shapiro, S. L. (2006). The meeting of meditative disciplines and western psychology: A mutually enriching dialogue. American Psychologist, 61(3), 227–239. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.61.3.227 Khalsa, S. B. S. (2013, January). Yoga in schools research: improving mental and emotional health. In Invited Presentation at the Second International Conference on Yoga for Health and Social Transformation.

Chambers, R., Lo, B. C. Y., & Allen, N. B. (2008). The impact of intensive mindfulness training on attentional control, cognitive style, and affect. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 32(3), 303–322. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-007-9119-0 Hofmann, S. G., Sawyer, A. T., Witt, A. A., & Oh, D. (2010). The effect of mindfulness-based therapy on anxiety and depression: A meta-analytic review. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 78(2), 169–183. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018555 Farb, N. A. S., Anderson, A. K., Mayberg, H., Bean, J., McKeon, D., & Segal, Z. V. (2010). “Minding one’s emotions: Mindfulness training alters the neural expression of sadness”: Correction to Farb et al (2010). Emotion, 10(2), 215. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019263 Williams, J. M. G. (2010). Mindfulness and psychological process. Emotion, 10(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018360 Moore, A., & Malinowski, P. (2009). Meditation, mindfulness and cognitive flexibility. Consciousness and Cognition: An International Journal, 18(1), 176–186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2008.12.008 Ortner, C. N., Kilner, S. J., & Zelazo, P. D. (2007). Mindfulness meditation and reduced emotional interference on a cognitive task. Motivation and emotion, 31(4), 271-283. Cahn, B. R., & Polich, J. (2006). Meditation states and traits: EEG, ERP, and neuroimaging studies. Psychological Bulletin, 132(2), 180–211. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.2.180 Davidson, R. J., Kabat-Zinn, J., Schumacher, J., Rosenkranz, M., Muller, D., Santorelli, S. F., ... & Sheridan, J. F. (2003). Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation. Psychosomatic medicine, 65(4), 564-570. Kauts, A., & Sharma, N. (2009). Effect of yoga on academic performance in relation to stress. International journal of yoga, 2(1), 39.Vempati & Telles, 2002).

St Catherine’s School 17 Heyington Place Toorak VIC 3142 Telephone +61 3 9822 1285 Email info@stcatherines.net.au www.stcatherines.net.au CRICOS 00574F ABN 90 004 251 816

The Thinking Agenda 2021

Articles inside

Ms Liv Cher The Quiet Time

Ms Lyn Zarifis Global Pathways Offer Global Opportunities

Mrs Ceri Lloyd Disrupting the Norms to Transform Learning

Ms Alison Cassidy In My Classroom

Mrs Michelle Carroll An Ode to Their Expertise

Mr Robert Marshall Academic Extension Challenges Students

Ms Karen McArdle A Model of Academic Care

Ms Merran O’Connor Respect, Reflect and Connect

Mr John Toulantas A.I. Detects Copywrite of Moon

Mrs Michelle Carroll Education, the Weapon to Change the World

Ms Merran O’Connor Compassion and Creativity Combine in Community Service

Mrs Michelle Carroll Benefits of Girls Only

Ms Sarah Bethune STEM in the Early Years

Lucy Campbell Clementine (Cece) Newton-Brown Year 12 Co-Captain Final Assembly Speeches 2021

Mr Robert Marshall Invention from Motivation

Ms Sarah Bethune Building Resilience

Mrs Vicki Marinelli & Ms Julia West Interpretations of Lockdown

Ms Karen McArdle Student Engagement in Learning

Mrs Sue Collister Historical Treasure

Ms Merran O’Connor Living our School Values

Mrs Michelle Carroll 125 Year Foundation Day Service Address

Mrs Gina Peele Where Girls Thrive

Ms Sarah Bethune Developing the Young Inquiring Mind

Mrs Angela Klancic Champion Disposition in our St Catherine’s Learners

Ms Melissa Campbell Celebrating a Centenary of the Written Word