St Catherine's News - Autumn 2023

Editorial Mrs Jodie Naismith

Design Ms Ruth Gavin

Cover Photo House Arts 2022

and Senior School staff and SCOGA (St Catherine’s Old Girls’ Association)

It is important for every girl to identify that she has the power to be the change we wish to see in the world, with the potential to make a difference within our local community and beyond.

MICHELLE CARROLL, PRINCIPAL

For the second consecutive year, St Catherine’s School is the number one girls school in Victoria.

From the Chair of Council

On behalf of St Catherine’s School Council, I congratulate our Class of 2022 for their remarkable efforts as a Cohort, achieving a median ATAR of 92.5 and median Study Score of 37. Congratulations also to 2022 School Co-Captain, Angela Yu who achieved a perfect ATAR of 99.95. We acknowledge Angela as St Catherine’s School’s 2022 School Dux and Paula Chen as our 2022 Proxime Accessit to the Dux.

Woven through every aspect of St Catherine’s School – from our academic programs, co-curricular offerings, teaching pedagogy and community spirit is the appreciation for the intrinsic link between emotional wellbeing and personal success. We know confident and resilient girls thrive.

To ensure our girls are Bold, Independent, Resilient and Creative it is essential they have opportunities to discover their unique passions, capacities, and talents. Through school-based programs that provide balance across academic programs and co-curricular activities, our girls obtain critical thinking skills, a deeper understanding of themselves and a broader perspective of the world around them. A significant contributor to this approach is St Catherine’s small school offering, ensuring every student is known well. Our Academic Care Model provides personalised support for our students and builds the girls’ internal agencies to tackle new challenges with courage.

From the Principal

Former USA President, Mr Barack Obama recently made a powerful statement during his visit to Australia, expressing his conviction that if every country on Earth were run by women for just two years, “the world would be headed in a better direction.” Obama’s words are both empowering and a call to action to encourage St Catherine’s students to step forward and make a difference.

Throughout our School’s 128-year history St Catherine’s women have made significant contributions to the communities around them. Many of our remarkable Old Girls are celebrated as recipients of St Catherine’s Old Girls’ Association’s Nil Magnum Nisi Bonum Award. Translated to Nothing is Great unless it is Good, our Nil Magnum's exemplify the

sentiments expressed by Mr Obama regarding ethical decision making that is both virtuous and insightful, together with the values of empathy, care and respect that enable the world to “head in a better direction.”

This Edition of St Catherine’s News focuses on the implementation of our Towards 2025 Strategic Plan, specifically focusing on Intent One – Academic Achievement and Intent Two – Wellbeing and Leadership. Indeed, education is key to empowerment. Education unlocks opportunities for personal and professional growth, encourages the development of character and supports the facilitation of creating a life purpose.

It is important for every girl to identify that she has the power to be the change we

At St Catherine’s School every girl can extend themselves in their learning, sign up for new opportunities, pursue their passions and discover themselves through experience across our diverse range of programs, within the Arts, Sport, Debating and Public Speaking, and community service. At St Catherine’s School every girl has the chance to participate in all aspects of our School offerings.

Throughout the Autumn Edition of St Catherine’s News we share stories of our students, staff, community, and programs that celebrate the importance of emotional wellbeing for success and the value pursuing your passions provides.

Ms Jane Hodder Chair of Council

wish to see in the world, with the potential to make a difference within our local community and beyond. At St Catherine’s, we believe the first step in making a difference is for our students to believe in themselves and their abilities. It is essential that girls build self-confidence, pursue education, and recognise that their voice matters.

Our School’s outstanding academic results, particularly over the past two years are a direct result of our unwavering belief that learning is shaped by students who are taught how to question, how to learn and how to possess an intellectual quality of thinking that prepares them for a complex and interconnected world. Balanced with this academic rigor is our belief that optimum learning occurs when our students are emotionally buoyant.

Inherent within all aspects of a St Catherine’s education is our newly introduced Model of Academic Care that supports, celebrates, and strengthens the unique characteristics of each of our students. Our bespoke Academic Advisory Program, highlighted in this Edition of St Catherine’s News, along with and our Thinking Agenda encourages students to take ownership of their learning. By facilitating student-led discussions and emphasising active participation, students are given the opportunity to develop their critical thinking and communication skills, while also building confidence and independence.

By way of example, the Harkness teaching methodology adopted in our Critical Conversations Year 9 Humanities Program creates a safe and supportive environment for discussion, where students are

encouraged to express their opinions and engage in meaningful dialogue, while also learning to listen actively and respect the opinions of others.

Undoubtedly, this strategic approach helps students to develop the communication and leadership skills necessary for success in leadership positions. By investing in innovative and effective learning approaches like our Critical Conversations Program, we can help to create a more equitable and empowered future for all.

Michelle Carroll Principal

Fearless & Bold

In her novel, she alludes to the idea that women are always in victimised positions in society. A plight she knew well living in the patriarchal world of the 1800s. Shelley refused to be restricted by her world and found her fearless and bold voice through her writing.

Shelley

These dispositions have not changed from the 1800s to today. We all need to find our fearless and bold voices. This is what we strive for at St Catherine’s.

Shelley was a British novelist who authored the classic novel Frankenstein when she was only 18 years old.

At St Catherine’s we dream big. Our small size does nothing to detract from our successes. As one of Shakespeare’s characters spoke, “Though she be but little she is fierce.” In fact, we all know “small” is an intrinsic factor in our achievements. We know every girl in our care.

Our dispositions of Fearless and Bold are our ‘X Factor.’ The St Catherine’s superpower that

our teachers capture, harness, and build upon in every lesson, every day. Research shows that persistence and intellectual curiosity are determinants of academic success and the direct relationship between students’ wellbeing and skills. (OECD, 2021). At St Catherine’s we spent considerable time developing our Teaching and Learning Framework to align with our Model of Academic Care.

Student wellness is central to this Model and intertwined into every innovation and program. From our Year 9 Critical Conversations Humanities Program, mathematical problem solving, Science partnerships with universities, artists-inresidence, English guest speakers and novelists, the list is endless. Every teacher works to develop their thinking classroom and these character dispositions in students.

Novelist Mary

(1818), wrote, “Beware for I am fearless, and therefore powerful.”

In 2023, our focus is once again on academic care through our student programs of Academic Advisory, Wellbeing and Student Voice. The creation of our Middle Years and Senior Years Model allows further development of personalised pathways for all students in both wellbeing and learning. The appointment of our Directors of Middle Years and Seniors Years continues our commitment to differentiated wellbeing and learning priorities for students as they progress through the Senior School. Our achievements are built around teamwork and working together as one. Our partnerships between students, teachers and parents creates the achievements we see in all our girls’ endeavours. Bronte Cullen, Class of 2022

student and rower, summed it up after our First Eight Rowing Crew won the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta in the UK, and became world champions, “We have the most amazing group of girls and just act as one.”

Being bold and fearless is intrinsically linked, acting with perseverance, strength, and grit, but not acting alone. Young women who are fearless will use their voice, show integrity, face their fears, encourage others, and go beyond their comfort zones.

It is important to note that bold and fearless achievements can be big or small, including having difficult conversations, being honest with a friend or speaking with a teacher about work. All of these require a bold mindset to face fear.

When students leave St Catherine’s, I want them to know that the Heyington Gates will forever be open, and the blue ribbon will always connect them to a community of bold and fearless blue.

Mrs Ceri Lloyd Deputy Principal –Teaching & Learning

References

OECD (2021), Beyond Academic Learning: First Results from the Survey of Social and Emotional Skills, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/92a11084-en

OECD (2021), Social and Emotional Skills Wellbeing, connectedness and success. https://www. oecd.org/education/school/UPDATED%20Social%20 and%20Emotional%20Skills%20-%20Well-being,%20 connectedness%20and%20success.pdf%20(website).pdf

Shakespeare, W. (1605), A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shelley, M. (1818). Frankenstein.

A Bright Future

We are thrilled to acknowledge the outstanding academic achievements of our Class of 2022 and St Catherine’s School’s position as the number one girls school in Victoria for the second consecutive year.

In 2022, our Year 12 students displayed wisdom, perseverance, and courage through a most unique period of time. Emerging from two years of COVID interrupted schooling, requiring extended periods of remote learning across Years 10 and 11, our Class of 2022 stepped into their final year of School with passion, resilience, and enthusiasm.

Median Study Score 37

Our graduating students will be represented in institutes including The University of Melbourne, Monash University, RMIT, The Australian Catholic University, Australian National University, Deakin University and Swinburne University. Our students also received global opportunities from universities across the world including Oxford, Stanford, Brown, Michigan, Bristol and Manchester.

TOP 2% in the state Study Scores of 45+ were achieved in these subjects:

ANGELA YU, 2022 DUX, PERFECT ATAR 99.95

“All my teachers were very, very supportive. They would go out of their way to make time to see me, answer my questions, and give life advice on the way. Every teacher I had loved the subject that they were teaching, which made it very easy for me to enjoy studying them.”

PAULA CHEN, PROXIME ACCESSIT TO THE DUX

“I was fortunate enough to cross paths with many teachers from the Mathematics Faculty over the years. From their tireless, enthusiastic teaching, to their constant encouragement, they have truly instilled a great passion in me for the subject.”

ARABELLA LLEWELYN, 2022 GRADUATE

"My passion for the environment and sustainability was a direct result of hearing Dr Jane Goodall speak at School. The passion that Dr Goodall ignited in me led to major lifestyle changes and eventuated with my application for the Environment Captain position. This position allowed me to put my passion into action and realise that this is what I want to do with my life.”

CLARENCE (CLARA) HOULE-O'CONNOR

"Our Year 12 theme Emerge encouraged me to take on the difficulties of Year 12 and rise to these challenges to become a better version of myself, both academically and personally. It demonstrated the importance of growing and learning from my mistakes, to better myself and pursue personal growth to thrive as an individual.”

Guiding CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT

The early years are a significantly valuable time in a child’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. In the first five years of life children’s experiences lead to the hard wiring of their brains and development of fundamental skills and understandings.

Young children are naturally curious to learn and have an innate desire to be active participants in their learning. The Early Learning Program at St Catherine’s offers our children a myriad of opportunities within the indoor and outdoor learning programs, and weekly specialist classes, to develop lifelong dispositions for learning. Children are given a range of experiences carefully planned and designed to develop and enhance their learning. The sounds and sights of children exploring, wondering, and making new discoveries are evident throughout Campbell House daily. Children use processes such as exploration, investigation, collaboration, and problem solving through all aspects of the Early Learning Program. Developing dispositions such as curiosity, persistence and creativity enables children to participate in, and gain from, learning.

Effective learners are also able to transfer what they have learned from one context to another. They also begin to learn where and how to resource their own learning.

Children develop understandings of themselves and their world through active, hands-on investigation. They need many opportunities to play, explore and discover using all of their senses. This is how they begin to make sense of their world. It also builds the children’s understanding of concepts and their creative thinking and inquiry processes. These are the foundations for lifelong learning.

Intrinsically linked with our Early Learning Program in Campbell House is our Wellbeing Program that supports our children’s development of a strong sense of self and belonging within our early learning community.

Educators at St Catherine’s Early Learning Centre work towards building warm, trusting relationships with our children and provide a predictable and safe learning environment. These conditions support the child to develop a strong sense of wellbeing. Children with a strong sense of wellbeing have the capacity to cope with day-to-day challenges. The readiness to persevere when faced with unfamiliar and challenging learning situations creates the opportunity for success and achievement.

Our ELC children are encouraged to take increasing responsibility for their self-help skills and basic routines. This promotes a sense of independence and confidence. As the children’s fine motor and gross motor skills develop, this provides them with the

foundation for growing independence and the satisfaction of being able to do things for themselves.

Learning about healthy lifestyles, including nutrition, personal hygiene, physical fitness, emotions, and social relationships is integral to wellbeing. These opportunities for learning are embedded in our Early Learning Programs. A child’s physical wellbeing impacts their ability to concentrate, cooperate and learn. Good nutrition is also essential to healthy living and enables children to be active participants in their play and learning. We promote and encourage healthy food choices with the children. As educators, we acknowledge the importance of building a strong sense of wellbeing in children from a young age.

This supports the child to reach their learning potential and lays the foundation for them to live successful lives.

Our aim is for children to become confident and involved learners over time. This enables the children to become increasingly able to take responsibility for their own learning, personal regulation, and contribution to the social environment. As educators, we look forward to the children’s individual and group learning developing over the year. It is always wonderful to observe children making new discoveries and connecting with the world around them.

Ms Sarah Bethune Head of ELC

In Barbreck we continue to achieve high academic standards. Our most recent NAPLAN results demonstrate an exceptional level of achievement across all subjects, particularly in reading where our average score for Year 3 was well beyond the expected level across the nation.

Our academic programs in Barbreck are rigorous. Our classrooms are filled with curiosity, deep thinking, discerning inquiry, and relational discovery. However, our thinking culture is only one ingredient in our recipe for student success. In Barbreck, the emotional wellbeing of our students is considered of equal importance.

IS THERE A SECRET RECIPE FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS?

In 2003, renowned educational expert, Professor John Hattie from the University of Melbourne identified five key influences on academic success: the student, their home, their school, their peers, and their teachers. Yet, many students who are bright, attend a great school, have encouraging parents and expert teachers still do not achieve at the level they are capable of, leaving many parents, teachers, and schools to ponder ‘is there a secret recipe to academic success?’

Current research supports another key factor of influence – that of social and emotional development and the role of schools. In 2022, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) released a report on The Indirect Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people and Adolescence. The Report “highlighted the importance of schools beyond academic

learning, where the social, emotional, and physical health of children and young people can also be supported.”

In Barbreck we know girls who are happy, feel safe and are connected to their peers and teachers will naturally reach and extend their academic goals. Our academic programs are built from a foundation of care. Our Academic Care Model ensures every girl is taught in a safe and encouraging environment. Our personalised approach to learning ensures every girl is supported, extended, and understood – providing her with the best opportunity to succeed and progress well.

Our exceptional levels of achievement in NAPLAN in Years 3 and 5 over the past four years, can be as John Hattie states, attributed to the expertise of our Barbreck teachers, our focus on student learning and academic and

pastoral care, and the safe and encouraging climate we create at Barbreck.

Our personalised approach to each girl’s learning and the way in which we differentiate to ensure the needs of all girls, from those needing support to those requiring extension, are all catered for. Through this deliberate recipe of personalised teaching blended with academic care, our Barbreck girls are well-equipped to harness their innate capabilities and excel in their chosen pathways.

Ms Karen McArdle

Head of Junior School

References

Hattie, J. (2003), Teachers Make a Difference, What is the research evidence? Paper presented at the Building Teacher Quality: What does the research tell us ACER Research Conference, Melbourne, Australia. Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), (2022) The Indirect Impacts of the COVID 19 pandemic on young people and Adolescence.

St Catherine’s School Sports Centre Development

The newly refurbished Sports Centre at St Catherine’s School will be opened in Term 2 providing all students with premium facilities to finesse skills and enjoy training.

“The new Sports Centre will be a great addition. As part of the Athlete Development Academy, the new Strength and Conditioning Studio will provide us with a larger gym space and access to a wider range of gym equipment to improve our strength.”

Lily Taylor, Year 12 Athlete Development Academy

“I am excited to see how much further I can develop all the sporting opportunities St Catherine’s offers me especially as I move into the Senior School next year with this new space.”

Imogen Herron, Year 6

“I have been at St Catherine’s since ELC and always remember taking part in the PMP program. It is something I remember very well when I was younger and can’t wait to see all the other girls doing it too.”

Nina Steedman, Year 4

“The new Sports Centre means our sports teams can further develop their skills. Having the new gym during the rowing season will be amazing as there will be more equipment, and the squad can continually get stronger every season.”

Olivia (Livvy) Howitt, Year 12 Sport Captain

“I have just started playing Netball and I love it! I can’t wait to play in the new Sports Centre. I am so excited to play lots of different and new games in the new Sports Centre.”

Millie Wilkins, Year 2

“We are beyond excited to have a state-of-the-art facility that can be utilised by such a large portion of our Sports Program. The facility is the next step in taking our already strong Program to the next level. We are excited for its Term 2 opening.”

Mr Nick Racina, Head of Sport

HOUSE STRONG

This year, as part of St Catherine’s School’s Annual Giving Day a competitive component to our fundraising endeavours was introduced linking gifts made in support of the new St Catherine’s Sports Centre, to students’ House alliances. While House points are usually earned through co-curricular achievements, commendations, and acts of community service, this year, our students, families, and Alumnae made worthy contributions to their House through our Annual Giving Day House Competition.

Congratulations to Holmes Kilbride who raised over $114,000. Holmes Kilbride students will celebrate their victory by wearing their House colours for a school day and permission to decorate the Heyington Gates in their winning Blue House colours. The competitive spirit and deep connection to a House is an important part of life at St Catherine’s, adding to our School’s wonderful sense of community. Thank you to all Houses for raising funds to support St Catherine’s new Sports Centre.

Celebrating Our

St Catherine’s School experienced the joy and delight of all our students from Prep to Year 11 celebrating the diversity within our School Community during the inaugural Diversity Dash held during Wellness Week in Term 4, 2022.

The Week started with Year 9 student, Hexuan (Helena) Zhou performing a traditional Chinese Dance in Assembly, and our 2023 Student Executive explaining the realm of diversity within our community, including cultural, gender, age, and neurodiversity. This was followed by the pièce de résistance – the inaugural Diversity Dash.

Students laughed and soaked up the festive spirit of exploding colour as they ran through

an obstacle course on the Village Green in Barbreck. The spectacle was a remarkable sight with music playing and puffs of purple, yellow, orange, red, green, blue, and pink filling the atmosphere with a visual array of diverse colours. Students embraced the opportunity to celebrate each other and the diversity that each person brings to the fabric of our School community.

In running a whole school event, diversity was discussed on a much larger scale. This discussion was beneficial as students offered their suggestions and input to the charities that their gold coin contributions for Wellness Week would be donated to.

At St Catherine’s we continue to strengthen and embed the importance and awareness of diversity in our education. With this, the welcoming and inclusive nature of our St Catherine’s girls are strengthened.

The ever-present student voice elected three charities to donate to. The organisations selected are from three individual areas of education, health, and wellbeing, all as significant as each other. The charities were The Trevor Project, Believe: neurodiversity and One Girl.

The smiles, laughter and pure joy heard from the girls throughout Wellness Week was a wonderful reminder of how remarkable St Catherine’s community is and how much joy is created from celebrating each other, together.

Ms Samantha Basford Wellbeing Program Coordinator 2022

“The Diversity Dash was an amazing way to bring the whole Senior School together to celebrate everyone’s individuality. I had so much fun being a part of the Dash and seeing everyone having a smile on their face and enjoying themselves. It was a wonderful way to end the year with lots of colour and laughter.”

BRYDIE READ

“The Diversity Dash was a fantastic event which included everyone from Prep to Year 11. I loved being involved in the organisation of the event, setting it up with other students and being able to lead others around the course on the day. Everyone had a great time and laughed as they ran around the course, getting masses of colour thrown on their t-shirts.”

JEMIMA WILCOX

Senior School Captains

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH IN YOUR ROLE AS SCHOOL CAPTAIN THIS YEAR?

Ava: As School Captain this year, I hope to inspire and ignite the same passion within the students that St Catherine’s School has kindled in me.

Flora: I hope that my role as School Co-Captain will allow me to engage, interact and connect with many students in our School.

HOW DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN A STUDENT LEADERSHIP ROLE?

Ava: There are so many incredible women and leaders at St Catherine’s School who have demonstrated the value of leadership over the years. One of the many incredible things about going to an all girls school is that you are constantly surrounded by powerful female leaders, who inspire us to find our own inner strength.

Flora: I’ve never really considered myself as an extrovert or a leader, but when the opportunity presented itself, I thought that leadership would be a good challenge. I had ideas, through my own experiences

Meet Our School Captains

Senior School Captains

Junior School Captains

and through talking to others, about how to improve our School. I wanted to use this valuable learning opportunity to make our students at St Catherine’s have the most enjoyable, memorable experience.

WHAT ARE THE KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF BEING SCHOOL CAPTAIN?

Ava: I think that being School Captain means not only being a voice for the School, but also encouraging and ensuring that each girl knows that their opinions and ideas are valued and that they too have a voice within our community, a voice that people will listen to.

Flora: It is one’s duty to be the best version of themselves upon gaining a leadership role. While I can’t say that I’m perfect, I still think that it’s my responsibility to constantly improve and be someone who others can look up to.

WHAT IS ONE WORD THAT BEST DESCRIBES THE KIND OF SCHOOL CAPTAIN YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE?

Ava: At the end of the year, I hope to be remembered as a fearless leader.

A School Captain who fearlessly supported her peers. Who fearlessly empowered students, who fearlessly pursued her passions, and above all else someone who was a fearless friend.

Flora: Versatile.

I want to be able to support our School across many different aspects. I want to be there for our students and perhaps most importantly, be able to conquer many different challenges.

WHAT IS ONE QUALITY A GOOD LEADER NEEDS TO HAVE?

Ava: I believe that being a good leader involves passionate enthusiasm and a desire to leave something better than you found it. It means being positive when others cannot and finding the words to speak for those who cannot. Above all else, I believe that a leader must be brave. She should be someone who can lead the way to empower others to create their own journey. I do not think that a leader needs to be perfect or flawless all the time, but rather someone who fearlessly pursues her interests and speaks her mind, while inspiring others to do the same.

Flora: Resilience. Resilience in bouncing back after failure, resilience in preserving through challenges and resilience in leading the School. I think that it is important for every student to showcase this trait, but even more so for a leader of St Catherine’s – School Captains and all Year 12 students, who will act as role models for the rest of the students.

Ava Colosimo and Flora Du

Charlotte Morris and Camilla Thomas

SCHOOL CAPTAINS

Junior School Captains

HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU FOUND OUT THAT YOU HAD BEEN ELECTED AS CO-CAPTAIN?

Charlotte: When I found out I had been elected Co-Captain I felt honoured and excited. It was something I was really hoping for but not expecting. I was especially happy to hear that my good friend Camilla had also been elected.

Camilla: I felt excited and happy to be elected Co-Captain with one of my good friends Charlotte. I cannot wait to make a difference in Barbreck this year.

WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO NOMINATE FOR THE POSITION OF JUNIOR SCHOOL CO-CAPTAIN?

Charlotte: I was keen to represent my peers and make a difference in my final year in Barbreck. I wanted to work hard for a school and community I care about and am so passionate about.

Camilla: I chose to nominate for Junior School Co-Captain because I enjoy public speaking and thought that being a Co-Captain would be fun. I also chose to nominate for the position because I care about Barbreck and I am determined to ensure that every girl feels safe and happy while in Barbreck.

TELL US SOME OF THE THINGS YOU WILL BE DOING AS JUNIOR SCHOOL CO-CAPTAIN.

Charlotte: We would like to introduce a Determination Award, to support our theme for the year which is determination! Throughout the week Camilla and I will be looking out for girls who have shown determination in what they are doing, and they will be presented with a Determination Award during assembly.

Camilla: One of the things Charlotte and I will be doing as Junior School Co-Captains is introducing a new award – The Determination Award! Determination is our theme for the year. The Award will be presented to students during assembly who have shown determination in what they were doing.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACHIEVE IN YOUR ROLE AS JUNIOR SCHOOL CO-CAPTAIN?

Charlotte: To ensure all girls in Barbreck feel happy, supported, and listened to. I want to be a voice for my peers and make sure everyone is feeling safe and comfortable to ask questions.

Camilla: Something that I would like to achieve this year is ensuring that every girl in Barbreck is happy, safe, and comfortable.

WHAT DOES BEING A ST CATHERINE’S GIRL MEAN TO YOU?

Charlotte: I love being a blue ribbon girl. I feel proud wearing my uniform knowing it represents a school and community that promotes kindness above all things and encourages Integrity, Curiosity, Perseverance, Empathy and Gratitude.

Camilla: Being a St Catherine’s girl is being someone who respects other’s differences and interests. It also means showing the School Values of Empathy, Perseverance, showing Curiosity, acting with Integrity, and displaying Gratitude.

SENIOR SCHOOL YEAR 12 CAPTAINS

Senior School Co-Captains Ava Colosimo

Flora Du

Student Executive Freya Cantwell

Ava Colosimo

Flora Du

Diya Kayick

Lucia Tabbagh

Jemima Wilcox

House: Beaulieu Blair Diya Kayick

Charlotte Rodgers

House: Davis Mietta Passon

Freya Cantwell

House: Holmes Kilbride Zara Peele

Caitlin Wang

House: Langley Templeton Lucia Tabbagh

Lily Taylor

Art & Design Catherine Karas

Boarding

Charlotte Rowe

Phoebe Russell

Community Service Sue Nguyen

Cultural Diversity Eva Liang

Debating & Public Speaking Anise Imam

Drama Miranda Ware

Duke of Edinburgh Tahlia Guzzardi

Environment Georgina Moreton

Human Rights

Kaitlin Chan

Music Choral Jo-Jo Patterson

Music Instrumental Angela Tang

Spirit & Wellbeing Amanda Shen

Sport Eloise Burdett-Moore

Olivia (Livvy) Howitt

STEM Mia Krongold

Sport: Athletics (Track & Field/Cross Country) Matisse Stafford

Sport: Rowing Lucy Green

Jemima Wilcox

Sport: Snowsports Matisse Stafford

Georgia Szer

Sport: Aquatics (Swimming & Diving) Emma Gregory

Music: School Pianist

Brydie Read

Caitlin Wang

Music: Leader – Orchestra Jo-Jo Patterson

Music: Leader – Concert Band Anise Imam

BARBRECK LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

Junior School Co-Captains Camilla Thomas

House: Beaulieu Blair

Charlotte Morris

Bella Sullivan

Ellyse Buckley

House: Davis Imogen Herron

Scarlett Bertalli

House: Holmes Kilbride Coco Thomas

Isabelle Byrne

House: Langley Templeton Giselle (Gigi) Armstrong

Taylor Lee

Music Captains Sunny Xu

Charlotte Parfit

Library Captains Junya Jiang

Margaret Shao

Summer Pui

CONTAGIOUS Enthusiasm is

'House Arts' is the culmination of a year’s worth of preparation for our Year 11 leaders and a week of rehearsal and development by every member of each House.

2022 marked the eighteenth annual House Arts performance evening, a tradition that showcases the many and varied talents of our students who are responsible for the performances, designs, scripts, technical achievements, and stage management responsibilities.

At the beginning of the year, the Year 11 leaders randomly selected one of four envelopes that contained a well-known music album as their stimulus from which to plan, develop and present a cohesive artistic work that includes elements of Drama, Music, Visual Art, Dance and Media. The Year 11s worked together from Term 1 to plan and develop their script, music, choreography, media,

and design elements, then dedicated five full school days to the rehearsal and realisation of their vision; an exercise requiring strong communication, persistence, creativity, teamwork, and spirit.

Each House Play needed to include pathos, transformation of time, place, and object, and incorporate a ‘hula hoop’ as a meaningful part of each production. They also included a fleeting cameo appearance of one of our brave staff members within each Play.

The performances were adjudicated by an expert panel of five judges and ultimately Davis was awarded the Michael Bond House Arts Trophy, named after our much-loved Head of Drama from 1997-2015, and a central figure in the creation of House Arts.

Mr James Brown Head of Performing Arts

CONTAGIOUS

Langley Templeton: The Stranger, Billy Joel 1977

“House Arts involves the entire Senior School and it enhances and strengthens School spirit by forming close bonds between Year levels. As these friendships are formed the year before, they then carry over into the new year, creating a community environment within our School and within our House. The Year 11s discover new leadership talents, and the leadership skills of younger girls too, who step up and assist the Year 11s.”

Holmes Kilbride: Tapestry, Carole King 1971

“House Arts provided many highlights including working in collaboration with girls from other Year levels, seeing our ideas come to life, and watching the whole performance come together over rehearsal week. Since 2022 was the first full lockdown-free year for many Holmes Kilbride House members it was so special to be able to lead the girls and foster friendships from different Year levels.”

Beaulieu Blair: Parallel Lines, Blondie 1978

“House Arts can be considered one of the most consequential events of our overall experience at St Catherine’s. It is a time where we can truly pursue friendships from different Year levels and establish a bond within the Beaulieu Blair House. It is a great outlet for students interested in drama, arts, or dancing as it is the only House event focusing on these skills.”

Davis: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles 1967

“Kindness and enthusiasm were the two major strengths we brought to House Arts. We always tried to lead with kindness and inclusion, ensuring everyone had a role to play. Enthusiasm is contagious, so it was our goal to spread as much of it around as possible. As Mr Brown always says, ‘If a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing well.’ We centred our leadership style around this exact quote!”

MIETTA PASSON & FREYA CANTWELL DAVIS HOUSE CAPTAINS

DIYA KAYICK & CHARLOTTE RODGERS BEAULIEU BLAIR HOUSE CAPTAINS

ZARA PEEL & CAITLIN WANG HOLMES KILBRIDE HOUSE CAPTAINS

LUCIA TABBAGH & LILY TAYLOR LANGLEY TEMPLETON HOUSE CAPTAINS

THE DIRECTION

This year, St Catherine’s School further strengthened its Academic Care Program with the introduction of two new roles overseeing the Middle Years of Senior School, Years 7 to 9, and the Senior Years, from Years 10 to 12.

The intention of these new roles is to increase our dedicated network of wellbeing support, resources, and skills throughout students’ school years.

Ms Freda Armstrong, Director of Middle Years and Mrs Alison Cassidy, Director of Senior Years are now responsible for the overall academic, social, and emotional wellbeing of students in their respective Year levels.

The Directors work with the Heads of Year, Heads of Faculty, classroom teachers, career practitioners, psychologists, and importantly,

directly with parents, to ensure their students receive expert personalised support that nurtures and maintains their positive mental health, ensuring they have the best foundation to reach their individual potential.

“The connection between having a positive state of mental health and success in the classroom is undeniable,” shares Director of Middle Years, Ms Freda Armstrong. “Positive mental health means having resilience, knowing how to reframe negative thoughts, having hope, being able to articulate your feelings and knowing when

and how to seek support. These are the makings of a young person with a strong sense of self. This is what leads to confidence and a positive sense of wellbeing,” shares Freda.

Freda, along with Alison will lead their dedicated teams of educators and wellbeing experts to equip Senior School students with the social and emotional skills required to thrive during their school years and beyond.

“Providing wellbeing support to teenage girls is essential in today’s society,” explains Mrs Alison Cassidy Director

Above: Ms Freda Armstrong, Director of Middle Years; Left: Mrs Alison Cassidy, Director of Senior Years.

OF WELLBEING

of Senior Years. “As teens face an increasing level of stress, anxiety, and depression, it is important to have a safe and supportive environment in which they can express their feelings and receive help. Through our Academic Care Program, our teenage girls can build resilience, foster a positive self-image, and develop skills to cope with life’s challenges.”

“We know students learn best when their wellbeing is optimised. When a student takes an active role in their education, they become more engaged which

leads to better academic performance and personal growth. Our roles provide a further layer of academic care for our students, working with them to achieve their highest potential,” Alison shares.

With over 20 years’ experience in girls’ education, Freda believes the “hyperfocus” her team provides will significantly benefit students, “girls in Years 7 to 9 have very specific needs and face unique sets of challenges. Having a tight knit, highly educated team who are hyper-focused on the Middle Years means our students are well-supported

and can operate with confidence knowing we’ve got their backs.”

The two new Director roles further embed St Catherine’s integrated approach to teaching, learning and wellbeing while also allowing for differentiation across the Middle and Senior years. The new roles form a major component of the School’s Towards 2025 commitment to fostering academic care through individualised programs.

Passion THROUGH PURSUIT

St Catherine’s girls become bold, independent, resilient, and creative when opportunities to explore their individual pursuits are encouraged. Three of our current students share their stories on pursuing their passions and the impact these choices have made on their lives.

Year 11 student, Rhea Werner has achieved a lot in her 17 years. Arriving in Australia from Germany at the age of eight, Rhea set about teaching herself English and understanding the Australian culture. “This experience has taught me to appreciate the diversified cultures that exist in Australia thereby expanding my horizons throughout my formative years,” Rhea shares.

Determined from an early age to continually improve herself, Rhea says in the past

she would view success only when she achieved something, “my greatest mistake was that I viewed personal growth as something that could only occur in moments of achievement. In fact, I now know, real growth is achieved when you do not receive or achieve.”

Passionate about public and mental health, Rhea has been an advocate in Youth Parliament, Co-Chair of Body Confidence Collective, Harvard STRIPED

and awarded the City of Boroondara’s Young Citizen of the Year Award.

“Stepping into these roles has affirmed my belief that to truly represent and catalyse positive change, understanding and approachability is vital. I have learnt that as much as you may want to walk in another’s shoes, sometimes you cannot simply understand the intricacies of people’s own lived experiences. It is so important to lift others up, and with your own voice, ensure their voices are heard.”

Year 9 student, Violetta Capanni pursued her passion for cooking her Nonna Gisella’s gnocchi recipe during the COVID Pandemic. This passion has resulted in a highly successful home delivery fresh gnocchi business and being featured in Mr Scott Pape, more famously known as the Barefoot Investor’s, new book Barefoot Kids: Your Epic Money Adventure.

“I went through a stage of feeling unmotivated during COVID. I decided I would cook, so I picked two recipes, one was a cake and the other was gnocchi. The cake was ok; however, my gnocchi was more fun and brought the whole family together. The idea was born, and I set about costing and working out the amount of gnocchi needed,” Violetta explains. “My passion to cook and create helped me develop new skills. I needed to learn about pricing, timing, processes, and product delivery. I didn’t know how to do any of these things, I had to learn them and develop them along the way. From this experience I have learnt that hard things, over time, became not so hard after all if you have good people around you that you are sharing the experience with.”

Reflecting on what she has learnt from starting a business as an adolescent, Violetta comments that she hopes her story inspires others, particularly other young people to pursue their passions, “You can grow with your ideas, you don’t need to have it all sorted, you just need to start.”

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

Commencing at St Catherine’s School in Year 7, Mietta Passon, Year 12 believes her teachers have directly contributed to building her confidence to pursue her passions. “Every morning I walk past Mrs Gaensler’s office, my Year 7 House teacher, and she gives me a huge smile. I remember everything she gave me in Year 7. The confidence to sign up for co-curricular activities, the opportunities, as she nominated me for specific roles and most importantly, how fun she made school” Mietta fondly recalls.

Nominated by St Catherine’s School as an AOC Olympic Change Maker, Mietta was one of only 24 students Australia-wide to participate in the Program at the end of 2022, “I was truly surrounded by a very influential group of people. I was immersed

in an environment in which leadership was a given. However, what I learnt most was you don’t need a fancy title to be a leader. It is those who step up despite any fear of failure that are true leaders.”

Discussing how failure can often be the best teacher, Mietta shares “I used to hide my mistakes and ignore them because I didn’t like knowing that I had failed. However, I have learnt that failure is what provides us with motivation. Failure teaches us more about ourselves and how to overcome obstacles than immediate success. Reality is, you can’t experience success without failure.”

We wish these three remarkable young women well as they continue to pursue their passions.

Stronger, Bolder, Better Education

“Change is happening further and faster than we could imagine and, when change grows exponentially, so too must the ability of our education systems to respond to it,” according to Andreas Schleicher, Director, and Special Advisor on Education Policy for the OECD.

Responding to rapid change in education requires the right questions being asked when shaping teaching and learning reform to best prepare

students for their futures. ‘What are the fundamental purposes of education today? What are the kinds of skills that will matter most? What kinds of learning environments will 21st-century students flourish in?’ (Schleicher, 2022)

At St Catherine’s these questions are carefully considered and aligned to our Strategic Intent that learning must move beyond a cognitive process of knowledge acquisition and retention towards learning that engages the whole person (cognitively, socio-emotionally, ethically, and aesthetically). This is at the centre of our academic programs and innovations.

In 2021, St Catherine’s School introduced our Senior Years Learning Model (SYLM) for Years 10 and 11. This blended learning model breaks down the traditional walls of teaching and tailors the learning experience for each student. Most importantly, the SYLM provides student agency by offering students choice, self-direction, independence, and ownership of their learning.

Now in its third year, the SYLM has “created a learning environment that allows 21st-century students to flourish.” This year, we sought feedback from our current Year 12 Cohort who are the first group to move through this blended learning model in Years 10 and 11, along with Year 11 students who have stepped into their second year of the SYLM.

It was pleasing to note students found the SYLM has significantly improved their learning capacities and study skills, providing the following feedback:

“I can now work independently and feel a sense of agency when choosing tasks to complete.”

SENIOR YEARS LEARNING MODEL

“I know how to use my time more efficiently from the Independent Learning Tutorials.”

“The SYLM has helped me navigate how much work I can aim to work through in a structured time.”

“I understand how to prioritise my work and I can choose what to work on.”

Our Year 12 students also shared the benefits the SYLM has had on their self-discipline, concentration and independent learning, all essential skills for post-school tertiary study.

“Post-school, I know I will be able to stay organised with my lecture timetable and diligently work on my own.”

“My attention is much better when I study independently and revise for assessments.”

“I can prioritise my study when at home and for what works for me.”

“I have learnt how to pre-learn content for my classes.”

As Schleicher expresses “resilience and innovation in education can go hand in hand. If we anticipate the future, we can shape it too. Yes, the pandemic surprised us. But it taught us that, if need be, we can rewire our systems on the fly. And if we can do that, we have it in us to craft a stronger, bolder, better education.” At St Catherine’s we aspire to learning that is whole, relevant, deep, social, and transformational. We continue to adapt and innovate our academic programs to meet the needs of our learners and the 21st century skills and thinking they require.

Our SYLM has created a learning environment that responds to the changing needs of the global workplace and provides our senior students with a learning platform that develops in them the ability to be Bold, Independent, Creative, Resilient thinkers.

Mrs Ceri Lloyd Deputy Principal – Teaching & Learning

Reference: Schleicher, A. (2022) Education Fast Forward: Building a future that works for all.

BOARDING | ILLAWARRA

Settled & SUPPORTED

Wellbeing can be defined as the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy. A happy, settled boarder who feels supported will participate more fully in our academic and co-curricular programs and more easily reach their academic goals.

Over the past 15 years, the ongoing improvements to our Year 12 boarders’ academic success are directly related to the support, interest, and encouragement they receive at Illawarra. Many an hour is spent in Illawarra supporting and listening to our boarders and encouraging them when situations appear challenging.

Over many years at Illawarra, I have seen this academic success come to fruition. Many new boarders will enter our Boarding House n Years 9 and 10, having been the top students at their local school. The first term at Illawarra can often be one where they realise there is so much more for them to learn. This is where the importance of the prep (homework) system in our Boarding Program is vital.

During the school week our entire Boarding House goes into homework mode for 90 minutes (although many students work much longer). Many boarders at first find

this challenging and state “I don’t have any homework” but using this time to read, prepare for future tests or complete Art or Music assignments is vital to developing optimal study techniques and routines.

By their VCE years the boarders are more independent learners, however, they always know there is support available from our experienced and subjectqualified boarding staff. Our boarding staff are all tertiary educated and bring a rich diversity of qualifications and interests to our boarding community.

Another important factor in supporting our boarders is our relationships with their families. It has been wonderful to welcome back our parents onsite, with our recent Boarding Families’ Afternoon Tea and Year 12 Boarding Families’ Breakfast. Our boarding families are also welcome to visit Illawarra and stay for a shared meal with their daughters and our boarding family. Together, our boarding staff, academic and co-curricular educators and our boarding families provide a wonderful support network to allow our boarding students to grow, develop, extend, and mature into independent and confident young women.

Mrs Sue Collister Head of Boarding Services

At Illawarra, each boarder’s wellbeing is central to everything that takes place in the Boarding House.

St Catherine’s School’s Heritage Trail honours the amazing history of St Catherine’s with stories of not just our buildings, but the people that have made up our remarkable history.

A Sense of Place

Visitors to our School are invited to tour our historical campus via our Heritage Trail. Each Heritage Marker includes a QR code which links back to our Digital Heritage Trail to provide a deeper exploration into St Catherine’s history, stories and images.

The Heritage Trail was officially launched on Wednesday 8 February, 2023. St Catherine’s School acknowledges the generous support of our St Catherine’s community who made the Heritage Trail possible.

Additional stories will be added to the Heritage Trail each year. To learn more visit stcatherines.net.au/heritage-trail

FROM THE ARCHIVES

MS SUE MACGEORGE

Biology Teacher & VCE Biology Assistant Chief Assessor

Receiving the prestigious award at the 2022 Speech Night, Sue’s consistent and dedicated service to teaching, excellent student outcomes and willingness to share her teaching and learning strategies were acknowledged.

“To be appreciated and recognised in this public manner, not just for results, but for relationships built with students and staff is heart-warming. My focus has always been to present Science content that is meaningful and accessible to all, together with gauging how students are coping with their studies. To have this noticed by my peers is very special. I am very grateful,” shares Sue.

During School reunions, Old Girls still regale stories of the impact of Sue’s teaching, with many pursuing careers that unfolded from Sue’s passion for her subject. Sue is renowned for the VCE exam readiness of all her classes and is a stalwart of the VCAA Marking Team. In 2022, she was selected as an Assistant Chief Assessor for VCE Biology.

“I love seeing the girls gain more understanding of the world around them and developing a life-long love and wonder for Biology. The real-world experiences of the last few years have covered so much of our prescribed curriculum including the effect on evolution of species due to natural disasters during the bushfires of 2020, pandemics and epidemics, diagnosis of pathogens, immunity, and the mutation of virusess into new strains. It is wonderful to see their understanding of biology around them improve,” Sue shares.

Teaching at St Catherine’s School for over 30 years, Sue originally commenced a career in genetics and immunology, working in the Royal Children’s Hospital diagnosing chromosomal abnormalities, investigating allergies to very small molecules and finally in an immunology diagnostic laboratory.

“Whilst working full time at the Royal Children’s Hospital I completed a Diploma of Education. One of my teaching rounds was at St Catherine’s School. I have loved working at St Catherine’s alongside committed staff who work so hard to engage students in their learning, each day. Our students are respectful and have a real desire to learn and achieve their best.”

Congratulations Sue for being a St Catherine’s exemplary educator.

As the recipient of the 2022 Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award, Ms Sue Macgeorge has been a pillar of support to her students and colleagues over her many years at St Catherine’s School.

MS CLARE HAYSOM

VCE Physics & General Science Teacher

people involved in the game – which is a transferrable skill between my teaching and umpiring. My teacher training also allows me to communicate my thoughts and opinions in a way that can resolve any problems on the field.”

Along with her teaching expertise, St Catherine’s Physics Teacher, Ms Clare Haysom is also a Victorian Premier Cricket umpire, travelling around the country officiating men’s and women’s matches. Most recently Clare was selected to umpire the Under 16 Girls National Championships in Canberra.

“I have always been interested in cricket and started playing in high school. I fell into cricket umpiring accidentally and had no idea of the pathways or opportunities that would come my way. Now I am a member of the Victorian Premier Cricket Umpiring Panel and umpiring in Premier Cricket 1st XI, both men’s and women’s games,” Clare explains. For Clare, her teaching skills and experience have come in handy throughout her umpiring career, “The role of an umpire involves a lot of communication with all players and

Clare is passionate about inspiring girls to to be bold and fearless in pursuing their interests having studied in male dominated Science subjects and pursuing cricket umpiring “currently at the Victorian Premier Cricket level, there are only seven female umpires in a panel of about 120 umpires. While it is one of the best gender ratios in the country for this level of cricket there is still a long way to go before we see the gender barriers removed.” Completing a Bachelor of Science degree with a Minor in Astrophysics, and a Major in Immunology, along with a Bachelor of Secondary Education with honours at Monash University, Clare experienced first-hand the lack of female representation in the Sciences. “During my university studies, I was shocked by the gender imbalance in the Physics profession. There is a learnt hesitancy particularly in females to avoid Science and Mathematics. It is extremely important to me to use my enthusiasm for Physics to empower and inspire young girls to explore the subject.”

“My grandfather was a Chemistry and Physics teacher and would take the time to give me mini science lessons as I grew up. I have always loved science and I want to transfer my passion onto future generations, inspiring them the way my grandfather did.”

MEET THE PRESIDENT

In 2023, St Catherine’s School’s Parents’ and Friends’ Association is thrilled to welcome Mrs Roxanne Ktenavos to the Auxiliary in her role as PFA President.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN OBJECTIVES FOR THE PFA IN 2023?

To continue creating events that bring our community together. St Catherine’s has such a close sense of community and belonging.

WHAT ARE THE KEY EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE COMING 12 MONTHS?

The key events for 2023 include our annual Ruth Langley Luncheon at Leonda by the Yarra, on October 7, and a black-tie Gala Ball at the Crown Aviary. We also have our annual Mother’s Day and Father’s Day breakfasts and stalls, and of course the highlight of the year for our girls and parents, our PFA Christmas Fair.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE IN YOUR PRESIDENCY?

I hope to achieve record attendance at all our events this year. I would love to raise as much money as we can to meet our target of $100,000 for the redevelopment of the Sports Centre and Winter Garden.

WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO STEP INTO THE PFA PRESIDENCY ROLE?

I wanted to get involved with School events and was asked to join the PFA in 2020. Unfortunately, we did not accomplish much because of COVID lockdowns. Now that everything has gone back to normal, I am excited to create some amazing events for families to enjoy!

WHY DO YOU THINK VOLUNTEERING IS IMPORTANT?

Volunteering is so important. Especially in a school environment. Fundraising and making a difference within St Catherine’s is such a great feeling. It also enables you to get to know staff and parents from other Year levels. I have made lifelong friends from being part of the PFA.

IN YOUR OPINION, WHAT MAKES ST CATHERINE’S THE SCHOOL OF CHOICE FOR YOUR DAUGHTERS?

I have two very head strong daughters at St Catherine’s. Georgia in Year 4 and Stella in Year 1. They are both very proud St Catherine’s girls who go to School every morning hand in hand, so happy to start the day. St Catherine’s provides them with a nurturing environment and bespoke learning plan and that makes it the perfect school for our girls.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR BACKGROUND?

I am Australian born with Greek heritage. I was raised in Sydney and attended Ascham School. I moved to Melbourne 14 years ago when I met my husband, Paul. I always thought my daughters would attend Ascham, but I am so happy they are St Catherine’s girls.

TELL US SOMETHING OUR COMMUNITY DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU.

I have a security business and I have been running that since I was 19 years old.

Auxiliary Presidents 2023

Parents’ and Friends’ Association

Mrs Roxanne Ktenavos

The Heyington Club

Mr Tom Shelton

Snowsports

Mrs Julia Soutter

Sport

Co-Presidents Mrs Maryann

Jesudason and Mrs Marnie Pringle

Creative Arts

Mrs Irene Karas

Past Parents’ and Families’ Network

Mr Scott Reinke, Chair

2022 CHRISTMAS FAIR

After a two-year hiatus we were blessed with a perfect Spring evening for the return of our much-loved Christmas Fair.

The Fair had something for everyone. Our marketplace hosted a vibrant selection of stalls. The Creative Arts Auxiliary provided arts and crafts stations, a nail salon, and a dance-a-thon inside The Jamie and Rebecca Gray Theatre and the Rowing Auxiliary displayed ergos that were used with enthusiasm.

Our Senior Music students performed beautifully throughout the event, and our children enjoyed the rides and animal farm, as well as the Jolly Bag stall. Thank you to all the Junior School families for making this such a success.

Our boarding community impressed patrons with their produce including a variety of gins, exceptional wines, and gourmet hampers. The food trucks were popular, and the ice creams and deserts generously sponsored by LICKt Gelato (Ktenavos Family) where a sell-out.

Thank you to our generous Fair sponsors: Wills Towers Watson, Monjon Security, Chartwells, LICKt Gelato, Lucky Lou, Quayclean, FUJIFILM, Chadstone Toyota, and Crisoula and Najee Imam.

The Christmas Fair generated a net profit of $19,500 to be directed towards the ‘She is Strong’ capital campaign. This continues the PFA’s ongoing commitment to build strong, resilient, and independent women.

Lunar New Year Celebrations

The St Catherine’s School community joined with our Chinese families on Friday 3 February to celebrate our annual Chinese Lunar New Year Lion Dance performance, welcoming in the Year of the Rabbit.

There was great excitement as the School community gathered on the Sports Field to watch the traditional Lion Dance. The occasion brought much joy as the energetic parade made its way

around the crowd. The spectators were amazed at the energy of the performers and musicians mingling with the excited students from ELC to Year 12.

The Lion Dance performance was followed by a special morning tea for our Chinese parents hosted in the Sherren House Ballroom. It was a wonderful opportunity for our families to gather and share their new year good wishes with each other.

Thank you to our Year Level volunteers and 2022 PFA Committee – Mrs Angelina Barber, Ms Julie Bertalli, Mrs Sophia Colosimo, Ms Sonya Doljanin, Mrs Crisoula Imam, Mr Cameron Jones, Mr Gerhard Kemp, Mrs Michaela Kiriakidis, Mrs Roxanne Ktenavos, Dr Simon Kudnig, Mrs Anna McKinnon, Mr Simon Westaway, Mrs Samantha Wood, Ms Juan Xu, and Jing Ms Zhang.

Mr Kevin D’Souza PFA President 2022

THANK YOU TO OUR 2022 DONORS 1

January – 31 December 2022

The St Catherine’s School Foundation warmly thank and acknowledge the enduring commitment of our generous donor community in 2022. Your gifts are helping to shape the future of St Catherine’s School and make positive differences for our students. THANK YOU for your remarkable generosity supporting the ongoing priorities of the St Catherine’s School Foundation, and its vital philanthropic programs. We also acknowledge the donors who have chosen to remain anonymous, we appreciate your generous support.

Anna (Nieuwenhuysen ’91) & Ian Abbott

Nina (Kirby ’94) & Paul Aberdeen

Sally (Watson ’74) & Stephen Ahern

Joanne (Carter ’68) & Richard Ashton

Jo Atkins

Louise & John Ayre

Kate Barber (’96)

Chloe & Kelvin Barry

Julia & Cam Bertalli

Vanessa Morgan & Marcus Bogdan

Ann Butement (’52)

Fleur (McKay ’94) & Ronald Calvert

Clare (Darling ’77) & Andrew Cannon AM

Chartwells

May & James Chen

Anne Connellan

Axi Cooper (’05)

Sophie (Richmond ’89) & Sam Cooper

Anne Court AM (Lowry ’58)

Rebecca & Luke Darcy

Shaloo & Mineesh Datta

Sarah & William Davis

Hilary Day (Oliphant ’52)

Axy (Boynton ’76) & Gordon

Dickinson

Anna & John Field

Lucinda & Andrew Foote

Frankie’s Melbourne

Sarah Fulford (’70)

Rosie Garrisson (Waite ’78)

Abigail & Adam Gill

Angela Glover (’58)†

Rebecca & Jamie Gray

Emma & Richard Green

Debra & Paul Guzzardi

Fleur & Lars Heidenreich

Lisa & Jack Hennessy

Kathryn Hines

Bill Hogg

Sam Howes

Angela Zhang & Andrew Huang

Crisoula & Najee Imam

Gina (Shackell ’76) & Peter Israel

Sally & Richard Joubert

Merron Kirby OAM & Robert Kirby AO

Michaela & John Kiriakidis

Anna Carosa & Stewart Koziora

Janene & Damon Krongold

Roxanne & Paul Ktenavos

Margaret Mackie (de Steiger ’58)

Karin Mackinnon (Allen ’39)

Kirsty Manning-Wilcox & Alex Wilcox

Catherine McDowall (’76)

Patricia McKenzie

Farah Pasha (’91) & Matheen Mohamed

Sarah & Rob Monahan

Annabel (Plummer ’82) & Rupert Myer AO

Anthony Nicholas

Lisa Nicoll-Cooke (Nicoll ’63)

Sue & John Nieuwenhuysen AM

Kate & Michael Oxley

Leanne & Christopher Parfit

Briely Trollope & James Paterson

Jill Paterson (’61)

Annie & John Paterson

Jan Peele

Gina & Stuart Peele

Pierce Armstrong Foundation Pty Ltd

Debbie & Michael Plastow

Alison Prendergast

Sallie & David Prior

Elizabeth Prowse

Nerida & Graeme Rigg

Nadine & Jonathan Rosham

Sarah Scambler (’93)

Penny (Roysmith ’81) & Richard Shears

Letitia Shelton (Cole ’58)

Chrissy (Condon ’76) & Andrew Skinner

Anne Smith

Lady Southey AC (Myer ’45)

Catherine & Jonathon Sprott

St Catherine’s Parents’ & Friends’ Association

St Catherine’s School

Creative Arts Auxiliary

St Catherine’s School

Second Hand Books

Lisa & John Steven

Amanda (Trumble ’69) & Bruce Stewart

Monique Rosshandler & Ion Teska

Rebecca & Nick Turnbull

Alexander Vainer

Michael Vainer

Mary & John van Stekelenburg

Juan Xu & Yongqiang Wang

Jane Hodder & Murray Ware

Westpac Banking Corporation

Jan & Graeme Willis

Simone Willis (’91)

Jenny Woods O’Donnell

Rosey He & Yang Wu

Chunxin (Tracy) Li & Xiaoqing Yao

Gillian Ruan & Paul Yu

Rico Feng & James Zhu

Anonymous 15

†Deceased

THANK YOU

Our loyal donor community is making a real difference at St Catherine’s School with philanthropic support for our capital building campaigns, scholarships and annual giving program. Generous donors support our philanthropic programs through annual gifts or pledging major gifts over a period of time. This support is life changing for scholarship recipients and enables St Catherine’s School to upgrade facilities, providing an immediate impact for the girls and their learning journeys.

In 2022, our ‘She is STRONG’ capital fundraising campaign was launched to raise $1 million towards St Catherine’s School’s Sports Centre redevelopment. This much-needed refurbishment is converting the School Hall in the Dorothy Pizzey Centre into a high-performance training studio, contemporary indoor sports court, and Little Gym for our Junior School students. A committed group of generous major gift donors and the recent Save Your Seat Giving Day have already helped to raise 80% of this target. If you wish to be a part of this exciting project, please contact Kathy Hines to discuss how you can be involved.

Our Scholarships Program received generous contributions in 2022, with three students from country Victoria receiving support from the Rural Scholarship Fund for a St Catherine’s School education from Years 9 to 12, commencing in 2023.

Our devoted Library Fund and Archives donors have kindly helped deliver phase one of the digitisation and preservation of School records. One hundred and seventeen St Catherine’s School Magazines have been digitised, providing a searchable digital library shared throughout our School community. The first chapter of our Heritage Trail panels was launched on St Catherine’s School’s Foundation Day in February. The installed markers signpost significant points of interest around the School, each relaying a story, imagery, and interactive link to the School’s website.

The St Catherine’s School Foundation gratefully thanks and acknowledges the wonderful commitment of our donors in 2022. We are thankful our community continues to give so that we in turn can provide our girls with optimum educational opportunities.

Mrs Sally Joubert Chair of St Catherine’s Foundation

If you would like to join the St Catherine’s Foundation by supporting the Building Fund and current Sports Centre capital campaign, or our Scholarship program, please contact Kathy Hines, Advancement Manager at kahines@stcatherines.net.au or phone +61 3 9828 3032.

Connecting our Community

Stay up to date with SCOGA events, programs, opportunities and Old Girl success and stories at:

Facebook scoga.au

Instagram @scoga.au

Instagram @stcatherinesschool

Make sure you have added St Catherine’s School under education on your profile so you are listed as an Alumnae.

Join the SCOGA International, Interstate and Regional Chapters

Connect with Old Girls in your region. Over 250 Old Girls have joined these groups. Please join and share these Chapters with other Old Girls you know.

Locations include:

St Catherine’s Old Girls’ Association (SCOGA) – London, Singapore, New York, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Shanghai, New South Wales, Queensland, Regional Victoria, ACT , Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia

Chapter Groups can be found on Facebook

1 Log into Facebook

2 Search the Chapter location

Eg St Catherine’s Old Girls’ Association (SCOGA) – London

3 Click ‘Join Group’

Don't have Facebook?

Email us at scoga@stcatherines.net.au and join our mailing list to be informed of any functions organised by the Chapter Groups, and to share your own stories, videos and photos.

Bringing Old Girls Together

in their careers and personal lives. Many have gone on to achieve remarkable things, including starting their own businesses, pursuing advanced degrees, and making positive contributions to their communities. The Committee recognises and celebrates these achievements, serving as a source of inspiration and pride for all Old Girls.

The Committee and Old Girl community have been active this year, hosting various events that brought Old Girls together. These events have included reunions, fellowships, social events, and sporting clubs. The reunions have been particularly successful, providing an opportunity for old friends to reconnect and reminisce about their time at school. The social events and sporting clubs have also been well attended, providing Old Girls with opportunities to socialise and stay active.

The Committee is also proud to congratulate the many Old Girls who have achieved success

Looking ahead, SCOGA is excited about what the rest of the year holds. The Committee is committed to engaging with Old Girls and creating meaningful opportunities for them to connect and grow. Plans are already underway for future events and initiatives, including mentorship programs, professional development opportunities, and more social projects.

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Committee and our Old Girl community, we look forward to a bright rest of the year. The Committee remains committed to serving as a valuable resource and community for Old Girls and is eager to continue engaging with them in the months and years to come.

SCOGA has had a busy and successful year so far. The Committee welcomed new members with open arms, bringing fresh perspectives and ideas to the table. The new members have quickly become an integral part of the team, contributing to the success of many events that have been hosted.

SCOGA 2023 Committee

Fellowship SCOGA 2022

The St Catherine’s Old Girls’ Association Fellowship was established in 2018 to strengthen the aim of SCOGA which is to support the professional development of Old Girls and to positively impact our community.

The Fellowship offers a financial contribution of up to $5,000 towards further study, a project and/or related travel that will fulfil the purpose of the Fellowship. The Fellow will act as an ambassador within the SCOGA community and as a role model to current students.

In 2022, the SCOGA Fellowship was awarded to Dr Hilary Grover (‘10).

Can you outline the program the Fellowship will support you with?

The Female Athlete Program centered at the Boston Children’s Hospital focuses on girls and women in sport. This program aims to empower athletes of all ages from elite athletes to weekend warriors. The program’s objectives are aimed at advancing knowledge around women’s health, which has been an understudied area for generations. In recent history only 11% of sport’s studies have focused on female athletes and their unique physiology. Understanding women’s physiology is vital as it needs to be factored into coaching, game development and program structure to help women to attain success in the sports world.

How would this Fellowship demonstrate benefits to the wider community?

On a practical level this fellowship would equip me with a range of leading-edge clinical skills and knowledge that would shape my practice. I often hold education sessions at sporting clubs and education for the broader local physiotherapy and allied health practices. I feel so lucky that with my profession I am constantly working with grassroot clubs and elite sporting bodies. Being able to empower women and girls at all levels of activity with the most up-to-date knowledge about their own health and give them agency over their own biology is extremely powerful.

How would this Fellowship align with the School’s Values and Motto?

When thinking about the School Motto ‘nothing is great unless it is good’ this reflects perfectly with the study of health science and performance.

How can we expect our women and girls to achieve greatness if we have not addressed the fundamental physiology and health concerns that keep them healthy and well? The basis of goodness is investing in the foundation of people, the very basics of women’s health still require significant research so women can thrive day to day and achieve greatness.

One of our School Values is Curiosity and being involved in research exemplifies this.

It is the process of forming questions and seeking answers. St Catherine’s Senior Rowing Crew’s success at Henley further highlighted to me that my work in the sporting space is something that was solidified through my time rowing and being Captain of Boats for St Catherine’s.

I am aiming to contribute to our sporting legacy at St Catherine’s in a non-athletebased way and has wider ramifications for women and girls in sport. I aim to level the playing field for women and men in sport by shifting the focus to women’s participation and focus on the rise of the female athlete.

To read the full Q&A with Dr Grover visit www.stcatherines.net.au/scoga

Applications for 2023 Fellowship applications open in July 2023.

SCOGA’s focus is to assist, promote and unify our Old Girl community. SCOGA is committed to fostering friendships and providing opportunities for engagement among our broad membership of over 7,000 St Catherine’s Alumnae.

Working to support Alumnae and the School, our activities include reunion programs, the SCOGA Fellowship, Mentor Program, awards to students and support for School building works, Heyington Hubs, sporting clubs, representation on School Council and committees and much more.

MEET THE SCOGA COMMITTEE

Sarah O’Brien (’02), President

Favourite memory from school: Meeting my BFF and all the adventures we had together. Since School: I have been working in events, travelling as much as possible and catching up with my St Cath’s friends as much as possible, with recent adventures together in India and Hobart.

Brooke Maat (’16), Vice President

St Cath’s), Exec at a regional bank (Albury), CEO at dairy manufacturer (Albury), Deputy Vice Chancellor at RMIT, CCO at MCEC. Lots of travel, plenty of time on the farm, never enough skiing – and now improving my golf.

President

Sarah O'Brien (’02)

Past-President

Chrissy Ryan (Graham ’79)

Vice President

Brooke Maat (’16)

Honorary Treasurer / School Council

Melissa Sweetland (’86)

Honorary Treasurer

Manon Dennison (’15)

Honorary Secretary

Prue-Jane Pisani (Gerritsen) (’97)

General Committee

Brooke Maat (’16)

Deb Berry (Manos ’77)

Fiona Dobbin (Goldstraw ’90)

Jennifer Wang (’15)

Megan Cassidy-Welch (Cassidy ’85)

Nikhi Wagstaff (’07)

Persephone Holdenson (’16)

Prue Dobson (Cameron ’69)

Prue Pisani (Gerritsen ’97)

Sonja-Lina Sasse (’84)

Favourite memory from school: Melbourne Zoo with Mrs Midgley to meet Jane Goodall. I have always been interested in science and it was such an amazing experience to meet someone I look up to! Since School: I have studied for a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Health Science Honours at Monash University, graduating in 2020. Then working as a Market Research and Advisory Consultant for Forethought. This year I was on secondment working for the Forethought New York office. In my spare time I run my food blog which I developed whilst at St Catherine’s during one of our elective classes!

Melissa Sweetland (’86), Honorary Treasurer / School Council

Favourite memory from school: There are so many! Boarding House shenanigans, winning Interschool Athletics, Year 12 Hockey versus Melbourne Grammar, changing the School uniform (it was just introducing long blue socks, but it felt important!), the views from Sherren House, and the lasting friendships.

Since School: Thirty-six years in a short para – here goes. BComm, Trinity College, Price Waterhouse, Andersen Consulting, PA Consulting (London), VP at GE Money, married a farmer, two babies (now at

Manon

Dennison (’15), Honorary Treasurer

Favourite memory from school: Camps, which is ironic as at the time I always used to dread them. However, the bonds formed over the campfire at the end of a busy day of hiking, canoeing or rock climbing are second to none!

Since School: I have studied Commerce at the University of Melbourne, while living at Trinity College, with an exchange semester to Trinity College Dublin in 2019. I started my career at EY after receiving a cadetship in Private Client Services, eventually moving to the Strategy and Transactions Division. In 2022, I moved to Gandel Invest, where we provide growth capital to startups. In the mornings you will find me on a Pilates reformer, at yoga, or in a cardio class, after work learning golf or playing tennis with my partner and in my time off travelling as much as possible!

Prue-Jane Pisani (Gerritsen ’97), Honorary Secretary

Favourite memory from school: I loved making friends and having amazing times together. From camps to social events and even the whole school train trip to Castlemaine. One of my favourite memories was everyone in the Hall, cartwheeling, hopping, and hula-hooping as we did House Gymnastics.

Since School: I have enjoyed travelling to countries all over the globe, experiencing

cultures and cuisines so different to my own and settling into Hawthorn with my husband and our two cats, Dexter, and Abbey. Professionally, I've been working in education as both a teacher and in school leadership. I now have the privilege of supporting leaders to reach their school improvement goals so all students can receive a quality education.

Fiona Dobbin (Goldstraw ’90)

Favourite memory from school: Boarding House life, friendships and bonds, sun tanning on the oval at lunch time, everything Beaulieu Blair! Last day of Year 12 and singing We are Family. When I hear this song, it reminds me of our fantastic 1990 Cohort.

Since School: I have completed a Bachelor of Nursing and post graduate studies specialising in palliative care. I am currently working as a community palliative care nurse. I am married and have two daughters at St Catherine’s.

Megan Cassidy-Welch (Cassidy ’85)

Favourite memory from school: Playing on the red steps at Barbreck. Since School: I have been travelling and working as an academic around Australia, married and raising my two sons.

Nikhi Wagstaff (’07)

Favourite memory from school: The fun of sitting on the giant red steps at Barbreck. the excitement of reaching Year 12 with the beautiful light blue jumpers and everything in between! I am always grateful for the special memories at Heyington Place and it's especially nice to now look back after all these years and reminisce with school friends!

Since School: I have studied arts/law at university and then worked in private practice, specialising in commercial real estate transactions. Sought a new challenge after COVID times, and recently transitioned into corporate governance and risk & compliance. Along the way, I've enjoyed contributing to

several community groups and committees and am spending more time in regional Victoria, which I love.

Persephone Holdenson (’16)

Favourite memory from school: GSV. The Wednesday afternoons spent on the bus with my friends were memories I will keep forever. Even if we were not very good at whatever we were playing (especially Softball), we played for fun and for the comradery. My friends and I still talk about how much we loved it! Since School: I have studied a Bachelor of Agriculture at the University of Melbourne where I have become passionate about precision agriculture and sustainable agriculture. I'm interested in promoting sustainable and ethical agricultural practices through technology and committed to supporting local farmers to maintain their status as global leaders i n research and development.

Sonja-Lina Sasse (’84)

Favourite memory from school: All the antics that we boarders got up to as well as the friendships and support from such a large 'family.' Since School: I had planned to study journalism in Canada but ended up coming back to Australia for family reasons and spent 20 years in the Animal Health industry working in various roles and companies. Then I spent 17 years teaching overseas and in Australia at tertiary levels. In 2022, I moved from an academic role to a professional role at Melbourne University in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. I have continued to study since finishing school and have a Bachelor of Science, a Master of TESOL, a Master of Teaching and a Fellowship in Teaching and Learning. I have also travelled extensively, having lived in 10 very different countries, and visited 56 to date.

Jennifer Wang (’15)

Favourite memory from school: The fantastic Music Program – from the weekly orchestra and choir rehearsals to the annual Gala Concert at the world-class Melbourne Recital Centre, or Music Camp where we bonded instantaneously over dressing up as various artists and musicians. Since School: I have graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Doctor of Medicine degree. This year I’ve started working as a junior doctor at The Royal Melbourne Hospital. I’ve been playing in orchestras and bands since school, was previously the principal percussionist of the Australian Medical Students Orchestra, and recently joined Corpus Medicorum, a Melbourne based orchestra of doctors and healthcare workers.

If you are interested in joining this remarkable group of volunteers and becoming part of the SCOGA Committee, please feel free to contact Sarah O’Brien (’02) at scoga@stcatherines.net.au

Honours

MERRAN KELSALL (’71) OFFICER (AO) IN THE GENERAL DIVISION OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

For distinguished service to the financial accounting sector, to professional organisations, and to the community.

CPA Australia Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, Financial Reporting Council, Australian Securities, and Investments Commission, Companies and Markets Advisory Committee, University of New South Wales, Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Medical Indemnity Protection Society, Australian Health Service Alliance, Medical Defence Association of Victoria, North Western Health Care Network, Royal Automobile Club of Victoria, Taxi Services Commission, Public Transport Ombudsman, Transport Accident Commission of Victoria, CareSuper, TarraWarra Museum of Art, Australian National University, VicSuper, Superpartners, CEO Institute, National Gallery of Victoria, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Credit Union Services Corporation, Monash University, Colonial Ltd, IOOF Group, Melbourne Water, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (formerly Institute of Chartered Accountants), Australian Institute of Company Directors, Binder Dijker Otte. Meritorious Service Award, Institute of Chartered Accountants, 2007.

ANNETTE (ANNE) COURT (’58) MEMBER (AM) IN THE GENERAL DIVISION OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA

For significant service to golf administration, and to the community.

Golf Australia, Golf Victoria (Formerly Women’s Golf Victoria, Golf Society of Australia, Golf Educator, Royal Melbourne Golf Club, numerous committees and advisory roles, Australian Sports Medal recipient 2000.

SUSIE REID (KOREN ’70) MEDAL (OAM) OF THE ORDER OF AUSTRALIA IN THE GENERAL DIVISION

For service to community health gender advocacy.

Women's health, gender advocacy.

Women's Health Goulburn North East, Gender and Disaster Australia (GAD) Taskforce, Women's Health Association of Victoria (now Gender Equity.

Victoria), Australian Women's Health Network, Parliamentary Friends of Science Forum, Science and Technology Australia, former Guest Contributor, ABC Radio.

In what is becoming a biennial event, the St Catherine’s community is welcomed to what is considered one of Victoria’s finest gardens, Cranlana.

Cranlana is one of the few remaining gardens of its era in Victoria, with vast lawns and significant mature specimen trees. The sunken garden is a highlight, colourful shrubs, clipped conifers and hedges, water features, Italian marble statues and ornate urns enhance the beauty of this garden.

Cranlana has remained in the Myer Family for nearly 100 years. Cranlana and the Myer Family have a long and deep connection with St Catherine’s. Lady Southey AC (Myer ’45) and her Family welcome our St Catherine’s Family to Cranlana for cocktails and a reunion.

Our Cranlana Cocktail Party was last held in 2022, co-hosted by the Past Parents’ and Families’ Network and SCOGA Committee. It was a wonderful success despite a last-minute pivot to a different venue due to the typical Melbourne weather in October!

It was wonderful to have so many Old Girls, past parents, and past staff in attendance. We were delighted that so many guests could join us. Thank you to everyone for supporting the night and making it so special.

Leading THE WAY

Linda Dessau

Governor of Victoria and esteemed Old Girl, The Hon Linda Dessau AC was appointed as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, or CVO, on 31 December 2022, by King Charles III. A statement from Dessau’s Office said, “It underlines for her the great privilege in representing the people of Victoria who never cease to impress with their cleverness and capacity for innovation, their kindness and generosity and their resilience and care for each other when times are tough.”

Alex Cullen (’17)

Alexandra (Alex) Cullen (’17) was the Australian representative in the Final of the World Triathlon Championship 2022 held in Abu Dhabi on 26 November. Competing in the Women’s 23-25 age group in the Standard Triathlon distances of 1500m swim, 40km bike ride and 10kms run, all in 34-degree heat. Alex was also the Iron Girl Champion of Barbreck in 2011, a competition run by Mr Tom Crebbin in the Junior School.

Georgie Gleeson (’16)

The McVilly-Pearce (MVP) pin is named after Cecil McVilly, the first rower to represent Australia at an Olympic Games, and Bobby Pearce, the first Australian rower to win an Olympic gold medal. Every rower who has represented Australia at the Senior level at either a World Rowing Championships, Olympic or Paralympic Games, or a Commonwealth Games receives a specially numbered pin to commemorate the first time they were selected to be part of an elite group of men and women who have had the honor to represent Australia on a world stage. Congratulations to Georgie Gleeson (’16) on being the first ever St Catherine’s Old Girl to receive this prestigious award.

Mayuri Muralidharan (’21)

Australia has claimed an historic World Cup (Junior) fencing medal. Congratulations to the Junior Women’s Foil Team who defeated Kazakhstan 45-37 in the bronze medal bout. Old Girl Mayuri Muralidharan (’21) pictured second left is part of the Australian Junior and Senior Fencing Team. Mayuri also achieved an historic first ‘top 32 rank’ for Australian individuals.

1962 Year Group – 60 Year Reunion, Year Rep: Angela Baker (Singleton)

1996 Year Group – 25 Year Reunion, Year Rep: Kate Barber & Sarah Carlile

Year Group – 20 Year Reunion, Year Rep: Lucinda Barber & Natalie Nunn (Simpson)

1971 Year Group – 50 Year Reunion, Year Rep: Jane Harrison (Morris)

1997 Year Group – 25 Year Reunion, Year Rep: Katrina Robinson

2015 Year Group – 5 Year Reunion, Year Rep: Jaquelin Cantarella & Nicola Sitch

1972 Year Group – 50 Year Reunion, Year Rep: Verna Bowes (Burge)

2000 Year Group – 20 Year Reunion, Year Rep: Megan Macdonald (Benson) & Angela Johnson

2016 Year Group – 5 Year Reunion, Year Rep: Elysée Dubois, Georgie Gleeson & Annabel Hartmanis

1995 Year Group – 25 Year Reunion, Year Rep: Phoebe Norman (Olsen)

2001 Year Group – 20 Year Reunion, Year Rep: Xenia Kimpton (Hammon) & Kate Mann

2017 Year Group – 5 Year Reunion, Year Rep: Georgia Deacon & Sabrina Reinke

Catherine’s

2023 Events & Reunions

Friday 17 February

10 Year – 2013

Tour 5.30pm, Drinks in Sherren House Drawing Room at 6.00pm

Wednesday 8 March

SCOGA Class Reps Cocktail Party Drinks 6.30pm in Sherren House

Drawing Room

Friday 31 March

15 Year – 2008

Tour 5.30pm, Drinks in Sherren House Drawing Room at 6.00pm

Friday 28 April

20 Year – 2003

Tour 5.30pm, Drinks in Sherren House Drawing Room at 6.00pm

Friday 5 May

30 Year – 1993

Tour 5.30pm, Drinks in Sherren House Drawing Room at 6.00pm

Friday 19 May

40 Year – 1983

Tour 5.30pm, Drinks in Sherren House Ballroom at 6.00pm

Friday 1 September

50 Year – 1973

Tour 5.30pm, Drinks in Sherren House Drawing Room at 6.00pm

Friday 8 September

5 Year – 2018

Tour 5.30pm, Drinks in Sherren House Ballroom at 6.00pm

Friday 6 October

60 Year – 1963

Tour 5.30pm, Drinks in Sherren House Drawing Room at 6.00pm

45 Year– 1978

Time and venue TBC

Friday 20 October

Pre 1963 Luncheon

11.30am, Drinks in Sherren House Drawing Room, 12.00pm Lunch in Sherren House Ballroom

Friday 10 November

25 Year – 1998

Tour 5.30pm, Drinks in Sherren House Ballroom at 6.00pm

Saturday 25 November

SCOGA Annual General Meeting

10.00-11.00am, Sherren House Ballroom

LEAVERS’ PANEL

SCOGA’s 2023 events kicked off with our annual Leavers’ Panel, highlighting extraordinary Old Girls and their adventures after St Catherine’s School.

Our Old Girls always impart knowledge of starting at university, heading to college, taking a gap year, and making their way to the workforce.

The Leavers’ Panel was an invaluable opportunity for the girls to learn about how to make the most out of their post-school life.

We thank our Old Girls for giving back.

Manon Dennison

(

’15) Honorary Secretary

Obituary | SARAH ALICE PITT (’91)

Sarah epitomised the St Catherine’s motto: Nothing is Great unless it is Good. Sarah was good in every way, right to the heart and went on to achieve so many great things.

Sarah’s life beyond the School Gates reflected her approach at St Catherine’s, she gave so much of herself to others, worked incredibly hard and participated in a broad range of activities, bringing to all of them her intelligence, sense of fun and genuine care for others.

Sarah was a wonderful student. She was particularly skilled in Languages – speaking Spanish, French and Japanese – a beautiful singer and performer, she loved Music and Drama and was a keen rower, runner, and tennis player. In 1990, Sarah stroked the St Catherine’s Eight to victory in the gruelling 8km Head of the Yarra. Sarah also took a very active role in the Duke of Edinburgh Program and even managed to fit in club hockey!

Sarah obtained School Colours in Music and became Vice Captain of the School in 1991. She was much loved – and will be sadly missed – by all her friends, both from School and beyond.

After school Sarah studied science and, following a Masters in Nutritional Science, became a successful dietitian. Dietetics was a fabulous career for Sarah. It enabled her to combine her formidable intellect and scientific knowledge with her wonderful people skills. Initially she was known around Box Hill Hospital as “Tim’s daughter” (Tim being a plastic surgeon practising at Box Hill). However, before too long, Tim became humbly known as “Sarah’s father.”

Vale

Diana Bloch (Stewart ’63)

Sunday Brent (’41)

Sasha Cahir (Creswick ’84)

Judith Cope-Williams (Storey ’55)

Betty Day (Kennett ’49)

In 2016, Sarah followed her passion for food and her creative streak and set up her exquisite, spiced nut business called Saporem. The photo shows Sarah in her element selling amazing, delicious nuts, with slick presentation, sound nutritional advice and all the while making people happy with that stunning signature smile. During her illness, Sarah wrote a letter to the Year 12s who were finishing a challenging final year peppered with pandemic lockdowns. In true form, always thinking of others, Sarah wrote as follows:

Keep listening to how you’re feeling, what’s going on in your head and your heart, and be mindful that not everyone has the strength to get through such a tough time. You guys do though – you have the resources and the intelligence to smash through this. Eat well (that’s coming from me the dietitian), sleep well (that’s coming from me the mum), be kind to each other and PLEASE be kind to yourselves. Talk to your family, keep in touch with precious friends – look after them and let them look after you, keep up with your studies, and keep perspective. Things WILL get better, and your resilience, your strength and your stoicism will be so much stronger and evident as a result. The Class of 2020 will be a Cohort of seriously tough and amazing women. I wish you all so much love and success. You deserve every single bit that comes to you. Sarah passed away from melanoma in August 2021. While she was ill, she raised awareness of melanoma, including through a podcast with Running Mums Australia which is still available on the RMA Podcast and available to listen to here.

Finally, and most importantly of all, Sarah was the completely devoted mother of three beautiful children: Alice, Jack and Eliza, loving wife to Dan, adored daughter of Tim and Trish and best friend to her brother Simon. All who knew Sarah remember – and desperately miss – that stunning smile, those sparkling eyes, that sense of humour and sharp wit, and that unfailing kindness, generosity, and love.

Emma Stanford (Handyside ’91), Fleur (Forsyth ’99) and Simon Pitt

Gaynor Ede (Barnes ’58)

Penelope Dwyer (Tozer ’59)

Betty Hicks (Sherlock ’42)

Annemarie Gandioli–Fumagalli (Tatchell ’60)

Celia Krawinkel (Morris ’83)

Elizabeth (Libby) Mack (Rowe ’64)

Barbara Mayes (Spry ’52)

Susan Perry (Dodds ’51)

Julia Simpson (Rouse ’45)

Weddings

Charlotte Beeny (’00) to Youssef Abouelseoud on 25 June 2022. St Catherine’s Old Girls attending included (pictured L-R): Evi Balet (Engelhardt, St Catherine’s German Exchange Student ’98), Marisa Paterson (’00), Claire Avery (Cuscaden ’00), Anna Riddell (’00) and Emily Vallance (Payne ’00).

Grëtel Cannon (’12) to Addam Crewe.

Ysabel (Cronin-Guss ’12) to Simon Allen at 'Denholm Green' Western Victoria. Maid of Honour was Mimi Permezel (’11) pictured 4th from left and Bridesmaid, Emma Rothfield (’12) pictured 5th from right.

St Catherine’s Old Girls’ Association THE BULLETIN

Babies

1. Audrey (Reinstein ’03) and Rodrigo Barretto, a daughter Florence Marie Reinstein

2. Daisy (Hayward ’09) and Michael Jordan, a daughter Lucy Marigold

3. Emily (Hamilton ’09) and Michael Turner, a son Louis John

4. Amy Freeman (’00) and Nicholas Sutton, a daughter Sibella

5. Maddy (Granter ’11) and Nic Hage, a daughter Florence Honey

6. Jane Cheatley (’06) and William McLaughlin, a daughter Olivia

7. Adelaide (L'Estrange ’05) and Thomas Hayes, a daughter Zara Adelaide

Issy (Moffatt ’06) and Kade Collins, a daughter Grace Clementine Becky (Simmons ’07) and Sam Cruickshanks, a daughter Charlotte