From the Principal

As you are reading this edition of the Flyer, our Year 12 students have just completed their External Exams. There is no more talk of an OP and the Queensland Core Skills Test; these have given way to external exams and the ATAR. The final term of the school year in 2020 looked very different to any of the previous 30 years or so. We are in uncharted territory; it is both exciting and unsettling, particularly given the COVID 19 context. However, over the last 125 years, St Margaret’s has faced unsettled times steadfastly and with conviction and, in each case, emerged stronger thanks to the resilience and commitment of students and staff. In a year in which we are celebrating our 125th anniversary, it is time to pause and think about what it is that we are really celebrating. What is St Margaret’s? We are not celebrating the facilities and buildings here, as they are just brick and mortar and have no heart. Having said that, they perform a very important role as the backdrop for all the activities, energies, and passions of the teachers, staff, parents and students. The 125th year, therefore, is really a celebration of all the people who have gone before us and not just what they achieved here but how they went out to live the school’s mission and values in their professional and personal lives. As part of our 125th anniversary, we have published the profiles of 125 women and their achievements. We refer to these past students as our ‘notables.’ Their achievements reflect our mission – to help develop confident, compassionate and capable women contributing to a society in a variety of ways. I have written elsewhere about these inspirational past students, and I encourage you to read some, if not all, of the profiles, on the school’s website. However, it would be remiss not to mention the achievements of our staff who have played an enormous role in shaping the St Margaret’s experience. We have a lot to celebrate in this area. For example, just this year alone, we have seen the school as finalists for three Australian Educator Awards, the results of which we will not know until late November. Our Year 6 Teacher and Literacy Coach, Kimberley Bachman, was named as one of 12 Queensland teachers recognised by The Educator Australia for outstanding work in delivering the highest quality educational experiences to all students. Chris Dunn, our Head of Faculty – Science and Technology, was recognised in the Peter Doherty Awards as an outstanding STEM Teacher, and our Head of Boarding, Lesa Fowler, was awarded the Australian Boarding Schools Association’s 2020 Premier Leadership Award. In addition to this, 22 teachers across our primary and secondary school received nominations for the National Excellence in Teaching Awards. During our signature Ponytail Project event, five teachers were excellent role models, joining our students in the fundraising efforts by cutting their hair for support of Cancer Council Queensland and the Amanda Minotti Trust. We also had Angela Drysdale, our Head of Primary, raise funds for vaccine research through her own personal walkathon, during the COVID-19 lockdown. Along with many other quieter and behind the scenes achievers, these members of staff further the school’s mission and reflect the values of the school. We are celebrating these achievements and actions as they contribute to the fabric of the school. What is St Margaret’s? They, along with other active parents and students and staff, are the St Margaret’s we are celebrating during our Quasquicentennial.

Ros Curtis

Principal BA(Hons), DipEd, MLitSt,MEd(Leadership and Management), ASDA, FACE, FACEL, FIML, GAICD