Evergreen Autumn 2018

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JUNIOR, MIDDLE & SENIOR SCHOOL


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Contents Opening Remarks Current Leaders – Jemima Vaughan

2 3

SMC Graduate Profile Attributes

24

Academic Achievements

4

Middle School

25

Centre for Innovation

5

Junior School

26

Alexandra Lay – Passchendaele

6

Enrolments 8 Boarding Life

9

Pre-School 27 SMCOGA Welcome

28

Old Girl News

29 32 34 35

Five Minutes With...

13

Reunion Weekend Alumni Profile – Olivia Faull Alumni Profile – Amy Satterthwaite

Out & About Empowering Girls – Hattie Compton-Moen

14 17

Alumni Profile – Jane Hole

36

Old Girl Events

37

Arts 18

From the Archives

40

Tribute to the Simpsons

20

In Closing

41

Sports

22

Chapel 10

p10

p14

p20

p23

p35


Opening Remarks

Gillian Simpson – Executive Principal "this school has always been about the people – our shining jewels, our taonga"

“Everyday superstars” is the theme chosen for the St Margaret’s community for 2018 by our Year 13 cohort. For true wellbeing we all need to be a vital part of something bigger than ourselves and to feel needed and valued. The girls define an “everyday superstar’ as someone who contributes to the wellbeing of others and of the whole community through regular small acts of helpfulness and kindness. Being aware of the needs of others and the needs of our physical environment and living in a state of compassionate mindfulness is a proven indicator of happiness and wellbeing. Throughout my 10 years of living in the St Margaret’s school family I have witnessed so many acts of kindness and compassion and so many shining “everyday superstars” that all these stars now light up our own SMC Galaxy! When I first arrived here I likened the campus to a dented, rusty old jewelry box which was filled with shining jewels. He tangata, he tangata, he tangata – this school has always been about the people – our shining jewels, our taonga. These people grew closer and stronger, united in the purpose of saving our great school in the face of unprecedented threats to our very existence in the challenges thrown at us by Mother Nature’s earthquakes.

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That jewelry box is now a new splendid modern version of itself; a tribute to those who seized every opportunity, cared for each other and rebuilt and future proofed our school. A shared purpose, an unshakeable resolve and caring for each other by being “everyday superstars’ is why we are now blessed with a school fit for the purpose of “educating young women to live and lead” into their future. I write this on International Women’s Day and I believe that never before have all-girls’ schools been so important in growing mana wahine and in nurturing and growing confident, compassionate women to make our world a better place. I also write this, my last Evergreen message as Executive Principal, with sadness because I will miss you all but also with immense gratitude for all this wonderful community has given to David, our family and I. I am an SMC girl now through and through and always shall be. Look after each other and find your own inner “everyday superstar” and let it shine every day! Arohanui Gillian Simpson – Executive Principal


Current Leaders

Jemima Vaughan – Head Girl

"This year I’m so excited to give back to the school community" Jemima Vaughan is gearing up for a busy year as Head Girl. “I feel very privileged to be St Margaret’s Head Girl for 2018. I have been a part of the St Margaret’s School community since 2013, and I’m a great believer in giving back to the community.” This year’s leadership theme is Everyday Superstars. The theme is centred around kindness and service and Jemima is very passionate that all girls follow the theme. “I’ve been lucky to have some very strong role models in my life. My mum and my two aunties are strong women giving back to their communities.” Another of Jemima’s role models is her sister, Natalie, who also attended St Margaret’s and has cemented for Jemima a strong sense of the school-wide family feel. “My Deputy Head Mia and myself really want every girl to be involved in what we have planned this year, we just really love

the school and we want all girls to become passionate about it with us.” One of Jemima’s highlights is the EGG fundraiser which the leadership team organised for the end of Term 1. The team decided to centre their fundraising on something close to their hearts. The EGG charity camp was a ‘big camp out’ on the Winchester Lawn “It’s kind of a cross between 40 Hour Famine and Relay for Life where lots of girls camped out to raise money for EGG.” And the rest of the year ahead is sure to be just as busy, exciting and inspirational for Jemima. She’ll be combining leadership responsibilities with playing for SMC Netball A’s, spending as much time as possible with friends and family and giving back to her local community. And beyond that Jemima has some lofty goals. “This year I’m so excited to give back to the school community but next year I want to really expand that a bit more into something service-based so I can give back to the wider community, maybe even worldwide”.

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Academic Achievements Top of the table in NCEA

St Margaret’s College students topped the region’s NCEA results for 2017 with the highest pass rate in Canterbury and one of the highest pass rates in the country. The girls earned 100% pass rates in NCEA Levels 1 and 2 with 99% in Level 3 and 99% in University Entrance.

Nearly half the students at Level 1 (49%) received an Excellence Endorsement, more than double the national average, as did 52.5% in Level 2 (more than three times the national average) and 32.6% in Level 3, again, more than double the national average.

Excellence Endorsement

NCEA Level 1

NCEA Level 2

St Maragert's College

49.0% 52.5% 32.6%

All girls' schools (decile 8–10)

40.8%

33.4%

NCEA Level 3 28.6%

All Results Summary St Margaret's College

100% 100% 99%

All girls' schools (decile 8–10)

95.0%

In addition, International Baccalaureate Diploma students all did well with 100% achieving their university goals including two students, Hanah Kim and Vivien Emile achieving a very impressive 40 or above, putting them amongst the highest scoring students in the world. In addition, 46 domestic and three international university scholarships were offered to the Class of 2017 from St Margaret’s College. These include three Academic Excellence Scholarships from University of Otago to Kate Jenkins, Penny Chapman and Juliet Amandari. Lucy Adams and Caitlin Bonné both received College of Business & Law High Achievers Scholarships at University of Canterbury and the University of Auckland offered Top Achiever Scholarships to Abida Denny, Tigerlily Perry and Juliet Samandari.

96.8%

94.0%

Emma Clarke and Ilaria Earl are both heading to the USA, Emma on a full football scholarship at the University of Houston and Ilaria to the University of Alabama on a full rowing scholarship. Aimee Taylor was the only New Zealander to receive a scholarship to the International College of Hotel Management in Adelaide, Australia. “Our wish is for every girl to grow and thrive at St Margaret’s, surrounded by peple who care about her wellbeing and academic achievement,” said executive principal, Gillian Simpson. “After all, if you are not happy, you cannot learn. These results reflect the success of this culture and are a huge credit to the students themselves and the teachers who have supported them.”

100 Fendalton Road Christchurch (03) 351 7980 jennyburtt.florist@xtra.co.nz www.jennyburtt.co.nz

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Centre for Innovation

Activities from the Centre for Innovation

Farmbot Last year we started a community project which was to build a “Farmbot” [farmbot. io] This is a robotic structure that will plant and monitor crops in a raised garden bed. There will be sensors that manage the weeds and water the seedlings when required. To date, we have almost completed the construction phase and the next challenge we will be attempting to programme the robot to execute these tasks. The children are diligently researching and making decisions on which crop to plant for autumn. We also hope to replicate the planting in a regular garden for the primary school girls to attend. Comparing the growth between the two methods will be an interesting venture. This group is called “TechtoTable” and we have a facebook page if you would like to follow our progress. We would like to acknowledge our sponsors, Parkhouse Landscaping and Oderings for their support in supplying resources to create the garden. We also welcome anyone who is interested in joining us to come along and be part of this innovative project. If you have skills in agriculture or website design we would love to hear from you: flaviadean@gmail.com

New Digital Technologies and Hangarau Matihiko Curriculum Technology is changing fast and our education system needs to grow and adapt with it. We are changing how we equip our children and young people to participate, create, and thrive in this fast-evolving digital world, including Year 1 students. We don't want them to see digital systems as some kind of magic that they can't participate in, but as something that they could understand and, for some, create themselves.So as part of the Year 1 programme, students have been learning how think like a computer scientist. Our programme focus is to give exact sequential instructions, work well together and understand how to break a big problem into small pieces. Then tackling the small pieces one at a time. All life skills that can be transferred from computer programming to other tasks that students need to do plus lots of fun!

T3A - Technology of the 3rd Age We are proud to be launching a series of workshops for adults and older adults to improve confidence and efficiency in using iPhone and iPads. These workshops will be held on campus and our initial course will start at the beginner level. We hope to offer more workshops that will appeal to people who are looking to expand their skills further, later this year. Possessing a smartphone is the easy part, understanding and knowing it’s full capabilities becomes more problematic. These workshops are aimed to guide and support individuals to become more competent users of the technology that is at our fingertips in the 21st century.

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On 7 October 2017 I had the privilege of travelling to Belgium with nine other students who had won the Ministry of Education’s Battle of Passchendaele Competition. The brief was to create a digital resource for Year 7-10 students to learn about New Zealand's darkest day: the Battle of Passchendaele. I decided to design an interactive website which would be accessible and engaging for younger students and included a map to navigate through the events of 12 October 1917. The prize was a whirlwind 10 days in France, Belgium and The

Netherlands

during

which

we

attended

official

commemorations, visited Commonwealth cemeteries and war museums. I found the sunset service at Polygon Wood particularly moving. It comprised a dramatic narration set to poignant music, which told the story of a New Zealand soldier leaving for war, dying in battle and his family being notified of the heartbreaking news. Although

I

enjoyed

reading

and

researching

about

Passchendaele, visiting the actual sites was deeply affecting. In the autumn of 1917, the weather conditions in Europe

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were the worst on record. It’s hard to imagine looking at the area now, but the combination of wet weather and heavy artillery shelling turned the low lying farmland of Flanders into a nightmarish swamp. It was in these conditions that the New Zealanders were tasked with taking the town of Passchendaele on 12 October. The campaign was rushed, poorly planned and ended in the massacre of over 850 New Zealand soldiers. The sheer scale of the casualties is still as shocking now as it must have been then. The senseless waste of young lives is underscored as one stands in a cemetery like Tyne Cot surrounded by hundreds of graves and the names of thousands more. For each of those names, there were so many more families, friends and communities who were affected – the extent of the devastation and immeasurable impact of the Third Ypres campaign really struck me. The trip was an incredible experience and I was honoured to represent my school and, foremost, my country at the centenary commemorations. I would really encourage anyone visiting Europe to take time to visit this significant historical area. Link to website: www.discoverpasschendaele.com



Enrolments

Catching up with Lizzie Dyer

"We have the nicest girls here, and of course fantastic teachers" The first person most families meet when they visit St Margaret’s is registrar, Lizzie Dyer. Choosing the right school for their child is one of the most important decisions parents make and Lizzie helps guide them through the process, starting with a private tour of the school before arranging day visits, interviews and scholarships. Lizzie’s strong connection with the school (she’s an Old Girl and has two daughters, Olivia and Mimi in Years 10 and 12), combined with her warm welcome instantly makes families feel at ease “I always recommend a personal tour of the school so they know if it has the right feeling and if their daughter would fit in. From there an enrolment, and a lot of people are enrolling early these days. The girls then get to do a day visit which is when they spend a day with a buddy shadowing her just to get a feel. That’s followed by an interview with our Executive Principal and she does the offers of place.” “I love working with the girls. Seeing them when they first start, they are so anxious and nervous, and then the following year, seeing them pulling their buddies under their wings and showing them proudly around the school. I love that I get to watch them grow all the way through from Year 1 to Year 13!” Lizzie’s role also takes her around the country to regional events and trade and agricultural shows to meet prospective parents and girls and catch up with Old Girls, former parents and their families. She also deals with a mountain of paperwork which has now become even more complex with

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boarding and several year groups full, adding the complexities of waitlist management to the mix. “Everyone who knows me knows I’m not a huge fan of the paper and computer work – I’d much rather be with the people! And the full year groups and waitlists are a huge juggle. I really encourage early enrolments as we near capacity. At least if families are enrolled we can keep them in the loop and we can tell them about opportunties like scholarship exams.” Along with five years as a student in the 80s, Lizzie has looked after new SMC families for over three years and when asked what she thinks are the top three reasons parents and girls should choose SMC she says the answer is easy. “The girls! Easily number one! We have the nicest girls here, and of course fantastic teachers. And just the feel of the school, of course the girls are going to get a fabulous education but it’s the extras on offer that make a great school. For St Margaret’s it’s programmes like the Rite Journey in Year 10 and the William Pyke challenge in Year 8. Those fantastic programmes and the wonderful family feel of the school make it complete. “And there is so much opportunity. It’s what I love, especially about the Middle School, you sample all the subjects, you can give everything a go. Also make the most of the clubs and the groups. Do the productions, be part of the sports teams, go to the fitness sessions just make the most of every opportunity. The more you do the more inspired you’ll get. I love the way the girls all mix, older and younger, it’s the truly great thing about St Margaret’s.”


Boarding Life The boarding community everyday superstars.

is

an

eclectic

group

of

Our girls demonstrate resilience in quite a few ways, learning to live away from home at such a young age, developing their personal organisation, making new friends and establishing their independence. They are brave and strong, both independently and united in their boarding family. Boarding is a big learning curve for these young ladies; living with so many others all facing the same daily challenges can be quite a test of anyone’s patience and tolerance. These young women are everyday superstars in my eyes. Behind the scenes and in all aspects of the boarding community are the boarding staff. They are a friend, mentor and role model to many. Patching up a grazed knee, praising a job well done and advising on the consequences of making a poor choice are just examples of variety in their positions. The role of

a boarding staff member is varied and challenging but also very rewarding and incredibly special. The relationships formed over many years truly are a privilege. Our boarding staff are a great mix of personalities who all work well together in this big family environment. A mutual respect for all individuals and their contribution is an unwritten understanding. As full time students, full time mothers, grandmothers and coaches, we are a team of many talents with a common interest in the care and well-being of our girls. We are supported by our maintenance and cleaning team who keep everything shipshape and by our amazing catering team who care for the dietary needs of so many. Boarding is a community who happily go the extra mile every day. A community of everyday superstars. Nicky Langley – Head of Boarding


Chapel

Bringing the new Chapel to life

"Te Whare Hauora – The House of Wellbeing"

The much awaited new old chapel at St Margaret’s will be used as a place of reflection and contemplation for both students and staff. It will also be used to host weddings, christenings and funerals for Old Girls. And poignantly it fulfils a decade-long dream of departing principal, Gillian Simpson, to have a small chapel back on the grounds of St Margaret’s. Now the chapel is on site, the Foundation is working hard to complete the extensive restoration work so it can be consecrated before Gillian departs at the end of Term 2.

The story behind the chapel 18 years ago the Satterthwaite family in North Canterbury bought St Mark’s Chapel, Rotherham to save it from demolition. The couple had got married in it and wanted to save a piece of history of their area and own a little piece of the past. They moved it to their farm where it sat, occasionally hosting weddings for many years.

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Now, nearly two decades later, the former St Mark’s has travelled from their farm in the Waiau Valley to St Margaret’s College in Christchurch to become Te Whare Hauora (The House of Wellbeing) for the students and surrounding community. The Satterthwaites have strong connections with St Margaret’s. Every female member of the family attended the school for the past 90 years and with the school losing 85% of its buildings in the earthquakes, they facilitated the sale of the chapel to enable the school to have a little piece of history for future generations of St Margaret’s students. Donations to help towards restoring the chapel can be made through the school website and there are still many more opportunities to literally own a piece of St Mark’s chapel. Currently $216,401 has been raised towards the $300,000 required. Any fundraising surplus will be used for the maintenance and upkeep of the chapel to ensure it lasts for at least another 100 years in its new home.


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Open Day & SMC Boarders’ Sleepover

Open Day – Friday 11 May 10:30am to 1:00pm

The Principal’s address with Gillian Simpson and Diana Patchett is at 11:45am

SMC Boarders’ Sleepover – 4.30pm Friday 11 May to 10.00am Saturday 12 May

Pre-register at: www.stmargarets.school.nz/open-day-2018/ 12 Winchester St • Merivale • Christchurch • (03) 379 2000 • www.stmargarets.school.nz

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Five minutes with... Jian Chan Samantha Teacher Fazio-Smith What is your role at SMC? I have two roles. I am the Chinese language teacher in charge. And in my other role I am the manager of the Confucius class room under the umbrella of the Confucius Institute. How long have you been a teacher at St Margaret’s? Since August 2011, nearly seven years. And where were you before that? I was a maths teacher at Linwood College I was there for 10 years but during that time I took a year and half to go and teach in Mongolia. I wanted to know how the independent country of Mongolia would teach so I took that time to explore the country. What part of China are you from? I am from Inner Mongolia a province of China, it is different from Independent Mongolia. I am from a place on the border of Inner Mongolia, Russia and China. The coldest place on earth where humans live! When did you come to New Zealand? 1987, 31 years next month. After I graduated from University in China I worked as a teacher for five years and then I had the opportunity to come to Otago University to do my Post Graduate study. What’s the most interesting place you have travelled to? I’ve been to so many places like Antarctica, South America and Europe, Mongolia and Russia. The place I found most culturally interesting is Peru. I like Peru for the culture and the people. What do you do to relax? A lot of Sudoku – I am a maths person if my mind is too busy I do Sudoku or maths work and I relax. I also spend a lot of time on We Chat (Chinese social network) talking to my family, which I love.

Teacher

How long have you been at SMC? I actually started last century! I’ve been here for 23 years, I was even married here – in the old chapel. What is your role at SMC? I’m the curriculum leader of Geography which encompasses Level 1, 2 and 3 NCEA and IB Geography. I’m also a tutor and head of Kowhai House as well as teaching Year 10 Social Science. Who inspires you? Here at school I’ve been so lucky to have such an incredible range of colleagues over 23 years, a huge range of inspirational women and men that I’ve worked with. And these amazing girls they keep me excited and feeling young. Outside of work I have a wonderful hardworking husband who’s a school principal as well and an adorable son and they are the light of my life. What do you do to relax? At the moment, what I’m really loving is the Adult Elite Dance Group in the Dance Academy. We just have an absolute ball! Being with them is very therapeutic, the comradery and laughter really helps me relax. Favourite food? I’m Italian, so anything Italian, especially seafood. What’s the best part of your job? There’s so much. I think it’s the young women - they really are quite amazing to be around, they keep me young I just love being a part of young people’s lives. It’s a very privileged position to be in.

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Out & About Pōwhiri

IB Graduation

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Out & About Father–Daughter Breakfast Year 9

Wanaka Regional Event

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Out & About House Warming

St Margaret's College Foundation Thank You Function

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Empowering Girls Hattie Compton-Moen

Robotics, gamification, mechatronics and computational thinking… sit down with Harriet Compton-Moen and these are the words and ideas you need to pick up on pretty quickly. Year 11, St Margaret’s student, Hattie has a brain that works at lightning speed, although it would have to - to fit in all she has achieved in a reasonably short time. From creating and naming the Margaret Mahy Playground, while at Selwyn House, to entering her e-learning platform Girls Byte, becoming a finalist and blowing away the judges, in the Future Business Leader competition – Dream, Believe, Succeed. Hattie is moving forward at great pace – storing the advice she is receiving and honing it to create the next big thing, “Both competitions were quite similar in the way that I got to meet so many cool entrepreneurs and they all seem so invested in my ideas and gave great personal feedback.” Dream, Believe, Succeed Foundation was founded by Steve Brooks. Steve started his first business at age 12 when he would refurbish old bikes and lawnmowers from the tip and sell them for a tidy profit, going on to be a millionaire by age 19. He set up the award to raise awareness and develop youth entrepreneurs. The award is open to applicants aged 15 to 23, therefore Hattie didn’t reach the age criteria, however the judges were so impressed with her pitch they made her a finalist. Of the experience, Hattie says “writing a business plan was the hardest part, the stuff I was passionate about – the robotics and the target market came easy. I was up against the UC Young Entrepreneur of the year so it was hard.” Ask Hattie about Girls Byte and her passion is obvious. “I’ve been involved in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) since I was five and entered the original Robo Cup Competition, I’ve been hooked and it’s a huge part of my life, it’s one of my favourite things to do.” Teaching other girls about technology is where Girls Byte comes from. With it Hattie is hoping to develop an e-learning platform resource for teachers and students, she describes it as “like Mathletics but for STEM subjects”. It will teach students

in areas such as robotics, computational thinking and scratch coding and use gamification for learning. While most would think, great concept but how do you make it happen? Hattie is forging ahead. She is working on a mock-up version as part of her Digital Technologies project for NCEA. “I’m doing the mock-up in Python which is coding language and I’m hoping to purchase, either through Dream, Believe, Succeed or private sponsorship, an authoring tool which is what you use to create e-learning platforms, then I can make sure it’s the quality I want it to be. And Ms Chong has been an incredible inspiration to me since I arrived here at St Margaret’s. She has supported me so much with everything I do and we are so lucky at school we get so many unique opportunities, we’re allowed to follow our passions.” What does her future hold? Hattie is very excited to be travelling to the States next term to take part in the Future Problem Solving Internationals and next year she would like to start her International Baccalaureate Diploma. She hopes to study Mechatronics Engineering at university. “It’s all kinds of engineering combined, you can go into robotics, aerospace engineering – the possibilities are endless.” But ask Hattie what she would like to do for a job and she has a very unique answer. “Ideally I want to do something that hasn’t been invented yet, it has to be something relevant to the time so hopefully it doesn’t exist yet.” And as to her thoughts on how she will get there? “I’m not sure how it’s going to go or how I’m going to do it but I kind of know what I’m going to do next, now, and as to how that unfolds over the next few years we’ll have to wait and see.” You go Hattie, we will all be cheering you on from the sidelines!

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The Arts

Who's a superstar? "The most important thing a girl wears is her confidence"

The arts help to nourish and sustain our girls by offering them the chance to express themselves, and to unleash their creativity and individuality while working in a supportive team. This year we aim to make each and every girl a superstar. We will do this through our extensive menu of co-curricular arts groups, catering for all tastes and abilities, where girls receive expert guidance in a fun-filled, inclusive environment, encouraging participation, development and enjoyment. Also through our tuakana-teina (big sister-little sister) leadership and mentoring structure, where older girls work with groups of younger ones, providing inspiring role-modelling. We will host numerous occasions where our girls’ talent can be showcased and where the community can gather to celebrate, for example Cushion Cabaret #1 and our annual Twilight Concert. The very last week of each Term 1 is Arts Week,

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where our student Arts Council weave dance, music, theatre and art through classrooms and assemblies, into lunchtimes and breaks, and pop up when you least expect them! Our major production for this year will also be the perfect vehicle for fostering our superstars. Alice!, our own unique and modern take on Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, will be sure to delight, with large-scale music and dance numbers, state-of the-art visual projection using LED screens and Carroll's favourite characters brought to life and re-imagined through spectacular costuming. This all-girls, whole-school production will be a celebration of the performing arts at St Margaret's College, and will set the platform for all our superstars to shine. Mary Davison – Arts Facilitator


AUTUMN 2018 19.


Tribute to the Simpsons

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Everday Sport Superheroes "Not all heroes wear capes"

It’s coming to the business end of the summer sport season,

our girls and they, to me, are also superstars in every way –

at the time of writing, we are heading into the very busy

every day!

week of Summer Tournament. And it’s at this time, when we will be celebrating our school sports superstars, that we remember- all of our girls, in all teams and grades, can be everyday superstars. Sport teaches us that being a superstar is not necessarily about winning and beating the other team, it’s about turning up to the meetings and trainings. It’s about being at the game at the correct time and wearing the correct SMC uniform with pride. Consistency is what pays off in sport and consistently putting the effort into all aspects of the sport you play is what makes an everyday superstar. The girls who always have a positive attitude, who play fair, who thank the opposition, the officials and the coaches no matter what the result, are not only everyday superstars but superstars every day. We are also very lucky to have a wonderful mix of coaches and mentors, always turning up with a positive attitude to inspire

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Participation levels were at an all time high at our school Athletic and Swimming Sports events where staff and students were unified in a spectacle of colour and House spirit. Highlights include: • Winning summer quadrangular tournament • Our Tennis team taking out the South Island title for the 3rd year running • Water Polo winning the South Island Secondary Schools’ tournament • Selections into National squads and teams So many of our St Margaret’s girls have had wonderful successes at regional, South Island and National levels making it very difficult to highlight all. They have excelled in Rowing, Tennis and Touch. And so many individuals have achieved places in rep teams or excelled in their personal fields – Kayaking, Equestrian, Cycling, Volleyball, Water Polo, Archery, Karate, Softball, Rugby sevens, Triathlon and Water Skiing. Helen Belcher – Director of Sport


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SMC Graduate Profile Attributes With some examples of current learning to support the development of these attributes... In order for each girl to have a deep sense of well-being and happiness hauora/eudaimonia, we must support her to be:

COMPASSIONATE

Relationships with low decile schools, chapel services, peer support programmes, Everyday Superstars – acts of kindess and love, Walk for Syria, Tent City Fundraiser for EGG

CONFIDENT

Myers Cup speech competition, elite sports mentoring, performing arts performances, Travellers programme, self-belief

LIFELONG LEARNER

Junior School REDS, student-led conferencing, International Baccalaureate extended essays, goal setting, critical reflection

SELF MANAGER

Independent learning programmes, co-curricular activities, Y11 Step Up programme, pastoral care tutors and deans

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR

Rite Journey letter to parents, writing competition, speech competitions, debating, speaking at chapels, assemblies and events, Y12 & 13 Life Skills programmes

RESILIENT

Rite Journey overnight, student exchange programmes, co-curricular activities, field trips at home and abroad, product design process

COLLABORATIVE Prefect leadership, ENSS survivor unit in Years 7/8, Y13 business, design technology

FLEXIBLE CRITICAL THINKER Exploring ideas and solving problems in creative technologies, coding, future problem solving

RESPONSIBLE CITIZEN

Hauora unit in Year 9, student leadership roles, global issues, community service, fundraising, leadership programmes

HOLISTIC PERSONAL GROWTH

Academic awards for effort, co-curricular activity participation, IB Creativity Action Service Passion Projects

ACADEMICALLY SUCCESSFUL

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Peer tutoring, learning to learn, academic achievement awards, prize giving awards, academic competitions, Learning Enhancement programmes, Tertiary scholarships


Middle School

The life our students live today is so very different to the one we grew up in. It is hard to believe our Middle School students have lived their entire lives in a digital world where information is at their fingertips. There are numerous positives to this and of course some negatives. Through many of our programmes we work with the girls as they challenge themselves both as consumers and creators of digital content. One part of the digital world that is hard to ignore is the portrayal of young people in society. They are more often than not shown for the times they buck the system or do questionable things. Yes, we have all been there, and possibly done these things ourselves. But I do feel for our young people as whatever they do is recorded and shared through digital media platforms so the rest of the world can sit in judgment, question and share their opinion on the “youth of today”. I feel privileged to work at St Margaret’s College where yes our girls can have their moments, but on the whole they are everyday superstars.

Take a Year 10 student, Izzy Smith, who organised a mufti day to raise significant funds for Tonga following Cyclone Gita. Our Year 7 students who raised $2500 for Camp Quality at their market day. Our Year 10s who planted 150 trees per day for a week for Environment Canterbury. And then the students who do small things with great attitude – like Lucy Vaughan, Year 10, who gifted a dance ticket to someone else who had missed out. This student could have sold the ticket at an inflated price but gifted it. My goal this year is to promote and celebrate our young people and congratulate them for the great things they do. Our girls are our future and many are already beginning their journey to change the world. My message for all our Middle Schoolers is taken from social media and accredited to Sophia Bush, an American actress, “You are both a masterpiece and a work in progress.” Kathryn Gray – Head of Middle School

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Junior School Peace

"Peace begins with a smile" - Mother Teresa Peace feels like being in a flower meadow with the cool breeze blowing through my hair. It feels like being on my bed reading a chapter book. It feels like Japan at night. It feels like praying to God. It feels like snuggling flowers and having cuddles at night. I feel peaceful at home with my dogs. I feel peaceful at the beach with the nice warm sand. Isabelle Cadman Year 3 This term, our Junior School Topic focus is “Peace”. This was based on the knowledge that the Peace Boat was visiting Christchurch in early February (their 96th Voyage) and Layla Martin’s uncle is the Captain of this cruise liner. Paulette

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Double (our Year 3 teacher) and Layla’s family were allowed access onto the Peace Boat on our behalf. Year 3 had a lot of questions to ask Captain Andersson. We also sent a welcoming movie to them where we sang our school waiata Tena ra koutou e. Developing a mindset of peace, understanding our history and how peace has been formed, learning and acknowledging our female role models in advocating peace has enable us to learn and understand that Peace is a vital component to our well being. Julie Calder – Head of Junior School


Pre-School

Technology in the Pre-School

Technology takes many forms in the Pre-School and this term we have been incorporating iPad apps into the children’s dramatic play settings to extend their experience. Using a variety of apps they are for example, able to visually exprience driving their cardboard train on the tracks and through the country side, or can treat a patient in the waiting room using their own diagnosis. The Doctors app allows them to view an xray of their virtual patient, apply creams and dressings in the virtual world but also use props from the physical world. Similarly, using a hairdressing app, children can use their own image on the iPad to experiment with different hairstyles on their face, while simultaneously pretending they are in a salon with their friends. They easily switch between the

virtual and phyical worlds and this intergration is something we are already experiencing more of in our adult lives. Many of the children have become quite familiar with programming the beebots and are now interested in creating their own challenges for them. They are using traditional blocks to create mazes of paths and obstacles for the Beebots to navigate through and then test whether they can programme the bot to follow it. Ipads are also used to record a variety of childrens learning and particularly their building creations with blocks, so they can revisit prior experiences and use this to review, improve or share with others. Sue Gleeson – Pre-School Director

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SMCOGA Welcome President’s report

"Our key aim is to reach out to Old Girls of all ages and keep them connected"

I joined the St Margaret’s College Old Girls’ Association after helping with the popular SMCOGA vs CCOBA debate: ‘Up She Rises’. That was one brisk evening back in June 2012; we held it in a marquee. Since then, many of us have watched our school literally rise up out of the rubble and our daughters grow up alongside the changing face of the campus. Throughout this time, our Executive Principal, Gillian Simpson, has been steadfast in her leadership. In recent times, the Old Girls’ Association has been thrilled to support Gillian’s dream of having a small chapel back on the grounds of SMC. We look forward to generations of Old Girls being able to utilise this space to celebrate life and unions, both now and into the future.

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As always, our key aim is to reach out to Old Girls of all ages and keep them connected with the College, and with each other. This year our calendar of events includes regional gatherings in both Auckland and Wellington. You can email us regarding any of our events at smcoga@stmargarets.school. nz – we look forward to welcoming you along. We are keen to stay in touch and now it’s easy – just head to the Old Girls tab on the SMC website and click on ‘Tell Us Your News’ (www.stmargarets.school.nz/tell-us-news/). We would love to hear from you! Samantha MacGibbon – President – SMCOGA


Old Girls' News Old Girl Amanda Dybdahl (Dodwell) has been dubbed by friends as being on a world tour of natural disasters. Since leaving St Margaret’s Amanda has lived in many places around the world including Bahrain and Singapore. In 2012 she brought her Norwegian husband and children back to earthquake effected Christchurch for a four and half year stint, leaving again in 2017 to start a new life in America – only to experience the worst fire and mudslides in history. Last December they were evacuated from their home in Montecito, for what they thought would be days, as the worst fires in California history approached. Two weeks later they were lucky enough to return to an untouched house – flames had reached their front garden. As life was returning to normal they were again evacuated when heavy rain threatened mudslides. What they returned to was unrecognisable, mud had devastated their town causing widespread damage and killing 23 people. While still reeling from the natural disaster and getting used to their new normal, evacuating every time a serious amount of rain is forecast, Amanda and her family feel lucky to still be living and loving their Californian dream. Anna Musson (Smith) knows a thing or two about manners, she runs an etiquette training company in Sydney. As well as featuring weekly on the number one rating breakfast program, Sunrise, she runs social etiquette classes with some of Australia’s top 100 businesses. Competing in the recent World Youth Championship of lawn bowls, St Margaret’s Old Girl Katelyn Inch represented New Zealand in the women’s singles. She enjoyed a very strong competition making it through to the final but unfortunately was beaten 21 – 13 by Australian Kristina Krstic. Katelyn was part of a four strong team to travel to the championship held at the Broadbeach Bowling Club – the same venue will be used for the upcoming Commonwealth Games. In an impressive achievement for St Margaret’s netball – congratulations go to Old Girls Tiana Placid, Jess Prosser and Lily Marshall. All three have been selected for the Mainland Beko Netball team. The Beko team plays in a National league under the Tactix team. Tiana, Jess and Lily were prominent players for the SMC A team during their time at school. They had a huge impact on the culture and success of Netball at St Margaret’s, leaving a strong legacy for others to aspire to.

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Old Girls' News

Combined Old Girls' Golf Tournament

Old Girls’ Jug – Best Gross

Partridge Cup – Best Stableford

Winner: Di Kay Runner Up: Kath Sullivan

Winner: Sarah Taylor Runner Up: Sally Vilsbaek

Perkins-Scott Trophy – Net

Nancy Simpson Rose Bowl – Best Gross Bronze

Winner: Philippa Rivers Runner Up: Emma Macfarlane

Winner: Sue Cowles Runner Up: Annabel Shand

Cranmer Cup – Best Stableford Parents

St Margaret’s Salver – 9 Hole Best Stableford

Winner: Annette Pringle Runner Up: Jo Emson

Winner: Gillian Simpson Runner Up: Jan Simpson

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Coming Events 2018

May

Saturday 12

Friday 18

Tuesday 22

Wednesday 23

August

Friday 10

Connections Cocktail Party

Monday 13

Wellington Community Event

Thursday 30

Cranmer Assembly

September

Friday 14

Descendants' High Tea

October

Friday 27 & Saturday 28

Reunion Weekend

November

Friday 23

Christchurch Margaritas

Cranmer Lunch

Marlborough Dinner

Annual SMC/RR Bridge Tournament Auckland Community Event

Deceased Oct 17 – Feb 18 2254 2173 3261 2787 2102

Audrey Moir (Fairbairn) Janet Upritchard (Macfarlane) Margaret Stevenson (Little) Janice McPherson (Price) Daphne Graves (Ward)

1157 1212 1698 2237

Jean Hatherley Florence Dunbar Alison Claridge Katinka Sevier

(Cooper) (Judge)

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Reunion Weekend 2017

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AUTUMN 2018 33.


Alumni Profile Dr Olivia Faull

A passion for Physical Education has led Dr Olivia Faull around the world. From Christchurch to Zurich, via Oxford and Otago. St Margaret’s Old Girl, Commonwealth Scholar and Marie Curie Fellow, Olivia has taken her passion and used it to help others in the field of neuroscience.

Following Oxford were two years of PostDoc research which, as Liv describes, is “When, as an academic, you work on someone else’s research. After that you can either choose to stay on that path and work for someone else or you can do your own research and become your own boss.” The latter was

The practical side of PE and a desire to study at Otago University first drew Olivia into the field and with some help from her teachers at St Margaret’s she found a career path. “I actually did Neuroscience and PE because Jenny Laney really looked after me while I was at school, she got me in touch with people from Otago who explained the options so I could enrol doing exactly what I wanted from the start.”

Olivia’s choice and she applied for a Marie Curie European

You get the feeling when talking to Olivia that she makes the most of every opportunity to come her way. One of her favourite memories of St Margaret’s is the sports she was able to participate in. “I did so much sport at school, the school was incredible for offering us anything we wanted to do. I remember as a Year 9, walking into the gym foyer and it was covered in sign-up sheets. There was even one sheet that said, ‘Any other requests’!!”

identify how anxiety can affect the networks in our brains

And make the most of it, she did. Olivia particularly relished the Wednesday 2.30pm finish so she could make the most of sporting opportunities “I was a rower at school but I can name about 10 other sports that I did as well.”

finding time to plan, and travel to, both of her weddings –

Near the completion of her double undergraduate degree at Otago (PE specialising in Exercise Physiology and a Neuroscience degree) Olivia began to explore options for post graduate study. Initially the desire to spread her wings and travel was holding Olivia back from considering PhD study, however after attending a scholarship evening run by Otago University she discovered the option of applying for a Commonwealth Scholarship. Her application for scholarship was successful and Olivia went on to complete her DPhil in Clinical Neurosciences at the prestigious Oxford University. Fitting in some travels on the way and working a ski season to recharge her batteries.

her success as an academic. In the future, she hopes to find

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Fellowship which led her to Zurich to begin her Fellowship Project in breathing research. Neuroscience is the basis for Olivia’s research however she is able to combine it with some of her passion for exercise physiology. Her Fellowship Project is a study of how we control and perceive our breathing. Brain scanners are used to to make our breathing unstable or unbalanced and further perpetuate anxiety. Primarily the research will be used for anxiety disorders but could also be extended into sport to help with athletic performance anxiety as well. The next two years will be busy ones for Olivia, she will complete her research and present her findings at medical conferences and in academic papers and journals. While also one in Wanaka and a second in the UK for her fiancé’s family and friends. Her research will add to her Body of Work and help to measure a lectureship at a university so she can teach and continue with her research. And when asked what advice she would offer to current St Margaret’s girls she is quick to emphasise the need to think outside the “career box” when considering your tertiary options. “I wasn’t always aware of the opportunities to travel and study. New Zealand academics are so respected all over the world and there are so many opportunities available to us because of that, but you must be listening for them. I hadn’t even considered it for a career but if you love what you are learning you don’t have to stick to traditional professions like a doctor or lawyer.”


Alumni Profile Amy Satterthwaite

On a sunny Autumn morning, St Margaret’s Old Girl and New Zealand White Fern, Amy Satterthwaite, took time out of her busy schedule to inspire some of our young cricketers, and she should know what it takes! Her highly acclaimed career has featured many highlights, she is the first Women’s One Day cricketer to score four consecutive hundreds. And in December 2017 became the first recipient of the ICC Women’s ODI Player of the Year award. We were lucky enough to catch up with her for a quick chat. What is your favourite memory of SMC? For me it was arriving at the boarding house, I came from a little country town so coming to St Margaret’s and finding the opportunities that were available to me here was a real eye opener. When you grow up in the country the subjects you can take and the sports you can play are limited in comparison. As a SMC Old Girl you would have noticed quite a few changes to the school? I do, a lot of new buildings and I’ve heard lots of stories about the changes so I’m excited to have a look around. The school has done an amazing job rebuilding and I think it’s very exciting they’ve been able to transform it to what is today for the new girls coming through as well as honouring the past for us Old Girls. Where are you based now? Based in Christchurch but we go around the country or the world for different tours which manages to take up most of the year. I play in the Women’s Big Bash in Australia, the Kea Super League in England which is the equivalent of the Big Bash, and the rest of the time in our domestic competition in NZ. As well as any international tours after that. Lots of travel! Family and friends are all in Christchurch, I own a house here so any (minimal) downtime is spent back here recharging and catching up with people. You’ve played cricket at a first-class level since you were 16. What would be the one piece of advice you would give to a young cricketer wanting to do the same? Really enjoy what you are doing and have a good balance in your life. If you don’t get it right, especially moving into

professional cricket, you can get absorbed into one thing and it can make it pretty hard work and a little bit draining at times. Ensuring a real balance between family and friends, so when you’re training and playing you’re putting 110% into it, but you’re able to get away to ensure that you’re fresh to put that effort in. Who was your cricket hero as a young player? I’ve had a few different ones but Stephen Fleming was certainly one at a young age, he was a left hander like me and he was someone I looked up to and aspired to be. The beauty of the way the game is now I think a lot of young girls have female players they can look up. We’re out in the media a bit more so we are accessible to young girls. Hopefully we’re inspiring a lot of the girls to get into the game. You played in the Women’s Big Bash League this season, what was the highlight for you? The opportunity to play in a series that brings the best players from around the world together, often in cricket you’re playing the best countries and the best players but you’re playing against them. The WBBL means you can play alongside some of those international players and learn from them, see how they go about their training methods. Of course, you’re playing against some of them in the other teams too but it’s a different dynamic to playing international cricket. It’s broken down a lot of the barriers as well. International cricket is really competitive and you don’t really get to know the players from the opposition that much but this lets you get to know them as people as well as incredibly competitive sports people. What does the future hold? I think while I’m still enjoying the game I want to keep playing. I still have things I want to achieve so it motivates me to keep improving and keep playing the game. I think if I lose that enjoyment that’s when I’ll start to question if I want to continue. It’s just taking each season as it comes. There’s a World Cup in 2021 in NZ so that would be an awesome experience to play in at home. I’m not going to get too far ahead of myself there’s a lot of cricket to happen between now and then so we’ll just see how I get on.

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Alumni Profile Jane Hole

Jane Hole, award-winning author and St Margaret’s Old Girl was in Matipo House from 1946 – 1958 Her favorite subject was English and she has had a life-long career teaching piano. Jane is also a mother and grandmother with two of her grandchildren, Isabella and Alexandra Leighs, currently attending St Margaret’s. We caught up with Jane to learn more about her story and her journey towards becoming a published writer… Have you always known you wanted to publish a book? I have always loved writing but never believed I had it in me to write a whole book. That changed when I went to China to teach English for a year. I kept a diary of my adventures and on my return to New Zealand I began to wonder if I might be able to turn my thoughts into a book. In her late 50s, it took Jane 10 years to transform her diary into a book. Once ready, she began approaching publishers but after 17 rejections she realised perhaps it wasn’t going to be as easy as she had once thought. Despite this, Jane didn’t let the setbacks stand in her way and ‘Under the Huang Jiao Tree: Two Journeys in China’ was picked up by the 18th publisher; it went on to win the Whitcoulls Travel Book of the Year, 2010. What have you learnt about writing along the way? Writing is the hardest thing I have ever done, by a long chalk. It is also extraordinarily rewarding. Writing is all about giving attention to what is happening and then learning and understanding how to express that. I think with most writers, and certainly what I found, is that there is something inside you that needs to be expressed, it’s strong, the feeling does not leave you alone until you do something about it – that’s where it starts. In a way, the writing has a mind of its own, there is a sense that you have to follow it, rather than lead it.

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Who are your mentors? My St Margaret’s English teacher. If you love writing you get into glorious day dreams about becoming a famous writer. She didn’t discourage me but she brought me back down to earth and I think that is important. Do you have any other passions, besides writing and teaching piano? Yes, fishing! Absolutely crazy about it. My grandfather taught me to sea-fish on the Otago Coast when I was four and I’ve never got it out of my system. What’s next for you? My second book, ‘Talk of Treasures’, was published in 2016 by a New Zealand publisher but since then a Melbourne publisher has picked up the rights and is bringing out an Australian edition later this year. Different publishers have slightly different outlooks and this publisher would like me to change the balance of the book a bit. It’s a very rare and precious opportunity to have the chance go back and see what you could have done better and develop the book in a slightly different way. What advice would you give to young budding writers? First, you must read well. If you’re going to write you must have a real awareness of words in you but the way to learn to write is to read well. What you take in is what you give out. Read well, read carefully. Also for a writer it can be helpful to read aloud; hear the rhythm of the words. You take in through your ears as well as through your eyes. Lastly don’t underestimate the amount of work involved but also don’t give up and even though it can be terribly difficult, you must find the courage to ask for advice and to let people read your work.


Old Girls' Events Leavers' Ball 2017

Back Row: Briar Bellaney Susannah Wilding Eve Sutherland Seventh Row: Rosie Gorton Billie MacGibbon Stephanie Beattie Mel Puckett Jordyn Blake Olivia Allan Biddy Tothill Courtney Manera Michaela Hogg Kirsten Blair Tayla -Rae Paulsen Oliver Turner Audrey Zeng Emma Fu Joyce Liang Lauren Dunlay Livey Burns Maddie Mann Sixth Row: Kate Jenkins Juliet Samandari Sammy O'Donnell Hannah Langley Victoria Boyd Hannah Marriott Meg Fulton Erica Laing Nenah Milne Sophie Early Millie Williamson Georgie Wells Alice Taylor Holly Rainey Sheryll Kamat Harriet Bush Anna Pacey Fifth Row: Alexandria Bagot Joanna Mainwaring Millie Notley Maisie Bonifant Sophie Macfarlane Amy Duckmanton Tessa McKellar Emma Clarke Olivia Hutton Serena Willis Lara Smith Genevieve Lyall Aimee Taylor Kelsey Norrie Vanessa Martin Ruby Slattery Fourth Row: Gabrielle Zelter Lily Mirfin Charlotte McGill Anna Rietveld Caitlin BonnĂŠ Prathe Chandru Lulu Sullivan Nina Hogg Taylor McNicholl Sophie Thomson Penny Chapman Lucy Davidson Mikayla Green Georgia Hamilton Olivia Damiano Third Row: Mandy Manson Grace McEwen Sophie Holland Annabelle Burns Isabella Broughan Maria Cropp Jessica Campion Sophie Norris Peyton Calvert Annie Larkin Maddie Read Lucy Adams Lucy Green Sarah Wigley Second Row: Tori Bayliss Emily Pearson Rebecca Adolph Maria Todhunter Sarah Bassett Faza Azharashid Abida Denny Sophie Priddy Ilaria Earl Hannah Glassey Liv Hughes Lucy Bird Susannah Harper Front Row: Sophia Neill Ella McIntosh Sarah Anderson Mrs Samantha MacGibbon (SMCOGA President) Mrs Chris Wyeth (Associate Principal) Ella Wells (Head Girl) Mrs Gillian Simpson (Executive Principal) Georgia Lund (Deputy Head Girl) Mrs Deb Scott (Year 13 Dean) Olivia Pinckney Emily Wium Nicolette Oosterhuis

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Old Girls' Events

Descendents' Afternoon Tea

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Old Girls' Events Margaritas

Cranmer Chapel

We love it, you will too BOOK YOUR PERSONAL TOUR NOW

Please contact Lizzie Dyer: 03 353 2563 • enrol@stmargarets.school.nz • www.stmargarets.school.nz

AUTUMN 2018 39.


From the Archives Time Capsules

A few weeks ago, I was asked if I could check on the status of our time capsules. This was the first I had heard of capsules buried along the fence line near the Community Relations house that go back as far as 2004. I approached Grant Marra, one of the wonderful ground staff, to dig up the oldest capsule so we could check on its condition. Grant told me what the capsules were made of and how they were constructed, we were both thinking that everything was going to be just fine right up until Grant chopped the top off the 2004 capsule ‌ at this point my heart sunk and broke just a little ‌ the contents were wet and smelly. We laid them out and school photographer, Janine Hutton, took a record of the condition of the contents. Through one of the college archivists I know, Jane Teal, I got in touch with a conservator, Lynn Campbell, to come and have a look at the situation and advise me on how best to handle the material to save as much as possible. All the material was moved inside for the night until we could locate a place to store it as I worked on it. The entire Community Relations team helped every step of the way. I contacted Peg to come and say a few words over the letters, photos, memories, and, in some case taonga. I felt that I was intruding on private thoughts and messages as I worked to save items in the capsule. Peg came and spent a little time with me and was even able to tell me about some of the girls whose letters we could see, one in particular made my heart break a little bit more. The next day, I called on Peter Carroll to see if he could help me out with a space as the contents were causing quite a stench

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in the Community Relations office! Soon we were off to the back corridor of the technology block. Trudy Keys, HOF Technology, was happy for me to set up in this space and use it as long as I needed. Stephen Lavill, another of the maintenance team, came over with one of the golf carts to move everything ASAP as the rain was about to come down. The technology faculty have been fantastic about having the rather smelly material lining their corridor for so long, particularly Hen Hilgendorf, plying me with coffee and making sure I am looked after while I work. All of the people mentioned are everyday superstars who have made saving the bulk of this capsule possible. We have been able to save the majority of the letters, photos and other material. The items that have not fared well are: those letters that have been written in highlighter or other water-soluble ink; photos that have had blue tack or tape on the back and then piled together; items that have staples or uncoated paperclips to keep them together; glossy style magazines. The plan from here is to talk to and work with each Year 13 class as they plan their time capsule, maybe have a kit of archival standard storage items that the girls can then use to keep their messages safe. We will need to dig up the remaining capsules and check on their condition and put the contents through the conservation process as required. This will be a labour intensive process and we will do our very best to take care of the items entrusted to us. Vickie Ward – Archivist


In Closing

Peg Riley – Chaplain

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” - Aesop

Jemima Vaughan and Mia Thomson introduced this theme to the school, and the theme has been carried through in our first services in each area of the school. “Everyday kindness… begins in the heart!” As a community, we are encouraged to do kindness in the simple things, everyday. It is well known that one simple act of kindness, generosity, consideration, or thoughtfulness can literally have a domino effect, eventually touching people you may never meet. So, in a very real way, a simple act of kindness can expand your positive impact on the world beyond the limitations of your individual reach. Everyday we look to find beauty in the world. Everyday we look to find kindness in others, and courage in the actions of braver, stronger people. Everyday we need to see that beauty, kindness and courage in ourselves. I have been touched by the kindness we are participating in this term, both with the student led appeal for support for the Tongan nation, and for our unique Lenten events – two days of joy, fun and loads of sugar! But deeper, it was us as a community, joining together, united in our purpose to live out this practical kindness. Those two days showed us the real-life ‘domino effect’ in action – the effects of our actions upon Tonga and to those who receive support from E.G.G. will be tangibly felt and greatly appreciated. As well as celebrating this kindness that we witness other people displaying so beautifully, can I encourage us all to be mindful of how we, ourselves, can join in with such a fantastic attitude? May God bless us all as we do – and in particular, those whom we may be kind towards. Peg Riley – Chaplain

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Evergreen – The Farewell Issue


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