Fideliter December 2018 Edition

December 2018

St Ma r y’ s Anglican Gi rls’ S ch ool

FIDELITER

discovering Community for life)

discovering community for life)

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F RO M T H E P R I N C I PA L

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L O O K I N G T O WA R D S 2 01 9

7 F R O M T H E B O A R D O F G OV E R N O R S 8

F R O M T H E F O U N D AT I O N

32 JUNIOR SCHOOL The Junior School Community Steaming Ahead Day 35 OUT AND ABOUT 3 6 PA R E N T S ' S O C I E T Y

10 F R O M T H E C H A P L A I N

37 ST MARY'S AUXILIARY

11 C U LT I VAT I N G C O M M U N I T Y Thank you Lynne Reflections from a Head Girl Reflections and Farewells

3 8 O L D G I R L S ' A S S O C I AT I O N PRESIDENT’S REPORT

16 BOARDING A 'TASTE' of St Mary's 1 8 S TA F F S P O T L I G H T Teaching Achievements 1 9 A C A D E M I C AWA R D S Congratulations to our Students 20 SCHOOL COMMUNITY The Great Ponytail Chop 5000 Meals Project Mental Health Week Meet Harley!

Kindness Week Service in Action Trips St Mary’s Elevate Programme HASS Week i3 – Integrating our STEM Community Overseas Exchange 27 MUSIC Music – Discovering Community Harmoniously 2 8 P R O D U C T I O N S A N D PERFORMANCES 30 SENIOR SCHOOL ART The Creative St Mary’s Community

39 CLASS REUNIONS 4 0 S E N S E O F C O M M U N I T Y ~ OLD GIRL PROFILES 47 OLD GIRLS’ SCHOLARSHIPS Congratulations to the OGA Scholarship and Award Recipients 48 NEWS FROM OLD GIRLS 5 0 A R C H I VA L A N E C D O T E S 5 2 VA L E 5 4 G O O D BY E M R S T H O M S O N

FIDELITER Fideliter is a publication of St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School. please direct all correspondence to:

St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School, PO Box 105, Karrinyup WA 6921 telephone: (08) 9341 9111 email: publicity@stmarys.wa.edu.au editors: Danni Wick and Amanda Kemp editorial assistants: Hannah Campbell and Joan Karmelita design and production: Dessein cover image (l-r): Jane Gillon Adventure Playground (refer to back cover). inside cover clockwise from top: Class of 2018 final day, 2019 prefect announcements and 2018 Valedictory Chapel Service.

Ruby Drake, 2018 Head Girl and Kate Boultbee, 2019 Head Girl.

Contents

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F R O M T H E PRINCIPAL) AN OFT-ASKED QUESTION I HEAR AS DECEMBER DRAWS NEAR IS “WHAT WILL YOU MISS MOST ABOUT ST MARY’S?” MY ANSWER COMES WITHOUT HESITATION - “THE COMMUNITY”!

For me, being part of the lives of our girls, staff, parents and Old Girls is what puts a spring in my step, makes my heart beat faster and brings me happiness and joy.

Being an optimist in the purest sense, I have felt this way through the best and worst of times. I just love the St Mary’s community. I have a plethora of happy, crazy and fun memories that could fill a treasure chest. Some have become legendary: the streakers at the end of Term 3 assembly long ago; the deli robbers hiding in Trigg bushland and our lockdown; the arrival of the Spice Goats at assembly; the staff performances at the end of the year; and recently, our flash mob at Valedictory. I love it when the girls are surprised.

Every year, there are many occasions when a wave of emotion grabs me: when I hear the sweet voices of Junior School girls singing at opening assemblies; when the House Captains present colours at the Commissioning of Prefects and Captains; the solitude and quiet of the School in the evening as the full moon rises up over the top oval; the gusto of the Year 11 boarders’ farewell song to the 12s; the warm hugs of Junior School girls when they greet me near Chapel Valley and the delightfully innocent conversations which follow; the candlelit procession of the graduating class at Valedictory Chapel; and the visible personal growth of our Head Girls as their year of leadership progresses … there are just so many.

And there are the times I have spent in my office with good girls and naughty girls, with happy parents and disappointed ones, with families with brilliant news and bad news, with staff members and the myriad of things that happen in their lives; and with the Executive – so often then, it is an office filled with laughter and our own outrageousness. And there are the feelings that are present when death comes to a community – of girls, Old Girls, staff members and parents. Our school has lived through much and it is often in these times that our community feels closest and strongest.

I am immensely proud of our girls and what they have worked for and achieved: the consistently outstanding academic results for our leaving class; our many university scholarship recipients, including the Rhodes, the Monash, the Fogarty, the John Curtin, the Melbourne Chancellors and the Fulbright;

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From the Principal

Alysha Sloggett, Anna Blythe-Wood, Lynne Thomson, Indira Crispin and Brooke Boonlai.

the individual development of students and their preparedness to stretch out and step up; the growth of international experiences through exchange, tours and community service; our consistent first class achievement in sport and our wonderful extracurricular programmes; the superb support that we receive from our Board of Governors, Foundation, Old Girls’ Association, Parents’ Society and St Mary’s Auxiliary; and the passion and commitment of our staff – be they in the classroom, in the kitchen, in the maintenance shop or out among our grounds.

Those long green stretches, the tall leafy trees, those spaces are so St Mary’s. And both firstly and lastly, there is our Anglican tradition, that which truly defines our school, at our waking up and going to sleep. Our everyday.

Do I have any regrets? I do, but there are few.

It has been an honour to lead and serve our school. I know that it will be onwards and upwards as the centenary approaches. I am looking forward to a front row seat!

RIGHT: Kate Boultbee, newly elected Head Girl 2019.

Three of our staff will be retiring from St Mary’s at the end of 2018.

REVEREND CANON GERRY NIXON The Reverend Canon Gerry Nixon began her role as School Chaplain in July 2009. Under her ministry and leadership, worship was clearly at the heart of the religious life of the School: the Whole School Eucharist became an important tradition, connections with the Anglican Church were strengthened through the Anglicare Ambassadors and the myriad of activities in which we support Anglican agencies, and our community has been cared for when they most needed pastoral support.

Reverend Gerry was among the pioneer women priests in Australia and on her retirement will have completed an impressive twenty-nine years of ministry. She has been Chaplain at Melbourne Girls’ Grammar, Perth College and St Mary’s. I wish Reverend Gerry a very happy retirement as she returns to England to be near family, her yet-tobe-born grandchild and the cultural life of London. I know that Reverend Gerry will remain part of our community from far-off England.

JOY SCOTT Joy Scott reached twenty years of teaching at St Mary’s in 2018, with some stints in between in leadership roles in other schools.

In recent years, Mrs Scott has been Head of Mathematics at St Mary’s. Absolutely passionate about teaching girls Mathematics, she has led an outstanding department that has challenged our girls’ understanding and promoted high expectations and their best, regardless of ability. Along the way, Mrs Scott’s students have received a lot of advice about good decision-making, high aspirations and the complexities of life.

No doubt we will see Mrs Scott from time to time back at St Mary’s.

In the meantime, we wish her a fantastic retirement.

ROGER BLATCHFORD Roger Blatchford joined St Mary’s in 2009. He brought valued skills and knowledge in Information Technology and later, also took on the role of Head of Year 11. Whether it was helping to organise the Year 11 camp, Dinner Dance, fascinator parade for the Melbourne Cup, Year 11 Week, student visits to Ronald McDonald House or the Prefects and Captains voting, Mr Blatchford loved guiding and helping the Year 11s in the first of their senior years. Mr Blatchford generously gives of his time to community service and he and his wife Fiona plan to do even more in retirement. And then, of course, there are the many grandchildren to love. No doubt we will see Mr Blatchford in the future.

20 YEARS’ SERVICE This year, five staff members celebrate 20 years’ service to St Mary’s. Congratulations to Ms Joan Karmelita, Mrs Jane Alderman, Mrs Judy Lague, Mrs Marie McNeil, Mrs Joy Scott and Mrs Robyn Taylor. Your contributions, dedication and school spirit are greatly admired, and we acknowledge you at this milestone achievement.

L-R: Joy Scott, Jane Alderman, Joan Karmelita, Robyn Taylor and Judy Lague.

From the Principal

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LOOKING TOWARDS 2 01 9 S T M A R Y ’ S M A S T E R P L A N 2 01 9 - 2 0 3 0 THERE ARE EXCITING TIMES AHEAD AS ST MARY’S PREPARES TO IMPLEMENT THE FIRST STAGES OF ITS CAMPUS RENEWAL MASTERPLAN 2019-2030.

The St Mary’s Board of Governors has recently approved the masterplan which will guide our campus development over the next 10 years. The School has been in Karrinyup for 50 years and, as some buildings are coming to the end of their useful life, it has been timely to review our learning spaces and how to provide an environment that best meets the needs of our students’ learning as we progress further into the 21st century.

With a focus on continuing to improve St Mary’s learning environment, the Executive and key staff have been working with architects, Christou, for the last 14 months. The framework of the masterplan is renewal where possible and new build where it is not, and importantly, to preserve the beautiful green spaces and trees we all love so much.

Initial planning will include addressing the long-term issue of traffic flow, extending the Junior School green space for play, expanding the Music and Dance facilities and re-locating the Senior School Art building. The masterplan also provides a Science and Technology building which will allow for the renewal of the Senior School Maths, Humanities, LOTE and English teaching spaces. Further down the track there will be additions and renovations to the Lady Wardle Performing Arts Centre, Anne Symington House and the Junior School.

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From the Principal

This masterplan will require significant investment and the developments will be programmed to reflect the School’s financial capabilities. We envisage some stages of the plan will only be realised when sufficient funds have been raised through a capital fundraising campaign. As we have done on occasions in the past to provide for facilities such as Metricup and the Performing Arts Centre, we will turn to our community to help us to realise the vision for these developments.

I am pleased that our new Principal, Judith Tudball, has been involved in this planning process so that she already has a good understanding of the School as it is and the plans for tomorrow. How fortunate is she to be the one to further this vision and detail and take our school to a new higher stage in its physical development in line with teaching and learning in the 21st century.

Lynne Thomson Principal

BELOW: Incoming Principal, Judith Tudball, met with Lynne Thomson and our girls during a visit to the School in August.

ROW 2: Elizabeth Price, Roger Veary, Ian Hardy, Michelle Houwen, Liam Twigger, David Bean, Amy Dawson.

ROW 1: Amanda Williams, Lynne Thomson, Elizabeth Carr, Jane Gillon.

ABSENT: Desiree Silva.

FROM THE B O A R D O F G O V E R N O R S

COMMUNITY: “THE STEPS WHICH OTHER FEET HAVE TROD, YOU TREAD TODAY”: ST MARY’S HYMN

I am often reminded that there is only one degree of separation within the St Mary’s extended family. I put my name forward as part of the Mentor/Mentee programme for Old Girls. I met last week with my delightful (of course she is delightful – she is a St Mary’s Old Girl) mentee. We had very different experiences at school. I had 12 years as a “day bug” under Mrs Symington and she had three years as an international boarder with Mrs Thomson. However, we immediately connected over the maroon and white (she chose St Mary’s because she liked the uniform!), the beautiful campus, Houses, personalities and, of course, what makes a St Mary’s girl. And the one degree of separation? She is a good friend of the daughter of the Deputy Head Girl from my year. They assured her I wasn’t very scary!

My experience tells me that whether we were a student, parent, staff member or director in 1938, 1978, 2008 or 2018, within our DNA is the desire to open doors and to be faithful (Fideliter) to our own; to be faithful to our past family, to be faithful to our present family; to be faithful in a way that is courageous, respectful, compassionate, aspirational and spirited. We are our special community because we have walked in each other’s shoes and built upon the foundations established by Bishop Riley and others since 1921. From our small beginnings in West Perth, bringing a number of small girls’ schools together, we are about to embark on an exciting ten-year capital

development programme, announced jointly this November by our ninth Principal, Mrs Thomson, and our tenth Principal, Mrs Tudball.

There is no doubt that Mrs Thomson truly epitomises our sense of connectedness as she has constantly opened doors for students, Old Girls and staff, encouraged the bar to be raised for everyone and congratulated and celebrated the small, as well as the large accomplishments. She always has St Mary’s at the heart of all she does. This was evidenced when early one morning she had a bright idea (hidden talents as a Broadway producer) and by 9.00am, two Year 12s were singing Consider Yourself One of Us to Mrs Tudball at her first assembly in July. As the baton is handed from Principal to Principal, from Head Girl to Head Girl, from Junior School to Senior School, we know that St Mary’s is “progress(ing) and prosper(ing)”on the basis of our strong values.

On behalf of the Board of Governors, thank you to the Executive, staff and parents and Old Girls who are doing all they can to open doors and make connections and contributions for all generations of our school family.

We wish the entire school community a safe and joyous festive period and a relaxing summer break.

Elizabeth Carr AM Chair, Board of Governors Board of Governors

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F R O M T H E FOUNDATION WITH A VISION TO HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATION ST MARY’S GIRLS RECEIVE TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE, THE ST MARY’S FOUNDATION HAS RECENTLY UNDERGONE SOME CHANGES TO ITS CONSTITUTION AND BOARD.

Established in 1987, the Foundation assists St Mary’s in realising its strategic vision by supporting the continued development of school facilities and the advancement of educational opportunities for the girls. In 2017 the Foundation spent considerable time reviewing its strategic and structural position to ensure that we are positioned to realise our objective of supporting the School and its students.

In June, Ron Farris retired from the role of Chair of the Foundation after 31 years service. Ron was instrumental in the establishment of the Foundation and led the Board of Management with tireless passion and enthusiasm. We thank Ron for his extraordinary commitment and look forward to his continuing involvement as a Trustee and a member of the Board.

I would also like to express my thanks to Rodger Gibson who has stepped down from the Foundation after 13 years of dedicated service.

This year we welcomed five new members to the Board who bring a breadth of expertise and experience that will stand the Foundation in good stead in the years ahead. You can find out more about the Board on the opposite page.

We are also indebted to Mrs Lynne Thomson for her involvement in and generosity to the Foundation during her Principalship, and to her husband, Jim, for his support. As a Trustee of the Foundation, we are so pleased that Lynne will remain connected to the Foundation in the years ahead.

On behalf of the Board I would like to express my sincere thanks to our many donors who are supporting St Mary’s in so many different ways. Because of you, we can support the School in providing a rigorous and inspiring learning environment for the girls.

Marlene Carter ’63 Chair of the Foundation

BEQUEST HELPS OLD GIRL

REACH FOR THE STARS

EARLIER THIS YEAR, MEMBERS OF THE BISHOP RILEY BEQUEST SOCIETY WERE TREATED TO AN INSPIRATIONAL ADDRESS FROM MADDIE MCKENZIE (’13), A RECIPIENT OF A FAY BAILEY BURSARY FOR SCIENCE, AT THE ANNUAL SOCIETY DINNER. FAY’S BEQUEST SUPPORTS OLD GIRLS WHO ARE STUDYING SCIENCE, LAW OR ENGINEERING AT UNIVERSITY.

Maddie, who is completing the third and final year of her physics and computer science degree at the University of Western Australia, spoke passionately about her childhood dream to become an astronomer and how, through hard work, determination and the support of St Mary’s staff and community, she is now travelling along her chosen path.

“The bursary I received from the Fay Bailey bequest helped me to purchase my first DSLR camera which I have used to image total lunar eclipses and all manner of astronomical objects,” Maddie said.

“I would like to extend my thanks to all benefactors of the School who make St Mary’s an environment where girls can come to fulfil their dreams."

ABOVE: Maddie McKenzie’s image of the lunar eclipse on 27 July, 2018. Above the "leaning tower of Gingin", the two bright objects are the fully eclipsed Moon and Mars.

The Bishop Riley Society dinner is a wonderful occasion and an opportunity for Mrs Thomson to sincerely thank those in our community – Old Girls, parents, staff (past and present) and friends - who have made a gift to the School in their will. This is a truly special group in our community, who are committed to the best education for our students.

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From the Foundation

BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OF THE FOUNDATION Marlene Carter Chair of the Board of Management, Marlene (’63) has served in many voluntary roles, including President of the Old Girls’ Association 1988-98. She worked at UWA and in federal politics. She has been a member of the Board since 1989 and is Chair of the Bishop Riley Bequest Society and the Philanthropy Committee.

Virginia Christie Virginia (’84) has over 20 years’ experience in public policy and finance at the Reserve Bank of Australia and The Commonwealth Treasury. She serves as a non-executive Director at Keystart Home Loans Ltd, is a member of UWA’s Strategic Resources Committee and the Ambassadorial Council of the UWA Business School.

Bree Rosagro Vice Chair of the Board of Management, Bree (Buxton ’98) is a future parent. She studied Asian Studies and Commerce, then a postgraduate degree in Law. Bree has specialised in Insurance Law. She has been a member of the Old Girls’ Association Committee since 1999 and served as their representative on the Board of Management since 2007.

Daina De Mattia Daina (Gale ’90) has three daughters at St Mary’s. She worked in the retail and supermarket industries in a variety of roles for many years. She has been involved in the St Mary’s Auxiliary since 2010, becoming President in 2017. She serves as its representative on the Board of Management.

Bronwyn Barnes Bronwyn’s (’84) two daughters attended St Mary’s. She has over 20 years’ experience in the resources sector in director, leadership and operational roles. Bronwyn is non-executive Chairman of Indiana Resources Limited, a non-executive Director of MOD Resources Ltd and a member of the Advisory Council for Curtin University School of Business.

Glenn Barrett Glenn joined the Board in 2018. His youngest daughter is in Year 7 at St Mary’s, while his eldest daughter graduated in 2017.

Glenn has over 25 years’ experience in the information technology sector. He specialises in commercial management, contract negotiations and corporate governance.

Elizabeth Carr AM Elizabeth (’81) is Chair of the Board of Governors. She holds a number of Government positions including Director of icare NSW, Chair South Metropolitan TAFE (WA), a Member of the Environmental Protection Authority (WA) and is a director of a number of non-profit boards.

Ron Farris Ron was the first Chair of the Board of Management of the St Mary’s Foundation, a position he retired from in 2018, after 30 years’ service. His daughter attended St Mary’s, graduating in 1990. Ron is the Principal and Director of Ron Farris Real Estate Pty Ltd and a passionate and long-term supporter of many charities.

Steve McAlpine Steve joined the Board in 2017. His two daughters graduated from St Mary’s in 2012 and 2017. After a 26year career in oil and gas managing maintenance teams and co-ordinating major projects, he is now Production Director at AusThai Capital/ IXP Consulting.

Joyce Polson OAM Reverend Joyce joined St Mary’s in 1967, retiring as School Chaplain in 1994. In 2010 she returned to St Mary’s and was made Chaplain Emeritus in 2015. She was admitted to the Order of Deaconesses in 1955 and was among the first group of women to be ordained as priests in Australia in 1992.

Jason Stout Jason has over 22 years’ experience in financial services. Prior to his current role as Director and Senior Wealth Advisor at JBWere, he was a Senior Financial Consultant with Perpetual Private. Jason is a current parent at St Mary’s, with a daughter in Year 10 and another due to start in 2019.

Andy Griffiths Andy’s daughter is in Year 11 and he has been the Treasurer of the Parents’ Society since 2014. He spent 15 years working for Reuters as an Internal Auditor and Finance Manager in the UK and across Asia and, for the past 11 years, has worked with HBF as Group Financial Controller and now Head of Strategic Project Support. Andy joined the Board in 2018.

Lynne Thomson – Principal Lynne has been Principal at St Mary’s for 21 years. She completed a BA (Hons) in History and a Diploma of Education at UWA, followed by a Master of Education at Harvard University.

Lynne has served on many committees and councils including President of the Association of Independent Girls’ Schools of WA and Anglican Schools Australia and Board member of St George’s College and Curtin University.

Michelle Houwen – Director of Finance And Administration Michelle’s connection with St Mary’s started as the School Accountant.

After seven years she moved to St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls as Business Manager before returning to St Mary’s in 2016. Michelle began her career in the Banking and Mining/Engineering industries and has completed her Masters of Business Administration.

Ian Viner AO QC Ian, a father of four Old Girls, is a former Member of the Commonwealth Parliament and Minister in the Fraser Government. He is a Past President of the Western Australian Bar Association (2001-2004) and of the Australian Bar Association (2005-2006). He was Chairman of the St Mary’s Board of Governors from 2000-2006 and joined the Board of Management in 2003.

From the Foundation

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FROM THE CHAPLAIN IN 1992, REV JOYCE WAS ORDAINED AS PRIEST IN PERTH AND I WAS ORDAINED IN MELBOURNE, BUT WE HAD BEEN IN A SENSE ‘SISTERS IN ARMS’ FOR YEARS AS WE WORKED, PROTESTED AND DEBATED THE ORDINATION OF WOMEN IN OUR DIOCESES. A BIG PART OF THAT JOURNEY TO PRIESTHOOD FOR JOYCE WAS SPENT AT ST MARY’S. FOR ME, ST MARY’S IS THE LAST PLACE I WILL MINISTER BEFORE I RETIRE FROM FULL-TIME MINISTRY IN DECEMBER.

We all have stories to tell and we are all on the “walk of life.” When I became a school chaplain I had no idea what I was in for. I started my ministry in Melbourne and in my first year as a chaplain I was teaching a Year 5 class. At the end of the lesson, when everyone was filing out of the classroom, a rather serious little girl came up to me and said, “Ms Nixon, do you know that some people say that Jesus is going to come and visit us again?” Well, the second coming flashed into my mind immediately and I thought to myself, “Oh dear, how am I going to explain the second coming to a nine-year-old?” Before I had time to reply the child said, “Well” in a very matter of fact voice, “They killed him last time, so why would he bother?” She wasn’t looking for a deep theological explanation of the second coming but passing a comment. It just seemed idiotic to her for Jesus to come back and risk experiencing more of the same treatment as he experienced last time he was here on earth.

Out of the mouths of babes. “Why would he bother?”

I often wonder why God bothers. After some Chapel services I say to myself, “I wonder if this is what Jesus had in mind.” I do, however, believe that the moral and spiritual development of the individual is important, and that Anglican Schools have much to offer as communities of faith.

The heart of any Christian community is worship. To have a Chapel, a place set aside for worship and prayer, is a wonderful privilege. I walk into the Chapel of St Mary many times during the day and it is surprising to see who drops in to say a prayer or light a candle.

Occasionally a group of students might pop in to discuss some angst or share a time of sorrow, often leaving the votive candle bowls ablaze in light.

I am very proud that we now have an annual service that brings together Years 3 to 12 for a Festival Eucharist to celebrate The Feast of St Mary and I sincerely hope that it will remain part of the School’s tradition long after I am gone.

It is always interesting to hear the stories of past students. We hear about favourite teachers, scary teachers, good friends, interesting characters, rules and expectations, and stories of pranks and other funny happenings. Of course, as Chaplain I am interested in what Old Girls have to say about Chapel and just as today, there are those who loved it, those who did not and those who just accepted it as part of their life here. In hindsight some past students can see - be they religious or not – that the Chapel provided a connection or bond between the past and the present more than any other aspect of the school. It is the location of remembrance, memorial and celebration.

To have a baby or child baptised in the Chapel, celebrates the hope parents have for their child and recalls the values and spiritual seeds which this school planted in them.

The Chapel of St Mary’s draws together the life of this school and acts as a reminder that this is a Christian community, a worshipping community, a community to which you are connected for life, and a community which invites all who are connected to St Mary’s to celebrate, mourn and remember as they continue the “walk of life.”

The Revd Canon Geraldine E Nixon Chaplain

ABOVE: The Whole School Eucharist 2018: The Reverend Joyce Polson, The Reverend Luke Durham, The Reverend Marie Aitken, Min Coopes, Lauren Brindal, The Reverend Dr Gift Makwasha, The Reverend Frida Lemi, Bishop Kate Wilmot, The Reverend Canon Geraldine E Nixon.

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From the Chaplain

THANK YOU LYNNE AS SHE PREPARES TO RETIRE FROM THE POSITION OF PRINCIPAL, AFTER OVER 21 YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE ROLE, LYNNE'S THREE DEPUTY PRINCIPALS RECOGNISE AND CELEBRATE ALL THAT MRS THOMSON MEANS TO THE ST MARY’S COMMUNITY.

Her speeches to the girls have often focused on women role models, and in one of these Lynne said, “let me remind you of the most often referred to qualities of a leader. Among them are self-awareness, personal conviction, courage, creativity, curiosity, the ability to inspire, listen and innovate, an eagerness to experience and finally, the willingness to reflect and review.” These qualities we have seen daily in our Principal and sum up the way she has inspired us and countless members of the School extended community, over the years.

There is no question that the centre and the focus of all Lynne does are the students of St Mary’s. But

it is not only the students who are part of her vision and dedication. Their families, current staff, past staff, Old Girls, the wider school community of past parents, volunteers, Board members are all part of her inclusive and wide-ranging leadership approach, and she has maintained links with many, well beyond the school gates.

Lynne leads the School with an open-door policy. Anyone, whether they be a student, staff member or parent, can take the chance to drop in to her office without an appointment and she never appears to be harassed or impatient that she has been interrupted. And the remarkable part is that Lynne never seems to lose her enthusiasm, her sense of humour, her zest for life.

Cultivating community

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ABOVE: Cheryl Haak, Lynne Thomson, Ronda Beck and Joan Karmelita reminisce.

Her boundless energy and what she fits into each week, always with a smile and a “goodio”, are admirable. She seems to be able to take adversity and tough times in her stride and her resilience is amazing.

However, whilst being compassionate, approachable and convivial, she stays true to her vison, mission and principles, using her integrity and sharp intellect to achieve her goals.

Lynne’s broader involvement in the world of education, both national and international, and networking with some impressive educators, has been remarkable and has led to many opportunities for St Mary’s girls beyond the school gates in Karrinyup.

In 2000, she established a new exchange programme, with initially, four St Mary’s Year 10 girls heading to partner schools in the USA, New Zealand and South Africa. The programme has grown steadily and we now have connections to 15 schools in six countries, enabling approximately 30 Year 10 St Mary’s girls each year to experience a period of growth, challenges and inspiration in a school overseas. Our school benefits from the equivalent number of girls from the overseas schools spending time at St Mary’s, sharing their culture and background.

We all know how passionate Lynne is about students striving to achieve their best, and to aim high. She has raised awareness amongst Year 12 students to apply for scholarships, and never to dismiss the notion of studying at an Ivy League university or to become an Oxbridge scholar. Over the years, she RIGHT: Jettaya Fong crowns ‘Mrs T’, as she is affectionately known, after her Year 9 Farewell Walk of Honour.

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Cultivating community

has written countless references, advised students on the application process and tutored them prior to interviews. Annually, she and her husband, Jim, have visited the UK, USA, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and created opportunities to reconnect with past students studying or living there.

Lynne’s connection with boarding families, and the value she places on the boarders as an integral part of the School, is a hallmark of her leadership. In fact, she and Jim enjoy most weekday dinners, and many weekend lunches at Anne Symington House, always finding time to interact with the boarders and staff.

She maintains contact with the families by regular visits to country areas, where she hosts lunches or dinners, to reconnect with existing families and to meet prospective families. The success of the boarding house is a testament to her personal involvement and the relationships she has created, making each family feel valued and a vital part of the School.

Lynne’s drive to stay at the forefront of educational developments, as well as her gregarious and warm personality, have spurred her to develop friendships and connections in numerous educational circles. She has been a committee member and made powerful contributions to a number of organisations, including the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the Alliance of Girls’ School Australasia (AGSA) and Anglican Schools Australia, (by whom she was recently awarded Life Membership, in recognition of her contribution over many years). All of these connections have benefited St Mary’s staff and students over the years, giving Lynne a firm foundation for her dynamic and contemporary leadership.

Lynne’s 21 years at St Mary’s have seen countless highlights. There are increased numbers of students, with ongoing steady demand for places at the school. There are new buildings designed and equipped to meet the needs of a first class, early 21st Century education. There is our southwest campus at Metricup, perhaps the jewel in the St Mary’s crown. There are outstanding achievements by so many talented St Mary’s girls, from academic to artistic, musical to sport, and not only during their school years, but also in the world beyond school. During Lynne’s tenure it is safe to say that St Mary’s has grown from an admired and successful Western Australian girls’ school to the outstanding and leading educational institution in Australia that it is today.

Lynne has been a leader extraordinaire and is a much admired and loved role model. She has fostered community involvement and pride in the School. Girls, both current students and Old Girls, are proud of their school. Families are proud to belong and proud to have their daughters here.

Staff – teaching and non-teaching – are proud to work here, proud to be part of the St Mary’s community. Lynne makes all members of the St Mary’s community feel valued as having an important part to play in our common goal, which is maintaining this school as a vibrant, exciting and above all, happy place of learning for the girls and young women who are St Mary’s girls.

We three are proud and have indeed been privileged to work with Lynne as her Deputy Principals during her 21+ years as Principal of St Mary’s.

Cheryl Haak, Joan Karmelita, Ronda Beck

Ode to a Principal Mrs Lynne Thomson, celebrating her 20 Year Anniversary (April 2017) ‘Twas twenty years ago she took the helm, Captain and navigator rolled in one, Charged to steer this school into a future world Of unknown shores and shoals, the lives and minds Of countless girls the essence of her quest.

Her crew, the staff, uncertain of her strength, Soon came to know the qualities she brought.

Guided by faith, and values pure and true, She chose a course that steered towards the lights Of knowledge, wisdom, growth and truth and love.

In twenty years the school has grown. More girls, And buildings to make us a leading school.

Hearn Hall, the library and The Polson Room, New classrooms and refurbishments, a centre For performing arts state-of-the-art.

Not one to rest on laurels, she conceives Ideas, plans that put girls first. She likes To challenge and encourage them, and help Them know the world beyond St Mary’s gates.

That they will do their best is all she asks.

Her inspiration gave us Metricup.

There girls find space and peace, know heights and highs, In bush, on cliffs and ocean, learning strength, Discov’ring self and finding friends, to grow In confidence and learn to live and lead.

Her love of lights is evident in trees Along the drive. Her moments on the stage Have made us laugh; and goats have made a mark Of whimsy and delight. St Mary’s has Become a place that’s welcoming and warm.

The students in her charge, the Thomo’s girls, Have always talked of her with love. They speak Of sense of fun, she makes them smile; she’s kind.

She’s welcoming, approachable; she’s fun, But sets the rules. She knows a lot of names.

They love the clothes she wears and brooches too; Her speeches at assemblies; her wealth Of knowledge in her History classes.

She’s optimistic, inspirational.

They know she cares; they trust her words and judgement.

St Mary’s is a fine and happy school.

Our leader sets the tone. We’re proud of her, And proud to be a member of her crew.

She’s wise and strong, we love her joyfulness, We know we’re in the hands of one who’s great.

Joan Karmelita

Cultivating community

13

OUR STUDENT COMMUNITY)

REFLECTIONS FROM A HEAD GIRL

AS I FINISH MY FINAL YEAR AT ST MARY’S, I FIND MYSELF REFLECTING ON THE WONDERFUL MEMORIES I HAVE MADE DURING MY TIME AT SCHOOL AND THE OPPORTUNITIES I HAVE EXPERIENCED.

At St Mary’s, each girl is able to find her passion. Whether it be sport, dance, drama, art, technology, music, debating, textiles or volunteering, there is something for everyone. I have been able to participate in many of these activities and from each experience I have grown as a person, learnt many important lessons and gained new skills. I have been motivated by passionate teachers and like-minded students and have been fortunate to be challenged and inspired daily.

While at St Mary’s I have been lucky to participate in several school camps, which have been a major highlight for me. St Mary’s has a beautiful facility at Metricup where we can go hiking, abseiling, snorkelling, caving, white water rafting and mountain bike riding. All of these amazing experiences have allowed us to bond, form friendships and build the strong community of St Mary’s.

As Head Girl, my aim has been to further build on this sense of community, by encouraging everyone to be inclusive and accepting of one another. My theme for 2018 has been ‘Hello’ and I have urged every member of the school to simply acknowledge one another and say ‘Hello’ to those they pass. It sounds like a simple idea, but this word has the power to change someone’s day and transform a community.

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Cultivating community

ABOVE: Conrad, Ruby and Niccola Drake.

The St Mary’s community has been led wonderfully for 21 years by our Principal, Mrs Thomson. She has led with passion and devotion and has dedicated so much time and love in the development and success of our school. She shares so much knowledge and wisdom, is a good listener and makes everyone feel valued. I have only known Mrs Thomson for six of these years, but ever since I began at St Mary’s, back in 2013 as a Year 7 student, I have looked up to Mrs Thomson as a leader who demonstrates strength, kindness, enthusiasm and humour. She is a wonderful role model for women.

In this final year, Mrs Thomson has been a greater inspiration to me than ever before. She has been a constant support and has provided advice and encouragement. She has been an amazing mentor and for that, I am forever grateful.

Mrs Thomson has an incredibly busy job leading St Mary’s, yet she is always calm, cool and collected, has the time for a chat AND still manages to make everyone she speaks to laugh and feel valued.

Ruby Drake 2018 Head Girl

REFLECTIONS) REFLECTIONS

OF A BOARDER

Reflecting on my time at St Mary’s, it is not the sea of maroon that springs to mind first, even though it surprised my 13 year old self. Rather, it’s the lunches on the grass outside the boarding house, sports training before and after class and the trip to Italy, that flash through my mind like a montage.

Mrs Thomson didn’t just make all of these things possible because she was good at her job. It was the sense of togetherness and community she instilled in everyone and everything at St Mary’s, that made each school day more than just a day at school.

In the conversations I had with Mrs Thomson, she made me feel comfortable.

She challenged me to speak up and be confident as a student. I’m forever thankful for this and I owe a lot of where I am now to what seemed like a small thing, at the time.

I credit St Mary’s and specifically Mrs Thomson, for teaching me to think expansively about the world and to always make room for passion. I was fortunate enough to come back to St Mary’s after graduation to mentor and tutor boarders.

I consider myself lucky to have attended a school that is committed to their girls, even after graduation. Thank you, Mrs Thomson, for everything.

Rachel Fong (’10) FROM

OUR STUDENTS

REFLECTIONS

OF AN OLD GIRL

Dearest Mrs Thomson,

I don’t think you realise just how many lives you’ve touched over the years in St Mary’s. For me in particular, you gave me one of the best opportunities I have ever received in life, and for that I’ll always be grateful. Your love, dedication and support towards the students have been so incredible and I’m sure you’ll be greatly missed. Thank you for caring for every individual student so deeply and for carrying a lovely warmth with you all the time. You will always stand out as a major highlight in my mind when I think about my schooling years. I hope you know that there is no one quite like you, Mrs Thomson. Have an amazing retirement, and may God’s beautiful love and presence follow you wherever you go.

Lots of love, Justina Ravi (’12) Dear Lynne, I have not spoken to you for some time, but wish at this point to say as you leave our School, what a wonderful gift you have given to us all, by giving so much of your life to continue the “faithfulness” that was imbued in us all at our time with Elizabeth Lloyd McKenzie Myles. My years from 1945 to 1955 were very special; had just arrived in Perth from Melbourne as the war ended and of course we felt lost. St Mary’s felt very much like home and continued to until I left. West Perth was a humble place, but did not lack feelings of pride and personal achievement whatever your own story was.

In our early marriage my husband was involved in the building of the School, and one Christmas we brought our Norfolk Island Christmas Tree out (was too big for its pot), and planted it in the front grounds, where it still remains. It must be about 55 years old.

About ten of us still meet for lunch, and as we are now in our eighties feel we must keep this up to watch over each other. A reflection of the spiritual spirit that comes with St Mary’s.

God bless you as you begin your next adventure, and carry that spirit with you wherever you go.

With special wishes and also from my friends of year 1955.

Patricia (Trish) Bodycoat (Jones ’55)

Cultivating community

15

A 'TASTE' OF ST MARY'S Community is 'all about the food' in boarding!

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well."

A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf, 1929.

Sharing a meal together brings alive a sense of community. It provides an opportunity for conversations and stories; it establishes healthy eating habits and helps to create routines. Sharing meals together does so much more than feed people nutritionally; it also feeds the heart and soul by supporting people emotionally and drawing a community together. There is nowhere that this is more evident than in the St Mary's boarding house.

If you talk to our current girls and their families they will undoubtedly discuss how fabulous our food is and if you ask an ex-boarder to talk about her experiences, even those from way back when, they will most definitely discuss the food, the good, the bad, the ugly and even the very strange. Fortunately, boarding food has come a very long way in recent years.

Mrs Thomson appointed Chef Eric Barlette in 2011 to manage the Food Services Department at St Mary's. He now leads a team of highly qualified, capable chefs who cater for the girls’ every need. He has also created a dining experience that welcomes boarding families, creating a special sense of home and community spirit within the house. Since Chef Eric's appointment, under the guidance and drive of Mrs Thomson and Mrs Campbell, there has also been a total refurbishment of the kitchen and dining room within the boarding house and the current menus could exist easily in any five-star dining experience.

Indeed, it is seen by some as the 'St Mary's Resort'.

This year we took the St Mary's catering team on the road by holding two of our country functions at family farms in Kojonup and Dowerin. It was a beautiful and unique way to connect with our current, past and future boarding families within the homes of their friends and a chance to bring 'a taste of St Mary's' to the country.

ABOVE: Ruby Freeman, Faerlie Mackintosh, Chef Eric Barlette and Chef Ricky Kemp.

In her 21 years of leadership, Mrs Thomson has shared many meals with our boarding families throughout Western Australia and internationally. She has attended boarding functions in York, Dalwallinu, Kojonup, Esperance, Broome, Kununurra, Karratha, Katanning, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to name just a few. The simplicity of sharing a meal has established friendships and connections, which will remain forever.

There are many occasions when Chef Eric and his team share their fabulous cuisine to ensure that 'a taste of St Mary's' is talked about both inside and outside of the St Mary's boarding house. We have hosted a special Perth Pal Afternoon Tea where we invite day families to allow us to thank them for reaching out the hand of friendship to our new Year 7 and 8 boarders and their families.

We have hosted a Brother–Sister Dinner with the boarders at Hale School where we led an African Themed Dining Experience in The Polson Room for 60 siblings from the Hale and St Mary's boarding houses.

LEFT: Steve, Lauren and Sally Brindal with Chef Ricky Kemp.

RIGHT: Julie Taylor, Hayley Taylor (Senior Boarder, 2018), Tina Campbell, Graham Taylor and Chef Eric Barlette.

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BOARDING

MUESLI SLICE INGREDIENTS:

ABOVE: Future boarders at ‘A Look Inside Day 2018’.

We host several key parent functions and events, including the start-of-the-year boarding cocktail event, the Christmas in July Dinner and the Family Speech Night BBQ and Supper Gathering. We have hosted a special dinner to say goodbye to our Year 12 girls, led by the Year 11s, with the girls brought together by a special meal shared in the boarders' rec room.

We have hosted 'A Look Inside Day' where we invite interested future boarders from country regions to come and spend the day at St Mary's, experiencing some classes, enjoying the lower school drama production and sharing lunch.

We have a theme dinner each term, with our Purple Bra Dinner perhaps now being the most significant of the year. In July the girls heard from Mrs Judy Membrey, mother of Jess (’08) and Lucy (’10) about her battle with cancer. Sadly, Judy passed away in August this year and we send our sympathies to her family. She touched all our hearts with her mantra, that she shared with the girls, to 'live well, laugh often, love much'.

125g Butter 110g Sultanas 65g Chopped Apricots 45g Desiccated Coconut 90g Rolled Oats 110g Demerara Sugar 75g Self-raising Flour 3 Tbsp Golden Syrup 3 Tbsp Honey INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Put all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

2. Melt butter on a low heat on the stove.

3. Add melted butter, honey, and golden syrup to bowl and mix with hands until ingredients are thoroughly combined.

4. Line a square baking dish with baking paper.

5. Put mixture in baking dish and flatten.

6. Place in oven for 25 minutes on 160° C.

Our chefs even share their skills by bringing 'a taste of St Mary's' to the Orientation Day Programme by teaching the new Year 7/8 boarders to cook three different boarding biscuits, including the now famous Eric's Muesli Slice.

So, thank you Mrs Thomson, for appointing Chef Eric to the boarding house team; for supporting the many developments and refurbishments within the boarding house over the years; and for sharing so many meals with so many boarding families. This has been pivotal in creating a Community for Life in boarding.

"Laughter is brightest in the place where food is."

Irish Proverb Tina Campbell Head of Boarding

ABOVE: Boarders’ Purple Bra Day fundraiser.

BOARDING

17

STAFF

SPOTLIGHT

FINALLY, I GOT TO ATTEND HARVARD UNIVERSITY. Aspiring to be a Harvard alumna has been a longheld dream of mine, and with the support of Mrs Thomson, a Harvard alumna herself, I was accepted into the Leadership: An Evolving Vision (LEV) course at Harvard Graduate School of Education Principals Leadership Centre. The LEV course involved several lectures, seminars and team-building sessions for over 200 delegates from all over the world.

The experience was life-changing and I returned excited to share the many new ideas and experiences with my colleagues at St Mary's. The deep learning about leadership undertaken throughout the course has inspired me. I now have friends throughout the world who I connect with regularly and I am an Associate Member of the Harvard Club of Australia and a Harvard Graduate.

TEACHING

This year also saw David Murdoch and Louise Manson join me at Harvard University and in 2019 Ruari Reid and Dave Brown will be packing their suitcases.

To celebrate the St Mary's teachers who, like me, have been lucky enough to be able to attend a short course at either Harvard University or Building Learning Communities, Boston, we held a reunion luncheon in the boarding house. From a professional development perspective, it is without comparison and for the experience, well that is one of a lifetime, that changes you positively forever.

Tina Campbell Head of Boarding

ACHIEVEMENTS

Congratulations to Miss Josie Detata and Mrs Alison Harris for being awarded “The Outstanding Professional Service Award� by the Professional Teaching Council of WA. Congratulations to Mr David Brown for attending the ECAWA 2018 State Conference, the ECAWA Computing and Security Workshop and completing the RMIT Course in App Development in Swift.

Congratulations to Mrs Irene Cumming for her dedication and coaching skills. Irene was awarded four coaching medals at the Future Problem-Solving competition, for coaching students who won trophies and medals in Scenario Performance, Scenario Writing and Global Issues Action Plan Performance.

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staff spotlight

CONGRATULATIONS) TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS

Our girls once again excelled in the 2018 Australian Geography Competition, with St Mary’s achieving first place in WA. Congratulations to Gabrielle Pang (Year 8) for winning equal first place in Australia and Adele Nicholl (Year 10) for winning equal first place in Western Australia.

L-R: Heather Bytheway, Michael Keenan MP and Olivia Nolan at Parliament House, Canberra.

L-R: Adele Nicholl and Gabrielle Pang.

Olivia Nolan (Year 10) for being the National History Challenge winner in the Using Primary Sources from the National Archives category and to Heather Bytheway (Year 10) for being the national winner in the History of Sport category. Both travelled to Parliament House in Canberra to receive their awards from Michael Keenan MP, Federal Member for Stirling, Minister for Human Services and Digital Transformation.

Phoebe Blaxill

Phoebe Blaxill (Year 12), for winning a bronze medal at the 2018 International Geography Olympiad (iGeo) in Quebec City, Canada.

Wini Taylor-Williams

Wini Taylor-Williams (Year 11), for receiving her Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, and to Mr Stewart, Head of Outdoor Education, for receiving a fiveyear service award and a certificate of appreciation for being Wini’s Gold Supervisor.

ABOVE: Future Problem Solving Nationals.

The following girls achieved outstanding results at the Future Problem-Solving Nationals held in Melbourne.

Congratulations especially to Aimee Ryan, who has been invited to the International Competition in Massachusetts in June 2019.

SCENARIO PERFORMANCE Senior Division: National Champion – Aimee Ryan

SCENARIO WRITING Senior Division: 3rd Place – Iseult de Mallet Burgess 5th Place – Nimmat Grewal

ACTION PLAN PRESENTATION Senior Division: 2nd Place – Claire Craig, Aimee Ryan, Nimmat Grewal, Olivia Nolan, Ashlin Eiszele

GLOBAL ISSUES Middle Division: 5th Place - Chloe Ryan, Caitlin McIlveen, Kate Mackie, Audrey Tan

Congratulations to our Year 9 team for winning the Middle School State award for best book, in the ‘Write A Book In A Day’ competition. Pictured here at the State Awards Ceremony are Liyin (Rainn) Zu, McKenzie Walsh, Kate Lucas, Caitlin Vieraitis, Amber Connor, Marie Benyamine, Laura Kung, Charlotte Waugh, Athena Pham and Arielle Christodulou. academic awards

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T H E S P I R I T OF COMMUNITY

THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY AND HELPING OTHERS IS AT THE CORE OF THE ST MARY’S EXPERIENCE. OUR GIRLS ARE THERE FOR EACH OTHER, FOR THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, THEIR TEACHERS AND LEADERS, AND FOR ALL THOSE WHO NEED A HELPING HAND TO GET THROUGH THE DAY, BE IT WITH A HUG, A KIND MESSAGE, A WARM MEAL, OR A LITTLE SUPPORT IN THEIR TIME OF NEED. THIS YEAR, OUR GIRLS HAVE BEEN BUSY DOING ALL THEY CAN TO PROVIDE A WARM AND CARING ENVIRONMENT BOTH WITHIN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND TO THOSE WHO RELY ON THE KINDNESS OF OTHERS.

STUDENTS CHOP THEIR PONYTAILS FOR THE WORLD’S GREATEST SHAVE On Friday 10 August, 55 Year 11 and 12 girls were involved in the World’s Greatest Shave and ‘Ponytail Chop’, raising over $27,000 for those suffering from blood cancer.

This year, students came together, creating a strong sense of family and community to break past fundraising records in support of Year 3 student, Chloe Warburton, who is currently fighting leukaemia.

The girls cut either a minimum of 20cm from their ponytail or shaved their head. The hair from the ‘Ponytail Chop’ will be used to make wigs for women and children suffering from diseases that result in hair loss.

Head Girl, Ruby Drake, organised the event because of the personal connection many of the students have to blood cancer, and to support Chloe.

“While some of us have taken part to raise money for a good cause, many of us have witnessed first-hand what blood cancer can do to someone.

As a school we wanted to support Chloe and other Western Australian families who are facing blood cancer, to give them the opportunity to receive the emotional and practical support that they need,” said Ruby.

LEFT: Keely Wooding, who shaved her head, with Chloe Warburton.

5000 MEALS PROJECT In Term 4, Year 10 girls studying Home Economics started a project called 5000 Meals, to develop their hospitality skills, reduce food wastage and assist people in need within the Perth community.

The programme, 5000 Meals, is one of several community engagement projects co-ordinated by the not-for-profit organisation Prepare Produce Provide. The girls used food from Secondbite, a business that redistributes surplus fresh food to community food programmes around Australia, and turned it into meals for people in need. The food was delivered from Secondbite and picked up as frozen meals the following week. The girls labelled the food and packaged it into containers that can be microwaved.

The aims of the project are to utilise surplus local produce to minimise food wastage in the food and hospitality industries, produce nutritious meals that will assist people in need, provide students with the opportunity to work with chefs and industry specialists, and assist teachers to deliver meaningful and relevant learning experiences.

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school Community

ABOVE: Brooke Boonlai.

BELOW: Year 10 Home Economics students.

L-R: Skylar Chong leading the Zumba. Elliana Flintoff, Nicola Farquhar-Smith and Georgia Farquhar-Smith.

M E N TA L Health Week A holistic education means that at St Mary’s we focus on all aspects of a student’s education, including focusing on their well-being and promoting positive mental health practices. While the staff at St Mary’s focus on well-being in a variety of different ways on a daily basis, recently we also held school-wide initiatives to highlight this further.

This year St Mary’s held its inaugural Mental Health Week. Our Year 12 Well-Being Ambassadors, Lily Fitzgerald and Telia Lockwood, organised a range of activities to draw attention to the importance of mental health and to build further bonds between our Senior School students. Each day of the week had a different focus allowing students to connect, relax, be active and create. Throughout the week our students and staff submitted selfies with their pets which were displayed on our screens in the SMafé; our girls were greeted with positive messages attached to our bathroom mirrors to remind

them of the need for self-care; and students took photographs of themselves with their friends smiling with polaroid cameras that were made available to them.

The science of smiling is welldocumented in the TED Talk by Ron Gutman – The Hidden Power of Smiling. A silent disco was held for all year groups in the PAC and I would like to thank Mr Jenson for using his technical skills to provide an impressive lighting show and smoke machine; the PAC really was transformed, and this made the dancing all the more fun!

Our fantastic psychologists ran a flash-mob meditation and set-up sensory interaction zones to allow students to engage with mindful practices. The week finished with lots of energy, provided by Skylar (Dance Prefect) who ran a wholeschool Zumba class, an impressive lip-sync battle performed by our Year 12 students and the surprise of bouncy castle slide. I hope the week allowed our students to relax, enjoy themselves and to remember to put a focus on their mental health.

The national R U OK Day was on 13 September and St Mary’s staff helped to raise awareness of the importance of having meaningful conversations. On this day our students and staff were reminded of the importance of maintaining connections to those around us.

This year, the focus of R U OK Day was to provide individuals with the skills to start a conversation through the following four steps: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Ask R U OK? Listen without judgement Encourage action Check in

On this day each year group held a special lunch at a different location around the school. The students were encouraged to speak to girls they normally wouldn’t speak to and check in with each other.

Lastly, Madison Bailey, Keely Morphett and Holly Reid have been busy this year creating our Little St Mary’s cards. These cards are a great visual reminder of all that we have to be grateful for.

The personalised cards were given to all St Mary’s girls, staff and parents, with the aim of helping us all maintain a positive and optimistic mindset.

INTRODUCING HARLEY! Pastoral care lies at the heart of all that we do at St Mary's. Harley has joined our community to assist our ‘wellness’ programme. Research has shown that for some students, dogs support psychological and academic growth while increasing social skills and self-esteem in adolescents. Harley has already put a smile on the faces of many of our girls (and staff). In Term 3, a small number of girls were given the opportunity to assist with Harley’s training and care. With further training and maturity Harley’s role will expand. He will spend time with the boarders, in the library and helping girls learn new skills and connect with the community.

Harley is a Hungarian Vizsla. Vizslas are known as a clever, friendly and enthusiastic breed that bonds strongly with humans.

RIGHT: Ella Sullivan, Andi Trezise and Harley.

school Community

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ABOVE: Kindness Week Assembly celebrating the Spirit for Savanna Addis.

KINDNESS WEEK Early in Term 4, our newly elected School Prefects (also referred to as The Kindness Committee) immediately become Directors of the St Mary’s Kindness Company. Their first undertaking is the organisation of Kindness Week, which has been held every November since 2015.

Each year we have had a different theme. In 2015 we highlighted how to spread kindness via SMMs (St Mary’s Messages), which led to the development of our very own range of tailor-made greeting cards. In 2016, we had Kindness Detectives on the hunt for people caught committing random acts of kindness – by doing so, these people were given the opportunity to have a donation paid to the charity of their choice. Last year, we ditched the random approach and undertook to commit 50 Conscious Acts of Kindness in a Link competition. The winning Link had $200 paid to their preferred charity. We also recognise that kindness at St Mary’s is not just about girls being kind to each other; just as we present awards to girls who have made a significant contribution in school activities, we also like to acknowledge staff members by presenting them with Colours for Kindness certificates.

In 2018, with the support of the whole St Mary’s community, we Celebrated Spirit for Savanna Addis. Savanna was a student at St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School for five years. Sadly, she passed away earlier this year.

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school Community

ABOVE: The Addis Family with the tree planted in Savanna’s memory.

Savanna overcame many obstacles in her life and, during Kindness Week, we drew on her strengths to honour her spirit and legacy. We also raised $5,572 for Telethon, a cause close to Savanna’s heart. Savanna was well-known amongst the wider community through her role as a Telethon child, as a strong advocate for people with disabilities and as a serious fashionista! She was determined to take every opportunity to make the world a better place and her seven Rules to Live By are a fine example for all of us.

On Wednesday 7 November, we were pleased to welcome Savanna’s family to a special assembly, where Professor Desiree Silva and Year 11 student, Keely Wooding, told us about Savanna’s life, personality and remarkable achievements. The School was decked out in pink ribbons and balloons, we made friendship bracelets, held a fashion parade, ate pink cupcakes in SMafé, dressed up in colourfully stylish clothes, and planted and dedicated a tree to Savanna’s memory.

S E R V I C E IN ACTION TRIPS TWO GROUPS OF YEAR 10 GIRLS RECENTLY RETURNED FROM A COMMUNITY SERVICE EXPERIENCE IN THE REMOTE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY OF NULLAGINE AND THE REMOTE PILBARA TOWNSHIP OF MARBLE BAR. AT EACH LOCATION, FOUR ST MARY’S GIRLS JOINED FOUR CHRIST CHURCH GRAMMAR STUDENTS AND THEIR TEACHER, MARK TAIT, TO ACT AS TEACHER ASSISTANTS AT THE SCHOOLS. THE STUDENTS PROVIDED ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING, READ STORIES TO THE STUDENTS, HELPED MAKE RESOURCES AND ASSISTED THE OLDER STUDENTS WITH THEIR DISTANCE EDUCATION STUDIES.

The group that went to Marble Bar ran a fun “swimming carnival” in the local pool, played lots of basketball with the locals, helped run the community centre, swam in the river, visited the Health Clinic, Police Station and the Court and explored the environment surrounding the respective settlements.

The girls at Nullagine Remote Community School developed close relationships with the students in the Pre-primary to Year 4 class, the Years 5 to 7 class and the ‘high school’ class, which had Year 7s right through to Year 12s. They found it challenging to cater to the needs and abilities of students with such great age ranges within the one classroom. On one of the days, the senior class took the group out to the bush to dig for ‘lungi’ (witchetty grub), admire some amazing rock art and cook/eat kangaroo tail stew and damper.

Both groups reported gaining a greater understanding and appreciation of indigenous culture and some insight into the pros and cons of working in a remote location. They were complimented on their excellent behaviour, enthusiasm and willingness to “have a go” at whatever challenges were presented. Our students’ positive attitude towards education, showed the students in the indigenous community how important learning is.

Tal Berman Health and Physical Education Teacher Dianne Casserly Humanities and Social Sciences Teacher

L-R: St Mary's girls Zoe Blake, Aimee Ryan and Sophie Pech with Nullagine Primary School students.

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ST MARY’S

ELEVATE PROGRAMME

KATE COCHRANE AND NICOLA FARQUHAR-SMITH

CERTIFICATE IV IN BUSINESS STUDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS

Kate Cochrane and Nicola Farquhar-Smith have completed their Certificate IV in Business at the Fremantle Education Centre this year. They have excelled during their training and have both received recognition for being the top students in this certificate course.

Nicola has completed her workplace learning at the Peter Cowan Writers Centre where she was able to participate in some of their writers’ workshops and assisted with webpage content. Her intention is that she might one day write her own novel. She has been accepted into the School of Audio Engineering to complete a Bachelor of Animation.

L-R: Kate Cochrane and Nicola Farquhar-Smith.

Kate completed two work placements at the The Sebel Hotel and then at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School. During the year she contemplated the possibility of being a Home Economics teacher, so she spent her time in the Home Economics Department at Peter Moyes. She now intends to complete a Bachelor of Education (Secondary), specialising in Home Economics.

MATILDA RAMEL AND GEORGIA ROWE CERTIFICATE IV IN BUSINESS

NURSING PATHWAY Matilda and Georgia have both completed their workplace learning at Mercy Care where they supported the residents in a variety of activity-based programmes. The generic nature of the business qualification provides students with applicable skills that focus on group work and presenting information formally. The Certificate IV in Business makes several entry pathways available to students post-Year 12. This includes both further TAFE qualifications at a diploma level and alternative pathways to universities or employment.

LEFT: Matilda Ramel and Georgia Rowe.

HASS

WEEK

HASS WEEK WA IN 2018 WAS A STATEWIDE EVENT FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. AT ST MARY’S, A KEY FEATURE OF THE WEEK WAS AN ARRAY OF HIGH-QUALITY GUEST SPEAKERS.

Renowned WA author and orator, Mark Greenwood, led a magnificent Year 9 student presentation. We were all able to hear the captivating story of ‘The Happiness Box’, a tale which showcased high level historical research and an interesting writing process, all connected to the experience of war at Changi in Singapore.

Prominent local historian and writer, Richard Offen, provided us with enlightening insights into the research he is undertaking as the author of our School’s centenary book. This wonderful book will be based on sources and artefacts from our archives and is due to be available in 2021, the year of our centenary.

The national Head of Education at the ABC, Annabel Astbury, facilitated a special session for Year 8 HASS students. She gave us an exclusive look at the new media literacy resource which gave a template for sorting out fake news from facts.

Around 40 teachers from other schools came to St Mary’s for a ‘HASS in the Media’ information and panel discussion session proudly hosted by our HASS department. The panel consisted of experienced and 24

school Community

interesting media figures: L TO R: Niamh Rooney, Grace O’Meehan, Christina Mrs Ali Harris, Senator Mathias Cormann, Morrissy, a newsreader who Holly Reid and Sophie Dwyer. has worked for both the 9 and 10 networks, Rebecca Munro, a former political journalist and newsreader on the 10 network, Alex Kopp from 7West Media, and the aforementioned Richard Offen and Annabel Astbury.

Finally, we hosted a special visit and presentation

by Federal Finance Minister and key government powerbroker, Mathias Cormann. This interesting presentation gave a very clear explanation of the current economic and political sphere.

It was very enriching for the school to be able to gain first hand access to such interesting and prominent HASS-related speakers.

Mike Turner Head of Humanities and Social Sciences

i 3 – INTEGRATING OUR STEM COMMUNITY SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE, PROBLEM-SOLVING, COLLABORATION, INNOVATION, DESIGN THINKING, LEADERSHIP, ENTREPRENEURSHIP. SKILLS OUR STUDENTS DIDN’T IMMEDIATELY ASSOCIATE WITH STUDYING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) SUBJECTS, BUT SKILLS THEY HAVE DEVELOPED DUE TO OUR NEW COMPULSORY YEAR 10 STEM PROGRAMME, i3 - INTERDISCIPLINARY INNOVATION AND INTELLIGENCE.

The teaching of core STEM subjects at St Mary’s was further complemented this year by the introduction of the cross-disciplinary i3 programme in collaboration with Edith Cowan University (ECU) and industry supporters. It was designed to engage our girls in authentic, ‘real-world’ experiences.

Developed by Michelle Fitzpatrick, Head of Technology and Enterprise, and David Brown, Education Technology Integrator, and delivered across each subject area in collaboration with the technology and enterprise, science and mathematics teaching teams, i3 saw our Year 10 girls placed in 37 project-based teams of 4-5 students each and asked to develop a solution to a real-world problem. They worked over the year, in collaboration with over 80 mentors from Edith Cowan University (ECU) and industry, to establish their ‘start-up’ enterprise, and design and code a navigational App of the St Mary’s campus.

Their hard work culminated in a ‘Live Pitch Showcase’, during which they were pushed out of their comfort zones as they pitched their technology to a panel of 30 industry experts. While initially very nervous, the girls had an opportunity to reflect on and refine their presentation in advance of a second round of judging, thereby building their communication and engagement skills.

The day finished with a mini conference, including a seminar delivered by Michelle Sandford, Service Delivery Manager of Microsoft, on using LinkedIn to build professional networks of the future. There were guest speakers and an award ceremony for the various categories. We acknowledge all the girls who participated, with congratulations going to the overall winning company, Chameleon Enterprise for their App, 'Adrift', as voted by the judges.

BELOW: The winning team, Chameleon Enterprise (right) pitching their navigational App ‘Adrift’.

L TO R: Emma Watson, Jennifer Hao, Chloë Robinson, Brooke Boonlai demonstrate their ‘Campus Compass’ App to ECU judge, Dr Michelle Ellis.

Chameleon Enterprise was led by Aimee Ryan (CEO) and her team included Nimmat Grewal (Marketing Manager), Catherine Pile (Finance Director), Molly Addis (Communications Manager) and Sonya Emmett (Technical Manager).

Nimmat enthused, “The i3 day was both enriching and fun. I learnt how to pitch effectively to the judges without always looking at my palm cards, and to work under pressure. The talks really opened my eyes to careers in STEM and I had no idea how relevant it is becoming to all future jobs and our lives.”

Industry judge, Adrienne Viney*, Technology and Services Manager at Woodside, commented, “It was wonderful to see emerging STEM talent and to hear the key takeaways from the girls participating in this project. Most stated that they realised that technology development wasn’t as difficult as they had perceived. It was also impressive to hear many of the teams describe how they applied all aspects of STEM to this project.”

We wish to thank our exceptional and expanded STEM community, including Dr Michelle Ellis from ECU, who was integral in the development of i3, along with our team of over 100 industry professionals and university students who contributed throughout the year.

As was said more than once on the day, “Anybody who is anybody in technology in Perth is here!” * Views expressed are the judge’s own.

school Community

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LEFT (L-R): Nicola Botterill - Headmistress Bruton School, UK with Ella Chamberlain, Jessica Crowley, Tyla Durell and Lynne Thomson.

CENTRE: Tara Elders and her exchange partner in Canada.

RIGHT: Emma Kerr greets her exchange partner in Perth.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Linda Gracias with Joey Poh, Science Teacher, at St Margaret’s School, Singapore.

OV E R S E A S

EXCHANGE

An experience of a lifetime! Unforgettable! Life-changing!

Challenging! These are some of the words students use to describe Year 10 Exchange. Yes, they’re very excited to see the cities and landscapes they’ve been dreaming about, and to try the food and take part in traditions. But at the heart of what makes an exchange so memorable, are the special relationships the girls form with their exchange ‘sisters’, host families, and other students they develop friendships with during their time away. These people become their new families and support networks, enabling the girls to gain self-confidence, work through any personal challenges, and become totally immersed in their exchange environment.

On a recent holiday to Europe, it was very exciting to take time out to meet some of the staff at Badminton School, Bruton School for Girls and Wycombe Abbey in England, and St Margaret’s Secondary School in Singapore. I was warmly welcomed and learned more about the schools and the unique opportunities they offer. Without exception, the staff I met were very complimentary about St Mary’s girls - they loved having them in their classrooms and being part of their school and boarding communities.

Their host families plan sightseeing trips and fun outings, so our girls learn about local culture, history and lifestyles. The schools may offer different subjects (eg Latin, Philosophy, American History) with the chance to try something new, as well as to play sport and follow their interests.

Happily, my visit to Bruton School coincided with an assembly presentation, given by Rosie, Sophie and Izzie who had visited St Mary’s in Term 3. Of course, there were many oohs, ahs and giggles at images of quokkas, kangaroos and koalas, and the WA beaches looked magnificent! But what stood out to me most were the photos of friendship and fun times the girls had enjoyed with their exchange ‘sisters’ and new Australian friends. It’s this sharing of experiences, enthusiasm and positive feedback, and each girl’s willingness to daringly ‘step out of her comfort zone’, that ensures the exchange programme will continue to thrive. Mrs Thomson, you started something very special back in 1999 and over the past twenty years, 247 St Mary’s girls and 229 visiting students, have benefited from the programme, enjoying a taste of travel, discovery and global learning and gaining a better understanding of the values, traditions and lifestyles of others beyond our shores. Who knows where these first steps lead our girls in future years… but I know that quite a few are still in touch with their overseas ‘families’ many years on.

During 2018, 29 St Mary’s students experienced an overseas exchange through our relationships with 14 partner schools in six countries. Most of these girls also hosted their exchange ‘sisters’ in return.

Mrs Thomson began the exchange programme to provide opportunities for students to step outside St Mary’s gates and gain global learning experiences.

Her passion for exchange has continued to grow and it has been through her relationship-building with international school principals that the programme has grown significantly, and through the ongoing interest from our girls and enthusiastic support from parents, that it has flourished.

My role in organising student exchanges is very rewarding, seeing the girls grow from their adventures away and overcoming any hurdles to build resilience.

Over the past 11 years, I have developed wonderful relationships with many students and their families and with my colleagues at our partner schools.

Linda Gracias School Exchange Administrator

“I went to Havergal in Canada. It was one of the best experiences of my life and I would highly recommend it. I have made so many lifelong friends that I am planning on seeing soon.

I would also like to say a big thank-you to Mrs Gracias for making this happen!” Tara Elders.

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school Community

MUSIC –

DISCOVERING COMMUNITY HARMONIOUSLY)

So often, it is the time spent on pursuits outside of the classroom that help develop the extraordinary sense of community that we have at St Mary’s. Music is one of those activities that is, at its heart, a totally community-based experience. Individual students from widely differing backgrounds and with varying levels of expertise, join together to bring beautiful pieces of music to life every day.

The inclusive mindset of our St Mary’s musicians is never more obvious then when we come together to create events such as the September Concert – The Magic of St Mary’s Music. Our bands, orchestras and choirs performed with one ideal in mind – to produce our best together. And our sense of community

extends beyond our school gates to where we share our talents at St George’s Cathedral for the Our Lady in Winter Service, and with our entire school at the Whole School Eucharist.

These experiences of coming together to create music often foster lifelong relationships between our girls, parents and staff. The moments that we share together making music leave their mark on all of us, building a collection of memories that will forever connect us to St Mary’s.

Lynette Taylor Head of Music Performance

ABOVE: ‘The Magic of St Mary’s Music’ September Concert.

MUSIC

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PRODUCTIONS AND PERFORMANCES

THE WIZARD OF OZ LOWER SCHOOL PRODUCTION The deceptively simple story of Dorothy’s adventures in the marvellous Land of Oz has resonated for young and old since it was first published in 1900. It has entered American folklore as the quintessential American fairy tale. It has been estimated that the 1939 movie musical based on Baum’s story, has been seen by more people, more times than any other movie ever made. It is also one of the most widely quoted films in Hollywood history.

Thirty-three girls started rehearsing in Term 3, to prepare themselves for performance week, of two evening performances and the much-loved matinee. This play is the closest to Baum’s original story. The most wonderful aspect of this play is that it has an ensemble cast of 26 girls ranging from Year 7 to Year 9, along with a small group of leads, numbering only seven. The ensemble are characters, objects and flora, and responsible for the choreographed movement of the set, and absolutely captivate when on the stage.

The dialogue is quite inspirational and still very suitable for the young to follow in our contemporary, fast-paced world.

Inspiring quotes from The Wizard of Oz “Then close your eyes and tap your heels together three times.

And think to yourself, there's no place like home.”

“Never give up. No one knows what's going to happen next.”

“It’s not where you go. It’s who you meet along the way.”

“You are capable of more than you know.”

Caroline Brand Drama Teacher

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Productions and Performances

MARY POPPINS SENIOR SCHOOL PRODUCTION At the beginning of August, the 2018 Senior School Production of Mary Poppins opened for the St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School community with four soldout performances. The stage musical, complete with numerous scene changes, memorable songs and magic elements, was an exciting project for the Musical Director, Miss Jodie Upton, and me.

Led by a talented, passionate and experienced group of Year 12 students, including Drama Prefect, Annabelle Clapé and Dance Prefect, Skylar Chong, the cast of more than 50 girls underwent a tireless rehearsal process to bring Mary Poppins to life. The girls worked diligently over four months, refining busy musical numbers, perfecting tricky harmonies and learning complex tap-dancing skills for the first time. This continuous work ethic resulted in four stunning and polished performances that the girls were incredibly proud of.

The energy of opening night was electric, and audiences were impressed with standout performances from Anne Jovanoski (Bert), Elizabeth Millett (Mary) and the terrifyingly wicked Miss Andrew, played by St Mary’s veteran performer, Madeleine Scanlon. Chelsea Morphett and Stella Banfield, two of the youngest cast members, were delightful in their roles of Jane and Michael Banks.

The dysfunctional Banks family scenes made for some humorous and poignant moments with Kristin Williams and Grace Norrish playing Mr and Mrs Banks, and the comic duo of Mikaela Counsel and Aimee Ryan as Mrs Brill and Robertson Ay. The huge ensemble scenes left audiences spellbound, particularly “Step in Time”, an enormous tap-dancing spectacular, led by the choreographic direction of Shael Daniel.

The cast and crew of Mary Poppins were an integral part of creating the many ‘wow!’ moments in the show as were our talented staff and volunteers. The set design featured three revolves (a first for the

St Mary’s stage) designed by WAAPA graduate, Kelly Fregon. Miss Dani Paxton produced and designed a myriad of costumes for our large cast, some cast members having up to six costume changes! Lighting designed by Mr Lars Jensen and sound operation by Mr Scott Maney, saw the show completed with its final finishing touches. Stage Manager, Miss Caroline Brand and Assistant Stage Manager, Miss Rebecca Charleston supported the backstage crew and organised the cast behind the scenes. With other staff, professional musicians, parents and volunteers helping in countless other areas, it is no wonder the show was such a success and was talked about for weeks after the final curtain.

It was an absolute pleasure to work with the girls and staff on this year’s production. I am certainly looking forward to working with such a talented group again in the future.

Megan Watson Head of Drama and Dance

Productions and Performances

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SENIOR SCHOOL ART

T H E C R E AT I V E S T M A R Y ’ S

COMMUNITY

AT ST MARY’S, OUR ART DEPARTMENT CREATES A SPECIAL SENSE OF COMMUNITY, BRINGING STUDENTS TOGETHER TO ALLOW THEM TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES BY SHARING THEIR THOUGHTS AND STORIES THROUGH DIFFERENT ART FORMS. THIS YEAR AT THE SENIOR SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION, STUDENTS SHARED THEIR PERSONAL STORIES ABOUT FAMILY, IDENTITY AND CULTURE, BOTH IN THE ART PROCESS, AND TO THEIR PEERS. THIS PROCESS OF SHARING BUILDS A SUPPORTIVE, CREATIVE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT. A HEALTHY ARTISTIC COMMUNITY IS BUILT ON AN ATTITUDE OF FUN, TRUST AND RESPECT. TOP: Misha Gunasekera, Catherine Shepherd, Anneliese Little, Rose Fetwadjieff, Ellen Bermingham and Finlay Moore.

WEARABLE ART

PROGRAMME

The Wearable Art programme is an extracurricular programme open to students in Years 9 to 12, and involves after-school and weekend fashion design, sewing and three-dimensional construction workshops. Mrs Maria Pleasance is energetic and generous in the time she spends with girls so that they can see the accomplishment of their larger-than-life fashion sketches.

BELOW: Catherine Shepherd and Finlay Moore.

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senior school art

She is assisted by recent Old Girl, Tessa Laing (2016) who is studying Prop Design at WAAPA. This year students created designs based on the theme of Cultural Festivals.

Girls involved in the Wearable Art programme grow in confidence and build friendships with girls in different year groups, and some continue to participate in broader community-based programmes, such as the Apex Teenage Fashion Awards. This year, Anneliese Little (Year 12) and Catherine Shepherd (Year 11) were state finalists in the Wearable Art and Society and Environment sections and then participated in the national finals in Melbourne.

ABOVE: Ruby Foley, Art Captain and Maria Pleasance.

RIGHT: Misha Gunasekera, winner of the Photographic Fashion Award.

BOTTOM: Georgia White, winner of the Design prize.

2 01 8 A R T AWA R D S HYPERVISION Congratulations to Faerlie Mackintosh for winning the Fashion and Jewellery category, and to Ella Tolcon for coming runner-up.

SHAUN TAN AWARD FOR YOUNG ARTISTS Congratulations to Darcie Richards for coming second in the Upper Secondary School Category for her piece ‘The Generation Gap’.

METAMORPHOSIS ART GALLERY Congratulations to Georgia White for winning the Design prize for her Year 11 textile piece, and to Natalie Vogas, Darcie Richards, Monique Hyde and Sally Zhou for being selected to be exhibited.

MANDURAH WEARABLE ART EXHIBITION Congratulations to Rose Fetwadjieff for being a finalist in the showcase in the Youth category.

BLACK SWAN YOUTH PRIZE Congratulations to Sally Zhou, Abbey Ruscoe and Sophie PopalWorynski, who have all been selected to exhibit.

APEX TEENAGE FASHION AWARDS Congratulations to Finlay Moore, Rose Fetwadjieff, and Ellen Bermingham, Misha Gunasekera, Catherine Shepherd and Anneliese Little for all making it through to the state finals. Congratulations also to Catherine Shepherd for winning the State runner-up prize for Wearable Art, Anneliese Little for winning the State runner-up prize for Society and Environment and to Misha Gunasekera for winning the State Photography prize for her Wearable Art Piece.

senior school art

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D I S C OV E R I N G C O M M U N I T Y FOR LIFE IN THE

JUNIOR SCHOOL

BEING PART OF THE JUNIOR SCHOOL IS VERY MUCH LIKE BEING PART OF A VILLAGE AND AS THE SAYING GOES, ‘IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD.’ AS EACH GIRL MOVES THROUGH HER YEAR LEVELS SHE WILL WORK WITH DIFFERENT TEACHERS AND VARIOUS GROUPS OF GIRLS, DEVELOPING A WIDE RANGE OF SKILLS. WE SEE THAT OUR ROLE IN THIS DEVELOPMENT OF EACH GIRL IS TO PROVIDE HER WITH AS MANY EXPERIENCES AS POSSIBLE THAT WILL ENABLE HER TO BUILD CONNECTIONS.

Working in a team builds many skills, co-operation, communication and compromise. Girls demonstrated these skills when they competed in the many team competitions that were held this year. Our basketball team, who won the School Slam Series, fully understand the importance of working as a team.

The three teams who competed in the STEAMing Ahead Challenges were asked to work together to solve problems and complete tasks. The Da Vinci Decathlon teams needed to draw on their teamwork skills to work collaboratively and productively, feeling that community support is equally as important for girls who are working and competing individually. The girls who represented the School at both the IPSHA Speakers Challenges and the Spelling Bee proudly represented the School.

This year’s Year 4 Mother/Daughter camp provided the girls and their mothers with the opportunity to spend time together as a Year 4 group in the tranquil setting of Metricup. Mr Freitag and Mrs Minshell devised a schedule and activities that specifically aimed at building relationships and connections for the girls and their mothers. The bonds formed and strengthened will follow these girls through their schooling and potentially through their lives.

Playing is a wonderful platform for friendships and bonds to develop and the new Junior School playground is a brilliant space that has been designed to challenge the girls whilst having fun with their friends. Mrs Thomson has always been a strong advocate for ensuring that the School’s space and ‘green’ is maintained and the new playground is a clear indication of this. We have an amazing play space under the canopy of the trees, flowing onto Chapel Valley.

ST MARY’S NETBALL CLUB 2018 It was a stellar year for the St Mary’s Netball Club.

The girls had such a great experience and all teams improved so much throughout the season and some even managed to finish top of their Divisions.

My sincere thanks to the committee, coaches, managers and parent volunteers, who contributed such a great deal of time and effort to ensure the netball season went off without a hitch.

Congratulations to all our girls on a wonderful, successful and fairly-played season. We hope to see them all back on the courts next year.

Tara Hearn St Mary’s Netball Club President 32

Junior school

TOP: Annabel Kane, Charlotte Matthews, Anna Giraudo, Laura Jarlow and Sara Kerr.

ABOVE: Junior School girls challenging themselves on the climbing wall.

DA VINCI DECATHLON On Tuesday 18 September, 22 schools competed in the Da Vinci Decathlon Competition held at Presbyterian Ladies’ College. This academic competition is designed to challenge and stimulate the minds of students. The girls competed across ten disciplines — engineering, cartography, mathematics, code-breaking, art and poetry, science, English, ideation, creative producers and general knowledge. Our team of eight Year 6 students won the Code-Breaking challenge and went on to achieve tied third place. Congratulations to Sofia Aviso, Sarah Harris, Lilia Bradley, Nina Musk, Lily Nunn, Anne-Marie Lau, Sienna Weerakody and Chantal Garas.

ABOVE: Year 6 Da Vinci Decathlon winners.

INTERSCHOOL SPELLING BEE COMPETITION On Wednesday 5 September, six students from St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School in Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 attended an Interschool Spelling Bee Competition at Guildford Grammar. All girls worked extremely hard prior to the competition, learning some very tricky words. On the day we were successful, with Emma Grose winning the Year 4 Division and bringing home the shield, and Sienna Weerakody coming second in the Year 6 competition.

Congratulations to the following girls for being involved:

ABOVE: Interschool Spelling Bee Competition contestants.

BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS CUP TEAM Congratulations to our girls from Years 5 and 6 who were invited to play in the Champions Cup at Bendat Basketball Centre. All the teams competing in this Cup were invited as a result of winning their regional finals in the Basketball WA School Slam earlier in the year, ensuring only the very best school teams in the state were represented.

Our girls trained and played extremely well under the experienced eye of coach Shawn Redhage. The skill level at the competition was excellent and our girls put in a solid and hardfought performance to finish second in their pool. The girls are very privileged to have Shawn as a coach and learnt a great deal from him and from the experience itself. Congratulations to all the girls in the team.

� Sienna Weerakody Year 6 (2nd Place) � Anna Fan Year 6 � Anna Giraudo Year 5 � Navya Shah Year 5 � Emma Grose Year 4 (Winner of Year 4 Shield) � Amy Zhou Year 4

STEAMING AHEAD DAY ST MARY’S HELD ITS FOURTH ANNUAL STEAMING AHEAD CHALLENGE FOR GIRLS IN YEARS 1 TO 6, TO INCREASE THE AWARENESS AND PRESENCE OF WOMEN IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART AND MATHS OVER THREE DAYS. TRADITIONALLY, STEM FIELDS ARE DOMINATED BY MEN, BUT THE STEAMING AHEAD CHALLENGE IS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE GENDER GAP IN THESE FIELDS, AND TO INFLUENCE THE CHOICES THAT THESE GIRLS WILL MAKE IN THE FUTURE, WHILE BRINGING THE WIDER COMMUNITY TOGETHER.

L-R: Ashleigh Clancy-Lowe, Mrs Helen Shaw and Ashley D'Souza. STEAMing Ahead Challenge Day.

Over 200 girls from 15 different primary schools competed in teams and were given simulations to solve, focusing on this year’s theme ‘Warriors at Work’. The Years 3 to 6 challenge included cleaning up an oil spill, filtering water, using coding to programme robots to transport water to a droughtstricken location and designing a system to pump water uphill. The Years 1 to 2 challenge included water gymnastics and breaking the water tension.

Guest speaker and NASA astronaut candidate, Josh Richards, spoke to the girls and inspired them to engage more with science and discover that the sky is not the limit! Josh is a compelling and entertaining ambassador for STEAM Education and is currently one of 100 astronaut candidates short-listed for a one-way mission to Mars in 2031.

The Academic Centre of Enrichment team at St Mary’s believe that the challenge today is to increase student awareness about the diverse nature of STEM (science, technology, engineering or maths) careers. Traditionally, engineering is described as a field in which you use maths and science to solve problems. Their goal is for the students to realise that it could lead to many other options. STEM careers come in all shapes and sizes.

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Junior school

“STEAMing Ahead aims to educate the girls, so that they are not left wondering what an engineering or a STEM-related career may look like in the future.

This positive message is further delivered by the involvement of young adults who are currently studying or working in STEM fields. Our guest speakers presented challenges that inspired and motivated the girls – all while having fun,” said Helen Shaw, Co-ordinator of Teaching and Learning at St Mary’s Junior School.

Major sponsor, WSP Global, had 15 engineers working with students to educate them about the diverse nature of a career in engineering and inspire the girls through a hands-on challenge. WSP Engineers are integral to delivering an important message to the girls, that a career in engineering is creative, requires teamwork and involves making a difference to the world by designing things that matter.

The day also wouldn’t have been possible without our minor sponsors, Modern Teaching Aids (Major Prizes), The Water Corporation WA and the Town of Cambridge Rotary Club.

(OUT AND ABOUT) KOJONUP LUNCHEON

Justin and Deborah Elliott opened their house in Boscabel on Sunday 26 August for the St Mary’s community and Mrs Tina Campbell and Mrs Lynne Thomson for a luncheon on their verandah cooked by our St Mary’s chef, Eric.

L-R: Justin Elliott and Neal O'Halloran.

L-R: Donna Reid, Jenny O’Halloran, James Hope, Nina Hope.

YEAR 12 MOTHER DAUGHTER HIGH TEA On Sunday 22 July, our Year 12s and their mums celebrated their last year at St Mary's with a very yummy High Tea at The Duxton Hotel.

ABOVE: Marie and Anne Jovanoski.

ABOVE: Year 12 Mother Daughter High Tea.

VISITING OUR OVERSEAS FAMILIES

DOWERIN LUNCHEON

International St Mary’s families, past, present and future, were invited to dinners hosted by Lynne Thomson and Tina Campbell in Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong over the mid-term break in Term 3.

Felicity and Jason Sewell welcomed local members of the St Mary’s community and Mrs Tina Campbell and Mrs Lynne Thomson to their family farm near Dowerin for lunch on Sunday 28 October. Everyone enjoyed the fabulous food cooked by our favourite chef, Eric, while in the company of one another.

L-R: Dowerin Luncheon - Felicity, Alicia and Jason Sewell.

LEFT: Connie Jaw (’95) and Tina Campbell, Singapore.

out and About

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P A R E N T S ’ SOCIETY EACH YEAR OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER AT VARIOUS EVENTS AND FUNCTIONS TO CELEBRATE, OR JUST ENJOY THE COMPANY OF OTHER PARENTS AND FAMILIES. THIS SPECIAL SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT WE ALL ENJOY HERE AT THE SCHOOL HAS ALWAYS BEEN NURTURED AND SUPPORTED BY LYNNE THOMSON. WE, AT THE PARENTS’ SOCIETY, STRIVE TO FOLLOW THIS EXAMPLE, THROUGH LEVY FUND ALLOCATION THAT BENEFITS THE MOST GIRLS AND FAMILIES, AND BY SUPPORTING EVENTS WHICH NOT ONLY BENEFIT OUR GIRLS, BUT ALSO BUILD AND ENCOURAGE PARENT INVOLVEMENT AND INTERACTION.

Funds this year have been directed across a wide range of school areas, from Boost Workshops, lunchtime sports equipment, library signage, artist in residence programme, kindy cubby/fort, boarding house furniture and art work, programmable Spheros, creative thinking kits for HASS, STEM activity and awards day and science document cameras to the Auxiliary Family Movie night. We thank all parents for your continued support of the PS levy and our decisions on the direction in which these valuable funds are channelled.

Students from both Hale and St Mary’s benefited from the annual Careers Night once again. This is a great tradition shared by both our schools, providing the students with invaluable access to careers information.

ABOVE: Boarders Chelsea Mutter and Holly Packham love their common room wall.

With inspiration from a couple of very keen teachers, this year we ran our very first charity Quiz Night. A very enthusiastic crowd attended, with some tricky questions and ‘twisted tunes’ causing much discussion. It was a hugely successful night, raising over $10,000 for charity. A massive thank-you to David Redding and Steve McLeod for all their questions and superb emceeing on the night, and to all the very willing quiz participants.

The Parents’ Society has always strived to do the best for the students and the parents, and really maintain and build on the relationships between everyone involved in St Mary’s. Without the unwavering support given to our parent groups by our Principal, Lynne Thomson, we would not have the incredible school community we all value here at St Mary’s.

Elizabeth Price Parents' Society President

ABOVE: Boarding students Holly Sullivan, Chloe Sullivan and Georgia Sullivan with books donated from the Parents’ Society.

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Parents' Society

ABOVE: Megan Wong and Siena Hamilton enjoying the newly decorated library stairs.

S T M A R Y ' S AUXILIARY “VOLUNTEERS DO NOT NECESSARILY HAVE THE TIME; THEY HAVE THE HEART.” ELIZABETH ANDREW

Thank you to the amazing parents who give their time to the St Mary’s Auxiliary and our community.

Our Auxiliary events, year group functions, school volunteer commitments and our meetings would not exist without you. We are a large team of parents who come together to support and build the St Mary’s community and along the way, we have many laughs, loads of fun and come out with beautiful friends we might not have otherwise met. I look forward to next year with current and new volunteers.

ABOVE: Linda McLean, Daina De Mattia and Shirley Duncan.

Our fund-raising efforts support many music bursaries throughout the year; congratulations to those girls who benefit from these funds. We wish Reverend Gerry a happy retirement and know the girls will miss her dearly. Finally, to Lynne Thomson! What can one say to express the appreciation felt for all Lynne has given to St Mary’s? Thank you, Lynne, for being you. You have created a wonderful sense of community that will forever be your legacy to the St Mary’s Auxiliary.

Daina De Mattia St Mary’s Auxiliary President

ABOVE: Angela Kirby-Smith, Ann Haydar, Kirsten Campbell, Michelle Stewart, Daina De Mattia.

AU X I L I A R Y C O N N E CT S T H E Y E A R S

Performing the role of Class Representative (Class Rep) this year has made me aware of how much difference the gift of some time and effort can make towards growing and enhancing the community spirit at St Mary’s. Indeed, there are some truly wonderful parents who have been generously and quietly contributing in the background towards this effort for many years and I am in awe of them. The role has come with benefits too: an understanding and appreciation of how decisions and changes are made within the school and the ability to forge links with parents across other years and being able to access the benefit of their experiences.

Another bonus is that my daughter has also come to appreciate that many events such as the Outdoor Movie night and class social events don’t just magically happen! It’s been a rewarding experience for me to help organise my daughter’s Year 6 social and graduation events because I know she’ll remember these special times for many years to come.

Nicole Love Year 6 Class Representative I have had a wonderful experience as a part of St Mary's family. My family's journey started in 2014 when my daughter, Elizabeth Duncan, started Kindergarten at St Mary's. I was Class Representative in Pre-primary. I have been the Secretary of St Mary's Auxiliary since 2015.

It is a privilege to help St Mary's School. It is a great school. The quality of education and the high level of ethics that teachers, students and administrative staff display are admirable. There is always a spirit of community sharing, friendship and helping hands in any projects that St Mary's takes on board.

I have no doubts that our St Mary's girls will do well in life, giving back to our community in any occupation that they might choose to follow.

Shirley Duncan Secretary St Mary’s Auxiliary Being part of the Auxiliary has given me a better understanding of what is happening at St Mary's. It makes me feel more included and a closer part of the St Mary's community. It also means I am part of the team helping out at the School when needed, be it in the Library, canteen or at special school functions and fund-raisers, like the Quiz Night.

Linda McLean Junior School Library Representative

Being a new family and a first time Class Rep at St Mary’s this year, it’s been a privilege to discover how our Auxiliary is such an integral part of our School’s community.

It ties together so many facets of school life and events, both seen and unseen. It’s been a wonderful experience serving on this committee and I’m grateful for the opportunity to see how our Auxiliary contributes, term-by-term, as the year unfolds and further develops the relationship between the parents and our School.

Katrina Monger Year 5 Class Representative As a new St Mary’s parent, I was keen to offer to become a Class Rep. The experience has been very rewarding and helped me get to know other parents and feel connected to the School. The regular Auxiliary meetings have provided a greater insight to the School’s bigger picture and enabled me to meet parents across all year levels and benefit from their experiences. We really are a connected community.

Jane Hamill Year 5 Class Representative

St Mary's Auxiliary

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OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2018 has been a bitter-sweet year as the school community farewells Mrs Thomson after her 21 years at the helm. The Old Girls’ Association would like to thank Lynne for all her years supporting, encouraging and leading a generation of Old Girls, something she has always done, both while the girls are at school and once they are Old Girls. Thank you, Lynne.

On 18 October we welcomed our newest Old Girls – the Class of 2018 - at the Valedictory Dinner. This is always an event full of hope and excitement and a hint of nostalgia. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours and look forward to hearing of all their successes.

With Christmas around the corner please keep in mind our memorabilia, a unique gift for a St Mary’s girl, staff member or parent!

In closing, I would like to thank the Committee and all the staff who support the Association and I look forward to a productive and enjoyable 2019. We also look forward to welcoming our new Principal, Judith Tudball, into the St Mary’s family. Have safe and happy summer holidays.

Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94) Old Girls’ Association President

OGA MEETING DATES FOR 2019 All Old Girls are welcome to attend our committee meetings. Meetings are held in the Seminar Room of the Senior School Administration building from 7.00pm on the following Tuesdays: 12 February 11 June 12 November

12 March 13 August

14 May 10 September

2019 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING TUESDAY 2 APRIL AT 7.00PM You are invited to join the OGA Committee for the 2019 Annual General Meeting.

Please contact us at oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au if you would like to attend or join the OGA Committee.

OGA Committee Members who are seeking re-election in 2019 are: Jane Crisp (Cyprian ’81), Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94), Necia Drazevic (Moffet ’87), Hannah Jago (’07), Margaret Jago (Parker ’72), Julie O’Meara (Grose ’81) and Bree Rosagro (Buxton ’98).

ABOVE: St Mary’s CIGS team.

IGSSA GOLF DAY The 53rd Combined Independent Girls Schools Golf (CIGS) Day was held at Royal Perth Golf Club on a glorious October day.

St Mary’s top two pairs were Lyn Hancock-Walker (Hancock ’65) with Nola Wheatley (Grieve ’68) and Mandy Hepburn (Wilhelm ’85) with Amanda Lekias (Young ’85). This gave us a creditable third place with 65 points just behind second-placed Perth College on 67 points and Iona in first place with 68 points.

Bring on 2019 which will be at Cottesloe Golf Club on 23 September. Save the date now as we’d love to see a few more golfers catching up with old friends.

Lynne Malone (Eakins ’66)

UPCOMING EVENTS OLD GIRLS’ DAY 2019 Save the date … Old Girls’ Day will be held on Saturday 23 March 2019. A special invitation is extended to our Old Girls from the Classes of 1949, 1959, 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999 and 2009 who are celebrating their significant anniversaries since leaving St Mary’s. If you would like to be the class rep for your year group please contact us at oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au

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Old Girls' Association President’s Report

CLASS OF 1988

CLASS OF 2008

CLASS REUNIONS The Classes of 1978, 1988, 1993 and 2008 recently celebrated their significant anniversaries since leaving St Mary’s. From all accounts all year groups had a fantastic night catching up with old school friends and reliving memories from their school days. A very special thank-you to the Class of 2008 who donated the proceeds of their reunion to the Scholarship Fund. This generosity and community spirit is what gives a girl who couldn’t normally attend St Mary’s for financial reasons the chance to do so.

CLASS OF 1993

YEAR 13 REUNION BREAKFAST The Class of 2017 were up early for their Year 13 Reunion this year. The reunion was a chance for our recent leavers to come together for a catch-up and to hear from two fellow Old Girls about their journey since leaving St Mary's and how they managed the first few years out of high school.

Old Girls, Emily Bathgate ('09) and Stacie Davies ('10), spoke to the Class of 2017 about their time away from St Mary's, persevering through the mundane to achieve their dreams and even coming to terms with the realisation that the original dream you had may not be the right fit for you.

Stacie Davies' closing comments and advice to the girls summed up the morning's messages perfectly. "Don’t be forced into anything you're not sure about ...

Take some time to figure out what it is that sets your soul on fire. At the end of the day, only you can truly know what the right path for you is and it is you who will have to live with your choices."

ABOVE (L-R): Year 13 Reunion Old Girl speakers, Stacie Davies (’10) and Emily Bathgate (’09).

HEAD GIRL, SENIOR DAY GIRL AND SENIOR BOARDER BREAKFAST Mrs Thomson's Head Girls, Senior Day Girls and Senior Boarders experienced breakfast in the SMafé, canteen style, as part of their gathering to say goodbye to our retiring Principal on Saturday 25 August. Each attendee was asked to bring with them a funny memory from their time at St Mary's, as well as thinking of a happy event from the past year. There was lots of laughter as many of the memories had not been divulged before and, as we found out, for good reason!

class reunions

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SENSE OF COMMUNITY) KEEPS OUR OLD GIRLS CONNECTED

AS WE MARK THE END OF MRS THOMSON'S PRINCIPALSHIP, OLD GIRLS, JESSICA, EMILY, DANIELLE AND LIANNE SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON MRS THOMSON’S INFLUENCE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ST MARY’S COMMUNITY SHE HAS SUPPORTED AND CHAMPIONED OVER THE PAST 21 YEARS.

JESSICA GETHIN (WALKER ’97) Jessica is an accomplished conductor having received many prestigious awards in recognition of her musical abilities and performed on stages throughout Europe, the United States, Asia and Australia. After graduating with a music performance degree on violin, Jessica spent five years on the podium in the exclusive Symphony Australia Conductor Development Programme. In 2011, Jessica commenced her first official appointment as Chief Conductor of the Perth Symphony Orchestra (Western Australia) and Artistic Director of the Perth Chamber Orchestra in 2013.

Jess is one of a few Old Girls who has had the privilege not only to be a student during Mrs T’s era but also a staff member and active alumna.

Describe the sense of community you felt at St Mary’s and Mrs Thomson’s influence on this.

I commenced St Mary's as a Year 10 student and from the first week, my fellow students made me feel so welcome; the sense of belonging they provided helped me to feel more confident in trying new things and experiencing all the School had to offer. From the very first day of Mrs Thomson's principalship, she effortlessly guided both the students and staff with the perfect balance of warmth, humility, grace and humour but also with a very strong vision, clear leadership and high expectations. I think it is in this combination that Mrs Thomson has most influenced the community at St Mary's in the thriving hub that it is today.

How has that sense of community and support helped you get to where you are today?

Having strong role models at St Mary's, who pushed through barriers of adversity and faced challenges with much positive energy and determination, was pivotal for me as a student, and I saw this daily in both the students and the staff. The support from my student days continued to influence me as an alumna, and I carry with me the values of community, collaboration, compassion and curiosity in my work today.

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What is your fondest memory of Mrs Thomson?

I feel I have gone through three stages of life with Mrs T! As a student I was in Year 12 when Mrs Thomson began her principalship, I then worked under her leadership as a staff member for a decade and now return often as a guest speaker at events and as an Old Girl. Through our time together I have seen Mrs Thomson lead through adversity with strength and clarity, engage with humility and connect with her girls through humour. One of my fondest memories was when Mrs Thomson would visit the String Ensemble Music Tour to Margaret River where we performed at a number of wineries. I watched as Mrs Thomson relaxed over lunch and chatted happily with the students and remember thinking how special it was for our very busy Principal to make the time to drive down and spend time with this small group, getting to know us and showing her appreciation of the practice we had put in for the tour. That is just what Mrs Thomson does - she makes time for everyone.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

In 2015, I auditioned for the inaugural Institute of Women Conductor's Fellowship at the Dallas Opera (USA), and was accepted as one of six women chosen internationally from over 27 countries. This was a big step for me as it gave the international recognition and visibility I needed to take the next step in my career. I had to work extremely hard, being the least experienced in the field of opera conducting compared to my European and American colleagues, so I feel the successful outcome was an achievement to be proud of.

Who has been your biggest influence?

This is a tricky one! I have been fortunate to have a number of mentors in my industry from across the globe who have helped me to get to where I am today in my career. However, I would have to say that one of the musicians I admire the most is my very first music teacher... my Dad. He taught the value of continually developing yourself as an artist no matter how successful you are. He is incredibly gifted and one of the most humble, authentic musicians I know, and I know a lot of them!

sense of community ~ Old Girl Profiles

You will get so much more out of your own personal experience by engaging in the School community.

How would you encourage the current students to continue their connections with the School community?

I really believe that within each of us lies a strength, a niche, passion or unique talent. Sometimes these things can be a little hard to find, difficult to achieve or simply less recognisable; life just doesn't provide us with a handbook! Having a sense of belonging in a community, being supported by others and surrounding yourself by positive relationships with peers and teachers can help to support you through all this. Take all opportunities, volunteer, meet someone new, be creative and curious, try something different, look after each other and most importantly build each other up....

In 30 seconds …

Class of: 1997

Tertiary education: Bachelor of Music Performance WA Academy of Performing Arts.

Current role: Chief Conductor & Artistic Director of Perth Symphony Orchestra / Guest Conductor (USA, Asia, Australia, New Zealand).

Who would be your dream dinner guest?

The wonderful late conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein. I would dearly love a chat over dinner with Lenny! I think the cellist Yo Yo Ma would be a lovely guest also.

Music you are currently listening to?

Whatever I am studying to conduct next.... the score open on my desk today is Ravel's Daphnis and Chloe.

Favourite subject at school? Music.

Photo courtesy of Karen Almond/ The Dallas Opera

sense of community ~ Old Girl Profiles

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EMILY GORDON (’07) Many of our Old Girls move away once they finish school or their tertiary studies and it is in these situations that the School community can become even more important. Emily moved to the United Kingdom in 2016 after winning the prestigious Henry Arthur Hollond Studentship in Law, a Graduate Student Funding Award offered by Trinity College at Cambridge. She completed her Masters of Law and is now a PhD Candidate in Law at Trinity College. Even after living across the world for many years, Emily still classes the St Mary’s community as the most nurturing she has experienced.

Describe the sense of community you felt at St Mary’s and Mrs Thomson’s influence on this.

I am yet to experience anywhere else the kind of supportive, close and nurturing environment that I did at St Mary’s. Even though I now live almost as far from Perth as I could possibly live, my closest friends are still those with whom I shared my time at St Mary’s. Mrs Thomson’s leadership was integral to my wonderful experience at the School.

I was encouraged always to strive for the best academic results I possibly could, while at the same time being allowed to develop interests and skills outside the classroom. I felt fully supported at all times - St Mary’s was a place where people really cared about you and took an interest in your individual goals and pursuits. Walking up to the Principal’s Office was not a scary thing to do, as is sometimes portrayed in films, but a warm and welcoming thing – Mrs Thomson, Ms Karmelita and Mrs Haak would be there to ask how you were faring (and sometimes, I recall, to offer book recommendations!).

How has that sense of community and support helped you get to where you are today?

It’s difficult to find the words to say how much my time at St Mary’s has affected my life. The thing that stands out most for me, now studying and working at a university far from home, was Mrs Thomson’s enthusiasm for overseas study following her own wonderful experiences at Harvard. While completing my undergraduate studies at UWA, Mrs Thomson would frequently check in on me and ask whether or not my future plans involved some kind of overseas postgraduate study. I didn’t really think that I would stand a chance of getting in to Cambridge, but thought I would put my hat in the ring anyway. I remember catching up with Mrs Thomson and her husband, Dr Jim Thomson, for dinner as I was anxiously awaiting the results of my applications, and being overjoyed when I could email them and report that I had been accepted.

The fact that Mrs Thomson (and Dr Thomson) was still there to support me through this process, six years after I left school, demonstrates wonderfully the level of support and care we received as Mrs Thomson’s St Mary’s girls.

I remember fondly Mrs Thomson’s speeches at assembly as well; she would tell us frequently of Old Girls who had been successful in various fields – it was really very inspiring, and instilled a sense that the world was wide open for us to do anything we wanted (with a bit of hard work!).

As a year group and, indeed, across different year groups, we were encouraged to support each other as young women starting our adult lives. If we met with success, we were encouraged to turn around and offer a hand to those St Mary’s women coming up behind us.

ABOVE: Emily Gordon (’07).

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sense of community ~ Old Girl Profiles

What is your fondest memory of Mrs Thomson?

Mrs Thomson may be cross at me for sharing this memory – but my fondest memory is of her dancing on a chair, shaking a feather boa to Aretha Franklin’s “R.E.S.P.E.C.T” during the 2001 ‘Parent Revue’. As an 11-year-old I thought it was absolutely wonderful that our Principal had such a sense of fun and would get involved so enthusiastically in all parts of the school community.

Who has been your biggest influence?

This may be clichéd – my mum and dad. I have been blessed with the most supportive parents you could ask for, who now sometimes get up very early (because of the time difference) to offer advice over Skype and who visit me when I get homesick.

From them I have learned many skills (from laundry essentials to deciding what to do with split infinitives) and so much about what is important in life.

How would you encourage the current students to continue their connections with the School community?

I would encourage everyone to stay in contact with the School after leaving – just a quick email now and again. I am quite bad at this myself, but I am trying to get better at updating the Alumnae Office about what I am doing. There is a very large, international network of Old Girls doing lots of different things, and current students and recent leavers may find it interesting and useful to connect with them. I would be very happy to talk to any current students thinking about following a path similar to mine.

I am yet to experience anywhere else the kind of supportive, close and nurturing environment that I did at St Mary’s.

IN 30 SECONDS …

Class of: 2007.

Tertiary education: University of Western Australia; University of Cambridge.

Current role: College Teaching Assistant and Assistant Director of Studies in Law at Lucy Cavendish College (Cambridge), and PhD Candidate in Law at Trinity College (Cambridge).

Who would be your dream dinner guest?

Queen Elizabeth I. Favourite subject at school? History.

Sum up your experience at St Mary’s in three words: Opportunity, empowering, nurturing.

sense of community ~ Old Girl Profiles

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LIANNE LEUNG (’13, HEAD GIRL) Lianne is a ‘Survivor’ (a student who commences in the early primary years and continues through to Year 12) of St Mary’s. She spent 14 years at St Mary’s and in her final year in 2013 became Head Girl. Lianne found the transition from high school to the real world challenging and was not certain of what she wanted to do. Lianne knew that even as a former student she could always ask the St Mary’s community, and especially Mrs Thomson, for advice and guidance.

Describe the sense of community you felt at St Mary’s and Mrs Thomson’s influence on this.

Sometimes, it’s strange to look back at some of the things I did in school and in my year as Head Girl.

How did we attempt a whole school group hug? Why did we stick post-it notes on everyone’s locker for Valentine’s Day? Who thought it would be funny to play ‘Spot the Year 12’ and have the Year 12s swap their blue jumper for the maroon one for a day? But it reflects Mrs Thomson’s ethos of supporting girls in their goals, creating an environment where anything is possible, where people support each other. Indeed, maybe I felt a bit too comfortable at St Mary’s! It was a place where you could try new things with your friends and celebrate together if it went right, or laugh your cheeks sore if it went wrong.

How has that sense of community and support helped you get to where you are today?

I never knew what I wanted to do after I finished school, and I found the life-after-St Mary’s transition difficult. In my first year out of school, I probably spent an equal amount of time in Mrs Thomson’s office as in my final year in it.

But seeing so many friends go in completely different directions and do amazing things gave me more confidence to just pursue the things I enjoyed and see where that would take me. In that, everywhere I’ve turned, be it in medicine, volunteering opportunities, or even exchange in Germany, there has always been someone I knew from school and there’s nothing like seeing a familiar face when trying something new.

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ABOVE: L-R: Lianne with Lynne Thomson (left) and Erica Herron (right).

What is your fondest memory of Mrs Thomson?

It would be Mrs Thomson chiding a guest speaker who was promoting a volunteering programme of tutoring maths, after he suggested girls couldn’t do maths!

At the time, it made an impact on us as we had never seen Mrs Thomson so riled up before! And now, I love it because we are so lucky to have a strong role model standing up against internalised attitudes towards women. You tell him, Mrs Thomson!

I love reflecting on how I absolutely revered her as a Junior School student and how I would have to muster courage to manage a ‘Good morning, Mrs Thomson!’ when I saw her. It’s funny to compare it to now, when it would feel unnatural to greet her with anything other than a hug. Also, Mrs Thomson does the best hugs.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

Made it in Fideliter!

Or working off the Käsespätzle I consumed on Exchange, working on my stress-eating and going from not being able to run 500m to finishing a half marathon earlier this year.

sense of community ~ Old Girl Profiles

How would you encourage the current students to continue their connections with the School community?

The other day, while on placement in hospital, as I came out of the lift, there was someone in a St Mary’s uniform. A wave of nostalgia, warmth and connection washed over me and without thinking, I smiled and said hello as I passed. I’m guessing she got scared and worried, as I heard her mother say as I walked away, “She probably went to the same school as you!”, probably responding to very natural concern as when a stranger suddenly appears and greets you as if an old friend. If you are the girl in this story, sorry!

A similar thing had happened to me when my friends and I were having lunch during the Year 7 Sydney/ Canberra trip. Having recognised the signature maroon blobs we were, a lady came up to us and told us she used to go to our school in the 1950s, and that her son had gone to Hale. She did write her name on a napkin for us to look her up again and it’s one of my greatest regrets to have lost it!

The OGA newsletter is always lovely to read, to hear what things are going on in the School and about opportunities for Old Girls to take part in. In addition to the scholarships available to Old Girls, the OGA calendar has expanded with events like the Year 13 Breakfast and the Old Girls’ mentoring programme that started this year, and I look forward to seeing how it will continue to grow. I also love the School’s Facebook page, both the main one and the Old Girls’ one, with the gorgeous content and for regular posts to share with friends and reminisce over.

In 30 seconds …

It reflects Mrs Thomson’s ethos of supporting girls in their goals, creating an environment where anything is possible, where people support each other.

Class of: 2013 Tertiary education: BSc, currently second year of the Doctor of Medicine programme at UWA. Current role: Secretary of the Western Australian Medical Students’ Association.

Who would be your dream dinner guest? What would I do to recreate my final night with my neighbours during exchange, indulgently eating Käsespätzle together in our student accommodation bungalow in the Olympic Village, Munich. (I came home 10kg heavier and it’s taken three years to work off.)

Music you are currently listening to?

Lush Lofi playlist on Spotify.

Sum up your experience at St Mary’s in 3 words: Only 14 years.

sense of community ~ Old Girl Profiles

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DANIELLE DODD (’11, SENIOR BOARDER) Danielle was a boarder at St Mary’s for five years and experienced the St Mary’s community and its support on an entirely different level from day students. For boarders, school is not only the place where you are educated but also your home, and community can become even more essential when you are living away from your family.

Describe the sense of community you felt at St Mary’s and Mrs Thomson’s influence on this?

St Mary’s was my home for five years and therefore was my community in every sense of the word.

Coming from a very small primary school of 16 students, the St Mary’s environment could easily have been overwhelming; yet, from the very beginning Mrs Thomson made me believe I belonged here and had something valuable to bring into the community of St Mary’s.

How has that sense of community and support helped you get to where you are today?

I felt like the staff at St Mary’s had a personal investment in me, which gave me confidence yet also responsibility to do my best. To this day I attribute my strong work ethic to the foundations I built at St Mary’s. The belief I felt from my teachers pushed me to dare to aim high with the knowledge that their support would remain if I needed to try again.

What is your fondest memory of Mrs Thomson?

The annual staff musical performance was always a highlight, but my fondest memories of Mrs Thomson are my day-to-day interactions with her, between classes or in meetings. She was always one to say hello as you walked past and I always admired how she managed to be so accessible to her students.

Who has been your biggest influence?

I am hugely grateful to Mr Chidgey for his role in my time at St Mary’s and his influence on my life beyond high school. He pushed me to continue to challenge myself when I doubted myself and made me comfortable to ask for support. He is the reason I first considered medicine and I am so thankful for his guidance.

ABOVE: Danielle Dodd (’11) (right) with her sisters, Melissa Dodd (’13) (left) and Courtney Dodd (’16) (centre) and mum Narelle Dodd (Just ’87).

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

Completing my medical degree is my greatest achievement to date. Medicine was the single profession I had ruled out at the age of 16, not because I didn’t identify with what it means to be a doctor but because I didn’t think it could be a legitimate option for a country girl like me. I’m so proud that I aimed beyond what I thought I could achieve and appreciative of family and everyone who has helped me get to this point.

How would you encourage the current students to continue their connections with the School community?

The magic of St Mary’s is that no matter where you are in the world you’ll be able to find a connection to the School. Stay linked in with the Old Girls’ Association to hear inspiring stories of other Old Girls, and be able to reminisce and network at their many events.

In 30 Seconds Class of: 2011.

Tertiary education: Bachelor of Science at UWA, majoring in physiology (2012-2014), Doctor of Medicine at UWA (2015-2018).

Current role: MD at UWA (fourth/final year medical student), graduating December 2018. Commencing work at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Jan 2019 (intern).

Who would be your dream dinner guest?

Graham Norton.

Music you are currently listening to: Georgia McAlpine – Asunder (also from Buntine, Head Boarder SMAGS 2016).

Favourite subject at school? Maths.

As much as St Mary’s is primarily about education, it’s the people who make it such a special place.

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sense of community ~ Old Girl Profiles

O L D G I R L S ’ SCHOLARSHIPS

ABOVE: L-R: Jaime Leivers and Isabella Fazio with Marlene Carter (’63).

TOP RIGHT: Cassie Ryan with Jane Gillon (Fisher ’70).

BOTTOM RIGHT: L-R: Georgia McKerracher with OGA President, Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94).

CONGRATULATIONS) TO THE OGA SCHOLARSHIP AND AWA R D R E C I P I E N T S At an assembly in Term 4, President of the Old Girls’ Association, Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94), presented the recipients of the Ethel Beaton Old Girls' Association Scholarship for Years 11 and 12, the Marlene Carter Old Girls' Association Scholarship for a Year 8 student and the Jane Gillon Arts Award for a Year 12 student, with their awards.

Congratulations to the following students: yy Georgia McKerracher was awarded the Ethel Beaton Scholarship for Years 11 and 12. yy Jaime Leivers and Isabella Fazio were awarded the Marlene Carter Old Girls’ Association Scholarship for Year 8. yy Cassie Ryan was awarded the Jane Gillon Arts Award for a Year 12 student.

2019 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OLD GIRLS Applications are now open for: yy yy yy yy

Bonny Milne Scholarship for Medicine.

Deborah Cook Scholarship for Nursing.

Esmee Byatt Scholarship for Medicine.

Fay Bailey Scholarships for Engineering, Science and Law. yy Helen Judge Art Award.

In 2019, two new awards have been established: yy Lynne Thomson Overseas Study Scholarship for an Old Girl who is pursuing a degree at an exceptional overseas university. yy Molly Riley RISE Award recognises an Old Girl in pursuit of the extraordinary.

Please visit www.stmarys.wa.edu.au/old-girlsscholarships-and-awards for more information Applications close on Friday 29 March 2019.

Old Girls’ scholarships

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NEWS F R O M

OLD GIRLS

Lorina (Lorrie) Maley (Rowledge '33) had her 102nd birthday in August this year. Happy birthday, Lorrie!

Claire Gasper (Ward '07) and her husband, Daniel, welcomed a baby girl, Maeve Jennifer, in December 2017.

Congratulations to you both!

BELOW: Claire Jasper and her baby girl, Maeve.

Jane Milloy (’72) has just received her PhD in International Education at Monash University. Jane is a firm believer in the importance of encouraging people to consider lifelong learning in today’s world.

Congratulations, Jane!

Congratulations to Katherine Mead (’05) and her husband, Anthony Ricciardone, on the birth of their baby boy, Harvey Peter John Ricciardone, in December 2017.

RIGHT: Kat Mead’s baby boy, Harvey.

Lucy Johnston (’05) met her husband, Lenny Peacock, in Broome in 2012 and they married there in May this year.

There were eight St Mary's Old Girls who attended the wedding.

Lucy is a doctor in the Australian Defence Force and will be posted to Brisbane in 2019.

RIGHT: Courtney Shaw (Holloway ‘05), Lucy Peacock (Johnston ’05), and sister, Sally Moffatt (Johnston ’02).

Physiotherapist on the Blundell Ward at Guy’s Hospital, Samantha Poulsen (’07), swam the English Channel in 12 hours and 40 minutes in September this year. Sam said that she was inspired by her patients to complete the 21-mile swim. What an achievement! Well done, Sam! BELOW: Sam Poulsen (’07) swimming the English Channel in September.

Eloise Hopkinson ('06) completed a double degree in Arts and Law from UWA followed by an honours degree from Monash University, where her thesis was contemporary French literature. In 2014, Eloise returned to Perth to commence her graduate year of law at international law firm, DLA Pipe, and in 2015 she relocated permanently to Melbourne, where she has lived ever since. Eloise is now a senior lawyer in the Construction and Major Projects team at Clayton Utz. She lives in Ascot Vale with her partner, who plays AFL football for Essendon, and their two Border Collie dogs.

Congratulations to Jasmin Stewart ('16), who has been selected as the Fremantle Dockers first pick in the National Draft for the AFLW in October.

Jasmin has maintained her connections with St Mary’s by being the visiting tutor and support for our Indigenous girls.

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News from Old Girls

Tegan Harrington (’07) is currently working as a lawyer in Corrs Chambers Westgarth's litigation division. She is also a passionate advocate for legal reform, having championed for reform in areas relating to the rights of Indigenous peoples and the LGBTI community for a number of years. In 2017, Tegan was a finalist for the national Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Young Gun of the Year award, and was recently announced as the 2018 Lawyer of the Year (less than five years' experience) at the Law Society of Western Australia's Law Week Awards.

RIGHT: Tegan (right) receiving her award from Hayley Cormann, President of the Law Society.

ABOVE: Bianca Uyen (’12) working as a Marine Biologist for Naturaliste Charters earlier this year.

Marine biologist, Bianca Uyen (’12), has just been accepted as one of 15, amongst hundreds of applicants, into a masters course in Wildlife Filmmaking at the University of the West of England, Bristol. The course is in partnership with the BBC Natural History Unit. Congratulations, Bianca!

ABOVE: Michaela Savage (’17) with her 2017 work Inheritance.

Michaela Savage (’17) won the Act-BelongCommit People's Choice Award for her 2017 work, Inheritance. Michaela's work was part of the Year 12 Perspectives exhibition. Congratulations, Michaela!

Whilst Maddy Barrett (’17) was at St Mary’s she had the opportunity to attend LEAP Week at UCLA. This year Maddie was lucky enough to be selected as a mentor and loved seeing how the students in her group progressed throughout the week. Maddie also caught up with the two Year 11 St Mary’s students, Amber Dorney and Chelsea Forrest, who attended this year.

LEFT: Chelsea, Maddy and Amber at LEAP Week earlier this year.

News from Old Girls

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A R C H I VA L A N E C D O T E S “STAY” IS A CHARMING WORD IN A FRIEND’S VOCABULARY. From Concord Days by Louisa May Alcott

It is Orientation Day 2018 – a huddle of nervous new students and their parents make their way to the Lady Wardle Performing Arts Centre. They are greeted by the current Year 7s in casual clothes, with big smiles and a head full of knowledge they need to download to the ‘new girl’ they are buddied with. It is a beautifully sunny day, ‘perfect Perth’, as my parents always used to say, and as it was closing, a huddle of giggling, happy girls bobbed past my office window with bright, bouncing balloons attached to their wrists.

It reminded me of the Banksy painting that recently shredded itself on auction at Sotheby’s in London, and the French film ‘The Red Balloon’ by Albert Lamorisse, where a young a boy and a red balloon play all day in Paris until the balloon runs out of puff. The boy is eventually lifted, high above Paris, by a collection of many-coloured, rogue helium balloons.

I made my way to the Administration building to use the large network printers, when I saw in the distance the silhouette of Mrs Thomson, chatting to the remainder of the girls waiting for their parents to pick them up. She was reassuring them, explaining that their parents were probably caught up in traffic or possibly temporarily lost on the large school campus. One father commented that he had found his daughter but now couldn’t locate his car! The girls were sitting in front of a large plaque listing the many people who donated to the fund-raising campaign that brought St Mary’s from Colin St West Perth to Karrinyup. Some of them were reading the quotes on the white wall opposite them, quotes that Mrs Thomson and Ms Karmelita personally chose.

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Archival Anecdotes

RIGHT: Lynne graduating from UWA, BA (Hons) Dip Ed UWA EdM Harvard.

Amongst the philosophers, thinkers, poets, inventors, historians, scientists, playwrights, human rights campaigners and activists quoted there, is the novelist Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women and Good Wives, and one of Mrs Thomson’s personal favourites.

An author who lived in New England during the time of the American Civil War, Louisa May Alcott was an abolitionist and an early feminist, believing in the ability of women to do whatever they set their minds to. She came from a background of poverty and working in menial jobs to survive and support her family, so how did Alcott become an inspirational writer and thinker? She was taught by her father and many of Concord’s intellectual elite, such as Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The community in which she lived was enlightened and education was the key to her empowerment. No wonder Alcott is one of Mrs Thomson’s favourites!

Mrs Thomson was herself educated at The University of Western Australia and Harvard University in Cambridge Massachusetts. She travels to America often and returns with rolls of posters of artwork and books from the bookshops and galleries she and her husband have visited. The airlines that bring the Thomsons home must sigh when they see the extra weight of their luggage and elongated tubes under their arms. Mrs Thomson returns energised and full of

ABOVE: 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott, published Boston, Roberts Brothers 1870, courtesy New York Public Library.

LEFT: Lynne Thomson, Rasleen Sagoo, Charlotte Bradshaw, Maia Rhodes and Zara Palmer.

RIGHT: Vanessa De Mattia alongside Lynne Thomson.

ideas for new programmes and motivation, carrying the ideas of the early American intellectuals in her mind as well as her suitcase. Every year, teaching staff are selected to study at the Summer School at Harvard University – one of the many programmes introduced by Mrs Thomson to broaden the opportunities for the St Mary’s community.

Mrs Lynne Thomson is our ninth Principal, having led our community for twenty-one years. A girl born in Mount Hawthorn in Perth, which may help explain her unfathomable following of the Hawthorn Football Club, she played netball and loved learning and going to school. Although specialising in History in her Arts Degree, her intellectual interests do not stop there. This knowledge has only come to be known as Mrs Thomson has always been very honest when being interviewed by the Year 3s as part of the St Mary’s Past and Present programme. The programme was created to give the girls a sense of place, an idea of belonging, an appreciation of what had come before and their place in it. Again, this is one of Mrs Thomson’s many ideas to strengthen the St Mary’s community and make the girls feel they belong to something greater than just a school. After all, a school community is not just about curriculum and results, bricks and mortar, trees and gardens; it is also about beliefs and friendship,

heritage and development, opportunities and achievement. Even the geographical boundaries of the School are lifted by Mrs Thomson’s continuing expansion of commitment and connection to the School’s alumnae and greater family.

Community always returns to the people. The people made the parish of St Mary’s Church of England West Perth that founded the School, the people raised the money and brought the School to Karrinyup in the 1960s, the people have the ideas, the people share your day. It is like the prayer list of names for All Souls Day in the Chapel of St Mary – once a name is on the list, it remains there permanently. Prayers are always said. Once a member, you are always part of the St Mary’s community, even if all we want is for you to stay, and you just cannot. As the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a contemporary of Alcott’s, wrote in Morituri Salutamus: “The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, and all the sweet serenity of books”, is what we hope Mrs Thomson and her husband can look forward to in the future.

Stephanie Neille Archivist

Archival Anecdotes

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IT IS WITH SADNESS THAT WE RECORD THE DEATHS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE ST MARY’S COMMUNIT Y.

JUDITH (JUDY) CAMBRIDGE (CAMPBELL ’41)

SAVANNA JANE ADDIS (’19)

22 SEPTEMBER 1923 – 28 JANUARY 2018

22 DECEMBER 2000 – 8 AUGUST 2018

St Mary’s played a large part in Judy’s schooling as she attended the West Perth campus for 10 years from 1930 – 1939. She won the Form IIa (Year 3) prize in 1934 and was the Form IIIa (Year 5) Prefect in 1935.

Judy was in Killara House during her time at St Mary’s and it was reported in the 1938 Almerta, that she had a “bob cut of her hair”. Judy was married to Geoff (dec), and had three children, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. She passed away peacefully at her home in January this year.

Savanna was a Kimberley kid who attended SMAGS from 2013-2017. She was born with Alagille’s Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder which affected her heart, liver, lungs and joints, and left her a fulltime wheelchair user. She always knew that she wouldn’t be around for the long haul and was on a mission to make every second count, a shooting star who burned all the brighter for her short journey on earth.

OLIVE PATTERN (WICK ’41) 7 JULY 1922 – 13 AUGUST 2018

Olive was the first baby born in 1922 in the rural area of Yandanooka. She lived with her family on the WadiGaza farm and was one of 8 children. Olive attended St Mary’s in West Perth for Years 9 and 10, where she boarded with a family from Perth. During this time, she was confirmed in July 1938 at St Mary’s Church in West Perth, a service which also included Hale students. In 1939, Olive achieved the VA Form Prize (the equivalent of Year 10 Dux) and was awarded a book with the St Mary’s sticker on the inside cover.

In the following years, Olive became a governess in the Mid-West, later marrying David E Patten. They had a wonderful family of seven children and she was well known for her baking of sweet treats and cakes.

Retiring to Geraldton, Olive's passion and involvement for many years with Railways Football Club, saw her receive a heartfelt recognition and commendation from the AFL. Andrea Bazzica (Nairn ’96) YVONNE HOSIE (HATHWAY ’47) 24 SEPTEMBER 1929 – 28 JULY 2018

Yvonne attended St Mary’s in West Perth between 1942 and 1945, leaving school at the end of her VA Form (the equivalent of Year 10). Yvonne was a great contributor to her community, volunteering for 26 years with the “Stitch Witches”, a group who met fortnightly to do knitting, sewing and other various crafts, which were then sold at craft stalls to raise money for the Bayswater Echo Community Group. She was awarded Citizen of the Decade 1973-1983 for her role as Treasurer and organiser of this group.

Yvonne was much loved by her husband, John, her three children, and her many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

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At the age of 10, Savanna was the 2011 Telethon child, and it was through Telethon that she found a purpose and a voice. After Telethon, she floundered for a while, looking for relevance and searching for her own niche in the world, but in a testament to her resilience, she got through it and redefined herself as an advocate and activist. Giving back was her thing, and she personally spearheaded raising tens of thousands of dollars for a range of charities.

In 2015, Savanna became a founding member of the Youth Disability Advocacy Network (YDAN) in WA. She was the youngest member of the team by far but the YDAN team gave her the opportunity and confidence to be involved in making a difference for young people with disabilities. In May this year, she received a “Shine On” Award for her services to the disability community and was immensely proud to have been recognised in such a way.

Many people remember Savanna as a fashionista with a unique and innate sense of style. It was her considered opinion that "people’s low expectations of the disabled actually make their disability so much more disabling"; she felt that "fashion and style were a particularly important tool for the disabled community.”

A few days before Savanna died, a friend asked her what she was most passionate about and what she would change in the world? She replied that she would like people to accept others for who they are and embrace all the rich diversity that the world has to offer. “I want people to be more accepting and understanding of those who are different and open to what they have to contribute to society. When dealing with people who are different, everyone should try to see the person beyond the difference or the disability and try to just “drop the awkward”.

Savanna, your courage, spirit and wisdom inspired us and many. To the end you were positive, determined and wickedly funny, with never a complaint for yourself but always thoughtful for others. You leave us with

deep sadness, but even deeper gratitude, warmth and optimism from your life’s example.

Your legacy will live forever in our hearts.

Thank you and VALE Savanna.

Addis Family FRED G STONE 15 FEBRUARY 1921 – 1 NOVEMBER 2018

After serving his country during WWII, Fred Stone worked hard to become a significant doyen in Perth financial circles. He assisted WA’s emergence from ‘Cinderella state’ to becoming the powerhouse of Australia’s economy during the mining boom years.

Fred was the eldest child of Frederick and Ada Stone and grew up in Perth’s inner suburbs. In 1933 he won a scholarship to attend Perth Modern School. He claimed he was not a good student as he was ‘always falling asleep over his books because of time at home spent practising piano’. Fred’s family were all talented musicians and in his late teens Fred played piano with the WA State Orchestra.

Fred began his working life as an office boy with a paper trading company in Wellington Street. Fifteen months later he joined accountants Smith and Goyder and began his first accountancy courses at night school whilst maintaining his three hours daily practice on piano.

At the outbreak of hostilities in 1939, Fred joined a Field Ambulance Company and eventually volunteered to join the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). He left mainland Australia early in 1943 to be part of a medical unit on Thursday Island which stabilised wounded and injured soldiers from the surrounding islands, including the infamous Kokoda trail, until he was demobbed in February ’46.

From there his expertise was taken up by entrepreneur Kerry Stokes who made Fred part of his team seeking a third television licence in Perth and as full time director of Stokes companies. After a successful ‘extended career’, in 2000 at the age of 79, Fred eventually told Kerry “You don’t need me anymore and I’ve had enough of work anyway!”

Fred offered his expertise to numerous organisations, including the State Council of Chartered Accountants and the Rotary Club, from which he gained a Paul Harris Fellow award. In all, he contributed over 50 years’ service to these and other organisations.

However, of all his achievements and responsibilities Fred was most proud of the key role he took in the redevelopment of St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School.

During the 1960s Fred’s daughter Genevieve was a student at the original school in West Perth. As Chair for eleven years, a Board of Governors member for twenty years and Chair of the Fundraising Committee for the Appeal to move St Mary’s from West Perth to Karrinyup, Fred played a key role in procuring the land for, and the planning and construction of the new school. His timely actions are testament to the vision that helped St Mary’s flourish into the highly regarded school that it is today.

Fred married his second wife, Patricia, in 1978 and after his ‘final’ retirement they built a home in the hills of Hovea where they contributed to an adult learning group known as ‘Mundaring Sharing’ which is still a going concern today. In 2010 they moved to Busselton, where they were warmly embraced by the community, contributing to U3A and the Busselton Choral Society.

Edited from a biography written by Neil Coy Our sincere condolences to Patricia, Genevieve (Stone ’74) and family.

Fred returned to Smith and Goyder where he began a chartered accountant course. In 1950, he became a valued junior partner at Smith and Goyder (which is known today as PriceWaterhouseCoopers). With his speciality in taxation, Fred became a senior partner for WA and then a key figure on the national council for the company. He first retired in 1984.

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goodbye mRs thomson

The Class of 2018 presented Mrs Thomson with farewell messages written in origami hearts. L-R Anne Jovanoski, Lynne Thomson, Hayley Taylor and Ruby Drake.

ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL INCORPORATED 75 Elliott Road Karrinyup Western Australia PO Box 105 Karrinyup WA 6921 TELEPHONE: (08) 9341 9111 FACSIMILE: (08) 9341 9222 WEBSITE: www.stmarys.wa.edu.au CRICOS Number 00454C

Our cover-photo is a representation of our wonderful St Mary’s community of current students: day girls and boarders, local and international students.

Photographed at the newly opened Jane Gillon Adventure Playground in Junior School, having fun alongside Mrs Lynne Thomson, are: Kindy and Pre-Primary Anna Blythe-Wood Indira Crispin Annabelle Evans Amalia Zec Years 1 and 2 Amelie Weekly Leigh Van Kleef Willow Vander Wal Alisha Khan Years 3 and 4 Josie Burton Asha Cook Kira Salamone Jada Luetke-Brinkhaus Years 5 and 6 Bianca-Armani Rogers Olivia Kirkwood Nadia Thavaseelan Bree Wright Year 7 Madeleine Daley Malia Jenkins Elly Sara Year 8 Gabrielle Pang Annabelle Trezise Year 9 Alysha Sloggett Year 10 Brooke Boonlai Olivia Nolan Year 11 Marley Davies Claudia Parker Isabella Penuliar Year 12 Hayley Taylor Photographed by St Mary’s Old Girl: Sharon Smith (Class of 1987)

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