Fideliter June 2016

June 2016

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

FIDELITER

BEYOND THE GATES OF ST MARY’S

S T MStAMary's R Y ’ S Celebrates C E L E B R AT E S

95 95years years FO RT H C O M I N G EVENTS

95 T H B I RT HDAY

Dinner DANCE

Old Girls’ ST MA RY ’S

W

SATURDAY 25 JUNE 2016

SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 2016

RL D

fair

SATURDAY 22 OCTOBER 2016

Visit www.stmarys.wa.edu.au/95 or call (08) 9341 9111 for more information or to book tickets.

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PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

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BOARD OF GOVERNORS

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FROM THE FOUNDATION

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CHAPL AIN’S REPORT

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THE POLSON ROOM OPENING

10 SCHOOL NEWS Global forum on girls’ education Workshops with Alan November 12

DESTINATIONS OF THE CL ASS OF 2015 99ers, 400 Club and High Flyers General Exhibition Winners

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SPEECH NIGHT 2015 What’s in your life survival kit?

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SENIOR SCHOOL NEWS From the Head Girl Five minutes with Head of Year 12, Miss Rebecca Watts Kira-Lee awarded athletics scholarship to Duke University Students launch literacy app Phoebe traces ANZAC footsteps in Malaysia IGSSA girls compete internationally

25 JUNIOR SCHOOL NEWS Exciting excursions and incursions for Junior School students Robogals Learning at Rottnest Down to Metricup

29 95 TH BIRTHDAY EVENTS Music Under the Stars at St Mary’s Alisa Camplin OAM inspires the St Mary’s community Mums and Dads breakfasts Evening of Eminence Celebrating St Mary’s Staff 36 OUT AND ABOUT 39 PARENTS’ SOCIET Y AND ST MARY’S AUXILIARY 40 OLD GIRLS’ PRESIDENT’S REPORT 41

OLD GIRLS’ NEWS AND EVENTS Keeping the St Mary’s network strong Old Girls’ Day 2016 Connect with us: Upcoming events Old Girls reuniting across the globe

44 LIFE AFTER ST MARY’S 48 NEWS FROM OLD GIRLS 50 ARCHIVAL ANECDOTES Ethel and the ideal, ‘Ethel et l’idéale’ Can You Help?

52 VALE 54 OLD GIRLS' ASSOCIATION GIFTS 55 ST MARY'S WORLD FAIR FIDELITER INFORMATION 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 fascimile: (08) 9341 9222 email: publicity@stmarys.wa.edu.au editors: Anne Pesic and Amanda Kemp design and production: Dessein

Contents

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PRINCIPAL’S REPORT A WHIRLWIND HAS GONE THROUGH ST MARY’S THIS YEAR. CELEBRATIONS GALORE FOR THE 95TH BIRTHDAY, THE OPENING AND DEDICATING OF THE POLSON ROOM, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1:1 TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMME, WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENTS FROM THE CLASS OF 2015 AND A DYNAMIC AND VIBRANT CLASS OF 2016 LEADING THE SCHOOL, HAVE ALL CONTRIBUTED TO WHAT IS SHAPING UP TO BE A BRILLIANT YEAR.

Announcement of the exceptionally high achievement of the Class of 2015 started our 95th year on a very high note. Sadly, while we were excited by the girls’ achievements, we also learned that Peter Mead, our Director of Finance and Administration, had died, following what was a long and determined fight against cancer. Peter loved St Mary’s and was very pleased to learn that Michelle Houwen had been appointed as the new Director of Finance and Administration. Michelle had worked with Peter at St Mary’s in the early 2000s, before taking up the position of Business Manager at St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls. Peter knew that the school would be in excellent hands as it progressed into its next phase of development.

Above: Michelle Houwen

Our opening formal assembly was a huge energiser.

Robyn Fairbairn, Head Girl, gave the most amazing speech, and we all left Dannatt Hall feeling that it is so good for us all to be together ready to start the new school year. Robyn has helped us maintain this positive momentum as we now head into mid-year examinations.

Just one of the many highlights was the very upbeat manner in which, with the work of the RESPECT Committee, we celebrated International Women’s Day, which turned into International Women’s Week, at St Mary’s. Compelling stories about women who have been successful and some of our Year 12s’ career aspirations, encouraged us all to be bold and confident. The week ended with a Suffragette March through the campus!

Term 1 saw the implementation of our 1:1 programme in the Senior School. Louise Tyson, Dean of Teaching, Adrian Beck, Director of Information Systems and David Brown, Education Technology Integrator, worked

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Principal’s Report

with Heads of Department and teaching staff to enable a smooth transition into this new cycle of technology for our school. It has all gone exceptionally well. With this in mind, Alan November, an internationally renowned technology educator, was at St Mary’s for two days towards the end of Term 1. Mr November is an inspiring and very grounded speaker and we certainly learnt a great deal from him. We look forward to ongoing contact with his team. Each year, we have two or three members of our staff attend his Building Learning Communities Conference in Boston. This too helps us build current capacity in this area.

It has been wonderful to see so many Old Girls and staff return to St Mary’s as part of the 95th birthday celebrations. Thank goodness for our newly opened Polson Room. You may well ask, “where is it located?” It is underneath our Elizabeth Myles Library, is very large and has stunning views across the playing fields. Two of the highlights have been the Evening of Eminence, when former academic high flyers and school leaders came together for a night filled with remembering, and the other was the return of over 100 former staff for an afternoon high tea. I love our sense of community and belonging.

With 2016 being the school’s 95th birthday, I encourage you all to be part of our Annual Giving programme.

Our main project is to build a scholarship fund which will give more girls the opportunity to attend St Mary’s.

Many Old Girls and their families have benefited from scholarships and bursaries over the years. Typically, they speak very fondly of their school experience. It would be fantastic if we could expand these opportunities. You know the story – be it a small, medium or large amount, it all makes a difference. There are 95 good reasons to give this year. I may well have given the first donation for 2016. Please join me.

Lynne Thomson Principal

Back row (l-r): Desiree Silva, Gillian Jenkins, Amy Dawson, Ian Hardy, Amanda Williams, Tanya Hazelden, Michelle Houwen Front row (l-r): Liam Twigger, Elizabeth Carr, Lynne Thomson, Ian Curlewis, Jane Gillon, Roger Veary

BOARD OF GOVERNORS IT HAS BEEN AN EXCEPTIONAL START TO THE 95TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL, WITH SEVERAL EXCITING CELEBRATORY SCHOOL EVENTS TO MARK THIS SPECIAL YEAR.

In the first months of 2016, a number of capital works projects approved by the Board were completed. These included The Polson Room (below the Senior School Library) opened in March, the IT Student Help Centre, refit of Anne Symington House reception, an additional Home Economics classroom, a new Junior School covered outdoor play area and a new seating area outside the Senior School Library.

Group. Mr Twigger’s strong business attributes and wealth of experience will greatly support the school into the future.

There were also a number of refurbishment projects carried out, including the Lady Wardle Performing Arts Centre student toilets, Anne Symington House courtyard upgrade, Junior School toilets and new carpets in English classrooms, along with extensive painting around the school campus.

It is an honour to lead the school in its 95th year, and be a member of the Board of Governors. I thank all Board members for their tireless efforts and voluntary contribution in providing their extensive expertise for the school.

A change to the Board of Governors at the end of 2015 saw the retirement of long-serving member, from 2006 -2015, Mr George Turnbull. Mr Turnbull was also a member of the Industrial Relations Committee. I am most grateful to him for his dedication and contribution during his service at St Mary’s.

In January 2016, Mr Liam Twigger joined the Board.

He has had over 30 years’ experience in banking and finance and is currently Managing Director of corporate advisory and investment banking firm, PCF Capital

At the 2016 annual general meeting in April, Mrs Jane Gillon retired from the position of Deputy Chair and Ms Elizabeth Carr took up the position. I wish to thank Mrs Gillon for her contribution and commitment to the Board in the Deputy Chair role over several years.

I also wish to thank Mrs Lynne Thomson as Principal, the school Executive, teaching, support and administrative staff, for their wonderful care and contribution to the education of our students. St Mary’s has always strived to achieve academic excellence, and to that end, I congratulate all staff and the Class of 2015.

Their WACE results were exceptional.

Ian Curlewis Chair of the Board of Governors

Board of Governors

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FROM THE FOUNDATION MY SINCERE THANKS TO YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT OF SO MANY AREAS OF SCHOOL LIFE AT ST MARY’S DURING 2015. ONCE AGAIN, WE HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOL, ITS STUDENTS AND STAFF.

Over the last 15 years, the Foundation has been able to contribute over $10 million to the school to develop and enhance the learning environment. It is your donations that have helped and will continue to help to ensure that St Mary’s remains at the forefront of girls’ education and we are truly grateful to everyone who makes a gift, be it small or large. Together your gifts better our ability to offer first-class learning opportunities and experiences for St Mary’s students.

NEW MEANS-TESTED YEAR 10 SCHOLARSHIP ESTABLISHED THANKS TO DONATIONS A particular highlight for the Foundation in the last year has been the establishment of the Annual Giving Scholarship. Your donations to the Scholarship Fund over the past two years have enabled us to create a new means-tested scholarship for a girl entering Year 10, for the remainder of her schooling at St Mary’s. The school hopes to make the award for 2017 in the coming months and I thank you sincerely for creating this life-changing opportunity for a girl who would not be able to attend St Mary’s without financial support.

THANKS TO YOU DONOR HIGH TEA Mrs Thomson and I were delighted to be joined by so many of our donors at the Thanks to you Donor High Tea on 1 May. This is a wonderful occasion for us to personally thank those who have supported the Annual Giving and many other areas of school life.

Guests heard from students, Tara Brown (Library Prefect), Sophie Tuckett (Sport Prefect), Georgia McAlpine (Senior Boarder) and Year 12 student, Caitlin Beattie, who shared their thanks for the facilities, resources and experiences which have been funded through donations from members of our school community and by the Foundation. Past scholarship recipient, Miranda Radford (’12), also gave a moving speech about what it meant to her to attend St Mary’s.

BISHOP RILEY BEQUEST SOCIETY

Above (l-r): Jan Turnbull, Sandra McAlpine and Grace Richardson (Snook ’48)

Above: The 2015 Bishop Riley Bequest Society event

I was delighted to host the annual Bishop Riley Bequest Society at my home last November. It was a pleasure to meet with members of the Society who have made a gift to St Mary’s in their will and to thank them for their generosity and foresight. The Society welcomes everyone who has made a bequest of any size to St Mary’s and I encourage you to be in touch if you are interested in finding out more about how to become a part of this special group of St Mary’s supporters.

Above (l-r): Tara Brown, Sharon Warburton, Caitlin Beattie, Georgia McAlpine, and Sophie Tuckett

2016 ANNUAL GIVING You will have recently received information about our 2016 Annual Giving appeal. In our 95th birthday year, we are looking forward to a very successful Annual Giving, with more members of our community contributing than ever.

You can find out more about Annual Giving by visiting www.stmarys.wa.edu.au/annual-giving.

Thank you for all you do to support St Mary’s.

Ron Farris Chairman of the Board of Management of the St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School Foundation

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From the Foundation

THANK YOU TO OUR 2015 DONORS OUR SINCERE THANKS TO PARENTS, OLD GIRLS, STAFF AND FRIENDS WHO GENEROUSLY DONATED TO THE FOUNDATION AND SCHOOL DURING 2015. YOUR GENEROSITY HELPS US TO CREATE AN INSPIRING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND OFFER A WEALTH OF LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ST MARY’S GIRLS.

2015 Annual Giving for the Scholarship Fund, Library Fund and Building Fund yy Linzey Allinson yy Berna Anning yy Christine Antoine yy Shantal Barr yy Adrian Beck yy Mr Michael & Mrs Caterina Beer (Stephanie) yy Anonymous yy Sandra Botica yy Paul, Victoria & Lilia Bradley yy Browne Family yy Burke Family yy Bree Buxton (’98) yy Campbell Family yy Tina Campbell & Family yy Carey Family yy Elizabeth Carr (’81) yy Marlene Carter yy Anonymous yy Wendy & Ian Chidgey yy N & T Christie yy J & D Christie yy Edward J Clark yy Scott Crabb yy Crisp Family yy Crowley Family yy Ian Curlewis yy Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94) yy De Mattia Family (Gale ’90) yy Tricia & Frits de Vroet yy Peter Evans yy Ron & Joy Farris yy Anonymous yy Frank & Debbie Fitzgerald yy Rodger & Judith Gibson yy Gaye and Chas Giglia yy Jodie Gillespie (’90) yy Mrs Jane Gillon yy Emily Gordon (’07) yy Gosatti Family yy Misha Gunasekera yy Cheryl Haak yy Hancock Family yy Kerrie & Ian Hardy yy Fiona Harris yy Anne & Nigel Harrison

yy Hazelden Family yy Anonymous yy Erica Herron yy Barbara Hurst (Cuming ’47) yy Helen Hyslop (Judge ’50) yy Claire Jeffery yy Gill Jenkins yy Max Ji yy Joan Karmelita yy Michael Keong yy Koranis Family yy Anonymous yy Deborah Lea yy Major Family yy Lorrie Maley (Rowledge ’33) yy Wendy Mann yy Marissen Family yy Martino Family yy Maxwell Family yy Steven McAlpine yy McKimmie Family yy McLean Family yy Peter Mead yy Greg & Louise Miles yy Steve Molloy yy Frank & Erica Murray yy Stephanie Neille yy Anonymous yy Nguyen Family yy Susannah Packer (’15) yy Anne Pesic (Nicolaou ’91) yy Joyce Polson yy Powell Family yy Anonymous yy Grace Richardson (Snook ’48) yy Richardson Family yy Ryan Family yy Sabavala Family yy Anonymous yy Annette Samuel yy Saunders Family yy Anonymous yy Dr Silva yy The Tatlow Girls yy Lynne Thomson yy Thornton Family yy Turnbull Family yy Louise Tyson yy Vaswani Family

yy Roger & Pam Veary yy Vella Family (Jade & Sophie) yy Ian & Ngaire Viner yy Mr PJ and Mrs MA Waltham yy Sharon Warburton yy Rebecca Watts yy Amanda Williams yy Joan & Kate Winter yy Wright Family (Holly & Bree) yy Zamudio-Concha Family Endowment Fund yy The families of all new students in 2015 who contributed to the Foundation’s Endowment Fund Scholarship Fund yy Anonymous yy The Class of 2015 yy Anonymous yy The estate of Lady Treatt (Frankie Wilson ’32, Head Girl) Speech Night Prizes yy Mrs Cora Barnes yy Dr John Craig – in memory of Mrs Frances Craig yy Mrs Marilynn Freitag yy Mrs Helen Hyslop (Judge ’50, Head Girl) yy Mr Fred Stone & Mrs Genevieve Irwin (Stone ’74) yy Mrs Audrey Jackson AM yy Ms Joan Karmelita yy Mrs Denise Lane (Marshall ’79) yy Mrs Ruth Phelps – in memory of Mrs R Rowell (Robinson ’33) yy Dr Heather Rogers (Whiting) yy Mrs Maria Stannage yy St Mary’s Auxiliary yy St Mary’s Old Girls’ Association yy Western Australian Journal of Medicine

Bishop Riley Bequest Society We thank those who were members of the Society in 2015 yy Ms Bree Buxton (’98) yy Ms Elizabeth Carr (’81) yy Miss Marlene Carter (’63) yy Mr Ian & Mrs Wendy Chidgey yy Mr Peter Evans yy Mr Ron & Mrs Joy Farris yy Mrs Jane Gillon (Fisher ’70) yy Mrs Audrey Jackson AM yy Ms Jane Milloy (’72) yy Rev’d Joyce Polson yy Mrs Lynne Thomson Every effort is made to ensure this list of names is accurate. If an error has been made, please accept our sincere apologies and telephone Linzey Allinson on (08) 9341 9120 so we can ensure that this is corrected for the future.

From the Foundation

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CHAPL AIN’S REPORT DO YOU HAVE A CALLING? I WONDER IF ANY OF OUR CURRENT STUDENTS OR OLD GIRLS HAS GIVEN THIS QUESTION ANY THOUGHT. OUR FIRST CALLING IS TO LIVE LIFE WELL BUT NOT SELFISHLY AND AS CHRISTIANS, TO REFLECT THE LOVE OF CHRIST IN OUR LIVES. ALL WHO ARE BAPTISED ARE CALLED TO MINISTRY, WHICH MAY BE LAY OR ORDAINED MINISTRY.

The Church needs a wide variety of ministers, young and old, from all walks of life; it needs a variety of gifts and talents, for we are called as Christians to serve one another. I think it would be wonderful if we had a Chaplain in the future (I am not ready to depart yet) who was an Old Girl of St Mary’s. Most ordained ministers are priests and the road to becoming a priest involves a number of stages to discern if indeed you have a vocation to ordained ministry. A number of priests, postordination, and perhaps after a few years of ministry, choose to do further study overseas or to work overseas for a few years, which gives them an opportunity to serve in Anglican settings very different from Australia.

Many people, however, feel their calling is to serve through other professions and through volunteer work. One such person is Mrs Polly Durey, who believes her vocation is to be a teacher. Mrs Durey went to The University of Tasmania where she studied history and anthrophony and graduated with Honours in History. To fulfil her ambition to be a teacher, she returned to Perth to undertake her Graduate Diploma in Education at the University of Western Australia.

In 2002, being an adventurous Above: Polly Durey person, keen to widen her horizons, she headed overseas to the United Kingdom where she taught English and History. Mrs Durey loves Shakespeare and whilst in the United Kingdom, she undertook further studies and obtained a Graduate Certificate in the Teaching of Shakespeare with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Warwick University.

As part of her Graduate Diploma of Education Mrs Durey studied some units in religion, so whilst teaching in the UK, she also taught Religious Studies and was the Religious Studies Coordinator for a number of years before returning to Perth. In her words: “I came to love teaching Religion as an academic subject and to see that religion and culture are inseparable, that religions are internally diverse, and I believe that learning about religious stories, practices and values is important, as they are embedded in society. I love learning new things about religion and faith every day.”

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Chaplain’s Report

On her return to Perth Mrs Durey saw a job advertised for the Head of Religious Studies at a certain girls’ school! Of course that was St Mary’s and we are so lucky to have Mrs Durey, a gifted educator who has a passion for her subject and supporting the Anglican ethos of our school. Never one to sit still but ever interested in widening her knowledge, Mrs Durey, who also has three small children to care for, is now taking an online course in Religious Literacy and Christianity through Harvard University. If you do not wish to follow in my footsteps to become Chaplain to St Mary’s, perhaps a St Mary’s girl could follow in Mrs Durey’s footsteps and join the Religious Studies Department as a teacher; but just in case someone may be interested in finding out a little more about becoming a priest you could explore the following website: www.perth.anglican.org/what-we-do/vocations The Reverend Geraldine Nixon School Chaplain

Above: Inside St Mary’s Chapel

Above (l-r): The Most Reverend Roger Herft, Reverend Joyce Polson, Reverend Gerry Nixon, Mrs Lynne Thomson (Principal) and Mr Ian Curlewis (Board of Governors Chairman)

THE POLSON ROOM OPENING ON WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH, THE NEWEST DEVELOPMENT ON THE CAMPUS, THE POLSON ROOM, WAS OPENED BY IAN CURLEWIS, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS, AND DEDICATED BY THE MOST REVEREND ROGER HERFT, ARCHBISHOP OF PERTH.

Named after the Reverend Joyce Polson, who has had a long association with St Mary’s, commencing in the 1960s through to the present day, the new multipurpose function room will cater for exams, student meetings and school events.

Reverend Joyce is Assistant Chaplain to Reverend Gerry, School Chaplain, and was bestowed with the title Chaplain Emeritus in 2015, in recognition of her significant ministry to the St Mary’s community.

Reverend Joyce was also among the first group of women in Australia ordained as priests in the Anglican Church in 1992.

“This room should be a place to gather together and support one another in conversation, with food and drinks, with community,” said the Reverend Joyce Polson.

The Opening was a very happy occasion, filled with accolades, reminiscing and good humour. St Mary’s looks forward to its girls and community enjoying events in this beautiful space.

Right (l-r): Grace Walker (Music Prefect), Robyn Fairbairn (Head Girl), Rachael Griffiths-Szeto (Chapel Day), Reverend Joyce Polson, Tessa Wood (Chapel Boarder), and Hannah Coopes (Senior Day Girl)

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This room should be a place to gather together and support one another in conversation, with food and drinks, with community.

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The Polson Room Opening

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Right: Baroness Sue Campbell with Lynne Thomson

GLOBAL FORUM

ON GIRLS’ EDUCATION IT WAS WITH GREAT EXCITEMENT THAT TINA CAMPBELL, HEAD OF BOARDING, MARK STANIFORTH, HEAD OF MARINE SCIENCE, AND I HEADED TO NEW YORK IN FEBRUARY TO TAKE PART IN THE FIRST GLOBAL FORUM ON GIRLS’ EDUCATION, PRESENTED BY THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL COALITION OF GIRLS’ SCHOOLS AND SUPPORTED BY THE OTHER MAJOR GIRLS’ SCHOOLS ASSOCIATIONS AROUND THE WORLD.

Mrs Campbell, Mr Staniforth and I all presented at the conference and attended a multitude of sessions which filled us with ideas and projects for the future. It was a fastmoving, non-stop affair, with over 900 educators attending.

Mrs Campbell presented on healthy development of girls within a boarding context and the importance of the ‘little things’ in making a positive impact on the lives of the girls in our care; Mr Staniforth on developing girls’ interest in Science through Marine Science and connecting their research to world-wide organisations, including through whale-tracking programmes; and Dr Monica Gillespie, Head of Saint Mary’s Episcopal School in Raleigh, North Carolina (one of our exchange schools), Ms Ayanna HillGill, Head of Atlanta Girls’ School, Georgia and I related our experiences as leaders in girls’ schools, focusing on role modelling attitudes and actions for staff and students.

The keynote speakers included Gloria Steinem, groundbreaking feminist from the 1960s and 70s, who focused on what girls and women can do now to be leaders in their careers and society; Baroness Sue Campbell, from the Youth Sports Trust in the UK, who emphasised the importance of physical activity in girls’ lives and the significant role that women can play as mentors to girls; Arianna Huffington, co-founder of the Huffington Post, who has recently written a book on the importance of sleep for our girls in this technological world; Kakenya Ntaiya, who has established the Kaenyz Centre for Excellence in Kenya which seeks to empower and motivate

Above Back row (l-r): Gabbi Dippell, Gemma O’Halloran, Sharna Becker, Vanessa Bryan, Sophie Hudson and Georgia Garard Front row (l-r): Charmaine Counsel, Mrs Tina Campbell, Charli Ashby and Sophie Pech

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School News

young girls through education to become agents of change in traditional Kenyan society; and Holly Ranson, the youngest person listed in 2015 in Australia’s 100 Most Influential Women, who spoke about girls developing confidence to step out and up as they begin their careers.

Each of us came away from the conference feeling even more passionate about girls-only education providing the best learning and growing environment for girls. Since returning to school, Mrs Campbell has implemented further ideas on encouraging positive mindsets for our boarders as well as looking at different styles of learning to support their academic progress; Mr Staniforth has become a member of the International Scientific Research Society SIGMA XI, which has allowed access to the National Science Teachers’ Association of the USA Stem Student Research Handbook to develop further the research component of St Mary’s Marine Science programme; and I have been working with Roger Blatchford, Head of Year 11, to develop workshops for our 11s to give them a better understanding of careers and the workplace. They will be based on a workshop I attended given by Miss Porter’s School called ‘Mums (and Old Girls) as Mentors’. After hearing what schools around the world are doing, we felt affirmed by the many great programmes we have here at St Mary’s, and also excited and challenged by what we saw in New York.

Lynne Thomson Principal

Above (l-r): Renee Christie, Keely Morphett, Madeleine Scanlon, Mr Mark Staniforth, Phoebe Blaxill, Ella Retzlaff-Hochen and Tenielle Walker

Above (l-r): Delaney Eastabrook, Alice Dolphin, Alan November, Kira Molloy and Teale Lyon

WORKSHOPS WITH AL AN NOVEMBER THE USE OF LAPTOP COMPUTERS AND THE INTERNET BY STUDENTS IS A TOPIC THAT POLARISES OPINIONS AMONGST PARENTS AND EDUCATORS. TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, AS WE CONTINUED OUR 1-TO-1 COMPUTER IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS THIS YEAR, WE INVITED AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED ‘BIG PICTURE’ THINKER IN THIS AREA, ALAN NOVEMBER, TO SPEND TWO DAYS ON CAMPUS WITH US. DURING THIS TIME, HE PRESENTED TO JUNIOR AND SENIOR SCHOOL STAFF AND PARENTS. HE DID NOT USE A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION OR A SET OF NOTES. HIS ONLY TECHNOLOGY TOOL WAS THE INTERNET AND THE WEB-BASED APPLICATIONS HE COULD FIND ON IT. AT EVERY COFFEE AND LUNCH BREAK THERE WAS A PARENT OR STAFF MEMBER AT HIS ELBOW WANTING TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS.

Web-literacy or learning how to separate fact from fiction was one strong theme across the two days. Alan guided us through the ‘grammar’ of the Internet and provided many practical examples of how to source information from only certain countries or educational sites. He reminded us that we should remain sceptical and cross-check information. He reminded us that most people only look at information that appears on the first page of a Google search. This increases the importance of unearthing better quality sources on that first page.

In his opinion, Wikipedia is a reasonably reliable source of information that even Harvard Medical School encourages its students to make use of.

Another strong theme was the importance of collaboration between students, their peers, their teachers and other experts in a contemporary 21st Century learning environment. Alan argued that we are not in the midst of a Technology Revolution, that really we are in the midst of an Information Revolution.

Information is really at everyone’s fingertips, where a decade ago, information was more likely to be in the hands of experts. This means that developing skills to obtain the best information in the world quickly is an

increasingly important life skill. He introduced us to the Wayback Machine that can be located at archive. org. This site means that you no longer have to give up when a search gives you the message “file no longer available”. If a document was once available on the Internet in the past, then the Wayback Machine will allow you to find it. Alan also showcased WolframAlpha, which is a knowledge engine rather than a simple search engine.

On one of the days Alan was able to run small group workshops for staff. In these he introduced new webbased tools such as PRISM, which teachers can use in their classrooms to make students’ thinking more visible. Junior School staff were introduced to tools such as VERSO and given examples of how some teachers allow their students to use a staff twitter account to follow what students in other countries in the world were doing in their classrooms.

Alan certainly provided a great stimulus for all who attended his sessions to reflect and ask questions.

Mrs Louise Tyson Dean of Teaching

School News

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S T E L L A R R E S U LT S

FOR THE CL ASS OF 2015 ST MARY'S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL IS VERY PROUD OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE CLASS OF 2015 AND WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE STRONG RESULTS FROM THE COHORT OF STUDENTS IN THE RECENT WACE EXAMINATIONS, AS WELL AS THE CONTRIBUTION THE GIRLS MADE TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY DURING THEIR TIME AT ST MARY’S.

Two students, Catherine Bock (ranked 11th) and Isabella Masi (ranked 33rd) achieved General Exhibitions, placing them among the top 41 students in Western Australia, calculated across 5 subjects, with at least two humanities and two maths/science courses. Catherine also achieved the highest possible ATAR of 99.95.

Mary Jane Yang was awarded the General Exhibition (ESL) as the top student from a non-English speaking background. She arrived in Perth from China in the middle of 2010 and joined St Mary’s in 2011 as a Year 8 student.

Isabella Masi, who attended St Mary’s for five years, as a boarder from Broome, excelled by also being recognised as the top student in three courses: English, Geography and Visual Arts.

Our 2015 Art Captain, Tessa Laing, another boarder, (she hails from Karratha), received the Course Exhibition for Media Production and Analysis, a testament to the strong abilities of the school Media Studies department.

Tessa also won first prize in the external ACMI Screen It competition, in the live action secondary category, earlier in the year.

Jasmine Hancock topped the state with her result in Marine and Maritime Studies. As there were fewer than 100 students in the course, there was no exhibition awarded. This is the third year in a row that a St Mary’s student has taken out the top spot for Marine and Maritime Studies.

We are also pleased with the result of Rachel Geier, who achieved the top score in Stage 2 Business Management and Enterprise. Since it was a Stage 2 course, it unfortunately, isn’t recognised by an exhibition.

Eighteen Certificates of Distinction, for being in the top 0.5% of the state, were achieved by St Mary’s students. They are: yy Biological Sciences – Kate McKenzie yy Chemistry – Catherine Bock yy Economics – Serena Russell yy English – Sarah Coopes, Alex Kay, Isabella Masi yy Geography – Kaila Dempsey, Isabella Masi, Holly Noble, Olivia Webb yy Human Biological Sciences – Olivia Keating, Kaitlyn Poon yy Media Production and Analysis – Tessa Laing yy Modern History – Julia DeLorenzo yy Physical Education Studies – Nicola Tate yy Politics and Law – Julia DeLorenzo yy Visual Arts – Tessa Laing, Isabella Masi Madison Makrides is a winner of an AustralianSuper award for Excellence in VET.

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Destinations of the Class of 2015

Above (l-r): Julia DeLorenzo and Tessa Laing

It is most gratifying to see the range of courses in which our students have excelled.

In addition to the above awards, 23 Certificates of Commendation, for achieving at least 20 A grades over Years 11 and 12, were received by St Mary’s students.

The overall strength, as well as the hard work of the year group as a whole, is reflected in the ATARs (Australian Tertiary Admission Ranks) achieved by the students. The median ATAR for 2015 was 91.85, compared to the state median of 79.10 From our cohort of 151 students who achieved an ATAR in 2015, we have the following impressive statistics: yy 17 students achieved an ATAR of 99.0 or above (11.3% of the cohort). These students are placed in the top 1% of all students in Western Australia to achieve an ATAR. yy 24 students achieved ATARS of 98 or above (15.9% of the cohort), placing them in the top 2% of students in Western Australia. yy 57 students achieved ATARS of 95 or above (37.8% of the cohort), which places them in the top 5% of students in Western Australia. yy 92 students achieved ATARS of 90 or above (60.9% of the cohort), which places them in the top 10% of students in Western Australia to achieve an ATAR. These results, along with 100% achieving secondary graduation, indicate the overall strength and academic depth of the group. Of the group 84% will be eligible for places at the University of Western Australia.

We congratulate our students on their achievements, and acknowledge our teachers for their commitment and dedication in assisting the students to reach their potential.

DESTINATIONS OF THE CLASS OF 2015

Interstate and International Universities 12%

Working/ Gap Year/ Unknown 8%

University of Western Australia 30%

3 4 20 1

Total

49 NO. OF STUDENTS

2 3 1 4 2 12

Engineering Law Master of Professional Engineering Medicine Psychology (Hons)

Total

CURTIN UNIVERSIT Y

NO. OF STUDENTS

Bachelor of Agribusiness Bachelor of Applied Science Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce Bachelor of Commerce Bachelor of Interior Architecture Bachelor of Pharmacy Bachelor of Physiotherapy Bachelor of Science

2 1 9 2 6 1 3 1 11 36

Total EDITH COWAN UNIVERSIT Y

NO. OF STUDENTS

Bachelor of Arts (Mass Communications) Bachelor of Education Bachelor of Fine Arts Bachelor of Nursing Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Arts (WAAPA) Diploma of Live Production and Technical Services (WAAPA)

Total

2 3 1 1 4 1 2 14

OTHER - INTERSTATE/INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES

Australian Maritime College (Launceston, TAS) Bond University (QLD) La Trobe University (VIC) Monash University (VIC) Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (VIC) Savannah College of Art and Design (USA) University of NSW University of Sydney (NSW) University of Melbourne (VIC) Royal College of Surgeons (Ireland)

Total

Un iv er sit y5 ur do ch

1 8 11 1

Bachelor of Architecture Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Commerce Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Law Bachelor of Design Bachelor of Philosophy (Hons) Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts ASSURED PATHWAYS

Notre Dame University 12%

NO. OF STUDENTS

M

UNIVERSIT Y OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA

%

TAFE/ Phoenix Academy 4%

GRAPH: PERCENTAGE (%) OF STUDENT DESTINATIONS FOR 2016

Edith Cowan University/ WAAPA 8%

MURDOCH UNIVERSIT Y

Curtin University 21%

NO. OF STUDENTS

2 1 4

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Clinical Chiropractic

1

Total

NOTRE DAME UNIVERSIT Y

8 NO. OF STUDENTS

1

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of Behavioural Science and Bachelor of Human Resource Management Bachelor of Biomedical Science Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws Bachelor of Education Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Politics and International Relations Bachelor of Nursing Bachelor of Physiotherapy Pre-Medicine Certificate

1 2 1 3 1 6 4 5

*(combined with a Bachelor course above)

Total

TECHNICAL COLLEGES TAFE

19 NO. OF STUDENTS

yy Certificate III in Business yy Certificate IV in Medical Administration yy Certificate IV in Education Support yy Diploma of Nursing yy Certificate III in Children’s Education and Care PHOENIX ACADEMY

2 1 1 1 1

yy Certificate IV in Business Total

1 7

WORKING/GAP YEAR

12 1 13

Unknown

Total COURSE

yy Bachelor of Engineering yy Bachelor of Arts yy Bachelor of Outdoor Education yy Bachelor of Biomedicine and Bachelor of Commerce yy Bachelor of Business yy Bachelor of Information Technology yy Undecided yy Bachelor of Commerce yy Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws yy Bachelor of International and Global Studies yy Bachelor of Arts (4) yy Bachelor of Biomedicine yy Bachelor of Environments yy Bachelor of Science (2) yy Bachelor of Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics

1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 8 1

19

Destinations of the Class of 2015

13

99ERS, 400 CLUB AND HIGH FLYERS 99ERS A NEW AWARD FOR 2015, THIS MEMBERSHIP IS FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE ACHIEVED AN ATAR OF 99.0 OR OVER. THIS YEAR WE WELCOME 17 INAUGURAL MEMBERS.

Rudra Bhatt

University of Western Australia Double Degree, Bachelor of Science majoring in Neuroscience and Bachelor of Arts majoring in Italian Assured pathway to Medicine Certificate of Commendation

Tessa Laing

WAAPA Diploma of Live Production and Technical Services (Props and Scenery) Course Exhibition – Media Production and Analysis Certificates of Distinction – Media Production and Catherine Bock Analysis, Visual Arts University of Western Australia Certificate of Commendation Bachelor of Philosophy Alyssa Leng Physiology, French or Politics University of Sydney and International Relations Assured pathway to Medicine Bachelor of Arts Winthrop Scholarship (double majoring in Political General Exhibition Economy, and Government Certificate of Distinction – and International Relations) Chemistry Bachelor of Laws degree at the Certificate of Commendation University of Sydney.

Academic scholarship at Julia DeLorenzo St John’s College as part of University of Western Australia University of Sydney Bachelor of Arts Certificate of Commendation Majoring in Political Science Isabella Masi and International Relations, University of Western Australia Law and Society Bachelor of Philosophy, Assured pathway to Law majoring in Psychology Fogarty Scholarship General Exhibition Certificates of Distinction Course Exhibitions for Visual Modern History and Politics Arts, Geography and English and Law Certificates of Distinction – Certificate of Commendation English, Geography, Visual Arts Jasmine Hancock Certificate of Commendation University of Western Australia Kate McKenzie Bachelor of Science University of Western Australia Certificate of Commendation Bachelor of Science entering Olivia Keating postgraduate medicine studies University of Notre Dame Certificate of Distinction – Bachelor of Physiotherapy and Biology Pre-Medicine certificate Certificate of Commendation Certificate of Distinction – Rachel Neil Human Biological Science University of Western Australia Certificate of Commendation Bachelor of Science majoring in Marine Science Certificate of Commendation

14

Destinations of the Class of 2015

Li-Anne Ng Gap Year

Serena Russell

University of Western Australia Bachelor of Philosophy Sophie Patterson (Honours) Melbourne University Assured pathway to Bachelor of Science majoring Engineering in Physics Primary major in Engineering Certificate of Commendation Science, secondary is Finance. Awarded the Pursuit Kaitlyn Poon Scholarship for Engineering University of Western Australia at UWA Bachelor of Science, majoring Certificate of Distinction – in Anatomy and Human Economics Biology Certificate of Commendation Assured pathway to Medicine Certificate of Distinction in Maia Van Kampen Human Biological Science University of Western Australia Certificate of Commendation Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) Madison Post Bachelor of Science Notre Dame University (Physics/Chemistry) Bachelor of Nursing and Certificate of Commendation Pre-Medicine certificate

Mary Jane Yang

University of Melbourne Bachelor of Biomedicine General Exhibition Certificate of Commendation

CAREERLINK HIGH FLYERS THIS YEAR WE WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THREE STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED AN AWARD FROM THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM AND STANDARDS AUTHORITY (SCSA).

Olivia Fowler

Gap year 2016 Certificate of Commendation

Above: Valedictory service

400 CLUB TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE 400 CLUB, STUDENTS REQUIRE AN ATAR OF OVER 96.7. THIS YEAR WE ARE PLEASED TO WELCOME 24 NEW MEMBERS.

Lauren Brewer

Rachel Geier

Gap year 2016

Notre Dame University Bachelor of Science (Nursing) Certificate of Distinction – English Certificate of Commendation

Curtin University Double degree Bachelor of Arts and Commerce majoring in Journalism and Public Relations Principal’s Recommendation Award Curtin Excellence Scholarship

Eve Cotton

Annie Hewitt

Sarah Coopes

University of Western Australia Bachelor of Science - majoring in Psychological Science and Psychology in Society Assured pathway to study Psychology (Honours) at UWA

University of Western Australia Bachelor of Science majoring in Microbiology and Immunology Assured pathway to Medicine St George’s College Argyle Award

Eliza Murley

University of Western Australia Bachelor of Science with a major in Geographical Sciences Certificate of Distinction - Geography

Kara Plummer

Aideen Gallagher

University of Notre Dame Bachelor of Biomedical Science and Pre-Medicine certificate

University of Western Australia General Arts degree, majoring in Law and Society Assured pathway to Law

Jo Kneebone

Hannah Letizia

WAAPA Diploma of Live Production and Technical Services, majoring in Costume Design Certificate of Commendation

Madison Makrides

Murdoch University Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in Criminology Certificate of Commendation

Sophia Tran

University of Western Australia Double major in Psychology under a Bachelor of Science Assured pathway into Honours in Psychology

Crystalle Parsons

Alex Kay

WAAPA Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Dance Certificate of Distinction English

Gap Year Certificate of Distinction – Physical Education Studies Certificate of Commendation

University of Notre Dame Physiotherapy Pre-Medicine certificate

University of Western Australia Assured pathway to Law Bachelor of Science as undergraduate degree Certificate of Distinction Geography

Kaila Dempsey

Nicola Tate

Evie O’Meara

The University of Melbourne Bachelor of Science, transferring to Biomedical Science in second year

Curtin University Bachelor of Pharmacy Curtin Excellence Scholarship

Emily Hoyle

University of Western Australia Bachelor of Science and Arts Double degree in Marine Science and French

Holly Noble

University of New South Wales Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in International Business Certificate of Commendation

Emily Daw

Emma Savage

Gap student – Westover School Connecticut USA

Olivia Webb

University of Western Australia Bachelor of Science, majoring in Engineering Science UWA Engineering Pursuit Scholarship Assured pathway into the Master of Professional Engineering Certificate of Commendation

Katherine Richardson

University of Sydney Undergraduate degree, Bachelor of International and Global Studies Double major in Anthropology and Socio Legal Studies

University of Western Australia Double degree in Architecture and Integrated Design Certificate of Distinction – Geography

Hannah Weiss

Curtin University Bachelor of Science, majoring in Nutrition Curtin Excellence Scholarship Curtin Principal’s Recommendation Award

Lucie Zwart

University of Melbourne Bachelor of Arts Double major in Psychology and Criminology

Ailsa Waddell

Curtin University Creative Advertisement and Graphic Design Certificate of Commendation

Destinations of the Class of 2015

15

GENERAL EXHIBITION WINNERS CATHERINE BOCK

ISABELLA MASI

I have only just begun to explore the world outside those St Mary’s gates, dipping my toes into university life with equal parts of trepidation and excitement. From being able to wander with friends by the river between lectures, to the luxurious weekday sleep-ins (without fear of running late for Link), this new university freedom certainly has perks.

Opportunities abound to get involved on campus, from clubs and societies to volunteering. I can’t wait to begin my first pre-primary Teddy-Bear Hospital visits (the required teddy treatment often demands a piece of fruit and a hug), Dr YES (Youth Education Sessions) and the Teach Learn Grow E-Mentoring and Rural Programme, tutoring and mentoring kids in rural or remote WA. Year 12s, it might seem like right now your world is made up of practice exams and test weeks, but at the end of the day, that’s not what you’ll remember about St Mary’s. My ‘best memories,’ of St Mary’s have nothing to do with marks. When WACE fades to nothing more than a hazy blip on the horizon, I know I’ll remember the other things: the kindness of a teacher, the morning chats with friends (which always trump getting to Link on time), the flailing ball relays and the drama plays, the Year 9 camp cookouts and the music rehearsals, the excitement of overseas exchanges and of returning home, to recess under the trees. Year 12s, I wish you friendship, happiness and good times for the year ahead and for the entirety of the wonderful life that awaits you outside of these gates. Good luck.

University is very different from high school, particularly in terms of classes and assessments. Your teachers will tell you constantly throughout school that university lecturers do not tell you anything about upcoming tests, and honestly, they do not. At university you have to be very independent - luckily, something I don’t mind being. I am currently studying a Bachelor of Philosophy at the University of Western Australia and it is an amazing experience.

MARY JANE YANG After leaving the gates of St Mary’s last year, I was both anxious and excited for the university life ahead of me.

University is very different from high school for sure.

Apart from being expected to be more independent and organised, the most significant difference is definitely the workload. The amount of content taught in a onehour lecture is usually what takes two weeks to be taught in high school. Therefore, I find myself spending a long time outside of class to properly understand and absorb the contents. As a result, there has been a dramatic increase in coffee consumption for me. It’s tough, but it’s very fulfilling at the same time.

16

Destinations of the Class of 2015

To the graduates of 2016, I encourage you to work hard at school, as your results at the end of the journey will really surprise you if you do put in the effort. However, I don’t want you just to sit at your desk each night working through practice essays and worksheets. I want you to get outside and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. I want you to get involved with IGSSA team sports, because they are honestly one of the things I miss the most since leaving school. And most importantly, I want you to make time for your family and friends, as they are the ones who will be helping you get through the WACE exams at the end of the year. Remember, your ATAR is just a number and there are many opportunities beyond the school gates!

One thing that I really miss about St Mary’s is being in class with all my friends and being able to see them every day. In university everyone has different timetables, and the campus is huge, which makes it difficult to have your friends around. Therefore, I advise the current Year 12s to cherish the time you have together with all your school friends in your final year at St Mary’s. And also, please work as hard as you can this year, because a good ATAR can offer you many more options when choosing a university, and will save you a lot of money if you are awarded a merit-based scholarship.

WHAT’S IN YOUR

LIFE SURVIVAL KIT? SPEECH NIGHT IS NOT ONLY A CELEBRATION OF THE AMAZING ACHIEVEMENTS OUR STUDENTS HAVE MADE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR BUT A GREAT WAY TO INSPIRE THEM BY WELCOMING BACK AN OLD GIRL WHO HAS SUCCESSFULLY ESTABLISHED HERSELF IN HER OWN PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIFE.

In 2015 we were thrilled that lawyer and member of the Class of 2000, Rachael Young, shared her experiences and advice. Rachael graduated from UWA in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Political Science and International Relations, and a Bachelor of Laws with Honours. Some five years later, after practising public law with the State Solicitor’s Office, she moved to New York to complete her Masters in International Legal Studies.

Rachael has worked in some very interesting places in the world including the Office of the Co-Prosecutors, United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where she was an NYU International Law and Human Rights Fellow.

“

... learn the art of taking leaps of faith. Not everything will happen easily. Not everything will work out perfectly. Sometimes random decisions can work their magic, but at other times they will not. Never regret giving something a go.

”

Rachael spoke about her experiences in Phnom Penh and offered advice for the Year 12 students in particular. She shared her concept of her ‘Life Survival Kit’ and how the elements of this can help you through. They included: don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life – most of us are still trying to figure it out; find a way to move in your daily life; remember the compliments; try not to worry so much; don’t waste your time on jealousy; and remember the importance of keeping in touch with those friends who are precious to you.

Rachael’s most important element of her ‘Life Survival Kit’ is to learn the art of taking leaps of faith. Not everything will happen easily. Not everything will work out perfectly.

Sometimes random decisions can work their magic, but at other times they will not. Never regret giving something a go - Rachael certainly hasn’t!

Rachael left the girls with one final comment: “I hope you all find your own little quirks and things to put into your survival kits, and in particular to the Class of 2015, I wish you the very best of luck.”

Speech Night 2015

17

FROM THE HEAD GIRL

“

BE BRIGHT. BE BOLD. BE YOU.

Be BRIGHT - Be a person who lights up every day, even those stormy days, especially those stormy days. Being bright means being positive and choosing to be happy. When you wake up each day ask yourself, how can I make this day bright?

Always look at the bright side to life and bring warmth to those you know. Help others see the adventure in each day. Be that ray of sunlight, so that everyone you meet walks away from you smiling.

Be BOLD - Challenge yourself every day. Don’t be afraid of failing.

Try new things and never doubt yourself. Most importantly, learn to be able to laugh at yourself when things don’t always go to plan.

Be YOU - Every ray of sunlight is different. Be proud of your quirkiness and what makes you, you. Don’t be afraid to let your talents shine. Uniqueness is beautiful. Radiate who you are and what you stand for.

Together, our individual rays of sunlight will combine to make 2016 a truly bright and brilliant year.

”

Above (l-r): Leah Horsley, Luca Daw, Amy Lawrance, Sabrina Koentgen, Mrs Brenda Miles, Angela Hewitt, Kira Molloy, Indira Kaiser.

18

Senior School News

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE HEAD GIRL? A huge honour that is both challenging and fun! I feel so privileged. I am learning and growing along the way.

Being able to get to do this in such an accepting and nurturing environment makes it all the more do-able.

I still get a little nervous speaking at assembly but there are always girls and teachers smiling at me from the audience. The buzz I get from making a room full of people smile, laugh and sometimes even sing and dance is hard to describe. Honestly, I have enjoyed every assembly so far and have managed to get the girls do to the strangest of things, from dances to chants.

BEST MEMORY OF ST MARY’S SO FAR? The Handover Assembly Being chosen Head Girl was the happiest and proudest I have ever felt. On the handover day, when Mrs Thomson announced my name, I was so overwhelmed and truly touched by the amount of love and genuine support that everyone at St Mary’s gave me.

The St Mary’s community is so unique and on this day I really saw how blessed I am to be a St Mary’s girl. To be honest with you, it’s hard to explain the emotions I felt on the day, but one thing that I know will always remain with me, was not the fact that I was elected Head Girl but rather, how happy and proud the rest of my year group and teachers were for me. It was so special; it was a day I will truly never forget.

The Fascinator Parade This was an initiative organised by Hannah Coopes, Georgia McAlpine and me, which involved a lot of preparation. During the week leading up to the Melbourne Cup our whole year group would go to the library in secret to make ‘funky’ fascinators (headbands with ribbon, fake flowers and all sorts of decorations attached). It was most entertaining making these fascinators and some of the designs were truly fantastic.

At lunchtime on the day of the Melbourne Cup, everyone was surprised by the appearance of a female jockey (me dressed in a bright pink jockey costume) and her racehorse (Hannah and Georgia dressed up in a combined horse outfit). Our whole year group came together on the boarders lawn in a flash mob style and strutted our stuff to some groovy hits from the 80s,

in front of almost the whole school. Laughter and hysteria were unavoidable. It was a great event and to top it all off, the Melbourne Cup was won by a female jockey, the first in its history.

MESSAGE TO THE YOUNGER STUDENTS? Don’t wait. Do it now! Give everything a go!

St Mary’s offers so many unique opportunities and who knows, you may even discover a new passion or make a new friend. Have courage to stand up for what you believe in and to be you. Have self-belief; what you think is your maximum potential is not even close.

Lastly, have fun; make the most of school life with all the beautiful people around you. Take time to appreciate every brilliant thing and remember to always be Bright, be Bold and be You! WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2016?

Inspiring others. Challenging myself and enjoying the roller coaster ride of Year 12. Making lasting memories with the year group of 2016, a group of the most energetic, supportive and unique girls I have ever known.

Senior School News

19

FIVE MINUTES

WITH HEAD OF YEAR 12,

MISS REBECCA WATTS

FIVE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE YOU? Kind Honest Optimistic Organised Dependable WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE HEAD OF YEAR 12?

I can honestly say that being Head of Year 12 is one of the best jobs I have ever had. Each day is very different from the day before. I get to organise lovely events like the school ball, meet with students who may need my support, plan activities for the year group, celebrate the amazing achievements of our students and help provide career advice for our girls as well. I love the diversity of my role and the fact that I get to make a personal connection with so many admirable and unique young women.

HOW DO YOU PREPARE GIRLS FOR THE NEXT STEP? Throughout the year our Year 12s are provided with a lot of information and support to help them navigate the next chapter in their lives. I arrange for representatives from universities and TAFEs to speak to the girls, we discuss gap year possibilities, review scholarship opportunities and I arrange for individual meetings with a careers consultant. Hopefully this all helps to make sure that each student feels very prepared for the next stage of her education, whatever that might entail.

MESSAGE TO THE CLASS OF 2016?

I would encourage the Class of 2016 to really think about what it is that they are passionate about and what they enjoy doing. If they can pursue this in their future careers, I have no doubt they will also find themselves being much more content with their lives and happy with the decisions they have made.

HOW DO WE SUPPORT OUR GIRLS ONCE THEY LEAVE THE GATES OF ST MARY’S? I think our Old Girls’ Association does a fantastic job of keeping in touch with our alumni. On top of this it is lovely to see so many past students return to St Mary’s to meet with teachers and get advice about their tertiary studies. This year I am very excited to be a part of our inaugural Year 13 breakfast. This breakfast is for our most recent St Mary’s graduates and is designed to allow these students to reconnect with the school, hear from the experiences of guest speakers who are themselves St Mary’s Old Girls and hopefully ask any questions that they might have about their future careers.

MESSAGES OF GRATITUDE Picture the most switched-on person you can. Now imagine that times a million. That is our Miss Watts.

She keeps us all up to date with her encyclopaedia of knowledge, and makes such an effort to get to know us and motivate us as individuals, all the while managing the year group and teaching Media. She is one extraordinary person.

Everything you could ever need, from a tissue in those stressful weeks, to a lunchtime dance festival, just for fun, Miss Watts is there and available for every single one of us.

Annabel Drabble Wittenoom House Prefect, Year 12 Miss Watts has been such a great support and mentor to me this year. She’s been unconditionally encouraging and helped me gain confidence in Media.

I am truly fortunate to have her as our Head of Year!

Nadia Raja Azmi Boarder, Year 12

20

Senior School News

Miss Watts has a genuine care for each of us in the year group and exudes so much love for her work and for us students. She does all in her power to help us get through the year smoothly and happily.

This includes sticky notes on lockers, lollipops and bubbles spread around the Year 12 area, and lunchtime ‘getting-to-know-you’ sessions with every Year 12 girl.

She makes us feel like we are at home.

Hannah Coopes Senior Day Girl, Year 12 Imagine a stormy sea filled with knee-length maroon skirts and extremely stressed Year 12s, throw in a solid rock (aka Miss Watts) into the sea and you have Year 12!

Miss Watts is our rock and is the solid constant in the hectic life of Year 12. Her calm attitude motivates girls to study, but also gives some life perspective when we need it most. Miss Watts cares about our insecurities and problems but most importantly, is always there to support us.

Petrice Pesick Lefroy Drama Captain, Year 12

KIRA-LEE AWARDED ATHLETICS SCHOL ARSHIP TO DUKE UNIVERSIT Y KIRA-LEE GMEINER (YEAR 12) HAS ACCEPTED A FULL SCHOLARSHIP COMMENCING IN 2017 TO DUKE UNIVERSITY IN DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES. THE SCHOLARSHIP, WHICH WILL INCLUDE TUITION, BOOKS, ROOM AND BOARD, FOOD AND HOCKEY EQUIPMENT, WILL BE RENEWED EACH YEAR, TO SUPPORT KIRA-LEE THROUGHOUT THE COMPLETION OF HER FOUR-YEAR DEGREE.

of the freshmen on the team. The next day the team played four games, so I got to see the pre-game routine and watch them play. After the games, I looked around campus and that night we went out to dinner with four of the team members. During my trip, I met the whole hockey team and got to know the coaching staff.

I met some of the athletic academic advisors and all the people who help out around hockey, including the weights coach and hockey-specific academic advisor.

To begin, I set up an online profile with the details of my hockey and academic achievements and began emailing various coaches, asking if they were looking for players.

I got in contact with Coach Pam Bustin, Duke’s hockey coach, and began emailing and Skyping her regularly, as I did with a few other coaches. I sat the SATs, gave the colleges my scores and transcripts, and Duke offered me the scholarship. I received a few offers from different colleges and was still in contact with many others when I decided to commit to Duke. For me, Duke was the obvious choice. They are ranked 8th out of all colleges in the US academically, and 4th for hockey, and it is the only college ranked that highly in both hockey and academics. The coaching staff and team seem very welcoming and like one big family.

At the moment I am not too sure what major I wish to pursue, but, I am looking at Public Policy or Cultural Anthropology with a certificate in Markets and Management Studies. At Duke, athletes cannot declare a major until they are in their second year so this gives me plenty of time to confirm what I want to do.

Recently, I flew to America with my Mum for an official visit to Duke University. Pam Bustin, the head field hockey coach at Duke, picked us up from the airport and took us straight to her office on campus, where we discussed things such as the team culture, extra things offered to athletes and recent developments at the college. We went to lunch with the girls and then met with one of the athletic academic advisors and went over some of the extra help provided for athletes. That night we went out for dinner with the coaches and two

In 2014, I went on a St Mary's student exchange to Laurel School in Cleveland, Ohio, which provided me with a small insight into what life in the USA is like, and gave me confidence that I am capable of being away from my family for extended periods. I also gained an American family when I went on exchange, who I visited while I was in the USA on my official visit. It makes my family and me feel better about my move, knowing I will have a family nearby. If anyone is considering going to the US for college, I would definitely recommend doing an exchange in Year 10 if they have the opportunity.

With this scholarship I hope to get the opportunity to develop my independence. It is also a great opportunity for me to earn an internationally-respected degree whilst doing what I love, playing hockey. My advice to other St Mary’s girls who might be considering applications for scholarships at overseas universities is to commit and take that first step. Just put yourself out there and start emailing coaches. I personally used the NCSA website (one based in the USA for recruiting) which I would highly recommend. I used this to build an online profile which coaches could view, and to find information on colleges and tips on how to contact coaches.

ISOBEL CRABB - YALE Congratulations to Isobel Crabb (Year 11) who has been accepted into the Biological and Biomedical Science session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Programme. The sessions will be held at Yale University campus in New Haven, Connecticut USA from 8 July – 21 July 2016.

The selection committee was overwhelmingly impressed by Isobel’s outstanding achievements, aspirations and enthusiasm. The applicant pool was the largest they had ever received, with applicants from over 115 different countries and all 50 U.S states.

Senior School News

21

Above (l-r): Alice Dolphin, Teale Lyon, Kira Molloy, and Delaney Eastabrook Right: Snapshots taken of the literacy App available on the Google Play Store

STUDENTS L AUNCH LITERACY APP TEALE LYON, KIRA MOLLOY, ALICE DOLPHIN AND DELANEY EASTABROOK (YEAR 11) HAVE LAUNCHED THEIR LITERACY APP, VOCABULARY VOYAGERS, ON THE GOOGLE PLAY STORE. THE GIRLS WERE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN FINALISTS IN THE 2015 SEARCH FOR THE NEXT TECH GIRL SUPERHERO, AND HAVE NOW MADE IT TO THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE GLOBAL TECHNOVATION CHALLENGE. OF THE 800 TEAMS PARTICIPATING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, 68 SECONDARY SCHOOL TEAMS ARE SEMI-FINALISTS.

The girls began developing the app as part of the 2015 Search for Next Tech Girl Superhero, a competition run by non-profit, Tech Girls Movement (TGM), which brings together girls from all over the country, to build and code their own apps, while also focusing on the business aspect.

The team’s coach, Mrs Michelle Fitzpatrick, is so proud of what the girls have achieved. "They had no app development experience 14 months ago. With continued dedication as a co-curricular pursuit, the team now has a viable entrepreneurial solution to a real community issue. I’ve been lucky to work with such an inspirational group of girls and how exciting it would be if they became our future leaders in technology."

22

Senior School News

Targeted at primary school students, Vocabulary Voyagers aims to extend vocabulary and improve reading comprehension by engaging students with a variety of fun learning games, which help children to build foundations which will aid literacy at a secondary level. These games will support students with their curriculum and NAPLAN tests.

The Lite version includes four specially designed games: Spelling Cannons, Walk the Plank, Anytime Reading and Punctuation Pirates. Development of Vocabulary Voyagers Pro is already underway, to offer opportunities to upgrade for new words, games, achievements, stories, characters, questions and added features.

PHOEBE TRACES ANZAC FOOTSTEPS IN MALAYSIA PHOEBE BLAXILL (YEAR 10) WAS AMONG TEN STUDENTS SELECTED FOR THE PREMIER’S 2016 ANZAC TOUR. SHE TOOK IN THE AREAS CRUCIAL TO THE AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCE DURING THE INDONESIA-MALAYSIA CONFRONTATION.

I feel very honoured to have been chosen as one of the ten students from across Western Australia to be part of the tour. It has left me a different person. During the tour we had a range of experiences with cultural, environmental and historical significance, but the one which really stood out for me was our experience of the Sandakan Death March.

On Thursday 21 April, we had a taste of what the 1047 Australian and British Prisoners of War (POWs) went through on the Sandakan Death March. The Sandakan Death March consisted of three forced marches, which took place towards the end of the war in 1945. The POWs, kept in Japanese-occupied Sandakan, were forced to do the marches because the Japanese wanted them to move from the coast and carry supplies inland.

The march stretched a gruelling 260 kilometres in a variety of landscapes, from flat grassland under the beating sun to finding a path through the dense jungle.

When we only had two kilometres left, we took the option to take our shoes off. This was a time when we really experienced the struggles faced by the

POWs. Despite our sturdy footwear, full stomachs, sun protection, insect repellent and quality clothes, we still struggled. We tripped over on rocks, but unlike the POWs, we had friends who were allowed to help us up.

We were tired and hungry, but unlike the POWs, we were healthy and had eaten. We had not spent months in a prison camp. We were hot and sweaty, but unlike the POWs, we had shade to rest under. We were bitten by insects, but unlike the POWs we had insect repellent and had had injections so we did not contract diseases such as dengue fever and malaria. We were scratched on our arms and legs, but unlike the POWs we had long clothing and antiseptic. All these thoughts came to mind as we pushed our way through. I cannot imagine how difficult it was for those starving and sick prisoners of war, to hike 260 kilometres of this pain. Very few actually completed this march, but I do not know how those few did it. This was just one morning of our jampacked tour. I highly recommend that other students enter the competition, to experience this once-in-alifetime opportunity.

Senior School News

23

IGSSA GIRLS COMPETE INTERNATIONALLY SOCCER I was chosen to represent St Mary’s in the China All Stars Tour, playing soccer in the Term 1 holidays. This tour took us to Beijing to play friendship games, which were for fun; there was no competition involved. After seven months of training, we headed off. When I was notified about being selected, I was very excited.

By the end of the five games our IGSSA team had improved greatly, were working better as a team and became closer friends. The challenging part about the games was communicating with the referees as none of them spoke English.

TENNIS Going to China to represent IGSSA for tennis was by far one of the best things I’ve ever experienced.

Competing internationally was amazing. I gained a lot of independence from this and improved my tennis.

We got to play all over Beijing and met the Under 15s State tennis players.

We also experienced Chinese culture, visiting the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven and the Forbidden City, and watched a Kung Fu and acrobatic show. We climbed one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Wall of China, which became my personal favourite. Many Chinese people had never seen a western person before, so everyone wanted to take pictures of us - we all felt like celebrities! This was a fantastic experience, and I am so grateful and glad that I got the opportunity to go on this trip and represent IGSSA.

Although this was a sporting tour, we had many chances to visit famous places around Beijing, such as the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, The Great Wall, Temple of Heaven and Tiananmen Square.

We were also exposed to traditional foods and entertainment.

This tour made me step out of my comfort zone and looking back on it now, makes me realise how fortunate I was to be involved in this trip.

Cassie Gibson

NETBALL My trip to Singapore was a once-in-a lifetime experience, and being exposed to a different culture is definitely something I recommend to everyone. The scenery in Singapore is on a completely different level to Australia and it was amazing to compare both countries. It was absolutely breathtaking!

On a personal note, competing internationally is definitely something I was extremely honoured to do.

The Singapore experience provided me with lots of knowledge, about how to work as a team and how to be an efficient leader, as I was captain of the IGSSA 2016 Netball team. I made a lot of new friends from other schools on the trip and overall I was proud to be a part of a team from Australia and compete against the Singaporeans in netball on an international level.

Lauren Brindal

Anisha Sharma

ISF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

AFL Congratulations to Jasmin Stewart (Year 12) who was captain of the WA Under 18s AFL Youth Girls National Championships team. Jasmin led the girls into the A-Section Grand Final at the MCG and was named one of the best on ground.

24

Senior School News

Congratulations to Jessica Ronan (Year 12) who recently returned from competing at the 2016 ISF World Schools Cross Country Championships held in Budapest in April. Jessica placed a creditable 22nd out of 69 competitors in a tough championship race. Although Jessica did not win an individual medal, she was able to return home to Perth with two team medals from these world championships.

The Australian girls team secured a silver medal in their championship race. The Australian team also received the Fair Play Medal, which was the only non-race award presented at the closing ceremony. This medal was voted on by all of the other competing countries and it was a unanimous vote for the entire Australian team of girls and boys.

EXCITING EXCURSIONS AND INCURSIONS

FOR JUNIOR SCHOOL STUDENTS

LEARNING OUTSIDE THE FOUR WALLS OF A CLASSROOM PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN EXPERIENCES WHERE THEY CAN USE THEIR SENSES TO DEVELOP KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND DEEP UNDERSTANDINGS OF THE TOPIC THEY ARE LEARNING ABOUT.

VISIT TO YANCHEP NATIONAL PARK In Term 1 the concept of Community was a topic of inquiry that was explored by all year levels. In Years 3 and 4 the girls delved further into Indigenous communities through time. Yanchep National Park provided the opportunity for the girls to look at Indigenous communities and culture through the immersion at the Wang Mia Meeting Place. They learnt about various dances and what they represented for the Nyoongar people. Seeing the spears, boomerangs, bows and arrows the Indigenous people used for hunting made the experience more real for the girls and this knowledge will help them gain a more insightful and deeper understanding of Indigenous communities.

Above (l-r): Jade Love, Siena Stasiw, Darcey McDonald, Cinzia De Mattia, Isabel Hurba

Exploring the lake and caves in the Yanchep National Park allowed the girls to envisage what the lives of the communities living in the area in the past were like. Climbing in and around the tunnels and crevices in the Crystal Cave, the girls were able to learn about stalactites and stalagmites and how they were formed.

Junior School News

25

ROBOGALS BRINGING EXPERTISE INTO THE SCHOOL IS A WAY FOR THE GIRLS TO BE IMMERSED IN NEW AND EXCITING EXPERIENCES.

The Robogals incursion allowed the girls to program robots with the guidance of experts.

Robogals is a student-run organisation from UWA that aims to increase female participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, through fun and educational initiatives aimed at girls in primary and secondary school. St Mary’s Junior School hosted four interactive workshops where the girls worked in small, collaborative groups alongside university engineering students. Together, our girls programmed their LEGO NXT robots to move and respond to sensor activity. If the noise level was an indicator of the excitement and engagement experienced during these sessions, we know it was time well spent.

We look forward to hosting more sessions throughout the year for other classes.

The Robogals incursion supports the LEGO EV3 Robotics programme that we already have in the Junior School, preparing girls for the “next level” of programming and logical thinking, and the further development of their “grit” when faced with problems that are challenging to solve. We are hoping that by Term 3 we are able to skill the girls up enough to send a team or two to the RoboCup Jr Competition “Dance-off” challenge.

Left: Lucy Cardaci

Above (l-r): Sophie Cunningham, Jasmyn Upfold and Katie Staple

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Junior School News

Above (l-r): Ella Muir, Siena Hamilton and Erin MacDonald

LEARNING AT ROTTNEST THE ANNUAL YEAR 6 CAMP TO ROTTNEST PROVIDES THE GIRLS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCOVER AND EXPLORE A WIDE RANGE OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS. HISTORY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA IS A FOCUS AS THE GIRLS LEARN ABOUT THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF THE ISLAND AND THE MANY BUILDINGS THAT STILL STAND TODAY. WHILST SITTING IN THE CHAPEL THAT WAS BUILT OVER 150 YEARS AGO THE GIRLS CAN IMAGINE THEMSELVES BACK IN THOSE DAYS. READING THE NOVEL ‘JACK’S ISLAND’ AND VISITING ALL THE LOCATIONS THAT THE AUTHOR WRITES ABOUT AS HIS FATHER WAS GROWING UP, ENABLES THEM TO ENVISAGE THE ISLAND IN THOSE TIMES. LEARNING HOW TO LOCATE GEOCACHES REQUIRES THEM TO DEMONSTRATE WONDERFUL CHARACTER SKILLS SUCH AS GRIT AND DETERMINATION.

Above (l-r): Rebecca Garas, Rhiannon Furnell, Alexandria Moncrieff, Sophie Wheeler, Jessica Hunter and Chloe Ryan Left (l-r): Caitlin McIlveen, Amelia Baxendale, Serafina Astone, Vivian Tran and Grace Morgan

Junior School News

27

Above (l-r): Angela Doheny, Hollie Bertolini, Bridie Stiles and Casssidy Klifunis Inset: Sophia Cebis and Bridget J McKinley

DOWN TO METRICUP THIS YEAR THE GIRLS IN YEAR 5 HEADED TO METRICUP FOR THEIR CAMP, FOLLOWING THE PREVIOUS YEAR’S YEAR 4 MOTHER/DAUGHTER CAMP. THE GIRLS WERE VERY EXCITED TO BE RETURNING TO METRICUP, KNOWING THAT THEIR DAYS WOULD BE FULL OF ADVENTURE AND EXCITEMENT.

Continuing the inquiry concept of sustainability, the girls explored two main topics with John Anderson from the Department of Parks and Wildlife. ‘Living with Fire’ introduced the girls to the methods of bushfire prevention, mitigation and suppression, and they learned the importance of being prepared. The girls learned important information about when, where and why bushfires occur and the impact different types of fire have on native flora and fauna, and on the human communities. Armed with this knowledge the girls conducted a bushfire assessment of the Metricup site, measuring fire fuel, slope and accessibility of the site. The next day we travelled to Yelverton where they saw evidence of a controlled burn and then onto Prevelly, which was devastated by bushfire in 2011. The remains of historic Wallcliffe House demonstrated how unpredictable fire can be, with devastating results.

The girls’ awareness of threatened native fauna was raised through the session, where scientific methods of trapping and data collection were explained and demonstrated to the group.

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Junior School News

Above (l-r): Emma Pearson (’97), Lynette Taylor (Acting Head of Music), Grace Walker (Music Prefect) and Jessica Gethin (Walker ’97)

MUSIC UNDER THE STARS

AT ST MARY’S

ON SUNDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2016, OVER 800 MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY WERE GATHERED WITH PICNICS ON THE LAWNS OF ST MARY’S AND SETTLED IN FOR AN EVENING OF ENTERTAINMENT BY ST MARY’S AND HALE MUSICIANS AND SPECIAL GUESTS.

Students from Year 5 through to Year 12 and beyond were on stage to perform for a very appreciative audience. There was truly something for every taste, with the concert band, three choirs, string orchestras, a dance item and our special guests. It was a delight to welcome back Year 12 dance students from 2015 to perform, and Music Prefects from 2013, 2014 and 2015, who created an ensemble especially for the event.

Internationally-acclaimed musicians, and former St Mary’s students, Emma Pearson (’97) and Jessica Gethin (Walker ’97), joined band, orchestral and choral musicians of St Mary’s and Hale School, as they performed a series of popular classics. Their 2016 return follows an impressive year for both artists. Ms Pearson wowed Perth audiences at His Majesty’s Theatre with her performance as Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro, last July, after returning from Germany’s Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden, where she was principal artist from 2005 until 2014. Ms Gethin won the 2015 Brian Stacey Emerging Conductor Award, and was accepted into the Institute of Women Conductors, commencing with the Dallas Opera (USA).

welcome them back to the school’s stage. “It was always obvious that Jess and Emma would be outstanding musicians. They were a joy to teach and I am so proud of what they have both achieved.”

All proceeds from the evening went to Street Connect, an Anglican programme which assists, supports and educates 15-25 year-old homeless and street-present young people in Perth. A total of over $7000 was raised for this cause.

Mrs Lynette Taylor, Acting Director of Music at St Mary’s, taught both performers and was delighted to

95th Birthday Events

29

v

Above: Alisa Camplin with Lilia Bradley

Above (l-r): Principal Lynne Thomson, Alisa Camplin and Ron Farris, Chairman of the Board of Management of the St Mary's Anglican Girls' School Foundation

Above (l-r): Jacinta Bray, Alisa Camplin and Tiffany Bray (Sears ’91)

Above (l-r): Shanyna Panar, Alisa Camplin and Sahil Panar

ALISA CAMPLIN OAM INSPIRES

THE ST MARY’S COMMUNIT Y

ON TUESDAY, 15 MARCH 2016, THE ST MARY’S COMMUNITY WAS TRULY INSPIRED BY ALISA CAMPLIN OAM, WHEN SHE DELIVERED THE 2016 BISHOP RILEY MEMORIAL LECTURE, AS PART OF OUR 95TH BIRTHDAY CALENDAR OF EVENTS.

Alisa Camplin, who was Australia’s first female Winter Olympics Gold Medallist in 2002 and is now a successful businesswoman, shared her inspiring story of determination, passion, resilience, self-belief and leadership. She has also turned heart-wrenching personal adversity into an opportunity to improve the lives of others, raising money through her charity, Finnan’s Gift.

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95th Birthday Events

Alisa’s talk provided an insightful look into the methods and attitudes she has adopted to achieve her own impressive successes, including her goal-setting pyramid.

Thanks to Alisa Camplin, for sharing her inspiring story, and to the St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School Foundation, who generously sponsored the Bishop Riley Memorial Lecture. Proceeds from the gold coin donation at the door were donated to Anglicare.

MUMS AND DADS BREAKFASTS ST MARY’S PARENTS HAVE BEEN LEFT INSPIRED BY THE GUEST SPEAKERS AT THE FIRST EVER DADS-ONLY BREAKFAST, AND THE INAUGURAL MUMS BREAKFAST.

On Monday 4 April, Mrs Lynne Thomson welcomed over 100 dads, while Danny Green spoke about his life as a professional boxer and his one-punch campaign. On Friday 6 May, the Deputy Premier the Hon. Liza Harvey MLA attended the mums breakfast and spoke about her life and passion for politics. The breakfasts gave parents the opportunity to catch up and enjoy a delicious meal.

95th Birthday Events

31

EVENING OF EMINENCE AN EVENING OF EMINENCE CERTAINLY LIVED UP TO ITS NAME! WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WELCOMING BACK TO THE SCHOOL HEAD GIRLS, SENIOR DAY GIRLS, SENIOR BOARDERS, DEPUTY HEAD GIRLS, YEAR 12 DUXES, RUNNER-UP YEAR 12 DUXES, ARCHBISHOP RILEY PRIZE WINNERS AND GENERAL EXHIBITION WINNERS.

These former school leaders and high flying academics shared in the celebrations of the school’s birthday. It was lovely to see such a diverse age range, with leavers from the Class of 1948 through to current students from the Class of 2016, and some flying in from over east to join us for the evening. Our Old Girls of Eminence were invited to submit stories of their lives beyond the gates of St Mary’s. We had such an overwhelming response that they will be collated into a booklet and distributed to invitees later in the year.

Our guest speaker for the evening, Lianne Leung (’13), Head Girl, Dux and General Exhibition winner, shared with guests her very personal journey upon leaving

Below (l-r): Sharmistha Bose (’81), Delys Johnston (Worthington ’82), Linda Worthington (’80), Sue Van Dyke (Robertson ’80) and Jane Crisp (Cyprian ’81)

Above (l-r): Keely Johnson (’13), Lianne Leung (’13) and Angela Mei (’13)

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95th Birthday Events

St Mary’s and the challenges she has experienced.

The toast to St Mary’s was delivered by Old Girl, Jane Milloy (’72), Deputy Head Girl and Senior Boarder. Jane reminisced about our ‘Grand Old Lady’ in her 95th year, the events she has weathered, the students’ experiences over that time and more importantly, the community that has developed and remains strong today.

As we move through our 95th year it becomes more apparent just how important our St Mary’s community is and just how far we have come from the days of West Perth.

Below (l-r): Carissa Kanakis (Psaros ’02), Anna Mulholland (’02) and Barbara Kerr (’69)

Above (l-r): Clare Barber (Smith ’85), Roslyn Cull (Grant ’85), Trina Lane (Davis ’85) and Reverend Joyce Polson

Below: (l-r): Emily Twigger (’11), Anna Burch (’11), Claudia Tatlow (’11) and Libby Weeda (’11)

Below (l-r): Rubin Trehan (’10), Joan Karmelita and Nandika Manchanda (’07)

Below (l-r): Dana Trtica (‘63), Jennifer Taylor (Hogg ’72), Ngaire Jones (’65), Rosa McGillivray (Tilbrook ’67) and Margaret Bell (Mooney ’67)

Above (l-r): Bethwyn Graham (Blizard ’59), Diane Porter (Wardle ’60) and Jenny Shaw (’76)

Above (l-r): Cheryl Haak, Thisuri Jayawardena (’11) and Emma Turner (’12)

95th Birthday Events

33

CELEBRATING ON 17 NOVEMBER 2015, TEACHING AND NON-TEACHING STAFF WHO HAVE SERVED THE SCHOOL FOR 20 YEARS OR MORE WERE HONOURED AT A SPECIAL CELEBRATION. MRS THOMSON UNVEILED A NEW HONOUR BOARD, RECORDING EACH OF THEIR NAMES, IN SENIOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION. WE THANK EACH AND EVERY STAFF MEMBER FOR THEIR LONG SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND GIRLS’ SCHOOL, ST MARY’S WEST PERTH AND ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL, KARRINYUP, AND CELEBRATE THE CONTRIBUTION THEY HAVE MADE TO THE EDUCATION OF GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS.

Far left (l-r): Sue Snowdon and Rae Smith Left (l-r): Lynne Malone (Eakins ’66), Jane Moore, Maria Stannage and Cheryl Haak (Deputy Principal) Below (l-r): Sharon Martyn, Sue Martin and Lynley Cameron

Above (l-r): Anita Verne and Anthea Bivoltsis Right (l-r): Helen Adams, Marg Brede, Sandra Bolton and Margaret Field – all Heads of the Junior School from 1970 to the current day

34

95th Birthday Events

ST MARY’S STAFF ON SUNDAY 15 MAY ST MARY’S WELCOMED BACK FORMER AND LONG SERVING STAFF AS PART OF OUR 95TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS. GUESTS ENJOYED A DELICIOUS HIGH TEA IN THE POLSON ROOM AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMINISCE WITH COLLEAGUES.

This year, four current members of staff marked 20 years’ service to St Mary’s. Lisa Clarko (’80), Shana Pell, Lynette Taylor and Margaret Tolley were recognised for their contribution to the school with the presentation of a special gift.

Their names are recorded on the Long Serving Staff Honour Board in Senior School Administration.

Above: Sherron Wake, Toni Criddle, Jaye Modra (Penny ’71) and Wendy Naude

Above: Anne McNamara, Caroline Tung and Suad Majrouh (’01)

Above back row (l-r): Thelma Simpson, Rosemary Headland, Margaret Tolley, Kaye Barrett, Julie Pendergrast, Annette Samuel front row (l-r): Shirley Gale, Maxine Morrell, Pauline Hazell and Ronda Beck Top left: Marg Tolley and Lynette Taylor Left: Lisa Clarko (’80) and Shana Pell

95th Birthday Events

35

OUT and

ABOUT

q GRANDES BELLES

On Saturday 19 March, we welcomed over 80 Grandes Belles for the annual High Tea in The Polson Room. Maddy Kong (’15) pianist and Maia Van Kampen (’15) cellist, made a special guest appearance and performed for the afternoon. Ladies were treated to a lovely selection of macarons, scones, delicious finger sandwiches and magnificent pastries by St Mary’s own chef, Eric Barlette.

Above (clockwise from front): Pauline Kong (blue dress), Fe Kitney, Lakshmi Balakrishnan, Lee Chen, Marilyn Gardner, Leonie Davis, Gabi Seuss, Sarah Coney

Above (l-r): Geraldine Drabble, Karen Fairbairn, Marthe Smith, Deborah Scanlon, Dawn Rudduck and Holly Coopes

Above (clockwise from back): Penny Bradbury, Jill Charlish, Raelene Ormsby and Nicolle Parker

36

Out and About

Above back row (l-r): Connie White and Dimi Martino Front row (l-r): Anne Corbett, Maya Swailes and Claire Gray

Above (l-r): Lynne Thomson, Elizabeth Price, Sandra McAlpine, Reverend Gerry Nixon, Jackie O’Malley, Shelley Civitico, Margaret Jago, Louise Burch, Mimi Leung and Julie Martin

COUNTRY GATHERINGS q DINNER IN ESPERANCE - 20 FEBRUARY 2016

q LUNCH IN KOJONUP - 3 APRIL 2016

Above: Neal O'Halloran and Lachlan Reid

Far left (l-r): Russell McKay, Jon and Felicity Beasley Left (l-r): Lisa Saunders and Sonia Addis

Out and About

37

q DINNER AND MORNING TEA IN BROOME 7 - 8 MAY 2016

Above: John and Alison Silver

Above: Mary Waldron (’06) and Garry Waldron

q LUNCH IN DALWALLINU 30 APRIL 2016

Above: Gene and Mandy Hannington

Clockwise (l-r): Kathy, Josh, Mikayla and Bianca Rogers

Below (l-r): Megan Dawson, Lisa Manuel, Christine Mincherton and Margaret Lawson

Above: Tina Campbell and Leanne McAlpine

38

Out and About

PARENTS’ SOCIET Y A WARM SUMMER NIGHT IN FEBRUARY PROVIDED THE PERFECT SETTING FOR OUR ANNUAL PARENTS’ SOCIETY SUNDOWNER. IT WAS A LOVELY EVENING ATTENDED BY PARENTS AND STAFF, ALL ENJOYING THE DELICIOUS FOOD PREPARED BY THE SCHOOL’S VERY OWN CHEF ERIC. WE ALL VALUE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MEET AND TALK WITH SO MANY ST MARY’S PARENTS, AND WE HOPE THAT IT PROVIDES A FRIENDLY, RELAXED OCCASION TO WELCOME OUR NEW FAMILIES INTO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

ST MARY’S AUXILIARY THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTED WITH A BLAST IN 2016, WITH THE ELECTION OF OUR EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, INCLUDING DAWN RUDDUCK (CONTINUING SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT), DAINA DE MATTIA (JUNIOR VICE PRESIDENT) AND OTHER IMPORTANT ROLES FILLED WITH AMAZING CONTRIBUTORS. THE AUXILIARY IS COMPLETE WITH VOLUNTEERS FROM EACH YEAR GROUP WHO, IN THEIR ROLES AS CLASS REPRESENTATIVES, CREATE AND HOST FUN AND DIVERSIFIED ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR EACH YEAR GROUP. KEEP AN EYE OUT AND PARTICIPATE IN THE FUN WHEN YOU CAN.

In my second year as President I would like to thank all of the volunteers who support the Auxiliary throughout the year. It takes all kinds of people with a variety of skills to pull our fundraising efforts together each term.

Above: Claire Corkery, Vanessa Hallett, Kate McAuliffe, Ashleigh Thompson and Sonja Vaswani

The committee added another event to our calendar this year, and for the first time we ran a sausage sizzle at Music under the Stars. It was our pleasure to provide this catering option to families at such a beautiful event showcasing our talented students, and we hope to make this a regular fixture.

The Parents’ Society continues to fund a range of purchases for various school departments on your behalf, made possible by the voluntary parents levy. These contributions enable us to fund items that are deemed beneficial to the school and our girls, facilitating and supporting the rich learning environment they all enjoy. In the past twelve months we have directed funding towards robotic and coding initiatives in both the Junior and Senior Schools, among many other things.

At the Board of Governors function last November, we had great pleasure in awarding Necia Drazevic an Honorary Life Membership. Necia represented the Old Girls’ Association on our committee, and has been an invaluable member of the Parents’ Society and the school community for many years.

We would like to encourage everyone to come along to our meetings during the year. These meetings provide a unique opportunity for discussion with both Mrs Thomson and Mrs Adams, the chance to be part of the funding decision process, and the pleasure of volunteering with a group of parents who are passionate about our school community.

With this busy celebratory year well underway, we look forward to sharing more of the fun of St Mary’s 95th birthday with you all, and thank you for your continued support.

Thank you also to the school community outside of the Auxiliary who attend the events we run. Our luncheon, held at Matisse Bar on Friday 1 April, was a huge success. Great food, shopping, a drink or two, friends and raffle prizes. What more could one want in a day out with friends?

Another highlight was the running of a slushy day to fund a Thermomix for the Junior School canteen. In the heat of the summer, over 260 slushies were made and enjoyed. It was a great team effort.

Coming up this year is our annual Cancer Foundation Biggest Morning Tea, the Devonshire Tea stall at the fair, Grandparents Day celebrations and other events.

Find a way to be involved and enjoy the St Mary’s community.

Angie Powell President of St Mary’s Auxiliary

Above (l-r): Daina De Mattia (Junior Vice President), Angie Powell (President) and Dawn Rudduck (Senior Vice President) Right(l-r): Kristine Gillmore and Megan McCaw

Tanya Hazelden President of the Parents’ Society Parents’ Society and St Mary’s Auxiliary

39

OLD GIRLS’ PRESIDENT’S REPORT WHAT A FANTASTIC 90TH ANNIVERSARY THE OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION HAD IN 2015.

AS MY FIRST YEAR AS PRESIDENT IT WAS CERTAINLY BUSY AND VERY REWARDING.

We held many events during the year, with our final celebration being a Committee Reunion held in November in the Marlene Carter Heritage Centre. It was lovely to connect with past committee members, and the highlight of the evening was bestowing Honorary Life Membership on Bree Buxton (’97). Fellow HLM Jane Gillon (Fisher ’70), had the privilege of awarding the honour to Bree and highlighting her commitment and achievements during her 17 years of service to the Old Girls’ Association. Bree ‘joined’ the committee at the Valedictory Dinner when she had the opportunity to sit next to then OGA Chair, Jane Gillon. From then on, there was no stopping Bree! She has held the position of Treasurer of the OGA since 2007 and is also a member of the Board of Management of the Foundation, an involvement that started in 2007, and she has been the Vice Chairman Junior since 2013. Her passion for St Mary’s is undeniable and she is a true ambassador for our school community.

In October I had the pleasure of attending the Valedictory Service and Dinner and welcoming our newest members, the Class of 2015. It was a night full of memories, shared experiences, thanks, excitement and anticipation. The girls should be proud of their time at St Mary’s and also their amazing results. We look forward to their ongoing association with the Old Girls and wish them all the best in the next chapter of their lives.

In 2016 we are celebrating Old Girls’ Day on Saturday 17 September. The day will include the ‘St Mary’s Ball Gowns through the Decades’ Parade, so if you have a gown you can loan for the occasion I encourage you to do so. Details can be found on page 42.

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 2016 as the school celebrates its 95th birthday.

Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94) President of the Old Girls’ Association REMAINING OGA MEETING DATES FOR 2016 We still have 3 OGA committee meetings left for the year and all Old Girls are welcome to attend.

Meetings are held in the Seminar Room in the Senior School Administration Building from 7.00pm on the following Tuesdays: 9 August

13 September

8 November

Above: Peta-Jane Secrett (Hogg ’98), Bree Buxton (’97) and Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94)

Above (l-r): Andrea Granich (Grace ’68), Janine Sadler (Lewis ’70), Jane Bolton (Churack ’84), Barb Tate (current parent), Janie Borrill (Clapin ’80), Penny Chellew (Devine ’70), Robin Cole (Morris ’68) and Wendy Price (Newman ’66)

IGSSA TENNIS

A great day of tennis in perfect weather was held at Reabold Tennis Club on 24 March 2016. This year’s tournament was hosted by MLC and the St Mary’s team finished 5th. Well done to our tennis stars and thank you for participating. If you would like to join the team for next year please contact Penny Chellew (Devine ’70) via email penny.chellew@bigpond.com

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Old Girls’ President’s Report

Above: Barbara Sewell (Parker ’65), Hannah Jago (’07) and Margaret Jago (Parker ’67)

KEEPING THE ST MARY’S

NETWORK STRONG

AS THE PROVERB GOES, IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD. WE AT ST MARY’S ARE A PART OF THE COMMUNAL EFFORT IN THE UPBRINGING OF EACH OF OUR GIRLS AND WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THEM LONG AFTER THEY HAVE LEFT THE ‘PHYSICAL’ GATES OF ST MARY’S.

A St Mary’s education is not just about curriculum or the maroon uniform, but it also encompasses the support networks, friendships and knowledge that the girls develop during their time here, that they will come to rely on once they leave the gates of St Mary’s. Those first few months and even years away from the routine of St Mary’s can be daunting and having a familiar face to talk to can be a huge help.

Through our diverse Old Girls’ networks we try to offer our students and recent graduates the support they need when making those decisions about what to do, which course, which uni/college, do I study or take a gap year … the questions never seem to stop, but rather, they become more varied and complex.

Our Old Girls have walked in their shoes and the path is extremely familiar to most. It is from this experience that they are able to offer assistance: speaking to current and former students at various events, sharing their experiences and advice; one-on-one chats; OGA Ambassadors helping other Old Girls getting settled into a new city or region. Those Old Girls who assist us do so as volunteers, and without their selflessness and willingness to support and help their fellow St Mary’s girls we could not do what we do.

To find out how you can share your advice and experiences with current students and Old Girls, speak at an Insight Breakfast or if you have a suggestion for other ways that we can support our Old Girls, please let us know at oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au or phone (08) 9341 9132.

TWO OF OUR OLD GIRLS SHARE THEIR REASONS FOR TAKING PART IN THE YEAR 11 AND 12 INSIGHT BREAKFASTS.

Aislinn Kowald (’12) – Studying double major in Commerce and Engineering at Curtin University “I really enjoy returning to St Mary’s to speak with the girls still wearing maroon.

I loved my time at St Mary’s and I feel that coming back to share some advice and give the girls some insight into life after school can be really valuable for them. It’s also interesting to hear what their questions are about. I wish they had the Insight Breakfast programme when I was in Year 11 and 12. I was never too certain as to what I wanted to do and speaking to girls not that far removed from your situation would have been a nice way to gain more understanding of life after school.”

Rubin Trehan (’12) – Studying Law at the University of Western Australia “The benefit of attending St Mary's extends far beyond the excellent teaching quality, the variety of extracurricular opportunities and the genuine care the school shows for individual development.

You also become part of a community of such diverse and inspiring women, and this benefit stays with you well after finishing school.

I can point to a number of speeches made by Old Girls during assemblies and Speech Nights that influenced and motivated me. When I started my law degree at UWA there were Old Girls willing to help me pick my majors and give me study tips. And now that I am nearing the end of my degree and looking to enter the profession, there are so many Old Girls to network with and seek out as mentors. Just last week, after seeing that I attended St Mary's on my LinkedIn profile, an Old Girl who is a Senior Associate at a law firm, asked me if I wanted to catch up for a coffee.

I feel so lucky to be part of our St Mary's community, and love any opportunity to give back and support current students, as other Old Girls have done for me.”

1965 REUNION OUR HIGH TEA REUNION, ORGANISED BY JAN STEWART (ELLIOTT ’65), MARGARET TRINDER (HULME ’65) AND CHERYL MILLER (LAMPLUGH ’65), WAS HELD ON SATURDAY 25 OCTOBER AT ST MARY’S HALL, WEST PERTH – THE ADDRESS, IF NOT THE ACTUAL PLACE, OF OUR SCHOOL DAYS.

Twenty eight ladies gathered to reminisce about old times, catch up on current times and all that has happened in our lives in the past 50 years. The afternoon was spent chattering and laughing, sharing both good and not so good memories. A poem, written and read by Lesley Horn (Neil ’65), entitled “A Boarder’s Lament” was appreciated by all and had us in fits of laughter.

The time passed all too quickly and at the end of a very enjoyable afternoon, we decided that we will arrange a gettogether each year as none of us is getting any younger! Friendships were rekindled, email addresses gathered and circulated, and for those who were unable to attend, photos were sent, information shared and a promise to keep in touch.

Had we changed much? Not really. We may have reached the age of maturity but underneath we were still the same girls who’d left St Mary’s in 1965.

To read Cheryl’s full article and a poem from Lesley Horn (Neil ’65) Cheryl Miller (Lamplugh ’65) visit www.stmarys.wa.edu.au/class-1965-celebrate-50-years

Old Girls’ News and Events

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OLD GIRLS’ DAY 2016 SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School Book your ticket at www.trybooking.com/ JUKP or contact us for more information.

Official invitations will be sent closer to the date.

At Old Girls’ Day 2016 we are inviting Old Girls to step back in time as we bring to life ‘St Mary’s Ball Gowns through the Decades’. You will enjoy morning tea with friends, the 95th Birthday Chapel Service and a delicious lunch, where we will help you relive your memories of your school dance.

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL DANCE?

Please contact us if you would be willing to lend us your dress for the parade or if you would like to share any photos or stories about the dance or dress: telephone (08) 9341 9132 or email us at oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au

School Ball 1994 (l-r): Katy Keddie (Knowles ’94), Felicity Smith (Lunt ’94), Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94), Amy Dixon (Paterson ’94) and Rashan Purcell (’94)

CONNECT WITH US: UPCOMING EVENTS TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST OR FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT US AT OGA@STMARYS.WA.EDU.AU OR TELEPHONE (08) 9341 9132.

CLASS OF 1996 REUNION SATURDAY 22 OCTOBER 2016

St Ives Estate, Jolimont Please contact Lynne Malone (Eakins ’66) on lmalone2@bigpond.com

Senior Day Girls from Mr Chidgey’s and Miss Watts’ era are invited to attend a reunion breakfast. Please ensure that your contact details are up to date so that you don’t miss out on your invitation.

CLASS OF 1976 REUNION SATURDAY 17 SEPTEMBER 2016

The Boulevard, Floreat Please contact Marisa Bellantoni (Mavromatis ’96) on missymb79 @gmail.com, Nikoli Hutchinson (Cornell ’96) on nikoli@bigpond. com or Perisse Paradiss (Spartalis ’96) on perisseparadiss@gmail.com

St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School Please contact Jenny Shaw (’76) on baronie-shaw@bigpond.com

CLASS OF 2011 REUNION SATURDAY 13 AUGUST

THE FLEURS DE LIS MORNING TEA WEDNESDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2016

www.trybooking.com/191591

SENIOR DAY GIRLS BREAKFAST SUNDAY 31 JULY 2016

We are looking forward to welcoming all of our Old Girls, prior to 1965, for an end-of-year gettogether.

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CLASS OF 1966 REUNION SUNDAY 26 JUNE 2016

CLASS OF 1981 REUNION SATURDAY 15 OCTOBER CLASS OF 1986 REUNION SATURDAY 10 SEPTEMBER

Davvero Restaurant www.trybooking.com/LKUS

Old Girls’ News and Events

The Polson Room, St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School Please contact us at oga@stmarys.wa.edu.au

Above: London reunion

OLD GIRLS REUNITING ACROSS THE GLOBE OUR LOCATION-BASED REUNIONS ARE A FABULOUS WAY FOR OUR OLD GIRLS TO RECONNECT WITH EACH OTHER AND A REMINDER THAT YOU ARE NEVER FAR FROM THE FRIENDLY FACE OF A ST MARY’S GIRL.

With so many of our Old Girls working and studying in a diverse range of disciplines and industries around the world, the reunions show the strength of the Old Girls’ network and the importance of staying connected.

So far during our 95th year Mrs Thomson has held three reunions away from St Mary’s, in Sydney, Canberra and London.

We had a fabulous turnout at all three events, with many Old Girls, who had just relocated, getting to know each other. Our Ambassadors for these regions also came along and were able to offer some advice to the newbies and also put a friendly face to the name in the emails!

Above: Sydney reunion, Elissa Hansen (Samuel ’89), Nicole James (Heales ’98) and Nikki Stamp (’98)

Above: Canberra reunion, Lauren Cant (’13), Melita Parker (’06) and Jane Gellel (Mellor ’84) Right: Canberra reunion, Grace Richardson (Snook ’48) and Helen Campbell (Willis ’54)

Above: Sydney reunion, Kayelene Fowler (Couper ’81) and Tina Stacey (’81)

Above: Sydney reunion, Maya Koentgen (’14) and Tracey Sigler (Langridge ’81)

Old Girls’ News and Events

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LIFE AFTER ST MARY’S ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING ASPECTS OF OUR ROLES AS STAFF AT ST MARY’S IS HEARING ABOUT OUR OLD GIRLS FINDING THEIR WAY IN THE WORLD AND HOW THEY ARE UTILISING THEIR OLD GIRLS’ NETWORK AND KNOWLEDGE BASE TO ACHIEVE THIS. WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF OUR GIRLS AND IT IS HEART-WARMING TO SHARE THE GIRLS’ EXPERIENCES AND PASSIONS. IN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES EIGHT OF OUR OLD GIRLS SHARE THEIR STORIES OF THEIR ‘LIVES AFTER ST MARY’S’.

AIMEE KAYE (’01) I still remember during a Year 12 leadership camp, being asked to role play myself in ten years’ time – I played an economist at the World Bank. Looking back, I don’t know why I said ‘economist’ as it was really the first time I’d envisioned anything other than ‘engineer’. But it’s now 15 years later, and while I’ve never worked for the World Bank, I am an economist. More importantly, I’ve had an amazing time studying, working and living in six cities spanning four continents.

Since May 2015, I’ve called Boston home, where I live with my fiancé, and work for a large fund manager, analysing economic, financial and political developments in China, Europe, and the Middle East. I absolutely love the dynamism of financial markets - one minute I’ll be thinking about Iranian geopolitics, and the next I’ll be writing about the Chinese Yuan. There’s always more to learn.

Prior to Boston I was based in Sydney, Singapore and New York. I’ve had my work published as an example of bestpractice responsible investment by the UN; assigned one of the first credit ratings to Cuba; and interacted with central bankers across Asia. One of my most surreal experiences was giving an economic presentation to 800 people in Bangkok … right after they’d watched a Gangnam Style dance number! Equalled only in bizarreness, perhaps, by some of my travel experiences in places like Uzbekistan.

KATE PHILLIPS (’02) On leaving St Mary’s I took a gap year, which I spent in part at Westover School in Connecticut, a school with which St Mary’s has a long connection. I then studied Science and Law at the Australian National University before working at the Attorney‑General’s Department in Canberra, developing policy to fight financial crime.

I am now back in the United States, finishing my Masters in Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

I came back to study because, in my work developing legal policy, I became concerned that I did not have the skillset to rigorously assess the impact of policy changes.

Here at HKS I have become fascinated by the emerging

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Life After St Mary’s

The past 15 years have involved an awful lot of seeking out and saying ‘yes’ to new opportunities. ‘Yes’ to a project on carbon pricing, which eventually led to me presenting at conferences as an Australian expert. ‘Yes’ to meeting new people who eventually became new friends, and yes to new experiences that eventually became new hobbies – swing dancing, cheese-making, board gaming, hiking! Perhaps the biggest of all was ‘yes’ to up and move to America. Of course, it’s often equal parts exhilarating and exhausting.

Things haven’t always worked out as planned. But it has been a truly joyful adventure.

field of behavioural economics. A blend of economics and psychology, behavioural economics considers the way in which we humans systematically act irrationally.

Understanding how and why we depart from rationality is extremely important to policymakers because it enables us to be mindful of these limitations as we craft policy. I plan to return to government after my MPP, using insights from behavioural science to optimise public policy.

Thinking back on my time at St Mary’s, the thing that has really stuck with me is the people. I haven’t lived in Perth for 13 years now, but whenever I come home and catch up with my school friends we just pick up where we left off.

That’s quite incredible considering we became friends more than half my lifetime ago. Similarly, most weeks I reflect on something I learned from my teachers at school. Perhaps the most powerful lesson I learned at St Mary’s was from Mrs Peirce, who taught me that nothing is written, read, or understood in a vacuum, and the critical importance of understanding the context from which a person comes, or in which something occurs.

JASMINE WONG (’05) My name is Jasmine and I am a graduate of the Class of 2005.

Since leaving St Mary’s I have embarked on a wonderful journey round the world. I moved to Dublin, Ireland to study Medicine, and after graduating in 2012, I moved to the west of Ireland and completed my internship at Limerick Regional Hospital, Ireland. After this time of living away from my family, who are based in Singapore, I moved back to Singapore and completed my initial training in pathology. I have just moved back to Perth and currently am doing Emergency Medicine at Royal Perth Hospital.

When I was at St Mary’s, I had no clue about what I wanted to do, yet I knew I didn’t want to do a regular 9 to 5 job after my Year 10 work experience week.

Medicine is a complex yet fascinating field where

changes and new discoveries are made every day - perfect for the inquisitive mind! It has been an arduous and long journey but I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. The field is so vast and you could be doing anything, ranging from emergency medicine to psychiatry to laboratory medicine. There is always something for everyone. Being a doctor is a dynamic and challenging job, but it is also extremely fulfilling and life-enriching. The intense and intimate nature of a doctor-patient relationship is a unique and special bond of trust forged within minutes during a standard clinical encounter. The challenges I face on a daily basis are put aside when I see the trust my patients put in me. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to care for others and provide relief in their times of need.

To the Year 11 and Year 12s, don’t fret about what you want to do in the future. Life is a wonderful journey and discovering your path in life will be filled with surprises and excitement. Enjoy the journey and you will get to your destination, wherever that may be.

ALEXIS (LEX) T YSON (’08) I have had an amazing past year. Not only did I win the Channel Nine Award for Excellence in Directing and the People’s Choice Award for Godot’s Clinic at the WA Screen Academy Awards but I am also currently working on a documentary series for the ABC’s iview.

Since leaving St Mary’s I started a Law degree, moved to Melbourne, returned to Perth, completed a commerce degree and then quit my office job on St Georges Terrace to pursue my passion for film.

Last year I completed my Masters in film at the WA Screen Academy. Whilst I was there, I won Channel Nine’s Award for Excellence in Directing for my Short Film Godot’s Clinic which also won Channel Nine’s People’s Choice Award.

Now, I guess, I’m an emerging West Australian female director…

And my typical day is anything from typical.

But let’s just take today:

If there is one thing I wish I had known back when I was initially choosing my pathway, it is that most decisions are not that important in the long run; few are irreversible, and all you ever have is now. If you care about something, give it your all, and don’t be too scared of failure. Failure is how we learn. So learn something from your mistakes, take the lessons, and leave the rest behind. Make a plan, but be prepared to throw it out the window if life takes you in a different direction. My journey has so far taken me to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva, the Federal Government in Canberra, mining sites in remote Australia, rural communities in the Solomon Islands, and hiking back country in Alaska.

Think you might be interested in something? Give it a go. What’s the worst that could happen?

This morning I booked flights to Melbourne to attend the Australian International Documentary Conference, I Skyped the Head of Factual from the ABC and this afternoon I’m going comedian shopping. Oh, and then later tonight I’ve got some hard research…. a Tinder date.

My dream is to live off what I call “free money” and by that, I don’t mean a loan from my parents. What I mean by “free money”, is to earn my bread by getting out of bed in the morning and doing the thing that I love all day and then going to bed, and doing it all over again the next day.

My advice is more like a warning, as I don’t think anyone should ever heed my advice. But my warning, is that this dream of mine, “the free money”, takes a long time to find. And even when you have it, it’ll still be a lot of hard work, a lot of heartache and a lot of tears. But it’s worth it.

When I was at St Mary’s I put my hand up for almost anything… and there was so much to put my hand up for! Back then I never imagined myself attempting anything as daunting as what I am doing now.

But I’d done all the other things. I’d really tried. And this was the thing for me.

So…… try all the things and really try and maybe through that, you’ll find that one thing, that thing you just love, so, damn, much.

Life After St Mary’s

45

DOMINIQUE FYSON (’10) I left school 11 years ago, so I’m sure a lot has changed since I walked out of those gates at the end of Year 12. When I reflect on my time at St Mary’s, the one word that stands out to me is ‘opportunity’. St Mary’s has world-class facilities and you have the choice to be involved in as little or as much as you like. I chose to get involved in as much as possible including sport, music, drama and dance and this has definitely influenced the way I look at opportunities now. Take as many of them as you can, and there is always something to learn, even if you are not really enjoying them at the time.

I finished school in 2004 and went straight to UWA to study Commerce and Economics. On completion I promptly packed my bags to go backpacking before settling in London five years ago and this is where I have paved my career in the advertising world.

I always had it set in my mind that I wanted to work in sporting events, either organising or marketing them, which led to my university choices. However, I knew early on that Perth didn’t really offer me the scale that

I was looking for, leading to the move across the world.

Once I arrived I quickly learnt that the industry was far bigger than I ever anticipated, and the vast size and scale of the agency world was something never discussed in my university courses, where everything was always aimed at working for a particular brand.

I now work as a Senior Innovation Manager for the largest Outdoor Specialist Media Agency (a tongue full, I know) and I have worked on projects for some of the world’s biggest clients including Coca-Cola, BMW, Mondelez, Emirates and Burberry. My role is a mix of innovation for clients, creative strategy and business development, which is both fascinating and fast-paced.

My goal is to become Head of Innovation at an agency and while I don’t get to work on any sporting events, you never know if this area will pop up again in the future.

So what I have learnt over the years is that the careers and paths you can follow are so much wider than I realised whilst I was at school and university. And that it’s ok to take some time to really discover what you are passionate about. It’s rare that your first job turns out to be your dream job. So be open-minded, learn as much from each opportunity as possible and be inquisitive to what is out there. Your dream job might be in a specialist team of four people, in an agency of 250 that no professor would be able to tell you about - as is my job!

ALLY RUSSELL (’10) Unlike many of my friends, I wasn’t entirely sure of what I wanted to do when I finished Year 12. I knew I wanted to study something at university that genuinely excited and challenged me, while also having real life applications and transferrable skills, to leave my options open upon completing my degree. Even though History isn’t necessarily a course which ties into an immediate career path, the subject always captured my imagination at school, where the inimitable Mrs Wright taught me with such flair and enthusiasm. I decided to go with what I loved, and graduated with First Class Honours in History from University College London in 2014.

Since graduating, I’ve been working as the Deputy Editor of TV Guide UK. My role consists of writing, reviewing, and conducting celebrity interviews, and sees me attending premieres, festivals and awards shows.

It doesn’t really feel like work sometimes! In my spare time I also freelance as an art critic, working closely with prestigious institutions such as London’s Barbican Centre, where I am currently employed to review their visual arts, theatre, dance and music programming.

There can be a lot of pressure to take a more obvious, job-oriented route when it comes to further study, but I’ve been fortunate enough to fall into an occupation I love straight after university. I’ve always wanted to

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Life After St Mary’s

write, and have always been interested in entertainment and the media, so when I saw an entry level position advertised at the TV Guide, it seemed the perfect opportunity to work my way up in an industry that combined my interests and abilities. I’ve already learned so much from the job, especially in the way of proactivity and professional confidence. In the future I hope to build up a solid portfolio and become more established in the world of arts reviewing.

My advice to the current Year 11s and 12s is that you don’t need to have it all figured out by now. If you work hard and keep the right attitude, life will present you with opportunities and push you in directions that you may never have imagined. Keep an open mind and you’ll find where you’re supposed to be.

BRIDGET RUMBALL (’13) As I’m sure most of you will be aware, school teaches you a multitude of important things. You learn how to read and write, how to multiply and divide and how to wear your white hat correctly – all skills that set you up for success throughout your studies at St Mary’s. The real world, however – the wide expanse of ocean outside of those looming maroon gates – is a little different; something that I couldn’t even comprehend until I was thrown head first into it.

At the end of 2013, I graduated from St Mary’s and chose to attend UWA to study a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics/German) with an assured pathway to Law. This was mostly due to my combined love of debating, languages and economics throughout high school (thanks, Mr Evans!), and it is a combination that I adore. But, I can’t help thinking how little I really knew about not being at school, considering that I had spent my entire life there.

The truth is, school doesn’t really prepare you for the opportunities that are out there in the real world. Whatever your chosen pathway - WACE, vocational studies, or jumping straight into the workforce – I can almost guarantee that it won’t be what you expect. Since enrolling at UWA, I’ve met such diverse groups of people and have partaken in so many different experiences. I play ultimate frisbee, write for the campus student magazine and tutor disadvantaged children in rural Australia; plus, I’ve recently had the amazing experience of studying at UCLA and interning at an entertainment management agency in the heart of Beverly Hills for nine weeks. These are the types of eye-opening opportunities that career counsellors don’t tell you about - you just have to be unafraid to throw yourself into them.

CASSANDRA LEE (’14) “Can I see myself doing this for the rest of my life? Can I commit myself to a lifelong learning journey in medicine? Can I be a good doctor and face every situation bravely and continue through adversity? Can I even possibly know the answer to these questions at age 15?”

I had been searching for the answers for many years and it was during my Year 10 Work Experience placement in hospitals that I was able to attest to them. It was through firsthand contact with patients and many inspiring medical professionals that I affirmed my goal and passion to be in the health profession.

Two years now into my medical course at Monash University, my will to better lives has grown stronger. I’ve embarked on an exciting journey, committed myself to a life-changing adventure, and amassed so much more knowledge. I’ve joined the ranks of other medical students—spent sleepless nights pouring over textbooks, hours on practical classes and further honed my clinical skills.

I’ve also continued lending a helping hand to local and international humanitarian aid organisations - pairing fundraising and educational programmes to further address healthcare challenges for others. Seeing the role of sustainable development goals, socioeconomic approaches and advocacy in tackling global health issues has further driven my focus to help people beyond our borders. I have indeed been deeply touched by the plight of the underprivileged, inspired by their tenacity to stay positive and step forward every day with hope.

My take on ‘beyond the gates of the maroon’ is my sincere wish for each and everyone of you to find your passion in life, to extend your thoughts and help, further and wider than the proximity of our shoreline, and to always keep a strong sense of self, values and roots. For it is through embracing all this that we continually seek ways to learn, grow and live the adventure of our lives to the fullest.

Life After St Mary’s

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NEWS FROM OLD GIRLS Gloria Burnett (Pethick ’69) had a very busy 2015. She spent ten weeks caravanning around South Australia’s peninsula, then travelled across the globe to Prague and on to Budapest for a fortnight cruise ending in Amsterdam. She is now home to go caravanning to Broome for three months. Gloria will end the year with an 11-night sea cruise from Fremantle to Bali for Christmas. What a life!

Cathryn Newman (Turner ’77) graduated from Edith Cowan University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Social Science and was accepted into the graduate programme at the Australian Bureau of Statistics in Canberra in 1994. She has worked in several government departments as a policy officer and for the last seven years has been involved in child care payment policy at the Department of Education and Training.

Sally Hamilton (’78) is the director of a small consulting firm that works with government, corporate and sporting agencies. One sporting area of Sally’s work is called ‘Personal Excellence’. It aims to assist high-performing athletes from their initial introduction to the sport, along the journey of their sporting career, and in the transition to life after sport. It focuses on the importance of decision-making and how that can influence outcome and career, and how not to get diverted from achieving their dreams. Sally’s love of sport began at the age of seven and was nurtured during her time at St Mary’s (1974 - 1978). This culminated in a number of Australian representations - including a top ten world ranking. She also competed at the 1988 Seoul Olympics in the 400 metres hurdles.

Kristen Reading (’98) celebrated her engagement to Regan Ryan at her parents’ house in Carine on 24 April 2016. In attendance was a large group of Old Girls including Elizabeth Taylor (’03), Julie Johnston (Pellizzari ’94), Christina Katsimbardis (’98), Boey-Leng Loy (’98), Chelsea Norman (Palasin ’08), Susan Pagano (Pellizzari ’96) and Janelle Biagi (Nathan ’96).

Kristen and Regan will be married on 21 October 2016 at the Royal Melbourne Squadron Yacht Club in St Kilda.

Emma Fulwood (Withnell ’99) After much travel, completing her Masters in cancer nursing and working in the major cancer centre at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital for close to ten years, Emma re-met a Northam pre-primary friend and Class of ’99 Hale Old Boy, Ty Fulwood. They married last October and now live on a farm, just east of Northam, in their beloved 150 year-old stone cottage. Emma now co-ordinates and manages all of the cancer services for the Wheatbelt region.

Kate Davies (’01) has opened a new private child health centre in Wembley (Baby Steps Health Centre) which has a team of child health professionals all under the one roof. Kate is a child health nurse and the Practice Manager.

Amber Wilcox (Dixon ’96) married a Scotsman named Leam Wilcox on 21 November 2015 in Dunsborough at her parents’ property. They had the most magical day and fellow Old Girl, Kathryn Lloyd (Ross) was one of her bridesmaids (far right in the picture).

Amber and Leam are now living and working on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland and hoping to start a family of their own very soon.

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News from Old Girls

Bianca Giteau (Franklin ’01) is currently living in the south of France in a small city called Toulon. Her husband plays rugby over there. They have two small boys – Levi, who is four years old, and Kai, who is two.

They have been living in France for four years and will be there for another two and a half years.

Joanna Pearce (’01) has loved every minute of being a stay-at-home Mum to a five year old boy, and is now looking forward to studying Early Childhood Education in 2016.

Jessica Wilks (’03) moved to Melbourne in February to complete her studies with the Bureau of Meteorology.

She will be a qualified metereologist by December, and hopes to return to Perth to work. Whilst in Melbourne she has been living with fellow Old Girl, Carmen Riley (Poezyn ’03).

Georgia Delli-Benedetti (’14) has finished her first year at university and has started her own business with a full ecommerce website, www.georgiadelli-benedetti. com. She has released her first collection “Winter in the South West” and is preparing to release her second collection, “Beaches”.

Natalie De Biasi (’04) has joined the Artistic Planning team at the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. She was previously with the WA Youth Orchestra.

Amanda Vroombout (Schneider ’07) and her husband Patrick, welcomed their first child, Zack, in August 2015.

Alivia Del Basso (’10) has had an exciting start to the year. She was named best forward and top point scorer for the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship, Division IIb Group in Spain, where Australia took out the gold medal. Alivia was also named as most valuable player for team Australia.

When she is not representing Australia, Alivia’s regular club is the Melbourne Ice. She is currently in her third year at UWA studying Sports Science/ Exercise and Health.

Briony Boultbee (’15) is having a great time in the UK. She is spending a GAP Year at Crosfields School in Reading, 20 minutes out of London.

Aside from working, Briony has been making the most of travelling to Europe. She has toured around Ireland, snow-skied in the French alps, then will be off to Switzerland next mid-term break and a Contiki tour around Europe for summer.

Briony encourages all Year 12s who like travelling to apply for the Crosfields experience.

HANNAH JAGO (’07) One of the highlights of Hannah’s year was achieving the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Gold Award.

Hannah was presented with her Duke of Edinburgh International Gold Award by Her Excellency the Honourable Kerry Sanderson, AO, Governor of Western Australia. She was congratulated at St George’s Cathedral, by His Royal Highness, Prince Charles. He said, “my father would be proud.”

News from Old Girls

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ETHEL AND THE IDEAL, ‘ETHEL ET L’IDÉALE’ WHY DOES A YOUNG GIRL OF PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE ENTER DRAWING COMPETITIONS AND WRITE RIDDLES AND JOKES TO THE WEST AUSTRALIAN AND OTHER NEWSPAPERS IN THE 1920S? SHE AMAZINGLY WINS THESE COMPETITIONS AND HAS HER RIDDLES AND JOKES PUBLISHED. SHE IS LOOKING BEYOND HER OWN LIVING ROOM AND CLASSROOM EVEN AT AN EARLY AGE. I AM SPEAKING OF ETHEL ELIZABETH TORY, BORN ON 27 JULY 1912, THE ONLY CHILD OF FRANK BERTRAM TORY AND ETHEL MARION VICTORIA JOHNSON, IN SUBIACO. HAVING THE SAME FIRST NAME AS HER MOTHER, ETHEL WAS NICKNAMED ‘TWO-EE’, AND THIS EARLY PLAY WITH LANGUAGE CONTINUED HER ENTIRE LIFE.

Ethel attended St Mary’s Church of England Girls’ School at Colin Street in West Perth between 1925 and 1930. She attained a Junior Certificate in 1929 in English, History, Geography, Science, Mathematics, Drawing and a Form Va Prize. She graduated in 1930 with a Leaving Certificate in English, Geography, French (Alliance Française), Science, Mathematics A, Mathematics B, Drawing and a Form VIb Prize.

Above: Ethel was a School Prefect in 1930, and a part of a very distinguished group including: [standing 1 – r] Esmee Byatt (Templeton ’30), Valmar Rose (Saw ’30), Joan Mcpherson (Clement ’32), Lady Treatt (Frankie Wilson ’32), Lynette Clark (’30), Kathleen Braley (’30), [sitting l – r] Ruth Le Couteur (’31), Phyllis Amos (Simes ’30), Marjorie Parnell (’30), Peggy Farmaner (’30) and Ethel Tory (’30).

Ethel featured in drama, was confirmed at the St Mary’s Church in 1928 and contributed written pieces to the Almerta, most prominently a large piece entitled ‘Malta’ after her travels in 1931. The Almerta of that year states: ‘Ethel Tory is at Westfield College, London (now known as Queen Mary, University of London), reading for her Arts Degree. She is thoroughly enjoying England and intends to spend her holidays in Dorsetshire.’ Her father, Frank Tory, was originally from Blandford in Dorset where family members still lived. Ethel also spent the two years before she returned to Perth travelling and residing in Grande Luce, Sarthe in France. She enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts Degree at the University

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Archival Anecdotes

of Western Australia in 1933, graduating with 1st class Honours in French in 1936 and Honours in Latin in 1938, sharing her graduation with her old classmate, Frankie Wilson, who achieved her Bachelor of Laws with Honours. Ethel also graduated with a Diploma of Education from UWA in 1940, spending the war years teaching French and Latin in private schools in Perth and working for the Censor’s Office for the Department of Information, checking correspondence using French or Latin. During this time she was also awarded the Hackett Research Scholarship by UWA for research into French literature.

By 1946 Ethel was tutoring in French at UWA and by 1947 was also lecturing in Latin. Awarded a scholarship by the French government in October of 1947, she attended the University of Paris, La Sorbonne, and attained a Diploma of Contemporary French Literature (Honourable Mention), Diplôme de Littérature Française Contemporaine (Mention Honorable) in 1948. Ethel stayed in Paris, teaching and researching until, in 1961, she became a Doctor of the University of Paris (Very Honourable Mention), Docteur de L’université de Paris (Mention trés Honorable), for her Doctoral thesis called ‘Giraudoux et l‘idéale’, or ‘Giraudoux and the ideal’. Jean Giraudoux, 1882–1944, was regarded as one of the most significant French writers and dramatists of the early 20th century and the first writer ever to be awarded the wartime Legion of Honour.

1961 was also a turning point for Ethel as she returned to Australia, taking up an appointment as a lecturer in French, School of General Studies, at the Australian National University, in the Department of Modern Languages with Professor Derek Scales. She was promoted to Senior Lecturer in French in 1965 and was acting Head of the Department in 1969 and 1974–1975.

She maintained her lifelong support of the theatre, translating and writing, including the publication of an edition of Giraudoux’s play ‘Intermezzo’ for students.

Retiring in 1977 to Malua Bay in NSW, she continued her support of Alliance Française and teaching French. Ethel’s final honour for her services to French culture, was to be appointed a Knight in the Order of Academic Palms, Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques, by the French government in 1992.

Ethel never forgot the enormous opportunities that scholarships and bequests had afforded her, enabling her to live, study and work overseas.

From the donations Ethel had made to the university, ANU established the Ethel Tory Drama Endowment in 1995.

When Ethel passed away in 2003, she left a large bequest to ANU to support academics and students in drama and languages. The Ethel Tory Languages Scholarship was created to assist students at ANU to study languages overseas, and The Ethel Tory Centre was opened in her honour in 2011.

Stephanie Neille Archivist Acknowledgement and thanks to Sarah Lethbridge, Senior Archivist, Australian National University Archives.

CAN YOU HELP? THE OLD PIANO IN THE MUSIC ROOM OF ANNE SYMINGTON HOUSE WAS MADE IN THE 1880S BY THE FAMOUS RÖNISCH COMPANY OF DRESDEN IN GERMANY. DO ANY OF OUR PREVIOUS BOARDERS REMEMBER WHEN IT WAS FIRST INTRODUCED TO THE SCHOOL? IT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE ‘ALWAYS’ BEEN WITH THE BOARDERS, WHICH COULD DATE BACK TO THE 1930s!

PLEASE CONTACT THE ARCHIVIST ON (08) 9341 9113 OR ARCHIVES@STMARYS.WA.EDU.AU

Archival Anecdotes

51

VALE IT IS WITH SADNESS THAT WE RECORD THE DEATHS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF THE ST MARY’S COMMUNITY MAXINE HANLIN (BRICE ’55)

ROSEMARY LESLIE (WITTENOOM ’47)

4 DECEMBER 1937 – 14 FEBRUARY 2016

10 MARCH 1930 – 3 JANUARY 2016

Maxine joined the Kindergarten at St Mary’s in 1943, leaving the school at the end of Year 10 in 1953. She married Robert Hanlin, an architect, and had two sons, Tim and Jon. Maxine enjoyed roles as a secretary at the UWA, at the ABC with school radio broadcasts and drama, and as a house mother at Hale School. Maxine served on the Old Girls’ Committee between 1964 and 1969 and also as its Vice President for two years.

Rosemary was the second daughter of Sir Edward and Lady Isobel Wittenoom.

She was very proud of her heritage and particularly her father, who was elected to the Parliament of WA and served in several ministries, and also as Acting Premier. He was subsequently made AgentGeneral for WA and served in London for many years.

She will be sadly missed and remembered always by her St Mary’s friends, many of whom she had kept in touch with since her school days. Our condolences to her family.

HELEN HU (MCKAY ’62) 18 AUGUST 1945 – 6 JANUARY 2016

Rosemary joined St Mary’s in 1937 and after leaving in 1947, went to UWA to study Social Sciences before taking up a post with The Women’s Weekly, covering the social column. She married William (Bill) Leslie in 1953.

Her son, Peter, was born in 1954, Simon in 1956, and Mary Lou in 1958. Mary Lou became ill at a very young age and much of the following nine years were spent in and out of hospital. Rosemary’s fourth child, Sarah, was born in 1969.

Helen grew up on a farm in the scenic hill country east of Coolup and became a boarder at St Mary’s in 1961.

Her academic ability was soon evident and she went on to gain an Exhibition in the 1962 Leaving Certificate exams. After leaving St Mary’s she went to the University of Western Australia and upon graduation, taught at Katanning and Cyril Jackson High Schools. Helen married Lawrence Hu. After a year in Hawaii, they lived for a time in Geraldton where Lawrie, a paediatrician, had a practice. They had two children, Catherine and Christopher.

Rosemary kept busy raising the family and working as a part-owner of a local interior decorating business.

She also worked at David Jones, where she made many friends. She enjoyed tennis, bingo, the AFL (she was a staunch Essendon supporter), and a biannual overseas cruise.

Helen and Lawrie later settled in Bunbury where Helen helped with the running of Lawrie’s practice. They also liked to spend time at their holiday home in Exmouth.

Helen enjoyed domestic life and her friends spoke of her accomplished cooking and sewing skills.

Simon Leslie

Helen endured a long illness and ongoing treatment with dignity and composure, dying peacefully on 6 January 2016.

Condolences to Lawrence, Catherine and Chris.

Keeva Verschoor (Wittwer ’62)

52 Vale

Rosemary dressed and carried herself with immense style; her manners were always impeccable. She was also kind and loving, and only stirred to combat in defence of her family. She loved people and would chat to anyone who crossed her path - whether they liked it or not. She even befriended several of the Melbourne’s city homeless, inspiring at least one to remake his life.

Rosemary was, indeed, a kind and loving soul, and much loved - a woman that St Mary’s can be proud to call their own.

Rosemary’s uncle, Frank Wittenoom, was a parishioner at St Mary’s Church in West Perth and a generous benefactor to St Mary’s in the 1920s, providing funds to create Frank Wittenoom Hall which housed the Kindergarten. Wittenoom House is named after him.

MERRILYN HERBERT (JEFFERIS ’65)

LLOYD ZAMPATTI

5 SEPTEMBER 1948 – 29 DECEMBER 2015

11 JANUARY 1929 - 24 OCTOBER 2015

After Merrilyn (Megs) left St Mary’s she pursued a career in nursing, completing her studies at PMH and eventually becoming a Sister at Fremantle Hospital. Megs married Kenneth Herbert at St Mary’s, West Perth on 3 April 1970. Shortly afterwards she left nursing to follow Ken into the hospitality industry which led to some amazing adventures throughout Western Australia. Megs lived and worked in the hospitality industry for more than 35 years and during this time she was well respected and loved by everyone who came across her path.

Lloyd served on the St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School Board of Governors between 1971 and 1979.

Megs and Ken had three children and seven grandchildren. To while away the hours at night time Megs took an interest in tapestry, embroidery, quilting and many other artistic pursuits. She was a great golfer, even scoring two holes in one during competition. Megs retired from hospitality in 2005 and spent many of her days looking after her children and grandchildren, no matter where in the world they were living at the time. In April 2015 Megs was diagnosed with aggressive stage four renal cancer and as with everything, she met this head-on with determination. She passed away on 29 December 2015 with all of her family around her.

Megs will be remembered for her straightforward approach, willingness to help anyone, honesty, humour and great storytelling ability.

Ken Herbert BEVERLEY RULE (TULLOH ’61) 22 SEPTEMBER 1944 – 7 NOVEMBER 2015

Our condolences to his daughter, Heather Zampatti (’77) and family.

PETER MEAD 9 MARCH 1949 – 12 JANUARY 2016

Peter Mead joined St Mary’s as Director of Finance and Administration in November 1996 and retired from this position in December 2015.

During that time he managed the school’s finances to ensure that St Mary’s was placed in a strong and secure position.

Peter also played a key role as secretary and treasurer to the Foundation. His passion was to see a building project from commencement to handover and the school benefited immensely from the skills he brought to the task. For Peter, St Mary’s at Metricup was the jewel in the crown and he was immensely proud of the unique experience that the property offered our girls.

Over the past two years, Peter fought with great courage and determination against an aggressive cancer. Family, friends and colleagues gave him loving support. Peter died on 12 January 2016 and his life was celebrated with love, humour and sadness at a service held in the Chapel of St Mary.

Kerryn, Katherine (’05) and Rob are in our thoughts and prayers.

Lynne Thomson

Beverley attended St Mary’s in West Perth in 1954, 1955 and 1956, leaving at the end of Year 7. After leaving school she lived in Singapore where her father was a horse trainer. Later on she worked as a ground hostess for TAA at Perth Airport. Bev married Colin Rule, an architect, and they had a son, Cameron. Bev enjoyed bridge, mah-jong and craft. She was a member of the Cottesloe Golf Club and Floreat Tennis Club and also a member of the St Mary’s Golf Team at the IGSSA Golf Days.

Bev was always a very generous, kind and loving friend.

Our deepest sympathy to her son and his family.

Marlene Carter (’63) and Penny Langley (Smith ’61)

Vale

53

90 ST MARY’S MEMORIES A collection of Old Girls’ stories, anecdotes and memories of years gone by at St Mary’s.

Some of the stories you may remember, others you will read for the first time. Together they build a picture of the school through students’ eyes over the generations. St Mary’s Memories is sure to bring a smile, a laugh and a tear to your eye. $25.00 plus $10 postage and handling.

ROYAL DOULTON SIGNATURE PLATINUM TEA CUP, SAUCER AND PLATE GIFT SET We are pleased to be able to offer Old Girls the chance to purchase their own little piece of OGA history with the OGA’s 90th Anniversary Royal Doulton fine china Signature Platinum tea-sets.

A Royal Doulton Signature Platinum tea cup, saucer and side plate presented in a lovely gift box. $48.00 each The following items may be ordered separately: Teapot, sugar bowl and milk jug set Teapot Sugar bowl Milk jug

$150.00 $75.00 $40.00 $40.00

ST MARY'S STEMLESS WINE GLASSES Why not enjoy a glass of Frankie's Folly in your very own St Mary's stemless wine glass? $26.00 a pair ALSO AVAILABLE Silver Fleur de lis charm Silver Fleur de lis charm with chain Gold Fleur de lis charm St Mary’s ball point pen St Mary’s Fleur de lis keyring

$25.00 $35.00 $175.00 $5.00 $10.00

To purchase any of the OGA Memorabilia please contact us: o ga@stmarys.wa.edu.au (08) 9341 9132 www.trybooking.com/GZDA

Frankie’s Folly

What better way to celebrate than with a glass of St Mary’s Frankie’s Folly Chardonnay or Cabernet Sauvignon?

The wines are made from grapes grown at the St Mary’s at Metricup vineyard in the heart of the Margaret River wine region and are produced by award-winning winery, Redgate Wines. They are named after Lady Treatt (Frankie Wilson ’32) who made an exceptional donation towards the development of St Mary’s at Metricup: The Lady Treatt Centre for Learning and Leadership.

2013 Chardonnay

$10.00 per bottle ($120.00 per carton)

2014 Cabernet Sauvignon $12.00 per bottle ($144.00 per carton)

To place your order, please visit www.frankiesfolly.com.au or telephone (08) 9341 9105

54

W

RLD

IT’S NEARLY TIME FOR THE ST MARY’S WORLD FAIR 2016!

THE FAIR IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO COME AND CELEBRATE ST MARY’S 95TH BIRTHDAY AND WHAT A CELEBRATION WE HAVE PLANNED FOR YOU!

fair

We have a world of stalls for all to enjoy. Class stalls, business stalls, activity stalls, food stalls! And of course, we have loads of rides and entertainment to keep everyone occupied and having fun.

Each year group is well underway with their creative plans and preparations! There will be an incredible range of different class stalls for you to visit, from funky hair, to cupcake decorating, to an awesome world maze.

We also have classes doing spooky things, one with fun chocolate games, a fabulous photo booth and a world of lollies. There will be lots of other stalls on the day, featuring kids’ clothing, jewellery, candles, cool photos and so much more.

Take a delicious journey around the world with the fantastic variety of food stalls, from India to Mexico, from Spain to France. Don’t forget to visit the St Mary’s Auxiliary Café for a delicious Devonshire Tea. We’ll have all your favourites too – coffee, ice cream and fairy floss just to name a few.

Rides? There are rides to suit everyone! We have rides for little kids, bigger kids, teens, and those of us who never really grow up. There’s lots of entertainment planned, so listen out during the day for announcements about what’s happening next. Of course this includes performances by some of our talented students, which is always a highlight.

Boarding house parents are creating a fabulous area, offering crafty things, yummy things, garden things, lots of local produce and maybe a few surprises.

With so much to see and so much to do, there’s a world of fair fun waiting for you. See you at the St Mary’s 95th birthday World Fair on Saturday 22 October!

Elizabeth Price World Fair Chairperson

SAT 22 OCT

10AM - 4PM

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

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