FIDELITER ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL • WINTER EDITION 2022
contents
4
COVER: Year 3 student Aadya Kiran shows off her bodyboarding skills during a beach School lesson at Trigg Beach. Photo: Jack Foley.
2
FIDELITER CONTENTS
4
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
6
FROM THE CHAPLAIN
7
FROM THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS
8
FROM THE FOUNDATION
10
FEATURE: DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY
16
14
FEATURE: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
16
COLD DIPS UNITE BOARDERS
18
YEAR 3 BEACH SCHOOL
20
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
22
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
6
10
24
OLD GIRLS' ASSOCIATION
26
PARENTS' SOCIETY
27
ATKINS DRIVE
28
ARCHIVAL ANECDOTES
30
VALE
18
20
FIDELITER Fideliter is a publication of St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School. please direct all correspondence to:
St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School, PO Box 105, Karrinyup WA 6921 telephone:
(08) 9341 9111 email:
publicity@stmarys.wa.edu.au
editor:
Rhys Dickinson
editorial assistant:
Joan Karmelita
design and production:
Dessein
feature photography:
Baeley Amalfi, Jacinta Spry, Jack Foley
FIDELITER CONTENTS
3
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
H
aving celebrated our Centenary in spectacular fashion last year, I was excited for the commencement of 2022, the beginning of a new century of discovery for St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School. The foundations for another fruitful year were in place thanks to the unveiling of a fresh strategic outlook for the School, with a renewed vision to engage hearts and ignite curious minds, a considered set of guiding strands, and a revised list of core school values. However, it soon became apparent that the year might not proceed as planned due to escalating COVID-19 restrictions. While initially disappointed to think that things might not go our way in 2022, I quickly realised that the answers to the challenges ahead lay in the very strategy that was designed to help St Mary’s take our first steps into our next 100 years. Our strategic guiding strands were carefully designed to foster a respectful, supportive and connected community, where our staff and students could thrive. As we navigated a surge in COVID-19 cases in Western Australia, our values of courage, compassion and respect were at the forefront of our thinking, especially as we turned our focus to developing self-aware, adaptable learners.
WITH CHANGE COMES 4
FIDELITER From the Principal
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” S O C R AT E S
With increasing public health and social measure restrictions impacting our usual way of operating, we had to reimagine how we did things, particularly in our vibrant cocurricular programs. We needed to be courageous in determining ways for our students to continue to flourish with so much uncertainty surrounding them, and we were tasked with the challenge of continuing to build an inclusive culture where everyone feels known, safe and respected at a time when we were not permitted to gather in person. Without a doubt, 2022 has been a very different experience from the two previous years of the pandemic. With short, sharp lockdowns a thing of the past, we are now learning to live in this strange new world that requires us to do things differently. While the constant change has been trying at times, it has provided an opportunity to discover new and interesting ways of operating,
revealed some deep learnings and unveiled many silver linings. I am immensely grateful for our exceptional staff, who have responded to the overwhelming challenges with incredible fortitude. They demonstrated indomitable spirit and great courage as they remodelled educational experiences in new and creative ways. We are blessed to have such dedicated staff who are so committed to giving of their best to enable our girls to flourish. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to our parents and members of St Mary’s extended family, who have worked closely with the School to keep our community safe in trying circumstances. With a focus on compassion and understanding, we navigated those first nervous weeks of COVID-19 community transmission and reached a place of acceptance and comfort, supporting each other as well as possible throughout this uncharted journey.
Finally, I commend our students for the courage, compassion, respect and integrity that they displayed during this period of great change. I am particularly thankful for the way in which the girls accepted and embraced our modified ways of operating, especially in our cocurricular programs. It was wonderful to see their competitive House spirit on show at events including but not limited to interhouse swimming, cross country and drama. I am also so proud of the way that they persevered with the mask-wearing requirements to keep everyone safe and healthy. School communities are diverse and complex, and expectations to deliver are high. Our supportive and inspirational environment has served us well throughout the pandemic thus far and I am confident that it will continue to do so as we prepare to forge ahead into our exciting future. Mrs Judith Tudball Principal
OPPORTUNITY FIDELITER From the Principal
5
FROM THE CHAPLAIN
L
ike most aspects of school life, chapel has looked a little different this year. It was nice to complete some events at the beginning of the year in the ‘normal’ fashion, such as the Leaders’ chapel, Term 1 staff eucharist, new boarders’ welcome service and our traditional Year 7 welcome and commissioning services. However, within a few weeks an escalation in community COVID-19 transmissions required us to transition to online, live-streamed services.
With the help of our Theatre Operations Manager, Lars Jensen, and our Performing Arts Centre Assistant, Scott Maney, plus a number of IT staff, we set up a rather sophisticated system in the Chapel. For Senior School services, a House Link group of approximately 15 girls attended in person while the rest of the year group joined in via a live stream. It was a similar arrangement for Junior School chapel, with one class attending while the rest of the girls participated via a live stream to their classrooms. There were some obvious challenges with such an approach, singing being perhaps the most difficult one. Fortunately, our Director of Music, Jodie Upton, offered a solution for our Senior School chapel services, suggesting that a group of Year 10 vocalists pre-record all the hymns. These pre-recordings were played in both the Chapel and classrooms. In the Junior School, our Music Librarian, Kirsten Bennett, did the same by recording our hymns. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. Sadly, several chapel events had to be cancelled, such as our Old Girls’ and Grandparents’ Day services, while our boarders’ chapel services morphed into 8.00pm mindfulness and meditation activities. Our traditional Easter Assembly was pre-recorded, but it still managed to feature readings, dance, drama and music provided by the girls. Fortunately, our Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of our 2021 Head Girl, Sally Hicks, was able to go take place with special COVID-19 management provisions in place. However, many girls, staff and families were unable to attend in person due to capacity restrictions. Reverend Richard Pengelley
6
FIDELITER From the CHAPLAIN
FROM THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS
“If nothing ever changed, there’d be no butterflies.” ANON
I
recently had the privilege of attending a bar mitzvah, a beautiful rite of passage ceremony. The presiding Rabbi told a poignant family story that struck me because of its simplicity and complexity, its personal gravitas and its historical significance. It was also a reminder that although change can be forced upon us, we can harness it as a tool for growth. The Rabbi shared how his grandfather fled with his children from Germany to Ukraine in the 1930s to seek safety and that his cousins recently fled from Ukraine to Germany with their children to seek safety. He then wove this story of courage and change into a message for the young boy stepping into manhood, that when you encounter change, you can choose how to react and come to the understanding that ‘this too shall pass’. With all the curve balls that we have encountered over the past two years, it is sometimes easy to forget how resilient we have been in dealing with the minutiae of the day. I was reminded of this when I visited Sydney in March and met with several teachers, students and parents. The disruptions that schools and families experienced in New South Wales were very challenging, yet the overwhelming assessment by locals was that “it was not that bad”. We are all choosing pathways, not knowing where they may lead us but knowing that the people we choose to have around us, the thirst for knowledge that we choose to accept and the strength of character and resilience with which we test and adapt, are all building the foundations for us not only to accept planned and forced changes, but also to ensure that we choose to see the butterflies around us. Thank you for everything that you are doing to accept change, to build upon it and to make our community stronger. As we continue to engage hearts and ignite curious minds, our St Mary’s community is building its foundations for the next 100 years. Best wishes for the remainder of 2022 and whatever changes come our way.
Elizabeth Carr (’81) AM Chair, Board of Governors FIDELITER From the Board of Governors
7
FROM THE FOUNDATION
H
OW ON
R
Y
TI
A
FIDELITER From the Foundation
P HER G
’S
FO
UN
D
ANNU AL G IV IN G 20 22
ABOVE: Sarah Woods, Acting Director of Philanthropy
8
EL
M
Bree Rosagro (Buxton ’98) Chair of the St Mary’s Foundation
As a valued member of our St Mary’s community, we are graciously asking for you to support our Annual Giving fund in 2022 to Help Her Grow.
ST
On behalf of the St Mary’s Foundation Board of Management, thank you for your ongoing support.
Like you, we strongly believe in providing exceptional educational opportunities for our students. With your help, we can sow the seeds for an even brighter future and help to grow the next generation of inspiring St Mary’s women right here at our beautiful Karrinyup campus.
R
It is my pleasure to introduce our Acting Director of Philanthropy, Mrs Sarah Woods, who will be leading the School’s philanthropy team while Mrs Jacinta Sirr-Williams is on parental leave. Sarah has joined us from Penrhos College, where she worked closely with their Foundation and Alumni Association to develop and deliver a number of strategic philanthropic initiatives and campaigns for the College. Please contact her on (08) 9341 9120 or swoods@stmarys.wa.edu.au to welcome her into our St Mary’s community.
I
t goes without saying that life has been far from predictable these past three years. However, despite all the disruptions and changes that we have encountered, our purpose to engage hearts and ignite curious minds at St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School remains as strong as ever.
A
In 2022, we are proud to launch our Annual Giving campaign, of which the theme is Help her Grow. This theme reflects the time and support needed to deliver the finest possible education to our girls, so that they can grow, thrive and shine. In my role as Chair of the St Mary’s Foundation, I invite you to join us in making a gift online today at www.stmarys.wa.edu.au/support-us.
ANNUAL GIVING 2022 HELP HER GROW
H
aving enjoyed a fabulous year of celebrating our School’s Centenary in 2021, we had every intention of building on that momentum and delivering a variety of engaging events that our entire St Mary’s community would benefit from this year. Sadly, for now, this has not transpired. Despite this, our growing community’s support for the St Mary’s Foundation has not wavered and for this, I thank you wholeheartedly.
HELP
FROM THE FOUNDATION
You can choose to give the gift of education via our means-tested scholarship fund, help develop our inspiring learning spaces via our building fund, ignite our students’ curiosity via our library fund, or uphold the vision of our 2021 Head Girl, the late Sally Hicks, by donating to the Spirit of St Mary’s Scholarship. Your gift, no matter the size, will ensure that future generations of St Mary’s girls are given every opportunity to discover their best. You can support St Mary’s in 2022 by donating online at stmarys.wa.edu.au/support-us; via EFT (BSB 086 122, ACC 459 662 374), or by contacting our Acting Director of Philanthropy, Sarah Woods, on (08) 9341 9120 or giving@stmarys.wa.edu.au. All donations over $2 are tax deductable. On behalf of all current and future students of St Mary’s, we thank you for your ongoing support. Mrs Judith Tudball Principal
HER GROW FIDELITER From the Foundation
9
F E AT U R E
DOING THINGS
DIFFERENTLY
As COVID-19 cases climbed in Western Australia throughout Term 1, so too did the number of restrictions imposed on our school in a bid to keep students safe. Things may have looked and felt a little different on campus, but the essence of life at St Mary’s was far from lost, thanks to the ingenuity of our staff and student leaders. The following pages are dedicated to celebrating the ways in which they adapted, pivoted and reimagined ways of doing things during a period of great change.
CHAPEL Chapel is such a significant aspect of life at St Mary’s, and thus, finding a way to maintain the School’s strong tradition of worship sat atop the priority list when increasing restrictions were introduced throughout Term 1. At first, Fr Richard Pengelley pre-recorded short messages for our students. However, when it became apparent that inperson gatherings would not be possible for some time, we quickly transitioned to live-streamed chapel services, with one class of students attending chapel, while others observed them virtually while social distancing in classrooms. In many ways, these online worship opportunities were the glue that held the school together throughout this trying period. They offered our staff and students opportunities to cast their thoughts beyond Western Australia’s pandemic dilemma and think of those enduring war in Ukraine or the devastating floods in northern New South Wales and southern Queensland.
10
FIDELITER Feature: Doing things differently
STUDENT LEADERSHIP Our student leaders were extremely resourceful throughout this challenging phase. The prefects produced, filmed and edited videos for students to enjoy in lieu of whole-school assemblies and introduced a fun ‘Friday Music’ initiative, which had students dancing their way into the weekend. Head Girl, Menaaz Khan, also devised an ingenious way to connect with the students through ‘Menaaz’s Monday Message’, a weekly soundbite delivered to the girls via their notices. “’MMM’ has been one of the ways that I have been able to communicate with the girls. I tried to have a bit of fun with it, like running mini competitions, while also delivering an inspirational or uplifting message to get the week off to a good start,” Menaaz said.
CONNECTING WITH PARENTS St Mary’s parents have always been a cornerstone of our community, so that is why the school did not feel whole during a period when parents were scarcely seen on campus. Fortunately, the school found alternative ways to maintain connections with our much-loved parents, including virtual Parents’ Society meetings, wellbeing webinars and online parent-teacher meetings, which allowed our boarding parents to participate at the same time as our day girl parents. We also ensured that they did not miss their daughters’ athletic feats by live-streaming our Senior School and Junior School Interhouse Swimming Carnivals, so that they could cheer on the girls from the comfort of their office or living rooms.
FIDELITER Feature: Doing things differently
11
THE ARTS Our Music Department was among the hardest hit following the introduction of restrictions that prevented the mixing of students from different year groups and prohibited choirs and orchestras from meeting in-person for rehearsals and performances. This, as you can imagine, threw a spanner in the works regarding many facets the department’s operations and put a line through all concerts planned for Term 1. Rather than lament their predicament, our staff and students chose to focus on the possibilities, not the constraints, and brainstormed innovative ways to work through the situation at hand. Under the guidance of the School’s new Director of Music, Jodie Upton, the students transitioned to smaller, year-based ensembles. While this threw up some challenges at first, the girls embraced opportunities to play different instruments or take a lead role when they would normally not. The department also leaned on our wonderful Performing Arts Centre staff to reimagine one of the School’s favourite concerts, our Year 11 and 12 Music Showcase. Instead of performing in front of a live audience, the students had their performances professionally filmed and recorded for viewing at a later date. This was also the case for Senior Interhouse Drama. Our Year 12 girls’ inspiring performances were recorded and sent to students via ClickView. Another silver lining to come out of the term was the creation of a temporary recording and mixing studio in one of the School’s music practice rooms, which was led by new St Mary’s staffer, Grant Windsor, a world-renowned pianist, composer, arranger and conductor. The temporary studio, which allows for the recording and composition of electronic music, has been a huge hit and the Music Department is now exploring the possibility of building a permanent studio next year.
12
FIDELITER Feature: Doing things differently
OUTDOOR EDUCATION St Mary’s prides itself on broadening its students’ learning experiences by providing them with opportunities to venture beyond the classroom and participated in a range of outdoor education activities and camps. When the School learned that traditional camps were no longer possible in Term 1, it sought to deliver them differently. Instead of staying overnight at regional venues, our students participated in a series of day trips that incorporated all the activities that they would have otherwise enjoyed. Our Year 6 students journeyed to the Swan Valley Adventure Centre in February to test their skills at the facility’s adventure course, try their hand at a spot of canoeing and enjoy a variety of water activities, while our Year 9s visited a host of inspiring locations across the Perth Hills over a two-week period. They enjoyed canoeing on the Swan River, climbing and abseiling at Statham Quarry, hiking a section of the Bibbulmun Track, mountain biking through Jane Brook and much more.
SPORT The pandemic threatened to rain on St Mary’s sporting parade, but our quick-thinking Physical Education staff found a way to run some of the School’s most popular interhouse events. Both our Senior and Junior School Interhouse Swimming Carnivals went ahead, albeit in modified formats. The Senior School event was held over two days, with Years 10 to 12 students competing on 11 February and Years 7 to 9 girls fighting it out to decide the title the following day. Similarly, our Junior School Interhouse Swimming Carnival was split in two, with our Years 4 to 6 girls battling it out for the shield in the morning before our younger students enjoyed a fun-filled event in the afternoon. Our Senior School Interhouse Cross Country also took on a new look, with girls setting off in year-group waves throughout the morning of 29 March.
FIDELITER Feature: Doing things differently
13
F E AT U R E
BREAKING THE BIAS FOR THE PAST 101 YEARS, ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL HAS NOT ONLY INSPIRED GIRLS TO DISCOVER THEIR BEST BUT ALSO ENCOURAGED THEM TO CHALLENGE SOCIETAL NORMS IN THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE. THAT IS WHY THE SCHOOL HAS ALWAYS TAKEN GREAT PRIDE IN CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY (IWD), A GLOBAL DAY DEDICATED TO PROMOTING THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, CULTURAL AND POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENTS OF WOMEN. THE DAY ALSO MARKS A CALL TO ACTION FOR ACCELERATING WOMEN'S EQUALITY WORLDWIDE. THIS YEAR’S IWD THEME, #BREAKTHEBIAS, RESONATED STRONGLY WITH ST MARY’S, WHICH HAS BEEN A NURSERY FOR COUNTLESS WOMEN WHO HAVE BROKEN DOWN BARRIERS AND CREATED EXCITING PATHWAYS FOR OTHER FEMALES IN PROFESSIONAL AND NON-PROFESSIONAL SETTINGS.
AHEAD OF THIS YEAR’S IWD CELEBRATIONS, WE SPOKE WITH INSPIRING OLD GIRLS, FIONA HICK (CRESSWELL ’91) AND TALIA NICHOLSON (’10), TO DISCUSS THE WAYS THAT THEY ‘BROKE THE BIAS’ IN THEIR CAREERS AND HOW ST MARY’S HELPED TO SHAPE THEM INTO THE WOMEN THEY ARE TODAY.
I
n 2021, Fiona Hick became the first woman in 121 years to be elected President of The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME). Her elevation to one of Western Australia’s most senior roles was the result of an unwavering dedication to her engineering career and her ability to capitalise on earned opportunities. Unsurprisingly, it also involved tackling biases that existed in a male-dominated industry. “It was a special moment when I realised that I was going to be the first woman to lead the CME. My appointment also came at an interesting time, with a number of horrifying stories surfacing about workplace culture in the industry, so I felt a real sense of opportunity to make the resources industry a great place for everyone to work. I have had a great career and I know many women who have had great careers in the industry as well, so I want to do my bit to make sure that we can have a lot of women come through the industry and have a great experience,” Fiona said. “I would say that a lot of people have broken the bias before me and there have been a lot of people who have made life easier for me because of their courage and determination years ago. I think it is important to be aware of bias and to have the courage to call it out when you encounter it. “There have been times when I have experienced bias. Once when I had young kids, I was working part time and it was abundantly clear that my line manager at the time had never had anyone work part time and it was really breaking his mind. In a way he was biased towards one way of working, so I had to work through that for the arrangement to be successful.” Fiona believes that the education and support that she received at St Mary’s equipped her with the skills and strength of character to succeed in her career. “I think the most important lesson that I learned at St Mary’s was about having faith that you could really do anything that you put your mind to,” she said.
FIONA HICK 14
FIDELITER FEATURE: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
“The teachers and the friends that I made there were all really supportive. I also think that I developed a quiet grit and sense of determination at St Mary’s which carried me through my life.”
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
T
alia Nicholson encountered and overcame bias while establishing herself as a respected Combat Engineer in an Army Reserve unit that comprised 177 men and just three women.
TALIA NICHOLSON
The Class of 2010 graduate said that debunking misconceptions about her ability to be an effective member of the unit was a journey for her and her colleagues. “There was an assumption that I had joined for the wrong reasons and that people would have to pick up the pieces after me because I was not capable of doing things. I had to fight to prove that I knew my skill set and that I could do plenty of tasks really well,” Talia said. “When I first started, I would go toe-to-toe with much older people to prove I could do things and that didn’t really work. I’ve learned over time that the best way in this industry, which has been male-dominated for so long, is instead of trying to argue and prove that you’re good at what you do, you just have to be good at what you do. “I have found things that I do extremely well and now I have people requesting to work with me because they know that I am knowledgeable and skilled. “I have learned the hard way that my actions speak a lot louder than my words. Now I try and lead by example; leading with that attitude change has made a huge difference to other girls who have joined my unit.” Talia said that she might not have had the confidence to advocate for herself or discover the tasks that she now excels at if she had not attended St Mary’s. “I was very shy when I started at St Mary’s. It really helped me to come out of my shell and realise that it’s okay if you’re not good at something, but you can still have a go,” she said. “Everyone always encouraged me when I said, ‘I want to do this’; someone at school would say, ‘Great, go on, just do it’. There was always an accommodation made and there was always someone there to support you. Even if you didn’t make it, there was never any discouragement and I think that was really important.”
FIDELITER FEATURE: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
15
B O A R D I N G F E AT U R E
COLD DIPS
BOLSTER BONDS IN BOARDING If there is one thing that St Mary’s boarders are renowned for, it is their sense of community. Despite hailing from a variety of regional Western Australian towns, some of which are separated by thousands of kilometres, our boarders are united in their shared boarding experience and take great pride in caring for one another.
16
FIDELITER Boarding
T
hat is why introducing a wellbeing initiative geared towards strengthening the girls’ connections was at the forefront of our Wing Captains’ minds when they gathered at the start of the year to map out a plan for Term 1. After much brainstorming, the captains landed on a ‘Cold Dips’ initiative, which had the girls jumping out of bed early on Wednesday mornings to walk down to nearby Trigg Beach and enjoy a mood-boosting dip in the ice-cold ocean. The benefits of the concept were two-fold. First, it bolstered the girls’ bonds by bringing boarders of all ages together in a relaxed and supportive setting. Second, it afforded the girls an opportunity to experience the scientifically proven health benefits of cold water. Numerous studies have proven that cold water immersion can improve circulation, stimulate the body’s immune system, reduce muscle soreness, deepen sleep and spike energy levels. Other studies have also concluded that it can alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. “Essentially, we go down to the water, get in, have a good time with our mates and then talk about how we’re feeling,” Dannatt Wing Captain, Rachael Daw, told Fideliter.
“When you come back everyone is happy, feeling fresh and ready to tackle the day. Everyone gets around each other and supports one another, which is great. That’s exactly what we wanted. “The boarding house is such a big community; we have more than 180 girls and we really wanted to create links between the year groups, encourage girls to come out of their shells and build that sense of belonging.” Head of Boarding, Kellie Douglas, said she was thrilled to see the girls’ Cold Dips concept come to fruition.
“I think it is really important that the girls have some ownership over what they are developing. They are really focusing on mental health and positive mental health this year and I think that this is going to lead to more positive psychology programs that we have in the pipeline for the boarding house,” she said. “The girls have been loving it and I have had several girls who have asked to go more often because they have noticed their enhanced mood after taking a cold dip. They just love the feeling of being in the water.”
FIDELITER Boarding
17
YEAR 3 BEACH SCHOOL
SUN, SURF AND SAND INSPIRE STUDENTS If you are fortunate enough to have a world-class beach on your doorstep, why wouldn’t you use it? That is the exact thought that crossed the minds of Year 3 teachers, Rose Brades and Wayne Ritzema, at the beginning of the school year.
18
FIDELITER Year 3 Beach School
H
aving witnessed the success of St Mary’s Bush School, which provides our Kindergarten to Year 2 students with opportunities to hone their problem-solving skills, think creatively and develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the environment while exploring the school’s neighbouring bushland, the Year 3 teachers were determined to develop a program that would see their students similarly benefit from learning in a setting beyond the classroom. Thus, Beach School was born. With the help of the School’s Head of Outdoor Education, Brad Stewart, they drew up a plan for a program that would have the girls visit Trigg Beach every Friday to enjoy a series of fun and educative experiences that were tied to the Junior School’s overarching learning assets: we are self-managers, thinkers, researchers, collaborators and communicators. Throughout Term 1, the students learned about beach safety and taking calculated risks, created sandcastles from scratch, enjoyed a scavenger hunt, tried their hand at bodyboarding, undertook a marine biology survey and completed basic first aid training with the assistance of staff from the Trigg Island Surf Life Saving Club. Rose said that Beach School had been a transformative experience for many of her students. “The girls have been 100 per cent pushing themselves outside their comfort zones and they are thriving because of it. Not only have they learnt a whole new range of skills, but they have also built a community within the classroom off the back of their experiences at the beach. “Beach School has taught the girls the value of working together and with different people. They have been encouraged to work with different people and learn the challenges and skills that come with that experience. It is representative of life, working with people who are not close friends or in your inner circle. “Through that experience they have identified each other’s strengths and come back into the classroom and worked together to achieve positive outcomes.” Rose said that the girls regularly returned from Beach School smiling ear-to-ear after acquiring a new skill or making a new friend. “The kids have had an absolute blast and I’ve had emails from several parents saying that their daughters were absolutely buzzing when they got home after a Beach School lesson,” Rose said. “It is a program that is evolving. The School has built up some amazing relationships with local experts and community groups and we would love to involve them in Beach School moving forward.” PHOTOS: Baeley Amalfi and Jack Foley
FIDELITER Year 3 Beach School
19
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT DYNAMIC DEBATING DUO EARN STATE SELECTION
A RADIO STAR IS BORN
In April, Year 11 students Anya Chen and Jaime Leivers earned an opportunity to test themselves against Australia’s most articulate school-aged debaters by winning a place on the Western Australian Debating Team.
Congratulations to Year 12 boarding student Jade Wallwork, who was one of 35 winners of the Australian Broadcasting Commission’s Heywire Competition earlier this year.
At the time of print, Anya and Jaime were representing Western Australia at the 2022 National School’s Debating Championships in Canberra.
Heywire encourages young people from the regions to tell stories about life outside Australia’s major cities. Each year, every ABC regional station selects a winning Heywire entry to represent their part of Australia. The young winners work with ABC staff to produce their stories, which are later broadcast on ABC Radio and featured on abc.net.au.
The dynamic debating duo endured a gruelling series of trials to make the team, starting with a two-day event involving six debates just to make the initial state squad of 13. They later survived two rounds of cuts to secure their place on the four-person team alongside two students from Perth Modern School and Shenton College. We are also thrilled to announce that Anya was selected to captain the representative team.
Jade caught her local station’s attention with an inspiring tale about her beloved Corrigin Hockey Club. “One of my personal highlights from 2021 was playing for my hometown hockey club, so when I was thinking about my entry, they just sprang to mind,” Jade said. “I wrote my story, workshopped it with an ABC producer to turn it into a radio script and later visited the ABC Radio studios in Perth to record it. “I was interviewed the morning that it was played on the radio and when I heard it for the first time it was so cool.” To listen to Jade’s Heywire entry, visit https://ab.co/3vhbaVI
LINGUISTICS WHIZZES CROWNED STATE CHAMPIONS St Mary’s Year 11 Linguistics Team defeated more than 100 teams en route to winning the state component of this year’s 2022 Australian Computational and Linguistics Olympiad in March. The team, made up of Anya Chen, Misree Trivedi, Katrina Ailakis and Mae Siah, were given a series of decoding tasks set in several languages, including Waanyi, which is spoken by the Indigenous people of the Gulf of Carpentaria; Austronesian, a native language 20
FIDELITER Student spotlight
of the South Pacific Islands; and Arhuaco, which is spoken in areas of Northern Colombia. Following their victory in the state event, the talented group contested the national finals, which were held at the University of Western Australia on 6 March. The girls acquitted themselves with distinction, placing 15th out of the 66 teams vying to earn their way through to the International Linguistics Olympiad.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
A PODIUM FINISH AND TWO PENNANTS Congratulations to our Senior School girls, who placed third at this year’s IGSSA Swimming Carnival on 3 March.
ST MARY’S SECURES DIVING TITLE Our Senior School Diving Team were the toast of the town after taking out the Overall Champion School title at the 2022 School Sport WA Interschool Diving Championships, which were held at HBF Stadium on 16 March. All 21 members of the team dived with precision and style to help St Mary's edge out its nearest competitor, Shenton College, during a thrilling day of competition.
While the consistency of the whole team propelled the school to an overall victory, two students also achieved individual success at the event. Year 7 student Amity Cullen placed third in the Juniors category and Year 11 student Kate Russell claimed a bronze medal in the Seniors competition, following a series of magnificent dives.
Our Year 7 team was a force to be reckoned with at HBF Stadium and proved too strong for their competition en route to winning their year group pennant, while our Year 9 girls did everything in their power to follow suit. After much toing and froing, the girls ended up sharing the Year 9 pennant with Iona Presentation College. Overall, it was an outstanding performance from the entire team and, as always, our students demonstrated fantastic school spirit and were among the loudest in the stands.
ST MARY’S STUDENTS CONQUER THE CHANNEL Well done to all the inspirational members of our St Mary’s community who participated in this year’s Rottnest Channel Swim.
Saskia Pope, Kate Seymour, Caitlin McIlveen and Grace Morgan joined forces to conquer the channel in 5:27:07.72 to finish 21st.
Year 11 student Freya Weston steered her team to an incredible 18th place finish with a pacey 5:23:38.50 swim, while Year 12s
They were closely followed by a team headlined by Year 10 girls, Lucy Stout and Olivia Haynes, who finished the swim in 5:45:20.08, and another four-person outfit led by Year 11 student Madeleine Gillmore (5:59:32.74). Year 10s Emily Garnett and Emily Taylor helped their team complete the 19.7km swim in 6:18:12.30, and Year 9 student Vienna Watt helped her team onto Rottnest’s shores in 6:57:11.84.
JIGSSA SWIMMING SUCCESS St Mary’s upheld its history of success at the annual JIGSSA Twilight Swim Meet by claiming two pennants at this year’s event, which was held on 11 March. Our Years 4 and 5 girls were too quick for their rivals and left HBF Stadium with two pennants in hand. The School’s Year 6 team also performed well, placing fifth against some stiff competition. FIDELITER Student spotlight
21
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
ANNOUNCING
Farewelling
Mrs Rebecca Payne, formerly Dean of Students, commenced as Deputy Principal (Students and Wellbeing) at the beginning of Term 2. Rebecca will continue to oversee the School’s wellbeing programs and deputise for the Principal as required.
Mrs Sheevaun Darby, Deputy Principal (Operations), is departing St Mary’s at the end of Term 2 after seven years of loyal commitment to the School. She began her tenure at St Mary’s as Dean of Administration before assuming the role of Deputy Principal (Operations) in 2020. Sheevaun has had a positive influence on many areas of the School and played a pivotal role in managing the impact of the pandemic over the past two years, particularly on our co-curricular programs. She will be missed by the Board, Executive team, staff, students and wider St Mary’s community.
Mrs Brenda Komaromi, formerly Dean of Administration, has received a new title, Dean of Academic Services, which is more reflective of the changed nature of her role. In addition to overseeing the School’s timetable, NAPLAN and OLNA arrangements, parent-teacher interviews, teacher relief and subject selection, Brenda will manage other essential processes relating to the school calendar.
Welcoming
Mrs Sarah Woods commenced as the School’s Acting Director of Philanthropy in March. She arrived at St Mary’s from Penrhos College, where she worked closely with their Foundation and the Penrhos Alumni Association to develop and deliver several strategic philanthropic initiatives and campaigns for the College. Prior to her role at Penrhos, Sarah held the position of Marketing and Campaigns Manager at Scitech for more than 10 years. 22
FIDELITER StAFF Spotlight
Congratulations to Mrs Clare Johansen, who was recently appointed as Vice Principal at Perth College. She will commence her new role at the beginning of Term 3 2022. Clare joined St Mary’s in January 2020 as Assistant Head of Department of Science. In October 2020, Clare joined the School Executive as Dean of Community, where she was responsible for overseeing St Mary’s marketing, enrolment and community engagement strategies, and in April 2022 she moved into a broader role as Dean of School Operations. On behalf of everyone at St Mary’s, we wish Clare every success in the next chapter of her career. Long-serving Humanities and Social Sciences teacher, Mr David Cromie, bade farewell to St Mary’s midway through Term 1 upon announcing his retirement from teaching. David was an influential member of the School’s staff for more than 25 years. He served as HASS Head of Department for nine years and Assistant Head of Department for four years. In 2020, David was awarded the Geographical Association of Western Australia (GAWA) Gentilli Memorial Geography Award for excellence in geographical education. On behalf of the entire St Mary’s community, we wish David the very best in retirement.
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
ST MARY’S STAFF KICKING GOALS
S
EMERGING CONDUCTOR EARNS EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY
t Mary’s students and staff alike were thrilled to learn in March that our stellar Strings Specialist, Mrs Sara Duhig, was among just five people selected for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s 2022 Emerging Conductor program. Sara, who endured an exhaustive application process, will participate in a series of development workshops with 2022 WASO Assistant Conductor Jen Winley, attend WASO rehearsals and concerts, and observe the Assistant Conductor’s workshops with the orchestra and Principal Conductor, Asher Fisch. She will also be afforded opportunities to observe the orchestra’s Artistic Planning team, which will offer her an insight into the workings of a professional orchestral organisation.
i3 PROGRAM GOES GLOBAL
W
e are thrilled to announce that Mrs Michelle Fitzpatrick, Head of Technology and Enterprise, is set to tell the world all about St Mary’s innovative i3 Program at the Global Forum on Girls’ Education in June 2022.
Michelle will be presenting alongside Mrs Sonia Knox, Bankwest Executive Manager Agility and Ways of Working, who has been an avid supporter of the i3 Program for several years. Their presentation, entitled ‘Fixing the world beyond school by engaging hearts and igniting curious minds’, will discuss how the i3 Program came to be, how it has benefited from the involvement of industry partners and the amazing impact that it has had on our students’ learning outcomes. This year’s Global Forum on Girls’ Education will be hosted out of Boston, United States of America. Michelle and Sonia will present during the virtual component of the forum, which will take place on 21 and 22 June.
FIDELITER StAFF Spotlight
23
OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION
D
espite 2022 beginning quietly for the Old Girls, with COVID-19 restrictions forcing the cancellation of several events, we still managed to have a productive start to the year by awarding some prizes and scholarships.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Year 12 student Samantha Lourey wowed OGA Committee members, Necia Drazevic and Hannah Jago, with an impressive portfolio submission to win our 2022 Jane Gillon Arts Award. This award, which is a monetary prize to be used in an arts-related discipline in Year 12, is open to all Year 11 girls at year’s end. We also recently awarded the 2023 Marlene Carter Scholarship to current Year 6 student, Helena Drescher, daughter of Dr Elizabeth Drescher (Elderfield ’92), and the 2023 Ethel Beaton Scholarship to current Year 10 student, Rose Meharry, daughter of Renee Meharry (Sassella ’96). Congratulations, girls. While these awards are reserved for current students, we have several scholarships and prizes open to our members. Applications have closed for 2022 and we look forward to announcing the successful recipients soon. It was with great sadness that we farewelled 2021 Head Girl, Sally Hicks, one of our newest Old Girls, in March. Sally will forever hold a special place in our hearts. On behalf of the OGA and all our Old Girls, I extend my heartfelt sympathies to Sally’s parents, her brothers and all those who loved her. Best wishes for the year ahead. Amy Dawson (Fraser ’94) President Old Girls’ Association
24
FIDELITER Old Girls' Association
OLD GIRLS’ MONTH ANNUAL OLD GIRLS’ EVENT GOES VIRTUAL
S
t Mary’s traditional Old Girls’ Day might have fallen victim to the wave of COVID-19 cancellations this year, but that did not stop the School from honouring its fabulous former students. When it became clear that a face-to-face gathering could not go ahead, our innovative alumni relations team began brainstorming ways to reimagine the popular event. Thus, Old Girls’ month was born. Our online celebration of St Mary’s Old Girls featured a series enchanting posts, profiles and puzzling questions. We learnt little known facts about the School, rekindled memories through historical photographs and profiled Old Girls who have had a profound impact on St Mary’s and the wider community. The celebratory month wrapped up with the distribution of an Alumni Survey, which was carefully crafted to help shape the future of our community engagement. After such a successful Centenary year, we cannot wait to see what our next century of discovery has in store for our inspiring Old Girls.
A PLACE TO GROW If you missed out on securing a copy of our Centenary book, A Place to Grow, fear not - the School has plenty of copies available for purchase. One hundred years in the making, this beautiful coffee table book, written by renowned historian and author, Richard Offen, is filled with stunning images and captivating tales about St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School.
S
MARLENE CARTER HERITAGE CENTRE DONATION
To order your copy of A Place to Grow, please visit our Senior School Reception or call (08) 9341 9111. You can also purchase the book online via www.stmarys.wa.edu.au/news/ publications.
t Mary’s wishes to extend its gratitude to former Old Girls’ Association President, Honorary Life Member of the OGA and Honorary Member for Life of St Mary’s, Jane Gillon (Fisher ’70), who recently donated a bundle of old School prize books belonging to Barbara Campbell (Germon ’49). Barbara won the 1948 Archbishop Riley Prize and was Dux of the School in 1949. Signed with the elegant signature of Mrs Elizabeth Myles, Principal 1944 to 1956, the books will be a wonderful addition to the Old Girls’ Book Prize Collection in the Marlene Carter Heritage Centre.
FIDELITER OLD GIRLS’ MONTH
25
PARENTS' SOCIETY
T
hroughout its history, St Mary’s Parents’ Society has primarily focused on organising and running events to support our community. While ongoing COVID-19 restrictions somewhat clipped our wings this year, we were delighted to fund the School’s traditional Welcome Sundowner in January and the inaugural event for our revitalised St Mary’s Fathers’ Group in March. More than 800 parents from our Junior and Senior Schools gathered at the school on Friday 28 January for this year’s Sundowner. I would like to extend my appreciation to our Parent Representatives for making our new families feel welcome and for facilitating countless conversations that will undoubtedly lead to the beginning of lifelong connections. A highlight of the evening was an address from our 2022 Head Girl, Menaaz Khan, who outlined her theme for the year, ‘All Aboard’. Her vision for the year ahead is to invite all students aboard a ‘big maroon bus’ and ensure that everyone makes the most of the opportunities available to them throughout 2022. It was an uplifting start to the school year under the fairy lights and our majestic plane trees. We were thrilled to receive a lot of positive feedback about the event’s timing and format.
26
FIDELITER Parents' Society
I am pleased to report that our new St Mary’s Fathers’ Group is up and running and that they began the year with a relaxing game of bowls at Doubleview Bowling and Recreation Club. More than 30 fathers and father figures attended the social event. The group is now working with our Year Group Representatives to engage fathers and father figures in more social gatherings and activities. We are grateful to everyone who purchased a ticket in this year’s School Fees Raffle, which contributed $7380 to our balance sheet. The raffle – which was drawn on 11 February 2022 by Principal, Mrs Judith Tudball, and Parent Representative, Mrs Lisa Manuel – was won by a Junior School family who wished to remain anonymous. Thank you to everyone who joined us for our online Parents’ Society meetings throughout Term 1. It was fantastic to engage with you and witness your passion for the School, albeit in a virtual setting. I know that everyone will be looking forward to gathering in person moving forward. Our meetings are held twice per term and details are listed on the Parent Portal. Clare Johansen Dean of School Operations
ATKINS DRIVE
A DRIVE TO REMEMBER: HONOURING PETER ATKINS
D
uring our Centenary year, we sought to celebrate a number of seminal people who helped shape St Mary’s into the wonderful school that it is today. One of those influential individuals was Mr Peter Atkins.
Peter, a lawyer who was appointed as Western Australia’s first criminal injuries assessor, served on the School’s Board of Governors from 1955 to 1982. He was Vice Chair from 1957 to 1962 and Chair from 1962 to 1971. Upon replacing Reverend Allan Macdonald as Chair, Peter became the first non-clerical appointment to hold St Mary’s highest position. As Chair, Peter developed a new constitution that advanced St Mary’s from a parish school to a Diocesan School, which appointed Board members from the wider community. An astute businessman, Peter invited parents who brought business experience and other expertise onto the Board. As Chair of the Church of England Schools’ Trust, Peter was instrumental in identifying suitable land and liaising with the Diocese and State Government to instigate the School’s move from West Perth to Karrinyup. Additionally, he lobbied the Government for loans and played a significant role in the fundraising and financing for the building development at Karrinyup. Peter also established a St Mary’s Foundation to assist country families and families in need with the funds from a bequest of a fellow board member in the mid1980s. These funds were transferred to the St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School Foundation in the early 2000s. Peter maintained his interest in St Mary’s for many years after retiring from his board roles and was a regular attendee at school events before his passing on 31 July 2017. The Peter Pan statue that was installed near the Lady Treatt Centre for Music and Dance in 2019 is a nod to Peter and now we are pleased to reveal that his legacy has been honoured again. On 17 August 2021, the Board of Governors unanimously supported a proposal to name the new internal roadway that winds its way around our playing fields, Atkins Drive. A signpost now takes pride of place at the entry point to the perimeter road, so that staff, students and other members of our School community can reflect on Peter’s magnificent contribution to St Mary’s as they make their way around our idyllic campus.
LEFT: The Atkins family – Luke, Peter, Annie, Milly, Phoebe and Elizabeth – admire St Mary’s new Atkins Drive signpost.
FIDELITER ATKins Drive
27
ARCHIVAL ANECDOTES
THE
VYNER BROOKE TRAGEDY 80 TH ANNIVERSARY
IN A TIME WHEN WE ARE WITNESS TO THE DAILY DEDICATION OF MEDICAL STAFF IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE REMEMBER THE SERVICE AND SACRIFICE OF OUR WORLD WAR II AUSTRALIAN ARMY NURSES WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE SINKING OF THE SS. VYNER BROOKE AND THE LATER MASSACRE OF THE SURVIVING CASUALTIES AND NURSES AT RADJI BEACH ON BANKA ISLAND, INDONESIA, ON 16 FEBRUARY 1942.
T
he sounds of pipe and drum led the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the tragedy of the Vyner Brooke on Sunday 13 February 2022. A memorial titled, ‘Our Nursing Heritage: The Vyner Brooke Tragedy’, stands beside a large pool of water, surrounded by a grove of shading trees, each named with a small plaque for each nurse who perished. Situated in the City of Melville, a stone’s throw from the Swan River, it is a peaceful and reflective tribute to our lost
nurses and their resolute belief in service and duty. On such a beautiful morning in February, it was difficult to imagine the horror that befell the World War II hospital ship, the Vyner Brooke, the last ship to leave Singapore Harbour before it fell to the Japanese occupation in February of 1942. One of the nurses who died on that fateful beach was an Old Girl of St Mary’s, Peggy Everett Farmaner (’30). The official collection record from the Australian War Memorial (P02783.007) states:
“…Sister Peggy Everett Farmaner, 2/4th Casualty Clearing Station, Australian Army Nursing Service (AANS). She was one of 65 Australian nurses and over 250 civilian men, women and children evacuated on the Vyner Brooke from Singapore, three days before the fall of Malaya. The Vyner Brooke was bombed by Japanese aircraft and sunk in Banka Strait on 14 February 1942. Of the 65 nurses on board, 12 were lost at sea and 32 survived the sinking and were captured as Prisoners of War (POWs) of whom eight later died
LEFT TO RIGHT: Peggy Everett Farmaner (’30) c/o Australian War Memorial; Peggy, circled, pictured with her fellow 1929 prefects.
28
FIDELITER Archival Anecdotes
ARCHIVAL ANECDOTES
ABOVE: St Mary’s Archivist, Stephanie Neille, placed the School flag on a tree dedicated to Peggy during the 80th anniversary commemoration of the Vyner Brooke Tragedy. LEFT: The 80th anniversary of the Vyner Brooke Tragedy was commemorated at Point Walter Reserve on 13 February 2022.
during captivity. Sister Farmaner, aged 29, was one of the remaining 22 nurses who also survived the sinking and were washed ashore on Radji Beach, Banka Island, where they surrendered to the Japanese, along with 25 British soldiers. On 16 February 1942 the group was massacred; the soldiers were bayoneted, and the nurses were ordered to march into the sea where they were shot. Only Sister Vivian Bullwinkel and a British soldier survived the massacre. Both were taken POW, but only Sister Bullwinkel survived the war [and later gave evidence at the Tokyo War Crimes Trials in 1946].”
Methodist Ladies’ College from 1919 to 1925 and transferred to St Mary’s in West Perth from 1926 to 1930. She was a School Prefect in 1929 and 1930, and won the Form V1b Prize, awarded to girls who achieved 75 per cent or above in marks for the year. She gained a Junior and Leaving Certificate, which included English, Mathematics B, Drawing and Latin. A year after her graduation, it was noted in the Almerta of 1931, that “Peggy Farmaner went North during the year as governess to some station children”. Peggy was already a qualified nurse by the time World War II broke out, and she enlisted for service as an Army nurse in 1940.
Church, which is now housed in the entrance to the Chapel of St Mary at the School. We remember her on every occasion that we are in the Chapel, as we pass what is affectionately known as ‘Peggy’s table’.
Peggy Everett Farmaner was born on 8 March 1913 and lived at Lapsley Road Claremont with her parents, George and Flora, and her sisters, Eileen and Molly. Peggy attended
Peggy’s family and friends were greatly affected by her tragic and cruel passing. Her mother dedicated and donated a memorial entrance table to the St Mary’s West Perth
With acknowledgement to the Australian Nurses Memorial Centre, the Australian War Memorial, the City of Melville, the National Archives of Australia, On Radji Beach by Ian W. Shaw, and the RSLWA Applecross Sub-Branch
We also honoured her when the School flag was placed on Peggy’s memorial tree at the 80th anniversary of the tragedy. Later, after respectful song and lamentation, a white dove of peace was released into the brilliantly blue sky and we quietly spoke the eternal words together, ‘lest we forget’. Stephanie Neille, Archivist
FIDELITER Archival Anecdotes
29
VALE
St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School also extends its condolences to the families of the following Old Girls who passed away recently: CYNTHIA RITSON (LEAKE ’39) GRACE TRURAN (DUNWELL ’55) GILLIAN MCKERRACHER (ALLBERRY ‘61) DR SUE CRUTHERS (‘75) MADDY TOOHEY (‘14)
SALLY EMMA HICKS – 2021 HEAD GIRL
T
24 NOVEMBER 2003 – 14 MARCH 2022
MR VAN PANOTIDIS 24 DECEMBER 1924 – 10 MAY 2022
Mr Van Panotidis was a volunteer champion at St Mary’s for many years. He embraced our community and was involved with everything from organising fairs to strategic planning. Van was a member of the Parents’ Society from 1988 – 1992 and President in 1990. That year he was also on the Board of Management of the Foundation, which led to his membership of the Board of Governors from 1991 – 2000. He was influential on the Grounds Committee from 1988 – 1997 but showed his true strength when he joined the Forward Planning Committee from 1991 – 1992 and the Marketing and Strategic Planning Committee from 1991 – 1999, being Chair of that committee from 1998 – 1999. Van and his wife Jan were also financial donors to the School. Their daughter Dr Nikki Panotidis is a current member of our Board of Governors, and we pass on our sincere condolences to her and her family.
30
FIDELITER vale
he Chapel of St Mary is a place that has provided great comfort to many members of the St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School community since its construction in 1981; hence it was fitting that our Class of 2021 gathered there on Friday 25 March 2022 for a Service of Thanksgiving to honour our beloved 2021 Head Girl, Sally Hicks, and pay tribute to her tremendous contribution to St Mary’s. The relationship between a Principal and Head Girl is both unique and special. Sally was my third Head Girl at St Mary’s, and I will never forget her excitement at being named Head Girl for our Centenary year. Throughout her six years at St Mary's, Sally embodied the true spirit of a St Mary’s student. Kindness, warmth and generosity of spirit came so naturally to her, and this authenticity filtered through to everything that she did. Sally was respectful but never too serious, and she loved to have fun, flashing that infectious smile that we all came to love so dearly. A talented student, Sally was awarded a scholarship on entry to Year 7, and she received numerous academic awards each year at St Mary’s. In her final year, Sally received Aspire Awards in Semesters 1 and 2, a mid-year Academic Award, the Human Biology ATAR - Western Australian Journal of Medicine Runner-up Prize, and a Principal’s Prize for All Round Contribution to the School; the latter two were presented to her parents, Sonia and Steve, at our 2021 Speech Night and Centenary Celebration. Sally was also awarded an ATAR of 99.2 and a Certificate of Distinction by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA). Outside the classroom, Sally made the most of every opportunity before her; she was an enthusiastic participant in sport, the arts, St Mary’s annual Creative and Performing Arts Festival (CAPAF), scuba diving, community service and leadership activities. Sally always participated for the right reasons, not merely because she felt she had to. She represented the School in Independent Girls’ School Sports Association (IGSSA) sport, namely basketball, netball, soccer, athletics, and volleyball in every single term, receiving many sporting awards along the way.
A proud Wittenoom girl, Sally even participated in Interhouse Dance, although, by her own admission, dance was not her forte. She just loved contributing to her House in every way possible, with the Interhouse Athletics Carnival being one of her favourite days of the school year. In Year 10, Sally was selected for exchange to Westover School in the United States, where she grew in confidence and independence. She made such an impression at Westover, that upon hearing of Sally’s accident, they posted on their social media channels, “Sending healing thoughts from the US, and fondly remembering Sally’s gentle ways and her infectious smile.” Sally and I met every Tuesday at recess to plan the week ahead and to discuss her upcoming speeches. She was always calm, organised and positive, and every time I outlined the next event she was required to speak at, no matter how daunting it seemed or how many assessment tasks loomed on the horizon, Sally always demonstrated enthusiasm and would smile and respond with her favourite word, “lovely”. I will never forget the moment that Sally’s mum, Sonia, contacted me to say that she had been injured in a car accident. No one could have ever imagined the ensuing scenario, with Sally in a coma and in a critical condition in ICU. It was simply incomprehensible. I am eternally grateful to Sonia and Steve for allowing me into their very personal lives, especially in those early days following the accident, when I was able to spend time by Sally’s bed in ICU. And I am also grateful for the support of Fr Richard Pengelley during those visits, along with then Dean of Students, Mrs Rebecca Payne. We regularly travelled together to the hospital to be with Sally to hold her hand, to tell her all the latest School news, to let her know how loved she was by everyone at St Mary’s, and to pray by her bedside. Valedictory Week and the Prefect Handover Assembly were challenging times for everyone, and I know just how proud Sally would have been of her parents and the commendable way that they bravely represented her at a multitude of events. It was an inspirational act of immense courage on a scale rarely seen and one that I have since drawn strength from. We all continued to will and pray for Sally to recover from her injuries and reenter our lives as the vibrant, positive, kind, caring, and intelligent young woman we knew. Sadly, it was not to be. Having watched Sally struggle to recover over that seven-month period, I take great comfort in knowing that she is now at peace. I know that Sally will proudly and faithfully watch over her family and the St Mary’s community, showing us the light, and the way, when we need it the most. In her Head Girl acceptance speech, Sally encouraged us to search for the positives in everything that we do and to find the fun in life when times are hard. I know that Sally will want us to take this advice on board as we continue to struggle to make sense of her loss. Rest in Peace, Sally, knowing that you are so very loved by so many. Mrs Judith Tudball Principal
DIXIE LEE HARRIS (’65)
D
17 OCTOBER 1948 – 25 APRIL 2022
ixie grew up in West Perth and attended St Mary's Anglican Girls’ School from 1954 to 1965. From a young age at St Mary's, Dixie competed at State and National level in gymnastics, and later in her young adult life, in rhythmic gymnastics. Choreographer, coach and music editor to State and Maccabi National teams and in musical theatre for 30 years, Dixie also coached St Mary's senior girls in the mid-80s. The St Mary's and West Australian Maccabi gymnastic teams flourished under Dixie's guidance, being the reigning champions for many years. Dixie's visionary and innovative leadership in physical culture led her to pioneering rhythmic gymnastics, aerobics and cheerleading in Australia. Dixie will be remembered for her innovative, creative and passionate zest for performing arts and as a loving mother of four and grandmother.
FIDELITER vale
31
ST MARY’S ANGLICAN GIRLS’ SCHOOL INCORPORATED 75 Elliott Road Karrinyup Western Australia PO Box 105 Karrinyup WA 6921 TELEPHONE: (08) 9341 9111 WEBSITE: www.stmarys.wa.edu.au CRICOS Number 00454C
