In this issue

This week, there has been a whirlwind of activity in the house, with our year 12 girls commencing their external exams and our year 9 girls heading off to camp. The remainder of the house has been in study mode, preparing for upcoming exams and completing assessments.

Recent highlights include last week’s Celebration of Excellence, where many of our boarders received academic, service, sporting and cultural awards. From our entire community, we congratulate them and celebrate their success and contributions to both the school and the wider community.

In other exciting news, in recognition of their positive contributions to the house, each week, a boarder from each year level is carefully selected to receive our Boarder of the Week award. Well done to Eve Hallman, Annabelle Atkins, India Cleeve, Rosie Bulmer and Flo Armstrong!

Looking forward to the week ahead, our emerging 2023 Captains and Mentors will begin their leadership induction training, to support, guide and prepare them for mentoring and leading the boarding house next year, as Sacred Heart Women of Action. We look forward to their wonderful contributions to the house in the year ahead.

From our house to yours, we wish you all a wonderful week ahead,

Jane Morris

Dean of Boarding 

Building connections and community on Camp

This week I visited the Year 9 Camp, facilitated by Adventure Alternatives at Woodford, supported by our own Stuartholme staff.

We extend our warmest thanks to our Year 9 Leader of Student Wellbeing – Jeanette MacGregor for overall coordination and the team of staff who are attending to support her including: Pierina Curties (Year 8 Leader of Student Wellbeing), Natalie Morgan (School psychologist) and our teaching team of Celia McIvor, Jenny Bunce, Nicola Walters and Michael Aire.

Camps are an integral part of our Wise Wellness Program based on firm evidence which clearly links wellbeing with academic success. At Stuartholme this is underscored by our Sacred Heart charism.

Consistent with the data, this program operating in Years 7-12 covers: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making.

The value of camps and what makes them work

Research clearly pinpoints that learning away at residential learning experiences such as camps provide opportunities, benefits and impacts that cannot be achieved in any other educational context or setting.

The evidence shows the benefits of students going away with staff who teach them, in terms of maintaining these improved relationships back in school, as well as providing opportunities to build on and reinforce learning. In short, camps:

1. Build community.
2. Raises expectations and standards.
3. Increase connection.
4. Build culture.
5. Develop positive feelings and memories around school and the outdoors.
6. Foster student wellbeing.
7. Develop academic resilience and self-confidence.
8. Enhance engagement with learning.
9. Drive achievement.
10. Build knowledge, skills and understanding in the general capabilities.

Congratulations to our terrific Year 9 students

The Year 9 students are to be commended for the way that they leaned into a range of challenging outdoor activities, built new connections with each other and bravely seized the opportunity to build on and reinforce their learning.

References:

1. https://relationalschools.org/2019/08/08/6223/
2. http://www.essentialkids.com.au/health/health-wellbeing/children-respond-to-call-of-the-wild-20100516-v6ix
3. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/5-benefits-of-outdoor-education-michael-becker
4. https://outdooreducationaustralia.org.au/2018/02/23/7-year-uk-outdoored-study/

The vital role of parents in achieving educational excellence

The research clearly shows that the work of schools can only operate alongside what happens in the home and cannot ever replace the role and responsibility parents have in supporting the achievement of educational excellence. Additionally, there is benefit in both teachers and parents “sharing the how” about what works well to achieve more strongly in this domain. Stuartholme is leading the way in this regard with our “Lab project”.

As part of this project, we are excited to host our The Term IV Lab for Parents event drawing on our model whereby “parents coach parents” which will take place on Monday 14 November. Invitations for this event have been sent out via MyStuartholme.

Elizabeth Foxover

Acting Dean of Student Wellbeing 

“Digital wellbeing” is a term used to describe the impact of technologies and digital services on people’s mental, physical, social and emotional health.    Years before the COVID-19 pandemic, parents, teachers and researchers were questioning children’s increasing access to digital technologies and the impacts of this on their learning and wellbeing.  The “Growing Up Digital” project was started in 2014 by researchers from Harvard University.  The study follows thousands of young people into adulthood to learn about their media exposure and trace their outcomes in response to the effects of digital media.  It has since expanded into Australia and is being led by researchers from the Gonski Institute for Education.

In 2021, they released the results from Phase 2 of their study which included evidence collected during the height of the pandemic when there was a significant uptick in children’s use of digital technologies.  Our Year 9s recently engaged in a session where we discussed this study and the connection between digital wellbeing and learning.  Students are now conducting their own action research project for the remainder of Term Four to consider their screen-time and evaluate the “quality” of the time spent on their devices.  I look forward to working with them to review their data in the weeks to come and consider how their findings might inform their future use of devices.  For now, I thought parents may be interested in what the research says about the role parents play in their children’s digital wellbeing.

Professor Michael Rich who pioneered the Growing Up Digital study says that, “We have to be flexible enough to evolve with the technology but choose how to use it right.”  Julie Inman Grant (eSafety Commissioner) calls this “the dual power of technology” where the positive side of access to digital technologies is tempered by negative aspects which can have an impact on children’s mental health and wellbeing.  In the 2021 report, Grant said that 83% of parents felt that their child had been negatively distracted by digital technologies, however, 53% of parents indicated that their attitudes towards digital media and technology have changed during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Almost 80% of parents felt that their child’s use of technology when at school was “about right” but 73% of caregivers reported that it is harder to control their child’s digital habits at home when they have their own screen-based device.

The study found that Australian children are spending less time on devices (approximately 14.4 hours a week) compared to international PISA data, but the report makes the point that total weekly screen time does not add much to understanding the complex issue of digital wellbeing.  Historically, calls for screen time limits are largely predicated on the consideration of digital media as an entertainment or, “digital babysitter”.  The researchers emphasised that conversations in homes must be broader than just the “total amount of screen time” allowed.  What is more significant is the time of day that children are using screens. The research indicates that the impact of exposure to screens before bed is particularly detrimental for young people. 2020 research by the Harvard Medical School found that blue light typically emitted by digital screens suppressed the sleep hormone melatonin almost twice as long as green light and shifted circadian rhythms by twice as much.  The consequences are poorer sleep quality for children which directly impacts on their ability to learn at school.  The Gonski researchers found that three in five Australian children who go to bed with their devices also struggle at school.

Both American and Australian researchers involved in the Growing up Digital project agree that parents and carers play a critical role in children’s safe and responsible use of digital technologies.  They outline that the most common conversations parents have with their children is about the time they spend online without exploring the idea of balance.  They say that this seems out of step with how we teach young people about other important life lessons.  For instance, when we talk about healthy eating, we don’t talk about “food time”.  We talk about components that make up the intake.  A similar approach is recommended for discussions about screentime by considering digital media in relation to its purpose, intent and the displacement of other activities that add balance to a young person’s day.  The report makes the following recommendations for parents to support their child’s digital wellbeing:

• Provide gadgets purposively and with a clear purpose
• Recognise the educational, active and engaging purposes that digital media can provide whilst clarifying the key point that there are better uses of screens than others
• Support children to have a balance of activities including time spent outside in nature
• Engage in conversations with young people about their habits and share the digital world with them
• Not allow children to take devices to bed or have access to devices late at night
• Teach children to self-regulate their devices by including them in decision-making about clear guidelines for device use at home that every family member follows consistently

The report concludes by saying: “While concern is clearly there, the parental spirt is weary.  We know that this is not easy.  There will likely be battles, arguments, tears, resentment and not a problem that will be easily solved.  This is worth the effort and short-term pain, we promise.”

At Stuartholme, we walk alongside parents on the journey to support our young people to use digital devices responsibly and purposefully.  Our students commence these learnings with their Information and Digital Learning subject in Year 7 and continue to grow their understanding through the Wise Wellness program which includes the recent “Staying Safe Online” presentations.  For our current Year 9s, I can already see from their early engagement in their screen time project, that they are applying this prior knowledge as they consider the links between digital wellbeing and effective study.  I look forward to working with them further to support them to make informed choices about how they use their devices to maximise their potential for learning.

The Student Wellbeing page on myStuartholme has more strategies and recommendations about using technology at home.  Further reading about the Growing Up Digital project and the Phase 2 report can be found here: https://www.gie.unsw.edu.au/children-more-distracted-digital-devices-home-parents-say

Annie Van-Homrigh

Director of Academic Development and Performance

What have you been taught about the formation of our Moon?

As science students, we know a ‘theory’ is concluded through ideas and known facts and shows us the most plausible solution to a question. Hence, the theory of the Moon’s formation has been a scientific puzzle, studied for decades without a conclusive answer.

You’ve likely heard that the Moon formed billions of years ago, out of the debris from a collision between the Earth and ‘Theia,’ an object similar to the size of Mars. This theory suggests the Earth and Theia’s debris fused into our Moon over many months or years while orbiting; however, a new technological simulation has uncovered a different theory! This new theory suggests the Moon formed almost immediately – in fact, a matter of hours, when material from Earth and Theia was sent precisely into our orbit- instantly after the impact.

The high-resolution simulations used to uncover this new theory were more detailed than many people expected, while old, lower-resolution simulations excluded important aspects of collisions, and gave misleading answers. Therefore, these new simulations have allowed researchers to view scientific behaviours in a way previous studies just couldn’t view.

There were two major faults in our old theory about the Moon, which constantly left researchers puzzled. In old scenarios where Theia’s debris spread out into orbit and mixed with only small amounts of Earth’s debris, it is less likely we’d see so many similarities between the Moon and the Earth, unless Theia was also isotopically alike Earth- a super unlikely idea. To diminish this theoretical issue, the ‘synestia model’ was proposed, where the Moon developed inside a whirl of vaporised rock, created by the collision. This model struggles to explain the Moon’s current orbit though.

The new theory offers an explanation for both outstanding issues, as it places the Moon in a wide orbit with an interior crust that isn’t fully molten. Due to such crust interior and orbit, properties like the Moon’s tilted orbit and thin crust are explained! Additionally, in this theory, much more debris from the Earth is involved in the formation of the Moon, particularly its outer layers- explaining the similarity in the Moon’s composition.

So, what do you reckon? Is our new theory proposed through updated simulations, correct? Do we now know the exact formation of our beloved moon? Or is it just another theory…

Sources:

https://phys.org/news/2022-10-giant-impact-moon-rapidly-scientists.html

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/ames/lunar-origins-simulations

By Sabrina Aggens Burchill (UQ Science Ambassador)

Science Opportunities

This immersive 2-day program is open to Year 8 and 9 students with an interest in STEM and are considering their future subject choices. *Note, places are strictly limited and fill quickly.

Over the 2 days students will:

• Gain experience using the latest technology and techniques in our state-of-the-art PC2 biomedical research laboratory
• Collaborate with peers in a real research environment
• Participate in biomedical science tutorials in our classroom
• Learn valuable academic research skills

To apply for a place in Session 1 or 2 2023, complete the Junior Research Engagement Program form and return to sparqed@uq.edu.au asap as places are strictly limited! See our website for more details.

Best of luck to our Year 12 students completing their external exams.

Wendy Macdonald

Leader of Learning – Science

Lotte McKeering, and Alice McCann were selected to represent Stuartholme at the CaSSSA High Performance Camp.

Lotte shared a reflection from her experience at the camp:

In the holidays I had the opportunity to go to the Casssa high performance sport camp. At the camp I was able to meet so many amazing athletes, coaches, and girls from other catholic girl’s schools around Brisbane. The complex we stayed and trained at was the Gold Coast performance centre. This complex had amazing facilities like a 50m pool, multiple gyms, athletics track and field, and much more. I got to train with Olympic coaches and athletes to improve my performance in both running and swimming. Meeting these inspirational women influenced me train harder and use different training techniques to improve my performance. I was also privileged to listen to lectures with Iron women Harriet Brown, firebirds netball player Mia Stower and dietitian Peta Coles. All of these athletes and guest speakers had their own story of their sporting and professional career. Through this experience I was able to understand more about female health when playing sport, mental health, and the importance of diet. This experience was incredible and significantly bettered my understanding of female athletes in sport and careers I might like to go into after graduating. 

Thanks,

Lotte McKeering

We have once again been able to access the services of a Milliner who can re-block and clean school hats.

Can you please check your daughter’s hat and if it is in need of cleaning, please place it into a plastic shopping bag with your daughter’s name and class on the outside of the bag. Please then have your daughter drop it into the Mission and Student Wellbeing office on either Thursday 24^th or Friday 25^th November 2022.

Cost will be $25.00, and it is to be placed into an envelope accompanying the hat.  If your hat needs a new trim as well, the cost is $35.00.  Hats that require further mending or is extremely stained will be charged slightly more and the money will be collected once the hats are returned to school.

Hats will be ready for collection at the beginning of term one, 2023.

On Sunday 23 October our water polo athletes attended our season launch and goal setting evening at the school.

The girls were privileged to listen to alumnae Jane Moran. Jane won a gold medal at the 2011 Canada Cup and a silver medal at the 2010 Fina World Cup. Jane was chosen to represent Australia at the 2012 Olympics, winning a bronze medal. She spoke to the girls about importance of respect for team-mates, coaches and officials in sport and the importance of constructive feedback.

The girls then had the opportunity to break off into their teams to set team and individual goals. The night was a great success finished off with a BBQ with the parents.

On Thursday 2oth October, Stuartholme School celebrated the Celebration of Excellence. Photos taken from the night are now available for viewing on MyStuartholme or https://geosnapshot.com/org/stuartholmeschool.

Congratulations to the following students.

YEAR 7

Sophie Blundell

Shared First Place History

Academic Excellence

Grace Connolly

Academic Excellence

Imogen Cowlishaw

First Place English

Shared First Place Religious Education

Shared First Place Science

Academic Excellence

Amelia Edmonds

Shared First Place Religious Education

Academic Excellence

Sofia Guinea

Academic Excellence

Charlotte Lambeth

Academic Excellence

Megan Lichtwark

First Place Health and Physical Education

Laney Liu

Shared First Place History

Academic Excellence

Poppy Masters

Shared First Place Religious Education

Academic Excellence

Grace McGillion

Academic Excellence

Petra Newham

Academic Excellence

Freya O’Luanaigh

Academic Excellence

Georgiana Price

First Place Mathematics

Academic Excellence

Grace Van Zetten

Academic Excellence

Lucinda Wicht

Academic Excellence

Victoria Wilkinson

Shared First Place Science

Academic Excellence

YEAR 8

Elizabeth Burton

Shared First Place Music

First Place Science

Academic Excellence

Sophia Cheal

Shared First Place Drama

Academic Excellence 

Amy Colpoys

Academic Excellence

Bridget Coogan

Shared First Place Music

Academic Excellence

Sophie Fryer

Shared First Place History

Ena Harpham

Shared First Place Health and Physical Education

Academic Excellence

Tia Kilmister

Academic Excellence

Joy Kordic

First Place English

Shared First Place History

Academic Excellence

Ariana Mason

Shared First Place Drama

Charlotte McCosker

Academic Excellence

Bella Melville

First Place French

Shared First Place Visual Art

Academic Excellence

Bridget Nunan

Shared First Place Chinese

Academic Excellence

Millicent O’Hanlon

Shared First Place Visual Art

Academic Excellence

Molly Rogers

Academic Excellence

Abby Schumacher

Academic Excellence

Jasmine Tupicoff

Shared First Place Chinese

Tara Wallace

Shared First Place Health and Physical Education

Academic Excellence

Arthittaya Wojtowicz

First Place Mathematics

First Place Religious Education

Shared First Place Music

Shared First Place Visual Art

Academic Excellence

YEAR 9

Gemma Anderson

Academic Excellence

Jessica Barnes

Academic Excellence

Julianna Burchill

Shared First Place Visual Art

Emmaline Buric-Johnstone

Shared First Place Music

Academic Excellence

Olivia Connarty

Academic Excellence

Phoebe Cranitch

Academic Excellence

Eloise Daley

Academic Excellence

Eliza Flanagan

Shared First Place French

Academic Excellence

Amelie Gordon

Academic Excellence

Martinique Harvey

Academic Excellence

Gabrielle Hirn

Shared First Place Extension Health and Physical Education

Academic Excellence

Amy Jose

Shared First Place Design and Technologies

Sarah Killen

First Place Chinese

Academic Excellence

Bridget Lyons

Academic Excellence

Erin Mansul

Shared First Place Extension Health and Physical Education

Academic Excellence

Laura McGann

First Place Digital Technologies

Academic Excellence

Saffron Meddick

Shared First Place Visual Art

Grace Moffatt

First Place Mathematics

Academic Excellence

Poppy Morrison

Shared First Place Religious Education

Academic Excellence

Nyah Murphy

Academic Excellence

Eleanor O’Brien

Shared First Place English

Academic Excellence

Arabella Robinson

First Place Drama

First Place Economics and Business

First Place Health and Physical Education

First Place Science

Academic Excellence

Elizabeth Rosanowski

Academic Excellence

Scarlett Ruddy

Academic Excellence

Eve Tully

Academic Excellence

Lily Urquhart

Shared First Place Design and Technologies

Bethany Van Hecke

Shared First Place English

Shared First Place Music

Shared First Place Religious Education

Academic Excellence

Iris Vandenberg

Shared First Place English

Academic Excellence

Zara-Jane Wicht

Academic Excellence

Remy Williams

Shared First Place French

YEAR 10

Gabriela Alonso

Academic Excellence

Amy Bristow

Academic Excellence

Angelica Byrne

Academic Excellence

Ava Cheal

First Place Chinese

Shared First Place Mathematical Methods

Academic Excellence

Lucy Collins

First Place Extension Health and Physical Education

Academic Excellence

Lara Coogan

First Place General Mathematics

Academic Excellence

Lindsey Curl

Academic Excellence

Amelia Davies

Academic Excellence

Mackenzie Dawson

Academic Excellence

Chloe Fitzgerald

Shared First Place English

Shared First Place History

Academic Excellence

Eve Hallman

First Place Drama

Shared First Place Geography

Academic Excellence

Rachael Henderson

Academic Excellence

Sofia Jackson

Shared First Place Geography

Academic Excellence

Chloe Kelleher

Academic Excellence

Maddison Knuth

First Place Visual Art

Sophia Lyons

First Place Design and Technologies

Shared First Place English

Shared First Place Religious Education

Academic Excellence

Laura Manson

First Place Digital Technologies

Academic Excellence

Claire McCormack

Shared First Place Mathematical Methods

Academic Excellence

Anna Newham

Shared First Place Music

Academic Excellence

Louise Poggio

Academic Excellence

Alexa Rose

Shared First Place Music

Academic Excellence

Rosie Sheehan

First Place Economics and Business

Shared First Place French

Shared First Place Geography

Shared First Place Mathematical Methods

Shared First Place Religious Education

Shared First Place Science

Academic Excellence

Susannah Streeton

Shared First Place French

Shared First Place History

Shared First Place Religious Education

Shared First Place Science

Academic Excellence

Emma Stringer

Academic Excellence

Year 11

Lucinda Adams

First Place Essential Mathematics

Grace Adams

First Place Geography

Grace Armitage

First Place Fashion

Brea Barbagallo

First Place Music

Grace Bentley

First Place Physical Education

Dimity Bladen

First Place Business

Academic Excellence

Claire Bowlay

First Place French

Academic Excellence

Chloe Carew

First Place Design

Academic Excellence

Jessica Caulfield

First Place Visual Art

Academic Excellence

Grace Clulow

First Place Digital Solutions

First Place Psychology

Academic Excellence

Amelia Cook

First Place General Mathematics

Chiara Devetak

First Place Religion and Ethics

Annabelle Fisher

First Place Literature

Eleanor Fraser

Academic Excellence

Felicity Hoult

First Place General English

Academic Excellence

Jorja Ireland

Shared First Place Health

Academic Excellenc

Martha Maguire

First Place Essential English

Darcy Mansul

First Place Chemistry

First Place Study of Religion

Academic Excellence

Isobel Martin

Academic Excellence

Bronwyn Mason

First Place Accounting

Academic Excellence

Annaliese McGahan

First Place Biology

Lani McIntosh

First Place Visual Art in Practice

Harriet Moore

Shared First Place Health

Keely Morton

Shared First Place Health 

Nika Navazani

First Place Modern History

Sienna Pelto

First Place Physics

Laura Penning

Shared First Place Drama

Anna Roads

Shared First Place Drama

Riley Shearer

First Place Music in Practice

Charlotte Spooner

First Place Economics

First Place Mathematical Methods

First Place Specialist Mathematics

Academic Excellence

Jemma Stiles

First Place Ancient History

Isabella Stuart

Academic Excellence

Jessica Welch

First Place Chinese

DIPLOMA OF BUSINESS

Isabelle Allen

Rose Armstrong

Rebecca Bartlett

Charlotte Borjesson

Arabella Briggs

Isabella Brown

Holly Carroll

Ruby Cowan

Mia De Martini

Stella Fern

Mia Fitzgerald

Caitlin Forbes

Stella Gaborit

Bronte Grayson

Georgina Hedberg

Ava Hill

Sarah Hogan

Lucy Hutchings

Sophia Jackson

Laura Kampe

Aoife Knott

Elke Lalor

Emilie Letica

Gabrielle Lyons

Allegra Marino

Victoria Mead

Ella-Jayne Meadows

Zoe Morris

Riley Muller

Clare Munro

Trinity Murphy

Lilli Nott

Anabel Nugent

Eliza Olley

Eve Paton

Rebecca Phelan

Eloise Pietsch

Adelaide Pollard

Grace Rose

Grace Savill

Caitlin Singer

Milana Tan

Harriet Tully

Madeline Wachtel

Albie Woolcock Egan

DIPLOMA OF BUSINESS & CERTIFICATE III IN AGRICULTURE / TRAINEESHIP, CERTIFICATE III IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE

Charlotte Gibson

DIPLOMA OF BUSINESS & CERTIFICATE III IN AGRICULTURE / TRAINEESHIP

Emily Rose Scott

Ebony Tait

DIPLOMA OF BUSINESS & CERTIFICATE III IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE

Lily Gordon

Camille Weston-Kelly

DIPLOMA OF BUSINESS, CERTIFICATE III RURAL OPERATIONS & CERTIFICATE II RURAL OPERATIONS

Lucia Allen

DIPLOMA OF BUSINESS & CERTIFICATE III IN DANCE

Paige Wood

DIPLOMA OF SPORT & CERTIFICATE II IN SPORT AND RECREATION

Holly Clemson

Felicity Greber

Emma Henderson

Elena Henry

Lydia Kenny

Emma Kiel-Chisholm

Estelle Loughman

Sofia Mailli

Lucinda McKeown

Holly Robertson

Emma Smith

Sophia Stebbins

Lucy Sullivan

Bridee Voll

Emilia Woodard

DIPLOMA OF SPORT, CERTIFICATE III IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AND CARE & CERTIFICATE II IN SPORT AND RECREATION

Ackron Gavin

CERTIFICATE IV IN CRIME AND JUSTICE STUDIES

Amelia Dougan

CERTIFICATE III IN DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS

Charlotte Perkins

CERTIFICATE III IN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND CARE

Bailey Ellis

Emily Scott

CERTIFICATE III IN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND CARE & CERTIFICATE II IN HEALTH SUPPORT SERVICES

Isabel Setter

CERTIFICATE III IN EARLY CHILDHOOD AND CARE & CERTIFICATE II IN KITCHEN OPERATIONS

Elyse Johns

CERTIFICATE III IN VISUAL ARTS & CERTIFICATE II IN SPORT AND RECREATION

Emilie Cole

ST MADELEINE SOPHIE BARAT ACADEMIC HONOURS

Claire Abercrombie

Georgia Betts

Angelique Boland

Seoro Brady

Lara Carter

Holly Clemson

Anna Coman

Sasha de Aboitiz

Mimi Dignan

Audrey Fraser

Sophia Henderson

Prudence Herbertson

Monique Judson

Madison Malouf

Georgia Manthey

Trinity Murphy

Alexandra O’Brien

Greta Robertson

Chloe Robinson

Ashley Rolfe

Grace Rose

Ciara Royds

Madison Ryan

Genevieve Steffensen

Alessa Wiltshire

Kei Wynn

Alumnae Awards

The Sharon Beirne Memorial Award- Mia Woodhouse

The Moreen Acton Award- Lucy Hutchings

The Samantha Kelly Prize- Imogen Cowlishaw

Community Scholarships

The University of Queensland Achievement Award- Ciara Royds

Griffith University Spark Award- Jemma Stiles

Sir Samuel Griffith Scholarship- Georgia Manthey

Australian Catholic University Impact Award- Alessa Wiltshire

ICT / GISP Awards

Junior ICT / GISP award- Zara-Jane Wicht

Senior ICT / GISP award- Chloe Robinson

Australian Defence Force Long Tan Leadership and Teamwork Awards

Year 10              Rosie Sheehan

Year 12              Ciara Royds

Australian Defence Force Future Innovators Awards

Year 10              Lindsey Curl

Year 12              Chloe Robinson

Co-Curricular Excellence Awards

Isabelle Allen

Rowing

Grace Anthony

Equestrian

Talia Bellette

Water Polo

Lara Carter

Sport Climbing

Keira Clark

Gymnastics

Bridgette Dalmau

Equestrian

Gretta Johnson

Cross Country

Phoebe Karamihas

Cross Country

Alexandra Larsson

Mountain Biking

Erin Mansul

Gymnastics

Chloe O’Rorke

Equestrian

Sienna Pelto

Equestrian

Florence Pothecary

Water Polo

Lily Woodford

Gymnastics

Cultural Awards

Year 7                Amelia Edmonds

Year 8                Jasmine Tupicoff

Year 9                Bethany Van Hecke

Year 10              Tara Nic Phaidin

Year 11              Brea Barbagallo

Sports Awards

Year 7                Emily Goddard

Year 8                Olivia Williams

Year 9                Grace Freeman

Year 10              Edie Campbell

Year 11              Charlotte McKeering

Service to Community Awards

Year 7                Amelia Edmonds

Year 8                Hannah Johnson

Year 9                Zara-Jane Wicht

Year 10              Rosie Sheehan

Year 11              Kate McGann

Cor Unum Spirit Awards

Year 7                Hannah Arend

Year 8                Allegra Devetak

Year 9                Bethany Van Hecke

Year 10              Edie Campbell

Year 11              Isabella Stuart

Sister Mollie Ahern Service Awards

Bronze Awards are given for 20-30 Hours of service

Zoe Alessandra

Grace Armitage

Chloe Carew

Eliza Flanagan

Isabella Guymer

Prudence Herbertson

Sophie Howard

Jorja Ireland

Elyse Johns

Monique Judson

Hayley Letica

Emilie Letica

Sophie Mackintosh

Darcy Mansul

Charlotte McKeering

Madeline Murphy

Heidi Reed

Silver Awards are given for 30-40 Hours of service

Emmaline Buric-Johnstone

Eve Hallman

Sophie Ladbrook

Alice McCann

Claire McCormack

Kate McGann

Jemma Stiles

Emma Stringer

Gold Awards are given for 41 Hours of service

Isabelle Allen

Lucia Allen

Gemma Anderson

Lily Beck

Stella Berge

Emily Betts

Georgia Betts

Verity Blair

Anna Boxall

Amy Bristow

Angelica Byrne

Edie Campbell

Ava Cheal

Lucy Collins

Anna Coman

Lara Coogan

Tiana Craig

Amelia Davies

Audrey Fraser

Lucinda Freeman

Lily Haddad

Jenna Hanley

Mary-Jane Harriott

Rachael Henderson

Sarah Hogan

Lucy Hutchings

Sofia Jackson

Sarah Killen

Charlotte King

Annabelle King

Joy Kordic

Georgia Manthey

Anna Newham

Tara Nic Phaidin

Amelia Pothecary

Ashley Rolfe

Ciara Royds

Rosie Sheehan

Bethany Van Hecke

Annabel Waller

Amelia Whitehead

Zara-Jane Wicht

Alessa Wiltshire

Parents of Stuartholme Trophy

Lily Beck

Anna Coman

Lucy Hutchings

Ashley Rolfe

Ciara Royds

Amelia Whitehead

Alessa Wiltshire

Presentation of Senior Awards

Cultural Cup Award- Georgia Manthey

Edwina Howard Sports Award- Isabelle Allen

RS Cooper Quiet Achiever Award- Stella Gaborit

Stuartholme All Rounder Award- Alexandra O’Brien

Janet Stuart Award- Ciara Royds

Margaret Parer Award- Angelique Boland

Spirit Cup- Georgia Manthey

PRESENTATION OF THE 2022 ERSKINE ALUMNAE RECOGNITION AWARD

The outstanding alumnae of the year was presented at the Stuartholme Sacre Coeur Association Women’s Day Breakfast earlier this year.

Dr Yujin Ko, Graduating Year 2008 is the recipient.

Cor Unum Awards

Angelique Boland

Sophie Howard

Monique Judson

Georgia Manthey

Alexandra O’Brien

Greta Robertson

Cor Unum Shield- Sophie Howard

Principal’s Awards

Georgia Betts

Angelique Boland

Holly Clemson

Anna Coman

Audrey Fraser

Stella Gaborit

Sarah Hogan

Sophie Howard

Lucy Hutchings

Monique Judson

Georgia Manthey

Alexandra O’Brien

Eloise Pietsch

Adelaide Pollard

Amelia Pothecary

Greta Robertson

Chloe Robinson

Grace Rose

Ciara Royds

Alessa Wiltshire

HOUSE TROPHY AWARD

Woodlock

Hi everyone,

What a busy start to term we’ve had!

Year 11 Wise Wellness

It was great to see Year 11 in Week 1 to talk about preparing for 2023 and beyond. We talked about key dates next year, things students might need to prepare for different types of tertiary study, and what they could be doing between now and the end of the year to explore and refine their career ideas. The big question I’d like all Year 11s to think about is “What are you going to you can do before school ends to explore your career ideas further?”. I’ve been really happy to see so many Year 11 students coming to see me one-on-one since these Week 1 sessions to talk about their individual plans.

Year 12 preparing to leave

I have also been seeing lots of Year 12 students this term as they finalise their plans for 2023 and beyond. Any and all questions are welcome – in-person or via email! I’ll also be sending out updates over the summer holidays to help our new graduates and their families understand and navigate the release of final subject results, QCEs, ATARs and offers to study.

Please find below a collection of information and events that might interest you and your daughters. For any students who would like to book in for a chat, my bookings link – Bookings: Chat with Mr Lillyman – is now in my email signature.

YEAR 12 REMINDERS

Apply for scholarships

If you’re planning to study next year, this is a reminder about scholarships. Each uni will have a scholarships page you can use to find scholarships that could apply to you. I recommend that you apply for anything you think you are vaguely eligible for! And remember, if you’re trying for a competitive place at several universities (e.g. medicine, physiotherapy, dentistry, vet science, OT), apply for scholarships at several universities!

Check you can access your myQCE portal

It’s a very good idea to check that you can get into your myQCE portal now. If you can’t get in for some reason, you have time to figure out why before your final results and QCE are released there.

Share your personal email (if you want email updates from me over the break)

Another reminder that if you want to receive my emails over the holidays – about QCE & ATAR release, early offer rounds, main offer rounds, top up offer rounds, etc. – it would help for me to know your personal email address. You can share yours by filling out this alumnae survey or just replying to this email with your best email address. However, I will email your parents/carers my update emails regardless of whether or not you’ve shared your personal email address with me, so I know that someone in your household is getting the updates 😊

Check for “Outstanding documents” in QTAC

If you’re applying to QTAC, remember to check the “Outstanding documents” section of your application. You might have extra things to do for your application. If you have questions about what’s required, just let me know!

And remember: the Rural Access Scheme (RAS) will appear in lots of your “Outstanding documents” sections, even if you’ve lived in Brisbane your whole life. This is because QTAC can’t tell if you have or haven’t lived rurally at some point. If you haven’t lived rurally, you can just ignore this. It won’t negatively impact your QTAC application.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Here are links to the scholarship pages from most Queensland universities and TAFE Queensland:

• ACU | Scholarships
• Central Queensland University | Scholarships
• Griffith Uni | Scholarships
• QUT | Scholarships
• TAFE Queensland | Scholarships
• UQ | Scholarships
• University of Southern Queensland | Scholarships
• University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) | Scholarships

QTAC Q&As

1. I applied for the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) when I applied to QTAC. What do I need to do now?
2. If you didn’t download an Educational Access Scheme cover sheet/s for the category/categories you are applying for, click here, scroll down to cover sheets, then click on the relevant EAS category. The cover sheet/sheets provide a list of all documentation that you will need to submit to QTAC by the due date.
3. I didn’t apply for the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) when I applied to QTAC. Can I still apply for EAS?
4. Yes. You can go back into your application and apply for EAS. Then you need to download the relevant cover sheet (or sheets) from the EAS page on the QTAC website. Complete all the requirements listed on the cover sheet. Attach any required supporting documents by uploading to your QTAC application or post your completed EAS application to QTAC. Some cover sheets may require a school statement. QTAC would like Year 12 students to submit their EAS applications by the end of October.
5. I am totally confused about offer rounds. According to the 2023 Year 12 Guide, the offer-round for my courses is 12 January 2023. Now I hear that I could get an earlier offer.
6. Institutions can give offers to eligible applicants (i.e. applicants who have met all the entry requirements) at different times. Visit the Course Offer Dates page on the QTAC website for dates when institutions might give offers. Offers will be made on all offer-round dates. It is essential that you keep checking your emails as this is how QTAC will let you know you have an offer (don’t forget to check your Spam or Junk box!). This is critical as you must respond to an offer by the due date (often within 4 days) or your offer will lapse and you will not be considered for any other courses in future offer rounds.
7. I applied for a university course that requires an audition but didn’t do the audition. Will I still be considered for entry to this course?
8. You should contact the university. However, the answer will probably be ‘No’.
9. I am not sure what my ATAR will be. The Pathways (preferences 5 and 6) courses on my QTAC application have previous minimum thresholds of ATAR 78. Is this a good enough safety net?
10. No.  It is advisable to select pathways courses (especially your 6th preference) which indicate that all applicants received an offer in 2022. Remember, you can always go back into your QTAC application AFTER you receive your ATAR and make any changes to your preferences that will see you competitive in gaining a place in a course in 2023.
11. Where can I get help with my QTAC application after I leave school?
12. I will still be available, but you can also get in touch with QTAC. You can ring QTAC on 1300 467 822.

UNI MYTHS DEBUNKED

For anyone heading to university, these are important things to know!

First year uni doesn’t count – False. At most universities, first year results contribute to your final grade point average (GPA). Your GPA is of interest to future employers. Furthermore, your first year GPA (if good enough) can be used to be competitive for entry to your preferred course if you didn’t get straight into it from school. You can apply for scholarships once you get to Uni and your GPA is important when applying for these scholarships.

I’ll be paying off my HECS-HELP debt for the rest of my life – False. The HECS-HELP loan scheme helps you pay your part of the cost of the course you are studying (called ‘Student contribution’). You begin paying it through the Australian Tax Office as part of your income tax once you have completed your course and are earning a threshold amount ($47,014 for 2021-2022). You don’t pay interest on your debt but it is indexed each year to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index.

I’ll never find a job after graduation – Competition for jobs can be high, but it depends on your industry and what you’ve done while you studied. You can increase your employability while you are studying by gaining work experience in the field in which you want to work. This not only looks good on your resume, it gives employers a chance to see what sort of worker you are. Don’t wait until your final year at uni to start looking for jobs. Access the uni Careers and Employment services and programs early during your studies.

If I don’t make friends during O Week, I never will – For those who don’t know, O Week is Orientation Week which is usually the week before lectures begin. This is an important week as the information you receive will introduce you to the support services and other activities available. You will have many additional opportunities to make friends during your uni studies. If you’re not particularly comfortable starting up a conversation with a random in class, get involved in a university club or two.

Lectures can be skipped – Yes and No. Lectures are usually recorded and made available online, so technically, you don’t need to attend in person. However, there is good reasons why you should go to every class. Attendance might form part of a percentage of your final mark. You’re paying to sit in that lecture theatre, so you might as well show up and enjoy it. Lectures provide an opportunity to make new friends and of course, impress a lecturer or two. Lecturers are great contacts for future employment.

EXPLORE CAREER IDEAS

The following resources were shared with Year 11 students during our Week 1 Wise Wellness sessions. They are just some of the ways students could explore their career interests further. I encourage all Year 11 students to talk to me a bit more about their ideas so we can brainstorm together.

Learn:

• Talk with Industry Series (acu.edu.au) (focused primarily on health careers)
• UQ courses on edX
• QUT – Future You STEM Summit

Experiences:

• Griffith Film School Experience (animation, film or game design)
• FEAST – Future Experiences in Agriculture, Science and Technology (uq.edu.au)
• High School Health Adventure | Mater Education
• Explore virtual work experience (grandshake.co)
• UQ SPARQ-ed – Research Immersion Program – Diamantina Institute – University of Queensland (uq.edu.au)

Quizzes:

• Discover a Career – My Big Tomorrow
• myfuture – Australia’s National Career Information Service | myfuture
• Your Future Career | Your Career

Other cool resources:

• Learn to Code — For Free — Coding Courses for Busy People (freecodecamp.org)
• Choose Your Own Health Career – Home (cyohealthcareer.com.au)
• What is engineering? podcast series
• A Life Without Limits – explore a career in surveying and geospatial science

Tom Lillyman

Careers Counsellor

The urban farming club has been having a great year.

We have:

• Grown lots of fun new food
• Built a smart garden in the library (and then the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries made a video about this – Stuartholme School students embrace AgTech – YouTube)

• Built a frog hotel
• Maintained our native fish-powered aquaponics systems, worm towers and compost
• Had a big plant sale

Would you like a festive, fragrant wreath for the holiday season?

The Stuartholme Urban Farming Club are hand-making a small batch of beautiful fresh wreaths from our farm to help fund our 2023 projects. These will be available to order via FlexiSchools by mid-next week.

We have three sizes of wreaths available:

7cm wreath – $3

Made with rosemary, a feature flower or herb, & twine, this is a perfect wreath for small spaces, like desks & lockers.

15cm wreath – $7.50

A more ornate wreath, made with rosemary, other herbs and flowers, like salt bush, thyme, & lavender, and decorated with ribbon/twine. Put it wherever it will make you happy.

20-25cm wreath – $15

Our most ornate wreath, made with rosemary, other herbs and flowers (including salt bush, thyme, lavender and Elysium), ribbon and twine. A beautiful feature wreath for a room or door.

We recommend placing your wreath in a location where it will not be bumped too often. Do this and it should last for the whole festive season!

Wreathes should be available to order via FlexiSchools by 1 November.

Thank you for supporting the UFC,

Mr Lillyman and the UFC

World Teacher’s Day

Today is World Teachers’ Day in Australia – a time to celebrate, thank and acknowledge teachers from around Australia.

As a school community, we continue to be inspired and amazed by the excellence and professionalism of our Stuartholme teachers. We are blessed by their passion, enthusiasm, and expertise in leading teaching and learning to prepare our students for a future and occupations which are not yet known.

Each Stuartholme teacher works tirelessly to provide a platform for our young people to exhibit courage, compassion, and confidence to be an agent of transformation in their lives and the lives of others.

As a community, we are incredibly grateful, and I encourage all to find a way to say thank you to our teachers to mark this special occasion.

Celebrating our success

Last Thursday 20 October, the Concert Hall at QPAC was vividly brought to life with the Stuartholme 2022 Celebration of Excellence.

We seized the moment to celebrate the efforts and achievements of our Stuartholme community. The Concert Hall was sold out!

A record number of students were acknowledged and celebrated this year. A huge thank you to all our families who attended and for all of the staff and students who worked hard behind the scenes to make this happen.

Walking alongside our Seniors 

Following the many joyful celebrations and farewell rituals, our Seniors have embarked on the home stretch with external exams which commenced this week. Our best wishes and prayers to all our Year 12 students over the coming weeks as they finish their academic journey well.

Deborah Lonsdale-Walker

Acting Deputy Principal 

World Teachers Day 

Today is World Teachers Day. Celebrated internationally on 5 October, schools around Australia join in the celebrations on the last Friday of the month of October. 

In celebrating the teachers of our school community, it’s also a moment to recognise who we are called to be as Sacred Heart Educators. 

Who are Sacred Heart Educators?  

Sacred Heart Educators are all adult members of a school community, including faculty, staff, and administrators. We call all adults working within Sacred Heart learning communities, educators because all affect the formation of the children and adolescents who are the students in the school. Whether a classroom teacher or a member of a support service team or a coach or a member of institutional advancement, all adults accepted the invitation to be a Sacred Heart Educator for many reasons, one of which is the instinctive sense of connection to the community.  

While there is no one profile of a Sacred Heart Educator, there are shared values and beliefs among the adults across the Schools of the Sacred Heart. We view education as an interactive process of inviting truth and possibility. As we strive to educate the whole person, we accompany students as they construct the foundation for a meaningful life. This role calls us to model being integral persons, committed to our own development. Acting as guides, we support our students as they develop the skills and attitudes essential to realize their full potential as agents of transformation.  

The Characteristics of a Sacred Heart Educator Sacred Heart Educators are: 

Mission-centered and guided by the Goals and Criteria 

• The Goals and Criteria capture our aspirations as Sacred Heart Educators and declare what is essential to the vitality of Madeleine Sophie’s charism and our shared mission.  
• These Goals articulate the commitment that Sacred Heart Educators make on behalf of young people for the sake of building a world reflective of the attitudes of the Heart of Christ. 

Share an openness to the Divine dwelling within our being 

• We acknowledge the diversity of backgrounds that make up our Sacred Heart family.
• Regardless of our entry point, we share an openness and desire to engage with the spirituality that grounds all Sacred Heart Schools.

Create relationships characterised by mutual respect

• Education is transformative because it is inherently relational.
• Within the dynamic of relationships that respond to the dignity of the other, we come to know and experience the love of the Divine. 
• As a Sacred Heart community, we believe that Christ is at the centre of all relationships. 

Intentional and deliberate. 

• Our intention finds its inspiration in what Janet Erskine Stuart called the “indirect method”. 
• We support young people to develop their own inner navigation tools to become people of discernment on a journey of discovery through patience, thoughtfulness, reflection, wisdom & intelligence.

From: Sacred Heart Educators: An Orientation to Mission 

I’m confident that as you’ve considered the vision above, various teachers of this community have come to mind. Together, let us give thanks and be grateful for the outstanding Sacred Heart Educators of our Stuartholme Community. 

Peace and blessings for the week ahead. 

Justin Golding

Dean of Mission

Celebrating Stuartholme!

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Friends of Stuartholme,

At our recent Celebration of Excellence evening at the Concert Hall, I reflected on the notion of excellence. Excellence is not a final product or destination but a lifelong journey. It refers to us doing our absolute finest, harnessing our courage and inner potential to be the best version of ourselves, and cultivating the skills and attitudes necessary to realise our full potential as agents of change for the world.

The evening was a fantastic opportunity to come together as a community to reflect on the excellence exhibited throughout 2022. Through the record number of recipients and impressive performances throughout the night, it is clear as a community, we have approached the year in the spirit of our foundress St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, with courage, compassion, and confidence.

Our celebration solidified our commitment to deliver a Sacred Heart education that provides our graduates with the foundation to be collaborative, critical, and creative thinkers who demonstrate resilience in the face of challenge. These attributes are evident in the graduating class of Year 12. We are excited as they continue their lifelong journey to realise this sustained through a deep spiritual connection with the Sacred Heart charism.

As has become custom for me, I finished my Celebration of Excellence address with a story, and I wanted to share this with you as it is relevant to our graduating class, who embark on their next chapter very soon.

This wonderful story is often told about an incident in the life of Poland’s famous concert pianist, Paderewski.

A mother took her small child to a concert by Paderewski to expose her to the talent of the great pianist. She hoped as she did to encourage her daughter in her piano lessons, which she had just begun.

They arrived early and were so pleased in that they had a seat right up the front. 

Standing alone on the stage was a marvellous Steinway grand piano. As they waited for the concert to begin, the mother was deep in conversation with the people beside her.

Eventually, eight o’clock came, and the lights began to dim. Everyone turned their attention to the stage and the grand piano. The mother looked up and was suddenly horrified. Her daughter was sitting at the piano and banging out with one little finger, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” “Oh no!” she thought, “How am I going to get her down?”

As she began to make her way to the platform, Paderewski himself appeared on stage. He went over and sat beside the child. He whispered in the child’s ear, “Don’t quit, keep playing!” As the little girl continued to play, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began to fill in the bass part. Together, the old master and the young novice held the crowd mesmerised.

Excellence is driven from within. It’s an endless pursuit; you don’t quit; you’ve just got to keep playing!

Congratulations to our community on a marvellous Celebration of Excellence.

Yours in Cor Unum,

Danny Crump

Acting Principal