Despite a few showers, our 2023 Interhouse Swimming Carnival last week was bright, loud and a lot of fun, thanks to our energetic House Captains and a passionate student cohort.

It was a brilliant day, with over 500 swimmers competing for House points. It was one of the closest carnivals we have had in years, with Stuart and Macrae swapping the lead throughout the day. Stuart ended up winning the coveted trophy by only 11 points, ahead of Macrae and Coen.

In the pool, our phenomenal students broke three major records. Congratulations to Ellie Hicks, who broke the Year 8 50m Breastroke record in a time of 37.81, previously set by S Hicks in 1995.

The Stuart team broke the Year 9 4x50m relay – congratulations Arcadia Battley, Molly Rogers, India Cleeve and Olivia Williams (Coen also broke the 2021 record). Macrae took out the All Age Relay and also smashed the record by 3 seconds. Congratulations to April Hiscock, Angelique Mortensen, Josie Fitzgerald, Olivia Totten, Zara Hampton & Gigi Kelley.

Our 6 fastest swimmers competed in the 50m championship – congratulations Georgie Twigg who took out that trophy!

1. Georgie Twigg 28.63
2. Madeleine Gervais 29.82
3. Talia Bellette 29.89
4. Ruby Wilson 30.29
5. Olivia Totten 30.30
6. Zara Hampton 30.33

Finally, the sportsmanship, cheering, costumes and attendance were all judged throughout the day to find the winner of the highly fancied Spirit Stick.

Congratulations to students who received a Principal Award this morning. We acknowledged their hard work and the effort each student made to turn up and make every learning minute count for themselves and their studies.

Our Deputy Principal, Mrs Deb Lonsdale-Walker touched on 6 practices that successful students employ to make every minute count.

These were:

1. Being curious and brave about discovering new things
2. having the courage to seek out feedback from others so that immense growth is possible
3. taking responsibility for learning and making the time to reflect on both the learning process and new learnings that have occurred
4. drawing on different tools to really check in on understandings
5. taking responsibility for personal learning and having a can do attitude
6. working collaboratively with others to learn

Year 7 Semester 2, 2022 Principal Awards

Year 8 Semester 2, 2022 Principal Awards

Year 9 Semester 2, 2022 Principal Awards

Year 10 Semester 2, 2022 Principal Awards

Year 11 Semester 2, 2022 Principal Awards

We also took this opportunity to celebrate the students who sat the HSK Chinese Proficiency exam last year. Congratulations to the amazing young women and Mr Ben Webb who have chosen to take on an addition language.

Congratulations to our Stuartholme swimming community who were involved in the recent CaSSSA Swimming Competition on Wednesday.

Congratulations to the students, Sports Department and the Swim Academy coaches coming back with some very impressive results.

The students were awarded:

• CHAMPION 12&U team
• 2ND 13&U team
• 2ND 14&U team
• CHAMPION 15&U team
• CHAMPION 16&U team
• CHAMPION 17-19 team
• CHAMPION Open team
• CHAMPION All Age Relay
• CHAMPION Percentage Cup
• Overall Aggregate Champions

What a fabulous Stuartholme effort!

Year 7 Drama Snippets

I am delighted to be teaching Year 7 Drama this year alongside our inspiring Leader of Learning: the Arts – Ms Lucy Harkin and fellow experienced Drama teacher Ms Jen McGrath.

In Year 7 Drama we have been learning about focus through games and building confidence.

We enjoyed our new Principal Mr Crump popping in last week to share in our learning experiences in Drama too.

Mrs Deb Lonsdale-Walker

The UFC is back in 2023 to have a good thyme.

We have some lovely new members and we’re excited about what we’ll learn and do this year.

We have a team of very capable leaders in UFC Captain, Kate McGann, and UFC Committee, Isobel Tracey, Bronwyn Mason and Chloe Carew.

Our leaders have led the group in some much-needed weeding after the summer holidays and a check in on the smart garden in the library. We have noticed a significant different in the size of carrots grown in our smart garden vs carrots grown outdoors in our raised beds. Neither crop got very big, but the smart garden carrots were amusingly small.

This week, we received our much anticipated native bee hive. These native bees are stingless so pose no risk to students or staff, but will be a great way to support to our local ecosystem. We might also get a small amount of honey at some stage!

Tiny carrots!

Aislinn from Sugarbag Bees delivering a workshop about our new hive.

Inspecting our new hive.

UFC Committee members, Isobel and Bronwyn, releasing the bees!

~Mr Lillyman & Ms Lawler

Stuartholme alumna, Ella Beatty, has been pursuing a really interesting and rewarding career in agriculture since graduating.

Ella didn’t grow up on a big property, but a conversation with Mr Costantini around the time university applications were due, helped her to realised that anyone can go into this field. She decided to apply to study Agribusiness at the University of Queensland, and hasn’t looked back.

Ella recently moved to New Zealand to take up a Senior Advisor role with KPMG Propagate, a specialist food and fibre export, trade and growth advisory team within KPMG. She now provides services to agribusinesses around the globe!

Ella recently published an article about the future of women in agriculture, with a focus on the many opportunities the field presents. It is well worth a read! The Waiting Room: The Future of Women in Agriculture | Ella Beatty | LinkedIn

Open Day 2023 is fast approaching!

Open day is always a great community celebration of our school and one of the best opportunities we have to connect with staff, families and students and showcase  all that is great about Stuartholme!

As always, this event requires all hands-on deck, and we look forward to the community coming together to support each other to make this event possible.

Parents and students are always welcome and encouraged to support and help out on the day. Please contact marketing@stuartholme.com for any enquiries.

Stuartholme has been selected to compete in the France Rugby Heritage Cup in September. Excitingly Neva Thorn, Emma Lister and Danny Crump were featured on ABC radio. You’re welcome to listen to the recording of the interview HERE

Hi everyone,

The term is already going past very quickly, but lots of exciting things have been happening:

Year 11: Researching job opportunities in careers and industries of interest

A couple of weeks ago I saw Year 11 for a session on researching their career interests. We talked about live and lag data about jobs and the labour market and the pros and cons of each type of data. Students then practiced researching interest areas using Seek and the Labour Market Information Portal and analysing the results.

Year 12 Key Info

I also saw Year 12s this week to recap some key information they should know this year, including:

• When applications for study open
• How diploma ranks work
• When to apply if you’re taking a gap year
• When to submit applications this year (for most courses)

First week of Hire Education: Drone Pilot program

Our drone pilot program kicked off this week, which was very exciting.

In our first session we covered:

• Different types of drones
• Different applications of drones at work
• Rules and regulations for flying drones in Australia
• The safety checklist we’ll follow before we fly each week
• Unboxing some of our new drones

Next week we’ll start flying!

As always, please find below some information that could be interesting to you and your child(ren). For other resources and information, please check out the Careers page on my.Stuartholme.

CAREERS MAIL

EXPLORE

Thinking about a STEM career but not sure what’s out there?

The Careers with STEM hub includes a quarterly magazine, posters, videos, events, webinars, teacher PD, quizzes and website to help you discover the careers of the future. Each year they publish four magazines across each of the STEM disciplines plus special editions like Data Science and Cybersecurity. Visit their website for more information on:

• Download Job Kits
• Latest Quizzes
• STEM Role Models
• Latest Videos

School to Work Pathways: infographics and activities

myfuture has put together infographics to get a discussion started. They will help you to visualise various pathways you can take from school to work and help you to question and explore your options and research the possibilities. The infographics include:

• Actor/Dancer (PDF, 172 KB)
• Aged and Disabled Carer (PDF, 802 KB)
• Air Transport Professional (PDF, 197 KB)
• Carpenter (PDF, 444 KB)
• Chef (PDF, 296 KB)
• Database and Systems Administrator (PDF, 244 KB)
• Electrician (PDF, 451 KB)
• Environmental Scientist (PDF, 248 KB)
• Forklift Driver (PDF, 177 KB)
• Graphic Designer (PDF, 215 KB)
• Hairdresser (PDF, 325 KB)
• Journalist (PDF, 226 KB}
• Livestock Farmer (PDF, 304 KB)
• Mining Engineer (PDF, 328 KB)
• Pharmacist (PDF, 650 KB)
• Primary School Teacher (PDF, 180 KB)
• Real Estate Sales Agent (PDF, 355 KB)

Griffith Pathways to Medicine information session

Griffith is hosting a series of information sessions to help students learn more about various pathways into the University’s Doctor of Medicine. You will find out everything you need to know about Griffith’s admission criteria and selection process, as well as application deadlines, the Griffith University Multiple Stations Admissions Assessment (GUMSAA) and the Graduate Entry Medical School Admissions system (GEMSAS). You’ll also learn about Griffith’s accelerated program for high-achieving school leavers, which offers guaranteed entry to eligible candidates. Click here for more information and to register to attend at:

• Nathan Campus – 22 March 2023 at 6pm Sir Samuel Griffith Centre – N78_0.11 Theatre
• Gold Coast Campus – 28 March 2023 at 6pm at Ian O’Connor Building – G40_5.63 Auditorium
• Online Webinar – 29 March .

EXPERIENCE

University-level chemistry and physics courses you can study at school

Griffith University Sciences offer online courses that high school students can start in Year 11 and complete in Year 12. These university-level courses cover many of the topics taught in senior chemistry and physics, providing additional resources to facilitate and extend learning of senior science subjects. Students who pass these courses will receive credit for Griffith University 1st year science courses and adjustments towards their selection rank. Click here to find out more about these science courses and other GUESTS AT-SCHOOL programs.

Experience UQ Skills

Experience UQ Skills on Thursday 6 July, is a full day of hands-on, interactive workshops at UQ Gatton for Years 9-12 students considering vocational study in agriculture, animal care or rural operations (including VETiS, certificates, diplomas and traineeships). Click here to find out more and registrations are now open.

World Science Festival Brisbane 2023

Ever wonder what on Earth is so good about Mars? Or what Net Zero might look like?  Griffith academics will answer these questions and more as part of the World Science Festival Brisbane, from 22 March to 2 April. With more than 130 events, there is something for all curious minds at this year’s festival. Explore the full program and book online here.

GOOD TO KNOW

UCAT bookings open on 1 March

The UCAT is a two-hour computer-based test which assesses a range of abilities identified by universities as important to practicing in the fields of medicine/dentistry/clinical sciences. Click here if you’re not sure which universities and courses require you to sit UCAT ANZ. The test consists of five separately timed subtests, each containing a number of questions in a multiple-choice format.

2024 QTAC Guide cover competition

This year QTAC will be holding their Cover Art Competition for the 2024 QTAC Guide. A Queensland Year 12 student will get the chance to show off their creative flair with their artwork featured on the front cover of the 2024 QTAC Guide. QTAC have moved the closing date of the competition to 12 March 2023. This year’s theme is ‘Choose the Future’ and click here to find out more.

Tom Lillyman

Careers Counsellor

“When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability… To be alive is to be vulnerable” 

– Madeleine L’Engle

Today, more than ever, this quote applies to our classrooms as we prepare young people for a future where problem-solving, creativity, critical thinking and collaboration are essential skills in an ever-increasing workforce of automation and artificial intelligence. This is why it is essential for students to step out of their comfort zones in the supportive environment of classrooms to develop these skills fully.

When we embrace vulnerability, we create an environment that is safe and supportive for ourselves and others to learn and grow. We can challenge our beliefs and assumptions, broaden our horizons, and expand our knowledge and understanding of the world around us. By doing so, we can connect with others on a deeper level and foster a sense of community.

Learning can be challenging and uncomfortable but allowing oneself to sit in this discomfort, to be vulnerable throughout the learning process, can bring great rewards. Navigating the ‘learning pit’ as it is known can be a daunting task, but it can also be a place of growth and transformation. Independent learning requires us to be brave, take risks, and accept our mistakes and failures. It takes courage to be open to feedback, but it is the only way to overcome our challenges and grow as learners.

To feel the struggle when something is not understood might be a little frightening at first, but taking ownership of the learning process and finding a pathway forward independently builds confidence and resilience. Embracing vulnerability as a tool for growth and learning will allow for the acquisition of knowledge and development of skills to navigate the world and jobs of the future with confidence.

Today, we as a school have celebrated the growth and achievement of students who have embraced vulnerability and demonstrated their commitment to learning, along with the ability to demonstrate zeal and rigour in their academic pursuits. Congratulations to the young ladies who received an award today at our full school assembly.

Important information from Academic Services

• Parenting Strategies for Teenage Success: Parent Information Evening – Wednesday 8^th March – 5:30pm (light refreshments) with a 6:00pm start – Darren Pereira will be joining our community to offer an insightful workshop for parents focussed on instilling a growth mindset in young women, building learning confidence for academic success, supporting students to develop positive study habits and setting clear expectations for managing work ethic and social media issues. We encourage parents to engage with this transformative session – RSVP required through stuartholme.com/events
• Study Skills Sessions for Years 10 to 12 – As a part of the learning and teaching supports Stuartholme offers students, we have engaged the skills of Darren Pereira in 2023. Students in Years 10 to 12 will be engaging with learning in this area on Wednesday 8^th March on a rotational basis from Period 3 until the end of the day. These sessions will provide each young lady at Stuartholme with the opportunity to learn how to maximise learning, knowledge retention and skill growth efficiently and effectively for maximum growth within all academic and wellbeing spheres.
• Examination Block – In coming days, our students in Years 9 to 12 will receive their Exam Block Timetable. This timetable is organised to provide the maximum opportunity for each student to demonstrate their best in each examination situation. For Years 9 & 10, students have inbuilt study sessions to provide the time to maximise learning and revision prior to undertaking the examination. In Years 11 & 12, the timetable is organised to provide the opportunity for students to utilise study time and attend school for the examinations as they are scheduled.
• Assessment Requirements – As we embark on the second part of the term, I would encourage students to continue to progress through assessment preparations, check the Assessment Calendar and ensure that tasks are ready prior to the due date.
• Absence for Assessment – We strongly encourage students and families to utilise the tools on MyStuartholme for supporting absence for Assessment. For senior students, please utilise the specific time for Senior Assessment within the Academic Services tile.
• Senior External Language Examinations – If you can speak and write a language other than English, we encourage you to consider sitting for the Senior External Language Examinations that will take place at the end of the year. Unlike your other subjects at school, this one is entirely external and there is no tuition organised through the school but you will have access to past examinations to prepare. It is designed to recognise the achievement of students who speak and write another language that is not offered at school. Like other subjects, results may contribute to the calculation of your ATAR if you pass. This subject will be in addition to your ATAR subjects studied at school. It will only count toward your ATAR if it scales better than your other subjects (you have nothing to lose in sitting this examination). Languages available are Arabic, Korean, Indonesian, Modern Greek, Polish, Punjabi, Russian, Vietnamese, Tamil and Chinese. An expression of interest needs to be registered by April 30. A fee of $71.03 applies. If you are interested in undertaking this opportunity, please contact Mrs Heath in Academic Services.

Kate Mellor

Director of Studies

Dear parents and caregivers,

NAPLAN testing commences in Week 8 with the Writing Test on Wednesday, 15 March.  It is important that all Year 7s and 9s are prepared with the correct equipment on test days.

Would you please help your daughter get ready for NAPLAN by ensuring she has the following essential equipment items:

Essential equipment:

• Laptop (fully charged) and charger
• A set of earphones that are not wireless.  (Bluetooth headphones, such as airpods, are not compatible.)
• A pencil
• An eraser

Optional equipment:

• A pencil sharpener
• A water bottle (see-through with no writing or product labels attached)

Please also see the News section of myStuartholme that provides additional information about NAPLAN including the full test schedule, FAQ sheet and details about applying for disability adjustments and withdrawals.  If you have questions about these processes, please get in touch with Lara Rich (lrich@stuartholme.com)

Kind regards,

Annie Van-Homrigh

Director of Academic Development and Performance

BOARDING CAPTAIN NEWSLETTER TAKEOVER

6 weeks on and boarding is now in full swing, with chatter and laughter ricocheting through the house. We warmly welcomed 20 new boarders who are adjusting to their new life in their home away from home. This new life entails independence, many annual traditions such as ANZAC day cup, which is always a favourite amongst the girls, new experiences and friends that will turn into sisters.

For the first weekend in boarding a full house of 124 girls adventured to our annual wet and wild trip, catching up with all the other boarding schools. They had a blast! Thanks to Miss Taylor and Miss Bree, REC has been better than ever, creating busy, fun-filled weekends. It’s about making memories as we join the other boarding schools for Eat Street, beach trips and pool parties.

This is our first term with the entire house renovations complete. The girls are delighted with their modern new rooms and the extra spaces for the grades to hang out together.  However, we still enjoy piling into one room, talking way past lights out, and listening out for the jingle of supervisor’s keys. Completing the total makeover, we welcomed exceptional new tutors and supervisors.  They, too, are enjoying the house’s contemporary new look.

We have been loving Kester, Cameron and the team’s healthy cooking, getting us through the school day with the anticipation of what meal is next. Thursday nights are the big treat, with the BBQ dinner usually ending in a dance party with a side of popcorn tiggy,which the girls love to drag out in the hope of missing a bit of a second study.

“Look at Moi.” Yes, the year 7’s love Kath & Kim (who doesn’t!). The girls have been watching it together before and after studies as a cohort, they just can’t get enough! These adorable additions are already demonstrating a great sense of community through connecting with the other grades and making lifelong friends, which is what boarding is all about! We cannot wait to see these girls flourish as the year goes on.

We have introduced our boarding student rep council for the 1st semester, and we can’t wait to see how the girls use this initiative to help improve the house.

Coming around quickly in the calendar is also the Stuartholme open day which is held on Saturday 11 March, where we open our boarding community to potential new families.   Make sure you say ‘hello’ if you run into anyone on one of the guided house tours.

From the 2023 captains we hope your year has started off as great as ours!

Lily Nolan & Bronte Rigney

COR UNUM NEWSLETTER TAKEOVER

Loving the little things

I was recently asked what one of my favourite things of 2023 has been, and as simple as it is, the first thing that came to mind was my sleep. A goal I had set for myself this year was to maximise my sleep and see how those extra hours impacted my everyday wellbeing. I was somewhat surprised to see that all those random science people on my TikTok telling me to get more sleep knew exactly what they were talking about.

The most significant impact I have found through getting more sleep are my energy levels and thus enhanced enjoyment in the simplest of tasks. I have never felt so uplifted from walking the dog, I have never had so much energy to properly engage in small talk and interactions with strangers, and to my family and friends’ expense, I have never sung so many random songs at random times in my life. It’s these subtleties that have been flooding my endorphins and really making everyday feel a little more special.

These feelings were magnified last Friday at the swimming carnival, where senior shirts were worn for the first time, the Year Seven’s were thrown in the deep end, literally, and bodies were covered in as much zinc possible. It’s usually these days that take the most planning and use the most energy that make the best memories. I might be a little bias, but I think swimming carnival 2023 is definitely one of the best ones yet.

Although this is the biggest year of my schooling, during these first few months I’ve been trying to actively prioritise my wellbeing more than ever before. I’ve been finding the balance between all aspects of my life and challenging myself to enjoy this journey and not just steamroll for the end goal. In doing this I’m finding that it’s the menial simplicity of my life that has been so emotionally rewarding.

But through all this enjoyment, I feel as seniors, every event seems a little more special and, in some ways, a little more poignant. Our last swimming carnival took place on Friday and rehearsal for our last choral comp has begun in earnest. It feels like just months ago that I was in year 7 trying to remember my locker code and my teachers names. It feels like just weeks ago we were receiving our senior badges. But it definitely does not feel like it was 6 years ago, that  I was looking up at the then year 12’s being amazed (and definitely a little intimidated) at how old they were, and thinking how they must have had their whole lives sorted. I still chuckle to myself as I walk around school in my senior jersey knowing that I am now one of those big kids I put on a pedestal all those years ago.

So, from all of this, I encourage you to love the little things and embrace the simplicity in life.

As Madeleine Sophie Barat said, “Be humble, simple, bring joy to others.”

Laura Penning 

Cor Unum Committee

COR UNUM NEWSLETTER TAKEOVER

Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving – What do they really mean? 

Last Wednesday, the Stuartholme community gathered in our Chapel to mark the beginning of the Lenten season with an Ash Wednesday liturgy. The ceremonies involved moments of prayer and marking the forehead with an ash cross to symbolise mortality and penance for one’s sins. Despite the sinister-sounding tradition, Ash Wednesday reminds us to walk humbly with God throughout the 40 days of Lent until Easter Sunday. For us students, this means pushing through the assessments on the horizon as we head towards the pointy end of Term 4. Acting as a period of reflection, seize this opportunity to find moments of calm each day and be reminded of the blessings that surround us throughout our years at Stuartholme.  

The day prior to Ash Wednesday was celebrated with Shrove Tuesday, a traditional day of feast before the fasting of Lent. It was filled with joy as Year 11 Woodlock fundraised for Caritas’ Lenten Appeal with a pancake stall at lunchtime, which brought the concept of fasting to the forefront of the minds of many as they devoured the sweet treats. ‘Fasting’ is commonly thought of as ‘starving’, or to ‘go without’, however, it is intended to be a spiritual practice that encourages us to self-examine and repent from sin. This closely aligns with prayer, a concept which is too often clouded with misconceptions of a long and elaborate ‘poem-like’ practice. Prayer is more like a conversation with God, to connect, and gather the strength to fast. Almsgiving – perhaps the least understood idea of the three – is, put simply, an act of love. Almsgiving combines the intention of prayer and sacrifice of fasting to manifest itself through caring for those in need, central to the Lenten period.  

These words from Pope Francis were shared with everyone in the Ash Wednesday liturgy, words of encouragement and intention for this Lent: 

Fast from hurting words and say kind words. 

Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude. 

Fast from anger and be filled with patience. 

Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.  

Fast from worries and have trust in God. 

Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity. 

Fast from pressures and be prayerful. 

Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy.  

Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.  

Fast from grudges and be reconciled.  

Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.  

Simple words, yet so powerful. Messages of prayer, fasting and almsgiving that can be so easily applied to everyday life. So, I encourage everyone in our community and beyond to incorporate a piece of prayer, fasting and almsgiving each day of the Lenten season to Play your part over the upcoming weeks.  

Sending all the love and luck to everyone for upcoming assessments! You’ll smash it.  

Harriet Moore 

Cor Unum Committee 

COR UNUM NEWSLETTER TAKEOVER

Before I started my Stuartholme journey, I completed my first two years of schooling at Charleville Distance Education. Every morning I had to call into my lessons via a group telephone call and then complete my learning under the close watch of our governess. So, for a while it was just myself and my twin sister. Early on, I had to learn how to self-motivate and self-learn, whilst also being a proactive student, and while that proved to be difficult at times, in hindsight, this framework I had unknowingly developed has been the foundation the entirety of my schooling journey.

                                                       Image of our school house in which learnt in

Alice (left) and myself (right) on our first ever day of school – in our case, our first day of distance education

When I started my Stuartholme journey back in 2018, I was a scrawny and nervous year 7 boarder, who admittedly, struggled with a lot of homesickness. The transition from a small, rural school, where there was myself and 6 others in my grade, to a cohort of myself and 100 others was difficult and quite frankly, nerve racking. But, after my initial trepidation, I started my schooling life at full force. Of course, there are days when I can hardly lift my pen, and so I encourage each of you to be aware of your limits and to take breaks where you seek only to relax. I pushed myself a lot in my younger years, to a point where I failed to realise that I should have been establishing ways to promote progress over perfection.

So, my advice for younger years, although easier said than done, do not put heaps of pressure on yourselves. Your initial years are for trial and error and finding what works best for you, whether it be sport, music or academics. So, if you don’t get in the team you’d hoped for, or you play the wrong note, or if you got a result you hadn’t wanted, instead of being harsh on yourself for the result, find ways to improve your method!!

Alice (left) and myself (right) on our telephone lessons.

Here are my 6 hot tips for improving your method:

1. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – you can never learn more than you already have if you don’t ask ‘why?’
2. Use all resources possible – Stuartholme has a plethora of resources at your doorstep – don’t be afraid to ask for help!
3. It’s all about the attitude! – If you think to yourself, “I can’t do it,” stop yourself and rephrase it to be, “I can’t do it, yet”
4. In times where I have gotten a grade I didn’t want, I always sought feedback on where I went wrong and how I could approach a similar task differently.
5. Reap what you sow – if you help your friends or peers, 10 times out of 10 will they help you – not only are you helping your friend or peer, but, at the same time you are learning in the process!
6. Study groups – in my experience, studying with others is a fantastic way in getting another perspective on the same topic or idea.

I wish you all the best!

Isobel Martin

2023 Cor Unum Committee

COR UNUM NEWSLETTER TAKEOVER

Dear Stuartholme community,

My name is Chloe Carew, and I am the 2023 Cor Unum Captain and I work alongside Harriet Moore, Laura Penning and Isobel Martin. I am thrilled to be taking over this week’s newsletter!

Once a term students take part in the ‘Student Newsletter Takeover’ where several articles, normally written by the Leadership Team, are penned by students. I am excited to lead with the principal’s article this week, as this provides student agency, encourages our independence and recognition, and ensures our student voices are heard.

At the start of this year we, the Cor Unum, launched our theme “Open Minds, Open Hearts: Play Your Part,” in line with the second goal of Sacred Heart Education, A Deep Respect for Intellectual Values. We wanted to create a theme which focused on more than just academic intelligence, but all forms of intellect. Art, emotional intelligence, music, leadership… are all apart of intellectual values. To me specifically, opening our minds and hearts, is to be willing to go out of our comfort zones and grow as a person with new intellect. We hope to encourage to all the students of Stuartholme an environment where a person can grow their values and feel part of a safe community, where everyone plays their part.

As we look back and reflect on the joyous events that have already taken place so far, we recognise the intellectual growth we have already achieved.

I would like to congratulate the amazing student achievements already seen this year. This was very present with the Academic Assembly displaying the hard work of many students across our school, and the impressive commitment of many students receiving the Principal’s Awards for turning up and making it count.

I extend this by thanking the music students for taking part in the Music Weekend a fortnight ago, the students performed an amazing finale piece as a full ensemble, which incorporated every area of music that Stuartholme has to offer.

Last week we held the yearly Swimming Carnival, with all houses displaying incredible sportsmanship and spirit throughout the day. Stuart house won the spirit stick and were the overall swimming champions fort the sixth year ahead, I commend Eleanor Fraser, Lotte McKeering, Mia Polak and Bronte Stock, the house leaders of Stuart for their excellent display of leadership.

On the 6^th of March Stuartholme will celebrate its yearly International Women’s Day assembly. This is an important occasion, with UN Women Australia releasing this year’s focus, “Cracking the Code: Innovation for a gender equal future.” This includes needing to leverage inclusive technologies, embrace disruptive innovation and ensure access to education – to combat generational and systemic gender-based discrimination, embedded in our cultural bias for generations.

As we hit the end of Week 6, assessment looms over our minds. It is important to remember to take time out for yourself during this stressful time, drink plenty of water and try to manage your sleep. If it ever gets too overwhelming, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Best wishes for the week ahead,

Chloe Carew

2023 Cor Unum Captain