Term 2, Week 4, 2023 19 May 2023

With Mother’s Day recently I have been able to reflect on this passing of time and the importance of family. Two weeks ago, Craig and I became grandparents for the first time. We have had to wait patiently, not saying too much as you can’t with adult children who have established their own independent lives with both personally and professionally. Both our daughters are in their thirties, strong feminists both, and their careers are important to them. Our son is still coming to terms with the idea of a baby in our lives but judging by the look of love for our grandson in photos, his partner quite possibly is more advanced in her thinking on this! I have told them I would like a little girl now and they are calling me ‘Greedy Grandma’.

It has been a week of an outpouring of love from family, friends, and this wonderful staff here at Strathcona. One knows that family and friends are happy for you when good things happen, but I am so touched by the joy for us of the staff here and I want them to know how much this means. Of course, it is typical of this community, and I should not have been surprised. 

This big event in our lives happened shortly after a visit I made to Central Queensland to visit some of my siblings. One of my sisters turned 60 and we organized a sisters get together at The Haven on the beach at a place called Emu Park, which is a sleepy beach town. The Catholic Church used to own The Haven and we went on retreats there as schoolgirls. I have three sisters and all of us work in education in different capacities. We are very different though, so being together for three days could have gone well – or not! Really not. But it was a beautiful few days of sharing memories and what our lives have brought to each of us. One of my sisters has four teenagers so is at a stage in life like a lot of you. And another has kids making their way through university. We visited and walked around our old beach house in Yeppoon where we holidayed every year of our lives and remembered childhood games on the beach and teenage trysts. We also remembered Mum always being a bit on edge as my three brothers were a little on the wild side and loved the holiday beach-feeling freedom; the adventures and taking risks such as exploring the creek and cutting it close to get out in incoming tides; or surfing in big waters when it was cyclonic; sliding down steep hills on bits of cardboard. The fact that two sets of cousins also with big families were there too made it wonderful for the kids, but in retrospect, I can see why Mum was constantly on alert and glad to get home so she could rein everyone in back to the usual routines. 

On the last day, the three of us met our three brothers, and we visited our parents’ and our grandparents’ graveside and then drove past where we grew up in Rockhampton. My parents lived there from their marriage until they died. Again, there were so many memories. As I looked at 121 Rundle Street, I remembered when Craig told my father as he was hosing in the front yard one Sunday after Mass, that he had asked me to marry him. Dad, who was not especially fond of lawyers, especially barristers, raised his eyebrows and said: ‘Oh yes, and what did she say?’ A new little family lives there now and another generation is raising their kids and creating their own memories, which made us so happy. My mother’s heart would be filled with joy to see children playing in the yard again. She loved babies and small children. I think teenagers she could take or leave at times, understandable given the shenanigans of some of my siblings! For someone who was quite reserved and looked like Grace Kelly she was certainly capable of being fierce if she thought we were doing the wrong thing – and she was so stubborn. We were convinced she could read our minds. As the eldest, she used to tell me that while she told my siblings she trusted them, it was her job as parent of teenagers not to entirely.

And so I think about all of you in our Strath community with your primary aged children and or your own teenagers in this particular era of life that you and they are in. Some of you are rearing kids while checking on or caring for your own parents and parents-in-law while working to pay mortgages, school fees and the rest of it. The having your own kids under one roof era is very precious even though some days are hard, and it can feel a bit relentless. But they do fly by so quickly and before you know it, those precious children are grown up, graduated, gone from your home and into their own lives and one day, if you are lucky enough, you find yourselves holding a much-loved grandbaby and you realise you are entering yet another era of life.

Marise McConaghy, Principal

The Awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the country’s top performing schools, principals, department heads and teachers.

As an Excellence Awardee, Strathcona Girls Grammar Junior School will go on to be judged by an independent panel who will announce the final category winners on Friday, 11 August.

The awards are judged on several criteria, however what made our submission stand out was our ground-breaking work on the development of a new reporting model that awards goals and achievements based on the National Literacy and Numeracy Progressions. Strathcona is leading and providing our expertise with a group of 30 schools with School Box to mentor, develop and adopt similar models and map curriculum to the progressions.

The Australian Education Awards celebrate the most innovative schools and individuals making a profound difference to teaching and learning across the nation, so it’s wonderful to be in such outstanding company. The other nominees are:

HaileyburyLauriston Girls' SchoolMatthew Flinders Anglican CollegeOrmiston College Junior SchoolPenrhos College Junior SchoolSt Mary's Parish Primary School, Greensborough Victoria

At Strathcona learning and care is at the heart of all we do. We have so much to celebrate as a Junior School and being part of the wider Strathcona community. Our staff, students and families are what make us great and being a finalist in this category can only be attributed to you. We take great pride in being recognised nationally as an innovator in education.

This expo serves as a platform for families to engage in meaningful discussions about subject pathways, allowing them to make informed decisions that align with their child's interests, aspirations, and future goals. It is a pivotal moment for students to gain insights into various subjects and their potential career paths.

Date: Thursday July 13th

Time: 6.00-8.00pm

Venue: Featherstone Hall and the Middle School Building

At the School Subject and Pathways Expo, parents and students can expect:

Expert Guidance: Connect with our experienced Senior School teachers and Heads of department who will be present at the expo. They will offer valuable insights, answer queries, and provide guidance on subject selection, helping families make well-informed decisions.

Pathway Discussions: Take advantage of the opportunity to have open conversations with University experts. These discussions will shed light on the potential pathways each subject can lead to, broadening students' horizons and igniting their passion for specific fields.

We encourage all parents, guardians, and students from Years 9-11 to mark their calendars for this exciting event. The School Subject and Pathways Expo will empower families to make informed decisions about subject choices, laying the foundation for a fulfilling academic journey.

By attending this expo, families will embark on a collective exploration of subject options, creating an environment of shared learning and growth.

We look forward to welcoming you on July 13th.

Kara Baxter, Dean of Teaching and Learning

Camp teams have finished their banners, received their fleece jackets and are ready to head off to the source of the Yarra River, Mt Donna Buang, and hike, ride and paddle their way back to Campus. Families are reminded that students should meet on their Departure Day at the Bryson Road entrance to Main School at 9am, and campers will complete their journey at Tay Creggan - sometime between 3.30-5pm. An SMS with your GROUP NUMBER will be sent around 30 minutes prior to arrival. There will only be street parking available.

Students have also received their Camp2Campus girls Outdoors fleece jackets today - please check that your child has named it as requested!

Last Friday afternoon, we hosted High Tea in the Hall for some of our special guests. The combination of lovely food and a spectacular setting makes this a grand occasion - one that many students and families treasure. Thank you to Narelle Cameron, our Food tech teacher,  for High Tea number two - another wonderful afternoon!

See you all on departure day!

Karyn 

Unit 3 Theatre Studies presents their 2023 play, Metamorphoses. Performances are Thursday May 25 and Friday May 26 from 7.00pm in the Drama Studio. Metamorphoses is a beautiful and haunting play which explores the themes of love and greed.

Ovid’s ancient tales will resonate deeply with contemporary audiences.

Set in and around a large pool of water onstage, the production will create stunning visual theatre. Funny one moment, achingly sorrowful the next, Metamorphoses explores the themes of loss and saliently the transforming power of love. Rippling with contemporary references this mesmerising play is guaranteed to provide food for thought well after the curtain goes down.

Metamorphoses is a beautiful and haunting play which explores the themes of love and greed. Based on a series of Ovid's myths and originally set in Ancient Greece, our production will include contemporary scenes which explore global warming, the obsession with materialism and other pertinent themes to today's society. Song, dance, live music and some beautiful chorus work will ensure this will be a theatrical experience not to be missed.  

Tickets are available via trybooking: https://www.trybooking.com/CIHAV

Following the huge success of the 2022 Dad/Daughter dinner with over 240 families attending, the Strathcona Fathers' subcommittee invite Strathcona dads, caregivers and their daughters to dinner on Sunday 28 May 2023 at Sofia restaurant, Camberwell.The dinner will kick off at 5.30pm, sitting down to a meal at 6pm.There will be shared platters of pasta and pizza and dessert to follow. Dietary requirements catered for.$60 per double (for additional family members $25).

Dads are most welcome to attend alone if your daughter is busy, has exams or simply cannot attend. Our aim is for ALL to be most welcome. Dads only $30 so please register, wander along and enjoy a wine and a few laughs with other dads on the night.

Please click here to book. Book early to avoid disappointment!

This seminar will explore the powerful ways parents can, quite literally, influence the strengthening of the brain in ways that will build self-control, emotional regulation, and resilience in their children for life. We will look at the importance of relationship in nurturing self-control, and how parents can strengthen their connection and influence with their children and teens during childhood, adolescence, and beyond.

About the Guest Speaker:

Karen Young has worked as a psychologist in private practice, and organisational and educational settings. She is a sought-after speaker, educator, and consultant, and works with parents, schools, government bodies, and child and adolescent focused organisations both in Australia and overseas. Karen is the founder of ‘Hey Sigmund’, an internationally popular online resource that provides contemporary, research-driven information on anxiety, parenting, and the neurodevelopment of young people. She has written three books, including the bestselling ‘Hey Warrior’, 'Hey Awesome’, ‘Dear You Love From Your Brain', which creatively assist young people to understand anxiety, feelings, behaviour, and the workings of the brain.

Details:

Time - 7.00pm to 8.30pm

Date - Monday 29 May 2023

Location: 

Featherstone Hall, Strathcona Girls Grammar

Bookings: 

To book, please visit https://www.trybooking.com/CFR...

Bookings are essential