Term 3, Week 8, 2023 31 Aug 2023

Staffing

Mrs Amber Sowden has commenced in the role of Acting Deputy Principal and Mrs Megan Boyd as Acting Dean of Students. 
 
Ms Jenny Galloway joined our Learning Enhancement Department this week, as a Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Jenny has strengths in identifying individual student capabilities, fostering independence and responsibility in a safe and interactive learning environment.
 
Mr Dean Gourley has accepted a new position as Director of Music and finishes with us at the end of this week. The School community was recently able to acknowledge and thank Mr Gourley at the recent Annual Music Concert. We have been so grateful for Mr Gourley’s rich contribution to Strathcona and its Performing Arts program and we wish him all the best in this new experience. Ms Olivia Linas has accepted a new position as Performing Arts Coordinator to begin next term. We thank Ms Linas for her outstanding contribution and dedication to our Performing Arts program and wish her well.

Some Upcoming Events

This week we have had the Junior School Book Week and the Year 10s set off on their various camps for the week. We are looking forward to our last week of Term 3 as it is a busy one with significant events including the Senior Art and Design Show, Live8, Year 9 Envision Market and Frozen Jr. the Musical.

Over the September holidays, Ms Virginia Prior and Ms Jenny Lawry will lead the Tour to France with a group of students for our first French Global Tour since COVID-19. We wish all students and our staff the best for this trip and safe travel. 
 
Please keep an eye on Maple News for details about all upcoming events.
 
A snapshot of some of our recent student experiences

Our Senior School students won Division 3 of GSV Athletics, students from Junior and Senior School competed in Snowsports at Mt Buller last week, we had students competing at a Speech and Drama Festival on Sunday and on Monday we had students participating in a Year 7 Mathematics Games Day in our Gym. Congratulations and thank you to all students who represented the School in events such as these. 
 
Student Leadership

The process of appointing students to a School Leadership position in the Senior School for 2024 has now been finalised. Each leader’s willingness to undertake a role is commendable. Their enthusiasm and support, contribution to the School and engagement with opportunities in 2024 will be key to a memorable and impactful experience for the whole school community. The 2024 Captains will be introduced to the Senior School student cohort at an assembly on Tuesday 5 September, and inducted at a special Leadership Assembly on 24 October. Congratulations to all students who will undertake roles in 2024. In particular, congratulations to our 2024 School Captain Isabelle Gemmell and the two Deputy Captains: Amy Johnson and Sophie Norman. We are looking forward to an exciting and fulfilling 2024 under their guidance.

I am looking forward to seeing you next week if you are at the School for one of our events – please feel free to come and say hello and introduce yourself if I have not met you before.

Tracy Herft

Acting Principal

Footy Day was celebrated last Friday under sunny skies. It was fabulous to see all of the Year 9s in their team colours, and even more pleasingly, playing footy, soccer and netball on the TC oval at lunchtime. The Women's World Cup has certainly encouraged girls to play sport and there is no doubting the benefits which are derived from playing any sport. A special thank you to Breadstreet in Mont Albert Village for donating all of the delicious rolls for our hot dogs! If you do shop in the Village, do thank David for us!

Our Year 9 Snow Sports Team represented the year level so well at the Interschools at Mt Buller last week. I was pleased to hear from our PE teacher and Snowsports Coordinator Ash Mills that not only had the Year 9s skied well, but that they had represented themselves and their school with pride. I enjoyed hearing their stories of supporting each other at race events, tackling moguls and enjoying the apres ski together.

Olivia Collett, herself a snow skier, returned from the snow for a Public Speaking competition last Sunday and won! Congratulations Olivia.

Our five Speech and Drama students, Zoe, Bailey, Annie, Eleanor and Natalie, along with their teacher Lucy Mason have been practising hard for their performance on Monday. They wrote their own play and will perform it. Good luck to the girls!

Congratulations also to the large number of students who entered the Invergowrie 'Learning from the Past' Award after their visit to one of Victoria's oldest estates. Stephen and Angela Tomisich, the owners of Invergowrie, were so impressed by the excellent standard of entries this year, but they have narrowed it down to a short list of 7 entries. The following students will be visiting Invergowrie next week to meet the owners and collect their prizes: Eleanor Fluke, Liya Luo, Becky Tong, Jasmine Ma, Janelle Cheok, Edilyn Wong, Ginnie Kim.

I'll see you at the Envision Market on Friday afternoon.

Karyn Murray

Head of Tay Creggan

We will officially induct these leaders next term at a whole school assembly and look forward to them beginning to lead in their portfolios across the school in Term 4.    

We take this opportunity to thank our Year 12 2023 Leaders who have led their areas of the school this year. We look forward to hearing a final update from them all at next week’s whole school assembly on Tuesday 5th September where we will celebrate their accomplishments and acknowledge their achievements.

To see the full list of 2024 elected leaders click here. 

Megan Boyd
Acting Dean of Students

Congratulations to the following girls for their outstanding results:

Poetry 11 Years & Under
- Natalie Sulistio – Honourable Mention
- Amy Yu – Honourable Mention

Poetry 12-14 Years
- Yuxin Yang – 2nd Place

Prose 11 Years & Under
- Natalie Sulistio – 2nd Place
- Ansika Hewapathirane  – Honourable Mention
  Genevieve Meehan  – Honourable Mention
- A special congratulations to Chelsea Liu, also achieving an honourable mention, who was asked to compete in an older age category as there were no other “8 Years & Under” competitors.
 
Monologue 11 Years & Under
- Natalie Sulistio – 2nd Place
- Genevieve Meehan – Honourable Mention
- A special congratulations to Chelsea Liu, also achieving an honourable mention, who was asked to compete in an older age category as there were no other “8 Years & Under” competitors.
 
Duologue 12-14 Years
- Finley (Hannah) Sinclair and Emily Qin – 2nd Place
 
Group drama 12-15 Years
- Maitri Sharath, Amelia Lal and Charlotte Lal –2nd Place
 
Public Speaking 12 Years & Under
- Genevieve Meehan – Honourable Mention
 
Congratulations to all the students involved, and to our Speech and Effective Communication teacher, Lucy Mason, for preparing and supporting the girls at this event.

Jenny Meachem 
Head of Performing Arts

Emily Osborn (Year 12) – Rockschool Vocals Grade 7

Charlotte Noonan (Year 11) – Clarinet Grade 4

Alyssa Tan (Year 6) – Rockschool Vocals Grade 2

Natalie Sulistio (Year 5) – Cello Grade 2

Miriam Wallbridge (Year 4) – Cello Grade 1

Participating in AMEB examinations involves a tremendous amount of extra work and practice of the respective instrument on top of academic study. We commend all these students on their excellent achievements as part of their involvement in the co-curricular program. 

Through performance skill workshops, interactive discussions and rehearsed readings, our Junior School students are exploring theatrical approaches to complex text and developing their understanding of the playmaking process. Set within a magical forest, the mischievous characters and comedic mishaps within ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ have provided a wonderful avenue for introducing our students to Shakespeare whilst building their confidence as performers. 

At Tay Creggan, Year 9 students have been rehearsing ‘Children of the Black Skirt’, an Australian gothic fairy tale. As lost children explore an abandoned orphanage, they learn about Australia’s history through the spirits who reside there. Last Thursday, the cast were fortunate to work with actor Emily Goddard, who studied clowning with Philippe Gaulier. She encouraged the students to consider how feelings of fear and fun can sit side by side when performing and to understand how diverse viewpoints can profoundly enrich their creative endeavours. 

Next week, our talented Middle School students will be presenting ‘Frozen Jr.’ in Featherstone Hall. The cast have been rehearsing throughout the term with director Jason Parker and vocal director Jenny Meachem, and students have enjoyed experiences during the production process that extend far beyond the confines of the stage. Throughout this journey, students have not only honed their theatrical talents but also developed transferable collaborative and creative skills. Undoubtedly, these opportunities play a pivotal role in empowering our students to excel in other aspects of their lives.

Claire Johns 
Director of Productions

The week started with our five junior skiers who participated in both Alpine Giant Slalom and Skier Cross events. The second half of the week was busy with 18 skiers and snowboarders from Year 7 to 12, competing in a range of events including Moguls and Slopestyle.

Strathcona had one of its most successful years on the slopes with three students qualifying for Nationals across five events.
A number of our outstanding results:

• Ava Armstrong (Year 10) - 3rd in Division 2 Girls Snowboard GS and 4th in Division 2 Girls Snowboard Cross (qualified for Nationals in both events) 
• Claudia Appleton (Year 8)- 4th in Division 3 Girls Moguls and 10th in Division 3 Girls Ski Slopestyle (qualified for Nationals in both events)
• TJ Fisher (Year 11)- 5th in Division 1 Girls Snowboard Slopestyle (qualified for Nationals)
• Sophie Baker (Year 7)- 3rd in Division 3 Girls Alpine Challenger

I would like to congratulate the girls on the way in which they conducted themselves and supported each other during the event. A big thank you to the parents who took time away from their busy schedules to support their daughter, particularly the members of the Friends of Snowsports Committee for their efforts in the lead up to the event.

We are excited to continue growing the Snowsports program at Strathcona and I would encourage any families who are interested in participating in 2024 to please reach out.

Ashlea Mills
Snowsports Coordinator

We welcomed 32 past staff to join us on this special occasion. Beautiful speeches, birthday cakes, music performance by Catherine Buxton (’90), bouquets of flowers, glasses of bubbles and slide presentations were included in this lovely afternoon spent together.

Mrs Margaret Findley, past pupil (Class of 1950), past parent, past staff member and author of the School history ‘A School on a Hill, Strathcona’ celebrated her 90th birthday.

Mrs Diana Little, past parent and grandparent and current staff member for over 45 years celebrated her 80th birthday.

The afternoon was filled with much chatter and laughter as everyone gathered together for the celebrations.

Come along and experience the TeamKids difference:
•  Learn new skills and make new friends
• Qualified and REMARKABLE Educators
• Digital detox with our no screens policy
• Delicious and nutritious morning and afternoon snacks
• CCS-approved care 

To see the full list of activities and pricing click here. 

For ELC activities and pricing click here. 

Head to teamkids.com.au to secure your spot!

• News from Monash University
  - Science VCE Revision Lectures
  - Experience Day Workshops
  - Discover Monash 
• Pathway to Engineering
• Westpac Young Technologists Scholarships
• RMIT School Holidays Campus Tours
• A Day in the Life of a Swinburne Students
• Psychology Degrees in Victoria in 2023
• Physiotherapy Degrees in Victoria in 2023
• Snapshot of The University of Sydney in 2023 

Please click here for the full edition of Career News.

Xin Chen
Head of Careers and Pathways

The theme ‘Illuminate’ can be interpreted by artists and designers in many ways.

There will be a photo booth available for guests to photograph themselves with some props. Post and hashtag #girlsunstoppable to win a prize.

The prize includes a family pass to the Heide Museum of Modern Art. Heide offers an inspiring, educational, and thought-provoking experience of modern and contemporary art, architecture, gardens, and social history for all who visit.

Join us for a fun night of activities including group selfies, collaborative ‘paint by numbers,’ and guided art tutorials. Create your very own Van Gogh masterpiece and enjoy delicious food while immersing yourself in the exceptional Strathcona student artwork on display. All are welcome, bring your family and friends to appreciate the art and hard work of our students!

To book your spot click here

Kimberley Moor
Head of Art and Design

We encourage all dads and special friends to attend.

A coffee cart, sausage sizzle and yummy breakfast will be available. For catering purposes, please RSVP by Monday 28 August 2023 by clicking here.

We hope you will join us!

Please join us for a beautiful afternoon with a guest speaker, entertainment, photo booth, lucky ticket draws as well as canapes on arrival and a delicious 2-course lunch and plenty of bubbles.

Dress up in your racing gear and join the other Strathy mums.

$145 per person (all inclusive) and make sure you book early as places are limited.

Please note tables will accommodate 10 guests.

RSVP by Wednesday 18 October 2023 for catering purposes.

Book here - https://www.trybooking.com/CLK...