Principal

16/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
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As educators, one of the challenges we face is to encourage students not to give up immediately when the going gets tough, to value the rewards of persistence, to help them value the process of learning and unlearning and to support their attempts to do something new before making up their minds. This is made more difficult by the so-called Yuk/Wow generation which presently makes up our student body. Yuk/Wow refers to the speed at which young people make a decision, where there is no real shade of grey between yes (wow) or no (yuk). For this generation the here and now experience is what matters; lifestyle, image and being entertained are important; and, choice, speed and chance are valued.

Does this sound familiar? If so, I would encourage you in your attempts to promote the value of persistence. Students in the Yuk/Wow generation need to be encouraged to see the value of hard work and that success rarely comes before diligence. Margaret Mead, the famous American anthropologist said 'I learned the value of hard work by working hard'; this is something educators try to instil in students in their care. Students in this generation who do well at school tend not to be yuk/wow - they understand the value of sustained effort, commitment, consistency, attention to detail, good time management, organisation skill and an open and inquiring mind.

The Yuk/Wow generation is often not interested in failure, as a learning tool. Failure can easily become an excuse to give-up and move on. However, most successful people have 'failed' at some point and have worked hard to try strategies that would work. Students are often are not prepared to challenge themselves too much in case they risk failure. This is because quite naturally we as parents and teachers do not tend to praise failure. Girls from an early age have worked out that if they want to win the praise of their teachers and parents they shouldn't take risks or challenge themselves beyond what they are certain will lead to success. This is unfortunate because some students never avail themselves of the opportunity to reach their full potential. Therefore, it is essential that as adults we model the learning that can come from failure. We should acknowledge the failure and critique it, learn from it and stay out of the blame game. This will assist in developing that all important resilience and willingness to keep taking calculated risks.

Both Thomas Edison and Henry Ford offered advice on how to maintain perspective when it comes to failure. Edison said 'I've not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work' and Ford remarked; 'Failure is the opportunity to begin again - more intelligently.'

Kindy
Our co-ed Kindy program was officially re-opened and dedicated on Tuesday. We thoroughly enjoyed a song from our Kindy children and I thank all staff and community members involved in this important development at St Aidan's.

The Great Debate
Last Friday saw our Annual Great Debate against the Gentlemen Debaters from Brisbane Boys' College. The debate was a huge event and a most entertaining evening was had by all with the St Aidan's debaters winning the event by two decibel points!! Congratulations to the winning team: Megan Elliott, Ali Leigh, Jess Bassili, Jessie Madden, Sophie James and Sarah Krause and thank you to the Mrs Doig, Mrs Lewis and Mr Beveridge for their efforts to ensure a most enjoyable evening.

Earlier that day over 250 Mothers, Daughters and significant female family members celebrated to enjoy our annual Mother-Daughter Breakfast. Celebrated artist and old girl Annabel Tully (nee Pettigrew, (1989)), who was joined by her daughter and mother, was the guest speaker and gave us all some personal vignettes peppered by life lessons. The latter include: take on new challenges and expand your horizons and have the freedom to think; don't be in a hurry. It was a pleasure to welcome Annabel back to St. Aidan's

Another group welcomed back on the weekend was past students who finished in 1972, for their 40 year reunion.

This week we wish all staff and students involved in the Musical all the very best for their week ahead and the performances which commence on Thursday. Thousands of hours of rehearsals and preparation have gone into this biennial event with Brisbane Boys' College. Thank you to all involved.

We also welcome our exchange students from St Michael's Collegiate in Hobart who will be staying with our Year 9 students, Grace Anderson, Emily Barrett, Makenzi Donald, Jessica Elliott and Hannah Kitchen.

Last week we farewelled Mrs Jan Dixon from our staff. At her request, farewells were kept to a minimum. Mrs Dixon has been a teacher on our staff since July 2004. In this time she has best been known for her work in senior and extension English classes and for a time was our Assistant Head of Faculty in English. We wish her and her family all the very best for the next stage of her journey.

We wish Trish Arthur (Assistant Head of Senior Sport) and her fiancé David Russell all the best for their wedding this weekend and life together.

Congratulations to:

  • Mr Wagner who participated in the Charity 500km bike ride. In total over $8000 was raised for the Endeavour Foundation;
  • Brooke Thompson who placed 1st dancing a Ballet Solo at the Sunshine Coast Dance Eisteddfod;
  • Kate Pidgeon who competed in the Brisbane/Ipswich Regional Finals of the Rostrum Voice of Youth Competition and was one of the winners in the Senior division. Kate will now compete in the South Queensland Final on Saturday June 2 at Moreton Bay College;
  • Chai Jie Low who at the Wynnum Manly Eisteddfod achieved a first place in the Intermediate Piano Championship, an award for the highest mark in Piano Sight Reading, an award for the highest mark in Quick Study, an award for highest mark in Piano Solos, 13-15 years and three first places;
  • Abi Langford who placed second in the AFBJJ (Australian Federation of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) State Titles;
  • Brooke Van Staveren who won Bronze in the Single Kata and Gold in the Team Kata of the Queensland State Karate Titles;
  • Staff, students and family members who entered the Mothers' Day Classic Fun Run.

Karen Spiller

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Deputy Principal

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
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Benefits of a Regular Revision Strategy
We are now halfway through Term 2, with three teaching weeks left until block testing for our Year 11 and 12 students. Few students enjoy revising for exams and subsequently, many students avoid the practice of regular revision. Revision is essential for helping a student to re-familiarise with everything that has been learned to date. Regular revision should help your daughter to enter the exam room feeling confident.

Students are wise to think about a Revision Plan, so that they are not leaving exam revision until the last minute. It is impossible for a student to cram months' worth of notes into her head the night before an exam and expect all the relevant material to stay there. It is possible to start revising early so that she can determine what she needs to know and focus on filling in any gaps in her knowledge.

Students who give themselves enough time to revise will be able to find ways to remember all they need to know. Some students find that using mind maps to link different ideas is helpful; others find pictorial representations of concepts helpful; some prefer taking extensive notes whilst others opt to jot down specific terms. The longer a student has to revise, the more information she can instil in her head, as repetition is the key to remembering. Research shows that people tend to remember the first and last things they read. Therefore, it is worth breaking up revision sessions, and this may not be possible to do when a student does not have much time before an exam. It is recommended that they begin a revision program earlier.

There is no "way to revise" which works for every student. All our brains work in different ways, so students are advised to find the way that works for them. Each student has a different way of learning. Auditory learners acquire information from what they hear. Visual learners can remember what they see. Kinaesthetic people learn by doing. Another suggestion is to use a revision method which uses more than one channel.

Suggestion for revision methods:

  1. "Write it down" is the best way to learn your notes.
  2. Walk around while you try to revise your notes.
  3. Write down your notes in a diagrammatic format.
  4. Attach your notes to the far wall where you cannot read them, then walk around at the far side of the room, as you try to remember what each bit on each page said.
  5. Write your notes on index cards, then spread them out on your table-top, then use recall to articulate the main points.

In helping your daughter to adopt a good revision strategy, please refer to this website: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Revision_Methods_and_Tips

Kim Kiepe
Deputy Principal

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Chaplain

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
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Every morning, the secondary staff gathers at 8.15am for a briefing; the formal part is always brisk because people are busy and the little meeting breaks into preparation for the day ahead. But it always finishes with prayer and some kind of reflection to take us out into the many responsibilities and commitments we have. It's a great way to focus for the day – and to remember what we are here for in all the busyness.

On Monday morning, the reflection was built around the promise Jesus makes to his friends in Luke: Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. It's the kind of promise to take away and nurture on dark nights and difficult days. I meet many school families who are "doing it tough" as it were. For all the joy and sentiment that surrounds Mother's Day it's wise to remember that for some families, this is a time of sadness and pain. Other people wrestle with the darkness of mental illness or addiction. The world can be so bleak and threatening that the comforting promise that we need not fear is a great starting point for all of us.

The promise goes on to assure us that it is God's good pleasure to give us the kingdom. This is one of the great truths of our faith: that the blessings which come to us from God are freely given. They don't come because we earn them. God loves us not because we are good; good loves us because God is good. It's as simple as that.

Wherever you are on your Christian journey, whatever circumstances you have to face and whatever challenges fall to you, it's important to remember the promise: God wants good things for us and God will use the darkness and the challenge to shape us into the compassionate and humble pilgrims who can make the walk of our family and friends easier.

Don't forget the opportunity to have your daughter join the Confirmation class that will be getting going late this term. Please register your interest with me; an email to p.bland@staidans.qld.edu.au will get you on the mailing list and into the program.

Paul Bland
Chaplain

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Dean of Studies

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
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  • Word of the Day
  • NAPLAN

Word of the Day
The use of a wide and sophisticated vocabulary by students can not only assist greater clarity of expression, but also can assist them to improve their comprehension of texts across a variety of subject areas. Each day, teachers will endeavour to incorporate a "Word of the Day" into their lessons (as appropriate). Students are also encouraged to use these words wherever possible (and appropriate). Three of this week's words have been taken from previous QCS tests. The other, floccinaucinhilipilification, was suggested by one of the students! I encourage parents to become involved also and perhaps, to incorporate these words, where possible into the daily dinner conversation. This week, teachers will use the following words:

Aesthetic
Delirium
Surpassing
Oblivion
Facade

NAPLAN
Year 9 students have been participating in NAPLAN this week. Tests will continue tomorrow. The final test is numeracy (including number, measurement, chance and data, space, working mathematically, algebra function and pattern). It is important that students remember their calculators tomorrow. Results from the tests will provide information about children's progress in literacy and numeracy. Following the tests, schools and students will receive a statement of performance in relation to the national benchmarks in September.

If a student is ill on the day of the test, parents should contact the school and either a medical certificate or a note from the parents be provided. Wherever possible, an alternative time will be scheduled for students to sit the test. It is essential that students arrive to school on time and that they bring the correct materials to each examination.

Further information for parents and guardians can be found at:-http://www.naplan.edu.au/parents/parents.html

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Dean of Students

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
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National Volunteer Week – Red Shield Appeal 19-20 May
The State of Volunteering Report has recently been released. It views what volunteering looks like in Australia and what progress has been made against each of the objectives set in the National Agenda on Volunteering in 2001. If you would like to know more about volunteering for your family or your company go to www.volunteeringaustralia.org.

Throughout the year staff and students promote the positive impact volunteering can have for the individual and for the student body. This week the Year 8 students are using their talents in the kitchen to bake cupcakes to raise funds for the school St Aidan's is sponsoring in Zimbabwe. On Sunday, a number of our senior students have volunteered to collect for this year's Red Shield Appeal. Through both of these initiatives students are learning that people and societies co-depend on each other for survival and growth. Furthermore, by giving time, energy and skills volunteering can develop a sense of achievement and build interests outside of meeting one's own personal needs. In the business world, surveys indicate employers are also interested in candidates who exhibit having the initiative to volunteer and take an active interest in the world at large.

Wendy Lauman
Dean of Students

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Guidance Counsellor

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
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Year 11 Interviews
This term I am looking forward to meeting with all girls in Year 11.

ICS Learning Group
July Holiday Courses www.skillscentre.com.au/brisbane-h ics School Holiday Programs are One Day in length – 6 hours

These courses are:                
Advanced Reading Skills     3 July 2012
$165.00                9.00am to 4.00pm

Essay Writing Skills        4 July 2012
$135.00                9.00am to 4.00pm

Junior Study Skills        5 July 2012
$135.00                9.00am to 4.00pm

Senior Study Skills        6 July 2012
$135.00                9.00am to 4.00pm

YouTube Video link at: http://youtu.be/7XWO5C5u3is
Website Enrolment and information at
http://skillscentre.com.au/brisbane-h/

Courses start at 9am and conclude at 4.00pm

Courses are being held in the "Potter Rooms" supplied at All Hallow's School 547 Ann St … Brisbane. 4000

To enrol or to receive additional information, please contact ics Learning Group directly on 07 3103 4956,
email: icsbrisbane@skillscentre.com.au or
online: http://skillscentre.com.au/brisbane-h
Class sizes are kept to a minimum.

Austrailian Defence Force
Everyday Jobs-Extraordinary Opportunities many students remain unaware of the diverse range of opportunities available in the today's ADF. Although media coverage is dominated by handful of traditional military roles, it is the vast support network of professional engineers, administrators, health staff and technicians who provide the backbone of our military effort. Students are often genuinely surprised by the spectrum of careers available, many requiring no prior experience or training. As registered training organisations, the Navy, Army and Air Force provide their personnel with civilian accredited training to enable them to effectively and safely carry out their duties.

The Australian Defence Force Gap Year Program has ceased following the 2012-2013 Federal Budget announcement on Tuesday, 8th May. The decision is part of the reprioritisation of Defence expenditure, which has been carefully designed to protect our servicemen and women and our Defence operations and to minimise the impact on core capabilities. Current Gap Year Program applicants will be contact by Defence Force Recruiting in the near future to discuss other available options. These include a number of jobs requiring only a one year commitment.

The Army is currently offering the following jobs which have a one year initial minimum period of service:

•    Administration Clerk

•    Air Dispatcher

•    Cargo Specialist

•    Cook

•    Dental Assistant

•    Driver

•    Finance Clerk

•    Groundcrewman Mission Support

•    Military Police

•    Operator Movement

•    Preventative Medicine

•    Supply Coordinator

Other alternatives include the Royal Military College Duntroon, New Entry Naval Officers Course and the Australian Defence Force Academy.

The Air Force Reserve Airfield Defence Guard role offers 11 months full time service followed by four years of part-time service commitment.

The Navy, Army and Air Force Reserves are also an attractive alternative for part-time work, especially considering your salary is tax free. Note: Opportunities for Navy and Air Force Reserves are limited.

Army Reserve Musicians
Since its formation in 1949, the Australian Army Band-Brisbane (AAB-B) has become known throughout Queensland as one of the finest Military Bands in Australia, enjoying a wide reputation for its musical excellence and impressive military appearance. The Band provides music for Regal, Vice-Regal, State and Ceremonial occasions in addition to performing at festivals, giving concerts and presenting precision marching displays as well as fulfilling its military role as an Australian Army Band. Each year the Band continues to provide music for many varied groups of people and continues to receive acclaim from audiences wherever they perform. The Australian Army Band Brisbane is a great asset to the State of Queensland and provides an extremely professional "public face" for the Australian Army. The AAB-B has a number of part-time positions available to those members of the public who wish to join the Army Reserve as a musician. The AAB-B has a need for musicians experienced on a wide range of orchestral and rock instruments. The AAB-B is conducting a performance at the Ipswich Civic Centre during June for the public.

What: Australian Army Band Brisbane Performance
Date: Wednesday 13 June 2012
Time: 11:00am
Venue: Ipswich Civic Centre
Tickets: $12.00 per person

For more information on joining the Australian Army Band please contact the Careers Promotion Team via email at CPTQLD@dfr.com.au.

Med Entry UMAT preparation
Med Entry prepare student s for the UMAT please see the career portal on the learning centre for a more comprehensive brochure, or visit www.Medentry.edu.au

Design College Australia – Open Day
July and Feb intakes
Saturday 30 June
1-6pm
200 Barry Pde, Fortitude Valley

ACU
Open Night 5.30-8.30 Wednesday 25 July
ACU Campus 1100 Nudgee Rd Banyo

Bond
2013 Scholarship applications due by 31 July - apply online at www.bond.edu.au/scholarships

Effective for the September 2012 semester, all applications made by Queensland residents for study at Bond University (excluding the Bachelor of Medicine Bachelor of Surgery*) will be made directly through the University's online application form and not through QTAC.

QUT
Parent Information Seminar
Wednesday 16 May
F Block. Level 5, Room 509
Kelvin Grove Campus 6-7.30

UQ
UQ Chrysallis Leadership Program.

Please see The Learning Centre for details on how to apply to this prestigious program open to students in Years 11 or 12.

Applications are now open for CHRYSALIS 2012. Scholarships for Australian and International students are available. The program will be held in Brisbane at Emmanuel College from 9 - 16 December 2012. See what past participants have to say about their experience at youtube.com/Chrysalisleaders

For information, contact:
Email:   chrysalis@fdn.uq.edu.au
Web:    chrysalis.foundationyear.com

 

PACE Open Day – August 19

The UQ School of Pharmacy will be hosting its annual Pharmacy Open Day on Sunday 19 August, 2012. This is a fantastic opportunity for secondary school students and staff to tour the brand new Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence and find out more about UQ's Bachelor of Pharmacy program. Guests can talk to current students about their experiences and discover more about the exciting field of work.

For information, contact: 

Phone: 

(07) 3346 1926 

Email: 

s.dunn@uq.edu.au

Web: 

uq.edu.au/pharmacy/openday

International College of Hotel Management
2013 Scholarships now open. See The Learning Centre for applications, or visit me.

EF High School Year Overseas
Information evenings
164 Melbourne St, South Brisbane
31 May; 28 June all beginning at 6pm
rsvp www.ef.com/highschool/news or call 1800251866 need to be completed now.

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Foundation Cornerstone

23/04/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
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Mother Daughter Breakfast

A crowd of St Aidan’s mothers and daughters were treated to an artistic start to the day at the annual Mother Daughter breakfast on May 11.

 

Renowned artist and St Aidan’s Old Girl (class of 1989) Annabel Tully was the guest speaker and she entertained the audience with her tales of life on a huge rural property in remote western Queensland.

 

Annabel spoke of the freedom, independence and “room to grow” that growing up in Brookfield gave her, and the fact that this was nurtured during her years at St Aidan’s.

 

She began her career as a bush teacher but has carved her niche as a contemporary landscape artist, painting the vast and colourful landscapes of her surrounds. She explained how she combines this with helping run a sheep and cattle station with her husband, operating an artists’ retreat and of course raising her five young children.

 

Guests at the Mother Daughter Breakfast each went home with a beautiful card featuring some of Annabel’s works – and the lucky first prize winner of our fundraising raffle received an original work of art.

 

Adding to the artistic theme of this event, an annual fundraiser for the St Aidan’s Foundation, was the display of artwork from the P& F’s Ambifair art competition and the colourful performance of the talented St Aidan’s STAGE dance troupe.

Kathryn Britt

 

Social pics from the Ben O'Donoghue lunch, South Bank Surf Club.

Tags:Foundation

 

Book Drive

30/04/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
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Book Drive
As part of the National Year of Reading, the St Aidan's Junior and Senior Libraries are organising a Book Drive to support schools in Papua and New Guinea. PNG has a very low literacy rate, with almost half the adult population not being able to read and write, and while the rate of participation in schooling is improving, it remains low. In many schools there is a complete lack of books, including reference, text books and fiction.

Books4PNGkids supplies books to schools throughout PNG. Through donations, this organisation ships the books and personally delivers a consignment per year, and many of the donations go to schools in remote villages. For more information go to www.books4pngkids.org


How you can help
By donating any pre-loved books suitable for children, from pre-readers to mid-high school level. These books could be picture books, chapter books for early readers, fiction for children and teenagers, non-fiction for children and teenagers, dictionaries, atlases and National Geographic magazines.

The people of PNG value education and your books will be gratefully received and appreciated by the children and their families.

Donated books can be brought to the Junior or Senior Libraries.


For more information contact:
Kristen Lewis
Head of Library Services - Senior School

Tags:Library

 

St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School Cheesemakers

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
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The Year 11 Biology classes, as part of their microbiology study, are making camembert cheese and blue cheese. This project under the supervision of Miss Betty Yanardasis, Mrs Sylvia Hicks and Mrs Sandy Parsons, has demonstrated the art of cheese making and the importance of microbes in the production of cheese. A selection of the cheese made over 3 days will be entered into the Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show 2012. The students and teachers are very excited about the competition with judging taking place on Wednesday 6 June. We eagerly anticipate the results as we watch over the cheese for 4 – 6 weeks, observing the mould grow. Stay tuned for the results!

Tags:Sciences

 

Sport – Senior School

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
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Winter Sport training
Trials and training for the Winter Sports roll out over the next two weeks. Rhythmic Gymnastics started last week, Netball, Tennis and Senior Hockey start training this week, while Volleyball and Junior Hockey start next week. Students who have signed on for a Winter Sport should pay particular attention to the Daily Notices and Sports Portal for the timing of training sessions, and any initial inquiries should be to the relevant sport co-ordinators. These are: Netball-Ms Mackie, Tennis-Mrs Demnar, Hockey-Ms Clarke and Volleyball-Ms Stephens. Students are also reminded that any Autumn sport commitments obviously take priority over the Winter sport programme during the two week "overlap" period until the conclusion of Autumn fixtures. Tuesday afternoon will remain a 'core sport only' session.

Artistic Gymnastics
On Thursday 3 May St Aidan's sent one of its largest squads in recent times (a total of 32 students and 7 teams) to the QGSSSA Artistic Gymnastics competition, held at Moreton Bay College. Although none of the teams placed in the top three, our girls were certainly not lacking in enthusiasm and application, and their coaches were pleased with their progress over the season. Special thanks should go to our Gymnastics Co-ordinator, Ms Joanne Cameron, whose 6.00am start and long day was made longer when our bus left the venue without us!

Student Success
Congratulations to Libby Jacques, Rachael Knowlman and Chelsea Ho, who finished 3rd in the teams placing at the recent Queensland All Schools Cross Country titles. More details of their exploits can be found in Mr Kemp's Cross Country column.

Nigel Bailey
Head of Senior School Sport

Results from Round 7 vs. BGGS

Basketball

Open lost 12-32

Sen. A lost 16-20

10A lost 10-20

10B lost 23-36

9A lost 10-35

9B lost 12-24

8A lost 12-32

8B lost 4-32

Touch

Open lost 1-3

Sen. A lost 1-4

10A lost 1-3

10B lost 0-2

9A lost 0-4

9B won 2-1

8A lost 1-3

8B lost 0-2

Football

Open lost 1-5

Junior lost 0-11


Round 8        St Aidan’s v Som. Hse.     Friday May 18
Basketball(Centenary State High School and St Aidan’s CHC)

Round

TIME

CSHS Court 1

18/5

CSHS Court 2

18/5

CHC @ ST AIDAN’S 18/5

CHC @ ST AIDAN’S 21/5

Rd 1

4.00pm

9A

8A

Open

10A

Rd 2

5.00pm

9B

8B

Senior A

10B

Please note split venues on 18/5 and rounds scheduled Monday 21/5

Touch (Ambiwerra)

Round

TIME

Field 1

Field 2

Field 3

Field 4

Field 5

Rd 1

4.00pm

Open

10A

9A

8A

 

Rd 2

4.50pm

        Senior A

10B

9B

8B

 



Football (Dunlop Park)

Round

TIME

Field 1

Field 2

Rd 1

4.05pm

Open

Junior

There will be buses travelling one-way(no return trip) to all venues. Students should refer to the Sports Portal and Daily Notices for times/details.

Tags:Sport - Senior School

 

Cross - Country

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
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Cross Country
With only 2 weeks until the QG competition, the girls are working hard to get the most out of their training. Our participation in the St Hilda's Cross Country meet on 10 May was the first introduction to the new QG course for most of our students. 40 girls attended this meet and some girls in recorded some personal bests. Sarah Gehrmann shaved 3'45" off her previous best time, which is a testament to her commitment to training over the season. Congratulations also to Sally Flanagan who improved her previous best time by 2'55".

Qld All Schools Cross Country Championships
Some of our top runners represented St Aidan's at the Qld All Schools Cross Country Championships last weekend. In the 14yrs, over 4km, Rhoda Thornton ran well against stiff competition achieving a time of 16'30". In the 15yrs race, the St Aidan's team represented by Libby Jacques, Chelsea Ho and Rachael Knowlman came in third overall. In a field of 94 runners, Rachel finished 5th and Libby finished 4th. Shona Gibson and Jade Dowling both competed in the 16yrs event with Jade finishing in second place with a time of 15'11". These girls are all to be congratulated for their hard work in training both in and out of school and for the initiative they show in seeking as much race experience as possible.

Training Session Changes
Now that the Junior school X-C training has finished there will be no training sessions on Mondays or Wednesdays. Also, from now on, Thursday training sessions will start and finish under Le Fanu.

Kangaroo Point Breakfast and Run
Next Saturday 19 May, we will be meeting at Captain Burke Park, under the Storey Bridge at Kangaroo Point for a team training session. Please meet at 6.45 for a 7am start followed by a BBQ breakfast at 8am. Parents are welcome to join us for breakfast.

To help with catering, could you please RSVP by email (t.kemp@staidans.qld.edu.au) by 3pm on Wednesday with the number attending. I will also welcome any offers to assist with the BBQ (Thanks to those of you who already have!)

Tim Kemp
Cross Country Coordinator

Tags:Cross Country

 

Rowing

16/05/2012 · Posted by Jeremy Parsons
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It’s pleasing to see all age groups have settled well into the training routine. Despite the complications of three schools rowing in and out of a narrow creek, things on the water are working well and the smoother water is certainly giving us some excellent training time.

Over the next few weeks through to the end of term, there will be some changes to training for some age groups to accommodate QG Cross Country, Block Testing and so on. Rowers and parents are asked to make sure they check their emails regularly for notifications of the various changes.

Thankfully next Saturday there are no Terrace home games, so parents will be able to drop off and pick up their daughters in the shed grounds. Please make sure you abide by the parking areas provided. It’s a great opportunity to walk down to the sheds and have a look at what’s going on – feel free to bring a coffee and the paper and sit on the deck to watch what’s going on.

The following Saturday is the QGSSSA Cross Country down at Rivermount College in Yatala. As I do each year, I am organising for a bus to go from the Rowing Sheds to the Cross Country. This will leave at 7:45am after the early training session for Years 9, 10 and Seniors, and I would hope all girls will go down to cheer on the runners (including a number of rowers who are doing cross-country). The bus will return the supporters to school later that morning, around midday. Girls competing in the Cross Country are NOT to attend training that morning. Year 8s please note there will be no training for you that day, but again I would hope you will go down to watch the Cross Country and support our team. Rowers should remember this support for the other sports will be returned when you have your Head of the River.

Key dates coming up in the next couple of months are:

Tue 29 May – Indoor Ergo Championships, Southbank (Suncorp Piazza), 5pm-8pm

Sat 16 June – STARLETS Year 7 Regatta

Sat 23 June – Final sculling trials, Years 9 to 12, Kawana

Sun 24 June to Thu 28 Jun - Seniors & Year 10 Rowing Camp, Maclean NSW

Thu 28 Jun to Sun 1 Jul – Year 9 Rowing Camp, Maclean NSW

Sat 14 Jul to Mon 16 July – Year 8 Rowing Camp, Tennyson

As always, if there are any questions about rowing, please do not hesitate to give me a call on 0410 427 581 or send me an email.

Tags:Rowing

 

Music – Senior School

16/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
0  Comments · 0  Links to this post

Musical
Good luck to all students performing in "Into the Woods". I am sure that this is going to be a wonderful show and I hope that you are all able to attend.

Gala Concert
Due to the re-scheduling of the Musical performance, the senior school Gala Concert will now be held at 3pm, Sunday 27 May in the Christine Hartland Centre. A note will be sent home this week containing all the details for the concert – please ask your daughter for it!

 

All of the ensembles in the senior school will be performing. Please note that Year 6 and 7 students in Children Crossing will also be required to perform on the day. Students who are performing will need to be at school by 2:00pm on the day. Please check that students have the correct performance uniform for each ensemble – guidelines for performance uniforms are given in the Music Department Handbook. If there are any questions, please direct enquiries to the conductor of the ensemble.

N.B. It is important that students have the correct uniform for the specific ensemble for this performance. Please check with your daughter that she has the correct uniform in preparation for the Concert.

The Music Support Group would be grateful to receive help with catering for the day. Are you able to bake some slice? Could you make up a loaf of sandwiches? All food donations would be most appreciated. If there are any questions please contact Debbie Bell on emarkbell@bigpond.com or Annette Holley on aaaaholley@yahoo.com

Cost of admission to the Gala Concert is $15 for adults, school age students and pensioners free of charge.

Term 2 Recital
The Term Two recital is being held on Friday 1 June in the Auditorium. There are two sessions available, 6.00pm and 7.30pm. The recital is open to any student of any standard as an opportunity to perform solos/duets to a supportive audience. Forms are available from the school music teachers and from Mr Galbraith. Dress is blues without the hat. Please address any enquiries to d.galbraith@staidans.qld.edu.au

Important dates for Term 2
Week 5          Thursday 17, Friday 18, Saturday 19 May    (7:00pm) Musical – Into the Woods
Week 6     Sunday 27 May                    (3:00pm) Gala Concert
Week 7     Friday 1 June                       (6:00pm) Music Recital
Week 8     Monday 4 June                     (7:00pm), Music Support Meeting, SG02
Week 9     Thursday 14 June                 (6:00pm) Junior School Music Concert

Tags:Music - Senior School

 

Junior Jottings

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
0  Comments · 0  Links to this post

Cup Cross Country
Last Thursday, the St Aidan's Andrews Cup Cross Country team competed at the Ipswich Boys Grammar sports fields. Competitors must be congratulated for their hard work and commitment to training leading up to the event, and for their determination on the day. They must also be commended, as always, for their sportsmanship and team spirit. The team placed 2nd in the Percentage Cup. As one of the smallest schools in the ten school competition, every team member deserves congratulations for their contribution to this fine overall performance.

Special mention must go to Emily Evans, our highest placed individual competitor, running a personal best time and crossing the line in second position. Accolades must also be extended to the 12 years and over competitors who, as a group, placed second in their age division. Details of other individual and age group results can be found in the Junior School Sports section of the newsletter.

Special thanks must go to Ms Tracey Jeanes-Fraser for her role in organising the day and assisting to co-ordinate and coach the team. A big thank you must also go to Mr Jayden Russ for his coaching expertise and the role he played in ensuring that our girls were well prepared. Thanks must also go to Mrs Jenny Crome a number of dedicated parents for their support at training throughout the season. Congratulations to our Cross Country Leaders, Ariana Conroy, Mikaela Lamb and Georgia Trainor, for leading by example during the Cross Country season and for being wonderful ambassadors for St Aidan's.

Mothers' Day Stall
The day of the Mothers' Day stall is always one of great excitement and this year was no exception. The quality of the gifts, including the beautiful wrapping, is something of which we are always very proud. There is much discussion about which gift to choose (I can hear the chat from my office); however, as long as there are sparkles brightly coloured ribbon on show, most girls find something they are certain their mum would love. The hand-made cards, generously crafted by members of the Verdasco family, were also very well received. They sold out in no time – a wonderful addition to the stall this year. I hope all recipients of gifts are pleased with their goodies and enjoyed a lovely Mothers' Day.

I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Jenny Whelan for co-ordinating this mammoth task for the first time this year. It is indeed an extremely time consuming job, and Jenny undertook the task with a sense of calm (outwardly) and a smile on her face. Thank you to everyone else who contributed in some way, either leading up to the stall or on the day. The support from so many people is tremendously appreciated.

The Mothers' Day raffle is also a significant part of the Mothers' Day fundraiser. Thank you to Sonia McLennan for co-ordinating the raffle (another first time helper), with an amazing 30 prizes up for grabs. Thank you in particular to Donagh Mengel, a long term donator of her hand painted, framed water colour paintings. Donagh has been donating the first prize for the Mothers' Day raffle since Irene (Year 11) commenced in the Junior School in Year 1. Thank you to everyone else who also donated prizes, contributing to the fabulous array on offer.

P-2 Mothers' Day Activities
Last Friday, mothers from Prep to Year 2 were pampered by their daughters. They were treated to delicious food (some of it prepared by little fingers), foot and hand massages and nail painting (including the most vibrant colours of green and red), gifts of hand-made rings and bracelets and much, much more. I would like to thank Ali Stacey, Angie Lewis and Susie Rigby for the time and effort they put into making the Prep to Year 2 mums feel so special for Mothers' Day.

Year Two Mothers' Day Afternoon Tea (S. Rigby)
Year 2 girls invited their mothers to a special Mothers' Day Afternoon Tea.

To begin the afternoon, we sang some of our songs and invited our Mums to join in the dances from our Music Everyday Program. This was lead by Dr Cuskelly.

Next, we played 'Pass the Parcel'. Each layer of the parcel was unwrapped by the mum who matched the mystery description, written by their daughter. What fun!

After that, the girls presented their mums with a gift bag and showed them the baby chicks that are visiting this week. We then all enjoyed cupcakes, tea and coffee.

It was just lovely for mums and daughters to share some precious time together in the classroom.

 

Public Speaking and Chess
The first round of the Brisbane Independent Schools Public Speaking competition was on Tuesday 8 May against All Hallows'. The Year Six girls spent the first few weeks of term preparing humorous 2-3 minute speeches on a topic of their own choice. A special guest speaker, Inga de Vries, spoke to the girls about effective hand gestures, stance, tone and volume.

Molly Phillips, Gemma Rowell, Brynlea Gibson, Hattie Edgecombe, Elizabeth Gralton and Imogen Cottell were the nominated representatives for St Aidan's. Molly presented a comical speech about edible lunches. The adjudicator commended Molly for an excellent topic choice and powerful conclusion. Gemma Rowell delivered an entertaining speech about how to plan a fantastic sleep over. She was congratulated for a good structure and incorporating effective hand gestures. Brynlea Gibson had the audience in hysterics during her recount of being the youngest of six siblings. She was awarded speaker of the night in Room 2.  

In Room 1, Hattie Edgecombe delivered a confident speech about chocolate and was commended for her intriguing introduction. Imogen Cottell presented an interesting speech on Pugs. The adjudicator congratulated Imogen for her clever use of tone, pause and audience engagement. Elizabeth Gralton memorised and presented an entertaining speech on gymnastics. She was applauded for excellent hand gestures and facial expressions and was awarded speaker of the night in Room 1.

The adjudicator was extremely impressed with the girls' natural tone and self-confidence. Congratulations to the six presenters for their hard work in the lead up to the event and for delivering wonderful and entertaining speeches on the night. Thank you to the parents for joining us on the evening.

We are looking forward to next week's Public Speaking competition against St Laurence's.

On Tuesday 9 May, a small group of determined chess players from Year Four to Six travelled to All Hallows' to complete in the BIS Chess Competition. All students managed to confidently announce 'Checkmate' throughout the evening. While a number of the games went for more than half an hour, others were over within minutes (in our favour!). This was certainly the case for Emily Wilkie who triumphed on six occasions – often within the first four moves of the game. Congratulations must also be extended to Lily Bligh, Melanie Watson, Ella Lau, Skye Matheson and Jenna Todd who all came away with victories against their opponents. Overall, the St Aidan's team won 18 of the 26 games. This was an outstanding achievement and one that comfortably surpasses previous results. I would like to extend a sincere thank you to the parents who so generously transported their daughters to and from All Hallows'. We are very much looking forward to our next opponents – the boys from St Laurence's.

Engineers Club -Term One and Two

Over the past eight weeks (during lunch times), a group of enthusiastic Year 5 and 6 girls have participated in an engineering challenge hosted by Engineers Australia, via the Engquest web site.

The program involved the girls working in teams to build bridges made from straws, cardboard and tape. They had to research a number of different types of bridges, design their own bridge to meet certain criteria and then test and re-evaluate their designs.

During the project the girls worked to develop the following skills skills -

  • work as part of a team, each playing a particular role
  • design, make, test and evaluate a straw bridge
  • gain hands-on experience in design and construction
  • discover how to best record all observations, planned modifications and observed results in a journal
  • develop speaking and listening skills by sharing straw bridges.

Last Tuesday, the girls were lucky enough to have a visit from David Pope, a local engineer with extensive experience building bridges on the Ipswich Motorway. He was kind enough to talk about his role as an engineer. He then worked with Ms McGuire to judge the final presentations and commented on how well the girls worked together to complete their task. During assembly on Monday, the girls were presented with prizes and certificates of participation in recognition of their involvement and commitment.

The girls certainly enjoyed the task and presented some very creative work.

Free Dress Day
On Wednesday 30 May, Penguin Aid is hosting a free dress day to raise money for the Kim Walters Choices Program at the Wesley Hospital. The Kim Walters Choices Program was initially established in 1998 to support breast cancer patients and their families.

The Choices program assists women and men of all ages. The program provides information about living with cancer and treatment options, exercise and relaxation programs designed to help recovery, complementary therapies, peer support and individual and family counselling, free-of-charge to patients and their families.

From Wednesday the 24 May, pink merchandise will be available to purchase from the Junior School drive-through at lunch times including; wrist bands $2, pins $4, caps $10, water bottles $10, and t-shirts $25. All proceeds will go towards the Kim Walters Foundation.

Please bring along a gold coin donation and wear pink on 30 May to support this fantastic charity. Girls must wear enclosed shoes and shirts with sleeves. Girls involved in sporting activities (PE or training) must remember to dress appropriately for their activity or change into their Browns. All students must remember to bring a hat.

Book Talk with…………Mrs Daley………..

 

One of my favourite books is……Spilled Water by Sally Grindley

This book is a powerful contemporary drama set in modern day China.

"Today is a big day for you. From Today, you must learn to find your own way in the muddy whirlpool of life"

The day was a frightening day in Lu Si-Yan's life - a day in which everything changed, a day in which Lu Si-Yan learnt what it really means to be born a girl.

From her idyllic country home to the smog-wrapped tower blocks and factories of the big city, Lu Si-Yan is taken to work. But Lu Si-Yan refuses to spend her life in servitude for she is determined to be reunited with her family.

A powerful and thought-provoking novel which paints a delicate, honest and finely realised portrait of one young girl's bravery.

I would recommend this book to Year Six students onwards.

IMPORTANT DATES

Week 5    

15    NAPLAN Testing – Year 3,5,7,9

       1.20pm SRC meeting

16    NAPLAN Testing – Year 3,5,7,9

17    NAPLAN Testing – Year 3,5,7,9

        9.00am-10.00am Yr 1 Local Community Walk

        Musical

18    Andrews Cup Cross Country WWD

        Friday sport concludes

        Musical

19     Musical

Week 6

22    J/School Debating, Public Speaking, Chess - St Laurence's (at St Aidan's)

23    J/School Languages Picnic

23    9.00am-noon Prep excursion to BBC

23    10.15am-11.15am Yr 2 Local History Walk

23    11.00am National Simultaneous Storytime

24    All day - J/School Interhouse Athletics – Ambi

27    3.00pm Gala Concert – CHC

Week 7

30    Free Dress Day

       7.30am Active Schools Travel Committee meeting – Charma Place

JUNE

1      Music Recital – AUD

2      5.00pm Year 6 Family Service – AUD

Week 8

5      J/School Debating, Public Speaking, Chess – Terrace (at St Aidan's)

6      ICAS Science Competition

7    Regional Tennis Trials – 12years \

Week 9

11    Queens's Diamond Jubilee Public Holiday

14     6.00pm J/School Music Concert – CHC

15    8.45am J/School Grandparents Morning – CHC

Week 10

17    9.00am Year 5 Family Service - First Communion

18    ICAS Writing Competition

21    J/School Activity Photos

21    6.30pm Yr 7 Mother/Daughter Book Club

22    Secondary School Activity Photos

TERM 2 FINISHES

Tags:Junior School

 

Sport – Junior School

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
0  Comments · 0  Links to this post

2012 Week 4 Sport Schedule

Week 4

Term 2 2012

14/5 – 19/5

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Morning

Morning

Morning

Morning

Morning

 

Athletics Training – 6.30-8.00 Ambi

    

Athletics Training – 6.30-8.00 Ambi

 

Year 6 & Year 7 Netball Training at Ambi – 6.30-8.00am

Afternoon

Afternoon

Afternoon

Afternoon

Afternoon

   

Year 5 Netball Training 3.30-4.45pm at Ambi.

Athletics Training – 3.30-5.00 Ambi

Year 5-7 Soccer Training 3.30-4.45pm at Ambi.

Walter Taylor Bridge (Clubs) commences at 1.00pm with Netball at Faulkner Park Graceville, Soccer at Graceville Memorial Park and Tennis at Ambi.

Week 5

Term 2 2012

21/5 – 26/5

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Morning

Morning

Morning

Morning

Morning

 

Athletics Training – 6.30-8.00 Ambi

    

Athletics Training – 6.30-8.00 Ambi

 

  

Afternoon

Afternoon

Afternoon

Afternoon

Afternoon

   

Athletics Training – 3.30-5.00 Ambi

    

Cross Country – Junior School
Last Thursday, the Andrews Cup Cross Country was held at Grammar Arms Park, Brassall and an outstanding team effort saw the St Aidan's Junior School Cross Country team place second in the Percentage Cup and in the 12 Years girls. All girls are to be congratulated on their effort. Training commenced in Week 3 of Term 1 and the attendances and efforts have led to the great results at Districts; individually and at Andrews Cup.

This year's success can also be attributed to the dedication, enthusiasm and support of the coaching staff and parents. In particular, I would like to thank Jayden Russ and Ms Jennifer Crome and all parents who regularly ran or assisted with the girls at training. The extra support has allowed more girls to be individually catered for during training and pushed to achieve to their potential. I look forward to the continued support of parents in other sports this year and in cross country next year as the benefits for the girls involved are significant and obvious. I would also like to thank the parents who attended on the day – their support was again second to none and this encouraged the girls even more to perform.

Athletics Training
With the Cross Country season now over for most girls, the sporting focus moves to Athletics. Girls in Years 2 – 7 have started their preparations for the Interhouse Carnival in their weekly PE lessons to enable them to participate in a minimum of 4 events at the carnival. Girls who are interested in athletics or who have identified a particular talent in athletics will be able to commence training in Week 5 with Throws (discus and shot-put) and Jumps (long jump and high jump) on Monday and Thursday mornings 6.30-8.00am and Wednesday afternoon 3.30-5.00pm at Ambiwerra. Please note that whilst training is initially open to all girls in Years 2 – 7, following the athletics carnival on 24 May, only girls selected in the squad will be able to continue training until the end of term and during the holidays.

Walter Taylor Bridge Training Commitments – Years 5 to 7

Year 7 Netball

Friday mornings 6.30-8.00am

Mrs Jeanes-Fraser, Ms Byrne, Mr Jeanes

Ambiwerra, Corinda

Year 6 Netball

Friday mornings 6.30-8.00am

Mrs Jooste, Ms DeVries, Ms Walters

Ambiwerra, Corinda

Year 5 Netball

Wednesday afternoons

3.30-4.45pm

Ms Brown, Ms Mooney

Ambiwerra, Corinda

Year 5-Year 7 Soccer

Thursday afternoons

3.30-4.45pm

Mr Baker, Ms Child

Ms Mitchell, Ms Crome

Ambiwerra, Corinda

Congratulations
Congratulations to Abigail Ashford, Ariana Conroy and Carter Hobson who have successfully been selected into the Inala District Soccer team to compete on 23/24 May for a place in the Met West Team.

Congratulations to Josephine Dooley, Danielle Morris and Manasi Ramadani who have successfully been selected into the Inala District Tennis team to compete for a place in the Met West Team.

Congratulations to Lola Hammond who recently competed in the Queensland State Lead and Speed Climbing Titles in the Youth D division. She placed second all round and third in the speed climbing. Lola has now qualified for the National Titles in July.

Congratulations to Gemma Kirwood, Elizabeth Gralton, Madison Loch, Sienna Quinn and Jessica Miller who competed in the Brisbane South Regional Gymnastics Championships on the weekend 5-6 May at Moreton Bay College. Congratulations also to Samantha Watkin who competed in the Brisbane North Regional Championships last week.

All these girls have now qualified through to State Titles to be held on 22-26 June at Chandler.

The great results include:

Samantha Watkin – Level 6 – 1st overall, 1st vault, 1st beam, 1st bars, 3rd overall

Gemma Kirwood - Level 6 - 3rd overall, 2nd floor, 3rd vault, 5th bars, 6th beam

Elizabeth Gralton - Level 5 under 11 - 2nd overall, 2nd beam, 2nd floor, 3rd bars

Sienna Quinn - Level 4 over 10 - 5th overall, 5th vault, 6th floor

Madison Loch - Level 4 under 10 - 8th overall, 5th bars

Four of the six St Aidan's girls were also selected in their Regional Team for their level, to compete in the State Regional Team Challenge. Samantha in the Level 6 Brisbane North Team, Gemma in the Level 6 Brisbane South team, Lizzie in the Level 5 Brisbane South team and Sienna in the Level 4 Brisbane South team.

Key Dates for Term 2, 2012

2012 Dates

  

Thursday 24 May
  • Interschool Athletics Carnival – Ambiwerra

Wednesday 30 May
  • Met West Cross Country – Ipswich

Wednesday 6 June
  • Met West Tennis

Thursday 7 June
  • Met West Tennis

Thursday 14 June
  • Met West Hockey

Monday 18 June
  • Met West Touch Football
Tags:Sport - Junior School

 

Year 7 Rowing

16/05/2012 · Posted by Jeremy Parsons
0  Comments · 0  Links to this post

It's been fantastic to see the Year 7s continue to make progress in learining the art of rowing. There are a couple of things to note for this weekend and next weekend. For this Saturday, there are no home games at Terrace so parents can drop off and pick up their daughters inside the Terrace grounds. Please feel free to park and come down to the shed to watch your daughters.
 
Next Saturday (26 May) the Year 7 training will start slightly earlier at 7:30am. This is because the Senior School girls are going off to the QGSSSA Cross Country, so Year 7s can start a bit earlier, making it easier for those girls who need to leave early for netball etc.
 
Girls, please remember you need to have a hat and water bottle for all rowing sessions. Also, don't forget that Saturday 16 June will be the STARLETS Regatta marking the end of the 2012 Year 7 season. Information on arrangements for the day will be sent out in the next couple of weeks.
Tags:Sport - Junior School

 

Music – Junior School

16/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
0  Comments · 0  Links to this post

Musical
Good luck to all students performing in "Into the Woods". I am sure that this is going to be a wonderful show and I hope that you are all able to attend.

Gala Concert
Due to the re-scheduling of the Musical performance, the senior school Gala Concert will now be held at 3pm, Sunday 27 May in the Christine Hartland Centre. A note will be sent home this week containing all the details for the concert – please ask your daughter for it!

All of the ensembles in the senior school will be performing. Please note that Year 6 and 7 students in Children Crossing will also be required to perform on the day. Students who are performing will need to be at school by 1:15pm on the day. Please check that students have the correct performance uniform for each ensemble – guidelines for performance uniforms are given in the Music Department Handbook. If there are any questions, please direct enquiries to the conductor of the ensemble.

 

Mezzo Performance
On Sunday 3 June the newly formed Year 7 auditioned choir, Mezzo, has been asked to perform with the similar group from St Laurence's College as part of the Government House Open Day. The students will be performing for 20 minutes only from 12:45 – 1:05pm and they will be performing next to the main stairs at the front of Government House. There is no admission charge for the day and there are many stalls, activities etc. on offer for the whole family to enjoy. Please come along and support our girls!

Term 2 Recital
The term two recital is being held on Friday 1 June in the Auditorium. There are two sessions available, 6.00pm and 7.30pm. The recital is open to any student of any standard as an opportunity to perform solos/duets to a supportive audience. Forms are available from the school music teachers and from Mr Galbraith. Dress is blues without the hat. Please address any enquiries to d.galbraith@staidan.qld.edu.au

Junior Strings Festival
The Australian String Teachers Association Junior Strings Festival will be held over Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 July at the Somerville House School. This festival is a key event in the local string calendar and last year attracted nearly 400 participants of which 20 were from St Aidan's. The festival is open to all string players of any standard, from prep to year seven. The format is that of a solo performance to a supportive audience and the opportunity to hear other players of the same age. Each performer receives a written report and a trophy; the festival is non-competitive. The Festival is arranged in hourly sessions with around 15 performers per session. Put simply, the performers, arrive just before their allocated time, perform, listen, collect report and trophy, go home; takes about 90 minutes all up! All St Aidan's girls are encouraged participate and over the years, hundreds have. Registration forms are available from the school string teachers and from Mr Galbraith.  This is an independently run event so school uniforms are not required. Please address any enquiries to d.galbraith@staidan.qld.edu.au

Junior School Concert
N.B. The correct date for the Junior School Concert is Thursday 14 June     (Week 9) at 6:00pm. Apologies for any confusion over the two dates given in the School Diary.

Important dates for Term 2
Week 5          Thursday 17, Friday 18, Saturday 19 May    (7:00pm) Musical – Into the Woods
Week 6     Sunday 27 May                    (3:00pm) Gala Concert
Week 7     Friday 1 June                       (6:00pm) Music Recital
Week 8     Monday 4 June                     (7:00pm), Music Support Meeting, SG02
Week 9     Thursday 14 June                 (6:00pm) Junior School Music Concert

Tags:Music - Junior School

 

P and F News

10/05/2012 · Posted by Pam McGarrigle
0  Comments · 0  Links to this post

Dates for Your Diary

  • Netball Trial Dates - Information in body of Newsletter
  • Year 8 & 12 PARENTS' Buddy Morning Tea, Wednesday 16 May, Café Prima Vera, 8:30am
  • State of Origin Fundraiser Cancelled sorry- too close to Musical
  • Ambifair, Sunday 5 August, Ambiwerra Sports Fields, 10:00am - 4:00pm
  • Year 12 Final Lunch, Friday 16 November, 11:30am, Southbank Surf Club


P and F Meeting 2012
We run P & F meetings once a term. Our next meeting will be Wednesday 8 August in the Auditorium from 6:30pm.

Last Meeting Minutes

Netball News
Trial Dates:
Second Trials:
Monday 28 May
Years 8 & 9 - 4pm - 5:30pm
Wednesday 30 May
Years 10, 11 & 12 4pm - 5:30pm
(incl. final trials for Melbourne Team)

Melbourne Trip
The biennial trip to Melbourne from 2 July - 7 July will involve a selected squad of St Aidan's netballers (Years 9 - 12) competition in the Waverley Netball Compeiting against other national and international teams.

Support Group Levies
A number of sporting levies are due - Football, Artistic Gymnastics & leotard, Stage Dance Costume, Touch Football and Basketball. Prompt payment of these levies is very much appreciated. Follow up letters will be sent out for any outstanding levies. We can take credit card payments over the phone (3278 5124) or you may direct deposit into:
Account Name: St Aidan's AGGS P & F
BSB: 064 126
Account Number: 10031462
(Please quote Name & Invoice No)
Our fax machine is now working.

AMBIFAIR

Sunday 5 August 2012, 10:00am-4:00pm
We're now live!! Please take a look

www.ambifair.com.au

Please "like" and "share" us on Face book
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Ambifair/328621570511462

Our Sponsors
Macquarie Private Wealth
Four Seasons Fine Wines - Eliza by Padthaway
Rice Naughton Buckley

Our friends of Ambifair
Westpac Bank - Sherwood
Salmat Business Force
Audi West Brisbane 

Our Programme Advertisers
Sky High Traffic
Arbor Australis Consulting
Nanette Lilley Property

Please support the above businesses.  We are very grateful for their contribution.

Congratulations to our Ambifair art competition winners. Our overall winner Jaydey Clarke's entry will be used on the front cover of the Ambifair programme.

TOY DONATIONS REQUIRED FOR KIDS' RAFFLE STALL
Ambifair will be running a Kids' Raffle stall this year.  We are seeking donations of games, books, puzzles, toys - NOT SECOND HAND PLEASE.  A box will be placed in the Junior School Reception and one in the Senior School Reception for donations.  Any donations are very much appreciated. Thank you from the Ambifair Committee.

Ambifair Parent Information  

Ambifair Advertising Opportunities 

Year 12 Parents Morning Coffee
Year 12 parents are welcome to gather for a chat at Honour Espresso each Wednesday after drop-off. All welcome.

Year 8 & Year 12 PARENTS' Buddy Morning Tea
Thank you to the parents/carers who attended our Year 8 & Year 12 Parents' Buddy Morning Tea. It was a great way to answer all sorts of questions from tuckshop to dances. We're planning to continue this event. Next term we're meeting in Week 5 Wednesday 16 May at Café Prima Vera, Corinda, 8:30am. Hope to see everyone there. 

Year 12 Final Lunch
Date Claimer: Friday 16 November 11:30am, Southbank Surf Club
We know it's early but the class reps have (for some reason) this date firmly etched into their diaries. We would like to invite all Year 12 parents to join in a celebratory lunch, after the farewell Assembly, at Southbank Surf Club. The theme will be Hawaiian, so dig out your loudest shirts, boardies, sarongs and grass skirts. More details will follow soon.

Tuckshop News

Junior School Ice Block Roster
The day we need assistance is the 5th Monday of the month.  This occurs on only two more days this year - Monday 30 July and Monday 29 October.  If you can assist us by covering these days we would really appreciate it.  Please call Pam/Nan on 3278 5124 or email p&fliaison@staidans.qld.edu.au

Tuckshop Roster
Our roster has no helpers on the third Wednesday of the month or on the fourth Monday of the month. There are also numerous days where there is only one person rostered on; first Monday, Thursday, Friday of the month, every day on the second week of the month, Monday, Tuesday Wednesday of the third week of the month, and Monday, Wednesday of the fourth week of the month. If you can assist on these days we'd really appreciate it. If you would like to join the wonderful team in the tuckshop THIS year, even if you can only spare a couple of hours once a month, please contact us via email p&fliaison@staidans.qld.edu.au or by phone 3278 5124 to assist.  For the tuckshop menu please click here

Textbook Hire
Jane Leonforte, Text Hire Convenor
Hours: Open every Tuesday 11am-2pm.
If your child would like a second set of hired text books to keep at home, please send Jane an email j.leonforte@staidans.qld.edu.au
There is a $50 charge for the second set which is added to your account. 

Stationery Orders
Stationery lists are available at www.campion.com.au, then follow the prompts. Orders can also be made over the phone 3367 8300. Delivery fees will apply.  Campion Textbook and Stationery Supplies is based at 314 Montague St. West End.  Stationery is also available from Sequel - School and Office Supplies at 4 Bank St. West End.  Ph: 3255 1488.  Please contact Jane Leonforte j.leonforte@staidans.qld.edu.au if you have any queries.

Uniform Shop
We welcome our new volunteers and still need helpers for the 3rd and 4th Monday of the month.  Please contact Anne or Diana by phone 3373 5956 or email a.edwards@staidans.qld.edu.au.

Track suits are now in stock, all sizes available.
Trolley Bags:  It is important that the straps are replaced inside the zip pocket after using as a back pack, as they are not guaranteed by the manufacturer for wear and tear if left out and then wheeled.  Please let your daughters know they must put the straps away when wheeling their bags.

Uniform Shop orders may be placed by phone 3373 5956 or email a.edwards@staidans.qld.edu.au

Second Hand Uniform Sale Policy 2011
Second Hand Uniforms Form 2011
Uniform Shop Price List
Basic Stationery Price List

Junior School Ice Block Roster
WEEK 5 TERM TWO 2012 
Wednesday 16 May            Louise Usasz
Thursday 17 May                Peta Dunne
WEEK 6 TERM TWO 2012  commencing Monday 21 May
Monday 21 May                  Naomi Johnson
Tuesday 22 May                 Tania Whelan
Wednesday 23 May            Delia O'Brien
Thursday 24 May                Louise Stuart

Tuckshop Roster
WEEK 5 TERM TWO 2012 
Wednesday 16 May             Tracey Kendall, Carolyn Bock
Thursday 17 May                 Janeen Scott, Anne Royce
Friday 18 May                     Jan Killoran, Kay Bartlett
WEEK 6 TERM TWO 2012  commencing Monday 21 May
Monday 21 May                  Tammy Alexander
Tuesday 22 May                 Carolyn King, Megan Leggett
Wednesday 23 May            Kyo Nogita
Thursday 24 May                HELP WANTED PLEASE
Friday 25 May                    Peta Dunne, Sheilas Gehrmann

P&F Shop Roster
WEEK 5 TERM TWO 2012 
Wednesday 16 May            CLOSED
Thursday 17 May                Marissa Teng, Leanne Dooley
Friday 18 May                    Rosie Gilbert, Sheilas Gehrmann
WEEK 6 TERM TWO 2012  commencing Monday 21 May
Monday 21 May                  HELP WANTED PLEASE
Tuesday 22 May                 Kathryn Britt
Wednesday 23 May            CLOSED
Thursday 24 May                Kathy Jacques
Friday 25 May                    Kaylyn Bartlett

Pam & Nan

Tags:Parents and Friends

 

Does your child suffer asthma or eczema?

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
0  Comments · 0  Links to this post

 Every day thousands of Australian children suffer the effects of asthma and eczema, and families struggle with illness management and children's behavioural and emotional adjustment.

Positive Parenting for Healthy Living is an adaptation of the successful Triple P - Positive Parenting Program, offering practical ideas and support for parents of children suffering asthma or eczema. This innovative group program is designed to help parents manage their child's illness, assist children in coping with their illness and emotions, and prevent and manage difficult child behaviour.

Over the next few months and for a limited time only, parents of 3-10 year old children suffering asthma or eczema are able to access Positive Parenting for Healthy Living Triple P free of charge as part of a University of Queensland research project. Contact Amy Mitchell on (07) 3365 7305 or email healthyliving@uq.edu.au, or visit www.exp.psy.uq.edu.au/healthyliving for more information.

Tags:Whole School

 

National Volunteer Week – Red Shield Appeal this 19-20 May

14/05/2012 · Posted by Wendy Lauman
0  Comments · 0  Links to this post

The State of Volunteering Report has recently been released. It views what volunteering looks like in Australia and what progress has been made against each of the objectives set in the National Agenda on Volunteering in 2001. If you would like to know more about volunteering for your family or your company go to www.volunteeringaustralia.org.

Throughout the year staff and students promote the positive impact volunteering can have for the individual and for the student body. This week the Year 8 students are using their talents in the kitchen to bake cupcakes to raise funds for the school St Aidan's is sponsoring in Zimbabwe. On Sunday, a number of our senior students have volunteered to collect for this year's Red Shield Appeal. Through both of these initiatives students are learning that people and societies co-depend on each other for survival and growth. Furthermore, by giving time, energy and skills volunteering can develop a sense of achievement and build interests outside of meeting one's own personal needs. In the business world, surveys indicate employers are also interested in candidates who exhibit having the initiative to volunteer and take an active interest in the world at large.

Tags:Whole School

 

Smartphones Can Reveal Your Location

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
0  Comments · 0  Links to this post

The pervasive nature of smartphones (iPhone, Andriod phones etc.) has generated a new era of simplicity and made many of us digital photography fans.

We run around taking happy snaps of us at the café, at the beach, at the local restaurant, in our backyard or at our friends.

What you may not realize however that every time you take a photo with your beloved iPhone that you are stamping your location on that image; much of the time this is what you want. It's great to go back over old images and be able to see exactly where you were when the photo was taken.

However, if you are not aware that location information (geo-tagging) is being captured, and your children are not aware that location information is being captured I would like to bring this to your attention.

A news item from 2010 in the US details the darker side to the geo-tagging of images. It is a bit sensationalized but does make a point. We all need to be aware that should our images be made publicly available by posting on FaceBook, Flickr or other social media and sharing solutions our travels are also made public. The key to privacy in the 21st century is to be aware of the technology in our hands and its capability, and to ensure our lives are not made public but only shared with those close to us.

Link to the article 2010 News item: LINK

What to do about this?
Knowledge is the key and with the knowledge that geo-tagging is a common feature of smartphone pictures you can now take steps to control the feature. If you want to tag your location then turn the feature on … if not then disable it. A website that can help point you in the right direction called 'icanstalku', was originally setup to highlight the ability to geo-tag and map a person from their images.

Information on managing geo-tagging can be found: HERE

We have an obligation now to ensure that we ask questions about the privacy of our information and be aware when we are providing that information to others. Check the apps you use and the sites you share content on. Check your privacy settings on your chosen sharing site and make sure they are as private as possible.

We are all citizens of the digital age, and it is easy to become complacent as the rush of new technology seems overwhelming. We tend to have an innate trust of the gadgets and the people that create these things that enhance our lives. There are so many great new capabilities that our devices provide; how would we live without them?

Tags:Whole School

 

VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE ABBEY MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL

14/05/2012 · Posted by Carmen Mapri
0  Comments · 0  Links to this post

An Opportunity to Volunteer
& win tickets to a Medieval Banquet!
Perfect for students wanting some hands-on experience!

VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES WITH THE ABBEY MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL, Caboolture 
(being held during July School holidays)


Volunteering opportunities are available for people 15 years and over with the following skills:

*Arty/Crafty - for our Kids Medieval Fun Day - Tuesday 3 July, Morayfield Shopping Centre Kids Activities (2-6 July), or to help our inhouse sewing team.
*Child Care - for our Kids Medieval Fun Day - Tues 3 July to help run the fun workshops running on the day + other fun positions available.
*RSA/Hospitality - for our Tournament (7/8 July).

Plus a range of other fun roles are available including Facepainting, YouTubing, catering & many more!! 

Everything provided including a costume!  Reference/attendance record provided if requested.

To register go to www.abbeytournament.com/volunteer-application-form/

Any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at volunteering@abbeytournament.com .
Register at
www.abbeytournament.com/volunteer-application-form/ 

Sue Burvill-Shaw
Head of Humanities

Tags:Whole School