Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 2002

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The science of laboratory d esi g n What happens when the physical organisation of a Science laboratory no longer allows optirnum delivery of learning experiences? You gut the rooms, rethink the concept of Science teaching and develop learning environments to suit the needs of current and future students BGGS has always been proud of its focus on the Sciences. The School Magazine of 1933 records: "The school has been wonderfulIy improved this year by the building of a fine laboratory, which was opened by his Excellency the Governor on August 25th. This laboratory is a large airy building, well equipped for chemistry and biology, and it will surely encourage even further interest in Science. " And it did.

Thirty years later the Trustees erected a new block containing three laboratories, two classrooms and a lecture theatre. in 1966 a grant was received from the Commonwealth Government to remodel and equip the laboratories and in 1969 a further grant allowed for the addition of three new laboratories, preparation rooms and an upgrade of necessary equipment. The rooms of E block have served the needs of Science students for several decades. However, for a number of years members of the Science Faculty have been struggling to create spaces that provide flexible-learning areas while working within the rigid sumctur provided by laboratories that were constructed in the 1960s. icont'd page 121

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From the Chair The Board of Trustees commenced 2002 with great optimism for the beginning of a new phase in the School's history with our new Principal, Mrs inlanda Bell, who began her duties in January. Of course we were also sad that our long and close association with Judith Hancock had ended with her retirement, but we look forward to a continuing relationship with her as a special friend of BGGS who will always retain our admiration and affection. As you all probably know, Mrs Bell came to us from SCECGS Redlands in Sydney and has had to settle into a new school, a new home and a new city. In a remarkably short period of time she has become an integral part of the School with a deep understanding of and commitment to the ethos of Brisbane Girls Grammar. Wisely, she has not attempted radical change but has worked quietiy and effectiveIy with the senior staff to understand the issues and gradually to place her particular stamp on the School's life. We look forward to the impact of her leadership in the coming years A number of important initiatives have been planned and undertaken this year. Mrs Bell is eager to promote effective communication throughout the School family and has organized a range of parent evenings specifically designed to address interests at particular year levels. Planning is underway for the changing use of facilities with the end of Boarding in the School at the end of the year and, most importantly, Mrs Bell has acted quickly to institute a refurbishment of the Science laboratories which will happen during the January vacation. As a School with high academic aspirations and given the importance of science in university and professional life, the strength and decisiveness of her actions to facilitate this capital works project, were greatly appreciated by the Board.

With Board elections taking place in October there will inevitably be changes in Board membership. Might I take this opportunity to thank all current members of the Board, as well as Richard Be mays and Penny Tripcony each of whom served for part of this four year tenn, for their enormous conttibution to the School. Life as a Board member means that one is continuously thinking about, working for or giving time to the School, so spouses and families must also be thanked. For continuing members the hope is that new members will be equally committed and that the School will continue to nourish as a community with parents, staff, friends and Board working together for this School and every Grammar Girl

Dr CherreU Hitst AO

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From 'the: Principal This 2002 edition of the Grammar Gazette is a special publication, not only for the exciting new fonnat, but because it is the first time I have an opportunity to communicate directiy with the wider Grammar community. This extensive and very supportive community is something of which I have become acutely aware and greatly appreciative, since my arrival in Brisbane early this year. The warm words of welcome, encouragement and support have meant that my family and I have become part of Girls Grammar very quickly. One of the very enjoyable tasks over the past months has been to meet all the 2003 Year 8 girls and their famines. Many of these interviews have been with new families coming to Grammar for the first time. Choosing a school is one of the most important and emotionally charged decisions a family makes and it has been wonderful to hear from these parents about their reasons why Girls'Grammar was the undisputed first choice' for their daughters. Reputation, via word of mouth, has undoubtedly been the greatest persuader. There are so many parents and past students who were richly influenced by their association with the S^hool, who constantly reinforce in the community that this is the best School in every way. This is testimony to the high regard in which Brisbane Girls Grammar. School is held. This process has also meant that I have had the OPPorfunity to meet briefly withinany existing families who are enrolling additional daughters into the School. it has been difficult for me to meet personally , with- many ciiij'6ht parents except at support grqup .meetings, functions or sporting event^. The new student interviews ? - ~' have allowed. tile to chat openly with turrent'parents about my observations of . ,. ". ~., ,

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the School and find out about so many positive experiences that these parents feel' their older daughters have experienced. The key=6bServation hasheen'that the School has ,a warni and friendly:^pint that underpins every aspect of the. School's daily rQutine and that their daughters have grown to be accomplished and confident young women. I am indeed fortunate to be privileged to lead a School with such an exemplary reputation! InterestingIy, during these interviews, the historical and contemporary connectedness between the two Brisbane Grammar Schools has been highlighted. - The schools have much in common, includin their i on, including shared history and famines. ' While not ' t~~d' t fi ' ' d d ce, .. . g P , oC'out:individual commitment-to single-sex ' .. eaucatiqn=Dr Lennox and 1:6elieyt. there is significant muftial benefitto'be'gained from appropriate and carefully thought through strategic alliances. This year we have worked to strengthen co-operative links, designed to enhance the existing high standard of education offered. in both schools. Strategic initiatives such' as this are an integral. part of any organisation!s forward planning. They create a r^}iewed' * sense of enthtisja^in and expectation in all the stakeholders and, for a school, this can mean the creation of exciting edu\:ational and ast6rdl co rammeS, ^haft foressio^al past6ral progra mes, st f prof n development'and enriched student - I . ^ outcomes. ,. .,, ,! I ' " From my perspective, the rigorous academic programme, extensive sporting and' co- cuntcular activities, c@minunity service and unique pastoral d^re, system 'are all important congponents of tile School's work.

its cumpulum. As a result, the School is. Undertaking a major project to , up'grade the Science. ,focitities ready for the Commencenient of Term I~in 2003 The e>:ichng laboratories win' ^e re-desighed a!!a air-conditioned'to allow .~. ... 'for-nitproved. classroom 'activities, ..~.~ . . . .,. . ' :?kperim;;ntal'work and' multi-disciplihaiy usage. All addition^I laboratory will be ihcorpor^ted into the building and preparatory and storage rooms relocated . for easier access and efficiency. This is a ' ' major capital works programme to support ' .: . ..~~ I the'delivery of Science, a traditionally strong discipline in the School's cumculum. Finally, I must thank the Board and the , stiff fdr their absolute .support during this period of change in the leadership of the School. I am excited by Jine prospect of . Where the School could position itself:for the- future and am encouraged by the niany innovative ideas and suggestions so enthusiastically presented by staff, *students and parents' With. the generous assistance of the Grammar family'I look forward with great opthulsm to my years ahead as Principal , ^. ..

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,, However, we must always look to be at the leading edge of educational opportunities for young women and the School's infrastructure should support

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Building connections with BGS

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Working at being leaders

== = o L " CD < a_ Exploring new directions by increased collaboration between the two Brisbane Grammar Schools has added an interesting and exciting dimension to 2002. Since the beginning of August, the senior students of Years U and 12 have been entitled to hold borrowing and user rights at both school libraries. This has expanded the resource available for the students' Several other curricular and co- curricular activiti have occurred during the year: Basti e ' ' s, the Young Achievers group, bridge building Day celebrations and other language a for Year 12s for Year 8 and a leadershi

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The Girls Grammar Executive and the Boys Grammar Prefects undertook a leadership workshop in the Girls Grammar auditorium on the afternoon of 8 May Pizza, puzzles and pipe cleaners were involved in creating a series of tasks designed to determine the types of leaders present. Problem-solving, discussion and

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co-operation all contributed to an extremely rewarding experience.

Young entrepreneurs The Young Achievers program guides students through the processes associated wit commencing a business from scratch, looking at organizational structure, product design and marketing - all within the context of a detailed business plan The Yards Ahead team, sponsored by Mrs to Weiden of Harvey Norman IQueen Streetl outsourced the manufacture of a range of coloured beanies to foster the House spirit throughout the respective schools. This product emerged after a series of intriguing brainstorming sessions in which a whole raft of products were hotly debated. The aim of the DryYA team, sponsored by Conrad's, was to produce a range of T-shirt kits for sale to the general public. it will be very interesting to see if meticulous market research will bring the expected rewards

Year Nine Fre!ICli students were invited by Boys Gram"jar to participate ill tileir Basti!Ie Day celebrations LAbo"e centre) German Irondb@!I was also a challenge to @11 i""o1"ed

Building bridges During Term 3 each of the Year 8 classes was involved in a collaborative activity with a Year 8 class from BGS. The project involved five or six students working cooperativeIy to plan and build a model bridge, according to specifications outlined in the "Bridge-building Code': The ratio of the load each bridge

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camed to its mass gave a measure of its structural efficiency. So far, the bridge with the highest structural efficiency weighed 440 grams but supported * more than 50 kilograms!

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We celebrate cultu ral diversity From Monday 22nd July through to Friday 26th July the school celebrated Language Week Students from all levels and all subjects contributed to the construction of a Wall of Words in the Library. As you entered the Library you could not help but be challenged and encouraged by the "words of wisdom" chosen by the students' As the week continued the range of activities coordinated by the Centre for Language and Literscies served to remind us all of the culture and diversity that exists within the school and the wider community. Students could enjoy the special food available from the tuckshop, the lunch hour karate demonstration, game of boules or

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even the Great Debate against Boys Grammar on the topic "That men are obsolete" (which the girls won as the negative teamj

Karate Club members demonstrate their skills at tile. /i'st lullcl!mite presentation during Language Week o11 Japanese Day

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FFe, IC!I Day illtroduced students to tile skills in "Ies

011 Engiisli Day, Saran Hancock, Allcin Stumi, I and Ainu"do Golds, ,lull endlle"ged BGS students, Oreg Stepe"son, Dripid Clinlle, I and Jo, I Heri"gto", in the Great Debate o11 the topic "nunt linen are obsolete':

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Aziisn Sato as tile Inn Keeper demonstrates 1101" language needs to define precise 111ed"1,195 to "tourists", Alla"all Box, Aysurin Clin"g find Say^ Coi"icy

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Year 8 and 9 Loti, I "sailor" students led by Him, y Martin present "Popoculus ,jouto suni" O"In Popeye tile Stillor Mall).

Decades of dance

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The 2002 Theatre Dance Concert stunned audiences with its renewed vitality and professionalism as 100 girls graced the stage to present "Dancing trough the Decades': This show took the audience on a Journey through the dance styles of the twentieth century, and a little beyond! introductory speeches outiining the music, fashion and world events set the scene as dancers performed the popular styles of each era.

The journey of dance began in the roaring 20s with the flapper girls doing the Charleston and moved on to the Swing tunes of the 30s and 40s, accompanied by Girls Grammar Big Band. 50s rock'n'roll and the psychedelic 60s were big hits, but the disco glam of the 70s sparkled on. The girls danced through the big hair of the 80s via the rap period of the 90s and on to the funk of the new Millenium

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Rhythmic gymnasts' overwhelming success The QGSSSA Rhythmic Gymnastics competition on Friday U August was the culmination of a long process of trials, training tincluding two hours on Saturdaysj, and a practice competition. However, the hard work and long hours certainly paid off with Girls Grammar winning seven of a possible eight premierships. in the Year 8 division, Girls Grammar placed first, second and third. Grammar placed first in all five B Grade divisions. in the A Grade pairs, Am anda Lee See INational Junior Elite gymnast of the Year) and Eliza Gower INational Senior Elite Gymnast of the Year) achieved our top score and the highest score of the entire competition. St Peters won the A Grade Group from the Grammar team of Claudia Jackson, Rachel Thornpson, Angenque Boyce, Victoria Cameron and Nana Dempsey

Ci n e in a Cl a ssics The Gala Concert for 2002, titled Cinema Classics, was held on Sunday 18 August at Brisbane City Hall. in the words of the Master of Ceremonies, Doctor Ian Brown it was an afternoon that demonstrated "the commitment, talent, teamwork, spint, enthusiasm and courage of the enonnous cast involved in the production.

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Presenters, Sarah Hancock and funanda Goldsmith, guided the audience through a program packed with Academy Award winning film themes. The program had been chosen to highlight the talents of each of the senior ensembles and to celebrate the composers of wonderful film scores. The finale of Disney classics was a special highlight of the afternoon.

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Gallipoli experience .

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My Simpson Prize journey began about this time last year when I was rushing to complete an essay on the topic "The Anzac spirit was born at Gallipoli in 1915. Since then it has been demonstrated not only by Australians in war but also by those whose contribution has been in other fields. " Sponsored by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs and run by the History Teachers' Association of Australia, this competition taught me so much - not only about the Gallipoli Campaign and the legendary ANZACs, but how the 'spirit' that evolved from this military disaster has become an integral part of our national identity as Australian. To be given the opportunity to visit the battlefields of Allzac Cove in Turkey on Anzac Day as the Queensland winner of this national competition was truly the experience of a lifetime The Brisbane City Council selected Year 11 students Danielle Nizzero and Lucy Hall, along with eighteen students from other Btisbane high schools, to represent Brisbane as Youth Ambassadors at a week-long conference organised by our sister city, Shenzhen, in China. The purpose of Voyage Towards Friendship 2002 was to create a lasting relationship between the youth of all Shenzhen's eight sister cities around the world: Houston IUSA), Brabent Wallan IBelgiumi, NUTemberg toermany), Gwangyang IKoreai, Tscheba IJapanj, Bresca 11talyj, Vienne IFrancej and Brisbane. One hundred and seventy six high school students attended the conference

On ANZAC Day we attended both the Dawn Service and the uniquely Australian Lone Pine Service later in the day. Arriving at two in the morning ready for the 5.30am Dawn Service, we spent three hours shivering in pitch darkness before the military band began half an hour of patriotic tunes such as 'Waltzing Mathda: Along with 16,000 other pilgrims, watching the sun rise over the same beach where the ANZACs landed eighty seven years ago was surreal. That afternoon, Aussie lainkinism replaced the sobriety of the Dawn Service. At the Lone Pine Service, veterans were cheered on their way to the o cia "Mexican wave" on arrival area and the GovernorGeneral received a welcoming Those ten days spent retracing the origins of the ANZAC spint have made the history of the ANZACs transcend the musty pages of a textbook and into the way I perceive myse as young Australian today - not that much younger than our 7594 men who lost their lives on that lonely peninsula so many years ago

Youth Ambassadors to China

VOYage Towards Friendship

Another symbolic gesture was that each delegate swapped presents with a person from one of the other countries. This represented an offering of friendship and peace and was also an invitation to visit our country. Activities included visits to the Shenzhen Art Gallery and Museum, a petrified forest, the Palaeontogy Museum and Fairy Lake Botanical Gardens, attending the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and numerous banquets, and experiencing daily life with home stay families.

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it was a week of new and exciting Just after the Opening experiences

Ceremony where the idea of friendship, peace and love were emphasised, the delegates were taken to Lianshaushan Park to ny kites, representing young people's hopes, ambitions and good wishes.

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I^ Grace, elegance and fun The highlight of the School calendar for many Year 11 students was undoubtedly the semi formal. After six months of consultation about the dress, the shoes, the hair, the makeup and the choice of partner, on Saturday 15 June, Year U girls and their partners converged on the Grand Ballroom of the She raton Hotel, Brisbane for a celebration of grace and elegance. A highlight of the evening was the "Semi dance", wonderfulIy choreographed by He Ien Chong and Haley Walke

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"Uria sera 6169arte SUI Terrazzo" IElegant dining on the Terrace)

Elegance, sophistication and glamour. The chic 1950s and the style of Audrey Hepburn at her finest was the basis for the theme of the Year 12 formal held on June 20. The simple, yet elegant black and white decor enhanced by the decorations of candles, diamantes and pearls formed a wonderful background for the beautiful girls and their partners dressed in their finest attire

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First to cross the line again in 2002 Brisbane Girls Grammar School became QGSSSA cross country champions Much of for the ninth consecutive year

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this success can be aimbuted to high participation rates from all year groups, hard and consistent training, involvement in a number of lead-up competitions, and the skill of coach, Mr Tony Booth and co- ordinatot, Miss A. Barrett. On Satiirday 25 May at Limestone Park, ipswich, the team of 85 athletes was greeted with grey, overcast skies. The Year 8 team had 6 competitors finish in the top 20, giving them the 13 years championship. Year 9s came fourth, despite serious illness within the team; Year 10s battled to second position; and Year 11, with the assistance of an age-group-winning run from Fellcity Abram, placed second. As a Hollywood-style ending to the day's performances, the 17 years age group won their age group pennant for the fifth year in a row, fulfilling the challenge set for them by the cross country captains of 1998. A number of athletes went on to represent Grammar at Metropolitan North level: Rachel Ferns, Ninelise Kerr, Signd Mewing, Cassandra Robinson, funy Cunning ham and Fellcity Abram. Feltsity was then chosen to run for Queensland at the National Championships.

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Grammar at the Pa n Pa CS Founded 26 years ago by a group of enthusiastic parents, the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Water Polo Club has continued to gro talent, size and enthusiasm. During the July holidays 26 Grammar girls braved the cold of New Zealand to complete in the Pan Pacific Youth Water Polo Tournament in Auckland. The U14 team fought out many close niatches against the tough international

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the 20 tournament as part of the Queensland team that placed a very d second in extra time to Hutt, a New Zealand team. Anna, who coaches the club's U13A team, was awarded Most Valuable Player of the Tournament.

competition to finish the tournament in seventh place. The U18s were also competitive, finishing in sixth place. Jessica Mitchell and past students, Anna Moore and Jessica Moles, competed in

O u r a ctive school coin in u nity nits year Friends of Girls Grammar 1100ted a Career Network Breakfast 111 tile Auditorium for senior students

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Parents, Friends and Past Students are cordial Iy invited to be part of our

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Enquiries. 107133321300 o1 visit our websiie o1 unvi\, bggs qld edu. au

n!e Old Girls Association innclieoii ill tile Sclioot Dining ROD"I ^, I June, lullere Mrs Am@"dn Bell addressed tile gritlieri"9 o11 lier background ill Art.

The science of laboratory design tram, d from f, ,"t 009.1 The goals of Science teaching need to be continuously evaluated in light of advances in Science and Education. The breadth and depth of modem scientific understanding creates informed citizens who can participate effectiveIy in modem democracy. Modern laboratories must enable a learning environment that values student diversity. This new environment must offer flexible study options, provide for the integration of technologies into the curriculum, and address equity issues, while remaining safe and stimulating. The nature of Science is such that multi-media facilities are playing an increasingly important role in the education of students. Science teachers need to magnify computer screens, microscopic specimens, transparencies, opaque text materials and realia leg. rocks). For the curriculum to remain relevant, students need to utilise technologies that either match or simulate those used by scientists in their professional practice To facilitate these changes E block will be refurbished during the DecemberIJanuary holidays, ready for the commencement of the 2003 school year. Multipurpose rooms similar to those shown in the concept drawings will create an exciting and stimulating environment in which the scientists of the future will be nuitured.

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Young physicists in action The International Young Physicists Tournament tnnT) was created fifteen years ago in the USSR to foster scientific research and improve international communication in physics.

The team from Brisbane Girls Grammar School, Lucy MCKenzie, Geordan Shannon Prtya Cherian, Shehara Mendis and Julie Sze, earned the right to represent AUStrali at Odessa in the Ukraine The team finished with a joint third position in the event behind the winning team of Poland. Lucy MCKenzie also finished with fourth position in the individual rankings A truly outstanding result!

Unlike most other science competitions for high school students, the competition Is team based with an emphasis on research, experimentation and problem solving, not just knowledge of physics. it promotes good presentation, communication and debating skills and improves students' abilities to work as a team.