Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 2007

Communi ty

Grandparents’ Morning a Success

The School was pleased to welcome nearly 200 grandparents to its Grandparents Morning on Tuesday 19 June. This was an opportunity to showcase the School to valued members of the Girls Grammar community, and grandparents came from interstate and overseas to enjoy campus tours and entertainment provided by the School’s String Quartet and the Years 8 and 9 Choir. Guests were greeted by the Chair of the Board of Trustees, Ms Elizabeth Jameson, the Principal and the Head Girls, and enjoyed morning tea in the Barbara Fielding Room of The Cherrell Hirst Creative Learning Centre. A dedicated band of student volunteers ensured that all the visitors were well hosted.

Father & Daughter Dinner Mr Mark Brusasco with daughters Brittany (Year 10) and Mikaela (Year 8, 2008)

This event continues to grow in popularity – this year over 330 fathers and daughters enjoyed a wonderful night together with entertainment from Year 12 vocal trio, Susannah Plant, Stephanie Lloyd, and Julia Colwill, winners of the vocal division of the Gillies Chamber Music Competition. The highlight of the evening was the presentation from guest speaker, Professor Sandra Harding Vice Chancellor of James Cook University and past parent of Girls Grammar.

In the Top End

Marrapatta Deck Opening

Chair of the Board, Ms Elizabeth Jameson, with Ms Amanda Bell and Head Girls

“My family heavily influenced my decision to fly. My father, an airline pilot, is my mentor. My grandfather, uncle and aunt are also recreational pilots, so you might say I was born to fly. One of my earliest memories is of my first passenger flight at five years old flying from Brisbane to Townsville with Dad. The flights where I have been flying Dad around have been very memorable. The most recent was a flight from Toowoomba to Sydney (Kingsford Smith) in a twin-engine Piper Navajo. It was my first time into Sydney, and Dad was the testing officer.” It’s a pilot’s market right now, with demand high, many companies are modifying or renewing their Enterprise Bargaining Agreements to retain their pilots. In writing this insight, I hope that I may inspire current, and even past Grammar girls to consider a career in aviation.

Lauren Smith (2000), full-time pilot for Australasian Jet, always knew she was going to fly – it was in her family. Now based in Darwin she flies regular services between Darwin and the Tiwi Islands. She began at Australasian Jet, a large aircraft charter company, at the beginning of this year and was initially based in Katherine as Senior Base Pilot for six months before transferring to Groote Eylandt and then Darwin. In servicing remote locations Lauren’s experiences are unique and varied – sometimes being called out for Medivac flights and chartered doctors’ visits to indigenous communities. “In such remote parts of Australia, we are considered air taxis as the highways are dirt (or mud in the wet season), and driving takes too long, not to mention the lack of phone reception,” said Lauren.

The recently completed multi-function deck funded by the Federal Government under the Investing in our Schools Programme was officially open in June. The deck provides a flexible learning and teaching space that blends with the existing facilities to create an all weather classroom. Marrapatta Memorial Outdoor Education Centre is located in Mary Valley on 30 hectares of land and provides unique educational opportunities for Grammar girls.

18 grammar gazette spring 2007