Grammar Gazette- Issue 2, 2016

28

VOLUME

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL / SPRING 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

PAGE 04 / FOR THE LOVE OF LEARNING

PAGE 12 / POETRY RENASCENT

PAGE 17 / SCIENCE FUNDAMENTALS

PAGE 18 / A SPORTING LIFE

CONTENTS PAGE 01 / FROM THE CHAIR by Ms Elizabeth Jameson PAGE 03 / FROM THE PRINCIPAL by Ms Jacinda Euler PAGE 04 / FOR THE LOVE OF LEARNING by Dr Bruce Addison PAGE 07 / GIRLS GRAMMAR OBSERVATORY PAGE 08 / OPEN DAY PAGE 10 / LASTS by Head Girls, Lili Wackwitz (12H) and Sarah Miller (12E) PAGE 11 / WE’RE WITH THE BAND! by parent volunteers Robyn Hamilton and Suren Dias-Jayasinha PAGE 12 / NOT AVERSE TO VERSE: POETRY RENASCENT! by Mr Stephen Woods PAGE 14 / MUSICAL RESIDENCY HITS THE RIGHT NOTE PAGE 15 / GALA CONCERT: OUT OF THIS WORLD by Mr Mark Sullivan PAGE 16 / BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL BURSARY PAGE 17 / TECHNICIANS FINDING THE FUN IN SCIENCE FUNDAMENTALS by Mrs Sally Stephens PAGE 18 / A SPORTING LIFE by Ms Sally Northcroft PAGE 21 / 2016 GRAMMAR SPORTSWOMEN OF EXCELLENCE PAGE 22 / FRIENDSHIPS WITHOUT BORDERS PAGE 23 / LEARNING TREES: RANGAKARRA by Dr Bruce Addison PAGE 24 / INTERN PROGRAMME TURNS PAGES OF HISTORY PAGE 25 / SYDNEY DRAMA TOUR PAGE 26 / GRAMMAR WOMEN PAGE 28 / GRAMMAR WOMEN SERIES

LETTERS

One of our best decisions was BGGS for our girl. SUSIE McMURTIE

Miss the white picket! So much! AMELIA TSIKLEAS

Tears dripping on my chiffon after a rousing and emotional conclusion to @BGGS Gala Concert. Congratulations on another superb show. ANGELA BENSTEAD Furthermore and perhaps most importantly, Mrs Minuzzo has taught Miah how to transfer the skills of application, focus and self-belief into her other subject areas. LINDY JOHNSON The BGGS girls who helped at the handball festival yesterday were absolutely fabulous. I was so impressed by them. They were all extremely enthusiastic, proactive and co-operative …They were a total credit to BGGS and we’d love to have next year’s Year 10s involved again. MRS KRIS WEBB, VOLUNTEER ORGANISER BOUNCING BACK HANDBALL FESTIVAL Connect with Brisbane Girls Grammar School Stay in touch for our latest news, events and snippets of school life facebook.com/BrisbaneGirlsGrammar twitter.com/BGGS linkedin.com/company/brisbane-girls-grammar-school

Front cover: detail from The Sky and the Bridge 2016, acrylic on canvas Jasmina Tims (11H)

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FROM THE CHAIR

But perhaps for the Trustees, the most exciting moment so far has been the announcement of our intention to establish and proactively promote a bursary programme that will enable us to offer a Girls Grammar education to students with the curiosity and capabilities, but not the means for a Girls Grammar education. We look forward to welcoming our first Brisbane Girls Grammar School Bursary student to the School in 2018. However, it was the groundswell of enthusiasm, support and ‘campaigning’ for a bursary programme spearheaded by girls and members of our staff, which was particularly significant in our minds. Their actions brought to life the philosophies and ideals to which the School aspires and epitomised an important aspect of our Strategic Design — purposeful community engagement that seeks to develop a culture of giving that permeates life in our School community. We believe that the bursary programme will be life changing for the recipients by providing access to learning opportunities, resources and experiences that comprise the outstanding and well-rounded learning environment we are proud to offer at Brisbane Girls Grammar School. Furthermore, and perhaps even more importantly, the bursary programme will have an immeasurable impact on our School by welcoming curious new minds into the fold, by diversifying the fabric of our community and by actively and openly making a commitment to a culture of giving. It is a proud moment in the School’s history and I look forward with great anticipation to seeing the strategy come to life during 2017.

AUTHOR Ms Elizabeth Jameson Chair of the Board of Trustees (Head Girl, 1982)

THE YEAR THAT FOLLOWS ONE ANCHORED BY A SIGNIFICANT EVENT, SUCH AS THE SCHOOL’S 140TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2015, CAN RISK FEELING A LITTLE LOW KEY IN COMPARISON. HOWEVER, FOR BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL IN 2016, THE ‘EVERYDAY’ HAS BEEN SURPASSED MANY TIMES OVER BY THE ‘EXTRAORDINARY’. A palpable energy has infused the School’s calendar of learning, events and activities. It has been a year peppered with wonderful and memorable moments, such as news that our girls’ NAPLAN results positioned us as the top-performing school in Queensland for 2016. Soon after Ms Euler announced a project to construct a remotely operated observatory at Marrapatta. The announcement in the School Assembly was received with excitement as the girls contemplated the possibilities, sparking young minds to dream of exciting futures. Earlier in the year we welcomed a world-class musician in residence at the School, and just recently experienced another stunning Gala event, all while celebrating the achievements of the generations of Grammar Women who continue to contribute on a variety of world stages.

SPRING ISSUE / 2016

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GRAMMAR GAZETTE

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FROM THE PRINCIPAL

helped to instill the qualities and attitudes we would hope to see Grammar girls develop and display. And how might we distinguish a Grammar girl? We thought this very important to articulate. A Grammar girl is curious, principled, adventurous, balanced and a leader.

AUTHOR Ms Jacinda Euler Principal

A Grammar girl is ….

WE ARE AT A TIME OF UNPRECEDENTED CHANGE IN EDUCATION. CLASSROOMS ARE MORE INTERACTIVE, THE CURRICULUM MORE DIVERSELY CHALLENGING, BOUNDARIES BETWEEN SCHOOL AND THE WIDER WORLD ARE DISAPPEARING AND, IN QUEENSLAND, WE ARE PREPARING FOR THE NEW SENIOR ASSESSMENT AND TERTIARY ENTRANCE SYSTEMS IN 2019. Girls Grammar remains confident, assured and excited about this future. We intend to ensure that our leadership in the provision of an exemplary broad liberal education, and reputation as one of Australia’s leading girls’ schools, is maintained and strengthened; to be well prepared for and to embrace the opportunities that arise from new thinking in education, while holding steadfast to what is tried and true. As a school where teachers model intellectual curiosity and pedagogical expertise we maintain high expectations for our students, encourage adventure in their learning and care for their development as girls and young women. Outstanding academic results and student destinations reflect how Girls Grammar prepares them for the finest tertiary institutions in the world and greatly varied future paths. In creating the new Strategic Design 2016-2019 it was very clear to us, however, that whatever we provided for in that educational vision, was only worthwhile so long as it

CURIOUS Thrives in a vibrant environment that fosters deep and inquisitive learning PRINCIPLED Engages ethically and purposefully with the world ADVENTUROUS Embraces the unexpected, following her dreams without fear BALANCED Seeks diverse experiences and different perspectives A LEADER Who inspires contribution to a greater purpose In a society that sometimes encourages young people to focus on material gain or a ‘great career’ while neglecting to cultivate a rich, inner life, it is important to remember that our actions should have a positive impact. This demands principled behaviour and doing what is right. It requires some humility too and an understanding that while we are not perfect, when we face our limitations, we learn from them and thereby develop character. Never has the world so needed strong, independent and compassionate Grammar girls and Grammar Women.

SPRING ISSUE / 2016

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FOR THE LOVE OF LEARNING

What drives a secondary school teacher to pursue doctoral study? The immediate answer is madness! A deeper examination uncovers a broader array of reasons. Working at a school in which scholarship is the most fundamental driver of learning generates an unbridled sense of inquisitiveness, questioning and wonder. Teaching generations of students, with an infectious quest for knowledge, does much to instill a sense of drive, determination and mastery. Ultimately, doctoral study is nothing more than learning for learning’s sake, representing everything that is good about robust endeavour. Its rewards are multifaceted and revolve around a creative satisfaction associated with posing a problem and understanding its many intricacies. The thoughts of Parker Palmer are apposite. In his famous work The Courage to Teach he notes: Every academic discipline has ‘grains of sand’ through which its world can be seen. So why do we keep dumping truckloads of sand on our students, blinding them to the whole, instead of lifting up a grain of sand so they can learn to see for themselves.

AUTHOR Dr Bruce Addison Dean of Curriculum and Scholarship

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL IS A LEARNING ORGANISATION FOUNDED ON THE IDEAL OF EXCEPTIONAL SCHOLARSHIP. SCHOLARSHIP, IN ITS MANY GUISES, FORMS THE KERNEL OF OUR EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE. THERE WOULD BE VERY FEW SCHOOLS IN AUSTRALIA BOASTING THE NUMBER OF STAFF WITH EITHER RESEARCH OR PROFESSIONAL DOCTORATES OR STAFF WHO ARE COMPLETING SUCH STUDY AS HERE AT GIRLS GRAMMAR. THIS RESEARCH IS USUALLY A PART-TIME ENDEAVOUR OCCURRING ALONGSIDE THE DEMANDS OF THE CLASSROOM. SUCH RESEARCH IS INDICATIVE OF DISCIPLINE STRENGTH AS WELL AS SELF-CONTROL, DETERMINATION AND PERSEVERANCE.

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‘There would be very few schools in Australia boasting the number of staff with either research or professional doctorates or staff who are completing such study as here at Brisbane Girls Grammar School.’

A Year 7 Philosophy of Learning class

If nothing else is achieved in pursuing doctoral research, at least the researcher has intimate experience with examining such grains of sand! The first Brisbane Girls Grammar School staff member to be awarded a Doctorate while working at the School was Dr Sally Stephens, our long serving Director of Science. Dr Stephens was awarded a Doctor of Education (EdD) degree by the Queensland University of Technology in 1999 with a thesis entitled: Coordination of empirical laws and explanatory theory using model-based reasoning in Year 10 science . Since then many have followed. Just retired Dr Keith Treschman is our most recent doctoral graduate. He was awarded a PhD by the University of Southern Queensland in 2016 with a thesis entitled: Astronomical Tests of General Relativity . Working alongside many of us who have completed the doctoral journey has been the Director of our Centre for Professional Practice, Dr Kay Kimber. Dr Kimber’s scholarship, support and wisdom has done much to shape the strength of our research practice. She was awarded

her PhD from the Queensland University of Technology in 2002 with a thesis entitled Technoliteracy, teacher agency and design: shaping a digital learning culture . The 21st century presents many challenges. We are told that change is only going to become more disruptive and that intellectual agility will be essential to traverse this uncertainty, and teachers who role model intellectual rigour and determination can only help to prepare our young people for this environment. There are many ways staff can do this. Doctoral study is just one way. A love for and depth of knowledge of a discipline is another. Conveying information, demonstrating a love of learning while at the same time challenging young minds in the rigours of thinking is a privilege beyond comparison.

SOURCE Palmer, P. J. (1998). The Courage to Teach . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

AUTUMN ISSUE / 2016

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Meet Some of Our PhDs

Director of Mathematics, Dr Peter Jenkins was awarded his PhD from The University of Queensland in 2005. His thesis was based on Combinatorial Mathematics known as the ‘Embedding Problem’. This enabled insights into the importance of mathematics in a variety of scientific and technological contexts. This study informed the development of resources for our students enabling them to delve deeply into a range of mathematical problems. Humanities Teacher, Dr Rashna Taraporewalla was awarded a PhD in Ancient History by the University of Queensland in 2009. This followed an award of an MA in Classical Archeology by the University of London. Her doctoral dissertation explored how Ancient Athenians used important religious sites to express both territoriality and their cultural identity. This study helped to develop the depth of inquiry across a suite of Humanities subjects at the School. Humanities and International Studies Teacher, Dr Paula Johnson completed her PhD in 2009 at The University of Queensland. Her study examined the historian Livy’s account of Hannibal’s defeats of Roman armies during the Second Punic War to evaluate the extent of the writer’s artistic licence and reimagining of facts. Experience gained in close reading and analysis of texts allows her to guide students in deconstructing and paying attention to detail in historical and Latin sources. Laboratory Technician, Dr Carla Atkinson completed her PhD from The University of Queensland in 2011. Her thesis contained the first comparative analyses of taste bud morphology from a range of elasmobranchs (selachians and batoids) during developmental and adult stages. Carla’s research provided her with valuable problem-solving and analytical skills that have transferred to assisting Girls Grammar teachers and students with planning and running practical scientific experimentation. School Psychologist, Dr Alix Vann was awarded her PhD from the Queensland University of Technology in 2012. Her doctoral research utilised a qualitative and mixed methods study design to investigate the metacognitions associated with eating disorders in women. Both studies supported the proposition of a transdiagnostic model of metacognition in eating disorders, which has implications for understanding and treating these debilitating disorders.

GIRLS GRAMMAR STAFF CURRENTLY COMPLETING DOCTORATE STUDIES

GIRLS GRAMMAR’S DOCTORATE HONOUR ROLL

Dr Bruce Addison PhD Dr Carla Atkinson PhD Dr Ruth Burnett EdD Dr Ann Farley PhD Dr Peter Jenkins PhD Dr Paula Johnson PhD Dr Kay Kimber PhD

The University of Queensland 2007 The University of Queensland 2011

Mr Gary Holley Mrs Phillipa Greig Dr Sam Peng PhD Mr Tony Cupitt Mr Tim Lehmann

Queensland University of Technology 2004

Curtin University 2004

The University of Queensland 2005 The University of Queensland 2009

Queensland University of Technology 2002

Dr Sam Peng PhD

Liaoning University, China 2012 The University of Queensland 2002

Dr Anton Rayner PhD

Dr Sally-Anne Stephens EdD Dr Rashna Tarapowella PhD Dr Keith Treschman PhD

Queensland University of Technology 1999 The University of Queensland 2009 University of Southern Queensland 2016 Queensland University of Technology 2012

Dr Alix Vann PhD

GRAMMAR GAZETTE

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GIRLS GRAMMAR OBSERVATORY AN AUSTRALIAN GIRLS SCHOOL FIRST

‘Astronomy compels the soul to look upward, and leads us from this world to another.’ — Plato, The Republic, 342 BCE.

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL ANNOUNCED IN JUNE THE INTENTION TO CONSTRUCT A REMOTELY OPERATED ROBOTIC TELESCOPE AND OBSERVATORY AT MARRAPATTA, OUR MEMORIAL OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTRE AT IMBIL IN THE MARY VALLEY. THE PROJECT WILL HAVE A TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON TEACHING AND LEARNING IN SCIENCE. This school-based observatory will be the first in a girls’ school in Australia and reflects Girls Grammar’s leadership in exceptional scholarship and science education. The observatory will support Grammar girls in their studies of Astronomy as part of the Science curriculum in Years 7 and 10 and will also provide learning opportunities and applications across all year levels in Physics, Mathematics, ICT, Art and beyond. The observatory will enable girls to collect scientific data to support professional astronomical projects and academic research, fostering real-world scientific skills in the process. Principal, Ms Jacinda Euler said that with national conversations about science gathering pace in research and education literature as well as in the mainstream media, encouraging girls and women to pursue careers in scientific fields has become even more compelling. ‘It is wonderful that science appears to be having its moment in the sun. However, at Girls Grammar, we have a long history of guiding girls in their exploration of the disciplines of Science, Mathematics and Technology and so many have followed their ambitions to work in important scientific fields,’ Ms Euler said. ‘Girls are inspired and supported by dedicated teachers who continue to push the boundaries of traditional classroom spaces and encourage the application of knowledge in ways that ignite curiosity and passion for new discoveries in Science. The observatory will amplify and expand these exciting learning opportunities.’

Ms Euler has said that the broader impacts and benefits of the project will be far reaching. ‘The observatory will provide new opportunities to partner with universities, scientific and commercial organisations and the global scientific community, inspiring Grammar girls to pursue interesting paths and rewarding future careers.’ ‘It is an exciting and proud moment for the School and I acknowledge the visionary work of our former Head of Chemistry and Physics teacher, Dr Keith Treschman for his passionate energy and guidance in progressing the observatory plans to this point. Dr David Trappett, a future Grammar parent and amateur astronomer, has also provided wonderful support to this project.’ ‘It is very heartening when members of our community contribute in such important ways and lend specialist advice and support to projects that will have a profound impact on learning at the School.’ The observatory project will be funded through a generous gift of $100000 from the Parents and Friends Association with the remaining $100000 to be raised through fundraising. If this goal is met within 12 months, the School will unveil the new remotely operated robotic telescope and observatory at its celebration of thirty years of the Marrapatta Memorial Outdoor Education Centre in 2017.

If you would like to contribute to this exciting project that we hope will inspire and nurture the next generation of women scientists through awe- inspiring learning experiences, please contact

Ms Antonia Swindells via email, development@BGGS.qld.edu.au or telephone, +61 7 3332 1300.

SPRING ISSUE / 2016

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OPEN DAY

In July 2016 Brisbane Girls Grammar School opened its gates to nearly 3000 prospective students and their families for the annual Open Day.

The School was at its vibrant best, lit with thousands of fairy lights and abuzz with food stalls, house colours, academic displays, sporting demonstrations, and music and drama performances showcasing the accomplishment of the girls, the excellence of the School’s curricular and co-curricular offerings and the strength of its community spirit.

GRAMMAR GAZETTE

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‘ We really liked the engagement of the current students with all of the visitors on the evening. They were all well-spoken and willing to help, also happy to ask someone else if they did not know the answers.’

Other activities throughout the afternoon and evening included: the Walking in Their Shoes session at the Gehrmann Theatre (where Year 7 girls reflected and shared with enrolled families their experiences of their first year as a Grammar girl); the BGGS Amazing Race (where incoming 2017 Year 7 girls joined their fellow house mates to explore and discover the school); and multilingual guided School tours led by girls for attending families. Reflecting the School’s strong ethos to community service, house groups and clubs raised $26550 for their chosen charities from fundraising activities held during the open day. ‘ We loved the general energy of the School. The students in particular did the School proud …It was a great afternoon event for our family.’

SPRING ISSUE / 2016

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LASTS

‘DITCH THE DREAM AND BE A DOER, NOT A DREAMER’. THESE WORDS FROM SHONDA RHIMES’ 2014 SPEECH TO THE GRADUATING CLASS AT DARTMOUTH COLLEGE IN THE USA ARE EXACTLY WHAT EACH GRAMMAR GIRL LEARNS TO ACCOMPLISH. FOR THE 2016 GRADUATING YEAR 12 GIRLS, THEIR DREAMS ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE AN IMMINENT REALITY AS THEY ENTER THEIR LAST FEW DAYS OF HIGH SCHOOL.

More and more this term we are hearing remarks such as, ‘this is our last inter-house cross country race’ or ‘we just submitted our last Maths assignment’. However no matter how liberating each ‘last’ might be, a complex mixture of feelings are also present: disappointment that we won’t have the opportunity to experience the Grammar vibe for much longer; fear of the unknown; a sense of loss as we will not be there in the coming years to see our Grammar sisters excel; and apprehension and excitement about what is to come. To mark the occasion of ‘50 days to go’ on 22 August, the Student Council surprised the Year 12s with origami graduation caps to celebrate their achievements. They were on the seniors’ tables when we arrived at School and a sense of gratitude, delight and determination emanated around the Main Building. We were asked to write a goal or aspiration for our last 50 days onto the cap and an installation was then made so each Year 12 student was able to share her goal with the entire School. Some girls danced and others cried, as the grade united to share the beginning of the ‘very lasts’. It’s a day that we will never forget. Since that day, we have survived QCS, conquered the final exams, and continued to work hard to demonstrate that we are doers. We have been persistent and consistent, growing as young women and role models, and have achieved our goals of involvement, support, acknowledgement, spirit, and networking. For the students who still have years to go at Grammar, be it one year or five, we hope that each of you will reach the point at which the seniors of 2016 stand: on the verge of new lives. Have courage. Have faith that throughout your journey at Grammar, the many people you meet along the way will motivate you to become the very best you can be, encourage you to make a difference in ways both big and small, and inspire you to contribute confidently to your world with wisdom, imagination and integrity. These are not merely words on the wall of the CLC but an attitude to which we have become thoroughly committed. And never forget … blue unity IS opportunity!

AUTHORS Lili Wackwitz (12H) and Sarah Miller (12E) Brisbane Girls Grammar School 2016 Head Girls

It is strange and yet satisfying to look back and not only consider the impact that we, the graduating class of 2016, have made on the Grammar community — but also the influence that it has had on us. We will always remember our wonderful ISASN acronym (get involved, show some support, acknowledge the athletes, be full of spirit, and network) that so humorously captured our goals for the year, the moment Minna Atherton made the #blunity sign during the Olympic trials, and the support the School gave the Year 12s.

GRAMMAR GAZETTE

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WE’RE WITH THE BAND!

AUTHORS Robyn Hamilton and Suren Dias-Jayasinha

WE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES AS CO- PRESIDENTS OF THE MUSIC SUPPORT GROUP (MSG) FOR 2016. THE MSG IS A PARENT BODY, AND ITS MAIN PURPOSE IS TO ASSIST THE BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL MUSIC STAFF IN THE SMOOTH RUNNING OF MUSIC DEPARTMENT EVENTS, AND TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THE PURCHASE OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. As parents of musical daughters — Merinda (2014), Elena (12G) and Arwen (8G), we have been MSG volunteers since 2010. When we were new to the School, we found the MSG a great mechanism for getting to know people, so we attended a few meetings, and put our names on the roster when we could. As time went on we became more involved. For a couple of years we inadvertently attended almost every concert in the School calendar! Merinda played the euphonium, so that ticked off band concerts. Elena played double bass, so that covered strings concerts. Arwen plays percussion, so we remain band concert fixtures. All three girls sing, and Merinda was choral captain in 2014, so we have attended more choral concerts than we can remember. One of the best things about the MSG is that it has enabled us to see — or rather hear — how far the girls progress as each year unfolds. Their standard improves tremendously between Terms I and IV, and it is a pleasure to hear the results of all those rehearsals and lessons. ‘Being part of the Music Support Group has not only been a way to stay connected with our teenagers, but also a useful way to repay that favour of great teaching.’ music staff. We really appreciate their expertise, and couldn’t be happier with the opportunities they have provided our three musical children. Helped immeasurably by the mentoring she received at the School, Merinda decided to pursue music at a tertiary level, and is now in her second year of jazz voice at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. So for us, being part of the MSG has not only been a way to stay connected with our teenagers, but also a useful way to repay that favour of great teaching. Attending so many concerts has also provided an opportunity to get to know the wonderful Girls Grammar

Parent volunteers Robyn Hamilton and Suren Dias-Jayasinha

As a member of the MSG there are plenty of ways to contribute. Rosters are circulated for upcoming concerts, and most people find it easy to offer 30 minutes of their time to staff a refreshments table, or sell tickets. Other tasks include stage crew, and audio and video recording. None of these jobs is too difficult, and we welcome all contributions. Currently, the MSG is raising funds to purchase two tubas and a bassoon to enhance the Music Department’s arsenal of school instruments. The influx of Year 7 has expanded the music programme, and large instruments don’t come cheap, so the proceeds of raffles and door sales are directed towards these considerable purchases. The annual Gala Concert — held this year on Saturday 22 October — is an ‘all hands on deck’ affair for the MSG, as we do our best to assist the music staff to stage a cast-of- thousands production every year. We would like to take this opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to our enthusiastic 2016 MSG Committee and to all the friendly parents who have volunteered during the year. If your daughter plays or sings, we encourage you to join the MSG and come along to a meeting or sign up for the next concert roster. For us, volunteering is its own reward, and if music is not for you, Girls Grammar offers plenty of other opportunities to contribute.

SPRING ISSUE / 2016

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NOT AVERSE TO VERSE: POETRY RENASCENT!

Megha Prasad (11M) performing her poem ‘Fair & Lovely’ dealing with skin colour

‘prose, words in their best order — poetry, the best words in their best order’. Coleridge, he will no doubt be pleased to hear, was right. Precision is essential in poetry-writing, whether it’s a sonnet or a slam. The prolific Pulitzer prize- winning American writer William Stanley Merwin has a useful analogy to which most of us can relate: ‘poetry is like making a joke. If you get one word wrong at the end, you’ve lost the whole thing’. I would like to think that alongside the brain-expanding training they get almost every year in their English classes in the rigorous analysis of poetry, the girls acquire an appreciation for its aesthetics. Good poetry is beautiful language, and that rare thing is worth savouring just for what foodies might call its ‘mouth-feel’, to which I would clumsily add ‘ear-feel’ (trust me, we call it ‘euphony’ in class). In English classes we do a good job of producing educated spectators — perhaps even connoisseurs — of poetry, but to return to my main theme, for some of our girls, poetry is more than something to unravel or enjoy — it is something they want to take part in. Poetry by the girls themselves is enjoying something of a renaissance at Girls Grammar. For seven years now, the start of each academic calendar has seen many of them getting poetic for the Valentine’s Day Love Poetry Competition. Testament to the many-splendored nature of love, and the considerable differences in ages among our students, the entries encompass the broadest possible range of loves, from the passionate embrace of

AUTHOR Mr Stephen Woods Director of English

POETRY BY THE GIRLS PARENTHESISES THE SCHOOL YEAR AT BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL. THE VALENTINE’S DAY LOVE POETRY COMPETITION HAS BECOME A REGULAR FIXTURE AT THE START OF EACH YEAR, AND THE SCHOOL’S ANNUAL POETRY SLAM HAS FOUND AN ENTHUSIASTIC AND POPULAR FOLLOWING IN TERM IV. It is, of course, a pleasing aspect of this poetic bookending of the year that the girls are expressing themselves; they have ideas, opinions, and feelings that warrant expression and deserve an audience. For me though, the most gratifying aspect is that they are willing to have a go at expressing these thoughts in verse. With the esoteric exception of Rupert the Bear, nobody I know talks or thinks in poetry; it doesn’t come naturally. Verse is hard to write, and hard writing is worth doing. Noted Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge insisted that young poets heed his definitions of prose and poetry:

GRAMMAR GAZETTE

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confectionery, to the idolisation of well, idols, to genuinely affecting and intimate expressions of the deepest emotional bonds, requited or otherwise. This kind of poetry-writing would seem to fit the quaint stereotype many of us have of the poetic enterprise; a solitary activity carried out in a garret or bohemian coffee house, wearing a turtleneck, for a readership (excluding the hoped-for posthumous rediscovery) of not many. I have no doubt some of our young poets do have a favoured black skivvy, but there are many who write together. We get quite a few joint entries, which pleases an English teacher no end, because it means the girls have sat down and struggled amusedly together for those best words and best order. ‘Every girl who puts pen to paper or finger to keypad deserves kudos for taking the risk of sending a few words out into the world.’ To air out the musty garret, and to give literary credit where it is certainly due, the best of the entries — and ‘best’ can mean cutest, funniest, groan-worthiest, most satirical, or most touching — are shared publicly. Everyone who enters knows that notable entries are published not just on Moodle but at a whole-school Assembly, so there is an element of bravery to entering. Poetry is like any other performance; it involves risk and an uncertain reception. The more heartfelt the poetry, the greater this risk is, which is why I argue that every girl who puts pen to paper or finger to keypad deserves kudos for taking the risk of sending a few words out into the world unaccompanied. Happily, the assembled girls are a receptive and supportive audience, and the poets get as big a cheer, laugh, or teary ‘ngaawwhh’ as any rower, waterpoloist or debater singled out for praise in front of the School. ‘The immediacy and energy of Slam poetry is compelling and contagiously exciting, and about as far from the consumptive garret as can be imagined.’ The Poetry Slam is, of course, a decidedly more public outlet for poetic expression, and at Girls Grammar it is very public. I can write with hand on heart (I am a poor typist, so this is no great inconvenience), that in my decade at the School, I have never experienced a Gehrmann Theatre as full or as loud as it is for the Slam each Term IV. The immediacy and energy of Slam poetry is compelling and contagiously exciting, and about as far from the consumptive garret as can be imagined. There are slam poems on YouTube that have been watched millions of times, and ominously, slam poetry is now so popular that advertisers have discovered its appeal. Slam poems are written to be spoken out loud, to an audience encouraged to ‘click’ their approval, and are judged on the spot by members of the audience chosen

Ellen Wilson (11L) performing her poem ‘Talking’ about the silencing of female voices

at random. It is — pardon the cliché — poetry for the people, but what makes the School Slam so exciting is that it has been, from the outset, of the people too. Three years ago, the Arts Captains and their poetry-minded associates decided to get a Slam going, and their energy and enthusiasm brought it to fruition. Several of the competitors in that first Slam have gone on to compete in State Slams, including Ashley McGregor (2014), who took out a prize at Woodford before representing Queensland at the National Slam at the Sydney Opera House. The friendly competition offered by Slamming has seen our girls participate last year and this in the SlammEd programme supported by the State Library of Queensland (SLQ) as part of the Queensland Poetry Festival. Zoe MacDonald (2015) and Macada Roebig (2015) last year, and Megha Prasad (11M) and Ellen Wilson (11L) this year joined other girls in Slam workshops held at school with Angela Pieta, the convenor of Ruckus Slam. Zoe and Macada won through a mini-slam at the conclusion of the 2015 workshop and attended a special workshop at SLQ with students who had won through from other schools. They later competed admirably in the SlammEd Finals at the Judith Wright Centre; an exciting and rewarding experience that awaits Megha and Ellen this year. 2016 has also seen the birth of Slamming as a co- curricular group, thanks to the enthusiasm of English Teacher, Ms Jules Smith. The Year 8s also had their very own inter-class Slam this year, with classes first running their own heats to choose a class representative, and then clashing in good-spirited Slam style at the final in the Gehrmann Theatre. The School also hosted its first international slam poet this year; Ms Desiree Dallagiacomo from the USA recently worked with delighted groups of younger and older girls on topics, techniques, and delivery. The network of people at this School and others, and even overseas and online who are interested in putting the best words together in their best order, or just appreciating someone else’s attempts to do so, will only encourage our girls further in their own poetic endeavours. As I joked at the Love Poetry Prizegiving at assembly this year, poetry might just make an Olympic comeback (it was in the Games until 1948), and our girls have their turtleneck tracksuits at the ready.

SPRING ISSUE / 2016

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MUSICAL RESIDENCY HITS THE RIGHT NOTE

IN MAY, THE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC FACULTY WAS PRIVILEGED TO HOST INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED MUSICIAN DR MARK LAYCOCK FROM WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY AS A VISITING MUSICIAN-IN-RESIDENCE.

Dr Mark Laycock has travelled the world as a director, performer and academic, collaborating with musical luminaries such as Marvin Hamlisch and Simon Estes, performing at Carnegie Hall and working with orchestras across the USA, France, Spain, Slovakia and Canada … and now Brisbane. Director of Instrumental Music, Mr Mark Sullivan was first introduced to Dr Laycock by a colleague he met on a teachers exchange to the United States some years ago, and was thrilled to be approached for a visit. ‘Dr Laycock is a highly talented and respected musician, and we were very fortunate to have him here sharing his knowledge and expertise with our staff and students.’ ‘Aside from his incredible musical talent, he is also very funny and imaginative and was able to challenge, inspire and motivate students to search beyond the notes to understand and convey the real meaning of the music,’ said Mr Sullivan. During the week of his visit, Dr Laycock held workshops with all of the School’s seven string orchestras and the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Symphony Orchestra, and hosted a number of dedicated professional development workshops for

the School’s instrumental music teachers as well as a one-day workshop for orchestra teachers from schools across Queensland and New South Wales.

‘ Brisbane Girls Grammar School is working miracles with the string programme’

Dr Laycock’s visit culminated in his conducting the Girls Grammar Symphony Orchestra at the May 2016 Concert attended by parents and members of the School community. ‘Brisbane Girls Grammar School is working miracles with the string programme, with an assembly of amazing staff who have a fantastic rapport with the students … and the performances I heard were remarkable,’ said Dr Laycock. ‘The girls even generously gave me some Tim Tams to take home, which my family love … the Vegemite not so much,’ he laughed. Dr Laycock will return to Australia later this year to work with the Queensland Conservatorium’s State Honours Ensemble Programme (SHEP). This well-respected programme brings together the finest young musicians from across Queensland, In 2016, this programme offers Voice, String, Wind, Brass and Percussion students an intensive four-day programme that culminates in a gala concert. Six Grammar girls from Years 7 to 11 were selected to attend the programme in September. under the tutelage of a team of eminent international and national conductors.

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2016 GALA CONCERT: OUT OF THIS WORLD 2016 GALA CONCERT: OUT OF THIS WORLD

AUTHOR Mr Mark Sullivan Director of Instrumental Music

words. It takes them to a place where collaboration is a must, deep emotional experience, personal reflection, refinement, beauty and joy. The immediate goal of music performance is perfection: a 100 per cent accuracy in the multiple criteria that together make a successful performance. The ultimate goal, however, is to learn, create and express oneself articulately and beautifully. While this sounds like an ambitious goal, I can assure you I have witnessed Girls Grammar students develop these qualities as they have progressed through the School’s music programme and henceforth become fine citizens. This year’s ‘Out of this World’ had many highlights. I congratulate the students who accepted the challenge of participating. It is a year-long process and demands engagement on many levels. The level of musical achievement and personal discipline displayed on the night was astonishing. The 2016 Gala was my final with Brisbane Girls Grammar School. Throughout my twenty-year tenure, it has been an absolute privilege to be involved with creative and passionate staff, talented and receptive students, and generous and supportive parents. The Concert has become one of the great traditions of the School and is a great occasion for staff, students and parents to work together in a spirit of co-operation to enable deep learning experiences, an exceptional level of performance and memories that will last a lifetime.

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL’S TWENTIETH ANNUAL GALA CONCERT, THIS YEAR THEMED ‘OUT OF THIS WORLD’, HELD ON SATURDAY 22 OCTOBER LIVED UP TO ITS TITLE WITH OUTSTANDING SOLO AND ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCES BY STUDENTS FROM ALL YEAR LEVELS. The Concert, hosted at the UQ Centre, marked twenty years since the School chose to present an annual major public concert to showcase the talents and achievements of the Instrumental Music Programme in lieu of participating in music competitions; a bold and visionary move by the then Principal. The Instrumental Music Programme offers an exceptional learning environment where both teacher and student work collaboratively and in equal measure through all stages of the journey. Indeed, final assessment is completely co- dependent and the ultimate success of the performance depends on the confidence and trust that has been forged between students and teachers throughout the programme. While recent research has identified significant cognitive benefits for young musicians, it also shows that music enables students to explore what it is to be human through the emotional complexity of the music that they perform. Through music, students are able to express the intent of their hearts in a way that is not possible with letters and

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BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL BURSARY BUILDING ON OUR GIVING FOUNDATIONS

Some of our current Brisbane Girls Grammar School Bursary staff donors

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL’S BURSARY PROGRAMME WILL PROVIDE THE GIFT OF A GIRLS GRAMMAR EDUCATION TO GIRLS WHO WOULD OTHERWISE BE UNABLE TO.

opportunity to acknowledge those who have been instrumental in establishing the bursary. Guests included current and former Board of Trustee members, School and bursary donors, the Executor of the Maria Sulima Bursary, School staff and School Support Group Presidents. The event highlighted the importance of philanthropy in our School’s culture and we thank those who have generously contributed to the bursary for their commitment to Girls Grammar and the role it plays in providing exemplary education to girls. Following the event, guests attended the Brisbane Girls Grammar School ‘Out of this World’ Gala Concert (see page 15), which expressed both the talent and spirit of the girls and the professionalism and expertise of our teachers. Applications for the 2018 Brisbane Girls Grammar School Bursary are now open. Applicants are required to submit a completed Brisbane Girls Grammar Bursary 2018 Application Form by 6 February 2017 and sit the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) Scholarship Test on Saturday 25 February 2017. The form and detailed information for applicants can be found on the School website, www.bggs.qld.edu.au/ enrolments/bursaries. For information regarding the ACER test, visit www.acer.edu.au/scholarship.

Girls Grammar is proud of its consistently strong academic performance and yet we are an academically non-selective school and do not provide any scholarships. Students are enrolled in the entry year (Year 7) according to the date order of receipt of a completed enrolment application. From time-to-time, since 1995 — with thanks to the generous support of a bequest from Maria Sulima — the School has provided the Maria Sulima Bursary to girls who demonstrate capability and promise and are from families where there is a reduced capacity to pay for a Girls Grammar education. To deepen social diversity within our community, the School is committed to developing and maintaining a sustainable bursary programme. Building on the contributions of two former staff members, through their bequests, Girls Grammar staff — past and current — have made gifts to the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Bursary. Signifying their belief in the power and life-changing potential of a Girls Grammar education, 25 of our staff have recently contributed to the bursary fund and look forward to sharing in the education of our first bursary student who will commence Year 7 in 2018. She will be a girl who possesses the qualities of a Grammar girl — curious, principled, adventurous, balanced and a leader. The Brisbane Girls Grammar School Bursary was officially launched at a pre-Gala Concert function on Saturday 22 October. The launch was an important

If would like to contribute to the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Bursary, please contact Ms Antonia Swindells via email, development@BGGS.qld.edu.au or telephone, +61 7 3332 1300.

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TECHNICIANS FINDING THE FUN IN SCIENCE FUNDAMENTALS

AUTHOR Dr Sally Stephens Director of Science

Mrs Alison Wind (BEnvSc, MEnvSc) and, while Alison is on leave, on the expertise of Ms Aisling Kelly (BSc, BEd). Alison’s strength lies in her attention to detail especially where safety is concerned while Aisling’s teaching experience is of immense value in the classroom. With these two on the case, gone are the days of students moaning about their experiments never working. ‘ The future of Australian Science rests largely with the success of strategies that inspire girls and young women to develop a life-long fascination …’ Mr Anthony Lumsden (BSc (Hons)) enjoys working with Physics students on their Extended Experimental Investigations (EEIs). As they progress, both theoretically and experimentally, through their investigation, students ask Anthony lots of questions, but he rarely gives straightforward answers. Instead, he adopts an inquiry approach, helping students work through the problem- solving process, helping them define the problem and generate solutions. Girls Grammar Science has 76 classes with 1,626 students, 11 laboratories, 21 teachers, and one of our most successful strategies has been to augment the teaching team with highly qualified and skilled Laboratory Technicians. The future of Australian Science rests largely with the success of strategies that inspire girls and young women to develop a life-long fascination with the subject. We want it to be the profession for some but the lifestyle for all, curious about the world around them.

DURING THIS YEAR’S OPEN DAY, I WAS DRAWN TO ONE OF THE SCIENCE LABORATORIES BY THE SOUND OF DELIGHTED LAUGHTER OF CHILDREN. THEY WERE ENTHRALLED AS OUR THREE LABORATORY TECHNICIANS DEMONSTRATED THE FRIVOLITIES OF DRY ICE BUBBLES AND COIN HOCKEY. THE SCIENCE FACULTY IS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE AS PART OF OUR TEAM DR CARLA ATKINSON, MR ANTHONY LUMSDEN, AND MS AISLING KELLY (CURRENTLY REPLACING MRS ALISON WIND WHO IS ON PARENTAL LEAVE). Science classrooms at Girls Grammar are dynamic environments that keep our Laboratory Technicians on their toes. They are seen as the expert, the researcher, the colleague, the mentor, the teacher, and sometimes simultaneously all of the above. Carla, Alison, Aisling and Anthony have an excellent knowledge of science in general, and each has his or her own specialty discipline. They work as a team with efficiency, professionalism, and great resourcefulness but I would like to honour them as individuals. Dr Carla Atkinson (BSc (Joint Honours), MSc, PhD) is a multi-skilled and highly qualified member of the senior Biology and Science 21 teams. The successful implementation of our complex Year 12 biotechnology investigations is due to Carla’s preliminary research, her careful preparation of essential resources and her methodical photography of experimental results. The safe and efficient delivery of the practical programme in the Chemistry Department relies on the skills of

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A SPORTING LIFE

Minna Atherton (11B, profile on page 20)

There is also a number of life skills that girls learn from playing sport. Some girls learn communication skills by overcoming their shyness and others learn to listen better by being less outspoken. Organisational skills develop and girls learn to work together on the playing field — they also begin to understand that being successful means many failed attempts. Girls learn to deal with adversity and to put a situation into perspective when a match is lost in the last minute. The persistence and discipline displayed in activities such as getting up in the cold early hours of the morning and staying behind at the end of training to work on a particular skill, are invaluable life skills that will transfer to the next stage of their life journey (Kniffin, Wansink & Shimizu, 2014; Holt, Tamminen, Tink & Black, 2003; IOC, 2014). Finally, there are the leadership and service opportunities that exist in the sporting environment and honing these attributes can make girls better prepared for university and their future careers. Recent research has highlighted the fact that ‘student-athletes — captains and non-captains alike — tend to be exposed to important pro-social values through experiences that provide them with generalisable and persistent skills and lessons for life and work outside of sports’ (Sitkin & Hackman, 2011). Another remarkable report released on the link between leadership skills and sports participation is by Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr Terrance Fitzsimmons. His research showed a major contrast between the childhood experiences of male

AUTHOR Ms Sally Northcroft Director of Sport

THE WORLD RECENTLY ENJOYED THE PERFORMANCES AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE ATHLETES AT THE RIO OLYMPICS.

Glowing faces receiving medals, celebratory cheers, hugs and leaps in to the air are televised and publicised for the world to see. What we don’t see is the hard work, sacrifice and thousands of hours that have gone into perfecting the performance that gets the athletes to the level of an Olympian. These athletes are role models for the athletes at Girls Grammar. They represent what is possible. We know sport has the ability to positively influence academic results, and that the competition and challenge in training for sport can instill values and skills in our students that stay with them for a lifetime. Consider the impact of engaging in the structure and competition associated with playing a sport; the psycho-social benefits such as increased self-esteem, improvement in self-identity, an increased feeling of connectedness to their school and connection to social groups — this last benefit being a highly-desired outcome for adolescent girls (Rosewater, 2009).

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Emma Bills (12W, profile on page 20)

Elizabeth Moss (9E, profile on page 20)

Josephine Dooley (11G, profile on page 20)

Lydia Pascoe (12O, profile on page 21)

and female CEOs. All but two (out of 30) of the male CEOs that Fitzsimmons interviewed had captained football teams (Fitzsimmons, 2011). They had learned leadership and other skills broadly applicable to work life prior to entering the workforce. In her 2011 article, The Secret To Being A Power Woman: Play Team Sports , author Jenna Groudreau states: ‘Playing team sports in school not only helps women succeed in business, it sends them straight to the top.’ PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi played cricket in her native India; Kraft Foods CEO Irene Rosenfeld played four varsity sports in high school and college basketball at Cornell University in New York; and SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro played lacrosse and field hockey at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania. A sports background instilled in them valuable lessons for the boardroom, a mental and emotional toughness and the ability to speak a key business language obscured to those who don’t ‘get’ sports.

Milan Agnew (12L, profile on page 20)

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