Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 2017

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SAVE THE DATE: SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER FOR A DAY AT MARRAPATTA

2017 MARKS THE THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL’S PURPOSE-BUILT OUTDOOR EDUCATION CAMPUS — THE MARRAPATTA MEMORIAL OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTRE (MARRAPATTA). TO HELP CELEBRATE THIS MILESTONE IN OUR HISTORY OF EXCEPTIONAL SCHOLARSHIP, THE SCHOOL EXTENDS A VERY WARM INVITATION TO PAST AND PRESENT STUDENTS, FAMILIES, STAFF, AND OUR COMMUNITY FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS — TO ‘SAVE THE DATE’ OF SUNDAY 15 OCTOBER TO JOIN US FOR A DAY AT MARRAPATTA. The day at Marrapatta will be a wonderful opportunity for families to tour the grounds, see displays and to experience something of the outdoor education programme that our girls have enjoyed for the past several decades. The School will also launch its remotely operated, robotic telescope and observatory — the first of its kind at a girls’ school in Australia. Although outdoor education has been an important element of our School since 1978, the Marrapatta campus, which is located in Imbil in the beautiful Mary Valley two-hours’ drive north of Brisbane, first opened its doors to Grammar girls in 1987. Marrapatta is where our girls’ joy of learning is expanded through a programme of activities that synergise classroom learning with those experienced in the outdoors and are more physical in nature. SHARE YOUR MARRAPATTA MEMORIES To help celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Marrapatta, the Girls Grammar community is invited to share their stories and memories of Marrapatta with the School. Please submit photos, videos (including dates and names of people) and/or personal reflections on Marrapatta and/or the School’s outdoor education programme to communications@bggs.qld.edu.au by Friday 21 July.

While enjoyment and creating unforgettable memories are important aspects of our outdoor programme, our three key learning focus areas are: personal discovery and reflection, social development, and environmental appreciation and awareness. Our outdoor education programme helps to foster within our girls a culture of inter-dependent participation, commitment to and fair competition among the group communicate effectively and work as a team to achieve a goal. On expedition, the girls use multimodal transport to reach a destination — working through the journey together becomes as important as the destination itself. That is, for the individual girl to realise the potential within herself and the greater that lies within the collective. The School looks forward to welcoming its community later this year on Sunday 15 October for a day at Marrapatta to celebrate and commemorate thirty years of outdoor education at this special campus. Refreshments (soft-drinks, tea, coffee) and a barbecue lunch will be available to purchase on the day. Guests will also be welcome to bring their own picnic lunch to enjoy in the grounds. Further information about the day at Marrapatta will be published closer to the time of the event. Please register your interest in attending at www.bggs.qld.edu.au/marrapatta30 to inspire contribution to a greater purpose. For example, canoeing encourages the girls to

GRAMMAR GAZETTE