ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿

Details about the topic of the first breakfast and our guest speakers can be found later in this new letter. Purchase tickets or a corporate table here: Professional Women's Network Breakfast with Clare Stewart - St Margaret's. if the breakfast sells out prior to your booking, please keep in mind our second PWN breakfast in Term 2, on Thursday 14 May.

On Wednesday 25 March, we will hold our Past Student Awards event in the evening. This is a wonderful opportunity for our current students and their parents to hear from our alumni. It is a lovely celebratory dinner; in fact, it is one of my favourite events in the school calendar. This is just one of the occasions that we honour the achievements of our past students and put up in front of our current students those who donned the middy and walked the campus before them. We believe that this role modelling by our past students is especially important. As the saying goes when it comes to choosing future careers, ‘if you can’t see it, you can’t be it!’ Tickets may be purchased here:

Three past students will receive awards on the evening. Recipients of the Distinguished Past Student Award is Professor Catherine Greenhill (’87); Young Past Student of Distinction Award is Natalie Charlton (’12); and the winner of the Spirit of Service Award is Maggie James (’97). I would encourage any parent to bring their daughter to be inspired by the achievements of our past students.

Ros Curtis

The recent Interhouse Swimming Carnival was a perfect example. Beyond the splash of competition and the excitement of house war cries, what truly stood out was the way students encouraged each other, celebrated every effort, and embraced the day with positivity. Whether cheering from the stands or diving into the pool, our students demonstrated resilience, teamwork, and joy - qualities that shine brightest when supported by an optimistic mindset.

The Year 6 Leaders Induction Ceremony also invited us to reflect with gratitude. As we welcomed our new young leaders, we were reminded of the privilege of guiding students who are eager to serve, inspire, and make a difference. Their enthusiasm reflects the culture of encouragement that families and teachers nurture every day. Witnessing their pride and confidence is a reminder to me of how gratitude helps us recognise the growth and potential within our school.

Finally, our Year 12 Formal showcased the culmination of many years of shared experiences. It was more than a celebration of milestones – it was a moment to express appreciation for friendships, staff dedication, and the collective support that has shaped our senior students’ journey. The night glowed not just with elegance, but with thankfulness for the community that has lifted them to this point.

In every event, optimism strengthens us, and gratitude connects us. Together, they capture what our school is truly about: a community that celebrates, supports, and grows – side by side.

Nicole Devlin

What do you treasure?
What is important to you?
Where do you invest your time?
What takes up the most space in your mind?

I wonder how much time we invest treasuring social media, or the things that people say about us, or worrying about what others think about us….

We human beings are wired to look for the threats, to worry about the negatives. This is an evolutionary survival mechanism. So, we need to practise noticing the wonderful things, noticing the good, rehearsing gratitude so that it becomes a natural part of our lives. Otherwise, the negatives, the worries, the fears will always seem more intense and frequent than the good things. It’s a human wiring thing.

Pastor, Nadia Bolz-Weber, has decided that during Lent she is going to focus on the good things… the beautiful things. I thought we could join her and adopt “40 days of gratitude”.

She says:

“Perhaps more than anything, I should give up the failed notion that what I read and see on the internet is a complete and accurate depiction of the world—and instead actively look for how beautiful it can be…

[Each day in Lent she will either:]
Take one photo of something beautiful I notice in my day…
Write one sentence about a warm interaction with a stranger—like the guy in the hospital elevator who asked which floor I was going to and pushed the button for me, or
Post something helpful someone said to me that day—like the six-word prayer my friend Jackie just shared: I can’t. You can. Please do”

Nadia is committing to pay attention to the beautiful things.

As a community, let’s join this 40 days of noticing project with our own challenge: “40 days of gratitude.”

I invite you, with me, to take a photo, draw a picture or write a sentence in your diary every day about something beautiful you have noticed in your day. So that at the end of lent you have a collection of 40 beautiful things.

As we express gratitude our hearts expand, we have more room for love and compassion, both for ourselves and the world around us. What we treasure, where we invest our thoughts and time, is where our heart is.

Let us notice the beauty and give thanks.

Rev’d Jazz Dow

The boarding house values, building further upon the six core values of St Margaret's, are as follows:

• Generosity: Boarders are called to show generosity by putting others first. As the girls live in a dormitory environment shared by approximately 190 other students and staff, they are encouraged to put others first, show generosity and kindness to each other, and for our Senior girls in particular, be generous in their time given to the younger cohorts to make them feel part of our community.
• Responsibility: Boarders are asked to show responsibility by caring for our community. Living in a shared, communal space, the girls are asked to be responsible for their cleanliness, aware of how their actions or routines may impact others, and be responsible for staying on top of the expectations of the boarding house: having a clean dorm, staying on top of their laundry, keeping common rooms clean, attending their dinner sittings, using Prep time wisely, and so on.
• Integrity: Boarders are asked to show integrity by doing what is right, even when no one is watching. In boarding, this may look like cleaning up rubbish in the common room even if it is not theirs, putting away the dishes or making sure they respect the routines and timetable of the boarding house at all times. 
• Respect: Like all St Margaret's girls, boarders are called to demonstrate respect for everyone's dignity and boundaries. In the boarding environment, this manifests itself differently from the day school. Respect, in this regard, can mean respecting that someone's dorm is their own space, respecting the study habits of fellow boarders, respecting boarding staff, and respecting the boarding house itself by keeping it tidy, safe and clean.
• Inclusivity: Boarders are asked to embrace inclusivity in the unique living situation that they have, shared by students from a diverse range of homes, cultural backgrounds and situations. Boarders are encouraged to learn about what home means for different girls, learn, embrace and share cultural practices, and appreciate the enriching experience that this diversity brings to boarding school.
• Courage: Boarders are asked to be courageous, speaking up for what is right and stepping out of their comfort zones. Whether this be talking to a new student on an activity, standing up when a fellow boarder’s behaviour is not up to standard, or putting oneself out there for a boarding leadership position, the boarding house is a place where courageous actions are fostered and encouraged. 
• Spirit: Boarders are asked to bring enthusiasm and vigour to all things boarding - activities, boarding events, or just simply in their everyday boarding life. Spirit is about enthusiasm, positivity and belonging in the Boarding House. The Boarders are asked to be a source of happiness, positivity and resilience, celebrating each other and their achievements. 
• Passion: Boarders are encouraged to wear their boarder badge with pride and be proud of where they come from. It means being passionate about being part of the boarding community and wanting to make a difference each and every day. 
• Grace: Boarders are encouraged to be gracious in everything they do; to walk with conviction, yet with humility. They are asked to be empathetic and composed, even when others make a mistake. The boarders are encouraged to practice forgiveness and understanding, to both each other and to themselves. 
• Dignity: Boarders are taught that everyone in their community is deserving of the same dignity, whether that be peers, staff, teachers or anyone in the wider community. Every member of our community, boarder or day student alike, is worthy of the same, unconditional worth and this is something to be upheld in all of our actions. 
• Connection: Boarders are encouraged to connect with each other - across grades, across ages, and across differences. Boarders are encouraged, via our dinner sitting system, to get to know girls who they might not have spoken to otherwise, forging relationships and new bonds across cohorts and different backgrounds. 
• Community: The boarding house is a unique community of individuals that all come together to live together for a majority of the year; it is this experience that makes being a boarder so unique. Our community is strengthened by each student's active participation in creating a home-away-from-home where everyone feels valued. 
• Kindness: Kindness is perhaps the most important value in our boarding house. Every interaction between students and staffs deserves to be underpinned by empathy, fairness and authenticity, demonstrating unwavering kindness to each other, but also to ourselves. Girls are asked to be equally kind to each other as they are to themselves, cutting themselves some slack when things get stressful and treating themselves with the same kindness they show to others. 

Together, these values and expectations create a vibrant, respectful and supportive environment where boarders thrive academically, socially and personally – preparing them to lead with character and purpose in the world beyond ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s.

Lesa Fowler

Starting to prepare assessments as early as possible can help manage this as well. Sometimes, students may feel a bit overwhelmed and be unsure where to start. This is totally normal, and a few things can help:

1. Make a list, then pick the top four things to focus on.
2. Have a quick, productive break. It might be to do some exercise or eat some brain food and have a chat.
3. Put your phone away and turn the music off – multitasking does not work, you will just take longer to complete each task!
4. Pick an assignment and break it down into more manageable tasks. Try to tick just one of these off, rather than looking at the big picture.

Exam Block Timetables

Students in Year 12 have already received their Exam Block timetables and Year 11 will receive theirs early next week. This will help to inform their study schedule in the coming weeks. All students should already be factoring ongoing revision and study into their weekly schedule. As can be seen on the Assessment Planners, these block periods are quite full so it is possible that your daughter will have more than one exam on any given day. Adequate lead in time will assist her in feeling prepared for this.

“Do something active or effective for your brain during work breaks, rather than go on your phone” – Niah Slatter (’25)

Caitlin McCluskey

One of the most effective strategies for students is retrieval practice. This involves students testing themselves before referring to, re-reading or highlighting their notes instead. By answering practice questions, taking short quizzes, using Quizlets, or writing down everything they remember about a topic, students are actively recalling knowledge from their long-term memory. This process helps to reinforce what they’ve learnt in the classroom. Struggling to remember isn’t a sign of failure; rather, it shows that learning and consolidation is taking place.

Spaced practice is another powerful approach. Learning is much more effective when study sessions are spread (spaced) over days or weeks, rather than crammed into long sessions just before a test. Academic Advisors and Form Teachers discuss this when helping students create study plans. Parents can support this too, by encouraging short, regular study blocks for particular subjects and normalising revision well before assessment deadlines.

Another useful strategy is the use of mind maps and concept maps. These tools help students organise information visually and see how ideas connect, rather than just listing facts in isolation. Creating a mind map after learning a topic (trying to do so without notes at first) is an excellent way to combine retrieval practice with deeper understanding.

SOAR Program

Directly related to the strategies outlined above, the SOAR Program will be re-established in the secondary school in 2026. This program will assist students with study techniques grounded in the science of learning, as well as executive functioning and organisational strategies, to support effective learning and improved outcomes. The program will begin in Week 6 of Term 1, during Thursday lunchtime. It will run as opt-in, drop-in sessions for Years 7 to 10 students. Further information will be emailed to students in the coming week.

Chris Dunn

We would very much appreciate your support in publicising the event to friends and colleagues who may be interested in seeking a ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s education for their daughter.

Furthermore, Saturday 7 March is a day when we require all of our students to be present at school, in full uniform and either participate in curricular, cocurricular or community activities. Students should arrive no later than 9.15am for the activities.

If, due to extenuating circumstances, a student is unable to be at school on Open Day, we require a written note or email requesting absence to studentleave@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Nikki Townsend

The school’s theme of ‘Optimism and Gratitude’ aligns perfectly with leadership. Full of optimism, they take on the responsibilities of leadership, both for themselves and for the wider school community, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to serve.

Last year the students were introduced to a “recipe for leadership.” During the induction, they were reminded of the ingredients, qualities and values, that will guide them throughout the year.

The first ingredient highlighted was a kilo of kindness. Leading with kindness helps others feel safe, valued, and respected, forming the foundation of true leadership.

Next came a ladle of letting go. Letting go of mistakes and setbacks enables leaders to focus on what truly matters: trying again, learning, and moving forward with confidence.

Another essential ingredient was a pinch of patience. Patience allows leaders to support and guide others with fairness, understanding, and calm decision‑making.

The students were also encouraged to carry a gram of gratitude. Gratitude helps leaders stay positive, and grateful leaders inspire others by noticing and celebrating the good in people and in everyday moments.

One of the brightest ingredients shared was heaps of hope. Hope encourages leaders to believe in new possibilities—new ideas, new solutions, and new opportunities—and helps their community dream big and step forward with courage.

Another important ingredient was a handful of humility. Humility guides leaders to lift others up, share responsibilities, and recognise the strengths of those around them.

Finally, they were reminded of a jug of joy. Joyful leadership brings enthusiasm and energy, encouraging everyone to work together and contribute.

This “recipe” serves as a reminder of the qualities that can be demonstrated not only by the leaders but also by everyone in our school community.

As House Leaders, the girls will share responsibility for all House activities. Each student will work collaboratively with the House teachers to negotiate and identify areas of responsibility.

Other leadership duties are offered to the Year 6 students who express interest in taking on a leadership role in sporting or cultural activities. Students submit an expression of interest which includes an outline of how they can contribute to the chosen activity. Throughout the year the girls contact the staff coordinator of that activity to discuss ideas, negotiate their involvement, and define their role in shaping the activity.

The following teachers are a point of contact for students who registered their interest Sport – Mr Humphreys; Music – Mrs Brennan; Chapel – Reverend Jazz; Library – Mr Johnson and Playground – Mrs Singleton.

The staff look forward to working with the Year 6 girls as they lead with optimism and gratitude.

Preparing for Easter

Yesterday the whole school attended the Ash Wednesday service which marks the beginning of the Lenten season. At this service Reverend Jazz invited the school to undertake the 40 days of gratitude challenge. She asked that everyday member of our community look for and name at least one thing to be grateful for. For example, a beautiful sunset, special dinner, hearing music or being moved by a piece of art. Your child could also record this in their home journal. A suggestion explained in my presentation for Parent Information night on the POD.

Angela Drysdale

Pick Up and Wet Weather

For the benefit of the smooth flow of traffic and to assist our teachers on duty, please ensure that your car name plate is clearly displayed on the visor of your vehicle. Please do not arrive too far in advance of the end of school time for your daughter as this creates a backlog into the surrounding streets. Arriving at or just after her finishing time will assist with reducing queues. In wet weather situations, your support is particularly important. Name plates are more crucial than ever, and it is wise to have a small umbrella in your daughter’s school bag to assist her with reaching the car more quickly and without getting wet. Staff will ferry girls from the Atrium to their cars but if they have an umbrella, they can get to you more speedily. We appreciate your understanding that the process does take longer in the rain. Please remember that staff are working together with you to make this process as easy as possible for all parties.

Toiletries and Cosmetics

We have been noticing of late, the appearance of lip gloss products in the possession of students of all ages, many of which come at a high price point. The girls have been advised that they are able to have lip balms to moisturise and protect their lips, but these should be a chemist brand such as Chapstick, Blistex or Paw Paw Ointment. Your daughters have been asked not to bring any Mecca (or similar) products to school as they are creating a distraction for the girls in class and when they are inevitably misplaced, the girls have become easily distressed. The use of any products which are considered make up more than skin protection is not allowed as per our uniform policy. As far as deodorant is concerned, while we do encourage good hygiene practices, it should be used sparingly, remain in the school bag during the day and not be shared with other students. Please remind your daughters of the importance of not spraying aerosols in common areas or out in the open as they can cause harm or set off smoke alarms.

Canopy Café

Thanks to the opening of our wonderful new Canopy Café last year, we have a great array of snacks, meals and beverages available to the girls. Pre Prep to Year 2 are required to pre order their lunches through Flexischools with Years 3 to 6 also able to pre order as well as being able to visit the Café during their eating times to purchase. The Café is cashless, so please ensure that they have funds on their student ID cards to enable this. For more information, see p.56 of the Primary Information Guide on .

Thank you for your continued support of your daughters and their journey through the Primary School.

Annette Box

Valentine’s Day Open Mic

Congratulations to all students who performed at the first open mic session of the year held as part of the Valentines Day celebrations last week. Despite the wet weather, many girls came along to support the fantastic performances provided by the seniors. There was a wonderful positive energy at the event, and we thank everyone involved for their efforts.

Music Day Camp

A reminder that the Music Day Camp will be held on Saturday 28 February. It is an expectation that all students in our secondary core ensembles (Jackson Wind Ensemble, Sister Helen Wind Symphony, Volare, Exultate, Stradivari Strings, Chamber Strings) will attend on the day. The day will run from 9:00am – 5:00pm and will be an important opportunity to fine-tune Open Day performances as well as an occasion to build stronger relationships with other students involved in the Music Program. A letter is attached with further information.

Open Day Times

The ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s Music Department is very much looking forward to presenting music performances at the upcoming Open Day to be held on Saturday 7 March. Performance times are listed below:

Circular Drive Stage

9:30am             Sculthorpe String Quartet                                

9:45am             Amati Strings                           

10:00am           Chamber Strings                                              

10:15am           Stradivari Strings                      

10:30am           Exultate                                                           

10:45am           Chorale                                                                       

11:45am           Stage Band

12:00pm           Highly Strung                                       

12:10pm           Tuesday Rock Band                                          

12:20pm           Monday Rock Band

Eton Hall

9:30am             Elayne Jones Percussion Ensemble                    

9:45am             Sister Helen Wind Symphony                                       

10:00am           Jackson Wind Ensemble                                    

10:15am           Chaseley Concert Band                       

10:30am           Belle Voci                                                        

10:45am           Encorah                                              

11:45am           Speech & Drama Performances                                                

12:00pm           Serenata

12:15pm           Volare 

Canopy Café

11:00am           Brass Ensemble                                                           

11:10am           Saxophone Ensemble   

11:20am           Flute Ensemble                        

11:30am           Clarinet Ensemble

11:40am           Beath String Quartet    

Primary Atrium

10:00am           Tutti Strings

Performance Uniforms

Students are required to wear a performance uniform for some senior auditioned music ensembles. Students are encouraged to purchase the uniform as soon as possible at the School Supply Shop in preparation for Open Day (7 March). Please check the Music Cocurricular POD page for further details.

Past Student Awards Dinner

The Music Department is very excited to share that Maggie James (’97, nee Leung) is the recipient of the Spirit of Service Past Student Award. Maggie was a Music Extension student and heavily involved in the school’s Music Program. Maggie now specialises in neurologic music therapy within the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, supporting babies, children, and young people who are critically unwell or receiving palliative care. Her work focuses on using music to enhance neurological engagement, activate neural pathways, and promote developmental recovery. Drawing on her MBA, Maggie is committed in creating sustainable, equitable music therapy services that will benefit children and families for years to come. Maggie will share the evening with other award recipients Professor Catherine Greenhill (’87) and Natalie Charlton (’12). Further details of their achievements may be found in the link below.

We would love you to consider coming along to the Past Student Awards Dinner to hear from and celebrate these inspirational St Margaret's women who have made outstanding contributions to our society and achieved great success in their chosen field. Enjoy canapes and the breathtaking view on the terraces, followed by a two-course meal and drinks package. Details are as follows:

Date:      Wednesday 25 March 2026
Time:      Pre-dinner drinks and canapes at 6.30pm
               Dinner at 7.00pm (including Awards presentation)
Venue:     Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's AGS

Please RSVP by 5:00pm Thursday 19 March 2026. Tickets may be purchased via the link below, or by calling the Development and Community Office on (07) 3862 0768.

A message from the Music Support Group

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend our first meeting of the year. Please see the next three meeting dates below for Term 1 and Term 2. All Primary and Secondary parents are welcome. Meetings will be held in the Canopy Café.

Term 1, Week 8 - Tuesday 17 March, 5pm

Term 2, Week 2 - Tuesday 28 April, 5pm
Term 2, Week 7 - Tuesday 2 June, 5pm

The next two events that we are supporting is the Music Camp and Open Day:

Music camp - Saturday 28 February 

The Music Support Group is providing a BBQ Sausage Sizzle lunch for all the students and staff on this day. If you can help volunteer your time or provide home bake/fruit platter, please click on this link to help:

Open Day - Saturday 7 March

The Music Support Group will be assisting the Music Captains in answering questions about Music at ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s.  If you can spare some time, we would love to see you:

Brad King

Over the last few months, our Water Polo teams have had the opportunity to learn from some guest coaches who have been passing on their experiences as well as technical skills. Thank you to Gabi Palm and Anni Espar, both dual medal winning Olympians representing Australia and Spain respectively who have inspired our Water Polo girls. With only five weeks left of the Water Polo season and finals to come, these coaching sessions have been a great inspiration for our players.

ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿s is pleased to be able to offer opportunities outside our own sport programs to our students who are interested in representative sport opportunities and experiences through organisations like Queensland Representative School Sport (QRSS).

QRSS facilitates competitive pathways in sports for students between the ages of 10–19 years. Students from affiliated schools across all sectors of education can compete at district, regional, state and national levels of competition. The Department of Education facilitates these events in combination with Regional Committees (City Districts and Metropolitan North) and affiliate schools.

If interested, students will need to follow the process listed below.

1. GENERAL INFORMATION:

• Aspiring student-athletes seeking to participate in the Representative Sport Pathway should join the .

2. EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

• ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s will post an expression of interest form on the Representative School Sport (Secondary) POD page, for the district/regional sport trial taking place.

3. SCHOOL ENDORSEMENT:

• ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s will review all EOI nominations, ensuring student's competency achieves the standard set for their nominated sport.
• ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s will review student’s competency based on the participation and performance achieved within the ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s sport program or may request further information regarding external sport involvement.
• It should be noted that ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s is regulated on the number of students we can nominate, and the competency standard required to participate in a District/Regional trial.

4. QRSS TRIAL REGISTRATION:

• ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s endorsed students will then receive an email, containing a QR Code from the school requesting their registration with QRSS to the trial. This QR Code Registration will include all information related to the District or Region trial, including all consent forms.
• It is the responsibility of students’ parent/guardian to complete this external QRSS registration to trial.

5. PRINCIPAL APPROVAL:

• Upon QRSS registration, ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s will be notified of student registration, with appropriate Principal approvals sorted internally.

6. ATTENDANCE AT TRIAL:

• On the designated trial date, participating students attend the trial session. No paperwork is required to be taken.
• It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian of the student to transport to/from these trials.
• Students who have not completed the QRSS registration will NOT be permitted to take part in the trial.

7. TRIAL CONDUCT:

• It is the responsibility of the convening district or region school to facilitate the trial.

8. NOTIFICATION OF SELECTION:

• Successfully selected students will be notified by the convening district or regional school (this information will not come from ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s).
• All further information will be provided by QRSS, with similar processes of registration required.

For any questions on these representative opportunities, please contact the sports office and speak with Lucy Osswald via activities@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

The sports office would also like to welcome Brenton Thiele who has taken on the role of Head of Athletics. Brenton has taken over the role vacated by Josh Partridge who we take this opportunity to acknowledge for his dedication to ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s Cross Country, Athletics and Strength & Conditioning programs. Many students already know Brenton as he has been a coach here at ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s over the last few years, working on both our Athletics and Volleyball programs. Brenton has hit the ground running (pardon the pun!) working on both our primary and secondary Cross Country preparations.

The sports team are happy to recognise the outstanding achievements and representation of students participating at a national level, outside of the school sport pathway. I look forward to continuing to hear from our community regarding such outstanding achievement. Please directly contact Ms Williams via awilliams@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Ms Anne Louise Williams

Tickets are available to everyone in our community (not just those attending the event) and can be pruchased online via:

Thank you to our generous Prize Donors: Lina Rooftop, Verve Portraits, Studio Pilates Clayfield, Footpoint Podiatry, New Farm Seafood, Edito Boutique James Street, Studio Pilates Nundah, Studio Pilates Clayfield and Comuna Cantina Newstead.

Tickets for the 2026 Past Student Awards Dinner are on sale

Join us for an inspirational evening to hear the journeys of this year's Past Student Award winners, Professor Catherine Greenhill (’87), Natalie Charlton (’12), and Magie James nee Leung (’72) as we celebrate their outstanding achievements.

We invite you to join us with your daughters to hear from and celebrate inspirational St Margaret's women who have made outstanding contributions to our society and achieved great success in their chosen field.

Event Details

Date:                    Wednesday 25 March 2026
Time:                    Pre-dinner drinks and canapes at 6.30pm
                              Dinner at 7.00pm (including Awards presentation)
Venue:                  Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's AGS
Tickets:                $99 adult, $69 student

Please purchase your tickets .

For enquiries please contact the Development and Community Office on (07) 3862 0767 or email developmentandcommunity@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

Join us for a PWN Breakfast with Clare Stewart, CEO, Youngcare – final tickets remaining

Real progress rarely comes from consensus. It happens when someone is prepared to challenge the status quo and build something better.

Clare Stewart understands this instinctively. At 23, following a catastrophic accident, she was told she would never walk again. She defied her prognosis, and went on to practice as a barrister, become the first female Mayor of Noosa, and today leads Youngcare as CEO with authenticity and lived experience. Youngcare was founded on the same principal, where four friends refused to accept a system that placed young Australians with high care needs into aged care. Twenty years on, Youngcare has delivered 20 purpose-built homes across Queensland and New South Wales, distributed $12.3 million in grants, and supported more than 73,000 people - a scalable model in one of the country’s most highly regulated sectors.

Today, one in six Australians lives with disability - directly impacting talent pipelines, procurement, ESG strategy and community expectations. As Queensland accelerates toward 2032 with a bold inclusion agenda, early adopters will hold the competitive edge.

Join us as Clare shares insights into Youngcare’s growth and learn how your organisation can embed practical inclusive practices into your operations to strengthen performance and stay competitive. 

Time:                    6:45am arrival for 7:00am-8:45am 
Date:                     Friday 27 March, 2026
Venue:                  Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's Anglican Girls School
Format:                Sit down breakfast with grab and go barista coffee on arrival 
Tickets:                 $90 adults, $55 students (Years 10 to 12/tertiary)
Corporate tables: $850 (10 seats), includes company logo displayed on table and acknowledgement during event. 

To purchase tickets or a corporate table:

We thank our series sponsors, Major Sponsor: Pitcher Partners. Supporting Sponsors: Wolff Coffee Roasters, Clear Insurance.

Can’t join us for PWN 1?

We look forward to hosting several exceptional leaders as guest speakers and panellists in 2026. You can secure tickets for one these events by clicking here.

• PWN 2: Thursday 14 May with guest speaker, Peta Bistany (née Dee) (’86), Specialist Advisor, International Sports Expansion (London); Board Member, Great Ormond Street Hospital
• PWN 3: Wednesday 26 August, Panel - Urban Transformation ahead of 2032
• PWN 4: Thursday 29 October with guest speaker, Chelsey Drake, Chair, Allens | Member, Australian Government Takeovers Panel

ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s Fathers’ Dinner – ticket sales close soon

The ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s P&F Association invites all fathers and father figures to the ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s Fathers’ Dinner, featuring guest speaker, Wally Lewis AM.

Date:     Friday 13 March 2026
Time:    6:30pm arrival for 7:00pm start
Venue:  Rivershed at Howard Smith Wharves  
Cost:     $229 per person - includes a meal and drinks package for the evening.
Tables:  Maximum table capacity is 10 people. Seating requests can be made by nominating a Table Captain or Year Group at the time of booking. Best efforts will be made to meet any requests.

Tickets are available here:  (until Wednesday 25 February 2026, unless sold out prior).

This event is proudly supported by Supporting Sponsor: Morgans.

Wine tree raffle – can you help?

The wine tree is back for the 2026 Fathers’ Dinner and the P&F need your help!

Do you have a nice bottle of wine sitting at home looking for a great cause to be donated to? Don’t have a bottle to donate but would like to help with a gift voucher? If so, the P&F Association would love to hear from you.

You can choose to donate anonymously or have your name displayed with your contribution. On the night of the Fathers’ Dinner, all the wine will be offered via a live auction.

If you can help us grow the tree and donate a bottle (or two), please email p&f@stmargarets.qld.edu.au with details of the wine so we can update the tree.

Donations can be delivered to the Development and Community Office by a parent or guardian between the hours of 9am and 4pm during the school week. Please note that students are not permitted to deliver wine tree donations.

If you would like additional information, please contact the P&F Association via p&f@stmargarets.qld.edu.au or (07) 3862 0825.

Parents & Friends Association AGM

NOTICE is given that the Annual General Meeting of the ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s P&F Association Inc. will be held on the following date and time:

Date: Tuesday 17 March 2026
Time: 6.30pm to 8.00pm (followed by light refreshments)
Location: Arts Centre Foyer, St Margaret's 

RSVP:

There is also an option to join this meeting remotely via Microsoft Teams for those unable to attend the meeting in person.

At this meeting, the P&F will accept nominations for the P&F Executive and Committee. Principal Ros Curtis AM will also provide an update on the ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s Master Plan and Strategic Plan.

The P&F warmly welcomes new volunteers to join the P&F Management Committee or to assist with the organisation of P&F events. To nominate for the P&F Management Committee, please complete a  by Tuesday 3 March 2026.

Lara Pickering