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Inevitably, at the end of a term there will be some changes in timetable as staff members leave and return from leave.

We welcome back from leave at the beginning of Term 2, Sarah Pinder (Maths and Accounting); Grace Shepherd (English and Drama) and Helen Lobegeiger (Head of Faculty – HPE). Thank you to Suzy Edwards who acted in the Head of Faculty role in Term 1. Teachers Flynn Lynam (Business and HPE) and Craig Berry (Economics and Business) will be leaving us at the end of term, and we are grateful for their contributions to ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s. We wish them well in their future endeavours.

When students return to the school in Term 2, the new primary playground, the Adventure Forest, should be completed or almost completed (dependent on the weather).

We have now completed our term dates for 2027, and for those planning their holidays in advance, a draft of the 2027 Term Dates is on our website.

I hope you all have a happy and peaceful Easter break, and I look forward to the students returning to classes for Term 2 on Tuesday 21 April.

Ros Curtis

I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the hard work, determination, and commitment I have seen your daughters demonstrate throughout the past term. Over the holidays, I encourage you to spend some time reflecting with them on their achievements, challenges, and areas for growth.

We are constantly reminded of the value of reflective practice, and I have found myself doing much reflection over the past few weeks. Reflection is a powerful driver of positive change and purposeful action. For both teachers and learners, it is the key to successful learning—the ability to consider what we do, why and how we do it, and to adapt and develop our habits accordingly. As we move into Term 2, I encourage all students to continue developing the skills of lifelong learners by reflecting on and reinforcing the positive habits and skills fostered during Term 1.

As we approach the Easter holidays, it is also important to remember that holidays serve a very real psychological purpose. School holidays are recognised in child development research as important circuit breakers from the constant social interaction and cognitive stimulation that school environments provide.

Holidays should allow for quiet, unstructured time where—through creative play, personal choice, solitude, the escapism of reading, and informal activity—children can make sense of their school experiences and of their developing understanding of life and their place within it.

If you are fortunate to spend time with your children during the holidays, try to organise only some—not all—of their time.

I look forward to seeing all the girls refreshed and re‑energised as we begin Term 2 with renewed vigour.

Have a safe, happy, and holy Easter.

Nicole Devlin

At our Ash Wednesday service we launched the 40 days of gratitude challenge for Lent. This challenge was taken up by so many people in our community in different ways, by students, staff, families and members of school council.

At our assemblies, the Year 12 leaders began each assembly with a sentence of gratitude. These moments lifted our collective school spirit and turned us outward toward one another in gratitude and compassion. I pray that each of you will have a peaceful Easter, knowing that you are loved (beyond your imagining) by God. Please see below Holy Week/Easter Service times for some of the local parishes.

St Mark’s Anglican Church, Clayfield
103 Bonney Ave, Clayfield QLD 4011

St Alban’s Anglican Church, Wilston
47 Lovedale St, Wilston QLD 4051

St Augustine’s Anglican Church, Hamilton
56 Racecourse Rd, Hamilton QLD 4007

Much gratitude,
Rev’d Jazz

While boarders and day students share classes and extracurricular activities, their daily routines differ significantly. Boarders live on campus, managing structured routines, communal living, and independence away from home, while day students return to their families each evening. This weekend tradition provides an opportunity for day girls to immerse themselves in the boarding lifestyle, fostering empathy and appreciation for the experiences of their boarding peers who live many kilometres away.

For day students, a weekend at a boarder’s home can be an eye-opening experience. ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s boarding community is home to students from diverse backgrounds, including those from rural and regional areas, international students, and First Nations students. This weekend exchange provides a meaningful opportunity for day girls to learn more about different cultures, traditions, and perspectives, enriching their own worldviews.

The Boarder/Day Girl Long Weekend is a testament to ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s commitment to inclusivity, friendship, and community spirit. It highlights the importance of shared experiences and the value of stepping into each other’s worlds. By participating in this tradition, day girls and boarders alike walk away with cherished memories, strengthened friendships, and a deeper appreciation for the unique boarding experience.

We encourage all day students to embrace this wonderful opportunity and spend the weekend with a boarder. It’s a chance to experience something new and become part of a tradition that continues to make ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s a truly special place for all students.

Gracemere Mataia

The holidays are also an important time to relax and recharge. Recharging is crucial for building resilience as it allows us to replenish our physical, emotional and mental resources after a period of stress or depletion. Just like a battery needs to be recharged to continue functioning optimally, we also need to recharge to maintain our overall wellbeing and function at our best. Recharging can take many forms, such as engaging in activities that bring joy, practicing self-care, getting enough sleep, eating healthy food, and taking breaks to relax and recharge. When we prioritise recharging, we can enhance our resilience, improve our ability to cope with challenges, and reduce the risk of burnout.

These holidays, you will find me spending time with family, reading books and exercising outside. I hope that you are able to find time for the activities that will recharge you.

Caitlin McCluskey

“It is ultimately your motivation that will determine your outcome – not teachers, parents or those around you” – Charli Spies, ’25.

Bookings are now open through Parent Lounge until 5:00pm Friday 10 April.

Please note that bookings cannot be made for the following subjects:

• Form Class or Academic Advising
• Years 9 & 10 HPE (core)
• Year 7 Music
• Years 7 to 9 Literacy Boost
• Years 7 to 9 Numeracy Boost
• Years 7 & 8 Digital Design
• Years 7 to 10 On Being Human

Holiday Downtime

As we commence the Easter holidays, it is important to recognise their value in maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle - not just for students, but for teachers and families as well.

Research highlights that unstructured time is essential for a child's cognitive, emotional, and social development. The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) emphasises the importance of downtime in fostering creativity, problem-solving skills and emotional resilience. Additionally, studies suggest that having space away from structured schedules allows adolescents to develop autonomy, practice decision-making, and engage in self-directed learning – key skills for success in both academic and personal growth.

Holidays provide students with the opportunity to step away from routines, deadlines and academic expectations, allowing them to process their learning and experiences. When given time for personal choice, solitude, reading for pleasure and informal activities, students can reflect on their school experiences and their evolving sense of self. Dr Peter Gray, a research professor at Boston College, argues that independent, unstructured time is crucial for young people to develop confidence, independence, and the ability to navigate the complexities of adolescence.

Wishing all ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s families a safe, happy and holy Easter.

Chris Dunn

Adaptability enables students to embrace uncertainty and innovate. Darwin’s insight applies here: “It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.” (Darwin, n.d.).

At ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s, we foster adaptability through inquiry-based learning, technology integration, and growth mindset practices—preparing students for success in an unpredictable future. When students learn to see change as an opportunity rather than a threat, they develop resilience and creativity—skills that will serve them throughout life.

Lifelong learning is not just about formal education; it is about curiosity, openness, and the willingness to grow. By instilling these qualities, we empower our students to thrive in any environment, ready to lead and innovate in a world that never stands still.

References

Drucker, P. F. (n.d.). Lifelong learning quote. Retrieved from https://quotessayings.net/topics/lifelong-learning/

Darwin, C. (n.d.). Adaptability quote. Retrieved from https://www.goodwin.edu/enews/adaptability-quotes/

Wishing you all a happy and holy Easter

Easter reminds us of the power of compassion, resilience, and community—values that guide everything we do at ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s.

May this time bring peace to your hearts, joy to your homes, and a renewed sense of purpose as we continue to nurture confident, capable, and campassionate young women.

Nikki Townsend

Congratulations to the following houses who placed overall Bede 1^st , Lawson 2^nd and Spenser 3^rd place.  Surtees Cup placings were Chaucer 1^st, Spenser 2^nd and Bede 3^rd place. 

As we head into the Easter holidays this week, a period which provides a wonderful chance to spend time as a family and be grateful for all that we have, we should note this is not always the case for everyone. Thanks to primary families for their overwhelming donations of Easter eggs for children in foster care. This simple act of giving speaks volumes to those receiving and sends an important message to your child.

As you head into the holidays, I encourage you to use this time to have your child read and write.Spend time reading aloud together, take time to share your love of reading; these simple acts send a positive message. While doing so, engage in conversation: chat about the story, the words, the values and the ideas.  Encourage your child to keep a holiday diary, write emails/letters.

Look for opportunities to share everyday mathematical experiences, recite tables daily, play board games, read recipes and cook.  Harness other learning opportunities, visit galleries, museums, parks, go for a hike, see a movie, get sand between your toes, make, create and TALK.

With gratitude I share a heartfelt thank you to the Primary staff for their dedication and commitment throughout this successful first term. The girls are truly fortunate to have such supportive and inspiring adults in their lives. Together, with all the enriching experiences offered this term, the staff have provided each child with valuable opportunities to develop attributes that will support them on their journey through life.

I wish everyone a safe and Holy Easter break and encourage families to share in gratitude as we make the most of the time shared together.

Angela Drysdale

This enables the girls to spend their lunchtime conversing and playing with one another and reduces the distractions and temptations that mobile phones can hold. Once the school day finishes, the girls can access their phones, but as long as they are on school grounds, in school uniform or engaged in school activities, our policies still apply; students are not to take any images or footage of themselves or peers in uniform, the school’s location is not to be tagged and their devices should remain in their bags while they are engaged in any training or extracurricular activities. As is the case during the school day, these sessions should be spent immersed in the activities run by our staff and external providers, making the most of the social benefits of such pursuits as team sports and clubs. The presence of phones only serves to detract from the potential to establish and strengthen friendships and social connections.

Over the holidays you may encounter some challenges in relation to phone use and dependence. To strengthen the home-school partnership, the more aligned with school policies that the approaches adopted at home are, the better. Please encourage your daughters to consider their face-to-face interactions with their friends when they use their devices at home, especially over extended holiday periods.

With the social media age restrictions now in place, many of the apps available which have previously been the catalyst for socially unacceptable behaviours, are now no longer to be used by your daughters. We engage in eSafety programs and education about the appropriate use of digital platforms and technology is part of our pastoral care program with the help of providers such as Safe on Social and Open Parachute. We need families on board to assist with encouraging prosocial behaviours, especially as you navigate your way through the recently imposed social media delay restrictions.

To find out more and get the most up to date information to support your conversations and in establishing boundaries with your daughters, visit the website. Together, we can enhance and improve the social aspects of your daughter’s education by promoting the benefits of authentic, in person interaction and engagement as the most meaningful way to take their friendships into secondary school and beyond. For further information on our policies surrounding mobile phone use and technology, please see the Primary Parent Information Guide on . We wish you and your daughters a social, safe and happy holidays.

Annette Box

Mega Band

Congratulations to all girls who participated in the Mega Band event that was facilitated by St John’s Anglican College, bringing band students together from around South East Queensland in attempt to create a record for Australia’s largest school aged concert band. Whilst we are yet to hear as to whether a record was created, it was still a wonderful experience for our band students to meet other musicians from schools around South East Queensland and have fun performing together in a massed ensemble in the QSAC stadium. Thank you to all those who organised the event!

Music Support Group News:

Help Us Bring a World-Class Steinway to Life

We are on an exciting journey to raise funds for a beautiful Steinway Piano for our new performing arts complex and we are approaching the halfway mark! We would love your support to help us reach the finish line. As part of our upcoming Classics in the Cathedral event, we are seeking raffle prize donations to make the experience even more special. We welcome contributions of all kinds, including:

• Music-themed items
• Gift vouchers
• Unique experiences
• Restaurant vouchers
• Or a monetary donation to help us create an incredible prize.

Every donation, big or small, brings us one step closer to filling our space with the rich, inspiring sound of a Steinway. If you’d like to be part of something truly special, please get in touch with Amy James (amy@njames.com or 0425 333 329). Thank you for helping us create something extraordinary for our community.

Churchie and St Margaret's Music Afternoon support

In preparation for the Churchie/St Margaret's Music Afternoon on Thursday 30 April for Stradivari Strings and Jackson Wind Ensemble, the Music Support Group are seeking the support of parent volunteers for the afternoon tea. If you would be available to provide fruit or home bake, or volunteer your time to support, please signup via this link - 

Meeting dates

The next meeting dates for Term 2 are listed below. All primary and secondary parents are welcome. Meetings will be held in the Canopy Café at 5:00pm.

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

Brad King

AFL Seniors – Ivy Y & Annie L

Cricket – Sienna B & Caitlin M

Artistic Gymnastics – Adi W & Sophie B

Swimming – Lucy S, Samara H & Ruby G

Water Polo – Amelia H & Taylah N

This week, our artistic gymnasts competed in the 60^th QGSSSA Artistic Gymnastic Championships at Clayfield College. Congratulations to all our gymnasts who trained for the duration of the term at Delta Gymnastics, Kedron and then competed so well on the day. Congratulations to Chloe D who tied in first place in the Open grade vault apparatus. St Margaret's all round results were as follows:

Thank you to our coordinators Ms Patrice Chappell and Ms Talia O’Callaghan for your assistance throughout the season and also to the coaching team at Delta Gymnastics, Kedron for your continued support of St Margaret's Artistic Gymnastics program.

A reminder to all families that students should be bringing student ID cards to all trainings and fixtures for bus travel. If you have misplaced your card, please visit school support for a new one.

Congratulations to all our students who have been trialling and competing at both City District and Met North over the term. We are currently collecting information and looking forward to providing details to our wider community during next term.

Over the upcoming holidays, a number of our students will be competing in a number of state and national competitions across a variety of sports including Swimming, Athletics, Water Polo and Artistic Gymnastics. The following students will be swimming in the Australia Age Championships from 11-18 April at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre. At these championships, these students will be representing their respective clubs.

Also over the holidays, the sports office staff will be running a number of opportunities for students including rowing sessions, the annual Cross Country Camp on the Gold Coast and a Netball Camp held here on school campus for both primary and secondary students.

The Secondary Interhouse Cross Country will be held on the first day of Term 2 at Crosby Park. Secondary students should wear House uniforms, bring their lunch, sunscreen, Panama hats, water bottles and plenty of St Margaret's spirit.

I wish all our families a very happy and safe Easter! I look forward to seeing you all back for Term 2 sport.

For the latest sport news and information please check out the following Secondary School Sport POD Pages:

• Basketball (Autumn Sport) - (
• Soccer (Autumn Sport) - (
• Touch Football (Autumn Sport) - (
• Cross Country -
• Club Netball -

Anne Louise Williams

Blazer Orders

Students who placed an order for a school blazer at the end of last year will be notified as soon as stock arrives. At this stage, our supplier has advised that delivery is expected between 30 March and 15 April, subject to current transport conditions.

Winter Uniform Items

Winter uniform stock is beginning to arrive, and we are pleased to advise that the following items are now available for purchase:

• Formal jumper (poly/cotton and wool/nylon options)
• Pre‑Prep/Prep fleecy tracksuit
• School tracksuit jacket and pants
• School scarf
• Winter tights – ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s Brown

Years 7 to 12

For additional warmth during early morning and/or late afternoon training sessions, the new ¼â€‘zip training jacket is now available. Please note that no other garment may be worn with the school tracksuit to training sessions, other than the approved ¼â€‘zip training jacket. We encourage families to visit the Supplies Shop early to secure the best fit.

Blazer Pocket Embroidery

Blazers requiring pocket embroidery must be submitted by morning tea on Thursdays. Please allow approximately two to three weeks for embroidery to be completed before items are returned to the Supplies Shop for collection.

Tickets will be available to you to purchase online from 9.30am Tuesday 28 April 2026, or from 9.30am Monday 27 April for Year 12 and Boarding families.

Event Details

Date: Thursday 18 June 2026

Time: 6:45am for a 7:00am start. Concludes at 8:00am

Venue: Circular Drive and Arts Centre Terraces

ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s Plus Mentoring Program: Term 1 in Review

This term, 41 mentoring sessions were conducted between Year 12 students and their alumni mentors, helping them understand their next steps after graduation at the end of this year. The most talked about topics included college applications, best study advice, the gap year debate and how to gain work experience.

Some of the latest mentors to join the ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿’s Plus Mentoring Program include:

• An acclaimed mezzo-soprano
• An internationally best-selling author
• A leading Australian cancer researcher and academic

However, the Program is always in need of more Mentors, and we are currently looking for Old Girls from the following fields:

• Astrophysics
• Event Planning/Management
• Acting/Drama

If you know of any Old Girls that may be interested in joining the program, please contact Lizzie Fowler, Relationships and Mentoring Manager, via email Mentoring@stmargarets.qld.edu.au.

A survey was recently shared with the Class of 2025 graduates regarding their experience in the Mentoring Program. The following feedback was provided:

“I would highly recommend that students join the mentoring program, as it provides valuable insight into potential career paths and helps them determine whether a particular field is right for them. It offers a clearer understanding of what their future could look like beyond high school, allowing them to make more informed decisions about their goals and aspirations.”

“I would say to just join the program because you'll never know the value of it unless you are involved. I wouldn't have felt as confident going into this year as I do without my mentor because my degree is a bit left field, but my mentor showed me an example of a job that I could pursue. “

“I would suggest that the Year 12 students join the mentoring program as it would give them clarity on what they want to do, offer them support, and give them the opportunity to strengthen their network.”

Do you have a daughter in Year 12 that hasn’t signed up yet? It’s not too late! Students are able to sign up via the ‘Apply Here!’ button on .

PWN Breakfast Series

PWN 2 to be held on Thursday 14 May, featuring guest speaker, Peta Bistany (nee Dee ’86), Sports Consultant and former Executive Director of the Premier League, has now sold out. However, we still have two more excellent events planned for Terms 3 and 4. Tickets are available for PWN 3 and 4 now!

• PWN 3: Wednesday 26 August, Panel - Urban Transformation and Business Opportunities ahead of 2032
• PWN 4: Thursday 29 October with guest speaker, Chelsey Drake, Chair, Allens | Member, Australian Government Takeovers Panel

To purchase tickets or a corporate table:

We thank our series sponsors, Major Sponsor: Pitcher Partners. Supporting Sponsors: Wolff Coffee Roasters, Clear Insurance, Resource Innovations, and The Bathhouse Albion.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for the PWN Series. If your company is looking for an opportunity to support and empower women in business and education, connect with Brisbane’s corporate community, host clients or staff for professional development and hear from inspiring leaders in a variety of industries, please contact the Development and Community Office via (07) 3862 0822 or developmentandcommunity@stmargarets.qld.edu.au. 

Thank you to you all for supporting the school and our students in this term. Whether it has been through making a donation to support needs-based bursaries or the Capital Campaign for the new , sponsoring an event through your business, donating a raffle or auction prize or volunteering, we greatly appreciate your time, enthusiasm and support.

Wishing you a safe and happy Easter break.

Lara Pickering