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well RED
December 2011
Mentone Girls’ Grammar School Magazine
interActive.learning@mentone
Contents
Message from The Principal
1
Council News
2
Student Leadership
3
The Future Looks Bright
4–5
Women of the World
6–7
Remarkable Women7
interActive.learning@mentone
8–9
Creativity Calls
10 – 11
Foundation
12 – 13
Adventures in the Great Outdoors
14 – 15
Sporting Chance
16 – 17
BIGger than ART
18 – 19
Parents' Association
20 – 21
Old Girls' Club
22 – 24
Remarkable Women25
WAVES of Success
We were, once again, delighted to see our Mentone Girls feature
among the best students in Victoria. The quality results from the VCE
Class of 2010 are a reflection of the hard work put in by students, their
teachers and parents over many years. We are particularly delighted
to see that most of our students achieved or surpassed their personal
expectations which are not always reflected in an ATAR score.
Mentone Girls' Grammar School
is an official International
Baccalaureate (IB) World School
authorised to teach the inquirybased learning method of the IB
Primary Years Program (PYP).
Highlights from the Class of 2010 are:
 Dux for 2010 is Judy Chow who achieved an ATAR of 99.75
 Dux Secundus is Deborah Barber with an ATAR of 99.7
 4% of the class are in the top 1% of the state with ATARs of 99+
 25% of the class are in the top 5% of the state with ATARs of 95+
 42% of the class are in the top 10% of the state with ATARs of 90+
 66% of the class are in the top 20% of the state with ATARs of 80+
Contributions to well RED
The editor welcomes contributions from
the Mentone Girls’ Grammar School
community. Please send articles via email
to wellred@mentonegirls.vic.edu.au
and ensure that any photographs are
sent at the resolution of 300dpi. We will
endeavour to include information provided
to us in the next edition of well RED,
however we do not guarantee publication.
Message from The Principal
interActive.learning@mentone
Welcome to the 2011 edition of well RED. As you look through
the pages of this Magazine, you will see evidence of many bold
and authentic 'interactions' between students, staff, parents, our
School Council, alumnae and our wider community. As a school,
we are privileged to be a community where being interactive
is encouraged and where we all work with a common WAVES
philosophy – to support the Wellbeing, Achievement, Values,
Enterprise and Success of our Mentone Girls and to contribute to
the development of remarkable women in our Australian society.
Every year, I am thrilled to see our students going out of their
comfort zone to connect, communicate and share information.
In many ways, we challenge them to be very 'Active' with their
learning, taking every opportunity available through and beyond
our School, (hence our title for this year’s Magazine). This emphasis
on being active is particularly vital for girls as they make their
transition to womanhood. They need the impetus to interact,
as well as sensitive guidance, encouragement and the tools to
overcome self-doubt and to 'take the next step'. How they
interact in mind, body and spirit, with all that is offered through
our School, is critical to their development as young leaders.
As Principal, a major part of my role is to create the right
environments for this to occur. In fact, a number of different
interconnected 'environments' come into play: in our physical
surroundings, we have been doing much work in developing
different kinds of learning spaces required for current and future
Mentone Girls. These are to ensure that all our students have
the facilities they need to give them a sense of ownership and
belonging, to provide flexibility and encourage collaboration and
creativity, and to make learning visible. The new Media Design
Suite and the Year 7 & 8 Creative Learning Centre are two of
our most recent additions, and we are constantly improving and
refining facilities to ensure they support our innovative educational
approaches and suit the particular needs of girls.
This enhancement of our physical environment is in advance of
the next big structural change for all Australian schools – the
introduction of the Australian Curriculum. In addition to the
traditional key learning areas, there are cross-curricular priorities
which highlight the uniqueness of Australian education: Engaging
with Asia, Sustainability and developing understandings of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. You will read about
how we have already been providing opportunities for our students
to interact with their peers and learn through these cross-curricular
concepts. The new Curriculum also includes general capabilities in
literacy, numeracy, critical and creative thinking, ethical behaviour,
personal and social competence and intercultural understanding,
as well as competence in technology (ICT).
Creating the right environment in the 'virtual' world of technology
is critical. The rise of powerful digital learning tools, combined
with seamless connectivity across our School, has us moving in the
direction of even greater interactive online learning opportunities
and responsibilities. You will see many examples of students and staff
utilising a host of digital tools and technologies as both a natural and a
creative extension of teaching and learning. Doing this within a moral
framework that aligns with our School values is an essential element
of these interactions. With our ongoing emphasis on wellbeing, we
are also aware of the challenges of interacting in a digital world – the
feeling of information overload, the 'busyness', the sense of being out
of control. Author William Powers in his book, Hamlet’s BlackBerry 1
suggests that these challenges are not new. “The connective impulse
is central to who we are. But it’s the return trip, back to the self and
the life around us, that gives our screen time value and meaning.”
As important as the physical and virtual learning environments are
to our Mentone education, ensuring that our students can at times
“disconnect” to make the “return trip back to the self” drives us
to consider the most important environment – the personal one.
This involves sustaining a school where values, positive attitudes
and behaviours support authentic interactions amongst human
beings, leading to a world where people can live peaceful, happy,
productive lives.
In my recent studies at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in
Boston, USA, I collaborated virtually, and in person, with experts on
school leadership and my global peers to examine effective strategies
for leading successful schools. It was clear from that experience that
being able to interact with others successfully, through amazing
diversity and in many different capacities, is an essential skill for our
students’ future, a skill that is 'lifelong and life-wide'.
The way in which our students and community members interact,
the way in which they value and respect themselves, others and
their environments, the way in which they show appreciation and
acceptance of the remarkable diversity of their peers must reflect
our School Mission, even when no one is looking. Our students
and staff 'aspire to excellence (not perfection), make a difference
(by serving others), and rise boldly (with determination and
courage)'. This is what makes our School so successful. Our staff
model it, our students believe it, and our results prove it.
This publication showcases the wonderful interactive learning
experiences our Mentone Girls enjoy. Thank you for your contribution –
through encouragement, through mentorship, through sharing
your perspectives. This inspires our students, propels them to be
interactive, and gives our School its fine reputation.
Mrs Fran Reddan
Principal
1
William Powers (2010). Hamlet's BlackBerry: Building a Good Life in the Digital
Age. Harper Perennial. (p.6)
1
Council News
Keeping our feet on the ground
Six years ago I came onto the Mentone Girls’ Grammar School
Council. This was an era pre iPad, iPhone and the Facebook
phenomenon. It is amazing to think that so much advancement
in technology has taken place in such a short time. Learning and
technology are now at the heart of any contemporary school
curriculum, and as a School Council, we understand that the heart
of interactive learning is not in what you see but how it is applied.
As a school we may be going wireless and virtual, but our feet
are still firmly on the ground so we can ensure the best possible
education for our remarkable Mentone Girls.
Hardware vs Software
Building a cutting edge learning environment for our School
is not an easy task. It requires financial resources, leadership
in educational thinking and application, and above all forward
planning. Interactive learning is not about all students having the
latest technology, but about how students and teachers apply the
latest technology to our curriculum. With our Business Assets and
Infrastructure Strategy, we adopted the following key philosophies:
1. IT Imbedded into Curriculum
As a school, our staff need to be at the forefront of leading and
developing our curriculum, while at the same time imbedding
interactive learning across our programs.
2. IT Savvy Buildings
All school buildings need to have an ability to install and adopt
interactive learning into their sub structures. This has been the
central feature of the VCE Centre, Cobbalanna, the Early Learning
Centre (ELC), the new Year 7 & 8 Creative Learning Centre (pictured),
and the soon to be scoped, Year 9 & 10 Learning Centre.
3. Staff IT Curriculum Leaders
Our staff must not only imbed interactive learning into our School;
they need to be at the forefront of teaching their peers how it
applies to the latest curriculum advancements. I am proud to say
that this is where we excel. From our Junior PYP to all aspects of
our K-12 program, our staff are running seminars, writing articles,
or indeed showcasing our approach on a local and global stage.
5. Ensure Continuous Evolvement
Investing in technology that will soon be obsolete is a wasted
resource. Hence our budgeting disciplines focus on an ‘IT
Evolution’ approach where we aim to maximise the educational
return on investment whilst not locking our staff, parents or
students into fixed term IT assets or infrastructure. This allows
the School to be flexible, responsive and able to respond quickly
to interactive advancements whilst not being burdened by long
term commitments to hardware or software providers.
What you don’t see...
Much of what takes place in the development of interactive
learning is unseen. It is the research our staff undertake into the
latest software providers and hardware advancements, and how
this can be applied more effectively to the way our girls are taught.
It is the long and involved in-service and planning sessions our
staff undertake to continue to be at the forefront of curriculum
development and advancement (something which requires no
prompting; it just forms part of the Mentone way).
Over the past six years as a Council, we have worked closely
with our staff to take a leading path with interactive learning. We
understand it is not about asking every parent to buy their daughter
a laptop, but infuse interactive learning into the curriculum; a founding
principle we are taking into the next exciting phase of our School.
At the time of writing this, the world has just learnt of the sad
passing of Steve Jobs, the co Founder of Apple. One of his
favourite quotes was, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader
and a follower.” What follows in this edition of well RED is a
wonderful example of how we at Mentone Girls’ Grammar School
are leading in the interactive learning space.
Mr David Stewart
President
4. Levies Dedicated to Enhancement
The levies our parents pay contribute to the development of
interactive learning. This is a central part of our budgeting and
planning year on year, where our approach is to ensure our
curriculum, and technology, continue to evolve. We understand that
curriculum enhancement is more than just the bricks and mortar a
subject is taught in, but also equally important is how it is taught.
Staff Farewells
2
This year we say farewell to several long standing staff members
who have been an important part of our School for many years.
Father Mick Potter has been our wonderful Chaplain for over 20
years and in that time has been at the heart of religious education
at our School. We thank him for the care and dedication he has
shown to our students and we wish him all the very best for his
retirement. Ms Jeny Wallace, who has been a teacher in our Junior
School for the past 14 years, will be leaving at the end of this year.
Jeny has done an incredible job as the co-ordinator of our Years 3 &
4 program. She has been such a positive influence on our School as
a whole and is very much loved by the students and staff. We thank
Jeny for her enthusiasm and passion for teaching, and the joy she has
given to so many students. Last, but not least, we say goodbye and
good luck to our energetic Vice Principal/Head of Senior School,
Mr Alan Jones. Alan has been with us for just over 5 years, and
has been an integral member of the School Executive and Senior
Management Team. He has been hugely influential in the success of
our Senior School in particular. Alan has a wonderful rapport with
students, staff and parents and he will be sorely missed. We are
delighted that Alan has enjoyed his journey with us, which has now
taken him to a new height in his career as he takes on the challenges
of the Deputy Headmaster position at Hutchins School in Hobart.
We wish Alan well in his future endeavours and very much look
forward to seeing him when he is back in Melbourne.
Student Leadership
The power of words
Thursday 9 September 2010, the prolific day the leadership
positions for the following year were announced to the VCE cohort,
and what I can undoubtedly say was the best day of my (short) life.
In my role as Head Girl this year, I’ve become overwhelmingly
perceptive to the dynamics of group psychology and the
true meaning of teamwork, most significantly in working with
Cassandra Neylan and Jessica Smith, two remarkable women for
whom I have the greatest respect.
I am a firm believer in the power of communication and its capacity to
influence an audience, and so every opportunity I was given to speak
to the other students, I embraced with the utmost seriousness. Out
of the 30 speeches I will have made this year, it never fails to astound
me how the nerves get me every time! The processional party would
be waltzing down the hall, and I’d be shaking in my school shoes, all
consumed with the hope that the speech I was about to give would
resonate with just one person, would impact upon the thinking of just
one individual – only then would I know that I had done my job.
A time to reflect
With my journey through school almost at an end and exams quickly
approaching, the past few weeks have become a time for reflection
upon my years at Mentone Girls’ Grammar School. Since commencing
at Mentone in 2006, I have been constantly surprised by the number
of fantastic opportunities we are presented with and the great
community spirit of the School; for Mentone has become a veritable
second family to me. In turn, these experiences have only been
heightened throughout my time in the Student Executive this year.
Working with the Senate has been one of my most enormous
privileges; I look at my peers from Years 7 to 12 and herald
their diplomacy and compassion, perpetually astounded by their
genuine leadership, sincerity, and so clear a sense of purpose for
people so young. If anything, I wish for my Senate team to know
how much they have inspired me, as much as I hope to have
motivated them.
My leadership role at Mentone has taught me to grip life’s podium
with both hands, to hold your head up and project what’s within, not
for oneself but with the intention to serve and inspire and protect
those who have put their faith in you. I’ve come to understand
that often we don’t realise our possibilities until a leader takes us
where we didn’t think we would or could ever go, and so with that
philosophy in mind, it has truly been my great honour to serve this
school in my capacity as Head Girl. I wish the new Head Girl, Xafina
Dendrinos, and her deputies, Bianca Pollock and Olivia Maccora,
the very best of luck in their leadership endeavours in 2012.
Catherine Gilford
Head Girl
Hence, it is through these experiences in the Student Executive that
I have newfound organisational skills, in being able to balance both
my school work and co-curricular activities. I have also gained many
new skills which will serve me well beyond my school life.
Cassandra Neylan
Deputy Head Girl
I have been presented with many fantastic opportunities, including
the Principal's Leadership Program for the Student Executive, through
which we have met several community leaders, including the Mayor
of the City of Kingston, Cr Ron Brownlees, and local Member of
Parliament, Ms Lorraine Wreford MLA, as well as being fortunate
enough to represent the School at a number of events. One of the
most moving events for me was when I was given the opportunity
to read the ANZAC Requiem at the Community ANZAC Day
Service at the Mentone RSL. It is difficult to describe how privileged
I felt being trusted, not only to represent our School, but also to
participate in what is a very important event for all Australians.
However, the highlight of 2011 was organising the VCE Ball.
Although there were a few very stressful moments along the way, it
was all worth it when we stood up on the night and saw how much
fun everyone was having and that ultimately, the Ball was a success.
An amazing journey
It’s difficult to even comprehend the multitude and variety of
opportunities and experiences that Mentone has allowed me to
be a part of over the years – after over a decade here, it’s hard
not to get a little nostalgic. I’ve been to so many amazing places,
met hundreds of lovely and inspiring people, and learnt about
anything and everything from algebra to event management
and leadership. I have gradually evolved from a little girl into an
independent and free-thinking young woman.
Undertaking the role of Deputy Head Girl this year has been a
fantastic challenge. There’s something special about feeling as
Principal, Mrs Fran Reddan (standing), with Ms Lorraine Wreford MLA,
State Member for Mordialloc (sitting), together with,
Catherine Gilford, Jessica Smith and Cassandra Neylan (L to R).
though you really have the ability to bring about change, even if
only at a local level. The lessons I have learnt and the skills I have
developed won’t be forgotten, and I am sure they will prove to be
invaluable time and time again. I wish the new 2012 Executive the
best of luck and know that they will be extraordinary!
I’m so thankful for every year of my schooling here and all the people
who have taught and inspired me in their own unique way. I can now
face my future and the next chapter of my life with the knowledge that
I have had the best experience at Mentone that I could ever hope for.
To everyone who has been a part of my amazing journey – thank you.
Jessica Smith
Deputy Head Girl
3
The Future Looks Bright
STEMming the flow
According to the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Research
on Gender in Science and Engineering program in the USA,
as many girls as boys have a positive attitude towards Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in their early
school years. Unfortunately something starts to happen as girls
progress through Junior School. The persistence of often negative
stereotypes about women in Science starts to turn girls off. By
Year 8, boys are twice as interested in STEM careers compared
with girls. The female attrition continues throughout secondary
school, university and even the work force. Women with STEM
higher education degrees are twice as likely to leave a scientific
or Engineering job as men with comparable STEM degrees.
At Mentone Girls’ Grammar School, we are working to stem the
flow of young women out of STEM careers. We are working to
positively influence our students and create a culture of excellence
in STEM studies from the very early years to VCE and beyond.
During 2011, students in Years 11 and 12 were inspired by Principal
Researcher, Dr Lynn Corcoran and her PhD students from the
Year 5 Invention Convention
4
As part of their Unit of Inquiry, ‘How the World
Works’, which has the central idea ‘Creative and
Scientific Thinking has Improved our Lives’,
our Year 5s once again amazed us with their
enterprising skills. They spent around one month
creating, designing, planning and building a wide
variety of simple machines, games and inventions
to find solutions for common everyday problems,
from messy drawers and fussy pets, to chilly toes
in the middle of the night. All of the students
tackled the creative design process with confidence
and enthusiasm, and it was incredible to see them
share their inventor’s journey with other students
and their parents. We congratulate all of our Year
5s on their clever and imaginative inventions that
have certainly improved our lives.
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI), during the inaugural Science
Breakfast. Over some tasty delights, discussions focused on the
benefits of Science careers, and the study pathways required.
The WEHI students, who were all at different stages of their PhD
programs, from those who had just started, to those about to
embark upon Post Doctoral positions overseas, spoke animatedly
about their scientific journeys to date. Dr Corcoran (pictured below
left, second left) discussed her own pathway to becoming a Principal
Researcher at WEHI, as well as the challenges of balancing life as a
mother with the competitive demands of a research scientist. This
incredible opportunity to meet with a variety of STEM professionals
will now be an annual event for all our Senior Science students.
We are also delighted to see one of our VCE students from the
Class of 2010 challenging STEM stereotypes. Belinda Pinskier not
only gained a place in an Engineering course at Monash University
for 2011, she also received a scholarship for her outstanding VCE
results. Monash University’s Faculty of Engineering celebrated
the achievements of their top students at the 2011 Engineering
Scholarship Celebration held in March this year. Principal, Mrs Fran
Reddan was delighted to attend the celebrations (pictured below
right, with Belinda and Dean of Engineering, Professor Tam Sridhar).
Good luck to all of our STEM trailblazers, past, present and future.
A passion for education
Having been educated in a girls’ school myself, I have been
passionate not only about education as a whole, but about
giving girls the best learning opportunities. I remember from my
own education that I never doubted that I could do whatever I
wanted in regard to a profession and I was encouraged to follow
my dreams. As a result I chose Science and became a Medical
Microbiologist at a major Melbourne Hospital. I realised while
pursuing this career that I wanted to share my knowledge and
experiences more broadly, so I entered the field of Education.
This extensive journey has now led me here to Mentone Girls’
Grammar School, where I am excited to share my passions with
the staff and students. As I greet the girls every morning, I see that
they are excited about what the day will bring and enthusiastic to
be with their friends. It is this sense of community, and enthusiasm
to learn, which makes this School such a wonderful place to be.
be creating the Year 5 Science and Technology Centre. Within
the framework of the PYP, students will be able to explore STEM
subjects through design, invention and experimentation. Specialist
Science classes will be run twice a week at Years 5 & 6 to supply
our students with a firm grasp of scientific concepts prior to
entering Senior School. We also have a partnership with Monash
University Faculty of Engineering, and their Engineering students
who will be coming to the School regularly to help our Mentone
girls in their pursuit of Science and Technology.
I am also excited to be working with such a talented, committed
and caring staff. As a team we will be focused on continually
providing best practice teaching for our students. In addition, all
staff are in the process of developing their knowledge within the
Australian Curriculum in Science, phonemic awareness in Literacy
and mindfulness in relation to wellbeing. The future in our Junior
School is certainly looking very bright indeed.
My vision for the Junior School is a simple one – to provide the
best possible educational foundation for our students. This begins
in our ELC where we will continue to immerse our younger girls
in diverse play-based activities within a safe and nurturing
environment. Expanding from this, I aim to further our
buddy program with Year 5 students, introduce ICT skills
and provide greater opportunities for parents to be
introduced and involved in the life of the School.
Ms Ann Mathers
Head of Junior School
For students in Prep to Year 6, my focus from 2012
onwards will be to promote excellence in Science,
Technology and Mathematics, as well as to further
strengthen our literacy programs, including Asia Literacy
through the implementation of Japanese at all year levels.
We are committed to helping students develop the
best possible literacy and numeracy skills, and a set
of iPads will be available to enhance our teaching and
learning in these areas.
As a whole school, we are also committed to
encouraging girls in the areas of Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). An extension
of this is the very exciting news that in 2012 we will
Genetics for Life
Senior Biology students took their learning to a new level when they spent the
day at the Genetic Technology Access Centre. As part of the Biology program,
students learn how to manipulate DNA, so it was on this visit they were able
to put this learning into practice.
Aequorea Victoria is a jellyfish found in Washington State that glows a
fluorescent green when exposed to UV light. This is due to a protein made
by the jellyfish’s DNA. This piece of DNA was removed from the jellyfish
and placed into a special circular vector, or carrier, called a Plasmid. Our
students were able to place this Plasmid into a bacteria cell to make it glow
fluorescent green. In doing this they were able to apply the principles of
how genes are expressed by cells. Learning Biology is not just theoretical;
it must be practical as well. Understanding how our genetic information
works gives us a greater understanding of the how and why of genetic
abnormalities. This can only be good for our future. By developing this
understanding, we not only further engage our students with the study of
Science and the need for ongoing commitment to scientific discovery, we also
help to make fundraising causes like ‘Jeans for Genes’ day, all the more meaningful.
5
Women of the World
We can all make a difference
Every day, we see wonderful examples of the compassion of our students
and their determination to make the world a better place. Zoe King (Year 4)
and older sister Victoria (Year 12), danced at the Dance for Cancer Initiative
concert to raise much needed funds for the Cancer Council. We are extremely
proud of Laura Fink (Year 3), who together with Mrs Julia Batiste, organised the
Random Acts of Kindness Day (ROK) during which students were encouraged
to be extra kind to at least three girls in their class, with ROK's displayed around
the School as an ongoing reminder that one act of kindness can make a huge
difference. Freya Wong (Year 8) has made her mark for the environment, winning
the City of Kingston’s ‘Design a Bag Competition’ for World Environment Day.
The competition involved students designing a slogan or picture that could be
reproduced on a reusable bag. Freya won the Secondary School division and
received a $100 gift voucher from aToMiK (Freya pictured right with Kingston
Mayor, Cr Ron Brownlees). She also won $250 worth of prizes for the School.
We also saw our community pull together to raise funds in support of Japanese
flood victims, and once again participate in Relay for Life, an important cancer awareness and fundraising campaign we have been participating in for
many years. These are just a few examples of how our students are living our Mission and "making a difference".
Japanese Girls’ Day celebrations
The Japanese Doll Festival, or Girls’ Day, is celebrated in March each year.
The Festival has been part of Japanese culture for over 800 years. Traditionally,
Japanese families display a set of Hina dolls and props in the house, wishing girls
healthy growth and happiness.
Our School has a long history of engagement with Japan and it was wonderful for
our Junior students to be able to share in this very special day. Students brought
along their favourite dolls or teddies, displayed pink ribbons in their hair and made
special badges just for girls. Throughout the day, students were able to appreciate
how special it is to be young women and to be educated in an all girls' environment.
Embracing diversity
Mentone Girls’ Grammar School has a long history of working
with the local community. For several years now, we have been
committed to the concept of Social Inclusion to help people
participate fully in Australian life. New Australians, many of whom
are refugees, are part of this program, and we continue to fundraise
for our Social Inclusion Project which helps to support a variety of
inclusion programs, as well as a scholarship for students who are of
refugee background. We have developed a partnership with AMES
(Adult Migrant Education Services) which has enabled our students
in Years 11 and 12 to meet and work with young adults who have
only been in Australia for a short time, many of whom have come
from perilous situations in their home countries.
6
This year, our students have been engaged in extensive discussions
relating to Australia’s immigration policy and Australian identity.
They also completed a series of six visits to AMES to connect
with the students there. In addition, a number of Year 12 students
participated in three water safety sessions for the AMES students
on Mentone Beach, which we ran with our long term partners, the
Mentone Life Saving Club. It is unfortunate that new Australians who
have not grown up with a ‘beach culture’ figure quite prominently in
Australia’s drowning statistics. Of the 20 students in the AMES class,
only one knew how to swim; the rest had never been in open water
or even a deep river. Despite the fact many did not possess any kind
of beach wear, they were all keen to participate in the range of water
activities and it was wonderful to see them have so much fun in a
safe and controlled environment. And of course, we ended the final
session with the great Aussie tradition of fish and chips on the beach!
Through this project we hope to promote Social Inclusion by
developing mutual understanding and greater intercultural
awareness. Feedback from our students to date suggests they
have found it very rewarding indeed.
Remarkable Women
International Women’s Day
On 8 March, the School community celebrated International Women’s
Day (IWD). It was wonderful to see the students and staff dressed
in the IWD colours of green, white and violet. The day began with
a special breakfast for each Senior student to share with their mother
or another special woman in their life. The celebratory Assembly
enabled the students to embrace the joy of the day, while also
encouraging students
to learn more about the
history and significance
of IWD. It is events
like this that enhance
the holistic education
our School provides
by promoting positive
female role models
and highlighting how
important women are
in making a difference
in our global village.
New Partner School in China
In October, Principal, Mrs Fran Reddan, signed an historic
partnership agreement with Principal, Song Liqin, from Huaxia
Girls' School in Beijing.
This partnership supports our focus on being “internationallyminded” and our emphasis on Asia Literacy. It opens the way to
provide our students and staff with opportunities for personal
growth, cultural knowledge and intercultural competence.
The visit by Principal Song (pictured below), together with three
of her senior staff, was a response to our invitation, given when
Mrs Reddan and Mrs Kay McCullough, Vice Principal (Teaching,
Learning & Innovation), visited their school. Both were enormously
impressed by the warmth of the welcome they received and the
amazing similarities with our educational priorities and approaches
towards educating girls.
Huaxia is the only girls'
school in Beijing, and
one of only a handful of
girls’ schools in China.
It has increasingly
become a focus of
attention for Beijing's
education authorities
because of its innovation
and leadership in girls’
education.
Principal Song and her team were very interested in all aspects of
our practice and were keen to be involved in the activities that they
observed. It was delightful to see their enthusiasm for our programs
and school culture. We have agreed to develop a program of cooperation that includes research on girls' education and reciprocal
visits of staff and students. There is a real commitment to cultivate
the sharing of our professional learnings, and friendship over the
coming years. This is a very exciting development for our School
and represents a wonderful opportunity to expand our staff and
students' understanding of a country whose fortunes are now
inextricably linked to our own in this globalised world.
Reena
Reena
Ghalani
Ghalani
1987
“I work in an
oganisation that
seeks human rights,
justice and peace.
This is the world I
want my children to
live and believe in.”
For Reena Ghalani, helping build a better world is more than just
a desirable ideal – it’s her job. This remarkable woman works
for the United Nations (UN) in Jerusalem on the occupied
Palestinian territories, and is living proof that we are closer than
we think to the security, human rights and humanitarian issues of
our global community.
Her impressive CV includes previous UN postings in Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Iran and Somalia. “I didn’t realise at
the time my dreams would take me so far beyond my doorstep,”
says Reena. “As a child of migrants, I was exposed to issues of
being different earlier than others and this influenced how I
thought about many issues.”
And now this Mentone Old Girl says she’s happy to share her
global perspective. “I would love to come and talk to the girls about
a career in international relations,” says Reena. “…I loved Mentone
Girls’ Grammar and have wonderful memories of the School.”
Reena’s first step from school led her to a Bachelor of Arts and a
Bachelor of Social Work before heading off for a year of backpacking
and, soon ended up in Nairobi working with the Australian High
Commission. “I had exposure to international organisations, to
refugee camps and a whole range of new options,” says Reena,
“and I had a job that I actually enjoyed getting out of bed for”.
Once Reena decided her dream was to work with the UN she
put all her energy into achieving it. “When you see something
clearly in sight, then finding a path to get there is easy… the hard
part is defining what it is you want.”
She returned to Australia and worked with the Australian Aid
section of Foreign Affairs on East Timor and commenced her
Master of International Law. After two years, this determined
Old Girl secured her first posting for the UN in Iran – and her
dream came true.
Now Reena is married, has a one year old son, Kian, and number
two on the way. “Becoming a mother has changed everything…
but it does not however, stand in the way for me to continue the
job I love. It just means I have to carefully select which position
I accept within the organisation and where we decide to work,”
she says.
Reena celebrated her 40 th birthday earlier this year together with
three fellow Mentone Old Girls. “I consider the girlfriends I went
through school with as some of my closest and dearest friends,”
says Reena. “We continue to live through each other’s life events –
the good, the bad and the hilarious, which is what life is all about.”
7
interActive.learning@mentone
New technologies advance learning
21st Century learning is being part of a connected, interactive
and collaborative world that today’s GenZ's in particular, take for
granted. As a school, we have strategically built our IT systems to
ensure current and future generations of teachers and students
can take advantage of the teaching and learning associated with
this ongoing digital revolution.
In 2011, we unveiled the thinking and action behind our Interactive
Learning Strategy. Many schools have laptop programs but we
have been developing much more than just personal computing of
this sort. We are building a technology platform that can maximise
the variety of available resources.
Since the beginning of 2010, we have been developing our Virtual
Campus, an advanced learning management system that offers
personalised access to resources for staff, students and, in the near
future, parents too. As a number of schools have been visiting us
to look at our state-of-the-art system, it is clear that our Virtual
Campus is the envy of many. Overlaid on this core system, we
have installed interactive whiteboards into every classroom and
our teachers are becoming highly skilled at teaching with them.
Our School has always provided good access to our systems
through an ever growing fleet of computers, and more recently
through our specialised Media Design Suite (see page 9). It is
however, time to take the next step into personal computing.
Transition to a highly personalised ICT program is a significant
step for staff and students. We have waited until the devices are
sophisticated and the connectivity seamless. With these elements
in place we can keep the learning, rather than the technology, at the
centre of our activities. Our approach is contemporary and flexible
as we recognise that there are, and will continue to be, exciting
new devices that will enhance learning in addition to laptops.
Our strategy also recognises that many of our Senior students
already have devices, and we want to be able to provide them
with a choice, as independent learners and users of technology.
This is a very different offering to most school laptop programs.
We know that more than 60% of our students in Years 9 – 12 want
to connect their own devices to our network. As a result, we have
developed our Own or Loan Program. We have invested in advanced
systems that will enable students to connect safely and securely
8
through our wireless network whether by PC, Mac or iPad. We also
do not expect students to purchase their own computers, and for
those who do not have a personal device, there will be a large loan
pool of laptops available from the Kerferd Library.
Our ongoing strategy offers an age and stage appropriate
approach to connectivity. Our students already know how to
manage personal devices from mobile phones to iPods, and we
expect they will manage their new devices equally well. We will
continue to support them in developing responsible, tech-savvy
habits. In 2012 our program will continue to grow as follows:
Prep – Year 6: iPads, provided as a class set and pre-loaded
with selected Apps for learning, will supplement existing access
to school laptops and desktop computers.
Years 7 & 8: Each student will have her own iPad, and in
addition to iPad Apps, we will ensure integration of that device to
school applications, including the Virtual Campus and files stored
on home drives.
Years 9 – 12: Own or Loan Program (described above).
During the next few years we plan to continue advancing our
Interactive Learning Strategy with 1:1 iPads for Years 5 & 6 from
2013 and the provision for advanced devices as new technologies
develop. This scheme allows us to respond to new technology
trends, while providing access to our core systems and engaging in
contemporary teaching and learning in well-equipped classrooms.
We are committed to interactive learning, and this strategy will
allow our School community to be safely and securely connected
in a multitude of ways that suit each individual. This approach
provides security and the flexibility to be able to accommodate
the ‘next generation’ of devices that we know we will encounter
to support our remarkable education.
Teachers’ pet
Media Design Suite
The staffroom has been buzzing this year as many teachers
have been exploring their iPads and a host of different Apps
that will bring new creative types of learning into the classroom.
Science teachers sit gazing with rapture at a screen as a three
dimensional animated molecule is rotated and flipped; minutes
later they are taking turns to dissect a most realistic rat on the
screen. Maths teachers are looking at visual representations of
algebraic equations as well as statistics and fun games. Learning
Enhancement teachers are debating just how much Words with
Friends will improve literacy skills... this is just a vignette of the
professional learning that has been taking place in our School.
Our new Media Design Suite (MDS) has created real excitement
among our students. The three sleek studios together with two
video editing rooms, create a multifunctional facility where students
can undertake innovative multimedia design projects and a variety
of online activities. We are especially grateful to the School
community for their fundraising efforts late last year. With monies
raised from the Sponsored Walk, we were able to purchase wide
screen monitors for our VET Multimedia studio, a green screen for
still and video photography, and a mobile interactive whiteboard to
enable flexible use of our green screen studio.
To prepare for iPads in Years 7 & 8 next year, many members of
staff have embraced the device with passion. Our regular ‘Tech
21’ meetings have featured show and tell sessions from teachers
in a variety of faculties about how they will use the iPad in their
subject. The weekly Staff newsletter has featured tips and Apps
as our teachers are keen to share their ideas.
Our teachers agree that iPads will bring an exciting dimension
of interactive learning to next year's programs. They allow new
and creative ways to research and prepare projects. It is true that
students can, and probably will, continue to prepare traditional tasks
such as essays and slideshows, but that is not what has captured
our imagination. Instead, it is the opportunities provided by exciting
new tools like iMovie, which allows students to create multimedia
with ease, and Notability which allows them to take class notes that
seamlessly include pictures taken with the inbuilt camera, diagrams
and even voice recordings. Electronic books not only make it feasible
to carry a library in one's schoolbag, but have some real advantages
over traditional books because of inbuilt dictionary functions and
annotation properties. We are also looking forward to students
achieving new levels of personal organisation by running electronic
planners and setting reminders for their homework and deadlines.
In our VET studio, Senior students have access to professional
software for animation, web design and programming, as well
as general design. Our students are just starting to explore
the creative potential of the green screen which enables the
background of a photograph or video clip to be realistically
replaced with any other footage, offering a world of possibilities.
With interactive whiteboards in each room and computers with
a wide array of software, our students will be able to engage in a
host of creative activities that are integral to 21st Century learning.
Before
Through their passionate engagement with this new device, our
teachers have readied themselves for this new level of interactive
teaching and learning. It is a privilege to participate in such a
vibrant and creative learning community.
Mrs Kay McCullough
Vice Principal (Teaching, Learning & Innovation)
Global networking
In days gone by, a man on a horse charging to the next town to
deliver a letter was considered ‘high tech’! Then there were the
switchboard operators and party lines. Anyone of a certain age will
also remember the first mobile phones that were the size of bricks.
Today we have almost instant communication with anybody in the
world through pocket-sized devices. The single biggest contributor
to this new era of digital communication is of course the World
Wide Web. The internet has made the places that were once the
farthest away seem almost next door. As part of this revolution, the
introduction of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technologies
such as Skype, have changed the way we communicate, with
face-to-face interactions over the internet now the norm.
Such technologies are commonplace in our homes and workplaces,
and it is exciting for our students to be able to benefit from this
technology to network with other schools around the world.
After
Through Skype, our Year 4 students made contact with Year 8
students at Takapuna Normal Intermediate School in Auckland,
New Zealand. During the session, our students posed many
questions to their ‘virtual guests’ including how the threat and
outcome of natural disasters can affect their lives. This was a
fantastic opportunity to confirm and explore our global awareness
with another IB PYP school.
Our Japanese Department has also been integrating ICT into the
language program through the use of Skype and Wikispace. By using
these interactive technologies, we have been able to strengthen
relationships with our partner schools, Soshin Girls' School in
Yokohama and Yamanashi Eiwa Girls' School in Koofu, as well as
further motivate our students to learn about Japanese language and
culture. Through Wikispace, our students have been sharing their
digital products with their buddies in Japan and the face-to-face
interactions through Skype provide opportunities for higher level
thinking and the practical application of Japanese language skills.
9
Creativity Calls
10
Alice
Learning from the professionals
Feedback flowed in from the wider community to congratulate
our School on the success of the Senior School production,
Alice, based on Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘Through
the Looking Glass’; a delightful tale of one girl’s journey of self
discovery that is familiar to us all. Audiences were wowed by
the unpredictable interpretation of this intriguing tale, and saw
multimedia, puppetry and mime interwoven to retell this classic
story in a fresh, dynamic way. The hand drawn multimedia
artwork and animation projected live throughout the performance
was a wonderful showcase of our new green screen technology.
Together with the amazing costume design, clever stagecraft,
impeccable choreography and the professional vocal and
instrumental music, this truly was an outstanding production.
We thank and congratulate the large team of students (including
several boys from St James’ College, East Bentleigh, and St Bede’s
College, Mentone), staff, parents and community members, led
by our exceptional Drama teacher, Ms Claire Wearne, and our
inspiring Head of Performing Arts, Mrs Susanna Rummel.
Our Performing Arts students have benefited from interactions
with a number of professional artists during 2011, including Akina
Edmonds from Hairspray: The Musical, and Daniel Oldaker, a
fantastic physical comedian and clown.
We were also fortunate to have the assistance of several artistic
professionals in the areas of costume, lighting, set, sound, and
make up for the incredible production of Alice.
Year 9 students enjoyed some hilarious and memorable
Interpretive Dance performances by the New Art Club from the
UK at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in a unique
venue called The Bosco.
Dream Puppets
The Rhythm of Life
Our youngest students in the ELC also benefited from some
professional artistry when they received a visit from puppeteer,
Richard Hart, from Dream Puppets. Before the show, Richard
introduced the Leafy Sea Dragon puppets and told of their sad
tale. One of the Dragons had been caught by a Lion Fish and
kept as a pet which left her mate very sad and missing her.
The students were utterly captivated by the clever black light
puppets which are designed to become visible with ultra violet
light. So in a darkened room, the story of the Leafy Sea Dragons
began to unfold as the colourful puppets danced around the room.
The 2011 Junior School Music Concert, The Rhythm of Life, was a
joyful celebration of Music and a real showcase of the incredible
talent across our Junior School.
Through the leadership of staff members, Ms Ella Marton and
Mr Campbell Reither, the students performed beautifully for the
large audience of students and parents.
We also congratulate our Music Captains, Maria Liousas and Teagan
Mihailovic, who did a fabulous job hosting the event, speaking with
eloquence and maintaining the flow of the Concert perfectly.
Our students were entranced as they watched the show.
Later Richard showed the girls how the puppets worked and many
of our students were very enthusiastic to make their own!
Photo courtes y of Dre
am Pup pet s
Dancing to the top
Years 7 & 8 on show
We are very excited and proud that Amber Scott, patron of the
Mentone Performing Arts Centre (MPAC), was appointed Principal
Dancer for the Australian Ballet in 2011. Under the tutelage of our
very talented staff and many special guest teachers, including Amber,
our MPAC program has been going from strength to strength.
We are continually welcoming both boys and girls to our diverse
Dance program that ranges from Ballet, Jazz, Tap and Theatrical
to Hip Hop and Contemporary Dance.
Two rollicking 7/8 Create performances were presented during
2011 by the Years 7 & 8 students of Drama, Visual Art and Music.
The foyer of the Prudence Lewty Hall was just as buzzing as the
stage itself, with vivid artistic displays creating a dynamic talking
point for the awaiting audience.
During the year, we were fortunate to have Adam Thurlow as a
guest teacher. Adam trained with the Australian Ballet School,
the Australian Ballet Company and the English National Ballet
Company. He is the first and only Australian to be accepted into the
Paris Opera Ballet Company, the highest ranked Ballet company in
the world. Adam has danced with many famous choreographers and
prima ballerinas, including Sylvie Guillem. He is currently guest dancing
around the world, and we are delighted that he took some time out
to take a class with our dedicated and talented MPAC students.
MPAC students also took part in the Victorian Ballet Teachers'
Workshop in June. This is an elite competition for promising young
dancers in Australia. The top 20 schools in the country compete for
positions in this event. We were all very excited that Phebe N’GuyenKovacs received first place in the category for 6-7 year old dancers.
A pool of eager Year 7 clowns ushered their captive audience
through to their seats for an exciting semester’s hard work on
display. These evenings are always a testament to how quickly
and willingly our students take to new creative ideas and processes,
as the girls all played on instruments which, prior to this year, had
been completely unfamiliar to them.
The Visual Art components of the evening also showcased new
skills acquired through the semester. The student directed and
designed Greek Mythology depicted by the Year 7s was utterly
delightful. The beautifully detailed and intricate marionettes created
by the Year 8 students were dexterously manoeuvred by some of
the students, whilst the rest of the Year 8s explored their bold and
brazen sides with their own versions of Modern Musical Theatre.
11
Foundation
A strong foundation
Community support
The Mentone Girls’ Grammar School
Foundation was successfully re-launched
in 2011. For those not familiar with the
Foundation’s charter, it has two important
roles. First, it raises vital funds to support
Mentone Girls’ Grammar School by
contributing financially to the following:
Fundraising is vital for our School and we are delighted that
through our revitalised Foundation, we are able to harness financial
support from the wider community. As Government funding
reduces over time, prudent financial management is essential so
that our current programs and facilities are not compromised.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide the level of education that we
do, in the timeframes that we need to, if we are to rely solely on
school fees, which in reality only cover the costs associated with
maintaining and attracting high quality staff.
• Facilities Development (building program)
• Endowments (i.e. scholarships)
• Social Inclusion Program
•C
apital Program (i.e. targeted equipment and facilities for use by
students and/or staff).
Secondly, it strives to foster and enhance the development of the
Mentone Girls’ Grammar School community.
In the year to date, the Foundation has successfully participated in a
number of well-received initiatives. These events included the launch
of the well FED cookbook at a wonderful function featuring
Mr Ben Shewry, Executive Chef of Attica, as well as the Annual
Giving Campaign (details opposite). Information on upcoming events
will be announced progressively throughout 2012.
The Foundation is fortunate to have the active involvement of a
passionate and skilled core of individuals. My thanks to Principal,
Mrs Fran Reddan, Acting Marketing Manager, Mrs Vicki Goodwin,
and Messrs David Stewart, David Jones and Alan Frees for the valuable
contribution they have made during the year. Each of the above would
be pleased to discuss with you the current activities of the Foundation
and would also welcome any feedback and suggestions.
Mr Ashley Reed
Chair, Mentone Girls’ Grammar School Foundation
Mrs Fran Reddan, Mrs Vicki Goodwin and Mr Ashley Reed
at the launch of the well FED cookbook.
We want to thank everyone who supported our 2011 Annual
Giving Appeal, as well as our many fundraising initiatives and
events throughout the year. In particular, we are very grateful
for the work of our Parents’ Association – a dedicated group of
parents who support the School with their fundraising and friendraising efforts. We have so many exciting projects ahead that will
benefit our students now and in the future, and we thank you for
your ongoing contribution.
well FED
...the only cookbook you need!
well FED brings community, culture and cooking
together in one professionally designed cookbook.
With great recipes for the whole family, well FED is an
ideal gift. It even includes a terrific Kids’ Kitchen section
to inspire the next generation of Master Chefs and some
fabulous Yuletide treats. Or, why not try your hand at one
of our very special recipes from 2010 Chef of the Year,
Ben Shewry, of Attica fame, named one of the top 100
restaurants in the world!
Support your school and purchase your copy today.
See just how much your friends and family enjoy being
well FED! Only $40.
To order: visit www.mentonegirls.vic.edu.au/wellfed.
Place your Christmas orders by Monday 19 December.
Orders can either be collected from School (must be
collected by Wednesday 21 December) or may be
mailed to you (postage $10).
12
Thank you
We would like to thank the following individuals, families and
organisations, including those who wish to remain anonymous,
who have generously supported the School through a donation or
sponsorship to the Mentone Girls’ Grammar School Foundation
during 2010 and 2011.
Individuals and Families
Mr N & Mrs A J Abbott
Mrs J Conheady
Mr J Dawson & Mrs J Dawson
Mrs J Douglas OAM
Mr S & Mrs T S Dwight
Mr A P & Mrs B E Frees
r W U Gilford &
M
Mrs L E Gilford &
Mrs E E Goode
Mrs V Goodwin
Mr P & Mrs J Langworthy
Mr J Lawry
Mr B Matulick &
Mrs J Matulick
Mr C McDonald &
Mrs G McDonald
Mr D J McGrath
Mr A J & Mrs K Meda
Mrs F B Reddan
Mr A J Reed
Dr V M Tarrant
Mr J Triantafillidis
Mr S J & Mrs V L Wane
Mrs E M Weir
Mrs J K Martyn
Organisations
A
ttica, Ripponlea
www.attica.com.au
K
uche Inspirational Food and Kuche Inspirational Wares,
Beaumaris www.kuche.com.au
L ow Carb Vegetarian Living
www.lowcarbvegetarianliving.com
M
alt, Beaumaris
www.maltcafe.com.au
M
cPhersons Consumer Products
www.mcphersons.com.au
R
ochester Ginger
www.rochesterginger.com.au
T
ruly Scrumptious, Mentone
www.trulyscrumptious.com.au
T
ea Forté
www.teaforte.com.au
Our future in your hands
Once you have looked after your family’s needs, please
consider remembering the Mentone Girls’ Grammar School
Foundation. A Bequest is a way for you to leave a lasting legacy
and a way of expressing the affection you have for Mentone
Girls’ Grammar School. In planning for the future and in making
your Will, we ask you to consider the value of something easily
taken for granted – the gift of a premium education.
A bequest can take the form of:
• A specific amount of money
• Stocks and shares
• Works of art, collections, or personal effects such as jewellery
• A life insurance policy
• Life income plan, annuities, or trusts
• Proportion, or whole of an Estate
• A specific Bequest of property
We thank you for your support.
Giving thanks
Since 1899, we have been blessed by the ongoing generosity and
commitment of the School’s founders and supporters, which includes
the many past and present parents who have chosen our School for
their daughters. We thank all of our parents and friends for their ongoing
commitment, and we were delighted to see so many attend the 2011
Founders’ Day Service held at St Andrew’s Church in Brighton. It was
also wonderful to see our students participate in this Service, through
their singing, music, prayers and the 'living history' which highlighted
the different eras of the School and the authentic uniforms of the
times (pictured below). It is only through the ongoing generosity
and commitment of the School’s many parents, students, Old Girls,
partners and supporters that we can continue to provide the best
possible education for the girls of today and the remarkable women of
tomorrow. From Prep to Year 12, the sense of occasion, history and
pride in one’s school was certainly evident.
Gifts in kind
We would also like to thank ELC student, Ella
Henderson and her mum Paula, for donating a
beautiful doll’s house and dress up rack made by
Ella’s grandfather. These items have been a great
success and the girls love them.
Many thanks to Alan and Beryle Frees for their gift
of a beautiful book and materials from the Vienna:
Art and Design Exhibition. These items are now
housed in the Kerferd Library.
13
Adventure in the Great Outdoors
Outside the Box
The Mentone Adventure Program (MAP), is specifically designed to address the needs of girls at each
particular age and stage incorporating all aspects of our WAVES priorities of promoting Wellbeing,
Achievement, Values, Enterprise and Success. Through MAP, our students from Year 3 are developing
important life skills and self awareness. These experiences not only encourage teamwork and community living,
they help promote independence and personal responsibility. MAP encourages an interest in the environment
and knowledge of our own Indigenous Australian culture. It provides an opportunity for our students to be
bold and conquer their fears. Importantly, MAP is also about fun and adventure in the great outdoors.
MAP Activities from Year 3 to Year 12
• Years 3 & 4: The Phillip Island Adventure Resort provides the opportunity for students to have fun and
interact with their peers in a safe and well-managed environment.
• Year 5: The Sovereign Hill camp is a great way for our students to experience life in Australia during the 1850s.
• Year 6: Students learn more about Australian society and citizenship in a study tour to Canberra visiting Parliament
House, the National Museum, the War Memorial, the Electoral Office, the Geo-Science Centre, the Australian
Institute of Sport and Questacon.
• Year 7: From 2012, the four day Year 7 camp will be at the fantastic Kinglake Ranges
Wilderness Centre. This is a great opportunity for our newest Senior School students to
get to know each other outside the confines of the classroom with activities including
hiking, camping and learning about Indigenous culture.
• Year 8: Students spend an action-packed week that includes hiking, kayaking, sailing
and surfing. This camp, which will be at Merricks Lodge from 2012, is designed to
enhance the knowledge our students gain during the Year 8 Foreshore program
where they learn important skills in, on, and around the water, in partnership with
the Mentone Life Saving Club.
• Year 9: This eight day excursion to Central Australia focuses on Indigenous
culture, and also complements our WAVES Program, which at Year 9 is targeted
around serving the community. This camp also provides an incredible outdoor
experience and a greater appreciation of outback life, with visits to the School
of the Air and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
• Year 10: With horse riding, tree climbing, snorkelling, scuba diving, sailing
and surfing, our students certainly experienced a range of exciting and fun
challenges during this year’s camp at Merricks. From 2012 onwards, the
Year 10 camp will be a magnificent snow experience at Howman’s Gap/
Falls Creek.
14
• Years 11 & 12: The Senior Conference in Portsea focuses on female
health and wellbeing, and is part of our WAVES Care and Leadership
Program. Senior students have the opportunity to spend time with
past students and understand the demands required for a successful
VCE year, as well as have some outdoor fun along the way.
egion 1
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
Benefits of co-curricular activities
Mentone MAP has been designed so that the nature of the outdoor
challenge progresses each year, to the point where each student
can make an informed choice about continuing her adventures
through the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (Duke of Ed) from Year 9.
As part of our School’s ongoing drive to improve student
wellbeing, academic performance and personal skill development,
recent internal research* has identified some interesting trends
relating to the value of co-curricular programs for Senior students.
The Duke of Ed is not a competition, but rather a personal
challenge. The program is open at three levels: Bronze, Silver
and Gold for those aged 14 – 25 years. At each level there is
a requirement for physical recreation, skill development, social
service through volunteering and adventurous journeys.
Focusing on the research question of “what is the impact of
co-curricular participation on a girl’s academic achievement and
her wellbeing during the VCE years?” Mr Ben Jenkinson, Head
of Physical Education, Health and Recreation, has collated the
voluntary opinions of students in Years 10 and 12, together with
a selection of staff and recent alumnae from the Class of 2010.
Our Year 9 Compass program has been designed to give our
students a variety of experiences to choose from, many of which
can also contribute towards the Bronze Award for participating
students. As students progress higher, they must complete more
of the requirements in their own time. We currently have 60 girls
completing the Bronze, 26 working towards the Silver and 17 girls
progressing through the Gold Award.
A corresponding analysis into our School’s academic data and
co-curricular involvement by its VCE students has identified
resounding support for the immense value of co-curricular
activities such as Sport, Music, Debating, Theatre, House, and
Student Leadership to the development of adolescent girls.
Some of the key findings of our internal research showed that the
overwhelming majority of students found their experience in cocurriculum worthwhile, with over half believing it to be extremely
worthwhile. 75% of students felt that co-curricular activities enhanced
their academic performance, and a very positive 88% of students felt
that co-curricular participation enhanced their time management skills.
In addition, the graphs below demonstrate the many varied
benefits and skills students gain through co-curricular participation.
Interestingly, the opinionative data strongly shows that our cocurriculum offers a considerable value-add to the education of our
students from both wellbeing and academic perspectives.
There is no doubt that some of the most memorable components
of the program are the adventurous journeys organised by the
students, in conjunction with the School, which have ranged from
hiking through Cradle Mountain National Park or the Victorian
Alpine High Country, to cycling around the Bellarine Peninsula.
We thank our dedicated staff who encourage and support our
students in their many Duke of Ed adventures.
Additionally, during Semester 1 in 2011, students who were ranked
in the top 25% according to their academic performance in school
subjects were also involved in considerably more co-curricular
activities (around 5-6 activities) than girls ranked in the bottom 25%
(around 1-2 activities). This further illustrates that the benefits of
participation in our extensive co-curricular programs are strongly
linked to academic performance at Mentone Girls’ Grammar School.
As a school, we are committed to the development of our staff and
are delighted to support teacher professional learning and internal
educational research. It is thrilling to see such positive results from
this study. In response to this data, a committee of staff members
with expertise and interest in co-curricular activities and VCE
This year we are incredibly proud of Jessica Silvester and Tess
academia have begun formulating recommendations for action.
Woodland, who were presented with the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s
We aim to help more of our students attain these wellbeing and
Award in a ceremony held at Government House. They join
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0.67
0.81
*Internal research supported by extant international literature.
The ‘most valuable’ wellbeing benefit derived from co-curricular participation
0%
Other
Making a Difference
Stress Relief
Improved Body Image
Enjoyment & Happiness
Physical Fitness
Resilience
Socialisation
Confidence
Self Worth
5%
10%
15%
Other skills developed through co-curricular activity participation
0%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
13%
25%
Strategic Thinking
38%
50%
63%
75%
88%
100%
Organisation
Leadership
Responsibility
Relationship Building
Work under pressure
Teamwork
15
• Combined Data
• Combined Data. Multiple selections.
Sporting Chance
Junior Champions
WOW! What a hectic, exciting and successful year we have had
in the Junior School sporting program. Major House carnivals
included Swimming, Cross Country and Athletics. All these events
were well supported by family and friends and we witnessed some
fantastic performances by the students. We congratulate Kent
House who took out the Swimming, and McCowan House who
were victorious in both the Cross Country and the Athletics. We
also congratulate individual champions Kyra Foss (Year 5), Kate
Falconer (Year 3), Sienna McGowan (Year 4), Alexandra Knight
(Year 5), Paige Edwards (Year 6) and Anna-Lisa Harris (Year 6).
In addition, there have been many more opportunities for our girls
to participate in well organised, competitive sport through our
membership of the Cheltenham District Primary Schools Sporting
Association (CDPSSA). The girls have embraced each and every
opportunity with large numbers trialling for selection for the
various sports. Most recently we entered two Netball teams, one
Softball team and one Soccer team into the CDPSSA Round Robin
carnivals. We had outstanding results with both Netball teams and
the Softball team winning their competition. The ‘A’ Netball team
advanced to the Division and Regional Finals, and our Soccer team
finished in second place. Our basketballers also had great fun in
their Round Robin coming fourth out of seven schools.
16
We must also make special mention to some very remarkable
young sportswomen. Paige Edwards (Year 6) has had a hugely
successful year which started with her selection into the U/11 Girls
Victorian Futsal team. The girls played valiantly and were runnersup in the competition held in Canberra. Paige was also selected
for the School Sport Victoria Soccer team which competed in a
National tournament and she came home with a Bronze medal.
Kiara Johnson (Year 3) has been selected into the Gymnastics Team
Future Squad 2011. Our Year 6 Aerobics team brought home the
Gold medal from the Nationals. Octavia MacDonald, Romy Abbott,
Kate Falconer and Georgia Richards competed in the Mt Buller
Interschool Skiing Championships, with Georgia (Year 1) being our
youngest competitor. We congratulate all of our students for their
incredible achievements across the sporting arena.
Senior Sporting Opportunities
The Sports program at Mentone Girls’ Grammar School offers our
students a wide selection of sports to experience and enjoy. From the
weekly Girls Sport Victoria (GSV) program to major sporting carnivals,
plus the wide array of sports available in the Sports Skills program,
students at Mentone are constantly encouraged to try something new.
GSV programs, such as the Year 7 Sports Expo held late in
Term 4, enable our students to choose three out of 24 sports to
participate in over the course of a morning. Uncommon sports
such as Beach Tennis, Fencing, Cheerleading, Olympic Handball
and Wheelchair Basketball were offered, and our students
thoroughly enjoyed participating in these different sessions.
GSV also conduct a Sports Skills program that is generally held on
Saturdays throughout the term. Term 1 saw Surf League, Triathlon
and Golf Skills programs offered to students from all 23 GSV schools.
These programs are run by the professional organisations and are a
fantastic opportunity to try new sports in a fun and friendly all-girl
environment, under the guidance of GSV professionals.
Diving is a major GSV carnival sport, but is one many students may
not have tried before, so a ‘learn to dive’ training session is offered in
late January. It is fantastic to see our students take on the challenge
and many become ‘hooked’ and love the exhilaration that this sport
provides. Not only are the girls learning a variety of different entries
and dives with the aim of representing Mentone at interschool
competitions, but they are learning a skill they will have for life.
House Sport is held on most Friday afternoons. Students compete
in their Houses in four different sports. This year, our girls have been
contesting Table Tennis, Volleyball, Soccer and Ultimate Frisbee.
The latter has proven to be a very competitive game amongst both
Senior and Junior students, and the skill level is improving each week
as teams master the technique of throwing and catching a Frisbee
with the aim of scoring a goal in the end zone.
Whether it be intra or inter school sport, Mentone girls are always
ready to take on new challenges and embrace new opportunities
that are provided for them at our wonderful School.
Senior Stars
2011 has been a stellar year for our Mentone girls. Our philosophy
in the Sports Department is to make the most of the opportunities
provided to you, try your best and have fun! Our students have
not only done that; they have been extremely successful along the
way. Many joined the Aerobics Squad for the first time, entered
the Interschool Snowsport Championships or played a weekly GSV
sport such as Indoor Cricket, Waterpolo, or AFL Football. Some of
our students were also fortunate enough to participate in a training
session with players from Collingwood Football Club.
The intermediate students had the first opportunity in some time
to play GSV Volleyball during Term 3 instead of the traditional
Badminton. The team thoroughly enjoyed their debut season and
improved immensely as the season progressed. In addition, our
sportswomen made GSV finals in Softball, Tennis, Soccer
and Badminton. Three young golfers, Olivia Kline (Year 8),
Anna Gavardinas (Year 7), and Zoe Larrieu (Year 9), teamed with
Old Girl, Leeanne Julier, and won the GSV Past and Present Golf
event. We placed in Division 2 for both GSV Swimming and Diving
earlier in the year, and we recently won the Division 3 Track and Field
Championship Carnival for the first time in GSV history! We had 21
girls qualify for the GSV Track and Field Finals evening recently and
finished 7th on the medal tally out of 23 GSV schools.
Our School Aerobics squad continues to dominate the National
competition. This year saw an amazing 11 teams, equalling 60
students from Years 6–12, together with some past students,
qualify for the School Aerobics National Championships held in
Launceston. A huge contingent of over 100 Mentone competitors,
families, coaches and staff headed south to witness our greatest
success ever in School Aerobics. Four of our teams were crowned
National Champions and another four received medals. All of
the Mentone teams were placed in the top six, a phenomenal
achievement indeed!
Another opportunity that is offered to our Senior students is the
Gold Coast Netball Carnival. This week-long Carnival attracts
Netball teams from across Australia and New Zealand. This year
the squad comprised of 10 girls from Years 10-12.
The Mt Hotham Ski Weekend is also a much loved annual event
that caters for students of all abilities. This year’s group of 40
students and six staff had a brilliant time carving up the slopes
and mastering the skills of skiing and snowboarding.
Whatever their passion, interest, talent or ability, the sporting
program at Mentone Girls’ Grammar School has something to
offer every student!
17
BIGger than ART
House extravaganzas
The student-led Years 7-12 House Dance and House Music
competitions once again lived up to expectations. The quality of
the performances was outstanding, and highlighted the immense
creativity of our students. It was wonderful to see so many
parents in the audience, and to see past students reconnecting
with the School at these events. This year we were delighted to
welcome Mr Tim Smith, Vocal Coach and Music Director of Billy
Elliot and Mamma Mia, to adjudicate House Music. Tim also very
kindly made himself available to run a workshop with the House
Captains on conducting skills and rehearsing techniques.
In House Dance, the idea behind the staff performance was
to illustrate an inclusive community, and to expose staff to the
adrenaline of taking a risk and ‘putting yourself out there’ to
perform! We thank all of the students involved for producing
such incredible shows, and all of the staff who were brave
enough to participate.
Similarly, our Junior House Chorals were an equally memorable
occasion with all students singing with gusto. It is wonderful to
see such dedication and enthusiasm among our Junior students
and to know we have so many talented students coming through
to our Senior ensembles, House events and school productions.
BIG ART
Our BIG ART Festival is a whole school event that showcases Visual Arts, Drama and Music with a special theme each year. The innovative
2011 ‘iWork’ theme involved a number of meanings. Both staff and students in the Creative Arts departments ‘work’ to develop an artwork
or creative piece which requires manual labour, hard work and intellectual pursuit. The students are encouraged to ‘roll up their sleeves’ and
apply their total self to the work at hand. Creative Art is not a passive endeavour; it is an intense involvement requiring physical, intellectual
and spiritual connection. The ‘i’ stands for everyone who undertakes Creative Arts subjects. All of the lab coats that the students
wore were printed with the statement ‘iWork’ on the back to signify that this actually happens. By wearing the lab coats,
the students were literally ‘trying on’ the integrity and belonging to the philosophy of work. Students are expected
to work at home and at school. It is important that we all appreciate the integrity and honour in work,
and that it is essential to everything we do in all areas of our life and something we should all respect.
iWork was also written in a letter form that paralleled the iPad so that there was an
interconnection with the new technology that the Years 7 & 8 students in particular
will use next year in all subjects, including the Creative Arts.
18
Performing Arts Camp
Bringing stories to life
This one time at band camp... You’d think after seven years of
attending Performing Arts Camp, my mum and friends would
get over the joke, but apparently not!
In a different kind of creativity, our Literature by the Bay Festival,
which is held each year to coincide with Children’s Book Week,
was once again jam packed with inspired activities created by the
Kerferd Library.
The Performing Arts Camp was once again at Camp Manyung
in Mt Eliza, but unlike previous years, we had a record number
of girls, with over 90 musicians, actors and stage crew from
Years 7 – 12. As always, the focus was Music and the upcoming
production of Alice, as well as the Melbourne Schools’ Bands
Festival and BIG ART, with everyone getting stuck into rehearsals
from the moment we arrived. We had a great time over the
weekend playing in the various ensembles, and I even managed
to score myself a solo in the Senior Choir!
As Music Captain, it was my duty and pleasure to entertain
on Saturday night, and we had a great time with a Trivia Night.
The Hyenas triumphed, taking out the ‘blow-up bat of glory’.
As much as the Camp is about Music, you’re always guaranteed
a lot of laughs in the cabin as well as the time honoured Music
Camp traditions of staying up until dawn. Despite the freezing
weather, everyone had a really positive attitude and I thank all
of those who attended. I particularly thank the Music staff and
Mrs Rummel for their efforts, not only for organising such a
massive event on the Performing Arts calendar, but also for
making my last camp very special and memorable.
Megan Shellie
Music Captain
This year the theme of Book Week was ‘One World, Many
Stories’, a theme that sits beautifully with our internationallyminded school. From our youngest ELC students to our
Year 12 debaters, everyone became involved in the festivities.
ELC to Year 4 students were treated to a highly professional
and engaging performance of Hansel and Gretel by Oz Opera’s
Schools branch. Our ELC students were also read to by their
Year 5 buddies who showed them the displays they had made,
based on the shortlisted books in the Early Childhood category.
It was beautiful to watch the interaction between the girls.
Students across the School were entertained and delighted by our
Year 12 debaters, debating the proposition that the iBook will kill
the Book. Fortunately for those who love paper books, the debate
was won... just, by the negative team!
The creative ‘match the author with the title’, saw students racing
around to find the answers. Well done to Jaimee Raper and
Lauren Davis from Year 8 who won the race. In addition, each
morning the Book Week Trivia Quiz was hotly contested, with
Vena Yu from Year 8 narrowly defeating Emily Negri (Year 12)
and Katie Kinnear (Year 7), to win the prize.
Each lunchtime, The Neverending Story screened in the Jubilee
Theatre, much to the delight of our Year 10 girls in particular, who
formed a most appreciative audience. Many have now gone on to
read the book! Students also admired a brilliant display of artwork
from our Year 8 artists, as well as the result of a Book Week
poster competition, won by Year 7 student, Imke Pansegrouw.
We thank our staff and students for their hard work and dedication
and for really getting involved in the wonderful world of stories.
19
Parents’ Association
A busy year
The Parents’ Association (PA) has had another busy year in 2011.
One of the major highlights was certainly the fantastic Mentone
Carnival in March, which set a blistering pace of activity for the
dedicated group of people who generously contribute their time
and expertise to the PA Committee. The Committee has worked
tirelessly to achieve some fantastic events for our School community
as well as some very welcome funds that will support the School.
As a Committee, we rely on the assistance of our incredible Class
Representatives who support activities and distribute information
to every year level. We also have a terrific group of volunteers called
the ‘Friends of the PA’ who volunteer to work on various events
throughout the year. The load is then shared by many across all year
levels in our School family, and this allows us to keep running the
favourite events that we get so much positive feedback on.
Thank you to everyone who has participated in our events whether
you helped organise them, attended them, or helped your family
support them. We always need more helpers so please keep up
the great work and consider volunteering if you can lend a hand at
an event. If you wish to join the Parents' Association, we are always
delighted to welcome new members.
Mobile phone recycling!
We have entered into an arrangement to
recycle old mobile phones for fundraising.
Please deposit any old mobile phones in
the recycling boxes located at Junior School
Reception or Main Reception.
Carnival success
It is with great pleasure that we can confirm the Parents’ Association – your Association – has purchased a minibus (pictured opposite) for the
School from fundraising activities this year. This is an enormous achievement and was largely made possible by the profits from the Carnival. PA
funds will also be used to update the Fergusson Theatre flooring to allow for the ongoing use of this room for multiple groups of Music and Dance.
The Carnival raised over $28,000 this year which is our best ever result for a school fair. This could not
have been achieved without our dedicated Committee and some fantastic sponsors. Of course our
Class Representatives made sure that the year level stalls were some of our most successful ever.
Despite the inclement weather, we had a fantastic event and an incredible level of support from
each and every family through the purchase of ride bands, donations, finding sponsors, year level
stalls, rostering, raffle tickets and attendance on the day. The fantastic result is something we
should all be proud of as a community as this supports a significant purchase for
the School. More importantly, seeing the joy on the faces of our children,
makes every fair worth the effort.
Our dedicated Carnival Committee sustained their commitment
and enthusiasm for the nine months of organisation. I am sure not
everyone realises how much planning and effort goes into such a
big event. We would like to acknowledge the following people
for their exceptional effort: Paul Taylor, Marie Robertson,
Marty Hope, Kerry Keller, George Vassiliadis, Gina Phua,
Susan Begg, Ken Durant, Alex King, Trevor Warden, Trevor Smith,
Steve Mole and Andrew MacDonald.
20
We would also like to say how much we appreciate the help we
received from staff at the School in particular, Marketing Manager,
Mrs Katya Dunham, for her concept and planning development, and
then her maternity leave replacement, Mrs Vicki Goodwin who was
integral to the success of the operation and set up of the Carnival.
Mrs Debra Campion provided great support with production and printing,
Mrs Jill Martyn provided administrative support and Ms Kerry Crosbie and
Mrs Fyonna Wilson at Junior School Reception and Main Reception were
always cheerful and helpful even under pressure. We especially thank the
School’s Ground Staff, Mr Tim Graham, Mr Steven Upton, Mr Rob Condon,
and Mrs Alison Dalley for helping us with the planning and execution of the day.
And the year went on...
It wasn’t just the year of the Carnival for the Parents’ Association. A number of other events were held including the
ever popular Mother’s and Father’s Day stalls, Junior School end of term lunch, the pie drive, mangoes fundraising,
World Teachers’ Day morning tea, Trivia Night and Christmas lunch. We also provided canteen support at major
events including the School production of Alice and the BIG ART Festival. We hope you and your families enjoyed these
events. We thank you again for your support this year. We very much look forward to seeing more families participate
in the Parents’ Association in 2012, so please do come along and enjoy our fun, fund and friend-raising activities.
Ann King and Bernie Durant
Co-Presidents
21
Old Girls’ Club
From the President
Welcome to the 2011 edition of the Mentone Girls’ Grammar School,
well RED Magazine. It has been a fantastic year for the Old Girls’
Club with lots of activities, particularly on the reunion front. As new
Co-Presidents of the Club, we would like to start by acknowledging
the incredible work of the outgoing President, Lizzy Fitzgerald (2005)
who did an outstanding job from April 2007 until she hung up her
hat earlier this year. As a former Head Girl, Lizzy carried on her
dedication to the School as Club President and we thank her for her
time, commitment and passion. We wish Lizzy all the very best as she
completes her studies in Arts/Law at Melbourne University.
We would also like to take this opportunity to farewell the School
and Old Girls' Club Archivist, Mrs Jenny Burrowes, who is retiring at
the end of this year. Mrs Burrowes has had a very long association
with the School, having been a student here in the 1940s. She then
returned as a teacher from 1979 to 2002. Mrs Burrowes took on
the role of Archivist in 2003 and she has done an incredible job of
maintaining the School records. For every reunion, she has taken
the time to locate old pictures from the year level and display them
in the School's Heritage Centre. We have been able to laugh at our
crazy haircuts and uniforms and reminisce even more about the
old days at our wonderful School. Mrs Burrowes, we thank you for
being such an integral part of Mentone Girls' Grammar School, for
being such a wonderful teacher and mentor, and for taking care of
our treasured memories with such attention and dedication.
It is a beautiful book with some great recipes for the whole family.
By purchasing a copy you will not only be getting a great product,
you will be helping the School’s Foundation in a really practical way.
For the Old Girls’ Club, one of the highlights of the year was
undoubtedly the Heritage High Tea (pictured). Around 30 Old Girls
and past staff members shared a delicious afternoon tea, together
with many laughs and treasured memories of their time at our School.
The guests enjoyed the fabulous view of the bay from the VCE
Centre, Cobbalanna, and a lovely performance by the School’s
Minniesingers, comprised of students from Years 3 and 4. Some
great items were raffled and $203 was raised for the School’s
Social Inclusion Project. The presence of Marion Weir, our oldest
Old Girl and highly regarded member of the Kingston community,
made the event even more memorable. It was with great sadness
that our community had to farewell Marion just one month later.
We thank all of the Old Girls who have made the effort to
reconnect with the School by attending events, organising reunions,
providing careers advice to current students, or by supporting the
Club. If you have any ideas or proposed events for the Old Girls’
Club, we would be delighted to hear from you, and we do hope to
see more Old Girls engaging with Club and School activities in 2012.
Keli David (McInnes – 1999) and
Kristen Wheeler (Doyle – 1998)
Co-Presidents
We have enjoyed taking on the President’s mantle, and in our
first year, it has been great to catch up with so many Old Girls at
various School and Club events. In particular, the School Carnival
was an incredible, fun-filled success, and we want to thank the
Parents’ Association for their amazing organisational effort, as well
as the many students, staff, parents and Old Girls who supported
this event. The Old Girls' stall sold a range of merchandise, with
all proceeds going to the School’s Social Inclusion Project. Many
thanks to the Old Girls who helped out with this event.
At the Carnival, we were delighted to be co-located with the
promotion of the School’s amazing well FED cookbook. If you have
not already done so, we really do encourage you to purchase a copy.
Reconnecting with ‘Old’ friends
It has been an exciting year for reunions with six events held to commemorate the classes of 2010, 2006, 2001, 1991, 1981 and 1971 and we
have been delighted to see so many Old Girls reunited with the School and old friends. You can read about some of the special events held
below, or for more reunion news, please visit the Old Girls' website at www.mentonegirls.vic.edu.au/oldgirls.
10 years on
22
It couldn't possibly have been 10 years since we finished school! That was the most
commonly heard phrase on Friday 14 October 2011, when those of us from the Class of
2001 had our 10 year reunion. The reunion was held in our old Year 12 Centre - although
with all the changes made to the School since 2001, many of the girls didn't recognise the
room! This was just one of many surprises experienced by the group as we were taken on a
tour of the School by Mrs Marilyn Wiber. It was great to have a look around, though I must
admit to feeling jealous of the current Year 11 and 12 students - what a view they have from
the VCE Centre, Cobbalanna! We also enjoyed flicking through (and having a laugh at) our
old class photos in the Heritage Centre. We eventually made our way to 'The Edgy' for
dinner and drinks, and more catching up. It was great to hear about all the interesting and
impressive things everyone has been doing for the past decade! We were also thrilled to
see a number of our teachers from our time at Mentone and we thank them for taking the
time to come and see us all. Thanks to everyone who came along.
Jaclyn Godina
20 years on
On Friday 2 September, it was fantastic to welcome 50 girls from
the Class of 1991 back to the School. Everyone walked in quiet
and tentative, however, it didn’t take long to recognise old faces
and the chatter and laughter soon followed. We congregated in
the old Year 12 Home Room and memories of our School days
were bandied around. A photo board with pictures from the
good old days and the 10 year reunion was also very popular in
remembering the days when Mentone Girls’ Grammar School was
a daily part of our lives.
It was hard to pry the girls away from their champagne to take
a walk down memory lane, but all were totally amazed at the
changes that have taken place during the past 20 years. We then
headed to the Mentone Hotel to enjoy a lovely dinner. It was great
to hear everyone’s story of their life. We gathered the girls on the
steps at the Mentone Hotel for a group photo. It was a great night!
2012 Reunions
We will be holding the following official year level reunions
(supported by the Old Girls’ Club) during 2012.
• 1 year
2011
• 5 year
2007
• 10 year
2002
• 20 year
1992
• 30 year
1982
• 40 year
1972
If you are interested in organising and/or attending any of these
events, please email oldgirls@mentonegirls.vic.edu.au.
Simone Hayes
Serving the community
Recent graduate Belinda Pinskier (2010) spent a week in May this
year living on $2 per day to raise awareness and money to fight
extreme poverty around the world. Belinda had to buy all her
food and drink, for five days, with just $2 per day – the equivalent
of the International Extreme Poverty Line.
“I took this challenge to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by
people living in extreme poverty, who have just this tiny amount
to cover all their needs. This campaign is important because it
provides insight into the lack of choice, and the daily challenges
faced by people trapped in the cycle of extreme poverty. I would
like to thank everyone who sponsored me and helped me to make
a difference.”
Belinda Pinskier
Happy 40th
It is amazing that 40 years have passed, but when the Class of
1971 got together for our reunion, it felt like little time had passed
at all. There were 24 girls, together with five of our remarkable
teachers; Mrs Fallon, Mrs Leslie, Mrs Crombie, Mrs Tarrant and
Mrs Corcoran (Madame Fadiga). The amazing dedication of
these teachers is still evident when they will come to a reunion!
We all met at the School’s Bay Café ready for a tour to see the
incredible changes that have taken place. The Principal, Mrs Fran
Reddan, welcomed us back and Mrs Marilyn Wiber then took us
on a tour around the School. The old house, which had so many
fond memories for us, has been replaced by the VCE Centre,
Cobbalanna, and we were taken to the top to see the magnificent
view and of course we could not help but remember the words
of the old School Song. “A school there is by the bay side...” In the
Prudence Lewty Hall we were treated to a sneak preview of the
School production with a song from Alice, and then we continued
our reunion down at the Mentone Hotel. We all felt very
privileged to have been able to attend Mentone Girls’ Grammar,
and we thank the School for welcoming us back so warmly.
Keep in Touch
If you have a spare hour or two on a regular basis
and would like to help us with a range of Old Girls’
activities, please contact our Old Girls’
Co-ordinator, Mrs Marilyn Wiber, via email:
mwiber@mentonegirls.vic.edu.au.
Please send us your career and personal news;
we would be delighted to hear from you.
Also, remember to check our official Facebook
profile (www.facebook.com) or the School website
for all our latest activities, and please let us know
if you change your email or postal details.
oldgirls@mentonegirls.vic.edu.au.
Robyn Christiansen (Clydesdale)
23
Old Girls’ Club
What’s News?
Weddings and babies galore!
We have double congratulations for Julia Batiste (Miles – 2000),
Old Girl and current Year 3 teacher at Mentone Girls’ Grammar
School. Julia and husband Warren were married at Josephine’s
Restaurant, Mt Martha, on 18 September 2010. Julia and Warren
were further blessed in June this year with the birth of a beautiful
baby girl, Eliza (pictured below on left with Julia).
Congratulations to Kathryn Wheeler (1998) who married Richard
Crockett earlier this year. Long term friends and Old Girls,
Yasmine Brainerd and Susete Gaspar, were bridesmaids helping
Kathryn to celebrate this momentous day.
Jessica Campbell (1999) married Patrick Mustica on a beautiful
autumn day in March this year. They celebrated with family and
friends, including many Old Girls, at Yarra Yarra Golf Club. Jessica’s
sister Kate Campbell (2001) supported her as Maid of Honour.
We are delighted to announce that Rebecca Johnston (Potter –
1997) gave birth to a baby boy, Henry, in June this year.
Jane Templeton (Denning – 1998) welcomed a beautiful daughter,
Rylee, into the world in August 2011.
Congratulations to Megan Gazarra (Richardson – 1998) on the safe
arrival of her gorgeous daughter, Charlie, in September this year.
All the best to Liz Atkins (Lane – 1997) and husband Nick, who
welcomed their lovely daughter, Harper, in February this year.
All the best to Stacey Lolas (1989) who welcomed the arrival of
her gorgeous son, Jarvis John, in August 2011.
Krystal Brown (Unwin – 1999) and husband Jeremy were thrilled
at the birth of their daughter, Dakota, in August 2011.
Special congratulations must also go to our new Old Girls’ Club
Co-Presidents, Keli David (McInnes – 1999) and Kristen Wheeler
(Doyle – 1998), who we are also fortunate enough to have as staff
in our Junior School. Prep teacher Keli was married in July this year
at a picturesque Red Hill vineyard. Many members of the School,
including Prep and Year 1 students, helped Keli to celebrate this
special event and we wish her all the very best with her husband
Wally (pictured below). Also in July this year, Kristin, who is a Year
6 teacher, gave birth to a gorgeous baby girl, Maeve (pictured
above on right with Kristin).
Jennifer Stenning (Lilley-1999) and husband Mark are to be
congratulated on the safe arrival of their daughter, Molly, in July
this year.
Special achievements
Congratulations to Casey Trebilcock (2010) together with the 2011
Head Girl, Catherine Gilford, who have both been recognised in the
prestigious VCE Season of Excellence. Casey’s outstanding design
of a new identity for the City of Melbourne was based on the idea
of the Rubix Cube; ever changing, diverse and colourful. Her work
will be part of the Top Designs 2011 Exhibition. Catherine’s artwork
will be exhibited in the Top Arts 2011 Season of Excellence. These
works have been chosen from thousands of applications, and we are
incredibly proud of both Casey and Catherine on their achievements.
Lucy Christopher (1998) has published her second book, Fly Away.
This follows the success of her highly acclaimed first book Stolen
which was shortlisted for the 2010 Children's Book Council of
Australia Awards for Older Readers and also shortlisted on the
2010 Prime Minister's Literary Award for Children's Fiction. Lucy,
who is also a part-time university Tutor, divides her time between
her home in Wales and promotional tours to Australia and Europe.
Farewelling friends
We are very sad to hear that Catherine Mavros (2001) passed
away on 25 November 2010. She was a lovely young woman who is
dearly missed by her friends and family and a life lost far too young.
Our community mourns the loss of prominent Old Girl and
Mentone identity, Marion Weir (nee Downe), who passed away
at the ripe old age of 100.
24
Vale of a Remarkable Woman
MARION
Marion
Weir
WEIR
7 January 1911
– 18 August 2011
Prominent Mentone identity, Eugenie Marion Weir (Marion),
affectionately dubbed Mentone Girls’ Grammar School’s oldest
Old Girl, was farewelled by family and friends this year at St James
Anglican Church, Mt Eliza, at the ripe old age of 100.
Marion Weir (nee Downe) – a former Mayoress of Mordialloc
and much loved mother of four, grandmother of 12 and great
grandmother of 19 – died at The Bays Hospital, Mornington
on Thursday 18 August.
“Marion had a passion for life and a great passion for our School,”
says Principal, Mrs Fran Reddan. “The impact of her, and her family’s
involvement on our School, is immeasurable and we will miss
her dearly,” she said.
Mrs Weir’s tenacious touch can be felt in every decade of the
School’s colourful history dating back to 1917, when as a six year
old she first became a student.
Marion was a founding member of the Old Girls' Club in 1925,
together with her sister Audrey, and an active life member who
was closely connected to the School for 94 years.
Mrs Weir served as Old Girls' Secretary, Social Secretary and
President, and was considered the driving force behind many
fundraising social activities including dances, car rallies, snow trips,
progressive dinners and family picnics.
She was also president of the Mothers' Association when her
two daughters – Janet and Caroline – became students, and was
also welcomed at the School as a proud grandparent when her
granddaughter Amy followed suit.
School Archivist, Mrs Jenny Burrowes, who was a neighbour of the
Weir family growing up, remembers Mrs Weir as “…a truly beautiful
individual, a great mother and very much valued within the Mentone
community”.
“Mrs Weir’s father, Gordon Downe, was equally integral to the
School’s history and specifically, was instrumental in raising funds to
purchase the land on which our School now sits.”
“He was also very much involved in keeping the School going in the
1920s and again helped the School stay afloat as Founder of the
School in the 1940s,” adds Mrs Burrowes.
During one speech Mrs Weir gave to celebrate the Old Girls' Club’s
50 th Anniversary (1925 –1975), she proudly remembered the Old
Girls' fundraising contributing to everything from levelling the playing
fields, to establishing the Rhodes Prize, and Scholarship for a Legacy
Girl, as well as planting trees along the Mentone Parade boundary
and the purchase of blackboards.
Mrs Weir’s enthusiasm and energy also extended to roles at
St Augustine’s Anglican Church (where she married her husband
Charles Weir in 1936), the Girl Guides movement and Mentone
Grammar – where her two sons attended.
During WWII, Mrs Weir, whose husband Charles was a Colonel,
was also President of the local Mothers' and Wives' Auxiliary,
a member of the Comforts Fund, and President of the 2/24
Battalion Auxiliary.
The Council, Principal, Old Girls, staff and students of
Mentone Girls' Grammar School extend their deepest condolences
to the family of Marion Weir – a truly remarkable woman.
25
Mentone Girls’ Grammar School
Principal: Fran Reddan
11 Mentone Parade, Mentone VIC 3194 Australia
Main Reception: +61 3 9581 1200 Junior School: +61 3 9581 1290
Fax: +61 3 9581 1299 Email: info@mentonegirls.vic.edu.au
www.mentonegirls.vic.edu.au CRICOS 00324B