Term 1, Week 6, 2024 - Unstoppable Spirit 7 Mar 2024

Dance and singing are joyful activities critical for our health and Wholebeing. Philosophers and physicians alike have long touted their benefits—for the body, the soul, and especially the mind—for centuries. Yet, these fundamental human activities have often been sidelined in the hustle of modern life. Why the scarcity of dance when it holds such power to uplift, heal, and foster belonging? Not at Strathcona!

The neuroscience behind the benefits of dance and singing is compelling. It has been scientifically demonstrated that these activities enhance our social connections, cognitive abilities, emotional wellbeing, and physical health. Dancing fosters social bonds, creating trust and cooperation among individuals. It challenges the brain, changing how we think and feel and releasing a cascade of neurotransmitters that boost our mood and physical capability.

Similarly, singing, especially in groups, synchronises heartbeats, fosters community, and releases endorphins and oxytocin, known as the 'happiness hormones'. This act of communal expression brings people closer, crossing the boundaries of individualism to create a shared experience of joy and unity.

Our Junior School Disco once again offered space and time for our students to unite through music and dance and rediscover parts of themselves that have perhaps been forgotten in the digital age. The disco was sheer pleasure on display, highlighting the profound impact social events, dancing, singing, and moving together can have on our overall health and communal wellbeing.

Grooves for Good: ‘Unstoppable, Untouchable, God’s Plan for Ya!’

In an inspiring visit to Strathcona, Emmanuel Kusasira Edwin and Anne-Marie Reddan not only showcased their exceptional talents in music and dance but also shared a profound message of hope and empowerment. Through their partnership and the foundation of Yimba Uganda, they are on a mission to transform lives by equipping Ugandan youth with sustainable, income-generating skills. Their visit was not just an artistic interlude but a vibrant testament to the title of one of Emmanuel's songs, "Unstoppable, Untouchable, God’s Plan for Ya!"—a message of resilience and unity through the arts.

The visit was a practical demonstration of the spirit embodied by Yimba Uganda, a non-profit organisation founded in 2013 by Emmanuel and Anne-Marie, who shared their unique stories. Born from Emmanuel's journey from the slums of Katwe to becoming a respected Gospel artist and a graduate in Social Sciences, Yimba Uganda aims to empower the youth of Uganda. With a significant portion of the country's population being young and unemployed, Yimba Uganda provides vital vocational training and education, helping break the cycle of poverty.

The organisation envisions a society where economically independent young people actively contribute to their communities' development. Through initiatives like tailoring, music mentorship, and agriculture projects, Yimba Uganda is turning dreams into reality. Their mission is clear: to equip Ugandan youth with the skills needed to create sustainable, income-generating opportunities, fostering a new generation of entrepreneurs and job creators.

The visit by Emmanuel and Anne-Marie is a reminder of the unstoppable spirit that music and dance can invoke, serving not only as a form of expression but as a vehicle for social change. Through their efforts, they are nurturing the next generation of Ugandan talent and laying the groundwork for a future where every young person can thrive, fully aligning with Strathcona’s enacted values. To find out more, visit https://www.yimbauganda.org/

Year 7 Team Spirit

Before our Year 7 students embarked on the exciting 4-night Outdoor Education Camp at Elidon, families gathered for a BBQ and an opportunity to connect and foster relationships and friendships. Our Year 7s took every opportunity to explore every nook and cranny of our campus and venture into areas that only Senior Students ordinarily frequent. The camp, with some inevitable pivots, was a resounding success, filled with learning, laughter, unforgettable memories, and a few good war stories. Thank you to all the staff and students for making the Year 7 Camps a special event in our calendar and for our families’ continued support. Special shout out to the wonderful SFA committee members Sue Astegno and Chris Howell, who seem to pop up everywhere!

Junior School House Spirit

As we celebrate Health and Physical Education Week, it was wonderful witnessing our Junior School House Cross Country Event at Tay Creggan. This event afforded opportunities for our Year 9 Students to practice leadership and display empathy and encouragement in many forms to our Junior School students. The day was filled with joy, perspiration, determination, and well-deserved Super Doopers! Exercises like running, moving, dancing, and singing embrace these timeless forms of human expression as essential to our collective and individual flourishing.

The Spirit of Remembrance and Learning from the Past
It was a privilege to be invited by the Year 10 History Students to visit The Melbourne Holocaust Museum. With its newly refurbished exhibitions and learning space, our Year 10 students experienced a poignant and thought-provoking journey that emphasised the importance of understanding, remembering, and accepting differences. As a teacher, I sincerely appreciated the chance to form connections and gain insights into the treasured mental space when learning unfolds for our young people. Through the stories of survivors, the visit served as a powerful reminder to stand against hate speech, racism, and all forms of prejudice with the hope for a future filled with greater empathy and unity.

The Spirit of Community

Nearly two months into my role as Principal, I am overwhelmed daily by the community spirit lived and breathed at Strathcona. There are so many examples to recount, but some highlights are the Strathcona Prayer Group Dinner. This was an absolute joy and sincere thanks to Doreen, Adrian Tan, and their family for their hospitality and the prayer group whose daily prayers shape a promising future for our school.

I came back to my desk to find a large block of chocolate from the Year 11 Food Studies class and Mrs Cameron after their Food Studies Excursion to the Ratio Cocoa Roastersfactory in Brunswick. In Ireland, we say ‘Happy Days’!

Connecting with staff at our Weekly Wellbeing Morning teas,where staff celebrate their wins, share stories, and simply enjoy each other’s company, is delightful and recharges all our batteries.

I look forward to our International Women’s Day observances tomorrow and wish everyone a restful and joyful Labour Day Long Weekend.

Lorna Beegan
Principal 

The school’s new Wholebeing strategy emerged following deep analysis of Strathcona’s approach to student care and wellbeing; with close examination of the cultural, environmental, and learning experiences of both students and teachers. The result is a carefully curated and whole-school approach that will guide student care and wellbeing initiatives now and into the future.
  

Wholebeing is a holistic framework that goes beyond just focusing on achieving high levels of wellbeing among our students, but also focuses on significantly reducing the prevalence of illbeing and fostering and strengthening resilience.

Over the next three installments of the Magnolia we will focus on each component of Wholebeing: Resilience, Wellbeing and Illbeing and what they look like in action.

Developing Resilience:

One of the many definitions of resilience is described as the ability to bounce back from adversity and challenges, to adapt and thrive despite facing difficulties, a type of mental ‘toughness’. It's a crucial skill that helps us navigate life's ups and downs with strength. Just as a muscle gets stronger with regular exercise, resilience can be developed and strengthened through practice.

Wholebeing is a continuous approach embedded in every aspect of the culture within our school. We strive to provide opportunities for our students to build resilience and move towards personal growth in all of our learning and teaching across the school.

At school, student’s grit and determination is tested and developed every day through challenging academic tasks. Perhaps it can be a small class presentation, a surprise quick quiz, or a challenging learning task with several possible solutions. Extra-curricular activities such as sport, music and drama encourage students to be pushed outside their comfort zone every day; they are required to problem solve, think on their feet and work with their teammates to experience growth, success and manage disappointment. In the classroom and around the school, supportive relationships with peers, teachers, staff, and mentors; students learn to face setbacks with courage and determination.

Leadership of all kinds involves making decisions, managing projects, and representing the interests of peers. Students in these positions face pressure to balance academic responsibilities with leadership duties, fostering time management, communication, and problem-solving skills. Developing resilience equips our students with the tools they need to overcome obstacles, persevere through tough times, and emerge stronger on the other side. In a world where our young women feel more and more pressure to attain this ideal of ‘perfect’, Wholebeing and developing resilience support a ‘growth mindset’ that values continual progress over perfection and fosters a notion towards personal best.

Carol Dweck's concept of a growth mindset emphasises the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. When applied to the context of young women striving for perfection, a growth mindset becomes an essential tool in fostering and strengthening resilience. A growth mindset encourages individuals to view challenges as opportunities for growth rather than setbacks and for students to understand that perfection is not an attainable endpoint but rather a journey of continuous improvement. They will embrace challenges as chances to learn and develop, rather than being discouraged by setbacks or failures. This attitude enables them to bounce back from setbacks with renewed determination and resilience.

As we move ‘Towards Better’ a growth mindset promotes a focus on effort rather than ability. Instead of fixating on the idea of being naturally perfect at something, students recognise that setbacks are a natural part of the learning process and are willing to put in the effort required to overcome them, identify areas for improvement and ultimately become ‘better’ versions of themselves, maintain their perspective during challenging times and remain motivated to continue striving forward on the Wholebeing journey.

Megan Boyd
Dean of Students

This year, the Learning Legacy program has begun with a sharp focus on developing lifelong learning skills for all students. We are aiming to equip students with the ability to go beyond the learning that happens in the classroom and extending themselves.

All students have approached this revitalised program with enthusiasm and are reaping the rewards of having the competence to try new ways of learning and new ways of thinking that will not only assist them now, but into the future as well.

So far, our senior students have learnt how their memory and learning works, which has then been extended to being able to identify how they can move their current study techniques from being passive ones to being much more active ones. In addition, students have also had the opportunity to engage with our careers program at their relevant year levels. For some, it is about exploring what industries they might be interested in and perhaps getting a taste of industries through work experience opportunities, whilst for others, they are trying to figure out what their next step into post-school learning might look like.

We look forward to our students continuing their journey of becoming life long learners.

Keira Wills
Dean of Learning Futures

As the Head of a Year 9 girls' campus, I am deeply committed to fostering an unstoppable spirit within our young students, purposefully cultivating a culture where they possess the skills, mindset, and determination to Take Charge of their futures. However, the reality is stark: in just under four years, the young women currently in Year 9 at TC will step into a world, where data from the 2023 Australian Government ‘Status of Women Report Card’ indicates that Australia ranks 43rd in the world for gender equality. A gender pay gap emerges immediately after graduation, with full-time starting salaries for women average $67,000 while salaries for men average $69,000. This disparity will continue to grow, translating into a weekly pay gap of 13.3%, leaving women earning $253.50 less every week, amounting to a staggering $13,182 deficit annually. Furthermore, traditional gender roles still heavily influence the job market, with caring and clerical professions predominantly occupied by women, while construction trades and labouring professions are dominated by men.

At Tay Creggan, we are building a culture where all our students are accepted and celebrated for their uniqueness. A place where we ask our young people to Take Charge - to take up space and be unapologetic in a desire to lead, learn, and live as unstoppable young women!

I recently had the opportunity to announce our Year 9 TC Leadership positions for 2024 and warmly congratulate the following appointments.

TC Leaders
Rose Beaton
Louisa Liu

House Leaders
Arnold House: Poppy
Grenfell: Lily Wang
Findlay: Yuxin
Gilbert: Lily Triantoipulous

Debating Leader: Zoe Wong
Sports Leader: Annabelle Nemtsas
Performing Arts: Caitlin Hammerton
Service Leader: Miranda Knell

To conclude, this week I had the opportunity to speak with our two newly appointed TC leaders, Rose Beaton and Louisa Liu, about what it means to possess an unstoppable spirit.

To me TC is a place that has a warm sense of belonging, and this year I hope to keep bringing the community together and making sure everyone feels safe and welcome here at TC. I am looking forward to making everyone's voices contribute towards the bigger picture and making TC a happy, enjoyable and memorable year for everyone – Rose.

TC is a wonderful place in itself, with its rich history and beautiful architecture. What makes it special, however, is the people here. It is truly a place that is wonderful inside and out, and I couldn’t be more grateful to be representing its students. Rose and I will do everything we can to make the year at this campus the best it can be for the Year 9 cohort. I look forward to growing closer as a community, and moreover, I look forward to giving everything I do for the community my all – Louisa.

Have a beautiful week everyone!

Jen Buchanan
Head of Tay Creggan

The program is aimed at entry level basic skills in a range of outdoor activities, including hiking, bike riding, rafting, canoeing, high ropes and overwater initiatives. The students camped in tents for three nights at Bush Camp Eildon and experience an overnight hike journey into OEG Camp Wanggai. I want to give a huge thank you to all the staff that made this camp possible, including the OEG camp group leaders and our wonderful teachers and staff including; Toni Black, Zoe Veling, Jane Zhou, Tim Clarke, Andrew Scott, Anna Miller, Tracey Thorpe, Samantha Mackey, Lyall Nelligan, and Dylan Slavin.

Here are some reflections from our students who have just returned home from this wonderful experience.

"This was my first camp at Strathcona so on the bus ride there I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect. But as soon as groups 1 and 2 were dropped off in Wangari and we met Tim and Sam, I knew it was going to be a fun week. Our group leader Sam guided, encouraged and cheered our group on throughout the week and really made sure our experience was amazing. The activities were all fun but also challenging and made us think outside the box.

One activity that stuck out to me was rafting. Not only was it fun, but it taught us to be resilient and try what ever our instructor said. There were challenges that we faced and supported each other through." - By Emily 

“Camp was a great experience to try new things and make new friends. I especially enjoyed it because I love camping and doing the activities we did. Across the whole week, we did lots of fun activities. My favourite activities were probably the rafting, canoeing, high ropes, and sleeping in tents. For me the most challenging thing was the hike, we hiked 6km from the base camp to the bush camp which took a couple of hours. Although the hike was frustrating and tiring, I had fun setting up a tarp to sleep under with my friends for the night then having a refection campfire and spooky stories that made us all scream. Some of my highlights would have been the cooking, making smores and looking after a mascot Gordan the gnome. After all the fun was done we had a BBQ lunch on the last day which was delicious and then we left which if I had my way I would not have done because I had such a great time on camp!” - By Megan 

Some of the biggest successes that students found where:

“I learnt how to be more independent, and I learnt how to cook my own food.”

“I think that one of my biggest successes on camp was being able to be away from my home for a while, and not be super homesick.”

“My biggest success throughout the week away on camp was trying new things which led me to have an amazing experience. Activities such as tight ropes, camping in tents, rafting etc were some very successful activities.”

“My biggest success of camp was, being able to make a tonne of new friends and getting to be able to interact and socialize with new people. Also another big success for me was to get used to and start knowing how to survive and how to do the basics of camping like set up a tent.”

“I think my biggest success was growing! As a person in my time at camp. I think I have become more positive to things. More open-minded. More thankful for the things I have.”

Shelley Lipshut
Year 7 Coordinator

We spent weeks preparing our dishes, focusing on food presentation, etiquette, and menu planning. The students showed tremendous enthusiasm and dedication throughout our preparation, which in turn demonstrated a high level of culinary skills and creativity that showed an impressive display of our final products.

Overall, the high tea was a resounding success, providing students with opportunities for them to learn real-life skills through waitressing, serving, working as a team, completing clean up and of course cooking all the delicious food that was served at the event. It was fantastic to see the positive feedback and smiles on their special guests faces as they enjoyed the delicious treats we produced, and it was an event that has created lasting memories for both students and their special guests!

Zoe Carr
Teacher

Dr Justin Coulson will discuss with parents how our children thrive when we understand and meet their basic psychological needs; how our job is not to fix our kids, but to create an environment that supports their growth and development; and how children flourish when we minimise control, but maximise our warmth and involvement, and establish healthy boundaries. Not all children are the same, and Justin will consider a range of circumstances that you or your child might be in - including children with non-typical development.

Register your attendance to this session here

Kerri Rhodes
Senior School Psychologist

We were delighted to see students competing across all age groups from the U18s to U12s and a number of girls bringing back medals.

Serena Lee (Year 6): 1st
Women’s K1 200 U12s, 1st Women’s K1 500 U12s, 3rd Women’s
K2 1000 U16s

Yuxin Yang (Year 9): 2nd
Women’s K1 200 U14s, 2nd Women’s K1 500 U14s, 3rd Women’s
K2 200 U14s, 3rd Women’s K2 500 U14s, 1st Mixed K2 200 U14s

Elizabeth Lee (Year 10): 3rd Women’s K1 200 U16s, 2nd Women’s K2 500 U16s, 1st Women’s
K4 500 U18s

Mia Horskins (Year 11): 1st
Women’s K2 500 U18s

Ananya Rana
Parma (Year 11): 2nd Women’s K2 200 U16s, 1st Women’s K2 500 U16s, 2nd Women’s
K2 1000 U16s

Olivia Ma (Year 11): 3rd
Women’s K1 200 U16s, 3rd Women’s K2 200 U16s, 2nd Women’s
K2 500 U16s, 1st Women’s K4 500 U18s

Despite the challenging conditions, the team showed amazing support for each other during the race and a big thank you is overdue to the parents who took time out of their busy weekend to volunteer. To all the other girls who competed, congratulations on this amazing achievement! Your efforts in training have not gone unnoticed.

Alex Boyd
Kayak Coach

We congratulate her on her wonderful career achievements and believing in her dreams.

Founder & CEO of the Day Mgmt Group

After completing a Bachelor of Professional Communications from RMIT, Genevieve started her career working at a lifestyle PR agency specialising in tourism and luxury hotels. After noticing a shift in the media landscape in 2015 she started her own business, influencer talent agency Day Management. Genevieve has been recognised for her work of founding one of Australia's first influencer marketing and digital talent agencies by the Australian Financial Review's Fast 100 List, Business News Australia's Young Entrepreneur Awards in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 and making Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2021. She was also a founding member of the Australian Influencer Marketing Council and regularly speaks on the social media industry to programs such as Ch7 News, A Current Affair and The Project. Today, Day Mgmt has grown into the Day Mgmt group, comprised of two additional agencies - Next of Kin Mgmt for family talent, and a TikTok-specific agency Day Creators.

We, as a community, are so blessed as every member plays a crucial role in the success of the School, creating a sense of unity and camaraderie, embracing diversity, fostering a culture of inclusivity, and nurturing a shared sense of purpose.

Recently our Year 7 families gathered together, prior to the students going to camp, to foster new friendships and catch up on others. Thank you to the Strathcona Family Association for supporting the evening and providing sausages and drinks which were very well received.

In particular, thanks to Sue Astegno and Chris Howell for their tireless support on the night.

Jo Wilson
Director of School & Community Relations

They play a vital role in the School community facilitating communication between parents, their Year Level and the School; assisting in organising social functions and also encouraging parents to attend Strathcona major occasions. A number of year levels are already planning some fabulous events for parents and families during the year. Please support your Year Level class reps and register to attend the events they are organising.

Jo Wilson
Director of School & Community Relations

Strathcona’s “unstoppable students” enjoyed being in the Cathedral, on this hot Melbourne day. We all took part in the service, beautiful singing, concert band and choirs who all made this a very special ceremony. We enjoyed singing the hymn 'Be Thou my Vision' chosen by Mrs. Beegan. In this hymn, we sang about Vision, Wisdom and Faith. These are three things that we practice at Strathcona and help us nurture our unstoppable students.

Former student Dr Liz Rushen, AM spoke of the legacy of vision, wisdom and faith gained at Strathcona. Liz is a well-known Australian Historian who writes about migration history, women and Melbourne. She is another of Strathcona’s unstoppable life-ling learners.

The theme across the service was “lighting the legacy”. As we continue this theme into the future, we remember the Baptist Minister and civil rights campaigner Martin Luther King Junior, saying “Darkness cannot overcome darkness, only light can do that”. Our “unstoppable students” are continuing to show vision, wisdom and faith.

We look forward to hearing this year about more of the Strathcona students who have been “unstoppable” in their chosen areas over the first 100 years of the school’s history. We enjoy seeing our current students demonstrating their vision, wisdom and faith in their unstoppable abilities in 2024 and into the future.

Janet Costello
Senior School Chaplain

What you are most looking forward to in 2024?
It sounds trite but the students. They’ve made me feel so welcome. So many said they were excited to have me teach them and shared how they hoped I would enjoy teaching them as much as they would enjoy being taught by me. #blessed

Your favourite thing about Strathcona?
Personally… that Six the musical is coming back. I saw the last production seven times… Professionally, working with my awesome new faculty and learning how to become an even better teacher.

An interesting fact about you or a hobby?
Interesting fact: I cooked with Jamie Oliver on stage in 2006. A hobby: I ice bath several times a week. Yes, this means dunking myself in a vat of ice for anywhere between 5-10 minutes.

What you are most looking forward to in 2024?
Start a STEM program at Strathcona.

Your favourite thing about Strathcona?
Offers immense opportunities to the students to actively engage in their learning.

An interesting fact about you or a hobby?
A STEM professional and regular presenter at International and National STEM and Mathematics conferences, a sports enthusiast and a traveller.

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Please click here for the full edition of Career News.

Xin Chen 
Head of Careers and Pathways

A great casual opportunity to get together and they encourage new parents to join them.

A private room and bar has been booked for your enjoyment.

$30 per person for finger food and a glass of bubbles with drinks then at bar prices.

RSVP here

We hope to see you!

Join Dr Justin for a practical presentation that draws on content from his new book, The Parenting Revolution, and incorporates up-to-the-minute research in parenting science and studies of childhood development. Dr Justin Coulson will show you:

- how our children thrive when we understand and meet their basic psychological needs;
- how our job is not to fix our kids, but to create an environment that supports their growth and development; and
- how children flourish when we minimise control, but maximise our warmth and involvement, and establish healthy boundaries.

Not all children are the same, and Justin considers a range of circumstances that you or your child might be in - including children with non-typical development.

Register your attendance to this session here

Kerri Rhodes
Senior School Psychologist