Term 3, Week 1, 2024 - A Community Reconnected 18 July 2024

A special welcome to our new students who are joining us this term. To our five French exchange students, we extend a warm greeting: "Bienvenue à notre école!" With the Tour de France captivating cycling enthusiasts and the Olympics just around the corner, French culture is undoubtedly this month's flavour.

Congratulations to all our students on their efforts in the first semester. As you reflect on your reports, take this opportunity to set new goals for Semester Two. Remember, what happens in the classroom is crucial, but your approach to studying and taking responsibility for your own learning is equally important. Participating in our co-curricular activities offers valuable experiences and lessons. It is never too late to start contributing or to broaden your social networks and get to know others at School.

As we move forward into this term, let's remember that our School is a community where everyone needs to feel they belong. Let's make this term a time of reconnection, growth, and most importantly, mutual support. Together, we can achieve great things as we celebrate 100 years together.

Building Connections: Staff reconnect and build relationships
Our teachers play an integral role in shaping and guiding our School community. Their dedication and hard work are the foundation of our School's success. On Monday, our staff reconnected at Tay Creggan for our Centenary Staff Summit – A Century of Achievement and a Future of Possibilities. Coming together as a whole staff strengthens relationships and community ties schoolwide. The day began with the vibrant energy of African drumming, setting a lively tone for the day's activities. Following this, Dr Sophie Fenton delivered an enlightening presentation on AI and the importance of retaining what is human in our ever-evolving world. The staff then had the privilege of hearing from Dr Helen Hughes, former Principal at Strathcona, who spoke about the rich history of being a staff member at Strathcona, the significance of coaching, establishing career goals, and the essential practice of listening. Staff and students working and learning at Strathcona during Dr Helen Hughes’ principalship joined her on stage to celebrate her enduring legacy at Strathcona.

In my address on the day, I took a moment to remind our staff about the importance of happiness in our School motto. Happiness is a paradox; it is highly sought after, but if pursued directly, it remains elusive. Instead, happiness finds us through our commitment to spiritual, physical, intellectual, relational, and emotional wellbeing. My wish for our staff is to be happy to come to work, to embody happiness, and to serve as role models for our students. To cap off the day, staff participated in an Amazing Race-style activity, engaging in friendly competition. This event underscored the importance of reconnection, community, and developing relational wellbeing. Teaching and learning thrive on collaboration, trust, and time spent building relationships and enjoying all life offers. Happy staff contribute to a happy school, creating a positive and nurturing environment for everyone.

The Grand Opening of Our Early Years Campus
We are thrilled to announce the much-anticipated opening of our Early Years Campus, featuring state-of-the-art buildings and a vibrant play area. The excitement was palpable as we prepared for our Year 6 Captains to cut the ribbon, marking this momentous occasion just before they head off to Canberra. The new playground and facilities promise to bring immense joy and enrichment to our entire Junior School and Kindergarten students. This dynamic space is designed to inspire creativity, play, and learning, and we cannot wait to see our youngest learners thrive in this wonderful new environment. I know you will enjoy hearing and learning about this unique part of our School in this newsletter and in the coming weeks. This new build has brought our entire Junior School together, fostering a sense of unity and shared excitement. It has reconnected our community in a very special way, creating a space where students, teachers, and families can come together and thrive.

Holidays for Learning
The holidays have provided our students with a wealth of rich learning opportunities. Emily Wang (Year 8) achieved remarkable success by playing the cello as part of the Young Mannheim Concert, delivering an exquisite recital that showcased her talent and dedication. It is awe-inspiring for Emily to participate in this prestigious event as one of its youngest members. Additionally, Strathcona hosted a very successful Girls in STEM Day, encouraging many young minds from local schools, and the ever-popular Netball Camps kept our athletes engaged and active. Several students attended leadership camps generously funded by the OSA, while others completed RSA courses, expanding their skill sets and job prospects. Our maintenance team and professional staff have been busy attending to every detail, ensuring everything is ready for the start of the term. This combination of activities has helped our community to grow, learn, and reconnect during the break in new and diverse ways.

Community Ever Evolving
After many years of dedicated service, our esteemed Head of Performing Arts, Jenny Meachem has decided to pursue new opportunities outside of our School after taking some well-deserved long service leave. We are deeply grateful for Jenny’s unwavering commitment and passion, which have greatly enriched the experience of our students over the years. We hope to formally celebrate Jenny’s contribution to Strathcona at our Centenary Annual Music Concert later this year.

I am pleased to introduce our new Head of Performing Arts—Strategy and Development, Mr Dean Gourley. While Dean may be new to some of you, he is not unfamiliar to our community. Dean previously worked at Strathcona as Director of Senior School Music, demonstrating exceptional talent and leadership in shaping our performing arts program.

Dean brings a wealth of experience and fresh ideas that we are excited to see unfold within our School. Dean is committed to maintaining the high standards of excellence that our department is known for, and I am confident Dean will continue to inspire our students to excel in their artistic endeavours.

Please join me in welcoming Dean back to the Strathcona community and wishing Jenny all the best for her adventures beyond Strathcona. In addition, we welcome the following new staff members:

Melinda Facey      Teacher of French
Brooke Dobric      JS Enrichment Teacher
Jesse Sheehan     Teacher of Drama
Rachel McMahon  Teacher of Spark
Carly Clark            Teacher of Year 5
Gabrielle Winter     Integration Aide
Melanie Fleming    Head of Finlay House and Teacher of English

Planning 2025
As we enter the second part of the year, our attention naturally turns towards planning for 2025. One of the key events on the horizon is our Subject Expo, where students and parents can explore various subjects and make informed choices for the upcoming year. We invite everyone to join us and bring a curious mind to this exciting event. Click here to register.

Our thoughts and prayers are particularly with our Year 12 cohort heading into the final weeks of their formal school education. We are committed to supporting them in every way possible to help them prepare thoroughly to perform at their optimum.

Lorna Beegan
Principal

The day was not just about listening; it was also about participating and connecting. Staff members showcased their teamwork skills through an exhilarating “Amazing Race” activity, which emphasised our commitment to building collaboration and fostering a strong sense of community.

One of the highlights of the summit was the opportunity for staff to share their vision for Strathcona 2025 and beyond. These discussions were integral to aligning our goals and ensuring that every voice contributes to our shared mission.

The summit also celebrated our rich history, reminding us of the foundations upon which we build our future. It was a day that honoured our legacy while encouraging innovative thinking to propel us forward.

This event underscored our professional learning priorities, particularly our focus on collaboration and innovation within the curriculum. It was a testament to the dedication and passion of our staff, and I am confident that the connections and ideas fostered during this summit will drive us toward an even brighter future.

Thank you to our amazing staff who participated and contributed to making this day a remarkable success. Together, we are shaping the future of education at Strathcona.

This event will provide opportunities:

For Year 9-11 students and families to have discussions with key teachers to discuss the subject options available to them in 2025

For Year 9-12 families to engage with various universities and institutions about pathways available to students post-school.

Families will be able to explore the expo any time from 6-8pm. During the evening we will also have a range of presentations including:

Year 10 2025 information
Providing students and families with information about subject selection for 2025 Year 10.

VCE 2025 information evening
Providing students and families with key information about VCE.

Maths pathways presentation
Our Head of Mathematics, Sanjeev Meston, will present to all interested families about the pathway options in mathematics for 2025 and beyond.

If you are planning on attending, please register your interest here

We look forward to seeing many families on Monday evening.

Keira Wills
Dean of Learning Futures

We would like to welcome our new students and their families who are joining us this term and hope they will enjoy getting involved in all that Strathcona has to offer. We also welcome Ms Carly Clark into Year 5, while Mrs Karen Taplin is on long service leave for the term.

After a busy couple of weeks, we have opened the new Early Years building and Junior School playground. It has been wonderful watching the girls play in and explore the new environment and I have particularly loved hearing all of the joy and laughter. I am excited for the opportunities that this will bring our children at Strathcona and look forward to seeing how the children interact with and develop the spaces.

Year 6 departed on their Canberra tour this week and were very excited at 5.45am when they arrived at school to catch a bus to the airport!! This trip is a wonderful immersion experience towards understanding democracy, governance and leadership and we look forward to seeing their inquiry projects develop over the course of the term. A very big thank you to our Junior School staff who have gone on this trip to support the students.

I look forward to seeing you all over the coming weeks.

Lisa Miller
Head of Junior School

Our theme for this edition is "A Community Reconnected," highlighting the importance of coming together and fostering strong bonds, not only here at Tay Creggan but also within the wider school community. As I write this article, the TC community is preparing to head to our Senior School Campus for our whole school Faith Assembly with Rev. Janet Costello. These events are important as they give us the opportunity to reconnect with our faith and each other, reinforcing the values and beliefs that define our beautiful school community.

We began the term on a high note yesterday with a captivating performance of Romeo and Juliet. The students were enthralled by the timeless story of love and conflict, bringing Shakespeare’s classic play to life in a way that was both engaging and educational.

Looking ahead, we have a busy schedule packed with enriching activities and events. This Friday, we are honoured to host John Pesutto MP, who will be speaking with our girls. This is a fantastic opportunity for the students to gain insights into the world of politics and leadership from our local MP.

Next week, we are thrilled to welcome author Leanne Hall to TC. She will be conducting a workshop, giving our students the chance to explore their creative writing skills under the guidance of a professional author. Leanne’s workshops are always a hit, inspiring young minds to delve into the world of literature and storytelling.

We also have an exciting excursion with Ms. Mo to celebrate Chinese Cultural Day at Box Hill. This will be a fantastic opportunity for our Chinese Proficient class students to immerse themselves in a rich cultural experience and deepen their understanding of Chinese traditions and heritage.

One highlight this term is the opening of our beautiful Tay Creggan building to the public. We are thrilled to be part of Open House Melbourne on Saturday, July 27th. This is a wonderful chance for our community to reconnect and for the public to appreciate the historical significance and beauty of our campus. Let your friends know… we are so thrilled to be able to share our school with the wider public.

In our Envision classes, students are busy developing their business ideas for our highly anticipated TC Market Place. This event will take place in Week 8, on Thursday, September 5th, in the evening. Please save the date! The TC Market Place is a wonderful opportunity for our young entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative projects and for parents to see firsthand the creativity and hard work their daughters have put into their business ventures. More information about this will be available via our Year 9 Maple Page.

We look forward to another exciting term filled with learning, growth, and memorable experiences. Hard to believe it is already Term 3!

Jen Buchanan
Head of Tay Creggan

Rob talked about how he had made “money” by the time he was 30 but money doesn’t automatically give you happiness. He talked about finding “God” and how this changed the course of his life. As well as running KOOKAI, he had a charitable foundation where he puts “Love in Action”.

We heard from Strathcona students who put “Love in Action” in their lives by service to the community and churches. This term we are going to continue to focus on the idea of “Love in Action” as we raise money and get involved with the different charities that Strathcona supports.

We have collected and given food to local charities. Strathy Angels is a group where parents volunteer to cook a meal for another family. We support Yimba Uganda in Africa and we are planning for more service and “immersion” opportunities for our students via The School of St Jude in Tanzania. We will support Fijian orphanages, refugees from Myanmar and students can personally sign up to do the World Vision 40-hour (technology) famine. If you do this don’t forget to say you are from Strathcona!

To encourage our students to give back and show “Love in Action” our guest speaker has donated numerous KOOKAI vouchers that we will be using to encourage Strathcona Girls to donate money to these various charity projects. It is by “treating others as we want to be treated” that we find personal happiness and meaning in life.

Our Baptist ethos is about “in essentials, unity, in non-essentials, liberty and in all things, everything, charity.”

Rev Janet Costello
School Chaplain

Despite his meek and humble nature, Rob was delighted to share his testimony of faith and business, a story unlike any other but now so dear to the hearts of all students. There is nothing more valuable than a story or “testimony” from someone like Rob who can say he was a multi-millionaire by 30, yet only has meaning in his life and business because of God and His miraculous works. Rob left us with the greatest example of love in action, which we will be holding high this term during our various fundraisers to follow.

At the height of his career, yet also at the lowest point in life, God touched him on the shoulder and redirected his life. At this point, Rob decided the only path for Kookai was to care for and serve other people through all means. The infamous Katalyst and Kookai foundation was born, through which Rob has given back to his home country Fiji through schools, hospitals and directly to students.

His message for us all was “follow your gift from God, not your passion”, reminding each and every one of our 820 high school students of their unique God given gift that would be used by God at the right time for each of us. Whilst he stands at the centre of one of Australia's most adored retail stores, he acknowledges that it would be nothing without God.

Yet we also asked students to testify to their constant Love in Action. We heard from Emma, a Year 10 student eager to serve in the school of St Jude, a reach of service very dear to Strathcona. I spoke about 2 Fijian children’s homes (orphanages) very close to my heart! From the words of prayer from Becky Tong
and Jasmine Ma, who both serve at their local churches, “We pray that we will be able to find happiness in sharing all that we have in showing “Love in Action” to people around us.”

We want to thank the countless students and teachers involved who made this assembly a source of light and goodness during the busy school year. 

God Bless, 

Naomi

2024 Faith Leader

Another busy term of events ahead. Please see below information and links to book.

The Strathcona community is a very warm and welcoming one and by participating in community events it is a wonderful way to connect with others which promotes a sense of belonging. Please join us and help to continue to build a strong, vibrant community.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need assistance in organising events – jwilson@strathcona.vic.edu.au

Year 12 Responsible Serving of Alcohol (RSA) Course
During the holidays, Strathcona organised for our Year 12 students to register for the fully accredited Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) course to gain the skills and knowledge required to responsibly sell or serve alcohol in any workplace including all types of hospitality venues, packaged liquor outlets and wineries, breweries and distilleries.

This was a wonderful opportunity for the students to attain their RSA certificate which will be most beneficial in the future when applying for work in areas such as hospitality.

During a short break, the students enjoyed morning tea provided by the School.

Jo Wilson
Head of School and Community Relations

Drawing from her rich experience as a journalist and author, Cathy meticulously worked with the school to craft 'A Century of Memories, A Future of Promise,' a captivating coffee-table book that showcases Strathcona's evolution.

From its modest beginnings in a Victorian villa in Scott Street, Canterbury, to its contemporary cutting-edge facilities across three eastern suburbs campuses, the book's abundant photographs and moving narratives capture the essence of Strathcona's story, celebrating a century of educational excellence, unstoppable women and memories.

The book along with other unique Centenary merchandise is available to purchase from our website here.

Strathcona has a proud history of families helping to host students as far back as 1992. Beautiful ongoing friendships have been formed across our global network of Korea, China, France and Japan

Strathcona is urgently looking for Host families in 2024 (Term 3) and 2025 to warmly welcome students from overseas who complete their final years of study with us.

Renumeration is provided by AHN our Homestay provider who assists us with onboarding Homestay hosts.

For any enquiries or additional information please contact Marion Cape, Director of Advancement mcape@strathcona.vic.edu.au

The Open House Melbourne Weekend celebrates good design by opening up buildings, places and spaces, inspiring public engagement in conversations about the future of our city.

Tour one of Victoria’s finest examples of unique architecture, Tay Creggan, also known as “the house on the rocks,” in our centenary year. Get involved in activities that complement the unique Year 9 program Tay Creggan offers its students, teaching life-ready skills through a journey of leadership and entrepreneurship.

To book a tour of our magnificent Tay Creggan during the Open House 2024 weekend, please click here #GirlsUnstoppable

Secondly, we will review evidence linking disturbed sleep to next day problems. Third, we introduce the particular reasons for the ‘epidemic of sleep deprivation in adolescents’. The primary causes of this problem are well-understood scientifically, but not well appreciated by the general population. Finally, we turn to solutions at the social level (e.g., delaying school start times) and particularly at the individual level. The talk will include opportunities for interaction and questions and is sure to be engaging.

Professor Greg Murray is currently the Director of Mood Disorder Research and Practice at Swinburne University of Technology and a practising Clinical Psychologist. His primary research interest is the link between sleep, biological rhythms and mental health. He has published more than 200 scientific papers on these topics and received more than $33 million in funding to support his research work. Greg has received individual awards for research, teaching and community engagement, and has a long-standing interest in adolescent sleep. His article on sleep in The Conversation has been read more than 1.2 million times, he has had regular mental health sessions on ABC Radio National and has provided dozens of talks on adolescent sleep to secondary school students, teachers and parents.

Register your attendance to the free seminar here