Term 3, Week 7, 2023 25 Aug 2023

My heartfelt thanks and gratitude go to all the board members and board sub-committee members who have served during my time. The support, wisdom and guidance of this volunteer group has been invaluable and, I believe, has assisted the School make sound decisions particularly during challenging times such as those during the pandemic.

 
Of great importance to me also is my staff. As I tried in a very clumsy way to express at my staff farewell: everything they say and do - the smiles to students and care of the students; the encouragement of them and of each other; their belief in this School; their subject knowledge depth; their mastery of teaching; their warm-heartedness; their goodness and decency; their constant striving for excellence and improvement – all of it has reflected on me and I have not taken this for granted. I feel quite overwhelmed at that trust they have put in me. And Strathcona girls… I don’t know if part of this is the culture here that creates these beautiful girls, the staff who model and therefore it perpetuates or that the parents who select the School share a particular standard and code of ethics, but everyone who comes here even for a brief visit, remarks on the quality of the girls - even people who are in and out of all kinds of similar schools. They are children and teenagers and certainly not perfect, but there is that something which I have never been able to articulate adequately which sets them apart.

There is much to look forward to as the School approaches its centenary. I have commissioned a School History which will take the form of what I anticipate will be a beautiful coffee table book with photos old and new which traces the eras of the School’s life within the broader context historically. It was written by an old friend of Strathcona, writer Cathy Gowdie, who knows and loves the School well. I also commissioned a sculpture depicting two Strathy girls – one in 1924 style and their other a contemporary styled girl with ponytail and T-bars. The sculptress is one of our alumnae who works from the UK and is a world-renowned artist who hopes to be here at the unveiling. The School is also celebrating by having what we hope is an elegant and fun dinner at the NGV with dancing and music. Also, to be anticipated, is the opening of the Early Years and Community Centre with the amazing play space and city views. This project is going to plan and budget and should be open for our children in Term 2 next year. There are other things planned but we have tried to keep the calendar sane and not dilute the year with too many ‘centenary’ events so the approach has been as inclusive as possible. The mantra ‘less is more’ – this is the advice we have received from other schools who have celebrated centenaries.

As I go on to take up my role as Principal of Queenwood School for Girls, I hold Strathcona fondly in my heart and I shall follow the centenary unfold over the year and hope to come to a couple of events. Thank you, Strath parents, for your belief in me. I have no doubt the School will go from strength to strength. I shall be following with excitement and pride. I shall conclude with the Irish Blessing which I have used to finish off most of my years in leadership and was beautifully sung at my Student Farewell Assembly. This traditional Irish blessing is an ancient Celtic prayer.

May the road rise up to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the palm of His hand. 

Marise McConaghy

Principal

Last week we held a Farewell Assembly for Marise, conducted by students, to celebrate and reflect on a remarkable individual whose influence has been woven into the fabric of our community. Below are excerpts of our student leaders’ speeches from the assembly, which offer a glimpse into the impact our principal has had on their lives. 

Audrey Macdonald, School Captain
It goes without saying that Strathcona's culture of feminism has been enriched greatly under the leadership of Mrs McConaghy. The magnitude of leadership positions available in both the junior and senior schools speaks for itself, but this was not always the case. Her passion for empowering women to lead with confidence and integrity sparked a monumental shift towards increasing the opportunities us girls were offered throughout our schooling. In 2019, the middle school captains’ position was introduced which allowed girls to develop their voice as a leader much earlier on. This has become an integral part of our middle school and plays a key role in ensuring all student opinions are heard across the board. Additionally, the junior school now have deputy captains, a service and care team, language captains, performing arts leaders and even library captains which are all roles that have been introduced during her almost decade here. Her belief that no age is too young to nurture and create an environment of strong female leaders has led to Strathcona being recognised as one of the most progressive and successful girls' schools in the state.

Meg Harrison, School Deputy Captain
Throughout her time at Strathcona, Mrs McConaghy has shown a steadfast commitment to nurturing a sense of community that extends beyond graduation, this exceptional connection with our alumni truly setting her apart. This commitment has led to an upcoming reunion in London, where former students eagerly await the chance to reconnect with Strathcona and each other. Her belief in the power of connections has turned Strathcona into a place where the past, present, and future are intertwined, building bridges that connect generations.

Georgia Snadden, School Deputy Captain
Ms McConaghy’s leadership has seen the development of Strathcona’s philanthropy program – which we have all heard about recently following the success of Strathcona’s inaugural Giving Day, raising funds for our Centenary Scholarship. On Giving Day, the school community raised $195,871 which was a momentous collective effort – including 375 donations in 12 hours! Donations ranged from $1 to $50,000 and included donations from 58 present and past Strathy staff. Ms McConaghy has been a generous financial supporter of all giving appeals and has championed the spirit of giving for our school. This will be a key legacy she will leave behind here at Strathcona, as the Philanthropy program gains momentum, continuing to grow and strengthen in the school’s future.

Saloni Gunasekera and Erin Ellis, Year 9 Leader
The wonderful Outdoor Education Program we have here at Strathcona is a testament to Mrs McConaghy. She recognised the importance of stepping outside the four walls of our classroom and power of learning in an unfamiliar environment. Mrs Mcconaghy’s dedication to the development of our outdoor education has meant that we are lucky enough to come across many opportunities to challenge ourselves physically, bond as year levels and discover newfound strengths through our schooling lives. The time and dedication that Mrs McConaghy has put into this program to ensure that everything runs smoothly and is fun, is incredible. Nothing is put together at the last minute, and every detail is so carefully planned. These camps are what help to build the bridge to our future. They inspire us and expand our belief of what we can do when we are challenged. Now, I’m sure that spending 5 days in the great outdoors would scare many of you, but when you ride through the gates of Tay Creggen at the end of your journey, a feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment overrule any other emotions. Although the pathway from one spot to the next was the same for everyone, each person took something different away from the experience. This helps to shape what we believe we can do in the future. You have empowered us to conquer our fears, foster a resilient spirit and create many memories that will serve us well, both at and beyond our time at Strathcona.

Holly Majernik and Chloe Osborne Smith, Year 8 Leaders
Not only has Mrs McConaghy positively impacted students’ learning, but she has also introduced the idea of a collaborative team where students have a voice and are able to contribute to the school. The Student Executive was created with the idea in mind of a more connected and involved school community. In this group, students have the opportunity to work with leaders from other year levels, broadening connections across the school. Over the past few years, the Student Exec have made many significant changes, such as an Eftpos machine in the canteen, the Taboo project, and organised school wide fundraisers. This year, along with the theme ‘Reach out’ we have implemented the idea of the four C’s which stand for culture, community, connection, and communication. Without Mrs McConaghy, we would not be able embrace the importance of a student voice and value Strathcona’s connected community.

Zoe Cameron and Junru Teng, Junior School Deputy Leaders
Mrs McConaghy’s departure will be heavily felt across the Junior School, although all the girls from Prep to Year 6 will continue as Mrs McConaghy would have wanted. We would like to thank Mrs McConaghy, who has always portrayed the image of a highly disciplined personality while being kind and humble. With her charisma she has always influenced us to achieve the impossible. The life lessons she taught us are forever valued.

Tracy Herft
Deputy Principal

This year, Envision has seen a return to in-person experiences, with the website being used for pre-ordering only. All but two groups have pitched their ideas and successfully acquired their seed funding and the focus has now moved to product development and marketing.  

What sets Tay Creggan Envision apart is its unwavering commitment to authenticity. The initiative isn't just about selling things; it's about crafting an experience where conditions for creating a business simulate the “real world”.  From navigating the intricacies of sourcing quality ingredients on a budget to securing investors, the student entrepreneurs have encountered challenges that test their resolve, their work ethic and their ability to multi-task. You may notice on the website that photographs are yet to appear, or that they become more professional over time, just as Craig McCrae says about his Collingwood team "this is a journey - we are all still learning". 

On that note, you can access the Envision Melbourne website here. New businesses will be launching daily and products can be collected from either the Main School Market on Tuesday 5th September at Lunchtime or at the Tay Creggan Envision Market on Friday 1st September from 4.30-6.30pm. 

Happy browsing,

Karyn 

Over 170 musicians graced the stage, performing a diverse range of musical styles that spanned the ages, as well as celebrating original Australian and Indigenous works.

For some students, the evening marked their debut onstage, stepping into the spotlight with courage for the first time, and for others, including myself, Mrs. McConaghy, and our Year 12s, the concert held bittersweet significance as it was one of our final opportunities to be with the Strathcona community before embarking on new journeys.

I wanted to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made the event possible, from the staff backstage to the maintenance team, venue and tech crew, Jenny Meachem, Anna Miller and the extraordinary stage managers Claire Johns and Olivia Linas. I would also like to acknowledge our instrumental teachers, who had nurtured a love for music within each and every student on the stage. Their dedication was truly remarkable, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for their work. 

There was an electric atmosphere at the Hawthorn Arts Centre and I hope you all thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful music created by the students, it truly was a special evening.

Dean Gourley
Director of Senior School Music

Embedded within this already very busy week of sport was the GSV Division 3 Athletics Track and Field Championships held on Wednesday 23rd August. Over 60 competitors from Year 7-12 gave their all while thoroughly enjoying themselves in a genuine team culture at Lakeside Athletics Stadium in Albert Park and came away with the overall championship trophy for the school against some tough competition.

I would like to thank all of the staff and coaches who have contributed to getting these successful sporting competitions to happen and congratulate all of those students who participated with their best efforts representing the school.

David Wyatt
Head of Health and PE and Head of Sport

• Study at La Trobe University's Sydney Campus
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Please click here for the full edition of Career News.

Xin Chen
Head of Careers and Pathways

The theme Illuminate can be interpreted by artists and designers in many ways.

Activities running from 6.00pm – 6.30pm include:

Take a Photo
Photograph yourself with some props.
Post and hashtag #girlsunstoppable to win a prize.

Practice your drawing
Try and draw a simple continuous line drawing with an Art and Design teacher.

Paint by numbers
Try to paint by numbers in a collaborative painting.

All are welcome, bring your family and friends to appreciate the art and hard work of our students in in Years 7 – 12! This event will be fully catered. Light finger food and refreshments will be provided.

DATE
Tuesday 5 September 2023 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 

LOCATION
CPAC – Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar, 34 Scott Street, Canterbury Victoria 3126

Book you tickets here

We encourage all dads and special friends to attend.

A coffee cart, sausage sizzle and yummy breakfast will be available. For catering purposes, please RSVP by Monday 28 August 2023 by clicking here.

We hope you will join us!

Please join us for a beautiful afternoon with a guest speaker, entertainment, photo booth, lucky ticket draws as well as canapes on arrival and a delicious 2-course lunch and plenty of bubbles.

Dress up in your racing gear and join the other Strathy mums.

$145 per person (all inclusive) and make sure you book early as places are limited.

Please note tables will accommodate 10 guests.

RSVP by Wednesday 18 October 2023 for catering purposes.

Book here - https://www.trybooking.com/CLK...