THE MAGAZINE OF LAURISTON GIRLS’ SCHOOL // September 2011

LIVE IT. LEARN IT. LOVE IT.

I would characterise much of my first year at Lauriston as a series of conversations that have helped me to establish relationships with our School community and understand the Lauriston environment.

My initial conversations were with the Council and staff of the School, as I wanted to gain an understanding of our current position and consider the strategic direction we would be taking for the next three to five years. The conversations were wide-ranging: we spent time discussing our students and their needs, the curriculum we offer, the changes being imposed upon us by external factors, and the facilities on each of our campuses. As a result of these conversations, we have in place, and are now implementing, a strategic plan for the period 2011–13.

Our conversations continue and we have created learning groups, each led by a different staff member, to help deliver the strategic actions detailed in our Strategic Plan; the learning groups enable staff to have a high level of involvement in, and ownership of, these strategic actions. In giving attention to the learners of the 21st century and the skills they will require in their future lives, we are now also developing a profile of the Lauriston Learner, in the context of our preferred pedagogies – methods of teaching that engage, motivate and challenge our students.

During the last twelve months I have had many conversations with the Lauriston Foundation, with the Old Lauristonians’ Association and with the Lauriston Parents’ Association. Lauriston values its relationships with these groups and appreciates the support that they give to the School. We now have clarity about the best ways in which the School can work with each of these groups, and we have developed, and are implementing, appropriate action plans. I am particularly pleased that we have been able to launch our Foundation’s Equity Scholarships fund (see pages 12–13), which will in the years to come enable many young women – young women who would not otherwise have the opportunity – to attend Lauriston.

For most women, the language of conversation is primarily a language of rapport: a way of establishing connections and negotiating relationships. (Deborah Tannen, US academic and author)

Looking back on a year of conversationsLauriston Life

The Lauriston Magazine

Lauriston Girls’ School

ABN 15 004 264 402

38 Huntingtower Road

Armadale Vic 3143

Australia

t: +61 3 9864 7555

f: +61 3 9822 7950

e: admissions@lauriston.vic.edu.au

www.lauriston.vic.edu.au

CRICOS number 00152F

Contributors

PRINCIPAL

Susan Just

EDITOR

Marina Johnson

CONTRIBUTORS

Robyn Ambler

Prudence Barker (2000)

Jenny Bars

Melinda Cannington

Lucy Clapham

Ann Hooper

Marina Johnson

Nene Macwhirter

Susan Michaelis (1979)

DESIGN AND PRINTING

Impress Print Management

Cover: Students taking part in the 110th Anniversary Gala Concert.

FroM The PrinciPaL

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I have very much enjoyed getting to know our alumni. I have shared interesting conversations with many Old Lauristonians, some of whom remember early Lauriston headmistresses. Our past students’ memories of the fun they had at school – and the trouble they often found themselves in – have been most entertaining.

I am very thankful that the Lauriston Mentor Program, which we initiated this year, has received strong support from our younger alumni and has made a good beginning. The participating students have already met once with their alumni mentors and have arranged to catch up with them again. One student has told me that her mentor is very much like her in terms of personal and career interests. The other students taking part in the Mentor Program have also been very positive about the early conversations they have had with their mentors. I am looking forward to seeing the mentoring relationships fostered by this program continue well beyond the school years – with a role to play as the participating girls graduate, undertake their tertiary studies, and then embark upon their careers.

Lauriston parents want to be closely involved with the education of their daughters, and the Lauriston Parents’ Association is an active group. During the last twelve months, I have used many avenues to communicate with our parents and ensure that our parents can communicate with our teachers and other staff. I have learned a great deal from the conversations I have with parents at my Friday Open Door each week, as well as at functions and other events. I have certainly also enjoyed meeting with parents at year-level coffee mornings – thanks to which my knowledge of good places to go for coffee in Melbourne has impressed my friends from other states.

I have learned a lot about the Howqua year from a parent perspective – my conversations with parents have encompassed curriculum offerings, sport and the

performing arts, communication between the School and parents, and the pride that students have in attending Lauriston. More importantly, I have endeavoured to take what I have learned into account as we begin implementation of the School’s Strategic Plan.

My involvement with the Howqua campus staff and students has led to many conversations, often in unusual settings. While I have spent time in the classroom at Howqua and have held formal staff meetings, I have gained just as much from having conversations while hiking with the students and staff, having ‘mornos’ with the girls or standing in the kitchen and speaking with the kitchen staff and the girls on duty. Howqua is a unique campus and its culture is quite different from that of the Armadale campus. I have appreciated the opportunity to spend time at Howqua, where I have been able to see, first hand, the skills and attitudes that the students develop as a result of the learning and life experiences they have there.

There are a number of schools in Melbourne and throughout Australia that are in the discussion or planning stages for the establishment of outdoor campuses and programs that will challenge students and support their personal development. Lauriston is well ahead, in that Howqua is an established campus; moreover, we are continually taking advantage of opportunities for further innovation and improvement in the programs we offer. After participating in our Howqua experience, Lauriston students stand out as individuals, equipped with skills and attitudes that will enhance both their senior years of schooling and their future lives.

Consultations with the students have been fruitful and have allowed us to negotiate positive outcomes. The most enjoyable and robust conversations I have are those I have with the students. They are not afraid to tell me what they think and they

are not afraid of me. I remember well conversations with the students about the appropriate length for the school uniform. Thanks to the tradition at my former school of wearing the winter skirt at ankle length, a number of Lauriston girls thought that I wanted our students to wear their uniforms at this length. I was quick to point out that I understood I was not living in Canberra any more, but I did try to spread my own rumour – namely that I wanted the girls to wear gloves all the year round!

The students see me around the School every day, I speak with them in a variety of settings, and they often make me laugh – as when I attend student assemblies or House activities. I imagine that I have also made the girls laugh – when, for example, I have attempted some of the outdoor activities on Year 7 camp or participated in the staff v. students debate. I feel enormous pride when I watch the Year 6 leaders run assemblies in the Junior School, and I appreciate the creativity of the senior students in their organisation of Friday assemblies. I have cheered the students on in sporting competitions, clapped enthusiastically after musical or drama performances, and felt envious when looking at student artworks and photography.

While there is currently intense debate about education and the needs of students in the future, at Lauriston there is a positive feeling about the initiatives that we are putting in place. The present period of review and discussion will result in recommendations that improve outcomes for our students and continue to differentiate Lauriston from other schools.

I have barely noticed the passing of my first year at Lauriston, because there has been so much to learn and so many conversations to have. In our 110th year, I certainly do feel that Lauriston has much to celebrate and feel proud of.

Susan Just Principal

Looking back on a year of conversations

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new approach helps improve subject and course selection in Year 11After waiting until Year 11 to be able to choose the subjects and the course that they will enjoy and are best suited to, students are often struck by the responsibilities such choices entail. How do I make the ‘right’ choice? Which is the ‘best’ course? These are the questions that ring around the campus at this time of year.

Lauriston is proud to have been offering both the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma for nineteen years, and is expert at delivering excellent outcomes in each of these course streams. We are one of the very few schools in the world that offer both local and international curricula as mainstream courses. Each year at Lauriston, nearly equal numbers of students choose either the VCE and the IB.

Every few years we review subject offerings in each course and make some adjustments. In this year’s review we noted the large amount of duplication in the subjects offered in the two courses and felt that it was time we delineated more clearly the unique strengths of each course. We also decided to create more breadth in the subjects we offered our girls in their final years of schooling, thereby meeting the needs of a wider range of learners.

After much research into school and university enrolment trends, as well as surveying of, and consultation with, students, parents and teachers, we came up with a ‘wheel’ of subjects, which includes some exciting new choices.

howquaSenior SchooL

This diagrammatic presentation of subject options will assist the girls to decide whether to pursue the VCE or the IB – in other words, it will help direct each student to the ‘right’ course for her.

A highlight of the ‘wheel’ is the array of Maths subjects now available to our senior students. The girls are able to choose from six Maths subjects; three are offered to students who undertake the VCE and three to those who enrol in the IB.

Like the knights of King Arthur’s Round Table, all subjects and both courses are regarded and treated equitably.

nene Macwhirter Deputy Principal / Head of Senior School

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community service at howquaHow wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. (Anne Frank)

Although many readers of Lauriston Life will be aware of Howqua’s challenging academic and outdoor programs, few would be familiar with the extensive community service program undertaken by the Year 9 students in the latter part of Term 2. Yet, for many of these students, community service is one of the highlights of the Howqua year.

The Howqua community service program is designed to:

• develop in students a sense of community

• increase students’ awareness of their responsibility towards others

• promote the value of practical service to others

• demonstrate the personal enjoyment derived from giving

• increase students’ self-esteem

• help students overcome fear and prejudice.

The program sees our students working with a kindergarten, a primary school, nursing homes, land care groups and other community groups, and the Mansfield radio station.

Student engagement with the community service program begins with each girl being ‘matched’ to a particular community body or organisation, on the basis of her individual interests and talents. The projects that the girls then undertake, over the course of three weeks, are developed by the students, in close consultation with the community organisations to which they have been assigned.

This year, students working with Parks Victoria assisted with maintaining a number of camp sites and camping grounds, and with track maintenance.

Girls working with the Howqua Valley Landcare Group planted, guarded and watered more than three hundred trees on a property along Wild Dog Creek.

According to Tonya, one of the students involved with the tree planting, a highlight was making a video of their community service project. The video will be entered into a competition, for which the prize is a greenhouse. If the girls are successful, the greenhouse will take pride of place at the Howqua campus.

A project that saw students assisting Jamieson Wildlife Shelter was thoroughly enjoyed by all who participated. The students were involved in fundraising efforts, as well as providing assistance at the shelter itself.

Some of our students provided support at St Mary’s Primary School in Mansfield, assisting teachers and working closely with the children to help them develop new skills. Other girls lent a hand at Mansfield Kindergarten, where they helped organise a sports day.

Krisha described her experience at the kindergarten as ‘a delight, especially when the children asked you to read to them’, while fellow student Bec came away from her time at St Mary’s ‘with a new respect for primary school teachers’.

Particularly good organisational skills were required of those students who worked with Mansfield’s Friends of Venilale, a locally based group that maintains a reciprocal relationship with Venilale in East Timor. Our students organised a world dinner and created in the Made in Mansfield shop a display of handmade items from Timor-Leste.

Other students assisted the elderly residents at Bindaree Retirement Hostel and at Buckland House, as well as several Jamieson residents who live in their own homes but are unable to perform household chores such as washing windows or raking leaves. A number of the girls commented on how much they had gained from the experience of working with older people, and how much their assistance was appreciated.

A further group of students worked with Radio Mansfield, and these girls also enjoyed their community service experience. ‘We wrote scripts and spoke on the radio every Wednesday to entertain Mansfield listeners,’ says Anna. ‘Working on the radio improved my confidence … It’s definitely something I would do again. I felt like we were really giving to the community when a lady called up and said how much she loved our show.’

At the end of the community service program, students share their experiences through a mixture of slide shows, movies and PowerPoint presentations.

Lucy clapham Teacher, Howqua

howqua

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enhancing science for girls in the junior years Education has no higher purpose than that of preparing people to lead personally fulfilling and responsible lives. For its part, science education should help students to develop the understandings and habits of mind that they need in order to become compassionate human beings who are able to think for themselves and face life head-on. Science education should equip students also to participate thoughtfully with fellow citizens in building and protecting a society that is open, decent and vital.

What the future holds in store for humanity, the nation and the world depends largely on the wisdom with which humans use science and technology. As the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (2008) states: ‘Complex environmental, social and economic pressures such as climate change that extend beyond national borders pose unprecedented challenges, requiring countries to work together in new ways.

To meet these challenges, Australians must be able to engage with scientific concepts and principles, and approach problem-solving in new and creative ways’.

An effective science program should:

• enhance students’ interest in, and knowledge and understandings of, the scientific world

• develop and enhance in students a natural curiosity about the world around them

Junior SchooL

• develop habits of mind conducive to, and a capacity for, questioning, searching for evidence and making informed decisions that impact on society

• assist students to be knowledgeable about, and confident to participate in, discussions, decision making and problem solving concerned with aspects of human existence that relate to science.

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engaging girlsScience education should focus on developing an interest in, and enjoyment of, science when children are young. Many students accept stereotypical mythologies about science, and such perceptions are usually well entrenched by the time a student enters secondary school. Girls in particular often perceive science as unattractive or ‘not for them’.

As educators, how can we turn these perceptions around?

We will be most successful if we get girls excited about science early.

We need to instil in our youngest students a recognition that science is less about answers than about asking good questions and figuring out ways to answer those questions. This is an especially important lesson for girls, many of whom find it difficult to keep asking questions until they obtain the answer they need.

At all educational levels, children profit from schools bringing practising scientists, engineers and high-technology professionals into the classroom to talk about their work. Such visits are most effective if they are part of a regular program of visits, rather than isolated events, and if they are inclusive of female role models.

We need to be proactive in order to counter social pressures driving girls away from the sciences. As well as having women scientists speak in our classrooms, we should draw on these scientists’ expertise by involving them in mentoring programs.

Schools should support more team teaching in science. The different members of a team can appeal to their students’ varied learning styles by teaching the same concept in different ways. Team teaching also allows for classes to be readily divided into smaller groups, thus facilitating cooperative group learning.

Over the past couple of years, Lauriston has championed the importance of science in our junior girls’ educational journey. We now have a magnificent facility that provides better opportunities to enhance the teaching and learning of science, and this year we have embarked on a new and exciting initiative with a view to further engaging our students and fostering in them a fascination with science. We have been liaising with Young Scientists of Australia (YSA), a group of young people who have a passion for the sciences and a desire to excite other young people about science. Over the course of Terms 3 and 4, each year level from Year 3 to Year 6 will have the support of a YSA ‘mentor’ at every science lesson.

The program is now well underway. Working with our teachers, the YSA mentors have been bringing their expertise to the development of learning experiences, while, in the classroom, they model a passion for science to our students.

The girls have been greatly enjoying this experience and have found that working with young, passionate people has brought another dimension to their personal views about the accessibility and relevance of science to their world.

ann hooper Deputy Principal / Head of Junior School

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reflections on a conference and on play

During the July holidays six Kindergarten staff, including myself, attended the Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange (REAIE) biennial conference, held in Canberra. Titled ‘Landscapes of a Hundred Languages: Possibilities for Relating, Reflecting, Researching’, this inspiring and celebrative conference was focused on the many ways in which children creatively construct knowledge.

We were privileged to hear from educators from both Italy and Australia as they explored this theme, along with issues concerned with ‘what it means to have a strong and positive image of children and to advocate for their rights both as citizens and in realizing their potentials – their right to childhood, the time to be a child, the right to now’ (REAIE conference handbook).

One of the most profound and affirming aspects of the conference was its emphasis on the importance of listening to the child’s voice and respecting the child’s ideas. The focus on the child’s ‘right to childhood, the time to be a child’ highlighted what is by far the most challenging aspect of the programs from Reggio Emilia – the amount of time children are given to really explore their world and to develop and reflect on their understandings.

When we give children time, and document their learning, their potential to be authors, artists, scientists or inventors is acknowledged, respected, and made visible.

At Lauriston, we are focused on respecting the children in our Kindergartens by supporting their right to an appropriate childhood. This is a real challenge for educators and parents alike. We need to balance two considerations: the pressure to prepare children for future challenges, and the importance of giving children what they require now – a childhood that embraces and respects the need for play.

Play is so important to optimal child development that it has been recognised in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (article 31) as a right of every child. According to a report published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength. Play is important to healthy brain development. It is through play that children

… engage and interact in the world around them. Play allows children to create and explore a world they can master, conquering their fears while practicing adult roles

… As they master their world, play helps children develop new competencies that lead to enhanced confidence and the resiliency they will need to face future challenges

… Play allows children to learn how to work in groups, to share, to negotiate, to resolve conflicts, and to learn self-advocacy skills

… Children practice decision-making skills … [and] discover their own areas of interest

… Play builds active, healthy bodies

… Perhaps above all, play is a simple joy that is a cherished part of childhood. 1

We need to consciously allow children the childhood they deserve and have a right to experience. As the early childhood educator Jim Greenman has written:

Childhood is perhaps the most powerful period of our lives. Our experiences form the foundation of what we become, the core of our being – our ability to learn, our sense of ourselves in relation to the world of nature, of people, of things. It is a time for powerful experiences that forever fuel the scientist, the poet, the artist, and the creator within us … It is a time that most of us draw on forever, for moments of warmth and security.2

At Lauriston, we strive to see each child’s strengths, and to hear each child’s voice, in all we do and all we plan for the children in our Kindergartens. And together with the children we play and wonder and learn about our world.

robyn ambler Director of Kindergartens

kindergarTen

1Kenneth R. Ginsburg et al., ‘The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent–Child Bonds’, Pediatrics, vol. 119, no. 1, January 2007, p. 183, http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/pediatrics;119/1/182.pdf.

2Jim Greenman, Caring Spaces, Learning Places: Children’s Environments That Work (rev. edn), Exchange Press, Redmond, Washington, 2005, p. 43.

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engagement in life Engagement in life is one of Lauriston’s five core values, and students who undertake our many trips and exchanges immerse themselves in different cultures with enthusiasm and courage. Whether at Noonkanbah in the far north of Western Australia, at Verneuil-sur-Seine or Toulouse in France, or in China, Turkey or Italy, the learning experiences are many and varied.

Closer to home, all of our Year 10 students participate in our work experience program. Work experience allows each girl, over the course of a week, to get a taste of the ‘real world’ of adult professional work.

Here the girls themselves speak about some of the experiences through which they have truly engaged in life.

work experience: My initial decision was to apply for work experience in physiotherapy, which I am keen to do when I finish school. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to secure work experience in this area, so instead I applied for architecture, and was surprised by how much I loved it.

My work experience week was Monday to Friday, with an 8.45am start. On the first day I was shown around my workplace, which consisted of many different departments. I watched a workplace health and safety video and met my supervisor, who outlined the different aspects of the building I would be working in that week.

A highlight of the week was being given the task of designing my very own shop, with the help of the 3-D interior and graphics department along the way.

Student experiencesI was lucky enough to be able to redraw my drawings on an architectural board. By the end of the week I had developed a portfolio, complete with all my work, sketches and a board of materials that I would need to build my shop. I found some aspects of the work experience challenging – particularly the long hours of this field of work.

This hands-on approach to experiencing the work environment gave me a good idea of what areas I would be interested in working in the future and for subjects next year.

Overall, working in the architectural department was a fascinating and insightful experience. It was truly a great opportunity and gave me an idea of what I would like to do when I grow up.

I strongly encourage all girls undertaking work experience in the future to apply early and to keep their options open.

rebecca Morrison Year 10

noonkanbah exchange programFour senior students and PE teacher Katie Burns spent six nights at Kulkarriya Community School, which is located on Noonkanbah Station in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Our first challenge was actually finding Noonkanbah Station. Unfortunately our map-reading skills let us down, but after one or two U-turns we finally arrived.

Once we were settled, the next challenge was keeping up with the local students. They exuded so much energy; at the end of the day we were all in need of a good night’s sleep to recover.

Adjusting to a new culture was not so much a challenge as an experience. We drew upon our Howqua experience and simply tried anything and everything that was offered during the trip. This included adapting to a highly unpredictable and ever-changing timetable – a complete contrast to what we experience back at Armadale.

A highlight of the exchange was the two-day camp-out, which was held by the river. The camp-out was attended by the school’s senior class, which has twenty students from Years 7–10. We played every sport you can imagine and also went fishing – a real learning opportunity for some of us!

We were also fortunate enough to be at the school for NAIDOC Week celebrations. This week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is celebrated by Indigenous communities and the wider Australian community alike. We were involved in a variety of traditional Aboriginal games and activities, including face painting and drawing – all activities that are used to help pass Aboriginal traditions through the generations.

georgina davie, edwina happell, katie Lewis and Lily Lowenstern Year 11

STudenT engageMenT

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French exchange programAfter a very long flight we arrived at Paris airport and were immediately treated to our first French macaroons (a treat that went on to become an addiction). 

We were welcomed with open arms by our new families. The first day was the most difficult, as we were trying to deal with jet lag, a new language and a new country. The school life was very different from that in Australia, especially because of the large classes, squashed into very small classrooms. The classes run quite differently as well – the teacher simply speaks while the students listen in silence.

The girls hosted in Verneuil sur Seine were lucky enough to visit the Louvre Museum, the Centre Beaubourg (Centre Pompidou) and the Musée d’Orsay, but the highlight was the visit to Villers-Bretonneux – a small rural town completely dedicated to paying homage to our Australian soldiers who liberated the town from the Germans in WWI. The visit was poignant and moving, as we were able to walk in the footsteps of our war heroes.

The highlight for the girls hosted in Toulouse was to be immersed in French culture by wandering the bustling cobblestoned streets and indulging in crepes sold at the Christmas Market. We were also fortunate to travel to Carcassonne, the best-preserved medieval city in the world, and to Montpellier, and to visit the Airbus factory and the Space City.

During our stay in France, our experience was not only on a linguistic level, but also developed our understanding of French culture. We sometimes found adapting to the French way of life a challenge, as was overcoming all the language barriers we encountered. However,

our efforts were rewarded by a sense of achievement at the end of the exchange program, when we were mistaken by locals for des petites filles françaises modèles (model little French girls). This boosted our confidence and our sense of national identity.

We all hope not only to continue our French studies, but also to return to France to visit our French families. We thank the School for providing us with this life-changing opportunity.

Sophie Burn, nicole hunter, Jordanna Solomon and isabel wormald Year 11

STudenT engageMenT

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ceLeBraTing on a grand ScaLe

Lauriston’s 110th anniversary gala concert

On 18 August, more than three hundred students joined together in a musical celebration to mark the School’s 110th anniversary.

Lauriston’s Director of Music, Kellie Ryan, and Music Faculty staff, had spent many hours planning and rehearsing with students in the lead-up to the event. Music Captain Bronte Payne had also played an invaluable role, encouraging and inspiring her fellow students to perform at their best.

In the concert, which was held at Scotch College, students from Prep to Year 12 performed in orchestras, ensembles and choirs, and even in a dance group. Several alumni joined the students for the massed finale. The night featured a variety of music styles, with the works performed ranging from Vivaldi’s Concerto in B Minor for Four Violins to Tuck’s Caribbean Samba (percussion), to Emerson’s Queen of Soul: A Salute to Aretha Franklin (voice).

Principal Susan Just described the 110th Anniversary Gala Concert as ‘a true celebration of the musical talent, passion and commitment shared by Lauriston students and music staff alike’.

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In the last issue of Lauriston Life, we announced the launch of the Lauriston Foundation’s Equity Scholarships Appeal.

Equity Scholarships are a new and important initiative for the Foundation. These two-year scholarships will be offered to young women entering Year 11 who show great potential, but who, for financial reasons, would not under normal circumstances be able to experience a Lauriston education.

The Equity Scholarships Appeal was launched in June at the School’s 110th Anniversary Gala Ball. The Appeal was launched by the President of the Foundation, Michael Rowland, who then introduced former student Sophie Ellis (2002) to speak about her time at Lauriston.

Sophie, originally from Tasmania, was awarded a scholarship to Lauriston in 1999 and commenced at the School as a Year 9 student at Howqua. Sophie spoke eloquently about the challenge of living away from her family; the support she received from the

giving one of life’s greatest gifts – an education for life

Lauriston community; and the myriad opportunities offered to her during her four years at the School.

Sophie said that the skills and values she developed during her time at Lauriston have helped her achieve her goals to date and have become an integral part of her daily life. Sophie sees an intrinsic link between her achievements and her Lauriston education, and highly values the fact that she received a scholarship that allowed her to attend the School.

The Lauriston Foundation’s inaugural Equity Scholarship will be offered in 2012. The Lauriston community has already responded generously to the Equity Scholarships Appeal, with support coming from current parents, past parents and our alumni (see stories opposite). However, more support is needed if we are to offer further scholarships to outstanding students who, as a result of financial circumstances, would not otherwise be able to afford a Lauriston education.

As parents, we found the task of choosing a school for our daughters, Brittany (Year 8) and Lisa-Marie (Year 6), a daunting one. However, Lauriston Girls’ School provided the solution, with its facilities, excellent teaching staff and strong sense of community.

In order to ensure not only that the Equity Scholarships program will commence next year, but also that the program will continue in perpetuity, the Lauriston Foundation has set an ambitious fundraising target of $250,000 for 2011.

We hope that you will consider supporting our Equity Scholarships program. By doing so, you will be giving a young woman one of life’s greatest gifts – an education for life.

Donations to the Equity Scholarships Appeal are tax-deductible and can be made online at www.lauriston.vic.edu.au (click on ‘About Lauriston’, then on ‘Payments Online’; the Payments Online form asks you to select ‘Payment Type’, and here you will need to click on ‘Donation to Scholarship Fund’). Alternatively, you may make a donation by contacting our Director of Marketing and Advancement, Marina Johnson, on 9864 7525 or by email at johnsonma@lauriston.vic.edu.au.

Supporters of our equity Scholarships appealWe believe that a strong family and a balanced education are crucial to an individual’s wellbeing and character development, and to a safe and engaged community.

We have both benefited from tertiary educations, and our charitable ideals stem from the simple belief that ‘charity is an obligation of those that have been fortunate and can still remember their humble beginnings’.

Lauriston’s Equity Scholarships Appeal was an opportunity to remember one’s humble beginnings, and it will provide the opportunity for a young girl to pursue her academic dreams, regardless of her socio-economic background.

A strong community begins with a quality family life, and the Lauriston community teaches valuable life skills, such as cooperation, leadership and engagement.

We believe that an Equity Scholarship will instil in the recipient a sense of trust in institutions and organisations, which is paramount in ensuring safe and robust communities.

As we say at home, Lauriston truly is a school for life!

ray and Marie gordon

LauriSTon FoundaTion

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LauriSTon FoundaTion

My daughter Elizabeth (2001) was educated at Lauriston and I always felt very proud, not only because of the education she received, but also because of the life experiences she gained.

Not having had the benefit of a private school education myself, I believe it is important to be involved with Lauriston’s Equity Scholarships Appeal because it provides young women with the opportunity to experience a Lauriston education.

This year our family donated to the Lauriston Equity Scholarships Appeal, as we would like the School to be able to offer scholarships to students from a wide range of backgrounds, including those from an Indigenous background. We believe that better education is the key to a more fulfilling and rewarding future for all Australians. It is good to see Lauriston leading the way by offering Equity Scholarships.

If I were to separate my life into particular periods of time, they would be ‘pre-Howqua’ and ‘post-Howqua’. For me, the Howqua year was a real turning point – an opportunity to learn more about myself and my peers, and an opportunity to challenge myself and develop skills that would stand me in good stead for the future.

So when that envelope arrived in the post, asking me to contribute to the Equity Scholarships Appeal, there was no other option but to give. As a scholarship recipient myself, I had received so much from my Lauriston education that it seemed only natural to contribute to a fund that would allow other young women the same opportunity.

Since completing my studies at Lauriston in 2003, I have lived and worked in the UK; obtained a BA (Hons) degree and a Diploma in Creative Arts; studied in France; interned with a not-for-profit organisation; and contributed to youth and to the community through my time with the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) program.

I am certain that none of this would ever have been possible without the Howqua experience, the excellent education that I received, the teachers that inspired and encouraged me, and the lifelong friends that I made.

A contribution to the Equity Scholarships Appeal represents an investment in young women and thereby an investment in the community. I was so fortunate to receive a Lauriston education and I hope that, through the generosity of donors, many other young women will be equally as fortunate.

Beverley Mccracken

caley otter (2003)

engraved bricks may be purchased for $150 each. ($130 from each brick purchase will be donated directly to the Equity Scholarships Appeal and is tax-deductible.) The bricks will be permanently installed in a ‘pathway to success’ beginning under Lauriston’s Moreton Bay fig tree – where they will serve as an enduring reminder of your support for the School and its Equity Scholarships program.

To order an engraved brick, please contact Melinda Cannington on 9864 7582 or by email at canningtonme@lauriston.vic.edu.au.

help build our pathway to successOne way of contributing to our Equity Scholarships Appeal is by purchasing a personalised (engraved) brick that will serve as a lasting reminder of your support of and connection with Lauriston.

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our 110Th anniverSarY gaLa BaLL

Lauriston community comes together for a great cause

Lauriston’s 110th Anniversary Gala Ball saw the School community gather together to celebrate our 110th birthday and to show support for our Equity Scholarships Appeal.

Co-hosted by the Lauriston Foundation and the Lauriston Parents’ Association, the Ball was held on 2 June at Leonda by the Yarra, in Hawthorn. Some three hundred parents, alumni, and friends of the School attended.

Upon arrival, guests were entertained by some of Lauriston’s finest musicians. The formalities commenced with a welcome from LPA President Andrew Boyce, who then handed over to Judy Buchan and Ross Campbell. As joint comperes, Judy and Ross ensured that the Ball was a thoroughly enjoyable experience for all present.

The three speakers for the evening were Lauriston Principal Susan Just, Lauriston Foundation President Michael Rowland, who launched the Equity Scholarships Appeal, and past student Sophie Ellis.

Susan Just spoke of the vision of Lauriston’s founders, whose commitment to providing young women with the opportunity to reach their potential remains vitally relevant to the School today. Susan then looked at the ways in which education has changed over the years, and provided an insight into how it must continue to change in order to meet the needs of the 21st century learner.

In announcing the School’s new Equity Scholarships program (see pages 12–13), Michael Rowland continued the focus on the theme of opportunity. Michael outlined the purpose of the program, which will provide scholarships to young women with strong potential who would otherwise be unable to afford a Lauriston education, and he then formally launched our Equity Scholarships Appeal.

Our third speaker was Sophie Ellis (2002). Sophie, who came to Melbourne from Tasmania after being awarded a scholarship to Lauriston, gave an inspirational personal account of what a Lauriston education has meant to her.

A highlight of the evening was a remarkable performance by Bernadette Robinson and her accompanist, Paul Noonan. Bernadette, a current Lauriston parent, is a highly regarded entertainer, who has appeared as a special guest performer with the Australian Pops and Philharmonic Orchestras, at both Hamer Hall and Sydney Opera House, and has also performed at the Famous Spiegeltent (at Melbourne’s Arts Centre).

our 110Th anniverSarY gaLa BaLL

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our 110Th anniverSarY gaLa BaLL

In December, Bernadette will be appearing at the Arts Centre in an encore season of the critically acclaimed one-woman play Songs for Nobodies, which was written for her by playwright Joanna Murray-Smith.

Guests at our Gala Ball were treated to ‘guest performances’ by some of the famous artists in Bernadette’s extensive repertoire. Her ability to transform her voice and personality as she became these artists was simply amazing.

Throughout the evening, guests visited the Silent Auction tables, placing bids on donated items ranging from laptops to UGG boots.

The Silent Auction also featured a number of artworks donated by alumni and friends of the School, including Vivienne Breheney, Jessica McCausland (2008), Brendon Mogg, Deb Morris (1967), Mary Newsome (1952) and Catherine Pieper (2008).

The evening also attracted the generous support of a number of sponsors who donated directly to the Equity Scholarships Appeal.

They were:

gold Sponsors MONJON The Oaktree Foundation

Bronze Sponsor Fuji Xerox Australia

other sponsors Driver Bus Lines Marks Supa IGA, Mansfield Press Play Creations.

Delatite Winery, our wine sponsor for the evening, and print sponsor Impress Print Management, also provided invaluable support, by donating goods and services to help reduce event costs.

The companies and individuals mentioned here have been most generous in their support of the School and we encourage the Lauriston community to support them in turn.

The Gala Ball ended on a lively note. The dance floor was cleared for some serious partying with Phil Ceberano and his band. Heels were kicked off and bow ties loosened as guests danced the night away.

The Ball has been described by many as a highlight of 2011. The success of the event was the result of the efforts of the organising committee, led by Nancy Bassett and comprising Louise Attwood, Lisa Blake, Jill Cutchey, Louise Hackett and Mandy Milledge.

Thank you to all who were involved with this wonderfully successful evening.

our 110Th anniverSarY gaLa BaLL

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STaFF ProFiLeS

Terry came to Lauriston in January this year, as a Primary Art specialist. His role at the School involves the design and delivery of the art curriculum to all students from Prep to Year 6.

Terry chose to become an art teacher after being inspired by his own art teacher at school, and says that, while he has also trained and worked as a graphic designer and illustrator, ‘teaching art has always been my primary passion’.

Terry comes to us with extensive teaching experience, both in Australia and in the UK, where his most recent role involved working with highly disaffected teenagers who had been excluded from mainstream schools. Terry is also a former Head of Art at Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School and was a lecturer and course coordinator at the former Melbourne School of Art.

In his personal time Terry enjoys reading, painting and travelling. He also enjoys social time with family and friends.

Abigail, a Mathematics teacher, joined Lauriston at the beginning of Term 3. She teaches students in Years 7, 10 and 11. Prior to taking up her new role at Lauriston, Abigail taught at a girls’ boarding school in Baltimore in the US.

A teacher since 2004, Abigail is also a trained materials engineer who has worked in research for the US Department of Defense.

When asked why she made the transition from engineering to teaching, Abigail says that, although she enjoyed the problem-solving aspects of engineering, working in a laboratory made her realise how much she missed human interaction.

‘Teaching is an ideal way to interact and to help create a passion for both science and maths among young women,’ says Abigail.

‘There is a desperate shortage of women in these disciplines, so working with young women and helping them realise that maths is not scary, and can actually be fun and rewarding, is very satisfying.’

Abigail has travelled extensively and enjoys outdoor activities, including backpacking, hiking and canoeing.

Justin is our newly appointed ICT (Information and Communication Technology) Manager. He is responsible for managing and overseeing the efficient running of Lauriston’s Curriculum, Management and Communications systems.

A Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Justin has had the role of IT Manager at both Westbourne Grammar School and Melbourne Institute of Business and Technology. He has also worked as a consultant to a number of companies in the automotive industry.

Justin says that he chose his particular field of work because he enjoys a challenge ‘and the diversity of such an ever-evolving industry’.

Justin is the father of a very active two-year-old and spends most of his spare time with his family. Justin also has a passion for cars.

Terry abrahams abigail cooley Justin Mijares

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FroM The archiveS

Boys have been part of Lauriston since 1911, when five young boys, aged between four and six, joined the Kindergarten class. They were the first of more than two hundred small boys to pass through the School, in the Kindergarten, transition (Prep) and first class, between 1911 and 1930. In some years, there were more than twenty boys enrolled; the numbers were significant, given the then small size of the School.

Boys were even accommodated as boarders. Philip Irving boarded in 1914, and young Rex Lipman spent 1929 in Lauriston’s boarding house, while his parents were overseas. Rex, who was apparently too young to board at Melbourne Grammar, always cherished his Lauriston experience, and dined out on tales of life as the only male boarder at a girls’ school. Since he was only five years old at the time, the stories he later told must have been fairly innocent!

The presence of boys at Lauriston continued until the late 1950s. A decade earlier, Headmistress Miss Elizabeth Kirkhope had purchased ‘Little PLC’, in Pine Grove, Malvern, and had reopened it as ‘Little Lauriston’: a school for boys and girls between the ages of four and seven. When Little Lauriston closed in 1957, boys seem temporarily to have disappeared from the School, only to reappear

celebrating 100 years of boys at Lauriston girls’ School: 1911–2011we are the boys of Lauriston School. and proud of the fact we are!

in the 1970s, when Old Niall House was purchased for Pre-Prep to Grade 1 classes.

The presence of boys was further enlarged with the introduction of a four-year-old-kindergarten program in 1990.

Although we know that upwards of three hundred boys attended Lauriston in the period 1911–57, the exact number has been difficult to establish, as the boys’ names are not listed on the main school roll.

a follow-up to ‘Miss Beryl howie and the craft room, 1947–82’ Thank you to the many Old Lauristonians who have contacted the Archives and donated wonderful examples of their school craft work. Photos of these items will be featured in the next issue of Lauriston Life.

Boys made up half of the Kindergarten class in 1934

Jenny Bars Archivist

The Archives would be delighted to hear from any ‘Old Boys’ who can confirm their connection with Lauriston, or give us information about their time here. Information from family members would also be most welcome. Please contact Jenny Bars on 9864 7579 (Thursdays) or by email at barsje@lauriston.vic.edu.au.

Kindergarten class at Little Lauriston in 1952

Train sets for the boys

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oLd LauriSTonianS’ aSSociaTion

The Old Lauristonians’ Association (OLA) was established in 1913 to provide past students with opportunities to maintain friendships, participate in a range of interest groups, and support Lauriston.

In the 21st century, the OLA’s focus continues to be on facilitating links among past students, and between past students and the School, while also providing support to Lauriston as it meets the needs of its current students.

The OLA is overseen by a Committee that meets six or seven times per year and works with the School across a number of areas, including events,

Prudence Barker (2000)

The OLA Committee is actively looking for new members, including Old Lauristonians interested in taking positions on the Committee’s Executive. We are particularly keen to hear from alumni interested in the role of Secretary or Treasurer. Please contact us at ola@lauriston.vic.edu.au if you would like to come along to a Committee meeting.

philanthropy, and engagement with the wider community. We have invited five members of the 2011 Committee to tell us a little about themselves and to provide us with a glimpse of their roles on the Committee. Other Committee members will be profiled in upcoming issues of Lauriston Life.

victoria redwood (canning, 1971), PresidentAfter leaving Lauriston I studied Engineering at Melbourne University, and then started in the computer industry. There was no such thing as an IT industry back then – it was called data processing. I have since had the joy of working with all sorts of industries and services – stock exchange and financial services, commercial processing service providers, newspapers, manufacturing, e-commerce, retail, government, defence, education and training, and general accounting. Over the past thirty-five years, I have worked in an industry that has changed the world but, in some respects, has not changed very much at all.

Being President of the Old Lauristonians’ Association gives me the opportunity to work with a wonderful bunch of women to provide opportunities to Old Lauristonians and future Old Lauristonians (current students).

The OLA was formed ninety-eight years ago and has provided thousands of women with an avenue to join together in friendship and also, via their caring and philanthropy, raise money for scholarships, bursaries and prizes to reward students for their endeavours in a variety of areas. I want to ensure that this culture of giving, and the avenues to give, remain available for many years to come.

Prudence Barker (2000), vice-PresidentAfter school, I studied Law/Commerce at Melbourne University. I enjoyed my time at university, undertaking exchanges to China and Ireland and working as a ski instructor in Canada during the long summer holidays. On graduating, I started a career in corporate tax at Ernst & Young and became a chartered accountant. This year, I decided to change careers and joined my father in his business: import/export of fruit and vegetables.

Meet the oLa committee

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Meet the oLa committee

My first container of cherries from the US arrived the same day as an OLA Committee meeting. It was wonderful to chat to the OLAs about the difficulties in flying cherries across the globe!

This year I started in the role of OLA Vice-President. This involves working with the President and the Committee members on various activities of the OLA. I am also one of two OLA Committee representatives on the School Council, to assist in maintaining the beneficial relationship between the School, the Council and alumni.

One of the best aspects of the OLA community is the vast experience and success achieved by Lauriston alumni. A mentoring program is a fantastic way for experienced alumni to pass on their words of wisdom and guide younger alumni, and students, with similar fields of interest.

We have recently started a mentoring program, for current Year 11 and Year 12 students to be mentored by younger alumni. The first year started small and is shaping up as a success! We would love to grow this program, as all involved see the benefit of students having a mentor to offer professional and career advice and support students through the tough final years of school.

We will also create a mentoring program that will enable alumni to be mentees as well as mentors. Please contact us at ola@lauriston.vic.edu.au if you wish to be involved in this program.

georgie clegg (Best, 1966), TreasurerAfter leaving Lauriston I completed a Fashion Design and Production course. I then worked in the ticket offices of three Melbourne-based international airlines. I then ventured into a range of retail roles, including market import. I am now a buyer for Henry Bucks Menswear and focus on accessories, gifts and the Christmas catalogue.

I have been Treasurer of the OLA for a number of years and have thoroughly enjoyed the role. It is great to give something back to Lauriston, given that my mother, sisters and two of my daughters attended. I have enjoyed investing and reinvesting our funds and trying to encourage, with the help of the Committee, ways to increase our financial support to the School, with scholarships, bursaries and prizes.

I would like to see the Committee play an increasing role in philanthropy to help support the future of the School – this is more of a challenge in a girls’ school when compared to that faced by boys’ schools. By understanding how we can increase philanthropy, we can provide more scholarships and bursaries to current students.

rosemary Pitt (Flude, 1969), Secretary After leaving school I graduated from Monash University with a BA, DipEd. I taught in state high schools for several years. Family life and a family business intervened until I again entered the workforce, in 2000, and worked for the next ten years at Breast Cancer Network Australia. I am now retired.

I am currently (and have been for many years – can’t remember how long!) the Secretary to the OLA Committee. We are a dedicated band of women who believe that Lauriston is a wonderful school and needs our support. I initially joined the Committee when our daughters Sarah (1999) and Emma (2003) were at the School, because I believed that the OLA should be strong and vibrant as an association, like the alumni of the boys’ schools.

I would like all Old Lauristonians to show an interest in their school. We need to encourage the next generation of Lauriston girls to be proud of their wonderful education and to support the current teachers of the School. Scholarships and mentoring are very important, as also are a pride in and love of the School.

heather Barker (webb, 1966), committee memberI studied Law at Melbourne University and, after completing articles, left for a twelve-month gap year in Europe and then worked in London as a commercial lawyer with a huge firm. The firm’s name included ‘Webb’ in it, so I think the clients were quite impressed when I phoned them! Upon my return to Melbourne, I was employed by what is now one of the top legal firms, being the first woman solicitor employed there. In those days, women were always in family law but, luckily, I joined the commercial area. From there I lectured at RMIT and then joined the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) as a Member. I hear and decide civil disputes. Every day I hear stories from people from various walks of life – from very successful business people and professionals to recently arrived African refugees. It is an enormous privilege to enter into their lives for a short time and help solve some of their legal problems.

I am a member of the OLA Committee, having recently stepped down as Vice-President. The Committee members are wonderful: there is no shortage of ideas and enthusiasm and, if they decide to do something, it gets done.

The main aim of the OLA is to facilitate the continuing friendship of Lauriston women and their interest in the School. A mentoring program has just been established by recent school leavers and is an important initiative in the community. Also, the OLA has a renewed philanthropic vision to give scholarships, bursaries and prizes to students. We want that culture of giving to be an important part of being an Old Lauristonian.

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a Fact Not FictioN Films production directed and produced by: tristaN loraiNe executive producers: adriaN G. PoP and tim vaN BevereN cast: mariNa sirtis, aBiGail tartteliN, aNGela dixoN, Julie addy, deNNis maNNiNG, amaNda Piery production manager: Nathalie holmaN composer: siaN elizaBeth selway production designer: meredith davisoN art director: eileeN Kelly

www.fact not fiction films.com

Fact Not Fiction Films presents a film by Tristan Loraine

coMMuniTY newS

never taking no for an answerAs a 1979 Year 12 Lauriston student, I was determined to work my way into the airlines. I had always dreamed of becoming a pilot; however, I felt this was not possible for two reasons. In those days the breadth of careers was not as readily available as is the case today and, more importantly, I was well aware that the Deborah Wardley case (Ansett v. Wardley) was before the High Court of Australia, with Ansett doing all it could to exclude women from the flight deck. I therefore elected to undertake a Marketing degree, assuming that I would find my way into the marketing department of an airline.

Six years later I had just commenced working for United Airlines, in its Melbourne sales division, when I came to the realisation that it was up to me to make a career as a pilot happen. I commenced flying training in late 1986 and soon found myself flying all over the Top End for Air North. My career saw me ferrying offshore oil workers to the helicopter changeover base in the Kimberley, and flying for Qantaslink out of Sydney and then on the BAe 146 out of Canberra.

In mid 1997 I regrettably had to retire from flying, on medical grounds, as I had been exposed to heated synthetic jet engine oil fumes repeatedly while flying on the BAe 146. With ill health involving the respiratory and central nervous systems, I commenced researching the known yet unresolved issue of contaminated aircraft bleed air. I had worked hard for my career and I was not going to take no for an answer.

What I discovered was that the problem of bleed air contamination by way of synthetic jet engine oils

leaking into the aircraft air supply was a design and operational issue, known about since the early 1950s.

Thirteen years later I was awarded a PhD on this very subject, via the University of New South Wales. My thesis, ‘Health and Flight Safety Implications from Exposure to Contaminated Air in Aircraft’, focused on four significant areas of research: the health aspects; the frequency of contaminated air events; air quality studies and their relevance to health; and what the airline industry has known and done about this six-decade-old problem.

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What I can say is that my education at Lauriston certainly gave me a very solid academic base, a real advantage, and between my family and school I was never about to take no for an answer. The information was out there, yet nobody appeared willing to do anything about what many now call the asbestos, or inconvenient truth, of the skies.

I have recently established an aviation safety consultancy and am the Head of Research for the Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE). I am also undertaking an MSc, at Cranfield University in the UK, on aviation safety and air accident investigation. My aim is to stop the incidents becoming accidents!

Given the global resistance to dealing with the cabin air issue, I have been involved in making several documentaries on this issue: Welcome Aboard Toxic Airlines (2007), and Angel without Wings (my story) and Broken Wings (both released in 2011). Other documentaries completed or in production include Little Victorian Secrets; Flying Sheilas; Spitfire Sisters; Air Transport Auxiliary; and Flying Doctors. I have just returned from filming a documentary on a USAF B-24 Liberator that during World War II crash-landed on the Kimberley coast in northern Australia – a remarkable tale of survival. Then again, as I was clearly shown at school, the sky is the limit, and never take no for an answer.

dr Susan Michaelis (1979)

Susan has donated a copy of her published doctoral thesis, along with copies of her manual on contaminated aircraft air (2007) and of her documentaries, to the Lauriston Library. To find out more about Susan’s research, visit www.susanmichaelis.com or email susan@susanmichaelis.com. To purchase any of the documentaries listed above, visit www.factnotfictionfilms.com/doco.html. Readers of Lauriston Life will receive a 30% discount on any Fact Not Fiction Films documentary when they make a purchase and use the following voucher code: FNFF14101947.

class of 1991 20-year reunionA group of thirty-one alumni attended this reunion, held on 5 May at Lauriston. All present were very interested to see how the School had changed since their time here. They were particularly impressed with the renovations to Montrose House, the relocation of the Year 12 Common Room, and the new Centre for Dance and Movement.

Meeting again, all together after twenty years, was fantastic! It is amazing how we just picked up from where we had left off.

reunions and events

It was wonderful to see the School and be taken on a tour. So much has changed, yet so much is still the same. I have always been told that ‘the friends you make at school are the dearest lifelong friends’ and this is true. Thank you to Lauriston for hosting our 20-year reunion, and we are all looking forward to the next! (Fiona Finster (Marshall, 1991)).

It was wonderful to reconnect with all the people I had lost touch with, to learn what had happened in their lives. It felt a bit like a family reunion, as we had spent so many hours, days and weeks of our childhood together. (harriet oxley (1991)).

class of 1996 15-year reunionA small, intimate gathering provided alumni from the Class of 1996 with the opportunity to catch up properly with each other. Held on the evening of 5 August, the reunion was perfectly timed, as one past student celebrated her birthday on the night, amid old friends. During their tour of the School the girls reminisced about days gone by, and a display of photos of school plays brought back many happy memories.

The alumni were also delighted to have the opportunity to meet Lauriston’s Principal, Susan Just.

Aside from catching up with old friends, a highlight of the reunion was seeing the fabulous new facilities that today’s Lauriston girls enjoy. But there were still plenty of familiar places that brought back some great memories and lots of laughs. (alice Pyman (1996)).

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class of 2001 10-year reunionOn 3 June the Class of 2001 returned to Lauriston. Twenty-six young women enjoyed an evening of laughter and fun at the School, reminiscing while looking at old photos, and exchanging stories about both the past and the present.

coMMuniTY newS

No one could believe it had been ten years since we had finished school! The years have just flown by. We had a lovely time catching up and reminiscing about the good old days. The school tour was a highlight, as so much has changed. It also brought back many fond memories. We continued our catch-up long into the evening at the Malvern Hotel. (georgie Talbot (2001)).

class of 2009 reunionThe 2009 girls met at the Geebung Polo Club in Hawthorn on 24 June. A great night was had by all, with twenty-five girls reconnecting. There was much conversation about all that they had been doing over the last two years. The progress of university degrees; interstate and overseas moves; and sporting and other achievements were among the many topics of discussion.

The venue was a hit, and the girls enjoyed a surprise visit from their old Maths teacher Roger Dedman.

It was wonderful to see all the girls again and to hear new and old stories in such a beautiful venue as the Geebung Polo Club – a place that must have seen and heard so many stories in its time. (Sarah cathcart (2009)).

queensland reunionThe annual Queensland Old Lauristonians’ reunion was held on Saturday 16 July at Nobby’s Beach Surf Club on the Gold Coast. For the past seven years Gail Tulloch (Seyforth) and I have organised a lunch for the Queensland OLA. Nine Old Girls attended the lunch this year, representing a wide range of years since leaving school. The venue was right on the beach, the weather was beautiful, and the company was delightful. (anne abbink (Beckingsale, 1965)).

class of 2006 5-year reunionThis reunion was our largest yet, with fifty-two familiar faces returning to Lauriston for the occasion. For many, it was hard to believe that half a decade had passed since they last walked through the Huntingtower Road gates.

After a brief catch-up, and a tour of the new buildings that have emerged at the School over the last five years, the girls headed across to the Malvern Hotel to continue their evening together.

The five year reunion was a fantastic night! With such a great turnout, the Mountain Room was full of chatter. After a quick tour of the School to check out what’s new, we kicked on to the Malvern for some nibbles and a few more wines. So good to catch up, and I am already looking forward to the next reunion! (Tess hauser (2006)).

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alumni breakfast series 2011Our second alumni breakfast for the year, held in June at the offices of Blake Dawson in the Melbourne CBD, featured a thought-provoking presentation by Dr Clare Scott (1982). Clare, a senior researcher and Associate Professor at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and the Royal Melbourne Hospital, is helping make inroads into cancer treatment. She is the Principal Investigator for the Center for Analysis of Rare Tumors (CART-WHEEL), which has established a website where people are encouraged to share information on tumours, so as to assist further research. You can learn more about this project at www.cart-wheel.org.

Our third and final alumni breakfast event for 2011 was held in August in the conference suites at the ANZ Bank’s new Docklands building. Alumni were treated to an entertaining talk by well-known performer Rhonda Burchmore. Rhonda, who has performed internationally in film, musical theatre, opera and cabaret, is a highly sought-after motivational speaker and has recently published her biography, Legs 11: The Rhonda Burchmore Story.

Our alumni breakfast series has proved a great success and we are planning to offer another series in 2012. We welcome your ideas for speakers and venues. Please contact Marina Johnson, at johnsonma@lauriston.vic.edu.au, with your suggestions.

old Lauristonians’ news – what are they doing now?Petrina Bowden (Jobson, 1977) Petrina Bowden has recently been accepted as a member of the International College of Dentists. Petrina graduated with a BDSc in 1984 and was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons in 1989. Petrina has established a dental clinic for street children in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Predominantly staffed by Australian volunteer dentists, the clinic provides services to more than four thousand children.

Jenny carden (1979) In July this year, Dr Jenny Carden made her fourth medical aid trip to Vietnam. Jenny, an anaesthetist, volunteers with Vietnam Vision Project (VVP), a charity that works in partnership with the Rotary Club of Liverpool West and Rotary Australia World Community Service, to perform cataract surgery in rural Vietnam, and to raise funds in support of this initiative.

Cataract is the major cause of blindness in people over fifty, and usually affects both eyes (60.9%). In Vietnam, the majority of blind people living in rural areas – many of whom have cataracts – are poor and have little or no access to adequate, affordable health care. In 2003, in response to this alarming situation, a group of Sydney doctors formed VVP. The project brings together volunteers from across Australia who are committed to restoring vision in Vietnam, using current Australian technology. In 2011, VVP also provided dental care to rural Vietnamese communities.

danielle Mazza (1981) In March this year, Danielle Mazza was appointed Professor and Head of the Department of General Practice at Monash University.

Zoe Mckenzie (1989) Zoe McKenzie recently returned to Melbourne to take up the role of Senior Adviser to the Premier, with responsibility for education and the arts. During a decade away from Melbourne, Zoe worked in Canberra for the Australian Government, in Sydney as Director of the Office of the CEO of KPMG, and in Paris as a Senior Researcher at the Fondation pour l’innovation politique.

Stephanie Morton (2001) Stephanie Morton is in her third year of primary teaching at Kilvington Grammar School in Ormond. Stephanie taught Year 1 for two years and is now teaching Year 6. She has commenced a Master’s in Education through Deakin University, and is undertaking a thesis on educational leadership, with a focus on change management.

Stephanie and her partner, David Murphy (Sandringham Secondary College, 2001), became engaged in October last year. They will celebrate their wedding day on Saturday 26 November, at Yarra Yarra Golf Club.

Stephanie and David are building a house in the Sandhurst Estate and look forward to moving in in early 2012.

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coMMuniTY newS

Birthsannabelle katherine dunton – doB: 24 May 2011 (Buckinghamshire, uk) A daughter to Kate Happell (1991) and husband Martin. A little sister to Edward and Camilla.

Jeanette charles (Mccurdie, 1933)Passed away 2 June 2011

Born in 1916, Jeanette (also known as Peggy) attended Lauriston from 1925 to 1933. Jeanette was a hockey champion and she was awarded Irving House Colours. She graduated from Lauriston in 1933, having passed five Leaving subjects.

Following her Lauriston years, Jeanette studied at Melbourne University and completed a Bachelor of Science degree. She worked as a biochemist prior to her marriage to Harold Charles. Jeanette and Harold had two children: John and Margaret. Jeanette’s daughter Margaret, now Margaret Charlton, graduated from Lauriston in 1962 and later became a psychologist.

engagementsrosemary Macindoe (1983) Rosemary Macindoe is engaged to Ian Biggs. Rosemary and Ian plan to marry in October at Trinity College Chapel, and will be honeymooning in Bali. Rosemary is working as an artist in Richmond.

danielle andrew (2002) Danielle Andrew is engaged to Chris Grant (Scotch College, 2002). Chris works in public relations for one of the major banks. Danielle and Chris are getting married in January.

Danielle is a Grade 1 teacher at Malvern Central School.

william richard Fenwick – doB: 10 February 2011 A son to Kate Fenwick (Nicholls, 1991) and husband Nicholas.

Luke Joseph hildenbrand – doB: 19 March 2011 A son to Serena Hildenbrand (Syme, 1988) and husband Marc. A little brother to Georgia and Owen.

vale

anna kaufman (1998) Anna Kaufman and Chris Lewin, who met at university, became engaged in September 2010. They plan to marry in October this year, on a property just out of Stawell, where Chris’s mother grew up. Chris’s proposal was quite involved, with the couple’s families and some close friends putting in an appearance once Anna had said yes – a confident man!

Anna is a Resource Geologist for MMG, and, after spending most of the last five years working on mine sites throughout the Australian desert, she will now be based in Melbourne.

Anna worked with Sam Ridley (now a teacher at Lauriston) in Thailand many years ago, and she and Sam remain good friends.

Chris Lewin is a management consultant, with a software engineering background, and works for Deloitte.

Margaret’s daughter, Anna (now Anna Curran), also attended Lauriston (Class of 1994), as did John Charles’s daughter, Christine (Class of 1980).

Jeanette was a keen golfer and an active fundraiser for the Save the Children Fund. She also loved to travel. She was fluent in French and travelled to Europe and Asia a number of times.

Jeanette remained interested in Lauriston throughout her life, attending assemblies and Old Lauristonians’ Association functions until she was in her nineties.

Jeanette was dearly loved by her family and friends.

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Frances dore (Pownall, 1934) Passed away 21 June 2011

Fran was born in 1917, and attended primary school in Armadale. She was educated for two years in Queensland, continued on to Lauriston, and furthered her education by studying Business at Stott’s College.

Fran met her husband, Vance (dec.), at the offices of AMP, where her father had been State Manager for many years. Fran and Vance married, raising two children: a son, Mike, and a daughter, Sue.

Fran participated actively in the community. She was involved with Legacy in the 1960s, with her husband, and was also active with the Old Lauristonians’ Association, the Red Cross, U3A, and the Low Vision Clinic in Kooyong.

Fran had a wide circle of friends and will be sadly missed.

Suzanne Margaret Fizdale (carrodus, 1965) Passed away 19 June 2011

Suzanne attended Lauriston from 1952 to 1965. As a Lauriston student, she was actively involved with music, being a member of the Music Committee, the Senior Choir, the Anthem Choir and the Madrigal Group. She was awarded Kirkhope House Colours in 1965.

Following school, Suzanne went to Melbourne Kindergarten Teachers’ College. She went on to obtain both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. After graduating from Teachers’ College, she worked for three years at the Lady Gowrie Child Centre and Kindergarten.

From 1974 to 1980, Suzanne studied with her mentor, Dorotea Mangiamele, at Mangala Studio for Yoga and Dance, in Carlton. Building on Mrs Mangiamele’s method, Suzanne established creative dance classes for children and trained many teachers in her approach.

In 1982, Suzanne published her first book, Extending the Bond, and late last year she completed her second book, Grand Love.

Suzanne studied Siddha yoga with Swami Gurumayi Chidvilasananda, and was made Chief Executive of the Siddha Yoga Foundation in Australia.

Suzanne is survived by her husband, Jimmy, her two sons, James and Timothy, their wives, and her grandchildren, Riley and Mia.

John william happell (1931–2011)The Lauriston community was greatly saddened to learn of the death of John Happell, father of School Councillor Michael Happell, and grandfather of Edwina, Annabella and Josie.

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In recent years, Lauriston has been the recipient of a number of significant bequests, from Lilian Bayly (Cruthers, 1930), Sarah Hollyer (1967), Gladys Davies (1927), Pamela Radford (1939), Dr James Smibert and Lady Josephine Jones.

These bequests have been of great benefit to the School, enabling it to build, among other facilities, a tenth student house at Howqua (Sarah Hollyer House) and the Lilian Bayly Centre for students in Years 7 and 8.

Lauriston is enormously grateful for the support it receives from those who have bequested part or all of their estate to us for educational purposes. As is the case at many other independent schools, most of our income is currently spent on recurrent costs, such as salaries and general expenses. So it has been bequests, both large and small, that have assisted the School in the furtherance of its vision for girls’ education.

Through our Bequest Program, we ask you to consider including Lauriston in your will. Depending on the wishes of the bequestor, a bequest can be restricted or unrestricted. A restricted bequest might be for a purpose such as the naming of a scholarship, while an unrestricted gift allows the School to direct the bequest in ways that most contribute to meeting existing education needs.

Whether your connection with the School is recent or extends back over a period of decades, your bequest will assist Lauriston to continue enriching the lives of young women in a wide variety of ways. Your support through a bequest means that your gift will last for more than a lifetime.

BequestsShould you be interested in speaking with us about supporting Lauriston’s educational program through a bequest, please contact our Principal, Susan Just, or our Director of Marketing and Advancement, Marina Johnson, on 9864 7525. Calls are strictly confidential.

high-achieving oLa to deliver inaugural oration

Sandie de Wolf (1966), AM, the highly respected Chief Executive Officer of Berry Street, will deliver the inaugural Old Lauristonians’ Association Oration.

In a career that spans three decades (two of them as CEO of Berry Street), Sandie has worked with some of the state’s most abused or neglected children, and unhappiest families. Although many would consider her role harrowing, Sandie describes it as an incredible privilege. Her focus is firmly on reforming the current child welfare system to ensure that it serves those who need it most.

In 2009, Sandie was made a Member of the Order of Australia, in recognition of her service in the field of child and family welfare, and this year she was inducted into the Victorian Women’s Honour Roll, which recognises the achievements of outstanding women from all walks of life.

Sandie’s oration, whose theme is ‘Changes to Childhood’, promises to be enlightening, thought-provoking and uplifting.

Reserve your seat for this free event by visiting www.lauriston.vic.edu.au and clicking on ‘News & Events’, or phone Melinda Cannington on 9864 7582.

Tuesday 18 october 7.00pm, irving hall, Lauriston girls’ School

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Lauriston Girls’ SchoolABN 15 004 264 402

38 Huntingtower Road, Armadale Vic 3143, Australia t: +61 3 9864 7555 f: +61 3 9822 7950 e: admissions@lauriston.vic.edu.au

www.lauriston.vic.edu.au

CRICOS number 00152F

howqua 2012 information evening Thursday 13 October, 7.30–9.00pm

Back to Lauriston day / Launch of elizabeth kirkhope circle of giving

Friday 14 October, 10.45am–12.45pm

class of 1986 25-Year reunion Friday 14 October, 6.30–8.30pm

LPa Food and wine Market and launch of Lauriston cookbook

Sunday 16 October, 10.00am–2.00pm

Friends of Lauriston arts agM Monday 17 October, 7.30–8.30pm

kindergarten Parent Seminar and coffee Morning Tuesday 18 October, 9.15–10.30am

oLa inaugural oration (Sandie de wolf: ‘changes to childhood’)

Tuesday 18 October, 7.00–8.00pm

Principal’s Morning Tea Wednesday 19 October, 9.30–11.00am

1981 reunion 30-Year reunion Wednesday 19 October, 6.30–8.30pm

Parent Seminar (dr Michael carr-gregg) Tuesday 25 October 7.00-8.30pm

Term 4 Events11 October – 8 December

More information on these and other events can be found in the ‘News and Events’ section of the Lauriston website

(www.lauriston.vic.edu.au).

advertising in Lauriston LifeAs of our next issue, members of the Lauriston community will have an opportunity to advertise in

Lauriston Life. If you have a business or service that you would like to promote, consider placing an advertisement in a magazine that is distributed to more than four thousand readers – alumni, parents of

current students, current and past staff, and all of our donors. Advertising rates are: full page $800; half page $500; quarter page $350; eighth of a page $200.

For more information on advertising please contact Director of Marketing and Advancement, Marina Johnson, at johnsonma@lauriston.vic.edu.au.

Live it. Learn it. Love it.

kindergarten open Morning Tuesday 25 October, 9.00–10.00am

class of 1971 40-Year reunion Tuesday 25 October, 12.00–2.00pm

vce/iB art exhibition Wednesday 26 October- Saturday 29 October, 10.00am-4.00pm

Prep 2012 information evening Thursday 3 November, 7.00–8.00pm

kindergarten 2012 information evening Tuesday 8 November, 7.00–8.30pm

Year 5 2012 information evening Thursday 10 November, 7.00–8.00pm

Lauriston Parents’ association agM Tuesday 15 November, 7.00–8.00pm

Year 10 art exhibition Monday 28 November – Friday 2 December, 10.00am–4.00pm

Years 9–12 Second-hand Books Sale Saturday 2 December, 8.00am–3.00pm

valedictory Tuesday 6 December, 7.30–9.00pm