The change of season last Thursday has seen our typical Brisbane Winter weather on display, with a brilliant blue sky, mild and dry climate and some crisp morning starts. The icy chill in the air tells me that southern climes must be getting some good snowfalls. Along with the Winter weather, there has been some sickness at Somerville House, with a couple of virulent viruses sweeping the school community, impacting widely. While we recognise the frustration and inconvenience when these illnesses work their way through families, it is vital that children who are ill are kept at home so that they don’t infect school friends and school staff.
Teachers are playing their part by regularly reminding children to wash their hands, especially after bathroom visits and before eating. Cleaners are paying extra attention to cleaning the various surfaces within learning spaces and we are all being additionally vigilant with hygiene. We hope that these practices, combined with your support, continued sunshine and the upcoming holidays will see a fresh and healthy start to Term 3.
Our teaching and corporate staff are not immune to the effects of this illness and interaction with colleagues and parents. Supply teachers are in short demand. I ask for your kindness and consideration of our teachers. They are doing the best job possible, under difficult conditions. Recently, some of our teachers have borne the brunt of phone calls from angry parents. I echo the words of Winnie the Pooh:
Farewell, Adieu, Ashchied
Our Director of Philanthropy, Mrs Petrina Gilmore, spends her last day at Somerville House today. We thank Petrina for her stewardship of the Foundation’s donors for the last three years and her dedication to Somerville House.
Tomorrow, we will farewell Ms Whitney Turner from the Junior School after 5 years of service at Somerville House. Whitney commenced as a relief Teacher Aide in May 2018 and has held various contract roles since that time. Students and staff alike will miss Whitney’s caring, positive and dedicated support throughout this time. We wish Whitney well with the move into a position within the corporate world.
Long Service Leave Farewells
Bon voyage to Mrs Mary Saroukos (Commerce Teacher) and Mrs Linda Connor (SomerWear Manager), who are both taking a period of well-deserved long service leave. We bid them safe travels.
Honour Before Honours
Your daughters (our students) are living up to the reputation of our school motto. I was delighted to receive these encouraging words of appreciation via email last week:
"My name is Olivia and I am emailing to hopefully put forward a positive feedback report in regards to your students that I met today. After a very stressful morning of finding my way into South Bank with my 11 month old daughter on our way to the emergency department of the Children's Hospital - I ended up lost and my maps took me walking through your school as a 'shortcut' (not sure why). Your girls greeted me with such kindness, as I clearly appeared lost, and even helped carry my pram down staircases to make my way out past reception and down the lift towards the Children's Hospital. Your students made my very difficult morning much lighter and I am extremely grateful for their graciousness and assistance.
Keep doing whatever you are doing as it was incredibly refreshing."
I will make sure I share this appreciation at next week’s assembly, as I am currently at Julia Creek for the ICPA Conference. Enjoy this second last week of Term 2.
Mrs Kim Kiepe Principal
From the Deputy Principal
From the Deputy Principal
Last week, I had the pleasure of hearing renowned psychologist and author, Andrew Fuller speak and it reminded me of his earlier work. In his book, Unlocking Your Child’s Genius, Fuller reminds us of the original definition of ‘genius’, where everybody has a genius and we think about each individual’s potential, in comparison to our current educational system where we measure performance and rank individuals.
Fuller encourages parents to cultivate a positive and nurturing environment that fosters curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. He highlights the significance of building resilience and perseverance in children, as these qualities play a crucial role in overcoming challenges and achieving success. Fuller explains how children can excel in various domains of multiple intelligences such as interpersonal skills, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. By recognising and nurturing these diverse intelligences, parents and grandparents can help their children explore these domains and play a crucial role in assisting schools in the holistic development of children. Here are some key points in his research to assist your child to develop their strengths, resilience and adaptability:
Emotional Support: Parents and grandparents provide a strong emotional foundation for children. When children feel loved, supported, and emotionally secure at home, they are more likely to thrive academically and socially. By nurturing positive relationships with their children, parents and grandparents create a safe space for children to explore their interests and develop their talents.
Role Models: Parents and grandparents serve as role models for children. They shape children's values, attitudes, and behaviors through their own actions and interactions. By demonstrating a love for learning, curiosity, and resilience, they inspire children to develop these qualities in themselves.
Providing Resources: Parents and grandparents often play a significant role in providing resources that enhance a child's learning experience. This can include access to books, educational materials, technology, and extracurricular activities.
Building Resilience: Life presents challenges, and learning how to overcome obstacles is a valuable skill. Parents and grandparents can help children develop resilience by encouraging them to persevere, take risks, and learn from failure. By providing a supportive environment where children feel safe to experiment and learn from their mistakes, parents and grandparents equip them with essential life skills that extend beyond the classroom.
Cultural and Interpersonal Connections: Parents and grandparents contribute to a child's cultural and social understanding. They can share stories, traditions, and experiences that help children develop a sense of identity and belonging. By fostering connections with family and community, they enrich a child's worldview, empathy, and interpersonal skills, enabling them to thrive in diverse educational settings.
Mrs Jo Matherson Deputy Principal
Chaplain's Corner
Trees and Fruit
The Somerville House values articulated in our most recent Strategic Intent are a fine set of values. They represent guidelines for behaviour that unquestionably make for a thriving, content, safe community. If you haven’t read them recently, they are:
Courage, Compassion, Inclusion, Gratitude, Respect and Integrity.
Somerville House is a great place to learn, to work and to grow at least partially because of these Christian values, values which make it a school of choice for so many.
Are these values specifically Christian? One doesn’t have to subscribe to a Christian worldview or belief system to agree that these values are all great choices, and if we look at the stated values of other schools and educational systems, there is a lot of overlap with these six values. Many other religious worldviews would hold to the same values, and many people with no religious beliefs at all live them out better than some people who call themselves Christian.
So is a Christian worldview and set of beliefs necessary at all, or are living out the values all that matters? I have found, as someone who started life with a very secular worldview and only came to the Christian faith in my teens, that the Christian beliefs behind the Christian values make all the difference in the world. Whilst I believe strongly in our six stated values, as a flawed and imperfect human being I find it quite difficult to live them out consistently. If I am too busy, then compassion can become an inconvenience. If it might cost me something I value, then my courage sometimes fails me. In the area of integrity, I can feel tempted to cut corners in order to achieve what I really want. I suspect I am not alone in these struggles.
This is where the Christian worldview and system of beliefs comes to the fore and gives a foundation for the values. The Bible tells us that we are all indeed flawed human beings, inclined to put ourselves in the place of God and think that we are in control of our world. The major theme of the Bible is God’s plan to redeem fallen human nature by becoming one of us in Jesus, living a perfect life (which none of us can do), dying on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin and rising from the dead to demonstrate God’s acceptance of his sacrifice. Therefore, when I inevitably fail to live out the Christian values, there is a path of forgiveness through remorse and repentance, and so I am encouraged to commit to those values again, asking God’s help in living them out.
It is a bit like fruit and fruit trees. I love mangoes which I can easily buy at a shop in Summer. However, there would be no mangoes without someone somewhere going to the trouble of cultivating and nurturing a mango tree. In the same way it is difficult to sustain the Christian values in our lives without the spiritual basis for those values, the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Ms Chris O'Gorman Senior Chaplain
From Student Wellbeing
2023 Be The Voice
BE THE VOICE – connecting people and place.
A hand from each student from Pre-prep to Year 12, decorated with inspirational elements from indigenous or personal cultures connected to create BE THE VOICE in celebration of National Reconciliation Week and Positive Wellbeing day on Friday.
Our Wellbeing Leaders, Carly O (12C), Phoebe M (12D), Georgia B (12F) and Brooke C (12M) were instrumental in organising the day with the Junior School Monitors and Senior School students. The hands were symbolic of coming together and offering a hand to connect while linking to the place, Somerville House, originally a waterhole and rich food source for indigenous communities. Chalk the Walk, a favourite activity of our younger years, graffitied the bitumen road with frenzied gusto. Students of all ages were encouraged to write place names from the indigenous map and draw pictures of connection. Music, fun, seniors helping juniors, juniors working with seniors, all creating incredible images! It was a fun place of creative energy and play.
‘People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.’ - Maya Angelou.
Students have the opportunity to experience fun on Positive Wellbeing Days each term. It serves as a reminder of the importance of belonging to something greater than oneself, the importance of connection to others and helping others, the importance of positive thinking, self-care, kindness and, very importantly, JOY.
Mrs Julie Brunckhorst Dean of Student Wellbeing
Junior School
Junior School News
“Be a voice for generations” was the central theme to National Reconciliation Week 2023.
‘The theme encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise.’ Last Tuesday, we welcomed Kiana Charlton to our Junior School assembly to speak to the girls. Kiana is a teacher of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies and is passionate about helping bring First Nation knowledge into learning experiences of students. Kiana is a proud Goenpul Goorie. Her bloodline connects her to Terrengeri (Stradbroke Island) Country, Yuggera Country and Kubi Kubi Country.
During her presentation, Kiana shared a story about an elder she met with the surname ‘Moreton’. This was a story from the ‘Stolen Generation’ which highlighted our government's policy at the time but also important messages around loss of connection, family and community. When Kiana met this gentleman for the first time, his name struck a chord with her, as it is the family name of her people on Stradbroke Island. From this initial conversation, Kiana was able to reconnect this now elderly man with his tribe. He had not been back to his people for nearly 70 years. Kiana was instrumental in reconnecting him and his family to his aunties, uncles and community; it was shared with her that he instantly felt at peace and once again connected to his roots despite years of separation.
In life, building relationships and making connections is paramount to our sense of self, wellbeing and accomplishment. At Somerville House, we are instilling wisdom and fairness into our girls through lessons and experiences intertwined with our culture and ethos. We are aiming for our students to be brave and empowered to make their mark on this world. Kiana’s message to the girls was incredibly powerful, she is humble in her work and is focused on building relations and being a voice for generations past, present and emerging.
QYMA Music
Poco a Poco Choir performed at St Peter’s Lutheran College last Monday evening. Their performance was filled with energy and enthusiasm, raising their voices high up for all to enjoy. Clearly the adjudicator agreed, awarding them a gold trophy for their performance. Well done to the Years 3 and 4 students who have joined the choir.
National Simultaneous Storytime
On Wednesday 24 May, we participated in ALIA’s National Simultaneous Storytime. This event, which is in its 23rd year, aims to promote the importance of reading and literacy. Our Prep to Year 6 students joined with approximately 2.3 million other children across Australia to share the joy of this year’s selected picture book “The Speedy Sloth” by Rebecca Young and Heath McKenzie. The story, which focuses on resilience and determination, sparked many conversations amongst the students. Some classes also researched sloths, wrote stories about cheeky sloths, and drew pictures of sloths in their natural habitat, or on the racetrack!
Student Achievements
This week on Assembly we congratulated the below students for participation in recent competitions. We are immensely proud of all students who put themselves forward for events such as these. Achieving great results is of course highly rewarding, however competitions are about the process and not just the result. Participation is essential, and for every award received there have been many attempts without awards and much time spent preparing. Competitions stimulate personal growth, foster resilience, creativity, and the ability to navigate challenges. They cultivate sportsmanship, discipline, and determination, helping to build character, and instil a lifelong love for striving and improving. Well done to all who have participated in recent competitions and events.
Computational Algorithmic Thinking Competition
Catherine K (5D), Emma Y (5D), Alex Y (6C), Alice Y(6D)
Year 5 and Year 6 All Hallows’ Mathematics Competition
Congratulations to Team A who placed second - Lucy J (5B), Araliya S (5A), Alex Y (6C), Alice Y (6D), Hannah Z (6B).
Team B did not place but are to be congratulated on their efforts - Maya G (6C), Annie T (6A), Isabella X (6B), Emma Y (5D), Naomi Z (5C).
Year 2 Science
In Science, 2B have been learning how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples combined different materials to produce tools and utensils. The girls gathered natural materials and designed and made their own tool or utensil. They also had to ensure the natural materials they used would suit the purpose of their tool.
They were very proud of their efforts!
Junior School Badge Presentation Assembly – Tuesday 18 July
A reminder that, as per our email of 17 May, we warmly invite parents of new students to a special assembly on Tuesday 18 July (Term 3, Week 2) commencing at 9.00am in the Harker Auditorium, Valmai Pidgeon Performing Arts Centre (Level 5 VPAC). Junior School students who have been at Somerville House for one semester or more will receive their School Badge at this assembly.
We ask all to be aware that there is very limited parking available in the Loop at this time of day, so please click here (if you have not already done so) to RSVP by Monday 12 June.
The ceremony will conclude at approximately 10.00am. We hope you can join with us to celebrate this very special step in your daughter’s school journey.
Holiday Code Camp
Please click here for to find out more about CodeCamp Roblox Legends School Holiday program based at Somerville House, 5 - 7 July 2023.
Have a great week!
Mrs Susan Clarke Head of Junior School
JUNIOR SCHOOL PASTORAL CARE
Finding Her Voice – Junior School House Captain Assemblies
"We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored." Sheryl Sandberg – American Technology Executive, philanthropist and writer.
This term our Junior School House Captains have been finding their voices as they deliver a message to the student body during our weekly assemblies. This is an excellent opportunity for students to explore leadership techniques and try their hand at influencing new thinking and action in others. This year, the House Captains chose their own assembly themes including:
Self-confidence – Chisholm
Friendship – Durack
Determination - Franklin
Inclusion - Gilmore
Persistence - Macarthur
Teamwork – Osburn
All students in Year 6 have the opportunity of stepping up in a leadership role either as a member of the student executive or as Year 6 monitors and throughout the year we look forward to their messages and new initiatives that enrich our Junior School community. These early leadership experiences can help girls to find their voice in promoting positive thought and actions amongst their peers.
I was inspired by a quote by Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, that our Osburn House Captains used in their assembly this week to illustrate teamwork.
If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from my own.
Developing an understanding of another point of view or to be able to have a sense of empathy about how it might feel in someone else’s shoes are some of the most powerful character traits we can instill in our young people today.
Mr Tim Smetham Assistant Head of Junior School
Early Learning Centre News
Last week marked National Reconciliation Week, a significant time for all Australians to come together and learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements. Throughout the week, the Pre-Prep children actively participated in various activities aimed at fostering unity, respect, and understanding.
The children engaged in meaningful discussions about the importance of reconciliation and explored ways they could work together to create a happy and united future. They delved into stories that showcased Australia's First Nations' knowledge, cultures, and languages, expanding their understanding in the classroom. Additionally, the children took part in the creation of a sea of hearts, symbolizing their reconciliation goals, and families were also invited to share what reconciliation means to them.
The Year 3 students also joined us in the Pre-Prep classrooms. They shared an Acknowledgement of Country and Dreamtime stories with the younger children. This interaction allowed everyone involved to demonstrate respect and gratitude towards the traditional custodians of the land, recognizing their ongoing connection to the land, culture, and heritage. The enthusiasm and engagement displayed by the children during this experience was inspiring and highlighted the significance of fostering unity and understanding among all Australians.
While National Reconciliation Week is an essential time for reflection and learning, it is crucial to integrate indigenous perspectives into everyday practices. The Queensland Kindergarten Learning Guideline and the Early Years Learning Framework serve as valuable resources, guiding educators in providing opportunities that promote children's openness to diverse perspectives and celebrate diversity.
Throughout the year, various activities are embedded into the daily routine to promote understanding and inclusion:
The Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Australian flags are displayed, and children are responsible for putting them up and storing them away. This practice encourages conversations and demonstrates respect for indigenous cultures.
Children actively participate in developing an Acknowledgement of Country, engaging with it daily.
Storytelling plays a significant role in building children's knowledge about Australia's history and cultural traditions. By sharing stories, they gain insights into indigenous cultures and their contributions to society.
Cultural processes, such as yarning circles, are introduced to children. These circles provide a safe space for open discussions and encourage respectful communication and understanding.
Traditional languages are shared with the children through words, songs, and phrases. This exposure fosters an appreciation for linguistic diversity and promotes cultural understanding.
Symbols and artworks are explored, and their significance is discussed. This exploration helps children recognize the importance of different symbols and techniques in indigenous cultures.
Looking ahead to the next term, an art workshop is planned to deepen the children's understanding of art techniques and their cultural significance, specifically focusing on Aboriginal art. This workshop will continue the journey towards reconciliation and provide further support for children in joining the learning process.
We look forward to continuing this journey towards Reconciliation together and supporting children to join us in learning too!
Mrs Leah Shackleton Pre-Prep Educational Leader
Dr Judith Locke Parent Presentation
Save the Date – Dr Judith Locke Parent Presentation Tuesday 1 August
Dr Judith Locke will be presenting to parents of Years 4 to 6 on Tuesday 1 August (Term 3 Week 4) from 6.00pm to 7.45pm in Davenport.
Year 4 - 6 is a time of great change for children. A child is starting a heightened period of individuation - when a child starts to move away from parental dependence to be able to start the journey to adulthood. Children at this age are also becoming more focussed on peer friendships and more prone to peer difficulties, as well as having more time-intensive school and extra-curricular responsibilities. Thus, while this can be a time of great joy, it can also be a time of difficulty for children, and even more challenging because parents have to actively adjust the way they are parenting their child from what used to work. This can easily result in what appear to be almost overnight changes in the child, in family dynamics, and in parent-child relationships.
To help, experienced clinical psychologist and former Somerville House teacher, Dr Judith Locke, will be returning to our school to talk about this period in particular. She will talk about topics such as managing homework, starting children on the road to being more organised and responsible, managing your changing relationship with your child, bringing out the best in them, and managing their occasional defiant behaviour on their road to true independence.
We hope you can join us.
Senior School
The Power of Collaboration
During the week, I was impressed to visit the Seymour Library and see a group of Year 12 Chemistry students so engaged in group learning. There were rich conversations where students were clarifying key concepts. Students were working together to solve problems and keep each other on track. They were able to explain ideas to each other in a number of different ways, helping to reinforce their own understanding of topics while in turn assisting others.
Allows students the chance to ask questions of each other
Saves time by joining together to solve problems
Introduces different methods of approaching problems
Strengths team work and collaboration skills
Assists in efficient learning of concepts
Provides for a wider variety of viewpoints and ideas
Helps to promote greater motivation and accountability
In order to assist during those times when a student might be struggling with motivation or understanding, encourage them to consider taking ownership of their learning by setting up a study group with others.
Mrs Wendy Jurss Dean of Academic Programs
Year 11 2023 Secret Dinner
We wish our Year 11s all the best in the lead up to the 2023 Secret Dinner to be held next Wednesday 14 June from 5.45pm to 9.30pm. We cannot wait to see all the pics from the night.
Co-Curricular Programs
Sports News
Football
It was great to see some former Somerville House students out in support last week as we took on Moreton Bay College (MBC), who have had a great run this season. The Opens match was the game to watch, with many nail-biting attempts at goal from both sides. MBC came away with a 1-0 win in the last few minutes of the game, however it was still a fantastic display of Football from the Somerville House Opens.
The Junior team had a great season and improved week to week – we are excited to see how they will develop in future years. The Intermediates had a phenomenal season, finishing their final game with a 3-0 win and securing a top 4 spot!
Well done to all Somerville Football students for their efforts this season.
Netball
Lahni E (7E) and Jess D (6D) recently competed at the Queensland School Sport Netball Championships. The girls finished in third place overall representing Met East, with Lahni being named in the Queensland team to Perth in September for the National Championships!!
Congratulations girls on your achievements!
Touch Football
Touch Football has come to an end for 2023 with our last round of fixtures being played last Friday. All players put up a tough fight within a very competitive season. A special mention to our 7A and 7B teams who came home with wins.
Congratulations also to our Year 12 Touch Football players who played their final game ever for Somerville House
Music News
Somersounds Masterclasses
In 2023, our Somersounds program featured student Masterclasses with some of Australia’s leading musicians!
Clarinet Ms Irit Silver is Principal Clarinet in the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. She held a very informative session with our Somerville musicians and some students from BBC and St Laurie’s as well.
Percussion
Ms Nozomi Omote is one of Brisbane’s leading freelance percussionists, performing with the Camerata Orchestra as well as many exciting contemporary projects. Somerville percussionists were treated to a wonderful hands on workshop with Ms Omote covering a range of instrumentation and repertoire!
Strings
String students from Stradivari and Amadeus took part in a creative workshop with Ms Monique Clare, a local contemporary String Musician who specialises in String Improvisation and Contemporary Composition.
Somerville Strings were fortunate to have Adam Chalabi from the University of Queensland visit to run an ensemble Masterclass along with some past Somerville House students now studying at UQ.
Vocal
Last Thursday, some of our talented vocal students were treated to a masterclass by renowned Australian singer, Jason Barry-Smith. He worked on technical and performance aspects with all the singers and really helped them to find fresh ways to interpret and perform their pieces.
Congratulations to all the students who took part!
Mr Will Eager Director of Co-Curricular Music
Queensland Youth Music Awards – Poco a Poco
On Monday 29 May, our youngest choir Poco a Poco performed at the Queensland Youth Music Awards.
They sang beautifully and received a Gold Award and overall 3rd place.
Well done Poco a Poco!
Mr Shannon Leonard Director of Choral
Strength and Conditioning Holiday Program
Strength and Conditioning Holiday Program – now open for registration
Strength and Conditioning Holiday Training
The Strength and Conditioning program is offering flexible training times for girls staying in Brisbane over the holidays. Our aim is to improve physical attributes, develop athletic skills and teach why and how strength training is beneficial. You can come to one, two or three sessions per week, but two sessions are ideal.
Sessions will be designed for the appropriate level of experience, focussing on improving:
Strength, Speed, Balance, Coordination, Stability, Flexibility/Mobility & Having FUN!
Senior School Students (Year 7-12)
9:00 am - 10.30 am Week 1: Monday 19 June, Wednesday 21 June, Friday 23 June Week 2: Monday 26 June, Wednesday 28 June, Friday 30 June Week 3: Monday 3 July, Wednesday 5 July, Friday 7 July
Junior School Students (Year 3-6)
9:00 am - 10:00 am Week 1: Monday 19 June, Friday 23 June Week 2: Monday 26 June, Friday 30 June Week 3: Monday 3 July, Friday 7 July
Cost $17/session or $150 for all 9 sessions. Enquiries: Please contact Mr McPhail here.
To register please go to: The ‘Events & Payments’ tab within the Parents Lounge of SomerLink. Then search for “June - July Holidays S&C”, there you will be able to register and pay for the number of sessions your daughter wishes to attend.
Due to the number of registrations, we receive during the school holidays, we will be unable to offer refunds or extra sessions during Term 3. Please consider how many sessions you can attend before your purchase. Sessions are capped by numbers, so sign up as soon as possible.
Mr Malachi McPhail Acting Director of Strength and Conditioning
Artwork of the Week
Artwork of the Week
Congratulations to Zoe W (7E) & Alisha W (7E) for creating the Artwork of the Week for Week 8.
In preparation for our session with the visiting artist, Bruce Reynolds, Year 7s responded to his geometric public sculpture with their own geometric drawn designs.
Community
Stephens Road - Parking Reminder
A reminder to all parents and carers to ensure cars are not parking across yellow lines on Stephens Road during school drop off and pick up. A courtesy call from local police was recently received by the School to inform that the area is being monitored during these times.
Open Day 2023
The 2023 Somerville House Open Day will be held on Sunday 20 August from 11.00am to 2.00pm. Please save-the-date and stay tuned for more information to come.
Prospective and incoming families are invited to this event to experience life as a Somerville House student. There will be student led tours, demonstrations, performances and much more on offer.
We look forward to sharing this important event day with our Somerville House Community.
Exciting Opportunity for Somerville House Families
Have you ever thought about the benefits of hosting a French exchange student, including the opportunity to practise your French language skills and learn about French culture first-hand? Are you ready to create lifelong memories and experiences for your family by hosting a French exchange student?
Somerville House has been offered the wonderful opportunity to host students from a school in New Caledonia for eleven days in October/November this year.
Collège Jean Mariotti is a coeducational Middle School in French-speaking Noumea, New Caledonia. Somerville House welcomed a group of students and their teachers for one day in 2022, and the visit was so successful that they are coming back this year for eleven days from Wednesday 25 October to Sunday 5 November.
The group of 19 students (boys and girls, but almost certainly mostly girls) will be aged from 14 to 15, so during the school day they will be paired with our Year 9 French students, attending classes with them on most of those days. If you agree to host a student, you would need to provide them with their own room, all meals, transport to and from school, and basically involve them in your family activities. Any family members aged 18 or over would also be required to obtain a compulsory Blue Card.
Hosting an exchange student can be an incredible experience for both the host family and the student. It is a unique opportunity for your daughter to immerse herself in French language and culture. Not only could she improve her French language skills through daily interactions, but she could also develop a deeper understanding of New Caledonia, a part of France located only two hours from Brisbane. Over the years, I have seen long-term friendships develop from such interactions.
If you are interested in hosting an exchange student, please contact the Head of Department - Languages here. Registration is open to parents of students in any year level.
Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Ms Debbie Haupt Acting Head of Department - Languages
2023 Upcoming Community Events
Somerville House has a host of exciting community events yet to come on the Term 4 calendar in 2023.
Be sure to never miss an event by downloading the Community Events Calendar here. Event information is also available at the bottom of our homepage or via the website event pages here.
We look forward to seeing you at our community events in November.