Welcoming students to school each morning at Gate 7 is a positive way for me to start my day. Last week I enjoyed a great conversation at the gate with a parent who shared what his family did over the holiday break. Keeping them busy and off their devices by going to water-polo training and matches was the essence of his message. It got me thinking about parenting tips and I welcome your ideas via [email protected].  It would be wonderful to share our top ten Somerville parent tips in a future newsletter.

raisingchildren.net.au is a reliable online parent resource that provides independent information with an array of articles, videos and interactive resources tailored to different ages and stages, taking parents from nurturing a newborn to raising a confident, resilient teen – while helping parents with looking after themselves as a parent too.

In the spirit of sharing worthwhile parenting tips, I share this advice, published by David Morris on Twitter.  Evidently, David saw this somewhere and thought it was immensely helpful and challenging.  I agree with him!

Eight fights worth picking with your children

Parenting is hard.  Parents have to choose their battles. Here are eight fights worth picking with your children:

1. The Reading Fight: Make your kids read. Because reading is tied to everything from cognitive development to the ability to focus. Make your kids read now. 
2. The Outside Fight: Make your kids go outside.  The natural world teaches us things.  Plus, outside there is sunshine, fresh air, and exercise waiting for them.  Most importantly, nature is full of things in short supply in our world: Discovery, wonder, peace, and joy.
3. The Work Fight: Make your kids work.  I am saddened by how many parents do not require their kids to lift a finger at home.  There are priceless life principles you can only learn with a mop in your hand.  Let sweat be their teacher. 
4. The Meal Fight: Make your kids eat as a family.  Our lives are a blur of incessant activity.  Meals together are a physical pause to recover a truth so easily sacrificed at the altar of busyness.  Nothing is more important than family. 
5. The Boredom Fight: Make your kids live with boredom.  Do not show a DVD on each car ride.  Kids need unscheduled time.  And, odd as it sounds, boredom is a skill.  It is hard as a parent to deal with the assault of boredom complaints.  But if you give in and fill up their time with external stimuli, you will raise an activity addict.  Make them learn how to be. 
6. The "Me First" Fight: Make your kids go last.  Not every time for everything.  But enough to remember that the world does not revolve around them.  Take the smallest piece.  Give up the remote.  Do someone else's chores.  Get their least favourite choice.  They will not like it, but they need it. 
7. The Awkward Conversation Fight: Make your kids have uncomfortable conversations with you.  Sex, dating, body image, values. Your kids will roll their eyes and resist.  You will stumble and stutter.  They need and want your perspective, lessons learned, and wisdom. 
8. The Limitation Fight: Learning to live within limits is a valuable life skill. In fact, many adult problems arise from an inability to accept them.  Screen time limits, dietary limits, activity limits, and schedule limits are all good.

As a parent, you must pick your battles.  They are not easy, but they're worth the fight.

Goondiwindi Visit

For boarding families who are in the vicinity of Goondiwindi on Thursday 28 April to Saturday 30 April, please call by the Somerville House stand at the Goondiwindi Show and say “Hello!”. Mrs Kathryn Emtage, Deputy Head of Boarding, Mrs Julie Brunckhorst, Dean of Student Wellbeing and and I will be pleased to welcome you. Please let your friends and families who are considering a Somerville House education for their daughter know that we will be at the Show and we will be very happy to answer their questions about the boarding experience.

International Girls in ICT Day

International Girls in ICT Day is a global movement encouraging girls and young women to pursue science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) education, inspiring STEAM careers, including career pathways, career attainment and advancement and engaging the community and promoting collaboration through partnerships. This year’s theme is “Access and Safety”.

The World Economic Forum states that closing the global gender gap has increased by a generation from 99.5 years to 135.6 years.  A recent McKinsey study tells us that the demand for tech workers around the globe will rise fifty-five percent by 2030. With global figures showing a startling economic gender disparity with women losing jobs at almost twice the rate of men and leaving forty-seven million more women and girls below the poverty line, STEAM careers offer a great opportunity to address this gender disparity.

Cisco and QUT are hosting an event to celebrate International Girls in ICT Day. The program aims to connect school students with tertiary students and industry leaders active in the STEAM field. Some of our Year 10 students will have the opportunity to meet with inspirational speakers and experience mentoring and networking.  I thank Mrs Cynthia Nolan, Mrs Nyree Hatzimihail and Mrs Wendy Jurrs for supporting the Year 10 students at QUT.

Year 10 Camp

Last Friday (22 April), we welcomed back our Year 10 campers and staff from Camp Laurance after a great camping experience for the cohort.  Many wonderful memories were made by the students, who showed true perseverance and grit.  Some of our campers spent nine hours hiking Mount Barney.  It was special for our students and staff to enjoy all that the natural environment has to offer on Earth Day. Thank you to staff members, ably led by Head of Year, Mrs Simone Hartley and Mr Sebastian Percival, Mr Olivier Baggiano, Mrs Ann Olsen, Mrs Sarah Zambeli, Mrs Christia Wilcocks, Mr David Haliczer, Mrs Avril Cross, who all made this successful experience possible.

Mrs Kim Kiepe
Principal

Acknowledgement:  WEF Global Gender Gap Report 2021

The Queensland Government has announced the end of COVID-19 isolation requirements for close contacts, bringing the state in line with NSW and Victoria.

From 6.00pm AEST Thursday 28 April, if a student is a close contact (four hours or more exposure in a residential setting or close contact according to Queensland Health guidelines), there will be no quarantine requirements for close contacts, as long as they:

• do not have COVID-19 symptoms
• test negative every second day for a week before attending school during this seven-day period, (that is day 0, 2, 4 and 6)
• wear a mask indoors, and outdoors where they are not able to socially distance 1.5 metres for seven days.

Close contacts are generally defined as a person you live with that has COVID-19. You are also not considered a close contact if you have had COVID-19 in the past twelve weeks.

Please click here for for more information.

It will come as no surprise that the pandemic has caused an increase in the use of media by tweens and teens, in fact, it has grown faster than it did in the four years prior to the pandemic. More than sixty percent of tweens and teens watch online videos every day and YouTube is the platform they cannot live without.

Screen use is a daily battle in many households, but a healthy relationship with screens is possible and it starts with balancing media use with other activities like sleep, connecting with loved ones, and exercising. Common Sense Media suggests trying the tips below to have conversations with older children and teens about their screen time habits.

1. Show interest in what they are doing online.

Try not to be judgmental about what kids and teens do online. If they sense you are truly interested, they will be more open to sharing. If your older child or teen is reluctant to talk about what they are doing online, try signing up for one of the popular platforms (TikTok, Snapchat, etc.), then ask them to teach you how to use it. Understanding what kids and teens are doing online is the first step in guiding them toward healthy experiences.

2. Help them recognise their screen time habits.

Sometimes the habits kids have with their devices are not the best for their health. The same goes for adults too. Maybe screen time interferes with sleep, relationships, or learning. Talk about how we can use our devices in ways that feel in balance with other parts of life. Share your own habits as examples to get the conversation going.

3. Talk about their emotional health.

Help older kids and teens recognise how online activities make them feel. Many teens turn to social media and online resources for mental health support and to connect with friends. However, social media can also have negative effects on some teens, especially girls experiencing depression.

4. Talk about what to do when they have negative feelings or want to set new screen time habits.

Talk through different strategies children and teens can try when they notice themselves feeling uncomfortable, worried, sad, or anxious when they are online. And remind them that they can always come to you (or another trusted adult) if they need help.

Mrs Jo Matherson
Deputy Principal

Please click here for information regarding our School Photo days on Thursday 28 April and Friday 29 April.

Please ensure you are familiar with both schedules and the required uniforms for both days.

Ms Kerry McAllister 
Sports Co-Ordinator and Administration Assistant

Turn the other cheek?

Viewers and attendees of this year's Oscars were shocked by the sight of Will Smith striding up on stage to slap comedian Chris Rock for a tasteless joke made against Smith’s wife. We know that violence is wrong, so the incident was investigated and consequences put in place.

So what do we do about Ukraine? This is not the first violent conflict in our time, but somehow, perhaps because it is happening on the border of Europe, this one is very much in focus. There have been national responses such as sending arms and providing humanitarian relief to the people of Ukraine, as well as imposing sanctions, seeking diplomatic solutions and publically condemning the actions of the Russian hierarchy. Then there have been individual responses too, such as sending money to various agencies seeking to help those caught in this conflict, praying and wearing yellow and blue in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. We can feel somewhat helpless being so far away, but we can do some of these things.

On Anzac Day we remembered another war in Europe, one from over 100 years ago. As we again tell the stories of our national heroism, courage and sacrifice, we are reminded of why it is that the world has done everything possible to avoid another conflict in Europe.

Violence is to be vigorously avoided, but sometimes it seems to be a necessary solution, when urgent action is needed and other options have been exhausted. Is it a justified defensive action? Making those choices, especially on a big scale, is incredibly difficult, and people have mixed opinions about it.

In Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5), we read incredibly challenging instructions about turning the other cheek and forgiving those who hurt us. When is it applicable, when is it not? Does it mean we should not stand up for ourselves, or even more importantly stand up for others? Surely there is a time for both, and yet in this powerful passage, Jesus shows us a different way. We admire those throughout history who have demonstrated for us the model of non-violent protest, though inevitably it has led to significant sacrifice.

It seems appropriate to me that Anzac Day comes so close to Easter, as both speak of laying down our lives for others.

Ms Chris O'Gorman
Senior Chaplain

TikTok is a user-friendly and easily accessible platform to help students connect socially with other people who enjoy the creative outlet without the need for high-level editing skills.  It has overtaken Facebook as the most downloaded social media app in the world. TikTok is especially popular with children and young adults and was a valuable connection tool during recent periods of isolation. 

Many families enjoy connecting through TikTok so why do we consider it important to continue to alert parents about the platform? It is important for us out of duty of care for our students to continue to engage with our whole community about both TikTok's positive value and the ways to protect our children from potential harm.

A 2020 study indicates that 746,000 children born after 2006 access TikTok. It is important to remember that the minimum age requirements are thirteen years to have an account and sixteen years to host a public account. There are ways to access parent controls by using the “Family Pairing Setting” and the “Digital Wellbeing Setting”. “Family Pairing” allows a parent to attach their child’s account to their own, see the direct messages that their child receives and set usage time limits. “Digital Wellbeing” allows a user to set their own limits on the usage of their account.

However, the flip side to this is the potentially dangerous trends, behaviours, predatory actions and privacy issues. We have found, and are advised, that tech-savvy children create additional personal accounts away from the prying eyes of parents - sometimes multiple accounts. At this juncture, it is important to highlight our Acceptable Use of Information Technologies Policy available here and to note that students are not permitted to upload any images or videos with any identifying feature linking them to Somerville House to any social media platform for their own protection.  All images can be harvested and shared, and are held in cloud storage in Singapore and the United States, outside of Australian regulatory reach. Respectful consideration for others is important as well, ensuring no image or video is posted without the consent of those in it.

This platform has been linked to dangerous trends as advised in a previous newsletter article, where young people are encouraged to follow life-threatening practices e.g. the black out challenge. However, some experts are also advising that it can be linked to increasing mental illness and decreasing attention spans. In an interview with SBS, Dr O’Dea, a senior research fellow from the Black Dog Institute advised, "that by clicking on it, sharing, following, or commenting, the algorithm ….starts exposing viewers to similar content.” Dr Sukenesan from Swinburne University advises that it can increase obsessing over eating habits, resulting in eating disorders and can lead to exposure to videos promoting self-harm.

TikTok is a fun platform when young people are given the tools and guidance to use it safely. 

Mrs Julie Brunckhorst
Dean of Student Wellbeing

Acknowledgement: School Governance, [email protected], TikIok: What Are the Dangers and What Should Schools Do? by Analise Wright 7.04.2022.
 

Adolescence is a time of big changes - physical, emotional, social and cognitive. This article focuses on the social and emotional changes often faced during this time, and provides practical and evidence-based ideas to support your child through this time. Strong relationships with family and friends are vital for your child’s healthy social and emotional development.

Please click here for further details.

Miss Sarah Winkleman
School Psychologist 

We have an exciting opportunity for students to design the new stained-glass window that will sit in the refurbished A Block, which will be officially re-named as the Fewings Building.

We are seeking expressions of interest from our student body for the design of the stained-glass window. The window will sit above the entry door to the refurbished A Block and be a welcoming sight for all students and visitors.

If you would like to submit a design for the window, please consider:

• Appropriate design elements. What do you think represents Somerville House? What might you include in your design?  What natural elements might you try to incorporate?
• Colour
• Size – The window will measure 1336mm wide and 852mm high.
• Submitting your sketches/designs to this folder by Friday 6 May. Please ensure you label your design with your full name and year level.

We look forward to seeing your creativity at work. Please email any questions to Mrs Kathryn Emtage via [email protected].

Lest We Forget

“‘Lest we forget” has become a powerful adage in Australian and New Zealand culture. Made famous by the Anzac experience in 1915 at Gallipoli, it has made a deep impression on generations of school children who celebrate Anzac Day each year and engage with the ANZAC narratives in our History courses.

Last Friday (22 April), I attended the Anzac commemoration ceremony for students at Anzac Square. Many students attended local community services with their families on Monday (25 April), and this Tuesday (26 April) we held a special Junior School Anzac Day assembly as our contribution to the enduring recognition of the Anzac experience.

In an age-appropriate manner - 

• we honoured those who served in the military defence of Australia and Australia’s interests, especially those who lost their lives
• we acknowledged the special role that Gallipoli as an event played in the shaping of Australian history and culture, and
• we were reminded of the impact of war not only on the combatants, but on families affected by loss and suffering.
• in this way, children learn to glorify peace, not war, and learn to value and honour those who have sacrificed a great deal in the interest of the greater good. 

In our Anzac recognition, the words respect, loyalty, courage, responsibility, resilience, perseverance, selflessness, and compassion are brought to the fore. These words resonate with me as I interact with the Junior School students on a daily basis, observing their actions and interactions.

Junior School staff regularly speak to the students about whether they are a “bucket filler” or a “bucket dipper”, to help them understand the role they play in supporting the emotional wellbeing of themselves, their family, friends and school community through respectful and compassionate words and actions. Buckets fill to overflowing when you consciously respect and make others feel good and when your friends, family and teachers reciprocate with positive comments and actions.

I am constantly heartened by the actions of the Junior School students. I witness them spontaneously and warmly acknowledging the achievements of others. I also see their ongoing interactions, such as greeting people within our school with a smile and warmth, as a reflection of their respect and care for others.

While there is much focus and sadness reported in the media about “conflict” around the world at the moment, we will continue to guide and encourage our students to focus on contributing, giving and filling buckets with respect and compassion. And remind them that by looking for the good in others without expecting rewards, we show our commitment to optimism, wellbeing and altruism.

Lest we forget.

Mrs Louise McGuire
Head of Junior School

We are all affected by relationship conflicts at certain points in our lives, but it is how we respond to these that can determine the quality of future relationships. Although traditional approaches to discipline focus on identifying the inappropriate behaviour and enforcing a consequence, a purely punitive response rarely restores positive relationships. In contrast, a restorative approach involves staff and students working together to:

• identify the harm caused and to whom
• help the student consider how their behaviour has affected others
• work with the student to create and implement a plan to repair the harm.

In the Junior School, staff may employ a restorative process to help manage student conflict and restore relationships. Ultimately, the relationship between teachers and students lies at the heart of co-operation in our classrooms or in the playground. A restorative approach offers many advantages in terms of improving social and emotional development including:

• increased accountability by understanding the impact of harm 
• the offender, victim, and the School, work together to repair the harm
• the offender takes responsibility for working towards positive outcomes
• an opportunity to make amends, show remorse and express forgiveness.

You can find out more about the Student Code of Behaviour & Management Plan in the Family Handbook.

Mr Tim Smetham
Assistant Head of Junior School – Pastoral Care & Administration 

Please click here to view a list of upcoming Junior School events and activities.

Baskbetball 

Somerville came out strong at round 4 of QG Basketball after a three-week break, collecting wins in five of our seven games against St Margaret’s. Our Senior Bs had a convincing thirty-two point win (42-10), whilst our Opens fought hard for four quarters to win 43-27. All eyes now turn to our first home game this Friday 29 April against St Peters Lutheran College at St Laurence’s College. We hope to see you there!

Miss Lucy Bellinger
Sports Co-ordinator

Cross Country 

During the holidays, 42 Somerville House QG Cross Country students descended on the Gold Coast Recreation Centre for our camp at Tallebudgera Creek. What proved to be another hugely successful camp has now become a permanent part of our annual calendar. We ran, trained, played and became a strong unit in preparation for this year's QG Cross Country Championships to be held on Saturday 14 May. 

Mr Andre Sinclair
Director of Athletics and Cross Country

Rowing

Somerville rowers descended on the Queensland State Rowing Centre, Wyaralong last Saturday (23 April) for some clean, safe water for the new recruits to learn the trade. 

New parents had the chance to see their girls taking turns out in single sculls and our more experienced girls take to the water in our big boats for some kilometres on the course. 

Thank you to the Rowing Support Group parents and bus driver Kevy for the barbeque. 

We hope the girls enjoyed this introduction to rowing as we knuckle down into our training term. 

Mrs Samara Quinlan
Sports Co-ordinator

Touch Football

Our touch football students had a trying afternoon with their first game of the term playing St Margaret’s at Windsor Park. They tried their hardest and played to the best of their abilities on the day. Well done girls. See you all again this week for training and then our round 5 home game playing St Peters Lutheran College.

Ms Alexandra Roberts
Sports Co-ordinator

Strength and Conditioning

SomerStrong Junior Squad 2022

Strength and Conditioning (S&C) complements girls' training schedules by offering external sessions that target aspects such as strength, power, speed and agility. The S&C program offers best practice coaching that aims to enhance their athletic development.

The Junior Squad is a fun-based training group that works on all things strength and conditioning to help develop well-rounded junior athletes.

Who: Years 3 to 6

When: Sessions are available Wednesday afternoons (3.15pm to 4.15pm) and Tuesday and Thursday mornings (7.00am to 8.00am) term time, all year.

Training venue: The upstairs gym located at the Murray Evans Sports and Aquatics Centre

Uniform: Sports Uniform

Fees: Junior Squads - $285 per term for one session per week or $400 per term for twice per week

Please click here to register and contact Mr Malachi McPhail via email [email protected] for any questions.

SomerStrong Squad 2022

Who: Years 7 to 12 (any student not participating in a S&C sports program)

When: Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6.30am to 7.45am and Monday 3.15pm to 4.30pm (sessions depend on numbers)

Training venue: The upstairs gym located at the Murray Evans Sports and Aquatics Centre 

Uniform: Sports Uniform

Fees: Squads - $365 for one session per week or $500 for twice per week (billed at end of term school fees)

Please click here to register and contact Mr Malachi McPhail via email [email protected] for any questions.

Mr Malachi McPhail
Acting Director of Strength and Conditioning

Congratulations to Kristy A (Year 9), who recently competed at the Victorian Water Ski Association’s 2022 International Moomba Masters.

Kristy was the youngest to compete in the Open Women’s Moomba this year, and the youngest competitor ever to make it to a Jump final in Open Women’s Jump, breaking the Oceania Region jump record with 34.0m for U14G.

Kristy has been selected on the Australian Junior World Water Ski Team to compete in Chile in January 2023 and has been named on the Junior Worlds Squad for 2024.

Congratulations to Natalia M (right, 9A), who competed last weekend in Softball Queensland’s U14 Girls team that won the National Championship after being undefeated.

Her sister Isabelle M (10G) recently competed in the 13-19yrs Softball State Championships, winning in the finals. Isabelle was also selected for the Talent Squad.

After a four-year absence, the long-awaited Churchie Senior Musical finally returns to the Morris Hall stage with a massive splash! 

Singin’ in the Rain is a lavish stage show which is a true homage to the classic Broadway musical. The production is based on the critically acclaimed 1952 film, starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor. Set in 1920s Los Angeles, Don Lockwood and his leading lady, Lina Lamont, are the silent cinematic stars of Monumental Pictures. They are supported by Don’s best friend, musical genius and comedic sidekick Cosmo Brown. However, as the craze for 'talking pictures' takes over Hollywood, Don meets rising actress Kathy Selden, and the studio must find a way to create a 'talkie' of their own. 

Singin' in the Rain will feature an all-singing, all-dancing and all-acting cast and Churchie’s best musicians. Supported by a creative team including multi-award-winning industry professionals Dane Berry and Sue Gillingham (choreography), Jason Glenwright (lighting design) and Josh Mcintosh (rain and staging design), Singin’ in the Rain is a show not to be missed. 

• Thursday 28 April, 7.00pm
• Friday 29 April, 7.00pm
• Saturday 30 April, 2.00pm
• Saturday 30 April, 7.00pm

VENUE: Morris Hall, Anglican Church Grammar School, 14-18 Oaklands Parade, East Brisbane, 4169

For more information, please visit churchie.com.au/content/events/singin-in-the-rain

We warmly invite you and your family to our Mothers and Significant Women function on Thursday 5 May in the Honour Room.

Senior School students have been planning a wonderful tribute to their mothers and the other significant women in their lives; grandmothers, aunties, cousins and sisters. If you would like to attend, please contact Associate Chaplain, Mr Ian Loom via email [email protected].

We are looking for volunteers to support our dedicated Tuckshop team.

Shifts are flexible, generally running from 8.30am to 1.30pm. Parking, morning tea, and lunch are all included.

If you would like to join our wonderful volunteer group, please get in touch with our Tuckshop Convenor, Ms Janet Kavourakis via [email protected].

Mr Ben Rolfe 
Manager, Corporate Enterprise

Year 10 students are investigating the "Figure in the Landscape" this semester. They have produced works that show elements of the landscape with the figure in a state of flying, falling, floating or holding, with a choice of drawing materials and techniques to produce images of the subject matter of their choice. Lola’s drawing makes use of several techniques to produce an image that shows an understanding of both realism and surrealism against a “flattened” view of the landscape with minimal use of trees.

"Completed at the end of Term 1, Link represents the beginning of my Year 11 Visual Art journey and combines sections of photographs of each of the other artworks I have made during the experimental folio task. Working through a personal context, each of the images have been arranged to connect with the lines showing a link between myself, my selected personal objects and my art-making."

Christine Z (11D)