Final two weeks of Term 2
From time to time, I reflect on the attributes of a Somerville House student. I want our girls to think and be able to express views about a range of societal issues. According to Brene Brown, “True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are, it requires you to be who you are.” (Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone). I certainly felt proud of the young women who spoke at last week’s Senior School Assembly for National Reconciliation Week. Acknowledgement to Kirby A (10C), Pernille A (10G), Sarah I (12O) and Kailani B (12G) for highlighting the pain experienced by the Stolen Generation, for sharing an extract from Kevin Rudd’s Sorry Day apology and stressing the importance of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. I am proud of students who use their voice at each weekly assembly, because their voices have been informed through research, lived experience, or knowledge of a particular place, culture or ethnicity. Our school is a GREAT school, because we have a diverse range of students with a wide range of interests. Parents and staff share this sense of pride when our students speak confidently about topics that matter.
IEU Queensland School Officer Day
We acknowledge School Officer Day on Wednesday 8 June in celebration of the significant role that all support staff play in education. Our Somerville House Corporate Staff play a vital role in the provision of academic and co-curricular programs and we thank them for all that they do.
P&F Annual General Meeting (AGM) - Management Committee Elections
Members of the P&F are advised that the next AGM will be held at 7.00pm, Tuesday 14 June, in Cumbooquepa. During this meeting, elections for the Management Committee positions will be held. Elections will be held for President, Secretary, Treasurer and a number of Vice-President roles. Parent Members of the P&F Association may attend and vote in person or online. Click here to join the meeting.
I write to ensure that our parent body are aware that in order to vote at the AGM, parents must consent-in as Parent Members of the P&F Association as per the below process:
Step 1: Somerlink Login > Somerlink Home Page > Home Page Left Index > Join Groups > Free Access > Parents & Friends Association = Select / Tick
Check: Somerlink Login > Somerlink Home Page > Parent Lounge > Parent Lounge Login > Home Page Left Index > Events & Payments > Search List = 2022 Parent Members of the P&F Association (student name)
If Step 1 does not work, then please email [email protected]. State your full name, address, contact number with intention to join P&F Association.
In preparation for the AGM, please see the following extract from the P&F Constitution, Clause 17:
(e) At each Annual General Meeting of the Association, all the members of the Management Committee (except the Principal) must retire from office, but are eligible on nomination for re-election provided that, unless the Annual General Meeting otherwise separately resolves, no person will serve more than three consecutive terms in a role listed in Rule 17.(a).i.
(f) A member of the Management Committee will be elected as follows:
i. any two members of the Association may nominate any other member (the candidate) to serve as a member of the Management Committee;
ii. subject to Rule 17.(f).vii., the nomination must be in writing, be signed by the candidate and the members that nominated them, include the position nominated for, and must be lodged with the Secretary at least 14 days before the Annual General Meeting at which the election is to be held;
iii. written nominations lodged with the Secretary less than 14 days prior to Annual General Meeting at which the election is to be held may only be accepted by the Secretary if there are no nominations in accordance with Rule 17.(f).ii.;
iv. a list of the candidates’ names in alphabetical order, with the proposers’ and seconders’ names, will be advertised by the School at least 7 days prior to the Annual General Meeting;
v. if only one nomination is received for a Management Committee role listed in Rule 17.(a).i. the meeting must confirm the nomination by a majority vote in favour of the nomination, and if not confirmed then further nominations may be taken from the floor of the meeting;
vi. balloting lists will be prepared (if necessary) containing the names of the candidates in alphabetical order, and each member present at the Annual General Meeting will be entitled to vote for only one candidate for each contested position, with the candidate receiving the most votes elected to the position, and if the votes are equal, the Chair has a second or casting vote;
vii. should, at the commencement of the Annual General Meeting, there be no candidates nominated for the Management Committee officer positions listed in Rule 17.(a).i., nominations may be taken from the floor of the meeting.
In accordance with Clause 17f(iv), the list of the Candidate’s names in alphabetical order, with the proposers’ and seconders’ names is:
List of Nominations with Proposer and Seconder for Parents and Friends AGM 2022
A list of the candidates’ names along with the online meeting link have also been published on SomerLink this morning (Tuesday 7 June).
Isolated Children and Parents Association State Conference & FarmFest in Toowoomba
This week, Mrs Jo Matherson, Deputy Principal and Mrs Jackie Tohill, Admissions Manager will be at the FarmFest Field Days in Toowoomba, while I will travel to Blackall with Mrs Frances Greene, Head of Boarding to attend the ICPA State Conference. This annual conference provides a valuable forum whereby members convene to share their frustrations and celebrations, their experiences of educating their children and requests to improve equality to access of education for rural and remote families. It also provides an opportunity for many Departmental representatives, Members of Parliament, Senators, boarding schools and other key organisations to hear issues from those who are on the ground experiencing them.
Parents Connect
We never anticipated the impact of the pandemic and the limited opportunities to network with other parents in the School Community throughout 2020 and 2021. Following the outstanding success of the Sisters Connect program, we are pleased to introduce you to Parents Connect. Members of the School Leadership Team are keen to create a number of opportunities for parents to meet other parents and learn about the Somerville experience through the Middle and Senior Years of schooling. Parking is limited at the School campus, so we have opted to use the Somerville House Water Sports Facility located at the Brisbane Corso Reserve Park in Yeronga.
Parents have different work arrangements and commitments, so to cater to these varying circumstances, future Parents Connect sessions will be held in Term 3 at 4.00pm, and another session offered on an evening in Term 4, commencing at 7.00pm. Our first Parents Connect session will be for Year 6 parents to connect with Year 11 parents on Monday 18 July from 9.00am to 10.30am. Please look out for the SomerLink post and your chance to RSVP.
Social Media Policy
The School’s Social Media Policy was recently updated to:
- ensure all school community members are made aware of legal requirements
- ensure our school community adopts safe and acceptable behaviours when using social media
- outline the School’s requirements relating to acceptable use of social media for all its members
- provide a set of general principles and guidelines for appropriate use; and
- outline consequences for breaches of the guidelines.
Mrs Kim Kiepe
Principal
