Master Plan Progress

The SomerFields ground-breaking ceremony is planned for next week, creating heightened excitement in knowing that we are about to embark on the long-awaited development of the sporting fields at Rocklea. It is even more exciting to realise that the opportunity to include the Stage One completion of four hard courts has been made possible through the substantial donation by Old Girl, Ms Bethwyn Todd, and matched by the Somerville House Foundation. The reality of Bethwyn’s generosity equates to a $1 million contribution to the School’s sporting and recreational facility. On behalf of students and staff, I acknowledge the $500,000 contribution by Ms Todd and the Foundation’s contribution of $500,000. This financial support will make a difference to the student experience through access to world-class sporting and recreational facilities.

Thank you to all parents and friends who have so generously donated funds to support the capital works at Somerville House. These contributions help to provide Somerville girls access to outstanding sporting facilities. Somerville House will lead the way through the provision of six ovals, ten multi-purpose courts, with areas to be used for athletics, cricket, hockey, football, netball, softball, touch and tennis training and competition. 

A Block progress

Term 2 rainfall caused some delays to the builders’ progress on A Block refurbishment. While we originally had planned to be moving in for the start of Term 3, the building will not be ready for students and staff until the end of July. In the meantime, please enjoy these sneak peek preview photos of one of the classrooms and the external view of our 100-year-old teaching block:

Choral Festival

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Years 10, 11 and 12 students and the staff for an entertaining evening on Thursday, 16 June. While the pandemic had plans to interrupt the normal end of Term 1 Choral Festival for the Senior Years, we were grateful to have been able to postpone the 2022 event to the last night of Term 2. We questioned the wisdom of deferring this special event in the School calendar. It was important that we retain the long-standing tradition of Choral Festival, so the decision was made!

Student conductors and accompanists ably led their peers in each House performance, and I acknowledge Choral Director - Mr Shannon Leonard, Head of Music - Mrs Sylvia Cody and the House Co-ordinators – Miss Kathryn Kolb, Dr Gemma Dale, Mr Eric Wise, Mrs Elizabeth Webber, Dr Olivier Baggiano, and Ms Sarah Zambelli for supervision of the rehearsals and bringing this wonderful event to the School community. Despite the busy term calendar, it was great to return to some semblance of normality with parents and grandparents joining the audience in VPAC. Congratulations to Chisholm as the winning House! 

Holiday Interval

Sustaining personal growth is one of the key priorities of our Strategic Intent 2020 – 2023. We achieve this by engaging students in co-curricular participation and performance. Over the most recent holiday break, our school calendar included the Rowing Camp, Athletics Camp, Tennis Clinic and an opportunity for Year 12 students to attend a Hospitality Skills training course. On behalf of the students, I thank the staff involved for facilitating such worthwhile learning experiences outside the traditional four walls of a Somerville House classroom.

NAIDOC Week

Last week, the annual celebration of NAIDOC Week 2022 remembered the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  This year, the theme is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! This gives us an opportunity to celebrate First Nations Peoples of Australia, a chance to highlight challenges that need addressing, as well as a chance to engage with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island histories and amazing cultures that are thousands of years old. We will celebrate NAIDOC at our school assemblies this week.

Cross Country

Good luck to all Junior School and Senior School students competing in the Interhouse Cross Country at Yeronga Memorial Park this Friday. Poor weather in Term 2 caused the postponement of this event, so let’s hope we have fine weather for running on Friday 15 July. Thank you to Mr Andre Sinclair and coaches, as well as the Cross Country Support Group, for all of your time and commitment to training the runners.

Student Achievements

Congratulations to Adwoa A (12D), Marissa C (12D) and Ingrid J (11M), who have been accepted into QUT’s Future You STEM Summit program.

Adwoa, Marissa and Ingrid will join a select group of high-achieving students from across Queensland and northern NSW in a four-day on-campus program that will provide them with an engaging and inspirational experience in the fields of science, health, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

Staffing Updates

This term, we welcome a number of new Corporate Staff to Somerville House:

Mrs Stacey Hennelly – Director of Communication and Admissions. We welcome Stacey as a member of the Senior Leadership Team.
Mrs Rachael Flynn – Senior Network Administrator – Technology Services
Mr Stephen Clyde - Groundsperson 
Ms Skye-Ann Richards – Cotton Library Assistant
Ms Julie Tamlin – Learning Development Teacher Aide
Ms Pam Penny – Music Administration Assistant for Mrs Joslin’s long service leave
Ms Pauline Sandow – Junior School Administration Assistant
Miss Madeleine Barry-Young and Miss Raheela Asif – Residential Boarding Assistants 

We also welcome a number of new Academic Staff to replace those teachers who are taking long service leave or departed:

Mr Michael Howley – Teacher of Humanities for Semester 2
Mr Andreas Ruhmann – Teacher of Science
Ms Angela Lord –  Year 4 Teacher, relieving Ms Esther Harrison on long service this term
Ms Colleen Moriarty – Teacher – Junior School Supervision

The following staff are taking long service leave, as detailed: 

Ms Laura Duffield – Long Service Leave – Semester 2 
Ms Esther Harrison – Long Service Leave – Term 3 
Mr Tim Smetham – Long Service Leave – first four weeks of Term 3 
Mrs Deborah Joslin – Long Service Leave – first five weeks of Term 3 

A number of internal appointments have been made to manage strategic projects and cover long service leave absences:

Ms Melissa Alexander – Associate Dean – Teaching Pedagogy
Mr Clayton Forno – Associate Dean – Academic Care Years 7-9
Ms Kira Sampson – Acting Head of Humanities
Ms Debbie Haupt – Acting Head of Languages
Ms Kirrin Timbs – Humanities Senior Years Curriculum Co-ordinator

Finally, I extend my best wishes, to all parents and caregivers, for a rewarding third term of learning for your daughters and sons in the 2022 academic year.

Mrs Kim Kiepe
Principal

As Term 3 commences, it can be difficult to get back into a routine after a long winter break. A few extra moments in bed on a cold morning can stretch into getting up quite a bit later, and it is easy to skip regular outdoor activities when it is raining, and we have certainly had our share of that lately. Some people, due to shorter days, colder weather and less exposure to sunshine, suffer from the winter blues. It is not uncommon to experience fatigue, sadness, difficulty concentrating and disruption of sleep during winter, but we can combat this by taking steps to alleviate the symptoms, which will subsequently lift our mood. 

• Take a break from the news – news cycles often contain stories that can add to sadness 
• Boost your mood with food – consuming protein with breakfast, lunch and dinner can enhance mood and prevent sugar and carb cravings later in the day. Less exposure to sunlight may require some to supplement vitamin D 
• Follow a regular sleep routine – a bedtime routine that helps you to wind down and relax, followed by a regular wake-up time, will help you to feel more rested. Exposure to light as soon as you wake will improve alertness  
• Do some physical activity – this boosts mood and reduces stress. It can be hard to commit to longer sessions if feeling lethargic, so try to break this down into shorter, more regular sessions. 
• Spend time with supportive people – spending time with others makes us feel better and energises us 
• Seek out the sun – sunlight helps balance serotonin activity, increases melatonin production and balances your circadian rhythm. 

If these steps do not help and feelings of sadness are persistent, see a doctor for further assistance. 

Mrs Jo Matherson
Deputy Principal

Power Corrupts

A couple of months ago the movie “Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” reached our cinemas. Multiverses, the idea that there are an infinite number of alternative universes out there where everything develops and plays out differently, are such an interesting concept. It is certainly a creative way to get around the incredible odds of the one universe we know having come about purely by chance….

In this fast paced and amazing production, Dr Strange and his female companion are chased from universe to universe by a witch who realizes that this young woman has the power to move between universes. Of course the witch is trying to get hold of this power for herself. In each universe there is a version of Dr Strange, some nicer than others. In one universe Dr Strange has used that universe’s version of a powerful spell book called the Darkhold to grasp power and almost destroy the whole universe in the process.

This movie is another example of a story where characters are searching for an item that will give them unlimited power (think of the ring, Gollum and Froddo in Lord of the Rings), but where that power ultimately corrupts the owner/wearer, no matter how good their character was at the start. English Historian Lord Acton said many years ago that “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”, and this would seem to be true in so many areas in our society. Democracy may not be a perfect system, but the alternative of a dictator with absolute power is far more frightening.

In the world today, we might become anxious about competing political powers and their growing influence, but it is good to remember that ultimately no authority exists without God’s permission, as the Apostle Paul says in his letter to the Romans chapter 13. That doesn’t mean that everything they do is good, far from it, but it does mean that their power is limited, and ultimately God, who IS good, is very much in control and will judge the way all of us handle the power and authority we have been given. I find this thought very comforting.

One of the other quotes from the movie is interesting too. In the universe where Strange has gone rogue, one of the rulers says: “Just because someone stumbles and loses their way doesn’t mean they are lost forever”. It is also comforting to know that in the real universe, the one we live in, God is a God of second chances, there is always a way back, a chance to start over, to apologize to God and others and move forward.

Ms Chris O'Gorman
Senior Chaplain

Term 3 is always such a busy term.  We hope that you have enjoyed the break and feel ready and refreshed to organise those lunches and uniforms and establish clear parameters around mobile use and homework/study. This week we highlight one of our key values: RESPECT. It connects to NAIDOC Week, our Student Code of Behaviour, attendance at the Interhouse Cross Country and Athletics, the Child Protection Policy and the Bully Alert Button.

Wishing you lots of energy and positive, productive outcomes this term!

RESPECT

NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC Week was last week; however, at Somerville House, we are proud to celebrate this week on our return to Term 3.

NAIDOC week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It is celebrated by all Australians and provides the opportunity to recognise and learn more about the history and culture of indigenous communities.

NAIDOC Week is an important event that helps build positive relationships between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. It enables a deeper understanding of our differences and similarities. NAIDOC week is an opportunity for all Australians to eliminate bias and discrimination by reflecting and reconciling the wrongs of the past to facilitate hope and build a fairer future. Families are encouraged to join in and support young people in learning the significance of NAIDOC Week.

Here is the link to our special Schooltv.me report: NAIDOC WEEK

Student Code of Behaviour at Somerville House 

The Code of Behaviour at Somerville House found here is based on Christian values and the Positive Wellbeing framework. In alignment with the School values of courage, compassion, inclusion, gratitude, integrity and respect, students are expected to demonstrate:

• Respect for themselves,
• Respect for others, and
• Respect for the School.

Students’ behaviour at school and at all times, online, when wearing the School uniform or representing the School, must reflect these values. Equally, student communication, in person, in print or in any electronic form, must reflect these values. The School encourages students to find their voice through respectful communication and an inclusive manner.

Interhouse Events

These important House events build respect for their fellow Housemates by cheering on those for whom this is their sport to those who stretch themselves far more than they could have imagined. Our students respect and applaud those who try the hardest. These events build spirit, belonging and connection. They help students realise that they are part of something bigger than themselves. That each effort by each individual contributes to the whole. They each have a purpose, and each contribute to the points for their House.  They are a celebration of passion, House colours, fun, energy, success and failure.  All of this contributes to resilience.

• Week 1, Friday 15 July – Cross Country
• Week 2, Friday 22 July – Athletics Carnival

Child Protection Policy 

Please find information here, including the Child Protection Policy and Child Protection Officers.

Bully Alert Button

Students and others may access this button to report any perceived bullying. Before completing this, please read the information contained here.

Mrs Julie Brunckhorst
Dean of Student Wellbeing 

I welcome everyone back to school and to the commencement of Term 3 - an exciting, action-packed second semester of 2022. A special welcome also to our new students in Years 1, 2 and 4. I have no doubt that the girls will be embraced with the Somerville spirit by their new classmates and teachers, and that their families will be equally welcomed by our parent body.

Staff Updates

Ms Angela Lord joins our staff teaching class 4A while Ms Esther Harrison enjoys Long Service Leave during Term 3.
Miss Skye-Ann Richards will be working in the Cotton Library as a Library Assistant. This is a new position in the Junior School. 
Mr Tim Smetham is on Long Service Leave until the beginning of Week 5.
Mrs Emma Trevor returns full-time to her role in Learning Development.
Mrs Tamara Fahy will continue working in the Learning Development Department while Mrs Catherine Tomei remains on extended sick leave.

Semester One Reports / Parent-Teacher Interviews

You will have received your daughter’s Semester 1 report over the holidays, and I hope you have had the opportunity to reflect with her on the results she achieved in the first semester and set some goals for the remainder of the year.

As you prepare to meet with your daughter’s teachers to discuss her progress, please consider that a grade on a report is only one measure of outcomes, and at a moment in time. We must also be mindful to take the time to observe children as they grow and develop their unique talents and succeed at their own pace.

Notably, ‘success’ is not necessarily an ‘end’ result. Success can also be measured by overcoming hurdles, solving problems and dealing with failure. Success is about having the confidence to try and the resilience to fail and try again.

"Happiness is not at the top of the mountain but in how to climb." – Confucius.

We continue in our efforts to encourage our children to climb! And as they do, we can watch with awe and admiration the journey upon which they embark every day.

A reminder that these parent-teacher interviews are in Week 2 and Week 3 on Tuesday 19, Monday 25 and Wednesday 27 July. Bookings will open on Monday 11 July at 8.00pm and close at 6.00pm on Friday 15 July. 

Please take a moment to peruse the dates for other important Junior School events this term, as listed in the newsletter.

Child Protection Policy 

Please find information here including the Child Protection Policy and Child Protection Officers. 

Allergy Aware School  

There are several students in the Junior School and Senior School who suffer from life-threatening allergies to nuts. These students will have an anaphylactic reaction if they come into contact with even the smallest trace of certain types of nuts. Passing contact with another student who has been eating nuts or products containing nuts can trigger a reaction. 

We ask that parents remind their daughters not to share food at school to assist in reducing the risk for these students. Thank you for your support. 

Junior School Badge Presentation Assembly – Tuesday 19 July  

A reminder that parents of new students are invited to a special assembly on Tuesday 19 July (Week 2) commencing at 9.00am in the Harker Auditorium, Valmai Pidgeon Performing Arts Centre (Level 5). Junior School students who have been at Somerville House for one semester or more will receive their School Badge at this assembly.  

The ceremony will conclude at approximately 10.00am. We hope you can join us to celebrate this very special step in your daughter’s school journey.  

Junior School Family Worship – Sunday 24 July

Junior School families are warmly invited to attend our Family Worship on Sunday 24 July, on Level 7 of the Foundation Building, from 9.30am to 10.30am followed by morning tea.

The service, themed ‘Christmas in July’, is an interactive time of worship and activities, featuring songs, Bible Stories led by the SupaClub monitors, a performance by the Poco a Poco choir, hands-on activities for the whole family, and beautiful music played by the Junior Strings Consort upon arrival. 

Students are not required to wear their uniform.

We look forward to this opportunity to celebrate together as a community.

Mrs Louise McGuire
Head of Junior School

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

Over the holidays, I attended the International Coalition of Girls' Schools annual conference in Boston, USA. The Global Forum on Girls’ Education brings together girls’ education advocates from across the globe to exchange best practices and innovative approaches for academic excellence and the healthy development of girls. It was inspiring to engage in conversation with educators, researchers, advocates, authors, and practitioners from eighteen different countries, and realise that Somerville House is part of such a rich, dynamic, global community.

Our school is united with hundreds of other girls' schools worldwide in inspiring girls to embark on future pathways, with no limits to their aspirations. Listening to Nobel Peace Prize winner, Leymah Gbowee's keynote speech, I was reminded of how we can transform the world by unlocking the greatness of girls and know that as a school, we prepare and empower girls to be ethical, globally minded change-makers who lead with courage, competence, and compassion.

The solutions to complex global challenges are supported by our school approach, where we also place an emphasis on collaboration, resilience and creativity, underpinned by self-belief, a willingness to listen and a deep sense of social justice, allowing our girls to become active global citizens determined to make a difference to the world in which they live.

Dr Gemma Dale
Teacher - Biology and Science

Congratulations to our Years 7 and 8 Readers Cup team, who competed last night for the Readers Cup (Brisbane South). They worked brilliantly as a team throughout Term 2 in preparation for the event. They placed 4th, missing 3rd place by one point.

Mrs Avril Cross 
Teacher Librarian

RoboCup Junior International Competition 2022

The 2022 RoboCup Junior International Competition is under way and comprising part of Team Australia is the Somerville House OnStage team Snuffleupagus, consisting of Jocelyn B (11O), Alexandra D (11F), Annabel R (11O), Sofia L (12D) and Yifei Z (12F). The International Competition is the highest level of RoboCup Junior competition, with competitors consisting of high school and tertiary students from around the world.

The team qualified for this international competition through selection by RoboCup Junior Australia in 2021. Drawing inspiration for their performance from the popular children’s show Sesame Street, the team has spent months working hard in creating, programming and debugging their robots utilising a multitude of sophisticated technologies, including robotic arms, Bluetooth communication, custom-designed drive bases and machine learning-based object recognition.

Although the event is hosted in Bangkok this year, our team will be competing virtually from the Robotics lab in K501. The event spans from Monday 11 July until Sunday 17 July.

Interested in learning a bit more about what the team is up to? Have a look at their Technical Video Demonstration (Youtube).

We wish team Snuffleupagus all the best for this week’s competition!

Dr Daniel Tuazon
Teacher - Digital Design Technology

Year 11 Speech and Drama Results

Congratulations to the following Year 11 students for successfully completing their AMEB Speech and Drama examination in May.

Voice and Communication Grade 6

• Minethra E (11G): Honours
• Charlotte S (11O): Honours
• Ashleigh T (11G): Honours

Ms Vicki Fuller
Private Voice, Communication and Drama Teacher

Student Achievements

Congratulations to Ein N (8B), who achieved these amazing results in May: 

• AMEB LMus Violin – Awarded with Distinction 
• Redlands Eisteddfod: Baroque section – 1st place, Open age section – 1st place, Junior championship section – 1st place and Concerto section – 1st place.

Congratulations also to Sarah P (10M) for achieving a Distinction in her Trinity College Grade 5 Vocal Exam.

Mr Will Eager 
Director of Co-Curricular Music 

Andrew’s Cup Cross Country results

The Andrew’s Cup team finally got to compete in Toowoomba on Wednesday 15 June after a two-week delay. The weather was very kind to us and all team members ran well, placing 5th overall.

Results:

• 8 years – 2nd
• 9 years – 6th
• 10 years – 9th
• 11 years – 4th
• 12 years – 4th

Ms Sharyn Simpson
Sports Co-ordinator

Thinking about a career in Medicine, Law or Business? Studying Technology or Engineering at school will enable you to face the future within these industries fearlessly.

Parents, carers and students in Years 5 to 12 are warmly invited to attend Fearless Future with Technology and Engineering — a night of insight into how to maximise career opportunities in the future and understand how the skills gained in technology and engineering are all pervasive across all careers paths and industries.

WHO: Parents, carers and students in Years 5 to 12 
DATE AND TIME: Thursday 28 July, 3.15 to 6.00pm workshops for Years 5 and 6 students
6.00pm to 7.30pm MAIN EVENT
VENUE: Harker Auditorium, Valmai Pidgeon Performing Arts Centre (VPAC)
RSVP: 5.00pm, Friday 22 July 
ENQUIRIES: Please email any enquiries to Education Consultant – STEM, Mrs Cynthia Nolan via [email protected]

We will hear from the medical industry with our Keynote speaker, Alastair Sharman, Chief Digital Officer from the Mater Hospital, along with perspectives shared from the world of finance, business and law.  We have a relatively recently graduated Somerville House Old Girl sharing her early career journey and how technology is playing a bigger role than she ever anticipated.  

You will have the opportunity to have one-to-one discussions with industry and university professionals, including QUT, UQ, Cisco, BDO and Women in Engineering, about specific career paths and opportunities related to technology and engineering.  

Students in Years 5 and 6 will participate in workshops by Micromelon, where they will learn how to program robots and participant in dance-offs.  

We are providing afternoon tea before the event and dessert after.

• This event is free of charge
• There is limited parking in the VPAC and Foundation Building through Gates 1 and 6. 

Follow the call of the disco ball and join parents from all year levels, staff and Year 12 students and partners at the Somerville House Ball.

In addition to wonderful food and entertainment, the gala event offers a great opportunity for our school community to join together and celebrate in true Somerville spirit.

Get a table together with friends, members of your co-curricular group, or let the Ball Committee help place you at a table.

DATE AND TIME: 7.00pm Saturday 10 September 
VENUE: The Plaza Ballroom, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane
DRESS CODE: Black Tie
TICKETS (includes three-course meal, beverages and live entertainment): Adults $200 | Students and Partners $160
RSVP: Friday 12 August 

Click here to read frequently asked questions.

Enquiries: [email protected] 

The Ball is proudly hosted by the Somerville House Parents and Friends Association with thanks to our Event Partners:

• Place Estate Agents
• Wiley
• Ord Minnett
• The Prop House 
• Allclear Print and Signs

Somerville House and the Old Girls’ Association look forward to celebrating our 123rd Commemoration Day on Friday 7 October. All Somerville House Old Girls are warmly invited to attend the service and lunch.

We invite you to Save the Date for this year's Speech Night. The 123rd Speech Night for the School is scheduled to take place on Thursday 13 October.

Quick and expressive painting techniques were explored by Year 10 students at the end of Term 2. Students have been working exclusively with images from the Australian landscape this term and have worked with a variety of experimental techniques and tools to produce acrylic paintings. From cardboard scrapers to crushed alfoil and thick impasto gel mixed with their paint, students have created a range of bright and strong images of diverse scenes from around Australia. 

Mr Peter Whittred
Teacher - Art