Old Scholars' Association

• Patron: Steven Davies, Principal
• President: Philippa Lonie (Brown, 2001)
• Vice President: Damien Hocart (1991)
• Treasurer: Andy Gray (1992)
• Secretary: Tania Admans (2000)

Members:

• Amy Aldous (Maxwell, 2000)
• Andrew Coffin (1990)
• Clare Farris (2002)
• Neil Gerrard (1999)
• Belinda Guy (1994)
• Avon Harrison (2001)
• Chris Hedges (1999)
• Luke O'Sullivan (2004)
• Franzl Shannon (1991) (Immediate Past President)
• Candice Hannaford (Welman, 2001)

Representative on School Council: Position vacant
Representative of P&F Association: Philippa Lonie (Brown, 2001)

The Committee is elected at the Annual General Meeting, which is held in September each year. Committee meetings are held on the third Tuesday of the month during term time. Meetings may also take place in December, and subcommittees may meet at any time, as relevant to the activities they are managing. All members are encouraged to attend the monthly meetings to find out how they can get involved in volunteering or otherwise supporting Old Scholar activities.

Membership is open to any person who attended St Mark's as a student for not less that one year when studying Year 10, 11 and 12. Past students who don't fit this criteria are still encouraged to apply for membership, by application to the Old Scholars' Association. For more information, please email osa@stmarks.wa.edu.au or download the application form here.

In the early years of the Association, specifically between 1990 and 2007, membership was voluntary, and at the discretion of the student's parents. If you missed on becoming a member at the time of your leaving, it is not too late to do so - in fact, we'd welcome your decision to join. Simply submit an application form, along with proof of payment for the lifetime membership fee to osa@stmarks.wa.edu.au.

In 2008, membership became automatic upon graduation from the School, and in every year subsequent to that, the membership levy is included in the annual School fees, making it a natural progression from being a student to becoming an Old Scholar.

If you are unsure of your membership status, or would like to confirm your membership number, please email community@stmarks.wa.edu.au.

• Stay in touch, or reconnect with old friends.
• Receive invitations to Old Scholar events and activities, such as the 'milestone' reunions.
• Receive updates about events, reunions, and news from past and present students.
• Discounted hire of the School Chapel for weddings and special events.
  
• Build valuable business contacts through the emerging Business Networking group.
• Share your experience of life after St Mark's with current students.
• The OSA Little Lions Playgroup offers the opportunity for Old Scholar mums and dads (or partners of Old Scholars) to connect with one another. Held every Friday during term at the Parish Centre. Join their Facebook Group HERE.
• Give back to the wide St Mark's community through linking with School initiatives supported by the Association.

The Old Scholars' Association hosts and subsidises an annual event for significant milestones from each graduating class - specifically the 10th, 20th and 30th reunions.

The Milestone Reunion is set to provide an easy way to bring past students together, to catch up with old friends, and have some fun. The Milestone Reunion will not preclude year groups from organising their own events as well. It is anticipated that many attendees will use the Milestone Reunion as a kick-off point for additional celebrations with their peers.

The Association can provide some tips and tricks for year groups wishing to run their own events outside of the Milestone Reunion, or arrange an event for other significant dates in their timelines.

The Association is also continuing the more recently established tradition of inviting the most recent graduates back for a One Year Reunion, and then encouraging them to stay on and participate in the annual Old Scholars vs Year 12 Sports Day.

For more information, please email osa@stmarks.wa.edu.au.

In 2020, around ten percent of all students attending St Mark's were children of past students, a clear indication that former St Mark's students are keen to give their children the chance to enjoy the same quality education, experiences and opportunities that they enjoyed at during their time at the School.

The School's Admissions Policy

Several factors are considered when St Mark's reviews applications from all potential families, including Old Scholar families. No preference or weighting is given to any of these factors, with the exception of applicants who have an enrolled sibling already attending St Mark’s. For more information regarding our Enrolments Process, please head to Enrol My Child.

Active Involvement in the Community

Life Members of the Old Scholars' Association are invited to note their involvement with the Association as part of the application for enrolment. If an Old Scholar Life Member is, or has been, involved with the Association's Committee or volunteering at Old Scholar events, this constitutes service to the St Mark's community.

An Old Scholar may be a Life Member of the Association and have links to the St Mark’s community through the Association; however, not all Old Scholars remain geographically close enough to be an active member of the OSA. If a past student has lived in another town, state or country, this is likely to have precluded their involvement with the OSA. As such, the Association would strongly encourage members, as other applicants who are not Old Scholars may, to describe their service to the community where they work or live. Members are also welcome to describe how they intend to involve themselves with the Association and/or the School in the future.

In 2019, the Old Scholars introduced its own scholarship program, designed to support St Mark's students in Years 10, 11 and 12.

About the Scholarship

The Scholarship is awarded to a Year 9 student who excels and commits across a number of sporting, cultural, extra and co-curricular pursuits, community as well as academic commitment and specialist areas. The Association is looking for a well-rounded student who embodies the spirit of St Mark’s Anglican Community School.

The successful applicant will have a track record of full participation throughout their schooling and a commitment to the School’s Values. A panel consisting of representatives from the OSA and the School will review all applications, and create a shortlist of candidates for interview with the Principal, OSA President and Vice-President. The decision to award the Scholarship will be based on the student’s application and the outcome of a personal interview.

The Scholarship will provide a partial fee remission of 25% in the level of the tuition fee payable by the successful student each year and will continue until the student leaves St Mark’s, or for three years. The continuance of the Scholarship will be subject to annual review to ensure that the recipient is maintaining strong progress, demonstrating consistent and exemplary standards of attendance, effort, involvement, contribution, influence and adhering to the rules of the School.

Past Recipients

• The inaugural recipient was Aaliyah Butler, in 2018. Aaliyah graduated from St Mark's in 2021 and is now a member of the Old Scholars' Association.
• In 2019, the Scholarship was awarded to Molly Bean. Molly graduated from St Mark's in 2022 and is now a member of the Old Scholars' Association.
• In 2020, the Scholarship was awarded to Estella Brown, who will graduate from St Mark's in 2023.
• In 2021, the Scholarship was awarded to Tabitha Love, who will graduate from St Mark's in 2024.
• in 2022, the Scholarship was awarded to Summer Elkin, who will graduate from St Mark's in 2025
• in 2023, the Scholarship was awarded to Jasper Greenwood, who will graduate from St Mark's in 2026.

2025 Scholarship Information

Applications for the 2025 OSA Scholarship are now open and will close on Thursday 10 October 2024. The application form can be downloaded here.

The Old Scholars' Association is planning for a number of events and activities this year, including:

• Milestone Reunion Event - February 2025.
• Supporting the St Mark's Parents & Friends' plans for the Community Fete
• Old Scholars vs Year 12 Sports Day - Dodgeball Challenge - Held on Sunday 13 October 2024 in the Hall. Event information will be available closer to the date.
  
• Annual General Meeting on 17 September 2024
• Monthly Committee Meetings, to which all Old Scholars are encouraged to attend

For more information on these and other initiatives, please email osa@stmarks.wa.edu.au or visit the Facebook page. We also encourage all members to attend the monthly Committee meetings, which are held on the third Tuesday of every month in the Parish Centre, located next to the School's Chapel.

We would like to stay connected with our Old Scholars. Please inform us about any changes to your contact details so that we can keep you up-to-date with news of the School’s activities, send you The BookMark magazine and also invite you to Old Scholars’ Association functions.

Please complete the form at the bottom of the page to update your details.