The Lion's Roar - 14 June 2023

TELETHON FUN-RAISER

On Sunday 28 May, Year 6 student Jayde, held a sports day with her school friends at their local park to raise much-needed funds for Telethon.

Arranging the entire day herself, Jayde, charged an entry fee which gave participants access to lots of games, sports, prizes and a sausage sizzle! In addition to the sport's fun there was an extravaganza of delights with raffles, a two-dollar bargain bin, 'Guess How Many in the Jar' competitions, homemade lemonade and chocolate crackles for sale.

In total, Jayde raised a whopping $580 for Telethon. An amazing achievement by St Mark's students just for having a few hours of fun.

The hot dog rolls were donated by Darch Brumby's, and the prizes and sausage sizzle were donated by the Turnbull family.

Thanks to everyone who supported Jayde.

TENNIS STAR

Congratulations to Year 9 student Benjamin on his amazing tennis prowess throughout 2023. Here is what his tennis journey has included so far this year:

• January 2023 - selected to represent Western Australia at the Rafael Nadal National Master’s Tour in Melbourne (only two players from WA). Benjamin came 6^th nationally.
• March 2023 - won the Junior State League as part of the University of Western Australia (UWA) Junior State League Grade Team 2022/2023 season.
• April 2023 - won the WA Junior Premier 250 Perth Hardcourt Championships at the State Tennis Centre.
• April 2023 - represented WA at the Australian Junior Championship (14 years) in Canberra for the Clay Court Nationals. Benjamin came 19^th nationally.
• June 2023 - Benjamin gained entry in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Tennis Junior Tour qualification rounds, where he participated in Darwin recently. Benjamin had outstanding results, winning three out of his five singles matches during two qualification tournaments (J30 and J60 tournaments).

What amazing achievements, and we are only halfway through the year! We wish Benjamin all the best for his forthcoming tournaments!

MUSICAL MAESTROS

Congratulations to Year 3 students Isabella and Lucas on their recent success at the AUSTA WA String Festival.

Isabella was awarded a gold medal for her violin performance, and Lucas received a silver medal for his cello performance. This brother-sister duo have achieved fantastic results, and it is a true testament to their hard work and dedication. They have a bright musical future ahead of them!

On Friday 11 August, at approximately 10.50am, the School will hold a lockdown drill for all students and staff. The drill has been scheduled since the beginning of the year, and it follows the evacuation drills that were conducted in Term 1 and Term 2. We have in our yearly planner further drills scheduled for Term 4.

The purpose of evacuation and lockdown drills is to practice the required procedures and processes and to become familiar with them in case we need to put them in place at some time in the future. We all need to know what to do so we can keep safe.

There are any number of reasons why an evacuation or lockdown may be necessary for a school – a fire nearby or in some part of the campus, a severe weather event, or even a runaway animal from the local circus that strays onto our grounds!

You know best whether your child may need a discussion at home ahead of the drill to put it in perspective for them.

If you have any concerns for your child, please contact the appropriate teacher (classroom/PCG) at the School ahead of the drill to discuss it.

Last Thursday's Lightning Carnival turned out to be more of a rainy affair than a true lightning event, but that didn't stop our Year 5 students from having a fantastic day. The weather may have been wet, but the spirits of the St Mark's teams remained high, showcasing sportsmanship and determination throughout.

Our students fearlessly competed against other local schools in a variety of sports, including netball, soccer, tag league rugby, and AFL. It was an exciting opportunity for our young athletes to test their skills and push their boundaries. Some students even took the chance to explore a new sport for the very first time!

We extend our heartfelt gratitude and congratulations to everyone who participated in making this event a success. The commitment and enthusiasm displayed by our students truly exemplified the spirit of St Mark's. Rain or shine, they showed their dedication and sportsmanship, and for that, we are immensely proud. Well done, everyone!

The Primary Strings performers are making the most of all their opportunities within our local and professional community.

Recently in May, we have had Isabella Keung, Lucas Keung and Annabelle Scrimgeour attend the Joondalup Symphony Orchestra master classes sponsored by the City of Joondalup.

Last weekend at the AUSTA string festival, St Mark’s was represented by some of our Primary players, Isabella Kueng (gold award), Lucas Kueng (silver award) and Michael Fairley (gold award). All students performed beautifully in this festival and we're excited to share the news of the students' results.

On Friday, the Strings players and parents will attend the WASO concert “Nature's Symphony “ and also have a small meet and greet with professional musicians. If that isn’t busy enough, next week, all Primary String players hit the stage to perform in their first concert for the year.

It is busy. It is hard work, but it is all worth it!

Congratulations, we are proud of all of your efforts this term and acknowledge the support of the families and parents who help to make this all possible.

Mrs Kristy Raymond
Music Teacher

As the July holiday is a long one, we would love to encourage our children to continue reading.

The Junior School Library will be open on Wednesday 12 July from 11am until 1pm for children to come in and change their books over the holidays.

We would love to see lots of young readers borrow a lot of books.

Happy reading!

On Thursday the 25th, the students gathered in the PAV at 8:30, travelling on buses in their CE classes. The excursion was part of the Year 8 world religions curriculum.

Our first destination was a Hindi Temple in Bennett Springs. Students were greeted by a leader and asked to remove their shoes, then split into boys and girls. The temple was one large main room that contained golden idols against the back wall, along with a worship area to the side. There was an ornate, white divider between the genders and a few other worshipers inside, all of which sat on the carpet. The hosts were extremely friendly and answered students’ questions. At the end, they were given a small bag of popcorn that had been blessed to eat.

Near Greenwood station, in Pabury, was the Al Majid Muslim Mosque. We were welcomed inside by the leader of the Mosque and the visiting speaker Yusuf. The building was traditional, with golden decorations outside. The students were respectful and surprisingly quiet, taking off their shoes again and walking inside. They all sat on a fluffy carpet again, taking in the architecture. The host was a great speaker and teacher who prioritised Q&A, for which the students were grateful. He talked about Muslim families and the Muslim school he works at, the five prayers a day, the language of the Kuran and Friday services. The students got an amazing insight into his life and religion. At the end of our stay, the ladies were kind enough to provide an unexpected banquet of sandwiches and fruit for all the students and teachers to enjoy.

After a long morning of driving between sites, lunch had arrived. The park was a chance for the students to let lose their pent-up energy with more than enough space and equipment to run around and have fun. Many of the kids played “it” around the equipment and piled onto the slides and swings.

The final destination was North Beach Baptist church. The talk was engaging and colourful, with students keen on asking the speakers questions. There was lots of effort put into the event, and the presence of seats was a relief. The message of Christianity was explained along with the challenges and hardships of being a Christian. It rained as we headed back to the buses, but most kids still had enough energy to chat on the bus.

Overall, the day was well-planned and exciting. The students were able to experience religion at a personal level they’ll probably never get again. They learnt more and now have a higher level of understanding regarding religion, helping them in life and their beliefs. On the whole, they represented the school well and were polite and respectful. There was lots of energy and time put into the event, and it all (besides the bus) went smoothly. A massive thank you to all the staff who made the excursion possible.

Eliana Shattock and Kayla Graindorge
Year 8 Chapel Captains

On Friday, 30 June 2023, Middle School students will be supporting Anglicare and their annual Winter Appeal with a fundraiser.

Students from Years 6-8 are invited to dress up in their winter pyjamas for a small donation.

More details about the day can be found by accessing the attached parent letter.

Download the Parent Letter here.

We had the wonderful opportunity last Friday to host Lorna Murray, Old Scholar from the Class of 1991 and former Challen House Captain ('91). Lorna generously shared her invaluable insights into the world of business with our Year 11 and 12 students enrolled in Business, Management, and Enterprise (BME) classes.

Leveraging her own experiences as the owner of the internationally recognised brand Lorna Murray, she engaged the students in captivating discussions encompassing Intellectual Property, product marketing, legal considerations in business, employee relations, and the intricacies of conducting business on a global scale. Her presentation was truly inspiring and thought-provoking, allowing students to connect their classroom learnings in the BME curriculum with real-life scenarios. In addition, Lorna offered some advice to our students as they approach their final years of high school: "Nothing is ever wasted. All study is important, and the skills you've learned along the way are all transferable."

Given the occasion, we seized the opportunity to delve further into Lorna's post-St Mark's life, her illustrious career, and whether her aspirations, as penned in the 1991 issue of the 'Endeavour' yearbook, to "live in eccentricity designing hats and shoes" had become a reality.

To discover more about Lorna's remarkable journey, we invite you to explore our Old Scholar Spotlight, where you can find an in-depth account of her accomplishments and experiences.

Recently, some of our Year 9 students joined together as a group of Anglican Schools in Perth to listen to and learn from two very prominent and highly respected Aboriginal people at WAASA student morning – ‘Voice, Treaty and Truth’.

Uncle Professor Len Collard (a proud Noongar man) conducted a very gracious Welcome to Country and spoke about his experiences growing up as a young Noongar boy and the importance of language to all cultures. We were then very fortunate to have Brooke Prentis (a proud Wakka Wakka woman from Southeast Queensland) facilitate a thought-provoking series of sessions related to reconciliation and ‘Voice, Treaty and Truth’. She spoke about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation, about the Australian history of treaty and the importance of truth-telling in reconciliation. She challenged the students to consider the gift that is 60,000 years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and what we as a nation can do in receiving and honouring that gift.

Uncle Professor Len also spoke of his hopes and dreams, which were best summarised when he stated that “young people will inherit the earth, and we want to make sure you are left with a better place than the one we inherited”.

Thank you to the Western Australian Anglican Schools Association for hosting these very timely and deeply important conversations.

The SSWA one-day carnival held at George Burnett Park was an unforgettable experience for our Year 8/9 Junior Girls Touch Rugby team. Despite encountering fierce competition from other schools in the metropolitan area, our girls exhibited exceptional skills and unwavering determination throughout each fixtured game, culminating in a well-deserved place in the grand final!

In an exhilarating showdown against Willetton, our team confronted a formidable adversary and initially found themselves trailing 2-0. However, they showcased their resilience and exemplified the true meaning of teamwork in the second half. With an impressive comeback, they seized the lead and proudly earned the title of State champions, with a final score of 3-2—a testament to their unyielding spirit.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mr Limpitlaw for his exceptional preparation and coaching, with invaluable assistance from our guru, Rev'd Rowland.

Congratulations to our outstanding team—their unwavering dedication, remarkable skills, and sportsmanship fill us with immense pride.

Well done, champions

Any students in Years 10 - 12 and interested in all things STEM should check out the Pawsey Taster Days.

Please find below links to register:

• 12 July 2023 – Pawsey Work Experience Call for Students - 12 July 2023 - Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre
• 27 September 2023 - Pawsey Work Experience Call for Students - 27 September 2023 - Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre
• 22 November 2023 - Pawsey Work Experience Call for Students - 22 November 2023 - Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre

To find out about these and other upcoming STEM activities:

• Follow the Events and Training page: pawsey.org.au/events/
• Become a Pawsey Friend: pawsey.org.au/pawsey-friends/
• To sign up for the ‘full’ ICRAR work experience week (of which Pawsey is part): www.icrar.org/outreach-education/work-experience/

It was fantastic to see so many students get up and brave the stage at this term's Guitar Ensemble Concert. A huge congratulations to all involved!

I especially enjoyed the variety of styles performed, from Baroque music of the 1700s all the way to Guns N' Roses and much more.

Thank you all to the parents for coming along and for all the support; it really makes a difference.

Darryn Santana,
Guitar Tutor

We are excited to welcome our P&F-sponsored ‘Artist in Residence’, Katie Sharples, from 19 - 23 June. Katie will be hosting a printmaking workshop on Thursday 22 June and we'd love to see you there! The workshop, will consist of Katie presenting a "show and tell" discussing her work followed by a printmaking workshop.

This workshop is open to any Primary or Secondary students, parents and also members of the St Mark's community. A parent must accompany their child if they are of Primary School age. The event will occur in the Visual Art rooms B3-B4 inside the Busselton building (next to the Uniform Shop).

Please note we finish at 8pm sharp for picking up students.

• Time: 6-8pm
• Location: Art rooms B3-B4
• Cost: Free event
• Limited Spots: 50 places available only, no exceptions
  
• RSVP: Click here to book your spot. Please note bookings will close by Sunday 18 June^, or when full.

Old Scholar and former violin tutor Sarah Papadopoulos is returning to St Mark’s!

Sarah is an incredible performer who has travelled all over the world, specialising in Baroque performance and currently performs on both modern and Baroque violin with a number of Perth orchestras. This is an opportunity not to be missed for any violin students learning privately who would like to transition to lessons at school or any students who would like to start a new instrument.

Sarah is currently taking enrolments for Term 3 but only has limited places available.

If you’d like to start lessons with Sarah in Term 3, please complete the online enrolment form and put Sarah Papadopoulos in the “preferred tutor, if any” section.

Interested in starting an instrument?

Studies show that playing a musical instrument lowers stress and increases well-being – why not start something new next term and enrol online? Our Instrumental Music Handbook contains all the instruments we have on offer and lots of other useful information. Enrolment is ongoing unless a withdrawal form is lodged at least two weeks prior to the end of term.

If you would like to withdraw from instrumental lessons for Term 3, please complete the online withdrawal form before your tutor’s withdrawal deadline (most have this as Friday 16 June). After this deadline, another term of music lessons will be charged for before the withdrawal can take effect.

Wowee, how about that weather - it sure made enjoying the long weekend a little more indoorsy unless you had one of our St Mark's umbrellas! Did you know that we had Perth's wettest June day in 37 years?

If your umbrella is not fairing so well after the past few days ... Never fear. We've got you covered!

The Uniform Shop has large-sized, sturdy St Mark's umbrellas available to purchase, and at just $27.50, you can't go wrong!

• 127cm wide canopy for extra rain protection
• Non-slip handle
• Folds down neatly for easy carrying
• Includes umbrella cover for easy storage

They are perfect for those weekends on the sporting sidelines, walking to/from school, and even make a great gift for an Old Scholar!

Grab yours today!

We have seen an increase in the number of students presenting to the Wellness Centre with COVID / Cold and Flu symptoms, so please keep your child at home if they are sick.

Please be reminded that students with any symptoms should not be sent to school regardless of a negative RAT test. If your child presents to the Wellness Centre with any cold or flu, or COVID symptoms, we will have to call you to come and collect them. For information regarding the latest rulings relating to COVID cases, please click here.

Unfortunately, there are still lots of other viruses in the community, and we need to protect our staff and students.

If your child is sick with any illness, please keep them at home.

Thank you for your understanding.

Wellness Centre Team

Mr Brock and Mr Irwin are looking for students to join the School's rugby team. Training takes place before school on Wednesdays from 7am - 8am.

The season will commence in Term 3.

We will aim to enter multiple teams in both the Male and Female Northern School Rugby Competitions.

• M/S Girls
• S/S Girls
• Years 6/7/8 Boys
• Years 9/10 Boys
• Years 11/12 Boys

If anyone is interested please contact either Mr Brock or Mr Irwin.

Everyone is welcome.

We are seeking parents/caregivers who would like to assist as ushers at the Secondary School’s Production of School of Rock on Saturday 29 July 2023.

The timing is from 6:30pm – 10:00pm and can be used for P&F parent commitment hours.

Please email smckibbin@stmarks.wa.edu.au if you can assist, stating which day or for any inquiries.

ECU School of Engineering is offering $20,000 scholarships to high-performing Year 12 students who wish to study Engineering in 2024.

Nominations are now open. ECU is pleased to invite all secondary schools to nominate any high-performing students who are interested in studying Engineering for these scholarships. Alternatively, interested students can also self-nominate.

An electronic version of the nomination form and further information can be downloaded at www.ecu.edu.au/scholarships/details/ecu-engineering-excellence-scholarships or check out the brochure here.

The deadline for nominating your top students is 20 December 2023.

Completed nomination forms can be returned by email to engineeringexcellencescholarships@ecu.edu.au.

When: 8.30am-2.30pm, Sunday 18 June 2023

Where: Fremantle Harbour, Peter Hughes Drive Fremantle WA 6160

Register your interest now by clicking here.

Please note tour numbers are limited, and you will be contacted if you have successfully secured a spot.

Students hear first-hand from Navy personnel about their careers in the Australian Defence Force and explore different areas of the ship, including:

• Bridge
• Weapons System
• Engine Room
• Life-Saving Equipment
• Officer and Crew accommodation
• Mess
• Gym
• Hangar Facilites, and
• Medical Facilities

This week’s presentation from The Resilience Project is all about Mindfulness.

Mindfulness is an intentional awareness generated by paying attention to a whole experience, and being present in the moment. It’s important to explore what mindfulness strategies are helpful for you.

Thousands of studies have proven benefits include reduced stress, reduced rumination, increased memory, increased cognitive function and physical health benefits through improved immunity.

View Part 4 of the series here: Part 4 - Mindfulness

Hugh highlights some things that mindfulness improves; concentration, quality of thoughts and equanimity (ability to let go). He also shares some mindfulness strategies to use and implement yourself and with your children.

For mental health resources and support information, visit The Resilience Project’s Support Page.

Elevate Education will be hosting a free webinar for our parents on Wednesday 21 June 2023.

Elevate Education works with our students, delivering high-impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series, you will learn how you can help better support your children at home by reinforcing the skills they learn at school:  

Wednesday 21st June @ 6:30pm (AEST)
Exam Room Skills - Minimising Stress and Maximising Marks

Click here to register for free

Here's what Elevate will be covering:

• What to do in the final days before any test or assessment
• How to establish a good routine for the night before
• How to optimise exam-room performance

The St Mark's community are invited to join the St Mark's P&F for their general meeting on Tuesday 27 June at 7.30pm in the Barbara Godwin Performing Arts Complex.

• Refreshments will be served after the meeting.
• Bookings are not required.
• Two parent commitment hours are available for each family who attends.

Nick Irwin (Head of Outdoor Education) will be our guest speaker and will present a session that will look at the history and development of the award-winning St Mark’s Outdoor Education Program and highlight the key learning experiences in the Year 6-12 courses.

The presentation will also examine the theory of Outdoor Education, benefits for students, as well as current research in this field and areas of innovation delivered in the program.

Nick has some fantastic footage from the OAS camps that our students have attended, which will form part of this presentation.

It would be great to see as many of our community members attending - even some of our students who may be keen to hear more about the program and to see what opportunities lie ahead as they move up through the school.

View our latest Walpole Outdoor Adventure Studies Camp here.

Check out more Outdoor Adventure Studies videos below: