2013 network magazine 19 july final

networkTHE!MAGAZINE!OF!THE!ST!LEONARD’S!COLLEGE!COMMUNITY

WINTER!"#$%

2 | S T !L E O N A R D ’ S !C O L L E G E

BY!JOHN!DONNELL! FORMER!DEPUTY!HEAD!OF!MIDDLE!SCHOOL

I first met Una in 1977 when I was interviewed for the position of Deputy Head of Middle School at St Leonard’s College. She described for me the nature of the job and what it might entail. The ever-practical Una asked whether or not I would be able to fish clothing out of the boys’ toilets!

She was a skilled administrator. Middle School in the late seventies and early eighties was the largest section of the College. She managed to arrange students into houses and classes, allocate rooms and teachers and make sure that there were enough chairs and desks for all.

One of her most onerous tasks came a couple of times a year - report writing. She read each one, made recommendations about amendments that teachers should make, and added her own pertinent comment to each.

She had a gi& of multi-tasking; a teacher of all Year 7 RE classes, a wise counsellor to students, sta' and parents, a successful detective who could locate lost property and solve most of the issues students had with each other. Una was the centre round which Middle School revolved.

Most of all she was a friend, but also an inspiration and an example to follow.

BY!JONATHAN!HUNTER!HEAD!OF!NEWMAN!HOUSE!

Mrs Newman’s extensive and significant contributions to the College over many years made her a wonderful namesake for Newman House that came into existence some seven years ago.

It was an absolute pleasure welcoming Mrs Newman back to the College on her 90th birthday in 2010 where many of the leaders and other year 12 students had the privilege of listening to her stories and advice on this wonderful milestone day. They were in awe of her wisdom and kindness and it gave Mrs Newman such pleasure to see the pride with which these students represented and celebrated her name.

Mrs Newman has le& an unmatched legacy that will live on as the House that bears her name continues to display immeasurable allegiance, passion and strength. As Head of Newman House, almost since its inception, I would personally like to thank Mrs Newman and her family for the rare opportunity to help forge a culture and community that have given me such an amazing experience and many rewards.

BY!PETER!JOHNSON!CURRENT!STAFF!MEMBER!

I first met Mrs Newman when I started teaching at St Leonard’s in 1972. I arrived with the boys, and we must have been such a shock to many of the sta' and students of what had previously been a girls school.

Originally I was slated to be a Form One Form Teacher, and before classes began Mrs Newman sent me a uniform list with a hand wri(en note at the bo(om: “Form Teachers are responsible for students’ uniforms – unfortunately.” When I first met the lady in person I was quite overawed (i.e. afraid) but I soon realised that she, along with Mrs McMeekin in the Upper School, was exactly the sort of mentor I needed - kind, patient, experienced and with a thorough understanding of the students and their backgrounds. It took me a while to appreciate it but she had a wicked sense of humour, too.

She was always totally supportive of me, though at times she must have privately despaired at some of the mistakes I made through my inexperience. I remember her coming into the room one day during a Form One English lesson when we were “doing drama”. The expression on her face when she saw and heard the absolute chaos spoke volumes, yet she was never critical. I suppose she didn’t need to be; she maintained high standards herself and we all knew that she expected them from others.

Even now, when I walk down the Middle School corridor late in the a&ernoon I sometimes imagine I can hear her tapping on the window with her glasses to a(ract the a(ention of some miscreant on the oval. At the end of recess and lunch in the sta' room too I hear her query, “Everybody o'..?.’

In memory of Una Newman!!!A!LEADER!AT!HEART

Mrs Una Newman joined St Leonard’s College in 1959. She was Head of Junior and Middle Schools until the move to coeducation when student numbers increased and she was appointed as Head of Middle School. Una was a classroom teacher of general Science and Religious Education from 1972-1981. Newman House is named in her honour and the St Leonard’s College community will always remember her leadership, dedication and passion.

4 Visible Leadership STUART!DAVIS)!PRINCIPAL

6 Outstanding Results CLASS!OF!"#$"

8 Teachers as Leaders ANNIE!MCGUIRE!IN!THE!CLASSROOM

10 Building Character THROUGH!THE!PERFORMING!ARTS

12 Inside the ELC INQUISITIVE!MINDS

14 Helping Parents ON!THEIR!LEARNING!JOURNEY

16 Generosity of our Community BANGLADESH!DINNER

18 Enhanced learning in the classroom STUDENT!VOICE

20 Deputy Principal HEAD!OF!UPPER!SCHOOL)!HEAD!OF!JUNIOR!SCHOOL

22 Sport Coach Profiles SPORTING!HIGHLIGHTS

24 Old Collegians

26 Reunions REFLECTIONS

28 Milestones BIRTHS)!WEDDINGS!&!IN!MEMORIAM

30 Bruce Humphries COLLEGE!COUNCIL!CHAIR!"##$!*!"#$%

WINTER!EDITION!"#$%!!!| 3

MRS!NEWMAN!HAS!LEFT!AN!UNMATCHED!LEGACY!THAT! WILL!LIVE!ON! AS!THE!HOUSE!THAT!BEARS! HER!NAME!CONTINUES!TO!DISPLAY!IMMEASURABLE!ALLEGIANCE)!PASSION!AND!STRENGTHJ O N AT H A N !H U N T E R! H E A D ! O F ! N E W M A N ! H O U S E

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It is my privilege to witness qualities such as love, compassion, encouragement, empathy and engagement demonstrated by students, sta", parents and College Council made visible to me through my o#ce window each and every school day.

Let me say, unashamedly, that as a school we have every reason to be proud of who we are, what we stand for, what we achieve and that we have acquired the reputation as one of the best schools in Victoria.

I am very mindful, especially in schools, that leaders do not always have a formal title. This is most significant in our beautiful school where our young people have heeded the advice of Mother Teresa, a person I believe to one of the greatest ‘visible leaders’ of any generation: “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.”

My simple view of leadership is that it is about influence and that it is always relational. An absence of relationship results in an absence of influence, which in turn results in an absence of leadership. Relationships have always been a central tenet of a St Leonard’s education.

Great leaders are those who encourage creativity and initiative in those around them, and who, by inspiring ambition for change, rather than dictating it, are be(er able to create a greater sense of ownership and responsibility among members of a school community.

If we are to prepare our young people for the future, a future which we cannot predict, we must continue to engage in research and challenge ourselves as to what constitutes an ‘Education for Life’ - an education that will allow our young people to see the world through confident eyes.

One of my great privileges as Principal is in learning from former students the values and qualities that they gleaned from their days at St Leonard’s College, many of which predate our move in 1954 to the ‘Merton Property’ on South Road over the Melbourne

VISIBLE!LEADERSHIP!IS!ONE!OF!OUR!ENDURING!STRENGTHS)! A!QUALITY!WORTH!CELEBRATING!IN!OUR!$##TH!YEAR+B Y ! S T UA R T !DAV I S ! P R I N C I PA L

Cup Weekend. The emotions that they evoke give credibility to our belief that we have always been a school that has valued young people. There is strong conviction in their recollections that their teachers openly sought to develop their individual

strengths and encouraged them to be responsible citizens who have confidence in their capacity to make a di'erence.

Our former students’ memories add authenticity to the claim that we are a school that subscribes to the belief that our fundamental objective is the formation of character and that it is the character of a person that will have the most bearing on their future.

Our commitment to providing a breadth of experiences ensures a capacity to address each of the four pillars of character: justice, temperance, wisdom and courage. Each of these traits is best adopted, not by coercion or intimidation, but, as Christian Nevell Bovee suggests, by example through leadership made visible: “Example has more followers than reason. We unconsciously imitate what pleases us, and approximate to the characters we most admire.”

The character trait of courage is visible in our culture, a culture that identifies St Leonard’s College students as subscribers to a demanding curriculum, while at the same time ensuring their talents are developed and valued as philanthropists, cheer sport enthusiasts, netballers, adventurer racers, athletes and footballers, community minded players, singers, musicians, actors and artists, public speakers and debaters. It is a culture that is reliant upon the commitment of our teachers who are mindful that these habits and practices are best caught and not taught.

Few communities are as benevolent and as respectful of the discrepancy between their privilege and the injustice that befalls other communities. The quality of ‘Visible Leadership’ that is evident in the many areas of social justice undertaken

NOWHERE!HAS!THE!BRILLIANCE!OF!OUR!PHILANTHROPIC!STUDENT!LEADERSHIP!BEEN!MORE!VISIBLE!THAN!IN!OUR!RECENT!RECORD!FUNDRAISING!BANGLADESH!DINNER

Visible Leadership

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by our students, parents and teachers is reflected in the hundreds of thousands of dollars in money and kind raised each year.

Nowhere has the brilliance of our philanthropic student leadership been more visible than in our recent record fundraising Bangladesh Dinner. This year su,cient funds were raised to build and fund the operations of a new ELC in Bangladesh, a venture that complements the three schools that we have already built and whose annual running costs we continue to fund. One of the great awakenings for me as an educator working with young people has been the realization that whilst wisdom can be gathered, learned or gained, despite our very best endeavours, it cannot be imposed or taught.

In an age where one of our greatest social ills is an unrealistic sense of entitlement, temperance is clearly a quality in short demand. Temperance requires that we control our emotions and our own sense of self-importance by openly displaying humility, a quality that we innately recognise as a visible distinguishing character of the very best leaders. Another of the great ‘visible leaders’ who epitomises this trait is Nelson Mandela, whose example and humility to others are reflected in his statement: “O&en in addressing younger people, I make the point that what counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived - it is what di'erence we have made to the lives of others that determines the significance of the life we lead.”

Ultimately, I believe that the strength of a St Leonard’s College education lies in the partnership we forge with our parents to ensure that we each model the character and values that we seek our young people to emulate. As we approach our centenary we can look back with pride on a vibrant history and a significant contribution to the development of young people in Australia. More importantly, we can look to the future and be very excited by the dedication, talent, enthusiasm, energy and engagement of our young people and those who nurture them through their many acts of visible leadership. We are most fortunate to live and work together in an environment of good will and humanity that continues to make this a place to relish and to love.

IF!WE!ARE!TO!PREPARE!OUR!YOUNG!PEOPLE!FOR!THE!FUTURE)!A!FUTURE!WHICH!WE!CANNOT!PREDICT)!WE!MUST!CONTINUE!TO!ENGAGE!IN!RESEARCH!AND!CHALLENGE!OURSELVES!AS!TO!WHAT!CONSTITUTES!AN!‘EDUCATION! FOR!LIFE’


CLASS!OF!$%&$!"VCE!AND!IBDP!COMBINED#

21% in the top 5% of the nation’s year 12 graduates with an ATAR of 95 or above 42% in the top 10% of the nation’s year 12 graduates with an ATAR of 90 or above

IBDP43% in the top 5% of the nation’s year 12 graduates with an ATAR of 95 or above 72% in the top 10% of the nation’s year 12 graduates with an ATAR of 90 or above53% of subject scores equivalent to VCE study score of 40 or above Median ATAR: 94.85

VCE13% in the top 5% of the nation’s year 12 graduates with an ATAR of 95 or above 32% in the top 10% of the nation’s year 12 graduates with an ATAR of 90 or above Median ATAR: 83.05

Outstanding ResultsCONGRATULATIONS!TO!THE!CLASS!OF!"#$"

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Tertiary Destinations

Monash 43%Melbourne 12%Swinburne 10%RMIT 9%Deakin 7%TAFE & Other 7%

Victoria University 5%LaTrobe University 2%Interstate Universities 2%Australian Catholic University 2%

43%

12%

10%

9%

7%

2%2%2%

7%

5%

Tertiary Destinations

Monash 43%Melbourne 12%Swinburne 10%RMIT 9%Deakin 7%TAFE & Other 7%

Victoria University 5%LaTrobe University 2%Interstate Universities 2%Australian Catholic University 2%

43%

12%

10%

9%

7%

2%2%2%

7%

5%

TERTIARYDESTINATIONS

WHAT!WE!ARE!MOST!PROUD!

OF!IS!THAT! ON!LEAVING!

SCHOOL!EVERY!ONE!OF!OUR!

YOUNG!PEOPLE!GAINED!ACCESS!

TO!THE! PATHWAY!OF!

THEIR!CHOICES T UA R T !DAV I S ! P R I N C I PA L

At St Leonard’s College, year 7 is seen as an exciting opportunity for new friendships, new activities and strong academic growth. Annie McGuire is our newest Year Level Coordinator and she is inspirational in her leadership of students and in the way she works with her year 7 sta" to build a formidable team.

Annie joined the teaching sta' at St Leonard’s College in 2012, where she was appointed as Year 7 Coordinator. During any one day, she may take on the role of confidante, counsellor, supporter, friend or teacher.

Annie’s understanding of the students, her incredible enthusiasm and sense of fun and engagement quickly earned her considerable respect from the school community.

“When Annie joined St Leonard’s, it was immediately apparent that she understood the needs of the students, their right to feel safe at school and how to manage the many challenges of adolescence,” said Chris Appel, Head of Middle School.

Annie achieves this by building a rapport with her students both inside and outside of the classroom. This relationship lets the students know that their teacher not only cares for their welfare, but is also interested in more than just academic success.

Her relationship with the student body goes beyond the classroom, however. This year, she has introduced the theme of “Don’t forget to be awesome!” into Year 7 which has led to the “Awesome Awards”, to get the students to focus on what they can achieve and, most importantly, on what they have already achieved. The broader aim of this theme is to have year 7s realise that being successful comes in many forms and they should strive to be the best they can in their chosen area.

“Annie’s message has been very successful in reminding the students that they have more to achieve,” Mr Appel said. “Our Year 7 students have enjoyed the positive motivation of this message and now look forward to the challenges that each day brings.”

Annie’s leadership is visible each day in the Year 7 corridor. It is visible as she enters the classroom and connects with each student, and it is visible as she stands in front of the year level and calls for the best behaviour and e'ort.

In term 2, with a focus on cyber education, the notion of receiving jelly beans for deleting “friends” from social media se(ings was introduced to reinforce the message of cyber safety.

This is a typical example of a new idea, engaging kids with


Teachers asLeadersANNIE!MCGUIRE!IN!THE!CLASSROOMB Y ! F R A N C E S !N O L A N ! E D I TO R

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humour and food, but very e'ective in sending strong messages about managing life in an ever-changing world of cyber communication.

Earlier in the year, Annie encouraged each student to write to their year 6 teacher to report in on how they were enjoying year 7 and comment on the impact the year 6 teacher had on them. She encouraged students to continue to foster the wonderful connections with their previous teachers.

In the classroom, Annie takes all of this in her stride. She is always available to her students and welcomes the opportunity to talk to them about any problems they may have. But if Annie’s classes are anything to go by, her passion for teaching and learning overcomes all such problems.

“Ms McGuire is really enthusiastic about our learning and who we are as people,” one student said. “In the classroom, she likes to tell jokes and use di'erent activities to help us learn.

This makes her classes a whole lot of fun.”

Unsurprisingly, terms such as ‘exciting’, ‘practical’, ‘enthusiastic’ and ‘caring’ are regularly used to describe Annie and her classes, according to her students.

In fact, Annie’s personality and enthusiasm form a vital part of her approach to teaching.

“Do something wrong 10,000 times, until you get it right,” Annie tells her class. “But if there’s a be(er way to do it, find it.”

For her students, this approach works well.

“Ms McGuire makes learning fun,” one student said. “She makes us laugh and learn.” Other students simply enjoy the positive atmosphere of Annie’s classroom.

“Ms McGuire is always positive and knows what she’s talking about,” one said.

“A lot of teachers just teach and show us what to do, but Ms McGuire actually motivates us to learn.”

That, then, is a sign of an inspirational teacher.

DON’T! FORGET!TO!BE!

AWESOME!T H E M E !F O R!

Y E A R ! ' !S T U D E N T S


BuildingCharacter THROUGH!THE!PERFORMING!ARTS!

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A certain strength of character can be found in the hearts of our students who fearlessly take part in the performing arts. If you were to wander the corridors of the Music School with students singing or making tapping sounds on the wooden floors, you would feel the strength of the performing arts which radiates throughout the College. The audiences of the Upper School musical production ‘Sweet Charity’ could feel it too.

There is something special happening here.

Kim Anderson, Head of Theatre Productions, beams as she describes the students’ perseverance and team work on the opening night:

‘They work to make their fellow cast mates shine regardless of the number of lines they may have. They learn skills they then take with them to every sporting field, dance troupe, squad and group project they encounter’.

The performing arts builds judgement, sensitivity and insight - traits which are all important to good citizenship as well as academic success. It is no accident that the unifying symbol of the Hart Theatre company is the heart. Empathy is learnt as students gain an understanding of what it means to put themselves in another’s shoes.

Research into school music conducted by The Norwegian Research Council for Science concluded that the creative participation in music improved self-image and self-awareness. The same research found that being involved in school group activities encouraged students to support each other, maintain commitment and bond to achieve their group goal.

‘Every show is a reflection of fearlessness, energy and sacrifice that each participant must contribute’, says Ms Anderson.

The theatrical success that was ‘Sweet Charity’ can serve as a vibrant example of the magic that happens when students work together to achieve their common goal. Barry Fletcher, Head of Music, believes the idea of musicals is to ensure that students connect with each other and with the sta'. When witnessing the students participate in Sweet Charity he noticed that students learnt cooperation, discipline and, above all, teamwork.

This determination can also be seen in the College’s Senior Big Band who recently took part in the ‘Unleash the Best’ competition as part of the 2013 Melbourne International Jazz Festival. The competition provided an opportunity for our Big Band to perform in front of a live crowd at an internationally renowned event. But the College Big Band provides more than simply an opportunity to perform - students gain an understanding of what it means to be a part of an ensemble and a part of a team.

A major survey investigated the school band movement in the 1980s and researched the benefits of being in a band, which included discipline, dedication and increased self-esteem. Thirty years on and these qualities can still be seen in each and every one of our students who take part in College Big Band. It’s also an opportunity for students to forge friendships with other students outside of their peer group or year level.

‘There’s no question that strong friendships are formed - they are definitely a tight knit group!’ says Peter Foley, Head of Big Band.

The Senior Big Band took control of their own performance, choosing what they wanted to perform and play on the day of the event. They also experienced a new kind of responsibility as each player in the band, as Mr Foley describes, has to ‘pull their own weight’.

‘It’s not all about performing. It’s really about the process,’ says Mr Foley. ‘They enjoy the process of working hard and then the rewards come with it’

Students across the College have proved to themselves and to the community that they are confident and talented human beings. Our students will continue to undertake a journey of self-realisation and improvement.

EVERY!SHOW!IS!A!REFLECTION!OF!FEARLESSNESS)!

ENERGY!AND!SACRIFICE!THAT!

EACH!PARTICIPANT!MUST!CONTRIBUTE

K I M !A N D E R S O N H E A D ! O F ! T H E AT R E!

P R O D U C T I O N S

BuildingCharacter THROUGH!THE!PERFORMING!ARTS!

B Y ! F R A N C E S !N O L A N ! E D I TO R


The founding belief of the Early Learning Centre at St Leonard’s College is that all children have unlimited potential to learn.

This is reflected in the philosophy of the ELC program and can be seen in every aspect of the Centre.

The Director of ELC, Liz Bawden, says the philosophy behind the ELC’s founding belief is derived from the innovative teaching methods practised in Reggio Emilia, a township in northern Italy.

“Our learning environment and teaching practice emphasise our strong image of children; that they are capable and competent and construct their own learning.”

This innovative approach to teaching and learning has gained recognition amongst early childhood educators, because it encourages children to direct their own learning through guided discovery, creative expression and cooperation with other children.

First and foremost, however, the Reggio Emilia philosophy promotes the formation of strong connections between the children, their families and their teachers.

“As educators, we form positive relationships with the children and their families,” Ms Bawden says. To foster this, educators stay with the same group of children for two years.

Parents, too, are encouraged to engage with the classroom, as they enrich the program and play an important role as both primary carers and imparters of wisdom.

“The Reggio Emilia philosophy views parents as teaching partners and colleagues, so we encourage their involvement,” Ms Bawden says. “This is why we have parents regularly come into the classroom to cook or read stories to the children. Our aim is to establish a strong connection between home and the classroom.”

The philosophy also works hand in hand

with both the International Baccalaureate and the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework (VEYLDF).

Bridging the Victorian educational framework and the philosophy of Reggio Emilia requires a flexible approach to teaching and learning, because young children are curious and learn through inquiry and engagement, rather than the rigidity of a traditional curriculum. Along with this philosophy, the ELC integrates the Primary Years program into their curriculum.

The Primary Years program is a curriculum framework for international primary education. The PYP aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a be(er and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

Ms Bawden says, “A child may bring in something to share with us such as a stick insect which gives children the opportunity to look closely at it, pose questions and research collaboratively in books or the iPad to seek out more information.”

How, then, do children learn in the classroom? According to Ms Bawden, successfully teaching young children comes down to two things: listening and engaging children.

“The first principle of teaching young children is to stimulate their natural

Inside the ELC INQUISITIVE!MINDS! ! !!B Y ! F R A N C E S !N O L A N ! E D I TO R!

curiosity,” she says. “We listen to the children and their ideas, and think of ways to extend their knowledge.”

Listening closely to children’s ideas and questions o&en initiates deeper learning through research projects. One particular example arose in 2012, when one of the children noticed the moon was in the sky during the day. “Why Is the moon broken?” the child asked. This question formed the basis of a long project involving the exploration of shadows, reflections and light.

The discoveries the children made during this project were astounding, Ms Bawden says. By providing opportunities to explore light and shadows and reflection the children learnt to describe the di'erence between reflections and shadows in terms of colour.

“They discovered that: ‘shadows are dark, but reflections are coloured’”

The Early Learning Centre approach to teaching and learning was highly praised during a two-day assessment of the ELC program by the DEECD. The ELC program was awarded a ranking of “Exceeding National Quality Standards” – the highest possible – in recognition of both the quality of the educational program and the dedication of the sta'.

According to Ms Bawden, the DEECD assessor was particularly impressed by the manner in which the ELC program was designed actively to encourage the children to explore new ideas in the environment around them.

“The assessor was able to observe firsthand that the group experiences undertaken in the ELC program encourage the children to share their ideas and explore new ones. As educators it is our job to take these ideas and guide them towards purposeful learning.”

“The quality Assessment and Rating is really a reflection of the ELC’s approach to teaching and learning. We interpret and deliver our program through what we have learnt from Reggio Emilia.”

CHILDREN!LOVE! TO!LEARN!ABOUT!

NEW!THINGS)!THEY!ARE!FULL!OF!CURIOSITY!AND!WONDER

L I Z !B AW D E N! D I R E C TO R ! O F ! E LC

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There are no degrees in parenting. This most important of all roles is learnt ‘on the job’ beginning with lessons from growing up in our own families. We as parents learn from experience, from other parents and sometimes experts. At St Leonard’s, we can also learn about issues facing young people and parents by participating in parent education opportunities at the College.

One of the most valuable outcomes of parent education is the reassurance that many parents derive from sharing their experiences and listening to others.

“I am going home to give my boy a hug. I have learnt tonight how normal he is!” was the declaration of one mum a&er a(ending a parent workshop. And another enjoyed the camaraderie experienced,“It was great to be able to laugh with others for a change, rather than cry or be angry and frustrated”.

Research shows that parent education promotes parental engagement in their child’s education, has a positive impact on learning and helps parents navigate the various challenges that we all experience as our children grow. It also promotes the

College as an educational community, where the philosophy of lifelong learning is as relevant for parents as it is for children and teachers. Parent seminars and workshops are one aspect of the school-family partnership, a partnership that is so essential

to foster the optimal school journey for each child.

The parent education program o'ers a range of topics and uses a variety of formats. Sometimes, the College invites experts to talk to the school community. Most recently, Dr Craig Hassed, presented ‘Mindfulness: The Benefits of A(ention for Parents and Children’. Craig’s recent forum enabled parents and sta' to learn more about mindfulness and its place in everyday life. As we look to incorporating mindfulness into our personal development programs, parents will understand what its potential benefits are for their children and will be able to support their child in learning this great skill of a(ention and stress reduction.

Some sessions include both parents and children. The Healthy Mind – Healthy Body Workshop was an evening for mothers and daughters run by presenters specialising in body image issues. One grade 6 girl commented that “I

IT!WAS!GREAT!TO!BE!ABLE!TO!

LAUGH!WITH!OTHERS!FOR! A!CHANGE)!

RATHER!THAN!CRY!OR!BE!

ANGRY!AND! FRUSTRATED

B Y !D E B O R A H !T R E N G R OV E ! D I R E C TO R ! O F ! PA S TO R A L ! C A R E

!HELPING!PARENTS!ON!THEIR Learning

Journey

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liked this night because it made me feel good about myself”, while a mother who participated felt that “the evening showed how artificial images in the media are, it was great for my daughter to see that.”

Interactive workshops were launched last year and enable parents to learn about common youth issues from each other as well as the presenters. ‘Adolescence 801’ for year 8 parents, coincided with year 8 students participating in personal development sessions at school, promoting the opportunity for parents and their children to have conversations about a range of issues. One parent commented, “The diversity of presenters with their obvious knowledge and demonstration of care of our children, is impressive and greatly appreciated”.

In similar vein, ‘Study Skills for Upper School Parents’ aimed to educate parents about the core skills their sons and daughters will need as they navigate their final years of secondary school. This was an action-packed workshop, with parents rotating through four key areas of study skills and learning how they can support their child in developing these vital skills. There are many issues which parents are concerned about, depending

on the age of their child. Common themes are how to manage misbehaviour, preventing problems with drugs and alcohol, and building self-esteem.

Supporting parents through the challenges of adolescence is one of the key goals of our parent education program. In recent years, it has been important to o'er parents some information and guidance about internet safety. We will continue to run these sessions because educating young people about appropriate online behaviour is a shared responsibility between schools and families. Cyber citizenship is here to stay – parents, teachers and students are all part of this dialogue.

The College also provides other resources for parents: parenting books are available for borrowing at McMillan House and Middle School, St L Link – Parent Learning contains useful links and information, and

experienced counsellors are available in each section. We support the essential role of parents because ultimately, it is our young people who will benefit, and in turn, society reaps the rewards.

THE!DIVERSITY!OF!PRESENTERS!WITH!

THEIR!OBVIOUS!KNOWLEDGE!AND!DEMONSTRATION!

OF!CARE!OF!CHILDREN)!IS!IMPRESSIVE!

AND!GREATLY!APPRECIATED


Generosity of our Community BANGLADESH!DINNER

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B Y ! H A L E I G H !M C G R AT H! Y E A R ! $ " ! S T U D E N T ! C O U N C I L

Leadership goes much further than the badges we wear on our blazers. To me, leadership is the ability to influence positively by being genuine. When the badge is placed on your blazer I believe that is when your leadership journey begins, not when it ends. Leadership is not a destination but a journey filled with rich experiences of growth and character building.

It doesn’t feel like that long ago when I was addressing all of the Year 12 students in my Student Council application speech. Tracing my memory back to that moment, my hands were shaking and my fingers struggling to grip my cue cards which contained all that I promised and valued and how I would be able to demonstrate all of these things in the upcoming year. I glanced at the Council of 2012 and immediately felt that there were big shoes to fill, but in that moment I felt ready and for 2.34 minutes I was in command of the room and all eyes were on me.

Leadership is something I personally value very much and I admire people within these positions. It is not easy to be a leader; you have to have the ability to stand out amongst a crowd yet be considerate enough to listen and learn from those you are leading. Leadership, to me, is to be completely in tune and focused on the big picture. To never be ashamed of failure and to hold humility more highly than embarrassment.

As part of my leadership role this year, Patrick Corden and I are part of organising and managing the Bangladesh Dinner. Project managing was an aspiration I discovered a&er waitressing at last year’s dinner. I was extremely touched and inspired by the generosity and u(er kindness that were unfolding before my eyes and thus was very keen to be involved this year. This dinner is held annually at the College and its main goal is to raise money for the three schools we are supporting in Bangladesh. The money raised on the night will fund all student tuition, learning and teaching materials and teacher payments. Hopefully whatever is le& over will go towards the commencement of building a kindergarten in the next few years.

Education has enriched me in ways that I cannot be more thankful for and it is this gi& that we, as a College community are able to provide to the children in Bangladesh. Although the organisation of this dinner at times has been challenging, it is the bigger picture that has fuelled my motivation towards making the 21st Annual Bangladesh Dinner a huge success! Throughout this organization and planning process, we as a leadership team have been strengthened; however, not without a few hiccups. But if the hiccups had not occurred the experience of planning and organizing this outstanding event would have been less enriching.

B Y ! PAT R I C K !C O R D E N! Y E A R ! $ " ! S T U D E N T ! C O U N C I L!

I’m not really so keen on public speaking. So how did I end up in front of 300 guests at the 21stAnnual Bangladesh Dinner? I put my hand up to be the project manager for this event with Haleigh McGrath. Consequently, this meant hosting the night.

Looking back to the beginning of the year, I can’t remember exactly what a(racted me to the student council. I remember wanting to be involved in the whole school, not just a small part of it.

I always looked up to the student council and I guess that had to be a big motivation for me - to be a role model to others as they were to me. Last year I was on the IB service squad, which organised fundraising for various charities and

I really liked the opportunity to make a di'erence.

Being on the student council allows me to do that on an even larger scale.

I was a waiter at the Bangladesh Dinner last year but never did I understand the challenges the students must have faced. Keeping everyone motivated was tough.

What I also found challenging was remembering all the finer details. Some of these smaller details were forgo(en - right up to when we were about to draw the ra-e and realised we had nothing to draw it from, or forge(ing to write a closing speech and writing on the back of a napkin ten minutes before.

In spite of all the challenges, we learnt an amazing amount, not only about organising an event, but the importance of charity work and providing others with an education.

While this has been one of the most challenging tasks I have taken on at school, looking back,

it has been completely worth it and I feel so privileged just to have had the chance to be part of this.

Back to my speech on the night, I suppose I should let you know how it went. Aside from telling an accidental joke, which had me standing up there bewildered while everyone laughed, the night went fantastically. And, by the end of the night, I had even conquered my nerves.

It was worthwhile knowing that our hard work culminated in one fantastic night which generated enough donations to put almost one thousand children through a year of school.

ALTHOUGH!THE!ORGANISATION!

OF!THIS!DINNER!AT!TIMES!HAS!BEEN!CHALLENGING)!

IT!IS!THE!BIGGER!PICTURE!THAT!HAS!FUELLED!

MY!MOTIVATION!TOWARDS!MAKING!THE!"$ST!ANNUAL!

BANGLADESH!!DINNER!A!HUGE!

SUCCESSHALEIGH!MCGRATH!

YEAR!$"!STUDENT!


As students who were part of the ‘Year 11 iPad trial class’ last year, and are now in year 12, we witnessed, firsthand, the way in which modern-day technology created an enhanced learning environment within the classrooms.

The leap from year 11 to year 12 can o&en seem daunting but the use of technology provided an assistance to the students which eased the transition. Having devices in the classroom this year, truly optimises and enhances our learning. Across all subjects, we are now able to cover a greater amount of coursework in each lesson, leaving more time for revision and discussion. This is crucial for all classes and especially Upper School, as the devices reinforce our connection to our teachers and fellow students when we are out of the classroom.

In order to explain how the aid of technology has reached into our studies this year, it is necessary to explain the benefits of using our iPads last year. The iPad suited every type of person. From those who were messy or unorganised, and had sheets at the back of their lockers or throughout their bag, to those

EnhancedLearning in the Classroom

who were organised and tidy, the iPad promoted structure and organisation. All sheets and documents were kept tidily in the same place and finding work from the past for study and revision became e'ortless and e,cient.

Whether it be blogs, videos or voice recordings, it became easier to stay informed and involved within the classroom. The STL Link, created last year, became the new electronic destination for the college; the user-friendly, structured and detailed layout of the website provided the college with a tool that e'ectively united all areas of education across the college, and it became so easy to find and access information or to catch up on classes that were missed.

An immense library could now fit in our hands, holding an unlimited portal of information. This gave us confidence to explore issues and encouraged us to strengthen our relationship with the web of support that is available to us. Teachers are only a click away from providing useful feedback on our learning progress.

B Y ! LO U I S !H A N S O N ! A N D ! I M O G E N !F R A Z E R ! Y E A R ! $ " ! S T U D E N T ! C O U N C I L

W I N T E R ! E D I T I O N ! " # $ % ! ! ! | 1 9

EnhancedLearning in the Classroom

BEING!ABLE!TO!ACCESS!SUCH!AN!EXTENSIVE!

VARIETY!OF!TOOLS!TO!

HELP!US!LEARN)!UNDERSTAND!

AND!PRODUCE!WORK!GIVES!YOU!CONFIDENCE!TO!EXPLORE!ISSUES

!!!!

Across the campus, devices have been seamlessly integrated into the classroom. Art students can easily capture the stages of their creation without lugging around he&y tripods and those learning a LOTE have instant access to the language they learn, across the globe. Listening to news from Paris or a festival in Indonesia, students are immersed in the learning of their LOTE, experiencing events in another hemisphere, in another language all from their chairs, in a classroom at St Leonard’s College.

We are extremely privileged to be experiencing an education that will be defined, by technology. Even in the coming years, the form of schooling will undoubtedly transform into something we cannot imagine.

Living in the transition from print to digital we can truly see the enriching e'ect these devices have on our learning, and can only look forward, take on, and embrace what technology will bring to the face of education.


Lisa Slingsby is a woman of influence who embodies the very definition of visible leadership. Working in close quarters with Lisa a,rms her passion for providing students with the finest education, families with a trusted and worthy educational leader and her colleagues with a quality mentor.

We are most fortunate to have Lisa Slingsby as our Deputy Principal and warmly welcome her to the post. Few would be be(er suited or so authentically motivated for such a role.

To be in Lisa’s wake is to be swept up by the force of a whirlwind, nurtured by the calmness of the eye of the storm and propelled by its energy, in what will inevitably be the right direction.

Lisa is an educational superstar, super-powered by an extreme and infinite energy source. In pursuit of an explanation for Lisa’s incomparable e'ervescence, Mr Davis has for the seven plus years of their professional connection o&en enquired as to her breakfast menu, hoping to find a similar power source to energise his day. As yet, the source remains a mystery.

DeputyPrincipal

Without exception, her colleagues, the members of the College Student Council and the student body as a whole have been similarly in awe as they bore witness to Lisa’s determination and outrageously ‘can do’ optimism.

Sasha Watson, a member of the 2013 College Student Council, describes Mrs Slingsby as “compassionate and motivating”. She added of her mentor, “She wears an unrelentingly beaming smile” She is firm, but forever nurturing and mindful of the rights of others. She is intelligent, wi(y and sharp. She has a capacity to sum up situations and their implications fast and fairly. Lisa Slingsby is uniform (no pun intended as to how feistily she protects the appearance of the students), but above all else she is the real deal.

Lisa has a unique clarity about her which creates a sense of trust and certainty. She is both protective of her colleagues and demanding of their best e'orts.

The Upper School has gained enormously from Lisa and it is beyond doubt that the College will continue to grow and develop under her leadership as our new Deputy Principal.

B Y ! J AY N E !S H E E H A N ! U P P E R ! S C H O O L ! A D M I N I S T R ATO R

The College is fortunate to have Lisa Slingsy as our Deputy Principal. Professional, utmost integrity, loyal, ethical, caring; a strong work ethic combined with a fabulous, infectious sense of humour only scratches the surface of Lisa Slingsby the person, the educator, the avid gardener and traveler who has an insatiable thirst for both academic and general knowledge.

Always with a positive a(itude (the word negativity is not in her vocabulary), she embraces each day with such vitality that it encourages both students and colleagues alike to make the most of every day. Her family values are very high and she is generous with her time for others. I know this because; for the past eighteen months I have had the privilege and enjoyment to work closely with Lisa Slingsby as her personal assistant and Upper School Administrator in her role as the Head of Upper School.

LISA!SLINGSBY BY !JULIANNE !DENNET !DEPUTY !HEAD !OF !UPPER !SCHOOL

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Head of Junior School

Head of Upper SchoolDAVID!ROBERTSWe are delighted to welcome David Roberts and his family into the College community. David joins us from Geelong Grammar School where for the past six years he has held the position as Head of Senior School boarding house. He brings with him considerable experience and knowledge of the VCE, IB, pastoral care and coeducational training. He will be an invaluable addition to the Upper School and the College community.

PATRICK!KENNYA warm welcome to Patrick (Pat) Kenny and his family into the College community. Pat joins us from Firbank Grammar School where he was Head of Sandringham Campus. He has prior knowledge of St Leonard’s College, having worked as Deputy Head of Junior School from 2002 - 2004. Pat’s approach to leadership is characterised by communication, role modelling and innovation and the College is fortunate to have him as our Head of Junior School.


NIC!BAKER!DIRECTOR!OF!SWIMMINGNic Baker joined St Leonard’s College as the Director of Swimming in 2012. Previously, he was a member of the Australian Squad for seven years. The pinnacle of his career was representing Australia in 1997 in the 50m,100m and 200m breaststroke on the Mare Nostrum Tour. Following this, he transferred his e'orts into coaching.

Nic applies his experiences as an elite level swimmer and swimming coach to deliver a comprehensive swim program at St Leonard’s College. His technical, practical and theoretical skills are combined to o'er St Leonard’s students a comprehensive swim program from ‘Learn to Swim’ through to elite level teams. Nic holds firm aspirations for swimming at the College and aims to produce our own national level swimmers.

He endeavours to assist all of his students to achieve their goals and whether it be swimming for fitness, achieving a personal best or winning a medal, Nic understands the importance of students enjoying and learning from their swimming experience.

NICK!BOWDEN!HEAD!COACH!OF!ATHLETICS!AND!CROSS!COUNTRYNick Bowden has been passionate about coaching since he graduated from school. He started at St Leonard’s College as Head Coach of Athletics and Cross Country in July 2012.

He began his career with introductory coaching accreditation courses and worked with beginner and developing athletes at schools and clubs. Previously, he coached swimming and triathlon along with athletics, which became his speciality 15 years ago.

Nick has worked with both junior and senior athletes who have competed at the Australian championships for the past 13 seasons. He has been a team coach for state and national junior teams including international events in China (2006) and Poland (2008).

For St Leonard’s College, his objectives are to ensure a positive experience of physical activity and sport that will encourage students to continue their involvement through their lives. He hopes to create opportunities for our best athletes and teams to reach their potential in their chosen sport.

Sport CoachProfiles

! ANYTHING!THAT!IS!OF!WORTH)!IS!

WORTH!THE HARD!WORK

GET!INVOLVED!ENJOY!WHAT!YOU!DO)! BE!PATIENT!WITH!IMPROVEMENT!AND!TAKE!A!LONG*TERM!VIEW!OF!SUCCESS!AND!PERSONAL!DEVELOPMENT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

W I N T E R ! E D I T I O N ! " # $ % ! ! ! | 2 3

THE!ASSOCIATION!OF!COEDUCATIONAL! SCHOOLS!.ACS/!ATHLETICS!CARNIVALThe 2013 St Leonard’s College Athletics team will be long remembered for their terrific performance along with their excellent leadership, camaraderie, cooperation and e'ort. Our team finished in third place, but the manner in which the team applied themselves to the challenge of consistent training at the standard set by our coaches and experienced team members was far more telling. The team performed exceptionally. Meg Cairns was the standout performer with wins in all of her individual events, while team captains Fedele D’Amico and Sasha Watson, along with Chris Manton, Alice Silvester and Campbell Nicholson were the other multiple A division event winners.

We congratulate all team members, including reserve competitors who did a great job supporting and challenging their team mates during the season.

CHEER!SPORTS!ARRIVES!AT!ST!LEONARD’S!COLLEGESixty talented and passionate students across years 7 to 12 have joined forces in this new and exciting cocurricular venture. Through dominating the recent State School Aerobics Championships, our Pom squad earned the Gold Medal in the Secondary Pom Large Group Category and will represent Victoria at the National Finals on the Gold Coast in August. Cheer is a fast-paced, dynamic sport that involves an explosive mix of stunts, tumbling, tosses, pyramids and dance. We aim is to give our students the opportunity to learn and train in the best possible environment. As one of the fastest growing sports in Australia, cheer has become one of the most popular new activities at St Leonard’s College this year.

A!SWIMMING!TRADITION! THE!BATH!ISAAC!SWIMMING!CHAMPIONSHIPSt Leonard’s College has won the Bath Isaac Swimming Championship for the eleventh year running. This swimming competition has become a tradition between St Leonard’s College and Ballarat Grammar dating back to 1984. The shield is the prize for the winning school and has travelled between Ballarat and Melbourne for almost thirty years. The shield is a symbol of honour, dedication, hardwork, self-motivation and team work. We look forward to continuing on with this tradition long into the future.

ST!LEONARD’S!SAILING!TEAM!COMPETES!AT!THE!NATIONAL!CHAMPIONSHIPSThe St Leonard’s Sailing Team secured a spot in the National Sailing Championships held in Tasmania a&er successfully competing in the Victorian Schools Spring Rega(a. The team that competed at Nationals comprised of students from the A and B team, Caroline Brown, Hayden Brown, Gemma Burns, Bevan East, Kieren East and Alice Silvester. Our team conducted themselves with fantastic sportsmanship despite being under intense pressure.

THE!HILLARY!CHALLENGEA team of eight students has represented Australia in the world’s toughest outdoor education race for secondary school students – the Hillary Challenge. Competing in this challenge requires more than physical fitness, however, as students are also tested on their intelligence, spirit and resolve. The team consisted of year 10 students Sophia Abbo(, Eleanor Corden, Annabelle Erskine and Bridget Howard; year 11 student Jack Slykhuis; and year 12 students Harrison Cowie, Mathew Dunwoodie and Luke Morcom.

! ! YOU!DON’T!ALWAYS!GET!

WHAT!YOU!WISH!BUT!YOU!ALWAYS!

GET!WHAT!YOU!WORK!FOR

TEAGAN!COLLINS DIRECTOR!OF! NETBALLTeagan Collins joined St Leonard’s College at the beginning of 2013 as the Director of Netball. She holds a Bachelor of Physical Education from Deakin University. Her netball career began early on and she became one of the youngest championship players in the Victorian Netball League, representing the Peninsula Waves. Teagan has been involved in the development of many teams , including assisting The Peninsula School Senior Team over the past 5 years. She has been a member of the Swisse Vitamins Southern Saints Championship team over the past two years, although she is si(ing this season out due to a recent ankle reconstruction. She is keen to return to competition late this year.

Her career highlights were captaining the Junior Australian Team in 2006 and playing at Championship level in the Victoria Netball League for a number of years. Teagan’s vision for netball at St Leonard’s College is to provide a pathway for each student to reach their full potential. She is dedicated to o'ering exceptional coaching and continuously developing a breadth of knowledge within the coaching and playing arenas.

Sporting Highlights


Old Collegians

I!HAD!A!FEW!AMAZING!

TEACHERS!AT!ST!LEONARD’S

N I C H O L A S !D I !Z I LWA! O C ! $ 0 0 1

NICHOLAS!DI!ZILWA!.OC!$001/

Nicholas Di Zilwa is a singing teacher at the College and goes by the name ‘Nicholas Roy’. He appeared on the popular television show The Voice. In 1993, he began his journey at St Leonard’s College as a year 7 student and graduated in 1998. Music has always been very much part of his life. Since 2011, Nicholas has been a singing teacher at the College.

What were your career aspirations?

Since I can remember I wanted to be a film director. I’ve always read a lot and the thought of bringing the books to life was a big dream. When I was at school I was heavily involved in the performing arts and thought that acting would be a good way to get into directing. But a&er high school I started an acting course and really didn’t enjoy it, so I quit and went overseas!

Who was your favourite teacher – why?

I had a few amazing teachers at St Leonard’s. Rod Collie was one standout, he was my year 8 Geography teacher and form teacher. I was going through a trouble-making phase where I very nearly got kicked out of school and he somehow turned me around. I think it was that he spoke to us as adults and seemed to really understand where we were coming from. I really responded to him. Barry Tudor, Jill Strong and Bernie James who are all still at the school were fantastic too.

Who was your greatest influence?

My parents are my greatest influence. They are the most supportive, encouraging people. They’re also really fun to hang out with and good mates. I never once got the ‘when are you going to get a real job?’ talk! It always ‘when’s your next show, and can we come?’ I’m a massive Elton John fan too!

How did music become apart of your life?

Music has always been a part of my life, I’ve sung and wri(en songs since I can remember. There was always music around at home. A&er school I took o' to Europe with a guitar, and really starting writing and playing seriously. I then auditioned for WAAPA (Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts) in Perth and studied music for a few years there before returning to Melbourne. I have been playing a recording music ever since. I have forayed into the world of production, producing records for other Australian bands and singers.

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CHRISTINE!DURHAM!.OC!$02"/

Educator, author and speaker Dr Christine Durham, received the BrainLink’s ‘2012 Woman of Achievement Award’. She a(ended St Leonard’s College from 1956-1962.which has profoundly influenced her life.

The passion of the teachers at for their subjects nurtured a lifelong curiosity and love of learning, and led to her choosing to follow in their footsteps and teach.

The beauty of the school grounds, from the massive Moreton Bay fig trees to the still life of pomegranates set up as a still life in the art room, has led her to draw and paint and the experience of being first a Probationer then a Prefect has led to leadership in public speaking. Christine received the BrainLink’s ‘2012 Woman of Achievement Award’.

Christine had taught at Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School for a decade when she su'ered brain injury and other injuries in an horrific car accident over two decades ago. She wrote her book Doing Up Bu(ons (Penguin Books) to bring hope and understanding by sharing her personal experience of brain injury - from being unable to walk, talk, see or think properly to how she regained her life, found her feet, her thoughts and her confidence. In spite of double vision and other brain injury related and physical challenges she returned to teaching a&er her accident. At the age of 63, Christine embarked on a PhD which theorised how educational principles could be employed to help people with brain injuries.

Christine has learnt a lot from having brain injury. She has learnt that the impossible is possible.

BENJAMIN!COSTA!.OC!"#$$/

Benjamin Costa was accepted into Monash University’s Vice Chancellor’s Ancora Imparo leadership program along with fellow classmate William Manning. The program is a course of second year students that aims to broaden students’ minds to the complex moral issues that are arising in our globalising world.

The VC’s Ancora Imparo leadership program has reinforced the philosophy that I first encountered during my time at St Leonard’s: that a small group or even one person can make a di'erence.

During my time at the College, I was given the opportunity to hold several leadership positions which were instrumental to my development as a leader and as a global citizen. I learned that whilst academic achievement was always important it shouldn’t be the sole focus of my time at school. A&er all, the person that succeeds is not always the best on paper; sometimes you need to analyse, sometimes you need to empathise and other times you just need to experience things for yourself.

One of the most sobering moments during my years at St Leonard’s was during the Big Experience when we helped build a house for some locals in Vietnam. It had been a miserable few days. We had trekked through the worst rain Vietnam had endured in 35 years to get to the village, in hike boots courtesy of the sage advice of an older brother, and continued to be thoroughly soaked as we set about building the timber house in a way which would bring OH&S o,cers to tears. When we finished and handed over the house it was all worth it. I le& that village with two pearls of wisdom; the first being that I am not a fan of leeches and the second, and somewhat more important, was that in a few short days a group of sixteen year old students had changed a family’s life for good.

In my senior years at the College, the Bangladesh Dinner was another way to make a di'erence. During year 11, I collected donations and volunteered as a waiter for the evening. The single most disappointing moment of my year 12 year was finding out that the Bangladesh Dinner was scheduled for a few weeks a&er my mid-year exams. As such it was probably a good idea to put my schoolwork before the quite demanding task of being on the organising commi(ee. Naturally I put my hand up for the job the next minute citing one of Mike Davis’s favourite slideshow quotes: “I never let my schooling interfere with my education.”

Former teacher, Sue Walpole, had just retired and had organised for a small group to travel over to Bangladesh and visit our schools over there. Again the trip was a source of much insight; Anne Blunt, the humble VCE o,ce administrator, is a diehard cricket enthusiast who thoroughly put me to shame with a bat and the annual Bangladesh Dinner does so much for the children in Bangladesh. Walking into that tin shed crammed with students was beyond humbling.

There was not a single dry eye amongst us when the realisation that we were giving these children a brighter future sunk in.

It was experiences like this that led me to the Ancora Imparo program where I have found many other students who, whilst seeing some issues in a di'erent light, are also striving to somehow change the world for the be(er.


Reunions

diary dates

Class of 1978!%3!YEAR!REUNION

BY!MELISSA!BADE!.JOHNSTON/!.OC!$041/

Another five years pass so quickly and another reunion beckons me. I always look forward to catching up with the many familiar faces from the happy years I spent at St Leonard’s College. It’s always a funny night full of reminiscing about our days as students, and sharing our stories of life as it is now. I am conscious of the ease that being in the familiar old buildings brings to all, and with that, how e'ortlessly the conversations flow. It was great to see Harefield transformed from a tired old musty rabbit warren to a gracefully renovated building that still had its history but was now modern and a suitable place to entertain people like us! As for the Kemp Oval, its transformation from an oval to the state-of-the-art dedicated multi sport playing arena was also especially impressive. And so now I look forward to seeing old buddies and hopefully some of those who didn’t make it to the reunion at the 100 year celebration of St Leonard’s College in 2014!

CLASS!OF!"##1 3!YEAR!REUNION 1 November 2013, 6- 8:30pm TRUE!SOUTH)!BLACK!ROCK

CLASS!OF!$001 $3!YEAR!REUNION Friday 13 September 2013, 6 - 8:30pm HAREFIELD!HOUSE

CLASS!OF!$01% %#!YEAR!REUNION Friday 9 August 2013, 6 - 8:30pm HAREFIELD!HOUSE

Class of 1973!5#!YEAR!REUNION

BY!DEB!BATTEN!.HOLTEN/!.OC!$04%/!

My first school reunion in 20 years was a night full of recognition and recollection challenges. Hairstyles had changed but a&er reading name tags faces were more familiar. Fantastic catching up with day girls and boys hearing how their lives have evolved over 40 years. Enjoyed speaking to Wendy Addis about my post school sporting activities. Ms Addis’ memory is sharp which provided some interesting conversation.

BY!JANENE!YOUNG!.O’HARA/!.OC!$04%/!

Great to catch up with those familiar faces reminiscing about school days and challenging the memory skills which were a li(le faded in parts. A sincere apology to Sandra Glover who spoke to me at the very moment my memory went totally blank until later when I watched the video screen and there she was in school uniform “as clear as the day” but for me no chance of recovery….she had already le&! Enjoyed a quick walk through the premises before the night ended, finishing in the kitchen reliving the meals and the “brewed” tea we digested as borders!! The older cooker still stands in use today. Such wonderful old Victorian features which continue to stand the test of time and then beyond the main foyer a wonderful renovation has taken place. The event room has been restored from an old dormitory and the carpet beyond a great choice using St Leonard’s colours - well done to the interior designers. A satisfying evening!

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Class of 19633#!YEAR!REUNION

BY!ELINOR!CAMPBELL!.KEMP/!.OC!$02%/

My initial reaction to the invitation a&ernoon tea for our 50-year reunion was: “Hey, we are now classified as geriatrics...too old to go out at night!” However, the timing meant we were able to be shown around the school by fresh-faced, quite delightful students, and could see the school in action. We were all amazed at the changes, especially one of our number who had only been to a very early reunion. There were so many new buildings, the music school, the new senior school, the magnificent year 12 room, and especially the large swimming pool. On our last day in 1963 some of us were thrown in the brand new original pool which had only just been completed (and was not yet chlorinated…no OHS then!). We missed the trees and hedges, which were such fun to climb. We were interested to hear about the interest in the school’s history, but the best part was catching up with old friends and reminiscing about such things as walking down to swim at the Brighton Beach Baths.

BY!BETH!ALEXANDER!.POLLOCK/!.OC!$02%/!

When we arrived, there was a short meet and greet in the main hall, dividing us into two groups. We were then shown around the school by two students Sasha Watson (Student Council) and College Captain Mathew Taylor. My daughters Michele, Nicole and I were in Ma(hew’s group. Ma(hew showed us through the old and the new sections of the school - parts of the old school have had extensive renovations which have made rooms very spacious. The boarding house bedrooms are now music rooms - now that I’m older the rooms appear to be lot smaller than I remember as a boarder - also the old dining room and our si(ing/room appear to be quite small. Mathew did a great job a showing us around as from time to time we had to be coaxed along as we reminisced and cha(ed the whole way around. A&er completing our tour we had a&ernoon tea and a welcome speech. Mr Davis also gave a short speech - he then presented each of us with a Harefield House Badge.

Class of 1968 53!YEAR!REUNION!

The 45 year reunion was an elegant sit-down dinner with much laughter, conversation and reminiscing about the College. Our guests were the first reunion group to enjoy the beautifully renovated Harefield Long Room. Throughout the evening our Old Collegians told stories and enjoyed the photos and Leonardian memorabilia – one of our guests eloquently captured why she continues to come along to the reunions every five years. She said simply, “it’s love”, “love brings you back - love of friends, the College and we love to stay connected”.

TO!VIEW!MORE!REUNION!PHOTOS Log onto www.stleonardscollegians.org

CLASS!OF!"##% $#!YEAR!REUNION Friday 8 November 2013, 6 - 8:30pm HAREFIELD!HOUSE


BEATRICE!&!MATILDA!STIRLINGPatrick Stirling (OC 1998) and Catherine Bolton welcomed their twin girls on 24 August 2012 and were married on 13 March 2013.

AMALIA!LUCINDA!VIEGASRebecca Lee (OC 1998) and John Viegas welcomed their daughter Amalia Lucinda Viegas on 7 December 2012 weighing 3.4 kgs.

SIENNA!MAREE!HEMPELElisha Maree Hempel (Edwards) (OC 1997) and Ma(hew Hempel welcomed Sienna Maree Hempel on 2 August 2012. She is the first grandchild of Lorraine Edwards (past sta').

MOLLY!MAY!DAVID!Stephanie David (Mccarthy) (OC 1998) and Tom David welcomed their daughter Molly May David on 9 June 2012.

MADISON!GRACESamantha Stone (OC 1988) welcomed her daughter Madison Grace on 12 April 2013.

HARRY!ROBERT!BENNETT!Fiona Whitehouse (OC 1994) welcomed her son Harry Robert Benne( on 17 Dec 2013.

EVIE!MOWTHORPEMegan Mowthorpe (Kennedy) (OC 1998) and Chris Mowthorpe welcomed their daughter Evie Mowthorpe on 6 June 2012.

LUCY!JANE!MALHERBEKane Malherbe (OC 1998) and Lisa Malherbe (Hosken) (OC 2001) welcomed their second child Lucy Jane Malherbe on 14 April 2013. Milla, their first child, now has a li(le sister.

Milestones !!BIRTHS

BEST!WISHES!TO!YOU!ALL!ON!THE!ARRIVAL!OF!YOUR!NEWEST!BUNDLES!OF!JOY!

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DAVID!WILLIAM!OWEN!MCCANNDavid William Owen McCann was acknowledged without his surname and only the names David William Owen appeared in print in the 2012 Autumn edition of Network Magazine.

Our sincere apologies to the family and friends of much-loved former sta' member David William Owen McCann.

DARYL!HART "OC!$%&'# .PICTURED!WITH!DAUGHTER!PARIS/

Daryl Victor Hart was born on 26 September 1958 and very sadly, passed away on 11 April 2013.

He was the son of Roma Hart, our first drama teacher at the College who gave the Hart Theatre Company their name.

Daryl was a loving and caring father to his daughter, Paris and his son, Beau and a devoted husband to his wife, Karen.

The St Leonard’s College Community will continue to honour and remember the Hart family.

ROSALIND!‘ROS’!BROWN!"TURNLEY#!"OC!$%'(#Ros was born in Melbourne in 1946. She had two brothers, Richard and Kym. The family moved to Cohuna and Ros was at school there until 1960. The following year she a(ended St Leonard’s as a boarder.

Turnip, as she became known, was a popular and lovely girl, always cheerful and a true friend. An excellent sportswoman, Ros was a hockey star and played for the school.

In 1963 she le& school and completed a secretarial course. Around 1969 she met Gordon Brown - they married, had two children, Zak and Nadine, and lived in Parkdale for many years. Eventually they divorced and Ros later met Alan Porter with whom she spent the following years until her death.

Ros was diagnosed with cancer about four years ago. During the progression of her disease she was incredibly brave, cheerful with her friends and accepting of her state of health. Sadly, she lost her ba(le on 13 May 2013. She will be greatly missed by her family and her many friends.

LEE!PEZZIMENTI!"OC!)**%#Lee Pezzimenti was born on 22 February 1992 and passed away on 19 June 2013.

Lee started at St Leonard’s College in year 7. Throughout his time Lee was a major contributor to the Performing Arts program. This was evident with his participation in College productions including ‘Honk!’, ‘Children of Eden’ and ‘The Crucible’.

Lee was a devoted saxophonist and singer. He was a member of the Saxophone Ensemble, Wind Symphony, Big Band, Tenor Bass Choir, Auditioned Choir and Senior Choir.

Lee was a passionate member of Forster House and was honoured to be both Middle School and Upper School Music Captain. He was proud to receive the silver medal for Forster House.

His passion for the Performing Arts extended beyond St Leonard’s College and he will be remembered by many for his commitment to the Arts and his zest for life.

HIGH!SCHOOL!SWEETHEARTSKate Mellios (OC 2001) married Ben Kezilas (OC 2001) in March 2013.

WEDDINGS

IN!MEMORIAM


Bruce Humphries College Council

CHAIR!"##$!*!"#$%

Bruce Humphries has been with St Leonard’s College since his daughter started here in 1990. 23 years later, he has retired from Chair of Council. His strength of character and strong governance have paved the way for a viable and exciting future of the College.

Many people have asked me why I stayed on Council a&er my children le& the school some fi&een years ago. As a member of Council, you are there for every child in the school. You are trying to make the school be(er in every respect possible even though your own children may benefit from only some of those improvements. Much of the work of the Council is long term in nature. The Council is primarily concerned with ma(ers like building projects, funding, finance and, most importantly, the ongoing reputation and viability of the school.

We have been blessed with members of Council who have been dedicated to the

aims of the school and forthright in their contribution to debate and argument. Most importantly, they have been unanimous in their support of decisions and unquestionably loyal to the Council. This has produced a strong team which has enabled the many building projects to be created and economically financed to the great benefit of the school.

Perhaps the most emotionally charged issue which has faced the Council over the last two decades has been the closure of the Cornish campus as a part of St Leonard’s. While the ma(er was driven by some very pressing financial factors, the educational, social and economic

B Y ! B R U C E !H U M P H R I E S

Pictured from le&: Rod Glover, Cameron Frazer, Ken Lark, Penny Burns, Nick Amies, Bruce Humphries, Ian Presnell, Howard Bishop, Traci Cromton, Phillip Galloway and Kim Visek-Johnson

W I N T E R ! E D I T I O N ! " # $ % ! ! ! | 3 1

THE!SACRIFICES!WHICH!PARENTS!MAKE!TO!SEND!THEIR!CHILDREN!TO! ST!LEONARD’S!NEED!TO!BE!ACKNOWLEDGED!AND!JUSTIFIED!BY!RESPONSIBLE!MANAGEMENT! AND!LEADERSHIPB R U C E !H U M P H R I E S

I!AM!PROUD!TO!CALL!YOU!A!FRIENDB Y ! K AT E !S T R A I N

In 1992, Tim Hawkes, former Principal, asked me to head the newly formed St Leonard’s Association. Prior to that, there were two groups of parental support in the school, The Mothers’ Association, and the Parents’ Association. It was at this time that I first came into contact with the inimitable Mr Humphries as he was part of the initial St Leonard’s Association team.

In these early years, there was an enormous number of functions and events, many of them run “on the smell of an oily rag” and completely dependent on voluntary manpower.

Looking back on this period, we worked really hard and had a huge amount of fun doing it.

Bruce was immediately part of the action. He was someone who could roll away the tables in the Kevin Wood Centre at the end of the night, cook a mean breakfast at 6am at the Community Day Fair and then spend hours in the ‘counting house’ before preparing the final figures. Throughout all of this, he was consistently practical, good humoured, tolerant, and also knew that sometimes the best remedy to a situation is to get everyone to sit down and have a glass of wine. It was also at this time that the Association created the Uniform Shop. This was a major task, and Bruce, with the help of Tina Po(er, was the driving force ensuring its success.

These intense years of ‘hands-on’ experience, along with being part of such fabulous activities as ‘Willis’ Wanderers’ were the perfect grooming for Bruce to become a member of St Leonard’s Council and subsequently the Chair.

Under his leadership, there have been huge developments in the school, including an amazing transformation of the physical spaces of the college. The Council works many hours behind the scenes and Bruce as Chair has demonstrated his wisdom and integrity in all areas.

I am proud to call Bruce my friend, and never more so than throughout the incredibly di,cult Cornish Campus issue. This was a dreadful time for everyone, and through it Bruce maintained his resolve that every possible avenue was explored to ensure that the right decision for St. Leonard’s was made. It is testament to the man that his Council was totally united. I was in awe of his bravery and dignity.

Bruce Humphries has made an indelible mark on the history of St Leonard’s College and I know that the College has made the same impression on him.

issues facing the families at that campus had also to be taken into account. It was a most di,cult and worrying time for every member of Council, but when the decision was finally taken, the Council was resolute and unanimous in what needed to be done in the long term interests of the school. The sacrifices which parents make to send their children to St Leonard’s need to be acknowledged and justified by responsible management and leadership.

I have found my time on the Council to be extremely rewarding. The achievements and developments of the school have been substantial and, most importantly, e'ective in producing a be(er school in every respect, be it in curriculum, academic results, enrolments, school ethos or community contribution. This has been achieved only through the highly e'ective way in which the Council has been able to work closely with the Principal and his executive team. I believe that this relationship is at the absolute core of the business of running a school such as ours. High quality teachers combined with good management and good governance are unbeatable. This school has all three.

For Bruce:

Pictured from le&: Rod Glover, Cameron Frazer, Ken Lark, Penny Burns, Nick Amies, Bruce Humphries, Ian Presnell, Howard Bishop, Traci Cromton, Phillip Galloway and Kim Visek-Johnson

163 South Road Brighton East Victoria 3187 Australia phone [+61 3] 9909 9300 | fax [+61 3] 9592 3439stleonards.vic.edu.au

EDITOR Frances Nolan, [email protected] Craig Crosthwaite, [email protected]

LET!ME!SAY)!UNASHAMEDLY)!THAT!

AS!A!SCHOOL!WE!HAVE!EVERY!REASON!TO!BE!PROUD!OF!WHO!WE!ARE)!WHAT!WE!

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Documents

2013 network magazine 19 july final