VOL. 18 | 2020 17 Graham Street, South Brisbane Qld 4101 PO Box 3357, South Brisbane Qld 4101 P 07 3248 9200 | somerville.qld.edu.au A school of the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association. The PMSA is a mission of the Presbyterian and Uniting Churches. CRICOS Provider Number: 00522G VOL. 18 | 2020 Inspirational Old Girl, Sarah Thomson (Class of 2005). Join us on our new OGA Portal! Never has there been a better time to stay connected Visit somervillehouseoga. com.au/signup to with your fellow Somerville House Old Girls. Whether become an OGA member. If you are an existing you are a member of the OGA or not check out what is OGA member you will need to activate your online going on via somervillehouseoga. com.au. There is a profile to access these benefits. We can help you wealth of information freely available including hundreds with this if you don’t feel very tech savvy – reach of news article and updates on Old Girls. Within our OGA out via connect@ somervillehouseoga. com. au Contentswebsite we also host a member’s only portal providing or check out the online help guide via exclusive access to: somervillehouseoga. com. au/ page/ help. • Social Networking - Search the Members’ Directory The more up-to-date your profile is, the more benefit you will gain from the portal. Syncing your OGA profile 2 IN• PRINCIPALProfessional Networking – Search the OGA 24 CHASING GOLD to your LinkedIn account is an easy way to update 4 PITCHING THE AUSTRALIAN DREAM 25 FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE COURT • Promote your OG Business 6 ISABEL BAUER – A LEGENDARY OLD GIRL 26 Looking CONGRATULATIONS after each other has never been more • Event photo gallery AND OGA LEGEND important and our connections are crucial. 28 OLD GIRLS AND SOMERVILLE HOUSE • Mentoring partnerships If youPARENTS are an Old FILL Girl GOVERNANCE (attended Somerville RANKS House 10 2020 VISION • Job opportunities Junior or Senior School for more than 12 months) 30 EVEN WITH 2020 VISION, 2020 WAS THE YEAR and would like to be more connected, join the OGA. 1 2 ALUMNAE• Specialty STORIES groups (including DURING Reunion COVID Groups) NO ONE SAW COMING Lifetime Memberships fees provide fantastic value 14 A• REMARKABLEOpportunities to WOMAN contribute back through 31 TAKING SOMERVILLE@HOME presentations, career days and bursary donations 16 100 YEARS WITH MARGARET 32 FOUNDATION NEWS 38 FROM THE ARCHIVES 18 FIGHTING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE 3 9 IN TOUCH - OLD GIRLS' ASSOCIATION 20 COMPLETING THE PICTURE 44 REUNIONS 23 THE COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE ON THE FLAGPOLE 48 ALUMNAE NEWS Thank you to those who contributed stories and photos to make this edition possible. If you are interested in submitting content for the next edition, please email [email protected] 17 Graham Street, South Brisbane Qld 4101 | PO Box 3357, South Brisbane Qld 4101 P 07 3248 9200 | somerville.qld.edu.au A school of the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association. The PMSA is a mission of the Presbyterian and Uniting Churches. CRICOS Provider Number: 00522G This publication highlights the stories of the Somerville House community. The School has made every effort to ensure that the information in this publication was correct at the time of printing. SOMERVILLE HOUSE CONNECTIONS VOL. 18 | 2020 1 Unexpected Life Lessons Education during the COVID-19 pandemic has been an altered experience for both the learner and educator. Many teachers would agree that the pandemic has been a positive catalyst for change. During the remote learning experience, for the first time ever, parents were able to join their daughter(s) in the virtual classroom for the synchronous style of teaching and learning. Teachers changed their pedagogical approach on the fly, quickly learning that the asynchronous style of communications, via emails, text message and video was the best way to disseminate basic instruction or launch a discussion and set relevant deadlines. Remote and online delivery highlighted acutely aware that students missed Positive outcomes since school that educating students with the one another, and so too, teachers life returned to the new normal has ability to manage their own learning missed their students. Our Level 5 meant that students and staff have throughout life is critical. Year 9 Pedestrian Mall did not have the same subsequently engaged in conversations student, Naomi Ura captures this ambience due to student absence. with flexibility about a different concept in her Honour Before Honours As social creatures, our students value learning landscape. essay, when she writes “After learning the intrinsic connections of our green We have also been grateful for the to edit my work meticulously at home, sisterhood and school community. I am already in the habit of working support of the Somerville House hard.” (Ura, 2020, p.37) Communication increased dramatically Foundation and Old Girls’ Association, as yet another impact of the pandemic. who joined forces with the School Survey feedback revealed that our This meant that parents and staff were to contribute to a COVID-19-specific students enjoyed the option to watch updated through news bulletins from bursary fund, which has already teacher explanations at their own my desk, as the evolving nature of an assisted 65 families. pace, even watching repeatedly to unchartered territory unfolded. Life enhance their understanding of the I trust you will enjoy the myriad of Lessons for assembly items brought content. Meanwhile, synchronous happenings around the Somerville about a change to my own pedagogy. communication via videoconferencing House community in this volume Reimagined assembly engagement in Microsoft Teams was also embraced of Connections. through Life Lessons with Mrs Kiepe for its benefits of discussions and meant that I filmed videos that taught spontaneous conversations. students how to check the water and Kim Kiepe Other significant positive outcomes oil levels on a car, take up a fallen Principal emanated from the uncertainty uniform hem, make my KK signature wrought by the pandemic, including pikelets (with the secret grated apple the opportunity for a review of the ingredient), or share the trick for structure of the School day for 2021. encasing a duvet within a duvet cover. While many students enjoyed a new I am yet to share the video of how to do found independence for managing a reverse park in the pouring rain on a their learning, conversely we became busy city street. Ura, N. (2020). “What did Honour Before Honours in a remote learning environment mean to you?” Connections, Vol.18., Somerville House. 2 SOMERVILLE HOUSE CONNECTIONS VOL. 18 | 2020 3 the Flinders Ranges; it was such an was also screened at a number of other in any of the creative industries,” amazing experience which brought the festivals in the United States including she said. whole team closer together.” Palm Springs, Hawaii, Orcas Island, Philadelphia as well as the International Describing the film industry as Pitching the With some initial filming complete, Documentary Film Festival (IDFA) in very ‘competitive’, Sarah said she Sarah said her team was able to put Amsterdam, Netherlands. encourages anyone looking to embark together a trailer in order to pitch and on a career in the film industry to be secure funding for the documentary. “The film was also awarded an open to entry at any level. Australian Dream Australian Academy of Cinema and “Pitching involves writing a treatment Television Arts (AACTA) Award for Best “Watch as much as you can and figure which explains the film you are Documentary, an Australian Screen out your taste and what inspires you,” intending to make. We also did some Producers Award and a Walkley Sarah said. From pitching to production, seeing your film light up screens at prestigious festivals around the world is the initial filming early in 2018, and from Award for excellence in journalism,” dream of many aspiring producers. Making this dream a reality is award-winning producer and Old Girl, Sarah that, we were able to cut a trailer to Sarah said. “Start reading the trades, for example, Thomson (Class of 2005) who spearheaded the feature documentary The Australian Dream. show potential investors,” Sarah said. Variety or The Hollywood Reporter “It is just impossible not to be deeply and get as much on set experience “We were really fortunate to receive moved and inspired by Adam and as possible – this can be short films, Described by the Australian this was a story that deserved an but said persuading him to get on funding from Screen Australia and Film Stan,” she said. script reading or even running on set,” Broadcasting Association (ABC) as international platform,” Sarah said. board with the documentary took Victoria which goes a long way when she said. “It has been amazing to watch as ‘a voice for black Australians’, The some convincing. making independent films,” she said. audiences around the world have Australian Dream (2019) follows the “Adam Goodes is an extraordinarily Having joined Ventureland, a connected with the film.” story of former Australian Football talented and dignified man, a sporting “I think it was still very raw for Adam “We also had incredible partners multi-platform film and television hero of Australia, decorated and when the team first spoke to him,” in Australian based Madman company based in both Los Angeles League (AFL) player, Adam Goodes, Reflecting on her time at Somerville revered both on and off the sporting Sarah said. Entertainment/Good Thing Productions, who made a stand against racism House, Sarah said it was the creativity and London, in January 2020, during a 2013 game and was then field,” she said. the entire team there are first class.” Sarah said she is excited about her “But I think having director, Dan and opportunity that she found through subject to racist attacks and trolling, next challenges.