Senior School Bulletin - Term 1, Week 5

On Friday 7 March, we have Paul Dillon in to present to our Year 10,11 & 12 students. Paul has been working in the area of drug education for almost 30 years. Through his own business, Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia (DARTA) he has been contracted by many organisations to provide updates on current drug trends, as well as advice on alcohol and other drug issues. He continues to work with many school communities across the country to ensure they have access to quality information and best practice drug education.

He has worked extensively with a range of sporting organisations including the Australian Cricketers Association, the Rugby Union Players Association and the Football Federation of Australia to provide training workshops to elite athletes on a range of alcohol and other drug issues. In 2009 his best-selling book ‘Teenagers, Alcohol and Drugs‘ was published and this has since been released internationally, being translated into a number of languages. With a broad knowledge of a range of content areas, Paul regularly provides media comment and is regarded as a key social commentator, appearing on a wide range of television programs including Sunrise, TODAY and The Project discussing topical issues. Paul had a regular spot on a national radio program on Triple J for seven years where he dealt with current youth drug issues. He also writes a blog for parents and caregivers, as well as another for young people, and these have recently been released in a podcast format.

Paul visits us annually and addresses a range of topics in the drug and alcohol world, but also some of our Keeping Safe Curriculum which is mandated and delivered in a unique way by Paul. Please visit https://darta.net.au/about/ if you would like to learn more about him.

Period 1 & 2 – Year 12

Period 3 & 4- Year 11

Period 5 & 6 – Year 10

We encourage you to speak with your child about the presentation as we advocate for open communication, particularly around this topic.

Best wishes,
Mrs Brittany Berghan

Parents with Students in year 11 and 12 please be aware Parent Teacher Interview will be held later this term. Details are below:

Year 12

Bookings will open from Monday 3 March on the SEQTA Engage Portal. Interviews will be face to face on Tuesday 11 March from 4-7pm in the SAC.

Year 11

Bookings will open from Monday 11 March on the SEQTA Engage Portal. Interviews will be face to face on Tuesday 18 March from 4-7pm in the SAC.

The Parent Interview Tile can be found on the Welcome Page of SEQTA Engage under Online Services. The school will be using Booked (previously known as PTO).

St Mark's Anglican Community School is required to administer the NAPLAN assessments online for all students in Year 7 and 9. The testing period is from Wednesday 12 March to Monday 24 March. If students are absent on a testing day during this window, catch-up tests will be scheduled.

There are 4 NAPLAN tests which include Writing, Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy. Testing will be conducted in the Hall and students will sit the tests with their cohort.

There has been a significant increase in students eligible for testing accommodations. All students will therefore be accommodated in the Hall. Learning Diversity staff will supervise the tests alongside Classroom teachers.

All NAPLAN tests require the use of a laptop with the ability to play audio. All students need their fully charged laptop for all tests.

Students will also need to bring their own earphones to use for the testing. It is also recommended students bring a pen/pencil for planning/calculations.

The planned schedule for NAPLAN testing is available in SEQTA notices.

Kind regards

John Stewart

Head of Middle School

Chess Club at St Marks started this week with two days available for students.

Stanislav Smetankin is a Chess Master and currently ranked 4th in Australia. He's been coaching students on how to play chess in the United States, Indonesia and here in Australia having previously worked for the Sydney Academy of Chess. He has been highly successful and worked with young chess players with a former students of his finishing third in the World Cup in 2013 and winning the Australian championships for the under 16 at only the age of 9. He has a proven track record of highly skilled chess coaching.

The Chess Club would take place on a Tuesday afternoon from 3:30 to 4:30 and Thursday afternoon from 3:30 to 4:30.

There will be a $11(inc gst) per week fee charged for the club, and we will be charging this for the entirety of Semester 1. The Club will begin in Week 5 and continue to Week 9 of Term 2. Therefore, the fee for the remainder of semester one will be $165. All enrolment fees for attendance at this chess club are to be paid in advance. Unfortunately, if your child misses the Club, the fee is not refundable.

https://events.humanitix.com/chess-club-2025

Yours sincerely

John Stewart

Head of Senior School

We are thrilled to continue our event series, Career Curiosity Series. This series will offer our Year 10-12 students valuable insights into tertiary education and various career paths from St Mark's community members who share their post-school experiences. Based on student feedback to our Futures Team, each session will highlight a different sector.

This Career Curiosity event will focus on Mining and Resources (think STEM-based careers), featuring UNIQ You's Angela GU. Students interested in careers in these fields won’t want to miss this opportunity. Even if you’re undecided about your future career, come along to explore and understand what working in these sectors could be like!

RSVPs are essential, as a light snack will be provided. Use the link here.

• DATE: Wednesday 12 March
• TIME: 1:00pm - 1:45pm
• VENUE: Secondary Library Glassroom - this is a virtual event. Our speaker will join us online.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS A STUDENT ONLY EVENT.

SPEAKER:

• Name: Angela Gu
• Industry: Mining and Resources
• Company: Rio Tinto
• Title: Specialist in Productivity Analysis

UNIQ You Advisor Session: Exploring Careers with Angela GU

Angela, a Specialist in Productivity Analysis at Rio Tinto, began her career journey with an open mind, unsure of where she wanted to go. With strengths in maths and science, she initially studied human biology and chemistry before discovering her passion for problem-solving and teamwork. This led her to pursue a Bachelor of Engineering Science and Finance, followed by a Master of Civil Engineering.

Now working in the mining and resources industry, Angela helps teams solve problems, streamline processes, and improve business performance. Her career has been shaped by curiosity, adaptability, and seizing new opportunities. This session will provide insights into her journey, the diverse career pathways in mining, and how keeping an open mind can lead to exciting possibilities.

St Mark's ACS has formed a partnership with UNIQ You and will be working collaboratively with other advisers to bring more career information and insight to our students. Check out UNIQ You here.

We are planning to schedule further Career Curiosity Series events. If there is a particular sector you are interested in and would like included in the Career Curiosity Series or would like to chat with an Old Scholar in that field, please contact Mrs Pearce, Head of Futures, epearce@stmarks.wa.edu.au

What are your plans after school? 🤔 Whether you're considering university, TAFE, or still exploring your options, don’t miss this incredible opportunity to hear from St Mark’s Old Scholars and community members about their journeys in the Emergency Services at our second Career Curiosity Series event for 2025.

💡 Gain firsthand insights into their chosen courses, tertiary experiences, and daily roles in the Emergency Services field. This is your chance to ask questions and discover pathways that could shape your future career!

📅 Career Curiosity Series – Emergency Services
📍 SAC Staffroom
🕢 Wednesday 19 March | 7:30am – 8:35am

Meet our guest speakers:

• Firefighter - Mark van Winsen (’05)
• Paramedic - David Reid
• Police Officer - Hannah Young (’19)

📌 RSVPs are essential! Book your spot HERE!

Start your morning with career inspiration and valuable connections! 🌟

UniMelb 101 webinar series, designed specifically for students from Western Australia. The UniMelb 101 for Western Australian students is taking place on Thursday 27 March at 6pm-6:45pm. It is a live Q&A designed for students to ask their burning questions about study at Melbourne, entry requirements specific to your high school curriculum and the exciting student life and community that awaits.

Please try and book your place now to gain exclusive access to pre-recorded sessions where you will be introduced to:

· The Melbourne curriculum

· Our Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS), Access Melbourne

· Student accommodation options and student life initiatives to support them in making Melbourne their new home

· Concurrent diplomas, work-integrated learning and internships, exchange programs, and peer mentoring.

At the live Q&A, you will hear from current students who have made the move to Melbourne from across Australia and you will be able to ask them questions about their experiences.

Are you interested in learning more about a career with WA Police Force? Join us for our weekly information sessions!

Held at our new Recruitment Centre in East Perth, you can learn more about the application process and life as a police officer.

Our Recruiting Team will provide an overview of the selection process and training requirements.

Capacity is limited, if you have any questions about your online application form, feel free to ask our friendly Recruiting Team at the event.

https://letsjoinforces.wa.gov.au/events/recruit-information-centre-2

Elevate Education delivers high-impact workshops to our students that help to develop their study skills, motivation, and exam preparation. Over the next term, you're invited to join their parent webinar series, where you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they're learning at school.

How to Get (And Keep!) Your Child Motivated - 12th February @6:30

Register today at: elevate education

Here are the details of the GPN Perth Term 1 workshop:

• Date: 15th March
• Time: 10am - 4pm (registration from 9.30am)
• Location: UWA EZONE
• Content: In this workshop, we'll be making a Secret Diary Chatbot. We will teach the computer to help us write and read from a diary and protect it with a password and other fun tricks! We have also revamped our mentor hangs session for the older students, with some amazing women from industry coming

• Sign Up;

If you would like to save the dates for the rest of our workshops this year, they are: 10th May, 9th August, and the 29th November.

The Parents Prayer Group (PPG) meet fortnightly to pray for the students, staff and school community. We will be meeting every second Friday 9am in the school chapel, starting 14th Feb. Please sign in at reception and perhaps stop by the coffee van on the way. All are welcome. Please share any prayer requests by emailing parentsunitedforprayer@gmail.com or call Wing Shattock on 0433 002 151.

Download the flyer here.

Put it in your calendars; the Art Show will return this October!

Opening night is October 10th, with the show running through to the 12th!

This year, we aim to have over 100 local artists showing over 350 pieces, live art demonstrations, musical performances, interactive art classes, a People's Choice Award, raffle prizes, and much more.

More information will be released as details are finalised, but this is going to be a show you won’t want to miss!

To stay up to date, register your interest at the link below. Don't forget to tell your friends!

https://forms.gle/UZx3HKNuSmVRymQi9

The St Mark's Parents & Friends' Association cordially invites all members of our School community to join them for the annual Welcome Sundowner on Tuesday 25 March 2025. The P&F's Annual General Meeting will follow the Sundowner.

The Sundowner and AGM will be held in the Barbara Godwin Performing Arts Complex.

• 6.00pm to 7.00pm - Sundowner
• 7.00pm to 9.00pm - Annual General Meeting* in the Barbara Godwin Performing Arts Complex

As per the constitution, all office positions will be made vacant at our AGM. Nominations are open now, and nomination forms are available from the Secretary, secretary.pf@stmarks.wa.edu.au.

Please reach out if you may be interested in any of the positions.

Relevant documents are available on the Parents Portal on SEQTA.

Please send any general business items to the Secretary no later than 7 days before the meeting, secretary.pf@stmarks.wa.edu.au.

*Please note that you can claim two hours of your Parent Commitment for 2025 by attending the Annual General Meeting.

• 2024 AGM Minutes
• 2025 Notice of AGM
• 2024 Financial Statements

Thank you for your patience. The financial statements are attached above and have been uploaded to seqta for your convenience.

Did you know that our Old Scholars' Association Little Lions Playgroup is run on-site every Friday during term time? We'd love to see your little cub there this Friday!

Join us from 8.45 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. for lots of fun and games. Little Lions Playgroup is a community-based group run in conjunction with Playgroup WA and caters for children up to school age. Families attending our Kindy and not in session on Fridays are more than welcome to join as well.

For more information and to book your spot, please email us, osa@stmarks.wa.edu.au or join our Facebook group HERE.

Everyone is welcome - you do not need to be an Old Scholar (former student) of St Mark's to attend.