The Loom October 2015pdf

The Loom
The newsletter for Abbotsleigh Old Girls | October 2015
President’s message
Hello everyone!
In Term 3 we were again blessed with many great events for generations of Old Girls.
Since our last newsletter we have held the Archibald exhibition before-hours tour
and morning tea, the Mother Daughter Dinner, the Bowls Day and, most recently,
the final assembly and welcome lunch for the current Year 12 girls. All these
activities have been well supported and it has been wonderful to see new faces
at every event.
At the Year 12 luncheon and final assembly I was privileged to welcome our very
newest Old Girls on your behalf. This year has been a particularly poignant one for
me as my eldest daughter is one of the Class of 2015 preparing for their final HSC
requirements. We wish them all good luck and calm minds in their exams.
Importantly, I also want to remind you that our AGM is not far away (18 November).
If you have ever considered being part of the Committee or want to know more
about what we do, please get in touch or come along on the night – it is always an
informative and fun night to finish off our year.
Our Facebook page continues to grow and is an easy way to keep up-to-date on
what’s happening with all things Old Girls. We welcome your input and news.
Kim Boniface (Anderson, 1985)
Honorary President, AOGU
News and congratulations
Dr Karen Simmer (1973) was made
Officer of the Order of Australia in June
for distinguished service to medicine
in the field of paediatrics, particularly
neonatal and perinatal nutrition, to
medical education as an academic,
researcher and clinician, and to the
community. Dr Simmer studied in
Sydney and London and is respected
and well known in her field.
She is Professor of Newborn Medicine
at the University of Western Australia
and the Director of the Neonatal
Intensive Care Units at King Edward
Memorial Hospital and Princess
Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth.
She is also Director of the Perron
Rotary Express Milk Bank (human milk
bank) which was established in 2006
and is viewed around the world as the
‘best practice’ human milk bank.
Karen Simmer
New staff appointed
Deputy Head of the Junior School
Annual General Meeting of the Old Girls’ Union and end of
year function
After a thorough and extensive
process of advertising, interview and
demonstrated practice, Abbotsleigh
found the best and most suitable
candidate on its own staff. It was
with the greatest delight that the
Headmistress announced Miss Kate
Grzanka as new Deputy Head of the
Junior School.
The Annual General Meeting of the AOGU is always an entertaining evening.
There is a short overview of the year’s work, the new committee is voted in and
then all the Old Girls who attend spend some time sharing a glass of wine or two.
This year there will be additional special business because of a suggested change
to the constitution.
Please read the notice below with care. We would love to see you there to vote, but
also to celebrate another year of close cooperation with the School and the active
engagement of Old Girls of all ages.
Kate Grzanka
Notice of the Abbotsleigh Old Girls’ Union Annual General Meeting 2014
Wednesday 18 November 2015
The Annual General Meeting of the Abbotsleigh Old Girls’ Union Incorporated
will be held in the Resident Staff Room at Abbotsleigh, 1666 Pacific Highway,
Wahroonga, on Wednesday 18 November 2015 commencing at 7.30 pm and
all are welcome.
Special Business
1.Change to the Constitution of Abbotsleigh Old Girls’ Union Incorporated
Proposed resolution:
THAT the words “unless previously approved by the outgoing Committee” shall be added to clause 16 (a) (ii) of the Constitution,
so that clause 16 (a) shall be amended to:
16. (a) Officers and members of the Committee, other than Life Members of the Committee, shall be:
(i) elected at the Annual General Meeting in accordance with clause 17; and
(ii) eligible for re-election provided that no officer shall hold
the same office for more than four consecutive years unless previously approved by the outgoing Committee.
Kate’s first qualification was a Bachelor
of Commerce and she began her career
with Ernst and Young as a Senior
Consultant. Her passion for lifelong
learning and commitment to educating
young minds became evident as she
completed a Master of Teaching from
the University of Sydney. Kate joined
the Abbotsleigh Junior School staff in
2012, having returned from teaching
in the United Kingdom where she had
held a leadership role at Danes Hill
School in Surrey. This year, Kate has
completed a Master of Gifted Education
through the University of NSW. She
is currently leading the Year 6 team
of teachers and students, after three
years of teaching Year 5.
Ordinary business
1.
To receive and consider the Annual Report of the Honorary President, the Report of the Honorary Treasurer, the Financial Accounts of the Association and the Auditor’s report thereon for
the year ending 30 June 2015.
2. To appoint the auditor for the year 2015/2016
3. To elect the committee for 2015/2016
4. To appoint an AOGU representative on Abbotsleigh Council
5. To conduct any matters of general business, including minor
matters raised from the floor.
At the meeting all positions will be declared vacant and nominations are now
invited for all positions.
Head of Environmental Education
It was with great pleasure that the
Headmistress announced Mrs Susan
Filan was appointed to this ELC through
to Year 12 position, which leads our
educational and organisational move
towards environmental sustainability.
We advertised broadly for this position,
receiving applications from interstate
and internationally. After a thorough
search, we knew the most passionate
and capable applicants were within
Abbotsleigh.
Sarah Hofman is available to nominate for a second term as AOGU Representative
on the Abbotsleigh Council.
Nominations of candidates for positions on the Committee and on School Council
shall be signed by the proposer and seconder and be accompanied by the written
consent of the nominee. Nominations must be sent by 3 November 2015 to:
The Honorary Secretary, AOGU, Locked Bag 1666, Wahroonga, NSW 2076.
A nomination form for the positions on the Committee and for the position of
AOGU Representative on the Abbotsleigh Council has been attached to this email.
Members of the AOGU who wish to receive a ballot paper for the election of the
Committee, including the Council Representative, must write to the Secretary
requesting a ballot paper by Monday 2 November. Ballot papers must be returned
by Tuesday 17 November to:
The Honorary Secretary, AOGU, Locked Bag 1666, Wahroonga, NSW 2076.
Dr Meredith Burgmann
Speaker at the Business Breakfast Thursday 15 October
‘Why aren’t we running the world? After 120 years of women’s rights in Australia,
why are we still so under-represented in decision-making levels in our society,
including business, politics, education and the professions?’ This is the question
Dr Burgmann will ask on the day.
It’s a question she has been asking and trying to find an answer to for most
of her life. Could it be because she was an Archdale Girl? Meredith Burgmann
attended Abbotsleigh (1961–64) and then the University of Sydney, where she
was radicalised by her anti-war and anti-apartheid activities. She subsequently
became involved in the early feminist movement in the 1970s. She worked as an
academic for 18 years, researching areas such as equal pay and the situation of
Aboriginal women. She did her PhD on the early environment movement.
She was the first woman president of the Academics Union of NSW. She was
elected to Parliament in 1991 and was president of the NSW Legislative Council
from 1999–2007. She is the longest serving woman presiding officer in Australia.
She was always involved in aid and development issues and on her retirement
she became a consultant with the UNDP and was elected president of the
Australian Council for International Development, the peak body for Australian aid
organisations.
She is a founding member of the National Pay Equity Coalition and Emily’s List and
a founder (1993) of the Ernie Awards for sexist behaviour. She has written three
books, about the urban environment movement, misogyny and ASIO.
She is a foundation member and proud ambassador for the Sydney Swans.
The AOGU Business Breakfast will be at The Strangers Dining Room,
Parliament House, 8–10 am on Thursday, 15 October. The cost is $35.
If you would still like to attend please RSVP and pay by clicking on this link
http://www.abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au/online/payments/Pages/default.aspx
Susan Filan
Susan has an undergraduate degree
in Biological Sciences from Mount
Holyoke College and a Master of Arts
in Biology from Harvard University. She
further studied Education at Macquarie
University and has been teaching in
our Science Department since 2013.
Her speciality area has been Earth and
Environmental Studies at the HSC level.
We look forward to the next stage of
our exciting program on integrating
environmental education throughout all
Key Learning Areas and furthering our
sustainable practice throughout
our operations.
It is sure to be a fascinating day. For
more information or to book a group,
please contact Mrs Susan Filan at
filans@abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au.
2014 Carpe Diem Lunch
In 2015 a group of Old Girls identified the need for a lunch in the city for more
mature Old Girls. Under the enthusiastic leadership of Cathie Bartholomew (1963)
they approached the Queen’s Club and, as a result, the first AOG Carpe Diem lunch
was held on the last Monday in November 2014. This year the lunch falls on Monday
30 November and the host at the club is Annabel Baxter (Marr, 1965). Replies are
streaming in. Remember, places are limited so if you would like to attend please
contact Heleen Fourie at the Alumni Relations Office (02) 9473 7740.
Last years Carpe Diem Lunch
Reunions in Hong Kong and London
in October
There will be two international
reunions for Old Girls in October.
The Headmistress is heading off to
Hong Kong to join Old Girls there for a
luncheon and following the success of
last year’s reunion in London, a number
of Old Girls decided to reintroduce this
as an annual event.
The Hong Kong reunion will be on
10 October and the idea behind the
reunion is to create an opportunity for
Old Girls from Singapore, Hong Kong,
Mainland China, Malaysia and Japan
to get together. If you are interested or
know of someone who would like to go,
please contact Georgia Dawson 1993
georgiakdawson@hotmail.com,
Carli Yung 1994 carli@luxtons.net or
Heleen Fourie in the Alumni Relations
Office on 9473 7740
Reunion dates
Date
Event
Saturday 10 October
1985 leavers 30 year reunion, contact Lisa (Krieger) Stein
lstein@bigpond.net.au and Cathy Pegler
cathmalath@gmail.com
Saturday 17 October
1990 leavers 25 year reunion, contact Anthea Deschamps
antheadeschamps72@bigpond.com and
Elizabeth Henderson emhenderson99@gmail.com
Saturday 24 October
1975 leavers 40 year reunion, contact Celia Vild
abb75girls@gmail.com
Saturday 24 October
1995 leavers 10 year reunion, contact Alise Engelen
(Ramshaw) or Heleen Fourie, Alumni Relations
Manager
Weekend of 14/15
November
1965 50 year reunion, contact Libby Tracy (Lee)
wtracy@bigpond.net.au; Philippa Bowmaker (Wilkinson)
bowmaker@bigpond.net.au and Dimity Riley (Wood)
dimity.riley@bigpond.com
Sunday 1 November
1960 leavers 55 year reunion, contact Helena Ackroyd
eandh22@optusnet.com.au
Saturday 21 November
1955 leavers 60 year reunion contact Heleen Fourie, Alumni
Relations Manager
Saturday 21 November
2010 leavers 5 year reunion, contact Kietah Martens-Shaw
kietah.ms@gmail.com and Isabel Hawken
hawkenia9@gmail.com
Friday and Saturday
11/12 December
1995 leavers 20 year reunion, contact Amanda Turner
turnera@sydneyswans.com.au
The 2015 London AOG luncheon
will be on 24 October in a central
London restaurant.
The two contact people are
Alison Burrell (+44 1227 455595
email: alison.burrell85@gmail.com)
and Caroline Curnock
(+44 1225 445032, email:
carolinecurnock@talk21.com).
They have also extended a warm
welcome to any (non-UK) Old Girl
passing through London on that date.
If you are interested in attending,
please contact Alison or Caroline and
they will be happy to include you.
Heleen Fourie
Alumni Relations Manager
Phone 02 9473 7740
Email fourieh@abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au
Locked Bag 1666,
Wahroonga NSW 2076
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Grace Cossington Smith Gallery workshops
Grace Cossington Smith
Gallery workshops
The workshops remaining for 2015 are:
MANIPULATING TIME
A workshop linking to the current
Scanlines exhibition
Date: Saturday 10 October
Cost: $110
Tutor: DLuxMedia arts facilitator
PHOTOGRAPHY
For art resource and portfolio
Date: Saturday 14 November
Cost: $110
Tutor: Effy Alexakis
STOP MOTION ANIMATION
A workshop linking to the current
Scanlines exhibition
Date: Saturday 17 October
Cost: $110
Tutor: DLuxMedia arts facilitator
ENCAUSTIC FOR PAINTING
Date: Saturday 21 November
Cost: $130
Tutor: Sarah Mufford
Information and booking at: https://www.gcsgallery.com.au/news/postitem/57
A stimulating program of events is planned for the 2016
GCS Gallery calendar.
27 January to
THE ART OF CICADA PRESS Printmaking from UNSW
Art & Design.
5 March
This will be one of the gallery’s major fundraising events
and works by artists Vernon Ah Kee, John Coburn, Elisabeth
Cummings, Euan Macleod, Chris O’Doherty, John Olsen and
many other well known artists will be available for sale.
10 March to 16 April
MOP An artist-run initiative in Chippendale will exhibit
selected contemporary artworks.
23 April to 26 May
CREATIVITY IN WARTIME is an Anzac Centenary Exhibition
commemorating the First World War by reflecting on the
human and creative side of wartime experiences. Works for
this exhibition have been provided by generous alumni and
community supporters.
1 June to 25 June
An exciting exhibition of LIGHT artists is planned to
coincide with VIVID and adventures in light from
Abbotsleigh’s TAS Department.
7 July to 11 August
To coincide with Abbotsleigh’s Literary Festival the
gallery will host Shaun Tan: The Art of Story, Discovering
The Lost Thing – Book to Film.
16 August to
20 August
The annual Year 12 Showcase by Visual Arts, History and
English students.
24 August to
17 September
Works by Abbotsleigh ex students. Please contact the
gallery to inform us about your work and allow us to curate
an exciting exhibition.
20 September to
31 October
Two exhibitions to be confirmed from the CALL FOR
PROPOSALS invited by the gallery.
5 November to
10 December
Grace Cossington Smith art award.
The gallery is developing strategies for greater support. We have a volunteer
program, are planning a Friends group and would appreciate founding a creative
alliance with alumni. We are also seeking financial support to ensure we continue
to offer an inspiring creative program of events.
The 2015 Grace Cossington Smith
Gallery calendar will conclude with our
very own Grace Cossington Smith art
award. The award places Abbotsleigh in
the public sphere as a school supporting
creativity and the arts and provides
a unique event for contemporary
Australian artists to exhibit in a high
quality gallery environment that is
quickly becoming a venue of choice for
professional artists.
This year the award drew around 300
outstanding submissions. We are
honoured that highly regarded members
of the art community accepted the roles
as selector and judge. The selection
panel was Anneke Jaspers, Assistant
Curator Contemporary Art, Art Gallery
NSW, and Dr Stephen Little, Head
of Painting, National Art School. The
judges – Geoffrey Legge, Director,
Watters Gallery and Damien Minton,
Gallery Manager, Watters Gallery – will
announce the winner of the acquisitive
$15,000 award on Saturday, 7
November at 3 pm. You are warmly
invited to celebrate this special event,
so please note the date in your calendar.
One of the strategies helping the
GCS Gallery mitigate the cost of the
exhibition program is a series of art
workshops designed for Senior High
School students and adults.
See above left for details.
Grace Cossington Smith Gallery
Old Girls update
Please update your contact details below, especially your email address. Please return this form to the Abbotsleigh Alumni
Relations Office, Locked Bag 1666, Wahroonga NSW 2076, fax to 61 2 9483 9740 or email aogu@abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au.
Full name (including title)
Maiden name (if applicable)
Email
Address
Suburb
State and post code
Mobile
Work phone
Home phone
Reunion year*
Day girl or boarder
* The reunion year is the year in which you would have completed either the Higher School Certificate or the Leaving Certificate, had you stayed
at School even if you actually left earlier.
I am interested in
□Speaking to students in Assembly –
□Networking events –
Topic Profession □Mother Daughter Dinner
□Organising a reunion
□Golf Day
□Bowls Day
□Card Day
□Art gallery visits
□Joining the AOGU committee
□Area reunions –
□ M edical practitioner/science group
□Performing/Visual arts group
□Suggesting a new event –
Location □Careers Night –
Profession News for Around Abbotsleigh
Ideas