Issue 12 - 7 June 2022

From The Principal

Super Saturday of Reunions

On Saturday 14 May 2022, we had 300 Old Girls return to MLC School to reunite and reminisce as part of our Back to College weekend. Old Girls from the classes of 1960, 1961 and 1962, 1970, 1971 and 1972, 1980, 1981 and 1982, 1992, 2002 and 2012 were in attendance. How lovely it was to witness their excitement as they shared stories from their school days and their lives after leaving MLC School.

One of the stories that I heard was that of Deborah Howe (1970) who started in Nursery (Pre-K) in 1956 at the age of 2½ and completed the HSC in 1970, making her enrolment one of the lengthiest of which I know. The  photo here is believed to have been taken on her first day of school. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to start at MLC School at the age of 2½, dressed in full school uniform, complete with hat and blazer, but Deborah recalls her time at school with fondness and recalls that “there were boys also in my group who went on to other private schools.” Deborah has many tales to share about her lengthy time at MLC School, including one where she and her friends were pretending to be horses and used the belts from their school sports tunics as reins. Her friends used her belt to tie her up to the fence and left her there long after the bell went for the end of playtime, leaving her to face the wrath of the then Headmistress, Dr Whitley. The consequences must not have been too dire though, as she remains friends with some of those responsible for leaving her stranded!

As I visited each of the reunion groups, I was struck not just by the genuine joy on the faces of our Old Girls as they reunited with long lost friends, but also by just how many of our Old Girls have daughters currently at the school. I was also delighted to see several staff whom I did not realise were also Old Girls. The connections at MLC School are certainly strong and far reaching.

– Lisa Moloney
Principal

Shine Arts Festival – Your Invitation

Shine Arts Festival – Your Invitation

Shine Arts Festival

Throughout the month of June Music, Drama and Art and Design will be the focus of a School-wide festival that shines a light on the creative and performing arts. The festival is for students of all ages, parents, Old Girls and the community to enjoy and celebrate the array of talent at MLC School.

Key events include:

Illuminate Festival

Thursday 16 June 2022
4.30pm–7pm
MLC School Senior Campus

Families, students, Old Girls and friends are invited to come along to the annual MLC School Illuminate festival. 

Illuminate is a showcase of artwork made by MLC School students, from the Junior to the Senior School, through a series of art installations, stalls, and games that each student has contributed to. Illuminate will see the MLC School Senior Centre decorated with exuberant colour, allow the community to learn a range of skills through the art stalls and the inaugural MLC School Putt Putt Golf Course, where each House has created a hole with its own theme.

The theme of Illuminate 2022 is ‘Shine a light on your stories and the stories of others’. This theme has encouraged students to express their own stories and the stories of others, using art mediums ranging from photography to textiles.

During this event, Café 1886 will be open to sell hot meals and drinks and there will be a range of musical and dance performances throughout the night. This event will take place in the MLC School Senior Centre and on the Quad. We hope to see you there to celebrate the achievements of our students!

For questions and RSVP, please contact Jillian Avramis on javramis@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.

 

ReSounding Voices Concert at Town Hall

Wednesday 15 June 2022, 6.30pm–8.30pm
Sydney Town Hall

The ReSounding Voices Concert is set to be one of the highlights of the Shine Arts Festival.  

‘We chose Voices as the theme because we want to show off the way that some pieces of the concert will be in different languages’, says Trevor Mee, Director of Music. ‘And ReSounding, like ‘resonating’, but also because we are finally playing again for an audience for the first time in two years’ 

Being held at the landmark, Sydney Town Hall, the concert will be an ‘atmospheric’ sort of work, with pockets of musicians in each corner of the stage. The Music department has worked with the newly appointed Director of Indigenous Education, Tim Lennon, on a piece, which will feature traditional Indigenous sounds over the song Dawn Mantras by Australian composer Ross Edwards. The concert, which features MLC Schools students from Year 6 to Year 12, will also include works from the Symphonic Wind band and the Rock Orchestra. The finale will feature a choir including percussion, piano and bass, and a ballade from the 1980s. This concert is a highlight of the School calendar and is not to be missed! 

Book here for ‘ReSounding Voices’ at Sydney Town Hall

– Trevor Mee
Director of Music

 

 

Boarders Reunion Lunch – 22 July

Boarders Reunion Lunch – 22 July

Boarding was an integral part of MLC School for more than 90 years until a destructive fire led to the closing of the boarders’ facilities in 1977.

Over the years, the School has certainly changed, but the essence of MLC School still remains:

  • the blues of the School’s colours adopted from Oxford and Cambridge
  • musical excellence at the highest levels of accomplishment in both performance and composition
  • outstanding academic achievements and young girls confident that they can make a contribution to society

Now, it’s time to reunite with friends from your boarding days at the Boarders Reunion on Friday 22 July 2022.

The day will start at 11am with a service in the newly refurbished MLC School Chapel. You will remember this as the original boarders’ dining room, which survived the fire.

This will be followed by a two-course lunch and drinks, plus plenty of time to reminisce.

Friday 22 July 2022
11am–2pm
MLC School
Rowley Street, Burwood
$40

Please RSVP and book here if you would like to attend.

Farewell Afternoon Tea for Neil Scotney

Farewell Afternoon Tea for Neil Scotney

Neil Scotney, Head of Senior School, will leave MLC School at the end of Term 2 to take on a new role as Deputy, Pastoral (K-12) at Newington College. He will certainly be missed by the students, staff and the MLC School community.

MLC School warmly invites Old Girls to thank Neil for his nine years of service at MLC School at an afternoon tea on Monday 20 June 2022, 3.30pm–4.30pm.

Light refreshments will be served in Cafe 1886 for Old Girls, parents and guests to personally wish Neil farewell.

For enquiries, please contact MLC School Event Coordinator Jillian Avramis.

RSVP Here

Meet the Principal in London

Meet the Principal in London

You are invited to meet with Principal, Lisa Moloney, who is visiting London in September this year.

The evening is one for MLC School Old Girls, families who have enrolled their daughters at the School and prospective families who are considering MLC School for their daughter. Please share this invitation with those you feel would be interested in the opportunity to meet Ms Moloney.

Wednesday 28 September 2022
Venue (central London location) and time to be confirmed

Sapphires Chapel Service and Lunch

Sapphires Chapel Service and Lunch

Old Girls who graduated 51 years and beyond are warmly invited to the annual Sapphires’ Luncheon on Thursday 13 October 2022. A Chapel Service is held before the lunch at 11am.

Thursday 13 October 2022
11am Chapel Service
12noon–2pm 2-course lunch
Potts Hall, MLC School

Click here to book

If you would like to attend and are experiencing any difficulties with transport or other arrangements, please get in touch with us. Update your details online to ensure you receive your invitation. For more information or to register your interest in this event, please contact MLC School Event Coordinator Jillian Avramis on (02) 8741 3180 or via email.


Please note: the event is subject to change based on NSW Health guidelines and restrictions. Possible changes to these events will be communicated in a timely manner.

Change of Date – OGU Chocolate Recess 2022

Change of Date – OGU Chocolate Recess 2022

Please note the change of date for the OGU Chocolate Recess, the occasion where Old Girls farewell the current Year 12 students at a recess event filled with goodies to wish the girls luck as they head off for their final exams.

This event will now be held on Tuesday 13 September 2022 at 10.35am following the Year 12 final Chapel Service. 

All Old Girls welcome to attend to help host the morning tea.

 

Year 5 Scholarships for 2023 Now Open

Year 5 Scholarships for 2023 Now Open

Do you know someone in Year 4? They might be interested in applying for an MLC School All-Rounder Scholarship entry into Year 5 next year. 

All Rounder Scholarships are awarded to applicants who demonstrate significant academic potential, together with achievement and potential in two or more of the following areas:

  • Leadership
  • Cultural/creative/performing arts
  • Service
  • Sport

The Year 5 2023 Scholarship Applications will close on Thursday 4 August 2022.

Exam Day will be held on Saturday 13 August 2022. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to the School for an activity morning. Please note that not all shortlisted candidates will be offered a scholarship.

Scholarships for Year 7 to Year 11 entry in 2024 will open on 4 July 2023. 

For more information about scholarships please visit our website, or contact our Registrar Nerida Coman on 02 8741 3165 or email enrol@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.

Old Girl funds help create sustainable Scholarships for Indigenous Girls

Old Girl funds help create sustainable Scholarships for Indigenous Girls

The generous support of MLC School Old Girls and the MLC School community have set us on a path to achieve our dream of providing a number of scholarships to girls who would not otherwise be able to afford it.

An unexpected and very welcome gift by Old Girl Cynthia Gunn (1960) in 2018 provided the original funds to begin the campaign to build and sustain Indigenous Scholarships at MLC School. With the support of the larger MLC School community the fund has grown substantially during the past three years.

This year a second gift from an Old Girl takes the School a significant step forward in the journey towards financially sustaining a number of scholarships.

The School is proud to announce the Margaret and Rosalind Coulson Scholarship, an exceptionally generous gift towards Indigenous student scholarships by MLC School Old Girls Rosalind Coulson (1955). It is being named jointly to honour Rosalind’s sister, Margaret Coulson (1949), whose bequest provided the impetus for the gift. We are most thankful to Ros for her careful consideration and generosity.

This gift will support a scholarship for Australian Indigenous girls to attend MLC School from Year 5 (or earlier) to Year 12, to provide the opportunity for them to develop their potential and discover their unique gifts and talents in the process.

There is great support at every level of the MLC School community for this initiative and it is our goal to grow the program to a point where two Indigenous students can benefit from a scholarships every year.

If you would like to discuss how you can contribute to the program please contact Development Manager, Heleen Fourie on 02 8741 3129 or by email

Please click on the pictures below to view full photographs

National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week

MLC School continues to progress our recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and our understanding of their culture.

On Wednesday 1 June 2022, all teaching staff spent time working with Tim Lennon, our Director of Indigenous Education, to learn more about providing a culturally safe classroom and the importance of story and connection in Indigenous culture. He also challenged each of us to write an Acknowledgement of Country that was specific to our academic department or a particular event. 

In a very fortunate coincidence, the Design, Art and Technology (DART) Department hosted Hermannsburg artists from Iltja Ntjarra Many Hands Arts Centre. Students were able to work alongside the artists, learning a number of remarkable techniques including multiple plate etching, and listened to the fascinating stories of the artists’ childhood. While it had been planned that they visit earlier in the year, having them here in the same week helped to bring to life the importance of shared understanding; and the unique knowledge and skills of our First Nations people. We have so much to learn.

What is National Reconciliation Week? Tim Lennon, Director of Indigenous Education

This term I have been taking my son to his Sacrament of Reconciliation classes at our Catholic church. We have learnt about how reconciliation is about repairing relationships. It is more than just saying sorry. It requires action. You need to attempt to address the cause of the hurt that has been inflicted. That is the point of National Reconciliation Week (NRW). It is a time for non-Indigenous Australians to stop and reflect on the injustices that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face and commit to righting those wrongs. But what does that look like? In a Twitter thread Luke Pearson founder of Indigenous X posed these questions:

“What do your aspirations for reconciliation look like? Is it the implementation of the UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People), a treaty, a voice to parliament, closing the gap, Aboriginal artworks in your workplace lobby, a poster of a white hand shaking a black hand, having an Indigenous PM? 

Do your aspirations focus on the need for empowerment, for self-determination, for the removal of obstacles to Indigenous rights, stopping Black deaths in custody, land back; or do they mainly focus on you having more cultural experiences, and maybe even a few Indigenous friends? 

What are you actively doing to see your aspirations are being realised?

Are your attitudes, comments, actions, reactions, and interactions consistent with your stated aspirations?” 

This year’s NRW theme “Be Brave. Make Change” is a clear call to a school whose mission is to educate girls to be courageous agents of change. We need to take our lead from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and walk beside them to address ongoing injustices. Only then will true reconciliation be achieved”.

– Lisa Moloney
Principal

Something Big is STILL coming!

Something Big is STILL coming!

We’re Almost There!

In the last Old Girls newsletter we were excited to announce a new project that will help Old Girls connect with their own years, across groups and find others across the world. The time is almost here!

Stay tuned!

Annual Giving – Can You Help to Keep the Momentum Going?

Annual Giving – Can You Help to Keep the Momentum Going?

Keep the giving momentum going in 2022 and support current girls. Thank you for your generous support in 2021.

This year your gift will benefit the girls who are here now. There are two building projects scheduled to commence in 2022 that will change the way they experience life at MLC School.

Plans for the Junior School will see it transformed in the latter part of the year. There will be new studios on Level 1 for all Year 5 students. This in turn will allow the Year 1 to Year 4 studios to be expanded and reconfigured into engaging learning spaces. Students will have access to a new and relocated canteen, Drama studio, Music rooms and more toilets, easily accessible from the yard. These changes will provide an optimal learning experience for all our Junior School students.

On the Senior campus, the complete upgrade of both Food Technology kitchens will start in the second half of 2022.

These kitchens will become contemporary teaching spaces to provide inspiration and opportunity for our girls to explore the many career opportunities available in the food industry including nutrition and health, food styling and photography, and commercial cookery methods.

You might also consider continuing your support for the Scholarship program. The depth of the support for Indigenous and Principal’s Scholarships during the past two years has been exceptional. With your help, we can continue to grow the general funding for the full range of scholarships to provide access to a wide range of deserving students. Every dollar you donate makes the program stronger.

Please consider a gift to support these projects in our Annual Giving Appeal and help keep the momentum going.

Donate here

Intergenerational Mother’s Day High Tea

Intergenerational Mother’s Day High Tea

After more than two years of planning and disappointing cancellations, the inaugural “Intergenerational High Tea” was held on Sunday 1 May 2022.

The delight on the faces of our youngest MLC School girls when they spotted the vintage tea cups and enticing displays of cakes and sandwiches, through to our more senior Old Girls enjoying their family connections, shows the intangible legacy of MLC School. Although we are rightly proud of the physical campus, MLC School is not just bricks and mortar and the history of old and new buildings but the spirit of every girl here and every Old Girl that has passed through its doors.

The strong bonds connecting generations of women at the School were highly evident.

This first time event was very warmly received, we are looking forward to running the Mother’s Day High Tea in 2023 and perhaps even extending the invitation to others.

Once an MLC School girl, always an MLC School girl – stay posted for next year’s event.

Go to our Facebook page to see all photos.

Please click on the gallery below for full sized pictures.

 

 

Old Girl Continues her Communications Journey

Old Girl Continues her Communications Journey

On Wednesday 18 May 2022 I was interviewed by Emma Suster, MLC School Old Girl of 2020 for her current university assignment.

Emma studied HSC Drama and produced an outstanding lighting design for her Individual Project. Pursuing her interests in Theatre and Film, Emma is currently studying for a Bachelor of Communications at UTS, specialising in media arts and production.

Her current assignment is to produce a feature news article in an area of interest and Emma has chosen drama therapy and the therapeutic benefits of theatrical experience. Emma said, “through this degree I hope to pursue a career in film and my drama studies at school have provided a great foundation for a possible career in this area”.

As part of her course, Emma films segments of texts to understand all aspects of film production. In our interview, Emma posed questions about the value of theatre and its possibilities for transformative experiences for both participants and audience. It was great to see one of our Old Girls and hear how see is using her MLC School experiences to move forward in her chosen field.

– Lisa Jinga
Head of Department – Dance, Drama and Entertainment (DDE)

The image gallery below shows Emma Suster in front of a poster design where she is the actor for “Antigone”.

 

Leaving Your Mark at MLC School with a Paver!

Leaving Your Mark at MLC School with a Paver!

We recently invited Old Girls along with all students, staff, volunteers, parents and supporters to consider contributing to this lasting memento and we’re pleased to advise that an order for the first batch of new pavers has been placed!

To celebrate your part in MLC School’s history and help pave the way to the future, you might consider ordering a paver or two. You might even consider the gift of a paver to another Old Girl or as part of your family connection?

For a small donation, we will acknowledge your gift by engraving a paving brick with a personal and relevant message (your inscription can contain up to 34 characters over three lines, including spaces).

The paver will be placed in the entrance way to the main school grounds.

Paver Cost:
1 x paver – $200
2 x pavers – $300
3 x pavers – $400
4 x pavers – $500

All donations are tax deductible

For more information contact MLC School Development Manager, Heleen Fourie, on 02 8741 3129 or via email. OR MLC School Archivist, Barbara Hoffman, on 02 8741 3214 or via email.

Note: Please allow up to 12 months for your paver to be ordered and placed, as we must meet minimum quantity requirements when ordering.

 

 

MLC School Old Girls Celebrated

MLC School Old Girls Celebrated

Congratulations to the 2022 MLC School Alumnae Award winners

Our Back to College weekend celebrations were kicked off by the annual MLC School Alumnae Awards (Friday 13 May 2022) which are awarded to those Old Girls who have made a profound impact in their chosen fields and across society.

This year, the awards were made to:

Professor Roslyn (Ros) Pesman AM (Cooper, 1954)
Professor Ros Pesman (Cooper, 1954) is one of Australia’s most eminent historians, with an international reputation in the fields of academia and tertiary education leadership.

Valerie (Val) Packham (Hedge, 1955)
Val Packham (Hedge, 1955) has worked tirelessly for MLC School for decades. She joined the MLC School Old Girls’ Union immediately after leaving school and has been an active member for over 60 years.

Dr Julia Chang Wan (1956)
Dr Julia Chang Wan (1956) is a highly regarded science educator in the USA who has received many awards and honours for her achievements in science education. She is also active in the Women’s movement.

Angela Catterns AM (1971)
Angela Catterns (1971) is one of Australia’s most loved broadcasters and media personalities with a diverse career in film, television, podcast, and radio, both nationally and internationally.

Associate Professor Kristi Jones (1984)
Kristi Jones (1984) is dedicated to improving the lives of children through her pioneering work in paediatric genetics.

Professor Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich (Bosnic, 1987)
Professor Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich (Bosnic, 1987) is a medical researcher and respiratory pharmacist, internationally recognised as an expert in the use of respiratory medicines.

Professor Ruth Corran (1989)
 Professor Ruth Corran (1989) is the Department Chair – Computer Science, Mathematics & Science at the American University of Paris.

Dr Joanna Howe (Mascarenhas, 2000)
Dr Joanna Howe (Mascarenhas, 2000) is a leading expert on the legal regulation of temporary labour migration and Associate Professor in Law at the University of Adelaide with a PhD in Law from the University of Oxford where she studied as a Rhodes Scholar.

Elizabeth (Liz) Kell (2001)
 Liz Kell (2001) is a multi-award-winning rower who represented Australia in Rowing at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In 2006 she won the World Championships in the Double Scull, and Rowing Australia’s ‘Female Rower’ and ‘Crew of the Year’ awards.

Kate Cornford (2001)
Kate Cornford (2001) has held an impressive range of appointments in wide-ranging, high-profile roles worldwide, including Counsellor to the Executive Director of the OECD and a senior policy adviser at the Office of the Prime Minister of the UK (No.10 Downing Street).

Lucy Cormack (2009)
Lucy Cormack (2009) is an award-winning Australian journalist with experience across all media platforms. Lucy has twice won an award at the Kennedy Awards for Excellence in Journalism. She has worked at the Sydney Morning Herald for over nine years and currently is the State political reporter.

Jessica Ashwood (2011)
Jessica Ashwood (2011) represented Australia in Freestyle Swimming at two Olympic Games: London in 2012 and Rio in 2016. At the 2015 World Championships she set new Australian records in the 400m Freestyle and in the 1500m Freestyle, and at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games she won Silver in Women’s 800m Freestyle. Jessica conquered enormous challenges, presented by severe scoliosis, on her path to success.

Further details about the careers and achievements of this year’s award winners can be found here

– Lisa Moloney
Principal

MLC School Girl Receives Burwood Council Award

MLC School Girl Receives Burwood Council Award

The Mayor of Burwood Council, John Faker, presented the Burwood Council Young Volunteer of the Year Award to Anna Xu (Year 11) on Friday 13 May 2022. Anna is part of a strong community of over 5000 volunteers in the Burwood Council.

In early 2021, she established a volunteer program called Dancing Reciters, where she teaches speech and drama, and incorporates physical activity for primary school students of the Burwood Council community.

Anna adapted the program to an online format during the 2021 lockdown, as the integral oral practice, social interaction and physical activity required for children’s growth was limited. Anna brought the community together in uncertain and isolating times. Moreover, Dancing Reciters allowed children to do something new and progress every week resulting in a sense of achievement. This sustained their wellbeing and personal growth despite the missed classroom opportunities and mundanity of lockdown. The positive impact of Dancing Reciters spread so much that students from Ku-Ring-Gai Council and even Singapore participated in this program. All families provided positive feedback and appreciation for Anna’s program.

This year, Anna has continued with her program in person. She continues to contribute to the local community by creating an encouraging, inclusive, and collaborative environment where children can practice speech and drama, cultivating creativity, self-expression, imagination, and confidence. Through Dancing Reciters’ in-person and online presence, a speech and drama education is more accessible to all socioeconomic classes in the Burwood Council and beyond.

Congratulations Anna on this well deserved recognition.

The main image shows Anna at the Burwood Council Volunteer Recognition Awards on Friday 13 May 2022. 

LUCIS Magazine has been Mailed

LUCIS Magazine has been Mailed

LUCIS Autumn/Winter 2022 was mailed to Old Girls last week.

This edition is now available on line for those who have requested a digital copy.

Click here to read LUCIS online

If you have not yet received your copy or have recently changed your address details, please let us know by emailing jlezon@mlcsyd.nsw.edu.au.

Have You Changed Your Details Recently?

Have You Changed Your Details Recently?

Have you recently moved, changed your email or mobile phone numbers?

Please let us know so that we can continue to keep in touch. If you know of any other Old Girls who are currently not receiving communications but would like to, then please pass on this request or provide their details. Thank you.

Update here