St Leonard's News - St Leonard's College

St Leonard’s News
Friday, 24 August 2012, Volume 14, Issue 12
CONTENTS
From the Director of Cocurriculum
General News
Junior School News
Middle School News
Upper School News
Cocurriculum News
Community Sport
Languages News
Musical Notes
Cornish Resource Centre News
St Leonard’s College Parents’ Association
Community News and Events

From the Director of Cocurriculum
Are we there yet?
Excellence. It is a simple word that we use often... 'We are seeking to achieve excellence in this program'... 'We are
seeking to employ a person who has demonstrated excellence in this area of endeavor'... 'They demonstrated excellence
in their specialty'... 'The relationship between staff and students is excellent'... But is excellence an endpoint?
Much has been said and written about the Australian swimming team at the Olympics. Over a number of Olympiads there
have been many outstanding achievements and we have an 'expectation of excellence'. Some athletes are thrilled to
achieve a silver medal while others are disappointed. What of the excellence shown by Hamadou Djibo Issaka, of Niger,
who rowed in the Men's Single Sculls at the Olympic Games and only reached the F final, finishing just over one minute
behind the winner, and one minute 40 seconds behind the gold medalist? How do we define excellence for this man? Or
Tahmina Kohistani, the only woman on the Afghanistan team? She needed body guards to train for the 100m sprint. Or
Australian swimmer James Magnussen, 0.01 seconds from his dream?
The medal tally for Australian swimmers was not what we expected. Despite Rule 6 of the Olympic Charter which states
'The Olympic Games are competitions between athletes in individual or team events and not between countries', the
inquiries have already begun. I have no doubt that every athlete strove for excellence. A common defense argument has
been that we haven't got any worse, the rest of the world has got better.
At a recent parent teacher interview, this point was reinforced for me by the parents of a high achieving student in one of
my classes. After the usual, important discussions about practical reports, group projects and tests, the question was
posed, 'How do we make our child more curious?' The answer to this question is for another time, but the relevance of the
question is that we can't ever be comfortable with the excellence we have now, because excellence is not a destination, it
is a journey. (Apologies to Ralph Waldo Emerson - Life is a journey, not a destination.)
This never ending journey is evident in many areas of St Leonard's College.
The heart of the College, Harefield House, is currently undergoing a refurbishment into a staff and function centre. This
continues the cycle of renewal that started, for me, with parts of the Middle School building and the Hawkes Sports
Centre. The much loved outdoor pool was removed, with some concern but the result was an excellent, all year facility.
The College has always enjoyed excellent facilities but we continue to lift our expectations and and strive for a greater
level of excellence.
Teaching and Learning, and the information technology that supports this are a key and the recently launched StL Link
has given staff the ICT tools to deliver curriculum. The engineers are finalising 'the backend' that will allow parents to
access the same curriculum spaces as the students. Since the June holidays the teaching staff have been attending
forums to build their skills and knowledge. It sounds so simple but in only five weeks there are a remarkable amount of
excellent resources available. White boards were an excellent replacement for chalk boards, and are still useful teaching
tools, but online tools are a new level of excellence that we are only just starting to explore.
The investment in excellence has included the Cocurriculum. Theatre, Music, Community Sport and Athletics have all
been bolstered with staff and resources. The excellence of the Hart Theatre productions and the Music programs has
been widely acclaimed. However the sounds fade, props are packed and the lights cool down as planning starts for the
year 5/6 show and 2013. The senior girls’ basketball team achieved excellence in a tournament last Monday and are
ranked in the best eight school teams in Victoria. We start again next year as the 2012 year 12s leave and others take
their shot at excellence.
Achieving excellence, and continuing the journey as our goals change, will affect all members of the College community.
We cannot stay still or the rest of the world will go past us. The exciting part is that we get to choose our version of
excellence now, and determine what excellence, for St Leonard's College, will look like in the future. Excellence in ten,
twenty or fifty years will evolve from today's excellence.
Are we there yet? In one sense, the answer is yes as we have excellence in many areas. In another sense the answer is
no, because excellence is a moving target. We strive for excellence now, and we journey toward excellence in the future.
One more quote – “The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man's foot long enough to
enable him to put the other somewhat higher.” Thomas Henry Huxley, London, 1870.
Barry Hill
Back to Top
Director of Cocurriculum

General News
House Music Photographs and DVDs on sale
Professional photographs taken at the House Music competition on 8 August are available for download at a small cost.
Visit http://digital-image.photoshelter.com/gallery-collection/SLC-House-Music-2012/C0000jMwpMfWQE3w to view.
Orders are also being taken for a double set DVD. Orders must be placed by the end of the August through the following
link: www.trybooking.com/14658.
iPad Information Sessions
In 2013, the College will be introducing iPads for all students in years 5 to 9 and moving onto the BYOD (bring your own
device) platform for students in years 10 to 12.
These information sessions will cover:
rationale behind the compulsory iPad initiative;
an update on our new virtual learning environment STL Link and the possibilities for increased student engagement
and active learning; and
guidance on the purchase, set up and general use of student owned iPads.
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from two students involved in the iPad trial this year. There will also be an
opportunity for informal discussion with the staff members who have assisted with the 2012 trial. Parents are welcome to
attend any one of the evenings. Please note that the number of seats available on each evening is limited, so we urge
you to book your preferred date promptly. Please select your preference from the following three dates:
Wednesday 29 August at 7:00pm
Thursday 6 September at 7:00pm
Wednesday 24 October at 7.00pm
Please click on this link to book your place www.trybooking.com/31836. We look forward to your attendance and an
opportunity to explain and showcase these exciting initiatives.
College iPad website: http://learn.stleonards.vic.edu.au/ipad
Cybersmart Outreach
Leading Australian Cybersafety expert, Greg Gebhart will present an information session focused on keeping your
children safe online. This presentation is complimentary to the St Leonard’s community, provided by the Australian
Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) as part of a national program of cybersmart initiatives.
Date Tuesday 28 August 2012
Time 7.00pm
Venue TC Woolhouse Theatre, St Leonard’s College
Bookings www.trybooking.com/31486
Healthy Minds Healthy Bodies
This is an information evening for mothers and daughters to promote healthy lifestyle choices and positive body
perceptions and attitudes. Presented by Rachel Barbara-May and Christine Vay from Alfred Child and Adolescent Mental
Health Services, this session is complimentary.
Date Thursday 8 September 2012
Time 7.00pm – 8.30pm
Venue Merton Gallery, St Leonard’s College
Enquiries Helene Humberstone, Middle School Administrator, 9909 9541
Bookings www.trybooking.com/31646 by Monday 3 Sept
School Holiday Swimming Program
There will be a Holiday Intensive in the third week of the September school holidays.
5 Days – Monday 8 October to Friday 12 October
Water Awareness Level 5 involves 5 x ½ hour classes - $70
Level 6, Pre Squad and Primary Squad 5 x 1 hour Stroke Clinic - $90
Private lessons available upon request.
Anyone interested in participating in the Holiday Intensive should put their name on the list displayed outside the HSC
office. The program will only run if sufficient people are interested. Class times will be finalised once names and levels are
registered.

Junior School News
ELC Community Project
Term 3 has seen the beginnings of an exciting project in the ELC. The
investigation of local Indigenous culture has underpinned the planning for the
redevelopment of the corner area of the playground. Local landscape artist Jenn
Reed has been working with the staff and children to refine their ideas about the
building of a ‘wetlands’ in their garden and this week all the children travelled to
Monash University to further research aspects of plants. Sheree Harper, an
Indigenous woman with a vast knowledge of the gardens, showed the
children how to identify many species of plant and delighted us with tales of
chocolate and vanilla lilies, sandpaper plants and chip bushes. We foraged
under the trees to collect seeds and items to make our own jewellery and
listened to tales of how the Indigenous people gathered and caught their
food. A picnic in Cheltenham Park also gave the children a chance to play
with an inspiring landscape and see what is possible when natural elements
are blended with a play area.
In the Centre we have harvested reeds, ready for weaving work to be done
with Sheree and we have measured the area to be redeveloped. Many of the ideas discussed following the excursion will
be useful to incorporate into our plans and Jenn will work with the children to bring their designs to fruition.
Helen Ridgway
ELC Creative Arts Specialist
Camp Arrabri – Warburton
What a wonderful three days the year 4 students had away at camp! We set off early on the Monday with minimal fuss
and tears (well done mums and dads). The excitement mounted as we neared Warburton.
When we arrived at camp we spent some time getting settled and exploring
our environment. Then it was straight into the activities. Ropes, flying foxes,
orienteering, archery, golf, giant swing – all were met with squeals of
excitement. In the evenings we relaxed by a campfire listening to Wooly play
his didge, toasted marshmallows and even had a bush dance.
We (Mr Sheffield and I) were very impressed with the behaviour and attitudes
of all the year 4 students. They all worked together and supported each other
through some very challenging activities. We even managed to get some
sleep! Well done year 4’s - what memories we have all made.
Kate Hughes
Junior School Teacher
Science Week
On Wednesday 22 August students in ELC to year 4 enjoyed a Science show with two crazy professors who taught us
about many different sources of energy. It was a fun filled demonstration with lots of experiments. Last week the children
in ELCB enjoyed a different science experiment in the classroom each day including Ms Smitten somehow making a
boiled egg squeeze through a narrow bottle as a fire burnt inside the bottle!
Back to Top
Ms Jane Britten
Head of Junior School
Middle School News
Key Dates
Thank you to the huge number of parents that have taken opportunity of the recent parent-teacher interviews throughout
Middle School. Other events coming soon include:
23-25 August Middle School Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie
27 August 8U and 8V camps to Camp Ibis
28 August ACMA Cybersafety Parent Presentation 7.00pm
31 August Year 7 Fathers (Significant Male) and Sons Breakfast 7.45am
3 September Year 8 Parents, Adolescence 801 evening 7.00pm

Parent Messages in Middle School
Communication is as fast and simple as it has ever been and this will become more so at St Leonard’s College and in life
generally. This ease can lead to clogged communication pathways or a streamlined approach to make things easier for
all. In this newsletter I would like to go through our structure so that the emails and phone calls can be directed as
accurately as possible.
If there are questions about the progress of your child in a particular subject, the best approach is often to contact the
teacher directly on 9909 9300 and ask for the teacher’s extension or on their email address which is:
firstname.lastname@stleonards.vic.edu.au
For questions relating to the form group or the care of your child, you can contact your child’s Form Teacher or Year Level
Coordinator. The Year Level Coordinators are also very happy to pass information on to other staff as they enjoy having a
full understanding of the students in their year level. They are:
Year 5 and 6 Coordinator – Ms Anna Adams anna.adams@stleonards.vic.edu.au
Year 7 Coordinator – Ms Annie McGuire annie.mcguire@stleonards.vic.edu.au
Year 8 Coordinator – Mr Alan Scott alan.scott@stleonards.vic.edu.au
Year 9 Coordinator – Mr Chris Raudys chris.raudys@stleonards.vic.edu.au
The Deputy Head of Middle School is Lydia Chisholm. She has an enormous role in managing the pastoral program and
the movement of students into the Middle School and the transition through the various year levels. Her email address is
lydia.chisholm@stleonards.vic.edu.au
As we cast an eye to 2013 and subject choices, the best person to email or call is Mrs Robyn Marshall, the Director of
Teaching and Learning. If there are questions about curriculum in Middle School, including the choices of subjects for any
year level, please email Mrs Marshall at robyn.marshall@stleonards.vic.edu.au
Hayley Anthony is the Middle School Counsellor and is available on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. She has
been the architect of many programs regarding confidence and building resilience over the last couple of years. If you
would like to contact her directly please email on Hayley.anthony@stleonards.vic.edu.au
The Middle School Office can be contacted on 9909 9541 for questions about events if the addresses above do not
suffice. Absentees should be addressed to absentees@stleonards.vic.edu.au and I can be contacted at
chris.appel@stleonards.vic.edu.au if there are broader questions about the running of the Middle School.
The Action of Giving
Year 8 students recently took part in a ‘Do A Job’ charity drive to raise funds for the Starlight Children’s Foundation and
Red Dust Role Models. The total amount raised was $1310.75 and this was split evenly between the two chosen
charities. The year 8 form captains really owned this event and drove the success of the fundraiser through active
promotion. Thank you to all families who paid their children for jobs/tasks done at home. Well done to all in year 8!
Jeans for Genes day was a very successful event this year across the College. A very pleasing aspect of the organisation
of the day was bringing together leadership groups from across the Junior, Middle and Upper School. Leaders from year
4, year 6, year 9 and our year 12 Captains and Vice Captains discussed how best to run the day for each section. The
total money raised from Jeans for Genes Day was $1773. This is a credit to our student leaders and our broader
community.
Melbourne School Bands Festival
On Saturday 18 August the Concert Band arrived at the Robert Blackwood Hall at Monash University to compete in the
‘Melbourne School Bands Festival’. Many students had mixed feelings, some feeling anxious, whilst many others were
chatting happily and excited about the prospect of competing. After our arrival we listened to one school perform, then it
was our turn to collect our instruments, go downstairs and tune up before going on stage. Once on stage we performed
two pieces, ‘Chimera’ and ‘Clarinet Hoedown’.
After our performance, one of the three adjudicators came up on stage to deliver some very positive feedback on how we
played. We were all very pleased with his comments. Once we performed on stage we then attended a short workshop
which provided us with new ideas for future performances. Overall the competition was a great experience and gave us
the opportunity to see other schools perform. Jessica Pride (8V)
Chris Appel
Head of Middle School

An invitation to Year 8 Parents ‘Adolescence 801’
You are invited to a complimentary information evening specifically targeted to our year 8 parent community. The evening
will be informative and interactive and will provide an opportunity for discussion and questions. Parents will be able to
share parenting experiences, gain knowledge and practical parenting strategies and connect with other year 8 parents.
Date Monday 3 September 2012
Time 7.00pm - 8.30pm
Venue Merton Gallery, St Leonard’s College
Enquiries Helene Humberstone, Middle School Administrator on 9909 9541
Bookings Please book online at www.trybooking.com/31465 by Wednesday 29 August.
Year 7 Fathers and Sons Breakfast ‘Building Character Through Sport’
You are invited to enjoy a delicious complimentary breakfast with your son and share some inspiring experiences from
our guest panel of high achieving sports professionals.
Date Friday 31 August 2012
Time 7.45am – 9.15am
Venue Merton Gallery, St Leonard’s College
Bookings by Tuesday 28 August to Helene Humberstone at helene.humberstone@stleonards.vic.edu.au or 9909 9541.
Tournament of Minds (TOM) results
Our College had outstanding results in the Metropolitan Regionals. Six of our seven teams won awards. We had two first
places and four Honours awards. We also fielded our very first Applied Technology team which, according to the judges,
did a brilliant job!! First place getters were:
TOM team 6: Language/Literature
Facilitators: Mr Matthew McDonald and Mrs Di Stewart
Kayla Elliot, Jemma Gray, Jacqui Lokum, Marin Bando, Sophie Tallis, Sabre Konidaris and Jaeger Konidaris.
TOM team 7: Social Science
Facilitator: Mrs Jenni Wilson and Mary Tattersall
Mariana Reyes, Jessica Martin, Robyn Chapman, Darcy Neate, Rainer Curcio, Dario Pagoda and Joe Toce.
Honours awards went to:
TOM team 1: Maths/Engineering
Facilitators: Sun Buntine and Alex Edwards
Jake Harrowell, Finn Corlis-Richards, Graham Devereux, Jana Angelopoulos, Emma McLean, James Chilcott and Celine
Keifer.
Tom team 3: Language/Literature
Facilitator: Jahanna Parry
Jake McCauley, Connor Wilson, Hannah Orchard, Sophia Burns, Emerson Hurley, Will McIntyre and Bill Johnson.
TOM team 4: Social Science
Facilitator: Anna Adams
Ricqui Bradley, Meg Wareham, Tom Galloway, Aiden Cha, Ben Muehleisen, Caitlin Paice and Laura Rikard-bell.
TOM team 5: Maths/Engineering
Facilitators: Ms Rebecca Hayes
Madison Jacques, Ned Wareham, Thomas Chapman, Clare Valder, Daniel Vesel, George Troupis and Liam Carroll .
And our very first ever team in this discipline:
TOM team 2: Applied Technology
Facilitators: Christina Klopfer and Tim Barlow
Alec Maccora, Angus Kennedy, Bridget Carson, Shaya Zehtab-Jadid, Dmitry Khatsernov, Cooper Zammit and Lucas
Osborne.
Congratulations to one and all. Thank you to all the facilitators for their time and effort. Thank you to our especially
talented students!!
Da Vinci Decathlon State Finals
Our two teams participated in these finals on 25 July at Methodist Ladies College. Congratulations to the Red Team,
consisting of Christopher Needham, Lena Scally-Leprevost, Niamh Nolan, Thomas Madarevic, Julian Grimm, Matthew
Percival, Marko Moutafis and Samuel Chilcott. They came seventh in the State and gained first place in Philosophy and
Art and Poetry and third place in Science. Congratulations to our Blue Team which consisted of: Charlotte Raberger,
Laura Graham, Cam Nicholson, Scott Guiney, Darci Welsh, Liam Baker, Sylvie Evans and Frances Paton. All these
students represented the school in great spirits. Thank you to all the wonderful mentors who assisted these students.

Spellmasters
At Ashburton Library in round 5 in the Senior division Jaeger Konidaris came first and Harmoni Mose came third. Both of
these students are invited to the Finals on 11 November. Congratulations to these students and to our other participants
in the Seniors: Sabre Konidaris, Joe Toce and Jake McCauley. Congratulations to our Juniors: Angelica Tseylin, Isabella
McNiell, Elias Ghaly, Sam Barber, Cooper Zammit and Celine Keifer. We look forward to some McMillan House students
joining the competition in round 6.
Future Problem Solving Program
We have submitted our Australian Qualifying Finals global issues booklets to the National Directorate. Congratulations to
our hard working FPS’ers who have learnt a great deal throughout the year:
(J7) Ricqui Bradley, Jake McCaughey, Alec Maccora and Nicole Catton
(J8) Bridie Niven, Juliette Capomolla, Aiden Cha and Shaya Zehtab-Jadid
(M13) Sam Richards, Dario Pagoda, Amelia Tsindos and Natasha Jorge-Moore
(M14) Tara Coughlan, Rainer Curcio, Claire Martin and Matthew O’Connell
(M15) Jaeger Konidaris, Sabre Konidaris, Lucas Muehleisen and Liam Carroll
(M16) Team Kate Garrow, Jacob Warner, Scott Vella, Shaun Ripper, Daniel Vesel and Ken Wu
These students are awaiting the results of their AQF examinations which will be announced on 3 September. Invited
teams participate in the National Finals.
Back to Top
Fran Devine
Talent Development Coordinator
Upper School News
The Amazing Amadeus!
I had the pleasure of attending Amadeus last
Thursday evening. I was entranced throughout, in
particular by a stage craft that any logical human
being would assess as far too advanced for those still
at secondary school. Led by the talented Mr Tudor,
the entire cast was incredibly entertaining.
Frazer Mitchell, astoundingly good as Salieri, was
word perfect and employed impeccable skill at will to
impart layer upon layer of meaning to his audience.
His was not an easy transmit. Yet, one sat amazed at
his prowess in conveying the torture afforded his
character, Salieri. In a scene reminiscent of Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth, he declared Mozart the battleground in his
fight against God because God dared mock him as man, by giving Mozart such godly talent.
Amidst this darkest of plots was the light relief of Katie Wardley’s comedic perfection in her portrayal of Amadeus Mozart.
She was a delight and is a woman of notable talent. Many others shone, but too many to mention in what was indeed the
ultimate in ‘the champion team achieving more than a team of champions.’ I earnestly thank the cast and crew of
Amadeus, what an amazing evening’s entertainment!
Jules Dennett
Deputy Head Upper School
Year 10 Committee
On Monday 20 August the Year 10 Committee organised an RSPCA cupcake drive at lunchtime. This was an initiative
driven by a year 10 student that the committee members endorsed. This was the second fundraiser for the year in
support of the San Pedro school in East Timor. Recently it was pleasing to receive an email from Fr Domingos Caetano,
the Principal at San Pedro, that he had purchased a digital camera for the students to make a school journal. This
purchase has helped students develop their talents and was courtesy of the funds raised by the Year 10 Committee last
year. Many students jumped on board in making their own delicious cupcakes. Such was the success of the event that all
cupcakes sold within 10 minutes and we raised $326 dollars in support of the great work the RSPCA contribute to our
society.
George Katris
Head of Forster House

The Kaleidoscopic Impressions of House Music in Review by the Upper School Music Leaders...
The 2012 competition was Newman’s sixth. All relished the process and took positives away from the event. Enthusiasm
drove achievement to the extent that our best overall ranking of second was attained. Furthermore, equal second place
was achieved for our massed choir piece Into The West, and the instrumental ensemble performed an incredible rendition
of the big band classic Sing, Sing, Sing, which placed first. To top off the night, year 9 Music Leader, Angus Gray was
awarded the accompanist award for the third year running. Congratulations and thanks go to Mr Fletcher and Ms
McAlister and to the other Middle School Music leader, Edie McAsey.
Samantha Venner and Luke Everson (Newman)
McMeekin will never forget House Music, 2012. The process was endless fun and truly brought our house together and
we can happily say that all of our hardwork paid off. We, the Music Captains Alex and Tehya, want to say an enormous
thank you to all the teachers for all of their hard work, but most importantly to all the students for stepping up to a level we
had never seen before. Although we missed out on a spot on the final podium, we are incredibly proud to say we won our
free choice mass choir piece and small vocal ensemble, a feat never seen before in McMeekin. We will all surely be
wearing our purple ribbons with extra pride this year!
Tehya Nicholas and Alex Mazursky (McMeekin)
It would be an understatement to say that Cullen was ready for House Music. Although at times stressful, House Music
was incredibly rewarding. At first we worried as to how to get ‘Culleners’ to sing in the massed choir. We were pleasantly
surprised by our enthusiastic House mates. It was touching to see our choir respond in such a devoted fashion
throughout. We'd like to thank our fantastic staff support, especially Mr Tudor, Ms Dodsworth and Mr Hooper. We were
ecstatic with an overall third place, and we produced four terrific pieces of music, along with a lifetime of memories. Music
is about enjoyment, and that's exactly what Cullen got out of it!
Alexandra Egan and Lewis Amiel (Cullen)
We, as Forster’s Upper School Music Captains were lucky enough to be right in ‘the thick’ of House Music in 2012. The
highlight was undeniably at the Plenary, but the many months of work prior, best defined the success of the night. As
leaders we bask in victory but without a doubt, we are even more proud of the collective performances the ‘Forsterites’
gave. Whether in massed choir, instrumental or small vocal, everyone put in, and the happiness that brought to our team
was an extraordinary feeling that surpassed those associated with the victory itself. As well we would like to acknowledge
the respect we have for all of the other Houses, in particular the hard work of their House Captains and Music Leaders.
They were tough but fair in competition.
Lucy Keller and Max Jolley (Forster)
Munro House loved House Music. All worked as a team and the resulting camaraderie was the greatest of prizes! Finn
Doyle was acknowledged for his unconventional conducting of the small vocal ensemble, a musical item penned by his
own hand in preparation for the event. The members of Munro’s sea of blue sang splendidly on the night and
acknowledged contributions in the House Meeting on Thursday morning.
Kara Robinson and Finn Doyle (Munro)
Allen House worked well, led by the orchestration of Georgia and Rob, the Upper School Music Captains, and Zoe and
Declan, their Middle School counterparts. House Music proved successful yet again this year in Allen House. From the
soaring harmonies of our Small Vocal group, the groove of Zawinal's classic 'Birdland' in the Instrumental group, to the
energy produced in our Massed Choir pieces, we can safely say that the music created was special and unique to
everyone involved. The hard work and dedication of the students and teachers was credit to their loyalty to the House,
and more importantly, their love and passion for music. We look forward to producing another night of wonderful music at
the Plenary Hall in 2013.
Georgia Hammond and Rob Wardrop (Allen)
“Luck Favours Those Prepared of Body and Mind”
Old Collegian, Alex Lark (2010) was our guest speaker at a recent Upper School assembly. Alex was a student at St
Leonard's College for eight years, during which time he involved himself in a range of academic, sport and musical
pursuits. He was a Forster House Captain in Middle School, a member of the Year 11 Committee and a member of the
Student Council in his final year. Alex spoke of his realisation of underachievement in year 11 when he received his
midyear external examination results. He reflected that this experience taught him that achievement is rarely about luck,
but regularly about endeavour and went on to remedy the situation in year 12. He succeeded by achieving what he set
out to achieve. During a moment of audience participation, Alex asked if anyone had been told how “… lucky they were to
succeed in their chosen field?” And editorialised that others should really be asking “… how hard have you worked to
achieve success?” Alex is currently studying Visual Arts and Business at the prestigious Duke University in the United
States. We were delighted that he was able to come and share with us the lessons learned from his school life and how
that has led to where he is now.

Equally inspirational was Finn Doyle’s (year 12) performance of his own composition, “Strangled”. He played his tune on
piano and sang his lyrics, earning the thunderous applause that, in a small way showed outwardly the shared inward
thoughts of his audience. In minds throughout the auditorium resounded the same approval of his excellence in
performance and hard work ethic. Finn is so talented and so ready to work unbelievably hard to achieve brilliance, and is
highly respected for these fine attributes of character.
It was mission accomplished for Forster in the Upper School winning House Cross Country. On a day that threatened to
downpour early, yet ended with hats and sunscreen at the new venue of Dendy Park, Allen finished second and Newman
one point off third place. A proud Nina Matyas accepted the Cup from Mr Davis on behalf of the winning House.
Further to the celebration of House spirit was the presentation of House Colours. House Colours are usually the
culmination of three year’s work in which 30 House points are accrued. Colours are only awarded to the most deserving
House citizens. Congratulations to Allen House members: Kirstin Clements, Liam Coughlan, Anders Eishold, Tamsin
Ekkel, Travis Krantz, Fraser Mitchell, Lucy Simpson, Flossy Sperring and Tess Wardrop. Forster members were doubly
honoured at this assembly with House Colours going to Cassandra Hill, Max Jolley and Riley Tonc.
Chess players were recognised for their talent and determination by Dr Swedosh and presented to the audience by Mr
Davis. Keiren May (year 12) achieved a full award and Lachie Semple (year 10) and Josh Niewodowski (year 11) both
received half awards for their contributions to Chess.
Upcoming Events
Upper School Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews to be held in the Kevin Wood Centre from 4.00pm – 9.00pm on
Tuesday 28 and Thursday 30 August. Online booking for these interviews has commenced and parents are reminded that
bookings will be closed 24 hours before the day of the interviews.
ACS Upper School Grand Finals will be held on Wednesday 29 August. The venues will be on the website. Eleven
Senior teams are currently in the Grand Finals and we will be cheering them on. Parents are most certainly welcome at
games. This has been an outstanding year for the seniors and winter victories would add to the excitement of those in
summer, in particular the 1 st cricket.
Lisa Slingsby
Head of Upper School
Careers Newsletter
CareerNews is a valuable resource for Upper School students and parents. It provides up to the minute information on
tertiary courses, contacts and open days. For the latest edition of CareerNews please click here.
Cocurriculum News
Senior Girls Basketball
Teams representing 15 schools were invited by Basketball Victoria to compete in
the McDonald's Champion School of Victoria tournament for title winning schools
on 20 August at MSAC as the 2011 ACS champions, and being unbeaten in
2012, the St Leonard's College senior girls team was ready to play.
The girls played four games in a row. With an ankle injury, a couple of corkies
and random other scratches and bruises, all girls stepped up to share the game
time. With wins against Sandringham College and Wesley College and losses to
Box Hill Senior College and Siena College, the girls were third in our pool. This
qualified them for a play-off to reach the Elite 8. With a tight win 48 - 44 win over Maribyrnong College the St Leonard's
girls proved themselves to be in the eight best school basketball teams in Victoria. This was a great effort by the ten girls
who played.
Well done to Abbey Savage, Bronte Nikolic, Cassie Hill, Funda Nakkasoglu, Jade Smith-Love, Kate Taylor, Katja
Shulman, Rachael Fairhurst, Rianna Maloney and Tarryn Hurst. A number of the team members play representative
basketball for Sandringham Sabres, Bulleen, Chelsea, Frankston and Mackinnon. The mix of year 12 to year 10 girls is
one one the strengths of this team as the senior girls mentor the others. The team would like to thank Sebastien Giro, a
French language assistant in 2012, for his coaching, even if some of it was in an unintelligible French accent. Soleil! We
look forward to the third ACS grand final in a row on 29 August.
Barry Hill
Director of Cocurriculum

Community Sport
Community Sport Fitness Camp – Lorne
This will be a great opportunity for students to try some new sports like surfing, paddling, surf boat rowing and adventure
racing. We have chosen Lorne as our camp base, as we have access to a very safe beach with change rooms and warm
showers at the surf club and a wonderful training ground for a whole host of sports. This camp will fill up this week so if
you are interested in coming, please go to the link: http://www.trybooking.com.au/31767 no later than Monday 27 August.
St Leonard’s in conjunction with Triathlon Victoria are offering a Triathlon Development Camp at Camp Ibis. For more
information go to: http://regonline.activeglobal.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1131997
Community Sport Timetable for Students:
MONDAY 7.30 - 8.10am Gym training with Joss
Lunchtime Year 5/6 Kayak Training in the Pool
Gym Open for Students
3.30 - 4.30pm Run Training with Nick Bowden
TUESDAY
6.45 - 7.45am Run Training. Meet at HSC
7.30 - 8.10am Gym training with Joss
WEDNESDAY 7.30 - 8.10am Student Yoga
Lunchtime Gym Open for Student Use
3.45 - 4.45pm Triathlon Squad - Cycle Training
3.45 - 5.30pm Afterschool Beginner Kayak Training – Hampton Beach (Mark 0418 514430)
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
6.45 - 7.45am Run Training. Meet at HSC
7.30 - 8.15am Sports Aerobics (Aerobics Room HSC)
Lunchtime Intermediate – Advanced Kayak Training
5.00 - 6.00pm YOGA
7.30 - 8.15am Gym Training with Joss
Lunchtime
Jazz Dance classes in the Aerobics Room HSC
Gym Open for Student Use
3.45 - 5.30pm Intermediate-Advanced Kayak Training – Hampton Beach (Mark 0418 514 430)
3.45 - 4.30pm Triathlon Squad – Swim Training
SATURDAY 8.00 - 9.00pm Triathlon Squad – Cycling Training – Carnegie Velodrome (Tim 0408 531 031)
3.00 - 4.00pm Water Polo at the HSC
Community Sport Timetable for Parents:
MONDAY 6.30 - 7.30am Annie McGuire’s Fitness Class – combination of spin and other fitness activities
4.00 - 5.00pm Tavia’s Personal Training Class
TUESDAY
6.00 - 7.00am Adult Swim Squad starts 4 Sept. Please email me to register your interest
6.45 - 7.45am Running Club meets at HSC
5.30 - 8.00pm General Gym use or Super Circuits with Anthony Cejudo. Pool is open the same time
WEDNESDAY 8.10 - 9.00am Parent’s Yoga Class
4.30 - 5.30pm Tavia’s Personal Training Class
7.00 - 8.00pm Adult Swim Squad
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
6.00 - 7.00am Adult Swim Squad starts 4 Sept. Please email me to register your interest
6.45 - 7.45am Running Club
4.00 - 5.00pm Tavia’s Personal Training Class
5.00 - 6.00pm YOGA
5.30 - 8.00pm General Gym use or Super Circuits with Anthony Cejudo. Pool is open the same time
8.00 - 9.00am YOGA
8.00 - 3.00pm POOL open. Adult Swim Squad 9.30 - 10.30am
8.00 - 12.00pm General Gym use or Super Circuits with Anthony Cejudo in Gym
Results from Recent Interschool Events:
All Schools Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships
Dan Cherubino & Austin Stanley (Junior Boys), Jarrod Ekkel & Jack Slykhuis (Senior Boys), Bridget Howard & Annabelle
Erskine (junior Girls) - 1 st in pairs Vic MTB Orienteering Championships
Sam Slykhuis & Chris Martin (Junior), Jenny Allison & Ashley Rich (Junior) in pairs Vic MTB Orienteering Championships
Sophia Abbott & Eleanor Corden - 3 rd in pairs Vic MTB Orienteering Championships
Luke Buckthorpe - 4 th Junior Individual in Vic MTB " "
St Leonard’s - 3 rd overall school Vic MTB Orienteering Championships

ACS Cross Country Championships
Some outstanding results from our team. We came a very close 2 nd to St Michaels (only a couple of points in it). We also
came 2 nd in both the Boys and Girls divisions. Well done to everyone who took part.
Team Result Individual top placings for each age group
Year 7 Girls: Second Sophie Tegg 6 th , Phillipa Huse 7 th
Year 7 Boys: Third Liam Mcleod 6 th
Year 8 Girls: Fourth Olivia Schenk 9 th
Year 8 Boys: First Sean Flintoff 2 nd , Austin Stanley 4 th & Sam Slykhuis 5 th
Year 9 Girls: First Ash Rich 2 nd , Jenny Allinson, Bridgette Howard & Annabelle Erskine (equal 6 th , 6/7/8)
Year 9 Boys: Third Matt Bilger 8 th
Year 10 Girls: Third Georgia Hunter 11 th
Year 10 Boys: First Ben Fenlon 3 rd , Josh Furman 4 th , Jack Slykhuis 8 th
Year 11 Girls: Third Rebecca Davis 5 th
Year 11 Boys: Third Mark Flintoff 3 rd , Mitch Wildbore 5 th .
Year 12 Girls: First Esther Garroway-Mcmaster 2 nd , Celina Klonk 3 rd , Emily Davis 7 th
Year 12 Boys: Second Marcus Bade 3 rd , Chris Neale 5 th , Chris Manning 8 th
Mark Slykhuis
Head of Community Sport
Language News
Japanese Day celebrations
The Japanese department enjoyed the comical performance by Showko
the puppeteer at lunchtime on the Japanese day recently. Students filled
the TCW to see Showko bring her puppets to life, using a mixture of
Japanese and English. Her performance was very entertaining and gave
us all a great insight into the many cultural differences between
Australia and Japan. Students enjoyed the interactive performance and
were impressed with Showko's talent for ventriloquism.
Other activities were held in Japanese classrooms throughout the
College, including creating videos in the year 5/6 area with role plays and dress ups. We also ate sushi from the canteen
and particularly enjoyed watching the executive staff dress up in costumes to
represent a country of their choice at the school assembly on Tuesday. Students
were entertained with a short anime film about the journey a young Japanese
couple are about to undertake as newlyweds. All the Japanese staff including
Fraser sensei, Williams sensei, Wackett sensei and Guyton sensei also wore
traditional Japanese clothes to school. The year 10 Japanese class enjoyed
making their own onigiri, using a variety of fillings such as tuna, wasabi, carrot,
furikake, avocado and teriyaki chicken to create a taste unique to each rice ball.
We then decorated the classroom with Japanese lanterns we made from
beautiful origami paper.
A special thanks to all the staff and students who helped make the Japanese celebration such a success. We look
forward to another one in 2013.
Gillian Guyton
Japanese Coordinator
Musical Notes
House Music
Congratulations to all students and staff for this great event. Well done to Forster House as winners. A big thank you to
Mr Alan Scott as executive producer.
Melbourne Schools Bands Festival
Congratulations to the Concert Band for participating in this event. It is a great goal and the students performed at a very
high standard. I would like to thank all the students and staff, in particular Mrs Furman, conductor of this ensemble.
Millie

I have been so impressed with all students participating in this Middle School musical. Having so many students in the
orchestra has also been fantastic. Hopefully they have improved their performance and ensemble skills especially playing
with professional musicians.
Cornish Resource Centre News
The Reading Hour
You have heard of Earth Hour, now get ready for The Reading Hour. According to The
Reading Hour website http://www.thereadinghour.org.au/, sharing a book with your
child for 10 minutes a day, an hour a week is the aim for The Reading Hour on
Saturday 25 August. If you can manage 10 minutes most nights, your child will have
the best chance of becoming a good reader, with all the social and educational
benefits that reading brings. Most brain development happens between birth and three
years of age, so it is never too soon to develop the reading habit.
The Reading Hour is nominally 6pm to 7pm on 25 August, but events will be
happening all day. Visit your local library and bookstore to find out what activities are
taking place, or check the events calendar on the Reading Hour website.
We all love being read to, whatever our age, so turn off the TV, resist the urge to
tweet, update and post and find a comfy place to read together.
Barry Fletcher
Director of Music
Champions Read
Champions Read is the theme of Book Week for 2012. As part of our celebration of reading, teacher librarian, Jenni
Wilson, has made a blog called Reader’s Exchange where students can share their responses to books they have read
as part of their reading for this year. Students post details of their choice of book to receive “Gold Book of the Year
Award”. These awards will be given at each year level.
The Book Week committee has been making Olympic torches at lunchtimes. Students have been making medals and
badges and the movie ‘Cool Runnings” (about some unlikely champions) has been shown in the wide reading area. Staff
and students are being challenged to guess the identity of a member of staff based on 10 books on their bookshelf and a
personal item of theirs as a clue. The clues are very extremely witty and classics such as On the road, Zen and the art of
motorcycle maintenance, Anna Karenina, Cloudstreet and Winnie-the-Pooh have made the cut.
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Jan Wilson
Head of Library

St Leonard’s Parents’ Association

Community News and Events
Do you have a daughter aged between 5-10 years?
If yes, you are invited to take part in a study that explores how parents come to the decision about which sport
their daughter will participate in and what influences such decisions. We are interested to hear from parents
whose daughters play a club sport and from parents whose daughters are yet to play a club sport. The opportunity
is open to both mums and dads. Participation will entail a 15 minute interview to discuss your views on club sports
for girls. The interviews will be conducted over the phone at a time that is convenient to you. All information
collected from you during the interview will be confidential and anonymous.
If you would like to take part in this important study or if you would like to discuss participation in this study, please
contact:
The Project Manager
Angela Avgerinos
School of Psychology
Deakin University
t: 9244 6538 e: Angela.avgerinos@deakin.edu.au
Do you have a child with vision impairment?
You might like to join the Australian Childhood Vision Impairment Register
The Australian Childhood Vision Impairment Register is sponsored by the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind
Children, in partnership with families, teachers, health professionals and low vision agencies. The Register is the
first of its kind in Australia, and collects data on Australian children with vision impairment. This data is used to
improve services for children and by researchers who work in the area of eye disease and disorders of vision. It is
also used by people who plan services to support children and their families.
Families are invited to register their children. The age range is 0-18 years, with any eye condition diagnosed by an
eye doctor (ophthalmologist) that causes vision impairment in both eyes. Families can access our website to
begin the registration process at: www.vifamilynetwork.org.au
The criteria for being included on the Register are available on this website, and if families are unsure, they can
email (jill.watson@ridbc.org.au) or call the Register staff, who will help out (ph: 02 9872 0303). If families don’t
have access to the internet they can call Register staff who will mail materials to join (ph: 02 9872 0303).
This website also gives access to low vision events and useful resources. Registered families can join an online
parent forum where they can meet, chat, and share ideas and experiences with other families. If you have a child
with vision impairment we hope that you will consider joining this important Register.
Sue Silveira, Research Fellow
Renwick Centre, Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children
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