Out and About 

Drawn to AGWA

Our Year 9 Design students walked into our broader city campus to take part in the ‘Drawn Together Project’ at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. The project, created by Western Australian artist Kyle Hughes‑Odgers, features a 13‑metre‑long mural titled ‘Southern Summer’. Hughes‑Odgers is known for his geometric shapes, earthy colour palettes, and storytelling through simplified forms, and this mural reflects the warmth, movement, and atmosphere of a long WA summer. What makes the project truly unique is that the artwork is intentionally unfinished. The public are invited to step in as co‑creators, adding colour to bring the mural to life.

Our students embraced the opportunity with enthusiasm. Instead of simply viewing art, they became active participants, experimenting with colour theory, adding thoughtful details, and seeing how their individual choices contributed to a much larger collaborative artwork. The experience offered an opportunity for calm and focus in the busy city environment, as students engaged in slow, mindful mark‑making.

The activity also aligned beautifully with key areas of their Design project in which they are designing public murals, reinforcing concepts such as creativity, community, collaboration, communication, and the creative process. Students left with a deeper appreciation of how art and design evolve in stages, how colour influences meaning, how exhibition experiences are designed, and how their own contributions can shape a shared outcome.

Mrs Yvonne Wiese

Design Teacher

A Great Lesson at Remida

Taking advantage of a bonus double lesson on Thursday 5 March, the Year 11 Visual Art ATAR class took the Blue Cat to Remida, the Reggio Emilia-inspired education, arts and environmental recycling centre. 

On a specific hunt for materials for their semester one ‘Wearable Art’ project students enjoyed an afternoon immersed in artworks made by both students and local artists using the vast assemblage of materials available at the centre.

Remida materials extend the idea of useful resources, including discarded materials that are otherwise destined for landfills. Remida is a rapidly growing community who embrace sustainable practises in education and art originally inspired by the European Reggio Emilia philosophy of sustainability.

St George’s has been a member of the organisation since our beginning in 2015 and have not only been taught sustainable practices through the membership, we have also enjoyed being part of this complementary CBD arts education community.

Ms Carol Wohlnick 

Head of Visual Art & Design

Commonwealth Service with Governor General 

On Sunday, 15 March  36 St George’s students, across Years 7 to 12, volunteered to carry the international flags in the procession at St George’s Cathedral for the Commonwealth Multi-Faith Service that occurs each year. 

As well as looking resplendent in their blazers, participating students were able to experience a full evensong service alongside special guests including the Governor General who congratulated students afterwards for their support and exemplary community service. It was a lovely opportunity for our students to give back to the Cathedral where so many of our significant school events take place. 

Mrs Shannon Allen

Dean of School Operations

Novice debaters learn how to hustle

One skill that Novice debaters learn is how to hustle. Our victorious debate against Penrhos College provided me with a stunning demonstration of just how much this team can accomplish under the pressure of a looming deadline. This was most eloquently illustrated when one of our speakers, who shall go unnamed, post success, confessed that he had entirely lost his debate on Sunday evening. All that remained from the original text was the phrase “Hello, Ladies.” 

The topic for our first debate was “This House believes that the English Monarchy should be abolished.” Our first round was debated by Mason Shoobridge, Henry Bell and Maddy Stapley Oh. This represented a combination of experienced debaters, from last year’s team, as well as one entirely new debater. Special commendation is due to Henry Bell, who demonstrated a talent for presenting data, despite having sourced it only minutes before, as if it were compiled from a pool of lawyers working on the case in twelve-hour shifts.

Well done, Novices. You set a standard to live up to, but you also gave me a glimmer of the team that you may well become before the season is out.

The Mighty Ducks - Round Two, Novice Debating

This story follows the narrative line of the Nineties film Mighty Ducks in that it features a group of loveable, but outgunned, aspirants who overcome unbelievable odds.

Ten days out, I hastily sent my team the wrong motion, substituting Round One Week Two, with Round Two, Week One. In short, my team arrived, having prepared the wrong case. The options were not great: reschedule, forfeit or prepare an entire case in 15 minutes. We opted for option C - and I have never been prouder of any debating team. 

Aaron Jayakumar truly set the tone, despite this being his first debate.  Aaron showed swagger, and, in debating, swagger matters.  Both of his team members, Emmeline Tribbick and Evan Ruffles followed this lead, exploiting key flaws in the opposition’s case and, most significantly, standing their ground and never backing down. 

The adjudicator awarded the debate to our valiant and courageous team. We left our astounded competitors grappling with what they had witnessed.  Well done, Novices, this is the stuff of legends.

Mr Damien Kerrigan

Head of English and Languages

Macbeth - check the fine print

This week, Dr Demosthenous and I took some of our Year 10 students to the UWA Grads performance of Macbeth, providing them with the live experience of one of Shakespeare’s most compelling dramas. The outdoor setting of the New Fortune theatre was the ideal location to engage with Shakespeare on a hot night. We were even graced with the presence of one of UWAs peacocks, whose rapt attention made almost for a sideshow to the main act.  The minimalist setting of the Grads' performance effectively compelled the audience to pay closer attention to the language of the play. I personally find that, despite having seen the play many times, I always find something to ponder in the lines that had alluded me in the past.

Macbeth is an enduring and timeless text because it explores so many universal issues and questions. We can apply it to our own lives. As we make our way through life, we often find ourselves in the company of Macbeth-like people and even Macbeth-like couples. I would like to commend the Year 10s for the mature way they participated in the evening. 

Thanks is also due to the parents who supported our evening out, those who attended and those who were willing to come back at 10.15pm to collect their children. 

Mr Damien Kerrigan

Head of English and Languages

Service in Action

Service is ultimately an altruistic action. It is done for the ‘other’. It is conducted with the express hope that the true ‘end’ achieved was what was promised or ‘called for’ in the first place. While service can feel good for all parties involved (including beyond the action and on into the world), true service is sacrificial. It is one-way. And its action and purpose are often thankless.

Recently the Year 12 Belief & Values class participated in a service in action activity. Their job was to equip themselves with rubber gloves, pickers and large plastic bags, to collect rubbish in either Hay Street or Murray Street. They would then return to complete a written reflection.

Some Year 12 reflections: “Wow, I didn’t realise how dirty Perth streets were” and “While I kind of enjoyed cleaning up around our city, it made me realise how much more we need to do to address pollution in our environment” AND “This was really challenging work; but, it must be done so that we are the change we want to see” AND “I hope that picking up rubbish will prove that the world is worth caring for”.

Mr Ryan McBride

Beliefs & Values Teacher