Magis report 

The International Debating Championships have commenced and will continue on Friday afternoons for the next  four weeks.  The Years 7 and 8 teams debated well but lost by a narrow margin to strong New South Wales teams from Knox College and Reddam, whilst our Year 9 team excelled with a fine victory over Riverview, another outstanding Jesuit College. Warmest thanks to Ms Daisy Farley who is assisting with the Year 8 IDC  team.

Ms Farley and Ms Morgan Ball are currently coaching the Years 7 and 9 Ethics Olympiad teams who are preparing for the full day event on Tuesday 9 November.  The teams have to prepare answers on eight ethical cases, four of which will be discussed and debated on the day.

The new House Academic Challenge, Ministry, commences this week and will involve competitors answering 30 questions taken from Ministry and religion, with a few related to school history. Results will be in next week’s newsletter, and will count towards House points for the 2022 House Championship.  Photos of  three of the winning 2021 Academic Challenge series homerooms are attached with this newsletter, with Koolyangarra the top Year 12 House, Koolyangarra Year 11 the top in senior school (Years10-12), and Campion Year 8 the highest point scorers of any homeroom. Three other top homerooms will be accoladed next week.

Sadly the Royal Commonwealth Society’s Public Speaking Competition due to be held next Friday has been cancelled by the organisation due to factors beyond their control. The students who have prepared will have an internal John XXIII Competition involving their prepared speeches, similar to the John XXIII Famelab.

Finally,  congratulations to Genevieve Ferguson-Allen who is our new Magis Captain for 2022. Genevieve is an outstanding academic performers, a superb public speaker and debater, and has made a splendid contribution to the program over the past four years.  Nominations for 2022 committee members from all years will open in week four. The Magis Chronicle for 2021, a 48 page glossy book with over 140 photos, will also be available in week four.

Jim Miller

Magis Gifted and Talented Program Coordinator