St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Archives

Mayo Arts Festival Returns to Celebrate Creative Talent in Ascot

Photo Credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Facebook

The sprawling grounds of St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot will soon shift into a massive, living gallery as students prepare to host a biennial creative takeover of the campus.

A Festival of Local Flair

Every two years, the school grounds shed their academic routine to become an immersive hub for the arts. The event invites the wider Brisbane community to wander through a curated landscape where the air fills with the sounds of live orchestras, choral groups, and contemporary bands.

How often do you get the chance to witness an entire school’s creative soul laid bare in such an interactive way? From modern jazz dance routines to gripping dramatic monologues, the day serves as a lively, non-stop showcase of raw talent, proving that art is best experienced in person.

The Exhibition Space

Moving beyond the stage, the school’s main halls will transform into a formal gallery. Here, visitors can explore a diverse collection of student work, ranging from intricate sculptures and photography to experimental digital art. Rather than staying behind closed doors, these creative projects are displayed to bridge the gap between the school and the neighbourhood, grounding the event in a shared local experience.

Plan Your Visit

Mark your calendars for Saturday, 1 August 2026. The gates will be wide for visitors from 11:00 AM until 7:00 PM, with no cost for entry. If you are heading to Petrie Street, consider the popularity of the event; street parking often reaches capacity quickly, making public transport a much smarter bet for a stress-free arrival.

Keeping an eye on the official school website for the performance timetable will ensure you don’t miss your favourite act. Given the mix of indoor gallery spaces and outdoor performance zones, a quick check of the local Ascot forecast before leaving the house is highly recommended.

The name of the event—the Mayo Arts Festival—is a deliberate tribute to the Mayo family. Their historical influence remains deeply woven into the fabric of both the school’s land and the surrounding Ascot area. By hosting this festival, the school preserves a legacy that links yesterday’s local history with the creative expressions of the next generation.

Published Date 13-July-2026

Where Healing Meets Harmony: Maggie James Celebrated at Ascot for Transforming Hospital Care Through Music

Photo Credit: St Margaret's Old Girls' Network

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Old Girl Maggie James has been recognised by the school for a career shaped by music, clinical care and service to critically ill children at Queensland Children’s Hospital.

Ascot Past Student Honoured at Awards Dinner

Maggie James, nee Leung, from the Class of ’97, was named the 2026 Spirit of Service Past Student Award recipient at the school’s Past Student Awards Dinner in March.

The award was introduced in 2024 to recognise alumni whose work demonstrates servant leadership, contribution and service to others. James was honoured alongside Professor Catherine Greenhill from the class of 1987, who received the Distinguished Past Student Award, and Natalie Charlton from the class of 2012, who received the Young Past Student of Distinction Award.

The evening brought together Old Girls, current students and members of the St Margaret’s community. Music also formed part of the event, with performances by the Sculthorpe String Quartet and Year 7 student Minh, who performed a solo cello piece accompanied by Mr Ng.

For James, the award recognised a career that has taken music from the school environment into hospital rooms, where it forms part of care for children and families facing serious illness.

St Margaret’s awards dinner in Ascot — *Photo Credit:* *St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School*/Facebook

From St Margaret’s Music Rooms to Hospital Care

James is a Paediatric Music Therapist and Clinical Lead of the Music Therapy Department at Queensland Children’s Hospital. She has spent 23 years with Children’s Health Queensland.

Her work centres on children who are seriously unwell, including patients in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and some receiving palliative care. In that setting, music therapy is used to support pain management, rehabilitation, emotional expression and regulation of heart rate and breathing.

James’ pathway into the field began with a long-standing connection to music. She began playing piano at the age of two and later studied Music Therapy at The University of Queensland. Her interest developed into a specialised clinical career focused on how music can support sick children and their families during treatment and recovery.

Her work includes singing, music listening, songwriting, music-making and the use of instruments. Sessions are adapted to the needs and condition of each child.

In one example from her clinical work, James used percussion instruments and a rearranged children’s song as part of therapy for a toddler recovering from an acquired brain injury. The therapy supported movement goals for the child’s right arm and hand alongside physiotherapy.

Maggie James at Past Student Awards — *Photo Credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School*/Facebook

Music Therapy Work Beyond Brisbane

James’ work has also extended beyond Queensland Children’s Hospital.

Her specialisation in neurologic music therapy in paediatric intensive care has taken her into volunteer roles in critical-care orphanages in China, involvement with the Board of the Butterfly Children’s Hospice, and participation in the International Conference on Children’s Music Therapy in Norway.

She has also completed an MBA at The University of Queensland, extending her leadership work in the field. Her focus includes developing sustainable and equitable music therapy services for children and families.

St Margaret’s Connection Continues

The Ascot past student’s connection with St Margaret’s has continued through family and music.

James’ daughters began their own time at St Margaret’s this year. A collaboration has also begun between the school and Queensland Children’s Hospital, with the St Margaret’s Primary Choir and String Quartet set to perform for children and families in hospital care.

The recognition places James among the school’s past students whose careers have continued into service-focused work beyond the school gates.

Published 25-June-2026

From St Margaret’s to The Lion King: Ascot Graduate Lands Dream Role in Disney Musical

St Margaret's Anglican Girls School/Facebook

Akari Komoto, a graduate of St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, has landed the role of Music Associate on Disney’s Australian production of The Lion King, currently playing at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney.

It is the kind of career milestone that tends to feel both earned and surprising at once, but for those who watched Akari move through St Margaret’s music programme between 2017 and 2021, the trajectory makes complete sense. She arrived at school not particularly fond of musical theatre. She left bound for one of the most celebrated stage productions in the world.

A teacher’s suggestion that changed everything

Akari credits a pivotal conversation in her final year of school for setting her on the path to musical directing. Her music teacher, Mr Ng, suggested she look into the field, a career direction she had never previously considered. After researching it herself, she realised musical directing combined everything she loved about music into a viable profession.

Before that conversation, her school years had already been building something. Akari performed in three St Margaret’s school productions, and by her own account, the experience transformed her relationship with musical theatre entirely.

“The school musicals were life-changing experiences,” Akari said. “I didn’t really like musical theatre at first, but I had the chance to play in three school productions, and with each one, I felt my love for the art form grow more and more. In the end, I went from disliking musical theatre to wanting to live and breathe it, and that’s when I knew I wanted to pursue it as a career.”

From Ascot, Akari went on to study at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), graduating with a Bachelor of Music Honours in Composition and Sonic Arts, before landing her role on The Lion King.

Sitting in the pit at the Capitol Theatre

The Music Associate role places Akari directly inside the production’s musical operation, and her first show as Keyboard 1 in front of a live audience was an experience she has described in vivid terms.

“It’s such a surreal and overwhelming feeling being part of this show,” Akari said. “From the very first note of ‘Circle of Life’, you can feel the audience shift as they’re taken back to the film and their childhood.”

“A moment that made it feel real was playing my first show as Keyboard 1 in front of an audience. I don’t think I’ve been that nervous in a long time — my arms and legs were shaking during the first song but by halfway through Act 1 I started to relax and really felt present with the rest of the band and cast. That was the moment when it really hit me.”

The production she is now part of has reached more than 124 million people worldwide across its decades-long run. The Australian season brings the full scale of that production to the Capitol Theatre, with the visual artistry, costume design and live musicianship that have made it one of the most recognised stage shows in history.

The show’s themes land differently from inside the pit

Working on The Lion King has given Akari an unexpected personal resonance with the story she helps tell every night.

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“In the short time I’ve been working on the show, it has made me more aware and prouder of my Japanese heritage,” she said. “That idea of understanding who we are because of the people who came before us is such a powerful message that should be constantly retold, and it’s something that resonates with me. To be able to play even a small part in sharing that legacy story with so many people is incredibly special and something I’m so grateful to be a part of.”

That reflection extends to how she thinks about the arts more broadly, and about the role that school communities play in shaping what young people believe is possible.

“The arts is truly a unique and powerful community,” Akari said. “It’s provided me with a sense of purpose and direction. It also fosters empathy and understanding in a world that should strive more towards those qualities.”

Experience the production live

Disney’s The Lion King is currently in a strictly limited season at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney. The production runs approximately two hours and thirty minutes including a 20-minute interval and is recommended for ages six and up. Accessible performances including Auslan-interpreted, audio-described and relaxed sessions are available during August.

Tickets and session information are available here.

Published 25-June-2026

Champion Performances Continue for St Margaret’s Girls in Pool and Water Polo Arenas

Students at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot are marking a series of sporting achievements, including success at the Royal Life Saving Society Queensland Secondary School State Lifesaving Championships and Australian squad selection for Year 12 student Bless Daly.

Read: Music Journeys: How St Margaret’s Old Girls Are Inspiring the Next Generation

The achievements span both lifesaving and water polo, with students earning recognition at state and international levels.

Lifesaving Team Continues Championship Legacy

Photo credit: Facebook/St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School

A team of 42 St Margaret’s students travelled to Sunshine Coast Grammar School on 2 June to compete in the Royal Life Saving Society Queensland (RLSSQ) 2026 Secondary School State Lifesaving Championships.

The students retained the Sheena Dyason Shield for Champion School Female while also securing the Judith Beal Shield as the overall champion school. The result continues a long tradition of success for the school’s lifesaving program.

The pool lifesaving competition is run by the Royal Life Saving Society and includes a range of events for both individuals and teams. The school’s lifesaving program has enjoyed sustained success over many years, with St Margaret’s claiming the Sheena Dyason Shield for Champion School Female at the Queensland Secondary Schools Life Saving Championships for more than 20 years.

In its Facebook post, the school said the result reflected the students’ hard work and commitment and congratulated every student who competed.

Water Polo Star Earns National Selection

Photo credit: Facebook/St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School

Adding to the celebrations, Year 12 student Bless Daly has been selected in Australia’s 15-player squad for the 2026 World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup Finals, which will be held in Sydney next month.

The selection marks another milestone for Daly, who recently made her debut as an Aussie Stinger, representing Australia at the World Aquatics World Cup Division 1 competition in the Netherlands.

During the tournament, Daly was named player of the match. St Margaret’s congratulated Daly on her selection. Her inclusion in the Australian squad brings her a step closer to her long-term ambition of representing Australia at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Read: St Margaret’s Ascot Educator Named Among Australia’s Most Influential 2025

Sporting Success Across Multiple Disciplines

The recent achievements span two of the school’s sporting programs, lifesaving and water polo.

From its long-running success in lifesaving competition to Daly’s selection for an Australian representative team, the achievements mark a significant period for the school’s sporting programs.

The results add to a growing list of sporting achievements by St Margaret’s students during 2026.

Published 24-June-2026

Ascot School Alumna Xenia Puskarz Thomas Takes Her Voice To The World

Photo Credit: Xenia Puskarz Thomas

From school years in Ascot to performances across major opera and concert stages, Brisbane-born mezzo-soprano Xenia Puskarz Thomas is building an international career shaped by training, travel and a growing list of demanding roles.

Major Award Marks Latest Step In Opera Career

Xenia Puskarz Thomas has been named the 2026 Dame Heather Begg Memorial Award recipient, receiving AUD $25,000 to support the next stage of her artistic development.

The award comes as the Brisbane-born mezzo-soprano continues a career that now stretches across opera houses, festivals and concert platforms in Australia, Europe and North America.

Rather than standing as a single career highlight, the recognition sits within a wider story of current international work, New York-based freelance practice and years of training that began in Brisbane.

A Career Now Playing Across International Stages

Xenia is now based in New York and working as a freelance artist, with recent and upcoming engagements placing her in several major opera and concert settings.

Her recent work includes The Woman in Picture a Day Like This at Teatro di San Carlo, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with Calgary Opera, and mezzo-soprano soloist appearances in Michael Haydn’s Requiem in C minor with the Munich Philharmonic and Bach’s Mass in B minor with the Berlin Philharmonic.

She has also performed in Rossi’s Orfeo at the Adelaide Festival with Ensemble Pygmalion under Raphaël Pichon.

Her 2025/2026 season continues that international run, with appearances connected with Teatro San Carlo, Glyndebourne Festival, Adelaide Festival, Münchner Philharmoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker and Gewandhaus Orchester.

Upcoming performances include roles in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo at the Glyndebourne Festival, Mozart’s Lucio Silla at the Salzburg Festival, Mozart’s Zaïde for Opéra Comique, and Die Walküre at the 2027 Salzburg Easter Festival.

Ascot School Ties Behind A Wider Opera Path

Before the international schedule, Xenia’s story included school years at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot.

Her formal training continued at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University before she later studied at The Juilliard School. She was also a Melba Artist in 2019.

That training path was followed by time as a Young Artist at the Bayerische Staatsoper Opera Studio in Munich during the 2023–2024 seasons, adding another major step in her development as a performer.

The result is a career that now links Brisbane and Ascot school ties with professional work across several major opera centres.

A Legacy Linked To New Opera Careers

The Dame Heather Begg Memorial Award was established in 2013 and supports emerging opera singers from Australia or New Zealand as they continue their professional growth.

It honours Dame Heather Begg DNZM OBE, a New Zealand opera singer whose career extended across Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe and North America.

Dame Heather made her professional debut in 1954, later performed with J. C. Williamson’s Italian Opera Company, studied in London, appeared at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and became a principal mezzo-soprano with Sadler’s Wells Opera.

Her later career included performances with the Royal Opera, La Scala, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Australian Opera and other companies and festivals.

The award has previously supported twelve artists, including Samuel Dundas, Janet Szepei Todd, Amina Edris, Jeremy Kleeman, Emily Edmonds, Lauren Fagan, Nicholas Jones, Fleuranne Brockway, Filipe Manu, Nathan Bryon, Anna-Louise Cole and Madison Nonoa.

Administered by Melba Opera Trust on behalf of the trustees of Dame Heather Begg’s estate, the award continues to support opera artists during important stages of their professional development.

For Xenia Puskarz Thomas, the recognition places her Ascot school ties and Brisbane training within a broader career now moving through international opera and concert programs.

Published 3-June-2026

Music Journeys: How St Margaret’s Old Girls Are Inspiring the Next Generation

At St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, music has long been more than an extracurricular. For many students, the school’s rich and diverse program has provided the spark for lifelong careers in the performing arts. Three Old Girls – Meleia Richardson (’21), opera singer Nina Korbe (’15), and violinist Annabelle Traves (’14) – show just how far that spark can reach.

Read: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Australian Education Awards Finals (Again!)

For Meleia Richardson, music shaped every corner of her school life. From choirs and rock bands to lead roles in school musicals, she embraced every opportunity to perform. In her senior year she played Miss Honey in Matilda, a role that felt symbolic of the encouragement she had once received from older girls and was now passing on to younger students.

“I spent most of my spare time in the Sister Helen Orchestra Room and absolutely loved it,” she recalled. “I feel very lucky to have been part of a school that offered such a rich, diverse, and high-quality music program.”

Meleia Richardson (Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School)

After graduating, Meleia studied Contemporary Voice at the Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University, where she developed as a solo artist and songwriter, experimenting with recording and production as well as performance. In 2025, she returned to Classics in the Cathedral, a St Margaret’s tradition she always loved, before stepping into professional performance.

Now represented by an agent, she is working towards contracts as a vocalist on cruise ships and has also begun exploring the growing field of music therapy after her experiences in disability support.

While Meleia’s career is taking flight, two other St Margaret’s alumnae are already established names in the performing arts.

Old Girls — Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Facebook

Nina Korbe (née Wildman ’15) has become one of Brisbane’s rising opera stars. Recently listed among Style Magazine’s 30 Under 30, she is fresh from playing the lead role of Maria in Opera Australia’s West Side Story. Next year she will take to the stage at QPAC’s Glasshouse Theatre as Molly Johnson in The Drover’s Wife, marking another milestone in her fast-growing career.

Annabelle Traves (’14) has taken her violin to some of the world’s most celebrated concert stages. She has toured globally with André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra, performed alongside Bruce Springsteen, and earlier this year released her debut single. Also featured in Style’s 30 Under 30, Annabelle continues to balance large-scale international tours with her own creative projects.

Read: St Margaret’s Principal Named One of Queensland’s Most Influential Educators

Together, these three Old Girls represent the breadth of opportunity that begins at St Margaret’s: from opera and orchestral touring to contemporary performance and music therapy. Each has followed a different path, yet all share the same foundation – a school community that nurtured their talents, challenged them to grow, and inspired them to dream boldly.

Their stories now inspire the next generation of St Margaret’s students who, like them, are discovering their passions and imagining their futures in music and beyond.

Published 22-September-2025

St Margaret’s Ascot Educator Named Among Australia’s Most Influential 2025

Photo Credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Facebook

Kerry Daud, head of digital innovation and design at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot, has been named among Australia’s Most Influential Educators for 2025.

National Recognition for St Margaret’s Leader

The Educator magazine listed Daud among 50 professionals whose work has significantly influenced the Australian education sector in 2025. Supported by the Australian Boarding Schools Association, the recognition highlights those achieving measurable outcomes and sector-wide impact.

Role at St Margaret’s

Daud serves as Head of Faculty for digital innovation and design at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, where she leads technology integration, eLearning development, and digital literacy initiatives. She has also held leadership positions in curriculum design and literacy coaching in other Queensland schools.

Digital Hub for Students, Staff and Parents

At St Margaret’s, Daud established M@ggie’s Digital Hub, a platform for students, staff and parents featuring interactive lesson planning tools, AI prompt-writing support, video tutorials, wellbeing resources, and eSafety guidance. Within two days of launching, the hub’s AI section recorded more than 970 visits.

Photo Credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Facebook

Addressing Gender Gaps in Gaming

In 2022, Daud founded the Girls in Gaming program to provide an inclusive, girls-led esports environment. The initiative links gaming to skills in project management, music, game design, and art. Competitions are held on campus with supervised play, vetted games, healthy food, and movement breaks. Since launch, participation has grown by more than 1,500 per cent, with tournaments in 2024 involving over 190 students from 15 schools.

Sector-wide Collaboration

Beyond her work at St Margaret’s, Daud is co-founder and vice president of the Queensland Schools Network for Emerging Technologies (QLDSNET), supporting over 30 schools in technology adoption. In 2024, she helped organise the Education in AI Conference for Independent Schools Queensland and QLDSNET, focusing on AI ethics, assessment integrity, and policy in education.

Ongoing Contributions and Recognition

Daud is recognised as an Adobe Creative Educator Leader and is a research fellow with the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools Global Action Research Collaborative for 2025–2026.

Published 12-Aug-2025

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Honoured Across Multiple Categories at 2025 Australian Education Awards

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School has received national recognition across several major categories at the 2025 Australian Education Awards, with four Excellence Awards for its staff and programs, affirming the school’s strong leadership and commitment to excellence in day and boarding education.

Read: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Australian Education Awards Finals (Again!)

Among the individual honours, Ros Curtis AM, Principal of St Margaret’s, has been named one of eight Excellence Awardees in the School Principal of the Year – Non-government category.

Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Facebook

In 2024, Ms Curtis was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the King’s Birthday Honours List for her significant service to education and professional associations. Under her leadership, St Margaret’s has continued to thrive academically while fostering a strong, values-based culture for both students and staff.

Meanwhile, Angela Drysdale, Head of Primary, has been named one of eight Excellence Awardees in the Primary School Principal of the Year – Non-government category.

Known for her compassionate leadership, Ms Drysdale earned admiration during the COVID-19 pandemic when she organised a personal walkathon—passing students’ homes on her daily commute to raise funds for vaccine research. Her efforts became a symbol of the school’s community spirit and dedication to student wellbeing, even during the most challenging times.

In addition to these individual acknowledgements, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School is among the Excellence Awardee in two school-wide categories:

Boarding School of the Year, alongside six other leading schools, and
Primary School of the Year – Non-government, with seven other recognised institutions.

These acknowledgements highlight the school’s holistic approach to education, with a strong focus on academic performance, student care, and leadership in both primary and boarding education.

Now in its eighth year, the Australian Education Awards celebrate outstanding achievements across 29 categories. The final winners will be announced at a black-tie gala at the Star Event Centre in Sydney on Friday, 8 August.

Read: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot Unveils Ambitious Expansion Plans

With four Excellence Awards spanning key leadership and institutional categories, St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School continues to set the standard for high-quality education in Australia.

Published 14-May-2025

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School Excels in 2024 NAPLAN Rankings

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School in Ascot has once again distinguished itself in Queensland’s academic landscape, achieving notable rankings in the 2024 NAPLAN results.

Read: St Margaret’s Principal Named One of Queensland’s Most Influential Educators

As the only girls’ school to place in the top 10 for primary education, St Margaret’s secured 8th position in Queensland rankings with a Year 5 average score of 558.8. The school also performed strongly at the secondary level at the 2024 NAPLAN, ranking 14th with a Year 9 average of 624.8.

Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Google Maps

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls’ School is an independent day and boarding school for girls from Pre-Prep to Year 12, with boys also welcomed in Pre-Prep. The primary school encompasses Prep to Year 6, providing a foundational education grounded in literacy and numeracy.

2024 NAPLAN — Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Google Maps

Known for its commitment to academic excellence, the school attributes its success to a combination of specialized teaching, supportive programs, and a focus on holistic education. According to its website, “St Margaret’s students are supported to develop strong foundational literacy and numeracy skills, critical building blocks for their future learning.”

As the school prepares to celebrate 130 years of educating young women in 2025, it remains dedicated to its mission of delivering a well-rounded education that balances academic achievement with the development of leadership skills, compassion, and individual passions.

Achievements Beyond NAPLAN

While the school’s performance in the 2024 NAPLAN is commendable, St Margaret’s also emphasizes broader educational and extracurricular achievements.

Middle School Ethics Olympiad: Year 9 students excelled in the 2024 Middle School Ethics Olympiad, where they debated ethical issues such as AI in education and responsibilities of bystanders. The school’s Black Team secured a gold medal and will represent the school in the International Ethics Olympiad in 2025, while the Green Team placed 4th with an honourable mention.

Acknowledgement Assembly: Primary students were celebrated at the recent Acknowledgement Assembly, where achievements across academic, cultural, sporting, philanthropic, and leadership domains were recognized.

Commitment to Holistic Education

Photo credit: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School/Google Maps

St Margaret’s approach to education goes beyond standardized testing. With dedicated roles such as a Literacy Coordinator and Mathematics Specialist, the school ensures that students receive expert guidance in foundational areas.

This specialized instruction has contributed to the school’s consistent performance across all NAPLAN domains—Writing, Reading, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy—where its results are significantly above state averages.

“NAPLAN results are used both individually and collectively. Individually, they provide important insights to a child’s progress, strengths and areas requiring further development. Collectively, the results ensure we are meeting our commitment to developing strong foundational skills and are used to further inform curriculum programs and delivery throughout the school,” the school stated in its website.

The school acknowledges the role of its community in these achievements. “We commend the efforts and dedication of our students and the staff and parents who support them,” it shared in a statement.

Read: St Margaret’s in Ascot Declared Boarding School of the Year

Looking Ahead

As St Margaret’s approaches its 130th anniversary, it continues to uphold its reputation as a leading educational institution in Brisbane. With a blend of academic rigor, specialized support, and opportunities for students to thrive in diverse areas, the school remains committed to its vision of preparing students for future challenges while nurturing their passions and talents.

Published 9-December-2024

St Margaret’s Principal Named One of Queensland’s Most Influential Educators

Roslyn Curtis, principal at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot has been recognised as one of Queensland’s most influential teachers at the annual Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) TEACHX Awards. Among the 31 educators honoured this year, Ms Curtis stands out as the sole recipient from Ascot.

Read: St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Ascot Unveils Ambitious Expansion Plans

A Career Dedicated to Education

Ms Roslyn “Ros” Curtis AM’s journey in education spans decades and multiple prestigious institutions. Beginning her career as a History and Drama teacher, she has held various roles from classroom educator to senior leader across six schools.

Her path has taken her through Shailer Park State High, Moreton Bay College, Brisbane Girls Grammar School, St Hilda’s School, St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School, and finally to St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, where she was appointed Principal in 2011.

Transformative Leadership at St Margaret’s

In her nearly 14-year tenure as Principal of St Margaret’s, Ms Curtis has orchestrated a remarkable transformation. Under her guidance, the school has seen a staggering 78 percent increase in enrolments.

This impressive growth is attributed to her strategic focus on refining teaching methods, attracting top-tier staff, and fostering a strong sense of community cohesion. These efforts have not only bolstered the school’s reputation but also enabled significant investments in facilities and fundraising initiatives.

Ms Curtis’s impact extends far beyond enrollment numbers. Her leadership has garnered multiple accolades for both herself and the institution. St Margaret’s has earned four Five Star Employer of Choice Awards, highlighting its commitment to staff development and satisfaction. The school’s dedication to reconciliation was also recognised with the Queensland Reconciliation Award, celebrating its positive impact on First Nations students.

Personally, Ms Curtis has been honoured with a Most Influential Educator award, and in 2024, she was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her significant services to education and professional associations. This latest recognition at the TEACHX Awards further cements her status as a pivotal figure in Queensland’s educational landscape.

The TEACHX Awards: Celebrating Educational Excellence

The QCT TEACHX Awards, now in their 16th year, have recognised over 120 teachers for their exceptional contributions to education.

This year’s ceremony, to be held in Brisbane on Thursday 24 October on the eve of World Teachers’ Day in Queensland, will officially recognise the 31 educators whose accomplishments range from improving at-risk students’ attendance rates to implementing innovative digital lessons that pair robotics with dance moves.

Emeritus Professor Wendy Patton, QCT Board Chair, praised the award recipients, stating, “This year’s recipients continue a proud tradition of exemplifying the extraordinary work teachers do to improve their students’ education and inspire their colleagues.

“Their enthusiasm, innovation, and unwavering commitment to education have set a remarkable standard for excellence within our community.”

Read: St Margaret’s in Ascot Declared Boarding School of the Year

As Ms Curtis joins the ranks of Queensland’s most influential educators, her story serves as an inspiration to teachers across the state and a reminder of the profound impact dedicated educators can have on their students, schools, and communities.

Published 7-October-2024