Latest News | Meriden: An Anglican School For Girls

Accolade for Meriden’s Music staff

3 April 2020

The Australian Music Examinations Board NSW has awarded Meriden’s Music Department a Certificate of Distinction for a top ten result in the category of Most Outstanding Accredited School across all grades and instruments. The prestigious accolade recognises the teaching excellence of the School’s Music Department staff, based on the number and performance of students from Meriden who undertook AMEB examinations in 2019. Ms Jodie Spooner-Ryan, Director of Music, said she is immensely proud of the Music Department staff who deliver a program that sees students gain fulfilment from music and perform to an exceptional standard. “Meriden

Meriden moves seamlessly to online learning

2 April 2020

Meriden has just wrapped up its second week of online learning, with feedback from parents and students indicating high levels of satisfaction with the new mode of teaching. In an historic week, Year 12 students sat HSC assessments at home, girls flexed their creative thinking skills in finding new ways to undertake practical subjects and the School continued its focus on pastoral care using innovative means to bridge the distance between home and school. Meriden girls are fortunate to have commenced online learning with existing experience using the School’s purpose-built online Learning Management System. The system hosts all the

Senior students connect with iconic designers

26 March 2020

Year 11 Design and Technology students have had the opportunity to speak directly to iconic Australian fashion designers Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson about the practicalities of working in a creative industry. The girls participated in a video conference with the industry greats as part of a seminar run by the Powerhouse Museum in lieu of an on-site excursion. Prior to the teleconference, the students workshopped questions they would most like to ask the designers and Patrice Aravanis and Jacaranda Zhu were selected as spokespeople for the class. “We were grateful for the opportunity to speak to such successful and

Meriden’s Cadets on home turf

26 March 2020

Last week, Meriden’s Cadets continued to keep their minds and bodies active with Cadets training, which took place on the School grounds. The session was run by Meriden’s senior Cadets with rank, who mentored the girls in a number of skills which included reviewing the correct procedure for storing, carrying and preparing ration packs and setting up hutchies. Twelve Cadets from Year 9 to Year 12, ably led by Warrant Officer Second Class, Genevieve McKeown, trained for an additional half hour for Drill Squad, in preparation for future ceremonies. Mrs Fiona Brennan, Cadets Coordinator, said the girls have

Vale Judith O’Connor

12 March 2020

It is with sadness that we inform the Meriden community of the passing of Mrs Judith O’Connor (née Lipman). In addition to being Meriden’s oldest Old Girl, Judith was a mother of two Meriden alumnae, a grandmother, a great grandmother and an entrepreneur; she passed away earlier this month at the age of 101. Judith was a trailblazer. In 1937, she filed the first ever sexual harassment case in Australian legal history after being kissed against her will by her employer. In doing so, she showed extraordinary courage at a time when women faced significant

Sarah to play for Australia at World Junior Tennis Competition

12 March 2020

Year 9 student, Sarah Rokusek, has been selected to represent Australia at the 2020 Asia/Oceania World Junior Tennis Competition. Sarah is currently ranked number two in the country in her age group and will attend the event on the Gold Coast from 22 to 27 March. Sarah will don green and gold for the first time to play in the Under 14s category against the best young tennis players from sixteen nations. National teams that finish in the top four spots in the qualifying event earn a place at the 2020 U14 World Championships, which will be held in the Czech Republic in August.

Open Morning postponed

6 March 2020

This morning, Dr Greenhalgh made the decision to postpone Open Morning, which was scheduled to take place next Tuesday, 10 March. Please see a message from Dr Greenhalgh below. I am sorry to have to tell you that the upcoming Open Morning has been cancelled. We had anticipated having hundreds of visitors to the School on this day, and the girls, staff and I were eagerly anticipating showing you our wonderful school. However, at Meriden, the health and well-being of our girls and school community always take priority, so I have decided to minimise the risk of their exposure to the

Zoe selected for National Water Polo Squad

27 February 2020

Year 9 student Zoe Thomas is one of the youngest to have qualified for the Australian Under 16 Girls Water Polo Squad. Athletes were selected from across the country in a highly-competitive process. Zoe said she is proud that all her hard work in the pool has paid off. “I train every day, often both in the morning and the afternoon,” she said. “I’m so happy to have been selected for the squad and I’m looking forward to playing in the upcoming competition.” Zoe will compete for New South Wales at the 2020 WPA National

Joanna on stage at TED-Ed in NYC

27 February 2020

“I couldn’t wait to stand inside that famous red circle!” said Joanna Li, bubbling with excitement about her recent trip to the TED-Ed Headquarters in New York City, where many TED Talks are filmed. The Year 10 student’s twenty-two hour journey to the USA began months ago, when a speech she produced as part of Meriden’s TED-Ed Club caught the eye of content curators at TED Headquarters. Joanna’s impassioned presentation about speciesism was selected as one of just a handful of ideas worth spreading that would be presented at a TED-Ed

Meriden Prefects commissioned at Cathedral

21 February 2020

This week, Meriden’s 2020 Senior School Prefects were commissioned at St Andrew’s Cathedral at the Annual Service for Anglican School Leaders. The service was led by the Archbishop of Sydney, Rev Dr Glenn Davies, who challenged the young people present to consider how they wished to lead their communities and what qualities make a good leader. Head Prefect, Genevieve McKeown, said Rev Dr Davies’ address reinforced the idea that Meriden’s senior students help model and perpetuate a culture of compassion, courage and integrity, which makes the School a unique and supportive environment. “Rev