Round Hole. Square Peg.
February 16, 2022
It would seem that living in, and not on the edge of a pandemic is a square peg existence. We yearn for purist 2019 smooth round-hole living, and we can’t have it. We want to abandon masks, sit too close beside friends and loved ones, and we want to travel as we used to – anywhere, anytime, without restriction. We don’t want to use RATs or PCRs or be holed up in isolation for seven days.
It’s a little like parenting at times, isn’t it – we want to drive that square peg into the smooth round hole and wonder why there’s resistance. We want our children to be a reflection of the best of us, or the best of who we have dreamed them to be, and, instead, they are themselves. Beautifully themselves. Along with our young adult children, we often muse at the square peg attempts of my husband and me, to create them into people other than themselves. There were ballet lessons for seven years and Speech and Drama lessons for at least as long, all this for a girl who wanted to surf, play every team sport on offer, and ride her push bike at top speed around a velodrome. And there were trumpet lessons for a boy who had the musicality of his mother, and tennis lessons when he would rather have been playing cricket or reading voraciously.
There is, of course, that subtle difference between encouraging our children to test out new limits and unashamed persistence at driving this uniquely shaped child into a different shape, someone’s else’s shape or a perfect shape we have imagined since before their birth. A poignantly penned text entitled ‘Welcome to Holland’ is the story of a mother, Perl Kingsley, whose child was born with unexpected complexities. She describes her pregnancy as akin to planning a trip to Italy but finding yourself in Holland when the baby arrives. Yet, she adds, at the end of the piece, her greatest wisdom - ‘But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to go to Italy, you will never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things about Holland.’
2022 looms a little like that for us all. We want school to be exactly the same. We want all the things that happen in a school year to be unchanged. Exactly as we have imagined them – for many this imagining has been for a lifetime. But things are not as they have always been – not for us at Fairholme, and not for any other child at any school in the world, it would seem. Things have shifted. Things are not as they always have been. They’re not. All the wishing in the world will not direct our flightpath that is unerringly destined for Holland, back to where we imagine we should be – in Italy.
And thus, we inhale, we pray for strength and perspective, and look for the great things that are held in the palm of 2022. Let us not spend this year mourning for what might have been or should have been, rather, let’s enjoy the special, very lovely things about the year ahead. Let’s stop forcing a square peg into a round hole.
Dr Linda Evans | Principal
REFERENCE
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We are delighted to introduce our Head Girls for 2026: Bronte Callachor (Head Girl), Miranda Mann (Head Boarder) and Alexandra Edwards (Head Day Girl). In announcing the new leaders, Mr Tom McCormick, Head of Senior School, spoke warmly about the unique contributions each girl will bring. ‘Our Head Girls each bring unique strengths and thoughtful character, and together I know they’ll form a leadership team that’s both balanced and compassionate,’ he said. ‘What makes this moment especially meaningful is how their individual journeys reflect the richness of our school community, with Bronte and Miranda joining us in Year 7 and Alexandra having been part of our story since Kindy. We look forward to the warmth, integrity, and spirit they’ll bring to leading our Seniors next year.’ The announcement was also a moment of reflection for outgoing 2025 Head Girl, Gracie Mack, who shared her pride in handing over the responsibility of leadership. ‘It has been an honour to serve our College in this role,” she said. “Leading alongside my peers has taught me so much about courage, kindness, and community. As I hand the baton to Bronte, Alexandra, and Miranda, I feel confident that they will continue to guide Fairholme with wisdom and heart, inspiring the girls around them.’ Each of the 2026 Head Girls expressed her excitement for the year ahead and the role they will play in shaping Fairholme’s community. Bronte is looking forward to building on the strong foundations of her cohort. ‘We have such an incredible group of girls,’ she said. ‘I’m really excited to work alongside them and to help strengthen the culture of positivity and inclusivity at Fairholme. I’d love to see even more connections formed across grades so everyone feels part of something special.’ Our Head Boarder Miranda shared her eagerness to contribute in a way that makes a lasting difference. ‘I’m looking forward to being a strong part of the Fairholme community and making my own impact while encouraging others to do the same,’ she said. ‘I want to help create an environment where everyone feels connected and valued.’ Alexandra, who has grown up at Fairholme since Kindy, expressed gratitude and a strong sense of purpose. ‘Fairholme has given me so much over the years, and I’m so excited to be able to give back,’ she said. ‘For me, leadership is about empowering others to try their best and believe in themselves.’ We congratulate Bronte, Alexandra, and Miranda and we look forward to seeing the legacy they will create in 2026.
This year’s Queensland Debating Union (QDU) Toowoomba Secondary Schools Competition saw Fairholme teams deliver an outstanding season of debating, showcasing sharp thinking, quick wit, and true Fairholme spirit. ‘We have such a wonderful culture of debating at Fairholme, with a great number of students keen to participate every year. The growth I observe in our debaters is extraordinary, from their confidence in speaking, to their exceptional teamwork and critical reasoning when preparing arguments on a wide range of contemporary issues’, says our Debating Co-ordinator, Mrs Kim Scudamore. A special congratulations goes to our Year 7.4 team, who claimed the Grand Final victory against Toowoomba Grammar School. They successfully argued the affirmative on the topic: ‘That we should actively encourage the use of Artificial Intelligence in classrooms.’ Their ability to build persuasive cases and respond confidently to rebuttals was a testament to their hard work and teamwork throughout the season. Our Year 8, Year 10 and Senior teams also impressed, each reaching their respective Grand Finals and finishing as runners-up after tightly contested debates. Their efforts reflected not only strong debating skills but also resilience and camaraderie in high-pressure settings. In total, 16 Fairholme teams competed this season, with 12 teams making it through to the finals. Congratulations to every debater who took part in this year’s competition. The future of debating at Fairholme is certainly in good hands. Fairholme Grand Final Debaters: Team 7.4 - Sophie Cussons, Suzana Yusaf, Abigail Walker, Norah Joseph and Bella Cherry Team 8.2 - Tanishka Chaudhary, Annabelle King, Claire Fischer and Elaine Mutsando Team 10.1 - Sophie Haller, Richa Vimal, Brooke Johnson, Caitlin Schultheiss, Isabella Kentish and Georgia Nicholls Team 12.1 - Ayesha Saleh, Rori Zimmerman, Chanudi Dissanayake and Mabel Galbraith
Year 8 student Ella Phillips has returned holme after an unforgettable tour of the United States, where she proudly represented Australia in the Babe Ruth Softball World Series as part of the Aussie Drop Bears team. Ella’s journey began in Dallas, Texas, before heading to Hot Springs, Arkansas, where she participated in a high-level training camp with local college softball coaches. The team also competed in warm-up matches to prepare for the main event in Florence, Alabama. Competing in the Under 14 division, Ella and her Australian team made it all the way to the double elimination final, narrowly missing out on the championship title by just one run in a nail-biting 8 - 9 loss. Despite the result, their second-place finish is a highlight achievement for Ella. Ella’s individual performance was nothing short of outstanding. During the closing ceremony, she was named in the Under 14 All World Series Team and the Under 14 All Defensive Team, a testament to her talent and consistency on the field. She also ranked in the top 10 for both batting and fielding statistics across the entire tournament. Reflecting on her journey, Ella shared that her softball career began humbly at home in Taroom encouraged by her mum and PE teachers to trial for the South West state team. That experience sparked a passion for the sport and she now plays for Dodgers Softball Club in Toowoomba. ‘I’ve been really lucky with the support I’ve had,’ Ella said. ‘The stats don’t say everything, but they’re the best I’ve ever had. I’m really proud of how I played in America.’ Boarding since Year 7, Ella has ambitions to study veterinary science but also has her sights set on a softball career. With aspirations to play in the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, Ella is already planning her next steps, including a trip to Japan in 2026 to further develop her skills.
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We are delighted to introduce our Head Girls for 2026: Bronte Callachor (Head Girl), Miranda Mann (Head Boarder) and Alexandra Edwards (Head Day Girl). In announcing the new leaders, Mr Tom McCormick, Head of Senior School, spoke warmly about the unique contributions each girl will bring. ‘Our Head Girls each bring unique strengths and thoughtful character, and together I know they’ll form a leadership team that’s both balanced and compassionate,’ he said. ‘What makes this moment especially meaningful is how their individual journeys reflect the richness of our school community, with Bronte and Miranda joining us in Year 7 and Alexandra having been part of our story since Kindy. We look forward to the warmth, integrity, and spirit they’ll bring to leading our Seniors next year.’ The announcement was also a moment of reflection for outgoing 2025 Head Girl, Gracie Mack, who shared her pride in handing over the responsibility of leadership. ‘It has been an honour to serve our College in this role,” she said. “Leading alongside my peers has taught me so much about courage, kindness, and community. As I hand the baton to Bronte, Alexandra, and Miranda, I feel confident that they will continue to guide Fairholme with wisdom and heart, inspiring the girls around them.’ Each of the 2026 Head Girls expressed her excitement for the year ahead and the role they will play in shaping Fairholme’s community. Bronte is looking forward to building on the strong foundations of her cohort. ‘We have such an incredible group of girls,’ she said. ‘I’m really excited to work alongside them and to help strengthen the culture of positivity and inclusivity at Fairholme. I’d love to see even more connections formed across grades so everyone feels part of something special.’ Our Head Boarder Miranda shared her eagerness to contribute in a way that makes a lasting difference. ‘I’m looking forward to being a strong part of the Fairholme community and making my own impact while encouraging others to do the same,’ she said. ‘I want to help create an environment where everyone feels connected and valued.’ Alexandra, who has grown up at Fairholme since Kindy, expressed gratitude and a strong sense of purpose. ‘Fairholme has given me so much over the years, and I’m so excited to be able to give back,’ she said. ‘For me, leadership is about empowering others to try their best and believe in themselves.’ We congratulate Bronte, Alexandra, and Miranda and we look forward to seeing the legacy they will create in 2026.
This year’s Queensland Debating Union (QDU) Toowoomba Secondary Schools Competition saw Fairholme teams deliver an outstanding season of debating, showcasing sharp thinking, quick wit, and true Fairholme spirit. ‘We have such a wonderful culture of debating at Fairholme, with a great number of students keen to participate every year. The growth I observe in our debaters is extraordinary, from their confidence in speaking, to their exceptional teamwork and critical reasoning when preparing arguments on a wide range of contemporary issues’, says our Debating Co-ordinator, Mrs Kim Scudamore. A special congratulations goes to our Year 7.4 team, who claimed the Grand Final victory against Toowoomba Grammar School. They successfully argued the affirmative on the topic: ‘That we should actively encourage the use of Artificial Intelligence in classrooms.’ Their ability to build persuasive cases and respond confidently to rebuttals was a testament to their hard work and teamwork throughout the season. Our Year 8, Year 10 and Senior teams also impressed, each reaching their respective Grand Finals and finishing as runners-up after tightly contested debates. Their efforts reflected not only strong debating skills but also resilience and camaraderie in high-pressure settings. In total, 16 Fairholme teams competed this season, with 12 teams making it through to the finals. Congratulations to every debater who took part in this year’s competition. The future of debating at Fairholme is certainly in good hands. Fairholme Grand Final Debaters: Team 7.4 - Sophie Cussons, Suzana Yusaf, Abigail Walker, Norah Joseph and Bella Cherry Team 8.2 - Tanishka Chaudhary, Annabelle King, Claire Fischer and Elaine Mutsando Team 10.1 - Sophie Haller, Richa Vimal, Brooke Johnson, Caitlin Schultheiss, Isabella Kentish and Georgia Nicholls Team 12.1 - Ayesha Saleh, Rori Zimmerman, Chanudi Dissanayake and Mabel Galbraith
Year 8 student Ella Phillips has returned holme after an unforgettable tour of the United States, where she proudly represented Australia in the Babe Ruth Softball World Series as part of the Aussie Drop Bears team. Ella’s journey began in Dallas, Texas, before heading to Hot Springs, Arkansas, where she participated in a high-level training camp with local college softball coaches. The team also competed in warm-up matches to prepare for the main event in Florence, Alabama. Competing in the Under 14 division, Ella and her Australian team made it all the way to the double elimination final, narrowly missing out on the championship title by just one run in a nail-biting 8 - 9 loss. Despite the result, their second-place finish is a highlight achievement for Ella. Ella’s individual performance was nothing short of outstanding. During the closing ceremony, she was named in the Under 14 All World Series Team and the Under 14 All Defensive Team, a testament to her talent and consistency on the field. She also ranked in the top 10 for both batting and fielding statistics across the entire tournament. Reflecting on her journey, Ella shared that her softball career began humbly at home in Taroom encouraged by her mum and PE teachers to trial for the South West state team. That experience sparked a passion for the sport and she now plays for Dodgers Softball Club in Toowoomba. ‘I’ve been really lucky with the support I’ve had,’ Ella said. ‘The stats don’t say everything, but they’re the best I’ve ever had. I’m really proud of how I played in America.’ Boarding since Year 7, Ella has ambitions to study veterinary science but also has her sights set on a softball career. With aspirations to play in the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, Ella is already planning her next steps, including a trip to Japan in 2026 to further develop her skills.
