alma mater - st mary's college, hobart · st mary’s college alma mater december 2017 5...

1 ST MARY ’S COLLEGE ALMA MATER DECEMBER 2017

Alma MaterD E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 E D I T I O N

164 Harrington Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000

GPO Box 1476, Hobart, Tasmania 7001

T (03) 6108 2560 F (03) 6234 8073 E [email protected]

www.smc.tas.edu.au

Editor: Stefania Bostock. Articles and photos a combined effort from students, staff and parents. Cover image: Keeley,

Chloe, Saakshi and Spriha.

I had the pleasure of taking two South Australian educators on a tour of our College recently. One was a primary principal from the government sector and the other was an early learning specialist from the Steiner tradition. They couldn’t believe how big our College was!

They remarked on the diversity of the architecture, the clever use of an inner-city site, the joy of the new slide, the beauty and history of the convent building, and the complexity of having one site for people aged from four to 18-years. None of those things surprised me.

From the Principal

C O N T E N T SFrom the Principal 2-3

Deputy Principal 4

Identity and Mission 5

Director of Junior School 6

Prefect report 7

Community events 8-9

Term 3 and 4 snapshots 10-11

World Challenge: Cambodia 12

Innovations in STEM 13

Sport highlights 14

Hospitality: living out the values 15

Farewell Year 12s 16

Staff in focus 17

Alumni Presidents’ update 18

Anniversary celebrations 19-20


ST MARY ’S COLLEGE ALMA MATER DECEMBER 2017 3

The two crucial elements of St Mary’s College, its Catholicity and its education, are alive and well.

What was remarkable, however, was our two-hour dialogue on the visible evidence of education and our Catholicity as we explored every nook and cranny of our great school, at a time when there was not a student in the place.

As experienced educators of younger students, they noted the evident positive teaching strategies in the junior rooms, things like exit surveys, literacy charts and plans, numeracy ‘toys’ and dress-up racks. They rejoiced in the diversity of artworks and the creative work embedding fine-motor skills, planning, conceptualising and imagining. They kept saying over and over again that they could see how much the teachers loved their

work and invested in the children in their classes. Though not greatly experienced in secondary education, they remarked on the depth of learning evident in the science projects on display, the spaces for independent learning for older students in the Resource Centre, common rooms and corridor spaces (sometimes called ‘collaboradors’!). They were surprised by the sense of ownership many of the secondary rooms displayed. They were impressed by our specialist facilities for art, drama, PE, design, sewing and hospitality, and surprised by the diversity we were able to offer. They marvelled at the warmth of the staffroom and envied our new staff professional learning hub.

They admired the Catholic symbols throughout the College - crucifixes, statues of Mary, prayers on walls, prayer tables, icons, images of Nano Nagle and so on and so forth. They were taken with the beauty and simplicity of our Adrian Doyle Chapel and appreciative of the sacredness of the space. We talked about the hand carved holy water font sculpted by the artist who is creating our Nano sculpture for next year. We rang the bell (I did

feel a bit naughty!) as I explained the Angelus and recounted how we are one of the few schools that still observe this special reverence of Mary. They recognised the sense of spirituality of our reflection garden and the respect given to Aboriginal people. They noted an environmental emphasis in recycling bins, reminders to turn lights out, a compost bin and veggie garden. I forgot to tell them about the massive rainwater tanks under the Nagle Centre that store water to flush the toilets and our Catholic commitment to stewardship of the Earth. They did notice, however, the many references to social justice and fundraising around the place.

The two crucial elements of St Mary’s College, its Catholicity and its education, are alive and well and seemingly apparent to outside observers. I was extremely proud of our great College. There will be opportunities for tours next year as we celebrate our 150th birthday. If you avail yourself of one, I think you would feel as proud as me!

Helen SpencerPrincipal


S E N I O R S C H O O L

Making young voices heard

When I left my previous school I was given a set of heavy-duty earmuffs from a fellow colleague as a present. The gift was a cheeky dig because I

was going to an all-girls school, and each time I see him he asks how the earmuffs are going. Having never taught in an all-girls school and at St Mary’s College in particular, what my colleague does not understand is that most of the noise is ‘good noise’.

Good noise is the laugher in corridors that generates good humour and friendship. Good noise is the discussion that occurs in classes because of difference of opinion and respectful, even passionate, debate. Good noise is students working together in support of each other’s learning.

There has been a lot of good noise lately including cheering during assemblies when prizes have been awarded and the ringing of the bell on Leavers' Day. The best good noise I have heard lately was that made by our Year 12 students singing the Alma Mater together in the foyer of the Cathedral after their Graduation Mass. Never have they sung it with such gusto. Perhaps it was just the acoustics of the Cathedral, but I prefer to think that they understood the world was out there waiting for them and their good noise.

Jacqueline Conboy Deputy Principal

This page (top-bottom): Presenters from the ‘Body image – it’s not a taboo topic’ presentation. Year 12s promoting CanTeen’s Bandanna Day. Year 12 Graduation Mass.


Thanks for the journey I D E N T I T Y & M I S S I O N

This page: Matthew Williams and his family.

Page 2: The new 'Creation Story' stained glass windows in the College’s Adrian Doyle Chapel.

Page 3: Junior students in front of our Nano Nagle mural.

This is my last Alma Mater article, as I am moving to Melbourne in 2018 to take up

the position of Deputy Principal at St Peter’s College. My wife, who is the Head of Arts/Director of Music at St Virgil’s College, is going to be House Leader at Padua College. Two of my children, who attend St Mary’s College (Oliver in Year 2 and Gracie in Year 1), will be attending St Macartan’s Catholic Primary School in Mornington, while our third child, Esther, will be starting at a local kindergarten.

I mention the above not because I want penpals or St Mary’s College people to know where to send a birthday present, but to acknowledge the multi-layered connections and the strong, supportive friends we are leaving behind at the College. One of the reasons I became a teacher was this multi-layered aspect to schools, which I witnessed first-hand with both of my parents as teachers. I saw the deep roots they created at many levels in their school communities, being employers, leaders, parents, and parish and community group members. I believe it is important that people in a school community are connected to the school on a number of different levels. This connection to the 'whole school' story is especially vital given our increasingly disconnected society.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at St Mary’s College on many different levels, both in and out of the classroom; whether it was on the sidelines on a Saturday morning junior hockey match in winter, watching with pride as SMC girls and SVC boys worked together to produce brilliant musicals, being part of the Cathedral Parish as a reader or member of the sacramental team, or being involved

in many wider Tasmanian Catholic education events or initiatives. As a family, we hope we will experience similarly strong connections in our new school communities. My words of wisdom for students, staff and members of our community – get involved in as much as you can in school happenings, on as many different layers as possible.

One of the most enjoyable events I experienced at St Mary’s College was the Graduation Mass and ceremony, which was held on October 31 in St Mary’s Cathedral. The mass was celebrated by the Archbishop of Hobart, His Grace, Julian Porteous, and concelebrated by a number of our priests. An overriding theme that ran through the celebration was the quality of relationships that the students had built at the College, supported greatly by our Kindergarten to Year 12 structure. Head Prefect, Holly Andrée, spoke of her journey at St Mary’s College and the privilege of joining an alumni network that is fast approaching 150 years in 2018.

On the last day for our Year 12 students, respect for the cohort was shown by the whole College with more than 900 students and

staff creating the traditional guard of honour through the internal stairs that lead from the Nagle Centre near Barrack Street to the front gate on Harrington Street. All this is done to the calming sound of the St Mary’s Convent bell, with a ‘Belling-out’ for each of the Year 12 girls. What a journey.

Matthew WilliamsDirector of Identity and Mission


This page (clockwise top-bottom): Crazy Sock Day. Cosy for Compassion PJ Day. Collecting winter woollies through the Young Vinnies Cosy for Compassion Day. Crazy Sock Day.

J U N I O R S C H O O L

In the Principal’s address to the graduating class of 2017, Helen Spencer reminded the girls of the touchstones of the Presentation values with which their education has been imbued

throughout their time at St Mary’s.

These touchstones of simplicity, hospitality and compassion are introduced and nurtured within the Junior School years. From their induction into Kindergarten, our youngest students are immersed in an environment that endeavours to emulate the example set by Nano Nagle and the Presentation Sisters who brought their charism across the world from Ireland to Tasmania more than 150 years ago.

Simplicity is nurtured through our behavioural guidelines of Respect, Responsibility, Resilience and Relationship. Through explicit teaching of these simple expectations our students are taught to value the truly important things in life.

Hospitality is apparent from the welcoming ways of the St Mary’s College community in an ongoing way. Orientation morning teas, parent information evenings, P&F events, open days and Father’s Day breakfasts are just some of the many events whereby the school embraces its community through hospitality. This warmth of welcome extends to the expectations we have of our students, encouraging them to be welcoming and inclusive in their learning and their play.

Compassion is modelled by our teachers who have not forgotten what it is like to be young and to make mistakes. They recognise that every child is a unique and precious individual who deserves respect and understanding. Students are encouraged to be forgiving of themselves and of others, to be willing to see life through the perspective of ‘the other’ and be gentle in their interactions. Our programs and numerous charitable endeavours both educate and involve our community in compassion in action.

Brigid Knight Director of Junior School

Simplicit y, hospitalit y, compassion

As the end of 2017 draws closer, the Prefects have been working very hard

to ensure that all end-of-year festivities run smoothly and above all, that all Year 12s are having as much fun as possible before knuckling down for our all-important exams.

Our latest and most important event for the year was the running of the Screen on the Green on Friday 20 October. The event involved the showing of two movies: an early viewing of Moana in the Nagle Centre at 6.30pm, followed by Hidden Figures at 8.30pm on the College Green, where an outdoor projector was set up for a unique open air cinematic experience. Along with the movies, the Mountain Pepper Pizza food van came along to sell their product, as well as the school selling fairy floss, sausages, popcorn and drinks. The night was most definitely a success and the Prefects are very happy with how it all went. We would like to thank everyone who helped on the night, most importantly the St Mary’s College P&F who assisted with funding the event, as well as helping with fairy floss production and drink supply.

Following the Screen on the Green event, the Prefects also came together to support CanTeen

for National Bandanna Day on Wednesday 25 October. In addition to selling bandannas to help raise funds for 12 to 25-year-olds affected by cancer, the girls collected old bandannas in the weeks leading up to the event in the hope of creating a bandanna mural. Luckily, with the amazing contributions of both staff and students, the Prefects were able to sew together more than 30 bandannas which were hung above the sausage sizzle held at lunchtime that day. The Prefects are very proud of their creation and hope to begin a tradition as more bandannas are added to the piece by future Prefects in the years to come.

Overall, it has been a very exciting term to top off a great year. The

Prefect body is very grateful to both the teaching and student cohorts for all of their support this year and wish nothing but the best of luck to next year’s Prefects

Holly Andrée Head Prefect

P R E F E C T R E P O R TLeaving a legacy


This page (clockwise top-bottom): The Year 12 Leavers spruiking Bandanna Day. Lounging about at Screen on the Green. Recycling and raising awareness with a mural made of bandannas from previous CanTeen fundraisers. Junior students enjoying some snacks and a movie at Screen on the Green.

BODY IMAGE - IT’S NOT A TABOO TOPIC

The College was privileged to welcome Tasmania Recovery from Eating Disorders executive officer, Jo Cook, SMC alumna, Tessa Ogle and The Butterfly Foundation chief executive, Christine Morgan as guest speakers at our talk on ‘Body image – it’s not a taboo topic’.

Presented by the Year 12s, the event aimed to raise awareness and increase understanding of the complexity of eating disorders and mental illness, and to break down barriers to encourage, normalise and promote help-seeking behaviours.

The girls came up with the idea for the presentation at their Year 12 Retreat earlier in the year. In their own words: ‘We want to leave a legacy that will positively affect the future mental health and welfare of the girls at this and other Hobart schools.’

OFFICIAL BLESSING AND OPENING

Students, staff, parents and friends assembled at the College on Thursday 3 August for the official blessing and opening of our new-look Junior School, hospitality, drama and music facilities.

The $2.5 million project encompassed the refurbishment of St Peter’s Hall and the Betty Bow music area, the Prep classrooms, hospitality rooms and Year 3-4 classrooms, in addition to the construction of a brand new purpose-built Kindergarten learning and play space.

The St Mary’s Prep and Kindergarten facility is now known as the ‘St Columba’s Early Learning Centre’, a name that directly acknowledges the site of the original St Columba’s school on which the building stands today.

SOCIALISING AND SNAGS

We celebrated our dads, grandfathers and special male friends on Wednesday 30 August with a Father’s Day barbecue breakfast hosted by the Parents and Friends Association.

Volunteers braved the winter chill to fire up the barbie and start prepping at 6.30am, and by 7.30am we were ready to serve up our first lot of snags and egg and bacon rolls.

The morning was a special occasion for our guests, who were also able to enjoy a barista made coffee or hot chocolate and some precious time with their children before heading off to work.

Communit yE V E N T S



VISIT FROM SMC RHODES SCHOLAR

In August, St Mary’s College students received a visit from Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington, who graduated from SMC in 1987.

A St Mary’s Rhodes Scholar and published author, Marnie was appointed as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (academic) at The Australian National University, Canberra in November 2011, where she manages more than 300 staff.

Students enjoyed hearing of her time at the College in the ‘80s and found her achievements and fascinating research in philosophy, religion, education and history very inspiring.

VINNIES QUIZ NIGHT SUCCESS

A crowd of more than 80 gathered in the Mary Morgan Wing on Friday 15 August for an evening of head-scratching trivia questions, healthy competition and comradery.

The annual Vinnies Quiz Night is a highlight of the school’s social calendar. This year, the highly coveted winning title was swept away by the ‘Let’s Get Quizzical’ team after a close battle with the teacher’s table.

A collective effort of the SMC Young Vinnies group, along with teachers and staff, the event was an outstanding success, raising valuable funds for the most vulnerable in our community.

HEARTY FUNDRAISING EFFORT

Friday 4 August marked the official launch of our annual Jump Rope for Heart fundraising program, which encourages children to become more active through skipping, while raising money for research into cardiovascular disease.

In the Junior School, boys and girls were shown the ropes by National Jump Rope for Heart Field Officer, Mitchell Sandridge and tackled techniques ranging from the ‘criss-cross’ to the more challenging ‘double-Dutch’.

The program culminated on September 7 with a ‘Jump Off Day’ which provided the opportunity for children to celebrate and demonstrate their new-found skipping skills and health knowledge gained over the six-week campaign.

Thanks to the generosity of our parent community, this year the College raised more than $19,000 in funds – a phenomenal effort!

DAY FOR DANIEL

On September 4, Bruce and Denise Morcombe from the Daniel Morcombe Foundation accompanied the Australian Federal Police in delivering a child safety program to our Junior School.

The nation-wide program teaches young people about personal safety and awareness, including cyber safety and phone safety, by focusing on three key safety messages: Recognise, React and Report.

In a touching tribute to Daniel Morcombe, students and staff wore red – the foundation’s official colour for child safety.

This page: Father’s Day breakfast.

Opposite page (clockwise top-bottom): The blessing and opening of the St Columba’s Early Learning Centre. Father’s Day breakfast. Father’s Day breakfast. Jump Off Day for Jump Rope for Heart. SMC alumna, Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington with our senior students.

Term 3 and 4 SNAPSHOTS

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Captions – (top-bottom, left-right): Year 4 'Back to First Fleet' day. Junior School Footy Colours Day. Nagle 2 fairy floss fundraiser. Year 10 Outdoor Education trip to Mt Field National Park. Senior and Junior School students reading together. Year 5 Wax Museum. Andrew Wilkie MP visits the College. Students at Three Capes Track. Year 5 Wax Museum. Screen on the Green. Year 8s attend the Festival of Bright Ideas. Year 12s sporting their 2017 Leavers' hoodies. Book Week festivities in the Junior School. Senior students dress-up for Book Week. Ice cream on the College Green. Screen on the Green. Smiling faces in the playground. Book Week student diorama. Outdoor Education students taking in the view. 'Drop Everything and Read' in the Junior School. Having a ball at the Kindergarten Father's Games Afternoon. Book Week dress-ups. Book Week character parade. 'Drop Everything and Do Maths'. Year 10 Religious Education Eastern Traditions lunch. Prep students celebrating 100 days of school. 1st Grade Hockey winners, Claudia, Annabelle and Lucy proudly display the St Mary's College flag.

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During the last week of Term 3, and over the holidays, St Mary’s College students, together with teacher Karen Walter and students and staff from Ogilvie High School, travelled to Cambodia as part of a World Challenge experience. World Challenge offers expeditions in developing countries, where students have the chance to undertake a community project, do a bushwalk and enjoy recreational activities.

The group flew to Siem Riep, where they spent a few days acclimatising to the heat, visiting the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat, exploring local markets and bargaining for goods. They enjoyed trying local foods, practising their Khmer and viewing the diverse city from tuk-tuks.

The community project was at PTD Community School in the north east, near Battanbang, a large city approximately the size of Hobart. PTD is a not-for-profit organisation that empowers children and adults through education and training. The school, which teaches English to children who would not otherwise be able to afford education, also aims to be self-sufficient, operating its own vegetable garden, rice fields and also craft shop with clothes and crafts made by local artists. There are plans

for a restaurant, utilising food made by the local community.

The girls assisted with the harvesting of mushrooms for the local market and building a concrete pathway to stop the classrooms getting covered in mud during the monsoon season. Funds were raised in Hobart to buy a much-needed photocopier for the school. The girls spent some time teaching English to the students; they were surprised by the limited resources in the classroom, including a lack of stationery – and no electronic goods!

From Battanbang the students headed north-east to the remote Ratnakarri National Park, where they completed a five-day bushwalk in the jungle. We travelled up a river that borders with Laos and, under the direction of our guide, walked through remote, indigenous villages. Further into the National Park the communities became more sustainable, supporting themselves on rice, fish and fruits from the jungle. The walk passed through thick tropical rainforest, before descending into more populous rice paddies. Despite the intense heat and creepy-crawlies, the girls had many laughs. They are to be congratulated on the care they showed each other during a particularly hard mountain climb.

The final leg of the trip involved travelling south to the capital of Phnom Penh for some rest and relaxation before heading home. Highlights included a diversity of local street food (including frogs!), visiting the King’s Palace and endless market shopping for the girls. The smells, haggling, range of fresh fruit and vegetables, images of fresh fish, chickens and pigs were a constant eye opener to the way other cultures shop. We also visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields. Despite the incredible sadness we felt at these sites it was a harrowing history lesson and an in-depth insight into the reign of the Khmer Rogue.

The girls were a credit to the school and showed great courage and resilience. Not only was it a fantastic travel opportunity, but the students also gained lifetime teamwork and leadership skills as they were involved in planning accommodation, booking buses, making phone calls (interpreting Khmer!), navigating cities, managing the budget and co-ordinating recreational activities. The students had worked hard over the past 12-months to raise funds for their trip and were rewarded with a trip of their lifetime.

World ChallengeC A M B O D I A


This page (left-right): Year 10s with their science investigation project. STEM Inquiry Based Learning unit participants. Opposite page: (left-right): Volunteering at PTD Community School. World Challenge Cambodia 2017 team.

Students go full STEAM ahead

This year, six Year 10 students partnered with mentors from the CSIRO, UTAS and the Wicking Centre for Medical Research to work on extended science investigations.

The projects, which were conducted as part of a STEM (Science Technolgoy Engineering Mathematics) Inquiry Based Learning unit offered to Year 10 Science students at St Mary’s, involved more than 100 hours of research in areas ranging from astrophysics to microbial degradation.

With a focus on translating research into practice, the program helps stimulate an interest in STEM learning by engaging students in ‘real world’ activities beyond the classroom.

In a fantastic result for the girls, the projects all recieved CSIRO Gold CREST awards.

The students who participated are Eloise Deconinck, Saakshi Dhakal, Chloe Cooper, Alana Bellette, Spriha Paudel and Keeley Hine-Haycock.

Celebrating inquisitive minds

St Mary’s College scooped up six awards in the Research Investigation section of the 2017 Tasmanian Science Talent Search (TSTS).

Our Year 10 students recorded some big wins in the intermediate division, with Eloise Deconinck awarded first place, Saakshi Dhakal, Spriha Paudel and Keeley Hine-Haycock equal second, Chloe Cooper third and Alana Bellette receiving a merit award.

As a result of their success, the girls were invited to enter their projects in the BHP Billiton Science Awards.

In the junior secondary division, Olivia Graham, Lucy Wolfe and Bianca Hoggett (Year 8) took home a merit award for their joint entry.

Open to all Tasmanian students from Kindergarten to Year 12, the TSTS is organised by the Science Teachers Association of Tasmania and supported by the UTAS Faculty of Science Engineering and Technology.

Bright sparks rewarded for excellence

Eighty-five students represented the College at the UTAS Science and Engineering Awards, where they presented 45 projects and won a record-breaking 29 major prizes.

The winners were presented with their awards at a prize-giving ceremony held in the University’s chemistry lecture theatre, in front of a packed house of more than 200 students, parents and teachers.

Well done to all girls who participated in the competition. Their final results are a testimony to their hard work and determination, and cumulative of the College’s passionate and supportive Science department.

A special mention goes to Caitlin Marr, Mia McKay and Lilli Westmoreland (Year 7), Lucy Eade (Year 9), and Saakshi Dhakal (Year 10), who won first place in their respective age divisions.

Innovations IN STEM


Hockey Finals Congratulations to our 1st Grade hockey girls who successfully defended their SATIS title, winning their State Grand Final on September 26 against a competitive Marist Regional College (2-0).

The hard-fought victory came after the girls blitzed the field on August 1 to clinch a thrilling 7-1 Southern Grand Final win over Mount Carmel College at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre.

Netball and Basketball FinalsNetball again proved to be one of the most popular sports on the Term 3 roster. The College had three teams play-off in the Southern Grand Finals on August 14 and each was successful in their quest to win the tropy - a fantastic result. Well done to the Year 8 Division 1 team, and College 2nd and 1st Grade teams.

St Mary’s girls have also excelled on the basketball court this year, with the Year 3/4 Division 1 team pulling off a superstar win at the Regional Basketball Competition (South) in October.

In the Senior School, our Year 8 SSATIS basketball team won their Southern Grand Final in November against Mount Carmel College. The girls put in a strong effort to take out the game 44-24.

AthleticsSt Mary’s has had a fantastic year in athletics across the age groups. Our students enjoyed a very successful day at the SSATIS Carnival on September 13, with SMC claiming the Junior Girls Shield, Junior Girls Aggregate Shield and U13, U15 and U16 age group pennants.

On September 23, the team competed in the State Independent Athletics Carnival (SATIS). Despite the unfavourable weather conditions, St Mary’s shone on both the track and field to take home the U13 and U15 age group pennants. Adding to the victories on the day, we had a number of students finish as title-holders.

Sport highlights

Photos (clockwise left-right): The 1st Grade hockey team after their State Grand Final win. Jamie and Emma holding the winning shields and pennants. The Year 8 SSATIS basketball winners. The College 2nd Grade and 1st Grade netball champions.


This page (clockwise top-bottom): The Justice Action Network initiative, ‘Rally for Hope’. Visitors from our Yaizu, Japan sister school. The new indigenous art installation.

Hospitality living out the values

Connecting communities

We were fortunate to have a visiting indigenous artist, Reuben Oates, create an art installation with St Mary’s students this year.

The artwork is a contemporary dot painting that depicts the symbolism of the Hobart region with Mt Wellington/kunanyi as a silhouette. The nine platypi represent the nine nations of Tasmanian Aboriginal people, the handprints signify the students’ connectedness to the land and the circles portray sources of life associated with each element of the painting.

A descendant of Mannalargenna (the chief of the Ben Lomond tribe during Tasmania’s colonial period), Reuben uses colours of the rainbow to showcase the vibrancy and energy of living things.

The completed mural is on display on the College grounds for all students, staff and visitors to enjoy.

Deeds not words

The Justice Action Network invites students to work together to take action on issues that they are passionate about. The group seeks to create awareness and promote change at a local, national and global level.

Throughout the year, students have held individual presentations on contemporary issues such as buying ethically, the conditions of detention centres and body image, to name a few. After attending Amnesty’s ‘honk-a-thon’ for refugees, they devised their own way of promoting hospitality and welcome to refugees living in Hobart and Australia.

The group took it upon themselves to organise the ‘Rally for Hope’ at Parliament House in August. Together with Justice Action Network students from other schools, and ably led by teacher, Claire Raward, they braved the wet weather to rally to support the plight of refugees.

Welcoming new visitors

Term 3 marked the arrival of a number of new faces at the College. From July 26 to August 2, eight students from our Japanese sister city, Yaizu, were warmly welcomed into the homes of St Mary’s students as they set out to experience a week in Hobart with us.

Later in August, the College hosted nine girls from Fuzhou No. 18 Middle School in Fujian Province, China. The delegation included the Director of the Fuzhou Board of Education, 13 students and two teachers. The four visiting boys were hosted by The Hutchins School.

During their time with us, our international friends attended a Lord Mayoral welcome reception and afternoon tea at the Town Hall, joined students in the classroom and enjoyed various excursions, including trips to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, MONA, Richmond and Government House.

16 ST MARY ’S COLLEGE ALMA MATER 2017

Farewell YEAR 12

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Staff IN FOCUS

David Noble – Junior School TeacherWhat and when was your first teaching position?My first teaching position was at Leighland Christian School in 1995. I taught Year 8 maths and science, as well as physical education from Year 1 to Year 10. As an educator, what are you passionate about? I love seeing students move forward. I enjoy it when young people experience the satisfaction of achieving something. What out-of-school activities do you enjoy? I love spending time with my family. I really enjoy playing and coaching soccer in winter and touch football in summer. If I have any spare time, I also like to draw and paint.

ANITA WILSON

Anita Wilson – Office Administrator What in your career led you to working at SMC? I had been working as an administration officer in a small school for seven years. In 2016 I went on a family holiday and during that time I was contemplating looking for a new area to work in. After doing temp work in a variety of different fields, a job came up at SMC – and I realised I missed working in a school environment. What is it about education that you are passionate about? As a mum I want to give my children the best opportunities in life. Starting with a great education, I believe, is a good start to life experiences. An education that has a wide variety of subject selections gives children opportunities that broaden their minds to life choices. What out-of-school activities do you enjoy? The activities I enjoy outside of work are spending time with my family and friends, either sitting around a campfire, or just spending time chatting over a meal, or playing board games. I also enjoy interior design and restyling other people's homes.

LORISE CLARK

Lorise Clark – Senior School TeacherWhat and when was your first teaching position?My first teaching position was here at St Mary’s College teaching English, geography and religious education to students in Year 8, 9 and 10.As an educator, what are you passionate about? I am most passionate about students asking questions about what they are learning. I want them to be inquisitive and develop a sense of wonder that will continue outside of the classroom. What out-of-school activities do you enjoy? I enjoy spending time with my family. I love bushwalking, camping, gardening and, when I get the chance, I love to sew.

DAVID NOBLE

This page (clockwise left-right): Anita Wilson. Lorise Clark. David Noble.

Opposite page (top-bottom): Year 12s in their ‘under the sea’ themed costumes. Annabelle and Claudia. Graduation Mass. Leavers' Day celebrations. Olivia at the Belling-out. Alice, Nikola and Taylah at the Belling-out. Madeleine at the Belling-out. Lauren at the Graduation Mass. The ‘Originals’ cut the graduation cake. Mary and Eleanor at the Belling-out.


Dear Alumni, 2017 has been a year of many ups and downs for our committee. We have seen births, deaths and marriages. Through it all, we have stuck together and enjoyed many great social events. This included the tour of our old SMC, which has grown and developed into an inspiring institution.

Our wine tasting lunch at Puddleduck Vineyard was blessed with sunshine and ample frivolity. The traditional bus rides to and fro proved a great opportunity for singing our beloved Alma Mater. The high quality of our chorus shouldn’t be underestimated! New attendees were welcomed and wonderful prizes claimed in the raffle. The food and wine proved to be delectable.

The Alumni Committee added a new event to the 2017 calendar – the Champagne Tour of the College, hosted by the students. Participants gossiped and prattled non-stop, much to the consternation of the hosts. Fond memories of dormitories, totem tennis, the kitchen and St Peter’s Hall, woodwork and music rooms, and the many personalities who spent time there were relived. The committee thoroughly enjoy spending time with current students. All attendees were impressed by the facilities and look forward to visiting for the 150th anniversary celebrations in 2018.

The College Colours Cocktail Party was co-hosted by St Virgil’s College and St Michael’s Collegiate at Guilford Young College, Hobart. The event was intimate and an opportunity to reconnect with alumni from the Southern Independent Schools.

The Parents and Friends High Tea and the blessing and opening of the new Kindergarten were highlights for the Alumni Committee.

Our fundraiser for 2017 has been an SMC tea towel featuring famous places, words and names associated with the College. The slightly irreverent-come-respectable household item caused quite the following on social media. Given its popularity, a second edition featuring new names is a possibility! The tea towels are only available until the end of 2017. To make an order, please contact Alyssa Barrett at [email protected]

Prices are: $15 for one, $25 for two $30 for three.

Notable resignations from the Alumni Committee included Bernadette Large (nee Collins ’76) and Elizabeth McKay (nee Clark ’59). Both ladies shared their energy and wisdom with the committee. We thank them wholeheartedly for their contributions.

Memberships for SMC alumni make a great gift and they also support us. We continue with our membership drive, offering two for the price of one: $10 annual or $100 life. Membership gives you a vote at our AGM, renders you eligible for nomination to the committee and provides us with the resources to support current students at SMC. Email or check the Facebook page for more information.

We are always eager to hear from current students, parents, friends and alumni. Please email us, or write to us via the College, to let us know your latest news, request information or support, and always let us know if you move house, or change email address.

Facebook: St Mary’s College Alumni, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Email: [email protected]

Brigitte Gralak (Wootton) & Brigid Shea (Shea) both class of 1999

Co-Presidents

A L U M N I P R E S I D E N T S

This page (clockwise top–bottom): Champagne Tour of the College. Wine tasting lunch at Puddleduck Vineyard College Colours Cocktail Party at GYC.


Saturday 12 May 2O18

5.30pm Hotel Grand Chancellor, Federation Ballroom

Tickets: $89 a head, which includes three courses and musical entertainment. Tickets available via the St Mary’s College website:

www.smc.tas.edu.au

Dress: Semi-formal

Book a ticket and let us know who you would like to sit with (e.g. other alumni from your graduating year) or get together

a group of friends and book a whole table!

For more information contact: Kate – [email protected] – 0418 325 927

the

St Mary’s College150th Anniversary Gala Dinner

SaveDate

KEY DATES FOR 2O18

150th Anniversary Celebrations

Anniversary updates and events can be found on the College website: www.smc.tas.edu.au

Mass, 3.30pm, St Mary’s CathedralSATURDAY 12 MAY Historical walking tours of the College available prior to the Mass. Tour times will be available on the College website.

Anniversary Gala Dinner, 5.30pm, Hotel Grand ChancellorSATURDAY 12 MAY Tickets $89 a head (includes three courses and musical entertainment) available on the College website: www.smc.tas.edu.au. Book a ticket and let us know who you would like to sit with (e.g. other alumni from your graduating year) or get together a group of friends and book a whole table for a mini reunion! For more information, contact Kate: [email protected] or 0418 325 927.

Grand BazaarSATURDAY 21 OCTOBER Hosted by the Parents and Friends Association.

St Mary’s College Staff ReunionSATURDAY 3 FEBRUARYAll previous and current staff members of St Mary’s College are invited to attend the ultimate staff reunion, which will take place on the College grounds. See the College website for more details. RSVP to Wendy Forsyth: [email protected] or 6108 2560.

College Community Event, 10.30am to 2.30pm, St Mary’s CollegeSATURDAY 17 MARCH

Anyone and everyone who has a connection with the College is warmly invited to attend this celebration of all things St Mary’s. More information will become available on the website soon. Watch this space!

Cocktail Party, 6.00pm, Government House THURSDAY 10 MAY

By invitation.

alma mater - st mary's college, hobart · st mary’s college alma mater december 2017 5...

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