From the Acting Director of Teaching and Learning K–12

Over the past few weeks, our school has been buzzing with energy, enthusiasm and a shared passion for learning. Students have embraced a wide range of opportunities to immerse themselves in meaningful learning experiences, collaborate with their peers and challenge themselves in new ways. It has been wonderful to see our classrooms and learning spaces filled with curiosity, creativity and engagement as students continue to grow both academically and personally. 

Term 3 Black Square Chess Interschool Tournament 

It has been fantastic to see chess continuing to grow in popularity among the students at St Mary's College. This term, we were once again able to enter two teams, one junior and one senior, in the Black Square Chess Interschool Tournament. Students from Years 4 to 9 represented the College with enthusiasm, resilience and determination. 

While we faced a strong field of competitors, all students enjoyed success and demonstrated increasing confidence with each game they played. We are especially proud of Sophie Joseph (Year 8), who received a medal as the highest-scoring girl outside of the top three placings, and Jessica Hu (Year 8), who achieved an outstanding second place overall in the tournament. 

A reminder to all students that Chess Club is held every Friday in the SRC from 3.15pm–4.15pm. New players are always welcome. Further information on cost and how to sign up can be found on the Black Square Chess website: https://blacksquarechess.com/  

MAT Maths Relay 

The MAT Maths Relay is an annual competition organised by the Mathematical Association of Tasmania, bringing together teams from schools across the state to compete in a series of timed mathematical problem-solving challenges. The event promotes collaboration, critical thinking, perseverance and strong mathematical reasoning skills. 

This year, St Mary's College proudly entered five teams from Years 6 to 12. Our students demonstrated outstanding perseverance, positive mindsets and teamwork throughout the competition, representing the College with pride and professionalism. Congratulations to the following students for their efforts and achievements: 

Year 6 Team – Suvaani Rajbhandari, Jessica Wong, Gabriella Di Martino, Sophie Cubit 

Year 7 Team – Aliyah Leszczynski, Ava Di Santo, Varvara Iusupova, Isy Blaschke 

Year 8 Team – Allegra Cole, Poppy Whelan, Nina Canning, Sophie Sutherland 

Year 9 Team – Emma Clark, Jennifer Wong, Abbey Fidanza, Jean Beerworth 

Year 11/12 Team – Rozalia Arnold, Sarah Thomas, Laila Schofield 

These events are a wonderful reminder that learning extends far beyond the classroom. Whether competing in chess tournaments, tackling challenging mathematical problems or working collaboratively as a team, our students continue to embrace opportunities to grow, challenge themselves and develop valuable skills for the future. 

We are incredibly proud of all students who have represented St Mary's College this term and look forward to celebrating many more achievements in the weeks ahead.