Latest news

Curtains close on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 

Our College production of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory came to a close on Saturday 3 August after four marvellous performances at the Playhouse Theatre. 

Congratulations to the cast, crew and production team for bringing this beloved story to life with such imagination and heart. The dedication, maturity and exceptional talents of our students were evident throughout the rehearsals, evening shows and matinee, and their efforts to ensure everything was perfect definitely paid off. 

From the magical sets and vibrant costumes to the captivating performances and spectacular musical numbers, every moment was a treat, leaving students, staff, family and friends in the audience applauding and cheering with praise. 

A special congratulations to our Performing Arts department, in particular Secondary Teacher, Leah Wallace (Director) and Scott Weston (Music Director), whose leadership, commitment and expertise helped to elevate this production. 

Visit the photo gallery on the College website here for more images. 

50 days left of Year 12

The countdown is on for our Year 12 students, with the cohort recently celebrating their final 50 days at the College. 

The students marked the milestone on Tuesday 6 August with music, party decorations, photo opportunities and a celebratory cake, which they shared together in the Year 11/12 Common Room. 

In the spirit of their inner child, the Year 12s left their school uniforms at home in favour of costumes that depicted their younger selves, which created many opportunities for sharing and reliving special memories.

As the academic year progresses towards the finish line, it is wonderful to see the Year 12 students taking the time to reminisce, have fun and reflect on the incredible journey they have embarked on. Best wishes for the final stretch!

Sporting the green and gold 

The College was awash in a sea of green and gold on Friday 9 August as students and staff proudly donned our national colours in support of the Australian Olympic team. 

We have been in full Olympic spirit recently, and our Green and Gold Day was another chance for our students and staff to rally behind and celebrate our Australian Olympians, who have inspired and motivated us from afar. 

Gold and green accessories were worn across the College in exchange for a gold coin donation, with all proceeds supporting the Presentation work in the Philippines. Thank you to everyone for making such a great effort with showcasing your Aussie pride! 

Behind the scenes in Science

The Year 9/10 Forensic Science elective have been hard on the case, working on the science of fingerprints and the importance of analysing fingerprints at a crime scene. 

During a recent experiment, the students used various dusting materials, which they tested on different surfaces, to ascertain which fingerprint dusting materials were most effective.  

Meanwhile, in Year 7, Science students have been exploring different types of mixtures, and they have made some important discoveries relating to special mixtures called emulsions. 

Through a series of experiments, the students identified substances that can act as emulsifiers (chemical additives that help mix two substances that typically separate when they are combined (e.g., oil and water). 

Beyond the science lab, students have been discovering a new perspective on the world around them. On Friday 2 August, the Biology 2 classes, accompanied by Mrs Karen Walter and Mrs Jessica Palermo, travelled to the Marine Discovery Centre for an up-close and hands-on encounter with marine ecosystems. 

Giving them a glimpse into life as a marine scientist, students spent half the day on the boat, near Bruny Island, recording the water temperature, pH, salinity, turbidity and dissolved oxygen levels of the ocean. 

Back at the Marine Centre, students learned about the classification system of marine animals, their adaptations and what impacts there are to marine habitats in southern Tasmania (such as climate change and the impact of introduced species like the spiny sea urchin). 

Other highlights of the day included feeding the fish in the marine tank and looking closely at the species in the touch tank.

Year 10 | Spotlight on career experience 

We are delighted to report that more of our Senior School students have been benefitting from our career experience program through planned on-the-job placements. 

This program is an invaluable opportunity for students to learn about specific jobs that interest them, explore career pathways and gain skills and practical experience in various workplaces and sectors to help facilitate their transition from school to work.

Included below is just a snapshot of what this has looked like for some of our Year 10 students. We thank all businesses and workplaces for hosting our students during their placements.

Laine Debnam (Year 10) completed her work experience placement at Cambridge Primary School in a Year 1/2 class.

Abbie Graves (Year 10) spent three days working with the SMC Junior School PE department, learning the ropes from Health and Physical Education Teacher, Miss Kate Jordan. 

Grace Willis (Year 10) enjoyed a weeklong experience at The Hutchins School, working across the Dance and Drama departments. 

Jordy Whitehouse-summers (Year 10) travelled to Margate to undertake a one-week work placement at Margate Primary School. 

Kanasa Igarashi-Myers and Bella Carter (Year 10) completed a three-day familiarisation experience with the Australian Defence Force. The familiarisation days allow students to visit a number of Army units and Navy and Air Force headquarters in Hobart across Derwent and Angelsea Barracks. 

Zoe Dyson (Year 10) was introduced to the fascinating world of landscape design and construction during a three-day experience with Loci Landscapes. 

Year 10 UTAS city experience and TasTAFE visit

Recently, the Year 10 students had the opportunity to engage with two tertiary institutions: the University of Tasmania (UTAS) and TasTAFE. 

On Thursday 8 August, half of the Year 12 cohort spent the afternoon at the UTAS Hobart city campus where they were treated to a firsthand look at university life and campus facilities. The experience enabled the Year 10 students to gain insights into the social and cultural aspects of university life and interact with current university students and faculty members. 

Year 10 students were also fortunate to receive a visit from a TasTAFE representative (during their recent Pillars lesson), who spoke to the group about the many vocational pathways available to students post-Year12, including business, information technology, hairdressing, horticulture, hospitality, tourism, community services and design. 

Year 2 visits Richmond

On Wednesday 7 August, both Year 2 classes headed on excursion to Richmond, where they explored the historical village and spent time at St John's Catholic Church and the Old School House (which the Presentation Sisters used for 18 months upon arriving in Van Diemen's land in 1866). A great day out was had by all! 

100 days of Prep 

Prep recently celebrated 100 days of school – a major milestone in their learning journey. The students enjoyed dressing up as 100-year-olds and engaging in 100-themed activities, exploring the number 100 through arts and crafts, participating in STEM games and challenges, and tucking into fairy bread and cookies for morning tea.

The Preps have blossomed into independent, resilient and confident learners – here’s to the next 100 days of even more growth and discovery!

Kinder excursion to Bonorong

On Wednesday 31 July, the Kinder Wallabies and Platypuses embarked on a nature-filled excursion to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, where they had the opportunity to explore our community, learn about wildlife rehabilitation and conversation and meet some of Tasmania's diverse native wildlife.

Of course, a tour of the sanctuary wouldn't be complete without hand-feeding the animals, and the resident kangaroos were certainly in for a treat with plenty of little hands to nibble out of and receive pats from. 

What a magical experience for our Kinder Wallabies and Platypuses! 

Kinder gardeners unearth buried treasure 

Taking a break from the classroom recently, the Kinder Platypuses enjoyed an afternoon in the veggie patch with Mr Phil Shanny (Murphy's Café Manager), planting carrots and peas for their spring garden. 

The plants, which were kindly donated to the College by Harmony Garden Centre, were the perfect size for the Kinders to work with under the direction of Mr Shanny, who showed the group how to gently loosen the roots and soil for planting. 

As they dug in, creating a trench with their fingers – while also rooting around for weeds and earthworms, the Kinders stumbled across something small, round and hard in the dirt: potato gold! 

It wasn't long before their little pile of treasures grew and soon, their bucket was filled to the brim with potatoes to offload at Murphy's Café. 

The Kinders were also thrilled to discover that the broccoli, cauliflower and celery they planted earlier in the year were now in full bloom and ready for picking and eating. 

In fact, they were able to sample some of the fruits of their labour at today's Lantern Lunches, with a delicious pasta bolognese (packed with fresh veggies) and garlic bread on the menu.

It was especially lovely to share the experience with our friends in Kinder at St Virgil's College. Making the lunch even more special was the chance to dine outside on our new Murphy's Café deck. What a treat! 

We wish to thank the Murphy's Café staff for another satisfying meal, and the Year 4 students from St Virgil's College, together with our Year 4s, who helped out with serving the food and clearing the dishes. 

Our school kitchen garden program introduces students to the wonders of gardening, immersing them in nature, promoting healthy eating and giving them a chance to learn skills and knowledge in growing and producing food through experiential learning: growing food and life skills! 

Justice in action 

On Thursday 4 July, six Senior School students attended the Venture Workshop, hosted by the Justice Action Network, together with Guilford Young College and the Josephite Mission and History Centre.

The workshop was a unique opportunity for our students, equipping them with the skills, tools and competencies necessary to create meaningful impact through social enterprise. 

Students also received firsthand insights and guidance from senior Tasmanian public servants and leading Tasmanian social entrepreneurs from organisations, some of which included The Tasmanian Bike Collective, Loaves and Fishes, Hamlet Café and Catering, Blueline Laundry, Esther's Australia and Teros. 

During the workshop, students engaged in visioning exercises, collaborative project planning, panel Q&A, discussions and pitch delivery, all aimed at fostering their entrepreneurial spirit and social consciousness. Well done to all involved!