Senior School News

Topical issues on the table | Legal Studies 3

Mrs Angela Deconinck's Legal Studies 3 class recently had the exciting opportunity to welcome Tasmania Police Senior Sergeant Adrian Leary as a guest speaker (pictured above). 

 

Senior Sergeant Leary shared his insights and expertise on the legal response to knife crime in Tasmania, focusing on the recently enacted 'Police Offences Amendment (Knives and Other Weapons) Bill 2025'. 

 

His visit gave our students a real-world look into policing and policymaking, plus a hands-on demo of the metal detector used to screen for knives. 

 

We're grateful for opportunities like this that help our students bridge the gap between classroom learning and the complexities of the world around them. 

SMC action figures: AI edition! 

Ever wondered what you’d look like miniaturised and made of plastic? 

 

As part of their unit on 'personas' and inspired by a global design trend sweeping the internet, our Year 9/10 Digital Art and Photography students reimagined themselves as AI-generated action figures, complete with custom box art, personalised accessories and serious collectible vibes.

Their work explores how identity can be expressed and transformed through technology. Along the way, they looked into the ethical dimensions of AI, like ownership, misinformation, job displacement and bias, and learned the importance of writing accurate prompts to guide AI in reflecting their unique traits and creative vision.

St Peter's Hall hosts Bell Shakespeare

"Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air."–Macbeth

This week, students in Years 9 and 10 gathered in St Peter's Hall to enjoy a captivating performance by the Australian theatre company, Bell Shakespeare. Presenting the timeless works of Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth, the performances brought the curriculum to life, offering valuable insights into Shakespeare's theme, language and characters. 

 

Belle Shakespeare's immersive approach ensured students were not just spectators, but active participants in the storytelling process, making for an engaging experience that enriched their learning. 

 

Selena Eaves

Learning Leader of English 

Impressions of the environment | Year 7 Art

As a related project to their collaborative SMC Architectural clay relief sculpture public artwork, Year 7 students created monoprints using leaf matter collected from the SMC environs and a special Gelli plates 

 

Students employed a variety of coloured paints and, through careful arrangement and layering techniques, produced diverse prints featuring stencil-like shapes and textured ghost images. Some of these prints were further enhanced with coloured pens. 

Enjoy a selection of their eye-catching work here. 

Powered up: Hydro Work Exposure Program

Year 10 students Cassia Mulholland and Madeline Donaghy are still buzzing after two STEM-sational days with the Hydro Tasmania Work Exposure Program!

 

From hands-on experience with tools to behind-the-scenes access at Cluny Power Station, they gained a real-world insight into the dynamic, and ever-evolving, field of energy careers. 

 

With women representing just 15 per cent of Tasmania's STEM workforce and fewer than 40 per cent of STEM university enrolments, programs like this are vital. They inspire young people – especially girls – to see just how exciting and rewarding a future in STEM can be.

 

Thank you to Hydro for hosting our students and providing them with such an enriching experience. The future is certainly bright!

Year 9 Pillars program

In Year 9 Pillars, students have been engaging with Hayley Chrichton, the Early Careers and Development Partner at Hydro Tasmania. 

In her first session, she introduced students to the various career pathways available at Hydro, including the Year 10–12 Work Exposure Program and the Graduate Program. 

 

In her upcoming session, Hayley will guide students through the process of building a resume and provide insights into what recruiters look for in potential candidates.

Year 12 Student Recommendation Program

Our Year 12 students recently participated in an information session about the Student Recommendation Program (SRP), which offers them the opportunity to receive an early offer to university. 

 

UTAS hosted a relaxed breakfast in the Year 11/12 Common Room, where they outlined the details of the program. They also shared how UTAS and SMC will collaborate to support every Year 12 student in preparing and submitting their SRP application.

 

Lucy Paske

Pathways and Course Advisor

Refugee Week Activity for Wellbeing Wednesday!

Today  Senior School students learnt more about Refugee Week through the story of Paddington Bear, An Immigrant's Tale. The much-loved children's classic touches on the experience of a refugee, as Paddington immigrated to London and had to discover a whole new place. 

 

Additionally, during Pastoral Care, students signed their names on puzzle pieces in connection with this week's theme, Diversity and Community, to signify how we bg together all the different people in our community. These will be shared as a display within the College.

 

Some students also coloured in sunflowers and wrote personal messages to our refugee students.