Latest news

Farewell to our Director of Junior School, Mrs Brigid Knight

At our Junior School assembly on Wednesday 27 November, we bid a fond farewell to our Director of Junior School, Mrs Brigid Knight, who has been a guiding light for our Junior School community over the past 15 years.

Mrs Knight will be stepping down from her role at the end of 2024. To show our gratitude and thank her for her service to the College, Mrs Knight was presented with a bouquet of flowers and special badges for Respect, Responsibility, Relationships and Resilience. 

Mrs Knight's farewell was marked with many bittersweet moments, including students serenading her with a song penned by Mrs Heferen-Faulkner, to the tune of Roar by Katy Perry, and heartfelt video tributes from our students.

Another highlight was an interview segment presented by our Year 6 leaders, where we heard about what inspires Mrs Knight, her leadership journey and her memories from her time working in the Junior School.

Although Mrs Knight is concluding her tenure as Director of Junior School, we are delighted that she will remain at the College in a different capacity. Her presence will continue to enrich our community, and we look forward to her ongoing contributions.

As we say goodbye (for now), we extend our deepest gratitude to Mrs Knight for her tireless efforts and inspirational leadership. On behalf of the College, we wish her well for her next chapter at SMC. It's not goodbye but see you later! 

Student artists in the spotlight

Last week at the Junior School assembly, we proudly presented certificates to four amazing students who drew the beautiful convent designs for our Junior School tea towels, pictured below. 

Well done to the following students for their outstanding creativity and hard work: 

• Olivia Tuttle (Prep)
• Prudence Snigg (Year 2)
• Harriet Ellston (Year 4) 
• Nina Canning (Year 6)

Year 5 camp – what an adventure! 

At the end of October, our Year 5 students set off on their annual camp at Port Arthur Historic Site and Richmond. 

From walking through the historic ruins to learning about Tasmania's past, it was an educational and unforgettable experience for everyone! 

Thank you to Year 5 students, Madeline Palermo and Emily Yan for providing the following report. 

On Monday 30 October, our journey began by hopping on the bus, unsure what would happen ahead. Our first stop was the Port Arthur Historic Site. Stepping back in time into history, we learnt so much with our wonderful tour guides. 

After an exciting trip to the historic site (where some students got to wear the chains and take amazing action shots), we hopped back onto the bus and drove to Blue Lagoon. When we hopped off the bus, we could see the excitement on everyone’s faces. 

After finding our cabins and unpacking our bags, we headed into the dining room and had dinner and watched the first half of a movie before it was bedtime.

The next day we did lots of activities. These activities were all about teamwork leadership and were very exciting and fun.   

The following morning, we went to Richmond and looked at the Richmond gaol (jail) and the Old Hobart Town Model Village. Both sites were so cool! We then had lunch near lots of ducks. I think they were a bit hungry because they were surrounding us. After we had lunch, we hopped back on to the bus to return to Hobart, and our amazing journey unfortunately came to an end. 

We would like to thank Mrs Knight, staff, students and parents for making this amazing trip possible. 

Madeline Palermo and Emily Yan (Year 5)

Year 12s' night of nights!

The Class of 2024 had their spectacular leavers' dinner on Friday 29 November – and what a magical evening it was! 

All eyes were on the Year 12s as they made their grand arrival at Glen Albyn Estate, looking stunning in their dresses and accompanied by proud parents, partners and loved ones.

The milestone event was filled with elegance, excitement, laughter and fun as the cohort celebrated the end of an era. And once the formalities concluded, everyone let their hair down and kicked up their heels on the dance floor, making it a night to remember. 

We are immensely proud of our wonderful Year 12 leavers, and we look forward to seeing them together, as a cohort, one last time at Prize Giving. 

Photo credit: Richard Minch. See the full gallery on our website here. 

It Takes a Spark | STEM Conference

On Friday 29 November, students from Years 4, 5 and 6 attended the 'It Takes a Spark STEM Conference' at Launceston Church Grammar.

The day was filled with engaging workshops and inspiring talks, including a presentation from Dr Meredith Castles, a university lecturer and researcher in Interaction Design Science. Dr Castles discussed the power of Citizen Science and Human-Computer Interaction in creating ethically focused and accessible technology to enhance people's lives.

Students from Year 6 shared how to track the movements of satellites with different satellite tracking apps and websites and shared the wonder of space with the Hubble telescope birthday pictures in their ‘Ad Astra’ stand in the expo. 

A live video chat with two schools in Japan was also conducted by our students in their ‘Moshi Moshi’ expo; communication through technology being the theme that connects us globally. Japanese students played Australian students in a battle of rock, paper, scissors – Japan winning overall!

Workshops featured Secret Lab games, which uniquely approach storytelling by blending traditional narratives with technology. 

Students learned to create engaging games by writing 'choose your own adventure' stories using the free, open-source tool Yarn Spinner. In a problem-solving session, students used their web browsers to craft multi-path, branching stories, providing a hands-on way to learn video game creation.

Arriving home after a long day, it was fair to say that everyone was looking forward to the weekend! We are very proud of the students amazing work and how they represented the school.

Catherine Midson 

Primary STEM Teacher 

Stepping up at SMC 

On Monday 25 November, we had the pleasure of welcoming more than 140 new students, alongside our current Prep to Year 6 students, to Step Up Day at St Mary’s College.

Step Up Day supports our students' transition to the next year level by allowing them to spend time in their new classrooms, meet their new teachers and connect with their peers.

For the Year 6 students moving into the Senior School, the day's program focused on making them feel comfortable in their new environment, ready to embrace the challenges and adventures ahead with confidence.

Our current and incoming students were introduced to their 2025 House Leaders and Pastoral Care teachers, created art, participated in a scavenger hunt and group challenges, and formed new friendships. Lunchtime was a blast with a sausage sizzle, icy poles, live music and more mingling on the College Green!

Good luck to all our students as they move up to the next year. We are excited to see you thrive in 2025!

Women of faith 

Year 8 Life and Faith classes have been learning about inspirational women of faith. To complement this unit of study, students recently engaged in an art activity to depict their chosen subject and, as you can see from the below images, they have put a lot of care, thought and effort into these beautiful illustrations. They were also challenged to incorporate an 'Australian' element in their drawings.

Pictured top-bottom: St Mary of the Cross Mackillop by Lucy Breen; Mary, the Mother of Jesus by Skye Lucas; Malala Yousafzai by Imogen Richardson; Nano Nagle by Avalon Johnson Harrington. 

Youth Speak Out 2024

On Thursday 21 November, Year 10 student Hal Cormack attended the Youth Speak Out event hosted by Reconciliation Tasmania. The annual competition encourages submissions of artworks, speeches and other forms of storytelling, all revolving around the Reconciliation Week focus for that year. 

This year’s focus, ‘Now More Than Ever’, inspired Hal to create an essay entitled ‘Beyond Division’. Presented as a speech, the piece focused on the necessity of change, making reconciliation a reality, and uplifting the voices of all. 

Hal represented the College wonderfully and spoke extremely well. Here is an excerpt from her speech:

'We must engage in meaningful dialogue, fostering an environment where First Nations people’s voices are not only heard, but amplified.

This requires us to listen to their stories, learn from their experiences, and understand their worldviews.

‘Cause for a country to function, every voice must matter, we all have different experiences and backgrounds – our politicians are clearly not serving the people.

Each of us has a role in this process.'

Caitlin Marr

Learning Support Officer (First Nations students)

Presentation Day

On Thursday 21 November, we gathered as a College to celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary with a beautiful Liturgy in the Nagle Centre.

This feast commemorates Mary's parents dedicating her to God at a young age, marking her devotion and trust, and preparing her for her unique role in salvation.

For us here at SMC, Presentation Day is a special occasion where we reflect on the lives and contributions of Mary, Nano Nagle and the Presentation Sisters.

We are privileged to celebrate the work of our very own Presentation Sisters, who embody Nano Nagle's spirit, and whose enduring commitment to making a difference in the world is inspired by the values of faith, service and community.

A taste of Chinese culinary traditions

Friday 29 November saw the Year 6 Huon Pine class participate in a Chinese lesson like no other – a hands-on cultural cooking experience that brought the art of dumpling making to life.

The students eagerly rolled up their sleeves to learn the delicate techniques of wrapping dumplings. With chicken and cabbage as the filling, their creativity shone as each dumpling took its unique shape.

Guided by their teacher, Ms Ruby Lan, the students experimented with two traditional cooking methods: steaming and boiling. The results? Delicious dumplings that were as satisfying to make as they were to eat.

And if that wasn’t enough to excite their taste buds, the class also indulged in crispy and golden spring rolls, adding another layer of delight to their culinary adventure.

By the end of the session, smiles and full bellies were everywhere. It was more than just a cooking lesson – it was a celebration of culture, teamwork and the joy of learning through food.

Ruby Lan 

Chinese Teacher

Deck the halls and wreath the doors!

Christmas is officially in the air, and our Pastoral Care groups are spreading festive cheer with handmade Christmas wreaths popping up around the Senior School. 

Featuring recycled decorations and natural materials, each design showcases the group's unique creativity and approach to sustainability – from traditional ornament-filled wreaths to more innovative creations. 

Winners will be announced on Friday, so stray tuned for the results of our wreath contest. Below are just a few of their merry masterpieces on display around the College.