From the Principal

Dear Parents, Students, and Friends of St Virgil’s College, 

It has been an extraordinarily busy time of the term with a range of end-of-year functions that have focused on celebrating the gifts and talents of our young men. I am most grateful for the staff who coordinated these events and student and parent engagement which made these a memorable occasions for our College community. 

Speech Night 

Speech Night is our major annual celebration of achievement at St Virgil’s, covering the academic, religious, cultural and sporting domains of student life, also presenting our College Captains (Junior and Senior School), and showcasing a range of student musical talents. Thank you to all who attended, to all the staff who contributed to the organisation and running of the evening, and in particular Mr Daniel Lapolla for planning and coordinating a very successful event. The time and effort given to the evening is a sign of the importance we place on the achievements of our students. 

In particular, I congratulate the following major award winners for 2024: 

P.B. Murphy Award for Academic Excellence: Thomas Marr

Middle School All Round Sportsman Award: Trent Smith

CA Shirley Shield Memorial Award: Charles Lennon

Joshua Cooper Award: Ayaan Jafery

Danny Foster Award: Ryan Gunn

Vocational Educational & Training Excellence Award: Kydan Cartledge

Senior School Edmund Rice Award: Thomas Marr

Senior School Virgilian of the Year: Charles Lennon

Mark Waddington Memorial Award: Tyler Barrett

Year 12 Valedictory Dinner 

Year 12 Valedictory Dinner was an opportunity for each Year 12 student to be acknowledged in front of family, teachers and peers. Given that our young men have finished school for good and are getting on with life, and also that as Christmas approaches the busyness of life is increasing, the time taken by everybody that evening to acknowledge and celebrate them, was an important statement of the value we place on their achievement in finishing school. It is also an important recognition of an important transition in life, the movement from school into the wider world of opportunity and possibility. In finishing schooling to Year 12, these students have received much. And in turn, as graduates of an Edmund Rice school, much will be expected of them, and what they give back, will help shape them and their world into the future. I thank Mr. David Webster and Senior School Pastoral Care Teachers along with the Year 12 parents and students and supported by many staff for organizing this very significant event. 

Farewells

It is with a touch of sadness, that we farewell a number of staff, but we view them as our missionaries, taking our story to the world and who will make a significant contribution to the young across greater Hobart and mainland Australia. 

Zoe Scanlon has advised me of her intention to resign from her position as a Learning Support Officer at the Senior School. Zoe will be moving interstate and we wish her all the very best for the future. 

Mikayla Lack has been appointed to a teaching and leadership position at Immaculate Heart of Mary Primary School next year. Mikayla has been a wonderful teacher at our Junior School teaching predominately in Years 5 and 6 where she has guided our young men in their final years of Primary School. We trust that this new role will be both professionally and personally rewarding and we wish her all the very best as she takes on this important position. 

Michelle Moate concluded her time at the Junior School on Monday 9 December after more than 20 years of serving our College community. Michelle has been a consistent welcoming face at the Junior School and a wonderful servant of our College community. We wish Michelle all the very best in the future and I know that she will be greatly missed. 

Graeme Rainbow has been the College Archivist for 13 years and has been a strong advocate of our College community preparing the Old Virgilian newsletter, OVAtions each month. Graeme has a long-standing connection with St Virgil’s having attended the College as a boarder (1957-63) as well as a teacher at both Barrick Street and Austins Ferry (1971-1982). Graeme was appointed Chair of the St Virgil’s College Centenary History Committee (2010-2011) and subsequently took on the role of College Archivist in 2011. Graeme joined the Old Virgilian’s Association Committee in 2021 and has been secretary since 2022. Graeme retires at the end of this year after many years of service to our College community. His passion and commitment to our College community have been evident throughout his time at St Virgil’s and we wish him well when he retires at the end of this year.   

As this is the final edition of The Star for 2024, I take this opportunity to thank the parents/carers and the broader College community for the ongoing support of our young men. Have a blessed and happy Christmas, travel safely, enjoy good times with family and friends, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back at the start of the 2025 academic year.

Jon Franzin

PRINCIPAL