From the Principal

Dear Parents/Carers, Students and Friends of St Virgil’s,

Catholic Education Week

Last week we celebrated Catholic Education Week, an opportunity to celebrate the strengths and achievements of the state's 38 Catholic schools of which St Virgil’s College is a part of. The theme this year was ‘Arise and go!' which calls us to follow in the footsteps of Mary as she was called to arise and go with haste into the world. So too are we at St Virgil’s called to arise and make a positive impact in the lives of others.

The Catholic Education Week Mass held at the St Mary's Cathedral was a beautiful celebration involving the St Virgil’s College Choir and Band with students across both the Senior and Junior campuses performing. I congratulate our young men on this wonderful performance and for sharing their gifts and talents with those in attendance. 

St Virgil’s College also hosted the Catholic Education Commission Tasmania Recognition Awards. We congratulate Mr Brent Scanlon who received a 25 year service award at this ceremony. We congratulate Mr Scanlon on his dedicated service to Catholic Education and for his work at St Virgil’s College over many years.  

I thank Mrs Kim Mooney - Assistant Principal, Religious Identity & Mission, Mr Jack Machin - Director of Music and Mrs Jill Norton - Junior School Music Teacher for their contribution to the Catholic Education Week Mass and for preparing our students for this significant performance.

Year 11 Subject Selection

Over the last couple of weeks, the College commenced the subject selection process for students entering Year 11 in 2024. Parents/carers will receive confirmation of these discussions and proposed subjects selected for 2024 via email.

Coincidently during this period, I received data from the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC) which revealed some concerning statistics about completion rates when students have historically left St Virgil’s to attend Colleges across greater Hobart.

Between 2016 and 2022 students who left St Virgil’s College at the end of Year 10 to complete Year 11 & 12 at various Colleges across Hobart, only 68% achieved the TCE, 41% achieved an ATAR and 16.6% attained a VET Certificate. The national average for Year 12 completion is 79.1% for males which is well above the state average of 51.9% for males in Tasmania (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority). As a state and education system we have some ground to capture in this area, but I have been heartened to see how well our current Year 11 students along with their teachers have responded to this challenge this year.     

The College has an ambitious goal of 100% TCE, ATAR or VET completion for those who choose any one of these certificates. This appears to be a realistic goal for students who have chosen in good faith to complete their education at St Virgil’s College in Year 11 & 12. As Principal I believe our young men deserve nothing less and with the expertise of our staff and our commitment to creating a supportive and conducive learning environment, I am confident that all students with the support of staff can achieve this goal.     

I thank Mrs Mary-Jane Anders – Head of Administration, Mr James Dalton – Careers Advisor and the Heads of House for their coordination of this process and the fruitful discussions that took place with students to assist in determining subject and career pathways. 

Subject Selection Evening for Students in Year 8 & 9

Year 8 and 9 students will also commence subject selections when families, students and staff gather in the JPC on Thursday 31 August at 6.00 pm. I encourage all to attend this important evening where the subject selection process will be discussed, career and university pathways explored and an opportunity for students and parents to engage with Heads of Department to learn more about subject offerings in Year 9 & 10 in 2024. I look forward to seeing you on the night.

Parent & Community Member Code of Conduct

The College Advisory Council met this week and ratified the Parent & Community Member Code of Conduct. You will recall that the code was referred to in both the Senior and Junior School Parent Handbook which were distributed to all families and the beginning of the year. The College has a wonderfully supportive parent community and this has been evident to me in my short time at the College. Unfortunately, from time to time the College may need to respond to circumstances when parents, volunteers or alumni do not adhere to our shared expectations. Having a policy to manage these circumstances when they arise is important. When parents and College expectations are aligned, we know that our young men are the beneficiaries of this engagement and sets the foundation for improved learning outcomes. I thank you in advance for your support with this matter and encourage you to familiarise yourself with this document which can be accessed using the link below.     

Best wishes for the week ahead.

Jon Franzin

PRINCIPAL