From the Principal

A Happy New Year to each of you as we look forward with much anticipation to immersing ourselves in the 2023 academic year at St Mary's College. 

Welcome back to staff and students, and a very special welcome to those students and staff joining the College community for the first time. We hope that your time at St Mary’s will be happy, challenging, productive and fulfilling. Our new staff for 2023 are listed below. 

As this edition of The Fountain is circulated, we are approaching the end of the second shortened week of Term 1. I have taken the opportunity to wander around the playground and classes, having a chat to many of our students, catching up on their holiday adventures and hopes for the coming year. I know staff have really enjoyed the 'buzz' and energy which our students bring with them as they return for this new year of challenges and achievements at St Mary’s. 

At our staff liturgy held during Week Zero, we reflected on the Presentation charism and the three touchstones which lie at the core of any community inspired by Nano Nagle: hospitality, simplicity and compassion. My prayer for our College community in 2023 is that we endeavour to go one pace beyond in striving for excellence in all our activities; the Presentation touchstones truly lie at the heart of all our pursuits. 

Commissioning of College Leaders 

This most important liturgical College celebration took place today (Wednesday 15 February) for the Senior School, and last Friday 10 February, for the Junior School. During today's ceremony, the Prefects, Mentors and Year 12 students were commissioned as College leaders for 2023. 

At the Junior School liturgy, our Junior School Leaders, Councillors and House Captains were commissioned into their new leadership roles, also pledging to represent St Mary's with pride, promising to lead by example and carry out their new responsibilities. 

A key quality of Christian leadership which resonates strongly with Presentation education is servant or service leadership, with its focus on the welfare of others, whether that be within the College community itself or in the wider community.  While everyone is called to exercise leadership in their daily lives, we are very proud of and congratulate all those who were commissioned into formal student leadership roles at St Mary’s College for 2023.

A great tradition at St Mary’s is the Belling In (which followed the Senior School Commissioning), where the whole school formally welcomes new College staff and new students from Kinder to Year 12.  It was a wonderful, joyful and fun event.  

Congratulations, Murphy's Café

Congratulations to Café Manager and Sustainability Officer, Phil Shanny for securing a grant from the 2022-2023 City of Hobart ‘Urban Sustainability Grant Program’. The grant funds will go towards our assisting the ‘Edible Explorable Garden’ activity.

Outstanding Achievement in VET Award 

Congratulations to Abby Wilson (class of 2022), who was awarded an Outstanding Achievement in Vocational Education and Training (VET) Award for 2022. The award recognises the work and commitment Abby undertook during her VET studies. 

On Monday 30 January I attended a ceremony held by the Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC) to recognise and congratulate the students' achievements. Well done, Abby!

Past and upcoming events

Senior School Big Splash

Congratulations to the HPE team for the wonderfully successful Senior School Big Splash, held on Tuesday 14 February—the weather was fantastic! 

Rowing Tasmanian Club Championships - Saturday 18 - Sunday 19 February

Rowing Schools Regatta - Saturday 25 - Sunday 26 February

Ash Wednesday - Wednesday 22 February 

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Lenten season in the Church's calendar, which culminates in Holy Week and Easter Sunday. We will mark Ash Wednesday at the College with liturgies for the Junior and Senior Schools. 

Welcome Families BBQ - Wednesday 1 March (5.00pm-7.00pm)

All are warmly invited to attend the Welcome Families BBQ, which will be hosted by the College with support from The Presentation Families. If you feel you can help with this event in any way, please contact the College's Community Relations team on communications@smc.tas.edu.au. We already have 200 people signed up to attend, but it would be great to see more. If you would like to come along, please follow this link to RSVP online. 

Expressions of Interest for Board Sub-Committees

St Mary's is seeking expressions of interest from members of our community to join the College Board's sub-committees. The St Mary's College Board is supported by the following sub-committees: 

• Building Master Plan 
• Charism and Spirituality 
• Education Development 
• Finance 
• Publicity and Promotion 

Workplace Health and Safety

We are seeking expressions of interest from parents and carers who would like to contribute their skills and talents in such a role for the benefit of the College. Further information will be available to those who register an initial expression of interest by contacting my Personal Assistant, Lisa O’Brien-Spaulding, either by phone 6108 2560 or email, lobrien@smc.tas.edu.au.  

Damian Messer

Principal