Latest news

National History Challenge: significant success! 

Students in both the Junior and Senior School have been working on their historical inquiry skills as part of the National History Challenge.

This year's topic was 'Significance: History Matters', which gave a wide scope for students to select a topic about an event or individual that they thought was significant. 

The following students who completed the competition should be very proud of their efforts to research and present their historical inquiries. 

Year 10: Kasota Clayton

Year 7: Clare Wanandy, Bella Carter

Year 6: Meg Brewer, Hayley Newsham-West, Sasha Bennett, Jasmine Williams, Abigail Creese, Imogen Croall

Year 5: Mia Brooks, Molly Verrier, Lucy Breen, Jorgia Eyles, Cara Watt

Year 4: Annabelle Hutchinson, Katie Yan, Emma Clark, Eliza McCullough, Olivia Atchison, Izzy Creese, Anneli Spaulding

Fallen coming to St Peter's Hall

Here's a sneak peek behind the scenes of our Theatre Performance 3 class' latest dress rehearsal for Fallen by Seanna van Helten.

The play is based on the extraordinary true story of a home for 'fallen' women established by the novelist Charles Dickens in mid-nineteenth century London. 

The Year 12 students will be taking on the roles of teenage and young women swept up from the streets and prisons of the day, in an audacious attempt to rehabilitate and then send them off to ‘begin life afresh’ as servants or wives in the Colonies. 

Please join us and show your support over two big nights of theatre:

When: Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 October, 7.00pm

Where: St Peter’s Hall (Corner of Brisbane and Harrington Streets)

Tickets: Entry is free—so first in, best dressed, as seats are limited.

Thinking outside the shoe box

In Term 3, Year 7 students looked at Andy Warhol and the Pop Art movement. In particular, we focused on Warhol's lesser known, yet still wonderful, series of shoe illustrations which featured in fashion magazine from the 1950s. 

We then considered some of the contemporary fashion shoes designs which ranged from the everyday to the not so wearable.

Armed with ideas, the students began to articulate a design of their own—the brief, to think outside the shoe box! 

The creations that transpired were amazing. From there, we then began the process of creating a papier-mâché shoe. This involved taking a shoe and creating a cast from masking tape.

When the casting process was complete, it was time to add layers of newspaper and butchers paper with glue. Students then began painting base layers and eventually, design elements. In just one term, students created a 2D and 3D design. Well done! 

Joanna Boyd

Senior School Teacher

Crazy socks all the rage

Hooray for socks! Fun, colourful and quirky socks stole the spotlight today at St Mary's College for our annual Crazy Sock Day celebrations. 

The day was a hit among Junior and Senior School students alike, with all donations from the event supporting Catholic Mission in raising awareness and funds for the Good Shepherd Sisters of Thailand, whose work helps children and mothers to flourish. 

Thank you to all families for supporting this very special cause. 

From little things big things grow... 

Green minds think alike and, here at St Mary's College, ours are all about making change. 

We were very excited to host our first-ever Sustainability Fair on Wednesday 16 September. 

Congratulations to Senior Teacher and Sustainability Officer, Jen Crowden, Murphy's Canteen Manager, Phil Shanny and the College’s Footprint and Green Teams on a wonderful event that demonstrated how we can leave lighter footprints in many ways.

There was something to appeal to everyone, from sweet, vegan and umu ground oven-roasted treats and unique plants and succulents, to beeswax wraps, baby chicks, a Telsa and garden tours. 

A huge thank you to all our students, staff, parent and community volunteers, as well as everyone who attended—you’re a wonderful contributor to our sustainability story and mission.

A special thank you to our guest stalls providers: Jonathon Brimfield and his mum, Sustomi, Harissa Hobart, BE Pure Honey Tasmania, Prickle Your Fancy and Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. 

Stay green and view more photos from the fair on the website gallery here.

Pop-up exhibition 

In Term 3, Year 9 students participated in a pop-up exhibition showcasing a selection of works completed in their Aboriginal Spirituality unit. 

As part of the 'My Connection to Land' assessment task, students identified and reflected on a natural place of significance to them. They then produced a creative visual response which showed their connection to this place. What an incredible display of artistic talent!  

Junior gardeners out in force

If you're passing by the College, make sure you stop and smell the flowers! 

With the recent installation of our new raised garden bed, the St Mary's College Maintenance team needed an extra hand with gardening duties this morning. 

Luckily, there was a group of keen gardeners right next door in the Junior School, ready to roll up their sleeves and get stuck into planting! 

The Prep to Year 2 students learnt about a variety of flower species and how to prep the soil for planting. A job well done by all involved! 

The garden bed will provide a welcome pop of colour to the Junior School and a place for students to sit and enjoy their lunch during the warmer weather months.

Preps visit SVC Austins Ferry

Our Prep students enjoyed a wonderful visit to the St Virgil's College Austins Ferry campus on Wednesday 22 September. 

Upon their arrival, the group was greeted by SVC teacher, Mrs Jenkins who was their guide for the day. 

Mrs Jenkins spoke to the Preps about the First Nations People and explained significant aspects about the land they stood on.

All children had a fantastic day out in the bush, and the sunshine and lovely Spring weather made it all the more enjoyable.

Many thanks to the parents and carers who gave up their day to come along.

Inquisitive students sweep up Science awards 

As reported in the previous edition of The Fountain newsletter (read the full article here), 30 of the most innovative Year 7-10 research investigations were entered into the UTAS Science and Engineering Investigation Awards Presentation Day in Term 3, with 70 students given the chance to present their research to a scientist. 

We are delighted to announce that 20 students won 11 prizes across the different categories—a fabulous result! 

This is an outstanding achievement, with the students been judged by a team of scientists from various disciplines.

 At the awards ceremony, all were congratulated on the standard of their report, the presentation of their board and their confidence in being able to articulate their ideas to a scientist.

The St Mary’s College student results are as follows:

Agricultural Science (Year 8 to 10)

Runner Up Award – Jessica Ransley (Year 9) and Isabelle Hoggett (Year 9)

Engineering (Year 9 to 10)

Runner Up Award – Emma Grubb (Year 9) and Madeleine Grubb (Year 9)

Environmental and Marine Science (Year 8 to 10)

Runner Up Award – Amelia Dickman (Year 8) and Lucinda Coutts (Year 8)

Health and Wellbeing (Year 7 and 8)

Honourable Mention – Matilda Wise (Year 7)

Runner Up Award – Madeleine Ambrose (Year 8)

Best project – Lillian Scott (Year 8)

Health and Wellbeing (Year 9 to 10)

Honourable Mention – Isla Lee (Year 9), Asha Lee (Year 9) and Jessica Skinner (Year 9)

Physical Science (Year 7 to 9)

Honourable Mention – Holly Ward (Year 9), Maya Armstrong (Year 9) and Isabella Mihal (Year 9)

Runner Up Award – Sofia Lumb (Year 8)

Physical Science (Year 10 to 12)

Honourable Mention – Kasota Clayton (Year 10) and Eve Tsolakidis (Year 11)

The reports from these investigations have also been entered in the Tasmanian Science Talent Search, an initiative of the Science Teachers Association of Tasmania. 

Staff Spirituality Day 

While St Mary's College students enjoyed an early start to their Term 3 holidays, staff attended their annual Staff Spirituality Day. 

This day allows all staff—from administration, to teachers, to maintenance staff and school leaders—the opportunity to gather together and reflect on what it means to work in Catholic school.  

This year we explored the theme of Compassion and, for part of the day, staff broke into groups and visited one of a variety of wonderful charitable organisations in our community.  

Some of the practical activities our staff participated in were making hampers at Foodbank, cooking soup for Loui’s Van, visiting the men’s shelter at Bethlehem House and observing the building work of Centacare Evolve Housing. 

Despite the rain, the day proved to be an enjoyable and inspiring way to end the term.

Sharon Lawler

Director of Identity and Mission

A special note of thanks!

The St Mary's Vinnies Conference wishes to thank the following sponsors for their generous support of the Vinnie's Quiz Night.