Alma Mater December 2022

Alma Mater

Editor: Stefania Bostock Design: Michaela Brighella Articles and photos are a combined effort from students, staff and alumni.

Cover image: This edition’s cover image features Millie, the St Mary's College school therapy dog with Year 4 students, Sophie Medhurst, Ruby Scott and Phoebe Watt.

164 Harrington Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000 (03) 6108 2560 stmarys@smc.tas.edu.au www.smc.tas.edu.au

Printed: December 2022

From the Principal

One of the privileges you have in life is the opportunity you are given to meet amazing people and experience their life journey. As a principal of a school this is amplified, as you get to know the story of so many different people and what makes them tick.

My experience this year at St Mary’s has only consolidated this view. Through my family connection to the College, I have been fortunate to be part of the rich history of St Mary’s for many years and have gained an understanding of just how privileged our students are to learn in an environment where they are encouraged and motivated to strive for their best.

Being new has allowed me to view our great College with fresh eyes and look at establishing, continuing and reviewing all that has come before. As educators, we strive each day to be our best in order to support our students to access the opportunities presented to them and map out their future journey.

Learning more about each person’s story has also allowed us to modify our engagement strategies that hopefully enhance the learning opportunities for each student. Through our Strategic Plan, the College was able to highlight the need to explore engagement in the classroom, and mid-year, we launched our Learning Engagement Framework. This framework has the student at the centre surrounded by our three core Presentation values: hospitality, simplicity and compassion. These, in a modern context, were distilled to Inspire, Learn and Grow which is the focus for all learning in the classroom, providing the opportunity for students to personalise their learning journey.

During the year we have continued to have dialogue with the Alumni Committee in relation to its future engagement with the College and how it would be great to engage in a more formal approach. The formal organisation of reunions and shared College and alumni events will be explored and provide an opportunity for both groups to engage together more actively.

We thank the St Mary’s College Alumni for their work, support, cooperation and contribution to the College.

Damian Messer Principal

Mental health at the forefront

This year, the Prefects were blessed to represent the incredible class of 2022 and the wider school community.

We began the year with recognition of the challenges and uncertainties brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no denying that the virus would lead to many days off school and, for some of us, weeks out of the classroom. Understanding the stress and anxiety that this could place on students, the Prefects urged the student body to make 2022 the year that they put wellbeing at the forefront of their minds.

In light of this, the Prefects, along with the rest of the Year 12 cohort, were very proud to have chosen SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY as our Year 12 charity for 2022. SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY is a Tasmanian-based charity that works to advocate for positive mental health and prevent suicide by normalising conversations about the issue and reducing the stigma surrounding it.

Our first major fundraiser for the year was the annual Year 12 Mother’s Day Breakfast, which was held on Friday 6 May. The morning saw Year 12 students exchanging many laughs and smiles with their mothers, with proceeds from the successful silent auction going towards our chosen charity.

Another significant fundraising day was Tuesday 21 June when all students from Kinder to Year 12 were encouraged to brave the cold and participate in the SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY Shorts Day by wearing their shorts to school and bringing along a gold coin donation to help spark mental health conversations in our community.

The Prefect body also planned, organised and implemented a range of additional events and initiatives for the College to enjoy over the course of the year. These included the House Week festivities, International Happiness Day, Book Week activities, the screening of the Commonwealth Games, the famous Nanovision, running clothing drives, coordinating Science Week and Maths Week, adding bins of sanitary items into bathrooms around the school, Relay for Life, conducting committee meetings, helping at the Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Breakfasts – and much more.

We Prefects are immensely grateful for both the staff and student cohorts for their support this year and wish next year’s Prefects the best of luck. We have full faith that you will continue to fulfil the legacy of our predecessors – you’ll be amazing.

Millie Lane Head Prefect

Class of 2022

Term 4 marked the formal end of schooling for our muchloved Year 12s, some of which have been with us for 13 years. On Tuesday 25 October, our entire Year 12 class of 2022 gathered to celebrate their graduation through the ritual of Mass, with their families, friends and teachers who have been with them every step of the way.

The Mass was followed by the graduation ceremony, which included an address from Head Prefect, Millie Lane and a reflection from Principal, Damian Messer, who spoke fondly of the Year 12s and the ways they have contributed to the fabric of the College.

Graduands were presented with their graduation candles and rings, and a keyring gifted by the St Mary’s Alumni, before our staff sang a special blessing to the students.

The week of festivities closed with a whole-school assembly and our traditional Belling Out, where students were applauded and farewelled for the final time.

To our Year 12 graduands, we are proud of you and wish you all the very best as you prepare to step into the next chapter of your lives. May you go forward into the future and fulfil your dreams.

As the year ends and you reflect on your time at St Mary’s College, can you pass on some things that have helped make your experience here a positive one?

“I encourage every student to get involved, no matter the area, opportunity or competition. St Mary’s has some amazing events that can create some of the most fun and memorable experiences. Don’t let peer pressure or fear of judgement stop you from participating. You, as students, are the ones to decide what your St Mary’s experience will be.” –Molly

Topham

“Join everything. When I was in Year 7, I joined most clubs and sports which have led to the best memories of my experience. I do not regret any lunchtime or afternoon I gave up to be in an activity because each one is a memory of a time I got to help someone other than myself. So be brave, get out there and join everything.” – Nicola Morgan “We are all capable of achieving whatever we put our minds to. Teachers and other staff always have been, and always will be, there to help us reach the stars. I am thankful for everyone who has made my journey in the Senior School memorable and some of the greatest years of my life. I will cherish them till the end of time. Once a St Mary’s girl, always a St Mary’s girl.” – Lilah Jatan

Learning Engagement Framework

A new chapter in our learning

In August this year, the College launched its new Learning Engagement Framework, which outlines an aspirational vision for St Mary’s College with students at its centre.

The purpose of this framework was to focus on engaging every student in their learning and to identify the knowledge, skills and dispositions required to ensure they are successful citizens in what is increasingly becoming a challenging and unpredictable future.

We identified attributes such as resilience, curiosity, imagination, critical thinking and the respect and care of others and the environment as central in enabling our students to navigate their futures – academically, socially, emotionally and ethically.

Our research was grounded in the work of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Future of Education and Skills 2030 Position Paper: The Future We Want.

The OECD paper challenged our approach to curriculum and how we provide equitable access and enrichment; it had us reconsider our pedagogy and the way we include students in decisions around how we transfer and measure knowledge and skills in the learning space.

It questioned the way we create effective learning spaces so that the focus is on the student and how they respond to their environment. It also highlighted the importance of including not only our families, but also our local community in providing opportunities not before considered.

Most significantly, we were reminded of how we rely on staff and student wellbeing, and our Presentation values, to support our way forward.

Under the banner of our Vision and Mission, the supporting OECD Education 2030 documents on Wellbeing, Attitude and Values, and Student Agency provided a rich and dynamic platform upon which to develop our three Elements of Engagement: Inspire, Learn and Grow. Our specific areas of focus and key teaching strategies are embedded in each of these elements.

We continue to work towards building and enriching our pillars of Wellbeing, Faith and Mission, and Access and Equity.

For more information about the Learning Engagement Framework, visit the College website here, www.smc.tas. edu.au/learning/learning-engagement-framework/

Bender Director of Learning and Innovation

Louise

“We aspire for our students to be savvy young women; to be articulate; to be problem solvers who think outside the square, who pursue excellence in their life aspirations and are comfortable with change.”

Spotlight on wellbeing: Positive Education

A positive education approach

Positive Education brings together the science of positive psychology with best-practice teaching and learning to encourage and support schools and individuals within their communities to flourish. St Mary’s College has embraced this approach, which teaches skills and knowledge to help promote student wellbeing within the context of living with gratitude, as our Deputy Principal, Caroline WilsonHaffenden, explains.

The increasing rate of anxiety and depression in young people is well documented. Research also informs us that the skills to increase resilience, positive emotion, engagement and meaning can be successfully taught to school children and achieve positive outcomes.

How have we endeavoured to make this a reality at St Mary's College?

This year, Positive Education was introduced across the College in the form of The Resilience Project. At the heart of the program are three pillars critical to the cultivation of positive emotions – Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness (GEM), with emotional literacy being a foundational skill to practise these strategies.

What did this look like in practice?

Through presentations, wellbeing journals and an extensive school curriculum delivered in Positive Education lessons, students focused on the positive aspects of their lives with a spirit of being grateful. Research shows that practising gratitude rewires our brains to overcome negativity bias and see the world for what we are thankful for. It is also shown to broaden thinking and increase physical health through improved sleep and attitude to exercise.

Students were encouraged to understand others, to feel and see what they do and to practice being kind and compassionate to one another. Research demonstrates that practising empathy, such as performing acts of kindness, taps into our brain’s ‘mirror neurons’; this helps us to build compassion and, in turn, our behaviour becomes more social and community based.

Being calm and present at any given moment, and understanding their own emotions to better manage them, was another key learning intention for our students. The benefits of mindfulness are widely recognised – there are thousands of studies linking mindfulness to reduced stress, reduced rumination, increased memory, increased cognitive function and physical health benefits through improved immunity.

During the year, students became very familiar with Martin Heppell, a member of The Resilience Project team. The former assistant principal and AFL player inspired students through his unique story and distinctive presentation style. To support the implementation of The Resilience Project, staff participated in professional learning to gain the tools needed to improve the mental health of our students.

The Resilience Education program was also extended to families of the College through the TRP@Home online portal, where parents and carers were provided with resources to support not only their child's mental health, but their mental health as well. Further to this, the College has subscribed to SchoolTV, an online resource designed to empower parents through the myriad of support material on a diverse range of topics in the form of apps, books, fact sheets, websites and videos.

As a community, it is critical that we do everything in our power to help our students improve their mental health, and that we find ways to equip them with the knowledge and tools to work their way through the challenges they face. Giving students, parents, carers and staff the language and practices of gratitude, empathy, mindfulness and emotional literacy so that they can flourish has been a priority this year. In doing so, our goal is for all students ‘to be happy, productive and resilient individuals who will fulfil their potential and who will contribute positively to their communities now and in their futures’ (St Mary’s College Learning Engagement Framework).

Caroline Wilson-Haffenden Deputy Principal

Spotlight on wellbeing: school therapy dog

Therapy dog boosting student and staff wellbeing…in leaps and bounds

Meet Millie, our December Alma Mater cover star and trainee therapy dog who is stealing hearts at St Mary’s College.

The one-year-old Old English Sheepdog was first introduced to delighted students in the Junior School when she commenced her training at the start of this year.

Her owner and handler, Heather Collet, says the cuddly canine – whose generous fluffy coat and ‘peek-a-boo’ hairstyle is hard to miss around the College – is already having a positive impact on students, who have embraced Millie during her regular classroom visits.

“The kids have really bonded well with Millie, and she’s developed a great rapport with students too,” says Heather, who works as an Administrative Assistant in the Junior School.

“I’m constantly being approached by students in the playground asking where Millie is and when she will next be visiting the College. They just adore her.”

Therapy dogs are becoming increasingly popular in schools and clinical settings, where they are being used to provide social and emotional support and therapeutic outcomes to those individuals they engage with, under the guidance and direction of their owner.

Heather says they can provide comfort, reduce stress and help children overcome their fears and self-regulate their emotions.

Research also suggests therapy dogs can directly improve student behaviour and class attendance.

“Children take great enjoyment from interacting with Millie,” Heather says. “She is such a calming influence and students find it particularly comforting stroking her long coat.

“If Millie senses that children are feeling stressed or worried, she will gently lean on them – she’s a bit like a giant weighted blanket!

“Sometimes children can get a little overexcited when they first see Millie, but they know that when she has her vest on, she’s in work mode, and they need to ask for permission to pat her.”

Millie’s ability to lessen some of the symptoms of anxiety in children, such as a quickened heart rate or breathing, has seen her accompany our College Counsellors and Wellbeing team to work one-on-one with specific Junior School students facing challenges.

“She can provide a sense of connection in difficult social situations, which is really important for those students experiencing intense emotions,” Heather explains.

“The smile on one student’s face after spending a few hours with Millie was really special.”

Millie also has a presence in the Senior School, where she is boosting student confidence and participation in learning activities.

“She recently called into a senior classroom – students were doing a pretty heavy maths assignment,” Heather recalls.

“Millie’s visit gave them the chance to step away from their desks for a cuddle and a break from their usual routine. The students returned to their task so much more focused and productive afterwards.

“She’s also a welcome visitor in the business office. I think staff appreciate the brief distraction she provides, and she really lifts everyone’s mood.”

Millie is expected to be fully qualified in 2023, but Heather says her training will be ongoing to ensure she is continually learning new skills and meeting the requirements of her role.

In line with the school’s therapy dog program, Millie will have a regular workday at St Mary’s, with teachers able to book her in for a classroom visit once a week on a rotating schedule.

Heather says the pooch will also make an appearance at special College events and during high-stress times such as exams and student immunisations.

“The feedback from teachers and parents has been hugely positive. They have already noticed the effect Millie is having on their children, even in small ways, like how she is teaching students key life skills such as responsibility, relationships and empathy,” she says.

“Millie had her first staff photo taken this year and she has been given her own ‘off duty’ area where she can relax and unwind when she’s not on-the-job, so she’s officially part of the team.”

Q&A with Millie, our school therapy dog

Name: Ottaba Shez Something Special aka ‘Millie’ Age: One year old (D.O.B 22 September 2021)

Breed: Old English Sheepdog

Therapy dog accreditation/certification: International Therapy Assessment by Clever Canines and Therapy Paws Tasmania

Favourite past time/activity: Socialising, playing tug of war and ‘ball’, and saying ‘hello’ to our chooks

Favourite adventure with your family: Going for long walks on the beach and playing with other dogs; cuddle time with my paw-rents

Favourite treat: Deer antlers

Most impressive dog trick: Playing soccer with an oversized tennis ball and jumping on my grooming table

Describe yourself in three words: Sweet, fun-loving, clown.

From garden to plate: students are thriving from growing their own produce

What started as a humble plot of soil on the school grounds has grown into a thriving organic vegetable garden that is feeding the St Mary’s College community – and students are getting their hands dirty every step of the way.

The St Mary’s College edible garden is in full bloom, and with staples including everything from broad beans and spring onions to white radish, celery and lettuce, it is no wonder that Phil Shanny, College Sustainability Officer and Murphy’s Café Manager, is spoilt for choice when it comes to devising new menu options.

“Whether it’s the silverbeet for our fetta tarts or pumpkin for our vegetable paninis and soups, there’s always something in the Café that has come from the garden. In the summer, it might be the whole salad, whereas in winter, we try to use what’s available to us,” Phil says.

Aiming to minimise environmental impacts and reduce food waste, the garden feeds into the College’s wholeschool approach to sustainability, which is reflected in Murphy’s Café, where the focus is on creating dishes using seasonal produce.

The benefits of this method of harvesting and meal planning are twofold – students are consuming good quality food that is clean, fresh and nutritious, and the College is shaping lifelong positive habits by encouraging students to try new vegetables at the source.

And with the garden itself just a short distance from the Café and VET kitchens, the ‘paddock to plate’ journey is reduced to a matter of metres, which is useful for teaching students about the social, economic and health benefits of cultivating their own food, and the impacts of a sustainable food cycle.

Nestled behind the College Green, the ‘school kitchen garden’ – as it was originally known – was established in 2019 under the leadership of Phil and former St Mary’s College Senior Teacher and Sustainability Officer, Jen Crowden, who were passionate and committed about seeing it get off the ground.

“A school garden is a fantastic way to get children engaged in gardening from an early age so they develop an understanding of where fresh food comes from and an appreciation of just how delicious it can be,” Phil says.

“The idea was to involve students in all aspects of creating a food garden, from start to finish – preparing the soil, sowing the seeds, growing and harvesting the produce and managing the compost, which is then fed back into the garden.

“In this way, they get to experience, see and engage with the whole growing process – skills that will last them a lifetime.”

Once the initial seed for the garden was planted, the College Maintenance team was called on to help bring it to fruition.

Aside from removing the original hedge and plucking weeds, Phil says there wasn’t a lot of work required to prepare the site before several timber sleepers – and later, raised garden beds – were built and made ready for planting.

“Our Prep and Year 1 students were some of the first to participate in the early stages of the program, but we also involved the Year 8s, who would come and use the garden after lunch one afternoon a week,” he says.

Fast-forward to today and the garden is proving popular with students across all year levels who are discovering the value in being able to reap what they sow.

Class visits are organised weekly during term time, with students keen to step outside with a wheelbarrow and roll up their sleeves.

“They’re learning new skills and getting their hands dirty, and I think that’s the joy of it,” Phil says.

“There’s something really rewarding in seeing the crop that you’ve planted change from being a tiny seed to fully grown produce that is ready to eat, and then sharing that food with others.

“That sense of achievement and ownership is really important, and it creates a positive atmosphere and a space where every student feels they belong.”

Picking their veggies and herbs come harvest time is no doubt the greatest reward for students involved in the garden, however Phil recalls that “sometimes it’s the little things that excite them the most, like feeding the worms or seeing a ladybird close up.”

While the garden’s operation is overseen by Phil – an avid foodie and permaculture enthusiast who runs his own family farm based on sustainable practices, Junior School students are the driving force behind its success.

“The Year 4 classes have had a major input in the garden this year as part of their unit on lifecycles. Students in Year 2 regularly help out with the compost and the Year 5s look after our soft plastics,” Phil says.

Any excess green waste and food scraps are taken to Phil’s property to compost into the soil and feed his farm animals so that “nothing goes to waste”.

The cocurricular Junior School ‘Green Team’ also meets weekly to work in the garden with Phil and chip in with the composting effort, a task made easier thanks to a recent grant from Keep Australia Beautiful (KAB) Tasmania that has funded additional compost bins for the College.

Overall, Phil admits the project is a collective effort, but many hands make light work, especially as the garden continues to evolve.

The latest development is a ‘bush tucker’ garden that is giving students a real-world connection to the land and its First Nations people.

Perched on top of the College Green with views over Hobart, the unique site was once an “overgrown, overlooked space” but has since been transformed thanks to more than 200 helping hands.

The garden is growing edible Australian native plants such as pig face, saltbush, warrigal greens and winter crest, alongside native currants, raspberries, mint and cherries, and kunzea – a herb endemic to the southeast coast of Australia, which will all eventually make their way onto the Murphy’s menu.

In recent months, another grant from the KAB Tas Sustainable Schools program enabled Phil to purchase food cubes for the site. These self-watering modular wicking beds are made from recycled plastic which are designed to minimise water usage and maximise plant growth and growing space.

A portion of the grant will also go towards setting up several new recycled and repurposed garden beds, which will be irrigated and filled with compost, with scope to add more Tasmanian native edibles into the mix.

Additionally, a generous donation from the SMC Alumni supported the implementation of the new raised beds in the Nagle Centre garden.

The College is looking forward to breaking more new ground with work to soon begin on a revitalised veggie garden in the bush area neighbouring the St Virgil’s College Junior School and a Café redesign that will provide outdoor seating to accommodate up to 100 people.

Earlier this year, Murphy’s introduced a milk dispensing system that is currently eliminating the use of 20 plastic milk bottles a day by selling milk in reusable glass bottles.

Sparking a love of tools and the trades

Design and Technology subjects like Design in Wood (Years 7 and 8) and Materials and Design (Years 9 and 10) are encouraging and empowering St Mary’s College Senior School students to pursue their passion and realise their potential in the trades – free from traditional gender stereotypes. And, if you ask their teachers, they are proving they have the tools to succeed.

Step into the College’s Design in Wood Centre on any given day and you will likely be met with the sounds of buzzing saws, clanging metal hammers and whining disc sanders – signs of progress and accomplishment as students tinker away on their tools and put the finishing touches on their projects.

The workshop is always a hive of activity, but it is by no means a serious space. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, with laughter, chatter and creative banter usually filling the room.

For many students, the fun and enjoyment that comes with learning a trade is perhaps just as important as the practical skills they work towards attaining.

“I have enjoyed the structured and pre-planned projects this year, while still having the freedom to add my own touches to the design,” says Ruby in Year 8.

“I especially liked veneering our wooden compass trays – this was something I would not have thought of doing and learning the skills and process was really interesting and enjoyable.”

With only one per cent of Australia’s carpentry workforce being female, St Mary’s College is changing the narrative. In recent years, the College has seen a steady rise in the number of students choosing to study Materials and Design subjects in the Senior School.

In Years 7 and 8, students are given the opportunity to develop skills in Design and Technology subjects, which they study alongside their core subjects. These subjects are rotated every 13 weeks, with students having completed the full suite by the end of the year.

Ruby, who has chosen woodwork as an elective for Year 9, says she is looking forward to having more creative licence in her design choices.

“I believe the skills I have learnt, and will continue to build on, will assist me in many of my future pathway choices,” she says.

Passionate about the craft and seeing her students succeed, Year 7-8 Woodwork Teacher, Teresa Klimek has dedicated herself to creating a supportive environment where girls are not afraid to build.

Teresa says the subject allows students to develop their confidence in a traditionally male dominated arena.

“It’s an opportunity for students to do something outside of their comfort zone,” she says.

“There’s this conception that girls are very much focused on literature and the arts, so by giving them the chance to hone these [woodwork] skills in an environment that is safe, and where they are not competing against boys, they can say, ‘look, I might not be very strong in English, but I can really thrive here. I can find confidence in a smaller class.

“All students benefit in some way – those who need to keep busy with their hands or want to be stimulated on a creative level, even students who seek extension find that because this is foreign to them, they are challenged from the moment they walk through the door. They breathe a different oxygen in here.”

Beyond the hands-on technical skills promoted through the subject, students are also learning essential life skills.

“Although students work independently on their projects, teamwork is important – they might need someone to hold up their work while they screw something in or paint underneath it,” Teresa says.

With Materials and Design offered as an elective in Years 9 and 10, and then at more specialised levels in Years 11 and 12, students can progress their interest and passions.

Pathways to further study include the pretertiary Design and Production (Wood) subjects and the option to undertake units in Certificate I in VET Building and Construction – an introduction to a pathway in the building and construction industry.

“Once they get a taste for it, it inspires them to explore different design disciplines, be it becoming an interior designer, an apprentice in the building sector, or an architect. There are so many facets to their journey with the subject.” Teresa says.

Allowing project flexibility also gives students a sense of ownership over their work, which is healthy for their mindset, Teresa adds.

“Turning their drawings into woodworking plans and eventually a 3D design is really rewarding," she says.

“The Year 8 classes have been designing and constructing their own footstools, which students upholstered using a variety of fabrics and materials.

“We’re moving away from producing the traditional cheese board and salad tongs. We’re experimenting with wood, leather, glass, vinyl and different resins, and the results have been exceptional.”

Presentation spirit alive at NEAA Student Leadership Conference

The Nagle Education Alliance of Australia (NEAA) is an organisation of schools committed to the Presentation charism and legacy of Nano Nagle.

The continued relevance of Nano Nagle is an inspiration for us, as Presentation People, to make a difference to our world and the way in which we live the Gospel.

NEAA undertakes a biennial Schools Student Leadership Conference and this year, six Year 10 students from St Mary’s College travelled to Mater Dei Catholic College in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales to attend the event.

Our students joined with Years 9 to 11 students from NEAA schools throughout Australia, and their teachers, to gather around the 2022 conference theme, ‘A flame for the future’.

The conference presented the opportunity for participants to learn more about Nano Nagle and the Presentation story; explore what it means to be a young Presentation person and consider how they can be workers for justice, in the spirit of Nano and the Presentation Sisters, in today’s world.

The students brought much energy, enthusiasm and creativity to the conference as they reflected on their role as leaders and built networks of friendships and support.

Particular highlights included an opportunity to connect with local Wiradjuri land and culture, an exploration of the historic Mount Erin site, community engagement, service and creative expression, a reflection walk, conference dinner and a contemporary liturgy.

Our students and staff now hope to draw on these experiences to strengthen the spirit of Nano Nagle in all that we do at St Mary’s College. We thank Mater Dei College for hosting this wonderful conference.

Fostering excellence in educational leadership

It is with great pride that we congratulate Louise Bender, the College’s Director of Learning and Innovation, on being named a recipient of the 2022 Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL) Tasmania ‘Excellence in Educational Leadership Award’.

The award honours educational leaders who, in the view of their colleagues, have made a significant contribution to the understanding and practices for the teaching profession and educational leadership.

Louise has demonstrated both excellence and innovation in senior and executive school leadership roles for more than 12 years in Tasmania and Queensland. She is currently Catholic Education Tasmania’s Southern School representative on the Years 9-12 Teaching Advisory Group and a member of the ACEL Branch executive.

Louise has made significant contributions to the professional learning of others by leading teacher reflection and application of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership standards, developing school Learning Frameworks built on contemporary pedagogical research, leading curriculum mapping for seamless and student-centered curriculums, developing online feedback and assessment systems and the customising of pastoral care modules for ease of access and communication between staff and parents.

Congratulations, Louise, on your well-deserved award!

The Addams Family

The St Mary’s College production of The Addams Family took to the stage in September to perform to packed audiences at The Playhouse Theatre. The musical comedy, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and Rick Elice, is based upon The Addams Family that we all know from TV, movies and comics – a ghoulish American family with an affinity for all things macabre. The cast, crew and band consisted of 54 students from Years 7 to 12 at St Mary's College and St Virgil's College who worked solidly since February to bring the show back from the dead!

Cast auditions demonstrated the depth of student talent and the decision was made to run a split cast for some principal roles in order to highlight the talent amongst our students. Since March we rehearsed after school on Mondays for choreography and Wednesdays for acting and singing, as well as Thursdays for band. We were lucky again to have SMC alumna, Georgina Taskunas as choreographer, with assistance from her sister Lucy. The entire cast was outstanding and performed brilliantly, seamlessly interacting with the split cast and the various ensembles.

Often, it is those who are seen on stage that receive the acclamations, but special mention must be made to the musicians and crew who helped bring this production to fruition. Several students were keen to be a part of the action backstage, working quickly to learn new skills. We were fortunate again to have the instruction of Matt Andrewartha as Theatre Manager for The Playhouse Theatre. Matt trained our backstage crew in stage management, lighting, fly operation and more, resulting in a most professional production.

The music was challenging, but our band worked tirelessly, with the support of professional musicians who generously gave of their time and talents to help us capture the style and nuances of each piece.

The Addams Family was immensely enjoyable, and it will be a show that we will remember for a long time. A huge thank you to everyone involved.

Weston Learning Leader of Performing Arts Leah Wallace Secondary Drama Teacher

Scott

Photographer credit: John Darby

Our alumni

Alumni achievements from near and far

Congratulations to the following alumni who have been recognised for their accomplishments across many and varied fields.

Sarah Bourke (class of 2016) made her professional musical theatre debut in the ensemble cast of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, An American in Paris The musical, which is presented by The Australian Ballet and GWB Entertainment, toured Australia in 2022 and will wrap up in 2023 in Adelaide. Sarah began dancing at the age of three and after leaving her home in Tasmania at 18, she graduated in dance from Ettingshausen’s Pro in Sydney in 2017. During this time, Sarah won a scholarship to train at Broadway Dance Centre in New York which she undertook after returning from her 10-month contract performing onboard Royal Caribbean International cruise liners. Sarah’s credits also include Arts for Alzheimer’s in NYC and performing with recording artist Starley at the Sydney Mardi Gras.

Marnie Hughes-Warrington (class of 1987) was appointed to the Order of Australia in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List. The award recognises her distinguished service to tertiary education and governance as an administrator, leader and mentor. Professor Hughes-Warrington is the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise at the University of South Australia and the College’s only Rhodes Scholar from Oxford University.

Meg Messer (class of 2017) earned a Leadership U Certificate of Excellence at the 2022 Golden Goldys Awards, a student-athlete awards ceremony hosted by the University of Minnesota. Meg has been rowing with the university’s women’s rowing team, the Minnesota Gophers, since 2019.

Genevieve O’Keeffe (class of 2011) was accepted into the internationally renowned Netherlands Dance Theatre 1. Genevieve graduated from the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2014. Since then, she has worked as a dancer in a professional contemporary company in Switzerland and has performed with MiR Dance Company in Germany (season 2021/2022).

Claire Ransom (class of 2022) earned selection in the Gold Coast Suns women’s squad in this year’s NAB AFLW draft.

Sophie Robinson and Kate Oliver (class of 2020) represented Australia at the U23 World Rowing Championships in Varese, Italy from 25-31 July, where they competed in the U23 Lightweight Women’s Pair event.

Lily Ward (class of 2018) was a semi-finalist in the 2022 IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition, which honours, supports and presents the most promising young opera and classical singers in Australasia.

Photos top to bottom: Sarah Bourke performing in An American in Paris; award recipients, Marine Hughes-Warrington, Meg Messer; and Sophie Robinson and Kate Oliver who represented Australia in rowing in 2022.

This year, it has been wonderful to work with and call on the wisdom, life experience and generosity of Committee members, Cecily Verrier, Jane Short, Anne Morrison, Mary Noonan and Rebecca Godfrey. I thank each one of them for their generosity of spirit and wise counsel, especially Cecily, that huge font of knowledge and thoughtful advice on matters pertaining to meeting processes and procedures. At last year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), Luci Casey and Peta-Maree Davidson left the Committee after having made indelible contributions, Luci as an experienced strategist and Peta-Maree as our very able treasurer.

We have also worked closely with the Community Relations department at the school and, in particular, with Michaela Brighella, whom we thank for all her bright ideas which have led to our activities this year.

As mentioned in previous reports, the College has suggested that the Alumni move away from its foundational motivations, which were to assist the school and the Presentation Sisters through fundraising, as well as to bring together former scholars. Now, the Alumni concentrates its endeavours more on the latter, that of social impact, through bringing new and old members together, assisting in reunions by offering hospitality at the College, and by maintaining a presence in the College.

As Damian Messer is our new College Principal this year, we have met with him several times to discuss his expectations for us and to discuss our vision with him. We thank Damian for his strong support and helpful guidance.

Out of our consultations with Damian came two proposals which we advertised to our members prior to the AGM in November. The first was that, as the Alumni Committee, we continue to liaise with the Principal with a plan to embed the St Mary’s College Alumni into the operations of the College while retaining the Alumni Committee. This first proposal is made with the aim of developing a proposed agreement on the matter, which could be put to the 2023 AGM.

The second motion we prepared is to remove all our monies from various deposits and place them instead in the College banking system. Deposits and withdrawals would be handled by College staff, under the direction of the Alumni Committee, and would continue with the necessary authorisation of two appointed office-bearers from the Alumni Committee.

In our meetings this year, we decided that an obvious point of connection with current students is through the Year 12 leaving class, as they become our latest alumni after their Graduation Mass. After consultation with the Principal, we organised an Alumni Farewell Lunch for the Year 12 students, which was held on 28 September in their common room. We were joined by the Principal and members of the College Leadership Team and a very pleasant hour was spent in the company of the delightful young people of Year 12. We, of course, took advantage of their presence to encourage them to join us the minute they finished school.

Our Committee members also attended the Year 12 Graduation Mass at St Joseph’s Church and presented each graduand with a special keyring and certificate. Our hope is that they will keep us in mind and one day (soon!) join our ranks.

Also from our existing funds, we aligned ourselves with the College sustainability program by providing for the purchase of a large garden box for the school garden. The vegetables grown in this way are used to make the Café food which is served to students and staff, and which is enormously popular. We also supported sustainability in the school by having the Café cater for the Year 12 luncheon, as well as for the AGM luncheon. Of course, our committee members also generously supplied sweets on both occasions, and I thank them, especially the talented Jane Short.

The 2022 AGM was held at the College on Saturday 12 November, preceded by Mass in the Adrian Doyle Chapel and a merry lunch in the College staffroom.

Alumni Association President Margaret Rootes

The daughters of Margaret Nicol

Just prior the arrival of COVID-19, Rowena Miller, daughter of the late Margaret Nicol, arranged to visit Fermoy Cottage to find out as much as possible about her mother, who died when her children were quite young.

After her marriage, Margaret and her husband moved to London, where their three children were born. As Margaret was both Dux and Head Prefect of St Mary’s College in 1952, and as there had been, by great good luck, Santa Maria yearbooks produced during her time at the school, we were able to present Rowena with a number of stories about and photographs of her mother. Rowena was very thrilled and deeply touched to read so much about her mother, and to view the Honour Board which holds her name. We sent her home loaded up with various school publications and with the promise to meet again.

Rowena discovered in Burnie that her mother’s grave there required much attention, so on her return to the UK, she and her siblings set about organising this matter. This November it was Margaret’s other daughter, Fiona's turn to visit the College and follow up on her mother’s life here. Travelling from the UK, Fiona visited St Mary's and we hosted a lunch for her and her husband, Steve, as well as Sister Majella Kelly, Marg Morse, Cynthia Goodluck and Mary Smith, all of whom were Margaret’s fellow pupils. The group had personal and previously untold stories about Margaret to share.

Needless to say, Fiona and Steve were delighted to meet Margaret’s classmates and to learn so much more about Margaret. A few days later they went to lunch with Pat Edwards, another friend of Margaret, sharing many more warm memories.

Fiona also visited the refurbished burial site of her mother during her short visit to Tasmania.

Margaret Rootes Heritage Officer and Alumni Association President

Pictured left to the right: Steve Killinger, Fiona Killinger (daughter of Margaret Nichol), Marg Morse, Cynthia Goodluck, Sister Majella Kelly and Mary Smith.

Meg Messer (class of 2017)

Since graduating from St Mary’s College in 2017, Meg Messer has gone on to study Sports Management at the University of Minnesota in the United States. Her time overseas has brought her a new perspective on the joys of life in Tasmania.

In a recent break from her studies, Meg was able to spend some time back at her old stomping ground as a teacher’s assistant, where she enjoyed the opportunity to visit some familiar faces and see how St Mary’s College has changed over the past five years.

“It’s been beautiful to catch up with my old teachers. It’s been a real joy to see how the school has developed; I feel like it’s moved in the right direction,” Meg says.

With a familiar face sitting in the Principal’s office at SMC, Meg says she is “extremely glad” she had the chance to return to the College and see her Dad, Damian Messer, “in his element” as Principal.

“Everyone used to tell me that Dad’s so good at what he does, and I never really got to see that. He’s certainly in the right place here at St Mary’s,” Meg admits.

“Dad’s knowledge of education, and his care and compassion for students, consistently blows my mind. His servant leadership is impressive,” she says.

While the arrival of COVID-19 brought some unexpected challenges to studying overseas, Meg took these new obstacles in her stride and made the most of spending a semester learning online from her home in Hobart. She juggled her full-time study alongside working as a teacher’s assistant at St Virgil’s College.

Despite it being a job that she “absolutely loved”, and one which helped her develop her passion for teaching, Meg was grateful for the chance to return to Minnesota to continue her studies with a new sense of passion for her work.

In 2019, Meg received a full athletic scholarship to study overseas at the University of Minnesota.

Leaving Hobart and flying 15,223 kilometres away to the prestigious University of Minnesota, where she was to join 52,000 other students, was a real change of pace for Meg.

Meg says she found that being so far away from her friends and family – and experiencing a new culture and different food and weather – gave her a new appreciation for her time living in Hobart and studying at SMC.

“I am just so grateful for the life we had growing up, the education we received and the world knowledge we have,” she reflects.

“We are so safe down here, and we are so lucky to live in a beautiful country with healthcare that’s easily accessible and education that is just second to none. And not to mention, the beautiful scenery!”

Meg says she was quick to find that winter in Minnesota can make early morning training sessions a bit of a challenge, with frozen eyelashes, snowfall and the minus 20-degree Celsius temperatures a dramatic departure from Hobart’s sunnier days.

With only one year of her degree remaining, Meg is excited to return to Australia after she graduates to complete her Master’s in Education at a mainland university. Her hope is to then start a career “as a PE teacher, or maybe a sports coordinator in a rowing program back home”.

Returning to St Mary’s, even if only for a short time, has allowed Meg to reflect on the supportive role the College has played in her life.

“St Mary’s really gave me the chance to grow as a person and be an individual at an all-girls school, without distractions,” she says.

“I’ll always be proud to be a St Mary’s girl and to be a third-generation student here is pretty cool.”

Taking the lessons that she has learnt in her 13 years at St Mary’s with her across the globe, Meg has a bright future ahead as she continues to dive into every new opportunity that comes her way.

Elspeth Keele (class of 2015)

Can you tell us a bit about your job and what it involves?

I am currently based in Canberra as an Air Intelligence Officer. In my role, I lead and manage a team of geospatial intelligence analysts and provide intelligence support to exercises and training. The role involves significant training and a thorough understanding of the processes and systems required. It is a very humbling role as my team are all highly trained and experts in their field.

After graduating from St Mary’s College in 2015, you earned a coveted place at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), where you completed a Bachelor of Science through the University of New South Wales while training for the military. What was this transition like and how did you adjust to the change of pace and learning environment?

Adjusting to military life was at times challenging as this was also combined with living away from home for the first time. However, I really enjoyed the structure and disciplined environment. The friends I made during my time at ADFA were also a great support network as we bonded through the shared experience – a burden shared is a burden halved!

Has your career with the military taken you to any new destinations?

One of the aspects of my job that I love is the varied nature of the role, as well as the opportunities to travel. I have been to almost every state and territory in Australia with my job, except for Western Australia and Tasmania – much to my, and my family’s, disappointment! I have also had the opportunity to travel overseas and have been to Samoa, Solomon Islands, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. My most recent trip was to the United Kingdom, where I conducted a three-week specialist training course. I was also fortunate to visit RAF Binbrook where 460SQN was based during WWII and honour the history, heritage and sacrifice made by those before me.

Have you always had an interest in pursuing a career in aviation and the military?

I initially became interested in the military when my brother was looking to join the Army as a dentist. I decided to research careers in the military and found out I could go to ADFA and get a fully funded undergraduate degree, get paid a salary whilst studying, gain some completely unique life experience compared to my peers and be challenged physically and mentally. It was the perfect fit for me as I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but it excited and motivated me more than any of the other career paths I had researched. So I thought, why not?

You have continued to further your training and education and are now studying for your Masters in Space Operations, which you are completing on a parttime basis. Do you have any other long-term goals or aspirations for the future?

Some goals that I would like to work towards are taking on an instructional role, as I think it would be incredibly rewarding teaching others and passing on my experience and knowledge. The future of space in Australia is also very exciting, so I am definitely interested in pursuing space-related roles too.

How did St Mary’s College help you and your learning endeavours?

Studying at SMC helped to prepare me for university as I was able to develop a strong work ethic and good time management. I’d like to personally shout out to Mr Fracalossi (who I know is now retired), but he was definitely one of my most influential teachers. I owe a lot of my work ethic and my success in my chemistry degree to him. I also think that juggling many commitments at SMC (school sport, extra curriculars, band, etc.) set me up for the fast pace of ADFA. What it didn’t set me up for was all of the burpees…

What advice would you give to current Year 12 students?

My advice would be that it is OK to have your whole future planned out, but equally, it is OK to not know what you want to do. I still have not quite figured that out, and I may never. I would encourage you to explore something that excites you and that you are passionate about, and not something that you just think you ‘should’ be doing. It is also OK to be different and to want – and prioritise –different things in your life compared to others.

I joined the military because I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and it provided me with something exciting – a challenge, as well as some amazing life experiences which have set me up for the future in whatever endeavour I choose to do next.

You can achieve great things if you put your mind to it. Remember, you may not be able to control many things in your life, but you can always control your attitude.

Staying in touch with our alumni

Sophie Fahey (class of 2010)

You have been working in human resources since graduating from university in 2014, most recently in your role as Diversity and Inclusion Specialist. What does this entail?

I work with organisations to create more inclusive and equitable workplaces where employees can feel safe, valued and a sense of belonging. A lot of what I do is working with employees and senior leadership to understand the organisation and its desired diversity and inclusion goals and then develop strategies and action plans to deliver on these goals.

What led you to choose this career pathway?

I always knew I wanted a career that supported women in some shape or form, but I didn’t really know what kind of job that was. Over time, I took opportunities and found that human resources was a pathway, and eventually took on a role as a Diversity and Inclusion Specialist. It’s a career path with no right or wrong directions. What goals did you set yourself when you finished Year 12 and/or university and have you stuck to that plan?

I have not stuck to many of my goals, and as a goal-driven person, that has been terrifying for me. I knew exactly what I wanted to do while at St Mary’s – go to university to study law and make the world a more equitable place … How very utopian of me! I quickly learned that law was not the right path for me. I ended up finishing university with an Arts/Social Science degree and soon after started post-graduate study in human resource management. One thing I have stuck to has been lifelong learning. Each year I try to study a little more, whether that be personal development in the form of becoming a 200-hour YTT yoga instructor or professional development in leadership coaching or human centered design.

You describe yourself as a ‘fierce advocate for inclusion and gender equality’. Why is this important to you and how does this inform your work?

We all have the capacity to be kind, to work towards creating a more equitable world where we can all thrive in our own unique way; everyone deserves this, and everyone deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. It is for all these reasons and more that I chose this path professionally and why I love being on the Board of Dress for Success (DFS) Hobart and am so passionate about its mission. DFS is a local not-for-profit organisation; we empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional clothing and the development of tools to help them thrive in work and life.

What do you hope to achieve in the future (professionally and/or personally)?

I have two young daughters who have really changed my perspective on work and life. Professionally, I want to continue to do the work I am doing, but I hope to do more work remotely to spend as much time with my family as possible. I want Nellie and Bowie to grow up experiencing different cultures and ways of life. My husband, Chris and I will continue to work in a way that allows us to have these opportunities.

You have maintained a link to St Mary’s College through your parents – both your mum and dad have worked with the College over the years. What are your strongest memories of your time at St Mary’s?

The sense of community and friendships formed. I believe a big part of the reason why I chose my path professionally and feel so passionately about supporting women is due partly to the educators at St Mary’s. I truly valued the respect between educators and students, with a few teachers being mentors and role models in my life.

What advice would you give to students looking to pursue a similar career path to your own?

Not all career paths are obvious – be open to opportunities even if they aren’t exactly what you want or imagine. Be prepared to invest in yourself personally and professionally. Be open minded with your learning. Life doesn’t always go in a straight line. You can take many detours and may end up exactly where you are meant to be.

What are your passions or interests outside of work?

Adventures with my family, camping, bushwalking and spending as much time at the beach as possible (living in Tassie, this last one can sometimes be hard).

Sidney Goram-Aitken (class of 2014)

Firstly, congratulations on completing your law degree and welcome to the workforce! What have the past few years looked like for you?

I started my law degree in 2018, so it has been approximately five years of study altogether. It has been a long and tiring slog as I worked fulltime while studying my Bachelor of Laws full time. I am glad the pre-exam allnighters are now over!

I completed my internship at the North Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Practice (NAAFLS) and accepted a graduate role in February 2022 as a paralegal. After completing my graduate diploma of legal practice while working full time as a paralegal, I was then formally admitted to the legal profession as a lawyer in August of this year.

I am now a domestic violence and family lawyer at NAAFLS and service six remote communities in the Northern Territory – the most well-known of which is the sunny Tiwi Islands, which is the northern most tip of Australia.

Can you tell us a bit about your current role and what it entails?

My role entails helping victims of domestic violence apply for domestic violence orders, helping parents reunite with their children after their children have been taken into care, helping parents with custody disputes and helping people with criminal victim compensation matters. Although I work some of the time in Darwin, occasionally I travel to remote communities to participate in ‘bush courts’ too.

I also run community legal education clinics in remote communities, such as in schools, women’s shelters, health clinics and universities. These clinics aim to help indigenous people living in remote communities learn about the Australian legal system and what their rights are when they may be having legal troubles.

What are the most rewarding and challenging aspects of your job?

The hardest part of my job is seeing the mountain of injustices that Aboriginal people face daily. These are often injustices that trace right back to white settlement in Australia. Although everyone knows the names of people such as Jill Meagher, Hannah Clarke or Eurydice Dixon, nobody knows the names of the countless indigenous women and children that are facing domestic violence in the top end of Australia. They often have little support services in their communities to assist them and often feel they have absolutely nowhere to turn to seek assistance.

A 2019 report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found that indigenous women aged over 15 years are 34 times more likely to be hospitalised for family violence than non-indigenous females. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 11 times more likely to die due to an assault. They are reported as being the most persecuted race in the whole world. My job often leaves me feeling angry at the supposed ‘lucky country’ that we live in. I often feel a sense of guilt for the privileged and fortunate upbringing I had in Hobart.

The most rewarding part of my job is being able to help people and make them aware of their rights. A lot of people who have been victims of violent crimes don’t know that they are eligible for compensation as a result of their horrific injuries; a lot of women don’t know that they don’t have to stay in a relationship that is abusive and there are legal avenues that can help them leave their partner, and a lot of people don’t know that they can fight to get their children back when they have been suddenly taken into state care. Helping people see that brighter days lie ahead is the best part of my job!

Have you always wanted to pursue a career in law? Who or what inspired you to choose this pathway?

I was inspired to study law after completing Legal Studies in Year 12 at St Mary’s. Mrs Deconinck was my teacher, and she took us on the most fantastic excursions and experiences. We got to visit the Risdon Prison Complex, spend a day with a prosecutor at the Hobart Magistrates Court (which was amazing!); we had the Governor (Kate Warner) visit and present to our class, and we had Tasmania Police deliver a talk about the process of arrest. It was fantastic!

When I was in Year 12, I was unsure of what I wanted to pursue in the future. Legal Studies definitely cemented that I wanted to be working somewhere within the law. Do you recall any memorable advice you received from a teacher during your time here that has stayed with you?

Yes, I remember Mrs Deconinck always told our Legal Studies class that if we pushed ourselves and liked what we were pursuing, then the sky was the limit!

What did you most like about St Mary’s College?

I loved that I always felt supported in whatever I chose to do or pursue. Whether it was through the support of teachers and friends coming to watch our school basketball, soccer or softball games, or teachers agreeing to meet during lunchtime or after school to help with work we were finding challenging. As a Year 11 and 12 student, I never felt like I was lacking in support or help, and that is one thing that I look back upon fondly.

Staying in touch with our alumni

Sidney Goram-Aitken profile continued.

What is your advice for a current Year 12 student?

Work hard, push yourself outside of your comfort zone and take every single opportunity that comes your way. When I was in Year 12, I never knew if my goals were realistic or even achievable. But I did know that I didn’t want to regret anything and that I wanted to at least be able to say I gave everything a go.

What do you hope to achieve in the future?

In the future, I hope to keep doing what I’m doing now. I enjoy going to court and advocating for people who need help and support. I am a bit of a ‘bleeding heart’, so as long as I’m doing something where I’m helping people in the community, I’ll be pretty happy!

Pictured below: Sidney being admitted to the Supreme Court, and in the Northern Territory.

Alumni news - 'On the Couch'

It was lovely to welcome alumni, Kate Oliver and Sophie Robinson (class of 2020) back to their old stomping ground on Friday 16 September for our latest segment of ‘On the Couch’ – where we invite alumni to meet with current students and share their stories and experiences since graduating from the College.

The accomplished athletes spoke to our Senior School students about their love for rowing and their journey with the sport, including their time representing Australia recently at the World Rowing Championships in Varese, Italy, where they competed in the U23 Lightweight Women’s Pair Event.

The University of Tasmania students, who both have rowing scholarships at the Tasmanian Institute of Sport, earned their spots in the finals squad after a hugely successful showing at the National Underage Selection Trials in Canberra in May 2022.

“It’s quite a process trying to make the Australian rowing team. Throughout the season, there are benchmarks and events you have to participate in. There are often 5K and 2K Ergos that have to be done and then you’re ranked in Australia against the other rowers.

The NSW Championships and Nationals are also two important events. The results from these determine whether you get invited to the selection trials and then, from the selection trials, if you reach the benchmarks of the times required of the event you are going for, you’ve been selected.

Competing at an international level was a big step up from what we’d been used to at a state and national level. It was a big learning experience, and we really enjoyed it!

COVID-19, over the past few years, has impacted a lot of sports, and our sport in particular. This has made it hard to compete in events and race at national levels in order to be recognised and considered, so this year has probably been the first year that [Rowing Australia] have had a big Australian team.

In a couple of years’ time, I [Sophie] would really love to be world champion, so I’ve got quite the ambition for my rowing. In terms of just ‘general life’, hopefully I’d have completed my uni degree of exercise science.

We’ve got two more years in the U23 team, before stepping up to the Senior team, so hopefully we’ll make the team again next year and the year after [Kate].”

Pictured here: Damian Messer accepting the gifted rowing polo from Sophie Robinson and Kate Oliver during their visit to the College.

New focus for an emerging future

On 6 August 2022, the Tasmanian Presentation Congregation welcomed the appointment by the ‘Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life’ of Sr Maria Lazzaro pbvm (Melbourne Congregation), our Pontifical Commissary, and Sr Nola Vanderfeen pbvm (Melbourne Congregation) and Anna Fewer pbvm (Western Australian Congregation), as her two Consultors.

It seems fitting that this significant moment, which signalled the change in canonical governance of the Tasmanian Sisters, was ritualised in St John’s Church Richmond – where our story in Australia began.

On 31 October 1866, our founding sisters (four professed sisters and five postulants), arrived in Hobart. As their convent was not yet ready, they established their ministry for the following 14 months in the township of Richmond on the East Coast of Tasmania.

Our first meeting with the ‘Emerging Futures Collaborative Ltd’ (EFCL) in Sydney was held on 25 March 2020. It’s been an amazing journey: in some respects, not unlike a very long Retreat of nearly two and a half years during which time we reflected on all aspects of our lived religious and community life up to that point in time – and more importantly, detailing how we wished to continue to live this life until our Congregation has reached completion.

As a result, we have been able to shape our major documentation around the essential and rich aspects of our community life: our Spiritual Patrimony, Congregational Will and Distribution Plan, Governance and Service Model – and all achieved by electronic means during a pandemic.

Words can never express our gratitude and awe towards the EFCL Team and what they have enabled us to do. The name ‘Emerging Futures’ is apt when we look back and consider where we began and where we are now. Our Sisters have been wholly supportive and involved in embracing this new model, one so different from what they have known from their early days and yet not so different in the ‘day to day’.

It is a great relief to us that we now have a ‘succession plan’ in place. We no longer need to look behind us and be reminded (as if we could forget) that there is no one there to step forward and lead us into the future.

We are deeply grateful to the Victorian and Western Australian Presentation Congregations who are blessing us in the persons of Maria, Nola and Anna to ‘hold’ the leadership space for those occasions when it may be necessary for them to take some responsibility for us –albeit from their own ‘resident’ Congregations in other states where they will remain.

Our Congregation faces the future with peace and hope, one that is unfolding as we take the next steps forward.

There’s something deeply meaningful, in that our foundation in Tasmania was begun by nine Sisters, and at this time of transition, 156 years and 150 Sisters later. There are now just nine Sisters still carrying the Lantern. So, where are our sisters now and how are we continuing to live our Presentation Mission today?

For many years, our main ministry was carried out in schools. Education was seen as a way to help people realise their potential and address the issues that existed in society. Like our Foundress, Nano Nagle, our ministry also extended to the families, the parish and the wider community.

With Vatican II, there was a call for all people to recognise their God-given vocation; Religious all over the world were asked to undertake a process of renewal and to discern what God was asking them to do in response to the needs of today. As a result, lay people started working with Religious, and we found ourselves interacting more closely with the society in which we lived and worked.

Today, our ministry in the schools continues through those men and women who staff our schools, care for and protect the vulnerable, and foster a sense of justice among our young people.

Although most of our Sisters are no longer working in schools, there is still an educational involvement on school boards, various educational committees, adult learning initiatives and support of staff. Additionally, some Sisters are involved in tutoring or providing support for students with special needs. Many of us maintain a mutually supportive relationship with our past pupils and others who have been closely associated with our ministry, including our Presentation Associates with whom we gather and experience mutual support.

Through the years, some Sisters have been asked to take on chaplaincy or pastoral care roles in schools, tertiary institutes, hospitals, nursing homes, industry or civic organisations. A number of Sisters were also engaged in parish ministry in areas where there was no resident priest. Most of us today have a supportive role in the parishes in which we live, and some are involved in prayer or discussion groups, or parish activities like sacramental preparation, visitation to aged care facilities, and for some, membership of groups like the Catholic Women’s League and Legion of Mary. Some have had a longstanding involvement at Archdiocesan level.

All of us, no matter who we are, are called each day to bring God’s love to those around us: to greet those we encounter with a smile of welcome, to listen to them, to share their joys and sorrows, to encourage and learn from each other, and to be grateful for the love we receive.

Tasmanian Presentation Sisters

Pictured: Sister Gabrielle Morgan PBVM, Community Coordinator, Presentation Sisters in Tasmania.

Vale – Marjorie Fitzpatrick

The St Mary’s College community was saddened to hear of the death of Mrs Marjorie Fitzpatrick who, as Marjorie Darcey, attended the College from about 1919-29. Marjorie has, for many years, held the honour of being our oldest alumna, having been born on 1 November 1914.

Marjorie’s mother, Blanche, along with her [Blanche’s] sisters Beatrix, Eileen and Caroline, had attended St Mary’s, and it is likely that their family ties with the school went back even further. Marjorie’s sister, Molly, and brothers Len, John and Richard also attended the College. Marjorie was very proud to be appointed a Prefect in her final year at school, and upon graduating, became an active member of the Old Scholars’ Association. For some years, Marjorie helped her mother with the running of their large and hospitable home on the corner of Brisbane and Barrack Streets, as well as completing a commercial course in shorthand and typing.

In 1933 Marjorie obtained her driver’s licence and she liked to proudly boast that in her 83 years of driving, she never had an accident (remarkably, she only stopped driving at the age of 101!)

During the War years, Marjorie’s life changed pace when her brother employed her at his optical business in Liverpool Street, to replace their brother who had joined the Air Force. Sadly, this brother, Richard – Tasmania’s only World War II Spitfire pilot, was killed fighting in the Battle of Britain. In September 2020 Marjorie was proud to attend a service at St David’s Cathedral Hobart in memory of the men who died in this battle.

In 1950 Marjorie married Doctor Harry Fitzpatrick and moved to Deloraine. The couple was blessed with a daughter Sarah, who was partly educated at St Mary’s College. Sarah’s husband, Phillip and their daughters Genevieve and Madeline were much loved by Marjorie. Marjorie was widowed in 1976. In her later years, she resided in Launceston, where she gained a reputation as a wonderful member of her parish, well known for her kindness to others and her warm friendship and hospitality. She was loved by many in the community.

In the last year or so, Marjorie, well into her second century, was moved into care as her health became frail. She died on 9 April 2022. Marjorie was buried on 14 April at Deloraine and was honoured by a memorial Mass in Launceston.

Margaret Rootes Heritage Officer and Alumni Association President

Bless their socks

Our alumni babies are looking extra adorable in their St Mary’s College booties, handmade by our generous alumni knitting brigade.

If you or an alumni friend have had a baby in recent months, please email Community Relations on communications@smc.tas.edu.au to receive a complimentary pair of booties. Numbers are limited, so be quick!

Clockwise, from left, Luca, Ella, Charlie, Amy and Scarlett.

Keep in touch with us!

Stay up to date on our social channels by joining our Alumni Facebook group and following us on Instagram.

Let us know if your details need updating so we know where to reach you via post and email.

Be sure to contact us if you are organising a reunion in 2023 and we can support your event!

Facebook: St Mary's College Alumni, Hobart, Tasmania Instagram: smc_alumni

Email any contact details updates or reunion info to communications@smc.tas.edu.au