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St Michael’s Parent Community Association – Fostering a vibrant community
As Victoria entered its second lockdown, the Parent Community Association (PCA) continued to demonstrate its adaptability and strong resolve to ensure the whole St Michael’s community was nurtured and felt a sense of belonging at a time when this was more crucial than ever before. The Second-hand Uniform Service re-launched with new COVIDsafe protocols, however it was required to close in Melbourne’s second lockdown in line with the operating guidelines for Schools. In positive news, the construction of the brand new ‘pod’ which will house the Second-hand Uniform Service is underway, thanks to the generous donation made by the PCA of over $76,000, classified as a special grant under the PCA Grant Policy. The pod is to be located on the northern side of Hewison House and is scheduled to be ready for the beginning of the school year in 2021. The brand-new building has been custom designed to accommodate stock levels and will provide a functional and comfortable environment for volunteers, as well as parent and student customers. Whilst events such as the Mother’s and Father’s Day lunches were unable to go ahead, the PCA were able to proceed with its annual ‘Thank you to St Michael’s Staff’ morning tea. The event coincided with World Teachers’ Day on 30 October, and all of St Michael’s staff were treated to individually boxed goodies for collection at Dolly’s Café. A note from the PCA Executive expressing gratitude on behalf of the parents was placed inside each box. The staff were delighted with the thoughtful gesture.
“Thank you to the PCA for the wonderful initiative. It came at the most opportune time and the many staff I spoke to were so grateful. The set up in Dolly’s, and the box itself, were very thoughtfully constructed and presented.” – Mr Murray Phyland, Head of Community Services
The PCA Trivia Night with Brian Nankervis has long been a highlight of the PCA social calendar. This year it was reimagined as a virtual event. Over 100 families participated, and in his usual style, Brian ensured that much fun was had by all. The benefit of the online format was that the whole family could get involved - even pets got in on the action! Congratulations to the winning team, TLC. Everyone was delighted when Brian announced on the night that although his youngest son, Henry Joe, will be graduating from St Michael’s in 2020, Brian is committed to coming back next year to do one last Trivia Night in person. The outgoing PCA President, Mark McGahan, has also committed to managing the event, as it is his last year as a parent at the School.
Every two years, elections are held for the PCA Executive. This year, one nomination for each of the roles of President and the two Vice Presidents was received, which obviated the need for an election. The new President, Tamsin Jowett, a parent at the School since 2013, has held roles as a Year Level Representative in both the Junior and Senior Years, and has most recently held the position of PCA Leader 7-12, holding the responsibility of supporting and guiding the Years 7 to 12 Year Level Representatives. In her submission for her nomination, Tamsin expressed her belief in “our School Values and the exceptional inclusive culture St Michael's offers our unique community of students, teachers, staff, parents, leaders and our dedicated PCA volunteer team.” Tamsin also stated: “My energy and focus will be on re-engaging our community in new ways post-COVID. I am honoured the PCA leaders suggested I try for this wonderful role to continue their great work supporting our thriving community.” Tamsin will be joined by Vice Presidents Kate Kloss and Mary Wood. Kate has taken on the role of Vice President (Parent Representatives and Communications) and brings with her several years’ experience as a Year Level Representative, and two years’ experience as the K-6 Year Level Representative Leader.
“I am passionate about supporting and working with our parent community and encouraging engagement at all levels. I look forward to being part of the new PCA team and working closely with and supporting next year’s Year Level Reps in their important roles as we develop ways to re-engage and reconnect our vibrant parent and school community (in person!)”. – Kate Kloss, PCA Vice President (Parent Representatives and Communications).
Alongside Tamsin and Kate, Mary Wood brings her exceptional organisation and leadership skills to the role of Vice President (Events and Programs). “I have a love of organising an event; coming up with new event ideas, planning the logistics, and collaborating with the School and organisations to encourage partnerships”. – Mary Wood, PCA Vice President (Events and Programs).
Mary has held the roles of Year Level Representative and PCA Event Leader, and expressed that “Although this year didn’t give me the inside look into the role as I had hoped, I enjoyed meeting with key stakeholders and gained a valuable glimpse into how the parties work with each other. I look forward to working with these talented individuals.” The PCA has continued to meet online, with the Annual General meeting being held on Zoom on Tuesday 10 November. The meeting marked the transition from the outgoing PCA Executive to the new team. Outgoing President Mark McGahan, Vice President (Parent Representatives and Communications) Meredith Miles, Vice President (Events and Programs) Maria Pannozzo and Treasurer Ruth Davis all spoke emotively of their many years at the School and thanked all the PCA members who have volunteered and supported them in their roles. They gave special thanks to the Year Level Representatives who have done an extraordinary job in keeping the community connected during 2020. The Executive remarked on the cohesiveness of the team, their respect for one another, their pride in their achievements and their gratitude to the St Michael’s community. They also expressed their confidence in the strength and commitment of the newly appointed Executive Team and encouraged everyone to continue to volunteer for the PCA. The Outgoing team thanked all School staff who had provided them with support, in particular the leadership and guidance from Head of the School Mrs Terrie Jones. In turn, Terrie expressed her sincere thanks to the outgoing Executive Team and congratulated the newly appointed group. Finally, Tamsin Jowett outlined her vision and focus – to reengage the St Michael’s community in new ways post-COVID and to continue to build on the great work and foundation that the previous PCA Team has established.
– Ros Casey, Director of Advancement
