The Crest Issue 5

THE ST MICHAEL'S GRAMMAR SCHOOL MAGAZINE

ISSUE 5 2021

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Contents WELCOME

25 ANZAC Day

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26 A swell time at the SEP surf weekends

A moment with Mrs Terrie Jones

STORIES FROM ACROSS THE SCHOOL

28 Year 7 Exodus – Forming strong foundations through friendship 30 ACS premiership wins

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VCE results: celebrating the Class of 2020

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Tertiary offers

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VCE study down to an art: Sybilla George

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A strong voice during a challenging VCE year: Harry Amos

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Stepping out of her comfort zone and into success: Alex Hose

32 State team selection for cyclist siblings

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Shining bright: Nick Gumley

34 Prioritising a greener future

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Staff Spotlight

36 Donations from a Dux

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Leading the next generation

36 The Sandra Matheson Archives

10 The power of why?

12 Virtual reality taking learning from the classroom to the community 14 Numeracy in the Junior School – why maths skills really ‘count’

30 Setting sail 31 Chess success 31 School of rock 32 In the pool with St Michael’s Grammar School 33 Ruby selected for Top Arts at the NGV

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS 37 Ongoing connections with the Old Michaelian community 38 Beyond the School gates

16 A triumphant return to the stage

39 Reunions

18 Community Action commences for 2021

40 PCA update

20 Experiential learning on excursions

42 Celebrating our volunteers

22 Twilight Jazz

43 Introducing The Seven Sisters Society

23 Thiem players

44 The Art of Being Different

24 Shrove Tuesday

St Michael’s acknowledges the Boonwurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the School stands. We pay respect to their ancestors, elders and emerging leaders, and are committed to reconciliation.

In our ongoing quest to minimise the School’s environmental impact, hard copies of The Crest are printed on 99% FSC recycled paper.

"We may not know what the future will hold but we will continue to prepare our children and young people to face whatever challenges are ahead and inspire them to use their strengths and talents to shape an inclusive, equitable and just world."

A moment with Mrs Terrie Jones At the halfway point of 2021 with the Winter solstice behind us, we are still riding the crest of the pandemic and yet from this vantage point, even with all its attendant uncertainties, a future filled with opportunity and promise stretches before us.

we will continue to prepare our children and young people to face whatever challenges are ahead and inspire them to use their strengths and talents to shape an inclusive, equitable and just world.

This edition of The Crest is resplendent with stories of connection, hope and new endeavour; a retrospective of the first semester with a lens that is forward-looking and vibrant. The energy of the cover image tells of the broader life of the School and our rich Performing Arts program taking flight once more. Importantly, it is a leap into the future, toward a new horizon to which we aspire, not a return to the pre-pandemic world we knew. A future for our students, the School and the world that is more purposeful, connected and sustainable.

One of the greatest joys of being part of this learning community is the opportunity to witness the growth of students and staff, and to learn with and from them.

As I move about the corridors, play spaces and classrooms, I happen upon evidence of learning with all its pitfalls, tangents, high points and low ebbs. Without doubt the humans of St Michael’s, in their diversity and in the tenacity they demonstrate in the process of ‘becoming’, are a source of endless and relentless optimism.

The pandemic has required us to recognise that these three endeavours – purpose, connection and sustainability – are key to a meaningful, flourishing existence within and beyond our school. We may not know what the future will hold but

I hope you enjoy reading all the news herein. The positive contagion of the smiles and the stories of our students and staff are a balm for the times and evidence that the metaphorical Spring awaits all of us on the other side of whatever ‘Winter’ we may need to endure.

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STORIES FROM ACROSS THE SCHOOL

VCE results: celebrating the Class of 2020 For the Class of 2020, receiving their results on 30 December marked the culmination of an especially demanding year, a year that our students faced with grit, determination and a remarkable generosity of spirit. Their personal capabilities, their sense of social justice and their values were all demonstrated in myriad ways over the course of their education and held them in good stead as the challenges presented by the pandemic unfolded.

The Class of 2020 should be very proud of their achievements and the manner in which they conducted themselves throughout their VCE studies. They left school having learned many valuable lessons about their capabilities, and the world they will inherit and shape for the better in the years ahead.

Graduates of St Michael’s have a history of progressing to a diverse and broad range of post school pathways. The results of the Class of 2020 indicate the continuation of that tradition with the majority of students achieving an ATAR that will enable them to take the next step into a tertiary course in their chosen area of study.

Our students achieved wonderful VCE results, reflected in the fact that 13% of the cohort achieved ATARs of 95 or higher, 25% had an ATAR of 90 or higher and 42% had an ATAR of 80 or higher.

We congratulate our Dux of the School for 2020, Sybilla George, who received an outstanding score of 99.75. Sybilla studied a well-balanced mix of subjects including Chemistry, Mathematical Methods, French, Global Politics, and scored a perfect study score of 50 in both Studio Arts and Literature.

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We also congratulate Alexandra Hose (99.6), Dylan Knight (99.4) and Sienna Di Natale (99.0). Dylan and Sienna both scored 50 in Physical Education.

The Class of 2020 was encouraged and supported by all of our committed staff to follow their passions, develop their strengths and excel in their areas of choice. This can be seen in the strong scores achieved across a broad range of studies, including study scores of 40 and above for 50% of our Italian students, 50% of Dance, 39% of Physical Education, 31% of Literature, 26% of Biology and 25% of Studio Arts.

All graduates of this amazing cohort are to be congratulated on their individual and collective achievements during two periods of prolonged lockdown. We witnessed and benefitted from their creative re-interpretation of many of the events that normally characterise the year and their capacity to generate novel solutions to keep their peers feeling connected to the School.

As a collective, they continued to build community through modelling care, compassion and support for their peers and we thank them sincerely for their commitment in all areas of endeavour throughout their St Michael’s journey.

These talented, spirited and caring individuals have now started their life beyond the school gates, equipped with the confidence and agency to follow their passions and to make the world a better place.

Congratulations to St Michael’s Class of 2020 on a remarkable set of personal achievements after a most extraordinary year.

Tertiary offers Following the release of their outstanding VCE results, our Class of 2020 graduates received first-round tertiary offers in January 2021.

St Michael’s students have a long history of continuing to a variety of university courses and other post-school pathways, and our 2020 graduates have received offers that will allow them to take the next step into the tertiary course of their choice.

From our Class of 2020, 155 students completed VCE, and 150 students applied for tertiary courses. We are very pleased to share that 100% of those students received a tertiary offer.

“After the very unusual year we all experienced, I am delighted that all students who wanted a course through VTAC have received an offer.”

– Miss Robyn McKenzie, Careers Counsellor In order to guide students toward successful and fulfilling career choices, St Michael’s ensures that students are wellinformed about all the possibilities available to them. In their final years at the School, Careers Counsellor, Miss Robyn McKenzie, plays an important role in helping students plan for their future by conducting individual interviews and group sessions that enable them to approach career opportunities with confidence, courage and purpose. Throughout the disruptions of 2020, Miss McKenzie and other committed staff members ensured that presentations and one-on-one career appointments went ahead, with most taking place online.

Our 2020 graduates were offered places at a variety of tertiary institutions. Of our Class of 2020, 32 graduates received a January offer for Monash University, 30 for The University

of Melbourne, 24 for RMIT, 20 for Swinburne, 12 for Deakin, 10 for Victoria University, eight for La Trobe, and three for Australian Catholic University, with the remaining students receiving offers from other providers.

St Michael’s students are known for their diversity of interests and abilities, which is highlighted in the wide variety of singleand double-degree courses chosen.

During 2020, many students questioned the path they should take beyond school, and whether jobs in fields such as Hospitality, Event Management, and the Arts may be affected

by COVID-19. Due to the pandemic, some students became particularly interested in courses such as Scientific Research, Epidemiology and Environmental Issues.

The majority of offers were for courses in the area of Society and Culture with 44 offers, then 33 for Management and Commerce, Creative Arts had 30, 20 for Natural and Physical Sciences, Health had 13, Engineering and related areas had 10, Architecture and Building had eight, Education had five, Information Technology had two, and Food, Hospitality and Personal Services, and Agriculture and Environmental Studies both had one offer.

“As always, I am so thrilled when students receive an offer for their dream course, which was something they have always wanted.”

– Miss Robyn McKenzie We wish all graduates the very best for what lies ahead and look forward to following them on their journey as Old Michaelians.

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VCE study down to an art: Sybilla George While 2020 presented its challenges, Sybilla (OM 2020) found her groove studying and creating art.

“Art didn’t become a part of my school life until the beginning of Year 12, when I made the decision to swap from Chemistry to Studio Arts, informed by a summer spent doing stencil screen printing with friends.”

“Throughout the year I experimented with a range of intaglio and relief printmaking forms, with my favourites ultimately being lino and etching.”

Sybilla was excited to receive an early offer last year to study Fine Arts at VCA, but is also looking forward to the life-long learning journey that lies ahead.

“Choosing university preferences was much trickier than I expected, ultimately because I know I’d enjoy doing many courses and am so lucky to have lots of options.”

“Although I’m not sure where this course will lead, it will be a great start to tertiary study, which I expect to continue for quite a while.”

Sybilla took on the challenging VCE subject mix of Literature, Studio Arts, Biology, French, Mathematical Methods and 4

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Global Politics. Awarded Dux of the School, Sybilla graduated with an outstanding ATAR of 99.75, placing her in the top 0.2% of the state. Sybilla also achieved a perfect study score of 50 in Literature and Studio Arts.

“The mix of different subjects allowed me to move between them more swiftly and provided a sense of freshness to studying.”

Sybilla’s advice for future VCE students is to put in a consistent effort with the aim of improving steadily over the course of year.

“It’s important to remember that you don’t have to be ‘superhuman’ to do well in VCE. Having unrealistic expectations of being perfect from the beginning is impractical long-term and a bad study week or weekend isn’t going to destroy previous effort. Look after yourself and your friends.”

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Sybilla and friends keeping it COVID-safe Sybilla George Great Barrier Reef Immersion Trip Sybilla with classmates on the Great Barrier Reef Immersion Trip

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A strong voice during a challenging VCE year: Harry Amos While the St Michael’s community has long celebrated Harry’s beautiful singing voice, his skills in music performance are now opening worlds of opportunities for him.

“During VCE I wouldn’t allow myself to get bored. I worked as hard as I could, gave myself study goals, practised singing and went running almost every day with friends.”

In late 2020, Harry auditioned at The University of Melbourne’s Conservatorium of Music. After just one week, he was given an early offer for the Bachelor of Music Performance (Voice), and a Scholarship Entrance Award.

“My advice for VCE would be to do the subjects you are passionate about and find your own voice. Talk to the teachers and ask them for help. It sounds obvious now, but I only really started doing this in Year 12, and I found out just how much of a difference it made.”

“I was stoked, and the Scholarship Entrance Award really topped it off.”

Harry is also passionate about running, and he credits his involvement in Sport as paramount to his St Michael’s experience and VCE success.

“Along with Music, Sport played a big role in my overall experience of school. There are so many opportunities at St Michael’s to get involved.”

Along with singing and running, Harry’s interesting subject mix of Economics, English, Further Mathematics, Music Performance and Physical Education kept him motivated throughout Year 12.

Harry is now looking set to achieve his goals for the future.

“I’m hoping one day to sing professionally and get involved in music making initiatives that have a positive impact, but right now I can’t wait to immerse myself in studying the things I’m passionate about, and to keep running, of course.”

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Harry in a St Michael's production of The Addams Family Harry Amos Harry and the Boys A Cappella Group sing Happy Birthday for the School's 125th Anniversary Harry singing with the Boys A Cappella Group

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Stepping out of her comfort zone and into success: Alex Hose As a member of the Class of 2020, Alex embraced the challenges of VCE and online learning in order to grow.

“I found that it forced me to explore new ways of learning, coping and studying which were beneficial in the end.”

Alex embraced the opportunity to engage in many different activities during her time at St Michael's, including a language exchange to France, and the 20-day Kosi to the Coast expedition, the pinnacle of our Outdoor Education program.

“Kosi was without a doubt my favourite experience at St Michael's. It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I came away with so many incredible memories and new friendships. It also made me more excited to push my limits and continue stepping out of my comfort zone as well as improving my resilience and motivation.”

For the VCE, Alex tackled Chemistry, English Language, French, Mathematical Methods (Northern Hemisphere Timetable), and Specialist Mathematics, and she finished the year with an ATAR of 99.6, placing her in the top 0.5% of the state.

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Since graduating, has maintained her passion for learning and has commenced a Bachelor of Science at The University of Melbourne.

“It’s super exciting. Science is something I'm really interested in and the degree gives me lots of flexibility and opportunities to try out different areas.”

Alex is also looking forward to creating new opportunities well into the future.

“I'm excited to travel and explore the world. There’s so much to see and do and so many incredible places to go. I really want to meet new people and find opportunities outside Australia and see where they lead me. I want to continue pushing myself and trying new things.”

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Alex on her language exchange to France Celebrating a Breen victory at the Swimming Carnival Alex Hose Kosi to the Coast 2019

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Shining bright: Nick Gumley In December 2020, before VCE results had even been released, Nick had already received University offers from Queensland Conservatorium at Griffith University and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).

Throughout his VCE studies, Nick focused on gaining skills that would give him strong foundations for the future.

“Aiming to go into an Arts degree, I feel like I focused on a different goal for VCE. My focus wasn’t the ATAR I came out with, but the practical skills that I actually gained from those classes.”

While Nick acknowledges that online classes during 2020 were sometimes difficult, he also recognised the new opportunities the year provided for him, including playing a new instrument and learning to create music videos, both of which helped him in auditioning for university.

Nick believes his broad range of abilities in creating melodies, playing the piano, guitar and drums, singing, song writing, musical theatre and acting all helped him get accepted into his dream courses.

“When applying for music courses at universities, they like to see well-rounded people with lots of different skills. I don’t think I’m the best at any one thing that I do. I know I wasn’t the best drummer or the best songwriter, but it was my ability to do all those things to a competent ability that they liked to see.”

For St Michael’s students set on pursuing the Performing Arts after school, Nick says it is important to create your own opportunities.

“Start looking at creating opportunities for yourself to shine.

Get involved in new initiatives. For me, this was picking up a new instrument and writing and recording songs in my bedroom. These activities may not add anything to your VCE mark, but they do add a lot to you as a person and how you come across in interviews and auditions.”

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Nick performing in the Dance Project 2019, Rozvaha!

Nick (front left) on a St Michael's trip to the Adelaide Festival in March 2020 Nick Gumley The Crest Issue 5 2021

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S TA F F S P OT L I G H T

Alexandra Fegan curiosity, wonder and capabilities inspire me every day.”

While studying her Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies, Alexandra represented Victoria at the U/21 National Netball Championships in 1992. She was then chosen in the Australian U/21 Squad and was one of 14 athletes selected for a netball scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in 1993.

Alexandra Fegan assumes many roles during a day at St Michael’s. She is the Director of Margaret Thomas House (MTH), a teacher, our First Team Netball Coach, and a parent.

“I've always had an affinity for working with young children. Their potential,

“Being at the AIS was one of the absolute highlights of my life. It taught me about perseverance, belonging to a team, aspiring to reach my full potential, and knowing that you are a part of something bigger.”

After graduating from university, Alexandra commenced her career in Early Childhood.

“I was very fortunate to begin my career in a wonderfully diverse childcare centre.

The three years I spent there gave me a great foundation on which to build my career in Early Childhood Education.”

Alexandra’s career progressed quickly, and since arriving at St Michael’s in 2006, she has seen Margaret Thomas House double in size, taught many 3 Year Old and 4 Year Old Kindergarten groups, acted as MTH Coordinator, and in 2021, moved into the new role of Director of Margaret Thomas House.

In 2016 Alexandra's son Charlie (3E) joined the St Michael's community. We thank Alexandra for her contributions as a leader, teacher, coach and parent.

“As St Michael’s supports the children to follow their strengths and interests, they also support the staff. I am grateful for the diverse opportunities the School has given me, in terms of pursuing my passion for early childhood education, my sport, and in developing my leadership skills.”

Luke Matthews Luke Matthews graduated from St Michael’s in 1993, and in 2000, he returned to the School on placement for his teaching studies. During that year he co-directed the Middle School play The Secret Garden with Mrs Isabelle Mangeot-Hewison, and in 2001, he came back to direct The Witches. In 2018, Luke returned to St Michael's to teach English in the Senior School.

Since then, Luke has grown his teaching profession around Drama, Theatre Studies and English, and has always maintained a strong connection with St Michael’s.

Over his career, Luke has taught Drama and Literature at the Australian National University, became the Leading Teacher for the Performing Arts across three campuses of a newly formed state school in Melbourne’s north, studied a Masters of English and Theatre Studies, written for Oxford University Press secondary humanities textbooks, and in 2020, won the University of 8

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Melbourne’s Percival Serle Prize for his research thesis into the work of German theatre director and composer Heiner Goebbels. Despite this incredible list of achievements, Luke continues to push himself to try to learn something new every day.

“I think it is always important to have something one is doing that involves developing a new skill. It’s important to try to keep rounding oneself out and to always put oneself well outside of a comfortable position of mastery.

Last year I learned to ride a motorcycle and took some piano lessons with my daughter; this year I am trying to do five minutes a day of German.”

Luke sees teaching as a privilege, to work with young people who are “just wonderful and clever and can be so insightful”. For Luke, teaching at St Michael’s is particularly sweet.

“There is something wonderful about returning to teach at a school you attended – it kind of ties the threads of

your life together. Working with teachers who inspired me as a student has been a gift. I think that the staff at St Michael’s are just so skilled and a fantastic group of people. The School’s Performing Arts tradition has remained strong. And I love the inclusivity and intelligence of the student body.”

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Leading the next generation In February, our Year 6 Leaders for 2021 were officially inducted into their roles at All Saints Church. This year the Junior School is led by Co-Captains (K-6) Sophie and Sebastian, and Co-Vice Captains Lola and Harshaan.

Through the power of positive role-modelling, St Michael’s Student Leaders have a huge influence on their peers. The School values of Dignity, Respect, Care and Compassion are at the heart of our leadership style.

Being a positive role model, upholding the School’s values, positively influencing and enabling others, and initiating change are the driving forces for our Student Leaders, as well as a strong social conscience with a passion to serve the community.

At St Michael’s, there is a rich array of leadership opportunities for students. Such roles enable students to gain valuable confidence and experience in learning about responsibility and organisation. Other leadership roles for Year 6 students include Music Co-Captains, Sacristans and Mentors. Students

from Years 2 to 5 can also become Environmental Action Group and Community Action Group representatives.

In the Senior School, leadership opportunities for students in Year 12 include Co-Captains of the School (7–12), Co-Vice Captains of the School (7–12), House Co-Captains, House Co-Vice Captains, and Co-Curricular Captains. Students in Year 9 can also take up the role of Years 7 to 9 Co-Captains and Co-Vice Captains.

However, students don’t need a badge to be a leader – we ask all our students to uphold the School’s core philosophy and live by our values.

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All Saints Church Mrs Nicole Armatas at the Year 6 Leaders Induction Sophie and Sebastian at the Year 6 Leaders Induction Sophie and Sebastian at the Year 6 Leaders Induction The Crest Issue 5 2021

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The Power of Why? ‘The great problem today is...how to move towards a form of renewal that attempts to interweave the single disciplines and make them interact in a way that has never been done before in learning. We are proposing something in very uncertain times, which does not envisage abandoning specific disciplines, but at the same time does not want to exalt them; something that would like to have the disciplines penetrating each other and reciprocally enriching each other’ (Loris Malaguzzi in Cagliari., et al, 2016, p 264).

At St Michael's, in the Junior School, including Margaret Thomas House we are influenced by the tenets of the Reggio Emilia Educational Project, originating in Italy. The quote above is from the founder of the Reggio Emilia Project, Loris Malaguzzi. How fitting it is for today’s context, yet the quote is decades old. Malaguzzi’s aim was to challenge the status quo of the grammar of schooling when he first commenced his research and life’s work, spanning around 50 years.

His research, philosophy and pedagogical approaches live more strongly today than ever before. Why? His work was evidence based and focused on growing an educational system based on the premise that children are citizens with rights, not from an industrial model.

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At the start of this year, we were determined to commence school with a focus on ‘Our way of being’. We knew that the impact of 2020 would not end, just because the year did.

We concentrated our efforts on ensuring that the children’s academic and emotional needs enriched each other. The children were actively engaged in establishing how we would work best, treat one another with our values of Dignity, Respect, Care and Compassion, and how our learning environments, both internally and externally, should feel to maximise our learning and our wellbeing. If you relate it to an adult’s working life, you could say it is like establishing norms that guide our behaviour and attitudes to ensure we operate optimally. We maintained our high standards in terms of our wellbeing program, and ensured our work in Health, Anam Cara and Positive Learning was uncompromised and prioritised.

The teachers themselves, in the Kindergarten and in the Prep to Year 6 area, have all undertaken very targeted research in the core areas of learning. They are working in Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) dedicated to Literacy, Numeracy, Wellbeing, and the area of Transdisciplinary Inquiry. Malaguzzi speaks often about ‘interweaving disciplines.’ We see great value and importance in staff working in cross-disciplinary

teams, so that we may explore this interweaving of approaches.

Within PLTs, staff are undertaking audits on our current practices and approaches, having come off a significant time of disruption and uncertainty, which has continued to agitate the ‘why’ of what we do. We are not abandoning those things we know work well for our students, but we wish to take the time to question why we do what we do, analyse the evidence of our impact and plan for a strategy for improvement where it is required.

One of the outcomes of this is that we are reviewing our current approaches to both assessment and reporting. Year 4 teachers are trialling online reporting, with continuous feedback integrated into the way in which we report to our students. Students receive ongoing feedback, made visible to parents. This trial will continue over the year and will inform our future decision making on how we deliver feedback and structure reporting.

Working with an external agency, a team of staff within the Junior School has been refining and redefining our approaches to inquiry learning. They have looked outwards and are researching the latest developments around the world. This work requires significant analytical and creative thinking by our teachers and the research will continue for some time. I have witnessed transformational thinking when teams with different strengths come together to innovate, so it is an exciting time.

As a part of our review, we are also looking at ways of connecting to the community. We have been successful with our grant application to the St Kilda Botanical Garden’s Eco Centre to engage our children in the ‘Tomorrows' Leaders for Sustainability Program’. Our Year 4 children visit the Eco Centre once a week for half a day, where they have adopted a tree each, which they will care for and observe over the term.

The focus of their research will be on how local habitats are impacted, and how as citizens, they can support and assist in habitat rehabilitation. Natural sites provide rich learning experiences, and we are integrating literacy, numeracy, and child centred research in outdoor spaces that invite openended interactions, risk-taking, exploration, discovery and connection with nature.

While I have highlighted only a few examples of the important work occurring in our School, there is much to celebrate in all areas of the Junior School, including Margaret Thomas House. By asking ‘why?’, we continue to renew and evolve our programs. Importantly, from a crisis we should seek to find silver linings, to discover where the buds of renewal may sprout and how we may interweave the various facets of schooling and learning so that the experiences are rewarding ones for our children.

Mrs Nicole Armatas Associate Head (K-6)

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Virtual Reality taking learning from the classroom to the community In a 2015 study conducted by The Age, each of Melbourne’s 321 suburbs was rated in terms of its “liveability” – the combination of all the factors that add up to a community's quality of life. The fascinating study utilised data from the national census and other sources to score each suburb on 15 key indicators, including proximity to the CBD, the beach and public transport, the number of schools, parks, and trees, and even internet and mobile phone coverage.

In Term 1 2021, St Michael’s Year 7 Humanities students were challenged to conduct a similar survey of a suburb of their choice, collecting their own primary and secondary data to assess how liveable the suburb is. Students took photos, made observations, surveyed residents, and drew findings from relevant websites, council documents and census data. On their geography fieldwork trip to Windsor Siding and Windsor Station, students used drone technology and their Surface Pro devices to collect data on St Michael’s local suburb of Windsor.

“I loved this liveability unit. It was fun but also very educational to learn about the 15 key liability factors and how they play a role in people wanting to live in the suburb or not." – Molly (7B) 12

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When photographing their suburb, students needed to justify the services they felt were important, such as public transport, post offices, shops, housing, and restaurants.

Their observations also included topics such as pollution, infrastructure, green spaces, and traffic.

With this rich data, our students were then tasked to build the suburb virtually using the CoSpaces Edu app. CoSpaces Edu enables students to build, code and explore their own virtual content creations in Virtual Reality or Augmented Reality, while demonstrating their learnings and developing essential skills using digital and spatial technologies.

"CoSpaces was really fun. Coding and using CoBlocks is fun and adds so much to the creation. There seems to be a tool for everything." – Declan (7M) At the end of the project, students were asked to deduce how liveable their suburb is currently, determine those strategies that had already been implemented to improve the suburb, and some that could be implemented in future.

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"CoSpaces has provided me with skills and an understanding of a different app and platform. CoSpaces was challenging but also rewarding, figuring out all the things you can create."

– Phoebe (7M) Using a combination of data collection methods and cuttingedge technology, students were enabled to learn holistically about their suburb and think critically about urban design and planning and the future of technology.

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Students on Geography field trip to Windsor Siding Students learning to use CoSpaces Students on Geography fieldtrip to Windsor Siding Mr Ed Wong teaching students to use CoSpaces A CoSpaces creation coming together

“ The liveability unit was a great way for students to connect to the wider community and explore liveability factors of interest to them. The students were keen to fly the drone and collect data on the Fieldwork trip, but the biggest highlight was the students building their suburbs in the CoSpaces app. What the students were able to create and present was outstanding!”

– Mr Shaun Suridge The Crest Issue 5 2021

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Numeracy in the Junior School – why maths skills really ‘count’ Our teachers start developing students’ Numeracy skills from the very beginning of their learning journey. Even our youngest learners in Margaret Thomas House are engaged in experiences that develop their mathematical thinking skills such as building, counting, puzzles, songs and games.

Developing early Numeracy skills gives children an important foundation for their learning and growth. It helps prepare our students for daily life, including general problem solving, financial literacy, career readiness, and everything from driving, to travelling, understanding sports and games, and even cooking.

“Maths is important because I use it in my home. If I didn’t know numbers, I wouldn’t know what time it is on the clock, then we might do everything at the wrong time.” – Henry (Prep) “I think it’s important because you need to learn to count. If you’re baking a cake you need to know how many eggs you will need. You couldn’t go to the shops because you wouldn’t know how to buy things or how much you needed.”

– Lulu (Prep) Students learn the concepts and skills identified for each year level in the Victorian curriculum across three major 14

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areas: Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability.

However, we understand that it is not enough to simply learn the content of these areas in isolation. Students must also develop the skills to apply that knowledge in different circumstances to solve unknown problems, and to make connections across each area. Our teachers also discuss with the children that mathematical understanding is developed through a mindset of believing that there is no such thing as a ‘maths person’, and that mistakes, struggle and challenge are critical for brain growth. It is important that children realise they can all achieve success, with the right support and strategies.

“I like maths because I like counting and putting numbers in order.” – Lulu (Prep) Within our Inquiry Learning approach, the four major proficiencies that teachers develop within our students are Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning.

"As teachers, we want our students not only to know and understand the skill, but have the ability to flexibly apply it, both inside and outside of the classroom.” – Ms Renee Timion, Prep Teacher and Mathematics Learning Leader (K-6)

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Children learn more easily when they can connect mathematical concepts and procedures to their own experiences. Students are encouraged to explore how deeper mathematical knowledge assists them in their daily lives. Students find that the more they look, the more they see mathematics all around them - in the classroom, the playground, at the shops, in the car and at home.

Prep students Valentino and Ando understand that numeracy is important even when doing something as simple as watching television.

“If you can’t read numbers and you’re watching TV you might have the sound too loud, and it might break your ears,” Valentino said. “If you press the number 70 for the footy, you might get the footy when you are trying to watch the news,” Ando added.

Maths includes noticing numbers, shapes and patterns, as well as size, time and measurement. By using common household objects such as measuring cups, bathroom scales or a deck of cards, and by observing everyday events such as weather trends or a building site, students can more easily visualise the ideas that are being taught in the classroom.

On Monday 15 March, the day after International Day of Mathematics, many students across the Junior School celebrated the joy in maths. Students participated in a day of activities which applied their maths skills to real-world examples. In Prep, this included estimating the number of leaves on a tree, fairly distributing petals across a number of

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flowers, and investigating the area of different shapes using blocks and leaves.

“At St Michael’s, we connect mathematical understandings and skills to real-world experiences, to promote independent thinking and problem solving.” – Ms Renee Timion, Prep Teacher and Mathematics Learning Leader (K-6) For a child commencing their learning journey at our school, Mathematics is so much more than a series of rote learnt rules and procedures to follow. Mathematics is a set of big ideas, where connections are explored, and relationships are established, so that the methods and rules help us to make sense of the world.

“We must make mathematics a subject that has relevance and meaning throughout schooling. We lose children in formulas and rules, and we make the subject sterile. We need to ensure the experiences we create for children allow for different entry points, different learning styles and different ways of solving problems. We must also stress from the youngest of ages that there is no such thing as a person who cannot ‘do’ mathematics.” – Mrs Nicole Armatas, Associate Head (K-6)

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Year 1 students Keeley and Jeffery working together Lulu sorting groups of animals by the number of legs Estimating the number of leaves on a tree outside the classroom Year 3 students on International Day of Mathematics The Crest Issue 5 2021

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A triumphant return to the stage The Performing Arts is proudly central to St Michael's identity.

We encourage our students at all levels to learn from, with and for the world, through the pursuit of their passion and curiosity in Music, Drama, Theatre and Dance.

time for some Shakespeare, with St Michael’s contemporary staging of The Winter’s Tale. Audiences were inspired by the talent of St Michael’s thespians as they brought to life one of Shakespeare’s most complex and challenging plays.

The focus of the Performing Arts in 2021 is very much on reconnecting our students with the joys of collaborating with peers and the simple fun of performing once again.

After an unbelievable 12 months since our last live production, St Michael’s was very excited to warmly welcome our community to the 2021 Student Production, The Real Inspector Hound by Tom Stoppard. The Real Inspector Hound is a witty spoof of the 'whodunit' genre that was diligently directed and brought to life by our senior students.

In Term 2, we saw students dance through the decades with Iconic, the long-awaited return of our annual Dance Project to Gasworks. This fun-filled, energetic production showcased the talents, dedication and stamina of our students. There was something for everyone in the music choices, which made for a very entertaining evening. Shortly afterwards, it was 16

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“Congratulations to Co-Directors, Mr Luke Matthews and Ms Annie Fiume for mentoring our young people through this experience and for driving the narrative arc of the play into our modern sensibilities and contemporary context.”

– Mrs Terrie Jones, Head of the School We look forward to the full Performing Arts schedule of the remainder of 2021 and warmly welcome you to join us where you can.

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Students performing in The Winter's Tale The Winter's Tale The 2021 Student Production, The Real Inspector Hound The Real Inspector Hound

A moment from the 2021 Dance Project, Iconic

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Community Action commences for 2021 Friday 5 March was St Michael’s first Community Action Day of 2021. It was an action-packed day, where we celebrated International Women’s Day, Clean Up Australia Day, participated in games and raffles, and most importantly, raised money and goods for our chosen charities the Sacred Heart Mission, the Australian Marine Conservation Society, and Seed, the Indigenous branch of the Australian Youth Climate Council.

A team of students from our School Leaders, Community Action Group and Environmental Action Group worked together to ensure the day ran smoothly.

The events started early with our annual International Women’s Day breakfast in Dolly’s Café. International Women’s Day is an occasion to celebrate the achievements of women, to continue striving for gender equality and to show support for women who struggle.

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The 2021 theme for International Women’s Day was #ChoosetoChallenge – a call to action to continue pushing towards gender equality. The St Michael’s community reflected on how far society has come, and how far we still have to go, to truly achieve gender equality. This year, the event was livestreamed so all parents could take part.

We were joined by guest speaker Wendy Tuohy, St Michael’s parent and award-winning columnist and editor who focuses on issues impacting women. Wendy spoke about problems faced by women today, and she praised the younger generations who challenge the status quo and the stereotypes that restrict them.

Students, staff and parents contributed to the Sacred Heart Mission by donating funds, supermarket gift cards, and muchneeded toiletries to women experiencing homelessness or disadvantage. There was also a raffle to win a gift hamper from Pana Chocolate worth $150, which went home with one lucky parent!

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“Thank you for organising and hosting an inspiring and warming event. I’m so pleased that I made the trip to attend, and especially to listen to Wendy Tuohy’s talk which was very interesting and encouraging.” – Margo, St Michael’s parent

“ How uplifting it is to see how hugely improved empowerment appears to be among this cohort of young women, of which my daughter and her peers are a part”

As 5 March was also Clean Up Australia Schools Day, we made it our mission to make Friday ‘Derek’s Day Off’! Derek is St Michael’s tireless cleaner, who the students thought deserved to put his feet up for the day. Students used bags and gloves to collect any litter throughout the day.

The high spirits of the day continued at lunchtime, when the entire campus enjoyed the music of DJ Aear (Year 8 student, Angus).

For gold coin donations, students wore casual clothes and enjoyed many games and activities throughout this first Community Action Day of 2021. These actions meant that students in Years K to 6 raised money for the Australian Marine Conservation Society, and students in Years 7 to 12 for Seed. These charities were researched and chosen by our School Leaders, Community Action Group and Environmental Action Group members.

Thank you to our students, staff, parents and guests, particularly International Women’s Day guest speaker Wendy Tuohy, for making our first Community Action Day for 2021 so memorable.

– Wendy Tuohy, St Michael's parent and award-winning columnist

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Students of all year levels helped to clean up the School Ms Kate Kelly introducing the International Women's Day speaker Prep students Lulu and Nina-Rose helping to clean up the School Year 1 students Valentina and Isabella helping to clean up the School Parents and staff enjoyed the International Women's Day event Wendy Tuohy speaking to the School The Crest Issue 5 2021

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Experiential learning on excursions Excursions are not only an exciting change of scenery from the classroom, but they also provide unique opportunities for learning, access to resources and hands-on experiences that are not always available in the school environment.

In February, our Year 5 students travelled to Sovereign Hill, Ballarat, to step back in time and experience what life was like during the 1850s gold rushes. The living museum helped our students become immersed in their learning and better understand life on the goldfields.

Our Year 7 students were similarly thrilled to visit Melbourne Zoo. They were the first school group onsite since the Zoo’s group tours closed in March 2020. We’re not sure who was more excited – our students or the Zoo’s Education Team!

Year 6 students attended a Leadership Day excursion to Wattle Park, Burwood, where they explored and developed important skills that will guide them through their final year as role models for the Junior School. Students took part in a range of practical, hands-on activities that challenged and inspired all, followed by follow-up and reflective activities once back at school.

Our Year 1 and Year 4 students have become gardenersin-residence with regular excursions to the St Kilda 20

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Botanical Gardens, helping with tasks such as planting and garden maintenance.

Back on St Michael’s campus, students from Prep to Year 6 on our Holiday Programs also enjoyed experiential incursions such as ‘The Zoo Comes to You’ and the ‘Mini Olympics’.

Additionally, the Year 11 Legal Studies class benefitted from an incursion with the Victorian Parliament. Two members of the parliamentary Education Unit visited the School and explained the roles and functions of various members and committees, and helped the students complete a mock passing of a bill. Students took on the roles of members of parliament and re-enacted how a real bill was passed.

Not only do excursions provide another dimension to students’ class-based learning, but they can also become special memories that students recall fondly for years to come.

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Panning for gold at the Sovereign Hill excursion 4.

Year 6 leadership excursion to Wattle Park

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1–3. Year 7 students at the Zoo 4–5. Year 11 Legal Studies Incursion 6–8. Kinder students at a

Mini Olympics incursion 9–11. Year 1 at the St Kilda

Botanical Gardens

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Twilight Jazz As a fitting celebration to finish Term 1, Twilight Jazz took place in the tranquil beauty of St Michael’s campus on Wednesday 31 March. The event featured jazz-genre performances from the Big Band, the Stage Band, Chamber Brass and Saxophone ensembles, as well as the Senior Chamber Choir.

“I was quite emotional at the sight of our students performing music live together again, and to witness the joy of members of our parent community appreciating the opportunity to reconnect with each other and the School.”

- Mrs Terrie Jones, Head of the School Thank you to the Parent Community Association and to our partner Avoca Catering for organising the cake stall and picnic menu for this COVID-safe event.

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Thiem players In February, World No. 3 tennis player Dominic Thiem stopped by Fawkner Park to train with our Senior Girls Tennis Squad before taking to the court in the Australian Open.

Dominic joked that he was impressed by the students all donning the Austrian flag for his visit, before the students informed him that the red and white colours are also those of St Michael’s!

Dominic went on to a strong start in the Australian Open, even defeating Australian Nick Kyrgios along the way, before being eliminated by Grigor Dimitrov in Round 4.

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Shrove Tuesday On Tuesday 23 February our Prep students enthusiastically celebrated Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day! Traditionally, Shrove Tuesday is the feast day before the start of Lent.

While the Prep students’ celebrations were a week late due to Melbourne’s snap lockdown the week prior, no one seemed to mind!

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ANZAC Day ANZAC Day is one of Australia’s most important national occasions. We have commemorated ANZAC Day for more than 100 years, and it has always been a time for people from all walks of life to come together.

ANZAC Day is also a significant date for the School, given our longstanding relationship with the 14/32 Battalion Association. Our Student Leaders and percussion ensemble proudly represented St Michael’s and the 14/32 Battalion in the ANZAC Day March on Sunday 25 April.

On Tuesday 27 April, the School held a poignant ANZAC Day memorial service. Students wore sprigs of rosemary, a traditional symbol of remembrance, and others wore family members’ medals of service.

We were joined by guest speaker Commander Alisha Withers RAN, who grew up in Melbourne and joined the Royal Australian Navy in 2002. She attended the Australian Defence Force Academy and graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics and Oceanography). She also holds a Master of Military and Defence Studies and her current role is Operational Planner for the South West Pacific in Headquarters Joint Operations Command.

Commander Withers inspired us with her reflection on her career as one of very few women in her area of expertise in the Navy. Commander Withers’ address was a call to stay true to oneself and to not allow others to reduce you, but expend your energies focusing on being the best version of you. The message about personal authenticity and presence resonated strongly with our staff and students alike.

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A swell time at the SEP surf weekends Over two weekends in February and March, two groups of St Michael’s students set out to surf at Ocean Grove as part of our Skills Extension Program (SEP).

The Skills Extension Program is designed to provide students with opportunities to learn new skills, or to enhance existing ones. Students can develop their skills through outdoor experiences, in this case, surfing! The SEP programs are designed to be fun and focus mainly on the development of outdoor skills and friendships across year levels.

Ocean Grove, located on the Bellarine Peninsula, is a surfer’s paradise visited by people from around the world who seek the clean swell and steady break.

Students and staff of all surfing abilities took part in lessons with local company Go Ride A Wave. The students participated in one lesson on Saturday afternoon, and two on Sunday.

"It was incredible to get in the water at Ocean Grove and surf with my friends and Go Ride A Wave." – Hugo (Year 8) The lessons gave students the confidence to stand in the surf, catch waves by themselves, and equipped them with the knowledge to better understand the ocean. If students were

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finished with surfing, they could also choose to bodyboard, body surf, or just have fun in the waves.

"The SEP surfing weekend was excellent! It was my first time surfing but it was magical to experience the waves of the ocean - even in the rain! I was impressed with the willingness to participate from all the students on the trip."

– Mr Jared Prentis, Teacher In keeping with the rest of St Michael’s Outdoor Education programs, students on this trip were encouraged to take on increasing levels of responsibility. The group camped at a local caravan park and were given opportunities to explore the local area and to purchase their own food and drinks.

The relaxed and casual environment of the Skills Extension Program allowed students to get to know their peers from different year levels, as well as their teachers and outdoor education staff. St Michael’s graduate Tara Flynn (OM 2020) also returned to help with supervising the trip.

“As a keen surfer and someone who attended a few of these SEP weekends years ago, I really enjoyed being able to experience the program from another perspective. Over the short time with these students, we got to know each other quite well, and I was able to see them create new friendships

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with one another too. It was nice to be able to appreciate and value more of what goes on behind the scenes to make these trips so successful.” – Tara Flynn (OM 2020) "I didn’t think I would have enjoyed it as much as I did, because I didn’t have any friends going, but I got to meet new people and by the end of it we felt like we could do it all again."

– Sienna (Year 7) Students in Years 7 to 12 can look forward to two more Skills Extension Programs this year, which include skiing and snorkelling. For Year 6, the opportunities for 2021 are orienteering, rock climbing and sailing.

“ The SEP Surf trip was an amazing way to extend my surf skills and friendships with students in other year levels and teachers. Whether it was while catching some waves, singing songs on the bus, or just chilling at the campsite, I had a smile on my face the whole time."

– Kate (Year 10)

"I would recommend everyone to go on a SEP camp at least once. I am looking forward to going next year!”

– Kate (Year 10)

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Year 7 Exodus – Forming strong foundations through friendship The Outdoor Education Program at St Michael's is an integral part of the learning journey. Its emphasis is on personal growth through outdoor experiences, and each year level has a specific theme, which for Year 7 is ‘Friends and Foundation’.

For many in the cohort, Year 7 Exodus was their first Outdoor Education experience. The aim was for students to build relationships, introduce a solid foundation of outdoor skills and develop a connection with the natural environment.

"We were excited to see a full cohort get out on Exodus for the first time this year. After the lockdowns over 2020 and 2021, it is more important than ever for our students to get out and reconnect with the natural world and each other."

– Mr Sam Roberts, Outdoor Education Coordinator On a Monday morning in March, Year 7 set off for a five-day adventure at Iluka Retreat on the Mornington Peninsula, approximately 100km south-east of Melbourne. The students spent five days with their House-based tutorial group, accompanied by representatives from St Michael’s and the Outdoor Education Group (OEG). Allowing the students to 28

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form a strong connection with their House community is important, as those peers will be a key support network for students throughout their St Michael’s experience.

Together, students bushwalked and hiked along the coast, and learnt new skills including stand-up paddle boarding, raft building, cooking and camping.

"The Year 7 camp was such an amazing experience, from hiking 15km, to rafting, and sleeping in tents. The highlights for me were being able to do so many new things, meeting new people, becoming closer to friends, and showing House spirit."

– Violet (7H) Throughout all the fun, students bonded in their House groups and were empowered to develop a sense of responsibility.

“This camp helped us to learn very important survival and safety skills, and other new experiences. We had different jobs assigned when we got there, including leadership, cleaning up, and cooking.” – Violet (7H)

Alongside the Year 7 cohort, a group of Year 11 students were invited to attend the Exodus as Peer Support Student Leaders.

Throughout the week, the Student Leaders assisted with activities, helped the Year 7 students to form relationships, and passed on their knowledge from previous Outdoor Education programs.

"Year 7 Exodus was one of the best camp experiences I have had. It was really lovely watching the new students build their friendships with each other over the course of the week, how comfortable they became with one another, and how many students overcame struggles and strengthened their independence and confidence." – Mia (11K) “I was glad to see everyone enjoy themselves despite the weather and constantly having wet socks! It was also amazing to see the Year 7 students work together so well and learn so much.” – Henry (11B).

In the following days back at school, students reflected on their Exodus experiences through classroom discussions and activities. It was evident that the sense of camaraderie gained on camp has permeated regular life at St Michael’s.

“The House felt like family for the week, and the relationships I now have with the other Year 11s, the staff involved, and the younger students has created a really nice network that has carried on into the school environment.”– Mia (11K) “I met so many new friends and got to hang out with the Year 11s.” – Violet (7H) Students in Years 7 can now look forward to their three-day Journey Skills adventure in Term 4.

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ACS Premiership Wins St Michael’s is a member of the Association of Co-educational Schools (ACS), a premier interschool sports association, committed to the wellbeing of all students through sport. Sport is played during the week which enables a balanced lifestyle for our students and allows for family time and participation in community sport on weekends.

In the Summer Season of 2021, we congratulate St Michael’s 2nd Girls Volleyball, 3rds Girls Volleyball and 5th Boys Basketball Teams on winning their Senior ACS School Sport Grand Finals.

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Setting sail Congratulations to the St Michael’s sailors for a fantastic season on the water.

At the annual Girlsail event in February, Anna (11H) and Alexia (7M), represented the School and achieved 3rd place overall.

The morning weather suited the lightweight crew, with Anna and Alexia winning each of their qualifying races. In the afternoon, the girls fought hard in tough conditions to secure a well-deserved third place overall.

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A St Michael’s crew of 14 students also performed very well at the 2021 Victorian School Team Sailing Championships in March.

“We were lucky to have three days of good breeze which enabled some very close racing for both of our teams. Our Division 1 Team was very pleased to have finished in the top 6 after finals.” – Anna (11H), Sailing Captain.

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The 2021 Victorian School Team Sailing Championships St Michael's Girlsail crew of Alexia and Anna

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Chess success Congratulations to St Michael’s Chess Team, who finished equal first at the 2021 ACS Chess Tournament! Well done to the team of Iris (7S), Rufus (7S), Daniel (9K), Ed (9K), Luca (10S), Asher (10M), Alec (10S), Flynn (10H), Chris (10K) and Austin (11H) on this fantastic result.

All students from Prep to Year 12 are welcome to join the Chess Club, where professional chess coach James Watson is eager to help anyone new to the game.

Earlier in 2021, Chess Club members Flynn (10H) and Chris (10K) travelled to Ballarat to participate in the 55th annual Begonia Open Chess Tournament.

The Ballarat Chess Club and the town’s wider community is fiercely proud of their chess tournament, and with good reason. Begonia has always attracted top players from around the world. This year, there was a record entry of 157 players, including 5 Grandmasters and 4 International Masters.

The Begonia Open was exceptionally popular in 2021 as it was one of the first face-to-face tournaments to take place since the pandemic took hold in Victoria in March 2021.

Chris and Flynn played 7 games over three days. The games were a mental marathon, with most games lasting between one and five hours.

“With multiple chess prodigies and adult Grand and International Masters, we knew it was going to be tough.”

– Christopher and Flynn (Year 10) Flynn and Christopher played outstandingly well. Highlights for Christopher included playing a four-hour long game against an 1800 rated player, as well as defeating numerous young chess prodigies. Flynn enjoyed beating three strong and experienced adults who were all above a 1500 rating.

After the three full days of chess, both Chris and Flynn won equal first place in their rating categories, earning a combined prize of $600!

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St Michael's Chess Team after their ACS win Flynn playing chess

School of Rock In May, pop punk trio Cheeky Geezers, made up of St Michael’s students Teddy (10B), Nick (10M) and Rex (10B), played their first Under 18 shows with some of Australia’s favourite punk rockers The Chats at The Croxton Bandroom!

Cheeky Geezers are part of St Michael’s School of Rock program. Teddy’s mum Janey said, “Hats off to the boys and to the school for providing the environment for these kids to shine!”

“I knew it was going to be a great gig when Teddy blew up an amp in the last rehearsal! We’re all proud of you, boys!”

– Mr Adam Donaldson, Music Tutor Cheeky Geezers

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State team selection for sibling cyclists Congratulations to sibling cyclists Alana (10H) and Jackson (12S), who together brought home six medals from the State Track Cycling Championships in March. Alana achieved Gold in Individual Pursuit, Silver in Points and Sprints, and Bronze in Scratch Races. Jackson achieved Gold in Individual Pursuit, Silver in Elimination and attained 4th place in Points and Scratch Races.

Alana and Jackson have now been selected to represent Victoria at the 2021 National Track Championships in Brisbane. All the best to this dynamic duo.

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In the pool with St Michael’s Grammar School The Years 7 to 12 House Swimming Carnival is one of the first major school events of the year. At the Carnival in February, there was excitement in the air, and more events were added to the program to enable more students to participate.

After their successes in the St Michael’s carnival, more than 75 swimmers were selected to represent the School at the ACS Swimming Championship in March. There were some fantastic races and St Michael’s finished third overall with 32

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1750 points. A special mention goes to Col (Year 12) who broke the school record for the Boys Open 200m Individual Medley with a time of 2m 20.03s! Col now has his eyes set firmly on Tokyo, where he will compete in for the Australian Paralympic Swim Team.

After the ACS Competition, six St Michael’s students qualified to represent the ACS in the Victorian School Associations Swimming Competition on Monday 10 May. Well done to Cam (Year 9), Chloe (Year 10) and Matthew (Year 12) who swam on the night, particularly to Matt and the 16+ Boys who placed third in the 4x50m Freestyle Relay.

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Jackson and Alana at the State Track Cycling Championships Year 12 student and Paralympian Col

Ruby selected for Top Arts at the NGV Ruby Soumbassis (OM 2020) was the 2020 winner of the Board Acquisition Prize for her photographic works Alone and Man Ironing.

Ruby’s work Study was then selected by the National Gallery of Victoria for Top Arts 2021, an annual exhibition which celebrates the exceptional and thought-provoking work of VCE Art and Studio Arts students.

Top Arts 2021 is testament to the resilience of the exhibiting artists who achieved excellence in an extraordinary year and celebrates the distinctive achievements of art education.

Drawn from a range of media, topics, schools and students,

Top Arts is part of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority’s annual showcasing of excellence.

“For my works from the series The unguarded moment, I chose to focus on the lives of people behind closed doors,” Ruby said.

“The series consists of four works that aim to depict the way individuals behave when they feel they’re not being watched, revealing their emotions, inner thoughts, feelings and ultimately their character.”

The Top Arts exhibition will be shown at the NGV Ian Potter Centre in Federation Square, Melbourne, until 11 July 2021.

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'The 1,494 LED fittings saves the School 142,496 kilowatt hours per year which can power an average of approximately 23 households.'

Prioritising a greener future St Michael’s is committed to exploring and implementing environmentally sustainable practices across our entire school. As set out in our Strategic Direction: Towards 2030, it is our aim to make the most of our resources and work to minimise our environmental footprint.

The School’s environmental sustainability principles and goals are defined by the Board's Facilities Infrastructure and Technology Committee (FIAT) and implemented by the School Executive and the Environmental Sustainability Committee, which is made up of students, staff and key suppliers. To date, the School has introduced a range of sustainability initiatives as part of our Facilities Improvement Program.

Chair of the Environmental Sustainability Committee and Director of Business at St Michael’s, Mr Farai Mufuka is extremely proud of the outcomes achieved so far and is looking forward to introducing other initiatives.

“As part of our Strategic Direction we have committed to bold targets around reducing our environmental footprint. It is our

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responsibility to take actions to sustain our school into the future and contribute to a greener world for generations to come,” said Farai.

Committee member and Year 11 student Mairead (11K) sees the importance of continually learning new ways to reduce the School’s waste and carbon footprint and to increase sustainability.

“We have to normalise and integrate sustainable practices into our lives at school because ultimately our school environment is a microcosm for a much larger community. If our school leaders promote it, and our teachers promote it, then we raise a generation of young people who are effortlessly taking steps to reduce negative impacts to our environment,” said Mairead.

As part of our sustainability commitment, St Michael’s commenced the transition of our campus to renewable energy through an agreement with Momentum Energy. We expect to offset 1,100 tonnes of carbon emissions annually (the equivalent of 1,100 cars off the road) with this initiative.

SWITCH TO GREEN ENERGY

INSTALLATION OF ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTS

1,100

142,496 75,260

tonnes of CO2 emissions offset per year

WATER FOUNTAINS INSTALLED

kilowatt-hours saved per year

plastic bottles saved from landfill

WATER CONSUMPTION REDUCED

WATER TANK INSTALLED

399,000

65,000

Litres of water saved per year

Litres of water saved per year

The Momentum Energy Managing Director, Ms Amy Childs said the Momentum team is delighted that St Michael’s has chosen them to provide access to GreenPower for their school buildings.

plastic water bottles not contributing to landfill. Dolly’s Café also aims to reduce the amount of waste by using biodegradable coffee cups, containers, cutlery, garbage bags and eco-friendly cleaning products.

“Momentum is owned by Hydro Tasmania, Australia’s largest generator of renewable energy, and we are excited about being part of the transition to a more sustainable future. It’s fantastic to see St Michael’s embracing renewable energy and we are excited about helping other sectors in the community follow suit,” said Amy.

Year 12 student and committee member Tilda (12S) is very pleased with the outcomes achieved so far but also sees more opportunities to make positive changes around the School.

In early 2019, the School completed the installation of energy efficient LED lights. The 1,494 LED fittings saves the School 142,496 kilowatt hours per year which can power an average of approximately 23 households per year.

St Michael’s has undertaken work around the School to conserve water and reduce consumption. This includes investing in an underground rainwater tank and pool covers that reduce water loss by 95%, which collectively conserve approximately 464,000 litres of water per year.

Our Parent Community Association also funded the installation of water fountains in key areas around the campus to provide clean, filtered water and reduce the need for single-use plastic bottles. This has resulted in over 75,260

“Amongst an ever-growing list of sustainability and environmental achievements, we are already in the process of embarking on new initiatives and exploring opportunities.

Some ideas include a compost digester for all the School’s food waste and doors on the fridges inside Dolly's Café, which should significantly reduce energy usage,” said Tilda (12S).

“Environmental sustainability is such an important cause for so many reasons. Common sense can tell you that making the right choices for the environment can not only positively impact you, but also the people around you. For the sake of environmental quality, preservation and growth, sustainability is crucial for the longevity of our planet. It all starts on a smallscale, where simple gestures can create the best habits and the biggest difference.”

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The Sandra Matheson Archives On Saturday 27 February, Old Michaelians and members of the St Michael’s community came together for our first Archives Workshop in over 12 months.

The group of volunteers, who spanned several decades, shared memories and stories of their times at the school whilst sorting and registering photographs and documents.

“Participating in the Archives Workshops is always a great pleasure. It is a joy to listen in to the reminiscences of the OMs about their time at St Michael’s and I always come away with a deeper understanding of the School and its history.

We are very fortunate indeed to have so many enthusiastic OMs who are willing to give up their time to help us document the School’s history.” – Ms Ros Casey, Director of Enrolments, Engagement, Communications and Advancement We are making significant progress in cataloguing these items and are particularly grateful for the progress being made with our 1990s collection.

The work within the Archives would not be possible without the valuable assistance of the Old Michaelians who help and support the team in many ways. We look forward to seeing more OMs at our future workshops to support this work, in particular the continued cataloguing of the 1980s and 1990s.

If you are interested in assisting the Archives team, they are currently seeking expertise, AV equipment or resources that may help navigate through the process of identifying content, and transferring and preserving AV material such as VHS, CD, DVD’s, audio tapes, digital video cassettes, negatives and slides.

Donations from a Dux Throughout the year, many Old Michaelians and their families donate pieces of memorabilia such as official documents, leadership badges, sports ribbons, pieces of uniform, sporting equipment, books received as prizes and even Speech Night Programs to the Sandra Matheson Archives.

In April we were visited by Jo Pocklington (OM 1967). Jo graduated from St Michael’s as Humanities Dux, and she went on to a successful career in the Communications industry, including operating her own Public Relations consultancy for over 30 years.

Jo now resides in the Western District of Victoria but keeps in touch with school friends, with whom she remembers getting in trouble for dying her hair purple and climbing the peppercorn trees at the end of Cintra Avenue.

Jo kindly donated her copies of School photographs, The Michaelian yearbooks, awards, and many other items from her time at the School, which were warmly received by the Archives Team and prepared for safe storage.

“I was very touched by the warm welcome given to me, quite overwhelmed.

The experience brought back many happy memories, and reminded me that I value highly the care and education provided by the Sisters and teachers.

It’s very evident that this high quality of commitment and dedication within the St Michael’s community continues today.” – Jo Pocklington (OM 1967) Upcoming Archives Workshops All Archives Workshops are held in the Gipson Commons.

Saturday, 11 September | Saturday, 13 November Contact Email: archives@stmichaels.vic.edu.au | Phone: + 61 3 8530 3318

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Jo Pocklington (OM 1967) visiting St Michael's

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Sybilla George (OM 2020) leading a workshop for Literature students

Ongoing connections with the Old Michaelian community Our vibrant community of Old Michaelians provides support to students in their endeavours, participates in events, and nurtures a sense of belonging across the entire school.

In Term 1 2021, our 2020 Dux of the School Sybilla George returned to St Michael’s as part of the VCE Literature Enrichment Program, which sees Old Michaelians and professional academics share their knowledge with our current Literature students. Last year, Sybilla achieved a perfect score of 50 in Literature.

Sybilla led a seminar on how to plan and write a Passage Analysis for our Year 12 cohort. She shared planning and drafting tips, and modelled writing skills and interpretative strategies for this section of the VCE course. These skills will feed directly into the students’ final exam at the end of the year.

Also assisting with Literature, Ben Hughes (OM 2019) helped the Year 11 students by demonstrating his approach to Passage Analysis, a cornerstone of the Year 12 exam.

Several Old Michaelians have returned to assist with the Performing Arts in 2021. We thank Lydia Crist (OM 2016) for her assistance with the Dance Project, Cian Westall (OM 2017), who helped with Drama Studio maintenance, set building and lighting for the 2021 Student Production The Real Inspector Hound, and Olivia Walker (OM 2018), Sam Deshayes (OM 2019) and Ellie Singe (OM 2020), who assisted with House Drama.

Sam also was on hand for Twilight Music and Ellie was a great help with lighting for the Student Production. Thanks also to Ethan Hunter (OM 2018), who designed the sound for the Years 10 to 12 Play, William Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale.

Several Old Michaelians also put up their hands to attend Exodus with our current students. Thank you to Mima Golias

and Evie Craig (both OM 2019) who led groups on our Year 7 Exodus, and to Georgia Byrne and Tara Flynn (both OM 2020), who worked as leaders on Year 8 Exodus. Tara also attended the Skills Extension Program Surf Weekend, and in her spare time works as a St Michael’s Sports Coach!

“My main motivation for getting involved as an Old Michaelian is wanting to give back to the School for all that I received over my 13 years here as a student. Also, given some of last year’s losses in terms of events such as school camps and carnivals, it’s nice to be able to still be a part of these, and watch the current students enjoy the events that my cohort came to really cherish.”

– Tara Flynn (OM 2020) Every year, the Old Michaelian Association Committee offers support to the entire Year 12 cohort. The OMAC provides treats for Year 12 students to give them a boost as they progress through their studies and head into exams. One evening in April, the OMAC left hundreds of Easter eggs in the Year 12 common room. This was a sweet surprise for the Year 12 students to find in the morning!

It is fantastic to see our Old Michaelian community having such a strong presence at the School and we are looking forward to welcoming many more Old Michaelians back to the St Michael’s campus after having to postpone or cancel so many events in 2020.

If you are interested in learning more about the OMAC please contact oldmichaeliancommittee@stmichaels.vic.edu.au.

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Beyond the School gates St Michael’s students choose many different pathways when they finish school, remaining connected to one another through our vibrant Old Michaelian network. It is with pleasure that we are able to share the stories of two Old Michaelians who have experienced unique journeys since leaving St Michael’s.

JOHN HONOS Stepping beyond the school gates… and returning almost 25 years later!

John Honos (OM 1997) started his St Michael's journey in Prep in 1985, which also happened to be the very beginning of our long-term Prep teacher Mrs Merrilyn Barklamb's tenure at the School.

Throughout his time at St Michael’s, John was known for his dreams of becoming a professional football player and remembered for teaching other students some soccer skills in the playground and even while on Exodus, the School’s Outdoor Education program.

After graduating Form 6 in 1997, John travelled to Greece where his professional football career kicked off. John first signed with

CHRIS WATTS As long as Chris Watts (OM 2010) can remember, he was surrounded by music. As a Junior student at St Michael’s, Chris sang in the School choirs, and when he was gifted a guitar for Christmas at age 12, his life and dreams transformed.

Chris remembers playing in St Michael’s Livewire: Battle of the Bands competition, with his band The Blue Foxes.

“I didn’t even get past the first round! But that was my first experience playing with a band, at school in Year 10, so it was pretty fun.”

Since graduating, Chris’s music has developed from a softer, acoustic style into a darker, electronic pop sound – a genre dominated by Chris’s idols such as The Weeknd and Halsey.

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Panathinaikos Football Club, on what former St Michael’s Headmaster Mr Anthony Hewison AM described as a “mind-boggling contract”, before John transferred to play for various other teams in Athens.

“It was very exciting, and a dream come true,” John said.

After enjoying a 15-year professional football career, John returned to Melbourne to finish his career playing for Oakleigh Cannons in the National Premier League (NPL) and is currently coaching the Bentleigh Greens NPL Senior Team.

In 2021, John’s son Georgios began his time at St Michael's in Mrs Merrilyn Barklamb’s Prep class! Merrilyn could not believe the connection, nor the family resemblance!

John’s daughter Vivi has now also started at St Michael’s in Margaret Thomas House, and we are thrilled to have the whole Honos family within the St Michael’s community.

Chris has been the support act for the likes of Sir Elton John and Robbie Williams – two musicians who have hugely shaped pop music over decades.

With a recent collaboration with US music producer Aron Forbes also under his belt, Chris is certainly hitting the right wavelength.

“If it’s music, or if it’s anything in life, the biggest thing I’ve learnt is that it’s not who knocks the loudest, it’s who knocks the longest.”

We are looking forward to more Chris Watts music and headline shows in 2021.

Chris stays connected to the Old Michaelian community through events such as reunions, as well as his family connections. Chris’s brother Alex Watts (OM 2006) is now a pilot with QANTAS, while his cousin Ruby Soumbassis

(OM 2020) followed in his creative footsteps. You can read about her artistic achievements on page 33.

Old Michaelians can connect with their peers on SMGS Generation, our exciting new online platform designed to benefit students, past and present, by providing opportunities to link their learning to the career skills and experience of our extensive parent and Old Michaelian network. Find out more and sign up at smgsgeneration.com.

Reunions Our reunions provide an opportunity for our diverse and supportive Old Michaelian community to revisit their St Michael’s memories together.

On Friday 7 May we were delighted to see over 85 Old Michaelians from the Class of 2015 at the postponed 5 Year Reunion, and on Friday 21 May we enjoyed another excellent evening of laughs and camaraderie at the Class of 2010 postponed 10 Year Reunion. The sense of belonging and togetherness on nights like these demonstrate the deep connection that is felt amongst our former students.

In 2021 we are hosting double the reunions as many of the events were postponed in 2020. We invite Old Michaelians from the following peer years to join us as we renew old friendships, develop community networks, discover changes that have taken place at St Michael’s, reminisce about days gone by and share in life experiences.

CONNECT The Old Michaelian Facebook group and SMGS Generation are valuable tools for keeping in touch with former classmates and teachers, as well as staying up to date with St Michael’s news and events.

UPCOMING REUNIONS Class of 2016 5 Year Reunion

Friday 20 August

Class of 2011 10 Year Reunion Friday 3 September Class of 2006 15 Year Reunion Friday 17 September Class of 2001 20 Year Reunion Friday 15 October Class of 1991 30 Year Reunion Friday 12 November Class of 1996 25 Year Reunion Friday 19 November Class of 2005 15 Year Reunion Postponed - Date TBC Class of 2000 20 Year Reunion Postponed - Date TBC Class of 1995 25 Year Reunion Postponed - Date TBC Class of 1986 35 Year Reunion Postponed - Date TBC These dates are accurate at the time of publishing, however are subject to change.

We value all ideas, input and assistance from Old Michaelians to help us make your reunions special and memorable. If you have social media skills, a flare for events or would just like to be involved, then we would love to hear from you.

Email: engagement@stmichaels.vic.edu.au Phone: +61 3 8350 3298

Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/SMGSOldMichaelians/ SMGS Generation: smgsgeneration.com The Crest Issue 5 2021

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The PCA – Fostering connections The Parent Community Association (PCA) enjoyed a wonderful start to the year with the return to plenty of on and off campus events after a long hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic.

All PCA Parent Welcome Events and coffee mornings were held off-site. Not surprisingly, due the pandemic in 2020, the numbers attending were higher than any other year. Parents are enjoying catching up and have clearly missed seeing each other over the previous year! All of the wonderful PCA Year Level Representatives have worked very hard to organise these events and to implement the new COVID-19 requirements for the safety of those attending. These events contribute so much to the PCA’s and the School’s role in creating connections and a sense of belonging.

The year got off to an exciting start with the new Second Hand Uniform (SHU) Pod being craned into its new location beside Hewison House, next to the basketball court. The PCA helped to fund this new custom designed building with a generous grant of $76,000. The SHU volunteers have happily settled into their new home and sales continue to be very strong. To satisfy the high demand for uniform items in larger sizes, senior families in particular, are encouraged to clear out their cupboards and consign their unused uniform items to the service. Details on how to do this can be found under the ‘Life at St Michael’s’ tab on the St Michael’s website under ‘Uniforms’. The service provides high quality uniforms at a price much lower than retail and supports the School’s commitment to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Senior students 40

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are now welcome to make purchases on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 12.30pm and 4.00pm. If you have any interest in volunteering and joining the dedicated SHU team.

Please email secondhanduniforms@stmichaels.vic.edu.au.

All parents are welcome to help with this service.

In March, a motivated and energetic group of parent and student volunteers worked diligently at the first of two PCA Kitchen Garden Working Bees for 2021. The heavens opened early with heavy rain, which luckily ceased just as the work began. The Kitchen Garden was transformed - gravel areas were re-laid, raised garden beds became plump with compost and rows of vegetables, the verandah area for pizza ovens was cleaned and prepared, and the chicken coop cleaned and re-stumped.

Additionally, an amazing new extension to the chicken run was built, a new apricot tree planted, the garden beds were mulched, there was a complete clean of the fishpond, and a very spiky finger lime tree was pruned. The next Kitchen Garden Working Bee is Saturday 4 September 2021. It is sure to be another rewarding, energising and wholesome morning! If you would like to participate, save the date in your diary and more details will be provided closer the event.

As a fitting celebration to finish Term 1, Twilight Jazz took place on a perfect autumn evening on the St Michael’s campus on Wednesday 31 March. The event featured jazzgenre performances from the Big Band, the Stage Band, Chamber Brass and Saxophone ensembles, and the senior Chamber Choir.

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The PCA supported the event by running its traditional bake sale with beautiful treats donated by the St Michael’s community and in association with Avoca Catering, offered individual picnic packs to ensure a COVID-safe event.

It was fantastic to see so many St Michael's parents reconnecting at the PCA’s annual Mother's Day event to celebrate parenting and bringing the community together.

This year the lunch was once again held at the beautiful venue The Park, with its tranquil views of Albert Park Lake. It was a wonderful day creating new connections between our parents with lots of laughs and door prizes.

The mums were treated to a video of students from across the School expressing what they love about their mum, why they're proud of her, and what Mother’s Day means to them.

Co-Captains of the School Mia and Zac promoted the monthlong campaign of engaging activities “Merry Month of May” (MMoM) with their “We didn't start the giving” video to raise awareness and funds to support four charities close to the hearts of our students. The highly entertaining Impromptunes, Australia's leading improvised musical comedy troupe, had the audience in stitches with their combination of mischievous improvisation and the magic of musical theatre.

A surprise presentation was made to a very special mum – Marjorie MacDonald, Great Grandmother of Will and Harley in Year 11, who recently turned 100. There was not a dry eye in the house as the parents in attendance were captivated by the story of her life and watched on as the Head of the School Mrs Terrie Jones, presented her with her letter from Queen Elizabeth II which was recently received by her family.

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The PCA is looking forward to the most popular and famous parent event in the school calendar - the PCA Trivia Night, hosted by trivia master of RocKwiz fame, Brian Nankervis.

Now as a past parent, this will be Brian’s 17th and final year of hosting the PCA Trivia Night. His contribution has been the lynchpin of success for this event – which this year sold out in 17 minutes when tickets were placed on sale.

The PCA activities are designed to build belonging and parent connections, as well as raise funds for the PCA Grants Program. After a difficult 2020 and very little opportunity for fundraising, the PCA were very pleased to determine at the General and Extraordinary meeting in Term 2 that up to $20,000 will be made available for major grants in 2021.

In addition to that there is an ad hoc grant of $10,000 that is also available. More information on this process will be communicated as the PCA moves through the grant proposal timeline to ensure transparency of the allocation of PCA funds.

1 & 2. The new Second Hand Uniforms (SHU) Pod 3.

Marjorie MacDonald receiving her letter from the Queen 4.

The PCA's annual Mother's Day event 5–8. The PCA Kitchen Garden Working Bee The Crest Issue 5 2021

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Celebrating our volunteers St Michael’s is grateful for the support of volunteers from the school community who give their time and expertise to assist in many and varied ways. Volunteers play a valuable role in supporting student endeavours and help build a sense of belonging to the school community.

We spoke to two of our valued volunteers, Tamsin and Emma, who reflected on their experiences volunteering with the School. If you would like to be involved, please contact engagement@stmichaels.vic.edu.au.

Tamsin Jowett Tamsin Jowett is St Michael’s new President of our Parent Community Association. Before she stepped into this role in 2020, Tamsin had volunteered as a PCA Year Level Representative every year since 2013, in addition to her roles as a diversity coach and the President of Asperger’s Victoria.

“As Year Level Representative, I really enjoyed organising gatherings for our parents and getting to know our community.”

“It is so important for any student to have their parents included as part of the fabric and success of our school, supporting its values and approaches.”

Tamsin enjoys being an active member of St Michael’s diverse and warm community.

Emma Fasham Emma Fasham has been volunteering with St Michael’s for several years, fulfilling the position of PCA Year Level Representative and more recently, helping to organise the Octavius Brown Kitchen Garden Working Bees, in addition to her role as Managing Director at Fasham Homes.

Emma enjoys volunteering as it enables her to meet likeminded parents from across the School, feel more connected to the community, and to make a positive difference – whether in her sons’ year levels, or to our Kitchen Garden.

“I think it’s important to be involved.

The more you put into a community, the more you get back.”

Emma's sons Oliver and Hugo are in Year 8 and Year 4 at St Michael's.

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“Every person I have met through the School is so delightful and interesting, reflecting the School’s inclusive and positive attitude. I always thoroughly enjoy the feeling of belonging our school community exudes.”

Tamsin sees the record numbers of attendees at recent PCA events as demonstrative of parents’ desire to reconnect after a very disrupted 2020.

“That sense of belonging and community our PCA can provide is more important than ever.”

Tamsin is proud to volunteer alongside the other members of the PCA Executive team.

“The PCA Executive team are wonderful to work with – they think of how to craft parent inclusion in such detail, and with such care, supporting parents’ sense of belonging from the moment of their school acceptance.”

“I love supporting St Michael’s and I’m proud of my roles in our school over the years. Volunteering gives me that ‘feelgood’ boost and the impact it can have is very rewarding.”

Emma enjoys meeting parents from outside of these cohorts, who she may not have met otherwise.

“You can connect with parents from different year levels. I’ve met some really lovely parents and made some great friendships.”

On Saturday 27 March, Emma and a team of motivated and energetic volunteers worked diligently to transform the Kitchen Garden for the year ahead.

“You can really see the contribution that the Working Bee makes over just a few hours.”

Emma also values these opportunities to bond with other “caring and funny” members of the St Michael’s community.

“St Michael’s is special because of the people who have chosen to be a part of it, who have chosen the values of the community.”

St Michael’s next Kitchen Garden Working Bee is scheduled for Saturday 4 September 2021.

Introducing The Seven Sisters Society The seven golden threads that featured in all our designs in 2020, our 125th Anniversary year, honoured the seven Sisters of the Community of the Sisters of the Church who embarked on a journey to Australia in 1892 with the aim of establishing schools across Australia.

We are forever indebted to those brave Sisters and at the end of the Anniversary year we wanted to continue to honour them in an enduring way.

The Sisters were kind, compassionate and generous and they encouraged a culture of giving to help others. In fact their journey to Australia was funded in part by a generous donation from an associate and Marlton House was purchased through a donated inheritance from Sister Bridget.

Today, St Michael’s continues to receive support from our community and that support comes in many forms, including those who have chosen to leave a gift in their will. A gift

in a will to St Michael’s provides lasting benefits to future generations of students.

Those who choose to make a gift in their will or who indicate that they intend to donate to St Michael’s by leaving a gift in their will become members of The Seven Sisters Society.

It is our way of both thanking and acknowledging our supporters while honouring the original seven Sisters who came to Australia and reinforces the enduring legacy of the Community of the Sisters of the Church.

Members will receive special communications and invitations to School events and to events just for Society members. This will enable you to be well informed about the School and to connect with like-minded benefactors to the School.

If you would like to find out more about The Seven Sisters Society please contact Ms Ros Casey at rcasey@stmichaels.vic.edu.au.

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The Art of Being Different In 1895, armed with their faith and their wits, the enterprising Sisters of the Community of the Church opened a tiny Anglican school at Marlton Crescent, St Kilda. More than one hundred and twenty-five years later, St Michael's is one of Australia's top educational institutions, both utterly modern and deeply connected to its history and traditions. The School's values, passed down from the founding Sisters, have linked generations of staff and students in a long line of academic excellence and community service.

The Art of Being Different, by Professor Stuart Kells, tells the lively story of St Michael's, celebrating the people and moments that have transformed it from its modest, devout origins through to the innovative K-12 institution it is today.

Lavishly illustrated with more than 250 photographs and artefacts from the School's Sandra Matheson Archives, The Art of Being Different pays tribute to our School, in recognition of our significant 125th Anniversary.

Purchase your copy of The Art of Being Different now at www.blackincbooks.com. au/st-michaels-art-of-being-different and take home a piece of St Michael’s history.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Professor Stuart Kells' books have been published around the world.

He has twice won the Ashurst Business Literature Prize, and has been shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Award, the NSW Premier's General History Prize and the University of Queensland Non-Fiction Book Award. His writing has appeared in many publications, including The Paris Review and Smithsonian.

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Nurturing creative, inquiring minds Join us at our next Open Morning to see the School in action, talk to staff about our philosophy, programs, and curriculum, take a tour of the facilities, and meet with teachers and staff in a Q&A session to have your questions answered.

Register for the next Open Morning at www.stmichaels.vic.du.au/enrolments/ open-morning-registration

CONTACT OUR STUDENT ENROLMENTS TEAM Phone +61 3 8530 3310 Email enrolments@stmichaels.vic.edu.au www.stmichaels.vic.edu.au/enrolments

St Michael’s Grammar School 25 Chapel Street, St Kilda VIC 3182 Australia Telephone: +61 3 8530 3200 community@stmichaels.vic.edu.au stmichaels.vic.edu.au CRICOS Provider 00345G

CONNECT WITH US