The Crest - Issue 7

THE ST MICHAEL'S GRAMMAR SCHOOL MAGAZINE

ISSUE 7 2022

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Contents WELCOME

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Clubs Fair

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Friends, Foundations and Responsibility

A moment with Mrs Terrie Jones

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DNA Student Production

STORIES FROM ACROSS THE SCHOOL

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Years 7-12 House Swimming Carnival

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VCE Results: Celebrating the Class of 2021

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2022 ACS Swimming

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Chemistry of VCE success

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SSV SYDSA Swimming

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Balancing VCE studies

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ACS Summer Sport

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Staff Spotlight

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Meet Dr Luke Mandouit

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Teaching and Learning Update

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Foundations for a life of learning

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A bright future for Performing Arts

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Junior School Numeracy Professional Learning Team

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Reconciliation in Action

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First Community Action Day for 2022 and International Women’s Day Breakfast

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Merry Month of May

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Year 6 Leaders Induction

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS 22

Ongoing connections with the Old Michaelian community

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Academic Supervisors

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Beyond the School Gates

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Reunions

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Vale

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Celebrating our volunteers

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The PCA – Bringing us together

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The Spirit of St Michael’s

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.

" One of the great gifts of this publication is that it provides a window into the world of St Michael’s, a view from our crest."

A moment with Mrs Terrie Jones Here we are at the end of a semester looking back with equal parts exhaustion, joy and amazement that we have been back onsite at school for two terms. Students, staff and parents have reflected positively on all the gains of being re-connected and experiencing more of the normal rhythm of the school day, week and term. But we have also realised that it takes stamina and specific skills to be in social settings as wonderful and demanding as those we enjoy as a strong, cohesive school community.

Recently I attended a Leading Edge Circle event hosted by the Centre for Strategic Education where the guest speaker was Michael Stevenson who was a lead in the OECD’s HighPerforming Systems for Tomorrow project. The aim of the project was to consider the next frontiers in education for the world. It involved dialogues with the best performing jurisdictions in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The outcome of the dialogues, which would be no surprise to anyone in the wake of the pandemic, was a consensus that 21st century education should support the concept of human flourishing.

The paper arising from the dialogues, ‘Education for Human Flourishing’, is a thought-provoking read. It posits, ‘a flourishing person is achieving their highest potential – being the best they can be. They may do so by the exercise of moral and scientific reasoning, contemplation and awe, but they choose where and how to apply these processes, in a specific setting or role with a personal goal.’ The paper also advocates for a re-thinking of the relationship between individual and societal flourishing and highlights the responsibility

flourishing individuals have to ensure the flourishing of others, today and tomorrow, ‘by giving equal weight to human and planetary flourishing.’

Let us contemplate, the challenge and tension inherent in ‘being the best they can be’. What exactly does it mean?

And how do we navigate the tension this may provoke as we all emerge from times and circumstances that certainly have not been the best they can be. I certainly do not think it means always being positive, or happy or stoic. Indeed, I think it actually means being resilient in the face of our fears and using the resources available to us – both internal and from those around us – to find the courage to hope, to aspire, to keep on, not just having to rely on our own resources but looking out and around to see who we can assist and who is there to assist us.

A St Michael’s education has always been about the whole child and the gifts and talents they can use to benefit themselves and the world. One of the great gifts of this publication is that it provides a window into the world of St Michael’s, a view from our crest. Its pages are filled with examples of individual and collective flourishing through learning, being and doing. And while we cannot always be ‘at our best’ as individuals, and life circumstances will not always be as we may choose, we can elect to be inspired, and aspire to grow and thrive no matter the adverse circumstances we may endure.

Our role as a School and a community, is to equip and inspire our children and young people to expect nothing less for themselves than the education and lives they deserve.

The Crest Issue 7 2022

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STORIES FROM ACROSS THE SCHOOL

VCE Results: Celebrating the Class of 2021 St Michael’s congratulates our Class of 2021 who achieved remarkable VCE results despite another year of COVID-19 disruptions.

This impressive group of students have shown great resilience and perseverance in the face of the many challenges that the pandemic presented over the course of the last few years. Our students should be very proud of their achievements, and our whole community applauds them for the manner in which they have conducted themselves throughout, whether online, onsite or during their examination period.

It is with a tremendous sense of pride that I congratulate the Class of 2021 on their VCE results. As individuals and as a cohort they have shown tenacity, strength and courage in the face of the many challenges presented over the past two years of the VCE journey. They have emerged bonded as a cohort and it was wonderful to witness their supportive camaraderie and enjoyment of each other’s company during their Valedictory events. They enter the world as capable 2

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young people who have shown themselves to be creative, compassionate and caring leaders of the School community during their senior years. In response to the demands placed on them by the disruptions of the pandemic, they continued to look outward for ways to contribute to the lived experience of their peers and to the broader community beyond the School’s gates.

The students of St Michael’s have a long history of progressing to a diverse and broad range of post-school pathways. Their results indicate the continuation of that tradition with our students’ achievements positioning them to make an array of choices about their future endeavours.

The breadth of achievement in academia, sport and creative studies demonstrates the diversity and dedication of our students and is reflected in the ATAR results.

7% achieved an ATAR of 98 or higher (top 2% of the state) 16% achieved an ATAR of 95 or higher (top 5% of the state) 28% achieved an ATAR of 90 or higher (top 10% of the state) 61% achieved an ATAR of 80 or higher (top 20% of the state)

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I would like to congratulate our Dux of the School for 2021, Thomas Williams, who received an outstanding ATAR score of 99.65. Thomas studied a challenging mix of subjects including Chemistry, English Language, Japanese, Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics. Thomas also achieved a study score of 50 in Mathematical Methods.

Violet Florence(99.25, and Emily Kloss (99) also deserve congratulations for their wonderful results. Emily also achieved a perfect study score of 50 in English Language.

The Class of 2021 has been encouraged and supported by all of our committed staff to follow their passions, develop their strengths to excel in their areas of choice. This can be seen in the scores achieved across a diverse range of studies, including study scores of 40 and above for: 40% of our Health and Human Development students, 33% of History Revolutions students, 33% of Physical Education students, 26% of Literature students, 25% of Visual Communication and Design students, 22% of Physics students.

Our Class of 2021 leave the School having learned many valuable lessons about themselves, and the world they will inherit and shape for the better in the years ahead.

These talented and spirited individuals are well-equipped for a world that is uncertain and I have no doubt they will continue the tradition of Old Michaelians making a significant, positive difference, and they leave with my very best wishes for the future.

Mrs Terrie Jones Head of the School

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The Graduating Class of 2021 Class of 2021 Jumper Gwendolen Swain (12H) leaves the School for the final time as a student of St Michael's The Crest Issue 7 2022

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Chemistry of VCE success THOMAS WILLIAMS Thomas Williams (OM 2021) achieved great success in the VCE, gaining an ATAR of 99.65 and becoming Dux of the School for 2021.

For his VCE, Thomas took on a challenging mix of subjects including Chemistry, English, Japanese, Mathematical Methods (NHT) and Specialist Mathematics. While he valued each of his subjects for different reasons, he enjoyed Chemistry the most, appreciating the practical aspects of the subject and applying his findings to everyday life.

how nerve-wracking I found performing for a crowd. I’ve had such a variety of great experiences which have made my school journey extremely enjoyable. In particular, Exodus and Bush Skills stand out to me — the opportunity to get outside and form connections with new people was great.”

It was this variety of experiences and activities that Thomas believes helped shape the person he is today.

“I think St Michael’s has helped me become a more outgoing person who is more willing to take things on. I’ve learnt to juggle many activities in my schedule, and to feel comfortable speaking in front of large groups of people, a skill that I am sure will be useful throughout my life. I think most importantly, my education at St Michael’s has taught me the importance of balance, encouraging both academic and Extra-Curricular endeavours. I feel that I am a now well-rounded individual, largely thanks to my time at the school.”

– Thomas Williams (OM 2021)

“Being educated on the chemistry of food has given me a far greater understanding of what I’m eating. Like most people I’ve seen terms like antioxidants, fats, protein and carbohydrates plastered over food packaging without really understanding what they were. Chemistry demystified all of this.

Thomas has begun a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne. While he is still deciding what career to pursue beyond his studies, he is very interested in finding new ways to fight the current climate crisis. “Researching or engineering new technologies to provide clean energy is an idea that is certainly appealing to me. At some point I’d also like to study abroad, maybe in Japan or in Europe. If I have the opportunity, I think it would be fantastic to live overseas for an extended period.”

While his academic pursuits led to securing his first preference at university, Thomas also appreciated the many different subject areas and Extra-Curricular activities in which he was involved.

“I think what I have most enjoyed about my time at St Michael’s is that I had lots of opportunities to try new things in a wide variety of areas. I’ve learnt to cook in food technology, learnt some basic web development skills in IT, how to work with a 3D printer, Adobe Illustrator and a variety of workshop tools in Design Technology and in Visual Communication. I’ve been able to participate in school cricket, soccer, futsal, cross-country and athletics, and have held several leadership positions in the School. I even participated in House Drama, Debating and several Music Soirees despite 4

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For future VCE students, Thomas recommends maintaining a routine and preparing for exams early. Thomas found it beneficial to practice exams when possible and revise course material during the year, rather than just focusing on SACs. “I found that keeping to a strong routine helped me manage my time. I was always a bit of a night owl, but last year I forced myself to do my work a lot earlier and to get a good sleep, which was beneficial for me. I would also recommend starting preparation for the exams as early as you can – it’s easy to think they’re far off but if you’re not doing some kind of revision, by the end of the year you’ll have forgotten a lot of things. It doesn’t take much but doing a little practice throughout the year will save a lot of work in the long run.”

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Thomas Williams Thomas on the Cambodia Immersion Project

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Balancing VCE studies EMILY KLOSS Emily Kloss (OM 2021) shares a wonderful observation about the community of St Michael’s and being on one campus alongside her brother and sister. ‘I thoroughly enjoyed attending a school where I felt close to my siblings and could easily spot them throughout my day. I loved the ability to wave to them as I moved through the school, walk home together, and talk about our shared experiences being at the same campus amongst the same community.’

over studying, and found a balance so that my studies didn’t completely overtake my life.’

Reflecting on some of the things she was most proud of at St Michael’s, Emily said ‘I believe my greatest achievements came from my passion and dedication to community action and student engagement with my relentless pushing for change and growth. As a Prefect, I was proud to create ‘Mental Health Week’ which took place in Term 3 last year, during online learning, making its importance even greater. I also worked with staff on the School’s Reconciliation Action Plan, and I’m proud to see this being instilled throughout the community.’

In speaking about about her next steps in life after secondary study Emily said that ‘after a gruelling 12 months of study and stress, I have decided to take a gap year to travel, work and just breathe for a second before I begin many years of strenuous study to hopeful eventually become a paediatrician.

I have always known I wanted to be a doctor. In January I received a place in Undergraduate Biomedical Science at Monash and deferred, so I will begin in 2023. This year, I plan to spend a few months in central Australia volunteering for an organisation called Children’s Ground, supporting their work with First Nations children. I am also hoping to travel in Europe for a few months.’

She explained ‘I have always respected and admired St Michael’s ability to celebrate students’ uniqueness and support the various endeavours that help create a wellrounded young adult. I loved the enthusiasm for Co-Curricular activities, whether it be sport, music or art, and the support that these can be just as important as academic success.

I enjoyed the freedom to experiment with different hobbies and interests, and the general teachings that once you leave the school environment, success in the real world can come in many different forms if you are doing something you love.

These messages set me up to feel empowered, confident, and deeply empathetic.’

Emily emphasises the power of balance and says ‘I never would have received the score I did if I had studied nonstop the whole year as I’d always imagined I would. Instead, I relaxed more than I thought I should have, took a break when my head started to hurt, prioritised health and fitness

My biggest piece of advice for future VCE students would be to readjust your vision of how your final year will go and instead become a master of adapting and adjusting.

– Emily Kloss (OM 2021)

We wish Emily the best of luck with her travels, volunteer work, and her journey to become a doctor.

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Emily Kloss and Joshua Nicol (Breen House Co-Captains) winners of the 2021 House Cup after winning House Drama, Cross Country, and Athletics, and equal first with Hughes in Debating Emily Kloss The Crest Issue 7 2022

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

Ms Zoe Ganim Ms Zoe Ganim is one of our School Psychologists. When she was in her early teens her father died. She did not see the school psychologist at the time but wishes that she had. This insight sparked her curiosity and passion for working with children and adolescents, to overcome obstacles and grow, succeed, and live the life they wish.

Zoe is an endorsed Educational and Developmental Psychologist and has 17 years of experience working predominantly in schools and private practice. She was a co-founder of Psych4Schools, an online resource for school staff, where she coauthored over 100 articles, e-books and presentations to assist school staff to support students. Zoe is also a Psychology Board approved supervisor of registered and training psychologists.

Her role is more than counselling students. ‘I love that no two days are ever the same.’ Each day brings new issues, experiences, connections,

Mr Anthony Hay Mr Anthony Hay is new to the St Michael’s community and joined the School as Head of Sarum House (Years 10-12) at the beginning of 2022, after 11 years at Yarra Valley Grammar, following two years at Parade College.

He has extensive experience in pastoral leadership and is enjoying working closely with the Heads of House team, Directors and Sarum community at St Michael’s.

Teaching is something Anthony has always been drawn to, having had inspiring teachers throughout his time as a student. He loves teaching Legal Studies but also has a passion for literature which he studied in his undergraduate degree at Monash University. He was attracted to the

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opportunity of working at St Michael’s because of the School’s reputation for educating the whole child. Anthony firmly believes that through diversity and opportunity in education, every student will be afforded the freedom to find their gift, which will lead to personal growth and transformation.

When not at school Anthony loves spending time with his young family who keep him very entertained. When he can, he enjoys getting out onto the golf course and supporting his beloved Collingwood Football Club. Anthony was grateful that the lockdowns of the past two years enabled him to practice piano once again and hone his cooking craft.

and learnings. She supports students through counselling, works collaboratively with staff and families, runs group and parenting programs, provides information, and consults with external professionals on wellbeing curriculum, school policies and programs. She feels very privileged to be able to connect with, and work alongside, students, staff and their families to help students thrive.

When she first began working at St Michael’s she was struck by the care and support the staff had for their students, and the culture of inclusivity, acceptance and creativity. It is this school culture and the relationships she has formed while working here that keep her excited to come to work each day.

When she is not at work, Zoe enjoys going on adventures with her family, being with friends, reading, watching a great series or movie and loves food and art. She lives near a big park with her three kids and husband.

Meet Dr Luke Mandouit Dr Luke Mandouit joins St Michael’s as the Associate Head – Research, Innovation, and Professional Practice. Luke has been a teacher and school leader for 22 years and brings a wealth of experience to his position. As a student, he had teachers who he fondly remembers “made a difference in his life” and this inspired him to follow the same path and have a positive impact on young people’s lives.

A commitment to integrity, empathy and humility has allowed him to remain a student-centred leader and ensure the needs and best interests of learners are always the focus of his practice. Luke believes that schools are not only a place for academic learning, but a place for connection, engagement, and social and emotional development. “It is a place where all members of the school community are viewed as learners.”

After completing a Bachelor of Education, specialising in art and psychology he worked as a classroom teacher and then moved to leadership positions holding roles such as, head of faculty, senior school leader, and Assistant Principal. After teaching for 10 years, he returned to study while working as a teacher and school leader.

He is excited about his role at St Michael’s as it allows him to work with passionate teachers and School leaders in implementing the Teaching, Learning, and Caring framework.

Luke is also keen to further develop the St Michael’s culture of innovation through university partnerships and joint research projects. He hopes to support the School in improving student and staff learning, wellbeing, and engagement.

Luke completed his Master of School Leadership, investigating how student feedback to teachers can enhance their teaching practice. Most recently, he completed his Doctorate of Education exploring how students receive, interpret, and respond to teacher feedback. Upon submission of his thesis, he was awarded the John Smyth Award for most meritorious thesis in the field of education for 2021, an outstanding achievement.

We welcome Luke to the St Michael’s community and look forward to seeing his contribution to our School in the coming years.

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Teaching and Learning Update TEACHING, LEARNING, AND CARING FRAMEWORK The Teaching, Learning, and Caring (TLC) Framework was successfully launched at the commencement of Term 1. The TLC Framework supports the development of a learning ecosystem to nurture creative, inquiring minds learning from, with and for the world. It is grounded in the School’s values, and clearly identifies the dispositions of the St Michael’s Grammar School learner as self-regulating, confident, tenacious, curious, motivated, reflective, and agile.

To successfully achieve these dispositions in our students, the TLC Framework explicitly links the importance of both learning and wellbeing, and identifies evidence-based principles and practices that will ensure success for each individual young person within the School.

NEW METRICS VALIDATION TRIAL In 2022 St Michael’s continues its collaboration with The University of Melbourne, and other innovative schools, to reimagine and influence the future of schooling. Moving beyond traditional measurements of academic success, a key element of this research venture is to develop, test, and validate assessment tools and metrics to measure student success in 21st century learner competencies. In Term 2 this involved participating teachers trialling the use of groundbreaking rubrics to assess competencies such as student agency, active citizenship, communication, collaboration, quality thinking, acting ethically, and character. Involvement in this pilot will allow more rigorous assessment that gives a well-rounded picture of student success, and will inform education research and policy more broadly.

Dr Luke Mandouit Associate Head – Research Innovation and Professional Practice K-12

Above: Alma (2M) and Cecilia (2M) reading in the Knowledge Commons 8

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Foundations for a life of learning The St Michael’s learner dispositions describe the type of people our learners are supported to be. Curious, agile, just, to name a few. More than just words, these ‘ways of being’ are empowering qualities which we carry through the stages of school and beyond. They help us to question and understand the world as it evolves around us. They help us reflect and act according to changing circumstances. Importantly, they help us act in congruence with the values we hold for ourselves and each other. And so, in the role of educator, the staff at St Michael’s plan intentional experiences which foster students’ capacity to develop these dispositions.

The inquiry-approach to teaching and learning in the Junior School is centred around the idea of questioning. What happens when students are encouraged to pose and follow their questions? The three-year-old Floris students in Margaret Thomas House met ‘Tiny Tim’, the turtle puppet. Every year, Tiny Tim helps the students to learn each other’s names and welcome them to their new environment through song.

This year’s curious cohort began to question – “What is he?

Where did he come from?” This pivotal moment set the young students on a journey of inquiry into turtles and sea creatures more broadly.

Once a question has taken root, it’s time to start researching and making sense of the information uncovered. In their quest to understand the history of our state, the Year 5 students have been trawling through maps from the Melbourne University archives. One such map was an 1837 survey completed by Robert Russell (commemorated in the naming of Russell Street). Interestingly, the Year 5’s discovered, the map included vegetation types observed around the area

of Melbourne. Stands of She Oak and Tea Tree dominated the area at this time. This led them to begin comparing the species of plants found in our Kitchen Garden and their Indigenous and Non-Indigenous, heritage.

There comes a time in the cycle of inquiry when all this questioning and exploring begins to turn toward action.

Through the Tomorrow’s Leaders for Sustainability program, Year 4 students visited the recently established wetlands at Elsternwick Park Nature Reserve. Their inquiries have led them to take action to help restore native flora and fauna to the area. Some of the proposals being drafted and considered are the planting of native edible plants, and designing nest boxes to counteract habitat loss and attract local wildlife.

This project is just one example of the positive change which our young people are capable of instigating. Herein lies the importance of wondering, questioning, finding motivation, taking time to understand each other and our environment, then committing to action. To further this influence, St Michael’s has entered into a partnership with Kath Murdoch, renowned author and industry leader in the area of inquiry-based learning.

Throughout the year she is working with Junior School staff on the way we model and embody an inquiry mindset for ourselves and our students. We hope to see the impact of this in our school and local community for years to come.

Mr Daniel Zito Director of Curriculum (K-6) 1&2. Margaret Thomas House Floris Group investigated turtles and shells, then painted their own designs.

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A bright future for Performing Arts After the constant stream of disappointment through the last two years, 2022 has shown glimpses of the brighter future that we all hope is ahead. It has been imperfect, but the imperfections have been strangely glorious in what they have revealed about the resilience, adaptability and creativity of the Performing Arts students and staff.

On stage, we have already been treated to the dark exploration of morality that was the Student Production, DNA. For the first time, this project was generated by the Year 12 Theatre Studies class, ably directed by the trio of Ben Cosgrave, Jasmin Larranaga and Luca Searle. Yes! There were delays, last minute substitutions and unavoidable absences to cover.

But it was a triumphant return and a taste of things to come, thoroughly enjoyed by three sell out houses.

The 10-12 Play, Arcadia, was staged in the Drama Studio in late April. Not only was it received to great acclaim, it was our first public performance using the wonderful new seating bank. And, after three-and-a half years, we are bursting with excitement to return to the National Theatre for Hello Dolly in August. Then, finally, the students in Years 7-9 will have theatre projects of their own to celebrate, with both the musical, Spamalot and the play, The Secret Garden, returning to the Drama Studio in October. There’s also plenty of buzz about the Year 6 Musical in November.

Ensemble and Choral music was badly impacted by COVID restrictions, so it was heart-warming to spend the last Thursday evening of Term 1 listening to the rebirth of live singing at the Twilight Chorals By Candlelight concert.

Incredibly, this was the first St Michael’s concert for nearly half of the performers involved and the proud choral tradition of our School was on display for the happy crowd to enjoy.

Again, there is so much to look forward to in our music program’s future. We have just finalised an outstanding line up of Year 11-12 soloists for our Virtuoso Concert in June and we return to the Melbourne Recital Centre on 30 August for Music 10

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at the Centre. We will conclude the year with our beloved Spring Concert for students in Prep to Year 6, returning to the St Kilda Town Hall in November.

As if that isn’t cause enough for giddy excitement, we are also touring again in 2022. The Generations in Jazz festival in Mt Gambier may have been cancelled, but our Big Band and Stage Band had the chance to get away on an alternative tour to Beechworth in early May, before returning for a Jazz Night dinner concert in Dolly’s Café. A touring choir will also be taking its first tentative overseas steps to New Zealand in December. We hope that this will be a precursor the longawaited return of our signature European Choir Tour in the not-too-distant future.

Of course, there is always so much happening and there’s incredible joy alone in the vibrancy that has returned to the Music Manse, Emily Hall, the Music Pods and the Drama Studio. We have a front row seat to observe the daily progress of the St George’s redevelopment and are starting to imagine the possibilities that will soon open up, despite a little bit of noise, diesel and dust along the way. There is no doubt that we are all working towards a bigger and brighter future. We cannot wait to share it with the wider school community as the journey continues.

Ben Moody Director of Performing Arts

1-3. Twilight – Chorals By Candlelight 4. Mr Ben Moody at Twilight – Chorals By Candlelight 5. Luca (12B), Alessandra (12K) and Dominic (12B) in the 10-12 Play, Arcadia 6. Students attended the Beechwork Jazz Tour 7. Mr Gerard Houlihan and Mrs Terrie Jones at Twilight Chorals by Candlelight 8. Jazz Night at Dolly's Cafe

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Junior School Numeracy Professional Learning Team The Numeracy Professional Learning Team (PLT) was formed at the beginning of 2021 and has already achieved some important goals.

The key purpose of the group is to improve student outcomes, engagement, and overall attitudes to mathematics. We also have a strong focus on staff professional development, planning and curriculum development and tracking student data to maximise learning growth for all students. Some of the ways we are working towards these goals are through: celebrating International Day of Mathematics, celebrating Global Maths Week, conducting professional development sessions with staff and making use of data to implement improvements in the way maths is taught in the School.

On 14 March we celebrated International Day of Mathematics and combined our efforts with the Community Action Team.

Students and staff dressed up in costumes representing all things ‘maths’. We saw students dressed up as Rubik’s cubes, calculators, dice, dominos, number superheroes and famous mathematicians. There were maths games and stalls on the oval where students could win prizes, all raising money for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre. The Junior School raised $1010 on the day and promoted the enjoyment and importance of mathematics. It put a smile on my face seeing students excited about maths and so eager in their involvement.

Meetings have focused on staff professional development, engagement, and wellbeing. We have participated in inquirybased improvement, and have developed curriculum and assessments, as well as interpreted and analysed data to provide improved classroom resources resulting in positive learning outcomes.

The Numeracy PLT have also incorporated the work of Rob Vingerhoets, a leading educator in the field of mathematics, into their work and Rob will be joining all staff in the Junior 12

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School in Terms 2 and 3 to work with them. He will focus on best practice maths teaching, engagement in mathematics and helpful tips and tricks on how to ensure every child is learning at (and beyond) their potential. The Numeracy PLT have also looked closely at the work of Jo Boaler, a British educator and Professor of Mathematics Education, and her work in curriculum planning and implementation in the classroom. Learning from educators who specialise in mathematics, inquiry and equitable learning has been a key factor in the success of the Numeracy PLT. I am incredibly proud of all that the Numeracy PLT has achieved, particularly in such a short amount of time, and during the challenges of the recent years. A child stopped me in the playground recently to tell me that ‘maths is the best thing ever and International Day of Mathematics was awesome!’ It is moments like these that make the work we do, so very important and rewarding.

Each member of the Numeracy PLT has shown incredible passion and dedication to the team’s work, particularly around student learning, engagement, and positive mathematical attitudes. It has been wonderful to share in the breadth of knowledge and expertise of the team and use this to positively impact our students. I know that our learning is never over, nor is that of our students, and I look forward to the continuous improvement and growth of us all.

Renee Timion Mathematics Learning Leader (K-6)

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Ms Renee Timion and Mr Murray Phyland Coogee, Amelie and Stephanie (5P) on International Day of Mathematics Numeracy PLT

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Reconciliation in Action Since the launch of the first iteration of St Michael’s Grammar School’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in August 2021, the School has continued on its path of meaningful implementation and adaptation in line with the School’s strategic direction of learning from, with and for the world.

The School’s RAP Committee meets on a regular basis to ensure the actions of the Plan are brought to life in an authentic and sustainable manner. With a vision to embed reconciliation and First Nations’ perspectives in all areas of the School, the Committee works across the Senior and Junior Schools. It includes members from a wide spectrum of staffing areas; leadership, teaching, administration, experiential learning, Out of Hours Care as well as our Senior Chaplain, Father McKie. In 2022, the School has offered all our staff cultural competency Professional learning via our Staff Learning System as well as providing space in meetings for staff to share their own wonderings and learnings, including sharing student voices.

The Committee deeply values the contributions to be made by our whole School community, including parents, and Old

Michaelians. Of course, the importance of a strong student voice is at the heart of the School’s reconciliation journey.

Student voice has been elevated in the Junior School with the creation of a Co-Curricular RAP Club. Guided by Dr Rebecca Lucas and Ms Alex Mountford, the RAP Club has begun exploring and strengthening our connection to place so that we may also care for Boon Wurrung Country, the Country on which St Michael’s Grammar School stands.

We look forward to sharing our reconciliation journey throughout the year as the School community embraces the 2022 National Reconciliation Week theme – ‘Be Brave. Make Change’.

Alex Mountford Teacher 1.

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Members of the Junior School Reconciliation Action Plan Club investigate the garden spa Aidan (4F) reads ‘Sorry Day’ as part of learning about the Apology to the Stolen Generations on behalf of the Australian Government Year 4 students investigate the map of Indigenous Australia Acknowledgement of Country by Ines (2P) The Crest Issue 7 2022

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First Community Action Day for 2022 and International Women’s Day Breakfast Friday 11 March was St Michael’s first Community Action Day for 2022. It was a busy day, where we celebrated International Women’s Day and International Day of Mathematics, participated in games and raffles, and most importantly, raised money for our chosen charities and causes: Action For Afghanistan, Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, and Brigidine Asylum Seekers. A wonderful group of students and staff members from our Community Action teams worked together to ensure the day ran smoothly.

It's really empowering knowing that St Michael's is a very politically responsible and socially conscious school. Coming out of lockdown, I think we're all a lot more aware of what's going on in the world, so it's heartbreaking to see what's happening in places like Ukraine and Afghanistan. It does feel special that we're in a position where we're able to give back to the wider community, whether that's by dressing up for benefit or raising funds through different games and stalls.

– Alessandra (12K) In the Senior School, various games such as ‘Slide It’ and ‘Lob A Choc’ were setup along Coleman Walk, with participants using their gold coin donations to try and win a prize. In the Junior School, students participated in a Fun Fair, with various mathematics-themed games and activities occurring on the basketball court outside Dolly’s Cafe.

For gold coin donations, senior students wore casual clothes and enjoyed a sausage sizzle along Coleman Walk, with volunteers taking on duties such as cooking the barbecue and operating the cash register or collecting money for the chosen causes. In the Junior School, students dressed up in mathematics-themed costumes and participated in mathematical games and quizzes in class.

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Head of Kilburn House (10-12) and Community Action Leader, Miss Chloe Hancock, said there has been a heightened level of awareness and concern amongst the student body when it comes to issues related to asylum seekers and refugees.

Our students have highlighted that there is a huge need for the community to help people who have been displaced by conflicts or affected by persecution all around the world.

By supporting these organisations on Community Action Day, our students have created tangible change through the raising of funds.

– Miss Chloe Hancock, Head of Kilburn House (10-12) Students in Dolly’s Cafe were also reminded of powerful messages related to International Women’s Day (IWD), with signs displayed on the windows showcasing different instances of gender inequality and how to actively #BreaktheBias – a call to action to speak out about smashing stereotypes, breaking inequality, and rejecting discrimination.

On Tuesday 8 March, St Michael’s celebrated IWD with a breakfast in partnership with St Mary’s College. We were very fortunate to listen to an address by guest speaker, Philippa Taylor GAICD, St Michael’s parent and founding CEO and principal advisor of The Ducendi Group.

Thank you to all our students and staff for making our first Community Action Day for 2022 so memorable and for actively participating in International Women’s Day and International Day of Mathematics. What a great week it was!

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Senior students show their commitment to #BreaktheBias Junior students joined in the activities at the Fun Fair

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Merry Month of May The Merry Month of May (MMoM) is a student-led campaign that takes place each year. Leading up to MMoM, our Senior School Leaders selected four organisations to support, to raise funds for, and awareness of, the issues those organisations are seeking to address.

In 2022 the selected organisations were: Week 1 – Girls from Oz Week 2 – Polished Man Week 3 – AYCC (Australian Youth Climate Coalition)

The culmination of MMoM was the drawing of the fundraising raffle with a bountiful prize pool on offer to the hundreds of people who purchased tickets.

Over the course of the MMoM, we raised $46,617.35 which subsequently became $47,000 thanks to the generosity of a donor who was particularly impressed by the students’ commitment.

Thank you to all who participated in, and donated to, the Merry Month of May – what a merry month it was!

Week 4 – Leukemia Foundation (World’s Greatest Shave For A Cure) Throughout May, our School Leaders planned barbeques, casual clothes days, stalls, friendly competitions, exhibition sports matches, all accompanied by a great deal of music.

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World’s Greatest Shave For A Cure Raising Money for Girls from Oz at House Athletics Sausage Sizzle on Community Action Day during MMoM The Crest Issue 7 2022

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Year 6 Leaders Induction On Thursday 10 February, our new Junior School Leaders took part in the annual K-6 Leaders' Induction Ceremony in the historic All Saints Church.

We celebrated our new Junior Leaders with a traditional service and speeches from Leaders within the School community.

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Fr Kenyon McKie Finn (12H) and Mairead (12K), Co-Captains of the School, address the new K-6 Leaders Students from the Junior Sch attended the K-6 Leaders Induction

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Clubs Fair Over a senior lunch on Friday 11 February, we held our first on-campus event for 2022, the annual Club Fair.

Coleman Walk was abuzz with students and staff roaming between stalls, chatting with like-minded peers, engaging with the activities and registering their interest ahead of the official start to Clubs on Monday 14 February.

Student Clubs are a wonderful source of community at St Michael’s and it was very exciting for our students to once again able to pursue their passions through the many Clubs available to them.

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Robotics Club putting on a live display Community Action Club

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Friends, Foundations and Responsibility On Monday 21 February our fresh faced Year 7s, embarked on their first Exodus for 2022. This experience has been tailored around the themes of Friends and Foundations. It encourages the development of lifelong friendships and fosters the relationships students have with their Head of House and Tutors. Our Experiential Learning Program was based on Bunurong Country (Shoreham and Balnarring) and allows students to engage in a range of activities in a structured and supported manner. These activities included paddle boarding, surfing, raft building, and bushwalking. During the week, each activity group also participated in a Eucharist lead by Father Kenyon McKie, which allowed the students to reflect, connect and develop a greater sense of self.

During Term 4, the cohort will also participate in a Journey Skills Program. This will see students carry backpacks with all their own clothing, personal items, sleeping bags, mats, and food. As this is the first-time students have done this, the group will attempt to be self-sufficient however, we are conscious of their physical size and growing bodies. During Terms 3 and 4 we will work with our Year 7s to prepare them for this experience.

The theme for Year 9 Exodus was Real Responsibility. During the program, which took place from 28 March to 1 April, students were encouraged to take on a greater degree of responsibility for themselves and others.

The Year 9s cycled 150km through the Goulburn Valley Rail Trail from Mansfield to Yea and another group hiked and canoed in Lake Eildon.

Some of the activities on Exodus included: exploring the concept of responsibility, reflecting on individual actions, discovering personal and group potential in new and challenging situations, taking greater responsibility for the running of the program – including group management and navigating a raft, canoe or bike carrying all food and equipment.

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Year 9 Exodus group set up camp after cycling through the Goulburn Valley Rail Trail Year 7 Exodus paddle board along the river Year 9 Exodus canoeing in Lake Eildon Year 9 Exodus cycling through the Goulburn Valley Rail Trail The Crest Issue 7 2022

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DNA Student Production The play DNA, by Dennis Kelly, heralded the beginning of the Performing Arts program for 2022. It was an entirely studentled production in collaboration with Year 12 Theatre Studies.

The play was originally scheduled for Week 1 of Term 1, but was postponed to Week 5 due to the impact of COVID on cast members days before the dress rehearsal. The School would like to recognise the incredible resilience of the entire team as they navigated uncharted territory and went on to stage three sold-out performances.

DNA is about a group of teenagers who do a terrible thing, then panic and cover it up. They find that their cover-up is believed by others and while this seems to mean there are no repercussions, in fact the terrible act and the lie leads to fractures among the group.

“Directing DNA was such an exciting and rewarding experience, and we were so pleased after seeing the final product on stage. Though it could be exhausting at times, we had so much fun as a team, working our way through the initial planning stage of DNA, to seeing it performed on stage. We had such an amazing cast and crew to work with and we are so grateful for the hard work and dedication they put into creating such an amazing performance.”

Directors Benjamin (12M), Jasmin (12M) and Luca (12B) 1.

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DNA was an entirely student-led production The cast and crew of DNA Jack (12S), Scout (11B), and Isaac (12B) |

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CAST LIST Joey: Jack (12S) Phil: Isaac (12B) Mark: Jack (12B) Jan: Neisha (12S) Brian: Dominic (12B) John Tate: Charlie (11B) Bridgette: Scout (11B) Richard: Lilian (12H) Lou: Karina (12B) Diane: Gisele (12M) – played by Jasmin (12M) due to illness Adam: Nancy (12H)

CREW & CREATIVE TEAM Directors – Benjamin (12M) Jasmin (12M) Luca (12B) Set Design – Jasmin (12M) Samantha (12H) Millie (12M) Alice (12K) Annelies (12S) Lily (12S) Lighting Design – Samantha (12H) Elliot (12K) Costume Design – Neisha (12S) Gisele (12M) Jack (12S) Annelie (12S) Millie (12M) Luca (12B) Sound Design – Domenic (12B) Benjamin (12M) Elliot (12K) Lily (12S) Alice (12K) Properties – Lillian (12H) Makeup Design – Isaac (12B) Makeup Artist – Isabelle (12H) Graciella (9M) Lighting Operator – Elliot (12K) Sound Operator – Alice (12K) Dress Rehearsal photographer – Mia (12H) Floor Crew – Samantha (12H) Henry (12B) Program & Poster Design – Charlie (11B) Dominic (12B)

Years 7-12 House Swimming Carnival In what was one of the closest results in recent years, only 30 points separated Breen and Hughes House with Breen emerging victorious.

This year with restrictions easing our year 12 students were able to celebrate their last swimming carnival with the annual jump-in, and for the first time, the opening event was an allHouse relay.

Year Level Pennant Winners – Girls

All students should be extremely proud of their efforts on the day as they provided an incredible atmosphere and some great races. Congratulations to Breen House on winning the 2022 Years 7-12 House Swimming Carnival!

Above: Breen House upon winning the 2022 Years 7-12 House Swimming Carnival

Year Level Pennant Winners – Boys

Overall House Shield

Sport

House

Sport

House

Placing

House

Points

Year 7 Girls

Mitre

Year 7 Boys

Sarum

1st

Mitre

3,149

Year 8 Girls

Hughes

Year 8 Boys

Breen

2nd

Sarum

3,114

Year 9 Girls

Breen

Year 9 Boys

Kilburn

3rd

Kilburn

2,987

Year 10 Girls

Sarum

Year 10 Boys

Hughes

4th

Hughes

2,922

Year 11 Girls

Hughes

Year 11 Boys

Hughes

5th

Breen

2,865

Year 12 Girls

Mitre

Year 12 Boys

Breen

Individual Year Level Winners Year Level

Girls Winner

Girls Runner-up

Boys Winner

Boys Runner-up

Year 7

Heidi (7K)

Clementine (7M)

Milo (7S)

Harrison (7H)

Year 8

Molly (8B)

Simone (8H)

William (8B)

Tim (8K)

Year 9

Dannika (9M)

Chloe (9B)

Aaron (9B)

Will (9S)

Year 10

Zara (10S)

Charlie (10B)

Cam (10H)

Ned (10K)

Year 11

Chloe (11H)

Jasmine (11M) & Kalia (11K)

William (11S)

Flynn (11H)

Year 12

Anna (12M)

Neisha (12S)

Liam (12B)

Luca (12K)

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2022 ACS Swimming The ACS Swimming Championships were held on 15 March with 58 swimmers proudly representing St Michael’s.

Other swimmers to be congratulated on their outstanding results are: Olive (11B) Chloe (11H) Grace (11H) and Kalia (11K) – 1st in the Year 11 Girls 4x50m Medley Relay Charli (8H) – 1st in the Year 8B Girls 50m Freestyle Heidi (7K) – 1st in the Year 7B Girls 50m Breaststroke Cam (10H) – 1st in the Year 10B Boys 50m Breaststroke

Overall, the team finished 3rd with 1,654 points. Our boys team finished 5th (800 points) and our girls team finished 3rd (854 points).

Jasmine (11M) – 1st in the Year 11B Girls 50m Breaststroke

Congratulations to our Year 10 boys – Ned (10K) Thomas (10S) Cam (10H) and Julian (10H) who finished the day as Year 10 Boys Year Level Champions. These boys have now finished as Year level Champions in Year 7, Year 8, Year 9 and Year 10. They won the 4 x 50 m Medley Relay in a new School record. The previous record (2m 11.8s) was held by Pascal Pivec, Luka Lea-Vestic, Ben Holland and Alex Porz (all OM 2013) and has stood since 2011.

Special mention and a big thank you to the swimmers who stepped up to help fill spots at the last minute on the day.

Eve (11M) Chloe (11H) Jasmine (11M) and Grace (11H) – 1st in the Year 11 Girls 4x50m Freestyle Relay

Well done to our year 12 swimmers: Neisha (12S) Clare (12K) Edward (12B) Maddie (12H) Anna (12M) Luca (12K) Will (12H) and Liam (12B) who competed in their final ACS Swimming Championships.

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Our Year 12 students competed in their final ACS Swimming Event 2022 ACS Swimming Team

SSV SYDSA Swimming Well done to all the students who competed at the SYDSA District Swimming on Monday 21 February. It was a great day of racing for our team of 31 swimmers from Years 4, 5 and 6. There were a great many new personal best times set.

Congratulations to these students who qualified for the Beachside Division Swimming: Edward (4A) – 9/10 Year Olds 50m Freestyle Mya (4F) – 9/10 Year Olds 50m Freestyle Francessca (5S) – 11 Year Olds 50m Breaststroke 1

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SSV Swimming - SYDSA Level Representatives

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ACS Summer Sport The ACS Summer Sport program was incredibly successful this year. Ten teams competed in the finals with 1st Boys Hockey, 1st Boys Basketball, 3rds Boys Basketball and 2nd Boys Hockey all becoming premiers. The other six teams, 5th Boys Basketball, 1st Boys Cricket, 2nd Boys Futsal, 1st Girls Volleyball, 2nd Girls Volleyball and 3rd Girls Volleyball all performed well but were not able to win on the day.

Each of the ten teams had excellent seasons. They developed throughout the season and were committed, determined and supportive of their teammates.

A big thank you must go to all the coaching staff, captains, players, and Mr Tyren Montebruno and Mr Matt Wood, for their dedication, hard work and coordination of the sports program at St Michael’s.

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1st Boys Hockey 1st Boys Basketball 2nd Boys Hockey 3rd Boys Basketball The Crest Issue 7 2022

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COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

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Ongoing connections with the Old Michaelian community Our rich and diverse Old Michaelian (OM) Community continues to provide support for students across our campus in a myriad of ways.

In Theatre Studies, Lucy Grant (OM 2020), returned to lead a workshop on Performance Analysis and Alex Dymalovski (OM 2021), spoke with current students as they commenced their preparation for the Monologue Performance Examination – a task for which he achieved a perfect score in 2021.

Ellie Singe (OM 2020), worked as the technician for the Student Production DNA, in the McLellan Hall Drama Studio and Louis Tuckfield-Smith (OM 2019), has also assisted in the studio as a general production assistant.

Tom Hill (OM 2020), participated in the Year 9 Exodus and was a great support for the students in the Raft and Walk program in the Eildon Region as they embraced the theme ‘Real Responsibility’. Tom was given a special mention on social media by a parent whose son was thrilled to have Tom as his leader on Exodus.

Several Old Michaelians are working as coaches for our St Michael’s sporting teams and we thank them for the wonderful work they do in motivating our teams as they enjoy a return in 2022 to the ACS Sport home and away fixture.

Every year, the Old Michaelian Association Committee (OMAC) offers support to the Year 12 cohort as they complete their final year at St Michael’s. On the same day that the Easter Eucharist was celebrated, the students were greeted with an array of Easter treats provided by the OMAC to welcome them back to School and provide a joyful start to Term 2.

The strong presence of our Old Michaelian community and the engagement of so many Old Michaelians with the School, particularly after the hiatus of many activities and events in 2021, is deeply appreciated and provides a source of great joy for all involved.

If you are interested in engaging with the students, contributing to life at St Michael’s or learning more about the OMAC please contact oldmichaeliancommittee@stmichaels.vic.edu.au

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Nicholas Leach (OM 2018) Coaching Year 7 Tennis Mima Golias (OM 2019) Coaching Year 7 AFL

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Academic Supervisors The new Academic Supervisor Program is an initiative of Ms Marion George, who saw an opportunity to engage Old Michaelians in current school life to provide a valuable service to students. Under the program Old Michaelians (OMs) will be available in the Knowledge Commons each afternoon after School to assist and support students. The program runs daily from 3:15pm to 6.00pm, Monday to Friday.

The OMs currently involved in the program are:

Students are encouraged to take ownership of their study needs and approach an Academic Supervisor to assist them.

There are two Academic Supervisors available each session.

• Dylan Knight (2020)

The aim of the program is to develop students into independent learners who have the confidence to ask for help, an invaluable skill for further study, and life. The program mirrors those offered at many universities where students grow as independent learners, away from the close support of their parents. St Michael’s is one of only a small number of schools to offer a free service like this.

• Bill Zhu (2020) • Maddy Hill (2018) • Felix Pemberton-Adams (2019) • Freddie Slipper (2020) • Jordan Klein (2020) • Mima Golias (2019) Thank you to our OMs who are part of this program. We look forward to seeing more of you involved in the future.

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Leroy and Ryan 9K getting assistance from the Academic Supervisors Maddy Hill (OM 2018) and Felix Pemberton-Adams (OM 2019) Mima Golias (OM 2019) and Bill Zhu (OM 2020)

Students have the benefit of more than just supervision in the Knowledge Commons. They can use the time to receive targeted assistance in studying, essays, exams, schoolwork, organisational tips, and also to gain an insight into university life and what that might look like for them if they choose tertiary education. It also offers students a friendly face from someone who knows the culture of St Michael’s and who also understands the study stresses they may be facing.

The program strengthens the connection between OMs and the School by keeping the OMs connected to the school community and providing the opportunity for them to give back.

Our OMs are carefully chosen, high achieving and responsible.

It is hoped that this program will be something that current students might choose to be part of when they too graduate.

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B E Y O N D T H E S C H O O L G AT E S

Vanessa Pigrum (OM 1983) – HSC 1983 School Co-Captain Old Michaelian Vanessa Pigrum (OM 1983) is the CEO of the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership.

Cranlana runs a range of in-person and online programs that help people engage with ideas from critical thinkers (ancient to contemporary) about justice, fairness, power, trust and how to create a better society for all. Many participants are in senior leadership roles. Through moderated discussions in small group settings, the Cranlana programs challenge participants to question their internal unconscious biases and reflect on whether they are truly using their positions of influence in a way that will benefit future generations.

Reflecting on her time at St Michael’s, Vanessa looks back fondly on the encouragement that was provided to her to try new and different things.

“I became the CEO of Cranlana Centre in 2018, after more than 25 years of working in the arts industry; as a producer, director, arts manager, venue programmer and strategic policy maker. After I left school I studied Arts/Law at Monash University but put the final two years of the Law degree on hold to have some time off and explore other options. It was my longoverdue rebellion and I threw myself into the crazy night-time world of being a waitress at the Last Laugh Theatre Restaurant.”

“Care and Compassion are now essential in leadership roles, and very much at the heart of Cranlana’s values too. The old leadership style of ‘control and command’ is now considered very outdated and out of touch with how the next generation of professionals want to work. I think another core value we share is a commitment to considering diverse perspectives before fixing your opinion.

Staying open-minded and curious.”

After a couple of years of working odd jobs Vanessa was accepted into the Victorian College of the Arts, and promptly set about working as a freelance director/producer.

This led to leading larger and larger festival events and eventually becoming the CEO of Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2000. From that time onwards, Vanessa worked as a lead programmer/producer or Executive Director of a range of arts and cultural organisations; including within Arts Centre Melbourne, City of Darebin and Chunky Move dance company.

“Around 2017 or 2018 I was feeling the need to step outside the arts world for a while and test how transferable my skills and experiences were in another sector. Cranlana was a perfect next step as it combines philosophical enquiry with literature, arts and deep discussions to question how we can each contribute to creating the Good Society and promoting ethical leadership decisions in the areas that truly matter.”

Speaking about what she loves most about the role, Vanessa says that it’s seeing the real-time change that sparks the biggest sense of pride and satisfaction.

“I love the final day of each program. I often have the chance to sit in on the wrap-up session and to hear the way that our programs have affected each individual. Listening to their new insights and the changes they are now going to make is a real privilege. What I am most proud about is the way we have expanded the range of philosophers and thinkers we include in our discussions. There are now more female philosophers in the mix and more Australian indigenous writers and critical thinkers also.”

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“I always felt that St Michael’s had encouraged us to explore our curiosity and there were a range of Extra-Curricular activities we were encouraged to join. I was involved in drama, music and debating competitions. It was a small school back then and no-one was at all precious about how good we were – it was all about having a go. I think that persistent encouragement to try new things prepared me well for an adaptable professional life and a commitment to lifelong learning.”

Vanessa sees the correlation between St Michael’s and Cranlana’s values as something that’s important for the next generation of leaders to take with them and understand.

Thinking about her time at the School and what mattered most, Vanessa believes that St Michael’s strong connection to the arts is something that sets it apart from other schools.

“What has always struck me about St Michael’s is the way that the arts are respected as being pivotal to personal development and learning, and that they are not sidelined as a hobby activity only. Standout memories for me are the annual trip to Camp Kangaroobie, the school play in the Assembly Hall (no fancy theatre for us back then!), and always coming last in Inter-School Athletics competitions.”

As for favourite teachers: “There were a few that meant a lot to me, including Mr and Mrs Ormiston-Smith (Maths and Physics) Mademoiselle Facteur (French, of course), Mr Henderson (Chemistry) and Barbara Venn who was the quintessential bohemian art teacher.”

For those students going through VCE Studies and onto future pathways this year, Vanessa finished with some sage advice.

“It’s best to tackle the workload consistently rather than in intense bursts. It’s also so important to have some kind of physical outlet to keep you sane and balanced. No matter how well you do or don’t do, that ATAR score won’t mean much to anyone in a few years’ time. But what will set you in good stead is a curious mindset and following whatever path gives you a sense of purpose. You’ll have many careers over the next 30 years – I hope you make them adventurous, purposeful and creative.”

We thank Vanessa for her time and the work she does for the future generations of leaders through the Cranlana Centre.

Jaffar Changazi (OM 2013) Jaffar Changazi (OM 2013) started at St Michael’s during the last Term of 2010, having arrived in Australia as a refugee from Afghanistan in December 2009. Jaffar reflects back on his first days with happy memories, especially when it came to the students and staff who showed him around the School at the very beginning.

“I met with a lot of good people at School that supported me from day one, especially when it came to my mindset.

They were really helpful in terms of showing me around and then helping me to fit into the culture of the School – I'm still friends with them to this day.”

Jaffar’s journey to Australia, and then St Michael’s, started after barrister and human rights activist, Jessie Taylor, travelled to Indonesia to visit refugee detention centres in the country. It was there that she met Jaffar, scrawling her number down on a piece of paper, and telling him to call her if he ever made it to Australia. After a long and arduous journey to Australia by boat, Jaffar called Jessie from Christmas Island, starting the process of Jessie becoming Jaffar’s foster parent and organising to get Jaffar to Melbourne.

Jessie recalls what made her think about enrolling Jaffar at St Michael’s: “The first thing that put St Michael’s on my radar was after I had spoken at an assembly for Human Rights Day. I was invited to speak about various issues around human rights, and I found the attitude of the School and the students to be fascinating. There was a kind of culture that I felt was unusual and I thought it was a place where there was not just lip service paid to issues around equity, equality, and progressive values, but it actually seemed to be quite embodied in the School, and I appreciated that a lot.”

After speaking with a colleague who already had children enrolled at the School, Jessie got in touch with Mr Simon Gipson, Head of the School, at the time. Jaffar was granted a bursary for his entire time at the School.

Jaffar started off his education with a strong determination and willingness to succeed in what he put his mind to. After less than a year at the School, Jaffar was awarded the Paul and James White award for the outstanding leadership and teamwork he showed on Exodus.

“I remember we went on a trip to Lake Eildon and we had to do a lot of walking. I just helped out when it came to preparing meals and small things like that, and I was selected to be one of the leaders. I also remember cycling around Tassie for Year 11 Exodus, that was a real highlight for me.”

“We found out my family was going to be arriving during my Year 12 exams! It all happened very quickly. After starting the process back in 2009, it took until 2013 to be approved, but once it was approved, they had their flights booked in about 2-3 days. It was so nice to see them, but also sad that I had to leave Jessie as my foster carer. We still keep a strong connection, and we will forever.”

After graduating from St Michael’s in 2013, Jaffar had his mind set on getting into the construction industry. A small roadblock didn’t stop Jaffar’s determination and willingness to work for his goal.

“I tried to get into Construction Management, but my ATAR didn't match the intake as I needed over 87, which I didn't get.

But – there's always a pathway, which I took. I studied Building and Construction at RMIT for 2 years and then…I did pretty well. That led me to do Construction Management, finishing with an Honours degree.

On the plight of Afghanistan, Jessie reminds us of the tragedies and human rights issues that continue to affect the country.

“This is one out of thousands of stories that do not have that same happy ending and I don't think we can see one without being aware and cognizant of the other. It’s important to keep this dialogue going, and to realise what a privileged position we are in. We need to do as much as we can to get people experiencing conflict out of that conflict, and into living life as freely and safely as possible.”

To current students of St Michael’s, Jaffar had the following advice to offer to try and get people to see things from a different perspective and empathise with people outside the circles they move in.

“Be positive and ask for help. Share with people. Share your stories with people. A small story can change people's minds and their perspectives. For me, it was talking about where I came from and what I had done, and that made a lot of people interested in not only learning more about me, but also about my family and Afghanistan in general.”

We thank Jaffar and Jessie for their time and passion and look forward to watching Jaffar’s progress in the construction industry.

For more information on how to support the plight of Afghanistan, head to: https://www.actionforafghanistan.com.au/

In a thankful turn of events, Jaffar’s mother, father, and two younger brothers managed to emigrate from Afghanistan, arriving at a very busy time for Jaffar.

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Reunions After two years of postponements, Old Michaelians (OMs) relished the opportunity to reconnect at their reunions. In many cases, the conversations and stories picked up where they left off many years ago! To date, we have welcomed over 45 OMs from the classes of 2005 and 2006 for a combined reunion on 11 February, over 55 OMs from the classes of 2000 and 2001 for a combined reunion on 4 March and 22 OMs from the classes of 1995 and 1996 for their combined reunion on 18 March. Three further reunions were held from April to June, the Class of 1991 30 Year reunion in April, the Class of 2017 5 Year reunion in May and the class of 2012 10 Year reunion in June. All were well attended.

CONNECT The Old Michaelians Facebook group is a lively group where past staff, students and parents can keep in touch and stay up to date with Old Michaelian news and events. Additionally, SMGS Generation is a networking platform exclusively for the St Michael’s community – this allows Old Michaelians to connect with each other professionally, for mentoring, and for opportunities to connect to School activity such as careers nights.

St Michael’s Old Michaelians SMGS Generation

UPCOMING REUNIONS Throughout 2022 we are continuing to hold rescheduled and combined reunions to catch-up on postponements. 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 and share in life experiences. Old Michaelians will be sent an invitation by email and post, and are encouraged to update their details to ensure they receive these: stmichaels.vic.edu.au/update-your-details/ Class of 2007

15 Year Reunion

22 July 2022

Class of 1986

35 Year Reunion

19 August 2022

Class of 2002

20 Year Reunion

16 September 2022

Class of 1997

25 Year Reunion

7 October 2022

Class of 1992

30 Year Reunion

4 November 2022

Class of 1987

35 Year Reunion

18 November 2022

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Emily Tayler and Zoe Kent – 2005 Chris Winter, Tom Kilip and Danielle Watkins (Pascoe) – 2006 Katie Joukadjian (Tucker), Sarah Peters (Lockie) and Adam Olszanski – 2001 Eleanor Bishop, Nikolai Zajda and Paul Joukadjian – 1995

Vale St Michael’s pays tribute to Old Michaelians, Staff and members of our community who are no longer with us and offer our condolences to their family and friends who are in our thoughts and prayers.

Mrs Mavis Buckland (nee Moss) (OM 1938) 14 January 2020

Mrs Gail Rowan (nee Doxey) (OM 1968) 02 September 2020

Mrs Gwyneth Le couilliard (nee Spiers) (OM 1946) 17 January 2020

Mrs Jennifer Bede (nee Houston) (OM 1951) 29 September 2020

Mrs Marilyne Frank (nee Smith) (OM 1956) 02 February 2020

Mrs Beryl (Audrey) Moore (nee Lewin) (OM 1944) 04 November 2020

Mrs Moira Gray (OM 1946) 08 February 2020 Mrs Diane Clifford (nee Smallwood) (OM 1973) 17 February 2020 Miss Wilma Hannah Former St Michael's Board Member 01 March 2020 Mrs Barbara Dunlop (nee Oxley) (OM 1953) 16 March 2020 Dr Meryl Thomas (nee Springall) (OM 1948) 25 March 2020 Mr George King Former Secretary of the 14th/32nd Australian Infantry Battalion AIF Association and good friend of St Michael's 18 April 2020 Miss Catherine Moran (OM 2000) 28 April 2020 Mrs Lois Loughnan OAM (nee Nutting) (OM 1941) 30 April 2020 Miss Margaret England (nee England) (OM 1946) 10 May 2020 Mrs Mary Maloley (nee Malouly) (OM 1955) 11 May 2020 Mr Lucca Di Stefano (OM 2019) 14 June 2020

Dr Nik Chosich Former St Michael's parent 05 November 2020 Dr Robert Bisdee Former St Michael's parent 19 November 2020 Mr Cameron Deszcz (OM 2004) 12 December 2020 Mr Colin Lovitt Former St Michael's parent 10 January 2021 Ms Jennifer le Gry's St Michael's parent 10 January 2021 Fr Cary Mansell Former St Michael's staff member 20 February 2021 Mrs Beverley Colson (nee Rowan) (OM 1951) 24 February 2021 Miss Natalie Templeton (OM 2011) 03 March 2021 Mrs Judith Holyman (nee Duncan) (OM 1947) 27 March 2021 Mrs Jacqueline Gallagher (nee Cottle) (OM 1984) 11 April 2021

Ms Lesley Greagg (nee Wall) (OM 1944) 25 June 2020

Ms Josephine Schneider (nee Schneider) (OM 1991) 18 April 2021

Mrs Athene (Pat) Norris (OM 1942) 11 August 2020

Mrs Barbara Landon (nee Punch) (OM 1949) 14 May 2021

Mrs Christine Hurwood (nee Bambery) (OM 1965) 19 May 2021 Mrs Marjorie Mitchell (nee Williams) (OM 1947) 05 July 2021 Mrs Robyn McLean Former St Michael's staff member 09 July 2021 Miss Anne Jolliffe (nee Jolliffe) (OM 1950) 27 August 2021 Mr Malcolm Evans 03 September 2021 Mrs Diana Atkinson (nee Scott/Reid) (OM 1956) 16 September 2021 Dr Janette Gordon-Clark (nee Richards) (OM 1952) Former St Michael's Board Member and former parent 26 October 2021 Mrs Lois Elliott (nee Ferguson) (OM 1971) 17 November 2021 Mr Allan Pizzey Former St Michael's Board Member and Chairman 28 November 2021 Miss Holly Carter-Madej (OM 2004) 01 March 2022 Mrs Catherine Irvine Former St Michael's parent 01 March 2022 Ms Margot Laity (nee Laity) (OM 1974) 14 March 2022 Mr David Horman (nee Horman) (OM 1990) 31 March 2022 Mrs Patricia Koretsky (nee Waterman) (OM 1958) 09 April 2022 Ms Ingrid Geradts Former St Michael's staff member 10 May 2022

St Michael’s thanks the community for advising us of the passing of their loved ones. This information is correct at the time of publication. To respect the family of the deceased, names will only be published where the family has advised the School, or there has been a public notice advising of the death.

If you are an Old Michaelian or member of the St Michael’s community who would like to share a story or community notice, please contact us at engagement@stmichaels.vic.edu.au The Crest Issue 7 2022

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C E L E B R AT I N G O U R V O L U N T E E R S

Michelle Birks Second-Hand Uniforms volunteer Michelle Birks initially started her St Michael’s volunteer journey as a Year Level Rep. “It was a great way to meet people, connect with staff and have fun. I also helped out at many Open Mornings and really enjoyed the opportunity to talk with families who were wondering about St Michael's. It’s funny, I enjoyed those mornings more than I thought I would and really missed them in lockdowns.”

Coming from a family that has a long history of volunteering, Michelle believes that the need to help others truly runs in her blood. “Volunteering is something that had always been part of my life growing up. The enjoyment of volunteering has continued into my adult life – I’ve volunteered with a lot of nursing organisations, primary schools, basketball teams and now St Michael's – my family tells me that they think they’ll see me at the op shop next!”

As it is with the St Michael’s community, families tend to be spread all across Melbourne and come from all different walks of life. Volunteering is one way in which Michelle sees and appreciates connections that can be made within the wider community. “Volunteering always involves working with other parents and you get to meet interesting people. I don’t think there are many schools that have the same diversity of postcode, and I love having fascinating conversations at the same time as making a difference.”

Speaking about what she finds most rewarding about her volunteering roles at St Michael’s, Michelle says that it’s the 28

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life lessons that she can pass on to her children that has the biggest impact. “Knowing that it really helps, knowing that it shows my kids what an important part of life it is, provides such a sense of fulfillment. I also love the feeling of having a real sense of belonging at the School. Whenever I am at St Michael’s it feels relaxed and a happy place to be – you can’t ask for more than that.”

Michelle reflects upon her current volunteering role with great enthusiasm, having only recently discovered the Second-Hand Uniform (SHU) shop. “This has quickly become a definite favourite and I wish I had discovered it earlier! Everyone has a great time – we surprise each other with hidden skills, learn new ones and reduce waste at the same time, which is fantastic! I have to admit, I didn’t realise that SHU had so many really good quality garments – another thing I wish I had discovered earlier.”

Looking back at her volunteer journey at St Michael’s to date, Michelle says she feels a great deal of pride and satisfaction from the role and has had some great experiences over her tenure. Her time with the PCA is also coming to a close as she sees the last of her family members go through the school gates for the final time in 2022. “I have been lucky enough to go to a few of the trivia nights over the years – which require a lot of volunteers – and they are fantastic fun! My son, Tom (12M), is in his final year, so after this year, I’m going to be stepping down. I feel as though our St Michael’s journey has gone by too fast – I’m really going to miss it.”

We thank Michelle for her longstanding relationship with the School and wish her and her family all the best for the future.

Vanessa Byers As the PCA Coordinator, Vanessa Byers supports Year Level Representatives (YLRs) and the PCA executive team by setting up their events online and maintaining the events calendar on the PCA SchoL page. Vanessa mentions that her volunteer role came about after experiencing St Michael’s events herself. “I really enjoyed attending School events and being a part of the School community, so a YLR suggested I might like to volunteer. I was a YLR before taking on the Coordinator role. I have loved my experience so far and I haven't looked back!”

students and parents interact, and that makes it an enjoyable community to participate in. I also think the School's longstanding history of interaction with the local community makes it a particularly special place to be.”

Speaking about her experience, Vanessa sees the volunteer program as a great way to get to know other parents at the School and to contribute to the School's strong sense of community. “The PCA events team and the Year Level Representatives put so much effort into creating events that bring people together, so I get a lot of satisfaction from supporting them in their endeavours.”

Thinking about her favourite St Michael’s memory so far, Vanessa finds it hard to pinpoint one in particular, with a plethora of wonderful experiences. “Every year has had something special about it! It has been great fun to watch my daughter Nola (3 Dora Beatrice) go through the various "rites of passage", like the 4YO Kindergarten Dinner Party or the Nativity Play in Year 1, so I look forward to many more special experiences in the years ahead.”

When asked about what gives her the most satisfaction about the role, Vanessa believes that the School’s values and connection to the community are what makes St Michael’s stand out. “I think it’s reflected in the way the teachers, staff,

Weathering the storm of COVID lockdowns, Vanessa had to manage many event cancellations, but never failed to see the community spirit shining through. “I admired the PCA's persistence and commitment to finding ways for parents to connect throughout the more heightened moments of the pandemic. I also find meeting new parents a highlight, and I love hearing so many people say how welcoming they find the School.”

We thank Vanessa for her invaluable contribution to St Michael’s and can’t wait to see what exciting events and wonderful memories are made in the near future.

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Vincent Fantauzzo We were very excited to sit down with St Michael’s parent and volunteer, Vincent Fantauzzo. Vincent is known as one of Australia's most prominent artists and photographers, having won the Archibald People's Choice Award more than any other artist. Vincent is also an Adjunct Professor of Fine Arts at RMIT.

When asked about what brings him the most joy out of his volunteer role, Vincent says that it’s all about the moment that someone realises what art can mean to them as an individual.

“All creative expression is important and we all see art through different eyes. Whether it’s creating collages, painting pictures, or even dressing a different way, art has this really therapeutic way of expanding people’s minds."

For many years, Vincent has volunteered his time to conduct art demonstrations in the Junior School. “When I’m teaching the children, I stand at the front of the room and ask them to describe something creative, which I mockup for them. I then ask them to make their own version of the artwork and tell them that whatever they make is good enough – there are no mistakes when it comes to art. I love to give them the freedom to fail.”

Vincent’s volunteering journey started when his eldest son started in Kindergarten, and has now gone all the way through to Year 7. “It’s been really great seeing that transition from the Junior School into the Senior School. I worried that it might be too easy, but from what I’ve seen, it changes enough for the students to be able to socially reset and gives the older kids empathy for the younger ones.

Speaking about how he began volunteering for the School, Vincent says that it started off as a casual request from one of his son’s teachers. “I was asked to run an art lesson during the Holiday Program. It wasn’t something that I was really doing at the time, but it felt right to give back and educate the next generation about art and what it can be in its various forms and qualities.”

Vincent is passionate about making art as accessible as possible. “If you look at what’s happening with cooking, for example – you can ask children about 5 famous chefs, and a lot would be able to name people they’ve seen on TV or online.

If you ask them to name 5 artists, I find that a lot of the time they don’t necessarily know. I want to make art fun, teaching them that creativity knows no bounds and it can translate to all different sorts of life outcomes.”

Reflecting on his own experiences growing up, Vincent talks about the need to reinforce creativity in children. “Kids have a right to have an opinion on art, and all of their creations are worthy. I’ve seen it happen a thousand times, including with myself – children make art and they feel it’s not real enough – and that puts them off wanting to be creative” 30

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It's the various Co-Curricular programs that the School has to offer that Vincent says makes St Michael’s appealing.

“Whether you want to focus on theatre or sports, art or mathematics – there’s enough of a mix so children don’t miss out. My boys have friends with such diverse interests and backgrounds, whether it’s footy or performing arts, and that’s really great to see.”

Vincent says that St Michael’s has a very special place in his family’s life, and loves the sense of community. “It’s very inclusive and very diverse. You really get the sense that the School attracts people from all different walks of life. I also love the sense of equality when they’re at School – it feels like they are on a level playing field. I would have loved to have gone to a school like St Michael’s.”

One final reflection from Vincent and his time with St Michael's – “The experience has made me want to teach or show kids art more often. It’s a really nice thought that by volunteering, these young people have inspired me to want to do more.”

We thank Vincent for his time and generosity, and we can’t wait to see the creative endeavours he takes part in in the future.

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The PCA – Bringing us together The Parent Community Association (PCA) commenced 2022 with great excitement and optimism for a better year ahead with many events and activities planned as we emerged from the pandemic restrictions and moved towards reuniting our School community.

Our parent welcome events and coffee mornings organised by our School’s wonderful team of Year Level Representatives were very popular with infectious enthusiasm from parents to catch up face to face with their peers as COVID-19 restrictions continued to ease.

The Kitchen Garden Working Bee in March was a huge success.

A full team of energised parents and children transformed the Garden; neatening, clearing waste, putting the finishing touches on the chicken coop, and making it ready for Autumn planting.

It was all about revitalising the soil in preparation for planting seedlings. A change to the management of the Garden has led to each of the planter boxes being allocated to Year Levels and School Groups and these beds are now primed with fertiliser, blood and bone, and lime.

There was some serious gardening expertise among our green-fingered group with one of our volunteers performing a master stylist grooming of the lemon trees and espalier apple, and another landscape gardener polishing off listed tasks with great speed. No matter the level of skill or proficiency, our PCA was immensely grateful to all of our team for giving

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up their morning to volunteer to keep the garden growing and thriving for the St Michael’s community to enjoy its spoils.

To finish the day, our volunteers enjoyed the special treat of homemade pizzas from ingredients grown in the Garden and cooked in the School’s pizza oven, located in the Garden. It was an extremely rewarding day for all involved.

Our School’s Twilight Chorals by Candlelight at the end of Term 1 was a wonderful evening for students, staff and families to be on campus together. The choraling-students performed beautifully while the candles glowed and lights glittered as the sun set and darkness fell. Our parents, students and staff enjoyed barbeque food and treats from the stunningly beautiful parent-created PCA bake sale. One of our largest number of PCA volunteers was rallied to support this event and assist at the popular Second-Hand Uniform sale. It was an opportunity to create wider community connections and especially to build friendships.

Our PCA’s annual Mother’s Day Lunch was held beachside overlooking the bay at The Views - Life Saving Victoria, Port Melbourne. An apt location to celebrate parents as lifesavers and universal superheroes. It was a wonderful day enjoyed by over 170 parents, creating new connections within, and across, year levels. There were many laughs, and gifts to take home. Student Leaders took this relaxed opportunity to encourage our School’s wonderful spirit of giving and promote

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their Merry Month Of May campaign. Many raffle tickets were purchased and donations contributed to these causes. Our Mothers left with smiles, new friendships and their gifts ready to diarise next year’s event.

the Timber Yard venue in Port Melbourne. The event was designed for fun together for our many trivia lovers, with an Absolutely Fabulous theme of sequins and sparkles. A wonderful night was had by all.

The PCA also supported the School’s Giving Day on 26 May by donating $5000 in match funding through the PCA annual grants program. The PCA supports the growth and development of the School’s Scholarship program, which provides opportunities for students who may face financial hardship, thus promoting diversity and inclusion within the School.

The finale to this year’s PCA activities will be the return of the biennial Community Festival scheduled for October. Planning is well underway with a steering committee organising this entertaining community gathering on campus. This will be a wonderful day of celebration that brings the St Michael’s and our wider Community together, positively promoting what the St Michael’s community represents, the talent of our students while strengthening relationships. The day will be filled with student music performances, amusement rides, food, stalls and entertainment. Parents are welcome to get involved in supporting the success of this major event. The PCA invites all to join in and celebrate what our community has to offer – there are some great surprises in store!

The popular Second-Hand Uniform (SHU) service continued to provide our School community with opportunities to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, aligning with the School’s values. This parent-run service ensures the School’s sustainable approach to clothing is realised by our students. The high quality and wide selection of uniform items delivers value, especially now students can access the service during their School day. The proceeds from these sales support the PCA School grants program. This service encourages parent-volunteers to apply and support us.

It was with great excitement that our community anticipated our revamped PCA Trivia Night, after missing this signature event for the past two years. This year, the tables sold within six minutes so luckily we negotiated extra capacity at the venue and offered a second release of tickets. This is the most popular event in the PCA’s calendar. This year, after many years with parent, Brian Nankervis, as the highly entertaining Master of Ceremonies, the event was hosted by the wonderfully flamboyant Sasha Starr and held at

Our PCA also extends a big thank you to all our parent volunteers past, present and future, who ensure the PCA can create a sense of belonging for all of our parents so they can contribute to their essential role in our student’s educational success at St Michael’s Grammar School.

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PCA Trivia Night PCA Mother's Day Lunch Twlight - Chorals by Candlelight PCA volunteers Kristine Curwood, Cintia Gonzalez-Pell and Diana Nutting (OM 1980) at Twlight The Crest Issue 7 2022

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The Spirit of St Michael’s In November 2020, at the end of Year 1 of the COVID-19 pandemic, we held our first Giving Day in support of the St Michael’s Scholarship program. It was a difficult time, but our community responded magnificently, and we raised just on $70,000.

Our second Giving Day was planned for November 2021, but with a long lockdown, the prevalence of COVID in schools and general economic uncertainty the decision was made to postpone the activity. Instead, it was decided to align the annual Giving Day with the student- led Merry Month of May (MMOM). One of the highlights of the School calendar, the MMOM sees the Student Leaders select and then raise money for a number of community organisations that have meaning for the students. Not only do the students raise money for these organisations but they raise awareness about the issues being addressed.

And so, our 2022 Giving Day was held on Thursday 26 May. The focus this year was on our All Rounder Scholarships.

These scholarships are only awarded to students who do not have the financial means to start, or continue, their St Michael’s education. Students who have demonstrated strengths, interests and achievements in a broad range of activities. Recipients of this Scholarship are enthusiastic and reliable contributors to all facets of life, in and outside of school. They are an important part of our overall Scholarships program, and we want to be able to offer more of these scholarships each year.

We were very fortunate to secure support from generous donors who agreed in advance to ‘match’ the donations 34

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received on the day. With this incentive we were able to raise $192,978 on Giving Day – more than doubling our total from 2020. This will support 8 students on scholarships for a year.

The success of Giving Day was undoubtedly due to the strong support across our community. This included the Parent Community Association (PCA) which not only provided a grant to be a matching donor but which enthusiastically promoted the event among the parent community. Our students were also actively involved. Not only did they become the ’face’ of the campaign, two students narrated the video and our Student Leaders assisted with spreading the word and collecting from students on the day.

Our sincere thanks to the many parents, past parents, Old Michaelians, students, staff and suppliers who contributed so generously to making the day a success.

The spirit of St Michael’s shone brightly on 26 May and throughout the month of May. Ms Ros Casey Director of Enrolments, Engagement, Communications and Advancement

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Student Leaders collect donations on Giving Day at the Chapel Street entrance 2&3. Student Leaders collect donations on Giving Day at the Marlton entrance 4. Phoebe (1R) and Anna (12M) 5. Student Leaders with their Giving Day tins ready to collect donations

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Register now for our upcoming Open Mornings.

Limited places available.

K–12 Wednesday 19 October Visit stmichaels.vic.edu.au

Co-educational | K–12 | St Kilda | 8530 3310

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

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