The Fountain Newsletter – Wednesday 26 June

I have recently read the feedback from the Parent Survey parents undertook a few weeks ago. I hope you find the following information useful.

• 24.3% of parents responded and about half of them made comments. There were six key areas and each area was given an overall satisfaction rating. Satisfaction was ranked as ‘Excellent’, ‘Good’, ‘Requires Attention’, ‘Immediate Action’.
• Leadership was reported as being in the ‘Excellent Satisfaction’ range, with a score of 4.7.
• General, Resources, Teaching & Learning, Catholic Ethos and Improvement Process were all in the ‘Good Satisfaction’ range, with scores in declining order between 3.99 and 3.65.
• The lowest of these, Improvement Process, clearly needs the College to be articulating how it manages school improvement, which I will explain in the next newsletter.

Prayer is an important part of our culture at the College. Every class (Junior School) or Homeroom (Senior School) begins the day with prayer. As a staff, all our meetings begin with prayer, and our parenting gatherings start with prayer. We meet in the Cathedral once a week or a fortnight with students for a longer prayer and we come together in various groupings to have a Mass or Liturgy of the Word eight to ten times a year. During Religious Education classes and on Retreats, students develop their understanding of what prayer is. We are very lucky to be in a place where students have access to the Cathedral and our Chapel, both beautiful prayer spaces. We also have a reflection garden for students. At the Junior School Prayer Service last week, Year 4 Bluegums shared a beautiful and inspiring prayer from St Mother Teresa.

Helen Spencer
Principal

Click to read more posts from our Principal

Please click on a title to be directed to individual blog posts.

Counsellors’ Blog
Who are you and what have you done with my beautiful child?
Gai Bath and Andrea Maver, Counsellors

Thursday 27 June

• Excursion: Year 7C to Hobart Rivulet (8.45am – 12pm).

Friday 28 June

• Junior School mid-year assessment statements released.
• Excursion: Year 5-6 for netball round robin, New Town (9.00am – 3.00pm).

Monday 1 July

• Year 6 Macbeth performances, St Peter’s Hall (9.30am, 11.30am and 1.45pm).
• Year 5 Festival of Voices 2019 rehearsal, C3 Church, South Hobart (10.00am – 2.00pm).

Tuesday 2 July

• Senior School All School’s Cross Country, Symmons Plains (7.45am – 4.00pm).
• Year 10 (2020) Course Information Evening, Mary Morgan Wing (6.00pm-7.30pm).
• Year 9 (2020) Course Information Evening, Mary Morgan Wing (7.00pm – 9.00pm).

Wednesday 3 July

• Year 9-10 2020 online course selection opens.
• Senior School mid-year assessment statements released.
• Year 5 Festival of Voices 2019 rehearsal, Hobart City Hall (10.00am – 2.00pm) and Concert (7.00pm – 8.30pm).

Thursday 4 July

• Year 11-12 preliminary subject selections due.
• Jump Rope for Heart Jump Off day.
• Year 6 Debating, Dominic College (4.00pm – 4.30pm).
• 2020 Central Australia trip parent information evening, Mary Morgan Wing (6.30pm – 7.30pm).

Friday 5 July

• Term 2 concludes.

Sunday 7 – Sunday 14 July

• NAIDOC Week.

Monday 22 July

• Student free/study day, College closed.

Tuesday 23 July

• Term 3 commences.

Congratulations to the following students:

Phoebe Dobson (Year 8) who has been selected to represent Tasmania in the Water Polo state championships.

Caylin Daley (Year 7) who came first in her class for the MERC two-hour dirt bike enduro race held at Melton Mowbray, pictured.

Saakshi Dhakal (Year 12) and Emily Keane (Year 10) who were chosen to attend United Nations Youth Australia National Conference during the upcoming school holidays. They were two of the 10 students chosen to attend from Tasmania.

Bethany Eaton (Year 12) who is one of two Tasmanian Australian Air Force Cadets to be selected to undertake an international exchange program.  

Claire Ransom, Zoe Banks and Chloe Kitto (Year 9) who will travel to Darwin in July for the basketball Australian Junior Championships. Bellah Parker (Year 8) was also named as a reserve.

Jessica Smith (Year 6) will travel to Wollongong in August to compete in the Australian Primary Cross Country Exchange after coming third in the 2019 Tasmanian Primary All Schools Cross Country yesterday. 

We want to hear about your child’s significant achievements, so please email us at stmarys@smc.tas.edu.au.

Please note that there will be changes in Term 4 to the operation of the canteen. Further details will be communicated at a later date.

St Mary’s College welcomes new families interested in a Year 7 enrolment to attend a tour on Wednesday 3 July at 9.40am, 11.00am or 1.40pm. Please email enrol@smc.tas.edu.au to book your tour place.

A friendly reminder for parents and carers to please email Principal, Helen Spencer hspencer@smc.tas.edu.au if your child is taking extended leave away from school (eg. family holiday, travelling for sporting events). Please include the dates and reason for your child’s absence.

The Tasmania Catholic School Parents Council is a member of both the Australian Parents Council and Catholic School Parents Australia, both of the key national peak parent bodies in the non-government schools sector.

For the latest Australian Parents Council news, click here.

Year 12 students converged at The Lea for Retreat titled ‘Women of the lantern’. They welcomed a variety of guest speakers who delved further into spirituality and wellbeing with the students as they focus on their final six months of Senior School. Three students from the Class of 2018 were also invited to speak about the opportunities that are ahead.

More photos can be found here.

Students have been producing high-quality chopping boards in Materials and Design this Term, including Felicity Carter (Year 9) with her myrtle chopping board, pictured.

On Friday 14 June, the Year 6 classes attended an excursion to TMAG as part of their Aboriginal History studies. They attended the guided tour entitled Parrawa Parrawa! Go Away! dealing with the European invasion of lutruwita (Tasmania) and the Black War between 1823 and 1831, this program looks at ‘first contact’ from both sides of this difficult story.

Term 2 rosters are now well and truly underway with a range of sports taking place virtually every afternoon of the week.

This year we have 16 teams participating in five different sports and it’s great to see all the girls having a go regardless of their ability or prior experience. At St Mary’s we encourage all of our students to try something new, whether this is a sport, cultural or other co-curricular activity, why not give it a try?!

This newsletter’s Spotlight On Sport is all about Senior School netball.

St Mary’s has a long and rich history in netball and the 11 teams we have across all the Southern SATIS grades this year is proof of that. It is great to see so many girls having fun with their friends and win or lose, St Mary’s is proud of your commitment. Of course, none of this would be possible without our wonderful parents and we would like to thank you for all your support and assistance in transporting, scoring and coaching. Not to mention our Year 11 and 12 students who are helping out with coaching or umpiring as well! It is great to have you involved and the girls appreciate the time and effort you put in.

Best of luck to all the teams for the rest of the season ahead. We hope you enjoy the experience and continue to be involved in all the wonderful opportunities we have to offer at St Mary’s.

Mia Blignaut
Senior School Sport Coordinator

Netball team photos below: Year 10 Green, 1st Grade team huddle, Year 7 Brown, Year 7-8, Year 7-8 team photo, Year 8 Blue and Green teams, Year 8 Brown, Year 8 Green.

[Show slideshow]

Coach: Alistair Williams

The team has come a long way in such a short season. Everyone is trying super hard and having lots of fun. Those who are new to hockey have made some major strides and have contributed to the team. I’m not sure what they will miss more at the end of the season – the hockey or the lolly snakes at the end of the game!

Photo: Front, L-R: Harper Bowerman, Phoebe Webb, Laycie Read, Charlie Booth, Sebastian Williams, Toby Webb and Huntar Gittus. Back: Alistair Williams (Coach)

Coaches: Tania and Brett Hayes

For their first ever go at soccer, these girls are having the best time and are seriously the sweetest girls on the ground. Lots of giggles and standing around chatting is a blast to watch. We love watching these girls improve each week.

Photo: Front, L-R: Alexis Archibald, Quinn McKenzie, Angel Aboud and Lucy Stauffer. Back, L-R: Eloise Riley, Macey Hayes, Josie Toms. Absent: Giselle Knaj

Coach: Tracey-Lee Scott

The girls are starting to come together nicely as a team. Everyone is getting a taste of a variety of positions and are starting to really improve their skills and knowledge of the game. There’s one thing that is certain with this team and that is every week the girls are having fun!

Bree Scott of St Mary’s College and Stella Cranefield of Mount Carmel College (pictured) showed camaraderie and sportsmanship in their recent JSSATIS netball game.

The SMC 1^st grade Hockey team won last Thursday night against Friends 3-1. This will see them play the grand final against Mount Carmel College tomorrow, Thursday 27 June at 4.00pm.

This year our major fundraiser is going to be a trailer raffle. This will take place in Term 3 and be drawn just in time for Father’s Day.

In early Term 3 the students will receive a raffle book to sell and this is to be returned on or before 23 August. On 23 August the students will participate in a ‘dress down day’ and they are asked to bring a grocery item to donate to fill the trailer. The trailer will be drawn at the P&F Father’s Day breakfast on 28 August.

More details to come in Term 3!

Father’s Day breakfast

Fathers and their children are invited to the annual P&F Father’s Day breakfast

University of Tasmania research opportunity

Are you aged 10 to 17 years old? Would you like to take part in a research study looking at how young people think, problem-solve, and act at home and at school?

University of Tasmania Psychology Honours students Katie McBain and Natalie Ling (supervised by Assoc Prof Nenagh Kemp and Dr Kimberley Norris) are running a study looking at these skills in young people who were born prematurely, as well as those who were born ‘on time’. If you want to take part (with your parents’ permission), you are invited to the University for one session of 1-1.5 hours, and participate in some face-to-face tasks with the researchers, as well as you and your parent filling in some questionnaires about how you think and act at home and at school. If you’re interested in learning more, please email us at nenagh.kemp@utas.edu (or phone 6226 7534) or kimberley.norris@utas.edu.au (or phone 6226 7199). We’d love to hear from you! (UTAS Ethics no. H18018)

Eastside Activity Centre school holiday programs

• Ninja Warrior, Wednesday 17 July, 2.00-3.00pm (5-7 years and 7-12 years) and Friday 19 July 2.00-3.00pm (12-16 years), $15
• Half-day program, Thursday 18 July (5-15 years), $25
• Fliptastic Acrobatics, Monday 15 July, $25
• Main arena free play, 15 July 11.00am-1.00pm, 16 July 12.00pm-2.00pm and 19 July 12.00pm-2.00pm 5-15 years, $15 (under 5s in Kitty World only, $5)
• More information: eastsideactivitycentre@gmail.com or eastsideactivitycentre.com

School holiday badminton fun

Hazell Bros Glenorchy Fun Run

When: Sunday 28 July
Where: Derwent Entertainment Centre
For more information and to enter, go to: www.nsac.org.au

Hockey Tasmania School Holiday Clinics

When: Tuesday 9 and Tuesday 16 July, 10.00am-2.00pm
Who: Children aged 6 to 12
Cost: $20
Register: www.hockeytasmania.com.au/Junior-Zone/Schoo-Holiday-Program
More information: tbarry@hockeytasmania.com.au

Food Allergy Week

Be aware and show you care.
When: 26 May – 1 June
What: Food Allergy Week is designed to inspire the public to educate themselves and others about food allergy.
More information: www.foodallergyaware.com.au

What’s on Youth Holiday Programs

Cartoon Camp Holiday Program

When: Monday 15 July to Friday 19 July
What: Cartoon workshops with a variety of themes
Where: Lenah Valley Scout Hall
More information: www.illustrating-man.com/camp-list