st mary s college

S t M a r y ’ s C o l l e g e “Truth-Seeking Through Dialogue”

Issue 1, Friday 16 February 2018

S t M a r y ’ s C o l l e g e 253 Franklin Street

ADELAIDE SA 5000

T:8216 5700 F:8216 5730

W: www.stmaryscollege.catholic.edu.au E: [email protected]

From the Principal

Dear St Mary’s College, Welcome to the new school year. It is lovely for me to begin the year with the community and share in all of the events that bring the school year to life for the students, carers and parents. One of the things I have always loved about being an educator is the regular cycle of refreshment and renewal as each new term begins. I think at heart I am a creature of routine and habit! This year I have invited the staff into a year of taking stock, considering where we are as a school community and what lies on the horizon. As we look ahead we have a new building, a new Year 7 intake and a 150th birthday. There will be much to celebrate! Our theme for this year is one that invites us into this reflective space:

Truth Seeking Through Dialogue Let our hearts and minds be stretched open

The banner has once again been created by Marie Nguyen, an old scholar of St Mary’s. Some of her reflections on the image are included below: The image depicts a path of discovery in the journey of love and friendship with God, with other human beings and with all of creation. The ‘tunnel' of trees directed towards the light reflects the invitation to discover deeper truths through our dialogue and encounter with our living planet. The scene depicts autumn, a season of self-reflection as well as change. Two SMC girls walking towards the light deep in conversation. By walking in the same direction towards the light it shows that we eventually arrive at the same ‘truth’ if we are open with ourselves and others. Our restorative culture invites us in a very powerful way into truth seeking through dialogue. We are invited to hear the voice of another and to have our own voice heard. The growth of empathy is an act of being stretched open. The act of learning itself and the partnership we enter with you and your daughters is also a form of dialogue through which our hearts and minds are stretched open. There is a great richness in the theme for us to unpack throughout the year. Sr Sheila Flynn OP says this about dialogue: Learning to listen, to adjust, to take in, to unravel the truth, is a discipline in creativity and intelligence and generosity beyond partisanship and the status quo. We can expect others to disagree with us, but can we work at trying to understand them, and be ready to be shaped by them in ourselves? That is what truth seeking is all about … the willingness to keep working on it together, to depth, to improve, is the important part. I wish you all the best as this year begins with whatever stage of learning your child is beginning. May it be a year of rich growth and development. Kind regards,

Clare Nocka

Principal

From the Deputy Principal: Student Wellbeing

Welcome back everyone to another exciting year, and an extra welcome to those families joining us for the first time…it’s great to be back! Everyone seems to have returned feeling very refreshed and renewed, which is good to see, and the Induction Days were a great way for students to establish a strong foundation for the start of the year. The Induction Days will have long term benefits for student well-being, and thus their engagement with their learning. Students have started to build their resilience skills from the start of the year, as well as exploring what fixed and growth mindsets are. A few reminders to those families who’ve been with us for a while, and new information for those families joining us this year for the first time: Extended non-health student absences St Mary’s College recognises that, at times, students need to be absent from school for reasons other than health. These occasions may include family holidays, family occasions that require several days’ absence or participation in events with other family members, with workplaces or similar institutions. Should it be planned that your daughter will be absent from school for a non-health related reason, for three days or more, we ask that written communica-tion is made directly to the Sub-School Director outlining the reason for your daughter’s absence and the dates affected. Please ensure a minimum of two weeks’ notice is given to the College. Should your daughter’s absence be longer than six weeks, a minimum of four weeks’ notice is needed. Junior School students will be asked to keep a diary of their experiences while they are away, which they will hand in to their Care Group teacher upon their return to school. Middle and Senior School students will be expected to negotiate with individu-al teachers the completion of work missed, where possible. This may include renegotiating due dates, completing work while away, or completion of work missed upon returning to school depending on the length of time absent from school, the task requirements, etc. Prescription Medications Students who need to take prescribed medications while at school must ad-here to their doctor’s recommended dosage and must not allow another stu-dent access to these drugs. The student’s name and dosage requirements for prescription medications must be clearly visible. These will be stored in a locked cabinet in the SSO. The First Aid Officer will keep a record of the dosage, time and date of administration of medications.

All Students: a) Must have a note in their diary from a parent/caregiver or legal guardian

and/or doctor notifying the school of their need to be taking medication; b) Must surrender medications to the First Aid Officer at the Student Services

Office unless this would inhibit a student’s safety and wellbeing; c) Must be administered in the Student Services Office, under the supervision

of a staff member; d) Must notify her Class/Subject Teacher when she is going to take medica-

tion.

Off-campus camps/trips/activities: Students who need to take prescribed medications while attending a school activity off campus must adhere to their doctor’s recommended dosage and must not allow another student access to these drugs. All medication, includ-ing relevant notification or letter from the doctor must be presented to the appropriate Coordinator/Activity Director before the start of the activity, and must be taken under staff supervision. Term 1– Summer uniform A reminder that this term students are expected to wear the Summer uniform: College summer dress, school shoes (black flat lace-up) and (long) white socks. If an additional garment is needed for warmth transitioning to and from school or at school during this term, only the College jumper or blazer may be

worn. A College hat must be worn during recess and lunch in Terms 1 and 4 if outside in the direct sun, and for all their PE lessons and sport activities. PE uniform is only to be worn to and from school on days where they have scheduled PE lessons. On days where they have Sports training before or after school, the summer dress must be worn to and from school, and stu-dents change in and out of their PE uniform just prior to and after training. Contacting your Daughter We ask that parents and other family members do not try and contact their daughter during lesson time, as it disrupts both the teacher, the lesson and other students from their learning. If there is an emergency, please contact the Student Services Office (SSO) and they will get a message to your daughter straight away. Students use of their mobile phones during class time is only for educational reasons, and with the permission of their teacher. Students can use their mobile phones at recess and lunch. Stop the Supply of Alcohol to Minors This document released by the Government of South Australia Attorney-General’s Department outlines the new laws introduced in December last year with stronger penalties for people who illegally supply alcohol to anyone under 18. Big events and parties will be targeted, where large groups of teenagers are supplied with alcohol. I thought it would be important to highlight a couple of the laws that are new: 1) Organised underage parties: You can’t give alcohol to anyone under 18

at an organised event, which means in a public place and with an entry fee/cover charge;

2) House parties: Young people under 18 can’t be served alcohol at a party at someone else’s house unless their parent/caregiver has given permis-sion and there is responsible supervision at the party;

3) Private property: Alcohol can’t be given to teenagers at any private property that isn’t residential, including industrial sheds, out-buildings and warehouses.

For further information, contact the Consumer and Business Services: 131 882 or website: cbs.sa.gov.au Contact Please feel free to contact me directly on 8216 5728 or via email [email protected] at any stage during the year should you and/or your daughter have any concerns or issues related to their wellbe-ing. Please don’t wait until the issues have been going on for weeks, and your daughter has become more and more withdrawn or upset. The earlier we are aware of issues or concerns, the quicker they can be dealt with and your daughter can stay happy and engaged with her peers, teachers, and ultimate-ly her learning.

I look forward to meeting you all as the year unfolds.

Lorna Starrs Deputy Principal: Student Wellbeing

St Mary’s College, Issue 1, Friday 16 February 2018

Uniform Shop News

Blazers have arrived in the Uniform Shop

and are now ready for collection.

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From the Deputy Principal: Curriculum

It’s great to be back with you in 2018. We are looking forward to so much that this year has to offer as we work with both your daughters and you as families. The partnership between school, student and families is vital for your daughters’ success. At St Mary’s we are unashamedly proud of how we work together to challenge and support your daughters to achieve their personal best. We get to know your daughters as learners, and more importantly help them realise their strengths and growth points, so they can experience all parts of success including taking positive risks, learning from mistakes and capitalising on wins. We journey with them, place high expectations on them, and put supports around them, in order for them to achieve their best.

Speaking of achievements, it is my pleasure to share academic success of the graduating class of 2017. We are extremely proud of our most recent graduates and all of their achievements across the board. Most importantly, our cohort achieved 100% SACE completion from eligible students. This has become a benchmark across Catholic Education, and we are proud to be able to work with the students to achieve this initial milestone.

We particularly congratulate Matilda Coolen who was the Dux of the College with an ATAR of 98.35, placing her in the top 2% of the state. Matilda achieved excellent results in all of her Year 12 subjects in 2017. She received a Merit for English Literary Studies, Legal Studies, Visual Art, Society and Culture, and Religious Education.

Below are further details of the results class 2017:

5% of our Graduates are ranked in the top 3% of the state (with ATARs over 97)

12% are ranked in the top 5% of the state (with ATARs over 95)



92% of students’ first round SATAC offers were for a first or second preference

13 Merit Scores in Child Studies, Classical Studies, Food & Hospitality, Information Publishing & Processing, Psychology, Research Project, Visual

Art and Workplace Practices

85% of all subject grades are As or Bs.

The graph below gives an indication of where our students have chosen to study (as per the first round of SATAC offers):

In addition to these university offers, we also have students studying Certificate III in Tourism and Events, and a student studying Certificate III in Commercial Cookery as she continues from her initial school-based apprenticeship as an Apprentice Chef.

We are extremely proud of these achievements from our all of our students. What is most pleasing, as well as being able celebrate the strong numbers and specific destinations here, is that we can see (and know well) the stories and personalities behind these statistics. I wish to thank all staff who contributed to these stories last year; specifically, Suzanne Megaw, Tracey Thursby and Christina Kilishiri, who along with me meet every Year 12 student and help them plot (and meet again to recounsel) their individualised, post-school pathway.

We look forward to 2018 in working with your daughters across R-12 to help them discover, inquire into, challenge, learn from failures, and refine their own journeys of personal best. Corey Tavella Deputy Principal: Curriculum


In Term 4 last year, all Year 9 students took part in our annual Engineering Day. The 2017 Engineering Day proved to be very successful and fun experience for all.

The students enjoyed a range of activities that involved collaborative group work, communication and the design process.

The day began with information about various types of engineering, and five inspirational old scholars; Renae O’Hara, Leila Yegenemehr, Samantha Santucci, Sophie Heath and Francesca Larizza spoke of their amazing university and engineering experiences.

Students participated in the following activities:

Paper Tower Challenge Students were asked to construct, in pairs, a tower using 25 sheets of newspaper and one metre of masking tape, within a time limit of 20 minutes. The tower needed to support a half brick for 4 seconds. Many groups made successful towers.

Electronics Students were required to make an electronic dice, which involved the knowledge and skills of circuits, resistors, capacitors and soldering. Students were thoroughly engaged and took great pride in their completed dice.

H Bots Students were asked to create a hydraulic operated model with arms that moved laterally and vertically. Students were provided with cardboard, wire, syringes, plastic tube, screws, bolts, nuts, split pins, tape and paperclips. They were asked to create a rescue scenario using the hydraulic arms to move the “object” to be rescued from the danger zone to the safe zone.

A fantastic day was had by all. It is always interesting to see the inventive ideas and impressive standard of models that the students produce. This year was no exception, with a wide range of excellent models made.

Anna Fontanelli and Julianne Price Coordinators of Mathematics

First Reconciliation Confirmation First Holy Communion If there are any students in Years 5-7 who have not yet celebrated their Sacraments of First Reconciliation, Confirmation and/or First Holy Communion, but are keen to do so in 2018 with the school community, please contact Ms Anne Soldan [email protected] for an application form.

Anne Soldan Coordinator of Sacraments

mailto:[email protected]


From 24-26 January, Gabrielle, Lucabella and I were fortunate enough to take part in the Y Lead Student Leadership Conference held at Nunyara Conference Centre, Belair. The mission of the conference is to empower student leaders to build a stronger sense of self-awareness, self-worth and self-belief whilst preparing us with essential skills to effectively lead our school community. It was an extremely rewarding experience for us and something we will never forget. We were able to develop our leadership skills, set clear goals for the year, and connect with like-minded leaders from schools around South Australia. The students we met impacted us greatly, showing that there is no one way to be a leader. Our mentors were extremely positive and helpful in making sure we felt comfortable and included whilst maintaining an open mind throughout our time at Y-lead. The overall atmosphere was incredible supportive and allowed us to be ourselves, even when we needed to venture outside our comfort zones. We returned from the conference with a deeper understanding of

leadership, a greater confidence within ourselves, and an optimistic mindset ready to embark on our journey as leaders this year. Grace Bresolin 2018 College Captain

Lead Teacher Status Award Recently our Technologies Coordinator, Giovanna Iannicelli, was awarded Lead Teacher status by the Australian Institutive of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) Standards. Lead teachers are recognised and respected by colleagues, parents/carers and community members as exemplary teachers. They have demonstrated consistent and innovative teaching practice over time. Inside and outside the school they initiate and lead activities that focus on improving educational opportunities for all students. They establish inclusive learning environments, meeting the needs of students from different linguistic, cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds. They continue to seek ways to improve their own practice and to share their experience with colleagues. They are skilled in mentoring teachers and pre-service teachers, using activities that develop knowledge, practice and professional engagement in others. They promote creative, innovative thinking among colleagues (from the AITSL website). In summarising her work in being awarded Lead Teacher Status, Giovanna said the following: “Teaching is about working with young people, engaging them and with them but most importantly instilling a love of learning and for learning. My passion is technology and engaging girls with and in the area of Technology. I firmly believe we cannot teach our students everything about technology but we can give them skills that will help them to problem solve, be creative and critical in their thinking. We are educating students for careers that have not yet been created. My love of teaching and young people inspired me to apply for Lead Teacher status.” The photo shows Giovanna with Rick Persse, Chief Executive Department for Education & Child Development. It’s worth noting that Giovanna was the only teacher in CESA to be awarded Lead Teacher status at the Ceremony, which took place late last year.

We congratulate Giovanna on her efforts and, as her students know, she is a worthy recipient of Lead Teacher status. Corey Tavella Deputy Principal: Curriculum


Year 12 Retreat: Renew, Sustain, Rejoice!

To begin our Year 12 journey, the Senior cohort spent the first few days of the school year on Retreat at the Nunyara Conference Centre in Belair. Students were asked to dress in the school theme of ‘Truth Seeking Through Dialogue’, a message we will carry with us throughout our final year at St Mary’s.

Helping us to understand the theme of our Retreat were two guest speakers who shared their individual stories with us. The first was an Indigenous speaker David who shared his cultural knowledge about the Kaurna land and current Indigenous issues. David demonstrated a traditional dance and music ritual and the pride in his culture was very evident. While Joanna, an old scholar, provided encouragement, wisdom and advice on finding balance and identity to be our best going into Year 12.

We were involved in various activities, including making our very own personal symbol in the form of a Milagro. This activity enabled us to seek truth in our own stories while at the same time, also share and learn with other students across the year level.

Following a day of creativity, a symbolic ‘rock’ ceremony was held; through prayer, we were given the opportunity to let go of any feelings of hurt or despair. By dropping a rock into the water, we let go of negativity and started afresh.

On Wednesday, we met for a final reflection, starting the year off the way we intend to end it; side by side and connected to one another, along with our St Mary’s College community. Leaving Belair and heading back to school as the Senior Class of 2018, the group felt both energised and excited about what lies ahead of us this year.

Georgia Sentschuk & Taylah Findlay Year 12 Students


“Design is a work process which has a user perspective and drives development based on your specific customer needs.”

In Semester 2, 2017, the Year 10 Design students were required to design an educational game with a cultural focus that could be played by up to four people between the ages of 11-13 years old. The aim of this task was to create an educational tool for embracing multiculturalism and creating greater understanding and tolerance.

The three main areas we examined were:

Educating immigrants about the use of colloquial language and

some basic processes they may encounter in Australia.

A game that encompasses an Aboriginal focus

An educational game that explores the cultural beliefs and

differences between the main ethnic groups in Australia.

After researching and developing their own ideas for a possible game, the girls teamed up with a partner. Together they were required to problem solve a number of issues before deciding on a final concept. Following this, a functional prototype was created using Adobe software and the 3D printers.

The girls totally embraced this task, producing professional, functional games that were not only educational but also enjoyable to play. We would like to thank Mrs Giovanna Iannicelli and Mr Ashleigh Paton for their assistance with some technical issues experienced during the process.

Jane Burton Art Teacher


Year 11 Induction Days

The Year 11s began the year with two induction days, which consisted of a range of activities focused on relationship building, mindfulness, and wellbeing. Over the two-day orientation, we were able to get to know our fellow classmates and our Care Group teachers who will share our journey this year.

Our first session was a presentation by Ms Lorna Starrs on setting goals. She stressed the importance of setting specific goals that were realistic and achievable. When we returned to our Care Groups we wrote down our goals, the period we wanted to achieve them in, and the steps we would take to achieve them. The next presentation by Mrs Chrysi Santelices, one of the counsellors, was about mental health and wellbeing and included an eight minute guided meditation. She spoke about the importance of maintaining your wellbeing, noticing symptoms and strategies to use to manage your mental health.

One of the most entertaining exercise that we did, at least for 11 Blue, was the Bollywood dancing activity on Day Two. A dance instructor came in and taught us a short dance that was a mixture of Bollywood and hip-hop, and then small groups performed it to the rest of the class. Bollywood was one of the five mindfulness modules presented on that day. Others included yoga, mindfulness, Zumba, mindful mandalas and meditation.

We ended the final induction day with the Amazing Race around the city. Students set off in their group, solving clues to find the location of the next pit stop, where teachers would give them a challenge before receiving the next clue. The groups that completed each route the quickest won, and there were honourable mentions for groups who showed community spirit and had helped members of the public on their journey. This activity helped to develop our teamwork skills, as we had to complete the race without leaving team members behind.

The Year 11 Induction days were a great way to start our year on a positive note and ensure that we begin 2018 with high hopes and positive mindsets.

Olivia Walters & Amber Stockwell 11B

Last December, three Year 11 students had the opportunity to visit the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). They, along with several other students had won a competition to meet and work with scientific researchers by pitching the future directions of their Re-

search Projects. This was a fantastic opportunity for students to work in world class laboratories with leading researchers.

Jasmin Parasiers Research Project Coordinator

For my Research Project, I looked into the connections between the in-creasing use of modern technology and the rising incidences of childhood obesity rates in Australia. Being offered the opportunity to participate in the Masterclass held by SAHMRI, I was able to explore deeper into the issue of childhood obesity. I worked with researchers from all over the globe, and witnessed a range of experiments being conducted. Importantly, I was able to explore how I, as a young person, can make an impact on the culture of obesity that is prevalent in Australia. Feier, Year 12 Late last year, I had the opportunity to follow researchers in the Aboriginal Health stream of the SAHMRI in the first ever research project master-class. During the masterclass, I was introduced to a study on diabetes in Aboriginal people, and was able to witness multiple parts of this study; from a consultation with a participant, the participant’s blood test, and eventually watching researchers analyse blood samples in the labs. This was an extremely unique and valuable opportunity which allowed me to see and more deeply understand the amazing work of the dedicated re-searchers and scientists at the SAHMRI. My day at the SAHMRI also opened my eyes to a possible career in medical research in the fu-ture. Anna, Year 12

St Mary’s College Absentee Phone Line : 8216 5716

Please telephone before 9.30 am if your daughter is absent

St Mary’s College Uniform Shop : 8216 5719

Opening times - Monday 8.00 am - 11.00 am Wednesday 1.00 pm - 4.00 pm Thursday 8.00 am - 11.00 am

St Mary’s College OSHC : 8216 5743


Did you know that St Mary’s College has a Facebook page? Check out our weekly uploads (each Friday) of the events and activities that students and staff are involved in at the college. Facebook is a great way to see our college community in action! https://www.facebook.com/StMarysCollegeAdelaide/

February

13 Year 10/11 Parent Information Evening

14 Year 10-12 Merit Assembly

20 Sports Day (SANTOS Stadium)

23 College Tour from 9.30 am

24 Year 11/12 Formal (Saturday)

27 Music Masterclass/Concert Fringe Event 7.00 pm

28 Year 8 Parent Twilight gathering 6.30 pm

March

9 Year 8 Vaccinations

12 Adelaide Cup Day

15-16 Year 11 Retreat (Encounters Centre)

27 Junior School Learning Reviews from 3.30 pm

28 Junior School Learning Reviews from 1.30 pm (12.50 Dismissal)

E V E N T C A L E N D A R

All old scholars are invited to visit the College website; www.stpauls.sa.edu.au or our Facebook page or call on 82660622 for details of all the College celebrations.

https://www.facebook.com/StMarysCollegeAdelaide/

http://www.stpauls.sa.edu.au

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