Dear St Mary’s College,

I spent some time with a Middle School science class this week where students were working in small groups to complete two practical tasks. After an introductory session from the teacher, designed to ensure the learning was clear, students worked independently on two different tasks.

As I observed the room, I saw students completely engaged with the learning, focused on what needed to be done, and working collaboratively with their partners.

I heard words of encouragement and affirmation like ‘good job,’ and when something went wrong, I heard ‘oh no,’ immediately followed by ‘it’s okay, we can do this.’

I heard problem solving when one team asked another ‘how did you do this?’

I saw the teacher moving around the lab, asking questions, supporting students who were stuck, stretching students who were finished, celebrating success, and asking, ‘what could you do differently?’ when something didn’t work.

The learning environment was focused, supportive, challenging, and affirmative. Girls’ voices were amplified in a way that can be missing in co-educational learning environments. The time in the class encapsulated so much of what is good about learning in an all-girls school.

A recent research e-brief from the Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia stated the following:

Single-sex learning environments increase student confidence and provide a safe place for students to develop their identities. Research from around the world provides strong evidence that girls-only education leads to higher academic achievement, higher self-esteem levels, greater participation in STEM, and enhanced career aspirations. In the absence of boys, teaching is tailored to girls’ learning needs and preferences, and activities and academic opportunities are free of gender stereotyping, empowering girls to achieve their full potential.

As our Year 12 students end their St Mary’s schooling journey, we have the opportunity to pause, reflect, and celebrate their wonderful achievements with special community celebrations and events.

On Thursday morning, 27 October, Year 12 students will formally farewell the students and teachers at St Mary’s College at their final school assembly. Our community will gather to recognise academic excellence and acknowledge the worthy recipients of The Ethos Award and Commitment Awards that reflect our Dominican Spirit and school values.

That afternoon, Year 12 parents and families will attend the Year 12 Final Mass, held in St Patrick’s Church, followed by afternoon tea on Veritas Lawns.

The last official day for Year 12 students is Friday, 28 October 2022, where a celebration breakfast will be held for students. Every year staff and students dress to a theme, with this year’s being ‘blast from the past’.

The St Mary’s College community wishes to congratulate old scholar, Lauren Spear (Class of 2009) on recently being awarded the SA Woman Disability Award for her business, The Orange Butterfly. This award recognises “a disabled woman in business or career who has created a growing business or thriving career and contributes to the positive conversation about disabled people at work (through deliberate campaigns or simply by leading through example).”

In May 2018, Lauren suffered a brain injury while at work as a Special Education Teacher and was later diagnosed with Post-Concussion Syndrome. Lauren has undergone extensive rehabilitation, which saw her attending appointments five days a week with eight different specialists. She was recommended to keep a journal through her rehab, and on the first anniversary of her accident, Lauren launched her blog, ‘The Orange Butterfly’ . What started as a diary for friends and family to better understand what she was going through; Lauren has now been able to share her story with a large online community.

In June 2021, Lauren held her first community event, ‘Butterfly Hour’. On the last Saturday of each month, The Orange Butterfly group gather at the Adelaide Botanic Garden to spend an hour in nature connecting with others. After successfully building an online community, Lauren sought to create an in-person community.