Dear St Mary’s College,
Here we are at the end
of another year, and like the last few, it has been a sometimes-wild ride.
I am delighted to see
how many of you have booked tickets for our End of Year Eucharistic Celebration on Thursday evening; it
is the final school event for the year, and the only time we gather as parents, carers and R to 12 students.
Gathering to celebrate is at the heart of your choice to join a Catholic school community; please don’
t miss the opportunity to appreciate the value of this choice. It is a truly sacred and wonderful occasion.
There is no charge for tickets; we just need to know numbers. Bookings close Monday 5 December, click
here for tickets.
Together We Do Good Things
Our theme this year, Together We Do Good
Things, has been well-lived in our community. We have linked the theme to staff formation, opportunities
to share gratitude, student leadership, community outreach, and the building of classroom communities.
Collectively and individually, the St Mary’s community has made an impact within and beyond the
College in fundraising, awareness raising, academic pursuits, the arts, sport, and STEM. Our contribution
makes a difference, and that’s a good thing!
On the Horizon
None
of us could have imagined how the pandemic changed our personal, professional and school lives. While
the virus is still with us, life has returned to a more regular rhythm. It has been exciting to plan a
new school year (hopefully) without the disruption we have seen since 2020.
Two big things on
the horizon are a return to interstate and overseas travel. While we still need to determine the cost
and logistical implications, we certainly hope that in 2023 we will resume our regular schedule of camps,
including Ballarat, Canberra and the Grampians. We are also doing exploratory planning for our Year 11
immersion to Cambodia and our Senior Years Languages immersion in Italy. The community of Sisters we work
with in Battambang, Cambodia, are in contact with Peter Batty and are keen for our return.
Another
exciting announcement is the return of the Middle and Senior Years School Musical. While we have had wonderful
Junior School musicals in 2018 and 2021, our last musical with a full cast and orchestra was Annie in
2017. In 2019 we hosted a Gala Event for our 150 year celebrations, and in 2020 and 2022, covid disrupted
plans for a musical. For those in our community who have not experienced a St Mary’s College Middle
and Senior Years Musical, you are in for a treat!
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Staff on Leave
Later in the newsletter,
we farewell staff who are leaving us at the end of the year. We also have staff who will be on leave in
2023:
- Jasmin Parasiers - full year
- Ashleigh Paton - full year
- Mandy
Hancock Varga - semester one
We wish them well in whatever ventures lie ahead.
Families leaving
For the families of graduates leaving St Mary’s, thank
you for entrusting us with the care and learning of your daughter. We love our old scholars to stay in
contact; it is good to know where a St Mary’s education takes them. To those moving to another school
in 2023, best wishes for a smooth transition into your new community.
Blessings for Christmas
On behalf of the St Mary’s College community, I wish you joy and peace for the Christmas season.
I hope that you enjoy some time of rest over the summer school holidays; I know that many families certainly
enjoy the break from school routine. We look forward to welcoming you back in the new year.
Warm regards,
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Australian author and psychologist Steve Biddulph states, “
A successful and happy adolescence entails hundreds of conversations about what matters, who you are
and what you stand for.”
The Rite Journey is a rite of passage program created by Andrew
Lines that supports the developmental needs of our students during adolescence and their transition into
resilient, responsible, and self-aware young adults.
The Rite Journey program supports our Year
9 students, teachers, parents, and the school community to create a space for the rite of passage
ceremonies, challenges, and conversations that have been sorely missing from our western society for many
years.
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Learning to be an adult in any society requires guidance, mentoring, and much dialogue. In today’
s society, young people often turn to their peers, the internet, and social media to source their knowledge
and guidance. During the Rite Journey, students will have important conversations about what it is
to be a respectful and responsible adult in our society. They will also participate in community rituals,
challenges, journalling, mentorship, and self-reflection.
Some of the challenges have included
the solo experience at Year 9 camp in which students spent a night alone in their tent with no technology
or friends to get to know themselves better and harness resilience. Our 9 Red Care Group class also
set up a challenge for themselves to learn the line dance routine from the film Footloose and perform
it. The group showed off their newfound dancing skills at camp, demonstrating their capabilities to do
things outside their comfort zone.
The Rite Journey Program is divided into four main units: Who
Am I Really? How Do I Get On With Others? Is There Something More? and What Is My Purpose? /What Do I
Have To Give? Within the Rite Journey, students also complete parts of the Health Curriculum, Child Protection
Curriculum, and MITIOG (Made In The Image Of God) Being Sexual Curriculum.
The Rite Journey Program
fits well within the St Mary’s College context; as a Catholic school founded in the Dominican tradition
of dialogue and truth, our school seeks to provide educational experiences that nurture the development
of individual students, with a focus on excellence in girls' education.
We look forward to seeing
the Rite Journey grow, develop and become an irreplaceable part of St Mary’s culture.
Liz
Munday, Year 9 Coordinator
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Each year, secondary students from around South Australia are
awarded the Muriel Matters Award. The award aims to identify and recognise young people in our schools
who show the qualities of self-initiative, determination to make a difference despite personal challenges
and a commitment to make the world a better place for all. This year 129 students were recipients
of this award, with only 15 students selected to attend a special ceremony at Old Parliament House, representing
the cohort of award winners. Chanelle W (Year 11) was one of the 15 students selected, and we are very
proud of her achievements.
Chanelle is a hard-working individual who cares for all aspects of
her community. Her participation in the YMCA Youth Parliament since 2021 has influenced many to create
change for the better. She shows student initiative through her leadership in the Digital Twin team, Chanelle
leads and works in a team to create a safer and greener SMC.
The awards were presented by
Speaker of the South Australia House of Assembly Dan Cregan MP and Minister for Education Blair Boyer
MP.
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End of Year / Retirement Acknowledgements
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At the end of this year, three staff members will take long
service leave and then move into retirement.
Peter Channing
Peter began
his long and distinguished career in the UK in 1976. After migrating to Australia in 1987, he eventually
found himself employed at St Mary’s College in 1991.
Peter has had several diverse roles
at the College, starting as a relief teacher, then as a French, English, and PE teacher, a coordinator,
a part of the Leadership Team, and his current role as Administration Coordinator. After 33 years of outstanding
service to the College and impacting on the lives of thousands of students, we thank him for his absolute
dedication to education, service, administration, and community.
Peter had a bit of an “
identity crisis”, which has allowed him to become the “dress-up king” at the Year 12
Breakfasts over the last 30 years. His identities have varied from the Pope to Elton John, Angus Young
to Bob Marley, and George Washington to Napoleon. What identity will he take as he wanders off into retirement?
Channo, you have been a legend of SMC. We will forever be grateful for your contributions.
Merci Beaucoup Mr Channing, a job well done. Enjoy your retirement!
Written by Peter Batty
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Raff Melito
Raffaella Melito began
teaching at St Mary’s College in 1982 after completing her Bachelor of Education, specialising in
Languages. Over her forty years with us ( the only school she has taught in!), she has been a loyal
member of the St Mary’s community and an enthusiastic and supportive member of the Language Faculty.
Singing, chanting, and gesticulating through the teaching of grammar, along with her kind patience and
gentle manner, Madame or Prof Melito will always be affectionately remembered.
Raff has accompanied
us on our amazing immersion trips to Italy and France. We have been fortunate to share such fun and adventurous
times with our thoughtful travel buddy, Raff, whose infinite patience and willingness to help have always
been admired and appreciated. As a colleague, her kindness, quiet positivity and great friendship
will be sorely missed, along with her calming effect on us all!
Time for Mrs Melito to relax after
many wonderful years of dedicated teaching and to spend more time with her family, especially her two
beautiful grandchildren, Luca and Marcus and Ollie the Labrador.
Au revoir mon cher ami! Arrivederci
cara amica!
Written by Catrina Tridente
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Liz Ryan
When Liz Ryan started working at St Mary’s College in June 2007,
we were still in the library on the ground floor of the Boylan building. So in 2010, Liz was one of the
staff tasked with the massive project of boxing up the entire library collection and moving it to the
new Susan Sullivan Library, ready for the 2011 opening. What a job - but only one example of Liz’
s incredible work ethic.
Over the years, Liz has always gone out of her way to help students
and staff to find the right resource or book. She’s taken immaculate care of the audio-visual equipment
and ClickView database. Under Liz’s watchful eye, everything is kept up to date, nothing is missing,
and all the cameras are fully charged and ready to use.
Liz has been a delight to work with and
is a much-loved member of the community. Both the students and staff will greatly miss her after her 15.5
years at the College. However, it’s now time for Liz to put down the scanner, leave the shelving
for someone else and enjoy a well-deserved retirement!
Written by Eileen McCabe
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Earlier this term, we announced that Lorna Starrs is moving
to a new role at St Columba College.
In 2022, three staff took leave to pursue career opportunities
in other schools and workplaces. They have each made this a permanent move, so we farewell Liesl McPeake,
Kathy Lawrence, and Brianna Schenscher (Leech).
We farewell our Director of Music, Sue Rodger.
Sue has been with our staff for eight years and has led the team for two and a half. Her commitment to
excellence has shone through in our students. We are grateful for her teaching and leadership of the program.
Eliza Stoyanoff and Liz Munday will be adding to and starting their families in 2023 and will be
on maternity leave. We wish them well.
At St Mary’s, we are blessed with many wonderful
teachers and education support officers who join us for short and long stretches of time. We thank Grace
Bassani, Claire Christie, Stephanie Ingham, Grace Jaensch, Austin Maddern, Jazmin McShane, Vinder Nair
and Nadia Rugari for their contribution to the St Mary’s College community.
Change, including
staff movement, is part of the cycle of life. It is important to have renewal in staff teams, just as
it is important to keep a steady core. At St Mary’s College, we are blessed with both. The community
of early, mid and late-career teachers and professionals is a strength of our staff.
One of the
most powerful things about being an educator is the impact you can have on the students in your care.
As a parent, it is wonderful to know your child has connected with their teacher. Feeling sad at the sense
of loss means we are saying goodbye to someone we have valued, who has made a difference to us. So, while
that can be hard, it’s a good thing to know that someone has mattered to us. As we move through
life, we all remember the teachers who made that difference. Remember to let them know!
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