Remembrance Day

We paused at 11am on Tuesday to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on the battlefield. In pastoral care period the students were shown a presentation outlining the significance of the day that peace fell across Europe in 1918 after the Great War and at 11am we asked all classes to pause. Thank you to those who took this opportunity to stop and reflect upon the high price of war.

Fr Barry Moran

The funeral for Father Moran was held at St Mary’s Parish Church on Tuesday. Those with a long association with St Mary’s / CBC / PCW may remember Fr Moran as the Parish Priest from 2000 to 2016. May he rest in peace.

VCE Exams

As we near the end of the exam period I wish to acknowledge our young people who have, to all accounts, acquitted themselves admirably. Thank you to the staff and Ms Wendy Mair, VCE Coordinator for your work to help ensure our candidates are well prepared for the exams and that they proceed smoothly. Special thanks to Ms Ros Sloane, Chief Exam Supervisor, and the other members of the team who ensure all exams are conducted according to VCAA guidelines.

Graduation Mass and Dinner

We will celebrate the end of secondary schooling at St Mary’s with our graduating class next Thursday. One of the features of St Mary’s is that there are multiple pathways for our young people, but each end at a common destination as the Graduating Class of 2025. Our Mass and Dinner acknowledges the contribution made to the life of the College by our young people as we bid them every success in the next chapter. It is also a great opportunity to thank our families for trusting their young people to our care.

ACC and CGSAV Coaches

As we near the end of our interschool sporting calendar for the year I express my thanks to those staff members who accept coaching roles during the year and to our young people who put their hand up to represent the College. We are one of the smaller players in our associations and are sometimes overwhelmed by the power of our opponents, but we also show great resilience and determination to continue to often perform above expectations. Our coaches play an important role in ensuring that our young people represent the College with pride and in the spirit of the game.

Student Free Day

A reminder that there is a Student Free Day on Friday, 21^st November for teachers to complete assessment and reporting duties. Thank you for your ongoing support.

SIMON / PAM Access

Thank you for your patience over the last two weeks while the security systems in SIMON have been analysed for a potential data breach. We are advised that the providers do not believe that a data breach has occurred and the lock out was precautionary. As is good practice, users are required to change their passwords, especially if they are being used across several platforms. Directions on how to update your password was circulated in email correspondence on Wednesday.

Commencement in 2026

To assist with you planning please be advised that students will commence with Welcome Day on Thursday January 29 and classes will commence on Friday January 30.

Darren Atkinson 
Principal 

Dear St Mary’s College Families,

I am pleased this week to communicate the Prefect Team for 2026, with their individual portfolios for next year listed alongside their name. Each of these students have already taken steps to plan special projects and events related to their portfolio, where they will have real influence on the decision making of the school. They are an impressive group that have already demonstrated that their interest is in leading the whole school, with a particular focus on Year 7 and Year 8 students.

The College Captains and Vice Captains will participate in the annual ACC leadership launch in a couple of weeks’ time, where they will present to the ACC community about the uniqueness of their school.

Child Safety

The below information is the last in a series of unpacking each of the 11 child safe standards. I hope it has been interesting to read a small snippet of the official statement of legislation on each of the child safe standards in Victoria, alongside commentary about how each standard is implemented at St Mary’s College.

Please see the below details regarding Child Safety Standard 11.

Child Safe Standard 11: Implementation of child safety practices

Child Safe Standard 11 highlights the importance of ensuring that all 11 of the Child Safe Standards are incorporated into the policies, procedures and practices of schools to embed a culture of child safety. The policies and procedures should be informed by stakeholder consultations, accessible to all, championed by leaders, well-understood by those they apply to and implemented effectively.

At St Mary’s College, we work towards the implementation of Standard 11, by:

• Publishing our Child Safety policies in easily accessible locations such as our public website, and on staff, student and parent portals (SIMON).
• Student versions of Child Safety policies.
• Student created Child Safety posters.
• Regular Child Safety communications in newsletters, staff and parent meetings, and student community meetings.
• Respectful Relationships Program.
• Seeking feedback on policies and procedures from the school community.
• Staff, contractor and volunteer Child Safety training.

Shaun Lancashire
Deputy Principal

As a continuation of our Film Noir theme, Year 9 Visual Arts students were asked to take photographs that reflected the conventions and visual style of the Film Noir genre. Working under specific conditions, students conducted photo shoots at night, focusing on characterisation, lighting, and the dramatic use of shadows to create strong contrasts of light and dark.

Each student was encouraged to take full artistic control, directing their own Film Noir photo shoot. The goal was to capture mood, mystery, and atmosphere—key characteristics of this classic cinematic style.

Using their photographs as inspiration, students then produced a series of four initial pen drawings in preparation for their large-scale pastel paintings. Through repeated practice, they developed a deeper connection and understanding of their chosen subject.

Some brave parents even stepped in as models, helping to bring their children’s creative visions to life!

Harvey Krutop’s drawings are strong and confident, capturing the mystique of the Film Noir style through bold tonal contrasts and carefully cropped compositions. His work conveys a pensive mood, with the lit match adding drama and atmosphere. Shadows and strong highlights are effectively used, with the white of the paper enhancing the intensity of the light.

Sophie Hoad’s four portraits are dark and enigmatic, capturing a sense of intrigue in the character’s gaze. Strong shadows and bold contrasts enhance the dramatic atmosphere, perfectly reflecting the Film Noir aesthetic.

Agatha’s Apostolova’s stylised, strongly cross-hatched drawings capture the timeless glamour and mystique of 1940s actresses. She transforms nostalgic portraiture into something bold and modern. The intricate layers of cross-hatching lend the work depth and intensity.

Ethan Clarke’s drawings are more subdued, yet they capture the depth of the genre with remarkable sensitivity. There is a quiet solemnity in his work — a stillness that invites pause and reflection. Each line feels deliberate, unhurried, and carefully executed, revealing a patient hand and a meditative approach to drawing.

The two pastel paintings are beautifully executed, each revealing a distinct emotional resonance. Thanmaya Kurup’s startling portrait captures the startled expression of her subject — the woman’s tightly wound curls cascading downward, with strong highlights lending the image a dramatic starkness and tension.

In contrast, Sonny Hirschfield’s portrait is striking for its directness. His subject meets the viewer’s gaze head-on, the eyes unwavering and full of quiet force. Hirschfield handles the pastel medium with exceptional sensitivity, layering tone and texture to bring life to the features — and those eyes, luminous and arresting, hold the audience in their spell.

Susan Lopez
Teacher

Here are a few Year 7 students showcasing their Italian speaking talents.
The students featured in these videos are describing various real and imaginary members of their family.
It is important to note that the students did not use any notes during their presentations.
They can be well pleased with their efforts.

The names of the students are as follows.

• From Year 7 Carroll: Ally Andini, Ava Anketell, Gia Torres, Mia Saik, Mathilde Masson, Jayden Do and Evan Zheng.
• From 7 Ryan: Mason Sacco. Callum Slattery, Mikayla Mu and Samantha Samson.
• From 7 Treacy : Julian Ilton, Axel Smullen, Vanessa Lim and Sierra Korfiatis.

Well done to all of them.

Bravissimi ragazzi!

Prof. Sal Lima
Italian Teacher

The St Mary’s school production for 2026 is Rock of Ages: Teen Edition! A fun, high-energy musical packed with classic 1980s rock hits! Set on L.A.’s famous Sunset Strip, it tells the story of a small-town girl and a big-city dreamer chasing their dreams of fame, love, and rock ‘n’ roll.

After many hours of incredible auditions over the past 2 weeks, we are pleased to announce the following ensemble for the 2026 school musical, ‘Rock of Ages’!

We look forward to starting rehearsals in term 1!

Molly Andrews-Dodds
Student Producer, Year 11

On the 31^st October, Amber Hemmes had the privilege of presenting her research at the Australian Teachers of Media (AToM) State Conference, hosted at ACMI (Australian Centre of the Moving Image).

She is currently working on her master’s thesis in Communications and Media Studies, exploring how neurodivergent women and non-binary individuals engage with social media.

Amber’s presentation was highly engaging, as evidenced by the number of attendees who approached her afterward for further discussion. The AToM Conference provided an excellent platform to share her insights with fellow educators and academics, emphasizing the importance of equipping young people with strong media literacy skills.

Well Done, Amber.

Raoul Chapman
Learning Leader VAPA

MADe iT

We warmly invite you to join us for MADe iT 2025, our annual celebration of Music, Art, Design and Technology, showcasing the creativity and talent of our students across all year levels.

📅 Thursday 27 November
🕕 6.00pm – 8.00pm
📍 St Mary’s College

Enjoy an evening of inspiring student work, vibrant performances and festive cheer with our much-loved Christmas Carols.

Our Parents & Friends Association will also be hosting a sausage sizzle, with food and drinks available for purchase throughout the evening — the perfect way to relax and enjoy the community atmosphere.

To RSVP your attendance with Family Name and number of people attending, please email dformosa@stmaryscollege.vic.edu.au

We look forward to seeing you there!

David Formosa
Director of Development