GET TO KNOW OUR COLLEGE LEADERS AND HOUSE CAPTAINS

College Leader Tayla Dawkins

I am the proudest of my commitment to sport because I always put in 100% and strive for success.

My greatest sporting moment was being in the National League team for water polo.

My favourite band is Lime Cordiale.

In my spare time I like to eat nice food and shop.

Leadership means to me giving confidence to those who feel unheard or being the voice for those struggling, and also being the person anyone can come to when needed.

I have a pet dog whose name is Jedi.

To be a Lasallian Leader means to put the community first and help individuals strive to become the best they can be.

Five words which best describe my personality are committed, honest, out-going, hardworking, and positive.

If I could create one change for SMC in 2022 it would be to encourage more senior students to compete in co-curricular activities as its beneficial for academic success.

A quote that I believe in is “believe you can and you are halfway there”.

Miguel House Captain Joseph Ford

As a leader I would describe myself as encouraging and considerate.

I am the proudest of playing football and cricket for my club and the school because I am able to represent my communities.

My favourite TV program is The Inbetweeners.

My greatest sporting moment was winning my football Grand Final in 2020 after being down three goals going into the last quarter.

In my spare time I like to play sports and hang out with my mates.

The best thing about attending SMC is the teachers because they are always there to help.

To be a Lasallian Leader means to be a role model for the younger year levels.

Five words which best describe my personality are competitive, empathetic, understanding, encouraging, and thoughtful.

A quote that I believe in is “The true competitors, though, are the ones who always play to win.” – Tom Brady

Something interesting about me no one knows? I like planes!

YEAR 12 PHOTOGRAPHY – REFLECTIVE GARDEN

The Year 12 photography students recently spent some time enjoying our newly established Reflective Garden while capturing the beautiful features, tranquility, and serenity of this space. We would like to share a sample of this photography with the St Michael’s College community. A special thanks to the following students for their beautiful photos: Cesar Machiste Guitian, James Burpee, Joshua Gurr, Natalia Marshall, Natasha Bone, Sarah Pahor and Zak Muzinic.

Mrs Maria Cardillo, Head of Department – Digital Technologies

TAFE METAL EXCURSION

On a recent excursion to Regency TAFE, Year 11 metalwork students completed a half day introduction to the metalworking industry focusing on shipbuilding and virtual welding experience. The day started with an introduction to the future of ship and sub building in South Australia with a focus on career opportunities and pathways. St Michael’s students then demonstrated their skills with a virtual Gas Metal Arc Welding test where they were graded by a computer. Anthony Tripodi-Baslis, Bailey Clarke and Kane Jolly were a few students who showed they were up for the challenge, completing near perfect scores. The virtual welding experience sharpened students’ techniques and gave them a true indication of their skill level. Students were then led on a tour of TAFE’s facilities and had the opportunity to interact with apprentices. We would like to thank Amanda Phillis from TAFE for all her work in making the excursion a valuable learning experience for our students.

Mr Greg Cloy, Head of Design Technology & Food Technology

FUN SOCKS DAY

On Friday 1 April, secondary students participated in ‘Fun Socks Day’ to raise funds for MAD. College Vice Captain, Rana Hussein, suggested the day as a fun activity for the College to participate in to lift spirits and brighten our school. Students and staff wore their funkiest socks to get in the MAD spirit and it was so inspiring to see the community come together to raise money for such a great cause. There was fierce competition for best socks of the day, with the winners receiving a delicious chocolate each! Thank you to everyone who got involved with the day and a special thankyou to Rana. Keep a look out for more fundraising activities throughout the year!

Written by Year 12 College Leaders, Anah Reaiche and Mikayla Verrilli 

YEAR 12 VISUAL ART & DESIGN EXCURSION

On Wednesday 6 April, the Year 12 Visual Art & Design students ventured into the city to explore diverse works of art and design, to engage with practitioners, be inspired, and gather primary sources for their Visual Study Research.

It was an incredible day with our senior students immersing themselves in the dynamic experiences such as the SACE Art Show, Jam Factory, SANNA Exhibition, SAMSTAG Gallery, MOD Gallery, Rundle Street Design Inspiration Walk, and the SA Art Gallery.

A highlight of the day was meeting renowned International Designer, Jeweler, Metalsmith, and old scholar, Peter Coombs (Class of 1982) at work in his studio.

Peter has been designing innovative and rare one-off designs since he completed his Bachelor of Metalsmithing and Jewellery Degree at the South Australian School of Design, Underdale. Over the past 30 years, he has exhibited in the UK, USA, Japan, and Australia. Peter has developed many award-winning glasses and his philosophy for design has seen notable celebrities take interest in his work, with Sir Elton John purchasing an extensive 25 pairs of his frames. Peter has even had a pair travel in a space shuttle 5 million miles around the earth!

Activities were planned to inspire a vibrant, creative, and informed culture amongst our very talented students. I hope this experience will encourage our students to have new perspectives on Visual Art and Design: what it is, what it could be, and what it means to each of them.

Mrs Nicolle LeRay-Warren, Head of Visual Arts – Secondary

YEARS 7-9 WELLBEING CHARACTER STRENGTH FOCUS

Week 10: Self-regulation

I find it hard to resist hot chips! Why is it that carrot sticks just don’t create the same physical response? Just the hint of a scent of hot chips with chicken salt, mobilises my salivary glands… and it’s almost impossible not to listen to them.

Self-regulation is the practiced ability to be aware of what is influencing our emotions and to keep our motivation and behavior in check and manage it the best we can, for our best health and outcomes. You might remember the characters from the Disney Pixar animation Inside Out, which gave an endearing example about how our emotions work in concert. Self- regulation can be one of the most challenging character strengths to work on and helps us to develop the virtue of Temperance which protects us from excess in all contexts.

Being able to manage self-regulation requires some self-control and the ability to stay calm and look past the behaviours of those around us that we can find abrasive or upsetting, or temptations for that matter, so that they do not direct our response in ways that might not be helpful; like the hot chips, for example. It’s also being mindful of how we are feeling and what has contributed to us feeling that way at any given moment.

Mastering the art of self-regulation can be challenging for anyone and young people, in particular, can struggle. While there are many strategies that can support us in this journey, the practice of mindfulness is a simple tool which can increase our ability to refine our self-regulation. This can be as simple as breathing practice and focusing on the breath. It helps us to anchor ourselves and be present and to just notice. At St Michael’s students have access to a guided mindfulness activity each day in the Daily Notices that they can readily access at any time, including from home, in addition to having the opportunity in a range of classes at school.

During Lent, we reflect on Jesus’ 40 days in the desert. We can imagine the thoughts and emotions that may have crossed his mind at that challenging time. As parents we might also empathise with Mary and Joseph as we imagine the enormous emotional upheaval they would have been experiencing, and we try to appreciate just what sort of self-regulation would have been involved in that impossible time for all of them.

In the present we can focus on self-regulation to help direct our thoughts to what we can do to help others, and what we might go without to better support others, especially at this time, through Project Compassion and through potential support we can offer towards those affected by the situation in the Ukraine.

While we have almost arrived at the end of the first term for the year, it’s true to say that this term, school and family life have probably felt somewhat uncertain and unpredictable as a result of the unknowns we continue to face. This has given rise to a mix of emotional responses- from enhanced gratitude for the many blessings we continue to have, to concerns about health and missing content and personal contact at school, to struggling to keep pace with who is away, when and what they might have missed, and how to make reparation for absences. It has been a challenge on many fronts as to how best to navigate this changing space for the benefit of all concerned. Self-regulation can help with this too. We can think about our current approach in this area and consider what we might alter to best adapt and meet the challenges so that other important areas of life are not paying an unnecessary cost. We can use self-regulation to be a little better today than we were yesterday, leading us all to be healthier and the best we can be.

Hot chips at the beach this weekend? I will do my best to reach for the fruit instead!

Warm wishes for a rewarding weekend ahead!

Mrs Tonia Carfora, Year 7-9 Wellbeing Initiatives Leader

LASALLIAN LEADERS

Recently our Year 11 Lasallian Leaders have been working hard to prepare and facilitate two fundraisers in order to raise money for Project Compassion, a major focus during this Lenten season. Students gave up their time to make posters, set up stalls, and sell refreshing ice blocks to their peers.

Thank you to our Year 11 Lasallian Leaders who raised over $300 for those less fortunate than ourselves.

Ms Sharina Rabusic, Lasallian Campus Minister

YEARS 7-12 STUDENT/PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS

• Week 1 – Wednesday 4 May – 2:00 pm to 8:30 pm
• Week 2: Thursday 12 May – 2:00 pm to 8:30 pm
• Students to be dismissed at 12:45 pm on both days

An email containing information regarding the process will be forwarded to Parents/Caregivers on Wednesday 13 April.

Due to COVID restrictions, interviews will be held online via Microsoft Teams.

Please click here for more information regrading the dates and times leading up to the interviews.

YEAR 10 DESIGN

Our Year 10 Design students have been exploring a variety of practical graphic design techniques using a range of media and approaches. Check out some of their amazing artwork below!

Mrs Nicolle LeRay-Warren, Head of Visual Arts – Secondary