Hobart College eNewsletter

From the Principal

We are now halfway through the year and things have really stepped up a gear around the college. I see more students finding study spots around the college, and empty chocolate bar wrappers and paper teacups nearby on the table speak of our young people working hard towards mid-year assessments. A highlight of the last few weeks has been seeing students getting ready for our annual musical. The SpongeBob Musical is an outstanding example of what can be achieved when staff and students work together as a team on a real-life project. Congratulations to everyone involved in this exciting production and make sure you book early to see one of the shows! It feels like the kind of musical we all needed; lots of fun, laughs, and a message that as a community we can solve the biggest problems. The number of students as performers, musicians, technicians, and caterers was outstanding and the diversity of those involved made the show a complete delight.

Over the last few years, we have seen a steady improvement in the percentage of students gaining their Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE). Research shows that completing year 12 with a meaningful qualification leads to better employment outcomes, increased life expectancy, and greater life satisfaction. Regular attendance and completion of set work for all subjects in both Years 11 and 12 is crucial to achieving that goal. It is nearly impossible to achieve an assessment in a subject if students do not attend regularly and it is also very difficult to catch up on an extra subject in year 12 to attain the required 120 participation points for the TCE. As part of our reporting cycle, teachers reviewed the progress of all students during the mid-year reporting phase, to ensure students are on track to achieve a result in their subject for this year. Teachers reported on the impact of attendance on student progress, with notable differences in achievement closely related to attendance. We are all very aware of the positive impact that parents and carers can have on attendance and how you can support us by encouraging your young person to commit to their studies by attending all classes, completing the assignments and classwork, and taking advantage of the tutorial programs on offer.

Enjoy reading about the many activities around the campus over the last few weeks. It was wonderful to see so many of you at the Parent Teacher Evening on Tuesday 25 May and at the performances of our musical for this year, The SpongeBob Musical.

Dr Libby Robinson

Principal

Important Dates for the Calendar

25/05/2023 to 3/06/2023 - College Musical Season
30/05/2023 - Parent/Teacher Evening
13/06/2023 - College Association Meeting
22/06/2023 - Year 10 Taster Day - Study at Home Day
23/06/2023 to 30/06/2023 - Midyear Assessment Period
7/07/2023 - End of Term 2

Student Achievements

Congratulations to the following students on their sporting achievements:

Claire Clements

Claire has been selected to represent Australia in the 2023 Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom World Championships

Maddison McCulloch

Madison competed in the Australian Gymnastics Championship on the Gold Coast from 16 - 25 May.

Poppy Kennett

Poppy has been accepted into the Tasmanian Institute of Sport for rowing.

Hanna-Jane Eberstein

Hanna-Jane was selected for the 2023 Water Polo Australia Country Championship in Ballina.

Grace Fabris

Grace was a member of the Tasmanian team who competed in New Zealand in the Laser Tag Championships.

Jacob Gardener

Competed with great success at the Australian Athletics Track & Field Championships

Avah Hughes

Avah competed in the Australian Trampolining copmetition.

Learning Area News - Visual Art

Belinda Winkler Exhibition

Congratulations to Visual Arts teacher, Belinda Winkler, whose ceramic work was part of the Melbourne Design Fair exhibition at the end of May.

Belinda’s installation “Melaleuca #1 (Side Table) was created in collaboration with Tasmanian artist Kevin Perkins and it is absolutely stunning. You can find out more about the piece via this website:

Melbourne Design Fair Exhibition

Learning Area News - Performing Arts

Generations in Jazz Success!

We're thrilled to share the exciting news of Hobart College House Band's incredible success at the Generations in Jazz national bands championships in Mt Gambier SA. The students competed in two categories and were placed first in both the division 3 stage band and small jazz combo categories. Louis Monaghan (keyboard) and Floyd Taylor (guitar) were also named individual division award winners for their outstanding performances on their respective instruments. These are achievements that make us extremely proud to see young Tasmanian musicians on par with their peers from across Australia.

The students had the opportunity to learn from and be inspired by some of Australia's finest musicians, including Jordan Murray, Adam Lopez, Thndo, and Andrea Keller, as well as many talented students and scholarship winners. The headline act was the internationally acclaimed Dirty Loops from Sweden, who left a lasting impact with their high-energy show.

We extend our warmest congratulations to the Hobart College House Band for their remarkable achievements and express our gratitude to the students, parents, teachers, and staff who worked tirelessly to make this event possible.

The SpongeBob Musical

Congratulations to the amazing cast, orchestra, and crew on their spectacular production of "SpongeBob the Musical"! their hard work, dedication, and talent truly shined on stage, and we couldn't be more proud of all their achievements. This production not only entertained our audiences but also provided numerous educational advantages for everyone involved.

Audiences were captivated by the apocalyptic as SpongeBob and friends go on a mission to save their beloved home Bikini Bottom. The story is woven together by a range of musical numbers ranging from hoe-down country numbers for Sandy the Squirrel, and jazz tap routines for Squidward the Squid. Songs were created from a range of legacy composers from David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, The Flaming Lips and Panic at the Disco!

Putting on a production like "SpongeBob the Musical" offers invaluable learning opportunities for students. Firstly, it fosters teamwork and collaboration. From the cast members who brought the characters to life to the orchestra members who created the vibrant musical backdrop, and the crew who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, this production required a seamless integration of efforts. By working together towards a common goal, students learned how to communicate effectively, compromise, and appreciate the value of each individual's contribution..

In addition, the production of "SpongeBob the Musical" provided practical experiences in various technical aspects. The crew members responsible for set design, lighting, sound, and costumes gained hands-on knowledge in theater production. They learned about the importance of attention to detail, problem-solving, and time management. These skills are not only valuable within the realm of theatre but also transferable to other real-world scenarios.

Lastly, the entire production offered a platform for personal growth and self-discovery. Students had the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, conquer performance anxiety, and develop resilience in the face of challenges. They learned to manage their time effectively, balancing academics and extracurricular commitments and cultivated a strong work ethic.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the entire cast, orchestra, and crew for their dedication and commitment to excellence. Your hard work has undoubtedly left a lasting impact on both yourselves and the entire school community.

There are only three more opportunities to see The SpongeBob Musical. You can purchase your tickets here: trybooking.com/CHEHD

The SpongeBob Musical Photo Gallery

Hobart College was lucky enough to host an intimate session with Australian guitar legend Tommy Emmanuel recently. Accompanied by his talented support act, Anthony Snape, Tommy dropped into the music department before heading to his sold-out show in Hobart tonight.

Tommy shared his experiences of learning guitar, songwriting, and life in the industry, all interwoven with his virtuosic guitar playing. Our young musicians had a great all-in jam at the end of the session - sharing their love for music!

What an absolute treat it was to spend time with an Australian icon.

Learning Area News - HPOE

Futsal Success

On the 29 May, Hobart College (HoCo) competed in the Tasmanian School Futsal Competition in the Southern Colleges Division. HoCo’s five very competitive teams gave it their all with good sportspersonship and comradery shown throughout the fun day. It was GYC and EC that proved to be our toughest competition, knocking out many of our teams during the round-robin style tournament. However, HoCo’s AJ’s FC team proved too strong and too skillful for all opponents as they entered the grand final undefeated. Hobart College won! AJ’s FC proudly wore their gold medals on the bus trip back to Hobart College and carried the shield. A highly successful day was made even better with seven students receiving State Team selection and an invitation to compete at the National Futsal Championships later this year in Queensland. Congratulations go to, Emraan Codababaccus, Huon Carius, Lochie Schofield, Jack Muir, Oliver Winn, Samuel Christie, and George Boyce.

All HoCo’s female players received expressions of interest to train with the state squad and hopefully from there also gain a spot in the state team to compete at the National School Futsal Titles in Brisbane later this year. Congratulations to the following players, Jasmine Gale, Aimee Massey, Marion Esguerra, Mollie Upton, Jez Gray, Pearl Parket, and Maria Montesinos.

Thanks go to staff members who made the day possible, Anna Seabrook (HoCo’s Futsal Coordinator), Angela Zonno (Publicity, photos, and general awesomeness on the day), and UTAS prac student, Sam Plunkett-Smith.

Fitness Competition

Hobart College held a Fitness Competition recently with a large number of students entering. Congratulations to Liam Anderson and Claire Clements who were named overall comp winners.

Check out these stats:

Liam - 120kg back squat, 65kg strict press, and 30 strict pull ups for a total score of 485 points!

Claire - 65kg back squat, 30kg strict press, and an amazing 18 strict pull ups for a total score of 275 points.

Congratulations also to all students who participated in the annual fitness comp - it was an amazing experience for participants and spectators alike.

Departing from Hobart College on Friday, May 5 at 1:00 pm, the Expedition Class embarked on a delightful journey that left us with unforgettable memories and a deeper appreciation for nature's wonders. Our destination was the Fraser Creek Hut, nestled amidst the stunning landscapes of Tasmania's West Coast. After a scenic drive, we arrived at the hut on the first night around 9:00 pm. After a delicious dinner and some laughs around the table, we settled into our sleeping bags eager to recharge for the adventures that awaited us.

Day two dawned with a harmonica and a sense of anticipation as we prepared to explore the renowned Montezuma Falls. Our group set off on a hiking trail that led us through enchanted rainforests, crossing bubbling creeks and encountering unique flora and fauna along the way. The grandeur of Montezuma Falls left us awestruck as the cascading waters plunged 104 metres.

On our final day, we hiked back to the bus, reflecting on the incredible experiences we had shared thus far. The journey was filled with camaraderie and laughter as we navigated through the enchanting landscapes of Tasmania. After a hearty lunch in Queenstown, we decided to make one last stop at Horsetail Falls before bidding farewell to this remarkable region.

Learning Area News - Technology

Honey Child Visit

Food and Hospitality Enterprise were lucky enough to have Honey Child’s Creole come and spend the morning with them. Honey Child is dedicated to showcasing the foodways and traditions and flavours of her heritage. The students listened to Honey Child tell her story about food and her heritage, talking about her true connection with the ingredients and the importance of seasoning which creates deep flavours that marry together different ingredients to create a balanced dish.

The students along, with Honey Child, produced a taco recipe that was her Grandma Wilma’s recipe, Honey said, “When I smell cumin cooking it takes her straight back to her grandma’s kitchen”. The students were shown new techniques and taught the importance of seasoning and respecting the ingredients. They were lucky enough to sit down and enjoy the tacos with Honey Creole.

While eating lunch the students were also treated to an amazing story told by Tamas (Roaming Trees Storytelling), who is a traditional Hungarian storyteller. Tamas and Honey Child have worked collaboratively together, creating immersive experiences between the spoken word enhanced by music and food.

Object Design

During this session, Object Design (UCP) textiles students worked with local textiles artist Kate Marshall to explore ways of using 2D and 3D techniques to express their designs conceptually through textiles. They explored a range of hand and machine techniques using stitch, fabric manipulation, layering and wrapped wire frames. The session was a lot of fun and opened up many possibilities for developing their designs.

Success at the Tasmanian School Cookery Challenge

The Food and Hospitality Enterprise classes entered the Tasmanian School Cooking Challenge at the end of Term 1. The topic for the competition was "Tasmanian Dairy". All students submitted some amazing dishes and the presentation of these dishes was outstanding. One student was awarded overall winner and two students were awarded with outstanding presentation.

Congratulations to these students and all students who participated.
Overall Winner
Hobart College- Bailey Robinson (Orange, Rosemary and Ricotta flan)

Outstanding Presentation
Stephanie Lowe and Millee Avery (Pannacotta with Mixed Berry Compote, topped with fresh berries and a chocolate biscuit crumble)

Learning Area News - English

Poetry Competition

Do you have mad flow?
Do you arrange your thoughts with rhythm and rhyme?
Are you invested in concentrated language use?

Then you should enter the Hobart College Poetry Competition!

Open to all students. Prizes, publication, and glory await.

Entries in this competition will also be entered in the Dorothea McKellar competition (a national competition – this year’s optional theme is ‘The Winding Road’).

Submit your poem with your name, age, and home group number by 20 June to: ellen.rees@decyp.tas.gov.au

Debating Club Volunteers

After classes on May 8, the Hobart College Debating Club volunteered to adjudicate the Primary Schools Competition held at Princes Street Primary. The eight students adjudicated 16 debates on the topic “That a stadium should be built at Macquarie Point”. Audience members were impressed with the advice given to the novice debaters remarking that: “It was great to have genuine debaters adjudicating the debates”. Thanks to the students who gave up their time to help out our associated Primary Schools.

Learning Area News - HASS

Matt King Visit

Geography students at Hobart College were treated to a talk by Matt King, the Director of the Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science (ACEAS) and Professor at the School of Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences at UTAS. The talk was on changes to our Cryosphere and will help them with their research into the impacts of Anthropogenic Climate Change on land cover and some solutions. Matt explained the importance of geographical thinking to solving a range of challenges facing the global population, and specifically how we can mitigate and adapt to climatic changes. In the coming weeks, they will learn about the use of drones in remote sensing and spatial sciences with another visit from specialists at UTAS.

VET Community Services (Children's Services) - Tiny Tackers

Community Services students planned, organised, and implemented a playgroup as part of the Tiny Tackers organisation. The students received some wonderful, positive feedback:

"Our children had the best time creating bonds with the new students and exploring all they had to offer in their indoor and outdoor environments. Our children really benefit from their time in this program and we appreciate all the hard work put in by the students"

On Tuesday 9 May, the VET Tourism class headed down to the bright lights of Hobart City to tour two important Hobart tourism businesses. The tour started with a talk with Adi Munshi, the manager of the Tasmanian Travel and Visitor Information Centre. Adi talked to the class about his career in hospitality and tourism working in India, USA, Canada, and all over Australia in high-end hotels, including Saffire here in Tasmania, before becoming the manager of Hobart's only visitor centre. Adi’s passion to meet new people and share Tasmanian experiences was evident to the students, as he explained to them all that it is a passion for the industry you work in, a willingness to help others, and the ability to communicate to all, the attributes that will make you a success in the Tasmanian Tourism industry.

Next, the class walked to the Hotel Grand Chancellor to meet Kate Wittison the HR manager, who led a tour through the HCG’s restaurants, kitchens, large function spaces, pool, gym, and lastly, the superior suite which overlooks the port of Hobart. Kate then fielded many questions from the class. Kate also emphasised the need to have passion for your work, and to have fun at work and what you do. Her key message was ‘skills can be taught, but passion for your job cannot’.

News from the Home Group program

Exhibition Debate

During the Home Group program, students were treated to an exhibition debate. And what an incredible exhibition debate it was! The topic, “We, as a commoner would marry into the royal family" was a great topic with Charlie Piklington, the Tasmanian Debating Adjudicator, commenting that only 2 points separated the affirmative team from the negative. We were treated to a true bout of the words with the affirmative declared the winners. Great work!

Affirmative team: Sam Eccleston, Lucian Beattie , Oscar Wadsley

Negative team: Zara Fenton, Inara Osborne, Chelsea March

Enrichment Day

What a day we had on the mountain with our annual HoCo Enrichment Day. Students were able to spend some time doing something completely different to their normal teaching and learning program. We had it all! From tabletop games to a walk in the Botanical Gardens, from Belgian waffle making to philosophical films and op shopping. From curls and braids to RSA, comedy fest, kayaking/rafting, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu! Just to name a few! 54 activities all up.

UTAS Schools Recommendation Program (SRP)

The first round of the SRP opens on the 29 June, just after our exam period. This program gives students an opportunity to obtain a place at UTAS based on Hobart College’s recommendation, prior to receiving final TASC results and an ATAR.

Did you know…

You can apply, receive a place, defer if you don’t wish to go to Uni straight away, then not have to worry about Uni entrance while you’re off working or travelling.
Teachers work together on your recommendation, using year 11 results and your progress in year 12.
- Your recommendation is based on: o Literacy and Numeracy skills
- Critical thinking and collaborative skills
- Time management and workload management skills
- Interest and engagement in your subjects
- It is still very important to aim for your best in your subjects, so you get the best possible recommendation.

For more information, including which degrees are part of the program, visit www.utas.edu.au/srp or email Rhiannon Markwell (at UTAS) rhiannon.markwell@utas.edu.au

For Hobart College questions email Marjorie Morgan marjorie.morgan@decyp.tas.gov.au or Kate Dewar kate.dewar@decyp.tas.gov.au

Thread Together Visit

Thread Together is a nationally run charity that provides a valuable and essential resource to a range of people who need a helping hand at different stages in their lives. Carol Kingshott is the Hobart General Manager of this charity and Hobart College has been extremely fortunate to make a connection with Carol to help support some of our students. Thread Together, apart from being based in the city in a Hub, has a van that transports brand-new quality clothing to various sites, so that the process of selecting clothing can be done in a discrete and caring manner. Carol and her team of workers and volunteers provide this service in a compassionate and caring manner and make great connections with those whom they support. Hobart College looks forward to continuing to work with Carol and her team and are extremely appreciative of her time and the comfort that getting that extra support means to those who need it the most.

School Notices

Study at Home Day

Thursday 22 June is a ‘Study at Home’ day for all students. On this day we will be hosting a large number of prospective Year 10 students for our annual Hobart College Taster Day.

Mid Year Assessment Period

The Mid-Year Assessment Period (MYAP) commences on Friday 23 June and concludes on Friday 30 June. During this period your young person will either have examinations or folio submissions for pre-tertiary Level 3/4 courses or normal classes for Level 1/2 courses and VET programs. A copy of the timetable for the courses with exams is available on the Hobart College website.

Levies and Additional Subjecdt Charges

Payment of levies and additional subject charges are now overdue.

If you are experiencing difficulties with payment please contact the college office to confidentially discuss your individual situation.

Payment Options:

BPay (School Invoices)
Service Tasmania Shops (School Invoices)
Credit Card over the phone (6220 3133)
In person at the College – Eftpos, cash or cheque (made payable to Hobart College)

External School Review

In Term 1, Hobart College took part in an External School Review. Please find below the report from the School Review panel.

Hobart College External School Review 2023

Every school day matters

Make every school day count! Going to school every day gives your young person every chance to learn and grow, and connect with their mates and teachers. It’s where bright futures start and where they’ll benefit the most.

When your young person goes to school every day, it helps them to:

learn better
find interests
make friends
connect with teachers
be happier
have a brighter future.

If you’re struggling to get your young person to school, help is available. Please talk to us at school about your situation. We’ll support you, in whatever way we can.

To find out more, visit the Anything can happen website.

Issue 3 - June 2023