St Michael's Collegiate School

Infobox Aust school private
name = St Michael's Collegiate School


motto = "Pro Ecclasia Dei"
"For the Church of God"
"Beati Mundo Corde"
"Blessed are the Pure in Heart"
established = 1892
type = Independent, Single-sex, Day & Boarding
denomination = Anglican, Sisters of the Church
slogan = "Set for Life"
key_people = Mrs. Robyn Kronenberg (Principal)
Mr Peter Murfett (Chairman)
Rev. Eleanor O'Donnell (Chaplain)
fees = AU$5,550–10,239 p.a (Day 2007)cite web |url=http://www.tchange.com.au/infrastructure/school_fees.html |title=Private school fees in Tasmania half those of mainland states |accessdate=2008-03-01 |date =2007-02-07 |work=Schools |publisher=T Change]
city = Hobart
state = Tasmania
country = Australia flagicon|Australia
coordinates = coord|42|53|17|S|147|19|26|E|display=inline,title
enrolment = ~900 (EL-12)cite web |url=http://www.aist.tas.edu.au/schools/stmichaels_collegiate.htm |title=St Michael's Collegiate School |accessdate=2007-09-01 |work=Association of Independent Schools' of Tasmania ]
num_employ = ~80cite web |url=http://www.collegiate.tas.edu.au/news/pdfs/music_teacher_brass_pd.pdf |title=Teacher of Music |accessdate=2007-09-01 |work=St Michael's Collegiate School ]
revenue =
colours = Maroon & Cream color box|#800000color box|#FFFDD0
homepage = [http://www.collegiate.tas.edu.au/ www.collegiate.tas.edu.au]

St Michael's Collegiate School, colloquially known as "Collegiate", is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for girls, located in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

Established in 1892 by the Sisters of the Church, the school currently enrols approximately 900 students from Early Learning to year 12, including up to 50 boarders in years 5 to 12.

Collegiate is affiliated with The Hutchins School and Fahan School, with whom they share their Year 11 and 12 classes.

The school is a member of the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australia,cite web |url=http://www.agsa.org.au/members.php?PageID=11&Group=State&State=TAS |title=Member Schools |accessdate=2007-09-01 |work=The Alliance of Girls' Schools Australia ] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),cite web |url=http://homepage.mac.com/jshaatas/tas/index.htm |title=JSHAA Tasmania Directory of Members |accessdate=2007-09-01 |year =2007 |work=Junior School Heads' Association of Australia ] the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),cite web |url=http://www.ahisa.com.au/Display.aspx?tabid=2234 |title=AHISA Schools: Tasmania |accessdate=2007-09-01 |year =2007 |month =April |work=Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia ] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association,cite web |url=http://www.boarding.org.au/site/school_detail.cfm?schID=176 |title=St Michael's Collegiate School |accessdate=2007-09-01 |work=Australian Boarding Schools' Association ] and the Association of Independent Schools' of Tasmania.

History

In 1892, at the invitation of Bishop Montgomery, seven Sisters came from the mother house in Kilburn, England, to Tasmania. Of these, three Sisters remained in Tasmania and, at the request of Dean Dundas, opened a school for girls and boys in October 1892. Sister Hannah was the principal of the school which had an initial enrollment of 12 children, six boy and six girls. Classes were held in the Synod Hall.

Sister Phyllis became the Principal in 1895, by which time the number of enrolled students had risen to 71, including 6 boarders. To cater for this growth in numbers the school moved to 'Stephenville', a large house in Macquarie Street. 'Stephenville' was built in 1925 for the Solicitor General of Tasmania, Sir Alfred Stephen.

During the following decades the School continued to expand, and so in 1912 the School purchased the house 'Tremayne', located next door to 'Stephenville'. This provided extra class rooms and accommodation for the senior boarders.In these early days the School was known as the Collegiate School. The students did not have a uniform as such, but were required to wear a long dark coloured skirt and a white blouse.

From around 1915 girls who became prefects were presented with a silver brooch in the form of the School emblem. These were worn for the term of office and then handed back to the School to be passed to the next year’s prefects. Sister Phyllis then presented each outgoing prefect with a gold signet ring. At some time during the 1920s some girls began to wear a brooch with the initials C.C.E.S., which stood for Collegiate Church of England School.

In 1929 Tremayne was demolished to make way for a larger, two storey, purpose built building, which housed classrooms downstairs and boardering accommodation upstairs. This new building, also named 'Tremayne' was opened in 1932. Throughout this time, the School continued to be run by Sister Phyllis, who remained principal until 1933.

In 1937 a summer uniform was introduced. It was very different from the traditional navy blue tunic and black stockings, and much more comfortable to wear in the warmer months. It was a beige coloured tunic. This uniform remained virtually unaltered for over fifty years.

Due in part to the onset of the Second World War, the School did not embark on any further expansion until 1953, by which time the school required separate buildings for a junior school. For this purpose two adjacent houses in Macquarie Street were purchased in 1953. In 1959 a new large Assembly Hall was completed, and not long after a number of new classrooms were added.

In 1973, eighty years after the foundation of the Collegiate Church of England School, the Sisters of the Church handed the responsibility of the running of the School over to a board, and in 1974 the school saw its first lay principal.

House system

As with most Australian schools, St Michael's Collegiate School utilises a house system. The current house system consists of eight houses (Dundas, Kilburn, McPhee, Mitchell, Montgomery, Reibey, Rivers and Stevens). Each year, these houses compete against each other in physical and mental contests for the 'Sunshine House Cup', donated by the graduating class of 2001. These events include inter-house swimming, debating, house performance/fashion parade and athletics.

Curriculum

Collegiate offers a wide range of subjects. Students up to Year 4 study a core of subjects, including Japanese, specifically designed to prepare them for middle school (Years 5-8). Years 5 to 8 have common teachers whenever possible. In Years 7 and 8 students can study two LOTEs from French, German, Japanese and Latin.

The Senior school (9-12) is designed to prepare students for life after school. Year 9s choose three elective subjects and study a core of Science, English, SoSe, Maths, Faith and Life and Health/Physical Education (HPE). Year 10 students choose all subjects except Faith and Life and HPE which they also must study. Pre-tertiary students (Years 11 and 12) may choose up to five pre-tertiary subjects.

Co-curriculum

port

Collegiate offers a wide range of sports (around 30 in 2006). Captains are usually chosen in Years 11 and 12, but in some cases a Year 10 girl is chosen as Captain. Collegiate girls have represented Australia in softball, hockey, soccer, rowing and underwater hockey, and many students represent Tasmania in many sports.

Music

At present Collegiate has an orchestra, stage band, various ensembles and choral groups and a School of Performing Arts (SPA) which is a 'school inside a school'.

Notable alumni

*Hon. Frances Bladel - Secretary and Founding Member of "A Taste of the Huon Festival"; Former Tasmanian Government Spokesperson for Women; Former Special Minister of State Assisting the Premier; Former Acting Minister for Education; Former Acting Minister for Health; Named on Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women 2006 (also attended St Theresa's Convent School, Moonah)cite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Australia Live!| title = BLADEL (Fran) Frances, Hon.| accessdate = 2007-10-06| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic]
*Monique Brumby - singer
*Nan Chauncy - children's author
*Pauline Fanning MBE ISO - Bibliographer for the Australian National Dictionary (ANU); Former Consultant to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library; Former Director of the Australian National Humanities Librarycite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Australia Live!| title = FANNING Pauline| accessdate = 2007-10-06| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic]
*Julie Anne Warn AM - Director of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Edith Cowan University; Recipient of the Centenary Medal 2003cite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Australia Live!| title = WARN Julie Anne| accessdate = 2007-10-06| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic]
*Catherine Ann Warner - Foundation Director of the Tasmania Law Reform Institute; Professor at the University of Tasmaniacite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Australia Live!| title = WARNER (Kate) Catherine Ann| accessdate = 2007-10-06| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic]
*Alison Mary Watkins (née Lester) - Company Director; Director of Woolworths Limited, Just Group Ltd, and National Food Industry Strategy Ltd; Former Executive Chairman of Mrs Crocket's Kitchen Pty Ltdcite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Australia Live!| title = WATKINS Alison Mary| accessdate = 2007-10-06| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic]
*Alison Whyte - Actress, "Frontline", "SeaChange"

References