Term 2 Week 10 - 4 July 2025

St Paul - Patron Saint of the College
The Feast day of St Paul was celebrated around the world this week and I have outlined below the fantastic celebrations that took place at our College. At the conclusion of our St Paul’s feast day Mass, I commented to the staff, students, parents and invited guests of the great example St Paul presents to our school, and what St Paul would be saying to us in 2025 if he was on our staff. The second reading from Sunday’s Mass, St Paul’s second letter to his friend Timothy, is a famous set of writings often spoken at funerals around the world: “I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom”.

I also presented St Paul’s famous writings from his first letter to the Corinthians, again spoken often at Christian marriage celebrations throughout the world: “Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails”. Fr James spoke in his homily of St Paul’s great advocacy for others, this is a theme we have all been reflecting on at the College in 2025. St Paul’s writings on love and faith until the end again sum up our discussions on kindness and support for one another while we are at school. If St Paul was a staff member of the College presently, he would be challenging us all (especially the Principal!) of our responsibility to live an ethical life showing love and kindness to others, as the example Jesus Christ has shown to us all.

St Paul’s Feast Day Celebrations
This week has been a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the contribution of our patron saint St Paul to the development of the Christian church as well as the relevance of St Paul to our College community in 2025. On Monday 30 June the whole school celebrated a range of fun activities on the Feast day. These activities included tarp volleyball, chair tag, trivia, spelling bee, basketball shooting, cornhole, battleship, spaghetti towers, giant chess, newspaper hockey, throwball, tug of war, scattergories and charades. I sensed a great feeling of positive spirit within the school at the Feast day celebrations and on Tuesday at the St Paul’s feast day Mass. In particular the ethic of our students to create a quiet, peaceful space prior to the start of the Mass, continues to be a great joy especially without prompting. This wonderful behaviour is often hard earnt in schools from my experience, however a lot of positive encouragement from our staff is reaping big dividends. My great thanks to Mr Adam Clay, Mrs Lesa Morrison, Mr Brendan Goswell and Ms Olivia Eberhaut for the organisation and presentation of our Mass. Many thanks and appreciation to Mrs Krystal Brady, Mrs Kate Fullbrook and Mrs Lesa Morrison for the Feast day organisation and Mrs Jamie's Phillips support with her AI skills around the rotations. The Feast day activities offered an opportunity for all students to be involved which worked very well despite the rain.

Farewell to Staff
We have two fine staff members who will be finishing their appointments at the end of Term 2 as well as Mrs Jamie Phillips who will be taking maternity leave until 2026. Ms Carmel Muddle has announced that she is retiring as one of our school counsellors, providing great care for staff, students and families during her tenure at St Paul’s. She has built an impressive team with our other counsellor, Ms Megan James, and we wish her the very best with her family during retirement. The school has been fortunate to appoint an excellent replacement, Ms Jessica White, who will begin at St Paul’s in Term 3.

Mrs Crystal Clarke has been a valued staff member of the College for the past 8 years. Crystal has previously supported staff in the classroom as a co-educator and more recently been the welcoming support for our staff, students and their families in the College office. We wish Crystal all the very best for the years ahead.

Mrs Jamie Phillips is our much loved Edmund House Pastoral leader and we wish Jamie all the very best as she enters the last stages of pregnancy. We are also blessed to announce that Ms Emma Tamblyn will be fulfilling the role of Edmund House Pastoral leader during Term 3 and 4 in 2025.

HSC Biology Fiji Trip
There has been great excitement this week for 20 students and three staff, Mrs Amy Tovey, Mr Brendan Goswell and Ms Rayleigh Keith as they travel to Votua Village, nestled along the pristine Coral Coast of Fiji. The group will learn about the impact of human presence on these fragile ecosystems and explain the importance of conservation and compassion. Partnering with the local community, the group will be part of a transformative community service project, driven by the values of the Catholic Church. Together, they will work hand in hand with Votua Village residents to rehabilitate the flora and continue to protect these vital coral reefs. Many thanks to our wonderful staff for generously providing our students with such an exciting opportunity.

Enrolments Update
The offers for students wishing to enrol at St Paul’s in Year 7 2026 will be sent to parents at the beginning of Week 1 Term 3. The College has experienced a strong set of enrolments, with over 140 applications for Year 7 2026. There are 57 students leaving Year 12 this year, meaning there will be another year of growth at the College in 2026.

I hope your family enjoys quality time together in the upcoming school holiday break and I look forward to us returning as a community together on Tuesday 22 July.

Kind regards

Mr Geoff Melville  BRurScEd, MEd, GCertRE

Principal

kmps@lism.catholic.edu.au

Subject Selection - Year 10
We are very grateful to the huge number of Year 10 parents who came along to the subject selection meeting last week. This was a wonderful time to discuss your children's future aspirations and work towards their HSC pathway.

Please remember to book your in person meeting with a member of the College leadership team on either Wednesday 30 July or Thursday 31 July during the day. You can do this via Compass where it says 'Book Parent Student Teacher Conference'. All Year 10 students are required to be at this meeting with a parent or carer. Please bring along your subject selection form so we can work off your initial choices.

Year 12
An additional reminder that the Trial HSC period is 18 - 29 August. This is an incredibly important assessment block for the students as it prepares them for the reality of the HSC exams. Please do not plan any days away during this period.

Year 7-10 Reports
Years 7-10 reports will be released at 3.30pm on Friday 4 July. Please take the time to read and celebrate these reports with your children.

Year 11 Assessments
Congratulations to the Year 11 students who have completed their assessment block this week. The Year 11’s have one more Term of their preliminary course before they start the HSC. Please remember that the end of course exams for Year 11 will take place in Weeks 9 and 10 of Term 3. Please do not plan any days away during this period.

Equipment
Please take the time over the holidays to restock your child's pencil case. It is critical to have a well stocked pencil case to set them up for their learning success.

• Pencil Case
• Pens
• Pencils
• Calculator
• Ruler
• Geometry set
• Glue
• Eraser
• Sharpener
• Highlighter

I wish all students and families a very well deserved holiday. We look forward to seeing you all next Term!

Please reach out if you have any questions about the learning for your students.

Ms Kate Fullbrook - Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching

kate.fullbrook@lism.catholic.edu.au

Called to be a United Church with a Great Missionary Spirit
In this newsletter I’m using my space to share part of the homily from the Mass commemorating the beginning of pontificate of Pope Leo XIV. He states:

“I greet all of you with a heart full of gratitude at the beginning of the ministry that has been entrusted to me. Saint Augustine wrote: “Lord, you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” (Confessions, I: 1,1)….

I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family.

Love and unity: these are the two dimensions of the mission entrusted to Peter by Jesus…

In the words of Saint Augustine: “The Church consists of all those who are in harmony with their brothers and sisters and who love their neighbour” (Serm. 359,9).

Brothers and sisters, I would like that our first great desire be for a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world. In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest. For our part, we want to be a small leaven of unity, communion and fraternity within the world. We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: in the one Christ, we are one. This is the path to follow together, among ourselves but also with our sister Christian churches, with those who follow other religious paths, with those who are searching for God, with all women and men of good will, in order to build a new world where peace reigns!

This is the missionary spirit that must animate us; not closing ourselves off in our small groups, nor feeling superior to the world. We are called to offer God’s love to every-one, in order to achieve that unity which does not cancel out differences but values the personal history of each person and the social and religious culture of every people.

Brothers and sisters, this is the hour for love! The heart of the Gospel is the love of God that makes us brothers and sisters. With my predecessor Leo XIII, we can ask ourselves today: “If this criterion were to prevail in the world, would not every conflict cease and peace return?” (Rerum Novarum, 20).

With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made “restless” by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity.

Together, as one people, as brothers and sisters, let us walk towards God and love one another.”

Pope Leo XIV, 18 May 2025
Source: Vatican Information/News Service

This week we have celebrated the feast day of our patron Saint Paul. The activities on Monday showed a lot of community spirit, competition and fun between the Houses and a wealth of talent demonstrated in the talent quest. On Tuesday the College came together for a special Mass for the Feast of St Paul – a great celebration in our 60th year.

At the start of next Term, St Paul's will celebrate NAIDOC with a whole College assembly on Thursday 24 July and students in Year 7-10 will each have one period where they will participate in some activities.

A very big thank you to all those parents who have already consented for the Year 11 retreat in week 6. Your support of our College is very much appreciated. A reminder to Year 11 parents who have yet to consent for the retreat to please do so. A reminder that the retreat is a mandatory part of attending St Paul’s College.

Enjoy the school holidays and the opportunity to spend time with your family.


Mrs Lesa Morrison - Assistant Principal - Mission 

lesa.morrison@lism.catholic.edu.au

Cultivating Belonging
Encouraging your teen to attend and engage in school events fosters a sense of belonging and strengthens their connection to the College community. These experiences promote personal growth, social development, responsibility, and an appreciation for teamwork and shared involvement beyond the classroom.

Each day your teen attends school, they’re shaping their future success.

How to Support my Child if they are Vaping
Although advertising and peers can heavily influence your teen’s decisions, the impact you have as a parent, carries enormous weight. Research has found that parental involvement and a positive outlook can make a significant difference in healthy decision-making, both now and in the future.

Take a Health Approach
If you discover that your teen is vaping, address it as you would any other risk to your child’s health. Try to resist the urge to lecture, yell or punish your child. It is important to keep the lines of communication open and show your child that you are concerned about their health and safety.

Although purchasing vapes containing nicotine without a prescription is illegal in Australia, many vapes labelled as nicotine-free do contain nicotine. Your child may need support to stop vaping as nicotine is very addictive. The more your child vapes, the more both the brain and body will get used to having nicotine, and the harder it is to go without it. When a person stops vaping, even for a short period, they can experience withdrawal, including strong cravings, irritability, fatigue, headache, sleeplessness and difficulty concentrating.

Conversation Starters
Make sure your child recognises how much you care about them and that the conversation is coming from a place of unconditional love, support and concern for their wellbeing. Use the conversation starters below to understand if your child may be continuing to vape to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

• Do you continue to vape even though you want to stop or think it’s hurting you in some way?
• Do you feel anxious or irritable when you want to use your vape but can’t?
• Do thoughts about vaping interrupt you when you are focused on other activities?
• Do you vape at school? How often?
• Have you ever tried to stop vaping but couldn’t?
• Do you feel like you have lost control over your vaping?

Useful Resources:

• smokefree.gov
• NSW Health
• TobaccoFree

Mrs Krystal Brady - Leader of Pastoral Care

krystal.brady@lism.catholic.edu.au

Cochrane Cup Rugby League
St Paul’s U14 Years rugby league team made the short trip to Port Macquarie on Tuesday 24 June. The team were playing in the Cochrane Cup (named after one of Mr Robinson’s former coaches, Mr Bob Cochrane). 

St Paul’s played three games against very good opposition across a demanding day and won all their games. The first game against MacKillop College was a close affair in which St Paul’s clawed their way back to win 16-10 with tries to Cruze Schubert, Alastar O’Donnell and Ashton Swaine, with Ashton converting two of the tries. Game two was against St Joseph’s Regional College who tried hard but were no match for St Paul’s College. We won this game comfortably by 24-6 with tries to Alastar O’Donnell x 2, Jordy Kirkman Dates, Hamish Davies and Goals to Ashton Swaine x 3 and Alastar O’Donnell. The third game against St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour, was the final where both undefeated teams came together looking to progress to the northern NSW finals in Coffs Harbour on July 24. St Paul’s started well, scoring the first try. It was a back and forth game with both teams trading scores. Alastar, Jordy and Rustie Watt all crossed for St Paul’s with the reliable boot of Ashton Swaine and the proximity of the tries to the goal posts ensuring an excellent 18-16 win to St Paul’s College.

Congratulations to the entire squad who played excellent rugby league and were outstanding ambassadors for St Paul’s College.

• Most Valuable Player across all teams (judged by the NRL): Jordy Kirkman Dates
• Try Scoring Machine (judged by Mr Robinson): Alastar O’Donnell (4 tries in 3 games)
• Trevor Gillmeister (Ask your parents who he is?) ‘Stop them in their tracks’ Award: Rustie Watt
• James Tedesco ‘Kick return’ Award: Cruze Schubert
  
  

St Paul's College Athletics Carnival
The College Athletics Carnival is scheduled for Friday 25 July (Week 1 - Term 3). This is a compulsory event for all students and a great way to develop House and School Spirit. Long course events (1500m, 800m & 400m) will most likely occur on Thursday 24 August, however this is yet to be confirmed. A nomination spreadsheet will be released for the long course events that will close on the first day back next Term.

Mr Leon Robinson - Teacher and Sports Coordinator

leon.robinson@lism.catholic.edu.au

Spot the Difference!

Hint - Emily is now a Goodstart Early Learning employee!

Congratulations to Year 11 student, Emily Judd, on beginning her School Based Traineeship (SBAT) with Goodstart Early Learning.

Renee Smailes, Centre Director at Goodstart Early Learning Centre, acknowledged Emily’s enthusiastic participation in her Year 10 Work Experience as a key factor in the centre’s decision to explore a School-Based Traineeship (SBAT) partnership. "Emily’s professionalism and genuine interest in early childhood education left a lasting impression on our team," Renee said. "Her involvement played a crucial role in encouraging us to consider offering an SBAT opportunity in the future".

SBATs are a great way to set yourself up for the career you want while you're completing your HSC. As St Paul's current Year 10 students begin choosing their subjects for senior school, I encourage you to begin conversations with your child about SBATs and support them to contact employers regarding Work Experience which may lead to these opportunities.


Mrs Tess Meehan - Leader of World of Work and Careers Literacy
tess.meehan@lism.catholic.edu.au

In a device-oriented world, fostering a love of reading in children is more important than ever. At St Paul's, we are prioritising reading activities in all lessons. Reading isn't just about decoding words; it's about opening doors to new worlds, expanding vocabulary, and developing critical thinking skills. Creating a culture of reading at home doesn't require elaborate schemes – it's about small, consistent efforts that make a big difference.

Start by making reading a visible and enjoyable part of daily life. Make literature available. Try to cater to interest, diverse genres to various reading levels, and ensure reading material is easily accessible. Model good reading habits yourself; let your children see you enjoying a book, magazine, or newspaper. Set aside dedicated "reading time" each day, even if it's just 15-20 minutes, where everyone in the family reads together, either silently or by taking turns.

Remember, reading should be a joy, not a chore. Encourage your children to choose books that genuinely interest them, and don't be afraid to reread favourites. Visit your local library regularly – it's a treasure trove of new adventures waiting to be discovered. By nurturing a positive and consistent reading environment, you're not just teaching your children to read; you're instilling a lifelong passion for learning.


Mr Roger Shipton - Literacy Coach

The College celebrated St Paul's feast day with a special Mass held in the last week of Term and students and staff enjoyed fun activities at the St Paul's feast day celebrations on Monday, including; tarp volleyball, chair tag, giant chess, tug of war, spaghetti towers, newspaper hockey and a talent show. Thank you to the Year 12 students for arranging the bake sale and BBQ lunch on the day. A special thanks to Fr James, all students and staff for making the St Paul's feast day celebrations such a success!

We are excited to share the success of the recent 'Connect and Thrive' event, proudly hosted by the Office of Regional Youth held at the Slim Dusty Centre on Tuesday 24 June. This inspiring day brought together young people from across our region to explore the importance of community connections, personal development, and local opportunities. The representatives from our College were Year 11 students, Harmony Smith and Karri Males.

The event kicked off with skills-building sessions led by Susan Judd from HR Culture, focusing on how to build meaningful connections within the community. Susan's session was engaging and insightful, offering practical tools for communication, leadership, and collaboration—essential life skills for our young people as they step into adulthood. Participants then took part in an interactive 'think tank' session, where they worked in small groups to identify real community issues and brainstorm practical, youth-led solutions. It was inspiring to see the creativity, thoughtfulness, and sense of responsibility shown by all involved, particularly our students.

The last session of the day provided the youth with the opportunity to connect directly with a range of local businesses and organisations. These groups shared what they do and how they support youth in the region—whether through career pathways, volunteer opportunities, mental health resources, or community programs. The enthusiasm and encouragement from these organisations truly showcased the strong support network available in our community.

Connect and Thrive was more than just an event, it was a chance for our young people to feel seen, heard, and empowered. We're incredibly proud of their engagement and grateful to the Office of Regional Youth for making it all possible.

Together, we continue to build a stronger, more connected future for our youth.

Year 11 Chemistry students are studying Module 3 - Reactive Chemistry. In this practical activity, students were determining the order of reactivity for various metals.

In celebration of the Jubilee Year, the Diocese of Lismore will be launching a Jubilee Art Prize reflecting the theme of hope as recently highlighted in CathNews: Arts celebrated as part of Jubilee 2025.

Who can enter
Artists of all ages and abilities - students, parishioners, families, and established artists associated with the Diocese through parishes or schools - to creatively explore the meaning of hope through visual art. Please refer to the flyer below for more information.

How to enter

• Entries must be submitted through the form on the Jubilee Art Prize webpage
• Before submitting, please read the Terms and Conditions.
• A checklist outlining the process for submitting physical artwork is available here: Checklist
• Entries close: Tuesday 5 August 2025
  

Prizes
There are a range of cash prizes for each category which can be viewed on the Jubilee Art Prize webpage. Overall there is a prize pool of $3,625.

Wednesday 12 November 2025
Please save the date if you have applied for a position at the College for Year 7 2026. This is a compulsory day for students who accept an offer of a position at St Paul's for Year 7 2026.

All current and previous students, staff and family are invited to save the date to join St Paul's 60th anniversary celebrations on Sunday 5 October 2025.
Mass will be held at 9:30am in the Mercy Centre at St Paul's College, followed by a BBQ picnic. More details to follow closer to the date.

A catch up clinic will be held on Tuesday 21 October for the following routine school vaccinations:

• Year 7 students are offered free vaccines for diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (Boostrix) and human papillomavirus (HPV).
• Year 10 students are offered a free vaccine for meningococcal ACWY.

Vaccination will only be provided at school if consent has been received.

To provide consent for vaccination online, parents/carers will need to:

• Visit the online consent portal here.
• Parents/carers will need their Service NSW log in details and Medicare details.
• Read a step-by-step guide on how to provide consent online. Translated guides are available online.

If you or your child do not have a Medicare card or you cannot provide consent online, please email the College Office kmps@lism.catholic.edu.au to request a paper consent form to be sent home.

Please ensure your child has eaten breakfast on the morning of the clinic, this helps prevent fainting.

For more information on routine school vaccinations, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/schoolvaccination. If you have any questions regarding your child's school vaccinations, please contact the NSW Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055.

Catholic Network Australia (CNA) has funded a Parent Webinar in collaboration with the Cyber Safety Project. The session on Monday 11 August at 7:30pm will focus on parents' need to know about deep fakes, AI Companions, and online truth. Please refer to the flyer below for more information. To register please follow the link HERE.