Term 1 Week 10 - 6 April 2023

Dear Parent/Carer

Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?”

Luke 24:13-35

Wishing you all a special Holy Week and blessings for Easter and the school holidays, hopefully spent surrounded by family and friends.

I would like at this time to acknowledge the work of our students and staff across what has been a very successful Term for the College. The increased academic engagement, continued quality teaching and learning, together with an understanding of high expectations of uniform, overall presentation and mobile devices (social media) is creating a settled and focus school – which is tremendous!

Our Stage 6 (Year 11/12) students experienced an alternative BLOCK ASSESSMENT process, which appears to have been most successful. We will be evaluating this over the next few weeks by accessing ‘student voice’ around this.

Early next Term we will be releasing the Tell Them from Me survey. This is a critical tool the College uses to get a sense of how we are travelling in catering for the needs of our College community in achieving strong educational outcomes. All students and staff will be completing this survey and we would also like as many families as possible completing the survey. Please keep an eye out for the survey link which we will send you and take the time to take part in the survey. It is very important for us as we grow as a quality educational facility.

You would all be aware that our BUILD SITE is in a state of flux as we await information regarding the recent communication that our current builder is unable to continue work. Fortunately, we have ongoing access to the Edmund Rice Centre so classes across the College are not affected. It is hoped that a resolution will be found as soon as possible.

Early next Term we welcome our new Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching, Ms Kate Fullbrook. It is exciting for the College to have Kate join us. Her experience across many schools and in a variety of curriculum focus areas make her well placed to contribute a great deal to St Paul’s. I am excited to have her join and lead our skilled teaching and learning community.

A reminder that ANZAC DAY will have a significant representation from St Paul’s across the region. Students, in full academic uniform, are invited to march and attend services in Macksville, South West Rocks, Kempsey and Crescent Head. Please also be aware that many of us will be joining the Parish Community at All Saints Catholic Church in Kempsey for Mass from 9.00am. It would be great to see you there for this important occasion.

At the end of this Term, we farewell several staff from the College: 

Ms Terese Hope, currently on Maternity leave, was due to return in Term 2. She has communicated to the College that she will be resigning from her position as she continues the critical role of mum. The College thanks her for the excellent work she has done within the English space. She was held in high regard by both students and teachers. We will be advertising for her replacement over the coming weeks.

Ms Ebaney Cook, a current Co-educator and former Youth Ministry Leader and past student of the College, has presented her resignation to the College so she may place more time into her university work. She has been an excellent support to the Inclusion team and will be very much missed. We wish her well for the future.

Mrs Di Mascord is leaving us at the end of this Term to commence maternity leave in preparation for the arrival of her twins. This is exciting for her and her husband Mr Adam Mascord, and we wish Di all the best with her growing family. She is an impressive educator who I am sure will continue her great work upon her return across 2024.

The Literacy Coach position has been filled by Mr Roger Shipton for the remainder of the academic year, replacing Mr Dane Smith. Mr Shipton, an experienced educator across both Primary and Secondary settings, will be a wonderful leader and resource within this important area for the College.

I am looking forward to Term 2, 2023 for it will be a Term of continued success for the College. A reminder that as we move into the cooler months, we need to ensure that uniform worn aligns to College standards of dress. Please refer to uniform guidelines around this. We will continue to expect correct unform and appearance into the next Term, including jewellery, hair and academic uniform when required. Please be reminded that senior students are required to wear the College tie during Terms 2 and 3.

Kind regards

Mr David JOHNS   B.Ed., Cert. Gifted Ed., Grad. Cert. Adol. Health and Welfare, M.Ed. (Ed Lead), M.Ed. (Theol) 

Principal

kmps@lism.catholic.edu.au

Reflecting on a wonderful Term 1 in Mission at St Paul’s College
As we come to the end of Term 1, I would like to take the opportunity to reflect and thank so many staff and students regarding many opportunities in the Mission area of the College.

Liturgical celebrations
The College has enjoyed the opportunity to meet in our all purpose facility, the Hangar, to celebrate our Opening Mass, Ash Wednesday and Easter Liturgy during Term 1. The Hangar is not a space that provides the opportunity for audio visual support, sound proofing and an enclosed area free from the elements, however our celebrations together has demonstrated active participation from many staff and students with magnificent support from Father James. Our Easter Liturgy on Monday was a very moving experience and supported with great respect from our student body.

Mr Matthew Mitchell, Mrs Barica Rafton and Mr Maxwell Winn
Mr Mitchell, Mrs Rafton, Maxwell (our Youth Ministry Officer) and myself have all commenced new Ministry roles in 2023 at St Paul’s. Matt and Maxwell have worked tirelessly throughout the Term ensuring our evangelisation opportunities have been creative and welcoming. Barica has brought great experience to the Leader of Catechesis role, she is an excellent teacher and has a great passion for making Catholic Studies more accessible for students and staff at the College with great success.

Student Voice
One of the opportunities increasing at the College this year is the role of student voice. The Year 12 Leadership group is expertly led by College Captains Olivia Dunbar and Isaac Gorline-Singleman. They meet with the Principal, Mr David Johns, weekly and with a larger group of College Leaders and staff on a regular basis.  There have been many new opportunities for students in 2023 at St Paul’s driven by advice from the student group. The re-badged SRC is working very well with representatives from each year group, meeting weekly with school leaders and having direct access to the College executive. The 2023 Ministry Leaders have provided direction and advice on many matters already this year at St Paul’s, their Friday meetings are a joy to be involved in and are well supported by Mr Mitchell, Mrs Rafton and Maxwell.

My great thanks to so many staff and students for their tremendous contribution to Mission matters in Term 1, we are greatly looking forward to resuming in a few weeks time.

Mr Geoffrey Melville - Assistant Principal - Mission and Wellbeing

geoffrey.melville@lism.catholic.edu.au

Easter Message
And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white as snow. The guards were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men. Then the angel said to the women in reply, “Do not be afraid! I know that you are seeking Jesus the crucified. He is not here, for he has been raised just as he said.”   Matthew 28:2–6

The Resurrection of Christ is an event that reminds us that God Loves us. The sacrifice of his son is an example of how the most evil of sins can be forgiven if we are truly sorry.

But what does it mean to be truly sorry? What makes an apology authentic? Most of us would say it needs to be more than words, there needs to be action. We need to show that we acknowledge the errors of our ways and work to restore our relationship with God. How can we do this?

Firstly, think about abandoning sin. Look to stop doing that thing that has hurt your relationship with God and others. Next, be open and honest that you have made mistakes and ask for help through prayer. Lastly make restitution. Plan ways to repair the damage, do something for others, and show that God’s love is alive.

Easter Liturgy
On Monday St Paul’s students and staff came together to reflect on Holy Week in a liturgy that incorporated elements of Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The liturgy featured many staff and students and it was fantastic to see our faith being lived out and celebrated. Thank you to all involved.

 

Wishing our students and families a happy Easter! The Macleay Valley Parish Easter service times can be found HERE

Mr Matthew Mitchell - Leader of Evangelisation

matthew.mitchell@lism.catholic.edu.au

Our Book Chat has been running every Thursday at lunch time with a fantastic group of students and staff attending. All students are welcome to attend. They can choose to contribute or just to listen to some lively discussions on the wonderful topic of books!

Students are still welcome to participate in the 2023 Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC). If your child is interested, please email me and I will register them so they can start logging their reads and become eligible for our PRC in-house competition. They need to only log 10 reads to enter. PRC books are available as hard copies in our library and as ebooks in SORA so reading resources are easily accessible. Students can also include 10 books of their own choice.

Holiday Reads – a reminder our ebook library, SORA , is available from home for holiday reading. It is free and has a very diverse collection of books, magazines, audiobooks, graphic novels and so much more. To find out how to install visit our library website for instructions. All you need to know is the code (CENETAU), our school (ACEN Member Collection) and your student’s username and password. It is that simple.

CBCA (Children’s Book Council of Australia) Shortlist Announced – visit CBCA’s website to view this year’s shortlisted titles. To view the list in PDF format, click HERE. I have also included a PDF copy of the CBA Notables List, which includes titles that may not have made the shortlist but still worth considering reading.

The College library has the Older Readers titles available in hard copy; as an e-book in SORA; or on order and available shortly. If students or parents would like to reserve any you can log into our website HERE, search for the title and then reserve it in your child’s name. You are welcome to also email patrice.martin@lism.catholic.edu.au and I will reserve the book for you.

And finally, we wish you all a very happy, safe and holy Easter. Enjoy the break.

Kind Regards

Mrs Patrice Martin, Mrs Cathy Whalen & Ms Karen Irvine - Library Assistants

NSWCCC Swimming
Six St Paul's students travelled to Sydney last week to compete in the NSWCCC Swimming Championships in Homebush. Well done to Tessa Elsley, Max Farrell, Mitchell Hornick, Cleo Schubert, Keeley Smith and Chelsea Stringer for competing at this level. A special mention to Max and Keeley who are now part of the NSWCCC team and will compete at the All Schools Swimming Championships.

Max – Gold in 100m Fly event and Bronze in 200m Individual Medley.
Keeley – Silver in 50m breaststroke and Bronze in 100m breaststroke.

Rugby League
Congratulations to Tom Moffitt who has been selected for the U15's Northern NSW Country Catholic Colleges Rugby League team.

Rugby Union 10’s
The U16 girls team had a tough day at Coffs Harbour last week. After a last minute decision to change venues due to the field closures in Crescent Head, the girls went out there with enthusiasm and determination. The team played four games across the day, securing a win, a loss, a draw and a no result (due to an injury to the other team). The girls should be proud of their efforts despite the mixed results. Their performance on the day will ensure schools do not underestimate the U16's Rugby girls, especially when coached by Mr Melville. Congratulations girls.

Netball
Well done to all students who participated in the Netball Schools Cup in Kempsey this week. All teams will play in the Regional Finals in Port Macquarie at the end of August. 

Warwick Clarke Shield
The teachers took on the Year 12 students in Table Tennis last week Friday. It was clear that the Year 12's have honed in their skills in this sport, beating the teachers 67 points to 33. That brings that Warwick Clarke Shield scores to a tie at 2-2.

Upcoming events
⦁ College Cross Country – First Friday of Term 2 (28 April)

Mr Heath Needs - Teacher and Sports Coordinator

heath.needs@lism.catholic.edu.au

Third Teacher Boxes
Third Teacher Boxes were introduced to every classroom across the College during the middle of Term 1 to support teachers in their pedagogy. These boxes are being embraced by some of our teachers to enhance the learning experiences of their students.

Mrs Haaring has been using the mini whiteboards in her Year 7 English classes (7C and 7G). The students had a great time creating PEEL paragraphs by writing them on the mini whiteboards. Mrs Haaring said that the students were all engaged, on task, worked in groups and created sound writing which they analysed in the following lesson.

Ms Maria Littlejohn - Leader of Pedagogy

maria.littlejohn@lism.catholic.edu.au

Vaping: Take a Stand Against Vaping
Whether you suspect your child is vaping or not, take the time to talk to them about it and help them understand all of the risks. It is never too late to have the conversation.

Watch this short clip by Professor Adam Jaffé, Paediatric Respiratory Consultant at Sydney Children’s Hospital and Head of Paediatrics at the University of New South Wales.

Start the conversation with your child in a relaxed, easy-going way, perhaps using a cue from around you, such as this message from the College, a news story about vaping, or seeing people vaping on the street.

If your child is vaping, encourage them to stop, let them know that help is available and you are there for them. Help them to explore other ways to fit in with their peers. But also give the message that it is important to think and act independently.

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?

Support to Quit Vaping

fiona.stuart@lism.catholic.edu.au

The St Paul’s College P & F Association has filled all executive positions except for the Treasurer. We invite anyone who has been considering contributing to the P & F and may be interested in this position to contact the College office. The outgoing Treasurer has offered support during the transition period to the new Treasurer.

The next P & F meeting will be taking place on Monday 8 May in the staff lunchroom. Parents/carers and friends of the College are warmly invited to attend. Helpers are requested to assist with the wrapping of donated gifts for the Mother's Day appeal at 4:30pm and the meeting will begin at 5:30pm. You are welcome to assist with the wrapping of Mother's Day gifts or attend the meeting or both. 

The P &F Association looks forward to seeing new faces next Monday.


Sarah Osborne - President of the P & F

A group of Year 9 and 10 students from St Paul’s College participated in a full day sprint on the Ethics and Applications of Artificial Intelligence. The students worked online under the guidance of facilitators from Australia Awards PNG and the University of Melbourne with 500 students and educators from across Australia and Papua New Guinea participating. This partnership fosters communication and collaboration between students, developing intercultural understanding and problem-solving skills.

The students completed an Artificial Intelligence and Ethics Jigsaw activity in order to empathise, define, ideate and pitch their ideas via a Google meet with four schools in PNG. Thereafter, they had a chance to ask questions of their partner schools.

Thank you to Mr Glen Northey for facilitating the students from St Paul’s and to the students themselves, including Matthew Chow, Eva Croker, Emma Miller, Ryley Kennard, Alana Ennis, Benjamin Riley, Hayden Brack and Eli Baywood who represented the College with enthusiasm and expertise. The students have been able to reflect on the differences in the educational opportunities between our two countries but have also appreciated that together they have shared aspirations and hopes for the future.

The Agriculture Team at St Paul's has been busy preparing for the upcoming shows in Wauchope, Kempsey and Macksville over the holiday period. Thank you to Mr Graham Bramley, St Paul's Leader of VET and teacher of Agriculture and Primary Industries, and Ms Lisa Frewen for supporting the students who will be participating in events held in the local shows. We wish them the best of luck!

Students and families are welcome to visit the Agriculture Team at the Cattle Pavillion at any of the shows.

St Paul's Agriculture team had the opportunity to visit the College Assembly on Wednesday this week - a great learning experience for the cattle and students.

Owing to the serious nature of the allergic reactions of some members in the St Paul’s College community to aerosol products, such as deodorants, hair spray and body spray, the school community is banning these products.

The aim of this policy is to ensure the health and safety of St Paul’s College staff and students.

Aerosol products for personal use are not to be brought onto the school grounds.

Students and staff are asked to use pump sprays instead of aerosol cans, or use liquid or paste forms of products, or in the case of deodorants roll-ons. Pressurised aerosol products emit volatile organic chemicals and produce a fine mist that is easily inhaled and absorbed into the lungs and bloodstream. Teachers are asked to confiscate any aerosol products found at school and take them to the relevant Year or House Pastoral Coordinator. Parents will be informed that the products have been taken from their child and that they can call into the school and collect the item. Products will not be returned to students.

Exemptions may apply with teacher permission for the limited use of aerosol products in some courses. Students will be specifically advised of this permission, and must not assume that it is given.

The College is no longer permitted to refer to previous permission given to administer paracetamol to students. From Term 2 the College will no longer provide paracetamol to students, unless prescribed to the student.

If a student requires any medication, including paracetamol, to be administered by the College, then parents/carers are required to provide:

1. The medication in its original packaging with a pharmacy label detailing the student's name, dosage and time to be taken ('as required' is not acceptable).
2. A completed and signed Medication Indemnity form.
3. A letter from the prescribing doctor detailing the name of the student, the condition for which the medication is required and the guidelines for its administration.

Further information is available here: Medication Policy

Medical Indemnity form is available here: Medication Indemnity form

Please note that this information is also available via Compass under School Documentation (access via your browser not the app).

If you have any queries please contact the College office on 6562 7200.

ANZAC Day Mass
All staff, students and their families are invited to attend ANZAC Day Mass celebrated by Fr James at All Saints Catholic Church, Kempsey at 9am on Tuesday 25 April.

ANZAC Day Marches and Commemorative Services
Students are invited to join our College community in the march and wreath laying services held in the Macleay and Nambucca valleys on ANZAC Day, Tuesday 25 April.

Kempsey
All students marching in Kempsey will meet at the back of Mavins service station on Sydney Street, across from netball courts at 10.15am. Students are to wear their academic uniform. Senior students are to wear the College tie. Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle and their College hat or cap. The contact teacher for Kempsey will be Mr David Johns.

South West Rocks
All students marching in South West Rocks will meet at the car park on the corner of Paragon and Gregory Street at 10.15am. Students are to wear their academic uniform. Senior students are to wear the College tie. Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle and their College hat or cap. The contact teacher for South West Rocks will be Mrs Amy Tovey.

Macksville
All students marching in Macksville will meet at Princess Street at 10.30am. Students are to wear their academic uniform. Senior students are to wear the College tie. Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle and their College hat or cap. The contact teacher for Macksville will be Mr Doug Gately.

Crescent Head
All students marching in Crescent Head will meet in front of the service station at 8.45am. Students are to wear their academic uniform. Senior students are to wear the College tie. Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle and their College hat or cap. The contact teacher for Crescent Head will be Ms Fiona Stuart.

Staff will also be attending other services in the Macleay and Nambucca valleys, including the following:

• Nambucca Heads - Mr Brendan Goswell
• Willawarrin - Mr Geoff Melville

This is a great opportunity for students to represent the College in a community event and show respect for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country.

Each year, St Paul's College provides the venue for NSW Health to conduct the NSW Schools Vaccination Program. PLEASE NOTE: NSW Health has a new process for collecting consent for your child to receive their vaccination at school. Please read the information below provided by NSW Health.

Vaccination Program Date remaining in 2023:

Term 4 – 17 October 2023

· Year 7 catch up (HPV & Boostrix)

· Year 10 & 11 Nimenrix (meningococcal ACWY) catch up

Online consent for school vaccinations
If your child is in Year 7 or Year 10 this year, or is in Year 11 and missed their Year 10 vaccinations in 2022, you can now provide online consent for their routine school vaccinations.

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

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

How to provide consent:

1. To complete online consent for your child’s school vaccinations, visit: https://nswhealth.service-now.com/school
2. Click the login with ‘Service NSW Account’ button and log in using your Service NSW details. This is the same account you may already use to renew your driver’s licence. If you don’t have a Service NSW account, refer to Service NSW to create one.
3. Update or confirm your personal details in Service NSW as required.
4. Complete the School Vaccination Consent Form for your child/ren. You will need to:
   ⦁ Enter your child’s personal details
   ⦁ Provide the Medicare card details for you and your child
   ⦁ Read the linked Parent Information Sheet and privacy statement
   ⦁ Provide consent

If you or your child do not have a Medicare card, consent can still be provided by requesting a paper-based consent form (please contact the College office on 6562 7200 to ask for a hard copy form).

Read a step-by-step guide on how to provide consent online. Translated guides are available in Arabic, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese.

For more information on routine school vaccinations, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/schoolvaccination or contact the Port Macquarie Public Health Unit on 02 6589 2120.

Enrolments for Year 7 for 2024 are now open and we have begun interviewing. If you have applied you will be contacted in the coming weeks to arrange your interview time, we interview all applicants. Applications for Year 7, 2024 must be lodged before 31 May 2023. This is applicable to students from all schools including Catholic feeder primary schools.

Please follow the link HERE for further information regarding enrolments at St Paul's College.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Thank you to all parents/carers who have registered with Flexischools. This is the required method of ordering recess and lunch via the Flexischools phone app or online. 

Please register with Flexischools HERE

If your children are responsible for ordering their own lunches via Flexischools, please remind them to order the night before or before 9am each day. We are receiving too many "over the counter bag orders" throughout the day, which interrupts our preparation and making of orders in a timely manner. The canteen is closed except for before school, recess and lunch times, hence the importance of ordering via Flexischools.

• Order on the Flexischools app - anywhere, any time.
• Please create an account with Flexischools where you can find the latest daily menu available, prices and any specials for the day.
• When searching for your school we are listed under St Paul's West Kempsey.
• Recess and lunch order cut off is 9am daily.
• You can cancel your order at any time before 9am the day of the order by contacting the Flexischools helpline 1300 361 769 or call the College to cancel if your child is sick or absent on 6562 7200.
  
• Consider ordering extra drinks, icecreams, chips etc on the Flexischools app or online, so you can beat the queue and collect items at 1:45pm.

Should anyone have problems with the Flexischools system, the helpline number is 1300 361 769, open from 8am-4pm daily. They are very helpful and friendly.

Please note: We are currently having milk supply issues with BEGA Dairy, therefore the flavoured milk is not available from the canteen at this time. They are working hard to repair the machine breakdown, however it will take some time before stocks are replenished.



Ricki Saunders - Canteen Manager

ABSTUDY is assistance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students with the cost of studying and training. 

Students can get ABSTUDY when they start high school and can continue to receive payments whether they live at home or away from home. ABSTUDY continues to help when students move on to higher education or starting an apprenticeship. There are also extra payments for those students who go on to do Masters and Doctorate studies.

Depending on a student’s circumstances, ABSTUDY can help with:

• school fees
• boarding fees
• living costs
• travel costs
• buying school materials (uniforms, textbooks and stationery)

For more information about ABSTUDY visit servicesaustralia.gov.au/ABSTUDY or call 1800 132 317.

It’s not too late to claim ABSTUDY support for the 2023 school year.

You can download the ABSTUDY high school eKit HERE

The Diocese of Lismore is seeking applications for a permanent part time Prison Chaplain who will be supporting the Mid North Coast Correctional Centre in Kempsey, NSW, working alongside existing Catholic chaplains Caroline Coggins and Fr James.

This Chaplain position is for 3 days a week. The suitably qualified Chaplain will provide high quality transformational pastoral care and spiritual support to inmates, their families/carers, and staff.

Please click on this Seek link to access more information and to apply online for the role or alternatively email mbradley@lismore.catholic.org.au or call Marijo Bradley on
02 6621 9444. The closing date for this role is Friday 14 April 2023.

Youth mental health outreach service, headspace, is hosting free webinars for parents and carers who are supporting young people with their mental health during the school holidays.

The session aims to:

• Identify challenges and opportunities of the school holiday period
• Offer practical ideas for parents and carers
• Provide information about additional support services
• Highlight the importance of self-care

Click HERE to register for this free webinar.

Go4Fun is a FREE 10 week program to help families become fitter, healthier and happier. We make being active FUN and teach healthy eating habits.

Enroll now for Term 2 programs at Coffs Harbour, Kempsey and Port Macquarie!

Call 1800 780 900 or register online at

www.go4fun.com.au/register