Term 1 Week 6 - 8 March 2024
- Principal's Message
- Attendance Matters - Every Day at School Counts
- Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching
- Assistant Principal - Mission and Wellbeing
- Ministry and Evangelisation
- Curriculum
- Sport
- Pastoral Care
- Library
- International Women's Day - 8 March
- Year 7 2025 Enrolments Open
- Student Focus - Year 11 Human Services and Early Childhood Education
- Student Focus - Year 10-12 Agriculture
- Student Focus - Year 10 Catholic Youth Ministry
- Student Leadership Forum
- NAPLAN Testing
- Drop Everything And Read
- Love Bites 2023 Program
- Save the Date - Parent Teacher Evening
- Important Dates 2024
- Vaccination Dates 2024
- P & F Annual General Meeting
- Alumni News
- Project Compassion Appeal
- School Student Broadband Initiative
- ANZAC Challenge Program
- 2024 Student Residential Address and Other Information Collection Notice
- Parent Talk Newsletter
- Compass - How to Guide for Parents
- Starting Secondary School - Tipsheets for Families
- RealTalk - Free Resources for Parents
- Rotary River Run and Walk
- Macleay Youth Laneway Festival 2024
- Save the Date - Yuwa Nyinda Dream Academy
- Newsletter Sponsors
We expect our students to write sentences at the end of all of our lessons, to not only summarise what we have learnt but also develop our literacy skills. This information can then be brought home and shared with family for further discussion and an embedding of what has been learnt and understood.
A variety of assessment activities are taking place across the next few weeks. Not only do we have formative and summative assessment across our junior classes, but also assessment blocks for Year 11 (Week 9) and Year 12 (Week 8). The College is also preparing for our NAPLAN testing that will take place across 13 -25 March. This will involve our Year 7 and Year 9 students and I look forward to once again seeing some pleasing results in the Literacy and Numeracy space. The NAPLAN experience seeks to provide data to inform the College of what we are doing well and what we need to do better. Students engaging with NAPLAN with a sincere and motivated attitude will certainly support what the College does for all our students.
Last week the College hosted the World Day of Prayer - a Christian gathering to pray for those in the Holy Land who are experiencing extreme anguish and devastation. Students with support from Mr Matthew Mitchell, Leader of Evangelisation, ran this experience and it was extremely impressive. We welcomed a number of visitors who commented on the high calibre of students we have here at the College.
Finally, I would like to thank Ms Bethany Rennes, Ms Jade Tildsley and Mr Glen Northey who have successfully launched our Duke of Edinburgh programme at the College. The interest has been significant and demonstrates the willingness of our students to develop new skills and build community. We are so lucky to be part of a community that inspires strong ‘futures of hope’!
Kind regards
Mr David JOHNS B.Ed., Cert. Gifted Ed., Grad. Cert. Adol. Health and Welfare, M.Ed. (Ed Lead), M.Ed. (Theol)
Principal
Students should be at school every day during the school Term, right from the first day until the last. Family holidays should be taken during the school holidays, not during Term time. In cases where absences are unavoidable, parents/carers are asked to make contact with the College in advance of the absence and to work with teachers to ensure that students catch up with missed material and that school processes are followed for any missed assessment tasks.
We have seen some excellent success and dedication to learning from our students over the past fortnight. The huge number of students who volunteered to support our learning areas at the Open Evening this week is a testament to their dedication to our College community. Thank you to all the staff and students who showcased their subjects in such a positive way. We are very proud of the continued success of our learners in the St Paul’s College community. Keep it up!
NAPLAN
A reminder to parents and students that Year 7 and 9 will be undertaking their NAPLAN testing during Week 7. Please ensure your children attend school each day during this period. Please reinforce to your children that NAPLAN is nothing to worry about and not something we need them to ‘study’ for. It is a measure of a group's progress and information for us to support the students and the school.
Drop Everything and Read
Our literacy reading initiative for Year 7-10 students started this week with great success! Thank you to all the staff and students who brought reading materials on Tuesday. The students can access the library and the support of our librarian, Mrs Martin to support you to find reading material that you will enjoy.
Atomi - The Stats
Congratulations to Year 12 students, Isabelle Koivu and Archer Northey, who have completed the most hours on Atomi this Term.
The following statistics show the Atomi use between Year 11 and 12 students this Term:
- 10,258 questions have been answered
- 1,675 lessons were completed
- 183 hours have been spent on Atomi
Congratulations to you all!
Please reach out if you have any questions about the learning for your students.
Ms Kate Fullbrook - Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching
A Day in the Life of a St Paul’s Student 2024
One of the great joys during the year at the College is the opportunity to meet potential St Paul’s students at the annual 'A Day in the Life of a St Paul’s student'. This year the College hosted 150 Year 6 students from the following 14 primary schools: our feeder schools St Joseph’s Primary school Kempsey and St Patrick’s Primary Macksville; Aldavilla PS, Crescent Head PS, South West Rocks PS, Smithtown PS, Kempsey West PS, Frederickton PS, Kinchela PS, Eungai Creek PS, Kempsey East PS, St Mary’s PS Bowraville, Stuarts Point PS, Telegraph PS.
It was a fantastic opportunity for our College to meet so many young students interested in joining our community in 2025. There was a great energy at St Paul’s during the day for many reasons. Expert sessions were led by our wonderful staff: Ms Belinda Mainey leading Food Technology; Ms Rayleigh Keith and Ms Jade Tildsley leading Science; Mr Graham Bramley leading Agriculture; Mrs Melissa Preston leading the HSIE Scavenger Hunt; Mr Scotty Edwards leading Sport and Mr Steve Hall leading our Wellbeing staff.
There was great support from approximately 80 St Paul’s students helping our visitors around the College and within each session and it was wonderful to see the interactions between the Year 12 students and our Year 6 visitors during our BBQ lunch. A great spirit was evident as close on 300 students met together during lunch, which was poignant considering that in 2025 our current Year 12 students will have left the College to experience the next aspect of their lives, while our new Year 7 cohort will be finding their feet as they begin their journey at St Paul’s.
The enrolment process at St Paul’s is easily accessible via the College website and enrolments for Year 7 2025 will close on 31st May, please contact the College if you have questions regarding this opportunity to join our community in 2025.
Mr Geoffrey Melville - Assistant Principal - Mission and Wellbeing
World Day of Prayer
We are delighted to share the remarkable success of the World Day of Prayer service recently hosted by St Paul's College for the Christian churches in Kempsey. This inspiring event, led by the dedicated Year 11 and 12 Senior Ministry Team, was a powerful display of communal prayer and unity.
The World Day of Prayer is a global movement that unites Christians from diverse denominations in a shared commitment to prayer and communal support. Observed annually on the first Friday of March, this occasion emphasises collective prayer and joint action for justice and peace. It serves as a poignant reminder that irrespective of our denominational differences, we are all bound together in our faith and dedication to making a positive impact on the world.
This year, the World Day of Prayer took on a special significance with the theme 'Palestine and the Holy Land'. This theme called for reflection on the unique challenges and blessings of this sacred region, emphasising the importance of unity and solidarity among believers globally.
The Year 11 and 12 Senior Ministry Team, with passion and creativity, orchestrated a service that beautifully incorporated elements reflecting the rich cultural and spiritual tapestry of Palestine and the Holy Land. The service seamlessly blended traditional prayers and contemporary expressions of worship, providing a deeply meaningful experience for all in attendance.In supporting roles, the Year 10 Catholic Youth Ministry class played a crucial part in warmly welcoming guests and ensuring their comfort throughout the morning tea. Their commitment and enthusiasm significantly contributed to the overall positive atmosphere, fostering connections among attendees from various Christian traditions.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who participated in and supported the World Day of Prayer service at the College. Your presence and contributions made this event a powerful celebration of faith, unity and solidarity.
As we move forward, let us carry the spirit of the World Day of Prayer with us, fostering continued collaboration and understanding among the Christian churches in Kempsey. Together, we can create a community that thrives on shared values and the transformative power of prayer.
Mr Matthew Mitchell - Leader of Evangelisation
Year 11 and 12 Assessment Weeks
The Stage 6 Assessment Handbook provides students with information regarding the submission of assessments, late penalties, plagiarism, the use of AI and NESA policies. This handbook can be found on Compass, under School Documentation, Assessments and then Assessment handbook.
Attendance the week before and during the assessment block is compulsory. Any absences during the assessment block must be accompanied by a misadventure form with supporting evidence. If it is for an illness, a medical certificate from a GP is required. You are also required to attend school throughout the entirety of the assessment period. If you are absent you are required to provide evidence with a completed misadventure form.
The Year 11 and 12 assessment schedules can be found below:
Curriculum Highlight
Year 12 Biology students have been learning about the structure of DNA and the process of DNA replication and Protein Synthesis. The structure of DNA was modelled using sherbet sticks and different coloured marshmallows that represented the sugar-phosphate backbone and the nitrogenous bases of DNA. They then created DNA sequenced friendship bracelets and had to find their complementary strand with another student in their class. These activities helped students to visualise the process in a fun and engaging way.
Mrs Amy Tovey - Leader of Curriculum
Cricket
Congratulations to the following students who were successful in their application to trial for the NSW Combined Catholic Colleges U15’s Cricket team:
- Sophie Preston
- Tess O’Sullivan
- Flynn Mainey
Well done and we wish these students all the best with the trial in Sydney!
Touch Football
Andie Laird – Year 7 was successful at the Diocesan Touch trials and will now represent the Diocese at the NSWCCC Touch football championships. This is an outstanding achievement to be selected in the U15’s team in year 7. Well done Andie.
Winter Sports Trials
- Rugby League
Congratulations to Bailey Rogan who has been selected for the U15 boys Rugby League Diocesan team. - Soccer
Congratulations to Blake Bullen for being selected for the Lismore Diocesan Open boys Soccer team.
NSW Mountain Bike Series
Well done to the St Paul's students who took part in the first event of the NSW Mountain Bike Series held in Kempsey on Friday 8 March in Kempsey.
Upcoming Sporting Events
- Rugby 10’s Gala Day –14 March
- College Cross Country – 26 March
- Opens Diocesan Soccer – 2 April
- Ride The Wave, Surf event – 2-3 April at Port Macquarie
Mr Heath Needs - Teacher and Sports Coordinator
Social Media
Reachout.com has some fantastic and relevant resources on social media.
Students growing up in a digital age need to feel confident about making positive choices online, which will benefit their ongoing wellbeing. Schools and the classroom provide safe spaces for students to explore their ideas around social media, and to learn that there are both positive and negative aspects of using platforms. Ultimately, however, each individual needs to decide for themselves how to engage with the online world.
Social media platforms are developed and updated regularly; accordingly, the way students engage with each platform will also evolve. These platforms differ in functionality which can include sharing messages, ideas, photos, stories and other content. Some platforms were popular for only a short time (e.g. Kik, Yik Yak, Vines, Myspace), while others have evolved with the audience to become part of everyday life (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter).
It's important that teachers and parents stay up to date with each platform's functionality and terms of service, so they can have informed, engaging and factually accurate conversations with young people. The eSafety Commissioner provides updates on popular social media platforms through the eSafety Guide.
Regardless of the platform, it is imperative that we teach students respectful behaviours, responsible use of technology and the importance of resilience and reasoning.
By teaching students about concepts such as boundary setting, privacy, trolling, cyberbullying and overuse, they’ll feel confident to make these choices. Helping students to see how social media can be used to promote positive upstander behaviour and to do good for others in our society will support them to make positive online choices. By using these classroom resources and Wellbeing Fives, students will be confident as they navigate the ever-changing social media world.
Ms Fiona Stuart - Leader of Pastoral Care
Premier's Reading Challenge
Reading for the Premier’s Reading Challenge (PRC) has begun. Registrations remain open for a while so there is still plenty of opportunity for your child to be part of either the PRC or our in-house Challenge. To register, students can visit the library and talk to staff or register online at our Chisholm Library Website
To be eligible for the PRC completion certificate, students can record up to 10 books of their own choice and 10 from the PRC Reading list. This list is available through our website and can also assist parents looking for quality reading material for their child. Shown is a snippet of how to find the list. Simply visit our library site and under Reading Lists search for Premier’s Reading Challenge 2024.
For our in-house challenge students only need to read 5 books during the PRC Challenge, with monthly draws to encourage active participation and end of challenge prizes. Students can visit the library for more details.
More Notable Reads
The CBCA Book of the Year 2024 Notables List has been released. We have some of the winning books and available copies on display and will be purchasing more titles in the coming weeks. These titles, as well as the books from the PRC Reading list mentioned above, are a great source of quality reading material for your child to use during the College’s reading program D.E.A.R (Drop Everything And Read).
If you are interested in reading more about the 2024 Notables winners, you can visit the CBCA Notables page here
Book Chat
Our February Library Lover’s competition was drawn at this week’s Book Chat. Congratulations to Ned Gadsden in Year 7 who was the lucky borrower this February.
Overdues
Emails have been sent out this week and thank you to all those who have responded with returns and queries. We are looking forward to many happy returns in the coming weeks. Thank you again for your support in returning items and also supporting your child’s reading enjoyment.
Kind Regards
Mrs Patrice Martin, Mrs Cathy Whalen & Ms Karen Irvine- Library Assistants
Happy International Women's Day! We celebrate the achievements of women and honour their strength, resilience and contributions to society. Thank you to all women in the St Paul's College community who work each day to make a difference!
Enrolments for Year 7 2025 at St Paul’s College are NOW OPEN! We invite all interested parents/carers of Year 6 students to commence the enrolment process by following the link here. Please ensure you read all the instructions carefully on the website for existing families enrolling new students, as the process is new for 2024.
Enrolments close Friday 31 May – this deadline applies to ALL students interested in a Catholic secondary education at St Paul’s College.
St Paul's Year 11 Human Services - Aged Care and Early Childhood Education and Care students participated in First Aid training as a requirement of their course. The students learnt many skills such as performing CPR, using a defibrillator, how to apply slings for fractures, how to treat bites/stings and acted out various scenarios in an emergency situation. To find out more about the Vocational Education Training programs on offer at the College, please visit the link here.
Silage Baling at Francis Farm
Last week one of our past students and now Agricultural Contractor, Stewart Witchard, baled up a multispecies fodder crop into Silage. Our Agriculture students across Year 10-12 were able to witness parts of the process. The crop was composed of Setaria Grass, Clover, Lab Lab, Sunflowers, Chicory and other common summer growing grasses such as Paspalum.
The total crop yielded 28 x 450kg bales of silage, which is an average 12.2 bales per hectare. One paddock yielded 22 bales per hectare. These bales will be used to feed our livestock during periods of dry or cold weather when pasture production slows and a reserve will also be kept for flood events.
Once the crop had been removed, our Year 12 Agriculture students took soil samples to be sent away for analysis. This will be used to guide our fertiliser plan for the paddocks as we transition to winter dominant species.
St Paul's Year 10 Youth Ministry class visited St Joseph's Primary school this week and helped the Wildfire Band run a retreat for all the students. The K-2 students explored the fact that God knows us all by name, while the Year 3-6 students were invited into friendship with Jesus.
Mr Matthew Mitchell and Olivia Eberhaut, College Youth Minister, did an excellent job preparing our students for their role as small group leaders. The students from both St Joseph's and St Paul's enjoyed a day of music, dancing, drama performances, group activities and prayer.
Thank you to Mrs McGovern and the St Joseph's community for inviting us to their school for the day.
Four St Paul's Year 11 students attended a Student Leadership session at Kempsey Shire Council last week. The students were invited, along with their peers from Kempsey High School, Melville High and Kempsey Adventist School, to be involved in a workshop with several Councillors. The Mayor, Mr Leo Hauville, addressed the students about the operations of the Council in the Kempsey Shire. The students then workshopped a presentation that they will deliver at a Council meeting on Tuesday 19 March. Our students did an incredible job representing the College and we look forward to hearing their presentations. Well done Mia Quinn, Ollie Hill, Brianna O' Donnell and Isabelle Preston.
Year 7 and Year 9 NAPLAN testing is being held at the College on the following days:
- Wednesday 13 March - Writing
- Thursday 14 March - Reading
- Friday 15 March - Conventions of Language
- Monday 18 March - Numeracy
Please ensure that your child has the following items everyday during this time:
- Fully charged device
- Headphones (that are capable of being plugged into their device)
If you wish to withdraw your child from testing please contact the College via email kmps@lism.catholic.edu.au and a withdrawal form will be sent to you for completion.
NAPLAN is just one part of our school learning assessment program. The tests assess literacy and numeracy skills your child is already learning at school. In preparation for NAPLAN, our school will undertake activities to help students become familiar with the format and functionality of the online tests. These activities are not an assessment of student ability and will not be marked. Excessive preparation for NAPLAN is not required nor recommended. The public demonstration site is available to see the types of questions, tools and functions used in the NAPLAN tests.
Further information about NAPLAN is available on the NESA website
If you have any questions about NAPLAN, please contact the College.
St Paul's launched 'Drop Everything And Read' this week, where every student in Year 7-10 (and staff), will have time to read during one lesson per week. This initiative aims to increase vocabulary, improve writing fluency and make reading a priority in our lives. The lesson allocated for D.E.A.R will change each week to reduce the impact on learning on any one subject. The students will be notified of the timetable with plenty of notice.
Please ensure your child has a book in their bags each day coming to school. This could be their reading book for class, something they are reading for leisure, a book from the library or a magazine they enjoy. Please make sure the content is appropriate for school. Students can see Ms Martin in the library for some advice on books that may interest them if they need some help.
St Paul's Year 10 2023 students participated in two Love Bites sessions last year. These were facilitated by Family Connect in Schools, Pathfinders Family Connect and Support, NSW Health Port Macquarie and the Kempsey DV and Sexual Assault Team.
The sessions explored healthy relationships, domestic violence and consent. To end the program, students participated in a Therapeutic Art session to create artworks reflecting what they had learnt about respectful relationships. The colourful artworks have been used on shirts that the students have received this year to wear proudly as part of their community campaign. Thanks to Team Spirit for working with us on this project.
If you need any further support or assistance please contact Ashleigh Howe - Family Connect in School’s worker at St Paul's College 0448 526 777 or 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732 ) 24/7, Kids Helpline- 1800 55 1800 (24/7). 13YARN (13 92 76) for ATSI.
If your child is in Year 7 or Year 10 this year, 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 a free vaccine for meningococcal ACWY.
Please note - Year 8 and Year 11 students who have an online consent/signed consent form from 2023, will be offered catch up vaccinations in 2024.
If parents/guardians consent online they will receive a reminder text 3 days prior to the clinic date.
Vaccination will only be provided at school if consent has been received.
Term 1 - Wednesday 27 March
⦁ Year 10 Nimenrix (Meningococcal ACWY)
⦁ Year 11 Nimenrix (Meningococcal ACWY) - (Catch up)
⦁ Year 8 HPV (Human papillomavirus) and Boostrx (Catch up)
Term 2 - Tuesday 4 June
⦁ Year 7 dTpa (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis) and HPV (Human papillomavirus)
⦁ Catch up clinic if required
To provide consent for vaccination online, parents/carers will need to:
- Visit the online consent portal here.
- Follow the steps to log in to your existing ServiceNSW account. This is the same account you may already use to renew your driver's licence. If you don't have a ServiceNSW account, refer to ServiceNSW to create one.
- Enter Medicare details for yourself and your child and provide consent.
- If you consent online, you will receive a reminder text 3 days prior to the clinic date
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.
The benefits of providing consent online:
⦁ easily update your child's details
⦁ receive SMS and/or email notifications when vaccinations are given
⦁ faster upload of vaccination records to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
For more information on routine school vaccinations, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/
St Paul's College invites all parents/carers and community members to attend the Parents and Friends (P & F) Association AGM on Monday 11 March at 5:30pm in the staff lunchroom. Light refreshments will be provided. We look forward to new association members and fresh ideas to support our students.
Our first alumni spotlight is focused on Lachy Townsend, currently working as the Chief Customer Officer at Coastline Credit Union. Lachy graduated from St Paul's in 2013 and his fondest memory of the College is enjoying the school discos that were held in the old school hall. Thank you for sharing your story with us!
Our second alumni spotlight is focused on Matthew Scott, currently working as an Assistant Principal at Kempsey South Public School. Matthew graduated from St Paul's in 2007 and his fondest memories of the College include the retreats, school discos, handball competitions, Mr Brown's art lessons and Mr Scotty Edwards' PE classes. Thank you for sharing your story with us!
If you are a past student of St Paul's College or know someone who is, please fill in this short questionnaire or share the link. We would love to hear your post-school story!
Calling All Past Students
Our ex-students can be business owners, tradespeople, sportspeople, self-employed, entrepreneurs, professionals and more. All stories encourage our students to see what life can offer after high school.
If you would like your story to be shared with St Paul's students and community, please complete this short questionnaire.
The student broadband initiative is an Australian Government resource powered by NBN to support your child’s education with free internet at home. The program is primarily intended as an affordability measure to help those with school-aged children who may be experiencing financial hardship.
Please follow the link here to check eligibility and for help getting your family connected.
The Parent Talk newsletter aims to provide parents and carers with relevant and timely information about parenting, education, wellbeing, upcoming CCSP events and webinars for parents, and significant Catholic news and events.
The Council of Catholic School Parents NSW/ACT represents all parents and carers of students in our Catholic schools. We value and promote the critical role that parents play in the education of their children, and provide leadership, advocacy and support for parents and carers of children in almost 600 Catholic schools.
Parents and carers are invited to subscribe to CCSP’s Parent Talk newsletter to receive future editions and keep up to date with how our Council supports Catholic school parents to support their children’s wellbeing, faith journey and academic outcomes.
Click here to subscribe.
Please follow the links below for resources on how to navigate Compass:
- Compass App - Notifications
- Compass App - Adding Absence Notes
- Compass App - Accessing Calendars
- Compass App - Newsfeed
Please see below a series of advice tipsheets from the Catholic Schools Office for families regarding your child starting high school.
All parents can now access a comprehensive online resource created by RealTalk Australia that provides access to a collection of resources to support parents and caregivers in exploring a diverse range of topics including:
- Puberty and personal development and identity
- Online Safety
- Friendships
- Consent and respectful relationships
- Impacts of Pornography.
The online portal provides a range of resources suitable for parents of both primary and secondary school students. Please see this flyer, which provides information about the resource and instructions for accessing the online portal.
The Macleay Youth laneway festival will be back in 2024 to celebrate Youth Week in our shire!
When: Saturday 13 April 2024, 2-6pm
Where: Clyde Street Mall, Kempsey
There are currently paid opportunities for youth aged 12 - 25 to be involved in the Laneway Festival. To find out more, please visit the website HERE.
Save the Date - The Yuwa Nyinda Dream Academy will be held on Wednesday 1 May and Thursday 2 May. The Yuwa Nyinda is a two day festival that aims to engage and inspire the local Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community to foster partnerships by celebrating youth, education, employment and training through a Dunghutti cultural lens.
St Paul's College will be arranging for students to attend and students/families who wish for more information can contact Mrs Linda Pogson at the College via kmps@lism.catholic.edu.au
