Term 2 Week 4 - 24 May 2024
- Principal's Message
- Principal's Appraisal
- Pupil Free Day - Friday 31 May
- Year 7 2025 Enrolments
- Attendance Matters - Every Day at School Counts
- Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching
- Catechesis
- Sport
- Pastoral Care
- Canteen Changes
- Literacy
- Important Dates 2024
- 2024 Vaccination Dates
- da Vinci Decathlon
- Science & Engineering Challenge
- Regional Shakespeare Carnival
- Wingham Beef Week
- 2024 Elders Olympics
- Save the Date - Year 12 Group Photo
- Save the Date - Year 7 2025 Orientation Day
- External Support Options for students and families
- Online Safety - Pressures from Social Media
- Free eSafety Parent Webinars
- Newsletter Sponsors
All students receive notifications for work that will be used as assessment items. This notification identifies what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, how it is to be submitted and how it will be marked. Families are encouraged to go through these notifications with their child/ren to ensure that what is being asked is clearly understood. If there is any confusion this can be cleared up with the class teacher prior to the submission date. This learning partnership is important and I would encourage ongoing communication with the class teachers if and when required.
I would like to acknowledge the success of many of our students over the course of the last few weeks. We have had our Bill Turner Cup boys and girls perform exceptionally well against very strong opposition. We observed excellent results in the Diocesesan Cross Country and within the last few days an undefeated performance from our junior Boys Rugby League team who competed in the NRL Country Cup Boys Gala Day. The Agriculture team travelled to Wingham Beef Week and again performed in a superb fashion. We had students involved in the da Vinci Decathlon and the Science & Engineering Challenge producing some tremendous results. More recently, students competed in the Regional Shakespeare Carnival in Armidale performing extremely well against very strong competition. It is pleasing to note that our Senior team has progressed to the State final and they should be very proud.
I thank all in our community who contributed to the Tell Them From Me survey. St Paul’s always wants to improve how we work with students, families and the community. This survey provided information that hopefully affirms what we are doing well as well as identify areas requiring growth. This survey is very important and I thank the many students and parents/carers who completed this.
Finally I thank the work of Mr Glen Northey and Mrs Bernette van Kal who have worked hard to bring together a combined 2021-2023 Yearbook. We are currently going through the proof of this and will shortly communicate to the College community how those interested may be able to purchase this. It is a tremendous publication that will be well enjoyed by our students and their families.
Wishing you all a great weekend.
Kind regards
Mr David JOHNS B.Ed., Cert. Gifted Ed., Grad. Cert. Adol. Health and Welfare, M.Ed. (Ed Lead), M.Ed. (Theol)
Principal
Dear Parents/carers
During Term 2 on Monday 17 June, the Principal of St Paul's College, Mr David Johns will be involved in a Principal appraisal process as part of his contract of employment. The appraisal process seeks information from a variety of people associated with the school and uses a number of tools to ensure effective consultation. The process aims to highlight the positive aspects of the leadership offered and identify areas for further development.
A timeline is currently being arranged to suit the needs of the school community. The appraisal will be conducted by an External Chair nominated by the Catholic Schools Office.
The full Principal appraisal process involves:
• a survey and self-appraisal statement completed by the Principal
• an interview with the Principal
• input as arranged with the Parish Priest
• surveys of parents, school staff and Catholic Schools Office personnel
• interviews with the College's Leadership Team
• interviews with a random selection of staff who request an interview with the Chair
• interviews with a random selection of parents/carers who request an interview with the Chair.
The preferred method of survey completion is by the online survey form. A link to this form will be forwarded to your email address. Please ensure your current email address is registered at the College as this survey link will be sent to you prior to the appraisal. Parents/carers may express their interest to be interviewed via this electronic form. Not all those who express an interest to be interviewed will be contacted. If not contacted, then parents/carers may wish to email their comments. Anonymous comments and emails will not be considered.
In writing the appraisal report, use of the information gathered will remain confidential and not identify sources. Every family in the school is encouraged to complete a survey.
Your support of the appraisal process is appreciated.
Yours faithfully
Mr Michael Mullaly
Chair
Proclaim 2024 Staff Day
On Friday 31 May, all Catholic Schools in the region will be closed as all staff are attending an important event, Proclaim 2024.
Proclaim is an initiative of the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools launched over a decade ago and has been instrumental in fostering vibrant Catholic communities within our schools. Proclaim 2024 marks a significant day for all school staff across the Lismore Diocese as we renew our commitment to advancing the Gospel in our schools.
Enrolments for Year 7 2025 close on Friday 31 May – applications cannot be submitted after this date, even if your child attends a Catholic primary school or has a sibling at the College.
We are now scheduling enrolment interviews with applicants for Year 7 2025 who have submitted their application with all requested documentation. If you have not been contacted by the College's enrolment officer by Friday 24 May 2024, please call the College on 6562 7200.
We are aware that some families have created a student profile for their child but not submitted an application. If the payment of the enrolment fee was not requested, this means you have not submitted an application. For enrolment applications, please visit the College website.
Is your child struggling to attend school?
If your child is avoiding school, it's crucial to proactively address the issue by contacting the Pastoral Care Leader, Ms Fiona Stuart, fiona.stuart@lism.catholic.edu.au or your child's Pastoral Care teacher.
Subject teachers play a key role in observing and understanding students' behaviours and can collaborate with you to identify and address any challenges your child may be facing.
Share your observations about your child's behaviour and express any concerns you may have. Be open and honest about the challenges your child is facing in attending school regularly. Collaboratively work with the College and your child to explore possible causes for your child's avoidance of school, this could include academic challenges or social issues. Work together with the College to develop and monitor strategies to address the identified issues.
- You can seek advice free from NSW ParentLine - 1300 1300 52.
- Book an appointment at the nearest Headspace centre.
- Book a session with the free ReachOut Coaching Service for parents and carers.
Tell Them From Me
If you are reading this before 4.30pm on Friday 24 May, you still have time to complete the parent survey! All parents have been emailed the link and here it is again.
The students have been completing their surveys at school and we thank them for their effort with this.
Atomi Year 11 and 12
Well done to the Year 11 and 12 students who are using Atomi to support their study. This week the awards for the highest usage go to Sophie Osborne and Grace Clarke. Congratulations and enjoy your canteen vouchers! Two vouchers in a row for Sophie - keep up the great work!
The Atomi platform is a resource the College has invested in because we know it supports the study habits for our students. The students who used Atomi last year continually improved in the lead up to their exams.
Year 11 and 12 Assessment Schedules
The senior students have been sent the assessment schedules for their upcoming tasks. We ask parents to look at these schedules with their children and make sure this is a priority over the coming weeks.
This is the last opportunity for assessment tasks before the trial examinations for Year 12 students, so they need to put in a massive effort to these tasks. Please use your teachers for support.
Subject Selection - Year 10
This is a second reminder that Subject Selection evening will take place on Wednesday 26 June this Term. Please save the date!
This is a compulsory evening for all parents of children who wish to continue their schooling at St Paul's into their HSC years. If you cannot make this date for any reason, please email me to let me know.
Please reach out if you have any questions about the learning for your students.
Ms Kate Fullbrook - Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching
John 21:15-17
Jesus showed himself to his disciples, and after they had eaten he said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep’.
- Simon Peter = St Peter - 1st Pope of the Catholic Church
- Why does Jesus ask Peter the same question three times?
- It is symbolic because Peter denies Jesus three times.
- If we look at the Greek translation, Jesus actually asks Peter if he AGAPES him. This is the ultimate expression of love, the kind of self-sacrificial love where someone would give their life for another person. Peter is unable to rise to the ultimate form of love, but settles for PHILIA instead. This is ‘brotherly love’ between good mates. Jesus repeats his question because he is calling Peter into a deeper relationship.
Mr Brendan Goswell - Leader of Catechesis
Bill Turner Cup Teams
Congratulations to both the Boy and Girl teams for being successful in their first round of the Bill Turner Cup and Bill Turner Trophy competitions. Unfortunately, both teams were narrowly defeated in the second round against St Joseph's Regional College and MacKillop College respectively.
Cross Country
On Friday 17 May, 30 St Paul’s students travelled to McAuley Catholic College in Grafton to compete in the Lismore Diocesan Cross Country Championships. The track was very tough and muddy, but the students had a great time and achieved incredible results.
The top six students in each age group are eligible to represent the Lismore Diocese at the NSWCCC Cross Country Championships in Sydney on 5 June.
Congratulations to the following students, who placed in the top six in their age groups:
Amelia Wilson - 1st
Flynn Tolman - 1st
Wilton Townsend - 1st
Will Czisz - 2nd
Hamish Davies - 3rd
Savannah Cronin - 3rd
Lani Gidzala - 5th
Chayse Trappel - 5th
Open’s Football (soccer) Championships
Good luck to Year 12 student, Blake Bullen, who will be representing the Lismore Diocese in the NSWCCC Football Championships on Tuesday and Wednesday, 28 and 29 May.
Girls Rugby 7’s U16’s NSWCCC Selections
Good luck to Isla Grafin Von Mengersen and Emily Stuart for the selection of the NSWCCC U16’s Rugby 7’s squad on 4 June.
Boys Rugby NSWCCC Selections
Good luck to the following students in the U16’s and U18’s Rugby Union selection trail for the NSWCCC teams on 3 June and 4 June.
⦁ Blake Gill and Cohen Guyatt (U18’s)
⦁ Mitchell Hornick and Jedd Gill (U16’s)
NRL Country Cup Boys Gala Day
St Paul's U13 boys squad remained undefeated in all their matches at the NRL Country Cup Boys Gala Day held in Port Macquarie on Wednesday 22 May.
The team achieved fantastic scores across the day: 18-6 in the first game against St John Paul College; 30-4 in the second game against Macksville High School; 16-4 in the semi final against Camden Haven High School, and 14-0 in the final game against MacKillop College.
The boys displayed fantastic courage and defence on the line against bigger squads, and worked as a team to achieve these excellent results.
The U13 boys now progress to the regional finals later in the Term. Thanks to Mr Leon Robinson for helping on the day and Ms Shannon Thomas for all the organisation behind the scenes.
Upcoming Sporting Events
- Netball Schools Cup (Years 9-10) – 28 May
- Cochrane Cup – U14’s Rugby League
- Junior Football Gala Day - 19 June
- Netball Schools Cup (juniors) – 20 June
- Girls Country Cup Rugby League – 20 June
Mr Heath Needs - Teacher and Sports Coordinator
Tell Them from Me Survey - Safety at school
Safety at school is a research-based measure from the Tell Them From Me surveys.
A safe school is one in which all students feel supported, where anti-social behaviour is minimised and staff, students, parents and community agencies work together to prevent bullying and exclusion.
The Tell Them From Me surveys ask parents and students about their child's experiences at school and their own perception of how antisocial behaviours are managed by the College. The results are reported as the average score for safe school.
Why is it important?
Safe schools help establish fair and supportive learning environments that allow students to develop to their full potential. Student perceptions of feeling unsafe are predictive of negative student outcomes and can impact behaviours, such as their willingness or likelihood of commuting to school by walking or cycling.
Schools are safer when school staff, students, parents and community agencies work together. Effective school safety programs involve clear school-wide guidelines, involvement from students, parents, and teachers, and increased monitoring in non-classroom areas. School staff must be able to recognise different forms of bullying and be willing to step in when they observe a student being bullied.
Feeling safe and valued is vital to a child’s development. Learning suffers when students fear for their safety, worry about being bullied, or don’t sense their teachers have high expectations for their success. In a healthy, supportive climate, students are engaged and take intellectual risks.
Ms Fiona Stuart - Leader of Pastoral Care
- Flexischool's order cut off is 8.15am each day, we encourage families and students to order the night before.
- Over the counter orders for recess and lunch, before school, are still accepted. However, phone and over the counter orders after 9am will now only be offered a limited menu and payment must be made by card at the time of ordering.
- A new look Flexischools menu will be available soon including regular specials.
Ricki Saunders - Canteen Manager
In order to develop our student's effectiveness in writing, the staff at St Paul's have been incorporating some specific literacy strategies as part of their general lessons. Over the next few weeks, we will review some of these strategies so they may be included in home study routines.
Strategy 1 - Sentence Fragments
Sentence fragments are incomplete sentences. We use sentence fragments commonly in note taking and jotting down the answers to questions. In their place, they are very useful, but we sometimes find them creeping into written texts where full sentences are required.
Example: Horses
In the case of questions, often the verb is missing from the sentence. Example: What is the social structure of wild horses?
Mr Roger Shipton - Literacy Coach
NSW Health School Vaccination Program 2024
Each year, St Paul's College provides the venue for NSW Health to conduct the NSW Schools Vaccination Program for our students.
Online consent for school vaccinations
If your child is in Year 7 or Year 10 this year, you can 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.
Vaccination Program Dates for 2024:
Term 2 - Tuesday 4 June
⦁ Year 7 dTpa (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis) and HPV (Human papillomavirus)
Term 3 - Wednesday 21 August
⦁ 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 Service NSW 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 Service NSW 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/schoolvaccination. If you have any questions regarding your child's school vaccinations, please contact the NSW Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055.
A group of St Paul's students from Year 7-11 competed in the da Vinci Decathlon held at St Columba Anglican School in Port Macquarie. This is an academic competition based on 10 elements of da Vinci's contributions to mankind. Throughout the day, students applied their knowledge and worked collaboratively in teams of eight to solve a range of problems ranging from Art and Drama to Mathematics and Engineering. Well done to St Paul's students for achieving fantastic results against 36 teams from the Mid North Coast region.
A group of St Paul's students from Year 9 and 10 attended the Science & Engineering Challenge (SEC) at Melville High School.
SEC is a nationwide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) outreach program presented by the University of Newcastle. Students work in teams covering eight different challenges ranging from designing a bridge to communicating with coloured lights.The students performed well with multiple teams achieving first and second in the team challenges and St Paul's College coming third overall.
Congratulations to St Paul's Drama students for their incredible performances at the regional Shakespeare Carnival held in Armidale on 15 May. St Paul's achieved third place in the Duologue and Group Devised sections. A special mention to Year 11 students, Isla Dowling, Ruby Robbins and Ruby Bradford, for winning the Ensemble section. They will now progress to the state level of the Shakespeare Carnival. Well done - we wish you the best of luck!
Congratulations to St Paul's Agriculture Team for their impressive achievements at the annual Wingham Beef Week across 13-17 May. Thank you to Mr Graham Bramley, Ms Lisa Frewen and the parents and families for their support of the students.
A group of St Paul's students attended the opening ceremony and banner parade at the 2024 Elders Olympics which was held on 9 May at the Kempsey Racecourse.
The Elders Olympics event has been held since 2001 making this event the 23rd Olympics. This year the event took place on Dunghutti Country and was hosted by Booroongen Djugun Limited Community Care Services. Elders from all over NSW travelled to the event to showcase their skills and compete against each other in a fun and energetic competition.
Congratulations to the South Inverell Beareaters Team 2 who were the winners of the 2024 Elders Olympics. Thanks to Mrs Linda Pogson and Mr Dre Barker for accompanying the students.
The Year 12 group photo will be taken on Wednesday 14 August. All Year 12 students are required to wear full academic uniform including ties and meet the presentation expectations of the College.
Please refer to the College Uniform and Presentation Policy for information regarding uniform expectations.
Wednesday 13 November 2024
Please save the date if you have applied for a position at the College for Year 7 2025. This is a compulsory day for students who accept an offer of a position at St Paul's for Year 7 2025.
If you or someone you know are experiencing any issues that are causing distress, please contact the services below for further support options.
Family Connect Service
The Family Connect services at St Paul's offers support with ANY issues your children or family unit may be experiencing. The service assists to link families to the appropriate specialist services all while providing a confidential and safe space to work with you and advocate for your needs.
St Paul's Family Connect and Support Worker, Ashleigh Howe, works at the College on Mondays and Fridays. Ashleigh has a professional background in the Family Support, Specialist Domestic and Family Violence and Mental Health spaces, and has worked and supported the Macleay Valley community for over 10 years.
If you would like to talk or need advice or support, please contact Ashleigh via email ashleigh.howe@socialfutures.org.au or text/call her on 0448 526 777.
Pressures from Social Media
While social media offers a convenient way to stay connected with friends, it can also foster feelings of comparison and the need for constant connection. Curating online personas, whether it's through filtered selfies, staged 'candid' photos, or embellished descriptions of experiences, is widespread and can cause young people to fall into the trap of believing that the posts they see reflect reality, when in fact, they often present an idealised version of life akin to a movie set.
The widespread use of filters and editing tools on social media platforms can also distort perceptions of beauty and contribute to unrealistic beauty standards. Teens may feel pressure to use these tools to alter their appearance in photos.
Understanding and recognising the link between body image and social media among young people is crucial for parents in supporting their young person’s wellbeing in the digital age. Negative comments or messages about appearance on social media can have a significant impact on teens' self-esteem and body image.
On the flip side, social media also provides a platform for body-positive movements and diverse representations of beauty. Young people who follow accounts promoting body acceptance and self-love may experience positive effects on their body image.
Foster a supportive and open relationship with your young person where they feel comfortable discussing their experiences on social media. Encourage them to share any concerns or challenges they may be facing.
Conversations with your young person regarding social media pressures could include:
- Teaching your teen about the potential pitfalls of social media, such as unrealistic beauty standards and the impact of constant comparison. Help them develop critical thinking skills to evaluate the content they encounter online.
- Model healthy social media behaviour by being mindful of your own usage and interactions online. Avoid engaging in negative or judgmental comments about appearance and demonstrate positive self-image.
- Encourage your teen to cultivate a strong sense of self-worth and self-esteem that isn't reliant on external validation from social media. Focus on their strengths and achievements outside of their online presence.
If you are concerned about your young person’s sense of self-image, talk to NSW Parentline for free counselling and a referral service.
Read more at eSafety Pressures from social media
If you have any concerns about your young person please contact the College. It is important for the College to know any wellbeing issues that may impact on learning and behaviour at school.
Free parent/carer webinars available during Term 2:
eSafety 101: How eSafety Can Help
This webinar provides an overview of the eSafety Commissioner and supporting programs and resources for parents and carers, children and young people.
Suitable for parents and carers of children and young people in primary and secondary school.
- Thursday 6 June - 12:30 pm
Register here for eSafety 101
Wellbeing and Digital Technologies
An overview of strategies to protect, respond to and support your child online. This webinar will focus on the digital skills to protect and support young people’s mental health and wellbeing online. Suitable for parents and carers of young people in secondary school.
- Tuesday 4 June - 2:00 pm
Register here for Wellbeing and Digital Technologies