1 December 2021

Dear Friends of St Paul’s,

We have finally made it through to the end of another very challenging but rewarding year for the College. While the COVID world has continued to have its effect on us all, we here at the College, have made things considerably more difficult for everyone because of all the buildings and renovations that have taken, and continue to take place.

On behalf of the Senior Leadership team and the entire staff can I offer you all our most sincere thanks for your patience and resilience throughout the year. As a community, we have grown even more through all these challenges, and we will be all the better for the experience. When we return to school in late January the College will look very different and it will be very different!

Throughout 2021 we have had, as our theme, Valuing Diversity. St Paul’s has always been a very diverse school and diversity has been one of our core values for some time. We believe we live this daily. Having said that, while we hold the concept dearly as a core value, we need to value it deeply and live it through all our words and deeds. This year has been a time of preparation also, as we move to become a co-educational school – which means we are becoming even more diverse. With this expansion in diversity, we accept and be held accountable for the fact that each person who becomes a part of our community, our family, is made to feel like they belong, and are free to be the person they want to be. We have worked hard in preparation for the expansion of our community, and we hope that through a very unified and tightly knit staff, we can deliver on the challenges we set ourselves in living our values. Faith, Relationships, Excellence and Diversity will remain driving forces and as we move into 2022 acknowledge that it is “Together We Grow” in every sense of the word.

Advent and Christmas

As the College year ends, we recognize that we are approaching the most beautiful event on the Christian calendar, the birth of Christ. Advent is a time of preparation for Christmas and the Christmas season is a time of great joy and hope. We acknowledge that not everyone has a wonderful experience at this time, and we should express our gratitude to God and each other for the blessings we receive.

Farewells

At the end of each year, we farewell a significant number of both students and staff. Our whole Year 12 cohort has graduated, and other students leave for work or families shift away for employment and other reasons. To all the departing families and students, we say thanks and all the best for the future. Our list of departing staff is a bit longer than usual this year and we pay our respect, say thanks and pray for a happy and successful future to the following staff.

• Neville Atkinson
• Bernadine Bourne
• Lisa Daws
• Gabby Centofanti
• Paul Dorian
• Anne Haywood
• Ros Ranieri
• Emily Sayer
• Gill Smith
• Damien Thamm

The list represents retirements, changes in career, and moves to other schools. The staff represent finances, teaching, administration, and counselling services of the College. We hope and pray that all will stay well, keep St Paul’s in their hearts.

On behalf of the entire staff of the College can I offer you all our heartfelt thanks and best wishes for the holidays. We are very much looking forward to next year with much excitement. We hope you all have a very restful and enjoyable break.

Take care and God Bless

Paul Belton

Principal

Dear Primary Families,

I am sure you would agree with me that Christmas is a fantastic time of year! The promise of peace, goodwill and a growing sense of excitement and expectation makes this time of year very special.

However, the question must be asked, “What is truly the message of Christmas?” I was listening to some of our Year 8’s yesterday teaching our Year 3 and 4 students about the Christmas messages found in the Gospels.

The Gospels teach us, Jesus Christ, the living message of peace and goodwill, was born in a stable because there was no room for Mary or Joseph. The message this child brings to the world is one of unconditional love and acceptance. He welcomes all human beings in all their great variety as ‘Children of God’. He believes in their essential goodness and loves them all. This love is not held back or reluctant, and it is spontaneous, unquestioning, and all-embracing. In some ways, very similar to who we are as a college.

Christmas is undoubtedly a time for celebration with those that we love and hold most dear. The challenge presented to us is whether we welcome into our hearts those who are not immediately considered a part of our own story, those on the periphery.

The 2021 school year has been one with many highlights. We have achieved as a community so much, including a significant focus on students' voices, co-education, and growth in the primary school in 2022. However, we must say some thanks, goodbyes and wish our friends and colleagues every happiness as they move on to a new community.

I wish to thank Ms Jessica Barolo (Year 4) and Mr Adam Baird (Year 5/6) for their support, guidance, and flexibility in leading their respective classes this term. They have been an asset to our primary team, developing positive relationships with the students and the staff.  I know Ms Alana Dunn and Mr Greg Thoday would be proud of the students' efforts in their absence. Thank you again, Adam and Jess, and we hope that our paths will cross again soon.

Whilst Ms Samantha Stokes isn’t leaving us, we thank her for all her well-being support this year. Not only has she had to have those ‘tough’ conversations with some students, but she has also developed a mutual respect with the student cohort. Sam, you have inspired students to achieve, be better individuals and think and care about more than just themselves in this tiny bubble of the world. I thank you once again for stepping into the wellbeing space this year.

As you know, Mrs Emily Sayer was the Head of Primary for many years at St Paul’s and was an outstanding leader for the primary and broader college. Whilst I have mentioned Emily in previous newsletters, it is only fitting to say one last goodbye. Emily grew and led the primary component of the college for many years. Her passion, care and drive to continually improve the primary's teaching and learning, well-being, and infrastructure was evident in all she did. She had genuine care and love for leading the primary and was well respected by her staff and community. We hope her first year as Principal at St Monica’s was filled with success, and we look forward to a visit next year.

Lastly, I wish to thank and farewell Mrs Lisa Daws. Lisa is the kind of educator and leader who is loved by all. She has time for every student, staff member and family in our community, always putting others before herself. I am incredibly thankful for Lisa’s support, guidance, and genuine friendship over the last six years. Lisa, you are an exceptional teacher whose commitment to promoting success and excellence in education inspires us all. You have been a pillar of strength and knowledge at St Paul’s for years, and we are who we are because of you. As you leave St Paul’s, we wish you all the best in your future endeavours at CBC and hope you will stay connected with us frequently.

In closing, I wish to acknowledge the primary teaching staff and ESO’s at St Paul’s College. I am proud and honoured to have worked alongside some outstanding educators this year. Their drive, passion, and determination, underpinned by skill, knowledge, and empathy, has seen teaching and learning continue to progress despite the ever-changing social, learning and emotional needs that we face daily. They are all incredibly dedicated and hardworking educators, and I appreciate their expertise and encouragement of all students.

Finally, to our wonderful families. Thank you all as parents and carers for your fantastic support over the last 12 months.  I am particularly appreciative of everything you have been doing to support your son’s learning, both inside and outside the classroom.  I know how difficult it is to juggle work while supporting your child/ren. This is, of course, in addition to dealing with all the everyday challenges of family life. The families at St Paul’s College are simply amazing, and I would like to thank you all for your support.

I wish you all a happy and safe Christmas.

God Bless

Jake Stewart

Acting Head of Primary

Last Sunday saw the commencement of Advent. This time of preparation leads us to the wonderfully joyous celebration of Christmas. The joy we feel at Christmas, the joy we seek, hold and treasure is available to us all year round, but somehow we look more ardently in December. Generosity abounds in the lead up to Christmas. Perhaps this is true gratitude in action. We know all our blessings in our hearts as we prepare to spend time with those we love, act kindly to those we love and appreciate what we have (whether that is a lot or a little). From this grateful moment we see those in need, we are motivated to make a difference. I think this is true joy. This is the joy that fills your heart so much that you want the whole world to be happy too. When you want others to be happy regardless of what their connection to you is – that has to stem from true gratitude. At this time we even want those who cause us pain to have a good Christmas. If only we could find these good wishes all year round!

Advent has significant messages for each week and joy is one. I love the message of hope. We need to have hope. When we lose hope the light fades on our existence and daily struggles become encased in a blanket of darkness. Hope is the bringer of light that we need, we all need. At Christmas – just as Jesus was born to bring light into the world – we have the opportunity to be light bringers. We have this opportunity all year truthfully but at Christmas we accept the challenge a little more. So this year we can ask ourselves – how will we bring light this year?

Be blessed this Christmas. Celebrate with those you love and let your joy shine.

Angela Collins

APRIM 

Barkuma Graduation Evening

Each year a few of our students enter the Barkuma Transition Program. It is a 12-month program where the students complete a Certificate I Access to Vocational Learning and then a Certificate II in an area of their choice. This can range from retail to construction or horticulture. Both Kate Benda and I attended the evening at The Convention Centre on Wednesday night. It is a wonderful night and we both could not stop smiling at the achievements made not only by our students but by all the students. Well done Ji, Dion and Karan.

SACE Board Important dates Results

2021 SACE results will be available in Students Online from 8.30 am on Monday 13 December 2021.

Current Year 12 students are reminded that they need to make sure they can log into Students Online (and that their personal details are correct). SACE Board have produced a video to remind students of the importance of this step https:///www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMxaNDiDgew  that you may wish to look at.

Gallipoli Scholarships 

Applications for Gallipoli Scholarships are invited from young Australian or New  Zealanders resident in Australia, who are 25 years of age or younger on 1 March 2022, planning on undertaking their first year of a degree or diploma course (the latter at an advanced diploma  at an Australian University or TAFE, commencing in 2022. They must be direct descendants of an Australian or New Zealand service man or woman who has served in any conflict or peacekeeping operation since the First World War. 

Applications open on 1 November 2021 and must be received by close of business on 28 February 2022.

For more information, click here

UniSA Preference Advice Appointments

If your Year 12 students receive unexpected results or need assistance with their application, we will be offering Preference Advice Appointments on December 14 and 15. Our team will be available to discuss pathway options over the phone or via Zoom, giving students the best chance of receiving an offer into their preferred UniSA degree.

Book here

UniSA Careers in Software Engineering

Hear from one of our graduates about how studying Software Engineering at UniSA has led to their exciting career with Boeing Defence. 

Watch the video here

UniSA Guaranteed Entry explained

Year 12 students might be feeling overwhelmed with the various entry pathways available to them. We have created a short animation to explain how entry works with UniSA, including by Year 12 subject grades and Selection Rank

View animation here

Middle A1 Volleyball - St Paul's College defeated by Immanuel College

In the final match of the season, all players were available. Daniel White contributed to the team by scoring and being our first aid attendant. Immanuel College were well organised and despite many close rallies they quickly took the lead in the first set and closed it out 25-15. Carlin Verrall served some fantastic serves in the final stages of the set which gave us a respectable score. The second set was similar. St Paul's played many three touch plays, had some fine setting and spiking efforts. Immanuel’s spiking was superior resulting in the winning the set 25 – 13. By the final set, St Paul's played with consistency and used their skills to gain a lead early. Immanuel College brought the match to an even score at 21 all, but St Paul's served the set out taking it 25 – 21. Thanks to Hayden Connell came to play but assisted the A2 team.

Edda Gastaldo

Drive Tennis

The Drive Tennis team has had a remarkably successful season. All of our players are to be congratulated on the sensational tennis they have played and the way they have conducted themselves. The boys were undefeated in the last term. This included victories over Rostrevor and St Ignatius as well as 8-1 defeats of St Michael’s and CBC and a 9-0 defeat of Nazareth.

Our team consisted of Connor Gibson, Liam Menz, Ben Sutton, Johnny Lapic, Jackson Butcher and Kosta Droulis. I am so proud of these young men. Connor, Liam and Ben have been playing for our Drive team since Year 7 and these results are reflective of the effort they have put in over time. With the huge improvements made by Johnny, Jackson and Kosta the boys proved very difficult to defeat.

I would also like to congratulate Connor Gibson who will begin a Tennis Scholarship at the University of North Carolina next year. He has worked so hard to be in this position and I am sure his dedication will pay off. Hopefully we will see him on the professional circuit in the near future.

It has been a privilege to be the coach of this wonderful group of young men. Well done boys.

Bernie Cummings

There is a great deal of lost property at the Student Office. Please see the staff if you have lost anything of value such as headphones, glasses etc.

A reminder to please name everything, so we can quickly return lost items. 

We are now accepting applications for the following positions:

• Assistant Business Manager
• Mathematics & Sciences (STEM) Teacher
• Design & Digital Technologies Teacher

Please see EMPLOYMENT for further information regarding these positions.