11 May 2023

11.05.23

From the Acting Principal

In my privileged opportunity to serve as Acting Principal this Term, I welcome you to Term 2 as we consolidate and deepen our learning, and progress our commitment to excellence, one of our four values at St Paul’s College.

Edmund Rice Day celebrations to begin our term were a fitting reminder of our global partnerships as one of hundreds of Edmund Rice Communities around the world. Our Principal Paul Belton celebrated Edmund Rice Day in the homeland of our Founder, Blessed Edmund Rice, alongside Principals and Leaders from each Edmund Rice community worldwide, as part of the Edmund Rice Education Beyond Borders (EREBB) Congress.

Celebrating Blessed Edmund Rice reminds us that we are called to support one another in an inclusive community, where everybody can achieve excellence. Irrespective of who you are or where you come from, you deserve the opportunity to achieve excellence.

During our staff’s Professional Learning on Day 1 of Term 2 (student-free day), I outlined and specified what excellence must look like for our staff, if our students are to achieve excellence.

As outlined in the framework below, the challenge is to achieve excellence from students by being accountable, reminding ourselves that as staff at St Paul’s, we are choosing to give ourselves to this community, committing to collaboration between staff, and knowing that excellence is owed to our students and families. Informing how we achieve this important work is Jesus’ Mission outlined in the Gospel, the work of our founder Blessed Edmund Rice, and essential educational documents from secular/regulatory bodies and our Church.

In an opening assembly to Secondary students, I instead discussed excellence from their perspective, where trying for excellence offers an unacceptable excuse. Instead, it is our responsibility to find ways of achieving excellence for ourselves; this might be asking more/different questions, spending more time with the right people, undertaking additional study, appreciating the value of learning especially when we find it challenging.

The framework below summarises the need for students to prioritise excellence in Term 2 by ensuring their achievement, being accountable to themselves and their decisions (what they say and do, and knowing we can’t be accountable for what others say or do), being respectful to self and others and our environment, while also taking and making opportunities throughout the term ahead.

Throughout the remaining weeks of Semester 1, let us all consider what excellence needs to mean for ourselves and be challenged to achieve excellence (not merely try for excellence). Through this, we strengthen our sense of self and answer Blessed Edmund Rice’s call to realise our best for ourselves and our community.

Finally, I add welcome to the following staff who join our welcoming community in Term 2:

Bobby Vincent, ESO supporting Inclusive Education in Years 7-12
Anthea McCallum, ESO supporting Inclusive Education in Years 7-12
Brandon Jackson-Martin, First Nations Mentor and ESO
Hamish Morelli, Teacher in Years 7-12 and Counsellor
Stanislaw Domiszewski, Teacher R-12 supporting via Temporary Relief work each day

I wish you every achievement in the Term ahead and as always, please contact the College wherever we may be able to assist you, your child, or your family.

Josh Foulis
Acting Principal

During our staff’s Professional Learning on Day 1 of Term 2 (student-free day), I outlined and specified what excellence must look like for our staff, if our students are to achieve excellence.

Finally, I add welcome to the following staff who join our welcoming community in Term 2:

I wish you every achievement in the Term ahead and as always, please contact the College wherever we may be able to assist you, your child, or your family.

Josh Foulis
Acting Principal

Primary Years Update

Dear Families,

What a great start to the term we have had with students settling back beautifully into the school routine.

Last Friday we shared such a wonderful sense of community at our Edmund Rice Day. We were privileged to start the day together with a whole school Mass in the gym. The students engaged in rich learning about Edmund Rice in the morning and the sun shone upon us for the afternoon walk and most of the lunchtime celebrations. A great day was had by all!

This week our Parent/Teacher Learning Conversations were well attended. If you have not made a time to meet with your child’s teacher, I encourage you to make contact as there is another session next Wednesday 17 May, from 3.30 pm – 5 pm. Later this term teachers will prepare the Semester One Academic Reports. These reports are a snapshot of where your child/ren are academically and will include detailed comments with set goals for your child’s learning in Semester 2.

Tomorrow, Friday, we are holding our Mother’s Day Liturgy at 9 am in the gym. It’s great to see so many people have RSVP’d their attendance. We look forward to seeing those who can make it here to celebrate all the incredible Mothers and Special Women in our children’s lives. There is also a morning tea in Callan Hall afterwards.

A beginning of term reminder that students are not to be dropped at school before 8.20 am, unless they are attending a supervised co-curricular activity. Teachers are on rostered primary quad and playground supervision from 8.20 am and OSHC is available before school if your child needs alternate supervision. I thank you in advance for supporting your child’s safety and our duty of care responsibilities, by dropping them off at or after 8.20 am.

This term, we are proudly hosting and mentoring a pre-service teacher from Charles Darwin University in our Primary Years, Karuna Sachdeva. Karuna will be in Year 1 Burton and Year 4 Thoday and is with us for eight weeks. At St Paul’s, we value the role we can play in the development of pre-service teachers, as an integral part of us contributing positively to the future of our profession and the education of our students. Please join us in making Karuna feel welcome and supported in our wonderful College community.

I look forward to seeing you around the Primary Years space this term.

Until next fortnight, take care.

Marianne Loftus
Head of Primary Years

Blessed Edmund Rice Day

Last Friday 5 May we celebrated our founder, of the Christian Brothers and leader in an education for all.

The day holds great significance in our school community of St Paul’s College as we honour the values and principles Blessed Edmund Rice encompassed.

Blessed Edmund was born in Ireland in 1762 and dedicated his life to providing education to the poor and marginalised. Our feast day is an opportunity for the school community to reflect upon and celebrate the rich legacy he has bestowed upon us. A man of faith with a mission to provide an education for all resonates deeply with our school's core values of faith, relationship, excellence, and diversity. This day serves as a reminder of the importance of providing a quality education for all regardless of background or circumstances.

Our feast day commenced with a pre-recording of the CEO of Edmund Rice Foundation Australia, (ERFA), Mr Jason Bongers, congratulating and thanking the St Paul’s College Community. All proceeds made on the day were donated to ERFA to assist fellow Edmund Rice children in need of support.

We welcomed our new Parish Priest Father John who celebrated our sacred Mass followed by our Walk for Edmund in our surrounding neighbourhood.

Lunchtime involved a variety of meals, and fun activities and ended with our traditional obstacle course between our College Houses.

Although it rained in the afternoon, it did not dampen the Edmund Rice Spirit of the students and staff of St Paul’s College.

Blessings
Maria Girolamo-Corbo
Acting APRIM

Year 10 History - Adelaide Holocaust and Migration Museums

Late last term, the Semester 1 year 10 History classes visited the Adelaide Holocaust Museum and Andrew Steiner Centre along with the Migration Museum in the city to round off their studies of World War II.

Students were able to meet and interact with Mr Andrew Steiner, OAM, a Holocaust Survivor who created the museum. They were able to participate in activities and tour the permanent exhibition.

At the Migration Museum students were able to further participate in a hands-on activity, ‘Unpacking History’, where groups received a suitcase of someone that migrated to South Australia. Using the primary sources in the suitcase, students identified the country of origin and the journey that the individual or family had undertaken. They were also able to follow their story within the museum itself. As students were dealing with real materials, they were required to wear gloves, just like a museum curator. Students found the activity enriching and rewarding.

Below is some student feedback about the excursion:

“I found Mr. Steiner’s talk very moving. Hearing his story and how he persevered through the Holocaust. Thank you for sharing your story and going out of your way to speak to our class” (Jackson R)

“To briefly discuss what we did, we learned how the Holocaust impacted the lives of Jews, which depicted different life experiences. We also learned about six survivors of the Holocaust, who had later moved to South Australia for a better life. There were many tasks and activities to actively engage us in learning about these survivors. Some of the tasks were interactive, which allowed us to walk around the museum to find specific information about these survivors, such as their date of birth, age during the Holocaust, and which concentration camp they were held at. After these activities, we had an interview with a Holocaust survivor, Andrew Steiner, who had founded the Museum. We had asked him many questions that helped us in our History assignment and our overall general knowledge. It was a great experience to meet Andrew Steiner and I found it interesting to learn about the different perspectives of Holocaust survivors" (Karanveer)

Matthew Muscat
Head of Teaching and Learning