News

The conclusion of the 2024 school year comes with great celebration for our Year 12 students. We acknowledge the collective work that has been undertaken by students, families, and our entire staff throughout their academic, spiritual and personal journey during their time at St Paul’s College. It is with great pride that I detail the excellent SACE, ATAR, and apprenticeship achievements of the Year 12 graduates for 2024. For the sixth consecutive year, 100% of eligible students achieved their SACE. Our students have demonstrated the skills and capabilities to flourish and contribute productively to the world beyond school and will continue to hold a special place in our community as Old Scholars of our College. In doing this (for the last time!), I sincerely thank all staff for your dedication and commitment to the students and families of the College. It is truly appreciated. This gratitude includes Year 12 teachers in 2024, and especially extends to all staff across every year level, teaching and non-teaching.

The Year 12 students of 2024 have performed at an excellent level. 

Dear Friends and Families of St Paul’s,

With the completion of Week 6 we finished another summer season of co-curricular activities. As with all aspects of St Paul’s over the last few years this area has grown significantly. Not only do we have more activities and more sports teams competing against other schools, but we have more and more students involved in multiple activities. This is a wonderful scenario, clearly demonstrating the significant pride our students have in the College. It is also a very accurate reflection of the commitment of our staff and the co-ordination and energy brought to this by our two coordinators, Mr Nick Gillard and Mr Marcus Deluca. I am sure our students and families are appreciative of their efforts.

Art and Tech Show

On Tuesday evening we also hosted the Art and Tech Show in Callan Hall. The standard of all work presented by the students was exceptional and a very accurate and rewarding reflection for all the wonderful work done by the dedicated staff. The parents and families were amazed at the quality.

On behalf of our whole community, I sincerely congratulate Ms Sarah Fedele, Mr Jonathon Prenzler and Mr Michael White for their leadership of these departments, and to Mr Grant Howarth, Ms Sophie Chapman, Mr Patrick Leadbeater, Ms Marie La Dru and Mr Wes Jones for their tremendous efforts in supporting the students.

As always at St Paul’s there was so much to be proud of and even more to be grateful for.

Graduation Dinner and Year 10 and 11 Awards Assembly

In what is another extremely busy week we also held our Year 10 and 11 Awards Assembly and our Year 12 Graduation Dinner. The Graduation Dinner represents the very final time our Class of 2024 gather together in the one room. Together with parents and families we reminisce and celebrate what has been a seven-year journey for many of the boys since starting in Year 5. The pride shown by the students and parents allows the staff to feel a great sense of satisfaction and gratitude for the opportunity of helping these students reach their full potential and help prepare them for the next stage of their lives.

The Awards Assembly not only acknowledges academic achievements but also social justice, Christian Service Learning and co-curricular achievements. This was extremely well attended by parents, grandparents and families, and yet again was a tremendous celebration of the very vibrant life of the College. St Paul’s certainly provides a myriad of opportunities for students to excel, and it is especially rewarding to see so many accept that invitation and strive to achieve their personal best.

Transition Day

While during this week we say farewell to many students and families, we also say a very heartfelt welcome to many more. On Friday we conduct our Transition Day for all new incoming students for 2025. This is a very important day when the students not only learn more about St Paul’s, but have a great opportunity to navigate around the College grounds and meet many new faces, both staff and fellow students from different schools.

St Paul’s does this very well, highlighted by the fact that several additional days are offered to families if students have any particular needs. It signifies the start of our partnership and the significant levels of support that are offered from the very beginning of a family’s introduction to the College.

We wish the incoming students and their families every happiness and success as this journey begins.

God Bless

Paul Belton

Dear Friends and Families of St Paul’s,

Our Year 12s are currently undertaking their end of year SACE exams or finalising their last major externally assessed assignments. We take immense pride in our Year 12 students, their dedication and hard work not only reflects their preparation, but also the strong foundation they have built over their years at St Paul’s College. We are confident that their results will showcase their efforts and the high standard of education they have received.

While this is in many ways the culmination of thirteen years of education, it is in no way the be all and end all of education. Personally, it is my belief that far too much pressure is placed on students to attain an exceptionally high ATAR. While some students certainly wish to gain direct entry into the University course of their choice (or their number one preference as it is called), it should never be considered a failure if not attained now.

In today’s educational world and society in general there are multiple pathways into whatever career a young person may dream of undertaking. To finish secondary schooling with a solid values base and strong set of beliefs is far more important. Psychologists and other experts suggest that today’s students will have multiple different careers during their lifetime. If this is true, why does society, families and individuals put themselves under so much pressure? Surely every student and every individual working hard to become the best they can be is enough.

EREA Touchstones

Everyone in our community would have heard, read or seen information regarding the four Edmund Rice Education Australia Touchstones. These are Gospel Spirituality, Inclusive Community, Justice and Solidarity and Liberating Education.

Liberation means to be set free. We could suggest that a Liberating Education is one that allows every person the “freedom” to become whatever it is they wish to become. EREA’s definition of a Liberating Education, however, is somewhat different.

As a Catholic College in the Edmund Rice Tradition, we believe that: “We open hearts and minds, through quality teaching and learning experiences, so that through critical reflection and engagement each person is hope-filled and free to build a better world for all.”

That definition does not speak of ATAR’s or SACE completion but rather our school’s hope that we, in partnership with families, produce graduates who have strong enough values to know that life is not all about them as an individual, but rather each one of us has an obligation to contribute to making the world a better place. I am sure you would all agree our world needs young people like this.

I believe this is what St Paul’s is excellent at embedding in all we do. Our pastoral care and wellbeing initiatives must encourage all students to become the absolute best version of themselves. The academics obviously support this but do not define who we are. Sometimes this is a hard pitch to convince young girls and boys or parents of this, but it is what we believe.

EREA will soon be finalising and distributing the latest iteration of our Charter. The content and emphases may be altered a little but the essence of what it means to us as a community will not alter. We are a community built around mutual respect and unconditional love for each other. This respect is the basis of our Common Ground document and binds us all to the Touchstones and the College values of Faith, Relationships, Excellence, and Diversity.

As the year draws very quickly to a close and we welcome many new families and students, we also say farewell and thank you to the families who are leaving us for the last time. We hope that the students and families will remain connected to our community and hold fond memories of their time at the College. We hope that they all take with them Certa Bonum Certamen or “Fight the Good Fight” of faith which will help us all make a positive contribution to the world around us.

Take care.

God Bless

Paul Belton.

St Paul’s College is excited to share some wonderful news regarding a new partnership between St Paul’s College and Adelaide United Football Club. This collaboration aims to foster a holistic school football program focused on High Performance, Academic Excellence and Student Engagement whilst enhancing the sporting experience for our students and promote a healthy, active lifestyle.

The mandate for the partnership is to not only strengthen football pathways for SPC students, but to focus on delivery of outcomes relevant to student leadership, character development and social well-being. Importantly, engagement would not be limited to football students, working closely with SPC we would look to deliver benefits to the broader student population and whole school community.

Because of this partnership, St Paul’s College students will have exclusive access to all things Adelaide United and be able to have interactive and personal experiences which cannot be replicated at any other professional club in the State.

SOME KEY DETAILS OF THE PARTNERSHIP
High Performance Engagement:

• Skilled sessions for students involving AUFC staff
• Invitations to observe AUFC training sessions (either male or female)
• Training session conducted by AUFC Men’s Coach @ Coopers Stadium
• Training session conducted by AUFC Women’s Coach @ Coopers Stadium
• Football development coaching sessions run by AUFC

Community & Student Engagement:

• AUFC player appearances per school term
• AUFC staff/players present at school games and SPC events throughout the year
• Coaching PD workshops with all SPC coaches
• Exclusive school holiday clinics for SPC
• Men’s GA ticket to ALL students involved with Football
• Women’s GA ticket to ALL students involved with Football
• Discount on matchday tickets and merchandise for all SPC Football students

We look forward to sharing more details about upcoming events and programs soon.

Edmund Rice Education Australia is delighted to announce that, after an open selection process and a significant period of discernment, Mr Patrick Harmer has been appointed as the next Principal of St Paul’s College commencing in January 2025.

Dear Friends and Families of St Paul’s,

Week 2 of Term 4 and our attention as always during this time turns to the Class of 2024. Our Year 12 students and their families become the centre of our attention as we began the first of several farewell events. On Thursday we celebrated the outstanding achievements and contributions to our community over the last six years or more.

Thursday was the Celebration and Awards Assembly. Here we recognised all the academic, co-curricular, Christian Service and community contributions of the young men who have enjoyed the opportunity to embrace everything the College offers.

Friday morning’s Graduation Mass was the pinnacle of these events as we celebrated and thanked God for the time we have shared together. We are all blessed to live in Australia and to be part of such a supportive community as St Paul’s. For some parents who made the enormous decision to leave their home country to come to Australia in the hope of a better life for their children, this would never be taken for granted. Likewise, all of us should not take it for granted either.

Both occasions were wonderful, and we are always thrilled at the number of families, parents, caregivers, and grandparents who come along to partake in what is no doubt one of their proudest moments in their families. The smiles on the faces of the families are no doubt brought about by pride, but we would also suspect because they no longer will be paying school fees – or at least for this member of the family!

The College certainly acknowledges the sacrifices and unconditional love and support that these young men receive at home, and likewise the support and guidance that our staff provide. This support is not just about their final year, but right across their 13-year academic journey.

We hope and pray that the graduating class is well prepared for life after school. We hope that they have a solid values base and belief in themselves that will enable them to be both happy and successful.

2025 Prefects

As we say farewell to the Class of 2024 and thank them for their many great contributions to College life, we also congratulate those who have been chosen to continue the magnificent work of College Captain William McCulloch, and his Prefect team this year. As was announced at the Assembly on Thursday we acknowledge and congratulate the following students who will form the 2025 Prefects team.

• College Captain                         Jackson Rohrlach (Nagle)
• College Vice Captains               Bradley Middleton (Gleeson) and Kingston Hammond (Marlow)
• Dally House Captain                  Jamie Agius
• Gleeson House Captain             Sebastian Gladwich
• Marlow House Captain               Jean Tonna Hernandez
• Nagle House Captain                 Rocco Giugliano
• O’Loughlin House captain          Jay Faugno

This coming weekend these young men together with a number of our senior staff will venture to West Beach for a three-day Leadership Camp. We wish them well.

Farewell Assembly

Last Friday it was an immense pleasure to be able to share with Mr Peter Judd a Farewell Assembly to celebrate his retirement following 44 years of service as a teacher at St Paul’s. I do not believe that Mr Judd’s service and longevity will ever be repeated given the difficulty and complexity of modern-day teaching. We thank him sincerely and wish him, his wife Gayle, and their extended family the best for the future.

I am likewise extremely grateful for all the work done by Mr Foulis, Mrs Cook, Mr Martin and the Marketing Team for their efforts in providing such a lovely farewell for me and allowing me the opportunity to express my gratitude for the privilege of serving this wonderful community.

It is only week two and I look forward to completing the term and catching up with as many students and families as I can in the remaining weeks.

Take care, God Bless

Paul Belton

Dear Friends and families of St Paul’s,

Yet another term has flown by and 2024 seems to be disappearing before our very eyes! At the conclusion of every term, it is so especially important for all of us, students, families, and staff to stop and contemplate the last ten weeks. I say this not only because we all need to honestly reflect on whether the terms work is an indication of our absolute best efforts. In addition to that however we should also look back with much enjoyment and pride in acknowledging all the wonderful things that have occurred at St. Paul’s.

Our students are provided with such an impressive array of opportunities that cover all aspects of college life, and we hope that is appreciated by all. These include but are not limited to: excursions, retreats, subject and learning expos, assemblies, cocurricular opportunities, career and subject selection and advice, photos, pastoral care and wellbeing initiatives, health initiatives such as medical injections, camps and leadership opportunities. All this occurs while thousands of great learning experiences take place in classrooms while in background the leadership and admin teams of St Paul’s are busily preparing for 2025! We have already employed several more outstanding educators to join our staff, and we will announce all of these in Term 4 once all our recruiting is completed.

Mr Joe Hicks and Mr Frank Ranaldo

While speaking of staffing, it is with a great deal of mixed feeling that we announce that our substantive APRIM (Assistant Principal Religious Identity and Mission) who has been acting as Deputy Principal in Darwin this year, has been announced as the new principal of St Joseph’s School in Clare in 2025. We wish Joe well and sincerely thank him for what he has brought to St Paul’s in the past. His enthusiasm, energy, and passion for all things Catholic and Spirituality greatly impacted the staff and students at the College.

We also say farewell and a huge thank you to Frank Ranaldo who has filled in for us in the role of Deputy Principal over the last two terms while Mr Foulis and I had some leave. Frank not only enjoyed his time with us, but he also made an immediate and huge impression on all the staff for his great enthusiasm, support, and work ethic. We will miss him also but wish him and his beautiful family all the best in the future. In our farewell Frank, we also welcome back Mr Foulis from his leave.

Year 12 Students

With three terms down we turn our attention to our Year 12 cohort who only have two weeks of their college life left with us. For most this represents the culmination of 13 years of schooling and while we are sure their parents and families may be close to breathing a sigh of relief, we know there is still much to do and achieve with the limited time remaining. The whole group have been lovely to work with throughout this year. I personally thoroughly enjoyed the Yr 12 Retreat with them and that opportunity to talk to so many about the incredible positive experience that has been their time at St Paul’s. We certainly hope they finish strongly and that their final grades are a true and accurate reflection of both their abilities and the effort they have put into their whole schooling here at the College.

Shannahan Cup

One of the highlights of the entire year is the final assembly of Term 3. On the Friday of week ten the whole college gathers to have a bit of fun involving students from across the College and to announce the winners of the Shanahan Cup. This cup is named in honor of Mr Peter Shannahan a former long serving Deputy and Principal of St Paul’s. Points toward this cup are earned by every student in the College across a wide range of events and experiences from Sports Day to Academic grades, to involvement in assisting the college in duties such as our Road Monitoring, or simply doing charitable deeds for each other. The awarding of this “House Shield” brings enormous pride to the winning House and is very much sought after. The year of accumulating points runs from Term 4 to the end of term three the following year so the Yr 12 students can be involved for the full 12 months – such is the pride in contributing to “The Cup!”

Achilles Cup

On Thursday of this week, we also had a substantial number of students represent the college at the annual Achilles Cup. This is an athletics event held at SANTOS Stadium for boys (7-12) across all the major College in SA. As always St Paul’s competes very well on this stage against much bigger schools. We finished a very creditable third in our division and finished in first place in the U13 and U14 age divisions and second in the U15’s and U16’s. This is quite outstanding, and our thanks go to the staff who have helped the boys train for the event and to Messer’s Gillard, Deluca, Austin, and Dorsi for accompanying the team at the carnival.

Have a great break everyone and enjoy spending time with your loved ones.

Take care, God Bless

Paul Belton