News

Dear Friends and families of St Paul’s,

This fortnight is a particularly significant fortnight in the life of the College (as they all are) for several reasons.

Last week was ESO Appreciation Week. ESO stands for Education Support Officer and at St Paul’s this represents every member of staff who is not a teacher. Our college would simply not exist nor be capable of providing the holistic service we do without these staff members. They range from our Grounds and Maintenance team to our Finance and Admin staff, to our Academic Support staff. As we with all our staff we are absolutely blessed with the quality of staff who do this most important work for all of us. For many they work more weeks on site than our teachers and carry the loads of genuine carers for our families at important moments in their, and all our lives.

On behalf of the entire community, I thank all our ESO staff for their enormously enthusiastic work and support for us and hope they are both enjoying their role and understand how important they are to the life of the College.

Staff Professional Development Day

On Monday 7th September we had a student free day which to our staff is an important part of our Professional Development schedule for the year.

Throughout 2023 our Primary staff had a focus on trauma informed practice through the Berry Street organisation. Last Monday they continued their work with Anita Schneyder from Teams On Purpose further developing an understanding of the intricacies of what makes great organisations and great teams. Our Secondary staff undertook their Trauma Aware training through Connected Self Wellbeing Services. I am sure all families would agree these staff undertakings are crucial for the college to provide the absolute best educational service we can. We will continually strive for excellence in all we do and appreciate the support we receive from our families in supporting this endeavour.

Cocurricular Assembly

On Thursday morning we had the opportunity to celebrate our Yr 7-12 Winer Cocurricular assembly. These occasions are so especially important in the life of the College. As I explained to the staff and students the celebration is not simply an award ceremony for all those who perhaps have won an award, nor is it simply about saying thank you for all the staff and students who have participated in the myriad of opportunities that are provided within our community. The assembly and celebration are an opportunity to further develop a deep understanding of both WHO we are as St Paul’s but more importantly WHY we exist.

We are a catholic school in the Edmund Rice Tradition. Our four college values are Faith, Relationships, Excellence and Diversity. The assembly acknowledges the importance of the “R” word i.e. RELATIONSHIPS and the vital role we all play in each other’s lives. Cocurricular and sport activities all revolve around teams. They all reflect life itself with its successes and failures, difficulties and they help up build on the values we all need and value such as persistence, hard work, resilience, dignity, integrity, courage and most importantly humility. These values, as Sir Donald Bradman once said are totally compatible with pride, ambition, and competitiveness.

R U OK? day

I was particularly pleased that our cocurricular celebration assembly also occurred on the national R U OK? day. At St Paul’s, given what I have just said about the importance of relationships, means that we should be living, experiencing, and having an R U OK? day everyday of our lives. We should not have to even talk about it - it should simply be the very fabric of who we are and why we exist.

To let every person on this college site achieve their full potential, to know that they are loved and worthwhile is at the core of our existence. Our leadership model is that of servant leadership, as modelled by Jesus and Edmund Rice, and our care of each other must ensure that as much as humanly possible, students know there are people here that they can turn to without fear or failure, knowing they will be supported.

I thank all our staff, students and families who share this endeavour and who full-heartedly live the R U OK? mantra daily.

God Bless

Paul Belton

Respect and Women in our Community

Thursday 15 August marks an important day (a Day of Obligation) in the global Catholic Church, as it is the Solemnity of the Assumption, and I am grateful to Acting Deputy Principal Mr Frank Ranaldo, for his reflection in this edition of our Newsletter.

I am grateful to Fr John, Parish Priest of our Dernancourt Parish, who continues to partner with our school, devoting so much of his time and energy for the benefit of our students and staff. Fr John joined us for our Feast of the Assumption Mass, where his Homily challenged us to consider how we celebrate birthdays and Mother’s Day, as known examples of celebrating women who are special to us, and for all that they have done for us. In our Church, we similarly celebrate Mary and especially on the Feast of the Assumption.

While concluding the gathering after Mass, I asked students and staff to consider the term’s focus on ‘respect’, especially considering women in our world, our lives and our college community. We know that so much gender injustice and inequality remain throughout our world, and our St Paul’s community must be a true representation of what a respectful environment should look like.

Importantly, we must not consider the likes of Mary to be only supporting Christ, nor the likes of Nano Nagle in only supporting our founder Blessed Edmund Rice. Instead, respect for these women and all women in our world, demands acknowledgement of women’s individual journey, strength, bravery, successes, and challenges. Only when our world recognises women in such a way, will our world realise the equality deserving of all people. 

Again, we respect what we value. In this way, our challenge is to ensure that on the Feast of the Assumption and always, our respect for women is a model to our society and world.

Congratulations again, Mr Paul Belton!

Understanding that Paul Belton has received significant accolades from Catholic Education SA (locally) and Catholic Secondary Principals Association (CaSPA, nationally), it is my pleasure to advise that Paul has been awarded the ACEL SA Educational Leadership Medal, as one of three recipients in the state for 2024. Once again well-deserved and worth celebrating!

Congratulations, Paul! We look forward to welcoming Mr Belton upon his return from leave to begin Week 6, from Monday 26 August.

A New Semester Begins – Respecting person, place and space

Primary Years and Secondary assemblies welcomed students to the new Semester this week, including celebrations of academic success in secondary during Semester One; there was certainly lots to celebrate.

As communicated to families in my opening letter for Term 3, a very basic and essential focus on ‘respect’ was the centerpiece of both assemblies. Our Common Ground guides all that we say and do at St Paul’s College; founded on respect, this essential document obviously lends itself to our requirement for respect, in all places and at all times.

Put plainly, students were urged to note that one is either respectful, or disrespectful…there is no middle ground. Urging a most respectful approach to Term 3, I outlined what respect ‘looks like and sounds like’, making no assumptions and to ensure all members of students and staff can reflect on the positive behaviours they wish to emphasise in the term ahead.

Respect demonstrates value in the person, place or space that we are engaged with. Disrespect demonstrates that we do not value that person, place or space.

We are urged to continue this deep conversation on a most basic concept (respect), throughout our Term 3, noting that we can always strive for improvement.

Update: Middle Years Review

As our community has been informed, the college is undertaking a rigorous review of the Middle Years Learning Program, which is undertaken in Years 7, 8 and 9.

I am grateful to the significant number of families who responded to the parent-survey as part of this review, and likewise I thank the students in years 7-12 who all submitted feedback. The information from students, families and staff has been pivotal in reviewing the current model. Our Secondary Learning Council has been particularly important in analysing information and considering options that respond to the wants and needs of our community, as well as the ever-changing educational landscape and best practices for learning.

In coming weeks, I will share the outcome of the review with our community, as the college finalises the implementation process ahead of any changes beginning in 2025.

Communication with Staff

Communication between staff and families is a cornerstone of the care for students at the centre of St Paul’s College. For this reason, we always encourage families to liaise with staff to celebrate success, name challenges, or provide updates related to their young person(s) at the college.

It is therefore essential to clarify communication expectations to ensure families know when and how they can gain responses from staff, and so that staff can appropriately work within reasonable expectations, while supporting students.

Phone calls are always preferable and encouraged, noting our office ours are 8am – 4:30pm weekdays, during usual school days. A staff member will endeavor to phone back within 2 school days, if unavailable at the time a family phones the college.

Given that technology is at the centre of our world, we understand that communication via email or SEQTA may be preferred. Again, two school days for acknowledgement of receipt is our aim.

Importantly, families cannot expect communication with staff outside of 8am - 4:30pm. For this reason, families are asked to consider emergency responses if ever the need arises outside of those hours, rather than relying on the school after hours.

We thank all families for their ongoing partnership and communication. 

Blessing our Br Ambrose Treacy Building

Since the opening of our school year, we have been blessed to enjoy our remarkable Primary Years Building, nature play areas and open spaces surrounding the building. We have witnessed the creativity of learning maker-spaces and our STEAM room, the independence of breakout spaces and sensory areas, the collaboration centered on shared learning spaces, as well as opportunities to host our own Primary Years office spaces to welcome our youngest students and their families.

For that reason, it was especially welcome that last Friday 28 June, we held an Official Blessing of the Br Ambrose Treacy Building (our Primary Years Building).

Officially blessed and opened by Archbishop Patrick O’Regan, a blessing ceremony was held upstairs in our Year 6 classroom, vacated to welcome many dignitaries and invited guests, as well as students, staff, parents, members of our Parents and Friends Committee, and members of our School Advisory Council.

A great point of recognition, is that the blessing ceremony coincided with the Feast of St Peter and St Paul, our school’s namesake. A reading from St Paul echoed throughout those gathered, as perfectly befitting for the occasion.

Importantly, the blessing was filmed and live streamed into classrooms so that our primary years students could partake in this important aspect of their journey into a new space, which they have made their own.

Mr Dale Clarke and Ms Miranda McGlaughlin are to be congratulated for a relevant, meaningful liturgy to bless our Treacy Building, which involved students throughout. Led by Archbishop O’Regan, the blessing ceremony included students who were reading, dancing, and singing, indicative of St Paul’s placing students at the centre of all that we do.

Organisation by Mrs Kerrie Cook, Mrs Bec Woodcock, and Mr Tim Martin, as well as grounds and maintenance, likewise our ICT team, made it a most enjoyable celebration and recognition of achievement for what the college has achieved in recent years.

Amongst many Principals from Catholic Schools across the state, and Most Reverend Archbishop Patrick O’Regan, other guests mentioned included:

• Mr Chris Woolley, Chief Executive Officer, Edmund Rice Education Australia Colleges Ltd, 
• Mr Chris Leadbetter, EREA Regional Director of Education for WA and SA,  
• Mr Vin Thomas, member of the EREA Colleges Ltd. Board 
• Ms Catherine Greenley, Chair of our School Advisory Council, as well as many other past and present members of our School Advisory Council joining us today, 
• Mr John Neate, Chair of the South Australian Commission for Catholic Schools,  
• Dr Neil McGoran, Executive Director of Catholic Education South Australia,  
• Mr Paul Belton, Principal of St Paul’s College,  
• Mr James Stevens, Federal Member for Sturt 
• Mrs Dana Wortley, State Member for Torrens

Our Treacy Building was blessed in the name of Br Ambrose Treacy, who successfully brought the Christian Brothers’ mission to Australia and New Zealand, and for whom we give thanks for his courage and passion; it is because he carried Edmund Rice’s mission, that we are a proud Catholic College in the Edmund Rice Tradition.

Mr Peter Judd – Final classes conclude after 44 years!

This week, and specifically Thursday 4 July, marks the final lessons for our college’s longest serving teacher. Mr Peter Judd goes on leave for the remainder of the year; while we understand the opportunities we have to celebrate Mr Judd at year’s end (as students and then as staff), I can only imagine there is something special about concluding your final day of classes after 44 years of service.

Congratulations Peter, enjoy your leave, thank you, and we look forward to showing our gratitude most appropriately at year’s end.

Ending Term 2 with Gratitude

As we prepare for the upcoming school holidays, it is with thanks that I congratulate our community for the successes and the overcome of challenges, of Term 2.

To our families, I plead with you to discuss the term with your child(ren), beginning with highlights and working through areas for improvement. Formal Semester One Reports will assist these conversations somewhat, but the conversation itself will be the most important investment in the young person we cherish together.

May the school holidays be a point of connection, love and safety, as we look forward to the joy that Term 3 brings.

It is with great excitement that I share with the St Paul’s College community that our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) has been approved and published via the Narragunawali website. This is a significant achievement and milestone for the College highlighting our ongoing commitment to reconciliation. Our college website has been updated with a link to our Reconciliation Action Plan that details the 14 actions we are committed to as a college community. It is truly wonderful to be able to share this with the community especially during NAIDOC week and in acknowledging the theme of ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud.

I have outlined below a list of some of the actions taken so far by the College in working towards our commitment to reconciliation:

• Accurate identification of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their country
• Regular sessions for our students to connect and participate in activities together
• Mentoring Workshops run by Naomi from Deadly Mentorz
• Art workshops run by parent Stephanie Singh
• Participation in the Thriving People CESA events – both primary and secondary students
• Weaving workshops run by Naomi from Deadly Mentorz
• Artist in Residence project - A mural painted with workshop ideas/story generated by students and led by artist Scott Rathman in 2023
• Student led assemblies acknowledging Reconciliation Week
• PC Programs/activities designed to explore reconciliation and NAIDOC week in depth with our students
• Performances by Craig Atkins both with our school band and as a concert for our students during NAIDOC week in 2024
• Presentation led by former First Nations student Nicholas Emili on The Voice and Constitutional change to our senior students in 2023
• Workshop design process with our students to create our first Indigenous Round Guernsey worn this term during Indigenous Round games and knockout matches in 2024
• Engagement of Uncle Moogy who delivered a smoking ceremony, welcome to country and speech during NAIDOC week in 2023
• Development of our College acknowledgment of country led by Naomi from Deadly Mentorz with our First Nations students
• Creation of the acknowledgment of country video
• Regular RAP meetings (twice per term)

The above list is not exhaustive; however, it indicates some of the ways we have engaged those within our community and those outside of our community to ensure we continue to work towards reconciliation.

I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to those staff and community members involved in the process to develop the RAP, but most specifically, to the RAP committee team; Christabella Iuliano, Claudia Lamberto, Brandon Jackson-Martin, Campbell Burton, Nicholas Gillard, Stephanie Singh, Paul Belton and Frank Ranaldo. We are looking forward to continuing to work towards our RAP deliverables and ensuring that reconciliation actions are embedded in our ongoing and everyday practices here at St Paul’s.

Click to read the Reconciliation Action Plan

Alex Harrison - Head of Learning Diversity