News

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

EREA Charter Forum: Renewing the EREA Charter and EREA Touchstones

Alongside Senior Leaders from across Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA), Mr Frank Ranaldo (Acting Deputy Principal, St Paul’s College) and myself had the pleasure to attend the EREA National Charter Forum in Wollongong last week.

The EREA Charter, available HERE, guides all schools in the quest towards greater authenticity as Catholic schools in the Edmund Rice tradition, challenging each community to be faithful to the four touchstones of EREA: Liberating Education, Gospel Spirituality, Inclusive Community, Justice and Solidarity. 

The Forum offered Senior Leaders (from EREA Colleges and EREA Flexible Learning Centres) the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to the renewal of the EREA Charter.

Informed by feedback already gained from many students, staff and leaders across the country, the purpose of this Charter Forum was to consolidate feedback and refine the Charter, which drives the mission of our College.

Practically, you will see the touchstone symbols throughout our college, they drive appraisals and reviews for senior leaders at our college, inform our Strategic Plan, focus formation for our School Advisory Council, and provide the basis of EREA’s School Renewal Process every 5 years. While these are only some examples of how our Charter and Touchstones come to life at St Paul’s, they demonstrate the significance of the Charter and therefore the current Charter renewal, in the life of our community.

Contemporary and refreshed Touchstones and EREA Charter were key hopes from the Forum in Wollongong and our community will remain connected to any developments relating to the mission of EREA that so proudly informs the mission of St Paul’s College as a Catholic school in the Edmund Rice Tradition.

Welcome Mr Patrick Harmer, College Principal

Already communicated to community this week, it is a pleasure to add my welcome to Mr Patrick Harmer, St Paul’s College Principal from 2025. While Mr Chris Woolley, CEO of EREA Colleges Ltd, has provided the most representative summary of Patrick’s appointment in his letter to our community (available here) I add the excitement shared by College leadership and staff for Patrick’s appointment.

Upon his return from Long Service Leave in August, Mr Paul Belton will undertake a thorough handover with Mr Harmer who will have opportunities to be onsite on occasions this year, as he familiarises himself with our community.

Congratulations and welcome to Mr Patrick Harmer. Welcome to St Paul’s College!

Josh Foulis - Acting Principal

Leadership Charter of St Paul’s College

Synonymous with our community, Our Common Ground (click HERE to open) is a document driving personal responsibility to our college values and naming the expectations shared by all members of our community.

Adding depth to our Common Ground, all staff with a position of leadership (teaching and non-teaching) have collaborated and created the St Paul’s College Leadership Charter. This Charter identifies what our community can expect from leaders and leadership teams alike, providing clarity and accountability via this public-facing document.

In January of this year, all leaders on college staff engaged with a Leadership Day at the Grange Surf Life Saving Club, Outlining requirements and goals for the year was followed by professional learning around effective teams. The final component of the day started a six month journey in collaboratively developing this Leadership Charter, which is proudly launched to our staff and community this week.

Leadership development and efficacy is a pivotal component of the college’s strategic plan and this Leadership Charter provides clarity and accountability for the benefit of our leaders and community.

It is with mixed emotions of gratitude, celebration and sadness that I advise our community that our longest serving staff member has advised that he will retire at the end of 2024.

Mr Peter Judd is known throughout St Paul’s College as a diligent teacher in Health and Physical Education, as well as Mathematics, and having been the College’s Sport and Co-curricular Coordinator for many years. After 44 years serving as a Teacher at St Paul’s, at the end of 2024 our College will farewell and thank Mr Peter Judd and wish him well into retirement.
 

St Paul’s College is proud to launch our inaugural Indigenous round cocurricular uniforms. These unique guernseys, designed by our First Nations students, will be proudly worn over the next two rounds in AFL, Soccer, Basketball, and Netball.

Our First Nations students have been dedicated to developing these designs throughout the past semester. Students from both Primary and Secondary schools gathered to explore examples of guernseys and Aboriginal Art symbols, which were sourced by Brandon Jackson-Martin, our First Nations Education Support Officer. They carefully selected symbols that resonated with their personal experiences and the spirit of the College, incorporating these elements into their designs.

The resulting artwork tells the story:

“Our community sits under the stars that shine over Kaurna land. As a tight-knit community, we bond together at the meeting place. Each of us is unique, bringing our own shining light, having come a long way to be here. The river represents Dry Creek, with each student represented by their own unique symbol, showcasing their belonging and connection to the St Paul’s community.”

This incredible design, which truly reflects the voices of our students, would not have been possible without the contributions of Nick Gillard, Brandon Jackson-Martin, Claudia Lamberto, Alexandra Harrison, Stephanie Singh, the St Paul’s RAP committee, and, of course, our talented students.

“This initiative displays our commitment to promoting reconciliation at St Paul’s College, fostering a deeper understanding and respect for First Nations cultures among our entire school community,” said Campbell Burton, First Nations Key Teacher. “I look forward to seeing the guernseys being worn with pride during future co-curricular rounds.”

Families and School – on the same journey for success

A highlight of the past fortnight has been Learning Conversations that involved families and young people discussing learning, school experience and wellbeing.

While perhaps obvious, wherever families positively engage school community and staff, their child(ren) is more likely to experience connection to the school community, trust and relationship with teachers, and success (whatever that looks like for each student). For this reason, St Paul’s College expresses heartfelt thanks to families who booked and attended Learning Conversations to begin Term 2.

As a staff of St Paul’s College, we pride ourselves on proactive communication with families, especially wherever there have been successes or challenges. Of course, these conversations are centered on the child and student, meaning they are deeply important and often emotional conversations.

As we all know and appreciate, healthy conversations remain respectful and focused on the care that family and school have for the young person. There are opportunities to respectfully raise concerns and it is important that families and staff can talk freely with one another; however, the college continues to seek the trust and confidence of families that we always act in the best interest of all young people.

Above all, St Paul’s continues to prioritise partnership with families and seeks families to continue trusting that all decisions are made in the best interest of you and your child(ren).

Catholic School Parents Australia (CSPA) offer an array of information and resources for families around supporting their young people and the school, noting that families can and must support both parties, not one or the other.

As one body of work completed by CSPA, you may also find interest in the information at Gearing Up for Parent Engagement in Student Learning. Here, you can find resources for connecting with schools and teachers, as well as young people, as they navigate Primary or Secondary education.

From the perspective of St Paul’s College, there are some crucial point we encourage for all families:

Do not hesitate to communicate: sometimes a ‘wait and see’ approach to your child’s concern may seem appropriate – it isn’t! Please communicate early so that any concerns do not compound.
Phone and in-person is most effective: while it is sometimes appropriate to use email or SEQTA, emotion can often be confused in these modes of communication, making phone calls and in-person conversations most effective.
School staff are asked to communicate proactively and often: A college directive to staff is for them to communicate with families often, especially where there are challenges or concerns. Understanding that families are busy, we commit to this communication.
Staff don’t make things up: great work and effort goes into supporting students through moments of challenge, perhaps poor decisions, and moments of success. Like anybody, we make mistakes; however, we do ask for implicit trust from families in the first instance, whereby staff and families are the adults best equipped to support young people through challenge.

Thanks again for the ongoing connection of families with our college and its staff; may this continue as we strive to support our young people.