News & Events

Next week, the College and our Nation celebrates National Reconciliation Week. ‘Be a Voice for Generations’ is the theme for national reconciliation Week in 2023 and that theme is echoed by our annual College them of ‘Empowering Voices’.

National Reconciliation Week runs from 27 May until 3 June and it is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

At St Paul’s College, we continually acknowledge and respect the Kaurna people whose land we share and who have a most exceptional and ongoing story that can educate our practices, policies, relationships and people. But first, we must commit to understanding and reconciliation.

Throughout National Reconciliation Week, our College will participate in several ways and students will be invited to partake in many activities, including a whole-school assembly that starts with a smoking ceremony and welcome to country on Monday morning to begin the week.

Just as students will be increasing their focus on understanding and reconciliation during NRW, I urge you to seek every opportunity to discuss the week and its theme with your young person(s).

Update on Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA)

As you will have noted in previous communications, EREA have undertaken significant change to governance structures. While this may not obviously impact the daily undertaking in our school community, the close work that we do with our governing body is exceptionally supportive and greatly assist our College as a Catholic College in the Edmund Rice Tradition.

Now governed by EREA Colleges Ltd, we extend a warm welcome from St Paul’s College to Mr Chris Woolley as the CEO of EREA Colleges Ltd. Following his appointment in February, Chris started in this position last week and his leadership will enormously benefit our College and likewise the many communities within EREA Colleges Ltd.

Chris is a senior executive with 25 years’ experience in management, education, law and policy in both the private and public sectors. He comes to EREA from Queensland Catholic Education Commission, where he was most recently the Acting Executive Director, and substantively the Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary since 2016. Chris has broad experience in a faith-based setting, with work focused on mission and identity. Chris also brings significant leadership experience in complex strategy, governance, and assurance functions.

Chris is obviously excited for his journey that includes great support for our community:

 “I look forward to serving and leading in a system setting and working directly with a wonderful network of colleges, people and communities across Australia. This new role enables me to build on a special connection with EREA, with my father, uncles, brothers, myself, and my sons all having had the opportunity to attend Catholic schools founded in the Edmund Rice tradition. I am privileged and humbled to serve EREA as it renews its commitment to governance structures and processes which best support its school communities.”

Chris looks forward to visiting St Paul’s College for the first time in June.

High Expectations – attending always and on time

As outlined in the College’s Our Common Ground, respectful relationships set the foundation for our lives at St Paul’s College. For this reason, respect needs to be central for every student, staff member and family and there are very simple ways to show a commitment to respect that can easily improve outcomes.

Perhaps the easiest way to demonstrate respect and commit to success is by ensuring that students attend always, and on time. Attendance and punctuality may seem trivial or assumed, but we know that as winter creeps in and the year grows longer, there is a risk to be late to school/class and perhaps even a risk to attendance.

Simply reminding ourselves that the only we to be successful at school is to be at school, motivates us to prioritise attendance. By extension, being punctual leads to success because it shows others and ourselves that we are committed to learning and committed to the community – we care.

Students and families are reminded that attendance and punctuality are absolutely demanded of students (and likewise staff), with thanks for prioritising these as obvious signs of respect and commitment.

Josh Foulis
Acting Principal