In this issue

From the Head of Traralgon Secondary School,
Mr Stephen Klemke.

The start of year is such a wonderful time.  It is such a joy to watch students returning and greeting their school friends.  It never ceases to amaze me how much some students have grown over the Christmas break.

Our Whole School Induction Service was held last Tuesday and it was again a wonderful service.  It is always quite a sight to see most of the St Paul’s community, (minus Prep to Year 2 from the Junior Schools).  Congratulations to our Traralgon Secondary School Captains, Isabella Watts and Alessio Fenech, who were presented with their badges.  It was also pleasing to see former Traralgon Secondary School student, Zachary Nijenhuis, do a great job in his first official function as School Captain.

For those who do not know, at our Welcome Assembly, we also announce the members of each year’s Academic Honours Society.  These are the Year 12 students from the previous years who received an ATAR of over 95. Congratulations to all who received this honour.

Our Dux of 2018, Janelle Rajasingham, gave a lovely speech which I know inspired our Traralgon Secondary School Captains for their turn to speak at our Leaders’ Induction Service on Thursday.

Congratulations to all of the students who were inducted at this assembly.  One of the highlights was from our Principal, Cameron Herbert, who told a story of his first few days at school.  He entertained us as he told of their calamitous nature, yet with the support of great teachers and friends evolved from that shaky start into a love of learning which still burns just as bright today.  Thank you to the parents who were able to come along.  I think we are blessed with many students who are capable and prepared to undertake leadership positions.  There is no doubt that for each student who undertakes a leadership position more is expected.  There are responsibilities to be undertaken and the expectation to be an exemplary role model increases.  However, in nearly every case, I find my expectations of our student leaders are exceeded.  I thank all in advance for their year of service.

MyStPauls
For new parents and for those who are yet to engage, a reminder of the MyStPauls portal.  Teachers provide regular feedback on assessment tasks, you can check your child’s timetable, the school calendar, find a teacher’s email address and much more. https://my.stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

To download the app search ‘MyStPauls’ in the App Store.  If you need your password or login please contact IT Service on 5622 6148 or email itsupport@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

Stephen Klemke
Head of Traralgon Secondary School

WHAT’S ON IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL

FEBRUARY
12 February  Whole School Swimming Carnival, Moe Outdoor Pool
14 February  SEISA Summer Sport, Intermediate/Senior, Round 1
18 February to 22 February  Year 7 Camp
21 February  SEISA Summer Sport, Intermediate/Senior, Round 2
23 February  Traralgon Secondary and Traralgon Junior FOSP Colour Run
26 February  Traralgon Family Photos
28 February  SEISA Swimming, Badminton and Table Tennis at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre

FROM THE FINANCE OFFICE

Annual Fee Account
Families have recently received an annual fee account for 2019.  If you have any queries in relation to your annual fee account, please contact Mr Peter Lees on 5623 5833.  As detailed on the reverse side of the account, payment options are:

Instalments (due dates)
Instalment 1 on 8 February 2019
Instalment 2 on 5 April 2019
Instalment 3 on 7 June 2019
Instalment 4 on 16 August 2019

Payment in Full
A discount of $300 per child, from Prep to Year 12, is offered to families if the annual invoice is paid in full by 22 February 2019.

Direct Debit
Should families wish to commence payment by Direct Debit, please contact Mr Peter Lees, accountsreceivable@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au as soon as possible to set up an arrangement.
The first fortnightly direct debit will start on 8 February 2019 and the first monthly direct debit will be on 15 February 2019.

From the Head of Warragul Junior School,
Mr Rowan van Raay.

As we complete our first full week, I am happy to report that the start of the school year has continued to be a smooth one…we certainly had a wonderful end to the first day when we celebrated the Preps first day of school and had Tim Credible entertain us with his amazing magic show.

I hope that you all take the time to read the newsletter each fortnight and visit MyStPauls to see what your child has been up to in their year level and specialists classes.  MyStPauls also contains lots of information about school events and helps to keep you up-to-date with everything that happens in the Junior School and can be a great way to start a conversation with your child about their day at school.  For families who may have misplaced their login details, I ask that you contact IT Support at the school and they will issue you with a new one.  Hopefully new families have received login details by now, if not, please let us know.  For families who were unable to join us for our Years 3 to 6 Information Evening, all year level information booklets have been uploaded to the year level pages on MyStPauls.  A reminder that our Prep to Year 2 Information Evening will be held on Monday evening commencing at 7:00 pm in the Junior School Gymnasium (this first session will be identical to the one we held at the Years 3 to 6 evening, so if you attend this session please, just head straight to the classroom session which will commence around 7:45 pm).

Orientation sessions  ‘Setting up for the year’
During the first few days of school, students participated in a variety of ‘Orientation sessions’ with their classroom teacher.  The aim of the program is for all students to hear the same message and to focus upon different aspects of school life at St Paul’s.  These sessions included the following:
•  School Values (Wisdom, Integrity, Compassion and Respect) – explanation of our school values and how they underpin all that we do at St Paul’s.  Everyone has the right to feel safe, happy and respected at St Paul’s.
•  Social Skills, Courtesy, Class Agreements – appropriate ways of joining in, including others, holding doors open, saying hello for example. Discuss bullying – ‘Tell a teacher’, Out of bounds areas.  Develop some class agreements/norms together to put up around the classroom.
•  Diary – summary of the Junior School Diary (including Code of Conduct, homework, filling in notes, reminders and events).
•  Uniform – outline expectations with regard to uniform for example: shirts tucked in when indoors, hair, jewellery, blazers, correct socks, Years 3 to 6 not to wear jumper as outer garment to and from school.
•  Sustainability – discuss compost, different bins, paper recycling, do not waste water.
•  Cyber Safety – orientation into the appropriate use of computers/iPads.  Mobile phones are NOT to be used at school.  Review ‘Guidelines Booklet’.
•  Team Building – getting to know you activities: non-threatening, non-competitive.

It has also been wonderful to see our Pre-Prep and Pre-Kinder students continuing their transition session as they work towards attending full sessions in the coming weeks.

Welcome to 2019 Family Barbeque
An invitation is attached to this newsletter inviting all families to join us for an informal gathering on Friday 22 February from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm.  Our Prep Grand Prix and 100 metre Gift will be held and the Year 12 Prefects will be running some activities for the children.  Families are welcome to bring their own picnic or we will be cooking a sausage sizzle and our Junior School SRC will be selling cold drinks.  It is also a great opportunity to meet staff or play some friendly games with your children on the multi-purpose courts or oval.  Families are welcome to come and go as they please.  We see this as a wonderful opportunity for families to visit us in a relaxed and informal setting, catch up with each other and for new families to make some new connections.

Assembly and Chapel Times
A reminder that our Assembly/Chapel times this year are:  Years 3 to 6 – Mondays 2:20 pm (Junior School Gymnasium); and Prep to Year 2 – (Chapel Week A and Assembly Week B), Fridays 2:40 pm (Prideaux Centre).  Parents are most welcome to join us during these times.  A reminder that taking photos or videoing students is not permitted at assemblies due to privacy reasons.

After School Care
To attend after school care, parents/guardians must register their child with Camp Australia by completing an online enrolment form via their parent portal.  It is very important that parents/guardians fill out all compulsory enrolment documentation for their child and notify Camp Australia of any medical conditions.
Families can register for free at https://pp.campaustralia.com.au/account/register-contacts

Carpark
Just a reminder that everyone should use the pathways and cross the road at the zebra crossings when entering or leaving the ELC or Junior School to ensure we all stay safe.  Could I also please remind parents to be extra careful when reversing out of carparks.

Tennis Lessons:
Please find information below regarding our tennis lessons conducted by Gipplsand Tennis Coaching.

Gippsland Tennis Coaching under the direction of Tennis Australia Accredited Head Coach, Mark Stevens, provides a comprehensive range of coaching programs suited to all standards and age groups.  The lessons are held before school and at lunchtimes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during the school term.
Coaches follow the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots program.  This program provides clear pathways for your child’s tennis development based on age and standard.  A professionally developed skill acquisition program designed to enhance your child’s fundamental motor skills by teaching basic stroke techniques and ball skills to introduce them to tennis.
For further information or enrolments contact Gippsland Tennis Coaching:  Mark Stevens 0417 140 763 or Jamie Dunn 0449 257 569 or email mstennis@dcsi.net.au

I hope to see many families at our Welcome Night BBQ on 22 February.

Rowan van Raay
Head of Warragul Junior School

WHAT’S ON IN THE JUNIOR SCHOOL

FEBRUARY
11 February  Year 6 Leaders Induction Service, Years 3 to 6 only, Junior School Gymnasium, 2:20 pm to 3:20 pm
Prep to Year 2 Parent Information Evening, Junior School Gymnasium, 7:00 pm
13 February  NO PREPS
Years 3 to 6 Swimming Carnival, Warragul Leisure Centre, 11:15 am to 2:30 pm
19 February  Year 6E Community Service session 1
20 February  NO PREPS
22 February  Family Welcome Barbeque
26 February  Year 6E Community Service session 2
27 February  NO PREPS

MARCH
5 March  Year 6E Community Service session 3
11 March  Labour Day Public Holiday
12 March  Year 6E Community Service session 4
15 March  Regional Swimming (selected students from Years 3 to 6)
19 March  Year 6E Community Service session 5
20 March  Years 3 to 6 Athletics Carnival
26 March  Year 6E Community Service session 6
30 March  Open Day

FROM THE FINANCE OFFICE

Annual Fee Account
Families have recently received an annual fee account for 2019.  If you have any queries in relation to your annual fee account, please contact Mr Peter Lees on 5623 5833.  As detailed on the reverse side of the account, payment options are:

Instalments (due dates)
Instalment 1 on 8 February 2019
Instalment 2 on 5 April 2019
Instalment 3 on 7 June 2019
Instalment 4 on 16 August 2019

Payment in Full
A discount of $300 per child, from Prep to Year 12, is offered to families if the annual invoice is paid in full by 22 February 2019.

Direct Debit
Should families wish to commence payment by Direct Debit, please contact Mr Peter Lees, accountsreceivable@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au as soon as possible to set up an arrangement.
The first fortnightly direct debit will start on 8 February 2019 and the first monthly direct debit will be on 15 February 2019.

From the Head of Warragul Secondary School,
Ms Laura Butterworth.

It has been a smooth start to the 2019 academic year here at Warragul Secondary School.  A long-standing tradition at St Paul’s is the ‘Welcome of the Year 7 cohort to the community’.  On our first day last Friday, during the Welcome Assembly, the whole Secondary School community stood and clapped as we welcomed our new Year 7 cohort.  This tradition bookends our year because we do the same for our Year 12 students during their final assembly.  After the Welcome Assembly, school photos and mentor time on that day, we were all ready to begin classes on Monday.  Learning has begun in earnest and summer holidays certainly feel like a thing of the past.

On Tuesday 5 February, we held our Welcome and Induction Assembly in the Warragul Secondary School Gymnasium.  All students from Year 3 through to Year 12 from both our Warragul and Traralgon campuses came together to officially bless and commence the year.  During this assembly our School Captains, Deputy School Captains, Prefects and House Captains were inducted along with the School Captains from Warragul Junior School, Traralgon Junior School and the Traralgon Secondary School.

Our 2018 Dux Janelle Rajasingham addressed the assembly and I have included her speech in this issue of the Grammarian.  Janelle will study Medicine at the University of New South Wales this year and we wish her all the best as she embarks on this next chapter of her life.  Her speech was reflective, thoughtful and inspiring and we are so pleased that she was able to join us on Tuesday.

Swimming Carnival 2019
The 2019 Swimming Carnival will be held on Tuesday 12 February.  Attendance at this event is compulsory for all students.  Can parents please ensure that students wear their house colours on the day and pack uniform for all weather conditions.  Students must bring a hat but should also pack warm clothing, such as their spray jacket or rugby jumper, for both after the event and in anticipation of cold weather conditions.  Please encourage them to apply sunscreen before they leave home in the morning and we will have plenty at the pool so they can reapply during the day.  The House Swimming Carnival is contested and each house is judged for their spirit based on their cheering, chants and costumes.

Students will only be allowed to leave directly from the pool with a written note from a parent or guardian or if the parent/guardian signs them out directly with the staff member at the gate.  We must have written consent to satisfy our duty of care.

Friends of St Paul’s (FOSP) Welcome and invitation
We are very lucky to have an active parent group here at St Paul’s called the Friends of St Paul’s or more commonly referred to as FOSP.  This group meets at regular intervals throughout the year and support the school by welcoming families and organising events, which foster connections within our community.  If you are interested in becoming a part of FOSP we would really enjoy welcoming new parents or guardians to the group.  We are holding our first meeting on Wednesday 13 February at Siam Pesto Thai Restaurant in Warragul.  The evening will begin at 7:00 pm.  Whether you are new to FOSP or a regular please RSVP to Binny Slate on bjslate@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au or call on 5623 5833.  I hope we will see some new faces on Wednesday.

Janelle Rajasingham’s address
“It is such an honour and privilege to be able to share my experiences with you this morning and I would like to thank St Paul’s for giving me this opportunity, but also take this time to thank every staff member that has played a role in my school journey.  Right from Prep all the way to Year 12, every teacher I have had has always put in genuine effort to help me accomplish my goals and I am so grateful for all your support and encouragement, and know that without this, I would not be standing here today.

I still remember this exact moment last year in which I sat with the Class of 2018, awaiting the year in excitement and anticipation.  For a lot of you, today will be such an exciting time as you transition into a new school year.  However, I do know that a lot of you might feel quite nervous and unsure about many things, a significant one being how to handle a greater work load as you progress into the next year level; but today I hope to alleviate some of this angst you may have, and hopefully provide some useful tips that I learnt throughout my schooling experience.

My journey here at St Pauls began in Prep.  I was one of the quieter students in class, always careful to follow rules and never daring to speak up in my defence.  However, as I went through school, with the help of my teachers and peers, I learnt to gain confidence, take risks and challenge myself whenever possible.  From an early age the school helped me pursue my passion in music, providing me with many musical groups and performance opportunities; and most of all, the school imparted strong moral values within me as well as providing me with a safe environment to form strong friendships and gain the best learning experience possible.  Whilst my school journey concluded with me being able to accomplish my goal in following my desired career path, the journey was definitely not an easy one.  I remember going into Year 12 full of determination to achieve my goals, the main one being to study hard and achieve academic success.  However, from changing friendships and bad grades to the difficult decisions of choosing subjects and career paths, I am sure my peers would agree that we all had our fair share of challenges.  As hard as it is, it is important that we understand we will all experience challenges and failures at some point this year.  However, the important thing is how we respond to these challenges in order to overcome them.  A quote by Henry Ford states, “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.”  When we fail, we have two choices.  We can either sulk over our downfall, feeling sorry for ourselves and putting ourselves in a state of pain, regret and lack of motivation; or, we can reflect with determination, find out why it happened, and most of all plan what we will change in the future to overcome this; and this is something I would like you all to think about as we go into the new year.  How will you respond to challenges, and what will you do to take your failures and use this to gain success?

On the other hand, despite all the challenges experienced throughout my years of schooling, there are so many things that made this journey an enjoyable and memorable one.  I always tried to involve myself whenever possible at school, mainly through joining many music and cultural co-curricular groups; and when I look back on my school journey, these unique opportunities are what stand out to me and are the memories I know I will cherish forever.  I encourage you all to get involved as much as possible as it is these opportunities that will form some of the strongest memories you will have of your school journey and ensure you finish the race with no regrets.

The ups and downs of life are inevitable and something we have to accept, but what you do and the effort you put in will determine your success and today I would like to share two key values I believe will help you all strive towards success in achieving your goals.  These are hard work and faith.

Whether it is in the academic field or in sport or music, success is only possible with hard work; and without putting in the effort and trying your best, goals are unattainable.  There is a quote I love that states “I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but it’s going to be worth it.”  Yes, talent and intelligence may be contributors, but hard work beats all of this and is the key to success; and whether you are in Prep or Year 12, I would like to encourage each and every one of you to work hard and put in effort to achieve your goals; as if you put in the effort, you WILL get there.

Finally, you need to have faith.  Your mind is so powerful and the way you think can make the biggest difference in achieving your goals.  There is a famous quote that states “believe you can and you’re halfway there,” and this is so true.  You can do whatever you put your mind to, and so frequently, self-doubt is what stops us from taking that risk… from striving towards our goals.  A famous verse from the bible (Matthew 19:26) states “with God all things are possible.”  We need to believe that with God we can, and this mindset is the driving force that will motivate you to accomplish your goals. 

So, as we go into this new year, I encourage you all to really consider how you will make this year one of the most enjoyable and memorable years of your schooling experience.  Make use of the many opportunities the school provides and do not ever be afraid to try something new.  Through hard work, along with the faith that you can, be assured that you will succeed.”

Ms Laura Butterworth
Head of Warragul Secondary School

WHAT’S ON IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL

FEBRUARY
8 and 9 February  SEISA Leadership Weekend
12 February  House Swimming Carnival
14 February  SEISA Summer Sport, Intermediate/Senior, Round 1
15 February  Presentation Ball Training, 3:30 pm to 5:20 pm
18 to 22 February  Year 7 Camp
21 February  SEISA Summer Sport, Intermediate/Senior, Round 2
25 February  Performing Arts Scholarship Holders Concert
26 February  Presentation Ball Training, 3:30 pm to 5:20 pm
28 February  SEISA Swimming, Badminton, Table Tennis, Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre

MARCH
1 March  Year 9 City Experience, Day 1
4 March  Complete Works, Year 12 Literature Incursion, 9:10 am to 10:50 am
5 March  Presentation Ball Training, 3:30 pm to 5:20 pm
7 March  SEISA Summer Sport, Intermediate/Senior, Round 3
DAV Debating, St Margaret’s School, Berwick, 4:00 pm
11 March  Labour Day Public Holiday
12 March  Boys only Presentation Ball Training, 3:30 pm to 5:20 pm
12 to 15 March  Year 8 Camp
14 March  Federation University Experience Day, Physical, Outdoor Education and Sport Science
SEISA Summer Sport, Intermediate/Senior, Round 4
15 March  Year 7 Immunisations, Warragul Secondary School Library, 9:00 am
19 March  Girls only Presentation Ball Training, 3:30 pm to 5:20 pm
Studio Concert, 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
20 March  House Athletics Carnival
21 March  SEISA Summer Sport, Intermediate/Senior, Round 5
25 March  Parent Student Teacher Interviews, Evening 1, 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm
26 March  Presentation Ball Training, 3:30 pm to 5:20 pm
27 March  Year 9 Faiths in our Community Excursion, 9:00 am to 3:20 pm
28 March  SEISA Summer Sport, Intermediate/Senior, Finals
30 March  St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School Open Day

APRIL
2 April  Presentation Ball Training, 3:30 pm to 5:20 pm
3 April  Parent Student Teacher Interviews, Evening 2, 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm
3 to 9 April  Years 10 and 11 Summit to Sea Camp
4 April  Easter Service
SEISA Music Festival
5 April  End of Term 1, 2:30 pm finish
6 to 22 April  School Holidays
23 April  Term 2 Commences

2019 PRESENTATION BALL COMMITTEE

The first meeting for the 2019 Presentation Ball committee will take place on Tuesday 12 February at 7:00 pm.  The meeting will be held in the Warragul Secondary School Library.  Any parents who would like to be involved in the planning and creation of this event are invited to come along!  If you are unable to make this meeting but would still like to be involved, please email Christie Bransgrove cbransgrove@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

FROM THE FINANCE OFFICE

Annual Fee Account
Families have recently received an annual fee account for 2019.  If you have any queries in relation to your annual fee account, please contact Mr Peter Lees on 5623 5833.  As detailed on the reverse side of the account, payment options are:

Instalments (due dates)
Instalment 1 on 8 February 2019
Instalment 2 on 5 April 2019
Instalment 3 on 7 June 2019
Instalment 4 on 16 August 2019

Payment in Full
A discount of $300 per child, from Prep to Year 12, is offered to families if the annual invoice is paid in full by 22 February 2019.

Direct Debit
Should families wish to commence payment by Direct Debit, please contact Mr Peter Lees, accountsreceivable@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au as soon as possible to set up an arrangement.
The first fortnightly direct debit will start on 8 February 2019 and the first monthly direct debit will be on 15 February 2019.

Welcome to the first Grammarian of 2019.  It is great to have students back in the school again, ready for another big year.  The various Welcome and Information Evenings have begun to take place.  I thank parents and carers for their attendance at these events and trust that they have been, and will be, a valuable experience and source of information.

On Tuesday 5 February, we had the pleasure of bringing together our whole school community from Years 3 to 12 for the 2019 Welcome Assembly.  At this assembly, we inducted our new ‘whole school’ leaders into their roles and our highest VCE ATAR achievers (ATARs over 95) into the Academic Honours’ Society of St Paul’s.

These students, in alphabetical order, were: Christian Carey, James Gallagher, Charles McKay, Janelle Rajasingham (Dux), Isabel Thomas, Gerard Wilkinson, Eva Williamson, Cameron Wong and Brett Wu.

The Dux of 2018, Janelle Rajasingham, gave a moving speech to the assembly, giving thanks to the School and her teachers from Prep to Year 12.  She gave helpful advice to current students, emphasising the importance of hard work and faith as keys to success.  A transcript of Janelle’s address is included in the report from Ms Butterworth, the Head of Warragul Secondary School.

As I have communicated previously, the Class of 2018 achieved very highly as a cohort and we were very pleased with the group’s efforts and achievements.  With an Average Study Score of 32.4 and 44% of students achieving an ATAR of above 80, St Paul’s was clearly the highest-achieving academic school in Gippsland.  We thank and acknowledge the excellent achievements of the Class of 2018 and wish them all the very best for the future.

Whole School Aims 2019

Every year we work from an extensive list of goals in our 2017 to 2021 Strategic Plan.  As the list is so extensive, we also choose a small number of goals for our annual focus for staff.   This year those goals are:

·         Personalising learning
·         Improving student wellbeing through service, gratitude and intrinsic motivation
·         Developing ‘best self’ staff

What these translate into will vary according to the needs in each section of the School, as determined by the staff in conjunction with their Heads of School and Heads of Faculty.  We firmly believe, however, that the combination of these goals will allow our staff across the School to further enhance every student’s learning and importantly, meet them at their point of need in their learning journey.

I wish everyone in the St Paul’s community the very best for the 2019 academic year.

Cameron Herbert
Principal