From the Principal

With the first wave of the staggered return of students to on-site learning having occurred, we look forward to welcoming all other Year levels back on Tuesday 9 June.  We have had almost 100% of children from ELC to Year 2 attending class this week, as well as almost all students from Year 10 to Year 12, which has been especially pleasing.  I wish to congratulate all of our students, families and staff for their efforts and cooperation on campus this week, together with those who are still managing learning from home.  Soon we will all be together again, and I really look forward to this time.

It is an astonishing period in human history, and I imagine we will all emerge from it with a mixture of positive and negative memories.  If you were like me when the shutdown was announced, your first thoughts were probably negative.  The surprise has been that even for those of us who are prone to worry, opportunities that usually seem to elude us in our busy lives have presented themselves.  I suspect that many of us have rediscovered some of the simple pleasures of life such as walking, reading, self-reflection, gardening, cooking and conversation.  Similarly, for schools, students and teachers, what we initially saw only as obstacles and challenges have resulted in new approaches and new tools.  Our skillset has expanded and our familiarity and expertise in using these skills and tools has been born out of necessity – the necessity brought about by undesirable circumstances.

My hope is that these positive outcomes we have experienced during this period – our new ways of doing things, our gratitude, our appreciation of families and friends, our adaptability and resilience, and our reacquaintance with a simpler, less frantic life – will endure and become part of us all in what might well prove to be a more fulfilling future.

Cameron Herbert
Principal

Warragul Secondary School

From the Head of Warragul Secondary School, Ms Laura Butterworth. On Tuesday we finally welcomed our first three year levels back to Warragul Secondary School …

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Warragul Secondary School

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

On Tuesday we finally welcomed our first three year levels back to Warragul Secondary School to resume learning on campus.  It was a very exciting day for all of the teachers and support staff who have been patiently awaiting clearance for our students to return.  To welcome students back to campus, staff gathered at the school crossing to cheer our students upon arrival and wave to the parents that we have also been missing interaction with during this time.  Students arrived to hear their favourite assembly song ‘My Lighthouse’ playing and a beautifully drawn ‘Welcome back’ banner created by our talented Chaplain Lynton Allan.

Despite some sleepy faces alighting from buses and cars, the first day went very smoothly with all three year levels transitioning back to life on campus with ease.  We are very proud of the way our students have conducted themselves and the motivation they have shown toward their studies through our online learning program.  We know they felt like there were positives and negatives to being at home just like there are at school but we are very happy to have them back on campus, learning right alongside us where we think they belong.  We look forward to welcoming our Years 7 to 9 cohorts back on Tuesday 9 June and want to thank all of our families for their support and encouragement of our teachers and support staff during this time.

Lynton Allan farewell
On Friday 5 June we will farewell Reverend Lynton Allan who has spent Semester 1 at Warragul Secondary School replacing Reverend Daniel Lowe who has been on leave.  Lynton is not a new face to St Paul’s having joined us many times in the past as a special guest at both assemblies and Chapels.  His unique style of Chaplaincy includes story telling through his art and during Term 1 our students really enjoyed his ability to convey his message through this medium.  Lynton enjoys setting his easel up in our common areas during lunchtime and connects with students through conversation and interest in his art.  We are so grateful to have had Lynton with us to support and guide us through what has been a challenging few months.  His support of our students and staff has been tremendous and we will miss his presence and his kindness but we are also thankful for the beautiful art that now adorns our VCE Centre.

Humour and connection
If you are a social media user with a Facebook account, you may have seen some recent posts on the St Paul’s page from Warragul Secondary School.  Isolation from our students has been difficult for many staff and as a way of reaching out to them we have been creating posts to, hopefully, make them laugh and remember us.

We staged the annual Staff v Student Netball game and posted the results for our students.  This is always a much anticipated and hotly contested event so we knew we would stir our Year 12s up with this post:  “The annual Staff v Year 12 Student Netball game was played to schedule this week.  Congratulations to the Staff team for taking out the 2020 title 99 to 0.  It was a disappointing turn out from the Year 12s but no injuries either so overall we were pleased with the outcome.”

Wacky Wednesday
Unbeknownst to our students, and under the direction of Deputy Head of Secondary School Leonie Clark, we began an initiative called ‘Wacky Wednesday’.  Each week a theme was announced, and staff were asked to wear something to reflect that theme.  The aim was to see how long it took our students to notice that their teachers were dressed in a common thread, pardon the pun.  There was a prize involved for the teacher who had a student remark the first time.  The first week the theme was spots and staff across Warragul Secondary School donned their finest ‘spots’ but not one student joined the dots.  The following week was a green theme and we felt that this was surely the week that students would start to notice.  Staff went to great lengths but again the day came and went with not one student questioning why all of their teachers were wearing green.  Finally, in Week 3 when the theme was ‘Wear a hat’, Ms Ali Hay was thrilled when Chloe Downes in Year 12 finally asked “Why are all my teachers wearing a hat?”.  Finally, our students were in on the game with us.  During Weeks 4 through to 7 our themes were plaids and checks, your favourite sporting code, stripes and Wednesday this week we enjoyed wearing wedding attire.

Learning online has not been easy for students or staff but small initiatives like these have brightened our days, maintained connection and kept us thinking of new ways to reach out to our students.

Curriculum and Assessment Day
Please note in your diaries that Friday 5 June is a Curriculum and Assessment Day.  This is a student free day, which in the current situation, means no on-campus or online lessons for the day.  This will be a well-timed four day break for students with the Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday on Monday 8 June. We hope you enjoy this time to rest before our Years 7 to 9 students re-join us on-campus.

Important return to campus reminders:
•  We ask parents to remain in their cars at drop off and pick up time.
•  All canteen orders must be placed by 9:00 am for both recess and lunchtime.  There are NO over the counter canteen sales.
•  All students must bring a refillable water bottle to school.
•  Students must bring their own equipment and must not share any school equipment with their peers.

Years 7 to 9 families will receive communication regarding their return to on-campus learning next week including a comprehensive Student FAQ Guide.

Ms Laura Butterworth
Head of Warragul Secondary School

 

 

DOBSONS UNIFORM SHOP

Dobsons asks for your patience while they observe social distancing.  They will have set limits for the number of customers allowed inside for each store.

You can also purchase uniforms via ‘click and collect’ from the Dobsons website for those wishing to have a contactless transaction and you may collect this on trading days.  Dobsons School Uniforms Online

 

Introducing our Student Representative Council


Throughout the years the Student Representative Council (SRC) has strived to improve our school community and environment with innovative and considered solutions grounded in our school values.  This is the mission statement of the SRC that is continually interpreted by each year’s SRC to ensure that we are always working towards new and achievable goals.  The SRC is a forum where student voices can be heard.  It allows SRC representatives within the student body to vocalise the needs of their year level allowing them to become young leaders within their year level and assist with change within the school.  The SRC is a safe and supportive environment allowing students of many year levels to come together and build connections within the school community and create relationships between students from Years 7 to 12.

An important role of the SRC is to assist in running fundraisers such as barbeques, often helping to raise money for Team Timor.  Planning and organising these events boost morale within the SRC and the students, allowing us to work together towards an achievable goal.  It enables SRC members to learn vital leadership skills in arranging such events and allows for a feeling of camaraderie to grow.

One of the SRC’s initiatives from last year included acknowledging mental health awareness week, where we worked as a team to find and select inspirational images with phrases to assist with mental health.  Some of the images focused on ways to deal with stress and activities to do to make you feel happier.  The SRC also placed a care package in each bathroom that included soap, hand cream and diffusers.  This initiative shows one of the many ways the SRC focuses on ways in which we can support students and their wellbeing.

The SRC is a great way for the students to have a voice in our school and have an influence on the things that impact them the most, from the way we learn to the environment we learn in, and by listening to our fellow students, we allow them to be involved in creating the best schooling experience possible.  By providing an encouraging environment in which students across all year levels have a space to speak freely and openly about ideas and solutions, the SRC has made an immense positive impact on the schooling life here at St Paul’s.  Not only do we provide positive improvements to the physical environment of the school but we also maintain and cultivate the great culture that has been established here.  One of the great things the SRC creates is a place where all year levels are able to mix and connect fluidly with a common purpose, which is a lovely sight, a school in which all year levels are able to be cohesive and one team.

While we have been unable to hold our meetings in the traditional way or run our usual events, we have found a new way for the SRC to connect to the student body during this period of online learning.  One of the products of this online forum has been the recent publication of our newspaper titled ‘CONNECT: The SRC News’.  This new initiative has created much excitement within the SRC and the wider school community and we hope that this will continue.  As the SRC, we thought we would create this newspaper for the student body to draw attention away from the news currently shown in the media and instead focus on the little acts of kindness and news that bring a smile to our face.  Although this publication was produced for people to read during this uncertain time, we will aim to continue this newspaper and hope it will become a tradition for Student Representative Councils to continue into the future.  We are already planning for new items to include in our newspaper which we hope will be published early next term.  It has been great to watch our SRC work together and come up with different interesting topics to include in our newsletter and we look forward for this to continue.

In the next edition of the Grammarian we will introduce our SRC members.

Phoebe O’Connor and Jarra Davis
SRC Presidents

 

ISO PRAC CHALLENGES

During a time of isolation and online learning, we will be bringing regular prac challenge competitions to your home learning space!

Each challenge will present an opportunity to compete against our Sport Trainees.  At the end of each challenge period, the competition panel (trainees and Head of Sport) will announce the winner and a prize (sports voucher) that will be waiting for you at Reception.

Congratulations to Ewan Croucher who is the St Paul’s Warragul Campus winner of the ISO Challenge 1 – How many handballs can you get in the bin in one minute from five metres out?

Ewan doubled Liam’s score, getting six handballs into the bin.  Well done Ewan!  Ewan will receive a $25 sports shop voucher.

Congratulations to Mya McFarlane who is the St Paul’s Warragul Campus winner of the ISO Challenge 2 – How many consecutive tennis ball throws can you complete with your non-dominant hand in two minutes from two metres away?

Mya beat Saskia’s score of sixteen, catching thirty-four with her non-dominant hand.  Well done Mya!  Mya will also receive a $25 sports shop voucher.

Our next challenge is “Can you beat Liam?  How many cross overs can you complete in one minute?”

The challenge video and further information can be viewed on the MyStPauls sport page.

Ms Melissa Hoskings
Head of Sport – Warragul Campus

 

Traralgon Junior School

From the Head of Traralgon Junior School, Ms Tracey King. Our Prep to Year 2 students arrived on Tuesday morning to a line up of …

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Traralgon Junior School

From the Head of Traralgon Junior School,
Ms Tracey King.

Our Prep to Year 2 students arrived on Tuesday morning to a line up of teachers waving and smiling as children jumped out of their cars.  It was a bit like a red carpet arrival for our students.  There were many eager and excited students, happy to be returning to school.  Our first day back onsite was very calm and students enjoyed catching up with their classmates and teachers and spent playtimes running all over the yard.  It was wonderful to hear laughing, noisy chatter and squeals fill the school again.  Teachers organised special activities and enjoyed hearing all about how students managed learning from home.  It was a busy but really lovely day to have students return onsite.  All of our teachers are acknowledged for their efforts and hard work during this time and they were just as excited as the children to be back.

Parent attendance onsite
I would like to remind everyone that during this time of COVID-19, unless absolutely necessary, parents are not to be onsite.  If you do need to come onto school grounds please call the Junior School office on 5175 0133 to advise.

New carpark arrangements
Many thanks to parents for adjusting to the new parking arrangements and use of the ‘Kiss n Go’ zone.  With patience and courtesy we were able to have students arrive and depart quickly each day this week.  Parents are reminded to reverse into carpark spaces in the Junior School carpark.  This will assist with exiting the carpark and help to keep our little people safe.  Staff will be on duty from 8:40 am and anyone needing to drop their children at school prior to this time can access Before School Care with Camp Australia.  Early Learning Centre parents are able to continue parking and walking their children to the entrance gates for drop off and pick up.

Collecting students for appointments
Parents are asked to please notify class teachers of any appointments on the day via email.  When you arrive at the Junior School to collect your child/ren please call the office on 5175 0133.  We will arrange for your child/ren to be at the office and will walk them out to the ‘Kiss n Go’ zone to meet you.

Dobsons Uniform Shop
Parents are able to visit the onsite uniform shop however are asked to use the closest carpark to the Dobsons shop which is the gravel parking area near the gym.  Please be mindful of social distancing and if you are not well (fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath) please do not enter the school grounds.

Arriving after 9:00 am
If your child/ren are late to school, you may walk them to the office only.  Your child will be signed in and walked to their classroom by a staff member.  Please be mindful of changes to Reception access before entering the building.

Attending the Junior School office to pay school fees
If you are making a payment to the school you are asked to do so via BPAY.  Admin is no longer accepting cash at the Junior School office.  If you prefer to pay by cash, you will be given a Westpac Banking Deposit Slip and asked to attend at your local Westpac branch.  Parent details will be noted and provided to the Accounts department with the expected deposit for receipting purposes.  Please contact the office if you would like to discuss further.

MyStPauls
Parents are reminded to regularly access the Traralgon Junior School page of MyStPauls for news items, information and resources.  This page contains useful information and a files section of important documents for families.

National Simultaneous Storytime
This week we participated in the National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) which is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA).  Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country.  Now in its twentieth successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children’s book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.

This year’s book is ‘Whitney and Britney Chicken Divas’ written and illustrated by Lucinda Gifford.  “Whitney and Britney are two gorgeous chooks who live alongside Dora von Dooze.  But Dora is perplexed – why do her dear chickens seem to sleep all day long?  Dora decides to snoop.  She follows the chooks out at night to the local jazz club where she discovers, to her amazement, that they are Whitney and Britney: Chicken Divas!”

Mrs O’Malley and Ms Kyken visited classrooms dressed in their chicken divas outfits and shared the story with much pizazz and humour!   There was plenty of laughter, chicken dancing and fun all over the school.   Thank you to Mrs O’Malley for organising our Junior School participation, it was a terrific event for our return to school.

Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week
On Tuesday 26 May, ‘Sorry Day’ was recognised across our country and some of our students participated in activities to build their knowledge and understanding of the significance of this day.  National Sorry Day or the National Day of Healing, is an annual event that has been held in Australia on 26 May since 1998, to remember and commemorate the mistreatment of the country’s Indigenous people as part of an ongoing process of reconciliation between the Indigenous people and the settler population.  During the twentieth century, Australian government policies caused children to be separated from their families, with the intention of assimilating them into white Australian culture.  This resulted in what became known as the “Stolen Generations”, with the effects of these traumatic removals being felt by succeeding generations even today.  National Reconciliation Week which continues from 27 May until 3 June (NRW) 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.

There are a range of stories which can be read to children to help them understand the importance of reconciliation and ‘Sorry Day’.  Families are encouraged to read together ‘Sorry Day’ written by Coral Vass and Dub Leffler.  ‘Sorry Day’ won the 2019 CBCA Eve Pownall Award for Information Books and the 2018 Speech Pathology Awards Book of the Year for Language and Literacy Development Indigenous Children.  A link for a reading of the book can be found here:  https://youtu.be/H-o5CG3TZR4

Wellbeing
As the excitement of returning to school settles down and students return to regular school days, I encourage families to be mindful of their child/ren’s mental health and to seek support if there are any concerns.  We are in a time of heightened stress and ongoing change which can be challenging for adults and little people.  Please do contact your child’s teachers who will be able to speak with you and refer you to other school supports if needed.  There are also some fabulous external organisations available to parents.  Beyond Blue provides a range of supports, resources and services for families and young people during times of stress and crisis:  https://www.beyondblue.org.au/

Tracey King
Head of Traralgon Junior School

 

DOBSONS UNIFORM SHOP

Dobsons asks for your patience while they observe social distancing.  They will have set limits for the number of customers allowed inside for each store.

You can also purchase uniforms via ‘click and collect’ from the Dobsons website for those wishing to have a contactless transaction and you may collect this on trading days.  Dobsons School Uniforms Online

AMAZING ART!


Traralgon Secondary School

From the Head of Traralgon Secondary School, Mr Brad McCabe. Dear Parents, I would like to acknowledge and congratulate our students and families for their …

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Traralgon Secondary School

From the Head of Traralgon Secondary School,
Mr Brad McCabe.

Dear Parents,

I would like to acknowledge and congratulate our students and families for their efforts with online learning during Term 2.  Staff are looking forward to the return to school later this term and no doubt students will be pleased to see their peers and teachers too.

Once students have returned, teachers will be re-evaluating where students are up to with their learning and will quickly follow up with appropriate learning sequences and tasks.  I would like to reassure students and their parents that teachers are prepared and will work closely with students to focus on completing essential learning.  Student wellbeing will be a priority on return and teachers will spend time re-establishing positive relationships and ensuring students feel both connected and safe.  There will be some changes at school with increased hygiene practices and social distancing as recommended by the Victorian Chief Health Officer and the Department of Education.  Teachers will share new routines with students and assist with the adjustment to these changes.

You can find our ‘Year 10 return to school frequently asked questions’ on MyStPauls: Year 10 return

Key dates:
Friday 5 June  Staff Curriculum and Assessment Day, Student free day (no online classes)
Monday 8 June  Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday
Tuesday 9 June  Years 3 to 9 students return to learning in classes at school
Friday 19 June  Last day of Term 2

Brad McCabe
Head of Traralgon Secondary School

 

 

WELCOME BACK YEAR 10

After almost nine weeks apart it was wonderful to welcome back our Year 10s.  Although I found after the first two weeks, I become acclimatised to my online classroom and was delighted by the efforts of my students, nothing beats seeing them face to face!

I was very excited to be on crossing duty on Tuesday morning to welcome students as they walked into school and it was great to hear them all catch up with friends.  I would like to thank all the Year 10 students and their parents for embracing online learning, and for their encouragement and support of both staff and students.

Kirsten Enders
Head of Year 10 – Traralgon Campus


SCHOOL CAPTAIN’S UPDATE

After the long period of isolation and online learning, many students were very excited to be back in the classroom, while it is slightly different in attempts to follow cleaning procedures, spirits were high as school came back for the Year 10s at Traralgon Secondary School.  Students enjoyed talking to their friends again in person and being able to talk face-to-face with teachers.  While online learning was a good experience and an exercise in independent learning, nothing can compare to being in class.  Many students enjoyed being able to participate in elective subjects again after the break, such as art and drama.  While it is a sharp shift for many, going from the more relaxed style of online learning to the structure of school, the transition is welcomed by many.  As we continue through this unprecedented time period, many are eager to be back and slowly returning to normal.

Renee Collis
School Captain

 

DOBSONS UNIFORM SHOP

Dobsons asks for your patience while they observe social distancing.  They will have set limits for the number of customers allowed inside for each store.

You can also purchase uniforms via ‘click and collect’ from the Dobsons website for those wishing to have a contactless transaction and you may collect this on trading days.  Dobsons School Uniforms Online

 

Warragul Junior School

From the Head of Warragul Junior School, Mr Rowan van Raay. Welcome back Prep to Year 2 students How fantastic it was to have our …

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Warragul Junior School

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

Welcome back Prep to Year 2 students
How fantastic it was to have our Prep to Year 2 students return to campus this week.  It certainly has been way too quiet for my liking this term and to have some of our students return was a delight.  Schools just are not the same without students!

I thank families for following our drop off and pick up guidelines so far.  I will notify families of arrangements for drop off and pick up when all Years 3 to 6 students return, so please keep an eye out for this information.  No doubt things will become more hectic at these times when our Years 3 to 6 students return on 9 June.

A reminder that we request that (parents/carers) should remain in their cars at drop off and pick up times and should you need to come on campus for any reason that you contact the Junior School office on 5622 6131.  Please share this information if someone else is dropping off or collecting your child/ren.  Please continue to email or call staff should you wish to speak to them.

Before and After School Care – Camp Australia
Our before and after school care services remain open to all families for the contracted OSHC operating hours.  However, should our services start to reach capacity, as per the latest Federal Government advice, we will need to give priority of access to “children of working parents, vulnerable and disadvantaged children that need early education more than ever and parents with pre-existing enrolments.”  Should parents require Outside School Hours Care, they must visit the Camp Australia Parent Portal to register their current status.

Student free day – Prep to Year 6
A reminder that next Friday 5 June will be a student free day for all Prep to Year 6 students.  Camp Australia will be providing a program for the day on campus and further information has already been emailed to families and can be found in this newsletter.  To book please visit www.campaustralia.com.au or call their customer care team on 1300 105 343.

Parent Prayer Group
If you are interested in joining our Parent Prayer Group (online) next Monday 1 June, please email Sheryn Cutler on sheryn.cutler@gmail.com for further details.

Uniform
Years 3 to 6 students should return on 9 June in either sports (if they usually have PE) or full winter uniform (including blazers).  If any families have not yet been able purchase items, please do not stress we will give families a few weeks’ grace to enable you to arrange this.

There is a large amount of lost property in the office, all named items have been kept aside and will be returned to students when they come back to school.  Unnamed items will be available for families to purchase at $10 per item.  Please contact the Junior School office on 5622 6131 to arrange a time to view these items.  All money will be put towards our SRC fundraising efforts.

Upcoming key dates
Monday 1 June:
Parent Prayer Group (online)
Friday 5 June:  Student Free Day for all Prep to Year 6 students
Monday 8 June: Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday
Tuesday 9 June:  All Years 3 to 6 students return to school and cease online learning
Friday 19 June:  End of Semester 1

It was so wonderful to welcome our Prep to Year 2 students back this week and we cannot wait for our Years 3 to 6 students to return on 9 June.

Rowan van Raay
Head of Warragul Junior School

 

 

DOBSONS UNIFORM SHOP

Dobsons asks for your patience while they observe social distancing.  They will have set limits for the number of customers allowed inside for each store.

You can also purchase uniforms via ‘click and collect’ from the Dobsons website for those wishing to have a contactless transaction and you may collect this on trading days.  Dobsons School Uniforms Online

 

Alumni Profile

Beau Miles, Class of 1997 Class of 1997 alumnus, Beau Miles, started at St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School in Year 10.  One of his greatest …

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Beau Miles,
Class of 1997

Class of 1997 alumnus, Beau Miles, started at St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School in Year 10.  One of his greatest memories whilst at St Paul’s was sharing three of his five subjects in Year 12 with Ash Moore, which he said, “severely affected his university rank… and was worth every penny of it)”.  He also remembers “quite honestly” having exceptional teachers who developed real and ongoing relationships with students across the years.

After finishing Year 12, Beau stayed on at St Paul’s as a Sport and Outdoor Education trainee and went on to do an odd assortment of jobs whilst studying outdoor education at Monash University.  He travelled extensively to all corners of the globe on a shoestring budget, always in search of backwaters and backstories.  He said he has only really had three main jobs in life:  St Paul’s (teacher on and off from 1998 to 2007); Monash University (2008 to 2019) and Camp Sangamon in the United States (2001 to 2013).  Heavily influenced by good people, good books and wide thinking parents, Beau is a traveller at heart, but just as happy now on his small farm in Jindivick with his wife, Helen and baby May.

Beau completed his PhD titled “The Secret Life of the Sea Kayaker” which focuses on expeditionary sea kayaking, including a recent crossing to Tasmania (Bass by Kayak on YouTube) emphasising the importance of reflection, storytelling and self-made adventure.

After 12 years as a university lecturer in the faculty of Education at Monash University, Beau is now a full-time writer and filmmaker.  Beau’s films have won dozens of prizes all over the world, screening at festivals and on broadcast TV in Russia, Brazil, the United States and Australia.  His films have also been seen by millions of people on YouTube.

Beau was the first person to run the 655 kilometre Australian Alps Walking Track that follows the alpine areas of Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT; and the last person (2019) to re-trace the old Warragul to Noojee railway line.  He founded the International Sea Kayaking Educators Symposium (ISKES), has written extensively for magazines and is a regular guest on television for Studio 10 (Network 10) and the ABC.

When we asked Beau what he enjoyed most about what he is doing now, he said “If I have anything, it’s diversity.  I lead a heck of a full life because I’m not all that happy about being here for such a short space of time”.

Beau chose outdoor education, filmmaking, writing and travel because they complement each other so well, and fundamentally, they are what he enjoys most – which he said is the most important aspect of what we all can or should do.

When we asked Beau what he found most challenging about what he is doing now, he said “I’m currently shooting a tiny home/office film during the COVID-19 lockdown, based on only using what’s on my farm, while being a new Dad, and without Helen knowing (as the project is for Helen’s birthday), which is proving mighty tricky!”

During his time at St Paul’s, Beau enjoyed the genuine relationships, getting outdoors, the trust that teachers had in him, and the travel, work and learning opportunities that were created.

He described his time at St Paul’s as “Brilliant.  Not because I should say that, but I really did have a beaut time.  School was the best part of my day.”  He believes that all of his teachers contributed in some way to his current interests.

Beau has recently taken up competitive (badly) woodchopping, steaming (instead of boiling) vegetables, and is packing for a long walk with his wife and daughter (when May is bigger and strong enough for the large backpack carrier).

Beau has returned to St Paul’s several times over the years to speak to current students, providing the subtle message that each one of them has the potential to achieve great things and can find inspiration to create their own adventures.  Each time he returns, he also proudly tells current students that he still wears his rugby top and his St Paul’s hat even after all these years.

To view some of Beau’s adventures, click on the following YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm325cMiw9B15xl22_gr6Dw

From the Chaplain

AMAZING OPPORTUNITY. Well, what a strange world in which we are living in!  But in amongst all the chaos and confusion there has been an …

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From the Chaplain

AMAZING OPPORTUNITY.

Well, what a strange world in which we are living in!  But in amongst all the chaos and confusion there has been an amazing opportunity for us as teachers to step up and learn something new.  Never before has having a Growth Mindset been so important.  As a Chaplain, I feel that I have been given an unique opportunity to spark conversations in families who are sharing their online learning with each other.  I have had some wonderful feedback from students and parents who have watched my online lessons and Chapel services and it has been so fantastic to check in with various families who have been sending me emails.

In addition to all the challenges such as interrupted video shoots, failed Teams Meetings and learning how to successfully use a range of new technologies, this ISO time has also taught me many things and has given me an appreciation for things such as toilet paper, internet connections, a good walk and the creativity and generosity of so many people.

All of this does make me wonder what will be our new ‘normal’.  I know that when God created the world and set the seventh day as a day of rest, He always intended for us to make time to have a break and I really hope that, as a world and as a community, we can take away from this time a willingness to stop and appreciate the little things.  I also hope that we can get back to basics and really make a conscious effort to enjoy God’s incredible creation in the big outdoors.

Deana Board
Chaplain