As this is the final Grammarian for the year, I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate our students on their achievements during 2020.  I also wish to acknowledge and thank our staff and school families for working together to help make it a successful year at St Paul’s, despite the unforeseeable obstacles that presented themselves.  The importance of cooperation between parents, staff and students can never be overemphasised, and it was especially important this year.

‘Early Commencement’ was the flavour of this week for most of our secondary students, with next year’s classes now well underway.  This places significant pressure on our staff but they do their utmost to handle the extra workload with a minimum of fuss and they value the benefits that it brings, particularly for our VCE students.  We are blessed with a very diligent, talented group of staff at St Paul’s and for this we are extremely grateful.  They have worked particularly hard this year in difficult circumstances.

This Sunday marks the beginning of the Christian season of Advent.  It is my hope that, amidst the barrage of advertising and consumerism that prevails in the lead up to 25 December, we are all able to immerse ourselves in something more meaningful this Christmas.  Jesus was born at a time when ignorance, greed and immorality were the order of the day.  His birth signified a transformational moment, leading to a new way of life.  With this in mind, I hope that this Christmas is an extra special one for us all, and a season in which love, care, forgiveness and hope resonate.

Now that Christmas seems likely to be free of most of the restrictions placed upon us during 2020, I wish everyone in our community an especially happy Christmas holiday and a wonderful beginning to what is hopefully a far more predictable year in 2021.

I received some wonderful news from the Premier’s office last week that one of our Year 10 students, Lleyton Row, has been awarded the Premier’s Spirit of ANZAC Prize. He has won a $3,000 Scholarship for his efforts.  Congratulations, Lleyton!

Cameron Herbert
Principal