In this issue

From the Head of Traralgon Secondary School,
Mrs Leonie Clark

Welcome back to Term 3 2022, the year is progressing very quickly and it is very hard to believe that we are already planning many key events and activities to prepare the students for the 2023 academic school year! Last week in our Years 7 to 9 assembly I had the pleasure of inviting the students to reflect upon the meaning of our school blazer and I share an adapted version of the address with you below.

Why do superheroes wear uniforms and capes?
I do hope you all had a lovely holiday and break. I know that I certainly enjoyed the opportunity for some much-needed rest. I lost myself in a couple of books, spent time in my garden, enjoyed catching up with some friends did some shopping at Chadstone, visited Picasso at the National Gallery of Victoria, thoroughly enjoyed watching Queensland win the State of Origin and watched far too much Netflix!

Speaking of Netflix it was during the holidays that I could not help but wonder… why do superheroes wear uniforms and capes?

Year 8 students pose in a St Paul’s Super Heroic composition ready to commence their day!

These are some of our Year 8 students in a ‘Super Heroic’ composition. Note the camera angle of a worm’s eye view to create a sense of power and strength by positioning you, as the audience below the subjects. The focused and determined expressions on the faces of the students and their strong poses and posture. They are proudly wearing their uniforms! They are a united TEAM and a force to be reckoned with!

But what gives them the united strength and disposition?
As you can see the blazer is more than just an outer garment. It conveys the message that the students belong to our St Paul’s community, that they are proud of their community, that they wholeheartedly support our school values and policies, and that they are committed to being part of this team and a contributing member.

That blazer represents not only their current St Paul’s community but and I will refer to the poignant lyrics of our school song ‘…those that came before us …’ as well as those students and staff who will contribute to this community long after we have found our future pathways. Our students are a part of our history, they are a part of our St Paul’s story and they are an important part of our family.

Many heroic superhero stories including the newly released Marvel movie highlight that determination, grit and kindness defeat negativity. They also emphasise that people who say and act out in negative/destructive ways are often battling their own hurt and past experiences. Kindness is always the superpower in many of these storylines as the characters work together to protect each other! Kindness, compassion and approaching things as a team with empathy and understanding always brings greater wisdom and insight to complex, negative situations.

The blazer identifies that our students are one of our superheroes, they have chosen to be part of this kind, compassionate and wise community. The blazer could be considered a superhero uniform or cape when worn with immense pride. Our uniform is a representation of our ‘superhero team’ that sees our students say ‘no’ to negative behaviours and celebrate and act with immense kindness at all times – even when no one is watching.

When our students arrive at, or depart from school today, tomorrow or next week and you see the staff reminding our students to wear their blazers, it is because we are very proud to be leading them. It is because we know that every day, they are working towards their own unique, kind and compassionate contribution to our school community here at Traralgon, as the leading safe and kind school in Gippsland.

Kindness never hurt anyone and superheroes at St Paul’s always wear uniforms with pride to remind them and us, that being kind and compassionate is our superpower.”

Online Safety Hub with ySafe
ySafe, an eSafety Commissioner-approved provider of online safety education for children and school communities, has developed an outstanding online safety hub for St Paul’s parents and guardians: stpaulsags.onlinesafetyhub.com.au

All St Paul’s families are able to access the online safety hub using the link above that is an up to date digital resource for families on the following topics.

Digital Quiz
•  Is your family set up for online? ‘Take the quiz to find out’.

Safe Devices
•  Setting up parental controls (How to manually set up your child’s devices to be safe).

App Reviews
•  Parents’ guide to apps.
•  Age appropriate app reviews and recommendations from the experts

#Trending Topics
•  Tik Tok
•  What parents need to know about Tik Tok

Finlay Stockil, Liana Reid, Sahanna Harikrishna and Alice den Houting.

Samuel Darby, Samuel Wight, Ethan Chan, Charles Griffin and Jett Koppen.

Out and about at Traralgon Secondary School
This week I enjoyed a lovely meander at morning tea on Monday and the students certainly made the most of the lovely weather to be outside in the fresh air.

Leonie Clark
Head of Traralgon Secondary School

WHAT’S ON

AUGUST
2 August  SEISA Chess, Debating and Public Speaking, 10:00 am, Gippsland Grammar School, Sale
VCE Information Evening, Warragul Secondary School, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
3 August  Whole School Anniversary Service (Warragul Secondary School – 40 Years, Traralgon Secondary School – 20 Years), Prep to Year 12, Warragul Secondary School, 10:20 am
4 August  SEISA Winter Inter/Senior Round 3
Australian Mathematics Competition, 9:45 am to 11:05 am

* Please note that all events/excursions are dependent on COVID-19 restrictions.
* TBC – to be confirmed.

DOBSONS TRADING HOURS

Please note that some COVIDSafe procedures may still apply. We thank you for your cooperation.

Order online or click and collect: Please ensure that you only attend the store to collect your items once you have received notification that your order is ready, order here.

PARENT STUDENT TEACHER INTERVIEWS (PSTIs) AND STUDENT SUBJECT SELECTIONS

Semester 2 PSTIs will be occurring at the Traralgon Secondary School on two upcoming evenings. Parents will be able to make bookings for this by visiting the School Interviews Website at schoolinterviews.com.au, and entering the appropriate session code. The information for each interview session is shown below.

Students in Years 7 to 10 will also be making their subject selections in the coming weeks. The important dates surrounding these for each year level are as follows:

Year 10
•  Tuesday 2 August, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm – VCE and Year 10 Information Evening at Warragul Secondary School
•  Wednesday 10 August, 1:30 pm onward – Course Counselling at Traralgon Secondary School
•  Friday 12 August, 3:30 pm – Subject Selections due

Year 9
•  Wednesday 10 August, 7:00 pm – Information Evening at Traralgon Secondary School
•  Tuesday 16 August, 1:30 pm onward – Course Counselling at Traralgon Secondary School
•  Friday 26 August, 3:30 pm – Subject Selections due

Year 8
•  Friday 26 August, 3:30 pm – Subject Selections due

Year 7
•  Friday 26 August, 3:30pm – Subject Selections due

Years 7 and 8 Subject Selection Process
Please note there is no subject selection information evening for Years 7 and 8 students. Rather, students in these year levels will be presented with their elective selection options during school hours.  During this presentation, they will receive a webcode giving them access to complete their selections online. The online system allows students to print their selections which they then have signed by a parent before submitting to our front office by the due date given above.

If you have any questions, please contact our secondary school office.

Chris Ambrozy
Director of Studies – Traralgon Secondary School
Classroom Teacher – Science, Robotics and Computer Science

NOVA WEETMAN AUTHOR VISIT

Friday 22 July was a fantastic day for the St Paul’s Library, with a visit from YA author, Nova Weetman. Nova presented to Years 5 and 6 as well as Year 7 students at both the Warragul and Traralgon Campuses. Nova was an engaging speaker, captivating students with her backstory from her early career in television to her writing process.

Traralgon Secondary School students very excited to meet Nova Weetman. From left to right: Veratta Mbulawa, Elizabeth Schembri, Layla Graham, Nova Weetman (Author), Hayley Collins, and Madeleine Minniti.

She went on to work with the students on character creation, with some very interesting results. Traralgon Secondary School created a character that played bass guitar in a rock band, while Traralgon Junior School created a character who was dealing with a lot of family conflict. At Warragul Junior School, the students created Harley, a girl who likes bananas but not her little brother. While at Warragul Secondary School they developed a character who was a soccer player and suffered from crippling bouts of arthritis.

A wealth of deep digging questions was presented to Nova who didn’t shy away from many topics at all, including where she finds her motivation and how to deal with publishers.

Jannet Taylor
Head of Libraries

HEAD OF YEAR REPORT

Year 10 Conference
Last week, our Year 10 students travelled to Phillip Island for a three-day conference where they were joined by Year 10 Warragul students. This is the first time these students have been able to get together since the pandemic. The aim of this camp was to capitalise on the information gained from the Career Wise program and have the opportunity to do some further careers work. Using this time away also helps to build our Year 10 community. The conference included a full day workshop facilitated by Tripod and a series of workshops on career, subject selections, resiliency and personal development issues. On the Wednesday night, students dressed up in 80s outfits and enjoyed a disco.

On the final night, we had a formal dinner where students dressed up and had a three-course meal that was served by the staff. The purpose of this event was to help the cohort develop a cohesive identity and to give them an experience of a formal social setting. A former student, Cassie Armour spoke to the cohort about her journey and how the school and staff supported her to fulfil her dream to become a primary school teacher. She spoke about the importance of goal setting and having a supportive network around them as anything is possible.

Smiths Beach walk.

We were very fortunate with the weather which made our beach walk very enjoyable. The feedback from our students was very positive and I would like to take the opportunity to thank Sharon Pyle, Donna Byrne, Annette Young and Leonie Clark for giving up their time away from their family and making this camp a success.

Year 10 visit to Federation University
To coincide with the Year 10 Conference, an excursion to Federation University was organised for students to have a tour of the campus and to learn more about the different courses that the university offers. Our presenter talked about the life of a university student and the importance of planning ahead; to research careers, courses and where you can study. Students were made aware of the type of courses that the university offers and there was a wide range: Arts, Information Technology, Business, Health and Education to name a few. University versus secondary was another topic that was discussed to give students an idea about how different the two are. There is a different structure and not the 9:00 am to 3:10 pm school day, more freedom and opportunities (no bell times or notifications that your work is due), their classes are focused on a specific field of study and there are different ways to learn, whether it be placement, labs, lectures or tutorials.

Visit to Federation University.

After the presentation students were given a tour. Allied Health tour was a highlight as it was set up as a hospital with mannequins as patients. Students visited the Science labs, Physio labs and Visual Arts facilities. To cap off the morning the students were given a show bag and treated to a $12 canteen voucher which was very generous from the university.

Visit to Allied Health.

This excursion provided students with additional information that will help them in deciding what career path they want to take and what subjects they need to consider in preparation for Year 11 next year. I would like to thank Nova Doherty and Sharon Pyle for attending the excursion.

Some of the Year 9 boys at a stall at the Lardner Park Expo.

Year 9 Job Expo at Lardner Park
The JobSkills Expo targeted students and young people from schools, training and community organisations. It engaged young people with “hands-on” activities, advice and information about the various skills, jobs and industries that make up our regional workforce. As well as static displays the JobSkills Expo Week had a range of short seminars providing practical information and advice to students.

Axel talking to someone from the Engineer Regiment.

There was a wide range of TAFE, trades, universities and other education and training providers and students could discuss options with specific presenters about the pathways they are considering. The students’ feedback was positive and they enjoyed collecting show bags and other goodies.

Sandra Timmer-Arends
Head of Year 9 and 10
Head of Sport, Traralgon Campus
Health and Physical Education

HIGHLIGHTS IN SPORT

Ashley Nicholes National Experience
Ashley Nicholes has been in impressive form recently at the state and national championships. On the back of his outstanding efforts, Ashley has been selected in the Victorian team. At the National Swimming Championships held in Adelaide, Ashley finished 5th in his age group in the 50m freestyle event. In the blue-ribbon event 100m freestyle, Ashley recorded a fast swim which saw him place 6th in an event that had over 90 Australian qualifying swimmers vying for a final’s berth. During that swim, Ashley recorded a personal best of 1.3 seconds. Ashley is enjoying a month’s rest before preparing for the Victorian Short Course Country and State Championships being held in August.

Ashley Nicholes with his first place ribbon.

Ben Burrows wins overall MVP in cricket
At our recent assembly, it was a pleasure to present Ben with an MVP medal for the most valuable player of the series in SEISA Intermediate cricket. Ben polled the most votes after each round last term. Congratulations Ben on a wonderful achievement.

Sienna Smith heads to Sale for the Gippsland Interschool Clay Target Shooting Championships
It was a cool morning on Wednesday 15 June, when students from all over Gippsland arrived at the Sale Field and Game range for the 43rd annual Howard and Schuback Gippsland Interschool Clay Target Shooting Championships. After missing the previous two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic it was wonderful to again welcome schools to the range. There were 24 squads of shooters, with a total of 118 student participants on the day and luckily the forecast rain held off. Each squad shot two rounds of ten targets, on two different layouts, with just one student hitting all 20 targets. Year 10 student Sienna Smith competed in the Senior Girls division where she was involved in a shoot off to be declared the eventual winner in her division. Sienna scored 22/6, followed by second place from Nagel College, 18/26 and third placed from Gippsland Grammar 15/20. Sienna was super excited to come home with a trophy and representing St Paul’s.

Sienna Smith in action at clay target shooting in Sale.

Maya Gomez competing at the Victorian Country Championships in table tennis
Maya and her team travelled down to the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre to compete at the Victorian Country Championships over the Queen’s Birthday weekend. As a team they came third overall and each of them had good individual results too. Maya is looking forward to the selection trials for the SEISA Spring Carnival being held later in the term.

Maya Gomez in action.

Sienna Carruthers
Sienna has been selected for the Vic Volleyball State Squad. She is also part of the Gippsland Sports Academy. Sienna will be training every Sunday with the Victorian team until the nationals in late September. This is a tremendous achievement.

SEISA Junior Winter Wrap
There was finally some excitement in the air amongst the Years 7 and 8 students who made it through to the final. This opportunity was missing for the past two years. 2022 did not disappoint. We had four teams who qualified for finals: A and B girls basketball, girls soccer and AFLW. With home-court advantage for three of our teams and the school behind them, we saw both our basketball and soccer teams winning. I would like to thank Mr Cameron Herbert for attending the basketball where he presented the bannerettes to our girls and Mrs Chapman as the coach, as well as Mrs Leonie Clark who was super excited to head down to Harold Preston Park to watch the girls play soccer and present the winning banner to the captain Claudia Buhagiar and coach Ms Kara Kimberley.

Leonie Clark presenting the banner to captain Claudia Buhagiar and coach Kara Kimberley.

SEISA Junior Girls Soccer
The Junior Girls Soccer team is commended on their undefeated season. The girls from both Warragul and Traralgon came together as a united team learning and playing soccer together. The girls came with a range of experience from competitive soccer to never having played before. It was a pleasure to watch the girls develop soccer skills and build an understanding of the game and play as a team. They took everything in and listened to feedback and direction that they then implemented in the game. The girls were very excited to play in the grand final and win this final. Their excitement and pride are a reflection of the girls’ hard work and determination.

SEISA Junior Girls Soccer team.

Sandra Timmer-Arends
Head of Year 9 and 10
Head of Sport, Traralgon Campus
Health and Physical Education

VICTORIAN ALL SCHOOLS CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Well done to all students who represented St Paul’s at Bundoora Park on Saturday 23 July. The 2022 Victorian All Schools Cross Country Championships was the selection trial to represent Victoria at the Australian Cross Country Championships.

Ben Westwood.

It was a high-level event that provided a great experience for our students. They should be proud of their efforts!

Melissa Hoskings
Head of Sport, Warragul Secondary School

BOHO FRIDAY WAS A MASSIVE SUCCESS

Team Timor was delighted with the success of Boho Friday which occurred on the last day of Term 2. Thirty-two senior school students volunteered to help and were run off their feet with the enthusiastic participation of all Junior School students and many of our Secondary School students.  There was a real buzz of excitement in the air as students eagerly lined up for their henna tattoo designs, nail art and braids.

Alex braiding Laura’s hair.

Mrs Wilson enjoying a pamper.

Kiera and Anna having their nails done by Haley and Hallie.

Students also shopped up a storm at our Timor stall, with many products all being sold out by the end of the day. All up, we made a profit of approximately $1,700, an amazing result. All proceeds go towards building an English Language Centre in Malimea Village, where local children from surrounding towns and villages can attend to learn English, a very valuable skill for future employment and further education.

Our fundraising efforts continue with our Timor Movie Night this Friday and an upcoming High Tea in Term 4.

We would like to say a massive thank you to all students and Mrs Andie Browne who helped out with Boho Friday.

Kirsten Enders
Humanities and Commerce Teacher
Traralgon Campus

FINANCE NEWS

Census Privacy Notice
A privacy notice from the Department of Education is attached which explains what information the Department of Education collects in Census and Special Circumstances Applications, why they collect it and how they can use the data.

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

Term 3 has commenced with a wide range of classroom learning mixed with several events and activities. Thrown in for good measure, we continue to have a large amount of illness among our students and staff. Whilst this can often mean a change to the regular routines for some, we are thankful that our casual relief staff are available to assist and ensure there is minimal disruption to classroom learning and the school day.

New Child Safe Standards
We always enjoy having parents/carers/grandparents etc assisting in our Junior School and on excursions. Families should be aware that there are specific requirements for all individuals who assist within our school, including having a current Working With Children Check and having completed our updated Child Safe Modules. An online induction session via LinkSafe is also required for those individuals who will be assisting regularly. Families should speak to their classroom teacher or Bec in the office for further information on completing any of these compliance requirements.

Years 5 and 6 Winter Round Robin
Well done to our Football, Soccer and T-Ball teams who all competed in the Years 5 and 6 Regional Winter Round Robin in Sale last Wednesday. Our Football team finished on top of the table at the end of the day and now move through to State, which will be held on Wednesday 17 August at St Helena. This is an outstanding achievement and we wish them, and co-coaches Mr Barkla and Mr Boraston, well.

Student Achievement
Our congratulations to the following students: Ollie Muir (Year 6) has made the School Sport Victoria (SSV) State team in both football and basketball. He will travel to Adelaide 6 to 13 August to compete in football and 13 to 19 August to Bendigo for basketball. Maddie Buhagiar (Year 6) made the State (SSV) team in Cross Country (26 to 29 August in Adelaide) and Soccer (16 to 21 October in Darwin). Both are amazing achievements as there are thousands of students who try out for these teams from schools all over Victoria. We also congratulate Jesse Davis (Year 5) who has been selected into the Melbourne Victory Soccer Academy for trials. He had to trial against around 150 students (invite only trials) with only 20 selected.

Author Visit
Well-known author, Nova Weetman, visited St Paul’s last Friday and our Years 5 and 6 students were lucky enough to enjoy her presentation over in the Science Centre Lecture Theatre. Nova has authored several books and is a prolific author of coming-of-age books directed at this age level.

Year 4 Camp
Our Years 4 and 3 students had a wonderful time at Phillip Island last week. The weather was very kind and they enjoyed a range of adventure and initiative activities and even spent some time playing at the beach. I joined them on the Thursday evening just in time for dinner and visited the Nobbies with them on the Friday. My thanks to Miss Begg, Ms Paulet, Mrs Smethurst and Mr Barkla who attended the camp and supported the students over the three days.

Warragul Junior School Musical: Change of date
Please note that the Warragul Junior School Musical will now be held on the evening of Thursday 20 October.

Online Safety Hub with ySafe 
ySafe, an sSafety Commissioner-approved provider of online safety education for children and school communities, has developed an outstanding online safety hub for St Paul’s parents and guardians: stpaulsags.onlinesafetyhub.com.au

All St Paul’s families are able to access the online safety hub using the link above that is an up-to-date digital resource for families on the following topics.

Digital Quiz
•  Is your family set up for online? Take the quiz to find out.

Safe Devices
•  Setting up parental controls
•  How to manually set up your child’s devices to be safe.

App Reviews
•  Parents’ guide to apps
•  Age appropriate app reviews and recommendations from the experts.

#Trending Topics
•  Tik Tok
•  What parents need to know about Tik Tok

40 Years Celebration!
We are looking forward to celebrating St Paul’s 40 Years at our whole school (Prep to Year 12) Anniversary Service next Wednesday 3 August.

Rowan van Raay
Head of Warragul Junior School

WHAT’S ON

AUGUST
3 August  Whole School Anniversary Service (Warragul Secondary School – 40 Years, Traralgon Secondary School – 20 Years), Prep to Year 12, Warragul Secondary School, 10:20 am
3 to 5 August  Family Snow Sports Camp
10 August  Year 1 Excursion, IMAX Melbourne Museum
17 August  State Football (selected students only) TBC
27 August  Year 7 2023 Friendship Morning
31 August  Parent Teacher Interviews, 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm

SEPTEMBER
1 September  Parent Teacher Interviews, 3:30 pm to 8:00 pm

* Please note that all events/excursions are dependent on COVID-19 restrictions.
* TBC – to be confirmed.

DOBSONS TRADING HOURS

Please note that some COVIDSafe procedures may still apply. We thank you for your cooperation.

Order online or click and collect: Please ensure that you only attend the store to collect your items once you have received notification that your order is ready, order here.

ST PAUL’S PARENT PRAYER GROUP

“Where two or three people gather in my name, I am there with them.” Matthew 18:20

The St Paul’s parent prayer group meets on the first Monday of each month during school terms. We try to keep the meeting brief (we are usually done by 9:45 am) and casual (younger children are most welcome). The group encompasses people both very comfortable with praying, as well as those newer to praying with others. Feel free to get in touch with any questions beforehand or just attend when you are able during the year.

Our next gathering is Wednesday 3 August, 9:00 am in the Prideaux Centre, Warragul Junior School
Contact:  Sheryn Cutler 0417 158 937 or sheryn.cutler@gmail.com

NOVA WEETMAN AUTHOR VISIT

Friday 22 July was a fantastic day for the St Paul’s Library, with a visit from YA author, Nova Weetman. Nova presented to Years 5 and 6 as well as Year 7 students at both the Warragul and Traralgon Campuses. Nova was an engaging speaker, captivating students with her backstory from her early career in television to her writing process.

Warragul Junior School students with visiting author. From left to right: Finlay Heenan, Nina Vanschyndel, Juliet Doughty, Sonya Kubale, Max Stafford, Nova Weetman (Author) Mitchell Johnston (back), Fraser Leighton (front), Kynan Petrie, Indi Rees, Ollie Bain and Edith Box.

She went on to work with the students on character creation, with some very interesting results. Traralgon Secondary School created a character that played bass guitar in a rock band, while Traralgon Junior School created a character who was dealing with a lot of family conflict. At Warragul Junior School, the students created Harley, a girl who likes bananas but not her little brother. While at Warragul Secondary School they developed a character who was a soccer player and suffered from crippling bouts of arthritis.

A wealth of deep digging questions was presented to Nova who didn’t shy away from many topics at all, including where she finds her motivation and how to deal with publishers.

Jannet Taylor
Head of Libraries

OUTSTANDING SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS

We have had some outstanding individual sporting achievements recently at the Warragul Junior School. The following students should be extremely proud of their efforts.

Ollie Muir (Year 6) has been selected in the School Sport Victoria teams for both Aussie Rules Football and Basketball. He will travel to Adelaide from 6 to 13 August for football and then onto Bendigo from 13 to 19 August for basketball. It is the second year running that Ollie has made the basketball team.

Maddie Buhagiar (Year 6) has been selected for School Sport Victoria in both Cross Country and Football (soccer). She will travel to Adelaide from 26 to 29 August and then to Darwin from 16 to 21 October.

It is a long process to reach a Team Vic sport, with thousands of boys and girls from all over Victoria trialling, and both Ollie and Maddie had to progress through various stages.

Jesse Davis in his Melbourne Victory kit.

Also, Jesse Davis (Year 5) has been selected into the Melbourne Victory Academy for trials. He had to trial against about 150 students (invite only trials) with only 20 selected.

We are excited to follow their progress and congratulate Ollie, Maddie and Jesse on their achievements.

Paul Boraston
Head of PE and Sport, Warragul Junior School

FINANCE NEWS

Census Privacy Notice
A privacy notice from the Department of Education is attached which explains what information the Department of Education collects in Census and Special Circumstances Applications, why they collect it and how they can use the data.

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

Welcome to Term 3
It is quite incredible to think about everything that has occurred between the writing of my last Grammarian article in June last year to now, as I write this one. As I started my leave we were still going in and out of lockdowns, restrictions on school activities were in place and there was much uncertainty in our world. Fast forward 12 months and most of the restrictions have been lifted, school events are back in full swing and some calm has been restored. I felt this more than ever as I stood behind the lectern at our Warragul Secondary School assembly last Thursday and looked out at a sea of familiar faces, once again, seated in our gymnasium. I took a moment just before addressing the staff and students to soak it all in and to feel my presence in that space again.

Assemblies are part of the rituals and traditions which support the rich and historic culture of our school. Before the pandemic, I think we all took for granted those rituals and traditions which remind us of who we are, what we are a part of and that we are part of something far greater than ourselves as individuals. We are part of a community.

When we all gather in the gymnasium, we reflect on how important our uniform is and how it binds our students together, how important it is to hear the words and stories of others; to listen, to recognise achievements; events and moments; to play music; to sing and to reflect through Bible Readings, prayer and storytelling. Assemblies also remind us that we are part of a community that is even bigger than just Warragul Secondary School because there are three other sub-schools with their students and staff as well as parents and guardians, Board members, contractors and stakeholders and a growing alumni.

We are a part of something exceptional at St Paul’s and it was very special to be back in an assembly, conducting this important ritual that resets us all and reminds our students of why they are here… to learn, to aspire to something beyond here, to approach all they do with a growth mindset and to turn all of our thoughts to how we can positively contribute to this community that we are so lucky to be a part of.

It is wonderful to be back and I hope to catch up with many families at our upcoming VCE and Year 10 Information Evening and PSTI Evening.

Welcome to St Paul’s
We welcomed three new staff to the Warragul Campus to begin Term 3. In this Grammarian edition we are introducing our new Mathematics and Science teacher, Mark Sinclair.

Mark Sinclair.

If there was one piece of advice you could give to your teenage self, what would it be?
To always look for what can be achieved, set regular goals and be positive about challenges in life that make you a better person.

Areas of expertise, interest and passion or Super-Power.
I am a qualified Careers Adviser, so I am very interested in students developing career thoughts and how they can be used to motivate them. I love finding that point of engagement, for example a personal interest, that inspires a student to try harder and make an effort to improve their skills.

What personal characteristics in your students/learners do you admire?
I like it when students are prepared to trust themselves and their teacher to help them to move forward in their learning, especially when it is challenging for them. Also, they start asking more questions because they really want to know more, and when they smile at the point of understanding and say “thanks” at the end of a lesson.

What has impressed you about St Paul’s so far?
The vibrancy of the students in the school and the positive feedback I have already received from students. I am also impressed with their willingness to communicate with their teachers and respond to both encouragement and constructive criticism. The staff at St Paul’s have also been so supportive and welcoming.

Farewell
As well as welcoming new staff to St Paul’s we have also farewelled two staff members. Our school counsellor Amelia Vincent has started her family leave and we wish her all the best and look forward to some exciting baby news. We also farewelled Maisie Henwood our Community Events Coordinator who has taken on a different role at a law firm in Pakenham. We thank Maisie for all  of the work she has done this year organising and coordinating two Presentation Balls and the Senior Formal amongst everything else.

Masks and COVID-19 Testing
Unfortunately, our recent requests for our students to wear masks whilst indoors have not had the impact that we had hoped. We do expect our students to wear a mask whilst indoors and we are asking for parent support to encourage them to do so. We understand this is not a mandate and we do know that our students are mask weary, we all are, but cases are on the rise within our community and we need to work together to minimise them. Some of our students and staff are now contracting COVID-19 for a second time and we know that wearing a mask is a simple measure to try and reduce the infection rate. Our staff really need consideration at this time and we would really appreciate any family support you can offer. We also urge families to continue RAT testing students who develop symptoms and encourage seeking a PCR for a more accurate result. Regardless of RAT tests or PCRs, no student is to attend school whilst symptomatic.

Senior Formal
We had a wonderful evening on Friday 22 July with 203 Years 11 and Year 12 students attend the Senior Formal. A slightly altered format including finger food rather than a sit-down meal allowed for faster entry onto the dance floor and an instant party atmosphere. The students were exceptionally well-behaved and we enjoyed being able to offer this event once again. We must thank all the staff involved in the organisation of the event and the supervision of students on the night.

Anniversary Service
On Wednesday 3 August we will be celebrating the 40 Year Anniversary of our school with our student body. There have been six Principals leading St Paul’s in those 40 years and next week all of them will be in attendance to celebrate with students and staff. As this will be a very formal assembly and occasion, we ask all students to wear their formal winter uniform. ALL sport, health and physical education classes will be theory classes on that day and this has been planned in the curriculum to allow for formal uniform. All students will be required to wear their blazers and Wednesday morning they will be presented with a 40-year pin which they will attach to their blazers prior to attending the assembly. We are looking forward to hearing stories from our school’s history and celebrating this significant milestone.

SEISA Senior and Intermediate Term 3 Changes
Due to the ongoing effect of COVID-19 and other illnesses, our SEISA teams are urged to check the MyStPauls Sport page each Wednesday and again on Thursday morning. Games may be forfeited by St Paul’s or our opponents as late as the morning of the competition due to student absences. We understand this is not ideal, but we are doing our best to communicate these changes as soon as we are able to make a decision. Vigilant checking by students will reduce confusion and we appreciate our families’ support as we make last minute changes as required.

Laura Butterworth
Head of Warragul Secondary School

WHAT’S ON

JULY
29 July  Sport Aerobics Training, Warragul Secondary School Gymnasium/Dance Studio, 7:00 am to 8:30 am
Commercial Gallery Viewing, Unit 4 Studio Arts, 12:45 pm to 3:15 pm
Year 9 Celebrating Families Day, Year 9 Centre, 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm

AUGUST
1 August  Gymnastics Training, Warragul Gymnastics Centre, 7:00 am to 8:00 am
2 August  SEISA Chess, Debating and Public Speaking, Gippsland Grammar School, Sale, 10:00 am to 6:15 pm
VCE and Year 10 Information Evening, Warragul Secondary School, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
3 August  Whole School Anniversary Service (Warragul Secondary School – 40 Years, Traralgon Secondary School – 20 Years), Prep to Year 12, Warragul Secondary School, 10:20 am
4 August  Theatre Studies Excursion – Medea, Theatre Works, St Kilda, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Year 8 Live4Life Launch Event, Lardner Park, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
SEISA Winter Intermediate/Senior Round 3
5 August  Sport Aerobics Training, Warragul Secondary School Gymnasium/Dance Studio, 7:00 am to 8:30 am
8 August  Gymnastics Training, Warragul Gymnastics Centre, 7:00 am to 8:00 am
Year 11 into Year 12 2023 Course Counselling, Warragul Secondary School Library
9 August  Year 10 into Year 11 2023 Course Counselling, Warragul Secondary School Library
Studio Concert, Parker Centre and Science Centre Lecture Theatre, Prep to Year 12, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
11 August  SEISA Winter Intermediate/Senior Round 4
12 August  Sport Aerobics Training, Warragul Secondary School Gymnasium/Dance Studio, 7:00 am to 8:30 am
Theatre Studies Monologue Exam Preparation Workshop, Gippsland Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon, 9:30 am to 2:30 pm
VCE Subject Selections Due, 3:30 pm
15 August  Gymnastics Training, Warragul Gymnastics Centre, 7:00 am to 8:00 am
Year 9 into Year 10 2023 Course Counselling, Warragul Secondary School Library
16 August  House Cultural Day
18 August  SEISA Winter Intermediate/Senior Round 5
Year 7 Immunisations
Studio Concert, Parker Centre and Science Centre Lecture Theatre, Prep to Year 12, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
19 August  Sport Aerobics Training, Warragul Secondary School Gymnasium/Dance Studio, 7:00 am to 8:30 am
Year 11 Leadership Day, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Years 8, 9 and 10 2023 Subject Selections Due, 3:30 pm
19 to 22 August  Sport Aerobics National Championships
21 August  AusCycling Schools Mountain Bike Series – Round 3, Cranwell Park, Braybrook
22 August  School Gymnastics Carnival
24 August  Expose, Excite, Ignite Science Show, Years 7 and 8 students, Science Centre Lecture Theatre, 9:40 am to 12:30 pm
Parent Student Teacher Interviews (PSTIs) #1, 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm
25 August  SEISA Winter Intermediate/Senior Finals
26 August  Sport Aerobics Training, Warragul Secondary School Gymnasium/Dance Studio, 7:00 am to 8:30 am

* Please note that all events/excursions are dependent on COVID-19 restrictions.
* TBC – to be confirmed.

DOBSONS TRADING HOURS

Please note that some COVIDSafe procedures may still apply. We thank you for your cooperation.

Order online or click and collect: Please ensure that you only attend the store to collect your items once you have received notification that your order is ready, order here.

ST PAUL’S PARENT PRAYER GROUP

“Where two or three people gather in my name, I am there with them.” Matthew 18:20

The St Paul’s parent prayer group meets on the first Monday of each month during school terms. We try to keep the meeting brief (we are usually done by 9:45 am) and casual (younger children are most welcome). The group encompasses people both very comfortable with praying, as well as those newer to praying with others. Feel free to get in touch with any questions beforehand or just attend when you are able during the year.

Our next gathering is Wednesday 3 August, 9:00 am in the Prideaux Centre, Warragul Junior School
Contact:  Sheryn Cutler 0417 158 937 or sheryn.cutler@gmail.com

2023 SUBJECT SELECTIONS YEAR 10 TO YEAR 12

We are currently in the midst of the busy and exciting subject selections period, and students in Years 9, 10 and 11 have been receiving quite a lot of information at school via pastoral time, mentor time and faculty presentations. Our VCE and Year 10 Information Evening will be held next Tuesday 2 August between 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm and all families are strongly encouraged to attend as it is another excellent opportunity to ask questions and find out more about VCE and what next year’s program will entail for your child.

Please see below for a summary of the key dates pertaining to 2023 subject selections.

A letter was emailed last week that detailed the subject selection process and this document also contained a booking sheet for parents who would like to attend their child’s course counselling appointment. Please have your child return their booking sheet ASAP as the due date is Friday 29 July.

Age Percy
Director of Studies, Warragul Secondary School

YEAR 10 CONFERENCE

Year 10 students enjoying a walk along Smiths Beach with some lovely weather!

Last week, for the first time since the pandemic, the Warragul and Traralgon Year 10 cohort travelled to Phillip Island for a three-day conference. The purpose of this was to capitalise on the results gained from the Career Wise testing program. The conference entailed presentations about career choices, subject selection, wellbeing and personal development, as well as a full-day workshop facilitated by Driven Outcomes (Tripod).
The students enjoyed a disco on the Wednesday night and a formal dinner with a three-course meal on the Thursday night. This encouraged cohesiveness amongst the cohort whilst they experienced dining in a formal social setting. We were joined by alumna Cassie Armour, who spoke about her journey and how St Paul’s supported her in achieving her professional aspirations, as well as the importance of goal setting.

Feedback about the conference has been positive and I sincerely thank each of the staff members that were involved for their contributions and support.

Stephanie Trovato
Head of Year 10, Warragul Secondary School
French Teacher
Health and Human Development Teacher

YEARS 11 AND 12 THEATRE STUDIES PRODUCTION “HE SAID AND SHE SAID”

The one-act play “He Said and She Said” by Alice Gerstenberg was recently brought to life by St Paul’s Year 11/12 Theatre Studies students. Under the mentoring of their teacher, Kylie Sinclair, the Year 11 and Year 12 students spent a period of about 12 weeks planning, designing, directing and rehearsing the play as part of their class work.

The Parker Centre was transformed into a theatre for the Years 11 and Year 12 production.

Participating in the Director’s Forum: Amelia Kelly, Natasha Murcott, Zoe Vandyk, Barbara Patrickson, Riley Richardson, Zach Lecher and Lucas Jantos.

Mrs Packard (Natasha Murcott) and Enid (Barbara Patrickson).

Felix (Riley Richardson) and Diana (Zoe Vandyk).

A cautionary tale about the dangers of rumours, the importance of integrity and the power of true friendship, this drama/comedy delighted audiences who attended. The interactive Director’s Forum held afterwards enabled students who had designed costumes, sets and lighting for the play to explain their creative choices, and helped the audience to understand the research and symbolism behind their ideas.

After two years of being unable to host audiences for Theatre Studies Productions due to COVID-19 restrictions, our audiences agreed – it was lovely to be back in the theatre again!

Kylie Sinclair
Production Coordinator
Teacher of Drama, English and Theatre Studies

NOVA WEETMAN AUTHOR VISIT

Friday 22 July was a fantastic day for the St Paul’s Library, with a visit from YA author, Nova Weetman. Nova presented to Years 5 and 6 as well as Year 7 students at both the Warragul and Traralgon Campuses. Nova was an engaging speaker, captivating students with her backstory from her early career in television to her writing process.

Students at Warragul Secondary School with author Nova Weetman.

She went on to work with the students on character creation, with some very interesting results. Traralgon Secondary School created a character that played bass guitar in a rock band, while Traralgon Junior School created a character who was dealing with a lot of family conflict. At Warragul Junior School, the students created Harley, a girl who likes bananas but not her little brother. While at Warragul Secondary School they developed a character who was a soccer player and suffered from crippling bouts of arthritis.

A wealth of deep digging questions was presented to Nova who didn’t shy away from many topics at all, including where she finds her motivation and how to deal with publishers.

Jannet Taylor
Head of Libraries

WHAT’S ON IN TERM 3 SPORT

SEISA Intermediate/Senior Competition
Round 3: Thursday 4 August
Round 4: Thursday 11 August
Round 5: Thursday 18 August
Finals: Thursday 25 August
Selection process: Trials were completed on Tuesday 14 June.
Weekly logistics (travel arrangements): Will be published on the MyStPauls Sport page each Friday.
Training information, fixtures and results: Will be published regularly on the MyStPauls sport page.
Event and consent information: Was distributed to families via Consent2Go late in Term 2. This needed to be approved by Wednesday 20 July.

2022 Alpinestars Schools Mountain Bike Series, Victoria
Date:  Sunday 21 August, Sunday 11 September, Saturday 29 October (final)
Selection process: Expression of interest was advertised via MyStPauls Sport page in Term 2. All students/families who expressed interest have been involved in regular email communication.
The event series is a great way for students to get involved in racing their mountain bikes for their school in a fun and supportive environment.  New and experienced riders are encouraged to participate.
Parent information and permission: Published via Consent2Go in Term 2. Regular email communication will be sent home in the lead-up to each event. This event does not involve school transport.

Sport Aerobics National Championships
Dates: Friday 19 August to Monday 22 August
Selection process: Teams have been selected and are currently training each Friday morning.
Team information: Consent2Go information will be distributed to families early in Term 3. Further information about flights, accommodation and other event information will be emailed to families once the event schedule is released.

Secondary Interschool Gymnastics
Dates: Monday 22 August to Friday 26 August
Compulsory trainings: Friday 29 July, Friday 5 August, Friday 12 August, Friday 19 August
Selection process: Expression of interest in Term 2 via email.
Gymnasts can compete in either the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics competition, which involves six apparatus, floor, pommel horse, rings, vault, parallel bars and high bar or Women’s Artistic Gymnastics, comprising four apparatus, vault, bars, beam and floor.
Students will normally compete on one day – this will be published to families once the schedule is released.
More information: Will be communicated to parents once the event information is distributed to schools.
Event and training information: Will be distributed to families via Consent2Go in Term 3.

SEISA Spring Carnival
Date: Thursday 1 September (all day event)
Selection process: Student signups will be completed in early Term 3 via Mentor Group in addition to trials being run during lunchtimes. The boys netball teams will be the same as the Victorian Netball Championships Event.
•  Junior Boys Netball (Years 7 – 8) *** Vic Champs Netball Team
•  Intermediate Boys Netball (Years 9 – 10)
•  Senior Boys Netball (Years 11 – 12) *** Vic Champs Netball Team
•  Junior Girls Volleyball (Years 7 – 9)
•  Senior Girls Volleyball (Years 10 – 12)
•  Junior Boys Volleyball (Years 7 – 9)
•  Senior Boys Volleyball (Years 10 – 12)
•  Hockey Girls (Years 9 to 12)
•  Badminton Girls (Years 7 – 12)
•  Badminton Boys (Years 7 – 12)
•  Table Tennis Girls (Years 7 – 12)
•  Table Tennis Boys (Years 7 – 12)
Trial dates, training information and travel arrangements: Will be published regularly on the MyStPauls sport page.
Event information and permission: Will be distributed to families via Consent2Go in Term 3.

Victorian All Schools Netball Championships, FINALS
Date: Friday 9 September (all day event)
Selection process: Teams were selected in Term 2 and competed in the qualifying rounds in Melbourne. The Senior Boys team has qualified for this event.
Event information and permission: Will be distributed to families via Consent2Go in early Term 3.

SEISA Cross Country
Date: Thursday 15 September (all day event)
Selection process: House Cross Country Carnival.
The SEISA Cross Country Carnival will be held at Newhaven College, Phillip Island.
Event information and permission: Will be distributed to families via Consent2Go in early Term 3.

Other Term 3 Sport Information
•  All key sporting event information is published regularly on the MyStPauls Sport page. Students and families must be checking this page to keep informed.
•  Further information on the St Paul’s equestrian teams will be published on the respective MyStPauls pages throughout the term.
•  Junior students will be provided with an opportunity to sign up for Term 4 Summer SEISA later in Term 3.

Melissa Hoskings
Head of Sport, Warragul Secondary School

VICTORIAN ALL SCHOOLS CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

Well done to all students who represented St Paul’s at Bundoora Park on Saturday 23 July. The 2022 Victorian All Schools Cross Country Championships was the selection trial to represent Victoria at the Australian Cross Country Championships.

Ben Westwood.

It was a high-level event that provided a great experience for our students. They should be proud of their efforts!

Melissa Hoskings
Head of Sport, Warragul Secondary School

VICTORIAN SCHOOLS MOUNTAIN BIKE SERIES, LYSTERFIELD

St Paul’s Warragul has a number of students competing in the Alpinestars Schools Mountain Bike Series, Victoria. The series is a great way for students to get involved in racing their mountain bikes for their school in a fun and supportive environment.

The 2022 Victorian Schools MTB Series 2 was held at Lysterfield Park on Sunday 24 July. The weather was perfect and the tracks were in mint condition. 190 students attended from various schools and competed in their age groups. Each age group had a different distance – our u/15s completed a 12 kilometre course, the u/17 age group did a 15 kilometre course and the u/19s approximately 20 kilometre. St Paul’s was represented by seven students and they should be proud of their achievements. The team would like to thank all the parents who attended on the day and Ms Hoskings and Brenton Jones for their support. We look forward to the next event at the Haunted Hills Mountain Bike Park on Sunday 21 August.

Melissa Hoskings
Head of Sport, Warragul Secondary School

FINANCE NEWS

Census Privacy Notice
A privacy notice from the Department of Education is attached which explains what information the Department of Education collects in Census and Special Circumstances Applications, why they collect it and how they can use the data.

Little time passed from the outset of Term 3 before the familiar flurry of school activity had entrenched itself as the norm once again. Our Early Learning Centres, Junior Schools and Secondary Schools have all been involved in a range of exciting adventures, both within the school’s buildings and grounds and beyond, including camps, excursions, and formal occasions.

One of many highlights last week was the Victorian Anglican Schools Service at St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne. I accompanied Reverend Daniel Lowe and our School Prefects to represent St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School at this significant event which involved over 20 other Victorian Anglican Schools. One of our Prefects, Lajuventi Pannu, has provided the following reflection on her experience at the service.

The Anglican Schools Cathedral Service that the Prefects and School Captains of St Paul’s had the honour to attend on Thursday 21 July 2022 was a beautifully orchestrated service lasting one hour, featuring musical items and messages weaving Christian teachings with our potential at school to inspire and uplift. Anglican schools across the Gippsland region assembled to reflect on the theme of ‘making ripples’, a simple yet powerful concept open to the interpretation of the students in attendance. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the one or two students seated in the pew in front of me about various prompts centred on ‘making ripples’.  Later, I sat in awe as a group of violinists played an instrumental for the students as we meditated on our ‘making ripples’ idea. Witnessing the meeting of all of these schools from both regional and metropolitan areas gave me a strong sense of community and opened my eyes to the ways in which we all differ. Personally, I have had minimal experience in Christian spaces of worship, but this particular opportunity was truly special, giving me a renewed sense of hope in leading the St Paul’s community.

Lajuventi Pannu

Next week, on Wednesday 3 August, we will gather in Warragul as a whole school from Prep to Year 12 to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School. Each student will receive a commemorative badge to celebrate the occasion.

The latest edition of our community magazine, Communitas, will be accessible via our website.

I extend my best wishes to everyone for a successful and rewarding Term 3.

Cameron Herbert
Principal

THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

I thought I might try something different in this Chaplain’s Chat and venture into the world of movie reviews. So, if you haven’t yet seen the recent Marvel movie, ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and you don’t want spoilers then you might want to bookmark this article and return to it once you have seen the movie. If you hadn’t planned to see the movie, then read on – it may or may not change your mind. And for those of you that have seen the movie, I would love to know what you think of my take on it.

My proposition is that the movie ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ is a snapshot of Western society’s struggle with religion and faith, packaged in all the fun, humour and silliness of a Marvel movie. With the much-publicised census results showing a continuing shift away from organized religion, I’m sure plenty of people resonated with the way the gods are portrayed in the movie. When Thor decides to get help from Zeus to defeat Gorr the God Butcher, he travels to a large meeting of the gods of the universe in Omnipotence City. Along with the Greek gods, there are gods from throughout the cosmos in attendance – some from Earth, and some from far-off planets. This gathering of gods turns out to be a big disappointment and I suspect Omnipotence City is representative of the way organized/institutional religion is viewed by a growing portion of Western society. Sadly, much of the critique is fair and accurate – the ‘church’ has too often become self-serving, power-hungry, protectionist and corrupt. Often driven more by fear than love. I believe Jesus delivered a similar critique of the established church of his time! Hopefully, the modern Christian church’s response to its failings is different from that of Zeus as seen in the first of the movie’s post-credit scenes.

Throughout the movie, gods are reduced to nothing more than flawed humans with superpowers. Some are good (Thor) while others are not so much (Zeus). Faith in the gods is portrayed as largely futile and even harmful. The villain of the movie is forged by the failure of his own god. Even the children who hold onto their faith in Thor are not so much rescued by their god as they are elevated with godlike powers themselves. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the way many of the local gods are portrayed in the Old Testament. (“At noon, Elijah began making fun of them. “Pray louder!” he said. “Baal must be a god. Maybe he’s daydreaming or using the toilet or travelling somewhere. Or maybe he’s asleep, and you have to wake him up.” 1 Kings 18:27 CEV)

The yearnings of all characters in the movie, mortal and immortal, are much the same as our own – purpose, meaning, connection/relationship and belonging. While the gods portrayed in the movie may have been taken down a peg or four in the eyes of humanity, there is at least an acknowledgement that some things remain a mystery and beyond our power to control. Death is still inevitable. There is still something greater that lays behind the creation of the universe – ‘The Eternal’ – a mysterious and enigmatic presence. Disappointingly, this presence is reduced in the movie to a simple ‘wish-granter’ in a predictable and unoriginal piece of storytelling. In a similar way, the answers offered by the movie rely heavily on core themes of Christian faith, namely ‘love’ and ‘sacrifice’ but they are presented in a somewhat shallow form that relies on trite phrases (“All you need is love”) and familiar tropes. At the risk of upsetting some people, I would suggest that we often see a similar pattern in real life when a secular worldview attempts to grapple with some of the mystery and complexity of our world. Not that there isn’t an acknowledgment of the depth of these ideas within the movie. Jane Foster, AKA Lady Thor, ultimately sacrifices herself to save the universe – a pattern that pervades so many Marvel movies. Thor finds love of a different kind as he takes on the role of parent. Even the villain is ultimately turned by love, choosing to restore his daughter to life rather than destroy all gods. And the final post-credit scene, which shows a dead Jane Foster arriving in Valhalla, illustrates the desperate need we have for some concept of life after death which secular humanism fails to offer.

In the end, ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ offers plenty of entertainment and some good laughs. It probably isn’t meant to be taken too seriously but for those who like to dig a little deeper, I hope I have given you something to ponder.

Reverend Daniel Lowe
Senior Chaplain