In this issue

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

Farewell to the Class of 2023
The last fortnight we have approached each day with mixed emotions knowing that our Year 12 cohort was coming to the end of their time at St Paul’s. These days are glittered with special traditions and moments of celebration and the teaching and Educational Support staff enjoy this time of year as much as our departing students. On Thursday 12 October those students who attended the Warragul Junior School joined the Junior School staff for a Farewell Morning Tea in the staff room. Mr van Raay, Head of the Junior School, pulled out the 2017 ‘Perspectives’ school magazine and their Year 6 Graduation books and the Year 12 students reminisced about their time in the Junior School and all of the wonderful memories they had from their time there.
On Friday 13 October, those students who attended either the Traralgon Junior School, Secondary School or both, returned to the Traralgon Campus for afternoon tea with their teaching and Educational Support Staff. Once again students and staff shared stories and reminded each other of all the great times that they shared together through all the years at Traralgon.
Wednesday 18 October was Celebration Day for our Year 12 students who celebrated their final day of secondary schooling. The morning started early as students arrived in creative dress-ups and greeted the rest of the students as they arrived. They then enjoyed the Principal’s Morning Tea, hosted by Mr Herbert, and the last of our morning tea celebrations. From there they walked across to the Church of Christ for their final Chapel Service and they were treated to a special song written for them by Reverend Daniel Lowe and performed by him on piano. They sang their favourite hymns for the last time before heading to the gym for their final assembly and the presentation of awards.
The afternoon concluded with a barbeque on the oval and the students enjoyed riding the giant water slide, playing bubble soccer, spending time together and celebrating their final day. We are incredibly proud of the Class of 2023 and we wish those who have already secured apprenticeships, traineeships and employment all the best and look forward to supporting those who are sitting their exams through the next few weeks. We thank them all for their leadership, kindness and contribution to our wonderful school.

End of Year Examination Preparation
The end of year examinations are fast approaching for our Years 9, 10 and 11 students. All students should have started their preparation for examinations by regularly revising units and content studied to different worded questions under examination conditions. Teaching a family member a concept or process to solve a question or problem is also another brilliant method to ensure that students have a complex understanding of a topic or skill. All students in Years 7 to 11 should be very busy with homework tasks and revision in the coming weeks. I have added below the amount of time that our St Paul’s students should be spending on homework tasks as well as preparation for tests and examinations each weeknight. As students progress to the higher year levels and studies in VCE, more time on weekends must be allocated to their studies to ensure that all required homework and study can be achieved.
Year 7 = 30 minutes
Year 8 =  60 minutes (1 hour)
Year 9 = 90 minutes (1.5 hours)
Year 10 = 120 minutes (2 hours)
Year 11 = 150 minutes (2.5 hours)

Practice examinations in the lead-up to the end of semester examination are a wonderful way to test content and ensure that there is confidence to apply knowledge

Wellbeing and Study – Go Hand in Hand
As students prepare for their end of year examinations and tests, it is important that they remember to balance their time with wellbeing activities. Reminding students to ensure that they are hydrated, are eating a well-balanced diet and checking that they are obtaining the correct hours of sleep while maintaining sleep routines is crucial to their overall wellbeing. Most importantly, the regular scheduling of study breaks, as well as opportunities to participate in exercise and sports are brilliant ways to decompress and certainly make for more efficient learning at home and in the classroom. Wishing all of our students ‘all the best’ for the coming weeks as they prepare for their end of year tests and examinations.

Growing Safe Connections Online – ySafe Online Safety Hub
A gentle reminder to all parents and guardians that we have access to the ySafe Online Safety Hub which contains a plethora of information to assist you in applying parental controls to your child’s devices. We are extremely grateful to all parents/guardians for checking their child’s device and carefully monitoring devices to ensure that children are safe and using the technology with respect and compassion. Our students are still developing their wisdom in this space and do need our care, guidance, and control in learning to use the technology safely. Opening the conversation at home to check that all interactions are positive for your child is imperative to keeping children safe in the online world. Should you need some additional help or support please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s Mentor or Head of Year.

Please follow the link below to access the ySafe Online Safety Hub
https://stpaulsags.onlinesafetyhub.com.au/

Vehicle Speed Reminder
This is a gentle reminder that the speed limit on our school grounds is only ten kilometres per hour. We have noted several vehicles exceeding the limit and compromising community safety at drop-off and pick-up times. Please take your time navigating our property in vehicles and always adhere to the ten kilometres per hour speed limit. Your kind cooperation in this matter is hugely appreciated by a community that is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and staff.

Laura Butterworth
Head of Warragul Secondary School

WHAT’S ON

OCTOBER
23 October to 25 October  Year 9 Outdoor Education Camp
24 October to 15 November  VCAA Unit 4 Exams commence
26 October  SEISA Summer Sport, Junior, Round 3
Year 11 2024 Transition Day (Traralgon Secondary School Year 10 to Warragul Secondary School)
Academy of Music Kapelle Konzert Rehearsal, Science Centre Lecture Theatre, 1:40 pm to 3:10 pm
27 October  Year 11 VET Sport and Recreation Surf Kayak Session, Phillip Island, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Academy of Music Kapelle Konzert Rehearsal, Gippsland Performing Arts Centre, 9:00 am (select PA students)
Academy of Music Kapelle Konzert, Gippsland Performing Arts Centre, 7:00 pm
28 October  Victorian All Schools Track and Field Championships
29 October  Victorian All Schools Track and Field Championships

NOVEMBER
2 November  SEISA Summer Sport, Junior, Round 4
4 November  Victorian All Schools Track and Field Championships
5 November  Victorian All Schools Track and Field Championships
6 November  Mid-term Break
7 November  Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday
9 November  SEISA Summer Sport, Junior, Round 5
10 November  Codetta Rehearsal, Gippsland Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm (select PA students)
Codetta, Gippsland Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon, 7:00 pm (select PA students)

DOBSONS TRADING HOURS

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.

YEAR 12 EXAMS BEGIN NEXT WEEK!

Our Year 12 students will begin their end of year exams next week, with English being the first exam, scheduled for Tuesday 24 October 2023.

We wish our Year 12 students the best of luck, knowing that the hard work they have put in over the past year should give them confidence as they head into each of their exams. They are encouraged to keep attending class at school when they can, not only to access their teachers but also to remain in a good mindset and take advantage of an environment conducive to study.

We ask our younger students to please be mindful, as they move around the school, of the Year 12 students completing their exams in the VCE Centre. The pathway underneath the VCE Centre (from the John McIntyre Centre to the Science Centre) will be blocked off in an attempt to minimise noise and students will be asked to move down to the oval and the gym during recess and lunchtime to ensure a quiet environment.

The exam period runs from 24 October through until 16 November and exams may run as late as 5:30 pm.

We thank our school community for their consideration of our Year 12 students during this period.

Adrienne Percy
Director of Studies – Senior Years

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 Monday 13 November, 9:00 am in the Prideaux Centre, Warragul Junior School
Contact: Sheryn Cutler 0417 158 937 or sheryn.cutler@gmail.com

YEAR 12 THEATRE STUDIES EXAM

Congratulations to the 2023 Theatre Studies class for completing their Monologue Exams on Thursday last week at the Little Theatre in Traralgon. Year 12 Theatre Studies allows students to choose either a performance or design pitch for the monologue of a play chosen from a VCAA-approved list. They spend time researching and creating their pieces and then present them to a panel of examiners in Term 4. This exam builds on the students’ skills of performance and design gained across their time in Drama and Theatre Studies classes and school productions and enables them to creatively apply them to a chosen text. Lucas Jantos chose to design lighting effects and a soundscape for Noel Coward’s comedy, ‘Blithe Spirit’. Zoe Vandyk chose Acting and Directing for Karel Čapek’s Sci-Fi play, ‘Rossum’s Universal Robots’ and Barbara Patrickson Acting and Directing for Sarah Ruhl’s comedy, ‘Dead Man’s Cell Phone’.

Lucas Jantos, Barbara Patrickson and Zoe Vandyk celebrate after their monologue exams.

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

INSPIRING YOUNG WOMEN EVENING

On Wednesday 11 October, six young women from Year 10 attended an Inspiring Young Women’s dinner at Drouin Golf and Country Club. The evening was organised by the Baw Baw Latrobe Local Learning Employment Network (BBLLLEN) to bring students from the local area together with experienced women from industry.

The evening is designed to bring experienced and successful women together with young women who are curious about their futures and may require some further insights into specific careers or general information about career journeys. The evening included several guest speakers who spoke about their career journeys and what tips and tricks they used to feel empowered and motivated to follow their dreams.

Here are some comments from the students who attended the evening:

“I really enjoyed the guest speakers, especially hearing about their career journeys and how they found their passion. The guests on our tables had lots of interesting stories to tell and gave us valuable advice for our own career journeys.”

“I really enjoyed the opportunity of being able to be surrounded by inspiring women in their careers, who have been so successful in following their own passions and the overall positive supportive nature of the whole night was a pleasure to be a part of.”

“I had such a wonderful time and I learnt so much from all the women. It was also so lovely to chat with you and I am so thankful that I had the chance to meet so many women and hear their stories. I would also like to add that speaking to the women and hearing about how they got to where they are today was really inspirational and I feel that I can speak on behalf of a lot of people when I say that I really feel empowered and that even as a woman, now I feel like I can do anything I like and get far in life as long as I have a strong mindset like all of the inspiring women do.”

“The Inspiring Women’s dinner was a great opportunity, throughout the night we heard from so many inspiring women from all different fields of work and got treated to a two-course meal. The rest of the night was spent networking with truly inspiring women and I am so thankful for this experience.”

Sarah Luck
Head of Careers

WARRAGUL SECONDARY SCHOOL ENSEMBLE REHEARSALS

*Soul Band and Jazz Combo are audition/invitation ensembles only. Please contact Mr Chris Staben for further information regarding these ensembles: crstaben@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

New members and students having lessons outside of school are most welcome. Please contact Mrs Heather Mason and/or the listed ensemble director for further information: hjmason@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

Heather Mason
Head of Performing Arts – Co-curricular

ALUMNI REUNIONS

Join the fun! Register here.

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

Term 4 is always a busy one with so many events and activities surrounded by the regular classroom learning that takes place. I ask that families keep an eye out for all the communication that comes home about all events that will take place (apologies if you are feeling bombarded with information at the moment). As always, please contact us should you have any queries about any of our school events.

Students have been really busy the past fortnight with our Hot Shot Tennis team progressing to the regional level while our Regional Athletics team competed on Wednesday. Congratulations to all students who competed and well done to Mitch Green, Sasha Reidy and Sidney Box who made it through to the state level. Our Preps enjoyed their excursion to the theatre to see ‘Paven and Sarah’ while the Year 12 students returned to the Junior School to reminisce about their Junior School years and have a look around to see all of the changes. They engulfed morning tea like there was no tomorrow, I had forgotten how much the big kids eat.

The Lion King JR
Excitement is building as the finishing touches and final rehearsals take place in preparation for our two shows next Wednesday at the West Gippsland Arts Centre. Information has been sent out via Consent2Go this week and I ask that all families read the information to ensure you are aware of all the arrangements.

Years 5 and 6 Canberra Educational Tour
As you may be aware, one hundred and ten Years 5 and 6 students from our school recently attended an education tour of the national capital, Canberra. Students were provided with the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage and democracy. The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding of $45 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid to the school and this will be passed on to families whose children attend the tour once it is received. The students had a wonderful time and enjoyed the range of activities on offer. It was a jam-packed four days and my sincere thanks to the staff who attended the tour.

Prep to Year 2 Swimming Program and Swimming Carnival
Our Prep to Year 2 swimming program will take place in Week 5 with the Prep to Year 2 Swimming Carnival to be held on Wednesday 8 November. Families should have received details via Consent2Go and further information regarding session times will be sent home to families soon.

Student Free Day – Care available (full day program)
Please note that our Before and After school care provider, Club House Boot Camp, will be running a full day program on our upcoming Student Free Day on Friday 24 November.

Rowan van Raay
Head of Warragul Junior School

WHAT’S ON

OCTOBER
23 October  T20 Blast Cricket (selected students)
25 October  School Production
2024 Prep Play Afternoon
27 October  Futsal Soccer (selected students)
30 October and 3 November  Prep to Year 2 Swimming

NOVEMBER
1 November  2024 Prep Transition, session 1
6 November  Mid-term Break
7 November  Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday
8 November  Prep to Year 2 Swimming Carnival
2024 Prep Transition, session 2
15 November  2024 Prep Transition, session 3
17 November  Book Fair Dress Up
20 to 22 November  Year 3 Camp
22 November  2024 Prep Transition, session 4
24 November  Student Free Day

DOBSONS TRADING HOURS

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 Monday 13 November, 9:00 am in the Prideaux Centre, Warragul Junior School
Contact: Sheryn Cutler 0417 158 937 or sheryn.cutler@gmail.com

WARRAGUL JUNIOR SCHOOL ENSEMBLE REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

New members and students having lessons outside of school are most welcome. Please contact Mrs Heather Mason and/or the listed ensemble director for further information: hjmason@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

Heather Mason
Head of Performing Arts – Co-curricular

ALUMNI REUNIONS

Join the fun! Register here.

CLUB HOUSE BOOT CAMP

Welcome back to Term 4. Only ten more Fridays until Christmas! That means if you are wanting to join the fun with us in the school holidays, please book in or check out our website for more information. Our program will be launched in the next two weeks.

We have had a lovely two weeks back, getting into our routine and welcoming new friends and new mentors with Lizzie Parsons and Teagan Craig joining Jim Stoney and Holly Davidson each week. Our Mentors take after school play to the next level.

We are so excited to be welcoming this sunny summer weather but do not worry, we have more fun and games planned for those rainy spring days inside.

Contact admin@clubhousebootcamp.com.au or visit www.clubhousebootcamp.com.au to enrol.

Cath Stoney
Founder and Director
Club House Boot Camp

From the Head of Traralgon Secondary School,
Mrs Leonie Clark

I can fly!
Our production of ‘Peter Pan JR’ was a superb escape into the glittering night sky and a tremendous reminder that a ‘childhood’ is a precious gift. The protagonist Peter Pan determines that he is not quite ready to grow up and takes another path and journey, while the ‘lost children’ decide that they really do want and need the safety and predictability of a family to flourish. I have read this story many times and adore the messages of appreciating family, persevering against the odds, believing in yourself and following your dreams, even if those dreams are a little different from the norm! Reminding ourselves and our children that life is a continuous journey of learning while prompting them to embrace an appreciation for what ‘could be’, is an invaluable gift we can impart to our children as we nurture the next generation to dream.
These are the messages that we convey to our children in the Secondary School every day at St Paul’s. In our St Paul’s family, it is important to be your authentic self, to be supported to know that you can do anything if you dream big enough and that the most valuable thing you can do is believe in yourself!
I sincerely thank the students, staff and families involved in the production for their time, passion and endless energy. Our students are most fortunate to have a committed and professional team to support them to achieve their dreams and fulfil their responsibilities. From the backstage manager, production manager, backstage team, make-up artists, choreographers,and  set and costume designers, it is a gigantic effort to coordinate and bring a production such as ‘Peter Pan JR’ to fruition. Thank you again to Mr Nathan Byrne, Head of Performing Arts, for his invaluable expertise and professionalism in guiding the whole community to such a momentous event for our Traralgon Secondary School.
Every student involved in our magical production has learned from this experience. They understand and know that great things can be achieved with dedication, an unwavering commitment to the vision and a sprinkle of persevering pixie dust. In essence, everyone involved in our 2023 production learned how to believe in themselves and learned how to fly!

Year 10 Commerce ‘Market Day’
Last Friday our Year 10 students sprung into action as they prepared their Market Day stalls to ‘test the market’ and sell their products to the Traralgon Secondary School students and staff. Post the preparation of detailed business plans and risk assessments, delicious aromas wafted into classrooms as hungry students looked forward to sampling a vast array of products. Students will once again present their businesses to the Junior School to improve on their initial business proposition. All profits from the ventures are donated to charities identified by the Year 10 students in their business plans.

Amelia and Angela sample some delicious crepes.

Isaiah preparing to enjoy a barbeque lunch.

Aru adorns a snow ball cup for a customer.

Step Back In Time – Year 12 Afternoon Tea Traralgon Cohort 2023
Friday afternoon we warmly welcomed back to the Traralgon Campus the 2023 Year 12 cohort for a long overdue reunion with their former staff with an opportunity to step back in time. Students spent time reminiscing about the ‘good old days’ with some amusing and at times, hilarious photographs from their time at the Traralgon Campus.
Students were particularly keen for a tour of the school with the current Head of Years 9 and 10 Mrs Sandra Timmer-Arends. The students could not help but note the substantial growth and development of the campus since they transitioned to Warragul nearly two years ago. It was lovely to catch up with so many former Traralgon students and for our staff to appreciate the further academic progress of our 2023 Year 12 students. We wish all of our Year 12 students the very best for their examinations in the coming weeks, as well as their future journeys into the world beyond St Paul’s.

Vehicle Speed Reminder
This is a gentle reminder that the speed limit in our school grounds is only ten kilometres per hour. We have noted several vehicles exceeding the limit and compromising community safety at drop off and pick up times. Please take your time navigating our property in vehicles and always adhere to the ten kilometres per hour speed limit. Your kind cooperation in this matter is hugely appreciated by a community that is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and staff.

End of Year Examination Preparation
The end of year examinations are fast approaching for our Year 9 and Year 10 students. All students should have started their preparation for examinations by regularly revising units and content studied throughout the year. Practice examinations in the lead up to the end of semester examinations are a wonderful way to test content and ensure that there is confidence to apply knowledge to different worded questions under examination conditions. Teaching a family member a concept or process to solve a question or problem is also another brilliant method to ensure that students have a complex understanding of a topic or skill. All students in Years 7 to Year 10 should be very busy with homework tasks and revision in the coming weeks. I have added below the amount of time that our St Paul’s students should be spending on homework tasks as well as preparation for tests and examinations each week night. As students progress to the higher year levels and studies in VCE more time on weekends must be allocated to their studies to ensure that all required homework and study can be achieved.

Year 7 = 30 minutes
Year 8 =  60 minutes (1 hour)
Year 9 = 90 minutes (1.5 hours)
Year 10 = 120 minutes (2 hours)

Wellbeing and Study – Go Hand in Hand
As students prepare for their end of year examinations and tests, it is important that they remember to balance their time with wellbeing activities. Reminding students to ensure that they are hydrated, are eating a well-balanced diet and checking that they are obtaining the correct hours of sleep while maintaining sleep routines is crucial to their overall wellbeing. Most importantly, the regular scheduling of study breaks, as well as opportunities to participate in exercise and sports are brilliant ways to decompress and certainly make for more efficient learning at home and in the classroom. Wishing all of our students ‘all the best’ for the coming weeks as they prepare for their end of year tests and examinations.

Celebrating Success 2023
We love to celebrate the achievements of our students, both in and out of school. As we near the end of the school year, the awards process is underway.
The final Presentation Assembly, for current Years 7 to 10 students at Traralgon Secondary School, takes place on the last day of the school year – Friday 8 December. All current 2023 Years 7 to 10 students are required to attend.

Some of the awards we will present include:
Academic: to the student with the highest academic score for the subject
Academic Excellence: to students whose cumulative scores place them in the top 10% of their cohort
Citizenship: to students upholding the values of St Paul’s
Endeavour: to students who have displayed an excellent work ethic (but did not receive an Academic Award in that same year)

There are also a number of special awards, including:
Colours (Years 11 and 12) and Emblems (Blue for Years 7 to 9, Burgundy for Years 10 to 12): to students, nominated by a coach or teacher in charge of an activity, who have upheld the school values and also displayed excellence and commitment in a particular field.

Triple Colour: to a student who receives three colours across two of the three categories (Sport, Service, Performing Arts)
A range of year-level specific awards, nominated by staff.

Valedictorian: a Year 12 student who will speak on behalf of the Year 12 cohort at the Valedictory Dinner – this is selected by a vote from the Year 12 cohort

We love to share and celebrate all of the wonderful things our students are doing as they pursue their potential at school and beyond. If your son/daughter has experienced success outside of school, please let their Mentor and Head of Year know so we can add our congratulations and encouragement.

FOSP Shopping Tour 2023
Friends of St Paul’s (FOSP) warmly invite you to join us for an exclusive night of shopping and fun.

Gather a group of friends, family, workmates and shop ’til you drop’ with exclusive discounts and special offers – some of our fabulous local stores are offering a whopping twenty per cent off!

Participating stores include Changing Seasons, The Shoeroom, Growmaster, Toyworld, Feminine Touch, Jilly M, Sugarbabies, Traralgon News & Books plus many more. A great opportunity to get a start on your Christmas shopping for your family (or just for yourself!)

Date: Friday 17 November, 5:00 pm start at Growmaster Traralgon.
Tickets: $25 per person
Ticket price includes a delicious Dal Mondo’s Pizza supper at 8:30 pm to finish off the night.

As you rest, chat and enjoy supper, there will be fabulous prizes up for grabs in the FOSP Shopping Tour Raffle!

Tickets for the FOSP Shopping Tour are now available to purchase via TryBooking here.

FOSP Friends of St Paul’s 20^th Anniversary Project – Personalised Engraved Pavers
Friends of St Paul’s (FOSP) invites all families, friends and alumni to be a part of our St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School Traralgon Campus 20^th Anniversary project to be featured as part of the new Future’s Centre landscape.

Purchase a personalised engraved paver for your child or family and acknowledge your contribution to St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School. All students current and former will love finding their name on the path. This is a legacy that the St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School Traralgon family can and will enjoy for many years to come.

Click here to order a paver for your child/family.

Leonie Clark
Head of Traralgon Secondary School

WHAT’S ON

OCTOBER
23 to 25 October  Year 9 Outdoor Education Camp
25 October  DAV Junior Debating, Round 3
26 October  SEISA Summer Sport, Junior, Round 3
Year 11 2024 Transition Day, Warragul Secondary School
Academy of Music, Kapelle Konzert, Rehearsal
27 October  Academy of Music, Kapelle Konzert, Rehearsal
31 October  Geography Excursion

DOBSONS TRADING HOURS

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.

EXHIBITION NIGHT WEDNESDAY 1 NOVEMBER

To celebrate our students’ learning throughout the year, we are showcasing some of their many achievements in an Exhibition Night on Wednesday 1 November from 7:00 to 8:30 pm. We would like to invite all students and families to attend.

There will be displays of Year 9 Personal Projects, Visual Arts, and other core subject work. We will also have live music, supper and an East Timor Fair Trade Stall.
We look forward to seeing you all there to celebrate our students’ achievements.

Kirsten Enders
Humanities and Commerce Teacher

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – SEISA INTERMEDIATE WINTER ROUND ROBIN

At our recent Assembly, three MVP (Most Valuable Player) medals were presented to Claudia Buhagiar (girls soccer), Declan Paku (boys soccer) and Mica Nightingale (girls basketball).
These three students had an amazing series and were awarded with the most votes.

YEAR 9 CITY EXPERIENCE CAMP

In the second last week of Term 3, our Year 9 students travelled by coach to Melbourne for the week to take part in their City Experience camp. They stayed at the Space Hotel which was close to the Melbourne Gaol.

The aim of the camp was for the students to experience what is like to live in the city and use public transport to navigate around the CBD and the outskirts of Melbourne. The city experience started off with the students learning about homelessness and its impact on society and how there is a lack of housing and funding. The students also visited and toured the Melbourne Cricket Ground, The Shrine Of Remembrance and the Music Vault, as well as worked on their Geography research and took part in their own graffiti walk.

One of the many fun activities that the students enjoyed was getting into small groups to compete in ‘The Amazing Race’ which took them to all parts of Melbourne. The further they went out the more points they collected. To prove they went to various landmarks they were required to take photos of their group. Two groups were close with their points, but the eventual winners were: Kydan Makepeace, Will Szkwarek, Arie Coffey and Eli Pawley with nine hundred and thirty points.
Each night the students experienced different cuisines offered in Lygon Street; from Italian, Lebanese, Thai and Greek. Everyone’s favourite for dessert was gelati. To conclude our week in Melbourne, students went to the Nova Cinemas to watch a movie. As they walked to the cinema, the streets were buzzing with people as it was also the preliminary final with Collingwood and Melbourne playing at the MCG.

I would like to take the opportunity to thank the staff who attended the camp; Ms Kirsten Enders, Ms Deborah Gatti, Ms Annette Young and Mr Nathan Byrne. Their support was greatly appreciated.

Sandra Timmer-Arends
Head of Years 9 and 10
Head of Sport – Traralgon Campus
Health and Physical Education

TRARALGON PARENT PRAYER MEETING

Our next Parent Prayer meeting in Traralgon is next Monday 23 October.
We will meet in the Junior School staffroom at 9:00 am. The meeting runs for about thirty minutes. Anyone is welcome to attend. Contact our campus Chaplain, Glen Treble, for more details email gtreble@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au.

TRARALGON SECONDARY SCHOOL ENSEMBLE REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

New members and students having lessons outside of school are most welcome. Please contact Mrs Heather Mason and/or the listed ensemble director for further information: hjmason@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

Heather Mason
Head of Performing Arts – Co-curricular

ALUMNI REUNIONS

Join the fun! Register here.

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

Prep swimming started this week and our little people have done a fabulous job of organizing themselves and demonstrating their resilience and independence. Sporting teams have braved some wet and wild weather. Our first crop of vegetables in our new gardens has been harvested ready for cooking and tasting.  Lunchtime clubs are up and running with a variety of offerings each day of the week. We welcomed our 2024 Prep students to their first ‘Come and Play’ session! Excitement for Purple Day and Relay for Life has been palpable! It has been wonderful to see students engaged in so many activities alongside their classroom learning experiences.

Junior School Musical – Moana JR.
I am very excited to announce that this year our Junior School Musical ‘Moana JR.’ will be performed on stage at the Gippsland Performing Arts Centre on Thursday 2 November starting at 6:30 pm. Our students have been very busy working with Miss Sienna Reid rehearsing and preparing for the show and cannot wait to share their performances with families. Tickets will go on sale on Monday 23 October at 4:00 pm. Details and the booking link will be emailed to parents on Monday. It is recommended that parents are prepared and ready to purchase tickets once the booking system opens.

Disney’s ‘Moana JR.’ is a sixty-minute musical adaptation of the 2016 Disney animated film, bringing the adventures of Moana and her village of Motunui to life on stage. This thrilling and heartwarming coming-of-age story follows the strong-willed Moana as she sets sail across the Pacific to save her village and discover the truth about her heritage. Moana and the legendary demigod Maui embark on an epic journey of self-discovery and camaraderie as both learn to harness the power that lies within. With empowering messages of bravery and selflessness, Moana JR is sure to bring out the hero within each of us.

Canberra Tour
Students and staff arrived at school very early Wednesday morning, boarded the bus and headed to the airport. A few hours later they arrived in Canberra and started their whirlwind visit. The Canberra Tour is a valuable immersive civics and citizenship learning experience for students. It helps students see themselves as part of a broader society, not just of their own town, city or school community. The visit helps students understand they have rights and responsibilities as citizens of Australia. Students visited MOAD (Museum of Australian Democracy), Mount Ainslie Lookout, National Capital exhibition, Australian War Memorial, National Museum of Australia, Parliament House, AIS – Australian Institute of Sport, National Gallery of Australia, National Electoral Education Centre, National Dinosaur Museum and Questacon. Bowling and the movies were also included. Many thanks to the staff who attended, Jade Hosken, Sarah Johnson, Sienna Reid and Gareth Waack-Hawkins for accompanying students and taking such good care of them while away from home.

School TV Special Report: Neurodiversity
Neurodiversity in children and adolescents is a concept celebrating the natural variation in how young minds work. It acknowledges that neurological differences, such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and giftedness, are not disabilities but unique aspects of human cognition. Embracing neurodiversity fosters acceptance, empathy, and inclusivity in society. Parents play a pivotal role in supporting their neurodiverse child by understanding their specific needs, advocating for appropriate educational accommodations, and seeking professional guidance when necessary. By appreciating and nurturing their child’s strengths, parents can help them thrive and unlock their full potential, leading to a more compassionate and understanding future for all.

Neurodiversity | St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School (schooltv.me)

Car Parking
Safety in our carparks has again been raised this week by parents, staff and students. Thank you to those families who do take extra care when driving through school grounds and parking in the car park. Thank you to those families who have raised concerns and are striving for our community to be safe for all.

All families are asked to take a moment to consider the tragic consequences that could occur through people rushing and driving without awareness in our car parks.

Please consider other options for drop off and pick up times such as:
• Parking away from the school and walking
• Car pooling with other families
• Arriving slightly after the peak hour rush for pick up
• Bike ride or scoot to school
• Using the Salvation Army carpark which is adjacent to the Junior School carpark

For the remainder of Term 4 and to ease some of the traffic in the current car park zones, Junior School families are asked to use the Junior School carpark and Kiss n Go Zone or the Salvation Army Car Park. The Secondary School bus loop should not be used for drop off or pick up.

Supervising staff will be located at the Junior School Crossing, the Kiss n Go zone and at the road crossing to the Salvation Army carpark from 8:45 am each morning and 3:20 pm each afternoon.

FOSP Shopping Tour 2023
Friends of St Paul’s (FOSP) warmly invite you to join us for an exclusive night of shopping and fun.

Gather a group of friends, family, workmates and shop ’til you drop’ with exclusive discounts and special offers – some of our fabulous local stores are offering a whopping twenty per cent off!

Participating stores include Changing Seasons, The Shoeroom, Growmaster, Toyworld, Feminine Touch, Jilly M, Sugarbabies, Traralgon News & Books plus many more. A great opportunity to get a start on your Christmas shopping for your family (or just for yourself!)

Date: Friday 17 November, 5:00 pm start at Growmaster Traralgon.
Tickets: $25 per person
Ticket price includes a delicious Dal Mondo’s Pizza supper at 8:30 pm to finish off the night.

As you rest, chat and enjoy supper, there will be fabulous prizes up for grabs in the FOSP Shopping Tour Raffle!

Tickets for the FOSP Shopping Tour are now available to purchase via TryBooking here.

FOSP Friends of St Paul’s 20^th Anniversary Project – Personalised Engraved Pavers
Friends of St Paul’s (FOSP) invites all families, friends and alumni to be a part of our St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School Traralgon Campus 20^th Anniversary project to be featured as part of the new Future’s Centre landscape.
Purchase a personalised engraved paver for your child or family and acknowledge your contribution to St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School. All students current and former will love finding their name on the path. This is a legacy that the St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School Traralgon family can and will enjoy for many years to come.

Click here to order a paver for your child/family.

Tracey King
Head of Traralgon Junior School

WHAT’S ON

OCTOBER
23 to 26 October  Prep Swimming
25 October  Prep 2024 Play Afternoon
26 October  Region Hot Shots Tennis
27 October  Kapelle Konzert
Year 10 Market Day

NOVEMBER
1 November  State Athletics,
Prep 2024 Transition Day 1
2 November  Junior School Musical, 6:30 pm
6 November  Mid-term Break
7 November  Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday
8 November  Prep 2024 Transition Day 2
10 November  Codetta Concert
Year 2 Sleepover
16 November  Arts Showcase
17 November  FOSP Shopping Tour
22 November  Prep 2024 Transition Day 3
23 November  Endeavour Program Showcase
Year 6 Rotary Dinner and Presentations
24 November  Student Free Day
27 November  State Hot Shot Tennis
28 November  Year 5 Market Day
29 November  Orientation Day – Step Up 1
30 November  Orientation Day – Step Up 2

DECEMBER
1 December  Orientation Day – Step Up 3
Christmas Celebration Evening
4 December  Year 6 Excursion
5 December  Christmas Service
Year 6 Graduation Dinner
6 December  Swim Carnival
7 December  Christmas Activity Day
8 December  Presentation Assembly
End of Term 4, 3:20 pm finish

DOBSONS TRADING HOURS

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.

TRARALGON PARENT PRAYER MEETING

Our next Parent Prayer meeting in Traralgon is next Monday 23 October.
We will meet in the Junior School staffroom at 9:00 am. The meeting runs for about thirty minutes. Anyone is welcome to attend. Contact our campus Chaplain, Glen Treble, for more details email gtreble@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au.

CLASS UPDATES

Prep
Prep students eagerly waited for this week to arrive so they could begin their swimming program for the year. They have adapted to new afternoon routines quickly and quickly question after their lesson if they get to go swimming again tomorrow.

In the classroom this fortnight we have been continuing to build our understanding of expanding sentences by adding information such as a ‘where’ and a ‘when’ something happens. In Maths, we have started identifying how numbers can be used to say where people are placed in a queue or race (1st to 10th place) as well as exploring the concept of volume.

Year 1
In Year 1 Maths we have been gradually building our addition and subtraction regrouping skills and we were excited to use this knowledge to solve these problems as vertical algorithms. In Writing, we have been learning about past, present and future tense and looking for clues in sentences that will help us identify these.

Our integrated focus is Waste Warriors and we are thinking about the types of waste we have at home and school. This is helping us realise the environment we live in is precious and we all have a part to play in looking after it.

Our paper plane challenge on Code Read for Dyslexia Day was a very close contest and we were proud of how far our planes flew.

Year 2
Term 4 continues with Year 2 students learning more about the water cycle and the stages and forms that water takes. They are beginning to learn about the scarcity of water and the different access to water across the world.

In Numeracy, students have begun to learn about area and how to calculate the area of simple shapes. They understand that area can be applied to a range of circumstances like the amount of paint on a wall, bare dirt on the ground or tiles on the floor. They continue to work on their 2, 5 and 10 times tables facts and are using them to solve simple division equations.

Students are building their range of sentence types crafting compound sentences with new vocabulary words. Our morphology focus on prefixes and suffixes has had students combining words to create present and past tense, adjectives and adverbs.

Year 3
Over the past couple of weeks, we have had a wonderful time at swimming, with students participating in a range of sessions to continue to develop their strokes and safety in water. The process of going swimming has also supported students to develop their independence in organising their belongings and managing themselves effectively when transitioning back to school. We have explored the use of maps, with students applying their knowledge of directional language to a map of the school, while also locating different places according to the grid references. This was a terrific opportunity for positive communication, teamwork and a whole lot of fun! We have also had a range of students attend a wet and soggy day at cricket, along with a number of participants who were able to represent the school in tennis. Finally, we have eagerly been practising their performances for ‘Moana JR.’, with props having been introduced, entrances to the stage and the continued rehearsal of singing while all of the other elements are occurring.
Year 4
With swimming lessons completed, Year 4 students have slipped back into the classroom routine like ‘ducks to water.’ Despite being quite tired, they have nevertheless engaged enthusiastically in lessons and produced some great work.

In Literacy, they have enjoyed composing more of their own poems using particular poetry structures, as well as producing some fabulous sentences using a variety of sentence structures learnt over the course of this semester.

In Numeracy, they have consolidated their understanding of fractions, decimals and graphs. They have also enjoyed challenging themselves with multiplication problems involving multiplying factors by two digits.

In their Core Knowledge unit, they are learning about renewable and non-renewable resources, especially fossil fuels and are starting to realise the importance of recycling to protect the environment.
Year 5
On Tuesday 17 October, nine boys in our Year 5 class were involved in the District Hot Shots Tennis, which was played at the Traralgon Tennis Centre.

Both the A and B grade sections have made it through to Division, which will be held next week. Congratulations to all involved for their efforts and sportsmanship.
Year 6
Year 6 students have enjoyed a wonderful balance of fun and educational experiences over the last few weeks. Students have been involved in the Canberra Tour, Swimming Program, Hot Shot Tennis and Region Athletics. Some of the highlights of the Canberra Tour included visiting Parliament House and Questacon. Year 6 classes have been busy planning and preparing for the upcoming Purple Day and Relay for Life which will take place this Friday 20 October. Students are looking forward to running Purple Day activities and participating in their 10-hour walk to help raise money to support the Cancer Council.

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR

Exciting News! Our much-awaited SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR is just around the corner! From 17 to 24 November, our school library will be transformed into a literary wonderland, filled with the magic of books for our young readers!
Save the Date: 17 to 24 November.
Where: St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School – Traralgon Campus library.

Get ready for a week-long celebration of reading, learning, and imagination! Explore a vast selection of books suitable for all ages and interests. Do not miss the chance to discover new adventures, fascinating characters and captivating stories.

Every purchase supports our school library and helps foster a love for reading among our students. Bring your family and friends, and let’s make this Book Fair a memorable literary experience for our young readers!

Jannet Taylor
Head of Libraries

TRARALGON JUNIOR SCHOOL ENSEMBLE REHEARSAL SCHEDULE

New members and students having lessons outside of school are most welcome. Please contact Mrs Heather Mason and/or the listed ensemble director for further information: hjmason@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

Heather Mason
Head of Performing Arts – Co-curricular

CLUB HOUSE BOOT CAMP

We have everything covered at the Outside school hours PLAY, to make sure children can relax, feel safe, have fun and learn during their time with us. From eating delicious breakfast and afternoon tea, talking with friends about their school day, doing puzzles, fun inside games during rainy days, making playdough, listening to relaxing stories, decompressing with the sensory box and kinetic sand, colouring or drawing, craft activities like making their own puppet pets, hamsters houses, bookmarks to making volcanos, balloon juggling balls and finishing with a talent show. Come and join us!

Cath Stoney
Founder and Director
Club House Boot Camp

ALUMNI REUNIONS

Join the fun! Register here.

MILESTONES, MISTAKES AND MOVEMENT – a father’s view on finishing Year 12.

She sat there with her chubby three-year-old cheeks, golden locks dangling down her face. A smile broadcast from her face to light up your life, yet with a hint of mischief emanating from her forming dimples. We all have snapshots of our children etched into our minds. That little girl recently turned eighteen and is about to embark on exams and move into the unknown. Three things come to mind while reflecting on this week’s events in our household …

Milestones are important. The first walk, the first words that form on their lips, the first tantrum that leaves a parent standing there bewildered! The last time you need to pack nappies, fit the pram into the boot or when you no longer need to make your child’s breakfast. Birthdays, learning to ride a bike, finishing Year 12 – all milestones. For the students this week, there has been a series of ‘lasts’. Their last class, their last assembly, their last chapel, their last roll call. For some, the last time they will cross paths with each other as they venture on their own journeys. It has been a week to celebrate the milestones and remember all that has gone before in their short lives. Remembering and celebrating are important aspects of a journey travelled.

Mistakes happen. ‘Celebration Day’ is a great way to finish off the year but for some, it is a time to let their hair down and wreak havoc. Decisions can be made that are not healthy and history tells us that the wrong decisions can have lasting consequences. As they say, “You can either learn from others’ mistakes or learn from your own”. Either option implies mistakes happen. It is what you do with them that matters. The Year 12 students this year were fantastic but it did make me reflect on my own experiences. Having ended Year 12 during the Gulf War and with a theme to match for our Celebration Day, I learnt about the impenetrable qualities of vegetable oil while dressing up as an oil slick. Needless to say, I learnt from my mistake and I have kept vegetable oil in a pan ever since. People make mistakes.

Movement matters. Change is inevitable and no stage of life ever lasts too long. This is a good reason to make the most of each stage before it disappears. As a parent, the post-school stage is the one I have thought would be the scariest. We raise our children to leave the nest and spread their wings. Then we hope that we have done enough so they know they have wings, how to use them and how to land safely. Letting go is hard but a necessity. Allowing our children to move is such an important part of life. Like a caterpillar needs the struggle of exiting a chrysalis to survive by spreading its wings, our children must be left to explore the world. It is in their freedom that we can see their growth, maturity and hopefully their choice to return to those who love them most.  To cope (at this stage of my life), I figure being available with open arms and the toolkit ready is a good place to start.

God is not unaware of our plight as parents, or as humans. The Bible is full of milestones, mistakes and movement. A chance to remember the important things in life, maybe to refocus and to celebrate the good times and good things that God gives. Festivals were part of the Biblical culture. Often to celebrate the people’s release from the many mistakes made beforehand. One of the most profound things about the Bible is that it is not an Instagram Reel of God’s people’s best moments. There are no pictures of the Apostle Paul sitting on the beach at Caesarea drinking a fruit punch or Peter with his favourite meal at a Jerusalem Café. Instead, it is a raw account of people making mistakes, getting it wrong and way too often moving in the wrong direction. But it is also filled with hope and the opportunity from God to rethink, reevaluate and move in the right direction. The Bible also reflects on those who did just that. God gives us choices, providing us with all the things we need. While we navigate life, he waits with open arms and the toolkit ready.

So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.  Luke 15:20-24

Glen Treble
Chaplain – Traralgon Campus