In this issue

BRAD KOOLOOS
Head of Year 11 at St Paul’s Warragul Secondary School

Brad has been teaching at St Paul’s for fourteen years.  This includes being the Head of Sport for many years and now as the Head of Year 11.  Before coming to St Paul’s he was a freelance Outdoor Education and Recreation guide and tour guide.  He worked for a range of schools and companies throughout Victoria and NSW with clients that ranged from primary to secondary and university, corporate, youth at risk and international guests.

We asked Brad some questions about his teaching…

What do you like about St Paul’s?
“The opportunities available for both students and staff.  Students have a great variety of subjects and co-curricular activities to try, including international learning experiences and these lead to so many exciting career paths.  In my time at St Paul’s I have been successful in a variety of roles and I have had the chance to grow professionally and personally in these positions.”

What do you enjoy most about being a teacher?
“I really enjoy the interaction with young adults and being able to challenge them to improve both academically and personally and be a part of their journey at St Paul’s.”

Brad has a huge love for sport and outdoor recreation.  “They are both my passion and my subject area. I get a sense of achievement and pride when I have the opportunity to share my love of the outdoors with my students and see them learn and practice their new found skills in the environment and in sport.” 

He has been involved in a large range of co-curricular activities at St Paul’s, some of which include: Coaching roles in tennis, football, soccer, hockey, boys netball, athletics, cycling and Youth Adventure Challenge.  Other co-curricular activities include Nationals Basketball, Kanga Cup, Great Victorian Bike Ride, snow sports, Central Australia, Hawaii Netball, French Exchange, Japanese Exchange, Scuba diving course and Vanuatu scuba diving.

Here are some things Brad’s peers said about him…
“Brad is a dedicated and passionate teacher who inspires students with his love of the outdoors, physical education and health.  Brad teaches subjects and runs many co-curricular activities that often appeal to a specific set of skills such as the Youth Adventure Challenge and Snow Sports.  His diverse range of skills allows St Paul’s to run these activities and cater to the students who share his passions.”

“Brad is a compassionate and very well respected Head of Year 11.  His ability to foster meaningful relationships and guide students through this important time sets them up for their final years of schooling.”

“Brad Kooloos is a huge asset to St Paul’s.  He is a very dedicated and passionate educator, who goes out of his way to provide opportunities for our students in a range of areas, both within and outside of the school curriculum.  He is a wonderful role model to the students.  He wants them to fulfil their potential and always encourages them to reach higher in their goals and personal behaviour.   In this way he allows them to prove to themselves that they can do what they thought they could not.  We are very lucky to have him at St Paul’s.”

Outside of work Brad has a passion for water sports. “This is a family activity that has continued since I was a little boy in Finley.  Now, my own family take every opportunity to get on the water together.  The wake skate and slalom would have to be my favourite apparatuses.  I also enjoy spending time on my property, building projects in my shed and catching up with friends.”

And something that many may not know about Brad… he would like to ride his jet ski to Tasmania one day!

From the Head of Traralgon Junior School,
Mr Andy McNabb.

Now I do not want to panic anyone and I have not worked out the days until Christmas but as of Monday there are thirty-six student days left until the end of the year.  The term has been a busy one already and as you read this Year 6 will be preparing for the annual Relay for Life event, where they walk throughout Saturday night into Sunday morning in support of those who have suffered or are currently dealing with cancer in their lives.  Most of us have been touched in some way by this disease and every cent raised goes towards medical research and supporting those affected.  As we approach the end of their time in Junior School, it is a great way for our school leaders to be reminded of serious things and have fun and collegiality in the process.  It is also a great encouragement to see our secondary students who are determined to attend the event as a flow on from their Year 6 days.  Many thanks to Mrs Harkins and Mrs Ridger for once again giving up a night’s sleep for such a great cause.

Now a few words from our student School Leaders – Nicholas and Alanna
The View from the Classroom
This is going to be a very busy term, especially for Year 6. Yesterday we met the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change and she toured the school. Lily D’Ambrosio seemed quite impressed with all the efforts we were making as a school to save energy.
Now we are preparing for the Relay for Life event which will take place this weekend. We have already passed our fundraising target of $5000 and we are looking forward to the experience which will be tiring and maybe a bit cold but definitely worthwhile.

Teachers have spent a fair amount of time at school recently and our thanks go to Mrs Cotterrell, Ms Steendam and Ms Sellings who braved the gymnasium floor last Friday night for our Year 2 sleepover.  The students seemed to have a good time and I am pleased to report that there was no general movement until 6:30 am on Saturday morning!  I attended the Years 3 and 4 camp at the end of Term 3 and I am sure the settled nights we had were at least partly due to the Year 2 event twelve months ago.

As the events come thick and fast, the Kanga Cricket tournament for Years 3 and 4 was postponed due to the weather and has now been moved to Monday 22 October.  Later in the week the Years 5 and 6 teams will compete on Friday 26 October and this is the same day as National Bandanna Day.  Bandannas can be purchased for $5 from the Junior School office and all money goes towards CANTEEN.  A reminder that next Friday is not a casual clothes day but the students will be allowed to wear their bandannas throughout the day.

The Wombat Kinder group experienced just a little bit of the ‘Great British Bake-Off’ in Wednesday’s Kinder Chapel, as I competed against Harvey for the title of best chocolate cake maker!  Next week, it will be the turn of the Koala group and just in case parents think we have gone mad, we are not really advocating that cakes should include egg shells, shaving foam and cat food, amongst other wonderful ingredients.  We are trying to illustrate the point that following instructions is very important and keeps us safe.  Harvey followed the recipe and created a beautiful cake – me, not so much!

I wrote to you all about Ms Steendam’s last day being on 9 November and a reminder that you are invited to our afternoon tea on that Friday straight after school.  Kim wanted to just ‘disappear’ but we could not let her go without embarrassing her a little!  This will allow us to thank Kim properly for the huge amount of work she has put in over the years.

Our swimming program for Prep, Years 1 and 2 is now in full swing and we appreciate not having to travel on the bus and being able to swim towards the end of the day.  We have arranged the sessions so that they impact as little as possible on the academic side of school and they will run until Week 6.  With so many other things happening, they may not always be on the same day, so please refer to your Term 4 dates sheet for details.  If you would like a paper copy of this Carlie has some in the office.

It was great to see so many parents at our Friends of St Paul’s meeting last Monday evening.  They are involved in a number of things for this term, including our Christmas Celebration on Friday 7 December.  This was originally down as TBC in the term dates but FOSP have taken over the lion’s share of the organisation this year.  If you would like to be involved in any way, then the easiest way is to speak to Carlie in the office and she can pass on your details to FOSP members.

So much has happened in the first two weeks, so I will just briefly refer to the other events:

• We had a visit from the State Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change.  Our School Leaders Alanna and Nicholas were part of the group that toured the school and saw the use of our solar panels and LED lights.
• Year 6 spent a happy hour with students from Pre-Kinder, Prep and Year 1, where they shared their book creations.
• We welcomed back our Year 12 students for an afternoon tea on Friday.  It is always great to see them and wish them all the best at such a busy time in their studies.
• Thursday afternoon saw a further Prep 2019 Information session for our enrolled families and it was good to share a bit of what 2019 will look like for their children.
• We held our Encore Concert on Wednesday evening and whilst most of the performances came from secondary students, it was great to see Junior School students on stage as well.  It is an ideal way for them to look ahead and see the sort of standards they can aspire to as they develop.

Next week our kinder students will enjoy some sessions with their Grandparents and Special Friends.  Year 4 are heading off on Wednesday to the Melbourne Museum and our swimming program continues.  Another quiet week!

Now if you will excuse me, I am aiming to try and break my record this year for the amount of laps I do around the Relay for Life track.  Yes, I know it is not a competition but I can not resist a challenge!

Andy McNabb
Head of Traralgon Junior School

WHAT’S ON IN THE JUNIOR SCHOOL

OCTOBER
20 October  Year 6 Relay for Life, start time 2:30 pm
21 October  Year 6 Relay for Life, finish time 10:00 am
23 October  ELC Grandparents Day, Possum Group, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm and Koala Group, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
24 October  ELC Grandparents Day, Joey Group, 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm and Wombat Group, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm
25 October  Prep to Year 2 Swimming Lessons, various times between 12:00 noon and 2:30 pm
Children’s Expo, Kernot Hall, Morwell, 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm
26 October  Bandanna Day
30 October  Year 3 Excursion, Krowathunkooloong Keeping Place, Bairnsdale, 9:00 am to 3:20 pm
ELC Wetlands Visit, 9:15 am to 1:00 pm
31 October  ELC Wetlands Visit, 9:15 am to 1:00 pm

NOVEMBER
1 November  ELC Pre-Prep National Outdoor Classroom Day
Prep to Year 2 Swimming Lessons, various times between 12:00 noon and 2:30 pm
Life Education, Prep S, 5H and 2C
2 November  Life Education, 6H, 6R and 1F
5 November  Mid-term Break, Student Free Day
6 November  Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday
10 November  Carp-a-thon, St Paul’s Wetlands, Cross’s Road, Traralgon, 9:00 am until 2:00 pm

CLASS AWARDS

ELC
Leni for her care and attention to detail at the drawing table when colouring in.
Ilias for his great focus and persistence at the construction table.
Quinn for displaying increased confidence and independence at all experiences.
Joel for his kind and generous attitude towards his peers and educators.
Lachlan for his positive attitude and engagement in group learning activities.
Bonnie for her natural empathy and consideration of others.  Your help is always appreciated Bonnie!
Leo for using recycling materials to recreate known objects.  Great plans and execution.  (Stick man).
Kyle for helping prepare learning areas for the class to use.
Prep V
Jack for his awesome attitude towards school and learning.  Well done!
Prep S
Tyrone for his willingness to give all Maths challenges a go!
Year 1F
Lilly for giving creative, insightful responses in class discussions.
Mason for persisting with a challenging Maths puzzle and achieving success!
Year 2S
Amelia for an excellent recount of her holidays and with great descriptive phrasing.
Sophie for an excellent holiday recount with accurate punctuation and great descriptive phrasing.
Year 2C
Charlotte for always putting one hundred per cent into all learning tasks.
Year 3BH
Cohen for approaching ‘time’ activities during Maths with a positive attitude and completing work in his own time.
Year 3BD
James for a wonderful recount of his holiday to USA using connectives, adjectives, set out in paragraphs and joined handwriting.
Year 5H
Thomas for stepping up his work ethic a few days last week!
Elyse for her tireless efforts to improve and be challenged.

ARTISTS OF THE WEEK

Max Vu and Sam Dockley from Prep S and their depiction of ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’.

WETLANDS NEWS

During the holidays I had the pleasure of introducing Wildlife Rescuer, Barbara Vaughan to our wetlands.  Barbara and I had met earlier this year and during the holidays I mentioned our wetlands to her.  She was keen to see what we had been working on.  Needless to say she was stunned with the beauty and the potential.  Barbara was so excited by the environment that she wanted to release a Latham Snipe that she had been bringing back to health there.  The Snipe was found in Rawson at Crater Lake.  It could not stand or hold its head straight.  It was suffering flight myopathy and had used all its fat reserves.  It was about half the weight it should have been.  The Snipe was kept in a sling for the first week to give its legs a chance to recover and required force feeding five times a day.  It was released around the middle of the holidays with Barbara returning every few days to see how it was going.  She was pleased to report that it was still on site and going well.  Hopefully it will continue to improve in health and make our wetlands its home.  This is a good time to mention how important our wetlands are and that everyone’s help is greatly appreciated.  Whilst we would like the wetlands to be visited it is important that the wildlife are looked after and that we continue to provide an environment where they will prosper.  Any suspicious activity should be reported.

Jennifer Witney
Head of Year 7 and 8

CARP-A-THON

Saturday 10 November 2018
9:00 am until 2:00 pm
St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School Wetlands, Cross’s Road, Traralgon

Cost is $10 per family.  Entry includes sausage sizzle.  Prizes to be won!

Great family day, invite your friends.
Please RSVP to Junior School Reception for catering purposes.

Tip: Earth worms are the best bait but corn does work.

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

Year 9 Urban Camp
Our Year 9 Urban Camp was conducted during the last week of Term 3.  I had the pleasure of spending a day with them.  The staff have congratulated the Year 9 students on their behaviour and reliability during the camp.  On several occasions the students are allowed unsupervised time around the CBD, sometimes to complete an assignment or activity and sometimes to enjoy some free time.  During this time they are required to stay in their groups and it is the group’s responsibility to meet at a designated meeting point at a prearranged time.  While staff can be in mobile phone contact with each group, they were impressed that almost without exception, there was no need.  All students arrived regularly on time and seemed to take to the intricacies of the CDB.  Our staff were most impressed with the Year 9 cohort.  Thank you to Kirsten Enders who did an outstanding job in leading the camp and to Victoria Wilson, Sharon Pyle, Shinya Takusari, Andie Browne and Selena Waller, who were magnificent support.

Visit from the Minister
Minister Lily D’Ambrosio – Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change arrived for a visit last Tuesday.  She was invited to tour our campus to see firsthand how St Paul’s is acting on climate change.  Across both our Traralgon and Warragul Campuses, Cherry Energy Solutions have installed 208kW of solar power and over 1,300 LED lights.  The reduction in energy saved equals a saving of over 553,000 kilograms of CO², equivalent to planting 14,332 trees.

St Paul’s will reinvest the dollars saved into education of students for years to come.

The Minister with our Principal, Cameron Herbert, our Junior School Leaders, Alanna Magee and Nicholas Fenech, our Secondary School Captains Rachel Jennings and Tom Dowler, and Mark Richards, ALP candidate for Morwell.

Stephen Klemke
Head of Traralgon Secondary School

The dangers of allowing your child to play Fortnite

The days of playing a computer game in complete isolation on a disconnected home console or computer are long gone as modern gaming has moved into the work of the MMO (massively multiplayer online) game.

The more sanitised and child-friendly MMO offerings such as the fantasy adventure/block building title Minecraft have given way to online shooters such as Fortnite and PUBG and a number of similarly themed games that are readily available on a number of online platforms.  These games almost invariably attract a more adult gamer and introduce a number of new gameplay and lobby dynamics that may not be suitable for minors.

• Paying particular attention to the current frontrunner, Fortnite is a game that was not made for children and started off as a cross-platform PC/console game attracting an M rating in Australia upon its formal release.  In spite of this, Fortnite and its spinoff sequel Fortnite Battle Royal are both games that were designed for a more mature audience that attracts a number of younger gamers as it is a ‘free to download and play’ title that is now available on a number of game capable devices including mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
• The battle royal version of Fortnite sets players amidst one hundred other players who are unvetted and unscreened, allowing free chatting through a lobby as its default setting.  This means that your child is able to contact players who may be minors, or adults, with little restriction if the voice chat feature is not toggled.
• As an online shooter, Fortnite follows a ‘one man left standing’ setup.  Players are shut out of a session when they are shot and killed by another player and are forced to wait until the session ends before their avatar respawns for another session.
• It is a common practice for players to log out or “suicide” during a game when the initial load out or positioning was unfavourable or when waiting for their avatar to respawn.
• As players wait for a respawn, the game allows players to watch over another player’s shoulder, hear their commentary with no censoring (along with the comments that are shouted back at them).  Bad language and lewd commentary is rampant as is trolling, verbal abuse, targeted stalking and hunting parties and taunts abound with no restriction irrespective of the player’s age.
• The routine of sudden and unexpected exits from gaming sessions can often trigger repeated frustration in younger players who are not accustomed to playing in a high pressure and competitive environment.  This may be compounded following a prolonged session of dying and respawning followed by sudden (and often unfair) exits.  The game then vividly prompts players to eagerly log back in the lead up to another session and the cycle continues.  The short matches and the constant goading by the game and other players can make the gameplay decidedly addictive.
• The impact of the game can also be so pronounced for some children that it borders on obsession.  The short term play cycle makes it very easy for players to inadvertently while away hours playing without realising it, making it very difficult to remove themselves from the game and attend to other activities.  The game cycle itself is geared to encourage players to “have one more go” which is matched with icons displaying how close they are to gaining the next achievement or progress level, rank whilst prompting in-app purchases.
• Recent media reports have confirmed the addictive nature of games such as Fortnite providing the account of a seventeen year old player who spiralled into debt due to numerous in-app purchases.  His obsession with the game further led to him abusing narcotics so that he could stay online, logged in and gaming for longer.
  Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6901822/fortnite-gamer-attempted-suicide-after-becoming-obsessed/
• Whilst the game features cartoon-like graphics, the violence is insistent, repeated and the singular focus of the game is to stalk, confront and kill other players.  As indicated by the Australian OFLC in its review of Fortnite’s classification, “the title offers no alternative objectives or gameplay options” other than the unremitting cycle of log in, kill, be killed, respawn.
• As a ‘free to play game’ Fortnite’s revenue stream is derived from in-app purchases and DLC.  Players are prompted at various points such as when they log in and when they die to part with real-world cash and purchase an upgrade or a new weapon or crafting tool.  This practice has been described as predatory by scores of industry experts, but this practice is a common staple amongst online games and Fortnite is no exception.
• Parents are able to control access to the game and its various features such as online chat restrictions and in-app purchases via the parental controls on platforms like the XBOX One, PS4, Switch and iOS.  However, the basic structure and mechanics of the game as a first-person shooter cannot be toggled and there are limited tools that allow parents to restrict who their child will be playing against.

James Avram
Director of Learning and Teaching

WHAT’S ON IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL

OCTOBER
23 October  Years 9 and 10 Robotics Excursion, Gippsland Tech School
25 October  SEISA Summer Sport, Junior, Round 2
26 October  St James Community Lunch Excursion
30 October to 2 November  Year 8 Outdoor Education Camp

NOVEMBER
1 November  Traralgon Secondary School Year 10 Transition Day to Warragul Secondary School
SEISA Summer Sport, Junior, Round 3
5 November  Mid-term Break, Student Free Day
6 November  Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday
8 November  SEISA Summer Sport, Junior, Round 4
Traralgon Secondary School Exhibition Night and MyStPauls Parent Information Workshop, 7:00 pm
12 November  Sport Science Excursion, Gippsland Tech School
15 November  SEISA Summer Sport, Junior, Round 5

SECONDHAND UNIFORM SALE

The end of the school year is fast approaching and it will not be long before our next cohort of Year 7s start their orientation program.  To help families with the cost of starting at Year 7 we are offering a secondhand uniform sale during the three days of orientation (3 December to 5 December).  If you have any clothing you would like to sell during these days we ask that you follow the guidelines below and we will endeavour to sell these for you.

Step 1 – thoroughly wash any clothing, dry cleaning of the blazers

Step 2 – write a list of all your items with the size beside each and any markings such as names, ripped tags, spots and other

Step 3 – using a safety pin, pin your name and asking price for the garment on each item

Step 4 – bring the items to the office

Items will be put on sale during the orientation program.  Any clothing not sold will be returned to you along with any money from your sales.

YEAR 9 URBAN CAMP

During the last week of Term 3, the Year 9 students attended Urban Camp in Melbourne.  The camp spanned from Monday to Friday and during that time we went on tours, ate dinner at nice restaurants and had hours of free time to roam around Melbourne in groups, working on our Geography assignment and visiting wherever we wished.  The restaurants we ate at included Little Africa, Yeonga, GJ Grills, El Sabor and La Porchetta, which were all very tasty.

Beside the food, the tours we went on and the places we visited were a major highlight.  The second day of camp consisted of a tour through the MCG and the Melbourne Arts Centre.  Everyone knew about these places and many had been before, but no one had taken a tour through either of them, it was a great experience.  On the third day we visited the Shrine of Remembrance.  We saw many original objects from WWI and experienced what it was like to fight wearing a heavy backpack and carrying weapons.  We thought carrying our school bags to and from school was hard work!  On Wednesday night we watched a movie at the Nova Cinema in Lygon Street – ‘The Merger’ was quite entertaining and provided us with laughs for the evening.  On the fourth and final day we took a tour through the Old Melbourne Gaol and went on a homeless walk.  On the walk we were led by a man who was previously homeless.  He told us his story and took us to the area he lived in as a homeless man.  His story was extremely interesting and we as a cohort gained a first-hand insight of what it is like to live on the streets.

Friday morning we were all happy to be heading home, however we were also a bit sad to be leaving the city.  For us country kids it was a huge step out of our comfort zone to be navigating our way around the city by ourselves for the week.  It was definitely a great experience and everyone had a surprisingly enjoyable time in Melbourne!

Alessio Fenech and Eric Seinen
Year 9 students

Queen Victoria Night Markets.

Catching the tram.

The Shrine of Remembrance.

2019 JAPAN STUDY TOUR INFORMATION EVENING

Preparations are well underway for next year’s study tour to Japan.  This is an amazing and unique opportunity for students to experience the many facets of Japanese culture that they have been studying, as well as practice their language skills.  The tour is open for students studying Japanese from Year 10 onwards.  If your child is interested in attending and you would like to hear more details please come along to the upcoming information evening to be held on Wednesday 24 October in the Warragul Secondary School Library starting at 7:00 pm.

Rebecca Crossley
Head of Japanese

WETLANDS NEWS

During the holidays I had the pleasure of introducing Wildlife Rescuer, Barbara Vaughan to our wetlands.  Barbara and I had met earlier this year and during the holidays I mentioned our wetlands to her.  She was keen to see what we had been working on.  Needless to say she was stunned with the beauty and the potential.  Barbara was so excited by the environment that she wanted to release a Latham Snipe that she had been bringing back to health there.  The Snipe was found in Rawson at Crater Lake.  It could not stand or hold its head straight.  It was suffering flight myopathy and had used all its fat reserves.  It was about half the weight it should have been.  The Snipe was kept in a sling for the first week to give its legs a chance to recover and required force feeding five times a day.  It was released around the middle of the holidays with Barbara returning every few days to see how it was going.  She was pleased to report that it was still on site and going well.  Hopefully it will continue to improve in health and make our wetlands its home.  This is a good time to mention how important our wetlands are and that everyone’s help is greatly appreciated.  Whilst we would like the wetlands to be visited it is important that the wildlife are looked after and that we continue to provide an environment where they will prosper.  Any suspicious activity should be reported.

Jennifer Witney
Head of Year 7 and 8

SPORT NEWS

SEISA Junior Sport Summer
Our first SEISA Junior Summer round robin commences this Thursday against Beaconhills Pakenham.  We will be fielding teams in both boys and girls tennis and basketball, as well as boys cricket.

ESP Update
Zach Nabulsi competed in the Sydney Judo International Open on the first weekend of the school holidays, where he competed in the U15s U66kg division.  Zach was able to win both his fights and become the Sydney International Judo 2018 winner for his division.
On a side note, Zach raced a 1.6 kilometre GTR Gippsland Mile race where he not only won but pocketed $100 for his efforts.

Hollie Bugeja has had a very successful year with her netball.  Although getting injured and missing out on finals, Hollie still managed to win four prestigious awards at her recent netball presentations.  She received Yinnar B Grade Best and Fairest and runnerup in the U17s.  In the Mid Gippsland League, she came runnerup in both the U17s and B Grade.

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

CARP-A-THON

Saturday 10 November 2018
9:00 am until 2:00 pm
St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School Wetlands, Cross’s Road, Traralgon

Cost is $10 per family.  Entry includes sausage sizzle.  Prizes to be won!

Great family day, invite your friends.
Please RSVP to Junior School Reception for catering purposes.

Tip: Earth worms are the best bait but corn does work.

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

Welcome to the final term of 2018.  We welcome Dylan Scrase-Gaskin (Year 4B) and Brooke Robinson (Year 4C) and their families to St Paul’s.  We also welcome Courtney Leighton (Year 4C) who has transferred from our Traralgon Campus.

Year 2 Sleepover:  Last Friday our Year 2s took part in a sleepover at school after an extremely busy week with swimming lessons starting.  After school students set up their beds in the Prideaux Centre and then enjoyed some afternoon tea together.  They then participated in some games and activities including having a play on the Years 3 to 6 playground.  It was then time for dinner before watching a movie in bed.  As always, it was a very early start the next morning with teddy chatter followed by a very friendly pillow fight!   I thank Miss McGrath and Mrs Cosgrove for staying overnight (and for being excellent team members in the pillow fight) and all of the staff and parents who assisted.

Prep to Year 2 Swimming Program: Our Prep to Year 2 students concluded their swimming program with their carnival yesterday.  The program has run extremely well and I thank Mr B for organising the program and carnival.

Tournament of Minds (TOM):  Congratulations to our Language Literature team who represented Victoria at the Australasian Pacific Finals in Darwin recently.  The team competed extremely well and should be proud of their efforts to represent Victoria at such an event.  Our thanks to Ms Ellis and Ms Calafiore for supporting our team in the lead-up to the competition and attending the finals with them.  Our sincere thanks to our major sponsors – Trafalgar Dental Care and Sure Construction for their support.  We also thank Warragul Towing, Simonds Homes, Mercure Warragul, Gumbuya World and St Paul’s Warragul Junior School for their donations.

Athletics results:  Well done to all students who competed at the Regional Athletics competition last week.  Congratulations to Benjamin Denton, William Brewer and Lucy McKenzie who all made it through to the State Athletics Championships to be held on Monday 29 October.  A great effort, well done!

Year 12s: On Monday we will be holding a special morning tea for the students in Year 12 who attended the Warragul Junior School.  It is a wonderful time for the students to catch up with staff and to reminisce about their time in our Junior School.  On Wednesday 24 October our Year 12s will have their last day of school and it is tradition that students collect money as students are dropped off at school and this year it will be donated to farmers in need.  Please be aware that there will most likely be some traffic congestion on this day, so please be patient.  I take this opportunity to wish all Year 12s well as they enter their final weeks of school and during their exam period.

Grandparents and Special Guests Day:  A notice was sent home at the beginning of the term asking parents to return a reply slip to school with the names and addresses of the special guests that will be attending Grandparents and Special Guests day.  Please assist us by ensuring all details are returned ASAP as the students will be writing the invites to their guests and we need to get them in the post.  Due to the large number of guests that attend we will again divide the day into two sessions (Prep to Year 2 and Years 3 to 6).  A full program for the day is included in this newsletter to share with grandparents in case some invites do not make it to their destinations.

HUSHeducation and Art Show:  A reminder to families that we have three HUSHeducation sessions planned for Monday 29 October in the Prideaux Centre (Years 1 and 2 – 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, Years 3 and 4 – 6:15 pm to 7:15 pm and Years 5 and 6 – 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm).  Please ensure you have returned your form to indicate you are attending.  Families are also invited to drop into the Art Show on the same evening in the foyer of the Junior School Gymnasium. The Art Show will be open until Friday 9 November so please make sure you come and see the wonderful art work our students produce.  Thanks Mrs Bristowe for putting the show together.

Parents parking in Maple Way/Cedar Place:  Could I please remind parents not to block residents’ access to their property if you are using this area.  Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

All the best Mrs Adamo:  We also take this opportunity to wish Mrs Adamo and her husband Adam all the best on the pending arrival of their first child in the coming weeks.  Amie’s last day will be next Friday and we are delighted to have Mrs Jackson working with Prep A for the remainder of the year.

Thank you to our Junior School community for their extra care and support of each other over the past few weeks.

Rowan van Raay
Head of Warragul Junior School

WHAT’S ON IN THE JUNIOR SCHOOL

OCTOBER
22 October  Year 12 Morning Tea
24 October  Regional Bike Ed
29 October  State Athletics
HUSH Education Family Sessions
Art Show Opening, 7:00 pm
30 and 31 October  Years 5 and 6 Family Life Sessions

NOVEMBER
5 November  Mid-term Break – Student Free Day
6 November  Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday
8 November  Grandparents and Special Friends Day
9 November  Prep 2019 Transition Day, Number 1
12 November  Student Free Day, Report Writing Day
14 November  Prep to Year 2 Soirée
15 November  FOSTA Shopping Spree, 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
16 November  Prep 2019 Transition Day, Number 2
23 November  Prep 2019 Transition Day, Number 3
28 to 30 November  Year 3 Camp (Please note change of date)
30 November  Prep 2019 Transition Day, Number 4

*PLEASE NOTE THAT MONDAY 12 NOVEMBER IS A STUDENT FREE DAY FOR JUNIOR SCHOOL STUDENTS ONLY – ELC AND SECONDARY SCHOOL CLASSES WILL RUN AS NORMAL

WARRAGUL JUNIOR SCHOOL GRANDPARENTS AND SPECIAL GUESTS DAY SCHEDULE

THURSDAY 8 NOVEMBER 2018

Prep to Year 2
9:00 am to 9:15 am  Guests arrive
9:15 am to 10:00 am  Prep to Year 2 Concert and Chapel, Junior School Gymnasium
10:00 am to 11:00 am  Visit Classrooms, Art Show and Kitchen Garden
11:00 am to 11:30 am  Recess.  Morning tea for Prep to Year 2 guests, Prideaux Centre
11:30 am  Guests depart or move on to Years 3 to 6 session

Years 3 to 6
10:45 am to 11:00 am  Guests arrive
11:00 am to 11:30 am  Recess. Morning tea for Years 3 to 6 guests, Junior School Gymnasium
11:30 am to 12:15 pm  Years 3 to 6 Concert and Chapel, Junior School Gymnasium
12:15 pm to 1:30 pm  Visit Classrooms, Art Show and Kitchen Garden
1:30 pm  Guests depart

We are expecting around five hundred guests to visit throughout the day and we will have Maintenance on hand to assist with parking, but could I ask that everyone is patient and park where they are directed.

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

In less than one week, we will officially farewell our ‘Class of 2018’.  Despite the rigours of the year and the hard work, this moment in time still seems to creep up very quickly and another group of wonderful young adults are finishing their time at St Paul’s.  I think Ms Behr summed up the first three weeks of Term 4 well when she described it as “Week 1 is business as usual, Week 2 includes nostalgic goodbyes and Week 3 is a chaotic and emotional farewell”.  Our students have enjoyed a number of farewell morning teas and events already and the important one will be their final assembly to be held on Wednesday 24 October at 12:00 noon in the gymnasium.  To say that we have enjoyed this group is an understatement.  It is full of wonderful characters who have made our days as teachers and educational support staff worthwhile, rewarding and fun.  We will look back on them fondly, genuinely miss them and look forward to hearing about their marvellous adventures beyond St Paul’s.

Year 12 Celebration Day – Wednesday 24 October 2018
Our Year 12 students will be celebrating their final day next Wednesday.  If you are dropping your child off at school on this day, you may experience some added traffic congestion and will certainly be greeted by Year 12 students dressed in all manner of costumes.  Please be rest assured it will be a warm, although perhaps spirited, greeting and staff will be supervising the students at all times.  A long-standing tradition has been for the cohort to raise money for a charity during their celebrations and this year they have chosen farmers experiencing drought.  There is no pressure to do so, but if you could spare a few coins for this cause on your way through the carpark the students and the farmers, will appreciate it.

Valedictory Dinner
A reminder that all class of 2018 valedictory dinner tickets must be ordered by 31 October.  Please book by following the link: https://www.trybooking.com/ybyi

Exhibition 9 and Miller’s Farewell
Our annual Exhibition 9 will be held on Thursday 15 November starting at 7:00 pm.  Exhibition 9 represents a showcase of student work from their unique year and is a wonderful opportunity to view our program in action.  During this evening students, parents and community members will also have the opportunity to farewell the Miller’s Factory Year 9 Centre.

Speed Limit
Can I please remind our community that the speed limit through the school grounds is 10 kilometres per hour.  It is important that this is adhered to as the safety of our students and staff is dependent on it.

Ms Laura Butterworth
Head of Warragul Secondary School

The dangers of allowing your child to play Fortnite

The days of playing a computer game in complete isolation on a disconnected home console or computer are long gone as modern gaming has moved into the work of the MMO (massively multiplayer online) game.

The more sanitised and child-friendly MMO offerings such as the fantasy adventure/block building title Minecraft have given way to online shooters such as Fortnite and PUBG and a number of similarly themed games that are readily available on a number of online platforms.  These games almost invariably attract a more adult gamer and introduce a number of new gameplay and lobby dynamics that may not be suitable for minors.

• Paying particular attention to the current frontrunner, Fortnite is a game that was not made for children and started off as a cross-platform PC/console game attracting an M rating in Australia upon its formal release.  In spite of this, Fortnite and its spinoff sequel Fortnite Battle Royal are both games that were designed for a more mature audience that attracts a number of younger gamers as it is a ‘free to download and play’ title that is now available on a number of game capable devices including mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
• The battle royal version of Fortnite sets players amidst one hundred other players who are unvetted and unscreened, allowing free chatting through a lobby as its default setting.  This means that your child is able to contact players who may be minors, or adults, with little restriction if the voice chat feature is not toggled.
• As an online shooter, Fortnite follows a ‘one man left standing’ setup.  Players are shut out of a session when they are shot and killed by another player and are forced to wait until the session ends before their avatar respawns for another session.
• It is a common practice for players to log out or “suicide” during a game when the initial load out or positioning was unfavourable or when waiting for their avatar to respawn.
• As players wait for a respawn, the game allows players to watch over another player’s shoulder, hear their commentary with no censoring (along with the comments that are shouted back at them).  Bad language and lewd commentary is rampant as is trolling, verbal abuse, targeted stalking and hunting parties and taunts abound with no restriction irrespective of the player’s age.
• The routine of sudden and unexpected exits from gaming sessions can often trigger repeated frustration in younger players who are not accustomed to playing in a high pressure and competitive environment.  This may be compounded following a prolonged session of dying and respawning followed by sudden (and often unfair) exits.  The game then vividly prompts players to eagerly log back in the lead up to another session and the cycle continues.  The short matches and the constant goading by the game and other players can make the gameplay decidedly addictive.
• The impact of the game can also be so pronounced for some children that it borders on obsession.  The short term play cycle makes it very easy for players to inadvertently while away hours playing without realising it, making it very difficult to remove themselves from the game and attend to other activities.  The game cycle itself is geared to encourage players to “have one more go” which is matched with icons displaying how close they are to gaining the next achievement or progress level, rank whilst prompting in-app purchases.
• Recent media reports have confirmed the addictive nature of games such as Fortnite providing the account of a seventeen year old player who spiralled into debt due to numerous in-app purchases.  His obsession with the game further led to him abusing narcotics so that he could stay online, logged in and gaming for longer.
  Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6901822/fortnite-gamer-attempted-suicide-after-becoming-obsessed/
• Whilst the game features cartoon-like graphics, the violence is insistent, repeated and the singular focus of the game is to stalk, confront and kill other players.  As indicated by the Australian OFLC in its review of Fortnite’s classification, “the title offers no alternative objectives or gameplay options” other than the unremitting cycle of log in, kill, be killed, respawn.
• As a ‘free to play game’ Fortnite’s revenue stream is derived from in-app purchases and DLC.  Players are prompted at various points such as when they log in and when they die to part with real-world cash and purchase an upgrade or a new weapon or crafting tool.  This practice has been described as predatory by scores of industry experts, but this practice is a common staple amongst online games and Fortnite is no exception.
• Parents are able to control access to the game and its various features such as online chat restrictions and in-app purchases via the parental controls on platforms like the XBOX One, PS4, Switch and iOS.  However, the basic structure and mechanics of the game as a first-person shooter cannot be toggled and there are limited tools that allow parents to restrict who their child will be playing against.

James Avram
Director of Learning and Teaching

WHAT’S ON IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL

OCTOBER
20 October  World Challenge Car Wash, Miller’s Factory Year 9 Centre, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
VEIS Interschool Dressage, Ayr Hill Equestrian Centre, Clyde North
22 October  Prefect Luncheon, 12:55 pm, New Building, upstairs
Commerce On Show Incursion, 1:10 pm to 2:40 pm
23 October  HMAS Cerberus Excursion
Prinicipal’s Morning Tea, Warragul Secondary School Main Staff Room, 10:50 am
24 October  Year 12 Final Assembly, 12:00 noon
2019 Japan Study Tour Information Evening, Warragul Secondary School Library, 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
25 October  SEISA Summer Sport, Round 2
VEIS Interschool Dressage and Show Jumping, Warrnambool Agricultural Society
Years 10 and 11 Theatre Studies ‘RENT’ Excursion, Exhibition Hall, Warragul, 8:00 pm
27 October  Sport Aerobics Spring Challenge, The Arena, Geelong
VEIS Interschool Combined Training, Ayr Hill Equestrian Centre, Clyde North
30 October to 2 November  Year 8 Outdoor Education Camp, Lakewood Park Camp, Banksia Peninsula
31 October to 21 November  Unit 4 Exams

NOVEMBER
1 November  SEISA Summer Sport, Round 3
5 November  Mid-term Break, Unit 4 Exams will run as scheduled
6 November  Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday
7 November  Studio Concerts, Parker Centre and Science Centre Lecture Theatre
7 to 9 November  VET Sport and Recreation Surf Camp
8 November  SEISA Summer Sport, Round 4
9 November  Year 10 Excursion to Oaklands Recording Studio, Nunawading
Warragul Secondary School Art Exhibition, 7:00 pm
MyStPauls Parent Workshop/Support at the Warragul Secondary School Art Exhibition, 7:00 pm

YEAR 9 COMMUNITY AWARENESS

On the last day of Term 3 when all students and most staff had left to enjoy their well-deserved break, a very enthusiastic and excited group of Year 9 students generously gave their time to visit the elderly at Fairview Retirement Village Warragul.  This was the culmination of many days and hours of work on behalf of these ‘Community Aware’ young people.

Their journey to this point began with our studies in Community Awareness.  Our Year 9 students all participated in a presentation by three of their Social and Community Planners from the Baw Baw Shire.  The Baw Baw Shire speakers explained the council Health and Wellbeing Plan and explored the difference between responsive and preventative supports and strategies within the community.  Students learnt about preventative strategies, how policy is developed and informed by statistics and data.  Students were invited to consider how we might prevent a state of isolation within the community, as well as the ways in which a community makes a connection and how a community might improve its skills to maintain that connection.  Our students then considered what an authentic difference might look like and the manner in which the health and wellbeing of a community might be measured.

This group of students decided that they would like to build a connection with the elderly and had an idea to create care packages for the elderly residents at Fairview.  However, they had one tiny problem and that was that they did not know how they would afford to purchase the items for the baskets of care and love.  ‘Thinking and Learning’ Mentor Mr Brad McCabe suggested that they might contact the Bendigo Bank in Warragul.

The Bendigo Bank Manager David and Assistant Manager Torina kindly agreed to consider supporting the idea but only if the students could prepare a proposal, an accurate budget and pitch their idea to the bank in a formal business meeting.  I am very happy to report that our students were successful in securing a generous $500 dollar donation from the Bendigo Bank to purchase the goods to make the baskets.

It is no wonder that after such an involved journey to connect local business and ‘community need’ our students were bubbling with overwhelming excitement as they walked into Fairview.  As one of the lovely residents at Fairview suggested “we all hear so much in the media about disengaged teenagers but just look at what we have here, it is just not true!.”

This was just one of the many and diverse projects delivered by our Year 9 students in this unit.  One group of students organised to visit Abbey Gardens Aged care with our beautiful therapy dog Gypsy and Mrs Andrea Terry.  Another group handed out platters of fresh fruit to the Year 7s and Year 8s after securing a donation of fresh fruits and funds for Breast Cancer prevention were raised by another group after organising a variety of pink treats for sale kindly donated by Woolworths, Coles and Bakers Delight.  Latrobe Community Health kindly provided a Healthy Shake Making bike for another group of students, which allowed the students to cycle to make nutritious shakes.  Another group have made over $300 dollars to purchase products to give to our Year 6 Junior School girls where they hope to deliver a feminine hygiene education program in partnership with the Junior School staff.

We are extremely impressed with the ‘passionate difference’ our students have made and will continue to make throughout this valuable Unit in Community Awareness that builds community as well as those soft skills that are so highly valued by employers in communication, collaboration, critical thinking and problem-solving.

Leonie Clark
Head of Year 9
Warragul Campus

Annabelle Rajasingham, Zoe Binns, Matilda Farr, Macey McCartney, Caitlin Davis and Ella Shaddock presenting baskets of care to the residents of Fairview Retirement Village Warragul.

Macey McCartney and Annabelle Rajasingham offer a selection of gifts from the baskets of care.

Zoe Binns presenting a gift to one of the residents with the assistance of a Fairview staff member.

2019 JAPAN STUDY TOUR INFORMATION EVENING

Preparations are well underway for next year’s study tour to Japan.  This is an amazing and unique opportunity for students to experience the many facets of Japanese culture that they have been studying, as well as practice their language skills.  The tour is open for students studying Japanese from Year 10 onwards.  If your child is interested in attending and you would like to hear more details please come along to the upcoming information evening to be held on Wednesday 24 October in the Warragul Secondary School Library starting at 7:00 pm.

Rebecca Crossley
Head of Japanese

VICTORIAN HPV SERIES – ROUND 4

Team Jaffa travelled to Casey Fields on Saturday 13 October to compete in the final round of the Victorian HPV Series for 2018.  Jaffa 2 came fourth in their class, demonstrating the significant improvement of our newest riders over the course of the year.  Jaffa 1 were devastated early in the race by a chain break but subsequently repaired the vehicle and were able to resume racing, impressively placing fifth in their class after a forty-five minute delay!

Mr Ambrozy and Mrs Byrne sincerely thank every participant for their enthusiasm and dedication this year.  A large number of wonderfully helpful parents also attend events and support the team throughout the year, in particular Mr Paul Bordonaro who helps keep our pit and vehicles running smoothly.  Thanks must also go to our major sponsor Select Office Supplies and Warragul Sheet Metal who often help us with vehicle repairs.

The anticipation in the final laps.

A major repair challenges the team.

MATHS TUTORIAL CLASSES

Monday – Year 9, 1:20 pm, Year 9 Centre
Wednesday – Years 7 and 8, lunchtime, YS2
Wednesday – Years 10 to 12, lunchtime, RM6
Thursday – VCE classes, after school, RM6

On Tuesday 16 October, we welcomed the Honourable Lily D’Ambrosio MLA to the Traralgon Campus of St Paul’s.  Minister D’Ambrosio is the Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change.  The Energy Saving Industry Association suggested St Paul’s be visited because of the energy efficiency projects which have been carried out at the school and are viewed as a ‘flagship case study’.  These projects include 208kW of solar power and over 1300 LED lights installed at the school, resulting in huge energy reductions and consequent benefits for the environment.

The final term of 2018 is now well underway and our Year 12 students are particularly in focus as they ready themselves for the weeks ahead.  We wish everyone well for the remainder of the year, but this is especially extended to our graduating cohort.

While I have not known our Year 12 students for long, I have been very impressed by almost every interaction.  The degree of cohesion that I sense amongst them is surprising, given the various places from which they journey to Warragul, together with the fact that most of the students who started at the Traralgon Campus have only been together with the Warragul students since the beginning of 2017.  The Prefect group and other leaders in the school have been outstanding in my opinion.  It is wonderful to see so many take the initiative and lead the school in such a genuinely thoughtful and beneficial manner.

Each school has its own set of rituals and ceremonies for the final year of secondary education.  Some of these are common to most schools; others are unique.  I am greatly looking forward to the days and weeks ahead for the Class of 2018 at St Paul’s.

Unfortunately, the broader community of St Paul’s has been struck by several very sad events recently.  The support shown by staff, students and parents to those affected has been nothing short of remarkable.  Please be assured of our ongoing care and prayers.

Cameron Herbert
Principal