Traralgon Junior School

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

We are halfway through the term and our calendar is filling with special events and activities for the final weeks of the year. It is very exciting to be able to go ahead and organise our annual transition and celebration events and we are certainly looking forward to enjoying these together as a community.

Book Character Parade
Last week saw the Junior School enjoying a Book Character dress up day and parade. The costumes were clever and there was a range of favourite books across classes. It was wonderful to see the level of engagement and enjoyment of this event with many students eager to share details of their favourite character and book.

CODE Read Paper Plane Challenge
On Friday students participated in CODE Read’s Paper Plane Challenge and discussed dyslexia and learning differences in class with their teachers.  There were many amazing paper planes with a variety of designs flying over long distances. Thank you to everyone who wore red and participated in the day.

Interesting Dyslexia Facts
• 
Dyslexia affects at least one in ten people
•  Twenty per cent of children are at risk of reading difficulties and failure
•  There is no greater prevalence of dyslexia in boys than girls
•  Dyslexia is genetic and runs in families
•  Dyslexia ranges from mild to severe
•  Dyslexia is NOT related to IQ, nor does it affect IQ
•  Coloured reading lenses do not help with dyslexia as dyslexia is not a problem with eyes
•  A behavioural optometrist cannot diagnose or fix dyslexia
•  Diet supplements, brain training or manipulation will not help dyslexia
•  Dyslexia is lifelong, however with appropriate accommodations and teaching all students can soar.

Upcoming Events

Jump Off Days:  Next week students will be challenged with their Jump Off skipping sessions as their Jump Rope for Heart program comes to a conclusion. Our Prep to Year 2 students will have their Jump Off session on Monday 8 November and our Years 3 to 6 students on Wednesday 10 November.

Year 2 Sleepover:  Our Year 2 teachers and students are so excited to be able to go ahead with their sleepover at school on Friday 12 November and will no doubt be a highlight of the term. Details have been emailed to families.

Personal Development Years 3 to 6: Students in Years 3 to 6 will be involved in Personal Development sessions facilitated by a HUSH Education teacher next week. These sessions will focus on puberty and reproduction. A parent session is scheduled for Monday evening from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm.

I would like to extend a sincere thank you to all of our families for their cooperation with COVIDSafe processes and guidelines. As a community, we have done a terrific job keeping sick children home and following social distancing and hygiene requirements. We have been very appreciative of the communication with the school when families have been undergoing COVID-19 testing and isolating due to being primary close contacts. The compassion and understanding which have been demonstrated across our school has been very much valued. As we head into the final five weeks of term please continue to be vigilant with our COVIDSafe practices.

Clubhouse Bootcamp
Clubhouse Bootcamp has been operating before and after school sessions this term and have settled into routines well providing interesting and engaging activities for our students. Clubhouse Bootcamp operates from our ELC buildings and families can register at www.clubhousebootcamp.com.au. Please scroll down to meet the Clubhouse staff. Details about the popular Christmas holiday program will be available shortly.

Welcome
We have recently welcomed Eileen Leigh to our office team in the Junior School. Eileen has a long history with St Paul’s as a past parent and FOSP member and brings a range of administration experiences to share with us. I am sure you will join me in congratulating her on her appointment and welcoming to her our Junior School.

St Paul’s Walking Shopping Tour
FOSP has made some exciting changes to their shopping tour! This year’s walking shopping tour will run for six days from Monday 6 December to Saturday 11 December. Tickets will be available online for $10. You will receive a booklet of vouchers to redeem at participating businesses in Traralgon. You can only use one voucher per shop and you need to hand over the voucher to receive the discount. Participating businesses and their discounts on offer will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tracey King
Head of Traralgon Junior School

 

WHAT’S ON

NOVEMBER
8 November  HUSH Education, Years 4 to 6, Parent Information Session, 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
Prep to Year 2 Jump Off
10 November  HUSH Education, Years 3 to 6 Session
Years 3 to 6 Jump Off
11 November  HUSH Education, Years 3 to 6 Session
Remembrance Day Service
12 November  HUSH Education, Years 3 to 6 Session
Year 2 Sleepover
19 November  Student Free Day
24 November  Musical (to be videoed)
25 November  Purple Day

DECEMBER
1 December  Orientation Day
2 December  Swimming Carnival
3 December  Christmas Celebration
6 December  Year 6 Graduation Dinner
7 December  Year 6 Excursion
Prep to Year 5 Activity Day
8 December  Presentation Assembly
Final day of Term 4, dismissal 3:20 pm

* Please note that all events/excursions are dependent on COVID-19 restrictions.

Please note that density limits, masks and COVIDSafe procedures apply. We thank you for your cooperation.

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

Traralgon Secondary School

From the Head of Traralgon Secondary School, Mr Brad McCabe. Dear Parents and Guardians, It is fifty days until Christmas, thirty-five days until the end …

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Traralgon Secondary School

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

Dear Parents and Guardians,

It is fifty days until Christmas, thirty-five days until the end of Term 4, fourteen days before students start Early Commencement, and fourteen days before our Year 10 students commence their final years of schooling at our Warragul Campus. The year (or in fact, the past two years) has flown.

As we reach the apex of Term 4 I would like to encourage all students to stay focused on their school work, complete all homework tasks on time and maintain a high standard in the quality of work they produce. Each subject will have assessments that students will be working through over the next few weeks, which could include tests, projects, class presentations, essays, exams etc. It will be the summer holidays soon enough but until then, students are urged to finish the academic year well by putting their best foot forward.

As students approach their examinations, I would like to remind them of some important tips and tricks to help them be examination ready.  Here they are:
1.  Study small chunks of information at a time.
2.  Develop a regular study routine and structure.
3.  Use flashcards and diagrams to remember and understand the content.
4.  Establish specific goals on what you would like to achieve during each study session.
5.  Teach someone else what you have learnt.
6.  Practise, practise, practise.
7.  Have a designated study spot.
8.  Revise with no music.
9.  Put your phone away.
10.  Plan practice topics and write small responses that you can review carefully.
11.  Go over tests you have completed throughout the semester and check classpages for practice tests.
12.  Ask your teacher plenty of questions.
13.  Do not just read, you learn much better if you read and write; it helps embed the terminology and therefore the concepts you are learning.
14.  For each subject (or each topic within a subject) use a different room or space.
15.  Eat healthy food, get some exercise, regular breaks and make a study plan.
16.  Record your voice to hear terminology/vocabulary.
17.  Check the exam tips and study unit page on the MyStPauls.

Year 10 to Year 11 Transition Zoom Session
On Thursday 28 October, our Year 10 students spent time on Zoom with Head of Year 11 Ms Powell and former Traralgon Secondary School student Holly Derham and William Pendergast. It was a wonderful opportunity for Traralgon based Year 10 students to be briefed about the Warragul Campus, provide an opportunity for questions and answers and to have the previous students share their transition experience to the Warragul Campus.

As part of the School’s transition of Traralgon based students to the Warragul Campus, the Head of Years 9 and 10 Ms Enders meets with Head of Year 11 Ms Powell for a handover meeting. The aim of the handover meeting is to communicate with our Warragul colleagues how to best support each student as they commence their final senior years.

Leadership Applications
The applications for the 2022 leadership positions were very popular this year. All students who submitted their application to the School Captain, Deputy House Captain, Peer Support Leaders and Co-curricular Captains will now undergo a multiple facet process before the final selection and decision. Students learn important life skills by experiencing this process, which puts them in good stead for future job interviews. I would like to thank all students who have submitted their interest in these key student leadership positions.

COVID-19 Update
We welcome the news that as of Monday 1 November, students will be able to recommence a range of activities, which have been cancelled or postponed due to ongoing restrictions. The following changes will allow for a positive finish to Term 4 and the 2021 school year:
•  Face Masks – All staff and students in Years 3 to 12 must continue to wear face masks indoors at school, unless an exemption applies.
•  Camps and Excursions – Camps and overnight stays, excursions and incursions can resume, where possible.
•  Assemblies and Other Events – School events exclusive to staff and students from a single school can resume, subject to public gathering limits and density requirements.
•  Formals, Graduations and Ceremonies (On School Premises) – Exclusive to staff and students only.
•  Formals, Graduations and Ceremonies (Off School Premises) – Indoor events will remain subject to venue caps and density quotients, all eligible adults and students sixteen years and above must be fully vaccinated.
•  Visitors to schools (including parents) – Visitors to school grounds must comply with vaccination requirements, density limits, face mask requirements, QR code check-ins and good hand hygiene. Parents dropping off or picking up who do not enter buildings are not required to check-in unless proof of vaccination status is required for a particular event/reason.

St Paul’s Walking Shopping Tour
FOSP have made some exciting changes to their shopping tour! This year’s walking shopping tour will run for six days from Monday 6 December to Saturday 11 December. Tickets will be available online for $10. You will receive a booklet of vouchers to redeem at participating businesses in Traralgon. You can only use one voucher per shop and you need to hand over the voucher to receive the discount. Participating businesses and their discounts on offer will be announced in the coming weeks.

Brad McCabe
Head of Traralgon Secondary School

 

WHAT’S ON

NOVEMBER
11 November  Remembrance Day Service, 9:50 am
16 November  Year 7 Immunisations, 9:00 am
17 and 18 November  Year 10 Examinations
19 November  Curriculum and Assessment Day, STUDENT FREE DAY
Year 10 Celebration Dinner, 7:00 pm

* Please note that all events/excursions are dependent on COVID-19 restrictions.

Please note that density limits, masks and COVIDSafe procedures apply. We thank you for your cooperation.

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

 

TIMOR FLOWERS BLOOMING GOOD FUN!

In the last two weeks, Team Timor members have been very busy creating delightful jars and bottles of flowers to sell, as part of our fundraising to build an English Language Centre in Malimea Village. Some flowers were even delivered with an Elvis song from our talented Year 10 boys. In the last fortnight, over $340 has been raised, with flowers being sold still for the next two Fridays, although special orders can be made on other days. If anyone would like to place an order, please email Ms Enders at kenders@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au,  Small arrangements are $3 and larger jars are $5.

Asha ready to deliver flowers.

Devmini flower arranging.

Kirsten Enders
Team Timor

 

YEAR 9 PERSONAL PROJECT EXHIBITION HIGHLIGHTS MANY TALENTS!

After many months of research, planning, learning new skills and creating their projects, our Year 9 students had the chance to show the school the results of their labours. And they did not fail to amaze with their skills, talent and hard work on display. The many and varied projects included handmade jewellery, macrame, a marathon bike ride, a vertical garden, a gourmet cookbook, a retro arcade game, a drama script, travel blog, artworks, house plans and interior design displays, coding and computer builds, photography, a handmade surfboard, furniture, candles and a candle making business, and a rebuilt motorbike. Our Years 7 and 8 students were able to tour the exhibition and become inspired for their future projects.

Mr Byrne tries out Darcy’s motorbike.

Alex with her handmade surfboard .

Principal Cameron Herbert gets some gaming tips from Jude on the computer he built.

Ananya’s house and interior design.

Kirsten Enders
Head of Years 9 and 10

Warragul Junior School

From the Head of Warragul Junior School, Mr Rowan van Raay. It has been wonderful to have most of our Prep to Year 6 students …

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Warragul Junior School

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

It has been wonderful to have most of our Prep to Year 6 students back on campus lately as we slowly return to more of the usual school day programs and activities. The new department guidelines have allowed us to recommence with some of our regular activities following safe protocols. Many of these were listed in my correspondence to families last Friday and I will continue to update you as more changes hopefully occur in the coming weeks. My thanks to all families for your ongoing vigilance with regards to following our COVIDSafe protocols as the health of our entire school community continues to be our priority.

Lions Junior Public Speaking Competition: The Warragul Lions Club held the Public Speaking Final for four local schools last Thursday. For the first time, speeches were presented over Zoom while the judges watched on from their homes. We had two students vie for the opportunity to move to the next round, Ruby Reidy in the Years 3 and 4 section, and Meg McInerney in the Years 5 and 6 section. Ruby’s topic was ‘My Favourite Zoo Animal’, and she choose the leaf cutter ant. Meg’s topic was to pick an invention and explain why it is the best invention ever for mankind and Meg choose ‘Satellites’. Ruby and Meg did an outstanding job of researching, writing and presenting their speech. The judges commented that they had never had a group of students so close in points as the Years 3 and 4 section. Meg was complimented on her ability to speak slowly and deliver a clear message, which made her the winner of her section. Meg will go on to next section final, to be held in Trafalgar on 20 November. Congratulations Meg!

Before and After School, and Vacation Care: A reminder to all families that Club House Boot Camp now run our Before and After School, and Vacation Care programs at our Junior School. To learn more about the staff running this wonderful program and for more information, please see the flyer at the end of this newsletter. Cath and her team will be running an all-day program on our upcoming Student Free day for Junior School students (ELC Programs running as normal) on Friday 19 November. Please visit their website, https://www.clubhousebootcamp.com.au/ to register and find out more about the upcoming Holiday program commencing on 9 December 2021.

Book Fair: We have rescheduled this year’s Book Fair and it will now be held in Week 8 in the Library. All classes will visit the book fair and students will participate in fun activities and games throughout the week. A book character dress-up day is planned for Tuesday 23 November. Could I please request that families have a quick look around home and return library books that are overdue to assist with our stocktake which will occur in the coming weeks.

Year 2 Sleepover and Year 3 Camp: I am pleased to report that the Year 2 Sleepover will be held on Friday 3 December. More details about this event will be sent to Year 2 families soon. Our Year 3 Camp will be going ahead as planned Wednesday 24 through to Friday 26 November.

Prep to Year 2 Athletics: Our Prep to Year 2 Athletics Carnival has been moved to Thursday 2 December. We are hoping that families will be able to join us to cheer on their children and we will provide an update closer to the day.

2022 Orientation Programs: Our 2022 Prep Transitions sessions commenced today. The 2022 Year 7 Orientation program will take place Monday 29 November through to Wednesday 1 December. Our 2021 Prep to Year 5 students will spend time with their 2022 teacher and class on Tuesday 30 November. 2022 class lists will be sent home with students on this day.

Rowan van Raay
Head of Warragul Junior School

 

WHAT’S ON

NOVEMBER
8 November  Parent Prayer Group (running off-campus with modifications, tbc)
11 November  Remembrance Day Ceremony (modified services planned for year levels)
12 November  Prep 2022 Transition Day #2
17 November  Prep 2022 Transition Day #3
19 November  STUDENT FREE DAY (Clubhouse Bootcamp running)
22 to 26 November  Book Fair (running with modifications)
23 November  Book Week Dress-Up Day
24 to 26 November  Year 3 Camp – Merricks (tbc)
26 November  Prep 2022 Transition Day #4 (tbc)
30 November  Years 1 to 6 Orientation Day (tbc)

DECEMBER
2 December
  Prep to Year 2 Athletics Carnival (running, students in class groups, adult spectators tbc)
3 December 
Year 2 Sleepover
Years 3, 4 and 5 Swim Trials
6 December  Year 6 Dinner
Parent Prayer Group (site location, tbc)
8 December  Presentation Assembly
Last day of school for 2021

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

Please note that density limits, masks and COVIDSafe procedures apply. We thank you for your cooperation.

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

 

REMINDER

Our Student Free Day is on Friday 19 November. Club House Boot will be running a full day program on this day. Please visit their website, https://www.clubhousebootcamp.com.au/ to register. ELC classes will run as normal.

Warragul Secondary School

From the Head of Warragul Secondary School, Mrs Leonie Clark. Thrivers not just survivors: Helping our kids emerge from this crisis stronger and more resilient. …

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Warragul Secondary School

From the Head of Warragul Secondary School,
Mrs Leonie Clark.

Thrivers not just survivors: Helping our kids emerge from this crisis stronger and more resilient. An ISV Webinar with Tim Klein.

Over the mid-term break I watched a fabulous webinar presented by Independent Schools Victoria located on their parent website, https://theparentswebsite.com.au/.
The presenter, Tim Klein is an educator, clinical therapist and school counsellor who addressed the topic of Understanding of Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) and how it can help young people to flourish after the unknown.

I was particularly interested in ways we can support our children as they emerge from the trauma that we have all experienced in the past two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Klein’s clear explanation of the impact of trauma was of particular interest and provided some very useful strategies for understanding how to reframe the narrative in order to grow from the experiences and invite constructive dialogue with our children.

I have tried to capture the essential components of his presentation below for you with the key take-home messages for parents and educators. However, I do encourage you to find a little time to explore the content of this webinar if you are interested. I have linked it above for your reference.

Klein commenced the webinar by identifying that all of us will tell our own narratives based on our personal experiences. We articulate the personal impact on us as individuals in order to make sense of our world and our understandings. He explains that when a traumatic event takes place it disrupts our personal narrative and that we, therefore, find it difficult to retell the story as we simply do not have previous experiences with which we can associate or unpack our understandings. He suggests that traumatic events have no reference point for us, and as a result, we struggle to make sense of the story or narrative that we are trying to construct for ourselves.

In his presentation Klein references Seligman, 1990 who has undertaken a great deal of research into positive psychology and who has documented pessimistic responses to adversity. Seligman, Klein acknowledges identified three different responses to adversity.  Klein explains the three pessimistic responses to trauma.
1.  Permanence, which occurs when we tell ourselves that this story has a permanent effect on us. He provides the example… “I am never going to travel again”.  This leads to negative psychological impacts.
2.  Pervasiveness, that is, perceived failure in one area of life and therefore, I am a failure in all aspects of life. I failed my Chemistry test therefore I am a failure in everything.
3.  Personalisation which occurs when there is a perceived cause and effect where people blame themselves for bad events that occur. Klein provides the example, “…my parents broke up, that is my fault”. Or we believe that based on the fact that we didn’t follow our rituals, that is, we did not wear our “lucky football jumper to the game”, therefore our footy team lost the game.

Klein then transitions into a very different space within his presentation as he analyses the opportunities that can arise from adversity.

He explains that stress and stressful situations, can in fact, help us to perform at our best. He suggests that we often inadvertently confuse the mental health crisis with stress, when in fact some stress can actually be very helpful to us. He explains that when we are scared and angry the ‘fight or flight’ biological response kicks in, the adrenaline rises in our bodies to save us from life threatening situations and he then elaborates by clarifying that this is only one of the stress responses we have in our toolkit.

Klein describes the challenge response which actually makes us physically stronger and helps us to improve our physical performance. During this stress response we actually take in more information, perform at a higher level to make us mentally stronger. He supports his understanding by suggesting that, “If you aced something at school or work, that was the challenge response assisting you to perform at your very best”.

Furthermore, Klein defines the ‘tend and befriend’ response to stress. ‘Tend and befriend’ is a release of oxytocin into the body which makes us want to reach out and connect. This stress response allows us to strengthen our bonds and drive community connection, it improves our social contact in that it assists us to notice what others are feeling therefore increasing empathy and compassion. He explains that people with higher levels of oxytocin have an increased ability to connect with others.

He also suggests that facing something challenging promotes the learn and grow response. The stressful events can improve neural plasticity which can subsequently promote learning and memory. The result of which makes us more likely to take in information and grow from the events.

He continues with an explanation of Post Traumatic Growth (PTG). Post Traumatic Growth as documented by (Tedeschi and Calhoun, 2004) is three times more likely to occur than Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He emphasises that over half of trauma survivors report positive changes as a result of their experience and although it is not directly correlated with an emotional response it can help individuals to find meaning and purpose in life. He explains that it certainly does not mean that individuals are thankful for the horrible event/s but it is a recognition that in having to respond to the situation, the individuals recognises that they have, in fact, grown from the event. He qualifies his statements with, “…if we could go back in time and take away that trauma obviously we would”.

The strategies and behaviours seen in individuals with PTG as identified by Klein in his presentation:
1.  An ability to identify an increased inner strength “I’m vulnerable but I am a lot stronger than I thought I was…” the recognition of internal strength changes the internal and personal narrative.
2.  The development of a closer relationship with friends and family in response to overcoming the trauma or the collective trauma.
3.  Changed philosophy of life as PTG assists people to realise what is truly important – a change from valuing materialistic possessions to valuing community and creative expression.
4.  An increased sense of spirituality and or sense of belonging. A greater appreciation for nature, church, community and humanity. When we feel we are part of something better we have a greater sense of self.

Finally in his presentation Klein asks, “How can we help our children to grow from the adversity?” He suggests that we help our children to focus on the following:
1.  Challenges not threats – how we perceive the event determines the biological response. We tend to see things as either a challenge or a threat and if we see a threat our fight or flight kicks in, however in contrast when we see traumatic events as a challenge we have a positive physiological response instead. This helps our children to perform knowing that they have the social and emotional ability to overcome what is in front of them to overcome the challenge.
2.  Implementing deliberate rumination instead of intrusive rumination. After a traumatic event we tend to talk about it, a lot. It is constantly on our minds particularly when we are going through something very confronting and frightening. Klein explains that there are two ways to think about and process events. Intrusive rumination is when we start thinking about something because we have no control over it. “You might be walking down the street and the thought just evolves, you don’t feel like you have control over it. In response you do everything you can to avoid thinking about it. You might watch Netflix, go for a run to try to distract yourself.” In contrast deliberate rumination as Klein describes it is when we deliberately ‘lean into thinking about what it is that is making us sad.’ He states that, “this is a very healthy way to process what has occurred to us”.

Klein advises that it is “…about creating space for your child to speak with you and clear out their head.” He gently reminds us that adolescents do not want us to rush in and solve all of their problems, that they really need us to acknowledge their feelings and what is occurring for them. He states that ninety per cent of therapy is hearing the individual say it aloud and for it to be truly heard, understood and validated. He provides the following example response, “Yes, it makes perfect sense that you feel that way. I have also had similar feelings when….”.

To conclude Klein states that “We are amazingly resilient… ninety per cent of PTG occurs without anyone having to implement any interventions at all. Most of the time we can overcome an event without anyone having to do anything.” He notes that pushing people to talk about trauma before they are ready can increase long term effects. Some people will not want to talk about it now, others will want to talk a year from now, while other people are hard wired to not need to talk about things at all. Klein recognises that some traumas require different treatment, for example he states that, “Some people like music, writing or expressing themselves on social media to process their experiences. After all, most of the best music comes from the processing of traumatic events. People will tell you what they need”.

Should you or your child require some extra support at this or any time please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s Mentor or Head of Year. We also have our Chaplains and our Counsellors who are only too willing to assist you.

The following telephone supports are available:
Kids Help Line: 1800 55 1800
Headspace: 1800 650 890
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Griefline: 1300 845 745
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
Care in Mind: 1300 096 269
Mental Health Triage: 1300 363 322
Parentline: 13 22 89

Please note: If you are concerned about the immediate safety of your child, call 000 or take your child directly to your local hospital’s Emergency Department. You will be assisted from there.

The VCAA Year 12 Examinations
Our Year 12 cohort have commenced their VCAA examinations in the Church of Christ and you might have noticed them calmly walking across to the church each morning. Last Friday certainly presented us with some more unexpected challenges as the weather created much chaos within our shire. Thankfully our unflappable Unit 3 and 4 students supported by their incredible families all made it to the Biology examination on time. One student recounted their journey to school as their parent threw the chainsaw into the back of the car just in case they needed to remove trees on the way to school. There is no doubt that our families will go to extraordinary lengths to ensure their child makes it to their Year 12 examination on time. I cannot thank our staff enough for their dedication to the students last Friday. Shoes and clothing were completely drenched as students were shuttled across the road by staff and loaded into a bus for the journey from the school gymnasium to the church across the road. Our fabulous maintenance team had set up generators at the church just in case the power went out! Thank you to our families, our staff and especially our Year 12 students for continuing to face each challenge with grace and care for each other. We wish our Year 12 students the very best as their examinations continue and we very much look forward to sharing the details of the 2021 Valedictory Celebration with our Year 12 students and their families in the coming days.

Mrs Leonie Clark
Head of Warragul Secondary School

 

WHAT’S ON

OCTOBER
27 October to 17 November 
VCE VCAA Unit 4 Exams

NOVEMBER
5 November  Year 11 VET Sport and Recreation Phillip Island Day Trip, 8:50 am to 3:30 pm
8 November  Parent Prayer Group (running off-campus with modifications, tbc)
11 November  Remembrance Day Service
Year 7 Vaccinations
11 November to 17 November  Year 11 Exams
17 November to 18 November  Year 10 Exams
18 November  Year 11 Exam Catch Up Day
Valedictory Celebration
19 November  Year 10 Exam Catch Up Day
Curriculum and Assessment Day (Student Free Day)

DECEMBER
6 December Parent Prayer Group (site location, tbc)

* Please note that all events/excursions are dependent on COVID-19 restrictions.

 

Please note that density limits, masks and COVIDSafe procedures apply. We thank you for your cooperation.

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

 

THEATRE STUDIES CLASS OF 2021

Congratulations to the Theatre Studies Class of 2021 that completed both their monologue exam and written exam two days apart – what an epic feat! After two years of disruptions to their performance assessments and viewing of live theatre due to COVID-19 restrictions, this resilient group of young people worked hard to finish on a positive note with some very entertaining and engaging performances and design presentations for a panel of examiners at Kernot Hall last week.

Celebrating after their monologue exam at Kernot Hall – Kerry, Benjamin, Ailish  and Sarah.

We wish them all well for their future endeavours.

Kylie Sinclair
Co-curricular Performing Arts Event Coordinator
Teacher of Drama, Humanities and Theatre Studies

 

Alumni Profile

JANET BOLAND, Class of 1993. Class of 1993 Alumna, Janet Borland, commenced St Paul’s in Year 7 and loved learning and going to school, so …

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JANET BOLAND,
Class of 1993.

Class of 1993 Alumna, Janet Borland, commenced St Paul’s in Year 7 and loved learning and going to school, so much so that she remembers telling her parents that she wanted to be a student for the rest of her life. She believes her teachers fostered her love of learning and said, “St Paul’s instilled in me a passion for lifelong learning. I enjoyed being in a supportive environment with teachers who inspired me to learn.”

Janet is currently Assistant Professor of Japanese Studies at The University of Hong Kong and has strong memories of her Japanese studies at St Paul’s. “Some of my earliest and most vivid memories relate to learning Japanese from Year 7. Our teacher, Jenny Muir, gave us a wonderful introduction to the language and the culture through a whole range of activities including cooking a hotpot dish called sukiyaki. To me, this simple yet memorable activity taught me about different cultures and ways of living, and made me very curious about Japan. In later years, Mariko Negoro taught us Japanese, I participated in speech competitions and went on a weekend homestay with a Japanese host family in Melbourne. I believe that my weeks spent rehearsing speeches for state competitions and time spent with native speakers (including exchange students and teachers in the community), helped me develop an excellent grasp of Japanese pronunciation and intonation that benefits me to this day.”

Her first experience of Japan as an exchange student was not one that she was expecting. “I first travelled to Japan as a secondary school exchange student. On 17 January 1995, a week before I was due to return home, my world and my understanding of Japan and earthquakes changed forever. At 5:46 am I was violently jolted awake by a terrifying magnitude 7.3 earthquake. The shaking and the accompanying sounds were unlike anything I, or many residents of Kobe, had ever experienced. The Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake caused widespread damage across Kobe and shattered many myths about seismic risk and vulnerability in Japan. Ever since the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the eventful days that followed, Japan and earthquakes have been an inseparable part of my life.”

It was just over four weeks later that Janet’s university journey began back in Australia. Janet said, “I had very broad interests at St Paul’s: I loved biology, English and Japanese. Therefore, I decided to pursue an Arts/Science double degree at the University of Melbourne, majoring in Japanese and psychology. I had a second opportunity to live and study in Japan as an exchange student at Kyoto University. This experience consolidated my language skills and also my desire to pursue a career related to Japanese history. I completed my MA and PhD in Japanese history at The University of Melbourne.”

When asked about what she most enjoys about her occupation, Janet replied, “I love everything about being a professor: I have the freedom to pursue research on topics that I am passionate and curious about; I get to work with great students and help them to achieve their potential; I have opportunities to engage with the Japanese business and diplomatic community in Hong Kong; and of course I love travelling – to Japan for research, and around the world to present my findings at international conferences. I am always learning and challenged, and ultimately, I find this very rewarding. Knowing Japanese is essential for me to conduct research in original source material. I am glad I persevered learning Japanese for so many years and I am now reaping enormous rewards in every aspect of my life. In 2017 I partnered with Mitsubishi Corporation Hong Kong and created a field trip called the Young Leaders Tour of Japan, taking students to Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures to learn about recovery and reconstruction following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. It is a powerful experience to meet people ranging from survivors to business executives, and hear their stories about rebuilding the local community and their hopes for the future.”

Janet is also a successful writer and was awarded the Hong Kong Academy of the Humanities First Book Prize for 2020 for her book, Earthquake Children: Building Resilience from the Ruins of Tokyo. This year she will spend one year at the University of Tokyo as a Japan Foundation Japanese Studies Fellow where she will conduct research for her second book: an environmental history of Japan’s endangered Red-crowned Crane.

“Growing up on a dairy farm in Jindivick, I never imagined that one day I would become a historian of Japan living and working in Hong Kong. Studying Japanese at St Paul’s was undoubtedly the most influential factor that not only defined my career, but also my life trajectory. It has been an incredible journey from Jindivick and I am so grateful that St Paul’s was such a progressive school for the time and offered Japanese.”

Outside of work, Janet likes to watch live jazz in Tokyo, cook and keep fit and healthy through yoga and running. She also loves gardening and grows Japanese citrus plants such as yuzu, sudachi, kabosu on her balcony in Hong Kong. She is a keen traveller and immerses herself in nature back home in Australia. “I cannot wait to come home to Australia and see my family when COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed. When I do, I look forward to visiting St Paul’s and presenting the school library with a copy of my book, Earthquake Children.”

 Janet and the Consul-General of Japan in Hong Kong, Ambassador Mitsuhiro Wada with a copy of Janet’s book.

Janet snowshoe hiking with her husband Charles in the Shiretoko National Park, Hokkaido, Japan.

Young Leaders Tour of Japan field trip to Tohoku with Janet’s HKU students.

From the Chaplain

LEARNING TO DRIVE A PANDEMIC When it comes to driving, I am generally much happier in the driver’s seat than the passenger seat. My family …

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LEARNING TO DRIVE A PANDEMIC

When it comes to driving, I am generally much happier in the driver’s seat than the passenger seat. My family would say I am a bit of a control freak in this department. It is not that I have any problem with other people’s driving, it is just that I feel better when I am the one behind the wheel. I blame it on a propensity for travel sickness (although no one is buying that excuse). But lately things have changed. Mr Sixteen has his learners permit and driving lessons have begun. The passenger seat is becoming my new home and I am learning some important lessons. The first thing I have had to learn is that I am not in control. There is very little I can physically do once the car is in motion. The accelerator and brake pedals are well out of reach and to make matters worse, my car has a foot-operated park brake so even that is not a viable option. The most I can manage is a desperate lunge for the steering wheel in an attempt to avoid a collision. Not a maneuver that is likely to end well. It makes very little difference whether I am completely calm or totally freaking out. All that is really left for me to do is utter the time-honoured chant of driving instructors, “Brake, brake, brake!” and trust in Mr Sixteen.

Now that I think about it, this is not dissimilar to how life in general has felt over the last eighteen months. We may have felt like we were in the driver’s seat until COVID-19 came along and kicked us firmly into the passenger seat of life. Who has actually been driving? The virus? The politicians? The health professionals? God? The question is moot. Whoever it is, in so many aspects of life all we have been able to do is hold on tight and occasionally shout “Brake, brake, brake!” We have had to learn that there are things in life that we cannot control, and in those times, we discover whether we trust that someone greater is in control. I do not have much trouble trusting most public health advice and I even have some level of confidence that our politicians are generally working in our best interests (albeit in a flawed manner sometimes) but I take the most reassurance in the knowledge that a loving God is ultimately in control. I am not suggesting that God orchestrated the COVID-19 pandemic as some sort of divine judgement. Far from it! But I do believe that God is far better equipped to help us navigate our way through it than we are by ourselves.

That brings me to the second thing I have learnt in the passenger seat. Just as I place great trust in Mr Sixteen when I let him take the wheel, at the same time, he is placing significant trust in me. In these early days of driving, he is still reliant on me to guide and direct him, to navigate and to alert him to unseen hazards. He is able to progressively master various driving skills because I only ever ask him to drive in conditions that he is ready for. A successful driving excursion relies not just on his ability to drive but also on his willingness to be guided by me. Which makes me wonder whether I have got my perspective a bit muddled when it comes to life in this crazy world. As much as it might feel like we are the passengers crying out for God to stop this crazy ride, perhaps the truth is we are more like learner drivers, careening down the winding roads of life on this earth that we have been entrusted with. Meanwhile God rides calmy with us, whispering words of encouragement and occasionally saying, “Brake, brake, brake!”

Whichever seat you find yourself in, may you find comfort and hope in the knowledge that life’s journey is not a solo drive. In the words of an aging Moses to a young Joshua, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be discouraged”. (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Reverend Daniel Lowe
Senior Chaplain

From the Principal

We are well into the second week of the VCE Exam period, with English being the first written examination on Wednesday 27 October. We acknowledge …

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We are well into the second week of the VCE Exam period, with English being the first written examination on Wednesday 27 October. We acknowledge all the hard work of our teachers and students in preparation for this very important time. Special thanks must go to our Warragul Secondary School Director of Studies, Mrs Age Percy. She and Mrs Leonie Clark, together with a team of staff, have had to adapt to a change of examination environment at short notice. Owing to the requirements for COVID-19 compliance, a late decision had to be made to hold the exams at the Warragul Church of Christ, rather than in our VCE Centre. The severe storm on Friday morning complicated matters further, with Biology students having to be transferred by bus from the gymnasium to the church because of the extreme weather conditions. It was amazing that all students managed to arrive on time, with some families reportedly having to drive into school with chainsaws just to get through roads blocked by fallen trees. Our sincere thanks and appreciation are extended to the Warragul Church of Christ for the generous provision of their premises for our VCE Examinations. We also thank Warragul Anglican Church for their kind offer to be back-up premises.

In other Year levels across the school at both campuses, it has been refreshing to have relative normality return to classrooms and playgrounds in recent weeks. Additionally, preparations for end-of-year functions and celebrations are now able to proceed at both Warragul and Traralgon, albeit in a modified form. Deputy Principal Donna Sweeney and I are particularly looking forward to these end-of-year events, having largely been unable to do so at the same time last year. Families will be kept informed of upcoming events by the respective Heads of School.

It was a pleasure to be able to attend the Traralgon Year 9 Personal Project Exhibition on Wednesday. All projects were worthy efforts, and many were simply astonishing, including a motorbike restoration and a surfboard construction. There were clearly many new skills acquired and lessons learnt in the process. I think the opportunity to attend this exhibition at Traralgon and to experience an ‘actual’ Secondary School Assembly at Warragul this week, for the first time in many months, has increased my appetite for such community gatherings. Let us hope that all our plans come to fruition, and we can enjoy the second half of the term and celebrate the end of the school year appropriately when the time comes in December.

Cameron Herbert
Principal