In this issue

From the Head of Traralgon Secondary School,
Mrs Leonie Clark

A gritty path to success
As a follow up to my article on the Year 7 camp and growth mindset I thought it pertinent to consider what we can all do as a learning community to support a student who has become ‘stuck’ particularly when a growth mindset approach just does not seem enough.

Why do some students succeed, whereas others do not? While talent in a particular area is certainly an advantage, having a passionate interest in a subject or topic as well as the desire to persist and keep going after several setbacks seem to be key. In fact, it has been found that passion and resilience are far greater predictors of one’s success than intelligence. Angela Duckworth PhD discovered through her extensive research into ‘grit’ that those people with a strong-minded determination to master a skill or remain focused on their long-term goals as well as each of the micro goals in between, were far more successful than those who changed direction continuously or who were easily distracted by new ideas or those who lost interest after setbacks. Developing the traits of a hard worker, finishing what you begin and managing and overcoming setbacks were all characteristics of highly successful individuals with ‘gritty’ personal qualities.

So why do some individuals develop grittiness more than others? In Duckworth’s text ‘Grit’ she shares that she is asked “how to parent for Grit at least once a day” (A, 2017) and admits that there is a great deal of research still to be done to determine the factors that see some children growing up with gritty characteristics. However, in the anecdotes she has included within the text it is suggested that teaching children not to quit, raising them with a sense of discipline, and instilling a sense of hope and belief in themselves that they can do whatever it is that interests them is vital.  She is also an advocate for ‘tough love’ which she describes as a trade-off between supportive parenting and demanding parenting. She describes tough love as “…a carefully struck balance between affection and respect on the one hand, and firmly enforced expectations on the other.” (A, 2017) Duckworth also exchanges the term authoritative parenting with ‘wise’ parenting.  She describes parents who instil wise parenting in their children as “… accurate judges of the psychological needs of their children. They appreciate that their children need love, limits and latitude to reach their full potential. Their authority is based on knowledge and wisdom, rather than power.” (A, 2017)

As teachers, guardians and parents of adolescent children we are role-modelling characteristics of grit to our children every single day. Highly successful children often describe their most influential role models as their parents. Although there is no evidence yet in this space, Duckworth suggests that “Growing up with support, respect and high standards confers a lot of benefits, one of which is especially relevant to grit – in other words, wise parenting encourages children to emulate their parents.” (A, 2017) Similarly, “…wise teaching, that is, teachers who are supportive and respectful enhance students’ happiness, voluntary effort in class, and aspirations….” (A, 2017)

Duckworth admits that grit is not the only psychological factor to determine success she acknowledges that there are many others including emotional intelligence, physical talent, intelligence, conscientiousness, impulse control and imagination among others. However, she remains steadfast in her understanding that grit “…holds a special significance for the achievement of excellence.” (A, 2017)

And when you consider the most successful individuals in their fields of interest a sustained combination of passion and perseverance is the common characteristic, as she states in her text, “It’s often said that the last mile is the longest. Grit keeps you in the path.” (A, 2017)

References:
https://www.ted.com/talks/angela_lee_duckworth_grit_the_power_of_passion_and_perseverance/no-comments
Duckworth A, Grit Why passion and resilience are the secrets to success 2017 Vermilion

Labour Day Holiday and Support Services
We imagine that all of the students are looking forward to a lovely long weekend on the weekend of Saturday 11 March to Monday 13 March inclusive. Whilst the school counselling team does not provide support over the school holidays or long weekends, should you find that your child needs help, your child is always able to speak to someone at Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), Headspace (1800 650 890), Lifeline (13 11 14) or Beyond Blue (1300 224 636 ). If you are after advice as a parent, you can also utilise these services, or call Parentline on 13 22 89.

Year 7 2024 Information Evening
We enjoyed a brilliant evening with many new and current families at our Year 7 2024 Information Evening last Tuesday. Students from primary schools throughout Gippsland joined us for tours and an opportunity to explore our Secondary School and speak with our staff. Our students were also present and generously gave their time to speak with families and guide them to various locations. Thank you to our FOSP parents and guardians for assisting with the evening and also to our staff who kindly shared their love and excitement for their work with our students at Traralgon Secondary School with our many visitors.

Managing Assessment Periods
It is a busy time for students as we move closer to due dates and some end of unit reportable assessments. It is important that students plan their study time at home and ensure that they balance their revision and leisure time carefully. As much as we support our students to consistently work hard so that they can reach their potential in each task, we also hope and encourage our students to enjoy time away from screens with their sporting teams, family and friends. Please reach out to your child’s Mentor if you are concerned about your child’s ability to plan and organise their time to meet due dates.

Leonie Clark
Head of Traralgon Secondary School

TEACHER DEVELOPMENT

At St Paul’s, we talk about a growth mindset, an ideology whereby we all seek continuous improvement. We believe that thinking and intelligence are not fixed and that everyone can grow. The mindset is described as an umbrella of the attitude we seek to model, adopt and instil – it does not dictate curriculum or specific teaching strategies – and it operates alongside our school values: wisdom, integrity, compassion and respect.

In a previous edition of the Grammarian, we noted a whole school (secondary) focus on Metacognitive Strategies. The very nature of metacognition encourages students to think about the way they think. Being conscious of the way your brain is making connections with content and ideas, aware of the way you approach a problem or plan ahead and being cognisant of how your own brain responds to certain situations all help an individual as they seek to improve. Metacognitive Strategies go hand in hand with a growth mindset.

We ask our teachers to seek continuous improvement in the same way we expect students to keep learning and refining (and aspiring!).  The focus on Metacognitive Strategies comes within the time we spend on our Professional Learning Community, which is the type of project or community that exists in most schools around the country. We are also intent on supporting teacher development and it has been so pleasing to see the wide array of training undertaken in recent months.

Some of the recent highlights include:
• Steplab Instructional Coaching
• Metacognitive Strategies with Critical Agendas
• Ecumenical Schools (Teaching and Learning, Principals, Chaplains)
• Professional Certificate in Adolescent Counselling
• Subject conferences
• Presenting at subject conferences
• Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority sessions (often attended online at night or on the weekend) – study design, meet the assessors
• Over twenty staff completed VCAA VCE Data analysis modules as we review results from past years.

We have signed up another group of teachers and support staff to complete the Youth Mental Health First Aid courses this year and we also hope to again have a high number of staff selected as Year 12 external exam assessors.

We think it is important to celebrate and share the wide variety of professional development undertaken by our staff.  To our parent readers of this publication, it should be another encouraging indication that we seek to model an ongoing effort to learn and develop, as we encourage our students to do the same.

Our current focus as we work on Metacognitive Strategies:
• Test yourself (not limited to practice tasks/tests but also including retrieval processes, cover-write-check, flip cards – and consideration as to when students might test themselves).
• Highlighting the difference between homework, study and revision – a student might not have homework due the next day, but there is always study (the current unit) and revision (previous content) waiting for them! We will be aiming to make it clear what the study and revision is at any stage of the year, not just in the lead-up to an exam.
(We completed pre-surveys with students and over ninety per cent said they strongly agree or agree with the statement, “I know the difference between homework, study and revision.”  And… this was contradictory to the teacher responses and to anecdotal comments from parents!).

Should you have any questions, you are welcome to contact Gordon Oldham (Warragul) goldham@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au or Donna Byrne (Traralgon) dbyrne@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

Gordon Oldham
Deputy Head of Warragul Secondary School

WHAT’S ON

MARCH
13 March  Labour Day Public Holiday
15 March  Years 7 and 9 NAPLAN Begins
17 March  Year 10 P.A.R.T.Y. Excursion to Latrobe Regional Hospital
20 March  DAV Debating
23 March  SEISA Summer Sport, Intermediate/Senior, Round 5
29 March  Athletic Trials
30 March  SEISA Summer Sport, Intermediate/Senior, Round 6
Parent Student Teacher Interviews (PSTIs), 4:00 pm

APRIL
3 April  House Athletics Carnival, Newborough Athletics Track
5 April  Parent Student Teacher Interviews (PSTIs), Online, 4:00 pm
6 April  Easter Service, 10:20 am
End of Term 1, 2:10 pm Finish

 DOBSONS TRADING HOURS

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

COLLECTION NOTICE FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS

Please use this link to see important information from The Australian Government Department of Education, https://my.stpaulsags.vic.edu.au/send.php?id=119914

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BECOMING A ST PAUL’S COMPANY MEMBER OR BOARD DIRECTOR?

Membership of Company
Are you aware parents are able to become members of the St Paul’s School Company?

At present there are over sixty members of the School’s Company. Applying for membership involves completing an application form and submitting a fee of $20.00. Continued membership involves renewing your membership once a year and paying an ongoing annual fee of $20.00.

Company membership entitles the member to attend the School’s Annual General Meeting in May each year and also to cast a vote in the event of an election of Directors to the School Board.

Persons interested in applying for new membership of the Company can obtain an Application for Company Membership form from the School’s website or by contacting Carol Reid by email  creid@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au.

New applications should be received by 18 April 2023 for consideration at the April Board Meeting in preparation for this year’s Annual General Meeting.

Becoming a Board Director
In keeping with the Board’s commitment to an inclusive governance approach within the School community, persons interested in potentially filling a Board vacancy are encouraged to become a member of the Company and respond to the nomination/election process prior to the Annual General Meeting on 24 May 2023.

Nomination forms for Board Directorship are required to be forwarded to the Company Secretary no later than Wednesday 26 April 2023 at 5:00 pm.

If you have any questions in relation to the Board vacancies or are seeking a nomination form, please contact Mrs Leah Young, Company Secretary on email companysecretary@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au or phone 5623 5833.

Annual General Meeting – Wednesday 24 May 2023
The Annual General Meeting of St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School is to be held on Wednesday 24 May 2023 at the Warragul Campus commencing at 5:00 pm for Members of the Company.

CALLING ALL PARENTS AND CARERS

You are invited to ‘Parenting ADHD – Answers with Dr Justin Coulson’
Wednesday 22 March
7:00 pm AEST | 8:00 pm AEDT
This webinar is not to be missed! 

Of all the different neurodevelopmental disorders children may experience, ADHD is the most common, especially for kids under the age of eleven. And also the most provocative.

If you want to…
• know more about ADHD
• know how to respond to kids who are showing ADHD signs and symptoms (diagnosis or not)
• provide your parent and staff community with science-supported tools and strategies
• effectively guide children with ADHD to thrive in the classroom and at home.

Please register to take part in the webinar https://bit.ly/stpauls-adhd

This is a live webinar so participants have the opportunity to ask Justin questions. The recording will be available to all for fourteen days post-event.

Tracey King
Head of Junior School – Traralgon

DOES MY CHILD HAVE MATHS HOMEWORK?

“Does my child have Maths homework?” is a question that many parents ask. The answer is “Yes”, always. Working through Maths homework should be a nightly routine for most students. The amount and type of Maths homework will vary depending on the year level and time of term; however, students are strongly encouraged to establish a regular routine of completing Maths homework each evening. There is a strong positive correlation between students who do well in VCE Mathematics with students who regularly revise their Mathematics classwork.

Maths Online Weekly Revision Tasks
All Years 7 to 10 students should complete their Maths Online Weekly Revision Task for homework each week, with the task only taking approximately fifteen to twenty-five minutes to complete. We do like to see our students achieve an eighty per cent score for each of these tasks. However, we understand that some students may need to repeat the task and seek assistance from their teacher when the task score is below eighty per cent.

Maths Online Lessons
In addition to the Maths Online Weekly Revision Task, teachers will often set specific tasks/lessons related to a topic, unit, or concept. Each task has a tutorial video that explains the mathematical concept(s) and questions that each student can complete to test their understanding.

Progress Quiz and Chapter Review: Years 7 to 10A Cambridge
Each chapter of the Cambridge textbooks has a Progress Quiz and Chapter Review where students can answer questions relating to the unit. Students can utilise these sections for test revision and homework.

Extension Homework
We love it when our students challenge themselves in mathematics. Each teacher has many different ways to help our students go. Students (and perhaps some parents) who are keen for some extra challenge and fun with mathematics, then we encourage you to look at any of the enrichment, modelling, investigation and problems and challenges sections from any Years 7 to 10A Cambridge textbooks.

 Reviewing Past Tests and SACs
All students can learn from going through their past tests and SACs, even if a student received 100%. It also provides great revision for Semester 1 or end of year exams. Students can ask their teacher for worked solutions. Students can also add their past tests and SACs to exam notes.

Maths Support Sessions
Maths support sessions are offered weekly with sessions running at lunchtime and after school in order to cater for all – please check MyStPauls newsfeeds for more information.

Students may use these sessions to get assistance with and complete homework tasks, seek an additional lesson on a particular Maths topic or simply work with other students who share a similar love of Mathematics with extension activities provided as required.

These sessions are additional to those already provided by teachers from the Maths Faculty, which occur regularly at nominated lunchtimes.

Happy learning!
The Mathematics Faculty

YEAR 8 JUNIOR DEBATING WORKSHOP: AN EXCELLENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE

On 3 March, Year 8 students had the opportunity to participate in a Junior Debating Workshop, which aimed to enhance their debating skills and knowledge. The workshop featured two guest speakers from the Debaters Association of Victoria who shared their expertise and experiences with the students.

The workshop in full swing.

Hayley and Layla working hard on their arguments.

Chloe presenting her debate with style.

A team work-shopping their case.

During the workshop, students reviewed debating protocols, including the structure of a debate and the roles of the speakers. They also learned how to research and gather information to support their arguments. In addition, students participated in planning mock debates and presented their arguments to adjudicators for feedback.

The workshop was a great learning activity for the participants, who showed enthusiasm and eagerness to improve their skills. They gained confidence in public speaking and learned how to structure arguments effectively. Moreover, they received constructive feedback from the adjudicators, which helped them improve their debating skills.

Overall, Junior Debating Workshop was a fantastic learning experience for the students. It provided them with the opportunity to develop their critical thinking, research, and communication skills. We hope that the students will continue to practice and apply these skills in their future debates, both inside and outside the classroom.

Donna Byrne and Sharon Pyle
Traralgon Secondary School Debating and Public Speaking Coordinators

ST PAUL’S SCHOOL DOG PJ CELEBRATES SECOND BIRTHDAY IN STYLE

PJ, the beloved therapy dog at St Paul’s Traralgon Secondary School, recently celebrated her second birthday with a small party that included cake and lots of tail-wagging fun. The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is owned by Ms Byrne and Mr Ambrozy, and has become a cherished member of the school community since her arrival.
PJ’s calming presence and affectionate nature have made her a favourite among students, teachers, and staff members alike.

To celebrate PJ’s special day, Class 7B threw a small party that included a dog-friendly cake and plenty of love and attention from her many admirers. It was a great success, with many dog-owning students taking home a slice of dog-friendly cake for their own pooches.
As the school year resumes after the holidays, PJ is settling back into her routine. Her gentle nature makes her an invaluable asset to the St Paul’s community, and she is always happy to offer a listening ear and a comforting paw in her quest to find all the treats available.

Ms Byrne and Mr Ambrozy are grateful for the opportunity to share PJ’s love and affection with the students and staff of St Paul’s and they hope that her presence will continue to make a positive impact on everyone who meets her. Here’s to many more happy birthdays for PJ and many more years of wagging tails and curious smiles at St Paul’s!
 
Donna Byrne
Director of Learning and Teaching – Traralgon Secondary School

EQUESTRIAN SUCCESS

Hayden and his 17hh horse, Snowy River Satisfaction.

The Stratford Interschool Equestrian Challenge took place on Wednesday 22 February and we are thrilled to report that two of our St Paul’s Traralgon students, Hayden Doupain and Phoebe Cavill, participated in this prestigious event.

Hayden had an outstanding day. Despite his horse not having jumped in over two months, he was able to achieve third and fourth places in the two show jumping rounds. In addition to that, he also placed sixth in his Handler Class.
Phoebe also had an impressive day and was able to achieve a range of exemplary results, including first place for Rider and Year 9 Highpoint, as well as third place for Best Presented and Ridden Mount.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Hayden, Phoebe and their families for their commitment to the Equestrian program at St Paul’s. Their dedication and hard work have paid off and we are thrilled to see such fantastic results. We wish them all the best for their future equestrian pursuits, and we look forward to seeing them represent St Paul’s in the future. Congratulations, Hayden and Phoebe!

Donna Byrne
Director of Learning and Teaching – Traralgon Secondary School

STAFF VERSUS SEISA NETBALL TEAM

Last Thursday, some of the staff competed against our SEISA Netball team at lunchtime due to us having our regular bye. The girls were super excited to display their skills in front of the school as well as the staff who kindly put their hand up to play. We played four quarters of intense play but unfortunately, the girls came up with the win in the last couple of minutes of the final quarter. The good news was that all staff came away without any injuries! I would like to thank the following staff who played: Glen Treble, Andrew McGrath, Josh McQuade, Scott Stuckey, Kara Kimberley and Kerryn Doble. A special thank you to Jen Witney who umpired our game.
Next term we hope to host another staff verses student match and hopefully this time we can come away with a win in a different sport.

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

SEISA SWIMMING

After a couple of early morning training sessions at both Warragul and Traralgon, the dedicated St Paul’s Swim team travelled to Melbourne Sports Centres to compete in the annual SEISA competition.

Led by captains Molly Cargill and Mollie Dennis, who were ably assisted by some of the senior team members, the team pulled together to ensure we had a competitor in every event. A number of our younger swimmers commendably competed in higher age groups to fill gaps, many of them outshining the older competition. Once again we had Junior School students join the team, we thank those students who joined us from both the Traralgon and Warragul Junior School Schools.

A highlight of the competition was our U/21 female 4x50m Medley Relay team of Molly Cargill, Zoe Dowler, Abby Warner and Ruby Logan breaking the 2018 record for this event which was previously held by St Paul’s. We also had a number of Age Champions; congratulations to Phoebe Balcombe, Brody Cargill, Mollie Dennis, Molly Cargill and Josh Dwyer. A special mention to Molly Cargill who took out her sixth Age Champion award, Molly has won the award for her age group every year she has competed in the competition.
It is always a huge undertaking to pull together a team that consists of students from both Warragul and Traralgon Campuses. Thank you to Mrs Sandra Timmer-Arends, Miss Sarah Moerke, Lucas Bonnitcha and Joshua McQuade for not only their dedication in ensuring we were able to field a full team but also their work in organising the event.

Congratulations to all members of the 2023 St Paul’s SEISA Swim team. St Paul’s were overall winners of the event with 949 points, Gippsland Grammar finished second with 795 points and Newhaven College finished third with 776 points.

Mrs Michelle Sullivan
Swim Team Coach

ENROLMENTS REMINDER

Dear families,

The Enrolments team would like to remind families who plan for their next child to commence at St Paul’s in 2022 that enrolment application forms should be submitted prior to the end of Term 1. As the School currently has waiting lists at a number of year levels, please submit an enrolment application at your earliest opportunity to ensure all children in your family have a place on the School’s Enrolment Register. Please note that a separate Enrolment Application is required for each child.

Online Enrolment Application is available via the following link to our website: https://stpaulsags.vic.edu.au/enrolment/enrolling-at-st-pauls/ or you can collect a hard copy Enrolment Pack from Junior School Reception.

2024 ELC families please note that, due to the evolving nature of government funding for Early Learning, we will shortly be reviewing our program offering for 2024 and will provide families with an update as soon as finalised information becomes available. In the meantime, families should be aware that St Paul’s is currently experiencing large demand for places at Pre-Kinder, Pre-Prep and Prep in 2024, and the School recommends families and any interested friends in the broader community enrol at the earliest opportunity to reserve their child’s place on the Enrolment Register for 2024 and beyond.

Please contact our Enrolments Office on 5175 0133 if you have questions about enrolment at St Paul’s, or if you would like to arrange a tour of the ELC, Junior or Secondary School.

(Current families, please note that enrolment at St Paul’s is continuous from the point of entry until the end of Year 12 and your child’s place in the next year level is automatically allocated; you do not need to submit an enrolment application for your child to transition to the next stage of their schooling at St Paul’s).

NAPLAN TESTS

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) 2023 for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students will be held on Wednesday 15 March, Thursday 16 March, Friday 17 March and Monday 20 March 2023. NAPLAN tests assess student knowledge and skills in Writing, Reading, Language conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy. The results of the tests provide information for students, parents, teachers and principals which can be used to improve student achievement.

Students and parents can access the NAPLAN practice site at https://nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site to become familiar with the format of these online tests.

All students are expected to participate in the NAPLAN tests. During test week, catch-up sessions will be available for individual students who are absent on test days. These students may undertake catch-up sessions on the days in the test week after the scheduled test, up to and including Monday 27 March 2023.

Support can be arranged for students with disabilities if the student regularly uses similar support for classroom assessment tasks. The NAPLAN online system also allows adjustments to how the tests are presented. Exemptions may be granted to students with significant intellectual disabilities and to students who have been learning English for less than one year. If your child is eligible for support due to disability or an exemption, you should discuss this with his/her teacher prior to the tests. Parental consent is required before any support due to disability or exemption is granted.

Students may be withdrawn from NAPLAN by their parent or carer. This is a matter for consideration by parents and carers in consultation with the school. If, after consultation, you decide to withdraw your child, you must sign a Student Withdrawal form. Please contact Chris Ambrozy at cambrozy@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au should you wish to obtain a Student Withdrawal form.

Later in the year, you will receive your child’s personal NAPLAN report. The report will describe your child’s particular skills in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy. The report will also show how your child performed in relation to national minimum standards. These describe the minimum acceptable standards for students across Australia.

I am confident that the information you receive as a result of your child’s participation in the NAPLAN tests will be valuable in helping you to assess your child’s progress in literacy and numeracy.

For more information about the tests, please visit the VCAA website at www.vcaa.vic.edu.au or the NAPLAN website at www.nap.edu.au

Chris Ambrozy
Director of Studies Traralgon Secondary School

FINANCE NEWS

Private Car Conveyance Allowance
Families driving students more than 4.8 kilometres to attend St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School may be eligible to receive a conveyance allowance. For further information on the eligibility criteria and application process, please refer to: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/conveyance-allowance/policy

Eligible families applying for the car conveyance allowance will have funds credited to their fee account during the year. If the fee account has been paid in full or is on a direct debit arrangement, any allocation will show as a credit on the following year’s invoice.

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) provides payments directly to the school for the benefit of the eligible student to attend camps, sports and excursions. Families holding a valid means-tested concession card or temporary foster parents are eligible to apply. $125 per year will be paid for eligible primary school students and $225 per year paid for eligible secondary school students. Payments will go directly to the school and be tied to the student. For more information and to download the application form please refer to: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund/resources

Parents are encouraged to lodge the application form immediately. The CSEF program for 2023 closes at the end of Term 2. All forms must be received by 16 June 2023 to be processed.

For parents who received CSEF at the school in 2022 (and the student/s are still enrolled in 2023), the school will ‘copy’ the application across from 2022 to 2023 on the CSEF system. The CSEF system will automatically validate the parent’s eligibility with Centrelink.

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

I cannot believe we are already past the halfway mark of Term 1! We had a wonderful turnout at our Welcome Barbeque recently. My sincere thanks to the Year 12 Prefects, Year 9 Community Ambassadors, Junior School staff and families for attending. There was a lovely, relaxed feel and the Preps enjoyed their Grand Prix while the St Paul’s 100m Gift was hotly contested.
Our Years 3 to 6 students enjoyed their Athletics Carnival on Monday where Burgundy House was victorious. Our Prep to Year 2 students also had a wonderful time yesterday participating in Australia Reads Day – For the Love of Reading. Staff and students took the opportunity to wear the pyjamas to school as well. Our Years 3 to 6 swimming program continues and we congratulate the students who competed at Division competition last Tuesday. We wish those who have made it through to Regional next Thursday all the best.

NAPLAN
This year NAPLAN has shifted to March. The test window has been extended from 15 to 27 March. NAPLAN is a national literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. It is the only national assessment all Australian students have the opportunity to undertake. As students progress through their school years, it is important to check how well they are learning the essential skills of reading, writing and numeracy. NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through the school curriculum and allows parents/carers to see how their child is progressing against national standards and over time.

NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process. It does not replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance, but it can provide teachers with additional information about students’ educational progress. NAPLAN also provides schools, education authorities and governments with information about how education programs are working and whether young Australians are achieving important educational outcomes in literacy and numeracy.

Notes for the Canteen
Please note that there are items in the canteen that contain eggs: Fried rice and Smartie cookie. Sushi is now available on Tuesdays and Fridays $3.50 each roll. Must be pre-ordered through MunchMonitor.

Sushi options:
• Tuna and avocado
• Teriyaki Chicken
• Crab
• Vegie (carrot and beetroot)

New Bike Rack
We have recently purchased a new bike rack for students who ride their bikes to school. It is located near the Year 6 building and can be accessed via the basketball court near the gym.
New Years 1 and 2 Playground
The design is complete and after consulting the Years 1 and 2 students, the colour scheme has been selected for our new Years 1 and 2 playground. This eighteen-section playground will be located down near the Kitchen Garden and the students are super excited. We expect installation to occur early next term.
I hope all families enjoy the upcoming long weekend and we wish the Year 5 well as they head off to Golden Valleys Camp next Tuesday.

Rowan van Raay
Head of Warragul Junior School

WHAT’S ON

FEBRUARY
24 February  Family Welcome Barbeque Evening, ELC and Junior School, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
28 February  Division Swimming (selected students only)

MARCH
13 March  Labour Day Public Holiday
14 to 17 March  Year 5 Camp, Golden Valley
15 to 17 March  Year 3 NAPLAN
16 March  Regional Swimming (selected students only)
20 to 22 March  Years 5 NAPLAN
21 March  Years 3 and 5 NAPLAN
Harmony Day
22 March  Years 3 and 5 NAPLAN
Dr Justin Coulson ADHD Webinar, 7:00 pm
23 March  Years 3 and 5 NAPLAN
Prep Excursion to Farm World
24 March  Prep Excursion to Farm World
27 March  District Athletics (selected students only)
Living Ripples Launch
28 March  ELC and Prep Discovery Morning
Living Ripples Launch
29 March  Parent Teacher Interviews, 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm
30 March  Parent Teacher Interviews, 3:30 pm to 8:00 pm

APRIL
3 April  Parent Prayer Group, Prideaux Centre, 9:00 am
4 April  Years 3 to 6 Easter Service, Junior School Gymnusium, 2:20 pm to 3:20 pm
5 April  Community Easter Egg Hunt, 3:45 pm to 4:45 pm
6 April  Prep to Year 2 Easter Service, Junior School Gymnusium, 12:40 pm to 1:15 pm
Term 1 finish, 2:20 pm

 DOBSONS TRADING HOURS

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

ST PAUL’S PARENT PRAYER GROUP

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

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

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

COLLECTION NOTICE FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS

Please use this link to see important information from The Australian Government Department of Education, https://my.stpaulsags.vic.edu.au/send.php?id=119914

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BECOMING A ST PAUL’S COMPANY MEMBER OR BOARD DIRECTOR?

Membership of Company
Are you aware parents are able to become members of the St Paul’s School Company?

At present there are over sixty members of the School’s Company. Applying for membership involves completing an application form and submitting a fee of $20.00. Continued membership involves renewing your membership once a year and paying an ongoing annual fee of $20.00.

Company membership entitles the member to attend the School’s Annual General Meeting in May each year and also to cast a vote in the event of an election of Directors to the School Board.

Persons interested in applying for new membership of the Company can obtain an Application for Company Membership form from the School’s website or by contacting Carol Reid by email  creid@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au.

New applications should be received by 18 April 2023 for consideration at the April Board Meeting in preparation for this year’s Annual General Meeting.

Becoming a Board Director
In keeping with the Board’s commitment to an inclusive governance approach within the School community, persons interested in potentially filling a Board vacancy are encouraged to become a member of the Company and respond to the nomination/election process prior to the Annual General Meeting on 24 May 2023.

Nomination forms for Board Directorship are required to be forwarded to the Company Secretary no later than Wednesday 26 April 2023 at 5:00 pm.

If you have any questions in relation to the Board vacancies or are seeking a nomination form, please contact Mrs Leah Young, Company Secretary on email companysecretary@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au or phone 5623 5833.

Annual General Meeting – Wednesday 24 May 2023
The Annual General Meeting of St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School is to be held on Wednesday 24 May 2023 at the Warragul Campus commencing at 5:00 pm for Members of the Company.

ENROLMENTS REMINDER

Dear families,

The Enrolments team would like to remind families who are planning for their next child to commence at St Paul’s in 2024 that enrolment application forms should be submitted prior to the end of Term 1. As the School currently has waiting lists at a number of year levels, please submit an enrolment application at your earliest opportunity to ensure all children in your family have a place on the School’s Enrolment Register. Please note that a separate Enrolment Application is required for each student.

Online Enrolment Application is available via our website:  https://www.stpaulsags.vic.edu.au/enrolment/ or you can collect a hard copy Enrolment Pack from Secondary School Reception.

2024 ELC families please note that, due to the evolving nature of government funding for Early Learning, we will shortly be reviewing our program offering for 2024 and will provide families with an update as soon as finalised information becomes available. In the meantime, families should be aware that St Paul’s is currently experiencing large demand for places at Pre-Kinder, Pre-Prep and Prep in 2024, and the School recommends families and any interested friends in the broader community enrol at the earliest opportunity to reserve their child’s place on the Enrolment Register for 2024 and beyond.

Please contact our Enrolments Office on 5623 5833 if you have questions about enrolment at St Paul’s, or if you would like to arrange a tour of the ELC, Junior or Secondary School.

(Current families, please note that enrolment at St Paul’s is continuous from the point of entry until the end of Year 12 and your child’s place in the next year level is automatically allocated; you do not need to submit an additional enrolment application for your child to transition to the next stage of their schooling at St Paul’s).

CALLING ALL PARENTS AND CARERS

You are invited to ‘Parenting ADHD – Answers with Dr Justin Coulson’
Wednesday 22 March
7:00 pm AEST | 8:00 pm AEDT
This webinar is not to be missed! 

Of all the different neurodevelopmental disorders children may experience, ADHD is the most common, especially for kids under the age of eleven. And also the most provocative.

If you want to…
• know more about ADHD
• know how to respond to kids who are showing ADHD signs and symptoms (diagnosis or not)
• provide your parent and staff community with science-supported tools and strategies
• effectively guide children with ADHD to thrive in the classroom and at home.

Please register to take part in the webinar https://bit.ly/stpauls-adhd

This is a live webinar so participants have the opportunity to ask Justin questions. The recording will be available to all for fourteen days post-event.

Tracey King
Head of Junior School – Traralgon

SEISA SWIMMING

After a couple of early morning training sessions at both Warragul and Traralgon, the dedicated St Paul’s Swim team travelled to Melbourne Sports Centres to compete in the annual SEISA competition.

Led by captains Molly Cargill and Mollie Dennis, who were ably assisted by some of the senior team members, the team pulled together to ensure we had a competitor in every event. A number of our younger swimmers commendably competed in higher age groups to fill gaps, many of them outshining the older competition. Once again we had Junior School students join the team, we thank those students who joined us from both the Traralgon and Warragul Junior School Schools.

A highlight of the competition was our U/21 female 4x50m Medley Relay team of Molly Cargill, Zoe Dowler, Abby Warner and Ruby Logan breaking the 2018 record for this event which was previously held by St Paul’s. We also had a number of Age Champions; congratulations to Phoebe Balcombe, Brody Cargill, Mollie Dennis, Molly Cargill and Josh Dwyer. A special mention to Molly Cargill who took out her sixth Age Champion award, Molly has won the award for her age group every year she has competed in the competition.
It is always a huge undertaking to pull together a team that consists of students from both Warragul and Traralgon Campuses. Thank you to Mrs Sandra Timmer-Arends, Miss Sarah Moerke, Mr Lucas Bonnitcha and Mr Joshua McQuade for not only their dedication in ensuring we were able to field a full team but also their work in organising the event.

Congratulations to all members of the 2023 St Paul’s SEISA Swim team. St Paul’s were overall winners of the event with 949 points, Gippsland Grammar finished second with 795 points and Newhaven College finished third with 776 points.

Mrs Michelle Sullivan
Swim Team Coach

FINANCE NEWS

Private Car Conveyance Allowance
Families driving students more than 4.8 kilometres to attend St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School may be eligible to receive a conveyance allowance. For further information on the eligibility criteria and application process, please refer to: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/conveyance-allowance/policy

Eligible families applying for the car conveyance allowance will have funds credited to their fee account during the year. If the fee account has been paid in full or is on a direct debit arrangement, any allocation will show as a credit on the following year’s invoice.

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) provides payments directly to the school for the benefit of the eligible student to attend camps, sports and excursions. Families holding a valid means-tested concession card or temporary foster parents are eligible to apply. $125 per year will be paid for eligible primary school students and $225 per year paid for eligible secondary school students. Payments will go directly to the school and be tied to the student. For more information and to download the application form please refer to: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund/resources

Parents are encouraged to lodge the application form immediately. The CSEF program for 2023 closes at the end of Term 2. All forms must be received by 16 June 2023 to be processed.

For parents who received CSEF at the school in 2022 (and the student/s are still enrolled in 2023), the school will ‘copy’ the application across from 2022 to 2023 on the CSEF system. The CSEF system will automatically validate the parent’s eligibility with Centrelink.

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

Open Day 2023 – a great opportunity
Our Open Day will be held on Saturday 13 May 2023. Traditionally Open Day is seen as an opportunity for prospective families to tour a school and assess its suitability for their child. We would like to encourage our current families, especially those with a student in Year 9 through to Year 11 to consider Open Day differently for 2023 and beyond.

At our Open Day, each faculty has an allocated space where they promote the subjects that they offer and display resources, textbooks, novels and other teaching resources. All our teachers are available to speak with families directly and we would like to encourage our families to use Open Day to begin the subject selection process for 2024.

Although it feels like next year is a long way off, in reality, the course selection process begins in Term 2 as Course Guides are produced and sessions in our Pastoral Programs focus on future planning and careers.

Open Day on Saturday 13 May is actually the perfect time to start learning about the different subjects on offer and the time to start asking staff questions about the content of each course, the assessment involved and general questions about whether or not it will be the right choice for your child.

Many universities, TAFE and independent colleges are offering campus tours during the Easter break this year and a great way to start thinking ahead would be to tour the prospective post-secondary institution and then attend Open Day to consider the subjects that would lead to the courses that your student is interested in.

Subject selection for 2024 will occur in August but it does happen quite quickly and decisions can be made in a rushed manner if students are not organised. By attending Open Day you will begin those conversations and the thinking around subjects much earlier which will lead to more informed decision-making when the time comes.

Another reason to attend is to experience our school. Many parents and carers have not been through the buildings in many years, may not know or remember the co-curricular activities on offer and may just want to speak to staff in general.

Open Day is a great opportunity to visit St Paul’s and we look forward to seeing many of our current families on the day.

Teacher Development
At St Paul’s, we talk about a growth mindset, an ideology whereby we all seek continuous improvement. We believe that thinking and intelligence are not fixed and that everyone can grow. The mindset is described as an umbrella of the attitude we seek to model, adopt and instil – it does not dictate curriculum or specific teaching strategies – and it operates alongside our school values: wisdom, integrity, compassion and respect.

In a previous edition of the Grammarian, we noted a whole school (secondary) focus on Metacognitive Strategies. The very nature of metacognition encourages students to think about the way they think. Being conscious of the way your brain is making connections with content and ideas, aware of the way you approach a problem or plan ahead and being cognisant of how your own brain responds to certain situations all help an individual as they seek to improve. Metacognitive Strategies go hand in hand with a growth mindset.

We ask our teachers to seek continuous improvement in the same way we expect students to keep learning and refining (and aspiring!). The focus on Metacognitive Strategies comes within the time we spend on our Professional Learning Community, which is the type of project or community that exists in most schools around the country. We are also intent on supporting teacher development and it has been so pleasing to see the wide array of training undertaken in recent months.

Some of the recent highlights include:
• Steplab Instructional Coaching
• Metacognitive Strategies with Critical Agendas
• Ecumenical Schools (Teaching and Learning, Principals, Chaplains)
• Professional Certificate in Adolescent Counselling
• Subject conferences
• Presenting at subject conferences
• Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority sessions (often attended online at night or on the weekend) – study design, meet the assessors
• Over twenty staff completed VCAA VCE Data analysis modules as we review results from past years.

We have signed up another group of teachers and support staff to complete the Youth Mental Health First Aid courses this year and we also hope to again have a high number of staff selected as Year 12 external exam assessors.

We think it is important to celebrate and share the wide variety of professional development undertaken by our staff.  To our parent readers of this publication, it should be another encouraging indication that we seek to model an ongoing effort to learn and develop, as we encourage our students to do the same.

Our current focus as we work on Metacognitive Strategies:
• Test yourself (not limited to practice tasks/tests but also including retrieval processes, cover-write-check, flip cards – and consideration as to when students might test themselves).
• Highlighting the difference between homework, study and revision – a student might not have homework due the next day, but there is always study (the current unit) and revision (previous content) waiting for them! We will be aiming to make it clear what the study and revision is at any stage of the year, not just in the lead-up to an exam.
(We completed pre-surveys with students and over ninety per cent said they strongly agree or agree with the statement, “I know the difference between homework, study and revision.”  And… this was contradictory to the teacher responses and to anecdotal comments from parents!).

Should you have any questions, you are welcome to contact Gordon Oldham (Warragul) goldham@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au or Donna Byrne (Traralgon) dbyrne@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

Gordon Oldham
Deputy Head of Warragul Secondary School

Allergy Aware
The St Paul’s Secondary Schools, unlike our allergy free Junior Schools, are allergy aware. This means that we do not completely ban allergens at school because our students are at an age where they can self-manage their allergies and those students without allergies are able to learn to be conscious of those who do and careful with the food that they consume at school.

When on excursions or camps we always ask that any food or snacks that students bring are allergy-free because the locations of those activities may mean that medical assistance is not readily available. You will see a request to ensure all snacks and food are allergy-free each time you consent to an activity on Consent2Go.

Our canteen does sell some items that contain a known allergen. These foods are clearly labelled and include:
• Fried rice
• Chicken Caesar Salad
• Egg sandwich
• Egg and bacon roll
• Chicken schnitzel roll (breadcrumbs)
• Beef patties
• Smartie Cookie
A number of baked items may also contain traces of egg and these are labelled.

3:10 pm finish at Warragul Secondary School
Last year we made the decision to change the end of our school day to 3:10 pm from the traditional 3:30 pm finish. Six weeks into the first term and we are seeing the benefits of this change as we had hoped. Our teachers are reporting that the end of the day is far less hurried than it once was as bus travellers and those with younger siblings in the Junior School no longer have to rush to meet their bus or their lift home. Students are not taking bags to Period 5 and 6 classes and when the bell goes, they are finishing the question they were working on or remaining in class for a few minutes to seek clarification from their teachers or ask questions. Our bus travellers are departing approximately seven minutes earlier each day, which is not significant, but it is slightly earlier. Unfortunately, with the Junior School finishing at 3:20 pm departing any earlier is not possible. It does mean bus travellers can pack their bags without rushing, access the bathrooms and fill their water bottles or see a teacher before they leave. They can also stay in their buildings and common rooms for an extra ten to fifteen minutes socialising or playing basketball prior to catching the bus.

There is always an adjustment period with any change but we are pleased to see the positive benefits of an earlier finish.

Lost Property

Student Services are holding a number of items of lost property. If you recognise anything that belongs to your child please send them to collect it.

Laura Butterworth
Head of Warragul Secondary School

WHAT’S ON

MARCH
10 March  Year 9 City Experience – Day One, Melbourne CBD, 7:06 am to 4:48 pm
13 March  Labour Day Public Holiday
14 March  SEISA Visual Arts Festival, Year 11 Art students, DT Parker Centre, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
16 March  DAV Debating, Round 1, St Margaret’s, Berwick Grammar (still waiting for times to be confirmed)
Presentation Ball Training – GIRLS ONLY SESSION, Warragul Junior School Gymnasium, 3:25 pm to 5:00 pm
17 March  Sport Aerobics Training, Warragul Secondary School Gymnasium and Dance Studio, 6:55 am to 8:15 am
20 March  Presentation Ball Training, Warragul Junior School Gymnasium, 3:25 pm to 5:00 pm
23 March  SEISA Summer Sport, Intermediate/Senior, Round 5
24 March  Sport Aerobics Training, Warragul Secondary School Gymnasium and Dance Studio, 6:55 am to 8:15 am
Performing Art Scholarship Holders Concert, Science Centre Lecture Theatre, 7:00 pm
27 March  Top Arts Excursion, Year 11 and Year 12 Art students, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm
Year 9 Faiths in our Community Excursion, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Presentation Ball Training, Warragul Junior School Gymnasium, 3:25 pm to 5:00 pm
29 March  Years 7 and 8 Athletics Trials, Harold Preston Park, Traralgon, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Top Designs Exhibition, Years 11 and 12 VCD students, Melbourne Museum, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
30 March  SEISA Summer Sport, Intermediate/Senior Finals
Parent Student Teacher Interviews (PSTIs) session 1, Face-to-Face session, 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
31 March  Sport Aerobics Training, Warragul Secondary School Gymnasium and Dance Studio, 6:55 am to 8:15 am
Year 12 Sport and Recreation – Melbourne Cable Park Day Trip, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

APRIL
3 April  House Athletics Carnival, Newborough Athletics Track, 9:00 am to 3:10 pm
Presentation Ball Training, Warragul Junior School Gymnasium, 3:25 pm to 5:00 pm
5 April  Parent Student Teacher Interviews (PSTIs) session 2, ZOOM session, 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm
6 April  SEISA Surfing, Woolamai Surf Beach, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
End of Term 1, 2:10 pm finish

 DOBSONS TRADING HOURS

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

COLLECTION NOTICE FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS

Please use this link to see important information from The Australian Government Department of Education, https://my.stpaulsags.vic.edu.au/send.php?id=119914

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN BECOMING A ST PAUL’S COMPANY MEMBER OR BOARD DIRECTOR?

Membership of Company
Are you aware parents are able to become members of the St Paul’s School Company?

At present there are over sixty members of the School’s Company. Applying for membership involves completing an application form and submitting a fee of $20.00. Continued membership involves renewing your membership once a year and paying an ongoing annual fee of $20.00.

Company membership entitles the member to attend the School’s Annual General Meeting in May each year and also to cast a vote in the event of an election of Directors to the School Board.

Persons interested in applying for new membership of the Company can obtain an Application for Company Membership form from the School’s website or by contacting Carol Reid by email  creid@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au.

New applications should be received by 18 April 2023 for consideration at the April Board Meeting in preparation for this year’s Annual General Meeting.

Becoming a Board Director
In keeping with the Board’s commitment to an inclusive governance approach within the School community, persons interested in potentially filling a Board vacancy are encouraged to become a member of the Company and respond to the nomination/election process prior to the Annual General Meeting on 24 May 2023.

Nomination forms for Board Directorship are required to be forwarded to the Company Secretary no later than Wednesday 26 April 2023 at 5:00 pm.

If you have any questions in relation to the Board vacancies or are seeking a nomination form, please contact Mrs Leah Young, Company Secretary on email companysecretary@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au or phone 5623 5833.

Annual General Meeting – Wednesday 24 May 2023
The Annual General Meeting of St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School is to be held on Wednesday 24 May 2023 at the Warragul Campus commencing at 5:00 pm for Members of the Company.

YEAR 11 PRESENTATION BALL

Presentation Ball training is coming along nicely under the guidance of dance instructor Michelle Theunissen-Scott and Mrs Christine Gardner. The Year 11 cohort is enjoying this time together, learning a new skill and laughing a lot (mainly at themselves)!

A reminder that there is no training this coming Monday 13 March due to the Labour Day Public Holiday and that the next session is Girls Only on Thursday 16 March, 3:25 pm to 5:00 pm. Students wishing to catch the late bus this night must put their name on the list at Student Services that morning.

We are seeking ideas and props for two photo backdrops that will be used in the foyer at Lardner Park on the event evening for informal photos. If you have something that you think may work please let us know. Here are some previous examples:
Parents/Carers of those participating will receive an email in the next fortnight with information on buying tickets for the event and booking their time slot with the official photographers. If you have any queries please contact Michelle Ireland via email mireland@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

Michelle Ireland
Community Coordinator

PARENT STUDENT TEACHER INTERVIEW (PSTIs) EVENINGS

We warmly invite both students and parents to attend our Semester 1 Years 7 to 12 Parent Student Teacher Interview evenings. Details are as follows:
Session 1: Thursday 30 March, 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm – Face-to-Face in the Warragul Secondary School Gymnasium
Session 2: Wednesday 5 April, 4:00 pm to 8:30 pm – via Zoom meetings

Bookings for both sessions will open on Tuesday 14 March and an email will be distributed that outlines the booking process. We look forward to seeing you on the evening and if you have any difficulties, please contact Robyn Begelhole at the school via rkbegelhole@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au.

Attending PSTIs is an invaluable way to discuss and monitor your child’s academic and pastoral progress. As a school we report formatively and continuously. This means that you do not receive a traditional end of semester report which summarises your child’s learning. Instead, we report after each assessment task and you are able to access the feedback in real-time via MyStPauls. This allows you and your child to understand what needs to be done in order to improve. You do need to be actively using MyStPauls to ensure you are making the most of this reporting format. Prior to attending the PSTIs, in person or via Zoom, it is suggested that you have reviewed your child’s progress and that you come prepared with questions for the individual teachers. The following questions can be asked to teachers to assist you to understand the learning needs of your child.
1. What’s my child had success with so far in your subject
2. If my child could do one thing to make the most improvement in your subject, what would that one thing be?
3. What can I do at home to help my child with this?

Alice Zanella
Director of Studies – Middle Years

DOES MY CHILD HAVE MATHS HOMEWORK?

“Does my child have Maths homework?” is a question that many parents ask. The answer is “Yes”, always. Working through Maths homework should be a nightly routine for most students. The amount and type of Maths homework will vary depending on the year level and time of term; however, students are strongly encouraged to establish a regular routine of completing Maths homework each evening. There is a strong positive correlation between students who do well in VCE Mathematics with students who regularly revise their Mathematics classwork.

Maths Online Weekly Revision Tasks
All Years 7 to 10 students should complete their Maths Online Weekly Revision Task for homework each week, with the task only taking approximately fifteen to twenty-five minutes to complete. We do like to see our students achieve an eighty per cent score for each of these tasks. However, we understand that some students may need to repeat the task and seek assistance from their teacher when the task score is below eighty per cent.

Maths Online Lessons
In addition to the Maths Online Weekly Revision Task, teachers will often set specific tasks/lessons related to a topic, unit, or concept. Each task has a tutorial video that explains the mathematical concept(s) and questions that each student can complete to test their understanding.

Progress Quiz and Chapter Review: Years 7 to 10A Cambridge
Each chapter of the Cambridge textbooks has a Progress Quiz and Chapter Review where students can answer questions relating to the unit. Students can utilise these sections for test revision and homework.

Chapter Review
The Chapter Reviews in Cambridge textbooks for Years 11 and 12 contain a good mix of questions that helps to deepen our students’ understanding. These questions range from technology-free questions to multiple-choice and extended-response questions, all of which are great for homework and revision.

Cambridge VCE Checkpoints
For our Years 11 and 12 students, the Cambridge VCE Checkpoints are an excellent resource to use for homework. The checkpoints incorporate recent official exam questions relating to the VCE study design, providing students with the most up-to-date exam and SAC preparation questions. All our Years 11 and 12 students are strongly encouraged to work through these, multiple times throughout the year.

Extension Homework
We love it when our students challenge themselves in Mathematics. Each teacher has many different ways to help our students go. Students (and perhaps some parents) who are keen for some extra challenge and fun with Mathematics, then we encourage you to look at any of the enrichment, modelling, investigation and problems and challenges sections from any Years 7 to 10A Cambridge textbooks.

 Reviewing Past Tests and SACs
All students can learn from going through their past tests and SACs, even if a student received 100%. It also provides great revision for Semester 1 or end of year exams. Students can ask their teacher for worked solutions. Students can also add their past tests and SACs to exam notes.

Maths Support Sessions
Maths Support Sessions are offered in YN6 in the Year 9 Centre each Thursday at the end of the school day from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm for Years 10 to 12 students. Students can attend for all or part of each session as required. For our Years 7 to 9 students, we offer Lunchtime Support Sessions every Wednesday at lunchtime also in YN6.

Students may use these sessions to get assistance with and complete homework tasks, seek an additional lesson on a particular Maths topic or simply work with other students who share a similar love of Mathematics with extension activities provided as required.

These sessions are additional to those already provided by teachers from the Maths Faculty, which occur regularly at nominated lunchtimes.

Happy learning!
The Mathematics Faculty

DEBATING WORKSHOP INSPIRES STUDENTS!

On Friday 17 February members of the St Paul’s Debating Club from Years 9 to 12 were lucky enough to be visited by two of Debating Victoria’s (DAV) senior adjudicators, who ran an insightful workshop to excite and nurture our skills. From public speaking to problem-solving, the workshop ran for the day and offered us the chance to ask for specific advice, which Gajan and Esther were ecstatic to give. Under the reassuring eye of the adjudicators, twenty-four of us were able to partake in a practice debate, which was found to be extremely useful for those with little experience. As a cohort we started off the workshop by discussing the strengths and weaknesses of an example of a relevant topic, ‘Cancel Culture’, and were encouraged to work together to construct our arguments for and against. As the day progressed, Gajan and Esther appealed to the consideration of opposing arguments in the preparation of a debate and in a real-world context. Equipped with our new skills, we will now turn our attention to Round 1 which will take place on 16 March at St Margaret’s in Berwick.
Ava Carruthers
Debating Captain 2023

ST PAUL’S PARENT PRAYER GROUP

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

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

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

ENROLMENTS REMINDER

Dear families,

The Enrolments team would like to remind families who are planning for their next child to commence at St Paul’s in 2024 that enrolment application forms should be submitted prior to the end of Term 1. As the School currently has waiting lists at a number of year levels, please submit an enrolment application at your earliest opportunity to ensure all children in your family have a place on the School’s Enrolment Register. Please note that a separate Enrolment Application is required for each student.

Online Enrolment Application is available via our website:  https://www.stpaulsags.vic.edu.au/enrolment/ or you can collect a hard copy Enrolment Pack from Secondary School Reception.

2024 ELC families please note that, due to the evolving nature of government funding for Early Learning, we will shortly be reviewing our program offering for 2024 and will provide families with an update as soon as finalised information becomes available. In the meantime, families should be aware that St Paul’s is currently experiencing large demand for places at Pre-Kinder, Pre-Prep and Prep in 2024, and the School recommends families and any interested friends in the broader community enrol at the earliest opportunity to reserve their child’s place on the Enrolment Register for 2024 and beyond.

Please contact our Enrolments Office on 5623 5833 if you have questions about enrolment at St Paul’s, or if you would like to arrange a tour of the ELC, Junior or Secondary School.

(Current families, please note that enrolment at St Paul’s is continuous from the point of entry until the end of Year 12 and your child’s place in the next year level is automatically allocated; you do not need to submit an additional enrolment application for your child to transition to the next stage of their schooling at St Paul’s).

CALLING ALL PARENTS AND CARERS

You are invited to ‘Parenting ADHD – Answers with Dr Justin Coulson’
Wednesday 22 March
7:00 pm AEST | 8:00 pm AEDT
This webinar is not to be missed! 

Of all the different neurodevelopmental disorders children may experience, ADHD is the most common, especially for kids under the age of eleven. And also the most provocative.

If you want to…
• know more about ADHD
• know how to respond to kids who are showing ADHD signs and symptoms (diagnosis or not)
• provide your parent and staff community with science-supported tools and strategies
• effectively guide children with ADHD to thrive in the classroom and at home.

Please register to take part in the webinar https://bit.ly/stpauls-adhd

This is a live webinar so participants have the opportunity to ask Justin questions. The recording will be available to all for fourteen days post-event.

Tracey King
Head of Junior School – Traralgon

SEISA BADMINTON CHAMPIONS

On 23 February our school Badminton team ventured to Melbourne for the annual SEISA Badminton tournament. With each player ready and raring to go, the day was very successful as all players showed great sportsmanship both on and off the court.

Overall St Paul’s Anglican Grammar was crowned Badminton champions for 2023 knocking off Gippsland Grammar for the first time in ten years.

Claire Bailey and Irene Kishaan.

Asher Norlyng and Pablo Neofitou.

Ann-Maria Thomas and Gopika Menon.

Matilda Jefford and Amelie Williams.

Highlights also included:
• winning the Senior and Intermediate divisions
• having our Junior girls, Intermediate boys and Senior girls going through undefeated
• winning an amazing twenty-four out of thirty matches between all six teams.

I would also like to Gopika Menon for all her effort over the last two years as our Badminton Captain.

Ben Zanella
Badminton Coach

SEISA TABLE TENNIS

On Thursday 23 February, the Table Tennis team made its way to MSAC. Players were filled with excitement and some trepidation as we prepared to meet the other SEISA schools. At the venue we were lucky enough to see members of the Australian Olympic and Paralympic Table Tennis teams, their reflexes and speed were awe-inspiring, and we were very privileged to see them in action!

We fielded all teams in both girls and boys divisions, with several of our junior players willing to step up into Intermediate and Senior teams. We also had two of our players filling in for the Traralgon Campus Senior Girls team. Each player showed teamwork and enthusiasm, and the camaraderie between the different schools was evident. The friendly competition helped to make the day enjoyable. Under the excellent leadership of Connor Pyke, all teams had a successful day with the Junior Boys team coming second, the Junior Girls team coming fourth, Intermediate Boys team coming third, Intermediate Girls team coming second, Senior Boys team coming second and Senior Girls team coming first on the day! Overall, we came second place, only eleven points behind Gippsland Grammar, the winning team! Well done everyone!

We thank Miss Sarah Moerke for her instrumental role in organising this event and look forward to another successful year in 2024!

Coralie Esbert
Head of Science and IT

SEISA SWIMMING

After a couple of early morning training sessions at both Warragul and Traralgon, the dedicated St Paul’s Swim team travelled to Melbourne Sports Centres to compete in the annual SEISA competition.

Led by captains Molly Cargill and Mollie Dennis, who were ably assisted by some of the senior team members, the team pulled together to ensure we had a competitor in every event. A number of our younger swimmers commendably competed in higher age groups to fill gaps, many of them outshining the older competition. Once again we had Junior School students join the team, we thank those students who joined us from both the Traralgon and Warragul Junior Schools.

A highlight of the competition was our U/21 female 4x50m Medley Relay team of Molly Cargill, Zoe Dowler, Abby Warner and Ruby Logan breaking the 2018 record for this event which was previously held by St Paul’s. We also had a number of Age Champions; congratulations to Phoebe Balcombe, Brody Cargill, Mollie Dennis, Molly Cargill and Josh Dwyer. A special mention to Molly Cargill who took out her sixth Age Champion award, Molly has won the award for her age group every year she has competed in the competition.
It is always a huge undertaking to pull together a team that consists of students from both Warragul and Traralgon Campuses. Thank you to Mrs Sandra Timmer-Arends, Miss Sarah Moerke, Mr Lucas Bonnitcha and Mr Joshua McQuade for not only their dedication in ensuring we were able to field a full team but also their work in organising the event.

Congratulations to all members of the 2023 St Paul’s SEISA Swim team. St Paul’s were overall winners of the event with 949 points, Gippsland Grammar finished second with 795 points and Newhaven College finished third with 776 points.

Mrs Michelle Sullivan
Swim Team Coach

FINANCE NEWS

Private Car Conveyance Allowance
Families driving students more than 4.8 kilometres to attend St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School may be eligible to receive a conveyance allowance. For further information on the eligibility criteria and application process, please refer to: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/conveyance-allowance/policy

Eligible families applying for the car conveyance allowance will have funds credited to their fee account during the year. If the fee account has been paid in full or is on a direct debit arrangement, any allocation will show as a credit on the following year’s invoice.

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF)
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) provides payments directly to the school for the benefit of the eligible student to attend camps, sports and excursions. Families holding a valid means-tested concession card or temporary foster parents are eligible to apply. $125 per year will be paid for eligible primary school students and $225 per year paid for eligible secondary school students. Payments will go directly to the school and be tied to the student. For more information and to download the application form please refer to: https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund/resources

Parents are encouraged to lodge the application form immediately. The CSEF program for 2023 closes at the end of Term 2. All forms must be received by 16 June 2023 to be processed.

For parents who received CSEF at the school in 2022 (and the student/s are still enrolled in 2023), the school will ‘copy’ the application across from 2022 to 2023 on the CSEF system. The CSEF system will automatically validate the parent’s eligibility with Centrelink.

IN PRAISE OF THE ORDINARY

There are tomatoes sitting on our windowsill. Platters of them. They are not doing anything dramatic – just slowly ripening. It is hard to appreciate tomatoes when so much of life is focused on the spectacular. Every sporting victory is a “famous” victory and every life hack shared on social media will “change the way we think forever!”. Every piece of entertainment is billed as something “you can’t afford to miss”. We have become quite good at the spectacular. Harry Styles and Ed Sheeran just filled a couple of our stadiums in recent weekends, and this is how the concerts were described:

Harry Styles – “While bounding across the main stage and U-shaped runway into the VIP section, he grabbed cowboy hats and feather boas from the audience, adorning himself without missing a beat. The screens adjacent to the stage shifted between psychedelic graphic illustrations, cloudy blue skies and layered cityscapes reminiscent of Tokyo …”. (Vyshnavee Wijekumar, The Age, 25 February)

And Ed Sheeran – “You didn’t have to be told this was the biggest show the G had seen in a long time, you could tell. The scale of everything was so immense that it got to a point where you just stopped rationalising it.” (Max Meadan, Brag Media, 03 March)

And it is not just our entertainment that is spectacular. Every issue from racism to climate change is presented as an apocalyptic crisis. Not that these issues are not significant but the tenor of discussion tends towards the extreme very quickly. Blogger, ex-journalist and pastor Steve McAlpine suggests that we are experiencing not just a climate crisis but a crisis climate. “Those whose early memories are of the twin towers falling are experiencing not simply a climate crisis but a crisis climate. Crisis abounds. The end has seemed nigh for some time – for all of their lives at least – and they’re just waiting for the axe to fall. Or the fire to fall. Whatever it may be.” (Steve McAlpine, DeLorean Philosophy)

With so much around us dialled up to ten – whether it be our entertainment, our disagreements or our need for distraction, it can be hard to appreciate the simple, everyday, ordinary things. In fact, we can find ourselves becoming more and more dissatisfied with our daily lives as they fail to live up to the hyped expectations of everything around us. And yet the truth is we have the potential to make the most impact in more ordinary moments. Those times when we do the human, unexpected thing without a script because we care, not because it is expected, or people are watching. In the words of Mother Teresa, “There are no great deeds. Only small deeds done with great love.”

Author, Tish Harrison Walker reflects on the significance and holiness of the ordinary. “The one who is worthy of worship, glory, and fanfare spent decades in obscurity and ordinariness. As if the incarnation itself is not mind-bending enough, the incarnate God spent his days quietly, a man who went to work, got sleepy, and lived a pedestrian life among average people”. She continues, “Alfred Hitchcock said movies are “life with the dull bits cut out.” Car chases and first kisses, interesting plot lines and good conversations. We don’t want to watch our lead character going on a walk, stuck in traffic, or brushing his teeth – at least not for long, and not without a good soundtrack. We tend to want a Christian life with the dull bits cut out. Yet God made us to spend our days in rest, work and play, taking care of our bodies, our families, our neighbourhoods, our homes. What if all these boring parts matter to God? What if days passed in ways that feel small and insignificant to us are weighty with meaning and part of the abundant life that God has for us?” (‘Liturgy of the Ordinary’ by Tish Harrison Walker).

There may be nothing spectacular about our ripening tomatoes, but they will bring sustenance and enjoyment to family and friends as they find their way into meal after meal. The growing of tomatoes is an ordinary deed but one that has an ongoing impact.

May you recognise the power and significance of the ordinary in your life.

Reverend Daniel Lowe
Senior Chaplain

St Paul’s wins SEISA Swimming again
St Paul’s were once again crowned champions at SEISA Swimming on Thursday 23 February defeating Gippsland Grammar, Newhaven College and the two Campuses of Beaconhills College. We had a number of Age Champions; Phoebe Balcombe, Brody Cargill, Mollie Dennis, Molly Cargill and Josh Dwyer. Thank you to our 2023 Swimming Captains, Molly Cargill and Mollie Dennis who were outstanding leaders and swimmers on the day. Special congratulations must go to Molly Cargill who broke the record for number of Age Champions in SEISA history winning her sixth consecutive Age Champion medal.
World Day of Prayer
I had the pleasure of representing St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School at the World Day of Prayer with four Year 10 students from the Traralgon Campus at St James’ Anglican Church on Friday 3 March. The World Day of Prayer is a special occasion on the Christian Calendar around the world when people of all denominations come together to pray for a particular country in need. This year we prayed for Taiwan, particularly afflicted women of Taiwan. Traralgon School Captains Georgia Vardy and Axel Sellings, together with Grace Marshall and Bailey Rollandin, performed roles at the service and later served morning tea to the congregation. It was wonderful to have eight of the Christian Churches of Traralgon represented and to participate in a collaborative, ecumenical time of prayer for those less fortunate than ourselves.

Cameron Herbert
Principal