In this issue

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

Our last two weeks of term have been a flurry of activity and our final days of Easter celebrations have been thoroughly enjoyed.  Reflecting on the term there is a sense of relief and achievement.  Relief that we made it through the term without any further lockdowns and achievement for the wonderful learning which has been occurring in each classroom.  Students and teachers have certainly completed Term 1 with enthusiasm and focus.

Last week Mr Battista officially launched our new Odyssey Zone and students have been involved in learning about how to use this space and exploring the equipment and resources.  The Odyssey Zone is a safe place for students to focus on their emotional and mental health.

Last Wednesday evening a parent session focusing on ‘Helping Your Child to Learn to Read’ was offered and a number of interested parents attended.  Information about the science of reading was shared and parents participated in a range of activities to help build their understanding of strategies to assist their child.

The past decades have yielded tremendous, interdisciplinary insights into the process of learning to read, gathered from Developmental Psychology, Cognitive Neuropsychology, Developmental Linguistics, and Educational Intervention research. Reading is considered the foundation of all other learning.  Teaching children how to read is a big deal!

Functional MRIs of the brain prove that picking up the mechanics of reading is not easy or natural.
•  Reading acquisition is neurobiological and unrelated to intelligence
•  Reading is not natural like speaking but some children pick up reading very easily – about five per cent
•  Another thirty-five per cent of students do okay with broad instruction
•  The majority of students need explicit, structured, diagnostic and prescriptive instruction
•  Students with dyslexia need much more repeated, explicit instruction about how letters represent sounds in written words
This explains why so many children do not learn to read through exposure to books and language.

There are Six Essential Skills that need to be taught for children to learn to read accurately, fluently and with understanding:
•  Oral Language
•  Phonemic Awareness
•  Phonics
•  Vocabulary
•  Fluency
•  Comprehension

Further sessions about Helping Your Child to Read will be held in Term 2 and parents are encouraged to attend either an evening or day session.  The teachers and I look forward to sharing this valuable information with you.

Congratulations to all of our students who participated in the District Athletics competition on Tuesday and represented St Paul’s Junior School.  All involved reported it was a fabulous day and Mr Rilen was very proud of all students who gave their very best efforts in their events.  Many thanks to Mr Rilen for organising and to Miss Settle and Mrs Bugeja for attending and assisting students throughout the day.

Our inaugural Community Easter Hunt was lots of fun with over one hundred and fifty people participating!  Easter Bunny joined the hunt and helped lots of little people follow their maps and find their treasures across the school.  It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces and lovely to see parents on-site together enjoying the event and the sunshine.  Lots of chocolate eggs were shared and eaten and everyone headed home with big smiles!

Our final day of term involved students participating in our Easter Service assembly followed by our FOSP Easter Egg Hunt.  Many thanks to our wonderful FOSP group of parents who have been extremely busy assisting with a number of events this term.

After six years at St Paul’s Junior School, we are saying goodbye to Mrs Gwen Hunter who is leaving us at the end of term to pursue Educational Leadership roles in other sectors.  In addition to her years of passionate classroom teaching, she has served Traralgon Junior School in a number of leadership positions including Deputy Head, Acting Head of School and Director of Learning and Teaching.  We are very thankful for the positive impact Mrs Hunter has had on many children’s lives during this time and I am sure you will join me in expressing our appreciation of her significant contributions and wishing her the very best for the future.

I wish all of our St Paul’s families a wonderful Easter break and thank you all for your support throughout the term and for conscientiously maintaining COVID-19 protocols.   Please enjoy your Term 1 holidays, have a rest, recharge and stay safe. Happy Easter!

Tracey King
Head of Traralgon Junior School

WHAT’S ON

APRIL
1 April  Easter Service
FOSP Easter Egg Hunt
Term 1 concludes, 2:30 pm finish
19 April  Term 2 commences
20 April  ELC Nature Kinder
22 April  State Swimming
ELC Earth Day
23 April  ANZAC Service
ELC Nature Kinder
26 April  Prep Swimming
27 April  Prep Swimming
AFLW Footy Clinic
ELC Nature Kinder

DOBSONS UNIFORM SHOP

FRIENDS OF ST PAUL’S (FOSP)

It has been great for FOSP to be back at school in Term 1 with many events and activities.

We hit the ground running in the first week with opportunities to welcome and connect with parents.  The ‘Coffee & Chat’ morning was a nice way to start the school year.  FOSP were in the Salvation Army carpark, with our friends Debbie and Edi from Gippsland Coffee Cab, to meet and welcome new parents across both the Junior and Secondary Schools over a lovely coffee.

We finished the first week with a ‘First Week Debrief’ which provided an opportunity for parents to get together over a drink and talk about the first week, and connect with other parents.  The after-hours event allowed for partners to come along.

The first ‘Walk and Coffee Morning’ was a new initiative for parents who have a little more time and energy to walk to their coffee destination.

FOSP volunteers cooked and served more than three hundred sausages, beef burgers and veggie burgers with coleslaw, onion and sauce to a hungry and appreciative group of families at the ‘Junior School Family Fun and Information Evening’.  This gave FOSP the opportunity to break out our new, locally purchased and Australian made barbeque to cook.  A shout out to Julian Rong and Richard O’Brien for being our barbeque masters.

We had the opportunity to break out the new barbeque again at the Junior School Athletics Day to provide sausages and hamburgers to the well-deserving and very appreciative students, teachers and helpers.

For the first time our ‘Hot Cross Bun Drive’, in partnership with Baker’s Delight, was coordinated using the online ‘munch monitor’ app.  Thank you to our families who supported this fundraising activity.  If you missed out on ordering, you can still purchase buns instore.  Do not forget to mention you are from St Paul’s so that five per cent of your purchase is donated back to school through the Dough Raiser campaign.

The end of Term 1 marks one of the highlights in the FOSP events calendar – the annual Easter Egg Hunt!  Secondary and junior students alike scramble through the grounds hunting for the elusive ‘golden egg’ to win the major Easter hunt prize! Thank you to all our parent helpers who help make the magic happen.

If you would like to find out more about FOSP activities or would like to become involved, email cjones@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au with your contact details and a FOSP member will contact you.  You can also keep up with our activities on the Facebook page ‘Friends of St Paul’s.

Have a safe Easter break.

Myra Krafft
FOSP President

ST PAUL’S EQUESTRIAN TEAM

Congratulations to all of our students who competed in the St Paul’s Farm World 2021 Interschool Dressage Competition.

It was an exciting event for St Paul’s to be a main sponsor of and we are proud of all of our students who represented St Paul’s.

Primary Preliminary Championship
2nd – Kate Joyce
3rd – Brooke Olsen

Intermediate Preliminary Championship
3rd – Liv Comben

Senior Preliminary Championship
1st – Tahlia Pursell
2nd – Amy Gotts-Wheeler
6th – Tahlia Pursell
9th – Alana Shone

Mia Fitzpatrick also recently made a trip to Bairnsdale to represent St Paul’s.  Mia had a very successful day, placing first, second, third and fourth across events such as show jumping, ride and lead, bending, rider competition and handy mount.  Well done Mia!

Good luck to all riders who are competing over the Easter break, including the 2021 Victorian Interschool Equestrian State Championships that is being held at Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre.

Just a reminder to all equestrian families to access the MyStPauls Equestrian page and fill in their contact details.

EARTH HOUR DAY

The Traralgon Junior School Year 4 and Prep students spent some time together discussing ‘Earth Hour’ day.

They shared the things that they thought were beautiful about our world and shared the book ‘Thank you Planet Earth.’

The students explored how plastics have changed our world and ways that we can help our planet to be healthy and happy.

The teachers spoke about ‘Earth Hour’ day occurring on 27 March and discussed the message behind the day.  Students enjoyed discussing and saw the importance of how saving power for one hour, was an easy way to show that we care for our planet and want to look after it.  The students then worked together to create a special thank you message and promise to our planet Earth.

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

Traralgon Athletics Day
On Friday 19 March Traralgon Secondary School students enjoyed their annual Traralgon Athletics Day.  They had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of track and field events at the Little Athletics Track, in Traralgon.  A special highlight of the day was the High Jump, which was highly contested and attracted a large crowd of students.  A special mention of Jett Koppen in Year 7 for clearing 1.30 metres.  It was wonderful to see students from all year levels cheering and supporting each other throughout the day.  The house spirit award was also highly contested amongst students from each house.

Combined Campus Performing Arts Scholarship Holders’ Concert
On Friday 26 March, the combined campus Performing Arts Scholarship Holders’ Concert was held at West Gippsland Art Centre for all performing arts scholarship holders from Year 7 and above.  Representing the Traralgon Secondary School were Lachlan Wilson (Cornet), Heath Wilson (Drum Kit) and Riley Richardson (Voice).  Lachlan performed a wonderful rendition of ‘A Wili Bossa’ composed by Kerin Bailey, accompanied by Mr Byrne, on the piano.  Heath performed a groovy performance on the drums, while Riley sang ‘Soul of a Man’ from ‘Kinky Boots’.  The event is a showcase of the broad talents across a variety of disciplines within the Performing Arts of St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School.

Combined House Athletics
We held our combined House Athletics Carnival at the Joe Carmody Track in Newborough on Tuesday 30 March.  The early morning started with a slight mist of drizzle that lasted until the students arrived at the venue.  Running conditions were ideal and some records were broken in both the track and field events.  Our Year 12 students were all dressed up in characters and started their day off with the sack race in novelties.  It was a very tight competition amongst the houses and it all came down to the house participation points.  Any students who helped on the day were awarded a house point which contributes to the overall result.

Open Day
A reminder to families that the School’s Open Day is being held on Saturday 1 May.  There will be lots of activities and displays throughout the school.  There will also be student led tours, musical items, taste testing and much more.  Please let your friends and families know about the event and encourage them to come along and tour St Paul’s.

Brad McCabe
Head of Traralgon Secondary School

WHAT’S ON

APRIL
1 April  Easter Service
SEISA Junior Trials, Years 7 and 8
Term 1 concludes, 2:30 pm finish
19 April  Term 2 commences

DOBSONS UNIFORM SHOP

FRIENDS OF ST PAUL’S (FOSP)

It has been great for FOSP to be back at school in Term 1 with many events and activities.

We hit the ground running in the first week with opportunities to welcome and connect with parents.  The ‘Coffee & Chat’ morning was a nice way to start the school year.  FOSP were in the Salvation Army carpark, with our friends Debbie and Edi from Gippsland Coffee Cab, to meet and welcome new parents across both the Junior and Secondary Schools over a lovely coffee.

We finished the first week with a ‘First Week Debrief’ which provided an opportunity for parents to get together over a drink and talk about the first week, and connect with other parents.  The after-hours event allowed for partners to come along.

The first ‘Walk and Coffee Morning’ was a new initiative for parents who have a little more time and energy to walk to their coffee destination.

FOSP volunteers cooked and served more than three hundred sausages, beef burgers and veggie burgers with coleslaw, onion and sauce to a hungry and appreciative group of families at the ‘Junior School Family Fun and Information Evening’.  This gave FOSP the opportunity to break out our new, locally purchased and Australian made barbeque to cook.  A shout out to Julian Rong and Richard O’Brien for being our barbeque masters.

We had the opportunity to break out the new barbeque again at the Junior School Athletics Day to provide sausages and hamburgers to the well-deserving and very appreciative students, teachers and helpers.

For the first time our ‘Hot Cross Bun Drive’, in partnership with Baker’s Delight, was coordinated using the online ‘munch monitor’ app.  Thank you to our families who supported this fundraising activity.  If you missed out on ordering, you can still purchase buns instore.  Do not forget to mention you are from St Paul’s so that five per cent of your purchase is donated back to school through the Dough Raiser campaign.

The end of Term 1 marks one of the highlights in the FOSP events calendar – the annual Easter Egg Hunt!  Secondary and junior students alike scramble through the grounds hunting for the elusive ‘golden egg’ to win the major Easter hunt prize! Thank you to all our parent helpers who help make the magic happen.

If you would like to find out more about FOSP activities or would like to become involved, email cjones@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au with your contact details and a FOSP member will contact you.  You can also keep up with our activities on the Facebook page ‘Friends of St Paul’s.

Have a safe Easter break.

Myra Krafft
FOSP President

ST PAUL’S EQUESTRIAN TEAM

Congratulations to all of our students who competed in the St Paul’s Farm World 2021 Interschool Dressage Competition.

It was an exciting event for St Paul’s to be a main sponsor of and we are proud of all of our students who represented St Paul’s.

Primary Preliminary Championship
2nd – Kate Joyce
3rd – Brooke Olsen

Intermediate Preliminary Championship
3rd – Liv Comben

Senior Preliminary Championship
1st – Tahlia Pursell
2nd – Amy Gotts-Wheeler
6th – Tahlia Pursell
9th – Alana Shone

Mia Fitzpatrick also recently made a trip to Bairnsdale to represent St Paul’s.  Mia had a very successful day, placing first, second, third and fourth across events such as show jumping, ride and lead, bending, rider competition and handy mount.  Well done Mia!

Good luck to all riders who are competing over the Easter break, including the 2021 Victorian Interschool Equestrian State Championships that is being held at Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre.

Just a reminder to all equestrian families to access the MyStPauls Equestrian page and fill in their contact details.

CLOSE CONTEST

On Wednesday 30 March students from St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School travelled to Newborough for the annual House Athletics Carnival.  The perfect weather set the scene for a fun and competitive day for all students in a range of track, field and novelty events.  There were some close contests in many events with the overall title of House Champion being awarded to Franklin.  Franklin House was also the overall winner of the junior and intermediate division awards, whilst Paterson won the senior division.

Overall Championship for 2021:
Franklin 1134 points
Chisholm 1077 points
Monash 1017.5 points
Gilmore 1013 points
Lalor 1002 points
Paterson 967

There were several records broken on the day as well:
Year 11,  400m,  Sam Schutte
Year 11,  800m,  Sam Schutte
Year 11,   Triple Jump,  Campbell Young
Year 11,  Triple Jump,  Rogan Rutter
Year 9,  Triple Jump,   Jemilah Michau-Hyde
Year 9,  Discuss,  Lucy McKenzie
Year 8,  800m,  Mia McCrohan
Year 8,  400m,  Charley Kay
Year 8,  800m,  Tillie Buhagiar

I would like to thank all students for participating to the best of their best ability throughout the day.  Also a big thank you to all the staff and students who arrived early in the morning to ensure that the carnival would be set up and organised in time.  These days would not occur without an army of helpers, so thank you.

The SEISA Athletics team will be announced on the MyStPauls Sport Page late afternoon on Thursday 1 April.  The SEISA Athletics event is on Thursday 22 April.  Event information will be distributed to all families via Consent2Go once the team is announced.

SPORT NEWS

House Tug of War
Last Thursday we held our annual House Tug Of War.  It is usually held outdoors but for the very first time it was held in the gym due to the inclement weather we had in the days leading up to it.

The house spirit was certainly on a high with each house cheering on their team during each round.  There were five rounds and finals.  The grand final came down to the reigning house winners, Franklin against Monash who had not featured in a grand final for quite a few years.

It was a great tussle with Franklin being the victors.

House Athletics Trials
Last Wednesday, the Traralgon Secondary School held its annual House Athletics trials at the Traralgon Little Athletics track.  The weather was perfect right up to the time we had to pack up.

All students participated in the 100m and 200m events and then selected other events to compete in.  Their times and distances were compared with the Warragul students in preparation for the upcoming Combined House Athletics Carnival.

This year we had so many students wanting to sign up on the day to support their house.  The day concluded with relays which is always a great way to finish off a successful day.

Rogan attempting High Jump.

Year 10 Boys running – Josh, Mal and Rogan.

Year 10 Girls running – Sophie, Verity, Ruby and Bailey.

From the Acting Head of Warragul Junior School,
Mr Phil Barkla.

We have had a very exciting last few weeks of term with plenty happening for our students at Warragul Junior School.  The Year 2 students enjoyed an excursion to Old Gippstown learning about the history and heritage of Gippsland from the 1850s to the early 1900s.  The teachers were grateful to the many parent helpers who came along on the day.

The Prep to Year 2 students had a great time at the AFL Footy Clinic and Mr Boraston with each class joining for half an hour of intensive footy skills.  It was good to see all the girls and boys enjoying the basic Aussie Rules skills which they continued and practised in their playtime.

Our Year 6 students have immensely enjoyed their Community Service program.  We have been visiting Amberlea, Lyrebird and Fairview retirement villages.  They were excellent ambassadors for our school each Tuesday afternoon where our Year 6 students brought an hour of fun, interest and conversation to the residents.  Both the students and the residents benefit in so many ways from the time they spend together.

The Prep students have had the privilege of learning Auslan each Wednesday, providing them with the opportunity to understand that language comes in many forms.  It is amazing how fast they learn basic words and letters using their hands, bodies and facial expressions.  We are grateful to Ebony for coming in each week to facilitate these sessions.

The Prep and Year 1 students were very excited to be able to attend Farm World on what was their very first school excursion.  They were lucky enough to go on a day of lovely weather and had lots of fun seeing the animals, the many and varied stalls, drinking milkshakes and enjoying the whole experience.

A large team of fifty-five students represented the School in District Athletics.  It was a very successful day with lots of fun and even some new personal bests achieved.  There will be another large team heading off to Division Athletics in the second week of next term.

Lynton Allan provided the highlight of the Warragul Junior School Easter Service with his illustrated homily about trees.  The children were fascinated by his stories, messages and loved watching his pictures ‘come to life’ in front of them.  Many thanks to Lynton, Reverend Lowe, Mrs Board, Mrs Leighton and the Year 6 Leaders who were integral in the production and running of the service.  An exciting finale to this was the drawing of the FOSP Easter Hamper Raffle with a lucky seventeen families winning one of the beautiful Easter baskets.  We thank everyone who donated items to these baskets and for the overwhelming amount of raffle tickets sold.  This raffle raised over $1,000 for FOSP which has provided so many facilities for us over the years.  FOSP will be looking into fixed bike racks for the school so students will have a designated area for their bikes again.  Thank you again to families for your continued support.

We also had our first Community Easter Egg Hunt with many St Paul’s families as well as many others from the wider community attending – more than one hundred and fifty students in total.  Our fabulous staff were on hand to meet and greet the participants and to help them navigate their way around the school.  We thank our thirty-five Year 6 students who donned bunny ears, handed out Easter eggs and for making the visiting children feel very welcome.  We had a ‘surprise’ visit from the Easter Bunny who handed out golden tickets to five lucky Easter egg hunters who claimed their special prizes at the end of the evening.

Thank you to all parents and guardians who were able to attend the Parent Teacher interviews.  This partnership between families and the School is critical to our students’ development and success.

We are sad to announce that Andie Browne who has been our Drama teacher since 2004 has resigned and will no longer be teaching here from next term.  Andie has been influential in the lives of many of our students, encouraging their interest in the Performing Arts and helping to give our students many wonderful opportunities to perform and develop their creative selves.  We will miss her in the Junior School and we look forward to having her back for a formal farewell.

I wish all our families and staff a safe and happy Easter break and we hope you enjoy this well-deserved rest.  We look forward to seeing you all in Term 2.

Phil Barkla
Acting Head of Warragul Junior School

WHAT’S ON

APRIL
1 April  Term 1 concludes, 2:20 pm finish
19 April  Term 2 commences
Year 6 Camp, Coolamatong
23 April  ANZAC Day Service, Prep to Year 5
26 April  State Swimming (selected students only)
27 April  Year 5 Camp, Lady Northcote
28 April  Division Athletics (selected students only)

DOBSONS UNIFORM SHOP

ENROLMENTS REMINDER

Dear ELC 2022 families,

Yesterday you should have received an email from Mr van Raay letting you know about the exciting ELC building works which will commence in Term 2 2021.  These works will be completed in time for the beginning of the 2022 school year.

As part of this email you would have received an invitation to link to Survey Monkey to complete a questionnaire.  The survey has a limited number of questions and can be completed quickly and we ask that all families who will have a child attending the ELC in 2022 complete the survey to assist us to best understand the needs of our ELC community.  The survey must be completed by Wednesday 14 April.

Please do not hesitate to contact me via email jchristensen@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au if you have any questions about ELC 2022 or if you would like to arrange a time to tour the Early Learning Centre.

ST PAUL’S EQUESTRIAN TEAM

Congratulations to all of our students who competed in the St Paul’s Farm World 2021 Interschool Dressage Competition.

It was an exciting event for St Paul’s to be a main sponsor of and we are proud of all of our students who represented St Paul’s.

Primary Preliminary Championship
2nd – Kate Joyce
3rd – Brooke Olsen

Intermediate Preliminary Championship
3rd – Liv Comben

Senior Preliminary Championship
1st – Tahlia Pursell
2nd – Amy Gotts-Wheeler
6th – Tahlia Pursell
9th – Alana Shone

Mia Fitzpatrick also recently made a trip to Bairnsdale to represent St Paul’s.  Mia had a very successful day, placing first, second, third and fourth across events such as show jumping, ride and lead, bending, rider competition and handy mount.  Well done Mia!

Good luck to all riders who are competing over the Easter break, including the 2021 Victorian Interschool Equestrian State Championships that is being held at Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre.

Just a reminder to all equestrian families to access the MyStPauls Equestrian page and fill in their contact details.

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

Term 1 has certainly tested students and staff as we resumed almost normal operations at St Paul’s.  We have noticed our students and staff fatigue much quicker this term as events, excursions, camps and concerts popped back into their calendars and life resumed a busyness we were denied in 2020.  We hope that a restful Easter break will recharge all of our batteries and we can return for Term 2 and continue to build our stamina as the year progresses.

Return to Farm World
It was wonderful to return to Farm World in 2021 and spend time on our stand in the Baw Baw Pavillion.  We had the pleasure of speaking with current students and families, many alumni and parents of past students as well as community members and prospective new families.  We were thrilled for Lardner Park that they were able to resume this event and welcome patrons back on-site as well.  As a school we were also lucky enough to sponsor the Equestrian event and several of our students competed successfully, representing our school.  Thank you to all of the staff who spent time on the stand over the weekend.

2021 Athletics Carnival
On Tuesday 30 March we held our first Athletics Carnival for a long time and we were blessed with wonderful weather and great conditions.  House spirit was alive as students competed around Joe Carmody Track, Newborough, in various track and field events.  We congratulate Franklin House who was the winning house on the day followed closely by Chisholm in second and Monash third.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Sport Departments across both our Warragul and Traralgon Campuses for their organisation and running of the day.  Sport carnivals are months in the planning and we really appreciate the care and effort that goes into making these events wonderful for our students.

Final day of Term 1 – TODAY
A reminder that we finish Term 1 2021 today Thursday 1 April 2021 with a 2:30 pm finish in line with the Government school network.

First day of Term 2
Term 2 2021 will begin on Monday 19 April 2021.  All buses will run as per normal on this day and we look forward to welcoming our students back on campus on this day.

Term 2 – Formal Winter Uniform
As Term 1 comes to an end it is time to get the formal winter uniform ready for the commencement of Term 2.  We begin day one of next term in full winter uniform and do not have a changeover period which families may have experienced in a Junior School setting.  Please ensure that your child has checked that they still have all items of the uniform and that they fit them appropriately.  Blazers are a compulsory item to be worn to and from school each day in the winter terms (Terms 2 and 3).  Please ensure your child leaves your home wearing theirs each day.  We will communicate with families regarding arrangements for wearing Sport and PE uniform as soon as we have updated information from the Victorian Education and Health Departments.

Years 7 and 8 Disco – a date for your calendar
Our Prefects are excited at the prospect of running our annual Years 7 and 8 Disco this year.  This event is scheduled on the calendar for Friday 21 May.  It is a fun night out for our students so please pencil it into your calendar now and we will send further details closer to the time.

headspace – Morwell
headspace in Morwell has a range of youth programs on offer to young people.  Their website has a number of informative and helpful resources which are wellbeing based but they also have study skills resources and others that you may not have considered.  You can visit their website at https://headspace.org.au/

Included further on in this Grammarian are flyers for two youth support groups that are currently being run out of headspace at Morwell.

Ms Laura Butterworth
Head of Warragul Secondary School

WHAT’S ON

APRIL
1 April  SEISA Junior Trials, St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School, Traralgon Campus, Years 7 and 8
Term 1 concludes, 2:30 pm finish
19 April  Term 2 commences
20 April  Year 11 Sport and Recreation – Year 1 First Aid Course, Gymnasium, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm
21 April  Sport Aerobics Training, Gymnasium Dance Studio, 6:55 am to 8:30 am
22 April  SEISA Athletics Carnival
DAV Debating Round 2, St Margaret’s School, Berwick, 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm
23 April  Year 9 City Experience Day 2, Melbourne CBD, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
ANZAC Day Service, 10:40 am to 10:55 am
24 April  Year 12 Gala Ball, Year 12 Common Room, 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm
27 April  SEISA Music Festival, (selected instrumental and vocal students), West Gippsland Arts Centre, 9:45 am to 5:00 pm
28 April  Sport Aerobics Training, Gymnasium Dance Studio, 6:55 am to 8:30 am
29 April  SEISA Surfing Carnival, Cape Woolamai Surf Beach, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
29 April  Year 10 Career Wise Testing, Junior School Gymnasium, 9:00 am to 11:00 am
30 April  Year 12 Sport and Recreation – Glen Harrow Park Tree Adventure Day Trip, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

MAY
1 May  Open Day, Warragul and Traralgon Campuses, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm

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

Maths Club
Years 7 to 12 Tuesdays lunchtime, 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm, Year 9 Centre, RM6.

After School Maths Help
Years 10 to 12 Tuesdays after school, 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm, Year 9 Centre, RM3.

ST PAUL’S EQUESTRIAN TEAM

Congratulations to all of our students who competed in the St Paul’s Farm World 2021 Interschool Dressage Competition.

It was an exciting event for St Paul’s to be a main sponsor of and we are proud of all of our students who represented St Paul’s.

Primary Preliminary Championship
2nd – Kate Joyce
3rd – Brooke Olsen

Intermediate Preliminary Championship
3rd – Liv Comben

Senior Preliminary Championship
1st – Tahlia Pursell
2nd – Amy Gotts-Wheeler
6th – Tahlia Pursell
9th – Alana Shone

Mia Fitzpatrick also recently made a trip to Bairnsdale to represent St Paul’s.  Mia had a very successful day, placing first, second, third and fourth across events such as show jumping, ride and lead, bending, rider competition and handy mount.  Well done Mia!

Good luck to all riders who are competing over the Easter break, including the 2021 Victorian Interschool Equestrian State Championships that is being held at Werribee Park National Equestrian Centre.

Just a reminder to all equestrian families to access the MyStPauls Equestrian page and fill in their contact details.

CLOSE CONTEST

On Wednesday 30 March students from St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School travelled to Newborough for the annual House Athletics Carnival.  The perfect weather set the scene for a fun and competitive day for all students in a range of track, field and novelty events.  There were some close contests in many events with the overall title of House Champion being awarded to Franklin.  Franklin House was also the overall winner of the junior and intermediate division awards, whilst Paterson won the senior division.

Overall Championship for 2021:
Franklin 1134 points
Chisholm 1077 points
Monash 1017.5 points
Gilmore 1013 points
Lalor 1002 points
Paterson 967

There were several records broken on the day as well:
Year 11,  400m,  Sam Schutte
Year 11,  800m,  Sam Schutte
Year 11,   Triple Jump,  Campbell Young
Year 11,  Triple Jump,  Rogan Rutter
Year 9,  Triple Jump,   Jemilah Michau-Hyde
Year 9,  Discuss,  Lucy McKenzie
Year 8,  800m,  Mia McCrohan
Year 8,  400m,  Charley Kay
Year 8,  800m,  Tillie Buhagiar

I would like to thank all students for participating to the best of their best ability throughout the day.  Also a big thank you to all the staff and students who arrived early in the morning to ensure that the carnival would be set up and organised in time.  These days would not occur without an army of helpers, so thank you.

The SEISA Athletics team will be announced on the MyStPauls Sport Page late afternoon on Thursday 1 April.  The SEISA Athletics event is on Thursday 22 April.  Event information will be distributed to all families via Consent2Go once the team is announced.

SURFING TRAINING DAY

On Sunday 28 March, a small group of students attended a Surf Training Day at the YCW Beach on Phillip Island.  This excursion was in preparation for the SEISA Surf competition in Term 2.  Whilst a relatively cold morning in the water, the St Paul’s team had a fun session, practising and refining their surfing skills for around two and half hours.

Good luck to all students in the SEISA Surfing Competition on Thursday 29 April.  Event information has been distributed to all families via Consent2Go.

THE JESUS TREE

Between Baralaba and the aboriginal community of Woorabinda on the side of the red dirt road stands the Jesus Tree.  With its broken off limbs and the gnarled growth in the centre, the resemblance to Jesus hanging on the tree/cross is striking, hence the name.  The face like growth in the centre is not an ant nest or man-made but part of the trunk called a burl.  Burls are usually caused by a wound to the tree when it is a sapling and either a parasite gets in and disfigures it or the DNA of that part of the tree is forever altered as it grows and heals.  For me it gives insight to the ancient scriptures that say:

“Indeed, who would ever believe it?
Who would possibly accept what we have been told?
Who has witnessed the awesome power and plan of the Eternal in action?
Out of emptiness He came, like a tender shoot from rock-hard ground.
He did not look like anything or anyone of consequence –
He had no physical beauty to attract our attention.

So, He was despised and forsaken by men,
this man of suffering, grief’s patient friend.
As if He was a person to avoid, we looked the other way;
He was despised, forsaken and we took no notice of Him.

Yet it was our suffering He carried,
our pain and distress, our sick-to-the-soul-ness.
We just figured that God had rejected Him,
that God was the reason He hurt so badly.

But He was hurt because of us; He suffered so.
Our wrongdoing wounded and crushed Him.
He endured the breaking that made us whole.
The injuries He suffered became our healing.”
(Isaiah 53)

There is a great mystery here but the Easter event gives us an insight into the wonder and depth of God’s transforming love towards us.  From the Chaplains at St Paul’s may you have a safe and enjoyable Easter and also experience the reality of God’s life and love in all you do.

Lynton Allan
Chaplain