ASA NEWS | DECEMBER 2018

ASA NEWS

December 2018

President’s Message

Welcome to the summer edition of ASA News.

November is always such a busy time in our schools with Year 12s departing, end of year Celebrations, Awards Nights, final reports, finalising enrolments, preparing staffing and class lists for next year, Christmas concerts and maintaining a sense of calm when all others seem to be falling apart.

Feature Articles .What is the Point of having a Chaplain in an Anglican School? ����������������������������������������������������6 In Search of a Better Life ������������������������������������ 8 Wall of Reflection provides lasting legacy �������12 Arden Students Swap a Book to Change a Life ���������������������������������������������������������14

President’s Message This is possibly my favourite time of the year! Crazy? Well maybe. Perhaps there is also a sense of satisfaction in making it to the end of another year relatively unscathed. Most importantly, the sense of occasion and accomplishment for students is always a joy to celebrate.

Amidst all this, I was fortunate that my school gave me the opportunity to travel to Atlanta, Georgia, USA to attend the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) Biennial Conference. The theme of the conference was from Isaiah 1:17 “Learn to do right, seek justice, defend the oppressed.”

The conference was held on November 7-9, so I left home on Monday 5 November and arrived back home Sunday 11 November, just in time for Year 12 Graduation week. Maybe this wasn’t the wisest time to be out of my College for a week, but never mind. I found attending this conference to be a very worthwhile experience.

NAES is the American equivalent of our Anglican Schools Australia.

Whereas we have around 200-250 delegates attending our conferences, there were over 600 at this one. We have 160 Anglican schools in Australia, and there are approximately 1200 in USA. Many of them are very small parish primary schools, and I got the impression that they do not have large P-12 schools like ours.

One main difference of course is that Episcopal schools receive no Government funding, so a large part of the Principal’s work is fundraising. No government funding means they are free to run their schools as they see fit and teach whatever they want. There is no common end of year examination period that aligns Episcopal schools with their state government counterparts. While that sense of independence might sound attractive, I am not sure I would want to be reliant upon my fundraising abilities in a relatively immature philanthropic culture and environment of the Gold Coast.

There were a series of group meetings for Chaplains and Heads, school visits and tours to start the conference on 7 November. For the Australian contingent of six delegates, we commenced with the Atlanta Historical and Civil Rights Tour. This took us to visit the birthplace and memorial of Martin Luther King Jnr, as well as the Martin Luther King Jnr Centre and Ebenezer Baptist Church where King preached as a young man.

That evening we attended a special function for invited guests who were largely philanthropic supporters of NAES. Many in attendance at this function had made provision in their estates for NAES. There was a slightly humorous moment when the President of the NAES Board said in jest that he was pleased to see everyone there, even though their donations do not come to NAES while they are still living.

The first Keynote speaker was Becca Stevens; a priest, author, speaker and founder of Thistle Farms. Abused as a young girl, she resolved to provide a refuge for women who had experienced trauma through abuse, homelessness, prostitution or poverty. The women on Thistle Farm use natural ingredients to make products for bath, body and home,

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which they sell to generate revenue to assist more affected women. She spoke about teaching our children well, and her strong message was that ‘love heals every body’. Throughout her address, she reinforced the importance of respecting the dignity of every human.

The second Keynote speaker was Dr Mona Delahooke, a child behavioural expert and paediatric psychologist. Her topic was “Appreciating Neurodiversity: a compassionate lens for supporting students’ optimal development”. She suggested that what causes behavioural issues is not always what we think. Her strong message was that we need to see our most challenging students as our most vulnerable. They need us.

The final Keynote speaker was actor, Russell Joel Brown who closed the conference by reflecting on his time as a graduate of a Georgian Episcopal school.

Over the two days, there were 64 Workshops and a series of ‘deep dives’ that explored key topics in some depth, run by a variety of people from different Episcopal schools. The biggest problem was that you could only attend a few of these as they ran concurrently over five sessions.

A key highlight for me was definitely the Conference Eucharist held on Thursday evening. The singing was uplifting as was the preaching.

We were fortunate enough to listen to Bishop Michael Curry in full flight during his sermon on the power of love. If the name sounds familiar, Bishop Curry is the 27th and presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church in USA. He was also the somewhat controversial preacher at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Windsor, UK in May 2018.

It was an honour to represent both my College and Anglican Schools Australia, to experience such a large Episcopal conference and to draw parallels with our own approach to Christian education. While there were some differences, there were many more similarities to our expressions of faith. The people were extremely welcoming and the NAES motto of Excellence Through Association is not only very clever but reinforces the benefits of belonging to such an organisation.

I take this opportunity to wish all in Anglican schools a successful year’s end, and every blessing for Christmas and the New Year. May you rest well and refresh physically and spiritually over the summer break.

Thank you for your ongoing support of Anglican Schools Australia.

Dr Mark Sly President, Anglican Schools Australia Principal, Coomera Anglican College

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CEO’s Column Term Four is winding up. Surely it has been a very busy one across all ASA member schools. In its busy-ness it is also a joyful term, full of celebrations.

It is always a great joy and privilege to attend many Year 12 valedictory and graduation services and ceremonies in October, and then the rounds of end of year presentation days/nights and nativity plays from late November onwards.

The Ruddock Report As I sit in any one of the celebrations in schools, I am reminded that all our efforts go towards ensuring the best possible educational opportunity is provided to each student in an Anglican school. Of course, that is the hope and aspiration of every parent – what’s best for their daughter or son. Sacrifices are made by families to enable children to attend Anglican schools.

In the past few months there has been national media attention on matters associated with the ‘leaked’ twenty recommendations contained in the Ruddock Report on Freedom of Religion. It is a topic about which everyone has a view. This is a good thing. I’m sure 2019 will bring much debate across the nation on these recommendations.

As I write this article, the Senate Standing Committee is reporting to Parliament on their inquiry, titled: Legislative exemptions that allow faith-based educational institutions to discriminate against students, teachers and staff.

Anglican schools have been at the heart of media attention, as a focus has been on one recommendation in the Report....that is, whether a school has the right to remove or reject a student (and indeed a staff member) based on their sexual orientation. Following the publication of a letter signed by most of the Principals in Anglican schools across the Diocese of Sydney, letters and comments were widely circulated by the Archbishops of Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, the Bishops of Wangaratta and Newcastle (many other bishops no doubt also), as well as numerous Principals and Heads of School. They wrote to parents and students, politicians and the wider community articulating their views on the subject that was receiving front-page media coverage Australia-wide.

ASA walks a fine line in such circumstances. As a peak body for Anglican schools, we are invited to comment on occasions such as these. In this instance, as is often the case, we chose not to do so. The reason is that our membership is as diverse as the Anglican Church itself. ASA will advocate when a clearly agreed position is discerned.

On the matter of strengthening, removing, amending or not changing current legislation, we Anglicans are not of one mind!

ASA was invited to meet with the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee last month. We were to be alongside spokespersons for Christian Schools Australia, the Australian Association of Christian Schools and the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. We chose not to be present. An unfortunate consequence of such a decision (as wise as it may have been) was that, yet again, the Anglican voice was not heard by our national leaders on this important matter.

December 2018 ISSUE •

Such is the reality of a member services entity such as Anglican Schools Australia. Our very strengths of diversity in membership and local governance means that we must remain silent when our counterparts in other school sectors speak up ‘as one voice’.

As I have read the various letters from Archbishops and Bishops of a number of Diocese, as well as many letters and newsletter articles written by Principals, it seems to me that it would be accurate to say that all Anglican schools in Australia see themselves as inclusive and diverse school communities which welcome all students, regardless of religion or sexual orientation. A reality is that Anglican schools have students of all faiths and none. This brings a richness to our schools which is cherished. Bishops and Principals were clear to state that they knew of no examples where Anglican schools have removed students based on religion or sexual orientation.

We pray for the Australian Parliament as they consider the recommendations of the Ruddock Report in due course. May their deliberations be careful and their decisions wise, with the outcome being a more inclusive Australia.

Orbit World Travel Earlier this year we wrote to schools to advise that ASA has appointed a new Travel Management Company (TMC) to handle all travel arrangements for ASA and any member school who chooses to use them. Orbit World Travel is a highly regarded national travel agency.

Through a comprehensive tendering process, the Management Committee came to the view that Orbit were ‘the right fit’ for Anglican schools – large enough to handle all travel school matters yet small enough to personally deal with all those who manage travel, trips, excursions and tours in schools.

Schools do not need to sign any contracts with Orbit to access ASA’s special discounted pricing for airlines, hotels, rental cars and all other travel needs. All travel for individuals is paid by credit card at the time of booking, so it is transparent with no accounts required. Accounts are available for schools group bookings. Indeed, schools can try Orbit to see if they suit your school’s travel needs, with no obligation to use them.

We were impressed with Orbit’s online platform, with full access by travel arrangers and travellers alike to full booking options and travel plans through their online platform as well as apps for tablets and smartphones.

Further, their focus on School Group Travel will mean that, through a dedicated website, schools can plan any and all trips domestically or internationally through Orbit.

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CEO’s Column

Significant Milestones

During 2019 a representative from Orbit will contact your school to introduce themselves to you. If you would like an introduction to Orbit earlier than this, please contact Aila Dann in the ASA Office at adann@asc.wa.edu.au and we will arrange for an Orbit consultant to contact you.

2018 marks a significant milestone in each of the following schools:

Advent

Hale School, WA

160 years

Melbourne Grammar School, VIC

160 years

Melbourne Girls’ Grammar School, VIC

125 years

In this season of Advent as across our schools the ‘Christmas’ story is retold, we pause to reflect on the birth story of Jesus. Miraculous in its nature, it is a story of hope for all of humanity. For each person, it is a story that reminds us of a God who broke into our world, coming in human form to live among us. What a marvellous love story it is. It reminds us that God does understand what we go through in our daily lives, because God lived it too. Advent blessings to you all.

The Reverend Peter Laurence OAM CEO, Anglican Schools Australia

Walford Anglican School for Girls, SA

125 years

Shelford Girls’ Grammar, VIC

120 years

Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School, VIC

115 years

Roseville College, NSW

110 years

The Glennie School, QLD

110 years

Trinity Grammar School, NSW

105 years

Blue Mountains Grammar School, NSW

100 years

Cranbrook School, NSW

100 years

Newcastle Grammar School, NSW

100 years

Mentone Grammar, VIC

95 years

Danebank An Anglican School for Girls, NSW

85 years

St John’s Grammar, SA

60 years

Radford College, ACT

35 years

St Paul’s Grammar School, NSW

35 years

Trinity Anglican School, QLD

35 years

Whitsunday Anglican School, QLD

30 years

William Clarke College, NSW

30 years

St Luke’s Grammar School, NSW

25 years

Bishop Tyrrell Anglican College, NSW

20 years

Educational Group Travel for Anglican Schools Australia

Orbit World Travel are delighted to introduce Meri Lazarova, Manager for Educational Group Travel, and Clarence Valley Anglican School, NSW your dedicated Anglican Schools Australia group specialist. Meri has over 20 years’ experience in the Penrith Anglican College, NSW travel industry with an expertise in the educational travel.

Combining personalised service with technology, our school’s program for Anglican Schools Australia will include: Tour planning for domestic and international travel for school groups Tour planning for special interest groups and curriculum linked programs– sports, ski, arts & music, science, drama and politics to name a few

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Meri Lazarova, Manager, Educational Group Travel E: asagroups@worldtravel.com.au

20 years 20 years

The Riverina Anglican College, NSW

20 years

The Springfield Anglican College, QLD

20 years

Cathedral College Wangaratta, VIC Pre-arranged tour options by genre for both Molloydestinations Anglican School, WA Australian and Georgiana international

15 years 15 years

Manning Valley Anglican College, NSW

15 years

St Andrew’s Anglican College, QLD

15 years

Specialised school group consultants

Support throughout the entireCollege, booking St Peter’s Anglican NSW process Esperance Anglican Community School, WA Hume Anglican Grammar, Support while on tour, provided 24/7VIC x 365 days per year Mamre Anglican School, NSW

15 years 10 years 10 years 10 years

Trades Norwest Anglican Senior College, NSW 10 years

ost efficient. Time efficient. Outstanding user C experience. Every time.

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SCHOOL NEWS SCHOOL APPOINTMENTS

DEPARTURES

PRINCIPALS

PRINCIPALS

Ms Helen Aguiar, Perth College, WA

Mrs Suzanne Bain, St John’s Anglican College, QLD

Dr Toni Meath, Melbourne Girls Grammar School, VIC Mrs Judi Nealy, The Illawarra Grammar School, NSW Mrs Anna Owen, Canberra Girls Grammar School, ACT Mr Andrew Wheaton, Whitsunday Anglican School, QLD

CHAPLAINS The Reverend Dr Tim Gaden, Senior Chaplain, Ballarat Grammar School, VIC The Reverend Brad Galvin, John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School, WA

Mr Tony Cummings, Shellharbour Anglican College, NSW (effective December 2019) Mrs Maryanne Davis, Danebank Anglican School for Girls, NSW (effective December 2019) Dr Peter Lennox, Redlands SCEGGS, NSW (effective December 2019) Mr Mark Lewis, Penrith Anglican College, NSW Mrs Fran Reddan, Mentone Girls’ Grammar School, VIC (effective December 2019) Dr Tim Wright, Shore School, NSW (effective December 2019)

CHAPLAINS The Reverend Brad Galvin, St Mark’s Anglican Community School, WA

Editor’s Note

Anglican Schools Australia invites principals, chaplains and teachers, as well as chairs, governors and friends of Anglican schools to submit articles for publication in ASA NEWS. We are particularly interested in publishing articles about school Religious Studies, Service Learning and Indigenous programs. We welcome submissions of feature articles of approximately 10001500 words and news articles of 400-600 words, together with a selection of high quality digital images of 300 dpi.

Please email submissions to adann@asc.wa.edu.au.

Submissions are published at the discretion of the Editor.

Mrs Fiona Whitehouse, Assistant Chaplain, Ballarat Grammar, VIC

POSITIONS FOR CHAPLAINS John Wollaston Anglican Community School, WA Peter Carnley Anglican Community School, WA St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School, WA

December 2018 ISSUE •

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What is the point of having a Chaplain in an Anglican School?

By The Reverend Andrew Stewart Mentone Grammar, VIC I was blessed to start my time as a chaplain working with primary students. This experience pushed me out of my comfort zone but prepared me really well for my ministry as a chaplain. I had been a church youth worker and expected that my work as a school chaplain would be with secondary students. However, a placement in a primary campus of an Anglican school as part of my ordination training led me to stay on as their chaplain.

Those of us who work with primary age students well know that their natural enthusiasm is part of the joy of working with this age group.

When I walk into a primary class at Mentone Grammar, I am greeted with a sea of enthusiasm and feel that I have just made everyone’s day.

This experience might not be repeated when I walk into a Year 8 class.

As well as their enthusiasm, you cannot beat primary students’ honesty and their willingness to ask questions. Christmas can be a tricky time negotiating challenging questions such as the one I had the other day in a Year 1 class – how did Jesus and Father Christmas meet and become friends?

I can still vividly recall, in my first year at the primary campus, when I was on yard duty. Primary students often come up for a chat when you are on duty. I noticed one boy sitting by himself quietly eating his lunch.

I went up to him to see how he was going. He paused from eating his lunch, looked me up and down and asked ‘What exactly do you do at this school?’ I was a bit taken aback as I thought my leading of Chapel and visiting his class for RE lessons would have made it obvious what I did but perhaps not obvious enough for that particular student.

Eighteen years on that boy’s question, asked in all innocence, has taken on a sharper edge. What does a chaplain do in an Anglican school and why even have one at all? In years gone by when Anglican schools were full of Anglican students the answer was obvious. But, reflecting wider society, as our schools are now filled with unchurched young people it is a real question. Schools are embracing more ‘marketable’ terms like wellbeing, and mindfulness in an attempt to preserve the positives that a chaplain brings without all the baggage that the church carries with it. Anglican schools find themselves in a challenging space as the meeting ground between the religious tradition and the secular world. The role of chaplain therefore embodies a tension that makes their role a challenging one.

This article by no means offers the definitive answer to the question, but hopefully provides a few insights into what I think having a chaplain brings to an Anglican school.

The chaplain is often a critical player when times get tough. A former Principal I worked with was fond of saying that with current students, parents and former students a school has a population of a small country town and, like all country towns, there are challenging issues going on all the time.

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Our schools are not immune from tragic situations and the chaplain is often one of the first to receive a phone call with the bad news. In my own school in Term 3 this year we lost two parents and one young past student in the space of two weeks. It was a difficult time and the chaplain is there with the skills to know how to help the community respond. Schools have pastoral care teams and in times of crisis the chaplain is a key player. It is in these difficult times where the chaplain often finds themselves front and centre and people can clearly see the positive contribution that they make.

But is that it? Is the chaplain like the defibrillator machines that hang on the walls in our schools? Great to have in times of emergency but hopefully not having to be called upon that often. What about the day to day life of a school? What does a chaplain contribute?

Or to put this another way - what is the core business of an Anglican school chaplain? This question came up recently in a discussion I was involved in with a group of theological students interested in becoming chaplains. While I am not a fan of the phrase ‘core business’ this question did spark a lively discussion. While there are a range of possible responses to this question for me, the chaplain’s core business is to share the love of God through Jesus Christ. This overarching purpose finds its expression in different facets of the life of our schools with chaplains involved in a mix of the liturgical, teaching and pastoral care. We are called to love and serve the school communities that God has called us to and this sees us involved in many other aspects of school life reflecting our skill set and area of interest. We strive to care for our students, staff and school leadership and seek to listen, support, affirm, and encourage them.

We are motivated to serve our communities. Chaplains are blessed by often sitting to the side of the structures of the school and are not generally focused on climbing hierarchal ladders as some staff are.

This perspective enables them to have a unique insight into the life of their schools, sometimes asking the hard questions and having the challenging conversations seeking to hold the school accountable to its stated ethos and values.

Our schools are very busy places and it is easy for students and staff to get solely caught up in their daily concerns. The chaplain needs to ensure that this doesn’t happen to them and that they are attentive and notice things. The chaplain should pick up on the student who seems out of sorts or the staff member who doesn’t seem themselves.

The chaplain is the one person in the school who when they ask you ‘how are you going’ should be genuinely interested in your answer.

We are able to give the precious gift of our time to really listen which is a sacred act in the very busy environment of a school.

As well as being attentive, chaplains are there to encourage and affirm students and staff. Another consequence of the busy nature of our school communities is that people can feel under appreciated.

There is a lot going on, a lot is expected of staff on a daily basis, and often staff can feel like their hard work is taken for granted. By being attentive and noticing the chaplain has a powerful role to play by encouraging staff. In large school communities the chaplain also seeks to notice the efforts of individual students. Not just the highflyer who naturally comes to people’s attention but the student who flies

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under the radar, or who is struggling, or whose quirky manner sees them finding it difficult to fit in.

In summary the chaplain seeks to be a force for good in their school through sharing a message of hope. We are one of the few staff who have regular opportunities to speak to students and we should endeavour to make the most of every opportunity to share the message of God’s love. Chaplains seek to provide balm to the anxious and care for the needy, a listening ear, a caring heart, a thoughtful mind, and willing hands to serve. We are issuers of the invitation to be part of God’s kingdom as we seek to encourage young people to use this gift of a wonderful education not just for themselves but for the betterment of all.

I was visiting one of our Prep classes earlier this week. After reading a story about the birth of Jesus the class set about colouring in a nativity scene. One boy chose to colour in baby Jesus in the manger using glitter. When I asked him why he had done this he said ‘Because Jesus is a bit magical.’ It is moments like these when I am reminded that I am blessed to have the best job in the world.

Reverend Andrew Stewart has eighteen years’ experience as a school chaplain and works as a chaplain at Mentone Grammar in Melbourne.

Andrew is also the chair of the Chaplains in Anglican Schools network in Victoria.

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In Search of a Better Life St Columba College, Andrews Farm, SA

Quietly spoken, Reverend David Amol is a man with admirable compassion and respect. After facing extraordinary challenges in his early years in war-torn Africa, Reverend David now works at St Columba College in South Australia, supporting the College’s Sudanese students. His story is one of courage and determination.

Reverend David Amol’s life began in Pakeer, South Sudan, where he lived with his parents and four siblings. In his village of about 30,000 people, most were employed as cattle herders and farmers. He lived here peacefully, until the day government military invaded the village, burning down houses and killing off men at random, in search for young boys to recruit to their ranks. A brave elder collected all of the young boys, including David, to make for the safety of Ethiopia.

On the way they met up with many other village boys, also seeking safety.

“I had no place to call home. People called me Refugee, meaning a person who had left his own country because of war. I was a refugee,” David said.

“I left my own home country on 20 October 1987, because of war.

I travelled to Ethiopia on foot, escaping the danger in search of a better life, better school, and away from the war.”

David had been living on his own in hardship.

“I didn’t know how good the world is. I was born in the war, grew up in fear and remained in despair. My life had been useless. Suffering was my daily event,” he said.

In May 1991, after being in Ethiopia for four years, David again left because of war.

“All of the ‘Lost Boys’ (the other young boys) and I ran back across the border of Ethiopia and South Sudan, to the south-east of South Sudan, along the river Gilo,” David said.

“This river was particularly harsh – we lost thousands of our lost boys, who drowned, and crocodiles and wild animals ate many of my friends.”

For those who survived, they decided they would walk across the Sahara Desert to Kenya, the journey on foot taking more than a month.

They walked for days, then weeks, then months, and finally for over a year. The boys walked between 900 and 1000 miles, first to Ethiopia, then back to South Sudan, then south to Kenya, looking for safety.

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David said boys as old as 10 and 11 became the elders with sevenand eight-year olds each other’s parents, binding one another’s wounds, sharing sips of muddy water and burying the dead ones.

When the littlest ones became too weak or tired to continue, the older boys would pick them up and carry them on their neck.

After an incredibly long time travelling by foot, on 27 July 1992, the boys came to Kenya and the safety of the Kakuma Refugee Camp.

David said they were grateful to receive food, water and schooling.

“When we arrived at the camp, UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency) workers provided us with clean bore water and rations of food that were distributed fortnightly. It was not enough food to eat regularly, only enough to eat once a day, but we were grateful for each meal,” he said.

“We were also granted schooling, the equivalent of Year 1 to Year 12 here. The teacher was the only one lucky enough to have a textbook, as there was only one per class.”

David spent 12 years in the Kakuma Refugee Camp before the harsh conditions led to a decision by the UNHCR to help resettle the community in other countries willing to accept refugees, including Canada, America, Norway, and Australia.

“We were asked to write our life story, where I mentioned the camp conditions and about how I was seeking a better life,” David said.

“From there I was granted an interview with the Australian Embassy and after a medical check-up I was notified of my success and granted a visa.”

From arriving in the camp in 1992, to the point of being approved for a visa to Australia in 2004, it was quite a journey. The Australian Embassy in Kenya provided David with an airfare to Adelaide, and so began the next chapter of his life.

“Suddenly I was leaving my friends and family behind. It was exciting in a way, just to get the opportunity to work, study and get a quality education. Just to get a chance to give back eventually to the people back home and within the community here,” he said.

After arriving in Adelaide, it didn’t take long for David to settle in and look forward to new opportunities. He found support through the Dinka community, in particular the Dinka Congregation SA, the largest and first Dinka Congregation established in Australia. It was founded in 2002 by Mr Mecak Ajang Alaak who arrived in Adelaide with his family as the first Dinka refugee resettled in Australia.

“While attending the Dinka service at Maughan Uniting Church in the City, I spoke to my friends about finding work. I was really excited about the opportunity to continue my path as a priest, which I had begun in Africa as an ordained minister, and the Anglican Dinka Congregation gave me a chance to serve,” David said.

“The plight of the people back home was still fresh in my mind, and while volunteering at church was my passion, I wanted to be able to support my family and friends back home with financial giving. I still constantly thought about their struggle in the refugee camp at Kakuma, and I wanted to share with them my blessing of being in Australia.”

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David attended the Tabor College in Adelaide, an Australian Christian tertiary college, and undertook a Bachelor of Ministry in Theology.

“I worked hard in ministry at the church and studying at the same time, with the goal of bringing my (now) wife out to Australia,” David said.

“Money was quite tight but I wanted to pay the dowry for my marriage settlement in Africa so that she could join me in Australia.”

St Columba College had been in discussions with the Anglican Church and Anglicare about bringing on a Liaison Officer to work with the African community, in particular Sudanese families at the College. At the start of 2014 David accepted a position at the College.

David now assists Sudanese students who speak English as a second language and helps to integrate their families within the community, while assisting them with any cultural barriers that they might have.

“I would love to see them find jobs with any of our service providers, like Anglicare SA, Uniting Communities, and many others so that they can be linked with them and enjoy giving back to the community like I have,” David said.

“I am involved in the Anglican Sudanese Engagement Project which is a partnership project between AnglicareSA, the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide and St Columba College.

“We have a growing number of Sudanese students at the College and the project supports in building the capacity of the students and their families through various programs, including skills development, homework club, behaviour management, linking Sudanese families to the school community and linking families and students to other AnglicareSA and Anglican Church services.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Reverend David Amol works as a Liaison Officer at St Columba College.

Currently there are over 127 students from Sudanese and other CALD (culturally and linguistically diverse) communities being supported through the program.

The program assists students to model their behaviours, especially those who come from war torn zones and have parents who have experienced trauma. It is also intended to assist children who struggle to make friendship and fit in socially. The program also engages parents to connect and be part of the school community, participate in the learning of their children, as well as feeling connected to the wider community through participation.

“As a Liaison Officer at St Columba College, and a Project Worker with AnglicareSA, I am able to assist our Sudanese families with cultural related issues as well as supporting their children through their educational and life journey,” David said.

“Currently I am the Priest in Charge of the Dinka Congregation SA, based at the Anglican Parish of Holy Cross at Elizabeth. Our congregation provides both spiritual and cultural needs to our community.”

The Dinka Congregation SA continues to strive to serve spiritual needs by offering Sunday Services, Bible Studies, Youth Groups and Sunday School to its members. In addition, it provides for cultural needs by teaching the Dinka culture through song and dance to the young Dinka Australian members.

David’s role and presence at the College has supported not only the Sudanese students but has made a difference in the lives of their families adjusting to life in Australia while living in the North of Adelaide.

December 2018 ISSUE •

HELPING HAND: From left, Year 8 student Awur Ajak, Reverend David and Year 6 student Timothy Adala.

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New Principal ready for Whitsunday post Whitsunday Anglican School, QLD

Mr Andrew Wheaton has been appointed as the 6th Principal of Whitsunday Anglican School and will commence in the role at the beginning of 2019.

Hailing from the prestigious Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie), Mr Wheaton is currently the Deputy Headmaster (Academic) and is highly regarded for his demonstrated commitment to academic excellence.

Whitsunday Anglican School Board Chair Mr David Watts congratulated Mr Wheaton on his appointment and thanked Mrs McIvor for her commitment to Whitsunday Anglican School and her exemplary leadership during the past five years.

“Mr Wheaton is very much looking forward to taking up his new position and continuing to build on the strong Christian foundations and strategic educational goals that underpin our School’s strong reputation,” Mr Watts said.

“We greatly appreciate Mrs McIvor’s contribution to the continuing success and high standing of Whitsunday Anglican School in the community. We wish her well in her new role.”

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Mr Wheaton will be joined by his wife Merryl and their two children, and he said they look forward to becoming active members of the Whitsunday Anglican School and Mackay communities.

“It is a privilege to be entrusted with the role of Principal at Whitsunday Anglican School. The School is held in high esteem and I look forward to contributing to and building on this outstanding reputation,” he said.

“Mrs McIvor has furthered Whitsunday Anglican School’s commitment to academic rigour, building upon the School’s proud legacy of an outstanding educational culture that enables all students to realise their potential and experience success.”

“I am excited to be leading the School in this next stage of its development.”

Mr Wheaton grew up in country New South Wales. He holds a Master of Educational Studies (Leadership) from the University of Queensland.

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New Principal for TIGS The Illawarra Grammar School, NSW Mrs Judi Nealy has been appointed Principal of The Illawarra Grammar School (TIGS) at an exciting time of transition in the School’s history.

Founded in 1959, TIGS is approaching its 60th anniversary and there is much to celebrate. A new phase of development has just commenced which will further strengthen TIGS as the leading school of Christian excellence in teaching, learning, living, serving and leadership in the Illawarra region.

The School Council in collaboration with staff, students, parents and alumni has developed a new Strategic Vision which sets out an exciting path for the next five years. The launch of the Strategic Vision has coincided with a new masterplan, TIGS21, a blueprint which will ensure continued investment in the already excellent facilities to ensure the property reflects world class standards for teaching in the years to come.

As the former Head of Junior School, and more recently Deputy Headmaster and Acting Head, Judi is deeply committed to the academic, Christian and caring culture of the School. She considers it a privilege to lead the implementation of a new Strategic Vision and Masterplan, in particular to ensure that relevant and enriching learning continues to be provided to all students, supported by dedicated staff and agile learning environments.

is unwavering in her commitment to each child, ensuring they are provided with the best possible individual attention, learning environment, and highly trained staff setting them on a path to be the best that they can be.

Judi is looking forward to ensuring a cohesive and relevant learning pathway is provided for every student at TIGS.

Judi is well-known within the School community having been at TIGS since 2006. Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts from Macquarie University, a Diploma of Education and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership.

“It is crucial that our facilities, programmes and pedagogy prepare each child for their future rather than merely replicating the approaches and structures of the past,” she said.

Judi’s energetic and enthusiastic approach have seen her embraced by the School community as the newly appointed Principal. She

“This is an exciting time to be leading in education and I am committed to ensuring that our graduates have purposeful and flourishing lives.”

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Wall of Reflection provides lasting legacy Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School, VIC

2018 marks 100 years since the signing of the Armistice that signalled the end of World War I. To commemorate this milestone, Year 12 Humanities Captains at Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School, Georgia Pearson and Iliana Perisanidis, knew that something special should be organised at the School.

Inspired by the poppies display at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, the girls successfully applied for and were granted funds through the Armistice Centenary Grant Program to commission a ‘Wall of Reflection’, a permanent installation at the School that displays almost 500 poppies.

In a moving tribute to honour those who have fallen, each girl in Senior School at Lowther Hall was granted the opportunity to place a poppy on the wall.

Georgia and Iliana said: “As Humanities Captains we decided to take the opportunity to apply for the grant program, because we wanted

to provide an opportunity for everyone in our school community to reflect on and appreciate the sacrifices men and women made during the Great War. “The poppy serves as a gentle reminder of the fragility of both human life and peace, and the act of having each student attach a poppy to our commissioned artwork allows them to interact with this idea.”

The installation remains a lasting legacy at the School to honour those who have served their country.

LEGACY: Lowther Hall Humanities Captains Georgia Pearson (left) and Iliana Perisanidis place a poppy on the Wall of Reflection to honour those who served their country.

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Arden Students Swap a Book to Change a Life Arden Anglican School, NSW

Arden Anglican School students were excited to be sharing their love for reading, while supporting a good cause at the Junior School’s recent Great Book Swap. The day supported Indigenous Literacy, a national book industry charity which aims to reduce the disadvantage experienced by children in remote Indigenous communities across Australia, by lifting literacy levels and instilling a lifelong love of reading.

The Arden staff and students raised $847 which will be used by Indigenous Literacy to enact change via their three core programs – Book Supply, Book Buzz and Community Literacy Projects.

Sherwood House Patron Phillippa Williams said The Great Book Swap was a fantastic way to celebrate reading locally and raise much-needed funds for remote communities.

“The idea was to swap a favourite book in exchange for a gold coin donation. As part of the Book Swap, students wore Indigenous coloured mufti and/or the usual Sherwood Snazzy Sock theme, to contribute a further gold coin donation,” Miss Williams said.

On the day, all the books were placed on a table, specific to each Year Group, with a donation box. A time was set for each group to come and browse for the book they would like to take, in exchange for their donation. Following the swap, each group was then involved in an Indigenous activity. Years 3 and 4 enjoyed doing Indigenous Art colouring, as well as quiet reading time with their new books. Years 5 and 6 drew Indigenous story symbols on rock pebbles, which they then recounted into their own Dreamtime Story. In addition, Year 6 students read a selection of Dreamtime Stories to all Lower Primary students.

The Book Swap proved popular as, apart from raising funds for a good cause, the students really enjoyed the celebration of both literacy and Indigenous culture. Rachel Gibson (Year 6) said: “It was a great experience to read something new and learn about an aspect of Indigenous culture”. Lachlan Shelley (Year 3) said he, “liked how you got to get new books. I enjoyed the variety of books, and I thought it was great that we did Aboriginal art.” While Spencer Judges (Year 6) shared: “It was awesome how students were excited to choose a book they’d like to read and how the students put so much thought into their stone Dreamtime stories. “ The Great Book Swap was organised by the Junior School’s Sherwood House as their Sherprize Day activity. The event was an initiative of three teachers - Miss Phillippa Williams, Ms Cindy Anderson and Mrs Maren de Rijk.

Miss Williams explained: “Only 34% of Indigenous Year 5 students in very remote areas are at, or above, national minimum reading standards, compared to 95% for non-Indigenous students in major cities, according to the 2017 NAPLAN. The situation is improving but there is still a long way to go and the challenges are immense.”

SHARING READING: Ruhika Panditha reads to Lower Primary students.

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CHOICES: From left, Olivia Pinkewich, Raul Kanditha, Kimberley Loh and Florian Pinon browse the available books.

BOOK SWAP SHOP: From left, Zara Tobia, Jonathan Soumboulidis, Maximilian Facciolo and Spencer Judges get ready for the Book Swap.

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St Mark’s Remembers St Mark’s Anglican Community School, WA

The decision to do something special for the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice was an easy one for St Mark’s Anglican Community School Primary School Chaplain, Brad Galvin.

Not only would it give the students a chance to reflect on the sacrifice others have made in Australia’s name, but it would also give Brad the chance to share his other passion with the School community – serving as a Chaplain in the Australian Army Reserve.

The Junior School Chaplain’s involvement with the Army Reserve was prompted by a desire to serve those who serve our nation.

interviews before I was ready for the final step – sitting an Officer Selection Board,” he said.

“I deeply value what the members of the Australian Defence Forces, past and present, have done for Australia – giving us the opportunity to enjoy our liberty and freedom,” Brad said.

The connection between his service as an Army Chaplain and his service as a School Chaplain is easy for Brad to identify.

He firmly believes that there is great need to support our service men and women pastorally as well as spiritually and applying to serve as an Army Chaplain was a clear way to put this belief into practice.

Applicants for Chaplaincy roles in the Australian Defence Force need to be experienced in both ministry and life, and sadly, there are fewer putting their hand up to serve.

The process to become an Army Chaplain is challenging, but Brad considers the effort was well worth it.

“The training the Army provides in leadership and chaplaincy is first class. My swearing-in ceremony was special, because it took over a year of testing, both academically and physically, as well as multiple

“The additional training I have received will undoubtedly be of benefit to the School community,” he said.

All Army Chaplains do Specialist Service Officer (SSO) Training as well as Chaplaincy training. The SSO provided excellent leadership training and the Chaplaincy work covers areas such as PTSD, moral injury, mental health, character, ethics, resilience and wellbeing.

“All of this will make me a better Chaplain in a School setting. I also feel that spending time with adults keeps me fresh and gives me energy as I work with students,” Brad said.

“I am also grateful that I have the support of the Anglican Church in my role as an ADF Chaplain. As part of my commitment to the Army,

OFFICIAL: Brad Galvin at his swearing in

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I parade one night a week, one weekend a month and two weeks a year.”

Brad notes that the biggest challenge will be ensuring he can provide pastoral care to ADF members when they need it most – even if it means it is outside of his scheduled parade dates. It is a challenge he is quite willing to tackle.

“The practical support provided by Chaplains is essential, but for me, it is also about sharing the hope that we have in Jesus, in a gentle and respectful way,” he said.

“Many of the men and women I will serve will be from other faiths or have no faith at all. My service should demonstrate Christ’s compassion, by living and working in a way that reflects my love of God.” Brad feels blessed to have been giving the opportunity to serve God, by serving those men and women who work to keep our world safe.

“It was an honour and a privilege to be accepted to into the ADF and the 13 Combat Service Support Battalion,” Brad said.

The opportunity to bring his two passions together for Remembrance Day 2018 was an opportunity Brad could not turn down.

“I really wanted to make the event community-focused under the banner of our identity as an Anglican School. My links with the ADF helped enormously in making that happen,” he says, “and collaboration was key, both inside and outside of the School.”

Brad reached out to the St Mark’s students first, as he discovered that there were quite a number of the School’s young people participating in cadet programs in Perth’s northern suburbs.

“Getting the appropriate permission for our cadets to participate was really important to ensure the service was truly reflective of our community. I visited with 721 SQN AAFC (City of Wanneroo) to discuss the opportunity with their Officer in Charge, and we were given permission to have cadets parade as a Catafalque Party, a first for St Mark’s,” Brad said.

“We were also able to involve cadets from other units - 723 SQN AAFC (City of Wanneroo), 47ACU Carine, 51 ACU Swan Regiment Drums and Pipes, TS Marmion ANC - to do the Bible readings and music, including bagpipes and bugle.”

The community involvement continued to extend as the service took shape, with the St Mark’s Old Scholars’ Association inviting past students who have served in the ADF to attend the event. Professor Clive Walley, Aboriginal Elder from the Whadjuk people and parent of three St Mark’s Old Scholars, gave an Acknowledgement of Country, recognising the service of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians.

A representative from the Joondalup City RSL, Mr Bruce Macdonald, was among the guests, as were the City of Joondalup Mayor Albert Jacob and Hillarys MLA Peter Katsambanis, alongside parents and friends of the St Mark’s community, including members of the School Council.

Brad’s links with the ADF led to gaining permission from Commanding Officer of the 13 Combat Service support Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Kym Parry, to have an Army display set up (including trucks), as well as having Operations Officer, Major Benjamin Oakes, and Regimental Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer 1st Class Matthew Fuery, attending as special guests.

The Humanities & Social Sciences Department worked with Middle and Senior School students on the Poppy Project, which saw three hand-sewn banners fly from the three-storey Alan Cadby Senior Academic Centre. Junior School students created a carpet of handmade poppies to display behind the stage.

Library staff set up a fantastic display of memorabilia for students and guests to learn from, which included profiles of Old Scholars who had served in the military. The Library team was assisted by Foundation parent, Stephen Sinclair, who facilitated the loan of items from the War Museum in Fremantle.

CEREMONY: Year 10 Christopher Saayman takes part in the service

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The Performing Arts Department provided assistance with setting up a sound system, with School Maintenance workers helping to set up a staging area in the newly redeveloped quadrangle. The Home Economics Department provided morning tea for the invited guests.

Marketing and Community Relations helped with the service book and promoting the event.

In consultation with the Heads of School, the commemoration was carefully timed to slot between our Year 12 students doing their WACE exams in the morning, and our Year 11 students doing their Semester 2 exams in the afternoon.

This collaborative effort meant that St Mark’s was able to bring the School community together to acknowledge the sacrifices made by those who serve, both past and present, in a respectful and reflective service of remembrance, with Jesus at its centre.

“As a Chaplain to the School, and as a Chaplain in the Reserve, I was enormously pleased that we were able to bring everyone together in this way. It is my hope that the links between St Mark’s and the wider community will continue to grow, sowing not only the seeds of respect for the service provided by members of the ADF, but also sowing the seeds of faith in Jesus,” Brad said.

ARMY CHAPLAIN: The Reverend Brad Galvin

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St Hilda’s Girls Chop their Locks to support Aussie Kids St Hilda’s School, QLD

More than 30 St Hilda’s School girls cut off their precious hair to raise funds for Variety – the Children’s Charity who give Aussie kids a fair go.

Each girl donated at least eight inches of hair which was collected by Sustainable Salons, a social enterprise that repurposes hair to make wigs for those who have lost their hair due to a medical condition such as alopecia.

we are inspiring our young women to look out for the needs of others, practice empathy and live by our core values of love, compassion, forgiveness, hope and grace,” Dr Wilson Reynolds said.

More than $15,000 was raised by St Hilda’s students who have been growing their locks for months for the cause.

Variety – the Children’s Charity of Queensland CEO, Steve Wakerley said people like St Hilda’s School student Charlee Mitchell make a big difference for Aussie kids.

Money received by Variety for the hair will go directly towards providing practical programs. The students’ hair can help Variety help Aussie kids by providing practical equipment, programs and experiences to help Aussie kids overcome obstacles they face and live life to the fullest.

“Variety doesn’t receive any government funding, so every wig and every piece of equipment granted to families is thanks to the amazing efforts of people like Charlee, who has rallied 30 classmates to get the chop too,” said Mr Wakerley.

St Hilda’s School Principal Dr Julie Wilson Reynolds said she was delighted that so many of the girls were involved.

“We can’t thank the young ladies from St Hilda’s School enough for their incredible efforts to help other Aussie kids and families.”

“Our school motto, Non Nobis Solum (not for ourselves alone), is an important part of our heritage and shapes who we are. At St Hilda’s,

Local Gold Coast salon Neon Hair & Beauty provided volunteer hairdressers to cut the girls hair.

GETTING THE CHOP: St Hilda’s School students get ready to have their locks chopped for charity.

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St Hilda’s Set for a Ringing Endorsement St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls, WA

In the beginning was the Logos (the Divine Harmony). John 1:1a Bell ringers at St Hilda’s will now receive formal recognition for their prowess in the percussion instrument, with credit towards their Certificate of Graduation as part of a performance ensemble.

The unusual instrumental ensemble is gaining momentum at St Hilda’s with more than a dozen students currently taking part in the program.

St Hilda’s Chaplain, Father Jon Cornish said bells were the deepest and loudest musical instruments on earth.

“Their sounds roll across the countryside, telling all, that God is alive and well,” he said.

“Church bells represent God’s voice of the Good News. The Good News that God is with us, that God has crossed the void, reached through creation and touched our souls. It is a voice of energetic joy – a divine harmony – symbolic of the Logos, the word of God made real.”

Bell ringers play a percussion instrument, with each bell tuned to play a specific note. Each set of bells in a bell tower is tuned to a particular key. Bells do not play melodies – but musical patterns. Bell ringers are therefore part of the music department in both churches and schools.

Father Jon said formal recognition of bells ringers was a step in the right direction, given other musical ensembles were already academically recognised in schools.

He said bells ringers would now receive credit on their WA Statement of Student Achievement and WA Certificate of Education as a Music Performance Ensemble.

BELL TOWER: St Hilda’s bell tower provides a unique opportunity for students to learn the art of bell ringing.

Under the proposal, students could receive between one and several units of credit depending on their progression, with the standards being compared to the Learning the Ropes course, a structured progressive scheme to learn the art of bell ringing.

Internally, St Hilda’s also has a Bar and Band system which also gives recognition to their progression in learning, from basic bell handing skills to a complete Level 5 Change Ringer or more.

Father Jon said if students achieved Level 5 Change Ringer status, they were, without question, utterly amazing ringers for their age.

“I would like to thank the bell ringing teachers at the St Hilda’s tower, who follow the Association of Ringing Teacher’s developmental methods with the information needed for formal recognition,” he said.

“Recognition of student achievement in this field gives it greater credibility and will help build and retain numbers.

“Currently we have more than a dozen enthusiastic students and hope to continue training new bell ringers long into the future.”

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LEARNING THE ROPES: Students bell ringers at St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls learn their craft under the watchful eye of Father Jon Cornish.

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Chaplains’ Column Mindfully Mention Advent, Celebrate Christmas … and Thoughtfully Prepare for Lent?

By The Reverend Canon Nicki Colledge

As I write, we are about to enter the Season of Advent, the beginning of a time of preparation, waiting and anticipation ... A time that leads to the coming of Christ, God made flesh. Advent is our time to make ready for Christmas. It is humbling to reflect and contemplate that with the birth of Christ we see God at his most vulnerable and most human. Jesus - both fully divine and yet fully human.

When we spend quality time (during Advent in particular) in prayerful contemplation of the meaning of Christmas, we find that amongst our worldly possessions and the gifts of the latest phone, gym memberships and Go Pros, a small powerful truth emerges - our greatest gift comes directly from God. Through the gift of Jesus, we can know true love, true sacrifice and true forgiveness.

This Advent begins after my own school community is on holidays. We seem to leap straight to Christmas, with a hopeful passing comment of the time of waiting. On return next year, with the thrill and excitement of what a new year brings, it will be all I can do to harken minds back to the promise and hope of Christmas! Once again, the Church’s year and its calendar of seasons is squeezed aside in School Life.

Sharing the wonder of the Advent Season with our students can be overshadowed by the leap into Christmas celebrations. Slowing down, making ready, can be a challenge when the excitement of the end of the school year – and the need to celebrate with early Christmas services – seems overpowering. How often have you begun the Summer vacation feeling as though Christmas was already over?

And Easter? In 2019 Easter falls at the end of the Queensland two weeks’ holiday. So, celebrating Easter beforehand, basically has us in the middle of Lent. But we’ve done it before. Celebrating after the break brings us right to ANZAC Day, public holidays and timetable restrictions of unimaginable proportions! But, I’m being dramatic.

Yet, the role of the school faith community in the lives of not only our students, but staff, families and wider connections, cannot be underestimated. It is at this time perhaps more than ever where we are the counter-cultural voice. For Chaplains, reigning in the ‘alternative Nativity’ stories where naughty angels, talking sheep and perhaps even a lobster are gleefully shared across some classrooms is a challenge. Reminding little ones that Santa did not actually know (or, indeed, visit) Jesus in the stable, comes as a surprise to many. Finding engaging ways to celebrate a Christmas Eucharist in a packed sports hall at 35 degrees is sometimes the least of our theological concerns.

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Bringing something of the ‘drama’ of the Gospel into our school communities is part of what we are about. It is the constant struggle to bring sacred and secular together in a meaningful way that reminds our communities of the realities of the Christian life – where we reflect again on the humble yet divine child whom we worship at Christmas.

The same child whose coming we prepare for in Advent. Christ. The same who walks alongside us in our ministries, wherever they are, whatever they look like.

Blessings be upon each of you as you reflect on the year that has been and may you each receive the love of God in your work in the year to come!

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Being a Chaplain to the Chaplains

By The Reverend Dr Theo McCall Senior Chaplain for Anglican Schools in South Australia School chaplaincy continues to be a vital form of ministry in the life of the Church across the 12 Anglican Schools (including one Anglican/ Uniting school and one Anglican/Roman Catholic school) in the Province of South Australia. A profound challenge for all chaplains is to preach the word and to celebrate the sacraments for students and staff, many of whom do not come from Christian backgrounds, let alone have regular contact with the Church. In this context, an incarnational ministry, which is nonetheless confident in expressing the trinitarian faith of our Church, is critical.

Yet the role of a school chaplain can sometimes be a lonely one. The chaplain is sometimes a prophet, often a priest, and always a voice proclaiming God’s word in a busy marketplace. As the staff, students, and families rush from one event to another in an increasingly frenetic and pressured society, the chaplain is sometimes the only person saying, “Wait, there is another reality, a deeper reality, which deserves our attention, and which will give us life in all its fullness.”

In recognition of this, the previous Archbishop of Adelaide, Bishop Jeffrey Driver, appointed a Senior Chaplain for Anglican Schools in a part-time capacity in 2012, to support and encourage the chaplains across the Anglican Schools in South Australia. The Reverend Andrew Mintern was the first ‘Chaplain to the chaplains’, a role which he undertook for four years, before returning to parish ministry in the parish of Glenelg in Adelaide. I have been undertaking this ministry for the past three years, licensed by Archbishop Geoff Smith and encouraged by the school principals.

Along with supporting any recently appointed or newly ordained school chaplains and acting as a resource person for schools in pastoral and chaplaincy matters, my role is to provide mentoring and leadership to all school chaplains by visiting schools and participating in school events at the invitation of the Chaplain, including preaching and helping lead services.

Most importantly and helpfully (I think!) I organise and chair one meeting per term for all school chaplains in SA with a specific focus on: •

Pastoral and collegial support;

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sharing resources for worship and curriculum materials including RAVE;

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Handling of pastoral matters in school communities;

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Discussion and planning of joint activities and events.

As Senior Chaplain I visit all the schools each year, meeting with the chaplains, sometimes participating in worship, sometimes preaching, and generally being a support and resource person for the chaplains.

The worship life of each school is quite different, and the day-to-day role of the chaplains is equally different. I can go from celebrating the Eucharist at a traditional chapel in one school, to preaching in the school hall in a service of the word in another, to consoling a chaplain about the fact that his school barely timetables chapel worship at all.

A most demanding, but very rewarding task is coordinating a smaller group of chaplains to organise an annual combined Anglican Schools worship, which took place this year in St Peter’s Cathedral on Wednesday 23rd May. All schools sent middle years’ students to attend this wonderful expression of unity in the faith.

This year a new approach meant that the students were divided into six mixed groups and had the chance to participate in several different activities including learning songs, a Q&A session with Archbishop Geoff and Bishop John Ford from the Diocese of the Murray, an information session about Cathedrals, “chalk prayers” at the front of the Cathedral, movement prayers in the Lady Chapel, and “A Day in the Life of a Chorister” in the crypt. The lively singing and excellent participation in the service at the end of the morning was a reminder of the joy of ministering to the young people in our schools.

WORSHIP: A Chalk Prayer at the Cathedral was one feature of the Combined Anglican Schools worship organised by South Australian Chaplains

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All Aboard for Operation Christmas Child Arden Anglican School, NSW

The Arden Anglican School community sought to share the joy of Christmas to children in developing countries by again collecting donations for Operation Christmas Child’s (OCC) Christmas box appeal. Organised by Samaritan’s Purse, the appeal aims to give Christmas gifts to children who may not otherwise receive a gift at this time.

Secondary School Tutor Groups worked together to complete the boxes, with additional boxes donated by individual families. Each box contained something to wear, something to play with, something for school, something to love, something special and something to help children with their personal care. Members of the Social Justice Group then organised a cake stall to help raise funds towards the postage costs of the boxes. The bake sale proved a great success, with the amount raised exceeding the original $400 target and

allowing the school to also direct $366 to a Samaritan’s Purse water and sanitation project.

Arden’s OCC coordinator Karen Moss said this year the school had packed a total of 76 shoeboxes which would be shipped to children in rural Cambodia and the Philippines.

“This is a great way to put into action our school’s Christian values of loving others unconditionally just as God loves us. The thoughtfulness and effort that went into each of these boxes was amazing and we are truly grateful for the servant hearted contribution by our Arden community,” Mrs Moss said.

In addition, 12 enthusiastic Years 9 and 10 students helped at the Samaritan’s Purse Sydney warehouse for a day.

“Our visit to help process the boxes that arrive at the centre from around Sydney, is a natural extension of the commitment we have as a school to creating beautiful Christmas boxes for children in the Developing World,” Mrs Moss said.

“At the packing centre, we were reminded of the love and respect that must be extended to all the boxes that Samaritan’s Purse receives, and the students worked carefully and lovingly to ensure that the boxes they processed bring joy to the children receiving them.

Watching them serve with such joy and commitment was a privilege to witness.”

IN SUPPORT: Kaela Sharpe (left) and 2019 Social Justice Prefect Charlotte Swanton help out at the Samaritan’s Purse Sydney warehouse.

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Awe and wonder in Nativity Peter Carnley Anglican Community School, WA

The Christmas Nativity is an annual event at Peter Carnley Anglican Community School (PCACS). It not only inspires awe and wonder for the Kindergarten to Year 2 students in the Early Learning Community, it reinforces their knowledge that Jesus and his birth is based on a model of love and caring.

Religious and Values Education (RAVE) at PCACS is focused on a range of different learning experiences for the youngest learners and storytelling is crucial to communicate information to students in an interesting and relevant way. It also encourages them to ask questions, to think creatively and critically. Opportunities like the Nativity allows an emotional experience for students, promoting growth in their understanding of God. Participating in the Nativity not only utilises the creative arts for learning (singing, dancing, role-playing and music) but makes students’ learning of Jesus and his life more relevant to them.

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Chopped locks leads to record tally St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School, QLD

Almost 90 students at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Brisbane chopped their long locks in August to raise funds for cancer.

The Ponytail Project is a tradition for St Margaret’s students and now, in its fourth year, has been adopted by the Cancer Council Queensland and launched Statewide in a bid to gather a groundswell of support from schools across Queensland.

“The Ponytail Project is a genuine display of the generosity and willingness of St Margaret’s students to give back and to make a positive impact in the community.”

Since the initiative was first realised in 2015 by a group of four Year 12 students, the Ponytail Project has gathered momentum year on year with more students bravely cutting their hair and fundraising totals skyrocketing.

This year’s record tally of more than $94,500 nearly doubled funds the tally of last year’s campaign.

Funds raised were donated to the Cancer Council Queensland and the Minotti Trust which was established to support the young family of a St Margaret’s staff member and Old Girl who lost her life to cancer two years ago. The ponytails have been donated to Real Fringe Hairbands to be refashioned into headbands for those who have lost their hair due to a medical condition.

School Captain Xanthe Lowe-Brown cut 25cm of hair, marking the first time she’s ever had short hair in her life.

“In 2006 my Pop was diagnosed with a rare type of blood cancer. He really inspired me to take part in the Ponytail Project to raise funds for cancer research and to help people like him,” she said.

“I’ve raised over $6,800 thanks to my supportive and generous family and friends.”

GOOD CAUSE: Prudence Brosnan, Ruby Winten, Penelope Crothes and Georgina Winter took part in The Ponytail Project to raise money for the Cancer Council Queensland and the Minotti Trust.

Prefect Jordan Small was the school’s leading fundraiser, with a tally of just over $8,200.

After cutting off 25cm of her hair, she said: “I’ve known a lot of people who have been affected by cancer in my life and a few who have unfortunately passed away.

“So, I thought being involved in the Ponytail Project would be a small way of showing that I empathise with the struggle that people have gone through and a way of giving back.”

St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School Principal Ros Curtis said the school has always tried to instill in students that if they can make a difference, they should.

“So many lives are touched by cancer and our girls felt overwhelmingly that they must do something – so began the Ponytail Project,” Ms Curtis said.

“In a society sadly so focused on appearance, the girls were completely focused on helping others. They realise that it’s a small thing to lose such substantial lengths of hair, when it can make a big difference to someone else facing a huge life challenge.

“We are very proud of the students’ generosity and their motivation to make a difference in the lives of others.

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GETTING THE CHOP: School Captain Xanthe Lowe-Brown cuts of 25cm of her hair to raise money for The Ponytail Project.

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Tara steps up for drought relief

HELPING HAND: Students from Tara Anglican School for Girls are banding together to help drought-affected communities in 2018.

Tara Anglican School for Girls, NSW With country communities doing it tough this year, Tara Anglican School for Girls leapt into action to lend a helping hand in the name of Drought Relief. Tara is a boarding school of long standing in Parramatta for regional and country girls. Tara students, staff and parents led a series of initiatives to support country communities to make a difference and these initiatives reflect the School’s continuing commitment to our families from rural areas.

Tara raised money for more than 500 stationery boxes for families to gift to their children at Christmas time. At $20 per box, the Tara team set and achieved a goal of providing a stationery box for every student from selected Central/Distant Education Schools. Each of these schools had a link to a Tara boarder and included Dunedoo Central School, Gunning Public School, Braidwood Central School, Greenethorpe Public School, Marra Creek Public School and BourkeWalgett School of Distance Education.

“This means that every student in our central schools has their stationery items covered for the 2019 school year and their parents can now buy them a Christmas present that they would really love rather than items for school,” Lerida Year 10 boarder Philippa Bucknell said.

Tara has also instigated a Chapel Education Campaign emphasising service through a ‘heads and heart’ approach. We want the girls to be equipped with relevant knowledge about the issue (head) so they can take reasonable, age-appropriate action in response to the issue (heart). An important component of Tara’s Drought Appeal is the student education campaign. It is not designed to raise funds, but to encourage insight into the broader issues relating to the drought and appreciation of the struggles our rural community is experiencing. This

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kind of self-initiated action enables every girl to experience the value of collaboration, effective leadership, and the satisfaction and impact of serving others. Head and Heart service: knowing what needs to happen and having the passion to see it through.

Tara is supporting a number of other organisations including Country Women’s Association NSW and Rural Aid Australia. CWA NSW is a completely volunteer organisation with 100 per cent of money raised directed to the most basic of family needs. All the money raised by Tara will go to support women helping women, an important message for Tara girls. The CWA supports women at a community level with finance for medical expenses, household and electricity bills, fuel and mortgages to avoid foreclosure for families.

Tara is helping drought-stricken farmers through Rural Aid’s appeal making a difference to Australian farming families. Donations are directed to buy a bale of hay, food hampers for farmers through their local supermarkets, purchasing fuel and water.

A final initiative of the school is the Suppers in Spring concept where current parents, staff, alumnae, past staff and parents gather their family and friends to host a meal where guests then contribute an amount to the host for that meal. The suppers generate friendship, conversation and reflection on rural community. Each supper will be a ‘thank you’ to our farmers and we hope to generate many dinners!

As a Christian learning community, Tara aims to encourage and empower young women. Our service learning programs are one of the ways we encourage our girls to recognise the contribution they can make to the lives of others. Their actions are delivered through the use of their strengths, gifts, resources and knowledge.

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Answering the call Anglican Church Grammar School, QLD

Churchie’s Lay Chaplain Stephanie Cotroneo may be a recent newcomer to the field of chaplaincy, but her passion for teaching and religious education has deep roots. Growing up in an Anglican parish community, Stephanie cites positive experiences teaching Sunday school as the foundation of her career as an early childhood teacher.

In 2015, after almost twenty years teaching, Stephanie felt a calling, stemming from those formative Anglican community years where Sunday school, youth group, fetes and Sunday morning teas were commonplace. She established chaplaincy at Moreton Bay Girls College, where she had been working as a teacher for several years.

Stephanie recalls: “God blessed me richly with the opportunity to work amongst the staff and students at MBC, and it was a wonderful beginning.”

In 2018, Stephanie joined Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie) as Prep School Lay Chaplain. In this role she is responsible for Chapel services and Religious Education classes for Years 4 to 6.

Chaplaincy plays a vital role at Churchie with spiritual awareness one of the school’s four founding tenets. It underpins life at Churchie, ultimately seeking to develop empathy and respect for others while exploring faith and self-awareness.

Coming into the role, Stephanie was impressed at the strong support for spiritual development, prayer and worship among the boys.

“At the beginning, I wondered whether boys would want to be involved in prayer and help with chapel,” she said.

“I needn’t have wondered! I am constantly impressed by their interest, motivation and adventurousness.

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“I am always inundated with volunteers to lead us in prayer, help with chapel and hymn requests. Their enthusiasm and support is tremendous.”

Stephanie says part of the joy of working as a chaplain in a school is the array of interesting conversations with and questions from students, such as ‘Is God real?’ and ‘Why do bad things happen?’

“Children are innately honest and unafraid to ask those big questions, and I always feel privileged to join them in discussion about Christian beliefs and the Bible,” Stephanie said.

“People have been very open and honest, sharing their stories with me. There is a feeling of trust that goes with my role. I have always been a good listener, and I hand all these conversations over to God in prayer, thanking Him as I do each day, for the privilege to live out my faith and share the Gospel.”

One of Stephanie’s first official roles as a lay chaplain was to oversee the Prep School’s Blessing of Animals service in October. It was a wonderful event with families and pets coming together as a community to share their faith.

Looking ahead, Stephanie is excited to be a part of the Prep School, getting to know families and students and participating in the sacramental programme for admission to Holy Communion next year.

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Sisters of the Church Music Festival 2018 Mr Aaron Powell, Director of Music and Performance St Michael’s Collegiate School, TAS St Michael’s Collegiate School in Hobart was the host school for the biennial Sisters of the Church Music Festival. Approximately 70 music students from four of Collegiate’s sister schools travelled to Hobart to participate in a week of music rehearsals, workshops and masterclasses. The week culminated in a final concert where each school presented their own musical items, as well as combining for massed orchestral and choral performances.

More than 150 students sang and played together in the final piece an arrangement of The Human Heart from the musical, Once on This Island. The lyrics of this song made for the perfect finale in a Festival which celebrates the Order of the Sisters of the Church: those brave women who travelled across the seas to unknown lands to establish these wonderful schools.

On the morning after the concert, there were a lot of tears as the visiting students said goodbye to their host families. Many longlasting friendships were formed and I am sure that many students will connect again at the 2020 Festival in Canberra. I would like to thank my colleagues from the visiting schools: St Peter’s in Adelaide, St Michael’s Grammar in Melbourne, Perth College and Canberra Girls Grammar, and the guest conductors for helping to make the Festival such a huge success.

Of all who took the journey And managed to endure The ones who knew such tenderness The ones who felt so sure The ones who came before you The others yet to come And those who you will teach it to And those you learned it from You are part Part of the human heart During the week, students worked with guest conductors, Mr Simon Reade and Mrs Jane Edwards, who rehearsed and directed the combined ensembles. Mr Reade and Mrs Edwards brought a wealth of musical knowledge and experience to the Festival and contributed hugely to the success of the event. It was lovely to see all of the students work together and enjoy creating musical performances of such high quality.

There was a feeling throughout the week of both a shared purpose in music-making as well as a sense of shared history. This was evident throughout the week, as well as during the concert, where the students demonstrated their support of each other’s individual school performances through loud and enthusiastic applause.

As well as music-making, students had fun socialising and engaging in activities such as a scavenger hunt. Staff and students also travelled to the top of Hobart’s mountain, kunanyi / Mt Wellington, where many of the visitors experienced snow for the first time! Despite the howling wind and minus zero temperatures, many snowballs were made and thrown and remarkably, no injuries occurred.

Another highlight of the week was the Perth College students’ performance of Emily: The Musical. This original one-act musical written by Perth College staff, Mr Danny Parker and Mr Chris Goff, told some of the story of Mother Emily’s life and how she came to be the founder of schools. The musical performance was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone in attendance and I am sure that other schools within the sisterhood will look at performing Emily: The Musical in the near future.

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Telling the tale of Mother Emily Perth College, WA

An original musical production from Perth College held particular meaning for the schools attending the biennial Sisters of the Church Music Festival in Hobart this year. The musical celebrates the story of Mother Emily, the founder of the Community of the Sisters of the Church, an order that established Anglican schools throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Perth College Creative Director Danny Parker and Director of Performing Arts Chris Goff explain how the telling of this important story came to fruition.

In 2016, Perth College hosted a music festival – a joyous meeting of schools from all over Australia. We sang, we played, we made new friends. Our common ground was that we had all been founded by the Community of the Sisters of the Church.

Four performances took place in our Chapel. The atmosphere provided by this beautiful sacred space was enthralling, and the performances were excellent. We could not have hoped for a better reception.

This festival runs every two years. As the audience left and our new friends began to travel home, with the sound of the massed orchestra and choir still in our ears, we asked ourselves a simple question: how could we further celebrate this remarkable group of women, and specifically their founder, Mother Emily?

Two years had now passed since our original idea. It was once again time for the Festival. This time we were being hosted in Hobart, Tasmania. Our show was to go on the road!

Emily – A Musical is the result of our endeavours.

The process was fascinating. We set about researching the life of Mother Emily. Our journey took us into Victorian England. To the poor law, pew rent, and the male-dominated world of the Church. Perhaps the most useful research tool was a Masters dissertation written by Reverend Dougall Ethell. He had written with passion and detail about Emily’s world. Dougall was also kind enough to be a sounding board when songs eventually began to emerge.

We performed Emily to a packed house in Hobart, an audience almost exclusively of students, staff and parents from our sister schools. We were telling the story to an audience who had been directly influenced by the life and work of Mother Emily. There are no words to describe what an incredible feeling this was, for all of us.

And the journey is not over yet. Plans are being hatched to tour Emily further afield. Other schools have shown an interest in performing the work, and who knows, we may even be able to take the story to Holy Trinity Church in Chester – the very place it all began.

Our musical was to be contemporary in style, something that would engage our young performers as much as a modern audience. We explored the genres of hip hop and rap, as well as more traditional musical songwriting.

It was decided that words should come first, and music would follow.

Sets of lyrics were written, discarded, rewritten, reshaped, then nervously handed over. Music was composed. A painstaking, latenight-inducing process of creation and invention. Tunes and rhythms came and went. Lyrics were added, changed. Melodies emerged until finally we would sit together and hear the work as it emerged, song by song.

Happy with much of the story, it was certainly taking shape, but we needed a reason to tell it! And perhaps more importantly, we needed to decide who was telling it!

We struck upon a simple idea. Mother Emily had lived and worked in Chester. Her father was rector of the Holy Trinity Church. This same church was sold in 1960. What if our musical was set in that church, on the day of the sale? A real estate agent would become a narrator and the rest of the cast would be members of the Community of the Sisters of the church, attending the sale.

After a series of auditions, we introduced our musical to an excited cast. The music would be played live and our performances would be in our Chapel. The coming weeks were a dizzying voyage of discovery. What worked? What should we change? The joy of working with brilliant young minds meant we had a cast willing to suggest changes and make the work its own.

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December 2018 ISSUE •

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Student Celebration set to take centre stage Anglican Schools Australia

Students will be the cause of celebration at the next Anglican Schools Australia Conference, with the launch of a new initiative for students to highlight their service projects to the Anglican schools community.

The Student Celebration will be unveiled at the ASA Conference in Hobart next year. As part of the new initiative, students from all Anglican schools will be invited to take part in the celebration by making a video to showcase their involvement in a service project.

He acknowledged ASA Management Committee representative Debbie Dunwoody in driving the Student Celebration initiative as way to include students in the annual conference and acknowledge the importance of service in Anglican schools.

One video from each State will be selected to be shown at the Conference and will be played to the Conference to demonstrate the students’ approach and commitment to their project.

Schools will be invited to produce a two-minute video of their school’s service project.

ASA Management Committee Chaplains’ representative, The Reverend Matt Shorten said the Committee wanted to provide an avenue to involve students in the annual conference, while showcasing the commitment schools have to the ASA values of service, inclusivity, integrity, courage, justice and generosity.

“In considering the purpose of a new initiative, we want to provide an opportunity for an activity that engages and celebrates the voices and ideas of our students,” he said.

“Through this Student Celebration, schools will be invited to create and implement a plan of action in a service-based opportunity or evaluate a project that is already in existence in their school community.

“We want to showcase our students, particularly in their ability to engage with their local communities and help influence and create a more just and sustainable world.”

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“We know how important it is for our students to engage with their communities and this Celebration provides an opportunity to share this engagement,” Reverend Matt said.

“A video from each State will be shown throughout the ASA Conference and a school from the host’s home State will be invited to present at the conference to showcase the community service contribution they make.”

Videos will be considered by a panel consisting of the ASA’s Chaplains Consultative Committee. The panel will select one video from each State to be shown at the Conference.

More details and guidelines on the Student Celebration will be sent to all schools in early 2019. The deadline for video submissions for next year’s Conference will be 15 June.

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A Splash of Colour for hospital residents Whitsunday Anglican School, QLD

Artwork by Whitsunday Anglican School staff and students is now on display at the Mackay Rehabilitation Hospital, adding a splash of colour to the recently refurbished hospital walls.

The art pieces depict work from the School’s youngest students through to the School’s Year 12 cohort, as well as staff members Mrs Charlene Slack and Ms Donna Free who are both artists in their own right.

Mackay Rehabilitation Hospital CEO Mr Chris Walsh said the hospital was thrilled to receive the collection of student and staff art work which has been mounted in the hallway off the main hospital entrance.

Whitsunday Anglican School Principal Mrs Maria McIvor said the arrangement between the School and Mackay Rehabilitation Hospital provided both organisations a number of benefits.

“This art is a wonderful showcase of some very talented students’ work and we are so grateful Whitsunday Anglican School has shared it with our hospital community. It will be much appreciated by staff, patients and visitors alike,” he said.

“We were delighted to be asked to provide student and staff art work to go on display at the Mackay Rehabilitation Hospital,” she said.

“This has given us the opportunity to showcase the talent of our art students and staff while also giving the hospital community something to appreciate also.”

“I would welcome anyone wanting to view the collection to stop by the Mackay Rehabilitation Hospital and take a look.”

ART ON SHOW: From left, Head of Junior School Mick Martin, Art teacher Donna Free, Hospital CEO Chris Walsh, Art teacher Charlene Slack, Hospital Practice Manager Georgina Dale, Respiratory Physician Dr Pranav Kumar and Rehabilitation Specialist Dr Anand Kumar show off some of the art pieces on show.

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Service Learning in Cambodia

By Charlie Simpson, Captain of Outdoor Education and School Service St Paul’s Grammar School, NSW

From the 23rd September to the 3rd of October, students from St Paul’s Grammar School visited Cambodia on the annual a service learning trip. The students departed from Sydney Airport, bound for Phnom Penh.

The group spent their first and second days learning about the rich history of Cambodia and their historical events, such as the Cambodian Genocide. Learning about the hardships and strengths of the country gave students a deeper understanding and perspective.

The students also enjoyed experiencing the Cambodian culture, as well as trying many local delicacies from street vendors such as tarantulas and crickets. The students then drove to Kampong Chang to begin the service aspect of their trip.

The group visited the BDSA (Buddhism for Social Development Action) Centre, where they learnt about the children they would be helping. The service project for the group was the ‘Happy, Happy Centre’. The students spent four days doing physical service, as well as interacting and teaching the Cambodian children.

The group worked tirelessly to build a fence and create a space that the local children can enjoy. What was an unusable overgrown area that was constantly flooding in the downpours, is now an area where the local children can play. The students felt privileged to be able

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to positively interact with the children by improving their facilities and interacting with them. Each day, the students were extremely excited to return to the Centre to teach the children skills, such as handwashing and basic English through playing bingo with numbers and animals. The students found the children happy and very willing to engage with them, which was deeply rewarding. Each student developed a special connection with a child.

Siem Reap was the next location students visited, where they were able to visit monuments and partake in various activities. The following morning, the group woke up at 4am to visit Angkor Wat. Following this, students visited the Angkor Thom Temple and the Bayon Temple. These visits provided the group with further insight into the cultural importance and history of Cambodia. They also visited the War Museum, which was a sombre experience. The students felt rewarded and privileged to learn more about Cambodian history.

The experiences of physical service, working with the children, learning about the cultural history and tourist activities provided a deep understanding of Cambodian culture and a wonderful experience. The group were touched by the kindness of the Cambodian people, including the leader from Rustic Pathways and other local guides. The students attending the trip were very grateful for all the work that went into the planning of this service learning and thankful for the teachers who accompanied them. This service learning trip was definitely a very rewarding experience, providing a worldview and life-long memories.

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“The Service Learning trip to Cambodia was an amazing experience, which really opened my eyes to the lifestyle of a different culture and the amazing people who live in Cambodia. It is a trip I would definitely recommend.”

Lachlan Fellowes “I enjoyed meeting the local people from Cambodia, especially in the Kampong Cheng region where we did our service work.

It really struck me, after hearing what the people have been through, how they are still so happy and just live life.”

Kai Brown “One of the first things that strike you is how the people thrive on so little; it really makes a person rethink where their priorities lie. Afterwards, we approach opportunities and human relations with a newfound gratitude.”

Bethany Vella “Not only did the trip allow us to develop our world view and engage with critical global issues, it also allowed us to develop a deeper appreciation for other cultures. We were also able to work on meaningful service projects, which really made a difference on a local scale.”

Hannah Madanowski

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Embracing the Duke of Edinburgh Challenge Arden Anglican School, NSW

All Year 9 Arden Anglican School students attended an outdoor education camp at the Waterslea Camp of Youthworks Christian Outdoor Education, in September. While school camps are always fun for students, this one had the important benefit of being directly related to the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award program.

Arden’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Coordinator Ian Ingpen said Arden had been involved with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award for more than 11 years and it was a key part of the Year 9 co-curricular program.

“All Year 9 students are encouraged to register with the program for the Bronze level of the Award and all Year 9 complete the Practice and Qualifying expeditions of the Adventurous Journey component of the Award during the Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh Camp,” Mr Ingpen said.

The School actively encourages students to undertake the Award as part of its commitment to preparing well-rounded global citizens. Head of Senior School Simon Przydacz said: “The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is well known at Arden, and is recognised globally as a significant award scheme, engaging young people in community service, skill development, physical activity and expedition or exploration.

He said in 2018, 12 students completed and were awarded their Bronze Award, 11 students were awarded their Silver Award and another eight students were currently progressing toward their Silver Award. Impressively, 17 current students are progressing toward their Gold Award, while one student, Lachlan Yeung (Year 12), was awarded a Gold Award in June this year.

“The Award consists of three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Such is the rigour of the Award scheme and the exponential hours required to complete each section as a student progresses through the levels, that only a small percentage who commence Bronze, ever go on to complete Gold whilst still at School. To have a student complete the Gold Award in Year 12 is very pleasing.”

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED: From left, Year 9 students Imogen Williams, Mia Bastian, Kristabelle Oo, Sashrika Pillay and Lilian Morrice enjoying their Duke of Edinburgh Camp.

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Mr Ingpen said the Award program was one of individual challenge. “It presents young people with a program where they choose voluntary activities of their own choice that encourage personal discovery and growth, self-reliance, perseverance, responsibility and service to the community,” he said.

“Each student who undertakes the Award can pursue a passion through learning a skill; become more physically active; volunteer through serving their community; and challenge themselves within a team adventure. The program also teaches life-long skills of organisation and time management.

“Students are challenged by elements of the program and often participate in activities that take them ‘outside of their comfort zone’.

This, in turn, develops personal character and instills in them a sense of adventure and the knowledge that they can achieve provided that they just take the first step.”

During the Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh Camp, students participated in two overnight expeditions - a Practice and a Qualifying expedition of the Adventurous Journey component of the Bronze Award that each involved a trek and a canoe leg.

Mr Ingpen said that the Adventurous Journey section often represents the greatest challenge of the Award with significant components of planning and preparation; consideration of safety and safe practice; route planning and navigation; campcraft skills and environmental care; and team building and leadership. While some of these skills are specific to the expeditions undertaken at Waterslea, several of the components of the expedition planning and execution are skills that are applicable in everyday life and into the future.

Year 12 student Lachlan Yeung achieved his goal of completing his Gold Award prior to the HSC. “Undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award taught me most of the skills I use today, and I honestly do not think I would be half the person I am if I didn’t do the award,” Lachlan said.

Lachlan said he found the experience to be very beneficial in developing lifelong skills. “Doing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has made me a more well-rounded individual and I would recommend the experience to younger students,” he said.

“Balancing the Award’s activities on a weekly basis, as well as maintaining co-curricular activities and academic commitments forced me to properly manage my time to be able to do all these activities in a week. I have been able to successfully utilise these time management skills throughout my HSC and I am confident I will be able to use these skills later in life such as in university and in the workforce.

LET’S GO: Paige Simpson enjoying the activities of the Duke of Edinburgh Camp.

“Meeting new people throughout the Award has been one of the highlights and also one of the biggest hurdles I have experienced.

Especially on the Adventurous Journeys, facing physical challenges while having to interact socially with unfamiliar people by myself has contributed to my growth as a person.”

ON A MISSION: David Balodis (left) and Cameron McLean, with Max Surfield and Maxwell Marcos in the immediate background, take part in the rescue mission activities at their Outdoor Education Camp.

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Going for Gold Arden Anglican School, NSW

Year 12 student Lachlan Yeung achieved his goal of completing his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award before his HSC. Here, Lachlan outlines his motivation and what he learnt from the experience.

The Gold Award included four components: a skill, community service, sport and adventurous journey and a residential project. For my skill, I had continued my practice in piano - further honing my skills on my instrument as well as being able to apply it in many school music situations such as the various bands offered. I also used this skill in community service as I mentored the music students in the junior bands such as the Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble. In my time at Arden, I mentored percussion in the Concert Band for some time, then mentored the rhythm section in the Jazz Ensemble until the end of the award. For sport, I chose to undertake regular swimming which kept up my fitness through secondary school. For the adventurous journeys, I hiked with Camp Somerset and undertook the “Urban Odyssey”, learning valuable physical and social skills. Finally, for the residential project, I contributed to Arden’s Extra Mile Project’s Vietnam and Cambodia Mission.

The residential project (Extra Mile Project’s Vietnam and Cambodia Mission) will be a trip that I will always value and continue to support.

Making a financial and physical change to impoverished communities with my friends was a highlight of both my time at Arden and the Gold Award. This trip was filled with environments we were not familiar with and so supporting and encouraging all the participants on the trip made it worthwhile in strengthening and even rekindling past relationships. The physical aspect of the trip was my favourite part as building and renovating the schools was a change I craved compared to normal, repetitive desk work at school.

How did you feel when you achieved your Gold Award?

Any advice to other students considering undertaking the Award?

I felt a mixture of excitement, pride and relief from waiting. As only a very small percentage of participants who start the Bronze Award continue and achieve their Gold Award, I was able to find great pride knowing this fact. But once I had received the confirmation email informing me of the accepted award, I had felt that all the long hours and strenuous activity had finally paid off and so I always wear my blazer with pride as I can display the hard work over the years in the form of three humble pins.

My advice is: Even though there may be many obstacles, once they are overcome, it becomes a story worth telling and an experience that was worth living through.

I honed my time management skills to be able to fit in these activities as well as keep up other school co-curricular activities, leadership positions and a satisfactory academic career.

What were some of the most memorable and/or inspiring moments?

What inspired you to work towards your Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award?

There were many reasons for doing Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

Firstly, I had completed Silver and Bronze quite early, so I could finish my Gold before the end of Secondary School. This eventually became a goal to work towards as I wanted to finish the award before the HSC. I also had many senior friends who went through with Gold, so I wanted to follow in their footsteps as I saw what an amazing experience they had doing it.

What did you learn from undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award?

Undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award taught me most of the skills I use today, and I honestly do not think I would be half the person I am if I didn’t do the award. The social aspect was by far the most important skill set that I learnt. As I did my hikes with an external company, Camp Somerset, I joined teams where I did not know anyone. This encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone to work together and support people whom I knew almost nothing about. This taught me my social skills that I use to deal with and interact with people in my daily life. Also, as the award required me to do the three components (skill, sport and service) this meant that my week was filled with different activities. Having completed this on top of my regular schooling hours,

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GOLD: Year 12 student Lachlan Yeung achieved his Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award this year

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December 2018 ISSUE •

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The Walk of Faith

By Ms Joan Karmelita, St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School, WA

St Mary’s Chaplain, The Reverend Canon Geraldine (Gerry) Nixon, retires after 29 years as a highly respected and much-loved School Chaplain.

In 1986 in Australia the ‘Walk of Life’ by the British rock band Dire Straits became a hit, appearing on their best-selling album Brothers In Arms. In 1986 in Australia the first women were made Deacons in the Anglican Church, although it was to be another six years (1992) before women were ordained as priests.

Gerry’s first Chaplaincy was at Melbourne Girls Grammar School (MGGS) where she was Assistant Chaplain for two years before being made Associate Chaplain. In 1991 the senior Chaplain left to take up a new ministry and Gerry became the only Chaplain. She was the first woman ordained in Australia to celebrate Holy Communion and preach in St Paul’s Cathedral. Many staff and students attended her ordination service.

Two of the first women to be ordained were The Reverend Canon Geraldine (Gerry) Nixon and The Reverend Joyce Polson. While Reverend Gerry was ordained in Melbourne and Reverend Joyce was ordained in Perth, the two women had been, in a sense, ‘Sisters in Arms’ for years as they worked for, protested and debated about the ordination of women in their Dioceses. It is fitting that their lives intersected at St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School in Perth.

After thirteen years at MGGS, Gerry moved to Perth to become Chaplain to Perth College. Perth College’s heritage through the Community of the Sisters of the Church made it a fascinating place to minister. She made some very good friends through the Perth College Old Girls and at the end of her six and half years at the school they made her an honorary Old Girl.

Reverend Gerry has served as School Chaplain for the past nine years and retires from full-time ministry in December, while her friend Reverend Joyce spent many years at St Mary’s, first as Deaconess from 1967-1986, then as School Chaplain until 1994. Reverend Joyce became Assistant Chaplain to Reverend Gerry from 2010-2015, and as Chaplain Emeritus, continues as colleague and friend.

Reverend Gerry chose to fulfil her vocation in School Chaplaincy because it is a large and diverse ministry working with students from K-12, their parents, the staff and former students; all the schools she has worked in have been boarding schools.

She enjoys the fact that it is a large and challenging ministry that provides many opportunities to put a human face on the Church, enabling her to show that ordained ministers are just as interested and involved in everyday life as the next person. She loves attending the music and drama performances, seeing girls step out of their comfort zones, as well attending many other school activities and social functions.

In 2009 Gerry became Chaplain to St Mary’s. Under her ministry and leadership, worship has been clearly at the heart of the religious life of the School. The annual Whole School Eucharist to celebrate The Feast of St Mary, established by Gerry, has become an important tradition. Additionally, connections with the Anglican Church have been strengthened through the Anglicare Ambassadors and the myriad of activities in which the School supports Anglican agencies, and the St Mary’s community has been cared for when they most needed pastoral support.

As the Reverend Canon Geraldine Nixon comes to the end of her 29 years as a School Chaplain, it is a time for her to reflect. For Reverend Gerry, the heart of any Christian community is worship. For her, a school having a Chapel, a place set aside for worship and prayer, is a wonderful privilege. A school Chaplain and a school Chapel draw together the life of a school and act as a reminder that it is a Christian community, a worshipping community, a community to which its members are connected for life, and a community which invites all who are connected with the school to celebrate, mourn and remember as they continue the ‘walk of life’.

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1. TRAILBLAZERS: From left Bronwyn Barns, Reverend Gerry Nixon, Reverend Joyce Polson and Principal Lynne Thomson | 2. WORSHIP: Gerry Nixon (second from right) at the 2018 Eucharist with (from left) Chapel Boarding Prefect Lauren Brindal, Principal Lynne Thomson, Bishop Kate, and Chapel Day Prefect Min Coopes. | 3.

SERVICE: From left, Principal Lynne Thomson, Reverend Canon Gerry Nixon and Bishop Kate Wilmot | 4. FIRST: Reverend Gerry was the first woman Anglican priest to celebrate and preach on the second largest of the Solomon Islands, Malaita after being invited by their Bishop.

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Cathedral ties prove strong for St George’s St George’s Anglican Grammar School, WA

St George’s Anglican Grammar School already had close links with its namesake cathedral in the Perth city. But this year those ties increased with the Dean of St George’s Cathedral, The Very Reverend Richard Pengelley filling in as the School’s Acting Chaplain. Here, he outlines the important links between School, Cathedral and Diocese and the outcomes for students.

It has been my great pleasure to be Acting Chaplain of St George’s Anglican Grammar School for the last year or so. The school moved from Murdoch to the city in 2015 where weekly Chapel services were established in St George’s Cathedral and the Anglican faith and ethos was integrated throughout the school.

Almost four years later, the links between the school, cathedral and diocese continue to grow. Monday morning chapel services provide an opportunity for worship, reflection, prayer, singing, drama, theological education, public speaking and community building for over 300 students and staff. While St George’s accepts students and staff from all faith traditions and none, the power and potential of these gatherings should not be underestimated.

Throughout 30 years of experience as a school chaplain, I have seen remarkable things happen. Joyous celebration, deep grief, the power of story, music that moves, stories of serving others that inspire and the recognition of injustice and what might be done about it, all take on special meaning in sacred time and space. I am often approached by former students, years after they have left school (as many educators are), to be thanked for a moment, a story or a memory of chapel.

Two of the great challenges in schools comprised mainly of nonchurch goers are preparing them for eucharist and singing hymns or choruses. I believe the goal should be radical inclusion after the example of Jesus, and staff support is vital. At St George’s Anglican Grammar School this has been tremendous. The language and ritual of the eucharist is very rich and sophisticated, even though the act is simple. Students from other linguistic and cultural backgrounds can feel completely excluded. Singing devotional songs whether they be traditional or contemporary can be confronting to self-conscious teenagers. Staff leadership and modelling is critical if there is to be any chance of engagement and the benefits that flow from a good old community sing-along. I haven’t met a former student of an Anglican school who can’t sing the chorus of “Lord of the Dance” and a few of its verses.

Our city location provides a unique opportunity for helping those in need. At St George’s Cathedral we have been providing food snacks to those in need for over three years now. Comprised of eight or so simple items of non-perishable food and drink, we place them in zip lock bags and the vergers, volunteers or other staff hand them out when approached. On busy days 20-30 may be requested. St George’s Anglican Grammar School now has several Food Drives each year and the gifts are blessed in a Chapel service before being distributed. They join Christchurch, St Mary’s, Hale, St Hilda’s, Aquinas, and a few parishes and businesses in supporting this work.

When it came to our St George’s Day Eucharist and celebration this year, it was decided to put on a morning tea for those in need rather than for the school community. Two busloads of Amana Living residents along with some men from St Bartholomew’s House attended and were served by a group of eager Year 8 students and a few staff. With the help of St Bart’s Chaplain Ross Jones, former Amana Living Senior Chaplain Deborah Joyce and St George’s staff, the event was a success and the interactions between 13 and 93-year-olds were a delight to behold.

As the Dean of the Cathedral I am also happy that the school uses our facilities for other events. Music and drama have both used various spaces in our beautiful and flexible complex, with one of the highlights being a passion play in Holy Week directed by drama teacher Scott Robertson. The creative use of 25 metres of red cloth as the actors wordlessly (but with accompanying music) took us from the triumphal Palm Sunday entry to the crucifixion in eight minutes was simply stunning.

St George’s Anglican Grammar School is growing in every sense of the word. Numerically, in all areas of education and in its spiritual and pastoral life, signs of engagement and new life abound. These are exciting times to be growing up in the heart of Perth.

The ‘Chapel team’ of Michael Newton (Director of Music), Susan Lazenby (Head of English and Chapel coordinator), Trevor Davy (voice coach and choir coordinator), Ryan McBride (Head of House and musician), my brilliant chapel helpers Elvis Moh and ‘Winnie’ Ziwei Zheng, the chapel band and the chapel choir, represent a significant effort to bring meaningful praise and worship to the school community week in and week out. For a small school this is a great achievement and once again should not be taken for granted. I know for a fact that those students who give of their time and talents for the good of others, remember those experiences for the rest of their lives.

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COMMUNITY CARE: Students enjoy a St George’s Day morning tea with residents of St Bartholomew’s House

CHAPEL HELPERS: Principal Gary Racey and Chapel helpers (from left) Nicholas Purnell, Winnie (Ziwei) Zheng and Elvis Moh support the School’s activities in worshipping at the Cathedral.

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SERVICE: St George’s students look on as The Very Reverend Richard Pengelley conducts a Remembrance Day service outside St George’s Cathedral

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Hearing the word of God: Those who have ears, let them hear

By The Reverend Dr Lee Weissel, The Hutchins School, TAS The Hutchins School in Hobart was formed by an act of Parliament in the colony of Van Diemen’s Land following the drive and passion of Archdeacon William Hutchins. Although he died before its formation, those who were inspired by him made sure it met with his ideas and beliefs in what a school should be and do. Archdeacon Hutchins saw that the development of the whole person was essential, and at the centre of this was the teaching and learning about the Jesus story and whole counsel of scripture.

At The Hutchins School today, we celebrate by seeking ways to continue in the formation of the whole person seeing the centrality of speaking into the lives of our students about the love of God in Jesus.

We seek to be visible and purposeful in working with our students.

We seek to be where students wrestle with the blurring of distinctions between right and wrong, joy and angst, love and convenience, reality and virtual reality. This is where we have the opportunity to speak into the disorientation that disorders our relationships and our being.

The Chaplains in The Hutchins School community seek to present a biblical worldview of connectedness, intention, direction, presence and meaning.

Being a Chaplain at Hutchins, surrounded by many deep traditions, I have found a wealth of resources to draw on. It also inspires me to draw on the traditions I find in the church in seeking methods to expose students to the Gospel. One of the methods I have been looking at has come from Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556). Ignatius had an outlook on God that was a whole person response. Ignatius developed his spiritual exercises as a means for seekers in his time to reorder the disorder of their lives. Facilitating different learning styles, each of the exercises develops an approach of meditation on one facet of the divine story.

In the Hobart spring, a class of Year 8 Hutchins students spent time outside, away from devices learning to reflect under the blue sky.

It was difficult at first, the lens to look inward has been blurred and

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distracted by social media and digital streaming. A time of being still and quiet was required. The boys were asked at each stage to write down what they were feeling.

The next task then was to work through their feelings and attempt to visualise any issue of the disordering we felt. For these students, digging into their lives through reflection and meditation revealed a variety of disorder across a spectrum of their past and present. We returned to class and took time to write and reflect before sharing, and at this point there was much conversation.

Students spoke about feeling empowered by naming the sense of disordering they felt in their own lives. This also had the benefit of students being relieved to see this feeling of disorder for what it was.

The naming of the issue or issues enabled a sense of the perceived problem to be manageable and to be engaged with. At this junction, we sought to develop ways of praying for each other and writing notes to each other encouraging each to move forward in seeking their own sense of order.

We then delved into the Spiritual Exercises, which called on us to recognise our own involvement in the disordering of our relationships.

For some students this was quite confronting, and we were ably supported by our school counsellors. Some students thought they needed to ask for forgiveness. We continued to use some visual exercises involved with the Jesus Story, to make connections between us and the text. By seeking to visualise each story, the students were able to imagine the story anew with their own context.

In the students’ reflection journals, there was evidence that there was a deep learning taking place in a very personal way. What this journey has begun to reveal to me has been the great benefit of using older knowledge to understand life today and to appreciate our common humanity across time.

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1. CONTEMPLATION: Year 8 boys reflecting under the blue sky| 2. WORSHIP: The Chapel of St Thomas at The Hutchins School | 3. REFLECTION: Reverend Dr Lee Weissel addressing students and staff at the Remembrance Day Service

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Harriet Butler, Year 6, St Mark’s Anglican Community School

Tatum Ryan, Year 6, Swan Valley Anglican Community School

Shekinah Wilkinson, Year 9, Peter Carnley Anglican Community School

Maddix Kong, Year 2, Cobram Anglican Grammar School

Teagan Parkin-Smith, Year 6, Georgiana Molloy Anglican School

Anglican Schools Australia PHONE 08 9286 0290 EMAIL asa@asc.wa.edu.au WEB www.anglicanschoolsaustralia.edu.au

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