2011 Principal's Review

2011 principal’s

Review

St Paul’s GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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2011 PRINCIPAL’S REVIEW ST PAUL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL

FROM THE PRINCIPAL In 1920, a young man named Edward Pulling graduated from Princeton University and commenced teaching history at a boarding school in the New England area of the United States of America. He then undertook further study, graduating from Cambridge University in 1924, before returning to teach. In 1931, at the rather young age of 32, he bought a farm in upper New York State, about 140 kilometres from New York City, and started his own school for students from Years 9-12, Millbrook School.

Today it is still a small school, with enrolments capped at 260 young men and women, 80% of whom are boarders.

Despite the School’s youth and despite its rural isolation, Pulling was a man of great vision who held unashamedly high ideals for his young school.

Expectations and standards were set high and scholars were expected to be involved in all aspects of the School’s life – academic, sporting, cultural and service. Pulling’s commitment to community service was a feature of his 34 year headmastership; indeed, the School’s motto, “Non Sibi Sed Cunctis” captures this spirit - “Not for One’s Self, but for All”. Students were, and still

are, expected to serve the school on a daily basis,1 “from managing money in the school bank, to caring for the animals at the zoo, to working on the library’s computers”.2 Notable alumni of the School include U.S. Federal Judge James L Buckley and Robert F Kennedy Jr. (environmental lawyer and son of U.S. Attorney-General Bobby Kennedy, and nephew of former U.S. President John F Kennedy).

Pulling was an outstanding educator whose status became legendary even during his own lifetime. It is said he told the following story to help some people better understand his vision for Millbrook.

Back in the Middle Ages, a court official went to find out how labourers felt about their work. He went to a building site, approached the first worker and asked, “What are you doing?”

“Are you blind?” the worker snapped back. “I’m cutting these rocks with tools that hurt my hands and putting them where the boss tells me. I’m sweating under this blazing sun. It’s backbreaking work, and it’s boring me to death!”

The court official quickly backed off and then approached a second 1 http://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/19/obituaries/ edward-pulling-92-teacher-and-founder-ofmillbrook-school.html

worker. He asked the same question: “What are you doing?” The worker replied indifferently, “I’ve got to get these blocks into shape and then put them together according to the architect’s plans. It’s hard work and sometimes it gets repetitive, but I earn enough to support the wife and kids. It’s a job. It could be worse.”

Feeling at least a little encouraged, the official went on to a third worker.

“And what are you doing?” he asked. The worker looked curiously at the official, seemingly unable to comprehend the purpose of the official’s question. “Isn’t it obvious to you?” said the worker as he lifted his arm to the sky. “I’m building a cathedral.” 3 Pulling’s vision was not a short term one, not limited to what he might believe he could realistically achieve even in the 34 years he served as head of Millbrook.

Like the great cathedral builders of medieval Europe, his vision was a long term one, not one easily deterred by pressures to create rapid success or a short-term politically oriented vision of education which seems to have infected our early 21st century educational debate. How might Pulling respond to the ebbing and flowing of decisions predicated on the next political election or media cycle?

2 http://www.millbrook.org/podium/default. aspx?t=132126 3 Adapted from http://www.sunshinecathedral. org/sermons/11_12_00.htm

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Greatness, even in a building, takes significant time and investment; how much more so the building of an enduring learning community.

I’m not sure he would even recognise it as worthy of discussion.

The story attributed to him taps into a sense of being involved in something grand and noble, something far beyond simply the practical and utilitarian.

It recognises that greatness, even in a building, takes significant time and investment; how much more so the building of an enduring learning community. Building a cathedral requires not only extraordinary vision, but commitment, tenacity, resilience and hope. The typical construction period could be from 50 – 100 years, but many took even longer; the Cathedral of Notre Dame took in excess of 180 years and the beautiful Cathedral of Ely in Cambridge took 292 years. It is difficult to comprehend how the foundation stone of the extraordinary Gothic Cathedral of Köln in Germany was laid in 1248 , but the cathedral was not finally completed until 18804, an extraordinary 632 years after the foundation stone was laid. Over the years, hundreds of people dreamed, designed and constructed some of Western civilisation’s most awe-inspiring places, soaring vaulted ceilings, rose windows, flying buttresses, buildings whose elegance at times seem to defy physics. To stand in the nave of the great cathedrals of Europe is to feel small in the metaphorical presence of a great and almighty deity, worthy of worship and solemnity, grandeur and majesty.

4 http://www.koelner-dom.de/geschichte. html?&L=1

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Is building a great school like St Paul’s any less significant than building a cathedral? I think not. Our purpose is to experience and learn about all of life as a gift from and response to God. Like visiting great cathedrals, we want our students to be inspired by their time at St Paul’s, inspired to know and serve Jesus Christ, inspired to find opportunities to serve their local and wider communities and inspired to leave a legacy for those in generations yet to come.

St Paul’s finds itself faced with the ongoing task of building its learning “cathedral”, metaphorically building the next set of buttresses, the small chapels that draw the worshiper from the overpowering nave into the intimacy of reflection, the bell tower, the transept, or whatever part of a majestic cathedral we might care to imagine. As we approach our 30th year, it is important for us to reflect upon the School’s success as well as the challenges which lie ahead.

The School Board has been engaged with this process for the past six months or more, exploring and reimagining our mission and vision, wrestling with the unchanging mission of Christian education in the context of rapidly changing and challenging new circumstances. The plans laid out by the architects of the early St Paul’s community established the foundations, upon which we are building the edifice of a maturing school. Now, in the shadow of turning 30, we must furnish

2011 PRINCIPAL’S REVIEW ST PAUL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL

the details of our cathedral, the side chapels, the quire, the chapter house, whatever it is which defines the next phase of this great “cathedral” that is St Paul’s Grammar School.

Enlightened by detailed knowledge of our community from the recently completed MMG Survey, the School Board will analyse, reflect upon and plan for a future at St Paul’s where learning flourishes, where the community bristles with life, and where Christian faith is not just talked or though about, but is lived through a commitment to service, both throughout our School community and the wider world. Like the hundreds of masons who dedicated their lives to building just one cathedral, the School Board is committed to the long term future of the St Paul’s “Towards 2033” and beyond, far into the future, under God, conscious of our motto, In Christo Futurum, In Christ, the future.

In the spirit and language of the medieval scholars, this review will focus on the three themes that continue to drive St Paul’s on its continuing quest for greatness: doctus cum multis libris “learned with many books” or...

“it volupta tibusam quamet omnim faccae que sedit doluptae con consendessi aut es simet volupta turio. consendessi aut es simet volupta turio.

Like visiting great cathedrals, we want our students to be inspired by their time at St Paul’s, inspired to know and serve Jesus Christ, to find opportunities to serve and inspired to leave a legacy for those yet to come.

It’s about Learning...

For many years, St Paul’s has enjoyed a strong reputation for its academic achievements. It is now more than 20 years since the School first introduced the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, and ten years since the School first prepared to be accredited to deliver the Primary Years and the Middle Years Programmes (PYP & MYP). This year, St Paul’s was required to undertake an inspection not only by the New South Wales Board of Studies but also an evaluation by the International Baccalaureate. It is always good to have outsiders view what goes on in our School; it enables us to evaluate the quality of what we do, not just against our own standards, but against the best state-based and international standards available. On both accounts, St Paul’s was awarded the highest results, testimony to the dedication, professionalism and high quality of the staff. The community can be well pleased that we not only meet, but exceed, standards expected of the School. A cathedral must, after all, be permitted to exist subject to the relevant authorities, irrespective of how impressive the building might be.

Central to our philosophy of education is commitment to inquirybased learning and the IB’s Learner Profile. All students up to Year 10 undertake combined IB and Board of Studies curriculum, and then have the opportunity to select the IB Diploma or NSW Higher School Certificate. 2011 has seen a focus on us reinforcing the

value of the IB Learner Profile for all students across the School, regardless of which credential they undertake.

The Learner Profile describes a set of characteristics we endeavour to support students in developing. We want all students to be: • inquirers • knowledgeable • thinkers • communicators • principled • open-minded • caring • risk-takers • balanced • reflective.

Without these elements grounded within our academic and pastoral programmes, we are paying lip service only to an accreditation process. Worse still, we will be abandoning one of the most robust and well-grounded learning philosophies available across the world.5 Conversely, with these elements as central to the learning experience, we are helping prepare students who not only have an outstanding approach to learning now, but are equipped for the challenges of the future and its uncertainties. The Learner Profile is helping students to learn how to learn, that they may meet whatever challenges they have, safe in the knowledge they are equipped to deal with those challenges. That is way beyond 5 Further details of this central feature of learning at St Paul’s can be found at www.ibo.org/

compliance; that is a leading standard.

It is not only in the philosophy of learning, but the structures which support it, that we have developed throughout 2011. The major emphasis across the School in 2011 has been an acknowledgement that we have something dear, something precious, something privileged in that we are one continuous learning community from Pre-K to Year 12, all on the one site. Families can enrol their children in Little Saints, see them graduate into Kindergarten, then Year 7 and finally from Year 12, all within the one environment and sense of community. This also reflects the growing appreciation that St Paul’s is a family-based school, a place where generations of students from families invest significant periods of time, sometimes decades. Our Little Saints of 2011 will graduate from Year 12 in 2024!

Little Saints continues to be an outstanding success. For the first time since it was established, we had to say “no” to some families because it was full to capacity. This is testimony to the outstanding work that Mrs Bonazza and her team have done over the last three years, creating an environment in which learning is engaging, productive and rewarding, a foundation worthy of any of the great “learning cathedrals”.

Mrs Bonazza indicated recently she was seeking different challenges and will move into the Junior School from 2012.

We are thrilled that Miss Bate, already a well-regarded and experienced infants’

programmes/profile.

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Learning is not just about literacy and numeracy; it is also about...character, morality, ethics and virtue.

6 http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/ Prod/parlment/hanstrans.nsf/V3ByKey/ LA20111110?open&refNavID=HA2_1 PAGE 6

2011 PRINCIPAL’S REVIEW ST PAUL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Patterns

Geometry

Grammar & Punctuation

Spelling

Notwithstanding these positive comparisons, we continue to be concerned about the misunderstanding of this data across the community as well as the misuse of it in sections of the media. Each parent or caregiver finds great value in exploring the individual results for their child, and this is where NAPLAN has great value and is right and proper. Yet NAPLAN’s

questionable school publicity value continues to be counter to what St Paul’s believes is the essence of good education. All students should be encouraged to excel, regardless of their academic ability; similarly, academic achievement develops over time, in fits and spurts, not in neat linear projections and acceptable tolerances or variances. At the heart of this issue is a passionate belief in the inherent value of each individual as a learner.

Furthermore, learning is not just about literacy and numeracy; it is also about the arts, physical well-being, science and technology, the humanities, other languages and cultures (particularly so in an IB World School) and, importantly, about character, morality, ethics and virtue. At a time when our world needs people of character, courage and conviction, public discourse on education veers dangerously towards the pragmatic and utilitarian. Parents and care-givers can be assured that foundation skills remain ever important, but are not themselves the end; the goal is to equip our students that they may be enabled to make a positive contribution to our wider world, and that requires people of dignity and compassion, as well as those who are literate and numerate.

Numeracy

This year’s NAPLAN results continued to affirm the value of inquiry-based learning and its capacity to shine forth, despite media and some social addiction to crude, simplistic group testing, such as NAPLAN. As St Paul’s has consistently maintained, whole group reporting is limited in its capacity to describe anything of whole-school significance about any school community, yet we continue to be required to do so by various government regulatory regimes. To that end, parents and caregivers continue to receive encouragement from these results about the overall academic achievement of our students as evidenced in the data below.

Writing

One of the significant developments for 2011 was the completion of our Junior School Gymnasium, Administration and Music rehearsal rooms, along with the refurbishment of our Junior School Learning Support. St Paul’s received $3M from the Commonwealth Government for this project as part of the “Building the Education Revolution” programme and we gratefully acknowledge their assistance. It was a joy to open the building with a bushdance and, since then, we have held numerous parent and student functions in this wonderful facility. The PYP Exhibition was a great success in the new facility, while the recent Infants’ Christmas Concert was standing room only, another sure sign of the support our students and staff receive from families. This support has now resulted in enrolment waiting lists for Little Saints and some year groups in the Junior

School, the best type of affirmation that our wider community values the experience of learning at St Paul’s.

Reading

teacher, has agreed to carry on the great work as Director of Little Saints from 2012, building on the wonderful foundation of the past few years.

We started the year in our Junior School welcoming Mr Christensen as our new PYP Coordinator. After seeing us successfully through our NSW Board of Studies inspection, Mr Christensen felt it was important he return to New Zealand and Mrs Day took up the position of PYP Coordinator. The recent PYP exhibition, again testimony to the enriching learning that takes place in an IB World School, attracted the attention not only of parents, friends and teachers from other schools, but so impressed local MP, Bart Bassett, that he spoke at length about St Paul’s and the PYP in the NSW Parliament6! It’s always nice to think we are doing a great job, but when this type of unsolicited affirmation is forthcoming, it is surely confirmation that plenty of others see the value in a PYP education.

SPGS PENRITH 2010 PRINCIPAL’S REPORT PAGE 7 ST PAUL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2011 PRINCIPAL’S REVIEW

The goal is to equip our students that they may be enabled to make a positive contribution to our wider world, and that requires people of dignity and compassion, as well as those who are literate and numerate.

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2011 PRINCIPAL’S REVIEW ST PAUL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL

SPGS PENRITH2011 2010PRINCIPAL’S PRINCIPAL’S REPORT PAGE 9 ST PAUL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL REVIEW

St Paul’s acknowledges achievements with our sporting and cocurricular activities, and we now complement these traditions with acknowledgement of our exemplary scholars.

School Certificate Examination results

Bands 5-6 (above 80)

Bands 1-4

SPGS

NSW

SPGS

NSW

English - Literacy

69.91

36.38

30.09

63.62

Mathematics

39.31

27.33

60.69

72.67

Science

53.38

40.88

46.62

59.12

39.82

18.45

60.18

81.55

49.99

26.02

50.01

73.98

Average

50.48

29.81

49.52

70.19

Highly Competent

SPGS

NSW

SPGS

NSW

Computing Skills

83.05

54.86

16.1

42.39

Australian History, Civics and Citizenship Australian Geography Civics and Citizenship

In the High School, new facilities for Learning Support and Year 7 were opened. The Zone, as it is known as, adds to the resources available for students for whom additional support is required. Mrs Howard, Miss Wood and Miss Daddo have created in The Zone a place where students feel supported and encouraged, even when the challenges of their daily learning are great, building on the foundational work of Mrs Galbraith and her team in the Junior School. It has been a significant step forward to see refurbishment of the learning support facilities for both Junior and High School students, reinforcing to our wider community the value and significance of these important elements of St Paul’s.

Competent

Similarly, the new rooms adjacent to The Zone continue the School’s facilities improvement, a feature of 2011 and, looking ahead, 2012. Towards the end of Term 4, builders moved onsite to complete the refurbishment of J Block in the High School, a project commenced back in 2008. Along with upgrades to the Hospitality facilities, the School Board has approved nearly $1M for the completion of these works, another “cathedral building” exercise which will support the continued improvement of the School. Our new shop, “The Blue+Green Threads”, officially opened recently. As well as being more central and accessible for parents and care-givers, “The Blue+Green Threads” will eventually provide opportunity to meet for coffee and a chat, perhaps even catch up with some staff in a more casual atmosphere.

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Learning across the High School continues to show evidence of significant achievement across the board. The 2010 NSW School Certificate tests showed extremely positive results, as shown above.

28 students from our graduating Year 12, 2010, class attained ATARs above 90.00. This represents 28% of the cohort scoring in the top 10% of ATARs in NSW. The IB Diploma Dux was Breanna Gasson with an ATAR of 99.60. The HSC Dux was Megan Fairbrother with an ATAR of 95.25. Further details about the 2010 School Certificate and MYP results, as well as the HSC and IB Diploma results, have been extensively reported in the Annual Report to the NSW Board of Studies, published in June 2011.7

7 http://www.stpauls.nsw.edu.au/data/files/ gallery/SchoolDocuments/10_SPGSAnnual_ Report1.pdf

Educating in a digital world means learning about integrity, authenticity, discernment, truthfulness and beauty, much more so than it means learning about software and the latest apps

Recognising academic achievement is an important commitment we have.

We have recently reviewed parts of our recognition processes and this year will introduce Academic Dux prizes for Year 7, 8 and 9, acknowledged at Presentation Evening. Year 6, Year 10 and Year 12 already have these, thus this brings greater consistency to our acknowledgement processes. Year 11 will not receive a dux as the HSC and IB Diploma are two year courses of study, culminating in acknowledgement in Year 12. Alongside this, we are introducing Academic Scholars’ awards as acknowledgement of consistent high level achievement across the breadth of students’ subjects. All students are expected to set goals and achieve to the best of their capacity, and it is appropriate that we acknowledge those who not only do so, but achieve consistently and at a high level across the breadth of their academic programme. St Paul’s acknowledges achievements with our sporting and co-curricular activities, and we now complement these traditions with acknowledgement of our exemplary scholars.

Learning is not just for students. We have a strong commitment to enabling our staff to continue their learning across a wide range of areas. At the commencement of 2011 a Professional Growth Plan for all staff was introduced.

Each staff member worked with their immediate supervisor to identify areas and strategies for growth throughout

the year. It is a “positive benefit” model developed to engage staff with their ongoing professional growth.

Academic staff have always been well supported with professional learning, ensuring currency with curriculum and learning theory, and 2011 has seen dedicated support added to the wider staff of the School. Administrative support staff have been engaged during 2011 in visiting other highfunctioning schools to help establish service level expectations. They have been supported through provision of accredited training for such diverse functions as Retail (for our Blue+Green Threads staff), Business Administration (for our office staff) and in human resources. By the time this training concludes, many will have completed Certificate III or IV qualifications, enhancing our professional experience and capabilities. The challenges of today and for the future require us to better equip and structure our School in order that we can provide improved service for staff, families and, most importantly, students.

Our “cathedral” of learning is multi-faceted. We must continue to broaden our horizons if we are to remain relevant and purposeful.

Our more aggressive foray into the world of social media (Facebook and Twitter) is not because of their novelty, but because they are the 21st century’s “town square”, the place where the community is choosing to meet, regardless of whether we like it

or are comfortable with it. St Paul’s has taken the view that we must be part of the conversation or we will become the object of its ridicule. To help staff, Mrs Boughey, Mrs McLean and Mrs Weeks commenced “Breakfast Bytes”, a professional support group that meets to explore how learning and technology intersect in positive ways. In a very exciting development, the School Board have made provision for a new role, Head of Innovative Learning, to be established during 2012. Educating in a digital world means learning about integrity, authenticity, discernment, truthfulness and beauty, much more so than it means learning about software and the latest apps; these will come and go, but character and virtue are enduring.

It is extraordinary to remember that when St Paul’s began in 1983, the world’s first PC with an internal hard drive was released, the IBM XT 5160. At the time, only the very visionary could possibly have foreseen what might become of digital technology in our world. In 2011, St Paul’s wants to be bold enough to look another 30 years into the future and dream about what might be needed from formal education both then, and in the years in between.

What will our world look like at a time when we will remember the antiquated iPhone 4S and chuckle about how limited it was, just as we in 2011 remember the IBM XT; just curiously, does anyone still have a 5¼ inch floppy disk? Word Perfect?

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Knowledge will alter, skills will change, but the knowledge that all of life is lived in the presence of and response to Jesus Christ remains central.

Köln Cathedral would have experienced many changes in building technology during its 632 year construction.

Nonetheless, its vision to be a place to worship Jesus Christ remained undaunted – through wars, through famine, through partial destruction and rebuilding. So, too, must be our vision of learning at St Paul’s. Knowledge will alter, skills will change, but the knowledge that all of life is lived in the presence of and response to Jesus Christ remains central. cum homines eandem voluntatem partiunt “when people share the same purpose” or...

It’s about Community

For vast periods of medieval history, the cathedral was the dominant feature of the both the landscape and civil life. Social concepts such as nations were still centuries away, and smaller localised communities built around the cathedral were prominent: dioceses and parishes divided the larger landholdings of the nobility into smaller identifiable communities to ease administrative burdens. From the overall cathedral within a diocese, the parishes would take their leadership and identity.

The same is the case in a School where nearly 1200 students and over 150 staff gather every day. A larger community will generally contain within it smaller units which help to connect individuals and families, and a school the size of St Paul’s is no different.

In 2010, the announcement that the School’s pastoral and welfare system would revert to a vertical, House-based structure was greeted with widespread enthusiasm.

Following the extensive consultation and review chaired by Mr Humble, the renewed House culture has flourished, including the successful establishment of Wilberforce House. Right from the swimming carnivals in both the Junior and High Schools, through to the announcing of the inaugural Codrington Cup at Presentation Evening, 2011 has been characterised by renewed energy and support for the House system. While the transition has not been without its challenges, the overwhelming response has been positive. Anyone who experienced the cacophony of a 2011 sports carnival will agree that the Houses have brought a sense of identity and connection that had waned in recent years.

Our student leaders, under the guidance and support of the Heads of House and Mr Humble, have been more pro-active around the School, leading by example in serving at Orientation Days, Assemblies, helping out in the Canteen and a myriad of actions which all help make our community stronger.

Our fortnightly newsletter, Revelations, introduced House columns for the High School House leaders to share some of the happenings around the School from their own perspective. Mr Humble has also instituted House points for the tidiest House area, encouraging a sense of appreciation for the presentation of the School grounds.

Of equal importance has been the establishment of clear connections between the Houses in the Junior and High Schools. New House Leader roles

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were established in the Junior School and regular planning meetings involving House leaders from across the entire School have helped build identity and engagement. Better coordination of pastoral and welfare programmes has commenced and will continue into 2012, capitalising on the improvements made throughout 2011.

The culmination of the House reinvigoration is the instituting of the Codrington Cup, named in honour of the School’s third principal, Dr Stephen Codrington. All results from Junior and High School competitions have been added, along with Hilbrand Tanja Points and clean presentation points, to create one overall winning House.

Dr Codrington is an extraordinary man: he has been the principal of five different schools in three different countries (St Paul’s was his first), has written numerous articles and books on education, is an avid photographer and long-distance runner. He has a strong yet humble Christian faith infuses all he does. During his time at the School, he edited the School’s first history, “The First of Many Decades” and wrote “Foundations”, the basis of the School’s educational philosophy.

He was instrumental in establishing our oval, the Administration Building and the Junior School. His passion for learning with and serving others is infectious. The Codrington Cup not only acknowledges his service to the School, but the manner in which he lives his life – faithfully, inquisitively, passionately, humbly and for the benefit of others.

Our graduating class of 2011 commenced Kindergarten in 1999, before the turn of the millennium, before iPods, iPhones and iPads, before Twitter and “cloud” technology. How the world has changed in the 13 years they have been at school. No longer are

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The true test of community resilience and strength is not to be found when all goes well, but when trials persist. they able to remain disconnected from the technological global world; to do so risks them becoming disadvantaged.

But engaging with this world is not risk free either. The challenge of living in a social media world was the focus of our inaugural “In the loop” series, a parent information series developed to assist families with the challenges of contemporary life. In June, Fr Richard Leonard SJ, one of Australia’s leading media analysts and commentators, enlightened staff and parents about the breadth and nature of contemporary media habits amongst young people.

In October, Melinda Tankard Reist, one of Australia’s leading advocates on the dangers of sexualisation in our society, gave a deeply provocative presentation to staff and parents. These challenges remain, and others will emerge. It is our responsibility to speak up for issues of character, of uprightness, of moral integrity and courage. “In the loop” will return in 2012 with further opportunities for the School to provide support for parents and care-givers in the precious responsibility of raising young men and women of dignity and positive purpose.

It was a joy to work with the Friends of St Paul’s in co-sponsoring “In the loop” in October; this connection exemplified the complementary roles we have, for the benefit of our students.

Cathedrals are most often geographically at the centre of their community. Their size and construction project a solidity and comfort that was, historically speaking, not always a reality. Many had monasteries and hospitals connected to them, lodging

places where strangers and the sick could seek comfort and refuge. Life was already tough in medieval times, but without the practical support of the monasteries and cathedral hospitals, many more of the poor and sick would have perished. This heart of Christian grace, so often obscured by atrocities committed under the authority of the medieval Christian church, manifested in so many of the religious orders established to help those in need.

This same grace has been evident throughout the community of St Paul’s in meeting the challenges of 2011.

The finality and sobriety of death visited the School in numerous and, at times, crushing ways. This year, we faced the loss of Xavier Ong, one of our Year 12 students, a number of our parents, the spouse of a former staff member, the child of a former staff member and Mr Paul Robinson, one of our School Board. We supported the raising of funds for cystic fibrosis to assist the family of one of our students and others within our community facing life threatening challenges. A number of significant health challenges for staff impacted Terms 2 and 3. Then, the week Geordy Armsworth was appointed School Captain for 2011/12, he announced his own health challenge to the School. Surrounded by friends, family, his Christian community and the School, Geordy’s public journey has been an inspiration to many. We are thankful that Geordy and other St Paul’s students have shared their journeys with us, as well as found support to help them along their path. The true test of community resilience and strength is

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not to be found when all goes well, but when trials persist. If this is so, then St Paul’s has graduated top of its class in 2011. ut sibi serviant “to serve each other” or...

It’s about service

Earlier this year, I travelled to Belgium for an International Baccalaureate conference. I flew into Germany and then caught the train across to Brussels, the location of the conference. As the train headed into the flat lowlands of Belgium, I was struck by the constant dotting of churches across the countryside. Every few kilometres, a new town would emerge, dominated by the spire of the parish church. These spires seemed to symbolise both the centrality of the church to the town or village, but also the centrality of faith to the life of the community. No matter how small the town or village seemed to be, a spire dominated it. I started reflecting on how much impact Christian faith continued to have in those communities. Had the church become simply an historical relic?

Had it lost its faith and social purpose and dominance? I suspect for many it has, and, sadly, because of its lack of faithfulness to its central mission of reconciliation, humanity to God, and between each other. If a cathedral, or parish church, ceases to be effective,

It is in the daily life of the School that service is to be enculturated, it is any small type of act where someone else benefits from that act. what point is there in its continuance?

This question is one of purpose – to what end does a cathedral or parish church exist? Similarly, to what end does St Paul’s exist?

Good learning is an essential preparation for the future. Young men and women need educating before assuming more full involvement in their wider communities. We want them to be part of healthy and positive communities. But if that is simply the goal, then we might just end up graduating well-educated, socially exclusive, self-perpetuating isolates.

St Paul’s is committed to calling our students into service, not only in their local community, but also to the wider global community; as Jesus himself taught “from those to whom much is given, much is expected” (Luke 12:48).

Compared with many across our globe, we in Australia are certainly those to whom much has been given.

We continue to seek opportunities for our students to be engaged in service, and this has resulted in each House actively supporting a cause through fundraising during 2011. “65 Roses” was a great success this year, helping to raise funds for sufferers of cystic fibrosis and the support given through “Shave for a Cure” has been extraordinary. The Arnhem Land Service Learning Experience for Year 9 built upon the foundations laid in 2010 and our students who attended were moved to reflect on our indigenous peoples and their opportunities. Likewise, our

Year 11 Service Learning focus this year was Cambodia and was certainly an eye-opener for those Year 11 students in attendance. These formal and public types of service typify both our desire to serve, not just locally, but globally.

Yet beyond this, the purpose of doing so is that we might bring purpose and hope and support to those whose circumstances are quite different from our own. This is what makes service so important at St Paul’s – we are committed not to the furthering of our own interests, but that of common humanity.

It is in the daily life of the School that service is to be enculturated: serving in the canteen, carrying the bag of a friend with a broken leg, volunteering to help pack up after Assembly even when it’s not the turn of your House to do so, serving drinks and food at School carnivals, helping with car parking, picking up someone else’s rubbish, or any other small type of act where someone else benefits from that act.

There will always be more that we can do, yet it is an encouragement to see the ways in which many students have responded this year to the emphasis we have had on service. I trust this will continue to grow; our School will be the better for it, and so too will our families and our wider community.

While we continue to display the attitude and acts of service, both within and beyond the School, we demonstrate we are “cathedral builders”, changing our community for the better, and for the long term.

Staffing

Stonemasons often spent their entire lives contributing their work to just one cathedral; others were itinerant, moving around the cities of Europe is search of work and security of income. Great cathedrals need great artisans. Schools are no different.

Whether it is in teaching, administration, learning support, finance, maintenance, or any other task, the building of greatness relies on those who discharge the work. This year has been a very stable one in terms of staff changes; schools typically have up to 10% of staff change in any one year, which for St Paul’s would be 15-16 people.

Mr David Hastie has been appointed as Head of English at Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Croydon. Mr Hastie has made an outstanding contribution to our thinking on Christian Education, to English and as a Theory of Knowledge teacher. His wisdom and insight has enriched us considerably.

Mr Greg Tobin has been appointed as Head of Mathematics at The Hills Grammar School in Kenthurst.

Mr Tobin’s leadership of the Maths Department has been outstanding and acknowledged as such during our recent MYP evaluation. Mr Ben Smith, currently teaching at Penrith Anglican College, has been appointed as the new H ead of Mathematics. Mrs Nimmi Martin has accepted the Mathematics appointment at Penrith Anglican College, replacing Mr Smith; ironically, in mathematical terms, this is known as

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Our challenge is to be benefactors to those yet to come.

The legacy we are creating today becomes the history that will be retold at the centenary celebrations of St Paul’s in 2083.

That’s how cathedrals are built.

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The ends of a St Paul’s education is...the application of the benefits of that education in the service of others. a zero-sum equation – 1 up, 1 down – for both St Paul’s and Penrith Anglican College.

Mrs Taryna Wawn has been appointed to help lead implementation of the PYP at St Andrew’s Cathedral School.

Her recent completion of postgraduate study in educational leadership will help her as St Andrew’s starts the process of moving towards implementing the PYP. In all of these appointments, St Paul’s is helping to fulfil a major commitment to the broader world of independent Christian Education. A community which has considerable resources, skills and abilities, like St Paul’s, should also help those communities whose goals are similar. In each of these appointments, St Paul’s will play a part in the development of excellent Christian Education by releasing these “artisans” to display their craft of cathedral building elsewhere. We wish them all the very best and look forward to hearing of their continued great service to education.

the past three years. It is now a centre of great reputation in the district and is over-subscribed for 2012. As previously noted, I am delighted that Miss Bate will be moving into the role of Director, building on the great foundations laid

by Mrs Bonazza and her staff. Similarly, Mr Head, who has been teaching in Year 7 this year, will be moving to a Year 6 role. Our Year 6/7 transition is an important one and his move will help our continued improvement in this area.

A moment of some magnitude has arrived with Mrs Hulbert retiring from the Office of Business and Finance after 26 years of service to the School.

She has been responsible for a myriad of finance functions during that time, serving at one point as the School’s Bursar. We honour her extensive contribution and wish her well in her retirement.

Mrs Smith-Cameron will conclude her involvement in the School to assist with personal matters with her family.

She has been a gracious and generous counsellor, a wise and humble servant to many students, staff and families.

Her brief time at the School has been characterised by Christian grace; we have been richly blessed by her service to the School and wish her and her family all the best for this next phase of their lives.

Mrs Bonazza will be returning to a teaching role having established the Little Saints Early Learning Centre over

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I wish particularly to thank the senior executive staff of the School: • Mr Walker, Assistant Principal • Mr Humble, Director of Students and Family Services • Mr Nunn, Director of Learning Services • Mrs Keogh, Director of Planning and Organisation • Mr Mayrhofer, Director of International Relations • Mr Weatherhead, Director of Community Relations • Mrs Clapin, Director of Policy and Compliance • Mr Murison, Director of Business and Finance There have been numerous challenges in establishing an effective team throughout 2011, further complicated by significant health challenges for Mrs Clapin, Mrs Keogh and me. Much has been achieved in 2011 and we look forward to a more manageable 2012.

Along with Mrs Beckett, my personal assistant, the senior executive have served above and beyond the call of duty through this very demanding 2011.

I particularly want to thank Mr Walker for his time as Acting Principal during Term 3. That particular term had a succession of critical incidents, more than would be expected in a number of years, let alone a number of weeks.

His steady and supportive leadership guided the School through some of the most challenging moments. I also thank Mr Gorman for the time he spent as Acting Head of the Junior School, providing support to Mr Walker to enable him to fulfil requirements as Acting Principal.

Governance

Governing a school is not a simple task. It involves many hours work by a dedicated, prayerful and supportive group of people who constitute the School Board. Their wise stewardship of the mission and resources of the School, along with their future planning for sustainable operations, is an onerous responsibility.

During the year, the School was served by: Mr Don Harwin, Chair Mr Kim Hellyer, Deputy Chair Mr Stephen Goode, Hon Treasurer Rev Peter Adamson Mrs Leonie Armour Mr Phillip Bryson Mrs Deborah Bush Mrs Margaret Fowler Mr Geoff Hiatt Mr Geoff Williams Mrs Margaret Wright (retired in April) Their guidance, advice and leadership of the community are very valuable.

The School Board and the wider community grieved with the loss of Paul Robinson following a long illness. His contribution to the School, both as a parent and School Board member, has been deeply appreciated. The School Board acknowledges his contribution to their work, including as a member of the Properties Sub-Committee, and gives thanks to God for the faithful witness Mr Robinson was to hope in Jesus Christ.

Mrs Margaret Wright retired from her long service to the School as a member of the Board and the Education Sub-

Committee. Mrs Wright, herself a retired educator, brought great wisdom and insight from many years in education.

Her contribution to the School Board during the tenure of three principals is testimony to her dedication and commitment. She has served well and the School is better for her having done so.

The Board has spent considerable time re-examining our core purpose and mission. As we head towards our 30th anniversary, the Board is determined to maintain the School’s core Christian purpose, its reputation for excellence, and to seek its enhancement and flourishing for many years hence.

Conclusion

2011 brings us closer to our 30th anniversary. Much has been achieved; much remains to be done. May we finish this year encouraged to keep on with our task. We are not breaking rocks; we are not moving stones because we are told to; we are building a cathedral, a task which sees the glory of God in the daily actions of our life, to the benefit of those we serve throughout our global community.

Building a cathedral is not only a longterm vision and task, it is also a faith vision and task. This, too, is the case with St Paul’s. We exist to educate boys and girls and young men and women in a spirit of inquiry and committed to excellence; this is because we are, preeminently, a school pursuing greatness. Yet we also believe strongly that the Christian view of the world and everything in it is worthy of reflection

and honest consideration by our students, families and staff.

Many of our graduates will have opportunity to influence our world for good. Pulling’s vision for Millbrook School, “non sibi sed cunctis”, resonates with the Board’s vision for St Paul’s. The ends of a Millbrook School or St Paul’s education is therefore not self-aggrandisement, self-congratulation or self-promotion, but the application of the benefits of that education in the service of others: we trust they would be enabled and inspired to do so as a result of time spent at St Paul’s.

Names and details of most of the master craftsmen and women who contributed to the great cathedrals have been lost to history. The fruits of their service, on the other hand, have not.

We are the beneficiaries of their legacy, inspired by their work and its results.

Our challenge is to be benefactors to those yet to come. The legacy we are creating today becomes the history that will be retold at the centenary celebrations of St Paul’s in 2083. That’s how cathedrals are built.

Paul Kidson Principal December 2011

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St Paul’s GRAMMAR SCHOOL

52 Taylor Rd, Cranebrook NSW Locked Back 8016 Penrith NSW 2751

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