Futurum #68, Summer 2022

Futurum S T PA U L’ S G R A M M A R S C H O O L

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NO. 68 SUMMER 2022

IN THIS EDITION

Remote Learning 2021 The Challenges and the Opportunities • L EADERSHIP IN LOCKDOWN • S T PAUL’S CAMPUS SPRINGS BACK TO LIFE • DRAMA AT ST PAUL’S

FUTURUM SUMMER 2022

Contents

Futurum ISSUE NO. 68 SUMMER 2022

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From the Principal

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From the Chair of the School Board

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Staff Profile - Jacqueline Tuting

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Remote Learning in 2021 - The Student Experience

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Leadership in Lockdown - The Staff Experience

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Staff Welcome

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ICT During Remote Learning

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The St Paul’s Campus Springs Back to Life

2022 Term Dates Term 1 | Thursday, 27th January to Friday, 8th April

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Alumni Profile - Paul Mitchell

Term 2 | Thursday, 28th April to Friday, 24th June

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Family Profile – The Jakobsson’s

Term 3 | Thursday, 19th July to Friday, 23rd September

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Staff Farewells

Term 3 | Tuesday, 11th October to Thursday, 8th December

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Drama at St Paul’s

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New Babies

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Sports Wrap

St Paul’s Grammar School 52 Taylor Road, Cranebrook NSW 2749 Locked Bag 8016, Penrith NSW 2751 Australia

Contact St Paul’s T | +61 2 4777 4888 E | info@stpauls.nsw.edu.au www.stpauls.nsw.edu.au

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St Paul’s Grammar School

From the Principal | WELCOME

From the Principal Welcome to another wonderful edition of Futurum.

Since our last edition we have all experienced an extended lockdown due to COVID-19 which resulted in the school being in remote teaching and learning mode for all of Term 3 and the start of Term 4. What a challenging time this has been for students, parents and teachers!

As you turn the pages of this publication you will see that even during lockdown, teaching and learning continued, often in very innovative ways.

Our whole school community has displayed such resilience as we navigated 2021.

On the following pages, students and staff share some reflections on the year that has been. These experiences are insightful, inspiring and should be a great encouragement.

While there is no denying it has been a difficult journey, it is also apparent that in many cases, the challenges of learning and teaching from home have fuelled great creativity.

There are also skills and lessons this time has imparted on our students that will extend well beyond their schooling at St Paul’s. We have witnessed remarkable dedication and adaptability and I know we have all come to a greater understanding of just how valuable our connections with friends, mentors and family are.

It was terrific to welcome students and staff back to St Paul’s as Term 4 progressed and to hear the normal sounds of school around the campus. We now look forward to the opportunity to welcome parents back to the school to celebrate the achievements of our students throughout what has been an extraordinary period in the life of St Paul’s.

As we approach Christmas, I pray that you and your family experience God’s peace and blessing. I hope you can share some wonderful times together with friends and family over the upcoming Christmas holidays.

While we are all looking forward to what will hopefully be a less-disruptive 2022, whatever the future holds, I know St Paul’s and our school community will continue to support each other, providing the best learning outcomes possible for our amazing students.

In Christo Futurum.

As we approach Christmas, I pray that you and your family experience God’s peace and blessing.

I hope you can share some wonderful times together with friends and family over the upcoming Christmas holidays.

Ian Wake

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MESSAGE | From the Chair of the School Board

From the Chair of the School Board When I was last asked to contribute some thoughts for Futurum, it was following the lockdown in 2020. On that occasion, I wrote about the dedication, application and professionalism staff at St Paul’s displayed during that challenging period. We have now only recently emerged from another period of lockdown and face the challenges of schooling with a range of new restrictions. The challenges may be a little different this year, but there is no doubt that the dedication, application, and professionalism of our staff remains the same.

I would like to acknowledge the adaptability and perseverance that our staff continue to show.

Paul Lutus, who in the 1970s developed the Apple Writer software, noted, “And the most successful people are those who accept and adapt to constant change. This adaptability requires a degree of flexibility and humility most people can’t manage.” It is clear that the St Paul’s team has been successful in managing to provide quality education and strong support for our students during the period of remote learning. They have shown the flexibility that Lutus speaks of, but it is wonderful to see that they have also done this with humility; a characteristic that reflects the attitude of Jesus Christ.

To be successful also requires perseverance. The 19th Century Scottish philosopher, Thomas Carlyle, gives us some insight into the importance of perseverance. He wrote, “Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.” The staff, the students and the parents – in fact the whole school community – have faced obstacles, discouragements and impossibilities throughout yet another challenging year.

On behalf of the School Board, I wish 4 |

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to thank each member of our school community for the adaptability and the perseverance that has been so evident.

I also wish to encourage you with the

It is clear that the St Paul’s team has been successful in managing to provide quality education and strong support for our students during the period of remote learning... but it is wonderful to see that they have also done this with humility; a characteristic that reflects the attitude of Jesus Christ. words of Paul in his letter to the church at Rome. In the third and fourth verses of Chapter Five he says, “we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

As with last year, our success in handling the challenges of 2021 has been a team

effort. On behalf of the School Board and the St Paul’s community in its entirety, I say thank you to all the staff for their adaptability and perseverance through the many changes that have come, at times with very little notice. I also acknowledge the mature way in which the student body has responded to the changes and assure each member that I and the Board are praying that the disruption that has occurred will be put behind you as you continue in your studies.

May God continue to richly bless St Paul’s and its community.

Peter Mackie Chair of the Board

Jacqueline Tuting | STAFF PROFILE

Mrs Jacqueline Tuting

Position: • P-12 Coordinator of Wellbeing Time at St Paul’s: • 12 Years

While many in the St Paul’s school community know Mrs Jacqueline Tuting through her leadership of the St Paul’s Drama Academy and as the enthusiastic Head of House for Claremont, she has recently been appointed to the role of P-12 Coordinator of Wellbeing; a specialised position designed to support the pastoral care of students, staff and the school community and enhance all aspects of wellbeing at St Paul’s.

A Minute with Mrs Jacqueline Tuting

P-12 Coordinator of Wellbeing at St Paul’s What attracted you to the role of Wellbeing Coordinator?

The short answer is it’s about people! I have always seen my vocation as a ‘calling’, not just a job. Over the years in teaching I have grown a passion for helping people manage their everyday.

As Christians, we recognise that we don’t have all the answers to life’s many complex questions. Many things are simply out of our control. This role is about understanding the needs of others and how to care for them.

What are you most excited about in this new role?

What opportunities do you see for 2022 and beyond?

I am excited about working across the whole school. The St Paul’s community is a warm and inclusive group of staff and students who value culture, creativity, hospitality, and each other. I am excited about embarking on working in the school to develop a whole school Wellbeing framework that can bring together many of the amazing things we do while responding to the changing social landscape.

Why do you feel the wellbeing of students and staff so vital to the learning experience provided at St Paul’s?

This year, the global pandemic has taught us that there are a few challenges ahead of us and it is our job to help our young people navigate these. I am a mother of two children that attend St Paul’s, so I’m personally invested in making this the best possible learning and working environment for staff and students. We know that children thrive best in environments that support their social and emotional learning.

Dedicated to providing a safe and supportive environment for students and staff to thrive, St Paul’s is looking forward to the expertise and passion that Mrs Tuting will bring to the school as P-12 Coordinator of Wellbeing from 2022.

I have always seen my vocation as a ‘calling’, not just a job. Over the years in teaching I have grown a passion for helping people manage their everyday.

What is ‘Wellbeing’ Wellbeing is understanding the needs of the whole person - body, mind, and spirit. One of the distinctives of a Christian perspective of wellbeing is the knowledge of a creator. We are all made in the image of God. As Jesus taught us, we are first called to love God, to love others and to love ourselves.

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REMOTE LEARNING | Junior School

Remote Learning in 2021 The Student Experience It was unnaturally quiet around the St Paul’s campus during Term 3 and the beginning of Term 4, 2021. Our beautiful green spaces, classrooms, libraries and halls stood largely empty and eerily silent. Without the bustle of students and staff going about their teaching and learning, the school felt incomplete.

Yet while the campus lay dormant, activity was flourishing online as our teachers, students and their families responded to the incredible challenges that remote learning presented for our school community.

What did our students find were their biggest challenges? What did they enjoy?

How did they stay motivated, healthy and both physically and mentally strong? Our Junior and Secondary School Captains share some of their thoughts on one of the most difficult periods of teaching and learning in the life of St Paul’s.

Scarlett Newton Junior School Captain “Learning online without teachers and friends has been difficult, as we do not have direct assistance and previously learning with others had made things easier and more fun. Being in Year 6 and learning online, particularly in the exhibition planning time, has been even harder. Online learning has meant that many Junior School students have missed out on fun activities including Gala Day, Camps, Excursions, Money Systems and more. Online learning isn’t all bad though – it’s fun to wear whatever clothes you would like and have more of a free and independent learning system.

In Year Six we have been doing our government unit and we have had an online democracy and also a dictatorship! This has been a very fun and interesting way to learn about different government systems. We did do some fun things like making ice-cream with Miss Gale on a TEAMs call, “Tea with a DepuTea” and the wellbeing days like House Day and Book Day. Online learning in 2021 has been challenging but the teachers have tried really hard to also make it fun.”

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Mrs Rachael Jamieson Newton taking part in “Tea with a DepuTea”

Junior School | REMOTE LEARNING

Daniel Low Junior School Captain “I think the most important lesson we can take away from this year is that it’s important to spend time with those who love and support you. I have enjoyed going for bush walks with my family and our weekly trivia night online with my extended family. So, in conclusion, although this year seems super frustrating now, I am sure we will look back and remember the fun times and not the bad.”

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REMOTE LEARNING | Secondary School

Emerick Agahari Secondary School Captain 2021/2022 “My experience of remote learning this year has had its ups and downs.

Having to be in the same room, at the same desk, using the same laptop all day was quite tiring and because of this it was difficult for me to concentrate, especially in the final two periods of the day. To counter this, I began to implement a remote learning rule for myself where, as soon as the timetabled period was over, regardless of where I was up to in the work set for the period, I would take a small break away from my desk, preferably outside, allowing my brain to reset.

After implementing this, I found that I was able to work more efficiently and I had become less restless throughout the day. While I missed the social interaction that comes with being on campus, remote learning had its positives. With all the extra free time made by the lockdown, I was able to learn new skills and find new hobbies like playing the acoustic guitar, as well as devoting more time for practising existing ones, like playing basketball and the drums. Additionally, I was able to spend more time with my family at home, and more frequently connect with my grandparents.”

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Secondary School | REMOTE LEARNING

Abigail Keane Secondary School Captain 2021/2022 “Remote learning was certainly a challenge however, I felt extremely supported by all of my teachers and the staff at St Paul’s. Our teachers worked so hard to provide us with creative and engaging lessons but were also very understanding that it is difficult to sit in front of a screen all day and encouraged us to take much needed breaks. I’m very grateful that we had the opportunity to stay connected with our teachers and peers through video calls, without which, remote learning would have been a lot harder. One of the things that I missed the most about being on campus is the ability to move around to different classrooms and areas of the school. This change of scenery really helps to break up each class, hence it has been particularly challenging to complete the entire school day at one desk. I found a few spots in my house that I moved to throughout the day, even taking some of my classes from the backyard, to help me stayed focused.

This time has really encouraged me to find other ways to connect with my school friends both during and outside of school hours, where we would catch up over video calls to support each other and we would even get some extra study in. The last few months of lockdown have been a time of learning, in more ways than just school, but in learning about how resilient we can be and what a strong community we are.”

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LEADERSHIP | In Lockdown

Guiding St Paul’s During the Pandemic

Julie McDonough International Students and Homestay Coordinator

The last couple of years have been some of the most challenging in the history of St Paul’s. Through hard work, understanding, compassion and support, school staff, students and parents have done an exceptional job navigating through the difficulties of extended periods of remote learning.

The remote learning period has reinforced the strong sense of community for which St Paul’s is renowned. Teachers, homestay families and parents in other parts of the world, have come together to encourage our international students to do their best, regardless of circumstances.”

St Paul’s is blessed to have at the helm a dedicated and experienced team of educators who have never lost sight of what makes St Paul’s such a special place for students to learn.

As we approach the end of 2021, members of the school’s senior staff share their thoughts on remote learning:

Corinne Day Deputy Head of Junior School, Curriculum and PYP Coordinator

“Remote learning has taught me that it doesn’t matter what is thrown at us as a school community, we will always strive to be rigorous, positive, engaging and relevant in the way we teach with our Christian worldview. This is at the core of everything we think, feel and do.

It has been a challenging time and we relied heavily on technology to help us stay in touch with our families.

We maintained our bonds with families by using clear communication, email checkin’s, Parent/Teacher interviews, phone calls, Seesaw posts and regular Teams meeting.

There are many positives that have come out of remote learning. It has been lovely to see parents teaching their children. I believe for some families it has brought them closer together. The biggest surprise is seeing some of our students who are very quiet in the classroom show their true colours as they shared their learning through Seesaw posts.”

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“Remote learning was particularly challenging for many of our international students, both here and in China.

For international students studying locally at St Paul’s, as well as being far from home, they also had to manage with learning online in a second language.

Our Year 11 students in China have been undertaking remote learning for all of 2021, due to border closures. Despite the challenges they have faced, these students have displayed incredible tenacity and commitment. Their teachers have also worked tirelessly to keep students engaged. During remote learning, in addition to normal classes, Mrs Dunn ran Lunch Clubs for our international students, where the students could “drop in” and get help, ask questions, or just have a chat. She also provided one-on-one tutoring sessions.

Mary Robyn

Coordinator of Middle Years Programmes and Head of Secondary School Library

“While there have been challenges, I’ve been delighted to see learning being enhanced by significant online experiences including in conjunction with Penrith City Council, CSIRO and performing artists. We have reduced our traveling carbon footprint, yet virtually visited and appreciated enchanting and important aspects of our world.

Remote learning has allowed us to focus on and further develop our virtual strengths.

Prior to this year’s periods of remote learning, the Secondary School Library was one of the busiest places at St Paul’s.

Throughout lockdown we maintained a virtual Library and provided online, one-on-one tutoring for students. It has been a privilege to remove barriers to learning as we’ve provided individualised assistance.

Our experiences with remote learning have been a catalyst for more quickly contemplating how we can use virtual learning to provide wonderful educational opportunities for students.”

Welcome to St Paul’s | NEW STAFF

Philip Heath

Director, Students and Family Services

“The events of the last year have emphasised what I have known about our students for a long time; they are incredibly good at adapting to change.

This is a wonderful attribute to have and will serve them well as they move beyond school.

Ian Brooker Head of Junior School

Our school staff have once again demonstrated just how hard working they are and the incredible lengths they will go to in order to achieve what is best for the students in their care.

The way our staff care for our students is incredible.

Online events like our House Day and Book Week brought everybody across the community together. I think the regular communication from St Paul’s Principal, Mr Wake, was critical in making sure the community was aware of what was happening.

I also know that the one-on-one chats that teachers had with parents were also so important to keep everyone feeling connected.”

The periods of remote learning and lockdown also showed the strength of the bonds we have with one another as a community.

As I hear about experiences from other schools it is this type of rich connection with one another that is quite unique to St Paul’s.

The events of the last year have emphasised what I have known about our students for a long time; they are incredibly good at adapting to change

“I have been amazed by the resilience of our community and the creativity shown by learners.

In the Junior School our parents were often joining in with the fun, including dressing up and setting up obstacle courses. I love how there was a sense of “we are in this together”.

I have been amazed by the resilience of our community and the creativity shown by learners...

I love how there was a sense of “we are in this together”

St Paul’s Welcomes New Staff Whether it is in the classroom, the office, or in the school grounds, each member of staff works to enhance the learning experience of our students and contributes to the collegial and caring Christian environment of St Paul’s.

Anthony Bonavoglia Helpdesk Operator

Anne-Marie Nassif

EA to the Director of Business and Finance

Georgia Ongley

Secondary School Learning Enrichment Assistant

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ICT | @ St Paul’s

The Machinery of Remote Learning ICT at St Paul’s

During the past 18 months, the school’s technology programme has proven its value and flexibility, navigating the challenges of restrictions and lockdowns, writes Justin Warner, Director of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at St Paul’s.

Teachers at St Paul’s have engaged with technology in new and innovative ways during the recent periods of remote teaching and learning. We are all lifelong learners at St Paul’s and the ICT team have enjoyed supporting our teaching staff as they have expressed the characteristics of the IB Learner Profile we encourage our students to display – such as being inquirers, being knowledgeable and being risk-takers.

This has resulted in a high level of engagement from students from PreKindergarten through to Year 12. While remote learning certainly has been challenging, it has been rewarding to see students engaging with the different learning experiences provided via our technology platforms during this time.

my.stpauls

my.stpauls Logins per Month

my.stpauls Our key learning and communication platform, my.stpauls, has been the central point of our remote learning strategy. It has been very encouraging to see the growth in the number of students and parents engaging with my.stpauls across 2021.

Seesaw In our Junior School, engagement with Seesaw has been particularly strong during remote learning, with more than 10,000 items posted by staff and students some weeks. Teachers and students have been very active posting video and photos of the work they are completing at home. Students have also used the platform to connect with their teacher and classmates in meaningful, engaging ways.

Video Conferencing Following the experiences of 2020, it was felt that using video-conferencing would add value to the learning experience for students in 2021. We had already commenced deploying Microsoft Teams software to school staff and quickly rolled this out for students. Staff and students were quick to take advantage of this new opportunity to meet virtually.

Your ICT Support Team Our support team has had to quickly adapt as the type of support required shifted from faceto-face with students troubleshooting school managed devices, to being a mix of contact with parents and students, school managed and personal devices and a variety of home network configurations and circumstances; all while being handled remotely by the ICT team.

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The team took this in their stride and continued to deliver a high level of service to the St Paul’s community. We have welcomed the positive feedback from families on how we have been able to support them and have appreciated everybody’s patience and support as we have worked to make the remote learning experience as rewarding as possible.

The Future Much of what we have developed during the periods of remote learning will continue to benefit our staff and students into the future.

Justin Warner Director of Information and Communication Technology

Welcome Back | STUDENTS RETURN TO CAMPUS

St Paul’s Campus Springs Back to Life It was wonderful to welcome all students back to St Paul’s during Term 4, to recommence face-to-face learning.

As they reconnected with their friends, the normal school sounds returned with the hustle and bustle of movement, the babble of many conversations and the sounds of laughter.

For some students the return to school was eagerly anticipated, for others there were some nerves, after returning to school following such a long period of time in remote learning mode. Parents, carers and teachers have once again done an excellent job in guiding and supporting students through another complex adjustment.

Students adapted to new daily routines incredibly well, especially following such great disruption this year. It is a great testament to the resilience and flexibility of students and their families at St Paul’s.

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ALUMNI PROFILE | Paul Mitchell

Paul Mitchell Graduating Year: •2 011

Profession: •P roject Management NSW Government School Captain, 2011, Paul Mitchell, took a moment to reflect on his time at St Paul’s and shares what he found most valuable, how his educational journey paved the way for where he finds himself now; and what advice he would impart to current students – especially in light of the recent, challenging periods of remote learning.

hat was your favourite subject W at school? Why? Geography. I enjoy learning about the world and how humans interact with it. It is amazing how fragile the earth is and yet it still supports so many people. I have always had a sense of awe and wonder for nature. In my time since finishing school, I have been able to travel both around Australia and overseas, visiting many incredible locations both man-made and natural. The Year 11 excursion to the Gold Coast and learning about how big the world is has fed my desire for adventure.

Who inspired you growing up?

As a young child I grew up through the golden era of Rugby in Australia. I remember the Wallabies Captain John Eales being a leader who brought everyone together and built a winning team. The Wallabies would never lose! Even in my younger years I could see he was a leader with integrity and knew people were looking up to him as a role model.

What is your main area of study/work now?

I have a Bachelor of Science (Advanced) from University of Sydney and a Certificate in Executive Management and Development from UNSW. I currently work in project management for the NSW Government but will shortly commence a Business Partner role in Strategy at UNSW. Describe your typical week At work, I am usually driving forward deliverables across particular projects that 14 |

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I have been assigned to. This can range from taking an idea to implementation or developing new processes to ensure tasks are delivered on time. Typically, I chair meetings with different workstreams across a programme to problem solve, take actions and ensure a way forward is captured and communicated to relevant stakeholders.

Outside of work, I live in a share house with friends from church so life is quite social.

Given the last few months, most of my time has been spent working from home, surfing in the Royal National Park, reading and jumping on Zoom prayer groups. Pre-COVID-19, most of my time on weekends was spent catching up with family and friends across Sydney.

How did school help consolidate your career path?

First, I think it’s important to acknowledge that my career path is still in the process of consolidation. I definitely don’t have it all figured out yet. That aside, school really began the process of developing self-awareness which is critical in building any career. Having to think about what subjects I gravitated towards, positioned me to consider how I am put together and I think that’s really important.

The fact of life is you cannot do everything, you have to say yes to some opportunities which means no to others. The simple act of choosing subjects at school made me realise this.

Second, having great teachers who would recognise certain skills or attributes and

encourage me was invaluable. Well placed encouragement from others is significantly under-rated in finding career direction.

Third, I’d also say being involved in extracurricular activities such as rugby and basketball developed my teamwork and social skills which are critical in any workplace. These activities cultivate character for life which is necessary for making sound decisions around what path to take.

Where do you see yourself headed in the future?

Steve Jobs said you can’t connect the dots looking forward, only looking back and I have to agree. That being said, having been out of school now for ten years I know I enjoy working in organisations with a powerful purpose.

I am more inclined to big-picture thinking and figuring out practical ways to get things done. Combining these two thoughts, I can see myself continuing to work in education management or eventually for a faith-based organisation, but in the business management and more specifically, the strategy space.

At the moment I am contemplating studying a master’s degree for further development.

What challenges have you encountered?

How did you overcome them?

When I graduated university, I was working in quite a toxic work environment and in a role I didn’t really enjoy. At the time I felt trapped and quite dubious about the future. It was a battle to keep above those negative and

Paul Mitchell | ALUMNI PROFILE

anxious thoughts and my mental health really took a hit. However, at the time I had some solid people around me (friends and family) who I could confide in and they were a great support and encouragement. I honestly wouldn’t be able to get through life’s challenges without close friends and I don’t think we are meant to. Surfing, big waves also helped!

Do you have a favourite memory from your time at St Paul’s?

Travelling to the snow for Year 10 Camp.

I had never been skiing before and remember having a great time with my friends, most of whom I still see today. A particularly niche memory was listening to ‘Kosciuszko’ by Midnight Oil while staring out the bus window looking at snow-capped mountains.

Were you involved in any co-curricular activities at St Paul’s? What did you find most enjoyable?

Rugby, basketball, the Duke of Edinburgh Award and the school choir. Rugby was the most memorable out of all the activities as it required the most commitment but developed a strong sense of mateship.

I loved spending Saturdays travelling to different schools with good friends – it was all part of growing up. It was also a great privilege representing the school.

What is one piece of advice for current St Paul’s students?

Be well rounded. You can specialise later in life but you won’t have a time again to engage in as many extracurricular activities as you can now. The more you give stuff a go, the more you will build awareness of others and self.

Don’t be afraid of stepping out and saying yes, the memories will stay with you for life and you might just have some fun.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns has been difficult for many in our community. Do you have any tips that you’ve found particularly valuable in keeping mentally and/or emotionally and/or physically fit during this difficult period?

As I have alluded to, I believe it’s essential to be surrounded by good people. Our culture can be somewhat individualistic and I think that results in many people feeling isolated.

Ensure you are part of a community of some sort. For me, being part of a Christian community has been such a life source and without that and keeping to a daily routine of prayer, I think I would have found lockdown exceptionally difficult. Regular exercise and getting outdoors with friends also kept my physical and mental health afloat.

We live in an information saturated age, and this shapes our thinking. A good question to ask ourselves is who and what is shaping the way I think and how are they doing it? A big challenge I find is being careful what I let into my mind, what to watch vs what not watch.

It really takes discernment.

Is there anything else you would like to share?

I just want to encourage everyone who reads this to make the most of life and be themselves. Recognise you are created unique, figure out what your gifts are and begin to grow them with others in mind. I like what Oscar Wilde said, ‘Be yourself, everyone else is already taken’.

I believe it’s essential to be surrounded by good people... Ensure you are part of a community of some sort. For me, being part of a Christian community has been such a life source and without that and keeping to a daily routine of prayer, I think I would have found lockdown exceptionally difficult.

Regular exercise and getting outdoors with friends also kept my physical and mental health afloat.

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FAMILY PROFILE | The Jakobsson Family

The Jakobsson Family

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St Paul’s Grammar School

St Paul’s enjoys a vibrant and welcoming community of families whose support enhances the learning experience of our students in many valuable ways.

The Jakobsson family share some of their thoughts on the school experiences they have enjoyed and valued as part of the St Paul’s community.

The Jakobsson Family | FAMILY PROFILE

Our Crest

Who is the Jakobsson family?

Parents Michelle and John and their three children, currently studying at St Paul’s: Kai: Year 12 Zoe: Year 10 Mia: Year 8 Plus, their dog, Oreo and several chooks!

The Jakobssons have lived in the Hawkesbury region for around seventeen years.

Design & Colour

As a family we have loved watching our girls take part in the school’s Dance Academy showcases, Ricochet and Sojourn and have greatly enjoyed watching all the other visual and performing arts performances.

Friends of St Paul’s

The St Paul’s crest represents the centrality of the cross to the Christian faith and thus mission of our school; profiled by the rising sun symbolising our hope and future in Christ. The crest is made up of the central logo with the name and motto of the school around the diameter.

The logo should not be redrawn, digitally manipulated or altered. No rescaling of the horizontal or vertical proportions should occur.

Colours: Pantone, CMYK and RGB versions of the St Paul’s School crest have been created. The colour values are:

What are some of things your children enjoy at St Paul’s?

They really value the co-curricular activities open to them, such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award, ISA sports the many different cultural tours, musical and dance productions.

PMS 294 C

PMS 362 C

PMS 3935 C

C100 M69 Y7 K30

C78 M0 Y100 K2

C2 M0 Y60 K0

R0 G47 B108

R80 G158 B47

R243 G234 B93

Colour Reverse White reverse / CMYK crest should be reversed out of St Paul’s Blue - PMS541

Mono / Mono Reverse To be used when appropriate for non colour reproduction (forms, reversed out of photographic background) or when colour isn’t

How do you like to spend time together as a family?

We really enjoy family holidays, skiing, jet skiing or relaxing by the pool at home.

Our family movie nights are also always fun and we enjoy playing card and board games together.

We chose St Paul’s for our children’s education as it was a local school with a great reputation and had an impressive mix of subjects and co-curricular activities.

Why did you choose to send your children to St Paul’s?

We chose St Paul’s for our children’s education as it was a local school with a great reputation and had an impressive mix of subjects and co-curricular activities.

The Pre-Kindergarten programme was just commencing at the time Kai was starting at the school and we liked the fact that St Paul’s caters to students from Pre-Kindergarten through to Year 12, all in one school.

What are the things you engage with at St Paul’s that you really value as a family?

We like the school’s involvement with the ISA sporting competitions (tennis, netball, and softball), the dance programme and being part of the parent and school community group, Friends of St Paul’s (FoSP), which organises a range of community-based activities.

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What are some things you find challenging as parents (or as a family)?

Juggling all the after-school activities and getting everyone to where they are supposed to be on time is a challenge.

Dance classes, sports training as well as getting three children to different venues each week for ISA sports can lead to us asking fellow families for a little help at times.

2021 has been another particularly demanding year. What was your experience of remote learning and managing as a family through such a disruptive time?

The remote learning aspect was good and we found our children adapted well, particularly as they are older. However, it was harder for Kai in Year 12, as the lockdown interrupted not only Year 12 but also Year 11. Most of all, the children missed all the face-to-face social interaction with their peers at school.

What has been a highlight for your family in 2021?

Getting to spend more time with each other as a family, learning to cook new meals, as well as the Penrith Panthers winning the NRL Grand Final! We also started to plan our next family holiday when we can go overseas.

What is your family looking forward to in 2022?

We are really looking forward to holidaying and travelling overseas, hopefully to visit some family in Sweden. Kai’s acceptance into University and starting the next adventure of his life is also really exciting.

Life has been a challenge this year with everything we value turned upside down, but we will all come out stronger.

Friends of St Paul’s (FoSP) is a longstanding school institution composed of dedicated parents, community members and staff, who deliver a range of events and activities that connect the community, benefit St Paul’s and enhance the student school experience.

Over the last five years, Michelle has played a key role with FoSP as a very active and enthusiastic member. For the past two years, she has also been the group’s Vice-President.

Trivia nights and colour fun runs as well as Christmas events are just a few of the things she has been involved with that have helped to bring St Paul’s together, raise money and help improve student life on campus.

“I have found the parents that come to our FoSP meetings have a real interest in helping our school community.

Due to this being a small school in comparison to others it is great to see parents willing to put their hands up and volunteer to help the school with small projects.

We welcome all new members to our meetings that are held in the Secondary School office the second Tuesday of every month.” Michelle Jakobsson.

More information about the Friends of St Paul’s is available on the school’s website.

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STAFF FAREWELLS | You Will Be Missed

Staff Farewells Geoffrey Anderson Secondary School Languages Faculty – Latin Teacher

Not long before the start of the 2008 school year, St Paul’s was in need of a new Latin teacher. It was a blessing that Geoff was looking for a new adventure at the time and applied for the position.

When he applied, it was clear that he had a most interesting background. First and foremost, he was an educator who had also studied theology. His Christian faith is an integral part of his very being.

His most recent work prior to St Paul’s was as a volunteer in Papua New Guinea.

A job which only added to his remarkable skill set.

Geoff came to St Paul’s as a pedagogical leader of great experience, having worked in primary schools in regional NSW before becoming a school principal. This gave him an excellent understanding of school administration, but also of differentiation in the classroom. Teaching in regional schools with students from Kindergarten to Year 6 in the same classroom gave Geoff great skill in teaching students at different levels.

Helen Michalski

Secondary School Technological and Applied Studies (TAS) Teacher

St Paul’s is sad to farewell a valued staff member and great friend, Helen Michalski.

Helen had an eventful career prior to teaching, owning her own café and making wedding cakes for David Jones before moving into teaching. She sought out St Paul’s for casual teaching work in 2006.

Her exceptional teaching skills and professionalism saw her quickly offered a permanent position within the school.

She has shown excellence through her quality teaching, consistently seeking the best results from students. In the past, her senior Textiles students have been recognised for achieving the highest results in the State and her Hospitality students regularly gained Schools Industry Partnerships excellence awards.

In her career at St Paul’s, Helen’s valued leadership skills and caring nature have seen her hold a number of additional roles.

She has been both a Year Coordinator and Head of Department (TAS). Helen has a genuine heart for service, her care of the team and commitment to growth saw her

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To add to his already broad education, Geoff took up the study of Latin later in his career. This gave him insight into the challenges of learning a language beyond childhood, helping him to understand the difficulties that many students face. Geoff delights in the history, culture and linguistic structure of Latin and he is passionate about sharing it with his students. In his time at St Paul’s he has created a flourishing culture of Latin scholars. Through his organisation of Latin camps in Year 8 to the presentation of “Little Red Riding Hood” in Latin, Geoff made Latin accessible and engaging to the whole school community.

While Geoff is retiring from teaching after more than fifty years, he is not retiring from Latin. He will be spending his time writing about great Roman figures and using his extraordinary knowledge of Latin as part of this.

St Paul’s has been blessed to have Geoff develop a love for Latin at the school.

Gratias tibi. Te desiderabimus.

model Christian Education and encourage the Technical and Applied Studies team to be involved in professional associations and learning. For many years, as a result of Helen’s leadership, St Paul’s has hosted the Hospitality Network meeting for the Association of Independent Schools, bringing teachers from metropolitan areas to our school, showcasing facilities and new teaching strategies.

Helen has participated in the life of St Paul’s in many ways - most often beyond her teaching role and primarily in areas of school service. She has led students on co-curricular Hospitality travels overseas, served on the Debutante Ball Committee and has, for the last fifteen years, organised and delivered catering for School Board dinners, Art showcases, Grandparents Day, Year 6 Graduation Dinners (including the Year 6 Graduation cake), and prepared hors d’oeuvres for parents and staff at numerous cocktail evenings.

St Paul’s will greatly miss Helen and wishes her all the best for the future.

You Will Be Missed | STAFF FAREWELLS

Sally Arthur

Christina Penna

Sally Arthur came to St Pauls at the beginning of 2020 as our Pre-Kindergarten Coordinator.

Sally successfully led her team to facilitate learning and care for our youngest students in St Paul’s during one of the most challenging periods in the school’s history. Her enthusiasm and passion in rethinking how to teach four-year-old’s during this time was exceptional. Sally relinquished her position after the arrival of her second child. We hope to see her return in the future.

For over three years Christina Penna taught Secondary School Mathematics at St Paul’s before leaving the school earlier this year.

Christina is a passionate mathematics teacher who holds herself and her students to a very high standard.

She was a selfless and active participant in many school camps and trips and was well liked and respected by her fellow teachers, her students and their parents. She will be sorely missed.

Coordinator of Pre-Kindergarten

Karen Daniels

Secondary School and Junior School Classroom Teacher

Secondary School Mathematics Teacher

While Karen Daniels’ journey at St Paul’s as a teacher started six years ago, her connection started much earlier with the enrolment of her son into the Junior School.

In her time at St Paul’s she served in a variety of teaching and leadership roles, working in Secondary School support, as Head of Junior School Support and Pre-Kindergarten Coordinator. Karen was more than just delivering the curriculum – she was always about the people and it was common to see her talking to individual students and supporting families.

Karen would always “go the second mile” seeking to serve those around her.

Katherine Bate Junior School Classroom Teacher

St Paul’s farewells Katherine Bate at the end of the year as she has accepted a position as Primary Sports Coordinator and Teacher at William Clarke College.

Katherine has been a wonderful and enthusiastic team member in the Junior School over many years and always worked to inspire and encourage her students in their learning. She will be greatly missed.

Rachael Jamieson Newton Deputy Head of Junior School (Welfare and Organisation)

St Paul’s sadly parts with Rachael Jamieson Newton at the end of 2021 as she leaves to take up an appointment as Head of Junior School at Blue Mountains Grammar School. Rachael has taught at St Paul’s for the last eight years, fulfilling a variety of roles including Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Teacher, Grade Leader and more recently as Deputy Head of Junior School (Welfare and Organisation).

St Paul’s has been blessed to have someone so talented to manage the day-to-day running of the Junior School and coordinate the pastoral care of our students. One of the key initiatives that Rachael led was in developing play-based activities in the Junior School playground. The inclusion of creative and imaginative play activities has greatly enhanced the programmes of the school.

St Paul’s wishes her great success with in her new appointment.

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DRAMA FEATURE | Secondary School

Drama at St Paul’s “All the world is a stage” for students at St Paul’s.

St Paul’s is well known for its comprehensive Drama coaching, support and professional productions which engage students across both the Junior and Secondary Schools. From providing solid foundations and fostering raw talent in the Junior School, through to dedicated study and professional tutelage in the Secondary School, students are encouraged to challenge themselves and express their creativity.

However, 2021 made it difficult to showcase the performance arts and teachers, tutors and students have investigated other innovative ways to practice and perform.

In the Secondary School Jacqueline Tuting, Drama Coordinator

“This year we, like many artists, we have been incredibly adaptable and creative in finding ways to express and provide our art form. I recently heard the phrase “film is the future”- and that has been one of the core ways we continued in this remote time. I have been thoroughly impressed with how students have modified and transformed their works for the camera. In this time, student have not just performed the role of actor, but they have engaged in script writing, backdrops, designed sets and explored different camera angles which

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has taught them so much about theatrical concepts like point of view, suspense and audience engagement. We have enjoyed many ‘watch parties’ with our popcorn while viewing students work as a class online.

We also had the opportunity to engage with specific theatrical techniques as we have not had a pressing performance to prepare for. So, in this time students honed very technical dramatic skills such as manipulating ordinary props to come to life or forming a simple paper puppet to experiment with micro actions like breathing. As actors, students have additionally benefited from the online tutorage of performance coach Kelsey Murphy, who engaged students in techniques like breathing, articulation,

focus, vocal control, and gesture.

The impact of COVID-19 and extended lockdowns impacted a range of our projects and resulted in a pause to rehearsals or even cancellation. Particularly, the cancellation of “Bye Bye Birdie” last year was incredibly heart breaking with the cast being so close to a final show ready for staging for the community.

However, what all our drama students experienced is very similar to what a number of talented industry professionals had to navigate. It is encouraging to see many shows returning to the professional stage in Sydney, such as Hamilton. We too in the Drama Academy have great hopes and are currently dreaming of our next big show for the St Paul’s stage. So stay tuned!”

Junior School | DRAMA FEATURE

In the Junior School

Heather Watson, Junior School Drama Specialist

“In the Junior School, all students are taught Drama for the first semester of the year and this fun, creative learning continued while students learnt from home. Students gradually transition from story-based reflections and replications in their early years to compositions of their own making as they get older.

Our focus in the Junior School is the elements of Drama: Tension, Focus, Mood, Contrast, Symbol and Space. We use these to enable students to critique what they see and create.

The transition into primary in Year 3 challenges students to use inferences in a text to understand characters and make predictions. To connect with their Unit of Inquiry, Year 3 take a look at storytelling through animations and Year 4 worked to create a character through Readers Theatre – a scripted performance.

In Year 5 students begin to use improvisation as a tool to make their performances spontaneous and enjoyable.

They played games which encourage group work, quick thinking and lots of giggles! As their final performance, they created an ending to a scripted fractured fairy tale.

This year, Kindergarten played with the idea of acting like an animal through stories like “A Rumble in the Jungle” by Giles Andrea, creating masks and recreating the story.

Year 1 inquired into the story “Lost and Found” by Oliver Jeffers. They used props to tell the story, emotions to display the characters’ feelings and frozen scenes predicting how it might end.

As students’ primary school journey with Drama comes to its dramatic conclusion, Year 6 write a script and perform their own creations. This year the stimulus for their script was “change or perspective”.

There were lollies which changed characters into evil villains, travels through time and some relationship misunderstandings performed to represent many different perspectives.

Year 2 focused on emotions and took an enjoyable journey with the crayons from “The Day the Crayons Quit” by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers. They focused on using facial expressions and body language to create characters.

We were very thankful that this year our first semester was uninterrupted and all our classroom performances went ahead.

We look forward to 2022 where we will no doubt see new creations which spring from the inquiring imaginations of ourOur students!”

Crest Design & Colour

Drama Academy

The St Paul’s crest represents the centrality of the cross to the Christian faith and thus mission of our school; profiled by the rising sun symbolising our hope and future in Christ. The crest is made up of the central logo with the name and motto of the school around the diameter.

The logo should not be redrawn, digitally manipulated or altered. No rescaling of the horizontal or vertical proportions should occur.

Colours: Pantone, CMYK and RGB versions of the St Paul’s School crest have been created. The colour values are:

PMS 294 C

PMS 362 C

PMS 3935 C

C100 M69 Y7 K30

C78 M0 Y100 K2

C2 M0 Y60 K0

R0 G47 B108

R80 G158 B47

R243 G234 B93

Colour Reverse White reverse / CMYK crest should be reversed out of St Paul’s Blue - PMS541

Mono / Mono Reverse To be used when appropriate for non colour reproduction (forms, reversed out of photographic background) or when colour isn’t available.

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The school’s Drama Academy is a co-curricular opportunity offered to St Paul’s students in Years 3 to 12 who are interested in developing their performance skills. Types of activities include focusing and concentration exercises, improvisation skills, play-building self-devised works, group-based performance, developing vocal and physical characterisations and stagecraft.

It is fun, builds confidence and gives students a platform to take their skills to the next level.

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NEW BABIES | Welcome to the Community

New Babies

The St Paul’s Grammar School community is pleased to welcome new babies amongst our staff families.

Chloe Name | Chloe Jane Sack Born | Friday, 27th August 2021 Weight | 2.7kg Length | 50cm

Kate Ridge, Secondary School PD/H/PE teacher at St Paul’s and her husband, Chris, welcome Chloe.

Hunter

Name | Hunter David Tapara Born | Thursday, 7th October 2021 Weight | 3.8kg Length | 51.5cm

Beth Tapara, Events Coordinator at St Paul’s and her husband, Sam, welcome Hunter.

Arthur Name | Arthur David Taylor Born | Friday, 3rd September 2021 Weight | 4.25kg Length | 52cm

Casey Taylor, Secondary School English teacher at St Paul’s and husband, Alex, welcome Arthur.

Annalise

Name | Annalise Harrene Ongley Born | Tuesday, 29th March 2021 Weight | 2.5kg Length | 48cm

Steve Ongley, Junior School teacher at St Paul’s and his wife, Melinda, welcome Annalise.

WELCOME TO THE COMMUNITY

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Winter 2021 | SPORTS WRAP

Sports Wrap Winter 2021 Secondary School Despite disruptions to the school calendar in Term 3, students were part of some great sporting experiences throughout Term 2. Students took part in Cross Country and Athletics carnivals and St Paul’s fielded fifteen teams in ISA competitions across Football, Netball and Tennis, recording some impressive results.

“No matter the sport or the competition, out teams displayed determination and team spirit, proudly representing St Paul’s.”

Hailey Tantalos Coordinator of the St Paul’s Sports Academy

Junior School Throughout Term 2, sport in the Junior School was filled with many exciting events and student achievements, despite the challenging circumstances.

Cross Country and Athletics carnivals saw the Junior School awash with House colours, Friday Sport offered the opportunity for students to take part in Taekwondo coaching and students played against a number of other schools in Soccer, AFL and Netball.

“While remote learning limited school sports later in the year, I am grateful for the opportunities our students had during Term 2. They certainly made the most of them with some excellent performances.”

Gabrielle Casha Junior School Physical Education Teacher

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S T P A U L’ S G R A M M A R S C H O O L NO. 68 SUMMER 2022

St Paul’s Grammar School 52 Taylor Road, Cranebrook NSW 2749

T | +61 2 4777 4888 E | info@stpauls.nsw.edu.au

www.stpauls.nsw.edu.au /stpaulsgrammar /stpaulsgrammar