2023 Term 4, Week 2

Earlier in the week, the House Leaders and I were up at Alexandra Headlands with next year’s Secondary School Captains. It was an amazing day getting to know this exceptional group of young people who will be leading our School in 2024. The House Leaders and I were very impressed with how cohesively they all worked together and we’re really looking forward to seeing them create their own legacy at St Paul’s School. My sincere thanks to the House Leaders and Rev Leam for giving up part of their weekend and their leadership in this space. I’m excited to be walking alongside this group of talented leaders.

Also, last Friday night, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Battle of the Bands competition. The talent on display completely blew me away – I wouldn’t be surprised if a few record labels will be contacting some of the students in the years to come.

There’s plenty of other activities going on around our campus over the next few days. Just a sample of these include:

• The Year 6s will soon arrive back from Canberra and from all reports it’s been a fantastic trip
• The Volleyball Supporters Group had a great end of year breakup celebrating the successes of the season
• Swimming club has begun for 23/24 and hopefully the pool temperature starts to rise a little
• Design Led Ventures (DLV) 5.0 continues apace towards their grand finale with the tams starting to implement their business models. This is an amazing project, showing the power of Realms of Thinking in action
• A Vanuatu information evening about next year’s trip. Be sure to reach out to Rev Leam if you have any questions
• Three of our Year 11 students are currently in Japan attending World School – what an amazing opportunity it is for them to make global connections and represent St Paul’s on the world stage

As you can see it’s a very busy, but exciting term. We’re also providing our very best wishes for our Year 12s who will soon finish up their classes and begin their final exams. I’ve been very encouraged by how well they are preparing for the end of the year and look forward to celebrating their successes with them.

Kind Regards,

John O’Sullivan Williams
Acting Principal

Students and parents can access these research guides on the Library platform.

This term, research guides have been published for Year 7, 8 and 9 Science units. They include links to books available in the Library’s Science collection, videos, podcasts, websites, databases and more.

There are also research guides for the Year 8 English film study, Year 9 English novel studies, Year 8 History unit, Year 10 English Shakespeare unit, Year 11 Health study, and a wide range of Year 11 units.

But these research guides are not just for class studies. Students might be interested in finding more about Artificial Intelligence or Entrepreneurship, or undertake the Referencing Short Course. Each of these pages can be found on the Library platform.

So, next time you are starting a new unit, or wanting a helping hand with your studies, remember, ’there’s a research guide for that.’

Mondays – Innovators and Inventors – are back! Meeting every Monday Lunch.  Come along and bring your design ideas to life.

Last term was the beginning of this club where two very different business ideas were developed. One group was focussed on designing mini aeroplanes using our 3D printer.  Another, designing personalised Year 6 Camp merchandise with our amazing Cricut Machines.  This Term, we welcome back our club members and of course invite new students to come and explore and design their own unique ideas

Tuesdays – Lego Drop-in

Meeting every Tuesday at lunchtime. Students are welcome to come to the hub to create Lego Masterpieces with their friends in a relaxed and fun environment.  This Term we are introducing the Lego Mystery Box Challenge.  Commencing Week 3 students can work individually or in small groups to test out their design skills in this fun Lego challenge.

Wednesdays – Sewing & Textiles Club.

Our Sewing and Textile Club meets every Wednesday Lunch. Originally established by our senior school students so they could design and sew their own formal gowns. This term, we are expanding our Sewing and Textile Club to include Staff and Junior School students from years 4 to 6.

This Term, our members will learn how to do basic hand sewing and/or machine sewing.  Our first project will be to Sew an Origami Butterfly.

Later in the Term, we will also be running Introduction to Quilting sessions.  Students and staff have the opportunity to practice their sewing skills and test out their creativity on our brand new Janome MyExcel sewing machines. 

Thursdays – Create Space

Meeting every Thursday at lunchtime. The create space is available to students to explore their creativity and inspire their imaginations.  Last term we commenced our 1000 Butterfly Project.  Students enjoyed making a range of different creations using modelling clay and other craft materials.

In Term 4, students will have an opportunity to learn about Paper Mache and get to design their own vase, bowl or work of art.

It is vital that all contact details remain up to date so that we can contact you as necessary and continue providing your family with relevant information via email, phone and post.

Visit Parent Lounge

Parents/guardians can report their child’s absence from school via parent lounge.  An email detailing the process will be sent to you in the coming days.

If you have forgotten your Parent Lounge password, you can reset this yourself via the Parent Lounge login screen. If you have forgotten your Parent Lounge username, please contact the School’s reception.

This change is another improvement in the School’s approach towards child protection as it adds a level of security and authentication to child absences from school.  If you have any questions please contact the Risk and Compliance Officer, Mark Barratt ([email protected]).

Please note, if your child will be absent for three days or longer email your child’s House Leader.

Mood Gym is your virtual haven for enhancing your emotional well-being. It’s an online platform dedicated to improving your mental health and helping you build the emotional resilience you need to thrive in this modern world. Let’s dive into why Mood Gym is the ultimate destination for your emotional fitness journey:

1. Evidence-Based Programs– Mood Gym offers a range of evidence-based programs that have been developed by psychologists and mental health experts. These programs are designed to address a wide spectrum of mental health concerns, from managing stress and anxiety to boosting self-esteem and building positive relationships.
2. Accessible and free to all Australians– One of the greatest advantages of Mood Gym is its accessibility. You can access the platform anytime, anywhere, from the comfort of your home or on the go. No more scheduling appointments or waiting rooms – Mood Gym is always open and ready to support you.
3. Personalized Learning– Mood Gym understands that everyone’s emotional well-being journey is unique. The platform adapts to your needs by offering personalized exercises and activities tailored to your specific challenges and goals. Whether you’re looking to improve your mood, reduce stress, or develop healthier thought patterns, Mood Gym has you covered.
4. Interactive and Engaging- Gone are the days of monotonous self-help books. Mood Gym keeps you engaged with its interactive exercises, quizzes, and engaging activities. You’ll find yourself motivated to continue your emotional fitness journey as you progress through the platform.
5. Community Support– At Mood Gym, you’re not alone on your journey to emotional fitness. Connect with a supportive community of individuals who share similar goals and experiences. Share insights, seek advice, or simply find comfort in knowing that others are walking a similar path to emotional well-being.
6. Track Your Progress– Mood Gym provides tools to track your progress, helping you see how far you’ve come in your emotional fitness journey. Celebrate your successes, no matter how small they may seem, and stay motivated to achieve your goals.
7. 24/7 Support – Life doesn’t adhere to a 9-to-5 schedule, and neither does Mood Gym. Whether it’s midnight or midday, you can count on Mood Gym to be there when you need it most.

Visit Mood Gym https://moodgym.com.au/ and embark on a path towards a happier, healthier, and emotionally fit life. Your well-being deserves it, and so do you.

Kind Regards,

Kim Bertwistle – School Counsellor

Did you know that we have a SPS Careers Website?  You can find it on the School Portal or at https://www.stpaulscareers.com.au/.  Check out the Important Info section that has a Calendar of Events from Universities, Defence, TAFE, Expo’s etc!

To see the latest Career Tools Newsletter click here. You can also click here to view SPS Career Tools Weekly on the SPS Careers Website.

Notice is hereby given that the St Paul’s School Hockey Supporter Group will hold its Annual General Meeting on 23/10/2023 at 6:15pm in the Sutton Building.  All Parents, Carers and Supporters are welcome to attend this meeting and are eligible to both nominate for Committee positions and vote on the election of Officers.

Nominations are invited for the following positions on the Committee:
President
Secretary
Treasurer
Committee Members

Nominations should be made in writing on the form and lodged with the Secretary (hsgsecretary@spssa.org.au) by 22/10/2023. All nominations must be proposed and seconded by persons eligible to vote at the subsequent elections. This can be done on the night of the meeting should you wish to nominate.

Notice is hereby given that the St Paul’s School Football Supporter Group will hold its Annual General Meeting on 8^th November 2023 at 6:30 pm in the Sutton Building.  All Parents, Caregivers and St Paul’s Community members are welcome to attend this meeting and are eligible to both nominate for Committee positions and vote on the election of Officers. 

Nominations are invited for the following positions on the Committee: 
President  
Vice-President  
Secretary 
Treasurer 
Committee Members 
 
Nominations should be made in writing and lodged with the Secretary by 1/11/2023. All nominations must be proposed and seconded by persons eligible to vote at the subsequent elections. This can be done on the night of the meeting should you wish to nominate.