Term 4 Week 2

Dear Parent/Carer 

‘For the Son of Man himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’   Mark 10: 35-45

I write this to you as NSW moves toward reducing restrictions and ending ‘Stay at Home’ orders.  This is exciting, providing an opportunity to once again connect with family and friends and move about completing day to day activities with an increased degree of freedom. 

While things have opened up across the state, the College continues to be at Level 3 restrictions. Staff and students continue to wear face masks indoors and on public transport.  It is highly recommended that students wear facemasks when in the playground, and assembled student gatherings are kept to a minimum. These restrictions also mean that parents/carers are not allowed on school grounds.

While these restrictions continue to be challenging, we are conscious that the conditions are to keep us all safe, and we will continue to be agile and creative in running the many school activities that take place at this time of year.

Staff

As we approach the end of the year, we have staff leaving the College or taking well deserved Long Service Leave. Please note the following staff have elected to take Long Service Leave across all or part of 2022. 

Ronald Walker

Mary Walker

Lesa Morrison

Darren Love

Mary Murtagh

Maureen Richardson will be leaving the College to retire from the teaching profession.  There will be time to acknowledge Maureen and her commitment to St Paul’s students toward the end of the year.  Di Mascord is taking Maternity Leave across 2022, and we congratulate her and Adam on the birth of their son, Oakley. Both Di and Oakley are doing well. 

We continue to pray for Dominic MacAndrews and his family in the UK, mourning the passing of his brother Damian after a long battle with cancer.  We anticipate Dominic returning to us in the New Year, and our thoughts continue to be with him. 

At this stage, we welcome some excellent staff to the College to cater for our departing staff along with our increased numbers into Year 7, 2022.

Welcome to: 

Rayleigh Keith          Science

Andrew Fouracre      Maths

Kerri Dakin                HSIE

Leanne Grant             English

Barica Rafton             PDHPE 

We are very fortunate to secure this incredible collection of skilled and experienced staff.  They will further enhance what is already a strong teaching and learning team. 

Building Works

We have commenced our STAGE 1 BUILD (new hall) but had to pause progress over our ‘Stay at Home Orders’.  Building works will recommence over the next few weeks and I am excited about its completion and how the College and the broader community will benefit. 

Term 4

Finally, the College is very conscious that as the various LGA’s reopen across NSW, there will be an increased chance that COVID may further impact our community. 

As a result of a potential increase in student and staff absences, ALL work covered for each lesson for this term will be placed on STILE. 

This information can then be referred to by students who miss lessons. Students will need to be aware that learning assessments will continue across this term and awareness of what is covered from lesson to lesson is very important. 

Wishing you all a relaxing weekend.

Kind regards

Mr David JOHNS   B.Ed., Cert. Gifted Ed., Grad. Cert. Adol. Health and Welfare, M.Ed. (Ed Lead), M.Ed. (Theol) 

Principal

david.johns@lism.catholic.edu.au

World Mission Month

October is designated as World Mission Month and it is Catholic Mission’s opportunity to engage with Catholic communities; to reach out and help others flourish.  Catholic Mission supports communities in Australia and overseas.  This year we would like our College community to know that they are not alone; we are here to help them in any way we can. 

HSC Prayers

We have had the opportunity to place photos in our Parish church of our Year 12 students who are sitting their HSC in November.  Please keep all of our students in your prayers over the coming weeks.  If you would like to pray for a specific student, please contact the Parish office to offer your support. Thank you so much for your support of our students in such a challenging year. 

Catch the Wave

Catch the Wave is our College spiritual emersion for Year 8 students to experience. This experience will allow them to discern what being a part of a ministry class in 2022 (CSYMA) will be like. Unfortunately in our current context, we are unable to run Catch the Wave in the usual format but our students will not miss out! Our Youth Ministry officers, in conjunction with Ms Fiona Stuart, will be spending time in each of the Year 8 classes to gather expressions of interest for CSYMA classes into 2022. I would encourage all parents/carers to have a conversation with their children in regards to this program.

Mental Health Month

October is also Mental Health month, where PC teachers encourage students in Pastoral Care time to participate in challenges to enhance their mental health. These activities will foster students sense of belonging and connectedness as they share experiences and challenges in a new and fun way.  If you and your family would like to participate, here is the link to the challenge:

New Pastoral Care Structure for 2022

At the College, we are spending a significant amount of time looking at processes to ensure alignment and clarity in all we do.  We look at our data to determine if it is worthwhile considering doing things differently and what the benefit may be for all students under our care. 

This new model will see Year 7 and Year 12 placed in a year group Pastoral Care class where there will be a focus on peer support and mentoring.  The remaining year groups will be vertically integrated (Year 8 -11) according to house groups: 

Year 7 – Leader of Year 7 Academic Care 

Year 8 -11 - Leader House (Farrelly, McAuley, MacKillop, Edmund) 

Year 12 – Leader of Year 12 Academic Care 

Families will have all children in the one House and, therefore, one House leader to liaise with.  House leaders will now have the opportunity to journey with your child for the middle years of secondary school.  Our focus for the Pastoral Care time will be on mentoring, coaching, and peer support, as well as knowing your child as a learner. 

If you have enquiries regarding this new Pastoral Care structure, please email bronwyn.shipton@lism.catholic.edu.au 

Christmas Hampers

At St Paul's, it has become a tradition for each Pastoral Care group to collect a hamper of groceries to be presented to St Vincent de Paul Society at the offertory procession during the final School Mass of the year – the Giving Mass. 

We will be asking your child/family to consider contributing one item of groceries to the hamper.  More information will be given to your child during Pastoral Care.

Mrs Bronwyn Shipton - Assistant Principal - Mission and Wellbeing

What is Going on in Classes at the Beginning of Term 4 at St Paul’s?

There is a great delight at St Paul’s that our student and staff body has returned to work together on many vital matters in Term 4.  I continue to be impressed with the resilience and positivity of our students; classes have commenced this term with energy and smiles.  Term 4 offers important opportunities that sign off 2021 and prepares for 2022. 

Years 7-10

There are a range of assessment items due in Weeks 5 and 6 during Term 4. Attendance at school and engagement in the classroom will allow all students in Years 7 -10 to best prepare for these tasks.  Mr Robinson and the teaching staff have prepared thorough study guides that clearly outline the nature of these tasks.  I encourage all students to speak to their teachers about the nature of assignments due and work towards a draft process that demonstrates that they understand all aspects of the task. 

This week, Year 8 have the opportunity to choose their elective subjects for Year 9 2022.  This is an excellent opportunity for students to consider their study patterns for the next two years.  The compulsory subjects to be studied in Years 9 and 10 are Mathematics, English, Catholic Studies, PDHPE, Science, Sport and History (Year 9), Geography (Year 10).  I encourage all Year 8 students to consider their options carefully; subjects cannot be offered with low-class numbers, so informed decisions by students and their families are very important.

Year 11

I have enjoyed the great experience of discussing the HSC pattern of study with many Year 11 students this week.  The HSC courses have begun, and the first assessment items will occur later this term.  Hence, every minute counts as we work together to maximise the opportunities presented before the HSC exams in October 2022.  Our Year 11 students must attend school each day and carefully organise their notes to allow the assessment process to be effective. 

If students or their families wish to discuss these matters further, do not hesitate to get in touch with me at the College on geoffrey.melville@lism.catholic.edu.au

Mr Geoffrey Melville - Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching

Year 12 HSC Examinations

Year 12 will begin their HSC Examinations on Tuesday, 9 November, and exams will conclude on Friday, 3 December. Year 12 students and families will be given the details regarding conducting these examinations in a COVID safe environment over the next few weeks in the lead up to the first task, English Paper 1.

Years 7-10 Semester Two Exams/Assessments

Students in Years 7 – 10 will be completing their Semester 2 Exams/Assessments during Weeks 5 and 6 (Monday, 1 November – Friday, 12 November). These tasks are scheduled for Periods 1 and 2, or during class time. 

Study Guides (Years 7 - 10)

All students in Years 7 – 10 will have digital access to Study guides that contain the content, length and question types for their end of year assessment tasks in each subject. Students need to refer to these documents when preparing for their assessment tasks.  All students will have access to these documents via Stile in the folder titled: School Assignments and Notifications. If any student requires a hard copy of their study guide, they are to see their Year Co-ordinator or me. 

The following is from the College Policy Handbook:

If a student is absent and this has not been approved by the Principal, then a mark of zero is given for any exams missed, regardless of whether this occurs in Semester 1 or 2.

Guidelines for Illness/Misadventure Exams

12. Misadventure (catch-up) exams or an estimate will be allowed for funeral attendance, school-approved activities, illness (with a Medical Certificate) and Cases for exceptional circumstances (see point C.). Misadventure exams must occur within the exam period, or an estimate will be given. See The Assessment Guide Handbook for specific conditions for students in Years 10 to 12.
13. There will NOT be any misadventure exams for any other reason. Students who are aware they will be absent for exams may be eligible to complete a Misadventure (catch-up) exam prior to their departure, or upon return, as long they occur within the exam period, or an estimate will be given.
14. Cases for exceptional circumstances will be reviewed by the Principal upon written application, and if approved, a misadventure exam or an estimate will be allowed.
15. Students who receive an estimate or do a misadventure exam and wish it to be used in the calculation of Year Dux are to make written application to the Principal. This application will be reviewed by an Executive Panel.

Examination Penalties: Years 7-12

Penalties will apply for students who, during an examination:

• Communicate with other students (either verbally, non-verbally or by using technology)
• Are found to have been cheating. (for Years 10-12, this is outlined in their Assessment Handbooks as follows: In any instance where a student is shown to have cheated or there is conclusive evidence that the student intended to cheat or there is conclusive evidence that the student inappropriately colluded, then a mark of zero may be recorded for that assessment task. If it is shown that a student has gained an unfair advantage in an assessment task, a zero may be recorded.),
• Disrupt or cause disruption in the examination venue. 

Depending on the nature of the incident, penalties will be applied after discussions between any or all of the following have occurred; the exam supervisor, the relevant Leader of the Subject, the Leader of Curriculum and the Assistant Principals. If the incident is deemed severe enough, then the Principal may also be consulted. 

If your child is absent on the day of an exam for any reason, please contact the College to advise of the reason for the absence.

Mr Leon Robinson - Leader of Curriculum