MAR SCH
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ST P AU L’S
M OO RA AUTUMN 2011 L G
In C h r i st o Fu t u r u m
St Paul’s Grammar School No. 49 AUTUMN 2011
St paul’s...a robust, vibrant and reflective community.
ISSUE 49 AUTUMN 2011
St Paul’s Grammar School 52 Taylor Rd, Cranebrook NSW 2749 Locked Bag 8016, Penrith NSW 2751 Australia
Contact st paul’s phone: +61 2 4777 4888 fax +61 2 47774841 info@stpauls.nsw.edu.au
www.stpauls.nsw.edu.au
2011 Term Dates Term 1 Wednesday 2nd February to Friday 9th April Term 2 Monday 2nd May to Friday 24th June Term 3 Monday 18th July to Friday 23rd September Term 4 Monday 10th October to Thursday 8th December
Find St pauls online www.facebook.com/stpaulsgrammar www.twitter.com/spgs www.twiter.com/spgsprincipal www.vimeo.com/spgs www.flickr.com/spgs
CONTENTS what defines community The Principal Futurum: At a glance Across the Community THE MOVE BACK TO HOUSES AT ST PAUL’s Student Community tHE ZONE OF support Student and Family Community WHAT’S THE FUSS ABOUT TWITTER Family Community a dream realised International Community WHERE SPORTING SUCCESS LIES Student Community introducing restorative justice Student and Family Community five minutes with rob storrie ` Professional Community The 8.25am student photo essay Student Community From his house to the opera house Student Community
3 4 6 8 10 12 13 14 16 17 18
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Edited by Amanda Kelshaw amanda.kelshaw@stpauls.nsw.edu.au
Design & Photography by Daniel Weatherhead daniel.weatherhead@stpauls.nsw.edu.au
Contributors Amanda Kelshaw, Daniel Weatherhead, Paul Kidson, Paul Humble, Ken Goodlet, Jye Hannan. Andrew Tredinnick and Elliott McKimm ______________________________________
do you have news for Futurum? Do you know of any happenings around the community of St Paul’s? We would love to hear your feedback. Please send us an email at: futurum@stpauls.nsw.edu.au
Cover photo Claremont students (from left) Merrick Andreone, Gopika Simran and Tony Attard-Wilson cheering at 2011 High School Swimming Carnival
Changed your address OR CONTACT DETAILS? Please email us at: development@stpauls.nsw.edu.au
WELCOME TO OUR AUTUMN FUTURUM FOR 2011. Have you ever considered that St Paul’s Grammar School is a community of 4 key groups: our Student Community, Professional Community, Family Community and Global Community? Each of these groups has a distinct experience of what it means to be part of the larger St Paul’s Grammar School community. Perhaps you’ve become part of the St Paul’s community only recently, or over a number of generations. You may be part of one, two or all of these key groups. Regardless, you are a valued member of the St Paul’s community. In this, our first for 2011, Futurum launches with a slightly different look and feel and the continued aim of gathering together the stories, reflections and experiences of these distinct communities in relevant and engaging ways. We look at how St Paul’s is enabling a more integrated approach to student and family welfare and explore the concept of Restorative Justice as a model for our pastoral and welfare policies. The joys and challenges of social media are explored in ‘What’s all the fuss about Twitter’ and we take you through the recently finished, purpose-built Special Education building ‘The Zone.’ We also update you on the realisation of a seven-year dream in Shantou, China. We look forward to your feedback and trust that Futurum continues to keep you connected as an integral past of the St Paul’s community.
THE PRINCIPAL
WHAT Defines us as a Community From the Principal, Mr Paul Kidson
Caption for any photos or images used on page
Mr Kidson pictured with student volunteers on 65 Roses Day, Tuesday 31st May. Students raised over $2000 in aid of this charity.
Recently, Mr Weatherhead, our Director of Community Engagement, told a parent function that the St Paul’s community represented as many people as live in Richmond! That’s right, between the 1200 students, 160+ staff, ex-students and family members, the community of St Paul’s touches the lives of more than 8,000 people daily. It is certainly a diverse and multi-faceted community, to say the least. This issue of Futurum takes the concept of “community” and explores some of the many ways in which St Paul’s exists as a community: as students, as
families, as professionals, as ex-students, as a virtual community. The word “community” itself is a widely used, misused and abused term. It means so many different things to so many different people. Depending on your perspective, it can be a sense of identity, or perhaps a physical location, or even an ill-defined idea. The early Christian church had a sense of sharing all their possessions with one another as a sign of the common unity, their community.
Whatever it means to you, we hope you find within this edition of Futurum that the St Paul’s community is a place that values learning, that values service, that values faith, that values excellence and that values sharing life with others who also share these values.
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at a glance...
The way we were in 1985 What were you doing 26 years ago? 1985 was the year that the first mobile telephone call was made, Live-Aid concerts were beamed around the world to 50 million people, the first iteration of Windows 1.0 was released and Channel 28 first began broadcasting as SBS. It was also the year of the first HSC class at St Paul’s (consisting of 8 students) and the year that the L Block was officially opened (‘L’ for ‘learning’, abbreviated from the acronym GPLA – general purpose learning area – which appeared on
the original architectural plans). The school had 360 students (up from 178 in 1984). The first photo (left) was taken in 1985 on the north side of the hall, where there was an open grassed space. In 2011 (right) this area is a shady space of rest for our High School students (the trees were planted by Year 7 students in 1991).
online parent teacher interviews Streamlining communication
St Paul’s has launched an online Parent Teacher booking process for 2011. Go to http://interviews.stpauls.nsw.edu.au for more.
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ANNUAL ball 2011
From those to whom much is given, much is expected. Our 2011 Annual Ball took place in style at ACER ARENA on Saturday 28th May. Over 200 guests heard from current School Captains Claire Sadler and Paul Mitchell, and Principal Paul Kidson on the opportunities to serve the school community, and how we might best development a community of genorisity with past, present and future students and parents.
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Blackberries, Android Outlook and iPhones - all St Paul’s iCal friendly! Subscribe at: http://www.stpauls.nsw. edu.au/calendars
AUTUMN 2011
Gala Day August 10th
Grandparent’s Day Setepmber 8th
Art & Craft Exhibition September 16-17th
Valedictory Dinner September 24th
8108 number of people who come in contact with St paul’s on a daily basis. (includes families of all
students, staff and contractors of st Paul’s)
212 Average number of daily subscribers to st pauls allschool calendar iCAL feed .
52% 30% 15% 3%
our NEW THREADS
Penrith
Uniform for beyond 2011
Hawkesbury
In Term 4 our new St Paul’s uniform will be available. Students will transition into the new uniform over the next 3 years. Pictured above is Principal Paul Kidson modelling the uniform on 65 Roses Day (Cystic Fibrosis awareness fundrasier) where the new uniform was launched.
Blue Mountains Other
RICHMOND
98
92
73
71
69
BLAXLAND
LONDONDERRY
101
SOUTH PENRITH
GLENBROOK
PENRITH
114
EMU PLAINS
198
KURRAJONG
238
CRANEBROOK
GLENMORE PARK
TOP LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF ST PAUL’S
67
TOP 10 SUBURBS OF ST PAUL’S FAMILIES
13504183 number of Hits on St paul’s website in the 12 months from June 2010 to may 2011.
by the numbers This edition of Futurum explores what the St Paul’s community is all about. Words can tell a story but so can raw numbers!.
My Brightest Diamond: A Thousand Sharks’ Teeth (2008). Operatic rock vocalist and electric guitarist Shara Worden delivers contemporary songs of power and beauty – her own chamber string arrangements are an added delight.
Robert Plant: Band of Joy (2010). Plant continues his expert take on roots Americana with legendary producer Buddy Miller and vocalist Patty Griffin – with some nods in the direction of Led Zeppelin III.
Also noteworthy: REM: Collapse Into Now (2011) Jonny Greenwood: Norwegian Wood (2011)
TRED’S reviews
Radiohead: The King of Limbs (2011). This minimalist tour de force of driving grooves and inventive and infectious tunes will please fans of Radiohead’s experimental previous work.
The Decemberists: The King is Dead (2011) Neil Young: Le Noise (2010) Passenger: Flight of the Crow (2010)
Now that everyone has heard or heard about Cloud Control’s new album Bliss Release, and Bush Tricks from We Say Bamboulée, “What’s next?” I hear you say. Well here are some 21st century albums that are currently inspiring me. Mr Tredinnick
STUDENT COMMUNITY
Strathdon (from Angus Dickeson, Caption forstudents any photos orleft) images used on pageLaura Smith, Madeleine Clark, Sophie Peek, Jessica Nguyen and Monica Farrelly getting into the house spirit at the 2011 High School swimming carnival
THE MOVE BACK TO HOUSES AT ST PAUL’S Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17
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St. Paul’s Grammar School has always been mindful of its responsibility to care for the individual student’s welfare and development. After discussions between the Principal, – Paul Kidson and the staff, senior leadership body, students and wider community, it was evident that the overwhelming majority of people felt that there had been a loss of identity and pastoral direction with the move to Year-based pastoral structures. A Pastoral Review Committee was tasked with the aim of developing a more holistic, integrated Pastoral and Welfare system. The Pastoral Review committee identified a number of key goals which form the basis for the current House-based System: • The development and facilitation of a meaningful sense of House and School identity; • Improved whole-School communication processes; • Minimising the possibility of Year Group isolationism; • A development of greater cohesion between older and younger High School students through peer mentoring; • Greater staff interaction and engagement in co-curricular and intra-school activities; • The growth and development of student involvement in intra-school programs and competition;
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•
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Increased opportunity for leadership development across the entire School community Greater opportunities for co-ordinated and House-based whole-School Service Learning
As we head towards the middle of the school year, there has been time for reflection regarding this new structure and from my perspective as Director of Student and Family Services and, from the vast majority of feedback I have received from staff, students and families, the new House System has been an overwhelming success. This was evidenced at the St Paul’s High School Swimming Carnival in Term 1, where we experienced 90% student attendance! The noise from the Houses (especially Melville!!) was both deafening and incredibly consistent. House spirit has never been stronger, more infectious and more consistent amongst the Year Groups. Another significant success story thus far has been in the area of Student Leadership. With the introduction of an expanded Middle Years Leadership Body, comprising two Middle Years Captains, two Middle Years Vice-Captains and four House Prefects per House, the opportunities for these fine young men and women to gain training in Student Leadership and be mentored by the Head of House, Senior Tutor and Senior Prefects, is invaluable. I’m really pleased to be able to praise these students in their role as School Representatives - as members of the team who organised the AHISA Conference held at SPGS earlier this year and at various functions with the Junior School Staff. As part of our commitment to their leadership development, all Middle Years Prefects are engaged in a fantastic Leadership Program with Mrs Margaret Howard that has proven to be both stimulating and rewarding. Students have also had further opportunities
AUTUMN 2011
Melville students (above) during the epic war-cry competition, (below ) Andrew Peters as a ‘Castleraider’ and Cornwallis balloon carrier James Greive
for leadership throughout the year at both the Junior and High School Athletics Carnivals, Parent/Teacher Nights and the official Opening of the Junior School Hall. During this transformation period, Student Leadership in the Senior Years is just as exciting. As the current Senior Leaders and Captains begin to wind down their term in Office, their enthusiasm is far from spent. They are currently busily organising two major events within the School. During Term 2, these students organised and ran a student-initiated ‘65 Roses Day’ to help raise awareness for Cystic Fibrosis. This involved a range of events that help achieved our aims of education and assistance and is part of the Student-driven service culture we are generating in the High School. The second event as the Junior School Disco that was held in June. It was a wonderful opportunity for the whole School community to come together to help raise funds for the Friends of St. Paul’s and to generally have a wonderful afternoon. For the upcoming group of High School Senior Leaders, there are some structural changes that reflect our move to a House-based vertical system. All students were invited to stand for the positions of Prefect and House Captain. There are two House Captains and two House Prefects per House. From this group, Mr Kidson and I, in consultation with the Heads of House appointed the Leadership Body, including two the School Captains, Geordy Armsworth and Brittney Goodacre-Stephen, and the two Vice-Captains, Christie-Anne Quigley and Dylan Busst. As we journey through 2011, we continue to implement a range of communication procedures within the School in order to more effectively engage and inform the community. We are working closely with the IT Department to bring to fruition such processes as online
booking for Parent/Teacher Evenings, instant messaging of student absences through voice mail and online opportunities for parent feedback and electronic permission letters for all excursions. To develop interaction across the student community and to enhance the learning outcomes for all students, there is planning under way for annual House Dinners, House connections to Service Learning through partnerships with different charities and social organisations, integrated Service Learning for the High School through the Tutor Groups and, CAS (Community, Action, Service) component of the IB Diploma and the C&S (Community and Service) component of the IB MYP. It has been a sensational start to 2011 - far beyond what I had expected and the thanks for this, for the most part, has to go to the students and staff. Change is never easy and for some it can be especially confronting. The SPGS community has embraced our vision for a P-12 community and we are looking forward to enriching the life of the School in relevant and innovative ways. Are we there yet? No, of course not! As Marcus Aurelius said: “Observe always that everything is the result of change, and get used to thinking that there is nothing Nature loves so well as to change existing forms and make new ones like them.” We are working towards achieving the outlined goals of the House System and slowly but surely, changing the culture and focus of our School. Mr Paul Humble Director of Student and Family Services
STUDENT & FAMILY COMMUNITY
PROFILE: THE ZONE OF SUPPORT Caption for any photos or images used on page
The shared area of ‘The Zone’: lifestyle kitchen shown at top left, informal area shown at front
“It was important that the building allowed for even greater connections with our students and their families.”
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There’s something pretty inspiring about beginning the new year in a new learning space, and for the St Paul’s High School Support Department, beginning 2011 in the purpose-built Student Support building ‘The Zone’ has been no exception. The planning and construction of ‘The Zone’ began after receiving a State Capital Works Grant. St Paul’s exercised direction of both the design and needs of the building, resulting in a purpose-built learning environment that incorporates 8 teaching spaces in total comprised of 3 active spaces, a lifestyle kitchen, a textiles area, an informal space for group work or discussions, 2 rooms for private study or exams and a meeting room that is available for use by all St Paul’s teaching staff. This purpose built facility, is fully compliant with the current Building Code of Australia – Part D3 - Access for people with Disabilities. Features include wheelchair accessibility, disabled bathroom, extra wide corridors and doorways, ramps and specialized lighting. A sensory garden completes the external architecture of the facility.
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The space is light, open and inviting with large windows and doors creating a transparent learning environment. The approachable space has been embraced with significant student pride, with many students inviting their peers to come and check out the space during break times. Around the main walls, the words of Jeremiah 29:11 are prominently displayed, reminding students of the importance of their “Hope” and their “Future” in God. Head of High School Support, Mrs Margaret Howard reflects on what ‘The Zone’ needed to achieve: “It was important that the building allowed for even greater connections with our students and their families. The configuration allows us to provide students with a flexible learning environment where we can engage with a diverse range of student ages and learning needs. This environment fosters positive partnerships which present staff with increased opportunities to further develop inclusive strategies which provide ways in which all students can be included in lessons yet still have their individual needs met. Outside of normal school hours, we’re also able to host events
AUTUMN 2011
Caption for any photos or images used on page
Jeremiah 29:11 greets all who share this space. the flexible learning space also means that various learning modes can be facilitated.
like Family Information nights, where our focus is on building trust and community with parents and extended family members.” As well as Margaret Howard, the Department is comprised of two Teachers Aides (Special), Miss Sandra Wood and Ms Katherine Daddo. Mrs Howard reflects; “As a Department, our focus is on inclusion and empowering and enabling students, teachers and families. We intentionally add value to the students around us every day by focusing on confidence, integrity, competence, excellence and compassion. With our additional meeting rooms, we also plan to move towards hosting regular meetings across faculties to continue to develop this collaborative approach, as well as generating subject-specific teaching strategies.” A feature of ‘The Zone’ is the Lifestyle Kitchen where skills that foster independent living, can be practiced in an actual kitchen environment. The kitchen is also a valuable training ground for students who wish to pursue work in the Hospitality industry.
An important part of the Department’s philosophy is to equip students for their transition into the workforce. The Special Education Department plays a strategic role in developing strong post-schooling networks, investigating future options for students through such providers as educational institutes, workplace agencies and TAFE Disability Consultants. At the end of our recent visit, Miss Wood shared her well-known walking stick analogy,
relating it to the St Paul’s Special Education Department’s role: “When someone needs assistance from a walking stick, the walking stick should not draw attention to itself – if it’s used effectively, other people’s attention shouldn’t be drawn to the walking stick itself, but rather what the walking stick enables the person to do and achieve”. It looks like The Zone is well placed to continue providing for great possibilities at St Paul’s!
FAMILY COMMUNITY
A Year 7 student is asked by his teacher to record a heart dissection on his iphone. The footage can then be used by the class in future combined science/history lessons
What’s all the fuss about Twitter? “Twitter is not a private conversation; it is a global one.”
Do you have a lot of friends on Facebook? And what about Twitter? Do you have many followers? Let’s take a look at how you stack up in comparison with some heavyweight Twitter users. As of recent official count, the White House Twitter account has 1,990,347 followers and President Barack Obama’s Twitter account has 6,885,782. Teen pop explosion, Justin Bieber has 7,982,306 followers. And on our side of the digital world, journalist and author Mia Freedman has 28,589 and renowned cravat-wearer Matt Preston (critic from the Australian MasterChef series) has 22,455. Best described as an instant, global messaging service, Twitter is a social media tool that allows users to ‘tweet’ (or broadcast) a message of up to 140 characters – roughly 2 standard lines of text – to followers. You can directly request to ‘follow’ other Twitter users who can choose to either accept or ignore your request. To follow a user means that you’ll receive any tweets as they are broadcast. On the 8th of March 2011, for instance followers of the Official President Barack Obama account (@BarackObama) would have received the tweet: “We’ve got to come together to put America back on a sustainable course. Add your name in support of a responsible budget…” (followed by a hyperlink to the
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relevant petition). And if you were a follower of Mia Freedman (@miafreedman) on that same day you would have received the tweet: “Why women need wives. Brilliant idea.” (which was actually a ‘re-tweet’ or a forward of an earlier tweet by political writer Annabel Crabb – who Mia Freedman follows. So what’s the value of all of that communication? Individual Twitter users (as opposed to high-profile identities or companies), might use Twitter as a means of ‘keeping in the loop’, a conversation tool with friends. At the other end of the spectrum, companies can take advantage of Twitter as a media platform to broadcast events, advertise sales, follow other influential users, find out what competitors are doing and generally get a feel for what their audience (in this case, current or potential consumers) is thinking and doing – all at no cost. Describing this current media age as being responsible for “the largest increase in expressive capability in human history” writer and speaker on social, global and technological change, Clay Shirky, asserts that such communication is therefore quite significant and not something to be ignored. He recounts the significant media revolutions that previous generations have lived through, such as printing presses, 2-way communication (telephone), recorded media (such as sound and film) and radio and television, but distinguishes the current “transformed media landscape” as representing a significant shift from a singular broadcast of information to a select, passive audience, to the capacity to now be both a receiver and producer of news and information. Powerful stuff! In his TED talk “How cellphones, Twitter,
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Social networking is the number one online activity. In 2009 it was email. 1620 tweets are posted per second. 140 million are posted per day. 75 million users are signed up to twitter. 140 000 000 are posted per day 40% of all tweets are from mobile devices. These can be made from twitter apps or SMS. 55% of Twitter users are women. Women post 1.9 times more tweets per day than men.
iPhone shows instant twitter updates from St Paul’s - www.twitter.com/spgs
Facebook can make history”1, Shirky recounts how a few years ago the reporting of the powerful earthquake in the Sichuan province of China occurred “as it was happening” – not by high profile newspapers or global broadcasters, but by directly affected citizens uploading images and tweeting comments. The BBC reported the earthquake only after they had received the direct information via Twitter. Such direct, personalised reports spurred on the development of websites and garnered global financial support. By contrast, Twitter use can be flippant, offensive or controversial – with widespread consequence. Twitter is not a private conversation, it is a global one. Shirky sums our current digital age as one in which “media is global, social, ubiquitous and cheap”. So yes, social media platforms allow anyone to ‘broadcast’ anything. Tools such as Twitter are incredibly powerful and demand a significant level of personal responsibility and accountability for anyone – celebrity or otherwise! Due to its free and accessible nature, Twitter presents valuable opportunities for organizations such as Not for Profits, Churches and Mission organisations to share their voice and connect with their local and global communities, without the need for big advertising and marketing funds. The nature of Twitter’s direct messaging also enables companies and organisations to engage with their customers when answers are required. After battling with his service provider’s helpdesk after his home internet connection experienced a power outage, a St Paul’s staff member tweeted directly to his supplier: “What’s happening with the internet connection in this area (identifying his
suburb)?” He received a reply shortly after that explained the company was in the process of restoring the power to the area. The power resumed shortly after. One of Twitter’s main philosophies is the potential for the “open exchange of information” to “have a positive global impact. Every day we are inspired by stories of people using Twitter to help make the world a better place in unexpected ways.”2 Sounds ambitious or unlikely? It’s all up to how you choose to use it. St Paul’s has over 200 followers on Twitter (www.twitter.com/spgs + www.twitter. com/spgsprincipal), and over 500 ‘page likes’ on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ stpaulsgrammar). References: 1 http://blog.ted.com/2009/06/16/clay_shirky_how/ 2 http://twitter.com/about http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
Pastor Li Ruichang (from left), a director of the Matthew English Language Centre (MELC) and senior pastor of the Shantou Western Church; Mr Nigel Kleinveldt, Principal of MELC; and Mr Ken Goodlet photographed at the MELC reception desk shortly after the launch on 8 January this year.
A dream realised St Paul’s and the Matthew English
Learning Centre
As my last duty as a member of staff at St Paul’s, was to represent the School and SPOSMaC at the opening of the Matthew English Learning Centre in Shantou, China in January this year. In 2004 after church in Shantou, one of my 1960s Malaysian Chinese students and I met Pastor Li, the senior pastor of 7 churches there who, over lunch afterwards, shared his dreams. This centre is the realisation of one such dream, a dream that St Paul’s and SPOSMaC have supported. I interviewed Pastor Li again during my January 2011 visit and he had this to say about his dream: This long-held idea of mine to set up an English learning centre came from my awareness of the church’s emphasis over the last 2000 years on the education of the whole person. With the new situation in China, where the country is more open to the world, people are going abroad for business and study, so I felt, with some outside support in the way of foreign teachers and resources, this
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dream could come true. When my daughter went to St Paul’s in early 2010, I felt the time was right to share the centre idea with the Matthew Business Fellowship here, and one member in particular, Mr Alan Wang, said he would, after he is 50 in four years’ time, ‘like to invest in education’. His colleagues in Pingye Corporation, the comprehensive business enterprise of which he is chair that includes shipbuilding and import and export, have supported this idea and the company has provided the centre with rent, refurbishment and equipment. In a year’s time, with such support, I hope to see children getting a good education, coming to know Jesus Christ and perhaps some studying abroad at places like St Paul’s. Our dream has been of a centre where, in an atmosphere of love and where good values are practised, students will learn to speak English fluently. What drives me is that, as a Pastor who has been blessed by God, I want to share that
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The view from the steps towards those assembled for the launch, on a busy Shantou intersection.
blessing with others through serving them, a demonstration of God’s love for them. This is my calling, my duty and my love. I love the local people and this younger generation and wish to improve their position by providing holistic education. Mr Wang described the centre as his ‘personal hope’: I didn’t have enough education and I wish to contribute to the younger generation having such a chance. China needs to be equipped to compete globally and I see education as the means to do this. At first, my idea was to contribute to basic Chinese education, but I have come to see that my best contribution will be to provide an English language learning environment to complement the students’ daily education. It is a way of giving love to others. Without Jesus, people can give such love; but Jesus makes it a fuller love. The Principal of the learning centre, Mr Nigel Kleinveldt, a senior member of staff at St Paul’s for many years who has worked over the past year at TEDA No. 1 school in Tianjin, China has said: China has been my passion. I believe China has something to teach me. In China, the common good comes first, which is what the Christian walk is about. I have come to the centre because I am excited about the possibility of integrating the secular and the sacred in a holistic education program. We now have some 30 students in two classes attending every Saturday and adults in one-
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Where Sporting Success Lies The following is an excerpt from an address given by our Head of Sport, Mr Elliot McKimm at a recent Principal’s Assembly.
Caption for any photos or images used on page
Miss Iris Li (left), daughter of Pastor Li and Year 12 student at St Paul’s, interpreting for Mr Goodlet, who brought greetings and a short message of support from SPOSMaC and St Paul’s
on-one sessions on week days. Our first graduate from the centre is now enrolled at St Paul’s in the IB preparatory course. This is an encouraging start. I believe English can be used as a vehicle to enhance the students’ intellectual, spiritual and social development. St Paul’s, with 20 years’ close ties with China, sees itself as in a position to provide support. SPOSMaC, the St Paul’s Overseas Schools Management Corporation, a company independent of the school is, over the next three years, providing some seed money for the Shantou enterprise out of resources it has built up over a number of years. This will be partly a donation, partly for the purchase of teaching resources and partly for sending staff trainers from St Paul’s to Shantou. There might
also be staff and student exchange in the future. While there is no structural business connection, something of the closeness of the tie between St Paul’s and the Shantou centre was pointed out to me in the centre’s logo (seen in the first photo on page 12) which carries the red and green of the Pingye Corporation and the blue and yellow of St Paul’s. We are blessed that such wonderful people in China have shared their dream with us.
Mr Ken Goodlet Director of SPOSMaC Former Editor of Futurum 2002 to 2010
Today, on behalf of St Paul’s Grammar School, I would like to take this opportunity to honour a number of students who have achieved success in the summer sporting arena. Before I do so however, it is my opinion that apart from a school’s academic results, a school is only ever as strong as their extra-curricular programs. Therefore at St Paul’s we are extremely strong in this way, with a number of our students participating in such activities as Drama, Music Groups, Christian Fellowship, Debating, Public Speaking, Duke of Edinburgh, the Socratic Club, Chess and Fire Cadets. I apologise for the number of other extra-curricular activities which I may have overlooked, and can I encourage you, if you aren’t currently involved in any extra-curricular activities, to do so, and to continue strengthening an already strong school. Through your involvement, you will also add so much more depth to your educational experience. While ultimately sporting success is measured in how many games you win, how many wickets you take, how many runs you score, how many points you shoot, how many home runs you score and the time you raced – true sporting success can be measured through more far-reaching indicators: how you conduct yourself on the field or in competition, how you won or lost the game, and in more broader terms, being a ‘good sport’ and showing grace to other players. These are the indicators that people will look at to judge the Christian principles of our School and our sporting successes, and this is also where I believe we truly excel.
STUDENT COMMUNITY
Pre Kindergarten students working together making ‘Cheesy Scrolls’ (above) and (right) Year 7 students welcomed into the High School on their first day
INTRODUCING RESTORATIVE JUSTICE “The beginning point in restorative justice is acknowledging that someone has been hurt, whether physically, socially or emotionally.”
Since its establishment nearly 30 years ago, St Paul’s has identified itself clearly as a Christian school. Many people have a range of ideas of what this means. I often hear comments like:
Having regular Chapel services; Doing Christian Living or Studies of Religion classes; Having Bible readings and prayers at Assembly.
While it is true these are important, they are not what fully defines who we are as a Christian school. St Paul’s seeks to educate students to be caring and compassionate people who will serve the world confidently. We want them to be confronted with the claims of Jesus and given an opportunity to respond to them. We also want them to examine critically their own values and views of how the world is, as well as what life means. Yet even these do not fully capture what it is to be a Christian school. Because schools deal with ideas, concepts, language, words and statements, it can be tempting to reduce Christian faith simply to a set of sentences of belief; in many churches, the use of a creed (from the Latin, credo, “I believe”) helps define the central faith ideas of that church. These
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statements are very helpful, but they do not necessarily describe what the people in that church do to live out their faith statements. Philosophers call this a necessary, but not sufficient, condition. The statements are important, but so too must be action which reflects those beliefs. At Presentation Evening last year, I outlined that we would commence exploring restorative justice as part of our pastoral and welfare policies. It is designed to put practical action to our Christian beliefs. So what is restorative justice and what does it look like in practice? In every relationship stress or breakdown there are at least two parties; in many instances, one is the offender and one is the victim, although this is not always the case. When a relationship breaks down, typically one person is likely to act in ways that hurt the other. This might be through ignoring them, saying hurtful things or may even extend to physically hurting them. In a school context, this may translate to matters such as bullying, abusing others or fighting. The beginning point in restorative justice is acknowledging that someone has been hurt, whether physically, socially or emotionally. In dealing with such brokenness, it can be easy simply to punish the perpetrator – give them a detention, suspend or expel them from the community. Restorative justice always seeks to develop consequences for misbehaviour that take into consideration the hurt caused to the victim. Victims are given opportunity to face the perpetrator to explore, in a safe and supported way, how the perpetrator’s actions caused hurt to the victim. A trained mediator is present to facilitate the conference so that it does not become simply a retribution session. Both sides of the relationship are permitted
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to contribute to the conference. In my experience, perpetrators are often unaware of just how much hurt their actions have caused; facing their victim can be a powerful moment for both parties. The goals of a restorative justice conference are twofold: establish appropriate and meaningful consequences, and, seek to reestablish a mutually respectful relationship between parties in which they can both continue to benefit from their involvement in the School. Consequences such as removal from the School via suspension or expulsion may still be appropriate outcomes of a restorative justice conference, depending on the circumstances. More significantly, though, there is the hope of achieving an outcome where both parties come to accept the value of each other, to seek forgiveness and to enable each other to get back to the business of productive learning and contributing positively to our School community. Because forgiveness is central to the teaching of Christian faith, restorative justice has forgiveness at its core. It seeks to acknowledge wrongs done, to seek forgiveness from those who are hurt, to accept consequences for one’s actions, and to rebuild relationships that have been strained or broken. This is, in essence, what a Christian story of faith is all about. Orthodox Christian teaching tells us that God and humanity were not in a good relationship, but through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, that relationship is able to be restored.
Forgiveness of wrongdoing, hope for the future and restoration of relationship is at the heart of Christian faith. So, too, ought it to be with our community. If there is any value in being a Christian school, it surely should be in endeavouring to reflect Jesus’ teaching. Can there be any greater way to do so than to seek restoration amongst ourselves when things go wrong? Vengeance, payback and retribution are inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus. Forgiveness and restoration, on the other hand, are at its core. It will take some time for us to examine how best we move towards implementing restorative justice. I suspect it will take us a couple of years to do so fully. It’s likely to be a journey with a few hiccups and bumps – the rewards for our community, however, will be seen in greater respect, dignity and peace. The rewards seem, to me, to be worth the pain along the way. Mr Paul Kidson Principal
“Forgiveness of wrongdoing, hope for the future and restoration of relationship is at the heart of Christian faith. So, too, ought it to be with our community.”
PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY
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for the Crusader Union of Australia on their schools camping program known as ‘Summit’. I then worked at Vision Valley (Wesley Mission) for a number of years running their school camps. After a number of years of this work, I decided I’d like to be involved in teaching children in a classroom context. This decision involved me heading back to university to complete my Bachelor of Education. Prior to my current role at St Paul’s, I was a teacher at Northern Beaches Christian School for 6 years.
A new year at St Paul’s and a new start for Year 2 teacher, Rob Storrie. Can you share a little of what this new journey has been like for you? I have continually been reminded of the need for God in my life. I have started a new school, I have a new class, I have moved to a new area and the one constant presence in all of these changes is God. He has been my rock and strength. I need to rely on my Father in heaven for everything. What kind of work have you been involved with previously? My very first paid job was working on a stone fruit orchard. I picked fruit and I packed fruit. My next (and not so pleasant) job was collecting eggs on a battery farm. When I was in Year 4, I was on a school camp at Lake Burrendong and thought ‘When I grow up I want to work on camps’. So after I completed my HSC, I studied Recreation and Leisure Studies (and no, that didn’t just involve lounging around) and followed this dream. After a few years of study I started working
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What were your own experiences at school? I always loved school. I was quite shy in my early days and grew more confident as I got older. For me, school was fun and I loved the social aspects of school. I can still vividly recall a number of positive experiences in both Primary School and High School. My teachers always made me feel valued and safe and taught me more than just what was required; they also taught me life lessons. What were some of these vivid memories? I can still remember many of my High School teachers, particularly my agriculture teachers and P.E. teachers - they played a significant role in my life. They recognised the potential in you and strove to help shape us into positive young adults. My teachers did not talk down to me but talked with me and cared about the choices I made. They were concerned not just about the content they had to teach but were concerned about the whole person.
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How do such experiences continue to impact the way you approach your role as a teacher today? I continue to recognise the importance of creating an environment for my students in which they can feel safe, take risks to make mistakes and to learn from them. I want the students I teach to be respectful, thoughtful, wise, kind, engaged, to value friendships and family and to be responsible members of our school community and society. I love to learn and I also want my students to love learning. I am concerned about the whole person and the choices they make. I also want them to know that Jesus cares, loves and is concerned about them too! Great teachers are teachers who continue to live a life of learning themselves. What inspires you in your teaching life? I find like-minded people inspiring and have enjoyed connecting with St Paul’s staff who are motivated to grow academically themselves. I come to school every day to both learn and teach and I’m inspired by concepts and strategies. Technology engages me professionally as well. It’s such a huge part of our children’s lives that it’s impossible (particularly for us as teachers) for us to not engage with it. My year 2 class engages with the world around us through our blog: www.learningin11.wordpress.com What particular aspects of teaching at St Paul’s are you most excited about? I love the fact that St Paul’s is an IB school. I’m excited to be teaching the PYP and I can’t wait to get stuck into it this year.
After a big week, what’s your guaranteed recipe for being refreshed over the weekend? I love the feeling of cool, ocean water on my skin, of diving under the waves and having the salt water refresh me. Being in the ocean is such a place of peacefulness. And lastly, can you leave us with a few things that your students might not know about you? I have been married for 12 years this year. I have 2 wonderful boys, Harry who is 5 ½ and
Tom who is 3 . I once sailed to Brisbane on a tall ship. I was School Captain High School. I worked in a church in Canada. I have been to Machu Picchu in Peru.
STUDENT COMMUNITY
THE 8.25AM STUDENT PHOTO ESSAY
Futurum invites St Paul’s students to capture the uniqueness of their journey to St Paul’s each day in the ‘8.25am Photo Essay Competition’. Your only criteria? Images for the 8.25am Photo Essay can only be shot using a hand-held mobile device (such as a phone and not an actual ‘camera’) and the journey needs to be captured in no more than 6 separate images. How do submit my journey? Submit your 8.25am images to us at: • futurum@stpauls.nsw.edu.au • twitter.com/spgs • facebook.com/stpaulsgrammar Entries will be posted online at Flickr www.flickr.com/spgs and your work might also be profiled over the next few Futurum editions. We launch this series with Jye Hannan (Year 10) and his 8.25am Photo Essay: Travelling from Kurrajong
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Angus performing on stage as part of the Boy’s Chorus of Carmen. Angus is standing directly in front of the white parasol
FROM HIS HOUSE TO THE OPERA HOUSE Carmen the Opera is set in Spain, sung in French and was recently performed twice-weekly at the Sydney Opera House Angus Findlay in Year 8 auditioned for and won a role in the Boy’s Chorus of Opera Australia’s ‘Carmen’ in October last year. Many young men from across Sydney auditioned for the 12 places and the successful candidates began rehearsals one month later at the Opera Centre in Surry Hills. Early this year, the Boy’s Chorus rehearsals began in the Sydney Opera House and continued most days until Opening Night on the 15th on January. Carmen was first produced in Paris in 1875. As it is also sung in French, two French teachers worked closely with the Boys’ Chorus to assist with their pronunciation. The teachers also supervised the boys, ensuring they were ready
for stage-calls, make-up and wardrobe. As Angus was paid for his role in the production, he was required to act as a responsible employee - arriving on time for performances and maintaining a level of personal maturity and responsibility. Personal highlights for Angus were performing in Carmen at ‘Opera in the Domain’ and rubbing shoulders with such performers as New York-based Rinat Shaham, who has played the role of Carmen in 29 different performances across the globe. Angus also enjoyed working under the French conductor Guillaume Touniaire, describing him as a vibrant and involved person who brings life to his work – and was humble enough to check in with the Boys’ Chorus to spur them on before each performance – no coat tails involved, but dressed in his trademark black jeans and t-shirt.
ST P AU L’S
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CRICOS 02267 041265B 041264C 041263D
AR SCH MM OO RA L G
In C h r i st o Fu t u r u m
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Rebecca Cox of Year 12 cutting the cake with Emma Peters of Pre Kindergarten at the Opening of the Junior School Hall on Friday 20th May 2011. Assistant Principal Mr Nigel Walker looks on proudly.