FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Welcome to the latest edition of our Alumni Newsletter! It is really interesting to read the reflections from a number of past students regarding their time at St Paul’s and their journey since graduating. I am struck by the huge differences that life has taken for so many past students. It is also so exciting to see many past students enrolling their own children at St Paul’s.
In this edition, you will see a promotion of our upcoming Trivia Night in August run by Friends of St Paul’s. Last time this event happened there were a number of tables of ex students. It is a great evening and a good opportunity for our alumni to come together. Organising a table would be a great way for you to reconnect with some of your past classmates and revisit the campus.
This year we have also seen the announced retirement of two long-standing staff members, Mrs Anne Rogers and Mr Philip Heath. These staff will be greatly missed by our school community and we certainly wish them well in their retirement.
I hope you enjoy this edition of our Alumni Newsletter.
God bless Ian Wake
ALUMNI FAMILY
The Carrigs
We are pleased to see an increasing number of our alumni choosing to provide their own children with a St Paul’s education. We warmly welcome these families on our open morning tours and take great pleasure in seeing them reminisce about their own experiences here, while exploring St Paul’s for the next generation.
We value all our alumni families and hope their children are enjoying similar experiences. Most recently, we were pleased to welcome back Louise Carrig, Class of 2006, and were especially excited to see her daughter, Leah, join Pre-Kindergarten at the beginning of Term 2. Louise graciously took some time to answer a few questions about her experiences at St Paul’s and her new role as a parent of a St Paul’s Little Saints student.
Louise began her St Paul’s journey in 1994, graduating in 2006. Louise’s two older siblings also attended, brother Andrew and sister Allison. They were a St Paul’s family, with Louise’s mum Kathleen working in the High School Science Department. Kathleen is a current long-standing staff member, contributing an astounding 28 years’ service.
After 10 years and different phases of life, together with her husband Adam, Louise returned to the Penrith area to be close to family and create a foundation for their children, Leah and Lachlan, before they commenced their schooling.
When reflecting on her favourite memories from St Paul’s, Louise has many, however the standout is the friendships forged. Louise’s best friend today is the same best friend she graduated with nearly 18 years ago. Soon enough her best friend’s son will also be attending St Paul’s, and they can’t wait to embrace this new journey together.
On Louise’s recent return to St Paul’s, she observed several changes that reflect the school’s commitment to innovation and growth. The new building facilities, particularly in the Secondary School, were a standout, offering students enhanced opportunities for learning and development. Louise also took comfort in seeing some things remained the same, particularly all the familiar faces amongst the teaching and non-teaching staff.
During the school tour it was clear to Louise that the school has maintained its commitment to providing top-notch educational resources. The classroom enhancements and new facilities were quite impressive. Hearing more about the Pre-K programme specifically, Louise was particularly impressed with how involved the Little Saints students are within the whole school community.
Choosing St Paul’s for Louise’s children Leah and Lachlan was a natural choice, driven by her own experiences at the school. The nurturing environment, combined with a robust academic framework, gave Adam and herself confidence that their children would receive an excellent education, as well as the opportunities to grow into well-rounded individuals. The Carrig family loves being active and is excited about the cocurricular opportunities offered, in particular the wide range of sports and arts programmes.
Louise believes St Paul’s is a community that fosters both academic excellence and personal growth. Adam and Lousie wish for Leah and Lachlan to flourish and thrive, as they work out where their passions lie, embrace the challenges that will come, and create their own path as individuals.
When asked if Leah would like to share anything else, she says:
“As I reflect on my journey at St Paul’s to where I am today, I am grateful for the foundation laid out that helped guide my future. My family and I look forward to continuing to engage with the St Paul’s community and be part of its ongoing evolution.”
WELLBEING AT ST PAUL’S
In 2022, we teamed up with Therapy Animals Australia to launch the PAWS in Schools programme at St Paul’s. This unique and innovative programme has been designed to enhance the wellbeing of our students and staff. The programme included the introduction of a beautiful dog onto our school site. The staff and students were beyond excited to welcome Macy, a Labrador Retriever into our community.
Careful planning, along with a structured, consistent approach towards training is required when bringing dogs into school environments. The school works closely with Therapy Animals Australia to follow the PAWS training model, which encompasses the key components of a successful school therapy dog programme.
Well-trained, confident, and happy therapy dogs can be an invaluable resource for supporting the social and emotional learning of students, as well as fostering a sense of community spirit.
Benefits of a School Therapy Dog:
• Provision of new social connections.
• Develop a greater sense of community.
• Context for teaching / instilling whole school values such as empathy, kindness, gratitude, and respect.
• Support for school refusal and reluctant learners.
• Engage and motivate learners with special needs.
• Emotional regulation and stress relief.
Mrs Jacqueline Tuting, our P-12 Wellbeing Coordinator, is the designated staff member responsible for the housing and welfare of Macy. Mrs Tuting has completed the required training and manages Macy when she is on school grounds.
Macy has a school timetable and regularly visits classrooms, with occasional attendance of special school events like Cross Country, Book Week, and Grandparents Day. Macy also made her Broadway debut in our school musical, Annie, playing the role of Sandy.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Cameron Spanner
Cameron Spanner commenced at St Paul’s in 1999 in Kindergarten and graduated in 2011. Cameron has been a lawyer for the past 8 years and is currently a Director of Adams & Partners Lawyers in Penrith, specialising in Wills, Estates, Personal Injury, and Workers Compensation Law. Recently, Cameron dedicated his personal time to raising awareness, and significant funds, for the Cancer Council.
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE SUBJECT AT SCHOOL?
My favourite subject at school was Drama. I started Drama just after the VAPA building was opened and it was great to be a part of all the new facilities. I was always helping out with other grades’ performances, doing the lights and staging for their end of year shows.
DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE MEMORY OF ST PAUL’S?
It is very hard to narrow down just one memory. Some things that come straight to my mind are being a part of the Under 14 Boys Futsal Team who won the national title in 2008, being in Barnum the Musical in 2007, and being a part of the many drama performances over the years.
WHO WAS YOUR INSPIRATION AT SCHOOL?
There was one teacher in particular that inspired me when I was growing up. Mrs Josie Jones was my drama teacher from roughly Year 6 to Year 11. She always knew the right thing to say and taught me ignore the noise, follow your passion, not care what other people think about you, and do what makes you happy. She was an incredible inspiration to making me the person I am today.
HOW DID YOUR SCHOOL EXPERIENCE CONTRIBUTE
Also, I was able to secure my first job (which is still my current job at Adams & Partners Lawyers) after finishing Uni due to knowing Peter Adams (my past boss) who was the father of my sister’s friend from St Pauls. TO SHAPING YOUR CAREER PATH?
When I was at school, I never would have dreamed of becoming a lawyer. But after finishing school and doing some research I was surprised that I did have an interest in the law. One thing I knew I wanted was make sure that I was doing a profession that helped people and allowed me to deal with them face to face. Plus, there is a lot of similarities between law and Drama!
Cameron and his sister, Rachael
WHAT DOES YOUR TYPICAL WEEK LOOK LIKE?
There is no such thing as a typical week for me! From either needing to appear in Court or the Commission, to meeting with various clients regarding their legal issues. My weeks are determined by what stage certain matters are at, in that current moment of time. I am lucky that I have a team of 6 staff who work closely with me to help assist with all this work.
Personally, I’m always busy with my wife Jess and taking care of our two annoying but cute cavoodles, Stella and Stormi.
WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF HEADED IN THE FUTURE?
I’m not too sure of what the future holds. I love the Penrith area and most likely will always live close by with my family. I may look at some stage getting back into acting or entertaining. I have been an MC numerous times now at weddings and thoroughly enjoy that!
WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED?
I guess a big challenge I have had overcome in the last year is recovering from a significant surgery. In 2022, I injured my knee while playing soccer which resulted in my knee continuously dislocating. Last year I had surgery to insert two screws to stop my knee from dislocating. To do this, they had to fracture my tibia in multiple spots, which resulted in me needing to be on crutches for 3 months.
This was incredibly difficult as I needed to continue juggling work and family commitments, whilst trying to focus on recovery. However, what helped me through this process was the mindset of knowing it is not going to last forever and you just need to take each day as it comes.
I have travelled multiple times since school, to Europe and the USA. In July 2024, Jess and I will be travelling through Europe for 6 weeks, which will be highlighted by seeing Taylor Swift in Zurich (we are big Swifties).
Travel is a big influence as it opens you up to new experiences and lifestyles that you are not usually aware of. I recommend that people should try and travel as much as they can!
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL / FAMILY LIFE?
I met my wife Jess through St Paul’s. We were in the same Year 6 class in 2005 and in many of the same classes in High School. We started dating in Year 11 and were together for 12 years before we got married in 2022. We currently live in the Waterside Estate in Cranebrook with our two dogs Stella and Stormi.
Upon finishing school, Jess went to UTS and studied Nursing. She became a full-time registered nurse in 2015. In 2017, she obtained her Master of Nursing Education and became a Clinical Nurse Educator in surgical nursing. We were engaged in 2020 when we bought our first house and were supposed to get married in 2021, but our wedding was delayed due to COVID. We ended up getting married in 2022 in Queensland.
We are both big Penrith Panthers fans and love going to watch them play. A big highlight for us is that we have been able to go to the last two grand finals they have won! Jess is also Taylor Swift’s number one fan and has now converted me to a full-blown Swiftie.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO CURRENT ST PAUL’S STUDENTS?
Enjoy your time at school while you can! I know that’s a typical thing for you to hear, but school can be so much fun.
Make sure to take advantage of every opportunity. You will never know what you might like until you try it!
CAN YOU SHARE YOUR RECENT EXPERIENCE RAISING MONEY FOR THE CANCER COUNCIL?
I was asked to participate in a recent event for the Cancer Council called “The Stars of Penrith”. In a nutshell it is a Dancing with the Stars competition. Where I was matched with a professional dancer and drawn a random genre out of a hat and was required to perform the dance routine in front of 400 people, to help raise money for cancer research.
I ended up being partnered with a dancer named Steph and we were drawn the style of contemporary. I had no idea how to dance, let alone a complex contemporary dance.
We ended up rehearsing multiple times a week for a period of two months to prepare for the performance. To say it was difficult was an understatement. I have a newfound respect for dancers!
On 22 March 2024, I performed my dance in front of 400 people at the Evan Theatre at Penrith. It was a great night and I ended up with a perfect 30/30, with two of the judges being Mark Geyer and Nathan Sheen (former Tap Dog). I also ended up raising $18,000 personally for the Cancer Council and as a collective we raised $140,000 for the Cancer Council on the night.
It was a crazy amount of fun and I wish I could do it all over again!
2024 ANNUAL BALL
Emma Johns (née Jarman)
Emma Johns (née Jarman), together with her husband, Jay Johns, were our special guest speakers at the Annual Ball in May, at Curzon Hall. It was a special honour to welcome Emma back to the St Paul’s community to be part of this great event.
Emma graduated from St Paul’s in 2009, having attended the school since Year 5. Her senior years were spent at St Mary’s Senior High School where she met Jay, but they didn’t become friends until a few years after graduating.
Together, they founded their own production company in 2016 - JEM Entertainment - where they wrote, produced, directed, choreographed, and starred in their own shows. Since then, they have travelled the world performing together.
You may have seen Emma in A Chorus Line for Darlinghurst Theatre Company or The King and I at the Opera House, and you may have seen both Emma and Jay performing alongside each other in musicals such as 9to5 at the Capitol Theatre.
Whilst performing, Emma is also a passionate dance teacher. She has studied to obtain a Bachelor of Dance and currently is undertaking a Masters in Teaching.
Alongside this, Emma also works as a tutor in the St Paul’s Dance Academy.
Emma and Jay live in the Eastern Suburbs where they love going on walks, drinking coffee, and watching the dogs swim at the beach!
SPECIAL FAREWELLS
Anne Rogers
At the beginning of the term, Mrs Anne Rogers notified St Paul’s that she will be retiring from full-time teaching. Mrs Rogers has had a distinguished career spanning over 45 years. Significantly, she was on the foundation staff of St Paul’s Junior School and has also served in various roles including Classroom Teacher, Infants Coordinator, and Deputy Head of Junior School.
She has been a wonderful colleague to many and has made a significant impact on the lives of countless students and their families.
Philip Heath
More recently, Mr Philip Heath advised that he will also be retiring at the end of the year. Mr Heath has been at the school for 21 years. During this time, he has served as a Secondary School teacher, Head of House, and currently as the Director of Students and Family Services. He has also been a parent of the school as all four of his children attended St Paul’s.
Mr Health will be greatly missed by the school community. He is an outstanding educator and has an incredible pastoral heart. He is well respected and admired by his colleagues, students, and parents. We pray for God’s blessing as both Mrs Rogers and Mr Heath embark on this exciting new phase of their lives.
ALUMNI STAFF
Nixi Zhang
This term we were pleased to welcome back former International Student, Nixi Zhang, Class of 2019, to complete the practical component of her teaching degree. Nixi started her Secondary School journey at St Paul’s in Year 9, 2016 and graduated in 2019.
Nixi took time out of her busy teaching responsibilities to reflect on her experience at St Paul’s, how it contributed to her academic career, and share some memories with us.
Nixi explains the primary rationale behind her parents’ decision to enrol her in St Paul’s as an International Student was the school’s educational philosophy, which was aligned with their own, namely ‘In Christo Futurum’.
DID YOU ENJOY BEING AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT?
The experience of being an international student at St Paul’s was both challenging and memorable. It was challenging to achieve the academic goals in a second language and to navigate cultural differences in the classroom, such as asking questions directly during the class. It was also challenging to become involved in the community. However, with the support of my classmates and teachers, the experiences of overcoming these challenges became memorable.
The most indelible memory is that of my experience in the prefect team. The opportunity to arrange school events enabled us to experience the positive aspects of collaborative teamwork. Furthermore, the inclusive atmosphere within the prefect team allowed me to demonstrate my strengths and gain insights from other prefects about their respective strengths.
Upon graduating from St Paul’s, Nixi returned to China and completed a gap year. During this period, a number of significant global and personal events occurred. While multiple COVID-19 lockdowns had a profound impact on Nixi’s family, they also afforded them the opportunity to spend extended periods of time together. Additionally, they welcomed four adorable kittens and puppies during this period, which brought much joy to their family.
Regarding personal events, Nixi had the opportunity to gain experience as a Music and English Teacher at a Kindergarten Learning Centre. This experience served to reinforce her desire to pursue a future career in teaching. It also afforded her the chance to gain experience of both teaching in a classroom setting and teaching remotely. The other significant personal event during Nixi’s gap year was meeting her future husband, Isaac, and the subsequent decision to marry. This event marked a pivotal point in Nixi’s life, one that she had not previously considered.
As stated in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.” God revealed his grand and awe-inspiring plan for me, despite the challenging circumstances.
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In Nixi’s prac, at St Paul’s, she is teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). Prior to her return to St Paul’s, she was understandably nervous. However, upon joining the staff team, she felt immediately welcomed and supported by all the teaching staff as well as the support team.
Although Nixi’s previous experience of being an International Student at St Paul’s enabled her to gain an understanding of the learning obstacles faced by International Students in the ESL class, she has found it challenging to meet their individual learning needs. However, she has received invaluable support and advice from her supervising teacher, Jacqueline Xiao, which has enabled her to improve her teaching pedagogy. Nixi is grateful to Jacqueline for her guidance and support.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CHANGE SINCE YOU LEFT ST PAUL’S?
The most significant changes at St Paul’s are the introduction of a comprehensive approach to student wellbeing and the improvement of the International Student Programme. Regarding the former, fortnightly welfare meetings have been established, during which teachers are able to gain insight into their students’ learning and mental health needs.
Additionally, students are afforded the opportunity to understand their personal strengths and weaknesses in their learning. Conversely, the International Student Programme has undergone significant enhancements to align with the needs of International Students. These include the option for students to select and modify their elective courses upon enrolment at St. Paul’s, as well as the availability of academic support from the ESL support teacher. These changes are believed to be beneficial in supporting students throughout their academic journey at St Paul’s.
REUNION Class of 2004
In April, St Paul’s alumni gathered to reminisce, laugh, and celebrate an incredible milestone - 20 years since graduation!
Well done, Class of 2004. May your connections continue to grow and thrive for many more years to come.
SCHOOL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOSP Trivia Night
We are excited to invite you to our upcoming Trivia Night, and we encourage you to rally your friend groups or year group for an evening of entertainment and fun. Booking a table with your former classmates is a fantastic way to reconnect, reminisce, and create new memories together.
Don’t miss this opportunity to relive the good times and contribute to a night filled with laughter, competition, and nostalgia. Reserve your table now and make Trivia Night an unforgettable reunion of former classmates and friends!
Christmas Celebration
SAVE THE DATE
This year our Christmas Celebration will be held on Friday 29 November 2024. This is a whole school community event, and we hope you might consider joining us in celebrating together.
The event will commence at approximately 4:00pm, where there will be great food available to purchase from food trucks and stalls. Bring a picnic rug or some chairs. Share a meal together on the lawns in front of the Centre whilst enjoying the outside entertainment from our talented students.
At around 7:00pm, we move into the Centre where students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 will perform and lead us in a service, as we give thanks and remember the birth of Jesus. This is a ticketed event, and we post detailed information on our Alumni Facebook and Instagram pages, with a link to book, closer to the date.
STAY CONNECTED
CONTACTS Kindly consider becoming a member of our official Alumni pages. These platforms serve as a hub for sharing significant moments from the school’s journey and students’ memorable moments.
ALUMNI Please share your special celebrations with us, whether it be career NEWS milestones, weddings, anniversaries, or the arrival of little ones! Please email us on alumni@stpauls.nsw.edu.au with details.
