Futurum #67, Summer 2021 by St Paul's Grammar School

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

NO. 67 SUMMER 2021

IN THIS EDITION

Sojourn 20 A Unique Dance Academy Showcase •C ELEBRATIONS AND AWARDS 2020 • J UNIOR SCHOOL PASTORAL CARE AND WELLBEING •T HE 2020 PYP EXHIBITION GOES ONLINE • S WIMMING CARNIVALS 2021

From the Principal | WELCOME

FUTURUM SUMMER 2021

Contents 3

From the Principal

Year 12 Results

St Paul’s Welcomes New Staff

New Babies

The Junior School - Wellbeing

The Junior School - PYP Exhibition

School Musical - Bye Bye Birdie

SPGS Dance Academy - Sojourn 20

Staff Profile - Leanne McLean

Alumni Profile - Isaac Mann

Family Profile - The Gale Family

Staff Farewells

Around the Grounds - Campus Update

Swimming Carnivals 2021

Celebration Events and Award Ceremonies 2020

Futurum ISSUE NO. 67 SUMMER 2021

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

Contact St Paul’s T | +61 2 4777 4888 E | info@stpauls.nsw.edu.au www.stpauls.nsw.edu.au 2021 Term Dates Term 2 | Wednesday, 21st April to Friday, 18th June Term 3 | Tuesday, 13th July to Friday, 17th September Term 4 | Wednesday, 6th October to Thursday, 2nd December Find St Paul’s Online /stpaulsgrammar /stpaulsgrammar Futurum Online www.stpauls.nsw.edu.au/community/ futurum-magazine Editors Catherine Corry Rob McDonald

Design Penzance Marketing and Creative Agency Images SPGS Staff, Students and Community

Contact Email | futurum@stpauls.nsw.edu.au Cover Image Wolter Peeters Changed Your Address or Contact Details? Email | info@stpauls.nsw.edu.au

From the Principal This edition of Futurum spans a unique period of time in the life of St Paul’s Grammar School and links two very different years. At this stage in 2020, our school and community had already experienced the impact of bushfire and flood and was confronting the severity of the global pandemic.

Yet despite the difficulties of 2020, it has been remarkable to see our school community’s strength of character come to the fore. No matter the challenge, as a community we have worked to support our students – and they continued to thrive under the most difficult of circumstances. The articles in this edition of Futurum are testament to this. The stories, profiles and photography captured here display the vitality of St Paul’s, undiminished in the face of the significant disruptions experienced during the year. Our Year 12, 2020 results were exceptional, with 30% of students achieving an ATAR above 90 and 50% in excess of 80. The excellent marks also reflect the high level of care and support provided at St Paul’s, which enables our students to flourish in a nurturing school environment – even during the most difficult of years. Our commitment to the Pastoral Care and Wellbeing of our students and staff is a crucial part of the holistic school experience we offer. As COVID-19 restrictions gradually eased towards the end of last year, it was particularly pleasing to host several outdoor assemblies and celebration events with school families in attendance as we turned the corner into 2021. A gallery of photos is included in this issue of Futurum. It was also exciting to once again watch and applaud a range of dynamic, live student performances. The St Paul’s of 2021 looks at the current year and beyond with enthusiasm and excitement. Earlier this year, I spoke with our new school parents about their aspirations for their children’s education. This is always inspiring and a reminder that we are all part of a school that makes a lasting difference in the lives of our students. This mission is at the heart of everything we do at St Paul’s. Once again, I wish to share the great privilege and honour it is to be part of this special community. I hope you enjoy this publication. In Christo Futurum.

No matter the challenge, as a community we have worked to support our students – and they continued to thrive under the most difficult of circumstances. The articles in this edition of Futurum are testament to this.

Ian Wake

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Year 12 | 2020 RESULTS

2020 RESULTS | Year 12

St Paul’s Grammar School 2020 Dux and High Achievers

33% Our Crest 55% Design & Colour of students achieved an ATAR above 90 of students achieved an ATAR above 80

Congratulations On Your Outstanding Results

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

A list of students who achieved exceptional results

Our Crest

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

Sophie Reeves

Our Crest Orchard HillsDesign & Colour

99.55

The logo should not be redrawn, digitally manipulated or altered. No rescaling of the horizontal or vertical proportions should occur. Colours: Pantone, CMYK and RGB versions of the St Paul’s School crest have been created. The colour values are:

The St Paul’s crest represents the centrality of the cross to the Christian faith and thus mission of our school; profiled by the rising sun symbolising our hope and future in Christ. The crest is made up of the central logo with the name and motto of the school around the diameter. The logo should not be redrawn, digitally manipulated or altered. No rescaling of the horizontal or vertical proportions should occur.

DUX

Julia Hu

Our Crest CranebrookDesign & Colour

98.70

OX JOINT S IME ACCES

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

PMS 3935 C Pantone, CMYK and RGB Colours:

PMS 294 C

PMS 362 C

PMS 3935 C Colours: Pantone, CMYK and RGB

PMS 294 C

PMS 362 C

PMS 3935 C

C2 M0 Y60 K0 versions of the St Paul’s School crest have

C100 M69 Y7 K30

C78 M0 Y100 K2

C2 M0versions Y60 K0 of the St Paul’s School crest have

C100 M69 Y7 K30

C78 M0 Y100 K2

C2 M0 Y60 K0

been created. The colour values are: R243 G234 B93

R0 G47 B108

R80 G158 B47

beenB93 created. The colour values are: R243 G234

R0 G47 B108

R80 G158 B47

R243 G234 B93

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

available.

Mulgoa 96.45

T OX JOINT SI IME ACCES

R80 G158 B47

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

ST PAUL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL

C78 M0 Y100 K2

available.

Sabrina Marincic

Teah Bell

PMS 362 C

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

BRAND IDENTITY 2016

98.70

R0 G47 B108

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

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Mudugamuwa Kingswood

C100 M69 Y7 K30

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

Emma Surmon Castle Hill 96.45

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Abby Godwin

BRAND IDENTITY 2016

ST PAUL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Cranebrook 95.45

Thomas Keane

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Karlijn Roebers

BRAND IDENTITY 2016

Glenmore Park 95.45

ST PAUL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Bowen Mountain 95.45

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

Imandi

PMS 294 C

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

Alysha Pearson

Cranebrook 94.05

Kings Langley 98.05

Alexandra Bishop Kurrajong 92.80

Georgia Whale

Orchard Hills 92.80

Michaela Hoffmann Kingswood 84.30

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Brendan Love St Clair 91.50

Lachlan Ming Llandilo 84.30

St Paul’s Grammar School

Isabelle Todorovic Cranebrook 91.50

Mikayla Weber

Emu Plains 84.30

Joshua Parker

Kurrajong 90.00

Olivia

Locke-Stevens Kurrajong Heights 82.90

Madeleine Street Cranebrook 90.00

Keaton Daniels

Emu Plains 81.90

Hanna

Mazurkiewicz Emu Plains 89.35

Nathan Fleetwood Bowen Mountain 81.90

Claira Jovanovski Richmond 88.15

Jack Lewis

Berkshire Park 81.90

Olivia Cooper

Joshua Hardimon

Glenmore Windsor Blaxland White reverse / CMYK 96.45 Park Colour Reverse Downs 98.05 crest should96.45 be reversed out of St Paul’s Blue - PMS541

Mono / Mono Reverse To be used when

Aron Piper Reese appropriate for non colour reproduction Keness McElrea Robinson (forms, reversed out of photographic Wallacia Mount St Clair or when colour isn’t 92.80 background)Riverview 92.80 available. 92.80

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Keunwoo Song

St Paul’s Dux 2020 Sophie Reeves

Isabella Podesta Windsor Downs 88.15

Luke Zoglmeyer Mount Riverview 80.05

BRAND IDENTITY 2016

Natasha Jameson

Grose Vale 86.40

Sophie Burr

ST PAUL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Zali-Ane Humphreys Llandilo 85.35

DUX PMS 294 C

PMS 362 C

PMS 3935 C

C100 M69 Y7 K30

C78 M0 Y100 K2

C2 M0 Y60 K0

R80 G158 B47 R243 G234 B93 Students from the St Paul’s Year 12 class of 2020 achieved some remarkable end-of-year results, with 33% recording an ATAR above 90 and 55% above 80. With an ATAR of 99.55, Sophie Reeves was the St Paul’s Dux for 2020.

R0 G47 B108

Our Crest

Design & Colour

Sophie’s outstanding academic accomplishments are testament to her extraordinary talent, focus and ability to manage the many co-curricular pursuits she enjoyed while at St Paul’s. In addition to a dedication to her IB studies, Sophie was also extensively involved in the wider life of St Paul’s, most notably through her role as School Captain. Amongst other activities, she also pursued her interest in Dance, Netball, school musicals and completed the Duke of Edinburgh Award. The subjects she most enjoyed were Dance and Sports Science.

The St Paul’s crest represents the centrality of the cross to the Christian faith and thus mission In considering the factors that contributed of our school; profiled by theto her academic success, she says the genuine care shown by the teachers of rising sun symbolising our hope her time St Paul’s played a large role, as did strengthening management skills and ensuring time was and future in Christ. The crestput aside for relaxation and recreation. is made up of the central logo A strong modeland for other studentsof at St Paul’s, Sophie with the role name motto the especially values the enduring relationships she built with people school diameter. and thearound opportunitythe the school provides for students to explore

Sophie Reeves Residence Orchard Hills

99.55 ATAR CO-CURRICULAR 2020 School Captain, Dance Companies, CRU, Duke of Edinburgh, ISA Netball, School Musical. PLANS FOR 2021 AND BEYOND Undertaking a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Sydney.

and grow their faith.

The logo should not be redrawn, digitally manipulated Enjoy the time that you have with or altered. No rescaling of schoolwork your friends even though seems like most important thing the horizontal or the vertical in your life. proportions should occur.

DUX

Werrington Downs 80.00

Colours: Pantone, CMYK and RGB versions of the St Paul’s School crest have

PMS 294 C C100 M69 Y7 K30

PMS 362 C Futurum #66 Winter 2020

C78 M0 Y100 K2

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PMS 393

C2 M0 Y6

Welcome to the Community | NEW BABIES

NEW STAFF | Welcome to St Paul’s

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

Lachlan Field Secondary School Classroom Teacher Humanities

Grant Levy Secondary School Classroom Teacher Mathematics

Rachel McHattan Junior School Classroom Teacher Year 4

James Newton Secondary School Learning Enrichment Assistant

Annie Post Secondary School Visual and Performing Arts Assistant

Edgar Rodriguez Maintenance Assistant

New Babies

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

Bethany

Benjamin

Name | B ethany Florence Jean Freeland Born | Tuesday, 10th November 2020 Weight | 3.42kg Length | 52cm

Name | B enjamin Graham Arthur Born | Thursday, 11th January 2021 Weight | 3.6kg Length | 51cm

Sam Freeland, Audio Visual Technician at St Paul’s and his wife, Eliza, Welcome Bethany.

Sally Arthur, Pre-Kindergarten Coordinator at St Paul’s, along with her husband, Jason and son Elliott, welcome Benjamin.

Beth Tapara Event Coordinator

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PYP Exhibition | THE JUNIOR SCHOOL

JUNIOR SCHOOL | Wellbeing

Student Wellbeing and Pastoral Care in the Junior School

The Primary Years Programme (PYP) Exhibition 2020

A safe, supportive environment in which to thrive. A commitment to wellbeing is the backbone of the student experience provided at St Paul’s and guides a child’s first step through the Junior School gate to their final footfalls across the Secondary School stage. The many challenges of 2020 not only served to highlight the strength of this commitment to wellbeing at St Paul’s, they reinforced our mission as a Christ-centred community - to empower and enrich others so they may serve the world with respect and compassion. Nurturing students in the Junior School Education at St Paul’s always seeks to value and teach the ‘whole child’ and we believe that all children are made by God, unique and valuable. How our children are – how they are feeling and developing mentally, socially, emotionally and physically - is as vitally important to us as their academic accomplishments. The greatest assets we have at St Paul’s are our dedicated teachers. Young children benefit from the pastoral care that comes from a teacher who loves, cares and knows them. Open communication between home and school helps teachers be aware of the wellbeing needs of individuals and a team approach among support staff, leadership and the school counsellor, means our children are well supported socially and emotionally. An awareness of the strengths and interests of each child and the provision of opportunities for them to investigate is paramount to

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St Paul’s Grammar School

One of the many advantages of being a school that delivers the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP) is students’ participation in the Year 6 Exhibition.

promoting student wellbeing at St Paul’s. Children in the Junior School have access to many co-curricular activities. Some of these are run through our academies, but many happen day-to-day, including music ensembles, LEGO Club, Praise Kids and CRU. Perhaps most popular are the groups led by students themselves, fuelled by their ideas, passion and skill – like Scratch Coding and Cartooning. Staff also cater for students and their wellbeing by designing small groups for children who may need to develop social skills in a play-based, or project-based setting.

As students developed their works through the school’s Inquiry Cycle, they produced a series of webpages to track their learning and showcase their investigations. An audience of parents, staff and community members were then invited to view the whole Exhibition process and follow each student on their journey. For 2020 the theme was “Who we are – An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.”

The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) is our framework for learning and at its core is the Learner Profile. Our aim at St Paul’s is for our students to be: • • • • •

Inquirers Knowledgeable Thinkers Communicators Open minded

• • • • •

Principled Caring Reflective Balanced Risk takers

Our programmed Personal Development (or ‘Social Skills’) lessons come under the PYP framework too. We teach units under the themes: ‘Who we are’ – identity, self-esteem, beliefs, differences and similarities, strengths and areas for growth, how we change and grow, balancing our needs, mindfulness, resilience, child protection. ‘How we express ourselves’ – Communication, conflict resolution, passive/assertive/

aggressive behaviours, No-Go-Tell, helping others, respect. ‘How we organise ourselves’ – rules, safety, people who can help us, child protection, group work, team dynamics. This year we look forward to seeing our students flourish in every area of their life, with their well-being and growth at the centre of all we do.

webpage designs with others who were also undertaking the same process. “Our Year 6 students rose to the challenge, successfully working towards their PYP Exhibition in a different but very successful online format. Students had complete ownership over the way they presented their research and their Opening Ceremony, adapting well to the changes and challenges of 2020. Although it was disappointing that students were unable to speak face-to-face with our community about their research, they were nonetheless able to engage very effectively using my.stpauls, interacting and sharing their knowledge with the community. We are very grateful to our parents who made the time to connect, view and comment on student work throughout the Exhibition process. St Paul’s is very proud of every one of our Year 6, 2020 students.”

Students formed groups based on their interests and each group developed their very own central idea to inquire into, including: Physical Health; Health in General; Relationships; Self; Rights and Responsibilities; and Mental Health. Year 6 also participated in Zoom meetings with fellow students at Newington College. This was mutually beneficial as students were able to share their ideas and

Ms Corinne Day Deputy Head of Junior School Curriculum and PYP Coordinator.

Rachael Jamieson Newton Deputy Head of Junior School Welfare and Organisation

The Exhibition has been hard, but also fun. I think we are all happy with how it has turned out”

The Exhibition has been challenging but overall we have learn a lot.

The Exhibition has been a hard time, but it has been worth waiting for the end process.

I liked doing the activities in the hall and outside. We learnt new things.

Charlotte Liggins

Matilda Harper Marchant

Lachlan Kumar

Brielle Morgan

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Bye Bye Birdie | SCHOOL MUSICAL

SCHOOL MUSICAL | Bye Bye Birdie

The curtain fell early on a superb musical production.

doubt it would have been another landmark Secondary School musical for St Paul’s.

St Paul’s is proud of our inventive, dynamic and bold Drama Academy and it was with much sadness that the decision was made to cancel the 2020 production of Bye Bye Birdie, due to the impact of COVID-19 restrictions.

The school acknowledges and congratulates each student and member of staff involved, also recognising the time and support contributed by their families.

Over the preceding twelve months, students and staff poured an incredible amount of their time, effort, creativity and determination into an impressive production and there is no 10 |

St Paul’s Grammar School

A number of promotional photographs were captured prior to the musical’s cancellation which capture a small slice of the vibrant costume design, characterisation and choreography that had already taken place. St Paul’s hope you enjoy them.

The school acknowledges and congratulates each student and member of staff involved, also recognising the time and support contributed by their families.

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SPGS DANCE ACADEMY | Sojourn 20

Sojourn 20

Sojourn 20 | SPGS DANCE ACADEMY

Sojourn is the St Paul’s Grammar School end-of-year Dance Showcase. Featuring students from Pre-Kindergarten through to Year 12, Sojourn includes each of our Dance Academy ensembles and companies as well as elective dance students from Years 9-12. Sojourn 20, faced a series of unique challenges in response to the events of last year. Unable to perform before a live audience, Sojourn 20 was performed in front of the camera and recorded for the St Paul’s community. Sojourn’s planning, production and performance were a success despite the shifting landscape of 2020; drawing on the rich experience of Dance Academy staff and tutors and the talent and flexibility of our students.

Lauren Cullimore, Coordinator of the St Paul’s Dance Academy, on the challenges and triumphs of Sojourn 20. Sojourn has historically been performed at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in front of the St Paul’s community; how was 2020 different? Sojourn 20 certainly looked very different to previous years. The event was filmed with the final product being a showcase DVD. Over three days each class, ensemble and company were filmed on site at St Paul’s. External lighting, sound and stage equipment was hired to transform our theatre studio in the Arts Quarter. St Paul’s Arts alumni were employed to operate our lighting and sound, as well as the filming of the performances. Year 12 HSC and IB Diploma Programme Dance students were also given the opportunity to perform and record their composition works, as Ricochet, the mid-year Dance Academy showcase, was unable to proceed earlier in the year. What challenges were unique to Sojourn 20? The biggest challenge was not the Sojourn event but the lead-up, planning and preparation. Usually students and tutors

Sojourn Stats

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STUDENTS DANCE TUTORS

Students learn so much from working in a professional theatre and with professional lighting and sound technicians. This is real industry experience.

would have a full year to create, compose and refine dance works for the event. In 2020, we were forced to cancel classes at the end of Term 1 due to COVID-19 and move to remote learning. In Term 2, the Dance Academy cancelled all face-to-face classes. This resulted in students losing around fourteen weeks of preparation time. This increased the pressure on our fantastic tutors as they devised the works and routines for our students. Most importantly, it had a significant impact on the training our dancers were able to undertake in preparation for the event. What opportunities and learnings did the unusual circumstances provide? During Term 2, the Dance Academy quickly adapted to a new way of teaching and learning. The online model allowed dance students access to a suite of dance classes in the style of their choice. These lessons were pre-recorded by selected Dance Academy Tutors and available to Secondary School students, with a similar model available to Junior School students later in the term. The purpose and focus of these resources were to ensure students were staying active and felt connected to the St Paul’s dance community during a period of remote learning. Sojourn 20 – the reviews are in. The feedback we have received from both students and families has been extremely positive. I believe students were grateful and excited to have an opportunity to perform. Sojourn is one of my favourite events in the

year. Even though the preparation is extensive and time consuming, spending two days with the students is inspiring. Watching senior students mentor and care for our junior dancers and the way the junior dancers flock to side stage to watch senior dance pieces is heart-warming. Students learn so much from working in a professional theatre and with professional lighting and sound technicians. This is real industry experience. With the lack of performance opportunities in 2020, I wondered how much learning and sense of community would be lost. However, when the students came together to record their Sojourn works, I saw this was not the case at all. Students were working together, warming up, rehearsing, assisting with costumes, interacting and supporting each other like never before. This shows the strength and positive culture within the dance programme at St Paul’s. Lauren Cullimore Coordinator of Dance St Paul’s Dance Academy

Our Crest

Design & Colour

Dance Academy

PMS 294 C

PMS 362 C

PMS 3935 C

C100 M69 Y7 K30

C78 M0 Y100 K2

C2 M0 Y60 K0

R0 G47 B108

R80 G158 B47

R243 G234 B93

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

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

(from across St Paul’s)

321

COSTUMES PURCHASED

ITEMS PERFORMED

312 12 |

STAFF

(and filmed in 2020)

LIGHTING CUES

St Paul’s Grammar School

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BRAND IDENTITY 2016

ST PAUL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL

The Dance Academy is committed to providing excellence in Performance Arts tuition and aims to create young dancers who balance high professional standards in dance with emotional, spiritual and physical well-being. The Dance Academy’s carefully designed progressive education structure takes participants from their first steps to a professional career. stpauls.nsw.edu.au/dance-academy

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Leanne McLean | STAFF PROFILE

STAFF PROFILE | Leanne McLean

Leanne McLean

I am passionate about building and investing in our staff, who make the teaching and learning environment at St Paul’s exceptional. When we equip our staff to be their best we are able to offer a leading education to our students.

Position: • Director of Professional Growth • Head of Department Technological and Applied Studies (TAS) Time at St Paul’s: • 11 Years

Where did you grow up? I grew up in a number of places. Most of my secondary school years were in the Hawkesbury with my junior school years being in the country. For five years my family had a farm in the Riverina, so I spent time growing up there.

s a student, what was your least A favourite subject at school? I think my least favourite subject was Physical Education. I was not enthusiastic about participating in sports that I had no skill in. I will never forget day one of a new school and having to do hurdles.

ell us about your journey to becoming T a teacher. My journey to becoming a teacher has been a long one. I had always thought I wanted to teach, but I lacked confidence as a secondary school student and instead of going to university I started working. This was a good path for me and the skills I learnt in industry are beneficial to my role now. I worked in an engineering company and built a lot of self confidence. After having children, I decided to attend university to become a teacher. This was a great experience and I discovered that I really love learning. After my original bachelor’s degree, I have continued my learning with a master’s degree, graduating 2019.

As an educator, what inspires you? I love learning and I am passionate about improving our world. I endeavour to teach students that they have a role to play in making our world a better place for all. In my subject area, this is usually around thoughtful design and the diligent use of resources. My faith impacts this teaching as I believe God has invited us (his creation) to participate in the world; making it better, making it work and discovering new things.

s a student, what was your favourite A subject at school? My favourite subject at school was Textiles, closely followed by Mathematics. I really love anything creative and enjoy the process of making; hence my love of Design Technology. 14 |

St Paul’s Grammar School

ow does your faith influence your role H as a teacher? My faith is integral to who I am. As a Christian, I see the world through the lense of belief. I want to serve the Lord through my role at St Paul’s and try to work with diligence and grace in all that I do. I believe that serving my community will also serve the Lord. Working in a community of belivers is a blessing as we are not just here for a job but believe there is a larger, more eternal aspect to our relationships.

What do you enjoy about working at St Paul’s? My favourite part of working at St Paul’s is the strong relationships that I have built. The community of people are the real strength of our school. What do you hope to achieve in your roles across 2021 and beyond? For the coming year I am focussed on the requirements we have to meet as a school for registration. Beyond this, I am passionate about building and investing in our staff, who make the teaching and learning environment at St Paul’s exceptional. When we equip our staff to be their best we are able to offer a leading education to our students. Tell us about your family. I have four adult children, who are making their way in the world. We will celebrate the marriage of one of them this year, which will be very exciting for our family. My husband is also a teacher and has recently finished his Bachelor of Education to be a Mathematics teacher. My husband and I worship at Life Anglican Church Quakers Hill, where I lead Kids Church. What is your favourite verse in the Bible? “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father thorugh him.” Colossians 3:17 Futurum #67 Summer 2021

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Isaac Mann | ALUMNI PROFILE

Isaac Mann Graduating Year: •2 017 Studies: •C ivil Engineering and Project Management at the University of Sydney Profession: •C ivil Engineer Trainee, Penrith City Council •T raffic and Design Engineer (Contract) TPE Consulting It was no surprise to the St Paul’s community when Isaac Mann was named the school’s HSC Dux for 2017. With a keen analytical and creative mind, Isaac continues to follow and enrich his passion for engineering in his current professional roles, while also undertaking university study. Isacc shares with us some reflections on his time at St Paul’s, where he laid strong fundations for his continuing success.

I found perseverance is key to success. It is so important to stick with your goals and passions, and to treat failure as an opportunity to grow. 16 |

St Paul’s Grammar School

What was your favourite subject at school? Why? I enjoyed the STEM orientated subjects at St Paul’s, including the analytically focused natural sciences and Mathematics, as well as the technological focused subjects, such as Design and Technology where I was able to develop creativity and problem-solving skills in a real-world context. During Years 11 and 12, I particularly enjoyed HSC Mathematics with Mr Keith Arblaster in which the small class size paired with Mr Arblaster’s passion for the subject made for an enjoyable learning experience. HSC Mathematics provided me with my first insight into fundamental mathematical concepts I still apply daily, both as a university student and professionally.

A diverse subject exposure, along with motivated and engaging teachers, enabled me to decide what I wanted to do post-secondary school, prior to Years 11 and 12... I am grateful for the support and flexibility St Paul’s offered during my senior years. hat is your main area of W study/work now? Currently I am an undergraduate student at the University of Sydney studying Civil Engineering and Project Management. Civil Engineering is such a diverse field that encompasses the planning, design, construction and maintenance of infrastructure such as buildings, roads, bridges, dams and more. In addition to my university studies, I work full time at Penrith City Council as a Civil Engineer Trainee and on contract for TPE Consulting as a Traffic and Design Engineer. Much of my professional experience has been centred around transportation, including the design of traffic crash attenuation devices, modelling intersection performance, championing projects and community engagement. Describe your typical week. Each week can be unpredictable with a unique set of tasks and challenges. The majority of my week involves working in the Traffic Engineering Team at Penrith Council with day-to-day tasks consisting of development application assessment, coordinating design projects,

site inspections and interaction with the community. My work at Council has allowed involvement with some exciting transportation projects within the Penrith area, such as the Mamre West industrial developments, the Aerotropolis and Sydney Science Park and CBD developments such as City Park. I am very fortunate to have this experience early in my career. During the average week, I also squeeze in work for TPE Consulting which involves traffic studies and design plans for client councils, as well as university study including lectures, tutorials and assignments. Most importantly, I still dedicate time for social activity in which I regularly meet up with good friends I made at St Paul’s. Finding the balance between work, study and a social life is so important. How did school help consolidate your career path? Like many young secondary school students, my perception of a career was daunting and surrounded by ambiguity. Up to Year 10, I had no clear idea of what I wanted to do post secondary school. Fortunately, St Paul’s paired core subjects with a variety of electives, such as timber, design, languages, arts and photomedia, which provided a taste of different career pathways. A diverse subject exposure, along with motivated and engaging teachers, enabled me to decide what I wanted to do post-secondary school, prior to Years 11 and 12. Knowing I was interested in engineering, I was able to tailor my senior year subject selection to best suit this pathway. I am grateful for the support and flexibility St Paul’s offered during my senior years. Where do you see yourself headed in the future? With the current urban growth and push for development in Australia, I believe Civil Engineering is a prosperous career option. Going forward, I hope to complete my degree and perhaps specialise in a specific stream such as structures, transportation or project management. I would like to get involved with the private sector and possibly, in the future, start my own engineering firm. What challenges have you encountered? How did you overcome them? I am very fortunate to be employed as an engineer during my undergraduate studies, however, my busy schedule comes with inherent stress, particularly during semester and exam periods. I quickly learned to work smarter – not harder- via effective

time management and prioritisation of tasks. As mentioned, the necessity of achieving a work-life balance could not be more important. I find dedicating time for friends, family and physical activity is key to reducing stress and preventing burnout. Do you have a favourite memory from your time at St Paul’s? When reflecting on my time at St Paul’s, some of the most salient memories are the Gold Duke of Edinburgh hikes in New Zealand. The experience really helped develop my autonomy and a love for adventure. Nothing beats the unforgettable catharsis of completing the Routeburn Track and taking the Queenstown Gondola to the Skyline restaurant to enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet! What is one piece of advice for current St Paul’s students? School, particularly senior years, is at times challenging and burdened with obstacles, uncertainty and setbacks. I found perseverance is key to success. It is so important to stick with your goals and passions, and to treat failure as an opportunity to grow. As once stated by Nelson Mandela “It always seems impossible until it is done.”

Isaac Mann ALUMNI

ALUMNI PROFILE | Isaac Mann

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FAMILY PROFILE | The Gale’s

The Gale’s | FAMILY PROFILE

The Gale Family

representing St Paul’s. Georgia has also enjoyed being involved in servicelearning trips; her last was to the Top End of Australia. Jaimee, our youngest daughter, enjoys singing and performing in musicals. In 2019, Jaimee was involved in two community musicals, “Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat” and “The Sound of Music”. Jaimee also enjoys weekend sport with her friends and played softball, netball and basketball in 2020 for St Paul’s.

St Paul’s enjoys a vibrant and welcoming community of families whose support enhances the learning experience of our students in many valuable ways. The Gale family share some of their thoughts on the school and the experiences they have enjoyed and valued as part of the St Paul’s community.

What are some things you find challenging as parents (or as a family)? Balancing our family time with the various in-school activities, regular schoolwork and co-curricular activities our girls are involved with at St Paul’s can be challenging.

Who is the Gale family? Kareena: Director of Spunky Monkeys Early Learning Centres Mike: Department of Defence Georgia: Currently in Year 12 at St Paul’s and looking forward to graduating in 2021 Jaimee: Currently in Year 8 at St Paul’s

2020 was a particularly demanding year. What was your experience of remote-learning and managing as a family through such a disruptive time? As parents, 2020 presented a few challenges. Remote-learning demonstrated how much our girls learnt from their peers and how they need that interaction for their education and a sense of belonging. In our business we were facing our own challenges during COVID-19, it was very hard trying to support Georgia and Jaimee’s education while supporting our business. We were fortunate that our girls are independent learners and they seemed to manage quite well during remote-learning.

The Gales live in Agnes Banks with their two bulldogs (Milo and Zigi), twelve chickens, five sheep and forty thousand bees. How do you like to spend time together as a family? We really enjoy travelling and spending time outdoors. A recent family highlight was our trip at the beginning of 2020,

where we visited Chichen Itza, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in Mexico and hand-fed flamingos in Miami, USA. We love being on the water, either at the beach or the river. We also like to spend time around our campfire with family and friends. Why did you choose to send your children to St Paul’s? Our initial reason for visiting St Paul’s was to investigate the benefits of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme which we feel is a great choice for our two daughters. The strong sense of community at St Paul’s and the school’s values aligning with our own family values were also important reasons. We love everything that St Paul’s has to offer for our daughters.

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What are the things you engage with at St Paul’s that you value as a family? We value the holistic approach to education that is offered at St Paul’s. There is so much on offer for every student alongside the high level of teaching, co-curricular choices (such as Rural Fire Service Cadets, softball, singing, dancing, basketball), the outdoor recreational programmes, service-learning trips and the pastoral care. We feel very blessed to be involved in our school community and to be an active part of the school’s parent and community group, the Friends of St Paul’s.

What has been a highlight for your family in 2020? A highlight for us in 2020 was having both our girls win their grand finals in softball. The other highlight was Georgia being presented the Londonderry Leadership Senior Award from Prue Car MP, Member for Londonderry, at the Secondary School Presentation Assembly. What is your family looking forward to Our Crest in 2021? Design & Colour In 2021 we are looking forward to Georgia successfully completing Year 12 and graduating from St Paul’s. We also hope to do some travelling within our beautiful country.

Friends of St Paul’s

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

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

The strong sense of community at St Paul’s and the school’s values aligning with our own family values were also important reasons. We love everything that St Paul’s has to offer for our daughters.

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

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BRAND IDENTITY 2016

ST PAUL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL

PMS 294 C

Friends of St Paul’s (FoSP) is a longstanding school institution composed of dedicated parents, community members and staff, who deliver a range of events and activities that benefit St Paul’s and enhance the student/school experience. PMS 362 C

PMS 3935 C

C100 M69 Y7 K30

C78 M0 Y100 K2

C2 M0 Y60 K0

R0 G47 B108

R80 G158 B47

R243 G234 B93

Monthly meetings provide a unique opportunity for members to make connections with one another and with staff from across the school. The meetings also provide a forum for engaged discussion on school news and developments. New members are always welcome. Kareena Gale is the current President of Friends of St Paul’s. “Friends of St Paul’s is a wonderful group of parents and teachers that help to build a community within our school and organise exciting fundraising opportunities. We strive to host events that create a sense of community and it’s always great to see new faces at our monthly meetings. 2020 was a challenging year for FoSP. We missed our regular meetings and the numerous events we had planned. With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions this year, we now look forward to welcoming new families to our meetings and to many wonderful school events.”

What are some of things your children enjoy at St Paul’s? Our eldest daughter, Georgia, really enjoys her time with the RFS Cadets. She was privileged to be the Brigade Captain in 2020. She has competed in both National and State competitions Futurum #67 Summer 2021

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You Will Be Missed | STAFF FAREWELLS

STAFF FAREWELLS | You Will Be Missed

Staff Farewells

Tony Kelshaw Secondary School Head of PDHPE

Tony Kelshaw began his long career at St Paul’s in 2003. He was appointed Year Dean in 2008 and Head of the Personal Development, Health, and Physical Education (PDHPE) Faculty in 2011, a position he held until his departure. He was passionate about the importance of physical fitness and health as a key part of overall personal wellbeing. This passion led to a strong focus on welfare and the development of interpersonal skills in course programmes developed during his time as Head of Faculty. Tony led the implementation of lifelong learning skills into the curriculum, enabling students to understand key issues they would face as young adults and equipping them with skills to work through these in their own lives. His passion led to significant growth in PDHPE student numbers, and the successful implementation of the very

Maureen Bromage Junior School Classroom Teacher

At the end of 2020, St Paul’s bid a fond farewell to Junior School teacher, Maureen Bromage, who concluded a professional teaching career which spanned more than four decades. Maureen spent over ten years of that time in the classrooms of the St Paul’s Junior School, bringing an enthusiasm and passion to her teaching that helped her students to thrive.

nurturing gifted and talented students and a fondness for craft and hands-on learning activities. Cornwallis House also benefitted greatly from her guidance as House Patron. Always ready to offer support and guidance to students and continually seeking new ways to do things, Maureen inspired both students and staff with her love of learning and genuine care for those around her. St Paul’s wishes Maureen all the best in her well-deserved retirement.

Teaching across various grades, she had a particular aptitude for the primary years,

Always ready to offer support and guidance to students and continually seeking new ways to do things, Maureen inspired both students and staff with her love of learning and genuine care for those around her.

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popular subject, Sports and Exercise Heath Science, into the senior curriculum in 2017. Tony demonstrated strong Christian leadership of his department and led by example in the way he conducted himself in the faculty and the broader school community. He was never afraid to challenge the status quo when he felt that there was an issue that should be addressed. Tony will be missed in the school community by staff, students, and families. We wish him the very best in his future endeavours.

He (Tony) was passionate about the importance of physical fitness and health as a key part of overall personal wellbeing.

Katherine Patten

Ross Cutts

Katherine Patten left the St Paul’s Personal Development, Health, and Physical Education (PDHPE) Faculty in Term 4, 2020. Commencing with St Paul’s in 2011, Katherine was a well-known and dedicated member of staff committed to the academic and physical wellbeing of her students. We wish her every blessing as she moves from St Paul’s into her next exciting challenge.

Ross Cutts farewelled St Paul’s at the end of 2020, concluding more than five years in the school’s Science Faculty and Information and Communication Technology team. A wellrespected teacher of both students and staff alike who approached his role with energy and enthusiasm, Ross will be greatly missed.

Secondary School PDHPE Teacher

Katherine was a well-known and dedicated member of staff committed to the academic and physical wellbeing of her students.

Communication and Information Technology Integrator

A well-respected teacher of both students and staff alike who approached his role with energy and enthusiasm

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Swimming Carnivals 2021 | SPORTS WRAP

AROUND THE GROUNDS | Campus Update

Around the Grounds It has been a particularly busy twelve months for the St Paul’s Maintenance Team. In addition to many planned enhancements being made across the school’s seventy-acre campus, a variety of extreme seasonal weather events, plus the disruption caused by the pandemic, required an extraordinary level of responsiveness and flexibility from this crucial team within St Paul’s.

Some of the major projects undertaken across the school recently include: •T he ongoing cultivation and maintenance of the school lawns, beautiful trees and vibrant garden beds, especially following the high humidity and significant rainfall this summer. The accelerated growth of vegetation around St Paul’s has kept the school’s new mower in constant use! •F ollowing damaging storms, a number of large trees were removed from the campus over the Christmas 2020-21 holiday break.

The amazing work that goes into both the school grounds and buildings is always very appreciated and helps to create a great learning environment for all the students. Having a campus that students look forward to being at is one of the many great things at St Paul’s.” Juliette Ruming and Samuel Capararo School Captains

Swimming Carnivals 2021 St Paul’s was pleased to be able to invite parents to the Junior and Secondary School Swimming Carnivals this year. Following the many sporting restrictions and cancellations of 2020, it was particularly heartening to welcome St Paul’s families back poolside. As a school, we were very thankful to be able to conduct these carnivals this year. Junior School Swimming Carnival 8th February 2021 Winning House | Claremont

House Spirit Award | Wilberforce

Secondary School Swimming Carnival 12th February 2021 Winning House | Strathdon

•S ignificant renovation and refurbishment works in several Junior School classrooms have been completed, including wall replacements and ceiling restoration. •E xtensive waterproofing works across the school following the heavy rain events the region has experienced. •A range of other general duties including annual fire inspections to ensure the safety of students, staff and visitors to campus. •A dditionally, all the usual day-in, day-out jobs that are required to keep a campus as large as St Paul’s running efficiently!

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Celebration Events Junior School | ST PAUL’S

ST PAUL’S | Celebration Events

Celebration Events and Award Ceremonies 2020 One of the defining characteristics of St Paul’s is our sense of school community. The parents and grandparents; the extended families; our local communities; our friends, supporters and staff all form part of the rich, welcoming environment that we know helps our students feel secure and emboldens them to make the most of their talents.

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Last year, that sense of community was put to the test as many events were cancelled or postponed and visitors were restricted in their access to the campus. Therefore, it was with a great sense of excitement that St Paul’s end-of-year celebration events were able to proceed, many with our school community in attendance, albeit with some modifications.

JUNIOR SCHOOL CELEBRATIONS

Despite the difficulties our school community endured over 2020 – the fires, the floods and the pandemic – it was with thankfulness, hope and a series of extraordinary celebrations that we closed the year at St Paul’s.

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ST PAUL’S | Celebration Events Secondary School

Celebration Events Secondary School | ST PAUL’S

SECONDARY SCHOOL CELEBRATIONS

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To protect our identity and to ensure it is consistently displayed to best effect, a ‘minimum clear space’ surrounding the identity should be applied. A means of determining the minimum clearance is to use half the height of the IB button as shown here.

IB World School logo

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S T P A U L’ S G R A M M A R S C H O O L NO. 67 SUMMER 2021

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

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