From the Chairman of the School Board

The events that have taken place in 2020 have been amongst the most challenging and complex ever faced by St Paul’s. Never before have schools needed to make such significant change in their delivery of education and in such a short space of time.

Back in April, as schools were preparing to start Term 2 with remote learning due to COVID-19 restrictions, my wife and I gained approval to enter Queensland in order to supervise the schooling of the three primary-aged children of our youngest daughter and her husband. They live on a farm about one hour from Toowoomba and both parents work shift work in emergency services. As travel and distancing restrictions meant they could not have their normal carers come to the home to care for the children, we took on the role of both carer and teacher (as well as doing a little farm work).

The few weeks of supervising the education of three young children gave me a much deeper appreciation for the role of teachers. There was not only the technical side of organising lessons, explaining concepts, and making sure all the challenge of learning how to keep the children focussed when there were much more exciting things to do outside!

To the teachers and support staff at St Paul’s, I want to express my deep appreciation of how you have handled the challenges that have been thrown to you this year. We started the year with the trauma of fires around us and this was quickly followed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The move to remote learning happened with little time for preparation, yet my observation is that it happened almost seamlessly on the surface, but with a lot of hard work under the surface. Somehow, the sense of community in the school seemed to be retained, despite the fact that students and teachers were scattered over a large area of our region.

I was privileged to be present, both remotely and in person, at the school’s morning devotions during this period of the set tasks were achieved, there was also

disruption. I was also present on day one of Year 9 returning to school for face-toface lessons and observed how well that was handled. I also noticed the efficient and safe way in which Junior School arrivals were warmly welcomed each morning.

The school’s successful handling of the challenges of the first half of 2020 is not due to just a few people. It has been a team effort; a great team effort of many talented and hard-working people. It also did not ‘just happen’. It is reflective of preparation and training that has taken place over previous years. On behalf of the School Board and the St Paul’s community in its entirety, I say thank you to all the staff for their dedication, application and professionalism. I also acknowledge the mature way in which the student body as a whole has responded to the challenges and assure each member that I and the Board are praying that the disruption that has occurred will be put behind you as you continue in your studies.

May God continue to richly bless St Paul’s.

Peter Mackie

Chairman of the Board

On behalf of the School Board and the St Paul’s community in its entirety, I say thank you to all the staff for their dedication, application and professionalism.