Futurum Spring 2006

S t P aul ’ s futurum GRAMMAR SCHOOL

St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith penrith, australia

No. 40 spring 2006

Main photo, Tiananmen Square, Beijing. Max McNamara is kneeling third front left and Zachary Roberts is kneeling centre front left holding the sign

Encountering China through the eyes of two st paul’s cultural tourists

MAX MCNAMARA AND ZACHARY Roberts are two of the 28 St Paul’s students, along with three ex-students as musicians, five staff members and three directors of the school Chinese program support group SPOSMaC, who toured this vast, ancient and dynamic country from 8th to 23rd April this year. Here, Max and Zac provide us with a brief pictorial overview of what were high points in the tour for them.

The photo above was taken in Tiananmen Square in Beijing on our second day in China.

As you can see, we were a happy lot, full of anticipation. Almost six months before, we had

begun to have meetings to prepare for our trip which, as the time approached, became more frequent. Despite this familiarity with our approaching trip, until we boarded the plane in Sydney, it all seemed surreal. Different cultures and countries seem a whole world away when you are limited to studying places like this in school and seeing them on television.

Tiananmen Square is simply enormous. No photo can adequately portray this. Behind the photo above is the Forbidden City, the entrance to the ancient summer palace, with a large photo of Mao Tse-Tung visible behind the school party. To our left as we face the group is the

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national museum, to the right are the parliament buildings and behind us is the building housing Mao’s embalmed body. All these are significant Chinese icons and underline the significance of the square as the centre of China’s capital.

There is a serious mood overriding any lightheartedness apparent in the photo. The mood befits it as a place of great significance, of major demonstrations and gatherings and triumphant and tumultuous events of the past. We enjoyed being in a place of such moment.

The trip had been largely the brainchild of Mr Adrian Gan, Head of Languages, and it was originally planned as a Chinese language tour for

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china tour 2006

ENCOUNTERING CHINA

language students wishing to seriously enhance their skills. But it grew into a multi-purpose affair – for school musicians to share their talents and have a different musical experience, and for school administrators and advisers to contact sister schools and government officials and to forge other community links.

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After Beijing, the group were to travel to TEDA No. 1, a sister school three hours’ drive south-east of Beijing east of Tianjin, then back to Beijing where the participants caught an overnight sleeper train to the ancient city and former Chinese capital of Xian, where a highlight was a visit to the site of the 8000 entombed terracotta warriors. The participants then took a flight to Shanghai where they visited two sister schools, the Shanghai Foreign Language Experimental School (SISU) and the Shanghai Datong High School, after which they returned to Sydney.

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Max: On the same day we went to Tiananmen Square in Beijing occurred one of the most significant events for me. The best and most fulfilling part of the trip was the opportunity to talk to Chinese people, of all ages, in Chinese. One of the best opportunities to do this was with street vendors who spoke no English. One we met was in Bei Hai Park on the outskirts of Beijing (see the photo top left).

Zac: Vendors were generally kept out of the main tourist areas where the government

sought to have a monopoly, but as soon as you moved outside those areas there were vendors everywhere.

Max: In this photo, we were waiting for a bus and the vendor shown here asked us to buy postcards. I would normally have said wo bu yao, ‘I don’t want’, but I was interested in this man – I think it was because he didn’t speak English. My friends and I had a conversation with him and, as you can see, we had a good laugh as well. In that ten minutes of conversation in Chinese, we spoke about everyday things – and we were able to understand him!

Zac: It showed us that we could communicate on an everyday level in Chinese!

Max: I bought postcards and playing cards from him which had views of the place, which were a good way to capture it.

Zac: Generally there was too much pollution to get the clarity of these shots – the photos must have been taken on a rare clear day. Max: Another vendor was selling what he called Rolex watches. I bought three for a dollar each after solid bargaining in Chinese, none of which now work. But the conversation was worth it.

Max: As soon as we arrived at TEDA No 1 school after leaving Beijing, we were given a warm welcome which included each of us receiving a school sports tracksuit.

The students were very friendly. They

seemed to enjoy school and be glad that they were there.

Zac: They spoke English to us – their command of the language was very good.

Their English was certainly better than our Chinese. Our visit was a very formal affair which was taken very seriously. We received an official welcome at this and each other school we visited and we exchanged gifts.

In Australia, such an event would probably not attract such attention. Both we and the Chinese students are seen in this photo (top centre) seated while our Principal Mr Collier and teacher Mrs Li are out the front with TEDA No 1 school officials.

Max: That evening, we went with the families of TEDA No 1 students to eat at local restaurants and in their homes, giving us a wonderful opportunity to interact with students and see how they lived.

Zac: At each school we went to we did culturally significant activities. At two of the schools, including in this photo (top right) at TEDA No 1, we did calligraphy. The teacher, who didn’t speak English, explained in Chinese how to do it. Our task was to write ‘fortune and good luck’. We found the technique surprisingly difficult to master.

Despite its difficulty, we all immersed ourselves in the task. Mr Weatherhead and Chantal Nguyen, seen in this picture, are obviously concentrating their efforts. TEDA No 1 school filmed the exercise, treating it as

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St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith

Max: This photo (centre above) shows the St Paul’s musicians, accompanied by former student Luke Webb, singing ‘Follow your dreams’, a composition by Paul Jarman, brother of one of the music teachers at school, the performance taking place at SISU Shanghai. This became something of a theme song for us. At each school we went to, the students did drama, music and dance performances.

Zac: The performances had different parts, each representing a different facet of Australian culture. There was, for example, the Mother Snake dance, highlighting our Aboriginal heritage. The music solo performances by St Paul’s provided a mixture of Western music genres. Max: SISU Shanghai school and St Paul’s alternated in

Max: Our last photo (top right) shows us performing Gong Fu at SISU Shanghai.

Gong Fu is Chinese martial arts, similar to Tai Chee. The boys were directed to do this for about 20 minutes while the girls were to do dancing. As you can see on the left of the photo, one of the girls, Chantal Nguyen, decided to do Gong Fu instead, as did some other girls.

Zac: Everyone made an effort, as you can see. It looked easy, but it was surprisingly hard because the

positions were so difficult to get into.

Max in conclusion: I went to China with the aim of speaking better Chinese, something I feel I was able to do. The tour has opened my eyes to the world. The trip has created in me a yearning to speak and write fluent Chinese. Ben Mills, Zac and I would like to go back for the Olympics and at some time travel and study Chinese in China.

Zac in conclusion: Before I went to China I didn’t know what to expect. It is a very different place which cannot be understood or appreciated very well without going there. Given that China is likely to become a more dominant force on the world stage, our language-learning and cultural experience could be very beneficial.

On the Great Wall of China, with locals and other tourists

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Max: While at Xian, we met the parents of one of the Chinese students studying at St Paul’s, Yi Fan Jia. His father is seen with us in the photo (top left). We carried a couple of letters from Yi Fan which they were glad to receive. As presents they gave us bananas and oranges, fairly scarce and considered delicacies in China.

Zac: His parents loved this chance to see us and were happy that we were Yi Fan’s friends. Mr Collier also had the opportunity to speak to them.

providing performances, a pattern followed at each of the schools. The Chinese musicians revealed that their performing arts were a mixture of traditional Chinese and Western influences.

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significant. We took with us our brush and the calligraphy script we had done.

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St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith

From the PRINCIPAL

WHAT ST PAUL’S CAN BE EXPECTED TO OFFER WHAT SHOULD PARENTS reasonably expect of an independent school in the early part of the 21st century?

This is an issue that arises regularly in my thinking, as I am aware that amongst our large body of parents there is a tremendous diversity of expectations and views about what is most important and valuable about St Paul’s Grammar School. This partly reflects parents’ own life experiences, including their own school experiences as students, and their aspirations for their children. Perhaps what is distinctive about well-resourced independent schools like St Paul’s is that the school does attempt so much. While it may be a cliché to say the school attempts holistic education, or education of the whole child, it is also fundamental to our concept of education that we do this.

Some legitimate major expectations, in my view, are that the school should offer:

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Very high quality academic programs with a rich and diverse curriculum.

There should be a broad education with a multiplicity of choice to suit various interests and chosen pathways. Such programs should have the potential of obtaining for students for whom it is relevant, high endpoint academic results, which maximise access to preferred courses at preferred universities. They should offer stimulating and challenging educational experiences which harness current technology and are thereby relevant to student interest and preferred operational and learning styles.

Academic programs need to make provision for individual needs. This will include assistance to those experiencing learning difficulties, as well as to those who need, and require, extension opportunities to fully develop their potential.

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Very high quality pastoral care.

In this society, raising children to adulthood is a complex process with many hurdles/ impediments/temptations students need to successfully negotiate in order to emerge as mentally and physically healthy and competent adults. Schools, in company with parents, need to pay attention to individuals and to pastor them through childhood and

Mr John Collier at SISU school in Shanghai with school owner and chairman Mr Li Tiehai (left) and foundation Principal Mr Hu Jin-xing

teenage years. Particularly important in this domain is promoting belonging, a sense of connectedness, a sense of purpose and a feeling of being valued and appreciated.

Very high quality Christian education.

The school’s Christian stance is well known to parents, and is adhered to by all staff. It is important that our Christian education does not remain cerebral alone, but is manifested in action. The increasing concern for social justice, expressed by students and families, is very encouraging, and is visible in projects such as our Congo Relief Aid, our compassionate mission to Tanzania and, in recent years, to Mexico, and a raft of local initiatives, including support through the Australian Office of World Vision, and assistance to Hawkesbury Care, Child Care Flight, Salvation Army’s Red Shield Appeal, CanTEEN, the Starlight Foundation, and other worthy welfare organisations. Rightly viewed, our Christian education initiatives are projects about transforming people’s thinking and, therefore, behaviour.

Very high quality co-curricular and sporting programs.

Belief in education of the whole child leads us to resource a tremendous range of performing arts, team sport, recreational sport, and other cultural activities. It is a delight to see so many students fully engaging in a number of these life-enhancing programs.

Very high quality leadership and citizenship programs.

Insofar as school is a training ground for life in adult society, it is important that we develop student capacity in these areas.

Clearly, our future is in the hands of our young, and so the responsibility in this regard is a solemn one.

Many other aims could be identified, but brevity of space prevents more extended discussion. I believe it is important that parents understand the breadth of the school’s aims.

Sometimes, individual parents appear to be concerned about only one aspect. For instance, parents will sometimes say all they want is for their child to be happy and well cared for. A longer view of this matter is that in later years, their child’s happiness will be related to their access to life opportunities and, therefore, engaging with the academic program is very important. As an adult, such a person will also benefit from quality of life, not just a mechanistic view of the world or a trust in possessions. Research shows that fulfilment is not just material, but also a matter of the heart, the attitude, and the soul. It is the school’s belief that real fulfilment exists in Christ. Jesus, after all, said in John 10:10: ‘I have come that you may have life, and have it abundantly.’

John Collier

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St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith

junior school music

MUSIC STARTS EARLY FOR MOST OF US, MUSIC SKILLS have developed from early childhood.

The Junior School presents a range of music options for younger children with talent and/or interest. Mrs Christine Roberts, Head of the Junior School, gives this overview of the Junior School’s music program: There are three choirs: the Infants choir, which has won their category in the Penrith Eisteddfod for the last ten years; the Years 3 and 4 choir; and the senior choir. The last two are involved in a biennial music festival in the Sydney Town Hall and in the alternating year prepare and present a musical. Teachers Christine Smith, Monica van der Heiden and Gina Mansley are our dedicated conductors!

FUTURUM interviewed a number of students to see how their music was going.

Yasmin Sayah of 2B began violin lessons at the Conservatorium at the beginning of this year: When I told my parents I wished to learn the violin, they said I could try it and see if I liked it. It is going well; it is not really hard.

I can now play ‘Merrily, merrily’ and ‘Melody’.

Each day I practice, some days for two hours.

What I like about it are the sounds. I’d like to be able to play well enough to perform in public in the future.

We also interviewed Lachlan Trippet from the same class who has been learning the same instrument since the end of Term 2 2005: I wanted to learn the piano, but my parents said, as three others in the family were learning the piano, using the one instrument, they suggested the violin. I like learning it and it is going well. I can play all the strings and my favourite piece is ‘The Grand Old Duke of York’. I practise for about 20 minutes most days. I’d like to learn to play well enough to enjoy listening to what I’m playing.

Nicholas Brace in 6W is learning the piano: I have been learning from my Nan, Lorraine Lammas, a former music teacher, since early 2002 when I was eight years old. I have performed at school assembly at times, usually playing pieces from previous grade exams. I am now doing sixth grade. I am also doing my third grade music theory exams. I came to St Paul’s at the beginning of this year because the school offered opportunities to do drama and play other

musical instruments. I am in the senior choir and I have participated in the eisteddfod and in Grandparents’ Day. We are preparing for a performance in the Sydney Town Hall. I like to sing and the standard is really, really good. We practise every Tuesday afternoon after school. I enjoy the school and always want to learn as much as possible in the time available.

Johanna Dias in 6M came to the school from Holland at the end of 2003: I came to St Paul’s in order to do the International Baccalaureate (IB) which I had done in Thailand before spending six months in Holland.

When my family moved to Australia, we came to this area so that I could attend an IB school. I joined the choir in 2005 and took a lead role in the school musical ‘Antshillvania’. Music is a hobby, but I’d like to be able to develop a career out of singing. Next year, I am going to look into taking music lessons and learning a musical instrument. I like the school – every day at school I learn something different. I can’t imagine not being able to do things.

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All these groups participate in such school events as Grandparents’ Day and the school’s art and craft exhibition. 150 students from the Junior School take individual music lessons from the St Paul’s Conservatorium of Music.

There are regular Infants performance concerts and an end-of-year Infants Christmas concert that 600-800 members of the community attend. So there are lots of opportunities for students to be involved – and the results of this work can be seen not only in Junior School performances but in the school’s secondary music successes.

Clockwise (from rear left) Nicholas Brace, Johanna Dias, Yasmin Sayah and Lachlan Trippet

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There is the Junior School Strings Group and the Junior School Band, conducted by Mrs Lyn Trappel and Mrs Kristin Turner.

These two groups recently performed in an evening concert in the school’s new Performing Art Quarter Theatre. It was a wonderful occasion and the audience was thrilled with the entertainment provided by our young and aspiring musicians.

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St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith

Teaching as a career

‘FOR ME, THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD’

This page, from left: Alicia Slater (nee Watson), Monica Vander Heiden and Anthony Head; and opposite page, from left: Jessica Lamrock and Esther Brooks (nee O’Toole)

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AN OECD STUDY IN 2003 of education in 40 countries showed that in each of the categories tested – Language, Science and Mathematics – Finland had the best outcomes. Teaching was also more popular as a career than law and medicine, attracting the best students.

Here, FUTURUM profiles some former students who have taken up teaching: our way of encouraging skilled students to undertake a teaching career and so enhance education in Australia.

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Alicia Slater, who completed a stellar career at St Paul’s in 1996, is now following her dream career, teaching English at Queenwood School for Girls, Mosman. This is how she sees her God-given vocation as having unfolded: I enrolled at St Paul’s in Year 7 in 1991. I had some fantastic teachers at St Paul’s who inspired me to pursue teaching as a career, a decision I made quite early in High School, and whose example was the influence that led me to become a Christian. It was apparent to me even then that teaching was a way of reaching people with God’s message.

I began attending church and became a Bible study leader, an experience that showed me that I could teach and help others.

I did 16 units for my HSC. I wanted to do all the subjects I liked, a decision that the Deputy Principal at the time said was crazy.

I managed to get a UAI of 98.75, which led to a lot of pressure to do Medicine. I

was not good at being assertive, but on this occasion I was driven by a deep conviction that I wanted to be a teacher. I enrolled in Arts at Sydney University, and obtained a university alumni scholarship that enabled me to live in Wesley College rather than travelling from Wilberforce each day. I did a general Arts degree rather than a teaching degree as I wanted to do rigorous academic work in preparation for teaching. I obtained a First-Class Honours degree in English in 2000. During this time, I helped with a life education day at Kambala School for Girls, an experience that supported my conviction that teaching was for me.

I had married in 1999, and in 2001 went with my husband to Melbourne where I taught at Melbourne Girls’ Grammar School while doing my teaching qualification by distance education from Charles Sturt University. In 2002 and 2003, I taught at Lowther Hall in Melbourne and, when we returned to Sydney, I began teaching at Queenwood, where I have been since the beginning of 2004.

Teaching has been, for me, the best job in the world. I love teaching. I love everything about it. The highlights have been getting alongside students and supporting them. It was exciting when 80% of my 2005 Ancient History class, a group of average students, received a UAI over 90. I love working with students I am able to help academically and

personally. At Lowther, I started a Christian group for kids who, in many cases, needed lots of tender loving care. I felt inadequate at the enormity of what I had taken on. But at the very times when I felt I was overloaded, one of these kids would be transformed by God and become a Christian. God seemed to be at work, despite my weakness. At Queenwood, I started a Christian group with the support of the Principal and a local church worker. While the worker looks after the meetings, I am able to concentrate on the needs of individuals in the group.

In both Lowther and Queenwood, I have maintained contact with a number of girls after they have left school, a rewarding side of teaching.

Two former students, Monica Vander Heiden and Anthony Head, are now teaching at St Paul’s. Monica began at the school in 1989 in Year 7: I always wanted to do a helping thing and when I left school in 1994, I followed my mother’s advice – I have always found decisions hard – to go into teaching, which I easily qualified for. I found practice teaching hard, but I really have a heart for kids so skills developed over time. As I’d had some teaching experience in London that had knocked my confidence, it was wonderful to gradually take on a teaching career at St Paul’s in 1999, first sitting in on Nigel Kleinveldt’s classes, then teaching casual, then taking over a class. I have since done a Graduate Certificate in Children’s Art and

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St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith

I took a job at St Paul’s in 1998 as a Year 7 Core teacher, a position I held until the end of 2004. I loved teaching Year 7 Core, where one could build up such a rapport with the kids. Since the beginning of 2005

Jessica Lamrock attended St Paul’s from Year 5 in 1993 until Year 10 in 1998, when the family moved to Bathurst, where she matriculated: I was not at first interested in teaching, but 12 months as a classroom and boarding house assistant in England in 2001 sparked my interest. Nevertheless, I started a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Finance in 2002, but at the end of the first semester decided to change to teaching – I missed the interaction with kids; I really wanted a job with lots of people contact. In 2003 I began a double degree in Primary teaching and Arts – Primary because I didn’t have one subject that was particularly stronger than another. At this time, too, I was leading a teenage youth group at church, good training for my career. I am now almost finished. The highlights for me this year have been fantastic prac teaching opportunities across a range of schools and abilities; and volunteer scripture teaching, which has enabled me to talk to kids about Christianity, something hard to do as a State teacher. The great thing about St Paul’s is that you have the freedom as a teacher to do this.

Esther Brooks (nee O’Toole) came to the school in Year 7 in 1994: My family moved to the area so that I could go to the school.

I was bilingual, having lived in China where my parents had been missionaries, so we wanted a school where Chinese was taught. Nevertheless, I struggled to keep my Chinese because there was little multicultural base in the area, even though I had some good teachers. I failed my International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma in 2000, an experience that convinced me that controlling my own life didn’t work: I needed God. I passed the IB the next year in a St Paul’s sister school in China, where I doubled as a student and teacher in 2001.

In 2002 and 2003 I completed an Arts degree, majoring in Chinese and with Linguistics, from Newcastle University, and in the following year gained a Master of Linguistics.

I wanted to go back to China, but God did not open that door, so I wrote ESL textbooks, married and am halfway through a Diploma of Education, at the same time doing some teaching of Chinese in a Newcastle school.

There is more to teaching than long hours: teaching is a wonderful opportunity to help children find out who they are and help them to become what they could be.

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Anthony Head started at the school in 1984 in Year 8 and became school captain in 1988: I studied for a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) at UWS and, when almost finished, decided that teaching Maths was the career I wanted, but finished the degree anyhow. I then tried a number of things for a while – volunteer teaching Maths at St Paul’s where I had had such a good experience as a student, in 1993 a retail/management traineeship at Lowes, in 1994 a Diploma of Education in Commerce/Business Studies/ Legal Studies, casual teaching in a number of local schools including St Paul’s, and an 18 month teaching block at John Wycliffe Christian School.

I have been Registrar and Director of Development at the school. If I had gone straight into teaching from school, I think I would have done Primary teaching. I think it has been an advantage not going straight into teaching. It gave me a chance to test my vocation and gave me the advantage of age when dealing with students.

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have developed my artistic side, as I have my music side through the school choirs. I think of teaching as an invaluable career because you can have such an influence for God in people’s lives. One of the greatest pleasures is keeping contact with ex-students. Some of my first class is now in Year 11, and I can see how shy youngsters through the help we have given them are becoming confident adults. The more I teach, the more apparent it becomes to me that this career is an investment in the future.

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HSC projects

hands-on creative learning

From left: Sarah McKay working on the lingerie project; one of Sophie Vernon’s bags; and an Armanjot Braich 3D abstract shape

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FUTURUM HAS FOUND THAT what characterises these students is not only their success in their chosen HSC projects, but their enthusiasm. For her major work, Sarah McKay from the Year 12 HSC Textiles and Design class of 2005 chose costume as her area of interest:

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I was looking to do something different. I decided on a classy two-piece lingerie. The corset was to have no boning, in contrast to such lingerie from the Victorian era that was so bad for the body, but was to be a celebration of the natural female form. It was made of polyester stretch satin, I bought a standard pattern which I altered to suit the design; I developed a healthy gusset; and I enabled the attachment of different middle panels of the gusset to celebrate three strong females, Marilyn Monroe and her period, Cindy Lauper and the punk ‘Madonnaish’ style and the coloured metallics of the 1940s Brazilian Carmen Miranda.

My 14-page accompanying portfolio covered the source of my inspiration, the relationship to historical and contemporary expressions of female empowerment, the creativity and innovation associated with taking something and making it new, the four stages of design and the functional and aesthetic features.

Was it worthwhile? I did well enough for the project and the portfolio to contribute to my getting a place in Whitehouse Institute of Design, which was my goal, at the end of which part-time course I should gain an Advanced Diploma in Design. I then hope to work for a fashion designer and eventually – who knows? – establish my own label.

Sophie Vernon from the same class chose the creation of a range of bags as her subject: My inspiration was vintage – 1950s – used recycled items. Mum’s old crochet knits fabrics turned into a bag, secondhand bag handles and buttons, necklaces turned into bag handles, taking doorknobs and changing their function: these were my inspiration.

Why do this? I like the look of vintage and secondhand shops and I like the history of their goods. I also like the idea of taking something old and finding a use for it, even changing its function. I was pleased with the result and did well. I am at the moment doing Primary teacher training, but hope to transfer into the Bachelor program in Design, Fashion and Textile Design at University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

I’d like to become a stylist.

Armanjot Braich did digitally inspired 3D abstract shapes for his major project in HSC

Visual Arts in 2005: I came to do this project because I have been interested in computers and digital media – I have been working in Photoshop for seven years now. For me, anything to do with Art had to do with computers. I decided for my Visual Arts project to work in Cinema 4D programming to create experimental digital shapes. My supervisor said that he wasn’t going to ask for a meaning for the shapes – people would have to find them out for themselves.

What did I learn? I got my hands on an awesome program! I was short-listed for Art Express and the project was one factor that got me into the world recognised Billy Blue, a North Sydney graphic arts institute.

Another factor that persuaded Billy Blue to give me a place was the VET course I did, Certificate 4 in Design Fundamentals.

Unlike universities, this institute offered 100% graphic arts. I hope to get a job around my training and experience – I have had work experience in printing and industrial graphics to supplement my general graphic arts. I enjoy the practically orientated course, working with like-minded people and teachers who have solid industry experience.

St Paul’s gave me the foundation and support. I can’t thank my teachers enough.

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St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith

From left: Ben Hiley with his three-wheeled tricycle; Todd Van Es with his motorbike trailer; and Julian Haigh with his Honda motorcycle

Todd Van Es here outlines his 2005Automotive project: I constructed an off-road motorbike trailer in the five months from the beginning of February to the end of May 2005 during which time I constructed the frame at home and the rest of the trailer at school. I had support from my father and Mr Turnbull my teacher. The written material is 50 to 60 pages long and covers the proposal, the design and the process.

It was worth the effort – I have built something I can use for the rest of my life.

I enjoy taking five or six motor bikes on the trailer about once a month. The exercise at school has helped me in my work with tools and familiarity with construction processes in my present plumbing apprenticeship which I am enjoying.

Julian Haigh, whose 2005 project involved a 1974 Honda motorcycle, first looks at why he took the Automotive course: I’ve always

been interested in engines and mechanical components and have always tinkered with engines. The course was excellent at providing the fundamentals of automotive engineering and there was lots of hands-on.

My project over a period of 12 months was to rebuild and respray the motorcycle I had at home. I also prepared a folio which covered the procedure from start to finish.

The whole thing cost me $700 – I got the spray paint for nothing. I did extremely well in the HSC in this subject and was asked to display the bike at the industrial technology exhibitions at Goulburn, Moore Park and Newcastle.

I am now an apprentice fitter/machinist with United Group, the largest railway rolling stock company in the country. The project helped me get the job. I’m building locomotive engines, which use the same principles as are used in a motorbike.

I don’t do much with the motorbike apart from kicking it over every now and then. It looks beautiful. I’m a bit sentimental about it.

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What did I learn? Apart from having a Dad with enough cash to help (!), I gained a very good understanding of a gear box and engine and developed an appreciation of the importance of planning a project. I gained a Band 6 for the folio and project, a result I was happy with. Great Western Motors wanted to put the work on display. While the Bachelor of Construction course I have started to do at UTS on a construction

cadetship with a company at Rozelle is not directly connected with that project, there has been some carry over, particularly in the area of planning. I had a ball with the project – and the tricycle is probably worth more than twice as much as I paid out, though I haven’t yet decided what to do with it.

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The following three 2005 HSC Industrial Technology – Automotive students worked tirelessly on their projects, pitching in to help each other when needed. Ben Hiley’s project involved a Honda 1974 three-wheeled tricycle: I bought it for $50 – the engine had rusted through. My father provided the $2000 for parts, mostly from the USA, though the back of the gear box came from Wollongong, and I proceeded to recondition and renew the whole thing. It was a great help that my father’s construction company’s plant manager was into drag bikes. I wrote up an 80 page folio, mostly photos, on the processes involved in the reconditioning.

There were problems – it took many months for the parts to come from the USA, the starter cord broke as we were about to finally start the engine and my time planning was a problem.

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St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith

student-led learning

owning our learning

Students interviewed for this article, clockwise from left rear: Jessica Player, Aidan Peek, Lucy Robson, Isabella Geri, Jamie Ambrosi, Shelley Fairbrother and Jack McNamara

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JUNIOR SCHOOL STUDENTS showed their parents, on the first day of Term 3, the work they had been doing this year. At each of three or four stations which covered such curriculum areas as Maths, English, Unit of Inquiry and Computer Technology, there were many questions and much discussion between parents and students that led to action plans for future growth. FUTURUM asked some students what the conference had been like.

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First, Jack McNamara and Isabella Geri in 2B: Mum came to class just before lunch.

I took her to four stations and we spent about ten minutes at each one. The stations were our tote tray, where we keep our books (Mum had a good look at them); Maths measurement; reading, where Mum and I asked each other questions; and contour drawing. The conference is a good idea because parents can see what we are doing in class. It was good and fun (Jack). Dad came just before 6.30 at night. After looking at the stations, Dad said I could improve my spelling and do more sums. He enjoyed coming. I think the conference was a good idea because when I have children and come to the conference I’ll know what questions to ask (Isabella).

Lucy Robson, Aidan Peek and Jessica Player of 3V and their parents comment on the conference: Mum and Dad came in the morning and were interested in everything.

I really wanted to show them what I had done. What I liked best was showing them my work books. My parents said they liked everything and said I was doing well (Lucy).

We liked what we saw. We particularly liked the fact that the conference allowed the child ownership of the learning (Lucy’s parents). Mum came in the afternoon. She was interested in everything, but we liked the Maths games best. I need to improve my reading. Mum thought the conference was a good idea. I think it will help with my learning because Mum can now help me better at home (Aidan). I liked the opportunity to see my child’s work (Aidan’s mother). Mum and Dad came at about 6.30 at night. They were most interested in grammar – I’m not very good at that. It helped them understand what I’m doing and they said it helps them understand how they can help me more. My parents enjoyed it (Jessica). Dad and I are proud of you because you are trying hard at school. I can help you reach your goals by practising at home with you. Love Mum (Jessica’s mother).

Jamie Ambrosi and Shelley Fairbrother of 5A found the conference very worthwhile: Mum and my stepdad came in the middle of the afternoon. In the Table Tangles game, Dad was really good; Mum and I struggled a bit. Dad was surprised how well I was going. There is no need for me to do any more Maths; I’m already doing extra. Mum was surprised at how much I knew about PowerPoint. My parents loved

the conference because the children were so involved. It gave them an excellent idea of what we’re doing. It was easier to talk to my parents about my work than it had been before. When I was telling my parents about my weaknesses, it was not so embarrassing.

When I told my parents about problems in Maths, Mum bought some books for me (Jamie). Mum came to school in the early afternoon. It was really good having her at school. She asked lots of questions, some from the given list and some of her own. I had made a slide show of the drought which Mum said was really good and how clever I was. Mum thought it was good having a conference that children led. I thought it was good because I could tell Mum more about my work than the teachers could. I was worried about saying what I couldn’t do, but managed to get it out – and after the conference, Mum bought me some spelling books (Shelley).

Ms Ruth Adams, Primary Years Programme coordinator, added these comments: During the conferences students offered their unique perspective on their learning. It was a reflective process whereby they posed the question: What is getting in the way of my learning? The climate on the day was extremely positive and the feedback from parents, staff and students has encouraged me that the student-led conference is a positive and productive move.

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tanzania excursion

news out of africa

Rebecca Round (front centre) and Tanzanian children playing

What were your first impressions? We were quickly taken outside our comfort zone and brought down to earth when we arrived – people everywhere on the roads morning

The service component of the trip consisted of two projects: I spent most of my service time helping local tradesmen build a block of toilets at a primary school in Kidachini, near the base of Mt Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. The work was so hard and repetitive – all we had for mixing concrete were shovels. But the kids were so nice and friendly – one little girl I was about to adopt! When we left after four days’ work I felt guilty that we had done so little, but they were so grateful (Peter). I worked mostly on the other project, building a new classroom at The Second Chance Centre, not far from Kidachini, a school for teenagers and young adults who had missed the chance to go to school when younger – mostly women who, as they are expected to do so much at home, often miss out on education. We completed the foundations and a few layers of mudbricks, very rewarding as the school and students had virtually nothing, but very hard work without machines (Rebecca).

What else did you do? We went on two safaris (Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro crater and Olduvai Gorge), and a three day trek up 3,800 metre Mt Meru.

The scenery was spectacular and the wildlife amazingly varied – lions, cheetahs, zebras, monkeys, giraffes, Impala deer. We also

attended a traditional Tanzanian church service and saw lots of singing and dancing (Rebecca).

Thinking back on the experience, what can you say about it? My worries are trivial when I look at theirs; I want to know why the gap is so great between us; I want to sponsor however many kids I can once I am working; and, despite their problems, there was a lot of fun and community there (Peter). It was a time of helping, caring and learning.

While at Kidachini, we spent time playing games with these happy children who had so little, often no shoes, where the gift of a single pen was treasured and where it was a daily struggle to find fresh water. Yet they had something, a strong sense of belonging and community which we have often lost.

Should we have spent the money going rather than giving? Obviously they need money, but they also appreciated sharing and working with those who care – and we gain and can pass on a sense of common humanity and shared global responsibility that is enhanced by experience (Rebecca).

The school is in the process of preparing for a Year 11, 2007 Tanzania tour. Any student interested should see Mrs Rowena Bragg or Mr David Lindsay.

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Rebecca and Peter tell first of how they became inspired to go and the purpose of the trip: We were interested and challenged by being told of the plans at school late last year.

It seemed a good way to help others. My parents looked into it – the air flight costs were considerable and they kept going up, but we decided to go ahead and planned most Thursdays in early 2006 (Peter). I told my mother and grandmother late last year and we decided to publicise it at church and try to raise money to send someone. How amazed I was when it became apparent that it was right for me to be the one to go! I came to see it as a way of helping and making a difference – and it came at a time when I was searching for a way of looking at everything, of finding a perspective in my life. The main purpose of the trip was to provide service to a community facing extreme poverty and lacking educational facilities (Rebecca).

and night, ‘in your face’ poverty, and cultural diversity both with the locals and the international students we travelled with and who became our friends (Peter).

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REBECCA ROUND AND PETER Willink are two of the six St Paul’s Year 11 students, along with three of the school’s teachers, who joined International Baccalaureate Diploma students from Dubai, Switzerland, Jordan and Britain in experiencing Africa and working alongside Tanzanian people in the June-July holidays this year.

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HSC EXtension courses

a sustained piece of writing

This page, from left: Ingrid Wright (seated left) and David Robinson (seated fourth left) and a Sydney University quadrangle shot of Melinda Cooper

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THE HSC MAJOR WORK IN BOTH English Extension 2 and History involves a substantial research and writing effort that introduces students to the processes and products of tertiary academic work.

Year 12 students Ingrid Wright and David Robinson have submitted such a piece of work for their 2006 HSC History Extension.

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Ingrid first explains why she decided to take this course: I liked the idea of research in an area that I was interested in and believed the individual project would develop skills in me that I needed. My topic was in the area of women in World War II and feminist interpretations of that history. I focussed on three key feminist writers, Anne Summers, D’ann Campbell and Patsy Adam-Smith, and the way that feminist thinking had impacted on their writing of history. I concluded that feminist thinking had impacted strongly on their history; that their history was a product of what actually happens and the historian’s perspective. Is there fact in history? To some extent, yes; but we can’t revisit it, so we always see it through a paradigm. I had to get it down to 2, 500 words, plus source evaluation and synopsis. I was happy with the result, but feel there are always ways to improve it. It was a worthwhile exercise because I had the opportunity to decide what to do and direct it myself. I might well

use the research skills I have developed later.

I’m looking to do fashion, in which course fashion history is a component.

David Robinson’s History research was an investigation of his step-grandmother Edith Taylor’s childhood in Nazi Germany. He begins by explaining why he decided to do this course: I enjoy history; I want to do it at university and this research work would prepare me for it; and I wanted to specialise in a subject I thought I could do well. I conducted 30 pages of interview with my stepgrandmother and, concentrating on 50 words of quotes that involved translation issues and crime rates propaganda, searched for documentary comment on such quotes that would reflect on the nature and reliability of oral history. I used a lot of material from Richard Evans’ book, ‘Telling the Truth’ on the subject of Holocaust denial. I concluded that my step-grandmother had a reliable memory, but that it was important to treat oral history with caution and back it up with documentary evidence. The value of the exercise to me was that it showed me something of what university work was like and taught me how to investigate history.

To get some perspective on the value of this course, FUTURUM interviewed a former student who had done the course for the 2002 HSC, Melinda Cooper: I like history and decided to do this course.

I thought it would take me deeper into the subject and I was excited by the prospect of doing a research paper. My paper was on the subject of the Japanese submarine attacks on Sydney in World War II and how the event was portrayed then and now. In World War II, it was stereotypically and racist Japanese, whereas today there is an affinity that has largely resulted from close trading links.

The research helped me understand the way event telling is a reflection of the time in which the writing takes place. The project encouraged me to do my own research. I gained almost full marks. I went on to do an Advanced Arts degree at Sydney University, majoring in History, and I am now doing my honours year, in Australian literature.

The research skills I used in the school project have informed my university work.

I hope when I finish my degree this year to move into academic research or teaching.

English Extension 2 has to be a substantial work that involves the writing up of a journal that records the processes, interprets, analyses and reflects on the knowledge gained and explains the stages of composition; a writing proposal near the beginning of the exercise; preparing a major work chosen

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From left, Jessica Cameron and Ryan Cauchi; and Fiona Wheldon teaching

Jessica Cameron, at present doing HSC English Extension 2 in Year 12, indicates how she became interested in the Extension course and how she chose a similar subject to that of Fiona Wheldon, a topic that is of continuing interest:

Each film develops these themes, beginning with the earliest that I studied, Cinderella, which ends with the protagonist’s dreams of heterosexual marriage and traditional domesticity fulfilled, to the most recent I studied, Lilo and Stitch, which presents the view that dreams don’t always come true and features an independent, feminine protagonist who is not domesticated. This research has greatly improved my English and has enabled me to develop my own ideas.

In the future I plan to study Law, which will hopefully provide an opportunity for me to continue developing my English interests and writing.

Ryan Cauchi, in Year 12 this year, explains why he decided to do the course: Past students spoke to us about doing the course. I have always been interested in English. I enjoy composing short stories, writing scripts and providing critical responses. Using Bertholdt Brecht as inspiration, I began working on a short story during the last Christmas holidays.

It is historical short fiction based on an artist and a playwright, both Jewish, in 1937. I chose a Holocaust theme because of its great appeal – some 170 films on the theme have been produced since 1989.

Following Joseph Campbell’s theories on religion and mythology, I have constructed a hero’s journey of just under 8,000 words, and have included a 1,500 word reflection.

I enjoyed writing it. It was a simple concept that proved thought-provoking. It opened up for me the issue of what it is to be human.

I hope to become a writer of short stories, novels and film scripts and build on my huge interest in history. I wouldn’t mind becoming a teacher of English and History.

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I have since gone on to major in English for my combined Arts and Teaching degrees from the University of Western Sydney and I am now completing my last subject for that degree while teaching English at Richard Johnson Anglican School. I love teaching English.

Fiona Wheldon spoke to us in Year 11 about the course and due to my love of English, I decided to undertake it in the hope of completing an independent investigation I could be proud of. My work, entitled ‘Disney’s Dolls: Disturbing the Dreams of Domesticity’, focuses on the cultural transitions in Disney’s portrayals of feminine subjectivity by mapping the ideological change from earlier films to more contemporary productions. I concluded from my investigation that there are two themes that develop and shape the representation of the feminine subject, domestication and dreams.

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from various forms (for example, poems, multimedia, scripts); an assessment task by way of interview with two teachers; a report on the independent research; and a reflective statement. Fiona Wheldon completed the HSC in 2001 and begins by outlining her English Extension 2 major work: I looked at the racial and gender stereotypes in Disney Corporation movies. I chose this subject because Mr Nunn, who likes children’s literature, encouraged me to do it. I had done gender stereotyping in Year 11. I focussed on three Disney movies: Little Mermaid, Pocahontas and Mulan. My argument was that Disney sets up stereotypes for children that change over time. Mulan, a recent film, shows a strong woman who dresses as a man. The 4,000 word essay was an important research experience that introduced me to university work.

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ST paul’s ARTIST concert series

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SHOWCASING ST PAUL’S MUSICIANS & THE CONGO

Mr Gary Daley at the piano in the Foyer Gallery, The Arts Quarter

On Wednesday 14 June 2006, the first in a series of St Paul’s Artist Concerts was held to general acclaim in the The Arts Quarter Foyer Gallery. Not only did it provide quality music; it also raised money for a charity cause, the proceeds going to the St Paul’s school project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mrs Rowena Bragg has provided this background to the Congo project:

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Providing universal primary education is a focus for the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and both our Year 11 service teams’ interests in 2005 and 2006 fit into this worthwhile aim. In 2005 the team raised $3,500 to build a toilet block catering for 1,000 students in a primary schoolwhich was without any functioning toilet facilities.

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In 2006 we have raised $4,680 which is being used to purchase blackboards and desks for primary schools in the Butembo region. This amount should furnish between 10 and 12 classrooms and will impact over 600 children and their teachers. The boards and the desks will be made locally thus also providing some input into the local economy. The Year 11 team has made raising awareness of the needs within the Congo a real priority as the eight year long civil war and the subsequent social and political devastation has been largely hidden from Western media. It is an extraordinary privilege to be able to make a difference in the lives of people who live in a

country where opportunity is so dramatically less than in ours.

In pursuing this goal, the school decided to take up an offer from Mr Gary Daley, long-standing piano teacher at St Paul’s and part of the St Paul’s Conservatorium: I wanted to put on concerts and recitals that would support charities. I wanted to make some small contribution to help others. Music is a giving thing. Usually as a professional musician I get paid, but I also believe that I should give back by providing charitable performances.

I mentioned this idea to Andrew Tredinnick who was quite excited about the idea. He felt that the Congo project was perfect for this scheme. I wanted to put together music that was very different – Bach and Bob Dylan and Radiohead – trying to find a connection between what on the surface is different kinds of music. By giving myself this musical challenge, I thought I could make something interesting for the audience. It all made for an interesting evening. I enjoyed it.

Music teacher Mr Andrew Tredinnick gives this perspective on the scheme: The Artist Concert Series is geared towards showcasing artists associated with St Paul’s, showing the diversity of musical and artistic work represented at the school. I thought the fundraising idea would be an ideal opportunity for us to find links to the service learning initiatives of the school. Students were involved in the promotion of the

concert, in fundraising and in the raising of awareness of justice issues in the school and wider community. The evening was in two parts: the first half consisted of A Nakht in Gan Eydn, the school’s folk music group and Djambe, the school’s percussion group; and the second half consisted of Gary Daley’s solo recital. Gary took us all to new heights of appreciation of the possibilities of the solo recital in the 21st century. It was definitely a wow! experience for us.

We are planning regular concerts in this series, in fact as regularly as we are approached by artists associated with the school who are willing to offer their services!

Diversity is a hallmark of God’s creation and this diversity also finds expression in 21st century artforms. And we want in the concert series to showcase the diversity of musicians and artists around us, to raise awareness of the cultural richness of our own community, to inspire people to find and explore their own artistic paths, and most importantly to realise that artistic work cannot be separated from the multiple needs of the world community.

The second VAPA Artist Concert on 20 September 2006 featured former St Paul’s student Luke Webb, launching his new album. Proceeds go to both this Congo project and the Tanzanian project mentioned elsewhere in this issue of FUTURUM.

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St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith

REACHING OUT

visitors from far and wide

The International Baccalaureate Diploma workshop, held in The Centre at St Paul’s, April 2006

We wondered whether or not we could manage something like this. It was a personal challenge to each of the four of us. In the end, it proved very successful, and there were several good outcomes. The four of us developed a sense of dependence on each other and of community – we had to answer questions about each other’s particular area, for example.

The workshops worked well, the overall feedback being that the workshops were one of, if not the best, that the region has seen. Perhaps the most important outcome is that we all deepened our understanding of internationalism in education – the request for and provision of halal food for Muslim participants was an example of the

Also, it was a wonderful opportunity to showcase our fabulous school in a beautiful location. The facilities (buildings, ICT facilities and support), the physical environment with its trees and gardens, and a caring and helpful St Paul’s staff were noted by the IBO staff, workshop leaders and teachers who attended.

CHINESE SCHOOL VISITORS TO PENRITH On 20 and 21 July this year, the members of a Junior School choir from Beijing in China visited Penrith at the invitation of the Penrith City Council. Because of the school’s extensive links with China, St Paul’s was asked by the city council to assist in housing some students for the night. It was pleasing to see the number of families that offered to assist. The handover took place at an afternoon function in the city council chambers, where the mayor welcomed the visitors and the Beijing school officials replied and its students entertained the audience by singing both a Chinese song and ‘Clip Go the Shears’. Mrs Kylie O’Brien is one school parent who was willing to take students: I responded to a request in the school newsletter for billets because my daughter Candice in Year 10 had just been to China with the school group, two other children are learning Chinese at the school and were interested and I had felt it was important for

them to be exposed to other cultures since I was an exchange student in Korea many years ago. Having the two girls from the choir at our place for the night was a lovely and worthwhile experience for us all. My younger children Pru, Page and Lachlan tried communicating in Chinese. Down the track I would be interested in providing accommodation to a Chinese student at St Paul’s.

Lachlan O’Brien, Kylie’s son in Year 4, remembers the visit well: Their English was quite good. They could understand basic words. We had a roast lamb meal and they came back for seconds! We gave each other presents. Next morning, we took them to school with us where they were picked up.

It worked out well.

Laura Hall in Year 6 remembers the note brought home from school about the visit: Dad asked if I would like the students to come and I said yes because I thought it would be a good experience. We took the two Chinese students to a restaurant for our evening meal where we were able to use our Chinese to help them order what they wanted.

When we got home, we played games and exchanged gifts – they gave us a scarf and a CD of their singing. For breakfast we had toast and coffee – they normally have bread and noodles.

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IBO WORKSHOPS AT ST PAUL’S The four International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) coordinators at St Paul’s, Antony Mayrhofer, Mary-Robyn Lane, Michael Urquhart and Ruth Adams, with strong support from the school executive and staff, hosted ten IBO workshops over three days in April 2006 at the school. Of these workshops of 220 teacher participants from 79 schools in the Asia Pacific and two from Africa, Antony Mayrhofer comments:

learning experience that many of us had.

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A recent IB teacher training workshop at St Paul’s and a billet night for Chinese students are two more ways that St Paul’s is reaching out to the global community:

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St Paul’s ex students News

From left, Eloise Wright in Kenya; Edward Boyce at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, USA; Chantal Nguyen (second from left) with her students in Tianjin, China; and Merrin Adams

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Danya Henrickson (2004) is studying in Copenhagen, Denmark: She completed her International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma that included Danish B as a subject in group 2 last year. Her IB score of 29 was good enough for her to study Architecture in the land of Joern Utzon this year. ‘The IB is the reason I have found the transition to university in another country and language relatively easy. I have now returned to Copenhagen for second year university after spending the (Northern Hemisphere) summer holidays in Australia.’

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Jodie Jiang (2001) has recently graduated with a Master’s degree in Funds Management: In 1997, Jodie was enrolled in The Light of the World School in Harbin, northern China, where she was taught by a teacher from St Paul”s. After an intensive English course, she enrolled at St Paul’s in 1998 and she completed her education at St Paul’s in 2001. After completing a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance), she did a Master of Commerce (Funds Management) and is now an Equity Derivative Consultant.

Chantal Nguyen (2005) toured China in April with the school and was invited back to teach at St Paul’s sister school TEDA No 1, three hours’ drive from Beijing in the town of TEDA (Tianjin Economic Development Area). She writes: ‘In the short time since

April, the place has hurtled along in its rapid-fire development. Roads, buildings, huge public facilities and businesses are springing up everywhere, and in this respect TEDA is a reflection of rapidly changing modern China.’ Chantal teaches conversational English to Years 7 and 8: ‘On the whole it’s a blast teaching here, and I’m having an awesome time. My fellow staff members in particular are lovely people who are incredibly caring, have an amazing sense of fun and have made me feel so welcome.’

Merrin Adams (1992) is part of a team that won the Australian Museum Land and Water Eureka Prize for water research this year: Merrin, while doing her Bachelor of Applied Science at the University of Technology Sydney, did a year-in-industry placement with the CSIRO which led to further work with CSIRO’s Division of Energy Technology’s Centre for Environmental Contaminants Research, Lucas Heights while she completed her honours degree. As part of a team developing guidelines for the protection of our aquatic ecosystems, Merrin has contributed to a study of the extent of contamination of sediments in Sydney Harbour. Such sediments are essential to aquatic life, much of which feeds off them.

The team members came up with findings that in some cases the metal contaminants were overstated and in other cases the potential for contaminants entering the food

chain was understated. They published their findings in their acclaimed ‘Handbook of Sediment Assessment Quality’, a resource that outlines a methodology for such research that has been used to do similar studies elsewhere. This particular prize is awarded to ‘an Australian individual, team or organisation for highly innovative research that has made, or has the potential to make, an outstanding contribution to the protection, sustainable use and management of Australia’s water resources and waterdependent ecosystems’. Merrin continues to find working towards the preservation of our precious waterways and oceans challenging and rewarding.

Eloise Wright (2002) took time out from her studies to attend the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) in Kenya in early August this year: ‘The theme was “Christians, Empire and Basilea [the kingdom/reign of God]”. There were 22 participants from 19 countries. I represented the Asia- Pacific Region along with an Indonesian delegate. The aim was to bring together the experiences and reading of students from around the world to gain a greater understanding of the manifestations of Empire, and what Christians can and should do in response to this. We produced two documents, one outlining our understanding of Empire, and one suggesting some courses of action for the WSCF.

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Getting together. . .

The St Paul’s Ex-Students Association (SPEXS) is organising a combined 21 and 20 year reunion for graduates of 1985 and 1986 at St Paul’s Grammar School on Saturday November 4th 2006 from 5.00pm. There will be hot and cold savouries plus dessert for only $30.00 per person and drinks will be available for purchase. If you graduated from St Paul’s Grammar in 1985 or 1986 or know someone who did, please contact Angela Jovanovski (nee George) on phone (02) 4777 4888 or email angela.jovanovski@stpauls.nsw.edu.au so further details can be given.

Below are listed names of graduates from 1985 and 1986 that we do not have current details for. If you know where these former students are, please let me know:

from a distant galaxy. I’m pursuing a career in astronomy, and will soon start work as a postdoctoral researcher in England.’

‘Next year, as part of the BAsian Studies (Specialist - Chinese) degree I am doing from the Australian National University, I will be attending a Chinese university, primarily studying language courses.’

Lakshmi Baratha Raj (2005) left Mali in July after six months working with an NGO there: My last job there was writing an article for my NGO about the well that we had installed in the town of Tissagou. Things that remain with me from that time in Mali are the daily routine – lots of joking, even about religion in a mixed Muslim/Christian environment; the women crushing millet; the women’s wedding gifts. I found there was a lot I could not do, so I decided to do all I could to learn as much as possible. There is so much sense of family there. You don’t need to be a blood relative to be considered family – I have a Mali family name and three mothers. I slipped into the pattern of a society where people are not out working all the time, where there are no such things as front doors. The people are poor, but they just keep going.

Edward Boyce (1996) is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, England: ‘ I finished Year 12 (IB) at St Paul’s Grammar in 1996. Recently, (in July 2006) I completed a doctorate in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. For my thesis topic I studied gravitational lensing, a phenomenon in which a nearby galaxy bends the light

I’m back here working for a while as an assistant executive for an organisation that looks after the old and infirm. I intend to study science next year with a view to doing something that arises from my Mali experience. . . most likely biochemistry leading to medicine or possibly environmental science leading to development and project work. I’d like to do something useful.’

This reunion will be a great opportunity to catch up with friends and take a tour of our school that has grown and changed so much since the early days.

Keeping in touch with the school. . .

Revelations, the weekly school newsletter, is a great way to keep in touch with what is happening at school.

SPEXS (St Paul’s Ex-student Association) is a way of keeping in touch with your former classmates.

Do you want to know more about SPEXS? Do you want to join?

If you would like to know more about SPEXS, or Revelations, or if you have information we could publish in FUTURUM about what you are doing, or if you are interested in organising ten year or five year reunions, please contact Angela Jovanovski on email angela.jovanovski@stpauls.nsw.edu.au or phone (02) 4777 4888.

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‘In addition, we went on two exposure trips, one to two of Nairobi’s slums, Korogocho and Kibera, where we visited some community organisations run by youth to improve their communities, and the second to the Utooni Self-Help Group, a collective of families who each contribute one day’s labour per week, working on projects which they have planned to benefit the community. While we were there, we helped on some projects building sand dams, which counteract the chronic water shortages in the area. This visit also involved an overnight stay with families involved in the project, and we worshipped with them in their churches on Sunday morning. (Please contact FUTURUM at St Paul’s if you wish to provide support to the communities with which Eloise has contact.)

1985: Tiffany ALLEN, Martina SEMRAU 1986: Matthew BIRCH, Jacquelyn CABBAN, Michelle CAINES, Scott CAIRNS, Anita CROWL, Britt-Marie DWYER, Philip DWYER, Miranda FITZGERALD, Sarah MILFORD, Mats NILSSON, Kaaren PENNINGS, Cristina REIS, Carolyn SHEEAN, Simon TONG, Hoalinh TRAN, Stephanie VIDLER and Russell WATSON.

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Esther O’Toole at her wedding on 4 April 2006 in Newcastle to Jaysen Brooks, with former St Paul’s students Alison Bennett (nee Benzie) and Kathryn Thornton in the bridal party

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staff changes

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Comings and goings

Michael Webb preparing for the school carols service of 2005

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Change is exciting and stimulating, but also difficult.

The departure of beloved staff members involves loss and apprehension about the unknown, as well as the promise of something new and perhaps exciting. Four of the most significant staff changes at St Paul’s this year have involved Dr Michael Webb, Phil Rooke, Michael Urquhart and Paul Humble.

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Dr Michael Webb was on the staff of St Paul’s for ten and a half years: Before coming to St Paul’s I had studied music teaching, and later, trumpet performance at the Sydney Conservatorium as well as in the United States. I then went back to where I grew up and taught secondary music in Papua New Guinea. After a couple of years I moved to teacher education at Goroka Teacher’s College, then postgraduate studies in ethnomusicology at the Wesleyan University of Middleton in Connecticut which led to a Doctorate of Philosophy in 1995 just before I came to St Paul’s. I had also taught anthropology and music at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, and we had lived for a time in Greensboro, North Carolina, my wife Ellen’s ‘home town’.

My years on the full-time staff of St Paul’s leave me with fond memories. Meetings and inspiration – with and from people like Stuart Piggin and Gordon Preece at the Christian education conferences of 1998 and 1999 at St Paul’s; with Robert Banks and

the Macquarie Christian Studies Institute; with Brian Walsh, and with Jeremy Begbie at the ‘Music of the Spheres’ conference in Virginia, USA; and with Michael Frost and others at our staff retreats. There were friendships with so with many St Paul’s colleagues including Peter Males, Liz Ransom, David Lindsay, Ruby Li.

A cross-cultural background gave me a context in which to link creativity and diversity with Christianity as expressed in music, a glimpse I believe of a corner of the kingdom of heaven. I always empathised with other expressions of culture, something I pursued in my teaching and which led me via academic pursuits into teacher education.

The tour of China by ‘Worldview’ and the tours to raise money for Christian work in Africa remain with me, as do the steady stream of strong, engaged and lovely students; the five years of planning and the coming to fruition of The Arts Quarter; the carol services at St Matthew’s Windsor and St Finbar’s Glenbrook; the production of the innovative ‘One Night the Moon’; the support from such executive staff members as John Collier and Ruby Holland who sought to catch the vision; and exchanges of ideas with George Statheos and Peter Wilson from whom I learned about communicating the gospel. I worked with some fantastic people – Gary Daley, Steve Clark, Cathy Jarman, Dina Adams, Geoff Gannon, Vanessa Earp, Josie Jones, Adam Jarman, Andrew Tredinnick, the whole VAPA Department (I can’t name them all!) – people of skill, Christian empathy, strength. An important memory is how we all contributed in the building of a thriving music performance culture at the school.

I have taken a position as lecturer in music education at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music at the University of Sydney, where I hope to share what I have learnt in a different context. I will continue to play a role at St Paul’s when requested and cherish memories and value the ongoing vision of St Paul’s Grammar School.

I believed my father when he told me in Year 12 that I would make a good music teacher.

New Acting Head of Performing Arts Mr Phil Rooke’s appearance on Andrew Denton’s program ‘Enough Rope’ this year as a toothplaying (ie, his own teeth) musician suggests he will put his own stamp on the performing arts faculty: After gaining a Bachelor of Music from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and postgraduate study in music arrangements for film and TV, I taught music in a number of secondary schools, immediately before coming to St Paul’s having been Director of Music at New England Girls’ School. I am a professional jazz musician and have published ensemble and solo music. This year I was offered the job of Director of the Australian International Conservatorium of Music at Parramatta, but was drawn to St Paul’s

futurum

St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith

The School gardens

Left: Phil Rooke being interviewed by ‘Enough Rope’ host Andrew Denton; Right: Michael Urquhart in Guandong, China

Mr Michael Urquhart completed his schooling at St Paul’s in 1987: My parents liked the Christian aspect of the school, among other things, and I had three fantastic years at the school. I always wanted to teach, particularly History. Other sorts of careers in this area – the foreign service, international relations – just didn’t feel right.

I am now living in a vibrant city that never seems to stop in a very amazing country. We are already beginning to plan our summer holidays that will include train journeys around China. The food is delicious and so far I have three favourite delicacies; prawns in tea leaves, BBQ goose and roast baby duck – I have not tried the camel’s hump yet despite the recommendations! Like St. Paul’s Utahloy is an IB World School; it has an enthusiastic staff who want to develop their MYP & DP experiences. The main difference from St Paul’s apart from the size of the school would be in the nationalities of students. We have forty-five different nationalities which makes intercultural awareness an important focus within the school’s development.

After graduating with a university and teaching qualification, I was offered a job at the Kuwait English School, an experience I enjoyed because I had an excellent head of department. Four years later, I worked in an IB school, the International School of Phnom Penh Cambodia as MYP and Diploma coordinator; and five years later as IB MYP coordinator at a school in Ulan Bator Mongolia. I arrived at St Paul’s in 2003 to teach History. I have enjoyed my three years here, particularly the fantastic Year 11 and 12 classes, and have appreciated the support I have received from staff.

I decided to take up a new job as Deputy

Mr Paul Humble, who joined the school staff when Mr Urquhart left, had always felt that teaching was the career that was right for him: I had been a church youth group leader, involved in Bible studies and community service, and I knew I enjoyed working with

young people. After school, I went overseas, had a job as a greenkeeper and was in human resource management for four years – but all the time, I knew teaching was where I wanted to go – I had seen how much my father, who was a teacher, had cherished it. I then studied Arts and education, specialising in History and Politics, and I am in the process of doing a Masters in Education Management.

I taught at Hoxton Park High School for five years, where I had a chance to introduce my mentoring ideas as a Year adviser. I then taught at an IB school, Woodcroft College in South Australia, where I taught Classical Studies, IB History and Theory of Knowledge, was MYP moderator and Year coordinator.

I wanted to return to NSW because, with the approaching birth of our second child, my wife Patricia and I wanted more contact with our family who live in this area. I just happened to see this St Paul’s position advertised by chance and jumped at it. I am teaching IB History and other English/ History classes at the school and am House Master of Cornwallis. Mrs Margaret Howard has given the House a real sense of identity, and I’d like to build on that by initiating peer tutoring and mentoring, something I have found in the past has led to all House members being involved.

spgs PENRITH

Head of the Utahloy International School in Guangzhou China, a school of 700 K – 12 foreign passport holders. I left St Paul’s because I needed a new challenge and because my wife will be closer to her native Cambodia. I found St Paul’s is a school where, despite its size, every student and teacher is important, it has an appealing Christian character and it has a strong international outlook.

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instead by the opportunities it offers to allow me to develop music education in areas I am interested in promoting. As a strings person I hope to work on building up the school’s strings program; as someone passionate about music composition, I want to be able to encourage students to develop skills in this area; and my interest in technology in music should resonate with many students with whom I can exchange ideas.

S t P aul ’ s futurum GRAMMAR SCHOOL

St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith penrith, australia

No. 40 spring 2006

international students staff retreat 2006

the wonder of god For the staff retreat at the Edmund Rice Retreat Conference Centre at Mulgoa on 1 and 2 May, we used the word ‘retreat’ rather than ‘conference’ or ‘workshop’ because we saw it as a rest from what we normally do, a time when we ‘turn from the world of creation to the creation of the world’, as one writer has said of the sabbath. The five organisers of the retreat here reflect on the theme of the wonder of God and its outworking in a range of creative activities, such as creating plays and greeting cards; and enjoying puppets and storm-chasing stories; and having time out to reflect and chat.

For Gina Mansley, it was an enjoyable time: I really enjoyed hearing from other staff, particularly those who were passionate about such diverse areas. It was good to have them contribute in such creative ways and to feel the staff were valued in this way. I loved being in the worship team and having colleagues play music together.

Being in prearranged groups with staff from various faculties allowed me to interact with people I’ve never spoken to before. It was a great way to boost staff morale. Staying overnight was also fun. I loved the retreat and hope we can do something similar again.

Liz Ransom says of the retreat: First, I enjoyed the opportunity to choose the discussion groups based on topics that suited my own interests and I appreciated the variety of groups that was on offer, which really reflects our wide array of gifts as a staff . Taking staff off-site, to a venue with good facilities, good atmosphere and surroundings leads to a more relaxed, stress-free time. I’m sure staff felt valued because of this. Sharing time in queuing for/over a meal, for me, was great because it provided the chance to learn something new about someone. Also, the unfathomable extent of God’s created universe was a great thing to reflect on and was a good reminder that such a vast and amazing God cares for each individual.

Rev. Peter Wilson commented on four aspects of the retreat: There was the diversity of creative gifts of staff and their willingness to contribute those; the theme of the wonder of creation came through in Bob Evans’ talk and the workshops; the richness of the school’s prayer life was apparent; and there was a lot of laughing together.

Josie Jones found the retreat worthwhile: The astronomy input was mindblowing in terms of the wonder of God’s creation and

how small we are in the broader context of things. I loved sharing our various gifts and applying these in a Christian context!

As a staff it is easy to become complacent and un-Christian in our daily relations and operation. I find we get so pressured and busy that we simply get overtaken by our human frailties. This was a great chance to connect with people we would not normally have any reason to associate with and get to know them in a non-threatening environment.

The location was convenient and welcoming and adaptable to our purpose.

I usually dread conferences and find they don’t uplift me. I usually feel manipulated and dislike the situation, but this retreat was just structured enough without becoming too prescriptive.

To Ken Goodlet, the retreat evaluation sheet by staff members was encouraging: The comments were very positive, the most common ones referring to sharing and fellowship, the setting, the workshops, the sense of community, the relaxation and the opportunity for reflection. The most heart-warming comments were those that waxed eloquent about what God meant to the participants and how this aspect of their faith and life had been enhanced by their participation in the retreat.

Time for reflection at the end of the retreat

This edition of FUTURUM has been prepared by Ken Goodlet & Daniel Weatherhead for St Paul’s Grammar School Penrith.

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