Dear Parents/Carers,

I must admit, last Sunday I was somewhat a physical wreck after the huge day that the fete encompasses each year. Why does it work so well? Why is it so successful? How come we are faced with new challenges each year to deliver it to the community and always overcome them? How come so many are up for the challenge?

In light of our recent fete experience my thoughts have reflected on the special us that has gone to make this event such a life giving one to our school.  I propose that the following authentic features have characterised our community as we have journeyed together:

• A St Paul’s story is shared and articulated by current and past families that come together on fete day.
• Through the fete, people experience caring relationships.
• Our fete is a celebration of rituals and passages.
• The St Paul’s fete is an example of active participation by the whole community.
• A culture of mutual gain flourishes.
• There is a huge sense of spirituality in the community.
• People have invested huge energy in building community.
• The growth of agency (the ability to act when challenged with problems) is evident.
• Pastoral care of members is constantly in action behind the scenes.
• Conflict and disagreement is present but is managed by being solution focused.
• The community is proactive in their planning.
• Decision making has been enacted in a discernment style.

I would like to acknowledge the huge commitment made by the fete committee to bring the fete to reality. The work of many hands makes the fete story such a successful experience. The huge commitment displayed by the parents in delivering on fete day is deeply appreciated.

I suppose this is really our community map that we aspire to in so many of our initiatives that makes the story for our school such a good one in Camden.  It is an overview of what a good christian community looks like. We are very good at affirming the elements that are healthy as well as naming and focusing on those areas which need improvement. 

The above is also an excellent illustration of how we model respectful relationships to young people, especially the students at St Paul’s. This is an area of focus for us as a school community this year. Our PB4L focus with the students has been the explicit teaching about disagreement and how it fits within a cycle of respect. Our students learn this from you and we are heightening the importance of this through the weekly goals we set in PB4L.

Our “high end” challenging behaviours have declined significantly from 2018 - 2023 and our school student accident data also mirrors the same decline.  This is a product of PB4L and our focus on creating respectful relationships. 

Go gently,

Michael Reardon
Principal

Principal Awards

Congratulations to the following students who have recently received a Principal Award. 

Emaleigh Kelly, Emily McEwen, Tiago Gomez, Emily McKone, Jye Richardson, Clayton David, Lorenzo Fuentes, Riley Cook, Hannah Gray, Noah McAllister, Harper Cox, Lincoln Gauci, Matilda Melisi, Mark Starr, Ethan Lynch, Giovanni Anastasio, Oscar Colliss, James Campbell, Milla White, Giarncarlo Sanzoni, Matthew Bui, Joshua Bui, Michael Macri, Franco Raco.