From the Principal's Desk
Dear Parents/Carers,
As we move towards the end of this term, at its completion we will have celebrated the two most significant community events of the year; St Paul’s school fete and this Friday, Grandparents and Great People Day.
A small strategy that I use to connect with the students is conversation over a game of chess. Many of the students have learnt the mature skill of booking a meeting, arranging for a friend to also attend to play “Mr R” in a game of chess. You would be amazed at what I learn from a game of chess with two of the students! The art and wisdom of conversation enables me to learn about the aspirations of our students, their challenges with friendships and gives an insight into their values, sense of belonging and connectedness to school.
In recent days, with two students, I asked about the things they like about the fete, and why Grandparents and Great People day are so special. Many of the answers were about connecting family to school, having fun with friends and the ownership of something special that was shared by many.
I realised, for the students, the St Paul’s fete and Grandparents and Great People Day is really not about their “special” person or the day itself. These special community events are in fact a part of their identity and offer the children some community which is welcoming and stable in a world purely defined by rapid change.
In my conversations I also realised that whilst these two events are hugely important to their belonging story, their identity is multi-faceted and seems to rise from many sources:
- How we welcome new students and families,
- Regular school assemblies and liturgies,
- Participation in public events together (eg ANZAC Day March, Netball Gala Day),
- Celebration of school events (eg fete, Grandparents Day/Special People Day, St Paul’s Feast Day, sacraments),
- School rituals eg House Cup
- Development of student and parent loyalties to the school eg donations for fete day and the Fete Poster Competition
The list could go on for pages! During my chess games with the students, I now deeply understand what glues them to the St Paul’s school community. It is the experiencing of an affinity for the school as a place where they are recognised by people and feel linked with others. This affinity offers support and affirmation for each person in the school community, including the deeply valued grandparents who will turn up at the gate in droves this Friday, on the very last day of the term. Our students have told me, in their own way as we have chatted over a game of chess, that their presence in the school community is significant to the group and they have a real contribution to make to its growth.
The other final simple matter that is very clear, is how much joy they get in beating “the elderly statesman” of the community in chess! I’m sure they will remind me of that when they bump into me down the street in Camden in ten years time!
Thank you for such a wonderful term, where community has shone a light brighter than words can describe upon us all.
Go gently and may there be a chance for all to have some form of rest, not just the students and staff.
Go gently,
Michael Reardon
Principal
Principal Awards
Congratulations to the following students who have recently received a Principal Award.
Emma Ryan, Harper Halse, Tate Durrington, Zoe Durrington, Sofia Cocco, Lily Vella, Hunter Greene, Amalia Accoto, Oliver Mackie, Jacob Dunbar, Isla Russell, Ariella Arico, Lenny Sacilotto, Oliver Lawrence, Joseph Iofrida, Taylor Scorah, Joanna Iofrida, Johnny Iofrida, Ryder Harris, Mariah Oliva, Maddison Aldred, Thomas Sammut, Peyton VonWartburg, Lucy Farrugia, Levi Manser, Adalynee Cranfield, Luka Peich, Marcus Mura, Mason Mura, Alessio Mosca, Sofia Mosca, Alexander Brett, Georgia Cahill, Eden Shephard, Rhys Taylor, Ruby Fuller, Alexander Campbell, Isla Crnek, Ivy Burnett, Sophia Moraghan, Ruby Humphries, Mackenzie Bowen, Lewis Danjoux, Audrey Zammit.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Paige (Year 6), who recently entered the kids news 'Short story competition 2023' and received a Highly commended for her story 'The Ghostly Shadow'.
Paige's story and other winners can be viewed via the following link;