NEWSLETTER | SEMESTER 1, 2018Warragul Campus

From the Acting Principal, Ms Donna Sweeney

Welcome to 2018As the 2018 school year fast approaches, we welcome all members of our school community to the new year. A special welcome to all of our new students and their families, and to the new staff listed below.

We have endeavoured to publish our Semester 1 newsletter a fortnight earlier this year and whilst some further information may therefore have to be conveyed through the Grammarian in coming weeks, we hope it helps you to know how the new year will begin at each campus and what whole school initiatives have been realised or are envisaged for 2018.

New StaffTraralgon Junior School Traralgon Secondary SchoolEllenor Williams ELC Co-educator Alanah Andrews English and Humanities TeacherLindsay Haley ELC Co-educator Jayne Sherrard Science Teacher Thomas Northe Sports Trainee Warragul Junior School Warragul Secondary SchoolTara Morgan Year 1 Teacher Chris Ambrozy Mathematics Teacher/HPVMichael Beamish Year 5 Teacher James Rowley Mathematics TeacherStacie Gardiner Year 6 Teacher Jose Rault French/ScienceKat Crow Education Support Trevor Sowdon FrenchHelen Cameron ELC Co-educator Melanie Mullins Food Technology Jason Liacos Performing Arts Instrumental TeacherWhole School Emily McInnes Sports Trainee Jordan Markham Maintenance team Ira Ahrens Daily Organiser James Avram Director of Learning and Teaching, and English Teacher

School Captains 2018Although it was announced at the Warragul Secondary Presentation Evening last year, it is important that our whole school community knows that the St Paul’s School Captains for 2018 are Isabel Thomas and Cameron Wong. Our Deputy Captains are Lauren Clark and Jack Ellis. We are thrilled with their appointments, from a very competitive field of their peers, and wish them every success in their new roles. They, and other whole school leaders, will be inducted into their new roles at the Whole School Welcome Assembly on Tuesday 6 February.

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2017 Achievements2017 was another very busy year for our leadership and staff teams. We made excellent progress in the following areas of priority, which are but a small snapshot of some of our teaching and learning goals and not the very lengthy list of goals we set for ourselves each year in all areas of the School.

In the area of teaching and learning in 2017 we have:• Made pleasing progress in celebrating and promoting our understanding of diversity and inclusivity with our

Inclusive Schools Committee focusing on Indigenous issues and reconciliation. • Promoted good stewardship of the environment with our Wetlands Project at the Traralgon Campus and our

sustainability student involvement across the school.• Implemented continuous online assessment at secondary level and have introduced an app for MyStPauls, to make

parent access easier.• Continued to make use of data and formative assessment across the school to enhance quality teaching.• Continued to promote a growth mindset and resilience practices in our students, both in the language we use and

through more formal programming.• Ensured that child safety is our first priority and we have a large number of school families who have now completed

our Child Safety modules and Working with Children Checks.• Continued to advocate for online safety for all of our students, through our pastoral programs and special guest

speakers for staff, parents and students.

In addition to the above, Acting Deputy Principal, Mr Rowan van Raay, will update you on the goals of the School Improvement Committee for 2018 once they are confirmed with staff early in the year.

We will also notify you of the renewed 2018 School Aims once our Executive team have had a chance to meet for the year. With the much anticipated arrival of our new Principal in Term 2, Mr Cameron Herbert, there are sure to be further updates in this regard at that time.

VCE resultsAs you may already know, the class of 2017 achieved outstanding VCE results. The 2017 Dux of St Paul’s was Hannah Robertson-Sas from Glengarry who achieved an outstanding ATAR of 99.3. Hannah completed English, Further Mathematics, English Literature, Psychology, Biology and Legal Studies. Hannah also received a 50 for English and a 49 for English Literature. She is planning to study to be an English/Humanities teacher. Close behind Hannah were Eddie Huang of Morwell on 98.9 and Stephen Charles of Warragul on 97.2.

In all, eight students achieved an ATAR over 95 (7%) and 31 students achieved an ATAR over 90 (26%), which was an increase of another 4% on the excellent results of 2016.

The percentage of students who achieved an ATAR of over 80 was an impressive 46%, placing them in the top 20% of the state. 94% of students achieved an ATAR over 50, of which we are very proud. These results have placed St Paul’s in the Top 100 Schools for Victoria, and this is without the statistical ‘advantage’ some schools give themselves by having a large number of students complete Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) ‘hands on’ programs in Year 11 and 12, rather than VCE. At St Paul’s the vast majority of our students complete a straight VCE program of 5 (or 6) subjects and only three or four students each year choose not to sit the end of year examinations for various personal reasons.

What we are most proud of is the work ethic of the class of 2017, who impressed us with their diligence right from Early Commencement at the end of 2016. They are a great example of what hard work and persistence can achieve. As usual, amongst the pleasing results of the cohort, there are a number of inspiring success stories from students whose hard work and perseverance has enabled them to exceed their own expectations. There are several examples of students who, with support, have triumphed over family, health and personal hardships to achieve impressive personal results and for these students we are also truly thrilled.

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Year 12 Exit Survey resultsEvery year we ask our Year 12s to give us feedback on their final years of school and their overall satisfaction. They are asked questions in the following domains:

• Academic Program• Teaching Quality• Learning Outcomes• Personal Development• Pastoral Care• Resources• Transition• School Ethos • Maintaining Contact• Overall Satisfaction

We are delighted to report that the class of 2017 scored our school higher than statistically similar schools and higher than Independent Schools of Victoria’s (ISV) means/benchmarks in each one of the domains listed above.

There was also no significant difference in the ranking of the school by girls or boys with both genders scoring us higher than statistically similar schools or ISV means in all domain areas.

The overall satisfaction of our Year 12s with their St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School experience was 7.86 (out of 10) with similar schools scoring 7.56 and the ISV mean at 7.69.

Once again, when competing with significantly more expensive and ‘prestigious’ independent schools in Victoria, St Paul’s continues to excel. For that we must thank our students, their families and our most dedicated staff and school leaders. It is the partnership between us that results in great things for our children.

From the Acting Deputy Principal, Mr Rowan van Raay

I extend a warm welcome to all families to the 2018 school year. The following is some important information and reminders as we begin a new year. Anaphylaxis and Asthma Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that is potentially life threatening. Common allergens include (but are not limited to) nuts, eggs and shellfish. The School requests that parents, students and members of staff do not provide foods with known allergens for consumption at school. The school canteen will not use, provide, nor prepare foods containing known allergens for consumption or use at school, but may stock those labelled “may contain traces of nuts”. Where necessary, the Head of School will inform families of any other foods which may not be brought to school.

The School’s policy and procedures for the management of students with anaphylaxis and asthma when they are at school and when they are undertaking approved school activities is available on MyStPauls.

Parents of children who have been diagnosed with anaphylaxis or asthma are reminded that they are obligated to provide the school with an accurate and updated Action Plan each year.

Panadol and Nurofen (Analgesics) Administration ChangeJust a reminder that the School can no longer administer analgesics to students during the school day, despite parental permission. As communicated last year, there is concern that doing so may mask underlying symptoms that are then not addressed. When it comes to students being away on school camps or overseas tours, parents are asked to supply analgesics and any other medication to be taken, in a labelled zip lock bag with administration advice from their family doctor included. We apologise for any inconvenience but, as always, student safety is our first concern.

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SMS Absence NotificationsPlease ensure you have notified the School if your child/ren are going to be absent. SMS absence notifications to parents or guardians are now being used across all campuses. If there is an unexplained absence, all mobile phone numbers listed on the school database will receive an SMS notification. If you have called the School on the morning of the absence, sent a note earlier or your child is on an excursion or camp you should not receive an SMS.

Child Safe School St Paul’s takes matters of child safety very seriously. In keeping with the requirements of Ministerial Order 870, all adults (over 18) who have contact with our students must undergo Child Safe Training (online and takes approximately 45 minutes) as well as hold a current Working with Children Check or equivalent. All teaching and non-teaching staff have completed their training and assessment and any parent or community member who has or is likely to have direct contact with our students must also undergo the training. This requirement applies to coaches, classroom helpers, those assisting with excursions, camps, sport, special celebrations and the like. In addition, adults assisting in Junior School classrooms must also attended a short Parent Helper session and Heads of School will communicate when these will take place. You only have to complete these requirements once and when completed, a record is then added to our volunteer registers. Parents will not be able to volunteer at any school event nor assist in classrooms or with excursions until they have successfully completed these requirements.

We do value your involvement within our school and hope that the additional expectation will not deter you. I am sure that you will agree that in the end, making sure that we are a child safe school is well worth the additional effort.Should you wish to complete the online modules, please email Jenni Griffiths on JGriffiths@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

MyStPauls MyStPauls is a wonderful communication tool and last year the School developed a phone app to make parent interaction with MyStPauls much more user friendly and efficient. The app can be downloaded for free from the App Store and provides quick and simple access to the calendar, student due work, the student/s timetable, notifications, news and settings. This makes it much easier for parents to check on their child’s progress more frequently, or when notifications are sent from teachers.

Continuous Online Assessment (COA) for secondary school students and their parents was rolled out last year and will continue in 2018 using MyStPauls.

A reminder that;• All reportable grades will appear on MyStPauls as the students receive them. This replaced Terms 1 and 3 progress

reports in 2017.• Parent-Student-Teacher-Interviews (PSTIs) occur at the end of Terms 1 and 3. Reports, in the form of a statement

of results and a pastoral report are issued, at the end of Terms 2 and 4 (early Term 4 for Year 12).• Parents can be notified, via email, every time a new assessment is released for their child.• Feedback will be in a variety of forms, depending on the task and the purpose of the communication.• Formative feedback to students will also comment on work ethic/habits, so that students continue to be reminded

of the correlation between results and application and parents don’t lose this valuable insight into their child’s application to different tasks.

Junior School families will be introduced to this method of providing feedback on student progress this year and more information will be shared with families as the year begins.

The MyStPauls website https://my.stpaulsags.vic.edu.au will still offer a great deal more information than the app, so it will still have a purpose for those parents who wish to see Head of School news, year level information, Performing Arts schedules, sporting fixtures, eSmart information and much more. Parents are encouraged to visit MyStPauls regularly and if you have misplaced your login details, we ask that you please contact IT Support via itsupport@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au and they will issue you with new login details.

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School Improvement Initiatives and Professional LearningAs we continue to strive for excellence and improvement in all areas across the school, we constantly evaluate our programs and look for new research-based and data-driven ideas to implement. 2017 initiatives have been evaluated across both campuses and components of our improvement agenda set for this year will be communicated to families during Term 1. To support continual improvement in learning and teaching, Professional Learning Communities for our staff at each campus will continue and will be centred on our 2018 improvement initiatives.

I look forward to a wonderful 2018 full of learning and exciting adventures together.

From the Business Manager, Mrs Leah Young

BUILDING AND FACILITY DEVELOPMENTS

During 2017 funding was directed towards major capital works, ICT, infrastructure, as well as maintenance, landscaping and minor capital improvements.

One significant capital project commenced in 2017 was a new facility which incorporates six general learning areas for the Warragul Secondary School. A beautiful new building which comprises four new general learning areas and ancillary spaces for the Traralgon Junior School has also recently been completed.

Capital grants from the Australian and Victorian Governments have assisted the School in funding these projects. The Family Capital Contribution and Voluntary Contributions (which are tax deductible) paid by families also contribute to enabling the School to undertake these capital projects and to continually develop and improve facilities for our students.

Traralgon Campus Gymnasium – Fitness Centre

The new Fitness Centre at the Traralgon Campus was completed during 2017 and will open at the beginning of 2018 complete with new equipment.

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Traralgon Junior School – Four General Learning Areas

This new complex was completed in 2017 and will provide four general learning areas connected to an open breakout space in the centre, as well as four smaller withdrawal rooms and toilet facilities. It will be available to our students in 2018.

This new building delivers an enhanced environment to support connected and inclusive general learning areas, providing our Junior School students with a modern and environmentally focused classroom environment.

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Traralgon Campus – Ford Swim Centre

During 2017 the Ford Swim Centre was completed, a partnership between the School and Brian and Michelle Ford, past parents of St Paul’s. Our students have enjoyed commencing their swimming program in this new facility and will enjoy the facility for future years to come.

Traralgon Campus – Wetlands

The wetlands at the Traralgon Campus have been an exciting beacon for the ongoing environmental and STEM program that involves our students and the local community. Representatives from the local Landcare group, Fish Care group, Bass Coast Landcare as well as local indigenous authorities are ensuring all activities are both educational, environmentally sustainable and lots of fun. Our vision for 2018 is for overnight camps, day excursions, visits from experts and links to Government authorities which will provide a magnificent opportunity to ensure our children learn current, relevant real skills and knowledge.

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Warragul Secondary School – Six General Learning Areas

This new development, a two storey building complex at the Warragul Secondary School comprising of six general learning areas and ancillary student and learning facilities is anticipated to be completed by April/May 2018.

This new building will provide our students with further modern and environmentally focused classrooms facilitating learning and educational outcomes.

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Warragul Junior School – STEM Centre and Additional New Classroom

In 2017 the outdoor area of the Year 3 – 6 Building was renovated and refurbished to create the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Centre. The STEM Centre throughout the year has been a learning and teaching hub for rich, problem-based STEM projects delivered through a transdisciplinary approach. The STEM Centre has been visited by all of the children in the Junior School.

In 2018 further investment will be made in robotics to enable our Junior School students across both campuses to use further specialised STEM equipment to develop innovative solutions, conduct science experiments and carry out problem-based learning investigations. In 2018 the Junior School will again host the RoboCup Junior Competition.

Due to extra classrooms being required in the upper Junior School, an additional classroom has been constructed as an extension to the R.A. Prideaux Centre over the holiday period.

Environmental Sustainability

ResourceSmart – Second StarSt Paul’s is part of the ResourceSmart Program with the core module (first star) having been achieved for the Warragul Campus. During 2017 the School was successful in achieving Certification in respect to the Energy module which will provide the School with a second star.

Installation of Solar Panels and LED LightingSt Paul’s is endeavouring to become more environmentally sustainable by focusing on the importance of energy efficiency initiatives. During 2017 solar systems and LED lighting at both the Traralgon and Warragul Campuses have been installed. Funding assistance was received from the Victorian Energy Efficiency Certificate Rebates.

The school is now saving more than 289,711 kWh per annum which is equivalent to more than 379,033 kg CO2 or taking eighty cars off the road! More than 800 solar panels have been installed and more than 1,350 lights have been upgraded. The installation of touch screen monitors across both campuses will significantly increase awareness for sustainability measures across the entire school community.

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From the Senior Chaplain, Reverend Daniel Lowe

Spirituality is an important part of being human. In the words of French philosopher and Jesuit priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” Learning and developing our own spirituality involves developing a capacity to reflect and connect with the world. It is about making sense of our lives and understanding the story of how we fit with ourselves, others and our environment. There are many activities which students are involved in at St Paul’s that we may not immediately think of as ‘spiritual’ but which play an important role in the development of reflective skills and understanding of self and others. Our pastoral programs, for example, provide not just care for each student but also education and awareness of the needs of others, ways to manage emotions and reflect on experiences, opportunities for stillness and quiet which allow for personal reflection and a chance to hear the stories of other people’s lives and experiences. Christian Studies classes have a particular focus on Jesus and the Christian faith but spiritual exploration may also happen through the study of an English text, the creation of a piece of art or the learning of a scientific principle. Faith development is not restricted to Christian Studies classes. The spiritual life of the School is marked particularly by its Anglican ethos. We affirm and value people as individuals, recognising the equal value of each person, regardless of racial, ethnic, faith or cultural differences. We seek to build in our students a desire to seek justice, to respond to others in need and to be wise stewards of our natural resources. I would encourage all parents to look for opportunities to discuss spirituality with their children. Share your own experiences and beliefs; help children to reflect on their experiences and interactions with others; when significant life events occur, don’t be afraid to talk honestly and openly with your children about life and death, love and loss. It is often these difficult and vulnerable conversations that become pivotal in your child’s spiritual formation.

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From the Head of Information Services, Mr David Cope

Information Services 2018 Looking AheadThe Information Services teams have been busy setting up for the new school year.

The IT Services team have worked through a large program of infrastructure and system improvements over the break. As well as configuring the new fleet of student laptops, upgrades to all the server systems have been completed. This will improve our printing and storage capacity, and further ensure improved reliability of all school systems and services. New laptops and interactive data screens have been installed for use in both schools. Improvements to both the wired and wireless components of our network, have been undertaken at the Traralgon Campus. Further improvements will occur early in Term 1 as the School increases its broadband capacity to provide all students and staff with multimedia rich educational resources.

The Library team is looking forward to building upon the developments of last year. The Library team continue to expand their offerings with access to audio and eBooks through the Wheelers platform. These will be able to be accessed through iPads available for use within each library. Teaching staff have been introduced to the new features of the ClickView Media Library system. The Warragul Secondary Library team is also aiming to undertake a minor refresh to improve the accommodation for students as they undertake collaborative research tasks.

The Curriculum Services team is continuing the transition to Continuous Online Reporting. Recent system enhancements will enable the electronic publication of current and historical assessment reports. Once this project is complete, parents will be able access their son or daughter’s formal assessment documents from MyStPauls at their convenience. Feedback on the MyStPauls app from many families has been encouraging. For those families who are yet to download it, it is available through iTunes (Apple) and Google Play (android) stores.

If you have any thoughts, questions or issues regarding the Information Services Department, or any of the above initiatives, I can be reached via email at dcope@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

From the Head of Warragul Secondary School, Ms Laura Butterworth

Welcome Welcome to the 2018 academic year. I hope all of our families have enjoyed a break and quality time together over the festive period. In particular, I would like to welcome our new students and families at each year level and all of our Year 7 students. We also welcome a number of new staff who have been introduced by our Acting Principal in her section of the newsletter. We begin 2018, still celebrating the wonderful achievements of the Class of 2017. We are very proud of their effort and application and wish them well as they embark on their chosen pathways beyond St Paul’s.

First day of school – Thursday 1 February 2018The first day for our students is Thursday 1 February. We run an alternative program on this day which includes school photos and a welcome assembly. It is imperative that students are wearing the correct school uniform or they will not be able to take part in either class or individual school photos.

There are no formal classes on the first day. Students will take part in a range of activities including year level time, pastoral time, an assembly and their photos. It is advised that students bring half of their books on this day and the other half on Friday. This will prevent them from having to carry all of their books at once.

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Please note the following to ensure that your students is appropriately attired for their first day and school photos:• All students must wear their blazers. (Blazers which have been embroidered over the summer will be available

from Student Services).• All boys must wear their tie.

Hairstyle and Grooming• Girls must tie their hair back with a plain dark blue, burgundy or white ribbon, or a plain band in one of these

colours.• Neither girls nor boys may have hair styles which are extremes of fashion in terms of length, style or colour.

Boy’s hair must be above the collar at all times, or tied back neatly. • Beards and moustaches are not permitted. Boys MUST be cleanly shaven.

Jewellery and Makeup • No visible jewellery may be worn except for wrist watches. Girls only may wear one small, plain sleeper (gold

or silver) or stud (gold or silver) in the lobe of each ear. A small, discreet plain crucifix pendant on a thin chain necklace is accepted, but this must hang lower than the collar opening of the dress or shirt.

• Boys are not to wear piercings, or jewellery (including bracelets, necklaces and rings) of any kind. • Other than clear nail polish, cosmetics may not be worn at school. There should be no visible makeup.

This includes blush, lipstick/gloss, eyeliner, mascara and foundation.

The uniform policy is very familiar to our students and we insist that it is adhered to at all times. A copy of the uniform policy can be found on the St Paul’s website for both student and parent reference: https://stpaulsags.vic.edu.au/enrolment/uniform

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School start timeThe first warning bell sounds at 8:50 am and students are required in Mentor group by 8:55 am. School finishes at 3:30 pm.

Reception HoursReception is open the following hours as we transition back for 2018:Monday 22 January to Thursday 25 January, 10:00 am to 3:00 pmFriday 26 January – Australia Day Reception closedMonday 29 January, normal hours resume Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Dobsons Opening Hours (Uniform shop, Warragul Campus)Monday 22/1/18 1:00 pm to 4:00 pmTuesday 23/1/18 1:00 pm to 4:00 pmWednesday 24/1/18 1:00 pm to 4:00 pmThursday 25/1/18 1:00 pm to 4:00 pmFriday 26/1/18 AUSTRALIA DAY CLOSEDMonday 29/1/18 1:00 pm to 4:00 pmTuesday 30/1/18 8:00 am to 11:00 am

Head of Year 2018Our wonderfully experienced and dedicated Heads of Year will be guiding and supporting your students through 2018. Your student will also have a Mentor with whom they will have contact every day at school and will be your first point of contact for questions or concerns. You will receive a letter from the applicable Head of Year shortly which will provide you with relevant information pertaining to your child’s year level. Please note that you can email Mentors, Heads of Year or your child’s teachers directly through MyStPauls.

Head of Year 11Mr Brad Kooloos

Head of Year 8Mr Scott Armour

Head of Year 10Mrs Adrienne Percy

Head of Year 9Mrs Leonie Clark

Head of Year 7 Mrs Andrea Heard

Head of Year 12Ms Julia Behr

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School Captains 2018I am very pleased to recognise and congratulate our School Captains for 2018. Our Prefects and House Captains will be formally inducted into their positions at the Whole School Welcome Assembly on Tuesday 6 February starting at 10:30 am.

I look forward to working with all of our student leaders and witnessing their growth and development in 2018.

School Captain Cameron Wong

School Captain Isabel Thomas

Deputy School Captain Jack Ellis

Deputy School Captain Lauren Clark

2018 Teaching Staff Due to some late staff movement at the end of 2017 we had to make some substantial changes to the timetable over the break. This has also meant that staff have had to change classes in some instances in order for the timetable to be operable. We have worked very hard to minimise the changes and all teachers effected will have conducted a thorough handover of what was completed in Early Commencement.

What’s On Thursday 1 February Students commence School photos

Friday 2 – Saturday 3 February SEISA Leadership Weekend

Tuesday 6 February Whole School Welcome Assembly Warragul Secondary Gymnasium, 10:30 am Presentation Ball Training, Warragul Junior School Gymnasium

Wednesday 7 February Parent Welcome Evening, Science Centre, 7:00 pm

Thursday 8 February SEISA Senior/Intermediate Summer Sports, Round 1

Friday 9 February Years 7 and 8 Swimming Trials, Moe Outdoor Pool Class of 2017 Morning Tea, Science Centre Foyer, 10:00 am

From the Acting Head of Warragul Junior School, Mr Phil Barkla

I hope everyone had a relaxing and invigorating Christmas and New Year break. I extend a warm welcome to all Junior School families, especially new families to our school, to the 2018 school year. We also welcome new staff, Mrs Stacie Gardiner 6G, Mr Michael Beamish 5M, Mrs Tara Morgan 1M and Mrs Kathryn Crow Education Support. For Term 1, I will be deputising for Mr van Raay as he takes up the position of Acting Deputy Principal until the arrival of our new Principal, Mr Herbert.

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Start of year times and events Term 1 begins for all Junior School students on Thursday 1 February at 9:00 am. Preps will be dismissed at 3:00 pm on the first week of school and a reminder that for Wednesdays (starting Week 2 – Wednesday 7 February), our Preps will enjoy a ‘rest day’. They will be asked to attend for a short time on one of these Wednesdays to complete the Early Years Entry Assessment Task with their teacher. Most of these have already been arranged and I ask that if you are yet to organise a time, that you contact the Junior School Office.

Whilst our ELC students also begin on Thursday 1 February, they will participate in shorter sessions for the first few weeks as they settle into their new environment. ELC parents should have been advised by ELC staff of the transition process for the ELC.

I invite all parents to join with me and specialist staff for a celebratory ‘Welcome to 2018’ early morning tea on the first morning of the new school year in the Prideaux Centre (9:00 am to 9:45 am). I encourage all ‘new’ St Paul’s parents to attend to meet other parents as we share in the excitement of your child’s first day at our school. There is no need to reply, if you would like to attend simply come in to the centre after seeing your child settle into their new class.

Our Meet the Teachers Evenings for parents/guardians will be held over two nights, Years 3 to 6 on Monday 5 February and Prep to Year 2 on Monday 12 February. The evenings will begin in our Junior School Gymnasium, commencing at 7:00 pm, with the sharing of ‘common general Junior School information’ and brief information about STEM, Tuning in to Kids and Teens Parent Programs, Protective Behaviours and pastoral care. Parents then move to classrooms where teachers will outline classroom routines and will provide parents with specific information regarding the year level. These are really important sessions for parents to attend. If you have students in both areas of our school (Prep to Year 2 and Years 3 to 6), the information shared in the gym at the beginning will be the same for both sessions, so you only need to attend one of them. We expect classroom sessions to begin around 7:45 pm.

Parents wishing to share specific information about their child with their classroom teacher should contact the Junior School office or the classroom teacher directly to book in a time.

Family BBQFamilies are also invited to attend our Family BBQ Welcome night on Friday 23 February at the Junior School. This will be a wonderful opportunity for you to meet with staff and families and a chance to have a look around your child’s new classroom. This night takes the place of the Twilight Picnic, however, we will still be holding the Prep Grand Prix and 100m St Paul’s Gift throughout the night. Families can bring their own picnic to enjoy together or a sausage sizzle will be available.

Key datesI ask all families to please note the following events that will take place in the first few weeks of Term 1 and hope you are able to join with us on these occasions when possible. Details of these, and other events, will be outlined in the weekly ‘What’s On’ (pink hard copy notice) and fortnightly Junior School Newsletter (link emailed to families).

Thursday 1 Febuary Parent Morning Tea – all parents welcome 9:00 am – 9:45 am Welcome Assembly, Junior School Gym 2:00 pm – 3:00 pmMonday 5 Febuary Welcome and Information Evening, Years 3 to 6, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Junior School Gym Tuesday 6 Febuary Whole School Welcome Assembly, Years 3 to 12, 10:30 am Secondary School Gym Friday 9 Febuary Swim trials (all Year 3 and new Years 5 and 6 students only) 9:30 am – 11:30 amMonday 12 Febuary Welcome and Information Evening, Prep to Year 2 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Junior School GymTuesday 13 Febuary Warragul Junior School Leaders’ Induction Service, 2:20 pm – 3:15 pm Junior School Gym Thursday 15 Febuary Years 3 to 6 Swimming Carnival 9:30 am – 3:20 pmFriday 23 Febuary Family BBQ Welcome Night 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

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UpdatesCommunication occurs in many ways at St Paul’s with our main form being via email. Could I please ask if your email address, or any other contact details, have changed over the break that you contact the Junior School Office so we can update our system. It is important that the preferred email address that you have provided us with is checked regularly to ensure you do not miss any important information. Parents are also encouraged to regularly visit MyStPauls to keep updated with what is happening at school. The Student Diary will also continue to be a major communication tool between home and school.

After School CareAfter School Care is available for all families (including Pre-Prep) and I ask parents interested in using this service to visit the Camp Australia website www.campaustralia.com or contact their Customer Service Team on 1300 105 343 to register their child/ren.

Parking and driving on campusCould I please remind all parents to park only in designated parking spots. As always, please SLOW DOWN and take extra care when driving through our school.

Medical action plansIf there are any recent changes to your child’s medical information could you please contact the Junior School office as soon as possible. All asthma and allergy plans must be updated and returned to the office prior to students commencing on the first day. Due to a number of our students having severe allergies, we ask that parents do not send nuts or eggs (including peanut butter or egg sandwiches) to school.

UniformI ask all parents to assist their children in ensuring that they have the correct uniform for the start of school. ELC to Year 2 students wear sports uniform all year. Students in Years 3 to 6 wear summer uniform during Term 1. There will be no formal PE or sport classes on the first three days, therefore students should wear their summer uniform on Thursday 1 February, Friday 2 and Monday 5 February. Class teachers will inform your child/ren of the days on which sports uniform is to be worn to school. Years 3 to 6 students wear their coloured house top for both PE and sport not the white polo that is worn in Prep to Year 2. (In Terms 1 and 4 during the warmer weather, students in Years 3 to 6 are not required to wear blazers to school. However, blazers must be worn to all formal assemblies and staff will inform students when the blazer is required. The jumper is not to be worn as the outer garment in public.)

Please ensure that all school and sports uniforms are ‘St Paul’s issue’ and are clearly named, including school shoes (it is a good idea to show your child where you have named their uniform). I appreciate that the school uniform is not cheap, however, each year I am amazed at the amount of items we find that are unnamed, which makes it very difficult to return them to students. All students should have a school hat from day 1, and I ask that you please contact Dobsons Uniform Shop (5622 6152) should you need to purchase any items. Please ensure your child/ren also bring a named art smock and library bag. All stationery and school books are supplied by the school. Could parents please have a quick look at home for any Junior School library books or library bags that may be in bedrooms and return any found to Mrs Davies in the library.

IllnessA reminder that a sick child at school spreads germs to both students and teachers. Children who are unwell should not attend school and a phone call to the Junior School Office each day they are unwell is appreciated. If the school is not informed of an absence, you will receive a message that you child is not in attendance. Should your child fall ill during the day, parents will be called and you may be asked to collect your child from school. Whilst this can cause some inconvenience for parents, this is always with your child’s, other students and staffs’ best interests in mind.

Child safteySt Paul’s also requires all parents who assist in classrooms or attend excursions have completed the school’s Child Safe Modules, have a Volunteer Working with Children Check and to have attended a Parent Helper session. Application forms are kept in the Junior School office and there is no cost involved. We will be running Parent Helper Sessions at our Welcome and Information Nights at the beginning of the year. Parents will not be able to volunteer at any school event nor assist in classrooms or with excursions until they have successfully completed these requirements.

Warragul Campus | 150 Bowen Street, Warragul VIC 3820 Page | 17

Parents and friendsWe have a very active Parent Group which meets in the Junior School staffroom throughout the year to discuss ideas and support functions or organise and run events at the Junior School. At times, there are some minor fundraising activities conducted with all money raised going back to the Junior School (recently the new outdoor table tennis tables were purchased using these funds). The group organise and run our Mother’s and Father’s day stalls and walk to school breakfasts. FOSTA would love more parents to become involved and anyone is welcome to join them. You may only be able to help out from time-to-time, but the more the merrier so they can share the load. Please keep an eye out in upcoming newsletters for further information about FOSTA.

I look forward to starting an exciting 2018 school year with you. Should you have any questions, or if I can assist you or your child with the commencement of the school year or throughout the year, please do not hesitate to contact me at school on 5622 6131. We are looking forward to seeing you all on Thursday 1 February.