Revelations The fortnightly newsletter for Pre-K to Year 12 families of St Paul’s Revelations - St Paul’s Fortnightly Newsletter. Issue No. 48 Issue No. 48 13th November 2019 From the Principal We continue to pray for our Year 12 students. HSC exams are now complete and IB Diploma exams are continuing. We are so proud of each of our students and their achievements throughout their time at St Paul’s. It will be exciting to hear each of their future directions as they embark on a new stage in their journey. As the end of the year approaches, there a number of large community events which I encourage you to be part of. This of course includes the upcoming Christmas Celebration on Friday, 29th November. Families are encouraged to arrive from 4pm when food and drinks will be on sale from a variety of food trucks. Bring along some picnic blankets and chairs and relax on the lawns outside The Centre. There will be entertainment outside from our talented students throughout the afternoon. At 7pm, the Christmas Celebration will commence in The Centre. It is important to reserve your seats through Trybooking. If you have children in Pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten you will need to a reserve a seat for them as well as they will come and sit with you after their performance. All other junior students will be sitting at the front. Part of the Celebration will be a large choir item, which we are opening up to members of the community. If you would like to be part of this item, please contact Cathy Jarman at [email protected]. This is always a highlight event for the school and certainly one not to be missed. I do hope you are able to join with the school community as we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the significance of that event for our world. There will be more information coming out about this event and all the other end of year events including presentation assemblies over the next few weeks. The end of year is certainly a hectic but exciting time in the life of St Paul’s. We are currently finalising staffing for next year with a number of new positions being created due to the ongoing growth of the school. I am very excited about the high quality and calibre of these staff and look forward to sharing this news over the next few weeks. We continue to pray for God’s blessing and provision towards our school and are mindful of His faithfulness to community over many years. Ian Wake Principal "I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies." Psalm 57: 10 Thank you all for your encouragement and support in our decision to close the school on Tuesday. The predicted conditions meant that the risk for our school was very high and we were certainly in uncharted territory as we faced for the first time a catastrophic fire warning level. In the early afternoon on Tuesday, a fire broke out only one kilometre from school and I was certainly very pleased that we didn’t have a school full of children, staff and parents. We are very grateful for the wonderful support the school receives from our local RFS brigades - in particular Castlereagh and Londonderry. Our thoughts and prayers remain with all those who are still fighting and facing fires throughout the state. We pray for quenching rain to douse the fires and fill the dams as we come into summer. CRICOS 02267A
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RevelationsThe fortnightly newsletter for Pre-K to Year 12 families of St Paul’s
Revelations - St Paul’s Fortnightly Newsletter. Issue No. 48
Issue No. 48 13th November 2019
From the Principal
We continue to pray for our Year 12 students. HSC exams are now complete and IB Diploma exams are continuing. We are so proud of each of our students and their achievements throughout their time at St Paul’s. It will be exciting to hear each of their future directions as they embark on a new stage in their journey.
As the end of the year approaches, there a number of large community events which I encourage you to be part of. This of course includes the upcoming Christmas Celebration on Friday, 29th November. Families are encouraged to arrive from 4pm when food and drinks will be on sale from a variety of food trucks. Bring along some picnic blankets and chairs and relax on the lawns outside The Centre. There will be entertainment outside from our talented students throughout the afternoon. At 7pm, the Christmas Celebration will commence in The Centre. It is important to reserve your seats through Trybooking. If you have children in Pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten you will need to a reserve a seat for them as well as they will come and sit with you after their performance. All other junior students will be sitting at the front.
Part of the Celebration will be a large choir item, which we are opening up to members of the community. If you would like to be part of this item, please contact Cathy Jarman at [email protected]. This is always a highlight event for the school and certainly one not to be missed. I do hope you are able to join with the school community as we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the significance of that event for our world.
There will be more information coming out about this event and all the other end of year events including presentation assemblies over the next few weeks. The end of year is certainly a hectic but exciting time in the life of St Paul’s.
We are currently finalising staffing for next year with a number of new positions being created due to the ongoing growth of the school. I am very excited about the high quality and calibre of these staff and look forward to sharing this news over the next few weeks.
We continue to pray for God’s blessing and provision towards our school and are mindful of His faithfulness to community over many years.
Ian Wake Principal
"I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies."Psalm 57: 10
Thank you all for your encouragement and support in our decision to close the school on Tuesday.
The predicted conditions meant that the risk for our school was very high and we were certainly in uncharted territory as we faced for the first time a catastrophic fire warning level. In the early afternoon on Tuesday, a fire broke out only one kilometre from school and I was certainly very pleased that we didn’t have a school full of children, staff and parents. We are very grateful for the wonderful support the school receives from our local RFS brigades - in particular Castlereagh and Londonderry. Our thoughts and prayers remain with all those who are still fighting and facing fires throughout the state. We pray for quenching rain to douse the fires and fill the dams as we come into summer.
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From the Head of Junior School
PYP Exhibition
The Junior School Hall was the venue for our 17th PYP Exhibition, held on Thursday, 31st October.It was filled with work from our Year 6 students and also from a rang of other Junior School year groups, as we came together to celebrate learning.
A highlight of the evening was hearing our Year 6 students present their research findings and posing solutions to the problems they had identified. My thanks go to all the students, particularly Year 6, but also to Mrs Day, Mrs Wotherspoon, Mr Abela, as well as the mentors who came from across the school. I would also like to thank the many parents and extended family who supported the students and those who attended the Exhibition to engage with students on the night.
Staffing Update
Mrs Bennett (Year 2) has indicated that she will be leaving St Paul’s at the end of the Year. Mrs Bennett has accepted a position at St Andrew’s Cathedral School, Sydney as a Teacher/Librarian. She has taught at St Paul’s for over 15 years and will be sorely missed. Please join me in congratulating her on her appointment.
Year 5 Father and Son Camp
It was a real pleasure to attend the Year 5 Father and Son Camp held overnight on Friday, 1st November at the Junior School. It was a wonderful opportunity for fathers and sons to spend quality time with each other and learn about the importance of their relationship.
A very big thankyou to Mr Ongley who has organised this event for 21 years. I would like to acknowledge his hard work and passion for facilitating this event over so many years. I would also like to thank Mr Abela, Mr Steele-Smith, Mr Palmer and Mr Harnett and the field officers of St Paul’s Cadets for their assistance.
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From the Head of Junior School Continues
Sporting Awards
On Monday, 4th November 2019 during our Junior School assembly, the following students were recognised for their tremendous efforts in sport this year. We would like to congratulate them on their achievement:
Ian BrookerHead of Junior School
PSSA Netball Senior AMost improved: Elizabeth Drayton
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From the Director of Learning Services
Major Review of Curriculum in NSW
The NSW Government has commissioned a major review into curriculum in NSW. The last review of this scope was carried out in 1989. The review, carried out by Professor Geoff Masters, has made several major recommendations in an interim report which was released in late October. Detailed information regarding the review may be found here.
The major recommendations refer to reforming the curriculum to reduce curriculum crowding, increase focus on key knowledge and concepts, and build skills in applying knowledge to real world situations. A final reform direction seeks to determine a ‘common entitlement’ or what every student in NSW is entitled and expected to learn whilst at school.
St Paul’s staff will spend dedicated time discussing the review on Monday, 25th November but the review seeks feedback from all members of the community. The opportunity for feedback closes on Friday, 13th December. Feedback will be considered to develop a detailed, final report which is expected to be released in the first half of 2020. It is expected that this report will shape the learning in NSW over future decades.
Please read the report to find out more about the review and express your opinion regarding the future of education in NSW using the link above.
Year 12 Examinations Concluding
Year 12 HSC examinations have concluded and IB Diploma Programme examinations continue until Friday 22nd November in the Secondary School Hall. HSC students’ results will be released at 6am on Tuesday, 17th December. Students will receive text messages with these results and can log into the NESA student results site to receive full details. HSC ATARs will be available at 1pm on Tuesday,17th December on the UAC website. HSC students have personalised access details for these websites.
IB Diploma students will receive their results at 12noon on Friday, 3rd January from the IB candidates’ website. IB Diploma students have personalised access details for this website.
Educational Access Scheme (EAS) Year 12 students may be eligible to apply for the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) if something has disrupted their schooling over a significant part of Year 11 and/or 12 (3 months or more). EAS applications are submitted to UAC who usually find that universities give leeway on ATAR requirements due to disrupted schooling. Further information about EAS may be found here.
The NSW University Admissions Centre (UAC) makes tertiary course offers to students on behalf of universities in this state and the ACT. The upcoming UAC offer rounds of greatest significance to St Paul’s students are:
• Thursday, 14th November: November offer round 1 - School Recommendation Scheme (SRS) first offers.
• Thursday, 28th November: November offer round 2
• Thursday, 12th December: December round 1 offers
• Monday, 23rd December: December round 2 offers based on HSC ATARs and SRS second round offers
• Friday, 10th January: January round 1 offers based on IB results and HSC ATARs
• Thursday, 23rd January: January round 2 offers based on IB results and HSC ATARs
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From the Director of Students and Family Services
Final Weeks of the 2019 Academic Year
As we move into the final weeks of the 2019 academic year, we are already gearing up for the arrival of the Year 7 class of 2020 with the annual Year 7 Orientation Programme. To be conducted next week, our existing Year 6 students will be joined by the numerous Year 6 students from other schools in the two-day programme that is designed to make the transition into Secondary School as smooth as possible.
A feature of the programme is the involvement of our Middle Years' prefect team who will serve as guides to our Year 6 visitors for the entirety of their stay. Over the course of the two days our prefects will support our incoming students in sample lessons from all Secondary School faculties before culminating in a friendly inter-house sports competition. This provides Year 6 with as comprehensive and realistic exposure to Secondary School as possible.
Classes are organised along house lines thereby allowing new and existing students to interact readily with one another. This greatly helps to break down the apprehension involved with initiating new friendships with one another well before commencing Year 7 itself. The Heads of House and I are certainly looking forward to welcoming Year 6 to the Secondary School next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Sojourn - Thursday, 14th and Friday, 15th November
With the host of end of year activities on the horizon, I wanted to take this opportunity to mention this week’s Dance Academy showcase event, Sojourn.
Due to its incredible popularity, Sojourn will now be held over two nights, Thursday 14th and Friday 15th of November at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre. It will be great to see a wide range of students from across both the Junior and Secondary schools demonstrating their talents as they perform a range of dance styles.
Phillip HeathDirector of Students and Family Services
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From the Dance Academy
Sojourn19 Tickets are selling fast for our end of year showcase, Sojourn19! Sojourn is the SPGS Dance Academy’s end of year showcase and features all of our Dance Academy ensembles as well as performances from our elective dance students from Years 9–11.
Dates: Thursday 14th and Friday 15th November (same show each night).
Time: 7pm
Venue: The Joan, Penrith.
Tickets can be purchased through The Joan Box Office.
Final Dance classes for 2019
Please note that Dance Academy classes will only run for one week after Sojourn. All classes will finish on Friday, 22nd November 2019.
This excludes company rehearsals (Junior Company, Combine Senior Company) which will continue until the end of the year in order to prepare for end of year celebration events.
Registration for 2020 Classes Registration information for 2020 will be available in Week 6 of this term, Monday, 18th November. This information will be emailed to students and their families. Please be aware that many of our dance classes are very popular and places fill up quickly.
Dates of company auditions for 2020 will be released at the start of the 2020 school year. These auditions usually take place in Week 3 of Term 1.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
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From the Drama Academy
'Ovations'
On the 21st October 2019, drama classes from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12 performed in a production of ‘Ovations’.
From Pre-K and their gorgeous performance about what makes their heart happy to Year 12’s Rhinocerization – it was an enjoyable night for all! Senior Theatre Company graced the stage with a rendition of ‘Movie Phone’ where they mixed a combination of iconic movies and left the audience on the edge of their seats. As I am in Year 12 in 2020, and take theatre as one of my HL subjects, I was involved in Rhinocerization. The process for this was quite rigorous as “absurdist” theatre is something we find difficult. The best part about it though, was being able to share the stage with some of my closest friends and see the growth and development of so many individuals. As someone who is also involved in co-curricular senior theatre company – watching each group reach their full potential was something I found both inspiring and genuinely enjoyable. Another drama performance I found very engaging was Musical Theatre in their performance of Revolting Children from “Matilda the Musical", where each of the students worked collaboratively to effectively create both an engaging and utterly wonderful piece.
Lastly, the whole cast was involved in ‘Seasons of Love’ and just let me say, drama kids can sing! The Finale was absolutely amazing and was definitely one of the show’s most significant moments. Each and every student who was in Ovations should be beyond proud of the effort, enthusiasm and utter talent they put into the production. A special thank you also to our drama teachers – Mrs Tuting, Mrs McElrea and all the staff involved in the night for allowing it to run so smoothly. Until next year!
Sarah BonniciYear 12 IB Theatre
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From the Drama Academy Continues
DRAMA ACADEMY TUTOR Junior Theatricals Pre-set
Bronte McElrea
Bronte is currently in her second year of a Bachelor of Nursing degree at Western Sydney University. When she is not studying or at St Paul’s with our Pre-K and Kindergarten Junior Theatrical class, Bronte can be found working as a nanny or with children with special needs.
In January 2020 Bronte will be performing in the ensemble for The Wizard of Oz Arena Spectacular .
Drama Academy Registrations for 2020 Now Open
Co-curricular Drama Classes are held from Monday to Thursday during the term for all age groups, from Pre-K to Year 12. Students learn drama, collaborative and devising skills and have the opportunity to perform at our major drama showcase Ovations, which is held at the Q Theatre, Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre, Penrith.
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From the English Faculty
Year 8 English
The theme of love has resonated with humans across the globe for centuries and for as long as we have loved, we have used poetic style as a means of self-expression, as a way to make connections and to better understand our relationships with others. Love is a dominant and indispensable virtue in our Christian life and teachings, and is at the centre of divine-human and inter-human relationships. Hymns, songs and poetry have been inspired and vitalised by the theme of love.
This term in English, Year 8 have been exploring a range of love poetry from across the globe as they reflect upon questions such as:
Is love a universal language? Is love blind? Does literature and the media give us unrealistic expectations of love?As part of learning about poetic conventions in this unit, Year 8 students were given the opportunity to write some love sonnets of their own. The results are poignant and surprising, eloquent and inspiring – thank you Year 8 for sharing your ideas and emotions with us.
Emma Wynne-Jones Head of Department, English.
Her Watery Depths - by Ammarah AhmedHer watery depths, her splendour, poise, grandeur, Cerulean wings, angelic; spy her glide. Her graceful dance in glorious rainfall; pure. Her pirouettes conceal her grief inside. I implore you, find something quite so fair! O my love of nature rings ever true, You shall not glimpse just anything else there! For that of flora bares elegant view. Sahara’s secrets undulating deep She yearns for her sister’s pain: our mistake. Her dust: eons of ages dead; so bleak. So why pollute our Earth and cause them ache? O my love of nature rings ever true, For that of flora bares elegant view.
Finding My Life Reward - by Samara ChristyTrue love; unfathomable and distant. An instinct-like a fawn learning to walk, Natural-like roses that feed from the stalk. Love flows like honey; sweet and consistent, Though, some say true love is non-existent. When I find you, the sole key to my lock, My love will take flight and soar like a hawk. If dreams bear truth, why I am resistant? But if dreams dare lie, how will I find you? Handcrafted with perfection by the Lord, Needle and thread, weaved and braided; all new. We will be the sun, moon and stars restored, Our path paved on the land of green and blue. So I will wait for you, my life’s reward.
Fated Love - by Elliene SmithAs moon does draw the tide to its pale light, So I am drawn to you when you are nigh. Yet far course when the moon is out of sight, My draw to you ebbs not but stays on high. The orbs are still and wander not their course, Whilst fickle stars do stray upon the dark. We two are bound by some external force, Like planets paired constrained upon their arc. All space and time obey our Maker’s will; As azure streams are called unto the sea, So also must I walk His paths untilI’m wholly met with you and you with me. While eyes of flesh do note our parted state, The eyes of mind do know love’s certain fate.
Perfect Man - by Bianca TolsonMy perfect man, you inspire me to write. I first heard fresh laughter years ago when You began wading my mind, day and night. How were we to know that our love would grow? We fished through our identities, with your Melting charm, reeling me in like a net. We strolled together amongst the un-sure, With growing pink love painting the sunsets. Foaming waves whisper our peaceful tidings, Ferrying our message across the sea. None can crash these cursive understandings, This swift drift of love, how could one foresee Your star-like love guiding my sailing heart? Each time not with you, I dread us apart.
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From the English Faculty Continues
A Different Girl - by Alice WakeWhen I am with you, my heart skips a beat; I stumble, I stutter, I stop, thinking. So every night, I pray that you will meet A different girl, who is your ‘everything’. I pray that you will love her to the end With a burning love that will never fade. That she is forever your closest friend; A friend adored that you would never trade. When I look at you, I feel I can fly. Your love which shields, protects as a cover, Your eyes, deep as the ocean, blue as the sky. Why do I pray that you love another? Then there would be an actual reason, you see, Why you never have, and never will love me.
My Lucid Lighthouse - by Olivia ChurchillHidden in a dim box; devoid of luck.A perpetual drone; nothing mattered.Then I met you and a scarlet match struck.You are like a rock. Always there, centred.
With you, memories speak in emotion.Comfort: silence in each other’s arms.Joy: Running on rocks. Forever in motion.And anger: if a soul causes you any harm.
You're my lucid lighthouse leading me through The thick dark fog of thoughts in my psyche.I’d descend into a void without you.Now that you’re here, I trust you will catch me.
Love is eternally there when one bleeds.It is the first truth; love is all one needs.
Year 8 poets
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From the Music Academy
Conservatorium Programme
Congratulations to our students who participated in a wonderful Conservatorium Concert on Wednesday, 30th October. The concert venue was full and the students performed a wide range of music. Thank you to everyone who performed or assisted with the event. It was exciting to see our brass students combine to create a brass ensemble. Thank you to Mr Potter, SPGS’s brass tutor for this initiative.
The next Conservatorium Concert will be held on Wednesday, 25th March 2020 in PA1 Performance Studio in the Arts Quarter at 6.30pm – gold coin donation to attend. All welcome.
Curriculum Music
Years 9 and 10 Music students continue to complete performance examinations. Year 10 have been participating in professional audio recordings as part of their performance activities. It has been an exciting and valuable experience for the students. Thank you to Mr Freeland for leading the event, engineering and for mixing the recordings ready for distribution.
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From the Music Academy Continues
Ensembles Programme
Ensembles from the Junior and Senior Schools are currently preparing eagerly for the end of year performances. A range of ensembles will be performing at the Christmas Celebration (Friday 29th November) and various Presentation Day ceremonies and end of year events. Notes outlining specific times will be available this week. Please check the Music Academy page for details.
Christmas Celebration
The theme of the 2019 Christmas Celebration is ‘No other name’ and is based on Isaiah 9:6. You are invited to participate….
The Christmas Celebration will be held on Friday, 29th November 2019. Each year we have entertainment on the apron in front of the Centre from 4pm - 6.45pm. The service takes place from 7pm in The Centre. Mrs Mansley has been coordinating the Junior School students who applied to perform and auditions were held last Friday. If you are a Senior School student, visit the "Christmas Celebration” page on my.stpauls to register for audition. You might like to perform music, a circus act, a monologue, dance or something else. It would be appropriate to have a Christmas theme for your performance. Registrations for the Senior School close on Friday, 15th November and auditions will be held shortly after that.
If you are part of the SPGS community you are invited to join the orchestra or the choir for the Christmas Celebration performance of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. There will be two one-hour choir rehearsals to prepare for this performance:
1. Tuesday, 19th November 2019 from 5.30pm - 6.30pm
2. Wednesday, 27th November 2019 from 4.30pm - 5.30pm
All rehearsals will be held in the Arts Quarter Foyer in the Senior School. If you would like to participate or if you have any questions, please email [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
