In this newsletter:

Principal’s message,
A message from Ms Dunn,
Hear from our new Deputy Head of Secondary (Teaching and Learning), Nicola Resta,
Parenting tip from Deputy Head of Secondary (Care), Russell Gilchrist,
Highlights from around the campus,
Community notices,
Dates for your diary,

Principal’s message

Term 3 has definitely begun on a very high note with the season of The Addams Family well underway as I write. I am so very proud of our community coming together and drawing on each other’s skills, experience and talents to produce such an excellent show! If you haven’t bought tickets yet, I sincerely encourage you to make some time to come along with the family. It’s funny, visually stunning and both the dramatic and musical performances are of an incredibly high standard.

Thank you to all our staff who have gone above and beyond to support our student actors and musicians to shine in what I am sure will be a memory of a lifetime.

It’s a bittersweet time of year for everyone at secondary level. We’re proud to see how far our Year 12s have come and can sense their readiness to take the next step into the world and yet it’s only a few short weeks before we will say our formal goodbyes at our graduation events. I trust that everyone will enjoy this time together.

Finally, good luck to all students who are taking part in the Athletics Carnivals next week!

Take care and God bless,
Donella Beare – Principal

Ms Dunn’s Digest

Reconnecting
Seeing the return of students this past week enjoying conversations with peers whilst moving to classes and the sharing of lunches around the campus has been a highlight. The vibrancy of engagement in Houses, the preparation for our whole school production The Addams Family and the Year 12s upcoming preparations for all their ‘lasts’ is a reminder that the end of the year is drawing closer.

For all of us, when was the last time you spoke to your child about their schedules? Sometimes it is tiring just hearing about everything they do. Research shows adolescents get the least amount of sleep. Consider what your son or daughter does in a 24-hour day. Maybe they are a best friend or support person, a late-night studier, a “give it all” athlete, a devoted volunteer, a social media devotee, a son or daughter, a brother, sister or grandchild. Psychologists call this role overload: when you have too many roles to play. We all support our children to believe they can be and do anything. All opportunity requires balance and awareness of cultural societal expectations.

It is helpful, however, to remind our young people that plenty of sleep and excellent nutrition are critical to optimal functioning. It may seem tedious to position these reminders so regularly, yet for a growing brain, there is no substitute for good basic routines.

Applying positive habits, we can help with the “training routine”. As parents the well-worn strategies that can assist with your child’s study and general well-being include:

Nine hours of sleep per night
Ample fuel (oodles of fresh fruit and vegetables, as opposed to processed food)
Regular exercise
Limiting access to electronic devices, especially at night
Not permitting technology in the bedroom for sleep time
Enabling a one-hour wind-down period before sleep
Separating the study space from the sleeping space
Helping to prioritise and plan the week’s commitments
Choosing optimistic thinking around challenges.

This link may also be helpful in your discussions with your child/ren – https://www.sleepfoundation.org/teens-and-sleep

Rosemarie Dunn, Head of Campus

Message from our new Deputy Head of Secondary (Teaching and Learning)

One of my favourite French Authors is Antoine de Saint Exupery. As I begin my new position, I find myself reflecting on his quote “As for the future, your task is not to foresee it, but to enable it.”

In short, it is impossible to predict the future. As our students prepare for their final two years of high school they are often bombarded with the question “What do you want to do when you’re older?” We should hold Saint Exupery’s quote in our minds as we talk with our young adults. Their job is not to foresee their future but to enable it. Quite simply, take the next steps.

This week I have been counselling our Year 10 students in their subject selections for upper school. There are some common themes that arise from these conversations I want to share with you.

Students do not need to map out the rest of their lives at this point but should simply have an idea of what a Year 13 looks like.
Choose subjects that, with appropriate effort, you are likely to achieve success. It is important to achieve the best possible results to keep more options open in the future.
Research future university courses and attend open days.
Ask questions and reach out to our Career Advisor here at school.
As parents and guardians, keep informed.
Try asking “How” questions. “How can I help you find that out?”
Be supportive and non-judgmental of your child’s decisions.

I look forward to meeting more of you in the coming weeks and feel privileged to be part of your journey.

Mrs Nicola Resta, Deputy Head of Secondary (Teaching and Learning)

Parenting tip

“Citius, Altius, Fortius” – Swifter, Higher, Stronger
With the arrival of the 2024 Paris Olympics, I have found myself spellbound by the performances of these elite athletes. Their individual brilliance and successes have been captivating. However, amongst appreciation of these performances, I have been reflecting on the question, what characteristics do each and every one of these athletes, have in common and what lessons can we learn from their greatness.

For me, there are four clear themes that allow for their success.

Defining a vision and set SMART goals – Each athlete knows what they want to achieve and set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound goals. The vision is to be the best athlete they can possibly be, to be an Olympian and possibly a gold medallist.
Embracing failure or setbacks as a stepping stone – Each athlete at Paris has experienced disappointment through combinations of injury or poor form, bad luck or technical glitches. Working through these setbacks has built resilience and determination to do better and to overcome.
A growth mindset – The Olympic athlete is never satisfied that they have performed the perfect race. With the achievement of a personal best comes the new goals: faster times, lifting heavier weights, finding a new more challenging limit. The athlete attitude that he or she can always improve and should never be satisfied.
Determination to do their best – Each athlete has given hour after hour of their very best in both in training and in competition prior to the Olympics. Doing your best on all occasions, regardless of the situation, prepares the athlete for excellence. Hard work is required whether performing in front of the 100,000 spectators or alone in the backyard or the family home.

At St Stephen’s School, we know that God wants us to give of our best for the sake of others. So let’s apply these lessons to our everyday living being the best person you can possibly be, determined to do better and to overcome when challenges arise, understanding that we each can always improve and by simply doing your best on all occasions, you can make a difference.

Mr Russell Gilchrist, Deputy Head of Secondary – Care

Campus highlights

Some highlights of The Addams Family in rehearsal!
We look forward to sharing photos from the live show in our full school newsletter in Week 6. In the meantime, these are a few fun pics of our cast and crew in rehearsals. Thanks to alumnus, Callum Smith, from CSmith Photography for capturing these moments for us! A few tickets may still be on sale by the time you read this. Bookings can be made online here.

HASS ON TOUR!
During July, 48 Year 9 students and six staff from the Carramar and Duncraig campuses participated in a 10-day educational tour to Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. This extensive cross-campus HASS Tour was an incredibly busy one, and everyone enjoyed the new experiences and friendships that were made.

While the Tour was bookended by visits to the MCG and Sydney Opera House, in Canberra the group attended the old Parliament and current Parliament Houses, Questacon, the National Museum, the Australian Mint, the National War Memorial and the Australian Institute of Sport. There was even time at the Thredbo ski-fields, where the students very much enjoyed the snow. They absorbed a considerable amount of Australia’s history, culture and democracy, with education and fun going hand in hand as it should.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government contributes funding of $510 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate (PACER) program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.

Special thanks to our Tour Coordinator, Mrs Taylor as well as Mr Barnes, Ms Erasmus, Mr Osborne, Ms Koutsoukos, and Ms Glacken for working with the awesome students who participated in this very successful tour.

COMMUNITY NOTICES

A leadership opportunity for your kids!
Host a visiting Japanese student in August for a short 13-night stay and give your child the opportunity to connect with a new culture and enrich their worldview. The program is available across both Duncraig and Carramar school campuses from 23 August – 5 September.

✔️ Create Friendships: Welcoming a student sparks real friendships and cultural connections that last a lifetime.
✔️ Cultural Enrichment: Share your daily life and learn about Japanese customs and traditions firsthand.
✔️ 24/7 Bilingual Support: Receive 24/7 bilingual support and a $650 payment to help cover costs.
Apply via this link 👉 https://www.goldil.com.au/st-stephens-aug

Do you have any old glasses sitting around at home?
As part of our Service Learning tour to Vietnam in January 2025, one of the organisations we are partnering with, Hearts for Hue, have informed us that they would sincerely appreciate any donations of old reading glasses. We have placed a collection box in Secondary Student Services at Duncraig, and Student Services at Carramar for you to drop in any old, unwanted glasses. Thank you for your support!

Dates for your diary

Remember you can always visit the St Stephen’s School calendar for key dates.
Please click on the images below to book for each event aside from the prayer group for which no booking is required.

Term 3 off to a cracking start!