Author: marie.hoy

Duncraig Secondary Snapshot – Week 6, Term 4

marie.hoy / / 2023

In this Newsletter:

  • Principal’s message,
  • A message from Ms Dunn,
  • A reminder about pick up and drop off at the Duncraig Campus,
  • Christmas Markets thank yous,
  • Seeking feedback from the Class of 2025 and their families,
  • Secondary highlights,
  • Noticeboard,

Principal’s Message

Term Four is most definitely the pointy end of the School year, with exams, final assessments, reporting and a whole host of end-of-year events. As we round out all the activities associated with 2023 preparations are also well-advanced for 2024 with orientation for Year 6 students moving into secondary and the appointment of our 2024 School Captains. 

It can be a stressful time of year for parents and young people alike. When we look at our calendars and the volume of commitments associated with the end of year it can be overwhelming. If we pause, though, and look at what each event represents it can help put things into perspective. End of year events are about celebrating relationships strengthened, experiences shared and both individual and team achievements. My hope is that we can all find enjoyment in what the next few weeks of term have to offer us. I look forward to celebrating with you all that 2023 has given us when we gather for Presentation Evening on 5 December.

Until then, take care,
Donella Beare

Ms Dunn’s Digest

One of my favourite days is Kindness Day on the 13 November. It is the perfect time to stop and think about how kind we’re being, however, we don’t need to only think or be intentional with our kindness on one nominated day.  Imagine what the world would be like if each person did one kind thing for someone else. Some simple ideas to getting started and discuss as a family: 

  • Compliment the first three people you talk to. 
  • Say good morning to the person next to you at the shops or in the school carpark. 
  • Pick up litter. Spend 10 minutes cleaning at the beach or park in your neighbourhood, or the school play area. 
  • Place uplifting notes in your child’s lunchbox, library books, or on their computer screen. 
  • Dedicate 24 hours to spreading positivity on social media. 
  • Send a warm message to a friend telling them how awesome they are. 
  • Be kind to yourself.   

 

Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” – Scott Adams 

Take care,
Rosemarie Dunn – Head of Campus

Ongoing traffic challenges 

The safety of students, staff, parents and visitors is our priority, and it is the responsibility of all members of our community. The safe, orderly flow of traffic can only be achieved with the cooperation and patience of all drivers.  

Here are some simple guidelines designed to minimise risks and assist with traffic flow during busy periods: 

  • Be aware that many of our younger students may not be as visible as adults, particularly when you are reversing your vehicle. 
  • Stay below the maximum speed limit of 10 kilometres per hour at all times. 
  • Be aware of pedestrians, in particular, by stopping to give way at pedestrian crossings. 
  • Use the designated drop-off and pick-up areas, moving towards the front of these zones to allow access to other drivers behind you. 
  • Please do not collect or drop off students outside the designated areas, as this disrupts traffic flow and increases the risk to our community’s safety. There have been instances of students being dropped off or collected at designated crossings and on the main driveway. 
  • Observe the one-way system, as pedestrians will be anticipating traffic to flow from one direction only.  
  • Please do not leave your vehicle unattended or waiting longer than 10 minutes in front of Student Services or Hepburn Ave pick up/drop off zones.  

 

We do understand that traffic flow within the school at peak times can seem stressful, but please be patient and courteous towards staff and other members of our St Stephen’s community. We encourage the students to walk or cycle to school, if possible, and whenever possible organise a later collection time by 5-10 mins in order to alleviate traffic.

Christmas Market Extraordinaire 

A huge thank you to the Christmas Market Committee lead by Melinda Shreeve, Julie Wookey and Melinda Emmens, plus the innumerable volunteers and our fantastic sponsors. The relaunch of the Christmas Market at Duncraig on 4 November was highly successful and it was heartwarming to see our community engaged in the many fun activities on offer, purchasing gifts in the lead up to Christmas at the markets stalls and enjoying time with family and friends. These community events can only be achieved by much time, planning, organisation and sponsorship. Much appreciation to all involved! 

Seeking your feedback – Class of 2025

This note is for students who are currently in Year 10, who will eventually be in the Class of 2025.

We are currently in the planning process of a proposed Service Learning Tour to Vietnam in January 2025 for students who will then be commencing Year 12. We are investigating this option as a replacement for the RAW Impact Cambodia Tour due to costing.

At this stage, our thoughts are that the tour will:

  • Cost between $4200-$4500. (based on current prices and not including fund raising component) Involves working with Hearts for Hue, a local NGO, assisting the construction and decorating of a music room for the Quang phu Kindergarten in Hue.
  • Occur during January holidays prior to the School Ball and run for 11 days.
  • Begin with a flight to Ho Chi Min. We will then travel to Hue for six days of engagement before returning to Ho Chi Minh where we will take in the historic sites such as the war museum, Central Palace, China Town, Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Post Office, Jade Emperor Pagoda, and travel along the Mekong Delta to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

 

We would appreciate your feedback on this proposal, so please complete this survey by COB Wednesday 22 November, 2023.

Any questions please feel free to contact Service Learning Tours Officer, Donna Wilson –  089 243 2458 or donna.wilson@ststephens.wa.edu.au

Secondary highlights

Never a dull moment!
It’s a short term but we’re packing plenty in! We were wowed by the student artwork on display for Synthesis and had numerous wonderful nights of drama with MaDD Night  and the Year 8 performance of ‘Disconnected’ by WA playwright, Donna Hughes. We’ve welcomed our new Year 7s who will join us in 2024 and named our School and House Captains for next year . We’re looking forward to their formal handover at the Presentation Evening in a few weeks. We’ve had Outdoor Ed camps to Kaadadjan and surfing lessons at Trigg, and our Year 7s had a great time at the Super Series. We’re extremely proud of our debaters, too! Victoria Hill and Jacob Atkinson took out the British Parliamentary Debating Grand Final  and were joined by Elissa Grove and Joshwa Ruiz to form the St Stephen’s School Junior Debating team and were the first ever St Stephen’s School team to make it to the WADL grand finals!

 

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Farewell to Term 3

marie.hoy / / 2023

In this Newsletter:

  • Principal’s message,
  • A message from Ms Dunn,
  • Secondary Highlights,
  • Parental Guidance,
  • Notice Board,

Principal’s Message

The best part of my job is acknowledging student endeavors, and this term we have had an extraordinary number of opportunities to recognise and celebrate the skills, achievements and commitment of our students. We have honoured the contributions of our athletes and our artists, our musicians, our actors, our film makers and our student leaders. I look forward to celebrating the year’s academic achievements at our various Presentation Evenings next term. I may be accused of bias, but I am constantly amazed and impressed by the strength of character, humility and sheer talent of our young people. 

It is an especially poignant week as we say goodbye to the Class of 2023. I am so proud to see how each of them has grown and developed over the years and look forward to learning of their progress as they go on to the next stage in their lives. For now, we wish all our 12s well as they complete exams, assessments and their certificate training requirements. As ever, our thoughts and prayers are with you all.   

God Bless,
Donella Beare

Ms Dunn’s Digest

You know that feeling, particularly at the end of a busy term, when there’s a storm brewing. Tempers feel fragile and ready to shatter with a wrong look or word or when you take a deep breath out instead of a deep breath in. 

Teens read emotion from the amygdala. The amygdala is the fight or flight response part of the brain and when it’s on, it will tend to interpret neutral emotion more often as negative. When it reads a threat, it will organise to fight it (argue) or flee it (ignore, be silent). 

 In that space, there will be little to do but wait until they’re ready to step out of the ring. To do this, let them know you’re there, without trying to change them in that moment, ‘I know you’re really angry at me/sad/scared. I want to understand what’s happening for you, but I can’t do that while you’re …. I’m here for you when you’re ready to talk.’ 

 When we respond with empathy it helps big emotions become more manageable and safer to let go of.  When we are open, often without realising it, we have one hand on the amygdala, soothing it gently to calm and maintain that safe presence – eventually.   

That’s not to say not joining in the fight or waiting it out is easy. Both will take the strength of a warrior.  It’s a time of learning and growth and patience for all of us.   Please take the time to refresh, recharge and reconnect over the school break. 

Take care,

Rosemarie Dunn – Head of Campus

Farewell to Pippa Travaglione, Head of Learning Area – The Arts

At the end of Term 3 we say a fond goodbye to Pippa Travaglione as she moves to Scotch College in Term 4. Thanks to Drama teacher, Teegan Dean, for sharing an excerpt from her poetic farewell here.

In the realm of arts, she held the reins,
A visionary leader with creative gains.
Head of Department, she guided with grace,
leaving a mark none can erase.

So, let’s raise a toast to journeys anew,
to horizons uncharted, skies so blue.
Your time here, etched in stories we tell,
Farewell, dear leader, in arts you’ve cast a spell. 

Secondary Highlights

Term 3 has been an incredibly busy one!
After some fantastic individual and team performances Carana came through as the stand-out winners of the Inter-House Music Festival. We’re incredibly proud of our athletics team for coming second overall in the ACC B Division with the boys taking out the overall shield! Swingin’ at St Stephen’s in partnership with WAYJO was a tear-away success with our Swing Band blowing everyone away with their soulful performances. 

Our Cert IV Business students impressed with a variety of products including next-gen fitness tracking rings, GPS-enabled golf balls and sleek solar powered camp kitchens at the Marketing Expo. We also recognised a huge number of students for their personal achievements and contribution to sport and the arts during the Sport and Arts Assemblies.

Parental Guidance 

Graduations, Challenges and an Exciting Future 

Our Year 12s have just celebrated the amazing achievement of completing 13 years of schooling.  Well done! Finishing school is an outstanding accomplishment and provides an opportunity for us to reflect on not only the past successes but also, the times where students have overcome challenges and displayed high levels of resilience from good old hard work. 

School can be a challenging environment. It’s a place where people are faced with studying in a specific learning  environment, constantly learning new content, mixing with a wide variety of people with differing attitudes, values  and beliefs and dealing with the challenges of peer pressure, all whilst dealing with hormones running wild in a growing body.  

 Equally, however, schools like St Stephen’s are also wonderful places for building lifelong friendships. They provide us each  with an appreciation for people, where we learn to respect difference and are encouraged to be our true selves. Graduation  from St Stephen’s is not the end but the beginning of an exciting adventure of change, challenge and possibility. We  want our students to move forward with confidence in who they are and what they can achieve. Class of 2023, all the  best for an exciting future. Share who you are and your talents with all those people whom you will meet. 

Russell Gilchrist, Deputy Head of Secondary (Care)

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