Recently across from the school grounds, a parked Gray Toyota Rav, was damaged by the tow bar of a large vehicle.
At school pick-up and drop-off times Doveridge Drive becomes congested and we would like to take this opportunity to remind Year 12 students and families to be courteous and considerate when driving and parking. In the event of an accident happening please leave your details (name and contact number) on the windscreen of the damaged vehicle.
St Stephen’s School is committed to ensuring the safety of our students is maximised and that all members of our community work toward a safer environment.
Students and staff relax in the perfect weather on the quad while enjoying the warmth and precision of a musical ensemble.
Past Student Benjamin Jeyabalan and his band ‘Young Amity’ performed for our students during lunchtime. Ben met his band members during his leavers break to Ningaloo and they quickly formed a connection.
Students enjoyed the opportunity to listen to some relaxed and upbeat songs.
Many thanks to Ben and Young Amity for showcasing excellence in the Arts at St. Stephen’s School
The House Cross Country took place today in perfect weather.
Cross country running is one of the disciplines under the umbrella sport of athletics, and is a natural terrain version of long-distance track and road running. The course, typically 4–12 kilometres long.
Well done to the winning house, Timae, and to everyone that took part!
I have had a wonderful Easter break and I hope that our students and families have had the chance to have a similar experience. Welcome back to School!
This Easter included a first for me as I took on the role of the Easter Bunny. I discovered that bunny suits are hot and that the eyes are in the wrong place to see anything. I also discovered that that my years of reluctance to look silly were unfounded and that the pleasure the exercise gave the children in our house was well worth the effort. I do know that I have probably set a precedent and that a Santa suit may just be coming my way.
The break also gave me the chance to have a few days where I could choose to do one thing at a time. One of these things included teaching a friend how to cast with an old-fashioned Penn “Jigmaster”: an overhead fishing reel that is durable and reliable, but which takes some skill to avoid horrible over winds and time wasted on untangling rather than fishing. No phone, no interruptions and nothing to do but enjoy the experience of the beach as the sun rose. My friend learnt to cast. Neither of us caught a thing. We did nothing but spend an hour on the beach.
Our lives are often over-filled. We get news and information every second; events haven’t happened unless they are photographed and shared; conversations are punctuated by phones rather than pauses: the “next” has become more important than the now and our minds race all the time.
I am certain that much of the stress that students and the adults around them experience is driven by us being constantly connected to multiple demands. Our children often have little chance of giving true priority to the individual components of that incessant stream. Everything seems equally demanding and often the loudest demand assumes an importance that is not warranted. People have never had this volume of stimulus and demand and we flit from one item to the next like demented digital dragonflies skimming the surface. This is altering the way we deal with relationships, our families and our own mental and physical health.
Much of our tension builds in insidious ways without our conscious knowledge and many of us have reached the point where at a gut level, we know that things could be better yet we seem to be unable to do more than yearn for something different. Technology enriches our lives, yet as adults we need to work out how to manage that – and model healthier approaches for our children to copy. On occasion “being out of touch” may be the key to actually “being in touch”.
The following links to a talk by Stephen Bartlett which highlights many of the things that people have mentioned to me over the past few weeks.
Similar talks (e.g. Allison Graham’s TED talk on emphasise the same concerns and is more articulate. I would encourage you to engage your child in conversations about technology. Technology has its place, but many of us are concerned that social media and the social demands of technology are shaping a world where our children have less.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5GecYjy9-Q)
Dr. Cal Newport Quit argues that we should quit social media in this video.
My apologies for the irony of giving you links to technology in order to make points about it.
Students, staff and parents at Duncraig commemorated ANZAC Day today.
There was a wreath laying ceremony, flag raising and singing of the Australian and New Zealand national anthems, followed by the playing of the Last Post.
Are you currently in Year 11 or 12 and looking at applying for University? If so then grab your parents and join us for our Year 11 & 12 Parent Information Evening and Pizza Night!
Whether you’re an ATAR or Non-ATAR student, ECU offers pathway options for the courses you wish to study. We’ll explain what these pathway options to ECU are and outline the variety of courses we offer – all the whilst you enjoy the free pizza and refreshments on us!
Where: ECU Joondalup Campus
When: Monday 1 May, 6.00pm