Month: June 2022

IT’S ALMOST HOLIDAYS – HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN! As we approach the end of another busy term, I am reminded of the importance rest, to relax and revitalise. The bible reminds us in Isaiah 40:28-31“The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” God understands that we do tire and sometimes even burn out. In these times, we can be assured that God is there to support and uphold us.

The July holidays allow both students and staff to re-energise for the second half of the academic year. It is important that we each take the opportunity to do what brings us happiness, joy and brings a sense of purpose and value. Catching up with friends, going to the movies, visiting the local skate park or simply “hanging out” and connecting, is a vital aspect of maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

So, these holidays I encourage all our families to celebrate a well-earned rest. Reports will soon be released, and early next term parent interviews will provide opportunity for families to discuss their academic progress with teachers. Semester 2 provides an opportunity for a fresh start and I encourage all students to refocus and set new goals for Semester 2.

So, on behalf of St Stephen’s Carramar, may I wish all families a wonderful rest. Enjoy the break and we look forward to seeing you soon.

God bless.

Russell Gilchrist (Dean of Parresia)

YEAR 9 OUTDOOR EDUCATION CAMP

The Year 9 Outdoor Education group attended Kaadadjan on the 9 and 10 of June as part of their Semester 1 assessment. They hiked from Dwellingup into the campground, carrying all their equipment they needed for the two days. Despite the weather forecast, the students were blessed with blue skies and were able to sit back and appreciate all that Kaadadjan has to offer. Using the skills they learnt during class, they set up their tents and cooked themselves a nutritious meal with their trangias and played some camp games. The following day the group hiked back out of the campsite and returned to Dwellingup. The camp was extremely successful and all students have made some lifelong memories.

Stephanie Ransom – Health & Physical Education

FRENCH IMMERSION DAY

On Friday 24^th June, students of French in Years 9 to 12 took part in the first ever Carramar French Immersion Day.

The language and culture of France and the French speaking world was top of the menu for the day as students enjoyed a variety of activities to build cultural and linguistic understanding.

After a delicious French breakfast of les croissants and la confiture maison (home made jam) washed down with le jus de pomme (apple juice) and le jus d’orange (orange juice), students worked together to create posters to answer the question ‘pourquoi apprendre le français ?’ (why learn French?). Much discussion and ideas were flowing, and all done just using French with one another.

La cuisine was next on the menu as students prepared a French lunch with baguettes, du jambon (ham) and du fromage (cheese) followed by freshly cooked crêpes.

After lunch in a local park, and a fiercely fought pétanque party, the students played a board game which kept their linguistic skills sharp with questions such as ‘ give 3 pieces of advice when going on holiday, and name 5 fruits in French’.

The day concluded with a viewing of the award winning French film ‘Les Choristes’ (the Chorus).

It was wonderful to see students deepening their cultural and linguistic understanding and working across year levels to celebrate and strengthen their knowledge of France and the French language.

Merci Madame Kuntz for creating this day of immersion which was a learning experience the students will never forget.

Nicola Harris and Laurence Kuntz – Teachers of French

SSWA SNR VOLLEYBALL

St Stephen’s Carramar competed in the N/E division of the SSWA volleyball championships on Friday 24 June. It was a great day and all our teams competed really hard and came away with some great results. Both the boys and girls A division teams finished in 4^th place.

Adam Dwyer – Health & Physical Education

ART WORK IN PROGRESS

St Stephen’s alumnus and current Art Technician, Tessa Dorotich, is at it again – leaving her creative mark on the St Stephen’s landscape. This time in Science.

Tessa has created an innovative underwater scene, incorporating surprising elements from a range of Science disciplines.

Come up to Science and have a look at her amazing work.

Elizabeth Kirby – HOLA Science

COUNTDOWN TO CREATE

There’s just a few days left to register your interest in entering the St Stephen’s School Alumni Exhibition! If you are an Alumni and budding artist or professional, we would love to hear from you and include your piece in the exhibition. Contact Tessa Dorotich (Carramar ’15) to express your interest or find out more about sponsorship opportunities – tessa.dorotich@ststephens.wa.edu.au

MAKURU MUSIC

Carramar musicians celebrated the change of seasons at the Makuru Music Showcase, delighting the audience with wonderful performances throughout the evening. From classical instrumental pieces, to captivating vocal ensembles and a rocking rendition of ‘Life is a Highway’ our Primary and Secondary musicians showcased their amazingly diverse talents on stage.

SSWA JNR NETBALL

St Stephen’s School had two Year 8-10 netball teams make it through to the elimination finals at the Fremantle Netball Centre. It was a challenging day with some great displays of netball. Both teams had a win but fell short to make it through to the next round. Well done girls!

Stephanie Ransom – Health & Physical Education

 

AI SEMINAR FOR FEMALE ATHLETES

We are very fortunate to be able to host Professor Sophia Nimphius PhD at Athletic Institute.
Professor Sophia will discuss the menstrual cycle and how it can be seen as a barometer for health.
This important seminar is highly valuable for all females who will benefit from the science and psychology behind the menstrual cycle and how to control it to your benefit.
This one-off special event is free for AI members and only $20 for non-members.

To book, visit https://athleticinstitute.com.au/product/sophia_nimphius_seminar/

St Stephen’s School has no affiliation with this company and the post is simply an ad for their services if required.

SCHOOL BASED IMMUNISATION PROGRAM

School Based Immunisation Program – using VaccinateWA

The School Based Immunisation Program (SBIP) is a well-established service that offers National Immunisation Program immunisations to students in Years 7 and 10.

This year, the SBIP will also offer COVID-19 vaccinations to eligible students in Years 7 through to 12 at selected schools as part of the regular schedule of immunisations based within schools.

The VaccinateWA system is now to be used by parents/carers to complete the vaccination consent form in order to consent to their children/dependents receiving vaccinations whilst at school. (Note: VaccinateWA is not being used to book appointments for the School Based Immunisation Program).

To provide consent for vaccination, the first step is to register the child/dependant on VaccinateWA. Log into your VaccinateWA account and follow the steps to “Add or manage dependants”. If you do not have a VaccinateWA account, you will need to create one for yourself first.

Step by step information for using VaccinateWA is available on the HealthyWA website. Please call 13 COVID (13 26843) if you have any technical issues with VaccinateWA.

If you are unable to complete the online consent form – and you have not already handed in a paper consent form – the school will have forms available for you to use. If the information you provide needs to be clarified, you may be contacted by a staff member from the vaccination team.

If you have already completed and returned a paper consent form, the SBIP team are currently uploading the information into the VaccinateWA system. This process may take several weeks, and you will receive an email confirming once it has been done.

 

In writing this short blog, my encouragement to students and families is to establish in your home and life, a culture of “deep reading”. In today’s world, it is so easy to slip into a world of digital information and social media that specialise in short grabs of information, as we click from page to page and screen to screen. It is a current culture that is a recipe for quick, shallow reading. On the other hand, entering into the world of a substantial book facilitates “deep reading”. Deep reading, the immersion of one’s self in a complex narrative story, will develop empathy, critical thinking, inferential thinking and an exploration of personal identity amongst a diversity of ethics and values.

Over the years, educational research has emphasised that time spent reading books—in other words, reading practice—has an exaggerated “pay-off” with regards to overall academic achievement. Indeed, time spent reading is a more accurate predictor of academic progress than either socioeconomic status or ethnicity. Studies show that students who reported reading more pages daily in school and for homework had higher average scale scores than students who reported reading fewer pages daily.

Developing the skill of deep reading will require purpose and practise. Practice is generally recognized as an essential component of any learning process and emphasizing the role of practice and hard work (rather than fixed intelligence) in academic accomplishment should be a primary goal. Purposeful, practiced reading builds vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, writing, and higher-order thinking skills. This in turn, builds motivation and increases performance.

It is for these reasons that we continue to promote Accelerated Reader as an essential component in our lower school curriculum. In this programme, students are presented with a structured framework that encourages “deep reading” and holds them accountable for setting a goal with regard to their reading accomplishments and progress. Teaching staff report increased skills of analysis, interpretation and analysis in student work samples.

So, lets follow the literary research. Perhaps, as the holidays approach, encourage your child to visit the school library, approach their friendly librarian for some guidance and embark further, on the journey of ‘deep reading” with a selection of holiday reading material. Encouragement today, to establish a daily habit of reading habit, will provide a lifetime of benefits.

Stephen Meagher (Deputy Head of Secondary)

YEAR 12 RETREAT

The Year 12’s took part in their Retreat last week at the Swan Valley Adventure Centre. Students participated in a variety of activities which included canoeing, the flying fox, disc golf and a variety of group challenges.  There were a variety of presentations (including some alumni) and time for reflection on their school journey. The Retreat culminated in the students taking part in an ‘Amazing Race’ through the city and Leederville before heading back to school.

Mark Batten (Dean of Makaria)

YEAR 9 ART GALLERY EXCURSION

The Year 9 Art students were taken to the Perth CBD today on a half day excursion. The first half of the trip was spent at Van Gogh Alive – the Vincent Van Gogh experience.  Students could put themselves into Van Gogh’s most iconic artworks, from his bedroom in St Remy, to the twinkling lights of Starry Night.

The experience features over 20 large screens that takes you on a journey of the artist’s works. From his darker more unknown early Dutch works to his vast collection of self-portraits, to the vast and open landscapes of the south of France.

We then travelled to the Art Gallery of WA, where we viewed the 2022 Pulse Perspectives, as well as the current contemporary indigenous exhibitions.

A wonderful visual adventure! Year 10s will be going on Monday 20 June  but will also part take in a workshop at the gallery.

Lesley Nation (HOLA – The Arts)

P.A.R.T.Y PROGRAM

On Wednesday 8 June a group of 20 Year 10 students attended The P.A.R.T.Y (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth) Program at Royal Perth Hospital (R.P.H). The ultimate goal of the P.A.R.T.Y Program is to reduce the number of youth who suffer traumatic injury because of poor choices with regards to taking risks. The P.A.R.T.Y Program seeks to increase knowledge and change attitudes and behaviours. It aims to promote injury prevention through reality education, enabling youth to recognise risk and make informed choices about certain activities and behaviours.

The students spent a full day following what happens to an injury survivor at R.P.H. During the day the students met the people that care for them. Doctors, Nurses and Physiotherapists described the painful journey of a trauma patient. The students were also taken though the Intensive Care Unit and to view the helipad. They learnt about head and spinal injuries and had hands-on experience with some of the equipment used in trauma care and rehabilitation. The students also got to meet to 2 injury survivors who spoke about the choices and events that led to their injury and what their lives are like now.

Parts of the day were very confronting and the students managed this with maturity and respect and hopefully took away some very important life lessons.

Katie Farmer (Nurse)

Stephanie Ransom (Teacher – Health & PE)

SCIENCE

In Science the Year 8’s have been learning about the cardiovascular system. In their journey of discovery the students dissected and examined sheep heart’s.

Elizabeth Kirby (HOLA – Science)

ACC CROSS COUNTRY 

On Thursday 2 June approximately 60 students represented the school at the ACC Cross Country carnival. Mr Dwyer  sent the entire team the following message.

Congratulations on your effort yesterday. It was awesome to see all of you representing the school in the pursuit of a common goal, to make qualification for the final standings ladder. I am very happy to announce that we did it!!!! It is an amazing achievement that less than a third of the competing schools were able to achieve. It is even more incredible when you take into consideration the size of our school and the amount of you who were asked to compete outside of your age group. To see all of you showing the determination to not give up and the smiles on your faces after it was all done was a treat. I am very proud to announce that of the 77 schools competing yesterday we finished in 24th position. A truly remarkable result.