In this Newsletter:

• Principal’s Message,
• A message from Mr Andrews,
• Secondary Highlights,
• Upcoming events,
• Noticeboard

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.   

Donella Beare

Mr Andrews Almanac

For the last almanac of the term, as our year 12s depart, I have included a shortened version of my Graduation Dinner address to our leaving class of 2023 and their parents.

Each year, as this season rolls around, amateur and pro crayfish enthusiasts gear up to catch the coveted Western Rock Lobster. While we eagerly anticipate months of devouring these lobsters with garlic butter and sharing them with neighbours, they rarely cross our minds the rest of the year.

 The crayfish sports a robust exoskeleton, its armour against threats. But as it grows, this shell becomes restricting. What follows isn’t pleasant. Seeking refuge among the reef, the crayfish absorbs water, exerting pressure on its old exoskeleton, ultimately causing it to crack at designated weak points. Though not painful, it’s undoubtedly uncomfortable.

 As the lobster wriggles free from its broken carapace, it becomes its most vulnerable. With the moulting process complete, it patiently awaits the new shell’s growth, one strong enough to protect it in the wild ocean.

This discomfort signifies growth.

 To our graduating Year 12s, the strange emotions you’ve experienced recently may indicate that you’re preparing to moult, to shed your skin. You might feel vulnerable and uncertain during this phase, retreating to your caves, perhaps even until very late in the morning.

Growth and change are often accompanied by discomfort. You’ve left the safety of school behind, and not everyone feels liberated. What lies ahead? You may feel adrift, as if you’ve run aground, wondering why the wind has left your sails.

 Remember: this discomfort is temporary. It’s the hallmark of growth.

You’ve grown strong during your time at St. Stephen’s. Even when you felt stressed or unsure, you were building an armour that has brought you to this special graduation day.

To the graduating class of 2023, St Stephen’s School wishes you all the best. The best of fun. The best of luck. The best of health. And every joy that can be conjured over many, many years. We look forward to seeing you return in new skins. Congratulations and thank you for your contribution to St Stephen’s School.

Take care,

Bennet Andrews, Head of Campus

Secondary Highlights

It’s been an incredibly busy term!
After four weeks of very friendly but fierce competition from basketball to netball, cricket and volleyball our staff took out the 2023 Leavers’ Shield. Year 12 Certificate IV Business students showcased their marketing skills and pitched to prospective customers at the 2023 Marketing Expo. Students developed products and services ranging from holiday-themed cookies to ‘Zen teas’ and an ap dedicated to finding the perfect wave. Our athletics team won the junior boys’ champion shield and placed equal third on 1545 points at the ACC Carnival. 

Our Year 11 Outdoor Ed class met every Thursday with their Year 3 buddies. It was an opportunity for our Year 11s to practise their leadership and team building skills and our Year 3s had huge fun with the older students! The Photography Competition has returned, brilliantly bringing to life the Seussian theme, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” while the Drawing Competition is themed ‘From there to here, and here to there, funny things are everywhere.’ Visit the SSS Facebook page to vote for your favourites. This term we also welcomed students from Dalton School in Japan who shared some insights into what it’s like to be a high school student in Japan.

Public notices

In this Newsletter:

• Principal’s Message,
• A message from Mr Andrews,
• Secondary Highlights,
• Upcoming events,
• Noticeboard

Principal’s Message

At St Stephen’s School we believe in the ethos of ‘lifelong learning’ and so staff began this term with our annual whole school StaffExpo. Two days of professional development underpinned with the philosophy of professional development and personal growth. This year our theme for StaffExpo was on Stewardship – A Global, Professional, Personal Perspective.

A range of guest speakers addressed topics including sustainability, environmental building design, wellness, nutrition and resilience. Our staff spent time in learning areas across the School developing curriculum, addressing changes in educational practices and looking at ways to improve teaching and learning for our students.

There have been many events for our students to embrace over the first half of this term beginning with the exciting HASS tour for 50 Year 9 students from our Carramar and Duncraig campuses. Thank you to all the staff involved in providing our students with these experiences. The Term 3 Newsletter has more on this event.

Some of our secondary students have enjoyed volunteering to help our younger students succeed. Including assisting with the Duncraig primary musical Seussical, as part of the backstage crew and the Year 12 students at Carramar who helped with the inaugural Kindergarten athletics carnival.

This is a snapshot of the variety of events and opportunities that our St Stephen’s School staff and students have taken part in during the term. As we look towards the end of term and the upcoming break our focus moves to Year 12 exams, completion of VET certificates, final assignments and Year 12 graduation. Good luck to everyone.

God Bless,

Donella Beare

Mr Andrews Almanac

Embracing Error: The Priceless Lessons of High School

High school is an invaluable time in a young person’s life, marked by academic challenges, social growth, and self-discovery. Amid the whirlwind of adolescence, it is inevitable that mistakes will be made. But far from being something to dread, these mistakes are opportunities for growth and learning, making high school a truly “cheap” place to stumble and rise again.

The phrase “school is a cheap place to make mistakes” is a reminder of the safe and supportive environment that high schools provide. Unlike the realities of adulthood, where errors may carry significant consequences, the school years offer a unique cushion of understanding and guidance. This nurturing space allows students to experiment, try new things, and occasionally falter without the burden of long-term repercussions.

One of the most critical aspects of embracing mistakes in high school is the invaluable life lesson of resilience. Every stumble and setback is a chance for students to build their mental fortitude and develop coping strategies. Learning to pick themselves up after a fall fosters a sense of perseverance that will serve them well in the face of future challenges.

Moreover, making mistakes exposes students to new experiences and broadens their perspectives. It encourages them to venture beyond their comfort zones, discovering hidden talents and passions they might not have otherwise explored. In the safe cocoon of the school environment, they can test various paths and uncover their true interests and strengths.

High school also serves as a laboratory for decision-making. It is a time when students must navigate a myriad of choices, both academically and socially. Some choices may lead to unfavourable outcomes, but this process helps them hone their critical thinking skills and better understand the consequences of their actions.

Educators and parents play a crucial role in instilling this mindset. By reframing mistakes as stepping stones toward progress, teachers can encourage a growth mindset in students. Parents can also support their children by being understanding and guiding them through the lessons they can learn from, their missteps and critically, not ‘swooping’ in to help them avoid any misstep.

Importantly, the acceptance of mistakes promotes a culture of open-mindedness and empathy in schools. When students witness their peers making mistakes and bouncing back, it fosters a sense of understanding and support. This atmosphere of compassion creates a positive learning environment where everyone feels encouraged to learn, grow, and share their experiences without fear of judgment.

Take care,

Bennet Andrews, Head of Campus

Secondary Highlights

We are so proud of our PE students who provided support to the Primary students at their Athletics Carnival, these students embody the St Stephen’s School spirit of helping one another. Well done to all volunteers!

Our Year 11’s danced the night away on their annual river cruise

House Captain elections! The votes have now been counted by the West Australian Electoral Commission, so the House Deans will use the information to make the selections for Captains in 2024!

Upcoming Events 

Our talented Primary students will be performing in Seussical the Musical from the 4th to the 8th of September, to purchase tickets click here

 Public Notices 

In this Newsletter:

• Principal’s Highlight
• A message from Mr Andrews,
• Secondary Highlights,
• Parental Guidance,
• Upcoming events,

Principal’s Highlight

I’d like to urge you all to make time to come and hear from Linda Stade, our next Parent Seminar Series presenter. Lindahas a wealth of knowledge and experience in the world of adolescent friendships and some practical advice to help parents support their children in meeting relationship challenges. She will be at our Carramar campus on the evening of August the 2^nd, click here for tickets.

Mr Andrews Almanac

As time-poor contemporary humans in the midst of the 2020’s, we all want our spare time to be used well, intentionally and fruitfully. I developed my own strategy for using holiday time well and to provide a sense of accomplishment in any given day.

I called it the M.A.T.E. strategy and I have rolled out this challenge to countless students, staff and families across the years.

There are four elements to getting a ‘M.A.T.E’. and the goal is to achieve all four in one day, ideally accumulating a M.A.T.E. each day.  M.A.T.E. stands for :

M – Maintain and repair your environment​

A – Artistic or personal endeavour​

T – Time taken for yourself or spent with family​

E – Exercise the mind or body​

Everyone’s  M.A.T.E will look vastly different. For example:

M – Tidy the bedroom

A – Practice a musical instrument

T – Eating dinner with the family

E – Go for a run

Or

M – Make a bag of clothes for a charity shop

A – Make something from Five Minute Crafts

T – Read some of a novel

E – 15 minutes on the trampoline

Of course, I am not welded on to this strategy. Even when I am at my most dedicated, some days I’ll only get a MAT, or an EAT or an AM. Some days, and forgive the obvious joke here, I will finish the day with no MATEs at all. This is all a bit of fun of course, but it does give you cause to think about using time well, as well as giving structure to the day for children going into the longer mid-year break. Give it a go at your house and I’d love to know how it went when we all get back in Term 3.

Take care,

Bennet Andrews, Head of Campus

Secondary Highlights

Senior Production rehearsals are continuing. Mark the season of Chamber Music by Arthur Kopit in your calendar: the 10^th and 11^th of August.

Year 11s and 12s have had their Semester 1 examinations and year 10s have had their first taste of extended assessments in exam conditions.

Our Outdoor Education students braved the elements, hiking and climbing along the Cape-to-Cape trail.

MAKURU CONCERT

The amazing Makuru senior music concert took place and wowed us all – congratulations to all involved.

YEAR 12 RETREAT

Our year 12s had an emotional and nostalgic time on their last retreat at St Stephen’s School.

Parental Guidance

Reward, Recharge and Reflect

At the end of a busy term it is time to have a well earned break. Hopefully Semester 1 was a successful one for each of our students. Whether it was in your academics, sport, music drama, arts, the list goes on, I pray that there has been moments of joy and pride in what you have achieved.

Over the next 3 weeks I would like to encourage students and their families to Reward, Recharge and Reflect.

Reward – take the time over the break to reward yourself by doing something you love. Many have worked hard to  achieve personal bests at school and this involves hard work, sacrifice and time. As a result, activities that you might otherwise engage with have been put on hold. Take the time to reward yourself and do them now!

Recharge – For many student the holidays will simply be a time where you need to recharge the batteries. Recharge and replenish your energy stores as this time is yours to use as you will. Not being at school from 8.25am – 3.20pm or CAS sport or band practice or simply study pressures. Recharge for the new semester so you are fresh and ready for the next challenges that come your way.

Reflect – Finally with the end of a semester you will soon have access to all your subject grades. Does your mark reflect your ability or could you have done more? How did you use your class time? Did you make the most of your teacher’s expertise? Did you organise yourself well to prepare appropriately for your assessments? If the answer is yes, well done! If the answer is perhaps not then reflect on what needs to change to ensure you achieve your potential in Semester 2.

Happy holidays,

Sarah Stockton-Rice, Deputy Head of Secondary

Upcoming Events –

• 2nd July – 9th July – NAIDOC WEEK

• 17th July – 2023 HASS Tour

• 2nd August  – Parent Series: Friends & Frenemies with Linda Stade

• 3rd August – Senior Production: Chamber Music by Arthur Kopit

Term 3 Highlights to look forward to –

• Student Leader elections
• House Athletics in week 3
• Science Week in week 4
• Leaver’s Shield in week 6
• ACC Athletics Carnival in week 7
• Grads Dinner and Grads day!