Author: raelene.kay

The Captain’s Challenge Camp

Our newly elected House Captains for 2023 recently spent three days and two nights in Dwellingup immersed in the Captains Challenge. As the name suggests, this camp incorporates a series of activities designed for participants to be pushed beyond their comfort levels both mentally and physically. All students carried their own food, cooking equipment and sleeping bags, as well as clothing, in their backpacks for the duration of the Captains Challenge. Effective teamwork and communication skills were paramount for the success of the camp. Even prior to attending, it was necessary for the students to consult with each on decisions such as meals and the distribution of the cooking equipment.

Hiking and canoeing were the main activities of the camp and each presented challenges that our students were required to problem solve individually and as a team. Day 1 saw our students throw their shoes to the opposite side of the river and form a chain in the water enabling each backpack to be passed safely across. Day 2 required our students to waterproof their backpacks and all the items in them for the canoeing journey. The rapids ensured a thrilling and fun day with a less than expected number of backpacks falling overboard. The true test was how well these floated owing to effective waterproofing. Day 3 set a cracking pace of hiking through the Bibbulmun Track though the rains from the day and previous night set the scene for a slippery and muddy encounter. In addition, both nights were spent on different campsites making it necessary to unpack and pack each day; this was particularly the case for the hoochies.

In true Captain spirit, our students embraced every minute of the camp with positivity and a ‘can do’ attitude that was inspiring. They showed an incredible capacity to adapt as the weather turned from fine and sunny to cold and wet, all the while, investing themselves fully in the camping experience. On our return to school, the House Captains, their families, Mrs Stockton-Rice, the Deans and Mr Kirby, were afforded the opportunity to reflect on the past few days over afternoon tea. Students had clearly gained personal insights and enthusiastically shared their thoughts on leadership and teamwork. We would like to acknowledge the outstanding attitude, contribution, and performance of each of the House Captains on their camping challenge.

Suzy Mettam – Dean of Parresia

SPORTS PRESENTATION EVENING

The annual Sports Awards Night was once again a roaring success on Tuesday 15 November. We have had another very successful year on the sporting field. It was great to see so many students and parents there to congratulate all the school team award winners, state representatives, ACC champions, All stars, school record breakers, Athlete Development Program winner (courtesy of the Athletic Institute) Colours, Emblems and Wreath recipients.

-Adam Dwyer

FRENCH CULTURAL IMMERSION

On 15 November the Year 9 and 10 French students enjoyed a gourmet escape at Maison St Honoré in the Swan Valley. During this excursion to a French Café and Macaron Factory, students put their knowledge of French language to good use by ordering their lunch and tasting the delicious homemade macarons.

Laurence Kuntz

YEAR 9 COMPASS PROGRAM

Year 9 completed their compass program on Monday 28 November with a breakfast together with parents and families. They had a fantastic time with Adam and Matt from Armed for Life, who helped students prepare for life as adults with a particular focus of resilience, relationships and decision making.

It also included a lot of fun!

David Bosma

YEAR 9 COMPASS KAADADJAN CAMP

Last week the Year 9 students ventured down to the Kaadadjan Centre for their Compass camp.  The themes of “Adventure, Connection and Challenge” set the tone for the three days with opportunities to experience mountain biking, archery tag, high ropes course and hiking.  Students were encouraged to reflect on their growth over the year and set goals for the type of adult they wished to become.  Cooking their meals and sharing tents allowed them to build stronger connections with their peers, whilst the activities gave them a chance to be supportive friends.  Unfortunately, the students could not break the hoodoo of the yearly “spotlight” challenge, with the teachers easily defending their flag and maintaining the title for another year.

At the end of the three days, students hiked out of the Kaadajan Centre with all their equipment back to Dwellingup and “civilisation”.  It was a great location and occasion to celebrate this milestone of the Compass Program for the students.

Craig Thomas

MUSIC & COMMUNITY EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIPS

St Stephen’s School is offering a range of new Scholarship opportunities in 2024. From instrumental music to community excellence, academic and regional Scholarships, there is a variety of programs on offer which aim to encourage and recognise students in their pursuit of excellence.

For further information and how to apply click here: https://www.ststephens.wa.edu.au/enrolments/enrolment-information/scholarships/

2023 SCHOOL FEE PAYMENT OPTIONS

In 2023, similar to 2022, Parents / Guardians will not be required to re-select a preferred payment method and frequency at the start of the school year.

The payment method (direct debit, or credit card, or BPAY) and frequency of payment (weekly, fortnightly, monthly, three or four instalments or annual upfront) that you had in place in 2022 will continue automatically in 2023.

The dates to note for payments (based on frequency) next year are:

1 upfront payment due on 31 January 2023 (2% discount); or

43 weekly payments starting on 2 February 2023; or

22 fortnightly payments starting on 2 February 2023; or

22 fortnightly payments starting on 9 February 2023; or

10 monthly payments starting on 2 February 2023; or

10 monthly payments starting on 17 February 2023; or

3 instalments on 18 February 2023, 18 May 2023 and 18 August 2023; or

4 instalments on 2 February 2023, 2 April 2023, 2 July 2023 and 2 October 2023.

You will not be required to take any action, unless you would like to change the method of payment or frequency of payments. In which case, please contact the Accounts Receivable team on 9243 2103 or email accountsreceivable@ststephens.wa.edu.au as soon as possible. Please note that there will be a surcharge of 0.9% on all credit card payments.

If you wish to change your credit card, or bank account details, you are able to do this at any time throughout the year via the Parent Portal. Click on the ‘School Payments’ tab and select login under Manage stored cards and direct debits to bank accounts or use the following link https://edinfo.ststephens.wa.edu.au/ManageStoredCards.aspx

In January 2023 your annual fee invoice will be available for you to view on the Parent Portal in the ‘School Payments’ tab by logging into Statements and receipt history or use the following link https://edinfo.ststephens.wa.edu.au/fin.aspx

All the best for the holidays and wishing you a Happy Christmas,

From the Accounts Receivable Team

PRESENTATION EVENINGS 2022

Booking link Carramar Secondary: https://events.humanitix.com/cspe2022

A NIGHT ON THE GREEN

CARRAMAR RESOUCE LISTS 2023 (YEARS 7-12)

Students are supplied with a list of essential items and texts which have to be purchased for school. This is handled by Campion Education WA.

Resource lists will be available online through the Campion website.

From Friday 11 November –  Friday 2 December 2022

(If ordered after this date, the goods may not arrive on time for the new school year and a charge of $8.00 per order will be incurred.)

Order online at   www.campion.com.au

• Click on “Online ordering for parents and students”
• Create your account
• Select St Stephen’s School – Carramar and enter the Resource List code, BCY7
• Select the year level and then choose the items you wish to purchase

‘Personal items for student use’ and ‘Parents to Supply’ is a personal choice as to avail from Campion or from your preferred stationery stockist.  Please note that items ticked as “Compulsory Subscriptions” need to be purchased directly from Campion.

Understanding that “back to school” can be an expensive cost to families, our staff have made a conscious effort to keep the cost to a minimum.

Date of delivery is the week ending Friday 20 January 2023  (only for orders placed prior to the cut-off date).

SECONDARY ASSISTANCE SCHEME (Years 7 to 12)

The State Government through the Western Australian Department of Education provides an allowance to assist eligible families with secondary schooling costs.

The allowance consists of two components:
▪ $115 Clothing Allowance paid directly to the parent/guardian.
▪ $235 Educational Program Allowance paid directly to the school.

To be eligible Parents or Guardians must hold one of the following cards:
▪ Centrelink Health Care Card
▪ Centrelink Pensioner Concession Card
▪ Veterans’ Affairs Pensioner Concession Card

Applications are to be completed at school during Term 1 only (2023)

Applications close Thursday 6 April 2023

Please ask school Reception for further information.

STEM WORKSHOP 2023

Year 9 students in Western Australia outperformed the other states in both numeracy and reading on NAPLAN and are the third best in writing, thanks to a requirement that they demonstrate basic skills before they enter an academic stream for their senior years.

While the most recent National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy report shows some shocking results for Year 9 students, including an all-time low for reading in 2022, West Australian students continue to outperform other states.

The reason is easily pinpointed: in 2013, the State Government under premier Colin Barnett determined that any student in Year 10 who wished to go on and sit the West Australian Certificate of Education at the end of Year 12 had to first sit a basic literacy and numeracy exam in Year 10. It was introduced in 2014.

It is known as the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA), and students in the top two bands in NAPLAN in Year 9 are exempt.

The impact was immediate, says Steve Humphry, a statistician and expert in educational assessment, measurement and evaluation at the University of Western Australia who has done extensive analysis of NAPLAN scores in the state. He also headed the team that “crunched the numbers” between 2011 and 2016.

“We thought there was something wrong with the WA data in 2014 because of the jump,” Dr Humphry said.

“There was an obvious and very noticeable jump in literacy and numeracy scores for Year 9 students in WA.”

The OLNA effect has made a difference ever since. In 2022, WA’s Year 9 students scored an average of 585.1 with 92.2 per cent of students meeting the national minimum standard. It was followed by Victoria (584.6 and 91.6 per cent), NSW (580.5 and 90.2 per cent), South Australia (571.3 and 87.9 per cent).

WA also tops the states for numeracy in Year 9, but is slightly behind Victoria and NSW for writing.

Extract from Financial Review – 31 October 2022

YEAR 10 OUTDOOR ED SURF CAMP

Last week our Yr 10 Outdoor Education students ventured to Lancelin for the culmination of their surfing unit to test out their skills in a new environment. Heading up at lunchtime, the students had the challenge of setting up their tents in very windy conditions before a short walk along the beach to familiarise themselves with the following day’s surfing location. After dinner we headed to the nearby jetty to try our hand at fishing. Although it was difficult to get our lines out, a few lucky ones were rewarded for their patience and perseverance. The next morning the weather was kinder as we spent our time enjoying the rolling waves of Lancelin’s back beach!  It was great to see a lot of students catch a wave with a few “party waves” also to be had.

Craig Thomas

JAPANESE STUDENT VISITORS

Dalton School Tokyo Year 9 students have been experiencing life at St Stephen’s School, with two groups of students visiting our Carramar and Duncraig campuses this week to learn about school in Australia and connect with students as part of a study tour organised by Gold Educational Tours. Year 9 and 10 St Stephen’s School students have buddied up with our Japanese visitors in some of their regular classes and during special activities including cooking bush tucker, learning calligraphy, climbing wall sessions and an introduction to some much-loved Australian sports (cricket and football).

A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF CAMPUS – CARPARK ETIQUETTE

The safety of families in our car park areas is a significant concern and it is paramount that, as a community, we show courtesy and care in this area. Please drive slowly at all times and only park in designated areas. Furthermore the turning circle at the end of the Staff carpark near Reception is not to be used as a student drop off or pickup point.

Thank you for your cooperation

Bennet Andrews – Head of Campus Carramar

CARRAMAR RESOURCE LISTS

(Years 7 – 12 in 2023)

Students are supplied with a list of essential items and texts which have to be purchased for school. This is handled by Campion Education WA.

Resource lists will be available online through the Campion website.

From Friday 11 November –  Friday 2 December 2022

(If ordered after this date, the goods may not arrive on time for the new school year and a charge of $8.00 per order will be incurred.)

Order online at   www.campion.com.au

• Click on “Online ordering for parents and students”
• Create your account
• Select St Stephen’s School – Carramar and enter the Resource List code, BCY7
• Select the year level and then choose the items you wish to purchase

‘Personal items for student use’ and ‘Parents to Supply’ is a personal choice as to avail from Campion or from your preferred stationery stockist.  Please note that items ticked as “Compulsory Subscriptions” need to be purchased directly from Campion.

Understanding that “back to school” can be an expensive cost to families, our staff have made a conscious effort to keep the cost to a minimum.

Date of delivery is the week ending Friday 9 December  (only for orders placed prior to the cut-off date).

Campion is located in Malaga (Monday – Friday) on telephone 6240 2778 

A NIGHT ON THE GREEN

It is with great excitement that we invite our school community to the inaugural “Night on The Green” on Saturday 3 December from 4:30pm to 7:30pm. If you would like to be involved and give a couple of hours of your time to help on the day, please contact Bronwyn (bronwyn.doak@yahoo.com) or Karen (hinder@internode.on.net ).

This parent led event is a fantastic opportunity for our community to come together, but also for everyone to get some Christmas shopping done J! Many of our Christmas Markets stall holders will have Eftpos machines, but some may only accept cash (something to keep in mind).

Students will be able to get their picture taken in our special Santa’s Grotto this year! A lovely souvenir to share with family and friends J. Please note that the photographer in charge will be able to take cash only ($5).

A lot of time and effort have been invested by parents to ensure that this event is a memorable one for all. We look forward to our community get-together and hope to see you there!

FUSION

STRENGTHENING CHILDREN & TEENS AGAINST ANXIETY

PRESENTATION EVENING 2022

NEW BUS ROUTE

WAAPA SUMMER SCHOOL 2023

Join us at WAAPA in January 2023 for fun, new friends and lots of performing! This summer WAAPA is offering a range of performing arts courses as part of our school holiday program for secondary school students. Classes for young people from Year 7 to 12 in Acting, Dance, Screen performance, Jazz and Music Theatre means there is something for everyone with a passion for the arts. Our wonderful staff cater for all abilities and experience levels. For information about the many courses on offer please visit Summer School 2023 or contact Gabrielle Metcalf at explore.waapa@ecu.edu.au or 9370 6775.

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

Children’s Week WA runs from October 22^nd to the 30^th. The theme of Children’s Week 2022 is, ‘All children have the right to a standard of living that supports their healthy development and wellbeing’. Healthy development can only occur when we understand why students behave the way they do.

So, what is the definition of ‘behaviour?’ The answer is perhaps an obvious one but consider this – a child’s behaviour is their story. In psychology, this theory is called narrative identity. It is the integration of a reconstructed past, a perceived present, and an imagined future.

When students ‘act-out,’ when they show kindness or when they feel as if we want to retreat, this is the telling of their personal stories. When we stop questioning the logic of a child’s behaviour and start to examine the story that brought it about, we develop empathy for each other.

This notion helps understand why students need each other and the significant adults in their lives. Each year at St Stephen’s School, we are privileged to see positive student stories acted out in class, on school camps, through student mentoring, when moving from Primary to High school and on the first day of Kindy through to the splendour of the year 12 ball. Our students tell their stories through active community service and when voicing their House or School spirit through their united performances on the field, in the pool, in the heat of debating or in musical harmony.

The extension of this notion that our stories are being played out in behaviour, is that we can all work to shape our narratives and improve our conduct and responses. In this way we can learn efficacy, cultivate empathy and grow human capacity, both in ourselves and in others. We pride ourselves on how we listen to the stories that our students tell about themselves and how we support them to shape a positive vision of themselves in the future.

For more information and resources on National Children’s Week, please follow this link.

Bennet Andrews

Head of Campus

YEAR 11 OUTDOOR ED CAMP TO KALBARRI

Last week 18 students and 3 staff took on the challenge of hiking for three days through the magnificent Kalbarri gorges. Students had to be self-sufficient, carrying all of their supplies and equipment as they scrambled over rock ledges, along river beds, and across water crossings.  After thirty challenging kilometres over three days, students were rewarded with a meal at a local restaurant. Hopefully, the sore muscles and blisters will pass shortly, but the memories will last a lifetime!

Craig Thomas

STUDENT ABSENCES/LATE ARRIVAL

It is the responsibility of all parents/guardians to notify the school of any absences or lateness of arrival to school. This can be done via email to absenteecarramar@ststephens.wa.edu.au, phone 9306 7100 or SMS to 0428 863 144. If for any reason a student must leave school during the day, parents must advise Student Services by one of the above methods or a note presented to Student Services at the beginning of the school day. All students whether arriving  late, departing early or attending an appointment and returning to school must sign in/out at Student Services. Further information on absences can be found on page 32 of the parent handbook.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES!

PRESENTATION EVENINGS 2022

Join us as we celebrate the talents and achievements of our students at our annual Presentation Evenings in December. Bookings are now open for each event via events.humanitix.com/tours/pe2022

NEW BUS ROUTE

FUSION 2022

STRENGTHENING CHILDREN AND TEENS AGAINST ANXIETY

TRANSPERTH SCHOOL BUS SERVICE 2023

MARITIME DAY 2022

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

May God bless you and your family over the holiday break. We look forward to seeing you all next term when students return October 11, Term 4 2022

YEAR 12 GRADUATION

This week we farewelled our graduating Year 12 Class of 2022 with the Graduation Dinner and Graduation Day. The Year 12 Graduation Dinner was held at Joondalup Resort. The joint Master’s of Ceremony was admirably performed by Jayde Gault & Nicholas Tully and the valedictory speech was presented by Jasmine Hollier. It was a night of special significance and was thoroughly enjoyed by all that attended.

On Wednesday 21 September the Year 12’s participated in various events around the school which included Graduation Worship, Graduation Assembly, Graduation Families morning tea, House farewells and concluded with a farewell barbecue.

To our graduating Year 12 class, congratulations on graduating… Wishing that brighter opportunities come your way and you achieve success in all of them!

PHOTOGRAPHY & DRAWING COMPETITION 2022

CITY OF JOONDALUP – YOUTH SCHOOL AWARDS 2022

These awards are to encourage young people to further their studies beyond Yr 10 and are to the value of $1,000. There are two categories for ATAR and General Education students, including VET and Alternative Education Programs (including TAFE).

Please click on the link for more information:-http://www.y-lounge.com.au/school-awards/

FUSION EXHIBITION 2022

It’s that time again! This November, we once again have the privilege of showcasing the exceptional work from our Carramar Visual Art, Design and Technology students at the Fusion Exhibition! Join us on Wednesday the 2nd of November for the Opening Night with gourmet catering from our hospitality students.

MARKETING ON SHOW

Delicious baked goods, tasty fried chicken and thirst-quenching slushies were just some of the products on show at the annual Carramar Marketing Expo. Cert IV Business students researched products and marketing principles ahead of creating expo stalls for the event, and engaged with customers to promote their products on the day. The expo is held each year to showcase students’ skills and knowledge gained in the final unit of their Certificate program.

JUNIOR FUTSAL

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

SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAMS

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

The month of September sees our winter sports come to a culmination.  Participants from junior sports grounds and courts to our elite national sports experience in what is promoted as “finals fever.”   What on any other day is ‘just a game’ takes on greater emotional investment, and even as spectators, we ride the highs and lows of the game.  For the lucky few, there is immense enjoyment in the result, whilst for the others, it can be heartache.  For me, the intrigue lies in watching the players adapt and respond to the adversities presented. Injuries, skill errors, big moments and players combatting their own internal voices all add to the theatre of sport.

It is often spoken about the life lessons that we can take from sports, and the most valuable, I believe, is watching how athletes overcome failure. Sport constantly provides us with examples that prove that failure isn’t fatal, setbacks are tolerable, and adversity can help us be stronger in sport, work, and life. We will all face similar challenges in our lives, and the key is to approach these situations with a positive and flexible mindset.  Research suggests that those who can recognise that failure as an opportunity for learning tend to be less anxious, less angry, and less depressed in general. Our views about the situations we find ourselves in are within our control, which has important implications. The lesson to learn is that we are in control of our perceptions, and we can learn to react in ways that are helpful for not just performance but also well-being.

If you are one of those who are still involved in finals or have a connection to a team still in finals, I encourage you to look past the final score and marvel at the way that players take adversity head-on and the resilience that is displayed every second that the game lasts. While the victors may receive the spoils of trophies and other accolades, the vanquished actually walk away with much more than woe and are better for the experience of the challenge.

Oh, and just for the record, Go the Swans!

Craig Thomas (Dean of Parresia)

ACC ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

St Stephen’s Carramar had a successful day at the ACC Athletics carnival. After weeks of after school training the day finally arrived. After an early start with breakfast on the go we arrived to the stadium. The results reflected our consistency of performance throughout the day and will secure our place in the same division for next year. There were many successes celebrated throughout the day. Many students scored PB’s, placed in their events and excitingly we had 2 age group champions. Please join me in congratulating our Open Girls Champion – Kayla van den Heever and U14 Boys Champion – Mitchell Callcott.

Stephanie Ransom

Yr 7-10 BADMINTON

St Stephen’s Carramar entered 8 teams into the Badminton WA tournament for Yr7-10. All teams put up a great fight. One team was successful on the day going through to the semi-finals. Overall it was a great day!

Steph Ransom

LIBRARY NEWS

This term at the Collinson Library our secondary students have been invited to attend Maker Mondays during lunch times. We have kicked off with how to knit and crochet, with students coming from a variety of year levels to learn some new skills and have a laugh. Some students are learning for the first time and are focusing on how to use the needles. Other students are working away on existing projects and are even teaching some of our other students what to do! Our numbers are growing every week and more students are always welcome. See our students from last week below- although these numbers have since doubled! We are supplying all of the knitting and crochet materials, so please come along if you are interested.

Emma Cornell (Teacher Librarian)

PROPEL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

Last Thursday, students in our Propel Leadership Program went to Time’s Up Escape Rooms to test out their problem solving and negotiation skills.  I am pleased to report that the three teams were able to make it out in time!

Mr Thomas

LIBERATED CREATIONS

A compilation of Carramar Secondary students’ writing has been published in a book titled ‘Liberated Creations’, and officially launched at Carramar’s Library. The book features Year 8-12 students’ creative work that was submitted for assessment or written as part of English lessons in 2021. ‘Liberated Creations’ was inspired by the idea of sharing students’ written work that may otherwise only be seen by their teachers – liberating these creations. The launch included special readings by some student authors and year level awards in recognition of students’ work. Copies of the book will be available in the Carramar and Duncraig Libraries soon.

LEAVERS SHIELD

NEW WEBSITE

IT’S IN THE BAG 2022!

Each November Share the Dignity donate thousands of bags to women in need. Each bag is filled with essentials and gifts to help women, teenagers and new mums in crisis or emergency accommodation.

Over the past 5 years our Secondary girls have been collecting and packing these bags.

WE NEED YOU to help make 2022 our BIGGEST year and beat our previous bag record of 130 bags!

Please consider donating your pre-loved handbags or pop into your local Salvo’s and grab a bag from there. We also want those unopened toiletries hiding in the back of your bathrooms.  Most importantly, we need sanitary products, unopened pads and tampons, cups or underwear.  Women shouldn’t have to choose between feeding themselves and their children or buying sanitary items.

Student’s can drop donations to the Charis photocopier room. Donations close 15 November.

More information can be obtained from the following link: https://www.sharethedignity.org.au/itsinthebag

Lesley Nation

It has been said that you are the sum of the 5 people that you are most time with.

It’s an interesting idea, attributed to motivational speaker, Jim Rohn. Whilst research into the concept has mixed results, there is some logic to the idea that our attitudes and beliefs are influenced most heavily by the people that we are exposed to the most. This makes sense; humans are a social species. Even the most introverted of us has a need for connection to others. It is worth reflecting both on the influence we have on others, and the way that we are influenced by our nearest and dearest.

Do we share attitudes that support growth and positivity? Do the views of others impact on us in a way that is healthy, or do they sometimes cause us harm?

Who are the 5 people that you spend the most time with?

Social influence can be both a positive and negative force and whether you are 15 or 85 it’s worth considering our social impact and how we might be able to use this power to bring out the best in each other.

Mark Batten (Dean of Makaria)

YEAR 11 RIVER CRUISE

On Friday 26 August the Yr 11 embarked on their ‘Famous Faces’ themed river cruise from Barrack Street Jetty. Nearly the entire Year 11 cohort attended and though only a small cohort they certainly filled the room with awesome energy  and some very impressive dance moves were evident not to mention we certainly have some potential limbo world champions among us.

A very enjoyable night was had by all and a big thank you to the fabulous staff who also attended in full costume and helped make the night possible.

Mark Batten

YEAR 10 OUTDOOR EDUCATION CAMP

The decision to postpone our expedition from Term 2 turned out to be a fortuitous one with the weather shining on us for the four days we were away.  Arriving in Margaret River Tuesday afternoon, students could immediately see the impact of the bushfire from October last year. Areas that were previously dense with trees and bush were now bare and created an eerie backdrop.  As part of their camp, students were able to experience Giant’s cave which is classed as an adventure cave and abseil off Wilyabrup sea cliffs.  The main focus of the expedition was the two hiking components. A short 7 km hike on day two saw the group travel across the coastal ridge to Redgate Beach which was the scene of a famous shipwreck rescue in the late 1800s.  This was followed up by a more significant hike of 22 km on day three which comprised of a 6km finish along the beach to beautiful Hamelin Bay.

It was an amazing week for the students to utilise the skills that they had been honing over the previous two years in Outdoor Education and they performed exceptionally well.  Our focus has already turned to the water-based component of our program with students currently in the middle of a surfing unit to prepare them for their final camp to Lancelin in Term 4.

Mr Thomas, Mr Dwyer and Miss Ransom

YEAR 9 OUTDOOR EDUCATION – FISHING

What a great start to the morning! Year 9 Outdoor Education students were blessed with beautiful conditions this morning while they fished off Hillary’s North wall. Multiple students were successful at catching fish.

Stephanie Ransom

SENIOR BASKETBALL 

On Tuesday 23 August St Stephen’s Carramar participated in the ACC Championship Senior Basketball carnival. Our boys team played hard all day and our girls team made it through to the grand final unfortunately going down by 3 points.

Justine Brightwell

YEAR 11 CHILDREN, FAMILY & COMMUNITY

Year 11 ‘Children, Family and Community’ students recently prepared BOOK BAGS to use with the Pre-Primary children. They read a story then completed an activity that matched with the story and encouraged practice within one of the Developmental Domains such as fine motor skills.

Here we have Taylor and Ellie working with their little friends.

Kerry Cross

MAGNIFICENT MAKARIA

The rise and rise of Makaria over the last few years should not be understated. Whilst they have won many shields over their time, they have never had the success they are having right now. This culminated in their first ever Athletics Carnival win!

Mark Batten

National Science Week is an opportunity for everyone to talk science, see science and do science

This week marks National Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology. Running each year in August, it features more than 1000 events around Australia, including those delivered by universities, schools, research institutions, libraries, museums and science centres. These events attract a wide audience from children to adults, and science amateurs to professionals. Over one million people participate in science events across the nation. This year’s theme is “Glass: More than meets the eye,” and St Stephen’s is awash with experiments, displays and learning tailored around this theme.

If you’d like to bring a little more Science into your homes this week, see the links below to create some fun, interest and discussion around the dinner table.

How to Make Edible Slime

https://www.scienceweek.net.au/diy-science-edible-slime/

Or, the Australian Antarctic Division have put together this interactive website about auroras, with lots of gorgeous photos

https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/explore-antarctica/auroras/

Bennett Andrews – Head of Campus

2022 ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

On Friday the Interhouse Athletics Carnival was held in beautiful sunny conditions. Students were kept entertained and energised with the ‘motivational music’ and the oval was alive with active participants. A big congratulations to all our students for their awesome efforts and a huge thank you to all our staff on and off the field for making the carnival so successful.

CARNIVAL RESULTS

BONDS x REACH YOUTH GRANT!

Bonds and Reach are back, to bring one lucky secondary school student’s biggest dream to life with the Bonds x Reach Youth Grant. Whatever your ambition is, big or small, we want to help you achieve it.

Bonds and Reach both believe in empowering and inspiring young people to get uncomfortable and chase their dreams!.

Reach are 100% led by young people, for young people and aim to connect young people to create a sense of social belonging, have breakthrough conversations, and build emotional resilience.

So, how would you spend 10k?!

To enter please click link: https://www.bonds.com.au/competition/bonds-x-reach-youth-grant?utm_source=edm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20220815_BONDS_REACH_COMPETITION_FFF_044&sfmc_uid=9d2cdfe0538b4606964162618fdd188efd5393f6a081d5c4a7dd8ba0c9841335

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

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

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

Welcome back to all staff and students for the beginning of a busy Term Three.

Personally, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the whole community who have made my first official week at Carramar such a welcoming and positive experience. I look forward to the weeks and months ahead in which I will learn so much more about our school.

Whilst it has been only one week back for our students, our staff have been back for two. Our first week was filled with planning as well as professional and personal development during the days of our annual Staff Expo.

This week we have marked NAIDOC week in the Secondary school with a number of curriculum areas delivering lessons designed to celebrate and learn about those who were custodians of the land we live on for over 70 000 years. I acknowledge and give thanks here to Noongar elders, past present and emerging, for whom Lake Joondalup and it’s surrounds were a place of abundance and safety. It is a great privilege to lead a school that resides on that land, where no doubt many young people of the Noongar nation were educated in the stories and ways off their ancestors.

My thanks also to staff who have met with parents on two occasions for our reporting evenings. The last of these meetings occurs on Tuesday night, where we meet with our year 10 students and parents in the Collinson Library. These face to face discussions are so important, particularly for the Year 10’s who are making big decisions about the flavour and direction of coming years.

Thank you all once again and best wishes for Semester Two.

Bennet Andrews – Head of Campus

CONNECTING YOUNG READER’S

A group of Carramar Year 8 students will become some of Australia’s youngest book critics, as they join the Children’s Book Council of Australia‘s Sun Project: Shadow Judging. They will participate in safe, creative, critical conversations and shadow judge the CBCA Book of the Year shortlist as part of the nationwide youth project. This will culminate at the end of CBCA Book Week with the first-ever Shadowers’ Choice Awards.

HOUSE ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

The 2022 House Athletics Carnival will be held on Friday 12 August. Parents are all welcome to attend.

SCIENCE LEARNING AREA

The Science Learning Area would like to thank the Popich family for their generous donation of a very nice microscope to our department. Year 12 student, Aaron, is studying Physics this year and was happy to give Mrs Kirby the run-through of the microscope.

Elizabeth Kirby

COVID-19

36 – HOUR PLAY INCUBATOR

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.