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ONCE IN A LIFETIME

Never again! A once in a lifetime opportunity. A must see and do experience! These are the types of comments and hype that Perth and Western Australia, has experienced over the past few weeks as the 2021 AFL Grand Final closes in at Perth Stadium, on Saturday 25 September.

Without doubt the upcoming grand final promises to be an event that will be well worth the wait. A time of celebrating the game, played at the highest level, in our home state has never been seen before. Last year the issues associated with COVID-19 saw Brisbane afforded the rights to this special attraction and it was thought that 2021 would see everything back to normal in 2021 and the grand final would return to its true home, the MCG, Victoria. Unfortunately for Victoria, COVID has continued to wreak havoc and as such WA has received the honour of holding this momentous event. There will be 61,000 seats, filled mainly with WA residents at this auspicious occasion. People who just could not let the opportunity of being there slide.  A chance to experience the excitement and absorb the atmosphere firsthand, will be something they will never forget.

This sort or passion and desire to be a part of something big and so memorable is wonderful but it makes me wonder, how many times do we miss out on the smaller “once in a lifetime experience”? Those experiences that happen every day yet can be deemed as less important. Every new day is an opportunity for us all to grab with both hands. These experiences are gifts afforded to us by God. St Stephen’s provides its students the opportunity to experience great things every day. Perhaps it is representing the school in a sporting team, attending a service-learning function, working, and studying in tandem through VET programmes, learning a musical instrument, practising public speaking, performing in a drama production, attending camps and excursions, developing leadership skills or perhaps simply learning to critically analyse and reflect on world issues. Whatever the case may be, these opportunities like the AFL grand final, are once in a lifetime experience. Experiences where if you fail to engage right here and now in 2021, either through choice or circumstance, are opportunities that will not be the same in 2022 and beyond. My encouragement is that we celebrate and take every opportunity that comes our way. To engage with and experience all, that school has to offer and finally, to ensure that “our once in a lifetime experiences” are received over and over and over again. In doing this I believe our lives will truly be enriched

 

Mr Russell Gilchrist

Dean of Parresia

STUDENT ABSENCES

Parents/Guardians are required to advise Student Services of any anticipated or unexpected absences, late arrival to school or the need for students to leave prior to the end of the school day. Notification can be sent via email to absenteecarramar@ststephens.wa.edu.au, by SMS to 0428 863 144 or by phone 9306 7100.

ACC ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

On Tuesday 7 September many students participated in the ACC Athletics Carnival at HBF stadium. The following message was sent out by Adam Dwyer (Sports Coordinator) to all students that attended.

I just wanted to write a quick email to let you know how proud we are of you for your efforts today. I was once again amazed at your attitude and effort when it comes to the sporting field.

To those who helped out as student officials, thank you. To each and every one of the 92 students who were a part of the team, thank you. To the students who took on extra events or participated in events that are not their favourite, thank you. To Ella and Kushi who participated out of their age group, thank you.

Whilst you all put in amazing individual performances that were a major contribution to the schools overall success a big congrats to the junior boys for winning the shield and to Kayla, Dylan, Lachlan, Mitchell, Simba and Eleanor for achieving Champion or Runner up Champion for their age group.

Thanks to all the parents who were able to make it today and to all the parents for all their support during the athletics season, it was certainly a successful one.

If you would like to have a look at all the results follow the link below:

https://www.accsport.asn.au/system/files/sportstrak/athletics/2021/athsf/page1.htm

YEAR 12 ATAR POLITICS & LAW

On Tuesday 7 September, students from the Carramar Year 12 ATAR Politics & Law class visited the local office of the Federal MP for Cowan, Dr Anne Aly.

The students had questions covering a wide ride of topics, all linked to their course syllabus. As the photo indicates, it was an excellent Q&A session and the class was enthusiastic to hear Anne’s thoughts on issues such as ministerial accountability and the protection of rights within Australia.

Josh Plummer

FRENCH LANGUAGE

International Writing Competition in French language for Year 10 students

Year 10 French students have recently entered the Education Perfect Writing Competition. They submitted their entry on 10-September – a 300 words report in French Language -reflecting on the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of young people.

Early Term 3, students chose to participate to this international inter-school language competition and selected one of the writing topics available.

This work offered them the opportunity to research topics such as Youth health and online learning, explore new vocabulary and grammatical structures in the target language, as well as draw some comparisons between Australia and France.

SSS Year 10’s entry will compete against other finalists across Australasia. Their writing will be judged by a panel of experts at Education Perfect on the following criteria: use of the target language, development of ideas, how the topic is addressed and text type.

Laurence Kuntz

SYNTHESIS FILM COMPETITION 2021

Inspired by the latest clip on your socials? Love how imagery can tell a story? Attend a Secondary School in WA? Why not showcase your creativity by entering a short film in the much-anticipated Synthesis Arts, Design and Technologies Exhibition. More information about the Synthesis Film Festival is available at www.synthesisfilmfestival.com.au

 

‘The aim of argument, or discussion, should not be victory, but progress’ (Karl Popper)

Finding the truth from the myriad of sources of information we now have, is not as straight forward as we would all like. “Fake News” and misinformation is seemingly found everywhere. This inevitably means that we encounter people with differences of opinion.

Whilst, having differences of opinion is not necessarily an issue, what happens after that might be.  It is inevitable that we will be involved in arguments, and I believe that it is important for our students to witness these, and importantly, know how they should be handled.

As parents and teachers, we are role-models, and our kids learn most from what they see and hear so we have an important impact on how our kids behave in similar situations.

Jonathon Herring who wrote a book on How to Argue, states.

“They needn’t be about shouting or imposing your will on someone. A good argument shouldn’t involve screaming, squabbling or fistfights, even though too often it does. Shouting matches are rarely beneficial to anyone. Arguments, and for that matter discussions, should be about seeing things through the other person’s eyes. They should lead to a better understanding of another person’s view.”

A summary of his tips which I think are helpful includes:

• Know your stuff – there is no quicker way to sound ignorant if you don’t really know the details.
• When to argue and when to walk away – sometimes it’s healthier to walk away than to get into a heated debate or when people are simply not open to listening.
• What to say and how to say it – your body language and language should be respectful.
• Listen – If you’re not listening to the other person and addressing their statements, you’ll just keep making your same points over and over. The other person won’t agree with those, and the argument quickly becomes frustrating.

And lastly,

• Know what you want – humiliating, embarrassing or upsetting the other person might make you feel good at the time, but the reality is, nobody wins from that outcome.

Ultimately, we want our kids to grow up as thoughtful, intelligent, loving people who are willing to hear other thoughts, and be happy to share theirs in a respectful manner. This is not always an easy thing for us as adults to stick to, let alone for our kids, but is certainly something we should be helping them to develop.

Mark Batten (Dean of Makaria)

YEAR 11 RIVER CRUISE

On Friday 27 August our Year 11’s and a number of dedicated staff got creative and attended the annual River Cruise . The students were fantastically behaved and hit the dance floor hard most of the night.

Mark Batten

THE LESTER PRIZE’S YOUTH COMPETITION

Thirty high school-aged children from around Australia have been chosen as finalists in The Lester Prize’s Youth competition – WA’s premier portraiture prize.  Formally known as the Black Swan Prize for Portraiture, this award is now in its fifteenth year.

The Youth finalist works will be on display at Brookfield Place’s Tower 2, 123-125 St Georges Terrace Perth from 18 Oct – 12 Nov 2021 as part of The Lester Prize Youth Awards Exhibition, with the winners announced on 27 October 2021.

Congratulations to Heather McAllan – Year 12 who has been chosen as a finalist.

INTERHOUSE ATHLETICS CARNIVAL

Congratulations to the 2021 winners of the Senior Athletics Carnival. – Charis House. It was a very close win with only 6 points between first and second place. It was a fantastic day enjoyed by all and students represented their houses with pride by dressing up and cheering on their fellow team mates. Individual results are as follows.

 

BADMINTON COMPETITION

On Friday 3 September the Yr 7,8 and 9 badminton team competed in the SSWA competition at Kingsway. All performed well and had a great day.

Adam Dwyer

YEAR 7 & 8 REC PROGRAM

Horticultural Club: also known as the GTG (Green thumb Gang)

The results of our Woolworths seed packs are self-evident. We have started to produce vegetables. The first group have been through and now the second group are preparing our Summer Harvest. Weird looking carrots aside everyone is having fun.

Rob Crewe

SYNTHESIS FILM COMPETITION 2021

Inspired by the latest clip on your socials? Love how imagery can tell a story? Attend a Secondary School in WA? Why not showcase your creativity by entering a short film in the much-anticipated Synthesis Arts, Design and Technologies Exhibition. More information about the Synthesis Film Festival is available at www.synthesisfilmfestival.com.au

AUSTRALIAN ARMY CADETS

The Australian Army Cadets (AAC) is a leading national youth development organisation, upholding the character and values of the Australian Army including service, courage, respect, integrity and excellence. We are aimed at young people aged between 12 – 17 years old, as long as they turn 13 in the same year as joining.

The Australian Army Cadets is an equal opportunity organisation that does not discriminate on the ground of race, colour, sex or religion.

It is a program designed to help youth develop their confidence whilst experiencing adventurous training activities conducted in a supportive, safe, supervised and challenging military setting. We teach leadership, survival, drill, first aid, radio, navigation and fieldcraft skills in both practical and theoretical environments. These skills transfer to building individual resilience, leadership, self-discipline and teamwork skills, which are essential in today’s society in order to become better citizens and prepare our young people for adult life.

There are more than 18,000 Army cadets based in 236 units around Australia. 53 ACU is based at Wanneroo Secondary College and is one of the 236 units. It is the biggest unit in Western Australia with more than 70 male and female cadets across all ages and from multiple schools in the area. We parade on Wednesday evenings from 6pm until 9.30pm.

For more information about the Australian Army Cadets please visit http://www.armycadets.gov.au

Contact Jaxon Broad, Cadet Under Officer at 53acu@armycadets.gov.au or alternatively you can contact Captain (AAC) Rebecca Moroney the Commanding Officer of 53 ACU Wanneroo at Rebecca.Moroney1@armycadets.gov.au or 0422 164 867.

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

As Term 3 progresses, we enter a phase in which students in Yrs. 9-12 begin to select courses of study for next year and beyond. Subject selection advice and career counselling are pushed to the forefront of school activities. It is an unusual phase in which students begin to look to their future studies whilst having to remain grounded in the work requiring completion today.

In particular, students in Yr. 12 are making career-defining decisions about their post-school destination. It is a period during which many discussions between students, parents and teachers turn to choices around career aspirations.

In the last decade the workplace has undergone significant changes. It is increasingly digital and mobile, as well, there has been a significant shift to working from home. Many traditional jobs have transitioned to automation and digital integration. Increasingly, career pathways are adaptable and fluid. In the recent McCrindle Report on the “Future of Education” it was observed that “with an average tenure of two years and nine months, it is projected that today’s students will have 18 jobs across six careers in their lifetime.”

The challenge for schools is evident. How do educational institutions prepare students for unknown careers? What are the ‘essentials’ we should be developing in our students to ensure success?

In recent years, educational institutions have begun to talk about the balance required between core competencies and character qualities. In discussions around equipping students for success, schools must keep their focus on core competencies such as literacy, numeracy and digital skills, as well as character traits such as initiative, adaptability and persistence. There is a tension between skills development and character development. What is more important for success, skills or character? The answer is: both are of utmost importance.

How is this balance achieved? For students, the task remains the same: focus on classroom work and the development of sound academic skills; and connect with one or more of the co-curricular opportunities on offer (sport teams, drama productions, debating, Service Learning). In the middle of discussions around subject combinations and career options, doing the basic job in front of you is the best way to success.

Stephen Meagher (Deputy Head of Secondary)

YEAR 12 GEOGRAPHY FIELDWORK

The Year 12 Geography class (minus a couple who couldn’t make the trip) took part in some fieldwork last week. We explored Subiaco and  Joondalup as part of their study of Transit Oriented Developments and also visited Suez’s Resource Recovery Facility in Neerabup where they got to see the behind the scenes process of sorting organic material from the actual rubbish that finds its way into landfill. As you can see from some of the pics, some of the components are very large.

Mark Batten

HAVE SUM FUN MATHS COMPETITION

Once again, St Stephen’s School Carramar hosted the Frank Drysdale Secondary Interschool Numero® Challenge Northern heats. The competition involves competing against schools across the Perth and Bunbury region in the problem solving game of Numero. The game Numero involves using all sorts of mathematical operations (including fractions and indices) to create a chosen number and win as many cards as possible. The competition ranges from completing a best take (getting the most cards) individually and as a team, then includes some very intense one on one games. The competition ends with a ‘Scramble’ which involves completing a top take move but also tag teaming to run and get their moves on the board for everyone to see. Our students smashed the heats, with St Stephen’s School Carramar qualifying two teams (The max we are allowed). Even though we didn’t win the finals, the students had a ball and were complemented highly on their attitudes and manners. Well done to all involved!

Mrs Ashley Bell

LOST PROPERTY

If your child has LOST a jacket, jumper, water bottle or any other item, please ask them to check each of the House lost property areas and the Gym.

Note: if their belongings are not labelled they could be in any of the lost property locations so please ask them to check all areas.

Please LABEL their belongings especially all UNIFORM items.

Dear Parents and Carers,

You would be aware that, as a School, we have committed to becoming more culturally aware regarding indigenous culture and history and are being quite strategic over the coming months as to how we address this in our 2022 – 2024 Strategic Plan. As Sharon Davis, an aboriginal woman from both Bardi and Kija peoples of the Kimberley, comments:

“With many of today’s youth growing up to be tomorrow’s health workers, politicians, law makers, educators and policy architects, a racially literate and culturally responsive education is crucial for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous children”.

 As part of this, we put a special focus on our NAIDOC Week celebrations and activities last week and enjoyed many events and learning opportunities which were communicated to each other in our assembly on Friday. Commencing with a P – 12 ‘Welcome to Country’ delivered by Maitland Hill, an aboriginal elder with whom the School has developed a partnership with, over the next four days the students at the various year levels learnt about such things as:

• The 6 Noongar seasons
• Constitutional Recognition
• Indigenous symbols
• Understanding native plant life
• Contemporary aboriginal art
• Stories from the Dreamtime
• Cooking with native herbs
• Famous sports people like Lionel Rose, Cathy Freeman and the Ella brothers

Thank you to all staff for their enthusiasm and commitment to the week and the plans for the future.

God bless

Brett Roberts

Head of Campus – Carramar

YEAR 11 & 12 THRIFT BALL

On Friday night, Year 11’s and 12’s attended the ‘Thrift Ball’. Students were tasked with coming in clothes purchased from the Salvos/Vinnies and to keep the spend to a minimum. It was a great night and included playing lots of retro games. Money from the event was raised for our Kimberley Service Learning partners.

Mark Batten

SENIOR GIRLS NETBALL

Our Senior girls netball team played off in the round of 16 final of the ACC competition today against Sacred Heart. The girls put in a fantastic effort but Sacred Heart were just a but too strong for us today. The future looks very bright for St Stephen’s Carramar as all but 3 of our players were in year 10!!!! Watch this space, there are very good things to come.

Adam Dwyer

DRAMA WORK EXPERIENCE INTENSIVE WITH BLACK SWAN

Five students from Year 11/12 Senior Drama (along with 20 students from other schools) attended a Drama Work Experience Intensive with Black Swan Theatre that ran over two days in the holidays.

Activities included; A tour of His Majesty’s Theatre, hearing Artistic Director Clare Watson share her journey as Artistic Director and Co-Director of York, Zoë Atkinson shared her process and design for York together with an informative history of design, Literary Director – Polly Low guided students through the process of writing for stage with “stories of place”, which was explored further with devisor Andrew Sutherland on the following day.

The highlight of the two days was attending a matinee performance of York. Set in and around an abandoned hospital in the township of York, on Ballardong Nyoongar country, this epic piece of truth-telling blends humour and horror to uncover the buried histories we have built over.

The students had a fantastic time and feel they learnt a great deal from spending two days with people who are currently working in the Performing Arts Industry.

Ruth Doyle

P.A.R.T.Y PROGRAM

The Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth (P.A.R.T.Y) Program is an injury prevention initiative run at Royal Perth Hospital.
The P.A.R.T.Y Program provides useful, relevant information to young people to help them recognise potential injury-causing situations and make informed prevention-oriented choices about activities. It is also designed to help them adopt behaviours and actions that minimise risk.

On Wednesday 28th July we took a group of Year 10 and 11 students to attend the P.A.R.T.Y Program. In order to completely involve the students in the experience of injury and recovery, the group was taken through the common course of injury and treatment of someone involved in a trauma, often due to risk-taking behaviours.

A variety of teaching techniques was used, including interactive lectures, videos, role-play, as well as tours of Intensive Care Unit and a trauma ward. The students also had the chance to meet some injury survivors and see first-hand what it would be like to be injured. Some of the aspects of the day was quite confronting and the students handled this with maturity & respect.

The students were very enthusiastic and involved themselves well in the days activities and we hope the program had a positive impact on them.

Katie Farmer – Nurse

PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE

Year 7 students in Science have been studying Australian plants and how Aboriginal people have utilised many native plants for food or medicine. The Australian bush-tucker project began with Mrs Corrigan’s, Mrs Smoker’s and Mr Hayward’s Year 7 students tasting and sampling a variety of bush tucker plants such as lemon myrtle, wattle seed, lilly-pilly, quandong and saltbush, to name just a few. Students had an excursion to King’s Park where they identified many of these plants growing in the park.

In celebration of NAIDOC Week, Year 7 students teamed up with the Kindy class to plant a bush-tucker garden full of Australian native plants. A great time was had by both the Year 7’s and Kindy students as they got their hands into the soil and planted out the little plants.

With all the good rain, a bit of tender loving care and the survival adaptations of these hardy plants, we hope to see this garden thrive for years to come.

Elizabeth Kirby

 

Dear Families,

We can never talk about the need to build resilience in our young people too much. From the early formative years to upper primary, adolescence and senior secondary, as parents, teachers and a community, we must coach from the sidelines and let our young people deal with the game on the field. Our world is a new world with new demands and new paradigms in which we live. Their world is, and will be, a world that is more challenging and more confronting than we have experienced or can imagine. That said, our young people are equipped to deal with the 21^st Century, they will find their way and be successful if, we prepare them to be hit and to get back up again. If they understand that failure is a part of growth. If they know that things are not always perfect or that unintended endings are normal, then they are better prepared to deal with life. Life isn’t always peachy!

In doing some reading around this topic (as teachers do regularly), I stumbled on a great article by Jessica Lehay, who makes some salient points in conjunction with a study done by QUT, and I thought I would share some excerpts for you to mull over and consider. The timing is good because your child is just about to receive their Semester 1 report, their subject recommendations for Year 11 2022, their acceptance into a Rec Club that they nominated for for Semester 2 or their Year 11 or 12 Examination results and we can use this moment to teach resilience and responsibility, or we can seek to band-aid and ‘there there’ the unexpected or disappointing result. Please enjoy:

“The stories teachers exchange these days reveal a whole new level of overprotectiveness: parents who raise their children in a state of helplessness and powerlessness, children destined to an anxious adulthood, lacking the emotional resources they will need to cope with inevitable setback and failure.

I believed my accumulated compendium of teacher war stories were pretty good — until I read a study out of Queensland University of Technology, by Judith Locke, et. al., a self-described “examination by parenting professionals of the concept of overparenting.”

Overparenting is characterized in the study as parents’ “misguided attempt to improve their child’s current and future personal and academic success.” In an attempt to understand such behaviours, the authors surveyed psychologists, guidance counsellors, and teachers.

 What worries me most are the examples of overparenting that have the potential to ruin a child’s confidence and undermine an education in independence. According to the authors, parents guilty of this kind of overparenting “take their child’s perception as truth, regardless of the facts,” and are “quick to believe their child over the adult and deny the possibility that their child was at fault or would even do something of that nature.”

 This is what we teachers see most often: what the authors term “high responsiveness and low demandingness parents.” These parents are highly responsive to the perceived needs and issues of their children, and don’t give their children the chance to solve their own problems. These parents “rush to school at the whim of a phone call from their child to deliver items such as forgotten lunches, forgotten assignments, forgotten uniforms” and “demand better grades on the final semester reports or threaten withdrawal from school.”

Truly, teachers don’t just teach reading, writing, and arithmetic. We teach responsibility, organization, manners, restraint, and foresight. These skills may not get assessed on standardized testing, but as children plot their journey into adulthood, they are, by far, the most important life skills I teach.

I’m not suggesting that parents place blind trust in their children’s teachers; I would never do such a thing myself. But children make mistakes, and when they do, it’s vital that parents remember that the educational benefits of consequences are a gift, not a dereliction of duty. Year after year, my “best” students — the ones who are happiest and successful in their lives — are the students who were allowed to fail, held responsible for missteps, and challenged to be the best people they could be in the face of their mistakes.

Jessica Lahey is a contributing writer for The Atlantic and an English teacher. She writes “The Parent-Teacher Conference” column at The New York Times, is a commentator for Vermont Public Radio, and is the author of The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed.

Interesting? Timely? Helpful? I hope all of these.

Yours in Service,

Brett Roberts (Head of Campus – Carramar)

LOST PROPERTY

There is a substantial amount of lost property in each of the campus houses, in particular sports jackets and towels  If your child has misplaced/lost something please advise them to thoroughly check the lost property outside staffrooms in Makaria, Charis & Parresia. (check all areas, not just their own house) Any lost property not collected by end of term will be disposed of.  It is advisable for students to clearly name all personal items especially clothing.

VOLLEYBALL COMPETITION

Yr 11/12 girls and boys volleyball teams recetly competed in the North Eastern division of the SSWA volleyball competition. The boys team made the grand final but could not quite get the job done. The girls however, went from strength to strength throughout the day to win the grand final!

Adam Dwyer

YEAR 9 OUTDOOR ED CAMP

On the 10^th and 11^th of June the Yr 9 Outdoor Education students participated in their first camping expedition.  The overnight camp required them to hike and carry all of their equipment from Dwellingup Town Centre to the School’s Kaadadjan Centre.

In the evening we had to contend with the rain as the students cooked their meals on small camp stoves.  Some were more successful than others!

After dinner the students got the opportunity to take on the teachers in a game of “lantern stalk” at night.  The teachers were either too good at spotting or the students were too noisy as the teachers were able to defend their lantern with ease.  The next morning the students woke to a blanket of mist covering the valley.  Dwellingup was living up to its name as the place of fog, dew and mist.  After packing up camp the group set off on the return journey back to the Dwellingup Town Centre.

It was a great introduction to camping and the students reflected afterwards on how much they got from the experience.

Craig Thomas

YEAR 7 & 8 ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

This term the students in the Athlete Development Program have been working with the experts from Athletic Institute on improving their core strength and flexibility.  The Yr 8’s were able to visit AI’s purpose built  facility that includes an altitude room, while the Yr 7’s were shown the basics of building strength in our weights room.  The students were very positive about their experience and indicated how much they had picked up from the sessions with the trainers.

Next term the program will be focusing on nutrition and mental skills training.

Craig Thomas

MARINE REC PROGRAM

Students in Year 7 & 8 have been enjoying interacting in the marine environment this semester in the Marine & Aqua Rec program, which has included snorkelling, body surfing and swimming. Last week students visited Marine Rescue Whitfords at Ocean Reef hearing about marine safety and visiting the operations tower.

David Bosma

YEAR 9 BIBLICAL STUDIES

Year 9 biblical studies students read to students in Years 1-3 last week. After preparing a “mini bible” over the past term the primary students had the opportunity to enjoy the Secondary students efforts. It was a fantastic sometimes challenging time as students interacted in small groups in the primary forum space.

David Bosma

RISING STARS SPORTS CAMP

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

FREE ATAR REVISION

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

Managing our emotions and dealing with the challenges of everyday life, and parenting, can at times, be more demanding that we would hope. The pressures of work commitments, paying bills, raising a family and living in a world of non-stop activity can take its toll on both individuals and families alike. When the pressures come, and things don’t go as planned, it is easy to be quick to anger.

Charles Swindoll, in his book “David: A man of Passion & Destiny: Profiles in Character” states that “Anger is one of the most debilitating emotions we wrestle with. One reason is that it is unpredictable – it can be on us almost before we know it, and it can wear so many faces.” Swindoll goes on to say “another reason it’s debilitating is that it’s so public. You cannot hide anger, it’s on display. It is there for everybody to witness and remember.”

So, the great challenge for us as parents is to manage our behaviours when we do become angry, and in doing so showing self-control and responding in a positive manner, so that we and our children, learn from errors committed, the mistakes that were made and hurts that have been experienced.

Below are 3 simple techniques to assist with controlling anger and staying calm when dealing with your child who has “pressed your buttons” once too often.

1. Look for the early physical signs of your anger eg: faster heart rate, churning stomach, tense shoulders, clenched jaw and hands. Recognising these tell-tale signs can de-escalate tense situations.
2. Avoid negative self-talk, it makes anger worse. Internalised commentary like “No-one ever helps me – I have to do everything myself” or “Why do you want to upset me?” are a sign for individuals to take the time to stop, to do something else, and in as a result, helps you to calm down.
3. Reflect on the situation. If you feel as though you are calming down perhaps you can assess: How important was this issue? Why was I so upset about it? Using our past experiences as learning opportunities helps us to deal more appropriately with future situations.

We all know that no-one is perfect and that when anger arises, it is an enormous challenge to respond well. It is however, in the best interests of all concerned, that we more often than not, display a calm and controlled response to those highly charged moments.

Russell Gilchrist (Dean of Parresia)

LOST PROPERTY

There is a substantial amount of lost property in each of the campus houses. If your child has misplaced/lost something please advise them to thoroughly check the lost property outside staffrooms in Makaria, Charis & Parresia. (check all houses) Any lost property not collected by end of term will be disposed of. It is advisable for students to clearly name all personal items especially clothing.

FRENCH CREPES

Year 10 French class students have prepared absolutely perfect homemade crêpes, a thinner version of pancakes. A typically French delight which they feasted on with sugar and homemade strawberry jam. They also invited Monsieur Prideaux to join the feast.

In France, crêpes are very popular. The French term “crêpe” derives from the Latin crispa, meaning with “creases”. Sweet Crepes and savoury buckwheat crepes are almost always served for lunch and dinner- Sweet crepes as dessert or an afternoon snack and buckwheat crepes as a main meal at a restaurant or creperie.

The Day of Crepes is celebrated on February 2, with respect to Candlemas. On this day households all over France make crêpes. This is because it is believed that crêpes symbolize prosperity.

Thanks to Mrs Kerry Cross for allowing the French class to use the kitchen facilities.

Laurence Kuntz

ACC CROSS COUNTRY

The ACC Cross Country was held on Thursday 27 May and we took around 60 competitors to the event that was held at Alderbury reserve. It was a great day and all of the competitors put in an amazing effort. We finished in 29^th out of 75 schools. A big thanks Mrs Justine Brightwell for being head coach this year.

Adam Dwyer

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

REVISION PROGRAM – JULY SCHOOL HOLIDAYS – Enrolments Open

ATAR Revision Program for Years 11 & 12

Academic Task Force ATAR subject revision courses will help your child maximise their grades and strive for a top ATAR. Your child will receive in-depth teaching and exam preparation             tips and strategies. 10-hour ATAR Revision courses available (2 hrs a day, over 5 days) in most ATAR subjects, as well as Essay Writing and Study Skills.

Available Weeks 1 & 2 of the July school holidays at Churchlands SHS, Rossmoyne SHS, Perth Modern School, Duncraig SHS and online.

Enrol Online: https://academicgroup.com.au/course/holiday-programs/ or Call 9314 9500 or Email: learn@academicgroup.com.au

Skills Development Program for Year 7 – 10

Academic Task Force small group Skills Development courses will help boost your child’s confidence and help improve your child’s marks. 6-hour subject courses available (3 hrs a day, over 2 days) in Maths, English, Essay Writing and Learning Skills.

Available Weeks 1 & 2 the July School holidays at Churchlands SHS and Rossmoyne SHS.

Enrol Online: https://academicgroup.com.au/course/holiday-programs-2/ or Call 9314 9500 or Email: learn@academicgroup.com.au

ATAR Enrichment Program at UWA for Year 12

Academic Associates offers premium ATAR enrichment programs exclusively for Year 12 students wanting top ATAR marks and advanced insight into their ATAR courses.          10-hour ATAR Enrichment and Exam Preparation courses (2 hrs a day, over 5 days) in most ATAR subjects.

Available Week 2 at the University of Western Australia (UWA)

Enrol Online: https://academicgroup.com.au/course/academic-associates-programs/ or Call 9314 9500 or Email: learn@academicgroup.com.au

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

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

As we head toward the halfway point in the academic year, there are a number of events that may cause a significant shift in the outlook of our students.

Students in Upper School sit examinations and receive feedback on their performance. For some students this will be a positive experience but for other students, this will be a time of challenge as they experience results not commensurate with their expectations. At the same time, students in Lower Secondary are preparing for their final semester one assessments and discussions will turn to the results and habits required as adequate preparation for the years ahead.

At this time, the challenge for many students is to maintain their optimism and confidence about their future. Developing a resilient hope for the future is a powerful tool for maintaining wellbeing. Researchers tell us that optimism and hope is a strength that can be learned and developed.

Dr Justin Coulson, Honorary Fellow at the Centre for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne advises that much needed hope will grow in response to three things:

1. A vision or goal;
2. Pathways towards that goal; and
3. Agency, which is a belief that by taking action, the stated goal can be achieved.

With these three clear steps in mind, there are three relatively simple practices we can put in place to build hope into young people and to continue to foster optimism for the future.

1. Build a future focus

Engage young people in discussions about their goals and possible futures. Ask questions such as; “What do you want to achieve and why?”. Have them imagine their potential best selves. Talk to them about what they’re looking forward to, or ask them what they want to have, do and be in the future.

2. Work with them on plans and pathways

Having identified a stated goal be encouraging and then ask questions such as

“What do you need to get there?”. Discuss pathways, options and possibilities.

Thinking about the future is important but it should be accompanied by then making plans. A stated plan of action is central in fostering optimism and hope.

3. Promote agency:

When young people get “stuck” rather than giving them an answer to get them through, we can ask; “What do you think is the next best thing to do?” or perhaps

“When have you overcome something like this before?”

These types of questions promote a sense of agency; a confidence that I am able to make things happen. Rather than having our children rely on us for all the answers, they can rely on themselves, their resourcefulness and initiative. They can recall times they have previously succeeded and use that experience to build hope that they can succeed again.

What matters is that we give our children the chance to talk about these ideas. It is important for young people to feel like they are progressing in the right direction. An optimistic view of the future is the beginning of true hopefulness.

Dr Coulson states:

“There is nothing more useful in inoculating young people against depression, anxiety and hopelessness then encouraging hope. Helping them see that there is something to look forward to may be the single most important thing we do each day. Having someone by their side who really cares, and who helps them use their strengths, find the good in their lives and look forward to the future can be all it takes to help them move towards greater resilience and wellbeing.”

Stephen Meagher (Deputy Head of Secondary)

ACC NETBALL CARNIVAL

On 13 May the senior girls attended the ACC one day carnival at Mathews Netball Centre. After 3 hard games they worked their way to the grand final match for their pool. It was a challenging game, and they came back from 8 points down with a victorious 2-point win. The girls were outstanding both on and off the court, showed plenty of sportsmanship and were the loudest cheer squad on the day. Bring on the next elimination round as we battle for our spot to be the next ACC overall champs. Stay tuned for more info about how you can support our girls battle it out.

Steph Ransom

ACC SOCCER CARNIVAL

On 13 May the Senior Soccer Team participated in the ACC Champion Soccer group fixtures coming up against a number of highly fancied and specialist Soccer Schools from around the State. Despite a number of Year 10’s stepping in to fill the void of those on exam duties the students were competitive all day and fought hard against the older, more experienced opponents.

The day started with an impressive win coming in the form of a penalty shoot out against St. Andrew’s. Young keeper Alistair Bright pulled off a number of fantastic saves to secure the victory.

The toils of the footy game the previous evening was catching up with some of the boys with more than a handful battling through injury and cramp for the remainder of the three games.

Despite falling short in these games, the battle, will and competitive spirit was very impressive from all the boys.

A special mention must go out to those year 10 boys who embraced the step up and played against bigger bodies all day.

Jordan Torquato

PHOTO HENDRIKS

The A5 Photo ID Book is now available to view and purchase on the schools Web Gallery.

To access the gallery, follow the below procedure:

1. Go to photohendriksgalleries.com

1. Click on the St Stephen’s School – Carramar Secondary logo

1. Enter password :  kada29 

If you have any queries, please contact Customer Service at customerservice@photohendriks.com.au

TRANSPERTH ROUTE 390 BUS SERVICE ROUTE CHANGE

With increased residential development in north-east Banksia Grove as well as the impending completion of the local road network, Transperth proposes to realign the Route 390 bus service onto its long term route previously planned in consultation with the local land developer and Local Government Authority. The proposal involves removing the service from Viridian Drive and extending all trips from Joondalup Drive to Forever Boulevard via Elderiana Link and Grandis Boulevard.

There are no changes proposed to frequency or operating hours. However Transperth does plan to introduce additional deviations to Joseph Banks Secondary College increasing capacity, while also providing more direct access to and from the School.

The opportunity to provide feedback on these changes can be found via the following link: https://www.mysaytransport.wa.gov.au/proposed-extension-route-390.

The consultation period for this change has opened today and will close at 5.00pm Monday 7^th June 2021. After this date, Transperth will analyse the feedback received and make changes to the proposal accordingly.

COOK UP FOR SALVATION ARMY

Dear Parents, I am hosting a volunteer cooking event after school on Thursday June 10. Previously parents and staff joined together to cook meals for the Salvation Army to provide to people in our community living in hardship. The produce is kindly donated by Second Bite. To make it speedy and efficient, those participants who own a Thermomix can bring their device along and those who do not have one, we will team up with an owner of a device. Last cook up we produced 70+ meals. If you would like to join in with the fun and help those in need, please contact me direct on my email: donna.lund@ststephens.wa.edu.au

Donna Lund (Service Learning Coordinator)

With the Year 11 & 12 exam period fast approaching, some students are finding themselves overwhelmed. This does not only apply to students sitting exams but also to those on a non-exam pathway as they have work to complete and deadlines looming.

When a daily routine and self-care are no longer priorities, students can become consumed with studying and completing assessments. Looking after themselves at this important time can help prevent burnout and can enable students to complete all tasks with their mental health in-tact. So, what can they do?

Take a break. It sounds counterintuitive but setting a timer to allow short breaks can help reset and refocus the mind. Make sure to set a timer on breaks too, it’s very easy to be dragged into a 2-hour tik tok binge.

Rest. Working all night may seem like a good plan but your ability to learn can drop by over 40% if you haven’t slept. Pulling an all-nighter is not something to brag about and can have a detrimental impact on retaining information.

Eat. A diet of energy drinks, coffee and chocolate will only lead to an afternoon slump. There’s nothing wrong with treats, just make sure it’s part of a balanced diet that can sustain you through study sessions and exams.

Water. Staying hydrated improves the brain’s ability to send and receive information. When we’re dehydrated, we feel tired and our brain feels ‘foggy’, definitely not ideal conditions for effective learning.

Perspective. Tests and exams are there to find out what you know and what you need to improve upon. You won’t know everything so don’t beat yourself up. Acknowledge mistakes and make a plan for how you might tackle difficult topics next time around.

Good luck Year 11’s and 12’s!

Sarah Stockton-Rice (Dean of Charis)

AUTUMN MUSIC CONCERT

TEAM COLOUR DAY

ENGINEERING SHOWCASE EVENT

This term started off for our Year 12s earlier than most of the school, as they attended the Year 12 Retreat and what was their last ‘camp’ as a group. The theme was ‘Past, Present and Future’ and took place at the Swan Valley Adventure Centre.

This retreat is often a roller coaster of emotions which is the result of lots of fun activities and challenges such as participating in canoeing and flying fox, but also included reflection on their key relationships both in and out of school. This reflection process is a key part of the program and for lots of students is not always an easy one ”Honest self-reflection opens your mind to reprogramming, change, success and freedom.” —Unknown

We had the pleasure of inviting back past alumni, Ben Mallis (2007) and Erin Ballard (nee Bell 2005) who shared fond memories of their time at St Stephen’s and also their journey post school, which was intriguing and confronting to many of our students, as they realised that their journey with St Stephen’s on a daily basis was coming to an end in the near future.

The last day of retreat started off with worship before starting a version of an ‘Amazing Race’, which meant that the students in groups were dropped off at the train station and then had to complete various questions and challenges along their journey to Currambine station, from where they were shuttled back to school. This year group has been a pleasure to spend an extended period of time with and we all look forward to seeing them be the best versions of themselves this year and beyond.

Mark Batten (Dean of Makaria)

ANZAC DAY SERVICE

We would like to thank all families who attended our ANZAC DAY Service last week. It was a special time given to reflect and honor those who have served (as well as those who still serve) our country, making it possible for us to enjoy the freedom we have. Lest we forget.

2021 CROSS COUNTRY CARNIVAL

It was an amazing day, so great to see all the students from PP – 12 out there participating in the cross country and the novelty events. Congratulations to all  individual runner-up and champion girls/boys and to Charis for winning the Primary shield and to Makaria for winning the Secondary and the PP – 12 shield.

Adam Dwyer

 

2021 CAREERS EXPO

THE IMAGINEERS

Following the success of last Term’s pilot program of the St Stephen’s School Imagineers – an after school STEM prototyping, 3D modelling, printing and robotics club with Fire Tech Australia – we have managed to secure more spots for students in Years 5-7 in Term 2. The club starts on Thursday, April 29 so be quick to book your spot at https://www.firetechcamp.com.au/course/st-stephens-imagineers/.

Dear Families,

Welcome to Term Two! We are really excited as to what is in store over the coming eleven weeks with regard to extra and co-curricular activities but wish to acknowledge the ‘business’ of Term One in these areas is behind us for a little while and this term the focus will be very much on the curriculum and, in particular, how we prepare our Year 11 & 12 students for their Semester One Examinations.

This coming Friday will be a significant day for us, however, as we start our term with both, sombre reflection and boisterous exertion. Our tradition of holding an ANZAC Day ‘dawn’ Service will start the day on the slope near the Secondary Administration building. We use this time to reflect with sorrow and thankfulness on those men and women who gave their lives in battle in order to protect and preserve the freedoms that we enjoy in this most beautiful country of ours, Australia. I would like to extend to you, your family and your friends therefore, the warmest of invitations to join us at 7.45am as we mark ANZAC Day, a day of remembrance, with respect, dignity and prayer.

After this, please feel free to attend our P – 12 Inter-House Cross Country Carnival that will take place on the oval from around 8.45am. All students will be participating in an effort to have their House crowned ‘champion’ and you will see wonderful interactions between senior and junior students throughout the course of the morning. Additionally, at this event, we will be christening ‘Betty’, our Service-Learning caravan, as she offers snacks and drinks for purchase by students and parents for the very first time. It has been a long time coming, this project, so stay tuned for more information regarding the initial idea, the journey of refurbishment and the intended use of her from this Friday onwards.

I wish you a great term and many blessings.

Brett Roberts

Head of Campus

YEAR 12 SCHOOL BALL

AND THEY HAD A BALL!! On Friday 16 April the Year 12 ball was held at Fraser’s Restaurant at the picturesque King’s Park. The students all looked amazing as did the staff in attendance. A wonderful night was enjoyed by all. A big thank you to Sarah Stockton-Rice for the wonderful job she did organising the event, the staff that attended and Mel Beale who was a key in helping organise the formal dancing.