In this Newsletter:

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

Principal’s Message

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

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

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

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

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

God Bless,

Donella Beare

Mr Andrews Almanac

Embracing Error: The Priceless Lessons of High School

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Take care,

Bennet Andrews, Head of Campus

Secondary Highlights

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

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

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

Upcoming Events 

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

 Public Notices 

In this Newsletter:

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

Principal’s Highlight

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

Mr Andrews Almanac

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

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

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

M – Maintain and repair your environment​

A – Artistic or personal endeavour​

T – Time taken for yourself or spent with family​

E – Exercise the mind or body​

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

M – Tidy the bedroom

A – Practice a musical instrument

T – Eating dinner with the family

E – Go for a run

Or

M – Make a bag of clothes for a charity shop

A – Make something from Five Minute Crafts

T – Read some of a novel

E – 15 minutes on the trampoline

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

Take care,

Bennet Andrews, Head of Campus

Secondary Highlights

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

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

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

MAKURU CONCERT

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

YEAR 12 RETREAT

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

Parental Guidance

Reward, Recharge and Reflect

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

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

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

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

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

Happy holidays,

Sarah Stockton-Rice, Deputy Head of Secondary

Upcoming Events –

• 2nd July – 9th July – NAIDOC WEEK

• 17th July – 2023 HASS Tour

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

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

Term 3 Highlights to look forward to –

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

In this Newsletter:

• A message from Mr Andrews,
• Secondary Highlights,
• Parental Guidance,
• Upcoming events,

Mr Andrews Almanac

Embracing the Journey: Childhood Extends Beyond High School

As exams and deadlines loom for our senior secondary students, I am often reminded that these semi-formed adults are indeed still children in many ways. Biologically, adolescence does not end until the early 20s, when our children are well into the cut-and-thrust of making big life-moves. When our students graduate, they are still children, despite the trappings of adulthood afforded to them.

As time races on, I’d like to provide a few thoughts on how to slow down, observe and nurture the last stages of a childhood.

Celebrate the Small Milestones: Acknowledge each step and pause to shine light on the little moments, getting L-plates and driving lessons, first jobs and the last of the school camps are all features of the journey.

Foster Curiosity, Exploration and Personal Growth: It is never too late to try something new and whilst our adolescent children are generally locked onto favourite activities and pastimes, trying something new that promotes togetherness has many benefits for all.

Embrace Life Skills: As our children approach adulthood, it becomes crucial to focus on developing practical life skills. Teaching them essential skills such as financial literacy, problem-solving, time management, and effective communication is important. These skills empower them to become independent, responsible individuals.

Accept the Role of Error: I always say that high school is a ‘cheap’ place to make mistakes. We can also learn the value of error and learning from it in these formative years.

Take care,

Bennet Andrews, Head of Campus

Secondary Highlights

Arts Tour

Over the April school holidays our Senior Arts students went on the trip of a lifetime to Sydney and Melbourne to be completely immersed in the Arts. Students had a great time together and are sure to remember this trip for the rest of their lives. Thanks to the staff who went along for the ride!

Lest We Forget

Our ANZAC service took place in bright sunshine as students returned to school for Term 2.

Senior Production

Rehearsals are continuing. Put the 10th and 11th of August in your calendar for the ‘Season of Chamber Music’ by Arthur Kopit.

House Cross Country

Our House Cross Country was run and won in week 4, congratulations to Parresia House for taking out the win.

Careers Expo

On Wednesday, 17th May our Year 10 students from both campuses, engaged in the 2023 Careers Expo on the Carramar campus. Thanks to Sarah Cooke and Rob Crewe for their coordination of this annual event which connects our students with workplace and tertiary providers. The opportunity to gain information and ask questions ahead of subject selection for upper school was invaluable for students’ decision making.

Sport 

Our Basketball, Netball, Soccer and AFL teams have been in action against other schools across the term. Several teams experienced success and progressed to the top 16 schools across the state before bowing out. The Senior Netball team and the Junior AFL teams have upcoming fixtures against schools from across the metro area, with our Netballers hosting the next round on August 1st.

Parental Guidance

Families throughout Australia come in many varied shapes and sizes. Regardless of the size or make-up of any family, 3 distinct features stand out when considering the development of children and youth. 

Supportive structures – for family environments to be successful in developing children under our care, we need to have support networks surrounding them. A home life that provides for the needs of a child’s physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. 

Consistent messaging – for young people to grow into mature adults contributing to society, consistency in our approach to discipline and expected standards of behaviour is essential. The idea that “we walk the talk” is imperative. Our young people will follow the example that is provided for them. Consistent messaging with appropriate boundaries and consequences for behaviour, provides our young people with clear guidelines for how to live their lives. 

Unconditional love – without a doubt there will be times where your child will make errors in judgement, engage in dangerous activities, perhaps participate in undesirable activities. Appropriate discipline and sanctions must always be combined with unconditional love. If your child knows that they are loved, regardless of the mistakes they make, they will find comfort that they are not defined by their mistakes and that they can approach their parents or other family members with confidence when looking for guidance and wise counsel. 

Upcoming Events

• 31st May – 2nd June – Year 12 Retreat

• 1st June  – ACC Interschool Cross-country

• 14th June – The Makuru Music Concert

• 21st June – Volleyball competition

• 22nd June – World Religions excursion

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

Soft Skills- are they really ‘soft’?

I recently attended a conference on innovation in education. Some of the topics covered included entrepreneurship, technology and jobs of the future. Alongside the techspeak and global focus, there was the common thread of ‘soft skills’. This has caused me to reflect on the term ‘soft skills’. Soft skills include the following- integrity, dependability, effective communication, team-work, problem solving, critical thinking, organisation, adaptability, willingness to learn and empathy. Now I don’t know about you, but I read that list and I don’t consider it ‘soft’. I consider these essential.

At the recent Year 10 Spring Soiree, I witnessed our young people displaying many of these soft skills. Dependability- they showed up, on time and followed the given dress code. Team-work and the willingness to learn were all displayed at the event and in the lead up as the students learned some formal dancing. They adapted when their dance partner had two left feet and communicated effectively when dancing with staff whose skill set lies elsewhere.

Although there may be many hard skills required for the jobs of the future, my take-away is that these are of little use without the (not so) soft skills.

Sarah Stockton-Rice

Deputy Head of Secondary

REMEMBRANCE DAY 2022

On Friday 11 November students, staff and community members came together in the Primary Forum to commemorate Remembrance Day. As is the tradition, those who died and suffered while serving in Australia’s armed forces in war and conflict were remembered.

CARRAMAR 2023 CAPTAINS

Congratulations to the following students who have been appointed Captains for 2023. The Captains will be officially announced and given their badges at Presentation Evening.

SPRING SOIREE

Last week the Year 10 students attended the annual Spring Soiree. It was a beautiful evening organised by Gillian Erasmus. Mr Batten filled the big shoes left by Mr Gilchrist and took on the role of dance instructor. The students danced the night away, showing off their new dancing and etiquette skills.

The staff at AQWA were very impressed with our students and commented several times on the manners displayed throughout the night.

Sarah Stockton-Rice

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

Ask school Reception for more information

LEGO TEAM NEWS

Another fantastic effort from our FRANKENBRIK LEGO team on Saturday 12 November.

We just missed out on the top prize for the robot run but receiving the second place trophy is our best result so far.

We also received the runner up trophy  for the Core Values task.

The Carramar and Duncraig Primary teams also had a great day both getting winner trophies and making it through to the nationals.

Congratulations to the following secondary students on an awesome achievement.

• Aden Randell
• Luke Shirdon
• Steven Trinh
• David Bejan
• Elijah Bosma
• Jackson Proctor
• Fateh Hundal
• Jacob Stapleton

Tim Drake

CARRAMAR PRESENTATION EVENING

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

HOLIDAY WORKSHOP

BASEBALL

Carramar year 7 and 8 students competed in the Baseball WA championships today at the Baseball Stadium in Thornlie. Both teams played very well and there was an amazing amount of improvement throughout the day. One of the teams nearly went through the day undefeated, losing to the eventual winners Mazanod in the last round to leave them in 2nd place.

-Adam Dwyer

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! 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. 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!

RESOURCE LIST 2023 (Yr 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).

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

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.

2023 JANUARY HOLIDAY CLASSES

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

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