Carramar Secondary Snapshot

Dear Families,

The academic year has ended and the wonderful season of Christmas is upon us:

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life

 John 1:14

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth

This year, together with the students and you, our families, we have achieved many wonderful things that are unquantifiable in terms of the impact they have had on the personal growth, learning outcomes, understanding of the less fortunate and development of positive relationships for the students, your children. Every year presents its own challenges but, so too do these challenges themselves become the very opportunity for exercising initiative and creativity and the chance to leverage our excellence and vision so that we might perform even more highly.

To all students, parents, friends, families and staff, may your Christmas be truly blessed, may laughter and joy resound throughout your houses and may the peace of Christ, the Holy One born for us so that we might have eternal life with our Father, be with you at this most special time of year.

God bless

Brett Roberts – Head of Campus

SCIENCE

An ongoing project for Year 7 Science students this year was their research into bush tucker plants. This journey of discovery began with an excursion to King’s Park to see a wide range of Australian plants growing in their ideal habitats. Students studied the growing conditions and adaptations of Australian plants, as well as learning about their traditional use as food or medicine by Aboriginal people. Over Science Week, Year 7 students got to taste a variety of these bush tucker plants and planted a bush tucker garden with the Kindy students. The final phase of the bush tucker project was a beautiful picture book that the Year 7 students created in Science. The picture book described in simple sentences and colourful graphics, what they had learned about bush tucker plants. Last week, the Year 7 students had an opportunity to read their picture books to their Kindy buddies.

Many thanks to Year 7 teachers Mrs Corrigan, Mrs Smoke and Mr Hayward for this lovely project.”

Elizabeth Kirby Head Of Learning Area Science

2022 SCHOOL FEE PAYMENT OPTIONS

Dear Parents/ Guardians,

In 2022, similar to 2021, 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 instalments or annual upfront) that you had in place in 2021 will continue automatically in 2022.

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

1 upfront payment due on 31 January 2022 (2% discount); or

44 weekly payments starting on 3 February 2022; or

22 fortnightly payments starting on 3 February 2022; or

22 fortnightly payments starting on 10  February 2022; or

10 monthly payments starting on 2 February 2022; or

10 monthly payments starting on 17 February 2022; or

3 instalments (BPAY only) on 18 February 2022, 18 May 2022 and 18 August 2022

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.

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 Manage stored cards and direct debits to bank accounts (https://edinfo.ststephens.wa.edu.au/ManageStoredCards.aspx).

On 11 January 2022 your annual fee invoice will be available for you to view on the Parent Portal in the ‘School Payments’ tab – select Statements and receipt history (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

HOLIDAY READING

CARRAMAR UNIFORM SHOP 

HOLIDAY PROGRAM – STEMSmart

Looking for activities these school holidays?

STEMSmart are coming to St Stephen’s School Duncraig with STEM fun for all ages.

Previously Fire Tech Australia, STEMSmart run two-day STEM workshops in coding, ROBLOX, Minecraft, VR and Lego stop-motion.

Dates: 10th – 14th January 2022

Cost: $260 (or $230 BYOD)

For more information visit their new website at https://www.bestemsmart.com.au/courses/in-person-camps/holiday-workshops/

or call STEMSmart on 1300 347 383.

 

PROMOTING A GROWTH MINDSET

As the 2021 academic year draws to a close there will be one primary thought occupying our minds. We will be excited to have concluded the year and will begin making our plans for the Christmas Season and summer holiday experiences. However, at this time students will receive their Academic Report for Semester Two. It is very important that students and families set some time aside to examine the final marks and grades achieved and to reflect upon achievement, the effectiveness of work habits and the setting of future goals.

With this in mind, it is useful to frame these reflections and conversations using a “growth mindset”. There are two main mindsets with which life can be navigated: growth and fixed. Having a growth mindset is essential for success.

A fixed mindset believes that the results obtained are a direct result of innate ability. They are a result of qualities that are carved in stone and can’t be changed. A growth mindset believes that results indicate what needs to be addressed, dealt with and learned from. Results will indicate what qualities need to be cultivated and worked upon. In short, the fixed mindset sees failure as an affirmation of inability whilst the growth mindset sees failure as an opportunity to learn and improve. To quote Carol Dweck, whose research established this concept: “in the growth mindset, failure can be a painful experience but it doesn’t define you. It’s a problem to be faced, dealt with, and learned from.”

In using this opportunity to reflect upon student results, there are three simple ideas that can be used to frame the discussion and will help promote a growth mindset.

1. Focus discussion on work habits and effort rather than actual achievement.
   It is important to recognise and celebrate high achievement but don’t praise intelligence or talent, rather, praise the work ethic. Praise (or critique) the process with which students engage in their study: their effort, their strategies, their focus, their perseverance, their improvement. A focus on process builds students who are hardy and resilient and who begin to understand that that they have personal agency in their achievement.
2.  How we word things affects confidence. A useful approach when promoting a growth mindset, particularly when dealing with disappointing results, is to use the words ‘yet’ or ‘not yet,’ i.e. “You haven’t achieved the result you wanted yet, but you can apply yourself and you will”. Using these words will give students greater confidence, providing a future mindset that creates greater persistence. These words help students understand that they are on a learning curve. They begin to understand that their abilities can be developed. Encourage them that every time they push out of their comfort zone to learn something new and difficult, the neurons in their brain can form new, stronger connections, and over time, their understanding improves.
3.  Take the opportunity to set academic goals for next year. Engage in discussions about next year’s goals and possible futures beyond next year. 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. Discuss pathways, options and possibilities.

Take the opportunity to set academic goals for next year. Engage in discussions about next year’s goals and possible futures beyond next year. 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. 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.

This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities and level of achievement are things you can cultivate through personal efforts. It engenders motivation for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well. The growth mindset serves students well, it provides an effective attitude for their learning and is of great benefit in future pursuits beyond school.

Stephen Meagher (Deputy Head of Secondary)

YEAR 11 RETREAT 2021

What a resounding success! For 2021 the Year 11 Retreat was revamped and re-badged and, to all in attendance, it was a resounding success. The student feedback was extremely positive and the staff in loci were very satisfied with the structure and the meeting of the desired outcomes.

Based upon the premise that “You’ve got this” (alluding to Year 12), the students were encouraged to understand that they are skilled, equipped, supported and eminently able to deal with the pressures and stressors of Year 12. Indeed, they should embrace the journey and enjoy everything that the year and school has to offer.

Guest speakers, Harry Taylor (Geelong superstar and two-time Premiership player), Tessa Dorotich (2015 Alumni, staff member and professional artist) and Raj Bose and Caleb Lampard (2019 Alumni, university student and apprentice respectively) were roundly applauded and the students greeted their tips and messages with enthusiasm, circumspection, and mountains of thanks.

Activities of geocaching and high-ropes challenged the students but this was soon forgotten with the opportunity to shoot some hoops, sit and chat or swim in the pool. Finishing with a Taize style Worship service in the Chapel on Thursday evening, walking there in silence with each individual carrying a candle, was a deep, calming and reflective time for all.

Our intent is that the gift of a diary containing direction, encouragement, mindfulness tips and teachings about a growth mindset will be a critical tool to enable our 2022 Year 12s to be strong and capable and know that, indeed, “they do have this”.

What a great Retreat! Well, done to all concerned!

Brett Roberts (Head of Campus)

YEAR 9 CAMP

Last week the Yr 9s ventured down to Kaadadjan to complete the final stage of their Yr 9 COMPASS program.  Starting off with a hike from Dwellingup to Kaadadjan, students then had the opportunity to participate in an indigenous cultural session, mountain biking, high ropes and rafting sessions.

In the evening they reflected on their Yr 9 journey and identified strategies that will help them navigate their way through the challenges of the future.  The much anticipated “Lantern Stalk” was a highlight along with the flying ant infestation that we are sure will leave lasting memories.

Craig Thomas

LEGO LEAGUE 2022

On Saturday we once again hosted the Northern Regional Heats of the 2021 First LEGO League with some 36 schools taking part on a hot and steamy day of LEGO, teamwork, robots, nerds and fun.

I am pleased to report that our Secondary Team “Space Truckers” walked away with the “Rising All Stars” award and a place in the “Nationals” on the 11 December (woohoo!).

Please congratulate our awesome team,

Hayley Wenn, Kyra Bartels, Bethan Lockwood-Jones, Aden Randell, Steven Trinh, Elijah Bosma, David Bejan, Harry Blair, Luke Shirdon, and Torin Doak (who was unfortunately not able to attend due to illness).

The Carramar Primary (Cargo Cows) also did fantastically well taking out the Core Values trophy along with Duncraig Primary who will also join us at the Nationals.

Hopefully we will blitz then on the 11 December at Curtin.

Tim Drake

 

IS A LIBRARY BOOK LURKING IN YOUR HOUSE?

Could families please have a look at home for library books that may have been forgotten and return them to the library? We will be very appreciative of these lost books returning to the library so they may be read again.

Library books will have stickers on the spine showing letters, numbers or genre symbols. The book will also have a Carramar Library stamp in one of the first pages.

We would love to have these books back.

Amanda Roberts (Teacher Librarian – Carramar Secondary)

CARRAMAR SECONDARY PRESENTATION EVENING

2022 SECONDARY BOOKLIST

The 2022 Secondary Booklists are now available via the Parent Portal or via this link:  https://portal.ststephens.wa.edu.au/parent-and-student/plan-the-term/book-lists.html

EXAM FAQ

 Exam time can be a stressful time for the whole family. We wanted to provide a simple explanation about some of the Frequently Asked Questions we receive around results and the meaning behind some of the commonly used acronyms and phrases.

We would like to firstly note that League Tables, which have become widely used as a simple measurement of results in the media, rank schools based upon single measure metrics.

However, schools provide a range of opportunities that are not reflected in many of these tables including service learning, work experience, tours, camps and the like. Different practices between schools regarding scholarships, pathways and subject selections also mean that results are not comparing like for like.

As St Stephen’s believes in the holistic education of a child with both academic achievement and student wellbeing being central to what “success” looks like for a Year 12 graduate, perhaps a more accurate table or statistic to look at for university-bound students is what percentage of students got into university.

• What are the league tables?

While some find merit in the single metric measurements of league tables, at St Stephen’s, we find they only provide a limited snapshot of achievements and do not reflect all students who undertake Year 12 studies in different areas.

Since 2016, the three tables commonly reported on are: the percentage of students obtaining a WACE, the median ATAR and schools’ performance in VET (this is the percentage of students who achieve a Certificate II or higher compared to those who attempted it is the metric – in the last few years St Stephen’s has been achieving a 100% rating in this space).

• What is the WASSA?

All students receive a Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA) when they complete Year 12. The WASSA was introduced to WA in recent years to bring the State’s reporting in line with the rest of the country. It formally records a student’s achievement in every course, qualification and program completed in senior secondary schooling and provides evidence of achievement.

• What is the WACE?

The West Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) is awarded to students who have successfully completed senior secondary schooling and have met the specific WACE requirements.

These include either achieving an ATAR score (complete at least four Year 12 ATAR courses) or a Certificate II (or higher) in a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification, plus meeting literacy and numeracy standards, grade standards and studying a breadth of subjects. More information about the requirements can be found on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website at senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au.

• What is ATAR and how is it calculated?

ATAR stands for Australian Tertiary Admission Rank. It is used to rank students who wish to enter public universities in Australia relative to one another. Find more at www.tisc.edu.au/static/guide/atar-about.tisc.

The ATAR is calculated by averaging moderated school marks and examination marks to determine a combined course mark. These scores are then standardised and then scaled.

The top 4 scaled scores of appropriate course combinations are added together to produce the School Leaver Tertiary Entrance Aggregate, this is then converted into an ATAR score. Find more here: www.tisc.edu.au/static-fixed/statistics/misc/marks-adjustment-process.pdf

• Why is calculating the ATAR so complicated?

The statistical processes used are done in the interests of fairness for all.

Moderation of school marks occurs to ensure that students are neither advantaged or disadvantaged as a result of differences in the standards of assessment and marking that occurs within different schools.

Standardising marks is to compensate for variations that may occur in the difficulty of particular examinations from year to year.

Scaling takes account of the ability of students undertaking different courses to ensure that students taking difficult courses are not disadvantaged or advantaged if they take an easier one.

• What is VET?

VET stands for Vocational Education and Training. It provides students with qualifications recognised nationally by industry and training organisations. At senior school level, the qualifications offered are usually Certificate I, II, III, or IV courses. More at senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/vet/faqs.

SSS DANCE COMPANY AUDITIONS

Application forms are available from Reception

LOST PROPERTY

If your child is missing any lost property please get them to check in each  of the three Houses and also the Gym as there is a considerable amount of jackets, jumpers , water bottles and other items which will be disposed of at the end of the year if not claimed.

CHRIST vs COVID

As we begin to exit these restrictions and learn to deal with COVID in our world, the next few months promise to be an exciting time for many. As restrictions of state and international borders begin to ease, many families and friends separated by the pandemic are looking forward to sharing with each other, face to face, for the first time, in a long time.

Throughout the past 2 years, the first thing that has come out of our mouths, has tended to be the lasting impact of COVID. Many infections and sadly deaths, multiple variants and restrictions have impacted the entire world. Restrictions have hardened and eased, hardened, and eased, and this continual state of the unknown, what next and the what if, has tested and unsettled the mental, social, and emotional fabric of both individuals and society at large. Now as we approach the new normal, I would like to think that individually and as a school community, we could focus on substituting our COVID commentary to a Christ inspired commentary.

Using health guidelines similar to COVID, I believe we can help to keep ourselves and others safe and healthy by substituting hand sanitiser, masks, PPE, head protection, quarantine and self-isolation with the following:

Hand sanitiser – using our hands to do the work of Christ. Hands that could bring joy, peace, and love to both those who need it by serving others

Masks – rather than simply covering our mouth from coughing. Perhaps we could think of the mask as something that we should use in helping to protect us from speaking poorly of others. To help us share words that build up and show care and concern for all people not the bring others down.

PPE – gowns and headshields – Wearing a garment of righteousness so that our hearts don’t become hardened to hearing about those who are in need – famine, disease, financial distress and political unrest. When we see hurt and injustice, our fight for justice is so important, particularly for those who cannot fight for themselves.

Head protection – substituting the protection so that our thinking involves changing our thoughts to an ‘others first’ mindset.

And finally moving from quarantine and self-isolation – to a focus on engagement, supporting the broader community through volunteering and service.

Jesus Christ has set an example of how we should live. Philippians 2: 3 – 4 says ^“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” As we exit COVID may we each appreciate, the positive impact we as individuals can have on the wider community.

Russell Gilchrist (Dean of Parresia)

Remembrance Day – We Will Remember Them

Staff and students from Yrs 3-10 commemorated Remembrance Day with a special service to remember those who died or suffered for Australia’s cause in all wars and armed conflicts.

Year 10 Spring Soiree

We had a sensational evening. AQUA, the new venue was fantastic. Students enjoyed access to the aquarium including the underwater tunnel. Mr Batten took some great photos of the students in front of a gorgeous sunset backdrop.

The highlight of the evening was of course the dancing, especially the ‘Heel & Toe Polka’.

The Year 10’s truly rose to the occasion and displayed great composure and etiquette throughout the entire evening. I am personally very proud of them.

It was a night, with many memorable moments that I am sure they will all cherish for years to come.

Awards:

Best female dressed: Ellie Dobson

Best male dressed: Dante Sinagra

Ms Manners: Isabella Kerrigan

Mr Manners: Alistair Cross

Best male dancer: Alex Williams

Best female dancer: Neha Jim

Gillian Erasmus

Year 9 Outdoor Education – Rottnest Camp

Last week the year 9 Outdoor Education class were blessed with three wonderful days at Rottnest where they were able to experience the underwater beauty found right on Perth’s doorstep. Students made the most of the conditions to fine tune their snorkelling skills and were joined on many occasions by dolphins, sting rays, cuttlefish, octopus and hundreds of various fish species.  In addition to the underwater experiences, students took a moment to remember fallen soldiers at the Oliver Hill Gun Battery, find out more about the Indigenous spiritual connection to the island and the changing way that we have interacted with Rottnest over the last 100 years.

Craig Thomas

Ethics Olympiad 2021

On Monday 8 November, two teams from St Stephen’s competed in the 2021 WA Middle School Ethics Olympiad via Zoom, having spent 4 lessons with Mr Bosma and Ms Phillips learning about various ethical frameworks and interrogating the case studies to be addressed on the day of the competition.  During the Ethics Olympiad, the teams discussed the ethical dilemmas posed by the 8 different case studies such as the right to be forgotten on the internet, and whether it’s a lie if you believe it. The competition was of a high calibre and the Olympiad included teams from Aquinas, Scotch, Iona Presentation College and Penrhos College.  Although St Stephen’s did not proceed to the next round, the teams should be extremely proud of their efforts.  Congratulations to all involved on a magnificent Olympiad!

Sarah Phillips

Service Learning – Gingin

Last Thursday, a number of Year 9 students offered their labour to residents in Gingin who for various reasons need a little help. It was a warm day and little to no shade to begin with. This did not deter any of our students who worked diligently and did an amazing job and learned a few new skills which I am sure they will be using to help their parents in their own gardens.

Mark Batten

Carramar Secondary Presentation Night 2021

The St Stephen’s Carramar Secondary Presentation Evening will be held on Monday 6 December 2021 in the Sports & Learning Centre at Carramar beginning at 6.45pm.  Parents will be advised if their child will be receiving an award, in the week prior to the event.    Please follow the link below to secure tickets for your family:  https://events.humanitix.com/csp2021

 

Is a Library Book Lurking in Your House?

Could families please have a look at home for library books that may have been forgotten and return them to the library? We will be very appreciative of these lost books returning to the library so they may be read again.

Library books will have stickers on the spine showing letters, numbers or genre symbols. The book will also have a Carramar Library stamp in one of the first pages.

We would love to have these books back.

Amanda Roberts (Teacher Librarian – Carramar Secondary)

 

Christmas Backpack Appeal

Please donate items to help fill backpacks for those students that will be facing a new year without the necessary stationary. Your child’s Homeroom teacher will have a list of allocated items for students to donate.

Backpacks will be donated to the Smith Family and No Limits.

 

Donna Lund (Service Learning Coordinator)

Share the Dignity

Each November ‘Share the Dignity’ donate thousands of bags to those in need across the country filled with essentials and special gifts to make Christmas one to remember. Essential items could include soap, body wash, toothbrush, toothpaste, sanitary products etc and for something special maybe book, drink bottle, face/baby wipes, makeup, jewellery, socks, nail polish, movie tickets are just a few suggestions.

Over the past 4 years our Year 9 – 12 girls at Carramar have been collecting, packing and delivering these bags to women of need. 2020’s campaign will run from the 20th of November until the 28th of November.

We need YOU to help us break our previous bag record of 100 handbags for woman in emergency accommodation situations.

Please consider donating your pre-loved handbags (or thin out your partners collection) – or pop into your local Salvo’s and grab a bag there. We also want all of those unopened hotel toiletries hiding in the back of your bathrooms – that might never get another chance  see the light of day!

Donations can be left at Reception or student’s can leave at Sarah Stockton-Rice’s or Lesley Nation’s office in Charis.

More information on Share the Dignity can be viewed by clicking on the below link:

https://www.sharethedignity.org.au/itsinthebag

Lesley Nation

2022 Secondary Booklists

The 2022 Secondary Booklists are now available via the Parent Portal or via this link:  https://portal.ststephens.wa.edu.au/parent-and-student/plan-the-term/book-lists.html

Mastermind – Jump Start Program

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

This week marks the start of the Glasgow Climate Change Conference, where 200 countries are being asked to outline their plans to cut emissions.

Science has proven beyond a doubt, that human activity is a key contributor to climate change. We are witnessing the impacts of this change in real time. Bushfires are increasing in frequency and intensity. Extreme weather events are on the rise.

It is disheartening then, to find that our country is not committing to doing its part, as a global citizen, to help reduce emissions. According to Lesley Hughes, a climate scientist at Macquarie University and a councillor at the Climate Council “Australia has an absolutely terrible international reputation on climate action and that’s been laid out in report after report after report” (2021). Thankfully most states and territories have taken up the challenge and there are many good strategies being implemented.

It is easy to get frustrated with the difficult. To dismiss what feels too hard. But there is still much that we can do. We can control our own individual actions in reducing our carbon footprint. We can opt to put on a jumper instead of switching on the heating, walking, or riding on those short journeys rather than opting for the car.

We also have a responsibility to question our leaders and the decisions they make on our behalf. The consequences of not doing so are simply too great. God calls upon mankind to be stewards of the Earth and to take measures to protect the environment.

Our leaders must be called to account and must lead us all towards a better future. And if they can’t then we need to consider carefully if they are worthy of the roles that we have given them.

Reference: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-01/australia-climate-change-reputation-ahead-of-cop26-warming-talks/100579386

Mark Batten (Dean Makaria)

YEAR 10 OUTDOOR EDUCATION CAMP 

Last week the Yr 10 OE class participated in an overnight camp to Lancelin where they had the opportunity to put their surfing skills to the test. For many of the students this was their last OE camp and one where they were able to utilise the many skills that they have learnt over the past two years. Thankfully the bad weather seemed to pass above and below us so the only time we got wet was when we were in the water.

Craig Thomas

 

YEAR 8 ROTTNEST CAMP

On Wednesday 27 of October the Year 8’s set sail over the rough waters bound to Rottnest for their 2021 camp.

Three days full of adventure, activities, learning and new experiences really challenged the students but they all rose to the occasion, managing to not only budget their money but test new skills which they may not normally be exposed to.

As a Science and HASS based camp, students were asked to test pH levels, discuss sustainability projects as well as participate on a guided tour focusing on Rottnest’s importance in protecting WA during WW2.

The rough waters of day 1 soon cleared which allowed students to discover the beauty that lay beneath the ocean. Students loved snorkelling and exploring Rottnest’s hidden gems.

All year 8 students should be congratulated on navigating this year’s camp. We hope the learning, experiences and new skills that students were able to form over these three days are just the beginning for their growth and continual development.

Mr Torquato and Miss Glacken

SECONDARY PRESENTATION EVENING

The St Stephen’s Carramar Secondary Presentation evening will be held on Monday 6 December 2021 in the Sports & Learning Centre at Carramar beginning at 6.45pm.  Parents will be advised if their child will be receiving an award, in the week prior to the event.    Please follow the link below to secure tickets for your family:  https://events.humanitix.com/csp2021

REMEMBRANCE DAY POPPIES

In the lead up to Remembrance Day, 11 November poppies are available to purchase at Reception for a gold coin donation.

All Poppy Appeal donations go directly into assisting veterans, and their families, in need. The importance of these funds continues to be highly relevant as we support veterans of recent conflicts, such as Iraq, Afghanistan and East Timor, alongside the ageing population from past conflicts

Donna Lund (Service Learning Coordinator)

CHRISTMAS BACKPACK APPEAL

Please donate items to help fill backpacks for those students that will be facing a new year without the necessary stationary. Your child’s Homeroom teacher will have a list of allocated items for students to donate.

Backpacks will be donated to the Smith Family and No Limits.

Donna Lund (Service Learning Coordinator)

IS A LIBRARY BOOK LURKING IN YOUR HOUSE?

Could families please have a look at home for library books that may have been forgotten and return them to the library? We will be very appreciative of these lost books returning to the library so they may be read again.

Library books will have stickers on the spine showing letters, numbers or genre symbols. The book will also have a Carramar Library stamp in one of the first pages.

We would love to have these books back.

Amanda Roberts (Teacher Librarian – Carramar Secondary)

 

AUSTRALIAN GIRLS CHOIR

SSS DANCE COMPANY AUDITIONS

Application forms are available from Reception

WAAPA SUMMER SCHOOL 2022

Join us on campus at WAAPA in January 2022! 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, Drama, Screen performance, Jazz and Music Theatre mean 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 waapa.ecu.edu.au/summer-school 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 

 

 

Have you ever wondered why your teenager is so disorganised, impulsive or emotional? The brain is to blame!

The human brain is the most complex and fascinating organ in the body. We can thank our brain for everything we think, feel, and understand about the world around us. Our brains are an intricate network of electrochemical impulses that shape who we are and what we do. Thanks to movies, books and social media, the idea that we only use 10% of our brain is widely accepted. However, this is a myth. Research using MRI scans has shown that most of the brain is active most of the time. That said, researchers also agree that we only know 1% of what we’d like to know about this brilliant organ.

The development of the brain can be described as a marathon rather than a sprint and this is an important point to remember when living or working with teenagers.

Let’s consider the limbic system and the cerebrum. The limbic system of the brain enables us to process memories and emotions. The cerebrum allows us to have conscious thought and is responsible for both logical and analytical thinking. Unfortunately these two parts of the brain do not mature simultaneously. The limbic system matures earlier than the prefrontal lobe of the cerebrum and therefore, teenager’s emotions do not have an “off switch” until later in their development. Throw in a few fluctuating hormones and neurotransmitters and…cue chaos!

So what can we do to help? We can

• set boundaries that are clear and unambiguous
• open the lines of communication
• listen, listen and listen
• model appropriate behaviour such as how to act when we are frustrated, angry or feeling any other emotion
• guide them
• encourage them
• love them

The positive role modelling teenagers see in the adults around them will significantly impact the connections made in their brain. This will then be visible in their behaviour as they mature into young adults.

Sarah Stockton-Rice (Dean Charis)

YEAR 11 CERT II OUTDOOR RECREATION

The Yr 11 Cert II Outdoor Recreation class spent the week in Kalbarri where they hiked through the Kalbarri gorges along the Murchison River.  Having to be self-sufficient and ensure that they had little impact on the environment was a challenge for the whole group, but the opportunity to escape civilisation in such a wonderful landscape was worth the effort.  Walking on 400 million year old rock ledges, swimming in the river and camping under the stars was an amazing experience.  The muscle soreness will ease quickly but hopefully the memories will last a lifetime.

Craig Thomas

AQUA EXPLORATION REC PROGRAM

Last week at Mindarie students in the Marine and Aqua Rec program enjoyed catching some fish (blowies), crabs and prawns.

David Bosma

FRENCH SPEAKING COUNTRIES STICKER COMPETITION

At the end of Term 3, Year 7 students participated in an inter-school competition organised by the Teachers of French Association. Students put their knowledge and creativity to work to share their vision of La Francophonie – French-speaking countries world.

They selected their best creations to represent their school. Results will be known in Term 4.

Laurence Kuntz (French Teacher)

LANGUAGES WEEK & FRENCH DAY

In Term 4 week 3, SSS will celebrate Language week. An opportunity for all students to explore and reflect on the benefits of language diversity to build a better world.

Language activities will be offered in class including an inter-campus competition for Year 6 and 7 to experience 10 new languages and challenge their linguistic skills.

On Friday 29 october, Carramar campus will have a French Day. On that day, students have the opportunity to wear accessories to celebrate French colours and a French meal and chocolate croissants will be available at the school canteen.

Laurence Kuntz (French Teacher)

REMEMBRANCE DAY POPPIES

In the lead up to Remembrance Day, 11 November poppies are available to purchase at Reception for a gold coin donation.

All Poppy Appeal donations go directly into assisting veterans, and their families, in need. The importance of these funds continues to be highly relevant as we support veterans of recent conflicts, such as Iraq, Afghanistan and East Timor, alongside the ageing population from past conflicts

Donna Lund (Service Learning Coordinator)

VACSWIM ENROLMENTS

Secondary school

If your child is over 13 years old, you can enrol them in VacSwim so they can get their Bronze Medallion during the summer school holidays. They’ll learn advanced survival, rescue and resuscitation skills to help keep them and others safe in the water.

Enrol now at education.wa.edu.au/vacswim

 

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.