Term 2 Week 8 - 20 June 2025

The Gospel from last Sunday came from John 16: 12-15 which describes Jesus telling his disciples that he has more to teach them, but they cannot yet fully understand it. He then introduces the Holy Spirit as the spirit of truth who will guide them into all truth, glorifying Jesus by taking what is His and revealing it to them. I found the Gospel to be very topical at St Paul’s this week as our wonderful Year 12 cohort undertake and complete their next NESA assessment period. St Paul’s has entered our third year with a specific HSC assessment period where the College has designated specific assessment periods per Term rather than tasks spread throughout the Term. I consider this to be best practice in schools following over 25 years of administering such processes. I am very confident that our Year 12 students will continue to discover the truth in their academic studies by working positively and collaboratively with their teachers all the way up until the end of the HSC. There is the enduring force of God’s Holy Spirit which I have the privilege of experiencing daily at St Paul’s, none stronger than the efforts of our staff in nurturing truth and the aim to be a better person for all of our students within ours and the wider community.

2025 College expectations
I had the wonderful opportunity to speak to the whole school community last Wednesday 11 June regarding some reflections during my absence on my recent Long Service Leave period away from the College. I spoke to our community about the expectations I addressed on our first day of 2025 which focussed on three themes:

GATES - when we enter the gates at St Paul’s we treat each other with kindness, we are safe together and we celebrate and support our motto ('Let your light shine') emblazoned on our uniform;

ADVOCACY - everyone has a voice in our community, there is always someone you can ask for advice or support;

OUR CLASSROOM IS POSITIVE AND BUILT FOR LEARNING - the classroom is our time of learning and improving, it must be built on positive relationships with inspiring teaching and NO disruption. During my discussion with our students I emphasised that if any student continues to breach these fundamental expectations, I will organise a meeting with the student and their family with me as soon as possible. Our College has always been founded on high expectations inside and outside the classroom based on our motto, 'Let your light shine', where each student is cared for and nurtured to allow their light to shine. We all have an important role to play to continue to enhance the wonderful spirit of our College as we discussed last Wednesday.

St Paul’s Feast Day - Monday 30 June
I would like to draw everyone’s attention to our upcoming St Paul’s Feast Day on Monday 30 June. The HSC Studies of Religion students currently study St Paul as the important person for their HSC examination; St Paul was an energetic fellow who undertook a dramatic conversion to advocate and make Christianity accessible following the death of Jesus Christ. There is a great synergy between the purpose and drive of St Paul with the enduring enthusiasm and pride of our College within the Macleay and Nambucca Valleys in 2025 - both parties are founded on great energy and spirit! Our Feast Day provides opportunities for us to share in our spirit across the day during many fun activities culminating in a whole school talent show. This gathering throughout the past few years has been a wonderful example of our school spirit, where students and staff from varying skills have a go in providing entertaining performances for our College community, it is always lots of fun and laughs. I am expecting a great attendance and participation for the day.

St Paul’s Semester 1 Awards - Wednesday 30 July
St Paul’s has celebrated a range of wonderful academic, spiritual, cultural and sporting achievements from Semester 1 2025. Families are warmly invited to the Semester 1 Awards ceremony on Wednesday 30 July (Wednesday Week 2, Term 3) where these important achievements can be celebrated amongst our College community.

Kind regards

Mr Geoff Melville  BRurScEd, MEd, GCertRE

Principal

kmps@lism.catholic.edu.au

As the cooler months settle in, we want to make sure every student stays comfortable—and in uniform—throughout the school day. Please check that your child has the correct school hoodie/pullover and jacket (clearly labelled with their name) each morning before heading to school.

A few quick reminders:

• Winter uniform options: Our uniform supplier Team Spirit has a range of approved winter uniform options, including long pants and pullovers, detailed in their online shop: Team Spirit Sports Username: stpauls Password: uniform10
  College Uniform policy
• Layers are key: A lightweight base layer under the uniform can help your child stay warm without compromising our uniform requirements. Singlets are ideal for this purpose. Undershirts are not permitted.
• Female students are permitted to wear black or navy stockings instead of the College uniform socks during cooler weather.
• Lost property: Clearly marked names make it easier for misplaced items to find their way back to their owners.
• Spare layer: If possible, keep an extra, labelled school pullover or similar in your child’s bag for unexpected temperature drops.
  
  

Please note: College uniform track pants are as pictured below (these are available exclusively from our uniform supplier Team Spirit). Students wearing any other track pants are in breach of the College's uniform policy.

Thank you for helping us maintain a consistent and comfortable learning environment. If you have any questions about our winter uniform requirements, please contact the College.

Geoff Melville
Principal

Subject Selection - Year 10
This is a reminder that Subject Selection evening will take place next week - Wednesday 25 June. This is a compulsory evening for all students and their parents who wish to continue their schooling at St Paul's into their HSC years.

This will be followed by an in person meeting with a member of the College leadership team on 30 and 31 July during the day. We will inform you of how to book these meetings at the subject selection evening. This is also a compulsory part of the process.

Year 12
Congratulations to the Year 12 cohort who will be finishing their assessments on Monday. So many of the students have worked incredibly hard in the lead up to this assessment period. We are very proud of them.

A reminder that the Trial HSC period is 18 - 29 August. This is an incredibly important assessment block for the students as it prepares them for the reality of the HSC exams. Please ensure your child is not absent for their exam period.

Year 7-10 Reports
Teachers are busy writing reports at the moment to give you valuable feedback on your child's progress. These reports will be released at the end of Term and we encourage you to sit with your children to talk through the reports.

Year 11 Assessment Schedule
Year 11 will begin their Term 2 assessments next week. Please look at the schedule with your child to ensure you are supporting them at this busy time.

Attendance at school during these two weeks is mandatory. We do understand that there is a lot of sickness around at the moment. Students must follow the guidelines on the notification if they are unwell on the day of or the day before a task. This is incredibly important as it follows the necessary guidance from NESA in preparation for their HSC.

• Year 11 Assessment Schedule

Please reach out if you have any questions about the learning for your students.

Ms Kate Fullbrook - Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching

kate.fullbrook@lism.catholic.edu.au

Families are asked to ensure that their child/ren are equipped throughout the school year with the listed equipment. 

Required equipment lists for students in 2025 can be found here:

• Year 7 and 8 Compulsory Equipment
• Year 9 and 10 Compulsory Equipment
• Year 11 and 12 Compulsory Equipment

The required equipment lists are also available via Parent Resources in Compass School Documentation.

Short Course Marketplace
On Wednesday, all Year 8 and 9 students attended the Short Course Marketplace to have a look at the range of the elective courses on offer for 2026. This was such a fantastic afternoon and the students were buzzing with excitement. For more information please refer to the Short Course Handbook.

Mrs Amy Tovey - Leader of Curriculum

amy.tovey@lism.catholic.edu.au

Year 10 into Year 11 Subject Selection Evening
One minute you’re cruising through school, and the next everyone’s asking about your future, whether you want to go to university, or careers you’ve barely heard of. Here’s why we hold our subject selection evening and insist parents/carers are there too:

You don’t know what you don’t know
You might think you have it all figured out: you’re taking Advanced Maths and Physics because you want to study engineering. But later you attend a university information night and discover that some engineering programs actually prioritise design thinking and problem-solving over high-level mathematics. Your teachers and College staff can help guide these decisions during the subject selection process.

Real conversations about your choices
Teachers can explain exactly what it’s going to be like to take a subject in senior years, including how much coursework and what assessments to expect. Knowing you and your past performance, they can also help manage your expectations – for example, if English has never been your strong suit but you plan on selecting Extension English, you may need to work extra hard to keep up or your teachers may suggest a different level of English.

Apprenticeship and training providers will also be present to give you a clear picture of what study and work commitments involve day-to-day for the pathways you’re considering.

We expect families to come along
Even if your parents or carers encourage independence and support you to make your own choices, bringing them along to a subject selection event will provide a sounding board for ideas. They’ll hear the same information, ask different questions (usually the practical ones you haven’t thought of yet), and help you remember the important details later.

St Paul's Subject Selection evening will be held in the Edmund Rice Centre on Wednesday 25 June from 4.30pm - 6.00pm. We look forward to presenting the 2026 senior subjects. Remember, it’s completely normal to not have all the answers yet. But showing up, asking questions, and gathering information means you’ll be in a much better position to make choices you feel confident about.


Mrs Tess Meehan - Leader of the World of Work and Careers Literacy
tess.meehan@lism.catholic.edu.au

In a world that often moves fast and demands so much from each of us, it's important to pause and reflect on the values that make life truly meaningful—hope, kindness, and gratitude. These three virtues may seem simple, but they have the power to transform our College, our relationships, and even our own outlook on life.

Hope is what keeps us moving forward, even in uncertain times. It reminds us that better days are ahead and that we each have the strength to face challenges with courage. At our College, hope shows up in the way we set goals, try again after setbacks, and believe in our ability to grow and change.

Kindness is the action that brings hope to life. Whether it’s a smile, a helping hand, or a few words of encouragement, kindness builds connection. When students and staff treat one another with kindness, we create a school culture where everyone feels safe, supported, and valued.

And then there is gratitude—the quiet strength of recognising what we have, even in the middle of a busy or difficult day. Saying thank you, appreciating small blessings, and acknowledging the good in others reminds us how much we’re surrounded by people who care.

As we move forward in our year, let’s all make a special effort to practise these values every day. Let’s be the reason someone smiles. Let’s look for the good and speak it out loud. Let’s carry hope in our hearts and share it generously.

As we continue learning and growing together, may our College be known not just for academic success, but as a place where hope is alive, kindness is shared, and gratitude is part of who we are.

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:16


Mrs Lesa Morrison - Assistant Principal - Mission 

lesa.morrison@lism.catholic.edu.au

In celebration of the Jubilee Year, the Diocese of Lismore will be launching a Jubilee Art Prize reflecting the theme of hope as recently highlighted in CathNews: Arts celebrated as part of Jubilee 2025.

Who can enter
Artists of all ages and abilities - students, parishioners, families, and established artists associated with the Diocese through parishes or schools - to creatively explore the meaning of hope through visual art. Please refer to the flyer below for more information.

How to enter

• Entries must be submitted through the form on the Jubilee Art Prize webpage
• Before submitting, please read the Terms and Conditions.
• A checklist outlining the process for submitting physical artwork is available here: Checklist
• Entries close: Tuesday 5 August 2025
  

Prizes
There are a range of cash prizes for each category which can be viewed on the Jubilee Art Prize webpage. Overall there is a prize pool of $3,625.

Ignite 
Ignite is a dynamic and contemporary Catholic conference for adults, teenagers and children. Since it began in 2001, it has grown to become one of the largest Catholic youth events of its kind in Australia. The Ignite experience gets bigger every year and now regularly attracts over 1,500 young people, ministry leaders, priests, religious and parents from across our nation and beyond.

This year, in Brisbane, the Ignite conference will be held from 25-28 September. For all those in Year 7-12 who might be interested in attending, an expression of interest form will be shared early next week.

Mr Adam Clay - Leader of School Evangelisation

adam.clay@lism.catholic.edu.au

Each day your teen attends school, they’re shaping their future success.

krystal.brady@lism.catholic.edu.au

After many weeks of postponements it is great to have some sport to report on during Week 7 and 8 of Term 2.

NSWCCC Cross Country Championships
Amelia Wilson (15 Years girls) and Wilton Townsend (16 Years boys) have both been selected in the NSWCCC Cross Country Team for the NSW All Schools Cross Country after both coming 4th in the NSWCCC Cross Country Championships. The All Schools Cross Country will take place on Tuesday 22 July. We wish Amelia and Wilton every success in this event.

2025 NSW School Mountain Bike Series 
Congratulations to St Paul's students, Hudson Gidzala, Noah Bailey, Addison Norton and Perry Kennedy, who represented the College proudly at the third round of the 2025 NSW School Mountain Bike Series held at Nambucca Heads.

The competition was fierce across all the age groups. Riders on the day included Auscycling National Series representatives in Downhill, Gravity Enduro, Cross Country Olympic and Short Track, through to formed school mountain bike teams and quite a few first timers. Our students had the unique experience of racing the same tracks at the same time, against a wide selection of riders in their age group.

Over thirty high schools were represented and gained points through both participation and individual results.

Results for the day:

• St Paul's College MTB Cross Country - 9th in points for high schools.
• St Paul's College MTB Funduro - 15th in points for high schools.
• Hudson Gidzala
  U17s Cross Country - 5th
  U17s Funduro - 14th
• Noah Bailey
  U17s Cross Country - 9th
  U17s Funduro - 18th
• Addison Norton
  U15s Cross Country - 24th
  U15s Funduro - 34th
• Perry Kennedy
  U15s Cross Country - 28th
  U15s Funduro - 32nd
  
  

U15.1 - Pierson Kemp

Mr Will Pollock - U15.1 Coach

Diocesan Senior Football Gala Day
Thursday 12 June was a big day on the field for our open girls team, which for many, was their first game back for the season. With limited options for training due to the weather, the team pulled together and gave it a red hot crack.

Playing against St Joseph's Regional College in the first game, we were the better looking team, however two quick goals against us in the first half denied us a win. We knew MacKillop College and St John Paul College were our two hardest games, so we rallied together and pushed forward relentlessly.

Our biggest aim was to have as much fun as we could. The final game against Newman College resulted in a 4-0 win, which highlights the team’s skills and determination despite the other losses. Many thanks and congratulations to the Open girls team for their outstanding performance, attitude and dedication across the day.

Ms Shannon Thomas - Senior Girls Coach

The Open Boy's Football team were competitive during the Lismore Diocese Senior Football Gala Day which was played in Coffs Harbour on the synthetic pitches. It was nice to have a dry surface underfoot for the first time. In the first game, St Paul's narrowly went down to Regional College, in a 2-1 loss. The second game started well, with Julian Ardetti slotting a tidy penalty. The result ended in a 3-1 defeat.

St Paul's team came alive in the final game of the day, and came away with a convincing 5-2 win. Wolfe Hudson scored a hatrick, Shannon Smith nailing a goal from 20m out, and Julian Ardetti turning defenders inside out and getting a ball past the keeper.

The boys played in good spirits and I thank them for their efforts across the day. It's always a pleasure to take our students away, and to see them represent the College in a positive way.

Mr Heath Needs - Senior Boys Coach

AFL Junior Schools Cup
St Paul's team of Year 7 - 9 boys headed to Port Macquarie for the AFL Junior Schools Cup on Friday 13 June. The first two games played against Hastings Secondary College and St Columba Anglican School were successful with the team playing with determination and great team spirit. The two wins qualified St Paul's for the final against the talent-laden MacKillop College, who even had a NSW Under 15's representative among their ranks. While the team dared to dream of taking down the top seed, unfortunately MacKillop College’s superior ball use and game sense sent the team home without the win. Congratulations to the boys who played with incredible sportsmanship which they can be highly proud of.

Mr Paul Posterino - Junior Boys Coach

The girls AFL presented with the strongest numbers out of the five teams that entered. With the majority of our players from Years 7 and 8, the team did exceptionally well playing older and more experienced players.

Despite many being new to the sport, all the ladies banded together to produce one win and two losses. This allowed entry into the quarter final where we held the opposition goalless .. but not pointless, missing out on making the grand final by two points.

Kyarna, Tess, Andie, Remi and Jersey were stand out players, but most importantly the way the girls played with respect and kindness meant a wonderful day for all involved. I look forward to watching AFL develop at St Paul's College in the years to come.

Mrs Beth Marmo - Junior Girls Coach

Touch Football Refereeing
A group of eight students from Year 8 - 10 (Cooper Anderson, Mitchell Hornick, Darby Hudson, Korbin McMurray, Archer McMurray, Alastar O’Donnell, Angus Sutherland and Flynn Tolman) generously volunteered to help referee the Macleay Valley PSSA Touch Football Gala Day at Verge Street Fields on Monday 16 June. The boys represented St Paul’s College with pride and were great ambassadors for the College.

Mr Talyn Kinnaird (Kempsey East Primary School) was extremely pleased with the efforts of the St Paul’s College students who were instrumental in the success of the day.

Girls Country Cup Rugby League Gala Day
After several postponements and changes of venue, St Paul’s 14 Years Girls team finally got to show their skills in the great game that is rugby league.

Excitement levels were high as we boarded the bus for our short trip to Wood Street fields in Port Macquarie on Wednesday 18 June. The girls were keen to impress coach Walsh-McKiernan, star of the Mustangs senior women’s rugby league team and also star first year teacher of Mathematics at St Paul’s College.

The first hit out versus St Joseph’s Regional can best be described as being like NSW Men’s first half efforts in Origin Game 2. After a fair start the girls were unable to stay in the game and went down 32 points to nil.

Unperturbed by their first game loss the girls then backed up to play Camden Haven in the second game. Miss Walsh-McKiernan read the riot act and the girls were ready to roll. Unfortunately, Camden Haven hadn’t listened to the pregame pep talk and raced to a 14 points to nil lead after just 10 minutes of play.

At this stage St Paul’s collectively reflected on what it takes to play the greatest game of all. They were inspired by some tough tackles and hard running from Indy-Lea Cheers who came up with our first try of the day. The clock was ticking down and the girls then went into attack mode from their own side of halfway with Harlow Donovan and Lani Gidzala feeding the ball to Jersey Sloane who raced 60 metres to score the try of the day. Harlow kicked the conversion from in front of the posts to seal the final score of 14-10 to Camden Haven.

After a long break and a forfeit from Wauchope High School, we finally lined up for our final game against the undefeated MacKillop College from Port Macquarie.

Miss Walsh-McKiernan had spent much of the break completing a comprehensive upskilling of rugby league skills amongst the inexperienced squad. This practice had an instant effect and the girls dominated possession in the early stages of the game which saw Remi Fairhurst and Chloe Ellis make many metre eating runs.

Indy-Lea Cheers scored a sensational try from a Harlow Donovan chip kick and Chloe Ellis crashed over next to the post to take the score to St Paul’s College 8, MacKillop 0 after 12 minutes. The coach and the bus driver were daring to dream. MacKillop hit back with a try out wide to take the score to 8-4. The clock was ticking down and MacKillop was now dominating possession. The girls tried hard to keep them out but MacKillop broke through for a game busting try next to the posts. MacKillop’s goal kicker wound down the clock and calmly slotted the conversion to end a great day of girls rugby league.

A big thanks to Miss Khianii Walsh-McKiernan for her expert coaching and to all the girls who were fantastic ambassadors for our great College and the game of rugby league.

• Chloe Saunders NRLW Player of the Day - Indy-Lea Cheers
• Best Backs - Lani Gidzala & Harlow Donovan
• Best Forward - Chloe Ellis
• Most Improved - Remi Fairhurst
• Player of the Day - Jersey Sloane (60m runaway try)
  
  

NAIDOC Basketball Challenge
Basketball NSW has teamed up with Hastings NAIDOC Committee to run this fun FREE NAIDOC SPORTS CHALLENGE including 3x3 Basketball.

There'll be a free BBQ Lunch, 3x3 basketball, six aside Futsal and so much more!

• PCYC Port Macquarie, 12 Owen Street
• Tuesday 8 July 2025
• 10.00am - 2.00pm
• for everyone aged 10 years & up

Please REGISTER HERE 
Don’t miss out! Come and join us this NAIDOC Week!

Mr Leon Robinson - Teacher and Sports Coordinator

leon.robinson@lism.catholic.edu.au

A free digital copy is available for students, families and staff to download.

• Duologue
• Ensemble Scene
• Group Devising 
• Physical Theatre
• Dance 
• Short Film

There were 38 performances across these categories, with our students taking away this prestigious Chairman's Award - an incredible result!

Last week St Paul's Year 11 Agriculture and Primary Industries students travelled to northwestern New South Wales. The purpose of the excursion was to have an up-close look at some of our extensive agricultural enterprises.

The first stop was in Gora Feedlot at Somerton. This Feedlot purchases high numbers of cattle from across Eastern Australia including many from our very own area around Kempsey. Students toured the intake yards, feed mill and cattle pens. Each student was presented with a Trucker cap from the Feedlot.

Our base camp for the week was the Wee Waa Showground where we were accommodated in a large shed on the show ground. Day two saw the students visit two farms, one an extensive beef farm producing Wagyu Angus cross cattle for the Feedlot market. This farm was beneath the shadow of the giant Whitehaven coal mine. It was interesting to discuss the impacts of mining on the ability to conduct farming operations, with the biggest problem being the disruption to the underground water aquifers on the property.

The second enterprise visited was a large cropping farm at Bellata north of Narrabri. This farm employs the use of a new robotic tractor known as a swarm farm robot, where it is being used to spot spray weeds in the paddocks. The owner, Robert Everliegh, gave the students a thorough demonstration of the machine and the students watched it spraying in a paddock with straight runs that were four and a half kilometres long. Robert also took the students to the neighbouring farm where they were harvesting cotton and the students were able to watch the harvesting process occur in the paddock.

That evening the students could experience the wonder of the Great Artesian Basin by having a late evening swim in the Burren Junction hot bore baths. The water comes out of the aquifer at around a consistent 39 degrees centigrade. No Better way to learn about the Great Artesian Basin than being immersed in it.

On day three the students visited the Australian classing services located in Wee Waa. This facility classes samples taken from bales of cotton from all over New South Wales and southern Queensland. The classification process utilises mechanical tests that measure strength, colour and micronair. The samples are then inspected by a classer who has been trained to visually assess the product's traits.

The second Enterprise that we visited on this day was the Australian cotton Research Institute at Wee Waa. This facility is a joint venture between the CSIRO and the Department of Primary Industries, where all crossbreeding of genetically modified and non-genetically modified cotton occurs. The facility also conducts an enormous amount of research into other crops, such as wheat, barley, oats, etc. Day three was capped off with another night time swim in the Burren Junction hot bore baths under a glistening full moon. This time all of the students decided to have a swim.

Day four was our last day in Wee Waa which meant that we had to pack up camp and make our way home. There was one last destination to visit, which was the farm operated by the famous Jackson brothers near Moree. The brothers, apart from being exceptional farmers, make weekly YouTube videos documenting the everyday occurrences on their farm. We were fortunate enough to meet two of the brothers, Matt and Brad, who gave the students clear insight into the types of skills desired by many employers in the area. The farming family have a unique suite of complementary skills and this enables them to tackle almost any task on their property. This includes rebuilding machines and resurrecting old machines - they even 3D print some of their own parts. The students were very fortunate to have the opportunity to visit their farm and found Matt and Brad very approachable and easy to talk to about the difficulties of farming in this economic climate.

The last day was punctuated by two separate flat tyres on the bus, however after sorting out these issues, we had a trouble free trip back home to the coast.

I would like to thank the staff who accompanied the students on the trip, including Miss Lisa Frewen, Mrs Jodene Barnett and Mrs Angela Bramley. Thanks also to Ms Laura Evans, Ms Laura Campbell, and Year 12 Hospitality, who prepared the food for the students.

I would also like to thank the students who were very engaged throughout the trip, and to the staff at the College who took our lessons and enabled us to have this experience with the students.


Mr Graham Bramley - Teacher and Leader of VET

Due to the floods, St Paul's held Reconciliation week a little later this Term. Family Connect in School’s worker, Ms Ashleigh Howe, and St Paul’s Indigenous Education Workers, Mr Dre Barker and Mr Kieran Reilly, came together with Pathfinders staff to hold a reconciliation event on Dunghutti country this week for the students. The activities were open to all students to join in during lunch, and in period 5 a specific session was held for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to come together and do some Beading, Sand Art and start the creation of the reconciliation canvas that will be presented to the College at the upcoming NAIDOC week celebrations. All the students were engaged in the activities and had a great time creating and learning together.

Wednesday 12 November 2025
Please save the date if you have applied for a position at the College for Year 7 2026. This is a compulsory day for students who accept an offer of a position at St Paul's for Year 7 2026.

All current and previous students, staff and family are invited to save the date to join St Paul's 60th anniversary celebrations on Sunday 5 October 2025.
Mass will be held at 9:30am in the Mercy Centre at St Paul's College, followed by a BBQ picnic. More details to follow closer to the date.

A catch up clinic will be held on Tuesday 21 October for the following routine school vaccinations:

• Year 7 students are offered free vaccines for diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (Boostrix) and human papillomavirus (HPV).
• Year 10 students are offered a free vaccine for meningococcal ACWY.

Vaccination will only be provided at school if consent has been received.

To provide consent for vaccination online, parents/carers will need to:

• Visit the online consent portal here.
• Parents/carers will need their Service NSW log in details and Medicare details.
• Read a step-by-step guide on how to provide consent online. Translated guides are available online.

If you or your child do not have a Medicare card or you cannot provide consent online, please email the College Office kmps@lism.catholic.edu.au to request a paper consent form to be sent home.

Please ensure your child has eaten breakfast on the morning of the clinic, this helps prevent fainting.

For more information on routine school vaccinations, please visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/schoolvaccination. If you have any questions regarding your child's school vaccinations, please contact the NSW Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055.

As a parent/carer, navigating a healthy relationship with your teenager can be challenging if you don’t have the proper tools to communicate. This presentation will offer parenting insights into the developing brain which will guide a discussion about effective communication, setting healthy boundaries, managing emotionally charged moments and championing strengths.

Topics explored:

• The stages of development that all teenagers experience.
• The role of the peer group and how to set realistic expectations.
• Ways to maintain connection with a teen who isn’t communicating.
• Establishing fair, healthy boundaries and tips for saying no.
• Managing mood swings and overwhelming emotions.
• The role of purpose, passions, and opportunity.
• What to do when they mess up.
• Mental health, and when to access support.

Details:

• Wednesday 25 June, 7pm - 8pm
• Register here

Understanding Screen Addiction in Teens is hosted by headspace Port Macquarie in partnership with Charles Sturt University. This free session is designed for parents, carers and those who work with youth including health professionals & educators, who want to understand the impacts that screen and gaming use can have on the brain, how it may look in teens and some practical strategies for support.

Facilitated by Dr Wayne Warburton, Professor of Developmental Psychology at Macquarie University and a registered psychologist. Dr Warburton brings a wealth of knowledge to this event. 

EVENT DETAILS

• Thursday 3 July, 6pm - 8pm
• Charles Sturt University Lecture Theatre, Port Macquarie
• Cost: FREE. Light refreshments provided.
• Booking is essential as theatre capacity is limited. For more information and to book for this session, please follow the link here.