From community events and fundraisers to school musicals and a new transport system — St Augustine’s College has had a big year of news on the pages of the Free Press.
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Journalist Jemma Jones sat down with principal Jay Sutton to look back at the past 12 months and discuss what was on the horizon for the college.
St Augustine’s, one of the two schools in Kyabram, had another successful year, with over 650 students enrolled.
There was a focus on community involvement this year, with students and teachers participating in fundraisers for local organisations and participating in programs that bettered the wider community.
In June, the school ran its annual Purple Day in honour of The Gift Kyabram and raised over $825 for the charity organisation, which assists locals with cancer.
Across Term 2, Year 11 VCE VM students participated in a landmark program with Vivid Kyabram to develop a marketing program to widen the disability support group’s appeal to the community.
Mr Sutton said it was a highlight watching the students and teachers get involved with community events and fundraisers throughout the year, and it created an atmosphere in the school grounds that made it a pleasure to come into work every day.
“I’ve loved visiting classrooms and walking around the school, it’s just fantastic,” Mr Sutton said.
“I have highlights from almost every day. I love the community feel that St Augustine’s has created.”
Mr Sutton said the school had implemented an internal collaborative coaching system for teachers, making a streamlined way for teachers across all year levels to learn from one another.
Teachers from the primary school collaborate with teachers from the senior school, sharing different methods of teaching, what is working for them, what does not work, and more.
“We’re trying to be more collaborative in that space … the idea of those meetings is to coach one another to support one another to reach our goals,” Mr Sutton said.
Looking ahead to 2025, St Augustine's College is poised for an exciting future, with plans for innovative programs and continued community engagement already in motion.
Mr Sutton said a new teacher planning system would be implemented in 2025, which was set to revolutionise the way teachers spent their time out of class.
A new strategy is set to streamline lesson planning, with all participating schools receiving the same curated and pre-written lesson plans made by qualified teachers.
The most significant change for next year will be new leadership, with Mr Sutton saying goodbye to St Augustine’s, and Victoria all together, to move back to his home town of Perth.
“It’s been absolutely amazing and an absolute pleasure to work at St Augustine’s … It was not my intention to leave, but family comes first,” he said.
“Every school has its challenge, and there’s no doubt there’s been at times a challenge, but there’s also been times of excitement.”
With new principal, past deputy principal Tim Campbell filling Mr Sutton’s shoes in the next year, the outgoing principal said he had no doubts about Mr Campbell’s abilities.
“Tim Campbell is an outstanding educator … I have every confidence that he’ll do an amazing job,” Mr Sutton said.
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Top Free Press headlines for St Augustine’s College
Frozen Jr sure to warm hearts
For the first time in forever, the St Augustine’s College production of Frozen Jr came to the Plaza Theatre on Thursday, August 22 and Friday, August 23.
Year 6 student Jasmin Grima took on the role of the overly positive younger sister, Anna, while Year 12 student Sarah Mott channelled her inner ice queen as the chilly older sister, Elsa.
Starring alongside the duo was Iris Cleary as the quirky snowman, Olaf, Guneet Buttar played the stubborn iceman, Kristoff, alongside Maddison Reid who played Kristoff’s right-hand reindeer, Sven, and Lily Murray was the deceptively charming Prince Hans.
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St Augustine’s students hold rosemary to the sky for remembrance
St Augustine’s College students, staff and special visitors gathered under the shade of the Aleppo tree on Wednesday, September 4 for a ceremony to renew guardianship of the Lone Pine trees for another year.
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Youth-led podcast earns students top spot in headspace competition
A podcast created by Kyabram St Augustine’s College students aimed at tackling mental health issues in youth has earned them audio gear worth $2500.
In May, headspace Echuca tasked students from across Campaspe Shire with producing a podcast around mental health awareness and promoting it to their peers.
The St Augustine’s podcast pulled in more than 2000 listens, adding to the total of 7000 listens across the entire project.
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Young students transform school with ‘Our Common Home’ project
On Monday, August 19, the school celebrated the conclusion of the Our Common Home project, which has seen the development of four bird boxes, a native garden at the front of the school and metal bin covers made in collaboration with a Yorta Yorta artist.
St Augustine’s College was awarded the Philomena Billington Social Justice Through the Arts scholarship last year to fund workshops that would see Prep to Year 4 students enhance Christian stewardship while learning about the environment and Indigenous culture.
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St Augustine’s rolls out new bus service for Tatura students
St Augustine’s College in Kyabram rolled into Term 3 with a new set of wheels set to transfer students who live outside the area.
The newly hired bus, decked out in a fresh coat of paint of St Augustine’s iconic navy blue and gold palette, started piloting students to and from Tatura on Monday, July 15.
Cadet Journalist