Dear Parents and Carers,

As I conclude my first year at St Paul’s, I am deeply honoured to serve as Principal of this warm and nurturing community, which holds a rich history dating back to its founding in 1882 by Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop.

I want to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude for the incredible support from our families. We are truly fortunate to be part of a community that works together for the benefit of our students, who remain at the heart of every decision we make and every goal we set.

At St Paul’s, we are guided by our vision: “In the richness of our Catholic faith and tradition, we achieve excellence.” This year has been a true reflection of this vision as we have strived to support every child in their faith, learning, and wellbeing. Our school values of compassion, integrity, inclusion, and perseverance have been evident in the actions of our students, staff, and families, creating a vibrant and supportive community.

I also want to extend a special thank you to Father Leo Duck, our Parish Priest, for his dedication to helping our community strengthen its connection with God. Father Leo has led us in Masses and Liturgies and taken the time to visit classes throughout the year, enriching the faith lives of our students and staff.

I want to acknowledge the dedication of the St Paul’s staff which includes our amazing leadership team, school support officers, SSSO and admin team, who have guided and supported our students with professionalism, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to the school’s vision, mission and values. 

A special thank you to our remarkable students, who have approached learning with resilience, curiosity, and gratitude. Their courage, determination, and love of learning are a true testament to the spirit of St Paul’s. Congratulations to each student for their achievements this year.

I want to thank our parents for the lovely gifts you have given to myself and our beautiful staff.

On behalf of all the St Paul's staff, I wish every family a blessed Christmas filled with hope, joy, and love. May your holiday break be safe and happy, and may 2025 bring you peace and fulfillment.

Wishing you all the very best for the year ahead, and I look forward to seeing you in 2025.

Angela Pecnik

Principal

It is with great pleasure to announce the 2025 Student Leadership Team that will represent the student body. These students will be formally recognised in a ceremony in February 2025. At this ceremony all Year Six students will also receive a special badge to acknowledge their important role as leaders.

School Captains: Sienna A and Logan C

Vice Captains: Magdalena G and Harrison W

Sports Captains:

Green (St Francis): Flynn G and Madison M

Blue (St Joseph): Addison S and Anamika B

Yellow (St Mary McKillop): Billy G and Zoe N

Red (St Paul): Grace P and Mila Q

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the Semester 2 student reports, which highlight the high quality of student work and the thoughtfully planned learning experiences by our teachers. Released on Friday, 16 December, these reports provide an opportunity for parents and carers to engage in learning conversations with teachers.

I extend my gratitude to our staff for their professionalism and the insightful, detailed comments they have provided, showcasing their deep understanding of each student’s learning, growth, and well-being. Congratulations to our students on their hard work and excellent results!

On Tuesday, 12 December, we celebrated the Year Six Graduation Liturgy and Dinner, a special occasion to acknowledge the achievements of our students. This Wednesday, 18 December, marks the end of their Primary Education, a significant milestone. For many, St Paul’s has been their only school, and we thank them for sharing their unique gifts with us.

The Year 6 students will conclude their time at St Paul’s with a whole school Guard of Honour, a fitting farewell to recognise their journey and contributions.

We also farewell the following families whose time with St Paul’s concludes this year. We are deeply grateful for their commitment and contributions to building our wonderful community.

Thank you to the many St Paul’s students who have worked hard both in the classroom and on the playground. The Student School Award System at St Paul’s recognises those who strive for excellence in their learning and behavior.

This term, I had the pleasure of celebrating an afternoon tea with students to honor their achievements. The event was filled with laughter as students shared jokes and riddles, a truly enjoyable experience! Congratulations to all students who received a Principal or Mary MacKillop Award in Term 4.

I would like to take this opportunity to farwell the following staff members and acknowledge their contributions to the St Paul’s school community. 

Mrs Rebecca Nunes

For the past six years, Rebecca Nunes has been the Assistant Principal. During this time she has nurtured positive relationships with the students and their families. Rebecca has always supported the teachers and school support staff in teaching as well as her leadership role as Assistant Principal. Rebecca will be greatly missed by the whole school community. We wish her all the very best in her new role as a teacher at Stella Maris, Shellharbour.

Mrs Belinda Evans

Belinda has been a member of the St Paul’s community since for seventeen years. She has held many roles which include being a classroom teacher (part and full time) across all stages. Belinda has led STEM and robotics, Science, SEMP and has been Middle Leader 2 and Instructional Coach. I thank Mrs Evans for her wonderful contributions throughout her time at St Paul's. I know she will be greatly missed by students, parents and staff. We wish Belinda all the very best in her new role as Middle Leader 2 at St John's Dapto.

Miss Alana Stoligo

Alana has been a Middle Leader and teacher at St Paul’s for two years. During this time Alana has taught Year 6 as well as taking on the role of Acting REC in 2024. I would like to thank Alana for the significant contribution she has made and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.

Mrs Katie Colquhoun

Katie is leaving us this year as she is expecting her first child. We wish Katie all the best with the birth of her baby and look forward to her return in the future.

Mrs Suzette Bennett

Suzette has decided to take twelve months leave in 2025. During this time Suzette plans to travel and spend time with her family. We look forward to her return in 2026.

Mrs Belinda Posadas

Belinda has decided to engage in casual work for 2025 due to family commitments. We wish Belinda all the very best and look forward to seeing her as a casual teacher next year.

Mrs Dianne Alison

Dianne has decided to move into casual employment as she would like to spend more time with her grandchildren, travel and explore new experiences. We look forward to see Mrs Allison as a casual SSO in the future.

Miss Kayla McNamara

Kayla has decided to change her employment from the education sector and try another career. We wish Miss McNamara a wonderful future whatever she decides to engage in.

Miss Caitlyn Dryden

Caitlyn is continuing her career as a teacher. She will be completing a practicum before engaging in casual teaching employment in 2025. We look forward to Miss Dryden teaching as a causal teacher in 2025.

Ms Angela Waistell

Angela has decided to move into casual employment for 2025. We wish Mrs Waistell all the very best as a causal SSO.

P & F President Amy De Santis

We extend our deepest gratitude to Mrs Amy De Santis, who has been an invaluable member of the St Paul’s community through her dedication and leadership. Amy has served as the President of the Parents and Friends (P&F) Association for the past three years, after also serving as Secretary for three years, totaling an incredible nine years of service to our school.

Throughout her time with the P&F, Amy has been instrumental in fostering a strong and vibrant partnership between St Paul’s and our parent community. She has led numerous initiatives, including the much-loved school discos, Colour Run, gift stalls for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Christmas, the Year 6 Graduation Dinner, the Gingerbread House fundraiser, Easter Raffles, Trivia Night, and countless other events that have enriched our school and brought families together.

In addition to these contributions, Amy has ensured the smooth running of P&F meetings, warmly welcomed new families during Kindergarten Orientations, and overseen the Second-Hand Uniform Store. Her leadership has consistently reflected the values of compassion, inclusion, integrity, and perseverance and has exemplified our school vision of achieving excellence within the richness of our Catholic faith and tradition.

As Amy steps down from her role, we thank her for her unwavering commitment, generosity, and tireless efforts. Her impact will be felt for years to come, and we wish her all the very best in her future endeavors.

Thank you, Amy, for everything you have done for the St Paul’s community.

School Counsellor Sahar Yazdini is returning to her contracted hours and is moving to St John's Dapto a three stream school which can accomodate her for four days per week. We thank Sahar for her nurturing the wellbeing of our students and wish her the very best for 2025.

I would like to welcome the following teachers who will be joining the St Paul’s School Community in 2025.

Mrs Nichole Benoit who will be our Assistant Principal.

Miss Kaitlin Vardanega who is currently teaching Year 6 at St Patricks, in Griffith. Miss Vardanega will be teaching Year 1 in 2025.

Mr Jayden Allen who is currently teaching Year 6 at Stella Maris, Shellharbour. Mr Allen will be teaching Year 2 in 2025.

Mrs Koby Allan who is currently teaching at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Bulli. Mrs Allan will be teaching Year 5 in 2025.

Mrs Annie Harris who is currently teaching at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School Bulli. Mrs Harris will be teaching Year 4 with Mrs Michelle Griffiths.

Miss Wendy Ceccato who is currently teaching Year 6 at St Patrick’s Griffith. Miss Ceccato will be teaching Year 4 in 2025.

Mr Samuel Wallace will be teaching PE, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in 2025. We welcome Mr Wallace to the St Paul’s community in 2025.

Mrs Lisa Thrift will be teaching Creative Arts on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in 2025. We welcome Mrs Thrift to the St Paul’s community in 2025. 

Our new school counsellor is Mrs Michelle Donachy. Michelle will work Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday each week. We will also have Michelle fortnightly on Thursdays.

On Tuesday we held the SPAP X Factor to show off our students' many talents. We had a variety of acts; dancing, singing, sport skills, karate and jokes. We are so proud of not only the talent our students have shown but how brave they were performing in front of their peers. We all got to watch a great showcase.

Please see the below table for the 2025 School Fees.

Please note that the Tuition Fee and the Primary Building Levy is charged per family.