Naming this magazine, Inspired, is a risk. The etymology of the word first points to the Latin term inspirare and then on to the Greek and Biblical term pnein, both of which mean, ‘to be filled with the breath of, or moved by, the Divine’.
Yet, when you read the stories contained in this digital publication, you will realise it is a risk worth taking. St Andrew’s Cathedral School is no ordinary school; it is an inspired school. In the truest sense of the word, it is a school that is filled with and moved by the spirit of God. We call it ‘the SACS spirit’.
St Andrew’s Cathedral School is no ordinary school; it is an inspired school. In the truest sense of the word, it is a school that is filled with and moved by the spirit of God. We call it ‘the SACS spirit’.
It is the feeling in the school that you cannot articulate. It is the binding force that grows our community, that lifts our heads up, that fills us with joy, that moves our creativity and that makes the education that occurs, immeasurable.
What you will read in the pages that follow are some of the stories of those who inspire and are inspired. Dr Hall’s philosophy classes, our First Nations community, parents, donors, our Old Andreans and our Director of Finance. Read deeply, read slowly and you, too, will be inspired.
Dr Julie McGonigle
First Nations culture enriching the lives of all students
First Nations culture enriching the lives of all students
The 2007 establishment of Gawura – a dedicated Kindergarten to Year 6 Indigenous school within St Andrew’s Cathedral School – has achieved many accolades over the years as a highly successful model of education. We discover ‘what’s next?’ as both schools work together to improve educational outcomes for First Nations students.
By Ethan Crosweller and Melanie Collins
Gawura is known as a ‘school within a school’ for good reason. It is, after all, physically located within St Andrew’s Cathedral School. But more than that, the two schools are deeply connected; each one distinct but not separate from the other, unique and yet part of one whole. Over the past 15 years, the two schools have navigated their idiosyncrasies, enjoyed a strong relationship, while maintaining a sense of their own respective identities.
St Andrew’s Cathedral School, for many decades of its early history, was a traditional school for chorister boys. Many of the School’s traditions have stood the test of time – authentically Christian, strongly focused on excellence and wellbeing, based in the city and dedicated to offering a well-rounded education, including a strong focus on music education. At the same time, recent history tells the story of a school prepared to change and reflect on its purpose, for the sake of its convictions and the needs of others.
This included the establishment of Gawura in 2007, a dedicated Kindergarten to Year 6 school for local Indigenous students, which was a response to the systemic underachievement and clear disparity in educational outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The bleak statistics were, at least in part, a consequence of transplanting Indigenous students into an educational system not equipped to meet their needs.
“Taking an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child out of our traditional learning context and placing them in a foreign [Western] educational system, has resulted in far too many of our children being seen as failures,” said Gawura co-founder, Pastor Ray Minniecon. “We realised that it was the system that needed to change, not the child.”
Gawura co-founder, Pastor Ray Minniecon
Gawura has sought to do things differently. Great care is taken to embrace First Nations’ culture and lore in daily learning, along with intensive literacy and numeracy, and it is a day-school model, making it as accessible as possible for inner-city First Nations families.
In practice, this has looked radically practical: a dedicated bus service picks up and drops students home each day and tuition fees and additional costs are paid by generous benefactors. Many teachers and support staff in Gawura have First Nations heritage, and students are given opportunities to connect with their heritage through Wiradjuri language and cultural lessons, On Country tours and cultural excursions.
After 13 years of ground-breaking work, Gawura was recognised at the Australian Education Awards as the 2020 ‘Australian School of the Year’. It is considered a lighthouse model for First Nations education and its students are attaining results well above schools with similar populations of Indigenous students.
High hopes and hard challenges
A solid foundation has been laid yet there is still work to be done. Students graduating from K-6 Gawura face big changes once they enter the much larger St Andrew’s Cathedral School secondary school. While many students navigate their way through to Year 12 and onto tertiary study, there are others who leave the School for a variety of reasons, often as a result of relocation or struggling to fit in. This issue is one which is being addressed in the upcoming Strategic Plan.
“We know we must do more to retain and support those students who want to continue their education with us through to Year 12,” says Head of School, Dr McGonigle. “Every child in our care is infinitely valuable and we want them to thrive here, knowing they are unique and gifted for a purpose.”
“We know we must do more to retain and support those students who want to continue their education with us through to Year 12,” says Head of School, Dr McGonigle. “Every child in our care is infinitely valuable and we want them to thrive here, knowing they are unique and gifted for a purpose.”
“We are steadily and carefully introducing initiatives that will support the needs of Gawura students as they navigate the often-challenging adolescent years. We have seen a number of students go on to complete tertiary degrees and carve out careers that enable them to pursue their dreams and make a difference in their communities. But that isn’t always the case.”
One way the School has tackled the issue is by increasing the number of classes Gawura students share with their Junior School peers. Students from both schools now spend Sport, Music, Outdoor Education, as well as various co-curricular activities, in the same classroom with the same teacher, in order to build familiarity and understanding.
The School has an Aboriginal Education Mentor, Pamela Widders, whose time is dedicated to supporting First Nations secondary school students. Pamela spent more than 30 years working for the Department of Education in a variety of roles that spanned teaching, curriculum, management, recruitment and Aboriginal education. As a proud Anaiwan woman, the education and general wellbeing of First Nations students is close to her heart.
“When I first started, Gawura students mainly stuck to themselves and I could see why, because they’ve come from Gawura, where they feel at home. However, when they graduate, they are no longer Gawura students, they are St Andrew’s Cathedral School students and that is something that needs to be acknowledged and navigated,” she says.
According to Pamela, true evidence of the success of education lies in the long term not the short term.
“We’ll know we’ve made it, once every student is going through to Year 12 and coming out with marks that will allow them to do whatever it is they want to do,” she says.
Cultural shift under way
It has become increasingly clear in recent years that the Gawura community has plenty to teach the wider school community and the learning has already begun thanks to First Nations Elder in Residence and Knowledge Holder Leanna Carr-Smith, who delivers the Wiradjuri language and cultural lessons across the Junior School and Gawura. She also provides essential cultural knowledge to the School Executive, helping embed cultural governance through guided planning and protocols across both schools.
Leanna holds high hopes for what can be achieved, not only through the work of Gawura, but also in the lives of students and parents across the whole of St Andrew’s Cathedral School.
“I’m optimistic about where we’re going next. Education is the key to everything. It has the power to change people’s bias and the narrow narratives we are prone to falling for. We want to open up the narrative and say instead, this is how it really is.”
The impact is already being felt within the student body. Non-Indigenous students have more opportunities than ever to grow in their understanding of First Nations’ Heritage and Culture, the Wiradjuri language is taught throughout the Junior School, Aboriginal Studies has been launched as an elective for Year 9 students, the Secondary School has a co-curricular Wiradjuri Club running from Term 1, 2023, and students across the School participate in NAIDOC Week celebrations, to name just a few of the opportunities on offer.
One unique learning experience was the creation of an exhibition ‘peoplescape’ by Junior School and Gawura students that showcased the inspirational stories of First Nations’ heroes throughout history. The term-long project required in-depth research and creativity from the students and was exhibited in a public space beneath the School during NAIDOC Week.
According to Leanna, it’s these new learning opportunities, combined with the platform which has been given to First Nations voices through drafting the School’s approach to Reconciliation, that bodes well for the future of the School’s work in this space.
“We have sat down as a school, we have listened, and the teaching and learning is now happening. I think that’s evident,” Leanna says.
“We have sat down as a school, we have listened, and the teaching and learning is now happening. I think that’s evident,” Leanna says.
What is the role of an ‘Elder in Residence’?
My role and responsibility as Elder in Residence is really broad and goes right across the school community, even the executive staff. I think the most important thing I do is work on cultural governance, which is very different to Western society’s typical hierarchical system, where it’s about the individual. For us, it’s about a collective decision and it’s democratic, so everybody’s wish can be heard inside cultural governance. One of the things that I find very important as part of my role is to make sure that our collective voices as First Nations people is heard within that process.
Leanna Carr-Smith
The School has firmly set its sights on the future. Two major initiatives have been earmarked for the coming year. The first is the creation of a Reconciliation Action Plan, which gets right to the heart of issues that have long divided our nation. According to the School’s Director of Strategy and Marketing, Jackie Isenegger, getting it right is essential.
“We need to approach this issue so that future generations of students who come through this School, regardless of their cultural heritage, understand the truth of our history, realise the need for authentic healing, recognise and value First Nations culture and history, and co-create a place of respectful learning where First Nations Peoples’ cultural knowledge and wisdom benefit the whole school,” she says.
The second initiative is the completion of the Gawura Strategic Plan, which will establish Gawura’s vision for the future and its course of action for the next five years.
On both counts, it’s our First Nations’ voices who are leading the way. These are significant milestones in the life of both schools and demonstrate just how far Gawura has come since its establishment.
Meet our Gawura students and staff
Video: Meet our Gawura students and staff
Wiradjuri lessons having an impact
As part of the Sydney Writers’ Festival in Sydney Town Hall in mid-May, Indigenous author Corey Tutt, who wrote the children’s book The First Scientists, addressed 1000 Year 3-6 students from across Sydney in Sydney Town Hall. A group of 30 of our more capable writers across Years 3-6 attended the presentation.
Corey shared some of the 65,000 years of learning by First Nations’ people about the land, sea and sky and revealed some of the innovative feats achieved by First Peoples in the areas of engineering, chemistry, ecology, botany and astronomy.
Corey was explaining how important Indigenous language is for learning about culture and asked the question: “Does anyone know what a Dhinawan is?” A few kids scattered around the room put up their hands but ALL 30 of our St Andrew’s Cathedral School students – all non-Indigenous – sitting in the middle of the large group, put up their hands, easily sharing that the word means “emu” in Wiradjuri – something they had all picked up from their weekly Wiradjuri classes.
This was a wonderful moment for our school; to realise that we are really having an impact on our Junior School students’ understanding and learning of First Nations culture and language,” said Head of Gawura, Mr John Ralph. “This will continue into their teenage years and is something we hope they will carry into adulthood. We are witnessing the beginnings of a cultural shift in our acknowledgement and celebration of First Nations’ culture.”
“This was a wonderful moment for our school; to realise that we are really having an impact on our Junior School students’ understanding and learning of First Nations culture and language,” said Head of Gawura, Mr John Ralph. “This will continue into their teenage years and is something we hope they will carry into adulthood. We are witnessing the beginnings of a cultural shift in our acknowledgement and celebration of First Nations’ culture.”
Year 10 students transformed by their passion projects
Year 10 students transformed by their passion projects
Every student in Year 10 at St Andrew’s Cathedral School is tasked with completing a ‘Personal Project’, which offers students complete freedom to choose a project that is achievable, captures their interest, and utilises learnt skills.
The result is a diverse range of projects that reflect the convictions, interests and questions of Year 10 students. Every project is a window into a student’s inner world and provides parents and teachers with an opportunity to understand and even celebrate a student’s character.
By Ethan Crosweller
“It is exciting for young people to be given a choice about investing time in a project that is driven by their personal interests. Often families learn about new passions that their child has and, as a family, share in their child’s learning journey throughout the project,” says Personal Project Coordinator, Mrs Jenny Kemp.
Developed over three terms, the project gives every student the chance to shine and also helps students build a sense of identity and understanding of who they are and what makes them tick.
“As teachers, we always discover incredible areas of expertise that students have developed outside School and it is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate these skills. I take much joy from seeing students who perhaps aren’t always academic stars in the classroom being highly successful in a project that reflects their own interests,” Mrs Kemp explains.
“As teachers, we always discover incredible areas of expertise that students have developed outside School and it is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate these skills. I take much joy from seeing students who perhaps aren’t always academic stars in the classroom being highly successful in a project that reflects their own interests,” Mrs Kemp explains.
Year 10 student Joseph Kennedy made the most of his freedom to choose by learning more about his father’s unique experiences as a young man living in Japan. He decided to tell his father’s story in the form of a picture book.
“My favourite part of the whole project was sitting down with him and discussing what happened, what he did, and just learning all these new things about him. I was able to craft my project in a way that showed him how much I appreciate him,” Joseph says.
While the project proved more challenging than Joseph initially anticipated, he also felt equipped to handle its largeness thanks to what he had learnt about himself through the Middle Years Programme (MYP), an educational framework that is taught to every student from Year 7 to Year 10.
“The MYP promotes individuality and independence. So, when I started my project, I felt confident about starting something from scratch and being able to build towards completing something significant,” he says.
The MYP teaches students how they learn and gives them eyes to see the connections between their otherwise disconnected subjects – skills that are essential for completing a self-guided project that transcends typical subject boundaries.
This learning bears fruit in the senior years once students tackle the Higher School Certificate or the International Baccalaureate Diploma, however, the fruit is evident as early as Year 10, once a student begins working on their Personal Project.
“The Personal Project is the culmination of the Middle Years Programme. This means that the project is a showcase of the skills and knowledge students have developed during their Middle School years. And thanks to the MYP, students are ready to tackle a project of significant scale and take on the challenge,” Mrs Kemp says.
For Joseph, the project has also helped him to establish a healthy pattern of self-talk – crucial to navigating the final and more pressured years of schooling.
“The MYP promotes individuality and independence. So, when I started my project, I felt confident about starting something from scratch and being able to build towards completing something significant.”
Year 10 student Joseph Kennedy
“By doing the Personal Project I’ve learnt how to stay positive through the ups and downs. There are moments when you realise your ability is not where you’d like it to be, but then as you work on the project, you change,” he says. “It’s satisfying to look back on where you were at the beginning and where you are at by the end.”
Some more Personal Projects …
Asha Beale
My project is a historical magazine about life during the war years in the Allied countries. I think a lot of what people learn about history is simplified down to major periods and key events. It’s not often pitched at a micro level where people can actually connect with something. I wanted to create something that you could casually browse through and make history digestible for people.
What did you learn from doing the project?
I learnt a lot more about digital drawing. I realised it was quite hard and I had to redo a lot of the drawings. I needed to find the most efficient way of doing things in an aesthetic that I really liked. I enjoyed the challenge of finding the middle ground between historical accuracy and modern design.
.
Calvin Newling
My project was to compose, arrange and then, at the exhibition, perform a piece of original jazz music for solo piano. I have a lot of interest in music and composition especially. I had been working on jazz music with my piano tutor at the time and I thought I could combine these two aspects to make something that I would really enjoy playing.
What did you learn from doing the project?
It taught me a lot about time management and also about myself and how I deal with the creative process, which was very useful because I was able to apply the time management and reflective skills into further creative works.
Joe Kennedy
My project is a biography about my dad’s time in Japan in the form of a picture book. I wanted to learn more about my family history. I’ve always been intrigued about his time in Japan but I didn’t know anything about it. I also wanted to express my artistic creativity and I did that through a picture book.
What did you learn from doing the project?
I learnt a lot about independence and taking initiative. I learned how to make a project plan and how to structure time to work on things independently.
Marco Cole
My project is a collage of bird photography from all around Australia. I planned out different locations after doing some research and then I went to the locations and looked for the birds. I’ve always loved birds and photography so I put the two together.
What did you learn from doing the project?
It helped me to discover my passions a little more and also how to achieve goals. It takes time to get to a certain place with your work. It takes research and time management. I can now be more realistic about how long something’s going to take me.
Thomas Pesman
My project is a Roman Castra (or fort) from the Roman Empire. As the Roman legions marched on their enemies, soldiers carried enough materials to build this fort in one day to protect themselves from raiders. I chose to build this as I have a huge passion for history and I also like to bring history to life with modelling.
What did you learn from doing the project?
I gained a lot of experience working with tools and I worked out shortcuts to build the fort more effectively and efficiently. I also learnt how to bounce back from procrastinating, which I struggled with during the project.
Deep impact: Philosophy makes its mark
Deep impact: Philosophy makes its mark
The study of philosophy isn’t a common experience for many NSW students since it’s not part of the NESA (NSW Education Authority) secondary school curriculum. However, it is one subject that has become very popular as a co-curricular activity, as a Stage 5 elective subject and also as an IB Diploma subject at St Andrew’s Cathedral School and has brought international recognition to its young philosophers.
“The aim was to better understand the complexities of the topic and consider what is ethical, rather than simply to ‘beat’ the other teams,” says team member and Year 10 student Bronte Parkin. “I think that approach fosters interesting, open-minded discussions which, honestly, I think the world could do with a lot more of.”
“The aim was to better understand the complexities of the topic and consider what is ethical, rather than simply to ‘beat’ the other teams.”
Year 10 student Bronte Parkin
The School’s philosophy coach and IB Diploma teacher, Dr Jonathan Hall, says cultivating strong character traits is a key part of what his students learn as they think about how to construct and evaluate philosophical arguments. “Good character and good philosophy go hand-in-hand,” he says. “How do you think deeply and communicate effectively about an issue without first applying open-mindedness, balance, courage and respect?”
He says the application of certain character traits leads to stronger arguments; students then have a greater appreciation and respect for alternative views but also the courage to speak up about what they think is true and good. Not only does the approach prepare them well for philosophy competitions, it also prepares them for life after school.
Dr Hall counts character, alongside critical and creative thinking, as a key part of his teaching.
“What kind of people are we wanting our students to become? One of the things I insist on is that our students argue respectfully and with humility. In their explanation, analysis and evaluation of arguments, they should be engaging charitably with the other person,” he says. “It’s not just an intellectual game. We’re not just trying to win an argument. We care about what’s true so our counter-arguments should be in the name of truth, not in the name of ‘I’m going to win.’”
This approach accounts for much of the success of Dr Hall’s Philosophy program. Students feel free to engage honestly and vulnerably with complex concepts and questions and are simply encouraged to be their curious selves.
“What kind of people are we wanting our students to become? One of the things I insist on is that our students argue respectfully and with humility. In their explanation, analysis and evaluation of arguments, they should be engaging charitably with the other person. It’s not just an intellectual game. We’re not just trying to win an argument. We care about what’s true so our counter arguments should be in the name of truth, not in the name of ‘I’m going to win’.”
Philosophy teacher Dr Jonathan Hall
“They like asking big questions. They’re inquisitive and curious kids. They come from curious and inquisitive families who are used to talking around the dinner table about big things,” says Deputy Head of School, Brad Swibel.
The winning International Ethics Olympiad team members, Bronte Parkin, Lois Arthurson, Stella Browne, Rama Chadda-Harmer and Calvin Newling.
Curious students find a happy home at St Andrew’s Cathedral School because they’re encouraged to ask big questions about life and truth and meaning in their Christian Studies classes. Dr Hall says this kind of thinking leads many students to consider taking part in the philosophy co-curricular club and as a Year 11 subject taught in the IB Diploma program, where students can wrestle and discuss different understandings of the world and what is true.
“Philosophy and theology have ancient and entangled roots so there are significant areas of overlap going back thousands of years. Anyone thinking deeply in any discipline or within any worldview is going to encounter philosophical questions, so philosophy offers excellent tools for understanding a Christian worldview more deeply, and this includes being able to question that view,” he says.
“The philosophy classroom is a place in which everyone acknowledges they have an existing worldview, with certain foundational claims and assumptions, and we learn to think carefully, critically and charitably about those views, including our own. We seek to have reasons and evidence for what we hold to be true and we ask others for their reasons and evidence.
“Speaking personally, philosophy has been profoundly important in making me think carefully through questions about whether God exists, who we are as human beings, questions about the limits of our knowledge and questions about meaning, purpose and value.”
Dr Jonathan Hall poses a question for his International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme Philosophy class.
For Year 10 student and Ethics Olympiad team member, Rama Chadda-Harmer, philosophy is a much-loved part of his schooling experience and a subject in which he can see significant personal growth.
“My involvement started in Year 7, Dr Hall gave an announcement saying ‘come and join the Philosophy Club if you like asking big questions’ and that had me hooked,” he said. “I can now take a vague idea or feeling and sit there with it, and think through why, and construct logical arguments out of what was just an emotion or simple notion.”
Like all good philosophers, Rama can’t help but ask ‘why?’ It’s a question that calls for a personal wrestle with ideas and concepts that are often beyond our initial understanding, which is a mental space Rama enjoys spending time in.
“I’m the type of person that likes to know why. If someone tells me in Mathematics, for instance, that everything to the power of zero equals one, I want to know why that is. There’s a drive to comprehend and understand, and I’m going to be using the tools of philosophy to satisfy that drive for my whole life.”
Iconic rooftop feels a community’s love
Iconic rooftop feels a community’s love
Over much of its 137-year history, St Andrew’s Cathedral School students have played on the roofs of office buildings. The School moved to its final home in St Andrew’s House in 1976 and since then, the iconic rooftop has been updated on a number of occasions to meet the needs of its students and staff.
By Lyn Jarvis
As the School’s largest, most loved and most used space, the rooftop hosts sport, assemblies, yarning circles, science, play, reflection, reunions, smoking ceremonies, Gala Day, chickens, barbecues, as well as staff, student and parent events. It is a special part of life at St Andrew’s Cathedral School.
The ‘Not just a playground’ renovation project
In 2022, the parents, staff, students and Old Andreans instigated the 2022 Renovation Project. Focus groups were held in Term 1, beginning with 28 motivated staff from Junior School, Gawura, Middle School, Sport, Facilities, Marketing, Community and Music. Student focus groups came next and included the Junior School SRC, Middle School leaders and ambassadors, and our First Nations students. Along with previous requests from parents and conversations with Old Andreans, a wish list of structures and equipment was created.
The School community, though keen to rethink the colour, texture, look and feel of the rooftop, were emphatic about restoring the special murals that were created by Souha Rowdah-Homan between 1998 and 2008. While some murals will be removed, the two most loved – Underwater Splendour and Flora and Fauna – will remain and be lovingly restored. The new bathrooms forced the removal of the Sydney-scape, while the Dreamtime mural will be replaced by a mural created by an Indigenous artist.
Giving Day
The funds for the Rooftop Renovation Project came from the School community – parents, staff, students, Old Andreans and Hessians (former parents), who joined together on the last day of Term 2 for the School’s “Not Just a Playground Giving Day” as volunteers, ambassadors and donors.
One of the most surprising outcomes of the focus groups was the love of the two rooftop chickens.
This prompted the Giving Day chicken-naming competition. Each donation came with an opportunity to vote for a house and chicken name. There were 375 nominations received, with eggsellent names including, Hen Solo and Princess Layer, Cluck Norris and Hensel and Eggtel. Salisbury was the winning house as they made the highest number of donations, so the chickens have been duly named Teriyaki and Nugget.
Year 12 student leaders hosted a SACS Sunrise, broadcast live from the rooftop across social media. They reported on Gala Day activities, the School’s birthday and provided updates from the Giving Day Operations Room, where volunteers called the School community for donations. The community enthusiastically answered – raising more than $310,000.
As their farewell gift to the School, the Class of 2022 and their parents chose to restore the 1976 historic bronze crest, located on the rooftop. Further funds were raised to create a matching bronze cast of the Gawura crest.
.
Initial concept designs for the rooftop renovation were provided in October, just in time for the Musical Mayhem Parent Trivia Night, which raised a further $29,000. Some of the key items are new play equipment, rejuvenated gardens, refurbished bathrooms, a chook house (of course), soccer goals (Year 9’s major request) and improved audio-visual equipment. Due to disruptions in the supply of some equipment and materials, the full renovation will be staged across the 2023 holiday breaks, with completion expected in July 2023.
.
This was truly a project of passion from everyone involved. A huge thank you must go to everyone who offered their time, encouragement and funding to ensure the rooftop delivers the best experience possible for all who use it in the years to come.
.
Staff coaching programme boosts wellbeing
Staff coaching programme boosts wellbeing
A unique coaching programme offered to teaching staff in 2020 is expected to not only boost the wellbeing of staff but also boost the quality of education delivered to students. This year the program was opened up to non-teaching staff, with the Head of Finance jumping at the opportunity to get involved.
By Ethan Crosweller
How do you improve your work capacity and enhance your wellbeing at the same time? For many teachers and staff, who find themselves increasingly strapped for time, this seems like an almost impossible task. After all, there are lessons to be planned and delivered, reports to be written, homework and exams to be marked, and general administration tasks that fill each day (and night). It can feel impossible to find space for big picture reflection and improvement when you find yourself stuck in the nitty gritty of your work week.
Employees at St Andrew’s Cathedral School are beginning to find the space they need through the School’s staff coaching programme. By incorporating an hour or two of coaching per fortnight into their timetables, staff have begun to find solutions to their work frustrations.
Introduced in 2020, the coaching programme offers a space to speak, a place to share vulnerably and a way to be heard.
Employees at St Andrew’s Cathedral School are beginning to find the space they need through the School’s staff coaching programme. By incorporating an hour or two of coaching per fortnight into their timetables, staff have begun to find solutions to their work frustrations.
“We care about people being heard, intimately heard, and we care about people feeling supported in their development and the unpacking of problems. Coaching, in this sense, is other-person focused,” says the Director of People and Culture, Heath McPherson.
Coaching, however, is not always looked upon positively in some workplaces. There is a perception that coaching programs are carefully designed disciplinary processes for people who are simply failing to do their work.
“Organisations have used coaching in the past when someone’s not performing well – the staff member will be asked to go to a coaching programme. That doesn’t always work because there has to be a willingness to change and improve,” Heath says.
“The presence of hope in a workplace is really important and you begin to have hope when you see tangible progress and attain goals in your work.”
Director of People and Culture, Heath McPherson
St Andrew’s Cathedral School has flipped that dynamic on its head and it is a key reason why the coaching programme has started to gain momentum. The staff who access coaching do so not because they are failing at their jobs, but because they want to improve. It’s opt-in, not ‘dob-in’, and the impact for those involved has been significant.
Head of Finance Phil Thai joined the School at the beginning of 2022 and he counts the programme as one of the highlights of his employee experience so far.
“It’s 100 per cent positive. I get in-house coaching, are you kidding me?” he says. “When I joined, there was a lot going on in my mind about what I needed to do. The first month or so I was overwhelmed by not knowing where to start and how to prioritise what I needed to think through and do.”
Heath encouraged Phil to spend some time with the School’s Senior Learning Coach Elle Smith and Phil quickly gained the clarity he needed.
“I said to her, ‘I just need someone to bounce some ideas off and help me to prioritise’, and she said, ‘I can coach you’. Since then, she’s been meeting with me every two to four weeks. She just asks me questions to help tease out my thoughts,” Phil says.
The School’s trained coaches know how to get to the heart of a problem and, through gentle questions and promptings, they’re able to guide their colleague to find solutions. It is in making this transition, from problem to solution, that Phil has observed significant personal growth.
“I know by nature that I’m a problem-oriented person. I can dwell and get stuck in a cycle of negativity. Coaching has helped me move from a place of problems to a solutions-focused mentality quite quickly,” he says.
“I know by nature that I’m a problem-oriented person. I can dwell and get stuck in a cycle of negativity. Coaching has helped me move from a place of problems to a solutions-focused mentality quite quickly.”
Head of Finance Phil Thai
The impact, it turns out, is two-pronged. Coaching makes it possible to improve your work capacity without cost to your general wellbeing – both can be improved at the same time.
“I think it’s an amazing wellbeing and productivity tool because it gives you an actionable pathway through any scenario,” Heath says. “The presence of hope in a workplace is really important and you begin to have hope when you see tangible progress and attain goals in your work.”
Contrary to what some might claim, a staff coaching programme within a school environment doesn’t take resources away from students; it actually helps create a better student experience.
“The fact that we have a coaching resource, and that it’s not just coaching by name – there’s a capability and a competency that’s been built seriously within it – speaks volumes. It says that St Andrew’s Cathedral School cares about the wellbeing of its staff and that it cares about its students too,” Heath says.
Ross Cameron shares his journey as a proud parent, volunteer and Foundation Director
Ross Cameron with his wife Anne and children Andrew (OA2016) and Neve (OA2022)
Ross Cameron shares his journey as a proud parent, volunteer and Foundation Director
By Lyn Jarvis
Q. When did you first join the School Community?
My son Andrew started at St Andrew’s Cathedral School in Year 7 in 2011 and I become more actively involved in the P&F a few years after that and have stayed involved in various ways since Neve started in 2017.
Q. In your time as a parent at SACS, what activities have you enjoyed attending?
All of them! Over the years I have been involved in most and they all have the same sense of positive involvement and enthusiasm from everyone involved: volunteers, staff and especially the kids. But Kirrikee is always a favourite (just ask my kids who got dragged there long after it was ‘cool’ for their age group!)
Q. If you had to describe SACS in one sentence, what would that be?
A welcoming, open and inclusive community with a hugely diverse set of people involved, all with a great sense of common purpose to create the most positive education experience for everybody – students, staff and parents.
Q. Do you believe the School has changed much since you first joined?
Yes, but no. In many ways there has been huge change, from Julie McGonigle taking over from John Collier to a small disruption from COVID! But that fundamental sense of being part of something important has been maintained and probably got stronger.
Q. You have volunteered in various capacities while your children have attended SACS, from organising Kirrikee Picnic Days to being a Foundation Director – what prompted you to volunteer?
Partly self-interest! I wanted to continue to be part of my kids’ lives as they entered high school. Given the city location, I also wanted to get visibility and access to the School and I wanted the kids to know their school experience was my top priority, despite constant other competing priorities.
Q. How have you found the time to volunteer?
You can actually contribute a lot with a relatively small hourly investment – many hands etc., – so prioritising whatever time I could amongst other commitments was the key.
Q. As a volunteer, was there any one role you enjoyed the most?
Kirrikee Picnic Day (on a nice day!) is hard to beat, but Gala Day is fun also – seeing a few hundred teenagers devour kilos of sausages and buns is entertaining and satisfying!
Q. As a volunteer, what activity were you proudest of?
Running the last Carnevale day was a huge effort and rewarding but being part of the Foundation and making a contribution to the longer-term strength of the School, and particularly Gawura, is something I am very proud to have contributed to.
Q. What message do you believe volunteering has given your children?
Lots of embarrassing moments I am sure! But the message we wanted to send to them was that we value their educational experience (and therefore them) more than just paying the bills.
Q. Do you believe your children have benefited from your involvement in their School?
I think so. I feel that they have recognised the extra and personal investment and it has given them just that bit of extra sense of ownership of the school experience.
Q. What have you gained from being a volunteer?
Lots of insights into school mechanics, process (and some politics!) but mostly a sense of contributing to something important and having fun with great people and making lifelong friendships.
Q. With your youngest child graduating this year, is this now goodbye?
Yep, I have permanently deleted and blocked Lyn Jarvis (the Director of Community Engagement) from my phone! No, not really (Lyn would still find me anyway). I will continue to be involved in the Foundation and most definitely Hessian (Old Andrean parent) events. And I still see some of Andrew’s 2016 cohort regularly, as they remain close friends, and I expect the same for Neve. Students never really leave SACS, and I suspect it’s the same for parents!
In profile: Sam Perry
In profile: Sam Perry
Sam Perry (OA2002) turned his passion for cricket into a career – now hosting a highly entertaining podcast attracting 500,000 weekly listeners.
Sam started his journey at St Andrew’s Cathedral School in 1994 (Year 4). His cricketing prowess led to his selection in the 1st XI in 1999, where he remained for three seasons. In his final season in 2001/02 he averaged 71.50 with the bat, which was almost double the average of the next best player in the team.
Sam ascended to the lofty heights of School Captain in 2002 and in his many speeches, coined the phrase ‘No Regrets’ – which came from Steve Waugh, the Captain of the Australian Test Cricket team at the time. It very quickly became a motto for life at the School and was a precursor to ‘SACS Pride’ which began around 2005.
Sam ascended to the lofty heights of School Captain in 2002 and in his many speeches, coined the phrase ‘No Regrets’ – which came from Steve Waugh, the Captain of the Australian Test Cricket team at the time. It very quickly became a motto for life at the School.
Sam’s passion for cricket led him into a career as a sports journalist, with a particular focus on cricket. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, SMH, The Age, Brisbane Times, WA Today and the Yorkshire Evening Post. Known colloquially as ‘Pez’, he has also had appearances on ABC TV, the Seven Network, BBC, ESPN and FOX Sports.
In 2015, Sam co-wrote a cricket novel called The Grade Cricketer, following development of the eponymous character on Twitter – which currently boasts more than 119,000 followers. A follow-up novel was released in 2017, titled Tea and No Sympathy.
In 2016, Sam established a wildly successful podcast with friend and fellow cricket tragic Ian Higgins, also called The Grade Cricketer. The entertaining podcast interviews cricketers from around the world and boasts more than 500,000 weekly listeners. Sam and Ian are currently taking the podcast on tour, playing to sold-out audiences around the country.
Sam now lives in Melbourne with his wife and two children but proudly returned to SACS for his 20-year reunion earlier this year.
Check out Sam’s interview with Ricky Ponting on The Grade Cricketer podcast
In profile: Rebecca Breeds
In profile: Rebecca Breeds
Rebecca Breeds’ (OA2005) stunning acting performances at St Andrew’s Cathedral School were just the start of a career that has taken her all over the world.
Bec first entered the BBC in 2004 and quickly established herself as a leader in the performing arts. She participated in the 2004 music tour to the United States, featured in numerous ensembles, took a lead role in the 2005 production of Godspell and was elected Drama Captain in the same year.
Her talents were not just confined to the stage. Bec was the leading goal scorer in the 2nd XI Hockey team in 2004. Her coach, Rachel Cole (OA2003) was quoted saying: “Our leading goal scorer and right-wing Rebecca Breeds, who had never picked up a stick before, had amazing skills and speed up the wing.”
The Hollywood star also showed prowess in discus, winning the ISA competition in 2005.
In 2006, she made her television debut in the second and third seasons of Blue Water High. Other TV roles followed in The Code, Pretty Little Liars, The Brave, Notorious, John Glenn’s pilot Miranda’s Rights and the mini-series Molly.
Her talents were not just confined to the stage. Bec was the leading goal scorer in the 2nd XI Hockey team in 2004. Her coach, Rachel Cole (OA2003) was quoted saying: “Our leading goal scorer and right-wing Rebecca Breeds, who had never picked up a stick before, had amazing skills and speed up the wing.” The Hollywood star also showed prowess in discus, winning the ISA competition in 2005.
She is perhaps best known to audiences here for her role as Ruby Buckton in Home and Away, who she played from 2008 to 2012. Her performance earned her a Logie Award nomination for Most Popular New Female Talent in 2009 and a nomination for Most Popular Actress in 2010.
In 2013, Bec moved to California and made her American TV debut in We Are Men for CBS and in 2015, she starred as ‘Aurora de Martel’ in the third season of The Originals. Most recently, Breeds starred in the title role of CBS’s Clarice, a chilling drama series where she plays FBI agent Clarice Starling.
Rebecca Breeds on A Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Stay connected with our schools
Stay connected with our schools
Discover what’s been happening and what’s coming up at St Andrew’s Cathedral School and Gawura by visiting us online at the links below.
News
Discover the breadth of activities occurring across St Andrew’s Cathedral School. Follow our Facebook page, which contains all our recent news and updates.
The OAA connects former students with the School and each other by organising reunions and social gatherings. Follow our Instagram page for all the latest news.
