Hi, my name is Paul Murray and I have been serving in the role of Chaplain here at Kenilworth State Community College since October 2018. I have been blessed to have stepped into this role on the back of two of my friends, Tressa Hauser & Boyd Eime, both of whom have laid great foundations for student care and support over the years.
A Chaplain is a safe person for students to connect with at school. They provide a listening ear, caring presence and a message of hope.
In lunch breaks I have run bike restoration projects, as well as getting amongst the students for a game of Handball, Frisbee or refereeing the Preps play soccer. I am also involved in developing the school fruit & vegetable garden and native bush tucker garden.
Chaplaincy provides breakfast one morning a week to help foster relationships between the students and get food into tummies that may have missed out that morning.
I look forward to building closer relationships with families with the goal of introducing regular forum type gatherings for parents to glean from each other as well as hearing from guest speakers.
Chaplaincy in Kenilworth is funded by the Federal Government approximately 1¼ days per week, with the remainder reliant on donations from individuals, community groups and fundraising opportunities. Chaplaincy is a partnership between the School, the Chaplain, the community, churches, businesses, organisations and volunteers.
A very important part to Chaplaincy is the Local Chaplaincy Committee (LCC) that supports the Chaplain via events such as fundraising and voluntary support. Currently, it is a combined committee, that services both Kenilworth State Community College as well as Conondale State School and meets 4-6 times a year. Please look for dates and venues of the meetings in our school newsletter and everyone is welcome to attend.
I have a belief that 'Education' is not just about reading and writing, it is about the 'whole' child. A healthy, happy child that feels included in their environment will find it easier to come to a school where they feel safe. This in turn should help them along the path to their learning.
Blessings,
Chappy Paul