Mrs Michelle McDonnell - Principal

Welcome back, everyone!

It is wonderful to once again have our school full of the excited chatter of our students as they reconnect with friends, develop relationships with peers and staff and enjoy all of the opportunities available to them at St Peter’s. Our school community is complete once again, with our final Pre-Kindergarten students beginning their journey with us yesterday.  I hope that those students and families who are new to our community settle in quickly, finding friends and feeling a part of what makes St Peter’s so special.

I am so grateful to our staff for their preparation as we begin 2024, praying for students and their families, and creating welcoming classroom environments and developing learning programs for all students. Both our teachers and support staff are committed to providing the best possible environment for our students, where each individual is known and cared for and encouraged and supported to achieve their best.  Our school executive and teaching staff are looking forward to welcoming parents and carers at our Parent Connect events over the next couple of weeks.  

But it’s not just the staff that make St Peter’s special; it’s also the plethora of opportunities available to our students. Whether it’s through academic programs, sports, arts, or extracurricular activities, there’s something for everyone here. We are looking forward to beginning our many co-currricular activities in the coming weeks.  

As we began a new academic year, I shared the following verses with our staff and now do so with our school community. 

Proverbs 3:5–6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths." 

We will teach our students to trust in God as He loves and cares for them.  We also encourage them to ask for help when they need it, both from their teachers and parents, but also from God in prayer. 

Together, let’s continue to make St Peter’s a place where every child can thrive, learn, and succeed.

Here’s to another fantastic year ahead!

We would like to invite parents and carers to join us onsite over the next 2 weeks.  

Parent Connect Events will be held for Kindergarten - Year 6, in both Grammar and Heart.  These events will involve an information session with your child’s class teacher, as well as time to mingle over some light refreshments and get to know other parents who have children in the same grade.

To assist with catering, please indicate your attendance by clicking on the appropriate link.

We look forward to welcoming you at the following times:

Tuesday 13 February, 6.30 - 8.00pm - Kindergarten Parents Connect (Adults only event)

https://forms.gle/X1EC3dXPycd73qev9

Tuesday 20 Februray, 6.30-8.00pm - Year 1 and 2 Parents Connect (Adults only event) 

https://forms.gle/jRqxExUMAeMq3CSFA

Thursday 22 February, 6.30-8.00pm - Years 3 - 6 Parents Connect (Adults only event) 

https://forms.gle/HqgjgKeL61XmSZsZ9

Friday 23 February, 2.30-3.30pm - Heart Parents Connect

 https://forms.gle/zpKQNZpPnDQFqNq69

Pre - Kindergarten Connect Events

Pre-Kindergarten Parent Connect events will take the form of Open Classrooms, allowing parents to join their children in their learning spaces and to see what our youngest learners get up to all day at school.  

We look forward to welcoming our Pre-Kindergarten parents at the following times:

Tuesday 20 February, 2.00-2.45pm - Pre-Kindergarten Kangaroos and Koalas

Thursday 22 February, 2.00-2.45pm - Pre-Kindergarten Echidnas and Wombats

Parents whose children attend 5 days are welcome to attend either or both of these sessions.

Thank you for your patience as we have begun serving our families with our Bus Service.

We are pleased that St Peter’s families now have access to bus runs servicing additional areas.  If you would like to use this service, please ensure that you have booked your child onto the appropriate bus. These bookings can be done for the term, or on a daily basis.  

If you are still having difficulties with Bus bookings, please contact our school office, and we will be happy to assist. 

I am proud of our students and the manner in which they have adapted to their new Bus routines.  They are being responsible and helpful, ensuring that the buses are able to depart safely and efficiently.

Mrs Nerida Hadfield - Deputy Principal

It has been so wonderful to be able to greet our students as they enter the school and see the excitement of their faces each new day. Meeting our Pre -  Kindergarten students as they have arrived with their parents has been really special and most parents have held it together (at least until they were back out the gate). Our Kindergarten classes are settled and in learning mode already and there is a positive energy to see.

It feels like a while ago that we had Day One, where all students in Years 1-6 assembled together and we talked about Joy as a focus for us this year. Joy sustains us, gives us perspective and endurance and is shown in meaningful relationships. Miss Burns talked about Joy and it being a fruit of the Spirit, as well as how we can have joy even in tough times. 

This term will see so many wonderful opportunities for students to be involved in a large variety of Co - curricular groups. These will begin in the next week or two. These groups are listed below.

• Choir Years 1 -2
• Choir Years 3 - 6
• Vocal Ensemble
• African Drumming
• Primary Dance
• Art Year 1 -2 
• Junior Percussion group 
• Games and Puzzles
• Book Club 
• Crochet Group
• LEGO
• Robotics
• Public Speaking 
• Years 5/6 Enrichment 
• Crusaders (Years 1-2 ; 3-5 ; 6)
• Primary Chess

Our Welfare Policy follows a restorative justice system and our Rungs of Restoration is a process we all follow when dealing with conflict with others. Students are supported to : 

1. Be Honest - Think about the truth, What happened? What was YOUR part in the conflict/problem? How did/do you feel? What do you need to do to make it right?

2. Be Brave - Speak the truth. Say out loud what happened, your part in the conflict/problem. Say how you feel and what you need to do to make it right.

3. Be Forgiving - Ask and receive. Ask for forgiveness, saying what you are sorry for. Say you forgive the other person. Sometimes this may take a little time.

4. Be Kind - This is an ongoing action. Rebuild relationships through actions of kindness. This is not just for a day but every day. KINDNESS CULTURE

The hands at the top show unity and as long as kindness is occurring then there will be unity.

We look forward to many community events throughout the year. One of the great ways you can meet other parents is at our Coffee Cart on Friday mornings. We would love to see you there. Further to this, the Parent Connect Nights are coming up and there is more information regarding these in this newsletter.

Mrs Jamie Nielson - Head of Teaching & Learning / PYP Coordinator

As the Summer holidays drew to a close and our St Peter’s students were busy preparing to come back to school for the 2024 academic year, our executive staff, teachers, and teacher assistants were eagerly taking part in our annual Professional Development (PD) Week. The goal of this professional learning was to deepen our understanding of high-quality, research-based teaching practices rooted in authentic Christian education.

During our commencement service, St Peter’s staff engaged in a presentation by author Chris Parker (The Frog and the Fish). Chris challenged us to think about the future of Christian Education, emphasising the importance of incorporating Biblical perspectives into curriculum-based teaching. From this experience, it is our ongoing hope to guide our students in viewing the world through a Biblical lens. We are encouraged to find genuine ways to further develop these perspectives in our teaching and learning programs, especially Units of Inquiry, where student agency is nurtured, and we strive to promote global citizenship and care for God’s world.

In our commitment to align with the reformed NSW Mathematics Syllabus, St Peter’s teaching staff started a year-long professional journey through the Primary Numeracy Project, facilitated by the Association of Independent Schools. This school-wide initiative is designed to help teachers improve explicit and systematic teaching techniques, fostering the development of our students' numeracy skills through direct instruction and ongoing review. Our first experience with this project was a significant catalyst for future growth, with benefits already seen in its practical application in our classrooms.

With an ongoing focus on adapting to recent changes in the NSW English Syllabus, we continue to develop our knowledge and expertise to align with best practices in literacy education. Teachers and teacher assistants recently took part in the Decodable Readers Australia (P-3) and Soundwaves Spelling (3-6) Professional Learning workshops. These sessions provided valuable insights into the effective application of research-based explicit instruction and its positive impact on student learning. Staff had an opportunity to explore various resources purchased to support students in learning essential foundational literacy skills that best support them in becoming confident and capable readers and writers. We are excited to introduce these resources and strategies into classrooms this term.

As we start 2024 with a strong desire to grow and learn as educators, we recognise the valuable impact of lifelong learning for both our staff and students. At St Peter’s, we will always prioritise professional growth and challenge our teams to engage in research-based, quality teaching practices that provide the best opportunity for our students to succeed.

Rest assured that as your child embarks on their learning journey this year, both their class teachers and all our St Peter’s staff will be on their own educational journey of growth. We are incredibly excited to witness the fruits of our collective learning efforts across St Peter’s in 2024!

Miss Leanne Burns - School Chaplain

Dear School Community, thank you for welcoming me so warmly as the new school chaplain. I am delighted and excited about my full time role in the school. I have lived in Bradbury and worked as a Minister at Campbelltown Anglican Churches for 24 years. During that time I have led weekly school chapel services which have been, and will continue to be, the highlight of my week. I have been a follower of Jesus since I was 16 years old and love to talk about Him with others.

Mrs Kasie Bingham - Sports Administrator

Trials for IPSSO Inter-School sports have kicked off with remarkable energy and participation. This year has seen a surge in student turnout, showcasing their enthusiasm and eagerness to engage in the diverse opportunities available at St Peter’s.

As we progress, the excitement builds with a scheduled second round on Wednesday, 14th February. Teams will be unveiled at the close of the allocated sports session. Selected students will receive a note to take home, ensuring parents are informed and can endorse their child's participation.

Mark your calendars, as the IPSSO Inter-School Sport competition officially commences in Week 4.

We are thrilled to share some exciting news regarding one of our outstanding students, Guy C who achieved a remarkable feat last Sunday in Adelaide.

Guy participated in the 2023-2024 VEX IQ National Championship as the member of Makigid Sydney 7998E team, and we are delighted to announce that the team secured the championship title by a huge margin. His dedication, hard work, and exemplary skills were truly commendable throughout the competition. And his team is now ranking 2nd place in the world skill standing: https://www.robotevents.com/robot-competitions/vex-iq-competition/standings/skills

This achievement not only reflects Guy’s individual talent and commitment but also highlights the excellence of our school's robotics program. It is a testament to the quality of education and extracurricular opportunities we provide to our students.

We were thrilled to hear of Woojin S' involvement in the United Cup and Australian Open over the holidays, representing Metro Sydney vs Country in the United Cup, a ball boy, as well as doing the coin toss at a Mixed Doubles Final game in Melbourne!

A variety of Peripatetic Tutors are approved to provide tuition during school hours in the following areas:

Piano (K –Year 6)
Cello (Years 2–6)
Violin (Years K–6)
Guitar (Years K–6)
Singing (Years K–6)

Piano Tutors
Mrs Jiann Bekes | 0411 300 560 | 4625 8290 | signp@optusnet.com.au
Mrs Koula Johnson | 0405 680 028 | koulajohnson@gmail.com.au
Guitar Tutor
Mr Daniel Myer | 0439 716 734 | daniel@ultimateguitaracademy.com
Vocal Tutor
Mrs Francesca Olson | Mobile: 0413 942 632 | francesca.olson@gmail.com

Term 1

Friday, 2 February 2024 - Friday, 12 April 2024

• Give thanks to God for a great first full week back at school
• Please pray for staff as they settle into new classes and/or new roles
• Please pray for students that they build good friendships and enjoy their time at school 

Physical Culture (Physie) classes are held for girls from Kindergarten to Year 6 after school on Wednesdays in the Church Hall.

Physie is an excellent, inexpensive and social activity which develops good co-ordination, posture and discipline

Parents may bring their daughters directly to the hall, or Girls who attend OSHC can be escorted to the Church Hall and returned after their session. 

New Members and Beginners are most welcome.

Please contract Anne McLeod:

Mobile: 0417 220 128

Email:annemcleod29@gmail.com