Mrs Michelle McDonnell - Principal

It has been wonderful to see our students excited to be back at school for Term 2, eager to learn, re-establish friendships and share holiday news.  We have a busy term ahead of us with many opportunities for families to be onsite.  We began with our Anzac Service on the first day of term and continued with our Mother’s Day breakfast this morning.  It was wonderful to see so many parents, carers and siblings at each of these events.

We are holding Open Classrooms for every grade throughout this term, the dates of which are later in this newsletter.  Can I encourage families to place these dates into their calendars and prioritise coming along to share the learning that is happening in your child's classroom?  We are also continuing our Parent Information Sessions to assist parents to be actively involved in their child's learning.

It is the highlight of my day to walk around the school and see students happy and engaged with their learning.  I look forward to sharing this with you over the coming term.

“As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.” Isaiah 66:13

We are so thankful to our St Peter’s mothers, grandmothers and other special people who play this important role in our students' lives.  We enjoyed celebrating you at our Mother’s Day breakfast this morning and trust you enjoy opening the surprises your children have purchased at the Mother’s Day stalls this week.  

This morning, Miss Burns reflected on Isaiah 66:13 at our breakfast, beginning by reminding us of some of the reasons we love our St Peter’s mums.  From “she lets us have lollies”, and “she is caring and a youtuber”, to “she is kind and generous” and “because of the hugs she gives”.  

In this verse, God tells His people that He will care for them when things are hard or sad, just like a mother cares for her child when they are distressed.  It highlights the unconditional love, protection and support that mothers provide their children and is a wonderful illustration of what God’s love for us is like. God loves us because He made us and He showed His love for us when His son, Jesus died for us.  

This Mother’s Day, we want to thank you for all you do and for your love and care of our students.

Campbelltown Anglican Schools are hosting a dinner for those wanting to delve further into the ministry of Campbelltown Anglican Schools and learn how we can continue to sew the Gospel of Jesus into the Campbelltown Anglican Schools community.

Join us on Saturday 15 June 2024 in the Broughton Anglican College Hall from 5.30pm for a night of worship, teaching, prayer, student/parent/staff testimonies and fellowship, along with great food.

A free child-minding service will be offered in Broughton’s OSHC centre for children aged 18 months – 12 years where they will be cared for by our Campbelltown Anglican Schools OSHC staff and will enjoy an array of activities, toys and movies. Children will also receive dinner and dessert.

Bookings are essential and will close 4pm, Friday 7 June 2024. 

Booking Link

Mrs Nerida Hadfield - Deputy Principal

We have had a very busy start to the term with a variety of special events already taking place. There have been excursions, assemblies, buddy groups, sports trials, Mother’s Day events and of course some exciting learning experiences for all our students. 

Having mothers on site this morning was wonderful. Please check out our social media for some lovely photos. It was a heartwarming opportunity to be together as a community. From the delicious food to the smiles shared, it was a joy to share in our appreciation for the nurturing women in our lives. Wishing all the extraordinary mothers a Happy Mother's Day!

Last Thursday, May 2nd, our students from Kindergarten to Year 6 all watched a live performance called Zanna and the Lost Code by Brainstorm Productions. This performance was entertaining and students were engaged. They were inspired and empowered through this show to be aware of staying safe and being responsible and resilient, including in online situations. Thank you to our students for their engagement and thoughtful questioning around these important topics.

Congratulations to Louis G in Year 5 who participated in the regional Karate tournament last month and won second place. This is an excellent achievement and we wish him well as he works towards competing at the state level in coming months.

There has been an increase in ‘toys’ attached to school bags. Students may have one small key ring attached to their bag for easy identification purposes only. These other toys are not necessary and can cause upset when lost or broken.

It has been wonderful to see our primary students arriving in their blazers and ties. The new uniform can be worn in any of the approved combinations during Winter.

• All primary students (Years 3-6) must wear blazers and primary boys (Years 3-6) must wear ties. 
• Girls from Kindergarten - Year 6 may only wear stockings with the Navy Pinafore.  They should not be worn with the summer dress or skort / cullottes. 

We understand some may be waiting for deliveries from Ranier Schoolwear.  If this is the case for your child, please write a note in their diary so that staff are aware.

Please be reminded that students should not be wearing jewellery apart from a plain coloured watch and simple gold or silver stud earrings for girls. Necklaces are not part of the school uniform. 

Teachers will be monitoring uniforms closely and communicate with you via the diary of any concerns.

Please be reminded that this begins from 8.10 when the gates are open. Leaving students before this time is leaving them unsupervised by school staff.

• Whole School Service - there are two dates listed in the calendar for this event. Please be aware that the correct date is 24th June NOT 13th May. Information about this event will be shared with families in the coming weeks.

• Term 3 this year begins with Week One being PD week in the school calendar. Usually we begin with Week One when students start. Please be aware of this being different this year where students will begin in Week Two.

In light of it being NATIONAL ROAD SAFETY WEEK, please be reminded again of the importance of following the carpark procedures for our school and students. We want to ensure our students are safe and they are watching and learning about this every day when they arrive and leave our school.

Before school (8.00 - 9.00am) and at the end of the day (2.45 - 3.30pm), parents should only be driving into the school carpark if they are utilising the ‘Kiss and Drop’ space. Parking is offsite - at the Bowling Club carpark, in Brown Street or Howe Street, or in the carpark off Broughton Street. 

If you need to get out of your car, please do not enter the carpark. A reminder that staff have allocated spots and so parking in these spaces holds up staff to be in meetings or prepare for the day. Safety is our number one priority and our systems for using the carpark works safely if everyone respects these processes.

Please do not enter the carpark before 2.55pm as this is our emergency entry and this cannot be blocked during the school day.

The finalists from Years 3-6 in our Public Speaking Competition have dedicated weeks to honing their skills and preparing for this moment. Their chosen topics range from pondering "What is Worth Celebrating?" to envisioning "In the Future We will be Able to..." and expressing ambitions in "When I Grow Up, I Will..." We look forward to witnessing their eloquence as they take the stage to share their perspectives with an audience on this day.

Mrs Jamie Nielson - Head of Teaching & Learning

Term 2 is underway and classes have returned to their busy rhythm of learning. As we embark on new experiences this term, we are excited to extend a warm welcome to our families who are invited to join us for our Term 2 Open Classroom and Parent Information Events. Below, you will find details outlining these upcoming opportunities. 

Term 2 Open Classroom Schedule 

Please note that all Open Classroom events (Other than the Pre-K Portfolio viewings) will take place from 2:00 - 3:00 pm.

Additional information for these events will be shared via your child’s Seesaw Family account over the coming weeks.

An Introduction to the NSW English Syllabus - Years 3 - 6

At the conclusion of Term 1, our St Peter’s families were encouraged to offer suggestions for future Parent Information sessions within our school. One area of significant interest for our families was a desire to build their understanding around Primary literacy development. In 2023, we conducted information sessions for families on the new English Syllabus, with a focus on teaching and learning from Kindergarten to Year 2. 

On Tuesday, 28 May (Week 5), we would like to welcome our families to join us for An Introduction to the NSW English Syllabus - Years 3-6. This event is open to both Junior Primary and Primary parents and all are encouraged to attend to gain valuable insight into the teaching and learning that takes place in English within a Primary classroom. 

Parent Information Session Schedule 

Date: Tuesday 28 May, 2024

Where: Year 3 Classrooms 

Workshop Times: 

2:00 - 2:45 pm - Session 1 

7:00 - 7:45pm - Session 2 (repeated session) 

Please note that this is a parent only event and there will be no child minding services available during the information session. 

Parent Information Session - Booking Link

We look forward to welcoming our St Peter’s families into classrooms and for Information Sessions in Term 2.

Miss Leanne Burns - School Chaplain

We are thankful that you have chosen St Peter’s Grammar and Heart to send your child for their education. We are very proud of our nurturing school community and enjoy seeing the children grow and flourish. As you know, we are an unashamedly Christian School, which means we hold to the authority of the Bible and the centrality of Christ in human history. Recently I was asked to answer some questions that children in Year 3 had put in a question box regarding the Christian faith. There were some excellent questions including; who named God, who wrote the Bible, why did God make the world, is God good, why does he love us? 

I have had a number of parents recently ask me about what Christians believe. In response to those questions I would love to run a couple of courses, in conjunction with Campbelltown Anglican Church, for anyone who wants to investigate the Christian faith .

We will look at Mark’s Gospel together over 7 weeks. There will be a daytime group for women on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:00am starting on the 21st of May. The course is called “Christianity Explained”. 

In Term 3 we will be running an evening group for men and women called “Exploring Christ”. We will meet Monday nights from 7:30 to 9pm starting on the 5th of August. Please see the link below for more information.

Video Link

Please register via this link If you are interested in either of these courses. 

Kind regards,

Leanne Burns

Mrs Kasie Bingham - Sports Administrator

Week 11 - v. Oran Park Anglican College

Week 11 puts the Summer Inter-School sports on hold. These existing teams will resume in Term 4.

Term 2 IPSSO Inter-School Sports Trials have taken place throughout Weeks 1 and 2. We are thrilled with the constant improvement of student movement, fitness and sport skills so far this year. 

Congratulations to the following students who have made it into our Winter Sports teams.

Please download and regularly check the Term 2 & 3 Draw. Students have also been given a printed copy attached to their permission note.

New and updated uniforms are currently being ordered. Students will wear their full summer sports uniform for IPSSO games in the meantime. Please note that AFL and Soccer require red football socks. These can be purchased from Rebel Sport until the Rainier has St Peter’s ones in stock.

Football boots are not essential, but if your child already owns a pair, they may be worn for IPSSO games. Mouthguards are mandatory for AFL, and shin pads are mandatory for soccer.

We wish the following students all the best as they attend a variety of IPSHA/CIS trials: 

• William P will be attending the CIS Boys Rugby League trials on Monday, 13 May.

• Woojin S who is competing at the NSWPSSA Tennis Championships in Newcastle May 14 17.

• Iasona T and Buck B will be attending the IPSHA Rugby trials on Thursday, 25 May.

IPSHA and CIS sport team trials are for students in years 3-6 excelling in a sport at a representative level.

If you have a child who will be in years 3-6 in 2024, who is already involved a Club Sport Representative team outside of school, please email me to let me know sport@stpeters.nsw.edu.au There are still many other opportunities for State Rep Team Trials in 2024 that include:

• Cricket

• Boy’s Field Hockey

• Girls Field Hockey

• Golf

• Boys and Girls Softball

• Gymnastics

In your email, please inform me of their representative / development team they play for and their preferred playing positions. Entries are limited, so school trials may need to take place.

In Year 2, we have been learning about How We Express Ourselves in our Unit of Inquiry lessons. We have learned that one of the main ways people express themselves and how they live is through their culture. We have explored the idea that 'Sites and artefacts expose culture'. We have looked at significant sites around Campbelltown, Australia and the world, and the cultures that these sites reveal. We have also learned about historical artefacts and what they teach us about the way people lived at different times and in different places. We have started stretching ourselves with some new research skills to help us in all areas of our learning. 

Year One have been learning about community helpers and how they are an essential part of our community. Year One will attend school dressed as a community helper of their choosing. The morning will be spent sharing our ideas of how each helper contributes to building our thriving society.

Parents are welcome to join us at 2.15pm on Tuesday, 21 May 2024 for an open classroom. We would love help creating our communities! If they wish, parents may join us in their work attire and share their own experiences helping our community to the students.

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)
Guitar (Years K–6)
Singing (Years K–6)

Piano Tutors
Mrs Jiann Bekes | 0411 300 560 | 4625 8290 | jbekes540@gmail.com
Mrs Koula Johnson | 0405 680 028 | koulajohnson@gmail.com
Guitar Tutor
Mr Daniel Myer | 0439 716 734 | daniel@ultimateguitaracademy.com
Vocal Tutor
Mrs Francesca Olson | Mobile: 0413 942 632 | francesca.olson@gmail.com

Piano / Cello Tutor
Ms Samira Dib| Mobile: 0418 248 239

• Give thanks for a new school term and for the patience of the staff and students coping with the challenges of wet weather.
• Please pray for Year 4 going to Camp next week. Pray for safety, energy and a great time together experiencing new adventures and learning about God's amazing love.
• Please give thanks for mums and grandmothers and ask God to sustain them as they nurture their children with love and grace. 

Term 2

Monday, 29 April 2024 - Friday, 5 July 2024