Mrs Michelle McDonnell - Principal

It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of Week 6.  Our school is such a busy place, with much learning taking place both inside and outside of the classrooms.  I was fortunate to share breakfast with Year 3 this morning at their camp at Wedderburn.  Our students were so excited for the experiences that had already taken place and were so proud of themselves for making it through their first overnight school camp.  Our camping program assists our students to develop independence, resilience and risk taking as students undertake a different type of learning experience.

It was wonderful to see our Year 5 parents at school today, participating in learning activities alongside their children.  I saw a range of creative playdough creatures being taken to the playground to be photographed in a natural setting.  I trust that the Year 5 parents who were able to attend, enjoyed having this insight into their child’s education.

It is important for students to have regular school attendance, other than when they are unwell.  This ensures that they have the opportunity to learn well and develop relationships with their peers and teachers. Being late by 10 minutes twice each week is the same as over 3 hours of lost learning over the course of a term. 

We are noticing an increasing number of students who are late to school in the morning. The bell rings at 8.55am to allow students time to be in class ready to learn by 9.00am. From 9.00am students are signed in as late for school and this is recorded as a partial absence and will appear on your child’s School Report.

It is also a legal requirement that we have a record of reasons for absences and this includes partial absences. These need to be recorded through the Parent Lounge of TASS.  

We ask for parent support in having students at school prior to 8.55am each day and recording reasons for absences in TASS.

Our Whole School Service is coming up on Monday 24 June at 6.30pm.  This service involves all students from Kindergarten - Year 6 across Grammar and Heart. 

Mrs Nerida Hadfield - Deputy Principal

Where did the last two weeks go since our last newsletter?

As I reflect on another fortnight here at St Peter’s, I am delighted to think of the time being filled with enriching activities and opportunities for our students, staff, and community. 

We have had informative and engaging Parent Information Sessions which provide valuable insights into our curriculum, teaching methodologies, and the various support systems in place to ensure every child's success. The feedback from parents has been overwhelmingly positive, and we are grateful for those who took the opportunity to participate.

Our assemblies continue to be a wonderful time where we can celebrate student achievements and witness some of the learning taking place. It is heartwarming to see the pride and joy on their faces as they receive their awards and certificates. The assemblies also provide a platform for me to share with parents and also reinforce with students the learning that has been happening in Buddy Groups.

Buddy Groups continue to be a highlight of each fortnight, fostering a sense of community and mentorship among students. Our older students have been wonderful role models, guiding and supporting their younger buddies through various activities. This time continues to strengthen the bonds across different year levels, creating a nurturing and inclusive school environment. As I have shared during assemblies, students have been learning about character traits that are valuable to building a kind community. We have been looking at examples of people in the Bible with these character traits and then relating these values to our own lives with practical examples. I will endeavour to reinforce these also through this newsletter and it would be wonderful for you to have discussions about these with your child. 

So far we have looked at:-

Responsibility - Daniel (Knowing and doing what both God and others are expecting from me. (Romans 14:12)

Compassion - The Good Samaritan (Do whatever is necessary to heal the hurts of others. (I John 3:17)

Patience - Job (We have joy with our troubles because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. (Romans 5:3-4)

Determination - Paul (Blessed are those who remain steadfast when things are tricky, for when they have stood firm, they will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him. (James 1:12 )

Forgiveness - Joseph (Bear with each other and forgive others who have hurt or upset you. Forgive as God forgave you. (Colossians 3:13)

Today, we eagerly welcome back our Year 3 students from their camp adventure. The camp was a fantastic opportunity for them to develop independence, resilience, and teamwork skills. We are excited to hear about their experiences and the memories they have created. A big thank you to the teachers and staff who accompanied them and ensured a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

As we approach the long weekend, we look forward to a well-deserved break. It is an excellent opportunity for families to spend quality time together and recharge. We hope everyone enjoys the extended weekend and returns refreshed and ready for the exciting weeks ahead.

Our School Captain, Imogen competed in her first solo lyrical dance for the Region One qualifier for Dance NSW. Competitors all around Australia have regional qualifiers and if they get the required cut-off mark, they then get invited to go to state and then if they get through state they go to nationals in August in Adelaide. Imogen won her division and also qualified to go through to state. Congratulations Imogen!

Isobel in Year 6 was lucky enough to be named as a finalist in the MacArthur young champions awards that were hosted on 31st May. She was nominated by her Dance School for being a valued young leader. Isobel teaches Preschool and Kindergarten Acrobatics and Dance. She is passionate about her own dancing and acrobatics and enjoys spending as much time as she can involved in these activities. Well done Isobel! We are all proud of you.

Mrs Jamie Nielson - Head of Teaching & Learning

During Week 5, our St Peter’s families were invited to an information session on the NSW English Syllabus for Years 3-6. The purpose of these sessions was to:

• Enhance parents' understanding of the recent changes within the English Curriculum.

• Examine the shifts in teaching practices throughout the implementation process.

• Provide families with support in assisting their children’s learning in English. 

We were delighted by the diverse range of questions and responses from our wonderful parents in attendance, which sparked insightful discussions on how best to address the developmental needs of our students while implementing the new syllabus, as well as providing us with an opportunity to dive deeper into the research behind these recent changes. These conversations prompted us to reflect on other curiosities that our St Peter’s community may have in relation to the teaching and learning within our school and the broader curriculum expectations across NSW.

An essential takeaway from our sessions was our strong desire to maintain ongoing dialogue with our St Peter’s families regarding the English syllabus. We firmly believe that well-informed parents are best equipped to support their children's educational growth in English and we value the active partnership of all St Peter’s families as we strive for excellence within our school.

With this in mind, we are excited to collectively deepen our understanding of how students develop language skills, while growing their confidence and capacity in speaking, reading, and writing. In the upcoming months, our newsletter's curriculum focus will provide a glimpse into the Focus Areas of our updated English Syllabus. Each fortnight, we will share snippets of information and practical strategies to assist our community in understanding what, why, and how we teach English across our school, inviting our families to actively participate in their children's learning.

If you have burning questions or curiosities that could guide these Curriculum Snapshots on the English Syllabus, please don’t hesitate to email them to administration@stpeters.nsw.edu.au.

Miss Kym Busutel - Coordinator of St Peter's Heart

Year 1 students recently enjoyed an exciting and educational Community Helpers Day. Dressed as various community helpers of their choice, they delighted in seeing their classmates' creative costumes and learning the reasons behind each choice. The highlight was a special visit from Mr Raft, a fireman, who shared fascinating insights about his important job. The students were captivated by his stories and gained a deeper appreciation for the vital roles community helpers play in our everyday lives.

This term, the Galahs have integrated for Music and Developmental Play. Year 1 students have explored musical instruments, learning beats and rhythms, while also enjoying various creative and imaginative activities during Developmental Play. In PE, they've showcased their athletic skills by learning to throw a discus, performing impressive shot puts, and participating in exciting collaborative games.

The Kookaburra class has been busy exploring living things, discovering facts about animals and plants using their five senses. They photographed school plants, examined them under microscopes, and drew and labeled their findings. They also categorised animals and designed their own zoo. Meanwhile, the Year 2 Lorikeets have been enhancing their hand-eye coordination through engaging ball activities in PE, and Stage 2 and 3 students have been learning hockey, focusing on precision, agility, teamwork, and strategic thinking. Overall, the Lorikeets are making excellent progress in combining physical fitness with skilful play.

Mrs Kasie Bingham - Sports Administrator

Students love being in a sports team. It gives them a boost in not only gross motor skills, but communication, teamwork and confidence. 

Want to practise at home? Here are some simple activities students can do on their own -

AFL: In the backyard or at a reserve close-by, throw the football high in the air and catch it again. At a local sports oval, practice kicking. Find an object you can aim for.

Soccer: In the backyard or at a reserve close-by, try some of these basic drills (where it says cones, you could use something as simple and accessible as shoes!) Train Like Legends - Top 8 Solo Soccer Drills

Newcombe Ball / Volleyball / Netball: In the backyard or at a reserve close-by, throw a round ball high in the air and catch it again. You can also throw or pass a ball against a brick wall, and the brick wall will return it to you! Try to do this as quickly as possible to see how many times you can keep catching the return pass off the brick wall. Volleyballers can also find something about 180cm high (like dad?) and practise their serving techniques.

Week 3 - v. Broughton Anglican College

Week 4 - v. Oran Park Anglican College

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

Our Athletics Carnival is soon approaching. Please ensure you have filled in the Permission Form.

Students will be notified next week of qualifiers for Competition Field Events that will be run at the carnival. 

The Program of Events can be downloaded here.

Parents are reminded that students need to be dropped off and picked up from the Campbelltown Athletics Centre. The day ends at 2.30pm and all students are to be picked up by 2.45pm.

Kiss & Drop is available at the Campbelltown Athletics Centre off Pembroke Rd, just after the Wests Multi-Storey Car Park. The Kiss & Drop will be operating in the morning from 8.30am ONLY, and in the afternoon from 2.30pm ONLY. Parents arriving before 8.30am will need to follow the car parking instructions below. For Kiss & Drop, please refer to the map. There is to be no queuing, standing or parking on Pembroke Rd at any time.

For spectators, car parking for Campbelltown Sports Stadium [Athletics Centre and Football Stadium] is available off Airds Road. The parking area is a short walk via the pedestrian footbridge (Lift access is available). A map for parking can be downloaded here. You must enter the Athletic Centre via Pembroke Road Entry.

Congratulations to Woojin S in 5S and Lachlan S in 3B who ran at the CIS Cross Country on Thursday. Both boys should be proud of their achievements to progress to CIS and their results on the day. Woojin and Lachlan continue to represent St Peter’s exceptionally at these carnivals.

The Annual St. Peter’s Tennis Competition is well underway. Congratulations to the following students who have so far progressed to Round 2:

Harrison S, Liam M, Judah M, Isaac C, Ernest M, Henry L, Karaaj H, Rafan M, Cooper E, Richard L, Woojin S.

Literacy:

Pre-Kindergarten have been developing their phonological awareness this semester as they practise segmenting syllables in words, identifying words that rhyme and isolating beginning sounds in familiar words. Our little learners have demonstrated pleasing growth in using drawing and writing tools to represent their ideas through markings, drawings and letters. They explored these literacy concepts through class games and developmental play that also incorporate STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) and developing their fine motor skills. Check out some of their learning and play opportunities at school!

Numeracy: 

Mathematical concepts in Pre-Kindergarten are explored using hands-on materials in a play-based setting where student curiosity can be investigated by young inquirers. Last term’s focus for Numeracy was colour, line and shape. Students experimented with mixing primary colours to make secondary colours. They conducted scientific experiments using colour in which they predicted the outcomes and observed their results. We produced artworks allowing them to explore types of lines and various two-dimensional shapes. Patterns have been this term’s Numeracy focus. Students have made patterns with small manipulatives, musical instruments, and through body percussion. We have discovered that patterns repeat continuously and can often be found in nature. Pre-Kindergarten students are also regularly revising numbers through numeracy-based play opportunities, songs, games, counting, and through quality literature.

UOI:

During our Unit of Inquiry this term we have been looking at our feelings and emotions. We have considered what different kinds of feelings there are and how we express those feelings- both positively and negatively. Students have enjoyed literature exploring these themes which has lead to the creation of collaborative and individual artworks. They have used line and colour to represent the feelings experienced in different situations. Students have had opportunities to role play emotions and have analysed how they emotionally respond to a variety of styles of art and music. They have considered how different people may have different emotions and also how they can respond to others when they are experiencing strong emotions. This topic also connects well with our child safe unit where we are exploring feeling safe and unsafe and how our bodies can let us know when we aren’t safe and what we can do to help ourselves.

On Thursday 6th June, Year 3 travelled to Wedderburn for our camp. When we arrived at the campsite, we were welcomed by the friendly Wedderburn leaders and had some morning tea. We then got into groups and had a go at some exciting activities such as Bush craft, BMX and Rock climbing. We were encouraged to challenge ourselves in all of these areas. The activities were a lot of fun and it was great to try new things!

In the afternoon, the rainy weather meant we were given opportunities to try some indoor experiences. We had our very own mini-olympics in which teams tried a range of different challenges. We also had a chance to develop our climbing and balancing skills by making crate towers. After some free time with our friends, we had showers in our cabins, washing off the dust and dirt of the day! We shared a yummy dinner together, then had a special activity called “Christian Discovery” where we learned more about our great God and His love for us. Afterwards, we played some indoor games and enjoyed a movie night! It was then time to get some rest in our cabins.

The next morning we had a delicious breakfast, then cleaned up our cabins and put into practice some new skills such as packing our own sleeping bags! Before long, we enjoyed another Christian Discovery Time. We spent the morning exploring one more activity with our camp leaders, before sharing some lunch. In the afternoon, we piled back onto the bus to head to school. We can share with our families all about the wonderful experiences we had at Year 3 camp!

• Please continue to pray for our staff and students who are recovering from colds and flus, pray for renewed strength and protection as we move into Winter. 
• We are thankful for the long weekend, the chance to slow things down, and a bit more time to rest. We pray for those travelling that they will have a good time away and return safely. 
• We praise God for a successful Year 3 camp; despite the rain, the students had a great time and will return with lots of wonderful memories. 
• We pray for the Athletics Carnival next Friday that it will be a fun day and for those who are competing, that they can do their best and not be too nervous.

Term 2

Monday, 29 April 2024 - Friday, 5 July 2024

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