Mrs Michelle McDonnell - Principal

What a beautiful sunny day we had for our annual book character parade and community morning tea today!  Our school came alive with characters from picture books, novels and movies as well as sporting stars and creatures we can read about in a variety of non-fiction texts.  

Miss Burns certainly had a different looking Kindergarten in Chapel this morning as she taught them from the greatest book of all - the Bible.  At the beginning of the year, our Kindergarten students were presented with “The Biggest Story Bible“ so that they can read with their families the stories that they are learning in Chapel and in class.  I trust that these Bibles are a treasured possession in our Kindergarten households.

Thank you for your generous donations to Intumbane’s Book Drive. We are able to donate 137 books!

I look forward to sharing breakfast with our St Peter’s fathers and other special people who play this part in our students lives.  A reminder that the breakfast is on Thursday 29 August for those who have booked tickets for this event.

We are excited to share with our school community the news of the birth of Hallie Joy Willis to Mrs Danielle Willis (Pre-Kindergarten Koalas), her husband Neil and siblings Adeline and Emery.  It was exciting to see Hallie this morning at our parade!

We are pleased to share with our school community that Mrs Sarah Manning will be joining the Campbelltown Anglican Schools Counselling Team in a part-time capacity. Mrs Manning's compassionate approach and professional experience will further assist us in providing essential support to our students' wellbeing.

Mrs Nerida Hadfield - Deputy Principal

What another wonderful couple of weeks we have had in our school. The rooms are bursting with provocations for our Units of Inquiry with students being challenged and engaged with new and exciting opportunities for learning. We enjoyed an assembly on Monday where we celebrated the sporting achievements of our students. Congratulations to all for doing their best in sporting endeavours so far this year. Our carnivals have been buzzing with colour and enthusiasm. We have also had academic pursuits such as ICAS assessments, GATEway 8 and the completion of Premier’s Reading Challenge.

We also have so much to look forward to over the coming weeks, including a couple of large community events. The Father’s Day Breakfast will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the fathers and father figures in our lives. Our Community Movie Night is on September 6. We look forward to inviting our community together to view the movie Migration. Please see the flyer for more information.

This opportunity is strongly recommended for all families of students in Years 3-6. The online course is next Monday evening and is a great resource to assist you in having conversations with your child around personal development and sex education.

The updated information and link was sent out last week.

The Musical Team was blown away by the talent we have here at St Peter’s. We had over 60 auditions and the task of allocating roles required much discussion, while being thoroughly entertained at the same time. The announcement of our Musical cast for Moana Jr can be found via this link.

Congratulations to all who tried out for the roles. The Backstage Crew will be decided next year through expressions of interest from students in Years 5 and 6 (2025). These positions are considered based on an ability to be helpful and focused; and students who demonstrate cooperative behaviours at school.

Due to our ongoing renovations, it is important that students are not arriving to school prior to 8.10am as this is when the gates open. Builders will all be arriving and moving equipment in this area prior to this time and students should not be in this area unsupervised.

This week we looked at LOYALTY in our buddy groups. Students discussed what loyalty looks like as well as why it is important to be loyal. 

Loyalty is important because it helps build strong friendships and trust. It means being there for your friends and family, making them feel safe and loved. Loyalty helps keep things calm and happy, and it shows others that you are kind and reliable. By being loyal, you learn to be honest and caring, and it makes teamwork easier because everyone works together. When you are loyal, people know they can count on you, and it makes the world a better place for everyone.

Thank you once again to our amazing Year 6 students for leading our groups so responsibly.

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

Have you ever been so deeply absorbed in a book that time seems to slip away unnoticed? This year’s CBCA Book Week theme, ‘Reading is Magic’, celebrates the joy of getting lost in a great story. At St Peter’s, we strive to nurture a love of reading in all  students. Our teachers provide daily opportunities for students to engage with quality texts through shared, peer and independent reading experiences. 

Today, we celebrated our favourite books and characters with our annual Literature Day and Book Parade. Students from Pre-K to Year 6 participated in activities centred around various picture books and stories intended to foster their joy for reading and deepen their engagement with quality literature. A highlight of this day was a shared ‘fruit-break’ with our families and showcasing our amazing costumes during our Book Parade.

During Week 5, we will conduct our final ICAS assessment for the year. Students who are enrolled in the Mathematics ICAS assessment should arrive at school by 7.55am on Monday, 26 August to allow for a prompt start at 8.00am. If your child misses this assessment, a final catch-up session will be available on Tuesday, August 27.

Vocabulary instruction is essential for developing students’ oral language and literacy skills. A rich and expansive vocabulary enables students to learn about the world, explore new ideas and articulate their knowledge. Vocabulary proficiency refers to the knowledge and understanding of words and their meaning. It significantly enhances students’ reading fluency, comprehension and ability to write meaningful texts. To successfully build this proficiency, teachers must adopt effective strategies that help students to understand and use both common and sophisticated vocabulary across all learning areas, which is crucial for their overall academic growth.

The NSW English Syllabus highlights an increased focus on vocabulary instruction, which now extends far beyond traditional word lists and dictionary definitions. The updated syllabus emphasises the importance of providing students with extensive opportunities to engage with new vocabulary to  strengthen their oral language, reading fluency, comprehension and writing skills.

Drawing on the research of Beck, McKeown, & Omanson (Bringing Words to Life, 1987), vocabulary instruction within the NSW English Syllabus is divided into 3 tiers. 

Vocabulary - The Three Tiers Framework

The path to robust vocabulary acquisition is a journey students will continue on throughout their school years and beyond. When provided with extensive opportunities to draw on and apply common, sophisticated and subject specific vocabulary in a range of oral language, reading and writing experiences, students are given the best chance of achieving vocabulary proficiency.

Miss Leanne Burns - School Chaplain

There is so much to be thankful for as we come towards the middle of Term 3 and head into Spring. I am enjoying the lighter mornings, the warm afternoon sun, the flowers in the new flower beds at the entrance to our school, and the progress of the renovations. I am especially thankful for the goodness and faithfulness of God. In Lamentations 3:22-23,

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

We are reminded in the Bible to give thanks in all circumstances for God is good. 

In Psalm 107:1 we read “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!”

We have been looking in Chapel at the goodness, love and power of the Lord during the time His people were slaves in Egypt in the book of Exodus. God heard His people’s cries for help and rescued them with His powerful hand. The response of His people to this incredible act of salvation was praise and thanksgiving. 

Every Friday morning the Staff meet at 8:10am and sing together songs of praise and encouragement. It is one of my favourite times of the week. It is a time to express our love for the Lord and thankfulness for who He is and all He has done. I also love hearing the children sing in Chapel and in their classes. This week I was in a Kindergarten class and one little boy asked if he could sing a song he had made up. It was about God being King of everything and looking after the world and dying on the cross and how much He loves us. Hearing this child's response of praise made my heart sing. We were made to praise our Maker.

If you are looking for music to sing with your children I’d recommend Colin Buchanan and Dan Warlow. Come along to Chapel and join in the praise with your children. I enjoy seeing the parents join in. 

Miss Kym Busutel - Coordinator of St Peter's Heart

Today the Book Parade was a vibrant celebration of creativity and imagination, as children proudly paraded around in costumes inspired by their favourite book characters. Each outfit was a testament to their love for literature, with some students even crafting their own accessories to bring their characters to life. I loved hearing the stories behind their choices, learning why they were drawn to a particular book and what made them decide to dress up as that specific character. The excitement didn't end with the parade as special visitors visited classrooms to read stories, sparking even more enthusiasm for reading. The day was filled with engaging activities linked to literature, allowing the kids to explore the themes and adventures of their beloved books in new and interactive ways. It was a day where stories truly came alive, leaving a lasting impression.

Mrs Kasie Bingham - Sports Administrator

Week 3 - v. Mount Annan Christian College (Washed Out)

Week 2 - v. Wollondilly Anglican College

Winter sports will continue in Term 3. Please download and regularly check the Term 2 & 3 Draw. Teams involved in finals will be notified a week in advance. Teams progress to finals when they finish 1st or 2nd in our Pool.

The Todd Woodbridge Cup is a primary school team tennis competition for Stage 2 (Years 3&4) and Stage 3 (Years 5&6) students that uses modified equipment, numeric scoring, and mixed gender teams. Events are designed to be fun and inclusive, meaning it is not just for experienced tennis players. Anyone who wants to give tennis a go is encouraged to come and have a go. 

To see what the TWC is all about, watch the 2023 highlights video HERE.

Competition information:

• Tuesday, 10th September, Wollongong Beaton Park Complex

• Each team is made up of four boys and four girls. 

• We will be entering one Stage 2 team and one Stage 3 team.

• All students are encouraged to participate no matter what their skill level may be. 

• Tennis NSW and local club representatives will run the entire day.

If your child in Years 3-6 is involved in tennis training and/or weekly coaching outside of school, can you please fill in the form below. Trials will occur based on interest. Students involved in our Tennis Competitions will also be considered where spots need to be filled.

Todd Woodbridge Tennis Tournament EOI

A new competition is beginning - Field Hockey Gala Day on Friday, 20th September at Macarthur Hockey Complex.

We are able to take a mixed team of up to 15 students who play field hockey. If your child in Years 4-6 is interested in playing in our first St Peter’s Hockey Team, please fill in the form below. Students require a field hockey stick, mouthguard and shin guards to play. We will also need a goalie!

Field Hockey Gala Day EOI

Numeracy 

Through various play-based experiences using concrete materials, our Pre-Kindergarten students are making observations and comparisons of objects, describing their similarities and differences in regards to shape, size, colour and type. In collaboration with their peers, they are developing mathematical vocabulary while organising and ordering various objects according to their observations. They have also explored positional language through active games and hands-on activities as they describe where people and objects are placed in relation to others.

Literacy

Pre-Kindergarten has been exploring more and more sounds and their respective letter names. They have explored through explicit teaching with segmenting sounds to form words and also exploration in hands-on play and writing. They have been immersed in stories relating to the sound of the week and how to use these sounds in their sentence writing as a group. Through play they have learned how to write various letters and also explore how the sounds are used in the world around them. They have also continued to develop their fine motor skills in play to assist their name writing and pencil control.

Unit of Inquiry

Pre-Kindergarten have begun to delve into a new Unit Of Inquiry in which we are considering how humans are connected to nature. Students have found precious objects in nature and worked collaboratively to classify objects, considering whether they are from God’s natural world or not. Through hands-on experiences with natural items and their surrounding environment, the children have been encouraged to use their senses to explore and observe changes as they interact with nature. We will move on to investigate how growing cycles affect our lives, as well as the impact of weather and climate on our lives.

Mrs Fiona Singline - Library Assistant

What a fantastic "Day of Books".

• Lord we pray for those in communities that are unwell at the moment. We pray for a speedy recovery and no long-term issues 
• Lord, we are thankful for a great literacy day and a chance to celebrate reading and all the books that have had a massive impact on our lives. 
• Lord, we are thankful for all the opportunities that happen at St Peters' and all the hands that make these things work.