Mrs Michelle McDonnell - Principal

I am so excited to begin the Christmas season with our school community this evening at our Community Christmas event.  We have a variety of activities, food trucks and lots of carol singing taking place.  After introducing this event into our calendar last year, we have made it bigger and better this year with students joining in the performance, singing alongside Mrs Gillette and Mr Connell.  We also have a performance from some of our senior musicians, and our Chaplain Miss Burns will be helping us focus on the true meaning of Christmas - the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

It has been wonderful to meet our incoming Kindergarten and Pre-Kindergarten families over the past weeks as they have attended their Orientation events. We have also had day visits from our new students who will be joining us in Years 1-6 in 2025.  It has been wonderful to see our current students making their new friends feel so welcome and part of our St Peter’s Community. 

To ensure a smooth transition for all students, we have the following 2025 Orientation visits in the coming weeks.  Please note these visits are for students only.

Tuesday, 3 December 2024

11.30am - 2025 Kindergarten Class Orientation (2024 Koala and Kangaroos)

Thursday, 5 December 2024

11.30am - 2025 Kindergarten Class Orientation (2024 Echidna and Wombats)

Thursday, 5 December

2.00pm - 2025 Years 1-6 Class Orientation

We have a number of events planned as we finish the 2024 school year together, to celebrate the learning and achievements of our students, as well as celebrate Christmas together.

Tuesday, 26 November 2024

2.00pm - Pre-Kindergarten Presentation Afternoon - School Hall

Wednesday, 27 November 2024

3.30-6.00pm - Kindergarten - Year 6, Student-led Conferences (bookings close 8.00pm tonight)

Thursday, 28 November 2024

2.00pm - Pre-Kindergarten Presentation Afternoon - School Hall

Monday, 2 December 2024

9.00am - Whole School Assembly

Thursday, 5 December 2024

Year 6 Graduation

Friday, 6 December 2024

Whole School Christmas Chapel - School Hall

On Monday, 2 December 2024 following our Whole School Assembly, we will officially open our renovated Administration and Year 6 classrooms.  It has been wonderful to move into these spaces and utilise them to support the learning and operations of our school. Parents are welcome to join us for the opening following the assembly.

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

At St Peter’s, we are committed to fostering excellence in education for both our students and teaching staff. This year, as highlighted in previous newsletters, we embarked on the Primary Numeracy Project—a year-long professional development initiative aimed at enhancing teaching expertise and improving numeracy outcomes across our school.

Through the Primary Numeracy Project, our teachers engaged in professional learning focused on evidence-based teaching practices, explored innovative strategies for delivering Mathematics instruction and deepened their knowledge of the concrete, visual and abstract models that support students in developing their mathematical skills and understanding. The program emphasised explicit direct instruction, daily and cumulative review cycles and a gradual release of responsibility lesson structure, equipping our team to refine teaching approaches that support numeracy development at every stage of learning.

Throughout the year, our staff collaborated closely with a numeracy consultant to enhance our capacity as educators. This partnership enabled us to develop instructional routines to make Mathematics more accessible, ensuring all students received high-quality explicit instruction with ongoing guided practice. The AISNSW Primary Numeracy Project also helped us to establish a clear plan for the future of numeracy instruction at St Peter’s—one that prioritises the development of mathematical vocabulary, knowledge, skills and understanding and ensures that students can access the concrete, visual and abstract models to consolidate and extend their learning.

As a learning community, the impact of this project has been significant. It has reshaped our Mathematics lessons and instructional practices, bringing about measurable and positive change. While we continue to collect final data during these last weeks of Term 4, early results from our screeners already show pleasing growth in numeracy learning outcomes across the school. 

The growth we celebrate extends beyond student achievement. Our teachers have gained remarkable insights and expertise through the Primary Numeracy Project and we are excited to see how this initiative will continue to enrich the educational experiences of both our students and staff in 2025.

Miss Leanne Burns - School Chaplain

I am a little in denial at the moment that Christmas is just around the corner, despite the giant Christmas tree in Macarthur Square’s Kellicar Lane and the endless ads on TV from the major Supermarkets. Sadly it isn’t always ‘the most wonderful time of the year’.

But the unchanging message of the Saviour’s birth is the most wonderful news you will ever hear. God became a human baby to restore our relationship with Him.

The days leading up to Christmas Day are known in some traditions as ‘Advent’. The word Advent means “the coming or arrival”. As Christmas approaches, we look back and remember that starry night in Bethlehem, when in an instant the entire world was changed. Glory arrived, wrapped in the form of a baby. His coming ushered in an entirely new reality for all to behold. The darkness of waiting was replaced as the Light of the World came and made His dwelling among men.

As believers, we look back, but we also look forward. Just as our children delight in the remembrance of past Christmas joys, they also look forward to what awaits them under the tree. More is yet to come. As His people, we look back and remember that Christ has come and redeemed the world. We look forward and hope for that day when He will come again, making all things new. More is yet to come. (Melissa Kruger, Gospel Coalition)

Advent can be a time when we refocus our thoughts on Christ so that we might know the peace and joy that comes from knowing Him.

My prayer is that God will help you as a family to navigate the festive season with love, kindness, patience and care. My prayer, too, is that you will take time to reflect together on the real reason for the season.

There are lots of good resources to help you spend time with your family reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas. Youthworks has one for free and one you can purchase.

Youthworks Advent Devotions 2024

An Arrival to Celebrate

Mr Brad Stoicescu - Band & Strings Conductor

The St Peter's Music Festival was a resounding success, showcasing the incredible talent and dedication of our ensembles to a packed and enthusiastic audience. From the lively performances of our bands to the beautifully harmonised string orchestras and vocal groups, the evening was a true celebration of the vibrant musical culture at St Peter's.

A standout moment was the debut of our Staff Orchestra, whose spirited performance and surprise appearance brought the house down with the loudest cheer of the night. While their musical journey is off to a memorable start, the real stars of the evening were our students, whose commitment and teamwork shone through in every note. Each ensemble brought something special to the program, whether it was the polished sound of our senior groups or the promising debut of our younger musicians.

We extend heartfelt thanks to all the students, staff, and families who contributed to the night’s success, making it a truly unforgettable musical celebration.

In the weeks following the Music Festival, nearly 50 students have been promoted across our Band and Strings programs, with more to come! This early promotion allows students to get a head start in their new ensembles, learning from our experienced Year 6 leaders before they graduate. Congratulations to all those who have leveled up!

Both Junior and Senior Strings have been celebrating the season in style with festive Christmas tunes. Rehearsals have been so successful that we are combining forces for a special performance at the Christmas Celebration event tonight. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear over 50 talented string players perform together—truly a holiday treat!

A reminder for our Year 6 students and school-leavers to return their instruments after their final use:

• Junior ensembles: After the last rehearsal.

• Senior ensembles: After Presentation Evening (Tuesday, 10th, or Wednesday, 11th December).

Returning students are encouraged to clean their instruments over the break to ensure they’re in top shape for next year. If you need assistance, Mr Stoi is happy to provide instructions on proper care and safe handling.

As the year comes to a close, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all the students, staff, and parents who made this musical journey unforgettable. Here's to an even brighter 2025!

Wow! The Junior Band absolutely dazzled during their recent Assembly performance. Their polished sound left some spectators convinced they were hearing the Senior Band, with only a few Junior members sprinkled in. The truth? It was the opposite! They performed so brilliantly during sound check that Mr Stoi felt confident enough to dismiss some Year 6 helpers, as their support wasn’t needed. The Junior Band continues to set a high standard, proving the future of our bands is incredibly bright.

Mrs Kasie Bingham - Sports Administrator

Week 5 - v. Macarthur Anglican School

FINALS

Congratulations to the Junior Cricket team for clinching the top spot in the IPSSO Summer competition South Draw, shared with St Gregory’s College and Broughton Anglican College. It came down to for and against points to determine finals spots.

Their stellar performance paved the way for participation in the IPSSO Finals day, which took place on Wednesday, 20th November at St Gregory’s College. 

The first game against William Carey Christian School was set up as a strong performance from the start. Beginning with batting, the boys hit all the way to 79 runs off the first 8 overs. 

The second game presented a greater challenge. St Gregory’s College came out with a well-thought through fielding plan. Our boys fought back with outstanding bowling skills. The game culminated in another nail-biting finish, resulting in a loss. Despite this, it was an exceptional display of skill and teamwork. 

Every player demonstrated their best performance, showcasing teamwork and resilience. As a cohesive unit, the team proudly accepted their 2nd place standing after an awe-inspiring effort.

Students in Years 3-6 have the opportunity to represent St Peter’s in various sporting teams through IPSSO (Independent Primary Schools Sporting Organisation). Students will be able to trial for Summer & Winter representative sports teams and participate in an inter-school competition against schools Broughton Anglican College, Macarthur Anglican School, Mount Annan Christian College, Oran Park Anglican College, St. Gregory’s College and Wollondilly Anglican College.

Summer Sports Teams - played in Term 1 & Term 4: (Junior: Years 3/4, Senior: Years 5/6)

• Cricket (A selection of 10 boys)

• Mixed Basketball (A selection of 6 boys & 4 girls)

• Mixed Oz-Tag (A selection of 6 boys & 6 girls)

• Girl’s Soccer (A selection of 15 girls)

Winter Sports Teams - played in Term 2 & Term 3: (Junior: Years 3/4, Senior: Years 5/6)

• Mixed AFL (A selection of 7 boys & 7 girls)

• Boy’s Soccer (A selection of 15 boys)

• Newcombe Ball (Jnr) / Volleyball (Snr) (A selection of 6 boys & 6 girls)

• Netball (A selection of 10 girls)

Trials are held in the beginning weeks of Term 1 (for the Summer teams) and Term 2 (for the Winter teams) during each grade’s allocated Sports time on Wednesdays. Teachers will look at whether the students know the skills and game knowledge that are involved in the sport.

Students have the opportunity to trial for mixed school state sports teams throughout the year. 

If you have a child who will be in Years 5 and 6 in 2025, who is already involved in a Club Sport Representative or Development team/workshop, please fill in the Student Sports Talent EOI Form. There are many opportunities for students excelling at representative level to trial for Independent Schools State Teams throughout the year that include:

• Cricket

• Tennis

• Boys Basketball

• Girls Basketball

• Boys Touch Football

• Girls Football (Soccer)

• Boys Football (Soccer)

• Girls Netball

• Rugby Union

• Boy’s Field Hockey

• Girls Field Hockey

• Rugby League

• Golf

• Boys and Girls Softball

• Competition Gymnastics (For students in Years 3-6)

Students must be already competing and excelling at a State level outside of school. Entries are limited, so school trials may need to take place.

Help Us Change the Face of Men’s Health!

This November, I’m taking part in #Movember, growing a moustache to raise awareness and funds for men’s health. Movember supports groundbreaking work in mental health, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. With your help, we can make a real difference.

Why does this matter? Mental health struggles affect countless men worldwide and prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men. Testicular cancer, too, is the most common cancer in young men. Movember is on a mission to improve early detection, support men’s mental health and fund medical research that saves lives.

An important part of this journey is raising awareness and starting conversations, checking in with the men in our lives and creating space for sharing life's ups and downs. Reach out to the men you know, or encourage them to connect with a friend for a chat.

With GivingTuesday upon us and Movember coming to an end, I’m reaching out for support. Help me reach my fundraising goal and join me in making a meaningful impact. Every donation brings us one step closer to better health outcomes for men.

Please consider donating to my #Movember efforts today. Together, we can make a difference!

Donate here!

The Year Two teachers are very proud of how hard Year Two students have been working in the classroom! They have been busy studying imagery and figurative language in texts, learning about equivalent number sentences and exploring famous inventors. They have also been participating in some special Year Two opportunities. For the first five weeks of term, the students went to swimming lessons to progress in their swimming skills. The teachers were so proud to see the children overcome fears, persist in challenging obstacles and develop their water awareness and swimming skills. 

In Week Four, students also joined with Year One to attend a Day Camp out at Wedderburn Christian Campsite. We thought you might like to hear from some of them what they enjoyed most about the day:

My favourite thing about camp was everything! My group teachers were Mrs Gillette and Mrs Weir. I really liked making dragonflies and catching cicadas. I met the group teacher in the holidays too! - Sift

My favourite thing about camp was when I was playing stuck in the mud. Then all of a sudden the teachers had a water fight, then we joined in and played water fights. We won lots of water games and loved the cookies and sausage sizzle. We also saw a koala and did a nature hunt and a bushwalk too! - Subha 

My favourite thing about camp was when we did the water fight with the teachers. We did a scavenger hunt and we saw a koala and a baby koala. It was so fun. - Adele

My favourite thing about camp was that we went on a scavenger hunt and ate cookies. It was so good! But my favourite is the scavenger hunt. We collected things and saw koalas. Did you know that koalas sleep 22 hours of the day? So cool! We ate sausages and had ice blocks and then we went home. - Aaviah 

My favourite thing about camp was that I got to spend a whole day in God’s creation and saw lots of animals. I liked it because God made them and loves them. - Zoe

My favourite thing about camp day was finding cicada shells at lunch, while the other kids were eating and playing. The other thing I liked was bushwalking because I saw a lot of plants and a koala. - Hanya

My favourite thing about camp was that we got to do a scavenger hunt and we had to find some things that our supervisor had lost. We also had to put the items back where we found them. My group was the first to find all the items because all three of us went in different directions. After that we had a sausage sizzle. - Anvith

My favourite thing about camp was playing water games. I loved throwing cups on the teachers and getting them wet! It was so fun, I loved making insects and seeing a koala high up in the trees. - Cianna

My favourite thing about camp was the water games because I felt like I was a water bender. - Jayden

My favourite part of camp is the bushwalk. We saw an actual koala sleeping in a tree! I also saw a huge goanna. I loved the water games, we got so wet! - Ayvianna

Mrs Fiona Singline - Library Assistant

A special thank you to all the Grandparents, Parents and Carers who purchased items from the Scholastic Book Fair in Week 4.

This enables us to purchase a wonderful $3,357 worth of new books for our school Library.

Pictured here are just a quarter of the books that your generosity has enabled us to buy.

Thank you again for your support.

• Give thanks that the Administration block has re-opened after recent renovations and for our amazing support staff. 
• Give thanks for our new Pre-Kindergarten families and a great Orientation & Meet the Teacher time this week.
• Please pray for our Year Six students as they process the reality that their time at St Peters is coming to an end. Pray that they would put their hope in Christ.

Please see the Campbelltown Anglican School Term Dates for 2025 and 2026.

Please note the following:

2025 Kindergarten students will commence school on Thursday, 30 January 2025; students in Years 1 - 6 will commence on Friday, 31 January 2025.

2025 Pre-Kindergarten start dates will be:

• Koalas - Monday, 3 February 2024
• Kangaroos - Monday, 3 February 2024
• Echidnas - Wednesday, 5 February 2024 

Term 4

Monday, 14 October 2024 - Wednesday, 11 December 2024