Term 3, Weeks 1 & 2 2022

Drive Through Collection

Mrs Michelle McDonnell - Principal

Each family will receive a new sign for their car for use during Drive Through Pick up. This sign has a barcode on it, and will be scanned by staff as you enter the pick up lines. It would be very helpful if you could place this at the bottom of your windscreen on the passenger side of the vehicle against the glass.

If your family uses multiple vehicles for pick up, please let us know via adminstration@stpeters.nsw.edu.au and we will arrange for a second sign to be sent home.

Colin Buchanan - Live in Concert

Colin Buchanan Live In Concert, with special guest Nudge, on Friday, 26 August 2022.

Colin Buchanan’s remarkable career embraces Country Music, Children’s TV and Song collaboration.

Date: Friday, 26 August 2022
Time: 5.30pm
Pricing: $15.00 per ticket (Adult or Child)
Location: St Peter's Anglican Grammar - School Hall

Book your tickets now by clicking on this Trybooking link.

Amazing Me

Families with Years 3-6 age students would have received an email regarding the 'Amazing Me' session on Tuesday, 16 August 2022.

The programme aims to provide information to children in Years 3 - 6, in the important area of personal development. The presenter, Rowena Thomas, is a Primary School Teacher and a Christian. Her strengths lie in facilitating an inspiring and informative programme.

For further information and bookings, please click on the link.

School Photo Day 3

Our third photo day this term is outlined below.

Orders can be placed securely online at www.advancedlife.com.au using our school's unique 9 digit Online Order Code: YRD 5R4 AAA

Please note we are not offering Sibling Photos this year.

Photo Day 3: Wednesday, 10 August 2022 - Sport Photos , Year 7 Group Photos

Preparatory School - IPSSO & IPSHA Representative Sport Photos

Full winter sport uniform, tracksuit jacket, including white sport shoes.
Year 6 students must wear their House polo, not their Year 6 polo shirt.

Middle School - SASSA Sport Representatives, MISA Dance, Year 7 da Vinci

Full winter uniform

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability

Mrs Deborah Nash - Head of Learning Enhancement

Each year, St Peter's Anglican Grammar and St Peter's Heart are required to submit numerical data concerning students to the Federal or State Governments for assessment and funding purposes. Next week we will be taking part in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). If parents would like further information on this process, they may use the following links:

https://www.nccd.edu.au/tools/fact-sheet-parents-guardians-and-carers

https://www.nccd.edu.au/for-parents-guardians-and-carers

Premier's Reading Challenge

Final days for the Premier's Reading Challenge for 2022!

A reminder that all required books must be entered online no later than Friday, 19 August 2022 (Friday, Week 4) to qualify for a PRC certificate.

Parent Helpers for Learning Enhancement

We are excited to once again ask for volunteers to assist the Learning Enhancement team to provide additional support to further develop students’ literacy skills. The programme is designed to enhance students’ reading development through regular 5-10 minute sessions that incorporate sight word drills and oral reading.

All parents/carers who wish to assist in our school are required to sign and abide by the Volunteers Confidentiality Agreement, Safety Induction Package and Child Protection document that will be provided before commencing as a volunteer. This includes holding a current Working With Children Check and having it verified by the school. Currently, visitors are required to wear a mask whilst onsite. Please understand that volunteers will be placed according to student need across the school, and not necessarily be assisting within the classroom/s of their own child/ren.

Please email: Mrs Nash at LE@stpeters.nsw.edu.au with your full name, as well as your child's/children's name/s and class/es, to indicate your interest in assisting our students in this way. We will contact you to provide relevant documentation and inquire as to your availability of days and times you are able to assist with the programme.

Term 3 Learning

Mrs Melinda Richardson

Welcome back to another wonderful term of learning at St Peter's.

Over the coming week, you should receive notifications through Seesaw of what students will be learning in all areas of the curriculum. We trust that this document is helpful in engaging meaningful conversations with your child. As you review this information, if you happen to be willing to contribute any knowledge, skills or resources that authentically relates, please contact your child's teacher - we would love to hear from you.

ICAS Assessments

A reminder for participating Years 3 - 7 families that these assessments will be held over the next four weeks (Week 3 - Week 6). It is our desire to test predominantly on the Monday of each week, to enable us appropriate time to catch students up should they be absent.

Results will be made available to families once the official certificates are dispatched to the school. Generally, this is approximately 3 - 4 weeks after students have completed the assessment. Results are accessed digitally, with the student ID and PIN being found on the back of the certificate.

NEW English Syllabus - Oral Language

Over the past week, teachers have delved into evidence based research regarding Oral Language. This focus area has been intentionally included in the new syllabus, recognising the significant importance oral language plays in the development of literacy skills. Research shows that in this digital technology era, our skills in oral language are diminishing, impacting our proficiency in both reading and writing, as well as our connection to the world around us.

Some ways you can help at home are:

Engaging in balanced conversation, modeling fluency and vocabulary
Asking 'open' questions that prompts your child to elaborate or provide reasoning, rather than 'closed' (yes / no) responses
Exploring books together, encouraging active listening and uncovering new vocabulary - ask questions about the book, have your child retell the story
Playing games where your child needs to follow a set of instructions
Providing, even encouraging, thinking time when you ask your child a question, allowing processing time before requiring an answer
Modelling and discussing communication skills such as turn taking, eye contact and intonation
Modelling self-talk, especially when things are a little tricky - this too can help develop positive self-esteem and problem solving!

Positions Vacant

We are currently advertising for the following positions:

School Cleaner(s) - Immediate commencement
Classroom Teacher - St Peter's Heart - for 2023
Teacher Assistant - St Peter's Heart - for 2023 or earlier by negotiation

Please click on the link to apply: https://www.stpeters.nsw.edu.au/discover/employment/

Applications close on Thursday, 11 August 2022.

100 Days of Kindergarten

Prayers

Give thanks for the growth and development of our Kindergarten students as they mark the milestone of their first 100 days of school.

School Calendar

Term 3

Monday, 25 July 2022 - Friday, 23 September 2022

Week 3

Monday, 8 August 2022

ICAS Digital Technology
10.00am - 10.45am: Preparatory School Tour
10.30am - 11.15am: Middle School Tour

Tuesday, 9 August 2022

9.00am - 9.30am: Junior Primary Chapel
2.30pm - 3.00pm: Primary Chapel
3.15pm - 4.30pm: Junior Strings Co-curricular Programme

Wednesday, 10 August 2022

Photo Day (Sports)
11.35am - 12.20pm: Junior Rep Sport V Broughton Anglican College
1.00pm - 2.00pm: Senior Rep Sport V Broughton Anglican College
3.15pm - 4.30pm: Senior Strings Co-curricular Programme

Thursday, 11 August 2022

7.45am - 4.00pm: GATEway 8

Friday, 12 August 2022

8.10am - 10.00am: Pete's Cafe
9.00am - 9.30am: Primary Assembly
2.30pm - 3.00pm: Buddy Groups

Week 4

Monday, 15 August 2022

ICAS English (Years 3 - 7)

Tuesday, 16 August 2022

9.00am - 9.30am: Junior Primary Chapel
2.30pm - 3.00pm : Primary Chapel
3.15pm - 4.30pm: Junior Strings Co-curricular Programme
4.00.pm - 5.00pm: Middle School Tour
5.00pm - 5.45pm: Preparatory School Tour
6.30pm - 7.30pm: Amazing Me

Wednesday, 17 August 2022

11.50am - 12.35pm: Junior Rep Sport V St Greg's College
1.30pm - 2.30pm: Senior Rep Sport V St Greg's College
3.15pm - 4.30pm: Senior Strings Co-curricular Programme

Thursday, 18 August 2022

9.45am - 10.45am: Vietnam Veterans Day Commemorative Service 2022

Friday, 19 August 2022

Year 3 Camp
8.10am - 10.00am: Pete's Cafe
9.00am - 9.30am: Junior Primary Assembly

Saturday, 20 August 2022

Year 3 Camp Concludes

RESPECT - Taught and Caught

I’ve been interested to see the campaigns in recent weeks focusing on the importance of respect in society. I certainly acknowledge the impact that disrespect and rudeness has in a community. Thankfully, that is rarely an issue at St Peter’s.

The host of Channel 10’s ‘The Project’ speaks about the importance of having conversations with our children. Being willing to call out behaviours and responses that aren’t appropriate. That certainly has merit and here at St Peter’s we focus regularly on the importance of respect. Our approach in all three sub schools is to encourage students to be Respectful, Open-Minded, Curious and Kind. This requires a balance of being taught and caught.

We teach our students manners from a young age. We teach them the importance of being kind, inclusive and caring. We encourage this with our words of praise when this happens naturally, or when it is an improvement of previous behaviour. We embed respect into our curriculum, into our classroom practice and into our essential agreements.

Just as important, is the fact that students can catch respect from others. We all model ourselves on others, on things we like, appreciate and desire to see more of in ourselves. Whilst respect is taught, it is also caught by seeing respect in others.

Continue to chat with your children about the appropriate ways of treating others, encouraging manners and respect.

This is just one of the things that I love about our Christian community here at St Peter’s.

IPSSO Rep Sport – Upcoming Fixtures

Week 3

Wednesday, 10 August, versus Broughton @ HOME

Juniors: 11:35am – 12:20pm

Seniors: 1:00pm – 2:00pm

Volleyball/Newcombe ball and Netball @ St Peter’s

Soccer and AFL @ Campbelltown Showground

Week 4

Wednesday, 17 August, versus St Gregory’s @ HOME

Juniors: 11:50am – 12:35pm

Seniors: 1:00pm – 2:00pm

Volleyball/Newcombe ball and Netball @ St Peter’s

Soccer & AFL @ Campbelltown Showground

IPSSO Rep Sport – Week 2 results

Results from Week 2 versus Oran Park will be published in the next newsletter.

Little Athletics Carnival

Little Athletic NSW is hosting a Primary School Carnival at Campbelltown Athletics Stadium on Saturday, 13 and Sunday, 14 August 2022.

This is open to all Primary School aged children, not just those who participate in Little Athletics.

Event details are below:

Date: Saturday, 13 and Sunday, 14 August 2022

Venue: Campbelltown Athletics Stadium, Leumeah

Ages: 7-13 years old, attending Primary School

Events: Vary slightly between age groups however include 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 800m Walks, Long Jump, High/Scissor Jump Discus, Shot Put and Relays

Cost: $10.00 per event with each participant able to register for up to 4 events

Multiclass events available

Registrations close: Saturday, 7 August 2022

For further information: https://lansw.com.au/lansw-state-primary-schools-carnival/

Click on the Link to register

Little Athletics is all about family, fun and fitness so everyone is welcome to register for this event.

November - PD Day

Please be aware that we have one Professional Development (PD) Day in November (Friday, 18 November 2022). The office and OSHC will be closed on this day to allow all staff to participate in the planned professional development.

Thank you for your understanding.

Pre - Kindergarten 2023

Places are filling for Pre - Kindergarten 2023 and families have been advised of class allocations (days) in the past week. If you are interested in Pre - Kindergarten for 2023, you are encouraged to ensure you apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Well Done Year 6!

I commend our Year 6 students for their exemplary behaviour and participation in Year 6 Camp last week. Year 6 visited Canberra and Perisher Valley as part of our long held tradition. The students represented St Peter’s incredibly well and should be very proud of themselves. I also thank the staff who attended and cared for our students.

Year 3 and Year 5 Camps are just around the corner.

COVID Measures

Thank you for your ongoing understanding as we continue to navigate the response to the current numbers and sub-variants of COVID.

Staff are currently strongly encouraged to be wearing masks and all visitors are required to wear masks whilst on site.

We are pleased that most activities are continuing as normal.

Notice of Withdrawal

A reminder that as we plan budgets and staffing for 2023, families are required to provide one full terms notice if they are not returning to St Peter’s in 2023. The last day to provide notice without financial penalty is Friday, 23 September 2022.

Staffing Updates

I'm pleased to confirm that Mrs Fiona Singline has accepted my invitation of a permanent position as our Library/Resource Assistant from 2023. Mrs Singline has done a stellar job and is a wonderful asset to the staff and students of the school.

Year 6 Winter Adventure

It is wonderful to recommence our Outdoor Education Programme after two years of COVID disruptions. Last week, Year 6 students enthusiastically extended their classroom learning by exploring many sights in Canberra including The Australian War Memorial, Museum of Australian Democracy, Questacon and Parliament House. Students also visited Kosciuszko National Park and had an amazing day playing amongst the falling snow, building snowmen and engaging in a snowball battle. It was a joy to witness the maturity and growing independence demonstrated by our students whilst away. Everyday tasks like making the bed, organising clothing, preparing a packed lunch and packing a suitcase are important life skills that were carried out during camp. I was thoroughly impressed with the excellent manners and behaviour displayed by our students throughout the week. They were truly a credit to our school. I would also like to acknowledge the significant work of our dedicated staff who sacrifice time with their own families to provide outstanding around the clock care and create memorable experiences for our students.

Information has been recently shared regarding the upcoming Year 3 and Year 5 Camps that will take place this term. Thank you for your support in completing the relevant permission and medical forms promptly to assist in our planning.