St Peter's: A Special Place

Mrs Michelle McDonnell - Principal

Welcome back, everyone!

 

It is wonderful to once again have our school full of the excited chatter of our students as they reconnect with friends, develop relationships with peers and staff and enjoy all of the opportunities available to them at St Peter’s. Our school community is complete once again, with our final Pre-Kindergarten students beginning their journey with us yesterday.  I hope that those students and families who are new to our community settle in quickly, finding friends and feeling a part of what makes St Peter’s so special.

 

I am so grateful to our staff for their preparation as we begin 2024, praying for students and their families, and creating welcoming classroom environments and developing learning programs for all students. Both our teachers and support staff are committed to providing the best possible environment for our students, where each individual is known and cared for and encouraged and supported to achieve their best.  Our school executive and teaching staff are looking forward to welcoming parents and carers at our Parent Connect events over the next couple of weeks.  

 

But it’s not just the staff that make St Peter’s special; it’s also the plethora of opportunities available to our students. Whether it’s through academic programs, sports, arts, or extracurricular activities, there’s something for everyone here. We are looking forward to beginning our many co-currricular activities in the coming weeks.  

 

As we began a new academic year, I shared the following verses with our staff and now do so with our school community. 

Proverbs 3:5–6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths." 

We will teach our students to trust in God as He loves and cares for them.  We also encourage them to ask for help when they need it, both from their teachers and parents, but also from God in prayer. 

 

Together, let’s continue to make St Peter’s a place where every child can thrive, learn, and succeed.

 

Here’s to another fantastic year ahead!

Parent Connect Opportunities

We would like to invite parents and carers to join us onsite over the next 2 weeks.  

 

Parent Connect Events will be held for Kindergarten - Year 6, in both Grammar and Heart.  These events will involve an information session with your child’s class teacher, as well as time to mingle over some light refreshments and get to know other parents who have children in the same grade.

To assist with catering, please indicate your attendance by clicking on the appropriate link.

 

We look forward to welcoming you at the following times:

Tuesday 13 February, 6.30 - 8.00pm - Kindergarten Parents Connect (Adults only event)

https://forms.gle/X1EC3dXPycd73qev9

Tuesday 20 Februray, 6.30-8.00pm - Year 1 and 2 Parents Connect (Adults only event) 

https://forms.gle/jRqxExUMAeMq3CSFA

Thursday 22 February, 6.30-8.00pm - Years 3 - 6 Parents Connect (Adults only event) 

https://forms.gle/HqgjgKeL61XmSZsZ9

Friday 23 February, 2.30-3.30pm - Heart Parents Connect

 https://forms.gle/zpKQNZpPnDQFqNq69

 

Pre - Kindergarten Connect Events

Pre-Kindergarten Parent Connect events will take the form of Open Classrooms, allowing parents to join their children in their learning spaces and to see what our youngest learners get up to all day at school.  

We look forward to welcoming our Pre-Kindergarten parents at the following times:

Tuesday 20 February, 2.00-2.45pm - Pre-Kindergarten Kangaroos and Koalas

Thursday 22 February, 2.00-2.45pm - Pre-Kindergarten Echidnas and Wombats

Parents whose children attend 5 days are welcome to attend either or both of these sessions.

 

Campbelltown Anglican Schools Bus Service

Thank you for your patience as we have begun serving our families with our Bus Service.

We are pleased that St Peter’s families now have access to bus runs servicing additional areas.  If you would like to use this service, please ensure that you have booked your child onto the appropriate bus. These bookings can be done for the term, or on a daily basis.  

If you are still having difficulties with Bus bookings, please contact our school office, and we will be happy to assist. 

I am proud of our students and the manner in which they have adapted to their new Bus routines.  They are being responsible and helpful, ensuring that the buses are able to depart safely and efficiently.

Life @ St Peter's

Mrs Nerida Hadfield - Deputy Principal

It has been so wonderful to be able to greet our students as they enter the school and see the excitement of their faces each new day. Meeting our Pre -  Kindergarten students as they have arrived with their parents has been really special and most parents have held it together (at least until they were back out the gate). Our Kindergarten classes are settled and in learning mode already and there is a positive energy to see.

It feels like a while ago that we had Day One, where all students in Years 1-6 assembled together and we talked about Joy as a focus for us this year. Joy sustains us, gives us perspective and endurance and is shown in meaningful relationships. Miss Burns talked about Joy and it being a fruit of the Spirit, as well as how we can have joy even in tough times. 

This term will see so many wonderful opportunities for students to be involved in a large variety of Co - curricular groups. These will begin in the next week or two. These groups are listed below.

  • Choir Years 1 -2
  • Choir Years 3 - 6
  • Vocal Ensemble
  • African Drumming
  • Primary Dance
  • Art Year 1 -2 
  • Junior Percussion group 
  • Games and Puzzles
  • Book Club 
  • Crochet Group
  • LEGO
  • Robotics
  • Public Speaking 
  • Years 5/6 Enrichment 
  • Crusaders (Years 1-2 ; 3-5 ; 6)
  • Primary Chess

 

 

Rungs of Restoration

Our Welfare Policy follows a restorative justice system and our Rungs of Restoration is a process we all follow when dealing with conflict with others. Students are supported to : 

  1. Be Honest - Think about the truth, What happened? What was YOUR part in the conflict/problem? How did/do you feel? What do you need to do to make it right?

  2. Be Brave - Speak the truth. Say out loud what happened, your part in the conflict/problem. Say how you feel and what you need to do to make it right.

  3. Be Forgiving - Ask and receive. Ask for forgiveness, saying what you are sorry for. Say you forgive the other person. Sometimes this may take a little time.

  4. Be Kind - This is an ongoing action. Rebuild relationships through actions of kindness. This is not just for a day but every day. KINDNESS CULTURE

 

The hands at the top show unity and as long as kindness is occurring then there will be unity.

Community Events

We look forward to many community events throughout the year. One of the great ways you can meet other parents is at our Coffee Cart on Friday mornings. We would love to see you there. Further to this, the Parent Connect Nights are coming up and there is more information regarding these in this newsletter.

Teachers As Students

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

As the Summer holidays drew to a close and our St Peter’s students were busy preparing to come back to school for the 2024 academic year, our executive staff, teachers, and teacher assistants were eagerly taking part in our annual Professional Development (PD) Week. The goal of this professional learning was to deepen our understanding of high-quality, research-based teaching practices rooted in authentic Christian education.

During our commencement service, St Peter’s staff engaged in a presentation by author Chris Parker (The Frog and the Fish). Chris challenged us to think about the future of Christian Education, emphasising the importance of incorporating Biblical perspectives into curriculum-based teaching. From this experience, it is our ongoing hope to guide our students in viewing the world through a Biblical lens. We are encouraged to find genuine ways to further develop these perspectives in our teaching and learning programs, especially Units of Inquiry, where student agency is nurtured, and we strive to promote global citizenship and care for God’s world.

In our commitment to align with the reformed NSW Mathematics Syllabus, St Peter’s teaching staff started a year-long professional journey through the Primary Numeracy Project, facilitated by the Association of Independent Schools. This school-wide initiative is designed to help teachers improve explicit and systematic teaching techniques, fostering the development of our students' numeracy skills through direct instruction and ongoing review. Our first experience with this project was a significant catalyst for future growth, with benefits already seen in its practical application in our classrooms.

With an ongoing focus on adapting to recent changes in the NSW English Syllabus, we continue to develop our knowledge and expertise to align with best practices in literacy education. Teachers and teacher assistants recently took part in the Decodable Readers Australia (P-3) and Soundwaves Spelling (3-6) Professional Learning workshops. These sessions provided valuable insights into the effective application of research-based explicit instruction and its positive impact on student learning. Staff had an opportunity to explore various resources purchased to support students in learning essential foundational literacy skills that best support them in becoming confident and capable readers and writers. We are excited to introduce these resources and strategies into classrooms this term.

As we start 2024 with a strong desire to grow and learn as educators, we recognise the valuable impact of lifelong learning for both our staff and students. At St Peter’s, we will always prioritise professional growth and challenge our teams to engage in research-based, quality teaching practices that provide the best opportunity for our students to succeed.

Rest assured that as your child embarks on their learning journey this year, both their class teachers and all our St Peter’s staff will be on their own educational journey of growth. We are incredibly excited to witness the fruits of our collective learning efforts across St Peter’s in 2024!

Hi from the School Chaplain

Miss Leanne Burns - School Chaplain

Dear School Community, thank you for welcoming me so warmly as the new school chaplain. I am delighted and excited about my full time role in the school. I have lived in Bradbury and worked as a Minister at Campbelltown Anglican Churches for 24 years. During that time I have led weekly school chapel services which have been, and will continue to be, the highlight of my week. I have been a follower of Jesus since I was 16 years old and love to talk about Him with others.

I am looking forward to getting to know students, staff and school families much more in my new role. I have a little dog called Honey Boo who will sometimes join me at school, her new school name is 'Miss Honey'. We both loved our first day of school last Friday. 
 
Chapels have moved back to the historic church building. Parents,/Carers and grandparents are welcome to attend. 
 
On Friday 16th of February there will be Morning Tea for Kindergarten parents after Chapel on the church grounds from 9:30am to 10am. I look forward to meeting you. 

Student Welfare

Parents and carers are reminded that students, once assessed by the Schools' Registered Nurses, will be sent home if they are showing signs of illness (fever, cough, sore throat, runny noses etc). 
 
If your child has tested positive for COVID, they must stay at home until they are showing no symptoms.
 

Spotlight on St Peter's Heart

Miss Kym Busutel - Coordinator of St Peter's Heart
We are thrilled to welcome our students back after the festive break and love the feeling of energy in our school. We definitely missed seeing them! They have begun to settle back into their routines, with an infectious enthusiasm that sets a positive tone for the upcoming term. They have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know their new classmates, having social playtime and learning about each other's lives.
 
A highlight of this week has been the students' exploration of the main playground in small groups. They have had a great time exploring the different aspects of the playground such as the play equipment and handball courts while also having the opportunity to run around in the large, open space. They have come back with red, smiling faces and excitement to share their experiences.
 
It is wonderful to have our first chance to meet with the Heart community as part of the Parent Connect afternoon being held on Friday 23rd February. The afternoon will commence with a class information session held in your child's classroom from 2:30pm.  At 3:00pm, families will connect with the students for an afternoon tea before leaving at 3:30pm. We hope to see you there.

IPSSO Inter-School Sport

Mrs Kasie Bingham - Sports Administrator

Trials for IPSSO Inter-School sports have kicked off with remarkable energy and participation. This year has seen a surge in student turnout, showcasing their enthusiasm and eagerness to engage in the diverse opportunities available at St Peter’s.

As we progress, the excitement builds with a scheduled second round on Wednesday, 14th February. Teams will be unveiled at the close of the allocated sports session. Selected students will receive a note to take home, ensuring parents are informed and can endorse their child's participation.

 

Mark your calendars, as the IPSSO Inter-School Sport competition officially commences in Week 4.

Congratulations to Guy C on Winning 2023 - 2024 VEX IQ National Championship!

We are thrilled to share some exciting news regarding one of our outstanding students, Guy C who achieved a remarkable feat last Sunday in Adelaide.

Guy participated in the 2023-2024 VEX IQ National Championship as the member of Makigid Sydney 7998E team, and we are delighted to announce that the team secured the championship title by a huge margin. His dedication, hard work, and exemplary skills were truly commendable throughout the competition. And his team is now ranking 2nd place in the world skill standing: https://www.robotevents.com/robot-competitions/vex-iq-competition/standings/skills

This achievement not only reflects Guy’s individual talent and commitment but also highlights the excellence of our school's robotics program. It is a testament to the quality of education and extracurricular opportunities we provide to our students.

Woojin S

We were thrilled to hear of Woojin S' involvement in the United Cup and Australian Open over the holidays, representing Metro Sydney vs Country in the United Cup, a ball boy, as well as doing the coin toss at a Mixed Doubles Final game in Melbourne!

Music Tutors

We offer a variety of tutors, providing one on one, and small group tuition (dependent on the tutor) in piano, voice, guitar and violin. Lessons occur on a rotational timetable, to avoid students missing the same class lesson, week in and week out. The below information can be found on our website for further information, and for contact details to speak with a tutor. 

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

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

School Calendar

 
Term 1
Friday, 2 February 2024 - Friday, 12 April 2024

 
Week 3
Monday, 12 February 2024

9.00am - 9.30am: Assembly Years 3 - 6
 

Tuesday, 13 February 2024

9.00am - 9.20am: Chapel Years 3 & 4
6.30pm - 8.00pm: Kindergarten Parents Connect
 
 

Wednesday, 14 February 2024

 9.00am - 9.20am: Chapel Years 5 & 6
 
 

Thursday, 15 February 2024

9.00am - 9.20am: Chapel Years 1 & 2
 
 
 

Friday, 16 February 2024


8.10am - 9.30am: Pete's Cafe
 
Week 4
Monday, 19 February 2024
 
9.00am - 9.30am: Assembly Kindergarten - Year 2
 
 

Tuesday, 20 February 2024

9.00am - 9.20am: Chapel Years 3 & 4
6.30pm - 8.00pm: Years 1 & 2 Parents Connect
 

Wednesday, 21 February 2024

9.00am - 9.20am: Chapel Years 5 & 6
 

Thursday, 22 February 2024

9.00am - 9.20am: Chapel Years 1 & 2
6.30pm - 8.00pm: Years 3 - 6 Parents Connect

Friday, 23 February 2024

9.00am - 9.20am: Chapel Kindergarten
2.30pm - 3.30pm: St Peter's Heart Parent Connect

Term Dates for 2024

Prayers

  • Give thanks to God for a great first full week back at school
  • Please pray for staff as they settle into new classes and/or new roles
  • Please pray for students that they build good friendships and enjoy their time at school 

Physical Culture - Classes are Returning!

Physical Culture (Physie) classes are held for girls from Kindergarten to Year 6 after school on Wednesdays in the Church Hall.

Physie is an excellent, inexpensive and social activity which develops good co-ordination, posture and discipline

Parents may bring their daughters directly to the hall, or Girls who attend OSHC can be escorted to the Church Hall and returned after their session. 

New Members and Beginners are most welcome.

Please contract Anne McLeod:

Mobile: 0417 220 128

Email:annemcleod29@gmail.com