Mother's Day

Mrs Michelle McDonnell - Principal
Happy Mother's Day to all our school mums, and the other special people who play this part in our students lives!
It was lovely to see so many of you at our Mother's Day breakfast this morning - we hope you had a lovely time!  We also hope you enjoy your gifts, selected with such care by your children at our Mother's Day stall yesterday.  I imagine these will be carefully wrapped and given to you with much excitement on Sunday morning.
 
A big thank you to the lovely Mums who assisted with our Mother's Day gift wrapping.

Pete's Cafe - Opening in Week 3

We are excited to announce that Pete's Cafe will return on Friday, 13 May from 8.10am.  This will take place at the front of the school and serve coffee, hot chocolate, tea, and muffins.  
Our Year 7 students will be assisting Mrs Davids taking orders and serving at the Coffee Cart and we appreciate your support of them and understanding as they develop their skills and serve our school community in this way.
Visiting Pete's Cafe is a great way to meet other members of our school community over a coffee!
 

Uniform Matters

Thank you for your patience as we have awaited various uniform items at our School Shop.  Grey shirts have now arrived and have been distributed to students with outstanding orders.  From Week 3 (Monday, 9 May), all students should be wearing Full Winter uniform to school each day.  If you are missing any items of clothing, please let Mrs Mizzi know, and we will endeavour to assist you in the purchase of these.
Some uniform items for our Middle School students are yet to arrive, and we will inform Year 7 parents as soon as they are available.
 
With the introduction of our new St Peter's Anglican Grammar uniform in Pre-Kindergarten this year, it is not compulsory for them to wear tracksuit pants to and from school each day during Term 2 and 3.  However, in preparation for the coolness of the Winter months and the significant outdoor play time of our Pre-Kindergarten programme, we encourage the purchase of the navy school tracksuit pants so that families are prepared for when these may be needed by students.  The navy shorts may be worn underneath the tracksuit pants so that if the weather warms up during the school day, they may be removed.
 
As previously communicated, the red tracksuit pants for Kindergarten - Year 6 students are no longer compulsory during Term 2 and 3, however, are still available for purchase and encouraged for colder days.  
 
Please note, a long sleeve plain white t-shirt (not skivvy) is acceptable underneath the sports polo on cold days. These are available from the School shop.  Students may not wear skins or leggings under shorts - tracksuit pants should be worn.

 

Arrival and Dismissal

It is wonderful to see our students arrive each morning with a smile on their faces, ready for a new day of learning.  
The bell for the Preparatory School goes at 8.55am, allowing students time to move to classrooms for a 9.00am start. The main gate closes at 9.00am, and students arriving after this should enter via Reception.  Parents are advised that late arrival is marked as a partial absence.  We encourage all Preparatory School students to arrive by 8.45am to allow time to place bags at classrooms and have a quick play with friends prior to the bell ringing.  Staff who are assisting students in our Drive Through finish this duty at 8.55am to allow them time to move to their classrooms and greet students for the day.
Middle School students should arrive at school prior to 8.30am as this is when their Tutor lesson begins.  Arrival after 8.30am by Middle School students is marked as a partial absence.
We appreciate the assistance of our families in having students at school on time, as this is a positive beginning to their school day.
 
A reminder that Kindergarten students now finish at 3.10pm, along with the remainder of the Preparatory School each afternoon.  Classes will be brought to the gate and dismissed to parents who are waiting.  Students who are being picked up through drive through will be supervised on the library steps.

Pop Up Stand - Narellan Town Centre

Over the next two Thursdays, we are excited to share our school with the community by holding a Pop-up stand at Narellan Town Centre.  If you see us, please say 'Hi' and encourage any family or friends you know who may be interested in a St Peter's education to come and visit us to find out more!
 

Assessment at St Peter's

The term 'assessment' can hold many varied perspectives based on the experiences we have had in life. When I reflect on my experiences of assessment as a student, there is a wide range of emotions. Depending on the subject area, and sometimes even the task, my confidence and mindset could greatly differ. Traditionally, assessment only credited a person's ability to retain content knowledge. If you couldn't retain the information, you failed. This discredited the fact that perhaps you grew in a learning skill or attitude. It discredited that perhaps you used that content knowledge to solve a real problem. It discredited the fact that perhaps due to anxiety, you were not successful that day, all knowledge simply disappeared for a moment in time.
 
St Peter's views assessment as a crucial element of everyday school life for our students. The main objective of assessment is to inform learning - it provides us with information about how our students are progressing in their learning and where our teaching needs to head. Assessment takes place in a variety of ways, underpinned by four key purposes:
  • Monitoring learning - allows students to reflect on their learning through goal setting and success criteria
  • Documenting learning - captures learning over a period of time through visible documentation
  • Measuring learning - captures learning at a single point in time, finalising data to show student achievement
  • Reporting learning - communication with all stakeholders in relation to the learning journey of a student
Throughout the school day, teachers utilise a range of strategies to gain insight of student progress. This may involve noticing student contribution to a discussion or response to a question, review of documented learning experiences such as written responses in a workbook, on Seesaw or a mini-whiteboard, and their use of the Approaches to Learning and the Learner Profile. Our teachers are constantly 'assessing', making mental and anecdotal notes about each student within their class. They provide constant check in points to support students in monitoring their own learning - this can be through exit tickets, a mini-meeting or even a simple thumbs up / thumbs down, helping them to consider the next step. 
 
Term One is predominantly a period of monitoring and documenting learning. It is these insights that support teachers in knowing the students in their care - the knowledge they have brought from previous years, any general knowledge they have from home and the skills they have as learners, both academic, social and emotional. This is why our initial Parent / Teacher Interviews, a strategy for reporting learning, focus more on wellbeing than achievement. Your contribution to this allows us to make sense of some of the observations we have made early on. 
 
Term Two starts to see the rise in opportunities for teachers to 'measure learning'. The starting point for measuring learning are the NESA syllabus outcomes that outline general attainment within a particular grade / stage. Teachers use this information to develop rubrics within a five point scale which families may be familiar with through our formal reporting process. Once a rubric is developed, a task is also written to consider the best way our learners can demonstrate their learning. Our assessment tasks consider content knowledge, but are balanced to also consider varied learning skills (Approaches to Learning) and understanding. Monitoring and documenting learning continues to play an important role as this provides the evidence for our professional judgement. Professional judgement is incredibly pertinent for when a student, for example, is not successful in a 'measuring learning' task. Teachers are able to reflect on the knowledge they have of that particular student, to ensure their learning journey is credited. At the conclusion of Term Two, another strategy for reporting learning is formalised through the Semester One reports. It is a document that enables parents to see how their child is progressing in measurement with the NESA outcomes for their grade level. It also celebrates growth within a whole child realm, considering the development of a range of skills and attitudes. 
 
At St Peter's, we don't just want to know what our students know or don't know in relation to content knowledge. We want to know their why and how, what makes them tick as a learner and how we can continue to empower them to succeed in later life. 
 
The following external assessments will take place in the coming terms. Being external, there is no element of professional judgement, and student performance is simply gained from that moment in time. This is why at St Peter's, we use the data from these external assessments as a jigsaw puzzle piece as such, combined with their daily performance. 
 
NAPLAN (Measuring / Reporting Learning)
Students in Years 3, 5 & 7 will participate in the NAPLAN Online assessments, commencing next Tuesday. Families of students within these grades should have received additional information via email. 
 
ICAS (Measuring / Reporting Learning)
St Peter's will continue to offer the International Competitions and Assessment for School (ICAS) in 2022. These will take place in Term 3, for interested families for students in Years 3 - 6. More information will be provided soon.

From the Library

A reminder that the orders for Book Club close on Friday, 13 May 2022. Please refer to previous communication regarding how to order.

 

Student of the Month - March

Judah is a principled learner who acts with integrity and honesty. He has a strong sense of fairness and justice, and stands firm in advocating for others bravely.

Judah thoughtfully considers his own ideas, experiences, strengths and challenges to responsibly support his learning and development. He is a kind and caring friend, who make his peers feel valued and loved.

Judah flexes his muscle manners daily and therefore creates a respectful climate for all his peers and teachers to enjoy. He is an asset to his classmates and is a wonderful example of what it means to be a caring, principled member of St Peter’s Anglican Grammar.

The Year 2 teachers are very pleased to award Judah with the Student of the Month award.

Congratulations Judah!

Appin ANZAC Day Service

Victoria A from Year 5 represented St. Peter's Anglican Grammar and presented a poem beautifully at the Appin Anzac Service.  

Prayers

  • Give thanks for the mothers, grandmothers and other significant women in our lives who provide support, love and care.
  • Please pray for our new students to settle in well.
  • Pray for continued energy and enthusiasm for the teachers.

 

School Calendar

Term 2

Wednesday, 27 April 2022 - Friday, 1 July 2022 
Week 3
Tuesday, 10 May 2022

NAPLAN
9.00am: Junior Primary Chapel
2.30pm: Primary Chapel

Wednesday, 11 May 2022

NAPLAN
11.45am - 12.30pm: Junior IPSSO Sport V Broughton Anglican College (At home @ St Peter's)
1.30pm - 2.30pm: Primary IPSSO Sport V Broughton Anglican College (At home @ St Peter's)

Thursday, 12 May 2022

NAPLAN

Friday, 13 May 2022

NAPLAN
9.00am: Junior Primary Assembly 

Week 4
Monday, 16 May 2022
NAPLAN (Makeup Day)
8.15am - 2.45pm: Year 3 National Park Excursion
Year 7 Excursion to Sydney
Tuesday, 17 May 2022 
NAPLAN (Makeup Day)

2022 Misa Ultimate Frisbee (Middle School) V Saint Benedict Catholic College
9.00am: Junior Primary Chapel
2.30pm: Primary Chapel

Wednesday, 18 May 2022

NAPLAN (Makeup Day)

Thursday, 19 May 2022

NAPLAN (Makeup Day)

Friday, 20 May 2022
NAPLAN (Makeup Day)
9.00am: Primary Assembly
Year 1 & 2 Camp
9.45am - 10.45am: Year 5 2023 Scholarship Testing

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IPSSO Rep Sport

Winter Rep Sport will commence next week (Week 3). The Sports for Term 2 and 3 are Netball, Volleyball/Newcombeball, Soccer and AFL. All students who are successful in making teams will be expected to train each Wednesday morning at 8.00am. Any students who have not returned their uniform from Term 1 need to do so ASAP. Also, any Winter Rep Sport students who have not returned their permission notes must bring them in promptly.

Below are our teams first 2 upcoming fixtures. Best wishes to all players.

Wednesday, 11 May @ Home (St Peter's)

  • AFL & Soccer @ Campbelltown Showground
  • Netball & Newcombeball @ School

Juniors: 11.45am – 12.30pm
Seniors: 1.30pm – 2.30pm 

Wednesday, 18 May @ Mount Annan Christian College

  • AFL & Soccer at Jack Nash reserve

Juniors: 11.45am - 12.30pm
Seniors: 1.00pm - 2.00pm

Lest We Forget

It was wonderful to witness St Peter’s students participate in the recent ANZAC Day March through Campbelltown. The persistent rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm of our students as they took the time to hear about the sacrifices of our veterans and to appreciate the privileged life we enjoy in Australia today. Thank you to the many families who set aside time during the school holidays to mark this significant occasion.

Last Friday, all students participated in a moving ANZAC Assembly at school. We learnt about the life and service of Campbelltown local Walter John Hagan, who served as a runner during World War 1, risking his life to carry vital messages back and forth on the battlefields of France and Belgium. Walter was killed in action on the 12th October, 1917 aged 24 years. He was posthumously awarded the Military Medal for ‘magnificent conduct’. His name is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium.

It was a remarkable ANZAC Service highlighted by a stirring rendition of the Last Post. My sincere thanks to all involved for preparing such a fitting event.

St Peter's Heart

Term one at St Peter’s Heart was amazing! It was wonderful to get to know the new staff and students and to see new friendships form. Highlights from Term 1 included bug catching, creating Ken Done artworks and experimenting with Volume and Capacity.

Term 2 is shaping up to be just as exciting. We have welcomed some new students who have joined us this term and lots of fun to be had on our new trampoline!

 

 

Welcome Back to Term 2!

Welcome back to Term 2 learning at St Peter’s. I hope that the Easter period offered you time to connect as a family and consider the claims of a risen Christ.

St Peter’s Middle School is in the process of gaining accreditation to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP). We believe, and evidence supports, the fact that there are many benefits to students through the delivery of the MYP. Benefits include a focus on service to others, projects that are based on student interest, conceptual teaching and learning, Critical thinking, a focus on international perspectives and regular feedback to develop student understanding.

Whilst all these areas are important and benefit our students, there is still a question of the type of learners that we are looking to mould through our teaching, learning and relationships. The underpinning document for all IB programmes is the Learner Profile. This profile sets out the types of learners we are trying to encourage. At several of my parent information evenings for the MYP, I challenged parents to look through learner profile and think if there was anything that they did not want their children to become. What about you and your children? Do you want them to be…. 

Knowledgeable

Open Minded

Principled

Reflective

Thinkers

Communicators

Risk Takers

Balanced

Inquirers

Caring

These attributes lay the foundation for all IB programs. They speak into what we are striving to achieve for your children; however, we want more. We want all our students to flourish, not just through the attributes listed above, but also through a knowledge of the God of the universe who loves them unconditionally (even if they don’t meet any of the attributes from the learner profile). What a great community we are part of where we can all grow as learners and have life through Christ! 

As we head into the cooler months of the year I am looking forward to my continued involvement in the strong learning community that is St Peter’s.

Collaboration

One of our major focus areas that is expected in our school(s) is that of collaboration. The ability to work together with others for a common purpose, despite differences, differing opinions and styles, is something we all need to learn.
 
I often remind families in enrolment interviews that whilst knowledge (content) is important, skills and attitudes are arguably more important in developing lifelong learners. 
 
I was so thrilled to see this collaboration extending beyond traditional boundaries as our Year 7 Design class collaborated with the students in St Peter's Heart. 
 
Year 7 have created garden beds for Heart which are lovingly being tended by the students at St Peter's Heart. They water, weed and care for the veggies. This week, the students created a stall, and Year 7 returned to purchase the goods to use in their learning. They baked and benefited from this wonderful opportunity. 
 
How great is it to have secondary students on site, now collaborating with the delightful girls and boys at Heart, learning with, alongside and for the benefit of one another. 
 
How wonderful to see our school going from strength to strength.
 

Experience Year 7 - 2023 Students

On Monday, 23 and Tuesday, 24 May 2022 we will be holding Year 7 Experience Days for current Year 6 students who will be in Year 7 in 2023.  We are excited to welcome new students, along with all 6M, 6L and Space Year 6 students, as they spend the day experiencing Year 7 at St Peter's Anglican Grammar - Middle School.
If you are aware of families with children due to begin Year 7 in 2023, please encourage them to visit our website, where external families can register their attendance for the Experience Year 7 Day. 

NESA Visit

The NSW Government takes the responsibility for the registration and accreditation of our school and following our application for the ongoing addition of year groups the inspectors will visit next Friday, 13 May, to formally approve the ongoing growth of Grammar.
 
In 2023, Grammar will be Pre-Kindergarten to Year 8, growing to Year 12 by 2027.
 
Heart will continue to be Kindergarten - Year 6 in 2023, with a likely application for the addition of Secondary from 2024. This will be a staged approach, as per Grammar with Year 7 commencing in 2024, for the benefit of some of the students already enrolled in Heart.

Staffing Update

A huge congratulations to Samantha Edmunds (nee Oberle) who was married to Mr Zac Edmunds during the term break in South East Tasmania. 
We pray for them both as they commence their lives together as husband and wife. 

Presentation Events - Change of Date

Presentation Events date has been changed to Monday, 28 November 2022:

  • 9.30am - Kindergarten - Year 2 & Heart (School Hall)
  • 6.00pm - Years 3 - 7 The Cube, Campbelltown Catholic Club

(Note: There will be no child minding facilities available for this event).

 

Feedback

We love your feedback, positive and constructive.
feedback@stpeters.nsw.edu.au is a great place to offer your feedback and/or suggestions.