This past week, the following quote has popped up on my social media feeds: “I want some day to get to the point where I can trust God in the moment and not just in retrospect” - Nadia Bolz-Weber. The words have provided me with a hope-filled reminder of God’s unfailing presence in the midst of stormy times; they have been particularly reassuring as floods in our community and country and war across the seas have unfolded.
When the disciples faced furiously stormy weather on the sea of Galilee in their boat, you can only imagine the fear and adrenalin that would have been pumping through their bodies. They had expected this to be an amazing trip – and it was, but not in the way they expected. The concept of sinking was quickly becoming a reality for them. In their desperation, they cried out to Jesus for help.
How many times have we felt that way – that there was no way out or no way forward? In such situations, how many times have we thought: ‘Why won’t God stop this or fix this?’ or ‘Why don’t you care, God?’
The disciples soon found Jesus sleeping on a cushion at the back of the boat. Upon awakening, Jesus instantly moved to calm the storm: “Peace! Be still!” He then asked His disciples: “Where is your faith?’’ In doing so, Jesus invited the disciples to understand that God had been with them in the midst of the storm, that God’s love was with them in that difficult moment.
Faith in Christ does not mean that life will be without storms, however faith can help us to find the calm in the eye of the storms of life. We have had a difficult start to our year; we’ve had storms – literal and metaphorical. This week, some families and staff members in our community have needed to evacuate their homes, some have helped others to evacuate, some have managed encroaching flood waters, coped with extended power outages and wrangled with the additional anxiety that comes with such events. Some people in our community have been sick or isolating due to the ongoing pandemic. We are also concerned about the war taking place on the other side of our world.
I encourage you to find calm amidst these storms. The following ways can help you find the comfort and peace you need:
Meditate on God’s Word: Find the promises that it speaks to your situation. Allow His Word to change you and reap the full benefits as you apply His Word to your life.
Spend Time in Prayer: Prayer is communication with God and allows you to build a relationship with Him. God encourages us to ask for the things we need through prayer so bring your specific needs to Him.
Renew Your Mind: Thinking influences our feelings and behaviour. Learn to give your struggles and problems to God so that He can lift the heavy burden off you. A faith-filled, hope-filled mindset will help you to be aligned with God's perfect will for you.
Offer Praise and Thanksgiving: God wants you to praise Him and give thanks in the good times and the bad. Recognise His goodness in all seasons.
Nurture your Spirit, Soul and Body: When you pursue calm and balance, you must nurture all the inter-related aspects of your life, including the spiritual, social, emotional, and physical domains. Practice self-care. Nurture your relationships with others. Help them too. Take care of your physical health through good nutrition, exercise, rest and sleep.
Soon it will be Easter. This is the time when we are reminded that God’s love is so powerful that it can raise Christ from the dead. It’s easy to lose hope and feel God is far away in an upside-down world where COVID, floods, war and pain exist. But, whatever hardships we face, take heart and trust God in the moment, because God’s love is so powerful that no storm can or will separate you from His love and He will ultimately work all things for good (Isaiah 55: 8-9, Romans 8:28).
My thoughts and prayers are with our community at this time. I hope that each and every one of you can know God’s love at this moment, throughout this year, throughout your lives.
Natalie Houston Principal
What's On
Monday 7 March - Friday 11 March 2022
Monday 7 March
Year 9 depart for Ironbark
Tuesday 8 March
AIC Swimming, Chandler
Thursday 10 March
SLAPS Swimming Meet
Community Focus Day / Free Dress, Baby Give Back
Year 10 Dinner
Friday 11 March
Year 12 Biology/Geography Field Trip
2022 Girls Day Out in STEM Event: The GDOS Sustainability CryptoQuest!
We are encouraging the participation of this unique online event for girls aged 10-14 to develop skills through opportunities in STEM.
Sign up to get access to the SECRET code that will be revealed on Sunday, March 6th at 9:00am AEST when the FUN begins!!!
You have one whole week from March 6-13, 2022 to do the 6 sustainability cryptography challenges during which your participation is needed in helping to save the world. You can be a winner each and every day during the quest and go on to be your own sustainability hero long after our quest has come to an end.
I go to the rock of my salvation. I go to the stone that the builders rejected. I go to the mountains, and the mountains stand by me. When all around is sinking sand, on Christ the solid rock I stand. When I need a shelter, when I need a friend, I go to the rock.
There is a story in the bible about two builders...one sets their house on sand and when the storm comes and the waters rise the house falls down. The other builder, however, builds their house on solid rock. In the turmoil, their house stands firm.
In the aftermath of storms and floods that have yet again impacted SE Queensland families we hear this story in a certain way. We feel a gamut of emotions: anger, sadness, worry, frustration at what has happened to us and other, to relief and guilt if we are spared. We sometimes wonder what we can do when our safe place, our home is threatened. It seems to some that no matter what we do to keep ourselves, our families and our belongings safe, disaster can strike.
Of course, in his story Jesus wasn’t giving us building advice - he was getting us to consider where we build our certainty, not where we build our houses. We know - we experience - that in this world, things can go wrong, but as the song says: when all around is sinking sand we know that Christ is there to be our solid support to keep us going whatever life throws at us.
Is it any wonder that this song I go to, The Rock, has almost become an anthem at St Peters, and not just because the school is built on this big rock of a hill at Indooroopilly, but because it’s built on an even stronger rock. Christ is that solid rock, that cornerstone, the one who is always there for us. We know that when times are tough we can lean on him and he will shelter us and hold us in his hands. He will surround us with loving family and friends and a supportive community to help us get back on our feet when we are knocked down. No wonder this image of the rock is all around us.
We pray:
God of compassion, You created a world for us to know your love and peace. Yet amidst the beauty of creation we encounter pain and hurt and forces beyond our control. At times like this, our hearts are shaken and ache with sorrow at the destruction of lives, homes and livelihoods. Hear our prayers for those affected by the floods and for all those working to bring relief and fresh hope. Amen.
Chaplain Kirstin
Arise Lutheran Community Church
Arise is a Lutheran community that meets at St Peters, Springfield. It’s a place where you can come to know God’s love through Jesus, and find light and hope for your life, and connect with other families from St Peters and the wider community.
In our service you will hear God’s word, sing, pray and share in Holy Communion if you want to. There’s a message for the kids too.
St Peters Life Symposium: Thursday 21 April | 6:45 to 8pm
Tickets are now on sale for our first St Peters Life Symposium for 2022.
Help your child start the new school year on the right foot by attending Rebecca Sparrow’s Six Lessons in Friendship Symposium. In this talk, St Peters Old Scholar, parent, and teen expert, Bec, will go through the six key strategies that teens and tweens can use to navigate the tricky waters of school friendships.
This event is ideal for parents and caregivers with students in Years 4 – 7. Students are welcome to attend.
The event will be held at the Indooroopilly campus.
As you know Clean Up Australia Day is on again. The school’s Annual Clean-up Day is held on Thursday 3 of March. The community Clean-up event is held Sunday 6 March with the meeting point in Discovery Parkland at 7.30 am. The local Landcare group – Springfield Lakes Nature Care Inc. will hold a special event for families who want to work together to keep our community litter free. We are particularly inviting families who own a canoe, kayak, or paddleboard to paddle for plastic to help remove the plastic litter that washes down our drains & enters the lakes & large sediment ponds around our community.
Thank you for your assistance.
Kind Regards, President
In Year 4 the students focus on sustainability and how to care for the environment and our dependence on a healthy natural environment. The students learn about the responsibility humans have to care for the environment at a local, national and global level. The students inquire about the diversity of natural environments and the ways that humans use and interact with them. Clean Up Australia Day is another way the students from St Peters can be involved in helping to care for their local environment.
Community Focus Day 10 March 2022
Uniform Free Day - Baby Give Back
The first Community Focus Day for 2022 is Thursday 10 March, supporting Baby Give Back, a charity helping babies and mothers in the early days of a baby’s life.
Students may wear non-uniform items for a gold coin donation.
Baby Give Back is a charity helping babies and mothers in the early days of a baby’s life. It is managed by former St Peters teacher Ms Carly Lovell. Students are invited also to contribute an item for baby or mother. Suggested items include:
Baby wipes
Bibs
Face washers
Baby wraps
Toiletries for adult or child (eg toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, deodorant etc)
Items will be collected in PC Classes.
Wellbeing on Wellness Way
Weekly Wellbeing
Hello All.
I would like to welcome you to 2022, I know it’s already Week 6, but we’ve had an interesting start to the year, haven’t we?
The World is teaching us some valuable lessons – here at the College, we believe one of the lessons lies in looking after ourselves and each other. This year, here at Springfield, we are continuing to focus on wellbeing as one of our major strategic initiatives. It is with this in mind that I am now providing you weekly wellbeing check-ins through the Cornerstone.
This week I’d like to highlight the National Day of Action Against Bullying on the 18th of March.
This day of action is centred around describing and understanding Bullying, in order to raise awareness.
The type of bullying that can be most pervasive for our young people is cyber bullying, which is happening more and more as our children spend more time online.
Being online is an integral part of a young person’s social interactions. In February 2021, the eSafety Commissioner's most recent survey found:
• 9 in 10 teens used the internet to research topics of interest, watch videos, chat with friends and listen to music
• 8 in 10 teens played games online with others
• 44% of teens had a negative online experience in 2020, with the top three negative online experiences being:
contact by a stranger or someone they didn't know (30%)
receiving inappropriate or unwanted content (20%)
being deliberately excluded from events/social groups (16%).
These statistics can be overwhelming for parents as we navigate how we protect our children online. Our wellbeing warriors will be promoting this day of action under the year’s theme of ‘Kindness Culture’, a topic that is very relevant and appropriate at this time, and one of our favourite quotes “if you’re not kind online, you’re not kind”, may be a good starting place for a conversation with your young people.
Take care.
Sarah Johnson
From the SPOSA Office
SPOSA (St Peters Old Scholars Association)
Do you know an Old Scholar of St Peters Springfield?
We are looking to build up our database of St Peters Springfield Old Scholars so that we can stay connected over the years. If you know a previous student of St Peters Springfield, please let them know to contact the SPOSA Office at Indooroopilly on 07 3377 6592 or sposa@stpeters.qld.edu.au.
Class of 2012 Reunion
St Peters Springfield is planning to hold a 10 Year Reunion later this year for the Class of 2012. This was Mrs Houston’s Year 8 class from 2008, the founding Year 8 class that remained the ‘Seniors’ of the school for 5 years! Mrs Houston and all our staff would love to see these Old Scholars again.
If you know an Old Scholar from this year level, please ask them to contact the SPOSA office on 07 3377 6592 or sposa@stpeters.qld.edu.au to register their details. We are especially looking for one or two Old Scholars who would like to help organise this reunion.
SPOSA Tennis Tournament
Dust off your racquet, find some of your old St Peters Springfield school mates and come along to the SPOSA tennis tournament for a fun afternoon with family and friends on Sunday 13 March. Whether you played last week or haven’t picked up a racquet for a few years, there is a place for you. There are two playing categories to cater for those a little more competitive than the rest of us.
(The article was recently printed in the Queensland Teachers’ Journal)
In Part One of this article, Rhonda outlines the positive outcomes for mental and physical health that can be obtained from singing. Part Two (this week) outlines the
Teachers know that music is a dynamic and interactive subject. Quality music education in our school s will have a profound impact on all areas of a child’s life. As alluded to (last week), music develops neural pathways and enhances brain function. Brain imaging techniques and MRIs show us that music education tasks can activate all four lobes of the brain, as well as parts of the cerebellum. Music literally gets the whole brain working, which again makes it a marvellous tool to assist us in educating our students.
We know for a fact that music helps kids learn. It maximises student engagement and provides opportunities for students’ personal development, which is difficult to do in other subject areas. Music education is also valued enormously by parents and communities. We know that 90% of Australian parents think that music is an essential part of a young child’s learning. Despite the crowded curriculum, our students’ parents want music education to continue on a regular basis in our schools.
Music education improves confidence and self-expression. It assists students to become creative, intelligent members of society, which is a global outcome that we can all agree on. Did you know that music directly fosters creativity, and this helps enhance music education as a powerful tool in enhancing health and wellbeing? By creating and performing through music education, students can promote positive self-confidence and improve the sense of identity and self-worth in their lives.
So, back to the chocolate! While (Davidson-Irwin) is a definite advocate of eating chocolate and releasing some happy endorphins in (her) body, (she) suggests that no matter what your musical ability, you can have the same outcome as your students through music education in your school. Try singing with your kids at the beginning of each day and you will be amazed by the results.
Ensemble Rehearsals
Around a late start to the year and now a flood, our school ensembles have started rehearsals and are beginning the process of consolidating repertoire and getting to know new ensemble members and becoming re-acquainted with conductors and fellow players. Any instrumentalists or vocalists who would like to join an ensemble are most welcome.
We have string, band and vocal ensembles.
Strings Ensembles – conducted by Ms Celine Crellin
Bands – Conducted by Mrs Mardi Doyle and Mr Darren Skaar
Platinum (advanced) Band – Thursday 3.00-4.00pm (DS)
Gold (intermediate) Band – Monday 7.15-8.00am (MD)
Burgundy (elementary) Band – Thursday 7.15-8.00am (MD)
Choirs – Conducted by Ms Sally Grennan
Con Brio (Yrs 7-12) – Tuesday 7.30-8.00am
Bella Voce (Yrs 4-6) – Wednesday 7.30-8.00am
Piccolo Voce (Yrs 2-3) – Tuesday 10.20-10.40am – will commence soon.
Please feel free to speak with either Ms Grennan or Mrs Doyle in the PAB, or email Ms Grennan (s.grennan@stpeters.qld.edu.au) if you would like more information. You will be very warmly welcomed by teacher and students alike.
Sport
QGSSSA Girls Sport
Girls Sport Coordinator – Anne-Marie Champion
Tough times don’t last, tough people do, remember? Gregory Peck
As I write this article and as our Sports House Team is working to provide the students the opportunity to return to their normal routine of Sport, our thoughts and prayers are with the families that have been impacted by the extreme weather event and flooding on the weekend. We are aware of the challenges many of our students face and they have our full support during these difficult times.
What a week in Girls Sport!
Last Saturday saw the cancellation of all Girls Sporting fixtures and the QGSSSA Swimming Championships rescheduled to Wednesday 16 March.
Weather permitting, on Friday afternoon/evening our Basketball girls will play their first trial games of the season against Somerville House.
Four of our Touch teams are also scheduled to play their first trial game on Harts Road Oval. Unfortunately, the full round of fixtures scheduled at O’Grady Park has been cancelled due to the state of the fields.
Football trial games have been cancelled as our new home ground at Toowong Football Club has been severely impacted by the flooding.
Senior Softball games have been cancelled this Saturday. Downey Park has also been severely impacted by flooding and options are being worked on to try to complete the season.
Senior Australian Rules Gala Day No 3 is scheduled to go ahead as planned if no further rain is received.
Round 12 Water Polo will resume on Saturday as scheduled.
Introducing the 2022 Girls Sport Captains
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce and to get to know a little about our amazing Girls Sport & Girls Sport Spirit Captains. Left to right: Kayla (Captain), Sammi (Vice-Captain), Milly (Captain), and Emily (Vice-Captain) are wonderful role models for all our girls, we are excited to work with them this year 😊
Milly T
My favourite St Peters Sport memory: My favourite St Peters Sport memory would have to be winning the Water Polo premiership in 2019 with all my friends. The spirit was high, the spectators were cheering, and overall, it was a great game with lots of enjoyment involved (including the coaches jumping in with their clothes on at the end of the game)!
What it means to me to be one of our 2022 St Peters Girls Sport Captains? To be one of the 2022 St Peters Girls Sport Captains means so much to me. I love sport at St Peters, and I hope that as one of your sport captains this year I will be able to bring the same opportunities and enjoyment to sport that I experience. I can’t wait to work with every single one of you this year and make this the best St Peters sports year yet, no matter the circumstances. Can’t wait to see you out on the sporting field!
Tell us something about yourself that no one else knows – funny or embarrassing! When I went to Lone Pine at the age of 3, I accidentally ate kangaroo poo.
Kayla N
My favourite St Peters Sport memory: My favourite St Peters Sport memory was when it was the Open Girls Netball focus round, and everyone gathered to watch our team play. It made the atmosphere surreal and gave the whole game a different energy.
What it means to me to be one of our 2022 St Peters Girls Sport Captains? Being one of the Girls Sports Captains means I can reach out to so many younger girls who have their own dreams of being a sportswoman one day. Sport has given me many opportunities and I look forward to being a part of their journeys and to help them through using my own personal experience. But most importantly it means that I can get as many St Peters girls as possible out on the sporting fields.
Tell us something about yourself that no one else knows – funny or embarrassing! When I was 6, I dreamt of being a professional dancer. I begged my mum to take me to hip-hop classes. Within the first week I was taken out of those classes because everyone would go left, and I would go right! No matter how many times they try to explain to me I didn’t have the coordination to be the professional hip-hop dancer!! So, I went out and decided that I want to be a professional Netball player and Track and Field athlete one day.
Sammi N
My favourite St Peters Sport memory: My favourite St Peters Sport memory would be at the QGSSSA Track and Field Championships with all the supporters. I loved how the students cheered on every event and were the loudest in the grandstand.
What it means to me to be one of our 2022 St Peters Girls Sport Spirit Captains? For me being a Sport Leader means being able to encourage and promote the school spirit at sporting events and cheering on and encouraging all sports.
Tell us something about yourself that no one else knows – funny or embarrassing! Something about myself is that I’m very superstitious when it comes to sport. There are certain things I must do when I play, or I feel like I won’t play well and my team will lose.
Emily G
My favourite St Peters Sport memory: I think my favourite St Peters Sport memory would be the QGSSSA Cross Country last year. Every year it is so much fun and I look forward to it but last year I was lucky enough to be Cross Country Vice-Captain. The course was muddy and although I had one of the worst races ever, I had the rest of the morning to watch every runner give it their all and every St Peters girl did us proud.
What it means to me to be one of our 2022 St Peters Girls Sport Spirit Captains? It means a lot to be one of the Girls Sport Spirit Captains. St Peters Sport has done so much for me since Year 7 and it is an honour to be able to give back to the community and build on what Sport Captains before us have done. I would love to be able to use my position to be able to continue to build the school community and the girls sport community and make it something all girls want to be involved in.
Tell us something about yourself that no one else knows – funny or embarrassing! An embarrassing story not many people would know about me was when I was in Year 10, on the last day of school one of the activities was a scavenger hunt around the school. I am very competitive, so when Milly (Girl’s Sport Captain) ran past me, I decided I would go with her, turned back to tell the people in my team, and ended up running face first into a parked ute. It was very bloody and bruised, and then we had to go to the Year 10 dinner later that night and it took a lot of effort to try and cover it up.
WET WEATHER
With further rain on the forecast, please keep an eye on the St Peters App for cancellations. We will endeavour to do this by 1.30pm for afternoon training sessions and 5.30am for morning training sessions. Updates for game days will also be provided, students will also receive an email.
Cross Country pre-season training continues this week, there are many training sessions to choose from – all details are on the St Peters App. Do your best to attend as many of these sessions as you can, with Wednesday sessions being a priority.
Community Run Club is off and running also - Join our Running Community on Friday mornings - meet at 6.30am at the St Peters Bus Stop.
DATE CLAIMER: QGSSSA Cross Country Championships – Saturday 14 May
AIC Boys Sport
Luke Donatini | Boys Sport Coordinator 3377 6234 | l.donatini@stpeters.qld.edu.au
First and foremost, we would like to extend our best wishes and support to all those within our community who have been affected by the recent extreme weather and flooding. We do hope that everyone is safe and are able to get back to normality as soon as possible. With so many recent disruptions to learning and school life in general, we also hope that our students can ‘reset’ and get back into positive daily and weekly routines.
This Week in AIC Boys Sport
With regards to our AIC Term 1 sports, we now move towards Round 5 this weekend for AIC Volleyball only.
Due to the recent weather events, both Australian Rules and Cricket fixtures (except 1st XI Team) for St Peters, have been cancelled. St Peters will compete against St Patrick’s College in Volleyball this Saturday (whilst our First XI Cricketers will also play a ‘friendly’ against St Patrick’s).
Our Senior Volleyball teams, Years 10 to 12, will be competing home at St Peters and our Junior Volleyball teams, Years 7 to 9, away at St Patrick’s College venues. Please ensure you check the St Peters App. for both venue details and time of games.
AIC Swimming Championships – Tuesday 8 March
This coming Tuesday, our St Peters Swimmers will line up to defend their AIC Aggregate Winners title in the pool at the State Aquatic Centre, Chandler. For the past five years our boys have won this prestigious event and in 2022 they are even more keen and up for the challenge as they swim for six consecutive wins. We are extremely proud of how hard our swimmers have worked, and we are now looking forward to watching them compete on Friday.
2022 AIC Swimming Championships – Years 10 to 12 Student Spectators
An email has been sent to all Years 10 to 12 students inviting them to sign up to attend the AIC Championships as spectators on Tuesday 8 March. It is very important that ALL students who are considering attending this event as a spectator understands that it is an academic school day which they will be missing, and that parental permission and agreement is important. All students who intend on attending this event must also ensure that all due assessment is completed and submitted. This is NOT a compulsory attendance event and students must be mindful that their academics do take priority.
A sign on form has been sent out and will close on Friday 4 march at 3.30pm.
Introducing our 2022 AIC Swimming Captains
Nick N (Year 12)
Rob T (Year 12)
Josh S (Year 12)
We congratulate our Captains and wish them every success next Tuesday. We are very confident that they will lead the St Peters 2022 Swim Team with great spirit, enthusiasm, and pride as they strive for Plus Ultra in the true St Peters way.
2022 AIC Cross Country & Runners Club
I would also like to highlight this week the importance of the St Peters Cross Country program. Not only are we wanting boys to compete competitively for St Peters in Cross Country but we are wanting all Years 7 to 12 boys who will be playing in Term 2 Sports (Rugby & Football) to strongly consider attending at least one (1) Cross Country session or Runners Club so to enhance their overall fitness level as they start to prepare for Term 2 Sports.
Cross Country at St Peters has traditionally been well received and very competitive at both AIC and QGSSSA. Let’s work hard in 2022 to maintain this high standard and consolidate on past years participation and performances. Training times for Cross Country can be found on the St Peters App.
Wet Weather and Cancellations
With regards to wet weather and any unforeseen or potential cancellations of AIC sports, please ensure that you keep an eye out for notifications and alerts via the St Peters App. We will endeavour to keep everyone updated on both training cancellations and game day changes as the week progresses.
Dress Standards at St Peters AIC Sporting Training and Games
A reminder that all our boys do need to be dressed correctly at both AIC training and games.
AIC Volleyball
Correct Training and Playing Uniform Requirements –
At Training – All St Peters AIC Volleyballers are to be where their St Peters Sports Uniform to Volleyball training.
At Games – All St Peters AIC Volleyballers must be wearing their numbered Volleyball shirt and maroon PE/Sports Shorts.
NO sports/PE shirts are to be worn at AIC games. WHITE SOCKS ONLY are to be worn at AIC Volleyball Games.
AIC Cricket
Correct Training and Playing Uniform Requirements –
At Training – all AIC Cricketers must wear their ‘Program Shirt’ to their first training session of the week. The second training session you are to wear your ‘Sports Uniform’.
At Games – All St Peters Cricketers are to arrive to their game wearing their ‘Program Shirt’ and then get changed into your playing whites just before the start of play.
St Peters Student Spectators on Gamedays
Should any St Peters student be attending a St Peters sporting event/game outside of normal College hours, it is expected that they be dressed in St Peters apparel whilst attending these events.
Term 2 AIC Rugby, AIC Football, AIC Chess, AIC Cross Country Sign On
All boys in Years 7 to 12 have now been emailed on several occasions regarding signing on for AIC Term 2 Boys Sport. We ask all boys who wish to participate in one or more of the above-mentioned sports please sign on ASAP.
If the sport specific information you are looking for cannot be found on the St Peters App, please contact the below sport specific coordinators directly,
Information regarding the St Peters Lutheran College Springfield Sport program will be communicated through a range of modes including email, St Peters App and Cornerstone. Students and parents will primarily receive information from the Head of Sport at Springfield but at times may also receive information from the Girls and Boys Sport Coordinators or individual Sport Coordinators. Parents and students are encouraged to download and use the St Peters App for information regarding the Sport program.
St Peters APP
Please download the St Peters ‘app’ today!!
All information regarding the St Peters Lutheran College Sport program including sport training times and venues, draws, coordinator details and wet weather arrangements can be found on the St Peters App.
*Please ensure that you update your preferences in the Settings> Subscriptions section of the app so that you only receive information from your appointed Campus or area of interest that are relevant to your family e.g. Springfield or Sports.
The app can be downloaded free through iTunes or Google Play, please search for St Peters:
