As parents and caregivers, your greatest desire is to see your children thrive and flourish in every aspect of their lives. The journey to nurturing their growth involves a blend of love, guidance, and understanding. Here are some tips to help your child flourish.
Create a Nurturing Environment
A positive and supportive home environment is the foundation for your child's growth. Encourage open communication, where your child feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings. Foster an atmosphere of acceptance and understanding that allows them to explore their interests and express their individuality.
Cultivate Curiosity
Curiosity is the spark that fuels learning and personal growth. Encourage your child's inquisitiveness by providing opportunities for exploration and discovery. Engage in conversations that stimulate their imagination and encourage them to ask questions about the world around them.
Foster a Growth Mindset
Teach your child the power of a growth mindset, where challenges are seen as opportunities for learning and improvement. Help them understand that effort and perseverance are keys to success. Praise their efforts and progress rather than just the outcomes, instilling the belief that they can achieve their goals through dedication and hard work. Hard work is ok!
Support Their Passions
Every child has unique interests and talents. Take the time to identify and nurture these passions. Whether it's art, music, sports or academics, provide the resources and encouragement they need to pursue their interests wholeheartedly.
Encourage Independence
As your child grows, it's important to gradually let them take on more responsibilities and make their own decisions. This fosters independence and self-confidence. Offer guidance and support while allowing them to navigate challenges on their own.
Emphasise Social Skills
Flourishing involves not only individual growth but also the ability to connect and collaborate with others. Teach your child the importance of empathy, active listening and effective communication. These skills are invaluable for building meaningful relationships throughout life.
Set Realistic Expectations
While it's important to challenge your child, setting realistic expectations is equally crucial. Be mindful of their developmental stage and avoid placing undue pressure on them. Celebrate their progress and efforts, regardless of the outcome.
Lead by Example
Children often learn by observing their parents and caregivers. Model the behaviours and values you want to instil in them, such as resilience, kindness and a strong work ethic. Show them that growth is a lifelong journey that applies to everyone, including adults.
Nurturing your child's growth is a continuous journey that requires patience, dedication and a deep understanding of their unique qualities. By creating a nurturing environment, fostering curiosity, cultivating a growth mindset, supporting their passions and emphasising social skills, you're laying the groundwork for their flourishing future. Remember that each child's journey is unique, and the most important thing you can do is provide unwavering love, guidance and encouragement every step of the way. Your role as a parent has the power to shape their path to success and happiness.
Lia Sabri Head of Primary Years
What's On
23 August - 15 September
23 - 30 August - Book Fair
24 August - Music Soloists' Recital Prep - Year 12, 3:00pm – 7:30pm, JHP
25 August - Storytelling with Nadia Wheatley online Year 3, 11:30am
28 August - Book Week Parade Prep - Year 3, 8:15am. K, Year 4 - 6 9:00am
28 August - Father’s Day stall (main event)
29-30 August - Met West Track & Field
29 August - ICAS Science
31 August - Fathers' Day Breakfast & Chapel
31 August - Fathers' Day stall (follow up)
31 August - Years 6/11 Golf Afternoon
1 September – Student Free Day
1 September – Prep 2024 Orientation
4 September – Year 12 Mock Exam Block
4 September - Year 11 Exam Block
4 September - Festival of Learning Years 4 - 6, 9:30am -11:00am, Art & Culture - Origami making HUB
5 September - Festival of Learning eSports (eSports HUB) Years 7-12
5 - 8 September - Year 6 Canberra Tour
6 September - APSMO Olympiad 4, Years 5 and 6 Festival of Learning (Mater Hospital Experience)
6 September - Festival of Learning (Mater Hospital Experience) Years 9 - 10
6-8 September - Year 11 Exam Block
6-8 September – Year 12 Mock Exam Block
7 September - Shoe Lace tying workshop – Year 1
12 September - Semester 2 Sports Photos at Indooroopilly
14 September - Term 3 Concludes
14 September - QGSSSA Track & Field Championships
14 September - RUOK Day
14 September - RYDA Driver Program Years 11 and 12 - all day
15 September – Student Free Day
Book Week 2023 | Monday 28 August
Ministry
Why Lament
Out of the depths, I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. Psalm 130:1
Tragedy rocks a community. Lives are lost, people suffer and pain and grief are experienced. How are we to respond in such situations? Often we don’t know what to do or how to respond when we are faced with great tragedy in our social circles. Words seem barely feasible in such situations. How do we react in a meaningful, compassionate way to those suffering? In a trusted relationship, we can hug the person affected. If we are people of action we can help in practical ways as well as maybe donate money. We can write a note or put into writing our condolences. But how do we as a community connect with those who suffer great tragedy?
One answer to this question is to lament. We can at times like these, as a St Peters community, lament. And what exactly is a lament? Lament is an ancient ritual or genre of language that is lost in our Western culture. A dictionary definition of lament is to “express passionate grief or sorrow.” In our contemporary culture, we can find it hard to put into words our experiences of pain and suffering. Some of us would prefer to avoid, deny or suppress such emotional troubles. But a lament does not do that. A lament puts into words for us the pain and sorrow we cannot voice. Many cultures around the world have ritualised expressions of lament, including Indigenous cultures. The Hebrew culture of the Old Testament was accustomed to and used lament as well.
Over one-third of the Book of Psalms is a lament. The Old Testament prophets cry out to God and the whole book of Lamentation, expresses the confusion and suffering felt after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. People in the New Testament who were afflicted and sick cried out to Jesus for help. Jesus himself laments to God in the Garden of Gethsemane with the words of Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Lament voices to God the ‘why’, ‘how long’, ‘where were you’ questions.
Lament does not hold back the suffering we experience. Rather, laments turn us toward God when sorrow tempts us to run from him. To lament to God is to pray our pain. To turn to God, bring our complaints, ask boldly for help and trust nonetheless that God is healing our broken world. As one pastor put it; “to cry is human, but to lament is Christian.”
Tim Jarick College Pastor
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 Springfield parents are invited to an exclusive parent-only event with Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg. This educational presentation will explore how you can help build wellbeing and resilience. The session will provide practical, evidence based skills, knowledge and strategies to help our children during challenging times.
Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg is one of Australia’s highest profile psychologists, author of 14 books, broadcaster and a specialist in corporate mental health, parenting, children, adolescents and the use of technology for mental health. This presentation will take place on Thursday 31 August, starting at 6:00pm, at Spring Mountain State School. Registration is essential and can be done HERE.
Sibling Enrolments 2025
The College is blessed to be experiencing unprecedented growth and interest in enrolment.
Families with children already at St Peters Lutheran College Springfield wishing to enrol a sibling in 2025 or beyond are reminded to submit an online enrolment application for your child if you have not already done so.
Please note that due to the very high demand for places, applications for siblings commencing in 2025 should be received before the end of Term 3, 2022. A link to our online enrolment application form can be found here - Enrol with Springfield. Sibling interviews are anticipated to commence in Term 1 2024 and continue through Term 2 2024.
Please note that enrolment with our Kindergarten is separate to this, and families must ensure that they have registered their interest for a place directly with our onsite Kindergarten.
Families seeking enrolment in 2024 are urged to make immediate contact with the enrolments team to discuss availability.
OSHC Ekka Show Day and September Student Free Day Vacation Care Booking Form
Wellbeing on Wellness Way
Positive Emotions
Positive Emotions are the greatest power source for wellbeing and are critical necessities for optimal functioning!
Positive Emotions (joy, serenity, awe) :
Reduce stress.
Increase performance.
Broaden and build our experiences so that they become bigger and more meaningful.
Build our brain capacity for greater cognitive health.
Humans are born with a negativity bias, it helped us survive the early years of humanity and kept us safe. However, this primal brain capacity misses the positive, what is good, because it is hyper-focused on what is bad. Our job is to train our awareness to tune into positive emotions.
The biggest levers of driving positive emotion are gratitude and kindness.
Two things you can do to pump up gratitude.
Gratitude Jar - every time you are grateful for something write it on a post it and stick it in a jar. When you or someone at home is struggling, pull out a gratitude note and read it to remind yourself that there is always an abundance of things to be grateful for.
Positive Rituals - a great dinner conversation is ‘what went well today’, so that you can get into the habit of building up positive experiences, they don’t have to be big things, but it helps to set a positive tone when conversations focus on what is going well.
Performing Arts
Performing Arts News
Did you know that participating in the Arts fosters confidence and creativity?
Student Recitals
Well done to all students who introduced their items and performed so confidently at the Recital Concerts held on Tuesday and Thursday this week. These concerts present invaluable performance experience to our young performing artists and are vital to assist them in achieving a learning goal and the discipline required to work towards a deadline. Thank you for being risk-takers. Thank also to all the Instrumental and Speech and Drama staff, especially Ms Crellin for accompanying a number of the performances.
Student Acknowledgements
Parents, caregivers and guardians, I am asking for your assistance so that as a community we can acknowledge and celebrate student achievements in the Arts external to the College as we know some students do go above and beyond with their community involvement in their chosen field. If your child has participated in local, national or international events, such as Eisteddfods I would like to hear from you. Please email me a paragraph describing the event, a photo and the result, so that this can be included in my newsletter article and where possible medals and trophies can then be presented at the relevant Primary and Secondary Assemblies. This may even require a repeat performance where possible.
To that end, it was my pleasure this week to present the participation certificate to Billy, Chen and Jano because of their involvement in the State Honours Ensemble Program held at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music in June.
The State Honours Ensemble Program is an educational program for music students that helps extend and encourage their pursuit of musical excellence. Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University’s State Honours Ensemble Program has grown from relatively modest beginnings in 2001. SHEP is now a firmly established aspect of music learning in Queensland, bringing together young people from all over the State, in regional centres across the State.
We are currently awaiting confirmation of the students who will be accepted into the Primary SHEP weekend to be held 25 - 26 November. Thanks to the Instrumental Music Staff for supporting this initiative.
At the Primary Assembly on Wednesday Anvi D, Cherish E and Ruhika S, were acknowledged for their involvement in the Ipswich Eisteddfod Silkstone Memorial item presentation on the final night of the week-long Eisteddfod whereby they presented a drama, a poem and prose all linked to a theme. There were several St Peters students who participated in this Eisteddfod and performed to a very high standard. Mrs Kathy Wilson and Ms Bridget Lloyd-Morgan were very proud of the participants and look forward to future opportunities.
Mrs Geraldine Campbell Performing Arts Co-ordinator
Sport
AIC Boys Sport
After a week off AIC sporting fixtures due to the Brisbane Exhibition week, we are now set to enter Round 5 of AIC Basketball and Tennis for our boys.
This weekend, St Peters will compete against Iona College in both Basketball and Tennis. Our Senior teams will play at Home at St Peters venues whilst our Junior teams will play Away at Iona venues. Please ensure that you check the St Peters App for all game times and venue details.
For the Round 5 Basketball vs Iona College Draw CLICK HERE For the Round 5 Tennis vs Iona College Draw CLICK HERE
Track & Field
The first of our AIC Track & Field Lead Up meets is on this week. Thursday night, 24 August, over 60 of our St Peters athletes will compete against 7 other AIC colleges both in track events and in field events. These Lead Up meets offer a great opportunity for our boys in Years 7 - 12 to compete across multiple events whilst also experiencing the great camaraderie amongst our AIC colleges.
The AIC Track & Field Championships will be held in Week 1 of Term 4. We strongly encourage all Years 7 - 12 boys to get involved and attend any of the Track & Field training sessions that they can as well as attending the AIC Lead Up Meets.
Participating in Track & Field events which encapsulate running, jumping and throwing can only benefit every student's overall sporting prowess and skill development. Being part of the St Peters Track & Field Squad in 2023 will also assist in developing, fostering and establishing greater bonds with their peers whilst growing our college’s spirit and culture.
Dress Standards at AIC Sporting Fixtures
An important reminder to all students about our college’s expectation surrounding correct dress standards at AIC fixture games for both players and student spectators:
All students playing Basketball and Tennis must be dressed in the correct playing attire (including socks). If the weather is cool, only the St Peters track top and track pants are to be worn.
Footwear – joggers are to be worn at all times by those students participating in AIC sport. No open footwear (eg. Slides or thongs etc) is to be worn at any time.
All student spectators are to be dressed in St Peters winter formal uniform. Students who have played earlier in the day can be dressed in sports uniform to support. Students attending AIC games who are not dressed in the correct St Peters attire will be asked to leave.
For the 2023 Track & Field Calendar CLICK HERE For the 2023 Track & Field Training Schedule CLICK HERE
Term 3 Coordinator Contact Details
The below named Coordinators have already been communicating via email with all boys who have signed on and who have been attending training. We do ask that all boys please open and read these informational emails that pertain to their chosen sport for Term 3.
Our AIC Term 3 Boys Sport Coordinators for 2023 are:
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.
Jeremy Lohe Boys Sport Coordinator
QGSSSA Girls Sport
BSRA – GIRLS ROWING HEAD OF THE RIVER
We wish the Rowing girls all the best as they head to Wyaralong Dam this Saturday for the 2023 Head of the River. The girls with the support of their coaches & the dedicated team led by Helen Allard have worked incredibly hard to prepare for this special day, we are very excited to see how they perform. To support the girls, please see below.
PINK DAY FOR OUR GIRLS ROWERS – THIS FRIDAY!
Students – Please pull on your pink socks and tie up your pink ribbons!
Staff – Please put on your best pink outfit for the day!
Bus departs the St Peter Bus Stop at 5:15am and will return after the final race arriving back at the bus stop at approximately 2:45pm.
Free morning tea and lunch will be provided.
Winter Fixtures - Netball, Volleyball, Hockey and Tennis
Round 6 was a great round for our Netball, Volleyball, Hockey and Tennis Girls as they took on St Aidan’s. Some really pleasing results and our teams have progressed well as we head into the final weeks of the season.
Round 7 this Saturday we take on Brisbane State High School at our Home venues in what is one of the toughest challenges in QGSSSA Sport, and we are looking forward to it! Good luck to all our teams!
Please watch for communication from your respective sport coordinators and keep an eye on the St Peters App for the weekly draws. Please ensure you arrive on time and in the correct uniform to prepare for your games. Good luck girls!
Reminder - Communicate if unable to attend a training session or a game, early communication is particularly important for a game.
Attendance at training across our sports has at times been poor, and there has been no communication from many girls. It is important as we continue to work on building culture in our programs that girls/families understand attendance at training is expected. Of course, we understand missing some training sessions is not avoidable but where possible please arrange appointments outside training times.
Date Claimers:
Round 7: Saturday 26 August v Brisbane State High School (Home) Round 8: Saturday 2 September v Ipswich Girl's Grammar School (Away) Round 9: Saturday 9 September v St Hilda’s School (Home)
Round 6 saw St Peters travel to the Ambiwerra Sports Complex to take on St Aidan’s. With 5 courts in action, there was plenty of Netball on display and the girls certainly didn’t disappoint.
The morning started on an excellent note with all three Year 7 teams posting a win, a feat we haven’t seen to date this season. The 7A team are to be commended on their performance as they fought hard to overcome a half time deficit and post their first win of the season. The 8B team played well and came away with a strong win, however the 8A team was a little undermanned and went down but not without a fight.
The momentum continued into the second round with all five teams securing wins and completing a clean sweep. Although the 9A team did not have it all their own way, the 9B result was never in any doubt and the 9C team slowly pulled away from a determined opponent to ensure all the Year 9 teams were victorious. The 8C team was a very one-sided affair which saw them post the highest score and biggest winning margin of the day whilst the Senior A team continued to play impressive Netball and won comfortably yet again.
The Open team took to the court in the final round and perhaps surprised the opposition with their commitment and determination to grind out what was a comfortable win in the end. Although the Senior B team started slowly, some excellent defensive Netball kept their opponents scoreless for two quarters and secured them an impressive win. With only one goal in it leading into the final quarter, the 10A game was a close hard-fought contest. Unfortunately, the opposition proved too strong in the final stages, and they pulled away to inflict only our second loss of the day.
It was especially pleasing to see the hard work and effort finally pay off and St Peters comprehensively win the day.
Congratulations to our Round 6 Award Winners, the girls who played with the ‘Best Vision’ on court!
Written by Nicki Bygraves Game Day Manager
Round 7 Draw v Brisbane State High School: Saturday 26 August – Please CLICK HERE for the draw
It is the Girls Shed’s biggest week of the season as we prepare to compete at the BSRA Head of the River at Wyaralong Dam on Saturday. The crews are completing their final water sessions over the next day or two making those last minute technical adjustments that can make the split-second difference between a podium finish and not.
We are extremely appreciative of the support and encouragement we are receiving from so many voices across our school community this week. Mr Kotzur attended training with the 1st VIII this morning and rode in the tinny alongside Coach James Doring. Mr Nodwell and Mrs Champion also attended breakfast with the rowers after their sessions early this morning.
All our crews have worked extremely hard since Week 1 of Term 2 preparing for Saturday’s regatta and I am extremely proud of the grit and tenacity I have watched them demonstrate week after week. Please join me in wishing the girls the best of luck this Saturday by donning your pink socks and ribbons around school this Friday. If you would like to attend the regatta, there are still seats available on the Supporters bus departing from the Indooroopilly campus bus stop at 5:15AM Saturday morning. #GoSaints
It is fantastic to see so many girls committing to training and attending the meets. The countdown is on to the QGSSSA Track & Field Championships meaning all girls need to be attending the meet this week. Please sign on using the link in Mr Lohe’s email. It is vitally important that all girls attend training and the final few meets in the lead up to QGSSSA Championships on Thursday 14 September.
Next week, girls will compete in a head-to-head meet on Friday 1 September which is a Student Free Day. Please ensure you read all information carefully as all girls will be required over the final weeks in the lead up. Information will be sent out on Monday regarding this meet. Any questions, please see Mr Lohe.
Go Saints!
Date Claimer – QGSSSA Track & Field Championships – Thursday 13 September
Please check the St Peters App for the Term 3 training schedule.
TERM 4 SPORTS
Sign on for all Term 4 Sports is now complete.
Reminder – Girls must complete their commitments to their in-season sports, these take priority over pre-season sports.
If the girls choose more than one sport, communication is the key, please advise the respective sport coordinator at the start of the season.
After an amazing introduction to the QGSSSA over the last two years, the QGSSSA Junior Australian Rules Competition Days will be held on the following days.
Competition Days
Round 1 - Saturday 21 October Round 2 - Saturday 28 October Round 3 - Saturday 4 November Round 4 - Saturday 11 November Round 5 – Saturday 18 November
MATCH CONDITIONS SUMMARY
12 a-side on field and 3 interchange players
Half field ground size
15-minute halves, 5-minute break
Modified tackling, bumping permitted
Bouncing the ball (two max)
No kicking off the ground
Mouth guards are compulsory
Please check the St Peters App for the Term 3 Training schedule.
Next week a team of girls selected from Years 7 - 10 will represent St Peters at the CBSQ Junior Secondary Wildcard Challenge. Our team will be competing hard over this two-day tournament to attempt to advance through to the Junior Secondary Championships that will be held down the Gold Coast in Term 4. Good luck Girls!
TOUCH ALL SCHOOLS
To continue building the Touch Program, St Peters will be entering an U13, U15 and U18 teams into the All Schools Touch Competition to be held in Term 4 down the Gold Coast.
This exciting opportunity will give many of our girls the opportunity to continue to develop their Touch game.
Details have been emailed to the girls invited to play; any questions please contact Miss Laura Buckby – l.buckby@stpeters.qld.edu.au
COMMUNITY RUN CLUB
Community Run Club continues all year round - Join our running community on Friday mornings, meet at 6:30am at the St Peters Bus Stop. It is a wonderful way to improve your fitness and meet other members of the community.
When attending/watching any other St Peters sporting fixtures, girls are asked to ensure they are wearing their St Peters Formal uniform or if they are playing, their St Peters playing uniform is allowed. (PE Uniform or casual clothing is not allowed).
WET WEATHER SPORT CANCELLATIONS
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.
Anne-Marie Champion Girls Sport Coordinator
Lutheran Primary Athletics Carnival
On Monday 21 August, 41 students from Years 4 - 6 participated in the annual Lutheran Primary Athletics Carnival held at Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC). It was a great day for the College, highlighted by some significant achievements by students throughout the day.
A remarkable performance was the 11/12 years boys relay team, consisting of Lachlan N, Lucas A, Jonty M and Marvel A. The boys ran a competitive race and finished in third place, which was a wonderful achievement. Other notable performances include:
Ariel Q placed second in the 80m sprint and third in the 9 years Long Jump.
Khushi K placed first in the 9 years Long Jump and second in the 400m.
Harper B placed third in the 9 years Shot Put.
Cooper W placed third in the 9 years 200m and second in the 400m.
Adhvaith A placed second in the 10 years 100m Sprint.
Lily T placed third in the 10 years 800m and 10 years Long Jump.
Jano K placed third in the 10 years Shot Put.
Ruby W placed second in the 11/12 years 100m Sprint, second in the 200m Sprint and Shot Put.
Lachlan N placed second in the 11/12 years 100m Sprint and third in the 200m Sprint.
Marvel A placed first in the 11/12 years Long Jump, second in the 100m sprint and third in the 200m Sprint.
Jonty M placed second in the 11/12 years 800m, third in the 100m Sprint, first in the 200m Sprint and third in the High Jump.
All students should be commended on their achievements and efforts throughout the day, and the sportsmanship shown by all was admirable.
Overall, St Peters Lutheran College Springfield came in second place in the Division 2 schools, and second place overall based on school size and percentage of students. Congratulations to all students who participated. It was a great day.
Stephanie Chettle P-6 HPE Teacher
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:
