This week, our school community came together to celebrate the rich tapestry of cultures that make our college truly unique. During the Secondary School assembly, we witnessed an inspiring display of unity in diversity as our student leadership team took centre stage to share their cultural backgrounds.
The purpose of this presentation was simple yet powerful: to showcase the cultural diversity within our college as represented through the leadership team. As each student leader stated their cultural background, it became clear that our school is a microcosm of Australia's multicultural society. This visual representation of our diverse community served as a reminder of the global perspectives we bring to our daily interactions and learning experiences.
As we reflect on this gesture from our Year 12 leaders, we're reminded of the words of Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations:
"We may have different religions, different languages, different coloured skin, but we all belong to one human race."
This sentiment resonates deeply within our college community, reinforcing our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where every student feels valued and respected.
Our school's ethos of unity amidst diversity also finds resonance in scripture. As it is written in Galatians 3:28:
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."
As a Lutheran community, we embrace this message of fundamental equality and unity, while welcoming and respecting students of all faiths and backgrounds.
In the context of our multicultural Australian society, St Peters Springfield stands as a shining example of how diversity enriches our lives and prepares our students for future where they may impact their own communities both local and global. We recognise that our differences are not barriers but bridges that connect us and broaden our understanding of ourselves and the world.
Together, we are crafting a narrative of inclusion, respect, and unity – one that reflects the best of our Australian values and our Lutheran ethos. The gift and task of a St Peters education is forming and empowering fine young people of character, who, capable of managing their own learning, use their gifts to lead and serve their communities and in doing so make a difference in the world.
Dom Piacun Head of Secondary Years
What's On
What's On - Week 8 | Term 3
30 August – Student Free Day
30 August – The Emperor’s New Clothes Performance
4 September – Maths Olympiad 4 (Years 5 and 6)
5 September – Lower Primary Athletics Carnival
10 September – Semester 2 Sports Photos (at Indooroopilly)
11 September – Sporting Wheelies
12 September - QGSSSA Track & Field Championships
12 September - RUOK Day
12 September – Term 3 concludes
1 October – Term 4 commences
Wellbeing on Wellness Way
Healthy Habits during stressful times at school
As we approach exam time for our Secondary School it is important to remember healthy habits.
Whilst we always place importance on students doing their best in their school exams, it can be hard to stick to healthy habits in order to remain healthy and stress ”free”*reduced during this period of time.
At the College, we teach the students to use their time well, but also to focus on eating well, sleeping well and getting moving every day.
Equally, it’s important to take some time off screens – recently I did an activity with Year 12 students and some of their screen time was more than 9 hours a DAY!!! That means that time sleeping, eating, or spending time connecting with loved ones, is being sacrificed. Our brains need balance and hours of mindless screen time can result in higher levels of anxiety, feelings over isolation and irritability.
Parents, you can help!!! Dan Siegal’s research to develop a Healthy Mind Platter can help us prioritise our time and focus by making these platter items a priority. Study and work for school is best placed to do at a dining table, or somewhere that is quiet but not in a closed-door room – remember the teenagers and their scrambled egg brains have trouble with procrastination… they need your help to be on task. You can also help the young ones, by preparing and making healthy food, lots of good fats and not too much sugar, caffeine or processed food.
As always, you – and our students – are not alone, if you need support – please reach out.
Exams are important and working to achieve our potential is what we believe in as plus ultra, but more importantly, looking after your whole self remains the key ingredient to a whole and flourishing life, exams only go for one week!
Look after yourselves,
You’ve got this!
Mrs Sarah Johnson Careers & Guidance Counsellor
Primary Years
Celebrating Australian Book Week with Special Guest Judge Ash Barty
Bringing Stories to Life Across the Nation
Australia's love for literature reached new heights this year as Book Week unfolded with enthusiasm and a special guest – Ash Barty. The celebration promotes the importance of reading and literacy among young Australians. This year we welcomed former world number-one tennis champion and beloved national icon, Ash Barty, as our guest judge.
A Champion for Literacy
Ash Barty, known for her incredible achievements on the tennis court, has always been a passionate advocate for education and youth development. Since she retired from professional tennis, Ash has dedicated much of her time to supporting various community initiatives, and her role in this year's Book Week further underscores her commitment to empowering the next generation.
Ash not only judged the book character parade but also answered questions about her career and love of literature. The students asked well thought through questions about success and Ash’s favourite book being the ‘Rainbow Serpent’.
Exploring the Theme: 'Dreaming with Eyes Open'
This year's Book Week embraced the enchanting theme 'Dreaming with Eyes Open', inviting students and educators across the country to delve into stories that spark imagination and encourage dream-chasing. This year we held a Character parade with our Prep – Year 6 students. Year 12 students also had the opportunity to dress up and be part of our celebration.
Students donned costumes representing their favourite book characters, transforming classrooms and hallways into vibrant landscapes of literary imagination. From classic heroes to contemporary icons, the parade of characters highlighted the diverse and rich tapestry of stories that captivate young minds. Littles Ash’s were very popular also.
Mrs Lia Sabri Head of Primary Years
Performing Arts
Performing Arts News Week 8 | Term 3 2024
Staff Acknowledgements
Occasionally our Instrumental staff are engaged to perform in the professional world, and we would like to congratulate Ms Emma Anstey who performed at the Brisbane Exhibition and was the compere for the Fashions on the Field. Emma will also perform at the upcoming Royal Adelaide Show in a few weeks’ time. We are fortunate to have Instrumental Music staff who are professional musicians as the experience, knowledge and skills they impart to our young musicians who are just beginning their musical journey is invaluable.
Australian Girls Choir
A representative from the Australian Girls Choir presented a workshop on Monday with registered students to ascertain suitability for a membership offer. Thanks to Mrs Schmeider for organising and assisting during the workshop and to the students who were offered positions.
The Emperor’s New Clothes
Best wishes to the cast and crew of The Emperor’s New Clothes for the two performances this Friday evening. Countless hours have been dedicated to this production and thanks to Mrs Kathy Wilson and the cast for accepting the challenge and to numerous staff, students and the Art Club who have assisted in making this dream a reality! Photos will be included in next week’s edition.
Bands Concert
Congratulations to members of Grainger Concert Band, Kats-Chernin Wind Ensemble, Edwards Chamber Ensemble and Soloists who performed at the lunchtime concert on Thursday. Thank you for your commitment and for allowing your talents to be celebrated and develop.
AVEO
Students who have been invited to perform at AVEO Springfield scheduled for 9 September at 10:00am - 10:40am have been notified via the Microsoft Permission Form. Please complete asap so that the program can be finalised.
Upcoming Events
AVEO: Monday 9 September Twilight Tour: Thursday 12 September
Mrs Geraldine Campbell Performing Arts Coordinator
Sport
Springfield Sport
Swimming
Congratulations to Olivia G (Year 8) who competed for Australia at the New Zealand Short Course Championships last week. Olivia won the 14 Years Female 1500m Freestyle event.
Track & Field Training
A reminder for all students in Years 4-12. Track & Field training is on offer every Wednesday and Thursday morning at the Springfield campus. Trainings start at 6:15am and finish at 7:30am.
AIC and QGSSSA Track & Field meets are ongoing, please check the St Peters App for information. It would be great to see more Springfield students signing up and attending the pre-meets for AIC and QGSSSA Track & Field.
BSRA Girls Rowing
Congratulations to Tiare R (Year 12), Sara AM (Year 9), Sienna L (Year 9), Keira M (Year 9) and Laila M (Year 9) who all represented St Peters at the Brisbane Schoolgirls Rowing Associations Head of the River Regatta on the weekend.
Boys Sport Week 8 | Term 3
Boys Weekly Sport
As our term begins to wrap up, with two Track and Field meets and two weekends of AIC fixtures left to play, warmer weather is fast approaching! This Saturday will feature temperatures in the mid-thirties, so it is vital that all young men are properly preparing themselves for fixtures for Round 6. Please ensure your son has a water bottle and is hydrating well in advance. Student safety is a priority, and coordinators and coaches will follow all AIC processes regarding extreme heat to ensure games can still proceed safely. Any known cancellations will be reported as soon as possible; however, all fixtures are proceeding at this stage. All the best for this weekend!
Congratulations and thank you
Earlier in Term 3, Hugo K (Year 10) was selected for the Japan U19 Cricket Team – Congratulations, Hugo!
Lucas C (Year 10), Matthew J (Year 10), Samuel M (Year 10) and Flynn G (Year 11) recently competed at the Australian Coastal Rowing and Beach Sprints championships. Lucas and Matthew won a bronze medal as a rower in the U19 Men’s Double. Lucas coxed in the U19 Mixed Quad, winning bronze with Samuel and Flynn rowing in the boat.
Rugby League News
Saturday featured two wins for our Rugby League program, with our juniors and seniors recording victories. An incredible performance from the junior team to win their first game in the A division in their first year of Rugby League. After a difficult start, St Peters piled on three back-to-back tries to race out to a lead, which was never matched despite fatigue setting in and closing the gap at the end.
Seniors
St Peters raced out to an early lead off the back of three great long-range tries in what was a scrappy fixture. Heading into the main break, the score remained three tries to nil. A winning score at the end meant that the playing group belted out the team song, which could be heard as far as Ipswich, which marked our first official win in the AIC competition. Congratulations to all involved!
Tennis News
Congratulations to our AIC Tennis Teams on a successful round of matches last weekend. Punctuality to our matches this week was outstanding, and coaches are extremely happy with the preparation before our games. The competitiveness amongst the Years 7–9 boys has seen a marked improvement, and the boys should be congratulated on this.
Track & Field News
With over 50 students attending the first two meets and several PBs recorded, it was delightful to see the boys' performances over the past two weeks. As we approach the end of the term, we are beginning to discuss AIC Championship places, so it is imperative that all students attend as many training sessions and meets as possible to earn selection into the Championship team.
Next week, our third meet will be on Thursday 5 September, hosted at the State Athletics Facility (SAF). All students involved are strongly encouraged to attend as many meets as possible. Students involved in the meet will depart from the internal bus bay at 2:40pm on 5 September. To sign up and reserve your spot on the bus, please CLICK HERE. Sign up by Tuesday 3 September, by the end of school at 3:10pm.
Cricket News
MSW Cricket training begins next week, with sessions on Mayer Oval to prepare for the competition in Term 4. Please CLICK HERE to see the training schedule.
Still interested in signing up for MSW Cricket? To register, CLICK HERE.
This Week in Sport
AIC Track and Field, Rugby League, Tennis and Basketball are the current in-season AIC Boys Sports this term.
Please check the information on the St Peters App for details of times and venues for this weekend’s Round 6 against Padua College.
Please CLICK HERE for Rugby League game day schedule Please CLICK HERE for Tennis game day schedule Please CLICK HERE for Basketball game day schedule
For our St Peters sporting programs to positively develop and grow, it is paramount that our students attend training sessions for their chosen sport, so they can improve and refine sport-specific skills and build cohesion amongst their team-mates.
If students are unable to attend some training sessions, their absence must be communicated to their coaches and the respective coordinator/s.
Please also CLICK HERE to access the AIC Sporting Calendar for 2024.
Matchday expectations
A reminder that all St Peters boys do need to be dressed correctly at both AIC training and at AIC games. All uniform items can be purchased from Shop45 or via School Locker, please refer to the website for opening hours. For matchdays enclosed footwear must be worn to games, no slides or Crocs are to be worn at St Peters or associated AIC schools.
Basketball
Correct Training and Playing Uniform Requirements
At Games – All St Peters AIC Basketballers must be wearing:
St Peters jersey
St Peters maroon PE/sports shorts
Joggers must be worn at all times – No slides or thongs are to be worn at any time
Rugby League
Correct Training and Playing Uniform Requirements
Training – students must wear their ‘Program Shirt’ to their training session.
Games – students are to arrive at their game wearing:
St Peters ‘program shirt’ and then get changed into their jersey
Mouthguard is mandatory
Long maroon football socks
Joggers must be worn at all times – No slides or thongs are to be worn at any time
Tennis
Students to wear full PE uniform with tennis hat to games. First IV to wear the First uniform presented at the start of the season.
Track & Field
Students to wear the Track & Field singlet to all meets
ST PETERS STUDENT SPECTATORS ON GAMEDAYS
Please note, dogs are not permitted on campus to accompany spectators to watch Football or Rugby fixtures (service dogs permitted).
Should any St Peters student be attending a St Peters sporting event/game outside of normal College hours, it is expected that they are dressed in St Peters formal uniform. Should a student not be wearing the correct attire when attending a sporting event/game, they may be asked to leave the venue.
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.
Daniel Fraser Boys Sport Coordinator
Girls Sport Week 8 | Term 3
Congratulations to our Rowing girls for their commendable performance at the 2024 Head of the River at Wyaralong Dam last weekend. It was fantastic to see the girls in action, showing resilience and determination in a competitive field. Thank you to our coaches and Co-ordinator Mrs Allard, for your support and guidance of our crews throughout the BSRA season.
QGSSSA Winter Sport
This Saturday, we’re excited to host Moreton Bay College for what promises to be an action-packed day of sport. With several top of the table clashes on the schedule, our teams have been working hard preparing for these crucial matches. We invite the school community to come along and show your support for our girls as they compete in these pivotal fixtures.
Feature Matches:
Open Netball: 8:45am
10A Netball: 7:30am
9A Netball: 7:30am
9B Netball: 10:00am
Open Volleyball: 12:10pm
10A Volleyball: 9:50am
In addition, it’s our Tennis Focus Round! We’d love to see a strong turnout at the Lohe Street Courts to cheer on our Tennis girls.
Be sure to visit the QGSSSA website for the latest results and ladder standings. All results and ladder positions can be found at the QGSSSA website.
Round 8 vs Moreton Bay College | Saturday 31 August
This is a reminder that we expect any absences from training or fixtures to be communicated to the relevant Sport Coordinator in advance. Please ensure you arrive on time for your warm-up or duty and in the correct playing uniform.
Rowing
The Girls Rowing Program concluded last Saturday with the BSRA Head of the River regatta at Wyaralong Dam. The weather was spectacular throughout the day, with very light winds and plenty of sunshine – perfect for racing. Congratulations go to our medallists Georgie P, who won the gold in the Year 8 single scull and Steph P, who won silver in the Year 10 single scull. The 1st VIII finished a creditable 5th by 0.20 seconds to St Hilda’s School – the best finish for a St Peters Open 8+ in many years. The 1st VIII included Mac B (Year 12), Poppy Y (Year 11), Steph P (Year 10), Bella B (Year 12), Tiare R (Year 12), Lily R (Year 10), Mia M (Year 10), Yoyo W (Year 10) and Remi C (Cox) (Year 10). Their result is even more outstanding, given how many girls are in Year 10. The future is very bright for this boat in the coming years.
Several crews will continue training over the next three weeks leading into the Queensland Schools State Championship Regatta from Saturday 14 September to Monday 16 September at the Queensland State Rowing Centre, Wyaralong Dam. Congratulations to the following crews who will be representing St Peters at States: First VIII, Senior 4, Year 9 First Quad, Year 9 Second Quad and Year 8 First Quad. We wish you all a successful campaign in a few weeks’ time.
Track and Field
Well done to everyone who represented the College at Meet 4 last Friday and the Met West Regional Trials earlier this week.
This Friday, we have our Head 2 Head Meet vs MBC. Please CLICK HERE to view the event schedule. The meet will provide excellent competition and will give us a good indication of how we are tracking. We will be using these results to assist with our final team selection. The bus will depart IND and SFD at 8:00am and return to IND and SFD at approximately 12:00pm.
Key Dates
Please prioritise the last three meets so we can finalise our team selection:
Friday 30 August: Head 2 Head v MBC at SAF (8:00am – 1:00pm) Friday 6 September: Meet 6 at SAF (4:00pm – 7:45pm) Monday 9 September: Team Announcement Tuesday 10 September: Compulsory Team training at UQ (3:30pm – 5:00pm)
Uniform
Please ensure you have purchased your grey long-sleeved Track & Field shirt before the end of the week, from the Parent Portal. Please bring your receipt to Sports House to collect your shirt.
Training
We only have two weeks left of training. Please try to prioritise training over the next few weeks.
Student Free Day
We have several activities scheduled for the Student Free Day. Please CLICK HERE to view the schedule. Please note that the Athletics Meet vs MBC takes priority over all other sports.
Term 4 Sports
Sign-on for all Term 4 Sports is now complete. Training schedules are being finalised and will be communicated by Sport Coordinators and published on the St Peters App.
A reminder that girls must complete their commitments to their in-season sports, these take priority over preseason sports. As always, we encourage the girls to maintain excellent communication with Sport Coordinators and Activities staff.
Student Achievements
Congratulations to Milla Roberts, who represented Queensland at the School Sport Australia Cross Country Championships in Melbourne last week. Milla placed 12th in the U17 race, which featured runners from Australia and New Zealand.
We would like to acknowledge student sporting achievements throughout the year. If your daughter has competed at a national or international level, please CLICK HERE to share the details with us.
