As this is my final Cornerstone article for the year, I would like to acknowledge our dedicated and caring staff in the Primary School who are passionate about teaching each student in their class and helping them to achieve their personal best. This year has been one of challenges but with grit, flexibility and a positive mindset they have adapted to all that was needed to ensure they provided an excellent engaging education program whether online or face to face.

Our Primary staff were also committed to our new focus into inquiry learning led by our Contemporary Pedagogies teacher, Mrs Kate Hofstee.  We set out with a goal to be achieved by the end of the year, but due to the work ethic and collaborative nature of our staff, we exceeded the goals set initially, even with COVID challenges.

We were so grateful to our P&F thanking our staff on World Teachers Day for their role in educating our young people.  Well deserved!

I wish staff, students and families a safe summer break and a joyous Christmas.  Prayers are also for a smooth year in 2021.

God’s Blessings

Debbie West-McInnes
Head of Primary Years

Around The School

Orientation session for Lower Primary Students

We have already held an Orientation day in September where our Kindy friends visited the Prep classrooms discovering their new spaces for 2021.

Our Prep – Year 2 students will move to their new classrooms on Tuesday 24 November Lessons 2 and 3 so they familiarise themselves with the new year level environment and access to the rooms.

Primary Celebration Morning

We will be having our Primary Celebration morning on 27 November.  Year 6 students and their families will gather on the Concourse that morning to celebrate the completion of Primary School.

The event will be live streamed to classrooms and recorded for all classes and families to view who were not able to attend the service.

We will also be acknowledging our Year 4, 5 and 6 students who have received awards in the categories of Academic Excellence, Academic Endeavour, Sport, Music and Service.

St Peters Lutheran Kindergarten Expansion

We are delighted to announce to our St Peters Community that we will be extending our St Peters Lutheran Kindergarten Springfield to a two-unit centre.  This will be completed early 2021 and will increase the enrolment capacity from 24 to 44 students.

Our Kindergarten has enjoyed full enrolments and a waiting list since it began in 2013.  We have always received positive feedback by our Springfield community and word of mouth has kept the centre at capacity each year.

The extension building program will commence on 7 December 2020 once our school year has finished.  The project will be completed in two stages – Stage 1 from 7 Dec – 22 Jan and Stage 2 from 25 Jan – 22 Feb.  Our extension will involve extending the existing roof line to the north and utilising front and northern side space to create the second unit.

The alternative space for our Kindergarten, from the 7 December, will be in one of the existing Prep rooms next to the Outside School Hours Care office. In this location the Kindy students will have exclusive access to the school modular toilet facilities and the Prep outdoor play area. More information about this relocation will be sent to Kindy families soon.

Our Outside School Hours Care Vacation Program will run out of MB01 and use the Concourse as well as other compliant areas in and around Curnow House.

We have been working closely with the Kindergarten and Outside School Hours Care to ensure their programs continue to provide excellence in education and care in these alternative spaces.

For students continuing onto St Peters from our Kindergarten to Prep this is a wonderful opportunity to familiarise themselves with the Prep area.  Ensuring the transition from Kindy to Prep is smooth is very important to us.

Pastor Matt and I regularly visit our Kindergarten children, so they are familiar with us if they move to Prep at St Peters. Pastor Matt shares a devotion each week and I enjoy singing favourite finger puppet songs and reading a story linking with their learning at that time.  Our Prep staff also visit towards the end of the year to make the transition to Prep so much easier.

We look forward to welcoming our new Prep 2021 students into our community.

According to Amazon, the most highlighted passage in all books read on Kindle —highlighted almost twice as often as any other passage — is this sentence from the second volume of The Hunger Games book series: "Because sometimes things happen to people and they're not equipped to deal with them."  Many of us like to be in control of our circumstances, or at least to think we are.  We don’t like not knowing what is ahead of us and not being equipped to deal with it.  We want to be confident that we can manage whatever comes our way.  Because of that we try to organise and arrange things to cover our bases.  But the reality is that sometimes things happen for which we are far from ready.  Accidents, illnesses, pandemic, tragedies, disasters and, of course, death.  The two centre letters of the word “life” spell “if”.  For all of us, what comes tomorrow is a big “IF”.  Perhaps you feel that uncertainty very strongly.  Perhaps you are anxious about what tomorrow or the years to come might mean for you physically or financially or vocationally or relationally.  Perhaps that sense of worry about tomorrow is so big that it casts a very big shadow over the here and the now for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (one of the lectionary Bible readings for this coming Sunday) is about the future.  It tells us that there is a future event we can be absolutely sure will come about.  Verse 2 calls it the “day of the Lord” – it’s the day at the end of time when Jesus will return as he departed. It will be the day when the universe as we know it will cease to exist.  Evil will be judged, and God’s full glory will be revealed.  We can count on that day coming – but when it will come we don’t and can’t know.  That day, we’re told, will come, like a thief in the night. No-one will have advance warning.  But it will surely come – and so, verse 4 says, we should not be surprised by it.  No Christian should then say, “I didn’t see that coming!”

At that same time, Christians can rejoice that the coming day of the Lord is not a day to fear.  For those in the Christ the day of the Lord is a good day!  It is the day that Jesus will welcome us home.  It is the day that the brokenness that is part of each of us and our world will be healed once and for all.  It is the day that the pains and trials and sufferings of this world will be truly a thing of the past.  Yes, the tomorrows of your life here on earth may involve some tough and difficult things for us.  But in Christ, there is always a better day coming.  A day of hope and salvation, a future of life together with Jesus.  In Christ, the future is always bright, however dark today is and however dim tomorrow’s forecast.

Blessings,
Pastor Greg Priebbenow

Arise is a Christian Community where people gather each Sunday morning at 9am in the St Peter’s Hub, to meet Jesus the Light of the World. "Arise, shine, your light has come!" Isaiah 60:1

All are welcome.

The video on Facebook is of the complete worship service.

View video of worship service

Luther House, one of the earlier buildings of St Peters Lutheran College, Indooroopilly, used in various ways over the years, including for worship and assemblies, as administration building, classrooms, and lately as Senior School reception and IT centre is about to be replaced with a new modern teaching and learning innovation centre. We will say 'good bye' to Luther House at the 9am service on Sunday 29 November, with Old Scholar Bishop Paul Smith preaching and presiding over a decommissioning rite at the building after the service. You are welcome to attend.

We will operate under the COVID-safe plan of the congregation, i.e. you will need to register either beforehand or on arrival and maintain social distancing at the service. If you’d like to register electronically, please let the Old Scholars association (SPOSA@stpeters.qld.edu.au) know that you plan to attend and you will be sent the link in the week before. Thank you.

Pastor Thomas

If you have a student in Year 7–12 who loves being out on the water then ask them to sign up for our ‘Learn to Row’ program which runs until the end of the month. Every Tuesday afternoon the rowers practise on the Regatta Lake, Springfield Lakes, Wednesday mornings they work out on the Ergo rowing machines at the Junior High Precinct and Saturdays at the Toowong Rowing Club. Email Peter Hicks at p.hicks@stpeters.qld.edu.au for more information if you want to get Involved! It’s a great way to improve health, build endurance and boost fitness — not to mention be part of our incredible rowing community.

It’s been a huge year of ups and downs all around the world, but in the latest edition of Plus Ultra, the reigning themes are positivity and resilience. Complete with the ‘Pandemic Papers’ - a COVID-19 special; a feature on the ‘Generations of St Peters Boarders’; and all the regular favourites (Academic, Around the School, The Arts, Sport and SPOSA), the November 2020 issue of Plus Ultra (‘Life in Lockdown’) is one for the history books.

Read the latest edition here.

In Term 3, a number of students across Years 3-10 participated in the International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) in English, Mathematics and Science. The competitions are designed to recognise academic excellence, as students are assessed on their ability to apply classroom learning to new contexts using higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. 

All students who participated in the ICAS tests received an individual diagnostic report highlighting strengths and areas for development, and a certificate recognising their achievement.

Mrs West-McInnes presented Madeleine G (Year 5T) with the UNSW ICAS Principal’s Award (Primary), in recognition of achieving a Distinction in all three competitions.

Congratulations to all students involved.

Recently our Year 11 biology students went to the University of Queensland for an ecology experience. The Ecology Experience day is a free service hosted by the dynamic Associate Lecturer from the School of Biological Sciences, Dr Gurion Ang. The day specifically supports school students learning the key concepts from the QCAA Biology Syllabus. Our biology class enjoyed the open-air learning environment, and hands-on practical activities, while exploring the University of Queensland Campus.

Congratulations to our students for participating in the Premier’s Reading Challenge this year. Between them they read over 1,000 books and received a gift voucher for their efforts.

The Premier's Reading Challenge is not a competition but a way to encourage students to develop a love of reading for life. Through the challenge children and students are given an opportunity to develop their appreciation of the English language, and additional languages, and are encouraged to explore and enjoy a wide range of literary texts.

Students who completed the challenge had their efforts recognised through the receipt of a Certificate of Achievement signed by the Premier of Queensland. We look forward to next year’s challenge.

On Tuesday 3 October, Year 3 were invited to participate in a ‘Books to Life’ virtual incursion with actor Tony Bones. This involved a show of the CBCA Shortlisted 2020 Picture Book of the Year, ‘Hello Lighthouse’ by Sophie Blackall. Tony was very talented in bringing the book to life, with the book’s illustrations utilised as his backdrop. His songs, acting and jokes were a huge hit! Students enjoyed using props for the interactive performance of the wonderful story of a lighthouse keeper. Students and teachers were in fits of laughter and thoroughly engaged throughout the show. Year 3 would like to thank Books to Life for inviting them to participate.

In Term One and Term Four, Year 4-6 students had the opportunity to participate in cricket for the school. At the beginning of the year, the Year 4 and 5 students participated in the 5B Springfield team and the Year 6 students were involved in a combined Springfield/Indooroopilly team in the AIC Competition. This term they are representing the school in the MSW Club Competition each Saturday. During Sports Development on Thursday, a number of students received sports awards for their contribution to school cricket in the AIC Competition.

Year 5B Cricket Awards

• Batting (most runs in the season) – Anuk K. (Year 4)
• Bowling (most wickets in the season) – Harrison B. (Year 5)

Coaches Award

Dahlair N. (Year 5) 

Year 6B Cricket Awards

• Batting (most runs in the season) – Ian K. (Year 6)
• Bowling (most wickets in the season) – Connor P. (Year 6)

We would also like to congratulate all students who have represented the school this year as it is a team game and they demonstrated great sporting spirit each week. One of the highlights of Junior Cricket is the students receiving a St Peters baggy maroon cap in their first year of school cricket.

5B Cricket Team 2020

• Year 4 – Mannraj C., Ryan F., Anuk K., Taj M., Siddharth N.
• Year 5 – Harrison B., Gus F., Hridaan G., Greshman G., Jerry J., Felipe L., Dahlair N., Darsh P., Shaurya S., Nathan W.

6B Cricket Team 2020

• Year 6 Springfield students – Cameron B., Kayden G., Ian K., Jack M., Byron M., Connor P.

On the weekend our 5B cricket team achieved 4/124 and defeated Ambrose Treacy College 5/108 off 25 overs.

Congratulations to all our players — well done.

Year 4T completed a hands-on activity measuring activity to reinforce their understanding of what a square metre is and its actual size in real-life. Students used a one metre ruler to make a square metre out of newspaper in small groups and then used this square metre to estimate and measure different areas around the school. Students then returned to the classroom to compare and discuss their understanding of a square metre. These activities illustrate the importance of using Mathematics in everyday life to measure objects.

Our Primary Principal Awards celebrate a personal achievement for individual students. Many times it stems from the goals the students or teachers have developed for a learning or social area with the student showing ‘Plus Ultra’ – more and beyond. Students are also acknowledged for showing the school values of care, dignity and respect which are expectations of each student. It is important for our Primary community to share in the award presentations during out Assemblies, so they can celebrate with the awardees but also see good role models in learning and social achievements throughout the year.

Link to Facebook Album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=stpetersspringfield&set=a.2492029224255569

Thank you to Sermsah Pepi from the Nikki Visaj Movement for engaging our Primary students Years 2 and 4 with their wonderful online dance program. Through 'Liyan Nyikina', a phrase springing from the Kimberley region, meaning ‘to connect to country and spirit’, contemporary dance was used to help our students understand Aboriginal culture. Dance connects students with the spirit world and Australia’s unique cultural heritage. It also complements the Australian Curriculum cross-curriculum priorities and explorations into Aboriginal Histories and Cultures. This was a great way for our students to connect to the celebrations around NAIDOC Week this week.

Ensembles Breakup

Ice cream makes everything better!  To celebrate the culmination of another year – albeit a very different year – the members of the music ensembles gathered together to remember the good times and the challenges of 2021. In a moving speech, Music Captain, Mikayla Barratt commended everyone for continuing to play and for the camaraderie that music ensembles have provided.  While still busy preparing for digital concerts, it was wonderful to see students relax and enjoy others’ company as the school year winds down.  We also welcomed Mr Schmidt to our gathering, and he spoke with many students during his time with us.

Thank you, students.  Mrs Brighton, Ms Crellin, Ms Hill, Ms Johnson and I are very grateful for your company, your enthusiasm and your contribution to the musical fabric of our school.

Community Involvement

Congratulations to Mikayla B and Aodhan T who recently completed their Cert III in Community Dance, Theatre and Events (Acting). The culmination of this course was a public performance of ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’ by Shakespeare. Mikayla played the characters of Egeus (the villain), Robin Starveling (comedy actor) and Thistleweed (villain fairy). Aodhan and Mikayla both gave very strong performances and can be rightly proud of their achievements.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia Digital Learning team recently spoke with several teachers including our Film, Television and New Media teacher Elizabeth Perry about how bringing contemporary art into their classrooms will provide inspiration for their learners.

Link to article:

https://www.mca.com.au/stories-and-ideas/teaching-creative-thinking-and-problem-solving/?fbclid=IwAR2pce1ghvJICklwM4v0v9mvIvmk_dFMzkcp3pYWAaQBa6Yge9gsIh1EnW4

Girls Sport Coordinator:  Anne-Marie Champion

Year 7 2021 – Welcome to St Peters Girls Sport 

This Saturday we are looking forward to welcoming our 2021 Year 7 girls for the first of two ‘Introduction to St Peters Sport’ sessions. The girls will have the opportunity to participate in either Basketball, Football, Touch or Swimming (our Term 1 Sports) and most importantly make some new friends to help with the transition to St Peters.

Our Water Polo girls take to the water again this Saturday for Round 6 of the 2020/2021 season. The teams are coming together well, and we are seeing great improvement and some really pleasing results.

Good luck girls for your games this weekend.   

BWPI WATER POLO

Coordinators: Mrs Elaine Ripamonti & Mrs Tracey Bruce – waterpolo@stpeters.qld.edu.au

Each week the girls are honing their skills and working collaboratively as a team in Saturday’s games.  Our girls are to be commended on the way they conduct themselves at each of the pool venues. They are to be acknowledged and congratulated on their demeanour as they are gracious in defeat as well as humble when they win being acknowledged by other competitor clubs on how respectful our girls are in and out of the pool.  Well done girls and keep up the great work.  It is a fantastic vibe around the pool deck and our coaches and girls should take pride in knowing they are well regarded by other clubs in the competition. A reminder that all girls should be in their full sports uniform when arriving at the pool venues.

QGSSSA SENIOR SOFTBALL - Years 9-11 Girls

Coordinator: Ms Natalie Holman – n.holman@stpeters.qld.edu.au

Trials for our 2021 Open/Senior Softball teams are now complete, well done to all girls, we had an amazing turnout.

Our coaches will be working hard to finalise our Open and Senior A teams this year while naming our Senior B teams will be done early next year.

Training will commence in the first week of Term 1 next year on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, please see the St Peters App for further details.

Games Days for the 2021 Senior Softball season are:

• Round 1 - Saturday 6 February
• Round 2 - Saturday 13 February
• Round 3 - Saturday 20 February
• Round 4 - Saturday 27 February
• Round 5 - Saturday 6 March
• WWD – Saturday 13 March

QGSSSA TOUCH FOOTBALL

Coordinator: – Ms Annie George – a.george@stpeters.qld.edu.au

2021 OPEN TOUCH TEAM PRE-SEASON TRIALS

For girls currently in Years 9 – 11, trials for our 2021 Open Touch team begin next week. Please note these trials are ONLY for girls who wish to make the Open team. All Senior and Year level trials will commence in Term 1 next year.

Trials for our Open Team will take place on Mayer Oval, 3.30pm - 5.00pm on the following days:

• Tuesday 17 November
• Thursday 19 November

Girls have been emailed details to Sign On for these trials.

QGSSSA BASKETBALL

Coordinator: TBA

2021 OPEN BASKETBALL TEAM PRE-SEASON TRIALS

Trials for the 2021 Open Basketball team are underway with two of the four sessions completed, it is great to see many girls arriving keen to get training in preparation for the 2021 season.

Sessions will continue in the Indoor Gym, 3.30pm – 5.00pm on the following days:

• Monday 16 November
• Monday 23 November

RUN CLUB

Coordinator: Mrs Kerry Schreiber

RUN CLUB IS ON AGAIN THIS FRIDAY!

Run Club is a fun way to improve your fitness and meet new people. As our 2020 year is winding down towards the holidays, it is important to maintain your fitness.

Last week saw the first of our 4-week block of Run Club, please come along and enjoy the value of staying fit and running in a community.

Please meet at the St Peters Bus Stop at 6.30am on the following Friday mornings:

• Friday 13 November
• Friday 20 November
• Friday 27 November

ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT

Coordinator: Mr Trent Hacking – t.hacking@stpeters.qld.edu.au

All girls interested in Athletic development in the Gym with Mr Hacking, please contact him to arrange a meeting.

Have a great week in Sport!

Boys Sport Coordinator: Luke Donatini

Year 7 2021 Term 1 Pre-Season Training Sessions - Cricket, Volleyball and Swimming

Last Saturday 7 November, St Peters conducted the first of four Saturday afternoon training sessions for Cricket, Volleyball and Swimming for our 2021 Year 7 students. It was a great opportunity for all current and new boys who will enter Year 7 in 2021 to spend some time to get to know each other whilst training for an AIC Term 1 sport.

This Saturday 14 November will be the second session for the boys. We ask that all boys who are attending to go straight to their training venue. All sessions (Cricket, Swimming and Volleyball) will commence at 2.00pm.

AIC Volleyball and Cricket 2020/21 Pre-season Continues

AIC Cricket – Mr Josh Singh (j.singh@stpeters.qld.edu.au)
AIC Volleyball – Mrs Danielle Tucker (d.tucker@stpeters.qld.edu.au)

Now that we are well underway and into Term 4, we would like to remind all students who are wishing to participate in either AIC Cricket or AIC Volleyball, to ensure that they are regularly checking both their emails and the St Peters App for updates and information about pre-season training and selection trials. 

It is vitally important that any student in 2021 (Year 7 to Year 12) who wishes to participate in either sport makes every effort to attend these Term 4 training sessions.

St Peters Open AFL To Compete in AIC Term 1 2021

Preparations have now commenced for a St Peters Open AFL team to participate in the Term 1 AIC AFL competition. All interested boys who will be in years 10 to 12 in 2021 have been invited to express their interest in training and trialling for the St Peters Open AFL team.

In 2021, the St Peters Open team will compete on a Friday afternoon against six other affiliated AIC colleges across the first seven weeks of Term 1. Any boy who has not signed on and registered his interest is asked to contact Mr Mark Holman (St Peters AFL Coordinator).

AIC AFL

Mr Mark Holman (m.holman@stpeters.qld.edu.au)

St Peters Run Club

Run Club – Mrs Kerry Schreiber (k.schreiber@stpeters.qld.edu.au)

St Peters Run Club is a great way to improve your fitness and get out and enjoy some social running and exercise with other students at St Peters. As our 2020 AIC sports are winding down towards the holidays, it is important to maintain your fitness and what better way to ‘clear the cobwebs’ than to go for an enjoyable social run with your mates.

Great news, we are running a four-week block of Run Club in November - Friday 13, 20 & 27 November, please meet at the St Peters Bus Stop at 6.30am. We hope to see many students taking advantage of this great opportunity.

St Peters Athletic Development

Athletic Development – Mr Trent Hacking (t.hacking@stpeters.qld.edu.au)

We can never underestimate the value of good strength, flexibility, speeds, and athletic conditioning in sport. The St Peters Athletic Development Program coordinated by Mr Trent Hacking is designed to assist our students further develop and acquire such skills. Should your son be interested in what our Athletic Development Program can offer him, we encourage him to please contact Mr Hacking and arrange a meeting.

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. 

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: