Over the course of the past two years the College has been steadily developing its new Strategic Intent. With input from various stakeholders, informed by data and evidence and research trends, and underpinned by our Christian Ethos the result is Plus Ultra 2025.
Plus Ultra 2025, our Strategic Intent builds on the successes of the past 75 years, and lays out our collective vision, ambition and direction for St Peters in the years ahead.
Consultation during the planning process resulted in the distillation of twelve Strategic Pillars and corresponding Strategic Intents that will help shape St Peters over the course of this decade and beyond. It will guide our decisions, actions and interactions into the future, and will create a framework for resource allocation across the College.
Our Strategic Intent provides a road map to help St Peters reach its vision and mission. The next steps will be translating the strategic initiatives into actions and creating operational plans to guide and align our efforts. Some of these actions will be ongoing, many will be new, arising in response to the direction and focus on shaping St Peters over the next decade.
Some of the latter can or must be initiated in the first year or two of the Intent; others will follow. Some will be whole of College initiatives; others will be specific to one or more parts of the College. Actions will be revisited and renewed annually.
In charting our course for this decade Plus Ultra 2025 is future focused and embraces leading practice, next practice and innovation; yet at the same time remains true to the vision of our founding Headmaster Mr W C Schneider, whose great hope for St Peters was that it would be ‘a school where your sons and daughters will get the best possible training, a school which should do much good for the church and the country’.
St Peters has benefited greatly from the contribution and commitment of staff, students, parents and Old Scholars and will further benefit from our continued work together as we move into implementation of Plus Ultra 2025 in the coming years.
On behalf of St Peters I invite you to be part of our exciting future.
This Sunday is Valentine’s Day, a day when love is shared around; red hearts and red roses everywhere display the colour of the heart, chocolates make you taste the sweetness of love, messages of love warm the heart, make the love known.
Excitement is in the air; finding the right present to express what you feel – and hoping that someone may send you a Valentine, too.
We all depend so much on knowing that we are deeply loved.
We need people in our lives that care for us, that love us as we are, that support, guide and journey with us and accept us for who we are. Only when we can trust that we are deeply loved, only then we are able to love ourselves. Only then, when we can trust that we are loved can we become confident in ourselves and only then care for others.
This deep, ancient old wisdom is reflected in the ground breaking foundation that ‘God is love’. God, the ‘plus ultra’, in whose presence we live and breathe, who loves us into life – and who longs for our response. Just like us, who long for the response of the one we have fallen in love with.
In the stories of Jesus, Gods love was made visible in the way Jesus responded to people he met on his journey, in the way he listened, he cared and broke bread, celebrated life and new beginnings with many.
At St Peters many make Gods love visible in the way they care; at the Expo on Tuesday lunchtime next week, students invite you to come along, to see and understand what they are passionate about, how they respond to God’s love by accepting everyone for who they are; by caring for the environment by selling roses in support of children in need by exploring ethics or new ways of adapting technologies, by figuring out robotics, participating in Theatre sports and so many different ways ‘to share the love around’ and make a difference.
Come along and be inspired, to get involved as well!
God loves, affirms and calls us.
Therefore …..
we are.. we hear… we care… we respond….
Important Notices
Behaviour and Conduct
Whilst in St Peters school uniform, and/or travelling to and from the College, students are expected to conduct themselves in an ethical and responsible manner that recognises and respects the rights of others. This includes, but is not limited to:
Demonstrating respect and courtesy for others around you
Offering your seat on public transport to someone who requires it more than you
Wearing correct uniform with pride
Not using offensive language
Not participating in illegal activities
Award Blazer Pocket Embroidery
Senior School
Reminder to Senior School Gold and Silver award recipients – if you would like to have your pocket embroidered, please drop your freshly dry-cleaned blazer (dry cleaning tags still attached) to Shop 45 with Letter of Authorisation by Friday 12 February. Blazers delivered after this date will not be accepted.
Student Prefects are to deliver the freshly dry-cleaned blazer to Senior School Reception by Friday 12 February.
Junior High
Reminder to Junior High Gold and Silver award recipients – if you would like to have your pocket embroidered, please drop your freshly dry-cleaned blazer (dry cleaning tags still attached) to Shop 45 with Letter of Authorisation by Tuesday 23 February. Blazers delivered after this date will not be accepted.
Blazers must be freshly dry-cleaned – this is a requirement from the embroidery company.
Blazers to be handed in to Shop 45 during normal trading hours (Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri 7.45am to 4.00pm).
Blazers can only be accepted if they are accompanied with the Pocket Award Authorisation form.
Blazers must be clearly marked with the CORRECT student’s name.
All blazers to be dropped off and collected from Shop 45.
Payment must be made a the time of collection.
Around the College
Langer Library
February is always a very busy month at the Langer Library.
This week, and coinciding with Valentine's Day, 'Library Lovers Day' is in the spotlight and student’s appreciation of Libraries is celebrated with several lunch time activities which will take their breath away (incl. movie & popcorns, selfie frame…).
Then, Week 4 is 'Queensland School Library Week (QSLW)'.
Under the theme 'School Libraries - Unlocking the Future', the festivities will include the launch of the Langer Library Book Club.
If you like to read, to make new friends (real and fictional), to expand your horizons, to debate about your latest book discoveries and to have fun in an airconditioned space: follow your heart, spread the love and come to the Langer Library, during the following lunch breaks (2 sessions reflecting split-lunches):
for Year 7, Year 9 and Year 11: Tuesday 16 February: From 12.00 pm;
for Years 8, 10 and 12: Thursday 18 February: From 12.50 pm.
Nibbles provided! All welcome!
Service Learning
Expo 2021 | Sign Up for College Activities
On Tuesday 16 February the first Community Focus Day 2020 will be a College Expo for Years 7-12 over the lunchtimes at the Amphitheatre, this will give students an opportunity to find out about all the different groups we have at St Peters.
The students will be able to talk to students and staff about their experiences in these groups. What they have learnt and enjoyed by participating in a range of activities. They can sign up or just come along to one of the meetings to see if this interests them.
Service Learning At St Peters
The aim of Service Learning at St Peters is primarily educational. Our goal is to send out into the world a generation of young people who understand the role and power of advocacy, who are committed to making ethical and just decisions, and who have a desire to make a difference in transforming our world. Our students engage on local, national and global levels with issues affecting many of our society's marginalised, including the homeless, refugees, aged, sick, disabled, and other vulnerable communities.
The Service Learning team involves the following groups, each group is led by Year 12 Service Leaders:
Environment (SC6) – Rio O and Grace S
Multicultural (MSK1)– Claire S
Social Justice (SN1) – Alice C, Emma H
Students 4 Students (SN5) – Vinesh N and Emma W
They meet on a Tuesday lunchtime at 12.40 and support a number of projects and organise fun activities. Students can choose one project or introduce an issue or cause that they are passionate about that we may work on together. If students have lunchtime earlier, please email the leader and they will contact their teachers.
If there are any questions in regards to coming to the meetings. Please email Ms Braby a.braby@stpeters.qld.edu.au
On Friday 5 March the Environment group will be organising Clean Up Day Australia in Junior High and Senior School. We hope to have a number of volunteers come and help with the Clean Up. Schools Clean Up Day is a fun and engaging way to teach young Australians about the responsible disposal of rubbish and resource recovery.
On 7 March the International Women’s Day Mater Fun Run to support women with breast cancer will take place at Robertson Park (opposite the college) from 7.30am. Please contact Mrs Treschman to register.
A.Braby Coordinator of Service Learning
Robotics
ROBOTICS PARENT SUPPORT GROUP MEETING - TUESDAY 16 FEBRUARY 7.00pm MSO7 (Robotics Room)
Please note that our Term 1 Robotics Parent Support Group Meeting will be held on Tuesday 16 February at 7.00pm in MSO7 (Robotics Room). We plan to finish by around 8.30pm.
Darren Draper President, Robotics Parent Support Group
Academic Matters
From the Academic Hub
Last Friday we acknowledged the academic success of the 2020 Senior School students and the returning graduates of 2020. A St Peters Academic Scholar is a QCAA student who in their Year 12 year achieves an ATAR of 96.00 and above, and an IB student who achieves an IB diploma score of 38 or better, out of 45. The Scholars celebrated their success with the placing of their names on the Scholars’ Wall in the Academic Hub.
We are looking forward to the Junior High Academic Excellence and Ironbark Awards Ceremony next week on Tuesday 16 February in the Dron Auditorium at the PAC. This morning is to celebrate the Academic Excellence of our 2020 Junior High students. If you are unable to attend, you can join in via the live stream link https://livestream.com/stp/jhawards .
Thank you to parents who attend the Years 8 & 9 and Years 10-12 Parent Information Evenings. It is always great to see the school and the parents work in partnership. We know there is a significant positive impact on student learning, when this occurs. We trust that the information provided in these evenings will assist students and families develop solid foundations for a successful year ahead.
Rachael Turnbull Head of 7-12 Curriculum - Students
Maths Tutoring schedule
Primary Years
Primary Years news
Primary Parent Information Sessions
In the last two weeks, the Primary Years Parent Information sessions were held. Despite some restrictions, it was remarkable to see so many parents turn out to listen to the information which was shared by the teachers of each of the year levels. If you were unable to attend or would like to have the opportunity to go back to the PowerPoint presentation, these will be uploaded to the relevant Firefly pages of each year level by next Monday.
In both the Lower and Upper Primary evenings, the format was altered to maximise the amount of time with class teachers and specialists. We hope that you found this to be a useful refinement of the evening. Feedback is welcome and can come through your child’s classroom teacher or me on p.carden@stpeters.qld.edu.au
Volunteer Induction Session
Next Monday 15 February, I will be hosting a Parent Volunteer Induction morning for parents keen to become involved in volunteering at school. It is important that you attend if you have not already completed this training. (Please note that if you have already completed a volunteer induction here in the Primary Years, there is no need to attend more than once).
Volunteering takes many forms, and may entail working in classrooms, excursions, or Pizza Days to name a few areas that assistance is much appreciated.
The session will commence at 8.30am and will continue for approximately one hour.
The start of a new school year can bring many challenges; however, we have been so impressed with the way the children have settled into their new classes and routines. From our Preppies to our new Year 6 leaders, the students have transitioned well and are finding their feet with new classmates, and teachers.
2021 is a significant year for our Primary Years as we will undertake our first Primary Years Programme (PYP) Evaluation. As a PYP school, we agree to deliver the program using the IB’s Standards and Practices and it is these that form the basis of our self-study and Evaluation. Over the last twelve months, our teachers have reflected on their practice and honestly evaluated how we as a primary school live the Standards and Practices of the PYP. This period of research, reflection and refocus has been very similar to what we ask of the students during their cycles of inquiry. In many areas we have shown great growth and accomplishment, but, as in all things, we have also identified areas for growth and action.
Often in classrooms, practice is hidden, and we don’t often get the opportunity to see what is happening in other year levels or subject lessons. This process has allowed that to occur by inviting sharing and open discussions which has led to professional growth and understanding. It has also been exciting to see the way our children are able to talk about the PYP and the way we do things. So often these too are just part of who we are and what we do that they are overlooked. From Preppies singing in their mother-tongue to witnessing our students articulating their learning it has certainly been a positive process. This quote, from one of our year 4 students captures his understanding well:
For this task we had to cut out maps of Germany and glued them on to a map of Australia. We did this because we are a PYP school and they don’t just tell us what it is they explain how it is.
The Evaluation will occur over three days, March 17 – 19. Unfortunately, due to COVID, we are undertaking it remotely rather than being able to welcome our IB evaluators on to campus, however, the IB have put many measures in place to ensure that it is still a valuable process. During the three days, our evaluators will meet with the teaching staff, students, leadership and parents as well as view our compiled evidence to ascertain how we implement the PYP here at St Peters. These meetings will be discussions about our philosophy, teaching and learning and learning community during which we will share the sorts of things that occur that demonstrate the PYP here at St Peters.
Parents are an important voice in this process, and we are looking for any parents who would like to participate. It would involve a few hours of your time; some in the weeks prior to talk about what will occur and an hour or so during our Evaluation week meeting with the evaluators. If you have the time and would like to be involved, or would like more information, please email your interest to s.mitchell@stpeters.qld.edu.au . Alternatively, if you would simply like more information about the Primary Years Programme at St Peters you can find it here on Firefly.
Pam Carden Head of Primary Years
Junior High
Junior High news
ACADEMIC AWARDS PRESENTATION
The Academic Excellence and Ironbark Awards Ceremony for the 2020 Years 7, 8 and 9 cohorts will be held next Tuesday 16 February commencing at 8.15am in the Dron Auditorium (Performing Arts Centre). At this Ceremony we will celebrate the success of our students in in their academic pursuits in 2020 and also recognise the Year 9 students who demonstrated leadership and commitment while at Ironbark. Parents of the students who will be receiving either an Academic or an Ironbark award have been notified by email. Any queries regarding Award allocations should be directed to the Academic Hub via 3377 6561. The event will be live-streamed for those parents who are unable to attend. Seating is ticketed through Eventbrite and parents are asked to sit in their allocated seats.
ANTICIPATION, EXPECTATIONS and REALITY
As we move into Week 4 the level of energy, driven by the anticipation and high expectations that the new school year had on offer, often gives way to the reality of homework and routines for many of our students.
Adjusting to the increased workload each year can be difficult. The amount of homework issued and time required for study and assignment preparation varies throughout the term and from subject to subject. If you feel your child is doing ‘too much’ or ‘too little’ homework and needs some support in managing their time and routine, please consider the advice we give to our parents each year:
Spend some time with your child to look at how they are using their study/homework time to see if there are any obvious issues of distraction, time wasting, trouble getting started etc.
Remove the distraction of their phone while they are studying or completing homework
If the concern is related to the amount of homework being given in a specific subject, making contact with the subject teacher is essential. Contact can be made via email, telephone, personal appointment or through the Student Diary. In cases where homework has been unable to be completed a quick note in your child’s diary will suffice.
Encourage your child to seek out their Subject Teacher or Form Teacher during a lunch time to discuss how they are travelling and what they could do to improve.
STUDY TECHNIQUES
Something that many younger students don’t realise, is that study is different to homework. It usually involves revising and learning material that has been covered in class, and which will may need to be recalled at a later time – usually in preparation for an exam. If your child finds it difficult to know ‘how’ to best approach studying, we recommend a visit to the following website www.vark-learn.com. After completing a brief questionnaire, students can discover which is their preferred learning style. Printable ‘SWOT – Study Without Tears’ sheets are available and a range of study techniques are listed, which you can encourage your child to use.
There are also many useful study tips in the 2021 Junior High Student Diary - Study Skills section (ACWP pages 79-99) which we recommend you and your child become familiar with as the term and the year progresses.
UNIFORM REMINDER – HPE UNIFORM
Unless a student has sports training before school, they should not be leaving home and arriving at school in their HPE uniform.
Unless a student has sports training after school, they should not be leaving school and arriving home in their HPE uniform.
Junior High Students are expected to change into their HPE uniform in the break prior to their lesson and change back into their formal uniform at the next break.
The HPE uniform is to be worn to all HPE classes and sports practices unless otherwise advised by the teacher in charge. Bike pants are not to be worn throughout the school day – they are for training or games only. Correct St Peters PE shorts must be worn.
Coloured House shirts are not to be worn to HPE lessons.
White 'SPLC' sports socks are to be worn to HPE and when representing St Peters at sport, on and off campus. Sports socks are not to be worn with formal uniform and vice versa.
There is to be no mixing and matching of uniform and non-uniform clothing or formal uniform and sports clothing.
WATER BOTTLES
Students are reminded of the importance of drinking plenty of water during the day – particularly during the hotter months. Teachers are more than happy for students to have water bottles with them as long as they do not cause disruption. Exceptions might be for some of the practical based subjects such as Science, where having drinks in the same space as chemicals would be considered unsafe. Students may not always be given permission to leave the class to visit a bubbler as this disrupts learning. As with everything, please ensure water bottles are clearly labelled.
ESTABLISHING GOOD EMAIL HABITS
One of the biggest challenges students face as they enter the secondary school journey is learning to manage the amount of email communication they get each day. This is particularly the case for Year 7s with lots of information coming through for sports sign-ups etc.
TIP: Help your child set up a nightly email checking routine. One suggestion is to do this as they start their homework. As they should have their Student Diary with them, they can jot down any reminders or information that the emails contain. To begin with, we encourage parents of Year 7s to do this alongside them until they can confidently manage their emails.
Students should also be aware of correct email etiquette and the difference between communicating with teachers and friends.
I wish everyone in our Junior High community all the best for the coming week.
INTER-HOUSE SWIMMING CARNIVAL
Last week, we had a wonderful opportunity to see teamwork in action at our Junior High Inter-House Swimming Carnival. With the support of their House Patrons and Senior House Leaders, our Junior High students participated enthusiastically in a range of events and races throughout the carnival. Something that was particularly inspiring - and reinforced the positive House culture on the day - was the vibrancy of the sea of colours evident in the stands and around the pool, with almost all our Junior High students wearing their House shirts. They showed visible support for their respective Houses, not only through their spirited cheering and war cries, but their excellent behaviour on the day. You can watch the day unfold here. A sincere thanks to our students, the House Patrons and all the staff involved in organising such a wonderful Carnival.
Patricia Aishford Head of Junior High
Senior School
Senior School
The past week has been another busy one in the Senior School. Our annual Parent Information Evening was last Tuesday where important information for the year was passed on through respective Year Level and Academic Coordinators. The Evening started with an opportunity to connect with Form Class teachers. In doing this it is hoped that parents can make a link to a staff member who will be in constant contact with students as they progress through the Senior School. A reminder that all slides presented on the evening are now available on the Senior School Page of Firefly.
Scholars’ Assembly was held last Friday and we paid tribute to our top achieving academic students of 2020. On this formal occasion, we welcomed our highest achieving students along with our IB Merit Award winners (seven in a subject), students who received a distinction award (40+) and CAS Awards for outstanding Creative, Active and Service. It is always pleasing to see the students recognised for their hard work but It was perhaps most pleasing on the day to learn where these students are headed beyond St Peters. Each student was announced along with their chosen pursuits (usually university course) for 2021. It never ceases to amaze me as to the diverse range of skills and areas of interest that our students have. I look forward to following their progress over the coming years and wish them every blessing on their journey.
We also welcomed a large cohort of new families to our community on the previous Friday night at our New Parent Welcome Night. The overwhelming feedback from parents on this evening was how impressed they were with the spirit and welcoming nature of our community. I would like to extend a further welcome to these families and trust that their partnership with the College in the coming years will be a fruitful one. I look forward to working with you all over the coming years.
Last Wednesday we had our annual swimming carnival at the 50m pool. It was the first of our three sports carnivals for the year and the day provided more than just a sporting occasion. Many will already be aware that Mr Nodwell and the Sports team plan for an inclusive, fun filled day for all students to be involved. This is NOT a day for swimmers only and House points accrue through more than just winning a race. These days provide students with a valuable social occasion, where they can work with their team to hopefully experience some success but most importantly - have fun. These days also allow students to connect across year levels in their House groups. It was great to see the students engage in such a positive manner that we have come to expect within the Senior School.
Finally, I commend all students on the start to the year. It has been great to witness the way all cohorts have settled into their classes with minimal fuss. It is important for students to establish strong weekly routines which make use of the opportunities and support available. I have spoken with cohorts in the first few weeks and urged students to get in good habits now - early in the term to reduce stress and optimise success later in the term.
Joel Butler Deputy Head of Senior School
The Arts
Access Arts
Art workshops will begin in Week 4
There are still some places available in Photography: Junior High
All workshops require online registration.
Links can be found on the Access Arts page: Firefly
Cocurricular Art workshop! Access Arts
Please find attached a link for the term one photography workshop Years 7-9 on Mondays 3.30-5.00pm
St Peters Chorale began its year with an extended rehearsal on Sunday afternoon. This was a great opportunity to start to prepare music for their performances in Semester 1 and also a social time allowing the 33 new members of the choir to start getting to know the continuing members.
After being presented with many new pieces of music, the Chorale worked with great concentration and focus. It was a very effective and enjoyable afternoon of rehearsal.
Christine Taylor Head of Choirs
Year 8 Kaleidoscope applications close soon
Applications to be part of Year 8 Kaleidoscope close on Monday 15 February.
Year 8 Kaleidoscope is a music/drama project which is designed exclusively for the Year 8 cohort of each year. Year 8 Arts Kaleidoscope offers Year 8 students the opportunity to develop their musical, dance and dramatic skills under the guidance of arts professionals, build self-confidence through performance, make new friends, have fun and be part of a stage work created especially for them. Involvement in Kaleidoscope has become one of the key events in the Year 8 calendar.
Typically, around casts include more than 100 students No previous musical, dramatic or dance experience is required to be part of Kaleidoscope. The main emphasis is on being involved. No audition is required to be part of the main cast. Auditions for those who would like major/minor roles or to be part of the dance troupe will occur later in Term 1.
All students who wish to be involved are asked to apply by completing an online application form. Please click here to apply. Please note that the closing date for applications will not be extended.
Sport
Primary Sport
“I am not particularly interested in saving time; I prefer to enjoy it.” Eduardo Hughes Galeano
Primary Sport
***Please watch for emails concerning Term 1 Sport.
The following sports are on offer in Term 1:
Boys and Girls Swimming
Boys Cricket
Girls Club (WDNA) Netball
Years 4-6 Run Club
Boys and Girls Swimming
The Primary Swimming Squad (Years 4-6 boys and girls) will have training on Wednesday morning (6:45am - 7:45am) at the St Peters 25m Pool. All confident swimmers are welcome to come to Primary Swimming Training and compete at the lead up meets. A team will be selected to compete at the Inter-Lutheran and AIC Boys Swimming Carnival. Training concludes on Wednesday 3 March. A reminder that this is swimming training and all students must be able to comfortably complete and race lengths of the 25m pool.
Boys Cricket
Years 4 - 6 boys will be playing in the AIC Cricket competition. Training began on Wednesday 27 January (3:30pm-5:00pm) at the Cricket nets and during Sport for Life time on Fridays. On Saturday 13 February teams will play Round 3 of the AIC Season against Ambrose Treacy College. Venue and game times can be found on the St Peters APP.
Girls Club Netball
St Peters will be entering teams in the Western Districts Netball Association (WDNA) again in 2021. The St Peters WDNA Netball is open to all girls in Years 3-6. Sign-on information has been sent to students and parents. This is an exciting prospect for the College and something that all girls are encouraged participate in. It would be great to have as many teams as possible playing in the competition. WDNA Training begins on Wednesday 3 February (3:30pm-5:00pm) at Harts Road Courts.
Years 4-6 Run Club
Years 4-6 Run Club will start later in Term 1 on Monday 22 February. Training will be offered once a week on Monday afternoons in Term 1 and this will increase to twice a week in Term 2. The sessions will be run by St Peters Running Coaches. Information regarding the sessions has been emailed to parents.
Swimming
12 February – Boys AIC Years 5-12 meet (Centenary Aquatic Centre)
17 February - Primary Girls Years 4-6 Metro meet (St Peters 25m Pool)
19 February – Boys AIC Years 5-12 meet (St Peters 50m Pool)
24 February – Met West Swimming Trials (Chandler)
26 February – Boys AIC Years 5-12 Swimming Championships (Chandler)
9 March – Primary (Years 4-6) Inter Lutheran Swimming Carnival (St Peters 50m pool)
All students will be involved in Swimming during Term 1. Students are required to wear the St Peters swimmers, the St Peters rash shirt, St Peters cap (if required) and goggles. Students have also been asked to bring along fins (flippers). These are required to assist with drill work in developing the stroke of the students. A towel is also required. Any student, for any reason unable to participate in swimming will be required to bring a note. If they are unable to participate for multiple HPE lessons they will require a doctor’s certificate. Students have also been reminded that they are to bring a water bottle and are required to wear their hat to and from lessons.
Following the Swimming Unit, students will begin a Cross Country Unit for the remainder of the Term.
HPE Dates Term 1
Swimming: Wednesday 27 January – Friday 12 March
Cross Country: Monday 15 March – Monday 26 March
Girls Sport
Trials have commenced this week for all Autumn fixture sports and we are delighted with the fantastic number of girls participating. We look forward to seeing the Year 7 girls commence their trials/training next week and a big thank you to all the girls, their commitment and enthusiasm was fantastic. Thank you to our Coordinators, Ms Anne-Marie George, Mr Orhan Memedovski and Mr Tim Arnold for all their work to get the seasons underway.
Last Friday night our 2021 QGSSSA Swim season got underway with the Brisbane Girls Grammar School Invitational Swim Meet, our girls did amazingly well with many competing for St Peters for the first time. This Friday night all girls are asked to attend the Time Trials & Relay Practice session at the 50m Pool commencing at 3.30pm.
Well done to all our Touch girls, the season launch last Friday afternoon was a huge success and a fun way to kick start the 2021 season. A big thank you to Ms George for all her work in organising this event for the girls.
Our BWPI Water Polo girls season continued last Saturday with our U12B, 13C & 16B teams enjoying great wins, well done girls! Please see below or the St Peters App for details of all the Round 9 action.
The Senior Softball season got underway last Saturday in the sunshine at Downey Park. It was a great start with the Open team enjoying two wins, the Senior A1 team had a win & a draw and our Senior A2 team lost their game by the smallest of margins in the final innings.
In an exciting addition to our QGSSSA Basketball program, our 2021 Open Team Squad lead by Coach Mike played their first game in the Brisbane Basketball GBL Silver Competition. Playing in this competition will give the girls an extra game a week and prepare them for the QGSSSA season ahead. The girls had a great first up win again Pioneers (last season’s premiers) by 15 points.
Congratulations to the many girls who remain dedicated to the St Peters QGSSSA Swim team and well done to all girls particularly our new swimmers. Last week 80 girls attended the Invitational BGGS Meet at the Centenary Pool, these meets are a lot of fun and are important as this is where we gather times of girls for all events.
The second official QGSSSA Swim Meet is on Friday 19 February, this meet is hosted by St Margaret’s & Clayfield College at the Valley Pool, Fortitude Valley. The girls will be sent an email next week with further details and sign on for the bus.
This Friday night all girls are asked to attend the Time Trials & Relay Practice session at the 50m Pool commencing at 3.30pm.
Water Polo is well underway for the second half of the season. Games continue this Saturday 13 February, please see below or check the St Peters App for further details. GOOD LUCK GIRLS.
Thank you to all girls who remain committed to our Senior Softball teams. Training is underway and will continue again next Tuesday and Thursday morning from 6.15am -7.30am.
The second week of games is this Saturday 13 February and continues 20 Feb and 27 Feb, (6 & 13 March if wet weather occurs) GOOD LUCK GIRLS.
Cross Country pre-season continues this week and we have had a steady flow of runners attending. There are many training sessions to choose from – please check the St Peters App for further details.
Do your best to attend as many of these sessions as you can, with Wednesday sessions being a priority.
Run Club is on again this week! Join our Running Community on Friday mornings - meet at 6.30am at the St Peters Bus Stop.
‘Run Club’ a fun way to improve fitness for all sports, meet new people and start training for our QGSSSA Cross Country season.
Boys Sport
Over the past two weeks I have had the privilege to observe and witness the brilliance of our St Peters swimmers in the water at Inter-House Swimming Carnivals, Friday afternoon AIC Invitational Swimming Meets and at the Northern Eagles District Swimming Trials. I could not but notice the positive energy, physical prowess, enthusiasm and excitement of our students whilst participating and competing for St Peters in the pool.
For me, these events highlighted and showcased the sense of pride and belonging of all our St Peter’s swimmers as they live up to our ‘Plus Ultra’ motto. These events offered all of us (staff and students alike) many moments whereby we can all come together collectively and enjoy each other’s company in a competitive yet supportive environment.
This Week in Sport – AIC Round 3
This week in AIC Sport, St Peters compete against St Edmund’s College in Volleyball and Cricket, whilst our Open AFL have a bye round.
Round 3 will see our Years 7 to 9 teams playing away at St Edmund’s venues. Our Years 10 to 12 teams are at home at St Peters venues. Please ensure you check the St Peters App. for both venue details and time of games for Round 3 of St Peters AIC Boys Sport.
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.
AIC Swimming
This coming Friday 12 February our boys will swim at an AIC Invitational Swimming Meet at Centenary Aquatic Centre, Spring Hill. As they will be competing against all other AIC Colleges in the pool this Friday, it is a good opportunity for our swimmers to get in some race practice before the up and coming AIC Championships.
Any swimmer wishing to compete and wanting to travel by bus this Friday must sign on. Sign on details were emailed earlier this week to all boys from Years 7 to Year 12. We ask that all swimmers please check their student email accounts. Further details pertaining to this meet can also be found on the St Peters App.
AIC Cross Country Training and Runners Club
Training for Cross Country has commenced. We encourage all students who are interested in running Cross Country for St Peters or are just keen to get their fitness up for other sports to get involved and participate. We have experienced coaches who are enthusiastic and happy to assist all runners of every ability level. Training times for Cross Country can be found on the St Peters App. Boys can also find more details about Cross Country from the weekly sport email sent to them.
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.
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,
The Term 1 P&F Meeting was held on Monday 1 February. The minutes and reports can be found on Firefly here.
The next meeting is Wednesday 21 April at 6:30pm in the P&F Centre.
COMMUNITY HUB
According to the Collins Dictionary a HUB can be described as a centre of interest, importance or activity.
Welcome back. Since our re-opening the week before school started, we have been overwhelmed with the generosity of our College community in the many donations received into the second hand uniform shop. Just as soon as we unpacked them many of them found new homes. The funds received from the sale of your donations go directly into front line charities throughout Brisbane and the South East Queensland regions. We will be posting more news about these charities in the coming weeks.
We also celebrated a major birthday of Jo Potts who has been a pivotal and long standing leader of The Hub. Jo has contributed significantly for over a decade in volunteer work for the school, an invaluable member of several school support groups.
It is always wonderful to see our regulars at The Hub - chatting, laughing, sewing, knitting, crocheting, cutting, putting together packages for our different charities - but, it is just as wonderful to welcome new members on a Thursday morning for a chat and cuppa. We had the lovely Summer join us last week, newly arrived to Brisbane and the school. It is such a lovely space where everyone is welcome, meet new people and contribute to the St Peters Community Hub. And don't worry you don't need to know how to crochet or sew!
The Hub and second hand uniform shop is open every Thursday morning from 7.45am to 11.30am and is located in The P&F Centre (opposite the 50m pool). Donations of uniforms can be brought into us on Thursday or drop them in any day at your closest school reception.
We look forward to welcoming you.
Stationery Collection
Community Hub is organising a stationery collection during Term 1. This is a good opportunity to donate any leftover stationery items from your back to school orders.
All donations will be given to our various partner charities including Knitting4Brisbane’s Needy, Let’s Give, Care Kits for Kids and L’il Bug Love.
Stationery items must be new and can include: Lead pencils, Colouring pencils, Crayons, Sharpeners, Erasers, Pens, Notebooks, Scissors, Calculators, Scrapbooks, Pencil cases etc.
From Monday 15 February donations can be taken to any school reception and placed in the tubs provided.
COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM
Round 1 P&F Community Grant applications are now open. More information and the application form is available on Firefly here.
New inner west school
This week the P&F sent a letter to Minister Grace Grace raising concerns about the proposed new primary school to be built on the grounds of Indooroopilly State High School (on the corner of Carnarvon Road and Ward Street). It is understood that the proposed school will have capacity for 600 students and will be operational at the start of 2023. At this stage, this is the only site that has been proposed for this new school.
It is the view of the P&F that the placement of this school on the ISHS site will have a significant impact on surrounding schools, residents, and businesses in the area. Currently there are four schools that are within a 500-metre radius and student numbers as of today total over 5,300 - ISHS, St Peters Lutheran College, Holy Family Primary School and Brigidine College.
The P&F acknowledge a need to resolve enrolment pressures at both Indooroopilly and Ironside State Schools. Combined these primary schools have grown by 519 enrolments between August 2015 and August 2020. ISHS grew by 818 students over the same period, and it is anticipated that enrolments will continue to increase as ISHS sits in the catchment area for Indooroopilly, Ironside, Toowong and Auchenflower primary schools.
School traffic in the area is already significant with contention between pedestrians and automobiles on narrow suburban streets, with staff from St Peters and the other schools putting in significant effort and co-ordination to manage safety under current conditions.
It is difficult to see how the travel of an additional 600 primary students could be safely and satisfactorily accommodated.
