One of the positive unintended outcomes of the COVID-19 Pandemic ‘lockdown’, that, as a nation we have experienced in combatting the virus, is a significant increase in the number of people of walking or running, often as a family, in either the morning or afternoon. I have even found myself pounding the pavements in the evening. We may actually emerge from this crisis fitter and healthier.

Walking or running provides us with both a physical and mental way of coping with the situation we find ourselves in. Running, particularly marathon running, also provides us with an important learning about how to approach the seemingly endless challenges of this pandemic. In the old imperial measurement, a marathon is 26 miles in length (42 kilometres for those born after 1966). It is a long, hard gruelling race, which taxes people both mentally and physically. If the runner thinks about all the challenges, all the painful moments, all the hills they need to face all at once to run the marathon, it seems like too much and an insurmountable activity to undertake. The thought of it all makes you want to give up. However, experienced marathon runners develop a mindset, an approach that enables them to handle the various challenges of those gruelling 26 miles. Marathon runners have a mindset, an approach where they ‘run the mile they are in’. In other words, they just focus on running the current part of the race they are in and meeting the challenge of that moment. The other 25 miles will have their own challenges, but they are dealt with only when the runner reaches them. This 'running the mile you are in' approach allows the runner to successfully complete the marathon.

‘Running the mile that we are in’ is a good way of approaching the current COVID-19 situation. The challenges of this pandemic are wide-ranging and seemingly never ending. Worrying about all of the challenges at once is enough to paralyse and exhaust a person. We doubt if we will have the strength and endurance to meet them all. However, if we just meet each challenge as it comes, and focus on the one we face at that moment, we can rise to meet it, and overcome it ready to face the next one.

Move into the only moment you need to face - this one. Together as a community let us ‘run the mile we’re in’.

Tim Kotzur
Head of College

It may be a time now to ‘dream big’ and to reflect on what we would like to see carry over into the new ‘normal’, insights we have gained – about ourselves or others, about the world in which we live. What would we like to see actioned or changed in our own lives?

I assume that we will be grateful for things that we took for granted ‘before’; will celebrate when we can see and communicate ‘face to face’ again, when we can laugh together, can hug a friend, and can go for long walks again. Will we have recognised the basic, simple things that make life worthwhile and meaningful?  And how may that change the way we may want to live ‘after’?

I wonder. I heard an epidemiologist state the other day, that it won’t be possible to go 'back to normal', because the pandemic has questioned the way we lived. That reminds me of Easter, the event that has questioned humankind at its core; when the one who in God’s name proclaimed mercy and forgiveness for all, was told: “We don’t need that!” and crucified him. Still, God resurrected Christ and confirmed at Easter the way Jesus had lived, and the message he had shared: That was the dream God had in mind for us, to live in a new way that would further life. Easter is God’s calling for us to listen to his word and to work for a better world. In contrast to the 'wake up call' of the pandemic, the fundamental one on Easter assures us, that we can succeed, because God is with us in the crises and will lead and guide us into his future. God will grant strength to the weary, increase the power of the weak, courage to the destitute, and hope to all (Isaiah 40).

We are challenged to change habits, to adapt to a different mindset. The call to a new way of life requires a change of heart and a new way of living. No, we can’t go back to 'normal' as it was before. The pandemic has made that clear. But we are encouraged to dream big, to dream this new world and be creative how to bring it about.

The pandemic has shown how deeply connected and interdependent the global community has become. That challenges us to rethink how resources can be shared justly and equally so that everyone benefits. Easter calls us to a new way of life, to treat both, our neighbour and strangers with respect and care. It challenges us to accept responsibility and act in a compassionate way towards others and the environment. Easter is the call to live in a way that life is sustainable and brought about, the breath of life breathed and believed in and for all. The ‘new normal’ may become the realisation of God’s dream for our world and you and I participating in it!

Let us celebrate life and together heed the call!

I trust that students and families have settled into a routine as we near the end of our second week of At Home Learning. It is incredible to see some of the work that the students are producing and the innovative ways our teachers are connecting with the kids. For ease of communication, teachers have set Firefly tasks for the week for each student. The work set should be achievable for the students but please encourage your child to contact their teacher if they are having trouble completing tasks. An email or quick zoom catch up can iron out any concerns.

There is so much information provided in the media, on what feels like an hourly basis. The QCAA website provides students, parents and teachers with some important and helpful information during this time. There are updates, factsheets and Frequently Asked Questions. Please see the link attached. https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/coronavirus-updates/for-students-and-parentscarers

It is not all academics here at the Hub, this week, our very own talented Mrs Nicole Maynard featured in the Co-curricular program running a cooking class. Mars Bar Slice was the recipe of the day! Keep an eye out for next week’s ‘Family Dinner’.

Whilst we are all online learning, Zoom meetings and completing Firefly tasks, some of our remote families do not have such access at their fingertips. Mrs Belinda Langridge had been working tirelessly with our teachers to ensure hard copy packs have been sent out to some of our remote families. I have seen such care and thought put into these packs from our teachers and we thank them and Belinda for their efforts.

Rachael Turnbull
Head of 7-12 Curriculum - Students

Suddenly supervising schoolwork (as well as parenting) through COVID-19?

If you are like hundreds of thousands of parents around Australia, you are suddenly having to squeeze your children’s ‘remote learning’ into your already busy day (thanks COVID-19).

But before you reach for the panic button, let’s take a collective breath and reassure ourselves with some of the facts here.

Independent Schools Queensland Parent Network

“Good leaders must first become good servants.” – Robert Greenleaf

After a rigorous selection process, our Primary Years Leaders were presented with their badges last week. Mrs Carden, Mrs Sabri and Mr Glass completed a road trip to personally deliver the badges to these very deserving students. Already we have begun working together as a leadership team to make a difference to the community of St Peters. 

It was such a pleasure to see these students and their families last week and to be welcomed into their homes and lives outside the College. This week’s Primary Years Assembly will include photos and footage of the rather unique badge ceremony. 

Congratulations to the Primary Years Leadership Team 2020.

Return of Prep and Year 1 students from Monday 11 May

As you will have seen from both the Premier’s Department and Mr Kotzur’s earlier this week, the Prep and Year 1 students will be returning to the College next Monday 11 May. This means that face-to-face learning will resume, including specialist lessons at the regular times as per the Term 1 timetable.

There are quite a lot of logistics to work through, including drop off and pick up times and places, playground duties and OSHC arrangements. Once these have been organised, I will be contacting you with further information so that we all have clarity around the processes moving ahead. This correspondence will come out towards the end of the week.

Once again, I thank the staff for their amazing professionalism in their work and the parent support has also been tremendous. It’s been an incredible journey, but I’m excited at the prospect of having students and staff on campus for some regularity and energy back into the school.  As one staff member said to me this morning – 'there is no soul in a school without the children!'

Nature Foundation

Special birthday donation for the Glossies.

The Glossy Black-cockatoo Recovery Fund recently received a special donation of $500 from two young donors, Dane and Ewan of Brisbane. Both recently had birthdays and turned 9 years old. They have a strong interest in birds and the Glossies' plight following the bushfire devastation on Kangaroo Island resonated with them.

Dane and Ewan decided that in lieu of presents from their friends, they would ask for a donation to go to the Glossies – they raised approximately $250 each from their respective birthday parties! The poster (pictured) was prepared by them and Dane’s 11-year-old sister, who also intends to donate when she has her birthday party after restrictions are lifted for Covid-19. The poster was presented at each of their birthday parties to the children that attended.

Thank you Dane and Ewan for this wonderful gesture!

Pam Carden
Head of Primary Years

Captain Tom Moore, a 100-year-old British war veteran, has raised over £33 million (almost AU$66 million) for British National Health Service staff after reaching his goal of walking 100 laps of his garden. He originally aimed for £1,000! In some ways, a similar thing happened earlier this year when Australia was dealing with bushfires. A comedian (Celeste Barber) set out to raise some money to assist in the recovery. $46 million later, we saw how generous people can be. This reminds me of ‘Eudaimonia’ which comes from a philosophical tradition that a happy and meaningful life (being psychologically well) involves more than feelings of happiness; it entails personal growth, giving to others, and living in accordance with values. In these ‘strange times’ (?), embracing eudaimonia is meant as an objective standard of 'happiness,' and can provide us with a focus when things around us seem less than happy.

Eudaimonia is an important concept in Dr Martin Seligman’s work on positive psychology. These concepts inform many of the programs at St Peters. As we go into our third week of online learning, there have been some concerns raised by ‘experts’ in the wider community, that student wellbeing may be more important than ever as the gloss of being home wears thin. As such, we can remind ourselves to make sure we - and our students - are ticking the positive psychology wellbeing boxes outlined by Seligman in his PERMA model:

Positive Emotions; find the joy and beauty that is right in front of us and that has, perhaps, been taken for granted for too long. Many programs including our cocurricular offerings, The Rite Journey and Lifeskills have been slightly altered to be more focussed on students identifying these areas for the next five weeks (at least). There is so much good stuff happening in these times. While not ignoring the bad stuff, keeping an eye on the good promotes feelings of positivity.

Engagement; engaged individuals are curious, interested, motivated, and persistent, especially in the face of challenges. Staff are doing amazing work to ensure engagement of students in academic subjects continues. At a time where many around the state are independently working on lesson content, we have also sought to challenge Senior School Students daily through the 'Daily Bread/Dose' sent by Year Level Coordinators daily. Engagement at this time is about more than just listening in a lesson. It encompasses students taking charge of students' own learning- in a classroom and through engaging in the world around them as best they can. Ask your students about these challenges. 

Relationships; building, revisiting and promoting strong and nourishing relationships with self and others. This has been referred to as the cornerstone of the 'good life' (CLICK HERE). Constant efforts from YLC’s and staff to allow students to continue to support relationships through connection - albeit in a different format - have underpinned our Academic Care and Wellbeing Program throughout the start of Term 2. It was heartening this week to hear about Mrs Gagen’s Year 12 Form class who spent time connecting with and chatting with Year 7 students via zoom. The topic was 'At Home Learning' and I am sure the support provided to the Year 7’s assists in not only this area, but also models the servant leadership qualities of our Seniors, caring for and supporting others. 

Meaning; I saw a wonderful sign the other day that said, ‘You are not stuck at home, you are safe at home. And that helps keep everyone else safe as well’. In positive psychology, meaning is defined as understanding, believing in and serving something greater than yourself and deliberately engaging in activities for the benefits of others. As a school community, and indeed a wider nation, there have been numerous examples of people going without - for the greater good. I think this sentiment was very evident in the Senior School assembly where Senior Leaders reminded us all of school spirit, unity, working for others, service approach to our community that makes St Peters a great place. If you haven’t seen the assembly CLICK HERE for a taste.

Accomplishment; As I write this piece, our politicians have sounded the bell to transition schools back to ‘on site learning’. In the wake of international acclaim for our response to the Covid-19 crisis and our ability to ‘flatten the curve’ what better sign of accomplishment is evident. We have shown that we can all work together to achieve a goal that other parts of the world has not been able to. While I hasten to speak too soon, and note our journey is not over, the accomplishments - be it a national or school response to the situations - have so far been phenomenal.

By reflecting on Seligman’s PERMA framework, it reminds us that our circumstances should not prevent us from accepting new challenges and sometimes the rewards are unimaginable. Even in the strangest of times, there is hidden potential.

“THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO INCREASE THE WARM HEART. THINK OF OTHER PEOPLE. SERVE OTHER PEOPLE SINCERELY. NO CHEATING.” The Dalai Lama

St Peters Students Representing Young People Amid The COVID-19 Pandemic

Zac B and Tim R

In a world of uncertainty, two Year 12 students from St Peters Indooroopilly embraced these challenging times in collaboration with HundrEd, a Finnish-based education organisation on a mission to 'seek and share inspiring innovations in K12 education.' Joined by five other students from Australian Lutheran schools in a digital global forum, Zac and Tim presented their experiences and ideas for innovation to students and HundrEd representatives from across the world. With over 60 students representing almost 10 countries from all corners of the globe, students shared their thoughts with a mindset of tolerance, appreciation and future-focused thinking.

Tim says how, “Being able to come forward and not only present my own experiences during this global pandemic, but also to understand the challenges faced by students across the world and how we can help address them has been a really rewarding and insightful experience. Witnessing first-hand the challenges faced by education systems across the world really placed a spotlight on the successes and points of improvement in Australia’s response to COVID-19. I’m really grateful for everyone at both HundrEd and Lutheran Education Queensland for this truly wonderful and eye-opening opportunity.

“We heard inspiring stories from across the world during the forum, from the way that private schools in Vietnam were writing and printing course material for students of closed public schools, to Indian student leaders spending their newly found spare time to provide food and COVID-19 protection classes to slum communities.”

Joel Butler
Deputy Head of Senior School

Last weekend, Chorale was to have been on camp at Edmund Park, Laidley. Rather than missing out on all of the positive community and musical opportunities of camp, Chorale had a great weekend as they took part in 'Chorale Camp Online'.

Given the difficulty of running group activities online, Ms Morton had spent a lot of time over the holidays working out how it would be possible to run some sort of choral rehearsal online effectively and the time was well spent. The Chorale met for short rehearsals in zoom each afternoon learning their parts in preparation for hopefully performing John Rutter’s Gloria with the Conservatorium Brass in Semester 2. The sessions were certainly different aurally from a normal rehearsal but were very worthwhile in terms of music learning and also involved fun musical coordination activities.

In the evenings, Chorale members took part in games nights led by the Year 12's of Chorale. The Year 12’s were challenged by the thought of running social activities online for 82 students but worked effectively together to create to two fun nights of games including Pictionary, Mafia and Trivial Pursuit. The '2000’s' themed costuming also added to the sense of fun and occasion.

Chorale Camp Online will certainly be remembered as a different way to have camp but a very special experience for all. Thank you to Ms Morton and the Chorale Year 12’s for their hard work and leadership.

“Sometimes the sun shines and it still rains. The weather changes all the time. You can too.” Iain S. Thomas

Boys Sport Coordinator: Luke Donatini

Girls Sport Coordinator: Anne-Marie Champion

Primary Sport Coordinator: Peter Dawson

We hope you are surviving At Home Learning during these trying times.  Last week saw the launch of our ‘Term 2 Sport – At Home’ programs. The programs include general fitness exercises and circuits, Pilates, and various sport specific activities.

Please take the time to listen to the welcome address from Mr Shaun Nodwell, St Peters Director of Sport.

If you have any questions about any of sport specific, please email the relevant coordinators of your interested sport.

We look forward to you joining in on these sessions and enjoying what has been put together.

The Important Value of Exercise 

Research cites the direct link between academic performance and physical health. It is crucial for online students to have regular bouts of exercise during times of study to enhance their overall wellness.

Reasons for this include:

• Improved Physical and Mental Health
• Effective Brain Development
• Enhanced Memory
• Better Concentration
• Regulated Mood
• Reduced Stress
• Reduced Eye Strain and Headaches
• Increased Motivation and Productivity
• Better Sleep Quality
• Improved Academic Performance

To read more on why online students should be supplementing exercise with their studies click on the link below.

https://www.onlineschoolscenter.com/10-benefits-of-yoga-and-exercise-breaks-while-studying/

OLD SCHOLARS SPORTING HIGHTLIGHTS

Over the course of the next few weeks St Peters Lutheran College Sports House are extremely thrilled to highlight a selection of Old Scholars who have excelled within their chosen sport. Some are now retired from competitive sport, whilst others are still pursuing their sport dreams and ambitions.

It is certainly a great achievement, whilst a student, to proudly represent St Peters at the highest level, it is another to take your passion and talents to the next level and compete nationally and/or internationally.

This week we are honoured to showcase two great swimmers to have come out of St Peters Lutheran College; Maddie Groves and Jack Cartwright.

Name: Maddie Groves

Graduated from St Peters: 2012

Sport:  Swimming

Achievements:

Olympic Games

• 2016     SILVER              200m Butterfly
• 2016     SILVER              4 x 100m Medley Relay

World Championships

• 2015     BRONZE           4 x 100m Medley Relay          

Pan Pacific Championships

• 2018         GOLD              4 x 200m Freestyle Relay

Commonwealth Games

• 2018     SILVER              100m Butterfly
• 2014     GOLD               4 x 100m Freestyle
• 2014     GOLD               4 x 200m Freestyle
• 2014     BRONZE           200m Butterfly

Nicknamed ‘Mad Dog’ Maddie Groves attended St Peters Lutheran College 2008 – 2012. Maddie was an incredibly gifted swimmer who had a natural ‘feel’ for the water. She began swimming competitively at 12 years old and commenced St Peters Lutheran College and swimming at St Peters Western Swimming Squad in 2008.

Maddie flourished as a Junior as a freestyle and butterfly swimmer. She was a major player in St Peters QGSSSA Swimming Premierships in 2011 and 2012. During 2012 she commenced training in Michael Bohl’s High Performance SPW Squad and at it was here that she started to reach her true potential. In 2013 Maddie became National Champion in the 200m Butterfly, a title she went onto defend in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

As a member of the Australian Swimming Team she has stood on numerous podiums on the International stage, medalling at the Pan Pacific Championships, The Commonwealth Games and the Swimming World Championships. Swimming at the Olympics is the sport’s pinnacle and at the 2016 Rio Olympics Maddie raced the 200m Butterfly brilliantly, leading throughout the race and was only beaten to the Gold by 0.03. She left the games with two Silver medals. Congratulations Maddie on your career to date and all the very best for the future.

Name: Jack Cartwright

Graduated from St Peters: 2015

Sport:  Swimming

Achievements:

World Championships

• 2017     7th                    100m Freestyle
• 2017     4th                    4 x 200m Freestyle Relay                     

Pan Pacific Championships

• 2018     SILVER             100m Freestyle
• 2018     SILVER              4 x 100m Freestyle Relay
• 2018     SILVER              4 x 200m Freestyle Relay

Commonwealth Games

• 2018     GOLD               4 x 100m Freestyle Relay
• 2018     GOLD               4 x 100m Medley Relay (Games Record)

Jack Cartwright commenced at St Peters and the SPW Swimming Squad in January 2014. Shortly after arriving he sneezed viciously and broke his rib, effectively benching himself for Term 1 of 2014. After this memorable start to his SPW training life Jack has been a brilliant worker. Pushing hard for every improvement he has made through his swimming career.

The hours hard work in the St Peters pool began to pay off when he was selected on the Junior Australian team in 2016. He travelled to the Junior Pan Pacific Championships where he won six medals, four of them gold. A member of the SPW High Performance Swimming Squad, Jack trains under Dean Boxall. He lists his career highlight as breaking 48 seconds for the 100m Freestyle at the World Championships in 2017, a swim that placed him seventh in the world. Jack repeated this feat as a lead out swimmer for the 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The team went onto win Gold and break the Games Record.

Well Done Jack, you are a wonderful product of St Peters competing for Australia on the world stage.

In March, Ray Young resigned from the position of P&F President. His involvement at the College has been monumental and we wish him the very best moving forward.  The P&F Committee would like to acknowledge Ray’s dedication, commitment, passion and achievements over the past decade. Robert Barber has accepted the role as Acting President until the AGM in Term 4.

Below are the 2020 P&F Committee Members:

P&F Events

Unfortunately, many P&F and College events have been cancelled due to the pandemic, including the Community Fair (Fun Day). Post-pandemic, we all need an opportunity to gather, rejoice and celebrate a return to normality.  The P&F looks forward to being a part of those celebrations.

P&F Meetings

The P&F Committee held the Term 2 meeting via zoom video conference. Previous minutes from P&F Meetings are available on Firefly via this link.

If you have any queries, or would like more information about the P&F please contact:

Kathryn Lorraway
Community Liaison Officer
community@stpeters.qld.edu.au 
07 3377 6155