PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT - Thank you to all the parents and caregivers who joined us for our recent Parent Information Evening on Wednesday 7 February. This was a perfect opportunity to share the directions of the school for 2024.
If you have any concerns throughout the year about your child’s education, the first point of call is the class teacher. We thank you for your ongoing support!
ASH WEDNESDAY - WHOLE SCHOOL MASS - On Wednesday 14 February, we celebrated our second whole school Mass for the year. Ash Wednesday begins our forty-day season of Lent, the time of prayer, reflection, repentance and fasting leading up to Easter. On Ash Wednesday, we came together to remind ourselves that we do not always follow God’s ways and that we need to ask for God’s mercy and forgiveness. Like God’s people in the time of the prophets, we wear ashes to show that we want to turn away from whatever keeps us from God, and to have a change of heart, so that we can live in peace and in joy with God and with each other. During Mass everyone was invited to accept the ashes as a visible symbol of penance.
SACRAMENTAL PROGRAM - In 2024, Matt Nettleton (our Assistant Principal of Religious Education) is working closely alongside the Parish to ensure the smooth running of our Sacramental Program. We support parents in preparing children to
receive the Sacraments through a program which is Family focused, Parish based and School supported. The Sacraments of Reconciliation (Year 3) Eucharist (Year 4) and Confirmation (Year 6) are wonderful celebrations where the school and Parish come together to support the child and family. This ongoing education assists them in strengthening their faith and building their relationship with God.
YEAR 6 EXCURSION - On Friday 23 February, our Year 6 students will be on an excursion to Parliament House. This visit continues to build on their understanding of civics and citizenship by looking at the concepts of justice, rights and responsibilities within the Westminster system, and the history and current functioning of Australia’s system of government.
SCHOOL UNIFORM - Thank you to all parents for your effort in ensuring the children are in the correct summer uniform.
Our Uniform Guidelines reinforce in students a pride in their own appearance, instils recognition of themselves as an integral part of developing pride in representing our school. Our school uniform assists with building the school community and team spirit, and we appreciate your support to ensure are wearing it correctly. Please click here to access Uniform Guidelines - https://bit.ly/4befucu
OPEN MORNING - On Wednesday 21 February, St Peter’s Primary School is hosting an Open Day for prospective families. Our Year 6 Student Leaders escort parents on a tour of our school grounds and share valuable information about our school
community and life at St Peter’s.
URSTRONG - In 2024, St Peter’s Primary School will introduce URStrong’s whole-school friendship strategy to create a common language amongst our students, teachers and parents. URSTRONG provides teachers with a friendship skills curriculum, that helps children establish and maintain healthy relationships, manage conflict with kindness, and increase their overall resilience.
URSTRONG encourages children to stand up for themselves in a kind, respectful way. Identifying if a conflict is a Friendship Fire vs Mean on Purpose is key! Research shows that relationships are the heart of wellbeing & learning. When we get friendships right in schools, children flourish!
Last week, all St Peter’s Primary School parents were invited to an online parent workshop on Thursday 21 March 2024 via SEQTA. Please register via the online link FREE Parent Membership
PARKING – NEIGHBOURS AND MERCY CARE - Please be considerate of our neighbours and clients attending the Daycare next door. In recent weeks, St Peter’s Primary School has received feedback from neighbours and Mercy Care regarding our parents parking on their land. Please make sure you read the relevant signage, as well as being mindful of not parking on private property or blocking driveways.
Please remember that there is NO parent parking in the Staff Car Parks on Wood Street or Salisbury Street. We also have two pick-up and drop-off zones for Pre Primary to Year 6 students – Wood Street and Salisbury Street. Please see the NO STANDING zones below for each street:
Wood Street – No Standing from 7:30-8:30am and 2:30-3:30pm
Salisbury Street – No Standing from 7:45-8:35am and 2:45-2:30pm
Thank you in advance for your support!
CHANGE OF NAME - GATE TO A.Q.U.I.N.A.S PROGRAM - This year, we have decided to make a move away from using the term, GATe (Gifted and Talented Education) for St Peter’s enrichment program for numerous reasons; one being that the current name does not accurately represent the goals or objectives of the program. We believe our new name the A.Q.U.I.N.A.S program provides an opportunity to better communicate the program's focus and values. As St Peter’s is a Dominican school, we have named our enrichment program after our Dominican saint, St Thomas Aquinas. St Aquinas was a renowned philosopher and theologian, and he is considered one of the greatest Christian thinkers. Our enrichment program is specifically designed to enhance the learning of our high potential students in a nurtured environment that sparks their interests via advanced and strategic thinking, higher order questioning, being unique and inquisitive with our thoughts all the while striving for academic excellence. This yearly program encourages for fluidity within the groups where targeted units of work are designed for specific groups, varying from one year to the next. Please click here to acess the A.Q.U.I.N.A.S flyer - https://bit.ly/3SE9u4f
P&F - All parents are invited to our first Catholic School Parents and Friends’ Group (P&F) meeting for the year, which will be held on Tuesday 20 February 2024 at 7pm in the Library.
Our P&F provides the opportunity for parents, caregivers and friends of the school to meet, share and become a community that supports and encourages our students and staff in realising the shared vision. Our P&F hosts a range of activities throughout the year to provide opportunities for community engagement.
I look forward to seeing you all at the various community events throughout the year!
Courtney Caputi
PRINCIPAL
