St Peter's News

From our Principal

Dear Parents, Students and Friends,

It is hard to believe that we have only two weeks remaining of this term. This time is a period of peak assessment and as such students, even though most are in a remote setting, should be hard at it as the semester reaches its conclusion. It has been lovely to welcome back on-site our Year 11 and 12 students and today our Year 7-10s have joined us making the "family" complete once again.

In the past week I have received many positive comments from parents in respect to remote schooling, the comment reproduced here is reflective of the many received: 

“I just want to express my admiration and gratitude to your teaching and support staff at this time. St. Peter's College has dealt with the challenge of remote learning so well and has kept families informed and supported the whole time. As a parent of a Year 11 and past student, I am so impressed with how the teachers are being supportive and flexible, while continuing to be committed to our children's learning. It is one less worry for us during this very difficult time. Please pass on our gratitude to your teachers and staff.”

Connecting with Teenagers

Lockdown and the associated stresses for young people are very real (as they are with adults). It is important as parents to be able to remain connected with your teenage son or daughter during the tough times. Through our pastoral care program, Strive and Thrive, we place a particular emphasis on upstream, proactive measures which aim to build resilience. We refer to these strategies as GEM, G – stands for Gratitude, E – Empathy and M – Mindfulness. In this edition of the newsletter the focus is on Gratitude. I invite parents to engage with their child/ren around three pivotal questions associated with Gratitude:

  1. What was the best thing that happened to me today?
  2. Who am I most grateful for today and why?
  3. What am I looking forward to most about tomorrow?

If these three questions are posed every day for 3 weeks research suggests that your brain is rewired to start scanning the world for the positive and you become three times more likely to notice a positive. Continue this practice for 8 weeks and the same research suggests the following, you: 

  • are less likely to get sick
  • have higher levels of energy
  • feel happier
  • are more enthusiastic
  • are more focused
  • are more determined
  • are more optimistic
  • have a better quality of sleep
  • have lower levels of depression and anxiety

We also know there are times when our young will be experiencing tough times. Below are some tips for parents to support your young people traverse the difficult times which they may experience

When things get tough

Your son or daughter may not always want to turn to you for help, but it’s important not to give up and keep reinforcing that you’re there for them.

  • Be persistent. Continue to try and talk to them to find out what’s bothering them.
  • Reinforce the message that you care. Let them know that you’re concerned and are there to help.
  • Be understanding – even if you don’t agree or even quite comprehend where they’re coming from. This will help them feel validated.
  • Try to connect with your son or daughter in the best way you can. This might mean involving other family members or friends who can help.
  • Change it up – if you feel you’re not getting anywhere, try a different approach. If you’re hard, try softer. If you’re soft, try be more firm.
  • Give your child hope that there are solutions to their problems.

Student Leadership

Our Year 11s participated in a leadership training day this week. This marks the commencement of the appointment of our college leaders for 2022. One assessment of an effective leader is how they lead in times of trouble. Our college leaders of 2021 have been outstanding in supporting the college and particularly our students through the challenges of lockdown and remote schooling. The impact on the college of inspirational, effective and dynamic student leadership is tangible. It leads to a school that is community oriented and possessing a positivity which has the potential to pervade every corner and aspect of school life including the building of positive relationships and a want for all to engage in what the school has to offer. A core principle of student leadership at St. Peter’s College is found in the introductory statement of the student leadership program outline, it reads: True leadership is about more than merely holding an office.  It is about recognizing the gifts and talents of many and harnessing those gifts for the good of the community. True leaders require a vision, and a passion for what they believe as well as a desire to instill the confidence in others to make it their vision as well.

Our Leadership training program calls on students, amongst other things, to articulate what an effective leader’s character strengths are and to match these to their own. A focus on servant leadership, a corner stone of leadership practice at St. Peter’s College, was also explored. 

I look forward to continuing to work with our Year 11s through the course of their leadership training program.

 

Enjoy the week ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Chris Black

Principal