St Peter's News

From our Principal

Dear Parents, Students and Friends,

The energy present throughout the school community around a variety of events has been palpable. Much being generated by the students which is encouraging to witness.

Opening School Mass

Last week we celebrated the official opening of the school year with a mass. It was a wonderful celebration with students exceptional in their reverence for the occasion. The music ministry added greatly to the occasion. This was a time where we focussed for the first time on our school theme: “for I am gentle and humble of heart”. In referencing a scriptural reference it is always important to consider the text both before and after. The complete sentence reads: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls”. The invitation is there to walk alongside Jesus and find rest when there is a connection with Christ. There was a number of commitments made in the presence of the community during mass, the students commitment statement read like this: “As students of St. Peter’s College, we promise to strive to respect ourselves, to respect others and to honour the learning environment of our school, in the light of Gospel values and the charism of St. Peter”. Students to date have excelled in this commitment.

 

Parent Welcome Evening

This was held this week on both campuses. The theme of the night was around parent connection. Research and evidence suggests strongly that parents who are connected with the school their child attends AND who connect with their child’s learning at home have a positive impact on student learning outcomes. Anecdotally parents who have learning conversations with their child, whether they are in Year 7 or Year 12 will have greater chance of gaining successful pathways. As parents we often ask the question, “how was school?” OR “what did you do at school today?” The response is usually, “it was okay”, OR “nothing much”. As a suggestion why not ask the following question next time: “What challenged you in your learning today?” It’s a great question as it introduces the concept that school and school work is challenging and students need to be challenged in their learning.

Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) 2020

Each year a set of priorities is identified by the College based on the work of the School Improvement Plan and the strategic intent of the College. This intent in 2020 is inclusive of: All Leaders are Instructional Leaders, every Teacher is an Expert Teacher and all students experience an accelerated rate of progress in literacy and numeracy. Consequently the focus for the College in 2020 is to concentrate on less, obsess on these focal points to gain success in improved learning outcomes. Less, Obsess, Success.

This will be achieved in the following ways in 2020:

  • Prioritizing a focus on the High Impact Teaching strategies of:
    • Differentiation,
    • Explicit teaching and
    • Meta-cognition skills – how students learn
  • Introduction of an evidence-based Reading Program for all Year 7 & 8 students to improve literacy standards,
  • Continuation of the Review of Numeracy to determine an effective raft of strategies to improve numeracy standards,
  • The launch of a Whole School Approach to Positive Behaviours (WSAPB) – a template which will inform and improve standards of behaviour both in and outside the classroom,
  • Building collective efficacy of staff though classroom observation.

It is an exciting and a dynamic time to be a member of the St. Peter’s College Community

Farewell

Unusually we are saying farewell to three staff at this stage of the year. Each will be entering a new chapter in their professional journeys. We give thanks and farewell the following:

  • Greg Furlong (CLN) – moving to Mary MacKillop College, Leongatha
  • Ms Michelle Nicholas (CLN)– moving to Australian Catholic University
  • Mrs Ann Jeans (CRA) – moving to Strathcona Grammar

We are currently in the interview stage of most of these positions and hope to have replacements in position as soon as possible. In respect to parents who have regular contact with Ann Jeans in her role as Learning Enrichment Co-ordinator, all contact initially can be made to Mr David Hansen – Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching until a replacement is appointed.

Enjoy the week ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Chris Black

Principal