Cranbourne Campus News

Nothing screams community like a good sports carnival

Following a recent five day lockdown scare, staff and students alike were holding their collective breath in anticipation of whether we would actually be free to participate in our first whole school community event in nearly a year. Mr Murphy had organised this carnival to the final detail, House captains were at the ready and even those who resemble Princess Moth rather than Madame Butterfly, were eagerly waiting to see whether they would get a chance to cheer on Kolbe or swim for Assisi. When the day arrived there was something that resembled an enormous sigh of relief. A sense of celebration and excitement of the fact that we would be coming together to do what we do best - community. 

It may just have been me, but I certainly felt that the cheering was louder, the novelty events induced more laughter and despite limited regular training programs due to the pandemic, our swimmers tried harder and swam faster. And all of this, in some way, was an acknowledgement of the gratitude felt for something that we maybe had been taking for granted- a simple Swimming carnival. 

The day produced those who came first and second and those who showed the best House spirit but maybe the real winners were all those who can now better see that carnivals are about community and fun more than being the best.

College Counselling Service

Without trying to sound too obvious, schools are places of learning. At times, to concentrate on that learning is made more difficult if we are not comfortable in who we are or we find ourselves trying to operate while in the shadow of poor mental health. At St. Peter's College we have a fantastic House system.  Through Learning Advisors and House Leaders, the House system is designed to nurture community with a special focus on each young person having adults who are looking out for signs of unease or trouble (as well as celebrating successes of course!). The idea is that  staff provide support and care before the negative thoughts become paralysing and hurtful to the young person's learning journey. In some cases this support requires an expertise that is best provided by specialists. In this space our College community is blessed to have an onsite Counselling Service who work closely with House Leaders to provide students with guidance in managing their mental health. Later in this Newsletter you will read the profiles of our College Counselling Service team for 2021. The team has been bolstered by the addition of Lana Paten and Sara Conquo to support the amazing care given by Nadia Picinali. We welcome Sara and Lana to St. Peter's College and hope they find this to be a community of inclusion and care for each other.

Introducing our Counselling team

Lana Paten

It is wonderful to be part of the St. Peter’s College school community. I am looking forward to working with the wellbeing and pastoral care team to support our students, staff and families.

I have three teenage children and together we are passionate about sport, particularly AFL and supporting our team, Geelong (Go CATS!). My other interests include listening to music, the creative arts, playing games and spending time in nature, especially the beach. One of my favourite pastimes is food; eating, cooking, and watching the Channel 33 cooking shows. 

My role at St. Peter’s College will involve spending time with our students and supporting them on their six year, secondary school journey.  One of my priorities is to provide time and space for students to be themselves and develop a relationship where they are comfortable to chat about concerns or positive events they may be experiencing. In my office, I have a sign that captures this, and reminds students that ‘It’s OK to be You’. 

My support role will also include promoting student engagement and working together to enhance student academic, wellbeing and vocational goals.  I am looking forward to the opportunity of getting to know our students, staff and families.  

Sara Conquo 

I’m Mrs Sara Conquo, I’m very excited to meet you all!

I’m one of the new Counsellors, I’m here to help guide and aid you through whatever hurdles and mental blockers you may be facing in a safe and comfortable environment, that is confidential. 

Along with my Bachelors in Counselling, I have experience in mindfulness and have spent my career counselling adults and mentoring youth, encouraging people to exercise mindfulness daily. Mental health is something I’m enthusiastically passionate about. I aim to build hope, resilience and wholeness in our community.

Using a person centred approach, I believe in empowering students to overcome any issues that may be obstructing their ability to make the most of their learning and overall schooling experience at St. Peter's College.

I’m excited to join a school that prides itself on a communal approach to wellbeing. I consider myself a compassionate guide whose goal is to create a safe and genuinely caring environment whilst utilising a tailored and effective evidence based approach to help individuals create long-lasting, better mental health practices. 

Please feel most welcome to reach out should you have any queries, if you’d like to have a chat or just say "hello!"

Mr Jeremy Wright

Deputy Principal - Head of Cranbourne Campus