Clyde North Campus News
From a teacher and student perspective, Term 3 is often the most challenging. As teachers we see students get tired from the long term (10 weeks!), and therefore the teaching pedagogy is challenged with each lesson. From a student perspective, the Winter months can bring a variety of moods and the inability to escape the indoors can bring frustration. For our Year 12 students, the pressure cooker of SAC’s coupled with the anxiety of their impending finish presents many emotions both at school and at home. Parents reading this will understand the challenges of the teenager of any age during these months.
We are lucky at Clyde North that we are blessed with a resilient staff who rise to these challenges both inside and outside the classroom. They give their time and effort to support our students, in order to provide experiences that are memorable and thus, teach our students the valuable lesson of Kindness.
Kindness is a key component of our School Wide Expectations (ROCKS), and Kindness is defined as giving, helping, supporting or sacrificing for the benefit of others. This term has seen several Staff versus Student competitions, Social Justice Projects, House Competitions, Grand Openings and the College Production to name a few. None of these are possible without the staff and students giving up their time and energy to support these events. In essence, they sacrifice their own time to contribute to the life of the St. Peter’s College Community or benefit others. We hope that these extra-curricular activities give our students a greater perspective of what is important in life, but we also hope that it provides them with fond memories and a greater sense of connection to our College.
Staff versus Student events this term have drawn large audiences and seen some terrific close matches in Netball, Dodgeball, Soccer and Volleyball. While I don’t like to boast (lie), the staff have managed to prevail in each of these contests leaving many questions to be asked of our PE staff! Nonetheless, the spirit in which these matches were played has been something to behold.
Our Senior Vocational Major students have been completing their Sustainable Development Goals Projects where they identify and develop a project based around the UN’s Humanitarian Sustainable Goals. Here we have seen various fundraisers to support local and international charities or, awareness campaigns for social causes such as World Hunger or Global Environmental Issues. We have seen our students excel in this space.
House Competitions are fiercely contested and cater for students of all abilities. House Limbo, Wii Sports, Jeopardy, Chess and the Amazing Race have again seen large numbers of students participate and support their House Group. Again, they sacrifice their time (lunchtime) for the greater good of winning the Rosemary Graham Shield for their House.
My final thanks go to our staff and students involved in the grand opening of our St. Martha Building and the College Production of Legally Blonde. This building hosts our hospitality and music facilities and the performances of our Music Ministry and Legally Blonde performers were exquisite! It reminded me of the old scripture, ‘build it and they will come’, (Genesis 7:5). This was never more evident than the performances we witnessed this term.
At St. Peter’s, we are continuing to build a culture where all students of all talents can thrive. We are indebted to our staff and students who continue to ensure this culture thrives. May we look forward to this growth in Term 4 and the years to come.
Have a safe and happy holiday!
Mr Peter Brannan
Acting - Head of Clyde North Campus