Welcome!

Dear Parents and Carers and Families,

Spring is in the air!  With spring time comes a renewed sense of focus, joy and sunshine. In the coming weeks, we look forward to the warmer, longer, brighter days! As we approach the last two weeks of Term 3,  I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your diligence in ensuring that your child(ren) arrive to school on time and well prepared for learning each day. Please take note of the Attendance Matters piece below. 

Well done and congratulations to all our children, fathers and special men who participated in the Father’s and Special Friend’s Day breakfast and celebrations at school last Friday. It was wonderful to see the children’s enthusiasm and their appreciation of all that the special men in their lives do for them! I hope they were suitably spoilt yesterday. They deserve it! 

With Planning for the 2027 school year now gathering momentum, I would ask families that are aware that they will not be returning to St. Peter’s next year, to promptly inform the school. 

Please Note:   

• School finishes for the term next Friday 18th September at 2:15pm  
• School resumes for Term 4 on Monday 5th October at 8.55am. 

Attendance Matters 

Over the past few weeks, I have been sharing updates on student attendance, and I am pleased to report that our whole-school attendance continues to move in the right direction. Attendance increased again in Week 8, rising slightly from 75.86% to 75.96%, representing an overall improvement of 4.47 percentage points since Week 6. Grade 2 recorded the highest attendance rate in Week 8 at 83.33%, while Grade 3 has made the most significant improvement since Week 6, increasing by 14.21 percentage points.  

We also had 57 students attend every day in Week 8, with 76 students achieving attendance rates of 95% or above. This is a positive sign that many students and families are making attendance a priority.  

While attendance is important, being at school on time and ready to learn is just as important. At St Peter's, each day begins with our literacy block. This is a critical part of the learning day, where students develop the reading, writing, speaking and listening skills that underpin success across all areas of the curriculum. When students arrive late, they miss valuable instruction and often find it difficult to settle into learning that is already underway. 

Late arrivals can also interrupt the learning of others. Teachers need to pause lessons to welcome students, provide missed instructions, and help them catch up. This can affect the flow of learning for the entire class. 

Our goal is for every student to be at school, in class, and ready to learn when the day begins. Establishing strong attendance and punctuality habits now helps children develop routines that will benefit them throughout their education and beyond. 

Thank you for your continued support. Together, we can ensure that every child is present, engaged, and ready to make the most of every learning opportunity.  

Footy or Sports Colors Day - Friday 18th September 

Next Friday 18th September is a Casual Dress Day. The Casual Dress Day will be a Footy or Sports Colours Day where children are encouraged to dress in the colours of their favourite football or sports team and the cost to participate is a gold coin donation.   

In keeping with traditional Footy Colours Day Fundraising the school will donate all proceeds to Cancer Research. We will also have collection tins for anyone wanting to donate any extra coins. 

Lost Property 

The Lost Property area is once again full of UNNAMED items.  If your child has lost a jumper or tracksuit pants, please contact the office to retrieve these items.  The left-over articles are now being washed and will be put into the second-hand clothing pool.  

Parking around St Peter’s 

It has been brought to my attention that there has been frustration brewing in the carpark at the beginning and end of the school day. Please be patient and follow the road rules to ensure everyone’s safety. 

The safety of our students, families and staff is our highest priority. With a large number of vehicles accessing the school each morning and afternoon, it is important that all parents follow the designated traffic and parking arrangements.  

Parents are asked to use only the parent carpark or the available parking spaces in Fenton Street when dropping off or collecting children. The parent carpark includes a Kiss and Drop Zone in the left lane, while parking bays are available on the right-hand side for families who need to park and leave their vehicle. Both areas are supervised by staff at the end of the school day. 

We kindly ask parents to avoid stopping in undesignated areas, blocking driveways, double parking, or making unsafe U-turns. A little patience and courtesy can make a significant difference and help keep our school community safe. 

Thank you for your cooperation and for continuing to support a safe and respectful environment for all members of the St Peter’s community. 

School Fees Reminder 

As we move towards the end of Term 3, I would like to remind families to review their school fee accounts and ensure that payment plans are up to date. 

As outlined in our enrolment conditions, school fees are required to be paid in full by the end of October, unless alternative arrangements have been made through the school office with Carmel. 

School fee statements will be emailed to families by the end of this week. Please take a moment to check your statement and confirm that payments are current and on track to meet the October deadline. 

If you have any questions about your account, or if you need to discuss payment arrangements, please contact the school office. We are happy to assist. 

Family School Engagement Survey – Have Your Say 

Thank you to the many families who have already completed the 2026 Family School Engagement Survey. 

If you haven't yet had an opportunity to participate, I encourage you to do so before the survey closes on Monday 14th September. 

Your feedback helps us understand what we are doing well and where we can continue to improve. Every response contributes to shaping the future direction of St Peter's and ensuring we continue to meet the needs of our students and families. 

The survey takes approximately 20 minutes to complete, and all responses are confidential. 

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and support the ongoing improvement of our school. 

I hope you have a great week!

Kind regards, 

Paul Bissinella 

Acting Principal