From our Principal 

Dear Parents, Students and Friends,

Welcome to the last edition of the newsletter for term three. To say the term has flown by is an understatement. I continue to marvel at all the events, activities and opportunities available to students to engage with. We started the term with the magnificent college production and end it with the announcement of our student college leaders for 2026. In between students have had the opportunity to engage with a plethora of learning opportunities which provide students with the chance to showcase their talents as well as explore new experiences. 

This week has been dominated by the announcement of our 2026 student leaders. This process commenced in the early part of this term with the year eleven leadership day, then moved into the nomination and voting process. The shortlisted candidates were then interviewed by panels which included leadership team members and importantly a member of the 2025 student leadership group. Whilst there were some difficult decisions to be made there was comfort in the knowledge that student voice was a key influence on the final outcome. 

The students who collectively form the 2026 St Peter’s College student executive are called upon to serve and be the voice of the student body. They have been chosen for their capacity to lead. The style of leadership expected is that which we refer to as servant leadership. There are no better exemplars of what it is to be a servant leader than Jesus and our very own patron St Peter. Both were called upon to walk alongside communities, humbly and contribute to the building of a community of love, a community of hope, of forgiveness and where peace reigns supreme. Their focus was on supporting the poor, the outcast and the downtrodden. Our student leaders have been challenged to look beyond the badge and represent the voices of their peers, to advocate for positive change, and ensure that everyone in our College feels seen, heard, and valued.  I congratulate those chosen to take on this mission over the course of the next twelve months and I look forward to partnering with them in their core mission of building on the work of previous student leadership groups in creating a community where everyone feels a sense of belonging and everyone has an opportunity to grow.  

Our College Leaders 2026 

RUOK 

Whilst RUOK Day was held last Thursday, the college has taken the opportunity to extend the theme to include this final week of term three. The aim being to highlight the importance of connection and to continue to ask the question, “Are you OK today?” The statistics associated with mental health are sobering. In the past twelve months in Australia almost one in seven (13.9%) 4-17 year-olds were assessed as having mental disorders. This is equivalent to 560,000 Australian children and adolescents. Males were more likely than females to have experienced mental disorders (16.3% compared with 11.5%) and ADHD was the most common mental disorder in children and adolescents (7.4%), followed by anxiety disorders (6.9%), major depressive disorder (2.8%) and conduct disorder (2.1%). Adolescence is a crucial period for developing social and emotional habits important for mental well-being. These include adopting healthy sleep patterns; exercising regularly; developing coping, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills; and learning to manage emotions. Protective and supportive environments in the family, at school and in the wider community are also important. At St Peter’s we place significant importance on our pastoral care program providing students with the opportunity to develop skills to meet the pressures and challenges of adolescence. When things get too much our team of student counsellors are there for support. RUOK week provides an essential forum to remind all our community of the importance of keeping on asking that simple, yet critical question, – “Are you okay?” 

Kimbe Project 

 At the end of each year we pass on any donations of stationery and pre-loved textbooks (textbooks St. Peters no longer use) to the Kimbe project. Barbara and Adrian Corkeron arrive to collect these items from each campus and then take them home to sort and pack ready for transportation to Papua New Guinea. 

A project such as this is a reflection of our commitment to the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching and specifically the first three: Dignity of the Human Person, Common Good and Community and Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. It is a privilege to be able to support this project. Please click here for a detailed report on the project. 

New Appointment – Deputy Principal – Head of Campus (Clyde North) 

It is with a great deal of excitement that I write to you today with the news of the appointment of the Deputy Principal Head of Campus (CLN) commencing in 2026. After an exhaustive search I am pleased to announce the appointment of Ms Karis Dalton to the position.  

Karis is the current (Acting) Deputy Principal – Wellbeing at St Francis Xavier, a role that encompasses responsibility of students across the three campuses. Previous positions that Karis has held at SFX include:  

• Acting Deputy Principal Head of Campus (Berwick)  

• Director of Student Wellbeing (Berwick)  

• Leadership Team member  

Prior to this Karis held the following positions in other schools:  

• Senior House Co-ordinator – John Paul College, Frankston  

• Year 7 Co-ordinator – Avila College, Mount Waverley  

• Student Leadership Co-ordinator – Avila College, Mount Waverley  

We look forward to welcoming Karis formally at the beginning of the 2026 academic year. 

Reminder: Students return on Tuesday October 7. 

I wish all our students a safe and restful break and I look forward to all returning re-energised for the term ahead. 

Mr Chris Black

Principal