Dear Parents and Carers

Student Achievement

We recently received the news that one of our past students is the Marist College School Captain for 2022. Congratulations to Hugo Blacker (younger sister Audrey is in Year 5), who attended Sts Peter and Paul from 2010 – 2016. It is a wonderful achievement and a great reflection on Hugo and his family. In an email, Hugo’s mum Sally wrote, “They [Hugo and his siblings] all thrived in this beautiful school community and had a wonderful experience. I am sure that Hugo developed his great leadership skills as a proud year 6 leader in 2016! Many of his close friends at Marist also attended our school until year 6 and have achieved leadership roles. It is such a joy to see them fly the flag for Sts Peter and Paul.” I have no doubt that Hugo will do an excellent job. One of the photos included shows Hugo giving his first speech at the Year 12 Valedictory Assembly. Congratulations, Hugo! We are very proud of you.

Power of Prayer Mini-Retreat

This Friday, the Youth Ministry team, made up of grades five and six leaders, will run the Power of Prayer retreat for the school. The team has been planning, organising and preparing to run this retreat, it is around the theme of prayer with God through all times in our life. The retreat will be pre-recorded. Each class will do the retreat in their classroom with the retreat video at 12:30pm on Friday. It will go for 30 minutes. The activity we will do is a very simple prayer chain. As we move into Advent, this an excellent opportunity to prepare for the blessings that Advent and Christmas bring into our lives. My thanks to Maddie Greenwood, our School and Parish Youth Minister, to Fron Garrett-Rumba, our Acting REC, and to our excellent student leaders, for all of their hard work and preparation.

Catalyst

I have written previously of our Catalyst involvement, an Archdiocesan-wide professional learning initiative, informed by the science of learning. This Friday, our final Professional Learning day is taking place, and as well as members of the Leadership Team, it also includes our ‘Wave 1’ teachers, Sarah Kennelly, Anna Kain and Fron Garrett-Rumba. Participants will continue being coached in a particular pedagogical method, based on the principles of the science of learning, which involves a more direct teaching method. Our professional learning in this area will continue next year, with ‘Wave 2’ teachers participating in the program.

Kindergarten Nativity Play and 5/6 Play

Despite the interruptions of COVID and the shortened time left in the term, the school is putting on a form of the traditional Kindergarten Nativity play. Students have been busy preparing and practicing and it will see them sing carols in costume, with narration from the teachers, to connect to the story of Christmas, as told through the carols. My thanks to our wonderful Kindergarten teachers, Marie-Ann Barrett, Mel Neit, Mary Portolesi and Laura Williamson, and our Perfuming Arts teacher, Alissa Pearson, for their wonderful work and efforts. Our students in Years 5 and 6 have also been preparing their play, again modified due to the gap in practice times because of Remote Learning. My thanks again to Alissa Pearson, and our very supportive 5/6 Team (Paul Jenkins, Sarah Kennelly, Gayle Hunt, Nic Marsham, Fron Garrett-Rumba and Mary Portolesi), and to Anna Cooper too, one of our regular relief teachers, who has been employed specifically to assist with practice times. Both the Kinder Nativity Play and the 5/6 Play will be filmed and sent home to parents via the electronic recording.

Have a wonderful week with your families.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal