PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear Parents and Carers
“If I could make you all a gift for Christmas, it would be that that you should realise that we are all more free than we suppose. We are freer to be growing persons – pathfinders, path-takers, path-stayers – than most people have told us, whether inside the Church or outside it. Sometimes people blandish us; sometimes they manipulate us: sometimes they bluff us, or blackmail us emotionally, or bully us. But what John and Jesus brought home to more than a few people – is that we can take possession of our own lives. We do not have to be diminished by the mean-spiritedness of others. Slavery may be contagious, but so is liberty. The path to both ways forks open in our own hearts.”
Peter Steele SJ, ‘Roadworkers’
This Sunday is the second Sunday of Advent, and it features John the Baptist, ‘preparing the way of the Lord’. The metaphor that the late Jesuit priest Peter Steele SJ uses for such a preparation is that of John being a roadworker: that is, tearing up an old road before it can be made smooth again. Peter Steele suggests Advent asks of us to ‘tear up such roads’ in our lives that may have the need to be made smooth again: habits, attitudes of the heart, dispositions. He encourages us by suggesting that we are capable of change – more capable than we think we are. Whatever else Christmas brings you in terms of gifts and presents, my hope for us all is that it also brings with it the capacity to change, where change is needed.
2025 Staff
The school staff for 2025 are listed below:
Principal: Cameron Johns
Assistant Principal: Samantha Mance
Religious Education Coordinator: Andrea McQuirk
Coordinator: Fron Garrett-Rumba
Classroom Support Teacher: Maryanne Armstrong
Kindergarten: Sarah Kennelly/Laura Williamson, Natasha Kapantais
Year 1: Sarah Walsh, Maddi Mertz
Year 2: Luke Gubler/Ruth de Valentin, Holly Audsley
Year 3: Andrea McQuirk/Fron Garrett-Rumba, Bridget Pigram
Year 4: Michele Halis-Pratt/Samantha Mance, Katie Birch/Rebecca Wright
Year 5: Samantha Stinziani, Sarah Cunneen
Year 6: Katie MGgregor, Paul Jenkins
Front Office Reception: Trish Collis
Initial Lit Coordinator: Marie-Ann Barrett
Japanese Teacher: Amanda de Jongh
Performing Arts Teacher: Lisa Gill
Librarian (Semester 1): Michael Washington/Amanda de Jongh
Librarian (Semester 2): Amanda Basedow
Cooking Teacher: Robyn Moore
STEM Teacher: Nic Marsham
Accelerated Learning Coordinator: Sarah Kennelly
Years 3 – 6 Leadership Coordinator: Luke Gubler
Academic Enrichment Coordinator: Katie Birch
Robotics and Drones Coordinator: Paul Jenkins
School Chaplain: Bernadette Johnson
Promotions Officer: Anne Perkovic
Classroom Support Assistants: Talia Wagner, Deki Wangmo, Jade Arranz, Cathy Shepherd, Anne Perkovic, Liz Spiteri, Molly Marsham, Melissa Saggers, Mel Harding, Sarah Adam, Chris Basedow (from Semester 2).
Canteen and Uniform Shop Officer: Lauretta Raccosta
Groundsman: Greg Egan
Departing Staff
We have a number of staff who are leaving Sts Peter and Paul, or taking leave, and I thank them all for their many years of service and dedication to the school: Sue Wales, Gayle Hunt and Mary de Smet are all retiring after many years of service to Catholic Education, and I thank them all for their extraordinary years of service, to Catholic Education in general and Sts Peter and Paul in particular. It has been a pleasure working with Sue (who has given over 40 years to Garran), Gayle and Mary, and I wish them all the best for the coming years. They will all be missed. Melissa Neit is transferring to St Anthony’s Primary School at Wanniassa, and I thank Mel for her years of service to Sts Peter and Paul and wish Mel all the very best as she takes her many gifts to St Anthony’s. She will be missed by us all, and St Anthony’s is a lucky school. Mel’s 2M class partner, Anne Hitchings, is stepping down from a classroom position, although we are very fortunate to retain Anne’s services as a relief teacher. I thank Anne for her many years of partnership with Sue Wales, and with Mel Neit this year, and her excellent care and teaching of the children. We also farewll Tricia Drabsch who is leaving to pursue a career as an Occupational Therapist, which she will excel at.
We formally farewell Anna Williams who is continuing her role with ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority), and Veronica Hall, who is continuing with the Public Service – I thank Anna and Veronica for their excellent work and equally excellent contributions to Sts Peter and Paul. We wish Tyra Peterson all the very best in her leave for 2025 and we look forward to her return in 2026. Finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank our Parish Priest, Monsignor John Woods, who is leaving the Parish of the Transfiguration, and moving to the South Belconnen parish (which includes St Vincent’s and St Matthew’s). Monsignor John has also been a great supporter of the school, its staff and the children and their families, and we will miss him very much. The school will have the opportunity to farewell Fr John at the Year 6 Graduation Mass.
Important 2024 Dates
A reminder of the following dates for the remainder of the school year:
- Vinnies Christmas appeal items are collected from the school. Please have all items in by this Friday.
- Year 6 Graduation Mass: 12pm, Curtin.
- Reports are published Tuesday December 10th.
- Class lists are sent home in hard copy Tuesday December 11th.
- End-of-year Music Performance for all grades, with family picnic (Christmas Carols): Tuesday December 10th, 6pm.
- Kindergarten Nativity Story, 12pm, Thursday December 12th.
- Fun Day – Year 6 – Monday December 16th.
- Year 6 Graduation Dinner: Monday December 16th.
Last Day and First Day
A reminder that the last day of the school year for students is Monday December 16th. School resumes next year on Tuesday February 4th.
I would like to thank all parents for their wonderful support of the staff and school this year. It is greatly appreciated by me, and all the staff. I wish all of our families the very best for the Christmas and holiday period, and I look forward to seeing our new and returning families next year.
Best wishes
Cameron Johns
Principal
Sts Peter and Paul Primary School