Dear Parents and Carers

“So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church.”

Mathew 16: 18

Welcome to Sts Peter and Paul Primary School for another school year. The Christmas and New Year period has been extremely difficult and trying, to say the least, and for many families their normal holiday routine was disrupted. Nonetheless, I hope that all our families managed to find ways to rest and rejuvenate.

Aside from 37 beginning Kindergarten students, we have another 26 new students from Years 1 – 6. I would particularly like to welcome all of our new students and their families and wish them a very happy association with the Sts Peter and Paul school community. I too am new and arrive at this beautiful school well aware of its excellent reputation. I have spent 26 years in education, and I have taught in a number of schools here in Canberra and interstate, including the Kimberley region of Western Australia and Darwin. Most recently, I have spent 7 very happy years as Principal at St Thomas Aquinas Primary School, Charnwood. I arrive at Garran looking forward to working and collaborating with all members of the school community to give our students the best education possible.

We welcome 3 new teachers at Sts Peter and Paul:

• Bronte Dunn, in Kinder Maroon
• Sarah Walsh, in 2 Maroon
• Luke Gubler, 3/4 Yellow

I wish Bronte, Sarah and Luke the very best as they begin their teaching careers with Sts Peter and Paul.

I started the newsletter with a quote from St Matthew’s Gospel. In this passage, our Lord is questioning the disciples about how He, Jesus, is perceived. In response to Peter’s assertion that Jesus is the Lord, Jesus informs him that Peter is Jesus’ rock, and he will be the foundation of the Church. I chose that quote because it is our school theme for 2020. In a sense, Peter’s story is our story. All of us, individually and as a community, are asked to be the rock upon which Jesus will build His Church. We know from scripture accounts that Peter had his ups and downs – he was capable of bold statements of faith but he also wavered and was given to doubt, where Jesus and His ministry was concerned. Our lives too mirror Peter’s, in so many ways. This year, our call is to accept the grace already given to us: that we are to be the rock, the foundation of Jesus’ ministry of love, compassion and healing.

I wrote above of the difficult and unusual summer holidays that we all experienced. I acknowledge that for many of our families, either directly or indirectly, the bushfires may have caused considerable trauma and difficulty. As I have written in previous letters, please contact your child’s teacher if you think your child or children are experiencing any ongoing trauma. This is something which we, as a community, will need to be mindful of over the coming months. We know that trauma is sometimes not always immediately apparent and can manifest weeks or months after an event. Please inform the school if you have any concerns about your child or children.

Parent Information Night

Next Tuesday night, the 11^th of February, we are holding our Parent Information Night. We will begin at 6pm in the school hall, where I will speak to the parent body and introduce the staff to the whole community. We will then proceed outside to a BBQ and you will have an opportunity to meet your children’s teachers. The teachers will be set up at various outdoor stations on the blacktop and you will be able to visit each station, introduce and meet your child’s teacher, and receive an information pack for the term. We are trialling this approach for 2020. I look forward to seeing you on the night.

Swimming

Our swimming program also starts next week, on Thursday, for Grades 1 – 2. It is every Thursday and runs for the duration of the term. The children travel to and from Stella Swimming Centre, located within walking distance from the school. I would like to thank Maryanne Armstrong for organising and coordinating the program.

Opening School Mass

Finally, our opening school Mass for 2020 is Friday week, on February 14. I would like to invite all parents, if you are able to attend, to come to the Mass, which begins at 12pm. The Mass will celebrate our school theme for the year and provides the platform for our focus for the year. As in previous years, our Year 6 students will also be commissioned as leaders and they will receive their badges.

I have felt very welcomed as I have joined the Sts Peter and Paul community and I very much look forward to getting to know you all over the coming weeks. Have a wonderful week with your families.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal