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- Principals' Message
- SAVE THE DATES !!
- 2025 Tuition Fees
- St Peter's IT Student User Agreement 2025
- Attendance and Absence
- Update Your Information
- Sport News
- Library
- Canteen - Pete's Eats
- MacKillop - Year 7 Enrolment 2026
- Awards
- Next Week at St Peter's
- Future Dates/Events @ St Peter's
- Structured Play Timetable - Term 1
- Community Noticeboard
BEGINNING OF YEAR REMINDERS
We are so pleased to have started the year with our families coming into school and being part of our community. We look forward to many events where families can be with us and celebrate the wonderful things at St Peter’s.
There are a couple of important things that we need to remind families around child protection and safety requirements, as keeping your children safe is our first priority.
PARKING:
We are fortunate to have a carpark to service our school, as many local schools are only able to use street frontage. However, we also know that it is not big enough to be able to accommodate all families, particularly with MacKillop sharing with us. We are also fortunate to have our amazing Vicky looking after our children on the crossing every day. A couple of reminders:
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Drop off zone - morning only - the drop off lane is only to be used for stopping and letting children out in the morning to then safely cross the road to the gate. This is not for parking and walking children in. Unfortunately, this is not an area we can do pick ups in the afternoon, so coming in and collecting your child is our process. A good tip - we supervise pickup from 3.00pm-3:30pm, so coming at 3:10pm or after can be much less busy!
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Car park safety - while we understand it may be more convenient to walk from the top of the carpark to school away from the crossing, the crossing is the only safe place to walk across as any other space involves crossing where traffic is heavy and drivers are managing multiple directions. Please teach your children that this is the right way to come to and from the carpark by your example.
GREEN SPACE:
- Before school - unless parents and carers are signed in for an event or other reason, they can only go as far as the first “green space” extends, which is the area from the admin building to the basketball court. This is convenient for Kinder and Year 1 families to be able to take their children to their bag areas, but doesn’t extend to the years further through the school. If you would like to come further in, you will need to sign in please.
- After school - unless parents and carers are signed in for an event or other reason, they can stand on the green space if picking up at 3:00pm, and if coming in after the first part of pickup come to the steps outside of Kindergarten up until 3:30pm.
GATE ENTRIES AND EXITS:
While we understand that the carpark is a busy space and families prefer not to walk a long way to and from cars, these are our processes:
- Before school - entry and exit is via the gate nearest the crossing and we ask that parents and carers use the crossing for safety.
- After school - entry in the afternoon is via the gate to the left of the admin entrance from 2:55pm, and exit is via the gate on the other side of the admin block (near the crossing). This is to ease the pedestrian traffic congestion as all bus pick ups go through the first gate.
Please support this process and follow the circular flow through.
NEW STAFF
This year we have had three new staff members join our wonderful team at St Peter’s. Vanessa Baywood is our Leader of Pedagogy; Peta Marlowe joins our Year 1 and 2 teams as a Learning Assistant; Haylee Roberts joins our admin team every second Monday as well as continuing in a casual capacity. We look forward to them being part of our beautiful school community.
MISSION
PARENT YEAR LEVEL REPRESENTATIVES
Each year there is a parent or small group of parents that represent a Year level family group. We are seeking parent volunteers to nominate for this role in 2025. Parent representatives assist to foster Family/School partnerships in these ways:
- Supportive of positive communication between home and school and school events
- Organisation of 2 social events a year for families to build relationships
- Regularly give parent voice at our Parent Community Group meetings (usually held once a Term)
Please email your interest to amanda.thomas@lism.catholic.edu.au
Thank you to these parents who have nominated to be a parent representative for:
Kindergarten - Kylie Ryan and Kate Roods.
PARENT CUPPA & CHAT - TUESDAY MORNINGS
PARENTS MATTER !
Family school partnerships are so important. Let’s work together to help your child thrive.
KINDERGARTEN TRANSITION
ST PETER'S PRAYER DAY
Next Friday, 21st February, is our annual St Peter’s Prayer Day, where we remember the people from our St Peter’s community who have passed away. Each class will visit the school prayer garden to spend some time in quiet prayer. Please email your child’s teacher if you feel your child may need additional support with this day.
BUILD THE HABIT OF REGULAR ATTENDANCE
Regular attendance fosters strong relationships between students and teaching staff, building trust and understanding. Consistent interaction enables staff to better support students' needs, helping them feel valued and motivated. This sense of connection enhances students' belonging, driving both academic success and personal growth.
Here are some important events for Term 1
to mark in your calendar:
6TH MARCH
7TH MARCH
12TH MARCH
The Term 1 Calendar Dates were sent home to families today.
The link to the calendar also sits on the top of
"Next Week At St Peter's" Article
Tuition Fees for this year have been billed to your account Wednesday 12 February and can been seen via Compass. Payments may be made via Compass, BPAY, EFTPOS or cash via the school office.
Please see the following letter from the Diocese of Lismore Catholic Schools (DLCS) Hastings Fee Support Team and Tuition Fees 2025.
St Peter's IT Student User Agreement 2025
At St Peter's Primary School, we prioritise responsible and safe digital citizenship. To foster this, we use a variety of digital technologies to support and enhance engagement and creativity within learning.
To ensure a shared understanding of our expectations, all students and their parents must sign a Digital Technology Student User Agreement each year. This agreement outlines the expectations for using digital technologies within our school and informs parents how digital technologies are managed and supported within our school and across the Diocese.
Please take the time to read through and sign the Digital Technologies User Agreement for 2025, with your child. The form has been sent to all families via Compass and is due for completion by Friday 7 March 2025.
THIS AGREEMENT MUST BE COMPLETED FOR YOUR CHILD TO CONTINUE TO USE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY @ ST PETER'S.
Please note: A new form is to be submitted for each child at our school. We ask that you use your child’s name as per Compass - first and last name only.
IMPORTANT Reminders for Parents and Carers -
- ALL Late arrivals MUST be signed in by a parent or carer. Parents can then be sure that their children have arrived safely to school. Parents/carers not signing late children in at the office will be contacted.
- If your child is away, it is important that you reply to the absence SMS sent. On the day of absence - When responding please click on the link in the text message and give a clear and precise explanation for your child's absence.
- For family holidays longer than 10 consective and/or cumulative days during school time, all parents/carers must complete an Extended Leave Notification Form 01 (located on our website under "Our School" tab, in Policies ) and provide a copy of the itinerary.
It Is Important to Update Your Information
On the COMPASS APP
- Change of address
- Mobile and work phone numbers
- Emails
- Medication
- check expiry dates of medication
- medical authorisation now on Compass - (select the People Icon, School Documentation, Parent Resourses, School Forms, Medication Administer)
ENHANCING SPORT THROUGH FAITH
BE LIKE MANDRAKE !
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A huge congratulations to Mandrake Auvaa on his amazing effort at the Polding Boys
Basketball Trials last Friday in Tamworth. Mandrake is a very talented basketballer and certainly showed his skills last week to make the Polding Boys Basketball Team. Mandrake will now travel to Minto in May for the NSWPSSA Boys Basketball Championships.
WINTER SPORTS TRIALS @ PMQ
Sport is well and truly in full swing at St Peter’s yet again. Over the last week, we have had over 70 students trial and or register for Zone Winter Sports. It was fantastic again to see so many students getting out and active.
NETBALL
Good luck to our Netball Team on Monday, February 17 at the Zone Winter Sports Trials. The event is being held at the Port Macquarie Indoor Stadium. A huge thank you to Miss McKenzie, Ms Wotherspoon, Ms Nardella and Mrs Cullen for your wonderful support of the girls. Please arrive at school by 8.15am and meet Mr Arkinstall at the canteen seats area.
SOCCER
Good luck to our Soccer Teams on Monday, February 17 at the Zone Winter Sports Trials. The event is being held at St Joesph’s Regional College. A huge thank you to Mr Murtagh, Mrs Baird and Mr Gallery, for your wonderful support of the girls and boys. Please arrive at school by 8.15am and meet Mr Arkinstall at the canteen seats area. Soccer players will need soccer socks and shin guards. Football boots are optional.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Good luck to our Rugby League squad on Monday, February 17 at the Zone Winter Sports Trials. The event is being held at St Joesph’s Regional College. A huge thank you to Mr Murtagh, Mrs Baird and Mr Gallery, for your wonderful support of the girls and boys. Please arrive at school by 8.15am and meet Mr Arkinstall at the canteen seats area. League players will need a mouthguard. If your child doesn’t have a mouthguard, they won’t be able to attend the day and will remain at school.
HOCKEY
There is no trial at the Zone level for Hockey, and all students will compete at the Lismore Diocese Hockey Trials in Grafton in the coming weeks. This event is private transport.
RUGBY UNION
Hastings Zone Rugby Union Trials will be held later in Term 1.
ZONE SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS @ MACKSVILLE
Our School Swimming Team will be competing at the Hastings Zone Swimming Championships this Tuesday. We have a very talented team, and we are looking forward to the day. A huge thank you to the families who have offered to assist on the day in a timekeeping role. Without your help, these days just aren’t possible. When you arrive at the Macksville Swimming Centre, could you please come over and have a chat with me and we will organise a roster for the day in our lane.
Thank you to the following families: Green, Dawson, Matheson, Hudson, Eccles and Duffy. As a small thank you for assisting, I will gather your children next week and offer them a piece of sporting equipment to take home and use. If any other families can assist, please send me an email: jeff.arkinstall@lism.catholic.edu.au
GOOD LUCK HARRISON
We wish Harrison Leman the very best at Lismore Diocese AFL Trials in Grafton next Friday. Harrison loves his AFL and is very talented.
SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY @ SCHOOL
Our School Cross Country Carnival will take place on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 and will be held at school. We can’t wait to see families in attendance to cheer on our kids. Families will need to sign in at the office and then sign out once your child has raced. Children will come from their classroom and then return to their classroom after their run. Families are more than welcome to bring a chair and watch from in front of the sensory garden.
Events will run approximately to the following times. Age refers to the age each child will be as of 31/12/25. Age Championship trophies will be presented to the following age divisions: 8yrs, 9yrs, 10yrs, 11yrs, 12yrs. These divisions are also the selection process for our school zone team. The first six competitors for 9yrs and under, 10yrs, 11yrs, 12yrs age divisions and gender qualify for the Hastings Zone Carnival, which will be held at Kempsey.
9.00am | 12 Years | Girls/Boys (3km) |
9:30am | 11 Years | Girls/Boys (3km) |
10.00am | 10 Years | Girls/Boys (2km) |
10.20am | 9 Years | Girls/Boys (1.5km) |
11.45am | Kindergarten | Girls/Boys (250m) |
12.00pm | 8 Years (Year 2) | Girls/Boys (500m) |
12.15pm | Year 1 | Girls/Boys (500m) |
THINGS TO NOTE:
- Children to wear their Sports Uniform/House Colours and apply SPF30+ sunscreen before coming to school.
- There will be sunscreen available in classrooms and at the oval for children to reapply throughout the day.
- Girls may run in bike pants/shorts.
- If wet, children need to bring old clothes and joggers to run in. A plastic bag and a towel are also required.
- Canteen Lunch Orders are available.
TERM 1 .... The Road Ahead
17th February | Zone Winter Sports (NO Rugby Union) @ PMQ |
18th February | Zone Swimming @ Macksville |
21st February | Diocesan AFL @ Grafton |
24th February | B/U Date Zone Winter Sports |
26th February | School Cross Country |
3rd March | Diocesan Winter Sports - Hockey @ Grafton |
4th March | Diocesan Swimming @ Murwillumbah |
7th March | Diocesan Winter Sports - Rugby League, Netball & Soccer @ Grafton |
9th April | Zone Winter Sports Trials - Rugby Union |
It’s been a fantastic week in the library with children returning to the library for their class library sessions and enjoying reading and borrowing. It was also lovely to see some new faces including our kindergarten classes who visited the library for the first time this week.
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LIBRARY LOVERS’ DAY - 14th February 2025
Happy Library Lovers’ Day! Want to share the love of reading with your child? Gifting them a library book is more than just a present; it’s an invitation to embark on a lifelong journey of discovery and imagination. Here at St Peter’s we celebrate the joy of reading, understanding its profound impact on our students’ development.
This week, students celebrated National Library Lovers’ Day at our school library and were provided the opportunity to share all the things that they loved about their library. Primary students were also able to go on a “Blind Date” with a book where they could borrow from a selection of novels based solely on the opening lines of the story. It was wonderful to see the children so enthusiastic about their love for books and their library!
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ASHTON SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB
Issue 1 brochures for 2025 have now been distributed to students. Any cash payment orders will need to be returned to school by 9.00am Wednesday 19th February. Please ensure cash payments include your child’s name, class and correct payment. Online L.O.O.P. orders will close at 9.00pm.
This issue, families who place orders online through L.O.O.P. have the opportunity to receive up to 3 free books depending on the cost of the order (i.e. spend $25 to receive 1 free book; spend $50 to receive 2 free books; spend $70 to receive 3 free books). In addition, families also have the opportunity to receive a $5 credit that can be used towards Issue 2 purchases of $19.50 or more. The terms and conditions of these offers are available via the following link:
Promotional Offers - Scholastic Book Club
NSW PREMIER'S READING CHALLENGE
The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students, and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition, rather, a challenge for entrants to read, to read more books, and to read from a wider choice of titles.
This year, the Challenge opens for students on Monday 24th February and concludes Friday 22nd August 2025.
The Challenge is open to all students from Kindergarten to Year 6 at St Peter’s and is a great way to keep students motivated with regular reading. Student’s completing the challenge receive a certificate in Term 4 recognising their achievement.
How Can Students Get Involved?
- Students who have previously participated at St Peter’s can use their existing login.
- Parents of new students wishing to participate or requiring further information will need to contact Mrs Amanda Ayres: amanda.ayres@lism.catholic.edu.au to arrange login details.
- If your child has previously participated at a different school and would like to participate whilst at St Peter’s this year, please also contact Mrs Ayres to advise this.
- New participants cannot be uploaded until the Challenge begins.
- Office staff and class teachers are unable to enrol students in the Challenge.
All relevant information relating to the challenge, including an area where parents/students are able to search the Premier’s Reading Challenge booklists, can be found on the website below:
NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2025
Many of the titles on the book lists are available in our school library for borrowing and our local town library is also a great resource.
LIBRARY BORROWING TIMETABLE
Please consider volunteering for 2 hours a month to keep our busy Canteen humming along for another year. Your children LOVE seeing you at school and it is a great service for our families. With some of our current volunteers changing work days this year, we need help on Wednesdays - Grandparents are always welcome too! All volunteers need a Working With Children Check.
Canteen Roster
- Volunteer Working With Children Check required
- Please sign into Who's On Location (St Peter's sign in) at the front school office.
Canteen Roster - Week 3 Term 1
Monday | Prue Thompson |
Tuesday | Jodie Brindle |
Wednesday | Anne Currey and Mikaila Stevenson |
Thursday | Freya Peck, Nita Hancock and Pat Shirt |
Friday | Jodie Brindle, Hayley De Somma and Melissa Zerafa |
Kindergarten Red | Kindergarten Blue | Kindergarten Green |
Angus Close Isobel Johnston Rafael Athanasakopoulos |
Millie Simpson Ted Yewdall Trae Pearce |
Mason Roods Rylan Hunt Irah-Mai Moore |
Year 1 Red | Year 1 Blue | Year 1 Green |
Madden Thomas Albie Wells Evelyn Thompson |
Adrian Carpenter Jemima Gallo Arlo Kennedy |
Blake Priestly Kyah Stevens Emmie Salter |
Year 2 Red | Year 2 Blue | Year 2 Green |
Angus Lineham Autumn Barrow Emerson Parrish |
Kye Nolland |
Jasmine Abel Lawson Miles Manaia Fitzpatrick |
Year 3 Red | Year 3 Blue | Year 3 Green |
Benjamin Tarbox Taya Quinn Jack Spry |
Leo Scott Levi Vandermeel Briley Ferguson |
Lennox Shipway Eadie Wells Zola Edwards |
Year 4 Red | Year 4 Blue | Year 4 Green |
Beatrix Wheate Jensen Tanner Sophie Thomas |
Angie Hogan Charlee Ramsey Henry Dawson |
Jett Fuller Brax Clarke Sophia Millwarde |
Year 5 Red | Year 5 Blue | Year 5 Green |
James Millwarde Skyla Stansfield Paige Zvirzdinas |
Keanu Toomalatai Alfred Norman Cade Edwards |
Amelie Abi-Saab Otto Easton Willow Morris-Boyd |
Year 6 Red | Year 6 Blue | Year 6 Green |
Keira McCarthy Brooklyn Fletcher Mason Duffy |
Sidney Barnett Myles Wheate Liam Daley |
Elliott Vella Jack Garvin Kaiya Elliott |
Term 1 Calendar Dates
Week 3, Term 1:
Monday 17th February
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Tuesday 18th February |
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Wednesday 19th February |
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Thursday 20th February |
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Friday 21st February |
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Future Dates/Events @ St Peter's
Week 4, Term 1
Monday 24th February |
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Tuesday 25th February |
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Wednesday 26th February |
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Thursday 27th February | |
Friday 28th February |
STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAY
Staff Spirituality Day - Friday 11th April
Professional Learning Day - Monday 28th April
Kings Birthday Long Weekend - Monday 9th June
Professional Learning Day - Monday 21st July
Professional Learning Day - Monday 13th October
Structured Play Timetable - Term 1
For more information on our Structured Play Time Table at lunch breaks
Please click the link....