From the Deputy Headmaster

As we come quickly to the end of Term 1, I have been reflecting on what it means to be part of “an exceptional community of learning.” When thinking about the word exceptional, sometimes it can be seen in the context of a school as trying to be perfect. Yet exceptional is not about being perfect; it is about being special—or, as the Cambridge Dictionary puts it, “not usual.” So, when one reflects upon Term 1 and our exceptional community, it is important to acknowledge that what happens at St Peter’s College is not usual; it is indeed special.

When I was nearly five, my parents packed up my three siblings and me and moved about nine hours west of Brisbane to the town of Charleville. For us at the time, we thought this was going to be one big adventure, and we did not really understand what was happening. Yet it was this move that had the most profound impact on my understanding of, and the importance of, being in an exceptional community.

Charleville at the time was a town with a smaller population than our entire school community, yet it serviced a huge area. It was during this time that I learned what it meant to live in a community. Due to our isolation, we were totally reliant on those around us. In fact, our neighbours became like family, and we would spend many hours playing at each other’s houses, walking to and from school together, and playing sport on the weekends. In essence, we knew each other, we supported each other and we shared a strong and common connection.

I can remember on a Sunday morning before church, walking down to the local newsagent to collect the Sunday paper. The newsagent was only open for 15 minutes, so one had to be on time. I can recall many Sunday afternoons when people would come around for a BBQ and to play tennis. I remember playing cricket as a six-year-old against boys in Year 7. Age was no barrier, as we shared in this connection and love of the sport, and there is no doubt they looked after me. It was during this time, and through all these adventures, that I learned the importance of community — a community that relied on every member to support and guide each other, sharing a common connection to help the town not only function but thrive. For me, this created an understanding of the importance of community, and this has been very much at the heart of what I want to see and feel in the world where I live.

The point of sharing this story is that being part of a community that shares common values and practices is what makes St Peter’s College so special. In every encounter, I sense that we are an exceptional community of learning. We are not striving for perfection, but rather, we are building a place where everyone can feel safe and at home. When we do not quite get it right, there are people to guide us in the right direction. When we disagree on something, we have ways to find a way forward because of our common ground. That is what I think is special about our community.

Last year, the Reverend Dr Daniel Heischman added to my thinking about communities when he challenged Anglican schools to consider the structure of their communities. He asked us whether our school is a community of consumers or citizens. He said, “Consumers are people who just take from our world, and citizens are people who contribute to our world.” When we examine our community, it is important to consider: are we consumers of St Peter’s College, only picking the things we want, or are we citizens who contribute wholeheartedly to every aspect of school life, demonstrating a real and shared interest in each other?

Reverend Heischman further challenged us by asking whether our community members are pilgrims or tourists. He described a tourist as someone who goes through the world simply checking things off a list, while a pilgrim is someone who moves through life with a sense of substance—someone who sees and senses the world around them, lingers in a place, and truly immerses themselves in understanding and making meaning of their world.

A hallmark of an Anglican school is to have a community where those engaged are pilgrims and citizens. St Peter’s College is a community built on shared experiences—whether it be attending a Senior School or Junior School Muster, watching our rowers at Head of the River, being inspired by our School Captains, or seeing students who show genuine care and support through our Buddy Up program. It is hard not to reflect on how special it is to be part of such an exceptional community, where we see citizens and pilgrims form the very heart of what it means to belong. I am grateful every day to walk into the grounds and talk with our boys, our staff, and our families as part of this exceptional community.

We have had so many community events over the last few weeks, and it is fitting that tonight, we’re celebrating our music community with an outdoor concert. On Saturday, we will come together for Community Day. While there will be sports throughout the day, it is not about winning—that is not what makes it so special. It is about the connections we make, the journey we take together, and the sense of belonging we feel as part of this amazing community. Thank you for being a pilgrim and a citizen of our school and for sharing in the beauty and joy of celebrating our shared connection.

Finally, as this is the last newsletter of the term, we wish all families a safe, relaxing, and holy Easter, and we look forward to continuing to build our exceptional community in Term 2.

Mr David Nolan
Deputy Headmaster / Head of Senior School