10 February 2022
Welcome back to all families and a very warm welcome to all our new students and families that have joined the St Peter’s College community for the first time in 2022. Whist the school year has started with some disruption, I encourage all boys to quickly engage with the School routine, confirm and pursue a range of goals and to be strong and lovely in everything they undertake. Above all, it is a gentle strength that we seek to embrace in our interactions with others. Thank you to our staff who have once again shown agility and dedication to ensure our students have had the best possible start to the academic year.
As has become tradition over the past four years we began the School year with a special Smoking Ceremony conducted by Aboriginal leader Uncle John Lochowiak. The Ceremony highlighted the spiritual and cultural significance of the Kaurna Land that St Peter’s College is built upon and the School’s commitment to reconciliation.
The commissioning ceremonies of our School Captains and Junior School leaders were important occasions in which our community was reminded of our heritage, values, the role of leadership within our School and the importance of leading with humility. Throughout their school journey our School Captains, Chirath and Aidan have demonstrated our School values of truth, respect and service. And in pausing their immediate ambitions for 12 months to serve our community they have accepted their first challenge of servant leadership. It is a great honour for the boys and a superb opportunity in which they will learn so much about themselves through serving others.
It will be wonderful to welcome all boys back to campus for the resumption of normal lessons and face-to-face learning on Monday. I ask all students to please keep in mind that it is a difficult time for some, particularly those vulnerable members of our community. Please be sensitive to not only your peers, but to all staff in the School. Cases of COVID-19 within our community are inevitable and many students will be classroom contacts. Don’t be alarmed if you receive correspondence confirming your son as a classroom contact. Please simply monitor for symptoms and follow SA Health’s classroom contact recommendations to minimise the risk to others.
Whilst recognising all the SA Government has done to keep South Australians safe during the pandemic, like you, I am disappointed the Chief Public Health Officer has classified school sport a ‘high risk’ activity while community sport continues. Our School has been strongly advocating for interschool sport to be reinstated as soon as possible. Additionally, we have been lobbying the Government to review their close contact boarding house guidelines that are currently creating unnecessary challenges for our boarding community.
We look forward to returning to our normal program of parent engagement and welcoming you onto campus later this term. Keep an eye on your inbox for our Welcome Cocktail Evening invitation and of course I would be delighted if you could join us for our Gala Ball celebration to mark the 175th Anniversary of Sancti Petri Schola Collegiata. Tickets can be purchased here. Don’t miss out!
Tim Browning
Headmaster