09 March 2022
To look beyond one’s horizon of St Peter’s College, our state and nation is an ongoing assignment for all SPSC students and it has been pleasing to witness many examples of boys embracing this challenge over the past fortnight.
Today our School Captains admirably led over 100 students from across the nation in challenging, vigorous debate centred around the pressing global issues of our time. In what was the 11th National Student Leadership Summit to be hosted by the School, student leaders from Independent, Catholic and Public schools gathered to connect, communicate and create. They learnt about the power of language and how it can make positive change in our world, how to build connections and how to use their creativity to raise awareness of social issues.
In our Junior School Assembly last Friday we introduced our Student Representative Council who will represent their year levels from Reception to Year 6 by working together to make a positive influence both at school and in the wider community through student-led initiatives.
Last weekend our senior students volunteered their time with Conservation Volunteers Australia to collect rubbish from the Kaurna Park Wetlands; an opportunity to change the wider community for the better.
Like no other generation before them, our students have the world at their fingertips. They have the choice to look beyond their horizons and be fully informed at all times. They have the choice to be informed about the human suffering resulting from the floods on Australia’s east coast. They have the choice to be informed about the catastrophic humanitarian crisis unfolding in Eastern Europe. It’s all at their fingertips. BBC, Al Jazeera News, The Female Lead, are organisations students should consider including in their feed to help build a critical perspective on current affairs. Students should expect to converse with me or any other staff member about the issues relative to such a broad horizon.
We gathered last week for our traditional Academic Muster to recognise the exceptional academic results of our Class of 2021. The record number of boys achieving at the very highest in the SACE, International Baccalaureate and national ATAR results is testament to the rigour, resilience and agility of this wonderful group of young men, their families and their teachers. The achievements, effort and the growth of the whole cohort was represented on the day by our highest achievers. And what was most apparent from their long list of achievements was the well-rounded and comprehensive nature of their accomplishments. Evidently their high performance in the classroom and examination hall was not additional to, but rather a result of their rich pastoral and co-curricular engagement.
Congratulations to the Class of 2021 and a special mention of our Duces Sachin Ravindran (HWD 2021) and Xian Huang (SHT 2021) and Proximae Accessits Anthony Pham (YNG 2021) and William Subramaniam (YNG 2021). In his Dux’s Address Sachin noted that “the group would not be defined by their ATARs; their shared journey and friendships formed were more meaningful and will last longer than any ATAR on record.”
With his broad general knowledge of the world around him and well-developed critical thinking skills, Xander Grice (Year 12) has been selected for the 2022 South Australian Schools’ State Debating Squad. Congratulations Xander and good luck for the National Championships to be held in Canberra in May.
Enjoy a safe and relaxing long weekend and I hope to see many of you at our Welcome Cocktail Evening next Friday 18 March. Today is your last chance to book your tickets.
Tim Browning
Headmaster