05 February 2021
Welcome back to all families and a very special welcome to all our new students and families that have joined the St Peter’s College community for the first time in 2021. It has been wonderful to see the boys quickly engage with the School routine and begin to advance their endeavours and our new staff embrace our vision to be an exceptional community of learning.
As has become tradition over the past three years we began the School year with all staff and students gathering on Girdlestone Oval, Kaurna Land, for a special Smoking Ceremony conducted by Aboriginal leader Uncle John. Earlier in our Senior School Muster I spoke to the students about the importance of acknowledging our Aboriginal community, the valuable culture that surrounds them and also understanding the significance of the Prime Minister’s decisions to alter the wording of the National Anthem.
The commissioning ceremonies of the Junior School leaders and School Captains were wonderful occasions and important opportunities to remind our community of our heritage, values and the role of leadership within St Peter’s College. I challenged all Senior School students to assume a leadership role in serving the needs of others and reminded them that to be their greatest self, rather than lording over others they instead need to take the reverse approach and serve others.
As I highlighted in my welcome message your son will be surrounded by key themes of high expectations and academic rigour as they journey in a shared partnership to adulthood as mature, successful, contributing members of our nation. In our partnership between home and school it is important that our students sense and feel our unified alignment, high expectations and consistency. Should you require any support or have any queries regarding these expectations or provisions please contact your Head of Campus at any time.
It was wonderful to join Isaac Hoe, Rushan Khurram, Oliver Kleinig, Charles Morton, Shrey Sinhal and Yifan Zhao at the SACE Merit Ceremony at Government House earlier this week. These six students received their merits, for exceptional achievement in multiple subjects, from the Hon Steven Marshall, Premier of South Australia.
I am hopeful the community restrictions will abate this year and we can have wider engagement with all parents and guardians. I do hope you can join us for our Welcome Cocktail Evening to be held Friday 19 February and encourage you to book your tickets.
Tim Browning
Headmaster
