29 September 2023
Over the past fortnight there have continued to be so many outstanding events at St Peter’s College and beyond for our students and staff. The House singing competition, Athletics carnival, concerts, excursions and camps to name just a few. I have had the absolute pleasure to be part of these experiences but two very different experiences have been highlights for me; the Positive Education Schools Association conference and the Year 3 camp at Finniss.
Last Thursday I had the opportunity to attend the Positive Education Schools Association conference at Scotch College. The day provided an opportunity to share the experiences of wellbeing education and support that has occurred in many different and varied schools from across South Australia. I was thrilled to share the wellbeing journey of our community at St Peter’s College in a workshop with other educators. A journey which has seen many highlights from more than 10 years of St Peter’s College’s wellbeing support and practices. Our School continues to strengthen our focus on our Visible Wellbeing Framework and the programs that help our students to develop positive mental health strategies, learning skills and relationships.
The final week of term has seen our Year 3 students and a number of staff travel to the St Peter’s College Finniss campsite. This camp is an opportunity for our Year 3 students to experience a broad variety of outdoor venture skills, while also challenging their independence, resilience and sense of adventure. We are so fortunate to have Outdoor Education staff and Junior School staff who provide the students with these opportunities.
From the opening of the camp with a Welcome to Country from Uncle Cedric, damper cooking, night walks and team games, these two nights away are certainly a highlight of the year for students and staff.
A reminder that we have a school subscription to School TV which is an important wellbeing resource for parents. There are a range of articles about a wide variety of issues to provide help and support when assisting your child to navigate some of their personal challenges. Recently I have had a number of discussions with members of our community about respectful language and how important it is for us to focus on how we use language to support each other, but also how damaging derogatory language can be. Here is a recent special report on respectful language that may be of interest for parents to start or continue these important discussions.
Mr Ben Storer
Deputy Head of Junior School – Wellbeing and Administration