From the Deputy Principal / Head of Early Years, Sarah Noell
The start of the year always brings a mix of excitement and anticipation. We are incredibly proud of all our students, especially those new to St Peter’s Woodlands, who showed remarkable courage in embracing new challenges, building friendships, and settling into their new learning environment.
Building community, building a village for our families
This year we welcome 84 new families to St Peter’s Woodlands, 62 students starting in the ELC and 22 students in the school. During our coffee mornings and Parents Welcome Evening, which we hosted in our beautifully refurbished Upper Primary Precinct, we warmly welcomed these families. We understand the important role community plays in helping to raise children, and we were pleased to have the opportunity for our community to gather and connect.
Transitions for a smooth start
Our new Reception students were so excited to finally put on their uniforms and proudly enter their classrooms after an extensive transition program throughout 2024. Many parents reported their children had their uniforms out and ready for days. Our Flying Start Reception Transition Program equips our youngest school children with the COURAGE to enter school and bravely navigate their way through school days with the support of their teacher and Education Support Officer.
Transitions are carefully considered across the school with every family meeting their class teacher and ESO at the Getting to Know You meetings prior to the start of school. This provides comfort for the children (and parents!) who can see their classroom and chat to their teacher about the year ahead.
Senior Year starting with a bang
In the second week of school we launched our Year 6 DARE Graduate Diploma with students and parents listening with WONDER to Dr Tim Jarvis who shared his experiences retracing Shakelton’s treacherous expedition to Antarctica. It was a great real life example of how the skills they are practicing this year through the DARE program, can serve them into the future.
Extra & Co-Curricular
Students have already begun extra-curricular activities. With an extensive list of programs to choose from, each child has the opportunity to explore their passion and interests across the year. In the mornings children can be seen at before school bands, choirs and Glee Club whilst our ovals are filled with early morning runners at our Run Club as well as Beach Run on Glenelg’s beach foreshore.
Afternoons are busy with all facilities in use – 2 full courts of basketball, 2 full courts of Netball, 2 full Cricket nets, both ovals are a hive of ball sports and Gymnastics! In addition, after school Art club, Code Club and Chess Club have began, and for the bookworms, our Library is open before and after school. On top of this, we have had 300 students sign up to learn instruments!
Respecting different cultures
In classrooms students celebrated Cultural Story Celebration Day. A day to acknowledge and RESPECT the diversity of our community. Students and staff wore or shared unique items to express their cultural story. Each class also authentically created an Acknowledgment of Country to show respect to our Kaurna culture.
SERVICE is a the last of our four values, as we believe being an active citizen is a lifelong commitment. Throughout the year students and staff will select a way to serve the community, starting with our annual ELC Intergenerational Program with Kapara Residential Aged Care. We look forward to sharing more about how we serve in 2025.
Building facilities to serve the future
Finally, exciting building works happened over the Christmas holidays with the start of development for the Dr Pamela Wall Centre, a state-of-the-art theatre, sport and multi-purpose facility that will inspire creativity and collaboration for years to come. We respectfully farewelled Baddams Hall a building steeped in history and cherished by generations of students. In addition our Year 3 and 4 learning environments were refurbished over the holiday period and the students are thrilled to be learning in such big, bright and well equipped classrooms.
We hope your year is off to a great start and we look forward to welcoming you to our school at special events throughout the year. Please follow us on social media to see a snapshot of how the difference is extraordinary at St Peter’s Woodlands.
