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Faith and Community
St Peter's Primary School Bentleigh East
St Peter was one of Jesus’ disciples, and one of the church’s earliest leaders. St Peter’s real name was Simon or Simeon. Simon and his brother Andrew were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee before being called by Jesus to be his disciples.
St Peter is the Patron Saint of fishermen, netmakers, shipbuilders, popes and the city of Rome. His feast day is the 29th June, and is shared with St Paul.
Peter witnessed many of Jesus’ miracles, teachings and actions. He was a faithful follower, who, despite promising never to betray Jesus, denied him three times before Jesus’ crucifixion. Peter was often sorry, and is an example of being granted Jesus’ forgiveness.
After Jesus’ death and resurrection, Peter journeyed far and wide to spread the news of the Gospel and to encourage people to become Christian and to live their lives as Jesus would. It is said he began the Roman Catholic Church, and was the first Bishop of Rome and the first Pope of the Catholic Church.
He was martyred (sentenced to death) sometime around AD 64, and at his request, he was crucified upside down because he did not consider himself worthy to die in the same way as Jesus.
The famous Vatican church, St. Peter’s Basilica, is a shrine to him and is considered to be built on the site where he was buried.
School Prayer
May God’s joy be in your heart
And God’s love surround your living.
Each day and night
And wherever you roam,
May you know God’s presence.
In growing and learning,
In joy and sorrow,
In friendship,
In solitude,
In beginnings and endings.
May God keep you
And bless you
All the days of your life.
Amen
Meditation
Each morning at the beginning of the school day, between 8.53am and 9:00am the school community takes part in Christian Meditation which we refer to as “Our Sacred Space.” This practice promotes a sense of calm to help our students start the day with a clear mind.
The time spent meditating depends on the age of the students. Foundation students aim to meditate for two minutes whereas the older students meditate for up to five minutes. The time is then extended as the students become more experienced.
The main features of “Our Sacred Space” are silence, stillness, simplicity, focused breathing, upright posture and eyes closed.
When meditation is complete the teacher will ring a chime and the children will pray as a class. Parents are always welcome to join in and many find it valuable for themselves after a busy morning at home in the rush to get to school.
Newsletter
Religious Education
Children are introduced to our Catholic tradition through daily prayer, bible stories (retold in simple language), liturgies as well as participation in special Masses. The children are able to retell stories about Jesus and how these stories relate to their lives today.
When rich and powerful learning experiences are provided, students take responsibility for themselves as they engage in authentic and just action for the common good of all, with consideration for the most vulnerable.
At St Peter’s we seek to create a Spirit filled community of students, parents and staff who will engage in a lifelong journey of faith development depending on our individual narrative.
Sacramental Program
At St Peter’s Primary School, we are part of the Holy Trinity Parish and St Peter’s Church Community. Our Sacramental Program is Parent Initiated, Parish Based and School Supported.
Children in Year 3 receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation; children in Year 4 receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and Year 6 children receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.
Children from catholic families outside of our school are welcomed into our Parish Sacramental program. Please contact St Peter's Parish for more information at: officeholytrinityparish@cam.org.au
Get Involved
At St Peter’s Primary School we warmly welcome parents into the classrooms to assist with a variety of activities including reading groups, cooking, maths tasks, art and craft activities and excursions. We also encourage parents to share their expertise, skills and experiences as guest speakers.
All parent helpers and volunteers are required to have a valid working with children check to be presented to office staff prior to entry to school. All visitors are required to sign in before entry is permitted.
Other ways to be involved in our school community include being a class parent representative, or being part of the School Advisory Board or the Parents & Friends Association.
Classroom Representatives:
The role of the class parent representative is to work collaboratively with other parent representatives (within the same year level) to organise and coordinate events for families and students throughout the school year.
This includes but is not limited to: family/parent/class dinners, coffee catch ups or school holiday play dates.
The role of classroom parent representatives aims to enhance relationships within the school community.
Parents & Friends:
St Peter’s Primary School Parents & Friends Association is a spirited and vibrant part of our school community, offering many opportunities for parents and families to get together, have fun and build friendships.
The role of the Parents & Friends Association is to facilitate social events between parents, teachers, students and the wider community and raise funds for projects that will directly benefit the students.
The Parents & Friends Association meet twice a term to discuss and plan for the coming events as well as determine goals for the year. This group is a vital part of our school community and over the years have funded projects such as landscaping and a variety of new literacy and numeracy resources.
We invite all new parents to join us - new faces and new ideas are always welcome!
School Advisory Council:
The School Advisory Council provides a crucial point of connection between the wider school community and the school leaders. The St Peter’s School Advisory Council consists of the Principal, Parish Priest and parents from the school community.
The primary role of the School Advisory Council is to support the Principal and Parish Priest by providing advice on educational matters within the context of the school and Parish’s vision, and mission statements.
Some of the many ways the School Advisory Council may support the school and the Principal include:
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Supporting school policies
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Providing advice to the Principal on issues such as school improvement plans and enrolment trends
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Promoting faith formation and development
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Engaging in discussion with the Principal about the annual school budget and other financial matters
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Providing advice to the Principal about the school’s master plan
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Capital resource planning and maintenance support to the Principal
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Promoting the school’s Catholic ethos and culture
School parents who would like to be on the School Advisory Council, are invited to submit an expression of interest when a position on the Council becomes available.