Over the past 30 years Peter Meyer has shaped countless lives in classrooms, on sporting fields, over chess boards, on excursions and in conversations. This year, Peter made the difficult decision to finish full time teaching, a journey that has taken him from isolated communities in the Northern Territory to a leadership role at SPCC.

Whether it was working with Aboriginal children in remote areas, teaching primary school, or leading pastoral care and student welfare, Pete’s commitment to Christian education and his deep care for every child have made him a truly exceptional educator. We spent some time with Peter as he reflected on his time at the College.

I’ve been at SPCC Newcastle for...28 years

My time at SPCC began….it was 1996 - I was a school leader at a public school in Singleton, and my eldest daughter was about to start kindergarten. We were planning for her to attend Maitland Christian School, but at the time, I didn’t know much about Christian education. I decided to take a week’s long service leave and volunteer at Maitland Christian to learn more. I was immediately struck by the staff's openness in sharing their faith and building strong relationships. It felt like God was calling me to Christian education. Soon after, a teaching position opened at St Philip’s, and despite there being over 50 applicants, I was offered the role initially working in Year 5.

Something I love about SPCC is…that the leaders are always striving to improve, not just academically, but in nurturing the spiritual growth of the students and supporting their individual needs. I truly love the heart of this school. I love the College’s values, its commitment to staying close to God, and its focus on continuous improvement all align with what God showed me was the right place for me to be. Both of my daughters went through K-12 here, and now my grandchildren are part of the St Philip’s community too which is very special.

One of my best experiences at SPCC was… being a manager for the CIS athletics team at the PSSA carnival. It combined my love for athletics with the opportunity to support the students. Another highlight was organising and leading the HRIS chess tournament for 26 years, where our teams consistently excelled. Another great experience was being a founding member of ‘The Wobbles’, a band similar (but even better) than The Wiggles, formed by Liz Moir and including Josh Irwin, Jonathon Cooper, Adam Scott and later Paul Wellham.

A great memory from my time at SPCC was…working with Jonathan Cooper on the Book Week Old Testament play for Primary School. For over six years, we acted out stories like David and Goliath and the Prophets of Baal, often with a lot of improvisation. One of the most magical moments was when a group of students dressed as pirates stormed the amphitheatre to "capture" me as Peter during the Prophets of Baal scene.

A challenge I faced during my time at the College was…in some ways, it has been keeping up with the rapid changes in teaching, especially with the integration of technology in the classroom. I love a challenge, and I love to learn and grow, and I still remember buying my first home computer so that I could learn how to use it in a time computers were not super common. But, the pace of technological advancement since then has been a challenge at times. Another memorable challenge occurred during a student excursion to Sydney on the day of the Pasha Bulker storm when flooding stranded our year level 40km away from home. We ended up waiting at a train station for eight hours in the pouring rain, and it was looking likely we would need to stay there overnight. But thanks to the quick action of parents, we managed to get everyone safely back to Newcastle.

Today I’m inspired by…the same sense of purpose that brought me to the College still inspires and drives me today. I want to serve God in all areas of my life. Now that I will not be full time teaching, I hope to do more within my local church and my daughter’s church. I am also incredibly inspired by seeing my former students go on to do amazing things in the community and for God. That has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my work.

At school, I am known for...I hope as being someone who cares about the welfare of the children, enjoys having fun, and encourages others – both students and staff.

I was also known for supporting students in sports - leading sports teams and soccer teams, basketball teams and athletics. I coached some students who went on to be CIS gold medallists and shot put and high jump and relays, and it was so special to see them perform at that level.

My greatest achievement is...encouraging children and members of the College community in their Christian faith. It has been such a blessing to journey with families where they are at and encouraging them, and seeing lives changed. And now to see the next generation of students, including the children of former students, grow and thrive has been very rewarding.

The best piece of advice I ever received...In my first year at the College, Graeme Evans shared wisdom on the importance of maintaining a balance between my school life, home life and church life, and not allowing my work life to impact other areas. This balance has been important for longevity.

One last thing...not every person has the chance to work in a profession they love. I feel incredibly blessed that I have been able to do what I have loved for so long. I have had the chance to encourage children to try to reach their best – whatever that was. Helping young people to be more confident and able to step into what God has for them. I am thankful.

Mr Meyer isn't on social media, but if you have a message for him please send it through or type a comment below and we will pass these on.