Newsletter Week 4

Dear Parents and Carers

 Gymnastics K – 2

This week, our Kinder – Grade 2 students began a Gymnastics clinic program, which will run on Mondays and Tuesdays for several weeks this term. Gymnastics programs such as the one currently underway do a great deal to support children’s fine and gross motor development, and assist with their overall physical and mental wellbeing. My thanks to Mary de Smet for organising the program.

Catalyst

I have written in previous newsletters of the Archdiocesan educational initiative, Catalyst. It is a program of professional learning that all schools in the archdiocese are undertaking. This week, Toni Hatten-Roberts from Cog Learn will be working with the staff on a pedagogical method called ‘Daily Review’, which we are specifically applying to the teaching of Maths. It seeks to help students commit Maths knowledge to their long-term memory. I am teaching in 5M over the next two to three weeks, and will be specifically teaching using this method.

Feast of the Transfiguration

This Friday, we are celebrating the Feast of the Transfiguration, a feast that celebrates our parish and the community to which we belong. The staff and students of Holy Trinity, Curtin, will be joining us for the day. K – 2 students will celebrate Mass in our Church, followed by the students from 3 – 6. Monsignor John Woods will celebrate Mass for both groups of students. Before or after Mass (depending on the grade of the students), classes from Curtin and Garran will join for some buddy activities. The staff from Sts Peter and Paul are providing lunch for the Curtin staff. Occasions such as these are wonderful celebrations of our shared Catholic identity and purpose.

Canteen Week

Next week we celebrate Canteen Week. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Lauretta Raccosta, our wonderful Canteen Manager, and all of the fabulous canteen volunteers who do so much to help our canteen provide good food to our students. Events such as Canteen Week speak to the important role that volunteers have in our school and in society more broadly. Their contributions and generosity of spirit add a great deal to our school, and through the school, to society in general.

Behaviour Management Trial

The school is currently looking at the way it manages (the very infrequent) occurrences of behaviour which are the result of less than ideal choices. This may include incidents of hands on, swearing, ostracising and the like. We are adopting a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to any incidents of hands on or swearing. Students will have consequences including time off the playground and their parents being contacted. After a certain amount of incidents in a term, consequences that are more serious are triggered, such as in-school suspensions or out-of-school suspensions. At the next Community Council meeting in Week 8, I hope to have a draft of the policy to share with the CC for their review and comments. Following the review and comments, I will publish the policy to the parent community.

Movie Night

A reminder that our Term 3 family movie night is on Friday 20 August, 6-8pm. All students and parents are invited to the movie night. My thanks to the Community Council for organising the night.

Have a wonderful, warm and dry week with your families.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal

Saint Mary of the Cross Reflection

This Sunday Mass celebrates the Canonisation of St Mary Mackillop Australia’s first saint. Mary MacKillop is not only the first Australian to be recognised by the Church as a Saint, she is truly a very Australian saint. She characterises the spirit of the Australian mythology. She was a prodigious hard worker who put the needs of others before herself. She exhibited something of the larrikin spirit: constantly in dispute with authority but pressing on, regardless. She used the strengths of others but also didn’t tolerate those who were not genuine. Her commitment to the schooling of children from poor and rural communities established a model of Catholic education that continues to today. A Saint for and of Australia!

Mary was also a prolific writer, and we include a link to some of the words of wisdom she penned throughout her life.

http://www.rec.bne.catholic.edu.au/Document%20Library/Documents/Mary%20MacKillop%20Sayings.pdf

 Adapted from Greg Sunter

Sacrament of First Eucharist

Below are the key details relating to the Sacrament and instructions for enrolling via Qkr. 

If you have any questions, please feel very welcome to contact me via email: fran.garrett@cg.catholic.edu.au

 https://www.prayingwithchildren.org/ph0dr1m3m4.html

08/08/2021  St Mary of the Cross

Blessings,

Fron Garrett

Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to those students celebrating their birthday this week.

Ola A

Abigail B

James O

Matthew S

Lady-Sapphire W

Book Club- Orders for issue 5 have been processed and hopefully they will be delivered next week. I will hand them out as soon as they arrive at school!

Chief Minister's Reading Challenge

The CMRC finishes this Friday 6th August. We have a goal of ALL students completing the challenge and the children have been reading many books in class and at home over the last 5 months! Congratulations to those students who already have their name on the Champion’s Wall!

Book Week- Week 8

Wednesday 1st September- 

*Book Week Dress Up Parade: Come dressed as your favourite BOOK Character 

*Whole School Shortlisted Book Activities 

*Whole School Prize for reaching our book goal target with the Book Fair in Term 2

Thursday 2nd September - unfortunately due to COVID Restrictions, the Performances by Meerkat Productions based on the shortlisted books have been postponed and rescheduled for Term 4. 

Please contact amanda.basedow@cg.catholic.edu.au if you have any questions regarding the Library or borrowing.

Keep reading! Mrs Basedow

In Term Three, the students of Stage Three (Years 5 & 6) will be performing our biannual school production. This year our school play is called “Star Warts”. Auditions have been held and the students with speaking roles now know which parts they have. 

To aid in keeping costs down, we are seeking your assistance to source props for the play. If you are able to donate any of the following, it would be very much appreciated: Fluffy Dice, Fairy Wings x2, Large Torches x2, Giant Tennis Ball, Small Tennis Balls, Rackets x7, Hand Mirror, Wig (with buns on the side), and Toy Light Sabres.  

If you require your props to be returned at the end of the school production, please label them. If you do not wish for your props to be returned, they will be stored for future productions. Please send in your props as soon as possible, so that we can work out what we will need to purchase or construct. 

If you would like to offer your assistance in creating props and costumes for the play, please let us know. Your assistance is also very much appreciated. Thank you. 

Years 5 and 6 Teachers 

Sts Peter & Paul will be celebrating our ‘Annual Science Day’ on Thursday 26th August. 

In class groups, students will participate in a variety of engaging science activities. Keeping with tradition, our Year 6 students will lead the experiments with teacher support and supervision. 

The theme for this year is “Food: Different by Design.” Students are invited to dress as scientists/inventors for the day. 

IMPORTANT: In preparation for Science Day, we need your help to send in recycled materials for the activities we will be conducting. If you have any of these materials that you were going to throw out anyway, could you please send them to school with your child. 

Here is a list of materials that we will need to make our annual Science Day a success: plastic shopping bags; clean small soft drink bottles without labels (coke, fanta, lemonade, etc); jars without labels and cardboard cylinders/rolls. 

Paul Jenkins

Families of classes 1 White and 1 Maroon please join us for a combined family get together by the lake!  

The details are:

Where: Black Mountain Peninsula BBQ area, Garryowen Drive Acton.

 When: from 12pm Sunday August 15

Where:  - grassed area at lake near BBQ's, bring a picnic blanket/chairs, snacks and drinks. Sausage sizzle will be provided.

RSVP: by Friday August 13 or just rock up! In the case of rain on the day we will cancel and reschedule. 

We hope to see you there!

Sam Whitton (1W Georges mum) and Jade Caboche (1M Henry's mum)

The School's Lost Property clothing rack is situated in front of the canteen. Parents and students are able to come in before or after school to check for any missing items. Please ensure all uniform is clearly labeled with your child’s name.

Lunch boxes/containers – We ask that all families check their child's lunch bags/containers to ensure they have their first and last name and, preferably, class easily identifiable. This allows any lost containers to be returned if they are forgotten at lunch time. Unnamed containers are disposed of.

Another busy week in the kitchen and garden!! This week 3/4 have continued to learn about sustainability and health in the garden and classroom and we have also celebrated National Tree Planting Day.

In sustainability, the children have learnt how to plant carrots from seeds and also by using the carrots tops which is a more sustainable way (and nothing goes to waste).

In health lessons, the children are creating colourful posters for each food group. They have researched what foods are in each group and why our bodies need them. Many different facts have been discovered. For example, did you know that Vitamin B helps your nails stay strong!

We had a very exciting day on Friday celebrating National Tree Planting Day. A few student,s as well as the Suitability Leaders, participated in planting our next plum tree for our orchard. It was a fabulous occasion.

If you have any questions about our work in the kitchen and garden and linking it with the curriculum please email Mrs Birch on Katherine.birch@cg.catholic.edu.au

The Garden Club

CANTEEN IS CASHLESS

 Families can make contactless payments via Qkr!

Purchase over-the-counter sale items (snacks & treats) for your child/children in a lunch order via Qkr! 

or

  you can purchase a “daily counter sales voucher” via Qkr! for your child/children to go to the canteen to collect something at lunchtime.

Canteen roster - Week 5, Term 2 - CANTEEN WEEK!

Thank you helpers; your assistance is very much appreciated!

Please contact me if you are unable to help out on your day.

Thank you.

Are you able to help out in the canteen in TERM 3?

 If you have any spare time and would like to help out in the canteen, PLEASE feel free to contact me through email at lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au

 Term 3 canteen roster available now

Click on the link below to add your selected time to the roster.

Please ensure you have your WWVP card.

https://stpandp.schoolzineplus.com/canteenrosterterm3

 Lauretta Raccosta,

Canteen

Lauretta.Raccosta@cg.catholic.au

Friday 6 August

 NO LUNCH ORDERS THIS FRIDAY

This Friday is the Feast Day of our Parish, the Transfiguration of the Lord.

We are gathering with our friends from Holy Trinity Curtin to celebrate and share a hot dog lunch together.  The canteen will not be open for lunch orders or counter sales.  If your child will not eat a hot dog, they are encouraged to bring their lunch.  Gluten free and vegetarian options will be available for students.

We are sure the children will enjoy the celebrations of the day.

Next week, we will be celebrating CANTEEN WEEK. 

This is an annual event, created to promote, recognise and celebrate all the great benefits of having a school canteen. 

We will be promoting this vital school service.
 
To help CELEBRATE CANTEEN WEEK, any child who orders a lunch order any day next week will receive a surprise in their lunch order!

The Canteen will also have CCW specials on Qkr! and will be selling Cocktail Franks,  mini hash browns,  Party pies,  Chicken dinos and a MR JOHN’S SPECIAL (which is a sausage roll in a bread roll)

These items are not usually on the menu and will only be available for Canteen Week.

The week will be filled with fun competitions and prizes so make your way down to the canteen!

For the younger students – (Kindy, Years 1 & 2) there is a colouring-in competition. Printouts can be found at the Canteen.

  Return your colouring-in to Mrs R at the canteen for the winner to be selected.

For all students - there is a creative fruit/vegetable competition. Draw or take a photo of your most creative way to eat a fruit or vegetable. Check out some ideas below from last year’s  winners and runner up .  Bring or email your creation to Mrs R at the canteen for the winner to be selected.
 
All Competitions close on the 20 August.

Canteen volunteers will select the student winners. 

The winning students will receive canteen vouchers to use in the canteen for over the counter sales.

OPEN TUESDAY MORNINGS

8.30 – 9.30AM

The Uniform Shop is a service for the parents and children. 

We sell New & Quality Second-hand school clothing, and all money raised goes back to the school to provide resources for the children.

You can place an order via Qkr! Order on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday and the item/s will be delivered to your child’s classroom.

Orders need to be placed before 8.45am.

Please see SZapp for the Winter Uniform price list.

It is usual practice for most schools to offer second-hand clothing at the uniform shop to families at a discounted price. Quality second-hand clothing can only be purchased during uniform hours.  We do understand that this may not be convenient for some families so please feel free to send me an email if you are unable to get to the uniform shop during its hours and I will do my best to attend your needs.

 The uniform shop is limited with space, so as a guide, clothes should only be donated if washed and in perfect resalable order.

Please give any used second-hand uniform to Mrs R in the canteen, Thank you.

Lauretta Raccosta

Uniform Shop

Lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au

RICE PAPER ROLLS

Ingredients

150 g vermicelli noodles

Bunch coriander, soaked & chopped

Bunch mint leaves, rinsed & chopped

2 carrots, peeled & grated

200 g cabbage, shredded

5 spring onions, topped, tailed & cut lengthways

1 pkt rice paper roll wrappers

Method

Place noodles in a bowl. Cover with warm water, soak for 10 minutes then drain.

Meanwhile bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the soaked noodles and cook for 2 minuntes, drain and rinse well with cold water. Tip noodles onto clean tea towel, pat dry and place in a bowl.

Prepare all other ingredients then add to the noodles and mix to combine.

Lay a clean, damp tea towel on the bench.

Fill a large bowl with warm water and place a wrapper in the water for 30 seconds.

Lift out of water and onto the prepared tea towel. Spoon a tablespoon of mixture onto the middle of the wrap, roll twice, fold ends in and continue rolling to form a roll.

Place on serving tray with damp clean tea towel over.

Repeat with remaining wrappers and serve rolls with soy sauce or peanut sauce.

Creating shoebox habitats is a great way to learn about how animals live. It's also a great way to use up some of those crafty bits and peices you may have. The following pictures are just some examples of shoebox habitats, let your creative juices flow!

School Sport ACT (SSACT)

Please follow this link www.schoolsportact.org.au to access all information related to School Sport ACT. The current primary school sporting calendar can be found on this page. Please ensure that you visit this page regularly as dates sometimes change due to unforeseen circumstances.

SSACT Trials

The process for registering your child for an ACT sport trial can be found below. If you need any assistance registering your child, don’t hesitate to get in touch and we will hopefully be able to help you out. If you find that there are any steps missing within this process, please let me know at your earliest convenience.

SSACT Registration Process

School Sport ACT now collects all registration information online – this is to prevent the movement to and fro of a paper note and have all information readily available to officials prior to the trial. As this process incurs a fee for data storage, system maintenance and admin, a small fee payment via credit card will be required.

How to register a Student with School Sport ACT.

1. Go to the School Sport ACT website schoolsportact.org.au
2. Go to Register (top right corner of the homepage) and create an account.
3. After completion, check your registered email to verify your account. (Always check your spam folder in case you didn't immediately receive the verification email).
4. After verifying your account, Log In (top right hand corner of the homepage) using your registered email and password.
5. You’ll be presented with your Parent Dashboard. From there you can start the process of registering a Student into a Trial.
6. Click the green Add Student
7. Complete all of the information required for your Student (e.g. Medical Details, Sport, Playing History, Preferred Position, School etc.) and save the information. (If your child is already in the system, please ensure that your child’s school is up to date in your profile.)
8. Click on the trial information box and then click on the register to trial link.
9. Make the small credit card payment. After payment your Principal/School Approver will receive an email for their approval to trial.

You will be able to see the process has been complete back in My Profile – once your Principal/School Approver has completed the approval process your child’s information will be collated onto a list for the Team Manager and Coach prior to trial.

The Woden Valley Youth Choir has been engaging the voices and stirring the hearts of children and youth in Canberra for over 50 years.

 We are currently inviting everyone to our Annual Concert, 

all 8-18 year olds to come and sing with us at the Open Rehearsal, and then try out during an audition.

WVYC Annual Concert–Saturday 7/Sunday 8 August

A full and varied program featuring all our choirs: Nova (Lower Primary); Borealis (Upper Primary/Lower Secondary); Australis (Secondary/Tertiary); Centauri (choir for young men with changing voices).

6pm Saturday 7 August Wesley Uniting Church

3pm Sunday 8 August Wesley Uniting Church 

Bookings: trybooking.com/BSSDH

 Open Day (Rehearsal)–Tuesday August 17

For ages 8-18. Come and have fun as you sing with one of our age appropriate choirs. No previous experience necessary.

RSVP: info.wvyc@gmail.com

Auditions–Saturday 21 August

For ages 8-18. Take the next step as you join us. Prepare a simple song you sing well. Our director, Olivia, will guide you through the rest.

Bookings: wvyc.director@gmail.com 

For more information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me by reply email. Or visit our website at wvyc.org.au. 

Kind regards,

Andrew Lubbock

WVYC Committee