Dear Parents and Carers

On Friday, we celebrate Grandparents’ Day/Grandfriends' Day. This day acknowledges and celebrates the unique contribution grandparents (or someone similar) make in the lives of their grandchildren. It is very pleasing that despite the limitations that Remote Learning and lockdown puts on us all, such occasions can still go ahead and be celebrated. Students will have the opportunity to contact their grandparents and interview them about their life. At next Monday’s assembly, students will speak about their grandparents and their relationship. My thanks to Fron Garrett-Rumba for coordinating the event.

Parent/Teacher Conversations

Yesterday and today, parents have had the opportunity to make a time to meet online 1:1 with their child’s teacher/s. The meetings provide an invaluable opportunity for home and school to collaborate and discuss the needs of the children, and to ensure that good communication takes place regarding the needs of each child. In particular, the opportunity gives teachers and parents the chance to discuss any possible needs that may need attending. If you have not yet met with your child’s teacher, I encourage you to make contact and set a time to discuss your child’s progress over the remote learning period, and his or her return to face-to-face learning.

Face-to-Face Learning

Happily, we are almost at the point of students returning to school. At the beginning of Week 4, October 25^th, we welcome back students from K – 2 and Grade 6. The following week, at the beginning of Week 5, November 1^st, we welcome back students from Grades 3 – 5. It will be wonderful to have them back, we have missed the students a great deal. No doubt, many parents have questions about the protocols and safety measures that the school will need to have in place to ensure that students are as safe as is possible, upon their return. The Leadership Team and the school staff more broadly, have been discussing various scenarios and conditions that need to be addressed. Next Wednesday, October 20, at 4 p.m., Sean Rutledge and I are conducting a Teams meeting with any interested parents, to outline our safety measures and protocols once the school returns to face-to-face learning. The meeting will be repeated the following day, Thursday October 21^st, at 1 p.m. The links for the meeting can be found here:

• Parent Meeting: Return to face-to-face learning: Wednesday October 20, 4 p.m.: Click here to join the meeting
• Parent Meeting: Return to face-to-face learning: Thursday October 21^st, 1 p.m.: Click here to join the meeting

I encourage all parents, if possible, to attend one of the meetings, to hear the significant steps put in place by the staff. In particular, end-of-day carline will have necessary significant changes that will affect the majority of parents. A letter from me will also be going home on the Thursday, summarising the main points from the meetings, so that parents unable to attend the meetings will have access to the information.

I would ask that any children attending school now, undertaking their remote learning on the school grounds, be dropped off at car line in the mornings, and proceed to the playground via the Kindergarten courtyard, rather than through the school. As per standard practice, we have a teacher on duty from 8.30a.m. each day. Thank you for your support.

Awards Assembly and Monday Morning Assembly Links

A reminder that this Thursday we have our Awards Assembly, online, starting at 2 p.m. A link to the assembly can be found here:

• Week 2 Thursday awards assembly: Click here to join the meeting

Next Monday, Week 3, we have our Whole School Morning Assembly. A link to the assembly can be found here:

• Week 3 Monday Morning Assembly: Click here to join the meeting

Kaboom Music Incursion

Finally, a reminder that next week, we are holding an online Music Incursion, provided by Kaboom. Students will be able to watch the incursion via Teams. There is a K – 2 component and a 3 – 6 component. My thanks to our wonderful performing arts teacher, Alissa Pearson, for her work in coordinating this incursion.

Have a wonderful week with your families. I look forward to seeing you online at the Awards Assembly on Thursday.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal

Gospel Reflection

Mk 10:25-35

James and John are effectively calling ‘shotgun’ on the best seats at the table! When they ask to sit at the left and right hand of Jesus, they are asking Jesus to name them as His deputies. They’re looking to secure for themselves positions of power and authority. The only problem is that they have a misunderstood idea of what it means for Jesus to enter into His glory. For several weeks now, we have been exploring a theme from the Gospel of Mark that follows a physical journey towards Jerusalem as well as a symbolic and theological journey towards what is going to occur in Jerusalem – Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion and resurrection.

Throughout this journey, Jesus has been trying to prepare the disciples for what is to come and educate them about what it really means to be a disciple of His. Three times Jesus tells the disciples explicitly what lies ahead. Each time the disciples fail to grasp what Jesus tells them. Despite occasional glimpses of insight, the disciples still believe that Jesus is going to rise up as a political or military figure. In a complete dismissal of this sort of thinking, Jesus declares quite forcefully that leadership of this sort is not what he intends for Himself, nor for those who follow Him.

Leadership in the Jesus model is about being of service to others; it is not about prestige and acclamation. Many of the best leaders are those who do not have any title of leadership or authority. Their leadership and authority come from what they do and how they do it. They inspire others to follow their example. They don’t demand it; they don’t bully; they don’t play power games. People simply want to follow their example.

Adapted from Greg Sunter

Is a weekly online child-friendly reflection of the coming Sunday’s Gospel.

Sunday  17^th October, 29^th Sunday in Ordinary Time

http://www.prayingwithchildren.org/p15c34m3.html

First Eucharist Parent Information Night and First Eucharist Celebration Sign-up 

 Thank you for taking the time to attend our meeting last night  

 Please click the link to sign up to a First Eucharist Celebration. 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1POiTkJ7hh3KxR6kiSRFVQO4_6LTIBj4Yi5qxos9JOeU/edit#gid=1198968092 

If you missed the evening and would like a recording please email fran.garrett@cg.catholic.edu.au 

Blessings,

Fron Garrett

Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to those students celebrating their birthday this week.

Angad S

William H

Anastasiia L

Neive M

Sebastian H

If you a regular fan of scholastic’s book club the new issue is available NOW online.

Place orders through LOOP and they will be be available when you return to school!

Remember every purchase earns our school rewards for the Library!

Our Year Two students have been 'taking' their teachers on adventures around their houses and surrounding areas. 

Next Tuesday the students in K-2 and 3-6 will attend an online Music incursion provided by Kaboom Percussion. After having to postpone their Canberra tour due to lockdowns, the interactive school shows are moving online in the form of remote performance workshops. The 45 minute performance workshops link directly to the Music program being taught by Mrs Pearson and are a fun and inclusive way for students to access the Music curriculum from home with hands-on percussion activities. The links to the workshops will be shared with the students on Compass on Tuesday morning. The K-2 show will take place at 11:30am and the 3-6 show will take place at 12:30pm.

It is good to see our gardens growing and our kitchens still cooking delicious healthy food. This week we have some beautiful photos of new growth from home gardens around Canberra. Keep those photos coming!

Exciting news…our school has been lucky enough to win another grant. We were selected from a group of 40 schools across ACT and NSW. This money is going to the garden and details of how it will be spent will be shown in the coming newsletters.

BEAUT BROWNIES

Ingredients

1 & 2/3 cups sugar

125 g butter

2 Tbs water

125 g Lindt dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa)

2 eggs

1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1 & 1/3 cups plain flour

1/4 tspn baking soda

1/4 tspn salt

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees and grease a 23cm square cake tin.

Bring the butter, sugar and water to the boil in a saucepan, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat, add the chocolate and stir until melted through.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Then add the vanilla, flour, baking soda and salt and stir well.

Pour mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes.

Cool on wire rack and cut into brownie squares.

The recipes in the newsletter this term are from the Sts P & P cookbook. All recipes are easy to make and are great for lunchboxes or treats at home. Books are $20, payable on Qkr!, and available for pickup at the front office.