Dear Parents and Carers

This week our students from Grades K – 2 and Year 6 returned to face-to-face teaching. It has been wonderful to have them back and staff and students report a great satisfaction with the return to school. Last week Sean Rutledge and I met with parents in two meetings, online via Teams, to discuss the new return-to-school arrangements. This meeting was followed up with a letter written by me that was sent home via Compass on Friday. For parents, the change which has the greatest impact, is that around car line pick up in the afternoon. A reminder please that:

• Students whose surname begins with a letter from A – K will be available to be collected between 3p.m. to 3.15p.m.
• Students whose surname begins with a letter from L – Z will be available to be collected between 3.15p.m. to 3.30p.m.
• Students from Grades 3 – 6 will be collected at the ‘hoppers’ end of the car line.
• Students from Grades K – 2 will be collected from the area outside the Kinder courtyard.

I appreciate the fact that these arrangements cause disruption to our normal routines and practices and that there is some adjustment needed. I acknowledge the possible irritation this causes. The adjustments will become second nature in time and will only be in place for this term. A reminder too that parents are requested not to come onto school grounds at pickup time, where the students are congregating. If you arrive at school to walk home with your child, please arrange to have them meet you at a point a little way away from the carline. If you need to park your car and get out to collect your child, please do so before 3pm or after 3.30pm. I thank all parents for their ongoing support. It is greatly appreciated.

Catholic Schools Mission Week

This week and next, the focus is very much on students and staff adjusting to the return of face-to-face teaching and learning. This means ensuring that the students are settling in to class routines and overall school routines, including, for example, the new zoned play areas. The students’ social and emotional wellbeing, after having been in lock down for so long, is a factor in the staff’s minds and we will tailor our lessons accordingly. In that context, it is good that some aspects of normal school routine are returning, and this week we are celebrating Catholic Schools Mission Week. Our Year 6 leaders are videoing in via Teams to class prayers and RE lessons around the school, and leading the students in a reflection on Mission Week, and those children around the world whose circumstances are far more dire than our own. Each class is completing activities with their Year 6 leaders. My thanks to Sarah Kennelly and Paul Jenkins (our Year 6 teachers) and Fron Garrett-Rumba (our acting REC) for their great work and coordinating this week, and to all staff for their support.

Catholic Leaders Day

At a system level, life is also returning to normal, albeit with some adjustments. On Thursday, Sean Rutledge and I are participating in the Catholic Leaders Systems Day, via Teams. All principals and senior leaders from the Catholic Education Office will be attending. We will hear international speakers Ed Hirsch and Natalie Wexler talk about trends in education and further develop our understanding of the Science of Learning. This is all in the context of the ‘Catalyst’ initiative, which is being implemented across the Archdiocese.

On Friday, I am attending the A.C.T. Primary Principals’ Association meeting, via Teams. Personnel from the Catholic Education will also attend, including the Director, Ross Fox. Days such as these help establish the normal routines that assist in giving shape and structure to our days, all of which helps in the return to ‘normal’ life.

Reports

Reports will be sent home via Compass this year, in Week 11. All schools in the Archdiocese are sending home a modified report due to the disruptive nature of remote learning and the changed circumstances around the children’s learning. All classes will report on Maths, English and Religious Education and one other subject area, with an A – E grade. There will be no written comments this semester. Parent/teacher interviews will take place in week 10, the week before the reports are made available via Compass.

Have a wonderful week with your families. Thank you to all parents for your support and good will over the many weeks of remote learning. Your support has been invaluable.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal

Gospel Reflection

Mk 12:28-34

In this Gospel passage, Jesus is asked which commandment is first and he provides two commandments as His answer. However, He doesn’t bundle them together as one overarching commandment – He very distinctly identifies them as first and second. Sometimes we can feel the way to express love for God is through demonstrating our love for other people in charitable or justice-focused actions. However, Jesus makes clear that the first commandment of all is the love of God with all our being – that God is worthy of love in God’s own right. Our love of God may inspire us to action for others but the first step is loving God for who God is.

Jesus reminds us ‘You must love your neighbour as yourself.’ There’s an unspoken, underlying idea here that is absolutely crucial. Before you can love your neighbour, you must first love yourself. To say that you love yourself today can imply a level of boastfulness or ego. However, what is required is a genuine love of self – an acceptance; a respect; a true valuing of self. Only then can we know how to treat others. When we ask ourselves how we would want to be treated it points us towards how we should treat others. What is summed up so simply by Jesus is a very tough ask!

Adapted from Greg Sunter

Catholic Mission Socktober

Next Friday November 5^th we will be holding a socktober shootout to raise money for Catholic Mission. Students will participate in a soccer goal shoot-out competition with their class and will get to use a sock ball - a ball made from plastic bags, similar to the balls used by many children around the world. .

Of, course, we will sanitise all sporting equipment used and ensure this activity is appropriately socially distanced to keep our students safe. Students will be asked to donate money to participate in the shootout, which will raise money for early childhood education for children in Thailand. Donations can be made via the Qkr App. We thank you so much, for donating to this cause.

Steps to make a donation:

• Open the Qrk app
• Select Sts Peter and Paul
• Scroll down to ‘school payments’ and select
• Click on ‘payments’
• Select Socktober Shootout

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

Sunday  30^th October, 31^st Sunday in Ordinary Time

http://www.prayingwithchildren.org/4r0m4ntc15h3.html

 Family Prayer Session

Thursday October 28^th @ 6:00pm

The Year 5 Youth Ministry Team invite you to join a prayer evening via teams at 6:00pm.

The link for the meeting is here.

https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ODQ4NTcxN2ItMTdmYy00MmMzLThhY2YtZjBmMzg3ZDY3NmNi%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%229ba8c2d6-be27-4583-a686-5c6f5c4a9e97%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22c8107d94-5b53-4f96-b038-fb143e45f6d9%22%7d

Blessings,

Fron Garrett

Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)

Reading the following article for some hints that parents/carers and teachers can use do to help with the transition to face to face learning.

https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.psych4schools.com.au/blog/helping-young-children-return-to-school-after-remote-learning/__;!!Ax-PnKpllFIIgPxB!xr2Ygf10QPCKLiqBHDIhKfnxKhjhsdoF2nDRiRT1a3tSXnnARKTQJL9VP5cG8tPtRcfN5RejOpElR3o$

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to those students celebrating their birthday this week.

Sophia G

Norah J

Sean B

Eleanor S

Bentley B

Adelaide T

Indie G

Book Week Next Week!!! 

Wednesday 3rd November (Week 5)

Date for your diary - We are celebrating Book Week in Week 5 - Wednesday 3rd November.

Students are encouraged to dress up as their favourite book character and we will have a virtual parade to adhere to social distancing measures.

The classes will also watch the pre-recorded performances from Meerkat Productions as part of the celebrations.  

Students will also receive their Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge Awards and prizes will be given out (randomly chosen) for all who participated.  

Library Book Returns

Could I ask that you please have a very good look around your homes for any Library books you might have (from our school). I will send out Overdue reminder slips if books are still outstanding in Week 5. 

Suspension of Library borrowing for the remainder of Term 4. 

Unfortunately students are not having their lessons in the Library and as such will be unable to borrow books for the remainder of the term. This is due to current COVID-19 health and safety measures. I apologise for any inconvenience caused. The Library is also closed at lunchtimes due to the extra duties at lunch and recess time outside. 

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

Keep reading! Mrs Basedow

THE CANTEEN IS CASHLESS

Families are required to make all canteen payments via Qkr!

Due to current restrictions and limitations, the Canteen Menu will be reduced.

 We apologise for this but hopefully the full canteen menu will be up and running again in no time! 

All over-the-counter sale items (snacks & treats) must be ordered in your child’s lunch order via Qkr! which will be delivered to them at lunch time.

There will be no over-the-counter sales at lunch time at this stage.

Thank you

 Lauretta Raccosta,

Canteen

Lauretta.Raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au

Healthy Kids, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Canteens

Mrs R was very sad to have her CANTEEN WEEK CELEBRATIONS cut short due to Canberra’s lock down

BUT don’t worry,

Mrs R will still accept any colouring-in pictures from you.

PLEASE DO NOT BRING THEM DOWN TO THE CANTEEN 

You can give them to your teacher and I will collect the pictures from them.

The colouring-in competition has been extended for the term and a winner or winners will be announced in Week 9.

During CANTEEN WEEK we ran a guessing competition 

 Lucy A 3/4B  

Lucy guessed 217 balloons in the container.

Lucy, you have won a free lunch order which includes hot food, treat and a drink.

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.

The Uniform Shop is ONLY available for summer uniform purchases via Qkr!

On Tuesdays - Fridays, orders will be delivered to your child’s classroom. Orders need to be placed before 8.45 am.

Due to current Covid restrictions, the Uniform Shop is not open for counter sales.

If you require a fitting, please email me at lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au directly to discuss sizing options.

Please visit the schools website for the Summer Uniform price list.

Lauretta Raccosta
Uniform Shop
Lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au

Welcome back!!

A big thank you to everyone who sent in photos of cooking and gardening in remote learning times. It was great to see what you were all doing!

Fabulous news...…this week Year 6 are stepping into the kitchen to start their journey, learning about healthy eating with some sustainability thrown in. Year 5 start their journey next week.

This term we will be looking at the five food groups and doing some research on different aspects of healthy eating.

Our first cooking lesson will be looking at the Fruit Group and what it is. We will also be using a few ideas from the FEAST program by OZHarvest. Our first lesson will also introduce the students to food wastage by looking at apples.

Our garden will also be used over the term as we start to harvest food again to use in the kitchen and begin some new projects.

As always if you have any questions about the Garden Club/cooking and the curriculum please email Mrs Katie Birch Katherine.birch@cg.catholic.edu.au

The Garden Club

BRIAN'S COCONUT SLICE

Ingredients

3/4 cups self raising 

3/4 cups plain flour

1 cup sugar

125 gr butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

4-5 tbs raspberry jam

3 cups coconut

3 eggs

Method

Preheat oven to 170 degrees, grease a lamingtom pan and line with baking paper.

Place flours, half the sugar, the butter and 1 egg in a medium bowl and mix well.

Spoon mixture into the prepared tin, press down and smooth.

Mix the coconut, 3 eggs and the and remaining sugar in a separate bowl.

Spread base with the jam and pour the coconut mixture over.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Fancy a bike ride around the lake and a fish and chip picnic lunch at Snapper on the Lake?

https://www.cscc.com.au/snapper