Dear Parents and Carers

“Advent is indeed a season of confrontation, a season to give us pause. It presses upon us the necessity to be genuine with God, and with one another, and with ourselves. It urges us to be less smoothly-flowing in our relationships, and in our prayers, and in our constant concession to ourselves.”

Peter Steele SJ, ‘Irony as Virtue, Cynicism as Vice’

So writes the late Jesuit priest Peter Steele. Last weekend, we celebrated the season of Advent. Like Lent, Advent is a season of waiting – in this case, we wait for Christmas and the birth of Jesus. Peter Steele’s words are bracing and take us away from the glitter and tinsel of Christmas. Tinsel and the trappings of Christmas add to the mood and the celebratory nature of Christmas, and that is a good thing. Peter Steele’s words ask us also to take things a little deeper and go below the surface – in this case, to ask ourselves how things stand between ourselves and others, and ourselves and God. Jesus’ birth reminds us that grace erupts into our lives gratuitously, and always when we least expect it – like that of a child born in a manager, who left the world forever changed.

Parent Teacher Interviews

A reminder that next week, over three days, we are holding our Semester 2 Parent/Teacher Interviews. Please book a time via Compass. The interviews are invaluable opportunities to talk with your child’s teacher about your child’s progress. Thank you for your support.

5/6 Play

Over the last three days, our students in Years 5 & 6 have been filming the play that they been working on since the beginning of Term 3. Remote Learning has hindered the performance of the play, and our performance of it – which normally would be in front of parents and students – has of course been hindered substantially. It makes the production of the play all the more remarkable, and I would like to thank all the students and their families for their support. Special thanks to the Years 5 & 6 teachers, as well as Anna Cooper and Alissa Pearson, for their amazing support and work. After the play has been videoed, it will be made available for parents.

Kinder Nativity

Equally impressive is the Kindergarten Nativity performance. Each year, Sts Peter Paul’s Kindergarten students perform a dramatised version of the story of Christmas. Like our Years 5 & 6 students, they are unable to perform the story in front of their parents. They are being filmed on Thursday and again, the video will be available to parents in due course. My thanks to the Kindergarten students and their families, to the Kindergarten teachers, and Alissa Pearson.

Step Up Day

Next Thursday, we are holding our ‘Step-Up’ day. All 2022 Years 1 – 6 students will meet their 2022 teacher, with their class cohort for next year. They will spend a little bit of time getting to know each other and their class teacher, and will bring home the class list at the end of the day.

Reports

A reminder too that reports will go home Friday week, on December the 10^th, via Compass. All reports will contain grades for Maths, English, RE, Spanish, Music and 1 other subject area, specific to each grade. Comments will not feature on this Semester’s reports.

Have a wonderful week with your families.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal

Gospel Reflection

Lk Lk 3:1-6
The second and third weeks of Advent this year focus particularly on the role of John the Baptist as the one who prepared the way for Jesus and announced his coming. It continues the theme of preparation that was begun last week, but still, rather than preparing for the birth of Jesus, we are exploring the wider theme of preparation. The Gospel writer includes a quote from Isaiah in which the prophet says, ‘Prepare a way for the Lord.’ (Often translated as ‘Prepare the way of the Lord’.) The application of this passage to John the Baptist is a logical one. This Gospel emphasises that John was preaching ‘a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’. Throughout the Gospel of Luke, the recognition of sinfulness and the desire to repent and seek forgiveness is the prelude to receiving God’s favour.

This Gospel makes it clear that one way in which we can prepare a way for the Lord is to recognise our faults and failings and to seek forgiveness. It is only through such repentance that we can make ourselves receptive to the love of God. The only preparation of the way that is necessary for the Lord is a personal preparation to be receptive. We are absolutely assured of God’s love. The problem is that we often feel that we are undeserving of that love or are unable to receive it. When we are called to ‘Prepare a way for the Lord’ it is a call to prepare a way in our own hearts – to break down the barriers that we have put up; to clear the obstacles that we have placed in the path. God’s love will find a way! We simply make the way easier for ourselves to recognise God’s love if we ‘Prepare a way’.

Praying With Children

Sunday 28th November

2nd Sunday in Advent  Year B

http://www.prayingwithchildren.org/1mr3trd1s.html

Blessings,

Fron Garrett

Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to those students celebrating their birthday this week.

Isabella C

Olive I

Oliver L

Phoebe E

Avanthika J

William B

Odin V

Olivia P

Emily G

Principal's Award: Sienna G, 3/4M; Daniel B, 3/4B

Canteen Awards: Edie H, 1M

Learning Support Awards (please note that LS awards are given to any child in the school that the Classroom Support Assistants have noticed doing something wonderful): 

Tom S 6W; Ruby the dog Scanlan, 6W; Abby E, 5W; Matthew T, 5M; Elise L, 5M; Marly C, 6W; 

If anyone has spare empty 4 litre icecream containers can you please send them into Mrs de Smet in Year 2. They will be used as compost bins.

Thank you

LOST PROPERTY

There are a lot of items at lost property at the moment!

Please send your child down to have a look.

Anything left at the end of the year will be donated.

 Lost Property clothing rack is situated in front of the canteen.

Please ensure all uniform is clearly labelled with your child’s name.

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

Unnamed containers are disposed of.

Library Book Returns 

We still have A LOT of outstanding books! Please return them if you have any at home :) Stocktake is commencing in Week 10 and next week is the last week for upper primary to borrow books and Kinder-Year 2 have finished borrowing due to COVID restrictions.

Years 5 and 6 spent their last health lesson cooking last week. They explored the Meat and Alternative and Dairy and Alternatives Groups.

The children learnt that we need food from both groups as they provide protein for their muscles and body to grow, calcium to keep their bones strong and minerals to keep their blood healthy. They also learnt how much they need from each group per day to keep their bodies healthy.

Quiches were on the menu as they include ingredients from both groups. They are also super yummy and easy to make. Both years had a lot of fun as they enjoyed eating the fruits of their labour outside as you can see in the photos.

This week starts Christmas cooking for all classes so stay posted for some Christmas fun pictures.

If you have any question about cooking and combining it with the curriculum, please email Mrs Katie Birch at Katherine.birch@catholic.edu.au.

The Garden Club

Gardening Club

If there are any families that would be available over the holidays to help us tend to our garden we’d love to hear from you. We usually set up a weekly roster that includes picking any ripe fruit and watering (although with the weather being what it is at the minute this may be minimal). Please contact Robyn Moore to let her know if you’re interested  - robyn.moore@cg.catholic.edu.au

2021 ACT Swimming Carnival

A huge and belated congratulations to Luqman O and Ava T who achieved amazing results in the ACT Swimming Carnival which was held earlier in the year. Ava came 3^rd in the girls 11 years 50m breaststroke. Luqman came 3^rd in both the boys 10-12 years 100m freestyle and 100m breaststroke and 2^nd in the boys 12 years 200m individual medley. You are amazing!!! 

If you ever have any questions about anything related to sport, please don’t hesitate to get in touch mary.desmet@cg.catholic.edu.au Hopefully I’ll be able to help you out!

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.

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.

We provide a Gluten Free Menu on Qkr! for the children with gluten allergies.

Gluten items are hard to come by,  please do not order these items unless you have a gluten allergy.

Thank you

 With 7 canteen days left, we are reducing our stock to prepare for our fridges and freezers to defrost during the school break.

Lunch orders will be available until Thursday 16  December.  If your child orders a product that becomes unavailable we will substitute the item with something to the same value or like.

Canteen is closed Friday last day of term for cleaning and first Wednesday of Term 1 for set up.  

 It will reopen again on Thursday 3 February 2022.

Lauretta Raccosta,

Canteen

Lauretta.Raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au

During CANTEEN WEEK, we held some competitions.  Thank you to the following children who provided me with a colour-in picture or a word search.

KW - Grace B, KM - Olive I, KW - Phoebe E,

1M - Vanessa B, 1M - Hanshika M, 1M - Alexa Y, 1W - Grace W, 1M - Grace B,

2W - Chiara C,

3/4B - William H, 3/4W - Zara S, 3/4M - Ciara F, 3/4M - Abbie W,

5M - Nathan B, 5M - Alex H, 5M - Jordan G,

6W - Tareq A, 6W - Michael P, 6M - Luqman O

  Please come see Mrs R in the canteen for a surprise!

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 via Qkr!

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

Due to current Covid restrictions, the Uniform Shop is not open for counter sales on Tuesday mornings. If you require a fitting, please email me at lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au directly to discuss sizing options.

STARTING SCHOOL IN 2022?

PURCHASE A STARTER PACK ON QKR! NOW

Step 1: Download the Qkr! app

Step 2: Register - follow the steps

Step 3: Find our school - Sts Peter & Paul Primary School

Step 4: Register your child/ren - select “new enrolments”

Step 5: Purchase a starter pack for pick up at the front office between school hours.

Beat the crazy rush next year and get in now before this year is through to purchase any school uniform needed for 2022! 

Lauretta Raccosta

Uniform Shop

Lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au

MINI QUICHE LORRAINES

Ingredients

8 eggs

1/2 cup thickened cream

3 medium onions, diced

2 cups diced bacon

1 cup grated cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 160 degrees and grease a 12 hole muffin tin and set it aside.

Lightly beat the eggs and cream together in a large bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients and mix to combine.

Divide mixture amoung the muffin tray holes and bake for 15 minutes, until the egg has set.

Let the quiches cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Store in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container.

The recipes in the newsletter this term are from the Sts P & P 50th Anniversary Cookbook. This recipe was donated by our wonderful Canteen Manager, Mrs Raccosta. 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.

Head on out to Majura Park and say hello to Elmo and the Cookie Monster!!

Featured in this 90-minute spectacular will be all your favourite Sesame Street characters, including Elmo, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, Bert and Ernie, Super Grover and Big Bird. 

In addition to the Sesame Street characters, the Circus will feature performers from Switzerland, Argentina, Colombia, Morocco, Brazil, Ethiopia and Australia.

https://www.sesamestreetcircus.com.au/dates

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