Dear Parents and Carers

“My heart aches greatly at the worsening situation in Ukraine. Despite the diplomatic efforts of the last few weeks, increasingly alarming scenarios are opening up. Like me, many people all over the world are feeling anguish and concern. Once again, the peace of all is threatened by partisan interests. I would like to appeal to those with political responsibility to examine their consciences seriously before God, who is the God of peace and not of war; who is the Father of all, not just of some, who wants us to be brothers and not enemies. I pray that all the parties involved refrain from any action that would cause even more suffering to the people, destabilising coexistence between nations and bringing international law into disrepute.”

• Pope Francis

I am sure that like me, you have watched the events unfolding in Ukraine with great alarm. It is very distressing to see the extent of the suffering that is taking place, and very likely is to continue to happen. The Pope’s words call us all into a greater sensitivity to and awareness of what it means to be people of peace, and what it means to carry good will, and not ill will, towards others. Today we begin the season of Lent with Ash Wednesday. The Pope goes on to suggest that perhaps in this Lenten season we may mark it with periodic fasting, in solidarity with Ukrainians. 

Eucharist Mass

On Sunday, students who prepared for their First Eucharist in 2021, and who had not yet received the Sacrament, made their First Communion. Students from Holy Trinity who had not made their First Eucharist joined the students. The Mass was a genuine celebration and students were affirmed in their journey of faith. My thanks to Steph Burns and Monsignor John Woods for all of their great support, and to Fron Garret and the teachers of 2021 for their foundational work. Finally, I would like to thank you, the parents, who are your children’s first teachers in faith and whose support we need – thank you.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Yesterday morning, a communication was sent to the parent body via Compass. Parent/Teacher interviews are being help next week, over Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, with Tuesday being a late night (until 7 p.m.). Parents are invited to book in a time to meet with their child’s teacher, and to discuss how they are settling in and if there are any early indications of needing extension or support. I encourage all parents to make a time to sign up to a meeting. The link can also be found here:

https://stpandp-act.compass.education/Communicate/News/AccessNewsItem.aspx?accessToken=2ohtdmt1we4xwhw9fug7ehpvsit&userId=450&schoolId=stpandp.act.edu.au&newsItemId=225

Kitchen Garden Success – The Canberra Show

As many parents would be aware, last weekend was the Canberra Show. The Show organisers appreciate the ongoing support of our school. As we do each year, we entered the produce section, drawing on all of the hard work of our students, staff and in particular, our Kitchen garden team. I am pleased to say that our Kitchen Garden entry won First place; our Year 2 entry won second place and our 3/4 entry won Third Place. This is a wonderful achievement and a credit to the hard work of our students and the Kitchen Garden Team, particularly Robyn Moore, Katie Birch and Mary de Smet. I would also like to thank the many parents who ensured the school’s garden stayed watered during the summer holidays – thank you very much. 

Principals’ Retreat

Next week, the annual Principals’ Retreat is taking place at Bowral, NSW, under heavy COVID restrictions. The retreat is an important part of the calendar as it is one of the few times that all 56 principals in the Archdiocese, as well as senior leadership within Catholic Education, including the Director of Catholic Education, Mr Ross Fox, come together. The Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn, Archbishop Christopher Prowse, will lead the retreat. I will be attending from Wednesday until Friday, and in my absence, Mrs Anna Williams will very capably lead the school.

Have a wonderful week with your families.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal

This year at Sts Peter and Paul, we are all called to ‘Let Your Light Shine”

Ash Wednesday 2022

Today is Ash Wednesday, and we gathered to mark this special day with a Mass for Year 3/4 and an Ash Wednesday Liturgy for the remainder of the students. The Lenten Season is a time where we engage in Prayer, Almsgiving and Fasting to prepare ourselves for Easter, and the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Today, all students and teachers received a cross of ashes on our foreheads. God’s people have used this powerful sign for hundreds of years. The cross of ashes reminds us and others that we know we are not perfect, and that we have made the decision to repent, and turn to God to ask for his help and guidance to make us more like his son, Jesus. 

Launch of Project Compassion 2022

Today, we will also be launching our Project Compassion fundraiser for 2022. The Theme this year is “For all Future Generations”. Our support of Caritas Australia this Lenten season will help support vulnerable people around the world, now and For All Future Generations. Each class will be given a Project Compassion box that will allow students to donate money to Caritas over the Season of Lent.

First Eucharist (from 2021)

Last weekend, we celebrated the First Eucharist for many of our Year 5 students. It is wonderful that we are finally able to celebrate this special step in the faith journey of these young people. A big thank you to Mr Johns, Mrs Williams, Miss Garrett and Miss Kennelly who came along and supported the students on Sunday at Mass.

Reconciliation 2022

The preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation is well underway. A very big thank you to the parents who have very generously offered to host a home group. There are still a small number of groups that are without a nominated host. Groups can only proceed if they have a host, so if you are in a group without a host, please consider offering to host the group (this does not have to be in your home, it can even be online!)

For those parents who would like to see the home groups sheet, please click here.

You can also place your child’s name on the online booking sheet to receive the Sacrament here.

1st Sunday in Lent. Luke 4:1-13

The wilderness, or desert, is used repeatedly throughout the Bible as a place of special encounter with God and preparation for a new direction or a new ministry. The 40 days that Jesus spent in the wilderness immediately followed his baptism in the Jordan where his status as the beloved of God was confirmed. He is led by the Spirit to go out into the wilderness for a period of fasting, prayer and preparation before entering into his public ministry. In fact, the event that immediately follows this passage is the episode in Nazareth where Jesus reads from the scroll of Isaiah and declares the intent of his ministry. It is presented as if, having spent his time in preparation and overcoming the temptations before him, Jesus strode out of the wilderness and laid out what he had decided.

The episode of the temptations is a clear indicator of the humanity of Jesus – he experienced doubt, uncertainty and fear just as we do. If the Gospel intended to emphasise the divinity of Jesus, none of these temptations would have been an issue. We are told that Jesus was indeed tempted, not just pestered by the devil. The opportunities laid before Jesus were actually tempting to Him. They challenged His resolve. They made Jesus question the sort of Messiah that He was to be: the all-conquering, powerful Messiah that the people expected; or the servant to the poor who will be tortured and put to death. Jesus is tempted to use His power to make His task easier or to display His authority to others. Had He chosen to do this, surely it would have been easier to get people’s attention – and that was the temptation: to take the easier path or stick to the more subtle, more personal, more difficult path.

 (Reflection by Greg Sunter)

Blessings for the week ahead,

Stephanie Burns

Religious Education Coordinator

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to those students who are celebrating their birthday this week

Liam T

Tobias T

Marcus H

Alexa Y

Patrick C

Lachlan R

Harrison E

Isabel W

Principal's Awards: Massimo M, 3/4M; Chiara C, 3/45M

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): 

Anna Scanlan, 5W; Hamish H, 2W

We are very proud of Lachlan in 5 White who recently represented ACT at the OzTag Nationals in Coffs Harbour. 

His team made it through to the Quarter finals; but lost 2-1.

Lachie was awarded Best Player of the tournament by his coach. 

If anyone has spare empty 4 litre icecream containers can you please send them into 2 White.

They will be used as compost bins.

Thank you

Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge

Wow - how are we already halfway through Term 1?. Every year, tens of thousands of students across the ACT participate in the Chief Minister’ Reading Challenge. The Challenge aspires to allow every young person in the ACT to discover the joy reading can bring.  

Sts Peter and Paul Primary is proud to have every child registered in the Challenge again this year! To complete the challenge, students need to read 30 books within the timeframe. The 30 books can be from class reading and individual reading. Fiction or non-fiction, poetry, EBooks (including on SORA), audio books, graphic books, home books and of course library books. As long as the books are age appropriate! Students can read the books themselves, listen to an adult or older sibling read to them, listen to an audio book or read a book online. 

The challenge runs from Monday 14th February to Friday 19th August. Winning schools will be invited to the National Library of Australia to receive their School Awards. Students who successfully complete the CMRC will receive an individual award as well. When the challenge has finished I will hand out raffle tickets to those that have participated and prizes are given to each grade level from our book club funds. There will also be class prizes for the classes who have everyone participate!  The Challenge is also grateful for the support of the event sponsor, Paperchain Bookstore-Manuka. 

https://www.education.act.gov.au/public-school-life/additional-programs/chief_ministers_reading_challenge

Reading at home is also a wonderful way to inspire your child/ren to pick up a book! Just 20 minutes a day can make a big difference.

Happy reading!

Mrs Basedow

What a great week we have had with lots of good vibes happening in our garden, kitchen and classrooms.

Years 1 and 2 have learnt about the Dairy Group and why calcium is so important for our bones and helps us GROW. Making fruit smoothies in Food Science also helped them understand how yummy it can be keeping our bones healthy.

Year 2 also got loads of practice in with their chopping skills and are fast becoming chefs – watch out parents!

Our first garden club happened last Friday and we welcomed our new Environmental Leaders who will be in charge of all things garden club and sustainability including the compost. We are so proud of them for all their help and they each received their very own pair of gardening gloves on Friday as token of their membership and value.

Another exciting activity was entering into the Canberra Show. Years 1 and 2 and 3/4 all made jam, sculptures and picked produce which were entered into the Canberra Show. We placed!! Take a look at those photos to see what amazing things our children could enter and where they came.

As always if you would like any information or have a question please email Mrs Katie Birch Katherine.birch@cg.catholic.edu.au.

Happy Gardening………

The Garden Club

THE CANTEEN IS CASHLESS

Families are required to make all canteen payments via Qkr!

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

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.

Lent Special - Fish n Chips

Available every Wednesday and Friday during Lent

CANTEEN REMINDERS

Due to the current situation, Qkr! orders are available a day at a time (no advance ordering). Orders must be placed by 8.45am each morning.

If a lunch order has been placed, and your child is not at school please cancel the lunch order in your Qkr! activities by 8.45am that day.

Thank you

Lauretta Raccosta,

Canteen

Lauretta.Raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au

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 available via Qkr!

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

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

Lauretta Raccosta

Uniform Shop

Lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au

GRANDMA'S FRUIT AND COCONUT SLICE

Ingredients

1 cup self raising flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup coconut

125 g butter

1 Tbs golden syrup

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup dried fruit of your choice, chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 180C and grease a lamington tin.

Place flour, sugar and coconut in a medium bowl and make a well in the centre.

Melt butter and golden syrup together and add to dry ingredients.

Add the beaten egg to the mixture, mix through and fold in dry fruit.

Press the mixture into prepared tin and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Ice with a lemon icing (lemon juice and icing sugar mixed together) and cut into small squares while slightly warm.

Variations:

Apple Slice: Replace dried fruit with 1 cup grated apple, add 1 tsp cinnamon and ground ginger to the dry ingredients. Sprinkle the slice with cinnamon sugar prior to baking.

Chocolate Raspberry Slice: Add 2 tbspn cocoa to the dry ingredients and leave out the dry fruit. Press frozen raspberries into slice prior to baking and ice with a basic chocolate icing.

The recipes in the newsletter are from the Sts P & P 50th Anniversary Cookbook. This recipe was donated by the Lawrence family, their grandma has been making this slice for many years.

Books are $20, payable on Qkr!, and available for pickup at the front office.

Enlighten Canberra is back!!!

Running from 4 March to 20 March, there is so much to see and do, including:

See Canberra’s iconic architecture in a different light during the Illuminations.

Rise early to see hot air balloons take to the skies.

Enjoy a short film festival & listen to an orchestra in the park.

Celebrate Canberra’s birthday with a fest of multicultural food and performances.

Tantalise the taste buds with Night Noodle Markets, The Forage and BentSpoke Beer Garden.

Explore what the city has to offer with Canberra After Dark, City Illuminations, The Surface Festival & Van Gogh Alive.

Something for everyone! Follow the link to learn more.......

https://enlightencanberra.com/