Dear Parents and Carers

“The grace of God has always been there ahead of our preaching…Hence our preaching is not an indoctrination with something alien from outside, but the awakening of something within, as yet not understood but nonetheless really present.”

• Karl Rahner SJ

The above quote from the Jesuit priest Karl Rahner points to the interior experience of grace that is present in all human beings. A good preacher, Rahner suggests, simply awakens what is already there, resulting in a resounding ‘yes!’ from the hearer. Good education, and good teaching, does the same. If we do it well, we awaken in students something much deeper than what might appear to be the curriculum being taught. It is through the slow mastery of knowledge, the application of skills, the use of our talents, that students are awoken to their own ability to go beyond what they thought they were capable of learning, doing and knowing. They are awoken, in a sense, to a larger sense of themselves as persons. We know this ourselves as adults, when we too – sometimes to our own surprise – go beyond what we thought we were capable of, and learn or acquire a skill, knowledge, or wisdom. Typically, we also experience these moments as an affirmation of our own being: that we are essentially good. In the Catholic tradition, we would say that this is an awakening of a person’s sense of themselves as being in relationship with a transcendent other: commonly called God. Sts Peter and Paul strives for nothing less than to hold this as a deeply honored belief about the students, and to let it inform all of our decisions and actions.

Swimming Fun Day

Today, our 2 – 6 students travelled to the pool at the Tuggeranong Leisure Centre to have a fun day. Various activities were planned, which included the use of an inflatable water castle. It was a source of much enjoyment for the children. My thanks to Sarah Kennelly for such a good job in organising the day. Our formal swimming carnival will take place early next year, in Term 1.

Semester 2 Reports & Parent/Teacher Interviews

The Catholic Education Office has taken the step this Semester of removing the comment boxes from the Semester 2 reports. CE have asked all schools to include this text, from the office, in a letter or newsletter to parents:

‘Catholic Education Canberra and Goulburn (CECG) has communicated to schools informing them that general comments will not be required on the Semester 2, 2022 reports. This is in line with other educational jurisdictions and systems. Given teacher workload at present, including staffing pressures across the profession, CECG’s position is to prioritise parent/teacher conferences occurring during Term 4. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress, their strengths, challenges, and future areas of focus. A Semester Report will be sent home as in previous semesters providing A-E grading and attendance information’.

In summary, this means that a report will be sent home to parents, with a grade for all subject areas. General comments will not be included. In lieu of comments, Sts Peter and Paul will hold parent/teacher interviews in Week 8 of this term. A link will be sent home to parents in the coming weeks, which will allow parents to book a meeting with their child’s or children’s teacher/s.

Class Lists – 2023

The students have submitted their requests for ‘Friendship Four’ and the teachers are in the process of compiling the class lists for 2023. Multiple factors are taken into account, including of course the friendship choices of the students. The school can only guarantee one friend from the students’ lists. Working dynamics, even split of gender and ability, and teacher knowledge, all need to be factored into the final lists. If any parent has a particular reason why their child should not be in the same class as another child, please email me directly, if you haven’t already done so. Teacher requests cannot be entertained. The final decision regarding class and teacher placements rests with me.

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”  

Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C Gospel Reflection 

Life after death, in one form or another, is a common belief of most of the major faiths of the world. It is certainly a basic tenet of Christian faith. Because the gospels record Jesus as speaking about an afterlife, we tend to assume that this was a common belief of his time. However, within the different groups of Judaism, there was significant diversity of belief about this point. While the Pharisees believed in resurrection, the Sadducees did not. The Sadducees, whose name means ‘righteous ones’ were an elite group within the Jewish faith. They were purists in their adherence to the Torah and their rejection of any later teachings or writings – this actually put them in conflict with the Pharisees, although the two groups are often portrayed in the gospels as being united against Jesus. Today’s gospel passage depicts an attempt by the Sadducees to ridicule belief in an afterlife by questioning Jesus about an extremely exaggerated scenario. 

The reply Jesus gives largely ignores the farcical nature of the question. Rather, Jesus makes clear that the resurrected life is not merely an extension of the earthly life. The things that are of concern in this world are not an issue in the next. Through death and resurrection, life is changed; not ended. This idea can be challenging at a time when we are mourning the loss of a loved one, yet we are called to respond to that challenge with a genuine hope and trust in the life that goes on in a different way. Jesus, in fact, dismisses the whole idea of death as an ending by saying that to God all people are alive, whether on earth or in the resurrection. 

(Reflection by Greg Sunter) 

Have a blessed week,  

Stephanie Burns 

Religious Education Coordinator 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to those students who are celebrating their birthday this week

Kabir S

Indie G

Anna S

Daniel B

Henry B

Nathan H

Isla B

Noah B

Ayman B

Jhanvi M

This brave young girl, Lola, briefly touched my heart. Sadly the Angels took her earlier this year. In honour of her battle, I will be walking 35km to raise funds to try and find a cure for Mitochondrial disease. Please click on the link below and thank you for taking the time to read this.

Mike Washington

https://event.bloodylongwalk.com.au/fundraisers/michaelwashington

Hello Everyone

This week in the kitchen and garden our senior grades continued to learn about healthy eating and how to cook the healthy food. They investigated the vegetable group and made some fabulous fritters in the shape of love hearts and a rainbow salad. What clever chefs! Our beautiful magpie also got to taste some!

In the garden, our garden crew watered, weeded and gave Mr Sticks a new look!! He looks very cool.

As always if you would like any more information about the program please email Mrs Katie Birch katherine.birch@cg.catholic.edu.au.

The Garden Club

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

Ingredients

1 & 1/2 cups Rice Bubbles

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

2 & 1/4 cups icing sugar

125 g butter, melted

200 g milk chocolate

1 Tbs copha (vegetable fat shortening)

Method

Line a large tray with baking paper and set aside.

Mix rice bubbles, peanut butter and icing sugar in a large bowl.

Pour over the melted butter and knead mixture together with clean hands.

Roll 2 Tbs of the mixture into a small ball and place onto the prepared tray, repeat with rest of mixture.

Refrigerate balls for 10-20 minutes.

Melt chocolate and copha in microwave until runny.

Remove balls from fridge and dip in the melted chocolate mix. Place back onto tray and put in fridge to set.

Store in fridge in airtight container.

The recipes in the newsletter are from the Sts P & P 50th Anniversary Cookbook. The recipes come from either our wonderful cooking guru, Mrs Moore, or were donated by members of our community. This recipe was donated by former student, Amelia R whose family often enjoyed these treats over the Christmas holidays with a warm drink.

Books are now at the bargain price of $10 (and you will receive a bonus tea towel), payable on Qkr!. Books will be sent home with your child once payment has been receipted. 

THE CANTEEN IS CASHLESS FOR ALL LUNCH ORDERS

 Families are required to place ALL lunch orders via Qkr! before 8.45am

Please purchase over-the-counter sale items (snacks & treats) for your child in a lunch order.

Over-the-counter sales at lunch time are back for ice creams only.

Purchase a “daily counter sales voucher” via Qkr! for your child to go to the canteen to collect an ice cream at lunchtime.

CANTEEN VOLUNTEER ROSTER

Thank you helpers; your assistance is very much appreciated

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

ARE YOU ABLE TO HELP OUT IN TERM 4?

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

or click on the link below to slot a time in.

Term 4 canteen roster

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

https://stpandp.schoolzineplus.com/term4roster

All volunteers must have a WWVP card.

Qkr! TIP

Is your child sick and not going to school, and you have placed a lunch order on Qkr!?

You have till 8.45am that morning to cancel the lunch order - instructions on how to cancel lunch orders are below.

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 School Uniform is available via Qkr!
Tuesdays - Fridays, orders will be delivered to your child’s classroom. Orders need to be placed before 8.45 am. 

 The Uniform shop is stocked up with second hand uniform, please visit on a Tuesday morning to purchase second hand uniform.

The uniform shop is limited with space, so if you wish to donate pre-loved items, PLEASE ONLY DONATE CLOTHES

that are washed and in perfect resalable order.

Thank you

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

Lauretta Raccosta

Uniform Shop

Lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au