Dear Parents and Carers

“All the truly great persons I have ever met are characterized by what I would call radical humility and gratitude. They are deeply convinced that they are drawing from another source; they are instruments. Their genius is not their own; it is borrowed. We are moons, not suns, except in our ability to pass on the light. Our life is not our own; yet, at some level, enlightened people know that their life has been given to them as a sacred trust. They live in gratitude and confidence, and they try to let the flow continue through them. They know that “love is repaid by love alone,” as both St. Francis of Assisi and St. Thérèse of Lisieux have said.”

Richard Rohr

This weekend we celebrate Advent, and although Richard Rohr’s quote does not explicitly address Advent, the theme of gratitude is surely the response the season should provoke within us. Advent, which begins on Sunday, is a period of waiting for the birth of Christ into our lives. That knowledge alone inspires a sense of gratitude, that we should be so gifted. Let us repay that love, with love.

Market Day

Today our Year 6 students led the school in market day, which has been an annual staple at Sts Peter and Paul for some years. The students are involved in planning and creating the event, with all stalls and games created and made by them. All money raised will go to charity. They raised just over $1300! My thanks to our excellent Year 6 students, and their teachers, for their hard work.

Parent/Teacher Conversations

A reminder that next week, our Parent/Teacher interviews are taking place over Monday – Wednesday. Bookings have closed, however, if you have not yet made a time to see your child’s teacher, I encourage you to contact them directly and make a time for an interview. This year, the reports have no comments, which is a decision Catholic Education has taken for all schools. Interviews offer an opportunity for a more nuanced understanding of your child’s progress and learning challenges, in lieu of report comments.

Choir

Next Tuesday at 2pm, in the school hall, our Choir (ably led by Mrs Pearson) will perform a number of songs for the school. All parents are welcome to attend. The choir performance begins at 2pm.

Zoo Excursion

With the easing of COVID restrictions this term, excursions and the like are opening back up again. Our Year 1 students are having an excursion to the zoo next week, which will be very exciting and much fun. My thanks to the Year 1 teachers for coordinating the excursion.

Car Park Difficulties

If parents can refrain please from parking in the car park, at the end of the day, in such a way that parks staff members in, it would be appreciated. Several staff members have found it difficult to leave at the end of the day due to being hemmed in by other cars.

Year 5 Camp

As our Year 6 students did earlier this term, our Year 5 students are going on camp in two weeks. They are attending Cooba, a well-known camp that is a few kilometres from Cooma, on the way to Jindabyne. The students will have a great deal of fun and experience a few Cooba favourites, such as the high ropes challenge and the ‘Big Swing’. It is wonderful that these opportunities are opening back up again for our students. My thanks to our Year 5 teachers for organising the camp.

Have a wonderful warm 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”

Vinnies Christmas Appeal 2022

St Vincent de Paul is committed to making Christmas a time to renew hope. They are dedicated to providing shelter, food, clothing, financial support, friendship and care for tens of thousands of people in the Canberra/Goulburn region.

This year, as with previous years, students at Sts Peter and Paul are invited to donate to the St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal. These items will be combined by members of our local Vinnies chapter to fill hampers for families in the Canberra region.

Each class has been allocated a small list of suggested items to donate in the table below (please select from the list and donate what you can).

These will be placed in near the Christmas Tree in our school foyer.

All donations will be presented to a St Vincent de Paul representative at Wednesday morning assembly in Week 10 (14th December).

SRC LED CHRISTMAS DRESS UP DAY - BONUS DONATION : This year as a special SRC (Student Representative Council) led initiative, we will have a bonus donation day. On Wednesday 14th December, Students are invited to bring in a small gift for a child or family to donate to St Vincent de Paul (unwrapped to aid in hamper creation for the team) Students may dress up in Christmas-themed clothes on this day. Thank you for your generous support of St Vincent de Paul.

Please send in all food items by Tuesday 13/12/22.

Class Food Item

Kindergarten - Chips, crackers, and tinned fruits

Year 1 -  Lollies, tea and coffee

Year 2 - Tinned vegetables,jam and spreads and candy canes

Year 3 and 4 - Chocolate (boxes or blocks) rice, pasta, cereals, juice

Year 5 - Bonbons, soft drink, and Christmas cake/pudding

Year 6 - Sweet biscuits and jars of long-life ingredients such as relishes, mustards, sundried tomatoes, olives

First Sunday of Advent, Year A Gospel Reflection

The first Sunday of Advent sees the commencement of the new liturgical year. This new liturgical cycle is referred to as Year A and features the gospel of Matthew. (Year B features the gospel of Mark and Year C, that we have just completed, features the gospel of Luke.) Advent comes from the Latin word Adventus which literally means ‘coming’; it is also reflected in the Greek word Parousia, which is used to describe the second coming of Jesus. So, Advent is a time of preparation and anticipation of the coming of Christ into the world that is celebrated in the Nativity at Christmas. The gospel passage chosen for today’s reading richly expresses that anticipation and need for preparation.

It may seem a little confusing that we begin our year-long exploration of the gospel of Matthew by taking a reading from chapter 24. However, the need for readiness and alertness that Jesus speaks about in relation to the coming of the Kingdom is equally suitable for a modern audience when preparing to celebrate once again the coming of Jesus into the world. Jesus is the best expression of the Kingdom that we have yet experienced and so rather than seeing the choice of this passage as a confusion, we should recognise the alignment that exists between the anticipation of the Kingdom and the anticipation of the Nativity.

The two great feasts of Christianity – the Nativity and Easter – are each preceded by a period of preparation: Advent and Lent. The emphasis of these seasons is on the mental and spiritual preparation to fully enter into one of the great mysteries of faith. In the Nativity, we celebrate God become human; God present in the world in a physical way. Advent is a time to remember the many and varied ways that God continues to be present in the world.

(Reflection by Greg Sunter)

2022 Graduation Mass and Candle Ceremony

On Monday 12th December at 12:00pm we will be celebrating the Graduation of the class of 2022 with a Mass in our school hall. We will also be holding the traditional candle ceremony, where Year 6 Leadership in the Sts Peter and Paul Community will pass from the current Year 6 students, onto our upcoming leaders for 2023.

All families of Year 5 and 6 students are invited to join us for this very special occasion.

Have a blessed week,

Stephanie Burns

Religious Education Coordinator

Awards will be presented at our Assembly on Thursday 1 December.

Principal's Award: Ava G, 3/4M

Learrning 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): 

Czarina L, 3/4W; Hamish S, 5W; Louis B, 5W; Lachlan A, 5W; Hugo G, 2W; Luka G, 5M; Daniel B, 5W

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to those students who are celebrating their birthday this week

Oscar S

Christian S

Isabella C

Olive I

Phoebe E

Avanthika J

Maxwell M

William B

Odin V

Olivia P

On October 28th the students and teachers of St Peter and Paul Primary school participated in pyjama day.

Students had to bring a gold coin donation so they could wear pyjamas to school. Throughout the day, students were having a blast, hanging out with friends and showing off their stylish yet comfortable pyjamas. There are over three hundred students at Saints Peter and Paul and with all the students' donations combined, we have made a whopping $560.60c and the school generously decided to match that money, giving us a grand total of $1121.20c.

Therefore, the school has given us the amount needed to purchase a buddy bench for those students looking for an extra friend. This idea was put forward by a member of the SRC (Student Representative Council) which is a new addition to the school, allowing students to be more proactive in the school community. The SRC have done wonderful things for the school so far and people are wondering what will happen next. We are so excited to see what the buddy bench has in store for us at Saints Peter and Paul.

By Maximo Andrighetto and Anna Scanlan

On Monday Years K-4 welcomed Author Dara Read for a visit to our school. She read her beautiful story We love you hundreds and thousands and discussed being adopted by her family. We thank Angelo (2M) and his mother Karin for coordinating the visit! 

Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge

Congratulations to all of our award winners and students who won the book prize raffle. There were 6 prizes per year level! We also thank Paperchain Manuka for our school book prize vouchers- we received $100 for each category that we won- Preschool-Year 2 

Year 3-4

Year 5-6

Last Book Club for the year-  Issue 8 is available now. Orders close 30th November and then it will take a week for orders to be delivered to our school. Thank you for your support with assisting our school raise money to purchase new books for the Library!  

Remember to order via the LOOP app.

LOST PROPERTY

There are a lot of items at lost property!

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.

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 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.

CANTEEN END OF YEAR

As the year draws to a close, we will be reducing our stock in the canteen to prepare for our fridges and freezers to defrost during the school break.

Lunch orders will be available until Wednesday 14 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 Thursday, last day of term for cleaning and first Wednesday of Term 1 for set up.   It will reopen again on Thursday 2 February 2023.

 If you would like to help out in the canteen in 2023 please email me your details

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 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. 

NEW TO THE SCHOOL? PURCHASE A STARTER PACK ON QKR!

Step 1: Download the app Qkr!

Step 2: Register - follow the steps

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

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

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

 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 school’s website for the Summer Uniform price list.

Lauretta Raccosta

Uniform Shop

Lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au

UNIFORM SHOP EXTENDED OPENING HOURS

FOR 2023

 WEDNESDAY 25 JANUARY 2023

9AM – 12AM  

School holiday opening hours via appointment only

https://stpandp.schoolzineplus.com/uniformshop2023

MONDAY 30 JANUARY 2023

9AM – 12PM  

School holiday opening hours via appointment only

https://stpandp.schoolzineplus.com/uniformshop2023

TUESDAY 31 JANUARY 2023

8.30AM – 9.30AM

Usual uniform shop hours

However, beat the crazy rush next year and get in before this year is through to purchase any school uniform needed!

 Uniform can still be purchased via Qkr! and delivered to your child till the end of the year!

MUESLI SLICE

Ingredients

2 cups natural untoasted muesli

1 cup self raising flour

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/2 cup sultanas

3/4 cup brown sugar

180 g butter

1/4 cup honey

2 eggs, lightly beaten

100 g milk chocolate (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line a 3cm deep lamington pan.

Combine muesli, flour, dried fruit and sugar in a bowl.

Melt butter and honey in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until butter is melted.

Cool for 5 minutes then add butter and eggs to the mixture. Stir until combined.

Spread mixture into the prepared pan, bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan.

Meanwhile place chocolate, if using, into a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stir with a metal spoon until melted.

Spoon chocolate into a small snap lock bag, snip the corner off the bag and drizzle chocolate over slice. Allow to set before cutting into squares.

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, Lisa B.

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.