Dear Parents and Carers

“If we have religious faith and we experience depression, often our faith doesn’t mean anything to us anymore. It ceases to be relevant. Not only do we feel we have lost our own way in life, but we’ve also lost the felt sense of God being present in our lives. The absence of feeling God’s presence radicalizes the sense of our loss. A lot of therapy, then, isn’t only about moving along the horizontal line to reduce the symptoms of depression—although it is that—but doing it in such a way that it starts to open up the depth dimension. The infinite love of God can come welling up, and something of the depth dimension can begin to shine through in our dilemmas. It isn’t just that we’re caught in the middle of a dilemma, but we have a felt sense of knowing that we’re not alone.”

James Finley

In the spirit of ‘a picture tells a thousand words’, my hope is that the picture above will help to flesh out the meaning of James Finley’s words. Finley writes that we travel through life on the horizontal line, with God’s grace being the vertical line. At times of depression, it is like a cloud, or fog, and can make us feel that we are alone – even from God. Any path to healing (from depression, or anything of that type of illness) requires an opening up to what Finley calls the ‘depth dimension’. It is gratifying to read of a writer applying the fruits of spiritual direction to a reality that is prominent for so many people.

National Simultaneous Storytime

Today the school took part in the National Simultaneous Storytime, which saw thousands of schools across Australia take part in a story being read to the school. This year, the book in question was 'The Speedy Sloth'. My thanks to Amanda Basedow, our librarian, for organising and coordinating our involvement.

Visit – Director of Catholic Education

On Friday, Mr Ross Fox, the Director of Catholic Education, is visiting our beautiful school, as part of his annual visit. Ross’ visit will include a tour of the school, viewing an English lesson, meeting with some teachers, meeting with the school’s Leadership Team and joining the staff for morning tea. It will be great to have Ross here and we warmly welcome him to our community.

Athletics Carnival

A reminder that Thursday, June 1^st sees our annual Athletics carnival take place at Woden Athletic Park. All children will have the opportunity to participate. It is always an excellent day and allows for all children, regardless of ability level, to participate and to contribute to the school. Parents are warmly invited to attend and we have many jobs that need filling. If you are able to assist, please contact Luke Gubler or Sarah Walsh sarah.walsh1@cg.catholic.edu.au , luke.gubler@cg.catholic.edu.au.

My thanks to Sarah and Luke for their work in organising the carnival.

Compass notifications

From Monday next week (May 29), the school will send notifications to parents, via Compass, if their child is absent from school with an explanation note.

Long Service Leave 

Finally, a reminder that this newsletter will be my last for the term, as I am taking long service leave from Friday. In my absence, Anna Williams will very capably lead the school, with Veronica Hall acting as Assistant Principal and Amanda Basedow acting as the Religious Education Coordinator. I look forward to seeing all staff, students and parents at the beginning of Term 3.

Have a wonderful week, and remainder of the term, with your families.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal

Confirmation

We pray for the Confirmation Candidates and their families as they prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation in June.

Important Confirmation Dates:

3 June - Confirmation Presentation Mass 6pm - Holy Trinity Church

4 June - Confirmation Presentation Mass 9am - Holy Trinity Church

4 June - Confirmation Presentation Mass 5:30pm - Holy Trinity Church

8 June - Confirmation Stole Night, 5:30pm

16 June - Year 6 Confirmation Retreat - Holy Trinity Primary School

19 June - Sacrament of Confirmation 6pm - Holy Trinity Church

20 June - Sacrament of Confirmation - Holy Trinity Church

Please ensure that you have selected a Home Group to complete the sessions. If not, your child will not be able to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Social Justice - Vinnies Winter Appeal - Beanie and Donation Day on Friday 2 June

Thank you to the many families who supported the ‘Share you Kindness’ Vinnies Winter Appeal. Your generosity is much appreciated.

During Weeks 5 and 6 we invite families to ‘Share your Warmth’ by donating gloves, blankets, jackets, socks and scarves (pre-loved and/or new). ‘Share your Warmth’ weeks will culminate in Wear a Beanie and Donate Day on Friday 2 June. Donations can be dropped off at the school foyer in the labelled tubs or dropped off in the classroom. Thank you.

Sunday Gospel: John 20:19 - 23, Pentecost Sunday - Year A

As the Father sent me, so I send you; Receive the Holy Spirit

Jesus’ mission began with the coming of the Spirit to dwell with him at his Baptism (Jn 1:32), while the mission of the disciples began as Jesus breathed on them the gift of the Spirit.

Jesus’ mission had been to reveal God’s love for the world and to overcome the power of evil that held people back from believing and accepting this great gift of love. The disciples are similarly empowered. They are given authority from Jesus to announce the forgiveness of sin. No longer are people to be held back from God by fear and guilt. The Spirit of holiness is a power we now have access to.

In this Gospel the evangelist shows this power already operating in the extraordinary change that happens to the disciples. They are locked in on themselves, afraid, possibly reliving their failures over recent days. Then suddenly the Risen One is present. He speaks no words admonishing them for their failures, instead all fear and failure is immediately banished and replaced by joy and peace. May the power of God’s Spirit inflame our hearts with the Easter gifts of peace and joy! (Adapted from Mary Coloe).

Blessings for the week ahead,

Veronica Hall

Religious Education Coordinator

The awards will be presented at our assembly on Thursday 15 June at 2.15 in the hall. 

Principal's Award: Anna S, 6M; William R, 6M

Learning Support Awards: Indie G, 5M; Kuna J, 6M;

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

Canteen Awards: Patrick C, 2M; Parker B, 3W; Henry C, 3W; Elijah C, 3W; Joel J, 5M

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to those students who are celebrating their birthday this week

Ciara F

Lorenzo L

Jospeh S

Bethany T

WOW~ Thank you to everyone who supported our BOOK FAIR!

We are beyond thrilled to announce that the Book Fair was a tremendous succes. We had a whole school goal of 500 books and we ended up selling over 410 books, kits and diaries! 

We made over $10,000 in sales and we will receive over $3000 in Scholastic rewards to spend on books and resources for the Library!

I am overwhelmed by the generosity and support of both parents and staff of our school. Thank you to the wonderful school staff who helped out with running the fair...... and for everyone’s patience during the busy hours of the fair when the lines to purchase were long! 

I hope everyone had as much fun as I did!

Today we celebrated the National Simultaneous Storytime 

National Simultaneous Storytime (NSS) is held annually by the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. Now in its 23nd successful year, it is a colourful, vibrant, fun event that aims to promote the value of reading and literacy, using an Australian children's book that explores age-appropriate themes, and addresses key learning areas of the National Curriculum for Foundation to Year 6.

Our school came together in the Hall to watch the live reading of The Speedy Sloth by the author Rebecca Young who was at Taronga Zoo, along with illustrator Heath McKenzie. We had a fabulous time altogether knowing that there were over 2 million children around Australia and the world also tuning in!

This week during Library lessons we have continued to learn about sloths and completed activities related to the book.

Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge

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 Tuesday 14th February to Friday 4th August. 

I am seeing lots of keen readers filling out their charts (Year K-2 in class all together) and Year 3-6 individually on their iPads! 

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

Keep reading! Mrs Basedow

Sts Peter and Paul Athletics Carnival

More helpers needed please!

It’s that time of year! The Sts Peter and Paul Athletic’s Carnival will be held Thursday 1st June (Week 6) at the Woden Athletic Park. This carnival will see students from K-6 participating in a range of track and field events, and fun novelty events on the day. We are eagerly preparing for this event and are looking forward to the day.

As our Athletics Carnival draws near, please find a list of jobs that we still require to fill to help our carnival run smoothly (particularly parents from Kindergarten and Year 1 to assist our younger students). Thank you to all the parents and carers in our community who have already offered their time on the day. Our carnivals cannot run smoothly without your assistance, so if you are able to spare any time on Thursday June 1st it would be greatly appreciated. 

The jobs that we require parent assistance with are listed below, alongside what each job specifically entails. If you have a current valid WWVP card and can spare some time to volunteer, please email Sarah Walsh and Luke Gubler with your preferred role.

sarah.walsh1@cg.catholic.edu.au
luke.gubler@cg.catholic.edu.au

Please note that we will set aside time for volunteers to watch their child/children participate in races, so the more volunteers the merrier!

Please note that if you do not have a WWVP card you will not be able to assist on the day. If you have not presented your card to Mrs Trish Collis in the Front Office, please do so before the day of the carnival. This will enable her to make a copy of your card to keep on file at the school.

Thank you so much in advance for your assistance!

General Timline of the Day

While we cannot guarantee that our Athletics Carnival will run exactly to time, please see the below suggested times for each of our events should you wish to come and watch your child participate.

Please note that Discus and High Jump will not be run on the day. If you would like your child to compete in these events at the South/Weston Region Athletics Carnival, please provide their distances/heights from a certified discus or high jump coach or official (e.g. a Little Athletics Centre representative). 

Students are encouraged to bring their own lunch and snacks. There will be limited items available at the Athletics Park canteen, cash only, no eftpos (see menu in article below). Please ensure that your children have plenty of food and drink to keep them sustained throughout the day.

Let us know!

What sports would you like to see more of at Sts Peter and Paul? We are looking to fine tune the clinics run at school and offer assistance to classroom teachers to ensure that our students in each grade are participating in sports that will be of a great benefit to them. If you would like to have your input noted, please complete the below, short GoogleForm.

https://forms.gle/63vvfSNTxdRstiGP8

If you ever have any questions about anything related to Sport, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Luke Gubler (luke.gubler@cg.catholic.edu.au) and Sarah Walsh (sarah.walsh1@cg.catholic.edu.au) and hopefully we will be able to help you out!

Lots of learning took place in the kitchen garden program this week.

The children learnt why it’s so important to eat food from the dairy group. We used two different types of cheese to make spinach and cheese squares. We picked spinach from our garden and sat on our Indigenous cushions and enjoyed our pasties. We talked about shapes and counted as we mixed and stirred.

In the garden we had some new children help to plant our potatoes which had all grown roots and needed a garden bed. It was a very fun time getting dirty in the garden. Garden Club with crazy hair made it extra special.

For more information, please email Mrs Katie Birch katherine.birch@cg.catholic.edu.au

The Garden Club

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,

or

Purchase a “daily counter sales voucher” via Qkr! for your child to go to the canteen to purchase (snacks & treats) 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 2?

Click on the link to add your name to the roster!

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.

https://stpandp.schoolzineplus.com/CanteenTerm2

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.

Athletics Carnival Canteen

NO LUNCH ORDERS

Students (& parents/helpers) can purchase food at Woden Park from 10am.

 Please note menu is restricted to a small number of limited items. 

CASH ONLY – NO EFTPOS

HOT FOOD – Party Pies, Sausage & Spinach rolls $3.50/$4.00

DRINKS – Coffee, tea, milo & water $2.00

SNACKS – Cookies & Lolly bags 50c/$1.00

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 uniforms.

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 Uniform price list.

Lauretta Raccosta

Uniform Shop

Lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au