Dear Parents and Carers

School Fees – 2024

Catholic Education are very conscious of the current cost of living pressures and have worked hard to keep fees to a minimum. However, schools are not immune from rising costs and unfortunately CE need to pass on some of these costs in the form of increases in school fees.

School fees for 2024 are shown in the table attached. The school fee in 2024 will include the tuition fee and all school-based levies. CE have also reviewed and updated the arrangements for family discounts, which are included in the school fee for 2024.

Your school fees are used to support the delivery of high-quality education and maintain and improve facilities, including the funding of all staff and the maintenance and improvement of facilities at the school. Voluntary contributions to the Canberra Catholic Schools Build Fund (CCSBF) will be $210 per term for those families that opt-in to make a contribution to the CCSBF.

Our students continue to benefit from a high-quality educational experience and a wide range of learning and co-curricular opportunities. We continue to see improvement in academic achievement of students, particularly in literacy and numeracy. This commitment to learning combined with knowing each child continues to nurture the growth and development of every child.

CE are very mindful of the impact that any fee increase can have on families. CE have carefully considered these impacts in setting 2024 school fees and have attempted to keep the increases to a minimum. If you have any concern that fees in 2024 may cause hardship for you and your family, I encourage you to contact me for a confidential discussion on the assistance available to support your child.

We value your partnership, and we sincerely thank you for your continued support of our school. If you have any questions about school fees or require assistance on any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Kinder Nativity

A reminder that on Thursday December 7^th, at 12pm our beautiful Kindergarten children will be presenting the story of the Nativity – the birth of Jesus. Our students and teachers have been working very hard, with many practices, to prepare and present this play. All parents are invited to the performance.

Reports and Class Lists

As I wrote last week, the teachers are writing the semester reports for each student. This Semester, reports will include comments from teachers as well as grades. Assessments are being finalized and moderated. Reports will be published via Compass on Monday, Week 10. Class lists will also be going home on Monday of that week. I would like to thank the teachers for their tireless and dedicated work and commitment to the children.

Save the Date: Christmas Function

A reminder that in Week 10, on Wednesday December 13^th, we are hosting a Christmas Carols family night, at 6pm on the school blue top. Families are invited to have dinner and celebrate Christmas. Grades will perform carols throughout the evening, and if true to form, Santa will also pay the school an early visit. I look forward to seeing you on the night.

Have a wonderful week with your families.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal

Social Justice - St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal

Students and families are invited to donate non-perishable Christmas goodies to help families. Each grade level has been provided with a food donation/gift suggestion:

Grade	Item
Kindergarten	custard powder and jelly
Year 1	bon bons
Year 2	packets of chips
Year 3	packets of lollies
Year 4	mince pies and Christmas puddings
Year 5	soft drink and cordial
Year 6	chocolates
Students and families may also like to donate a wrapped Christmas gift with a gender and age clearly labelled.  The Woden Vinnies Conference has provided the following details: Sts Peter and Paul, our local families are in need of gifts for 3 year old gifts for boys and girls 4 year old gifts for boys and girls 5 year old gifts for boys and girls 6 year old gifts for girls 7 year old gifts for girls and boys 8 year old gifts for girls and boys            9 year old gifts for girls 10 year old gifts for boys and girls 11 year old gifts for boys and girls 12 year old gifts for boys and girls Donations of movie vouchers would be gratefully appreciated for 13 years and above. Thank you SVDP

All donations will be collected by St Vincent de Paul on Friday 1 December. Thank you for your generous support.

Illuminate: Youth Ministry Leaders

On Friday 24 November, our Youth Ministry team will travel to St Vincent’s Aranda to participate in the Primary Youth Ministry Gathering:Illuminate. The day will consist of a range of workshops, games and prayer. Archbishop Christopher will also address the gathering. It will be a day of fun, faith and friends. Students will travel by bus and will be accompanied by Maddie Greenwood and myself.

Sunday Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46, Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Year A

Gospel Reflection by Dianne Bergant

We have now come to the end of the liturgical year, the point that marks the transition from one period to another. Today we see that the kingdom of God is inclusive. Its embrace is as comprehensive as is the embrace of God. Criteria for membership are not based on obedience to the commandments or on conformity to ritual obligation, but on the bonds of love and concern.

What we do for others, we do for Christ, because Christ is identified with those in need. We very seldom see the face of the glorified Christ in the faces of the needy; it is more often the face of the disfigured Christ that is turned to us. We see his fear and his shame, his brokenness and sense of loss. As difficult as it may be to look into such eyes, it is precisely the needy with whom Christ is identified.

Having entered into the frailty of human nature, identified himself with the needy, and handed himself over to death, in the end Christ will have conquered all. It is a curious kingdom that he has won, a kingdom of the weak rather than the strong. He has turned the standards of the world upside down. He has shown that it does not take strength to ignore or to exploit the needy, but it does take strength to overcome our own selfishness in order to serve them. The kingdom that Christ hands over to God is a kingdom of love and care.

Blessings for the week ahead,

Veronica Hall

Religious Education Coordinator

Christmas carols and picnic

The Community Council invite you all to attend our annual Christmas carols picnic! 

Wednesday 13^th December at 6pm in the school grounds

Bring your own picnic to enjoy

There will also be a sausage sizzle on the night

The children are preparing some favourite carols to sing to us!

We look forward to celebrating the festive season with all our families

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to those students who are celebrating their birthday this week

Amy L

Henry M

Awards will be presented at our assembly on Thursday 30 November at 2.15 in the school hall.

The Year 6 graduation dinner will be held on 11 December 2023.

The committee is calling for any families who may be able to donate some decorations (balloons, streamers, chair sashes, centrepieces) or Photo Booth options for the event.

We would also love to hear from any local businesses who may like to sponsor these items for the Year 6 graduation dinner.

 Please contact Lyn (0451 119 256) or Ange (0438 529 626) if you can assist. 

Thank you!

Malkara

Every Wednesday morning we go to our neighbouring school Malkara and do a walk, morning circle, and play on the playground with the students there.

Morning walks

On Wednesdays as soon as we get to Malkara our first adventure is a morning walk. We partner up with one of the Malkara students in our class and go for a walk with them.We walk a loop around their school and then after we all get a stamp.

Morning circle

After we complete our morning walk the next thing we do is morning circle. Morning circle is when we go to our classrooms and listen to songs about our day. There are 13 classrooms where we are all divided and do all of our activities. 

Activities 

Before we go to the playground we do some activities in our classroom with our Malkara friends. We do things like tie dye, play outside, help with work, paint and all sorts of things. Everyone has a lot of fun doing activities with their class.

Playground 

Our final activity at Malkara is playing at the playground with all the kids from every class. There’s a HUGE playground where everyone is guaranteed to have the best time. In the playground there is equipment like spider webs, swings, slides, bridges, rock climbing - everything you could ever want in a playground.Also there’s always a lot of games going on like hide and seek, tag, and a lot more.

At Malkara we have an opportunity to connect and help the students. We have a lot of fun there and can’t wait to go every week.

By Tara and Jeremy from 6M

Last week the Year 5 and 6 students learned about cooking and science and cooked with ice. They also chose their recipes for their Master Chef challenge.

Year 1 were busy having their Christmas cooking lesson. What fun they had. Anyone for a Christmas cookie?

In Garden Club we moved all our strawberry plants so that we could outsmart the weeds that liked them so much. The strawberries are now in a new home with some room to grow. They look yummy. Well done team!

For more information please email katherine.birch@cg.catholic.edu.au

The Garden Club

CRISPY EGGPLANT

Ingredients

3 eggplants

1/4 cup salt

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Pinch pepper

1 cup plain flour

1-2 Tbs oil, as needed

Method

Wash eggplants, dry and cut into 1 cm slices.

Arrange slices on clean draining side of the sink and sprinkle with salt. Cover with paper towel and let sit for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile place grated parmesan cheese, pepper and flour in a large bowl and mix.

Turn frypan on to medium heat, add some of the oil to warm.

Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry with paper towel.

Toss eggplant in the cheese & flour mixture and place in the frypan. Fry for 1 minute on each side then place on paper towel.

Repeat with remaining slices, add more oil to the pan as needed.

Transfer eggplant to a clean plate to serve.

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.

Sour Snap Stix and Zooper Doopers are available via canteen vouchers!

Thank you, helpers; your assistance is very much appreciated!

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

 

TERM 4 CANTEEN 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/term4canteen

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. 

 STARTING SCHOOL IN 2024?

PURCHASE A STARTER PACK ON QKR! NOW

 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

The Christmas/Festive season is fast approaching, and along with it is the additional Christmas/Festive preparation expenses, not to mention the bills that will start rolling in come the New Year!

Care continues to facilitate the ACT Government’s Rent Relief program for those who rent privately in the ACT. Eligible renters can apply for the one off grant of 4 weeks rent up to a maximum of $2,500.

Please note: The current turn around for applications is 2-3 weeks, but could increase depending on the volume of applications received.

For more information, eligibility criteria and application form head to our website – www.carefcs.org/rent-relief-scheme

Care will be closed for Christmas from Friday 22nd December 2023 reopening Tuesday 2nd January 2024