Dear Parents and Carers

“We are workers, not Master Builders

Ministers, not Messiahs

We are prophets of a future

Not our own.”

Bishop Oscar Romeo

Oscar Romeo was a Bishop in San Salvador who died in 1980 while saying Mass. Initially a Bishop who kept silent in the face of the corruption of his country, he became increasingly outspoken and often defended the oppressed and poor, as he grew in his leadership and his understanding of what it meant to live as a Christian. He was executed and shot while saying Mass, in an effort to silence him. His quote above speaks to the nature of all of our efforts, particularly our efforts lived in faith. The motto of Sts Peter and Paul, since its inception in 1968, has been, ‘Your Kingdom Come’. Romeo’s words, which carry the full weight of his witness, speak to the Kingdom for which we labour, which is of a future not of our own. Parenting and education walk together and share this same reality – our children’s futures are not ones that ultimately we will share. That takes nothing away from the importance of our labours and work.

Enrolment Period

All Catholic schools begin the formal enrolment period next week, for the following 3 weeks. Parents are encouraged to submit any applications for 2025 enrolments within that time period. Sts Peter and Paul is holding 3 Open Days, on Tuesday May 7^th, 14^th and 21^st, all from 9am – 11.30am. Our Information Night is on Tuesday May 7^th at 6pm. I look forward to welcoming any new and continuing parents to the Information Night and our Open Days.

Da Vinci Decathlon

Today saw a number of our older students participate in the Da Vinci Decathlon, which is a lateral thinking competition, held each year at Grammar. The students have been preparing for a number of weeks at recess and lunchtime and will spend the day solving problems and puzzles. I would like to wish Harper DS, Nathalie C, Audrey I, Lilah J, Massimlo M, Bentley B, Anwesha K, Ciara C, Indie G, Yianna M, Ava G, Felix JB, Lucia M, Amy L, Isabella T and Eliana B (and TobyT who came to our practices and was a great extra support for our teams). My thanks to Katie Birch who has coordinated and prepared the children for the day.

World of Maths

Tomorrow, all students in the school from K – 6 will be participating in an incursion and will enjoy and learn from the ‘World of Maths’ presentation. My thanks to Samantha Mance for coordinating this event.

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Next Tuesday night, May 7^th at 6pm, students in Year 3 will be receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time, in the Parish of the Transfiguration, at Curtin. As we do with all of our Sacraments, we are celebrating this occasion with our fellow parish school, Holy Trinity. I would like to congratulate our children, and their families, for this step in faith. My thanks to all the students and their families, and to the Year 3 teachers, Paul Jenkins and Sarah Walsh. My thanks too to Amanda Basedow, our acting REC for her work and coordination of the sacramental program, and to Monsignor John Woods, for his unstinting support and help.

Mothers’ Day

Friday week, on May 10^th, we celebrate and honour all of mums in the school, a Mothers’ Day Morning Tea, from 7.45am on the school blacktop. A variety of pastries and coffee will be available for all of our mums and I would like to invite all mothers and significant female family members to the Morning Tea. Kindergarten is holding an assembly that celebrates the gifts of mothers at 9.30am, to which all families are invited. We are also holding a Mothers’ Day stall, and all children will have the opportunity to buy a Mothers’ Day present for their mums. My thanks to the Katherine Jones and the Community Council for their excellent work in enabling this to happen, and to the kindergarten teachers and students for their great work in preparing the assembly.

Have a wonderful week with your families.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal

This year at Sts Peter and Paul, we are all called to ‘Flourish’ 

Welcome to 2024, and an extra special welcome to all the new families in our community this term. Our theme for 2024 is “Planted in the House of the Lord, they will flourish” Psalm 92:13. Throughout the year, we will be looking at the ways we can flourish, individually and as a school community and help those around us to flourish. 

Sacramental News

SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATION: Reconciliation

Please continue to pray for our students and their families, as they prepare to make the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time. 

First Reconciliation will take place at Holy Trinity Church, Curtin 6pm Tuesday, 7th May. When you arrive at the Church, please look for your child’s certificate and that will be your pew allocation. We will have a Liturgy, during which, candidates and a Parent will go to one of the Priests. 

Any enquiries can be directed to the Parish Office ( 6281 3999/  wodennorth@cg.org.au )

Confirmation Parent Information Night

An information night for the Sacrament of Confirmation will be held via Zoom on Tuesday 14th May commencing at 6pm via teams. We are also looking for volunteers to host a family group. The role of a host is not difficult, with session notes and guidance provided. If you are interested in hosting a family group, please complete the ‘Host Nomination’ form (attached in the Compass notification) and attend a Zoom information session at 5:30 pm on Tuesday 14 May. 

If you have any questions, please contact Catherine Grinsell-Jones at the parish office on 6281 3999.

Mother’s Day Liturgy

Families are warmly invited to attend the Mother’s Day Prayer Celebration Friday May 10 (Week 2) in the Hall. This will be led by our beautiful Kinder classes.

Gospel- John 15:9-17 6th Sunday in Easter

No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.

The boundlessness of God’s love is seen in the fact that God loved us even before we were deserving of God’s love. In fact, it was God’s love that made us able both to receive and to give love in return.

Love is of God; love is God. Divine love is constant and trustworthy. How easily we can think this thought or speak these words, yet how difficult, even impossible, it is to comprehend what it means. We can only really recognise love in its many concrete manifestations. Love is patient, kind and forbearing; it believes, it hopes, it endures. The love of God breaks down the barriers between Gentile and Jew, between slave and free, between the poor and the prosperous, between women and men, between the healthy and the ailing, between young and old.

Embraced by such love we are gradually transformed. We begin to recognise God’s love in places we never suspected it would be found. We discover that what we once judged unclean may merely be an unfamiliar openness to God’s truth. We discover that our own insistence on legitimate religious practice may really be spiritual elitism. Our eyes are opened to ways we have tried to confine God’s love to the conventional boundaries we ourselves have set. As we are drawn into God’s love, we eagerly embrace the commandments that help us to live righteous lives. To the extent that we love as universally as God does, we will know that we live in God and that God lives in us.

Adapted from Dianne Bergant CSA

Blessings for the week ahead,

Amanda Basedow

Religious Education Coordinator (Acting)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to those students who are celebrating their birthday this week

Natalie C

Siraj A

Harvey P

Ivy K

Leah P

Lilly W

Tenzing N

Annika T

Awards will be presented at morning assembly on Friday, 10 May.

Principal's Awards: Isabella T, 6W; Cameron B, 6W

Learning Support Awards: Hanshika M, 4M; Siraj A, 4W; Adhiraj SK, 5W; Thomas M, 6W

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

Welcome back to Term 2! I hope you all had a lovely break. Just a few reminders:

We have over 600 overdue Library books after the school holidays! We would love to see these books back this week in the Library!

Library Information

Please take note of your child or children’s library days. Kinder- Year 4 must have a Library Bag to borrow books to take home. 

Mondays- 2M, KW & Library Admin

Tuesdays- 3M, 3W, 1W, KM

Wednesdays- 4M, 4W, 5W, 2W

Thursdays- 5M, 6W, 1M & Library Admin 

The Library is open at Lunchtimes (after eating time) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for children to come and read, draw or play quietly.  

Years 3-6 Author visit- Tristan Bancks- Monday 13th May (Week 3)

Tristan Bancks is an Australian author. He tells stories for the page and screen. His latest book is suspense-thriller, Scar Town, for age 10+is nominated for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year for Younger Readers. His other books for kids and teens include Two Wolves, The Fall, Detention, Cop & Robber, Ginger Meggs and the Tom Weekly series. His books have won and been shortlisted for many awards, including a Children’s Book Council of Australia Honour Book, the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, and the YABBA children’s choice book awards.

By scanning the QR code or visiting this LINK families and students can purchase his books before the event. You just need to add the students name, class and school in the order notes for easy processing for The Book Cow. Tristan will bring any pre-purchased books to our school for him to sign.

The National Simultaneous Storytime

Explain: 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 24th 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.

Event Information- NSS receives positive media coverage and generates a great deal of community interest. 2023 was our biggest and most successful NSS to date with over 2.18 million participants at over 59, 000 locations!

What do they look for in the National Simultaneous Storytime book? Each year, interested publishers send in possible titles. From a practical perspective, the publisher has to be able and willing to provide copyright release for use of the illustrations, book projection, translation into other languages and performance. The publisher also needs to commit to a special print run of several thousand copies. This narrows down the options. The criteria for choosing from the remaining books include: a positive storyline; appeal to a modern and diverse audience; suitability for read-aloud (language and length); how well the book lends itself to craft and other activities. This event takes place online.

This year NSS takes place on Wednesday 22 May 2024 at 12:00pm and we would love it if you could join us! Everyone can join NSS, it doesn't matter whether you are at home, a school, a public library or even a university library! Register below to participate

Oh, how I love the sky…. And moving through The marvellous BLUE

About the author
Aura Parker is an award-winning illustrator, writer and designer. Her picture books are joyful with a playful sense of humour, brimming with details to explore. Aura Parker’s storytelling through words and pictures inspires imagination, courage and confidence in young readers as well as a love, curiosity and passion for nature.

Our school will be participating in the NSS in the School Hall at 12pm and we are already very excited! In the lead up to the big event, all classes will be completing a range of activities using themes from the book. 

The Book Fair is coming

Instead of Book Club this term, we are having our annual Book Fair in Week 5!

The Book Fair is always an exciting event at Sts Peter and Pauls and this year is going to be better than ever! 

Happy reading!

Amanda Basedow 

Teacher Librarian

Interschools Snowsports

Is your child interested in snowsports? The Interschools Snowsport Championships provides an opportunity for Australian school students of all ages to experience competitive snowsports and to participate at either a recreational or competitive level. Students from Kindergarten to Year 6 who are able to execute link turns and ride a chairlift/T-bar confidently, are invited to participate. 

The ACT Regional Championships are held on 23-26 July in Perisher. The actual days of competition will depend on the division and discipline in which the child is competing. 

If this is something your child may be interested in, please register your interest with Sonya Thompson (sonyawalter@gmail.com) by 1 May. 

Further information can be found on the website https://www.interschools.com.au/info-hub/about-interschools/ 

Kind regards,

Luke Gubler

5 White Classroom Teacher

Sports Coordinator

This term Year 2 and Kinder are cooking and learning about healthy eating. Can't wait!! 

In the garden we spent our last garden club preparing for the holidays. Next week we are planting. Very exciting.

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.

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

WEEK 2,  CANTEEN VOLUNTEER ROSTER

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

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

 Are you able to help in the canteen?

TERM 2 CANTEEN ROSTER OUT NOW

 Parent/carer helpers are most welcome in the Canteen.

A lending hand is always required and very much appreciated.

Helping in the Canteen is a great opportunity to meet new people and make a valuable contribution to the school. 

No doubt your child/ren will get a buzz from seeing you at the school. 

So 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 add your selected time to the roster.

Please ensure you have your WWVP card.

https://stpandp.schoolzineplus.com/T2Roster

 

 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. 

It is usual practice for most schools to offer second-hand clothing at the uniform shop to families at a discounted price. Quality second-hand clothing can only be purchased during uniform hours.  We do understand that this may not be convenient for some families so please feel free to send me an email if you are unable to get to the uniform shop during opening hours and I will do my best to attend your needs.

Lauretta Raccosta

Uniform Shop

Lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au