Dear Parents and Carers,

Unfortunately, our Director was unable to make our visit on Friday, but we were fortunate that Deputy Director Angus Tulley was able to join us for a visit. Angus spent time looking at our annual Improvement Plan and the progress we have made, and followed up with a learning walk in the school where he met some parents in our playgroup, observed learning in most classrooms and spoke with staff over a coffee in the staffroom. He was impressed by our Hall and surrounding areas renovation and noted the welcoming, inclusive community we have at Sts Peter and Paul. Thank you, Mr Tulley, for visiting us, it is always a pleasure.

Our beloved groundsman Mr Kerry Marsham turned 80 yesterday, and we honoured him this morning with a Birthday celebration at morning assembly. We had many staff and students who dressed like Mr Marsham, and we celebrated the renaming of our Kitchen Garden the 'Mr Marsham Garden' in honour of the hard work and dedication Kerry has given to the community over many years. We have placed a bench with a plaque to commemorate the renaming of the garden. Kerry’s tip to remain youthful at 80 is to “do what you love every day, and if you don’t love what you do, do something else!”.

I will be away from school for the next two days at a TQI Meeting and Principal’s Siloam retreat. Mr Garreth Wigg will be Acting Principal in my absence.

Parish Mass

We have our Parish Mass on Sunday at 9:30 at the church in Garran.

OSHClub

Thank you to OSHClub who sponsored nibbles and drinks for the parents at our disco on Friday night. A great gesture from OSHClub to our parent community that I know was enjoyed by many.

School Working Bee

We are seeking helpers from our school community to get involved with our Spring Working Bee on Sunday the 24^th of November from 10 am-12 pm. Some landscaping, timber maintenance and more are on our list of things to do. The more, the merrier (and the quicker we get done!) A pizza lunch will be a reward for any brave volunteers.

Classes for 2020

Thank you to the parents that have written to me regarding class placements for 2020. Students have filled out a preferences form that asks them to list four people they would like to be placed with next year. Our class creator program ensures that they will have at least one of these selections next year. The process of balancing all elements I have spoken about in previous newsletters takes quite some time. The students will participate in a day in week ten where they will meet their teacher and spend time in their class for 2020.

Sean Rutledge

Sunday Gospel: Luke 21:5-19, Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year C

In this week’s Gospel, Jesus has now reached the end of his journey and is in Jerusalem. Here, other questions are raised. What do we do when things go wrong? How do we find faith in God when life collapses around us? These are questions all Christians face and today’s Gospel gives us a brief insight into the pain and struggle of Luke’s small community who had such faith and hope in Jesus, but life did not appear to be blessed. God wasn’t intervening to save them from conflict within families and persecution from governments. Luke tries to reassure his community that such discord and trouble is part of a living Christianity and can be expected. Faith in Jesus doesn’t take us out of the world, or permit us to live as some sort of aliens in the world. We are part of a struggling humanity.

Through Jesus’ words, Luke teaches his community that in this time of waiting there will be hardship and struggle; these are not incompatible with Christian faith and are not to be taken as signs that God is absent. Endurance is required.

Illuminate – Youth Ministry Day

On Friday 8^th November, Saints Peter and Paul’s Year 5 students travelled to St Vincent’s at Aranda to participate in the ‘Illuminate’ Youth Ministry Day.

The Illuminate gathering was a wonderful opportunity for our students to celebrate their faith together, through a variety of talks, drama, testimonies and other faith based activity stations and experiences.

We had a very prayerful, engaging and fun day. Mrs Hitchings and I had a lovely time with our Year 5 students, and we were very proud of the children for the reverent way they participated in the day.

Reconciliation and Parish Mass

On Sunday, 17^th November at 9:30am, our parish will be celebrating our Term 4 Parish School Mass, and candidates for First Reconciliation will be presented to the community.

All are warmly invited to attend Mass and support our Year 3 students who are receiving this sacrament.

 Fr John and Catherine (the Parish secretary) have requested that all families who have enrolled their child to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation ensure that they have submitted to the parish, a copy of their child’s Baptismal Certificate (not needed if your child was baptised in our parish). This is vital, as your child cannot participate in the sacrament if it has not been received.

Dates for your Diary:

Sunday 17^th November  - Term 4 Parish School Mass/Presentation Mass for candidates receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation.

Tuesday 26^th November – Retreat Day for Reconciliation candidates.

Thursday 28^th November – Sacrament of Reconciliation, 7:00pm at Holy Trinity Church.

Blessings for the week ahead,

Stephanie Burns

Religious Education Coordinator

Principal's Award:  Eloise H and Adelaide T

Week 6, Term 4

Thank you helpers; your assistance is very much appreciated.

Please contact me if you are unable to make your shift or able to help, Thank you.  

Fruit incentive ticket WINNER for last week was Thomas S, 1W.

Congratulations Thomas you have won a $2.00 voucher, to spend at the canteen. Please see Mrs R at the canteen to collect your voucher.

Do you want to win a $2 voucher to spend at the canteen? Simply purchase fresh or frozen fresh fruit from the canteen and be in the weekly draw to WIN!!!

Thank you, Lauretta Raccosta, Canteen Manager

Lauretta.Raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au or 6281 1932

Healthy Kids, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Canteens

 

Coming up in Week 6, we are very excited to be hosting a Scholastic Christmas Book Fair. This year we have teamed up with St. Vincent de Paul so that we can share the gift of reading. As a part of the fair, we are encouraging you to purchase a book from the fair to donate to a child in need.

There will be a huge selection of quality books available to purchase. The fair starts on Monday 18th of November, from 3.15pm and continues until 4pm Thursday 21st of November. The fair will be open before and after school, 8.30am until 4pm each day of the fair.

Book Fair - Monday 18th of November through until Thursday 21st of November. 

We are looking forward to the start of our Christmas Book Fair, which begins on Monday 18th of November at 8.30. 

I have received a number of new books this week, the latest November releases. You’ll find them on the new book stand.

Some of the titles are:

Actsmart Mobile Round Up for National Recycling Week

 Do you have any of these things lying around gathering dust at your house?

 Mobile phones (including personal digital assistants that are mobiles);

Mobile phone accessories (including ear pieces, car kits, cases etc.);

Mobile batteries of all kinds; 

Mobile phone chargers; 

Wireless USB mobile devices; 

 If you’d like to get them out of there, please drop them off in the box located outside the Two White classroom, no later than Thursday 14^th November.

We will be taking them to the Actsmart tent, (near the Canberra Times Fountain, located outside the Canberra Centre on City Walk between 8am-8pm on this day) to be part of a Guinness world record attempt for the largest amount of mobile phones collected for recycling in 24 hours.

Thank you very much for your support!

Eco-watch: We are looking for clean office paper that would otherwise go in the recycling bin.

Pages that are blank on one-sided, that can be used for photocopying. A4 size only please.

Canberra Symphony Orchestra presents family picnic concert on Government House lawns

CSO Shell Prom
Saturday 30 November, 6pm – 8pm Gates open 4.45pm*
Lawns of Government House Dunrossil Drive, Yarralumla

The Canberra Symphony Orchestra presents a program of musical theatre and film favourites for the Shell Prom picnic concert, from My Fair Lady to Frozen. Guest voalists Simon Gleeson and Genevieve Kingsford join the orchestra onstage, under the baton of acclaimed conductor Geoffrey Castles.

An annual favourite on Canberra’s musical calendar, the Shell Prom is an opportunity to enjoy a live orchestra in a relaxed, family friendly environment.

Pack a picnic or grab dinner from the Lions Club sausage sizzle on the night.

Tickets $20-$30. Group and family discounts available.

Book online at cso.org.au/prom or call CSO Direct on 02 6262 6772.

*Please allow time for bags to be security checked