Dear Parents and Carers

“So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church.”

Mathew 16: 18

Welcome to Sts Peter and Paul Primary School for another school year. The Christmas and New Year period has been extremely difficult and trying, to say the least, and for many families their normal holiday routine was disrupted. Nonetheless, I hope that all our families managed to find ways to rest and rejuvenate.

Aside from 37 beginning Kindergarten students, we have another 26 new students from Years 1 – 6. I would particularly like to welcome all of our new students and their families and wish them a very happy association with the Sts Peter and Paul school community. I too am new and arrive at this beautiful school well aware of its excellent reputation. I have spent 26 years in education, and I have taught in a number of schools here in Canberra and interstate, including the Kimberley region of Western Australia and Darwin. Most recently, I have spent 7 very happy years as Principal at St Thomas Aquinas Primary School, Charnwood. I arrive at Garran looking forward to working and collaborating with all members of the school community to give our students the best education possible.

We welcome 3 new teachers at Sts Peter and Paul:

• Bronte Dunn, in Kinder Maroon
• Sarah Walsh, in 2 Maroon
• Luke Gubler, 3/4 Yellow

I wish Bronte, Sarah and Luke the very best as they begin their teaching careers with Sts Peter and Paul.

I started the newsletter with a quote from St Matthew’s Gospel. In this passage, our Lord is questioning the disciples about how He, Jesus, is perceived. In response to Peter’s assertion that Jesus is the Lord, Jesus informs him that Peter is Jesus’ rock, and he will be the foundation of the Church. I chose that quote because it is our school theme for 2020. In a sense, Peter’s story is our story. All of us, individually and as a community, are asked to be the rock upon which Jesus will build His Church. We know from scripture accounts that Peter had his ups and downs – he was capable of bold statements of faith but he also wavered and was given to doubt, where Jesus and His ministry was concerned. Our lives too mirror Peter’s, in so many ways. This year, our call is to accept the grace already given to us: that we are to be the rock, the foundation of Jesus’ ministry of love, compassion and healing.

I wrote above of the difficult and unusual summer holidays that we all experienced. I acknowledge that for many of our families, either directly or indirectly, the bushfires may have caused considerable trauma and difficulty. As I have written in previous letters, please contact your child’s teacher if you think your child or children are experiencing any ongoing trauma. This is something which we, as a community, will need to be mindful of over the coming months. We know that trauma is sometimes not always immediately apparent and can manifest weeks or months after an event. Please inform the school if you have any concerns about your child or children.

Parent Information Night

Next Tuesday night, the 11^th of February, we are holding our Parent Information Night. We will begin at 6pm in the school hall, where I will speak to the parent body and introduce the staff to the whole community. We will then proceed outside to a BBQ and you will have an opportunity to meet your children’s teachers. The teachers will be set up at various outdoor stations on the blacktop and you will be able to visit each station, introduce and meet your child’s teacher, and receive an information pack for the term. We are trialling this approach for 2020. I look forward to seeing you on the night.

Swimming

Our swimming program also starts next week, on Thursday, for Grades 1 – 2. It is every Thursday and runs for the duration of the term. The children travel to and from Stella Swimming Centre, located within walking distance from the school. I would like to thank Maryanne Armstrong for organising and coordinating the program.

Opening School Mass

Finally, our opening school Mass for 2020 is Friday week, on February 14. I would like to invite all parents, if you are able to attend, to come to the Mass, which begins at 12pm. The Mass will celebrate our school theme for the year and provides the platform for our focus for the year. As in previous years, our Year 6 students will also be commissioned as leaders and they will receive their badges.

I have felt very welcomed as I have joined the Sts Peter and Paul community and I very much look forward to getting to know you all over the coming weeks. Have a wonderful week with your families.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal

Welcome to another wonderful year at Saints Peter and Paul, and to all new families, a very warm welcome to what I’m sure you will see is a beautiful community to belong to.

Opening School Mass – 14th February, 12:00 pm

On Friday 14th February at 12:00 pm, we will be celebrating our Opening School Mass for 2020. All classes will be attending Mass, and all parents and carers are warmly invited to attend. 

Sunday Gospel: Matthew 5:13-16, Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A

This Sunday’s gospel passage is one that is commonly quoted and quite well known. Jesus says “‘You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world.” When we describe a person as being the ‘salt of the earth’ it’s generally meant in a way that says the person is hard-working, straight-talking and pretty down to earth. When Jesus tells the disciples that they are salt of the earth and the light of the world he is actually saying ‘You are to be the salt of the earth; you are to be the light of the world.’ It is more of a directive than an affirmation of them.

For someone to be salt of the earth and light of the world, they must be the one who puts their hand up and steps forward to speak for, work for and act for those who are the least in this world.

Staff Spirituality Retreat Day

On Thursday 30^th – Friday 31^st January, the Staff of Saints Peter and Paul Primary School and Holy Trinity Primary School, Curtin gathered together for a Staff Spirituality Retreat at Greenhills Conference Centre. The staff spent the retreat unpacking our Scriptural theme for 2020 which is “On this rock I will build my church” Mt 16:18. We discussed how this theme can guide us throughout the year, as we unite our two schools from the Transfiguration Parish.

Sacrament of Reconciliation 2020

The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated in the Parish of the Transfiguration, North Woden on Thursday, 2nd April at 6:00 pm at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Curtin 

There will be a Parent Information Night on Tuesday 25th February at 6:00 pm at the Parish Centre at Curtin.

Who is Eligible?  

Children who have been baptised, and are in Year 3 or above may be enrolled.

How to Enrol

To enrol your child, please access or download the Qkr! App. 

• Search ‘North Woden Transfiguration’. 
• You will then create a profile. Once your profile is completed you can click into Parish (2nd collection, Sacraments) and follow through to Reconciliation. 

Please note that all enrolments must be finalised by Wednesday 19th February 2020.

Dates for your Diary:

Week 2: Opening School Mass, Friday 14th February 12:00 pm

Week 4: Parish Mass: Commissioning Staff for 2020, Sunday 23rd February 9:30 am

             Parent Information Night for Reconciliation Candidates: Tuesday 25th February at 6:00 pm

             Ash Wednesday Mass, Wednesday 26th February 12:00 pm

Blessings for the week ahead,

Stephanie Burns

Religious Education Coordinator

We will hold our first awards assembly for the year on Friday, 14 February at 2.15 in the hall  Please note that our assemblies have changed from Thursdays to Fridays.

Awards

Principal's Awards:  Eloise H 5/6M, Emily Bo 5/6W

CONGRATULATIONS

Term One, Week 1

Saints Peter and Paul Swimming Carnival Save the Date

This year our Swimming Carnival will be held in Week Four on Thursday 27^th February at the Lakeside Leisure Centre (aka The Tuggeranong Pool, at the corner of Anketell Street and Athllon Drive in Greenway). Our Swimming Carnival is for all students in Years 2-6.
Please watch this space for more information about this exciting event in the next couple of weeks.

School Sport ACT
School Sport ACT (SSACT) have a new website, which they are hoping will be up and running in the coming days. The new site is www.schoolsportact.org.au

I have been trying to get on this week and at this stage am not having any luck, but I’m sure it will go live in the very near future.
SSACT thank you for your patience while they iron out the glitches.

I will attach information from SSACT about their Online Registration Process for any families who would like to register their child/children to try out for ACT representative sport, once this is available to me.

If you ever have any questions about anything related to Sport, please don’t hesitate to get in touch mary.desmet@cg.catholic.edu.au Hopefully I’ll be able to help you out!

Swimming Program 2020

In Term One, the students in Years 1 & 2 will participate in a 9 Week Swimming Program at Stellar Canberra Swim School.The lessons will run for 30 minutes every Thursday.  The Program will begin on Thursday 13^th of February and run until Thursday the 9^th of April.  

Lesson Timetable.

The cost of the Swimming Program is $72 per child and it will be added to school fees.

Thank you.

Kind Regards

Maryanne Armstrong

Coordinator

Week 2, Term 1

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.      

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

Are you able to help out in the canteen in 2020?

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 just pop into the canteen and say hi!

A delicious cuppa will be provided!

The Canteen has a spot where the little tots can play and be safe!

Do you want to help out in the Canteen and have a little one with you? Well, now you can bring your child along.  We have the ability to set up a small playpen in front of the canteen where your child/ren can still see you and be safe.  The play area is not a permanent fixture but can be set up at a moments notice.  If you are interested in using this facility or wish to discuss further, please feel free to call or email me.

 

Kindest Regards, Lauretta Raccosta “Mrs R”, Canteen Manager

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

Healthy Kids, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Canteens