Dear Parents, 

We have had a busy week with lots of events taking place in the last week. We started NAPLAN yesterday with our Year 3 & 5 students completed the writing test, and today they will completing the Reading test.

Like always our message to students is to try their best. I always say to the students if you can walk away and say I tried my best, that is all that any teacher or parent could ever expect from you. With NAPLAN moving online, one of the goals of this shift was to provide a tailored testing experience that allows students to demonstrate their knowledge at a level that is appropriate for them. To find out more about this testing experience watch the following clip that provides some interesting information about the tests your child may be completing. https://youtu.be/oGFseJAM3Ew

N.B  NAPLAN testing can give schools and parents some valuable data to work with, but it is important to remember that they are a snapshot in time and are not the only measure of student achievement. Please feel free to contact me if you have any issues with your child during this testing period.

Athletics Carnival

We are looking forward to an exciting carnival on Thursday. A big thank you to all our volunteers who make the carnival possible. Also a big shout out to Mr Jenkins and the Stage 2 team for their organisation of the carnival.

Open Days and Enrolment Period

We have had both of our very successful Open Days over the last two weeks with many new families coming to see our beautiful school. Even though we have conducted these days our message to parents and the broader community is; It is not too late to book a tour! Contact our office to arrange a time! 62811932 or Office.Stpandp@cg.catholic.edu.au.

Your testimonials to parents are still the number one influencing factor for parents choosing a potential school. Please continue spreading the word about our school.

A big thank you to our Year 6 leaders who have conducted numerous tours of our school in the last two weeks. We are so lucky to have such a fantastic leadership group who are extremely proud to showcase their school. Well Done!

Mother’s Day Breakfast

Thank you to the students of 5/6 Maroon and Mrs Kain for preparing such a beautiful celebration of mothers. You may have already checked out some brilliant photos on Facebook.  You will find some photographs from the breakfast at the end of this newsletter.

It was wonderful to have so many families in attendance for breakfast. We have trialled a change to arrangements this year in response to parent feedback. I hope you enjoyed the pastries on Friday. Fathers day will also be a ‘Cold Breakfast’. We will look to do a cooked breakfast biannually.

Homework Survey Results

This week I have unpacked the results of the Homework Survey and compared them to 2017 data to evaluate the effectiveness of our change to the Home Learning policy. I spoke at length to the Community Council last night and have decided to leave the policy unchanged after good feedback from parents about the change in policy which has reduced stress in the household, and has helped parents prioritise Reading and Numeracy consolidation at home, two things that are proven to positively impact student learning. Please see the results below. Our school website has more information about our Home Learning policy. https://www.stpandp.act.edu.au/home-learning

Blessings and best wishes

Sean Rutledge

Principal (Acting)

Sunday Gospel: John 13:31-35

The small section of John’s Gospel that we hear today lies at the heart of the Gospel message ‘Love as I have loved’. To be a Christian is to live and to love, with Jesus as the measure of what life and love look like. 

We throw around the word ‘love’ so casually in our society that sometimes it feels like it has almost lost its true meaning. I love chocolate! I love that show! I love soccer! Jesus did not use the word so casually. He spoke of love in a very deliberate and specific way. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus calls us to share in the selfless love that he modelled and to follow his example.

What does it mean to love as Jesus loved? The love Jesus speaks of is the love God has continually shown to all of humankind since creation. God’s love doesn’t keep score - as humans, we will continue to fall short of the people we could be, and God forgives us time and time again. God’s love is not conditional – whatever we do, God continues to love us. There is no barrier that we can construct that God’s love cannot get around.

It is this sort of love that the new commandment demands of us.

North Woden Youth Ministry - Transfiguration Youth Group

North Woden Youth Ministry Transfiguration Youth Group (TYG), will be launching on Sunday May 26^th 4:30pm - 5:30pm at Holy Trinity, Curtin. TYG is aimed at children from our parish in Years 4 - 6. Mass will follow the Youth Group at 5:30pm. The Youth Group will be facilitated by our Youth Minister Sarah Pearson.

My apologies for incorrectly advertising this as being held on a Saturday in the last newsletter.

As always Catholic education does not advocate or direct votes for any party. We do seek to ensure everyone who is interested is well informed on policies relevant to education.

School funding has not been a focus of the election campaign to date and is not expected to feature further in the days remaining in the campaign. In contrast, the policy positions of the major parties with respect to Early Childhood education are substantially different.

Much information is available through each party’s website and through news outlets. Alongside this, specific to Catholic education the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) has prepared a guide to the federal election on their website with a number of resources. The guide can be accessed at:

https://www.ncec.catholic.edu.au/news-events/2019-federal-election

The links below are available through the NCEC federal election page and provide further information including Facts on School Funding and FAQs documents for the 2019 Federal Election.

2019 federal election overview provided by NCEC

https://www.ncec.catholic.edu.au/news-events/2019-federal-election

Facts on school funding

https://www.ncec.catholic.edu.au/images/2019_NCEC_Facts_on_School_Funding.pdf

Frequently asked questions

https://www.ncec.catholic.edu.au/images/2019_NCEC_FAQs.pdf

Party responses to questions from NCEC regarding Catholic education

https://www.ncec.catholic.edu.au/images/2019_NCEC_Election_Party_Responses.pdf

There were a few hiccups with the Newsletter timings last week, and as such, I received no entries for our Maths challenge. Please remember for your answer to be accepted, I need to see working out to identify the problem-solving strategy you have used to solve this question. There are a few strategies that can be used to solve this problem. Please email your answers and working so we can find a winner sean.rutledge@cg.catholic.edu.au.

School photos will be taken on Thursday, 23^rd May.  Printed envelopes were distributed to each child earlier in the week.  The envelopes are pre-named, barcoded and have an issued shoot key for each individual student, which will match up with on-line orders. Please return the photo envelope to the front office by Monday, 20^th May. We ask that all envelopes be returned, even if photos aren’t being ordered.

Spare envelopes are available from the Office for those children who have misplaced their envelope or if split families require two separate orders.  Any parent requiring a shoot key for these envelopes should phone 62559208 or email Canberra.office@msp.com.au

Family/Sibling Photos:

A discount applies for families with 3 or more children. After purchasing individual packs for EACH child a Siblings Presentation pack of your choice will be free.

Only children who have returned a Siblings Presentation order form will have their Family/Siblings photo taken. Envelopes are available at the School Office

Congratulations to Mary Schmeirer on winning the lucky door prize at the Mothers’ Day Breakfast.  Mary now has a free digital membership of the Entertainment Book which is packed with amazing offers for activities, attractions, shopping, travel and all kinds of tasty treats – from cool cafes to fabulous fine dining.   A big thank you to the Entertainment Book company for providing this prize to the school. 

To help stock the pantry for 2019 we are having an Ingredient Drive.

On Friday 17^th May we are asking all students to come to school wearing a green item of clothing with their school uniform and to bring an item for the pantry.

Each class is asked to bring in a different item and there will be prizes for the class that has the highest participation.  Class items are listed below.

Thank you.

Robyn Moore and Lauretta Raccosta

Kinder - Butter 500gm             

1 W – Condensed Milk            

1 M - Red Kidney Beans 

2M - Plain Flour (white or wholemeal)

2 W - Self Raising Flour (white or wholemeal)

3 /4 M - Baking Paper               

3 /4 W - Desiccated Coconut or Rolled Oats

3 /4 B - Alfoil            

3/4 Y - Sugar (white or brown or raw)

5/6 W - Dishwashing Liquid or Paper Towel

5/6 M - Oil Spray or Sea Salt or Peppercorns

Sunday 2nd June

There will be soup and a roll after the Presentation Mass at 9.30am for First Eucharist at Sts Peter & Paul Garran. 

This is the second Gathering of the year for the Parish, you are all warmly invited to share, there will be ice blocks for the children.

The ribbons for the Sts Peter and Paul Cross Country Carnival will be handed out at the Assembly on Thursday 23rd of May.

The permission notes for the South Weston Cross Country Carnival​ were handed out last week to the children chosen to represent our school. Could you please return these notes as soon as possible. Thank you.

We are excited to be taking part in the 2019 Woolworths Earn and Learn program. The program runs from the 1^st of May until the 25^th of June. It’s easy to Earn and Learn. Just get everyone you can earning as many stickers as possible. Stick them on the sticker sheets provided, place in the box just outside the Learning Support Room, or drop it into the Collection Box at Woolies, Mawson.

You can download extra sticker sheets at teaching.com.au

Anyone from our community-staff, parents, grandparents, neighbours and friends can collect stickers for our school.

The more points we earn, the more we can redeem from a choice of over 10,00 educational resources. 

If you would like more information please contact Maryanne Armstrong.

Maryanne.armstrong@cg.catholic.edu.au

There is now a collection box for your stickers at Woolies, Woden.

Little Oak Animal Sanctuary is a leader in farmed animal charities.  A registered not for profit, they offer sanctuary to animals in need whilst promoting compassion for all animals through education and cruelty free living. They provide these animals sanctuary from abuse, neglect and abandonment.  They are dedicated to exploring and sharing ways we can all help animals, and seek solutions that are environmentally friendly and socially responsible. For more information check out there website https://www.littleoaksanctuary.org

We are asking for Cupcake donations. Cupcakes can either be dropped to the school canteen before 9am or be brought to the canteen at the carnival by 10am.

Thank you.

Term 2, Week 4

Thank you helpers, your assistance is very much appreciated.

Please contact me on lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au if you are able to help or unable to make your shift.  Thank you.

The Fruit Incentive ticket winner for the last week of Term was Ariella J, 1W.  Congratulations Ariella, 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 fruit from the Canteen and be in the weekly draw to WIN!!

On Wednesday 22 May we will be holding our first Special Lunch day for the term.

Children will be able to order a hot dog, drink and a treat for $6.00.

Gluten free and vegetarian option is available.

Order on Qkr!

ORDERS CLOSE 9AM THIS FRIDAY 17 MAY!

 No counter sales or other lunch orders will be available on that day.

As always the day would not be successful without any volunteer helpers. Year 5 will be hosting the special lunch day. If you are a Year 5 parent/carer and can help out on the day (even for a short while) please contact me at Lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au

Kindest Regards,

Lauretta Raccosta

Canteen Manager