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Dear Parents/Carers
Welcome to the end of Week 7. As we are well into the season of Lent, I thought the prayer below would be a nice reflection.
Almighty and ever living God,
you invite us deeper into your world, your people, your Lent.
May this time be one of outward focus;
seeking you in those we often ignore.
Help us live a Lent focused on freedom, generosity, and encounter.
Give us hearts hungry to serve you
and those who need what we have to give.
Announcement – Year 1B and Year 3/4P
I would like to inform our community that Mrs Tanya Dunley has decided to resign from her position as Year 1B classroom teacher.
Tanya has taught in primary schools for just over 20 years, the last three at SJV, but has decided to step back from being a classroom teacher as she pursues other career avenues.
Tanya will complete the remainder of the term with her class and given this development, I have asked Mr Young to take on Year 1 from Term Two Week 7. Mr Young has agreed to return early from his LSL to take the class. As parents are probably aware, Mr Young is a highly experienced Year 1 teacher. This will guarantee that the continuing teacher on Year 1 is highly skilled with extensive knowledge of the current programs being implemented in this class.
Miss Ruth Blackwell, pending CE approval, will remain as the Year 3/4 teacher for 2022 which gives continuity to this class.
I would like to extend the school’s best wishes to Mrs Dunley for her future outside the classroom.
White Token Lunch
I had a wonderful lunch with some very well deserving students (pictured below) who were vary happy to chat and laugh throughout all of lunch about topics varying from what they did on the long weekend to stories about parents dropping important household items! Well done to these students who between them have enacted over 750 positive acts throughout our school. 
Parent Contacts
It would be wonderful to have parents put their names forward to be a class contact for 2022. The role of our parent contact is to be a first point of connection for families who are new to the school, families who are unsure of procedures or for families who would like to bring students or parents together to enjoy a social occasion (football/netball fun game after school, a dinner out with mums or dads, bike riding with students etc) with class or cohort members. We had a wonderful group last year, but unfortunately due to Covid we did not get to do much, it would be great to have another great crew or some of last years volunteers.
Plant Sale – Friday 25th 2pm-4pm - Located near the Front Entrance of the School
As you will read further through this bulletin you will see a section on our amazing plants. Since these plants are at peak fitness, we have decided to farm them out to caring families at a small cost. Please come along if you want to support our school and grab a bargain at the same time.
Principal's Retreat
Last week I participated on our Principal’s Retreat which had a theme of "Justice and Mercy". The Retreat was facilitated by Archbishop Christopher who gave us his insights into associated scripture and led us in mass and prayer. This was a wonderful opportunity for spiritual renewal for all principals.
Special Lunch Days – Parish Feast Day Friday 25th March & Italian Carnivale Celebration Wednesday 30th March
As we start to return to something a little bit more like normal life in our school, we cannot forget to celebrate. As such we have two Special Lunch Order days planned. These will go up on Qkr! tomorrow so please jump on and order, to make sure that your child does not miss out.
School Community Council – Positions Available
We have two non-executive positions on the School Community Council. Our council is the parent governing body at the school which advises on matters such as parent expenditure, family assistance, school uniform, fundraising etc. We meet as a team twice per term on Monday nights at 6pm. PL If you would like to assist in any of these areas, your contribution would be gratefully accepted, please email me your expression of interest on peter.rodda@cg.catholic.edu.au
Communication Survey – Fortnightly Updates
As part of our school approach at SJV, teachers send out a fortnightly Communique to give parents an idea of what is happening in their class. Next week I will be placing out a survey to ascertain how much this service is used by parents to see if it is worthwhile keeping. I will take an absence of an answer as a family who is not interested in the teacher emails. So please make sure that you take part in the survey one way or another.
God bless you and your families
Peter Rodda
Principal
RE News
At first glance, Jesus presented in this week’s Gospel seems at odds with the loving, gentle father figure we are most familiar with. We need to wait until the end until the end to see this Jesus and uncover the true lesson of this passage which is patience and forgiveness. This Gospel is asking us to reflect on times in our lives when we have turned away from God either through our thoughts and actions. This is at the heart of the season of Lent. Lent gives us the opportunity to reflect on our relationship with God and how our thoughts and actions impact that relationship. It invites us to ask what are we doing well and what could we be doing better? This passage also reminds us that God is merciful and hopeful. There is nothing that God would not forgive, and He has hope is is ever patient, that we will return to Him and ask for his mercy.
Reconciliation 2022
A reminder to parents of our Reconciliation candidates that the Commitment Mass is on this Sunday 9am at St John Vianney’s Church. This will be followed by the first formation session which will be held at our school. Candidates have been given their commitment forms and prayer cards today, please bring these with you on Sunday to Mass. Registrations for Reconciliation will close on March 20. Please contact me at: laura.matchett@cg.catholic.edu.au or the Parish office by phone: 6288 1979 or email: westoncreek@cg.org.au if you have any questions about Reconciliation.
Parish Feast Day
Our Lady of Annunciation Feast Day will be celebrated next Friday, March 25th. There will be a special lunch order available from the canteen as part of the celebration, please order your child’s special lunch on Qkr!. Classes at both St Jude’s and St John Vianney’s will participate in Prayer Celebrations with their classes to commemorate the day.
Project Compassion
Fundraising for Project Compassion is well underway. Project Compassion is Caritas Australia’s main annual fundraising campaign, and will run throughout the season of Lent. This year’s theme is ‘For All Future Generations’ and focuses on the stories of five remarkable people from India, Mozambique, Australia, the Solomon Islands and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thank you to those families who have been able to contribute to the campaign so far. Each classroom has a Project Compassion box and there is also one in our front office. We encourage you to donate what you can throughout the season of Lent, even a little goes a long way. We will be having a major fundraising event for Caritas in the last week of school this term.
Stations of the Cross
Father Michael would like students from both St John Vianney’s and St Jude’s to be involved in presenting the stations of the Cross on Good Friday. The presentation will be organised by our youth minister, Olivia Brown. If your child would be interested in participating, please contact via email (laura.matchett@cg.catholic.edu.au) and I will inform you about further details as they become available.
Please note - Merit Awards will be handed out at NEXT Friday's morning assembly.
|
KA |
Michael Huszar |
|
1 B |
Julia Paese |
|
2 J |
Harper Topp |
|
3/4 CA |
Janae Odonkor |
|
3/4 P |
Jasmine Buchanan |
|
5/6 J |
Julius Walker |
|
5/6 P |
Matheius Bleich |
|
Library |
Alannah Miles |
Italian |
Charlie Jongsma |
More stories from our very talented 3/4CA
Goosebumps!!!!! BY Janae Odonkor
Me and my best friends arrived at the theme park today at 12 am, do you know which one I’m talking about not the kid friendly one that has colour, the grey, black and white one that has old and broken gravestones we thought it would be a great idea to prove we aren't scared but truly we were and now let me tell you what happened at the theme park.
We got there to see a grey, black and white park. It was the most abandoned and dilapidated park I have ever seen. My friend Maya said, “this is great”, “It’s so cool, not creepy at all!!! yeah I reply
I turn around to see a moving gravestone lid Maya turns too but when she does it stops wobbling. Probably just daydreaming, I think to myself.
We jump on the rides “wooooooo” Maya says, sooo fun I say sarcastically,
The ride suddenly stops moving. When I look back I see nothing......
Visit https://soraapp.com in your web browser or download the free Sora app from the Apple and Google Play stores on a mobile device.
When asked to search for a library, click to search by ‘Name’, not location, and then search for ‘ACEN’.
Graphic Novels have become extremely popular for students in years 3-6 to borrow from the SJV Library.
What is a Graphic Novel?
"A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format. The term is employed in a broad manner, encompassing non-fiction works and thematically linked short stories as well as fictional stories across a number of genres." Good Reads
Over the long weekend, one of our students, Armahli, represented ACT in Basketball.
The defence of their team was sensational!
Some games were tougher than others and the team showed amazing team work to score many goals, with Armahli scoring 28 points over 2 games.
Armahli loved playing and wished there were more games and we wish her and the ACT team well at their next competition in Wollongong in April.
ACT Orienteering
ACT Orienteering is offering the following:
Starting Thursday 3rd of March for 4 weeks, SC-ORE first heads to Weston Park for the start of another exciting series to work those bodies and brains.
All Students in years 3 to 6 from Canberra and surrounds are welcome to participate.
We will be taking extra precautions to minimise student contact and mixing of schools/cohorts at these outdoor events.
Venues:
24 March – Patrick White Lawn (next to the National Library)
Parents and carers are responsible for completing their child/children's entries online. SC-ORE is run by Orienteering ACT. Parents or responsible guardians have duty of care including the responsibility to make arrangements for children to get to and from the venues.
The children are expected to be at the venue at 7:45am for briefing and an 8am start.
Events will finish in time for children to get to school (more or less on time).
This is not a SSACT event/program and is solely the responsibility of the advertising organisation listed.
Rebel Community Givebacks
PLANT SALE NEXT FRIDAY - 25TH MARCH 2:00PM - 4:00PM
Our Nursery is overflowing with a huge selection of evergreen, flowering, frost-hardy plants that have been nurtured by SJV's Nursery.
Prices will range from $6; $8 and $10 depending on the size of the plant.
You can choose from - Camellias, Viola, Gardenia, Hydrangea, Lemons, Escallonia, Jasmine, Salvia, Polygala, Rosemary, Lavender, Hebes, Helleborus.
We will have tables outside the Front Office - next Friday selling the plants.
Cash and EFT sales on the day.
What's coming up and when:
| Every Monday | Day change for Sports Day |
| Every Friday | Sports Day |
| Tuesday 15th - 21st March | Harmony Week |
| Friday 25th March |
Our Lady of Annunciation Feast Day - Sausage Sizzle order via QKR SJV Nursery Plant Sale outside the Front Office area - Sale begins at 2:00pm-4:00pm. |
| Wednesday 30th March | Carnevale Italian Lunch order via WKR |
| Monday 4th April | Cricket Clinics |
| Tuesday 5th April | Kenny Koala Visit K - 2 |
| Friday 8th April | End of Term 1 |
UNIFORM SHOP - SECOND HAND CLOTHING AUTUMN SALE
We have an abundance of second hand sport and every day fleece jumpers along with sport track pants for sale in very good condition currently waiting for a new home in the uniform shop.
We also have many other items that are available - if you are thinking of purchasing school uniforms for winter, then this would be a perfect time to buy before it gets cold.
Place your order on QKR but as there are no sizes available to choose from, if you could please email Janice or Jet with the size that you are after, we can have the orders ready to go home with your children.
Due to Covid restrictions, we are unable to have parents on site and walking through the school.
Janice email: janice.spackman@cg.catholic.edu.au
Jeanette email: jeanette.simpson@cg.catholic.edu.au
QKR App Instructions if you have not already downloaded the app.
TUCKSHOP ROSTER
Friday 18th March
Karli
Wednesday 23rd March
Debbie
Friday 25th March - Special Lunch
Debbie
SJV Tuckshop is open Wednesday & Friday. Orders can be made online via Qkr! A copy of the Menu and Qkr! instructions can be found on the Tuckshop Webpage.
Please remember to bring your WWVP- (Working with Vulnerable People) card with you.
You can apply for the card via Access Canberra: https://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/s/article/working-with-vulnerable-people-wwvp-registration-tab-how-to-apply
A new Canteen Menu is available here and on our website.
2022 Tuckshop Menu and Canteen Counter Sales Menu .
Please contact the Front Office, Mel or simply fill in the Canteen Volunteer Note to let us know you are able to help and when.
Mel Harding
Canteen Manager
mel.harding@cg.catholic.edu.au
Happy Birthday Sullivan D and Eddie A
Project Compassion
During Lent, children are welcome to bring in donations for Project Compassion to help people living in poverty. For every $3 donated we will contribute rice to the class jar. At the end of Lent we will cook and share the rice.
Uniform Shop Super Sunday Sale
If you need extra ELC uniforms, Mullyduds will be open this Sunday 20 March from 1-3pm for new and second hand uniforms.
Covid-19 changes
ACT Health has updated their advice in response to COVID-19 exposures in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings. If we have a possible exposure at the ELC, families will be notified as soon as possible. Staff and children can return to the ELC once they receive a negative PCR or RAT result and provided that:
* They do not have any COVID-19 symptoms.
* They are not currently in quarantine as a household contact or a high-risk of getting COVID-19.
If your child has symptoms and tests negative on a RAT, they should take another RAT in 24 hours, or have a PCR test to exclude COVID-19 and should remain at home until this result is received and their symptoms resolve.
If your child returns a positive Covid test, you must notify ACT Health immediately and contact the ELC office.
Week 7 and 8 RAT kits have been sent home; this is the last of the government supplied tests.
Please note masks remain mandatory while on the ELC premises.
Working Bee
For your diary, we have a working bee scheduled for Sunday 3rd April from 10am to 12noon. The children always enjoy helping out and playing with their friends. We would love to see you there!
Karen Leighton - St Jude's Early Learning Centre
Phone: +61262875520
Email: karen.leighton@cg.catholic.edu.au