Dear Parents/Carers

Welcome to the end of Week 9.  This will be the last newsletter before Easter and for this term.  As such I have placed a 600yr reflection below in regard to fasting.  It only goes to show that the adage ‘if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it’ often holds true, even in prayer.   

Fasting

While fasting with the body,
brothers and sisters,
let us also fast in spirit.
Let us lose every bond of iniquity;
let us undo the knots of every contact made by violence;
let us tear up all unjust agreements;
let us give bread to the hungry
and welcome to our house
the poor who have no roof to cover them,
that we may receive mercy from Christ our God.

- Byzantine Vespers

Covid 19 – Term 2

Our hope is to have our first onsite school event next term, Mother's Day.  This is a small indication that our covid rules have relaxed for outdoor events. Welcome news indeed for our X-Country Carnival and our Athletics Carnival which are planned in the first half of Term Two.

Unfortunately, there is still limited indoor interaction available, and we will wait to hear about any official word from ACT Health.  Otherwise, all regulations that are in place will remain the same.  This means masks, isolating, hand sanitizing, social distancing etc.  I will notify community of any changes to these rules in Week 1 of Term 2.

Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea and Gifts-

Today a flyer has been sent home for a Mother’s Day celebration.  Hopefully we will all be able to gather for a tea and a coffee and a pastry in the afternoon, allowing the children to come out and enjoy some afternoon tea and a play as mums have a chat with each other, socially distanced of course.  Children will have the opportunity next week to choose a gift for their mum if they want to.  Money can be brought in next term. 

Parent Class Contacts – Shout Out

We are still placing a shout out for Parent Class Contacts.  If you haven’t signed up for a role at SJV before, or even if you have, this is your chanced to add value to your child’s class.  It usually means organising a couple of activities per year or semester, such as a hot chocolate afternoon or a footbal/netball game after school, very easy and lots of fun.    

School Event Calendar – Covid Rules Dependent

Our fridge calendar was sent out today and has events and dates planned for the year.  The hope is that all of these go ahead, Covid rules dependent.  We have not really held any events for two years so this will be new for many people.

As you will see when looking at the calendar there are classes or grades that have been allocated to an event.  A shout out will be asked for the parents of these allocated cohorts to help organise these events.  All information on how to hold these events are provided to the organisers.  These events help shape who we want to be as a community, so please make sure that you participate in your allocated event. Thanks for all your hard work.  BTW - If you are reading this, please send an email to the Front Office with the subject line -Easter Raffle - for a free ticket.

School Community Council – Positions Filled

Welcome aboard Annette Doszpot and Matt Thorpe, two parents who have placed their hands up to be on our School Community Council.  A large applause for Yash McCann who has worked tirelessly on the council, doing wonderful work with Facebook communication and assisting with many key events.  

Term 2 Start – Wednesday 27^th April

Term 2 comes on the back of Anzac Day and this is then followed by a system wide Professional Learning day.  This means that the students will receive two days, creating a longer Anzac Weekend.  Enjoy!

Easter Raffle Wk 10 and Free Clothes Friday 8^th April – Support the Ukraine and World Poverty

Families have donated Easter eggs for three baskets to be raffled off by our SRC leaders all next week. SRC will sell tickets which are 1 for $1 or 3 for $2 and three lucky winners will walk home with a chocolate feast.  The money raised from this raffle will go directly towards supporting Caritas’ efforts in the Ukraine.

Over 3.7 million people have fled their homes in Ukraine, and there have been at least 2,778 civilian casualties. You can help the Caritas Ukraine staff on the ground to provide families with emergency food, water, shelter and hygiene support.

On the last day of school we intend to hold a ‘Free Clothes Friday’.  We would ask children to bring in a gold coin donation to put towards solving world hunger.  Thanks for your support.

God bless you and your families

Peter Rodda

Principal

Enrolling Now 

Why is St Mary MacKillop College the right school for you?

Student Testimonials

What's coming up and when:

TUCKSHOP ROSTER

Friday 1st April

Heather

Wednesday 6th April

Debbie

Friday 8th April - 

Annette

Next week is the final "Summer Menu" Term 2 will see the "Winter Menu" kick in for Terms 2 and 3.

On the Winter Menu, the children will be able to order Lasagne, jacket Potatoes, Fried Rice, Cup-a-soup plus other winter foods to keep them warm in the tummy.

Sometimes parents may log onto Qkr! On a Friday morning only to find a very limited number of choice options.  The reason for this is that at a certain time of the week, usually the night before the canteen day (eg Tuesday & Thursday), Mel will cap the menu options depending on the amount of help coming in for the following day.  

If however Mel knows she has a volunteer helper or two on Friday, the caps will be increased. If you can’t make it in to help but you can make pikelets, these are always welcome.   

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 

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.

Happy Birthday Aliya. D

On Tuesday we had our second incursion for the year for the Stingrays and Turtles, Peter from Reptiles Inc had a range of reptiles to introduce to the children.  The reptile program included safety instructions on what to do if you come across certain reptiles in our preschool and home environments.  I’m sure many children have been busy informing their family members of what to do if they see a snake.   We met Booger the green tree frog, Pancake and Cookie the turtles, Sir Lick-a-lot and Rocky the lizards, Chopper the crocodile, Dipstick the python and a special monitor lizard called Stitches.

Working Bee

Please bring your wheel burrows, rakes and shovels and join us on our Working Bee this Sunday, 3 April from 9am to 11am.  The children always enjoy helping out and playing with their friends.  We would love to see you there!

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.

Enrolment Zones

Enrolments are now open for the Primary schools (St Jude and St John Vianney) and ELC for 2023.

·        Children living in Holder or Duffy are zoned for St Jude’s for primary school.

·        If your residential address is Stirling, Fisher, Waramanga, Chapman or Rivett you are zoned for St John Vianney’s.

Enrolments are based on a priority system.

Song of the week: Our Music teacher, Mrs Tomas, introduced the children to a new song this week. It has been wonderful to listen to the children signing the words as they make, create and play throughout the day. Maybe you have heard them singing at home too, below are the lyrics for you to follow along with.

I Like the Flowers

I like the flowers I like the daffodils,                                                           

I like the mountains, I like the rolling hills,

I like the fireside when the lights are low,

Boom de a da, Boom de a da,

Boom de a da, Boom de a da.