Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers

Next week many of our Year 3 students will be experiencing the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  I thought this quote from Pope Francis appropriate for this week’s Newsletter.

The forgiveness of God is a sign of his overwhelming love for each of us; it is the love that leaves us free to move away, like the prodigal son, but that awaits our return every day; it is the enterprising love of the shepherd for the lost sheep.

Sacraments are always a very special time for our students, I ask you that you keep these children in your prayers.

Late Arrival and Early Departure Procedures

The school has moved to a new attendance marking system, Compass.  This system has many other facets that will be rolled out into the schools over the next 18 months.  As such, we will be implementing a minor procedural change that should make things easier for parents.

If you are arriving late or need to leave early during the day for an appointment, you still need to come to the Front Office as normal.  However, you will not need to sign children in or out; you will just advise the Front Office as to why your child is late or leaving early.  This should make this process a little easier.

Fete

The school and the SCC have come to the very tough decision to cancel our annual Fete.  Unfortunately, the predictability of what will happen next semester is not reliable enough to ask our community to proceed with this wonderful community event.

In lieu of the Fete, we would still like to proceed with the Raffle that is an integral part of the Fete, asking the community to help us make it a huge success.  I will be sending a separate note next term asking families to place themselves on a roster for ticket selling around our local area.  This would require some dedication of time, approximately 2-3 hours over a three and a half month period.  We will ensure that we use the latest Covid-19 advice and only proceed with this format if it is allowed.  Families of course will be given their regular books to sell.  This and the school Walkathon will be the only major fundraisers for the year

50^th Anniversary

I am calling for a group of parents to put their hands up to form a committee to help prepare for our 50^th Anniversary, which occurs next year.  It would be wonderful if we had a mix of new parents and experienced parents to form this group.  At our school, we have second-generation SJV families and it would be wonderful to have the wisdom of parents who attended SJV themselves.  Can you please email your interest into the front office with the subject line of 50^th Anniversary Committee.

Class Contacts

We are completing a roll call of our school class contacts, currently we have contacts down for Kindergarten, Year 5/6J and Year 2J.  If you have placed your name down on another class and have not heard, could you please let the school know.

Otherwise we are looking for contacts for Year 1B, Year 3/4P and 3/4CA and Year 5/6P

Walkathon

Our two major fundraisers this year will be the annual Raffle and the Walkathon.  The Walkathon will proceed under similar conditions as it normally would, but with Social Distancing rules applied.  Please refer to Mrs De Rosa’s section for more information.  Also, keep an eye out for an information flyer that will be sent home containing everything you will need.  This event will help raise funds for making our hall a better space for our students. 

WWVP – Parent helpers

This is a reminder that all parent helpers who come into the school to work with children, especially now as Covid Restrictions are easing, need to have a valid WWVP Card.  This card is free for volunteers and can be accessed by following the link below.

httpss:/wwwwaccesscanberraa.act.gov.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/1804/~/working-with-vulnerable-people-%28wwvp%29-registration

School Banking

We have been advised that school banking can begin again in Term 3 on Thursdays.  If you would like to continue to participate in this program, just follow the regular procedures.  If you would like to join school banking then please contact the Front Office. 

Semester Awards Assembly – Virtual

At this point in time, we have been advised that Term 3 Assemblies cannot contain over 100 people; this does not include our outside morning assemblies which last approximately five minutes.  However, this will more than likely mean that our Semester Awards Assembly will take a different format.  Whilst parents will be allowed (on current advice) onsite for certain activities, assemblies will not be one of them.  Therefore, this event may be something that we will be able to live stream to parents in two different groups, infants and upper primary.

Parent Teacher Interviews.

At this moment, in Term 3, parents are allowed to meet face-to-face with teachers, as long as social distancing rules are adhered to.  A note has gone home advising parents that we will more than likely use Zoom to meet for interviews next term.  This note went home in light of the recentCovidd issues in Victoria and the uncertainty of what will occur in the next four weeks.  If however, the ACT maintains its excellent record, then face-to-face interviews would be preferable.  If you are someone who can only meet late at night, then a teacher may contact you to see if you would prefer to use a virtual platform.

Free Lunch Pyjama Day – St Vinnies Sleepout – Wednesday 1^st July

As a celebration to making it to the end of term, as well as a way that we can support a worthy charity, we will be holding a ‘Free’ Lunch and Pyjama Day on Wednesday 1^st July. 

All the children need to is to fill out the lunch order slip that went home yesterday (please excuse the incorrect date that went home yesterday) and bring that into school by Monday.  On the day, the children may wear pyjamas or their school uniform and bring a cash donation to support the homeless.

 

God bless everyone and stay safe

PeterRoddaa

Principal

with Nina De Rosa

SJV Walk-a-thon August 4^th 2020

 

It’s time to get excited about the 2020 Walk-a-thon! The Walk-a-thon is a route of approximately 5kms and is an opportunity for our community to exercise, as well as raising funds for making our school hall a more welcoming space.

Mrs D’s ‘Thought of the Week….’

“PATIENCE is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a GOOD ATTITUDE while waiting”

-spryliving.com

This Sunday's Gospel is the conclusion of the instructions and consolations that we have heard Jesus offering to his disciples during the past few weeks. In this passage, Jesus summarises both the costs of discipleship and its rewards. Once again our understanding of the Gospel is strengthened by considering the context in which it was written and the perspective of Matthew’s audience.

The conditions of discipleship outlined in Matthew’s Gospel may appear harsh. Yet they underline for us a truth—choosing anything with one’s whole heart has consequences. Choosing life with Christ means that every relationship we have must be understood from a new perspective. For many in Matthew’s community, this choice brought division to their family.

Matthew also outlines the reward of hospitality offered to Jesus’ followers. In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus explains the difficulties of discipleship, yet reveals that those who welcome the disciples have also welcomed him.

The Gospel also highlights for us the importance of hospitality in the Christian life. To welcome another in Jesus’ name is to extend hospitality to Jesus himself. We have many opportunities in our daily life to reach out to others, to be a welcoming presence and a sign of God’s love.

This week talk as a family about how you can reach out to others in this strange time of social distancing and isolation. Commit to somehow being a presence and welcome sign of God's love.

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

On Wednesday next week, our Year 3 children will finally make their Sacrament of Reconciliation. The children will receive the Sacrament from Fr Michael in the Church after the Parish Mass. Unfortunately due to Covid -19 restrictions, parents will not be able to attend but I know will send all their love and prayer to their children. We ask that you too keep these children in your prayers during this special time.