Dear Parents and Carers

Next week many of our students will participate in a Eucharist Retreat Experience, this is one of the steps of initiation for our student’s to become full members of the Catholic church.  It has dictated my quote for the start of term.

"I wish not merely to be called Christian, but also to be Christian."
—St. Ignatius of Antioch

When I meet with new families, I talk about the meaning of ‘catholic’ as universal which is how our school accepts all its members.  In the same way, Ignatius’ quote reminds us that the important part of our faith is to be Christian.

Social Distancing

Australia is still experiencing wide outbreaks of Covid 19 with a substantial hot spot on our doorstep of Batemans Bay.  Catholic Education (CE) have modified their road map of return from a version 3.0 to a 2.2 version.  As the name suggests this is more in line with what was occurring in Term 2 as opposed to what we had hoped would happen in Term 3.  As such, the following events/activities are modified in line with ACT guidelines and what was occurring last term.

Outside assemblies – Are to be kept to five minutes or less.

Friday Awards Assembly – Will occur virtually over our PA system so as not to extend our morning assemblies.

Adults on School Site – At this point in time we have been advised that only adults who are necessary for the running of the school (e. canteen, reading volunteers, health professionals etc) should be onsite.

Semester One Award Assembly – Will be held virtually next Friday from 12:15pm to celebrate the student’s achievements.  Unfortunately, we will not be able to assemble as a whole school nor will we be able to have parents onsite.  We will either stream or invite families to a teams/zoom event which will record this important celebration.

Playgroup – Due to the above guidelines, the restarting of Playgroup, which was to happen this term will be postponed until further notice.

Parent/Carers Pick up & drop off – Social Distancing rules apply.  As mentioned last term, it makes sense to spread out from our boundary fence into the new turf area, parents please do not congregate together and make sure you keep 1.5m-2m distance from other families. 

Walkathon – Whilst we could continue with this event as scheduled (as long as we walk in groups of less than a 100, that are socially distanced), we are postponing this event till later in the term

SJV Feast day – Will be postponed as we cannot gather in our school hall.  This event will be TBA at the moment.

Walkathon Fundraiser - Walking for Books and School Hall Mural

Whilst the start day of the walkathon has been postponed the event and the fundraising still continues. 

As you can tell from the title we are wishing to put the funds raised towards the school hall mural and the purchasing of new sets of readers, targeted at years 3-6. 

Fortunately it looks very likely that CE will be giving the school funds for the school hall floor, freeing funds from our Walkathon for book purchases.

Therefore, the money for the hall floor can now be used to update our reading room, which needs reinvigorating.  A wonderful way to use our donations. 

New families and family additions

Congratulations to Awa and Armahli Rameka whose baby sister Tiein was born at the end of last term.

Further congratulations to Elio and Ailah Buenaventura on the birth of their baby sister Amara in the school holidays.

We wish both families well and their respective parents as much sleep as they can get.

Environment Centre and Large Garden Shed

We are selling two compost bins that normally go for $275. We are selling these for $75 with a lid and $25 without lid.  If you or anyone are interested, please contact the Front Office or Mrs Malpas.  All proceeds will go to the Environment centre and our chickens.

We also have a very large garden shed that use to house our sports equipment.  Unfortunately the shed was constantly broken into and so we are looking to find a new owner for it  If you need a shed (I believe it is priced new at around $3500-$4000) and would like such a shed, please contact the Front Office.  Any offer over $200 will be accepted. 

Awesome Poetry

Below I have placed a selection of some fine rhyming couplets by some of our Year 2 students.

My Friend

I have a friend called Ruby, everything she wears is groovy.

She is very nice, And doesn’t like mice!     By Sabina 2JB

Hole

Once there was a hole underneath a pole.

Someone got a fright, but they will be alright.   By Hayden 2JB

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 an up to date WWVP Card.  This is free for volunteers and can be accessed by following the link below.

https://www.accesscanberra.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. 

Parent Teacher Interviews.

Thank-you to all parents who have made appointment with their class teachers.  It is always vital that we have a strong partnership between school and home.  These interviews are a vital link in that chain of communication. 

Funeral - Friday 11:30am

As mentioned in my email last week it would be nice if our community could keep Nina's father, Raffaelle Di Placido and Nina's family in our prayers tomorrow 

God bless everyone and stay safe

Peter Rodda

Principal

The twin parables of this Sunday’s gospel – the treasure in the field and the pearl of great value – reveal a paradoxical truth about the kingdom of Heaven. Throughout the gospels, Jesus presents the kingdom as ‘now but not yet’; as ‘present but future’. This paradox is captured in these twin parables. In both cases, the kingdom is likened to something of great value that is discovered but cannot be immediately grasped. In both parables, the finder must go away and sell everything so that they can eventually come to possess the treasure they have discovered.

By comparing this experience with the kingdom of Heaven, Jesus suggests that most of us can only ever catch glimpses of what it means to live in the kingdom. For most of us, only in the future reality of heaven will we ever fully come to understand the kingdom. However, those glimpses that we catch – those moments of inspiration and connection with God and with one another – are like the treasures of the parables. They are enough to inspire us to do what it takes to make sure that we will one day enter into that kingdom reality.

The third parable of this gospel passage reveals yet another truth about the kingdom. The dragnet thrown into the sea is like the message of Jesus – it is flung far and wide and does not discriminate about where it falls or on whom it falls. This parable rounds out the chapter that began with the parable of the sower and the image of casting the net is a neat parallel to the indiscriminate casting of seed. It is not up to the one who casts the net, the seed or the Word. Rather it is up to each individual to determine how they will respond to receiving the Word.

(Gospel Reflection by Greg Sunter)