Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers

I hope everyone is safe and has had a good week.  I ask that you continue to pray for the numbers of Covid patients in Victoria and around the world, that they continue to decrease and recover.  I know that we keep all these people in our hearts.

“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”  St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta

ACT Election-Saturday 17 October

The ACT Election is scheduled for 17^th October, so I am sure you are seeing candidates from all parties at shopping centres (or even receiving phone calls from them). I encourage you to approach candidates at the shopping centres and mention or discuss the value of ACT Catholic Schools and quiz them on their party’s support for ACT Catholic Schools. 

In the ACT, there are 29 systemic Catholic Schools who educate 15 000 students. In Canberra, Catholic schools are very similar to public schools; with our schools having almost exactly the same average ICSEA score (1077-1076). Our schools are inclusive, support families from all backgrounds, and operate on a modest budget.

Did you know that when you compare the total funding that Catholic schools in each state/territory receive, the ACT are the second lowest funded Catholic schools in the country? This is particularly impacted by the ACT Government’s low funding of Catholic schools.

Have a chat to the candidates and mention that you are a parent in an ACT Catholic School and funding of Catholic Schools is an important issue for you.

Science Week – Satellite Selfies, Incursions and Budding Scientists
Science Week is upon us with several things on the go at SJV.  Science Week highlights an important KLA that we engage with all the time at SJV. 

Tomorrow, weather permitting, we will be placing giant letters – SJV – on our bottom carpark for a satellite flyover to record our image. 

I was in both 5/6 classes on Monday listening to the children present their findings from experiments that they had created, implemented and drawn conclusions from.  This is a far cry from when the teacher would just tell the student what experiment to do. 

Next week, we have Questacon Science Circus coming into our school for a Senior and Junior Incursion.  A Science Circus experience is designed to stimulate and challenge students to explore science and technology for themselves that uses demonstrations and volunteer involvement to explore topics such as flight, sound, collisions, structures or bubbles.

Year 6 Graduation

Our coordinator for this event will be Mrs Wilder who is very excited to discuss her ideas with her team.  Please let the Front Office know if you are a Year 5 parent who is interested in helping. We can then pass your details on to our coordinator.

Working Bee – TBA - Early Term 4
Our Working Bee was scheduled for this term but due to Covid 19 I feel that postponing it until Term 4 would be prudent.  I will keep everyone posted.

Online Safety (Apps) - Free Parent Webinar 

This is a timely reminder to parents regarding the many apps that are currently very popular amongst our students.  Tik Tok, Facebook and Roblox are apps that your children may be using now, just to name a few.  Many of these apps are fun and can be educational; however, as with everything online, there can be traps and pitfalls.  As such, I have pasted a link below where parents can gain more information regarding online safety by participating in a free webinar (8^th September 12:30pm or 9^th September 7:30pm). This may help you to gain a handle on this ever-changing environment.  https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/webinars

Not Returning

At least one parent has notified me that they will not be returning to SJV due to their family relocating. I would be grateful if you could notify our Front Office if your child is not returning to SJV next year. This information will assist us with our staffing and resourcing. The parents of current Year 6 children do not need to respond.

Stay safe and God bless.

Peter Rodda

Principal

With Sharee Thomas 

It is important to read this Sunday’s and next week’s Gospel as two parts of a single story. These readings are a turning point in Matthew’s Gospel. 

In the Gospel on Sunday, Jesus asks his disciples what people are saying about his identity. The disciples indicate that most people believe that Jesus is a prophet of Israel. Then Jesus asks his disciples who they believe that he is. Simon Peter answers, identifying Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God.

Jesus commends Simon Peter for this profession of faith, indicating that this insight has come from God. Because of Simon Peter’s response, Jesus calls him the "rock" upon which Jesus will build the Church. This is a word play on the name Peter, which is the Greek word for "rock." Peter is then given special authority by Jesus, a symbolic key to the Kingdom of Heaven. Peter will play an important role in the early Christian community as a spokesperson and a leader.

In the Gospel, Peter’s recognition of Jesus’ identity is credited to a revelation by God. This will contrast sharply with Jesus’ rebuke of Peter in next week’s Gospel. When Peter rejects Jesus’ prediction of his passion and death, Peter is said to no longer be thinking as God does but as humans do.

The use of the term church in today’s Gospel is one of only three such occurrences in Matthew’s Gospel. Peter in this Gospel is being credited as the foundation for the Church, a privilege granted to him because of his recognition of Jesus’ identity. The Church continues to be grounded in the faith that Jesus Christ is Lord.

This week as a family talk about a time when you have been an example of 'living like Jesus' to others. 

SACRAMENTS

ALL FAMILIES who wish for their child to receive  the Sacrament of Confirmation MUST register their child via the QkR! App. Registrations for  Confirmation close TOMORROW -Friday 21st August. 

The key dates for this Sacraments are below. Due to Covid-19 we are restricted to immediate family and your child's sponsor only attending. On the QkR! form if you are unsure of who your child's sponsor is OR they have not yet chosen their Saint, please just write TBA, it is more vital that you register than have all the details. 

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me here at school.

CONFIRMATION

Have a great week!

What's coming up and when:

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 card with you.