Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers

Please keep the Scholten family in your prayers as their very much loved great grandmother Mary, passed away this week.

Events - Walkathon/Color Run/Carnevale

Due to Covid-19 we have not had the usual lead into our school/community events that we would normally have. As such I am outlining two events that the school will be holding this term.

On the 9th September the students will be heading out on the school Walkathon. We do not require any parent helpers for this activity as the school will be walking in cohort groups, accompanied by their teachers. This means that we can practise social distancing requirements. We usually have our Colour Run at the end of this event, but as we are trying not to gather as a whole school for any amount of time, this will be delayed to an alternate date in Term 4. Following the actual Walkathon, students can get onto the Colour Run platform and order their prizes. We hope to finalise these in time for children to receive their prizes before the end of term.

In Week 10 we will celebrate Carnevale as part of the wonderful work Mrs Howard has done with our students. All the children have made wonderful masks and as such the school will be holding a special Carnivale lunch (the note to come out soon) where the children will eat Italian food and wear their colourful masks.

Father's Day - Drive thru

If you haven't already I encourage you to place your order for a Father's Day treat. Orders must be received by 9am, Tuesday 1st September.

Request from Act Policing – Stranger Danger Information

ACT Policing has reached out to schools and asked us to remind our children about the importance of stranger safety and the need to report any unusual incidents or approaches to staff or parents immediately.

If you become aware of an incident or notice anyone acting suspiciously around a school or child, contact police immediately on 131 444. In the case of an emergency, call 000. If you witness an incident or if you have any information that could assist police, you can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Information can be provided anonymously.

Please support us to keep our children safe by having conversations with your child about moving safely around the community and what to do if they ever feel unsafe. You may wish to visit the Australian Federal Police website that contains child safety information. In addition, Safety4Kids is a non-government website that has useful information and links. The Constable Kenny website also has a number of child safety tips for parents.

Catholic Education will continue to work with ACT Policing on issues of child safety.

God Bless and stay safe

Peter Rodda

Principal

With Sharee Thomas

LESSONS OF THE KINGDOM - Matthew 20:1-16

In the Gospel this Sunday, Jesus moves from Galilee to teach in Judea where he is sought out by great crowds and tested by the Pharisees. Jesus spends time teaching one of his main mesages, the first will be last and the last will be first through the parable of the workers in the vineyard

On the surface, the parable appears to be an offense to common sense. Those who work a longer day ought to be paid more than those who work just an hour or two. When viewed in this way, the landowner seems unfair. That is because we are reading into the parable our own preconceived notions of how fairness and equality should be quantified.

A close read shows us that the landowner paid on the terms that were negotiated. The landowner, it seems, has acted completely justly. The parable goes beyond that, however, and we come to see that the landowner is not simply just, he is exceptionally just. He is radically just. He has given those who labored in the field for a full day their due pay. But he has also given a full-day's wage to those who worked only a single hour. No one is cheated, but a few receive abundantly from the landowner just as we receive from God more than what is merely justifiable or due. God, like the landowner, is radically just and abundantly generous.

The parable reminds us that although God owes us nothing, he offers abundantly and equally. We are occasionally tempted to think that our own actions deserve more reward, more of God's abundant mercy, than the actions of others. But God's generosity cannot be quantified or partitioned into different amounts for different people.

When reflecting on the weekends Gospel, it struck me that the workers in this parable sound very much like me sometimes, squabbling children, comparing what they have each been given and making complaints about it being unfair. Sometimes with our children there is a tendency to equate love with gifts and material things. This tendency can devolve into a spirit of entitlement, which runs counter to the spirit of gratitude. Any effort we make to overcome this tendency, to keep love from being entwined with gifts and possessions, will enable our children to accept completely the love that God gives freely and generously.

This week as a family take notice of these complaints and have a conversation about whether or not they are helpful. Remind your children that love cannot and ought not to be measured, but felt.

Have a great week!

A big congratulations to the following students:

Please note - Merit Awards will be handed out at NEXT Friday's morning assembly.

KA	Elina Mackenzie
1 B	Chase Bleich
2 J	Dimitri Taflaga
3/4 CA	John Jausnik
3/4 P	Julius Walker
5/6 J	Diane Sijo
5/6 P	Samantha Spurrett
The Arts	Dominic Mitchell
Library	Zoe Bufalo

This weeks focus for our SJV students is

HAVE RESPECT FOR EQUIPMENT AND THE ENVIRONMENT

For further information on our SWPB program visit our

Positive Behaviour webpage.

COMMUNITY CORNER

Weston Creek Molonglo Junior Cricket Club have opened registrations for the upcoming cricket season. If your child is interested in playing, contact Luke Hickey wcmcc.marketing@gmail.com or Mobile 0417 193855

From 14th August – 12th Sept:

We are giving our Fundraisers a bonus of $10 for any single city sold and $20 for Multi city membership sold.

Single city – you currently raise $14 which will increase to $24.

Multi-city - you currently raise $24 which will increase to $44.

We are excited to offer the new Entertainment Apps.

Amazing 50% off and 2 for 1 deals across QLD & Canberra and Australia.

20% from each membership goes towards our fundraiser.

PLUS receive a bonus $10 or $20 Priceline eGift Card until 13^th of August.

Help support us and our local community!

https://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/2323g4

BOOK WEEK 2020

Each year SJV celebrates the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book Week in August. Due to the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, CBCA Book Week 2020 will now be held 17^th October – 23^rd October 2020.

This means SJV will look at holding a Book Week parade during Week 2, Term 4 but is unable to confirm at the moment how this event will look due to changing COVID-19 restrictions.

This year Book Week’s theme is Curious Creatures, Wild Minds! Details will be confirmed as we approach Term 4.

Scholastic Book Club Issue 6 – No Cash Payments accepted

Scholastic Book Club Issue 6 went home this week and orders are now open, closing on Wednesday 9^th September 2020 (week 8).

Issue 6 can also be viewed at:

https://www.scholastic.com.au/media/5667/bc-620.pdf

Families are asked to order and pay for Book Club using the online LOOP platform. Due to Covid-19 concerns and restrictions, cash payments are no longer accepted.

Please use the link to register and start your order: www.scholastic.com.au/loop

LOOP is also available as an app, for both apple and Android devices.

All Book Club orders earn Scholastic rewards for SJV which are redeemed for new resources for our students. Thank you in advance for your ongoing support.

Any queries, please contact: samantha.heath@cg.catholic.edu.au

Happy reading!

The Great Book Swap for Indigenous Literacy Day

Every year SJV is a proud fundraiser for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation and holds the Great Book Swap for Indigenous Literacy Day. This year we will be running the Book Swap a little differently and due to Covid-19 restrictions, we are not asking students to donate second-hand books. Fortunately, through-out the year our generous SJV families often donate their old books to the library and we hence have enough books for students to all purchase one with a gold coin donation.

The Great Book Swap will be held during Library/ Health lessons in week 8 and it would be fantastic if all students could bring in a gold coin to swap for a book. It is a great way to celebrate reading locally and raise much-needed funds for remote communities. You will be actively helping gift 35,000 new, carefully chosen books to children who need them the most.

Please send in a gold coin with your students’ library bag and books Tuesday 8^th – Thursday 10^th September, 2020 (week 8). A donation tin will be available for the coins to limit contact with cash hence no change can be given.

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.

NEXT WEEKS TUCKSHOP ROSTER

Wednesday 2nd September

Peter & Julie Austin

Friday 4th September

Penny Scholtens
Cheryl Hughes (10.30-12.30)
Vanessa Friedman (10.00-11.30)

Please remember to bring your WWVP card with you.

Tuckshop Volunteers Needed

If you can only spare a couple of hours, that would be fantastic. If you have little ones, they are very welcome to come along.

Please contact the front office or fill in the tuckshop volunteer form to let us know you are able to help and when.

Dates for the following weeks

Friday 28th August	Gymnastics
Monday 31st August	Confirmation Retreat Morning 9am-11am
Wednesday 2nd Sept	Sacrament of Confirmation at 5pm
Friday 4th Sept	Gymnastics and FATHER'S DAY - Drive thru Breakfast 8.15am - 9.15am and Afternoon Tea 3.15pm - 3.45pm