Dear Parents and Carers

“Be pilgrims of hope and builders of peace.”

• Pope Francis

Yesterday, the staff had the great good fortune to welcome the Archdioscean interim Executive Director of Catholic Education, Pam Betts, to our school. Pam spoke to the staff about the mission of Catholic education and of the way that her faith has informed and sustained her work, in Catholic education, for over 40 years. Pam also spoke of the inevitable difficulties and struggles that we all encounter as pilgrims of hope and faith. She was both inspiring and a generator of hope, and I am very grateful that Pam made the time to come out and speak to us. Pam spoke to the fact that she draws a great deal on the late Pope Francis. In particular, she spoke of the Pope’s message of hope, and the fact that we are all pilgrims. I thank Pam for her witness and work.

Parent Support – Democracy Sausage

Last Saturday, Sts Peter and Paul was a voting site for the Federal Election. Members of the Community Council, and the wider parent body, held an election day BBQ and Cake sale, which was a great success. It was both community building and raised just under $4000 (net), all of which will contribute towards the upgrading of playground equipment. My thanks to the Community Council and all parents for their excellent work and support. It was an amazing team effort.

Parent Support – Mothers’ Day Celebrations

This Friday we celebrate Mothers’ Day at school, with coffee and pastries, from 7.45 on the blacktop, at school. All mums and families are very welcome. Children’s artwork from each class will be on display. There will also be an assembly in the hall, at approximately 9.15am (allowing for the morning assembly). My thanks to the Youth Ministry team for organising the assembly. The children will then have the opportunity to buy their mother a Mothers’ Day present, using a voucher purchased through QKR! A voucher is essential if a child is to buy a present for his or her mother. Parents are asked to buy a voucher before Friday. Like the BBQ on election day, this event is organised and run by the Community Council. My thanks to Council for their hard work and support of the school.

Confirmation Information Evening

Last night, an information evening was held for parents of Year 6 students who are making their Confirmation this term. My thanks to Andrea McQuirk, Paul Jenkins and Katie McGregor, for their support of our students. Please keep our Year 6 children, their families, and their teachers, in your prayers.

Athletics Carnival

On Thursday, we are holding our annual Athletics Carnival at Woden Athletic Park, on Yamba Drive. My thanks to Luke Gubler for doing an excellent job in organising the carnival, and to all parent volunteers, for their time and help. All parents are very welcome to attend the carnival on what promises to be an excellent and enjoyable day.

Enrolment Period

On Monday night, we held an Information Evening for prospective parents for 2026. My thanks to all the speakers, especially Lilah Jones and Bentley Brooks (via video). Lilah and Bentley were wonderful ambassadors for Sts Peter and Paul, and as our Year 6 students consistently do, they represented all that we aspire for our children. Thank you, Lilah and Bentley. We also held an Open Morning yesterday, which was very well attended. Our next two Open Mornings are Tuesday, May 13^th, 9.30am – 12am, and Tuesday May 20^th, 9.30 – 12am.

Have a wonderful week with your families.

Best wishes

Cameron Johns

Principal

Confirmation  

Students in Year 6 who have completed their Baptism, Reconciliation and First Eucharist are invited to celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation taking place on Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th June at 6:00 pm celebrated in the Parish of the Transfiguration, North Woden. 

If you would like your child to celebrate Confirmation this year, you must complete enrolment via the 'North Woden Transfiguration  Qkr app by Friday 16 May 2025. Enquiries can be made to the Parish Office (9am – 3.30pm Mon, Wed and Fri, wodennorth@cg.org.au or Ph.: 6281 3999).

If you have any questions please contact Andrea McQuirk at andrea.mcquirk@cg.catholic.edu.au. 

TIMETABLE FOR THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION 2025 

Mothers Day Prayer Celebration 

Following the Mothers Day Breakfast and stalls, the Youth Ministry team will lead us in a Mothers Day Prayer Celebration at 9:15am. All families are welcome to attend. 

Third Sunday of Easter John 10: 27-30 

We continue listening to the Gospel of John but now from Jesus’ parable of himself as the Good Shepherd. Today we hear Jesus summing up the meaning of the story of which we will hear more in the coming days. We hear of Jesus’ connections with his sheep and with the Father. With his sheep, the connection is individual, personal: shepherd and sheep know and trust each other’s voice. 

In the ancient world, flocks of sheep and goats were small; each animal had a name. Every morning, the shepherd would call his flock to go out to pasture, calling each animal by its name. Jesus knows me and calls me by name; I can trust him. The sheep are utterly safe with the shepherd: nothing can snatch them away from him. Just so, Jesus and the father are so close that nothing can snatch Jesus out of the Father’s hand. So close are Jesus and the Father that they are one, one in mind and heart. The reading from Acts begins to tell the stories of this good news of God’s love for us being taken beyond Judaism to the Gentile world, a very challenging mission. 

From God’s Word, Daily Reflections, 2025

Yours in Christ, 

Andrea McQuirk 

Religious Education Coordinator 

Setting Goals and Staying Motivated

• Set Goals: Think about what you want to do and make a plan to reach it.

Microskill- Think about something you want to accomplish. For example, finishing a book or learning to ride a bike.

Mothers' Day Celebrations 

Mothers Day Breakfast

All mothers, grandmothers and other special carers are invited to attend with their children

Friday 9^th May from 7:45 - 9am in the school grounds

A coffee cart will be serving hot beverages and a light snack will be provided

Mothers' Day Stall

Our Mother's Day Stall will take place during school hours on Friday 9^th May

 Children are invited to purchase a little gift for their mums or other special women in their lives!

 All gifts are $8.00.

Vouchers will be used to 'buy' a gift on the day.

These are now available to purchase on Qkr!

 Children will be given their voucher/s by their teacher on the day to use at the stall

 PURCHASES CLOSE THURSDAY 8^th MAY AT MIDDAY!!!

 Extra Special Surprise Gift

Mel from Heartstory Photography has very generously donated to the school something special to celebrate all of the wonderful Mums here at Sts Peter and Paul. For those attending the Mothers' Day Breakfast at the school, you will have the opportunity to win a $895 gift certificate from Heartstory which includes a Heartstory signature family photography session (on location or in studio, worth $200) and a 10x14" framed fine art print of choice.

All you have to do is come along on the day and add your name to the draw to be in the running to win this fabulous prize! 

A huge thank you to Heartstory for their wonderful support of the school.

A huge thank you once again to everyone who helped make Saturday’s Democracy BBQ and Bake Sale such a fantastic success!

A special shoutout to our generous sponsors — Woolworths Woden, Woolworths Mawson, Coles Woden, and Coles Curtin — for their kind donations and support. Your contributions truly helped make the day such a success!

With around 850 sausages cooked (what an effort!) and the bake sale selling out before lunchtime, we raised around $4000 towards our current project: upgrading the school’s outdoor play equipment!

On behalf of the School Community Council, thank you to everyone who gave their time, energy, and generosity. Your baked good were yummy and amazing - we truly couldn’t have done it without you! Events like this are only possible because of the incredible community behind them — so thank you all!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to those students who are celebrating their birthday this week

Leah P

Lilly W

Tenzing N

Abigail J

Amelia Q

Awards will be presented at our nmorning assembly on Friday 9 May.

Principal's Awards: Lilah J, 6W; Bentley B, 6M

Hi, my name is Harper de Smet and I’m a Year 6 leader.

This month me and my family are participating in Starlight Supersteps 2025. Starlight Supersteps is a fundraiser by The Starlight Foundation.

If you choose to participate in this challenge you have to run 10,000 steps a day in May to raise money for kids in hospital.

This year starlight is putting the money to 3 kids, Henry, who is suffering kidney cancer, Thea who is undergoing treatment for eye cancer and Mackie who has serious Cerebral Palsy.

How to raise money for Starlight is to go onto their website and press donate search for a team, group or individual and donate an amount of money.

Thank you for reading this and I hope we can get these kids out of the hospital!

I have also added the link to my profile if you wish to donate. Thank you so much for helping me reach this goal.

 Harper de Smet

 https://www.supersteps.org.au/fundraisers/teameleven

Exciting Event!

The SPP Singers and SPP Drama Llamas have been invited to take part in a special event with the Southern Cross Care Choir. 

Reconciliation Australia have asked for groups to record a video performance of Solid Rock which will be used during Reconciliation Week. 

To make it even more special, we will be performing not only with the award winning SCC choir led by Peter Stevenson but also with Australian Idol winner, Royston Noell. The students will be working especially hard this week as recording starts on Friday. 

Keep an eye on this space for our performance ?

 SPP Singers and Drama Llamas:

• Students need to have a signed permission form to Miss Gill by end of day Thursday 8th.
• Normal practise Thursday 8th 8.30. 
• It would be great if everyone could be on time as it will be a quick practise before we head out for the Athletics Carnival.

Miss Gill

Performing Arts Teacher

In the kitchen garden we could tell winter is coming as the leaves were everywhere. So, during garden club, we set to cleaning up the leaves. Many hands make light work and it was a lot of fun. 

This week the Year 4 students presented the ANZAC Day prayer assembly. This meant that, in cooking, the Kinder and Year 1 students could have some reflection time and make ANZAC biscuits (recipe in last week's newsletter). They were delicious and the children learnt why these biscuits were so important to our soldiers while they were away. They also learnt about working in kitchen and mixing, stirring and sharing. Both Kinder and Year 1 did an amazing job.

We are weeding and mulching this week, so if your son or daughter would like to come to garden club and help – it is this Friday lunch after eating time.

If you have any questions email katherine.birch@cg.catholikc.edu.au

The Garden Club

Mrs Birch and Mrs Moore

THE CANTEEN IS CASHLESS FOR ALL LUNCH ORDERS 

Families are required to place ALL lunch orders via Qkr! before 8.45am

Please purchase over-the-counter sale items (snacks & treats) for your child in a lunch order.

Purchase a “daily counter sales voucher” via Qkr! for your child to go to the canteen to collect items at lunchtime.

 WEEK 3 TERM 2,  CANTEEN VOLUNTEER ROSTER

Are you able to help in the canteen?

 Parent/carer helpers are most welcome in the Canteen. A lending hand is always required and very much appreciated.

 Helping in the Canteen is a great opportunity to meet new people and make a valuable contribution to the school.

No doubt your child will get a buzz from seeing you at the school. 

So, if you have any spare time and would like to help out in the canteen, PLEASE feel free to contact me through email at lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au or click on the link below to add your selected time to the roster.

https://stpandp.schoolzineplus.com/CanteenRoster2025

All volunteers must have a WWVP card.

 Qkr! TIPS

 Is your child sick and not going to school, and you have placed a lunch order on Qkr!?

You have until 8.45am that morning to cancel the lunch order - instructions on how to cancel lunch orders are below.

Athletics Carnival

NO LUNCH ORDERS

Students & Parent/Helpers can purchase food at Woden Park.

Canteen facilities will be available from 9.30am.

 Please note menu is restricted to a small number of limited items. 

CASH ONLY – NO EFTPOS

 HOT FOOD – Party Pies, Mini Sausage Rolls & Spinach Rolls $3.50/$4.00

DRINKS – Water, Coffee, Tea & Warm Milo $2.00

SNACKS – Cookies, Fizzers & Chips 50c/$1.00

OPEN TUESDAY MORNINGS

8.30 – 9.30AM

 The Uniform Shop is a service for the parents and children. 

We sell New & Quality Second-hand school clothing, and all money raised goes back to the school to provide resources for the children.

 The School Uniform is available via Qkr!
Tuesdays - Fridays, orders will be delivered to your child’s classroom. Orders need to be placed before 8.45 am. 

It is usual practice for most schools to offer second-hand clothing at the uniform shop to families at a discounted price.

Quality second-hand clothing can only be purchased during uniform hours We do understand that this may not be convenient for some families so please feel free to send me an email if you are unable to get to the uniform shop during opening hours and I will do my best to attend your needs.

 The uniform shop is limited with space, so if you wish to donate pre-loved items, PLEASE ONLY DONATE CLOTHES

that are washed and in perfect resalable order.

Lauretta Raccosta

Uniform Shop

Lauretta.raccosta@cg.catholic.edu.au