We have alot happening in the first weeks of Term 2, so please note the below events and activities to mark on your calendar:

Once again thanks to all who helped with the disco & working bee. The disco raised just over $1100!! The clearing at the back of the school is much better and the area has been added to our Cross-Country track for 2023 and students have already been practising in this area. The new recycling bin has arrived so hopefully we can keep our rubbish more contained and that whole back area much neater.

A reminder to all families that children should be bringing only water to school in their drink bottle.  Energy drinks should not be brought to school in place of water.

Fathering Project

We are excited to announce SPP are participating in The Fathering Project School Program in 2023. This is the first program to be implemented in Australia which focuses on Fathers. It recognises that fathers and father figures play a vital role in children’s lives and can positively influence their children’s health and mental health, social success and academic achievements. SPP will be running some ‘Fathering Project’ events throughout the year.

The first event we are hosting a pizza and paper plane making night for all SPP Dads and Father Figures on Wednesday 29th March. There will be awards for the best made plane and longest flight!

This is an opportunity to spend some time with your kids, whilst giving you time to connect with other dads in a relaxed social environment.

More details to come!

FORMAL REPORTING IN 2023

Catholic Education Canberra-Goulburn (CECG) has communicated to schools regarding reporting to parents/guardians. CECG has advised schools that general comments will not be required on Semester 1 2023 reports, but to prioritise Parent/Teacher Conferences for every family. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress, their strengths, challenges and future areas of focus. A Semester Report will still be sent home as in previous Semesters providing A-E grading and attendance information. CECG has advised schools that Semester 2 2023 reports will require a general comment for all children. This general comment will provide a summative comment for the year, areas of achievement and areas to focus on for the following year. A-E grading and attendance information will remain as normal. We would encourage all parents/guardians to engage regularly with their child/ren’s learning, connecting with their class teacher/s regularly to discuss learning progress.

At Ss Peter & Paul’s, we are holding formal Parent/Teacher interviews this term that can be booked through Compass. In term 2 we will also give parents an opportunity to check in with their child’s teacher before a formal report goes home at the end of the term.

THE IMPORTANCE OF READING

The article below again reinforces how much reading can help your child’s learning.

Young children whose parents read them five books a day enter kindergarten having heard about 1.4 million more words than kids who were never read to, a new study found.

This “million word gap” could be one key in explaining differences in vocabulary and reading development, said Jessica Logan, lead author of the study and assistant professor of educational studies at The Ohio State University.

Even kids who are read only one book a day will hear about 290,000 more words by age 5 than those who don’t regularly read books with a parent or caregiver.

“Kids who hear more vocabulary words are going to be better prepared to see those words in print when they enter school,”

“They are likely to pick up reading skills more quickly and easily.”

Here is how many words kids would have heard by the time they were 5 years old: Never read to, 4,662 words; 1-2 times per week, 63,570 words; 3-5 times per week, 169,520 words; daily, 296,660 words; and five books a day, 1,483,300 words.

“The word gap of more than 1 million words between children raised in a literacy-rich environment and those who were never read to is striking..

The words kids hear in books are going to be much more complex, difficult words than they hear just talking to their parents and others in the home,”

For instance, a children’s book may be about penguins in Antarctica – introducing words and concepts that are unlikely to come up in everyday conversation.

The words kids hear from books may have special importance in learning to read.

We are halfway through our Project Compassion collection, so far we have raised $500. For that amount of money we can support a school in Nepal to start a sustainable garden. Thank you to our school community for all their support so far, don't forget your gold coin on Friday for casual clothes, with all coins adding to our collection. 

Our Year 6 students had a very enjoyable day last Friday at Trinity working with the youth ministry to Journey with Jesus. We learnt a lot about God's gifts of love, compassion and forgiveness. We looked at how all our life experiences help us to continue to grow with love for others. Students will continue to study our gifts and God's love for the following weeks of Term 1 prior to us starting our own youth ministry at school.  

Please note the new phone number for the Parish office is 0403 631 797.

SACRAMENTAL DATES 2023

Archdiocesan Swimming Carnival Results

Well done to all our Archdiocesan swimmers that attended the carnival in Queanbeyan last week. Special congratulations to Tyler Toparis (3rd Senior Back) and Lucy Boniface (1st 8yrs F/S)!

Lucy will now attend the MacKillop carnival at Homebush on the 30th March.

Northern Region Swimming Age Champions

Congratulations Miah, Astrid and Patrick!

2023 SPORT TRIALS

Information and registration for individual trials is through the following website >> https://www.sport.cg.catholic.edu.au/

The dates of the trials will be publicised on the webpage and the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn FaceBook Page. 

These trials are for Yr 5 & 6 students or outstanding Yr 4 students.

Tyler, Mason and Lachlan attended the Rugby League trials in Canberra this week. All boys played well and Tyler was selected in the Archdiocesan team. Congratulations Tyler!

What is The Big Vegie Crunch?

The Big Vegie Crunch is a fun health promotion event to help our community UP THE VEG. Our school will be taking part in The Big Vegie Crunch (part of Vegetable Week) at 10am on Thursday 30 March.

Primary schools across NSW will be joining together to break the record for the most students crunching vegetables:

-50,260 students crunching simultaneously (2018 record)

-14,991 students crunching at other times over Vegetable Week (2019 record)

What can you do to help?

• Pack a container of vegetables (not fruit this time) for your child to eat on Thursday 30 March.
• Remember to keep serving up the vegetables at home and in your children’s lunchboxes. Check out the Up the Veg at home resource for ideas

What's happening in Stage 2?

Guest Speaker

Years 3 and 4 enjoyed our visit from local Aboriginal elder Jennie Gordon, " Aunty Jennie". We learnt some very interesting things about our local Aboriginal Culture and Country.

3S

• We learnt that the word “Mulwaree” means river and “Wollondilly” means river over rocks.
• When babies are born they are given a possum skin and it is replaced with a bigger one as they grow. The possum skins are stitched together with dried kangaroo sinew (tendons).
• The land is very special to Aboriginals and we should look after the land.
• They create rings in the tree branches using rocks. The rings are used as signs by the Aboriginal people. Eg. They can indicate that a waterhole is nearby.
• In the past they used trees to make their houses. 
• They use grass and strips of wood to weave baskets.  

4C

• The babies are wrapped in possum skins to keep warm. 
• When they skin the possum, they even leave the face and ears.
• Only the men are allowed to touch and play the didgeridoos.
• The Aborigines ate berries, grubs, kangaroos and possums.

3A

• Aboriginals scar trees to make landmarks.
• Aboriginals make ring trees to show where water is.
• We got to see clapping sticks with traditional Aboriginal art .
• Aunty Jenny is called “Aunty” as a term of respect and family togetherness. 
• Aboriginal people eat kangaroo and possums but use their skins for clothing.
• They use sharp rocks to skin animals. 
• Aboriginals use trees to make shelters.

4M

• We learnt the didgeridoo is only played by men, women do not play because indigenous people believe it is not good for fertility. 
• We learnt that tree carvings were used to identify waterholes. 
• We learnt possum skins were important for indigenous peoples. They were used for warmth and babies. 
• We learnt that Wollondilly and Mulwaree are indigenous words.

Messages to share with your children in Kindergarten to Year 2

• Hold a grown up’s hand when:

- you cross the road

- you’re on the footpath

- you’re in a car park

Messages to share with children in Years 3 to 6

• Use a safe place to cross the road

• Stop! Look! Listen! Think! every time you cross the road and keep checking until safely across

STOP!

one step back from the kerb

LOOK!

continuously both ways

LISTEN!

for the sounds of approaching traffic

THINK!

whether it is safe to cross and keep checking until safely across

Hello from the School Counsellor... and important information about how to access School Counselling

Hi and welcome back to 2023. My name is Madi and I have been a part of the Catholiccare Student and Family Counselling team since 2022.

I am a Social Worker with a passion for working with children, young people and their families. Prior to this role, I worked in Central West NSW in acute mental health.

In my school counselling work - I provide short term client-centred support to children and their families drawing from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), strengths-based, mindfulness and trauma informed approaches in a developmental context. For more complex issues I provide referrals to additional services. I am available at Ss Peter and Paul’s every Monday.

How to make an appointment

If your child was seen by the School Counsellor last year and you would like them to receive support in 2023, we require you to complete a new counselling registration form. New referrals will also require you to complete the counselling registration form. Questions or requests can be directed to the office, your child’s class teacher or School Counsellor (madelyn.burns@catholiccare.cg.org.au).

Referral Link: https://catholiccare.force.com/housing/s/school-referral-form

Parent consent for counselling continues to be required for all primary school students and will be sought and provided via email or phone call. Where parents are separated, we require the consent of both parents. Once the referral has been received by myself - School Counsellor - I will make contact with parents on my next day at Ss Peter and Paul’s to further discuss the referral.