Dear Parents and Carers,
I wish you all a magnificent Easter holiday with your friends and family. For those who are travelling, travel safely and enjoy a relaxing and enjoyable break. The staff are looking forward to seeing everyone back recharged and ready for Term 2 on Wednesday, 26th April.

The Archbishop has echoed the Pope's Easter message and has challenged us to listen this Easter to the cries of those in need, especially the voice of our First Australians.

EASTER MESSAGE 2023

WALKING TOGETHER WITH OUR FIRST AUSTRALIANS

Aboriginal leader, Noel Pearson, last year described his people as “much unloved.”  In a distressing observation, he stated that although Australians “hold and express strong views on us…few have met us and a small minority count us as friends.”

At this Easter time, we can see ongoing suffering continues in the everyday lives of our beloved First Australians: the high death rates in custody, imprisonment, the persistence of totally unacceptable socio-economic and health statistics, suicides, scattered opinions regarding a Constitutional “Voice to Parliament”, racist attitudes in sport, and so on.

The Crucified Christ also has an “Aboriginal face”.

Despised and rejected like Jesus, the Good Friday of their suffering continues seemingly unabated. 

With all wounded humanity, but especially our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, we unite our sufferings with the sufferings of Jesus and receive redemption in the mercy of God.

Easter gives us hope that the Light has destroyed the darkness of alienation and brought us peace in “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”  We WALK TOGETHER, embracing the Resurrected Victory of Jesus.  We carry each other, especially the battlers, closely on our final journey to the fullness of Resurrected glory.

Let us WALK TOGETHER with our First Australians.  Practically, this means seeking them out in true friendship in our local communities.  Also, trying our best to understand life from their perspective.  Practical help will follow. Over these coming months, a Constitutional “Voice to Parliament” will need ears that truly listen.

Then Australia will truly become the Australia God wants us to be – a Resurrected Missionary People washed clean in “the Blood of the Lamb” that lives forever in Easter hope and joy.

Happy Easter to all, Alleluia!

First Day of Term 2

A reminder that the first day of Term 2 is on Wednesday, April 26. Monday, April 24 has been designated by Catholic Education for all Catholic schools, as a pupil-free day. The staff will be onsite undertaking Professional Development on this day. The 25^th is ANZAC Day, meaning our first day back with the students is Wednesday, April 26^th.

All-Star Sports
Our Yr 1 & 2 students have just completed their All-stars sports session, which is a part of our community engagement strategic priority. Next Term, we will be conducting sessions for our Yrs 3-6 cohort. Yrs 3 and 4 are invited to register via https://tinyurl.com/allstarssports or by emailing mark@allstarssports.com.au. 

Wishing you a blessed Easter period.

Kind regards

Sean Rutledge

Principal 

This week we commenced our Holy Week commemorations with our Palm Sunday Prayer Celebration and concluded with reflecting on the Stations of the Cross that were stationed around the school. Each class reflected on the Stations of the Cross and the sacrifices that Jesus made for us. The images used for our Stations of the Cross were painted by Aboriginal artist John Dunn. Integrated in each of the stations is the aboriginal story with Jesus’ own Passion of the Cross. “Along the seven-metre length, four journey tracks interweave: two undulating aboriginal tracks which integrate the aboriginal story with Christ’s own Way of the Cross and, along the top and bottom, tracks made of thorny branches which speak of colonisation and its impact on the Aboriginal community. The Passion of Christ resonates deeply with Aboriginal people who identify readily with his innocent suffering.”

This Sunday we celebrate Easter. Easter is the greatest celebration in the Catholic church because it is the completion of the Holy week that ends with the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus was raised from the dead, and it goes to show that he conquered sin and death.

Gospel Reflection: John 20:1-9

The Resurrection of Jesus

At the beginning of the passage, Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb early in the morning and finds that the stone has been removed from the entrance. She immediately runs to tell Simon Peter and the other disciples, who then come and see for themselves. The disciples see the empty tomb and the burial cloths lying there, but they do not understand what has happened. In this moment, the disciples are filled with confusion and uncertainty. They do not yet realise that Jesus has risen from the dead, and they do not know what to make of the empty tomb. However, despite their confusion, they do not give up hope. They continue to search for answers, to ask questions, and to seek understanding.

As we reflect on this passage, we are reminded of the importance of faith and hope in our lives. Just as the disciples did not immediately understand the significance of the empty tomb, there are many times in our own lives when we do not understand what is happening around us or why things are happening the way they are. In these moments, it can be easy to give up hope and to lose faith. This passage reminds us that even in the face of confusion and uncertainty, we must hold onto our faith and our hope. We must continue to search for answers, to ask questions, and to seek understanding. We must trust that God is with us, even when we cannot see the path ahead. As we navigate the challenges of our own lives, let us hold onto this message and trust in the power of God's love and grace to guide us forward.

Project Compassion

This week marked the final week of Lent and the final week of the Project Compassion Appeal. Caritas with the Project Compassion Appeal has a mission “to help alleviate poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity in the most vulnerable and marginalised communities in the world.” Thank you to everyone who has generously donated with your children placing money in the Project Compassion boxes in classrooms to help achieve this mission.

This week as a staff we watched Hugh van Cuylenburg's Amazon Prime Special simply called "GEM". This talk is where it all began for the Resilience Project and if you have the Prime streaming service very worthwhile watching. The special goes for 1hr and 15 mins and explains the principals behind TRP of Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness as well as setting some personal challenges to rewire our brains to a new positive outlook. One of the challenges has been to put down our phones, especially between the witching hours of 5pm- 8pm (a seriously hard task, speaking from experience when you just want to escape the bickering and stress over dinner, bath, stories and bed). As a staff some of us have started by not bringing our phone to the staffroom at lunchtime, to just be more present with those around us in our break. Perhaps over the next two weeks have a look at the special and see if there are any areas you thinking you might like to try adding a little GEM. 

Another branch of TRP is a pod cast called the Imperfects. I have this on in the car all the time and encourage you to check it out on either spotify or any other pod cast service.

Year 6 Camp Deposit

Just a reminder that deposits for Year 6 camp are now due. The total payable per child is $453.00, with the deposit being $250.  The preferred method of payment is by QKR!

Term 1 School Fees

Thank you to the families who have settled their Term 1 school fee accounts.  A reminder to all families that Term 1 fees are now overdue (unless paying by regular instalments) and payment as soon as possible would be much appreciated.  Please let me know if you need a copy of your school fee statement emailed through.

The school holidays are the perfect time for children to READ and add books to their Chief Minister's Reading Challenge list! (If your child has lost this, there was a PDF copy in the school newsletter last week. There are lots of hard copies in the library as well). Remember that all students in the school are being encouraged to read 30 books by August. There are certificates for all children who meet this challenge and some book prizes as well. 

 All children in the school have access to SORA which is an online eBook and Audiobook borrowing library, supported by Catholic Education. It has lots of good quality literature available as eBooks, Audiobooks and even new magazine subscriptions. It is well worth a look! Once read, these books can also be added to the Chief Minister's Reading Challenge list. If you are unsure how to access this, please follow the instructions below:

Sora eBooks and Audiobooks

Type https://soraapp.com/welcome in your web browser or download the free Sora APP from the Apple and Google Play stores on a mobile device. 

1. Click on My school is ACEN (Australian Catholic Education Network).
2. Click Sign in using ACEN.
3. Select the Canberra and Goulburn diocese. 
4. Login with school network logins (username and password). For Sora the username is the letters before the @ in students email address (e.g. abond02). If students do not know their username and password, please ask their teacher. They have a copy of these.
5. Sora may be accessed from any tablet, laptop, mobile phone or desktop computer.

Alison Bond

St Francis of Assisi Primary School 

Teacher Librarian

Hello, my name is Kathy, your Canteen Manager at St Francis.

If you are looking to get more involved in the school community and can spare any time to help prepare and serve food at our Canteen, I would very much appreciate a helping hand.  Our Canteen can only run with the help of a network of volunteers from our school community working together.

It’s easy and fun work with on-the-job training and you can dedicate as much or as little time as you like.  We have two important shifts each day - the “Power Hour” and the “Hot 30”. But any time that you have, there will be something to do - Mum, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa Nan, Pop or Grand friend…

Please have a look at the Signup Sheet linked below and see where you can help.  All volunteers’ efforts are rewarded with tea or coffee and plenty of conversation.

https://volunteersignup.org/XQYHX

You do need to always have your WWVP card on your person when you are at school and please ensure to sign in at the Front Office before coming to the Canteen.

If you have any queries, contact me via the email below or drop into the Canteen.

Thank you.

Kathy Crosbie

Kathleen.crosbie@cg.catholic.edu.au

When can you help you say?

We have many things to do each day in the Canteen, it doesn’t matter if you’re a Superstar Sandwich Maker or a Chicken Nugget Counting Connoisseur, we will have a job for you.

The Power Hour – from 9am till 10am is when the most things happen each day.  This is our POWER HOUR and is spent sorting lunch bags and labels, packing utensils and snacks, making sandwiches, and preparing the food for lunch.

Recess - We currently offer pre-order recess for parents to arrange through QKR prior to the school day and is prepared during the Power Hour for the children to come and pick from the Canteen.

The Hot 30 - This is the 30 minutes between 12.45pm and 1.15pm each day when the hot food is packed for the lunches for the students to collect.  It includes organising the drinks and ice creams for each Year/Class and then simply reading each lunch bag and adding the requested hot items and sandwiches etc to each order.  It isn’t a difficult job but does need to be done quickly to ensure lunches are received hot. 

Any other time.… Our School Canteen operates Wednesday to Friday between 9am and 2pm.  There is always a job to do from baking muffins, cookies, or slice to preparing pasta dishes.  Not a Master Chef? That’s ok!  Nuggets get portioned regularly in preparation for the days/weeks ahead when there may not be extra hands to do it.  And there is always restocking.

Fun Food Days - Many hands make light work.

Group music lessons are back at St Francis of Assisi where students learn a range of instruments including guitar, keyboard and flute. Students are currently working through their music books and on popular songs that we hope to perform throughout the year including Stitches, Flowers, We Didn’t Start the Fire and High Hopes.

We are always looking for more students to join in on the fun and learn an instrument at school. If you would like to enrol or for more information regarding the program, you can contact Musicorp on 1300 858 911 or enrol directly at https://rent.musicorp.com.au/tuition_online_eoi/ 

Danielle Blom

Instrumental Music Teacher