The countdown is on, only 2 days to go until the 2023 St Jude’s Fete. It's looking to be a nice warm day so we’ll have extra drinks and ice cream on hand. A few notes for the day:

Walk down!

Parking will be limited so please walk down if you can, bring your picnic rug and make a day of it. Alternatively, you can utilise the Montessori parking and grass area.

Bring cash!

There will be an ATM on site but we have a limited number of stalls with eftpos machines so we recommend bringing cash.

Come hungry!

We will have a BBQ, Brisket burgers, Nacho’s, a Cafe (Yes, there will be coffee), Dutch pancakes, Fairy floss, gelato and our famous cake stall!

Run of events (Entertainment stage)

10:00 - Welcome to Country

10.15 - Junior school choir

10.45 - Senior school choir

11.30 - Jayz Dance Company

12:00 - The Worn Groovers

1:00 - Dare to Dance Canberra

1:30 - KISS THE GOAT!

Volunteers

Please support the fete through volunteering (all it takes is an hour).

Sign-up is easy, just follow the instructions on this page – there is something for everyone and your generous support will help make this the best fete in years!

Fete Mates and All Day Rides

Available through Qkr!:

Fete Mate: a sausage sandwich, chips, juice and an ice block – all on a lanyard for easy access on fete day. Also includes a mates only raffle.

All Day Ride Pass: Unlimited ride bands include Supa Cha, Giant Slide, Cup and Saucer, Cartoon Castle, Gorilla Castle and Laughing clowns.

Raffles

Tickets available now via Qkr! -  1 for $2 or 3 for $5.

We have some amazing prizes including spa, party, food and movie vouchers, books, wine, and more! There is something for everyone.

Garden Stall

Don’t forget to drop off your plant stall donations Friday after school (Shelter Shed) or direct to the stall on Saturday between 7:30am and 8:30am.

Trash and Treasure

Drop off all day Friday 17 March, to the hall (large items accepted).

Cake Stall

Calling all bakers! We need cakes, cupcakes, slices, brownies, biscuits, condiments, pies and cookies! Please package and label your goods (including itemised ingredients) and drop them off to the Monkey Meeting Room from 2pm on Friday OR Saturday morning of the fete.

PLEASE NO FRESH CREAM, SOUR CREAM, YOGHURT.

Kiss The … Something.

The tradition continues! Voting is open now, the faces of the contestants have been taped to buckets and are being passed around each morning and afternoon at drop off and pickup (they'll also be there on fete day). The bucket with the most money gets to kiss the … Pony/Snake/Turtle/Crocodile… SOMETHING!

Feast of the Annunciation Parish Feast Day - Friday 24 March 

The students will be attending Our Lady of the Annunciation Feast Day at St John Vianney's. It will be a wonderful day. Students will all need to bring their lunch and we will share a picnic lunch together. 

Happy Birthday to Hugo G and Lyla G

The Stingray and Turtle classes had a special Mystery Reader this week, Mr Peter Rodda, Principal of St John Vianney’s. He read ‘Do NOT read this book AGAIN’ by Andy Lee.  

Gastroenteritis

The ELC has had several reported cases of vomiting/diarrhoea last week. We are still considered to be in an ‘outbreak’ and I will notify all families when the outbreak is declared over by ACT Health. Please be assured we have stringent cleaning protocols in place. Please advise the ELC office if your child has any symptoms. A reminder that the exclusion period during this time is 48hrs.

Feast Day Excursion to SJV

St Jude’s and St John Vianney’s schools will join together on Friday 24 March to celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation. We will take a bus to SJV to celebrate our parish feast day with a picnic lunch and buddy activities.  Please return your permission note to the ELC as soon as possible.

St Jude’s Fete

The St Jude’s Fete is this Saturday 18 March! This is a great fun day to meet other families and raise some funds for the school. Many hands make light work so we would love you to get involved.  If you can spare an hour for the ELC hairspray stall or another stall, please go to https://volunteersignup.org/QWKBL to sign up.

Calling all Bakers and Gardeners

Can you help with baking cakes, slices, biscuits etc for the Fete Cake Stall?  Donations can be dropped to the ELC or the primary school on Friday afternoon.  Donations need to be packaged (eg paper plates and cello) with a list of ingredients attached. No cream or items that need refrigeration.   

Are your succulents sprouting pups? The Fete Plant Stall will also be accepting donations on Friday.

Athletics Carnival – Thursday 30 March

A meal deal (consisting of a Sausage, Juice and Chips) is available to be ordered for the Athletics Carnival. Vegetarian option is available. You will be able to place meal deal orders, from Monday (20 March) onwards. Orders need to be placed by 12noon Monday 27 March, via Qkr! or Cash. The usual canteen menu will be unavailable.

Canteen Volunteers – Week 8

Wednesday 22 March - N. Berthelot & D. Sadreddini

Thursday 23 March - L. Gardiner & R. Buckley

Friday 24 March – E. Eyles, G. Cabot, S. Davenport & S Monges

The Canteen is still looking for more volunteers - if you would like to volunteer in the Canteen, please email katrina.howden@cg.catholic.edu.au

Families and Friends, not to be left behind by the excitement of the Fete - the Uniform Shop will open THIS SUNDAY, 19 March from 10am - 12 midday. 

We will have the secondhand racks out during this time, along with the ability to purchase Winter Uniforms ahead of the menu opening next week on Qkr!. 

So now is your chance to pull out your winter gear, check that it fits, and come on down to stock up on larger sizes, or drop off donations of items that no longer fit. 

For anyone who cannot make it, do not despair, orders for Winter Uniforms will be able to be placed via Qkr! from next week. Requests for secondhand items can be sent to our email address: uniform.stjudes@gmail.com

See you under the shelter shed on SUNDAY!

Music News

With only a few weeks left in the term, we’ve been making the most of as much as we can in Music. New games and a bit of dancing!

There have been some excellent Acknowledgements of Country written by Years 4 to 6, with some students sharing theirs at assembly last week. Thank you to Isaac and George in 4G and to Mieke, Maeve and Owen in Year 6.

Choir News

Some students from Year 3 & 4 have volunteered to sing Waltzing Matilda in Yugambeh Language right after the Welcome to Country. We will meet at the outside amphitheatre steps at 10am.

Junior Choir will be performing at 10:15am at the amphitheatre steps. If your child is running late, it’s ok just to slip into the choir, even if we’re singing.

Senior Choir performs at 10:45am at the amphitheatre steps to finish off all the choir participation for the fete.

Please don’t worry if your child can’t make it to choir, we will sing with those there on the day.

Thank you for your support!

Swimming Carnival

A fantastic day was had by all at the St Jude's swimming carnival last Thursday. It was such a delight to see our wonderful students participate in the swimming races and novelties. The level of participation was second to none, an absolutely amazing effort. For some it was their first swimming carnival and for some their first time swimming 25m or 50m. There were many personal bests. A huge thank you to the parent body who came along to help and cheer. We could not have done it without you. Your generosity of time was very much appreciated. Special thanks to Mr Les Barclay who was our stroke judge, as well as many other things, on the day. Your expertise and knowledge of all things swimming was very much appreciated.  Swimmers who will now go on to represent St Jude's at the South Weston Swimming Carnival will be notified shortly. Ribbons will be presented at next Friday's school assembly, 24 March and the winning house announced.   

Athletics Carnival

Information will be coming out this week regarding the St Jude's Athletics Carnival to be held on Thursday 30 March. Consent, nominations for 800m events and request for parent helpers will be sent out via COMPASS. The Athletics Carnival will be for all students ELC - Year 6. 

Friday of Week 8 will be the National Ride2School Day. It is an initiative supported by the government to encourage both students and their parents to be more active and healthy in their daily commute to school and work.

St Jude’s will be participating with a whole school ride to school morning on the day. We will have teachers stationed from 8:10am at the locations marked on the map. They will wait and meet students and parents and depart those locations by 8:20am to ride along the marked routes to school.

At school, the groups will be met with some great tunes pumping, a fruit station and a raffle ticket to go in the draw for some prizes at the end of the day.

It’s going to be a great morning and we look forward to seeing as many people as possible getting involved in the action.

What can I do to help?

Read the fete newsletter that is being circulated, this will give you the most up to date information. Importantly head over to https://volunteersignup.org/QWKBL to sign up to assist for the day. Shifts are only 1 hour!

How can I prepare?

You can purchase your Fete Mate and ride pass before the fete on Qkr! Pre-purchasing allows for a more accurate estimate of supplies on the day and will save you time on the day!

In news additional to the fete:

• Our annual Bakers Delight hot cross bun sale will soon be launched.
• Flower bulb sales will also be launched shortly.
• The next Community Council will be in week 9.

Many thanks,