Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. 

Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. 

Dear Parents and Carers

Years 5 and 6 Camp—Our senior students and six staff left school Wednesday morning to head to Cooba (between Cooma and Jindabyne) for their three day camp. Every second year we head to Cooba and the students enjoy the set up of the camp and the activities. The weather forecast is looking good for the three days. Before we know it, they will be back home with a bag full of dirty clothing for parents to wash.

Fete—March 16 is fete day and it is fast approaching. You are about to receive many requests for help. Please bear with us as requests and volunteers are crucial to the success of the fete which is always a key community day. I encourage you all to get involved and to help out. For our new families this event is a really good one for you to be involved in so you can meet others in the school community.

Reading Workshop—A well attended, one hour reading workshop was held on Tuesday night, primarily for Kinder and Year 1 parents. Over forty parents turned up which shows the level of parental interest in this most important topic. Many thanks to Ms Western for her expert presentation. It was well received by all in attendance.

School Uniforms—The children look fantastic in their sports and summer uniforms. Thank you for the trouble you go to in sending your children to school each day looking ‘spic and span’. I still believe pride in wearing a school uniform is important. It does many things, but none more important than giving the child a sense of identifying with a community - in this case, a community of learners. Please note that hair bands should be school colours, socks should cover ankles and no nail polish.

Ash Wednesday next Week, Season of Lent—Lent is a time that encourages us to look at our relationship with Jesus and to pay special attention to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in preparation for the most important celebration of the Church’s year, Easter. Students now have the opportunity to give to those who are in need in our world through Project Compassion. Please speak to your children about the importance of giving to others, fasting, and praying in this season so we can strengthen our relationship with Jesus in preparation for Easter.

Pastoral Care and Student Management Policy—On occasion, teachers may ask your child to fill in a “Thinking Centre Form” (TCF). A TCF is a reflection tool which enables the children involved in an incident where misconduct is displayed, to outline their behaviour and actions and think about how they could have done things differently to avoid conflict on the playground or in the classroom. A series of questions is asked of the child including: What did I do? What school rule did I break? What caused the problem? What can I do to fix things? The classroom teacher is notified and the TCF is sent home to inform parents of the misconduct. They are asked to discuss the incident and talk over strategies to avoid these situations in the future. TCFs are kept for our records.

Help Your Child Achieve—Inform teachers of your child’s challenges and changes. Life is not always smooth sailing for children. Family circumstances can alter. Friends move away. Illness happens. These changes affect learning. Make sure you keep your child’s teacher up to date with significant changes or difficulties your child experiences, so he or she can accommodate their emotional and learning needs at school. 

Prayers—Our prayers are with the Bale Family – Nixon (2BF), Owen (2D), Sari (2D) and Winstyn (KT) whose Grandmother has passed away. We keep the children and their family in our prayers.

Peter Galvin

Principal

STATEMENT FROM ARCHBISHOP MARK COLERIDGE, PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE

The news of Cardinal George Pell’s conviction on historical child sexual abuse charges has shocked many across Australia and around the world, including the Catholic Bishops of Australia. The Bishops agree that everyone should be equal under the law, and we respect the Australian legal system. The same legal system that delivered the verdict will consider the appeal that the Cardinal’s legal team has lodged. Our hope, at all times, is that through this process, justice will be served. In the meantime, we pray for all those who have been abused and their loved ones, and we commit ourselves anew to doing everything possible to ensure that the Church is a safe place for all, especially the young and the vulnerable. February 26, 2019.

Newsletter Subscription—To subscribe to St Jude’s newsletter,  please do so via the SZApp.

SZApp—The school will be using the SZApp as an additional way of communicating with parents. Information on downloading the app is available on the school website under the ‘For Parents’ tab. The newsletter will only be available via this new app from 21 March.

Year 5 and 6 Camp Fees—Thank you to families who have already paid their camp fees. If you haven't paid your camp fees as yet, please note that the fees are now due for payment, thank you.

Poppy M, Grace SC, Sophie P, Seleen AB, Thomas B, Ava B, Lachlan E, Lachlan R, Wesley M, Cyrano M, Tayla B, Jett T and William M.

Happy Birthday Alice B

Throughout the fortnight, each of the ELC classes have met their year 5 and 3 buddies. 5H and Turtle buddies interviewed each other to learn more about their new friends and created Turtle art to match, while the 3M buddies helped the Stingrays to write poems about themselves as a way of getting to know each other. Lobsters and 5L buddies helped pack up bags and enjoyed an afternoon play outside. When it was time for 5L to return to school the Lobster children were scheming a way to try and burrow under the fence to follow and spend more time with them.

Our buddy program increases the sense of belonging and community across the primary school and ELC. It acknowledges the leadership and responsibility of the year 5 and 3 students whilst promoting friendships, social interactions and communication between older and younger children, which often builds confidence.  The connections which are formed throughout the year also act as a support network when the ELC children transition to Kindergarten. 

St Jude’s Fete—The St Jude’s Fete is on Saturday 16 March. It is always a wonderful community event and a great place to meet other parents. This year the ELC will be running two stalls - a hair spray stall and a ball toss stall. If you have not yet added your name to the ELC fete roster, we still have many empty spaces which we encourage you to fill. The fete roster is located in the ELC foyer.

Fete Mates—Fete Mates are an easy, fun and cost effective way to organise lunch and snacks on fete day. Look out for Fete Mate order forms in your notes pockets this week.

Entertainment Book—Due to its popularity last year, the ELC will be selling the Entertainment Book again this year. At the fete, you can order the book or the app and be able to take advantage of early bird offers. Keep your eyes out for further information.

Visiting the ELC—We love when family and friends are able to spend time in the ELC classrooms. Remember you are required to have a Working With Vulnerable People card (available from Access Canberra) and need to sign in on the visitor register. The visitors register is located at the front desk.

SZApp—Like the primary school, the ELC will be using the SZApp as an additional way of communicating with parents. Information on downloading the app is available on the school website under the ‘parents’ tab. Remember to also check the notes pockets outside the classrooms for hard copy notes.

ELC Accounts—ELC account statements were emailed out today. Your efforts to keep fees up to date are appreciated.

Song of the week—As a follow up from the Music Engagemnet Program last week, we introduced the children to a new song this week. It has been wonderful to listen to the children singing the words as they make, create and play throughout the day. Maybe you have heard them singing at home too, below are the lyrics for you to follow along with.

I Like the Flowers

I like the flowers I like the daffodils,

I like the mountains, I like the rolling hills,

I like the fireside when the lights are low,

Boom de a da, Boom de a da,

Boom de a da, Boom de a da.

Karen Leighton

Netball—Our Year 2 students have enjoyed their first Netball clinic with Netball ACT. Students have been asked to wear their summer uniform, not sports uniform on Thursday and pack a pair of runners. The students will continue the clinics every Thursday morning for the remainder of term 1.

Important Dates
Friday 22 March – Matt Giteau Cup for Year 3/4 & 5/6 students. Notes due 7 March.
Thursday 4 April - South/Western Region Swimming.
Friday 5 April – St Jude’s Athletics Carnival.
Sunday 7 April – Catholic Schools Soccer Carnival for Year 3/4 & 5/6 students.
Wednesday 1 May – St Jude’s Cross Country.

Leanne Thomas

The Season of Lent

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Christian season of Lent. Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. This means it is a time where we pray, act kindly and with mercy towards other people, give up things we enjoy and give to others, as we prepare to celebrate the great feast of Easter.

For forty days, we accompany Jesus on his passionate journey to Calvary and we see the mercy he shows, despite his suffering. Like Jesus, we try to show mercy to others, just as God shows us mercy. Lent is a time of hope as we renew our relationship with God. During these forty days, let us take time to reflect on our lives, say sorry for any wrong doing and focus on our relationship with God. 

A Reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (6:1-6, 16-18) 

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Be careful not to parade your good deeds before people to attract their notice; by doing this you  will lose all reward from our God in heaven. So when you give alms, do not have it trumpeted before you; this is what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets to win people’s admiration. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing; your almsgiving must be secret, and our God who  sees all that is done in secret will reward you. ‘And when you pray, do not imitate the hypocrites: they love to say their prayers standing up in the synagogues and at the street corners for people to see them. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you pray, go to your private room and, when you have shut your door, pray to our God who is in that secret place, and our God who sees all that is done in secret  will reward you. ‘When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to let people know they are fasting. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you fast,  put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except our God  who sees all that is done in secret; and our God who sees all that is done in secret will reward  you.’

Project Compassion is Caritas Australia’s annual Lenten fundraising and awareness- raising appeal, bringing thousands of Australians together in solidarity with the world’s poor to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity.

Project Compassion demonstrates how love for our neighbours can transform lives. Each year, Project Compassion runs during Lent, the six weeks leading up to Easter.

The theme for Project Compassion 2019 is based around hope and giving Lent 100% in the name of hope. Hope is one of the three pillars of Christian virtue. The other two being faith and charity. It is a powerful force for good and often helps transform lives.

If you are interested in reading more about the work of Caritas Australia please have a look at the following link: https://lent.caritas.org.au/#blank

Adult Formation for Penance and Eucharist—Next Tuesday evening Fr Michael will be holding an Adult Formation session for parents whose children will be making the Sacrament of First Reconciliation and Eucharist at the end of this term. Please see the time below.

In addition to this, at St Jude’s we are committed to providing our teachers with their own faith formation. Fr Michael will be spending three hours with the year 3 and 4 teachers next Friday 8 March to provide them with the opportunity to further develop their understanding of the sacraments.

Dates to remember:

Tuesday 5 March – Adult Formation for Penance and Eucharist from 6pm at SJV hall

Wednesday 6 March – Ash Wednesday Mass @12.15pm

Saturday and Sunday 16/17 March – Commitment Mass for sacraments at any weekend Mass in our parish

Tuesday 19 March – Family Formation for Penance and Eucharist from 6pm at SJV hall

Wednesday 27 March – Sacrament of Penance 5pm SJV Church

Friday 29 March – Eucharist Retreat Day

Weekend of 6/7 April – Sacrament of First Holy Communion

Susan Chant

Unfortunately, the behaviour of some students last Friday during lunch was inappropriate and upsetting for the canteen volunteers and myself. Could parents please remind their children to be respectful to staff, volunteers and other students whilst waiting in the canteen line? We are doing the best we can, to have lunches ready for students, with the number of volunteers who assist in the canteen. Thank you for your support.

Thank you to the people who have come in to help in the canteen. I’ve already met some new parents ready, willing and able to spare some time to help! Your time is greatly appreciated. Parents who can’t volunteer their time could always assist in other ways…Mulleygrubs Masterchef needs more people to fill the year with special treats.

Qkr ordering for lunch orders and meal deals. Please ensure online lunch orders are for the correct day and that you get a receipt number. Please don’t hesitate to pop into the canteen if you need a run through on how to order.

$1.00 Lolly limit per day.

VOLUNTEERS—Mulleygrub’s Café can only function with your help. Now that the New Year has begun maybe you can spare some time and give the canteen a go? Any amount of time is better than none, Thursdays and Fridays are especially busy so if you can, please come in and have a go. We all have a good laugh and sometimes our discussions can be quite educational. Remember to apply for a Working with Vulnerable People card (WWVP). It’s free for volunteers!

BAKERS DELIGHT—Our local Bakers Delight in Cooleman Court rewards our school when we purchase bread from them. When making purchases at Bakers Delight could you please ask for the points to be added to St Jude’s. Over time they add up and we benefit from this by receiving free bread for carnivals when meal deals are organised. Let your friends and family know! The more people that do it, the more points we get.

MASTERCHEF—Our Masterchef this week is the 'The Compassionate Cassidy Family' and they are making 'Chocolate coconut slice'. The ingredients are: s/r flour, cocoa, butter, coconut, caster sugar, wholewheat breakfast biscuits, vanilla and icing sugar. We will be selling them for 50 cents.

COFFEE—It’s now on Qkr!

Only available to be picked up from 8.15am (the coffee machine needs to warm up) Just order it under your child’s name and I will know it’s for you not them.

Coffee, hot chocolate, tea and chai lattes are available Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8.15am through to 1.45pm. Pop in for a chat and purchase a roady!

Small  $3.00

Large $4.00

LUNCH ORDERS—Please check the prices when placing orders or checking your child’s order if they have written it out and added it up themselves, ensuring there are no mistakes with pricing or missing money for a paper bag. It may not sound like much however at the end of every week it amounts to quite a lot.

*Could you please remind your children that if they have a stamp on their lunch bag they need to return to the canteen to collect the missing items*.

Children who forget to put their lunch orders in before 10am or forget their lunch will be offered a vegemite OR cheese sandwich and a piece of fruit. I will then contact the parents and let them know the outstanding amount to be paid.

Could parents please stop supplying bags when ordering online lunches. This is causing a lot of confusion. With the process in the morning all online lunch orders are prepared before the lunch tub returns meaning all labels have been stuck to bags. Please just pay the 10c for a bag if you order online.

VOLUNTEER ROSTER

Friday 01/03

Belinda Mc

HELP NEEDED x 3

Wednesday 06/03

Connie S

HELP NEEDED x 1

Thursday 07/03

Wendy D

HELP NEEDED x 2

Canteen Kim

Mulleyduds will be open:

Friday 1 March, 3.00pm to 3.30pm

The size 10 green sports shirts have arrived, so all back orders will be filled as soon as possible.

You can order your child’s summer uniform via Qkr! or email: uniformstjudesps@gmail.com 

Please contact the front office if you are waiting on a uniform order.

Thank you to all the volunteers who are helping in the uniform shop. Your time is very much appreciated.

Susana Lloyd

At last weeks Community Council Meeting, the positions of Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary were vacated on completion of very successful and competent terms of service. I would like to thank Nicky Bourke, Julie Ford and Lee Atkinson for their commitment and leadership over the last few years, as well as to Max Rafferty, Skye Maguire and Susan Rowell, who have taken on Vice Chair, Secretary and (returning) Treasurer.

The Community Council’s biggest event of the year is rolling around quickly. The St Jude’s Fete will be held on Saturday March 16, just 2 weeks from now. This is a fantastic event that allows the Community Council to give back to the school, and it would be wonderful to see as many families attending and participating as possible. If you are free on the day, please consider volunteering your time.

The Community Council board on the school website is a great opportunity for businesses to advertise to the St Jude’s community. The cost for advertising for one year is $50 and your support is greatly appreciated. Please contact me if you are interested in listing your business.

The next Community Council meeting will be held in week 8, on Tuesday 26 March at 6pm. If you are free, I encourage you to come along, see what is happening and raise any issues you may have. The minutes from our last meeting can be found on the school’s website.

I look forward to meeting many more of you around the school and I thank you for the opportunity to be involved in improving our already wonderful school and community.

Charlotte Dalton

Stjudes.scc@gmail.com

It’s an encouraging thought that some child, SOMEWHERE, is perhaps identifying with the children and situations I choose to portray in my books.

Simon French

National Library of Australia (2016). Reading Pleasures. Canberra, ACT: NLA Publishing.
P 27

Thank you to all the volunteers who have signed up using the volunteer roster. There are still lots of stalls who need volunteers, so if you haven’t already, we’d love to see your name on the volunteer sign up sheet here volunteersignup.org/PPCF3 ! Don’t forget that by signing up and showing up for your shift, you are in the running to win some great prizes!

Fete Mates and All day ride passes—will be available on QKR soon. This year we have hired a massive inflatable obstacle course, which the kids will love!

Kiss the Goat—Who will be the lucky teacher to pucker up and smooch the goat on fete day? The lucky nominated teachers will be announced very soon!

Trash and Treasure—The shed will be open this Saturday, 2 March, from 10am to 11am and we would love your pre loved goods. We are planning to open the shed this and next Saturday, as well as accepting direct donations into the hall, the Friday before fete.

For safety reasons, we can’t accept electronics or car seats and request that if you have large and bulky items, that you drop them off to school on the Friday before the fete day.

Silent Auction and sponsors—If you would like to donate any items for the silent auction or would like to be a fete sponsor, please contact us at stjudespsfete@gmail.com

Mufti day—is scheduled for Thursday 7 March. A flyer with classroom donation allocations will come out this week.

As always, feel free to contact the fete committee if you have any questions and see you at the fete, mate!

Sylvia, Bec and Jo

~ Week 3 Awards ~

KF—Deirdre K and Sebastian C

KT—Grace SC and Sasha AM

KH—Joshua M and Lily A

1S—Mathew O

1T—Frank C and Ella B

2BF—Hamish G

2J—Maddison K and Chelsea J

3M—Logan B and Olivia W

3ME—Yanxi D and Archer Bu

4KR—Jack K and Kaeden A

4L—Jude O and Ava O

5L—Isabel M and Reuben L

5H—Hailee W and Harry H

6S—Ella N and Jordan F

6CG—Blake K and Catie C

Mel Bedford (friend of a St Jude’s family) is fundraising to help Camp Quality support children with cancer - because every day, two Aussie families are given the heartbreaking news that their child has cancer.

Camp Quality is there for children and their families from the first experience of cancer through every stage, from treatment to remission and in the case of bereavement. They are there in hospital, at home, at school and away from it all. Camp Quality’s belief in the proven principles of positive psychology forms the foundations of everything they do – hence their motto: Laughter is the Best Medicine! So please, donate generously and let's help Camp Quality spread those smiles far and wide!

If you would like to help then you can support Maddison K in 2J by ordering cooking dough: The easiest way to order will be electronically through Maddison’s fundraising page for the cookie dough which is below:

https://cookiedough.com.au/campaign/5c6915e4c1753c0c6ab5805a/order?fbclid=IwAR3l7MKJm3ex6DgcYOOA8TacLxgxkib69XIVzq6QbPCLMa9ncQCqb4EgMKM

FREE LESSON WEEK 2019!

Come and try a free lesson during Free Lesson Week!
Monday March 4th - Saturday March 9th
During Free Lesson Week, selected teachers will be offering free trial lessons
to give new students the opportunity to have a go
with no obligation to continue.

This is a fantastic opportunity to try out that instrument
you've always wanted to learn!

Instruments are Provided!
Trial lessons are available on piano, guitar, ukulele, vocals, flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, and drums.
Available in our large professional teaching studios in Belconnen, Fyshwick and Weston Creek.

Click on the link below to register:

https://mailchi.mp/iinet/free-lesson-week-1466065?e=bef41fe976