Term 3 Week 1 - Thursday 25 July 2024

Principal's Message

Gospel Reading: John 6: 1-15

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tibe´ri-as. And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased. Jesus went up into the hills, and there sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, “How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?” Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!”

Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the hills by himself.

School Fence

As you will have seen, the fence is up. We are now just waiting on the gates. At the Wednesday morning assembly Mrs Henderson asked the students to think carefully about things we could add or change to improve our playground. Some options included:

• Cricket pitch or nets
• Mine for digging
• Yarning Circle
• Updated goal posts
• Miniature climbing wall
• Vegie garden & Chook yard.

We want to create a master plan that will help us design and gradually implement purpose-built spaces. Feel free to brainstorm around the dinner table and then have your children send me an email, write me a letter or let their teacher know.

Tinting of Kinder classroom windows

Over the holiday period we had the front windows of the two larger Kinder classes tinted. From the inside, you can still see out, but from the outside it is difficult to see in. This is in line with child protection to ensure that our children are kept safe. This was not in response to anything, just something that needed to be done.

A busy Term 3

All students have already had their first Gymnastics session and I had the pleasure of joining the Year 6 students yesterday, although my days of swinging from the rings or the uneven bars are well behind me. We are extremely fortunate to have access to such a wonderful resource with an extremely professional program. Confirmation Sacramental classes also began this week. If your child is eligible for Confirmation and you missed the messages, please contact the Parish office.

Other important dates to add to your Calendar include

• Community Council Meeting – Tuesday August 6
• Kinder 100 Days - August 7
• Book Week – Week 5 – Costume Day TBC
• Father’s Day Breakfast and Kinder Assembly – August 30
• St Jude’s Musical – 24 & 25 September

Camp Australia

I have been informed by our before and after school provider, that there are spaces in both the morning and afternoon programs on each day. Please check out their website or call the school for contact details.

Enrolments for 2025

At the time of writing, we have some space in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Years 4 – 6 for 2025. We have waiting lists for both Year 2 and 3 for 2025. If you are aware of families within our enrolment area who have children in these year levels, please feel free to send them our way. We continue to offer school tours and our Year 6 students do an amazing job leading these tours.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

 Cameron

Important Dates

Birthdays

School News

WALKATHON

Thank you to families who have been very generous in their walkathon donations so far. We would really appreciate if all donations could please be sent to school by the end of next week, Friday 2 August. In week 3 we will be having a prize assembly. For every $10 raised students receive a raffle ticket. Raffle tickets will be drawn at this assembly. The class who raised the most money pro rata will also be announced. This class will receive a fun afternoon activity. The money raised from the walkathon will be used for the upgrade of the school oval surface and to build specialist play areas for the students. We will be asking the students for input as well as parents via the Community Council. All ideas are welcome. 

Congratulations Mr Kucher! 

Big congratulations to Mr Kucher and his wife Emma on the birth of beautiful Otis. 

Thank You

A very big thank you to Emilia's grandmother, Judy Blundell for the kind donation of a spare teddy bear for our Student of the Week award. The Student of the Week award is presented to a student at our scheduled Friday Assembly who has demonstrated exemplary behavior by going above and beyond in one or more areas of school life in the week/s prior to the assembly. The St Jude's bear goes home with the student for the next fortnight. It is wonderful to have a spare bear, as our bear sometimes likes to have a longer sleepover than allowed!       

RE News

I hope you had a happy and safe school holidays. We look forward to continuing our regular prayer celebrations this term with Year 3-6 attending Parish Masses, ELC- Year 2 attending liturgies and celebrating the Feasts of Mary MacKillop (Thursday 8 August) and the Assumption of Mary (Thursday the 15 of August) as a whole school. ELC will host our Father's day Liturgy on Monday 2 September (9.30am). You are more than welcome to join us for these. 

Sacramental Update 

Is your child eligible for a sacrament? In the Parish of Our Lady of the Annunciation sacraments are completed in Years 3, 4 and 6. Reflection evenings for Confirmation have started. The next reflection evening is Tuesday the 30 of July at 5.30pm. Click this link to find out more.

May your light shine 

Jessica Betterton

ELC News

ELC NEWS

Happy Birthday Amyra, Quinn and Izzy

As part of the Resilience Program, we have been learning about gratitude. Please help grow our  Gratitude Tree in the ELC foyer. Take a moment to think about what you are grateful for, write it on a leaf and add it to our tree.

July Holidays

Our 48 week children had a fabulous time in the school holidays. The first week we had a Bunnings incursion where they helped to revamp our cubby house, a Reptiles Inc incursion, celebrated Christmas in July and Winter Wonderland, we also had activities focused on NAIDOC week.

The second week we had a fire truck incursion, explored some of our favourite stories creating story bags, we recreated the story Stone Soup, had a movie and pyjama day, and finished with a disco.

Thank you to our dedicated educators that create and provide amazing experiences each day.

Canberra Theatre Excursion – Grug

The Lobsters and Turtles will enjoy a fun bus trip to the Canberra Theatre to see Grug tomorrow. Please ensure you have returned the permission note to the class teacher.

St Jude’s Walkathon

Sponsorship form and money are now due now. Deposits can be made via Qkr!

Mura Gadi Gang

Next week we commence the Mura Gadi program. Mura Gadi is an Indigenous term meaning ‘pathways of learning’. Every Monday and Friday the classes go offsite to explore different areas in Weston Creek and learn on and from the land. Each location has a learning focus and each session begins with an acknowledgment of country. Please ensure the children are dressed for the weather on these days, gumboots come in very handy.

ELC Staffing

We have been very fortunate to welcome two new educators to the ELC.  Neda Behdarvand and Roshan Simkhada will be joining the Stingray team as Kajsa Aquilina and Sarah Stapleton are on maternity leave.

Portfolios

We hope you have had a wonderful time looking through your child’s portfolio.  Please remember to return it to the ELC so we can continue to add to it in semester 2.

2025 ELC enrolment acceptance due now

Letters of offer have now been sent and acceptances are due this Friday 26 July. If you have not received any correspondence from us, please check your spam/junk folder or contact the ELC office.

Library News

Term 3  Week 1

Welcome to an exciting term in Library – Book Week happens this term! This year we will find out the winners and celebrate Book Week in Week 5. However we will explore all the shortlisted books (on display in the Library) and enjoy lots of creative responses to them throughout the term. The theme for 2024 is......  

This term ELC, Kinder, Years 1 & 2 are borrowing a book with a medal sticker on them as well as a free choice. These books are past shortlisted books from CBCA Book Week and represent good children’s book. Please read them with your children and discuss the importance of the medal stickers.

*Thank you also to the families who sent in some multicoloured wool. I have enough now and will be using it for craft with Years 1 & 2 next week. Wait for the magic to happen!

Happy reading! Verna Comley

Sports News

Holiday Achievements

It is always a pleasure to receive emails about our wonderful St Jude's students having fun and achieving in sport. During the recent holiday period some of our Year 3 students were busy competing in the Soccer Kanga Cup. Zara and Dash played together for Canberra Croatia  and Ariella giving her all for Gunghalin. So great to see the competitiveness but most importantly the friendship that sport brings. Well done Zara, Dash and Ariella on an amazing effort.

Mulleyduds Uniform Shop

Uniform Shop open Friday 16 August 2:30-3:15pm.

For second hand requests please email to: uniform.stjudes@gmail.com. Please include your child’s name and classroom for us to deliver to. **Please do not make payment for secondhand items, until we reply to your request confirming stock is available.

Mulleygrubs Cafe News

Canteen Volunteers - Week 2

Wednesday 31 July - Karen, & two more volunteers please

Thursday 1 August - Annette, Julie & one more volunteer please

Friday 2 August -  more volunteers please

We are in need for more volunteers for the Canteen please email office.stjudes@cg.catholic.edu.au

Camp Australia