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Dear Parents and Carers,
Well that’s a wrap on Week 1 for the beginning of the school year and it’s been a good one. Whilst COVID is the topic on people’s lips, I don’t want it to dominate the newsletter with it, but rather, take the opportunity to highlight some of the other things happening across the school. Also, the fact that the Compass messages flow across the week means that you are not relying on the newsletter to give you information and updates about this.
We welcome two new teachers to our staff this week. Mrs Angela Bartkowiak (who has been a parent here before and just wanted to join us a teacher because she knows what a wonderful community we have here!) will be teaching Year 3/4 B along with Mr Mark Bazzana (we keep getting him back because he is such an outstanding teacher). Mrs Kellie Rootes has moved from Queensland with her family and will be teaching with Ms Patty Porteus in Year 1. It is so good to have these sensational people here with us.
Our 37 Kindergarten children started with gusto and enthusiasm on Monday. There were very few tears and Mrs Housler and Mr Lowe have reported that it’s been a brilliant start to the Kinders life at St Thomas’. “They are being kind and thoughtful to each other” were Mrs Housler’s words. There are some photos of their first day of school later in the newsletter. Congratulations to all our kinders on a successful start to school life. We also had 7 new students join us in the older classes and they too have settled in well to the St Thomas the Apostle Family.
Welcome to you all!
We are looking forward to a solid term of teaching and learning. Whilst we can’t go on excursions or have events such as our Opening of the School Year Mass, or our Swimming Carnival, this will not prevent us from having a thoroughly engaging and rich term of learning. You will notice in the school fees that are going out on Monday, that the SCC (School Community Council) have approved the removal of the ‘Activites Levy' for Term 1. I am sure some extra $ in the pockets of families will be welcomed.
Please do not hesitate to contact me or your child’s /children’s teachers if you need to know anything. No question is too small especially if it’s going to support you as we begin this year with hope and optimism.
I will finish with an article by Michael Hawton a child psychologist with over 30 years’ experience in the field. It talks about the need to build resilience in ourselves and our children.
Have an excellent weekend.
Yours in partnership,
Ursula Jamieson
Principal
How can parents and teachers build resilience in themselves and children?
All too quickly the long summer days of respite from the classroom are coming to an end. Unfortunately, the holiday period for many has not just been one of care-free summer days swimming and visiting local shops. Rather, it has been yet another filled with changed plans, health worries, and an impending uncertainty about the upcoming school year. What if there was a way to strengthen our children to cope with the high probability that their return to school will hit a few speed bumps somewhere along the way?
It is natural as parents that we would want to make the road ahead as smooth as we can for our children, however sometimes (now being an example of one such time) we have no control over what the road ahead looks like for our child. So how can we, as parents, better prepare our child for the road ahead and not prepare the road ahead for our child?
What if we could help our children not only be resilient but also be not so fragile. In these uncertain times, it could be one of the most important skills we teach our children.
It’s not easy for parents to know how to challenge their child in the face of anxiety, especially if you as a parent are experiencing anxiety about the current situation as well. From what I’ve seen, a number of parents and children are not being taught the skills to be strong in the high likelihood that situations will change. Learning how to adapt and sit with unpredictability rather than rallying against it and fearing it can be key to overcoming anxiety.
We need to be teaching our children to be stronger in themselves, so that they can handle the high likelihood that life is going to be full of unexpected events, people who behave badly towards them and challenging times.
The 2022 school theme at St Thomas the Apostle Primary is “Our common home.” Throughout the year students will explore ways in which we can connect with the Earth (God’s gift to us), each other, with God and ourselves. This year we will take time to slow down, be present to the world around us and appreciate the little things in life. Students will engage in Christian Meditation as a form of prayer that will assist this year’s focus.
In Term 1 we will focus on connecting with the Earth. We begin with an awareness of the incredible beauty of creation.
“In the Judaeo-Christian tradition, the word “creation” has a broader meaning than “nature”, for it has to do with God’s loving plan in which every creature has its own value and significance. Nature is usually seen as a system which can be studied, understood and controlled, whereas creation can only be understood as a gift from the outstretched hand of the Father of all, and as a reality illuminated by the love which calls us together into universal communion.’ (Laudato Si, Pope Francis)
Slow down amongst the busyness of life. Think about what is important and spend time in nature, appreciating God’s creativity and love for us.
Geoff Ryan
REC
Thank you so much to all students, parents and teachers for a wonderful start to Library lessons this year.
Most students were able to borrow some books to take home with them, and it was so exciting to see the enthusiasm they had in being able to browse and enjoy the Library.
Borrowing Days
Tuesday (Every Week): Kinder to Year 2
Tuesday (Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9): 3/4B
Tuesday (Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10): 3/4J
Wednesday (Weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, 9): 3/4G, 5/6KP, 5/6B Wednesday (Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10): 3/4C, 5/6K
Mrs Leah Godfrey
Teacher Librarian (Term 1)
Happy Birthday to the following students and teacher who will celebrate a birthday this week
Please see the attached menu for 2022. Orders are placed via the Flexishools app. Lunch orders can now be placed two ways, either by handing in an order via the lunch tub each morning or ordering online. http://www.flexischools.com.au
Lost Property
Please ensure that all your child/ren's items are clearly labelled. This includes all jumpers, hats, drink bottles, containers and lunch boxes.
We often have an abundance of unlabelled lost property items!