Filter Content
- Principal's Report
- RE Week 7 - Our Common Home
- Library News
- Upcoming Events
- School Photos - Thursday 24 March
- Harmony Day - Ukraine Inspired Food
- Birthdays this week
- SCC Member Profiles
- Photos - St Patrick's Day
- Photos - Year 3/4 STEM
- Photos - Mini Vinnies Commissioning
- Your Mighty Magnificent Mind - ebook with Audio
- TeamKids - Autumn Holidays
- Rotary Aussie Peace Walk
- Relax Kids - Chill Skills Program
- Cyclabilities Programs
- Moveabilities Flyer
- Moveabilities Girls Move
- Shredabilities Flyer
- Holiday Happenings
Dear Parents and Carers,
Today is National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence. It is Australia’s key bullying prevention initiative, connecting schools and communities to find workable solutions to prevent bullying.
The theme for 2022 is Kindness Culture. Kindness is something we believe in and constantly promote here at St Thomas the Apostle School. We demonstrate a ‘Culture of Kindness’ by encouraging inclusivity, respect and community belonging for all students. Planning for a safe and supportive school community requires a whole-school community approach. Whole school responses to bullying prevention build positive and supportive school environments by incorporating strategies for intervention at all levels, inclusive of students, teachers, parents and carers.
Three key characteristics outlined in the national definition of bullying distinguish bullying behaviours from other forms of peer aggression behaviours which do not constitute bullying. The key characteristics of bullying include:
- power imbalance
- deliberate intent to cause harm, and
- ongoing and repeated behaviour.
While the following behaviours of peer aggression do not constitute bullying, these behaviours may still be serious and require intervention at home and at school:
- arguments and disagreements (where there is no power imbalance)
- single acts of social rejection or meanness, or
- isolated incidents of aggression, intimidation or violence.
It is important for our entire school community, including our staff, parents, carers and students to have a clear understanding of the definition of bullying to be able to distinguish these behaviours from peer aggression, and correctly identify and respond to incidents of bullying. Knowing the types of bullying behaviour can also help identify if the incident is bullying, or peer aggression. While neither of these behaviours are tolerated at St Thomas’ they do require different management strategies, and the first step for responding is to correctly identify the behaviour.
Kindness, love, respect, inclusiveness and unity are entwined in the ethos and charism of our great school. These virtues lead us nicely into what is happening next Friday …
Harmony Day
Next Friday March 25th, we will be celebrating Harmony Day. Harmony Day celebrates cultural diversity focussing on inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.
We will be celebrating Harmony Day at St Thomas’ by dressing in orange or wearing clothes that are traditional to our children’s cultural heritage. Why orange? Orange is a warm and inviting colour, it motivates people to think and have a meaningful talk! It also relates to the freedom of thoughts, ideas and encouraging people to develop mutual respect.
Please ensure your child has appropriate footwear for school (runners or school shoes) and that their clothing is appropriate and sun safe (shoulders covered and no midriff items). Hats (can be other colours) will still be required on the playground.
We will have a group of Chinese Dragon dancers coming to perform for the students as part of the celebrations.
Also incorporated in the day will be an opportunity to reflect on the terrible hardships that the people of Ukraine are experiencing at this time. Victoria Town will be closing the canteen for normal lunches and instead will be providing a simple lunch for every student and staff member. This will include soup, potato pancakes and other Ukranian inspired food. There will be no orders taken for lunch as it will be run like a soup kitchen where students will line up for their lunch. Students are asked to bring a gold coin donation to raise money (and awareness) for our fellow human beings in Ukraine. There will be more information about this next week.
Harmony Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the rich diversity of our St Thomas the Apostle community and the value that each individual brings to our school.
And finally, yesterday we celebrated St Patrick’s Day. There was a lot of green to be seen and we did enjoy some fun together. I will leave you today with the well known and beautiful Irish Blessing.
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
May God be with you and bless you.
Yours in partnership,
Ursula Jamieson
Principal
Mini Vinnies
This morning our Mini Vinnies team had a commissioning ceremony. We prayed together as a school community and students received their badges, certificates and made a pledge to help others throughout the year. Our Mini Vinnies team is comprised of more than 50 students. We are very fortunate to have so many wonderful young people at St Thomas who want to support others and learn about social justice.
Sacramental Enrolment Mass Reminder
Sacramental enrolment masses are this weekend (19th and 20th March). Mass times are Saturday 6pm, Sunday 8:30am and 10am. There will be a teacher in the foyer after mass to collect enrolment forms and any payments made in cash.
If you have any questions, please contact Geoffrey Ryan through the school office on 6231 4144 or via email on geoffrey.ryan@cg.catholic.edu.au.
We are looking forward to celebrating the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist with the students and families of the St Thomas the Apostle Parish.
Project Compassion
Geoff Ryan
REC
Another informative week in the library. The students completed their investigations into a non-fiction book and recorded what knowledge they gained while reading their chosen text. It was exciting to see the students so engaged and enthusiastic to share their information with others.
We also had a chance to explore an animation and discuss why sometimes seeing images helps us to comprehend a text.
A reminder to please remember to bring your library bags and books. KL was the winner this week with the highest number of students returning and borrowing. Keep it up! 3/4G were especially great MATES in library this week, so thank you to those students too.
Leah Godfrey
Teacher Librarian (Term 1)
Date |
Event |
Saturday 19 March |
Mass for Sacrament Enrolment 6pm |
Sunday 20 March |
Mass for Sacrament Enrolment 8:30am or 10am |
Thursday 24 March |
School Photos - sports uniform |
Friday 25 March |
Harmony Day (Ukraine inspired food) |
School Photos - Thursday 24 March
Please return the photos envelopes, including envelopes for sibling photos,
to your class teacher either on or before the photo day.
Students are required to wear their sports uniform.
Harmony Day - Ukraine Inspired Food
Happy Birthday to the following students who will celebrate a birthday this week
Aleks Kalinowski
My family joined the St Thomas the Apostle community in 2018 when my eldest child started kindergarten, and our children are now in Year 1 and Year 4 - how time flies! We’ve made good friends and many wonderful memories in this happy community over the years. This is my second year on the SCC, where my role includes helping to coordinate our class parent group. I’m constantly inspired by the amazing, generous, and creative contributions our children and families make to the school and broader community. As a 'class parent' and SCC member, I am always very interested in receiving and actioning feedback and ideas from our parent community, so please come and have a chat anytime.
Angela Schacht
My family moved back to Canberra 5 years ago and we’re thrilled to be able to have our kids attend St Thomas the Apostle and to join and contribute to the school community.
This year my son Arlen is in Year 1 and my daughter Evelyn will start Kindy in 2023.
St Thomas is such a wonderful values and community driven school and I’m excited to be able to help out both as a parent and SCC member. I look forward to meeting everyone as events and gatherings start (hopefully!) to become our new normal again.
Your Mighty Magnificent Mind - ebook with Audio
Please follow the link below for this ebook written by one of our amazing parents and mother of Leo Blair.