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- Principal's Report
- RE Week 1 - Our Common Home
- Upcoming Events
- St Thomas Apostle Primary Open Days
- Canteen News
- Sports Days Term 2 2022
- Wet Weather pickup information
- Birthdays this week
- Student Achievement
- St Anthony's ELC Open Day
- St Clare's Open Days
- St Edmund's College Open Days
- St Mary MacKillip College Open Days
- Girl Guides Flyer
- Duntroon Community Centre flyer
- Photos - Easter Liturgy
- Photos - Easter Hat Parade
- Photos - ANZAC Ceremony
Dear Parents and Carers,
Week One for Term 2 has gone very well with the students settling quickly back into school life. The staff had an excellent Professional Learning Day on Tuesday with a focus on “Assessment in the Classroom” and “Intervention Strategies” explored for individual student support. Yesterday we had Brooke Wardana here working with the teachers on “Explicit Instruction” in writing (it was excellent). Today we have Dr Lorraine Hammond working with the lower primary teachers on a phonemic awareness program we are implementing. It is called “Let’s Decode.” Tomorrow our K-2 teachers are spending the day at Holy Spirit Primary School in Nicholls doing further work on this program with Lorraine and other teachers across Canberra. Thank you to those teachers for giving up your Saturday to engage in this professional development.
Apart from the normal curriculum happenings that will be taking place in the classrooms this term, we also have other scheduled events. With restrictions easing we can plan for year level excursions, our open days, NAPLAN testing, the cross country and athletics carnivals, a school movie night and of course, our end of semester parent teacher interviews and reports. With the Federal Election taking place on 21 May, we will be holding a sausage sizzle here on the Saturday. We will be asking for help from you next week to work on the stall during the day.
Today we had a special and prayerful service in remembrance for our ANZAC’s along with all the men and women who have served our country in wartime and in peacekeeping missions. The children were respectful as they listened about the dedication of these men and women who we are so proud of. We also prayed for peace in our troubled world and particularly for the people of Ukraine.
We have had a smooth start to the term thanks to the time and effort the teachers put in over the school break in preparation for Term 2. You will soon receive a term letter with an outline of each year level’s information. Please keep an eye out for information and updates on the events taking place through the newsletter, on Compass and through specific notes sent home.
Enrolment Period
The enrolment period for the 2023 school year for Catholic Systemic Schools runs from Monday 2 May to Friday 27 May 2022. All families wishing to make a new enrolment in a Catholic systemic primary or high school need to complete an online application for their preferred systemic school and submit it, completed, to that school by Friday 27 May 2022.
Parents wishing to enrol a child in Kindergarten at St Thomas’ for 2023 need to complete and return an enrolment form by Friday 27 May regardless of them having siblings already enrolled at the school. The link for enrolments is on the school website.
I also remind parents of children in Year 6 that they too have to complete an enrolment application form for the high school of their choice. Those students who have attended the open days held by the high schools will have received an enrolment pack during their visit. If you require any information or further clarification about the enrolment process for Catholic systemic schools, please do not hesitate to contact myself, Naomi or Lynette in the office.
Open Days/Evenings
As a part of the enrolment period, St Thomas’ will be holding an Open Day on Tuesday 3 May from 9.30am until 5:30 pm and an Open Morning on Saturday 14 May from 9:00 am until 11:00 am. These are opportunities for prospective families to visit our school and view first-hand what we have to offer. While these are official times for visiting the school during the enrolment period, we encourage those who cannot make it during these times to phone and make an appointment to be shown around the school at a time more suitable to them. If you have friends or relatives who are thinking about St Thomas’ as an option for their children, please let them know about the enrolment period and especially our Open Day/Morning.
Catholic Early Learning Centre for Kambah families
Families with preschool aged children are invited to enrol at the Early Learning Centre (ELC) located at St Anthony’s Primary School in Wanniassa. This ELC will provide for families in the suburbs of Wanniassa, Kambah, Oxley, Monash, Greenway and Bonython. Children enrolled in this ELC would then continue their Catholic education by attending either St Thomas the Apostle or St Anthony’s depending on their residential address. Families will be informed of their Catholic primary school upon their enrolment in the ELC. The open days for the ELC are Friday 6 May (3:30pm– 5:00pm) and Saturday 21 May (9:00am-11:00am). If you are unable to attend and you would like to know more about this ELC for your own family, neighbours or friends please don’t hesitate to contact the ELC at St Anthony’s on 6231 0491.
Winter Uniform
A reminder that the beginning of Term 2 marks the start of wearing our winter school uniform. We allow a one week change over to this uniform as it can still be quite mild in early May. So while the beginning of term marks the change to winter uniform the expectation is that all children will be wearing winter uniform by start of week 2. Please encourage your child (as we do) to wear their school uniform with pride. This means: shirts tucked in, buttons done up, shoes shiny, correct socks, only sleepers or studs in ears, no nail polish and the correct hat and colours for hair accessories. As always please ensure that your child’s hair is tied back if it is longer than shoulder length, (boys and girls). Long sleeve polo shirts with the school logo on them are available for $25 at the front office. All other new unform items are available from Savvy at Tuggeranong. We also have may second hand items for sale from the clothing pool. These items all cost $5
School Hours
At the start of each term I am obliged to remind parents that school commences at 8.50am and concludes at 3.10pm. Recess is from 11:00 am until 11.40 am with lunch from 1.00pm until 1.40pm. Supervision in the morning commences at 8.30am and concludes in the afternoon at 3.30pm. Children should not be on the school grounds, unless supervised by their parents or carers, outside of these hours. On mornings when it is raining, children will come straight to the hall from 8:30am and sit in class groups until their teacher collects them. On afternoons when it is raining, children will be brought to the hall corridors and side classrooms and parents and carers pick them up through drive through. We ask that you do not come before 3:10 so as to avoid traffic snarls and if possible come a bit later so that the traffic flows. Pick up time ends at 3:30pm so there is plenty of time for this to run smoothly. For those who need childcare outside of our school hours, TEAMKIDS offer before and after school care as well as a holiday program in the school holidays. Apart from the obvious safety and child protection issues in and around leaving your child unattended at school, it can also be a very long morning standing outside in the soon to arrive sub-zero temperatures for a child. I certainly encourage the use of these facilities available to you, particularly should you need to have your children at school before 8.30am.
Late to School
On the flip side of being at school too early, it is extremely important that children are at school on time each day. It is quite disconcerting for children to come into class late, on a regular basis. The beginning of the day is very important for teachers to ‘check-in’ with each child and set them up for the day’s learning. Children who regularly miss the morning beginning time, often feel anxious about this. They also miss out on the before school opportunity to spend some time in a social environment with their friends and classmates, before the days formal learning commences.
May you have a peaceful weekend,
Yours in partnership,
Ursula Jamieson
Principal
On Friday the students and teachers participated in an ANZAC liturgy. We take time to remember the people who fight for our freedom and pray for peace throughout the world, especially where there is war and conflict.
Reconciliation
The reconciliation program began this week with an information night on Thursday. We keep the students and families who are preparing for the sacrament of reconciliation in our prayers over the coming weeks. We look forward to seeing them at the presentation masses this weekend.
Geoff Ryan
Date |
Event |
Saturday 30 April |
Presentation Mass (Reconciliation) 6pm |
Sunday 1 May |
Presentation Masses (Reconciliation) 8:30am & 10am |
Tuesday 3 May |
St Thomas Apostle Open Day 9:30am - 5:30pm |
Wednesday 4 May |
St Clare's College Open Day |
Friday 6 May |
Try MacKillop College Day |
Trial opening on Mondays
We are running a trial for Term 2 to see if it is viable to have the canteen open on a Monday. Please use Flexischools to place your orders.
Recess cash sales
The children are allowed to bring in cash, and come up to the counter to buy recess food, such as muffins, pikelets, Vegemite scrolls, drinks and frozen treats.
New menu
I have changed the menu for Term 2, more warm food for winter, such as soup + roll, and everybody's favourite from Ukraine, the grain porridge Kuliya, with fruit & a drizzle of custard. Kuliya is served warm, and is a recess food only, it can be pre-ordered on Flexischools or bought over the counter. Great fillet for kids who aren't big breakfast eaters!
Kinder - Monday* & Friday
Year 1 - Monday* & Friday
Year 2 - Monday* & Thursday
Year 3/4 - Tuesday & Thursday
Year 5/6 - Tuesday & Thursday
(* Please note: if Monday is a public holiday/pupil free day then
sports day is Wednesday)
Wet Weather pickup information
Things to Remember:
- do not come too early to avoid traffic congestion
- display surname sign in your window
- use pedestrian crossing if you are getting out of car to pick up your child/ren
Happy Birthday to the following students who will celebrate a birthday this week
Cooper Wundersitz exhibited his latest lego masterpiece ‘Military Base Under Attack’ at the Canberra Brick Expo on 9/10 April at the Hellenic Club. His exhibit ended up getting voted into 2nd place by the public on the Sunday. He was pretty happy! He also got to meet four of the cast from the latest Lego Masters season (Andrew, Alex, Paul and Trent) and they were very complimentary about his build.