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- Principal's Message
- RE Week 9 - Our Common Home - Connecting with ourselves
- Upcoming Events
- Tommy's Tales
- Birthdays this week
- Colleen Mulheren Bookworm Awards Term 4 Week 9 2022
- Canteen News
- Photos - Colour Run
- Photos - School Disco
- Photos - Carols & BBQ
- Photos - Kinder Nativity
- Photos - Athletes Foot School Shoe Guide
- Guitar Lessons
- TeamKids Big School Ready Flyer
- TeamKids Summer Flyer
- Athletes Foot Shoe Guide
- Dale's Ballroom - Kids Classes
Dear Parents and Carers,
This is the last formal newsletter for the year and will cover many topics.
Fete result
On Monday night the Fete Committee had it’s rap up meeting and revealed the final amount that was made at the fete. The final amount was (drum roll) $52 000! That can only be described as a phenomenal amount, an outstanding success. It is such a credit to the hard work of the committee who worked for months beforehand and to the parents, carers and parishioners who worked on the day. Thank you so much.
School Community Council
The SCC also had their final meeting for the year. Michael Giacomin our treasurer presented the draft budget and school fees for 2023. I would like to take this opportunity to say a genuine and heartfelt thank you to the members of our SCC. They are a dedicated group of parents who want the best for this school and all those who are part of it. I would like to say a special thank you to our departing members, Carl Jenkins (chair) and Virginia Wilson. Both of these people will be departing the SCC as their youngest child finishes Year 6 next week. We will also farewell Jacinta Bryce who has been our secretary for the past two years and was the class parent organiser before that. Thank you, Carl, Jacinta and Virginia, for all you have contributed in your years on the SCC. Thank you also to the rest of the SCC team for your work this year. Angela Schacht (SCC Deputy Chair); Mike Giacomin, Treasurer; Corrine Smith, Edwina Wundersitz. Early next year we will be calling for nominations for the SCC for the next two years. Hopefully our current members are keen to nominate again, and of course there is room for new members.
After our respective meetings finished, we enjoyed a night out at dinner together.
Staffing for 2023
Although some of these changes have been announced as they were official, I will recap who our leaving staff are and who our new staff joining us are.
We are vey sad to be saying farewell to the following staff who have been with us between 6 and 10 years. That is a significant time at St Thomas’. Anne Gowen has been our Wellbeing Counsellor for the past 3 years but taught here for many years in the earlier days of the school. Anne Gowen will be working in school / parish work at Corpus Christi Parish.
Matt Lowe is moving to the coast with his family and will be teaching at St Bernard’s in Batehaven.
Rachel Kennedy is transferring to St Clare of Assisi in Conder.
Natalia Ciuffetelli is transferring to St Gregory’s in Queanbeyan.
Zita Clifford is retiring as our Indonesian teacher but thankfully will still be a casual teacher with us.
Sarah Salter, who has been a day a week in 3/4B, will be teaching at Garran Primary School and Sophie Riley who has been a CSA will continue as a casual support staff member.
I am sure you will join me in wishing these loved and treasured members of the St Thomas the Apostle family the very best for the future.
Geoff Ryan will be taking long service leave for the first two terms. Music will not be a release subject for this time but will be taught by the classroom teachers.
Jacinta Housler will step in the role of Religious Education Coordinator for Terms 1 and 2. Congratulations Jacinta on taking on this most significant position in the school.
Our creative and talented Patty Porteus will be changing from classroom teacher and teaching Visual Arts from Kinder to Year 6.
We will be welcoming six new staff members next year.
Jessica Salcedo, Amy Gallagher, Amber Thomson and Bianca Breen will be joining us as classroom teachers. In Semester One Vanessa Miler will be with us each Tuesday teaching signing English to Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2. Susan Harris will be our new Wellbeing Counsellor and will be with us on a Wednesday and Thursday.
We are delighted to have these new staff members joining us.
Following is the staff list and class teachers for 2023
Kindergarten: Lauren Jameson and Amy Gallagher
Year 1: Laura Vandenbroucke and Leyrizza Nyunt
Year 2: Anne Barbic and Angela Bartkowiak and Tona Tallarida (Thursdays)
Year 3/4: Monique George, Georgia Croker, Amber Thomson, Lizzie Prater (Monday and Tuesday) and Bianca Breen (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday)
Year 5/6: Jacinta Housler, Jessica Salcedo, Tarthra Kennelly (Monday and Tuesday and sharing Wednesday) and Natasha Pank (sharing Wednesday, Thursday and Friday)
Principal: Ursula Jamieson
Assistant Principal: Susan Chant
Religious Education Coordinator (Term 1 and 2): Jacinta Housler
Coordinator and STEM teacher: Luke Mooney
Teacher Librarian (Semester 1) – Kelli Rootes
Visual Arts Teacher: Patty Porteus
Classroom Support Teacher: Cathy Duffy
Classroom Support Assistants: Nicole Joyce, Karen Bruce, Lynette Wilson,
Sally Cameron Sarah Dwyer and Janelle McCabe
Wellbeing Officer: Susan Harris
Office and Finance Manager: Naomi Trussler
Publications Officer and Office: Lynette Wilson
Canteen Manager: Victoria Town
Grounds and Maintenance: John Cousins
Class placements for 2023
Students will be informed of their class placement for 2023 on Thursday next week and will have the opportunity to spend some time with their new class teacher and the students in their class for the following year. They will do an activity and have lunch together. You, as parents and carers, cannot always shelter and protect your child or choose their teachers for them. Your child may not get into the class they want or be with the friends they want to be with. While there will be many smiles there can also be some tears. Life is full of disappointments, challenges and upsets. A big part of life is learning to deal with a range of people, whether it be other children or adults. It is about building skills and resilience that can be used in later life. How your child responds to the news of their class teacher for 2023 can often depend on your own response. Whether it is the teacher you were hoping for or not, you need to be positive and encouraging. If your child sees that you are upbeat, then they will be confident and optimistic about the future. I have faith and trust in all the teachers at our school and firmly believe we are blessed with the wonderful staff that we have.
School Fees for 2023
These are currently being worked out and ratified and will be published next week.
Overdue School Fees 2022
A reminder that school fees are now overdue. For those who are not on a regular direct debit with us, I ask that you settle your account with us as soon as possible so that we are able to meet our budgetary commitments at this time of year. Please contact Naomi in the front office if you any questions.
Change in Carpark Pick-up next year
The car pick up area will be for drive through pick up only. No parents or carers are to wait there for children.
All parents and carers who walk to pick up their children or park their car and collect them, will meet them on the stage under the tree. We also see that meeting up there provides a good opportunity for parents and carers to catch up.
I know you will appreciate that the safety of our families is our number one priority when the end of the day comes and it is time to go home.
Please note that supervision is from 3:10pm until 3:30pm. Children who are not collected by then (unless we have had a phone call to say you will be late and we certainly understand that there are circumstances when that happens) will be taken to TEAMKIDS for supervision (this also incurs a cost). Teachers have meetings and appointments after school and we are not able to supervise children after 3:30pm.
School Shirts
If you need new school polo shirts for 2023, we have just had a new shipment in. They are only available for purchase from the school and are not available in shops. They are for sale from the front office for $20.
End of Year
Next week is another busy week with the Year 6 graduation on Monday and the Year 5/6 fun day on Tuesday. The handing of leadership from Year 6 to Year 5 will be our final event on Thursday afternoon. School finishes for the students on Thursday 15 December.
Many blessing on you and your family in this season of Advent.
Ursula Jamieson
Principal
RE Week 9 - Our Common Home - Connecting with ourselves
Our Christmas Carols and BBQ was a wonderful community event this week. This is a great reminder about celebrating joy! As we light the 3rd candle of advent this weekend we bring joy into focus. Take some time this week to do something you enjoy and experience joy with others.
Vinnies Christmas Appeal
Thank you for all the generous donations towards our Christmas Appeal. The Vinnies team has been working hard and putting together many hampers from both the school and parish. A reminder to bring in any donations early next week so they can be placed in the hampers.
If you are interested in helping put the hampers together, the Kambah Vinnies conference will meet in the hall on Saturday 17th December. Please contact Mr Ryan via email if you would like to help with this. Geoffrey.ryan@cg.catholic.edu.au
Geoff Ryan
REC
Date |
Event |
Monday 12 December |
Year 6 Graduation Mass 9:30am Year 6 Graduation Celebration 6pm |
Tuesday 13 December |
Big Splash for Year 6 |
Thursday 15 December |
Last day of Term 4 for all students |
Wow! What a fun filled week!
I have been visiting lots of classrooms and even spotted the cheeky 3/4J Elf, Bean, who had “borrowed” my food bowl and was using it as a bubble bath!
My KK (secret santa) had left me a little prezzie this morning- a puppy sun hat! I loved wearing it outside on my playground duty with Mr Lowe.
Last night, I went to the Christmas carols night and had a blast meeting lots of new people and listening to all of the beautiful singing. I even got to meet Santa and sit on his knee!
Can’t wait for all of the fun in the last school week of the year!
Love Tommy
Colleen Mulheren Bookworm Awards Term 4 Week 9 2022
The Awards were presented to the students at morning assembly on
Student Lunches
There has been a large number of students who have not had lunches this week or have assumed they have a lunch order.
Please ensure that they bring their lunch box every day and make sure, if you have placed a lunch order, that it has successfully processed.
Victoria Town
Canteen Manager