Filter Content
- Principal's Report
- RE Week 3 - Be still and know that I am God
- Upcoming Events
- Cyber Safety Parent Presentation (ThinkUKnow)
- Canteen News
- Swimming Carnival Friday 21 February
- Library News
- Introducing my child and family to the class teacher 2020
- Media and Facebook Consent Form 2020
- Parenting Ideas - Managing Separation Anxiety at School Drop-offs
- Future Proofing Your Child Webinar
- NAPLAN Online
- TeamKids Newsletter
- TeamKids Activities for Week 4
- Netball Registration
- Student Achievement
- Photos of Kinder in STEM
- Mini Vinnies Commissioning Photos
- Lunchtime Chess Club Photos
Dear Parents/Carers,
New Staff
I am pleased to let you know we have now appointed a Wellbeing Counsellor for our school. Mrs Anne Gowen has already been meeting with students, parents and teachers to discuss and support the wellbeing of our children and families. Anne is a teacher and also a trained counsellor and will be a great asset to our staff. Anne will be sending out information about herself and her role in the coming days.
We also have a new groundsman joining us on staff. Mr John Cousins will be working 13 hours weeks attending the gardens and the ongoing maintenance in the school.
Welcome to Anne and John.
Swimming Carnival
Tomorrow is our annual Swimming Carnival. It look likes perfect weather for the event and the students are very excited. We look forward to seeing many parents and family members joining us for the day (or part of it). Thank you to Matt Lowe for his excellent organisation of the carnival.
Netball / Basketball Courts
We are very close to having our new beut courts completed. They should be completed by the end of this week and ready for use next week. We will put photos in next week's newsletter. Once again, thanks to Matt Lowe for coming in early on numerous occasions and liaising with the construction team.
School Community Council
Next Monday will be the first meeting of the SCC for 2020. The members of the Council are Carl Jenkins Council Chair), Katherine Helwig (Deputy Chair), Mike Giacommin (Treasurer), Angela Bartkowiack (Secretary), Jacinta Bryce, Corinne Smith, and Liz Grellman. An account of each meeting will be published in the newsletter following the meeting.
God bless
Ursula Jamieson
Principal
RE Week 3 - Be still and know that I am God
On Monday we commissioned 53 students into our 2020 Mini Vinnies team. The students are enthusiastic and ready to achieve great things as part of this significant organisation. They are well supported by the St Vincent de Paul Kambah Conference with 9 members of the “Big Vinnies” team attending the commissioning to support the students. We also met the new youth coordinator, Josh who is very excited to be working with us this year.
Fr Peter was very pleased with the student’s participation in our Mass to celebrate the opening of the school year. We continue to build a strong connection between the school and the parish. This connection brings a valuable sense of community for the students.
Next week we begin the season of Lent. We will celebrate Mass at the parish at 9:30 on Wednesday morning. Our focus for Lent will be growing actions and emotions that prevent us from being our best selves into actions and emotions that bring us closer to God and to each other and help us to BE our best selves. This may include growing frustration into patience, growing secrets into honesty and growing judgement into empathy. Please feel welcome to join us on Wednesday.
Date |
Event |
Friday 21 February |
Swimming Carnival |
Monday 24 February |
Monday Prayer (5/6G) 2.30pm |
Tuesday 25 February |
Shrove Tuesday Cyber Safety Parent Presentation (ThinkUKnow) 6-7pm |
Wednesday 26 February |
Ash Wednesday Mass 9.30am |
Friday 28 February |
Assembly (Yr 3/4) 2.30pm |
Cyber Safety Parent Presentation (ThinkUKnow)
St Thomas will be hosting an adults only ThinkUKnow presentation on Tuesday 25 February from 6-7pm and all parents, carers and teachers are encouraged to attend.
ThinkUKnow Australia is a cyber safety education program that educates parents, carers and teachers of how people are using technology, the challenges they may face online, and how to help them overcome these in a safe and ethical way.
ThinkUKnow Australia is a partnership between the Australian Federal Police, Microsoft Australia, Datacom and the Commonwealth Bank. The program is delivered in collaboration with policing partners New South Wales Police Force, Northern Territory Police, Queensland Police, South Australia Police, Tasmania Police, Western Australia Police, as well as Neighbourhood Watch Australasia.
The presentation will be delivered by a local law enforcement member and an industry volunteer. The presentation covers issues relating to children and young peoples’ privacy and security online, their relationships with other users and their online reputation. It provides insight into the devices young people are using, as well as the popular websites, apps and social networking sites they’re accessing.
This is a fantastic opportunity for you to learn more about young people and the online environment, and how you can help them to be safe and responsible users of technology. Please make this a priority for your attendance. It is so important.
Just a reminder that there will be NO canteen or lunch orders available on Friday, as it is St Thomas' school swimming carnival.
Please refer to swimming carnival notes as to the canteen facilities available at the pool on the day.
Should the carnival be cancelled due to wet weather, the canteen will be open as usual, however, some items maybe unavailable or substituted.
Paula Papandrea
Canteen manager
Swimming Carnival Friday 21 February
Just a reminder that the swimming carnival will be held this Friday, 21st February at the Phillip Swimming Pool.
Years 2 to 6 will depart school at 9.15am and return to school at approx. 2:40pm.
Kinder & Year 1 will depart school at 10.30am and will return to school at approx. 1:15pm.
Please supply your child with sunscreen, a hat, a towel, morning tea, lunch and a drink in clearly labeled reusable containers.
THE SCHOOL CANTEEN WILL BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY 21st FEBRUARY.
Phillip Pool Canteen facilities will be available ONLY for ice-cream purchases on the day.
No hot food will be available, so please ensure your child has a sufficient lunch packed.
Kind regards,
Mr. Lowe
Thank you for supporting your children in their efforts to return their library books weekly. This is an important routine that allows everyone the opportunity to borrow and discuss the many great books we have in our library. A big shout out to 1L with almost every student bringing a library bag and their library books. A library bag is really important particularly in Kinder to Year 2 as it protects the books from accidental spills.
It has been great to have so many family members visit the Community Corner. Please remember that this is open to you during school hours. Please also feel encouraged to borrow from the parent library.
Penny Vanzwol
Introducing my child and family to the class teacher 2020
The following form was sent home with each student as a hard copy. The purpose of this form is to facilitate a smooth transition into a new class, to look after the wellbeing of your child as new relationships are built, and to seek ways for families and school to support each other as we share the amazing journey of educating your child.
Could you please return the form to their class teacher.
Media and Facebook Consent Form 2020
Please complete the attached form if you DO NOT give consent for photographs and/or video footage of your child, at school events and activities, to be posted on the school Facebook page. If the form is not completed, we would assume that permission is granted.
NAPLAN Online will occur in our school between 12 and 22 May 2020.
NAPLAN Online is a more engaging assessment that adjusts questions to each student’s achievement level. It also delivers more precise results to schools and parents more quickly.
NAPLAN provides valuable information to schools and parents about literacy and numeracy achievement. It supports school improvement processes by enabling teachers to monitor student progress over time and to identify areas of strength and development.
All eligible students are encouraged and supported to participate in NAPLAN testing. Visit www.nap.edu.au to see interactive versions of the test and for more information.
has made the National Performance Troupe
for her dance school, Legs Dance.