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- Principal's Report
- RE Week 6 - Be still and know that I am God
- Library News
- NAPLAN Practice Tests
- Awards Term 3 Week 6
- August Birthdays
- Virtual Cross Country Award Recipients
- Walk Safely to School Day
- Working Bee
- Sports Shed - New Signage
- Floriade Reimagined
- Kindergarten Health Checks
- TeamKids Spring Holiday Program
- Indonesian Class Visitor
- Photos - Musica Viva
- Photos - Waiting for the Satellite Selfie
- Photos - Kinder Artwork
- Archdiocesan Women’s Reflection Afternoon
- Parentline - Counselling Service
- Holiday Happenings
Dear Parents/Carers,
This week we are starting something new. Instead of hearing from me, Liz Grellman from the School Community Council has written a piece. The plan is that 3 times a term, an SCC member will be talking to you from a parent perspective. So I will hand over to Liz and wish you all a great last weekend of winter.
God bless
Ursula Jamieson
Principal
School Community Council (SCC) Update
At our last meeting it was recommended the SCC become a regular feature in the school newsletter. On behalf of the parents, children and friends of STTAP we feel like we are making valuable contributions to improving our school community.
Some highlights from last year were:
- the laying of the Multi Purpose Court
- reviewing and recommending changes to the Before School Care/After School Care Provider
- introducing the 3 flag poles at the front of the school (and the gym)
- as well as the Election Day barbecue
- Carols night barbecue
2020 has obviously created all sorts of challenges. We have continued our meetings by moving online and have been your voice in thanking the staff for their dedication and professionalism during the lockdown period. Key discussion points so far this year have been:
- raising concerns about the Activities Levy
- extending the time frame for school fee payments
- safety in the car park, where we successfully gained approval for extra staff supervision.
I am currently working with a fantastic group of Year 6 parents on the School Toilet Transformation Project which we are hoping to be ready in Term 4. This will see an often neglected part of the school transformed into an inspiring and safer place, so stay tuned!
In the words of one of our SCC members “It’s a wonderful community at St Thomas and I am most appreciative, but it’s really worth acknowledging how special it is”. We hope you feel the same way too. Feedback and suggestions that we can bring to our meetings on your behalf are always welcome. If you ever ask the question ‘why is ... done this way?’ please make sure you approach Carl Jenkins, Katherine Hellwig, Michael Giacomin, Angela Bartkowiak, Jacinta Bryce, Corinne Smith or myself. Our school representatives are Anne Barbic and, of course Ursula. Alternatively you can email us with your ideas, questions or feedback sccsttap@gmail.com
Best wishes to all for a safe and healthy remainder to 2020.
Liz Grellman
Parent of Year 5/6 students
RE Week 6 - Be still and know that I am God
This Friday we are going to reflect on the prayer we call the Gloria. The Gloria is part of the Introductory Rites of the Catholic Mass. It is a joyful statement of our beliefs. In fact, the very first line is what the angels sang when Jesus was born. We remember that our faith brings us great joy because we have a gracious and loving God.
On Monday we heard about the covenant that God makes with Jeremiah. Jeremiah was the son of a priest from the small town of Anathoth in Judah. Jeremiah was nearly twenty years old when he began to prophesy, and he continued in that office for the rest of his adult life, about forty years or more. This passage speaks about the new covenant. When God says this to Jeremiah, he is actually speaking about Jesus. He is telling Jeremiah that He will send His Son to earth to forgive our sins and to teach us how to live. God talks about writing on the people’s hearts instead of on the stone tablets as He did with Moses. God tells the people that He is not just in the temple but living inside us. God says again; I will be their God and they will be my people. This reminds us that Catholics worship only one God and that He is a God of love and compassion. We are His people. This means we are never alone because God treats us as His and His love for us never ends. We also hear God saying he will forgive our sins. We hear God say this so many times in the Bible because He does not want us to ever forget it.
First Eucharist Home Night
Apologies for the unavoidable inconvenience caused by the postponement of the Family Prayer Night. I was all ready and so excited! I look forward to sharing the night with you next week, on Wednesday 2 September at 6.30pm.
Penny Vanzwol
REC
this week. Photos will be included in the next newsletter.
Kinder | Matthew Lawton, Roland Ord Ambrose Walton, Ahmed Al Shamari |
Year 1 | Zera Vickerstaff, Oliver Jansen Grace Perry, Harlen Greene, James McGoldrick |
Year 2 | Eamon King, Eli Garrett Evie Klau, Georgia Penny |
Year 3/4 | Olivia Mendoza, Nathan Galsim Ava Harradine, Raffaele Giacomin Graydon Read, Jack Sanders |
Year 5/6 |
Macy Moule, Isabelle Perkins |
Cultural Award |
Tiana Longani |
Principal's Special Award |
Matilda Hawke |
Happy Birthday to the following students who are celebrating a birthday this week
Virtual Cross Country Award Recipients
Congratulations to the following students who will receive awards this week for their efforts in the Virtual Cross Country.
Jack Miels-Barrett
Erin Galsim
Macy Moule
Ashleigh Fuller
Abrylle McInerney
Nathan Galsim
James Rice
Caitlin Louise Russell
Hamish Taylor
Griffin Moule
Jared Earl
Lewis Rice
Alyssia Iglesias
Nixon Dean
Evie Marion Russell
Vincent McInerney
Evie Anrath
Noah Anrath
Caleb Earl
Whilst COVID restrictions means we can’t have our annual big family Working Bee, we can still have a small one to carry out some essential work around the school.
Mr John Cousins, our groundsman will be organising it for Sunday 20 September from 8am – 12pm. If you are handy with tools or have a skill in the field or just willing to give a hand, we would love to have your help. Some of the jobs to be done include putting in poles for a shade sail in the garden and also erecting a panel fence between the blue courts and the playground equipment. There are other jobs to be done but it will depend on how many parents and carers can come on the day. If you can help for all or part of the morning, please email your details to office.sttapkambah@cg.catholic.edu.au There will be pizza and cold refreshing drinks to enjoy at the end.
We now have a sign on our Sports Shed. It looks terrific! Thanks to Nige Pearman from Canberra Containers for organising and placing the sign.
We are part of Floriade Community and the bulbs our children planted are starting to pop up, click on this link to see the interactive map for Floriade Reimagined.
This is to let all parents and carers of Kindergarten students know, that Canberra Health Services is offering a targeted kindergarten health check concentrating on vision and hearing.
These health checks are performed in clinics at the City Health Centre Mondays and Fridays and there will be appointments most days in the school holidays.
An appointment can be made by phoning the Central Intake Line on 51249977.
Kind Regards
Judy Wilson
A/g CNC
School Health Team
Kindergarten Health Check and Immunisation Programs
Kinder are investigating significant places around the World including Antarctica, the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, the Amazon and the Grand Canyon.
Archdiocesan Women’s Reflection Afternoon
All women are invited to participate in an Archdiocesan Women’s Reflection Afternoon which will be livestreamed to all corners of the Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese this Saturday 29th August from 2.00pm to 4:30pm. Gather with friends at home, in the parish or at school to hear inspiring talks and participate in short guided prayer experiences. Register for free at
www.bit.ly/WomensReflectionAfternoon
More info at https://www.catholicvoice.org.au/event/womens-reflection-afternoon/
Enquiries email catholic.women@cg.org.au or ring/text Lara Kirk on 0429 192 869
This event is hosted by the Archdiocesan Women’s Taskforce https://womenstaskforceacg.org/
Clara Geoghegan
Clara is the Executive Secretary to the Bishops’ Commission for Evangelisation, Laity & Ministry. Clara has lectured in Church History and Spirituality at Catholic Theological College (Melbourne). Clara is also the Co-Director of the Catherine of Siena Institute, Australia.
Clara hopes to inspire the women of the Archdiocese to respond to their baptismal calling to intimacy with Christ and to co-responsibility for the mission of the Church.
Brigid Cooney
Brigid will share her personal journey of discovering her own baptismal calling to intimacy with Christ and co-responsibility for the Mission of the Church. She will also explain why she put her hand up as a delegate for the Plenary Council and what she hopes will be achieved.
Guided Prayer
As well as these inspiring talks, the Women’s Reflection Afternoon will be punctuated by short guided prayer experiences lead by the following groups:
- Winniefred Rebello, Women Alive (Indian, Pakistani & Sri Lankan Catholic women’s prayer group)
- Anne Hartwell, Mothers Prayers
- Bronnie Schlager, Call to Connect
- Karen Doyle, Sisterhood National Catholic Women’s Movement
- Vikki McDonough, Christian Meditation
Register for free at www.bit.ly/WomensReflectionAfternoon
Enquiries text Lara Kirk on 0429 192 869 or email catholic.women@cg.org.au