Filter Content
- Principal's Report
- Screen Time During Remote Learning
- RE Week 9 - Who do you say I am?
- Mini Vinnies Collection
- Birthdays this Week
- Will Lipscombe Art Award - Entries close today!
- Wellbeing Wednesday
- Photos - Wellbeing Wednesday
- Photos - Other
- Team Kids - Holiday Program
- Weston Indoor Sports - Soccer
Dear Parents and Carers,
Today sees the end of four weeks in lockdown and four weeks of a very different world of learning for our students. We have one week to go for Term 3 and I know that you will be looking forward to the upcoming school holidays where you don’t have to juggle Remote Learning along with all of your other roles. I appreciate that it has been very tough for some families and I can only congratulate you all on the sterling job you are doing during these very trying times.
It is clear by the feedback we are receiving and the conversations we are having with you, that school and home are working well together. The Remote Learning being provided by our teachers and support staff is a rigorous and meaningful academic program and the support you are providing at home is ensuring the best possible learning is taking place. This will differ from family to family and from day to day. We know you are doing the best you can.
I trust that everyone appreciated the change of focus for Well-being Wednesday with less screen time and more creativity. Please encourage your children to complete the activities and return them to school as we would like to collate the poems and pictures and produce a magazine for everyone.
Attached to this newsletter is communication from Catholic Education regarding screen time during Remote Learning. As teachers, we are conscious of the amount of screen time needed for Remote Learning and try to balance digital time with other activities to give the students a break from interacting with their devices. Please continue to encourage outdoor time for some fresh air and exercise and valuing family time doing activities such as cooking, reading and enjoying one another’s company in play.
Don’t forget that the ‘Lockdown Dinners’ are available for order on a Thursday and Friday. They can be ordered on Flexischools (or you can contact Victoria directly on 0447325239 and pay through Qkr). You can also provide a meal to a family who are having a tough time by making a donation on Qkr. If you open the app you will see where to donate.
I know that some families may be experiencing financial hardship because of job loss or a decrease in work hours. If you need support in this area, please contact Naomi and she will send you the forms for either a remission or to postpone payments.
As I have said before, at this difficult time we are all susceptible to feelings of frustration, fear, anxiety & stress. Please be kind to yourselves and each other. Reach out if you need help or just want to talk. I am always here if you want to make contact as are the teachers and staff of our amazing school. Catholic Education is providing additional counselling support to our school communities during this time. If needed, you can contact CatholicCare on (02) 6162 6100.
Whilst many things are cancelled at the moment, sunshine, love, conversations and kindness are not cancelled. Make the most of these vital elements in our lives.
Yours in partnersip,
Ursula Jamieson
Principal
RE Week 9 - Who do you say I am?
Pope Francis has released a new book entitled Let Us Dream. The book was written in response to the current COVID -19 crisis. Pope Francis challenges us to have the courage to change and to emerge from this time more connected to each other and to our environment. The following passage presents a small piece of the Pope’s advice;
“We need to slow down, take stock and design better ways of living together on this earth…We need a movement of people who know we need each other, who have a sense of responsibility to others and to the world. We need to proclaim that being kind, having faith, and working for the common good are great life goals that need courage and vigor…”
Have a lovely weekend!
Penny Vanzwol
REC
Happy Birthday to the following students and staff who will cebebrate a birthday this week
Will Lipscombe Art Award - Entries close today!
Quick!
Don't forget to send in your entry!
They are due today Friday 10 September!
Please send your entries via email to lynette.wilson@cg.catholic.edu.au or they can be left in the "letter box" opening on the right of the School front door.
About Will Lipscombe
Will was a courageous and inspirational member of our St Thomas community. Sadly, Will passed away in 2015. Will was well known for his understanding of heroes as being “ordinary individuals who find the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” Will remains a hero in the hearts of many people in our community.
This means that even though Will is no longer with us in person, he will always live on in the heart of our community.
Our community has a HUGE heart.
Courage, spirit and honesty form the legacy that Will leaves in our community.
This year, Will’s family has had a book published about Will’s life. The book talks about several teachers at St Thomas the Apostle School and the impact they had on Will and his family.
This is a reminder of how lucky we are to be a part of this wonderful community. It also talks about how brave Will was.
The image on the cover of the book is one of Will’s drawings. It is a great reflection of bravery and courage.
Each year we offer an opportunity for students to contribute an artistic work in memory of Will. This year, we ask you to reflect on someone you respect for the bravery they show.
Entry Form
Thank you for encouraging your child’s participation in Wellbeing Wednesday. We hope that the activities enabled your child/ren to take some time to reflect, create and explore and hence to build their resilience and their sense of hope. Each family, each child, and certainly each teacher is experiencing this time differently. It is so important that we encourage each other to connect with nature and with our community to ensure that our sense of hope and joy are nurtured and enlivened daily. Taking time to disconnect from the online world and reconnect with the natural world is essential for our wellbeing. Please keep the Wellbeing Wednesday Booklet somewhere safe and revisit the activities you may not have completed.
Please drop activities from the yellow CONNECT section into the school mailbox or to the box provided at the front of the school so that the work can be collated into a special booklet. Please ensure that your child’s name is clearly on the back of the work.