We are so excited to be starting our journey back to face-to-face learning and welcoming your children back into our school, we have really missed them!

Phased Return to School
On Monday, 25th October students in the ELC, Kindergarten, Year 1, Year 2 and Year 6 will return to face-to-face learning. Remote Learning will cease for these grades, except in rare circumstances where students are not able to return to school due to an underlying health condition. If your child is not able to return to school, please contact me immediately so we can assess whether your child qualifies for continued online learning and ensure supports are in place.

Students in Years 3, 4 and 5 will continue Remote learning next week. Classroom teachers will continue to post lessons. However, as specialist teachers are back at school there will be limited online lessons for The Arts, Science and Chinese. There will be some work still posted for PDHPE. These students will return to face-to-face learning on Monday, 1st November and Remote Learning will cease for these students except for where prior arrangements have been made to support students with underlying health conditions that prevent them from physically attending school.

Mask Wearing
ACT Health has mandated that all adults in primary schools must wear a mask, both inside and outside unless they have a medical exemption. Students in Years 3-6 are strongly encouraged to wear masks, and although children over the age of 12 must wear a mask in public places, they are not mandated to wear a mask while at school. Children in ELC to Year 2 are not required to wear a mask and there have been some concerns raised regarding risk of strangulation if they do wear a mask. The current advice for younger students is that they do not wear a mask unless they have underlying health conditions. As a school, we recognise that this is a parent and child choice and we will support your and your child’s decision.

Drop-off and Pick-up
Parents will not be able to enter the school grounds beyond the fenced area, except for ELC, where parents will accompany students to the gate and drive through where we ask for parents to remain in their cars where possible. If you do want to collect your child from the front of the school, we ask that parents support us by physically distancing from other adults. If your child is in one of the older grades, we ask you to consider waiting on the other side of the road/school crossing. All adults will be expected to wear masks when on the school grounds.

Parents in the School
At this stage there will be very few occasions where parents will be allowed in the school grounds. There will be no assemblies and awards will be presented to children in their classrooms.  Our parent-teacher interviews will be held over teams. We hope that parents may be able to come in to volunteer later in the year if the Health directive does change.  If this is able to happen, volunteers will need to show evidence of their vaccination status or hold a medical exemption.

School Fees
School fees for Term 4 have been sent out.  Catholic Education will again support families who have been financially impacted as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Term 4. The position of Catholic Education is that no child will be denied a Catholic education because of financial circumstances.

Where your family is experiencing financial stress due to job loss, being stood down, reduction in work hours, business downturn or closure resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, full or partial fee relief is available for Term 4. To apply for fee relief, you are asked to indicate the level of assistance you feel you need at this time by completing a one-page fee assistance form - COVID-19 Fee Assistance Request Form. Your level of fee support will be confirmed as soon as possible. Those families who applied for fee relief in Term 3 we will contact you to see whether you still require this relief for Term 4.

Families whose employment situation has not been affected by COVID-19 can support the school by continuing to pay school fees as they fall due. This will support our school to continue providing quality learning in a connected community that nurtures and cares for each other.

Class Allocations for 2022
During this term, we will be finalising our staffing arrangements for 2022. Below is a copy of the ‘Class Allocation Policy’ which aims to ensure there is a fair and just process in allocating students to classes for the upcoming school year.

My firm belief is that teachers are in the best position to decide a child’s placement because they know all the children in their classes and have a view of the ‘big picture’. However, I invite parents to inform me of anything that you feel needs to be considered, for your own child’s well-being or development.

When forming the class lists the following factors are taken into consideration:

• Gender
• Diverse Learners
• Work habits
• Cognitive ability
• Friendships
• Behaviour
• Health considerations
• Religion (to assist in achieving balance between classes, especially in Sacramental years) and
• Common names

Ideally, we aim for an equal spread of both positive and challenging characteristics. Where practical, parental requests based on educational concerns may be considered.  At St Thomas Aquinas, we follow these principles and guidelines when considering placement of students each year:

• Every care will be taken to ensure that each child is placed in the best situation to enhance learning and social development
• Parents who wish to raise particular concerns regarding the placement of their children in particular classes for the following year, should put the concern in writing and email it to me Leah.Taylor@cg.catholic.edu.au by Friday, 29 October 2021 - Week 4. Parents cannot assume that requests from previous years will be taken into account. A new request will need to be made every year.
• Parent concerns will be considered during the process. It must be clearly understood, however, that no definite guarantees can be given regarding parental concerns
• Where appropriate, advice will be sought from the Classroom Support Teacher School Counsellor, Chaplain and current class teacher during this process
• Considering all the factors listed above, the current class teachers compile class lists from mid-term, Term 4. These are then handed to me to confirm
• Children will be informed of their class placement for the following school year in December (usually the last week of school) and the opportunity will be provided for them to spend some time with their new class teacher. New students to the school for the following year are invited to attend
• Throughout this process, after appropriate consultation, I reserve the right to make final professional decisions regarding the placement of children

Take care and God Bless