Dear Families,

Welcome back to Term 4. This term is always filled with events and activities right up until the very last day. It is also a time when we begin to find out about teacher and family moves. If you know you will be leaving us, please let the front office know by completing the form detailed further in the newsletter as soon as possible. We are beginning to fill up in some year levels and will be starting waiting lists. It will be wonderful if we could alleviate the anxiety of these families on the list as soon as we are able.

Many of you will have seen the news that I will be going into the central office next year to lead Early Learning for the Archdiocese. This is quite a jump for me. Some of you may know that I started my teaching career as a Highschool Science Teacher before retraining to become a Primary Teacher with the initial intention of teaching Middle School. It was a very difficult decision to make as I feel that this community has been my second family. I will have more to say towards the end of the year, but I did want to thank you for trusting me to lead St Thomas Aquinas, and with caring for and educating your children. The principal position will be advertised from tomorrow and it is expected that an announcement will be made within the next month.

Deborah Griffin will also be leaving us at the end of this year. Mrs Griffin will return to Queensland to be closer to her and her husband’s extended family. Mrs Griffin was instrumental in bringing about many of the changes at St Thomas Aquinas, particularly in the reading intervention space. The Classroom Support Position is currently being advertised and I hope to be able to let you know who will be coming into the role before the end of the month.

It is that time of year, when we are beginning to look at class lists. Please read the information regarding the school’s policy provided in this newsletter and let me know as soon as possible of any requests for 2024. On that note, while we have not allocated all teachers to their classes for 2024, we have locked in our kindergarten teachers. I am pleased to let families know that Mrs Kelly Scanlan and Miss Ella Barry will be teaching kindergarten in 2024.

Take care and God bless