St Thomas Aquinas participated in Science Week last week. I would like to thank all of those who supported their children with Science Fair homework. The standard was very high and as an ACT Science Fair judge, I believe that some of the projects would match the best of them. I have to thank Carmen Myles and Alisha Barrett for their efforts in organising the week, and the teachers for running various science-based activities during the breaks. We were able to finish the week with a fun dress-up day where we saw some very creating interpretations of something sciencey!

COVID update

This week our school received a COVID-19 update from Catholic Education Canberra and Goulburn which will remain in place for the rest of Term 3 or until otherwise advised. We will continue to send any child home who displays cold or flu-like symptoms and now strongly advise that these children be tested for COVID. Children will be able to come back to school once they are no longer displaying symptoms.

Other changes that came with this update include:

• Activities such as choirs, chanting and the use of wind instruments in a group will no longer occur. At this stage, students will still be able to take part in music lessons with the Music Bus.
• Only external providers essential to the delivery of curriculum may continue to enter the school.
• Kindergarten orientation and transition to school activities remain on hold until further notice.
• Activities that result in the mixing of students from different schools and from different regions, such as sporting-related activities, drama and debating are not allowed. This means we will no longer be able to participate in gala days this term.
• Parents should avoid routinely entering the school building where possible but can attend scheduled school events and meetings with teachers. Physical distancing and hygiene measures still apply. Where possible, teachers will encourage parents to meet via Teams or Zoom. I ask parents to continue to leave the school grounds as soon as you have dropped off or collected your children. Parents will no longer be able to enter the office area unless you are here for a meeting, in which case you will need to sign in.
• Community Council meetings can continue online, no social events at all are permitted.
• Professional development for staff should not be conducted face-to-face unless absolutely necessary. Staff gatherings should be minimised and, where they must occur, limited to the minimum amount of people required to achieve educational outcomes.
• Confirmation formation evenings will now be held online.
• Excursions can still occur with appropriate safety plans.

We will monitor volunteers working within the school. At this stage we only have a handful of regular volunteers and so are permitted to allow these parents to regularly enter the school.

These updates will not have a huge impact for Term 3, however if these restrictions continue into Term 4 the school will need to make some alterations to planned activities including preschool and kindergarten orientation, Year 6 camp and graduation.

More information on these events will come towards the end of this term or early next term. The school is committed to give our students every possible chance to participate in these activities, even if they need adjusting to meet COVID-19 restrictions.

Information regarding the upcoming ACT Election

There are just over 6 weeks until the ACT Election and I am sure you are seeing candidates from all parties at shopping centres (or even receiving phone calls from them). I encourage you to approach candidates at the shopping centres and mention or discuss the value of ACT Catholic Schools and quiz them on their party’s support for ACT Catholic Schools.

In the ACT, there are 29 systemic Catholic Schools who educate 15,000 students. In Canberra, Catholic schools are very similar to public schools, with our schools having almost exactly the same average ICSEA score (1077-1076). Our schools are inclusive, support families from all backgrounds, and operate on a modest budget.

Did you know that when you compare the total funding that Catholic schools in each State/Territory receive, the ACT are the second lowest funded Catholic schools in the country? This is particularly impacted by the ACT Government’s low funding of Catholic schools.

Have a chat to the candidates and mention that you are a parent in an ACT Catholic School and funding of Catholic Schools is an important issue for you.

God Bless