Dear Families,

We have had a week of excitement this week.

Firstly, congratulations once again to Mrs Angela McDonald, who was awarded a Teaching Excellence award for Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn. Angela is an amazing teacher and is always willing to share her knowledge and support others. It was wonderful for her to be finally recognised.

Our Tournament of the Minds Team competed over the weekend and have progressed to the next stage. They performed so incredibly well and all worked together to complete their tasks. I thank Mrs Deb Griffin and Mrs Naomi Wicks for working with the students over the last few months and supporting them on the day. I also thank Ms Monica Culas for being a judge for other teams on the day.

I would like to welcome Miss Alexandria Broekhuyse to the school. Miss Broekhuyse recently completed her final practicum with Mrs McDonald in Year 2. She has joined our team, initially to take 4 Green until Mr Mackenzie returns and then to work across the school wherever she is needed.

This Thursday, we will host our first disco for over 4 years. We are all looking forward to this event and are grateful to Footsteps who are providing the DJ free of charge. The following morning, we will host Donuts with Dad. Again, this is a wonderful community event and I encourage as many of you as possible to attend. I thank the School Community Council for their efforts in planning and supporting both of these events.

Finally, I would like to draw your attention to a fantastic evening planned on Monday night with Andrew Fuller. The School Community Council have been able to organise a presentation and free books for all attendees. We would love it if as many of you as possible could attend this amazing event.

I wish you all a wonderful week.

Take care and God bless

August Birthdays

Samuel B, Indyah M, Chase M, Mason M, Karen F, Ari U, Frederick N, Matilda P, Liam B, Sophia H, Zoey M, Tyler E, Lachlan B, Summer P, Jaxson P, Michael P, Meghan S, Ashea K, Gabriella S, Erin H, Adeline B, Rabik B

September Birthdays

Jade J, Hannah M, Matilda H, William B, Edison B, Luella B, Elodie A, Jacob P, Harper G, Charli C, Sebastian GR, Aden G, Jessica B, Lincoln D, Emma S, Ebadat KS, Emma F, Sarah H, Natalia R, Felicity W, Eleanor S, Chloe W, Harper E, Harrison G, Aleu D, Thomas H, Louise Q, Arianna D, Gabriel S-P

STA TOM Team Through to the Finals!

The Year 5/6 St Thomas Aquinas Tournament of Minds (TOM) Team shone on Sunday in their presentation of ‘Clash of the Ages’ as competitors in the Social Sciences Category. The team were required to respond to two historical events converging and what that impact would be on the 21st century. They divided up the roles so that everyone had a vital part to play from researchers, script writers, costume design, prop creators, stage managers to backdrop designers. Everyone loved the addition of the tribute to the Ghostbusters theme song which they converted to the Time Convergence Busters and the positive attitude and enjoyment everyone saw as they discussed the process with the judges was a reflection on their hard work.

The comments from the judges were glowing:

“We really enjoyed your presentation, you should definitely keep that story going.”

“You all need to stay together as a team in the future as you supported one another so well.”

“They showed that they really knew what they were doing and ensured that all team members had a chance to contribute.”

As a result the team have made it through to the ACT Finals on Sunday the 10th of September! Congratulations Lachlan McLeod, Aditya Patel, Aryan Salhotra, Adrian Subin, Maeve Jean, Grace Spears and Estelle Wynack!

We wish them all the best in this whole day event and know that their creativity and teamwork will shine through again.

As a reminder to families, school commences at 8:50am with our morning assembly. At this assembly important messages are given and reminders for the day. Lessons begin at 9am. It is essential that all students attend the morning assembly and are ready for the beginning of their learning day by 9am. We understand that there are occasions where students arrive after 8:50am however there has been a steady increase of students arriving shortly after 9am and therefore missing the important messages for the day and the beginning of their lesson. This is not only disruptive to the teacher and class but can also impact your child’s learning if arriving late on a regular basis. 

If children are arriving late, it is required that a parent sign their child in at the front office.

We appreciate your assistance and working with us for the benefit of all students.

The safety of all our students and families is of the upmost importance and as such we take concerns with road safety in and around the school grounds very seriously. 

As a reminder, the school crossing is operational between the hours of 8am & 4pm and/or while the flags are displayed. We ask that all drivers please take care around the crossing area at all times. In addition, the bus stop area near the crossing is operational in the afternoon and is therefore not to be used for parking. We would appreciate your assistance in not parking and leaving your vehicle in this space.

We have two disabled car spaces in our school carpark. These spaces are clearly marked with signage. We continue to have parents/carers who do not have a disability parking permit utilising these spaces. It goes without saying, but motorists without a disability permit should not park in disability parking spaces. Taking or interfering with a spot, even for a short amount of time, has real world consequences for those who really need them. Please support us and our community by only parking in these spots if you have the appropriate permit. 

This term students have been introduced to Ngunnawal vocabulary. This week students will be learning "Bundaa" meaning "sing". Thank you Miss Evans for continuing our learning of our Ngunnawal Country.

As many of you are aware, students at our school who require additional support are given a Personalised Plan (PP).  This plan is a collaboration between Diverse Learning, the Class Teacher and Parents as to the goals for the student and the adjustments and supports which are in place to help them reach these goals.  Dependent upon the level of support required, students receive a PP either four times or twice a year at specific times.

We would like to identify that we were able to send out PPs for students requiring more substantial adjustments at the beginning of the term but those with supplementary adjustments have not had their plans sent home this Semester yet.  At this stage we are unsure when we will be able to send these out as the system used to generate these reports is currently shut down for auditing purposes.  As soon as this system opens up again, teachers will be working on updating the plans and collaborating with parents about the goals, supports and adjustments being put in place now and for the remainder of the year

We are so excited to be holding the upcoming STA school disco.  It will be a wonderful opportunity for our students to come together, enjoy music, dance, and create lasting memories.    

To ensure a safe and respectful environment, we kindly request your cooperation in adhering to the following guidelines: 

• No Phones at the School Disco: We kindly ask that students do not bring their phones to the school disco. This measure is taken to encourage face-to-face interactions, enhance the overall experience, and prevent distractions during the event. 

• Respect Privacy- No Photos on Social Media: We understand the desire to capture special moments, but we emphasise the importance of respecting the privacy and safety of all children. We request that you refrain from taking photos of any children during the school disco and avoid posting any pictures on social media platforms. This ensures that everyone's privacy is protected and prevents any unintended consequences. 

• Encouraging Social Interaction: The school disco is a fantastic opportunity for your children to engage in face-to-face interactions with their peers. Dancing and socialising in a real-world setting can help build confidence, communication skills, and lasting friendships. 

By adhering to these guidelines, we aim to create a positive and enjoyable atmosphere for all attendees. We appreciate your understanding and support in helping us maintain a safe and respectful environment. Please discuss with your children the STA behaviour expectations. 

Thank you for your cooperation. We look forward to a fantastic school disco!  

Hard copies of the below invite are available at the front office if required

Hi, I am Sally, and I am the new counsellor at St Thomas.

I have been working in the community sector for 15 years. I have worked with children and families who have experienced trauma, sexual abuse, family violence, grief and loss and mental health issues. Previously coming to St Thomas, I worked for Marymead as the clinical lead in the post separation program.

Currently I work in my private counselling practice working predominantly with children and young people experiencing mental health issues.

I will be working at St Thomas in term 3, Thursday and Friday and term 4 Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. You might also see my therapy dog Summer, the beautiful golden retriever around.

I am located just past the front office. Please feel free to contact me via the main office or fill in a referral form online or from the front office if you need to access support. Alternatively, you can email me at sally.cox@mccg.org.au.