Dear St Thomas Aquinas community,

Welcome to Week 3. We're finally getting into a rhythm here at school. I hope you are at home as well.

Last week was a very big week for us. Not only did we have a Meet & Greet and a Swimming Carnival, our school was also randomly selected by the Australian Government Department of Education for an audit of our records that support our student funding in 2025, with a particular focus on all students identified with a disability.

Front Office Team

I would like to offer my sincere thanks to the outstanding Front Office team of Lee Black and Steph Cooper. Not only do Lee and Steph listen to and support, with care and kindness, every family that walks through our front door; they also maintain very strong processes and record keeping that ensures our school can operate successfully and meet all of its regulatory requirements. We are very, very fortunate to have such a strong, outstanding team in our Front Office.

Thank you SCC

Thank you to the SCC and the volunteers for providing a sausage sizzle at our Meet & Greet last Tuesday. Stacey Campbell, chairperson, has always described to me how engaged and supportive the parent community is here at St Thomas Aquinas and the sausage sizzle was an excellent example of that. I 'm looking forward to my first SCC meeting this evening.

Thank you also to all who came up and said hello to me at the Meet & Greet. I loved meeting everyone and look forward to more opportunities for this.

Swimming Carnival 

I would like to thank Megan Smith, REC, for the excellent organisation of the swimming carnival on Friday. Thank you to all of the parents who came to assist, we couldn't have done it without you. Thank you also to the staff who were focused and supportive of every student throughout the event. It was a calm and very engaging event for every child. Outstanding!

Exemption from School - Do I need a certificate?

The Education Act 2004 (ACT) legislates that all children living in the ACT of compulsory school age (6-17) are enrolled and attending an education provider full-time or registered for Home Education, except in exceptional circumstances when an approved Exemption Certificate is in place.

If you would like to know more about when an Exemption Certificate is required please read the following.

Matthew Garton

Principal

Friendly Reminder

Please note that school concludes at 3:00pm. Teachers are on duty, however they do need to attend meetings etc that takes place after children leave for the day. We would like to take this opportunity to remind families that it is essential that your child is collected at 3:00pm from either drive-thru or front pick up. Please chat with your child/ren about the pick up arrangements that work for your family. 

Those child/ren going to bus, walkers, bikes or front pick up will be escorted by teachers to the front of the school where parents can meet up with their child/ren. 

It is essential to the safety of your child/ren that they are not called to run through the car park to waiting cars. It is also essential that disable carparks are left for those who hold a disabled permit. The permit must be always on display. Please do not park in the two disable car parks if you do not hold a current permit.

We ask that you please support us by utilising the drive-thru or walkers options. 

On Tuesday 4th March 2025 and Wednesday 5th March 2025 we will hold 10 minute goal setting meetings with parent and students. This is also a good time for teachers to talk about what they are noticing about your child’s learning in the classroom and parents to talk about the specific learning needs for your child. Goal setting meetings will open for parents to book from Thursday 20th February 2025 and will close on Friday, 28th February 2025. 

Goal Setting Meetings will be available from 3pm to 7pm on Tuesday 4th March 2025 & Wednesday 5th March 2024 from 8am-8:40am & again on Wednesday from 3pm-6pm

Please note times may vary for each teacher depending on availability.

To ensure the health and safety of all children it is essential that all medication be provided directly to the front office. This includes one off medication requirements as well as ongoing medication. In addition, we have a number of children on Schedule 8 medication for management of a number of neurodiverse diagnoses. If your child requires Schedule 8 medication throughout the school day please contact the front office for the relevant forms and provide medication in a webster pack to the front office.  Medication should not be administered by children during school hours. 

Asthma Medication requires recording and therefore cannot remain in students bags. The best practice is to have Ventolin easily available to all staff should your child require it. If your child has a puffer in their school bag, please ensure they let the Classroom teacher know. It will be sent to the Front Office for processing. 

To ensure the safety of all our students we request that you please assist us by using the correct avenues in administrating medication during school hours. 

Meet eSafety’s Mighty Heroes, who have learned to use four special powers to protect themselves online.

River the sugar glider – I show respect

Hello everyone,

My name is Emma, and I am excited to join the St. Aquinas Primary School community as the new School Counsellor. I have previously worked as a school counsellor in New South Wales. Supporting children's well-being has always been my passion. I am thrilled to be back in Canberra this year, where I will continue to support students as they navigate their emotional challenges and personal growth.

I'm also a proud mum to two wonderful girls, and I understand how busy family life can get! But despite the chaos, I'm excited to start this new chapter and contribute to such a great school community.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance. I'm available on Mondays (during even weeks), Thursdays, and Fridays, and you can contact me via email at emma.yu@mccg.org.au

For online referrals, please visit here.

I'm excited to connect with all of you! :)

Warm Regards,

Emma Yu

Student and Family counsellor

Dear Parents,

With the return to a new school year, schedules are starting to get very busy again and it’s a lot on us as parents, and it’s even more on our kids. Take this article as permission look after yourselves! Monitor how your kids are going and if you are observing post-school melt downs happening more than just occasionally, it is time to respond by simplifying the after school routine.

Here’s some tips to help make late afternoons more peaceful when your child is adjusting to the new school year:

Expect kids to fall apart – Your child might hold it all together and be on their best behaviour at school and then the minute they get home they go off the rails. This is NORMAL behaviour. At school your child works so hard  to follow all the rules and have so many social interactions, it’s tiring and they need to let it out at some point.

Plan for downtime – School days are draining and your child needs to balance the demands of a new school year with some relaxation and rest. When you notice a pattern of after-school meltdowns, clear their afternoon/evening schedule for the week where possible. Postpone the playdates, skip the supermarket visit after school, and go straight home and let your child unwind.

Have a healthy snack ready – Your child might not eat enough at school. Drinking and eating are social in nature, and children just tend to snack until they are comfortable. Be prepared for their end of school day HANGRY side to come out and be ready with a nutrient dense snack.

Don’t take it personally – You’re probably so excited to see your child/ren at the end of the day to give them a hug and find all about what they got up to at school. Then you pick them up and they are tired and limited in what they want to share, making you feel disappointed or rejected. It’s not about you, give them space, time, rest and food.

Sensory play – Draw a bath with lots of bubbles and their favourite bath toys. Or put on some calm music and let them relax with a puzzle, play dough or kinetic sand play. They will love it and it will help them unwind.

A popular book for those in junior primary school at the moment is by Author Jane Godwin and illustrator Anna Walker. They have created a delightful picture book all about families’ busy lives. It’s called ‘Today We Have No Plans’ – ‘a busy week, a slower day brings time to dream and time to play’. Also available for loan at Libraries ACT.

Ongoing concerns about back to school anxiety;

If your child is showing signs of difficulties with adjustment beyond the first few weeks of school term, such as ;

– physical symptoms like stomach aches, headaches or nausea

– trouble sleeping

– changes in appetite;

– changes in behaviour;

- expressing not wanting to go to school

They may be experiencing anxiety.

If you have concerns about your child experiencing back to school anxiety-

remember to make some quiet time together and ask open-ended questions – for example, ‘How are you feeling about starting/going/being back to school?’ This gives your child a chance to share their thoughts, feelings and anything that’s worrying them.

Listen closely and acknowledge your child’s feelings. For example, ‘I can see why you would be worried about starting in a new class. I know that lots of kids feel anxious about making new friends.’

Remember, school is a major part of your child’s life, so try to see things from their point of view and don’t dismiss their worries, even if they seem small or silly to you. You don’t need to have all the answers or be able to fix things. Instead, the most important thing is that your child believes they can overcome their feelings of anxiety and knows that you’re there to help them through it.

For more information on how to support your child through back to school anxiety, please have a look the following article on the Emerging Minds website;

https://d2p3kdr0nr4o3z.cloudfront.net/content/uploads/2024/01/29163457/8-tips-to-help-your-child-manage-back-to-school-anxiety.pdf

If you have any concerns, please don't hesitate to speak with your school teachers or the school counsellor to seek for further support.

Emma Yu
Student and Family Counsellor

February

Jack B, Seneca B, August S, Mackenzie R, Harris W, Lily H, Immanuel P, Jessica R, Dylan W, Aahaan K, Skylar W, Abbey T, Olivia O, Racheal P, Evelyn G, Audrey K, Emilia S, Savanna H, Austin K, George P, Lina H,
Isaac H