Dear St Thomas Aquinas community,

Last week I spent time in Brisbane with 10 other Principals from our Archdiocese. I visited schools from the Mastery Schools Australia network. They use Explicit Instruction methodology similar to ourselves.

The visit was very affirming for our school. Many of the strategies for teaching English and Mathematics were the same as our own. I have watched our own teachers implement these very successfully, with very high participation by students and with very good results.

My colleagues and I also attended two days of professional learning about school leadership in Catholic schools. I always advocate for ongoing learning and the opportunity to listen to speakers from Harvard University and other leaders in education was unmissable.

I was very, very glad to be back here on Friday to see may smiling faces.

A new School Community Council

Thank you to those parents, friends and staff who attended the School Community Council AGM last Tuesday evening.

Thank you to Katie Walsh-Smith who has stepped into the role of Chair and Bernadette Urack, who is the new SCC Secretary. I really appreciate their generosity in taking on these important roles and looking forward to working closely with them.

Thank you also to Allyson Hogan and Soraya Hoepner who are new to the Community Council. Your voices and contributions are very welcome!

Thanks you Stephen Kiley who will continue to operate as Treasurer for the remainder of the year as we seek a new person to take over. Stephen would like to share the following message:

Monitoring student progress

At the end of this term we will distribute Semester 1 Student Reports to families via Compass.

Regular assessment helps us know how each student is tracking in relation to what they are taught each week. We want to know if they are they retaining what we are teaching. These small assessments, sometimes as small as a quick  'check for understanding' during a lesson contribute to the teacher judgement that informs School Reports.

We also conduct more formal literacy and numeracy assessments twice a year that assist us to track how students are progressing over the long term journey of school. This assessment data is also collected by Catholic Education. Students have been sitting these assessments for the past two weeks. We're looking forward to seeing the results. They will help us understand who is progressing as expected, who needs additional support for a time and who would benefit from extension.

We're always happy to share this information with parents at end of term Parent-Teacher Interviews if requested.

Student teachers

Have your children come home talking about a lot of adults in classrooms across our school?

We have a lot of student teachers presently working with us. This has included many in their first year of university who have been observing and working with individual students. 

Additionally we have welcomed final year teachers in several classrooms who have been teaching alongside the classroom teacher. 

As a school we have a responsibility for supporting the development of the next generation of teachers. It's a pleasure to share our school with them.

Thank you Lions Club

Thank you to the the Lions Club of Canberra Belconnen who donate books to our library every year. It is clubs like this, whose role it is to support local communities, that keeps a spirit of generosity alive for us all. They are an inspiration.

Have a wonderful week everyone.

Matthew Garton

Principal

STA is excited to present the Lamont Book Fair! 
26 June 2025 - 2 July 2025

This year marks a truly special milestone—the 50th Anniversary of St Thomas Aquinas Primary School! As we prepare for this exciting celebration, we’re reaching out to alumni, former staff, students, and the wider community to help us bring the history of our school to life.

We’re looking for school memorabilia to showcase during our anniversary events. This could include:

• Old photographs

• Yearbooks

• Uniforms

• Awards or certificates

• Event programs or tickets

• School newspapers

• Personal stories or memories

If you have anything you’d like to share, please contact us at office.staquinas@cg.catholic.edu.au or drop items off to the Assistant Principal, Carmen Myles. We will handle all items with care and can return them upon request.

Let’s come together to honor the past and inspire the future. Thank you for being part of our story.

As we transition to a new chapter, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the outgoing parent volunteers who have dedicated their time, energy, and passion to our school community. Your hard work and commitment have made a lasting impact, and we are incredibly grateful for your contributions. You have helped shape our school into a stronger, more vibrant community, and your efforts will always be remembered.

Outgoing members:

• Stacey Campbell - Chair
• Katie Walsh-Smith - Secretary
• Stephen Kiley - Treasurer 
• Tara Nolan - Parent Representative
• Simon Dixon - Parent Representative

At the same time, we are excited to welcome our new members to the School Community Council. We are thrilled to have you on board and look forward to your fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and collaboration as we continue to work together for the benefit of our students and school.

Together, we will continue to build a supportive and inclusive environment for our children to thrive. Thank you for your dedication, and here's to a great year ahead!

2025/2026 School Community Members:

• Katie Walsh-Smith - Chair
• Bernadette Urack - Secretary
• Margie Hourigan - Parish Representative
• Stephen Kiley - Treasurer (2025)
• Megan Hare - ELC Representative (2026)
• Soraya Hoepner - Parent Representative
• Allyson Hogan - Parent Representative 
• Kate Dixon - Parent Representative

We are still on the search for a Treasurer for 2026 when Stephen Kiley steps down from the position. If this is something you think you could help with, please complete the below nomination form. It would be a great opportunity to join now to work alongside Stephen and learn the ropes in a very supported environment. 

Further, we are also on the search for an ELC Representative for the remainder of 2025. Please complete the below nomination if you can help. 

May

Ella D, Jesse R, Cooper K, Lorelei M, Amelie T, Declan W, Ahish T, Jack P, Gurnoor K, Alice T, Savannah U, Zahli A, Nikola G, Connor W, Oliver H, Arianna R-M, Emily L-B, Brooklyn S, Ashan H, Nate N, Mayen K, Toby N, Theresa V, Ryan P, Lyla M, Aston P, Evangeline G, Isaac P, Chimaobi M, Deng A, Leek A