Dear St Thomas Aquinas community,

As we enter Week 5 we feel like we've completed a whole term's work in a matter of a few weeks. I imagine families, particularly those with many sporting commitments, are under the pump at the moment as well.

Staff Update

Next week we welcome a few ongoing changes to our staffing structure.

Ms Jess Cassidy, will return to 3 Blue and Mrs Sarieda Snow will take over as 3 Green teacher for the remainder of the year. Year 3 have experienced some interruptions to their teaching arrangements this year and we welcome the opportunity to confirm a settled and ongoing plan.

We welcome a new teacher, Ms Lily Kennelly, who will be a full-time relief teacher at St Thomas Aquinas for the remainder of the year. This will reduce the number of split classes required during this coming winter; a time when teachers often get sick like everyone else.

We have also begun interviews for a new Classroom Support Assistant (CSA) who will begin shortly. Our CSAs are incredibly valuable members of staff. They get to know individual students thoroughly and provide some of the additional adjustments they require to access and participate in learning.

Confirmation Preparation

Many of our Year 6 students are preparing to receive the sacrament of Confirmation on Friday 6 June.

The Sacrament of Confirmation is a special time in a young Catholic person's faith journey. It strengthens the grace received at Baptism and deepens our relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Through Confirmation, we become full members of the Church, ready to live out our faith with courage and love. The archbishop anoints us with holy oil and says, “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

This sacrament helps us grow in wisdom, understanding, and strength. It’s a joyful celebration for families and the parish community, as we witness our young people say “yes” to God’s invitation.

I still remember my own Confirmation. It was a deeply memorable moment for me. We can never underestimate the transformation such a sacramental moment can have. Please keep these candidates in your prayers and thoughts as they enter into this important moment.

Parent Webinars Term 2

The Council of Catholic School Parents is a body that represents and supports parents of students in Catholic Schools across the 11 archdiocese of NSW/ACT. They have organised a number of free webinars that cater for parents of various age groups of students. Below is an outline of webinars you might be interested in. I encourage you to register for these.

We are always happy to provide recommendations and opportunities for parents to learn from experts in a field. If you have any particular topics of interest please send them through to me and we will see what we can locate for you.

Last chance for enrolments - Year 7 and Kindergarten

If you have a child entering into Kindergarten or Year 7 in a Catholic School in 2026 this is the last week to submit your enrolment application. 

Any enrolment applications submitted after this week will be held until all those submitted in the enrolment period have been allocated. This includes for Catholic students, those in area and siblings.

To submit an application please go to https://cg.catholic.edu.au/parents/enrolment/.

I hope that this coming long weekend brings a little respite and extra family time for everyone.

Matthew Garton

Principal

We love seeing your kids at school—but only when they’re feeling their best! If your child is feeling under the weather (think sniffles, coughs, fevers, upset tummy or just not quite themselves), it’s best for everyone if they stay home, rest up, and come back when they’re ready to shine!

Think of it this way: germs don’t belong in backpacks. Help us keep our classrooms full of learning and laughter—not tissues and tears!

Thanks for being awesome and helping us keep our school happy and healthy!

Get well soon hugs (from a safe distance!)

It’s never too early to sow the seeds of personal safety and children can begin learning about keeping safe as young as three. As parents, we need to teach our children five basic principles

These principles are:

• To trust their feelings and to distinguish between ‘yes’ and ‘no’ feelings
• To say ‘no’ to adults if they feel unsafe and unsure
• That they own their own bodies
• That nothing is so yucky that they can’t tell someone about it
• That if they feel unsafe or unsure to run and tell someone they trust.

The 3 Rules of Personal Safety

The above personal safety principles can be distilled into three ‘rules’.

1. We all have the right to feel safe with people.

This rule teaches children and young people that they have the right to feel safe and secure where they live, play, and learn, and that no one has the right to make them do something that makes them feel unsafe or unsure.

2. It’s OK to say ‘NO’ if you feel unsafe or unsure.

This rule teaches children and young people that it is OK to stand up for themselves and to be assertive if something doesn’t feel right.

3. Nothing is so yucky that you can’t tell someone about it.

One of the reasons that children and young people fail to disclose harm is because they are afraid of getting into trouble. This rule helps to encourage them to speak to a trusted adult, even if something seems scary or terrible.

Talk to your kids
Encourage your children to feel comfortable telling you anything, especially if it involves another adult. Encourage your children to identify other trusted adults they can talk to in confidence.

Be aware
Learn about the people with whom your child is spending time. Take notice if someone shows one or all of your children a great deal of attention or begins giving them gifts. Take time to talk to your children, find out why the person is acting in this way.

Empower your kids
Knowledge is power. Teach your children about their bodies. Teach them the correct language to use when describing their private parts. Emphasise that those parts are private. This will make them more at ease if they need to tell you about a touch that made them feel uncomfortable. Additionally, if a child uses a word like ‘garage’ or ‘golf stick’ to describe their private parts, a disclosure might be missed.

Teach them their rights
Teach your kids that they have the right to say NO to any unwelcome, uncomfortable, or confusing touch or actions by others. Teach them to tell you immediately if this happens. Reassure them that you are there to help and it is okay to tell you anything.

Notice changes in behaviour
Be sensitive to any changes in your children’s behaviour or attitude. Encourage open communication and learn how to be an active listener. Look and listen to small indications that something may be troubling your children because children are not always comfortable disclosing disturbing events or feelings. This may be because they are concerned about your reaction to their problems. If your children do confide problems to you, strive to remain calm, non-critical, and non-judgemental. Listen compassionately to their concern and work with them to get the help they need to resolve the problem.

Practice safety skills
Practice basic safety skills with your children. Make an outing to a mall or a park a ‘teachable’ experience in which your children can practice checking with you before going to the restroom with a friend, and locating the adults who can help if they need assistance.

Cybersafety is important too
Teach your child never to give out their last name, address, or phone number to a person on the Internet and never to meet Internet friends in person without a parent’s supervision and consent. Parents should help children choose a screen name that does not disclose information about their location. Teach children not to post pictures with identifying information such as a school uniform. Always keep your computer in a public area of your house – not in a child’s bedroom.

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.

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

On Sunday 1^st June, 11am-1pm, the Archdiocese is celebrating the World Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly at St Christopher’s Cathedral, Manuka. It will be followed by light refreshments and an event in the Haydon Hall.

The Archbishop has offered to pray over families as part of the celebration and give a short input.  Children’s activities will be available.

Register for the FREE event here:  http://www.bit.ly/MFR2025

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. 

Community Council (SCC) Nomination Form

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