Dear St Thomas Aquinas community,

Matthew Garton

Principal

Swimming between the digital flags 

The relationship between social media and children’s mental health is one of the most important conversations of our time. That's why, from mid-December, the Australian Government will require certain social media services to take steps to prevent under 16s from having accounts.  

This week, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant outlined how Australia plans to take this bold action forward, in a speech delivered at the National Press Club.  

Here's what parents need to know right now:  

• It’s not a ban, it’s a delay. We’re giving kids more time to build digital skills and resilience before facing the pressures of social media.   
• The responsibility lies with the platform. There are no penalties for children or parents— only for platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to prevent under 16s from having accounts.   
• You’re not alone. eSafety offers trusted resources for parents and carers, educators, young people and kids. We’ve got the flags, the swimming lessons, and the safety tips to help you support your kids. And our protective powers in areas such as cyberbullying and image-based abuse will still be there to help if things go wrong.   

Australia is building a culture of online safety – just like we’ve done on our beaches. Because the internet, like the ocean, is not going away – and our kids are already dipping their toes in. To stay up to date on social media age restrictions, visit eSafety.gov.au. 

YouTube and the Social Media Minimum Age legislation 

Earlier this week, Minister for Communications Anika Wells, published eSafety’s independent advice recommending that YouTube not be excluded from new legislation. If the Minister chooses to accept eSafety’s advice, YouTube would be subject to the same rules as other platforms, aimed at preventing children under 16 from creating accounts.  

Importantly, this would not restrict access to educational content, which remains available via school links or in a logged-out state. 

Lamont Book Fair

30^th June – 2^nd July 2025

You are invited to our annual school Book Fair. Lamont book fair will be Monday to Wednesday Week 10.

When: 30^th June to 2^nd July

Where: School Library

Time: 3pm to 4pm for families and Wednesday at Break 2 for students to purchase.

How: We will accept cash and card payments

Every book purchased gives credit to the school to purchase more resources for our school library. And every book sold encourages another student's love for literature.

I can’t wait to see you there!

Happy Reading,

Mrs Kaden

Oops! In our newsletter relay,
we dropped the baton… 
But sprinting in last-minute (with impressive stamina) are our ACT Cross Country champions!
Let’s give a big cheer to the students who ran their hearts out—we didn’t forget you, we were just catching our breath! 

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.

Our spectacular STA Dance Showcase is coming soon — mark your calendars!

Get ready to see our amazing moves, a fun event that you won’t want to miss!

Date: Thursday 14th August 2025

Stay tuned for more details in Term 3

July

Sienna K, Layla H, Alexis J, Isla M, Marko CC, Muhammad ZM, Ava R, Lukas M,
Romeo CC, Hannah M, Ruby T, Lilith P, Benjamin P, Annabelle P, Gibson H, Moses P, Ruhaab J, Leo W, Alfred O, Mary P, Mila M, Sebastian M, Thomas B, Stefford R,
Adam H, Layla L