Dear Families,

Last Friday and Saturday, staff took part in a Christian retreat organised by Mrs Skye McPadden. During this retreat, we broke open our school theme, Ask, Seek, Knock and considered what this might mean for the St Thomas Aquinas community. We examined God in our own lives and the role our school has in revealing the face of God to all members of our community. We spoke about those times when we welcome people into our community, the way we treat people with compassion and care for each other as occasions when we reveal the face of God.

If you have been present for one of our morning assemblies, you may know that after every break, we spotlight ways students (and sometimes teachers and occasionally parents)  have demonstrated our school rules in Caring for Themselves, Caring for Each Other, Caring for Our School and through this we Practise Gratitude.
I am pleased to say, we always have too many students to spotlight each session to be able to spotlight everyone. Over the last few weeks, several leadership teams from other schools have visited our school and have commented on these shoutouts, as being a lovely way of acknowledging students doing the right thing. They also comment on how quiet and respectful the students are during morning assemblies and how welcoming they are to visitors. This culture of Care we have here at St Thomas Aquinas, is one way all members of our community reveal the face of God to one another and to those beyond our own community.

Over the next few months, we will be reviewing our Mission and Vision. There will be opportunities for all members of our community to become involved in forming this important document and making it relevant for our school now and into the future. I encourage you to take the opportunity to complete the surveys and participate in our focus groups early next term.

Next week you will receive a link for our school survey. This survey will help us to identify what is working well and areas for improvement. I encourage all of you to participate in this survey so we have a good representation of our whole community. Students in the upper grades will also complete their own survey in class. We will use this information, along with other data to identify focus areas for our Three Year Strategic Plan, and 2022 Annual Plan.

ENROLMENTS
A reminder to all families that enrolments for 2022 are now open. If you have a child who will commence Preschool or Kindergarten in 2022, you will need to complete an online enrolment form, even if they are currently enrolled in our ELC. 

Preschool enrolment: https://staquinas.act.edu.au/elc-enrolment

Kindergarten enrolment: https://enrolments.staquinas.act.edu.au/act-primary-enrol

If you know of families who are considering enrolling their child at St Thomas Aquinas next year, please let them know of our Open Day this Thursday, 20 May between 4pm-5:30pm.

AREA OUTSIDE KINDERGARTEN
Over the next few weeks and months, the area outside the kindergarten classrooms will be periodically blocked as we prepare for and build our new Preschool. At times will will have little or no notice of this and so have decided to make this area out of bounds for students to save confusion with changing rules. Thank you for supporting us with this by collecting your children from the courtyard.

God Bless

 
Leah Taylor
Principal

Whilst we await the introduction of the Compass Parent Portal, it is preferable that Absentee Notifications be advised electronically as they are now required to be attached electronically.  Notifications can be sent via:

• SZapp portal - Choose Absentee - see menu below.  Instructions on how to install SZapp can be found here.
• Email the teacher
• Email the office via office.staquinas@cg.catholic.edu.au

Thank you for your co-operation.

Belconnen PSSA Carnival - 26 May 2021
The Belconnen PSSA Carnival will be held on Wednesday, 26 May 2021 at Stromlo.  

Students who have qualified for this carnival have received their permission notes.  The permission notes and money should have been returned to school by Friday, 14 May 2021. Please see attached note below.

Sullivan Shield - Years 3 to 6 - Tuesday, 1 June 2021

	Chair: Vice Chair: Treasurer: Secretary: Fete Committee: Parent Representative: Parent Representative: Teacher Representative: Teacher Representative:	Loryn Reynolds Amelia Swinbourn Kirsten Clark-Drance Natasha Williamson Stacey Campbell Max Urack Aurora Lukass Kayla Larkins Michael Prosper
Please contact the SCC via email:  sta.school.community.council@gmail.com

Our SCC is comprised of members in our school community.  We meet twice each term to make decisions and have input on a wide range of topics with the aim to improve STA.

To improve communication about the role the SCC plays in life at STA after each meeting the SCC will be providing an update via the newsletter.

The SCC met on 4 May 2021 and discussed a range of topics including:

• NAPLAN preparation
• Athletics Carnival SCC BBQ & Canteen
• Class and School Mass
• STA Fete 2022
• Muffins with Mum
• SCC Teacher Development Scholarship
• Upcoming social events - watch this space!

 SCC representatives raised issues brought to them by parents in our community:

• Lhotsky Street access to STA grounds
• Pavers update queries
• Communication for the Athletics Carnival

All SCC members are available to bring suggestions, questions and issues to our meetings so if you have something to raise, please approach one of our friendly representatives.  If you don’t know or aren’t comfortable approaching an SCC member directly, we encourage you to email the SCC inbox:  sta.school.community.council@gmail.com.

Finally, a big thank you to all that joined us at the first SCC community event for 2021:  Muffins with Mum.  It was a wonderful event with people enjoying each other’s company along with a cupcake or two.  We shared yummy cupcakes, fruit and drinks - with milk and fruit generously donated by Woolworths.

These events wouldn’t be available without the support of the SCC, STA Executive and Teachers and STA families.  A special thank you to our amazing volunteers for the event:  Loryn, Max, Carmen, Michael, Kristy and Tash.

Community News is located on our website.

MAY 2021
Congratulations to the following students who will be celebrating their birthday this month:

Jackson L;  Aubree C;  Oliver H;  Emily L-B;  Toby B;  Jess R;  Cooper K;  Rohan T;  Lorelei M;  Anderson M;  Clarence G;  Kohen H;  Alice T;  Jared C;  Kaitlyn H;  Dominic G;  Nikola G;  William S;  Amelia M;  Lewis T;  Hunter B;  Brooklyn S;  Ashan H;  Hayley G;  Jacie L;  Scarlett F;  Achiek A;  Shaela S;  Patrick S-P;  Lachlan R;  Mitchell R;  Nuer D;  Emily R