TERM 1 - WEEK 11

Cover Page - 2/3 Gosling

Harmony Week

Inclusion occurs when a diversity of people (different ages, cultural backgrounds, genders) feel valued and respected, have access to opportunities and resources, and can contribute their perspectives and talents to improve their organisation.

Last week was Harmony Week. In our class, we talked about how we are all different and yet we can all get along. We looked at the poster below and discussed why it is unfair for everyone to be treated the same when we all have different skills and talents. Instead of everybody doing the same unfair test we designed and constructed obstacle courses to suit the individual animals so they could all feel valued and respected. We then designed obstacle courses for the different animals so that they all are successful and all feel valued and respected.

The monkey climbs up the ladder then it climbs into the temple. It balances across the beam and down the other temple. It climbs down the other ladder. Monkey dances like a robot and says Yay.

Brian and Dylan

The bear goes through the grass then scratches its back on the tree and goes around the tree 3 times and then through the tunnel.

Jacob

Stem

Stem is being integrated throughout the curriculum. The main focus is to solve problems and find solutions to the problems. This term the class has made a device that will float to help the Gingerbread Man get across the river, designed a trap to catch the Troll in the 3 Billy Goats Gruff and constructed a morse code device for Grandma in Little Red Riding Hood.

Harmony Week & Stem Gallery

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Leadership

REMINDER TERM 2 BEGINS TUESDAY 27 APRIL (Monday April 26 is the ANZAC DAY public holiday)

Dear Parents, Caregivers, Students and friends of St Thomas More,

Staffing News

I write to inform you that Ms. Lisa Crossley will be on Long Service Leave (LSL) during Term 2, beginning Tuesday 27 April 2021. Lisa will be returning to St Thomas More School at the beginning of Term 3, Monday 19 July 2021. Ms. Brieanna Galvin will be replacing Lisa while she is on LSL.

Also, I inform you that Ms. Carly Durdin is leaving the St Thomas More School community. Carly began at St Thomas More School at the beginning of Term 1, as our Italian/Cultural Studies teacher. We are in the process of replacing Carly.  During Carly’s time at St Thomas More School, she has established a strong relationship with staff, students and families. Carly has won a position at Gawler East Primary School. On behalf of the St Thomas More School community, I would like to thank Carly for sharing her gifts and talents and extend our gratitude to her. I wish Carly every blessing and success in her new adventure.

How to stop Literacy loss over the holidays

As children’s first and most important teachers, families have a major role to play in motivating children to read during the holiday period. There are many ways that families can use to encourage holiday reading.

Combine activities with books

Holidays leave lots of time for children to enjoy fun activities, such as going to the beach or seeing a movie. Why not also encourage them to read a book about an activity? If you’re going to a sports game, suggest that your child read a book or article about a favourite player or about the game beforehand. In the car, you’ll have lots of time to talk about the book and the game.

Lead by example

Read the newspaper at breakfast, pick up a magazine at the doctor's and pack a paperback book into your beach bag. If children see the adults around them reading, they understand that books and other reading material are a fun and important part of their holidays.

Talk it Up

Talking with your children about what you have read also lets them know that reading is an important part of your life. Tell them why you liked a book, what you learned from it, or how it helped you. Soon they might start doing the same.

Help children find time to read

By the end of a long day, children may be too tired to pick up a book. Make some time for reading, such as before bedtime or after breakfast.

Relax the rules for holidays

During the school year, children have busy schedules and often have required reading for classes. Holidays are a time when children can read what, when and how they please. Don’t set daily time requirements or decide the number of pages they have to read. Instead, make sure they pick up books for fun and help find ways for them to choose to read on their own.

Have plenty of reading material around

Storybooks aren’t the only thing that children can read for fun. Newspapers, magazines and information material can spark the interest of a young (and old) reader. Encourage them to read about an interest or to extend their knowledge.

Use books to break the boredom

Without the regular school regimen, adults and children need more activities to fill the hours. Books that teach children how to make or do something are a great way to get children reading and keep them occupied.

Read aloud with children

Take your children to see a local storyteller (local library) – or be one yourself. The holidays leave extra time for enthusiastic read-alouds with children, no matter their age. Find your inner actor and improvise different voices or wear a silly hat to make the story that much more interesting! Starting an engrossing book at the start of the holidays can become a highly anticipated part of the day for all the family.

(Acknowledgement: Reading is Fundamental)

Advice for parents about social media

“Technology will only ever be used as well and as honourably as the motives of those pressing the buttons. Everyone needs to acknowledge its extraordinary power. The technology is out of the bag and we should respect it, but not fear it. Any threat from social networks comes not from the technology, but from those who use it.” (NZ Listener editorial August 27)

The best advice is to look at the way your child manages normal everyday interactions with family and friends. If this involves constant outbursts of emotions, hostilities, accusations and tears, then their online relationships are likely to be similar. A child who has happy, respectful relationships will usually enjoy using social media and have few if any problems.

Risk

Fitting in with peers is an important element of growing up. The main risks young people online today are risks from each other, risks of improper use of technology, lack of privacy, sharing too much information, or posting false information about themselves or others. These types of behaviour put their privacy at risk, often for years as they leave behind evidence of which sites they have visited.

One of the biggest threats to young people on social media sites is to their digital footprint and future reputations. Youngsters who lack an awareness of privacy issues often post inappropriate messages, pictures, and videos without understanding that “what goes online stays online”. As a result, future jobs and opportunities may be put into jeopardy by rash clicks of the mouse.

What can you do?

• Parents are the best people to educate young people to be responsible, sensible and respectable digital citizens.
• Talk to your child/ren about their online use and the specific issues that today’s online users face
• Become educated about the many technologies your youngsters are using
• Place the emphasis on responsible citizenship and healthy behaviours , not punitive action unless truly warranted
• Supervise online activities with active participation and communication, as opposed to remote monitoring with net-nanny program
  
  

2021 TERM 3 RECEPTION ENROLMENTS

Places are available. If you have or if you know of anyone who has a child turning 5 before October 31, 2021, please complete and lodge an enrolment form at the Front Office.

2022 RECEPTION ENROLMENTS

Places are available. If you have or if you know of anyone who has a child turning 5 before May 1, 2022, please complete and lodge an enrolment form at the Front Office.

2022 TERM 3 RECEPTION ENROLMENTS

Places are available. If you have or if you know of anyone who has a child turning 5 before October 31, 2022, please complete and lodge an enrolment form at the Front Office.

On behalf of the staff, we hope you enjoy the holidays and look forward to seeing you next term.

Working in Partnership,

Chris Platten, Vicki Rubino, Melisa Musolino, Leah Williams

Religion

Happy Easter!

This is the most important and joyful time of the church year. The message of Easter is new life. Our readings during the Easter week tell us how Jesus appeared to his disciples after he had risen from the dead. Jesus lives, and he shares his new life with us, just as he promised.

Easter is not just one day. It is a whole season of 50 days of joyful celebration which will last until Pentecost. In these early days of the Easter season, our readings tell us how different people reacted to the wonderful news of the resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of our faith.

Jesus is truly risen and is with us still.

Stations of the Cross

Since the earliest centuries of the Church, Christians have made pilgrimages to Jerusalem in order to retrace the steps of Jesus during his suffering and death. Around the fifteenth century, Christians began the practice of prayerfully meditating on the Passion of Christ by reproducing that pilgrimage in miniature in what eventually became known as the Stations of the Cross.

Today, there are fourteen stations, each of which represents an event during Christ’s Passion.

Classes were very busy over the last few weeks discovering more about the Stations of the Cross and preparing artworks to represent the fourteen stations. You can see the images below.

Catholic Schools Student-Driven Leadership Program

Last Friday a group of year 6 leaders participated in the student-driven leadership program held at St Augustine school. Students collaborated with eight other catholic schools in the northern area and discussed ‘What qualities make someone a good leader?”

The workshops offered effective student leadership initiatives to support Daily Physical Activity and promote an active curriculum. It also offered structured leadership strategies through personal and social skills to motivate students to run effective leadership programs in schools. The sessions featured a range of practical and theoretical components to inspire developmentally appropriate activities for students and tied in with the personal and social capability component in the Australian Curriculum.

Students will use the knowledge and skills gained at the leadership workshop to lead, assist and design activities to support the Physical Education program at St Thomas More.

PE Teacher/Coordinator

Fabian Chevalier

Leadership Day Photos

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Have you thought about high school options?

Is your child enrolled?

Some schools have waiting lists, to avoid disappointment it is recommended to have your child enrolled at least 18mths prior to starting.

School Holiday Clinic

Elizabeth Community Connections

Playgroup and ELY

Brain Teasers

Can you solve them?

Out of School Hours Care

Daily: 6:30am to 8:45am and 3:00pm to 6:00pm       Wednesday: 2:30pm to 6:00pm

School Access

8:30am to 8:50am

Access via the main front courtyard gate at the school crossing.

8:50am to 2:45pm

Access via green front pool gate in front of the administration building. You will need to lift the pool gate lock at the top of the gate to open and please ensure the gate is closed securely.

2:45pm to 3:15pm

Access via the main front courtyard gate at the school crossing.

Children dropped off before 8:30am and not collected by 3:15pm will be sent to OSHC and caregivers will be invoiced for the service.

School Banking

School Banking at our school is on Wednesdays.

For every deposit made at school, students will receive a silver Dollarmites token. Once students have individually collected 10 tokens they can redeem them for an exclusive School Banking reward item in recognition of their regular savings habits.

School Banking is also a great fundraiser for our school. Our school receives a Regular Savers             Contribution of $5 for every 10 deposits processed per student as well as an Annual Contribution which is based on the number of students who made at least one School Banking deposit in the prior year.

If your child has lost their book, please contact your School Banking Co-ordinator for a replacement or visit any CommBank Branch.

If you would like to know more about School Banking, please ask for a 2020 School Banking program information pack from the school office or visit www.commbank.com.au/sbc

Advance Notice

Every Tuesday

Parent Coffee/Tea chat 8:30am in Jubilee Hall - Postponed

ECC Playgroup 9:15am to 11:15am

Principal's Tour (first Tuesday of the month) 10:00am - By appointment only

Every Wednesday

ECC Early Learning Years (ELY) 9:15am to 11:15am

School Banking

April 10-26

School Holidays

April 23

World Book Day

April 25

Anzac day

April 26 

Anzac Day Holiday

April 27

Term 2 Starts

May 9

Mother's day

May 13

Feast of the Ascension

May 23

Pentecost

May 26

National Sorry Day

May 27

National Reconciliation Week Begins

Raising Hearts and Minds