TERM 3 - WEEK 3
Front Cover - 3/4 Maiello
Home Learning
Term 3 began in unexpected circumstances with a state-wide lockdown and therefore, it was time for home learning!
3/4SM used their Seesaw learning journals to engage in learning experiences about information reports, angles, living and non-living things, the First Fleet and having a compassionate heart.
Not only did the students of 3/4SM enjoy learning new things for school, but they also enjoyed new skills and activities such as weaving, physical exercises (thanks Mr. C) and cooking yummy treats such as cookies.
3/4SM showed that they can adapt to change, demonstrating resilience, persistence and the mercy value of courage in these challenging circumstances.
Leadership
Dear Parents, Caregivers, Students and friends of St Thomas More,
COVID-19
Thank you to all community members for your cooperation and who are working hard not to become complacent during COVID-19. I have observed social distancing amongst adults whilst waiting for their child at our school. This continues to be of paramount importance. We can easily forget and return to our previous way of greeting each other but, as we have seen interstate, things can quickly change. It is important to remember that if you or your children are not feeling well, it is best to not come to school, see a doctor and get tested if required. If you are being tested and awaiting results, we ask your family to self-isolate until you have the outcome of those results. If your child is absent from school, please notify the front office.
Staffing News
We welcome Ms. Rosemarie Villano to our St Thomas More School community. Rosemarie will take up the position of Italian Teacher until the end of the 2021 School Year. We welcome back Mrs. Sandra Shephard from her Long Service Leave.
Ms. Leah Williams will be on Long Service from Monday 9 August for the remainder of Term 3. Leah will return to St Thomas More School on Monday 11 October (beginning of Term 4). Mrs. Leeanne Fisher will be on Long Service Leave for two weeks, beginning Monday 9 August and returning Monday 23 August. We wish Leah and Leeanne a safe and enjoyable break with family and friends and look forward to their return.
Student Safety and Well-being
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness involves training our attention and attitude. Being mindful means awareness of your own moment-to-moment internal and external experiences, with gentleness and acceptance and without judgment. It’s a state of being that encourages us to slow down, focus on the present, accept things as they are, and act with discernment. When we do this, we’re less distracted by thoughts of the future and the past, which can often make us worry and stop us from enjoying the present moment.
What does it mean to be unmindful?
To better understand what it means to be mindful, it helps to understand what it means to be ‘unmindful’. When we’re inattentive, distracted and disengaged from the present moment, the mind habitually and unconsciously slips into what’s called ‘default mode’ – we’re physically doing one thing but the mind is somewhere else. For example, someone might be speaking to us, but we’re not listening, or we might be reading a book but not taking in the words on the page. Much default mental activity involves things such as worry or rumination about the past and future, which is one of the main reasons there’s so much default mental activity in states like anxiety and depression.
To learn more about how you can help encourage mindfulness in your children visit Be You (formerly Beyond Blue) https://beyou.edu.au/fact-sheets
How much exercise do children and young people need?
The Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines outline the following recommendations for children and young people:
- Infants (birth to one year): 30 minutes of supervised interactive floor-based play including tummy time, reaching and grasping, pushing and pulling and crawling.
- Toddlers (1-2 years): at least 180 minutes a day, including energetic play such as running and jumping.
- Pre-schoolers (3-5 years): at least 180 minutes a day of which 60 minutes is energetic play such as running, jumping and kicking and throwing. Children (5-12 years) and young people (13-17 years): at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity every day. The percentage of children meeting current guidelines is:
- 61% of two to five-year-olds · 26% of five to 12-year-olds 7.9% of 13 to 17-year-olds.
To learn more about the benefits of exercise on well-being visit Be You (formerly Beyond Blue) https://beyou.edu.au/fact-sheets
School Uniform
We have noticed incorrect school uniform items are being worn, especially in regards to items such as jumpers and pants. If students are not wearing the correct uniform, a uniform note is sent home from the class teacher identifying the uniform area to be addressed. All St Thomas More School students are required and expected to wear the correct uniform. Please ensure your child is in the CORRECT SCHOOL UNIFORM.
St Thomas More School uniform items are to be ordered and paid for using the St Thomas More School QKR app. Ordered items will be delivered to your child’s classroom.
Community News
From time to time we hear news involving members of our school community. As a community, we care about both the joys and sad events in each other’s lives. Not all of this news reaches the school office but we would like to include a regular section in the newsletter entitled ‘Community News’. We hope you will contribute to this by letting Leeanne know – personally with a written note or by email – news about yourself or others. We hope this will enable us to better support each other in times of sadness and join in celebrating times of joy.
Diary Dates
FRIDAY 13 AUGUST SCHOOL PHOTOS - Please ensure your child is in CORRECT school uniform
THURSDAY 19 AUGUST PUPIL FREE DAY (OSHC available – bookings essential - please contact OSHC)
FRIDAY 20 AUGUST PUPIL FREE DAY (OSHC available – bookings essential - please contact OSHC)
TUESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER CATHOLIC SCHOOLS’ MUSIC FESTIVAL
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.
Working in Partnership,
Chris Platten, Vicki Rubino, Leah Williams, Melissa Musolino
Religion
Liturgical Events and Celebrations
Events that we have celebrated through prayer during weeks 2 and 3 have included, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day, the Feast of the Transfiguration and the Feast of St. Mary Mackillop.
The theme for National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day is Proud in Culture, Strong in Spirit. The theme highlights the importance of supporting strong family and community connections to help children achieve strong spiritual and cultural wellbeing and to form proud cultural identities.
Children's Day is a time for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families to celebrate the strengths and culture of their children. It is an opportunity for all Australians to show their support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, as well as learn about the crucial impact that culture, family, and community play in the life of every child.
This week classes celebrated this day in their classes with prayer and an activity
We celebrate the church’s feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus on August 6 each year. The feast commemorates one of the pinnacles of Jesus’ earthly life when he revealed his divinity to three of his closest disciples, Peter, James, and John. The Gospel reading tells us that Jesus was praying upon the mountain and his appearance was changed by a brilliant white light which shone from him and from his clothing. The feast of the Transfiguration is an opportunity for believers to look to Christ as ‘the light of the world’.
On August 8, we prepare to celebrate the Feast of St. Mary Mackillop. She was the first saint of Australia and her influence in the country has spread far and wide. She is recognised for her commitment to the poor, helping those who needed it the most in any way she could. Classes will focus on Mary Mackillop during prayer next week. You might like to share the following prayer as a family.
Loving God,
We thank you for the example of Mary MacKillop who, in her living of the Gospel witnessed to the human dignity of each person.
She faced life’s challenges with faith and courage.
We pray through her intercession for our needs.
May her holiness inspire us to be people of hope, love and forgiveness.
We make this prayer through Jesus the Lord. Amen.
Sacramental Program Dates
If your child is currently involved in the Sacramental Program for 2021, please take note of the following dates for term 3.
Week 4 Confirmation / Eucharist Workshop
Saturday, August 14, 1pm - 4pm at St. Mary Magdalene’s School.
Week 6 Confirmation / Eucharist Parent Workshop
Friday, August 27, 5.30pm – 6.30pm at St. Thomas More Church
Confirmation / Eucharist Practice Session
Week 7 or 8 Celebration of Confirmation
Wednesday, September 1 at St. Ann’s Church
Wednesday, September 8 at St. Ann’s Church
Celebration of First Eucharist
Dates to be confirmed
OSHC - Vacation Care
What an exciting adventure we had during the school holidays!
We surprised the children with all day go-karting in the hall, boogied our way through a glow stick disco, played on tech devices, watched movies on the big screen in our pyjamas, tested our skills at roller skating, visited Gameroom Essential for some serious video game fun and even celebrated Christmas in July! We also participated in cooking and craft activities throughout the days and played a variety of games and sports. The two weeks went by in such a flash that we cannot wait for the next school holidays.
Vacation Care Photos
Calling Old Scholars & Families
As part of our pupil-free days, we will be looking at the history of our two schools and sharing our memories about St Thomas More and St Mary Magdalene's. We will also be creating a history walk for staff.
Do you have any memorabilia from St Thomas More School? We would love to see it.
If items for either school could be sent in by Wednesday 11/8/2021, it would be greatly appreciated.
We also have an old scholars form on our website.
COVID - Check-in
School Photos
School photos will be on Friday 13 August. Payments can be paid via credit card to MSP prior to the day using the student's code on the envelope or the correct money in the envelope (no change will be given) on the day.
No money will be taken through the office.
Book Week
The theme for this year is:
OLD WORLDS, NEW WORLDS, OTHER WORLDS. Shaun Tan has again produced an amazing piece of artwork for this year's poster. For the shortlisted books click on the link below.
Throughout the term, classes will be reading the shortlisted books for this year's awards and as a celebration of reading, we would like to invite the children to dress up as their favourite book character for our Book Week parade - the date to be announced.
Canteen Specials
Elizabeth Community Connections
Playgroup and ELY
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
August 6
Transfiguration of the Lord
Hiroshima Day
August 8
St. Mary of the Cross Mackillop
August 9
International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
August 10
Class Mass - TBC
August 12
International Youth Day
August 13
Left Handers Day
August 15
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Raising Hearts and Minds
