TERM 4 - WEEK 3
Front Cover - R/1 Carter
Our class has been working together throughout the term on many wonderful subjects. We have enjoyed learning about God, Maths, dressing up for Book Week, sandpit play and spending time with our buddies. Here are some highlights from 2021.
R/1 Carter Highlights
Leadership
Dear Parents, Caregivers, Students and friends of St Thomas More,
Friday, 29 October we celebrate World Teachers Day. This is an opportunity to acknowledge the great work that all of our teachers and co-educators (admin and curriculum) do with our children. Our staff does a tremendous job at St. Thomas More School, and it is important that we express our gratitude for the role they play in educating the students as well as for providing such a happy, safe and supportive environment for learning.
Primary Schools Warning Parents about Squid Game
Over this past week, we have noticed a number of children across all year levels discussing and playing different games that feature on Netflix’s new TV series 'Squid Game'.
Please note that this TV series is not suitable for children under the age of 16 years as it contains themes not appropriate for primary school-aged children.
Please see below a link to Common Sense Media, which is a very useful website for parents to refer to when unsure if anything is suitable for a particular age group.
Cyber-safe and Mobile Safe
Increasingly schools are dealing more and more with cyberbullying issues occurring away from school. Although cyberbullying may be occurring away from school inevitably it impacts the lives of children and staff here at school in which case we are obliged to respond to best support the wellbeing of all concerned. Many of the incidents we are dealing with are avoidable. Parents must know what their children are doing on their phones and machines. This does not mean spy. This means continually reminding your child/children that they should not post anything online which could cause offence to someone reading the material. This is about being a ‘good’ person online and offline. It means reminding children that all online posts can be traced. It means knowing exactly what they are doing online. It means encouraging them to inform you if they are aware of anything untoward online, whether they are involved in it or not.
I am also writing to remind you to keep your children cyber-safe and mobile safe. Some students participate in online activities that they would not do in the real world. They think they are invisible and at times even anonymous. All online activity and phone activity can be traced.
Some parents think that if their children are home using a computer or phone they are safe and not in danger. Nothing could be further from the truth. Your child could be placing him/herself in unsafe situations from your family home. I would like to remind you, that to legally belong to social networking sites like Facebook one must be aged 13 or over. For some sites, the age is even higher.
I would like to offer you this advice:
- Make it your business to know what your child is doing online. Teenagers (and preteens) are likely to take the position that their online activities are their business. But parents have a moral, as well as legal, obligation to ensure that their children are engaged in safe and responsible behaviour—including online behaviour.
- Keep the computer/phone in a public place in the house. Periodically check on what your child is doing. Find out who his/her online friends are.
- Help your child distinguish between three kinds of personal information:
- Personal contact information. Name, address, phone number, and any other information that could allow someone to make contact in the real world. This information should be shared only in secure environments, when absolutely necessary, and with your permission.
- Intimate personal information. Private and personal information should only be discussed with a relative, close friend, or professional. This information should never be shared in online social networks or through public communications such as chat or discussion groups.
- Personal interest information. Non-intimate information about interests and activities. This kind of information can generally be safely shared on social networking sites or communication environments, including blogs, personal Web pages, chat, and discussion groups.
- Be sure you know the online communities your child participates in and know his/her usernames in these communities. Review his/her public postings, including his/her profiles, Web pages, and blogs. Discourage active involvement in the kinds of environments that promote excessive self-disclosure of intimate information and rude behaviour. Your child may object and claim that these postings should be considered private. A child who makes this argument simply does not understand. The material posted on these sites is not private—anyone can read it. If your child is uncomfortable about your review of the material, then this is a good clue that the material should not be posted.
- Be upfront with your child that you will periodically investigate the files on the computer, the browser history files and buddy lists, and his/her public online activities as well as his/her mobile phone log.
- Be alert to secretive behaviour. It’s a danger sign if your child rapidly switches screens as you approach the computer or attempts to hide online or phone behaviour by emptying the history file.
- If your child has engaged in unsafe or inappropriate behaviour, the most appropriate consequence is the use of monitoring software and consistent review of all public and private online activity.
2022 Reception Transition
A reminder is given regarding our transition program commencing next week. We look forward to welcoming all new students and their families to our school community. Transition dates and times are as follows:
Tuesday 2nd November 9am – 10.30am with a parent /caregiver meeting
Tuesday 9th November 9am – 10.30am
Tuesday 16th November 9am – 11.30am with a parent /caregiver meeting
Working in Partnership,
Chris Platten, Vicki Rubino, Leah Williams, Melissa Musolino
Religion
Mercy Day
A total amount of $269.50 was raised from our casual clothes day for Mercy day in the last week of term 3. We will now purchase items to be gifted to those supported by Catherine House. Thank you for your donations towards this event.
Mass
Year 1/2 Crossley and 5/6 May gathered to celebrate Mass with Fr Pat this week. A beautiful celebration reminding us of our call to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and be guided by the Saints and how they lived their life.
Classroom Learning
This term classroom learning in Religious Education across the school will focus on our Mercy value: Courage.
Students and staff have been reflecting on the ways they call on courage in the everyday. Our ability to say sorry, be responsible for the choices we make, the words we use and the actions we take, speak up to make a difference and be courageous enough to learn something new.
We are considering the theme courage in many ways. Thinking about courageous people in the world, especially the Saints and those who have been recognised as having the courage to change the world.
Everyday courage! This courage is something we need when making a difficult decision about something important. This courage can also be used in positive ways that can help us in many areas such as building friendships, doing well in school, learning about our interests, resisting peer pressure and stopping bullying.
We can be guided by Catherine McAuley who showed courage in founding the Sisters of Mercy, who served the poor and provided shelter for women and children. We can follow the example and courage of the Sisters of Mercy who continue this work today.
Throughout the term we will work together to become more skilled in our capacity to act with courage every day by considering:
In what ways do we already show courage?
How we can better understand when we might need to call on courage?
What might get in the way of us being courageous?
All Saints Day and All Souls Day
Coming up in week 4 are our celebrations for All Saints Day and All Souls Day.
All Saints day is the first of a two-day celebration of the saints and of all who have died.
During the month of November, we turn our hearts to those who have passed away. This week we celebrate the communion of saints – the union of prayer and love between saints on earth and the saints in heaven. Some saints are famous. Their names are in prayer books and their pictures are on the walls and windows of churches. The stories that we read about the saints teach us that there are many ways to follow Jesus.
All Souls day is the second day of our remembrance of those who have died. During this month we remember relatives and friends who have gone before us. Many of them are not famous. Their statues are not in the church, but their pictures are in our homes and their stories may be alive in our families. We pray for them and we remember them with love.
mmusolino@sttmore.catholic.edu.au
Book Fair
Year 5/6 Compassion Project
Plumbtree Community
COVID - Check-in
Elizabeth Community Connections
Playgroup and ELY
Canteen Specials
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
November 1
All Saints Day
November 2
All Souls Day
November 4
Catholic Schools Athletics Carnival
Deepavali - Festival of Lights
November 8-10
Book Fair
November 11
Catherine McAuley Day
Remembrance Day
Raising Hearts and Minds
