TERM 3 - WEEK 7
Front Cover - 4/5 Martin
The Arts
In Arts, year 4/5s have been looking at Cubism. After researching Picasso’s artwork, the students drew their own portraits using geometric shapes including more than one viewpoint of themselves.
It was a challenging exercise but the students created some amazing works of art.
Leadership
Dear Parents, Caregivers, Students and friends of St Thomas More,
Greening Australia – Cooling the Schools Program
Cooling the Schools program is all about connecting kids to nature, empowering them to take action in their communities and creating greener, cooler places where both people and nature can thrive. On Wednesday of last week, Greening Australia came out to our school and worked with our Year 5 and 6 students. They participated in activities including digging holes, planting native grasses, shrubs and bushes along the fence line on Yorktown Road. Our special visitors held a welcoming ceremony and shared stories with our students. We thank Deb Nagloo and her team from Greening Australia for supporting us with this project and we look forward to the benefit of having these trees and shrubs planted.
Grievance Procedure
A reminder is given to all parents and caregivers that if there are concerns about situations that have occurred, you are to initially speak with classroom teachers to clarify information you have about it. Issues are also brought to the attention of Leadership staff and the appropriate follow up is enacted. Please do not approach students on school grounds to question them about issues between students.
Student Safety and Wellbeing
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 wellbeing visit Be You (formerly Beyond Blue) https://beyou.edu.au/fact-sheet
Student Punctuality and Attendance
When children begin school they develop learning habits. These learning habits continue to develop throughout each learning year and these habits can affect learning achievements. Two important habits and life skills are attendance and punctuality. Very few people can argue with the correlation between attendance and school achievement. There is empirical evidence at a state, national and international level to prove that this relationship is true but, closer to home, our own achievement data and student report information clearly demonstrate that, as a general rule, the more time students spend at school, the better they will do.
We need to maximise every day to get full value – this means turning up to school every day and on time. When students arrive late and take time to settle, valuable learning time is lost. When students are absent from school they miss work (which they seldom makeup) and also miss important interactions with their peers.
It is now commonplace for children to stay away from school for reasons that would have been unheard of 20 years ago. These include:
- Their own or a sibling’s birthday
- Stayed up too late watching TV
- Going shopping for clothes
- An extended long weekend
- Not wishing to participate in a sports day, special school event or excursion
This sends a strong message to children that their parents neither value learning nor the school experiences. It is difficult to resist the persistent pressure that children can exert on parents, but parents need to be strong and send their children to school every day, on time and ready to make the most of school experiences.
In conclusion, it is reassuring to know that parents increase their children’s chances of future success just by making sure they turn up to school every day. This important habit and regular school attendance also prepares young people for the workforce where it is expected that they turn up each day ready for work! Absentee notification – please ring front office by 9.00 am.
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.
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.
2023 RECEPTION ENROLMENTS
Places are available. If you have or if you know of anyone who has a child turning 5 before May 1, 2023, please complete and lodge an enrolment form at the Front Office.
2023 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, 2023, please complete and lodge an enrolment form at the Front Office.
Working in Partnership,
Leadership Team
Religion
Liturgical Events and Celebrations
Over the next few weeks, we celebrate International Peace Day and Mercy Day.
September 21 is International Day for World Peace. This was established by the United Nations in 1982. It is a day when individuals, communities, nations and governments highlight efforts to end conflict and promote peace.
We will celebrate Mercy Day in week 10. This is an important day for all of us who belong to schools founded by the sisters of Mercy. It is also a day to remember and give thanks for the life of Catherine McAuley. On this day in 1827, Catherine’s House of Mercy in Baggot Street in Dublin was opened.
In our celebrations this year we think about how we live our call to be merciful people. Through our fundraising, we will support the works of Catherine House, who like Catherine McAuley, work to support women and children in need.
Mercy Day Celebrations 2022
This year we will celebrate Mercy Day with a whole school liturgy on Tuesday, September 27 at 9.30am in the Jubilee Hall. Our Year 5/6 students along with students from R-6 will help to prepare and lead the liturgy.
Throughout the day students will be involved in learning about Catherine McAuley and the sisters of Mercy and the work that Catherine House does to support women and children in need. Students are invited to come dressed in purple on the day and bring along a gold coin donation to support Catherine House.
A flyer with more information will be sent via SeeSaw next week
Religious Literacy Assessment Tool (ReLAT)
Our Year 4 students will complete the Religious Education Literacy Assessment (ReLAT) this week.
The assessment focuses on students’ knowledge and understanding of key concepts that are addressed in the Crossways Religious Education Curriculum, the achievement of the outcomes set out in the curriculum, and the ability of students to communicate this knowledge and understanding of the Catholic tradition. Questions are based on general religious knowledge gained from participation in RE lessons and the religious dimension of the Catholic school. The data produced from the assessment is designed to give teachers meaningful feedback about the student's learning and to assist in developing the classroom teaching of Religion.
Sacrament Program 2022
This week Chika in 3/4KJ celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation. On the weekend she will celebrate First Eucharist. As a school community, we wish her continued prayers as she continues her faith journey.
If your child would like to be involved in the Sacramental Program for 2023 or you would like to find out more about the program, please see Melissa Musolino.
Chika
Saver Plus
Connectivity Concussion Course
Installing SZapp
Please click on the link below for instructions on how to install SZapp on Apple and Android products.
Canteen
Playgroup and ELY
Postponed until further notice
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.
Advance Notice
Every Tuesday
Parent Coffee/Tea chat 8:30am in Jubilee Hall - Postponed
ECC Playgroup 9:15am to 11:15am - Postponed
Principal's Tour (first Tuesday of the month) 10:00am - By appointment only
Every Wednesday
Early Learning Years (ELY) 9:15am to 11:15am - Postponed
September 1-30
Blue September
September 1-30
Save the Koala Month
September 21
International Day of Peace
September 27
Mercy Day
Raising Hearts and Minds
