TERM 1 - WEEK 11
Front Cover - 1/2 Carter
Holy Week which was last week, is very significant in the Catholic Church.
1/2 Carter spent the week learning about each important day and created a prayer, after discussing and learning about Good Friday.
The children were excited to take them home and say the prayer each night.
We also had a wonderful term of library lessons with Ms. Swann. Last week we looked at Fiction and Non-fiction dinosaur books. We read Mole in a Hole together and following a procedure, we explored a variety of materials that use our fine motor skills to make our own dinosaur.
Leadership
Dear Parents, Caregivers, Students, and friends of St Thomas More,
Staffing News
Term 2, we welcome back Michael Higgie from Long Service Leave.
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 materials 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)
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
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. 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 a net-nanny program
Term 3 Reception Intake
This is a reminder that we have a Term 3 Reception intake each year. The criteria for starting Reception on the first day of school in Term 3 is that the children will have turned 5 on or before 31 October of that particular year (i.e. 2023 this year). If you have a child who is eligible for this intake, please make a time for an enrolment interview with a member of the Leadership Team. If you are aware of another family who has a child who is eligible to begin in Term 3 and is considering St. Thomas More School, please feel free to encourage them to make an enrolment interview time.
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.
On behalf of the staff, we hope you enjoy the holidays and look forward to seeing you next term.
Shaping our future together
Leadership Team
SAPOL
Students and families are reminded to be wary of approaches from strangers, especially when they are unaccompanied or travelling to and from school. If they are approached students should not respond and should not accept offers of rides or gifts.
Students should seek the assistance of other nearby adults if they feel unsafe and should report the event to a trusted adult (parent or school staff member) as soon as possible.
SAPOL advises that taking out a mobile phone and calling the police can deter the offender and they recommend the student make a formal report to their closest police station.
Religion
Season of Easter
Easter celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus, the central feast of Christianity.
Easter is not just one day. It is a whole season of 50 days of joyful celebration, which will last until Pentecost. We take even longer to celebrate Easter than we took during Lent to prepare for it. In these early days of the Easter Season, our readings will 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.
God of Easter Joy,
We remember Jesus’ suffering and death and now we celebrate the joy of the Resurrection. We pray that we might rejoice and live out the new life that Jesus offers us.
May we go forward with hearts renewed, always trusting, and believing in the love God has for each one of us.
Amen
Donations of Non-perishable Items
A very big thank you for the items so generously donated on St. Patrick's and St. Joseph’s Day and over the past few weeks.
Elizabeth Catholic Parish Sacrament Program
For those families whose child/ren are involved in the 2023 Sacramental Program, please be aware of the following dates for Term 2.
Carnevale
Though the start of Venice’s Carnival is disputed, most attribute it to 1296, with an official document from the Senate of Venice declaring a public celebration on the day before Lent. Created as an allowance for citizens for some fun and revelry, the mask fit in perfectly, allowing citizens to celebrate independently of social class or religion. The whole school participated in designing and constructing their own mask in Italian lessons with Miss Trimboli who also co-ordinated our parade today. With the help of our year 6 leaders, the parade was a wonderful success, and excitement filled Jubilee Hall.
Thank you to all those families who were able to join us.
Our Gallery
Installing SZapp
Please click on the link below for instructions on how to install SZapp on Apple and Android products.
Playgroup and ELY
Postponed until further notice
Out-of-School Hours Care
2023 OSHC runs daily: 6:30am to 8:30am and 3:00pm to 6:00pm
School Access
8:30am to 8:45am
Access via the main front courtyard gate at the school crossing.
8:45am 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
Principal's Tour - By appointment only
May 1
TERM 2 Begins
May 8
World Red Cross Day
May 9 - 15
Mental Health Awareness Week
May 15
International Day of Families
Raising Hearts and Minds
