Dear Parents and Carers,

Vinnies CEO Sleepout – Supporting Australians in Need

One night isn’t a lot - but it can make a whole lot of difference.

Every night, thousands of Australians experience homelessness. But it doesn’t have to be that way. This year, I’m taking part in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise money for the St Vincent de Paul Society and support Australians doing it tough.

For one night, I’ll be sleeping outside at Old Parliament House as part of an eye-opening experience to raise awareness and bring home the realities of homelessness. It’s only one night of discomfort, but I hope it will help raise some much-needed funds for those who need it most.

As a school community, we’ll also be holding two events to support the Sleepout:

Week 8  Books and Beanies (Parent Teacher Interview Week)

Children can wear coloured beanies this week. Parents can donate and / or buy a book (Week 8 - Monday 16 June - Friday 20 June).

Donations of books can be brought in all next week.

Books will be available to purchase for $5 on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Come by before or after your parent teacher interviews.

For more information see the flyer later in the newsletter.

Wednesday 18 June – PJ Day & Movie Afternoon

Children are invited to wear their PJs to school.

A gold coin donation is encouraged to support the appeal.

Together, we can help change the story for those facing homelessness. Even the smallest donation, when combined with others, can have a big impact. If you’re able to give, please consider supporting this important cause.

Thank you to the many families who have already donated - I am so grateful for your support.

Pie and Footy Night

Thank you to all the dads and gents who joined us for our State of Origin night last Wednesday - it was fantastic to see so many of you come together for an evening of footy, fun, and great company. A good night for NSW supporters, not so much for the Queenslanders.

Special thanks to Victoria for the delicious freshly baked pies - they were a real highlight!

We’re also grateful to Geoff Ryan, Luke Mooney, and Ian Jamieson for their time and effort in organising the night. From setting up table tennis to coordinating the schedule, your work made the evening a great success.

if you missed it this time, don’t worry, it will be on again in 2026! Here’s to mateship, community, and great sport!

Semester 1 Parent Teacher Interviews - Bookings Now Open

Parent-Teacher Interviews will take place from Monday 16 to Wednesday 18 June. These 12-minute meetings are a key opportunity to strengthen the partnership between home and school by discussing your child’s progress, wellbeing, and learning goals for the remainder of the year.

We strongly encourage all families to take part - these conversations offer far deeper insight than report comments alone and play a vital role in supporting student confidence and success.

Why Attend?

1. Insight into Your Child's Progress: These meetings provide a comprehensive overview of your child's academic growth, behaviour, and social development. It's a chance to celebrate their achievements and identify areas for improvement.
2. Personalised Communication: Face-to-face conversations allow for meaningful dialogue. Teachers can share specific examples of your child's work and behaviour, offering a deeper understanding than a report comment can do.
3. Collaborative Problem-Solving: If your child is facing challenges, this is the perfect time to discuss strategies and resources. Working together, we can develop plans to support your child's individual needs.
4. Building Relationships: Strong relationships between parents and teachers foster a supportive learning environment. When parents are involved, students often feel more motivated and confident in their schoolwork.
5. Being Informed: Being informed helps you be involved and engaged in your child's school life.

These interviews will be face to face meetings, however if you would like to have it remotely via teams, book a time via the online system and then email the teacher directly and they will set up a TEAMs invite.

Interviews will be scheduled for 15 mins slots with the length of the interview time being up to 13 mins. This gives teachers 2 mins in between to get ready for the following interview.

We look forward to seeing you at the Parent-Teacher Interviews. Your involvement is crucial to your child's educational journey, and we appreciate your commitment to their growth and development.

Bookings are now open via the Compass portal.

How to book a parent interview for your child / children can be accessed here.

Semester 1 reports will be available in Compass from Friday 27 June at 4pm.

Winter Solstice Celebration - Saturday, June 21 from 2pm – 5pm

Get ready for one of the best afternoons of the year! Our Winter Solstice Celebration is back - and it’s bigger, warmer, and more magical than ever!

Think Christmas in July vibes: twinkling lights, crackling fire pits, the smell of mulled wine and roast meat and in the air, and the sound of live music drifting across the playground. You’ll be spoilt for choice with delicious winter treats - mouth-watering roast beef and pork rolls, kransky with sauerkraut rolls, Belgian waffles, rich sticky date and chocolate pudding cups, and old-school toffee apples the kids will love!

Bring your family, your appetite, and your festive spirit for an afternoon full of food, drinks, market stalls, music, and magical moments. There’s something for everyone - and it’s the perfect way to celebrate our vibrant St Thomas community.

A huge thank you to Victoria Town, our amazing event coordinator, whose incredible effort makes this event truly shine.

We’d love some extra hands on the day - if you can help out, you can sign up for by following the link below.

Adults Only Trivia Night? Yes, please! 

Need a night out where no one asks for snacks, tissues, or help finding their shoes? The SCC are floating the idea of a Friday night Adults Only Trivia Night in Term 3 - an evening of laughter, light competition, and food you don't have to share! The proposed day is Friday 19 September.

It's a chance to connect with other parents, show off your competitive spirit and put your random knowledge to good use. Whether you are a trivia buff, a one-answer-wonder specialist, or just in it for the snacks and socialising - this is the night for you! 

Interested? Let us know by clicking the link below. If there's enough enthusiasm, we'll lock in the date and fire up a quizmaster. It could be your time to shine or at least, wildly guess with confidence. 

No hats for June and July

Following advice from the ACT Cancer Council, our school will be 'hats off' for the months of June and July. This means that students will not be required to wear a hat outside during the day at school. It is safe to relax the requirement for students to wear hats, so they can maintain adequate Vitamin D levels over the winter months.

With a long weekend ahead, I hope you all get to have some down time and some sleep-ins.

Yours in partnership,

Ursula Jamieson
Principal