Other Information
“It takes a community to raise a child.”
Counsellor
Our Catholic Care school counsellor visits the school to meet the needs of our community. To make an appointment please contact the school office or call Catholic Care on (02) 6162 6104. Please select the following link for the online Referral form.
Student Welfare Officer
Susan Harris works to support the emotional and social wellbeing of students. Her work involves running group sessions for students focussing on anxiety, anger, friendship difficulties, grief and loss and social skills, as well as being a day-to-day point of call at the school for students who are experiencing difficulties during the school day.
The Wellbeing Officer's role also encompasses providing assistance for students affected by issues such as bullying, domestic violence and poverty, as well as providing support for parents by arranging referral to outside agencies or mental health professionals.
Students are free to approach Susan for assistance on their own initiative or may be referred by the leadership team, front office or teachers and parents and guardians. Should the child need more than one session, a form requesting their consent for the Wellbeing Officer to work with their child for more sessions. Where necessary, students are referred to the Student and Family Counsellor, Catholic Care, or the School Counsellor.
Class Parent Representatives
Each class at St Thomas the Apostle has at least one parent whose role is to be the point of contact between staff and parents. This enables parents to remain informed of upcoming class and school activities to build a sense of community through social events and coordination of pastoral activities.
Parent Helpers
There are many opportunities available for parents who wish to help out at St Thomas the Apostle Primary School. E.g. assisting students to read, participating in crafts, attending excursions and camps, assisting in sporting activities, Sacramental programs and retreats. All adults working with children are required to obtain a Working with Vulnerable People card (WWVP).
Qkr! Payment Method
A new method for payment of fees, excursions, and any school related payments!
St Thomas the Apostle has launched a new, more convenient way for parents and carers to make various payments to the school. Qkr! (pronounced ‘quicker’) is a mobile payments app which enables consumers to order and pay for school fees, excursions, uniforms and event tickets directly from their smart device.
Qkr! accepts all major credit and debit cards accepted by the school (Visa and MasterCard) and you can register more than one card within the app. The Qkr! app is available from the Apple App Store and Google Play. If using an iPad you can download the iPhone version of Qkr!. You can download and register for Qkr! now and start making payments right away. Payment is made from your account directly into our account, there is no need to open a specific account and no 'topping up funds' required, it is safe, simple and straight forward!
How to Register
Download the Qkr! app from the iTunes App Store or Google Play. Or for those who don't use a smartphone or tablet, follow this link https://qkr.mastercard.com/store
Animals at School
Parents and carers are reminded that animals should not be brought to school unless it has been arranged with the teaching staff. Many children have allergies to cats, dogs, rabbits, fur etc. It is important that these visits are discussed at a class level before they can go ahead. If the visit is pre-arranged and approved then special arrangements can be made for students with allergies.
A reminder also that it is an ACT Government regulation that dogs are not allowed on school premises – even dogs on leads. This is for both the physical and emotional safety and security of all students.