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- Principal's Message
- Calvary Hospital Taskforce
- RE Term 2 Week 3 - "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6)
- Children's Liturgy
- Upcoming Events
- St Thomas Apostle Open Day - Saturday 13 May
- St Anthony's ELC Open Day flyer
- Library News
- Canteen News
- Birthdays this week
- Winter Solstice Performers needed!
- Wonder Recycling Rewards
- Photos - Cross Country Carnival
- Photos - Mother's Day Breakfast
- Photos - Mini Vinnies Commissioning
- Sporting Achievement
- TeamKids Newsletter
- ACT National Indigenous Tennis Carnival
- AUSLAN - Mother's Day
- Catholic Man - Men's Breakfast and Speaker
- Christopher Padget on Catholic Marriage and Family Life
Dear Parents and Carers,
Well, it’s back to school for me this week after the most incredible two weeks spent on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. My trip with 16 principals from the Archdiocese as well as parishioners from Sacred Heart Pearce, was a life changing experience. It was full on each day visiting historical and religious sites in Jordan, Israel and Palestine. I have over a thousand photos from the trip and my intention is to write up a succinct summary of the trip and choose some of the most interesting photos and post it in the newsletter – hopefully next week. (However, I have added two photos to the reading that Mrs Housler has placed in her RE segment.)
Enrolment Period
We had our first OPEN day on Wednesday 10 May, and this was well attended by families looking at enrolling at St Thomas the Apostle for 2024. Twenty of our Year 6 students stayed until after 5pm to conduct the tours. They did a fantastic job and showed the families every inch of the school. We have our next one tomorrow morning, Saturday morning 13 May. We are hoping for a strong roll up. If you have a child ready for Kindergarten next year, please make sure you lodge an enrolment application online before the end of May. If you know of anyone in your neighbourhood who is thinking about a Catholic Education for their child, please invite them to come along tomorrow or to contact the school for a tour at a suitable time for them and us.
Mother’s Day Breakfast
It was a beautiful (yet somewhat chilly) morning today for our Mother’s Day breakfast. Most of our mums, grans and carers were able to make it along to share time with each other, have a coffee and some breakfast and to look at the artistic portraits the children created. Thank you to all the dads who turned up early this morning to set up the space, serve the food and make the coffees. Your help was much appreciated. It does say so much about our community with the number of people who come to our events and to see the friendships that are forged across the school.
Grant for new Shade Sails
Earlier this year I applied for a government grant to erect shade sails over the new sand pits. We were successful in this application and will soon be receiving $25 000 for the shade sails. David Smith, the member for Bean, will be coming to make an official announcement to the community in Week 5. Meanwhile, we will begin the process of getting plans drawn and quotes for the job.
Working Bee
Speaking of jobs, we have 14 families signed up for our Working Bee tonight (39 people in total with all the adults and children). John our groundsman has a long list of jobs to be completed. It will go from 3:30 – 5:30pm and will finish with pizza and drinks in the hall. If you haven’t signed up but are keen to help out, just turn up and I am sure John will have a job for you to do! (There will be pizza and drinks for you as well!)
Have a very happy Mother’s Day to all our mum, step mums, foster mums and grandmothers. Sunday is your special day to be spoilt! I hope it’s a great day for you all!
Yours in partnership,
Ursula Jamieson
Principal
Term 2 - The Way
In Term 2 we are focussing on the words, "the way". Learning from the Gospel of Matthew, we explore who Jesus is and how we can become more like the face of Jesus in our world today. Our reading during community prayer was:
Matthew 4:18-22
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
The words follow me resonate with me in this passage. Jesus doesn’t say, “Listen to me.” He intentionally says, “Follow me”. Jesus sets the example for the disciples and for us. He shows us the way, by first walking the path.
As parents and teachers, it is important for us to be reminded of this. We must lead the way for our children. If we ask something of them, we must first be prepared to show them how, through our own actions. Jesus calls us to be witnesses and we do this through action. Our Mini Vinnies team were commissioned this morning. These children pledged to care for others and to treat others the way they would like to be treated. We had over 50 Mini Vinnies volunteers join up for this. Our Mini Vinnies team are leading the way of bearing witness to Jesus’ message of love through action. This week’s scripture reminds us to live our lives in ways that we want others to follow, to follow the example of Jesus. St Paul VI says it best:
"Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses" Evangelli Nuntiandi, St Paul VI
Reconciliation News
Please attend a Presentation Mass this weekend, Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 May. If you missed the information night, or want to contact me, please email me at jacinta.housler@cg.catholic.edu.au
Group nights begin next week, Week 4. Please make sure a parent or carer and your child come to the school library at your designated time and day.
St Vincent de Paul
Wecome to our 2023 Mini Vinnies team! The children who have volunteered to give to others were commissioned this morning. Congratulations to them all and thank you for bearing witness to Jesus’ love through action.
This week we are asking families to donate some Feminine hygiene products. Please consider adding one of these items to your weekly shop to make life a little easier for those in need in our community. Children can bring items in any day and place them in the St Vincent de Paul tub in each classroom.
Please mark in your diaries:
- Weekend of 13 and 14 May- Reconciliation presentation Masses
- Week 4, beginning 15 May- Reconciliation group nights begin
- Wednesday 31 May- Reconciliation family prayer night
- Friday 2 June- Reconciliation Retreat Day
- Wednesday 7 June- First Reconciliation
May we be the face of Jesus to others this week,
Jacinta Housler
Acting REC
Date |
Event |
|
Saturday 13 May |
St Thomas Apostle Open Day 9am - 11am |
|
Sunday 14 May |
Presentation Mass Reconciliation 8:30am or 10am |
|
Monday 15 May |
SCC Meeting 6pm |
|
Friday 19 May |
Walk to School Day |
Calendar
To view the Parent and Carers calendar please follow the link below to our school website. This calendar is very user friendly and clear to view on mobile phones.
Library reminders:
- Keep sending in books as we have many overdues and outstanding loans at the moment.
- Colouring in competition entries are due back to the library by Wednesday 17 May
Don’t forget you can return your books before school to the green trolley, in library lessons and anytime to the returns trolley in the library. If you miss your borrowing day, the library is open every Tuesday lunchtime, so children are very welcome to borrow at this time.
Happy Reading!
Kelli Rootes
Teacher Librarian
Due to the inconsistency of Bega’s stock of flavoured milk, I will be trialling new things in the canteen.
I have ordered in Sippah Flavour straws in a variety of flavours, which the children can have with a plain milk. As soon as they arrive I will put them on Flexi schools. Sippah is an Australian product, they have NO preservatives, are naturally coloured and flavoured, the straws are made with plant based, sustainable materials and are 100% compostable.
The cold weather has arrived, so I have put warm Milo and hot chocolate back on the menu.
Kind regards
Victoria Town
Canteen Manager
Happy Birthday
to the following students and teacher
who will celebrate a birthday this week
Alicia Lopez
Thomas Pooley
Mrs Wilson
"Dear Parents and Carers,
St Thomas the Apostle is doing a class competition to see who can bring in the most bread bags. The bread bags will be recycled for money for sport equipment. All you need to do is send your empty plastic bread bags to school with your kids. Then we will send them to be recycled.
Collections close 7 July. The class that brings in the most bread bags will win a prize!"
(written by Year 5/6 team)
Congratulations to Rory who recently competed at the ACT Gymnastics Championships (April) and won a number of medals. Rory was also represented the ACT at the Australian Gymnastics Championships in early May on the Gold Coast. Rory is the 2023 Australian Gymnastics Champion for High Bar Level 7 Under 13 winning Gold.
