It was great to see so many children take the walking bus this morning for “Walk Safely to School Day”. A group met Mr Mooney, Mrs Chant and Mrs Housler at O’Halloran Circuit underpass and another group met Mrs Rootes and Mrs Bartkowiak at the Kambah IGA. They had fun walking in the crisp morning air. TEAMKIDS provided some snacks when they got to school as well.  We hope this kind of event will encourage more students to walk and ride to school.

Athletics Carnival on Friday

The students have been practicing their field events of discus, shot put and long jump in readiness for the Athletics Carnival next Friday. Today a long jump pit is being installed in the school grounds. This will mean that the classes won’t need to go over to the Athletics oval to practice that event. We have called for volunteers to help on Friday and while we have had a reasonable response, more helpers would be appreciated. The link to sign up to help can be found here.

Link for Athletics Carnival volunteers

Enrolments for Kindergarten or Year 7?

We are almost at the end of the 2024 Catholic Schools Enrolment Period. There are only two more weeks until all Kindergarten and Year 7 enrolments for 2024 must be submitted. Our Year 6 leaders hosted tours last Wednesday and Saturday. We had a constant run of families coming though the school and lots of interest from families starting school 2024. The visitors were so impressed with our student tour guides who gave them a thorough look through the school and very detailed account of what happens at our school.

If you know any families interested in enrolling their child at St Thomas the Apostle please refer them to our website for how to enrol. If you have a child who is due to start in Kindergarten in 2024, please make sure the application is submitted before the end of the enrolment period.

Please remember too that enrolments for Year 7 at St Mary MacKillop College and St Clare’s need to be submitted by Friday 26 May. Year 6 students are not automatically enrolled at either of these schools for Year 7. We have had on several occasions, the heartache of families who missed out on a place because they didn’t enrol in the designated enrolment period. There is a huge demand for these schools so please make sure your Year 6 student doesn’t miss out.

Working Bee last Friday

Thank you to all the families who came and worked at the working bee last Friday with a frantic two hours of raking, blowing, planting and power hosing.  When the Dominoes pizzas arrived at 5:30pm, the schools grounds looked immaculate. On occasions like these, not only does a lot of productive work get done, but there is also conversation, laughter and friendship building.

Grant for Shade Sails

Today I, along with our Student Representative Council members, had the pleasure of welcoming to school David Smith, the federal member for Bean. David spent an hour talking with us and looking at our grounds. More importantly, he officially announced our grant of $25 000 for the erection of shade sails in the backyard that will be placed over the sand pit and the Yarning Circle. We have already started the process of acquiring quotes for this. Our plan is to have this completed by Spring.

Have a great weekend.

Yours in partnership,

Ursula Jamieson
Principal

Happy Birthday
to the following students
who will celebrate a birthday this week

Are you good at decorating gingerbread,

can you start a good camp fire and keep it alive,

can you talk a good talk and sell snow to eskimos,

can you pour mulled wine without spilling (and have an RSA),

all or one of the above, or something completely different,

then we would love for you to come and help

make our Winter Solstice Celebration a fabulous day.

Are you available Saturday 24 June from 2pm – 5pm?

Please get in touch!