Dear Parents and Carers,

Since our last newsletter, we have been blessed with the news that we have a new Pope, Pope Leo XIV.  We are hope and pray that he will be a leader of the Catholic Church that will continue the work of Pope Francis of bringing hope to those who have little.  These words from Pope Leo certainly give us confidence in that hope ….

” Brothers, sisters…  I speak to you, especially to those who no longer believe, no longer hope, no longer pray, because they think God has left. To those who are fed up with scandals, with misused power, with the silence of a Church that sometimes seems more like a palace than a home. I, too, was angry with God. I, too, saw good people die, children suffer, grandparents cry without medicine. 

And yes… there were days when I prayed and only felt an echo.

But then I discovered something: God doesn’t shout. God whispers. And sometimes He whispers from the mud, from pain, from a grandmother who feeds you without having anything. I don’t come to offer you perfect faith.

I come to tell you that faith is a walk with stones, puddles, and unexpected hugs. I’m not asking you to believe in everything. I’m asking you not to close the door. Give a chance to the God who waits for you without judgment. I’m just a priest who saw God in the smile of a woman who lost her son… and yet she cooked for others. 

That changed me. So if you’re broken, if you don’t believe, if you’re tired of the lies…come anyway. With your anger, your doubt, your dirty backpack. No one here will ask you for a VIP card. Because this Church, as long as I breathe, will be a home for the homeless, and a rest for the weary. God doesn’t need soldiers. He needs brothers. And you, yes, you…are one of them.”

Robert Prevost (Leo XIV)

Pie and Footy Night – Coming Up Next Wednesday Night 28 May 

Gentlemen of our community, don’t miss this opportunity to spend some time together watching the first clash between NSW and QLD in the State of Origin - while enjoying some drinks, pies, and banter! There will also be table tennis available before the game and during the halftime break.

Pies will be provided by the school (freshly baked by Victoria), and you are welcome to bring your own refreshments to drink. The evening will kick off at 6:30pm here at school, with the game starting at 8:05pm.

We do need to know numbers so we can make sure we have plenty of hot pies ready!

Please register your attendance by clicking on the link below.

As it is a school night and the game won't finish until around 10pm, this is a strictly adults-only event.

Why not come along, meet some new people, and enjoy a pie or four!!! 

Semester 1 Parent Teacher Interviews and Reports

As we near the end of Term 2, we are looking forward to our Semester 1 Parent Teacher Interviews, which will take place from Monday 16 to Wednesday 18 June.

These 12-minute conversations are a valuable opportunity to build strong partnerships between home and school. They provide dedicated time to discuss your child’s academic progress, social and emotional development, celebrate their growth, and raise any questions in a collaborative way. It is also an opportunity to discuss learning goals for the remainder of the year. When parents and teachers work together, it supports student confidence, motivation, and success.

We encourage all families to take part in these important conversations. Whether celebrating achievements or identifying areas for growth, this collaborative approach ensures that every child feels supported and known. They provide much more insight and understanding than a comment written in response to a report.

Bookings will be open next Friday 30 May from 4pm. How to book a parent interview for your child / children can be accessed by following the instructions in the flyer at the end of my letter.

We look forward to welcoming you and sharing the learning and progress of your child this semester.

Semester 1 reports will be available via the Compass portal from Friday 27 June at 3:30pm.

SCC News (this month reported by the SCC secretary, Aleks Kalinowski)

The School Community Council executive meets twice each term, in weeks 4 and 9. The focus of our meeting this week was to decide how to make the best use of the funds our community raised in 2024 for the betterment of our school, noting that a portion of the funds that are raised through the fete, are shared with parish to help maintain our lovely church along with the work that happens at a parish level.

After taking into consideration the ideas brought forth by our school community (and a reminder that you are all SCC members too!), we have decided to use some of our funds to:

• construct two covered tables and benches in the school grounds, which will provide some important shady spaces for the children to eat, chat or play games; 
• construct a weather station in the backyard that will help our children to learn about weather elements (such as rainfall, sunshine intensity, pressure) and enable them to track local weather conditions; 
• support our school's attendance at the Boorowa Netball and Touch Carnival later in the year by providing transport for participating children.
• purchase and install a gaga pit for sport and play.

We are actively considering some other ideas, including for using any funds raised through our 2025 activities. Now is therefore an excellent time to tell us what you think would make our school even better! No idea is too big or too small. Please use the QR code below to submit your suggestions, or you can pop them into our 'ideas box' at the front office. 

Finally, the activities that we so much enjoy, including our fundraising events, rely entirely on the efforts of our wonderful St Thomas staff, parent community, and parish. We recognise and sincerely thank you for your contributions and welcome any help that you can offer for future events. Watch this space for calls for volunteers for some exciting upcoming events!

Winter Solstice Celebration – Saturday 21 June

Join us as we celebrate the magic of the Winter Solstice (a little like Christmas in July!) on Saturday 21 June. Now in its third year, this much-loved event has grown in popularity and promises to be another memorable evening for our school community.

Gather around the fire pit with a warm mulled wine and enjoy an array of delicious winter treats - think hot roast beef and pork rolls, Belgian waffles, sticky date or chocolate pudding cups, and classic toffee apples, just to name a few!

There’ll be food, drinks, stalls, live music, and plenty of festive fun for the whole family.

A big thank you to Victoria Town, our incredible coordinator, for her exceptional organisation of the event. If you’re able to lend a hand on the day, we’d greatly appreciate your support.

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. 

Kind Conversations Matter

At St Thomas the Apostle, we value open, respectful communication between families and staff. Our shared goal is always the wellbeing and growth of your child, and we know that strong partnerships make this possible.

We understand that at times, parents may have concerns or questions about their child's learning or experience at school. However, emails that come across as direct, defensive, or emotionally charged can be distressing for our teachers, who are working with the best intentions for every child. Tone can easily be misread in writing, and complex concerns are rarely resolved effectively this way.

If something is worrying you, please call the school to arrange a time to talk. A calm conversation allows both sides to share, listen, and work together constructively. It’s always better – and kinder – than a one-sided exchange over email.

We value communication that is thoughtful and focused on the same goal: supporting every child to thrive.

Late for School

The number of children coming to school late each day has risen significantly recently. School starts with a whole school assembly promptly at 8:50am, and it is crucial that students are in their classrooms, ready to begin the day, by 9am. Arriving on time ensures that your child can start the day with their peers, feeling settled and prepared for the learning ahead. When students are late, it can be unsettling for them, as they miss important instructions and feel out of sync with the rest of the class.

We understand that mornings  can be challenging (especially as the morning become darked and colder) but we  ask that you make every effort to have your children at school on time. If you do arrive any time from 9am (and we certainly understand that there are unavoidable occasions when they will be late), we ask that you please sign them in at the front office and they go to their classroom from there, rather than you taking them to the classroom. This helps minimize disruptions and allows our teachers to continue with their lessons without interruption. If your child needs support getting to their classroom, our Classroom Support Assistants (CSA’s) or Leadership Team teachers are more than happy to assist and ensure they get there safely and happily.

It is easy to think, that it’s only a few minutes, but the following visual shows how quickly that time adds up and is valuable learning time lost.

The Resilience Project

2025 marks the second year that St Thomas the Apostle has partnered with The Resilience Project, a whole school wellbeing program to support positive mental health in the classroom, staffroom and wider community. Each Monday afternoon our students have their weekly lesson to understand and strengthen their practice of Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy. A recent study found that after 7 years of a school implementing a sustained wellbeing program, symptoms of anxiety decrease by 34% and symptoms of depression decrease by 47%. Acknowledging these statistics, we are committed to TRP for the long term! Attached to this newsletter is a welcome letter to TRP along with further information on what GEM and Emotional Literacy is all about.

Winter School Uniform – Dressing for Success

As the colder months settle in, it’s important that all students are dressed appropriately in their winter school uniform to stay warm, comfortable, and ready for learning.

Wearing the correct uniform not only promotes a sense of pride and belonging in our school community, but it also ensures consistency and fairness across all year levels.

Here are a few key reminders for winter:

• Boys are expected to wear long pants as part of the winter uniform.
• On sports days, all students may wear the school tracksuit. It’s fine to wear shorts underneath for when playing sport.
• Runners are for sports days only. On all other days, students must wear black school shoes.
• Girls wearing the tunic can choose either navy tights or white socks—both are part of the correct winter uniform.

We appreciate your support in helping your child wear the correct uniform each day. If you need further clarification, please go to the school website where all the information about the school uniform can be found.

Yours in partnership,

Ursula Jamieson
Principal

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.

Happy Birthday
to the following students and staff
who are celebrating a birthday

Chloe W
Joshua B
Jackson H
Paige K
Arthur C
Elissa L

Jenelia L
Hannah M
Mackenzie W-W
Mrs Bruce