Acting Principal's Report
Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back! We have had an engaging start to Term 3. It is wonderful to see and hear the children Centred In their Learning as they begin the new term and new semester. I look forward to my Acting Principal role for the next seven weeks while Julie Wiley is on leave.
Thank you for making time to collaborate with the teachers in Week 10 of last term to set goals and discuss your child’s learning as well as their personal and social capabilities. The teachers appreciate the partnerships these opportunities build, as they work together with families to ensure your child is being their best and reaching their potential.
Centred In Learning and Centred In Faith Gatherings
We regularly gather each Friday morning to present awards and to pray as a school community. We would like to rename these experiences to align them more fully with our school vision and current education practices. When we gather to be Centred In Learning, we will affirm student contributions and effort in their learning. These affirmations will still be presented and celebrated with the whole school in Holy Faith Hall. The students will be presented with a certificate which outlines an affirmation from their teacher. These affirmations will highlight their application to their learning as well as affirm how they have been a person of Wisdom, Courage or Peace. The recipients will be published in the More Reminders newsletter, which is emailed on Wednesdays in even weeks of the school term.
This week the teachers and students have developed criteria for these affirmations and compiled a list to identify what Centred in Faith and Centred In Learning means for them and how they demonstrate and witness this every day.
Centred In Faith Gatherings occur in odd weeks each term. A class leads the school in prayer and reminds us of our Patron Saint, St Thomas More and how he was a person of Wisdom, Courage and Peace and how we can live our faith and grow these core values. The name change also acknowledges the community aspect of school we build and value.
Athletics Carnival
Thank you to parents and carers who have volunteered to assist us at the Athletics Carnival next Friday August 2nd. If you have offered your help, and do not have a WWVP card, please come to the office before the carnival to complete a statutory declaration. We thank you for your help. It is not possible to run such events without it.
The carnival is held at Merici College.
Parent helpers
A reminder to please sign in and out at the front office when you come to help at the school. The front office also needs a copy of your current Working With Vulnerable People card. Please print and wear the visitor sticker.
ICAS
Students in Year 3-6 received a note on Monday about entering the NSW competitions. Registration is optional and must be completed online this year. Please refer to the note for further details.
Hats on
A reminder that hats need to be worn from August 1st- which is next Thursday. It is particularly important on Friday August 2nd when we are outdoors for the Athletics carnival. Hats are available for purchase from the front office.
National Peace Project
Thanks to Sonja Mingay for organising some of our children to part of the Australian War Memorial Peace Project last Friday July 19th. See Sonja’s piece in the newsletter for photos and information. Thank you to parents for supporting this and for the following children who graciously represented our school: Elise Clark, Timothy Copeland, Ava Davis, Sophia Ellis, Faith, Mia and Ava Gibb, Ethan Golder, Sora and Mary Golding, Lacie Hill, Lachlan Jaensch, Charli Morris, Ewan Owen, Dashel Spiller and Ava Thuell.
Grandparent’s Day
This Friday we welcome Grandparents and Grandfriends to visit as well as acknowledge and celebrate their valuable and special role in our lives. We will begin with prayer and a blessing at 8:50 am and invite them to visit classrooms between 9 and 9:40. Morning tea is available for Grandparents in Holy Faith Hall at 9:45.
Survey
An annual satisfaction survey of parents, students and staff will be conducted on behalf of all Catholic schools in the Diocese this term. The surveys are designed to gather feedback from parents, staff and students about our school and will be used to inform school improvement. Responses are confidential and individuals can not be identified.
The surveys will be launched via email on 29th July and close August 9th using the email addresses supplied to the school. If you do not receive an email with a link to the survey, you can access and complete the survey at the following: https://www.research.net/r/stthomasmoresparent2019
Yours Sincerely,
Nicole Mikkonen
Acting Principal
nicole.mikkonen@cg.catholic.edu.au