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Dear Parents and Carers,
Prayer forms an important part of our day. Every morning we pray as a school community before going into class. The Kinder students are still learning our prayers but they’ll get there! Most days classes from Kinder through to Yr. 6 participate in Christian meditation. Christian Meditation is a contemplative form of prayer that allows children to experience and develop their innate capacity to be open to God. Through silence and stillness of body and mind, children let go of thoughts and move from their ‘heads’ to their ‘hearts’, repeating internally, the sacred word “Maranatha”. It takes them on an inward journey to “be with God” – Centred in Faith.
These occasions of gathering in stillness and silence build community. With God’s grace, our actions begin to show the fruits of this type of prayer – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fidelity, gentleness and self-control.
This morning we attended Mass as a community to mark the beginning of Lent. It was a beautiful celebration and the students were prayerful and reverent. Ash Wednesday is a very important holy day on the Church’s calendar. During the season of Lent, we ask the students to be generous in all they do and to try and do something thoughtful for a friend or family member.
Community Picnic
Please join us for our Welcoming Community Picnic next Thursday (25/02) evening at 6pm. BYO picnic, picnic rug and chairs. Your family will also go in the draw to win a voucher from one of our local businesses. There are 8 to be won.
Centred in Faith Gathering
This Friday we will present our Yr. 6 students with their leadership badges. All Yr. 6 parents are welcome – Holy Faith Hall at 9am.
Head Lice
I would like to advise that a case of head lice has been detected in the school. Please be vigilant in checking your child’s hair. Please also ensure that hair is tied back if below the shoulders. Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Julie Wiley
Principal.
Ash Wednesday Mass
I would like to thank our students for the reverence they displayed at our Ash Wednesday Mass this morning. Thank you to Father Emil for celebrating the Mass with us and Anh, our Youth Minister, who helped me prepare those children who participated in the Mass.
First Reconciliation
Enrolment for those children preparing for the Sacrament of First Reconciliation took place on Sunday. If you would still like to enrol your child please contact the parish.
Centred in Faith Gathering- Year 6 Leadership Ceremony
This Friday at 9:00am in the hall we will induct our new Year 6 leaders. Parents of Year 6 students are invited to attend. However, due to restrictions we are unable to invite parents of children from other year groups. Please ensure that if you are attending our Leadership Ceremony that you check in using the ‘Check in CBR’ app.
Christian Meditation
Yours in Christ,
Samantha Mance
Religious Education Coordinator
I hope everyone has settled back into their school routines with ease and all our students are enjoying their school year and new classes so far. I have been able to get around to all classrooms over the last 3 weeks and introduce myself to your children. Over the next couple of weeks, I will be spending time in each classroom to get to know everyone better. If you have any concerns about how your child/children are settling into this new school year, please let know and I will happy to chat with them and assist in any way I can.
Thank you to everyone who completed the St Thomas More’s DSM Support 2021 Forms, I have updated all contacts put together a 2021 contact list. If you haven’t sent back your form and you would like to receive the defence news please just send it back in at any time.
We have commenced our Thursday Craft and next week I will commence our Deployment Group (craft/Lego sessions) for students with parents away from home or just needing a little extra support. Please let me know if your family has a parent away from home, whether it be deployment, course or exercise and your child would like to attend Deployment Group.
On 31 March 2021, the Royal Australian Air Force will mark 100 years of service to Australia. I have attached a link below as there are some events happening around Canberra to commemorate this momentous occasion. These events will be ticketed due to COVID restrictions and the number of tickets available has not been finalised at present. You can visit the website for further information and/or subscribe to their newsletter.
https://airforce2021.airforce.gov.au/
Please feel welcome to visit me at school or contact me on 6249 8869 or, alternatively, send an email to brenda.galvin@cg.catholic.edu.au
Brenda Galvin
DSM
Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge - CMRC
To keep us all reading - 2021 sees the return of a Reading Challenge to St Thomas More’s. Last year we participated in the MS Readathon with incredible results and fantastic student participation. This year we will embark on the Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge.
Each child from Kinder to Year 6 is ‘challenged’ to read 30 age appropriate books over a 15-week time frame. The challenge commences on the 24 February and ends on the 6 August 2021.
The 30 books can be from class reading and individual reading. Fiction or non-fiction, poetry, audio books, books on SORA, home books and of course, library books. As long as the books are age appropriate.
Tomorrow during Library lessons, students will receive a note outlining the challenge requirements. Please discuss the reading challenge with your child/ren to decide if they wish to participate. If they would like to participate in the challenge, return the form to school at your earliest convenience. I will then send home Individual Student Reading Records with participating students.
Upon the completion of the Record Sheet, please return the form to school and I will collect them. I will then hand out raffle tickets to those that have participated. At the completion of the reading challenge time frame, raffle tickets will be drawn, and prizes will be given to one student per grade level. Winning students will receive a $20 gift voucher to spend on a book from Scholastic book club. I will also provide those who successfully complete the challenge with a certificate and a whole group participation ‘reward’ yet to be determined by consultation with participating students. For example, a special ‘movie’ screening of a much-loved book with popcorn.
Click here for more information about the CMRC.
Click here for a digital copy of Individual Record Sheet
Please contact me at madeleine.reid@cg.catholic.edu.au for any further information.
Fun times ahead!
Madeleine Reid
Librarian
Netball
Sports Camps
Book Club
Jerrabomberra Bus Service
Jerrabomberra and Queanbeyan West families.
QCity transit has a free school bus servicing Jerrabomberra and Queanbeyan West which delivers the children direct to St Thomas More's. The only other school it services is Campbell High. See map below for the route the bus follows. As it is a dedicated school bus, only STM and Campbell High students will be on the bus and there are no stops after leaving Jerrabomberra/Queanbeyan West until the bus reaches the school.
Morning Route Number - S167. The bus commences the service at 7.25 am from Carolyn Jackson Drive.
Afternoon Route Number S179. Pick-up from school is usually around 3.15pm.
Students may apply for a school bus pass by completing an online application form available from the Transport for NSW website.
https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/#/
The bus route can be accessed from the following link: https://qcitytransit.com.au/pdf/school_maps/2932.pdf