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Dear Parents and Carers,
Students today have extremely busy schedules, with ever increasing responsibilities at school and at home. Many kids, especially adolescents, are going to bed later and later and are at risk of sleep deprivation. This affects three areas of a child’s development: psychological, physiological and psychosocial. All three are essential to a child's growth, learning ability and overall wellbeing. Sleep is vital to a child’s overall health and is as important as diet and exercise.
Sleep also strengthens a child’s immune system and supports their ability to function properly on a daily basis. Children who do not get enough sleep show increased levels of aggressive behaviour, are less attentive and are much less active. Trying to catch up on sleep on weekends is not the answer and can still lead to severe sleep deprivation.
Ensuring our student’s health and wellbeing is operating at the optimal level, it is essential that you monitor their sleep. If you think that your child isn’t getting enough sleep, there are certain signs that you can look out for:
- Being grouchy and irritable during the day.
- Having trouble getting to sleep.
- Sleeping late in the morning.
- Overactive behaviour.
- Regularly falling asleep outside of his/her usual sleep times.
Sabbath Week
As is our custom Week 7 of each term is set aside as our Sabbath Week. This means that there are no meetings and no homework. We don’t count reading as homework so that should continue every night. Perhaps you could change it so that parents do all the reading. Another idea is to turn off technology and play a board game – so many mathematical skills to be used!
Father’s Day
Thank you for coming along to our Father’s Day breakfast. Special thanks to the Yr 3/4 parents for helping out. We could not do what we do without our wonderful parents.
Yours sincerely,
Julie Wiley
Principal.
Battle for Australia Commemoration National Ceremony
Ambassadors of St Thomas More’s Primary School attended the Battle for Australia National Commemoration Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial on 5 September 2018.
The Battle for Australia covers the period from the Malayan campaign and the fall of Rabaul, Singapore and the East Indies, through the Japanese invasion of Papua New Guinea, air and submarine raids on Australian towns and shipping, the 1942 battles of the Coral Sea, Milne Bay, the Kokoda Track and Guadalcanal, up to the recapture of Buna and Gona and the battle of the Bismarck Sea in early 1943. Also remembered are those who contributed to the war effort on the home front and the subsequent campaigns to liberate New Guinea, the Pacific and South East Asia. 2018 marks the 75th Anniversary of the recapture of Papua and the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.
The twelve ambassadors were Years 5 and 6 students, selected to attend the event based on their completion of optional homework: Madeline Beesley, Eva Davidson, Elly Grace, Lacie Hill, Lindsay Holmes, Patrick Keating, Anneleise Keir, Sophie Neighbour, Gabrielle Shoebridge, Sarah Tarleton, Ava Walsh and Siena Weston. Well done to all of these students for your efforts. Their submissions are displayed in the Front Office.
This poem was submitted by Lindsay Holmes.
Hope
In a war that tears apart the world,
hope means a lot of different things
Maybe it’s hoping you win
Or hoping for what the next day brings
You could have a loved one away in the war
Hoping they will survive
Hoping they’d write
Or just that you could once again see them alive
Maybe you’re not fighting with fire and guns
Maybe you’re fleeing from your country
Or hoping for your family to stay alive
Or just hoping for your safety
Maybe you’ve seen things you never wanted to see
Maybe you did something you never wanted to do
So now you’re just hoping for it to end
In a war like this it’s not just you
No matter what you’re hoping for,
We all are
We are all in a battle
The Battle for Australia
Because that is the exact definition of hope
To trust something
To want something
To end something
Like a war
Defence Community Organisation (DCO) Canberra E-News August/September Highlights
What Lifeline Bookfair
When Friday 7- Sunday 9 September
Where Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), Flemington Rd & Northbourne Ave, Mitchell
Info Huge range of books, movies, music, games, comics and more, at low prices! Entry by gold coin donation. Fundraiser for Lifeline’s local 13 11 14 crisis support and suicide prevention service. To find out more follow the link
http://www.act.lifeline.org.au/item/sept‐2018‐bf
Kookaburra Kids
Kookaburra Kids Foundation run a program for Defence kids aged 8–18yrs who have a parent with a mental illness as a result of their military service (serving and ex-serving or spouse). Their Activity Days provide children with an opportunity to participate in activities, meet new friends, learn new skills and have fun. For more information see www.kookaburrakids.org.au . The next event for Canberra area is a primary-aged camp to be held 19-21 October. Contact Nick 6109 0408 or nick.atkin@kookaburrakids.org.au to register.
Feel welcome to visit or contact me on 6249 8869 or send an email to sonja.mingay@cg.catholic.edu.au .
Sonja Mingay
DSTA
Work hours: Mon-Wed 9am-3pm, Thu 9-11am
Pens Against Poverty
Pens Against Poverty is a creative writing competition for students in Years 3-10 living in the Canberra and Southern NSW regions. It is an official activity of Anti-Poverty Week (14-20 October 2018) https://www.antipovertyweek.org.au/about/about-anti-poverty-week and aims to heighten empathy among readers and writers on the topic of poverty. The theme for this year is ‘On the Edge’. Entries of short stories or poems of no more than 500 words will be judged by author Jackie French and Canberra-based poet John Foulcher. Entries close Monday 24 September and must be submitted through Mrs Mingay. This is an optional activity.
Mini Vinnies
Our next Mini Vinnies Meeting will be held on Thursday, 6 September (Week 7) after eating time at lunchtime in the Afters Area. We will be preparing for our Spring-a-Visit to the Southern Cross Apartments which is planned for Friday, 21 September (Week 9).
Feel welcome to visit or contact me on 6249 8869 or send an email to sonja.mingay@cg.catholic.edu.au .
Sonja Mingay
School Chaplain
Work hours: Thu 11am-3pm, Fri 9am-3pm
Art and Wine Show Friday 2/11/18
volunteers to help organise the event
On Friday evening 2 November 2018, the School will hold an art show and wine tasting event. The art show will showcase art produced by children at STM during the year. The wine tasting will include wine from our own family the Kennys and their Murrumbateman family vineyard, Kerralee Estate. Food will be on offer for kids and adults. At this stage there will be a raffle and an auction for a lovely piece of art donated by a parent artist at the school.
There are a few jobs involved in organising the event - both before it and on the night. If you would like to be involved in the planning please let me know at margandmichael@gmail.com and phone 0406377 834. Thank you
Margaret Deerain
Council Chair
Canberra Bach Ensemble
Ticket sales have now opened…
Please visit the concert website to find out all about it!
Good wishes,
Andrew Koll
Ph: 0407 066 304
E: realbach@tpg.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/canberrabachensemble/
Baseball
