Dear Parent and Carers,

I hope your family have been enjoying Sabbath week- free of Home Learning.

We welcome back Julie Wiley on Monday next week. We look forward to hearing all about her adventures overseas. This week she has been at the Australian Principal’s Conference in Adelaide. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my Acting team of Donna Victory (Acting Assistant Principal) and Samantha Mance (Acting Religious Education Coordinator) who have led the school and ensured everything has been running like clockwork. A special mention to Pam Sixsmith who has inspired and nurtured Year 1 in my absence. I look forward to returning to teach them on Monday. 

Father’s Day Breakfast

Thank you for attending this community event last Friday morning. Thank you to the efficient 3/4 Green Parent team of Katie and Jeremiah Gibb, Erin Thuell, Kelly and Alan Davidson, Michael Shoebridge, Margaret Deerain, Fran Keir, Brooke Curtin, Genevieve Cuddihy and Natasha Johnston who prepared, cooked, served, shopped and cleaned up. We appreciate your time and hospitality.

Father’s Day Breakfast- Choir

What a gift- Thank you to Jaki Kane for preparing the choir to sing at the breakfast. Thank you to the choir for your angelic voices and for raising us up to the sound of your sweet voices.

Building Works Holy Faith Hall

The building works created by a water leak have finished and the premises are now operating. The facilities have had a bit of a face lift too. We thank you for your patience and the inconvenience this project may have caused.

Dance Display

It’s getting closer. I hope you have saved the date to attend our dance display on

Wednesday 25^th September at 7pm in Holy Faith Hall.  It should be finished before 8pm.  Costumes notes have gone home to every child and are due Friday September 13 (Week 8)-THAT’S NEXT WEEK!!!

We will be having a barbeque dinner for students and family members prior to the concert. It will start at 6pm. The children will be called to classrooms to dress and prepare for their stage entrance at 6:45 pm. Rear Doors to Holy Faith Hall will open at 6:45pm.  Entry is by a gold coin donation.

We very much appreciate your collaboration with us in making this a special event for our school community and look forward to seeing you at the School Dance display for 2019.

Yours sincerely,

Nicole Mikkonen
Acting Principal

Dance Display 2019
It’s costume time!

Dear Parents,

Costumes need to be at school by Friday Week 8 -  September 13th.

All items must be labelled with your child’s name and in a bag which is also named.

The school will supply all accessories and some parts of the costume.

This year we are also asking for a gold coin donation at the door to support the various costs of the production.

Please speak with the classroom teacher if you have any queries regarding costumes.

Thank you.

Kind regards,

Donna Victory
Acting Assistant Principal

Caritas Australia

This year we once again participated in Caritas Australia’s annual Lenten fund. Last week Caritas Australia acknowledged our $1,243.90 contribution to Project Compassion with a Certificate of Appreciation and a letter acknowledging the St Thomas More’s community’s generosity. 

K and 3/4 Mass

At 10:00am Kindergarten and the 3/4 classes will attend a Parish Mass at the church. Families and friends are most welcome to join the children at this Mass. 

Centred in Faith Gathering

There will be no Centred in Faith Gathering this Friday. 

Kindergarten Prayers

The Kindergarten children have been working hard and have written some wonderful prayers of Thanksgiving. These are two prayers that the Kindergarten children showed 3/4 Green.

Samantha Mance
Acting Religious Education Coordinator

Deployment Groups

Groups are held on Tuesday and Wednesday lunchtimes (after eating time). Please let me know if your family has a Defence parent away (whether it be deployment, course or exercise) and your child would like to attend the Deployment Group.

Battle for Australia Commemoration Ceremony

The Battle for Australia National Commemoration Ceremony was held at the Australian War Memorial on Wednesday, 4 September 2019. The ceremony gives national honour to those who took part in battles in South East Asia and the Pacific during the Second World War to defend Australia from possible invasion by the Japanese.

Six Years 5 and 6 students were selected to attend the event based on completion of optional homework on the topic. They were Amelia Curtin, Isobel Ferguson, Annabelle Graham, Tara Holmes, Lulu McMahon and Bronte Ross. Well done to these students for their willingness to learn about and partake in this ceremony and representing our school. Amelia Curtin receives an honourable mention for her extra effort in presentation of her poster about her Great Great Uncle Bill who served in the Royal Australian Navy and was killed during the Second World War. All submissions are on display in the school foyer.

Date for your Diary

Monday 11 November (Term 4 Week 5) at 9am – Remembrance Day Liturgy.

Defence Community Organisation (DCO) Canberra News

What  Military Christian Fellowship of Australia, Defence Christians’ Dinner 2019

When  Friday, 27 September 2019, 7-10.30pm

Where  ADFA Cadets Mess, Gallipoli Rd, CAMPBELL ACT 2612

Info  Keynote speaker: Chaplain Gary Stone. Published autobiography “Duntroon to Dili – Mayhem and Miracles, Traumatic stress and Trust in God.” For more information:

phone 6266 4950

email mcf.office@defence.gov.au

website https://mcf-a.org.au/events/defence-christians-dinner-2019-canberra/

Bookings http://www.trybooking.com/508117

Sonja Mingay
Defence School Mentor

Work hours: Mon-Wed 9am-3pm, Thu 9-11am

Hot Chocolate Fundraiser

The hot chocolate fundraiser was held before school on Tuesday, 3 September. The money will go toward the St Vincent de Paul Night Patrol Van. Thank you very much for supporting this fundraiser. Special thanks to Ms Mikkonen, Mrs Ogden and Mrs Reid who assisted.

Mini Vinnies

Our next Mini Vinnies Meeting will be held on Friday, 6 September (Week 7) after eating time at lunchtime in the Afters Area. We will be organising our presentation about St Vincent de Paul at the Centred in Learning Gathering on Friday, 27 September (last day of Term 3) which is the Feast Day of St Vincent de Paul.

Seasons for Growth

There are three sessions remaining in Seasons for Growth.

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

Author Visit - Jack Heath

Jack enthralled our students with his humorous and energetic creative writing workshop. He inspired our students to improve their writing skills by highlighting the tricks and tips to writing a great story (coincidentally, Jack also pointed out that these were the same lie detector strategies students could use to identify whether a story is true or not). His tips for writing a GREAT story include:

1. TELL IT OUT OF ORDER
2. USE DIALOGUE 
3. ADD SENSORY DETAIL
4. REVEAL THE NARRATOR’S FLAWS
5. INCLUDE SURPRISES
6. RESEARCH THINGS PROFESSIONALS WOULD KNOW

As many of the students commented, Jack’s visit was awesome! Take a look at some excerpts from our budding authors. Jack and the students brainstormed a basic outline of characters and plot, and from there they were given seven minutes to write a scene from the middle of the story. Receiving expert feedback from Jack was an invaluable experience for our students.

Lisa pointed her hand and murmured a spell to herself. She took a deep breath and plunged hard into the cold, deep water. ‘Ow’, she groaned, clutching her back. This was not the dramatic effect she had been going for. She tried to scream for help, but all that came out was a gurgling sound and a whole lot of bubbles. Really? She thought. I’m underwater, I can’t call for help, and I have to rescue the Prince of Norway. Reluctantly, she swam forward. Deeper and deeper, into the depths of the ocean.

• By Leah Shoebridge 

Jasmine held the gun unwillingly, she was a princess, not a killer. ‘C’mon Jasmine, you can kill a witch...right?’ She cocked the gun and ventured through the deadly, eerie forest. Sandy heard a plane roar over the clouds. ‘Shut up will ya!’ The war had driven this witch insane. Sandy sharpened her knife with a nail-biting screech. ‘She’s just a princess, couldn’t count how many of those spoiled brats I’ve killed before.’ Sandy saw a twitch behind a tree, she crept closer and closer until she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. ‘Surprise!’ Jasmine said as she shot another bullet in her direction. Sandy scuttled behind the tree.

• By Rhys Davids

For the trial, the elders had cast a powerful spell to last one night. Everything in the woods had its own mind and will for twelve hours. This was why Ariella Rose needed to get home. The elders were trying to kill her. They had cast a spell in the hope that she would die before she reached her mother. Her mother who was also secretly working on the side of the elders.

• By Eva Davidson

Finn dived into the ocean, hoping to find the cage Rebecca was in. ‘Help! Help!’ There was a scream from a big, lost and broken plane. Swimming towards the plane, he thought he saw a familiar face. Just as he started to swim again, he heard a splash. ‘Ahhhh! I’m getting pulled by the ankles!’ Finn turned his head to see who was pulling at his ankles. ‘The Lord of Evil. My name is Nemesis.’  

• By Lachlan Jaensch

Madeleine Reid
Librarian

Book Club

Touch Football

Holiday Workshops

Orienteering