Term 3 - Week 4 - Newsletter

Prayer of the Week

Image retrieved from https://sharecatholic.com/blog/a-prayer-for-our-school 

From the Principal

Last week we celebrated Catholic Education Week. This annual event is held to promote the special ethos of Catholic schools and to highlight the great things that take place in Catholic schools every day.

The theme for this year’s celebrations was: Communities of Faith, Hope and Love.

Catholic education strives to make a difference in the lives of those in our schools and in the wider community by challenging young people to live out the message of Jesus and to reach their full potential as compassionate, contributing, life-giving members of society.

One of our key events for Catholic Education Week was our Get Set for Prep morning. We hosted many of our new and prospective students and families to allow them to experience some of what St Thomas More’s has to offer. It was a very important step for the children and their families as they commence their journey with us. Thanks to the staff and parents who assisted with the morning and provided such a warm welcome to the new families.

At our Catholic Education Week Prayer Celebration, we recognised Margy Heuschele and Leah Gierke who were nominated for the Spirit of Catholic Education Award and Anita Roberts who is a finalist in the TCS Excellence in Teaching awards.

God Bless

Mr Micael Cash 

Principal 

From our APRE

We had a great time celebrating Catholic Education Week last week. Thank you to 4 Red and Miss Benvenuti for kicking off our celebrations by leading the whole school in a CEW Prayer Celebration. Congratulations again to Mrs Leah, Mrs Heuschele and Ms Roberts on your CEW Award nominations. Ms Roberts, we have our fingers crossed for you!

STM was very excited to welcome a large number of Pre-Prep children and families along to our Get Set for Prep Day last week. Thank you to our Prep Team, Mrs Skinner, Mrs Jones, Mrs Heuschele, our parent helpers and Darcy and Ava for all your work supporting this special event! It is wonderful to be able to welcome new families in to see what STM is all about!

During Term 2, we had a group of Year 6 students submit entries for the Australian Catholics Young Voices Awards. Students needed to pick a topic of interest to them and submit a written or video response highlighting the issue. Well done to all our students who submitted entries and a special congratulations to Ava for receiving a highly commended on her entry about women’s rights. You may see Ava in the next issue of the Australian Catholic Magazine, so make sure you keep an eye out for her!

On Monday, August 8th, we celebrate the Feast Day of St Mary MacKillop. St Mary MacKillop is a special saint to STM for a few reasons. We join Catholic schools across Australia to celebrate Mary's feast day because she is Australia's first and only saint. We also celebrate the life and teaching of Mary MacKillop at STM because our school was founded by the Sisters of St Joseph, an order of nuns founded by Mary MacKillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods. In the week of Mary's feast day, classes will be learning about Mary MacKillop. We will also join together in prayer to celebrate Mary MacKillop. See details below. 

Mary MacKillop Feast Day Mass

Monday, August 8th at 11:30 am 

Prep - Year 6 to attend in the Sportscentre

Families welcome

The Birmingham Commonwealth Games began last Thursday, July 28th.  On Thursday, August 4th we encourage our school community to come dressed in their best green and gold clothes to show support for our Aussie athletes competing at the games this year. This is purely a show of support, so no gold coins are needed! Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! 

God Bless.

Miss Kristin Byrne

Assistant Principal: Religious Education

Matilda Update

Matilda rehearsals each week for me are an absolute pleasure! Each and every class and main cast member have been working so hard over the past ten weeks or so and everything is really starting to come together beautifully! If you have not purchased your tickets yet, make sure you get in ASAP! Tickets are selling fast and this is not a show you want to miss!

I am currently in the process of putting together the booklet for the show and would like each main cast member to write a short bio to be included. An example of this and details on how to get this to me have been posted on the Matilda Jnr Team. If any adults of our main cast members would like to be added to the Team, please send me an email and let me know!

I will continue to leave our costumes summary in the newsletter over the next few weeks. Please remember if you don’t have these items at home and are not able to be able to purchase or borrow them, please let Mrs Deb and I know. We don’t expect families to purchase anything for the show that they won’t be able to use again.

Most classes won’t need any props for their numbers except 4 Gold. Each student in 4 Gold will need to bring in a small toy to use as part of their number. This toy will stay at school until the show is over, so please send something in that is not needed over the next month or so. Please ensure toys are clearly named!

Tickets for our STM production of Matilda Jnr are on sale now. Our sincere apologies for the confusion regarding ticketing for our STM students for Matilda Jnr. Please see below ticketing options for the Lower School and Upper School students ...

Lower School
Prep – Year 3 student participation in the performances of the school musical is optional. Students will have the opportunity to join in the final number of the show if they wish. They have been learning this song in class time with Miss Byrne. If Prep – Year 3 children are attending the show with their families, they will be invited to come forward and perform the last number at the end of the show. This means children from Prep – Year 3 who are attending either evening performance will need to have a free ticket ‘purchased’ for them. They can wear whatever clothes they would like.

Upper School
Children in Year 4 – Year 6 will be in at least two numbers during the show and therefore will be supervised by school staff during the show. They will not need tickets purchased for them. Costume details for students in Year 4 – Year 6 have been shared in the newsletter. Our preference is that children in Year 4 – Year 6 attend both evening performances, however we do understand this may not be possible for all families. If families are not attending the show, students in Year 4 – Year 6 can be dropped off at school before the show starts and collected when the show is over.

I hope this clears up any confusion around the ticketing for our STM students. If anyone has any further questions around Matilda Jnr, please feel free to contact the school office or Miss Byrne.

You can purchase tickets from trybooking using the link below. Tickets are selling fast, so get in now so you don't miss out!

https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/934206 

Week 4 Rehearsal Schedule 

Week starting August 1st 

Teaching and Learning News

This Tuesday, staff will be participating in a writing Twilight Professional Development session provided by our Educational Support Officers from TCEO, Sue Keefer and Julie Henderson. This Professional development will provide teachers with further strategies to support their teaching of writing in the classroom as part of the Writing Improvement Strategy.

To continue to enhance the home/school connection when it comes to writing, below you will find some suggestions around developing a writing growth mindset in your child and suggestions for engaging students in writing activities at home.  

Developing a writing Growth Mindset   

• Read your child's writing to your child or have them read their writing to you and make positive comments such as, 'I like the way you've described this.’   
• Praise your child for having a go at writing words that are new and show them how to spell harder words that they may not have been able to spell. Encourage your child to think of ‘Tier 3’ vocab words to enhance their writing – instead of ‘big’ you could use ‘enormous;  
• Engage your child in oral language activities. Oral language lays the foundation for the reading and writing skills children will develop as they enter and progress through school.   
• Play word games such as I spy, Scrabble, Boggle, Scattergories and do crossword puzzles to help develop spelling and vocabulary for writing.  
• Acknowledge mistakes your child makes. Mistakes are an important part of learning. Recent research has shown that our brains grow the most when we make mistakes.  

Suggestions for engaging children in writing activities at home. 

• Have your child label and describe things that they design or make.  
• Compile a photo album or scrapbook with your child and have them write captions for the photos and pictures.  
• Encourage your child to keep a diary of special events, eg a holiday diary with details of how and where they went and what they enjoyed, etc.  
• Make the writing of notes, letters and stories on paper or the computer a normal part of family life. This can also include composing emails to send to family members.  
• Make a shopping list before going grocery shopping.  

Thanks for reading,

Patricia Wardle

(Middle Leader/Learning Support Teacher) 

Visit by Registered Nurse for Free Prep Vision Screening

Good vision is important for a child’s educational, physical and social development. Vision screening checks for common eye conditions that may impact your child’s ability to see and therefore impact their learning and development.

A Registered Nurse will be visiting the school on August 30^th 2022 to conduct vision screening for children in their prep year. Your child does not need a Medicare card in order to participate in screening.  If you wish to have your prep child participate in this free vision screening program, please complete a consent form by August 28^th 2022.  Online or paper consent forms are available.  Online consent forms were sent via email to all prep families on Monday 1^st August. If you wish to complete a paper consent form, please request a copy from your child’s class teacher. We also have copies available at the school office. Parents do not need to be present for screening, however if you would like to be, please contact the school to arrange this.

If your child’s vision is screened, you will be advised of the results in writing. If a vision concern is found, you will receive a phone call from the nurse to discuss referral to an eye health professional for further assessment. If a vision concern is identified and your child requires glasses, eligible health care card holders may be assisted with free basic glasses through the Spectacle Supply Scheme.

Participation in vision screening is not compulsory. If you do not wish for your child to participate in screening, please complete the consent form and indicate that you wish to decline screening.

If you have any questions, please contact the Primary School Nurse Health Readiness Program on 1800 687 372.

Write a Poem -Enter a Competition

To support sustainability and celebrate Schools Tree Day on 29 July, we’re inviting all students and teachers to enter the POEM FOREST Prize. For every nature poem received, we’ll plant a native tree at the Australian Botanic Garden. 

• What: Write a poem, plant a tree. 
• Who:  The POEM FOREST Prize is open to young people 18 and under and accredited teachers.
• How: Download our free Learning Resource to guide young people in creating their own nature poem. Submit poems into the POEM FOREST Prize to have them published, see a tree planted and go in the running for exciting prizes including $500 cash for each category. 
• Where: Full details and entry form on the POEM FOREST webpage.
• When: Entries close 23 September.
• Why: We plant a native tree at The Australian Botanic Garden for every poem received. The easiest way to plant a tree and help heal country is to write a poem! All poets will be in the running for $5,000 worth of prizes including a $500 cash prize, book packs, plants and more. 

Thanks for helping us grow the POEM FOREST and heal habitats for future generations. We can’t wait to read your students’ poems

From our Sport Desk

God bless,

Stacey Hancock

HPE Teacher 

Regional Disability EXPO

Call out to all teacher aids, teachers, carers, parents, students and greater school community…

The RDE- Regional Disability Expo is coming to Toowoomba.

SPREAD THE WORD!!!

This event brings the disability community together to celebrate, empower, learn, share and experience the latest technologies and products available to people living with a disability and their carers all in one central space. This is a truly unique experience not to be missed!

Areas covered by Exhibitors include:

• Health and Fitness
• Employment and Education
• Post School Options
• Advocacy
• Social Activities and Recreation
• Transport and Vehicles
• Independent Living Services and Products
• Assistance Products
• Support Service Providers
• NDIS Services

For individuals register your FREE attendance for this event, by clicking  HERE.

STM Family Event

Come join the fun.  Lets do it together.

From the Library

Book Week Theme Heads Up

This year the Book Week theme is “Dreaming with Eyes Open”.  So, for our Book Week dress up day, students can come dressed as something they dream of doing or would like to be. Some examples include:

• Playing netball for Australia
• Flying to the moon
• Climbing Mount Everest
• Becoming a doctor, painter, mechanic, chef.
• Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef.

The students will also need a book to accompany their outfit so it might be a non-fiction book the moon, netball or the Great Barrier Reef.

Root Cause – Children’s Health Summit

This week STM was asked to give a presentation, together with other schools, about our healthy eating and sustainability initiatives at the Root Cause Children’s Health Summit at the Toowoomba City Library.  Root Cause invited a staff member, two students and a parent representative to attend.  Emilia Dewar (Year 5) and Zoe Riggs (Year 4) helped me to give our presentation which was very well received by the other schools and organisations in attendance. It was also fantastic to have Kylie Haywood representing our parents. After the presentations we were then in working groups brainstorming how to put some ideas into practice.  I was immensely proud of Emilia and Zoe.  They spoke extremely well and actively participated in the group discussion.  Toowoomba City Councillor, Tim McMahon, was very impressed with their notetaking skills as they jotted down ideas to bring back to school. As a thank you gift we were presented with an orange tree to plant at school.   The Summit was a wonderful opportunity to gather ideas and network with other schools in the surrounding area.

Please dont park over driveways

We ask that parents/caregivers please be mindful when parking inthe street to collect children from school.   Please make sure your are parking legally at all times and not blocking any driveways.  Please keep everyone safe by asking children to exit and enter cars via the kirbside where possible.

Term 3 Fee's

Statements with Term 3 Fee's have been issued.  If you are having any trouble accessing your email, please contact the office.  Term 3 Fees are Due by week 9.

When am I allowed to park in a disabled parking spot?

1. If one of the members of the family has a
   disability parking permit (DPP) and are in the
   vehicle to collect the student or is the student, they must show the DPP on the windscreen every time they are in the car at pick up.
   
2. Every car that parks in an accessible parking spot must have a disability parking permit (DPP) displayed. The DPP holder may be a passenger or driver. If the person needing the use of the permit isn’t in the car, then the permit can’t be used so the car can’t be parked in an accessible parking space.
3. The vehicle with the person with the DPP, to collect the student, they have full rights to use the disabled parking space.
4. Members of the public who don’t have a DPP and choose to park in a disable parking space can be told to leave that space by the school staff. The accessible parking space will need to be empty if
   no-one with a DPP is parking there.

Instrumental Music

Is your child interested in learning a musical instrument?

The Instrumental Music Program is recommencing this semester in Week 5. We will be welcoming Niamh Stevens as a private music tutor to St Thomas More’s. Niamh teaches piano, violin, guitar and percussion. Niamh has just completed a Bachelor of Creative Arts, majoring in Music. Niamh has experience teaching a range of musical styles and can guide students through the AMEB (Australian Music Examinations Board) syllabus.

Learning a musical instrument has many benefits in the areas of maths and language skills, memory, attention, concentration, self-discipline and enjoyment of music. Please see the link for more information on the benefits. https://www.learningpotential.gov.au/articles/musical-benefits

Parents and children will need to commit to daily practice on their instrument, and attendance at weekly lessons. Students will also require music tutor books as selected by the teacher. Fees are set and paid directly to the music tutor. The school has a number of violins available for hire.

If you are interested in your child learning an instrument, please complete an Expression of Interest form (see link below or contact the office) and return to the school by Wednesday, 3^rd August.

Classroom Newsletters

From our Tuckshop

Open every Friday.  Please place your childs order through FlexiSchools by 12pm Thursdays and please supply a Paper Bag for your childs order.

Have you filled out your enrolment forms?

From our Uniform Shop

The Uniform Shop will be back to normal hours this term.

Monday 8.00am – 8.30am

Wednesday afternoon – By Appointment

Friday 8.00am – 8.30am

If these times don’t work for you please email your order through to THOuniform@twb.catholic.edu.au and the orders will be at the office for collection at your convenience.

Needs some uniform alternations?

A hem taken up?  A skirt taken down?  Some buttons adjust on a shirt?   Give Mrs Fix It a ring and see if she can help.   

From our P&F

If you can't make it in person, you can attend via Zoom.

Have you ever wondered what information you should be sharing with your child's teachers? How to help your child through a transition at school? How to build a great relationship with their teacher?

The Catholic School Parent's QLD Parent Engagement website has some great quick reads for parents and teachers to help create a positive and rewarding school journey.

Read them here: https://www.parentengagementcspa.edu.au/

Thank you!

A huge thank you to Westridge Fruit and Vegetables for their continued support with the donation of fresh fruit every week for our students!

Important Dates to Remember for Term 3

Parish News

In our Community

School of Rock!!

This year Toowoomba Choral Society will be performing "School of Rock - The Musical" based on the hit 2003 film, from Fri 9th - Sun 11th Sept. Our cast not only includes adults BUT 26 local children "split" into 2 fabulous  casts. These children will feature in a a sensational live rock band just like in the movie! Check out our cast list!

Attached some information for you including the School of Rock "Education Guide" and tickets can be purchased from the Empire Box office directly or online at: https://www.empiretheatre.com.au/event/1044/School%20of%20Rock