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STM NEWS | Term 2, Week 1, 2025

Dear Families, welcome back to Term 2!

We hope the holiday break allowed a time for you and your child/ children to refresh and recharge for the term ahead. We are excited for another busy term ahead and look forward to working in partnership with you all. This term we will celebrate many special events including Mother’s Day, Catholic Education Week, Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week. Please keep a look out for notifications via seesaw for opportunities to be involved or chat to your child/children about these events.

While we celebrated Easter Sunday during the school holidays, the liturgical season of Easter continues in our church and school life, up until the Feast of Pentecost (June 8th). We hope your family had a blessed Easter and found time to reflect and be reminded upon the passion, suffering and emergence of new life through the Resurrection of Jesus. Last term we commemorated our Holy Week events through a series of activities and this term have culminated this period with our Resurrection Liturgy held on Tuesday. We are grateful to the staff and students who contributed to ensure we were able to listen, learn and reflect o this most Holy time in our church

Pope Francis

As a community we join with the global Catholic community in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. Pope Francis had an unwavering commitment to education as a path to peace, justice and human dignity. Pope Francis cared deeply about people who are struggling, especially the poor, the young, and those who feel left out. He believed that education has the power to change lives, and his vision aligns with what Catholic schools aim to do—help children grow in knowledge, faith, and kindness.

Through programs like the Global Compact on Education, Pope Francis encouraged schools and families to work together, putting children at the center of learning and faith. He wanted education to be built on teamwork, respect, and care for the world we live in. Under his leadership, Catholic educators were encouraged to teach with love, understanding, and hope—helping young people strengthen their faith and find joy in the message of the Gospel. Pope Francis inspired children and families to live with courage and compassion, always looking out for one another. His legacy will continue to guide our work in Catholic schools, and we pray for the conclave as they discern our next Religious Leader.

Eternal rest be granted to Pope Francis and perpetual light shine upon him.

Sports Day

On the last day of Term 1 we we came together as a school community to celebrate SPORTS DAY. The weather was perfect, and it was a wonderful day of action and fair play. What a treat it was to see our school buzzing with families, eagerly cheering the classes on. We acknowledge to efforts of Mr Cristian Morgado who put in hours of work behind the scenes to make this day possible. On the day, our teams were gaining points for the honour of taking out the House and Spirit Cup. Congratulations to Coolock and Barry for the tie on wining the House Cup with 900 points and to Coolock for winning the Spirit Trophy with a huge 7750 points. The spirit of teamwork, determination, and sportsmanship was truly commendable… More photos from the day, are on their way…soon!

Caring for Our Earth: A School-Wide Effort

This term, our school is embracing a shared commitment to ecology and stewardship, inspired by Laudato Si‘s call to care for our common home. Every class has the chance to earn tokens by keeping our school clean, reinforcing the importance of respecting our environment and taking action for a healthier planet.

Leading the charge, Ms. Haros’ class kicked off this initiative by tackling the front of the school, collecting an incredible six bags of rubbish! Their dedication has set a fantastic example for us all, and they are the first to earn tokens for their class box.

Let’s follow their lead and do our part—every small action makes a big difference!

The Importance of Regular School Attendance

Attending school every day is essential for a child’s academic success, personal growth, and social development. Consistent attendance helps students build strong learning foundations, develop good habits and routines, and form lasting friendships. It also encourages resilience, responsibility, and a positive attitude toward lifelong learning.

However, frequent late arrivals and early pick-ups can disrupt both student learning and classroom routines. When students arrive late, they miss out on important instruction, making it harder to catch up. Similarly, early departures interrupt lessons and can impact the focus of the entire class. For teachers, managing these disruptions means adjusting lesson plans and supporting students to reconnect with their learning.

To maximize learning time and create a more effective classroom environment, we encourage families to reduce late arrivals and early departures where possible. Every moment in the classroom contributes to a child’s development, and ensuring they are present for the full day allows them to make the most of their education.

Let’s work together to support consistent attendance and give every child the best opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive!

Learning Conversations in Week 3

We remind families to ensure you book a time for our upcoming Parent-Teacher Interviews. These valuable learning conversations will take place from Monday to Wednesday in Week 3.

Attending these interviews and working in partnership with teachers is essential for a child’s continuous development. These discussions provide insight into your child’s progress, strengths, and areas for growth, ensuring we can support their learning journey together. When parents and teachers collaborate, children receive a consistent and encouraging environment both at school and at home, helping them thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

If you encounter any difficulties booking or require assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher who will be happy to assist you. We look forward to seeing you and working together to support your child’s learning.

Learn More

Mother’s Day

We take this opportunity to wish all our Mums and mother figures a very HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY for next Sunday. As we prepare to celebrate the amazing women in our school community, we want to take a moment to recognise the love, dedication, and strength you bring to your families every day. Your kindness and care make a world of difference, and we can’t wait to honour you this Mother’s Day! Please make sure you pop into school on Monday morning, 12th May for a small treat!

Mid Year Reception Intake

A reminder that if your child turns 5 on or before the 31st October 2025, they are eligible to start school from Term 3. If you have not enrolled yet, it is vital that you contact our Front Office immediately. It is very important that this process starts early to guarantee your child a position in our school. Places are filling fast! Please contact our Front Office for more information.

We wish everyone a wonderful Term 2 and look forward to working with you.

Shaping our future together,
The Leadership Team

Faith and Community

A message from our APRIM: Melissa Musolino

Liturgical Calendar Information

A Liturgical Calendar shows the cycle of seasons in the Catholic Church. The Church year consists of six liturgical seasons: Advent, Christmas, Ordinary Time after Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Ordinary Time after Pentecost. In each newsletter we aim to highlight different events in the Liturgical Calendar that we might be focusing on or celebrating in our school. This term we celebrate many feast days that occur in our liturgical calendar. A feast day is a day when we remember and celebrate something or someone important to our faith.

Special celebrations that we focus on during classroom and whole school prayer throughout term 2 and those that come up in our liturgical calendar include:

Week 3
  • Catholic Education Week
  • Feast of the Ascension
  • Mother’s Day
Week 4
  • World Day for Cultural Diversity
  • Laudato Si Week
Week 5
  • National Sorry Day
  • Reconciliation Week
Week 6
  • Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ
  • World Environment Day
Week 7
  • Feast of Pentecost
Week 8
  • Feast of the Trinity
  • World Refugee Day
  • Feast of St. Thomas More
Week 9
  • Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ
Week 10
  • NAIDOC Week

Holy Week and the Season of Easter

Towards the end of term one each year, we turn our focus towards remembering the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus. This year staff and students remembered the story of Holy Week by creating an art piece for our St. Thomas More Art Exhibition. Each class represented part of the story including Jesus entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, Jesus washing the feet of the disciples and sharing his last meal. Jesus praying in the garden, his death of the cross and being placed in the tomb.

We thank students from Year 5/6 Trimboli, with the help of Mrs Villano our Art teacher, for preparing and leading the reenactment of the Stations of the Cross.

During class learning, students in Year 1 CC worked on retelling what they remembered about the story of Holy Week…

On Palm Sunday, Jesus sent the two disciples to get one donkey. On Holy Thursday, Jesus said, whoever eats this bowl with me will take me to the soldiers. On Good Friday Jesus died on the cross and the sky turned black for three hours. On Easter Sunday someone said, can I take the body. – Mason Year 1CC

Jesus rode a donkey to Jerusalem. Jesus and the disciples had the last dinner together. Jesus died on the cross for the people and they said, ‘Are you really the Son of God’. Two people came to the cave and Jesus wasn’t there. – Ivanah 1CC

Jesus rode a donkey to Jerusalem. Jesus and the disciples had a meal. Jesus said, ‘This is my blood.’ ‘This is my body’. Jesus died on the cross with a big yell. The ladies came one by one looking for Jesus’ body. Jordan 1CC

On Palm Sunday people were spreading leaves on the floor. On Holy Thursday Jesus knew that it was their last meal together. On Good Friday, Jesus died on the cross. On Easter Sunday the girls came to the cave to see Jesus. – Kayleigh 1CC

Season of Easter

Christ is Risen! Alleluia! As we return to school in term 2, the season of Easter has begun. Easter is not just one day. It is a whole season of 50 days, which will last until the Feast of Pentecost. We take even longer to celebrate Easter than we took during Lent to prepare for it. During this time, we are reminded over and over how close the risen Jesus is to us. Easter is about new life, and we rejoice in the new life of Jesus. Easter is about light overcoming darkness. At the Easter Vigil, the paschal candle was lit. This candle will burn brightly for the 50 days of Easter. It is a symbol of the risen Jesus, the ‘Light of the world’.

Pope Francis

Staff and students of St. Thomas More join the universal Church in mourning the passing of His Holiness, Pope Francis.

A shepherd of deep faith, compassion and humility, Pope Francis dedicated his life to serving God’s people and advocating for the poor, the marginalised and the dignity of all human life. Pope Francis was a tireless witness to the Gospel, always reminding us of God’s mercy and calling us to a life of love and service. His leadership and pastoral heart have left an indelible mark on the Church and the world. May Pope Francis rest in peace, and may his legacy of love, justice, and peace continue to inspire the faithful around the world.

Mother’s Day

On Monday May 13, we celebrate Mother’s Day. Come and join our staff for a tea or coffee in the yard before school as we give thanks for our mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, God mothers, aunts and anyone who is like a mother to us.

Elizabeth Catholic Parish

Please click on the link to access the parish bulletin to find out about events happening within the Elizabeth Catholic Parish: Bulletin – Elizabeth Catholic Parish

Sacrament Program

The Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, Confirmation and Eucharist form the Sacraments of Christian Initiation. If your child is 7 years of age (or older) and you would like them to be involved in the program for 2025, please contact Melissa Musolino. The program will begin in Term 2 and begins with a Commissioning Mass for all those who would like to complete the program. The Sacrament Program Commissioning Mass at St. Thomas More Church | Saturday May 3 at 6pm St Thomas More Church OR Sunday May 4 at 10am St. Thomas More Church.

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