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STM NEWS | Term 2, Week 7, 2025

Dear Families,

As we step into Week 7 of the term, we find ourselves embracing a sudden change in the weather—a reminder of the beauty and unpredictability of the seasons! We certainly give thanks for the rain and the way it rejuvenates the environment around us. We know how desperate some parts of our state have been for decent rainfall so to hear the sometimes, heavy drops on the roof over the weekend was very welcome!

Just as the weather shifts, so too does the journey of learning, with each child progressing at their own pace, growing in confidence and knowledge. Across the school, teachers are diligently preparing Semester 1 reports, capturing the learning achievements and ongoing assessments that reflect the hard work of our students. We celebrate the progress each child makes in their own way, acknowledging the dedication and perseverance they bring to their learning. These reports provide a detailed summary of your child’s progress with a comment and grade for Religious Education, Mathematics and English as well as a General Comment. All other subject areas are marked with an overall grade. We anticipate that you already have a good understanding of your child’s progress as this was discussed in depth at our recent Parent Teacher Interviews. Students will bring home their Semester 1 Report in Week 10.

. . .

Last Sunday, we celebrated a significant moment in our faith journey—The Feast of Pentecost, a time to celebrate the birthday of our Church and the gift of the Holy Spirit among us. The Feast of Pentecost is a moment for reflection and gratitude, strengthening our community in faith and unity. For many of our younger students, they know this day as when the disciples could suddenly speak in ‘tongues’ (different languages) and they had a flame appearing on their heads – both representing the Holy Spirit. For others, they know this day as the day the ‘Church’ started. This is when people started to go forth, around the world and spread the message of Jesus. May we all be beacons of hope and life within our school and wider community, spreading the gospel message of love.

. . .

Celebrating National Reconciliation Week through Art. National Reconciliation Week (May 27 – June 3) is a powerful opportunity for all Australians to reflect on our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to strengthen our commitment to reconciliation. At St Thomas More School, we embraced this significant week by engaging students in a creative and educational project that highlighted the stories and contributions of remarkable Indigenous Australians. Each class was allocated one inspiring Indigenous figure to research, discuss, and explore. Through these discussions, students learned about their impact and significance, gaining a deeper understanding of the rich contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across various fields, including sports, music, activism, and art.

To bring this learning to life, each student created their own portrait of their class’s allocated figure—resulting in a stunning collection of unique artworks. With every class contributing 20 or more portraits, our school transformed St Mary’s Building into a vibrant art gallery, showcasing the lives and legacies of 12 incredible Indigenous Australians. Among the figures celebrated were Jessica Mauboy, an award-winning singer and actress; Cathy Freeman, an Olympic gold medalist and sporting icon; Patrick Mills, an Olympian and professional basketball player; and Adam Goodes, a legendary AFL player and campaigner. Students also discovered the artistry and influence of musicians such as Baker Boy, Barkaa, and Thelma Plum, as well as the sporting prowess of Ashleigh Barty, Lionel Rose, and Lance Franklin.

Walking through the gallery, students and staff immersed themselves in the stories behind each portrait, appreciating the strength, talent, and resilience of these figures. The project not only deepened our understanding of Indigenous achievements but also reinforced the importance of reconciliation in our hearts, minds, and actions. This initiative has been a meaningful way to honour National Reconciliation Week, ensuring that the spirit of reconciliation continues beyond this one week. Through art, discussion, and education, we celebrate diversity, encourage respect, and commit to building a more inclusive and united future for all Australians. Thank you to all students and teachers for your enthusiastic participation in this initiative—we are proud to see our school engaged in such a powerful and creative expression of reconciliation.

National Reconciliation Week – Celebrating through Art

. . .

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our School Volunteers and seek to strengthen the vital role of volunteers within our school. Caregivers are encouraged to explore ways to become involved as registered volunteers, supporting our students and enriching school life. Your time and contributions make a meaningful difference, and we welcome new volunteers to join us in building a strong, engaged community.

. . .

Finally, we welcome back Mrs Rubino from her leave and exciting trip to Rome. Vicki had the wonderful opportunity to be present in St Peter’s square when our New Pope Leo addressed the community for the first time.

Wishing you all a wonderful few weeks ahead.

Shaping our future together,
The Leadership Team

Late Arrival and Early Pickups

Providing a supportive and high-quality learning environment is key to student growth and success. Recently we have seen a significant increase in students arriving late and leaving early which is recorded on the attendance records for our school, reported termly to government authorities. A key part of your child’s education is full attendance. Students are expected to be at school from 8.45am until 3.00pm each day unless they are genuinely unwell.

While we understand some appointments must occur during school time or you may need to pick up your child early on occasions, our office staff will only call your child over once you have arrived to ensure we maximise the learning time and minimise disruptions in class and in the front office. Students will not be called over early to wait in the office.

Consistent attendance has the greatest impact on learning, positive peer relationships and establishing good habits and routines for the future. Arriving late and leaving early disrupts the whole class learning environment and means students miss critical instructions, explicit teaching, independent practice and group work. Over time, this may lead to learning gaps, lower confidence and social isolation.

Example: A student who mises 20 minutes of learning time each day, misses 65 hours of learning over the year – equivalent to two full weeks of school.

We seek all families support in providing the best possible learning time for all children.

Welcoming our Mid-Year Receptions

Exciting times ahead as our mid-year Receptions begin very soon! Our teachers have been visiting local kindergartens, fostering connections with the children and helping them feel comfortable as they prepare for this big transition into school life. These visits allow us to build relationships, answer questions, and ensure each child feels welcomed and ready for their new adventure.

We are delighted to welcome these young learners and their families into our school community, where they will embark on a journey of discovery, friendship, and growth. This is a special moment for both students and parents, and we look forward to embracing them with warmth, encouragement, and the support they need to thrive.

Starting school is a big step, and we are committed to making this transition as smooth and joyful as possible. We can’t wait to see our newest students settle in, explore, and begin their learning journey with us!

Brass at St Thomas More School

Students from St Thomas More are progressing beautifully with their brass instruments. We know you’d agree that the brass program is more than just learning to play an instrument, it’s about fostering a lifelong love for music and creativity, encouraging personal growth, strengthening their confidence and focus, and excercise resilience and perserverance.

Our students in the brass program are working with a dedicated instructor and will have the opportunity to perform in concerts and assemblies.

Music is a powerful part of a well-rounded education, and we’re excited for what lies ahead.

The STM Brass Program

 

School Evacuation and Lock-In Drills: Keeping Our Community Safe

At school, the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our highest priorities. To ensure we are well-prepared for any emergency, we conduct regular evacuation and lock-in drills each term. These drills are an essential part of our school’s safety protocols, helping students and staff understand what to do in different situations and ensuring a calm, orderly response when needed.

Each term, students and staff participate in both evacuation and lock-in drills. Evacuation drills prepare us for emergencies such as fire or other situations that require us to quickly and safely exit the buildings. Lock-in drills, on the other hand, help us practice staying safely inside the school if there is an external risk. By practicing these procedures regularly, students become familiar with the steps they need to take, helping to reduce anxiety and ensure a swift, confident response in real situations.

These drills are carefully planned to be clear and reassuring for students, ensuring they feel confident in what to do should an emergency occur. We appreciate the cooperation of all students, staff, and families in supporting these important safety measures. If you have any questions about our emergency preparedness, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Important Dates

Coming Up

Special Event - The Best Tenor Horn in the World is visiting St Thomas More School

We invite you to attend a very special event – Siobhan Edwards, the best Tenor Horn in the world is visiting our school to perform on Friday, 20 June at 10am in Jubilee Hall. Siobhan is touring South Australia, and has decided to make STM one of her stops along the way. We are very honoured to accept this special visit, and encourage you to come along.

The best Tenor Horn player in the world is visiting STM!

July Vacation Care - Book Now!

St Thomas More School OSHC has prepared another wonderful and exciting Vacation Care Program for the July school holidays. We encourage you to make your bookings by Friday, 20 June 2025 in order for your places to be guaranteed.

See the booking information, and program details, in the file attachment below.

Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum

At the heart of our work is also our deep commitment to providing our children with a safe, happy and successful education. As a diocesan school, we are responsible for implementing the following policies and curriculum:

  • Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum Information for Parents & Carers: Homepage – KSCPC
  • Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy:

As part of this work, we teach the Keeping Safe: Child Protection Curriculum, a program designed to empower students with the knowledge and skills to help keep themselves safe. This curriculum is age-appropriate and focuses on important themes such as recognising unsafe situations, understanding personal rights, building respectful relationships, and seeking help when needed. By teaching this, we equip students with the confidence to make informed choices and ensure their well-being in different environments.

Protecting and nurturing our children is a shared responsibility, and through education, we help them develop resilience and awareness. Keeping Safe Child Protection Curriculum is mandated in all Catholic schools in South Australia. Our teachers undertake professional learning to implement this important area of curriculum. If you would like more information about the curriculum, please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher. Together, we can build a safe and caring community for all.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

  • year of schooling
  • category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
  • level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

  • formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
  • consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
  • develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability. The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information.

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