STM NEWS | Term 4, Week 7, 2025

Due to the forecast of inclement weather on Friday evening, we have made the difficult decision to postpone our Carols Night. This decision has been taken with the safety and wellbeing of all students, families, and staff in mind.

Our children have been practicing tirelessly and are incredibly excited to share their performance skills with you. We remain committed to providing them with this opportunity and are looking forward to our Wednesday morning performance. With a number of other events already planned, it has become challenging to secure a suitable evening time.

We sincerely thank you for your understanding and flexibility as we work through these changes. Further information was distributed on Thursday so check out our ZAPP/Seesaw messages.

As we prepare our Reception students for a confident and happy start to school in 2026, we will be running the last of a series of transition visits next Tuesday designed to help children meet their new teacher, build early friendships with their peers, and begin to familiarise themselves with the school environment. These visits play an important role in helping children feel secure, settled, and excited about joining our school community. During this time, they will explore their new classroom, engage in fun activities, and get to know the routines and spaces that will support their learning next year.

We look forward to welcoming all our new Reception students and supporting them as they take this exciting next step in their learning journey. If you know of any families interested in enrolling for 2026 or beyond, please encourage them to get in touch promptly, spaces are filling quickly.

We are also pleased to share that all students will have the opportunity on Tuesday, 9 December, to meet with their teacher and class group for 2026. This will be a wonderful chance for children to spend time together, ask questions, and begin forming positive relationships ahead of the new school year.

Uniforms

Popular items of our uniform have now been restocked! If you would like to order any uniform this year, please note that the final day for orders will be Monday, 8 December 2025.

Our Uniform Shop will be open for the first time next year on Tuesday, 20 January 2026. To make an appointment to visit on this day, please contact our Front Office on 7285 1500 or info@sttmore.catholic.edu.au

Of course, once the school year commences you will be able to order uniform as you need it.

Key Items:

• New Reception Uniforms arriving next week – Front Office will notify families when they are available.
• 2026 Year 6 polo’s have been ordered – Front Office will advise you when they arrive next year.

Medication

If your child has medication at school, please ensure it is picked up on their last day of 2025 from the front office.

We were thrilled to celebrate the Children’s University graduation at Adelaide University on 11 November, recognising the hard work, curiosity, and dedication of all our young graduates. Congratulations to each student, your commitment to learning and exploring new opportunities has truly paid off. We are so proud of everything you have achieved.

A heartfelt thank you goes to Rosemarie Villano for her outstanding leadership in overseeing the program and for the ongoing support she has provided to every student along the way. We also extend our appreciation to Michael Arthur for his valuable assistance to Rosemarie and his encouragement of the students throughout the year.

This celebration marks a wonderful milestone, and we are already looking forward to running this program again in 2026.

As our Year 6 students prepare to graduate, they stand on the edge of an exciting new chapter in their lives.

Their time in primary school has been filled with learning, laughter, and countless moments that have shaped who they are today. They leave with memories of challenges overcome, lessons learned, and adventures shared, memories that will stay with them long after they walk out of the school gates for the last time.

Along the way, they have formed friendships that have brought joy, support, and a sense of belonging. These friendships may change and grow as they move into secondary school, but the bonds created here will always be part of their story.

Now they look ahead to secondary school, a place full of new opportunities, new experiences, and new faces. It is the beginning of a fresh journey where they will discover more about themselves and the world around them. Though stepping forward can feel both exciting and a little daunting, they carry with them the confidence, kindness, and resilience they have built here.

As they leave Year 6, they do so not just as students, but as young people ready to embrace the future. We celebrate their achievements, their growth, and the bright paths that lie ahead. Congratulations to our graduating Year 6 students, may your next journey be filled with curiosity, courage, and countless new memories.

We look forward to the following upcoming events where we will celebrate our very special cohort of 2025 graduates:

• Thursday 4 December 6.30pm Graduation Dinner with families at the Midway Tavern.
• Monday 8 December 6.30pm Graduation Liturgy and farewell for students and families.

We are delighted to share the wonderful news that Olivia, from our front office team, has welcomed her beautiful baby boy, Winston. Congratulations to Olivia and Tom on this special arrival. We wish you all many precious moments together as a family.

In 2026, we welcome Carly Morrison back to her classroom teaching role. Carly has been supporting us as a co‑educator this year following her return from maternity leave, and we look forward to seeing her back leading her own class, bringing her experience, enthusiasm, and dedication to her students once again.

We would also like to acknowledge Rowan Grist, who has been working in the Year 3 class this year. Although Rowan was with us for a short time, she made a significant impact on student learning and quickly became a valued member of our school community. Rowan has accepted a position at another school for 2026, and while we will miss her, we wish her every success in her new role.

Finally, we extend our heartfelt thanks and farewell to Craig, who is leaving after several years of dedicated service to our school and moving on to a new school. Craig has consistently gone above and beyond to ensure our students enjoy the very best school experiences. From initiating the School Colour Run, to organising food stalls for our Carols Night, overseeing playtime soccer, and leading cooking classes for the senior school electives, Craig has made a remarkable contribution. He is always ready with a “bag of tricks” to support students in their academic and social–emotional learning. We are deeply grateful for his commitment and enthusiasm, and we wish him every success in his new school and the next chapter of his journey.

As you may already be aware, Fee Statements have been posted this week, and all fee accounts must be finalised by Friday, 5 December, unless an approved payment plan is in place with our Business Manager. If you are unable to finalise your account by this due date, you must immediately contact the us on 7285 1500 to discuss a confidential payment plan.

Families who do not qualify for a School Card, but who feel they have difficulty in meeting the tuition fee payment requirements due to their circumstances, may apply for partial fee remission.

School Card

No new applications for School Card can be accepted after 21 November 2025 unless extraordinary circumstances apply. The School Card Scheme determines extraordinary circumstances. To apply under extraordinary circumstances, visit sa.gov.au and contact the School Card Scheme directly.

For more information, or to discuss your statement confidentially, please contact our Business Manager on 7285 1500 or accounts@sttmore.catholic.edu.au

Liturgical Calendar Information

This term we focus on various events during class and whole school prayer and liturgy that come up in the Liturgical Year of the Church, including:

• 23/11 Feast of Christ the King
• 30/11 1^st Sunday of Advent
• 7/12 2^nd Sunday of Advent

We will also spend time focusing on significant days that occur throughout this term, including:

• 5/12 International Volunteers Day

The Season of Advent

Advent is a season of joyful expectation. We take this time every year to practice how to receive Jesus every day, of our lives and we remember the call of Jesus to his followers to make our world a peaceful and loving place. Advent reminds us of the sacred meaning of Christmas. It is the period of four Sundays and weeks before Christmas and means ‘coming’ – this is the coming of Jesus into the world. We use the colour purple on our prayer space as we wait in joyful hope to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

What do the 4 weeks of Advent mean?

• Week 1: Hope – also known as The Prophecy Candle reminds us that God is faithful and will keep the promises made to us.
• Week 2: Peace – also known as The Bethlehem Candle reminds us that God promised that the saviour would be born in Bethlehem and it also reminds us to ‘get ready’ for Jesus’s coming.
• Week 3: Joy – also known as The Shepherd Candle reminds us that the angels sang the message of Joy to the shepherds.
• Week 4 Love – also known as The Angel Candle the angels announced the good news of a Saviour being born, that God sent his only Son to earth to save us because God loves us.

Something to consider over the four weeks of Advent:

First Week of Advent

• How can I be ready for Jesus?
• What can I do to be prepared?

Second Week of Advent

• Think of some people who show by how they live their lives that Jesus is an important part of their lives.
• What is it about their lives that you admire?
• Can you live like that?

Third Week of Advent

How do we continue the healing work of Jesus today?

Fourth Week of Advent

• Christmas is coming!
• How will you celebrate God’s coming to us?

So, as we move into the Advent season, let us pray together:

Gracious God open our hearts so that we may receive the message of your coming with joy and wonder. Help us to discover the people and places in the midst of our daily lives where you meet us with your love and care. May we show this love and care to all those we meet. We ask this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen.

End of Year Thanksgiving Mass

Please join us on Tuesday December 2, in the Jubilee Hall at 12noon as Fr. Santosh leads us in prayer to celebrate our school year. All welcome.

Early Years Christmas Liturgy

Our students in Reception to Year 2 will lead us in a liturgy about the Christmas Story on Thursday December 4 at 9.15am in the Hub.

Sacrament Program 2026

Please be aware that you can now enrol for the 2026 Elizabeth Catholic Parish Sacrament Program.The Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation, Confirmation and Eucharist form the Sacraments of Christian Initiation. If your child is 8 years of age (or older) and you would like them to be involved in the program for 2026, please contact Melissa Musolino or Edna Dumbrell at the Elizabeth Catholic Parish.

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

Please take note of the following events:

2026 Reception Transition Visits | Tuesday, 18 November, 25 November, and 2 December 2025 from 9.15am

End of Year Thanksgiving Mass | Tuesday, 2 December 2025 at 12pm (All families are welcome to attend)

Christmas Carols Event| Wednesday, 3 December 2025 from 9.30am (Sausage sizzle to follow)

Year 6 Graduating Dinner | Thursday, 4 December 2025 at 6.30pm at the Midway Tavern

Year 6 Graduating Liturgy | Monday, 8 December 2025 at 6.30pm in the Jubilee Hall

Last Day of School for Year 6 Students | Monday, 8 December 2025

Student Reports Sent Home | Monday, 8 December 2025

Last Day of School for 2025 | Wednesday, 10 December 2025

We encourage you to check our school calendar regularly.