As this is the last newsletter for 2023 and the year draws to a close it is timely to say “thank you” to many members of the St Thomas More Catholic Parish Primary School Ruse community:

• To the parents and carers for all your support of the school in many ways.  We have had a wonderful year with many parents assisting and supporting the school through a variety of fundraising activities, as classroom helpers, at sporting events, on excursions as well as through their attendance at school functions.  We “thank you” for your generosity of time and hard work.  A particular “thank you” to those who were active in re-establishing the STM P&F Association and the STM Fete.  We consistently worked hard in partnership with all of our families for the benefit of all children in our school.  
• To our priest, Fr Michael who has guided us and supported us through 203..  We say “thank you” for his spiritual guidance, support and assistance in many ways as he is always there whenever he was needed.
• To the students for their hard work, friendliness and their eagerness to learn.  Our school community is fortunate to work with children who love to learn and love to come to school every day.  “thank you” students.
• To the wonderful staff of St Thomas More Catholic Parish Primary School.  Their professionalism and dedication to the community is inspirational.  Their commitment to the learning and teaching agenda, even when faced with last minute daily changes to routines, they never lost sight of their roles. All of our staff have ensured that the children in our care were safe and equipped to cope with all that was being asked of them.“thank you” STM staff.
• “thank you” to the parishioners of St Thomas More Ruse for their prayers and support, particularly with the sacramental programs for 2023.  We appreciate their ability and cooperation with events and providing us with their constant support.   
• To everyone who did anything to assist and support our great school community in 2023, we say “thank you”.

We will say goodbye at the end of the year to the following staff members who will not be returning to St Thomas More Catholic Parish Primary School in 2024:

• Mr Joshua Navarrete who has a permanent classroom teaching position at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School Mt Pritchard.  
• Miss Natalie Novic who is taking leave from her fulltime classroom teaching position.  We hope to see Miss Novic doing some relief teaching at St Thomas More School in the future.
• Mrs Kirsty Aiken who will commence her maternity leave from the beginning of next year.  We hope to see Mrs Aiken much later in 2024.  
• Mrs Nicolle Anderson-Brown, our school counsellor, is retiring at the end of the year.  CatholicCare is yet to inform STM School of the replacement for Miss Nicolle.

In 2024 we will welcome to our staff:  Miss Nancy Fajloun and Mrs Kimberley Harley to the STM teaching staff.   All 2024 staffing positions will be communicated with you next week after the children are introduced to their 2024 classroom teacher on Tuesday 12th December.    

On Friday 15th December 2023, we will say goodbye and farewell to all of the Year 6 children and some children in other grades.  Goodbye and thank you to the following families who leave St Thomas More Catholic Parish Primary School Ruse:  Boateng (Caitlyn, Abraham and Jacob), Borja, de Vos, East, Hansen, Hernandez, Hunter (William), Kumar (Riva), Kumaran, Maskey, O’Dwyer, Osorio, Pringle (Jordan) Regmi (Prasoon), Roberts (Marley), Summers, Tsonis, Vakatalai and Wilson families.

The traditional ‘STM Guard of Honour’ will occur on Friday 15/12/23 at 1.00pm.  Parents will be permitted to enter the school playground to be part of this event.  Kindergarten to Year 5 students will line up around school.  Year 6 will walk through the line and meet their parents and then are allowed to leave the school.   Kindergarten to Year 5 will then line up in the Undercover Area for any parents who may wish to collect their children early from school at approximately 1.30pm.  Normal school dismissal will also occur at 2.35pm.   

Your child’s Semester 2 Report will be available through Compass on Friday 8/12/23.  Paper copies of student reports are not being sent home.  Kindergarten to Year 6 reports will be made available for you to access through Compass on Friday 8/12/23.  To access your child’s report:  

1. Login to Compass. 
2. Click on your child’s portfolio.  
3. Click on the Reports Tab 
4. Click on Semester 2 2023.

All parents and carers are invited to our 

Whole school 

End of Year Mass 

at 11.30am

Friday 8th December 2023 

 St Thomas More Parish Church

Immediately following Mass 

we will be holding our 

End of Year Awards assembly

STM End of Year Christmas Concert
Monday 11th December 2023

Mary Shiel Centre
St Patrick’s College 
7.00pm start

Students arrive at 6.30pm
P&F BBQ in STM School 4.30pm-6.00pm

2024 School Year

Tuesday 30th January 2024: Staff returns

Thursday 1st February 2024:  Year 1 to Year 6 return

Thursday 8th February 2023:  Kindergarten first day at BIG school.  Kindergarten begins full days.

Thursday 1st February to Wednesday 7th February = ‘Best Start Program’ for Kindergarten (a one hour appointment for your child at some time during this week).