OPEN DAY: Tomorrow (Tuesday 11th March) we have our opening morning for prospective families looking to enrol their child/ren from K-6 in 2026. If you know anyone interested in sending their child to an AWESOME school, where the focus is on the faith, learning and wellbeing of the whole child please direct them to the St Thomas More open morning or straight to our application at https://www.stmdow.catholic.edu.au/enrol/

COMMUNICATION: The School's main communication will always be via Compass. We are however looking to expand our social media presence. Please search (and LIKE/FOLLOW) us on Facebook and Instagram - St Thomas More Catholic Primary School, Ruse. Alternatively please visit our website and scroll down to the bottom where you’ll find direct links to both our Facebook and Instagram pages: https://www.stmdow.catholic.edu.au/ Be sure to share these pages with your family and friends!

COMMUNITY HELPER INDUCTION: There will be one final session for anyone wishing to assist/volunteer in the school in 2025. This session will be held on Tuesday 8th April at 7pm via Zoom. Please save the date and more details will follow soon.

BUILDING UPDATE: We are very pleased to advise that all is on-track in relation to our building project. The Year 5 & 6 building is now demolished and rubble removal has started.

We are also almost finished clearing and cleaning out of the swales both internally and along the perimeter of the side of the school, and WOW what a difference this has made. Once this project is finished we will provide further information about the specifics of the side gate being opened for arrival and dismissal each day.

LENT

Lent is the period of forty days which comes before Easter in the Christian calendar. For many Christians, Lent is traditionally a period of fasting and saying sorry for the times that we haven’t lived the values of the gospels. It is a time of prayer, reflection and penance, during which we are encouraged to think carefully about how we are living and how God wants us to live. 

The ashes of Ash Wednesday mark us as people who are sorry for the choices we have made that have cut us off from God, our true self, others in our community and our earth. Each year we use them to form the Cross of Jesus, a Cross that reminds of the need to become less self-centered and more focused on the needs of others. It is a sign that we are called to make the most of the gift that is our life and be followers of Christ who work for truth and justice in our world. 

As we begin the journey of Lent, let us pray that we will be the face of Christ for one another and especially for those most in need of our care. 

Loving God,

as we begin our Lenten journey 

we pray that the mists that can cloud our vision may lift, 

so that we may see the road that lies before us

 and so come with open hearts to you, the source of living water. 

Melt what is frozen within us, warm our hearts, 

and lift our spirits that we do not lose heart in our capacity to grow, 

or in your desire to lead us safely home. 

Amen.

Mrs Melissa Vella

Principal