The highlight for this week has most definitely been the celebration of our Golden Assembly on Wednesday. Not only was it a time to recognise the hard work and dedication of our students who have received 5 Blue Awards to achieve a Gold Award but also a chance for our Stage 3 classes to showcase their learning over the first nine weeks at school. This was my very first Golden Assembly and it was warming to see so many family and friends there to support our students and the buzz of excitement in the classrooms as students were able to show their families what they had been learning and why was a testament to their commitment to learning so far this year.

Gold Award Recipients:
Amirah V, Zoe V, Fabian Q, Matilda A, Lachlan M, Kitara H, Ivy H, Kathrynn H, Alena, C, Samantha O

We look forward to seeing our community at the next Golden Assembly on Friday 27th June from 8.45am where Stage 2 (Years 3 & 4) will be showcasing their learning.

SAFETY REMINDER:
A reminder to all parents/carers and anyone responsible for picking up students from St Thomas More cars are NOT permitted to block St John’s Road nor are people allowed to drive illegally, this includes but is not limited to driving around the roundabout the wrong way, driving over the roundabout, driving on the wrong side of the road and double parking. I have recently been in contact with the council and know that Rangers have started to monitor this situation. Our Carline runs until 3.10pm. By 3.00pm there is generally not a very long queue and so parents/carers are urged to think about your arrival time to line up for Carline and consider coming a little later and not having to wait very long. 

EXCITING UPDATE: Streamlined Notification of Extended Absence Form

What's New? The Diocese is thrilled to announce the launch of our new online Notification of Extended Absence form. This user-friendly form simplifies the process for parents/carers, eliminating the need for printing or downloading documents. Now, parents can conveniently complete the application entirely online.

Parents can also notify multiple schools simultaneously with a single upload of supporting documents. 

Access to the New Form: 

The URL for the new online form is https://forms.dow.catholic.edu.au/to/yVv9DA.

IN OUR PRAYERS:
I recently notified our Year 5 cohort of some sad news. Ashley, a student in Year 5 has recently relapsed in her battle with Leukaemia. Ashley is undergoing an intensive treatment plan and at this time needs the prayers of our St Thomas More community. I would ask that our families please respect the privacy of Ashley’s family during this difficult time. I invite all our families to pray a Novena for Ashley. A novena is a prayer prayed over nine days. As a school we will begin this prayer on Monday 31st March, each family is asked to pray this pray at home from Monday for the next nine days:

Ever generous God,

You inspired St Mary MacKillop to live her life faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to be constant in bringing hope and encouragement to those who were disheartened, lonely or needy.

With confidence in your generous providence and joining with St Mary MacKillop we ask that you grant our request for the healing of our friend Ashley.

We ask that our faith and hope be fired afresh by the Holy Spirit so that we, too, like Mary MacKillop, may live with courage, trust and openness.

Ever generous God hear our prayer.

We ask this through Jesus Christ. Amen.         

This is our last newsletter for Term 1. Next Term our newsletters will be published in Weeks 3, 6, and 9. I hope to see as many families as possible at our upcoming Cross Country and Colour Run next Thursday 3rd April. I’ve heard sliming the Principal is an option!

I wish everyone a blessed Easter and as we journey into Holy Week (during the holidays), the most sacred and special time in our Church year, we remember with love the Passion, Resurrection of Jesus and the events which led up to this. There is a lesson for each of us during Holy Week through the 'witnessing' of our Lord's love for us, reminding us to open our hearts to one another, as he has opened his heart for us. 

Take care,

Mrs Melissa Vella

COLOUR RUN - Thursday 3 April 
THANKYOU for all the efforts so far by students and families to raise funds for our school through our major fundraiser this year. We are on track to raise $40,000. 

SLIME the TEACHER - this is a bonus event on the day. If our school total reaches the targets different teachers will be slimed.  The students have voted and the teachers who will be slimed are:  

• $33,000 -  Mrs Wells and Mrs Crowe 
• $37,000 -  Mr Astill and Mr Farrant 
• $40,000 - Mrs Vella and Mr Dahler

P&F BBQ Lunch 
Please check Compass for information about how to order and to express interest in food and drink to assist with ordering. 

HOMEWORK ROUTINE REVIEW 
This year we are undertaking a review of our homework routines in order to develop a STM Homework Policy. This will include consultation with staff, students and families. We understand there are varied opinions both based on research and personal preferences and by the end of this process there will be a whole-school approach to homework at STM.

Please complete this survey by Monday 28th April. 

2025 Parent Consultation - HOMEWORK 

COMMUNITY HELPERS ZOOM - Tuesday 8th April  7pm - Registration 
If you would like to volunteer at our school, you will need to attend the compulsory this session, apply for a Working with Children Check and complete the CEDoW onboarding process. 

Please register your interest by Friday 4th April so the Zoom link can be sent.

2025 Community Helpers Induction Zoom #2

Mr Andrew Astill
Assistant Principal

Project Compassion
We are now in the third week of Lent. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus asks us to do three things during this time - pray, fast and give alms (donate) to others. At St Thomas More School, we encourage the students to donate to Project Compassion as their way of “giving alms”. 

This year, Project Compassion is asking us to “unite against poverty”, helping less fortunate communities around the world. Each classroom has a Project Compassion box. We are encouraging the students to do “good deeds” at home to raise money to donate to the class Project Compassion Box.

Each week, teachers are sharing the stories of Project Compassion with the students during their Religious Education lessons. By sharing the stories of people who have benefited from the work of Project Compassion, it is hoped the children will become more aware of where their money goes once they put their coins in the class box. 

Our Pancake Breakfast earlier this term raised $380 towards Project Compassion. As a school, we set ourselves a target of raising $500 this Lent. Over the next two weeks, we are asking all children to donate to their class Project Compassion box. If we reach our target of $500, Mrs Vella has allowed us to have a mufti day at the end of term!

Easter Eggs
This year, Easter falls during the middle weekend of the holidays. As a school, we will be recognising that we are in the Liturgical Season of Lent until the end of term. It is a time to do penance, pray, fast, and give alms. For this reason, we ask that all Easter Egg giving be held off until the beginning of Term 2. When we return for Term 2, we will be in the Liturgical Season of Easter and we look forward to celebrating this joyous season with you, including through the sharing of eggs. 

Holy Week Celebration 
A reminder we will celebrate Holy Week as a school on Thursday 10th April at 1.45pm. Parents and friends of our school are welcome to come and join us in prayer to remember this special time in our church. 

Parish Sacramental News
The preparation lessons for Reconciliation have now commenced at our Parish Church. We thank all the team who are working with the children from our school and parish to prepare for this sacrament. We hold the children, and their families, in our prayers during this time. 

Mrs Liz Jensen
Religious Education Coordinator

Congratulations to Fletcher D, Georgia H, Elliot S, Zac W and the Junior Boys Relay team, consisting of Elliot S, Toby D, Alexei O and Zac W  who attended the Wollongong Swimming Carnival in Corrimal.  All swimmers performed well. Congratulations to Zac W who came 2nd in the Freestyle and Backstroke. Zac W will now attend the MacKillop Trials at Homebush Aquatic Centre. Good Luck!

A number of students will soon attend Diocesan Sports Trials to compete for a position in Representative Wollongong teams. Good luck to George O, Dion V and Anastasia B from Year 6 who will attend Diocesan Football and to Ivy C (Year 6) and Lenny H (Year 5) who attend Diocesan Rugby League. Best of luck!