Dear Parents and Carers,

I am sure that you were surprised, shocked and saddened by the recent events in New Zealand.  Our hearts and prayers go to the entire nation of New Zealand and particularly to those who lost loved ones in this most tragic event.  It seems ironic that we as a school community and nation stopped to celebrate Harmony Day a few days after the tragedy in New Zealand. Harmony Day reminded us all of our individuality, our acceptance and inclusion of others, no matter of race, religion, gender or views.  Our aim is to live in harmony with our fellow human beings. Over the coming days and weeks as the community and faith leaders of New Zealand work together, let us remember to appreciate all that we have in our lives and pray for peace in our own families, school and world.  

Wakakirri
All students who tried out for Wakakirri have a letter today. Those who made the squad have their information of what happens now, those who did not make the squad also have a letter thanking them for trying out.

Screen time
I have included an article about ‘Getting the Screen time Balance Right’. Please take the time to have a read.

Morning and afternoon carline
Please be reminded to use the drop off area in the morning, students must be able to get themselves out of the car, with their bag on the footpath side of the car. Drop off needs to be very quick, to keep the flow of cars moving.

Parents or caregivers are not permitted to get out of the car to assist students. If you need to help a child out of the car, please park in the carpark, which will allow you the time to do this.

Name on Equipment
We are starting to get quite a collection of items and clothing at school which do not have names on them.

Please make sure your child’s name is on all their belongings. This way when something goes missing it can be returned.

The new hats have an area on the coloured side where a child’s name can be written. Please take the time to write their name here.

Colour Run
Information was sent home last Friday about the Colour Run, which is on this Friday. If you have not yet taken the time to create your child’s profile, please do so by Wednesday 3^rd April. Every child needs a profile and it will save the organisers a lot of time if each family creates the profile for their own child. Please be assured that no one will see your child’s profile unless you share it.

On Friday students need to bring a change of clothes for the Colour Run. This includes: a white or old t-shirt, a pair of shorts and an old pair of shoes. Students will change into their Colour Run clothes at the end of the Cross Country. If their older shoes are supportive shoes, which will protect their feet during the Cross Country run, they may wear these all day.

Students who do not have a change of clothes, WILL NOT be able to take part in the colour part of the run, as we do not want uniforms ruined.

Mrs Joanne MacFetters
Assistant Principal

Students return to school for Term 2 on Tuesday 29th April 2019.  For the first two weeks of Term 2 parents may decide as to whether they send their child to school in their Summer or Winter uniform.  However from Monday 13th May all children must be in their Winter uniform.

SCHOOL PHOTO DAY - 1st April 2019.  Advanced Life Photographers

All children must be dressed in their full Summer uniform.  All students are asked to be on time for school on Monday as the photographers will commence the class photos at 8.30am.

Online orders and payments are the preferred method.  If paying cash the correct money needs to be sent to school in the Advanced Life envelope provided.

Families wishing to have a sibling photo - ‘Sibling Envelopes’ are available from the School Office.

The following link provides parents with access to the NAPLAN Website

Attached is a PDF with key information for parents.

St Thomas More Primary School Disco
5 April 2019

Wear your favourite ‘dancing clothes’

5.00pm - 6.15pm = Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 students

6.15pm - 8.00pm = Year 3, Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 students

$5.00 entry.  Please pay at the door.
Bring along some money to purchase chips, lollies, drinks, glow sticks...

Rules for the Disco:

(These rules are to ensure the safety of everyone who is accessing our school)

• Only parent volunteers and staff will be permitted in the Hall.  Parent volunteers must have signed a Volunteer's Declaration with the School Office.
• All children will remain in the Hall for the entire disco (toilets and canteen facilities are located inside the Hall).
• Parents and younger and older siblings are not permitted to wait in the school playground.  (Why not bring your child to the Hall and go and have a child free hour or so and then return to collect your child at the end of the disco?)
• Younger and older siblings will only be allowed to be present if they are accompanying their parent who is a volunteer, and they must remain under the supervision of their parent at all times.

Any Parents/Carers willing to be a parent helper at the school disco on Friday, 5 April are invited to email the school info@stmdow.catholic.edu.au to put your name down and indicate what time session you are available to assist.

What have 3 Blue been up to this term?

What a busy term it has been for 3 Blue! We have been doing lots of great learning and have been working hard consolidating many different concepts.

In English we have been focusing on persuasive writing. We have learnt all about using high modality language to make our arguments stronger. We came up with some great words like undoubtedly, essential, absolutely and certainly. We have also been working on trying to persuade Mrs Quick to let us get a class pet. Here are a few examples of our arguments.

Do you think we have persuaded her?

In Maths we have been doing lots of work on addition and subtraction. We have been practising using the jump and split strategy and answering lots of worded problems. Did you know that you cannot use the split strategy for subtraction questions? Mrs Quick tells us all the time!

In our Religion lessons, we have been focusing on forgiveness and loving one another just like Jesus did. We have also had lots of discussions about the season of Lent and the importance of prayer, almsgiving and fasting. We have spoken about what prayer is and all the different places we can pray. We pray at school every morning, at Church, with our families and before we go to bed. We know that prayer can also be singing and we can speak to God in our head too. We have been  making choices to donate some of our canteen money to our class project compassion box. We feel really happy when we do this because we know we are helping others less fortunate than ourselves.

We are excited to see what new learning is coming our way next term.

3 Blue and Mrs Quick

On Friday the 29th of March the P and F will be holding St Thomas More’s first Colour Run. The Colour Run will take place directly after the Cross Country events. A reminder to bring in an old t-shirt and shorts for the Colour Run and also if you have some old closed in shoes.  If you haven’t already registered, please jump online and complete the registration profile at schoolfundraising.com.au.

Any children who wish to opt out of the colour run are to return the note which was sent home last Friday, 22nd March 2019

The cross country schedule is also attached in the same letter.

Colour_Run_Cross_Country_Letter_22.03.19.pdf

CANTEEN OPEN - Friday, 29th March 2019

The canteen will be open for 'over the counter' sales on Friday for all spectators of Cross Country and Colour Run. In addition to the canteen menu, Mrs Loomes will have available:

* Pulled Pork rolls
* Pies
* Sausages rolls
* Sandwiches

Lunch orders for students can be placed as normal.

Mother’s Club will be hosting another meet & greet morning tea in the school hall on Tuesday 2nd April. Just a casual morning tea to catch up with any parents who wish to drop by and and say Hi. 

Come by for a cuppa and get to know some of the other parents. Toddlers are welcome.

When: Tuesday 2nd April 

Where: School Hall

Straight after assembly.

For further information see Sarah or Louise.

Congratulations to Dylan Geddes & Ryder Faiai who have both been selected to represent Australia in a Tag 20 Anzac Test to be played in Canberra on the 27^th & 28^th April.

This is a very excited opportunity to represent our country in the game they love and we wish them well.