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Dear Parents & Caregivers
Today, Ash Wednesday, begins the most significant period in the Church’s liturgical calendar – the 90 days of the Lent and Easter period.
The Church teaches us that Lent is a time of prayer, fasting (self-denial) and alms giving (works of charity).
What does this look like in our daily lives?
Firstly, set aside some extra time to talk to God. It could be on your own, with your family, or on Sunday at Mass.
Next, complete some form of fasting, which is an act of self-denial. Bishop Brian has shared with us a reminder of the fasting and abstinence rules for during Lent:
▪ All who have completed their 18th year and have not yet begun their 60th year are bound to fast and abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
▪ All who have completed their 14th year are bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
How else can you fast this lent?
- Fast from hurting words and say kind words.
- Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
- Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
- Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
- Fast from worries and trust in God.
- Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.
- Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
- Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy.
- Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.
- Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
- Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.
Finally, alms-giving is completing some form of charitable act. The students each have a Project Compassion box in their classroom and this is always a good way to support those less fortunate than ourselves.
Next week, 1-7 March, is Catholic Schools Week. A wonderful time to celebrate the amazing Catholic School you and your children are a part of and the diversity and uniqueness of Catholic Education. Catholic Schools Week also marks the beginning of the Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong’s enrolment period.
Our community will be involved in three special events during Catholic School’s Week:
Firstly, we will have an open afternoon on Monday from 3 – 5pm for all prospective families. Families will be taken on a tour of the school by our wonderful Captains and all their questions will be answered. If you know any family, who have children beginning school next year, please let them know to come along on Monday afternoon, have a look and see how amazing our school is and pick up an enrolment package.
On Thursday evening, staff will attend the Diocesan Education Mass in Wollongong. This is a wonderful experience, for all staff across the Diocese, to come together to worship.
Our final event will take place on Friday for all our existing families. It will commence at 12pm with open classrooms, where families can join their children to share an amazing Religious Story Telling and response experience in the classroom. Families are then invited to share lunch with their children and finish the afternoon at a Catholic Schools Week assembly, led by Year 6.
Please come along and join us.
LifeLine in collaboration with CatholicCare is hosting this FREE 3 hour training on suicide awareness and how to speak to someone about suicide if you think they could be at risk. The evening is designed for parents, but any adult in our community is welcome to attend.
Date & Time: Wednesday 18th of March 2020, 5.30pm-8.30pm
Location: CatholicCare Campbelltown - 35A Cordeaux St, Campbelltown. Street Parking available.
Tea, coffee and light refreshments will be provided
Please see the flyer included in the Newsletter for more information.
Tomorrow evening I have the privilege of attending the Diocesan Welcome Dinner for all new staff in our Diocese. I will share the evening with four staff members from our school, who are new to our Diocese: Mr Matt McCormack, Mr Joshua Naverrate, Mrs Mikayla Fielding and Miss Ana Kristo.
Next week we welcome back our principal, Mr Phil Barrington and look forward to hearing all about his amazing experiences at the LA Congress.
Mrs Joanne MacFetters
Acting Principal
On Friday 28th February, all staff and students will be participating in Clean Up Australia Day. This is a tradition at St Thomas More and the 30th Anniversary of the event.
We are asking that students bring in gardening gloves to participate, if they have them at home. We are trying to reduce waste by offering plastic gloves only to students who do not bring gardening gloves.
We thank you for your support.
Gala Day nomination forms Years 3-6
All students who wish to be considered for a gala day team in 2020 MUST complete the nomination form and return to school by Monday, 2nd March 2020. Each student in year 3-6 have recevied this note, been reminded about the purpose of the note during PE time and reminders have been published in the newsletter and the form is available on the Compass portal. Please understand, no late forms will be accepted.
Wests 7 - Rugby League
The selected students to play have had details of the day and request for online consent sent to Parents/Carers via Compass. Please ensure you have checked your portal/email and provide consent for your child to attend. No child will be able to participate without consent.
Mark Taylor Shield Cricket
The selected students to play have had details of the day and request for online consent sent to Parents/Carers via Compass. Please ensure you have checked your portal/email and provide consent for your child to attend. No child will be able to participate without consent.
CEO Wollongong issued fee statements last week to all Parents/Carers via email. Please check your emails. The options for payment are either a 30 day account due 28th February 2020 or to pay instalments which must commence by 28th Februrary 2020 and be paid in full by early December 2020.
This year, the CEO has issued instalment schedules to families who have paid instalments in the past. Please ensure your payments via BPAY or direct debit are set up to cover the suggested instalment amount.
Please also take note of NEW BPAY reference details on the 2020 statements. This changes reflects part of the new CEO finance system and this new reference will remain your BPAY reference for your family.
Perhaps if you didn't recieve your statement, please make contact with the office to ensure we have the correct contact details on file and to obtain a copy of the statement.
Should you be experiencing genuine financial hardship, please don't hesitate to make contact with the office for a confidential discussion.
COLOUR RUN - Thursday, 26 March 2020
Inconjunction with the school cross country carnival on Thursday, 26 March 2020, the P&F will be running the colour run after the students have ran the cross country events. A note will be sent home with each student outlining the steps to obtain sponsorhip and how to register your child in the colour run. This is a great sucess last year and the students thoroughly enjoyed the day (so did the staff!).
SAVE THE DATE - Sunday, 22nd March 2020 10am-2pm
Our P&F will be working to have a tidy up and stocktake items in the P&F shed (back of hall) in order to prepare for our upcoming spectacular fete in August and many other exciting events. The P&F Committee will be at school on Sunday, 22nd March between 10am - 2pm. Any help would be greatly appreciated whether you can stop for an hour or two.
