Dear Parents and Carers,

We have come to the end of Term 1 2020, a time that we will all remember for a long time.  Thank you parents and carers for your help and support during Term 1 but particularly during these last few weeks when remote learning came upon us.  Thinking positively about this experience I am sure that you have gained an insight into your child’s work habits and learning style. Believe it or not, all teachers are missing the face to face contact with the students.  A huge thank you to the wonderful staff of STM for their ability to provide work for the students and to change the way in which they teach, virtually overnight. At this stage remote learning will continue into Term 2. We wait to hear of further directions from the Government, Catholic Schools NSW and Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong.

Happy Holy Week to our community - a very special week in the life of our Church.  Thanks to Mrs Morris and our teachers who have provided you with a variety of resources and prayers regarding this most significant time.  Normally I would be encouraging the children to ask you, their parents and carers to take them to Church to be part of the special Holy Week ceremonies (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday) but due to the current pandemic, Churches are not permitted to be open.  However, Bishop Brian Mascord as well as some parishes in our diocese have mass online. Please access the following link. https://www.dow.org.au/

Thank you again for your support at this time - “We are all in this together” - we don't know what the immediate future holds, however please stay connected with us via Compass and email.  The teacher’s Zoom sessions with their classes will re-commence on Monday 27 April. Please note that school resumes Monday 27 April (this was originally to be a Staff Development Day, but as this week, Week 11 became staff development days we resume school on Monday 27 April).

A huge thank you to the P&F Executive who donated the school's annual Easter Eggs to the Campbelltown Hospital Paediatric unit.  Normally each child in our school would receive an Easter Egg, but as this was physically impossible to do, the decision to donate to the hospital was made.  A wonderful and kind gesture at this time.

We are sad and very disappointed to inform you that the 2020 STM Fete has been cancelled.  Due to obvious reasons with the current world pandemic, the Fete will not be held during 2020.  Let us all hope and pray for the best ever fete in 2021!

Have you seen the St Thomas More School Facebook page - it is worth a look!

Wash Hands

Social Distancing

Stay Safe

St Thomas More, pray for us

Happy Easter to all.  May the Risen Christ bring many blessings to you and our world

Philip Barrington 

PRINCIPAL

Parent Internet Device Enquiry Line

Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong have secured limited resources to support remote learning options for staff and students without internet access at home. 

Parents and carers can register for one of these remote access devices by calling the Parent Internet Device Enquiry Line on 1800 512 370 during the registration period (9–23 April 2020).

Operators will ask a range of questions about the students in the home, what devices they have access to and what internet access you have. Parents and carers will be able to opt out of the call at any time. At the end of the call, the operator will explain what will happen next. The information collected will only be used to assess the needs of each family who registers to ensure the appropriate allocation of modems.

If the line is busy or the call is out of hours please leave a message with your contact details. This will be forwarded automatically to the service desk system and logged.

By registering to access a device, parents and carers accept that one of the solutions we are providing includes small modems that contain internet sim cards. These devices WILL NOT be filtered, which means students using them will have the same access to the internet as a typical home internet connection. As a result, monitoring students’ internet use by parents and carers is essential.

During the registration period (9–23 April) we will be collecting information to determine the support needs of families who apply. In the following week, a group of senior leaders will assess the responses and determine what support we can provide to which families. Parents and carers will receive an email during the week of 27 April informing them of the outcome.

Important Dates:
LINES OPEN
Thursday 9 April 2020 at 09:00am

LINES CLOSE
Thursday 23 April 2020 at 17:00pm

Decision Announced / Modems Shipped
Week of 27 April