Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back to all members of the St Thomas More community to Term 4.  We trust that you have had a restful two week break and are enjoying this glorious spring weather.  As we continue to travel through this very unusual and challenging year of 2020, we are not exactly sure of what Term 4 holds for us.  Currently some restrictions have eased, however many are still in place.  Unfortunately parents are still not allowed onsite and school assemblies are not permitted.  We are currently working with a variety of companies and organisations to see if some planned events (such as the Year 5 and Year 6 overnight excursions) can still occur.   We are still predicting as to what our end of year celebrations may also look like.  Once decisions have been made these will be communicated with you.  Learning and teaching will continue throughout the next ten weeks and each child will receive a Semester 2 report at  the end of the year.  As we commence this new term we ask God to bless us all and our families and ask him to keep us all healthy and well as we continue to grow and live in truth and love.

On the last day of Term 3 the staff engaged in their annual Spirituality Day where they reflected on and were involved in activities focused on the theme of ‘Love Thy Neighbour’.  A major part of this day was looking at our school's mission and vision statements and how we see them being fulfilled in the life of our school.  

St Thomas More Catholic Parish Primary School Ruse

Mission
In the spirit of truth and love, the core purpose of St Thomas More Catholic Parish Primary School is to ensure each child learns essential skills and knowledge at their highest level.

Vision
St Thomas More School will be a place of high expectations for both students and staff providing learning opportunities that are student focused. The use of quality teaching practices and effective assessment will ensure successful education in faith and growth in all domains of learning for each child.

Values
Inspired by the example of Jesus and honouring the Good Samaritan tradition, all members of the St Thomas More Primary School community will be committed to developing harmonious, supportive and respectful relationships.

Staff members will collaborate in professional learning teams using agreed policies and practices, and take collective responsibility to ensure learning is differentiated to meet the needs of every child.

Goals
St Thomas More School is a professional learning community where high standards of student learning are evidenced by student achievement of essential learning outcomes and positive school satisfaction surveys validate educational excellence is being attained.

Every child.  Every lesson.

On Monday 12th October the staff engaged in a professional development day on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL).  St Thomas More School has commenced a whole school program focussed on wellbeing.  Hopefully you will soon hear your child speak about the ‘Zones of Regulation’ with words like “I’m in the Blue zone at the moment, what zone are you in?”.  The students will learn skills to be aware of their emotional state at various points within the day and what can be done when/if a change is needed.   The goals of a Social and Emotional Learning program:

• Identify their own feelings and triggers
• Understand how their behaviour impacts those around them
• Provide strategies they can use to manage their feelings and states.

Our Kindergarten Orientation sessions are now permitted by NSW Health to go ahead with a few procedures in place to ensure everyone's safety.  Our 2021 Kindergarten students are invited to attend two Kindergarten Orientation mornings on Tuesday 17th November and Thursday 19th November from 9.00am-10.15am.  Unfortunately parents cannot remain onsite for these sessions.  These sessions will be followed by a Parent Information Meeting being held via Zoom on Monday 23rd November 2020, 7.00pm -8.00pm.

Congratulations to the Year 5 and Year 6 students who represented St Thomas More School in the recent Christmas Story Art Competition and Exhibition.  Congratulations to Nicholas Augustine (Year 5) whose artwork was selected for exhibition in the Wollongong Art Gallery.  This year the Christmas Story Art Competition and Exhibition opening and awards will be a virtual event and will be premiered on Youtube from 7.00pm on Wednesday 14th October (tonight).  Feel free to access the Youtube link: https://youtu.be/3B18fjjiRmM

Staffing Update
This week we welcome back Mrs Lauren Morris and Mrs Ashlee Ross.  Mrs Morris and Mrs Ross will be teaching Year 4 Gold for the remainder of 2020.

At the end of the year we will say farewell to Mrs Mikalya Fielding who has a position at Mount Annan Christian School, Miss Allira Figueiras who has a position at St Francis Catholic College Edmondson Park,  Miss Jennifer Ihlein who has a position at St Paul’s Catholic School Camden and Mrs Julie Spiteri who has decided to retire.

In 2021 we welcome Mrs Elizabeth Jensen as the new Religious Education Coordinator for St Thomas More School, also Ms Kate Demasi and Mrs Leah Skinner as classroom teachers and Ms Lana Turner as a Learning Support Officer.

Classes 2021
Term 4 is the time when we complete the 2020 school year as well as prepare for 2021.  One of the major tasks this term is to prepare classes for 2021.  Teachers and staff members utilise their professional expertise in making decisions, seeking to create equitable class groupings considering all students.  All classes/grades will be regrouped for 2021.  

Optimising the learning environment is the prime focus when forming new class groups for 2021, not forming friendship groups.  The aim is to provide classes in which each child is able to continue to develop to their full potential.  

If there is a particular issue regarding your child’s optium learning for 2021, please write to Mr Barrington, via email, stating your concerns and requests.  You are invited to be proactive rather than reactive.  Please note that this is not an opportunity to request individual teachers, but an opportunity to state a particular issue that might impact on your child’s learning in 2021.  All requests will be considered but NOT NECESSARILY GUARANTEED.  Please send your email requests to info@stmdow.catholic.edu.au marked to the attention of Mr Barrington by Friday 13th November 2020.  Further requests regarding class placement will not take place after this date.  Please note that because we are committed to the belief that each child begins each school year anew, we do not retain information regarding these requests from previous years.  

This is the time to raise any issues regarding your child’s optium learning for 2021.  After all requests have been considered the school will make the final decision regarding all placements.  

If your child is not returning to St Thomas More Catholic Parish Primary School Ruse in 2021, could you please notify the School Office as soon as possible.   There is a ‘School Leavers’ form that needs to be completed. 

Parents and Friends Association
All parents and carers of St Thomas More Catholic Parish Primary School are invited to the Annual General Meeting of the St Thomas More Parents and Friends Association for 2020.  This year the AGM will occur via Zoom as the current restrictions present us from meeting face to face.  At the AGM you will hear various reports about the life of our school during 2020 and all positions on the P&F Executive will be declared vacant and a voting process will occur. 

We are now calling for nominations for the election of Office Bearers of the P&F Executive 2021. There is a nomination form that you will need to use to nominate prior to the AGM.  Paper copies of the nomination form are available from the School Office. Self nominations are also being accepted. Please note due to this meeting being via Zoom no nominations can be accepted during the AGM meeting - they need to be made prior to the meeting and sent to the School Office.  Nominations will close Friday 6th November 2020.  

Once nominations have been received, voting will occur electronically via a Survey Monkey during the AGM meeting.

St Thomas More Parents And Friends Association
2020 AGM
Monday 9th November 2020
Via Zoom
7.00pm 
All parents and carers are welcome to attend
A Zoom link for this meeting will be sent out via Compass on Monday 9th November to all parents.

Aims and Objectives of the St Thomas More Parents and Friends Association

1. The Association recognises and values the role that parents/carers play in the education of their children and aims to strengthen the partnership between family, school, parish and the wider community for the benefit of their children’s overall development and learning.
2. The Association will endeavour to do this by:
1. promoting the faith-life and educational goals of the school in the context of its particular role within the mission of the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Wollongong;
2. fostering effective partnerships involving parents/carers, students, staff, parish, and diocese for the provision of authentic Catholic education within a quality learning environment;
3. providing a parental perspective to assist the Principal in decision making;
4. collaborating at all times in a cooperative manner with the school Principal and consulting with the Principal in matters relating to the educational needs of the school, staff and students;
5. raising funds to provide resources and opportunities for enriching the learning environment of the school, in consultation with the Parish Priest and Principal;
6. supporting parents/carers in their parental responsibilities and involvement in their children’s education at home and at school;
7. providing a forum where matters relating to the education and development of students can be discussed productively; 
8. promoting appropriate social contact among the parents and friends of the school; and
9. providing a means for parents/carers to affiliate with the Diocese of Wollongong Parent Forum.

Duties of the P&F Executive Committee

     The President:

• provides leadership and direction for the Association by working cooperatively and collaboratively with the Principal and Parish Priest;
• promotes the Aims and Objectives of the Association in dealings with its members;
• supports members of the Executive Committee;
• presides at meetings of the Association as Chairperson, and if absent, nominates the Vice President or another member of the Executive Committee to preside;
• ensures the efficient running of meetings;
• prepares the agenda in consultation with the Executive Committee;
• ensures that the minutes of the previous meeting are endorsed as being an accurate record of what took place;
• prepares and presents the President’s Report at the Annual General Meeting of the Association.

     The Vice-President

• The Vice-President assists the President and fulfils the duties of the President when the President is unavailable.

     The Secretary:

• manages the day-to-day communications and records of the Association;
• organises meetings, records accurate draft minutes in a style agreed to by the Executive Committee and ensures they are formalised as agreed to by the Executive Committee or General Meeting as the case may be;
• receives and deals with correspondence in a manner agreed upon by the Executive Committee;
• maintains copies of the minutes of the Executive Committee and General Meetings;
• receives agenda items in accordance with this Constitution;
• informs members of forthcoming meetings in accordance with this Constitution;
• provides the minutes for inspection of any member who so requests it;
• passes on records, in good order, to the incoming Secretary.

     The Treasurer:

• is responsible for ensuring that all the financial dealings of the Association are carried out in accordance with this Constitution;
• receives all monies and keeps appropriate financial records in accordance with this Constitution and the directives of the Bishop;
• presents, at each General Meeting, a statement of accounts showing current receipts and expenditure together with the outstanding balance;
• organises the annual audit of all accounts in accordance with this Constitution and presents the Annual Financial Report of the Association;
• passes on records, in good order, to the incoming Treasurer.

Our St Thomas More School website has been updated.  Have a look.  The Catholic Education Office has updated the website to keep you informed about all things associated with our great school.  https://www.stmdow.catholic.edu.au/

Wash Hands
Social Distancing
Stay Safe

Philip Barrington 
PRINCIPAL

School Calendar 2020