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Dear Parents and Caregivers
Milo
Last Friday on 22nd August, our very own Milo turned 1. Milo has grown a lot since he first arrived last October, and he has also learnt a lot. Milo is a larger than life pup who loves nothing better than squeaky balls that he can chase after and bring back. He doesn't like to give them back because the squeak they make is like music to his ears.
We are getting very close to him starting to come on site on school days, which is very exciting. He has been to school many, many times on weekends and in the holidays in preparation for this.
Over the coming weeks, we will begin student and community education to ensure everyone understands the basic guidelines provided by Dogs Connect. These will help us all interact with Milo safely and respectfully, so his time at school is a positive experience for students, staff, and of course, Milo himself.
We understand that there are a range of considerations to ensure the program is inclusive and successful for all students. Before we begin, we kindly ask that you provide any information that may be relevant to your child’s participation in the program. (Please see the PB4L article in this newsletter).
Office contact
During your child’s educational journey, there may be times when our office staff contact you to arrange an appointment on behalf of your child’s teacher or a member of the Leadership Team. In these cases, the office staff will reach out to one parent or guardian to secure a suitable time.
On rare occasions, they might request a meeting on the same day to address urgent matters. Please know that office staff are not privy to the details of the meeting, as we respect your family’s privacy and confidentiality.
You are always welcome to bring a support person to the meeting if you wish. This might be your spouse, partner, family member, or trusted friend. Having someone with you can sometimes help you feel more comfortable and supported during the conversation.
This is our standard procedure and is designed to ensure communication is arranged promptly and efficiently while still allowing you to choose who you bring along for support.
If you need to email a staff member, could you please use the email address: info@stabdow.catholic.edu.au and your email will be triaged and directed to the relevant staff member for you.
If you would like to make an appointment with a staff member (including the Principal and Assistant Principal) could you please contact the office to organise a convenient time.
Please do not contact office staff directly via their mobile phone except in case of emergency. If you need to make contact with the office, please call or email.
Yours in partnership
Acting Principal
Child Protection Week - Information Sessions
Event 1 details: - FGC
- Respectful Relationships: Helping Children Navigate Healthy Friendships
- Tuesday 9 September
- Fr Glynn Centre
- 6:00–7:00 pm
- Click here to register or scan the QR code below
Event 2 details: - Zoom
- Respectful Relationships: Helping Children Navigate Healthy Friendships
- Thursday 11 September
- via Zoom (link provided on the day)
- 6:00–7:00 pm
- Click here to register or scan the QR code below
Father’s Day Breakfast & Reflection/Prayer
On Friday 5th September, we are celebrating Father’s Day with a short prayer reflection followed by a light breakfast. Prayer will commence at 7:45am. Please note that breakfast will not be served until after the prayer reflection has concluded.
Parent Contact Details
At all times, we ask that parents keep your contact details up to date. Phone numbers and email addresses can be amended, by you, through the Compass portal. Please advise the office, in writing/email, of any other change in details.
Change of Routine
Please remember to inform the office or your child's class teacher if there is going to be a change in routine. If a parent is running late please contact the school office. If you have organised for someone else to collect your child, please inform the office of this as soon as possible or write a note for your child's class teacher.
Staff Development Days
Following are the dates for the remaining staff development days for this year. Please note the student’s final day for the 2025 academic year is 17 December.
13 October (first day of Term 4)
18 December
19 December
2025 School Calendar
The key date of events and celebrations for 2025 can be viewed in our online school calendar. The calendar can be viewed on our school website.
Upcoming Events
- 28 August - Western Region Soccer Gala Day (Stages 2 & 3)
- 29 August - 2:30pm Whole School Assembly
- 5 September - 7:45 am Father’s Day Prayer & Breakfast
- 8 September - Year 3 Excursion
- 11 September - Year 4 Excursion
- 12 September - 2:30pm Whole School Assembly
- 15 September - Kindergarten Excursion
- 16 September - Year 5 Excursion
- 17 September - Years 1 & 2 Excursion
- 19 September -Basketball Gala Day @ Moss Vale
- 26 September 1:30-2:15pm Lunch on the Lawn
- 2:30pm Whole School Assembly
- Last day of Term 3
- Tuesday 14 October - First day of Term 4
Teacher Professional Learning
At St Thomas Aquinas the staff has an ongoing commitment to professional learning. The staff benefits from attending in-services, in curriculum areas, that assist them in providing quality learning opportunities for the students in their class. The following staff have or will attend professional learning:
|
Date |
Staff Members |
Professional Learning |
|
27-28 August |
Mrs McFayden |
Assistant Principal’s Retreat |
Sports News
Celebrating Success!
Well done to Lucas H, Isaac H, Allira H, Ava M who took part in the Diocesan Athletics Trials recently.
The CEDoW Soccer Gala Day will be held this Thursday 28 August at Picton Sports Ground.
The CEDoW Basketball Gala Day will be held on Friday 19 September at Moss Vale Basketball Stadium. Further details TBA.
Term 3 Calendar
Father's Day Liturgy & Light Breakfast
- Photos
-
Father’s Day Liturgy – Photo Request
This Father’s Day, we want to celebrate the amazing dads, grandfathers, and father figures in our school community!
We need your help! Please send in a favourite photo of your child with their dad (or special father figure) to be included in our Father’s Day Liturgy celebration.
The photos will be made into a slideshow shown at the liturgy as we give thanks for the love, guidance, and support of fathers in our lives.
Please send your photos by Friday, 29th August to:
-
- Father’s Day Breakfast & Reflection/Prayer
- On Friday 5th September, we are celebrating Father’s Day with a short prayer reflection followed by a light breakfast. Prayer will commence at 7:45am. Please note that breakfast will not be served until after the prayer reflection has concluded. There will be a coffee van onsite.
Invitation to Become an Altar Server
Part of our mission at St Thomas Aquinas School is to help children grow in their faith journey. One way we do this is by encouraging and providing the opportunity for them to become altar servers. This important Church ministry helps children both understand and participate in the Mass in a deeper and more meaningful way.
I encourage you to have a conversation with your child. After your discussion, if you would like your child to take up this wonderful opportunity, please contact the school office.
Students will be rostered to serve about once a month at parish Masses and also when needed at school Masses. To support them, I will provide a couple of training sessions to prepare the students.
We look forward to welcoming new altar servers into this special ministry.
Why Sunday?
On Sundays we celebrate Christ’s resurrection from the dead. According to the biblical story, on the seventh day God rested having completed the creation of the world. Appropriately, on the first day of the week Christians commemorate the ‘new creation’: the renewal of the world through Christ’s loving sacrifice. Traditionally Christians approach this day as a day of worship and celebration, focusing on their faith community and their family. This Sunday, take time out to give extra emphasis to this celebration. (E.g., Spend time with your children, take a walk with a friend, prayerfully review the Sunday readings.)
Why go to church when I can pray alone?
‘Why go to Mass when I can pray to God by myself?’ some people ask. To understand the Mass we need to understand the Church as a community, as a family. A simple analogy: Family members come together for meals, not just for physical nourishment, but as a way of sharing life together. The Sunday Eucharist is a bit like that for Catholics. It is the sacred meal, our ‘family meal’, whereby we come together to worship God, not just for our private spiritual nourishment, but to acknowledge that we belong to one another as God’s family, that we are a people who share in the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection.
Prayer Corner
Dear God,
We pray for peace in our world,
especially in Ukraine, Israel, and Palestine.
Help us to be kind and gentle in our words and actions.
Bless our families with love and joy.
Amen.
Saint of the Week
St Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa) – Feast Day 5 September
Mother Teresa cared for the poorest and most forgotten people. She reminds us that even small acts of love, like a smile or kind word, can make a big difference.
** Family Challenge: Try one small act of kindness each day this week.
Vicki Johnson
Acting Religious Education Co-ordinator
MILO - Well Being Survey
We are excited to be introducing our wellbeing dog, Milo, later this term. Before we begin, we kindly ask that you provide any information that may be relevant to your child’s participation in the program.
We understand that there are a range of considerations to ensure the program is inclusive and successful for all students. Please find below a link to a survey for you to complete which also lists a few common considerations we would like you to be aware of.
Please tick any relevant boxes on the Well Being Survey and add any additional information at the end if needed.
Thank you for your continued support.
Kuyper Concert Band
Recently our students were lucky enough to be entertained by an amazing visiting Concert Band which comprised 35 students and 7 adults from the Kuyper Christian School in Kurrajong. The students were from Years 5-12. The show was a highly entertaining, interactive show and the STA students were an excellent audience.
Two of our Year 4 students reviewed the performance:
I could tell that everyone enjoyed it and were happy!
and other schools would definitely enjoy it too.
Angeline S
They were entertaining, as well as loud and exciting.
It started off when they all marched in from different doors playing their instruments! They played heaps of songs, some people from the crowd helped them with the songs, and let us dance with them and played games!
I highly recommend this to a large variety of ages. It's fun, exciting, and upbeat!
I really enjoyed Kuyyper band. I loved dancing with my friends,
singing along to the songs, and laughing at their jokes!
That Friday is one of the most unforgettable Fridays I've ever experienced.
Poppy W
Just a reminder that a link to our School Calendar can be found on the STA website, when viewing the newsletter, and on your Compass feed. |
Consent and payment for events
If your child is attending an event, we kindly ask that you complete the Consent or Consent & Payment via the Compass app as soon as possible after the event has been published.
This helps our office staff greatly by reducing the need to follow up and ensures your child is included in all activities without delay.
Thank you for your cooperation and support.
Contacting staff
If you need to email a staff member, could you please use the email address: info@stabdow.catholic.edu.au and your email will be directed to the relevant staff member for you.
- If you would like to make an appointment with a staff member (including the Principal and Assistant Principal) could you please contact the office to organise a convenient time.
- Please do not contact office staff direct via their mobile phone except in case of emergency. If you need to make contact with the office, please call or email.
Policies
Please find below a link to our Policies, Procedures & Forms that can also be found on the website:
https://stabdow.catholic.edu.au/parents/policies-procedures-forms/Attendance
Attendance
If your child is away for any reason, can you please enter the absence in Compass. Otherwise you will receive an automatic notification at 12 pm that day to justify the absence. Thank you.
Sickbay
Due to the all the current winter ailments, the office staff have had to make a lot of phone calls to advise parents/carers or to request children be picked up. Can we please ask that you do not request we call another parent or emergency contact on your behalf. Thank you for your understanding.
School Fees
If you would like to pay by instalments, please complete and return the form below to the email address on the form.
New uniform supplier - Lowes
Please see the Price List below:
2nd hand Clothing Pool
The 2nd hand clothing pool is located adjacent to the school office and is managed by the P & F Association. It is open Friday mornings 8.30-9.30 am.
- 2nd hand items = $4 (note price rise)
- New hats, bags, gloves, scarves
Cash or card is accepted.
Medication
Please note that the only medication students are to carry on them at school is an asthma puffer (if required) for students in Years 3 - 6. All other medication is to be brought into the office. However the form below needs to be completed for all medication brought to school:
- Medication prescribed by a medical practitioner (the form needs to be completed by a parent/carer and medication needs to be sent in original packaging)
- Over the Counter medication (the form needs to be completed by a parent/carer and stamped and signed by a Medical Practitioner)
The form can be downloaded here:
P & F Committee 2025
| President | Erin Adams |
| Vice President | Carl Davey |
| Secretary | Polly Colgan |
| Treasurer | Justin Mulcahy |
The next meeting will be in the Fr Glynn Centre on Wednesday 29 October 2025 (Term 4).
Uniform Shop
Donations readily accepted. If you would like to be on the roster, could you please contact Polly Colgan at stapandfsecretary@gmail.com
Mittagong Junior Disco
- Date : Saturday 30 August
- Times : 4pm to 6pm
- Venue: Mittagong RSL – Bessemer Street, Mittagong
- Cost : $5
- Ages : 0-14
- Please note: This is a CASH ONLY event.
- Alcohol free event.
All money raised goes back to the children in the Southern Highlands community. We hope to see you there .
Bowral District Children's Foundation
