Dear Parents and Caregivers

On 26 May each year, Sorry Day marks the anniversary of the tabling of the Bringing Them Home report in the Australian Parliament in 1997 and commemorates The Stolen Generations survivors. Last Monday we were blessed to have the Green family (Ava - 4B, Teddy - K) lead our prayer service to acknowledge this important 

Sorry Day is an important opportunity to acknowledge the past with sincerity and empathy, paving the path towards healing and reconciliation. This day provides a chance for everyone in our community to come together in the healing process for The Stolen Generations who were forcibly removed from their family and communities.

National Sorry Day is a day to acknowledge the strength of The Stolen Generations Survivors and reflect on how we can all play a part in the healing process for our people and Nation. While this date carries great significance for The Stolen Generations and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it is also commemorated by Australians right around the country.    

We acknowledge that within our Catholic Education community, we have colleagues who are part of The Stolen Generations and that their lives have been impacted on over the generations. We keep them in our thoughts and prayers.    

The current Social Justice Statement (2023 - 2024) from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) Listen, Learn, Love: A New Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples is a call for all the People of God to embrace a new engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, an engagement which involves a commitment to listen to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sisters and brothers and to learn from them. This listening and learning and the actions which flow from them must be grounded in a spirit of love if there is to be a change for the better. We still have work to do. 

However, amidst these challenges, the strength, perseverance, and dignity demonstrated by the First Australians offer a glimmer of hope for a future where these injustices are overcome, and their voices are heard and valued, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable society.

“When the Old Testament speaks of justice or righteousness, it means the right relationship – and you can’t have the right relationship with God unless you have the right relationship with other people...and vice versa.”

How do you live in right relationship and work for reconciliation in your life?

How do you listen to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sisters and brothers and make the commitment to learn from them?

How do we ensure our actions towards deep understanding flow from a spirit grounded in love?

Yours in partnership

Mr Anthony McElhone

Principal

2024 School Calendar

Upcoming Events

• 7 June 2:30pm Whole School Assembly

• 10 June King’s Birthday Public Holiday

• 12 June Year 6 Canberra Excursion

• 13 June Hindmarsh Cup Rugby League Gala Day

• 14 June Feast of Corpus Christi Mass (combined with St Michael’s Mittagong)

• 17 June Year 4 attending Chevalier College Musical

        Dancesport Confidence Program (Years 5 & 6) commences

• 20 June 2:30pm Whole School Assembly (note changed to Thursday due to Athletics

• 21 June School Athletics Carnival at Eridge Park

• 28 June Western Region Netball Gala Day

        Semester 1 Reports Distributed

• 1-5 July Parent/Teacher Interviews

• 5 July Jolly Bops Show (K-6)

        2:30pm Whole School Assembly

        Final Day of Term 2

• 22 July First Day of Term 3

• 23 July Year 4 Practice Religious Literacy Assessment

• 26 July Year 6 Mass with Bishop Brian Mascord (at St Paul’s Camden)

• 31 July 6:30pm P&F Meeting

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
7 June	Mrs Syrros	New Syllabus Implementation Planning Day (English)
11 June	Mr McElhone, Mrs Robinson	System Professional Learning Day
12 June	Mr McElhone, Mrs McFayden	New Syllabus Implementation Professional Learning Day (Mathematics)
13 June	Mrs McFayden, Mrs Menzies	New Syllabus Implementation Planning Day (English)

Staff Development Days - Terms 3 & 4

• Term 3 - Friday Week 2 (2/8/24) 
• Term 3 - Friday Week 10 (27/9)
• Term 4 - Monday Week 1 (14/10)
• Thursday & Friday Week 10 (19/12 & 20/12)

Sports News

Well done to Mihaan who represented the MacKillop team in hockey and scored 5 goals in 5 games.  Congratulations on a great effort Mihaan.