Principal's Message
Dear Parents and Caregivers
I would like to extend my best wishes to some of our Year 6 students who are preparing for their Sacrament of Confirmation this weekend. This is a significant milestone in their spiritual journey, and we are incredibly proud of the commitment and dedication they have shown.
The Sacrament of Confirmation is a profound step in affirming their faith, and it symbolises their growth and maturity within the Christian community. It is a time for them to reflect on their beliefs, embrace the Holy Spirit, and make a conscious commitment to live out their faith in their everyday lives.
May the Holy Spirit guide and inspire our Year 6 students, filling them with wisdom, courage, and grace. We are confident that they will shine brightly as they continue to grow in faith and character.
As we reach the end of Term 2, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the tremendous efforts and achievements of our school community. This term has been filled with hard work, dedication, and numerous accomplishments, and it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate these collective efforts.
Firstly, to our amazing students: your enthusiasm for learning and commitment to your studies has been truly inspiring. Each of you has shown remarkable growth and resilience, tackling challenges with determination and achieving great successes. Whether it was excelling in academics, sports, arts, or other extracurricular activities, your hard work has paid off, and you should be very proud of yourselves.
To our wonderful teachers and staff: your dedication to providing a nurturing and stimulating learning environment for our students is the backbone of our school's success. Your passion for education and unwavering support for our students has not gone unnoticed. Thank you for going above and beyond in your efforts to make this term a fruitful and enriching experience for everyone.
Lastly, but certainly not least, to our supportive parents and guardians: your involvement and encouragement are crucial to our students' success. Your partnership with our school helps create a strong community that values education and personal growth. Thank you for your continued support, patience, and trust in us as we work together to provide the best possible education for your children.
As we prepare for the upcoming holiday break, I wish each of you a restful and joyous time with your families and loved ones. Take this opportunity to relax, recharge, and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back refreshed and ready for the exciting challenges and opportunities that Term 3 will bring.
Yours in partnership
Mr Anthony McElhone
Principal
NAPLAN - Individual Student Reports
Students in Years 3 & 5 participated in the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) during Term 1. A NAPLAN individual student report will be provided for your child early in Term 3. The same report format is used for every student in Australia.
NAPLAN results are reported against proficiency standards. There is a standard for each assessment area at each year level. Proficiency standards provide clear information on student achievement. Student achievement is shown against 4 levels of proficiency:
- Exceeding: the student’s result exceeds expectations at the time of testing.
- Strong: the student’s result meets challenging but reasonable expectations at the time of testing.
- Developing: the student’s result indicates that they are working towards expectations at the time of testing.
- Needs additional support: the student’s result indicates that they are not achieving the learning outcomes that are expected at the time of testing. They are likely to need additional support to progress satisfactorily.
If your child participated in 2024 and does not receive a report by Thursday 1 August, contact the school office.
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.
2024 School Calendar
The key date of events and celebrations for 2024 can be viewed in our online school calendar. The calendar can be viewed on our school website and via the newsletter.
Upcoming Events
- 22 July First Day of Term 3
- 23 July Year 4 Practice Religious Literacy Assessment
- 24 July K-6 Athletics Carnival at Eridge Park
- 26 July Year 6 Mass with Bishop Brian Mascord (at St Paul’s Camden)
- 31 July 6:30pm P&F Meeting
- 1 August 2:30pm Whole School Assembly (Kindergarten Prayer)
- 2 August Staff Development Day
- 7 August 2:00pm Year 2 Visit to Bowral Library
- 9 August Western Region Zone Athletics Carnival
- 13 August 10:00am Year 3 Visit to Bowral Library
- 2:00pm 5G Visit to Bowral Library
- 14 August 11:45am Kindergarten Visit to Bowral Library
- 2:00pm 5B Visit to Bowral Library
- 15 August 11:45am 6B Visit to Bowral Library
- 2:00pm Year 1 Visit to Bowral Library
- 16 August 2:30pm Whole School Assembly
- 17 August P&F Trivia Night
- 21 August Book Week Parade & Fun Day
- 22 August 11:45am 6G Visit to Bowral Library
- 23 August Kindergarten & Year 1 Excursion - Symbio
- Year 5 Leadership Day
- 10:00am 4G Visit to Bowral Library
Book Week
This year's theme lends itself easily to all the magical characters and settings found in literature so the students will be encouraged to come dressed as any book character who they believe is ‘magical’. Mrs Preddey will discuss this with all students during their library lessons.
The Book Parade and Fun Day - Wednesday 21 August (Week 5). Parade order will be Year 4, 2, 1, K, 3, 5 & 6. The parade will commence at approximately 9:15am.
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 |
|
4 July |
Mrs Connell, Mrs Weekes |
New Syllabus Implementation Planning Day (English) |
Staff Development Days - Terms 3 & 4
- Term 3 - Friday Week 2 (2 August)
- Term 3 - Friday Week 10 (27 September)
- Term 4 - Monday Week 1 (14 October)
- Thursday & Friday Week 10 (19 & 20 December)