Dear Parents and Caregivers

The well publicised NAPLAN assessments will take place this week. The usefulness of NAPLAN (and its predecessor the Basic Skills Test) has long created debate regarding its usefulness to parents and schools. Some loathe the idea, others believe it is a key assessment tool that gives an accurate picture of a child’s achievement in literacy and numeracy. 

At St Thomas Aquinas we believe it provides the key stakeholders (students, parents and teachers) with a snapshot of a child’s learning in two key areas. NAPLAN data is only one piece of the learning puzzle. An over-emphasis on NAPLAN places unnecessary stress and pressure on children for a small educational gain. We cannot allow ourselves to fall into the trap of believing that a test score is a measure of our children’s intelligence and potential! In light of that we have a duty to ensure we set up children for success and therefore give them the opportunities to develop ‘test’ literacy skills, that is, how to navigate forms of assessments such as NAPLAN whilst applying their knowledge and skills.

A pre-eminent academic and author Ken Robinson espouses that children need to be given the opportunities at home and school to find their “element”.

Robinson suggests that a person’s element is the intersection between what they are good at and what they love. It’s finding that ‘thing’ where you will work hard and love every minute of it. It’s when you’re energised rather than drained by your work (or learning).

The end goal of education is to prepare children for employment so rather than obsessing about a test score, we should be thinking about schooling in terms of helping our children discover their ‘element’ - and how to pursue it. 

Rather than narrowing their world and their focus to a score, we should be opening them up to all the possibilities and opportunities we can.

Learning the basics is absolutely vital. Literacy and numeracy are incredibly important and foundational to a whole range of life paths. However, we still need to be encouraging our children to try new things, to play, to dream, to be allowed to fail and learn from that failure. 

Above all, we need to resist the notion that our teachers and our schools should be judged on a tiny part of the curriculum at a particular moment in time

Yours in partnership

Mr Anthony McElhone

Principal

Attendance - New Extended Absence Procedures

For extended absences (of more than 5 school days) due to travel, parents must submit the Notification of Extended Absence form along with relevant travel documentation. This documentation should include: Dates, locations of travel, purpose and reasons for travel outside school holidays. 

If you wish to apply for an extended absence, the relevant form is accessible via COMPASS or can be accessed from the school office. All the appropriate documentation must be completed and returned to the school. All applications will be considered by the school principal.  

Acknowledgement of Extended Absence

After considering the explanation for the extended absence the school will issue an Acknowledgement of Extended Absence to the parent, regardless of whether the explanation for the absence is accepted or not accepted by the Principal. The acknowledgment may include agreed matters relating to the student’s learning and well-being. Accepted extended absences will be recorded as explained and Unaccepted absences will be recorded as unjustified

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.

• 28 April (first day of Term 2)
• 29 April (second day of Term 2)
• 21 July (first day of Term 3)
• 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

• 12 March NAPLAN - Writing (Years 3 & 5)

• 13 March NAPLAN - Reading & Conventions of Language (Years 3 & 5)

• 13 March Year 6 Leadership Program

• 14 March NAPLAN - Numeracy (Years 3 & 5)

• 14 March 2:15 pm Whole School Assembly - Prayer led by K-2

• 21 March World Down Syndrome Awareness Day / Harmony Day

• 27 March Year 5 Leadership Program

• 28 March School Photos

• 28 March 2:30pm Whole School Assembly - Prayer led by Year 4

• 4 April School Cross Country Carnival at Chevalier College

• 11 April 9:00-10:00 Holy Week Liturgy in FGC (tbc)

• 11 April 1:30pm Lunch on the Lawn (weather permitting)

• 11 April 2:30pm Whole School Assembly

School Photo Day

Our Annual School Photo Day will be held on Friday, 28 March. Personalised student envelopes have been sent home.  Please contact the office if you did not receive one for your child (one each) or if you require a Sibling Photo envelope. Envelopes are to be brought back on the day (not before). 

Notifying Parents/Carers in Emergencies

In the case of an emergency and/or critical incident parents/carers will be notified via Compass alert and/or text message. Please ensure your contact details (i.e., mobile number and email address) are up to date. If any details have changed please contact the office at your earliest convenience.

Enrolments for Kindergarten 2026

We are now accepting enrolment applications for Kindergarten 2026. The enrolment form is now available online via our school website (https://www.stabdow.catholic.edu.au/enrol/). Applications should be completed by the end of Term 1.

Sports News

Celebrating Success! CEDoW Representative Sport

CEDoW Swimming Trials

Well done to all swimmers who competed at the recent swimming trials in Corrimal.  Congratulations to Billy H, Autumn H, Tobias H, Thomas L, Erin S and Henry W who have been selected to trial for the MacKillop swimming team.  They will be competing at Homebush on Wednesday 2 April.  We are very proud of them and we wish them all the best.

A Message from Bishop Brian

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Pope Francis has proclaimed that 2025 is a Holy Year
of Jubilee, a special year of grace and conversion,
involving prayer, pilgrimage and sacramental
repentance, ordinarily held every 25 years. The goal
of a Jubilee year is to inspire and encourage holiness
of life among the faithful and therefore to strengthen
the Church’s witness to God’s loving mercy in and for
the world. The spiritual theme for the 2025 Holy Year of Jubilee
is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’.

The Jubilee year commenced with the opening of the
Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica on 24 December.
As was the case in Dioceses around the world, I
opened the Holy Year in the Diocese of Wollongong
on Sunday 29 December 2024 at the celebration of
Mass at St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Wollongong.

In choosing the motto ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ for the
Jubilee, Pope Francis noted that ‘We must fan the
flame of hope that has been given to us and help
everyone to gain new strength and certainty by
looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting
heart and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee
can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope
and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that
we so greatly desire’.

Lent

We held our first Caritas fundraiser for Lent last Friday. The students wore mufti and we raised $400.75! Thank you for your generosity. Our next fundraiser will be a Crazy Hair Day on Thursday 10th April. We are encouraging the students to take up the challenge of almsgiving this Lent by doing some extra jobs at home to earn a gold coin to donate.

Holy Week Liturgy

You are invited to join us to celebrate our Holy Week Liturgy on Friday 11th April at 9:30am.

First Reconciliation

We have students busily preparing for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Please keep them in your prayers.

Confirmation

Students in Year 6 who have made their First Communion are invited to make their Confirmation this year. The ceremony will be held on Saturday 24th May at 11am. Father Sean will invite these families to enrol. Keep your eye on the Parish Bulletin.

Renee McFayden

Religious Education Co-ordinator

Year 2

Year 2 have been learning about cool / warm colours and stgraight / curved lines.

Some examples of their artworks are showcased here.  Thank you Lola, Dimity & Ollie.

Attendance

If your child is away for any reason, can you please enter the absence in Compass.  Otherwise you will receive a notification at 12 pm that day to justify the absence.  Thank you.

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.