Dear Parents and Caregivers

During the recent holiday break NAIDOC Week was celebrated across the country.  This year's NAIDOC Week 2023 theme was:

Our First Nation’s People stand on the shoulders of generations of Elders who have paved the way for a better way of life for all. Across every generation, the Elders have played, and continue to play, an important role, and hold a prominent place, in community and families.

Elders are cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders, hard workers and our loved ones. They guide our generations and pave the way for us to take the paths that we can take today. We draw strength from their knowledge and experience, in everything from land management, cultural knowledge to justice and human rights. They influence and inspire us to work for the equality and hope for which they fought.

During NAIDOC Week, we remember the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of our country and celebrate their rich history, diverse cultures and inspiring contributions to the life of Australia today. We celebrate that Australia has the oldest continuous culture on the planet. 

We are all invited to embrace First Nations’ cultural knowledge and understanding of Country as part of Australia's national heritage and equally respect the culture and values of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders as they do the cultures and values of all Australians. We are invited to work towards healing the hurts of the past and with intention and action, move towards reconciliation.

As a Catholic community, our indigenous brothers and sisters make a priceless contribution. The Indigenous People of Australia have a depth of spirituality that can enrich our non Indigenous spirits in so many ways. One of these spiritual gifts is Dadirri. 

A remarkable, spirit-filled Aboriginal Woman from Daly River, Miriam Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann suggests in her reflections that Dadirri — Inner Deep Listening and Quiet Still Awareness is a gift that our nation needs at this particular time. In a time when there is a deficit of awareness of our thoughts and actions and stillness is a rarity, Dadirri draws us back to Jesus.  

Jesus shows us stillness in his regular prayer to his father in deserts, gardens, and on mountains. His awareness of creation and in particular of others. His mindfulness in the presence of others, in particular the marginalised, reminds us of our indigenous spirituality of ‘deep calling to deep’.

Our First Nation’s people are all looking for significant and lasting change. After 250 years, our children and our future generations deserve better. Help us to work for equality and hope for our future generations.

The generous invitation from our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to not only walk with them but to enrich us and thrive through their deep spirituality is profound.

Mr Anthony McElhone

Principal

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.

2023 School Calendar

The key date of events and celebrations for 2023 can be viewed in our online school calendar. The calendar can be viewed on our school website and via the newsletter.

Key Dates

• 18 July Year 4 Religious Literacy Practice Assessment
• 20 July Gymnastics Program Commences
• 26 July Year 6 Mass with Bishop Brian
• 28 July Whole School Assembly
• 1 August Year 4 Religious Literacy Assessment
• NSW Netball Cup - South Coast Regional Final
• 4 August Western Region Athletics Carnival
• 11 August Whole School Assembly
• 14 August Author Visit - Deb Abela
• 15 August Year 6 Leadership Day
• 23 August Book Week Celebration - (Parade & Fun Day)
• 24 August CEDoW Soccer Gala Day
• 25 August  Whole School Assembly
• 8 September  Whole School Assembly
• 11 September Regional Public Speaking Competition
• 14-15 September CEDoW Basketball Gala Day
• 13 September Year 3 Excursion (Hyde Park Barracks)
• 15 September Kindergarten Excursion (Discovery Space)
• 18 September Year 5 Excursion (Minnamurra Rainforest)
• 22 September Whole School Assembly & Final Day of Term 3

Staff Development Days

Following are the dates for the remaining staff development days this year. A reminder that children do not attend school on these days.

• Term 4 - Monday & Tuesday 18 & 19 December

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:

Sporting News

Upcoming Events

• 2 August NSW Netball Cup South Coast Regional Finals
• 4 August CEDoW Western Region Athletics
• 24 August CEDoW Soccer Gala Day
• 15 September CEDoW Basketball Gala Day

Save the Date!

• Early and Stage 1 Mass- Sunday November 5th at 5pm
• Whole School and Parish Thanksgiving Mass- Sunday December 3rd at 5pm

Children’s Liturgy

Every Sunday at the 9:30 am Mass, we welcome our children to hear the Gospel of the day, discuss, answer questions and complete an activity relating to the Mass. All Welcome!

St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal

A huge thank you to the enormous generosity you have shown towards our St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal. Each class basket is overflowing with food donations and gift vouchers that will be so warmly accepted by the Bowral Vinnies Conference at assembly this Friday. It was delightful to see the students so proud of their efforts and thoughts for others.

Year 6 Mass with the Bishop

Tomorrow, St Thomas Aquinas is hosting five other local Catholic Schools as we  celebrate with Year 6 and Bishop Brian. The students are looking forward to this momentous Mass and sharing lunch with peers from the Diocese. We look forward to a beautiful celebration. 

Parish News

The Parish is holding a Trivia Night on Friday 20 October 2023.  More details to follow.

Religious Education Co-ordinator

Good luck to the Year 5 & 6 students who are competing in the finals of the Netball Cup next Wednesday.

We also wish the best of luck to all competitors taking part in the Western Region Athletics Carnival next Friday.

Afternoon Pick-Up

The pick-up areas in the afternoon are as follows:

• Side Gate (parents walk down to collect students).
• Front Gate Drive-Through (only for students who are in Kindergarten or who have a sibling toddler in the car.  Students are walked to the car)
• If you need to collect your child at the front gate, you will need to park the car and collect them from side gate.  Please do not ask your child to meet them at the front gate.
• Back Gate Drive-Through (students are walked to the car)
• Bridge Walkers (students are walked to the bridge in Victoria Street)
• Town Walkers (students are walked along Bundaroo Street and cross the road with a staff member at The Mews)
• Bus