2025 Term 2 - Week 6 - Newsletter

Prayer for the Week

From our Acting Principal

As we approach the ¾ mark of the term, the staff group have noticed an increase in the number of students displaying the tell-tale signs of sustaining a continued focus and engagement with their learning, namely fatigue, irritability and not coping with minor setbacks. This fatigue can show in many ways including children being overtired and more emotional than usual. Therefore, it is timely to remind your children about the importance of maintaining a good healthy routine, particularly regarding plenty of rest and nutrition. As the children become fatigued and become stressed, it can lead to them being less able to handle situations that wouldn’t have been a problem only a few weeks ago, in particular conflict within their friendship groups. 

Conflict with peers is unavoidable and is all part of growing up. From the school’s perspective, most disagreements tend to occur at the back end of each school term. Minor, niggling things that others may say or do suddenly become major reasons for arguments and strained friendships. At times like these, teachers, and parents play an important role in guiding children through these rough patches. 

We regularly remind the students that if they do have any concerns or issues, please come and talk to their teacher (first point of call) or a member of the Leadership Team so we can deal with the matter accordingly. We also emphasise the importance of showing ongoing respect (through the use of appropriate language, and positive interactions) and care for others in our school, and that being tired, sick and upset aren’t excuses for poor behaviour choices.

To assist your children in navigating this time and being fully prepared to learn, it is essential that your children have a clearly set out routine at home. This should consist of a defined and enforced bedtime - even on weekends - to ensure adequate rest is occurring, starting the day with breakfast - as it can be a long morning for little people when they haven't eaten – and ensuring that their screen time in the afternoon and evenings is reduced. Numerous studies have shown that these three areas are essential for children to experience a positive and engaging day of learning. 

God bless
Have a great week.

Luke Barrett
Acting Principal 

From our APMI

Caring for Our Common Home and Each Other: A Season of Reflection

At St Thomas More’s, we’ve been embracing a powerful season of reflection, action, and unity as we mark World Turtle Day, Laudato Si’ Week, National Sorry Day, and Reconciliation Week. These significant events invite us to care more deeply—for our planet, for one another, and for the future we are building together.

World Turtle Day: Small Actions, Big Impact

We launched our celebrations with World Turtle Day, using this day to highlight our responsibility to care for creation. Students and staff were encouraged to take meaningful steps—like picking up rubbish, keeping our school safe, and showing kindness to others.

Our community came together in creative ways:

• Wear Green for a Cause: Students wore green and donated gold coins to support environmental initiatives.
• Facepainting: Miss Jodie surprised students with turtle facepainting on Friday as a special reminder.
• Turtle Raffle: Each class has the chance to win a handmade turtle, thanks to Miss Jodie’s crocheting talents! Tickets can be earned through eco-friendly actions like wrapper-free lunches and caring for the environment, and by purchasing a ticket for 50c. All funds raised will go toward a special project to be revealed at our assembly on Friday, May 30 when each raffle will be drawn.

Laudato Si’ Week: A Call to Care for Creation

During Laudato Si’ Week, we reflect on Pope Francis’ call to care for our common home. A highlight was a professional learning session led by Dr Margy Heuschele, a true environmental champion at our school. Dr Margy coordinates our composting, recycling, library gardens, and Eco Warriors.

At our Week 5 staff meeting, she invited staff to reflect on the beauty and symbolism of trees—not just as oxygen-givers, but as sources of shade, sound, scent, and spiritual connection. Her message reminded us that creation is a gift that draws us closer to God.

National Sorry Day: A Time to Remember

On May 23 and 26, we paused to observe National Sorry Day, a solemn and important moment in our national story. We remembered the Stolen Generations and acknowledged the pain and injustice experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As a school community, we reflected on the importance of truth-telling, listening, and healing.

A special highlight was Year 2 Gold’s Prayer Celebration, where students led us in a moving and reverent tribute. We were so blessed to have so many parents and family members join us. The students read beautifully, sang with heart, and shared reflective prayers that touched everyone present. It was a powerful reminder of the importance of compassion, understanding, and unity.

Reconciliation Week: Now More Than Ever

Following Sorry Day, we entered Reconciliation Week with open hearts and minds. This year’s theme, Now More Than Ever, reminds us that reconciliation is not a one-time event, but a lifelong journey. We are committed to walking together with First Nations peoples, learning from their deep connection to Country, and working toward justice and unity.

Update: Year 3 Parish Mass Rescheduled

Please note that the Year 3 Parish Mass has been rescheduled to Thursday, June 6, and will now be celebrated together with the Year 2 Parish Mass.

We apologise for any confusion caused by our earlier communication, which incorrectly stated that the change affected Year 4. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility as we make this adjustment.

God Bless

Donna Barlow 

Assistant Principal Mission & Identity

2025 School Priorities

At the commencement of every school year, the teaching staff gather to consider and develop priorities for the year. For 2025, the focus of our practices will centre on the following:

2025 Theme:

2025 School Goals:

Before School Supervision

Before school duty commences at 8:00am. Children who arrive at school before 8:00am are kindly asked to sit in the ‘Quad Area’ until teacher supervision commences at 8:00am.

Process for Late Arrival, Early Departure and Collection Areas:

This is a valuable opportunity to remind families of the requirements pertaining to late arrival to school and early departure from school. Our aim is to safely account for all students while minimising disruption to teaching for the staff and learning for the students.

Late Arrival

• a student is considered to have arrived late any time after the 8.30am bell on a school day
• all students arriving late must sign be signed in by a parent, family member or themselves. Children then transition to the classroom by themselves.

Early Departure

• a student is considered to have departed early any time before 2.55pm on a school day
• Parent/Guardian to call, email or present to the School Administration Office to inform School Administration Staff their child/children will be departing early and offer the reason for the early departure
• the School Administration Staff will contact and advise the Class Teacher of an early departure and request for the child/children to present to the School Administration Office at a prescribed time
• Parent/Guardian to collect child from School Administration Office and sign child out
• Parents/Guardians are not permitted to attend the classrooms and withdraw children directly
• Parents/Guardians are not permitted to visit the classrooms between the hours of 8:30am and 2:55pm unless invited to do so. This is to avoid disruption to teaching and learning. Should there be a need to visit a classroom or drop something off to a child/children, this can be arranged through the School Administration Office.

Collection Areas for Families (End of School Day)

As part of the afternoon end of school day collection of children, parents/guardians are always invited and encouraged to collect children within the confines of the school in places that do not disrupt teaching and learning.  In doing so, we respectfully ask families to wait in the following areas:

• Drop Off/Pick Up Area on South Street (outside the Prep collection area)
• The Quad Area (the collection of children in Years 1, 3 – 6)
• The seats outside of the Year 2 classrooms (Year 2 children).

Communication Protocols

St Thomas More’s Primary School recognises and respects the right of employees to disconnect from work and not respond to work-related electronic communications outside of designated hours. St Thomas More’s Primary School staff will reply to electronic communication within the hours of 8.00am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday. Where contact is made outside of this span of hours, employees will respond within two working days of the employee’s next designated working day considering weekends, leave, other non-working days, vacation periods and holidays.

Grooming Expectations

Please be mindful, hairstyles which draw attention to the individual, including but are not limited to: mullet, scullett, mohawks, tracks, tails, hair colouring etc. are not permitted.

Student Phones

Student mobile phones are to be signed in at the School Administration Office each morning and collected at the end of the school day.  Children are not permitted to text or make calls from phones or smart watches during the school day.

From our Sports Dept

Athletics Carnival 

 Our annual athletics carnival will be held on Tuesday 17th June at O’Quinn Street Oval. Classes have been busy preparing for the carnival. High jump events for children Yrs 9-12 will be held in Week 6,7 & 8. A timetable is below.  

Buses have been booked for all students to utilise to and from the carnival.  

This year we are after some champion parent helpers for our Athletics Carnival this year. Champion parent helpers would have the option of staying on a field event for the whole day or move around the field events with their child/children so you could still see them participate. You would be required to help with measuring, racking sand and retrieving equipment. You don’t have to know much about the field events, as there will be a teacher accompanying you and running the actual event. Please use the link below to register to be a champion parent helper!  

https://forms.office.com/r/fGkJmry8pF 

High Jump Timetable 

We will be holding our high jump event at school beginning next Friday 30th May. Below is a timetable for each age group. A start time has been listed however, it’s very hard to put an exact time on when each group will begin. I will be moving straight onto the next group as soon as the previous one has concluded.  

These events will be held in the sports centre. The scissor kick technique will be the only style allowed.    

Athletics Program 2025 

Tuesday 17th  June  

Soccer  

Congratulations to Wol M on being selected in the zone soccer team. We wish him all the best at the darling downs trials.

Stacey Hancock

Health and PE Teacher

St Tommy Movers Showcase!

This term, the students have been learning Dance in the arts classroom. The students have been taught a choreographed dance which will be performed at our St Tommy Movers Showcase. We would love to have families come along and watch! 

When: (Week 10) Thursday 26th June 2025. From 12pm - 1pm. 

Where: The Sports Centre. 

What To Wear 

The school has purchased costumes for the students; however, they will need to bring clothes to perform in. If you are unable to bring in the right clothing the students can wear their school uniform. All students will wear their school shoes. Please no dresses or skirts. Students will only wear these clothes during the performance so they will need to come to school on the day wearing their correct school uniform. 

Prep (Bunny Rabbits): wearing white 

Year 1 (party theme): wearing green and/or yellow 

Year 2 (cowboy theme): wearing denim on bottoms. White or checkered shirt on top 

Year 3 (Sailors): wearing white and/or navy blue 

Year 4 (Monkeys): wearing brown and/or black 

Year 5 and 6 (Rock and Roll): wearing black 

From our Counsellor

Resilience Project Webinar Recording – Connected Parenting with Lael Stone

Dear Parents and Carers,

As part of our Resilience Project program, it is our pleasure to provide a parenting talk conducted by Lael Stone, an educator and counsellor who encourages compassionate connected parenting. This talk is wonderful and highlights the challenges parents can face in supporting your child’s feelings, managing the meltdowns, learning how to listen and be present. Lael provides some practical examples in how to support emotions, how to model empathy and build a relationship of connection, highlighting the importance of bringing playfulness and presence in the time we spend with our children.  

Recording.
Here is the link to the recording Please note that this link will expire on the 12th June.

Healthy Minds Happy Hearts

This term, researchers from the University of Southern Queensland’s Centre for Health Research invite your family to participate in the Healthy Minds Happy Hearts research project.

What is Healthy Minds Happy Hearts? This innovative program will help you learn if your child may be experiencing emotional or behavioural difficulties. It provides a screening assessment with measures used by psychologists, personalised feedback reports and recommendations for support, as well as access to a comprehensive information website all about child mental health.

Healthy Minds Happy Hearts is designed to support all children and families – your child does not need to be experiencing any difficulties to take part.

As a research project, families will be randomly allocated to one of two groups:

• Healthy Minds Happy Hearts Group: Access to the full program, including a comprehensive screening assessment, a personalised feedback report, tailored support recommendations, and immediate access to the Healthy Minds Happy Hearts information website.

• Standard Care Group: A brief screening assessment and a personalised feedback report and then access to the full Healthy Minds Happy Hearts program (as described above) at the end of the trial (after 12 weeks).

What does participation involve in both groups?

• A 10-20 minute online mental health screening survey for parents and children.
• Two follow-up surveys, 6 and 12 weeks later.

Participating families will also be entered into a raffle to win one of five $50 gift cards. Families will also have the chance to win one of three $30 Woolworth gift cards each time they complete a survey, with winners drawn twice per month.

To participate in this project or find out more, please visit https://healthymindshappyhearts.unisq.edu.au/ , or see the flyer below. You will need to enter your school’s unique access code to begin the screening assessment.

St Thomas More’s Primary School’s access code is JZYS

If you have any questions, please contact the research team at healthymindshappyhearts@unisq.edu.au

Thank you for supporting this important research!

Your Healthy Minds Happy Hearts Research Team: 

Prof Sonja March, Dr Arlen Rowe, Ms Hannah Matthews & Dr Kirsty Zieschank

Healthy Minds Happy Hearts Study invitation

Researchers at the University of Southern Queensland are inviting families at St Thomas More’s Primary School to participate in a research project testing a new mental health screening and support program for primary school students.

If you are interested in participating in this study or would like to learn more, please visit: https://healthymindshappyhearts.unisq.edu.au/.

Study video

Researchers at the University of Southern Queensland are inviting families at St Thomas More’s Primary School to participate in a study testing a new mental health screening and support program for primary school students. To learn more about the program and what it will involve, please watch the video below.

To participate in Healthy Mind Happy Hearts, please visit https://healthymindshappyhearts.unisq.edu.au/ and use St Thomas More’s school code: JZYS

If you have any questions about this study, please contact the research team at healthymindshappyhearts@unisq.edu.au

Wishing you well,

Jayne Farquharson

Counsellor

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Tuckshop News

Opening Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

Order via Flexischools App.  If you need help to navigate the App or to adjust your order, please feel free to pop into the tuckshop and chat to Jemma or email jemma@archerscateringandevents.com.au 

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Order before 7am for Wednesday and Thursday orders.  For Friday orders, please order by 1pm Thursdays.

Tuckshop Email:  jemma@archerscateringandevents.com.au 

NEW Tuckshop Menu

REMINDER - IF YOU CHILD IS SICK, PLEASE CONTACT THE TUCKSHOP BEFORE 9AM TO POSTPONE YOUR ORDER!

Thank you!

A huge thank you to Westridge Fruit and Vegetables for their continued support with the donation of fresh fruit every week for our students!

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