Term 4 - Week 3 - Update

Prayer of the Week

Image retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/619456123730731618/ 

From our Principal

Dear Parents / Guardians,

While the vast majority of interactions within our community are positive and respectful, there have been several instances where communication has fallen outside of what could be considered reasonable. All communication, whether it be between parents and school staff; amongst parents; or from parent to child should model what we expect of our students.

The Toowoomba Catholic Schools Office has a Parent Charter, and in the coming weeks, our Parent Engagement Committee will be working on it to ensure that it meets the needs of our school community.

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend Friday’s Grandparents’ Morning. It is always one of the highlight events on our school calendar, providing a positive experience for our students and, hopefully, the adults who were able to attend. I am extremely appreciative of everyone’s understanding when we needed to alter our plans to accommodate a funeral in the church. Thanks to all of the school staff who put in the extra effort to make the morning such a success.

God Bless

Michael Cash 

Principal

From our APRE

Today we welcomed Miss Berry back from her overseas adventures! Congratulations to Leah (Miss Berry) and Tom on your wedding over the September holidays. We wish you many happy years together in the years to come. 

A big thank you to 3 Gold and Mrs Almeida for leading the whole school so beautifully in prayer to celebrate Grandparent's Day last Friday. It was lovely to have so many grandparent visitors! We hope all the children and grandparents had a lovely morning celebrating together. 

Prep Play Mornings

As part of our Prep transition for 2023, STM will be holding some Prep Play Mornings this week! If any of our 2023 Prep Families have not received information about these dates, please contact the school office.

Hike for Homeless

This year Service Club have expressed interest in having a STM Hike for Homeless Team once again. If you would like to come and hike with some of the STM staff, please use the link below to register and join our team. Staff will only be hiking the 5km course, but if you are a keen hiker and want to hike the longer courses, feel free to register for those. I can't join you this year (post-surgery orders from the doctor) but will be at the finishing line to cheer on our STM hikers!

Day for Daniel

This year we celebrate the Day for Daniel on Friday, October 28th. We invite all students in our STM school community to participate in the Walk for Daniel on this day to honour his memory. Please use the form below to register your interest and get further details. 

As in previous years, students can also show their support for the Day for Daniel by accessorising their school uniform with red next Friday!

Family Mass

This term we celebrate Family Mass on Saturday, October 29th as part of the 6:00 pm Mass at the St Thomas More's Church. We warmly invite all STM families to come along and join the parish to pray and celebrate. 

Families who would like to be part of the Mass in a special way (reading, carrying forward symbols or singing) will need to let Miss Byrne know via email ASAP. We have such an enthusiastic school community, so please be aware that all those who volunteer will not be able to be part of the Mass in a special way, but are still welcome to come along and join in prayer with the parish and school community.

Worship Choir

Worship Choir will start again next week and run each Monday for the rest of this term during first break. We have a few celebrations we will be leading the singing for this term! Children from Year 2 - Year 6 are welcome to join Worship Choir. Come and have some fun singing with us. 

Socktober

This year we celebrate Socktober on Monday, November 7th. Children can wear their normal school uniform with their most crazy socks for a gold coin donation. Children will also be able to participate in the Socktober Kick Off. We are looking for parent volunteers to be kick-off goalies. You don't need to be David Beckham - you just need to be able to stand in a goal and at least attempt to stop some soccer balls making it through! We're after 30 minute commitments - you can do longer if you are available. Please let me know if you are able to help out!

Why Socktober? 

Each year Catholic Mission supports communities across the world. In 2022, through Socktober Catholic Mission is giving students and their families across Australia a chance to raise funds to support families in Ethiopia who are facing malnutrition and food insecurity.

The reason we use soccer is because sport is something that unites people across the globe. Children in Ethiopia play soccer just like we do, they just don’t have access to the same resources. Many children in the communities Catholic Mission helps don’t have access to soccer balls like we do, so they have to make their own out of materials they have around their home and school. They might have balls made out of socks, old clothes or plastic bags. As you prepare for Socktober, it would be a great idea to make your own ball to use for our Kick Off, with the help of your adult, using something from home.

Swimming

This week our junior school commences swimming lessons. We had a lot of children forget swimmers this morning. Please note that Jodie and Tammy will only be calling families this week if children have forgotten their swimmers and swimming gear. From next week, children who are not prepared for swimming will be unable to attend swimming lessons. 

Need any chairs?

Due to our yearly upgrade of classroom furniture, we currently have a large number of old school chairs we need to remove from school grounds. Before we make alternative arrangements for these many chairs, we wanted to offer them to our school community. There are chairs available in many sizes and styles and you can take as many as you would like for free. Please let the school office know if you would like to take any of these chairs off our hands!

God Bless.

Miss Kristin Byrne

Assistant Principal: Religious Education

Once again, a huge thank you to Evention for your sponsorship and support of our Matilda Jr. production this year! You went above and beyond and we are so very thankful! 

From Our Learning Support

Learning Support News

In last week’s newsletter, Information was provided regarding Dysgraphia (impairment in written expression). This week we look at the specific learning disorder with impairment in mathematics (Dyscalculia). This information comes from AUSPELD: A Guide for Parents (2018). 

Specific learning disorder with impairment in mathematics (dyscalculia)

Children who have a specific learning disorder with impairment in mathematics (dyscalculia) have trouble understanding numbers, learning how to manipulate numbers, learning mathematical facts. Learners with dyscalculia may have difficulty understanding simple number concepts, lack an intuitive grasp of numbers, and have problems learning number facts and procedures. Even if they produce a correct answer or use a correct method, they do so mechanically and without confidence.

When looking at identifying a Specific Learning Disorder with impairment in mathematics (dyscalculia), deficits in one or both of the following key academic areas are usually present:

• Difficulties mastering number sense, number facts or calculation (e.g., has poor understanding of numbers, their magnitude, and relationships; counts on fingers to add single-digit numbers instead of recalling the math fact as peers do; gets lost in the midst of arithmetic computation and may switch procedures).

• Difficulties with mathematical reasoning (e.g., has severe difficulty applying mathematical concepts, facts, or procedures to solve quantitative problems).

The severity of mathematical impairment differs depending on the individual. Although it can be argued that many of the defining features of a specific learning disorder with impairment in mathematics (dyscalculia) can also be seen in children who do poorly in mathematics, it is the degree of these difficulties and the resistance to remedial intervention that set children with dyscalculia apart from others with learning difficulties

Specific learning disorder in mathematics (dyscalculia) across the school years

Children who have a specific learning disorder with impairment in mathematics (dyscalculia) will show some or many of the difficulties listed below.

Teaching and Learning News

Term 4 PAT Testing

To assist teachers in determining the progress a student is making from year to year, Students from years 1-6 engage in PAT testing. PAT stands for Progressive Achievement Test. At St Thomas More’s, students complete three PAT tests in the areas of reading comprehension (years 2-6), spelling (Years 3-6) and Mathematics (years 1-6).

Students complete these tests online with questions being mainly multiple-choice for reading and mathematics. Spelling is also completed online with some questions being multiple choice and some requiring the student to type in the correct answer. The content of the tests reflects the content of the curriculum. Test times range from 25 to 45 minutes according to the particular test. The tests are completed in the familiar environment of the classroom with technology students are familiar with. Ample time is provided to explain what to do and support students during testing.

Once completed, teachers, learning support and the middle leader will look at how students have progressed over the previous twelve months. PAT tests are just one source of information that will build a picture of your child for the teacher. This information, is then reviewed again at the start of the school year to inform the appropriate support and starting points for teacher instruction.

ICAS

Some parents have enquired about accessing results for last term’s ICAS assessments. If your child has participated in the ICAS tests in previous years, the results for all tests are available in the student section of the Results Portal using your TAP-ID and PIN printed on the back of previous ICAS student certificates. Due to security reasons, the school does not have access to TAP-IDs and PINs. For students who participated in the tests for the first time this year, once the school has received all student certificates for the 2022 tests, certificates will be handed out at Friday morning assembly. I am hoping that we will have all certificates available to be handed out by the end of next week (week 4). Please keep an eye on next week’s newsletter for an update regarding this.

God Bless.

Mrs Patricia Wardle

Learning Support Teacher/Middle Leader

Important Dates to Remember for Term 4

From our Sport Desk

Below is the timetable of swimming lessons for Prep, Yr 1, Yr 2 & Yr 3 for Term 4. Please ensure your child has their swimming costume, towel, cap and goggles for their lessons and anything else you feel they may require. They do not need sun shirts as they are inside for lessons. Swimming caps are encouraged for both swimming lessons and the swimming carnival at the end of the year.

If there is a problem with your child’s lessons, please speak to their class teacher and they will deal with the concern. Please do not contact the pool directly.

COVIDSafe Initiatives Pertaining to the School Program

• Children and School Teachers are not permitted to attend the DLSA if they have experienced cold or flu like symptoms within the previous 72 hours or have visited a Covid-19 Hotspot within the previous 2 weeks. The DLSA reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone who we feel are exhibiting symptoms.
• Anyone entering the DLSA Facility 18 years and above will be required to provide a Health Declaration/Contact Tracing log.
• No parents will be permitted to attend the lessons.
• Everyone must wash their hands using hand sanitiser provided when entering and exiting the facility.
• School program participants need to minimise the need to utilise the facility change rooms. We require the swimmers to arrive with their togs on underneath their school clothes. (Children will get changed into their togs underneath their uniform before heading over to their lesson)
• Any personal belongings left behind will be passed onto the School Teachers in the following group if possible, otherwise lost property items will be discarded.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact myself or your child’s classroom teacher.

God bless,

Stacey Hancock

HPE Teacher 

From our Student Representatives

We had a great time doing the House Cup Competition last term! We will continue our House Cup Minute to Win It challenges this term as well. Please see an overview of the challenges you can participate in this term below. 

Don't forget ...

House Cup Challenge is in the Digi-Tech and Music Room

each Thursday at second break. 

Have a great week!

God bless,

Darcy and Ava

Book Club

Book Club Issue 7 has landed! It is fantastic, once again, to partner with you as we continue to connect kids with reading through Book Club. Our bumper Christmas Edition, Issue 7, is jam packed with fantastic offers for both Teachers and Students.

Here is a suggested timeline for Issue 7 that you can tailor to suit your school:

• I would also advise parents Thursday 20^th October as the due date and place orders on Friday 21^st October.
• The latest order submission date for Issue 7 of Book Club is Monday 24^th October. Please ensure you submit by/before this date.

Classroom Newsletters

From our Tuckshop

Open every Friday.  Please place your childs order through FlexiSchools by 12pm Thursdays and please supply a Paper Bag for your childs order.

From our Uniform Shop

Are you needing Girls Formal Summer Socks? If so we have some old stock that we are clearing out.  We have size 8-11 & 9-12 available and we are selling them for $5.00 a pair.  Please send me an email if you would like to order some.

The Uniform Shop will be back to normal hours this term.

Monday 8.00am – 8.30am

Wednesday afternoon – By Appointment

Friday 8.00am – 8.30am

If these times don’t work for you please email your order through to THOuniform@twb.catholic.edu.au and the orders will be at the office for collection at your convenience.

Needs some uniform alternations?

A hem taken up?  A skirt taken down?  Some buttons adjust on a shirt?   Give Mrs Fix It a ring and see if she can help.   

From our P&F

If you can’t make it in person, join us via zoom ➡️

Are your Details up to date?

As we are drawing closer to Reporting time for our students, if your contact details have changed at all please contact the office to have these updated.

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!

Notice Board

Day for Daniel

From Our Parish

Transport Assistance Scheme

Some information with regards to the 2022 Non State Schools Transport Assistance Scheme (NSSTAS) Semester 2 campaign.

Ice Cream Day