Term 4 - Week 5 - Newsletter

Prayer of the Week

From our Principal

As educators, we all want to give our young people the best start in life. Naturally, we have high expectations of them and what they can achieve. However, how do high expectations impact on students and when does it become undue pressure? Fran Reddan, Principal of Mentone Girls’ Grammar School, reports.

An article published by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on this very topic started with a quote from Calvin Lloyd, “Nobody rises to low expectations”. Author of the article, Geoff Masters, argues that high expectations model the outcome of hard work for students and show a belief in the child’s abilities. “Success in most fields of endeavour depends on an ability to visualise success. It has long been known that elite athletes mentally rehearse each performance prior to its execution. Advances in neuroscience show why this may be so important: the neurological processes involved in visualising a performance are almost identical to those involved in the performance itself.” (Masters, 2011)

He goes on to say that low expectations can be self-fulfilling prophecies because students feel that the key adults in their life do not believe they can stretch themselves, and their self-worth is harmed. This is supported by Psychologists, Weihua Fan and Christopher Wolters, who state that “Students who are confident in their learning abilities and are intrinsically interested in learning activities are more likely to have higher expectations for obtaining desired academic goals.” (2012) Therefore, it is a case of students growing self-belief from the belief that others have in them.

However, it is not entirely about how students feel about their own abilities. An article in the Contemporary Educational Psychology journal claims that when teachers and parents have high expectations of students, they themselves act in a way that encourages them to be met. Teachers and parents can feel compelled in their role to help students fulfil their potential and work towards the high expectations alongside the students, rather than dictating the goals for the students and leaving them to achieve them on their own.

This is where expectations can become detrimental to students’ wellbeing. While high expectations have been shown to have a positive effect on self-esteem and achievement, they need to be matched with support, resilience and the strategies to attain the end goal. Michelle Paccagnella, Psychologist at the ACT Academy of Sport, says that pressure is used often by sports coaches and can be an incredible motivational tool when applied in the right way. “Pressure isn’t necessarily bad – it can enhance motivation, concentration and enjoyment. That feeling of stress that often accompanies a pressure situation can help keep you on your toes, ready to rise to a challenge.”

Paccagnella goes on to argue that it is the way that students handle that pressure that makes the difference. Her strategy is to remind people that pressure isn’t real. “It doesn’t exist. It doesn’t have a form, a colour, a smell. Pressure is simply how we perceive the situation we are in.” Mental health organisation, ReachOut, advises “Reasonable expectations can be a positive pressure in your life, [but] too much pressure can cause you to burn out.”

How we handle pressure is often learned from a young age by watching the adults around us. We learn by observation to identify what is an acceptable reaction to pressure and what is not. In this sense, parents and teachers are role models for not only the importance that is placed on education, but also how to handle that pressure.

Source:  http://educationmattersmag.com.au/high-expectations-motivation-or-pressure/

Thanks for reading

God Bless,

Duane Wann

Principal

From our Acting APRE

Vinnies Christmas Appeal

This year, STM will once again participate in the Vinnies Christmas Appeal. Each class how now been allocated a family within the Toowoomba community that is doing it tough at the moment. We encourage all our STM families to bring in a donation to place in the classroom hamper for the appointed family. Donations may consist of toys, personal hygiene products, clothes, etc. All donations will be collected by Vinnies in the last week of term.

Day for Daniel - Thank you for your Participation.

A big thank you to all our students and staff for accessorising in red last Friday to show support for Day for Daniel. This is such an important day for Australian schools and families. Later this term, students will be undertaking lessons from the Daniel Morcombe Child Safety Curriculum. Further details on what each year level will be learning about were included in last week's newsletter.

Last Friday we also celebrated World Teachers Day. Thank you to Mr Fechner and 5/6 Red for leading our school community in prayer to recognise this important day and to thank all our staff here at STM. Thank you also to our Service Club for giving up some of their playtime to prepare gifts for each of our staff members. 

Mayoral Award

Each year, St Thomas More's is invited to nominate a member of the school community to receive a Mayoral Medal. To be eligible for this prestigious award, a nomination is completed with details regarding how the student has demonstrated bravery and dedication to their studies, and shown commitment to achieving their educational goals despite the adversity and complex challenges they may be facing. This year, STM nominated Year Six student, Sam Williams. Congratulations Sam on receiving this award!

God Bless,

Mrs. Wardle

Acting APRE

Student of the Week awards

Congratulations to our Week 4 Term 4 Student of the Week Award Recipients. 

Important Dates to Remember

Student Protection Contacts

From our Sports Desk

Term 4 Interschool Sport 

Interschool sport will continue this Friday. Children have nominated for their preferred sport. AFL girls have received a mouth guard form that will need to be completed and returned before they will be able to play. Mouth guards are compulsory for AFL. There are no special requirements for boys touch and mixed volleyball.   

Boys Touch - Kearney Springs Touch Fields 

Girls AFL - Concordia (Stephen Street) 

Mixed Volleyball - Toowoomba East State School  

Please ensure that your child/children have a water bottle and hat for Term 4 sport. 

Draws - Friday 3rd November   

Boys Touch – Kearney Springs Touch Fields 

1:35pm Senior A vs St Mary’s Blue F8 

1:35pm Senior B vs Concordia Red F8 

12:50pm Junior A vs St Mary’s Blue F8  

Mixed Volleyball – Toowoomba East State School  

1:35pm Senior A vs Toowoomba East 2  

12:50pm Junior A vs  Toowoomba East 1 

12:50pm Senior B vs Toowoomba East 2  

12:50pm Junior B (team 1) vs St Thomas More’s 

12:50pm Junior B (team 2) vs St Thomas More’s  

Girls AFL – Concordia (Stephen Street)  

12:50pm Senior A vs Glenvale   

1:35pm Junior A vs Glenvale  

Prep – Year 3 Swimming Lessons 

Thank you for your patience. We finally have some information regarding Term 4 swimming lessons. This term swimming lessons will still be conducted by Darren Lange Swimming Academy, however the children will be bused over to the DLSA pool at Wilsonton. To account for the extra travel time, lessons have been reduced to 4 lessons x 1 hour each.   

Below is the timetable for 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.  Children will get changed at school prior to leaving and will get redressed when they return. Please pack slide on, easy to wear thongs/slides for easy removal. Please ensure that ALL items are labelled.  

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.  

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

Senior Swimming Carnival 

The 2023 Senior Swimming Carnival will be held on Tuesday 28th November at The Glennie Aquatic Centre. This year the swimming carnival will be open to all students born from 2011 to 2015. Year 2 students are already participating in the Junior Swimming Carnival, however, children who can confidently swim 25m or 50m are more than welcome to participate in the Senior Swimming Carnival as well. 
 
To assist with the planning of the carnival, please complete this form for each child. Please complete this form even if your child is not attending the carnival. Buses will be provided for students if required. 

https://forms.office.com/r/a4J... 

Junior Swimming Carnival 

This year our Junior Swimming Carnival will be held at the TAS (Toowoomba Anglican School) swimming pool on Monday 27th November, commencing at approximately 9:00 am - 12:30 pm, access via Wirra Wirra Street. Children in Prep - Year 2 will have the opportunity to participate at this carnival. We invite parents to attend this carnival if they wish.  

We encourage all students to attend regardless of their swimming ability. Shorter lap lengths and novelty races ensure that this is a memorable day, whilst building confidence in the water prior to joining the more competitive races at the upper school swimming carnival in years to come. Some events will include freestyle/kickboard, noodle and other novelty races. 

No ribbons will be awarded at this carnival as this is purely a non-competitive carnival to encourage fun in the water. Adults will be placed in each swimming lane and will be available on the sides of the pool to assist if required. 

The school will provide buses to transport students to and from the carnival. 

Children can wear their sports uniform and wear their togs underneath. They will also need to bring a towel, goggles (if needed), swimming cap, sunscreen, morning tea and a drink bottle. 

If you have any further queries, please don't hesitate to contact your child's classroom teacher or myself. 

God Bless,

Stacey Hancock

HPE Teacher

Thinking STM for Prep in 2024 ...

Class Newsletters

Catch up on all the individual classroom news, click the link below.

From our P & F

A reminder, at our last meeting we had no nominations for x3 positions on the executive (President, Vice President or Secretary).
 
If you’re interested in nominating for any positions or just want to know more - feel free to contact Kylie (Kyliehaywoodbusiness@gmail.com) or Shontelle (Shontelle.Petrie@gmail.com) 

From our Tuckshop

Open every Wednesday & Friday. 

Please place your childs order through FlexiSchools by 1pm Tuesday for Wednesday & 1pm Thursday for Friday. 

NEW Tuckshop Menu

From our Uniform Shop

Back to School Trading Hours 

Whatch this space for more information on how to book your appointment for all your Back to School Uniforms.

From our OSHC

October Overview

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!

A huge thank you to Meat Cellar for their continued support for our school events.

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