2025 Term 1 - Week 9 - Newsletter

Prayer for Harmony Week

Dear Lord,

We pray for all those whose access 
to food and water is insecure.

May the whole human family respond 
generously in creating lasting 
justice in the distribution of life’s 
necessities.

May we respond to 
opportunities such as those 
presented by Project Compassion 
this Lent to Unite Against Poverty. 

May we all be one.
Amen

From our Principal

During the School Holidays, the Christian community will embark on what is called ‘Holy Week’. Holy Week for Christians is a time of special meaning. It is a week during which we do things that we don’t usually do and hear things we usually don’t hear. Holy Week has been held in great reverence since the very early years of the Church and no other Christian observance has interested the world so much. The rituals of the Church are complex and laden with meaning.   

Passion Sunday, also known as Palm Sunday, commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem where He is proclaimed King, as many people of His time were seeking a political leader. We, like those who greeted Jesus, use palms to show our willingness to accept Jesus as our leader and to follow Him. 

In the three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, the Church gives us a dramatic, intense and symbolic expression of the very heart of Christian belief. By participating in the liturgical ceremonies of these three days, we can deepen our understanding of what it means for us to be a Christian. 

There are Christian people who find it difficult to come to Church any more. They have had experiences with the Church that have been hurtful to them or they feel the Church has little or nothing to offer them. Such people are closer to Jesus than they might have imagined. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, He was entering the holiest city of the Jewish religion, the city of the Great Temple a place so revered that only the High Priest was allowed to enter it. 

Yet, it was in Jerusalem that Jesus was betrayed, falsely accused, humiliated and handed over to an occupying force by the senior religious leaders, so He could be tortured and executed. 

Like everything that happened in Jesus’ life there is something to be learned from this experience. Jesus’ belief in Himself and the purpose of His life was being tested to the extreme. Even though things did not seem to be working out the way He might have expected, the events that followed were totally momentous. 

For people who have suffered religious hurt, Jesus’ experience is saying yes, there is real hurt, yes, it can be confusing but it is possible to rise above it all and to come back again to the beliefs you once had. Maybe Holy Week is a time for quiet reflection and to be reunited with your faith. 

Holy Week is definitely a week with a difference and spiritually rewarding for those who willingly take part.  

As this will be the last newsletter for the term, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to all who have volunteered their time in some capacity over the term. Whether it be in reading groups, committees, social events etc., your assistance doesn’t go unnoticed and is valued by the teachers and myself. 

Term 1 certainly has flown by. However, it was a great start to the year and it has been very rewarding to see how quickly the children have settled into routine and the level of school work produced in a short period of time has been exceptional. 

Have a very happy and safe Easter break and I look forward to seeing you all back for the beginning of Term 2 on Wednesday 23^rd April. 

Thanks for reading. 

God Bless,

Duane Wann

Principal

Term One Parent Teacher Interviews

Semester One Parent Teacher interviews have been scheduled for Week 9 of Term One: Tuesday March 25 and Wednesday March 26 with the format as follows: 

• Tuesday March 25: 3:45pm – 7:45pm (Prep – Year 6)
• Wednesday March 26: 3:45pm – 5:45pm (Prep – Year 6) 

The location of the interviews will be as follows:

• Prep & Year 1: Library
• Year 2: Instrumental Music Room (adjoining Library)
• Year 3: Arts Room (entry via Library patio)
• Years 4 – 6: Sports Centre

Should you have any questions or queries, please be encouraged to contact your class teacher.

Mr Wann Leave

Please be advised, Mr Wann will be accessing leave from Tuesday April 1 for the remainder of Term One (Friday April 4).  During this time, Ms Donna Barlow will act as Principal.  Any Principal matters or concerns can be directed to Ms Barlow.

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 APMI

Harmony Day

Monday, March 24 St Thomas More's community celebrated our diversity with orange free dress. Harmony Day is about appreciating and respecting all of the different cultures, languages, and traditions that make our school and our country so special.

The Harmony Day theme "Everyone Belongs" is reminder that no matter where we come from or what we look like, we all deserve to feel included and valued.

To make this day even more special, we wore sunsafe orange free dress. Orange was the colour chosen for Harmony Day because it represents social communication and meaningful conversations. It's also a colour that stands out and makes us think about harmony and togetherness.

A massive thank you to our community for supporting us in this important social message. Your participation and enthusiasm made Harmony Day truly memorable.

Sacramental Program: First Reconciliation

Some of our students are actively participating in the Sacramental Program with St Thomas More's Parish and we are proud to share that they will be receiving the sacrament of First Reconciliation at 6pm on Wednesday, March 26. This important milestone marks a significant step in their spiritual journey, and we are grateful for the support of the parish community in guiding our students through this meaningful experience.

Leadership Retreat Day: Celebrating Our 2025 Leaders

Our 2025 Leaders recently participated in a Leadership Retreat Day, and we couldn't be prouder of their dedication and hard work. During the retreat, we delved deep into our theme for 2025: "We must teach more by example than by word" - Mary MacKillop, 1867. We explored what this means for us and our community, discussing how we can lead by example through our actions and the positive impact this has on younger students.

We learned that leadership is no easy task—it is both rewarding and challenging. Inspired by Simon Sinek's philosophy, we discovered the importance of being the last to speak, ensuring that all voices are heard before making decisions. We also explored various leadership styles by studying local, national, and international leaders of all ages, identifying the qualities that make them effective.

Our leaders demonstrated exceptional commitment and enthusiasm throughout the retreat, and we are confident that they will continue to inspire and lead our community with integrity. By making good choices and setting positive examples, our leaders are helping to shape a supportive and inclusive environment for all students.

As we head into the Easter holidays, we wish you all a joyful and restful break. Enjoy this special time with your loved ones, and we look forward to seeing you refreshed, safe and ready for the new term. 

Holy Week Prayer Service

A reminder that we will be celebrating Holy Week with a Prayer Service in the Sportscenter on Friday April 4 at 2pm. Parents, carers and family members are most welcome to join us.

God Bless

Donna Barlow 

Assistant Principal Mission & Identity

ANZAC Day & School Calendar Information

All students are strongly urged to show your ANZAC Spirit and remember those who have served our country by congregating for the ANZAC Service March on Friday April 25.

While the entire school community is very much encouraged to attend, our Year 6 Student Leaders (and prospective 2026 Student Leaders) will be expected to attend and act as formal ambassadors for St Thomas More’s Primary School. On this day, students in Years 1 - 6 are asked to wear their formal school uniform, prep wear their sports uniform.

Please register your child/children’s interest by clicking the link below. More information regarding times and meeting points will be sent out in Week 1 of Term 2. Please keep in mind that children will need to be confident enough to walk with staff members without their parents during the march.

https://forms.office.com/r/7W7077CH1W

Thanks

Stacey Hancock

To view our school calendar, please download the Sentral for Parents App to receive up-to-date information about upcoming school events. You can download the Sentral for Parents App from the App Store or Google Play. If you have any questions regarding the Parent Portal, please contact the School Office.

From our Middle Leader

Congratulations to our Year 3 and Year 5 Students!

We are so proud of our Year 3 and Year 5 students for their efforts and dedication in completing the NAPLAN 2025 assessments.

As you are aware, NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy) is an annual assessment for students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9. It tests essential skills such as reading, writing, spelling, grammar, and numeracy, which are crucial for every child's educational journey and future success. NAPLAN is not about passing or failing but about understanding each student's progress and areas for improvement.

A massive thank you to our parents, teachers and staff who supported our students throughout the preparation and testing period.

If you have any questions, please contact Patricia Wardle - patricia.wardle@twb.catholic.edu.au

Regards,

Trish Wardle

Middle Leader

From our Sports Dept

Cross Country 2025

Due to the wet weather, our annual cross-country event, originally scheduled for Tuesday, 25th March (week 9) at Anderson Park, has been postponed. All children from Prep-Year 6 will still take part in the carnival on the rescheduled date, which will be advised once confirmed. In the meantime, children are required to wear their normal school uniform tomorrow.

Hall – Blue 

MacKillop – Yellow 

Finbarr – Green  

Leonard – Red  

Year 4 T-Ball Gala Day 

All Year 4 children will participate in the upcoming Year 4 T-Ball Gala Day. This is a wonderful opportunity for children to put their t-ball skills into practice against other local Catholic schools. Classroom teachers will provide more information about the day as it becomes available.  

DATE: Tuesday 1st April 2025 

VENUE: Kearney’s Spring Reserve, Ruthven St Toowoomba 
STARTING TIME: Opening – 9:15 am - Competition Commences - 9.40am 
FINISHING TIME: 12:50pm (approx.) 

Stacey Hancock

Health and PE Teacher

From the Library

Library Reading Photos

A big thank you to all the families who sent in reading photos.  It is so inspirational to see all the students enjoying reading!

Margy Heuschele
Teacher Librarian 

Book prize:

Week 7 

Lucia 6 gold

Beatrix 3 gold

Eve 3 gold

Week 8

Sophie 2 Gold

Imogen 6 Gold

Treasure box prize: 

Week 7 

Elyse 1 gold

James 5 gold

Emily 2 blue

Lillian 1 gold

Yuvi 3 gold

Lucia 6 gold

Week 8 

Henry Prep Gold

Michele 3 Gold

Tyrell 5 Gold

Millicent Prep Blue

Imogen 6 Gold

Student Protection

From our Uniform Shop

P & F News

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 

Cut off of Online orders...
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!

Outside School Hours Care

Have you registered for Vacation Care?

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

Tennis Coaching

Tennis Coaching will start again in Term 2.