St Thomas' News
12 May 2022
St Thomas’ Primary School is part of a faith community centred on the life of Jesus, as expressed in our Motto, ‘Together in Christ’
Our Vision is to 'Educate the Whole Child' and empower learners as global citizens, to be curious, collaborative, creative and critical thinkers, inspired by Christ.
Important Dates
TERM TWO 2022
Friday 13 May - Naplan
Friday 13 May - Running Club Yrs 1 - 6
Friday 13 May - Gymnastics PP - Y2
Monday 16 May - Senior Coding Club 3.15-4pm
Wednesday 18 May - EduDance
Wednesday 18 May - e-Sports Club 3:15 - 4 pm
Wednesday 18 May - Italian Club 3:15 - 4 pm
Thursday 19 May - Drama Club 3:15 - 4.15 pm
Thursday 19 May. - Homework Club - Years 3-6: 3.15-4.15pm
Friday 20 May - Cross Country Carnival
Monday 23 May - Senior Coding Club 3.15-4pm
Tuesday 24 May - Feast of Mary Help of Christians
Tuesday 24 May - Retreat First Communion
Wednesday 25 May - EduDance
Wednesday 25 May - e-Sports Club 3:15 - 4 pm
Wednesday 25 May - Italian Club 3:15 - 4 pm
Thursday 26 May - Sorry Day
Thursday 26 May. - Homework Club - Years 3-6: 3.15-4.15pm
Friday 27 May - Interschool Cross Country Training
Friday 27 May - Assembly Y5
Friday 27 May - First Communion 6 pm
Monday 30 May - Interschool Cross Country (Yrs 3 - 6)
Thursday 2 June -Disco - Theme Space
Tuesday 14 June - School Photos
(Full 2022 term dates at the end of this newsletter)
Prayer
I thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to be
called a parent or caregiver.
Thank you for giving these children to me.
And I pray they see you in all they do today, and
forever, in Jesus’ name.
Amen
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Parents and Caregivers
Mother’s Day Stall
It was lovely to see the children attend the Mother’s Day stall with their parents and friends during the week, and navigate their way through the process of purchasing a special gift. We hope all the mothers, grandmothers and mother figures in our community, were made to feel special last weekend. Special thanks to Bianca Della Vedova, Carin Penberthy and Melissa Di Latte for co-ordinating and organising the stall on behalf of the P & F., and to all our parent helpers on Thursday and Friday. The stall was a definite highlight for the children last week.
COVID Update
We have had several new positive COVID cases across a range of classes since the weekend. I ask everyone to remain vigilant with the symptoms and to keep children at home if they are unwell. Parents are also reminded to let us know via email and register any positive cases with WA Health and on the CEWA self-reporting link.
Household Close Contacts
If your child is a household close contact, they will need to have a negative RAT test result each day prior to coming to school. They will also be required to wear a mask for the next seven days whilst at school unless they have already had COVID. Thank you for keeping unwell children home, and in the case of children taken ill at school, thank you for collecting them so promptly.
NAPLAN
The NAPLAN assessments started earlier this week in Year 3 and 5. Several students in each class have been unwell and have not been able to sit the assessments. We will endeavour to ensure that as many of the children as possible, will complete their respective assessments within the fortnight window provided.
Tiny Toms
This week we re-commenced our Tiny Toms program for 0-3 years and their parents. It has been lovely to see the parents and children coming along for a play, a cuppa and a chat. Please spread the word, Tiny Toms is in the Pre-Kindy room from 9-10.15am every Wednesday morning.
School Cross Country
We are looking forward to our school Cross Country Carnival next Friday 20 May. We are hoping the weather will be kind to us. This event will be a good lead into the Interschool Cross Country carnival for Years 3-6 on the 30 May.
Homework Club for Years 3-6
Homework Club is commencing from 3.15pm -4.15pm every Thursday after school in the Year 6 classroom.Students in years 3 - 6 are welcome to attend.
Disco
Our school Disco is scheduled for Thursday 2 June, as the next day is a Pupil Free day that runs into the WA Day long weekend. The theme this year is 'Space'. Please save the date.
Uniform Reminders
A friendly reminder that students are required to wear black lace up school shoes for their winter uniform. Clarks black joggers are not a substitute for black school shoes. Please check when purchasing new shoes for your child that they are not Clarks black joggers. School rain jackets may be worn on top of the school burgundy jumpers during wet weather. However they are not a substitute for the school jumper and each child will require a burgundy school jumper for our school photos on Tuesday 14 June.
Thank you for your support
May God bless your week.
Natalia Thomson
PRINCIPAL
Congratulations to our Merit Award Winners
MAY - Month of Mary
Traditionally, Catholics devote the whole month of May to celebrating and honouring Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Mary is honoured all over the world by Catholic Christians. We remember she is the mother of Jesus. She is the mother of the Church and our mother too.
P&F Report
Last week we were excited to hold our Annual Mother's Day Market, where all our St Thomas children were given the opportunity to independently purchase a gift for Mum, Grandma or someone special for Mother's Day. There was a fantastic energy in the Undercroft as many children attended the Market and left with big smiles on their faces.
A big thank you to Mel Di Latte and Carin Penberthy for the outstanding job you did organising this year's Market, especially ordering the fantastic range of gifts. A big thank you also to Sha Ragnauth, David Edwards, Matt Coniglio, Rini McGoldrick, Andrew Biggs, Paul Sutherland and Mel Di Latte, and your fantastic children, for your amazing smiles and service you provided to all the little shoppers at this year's Market. It was a delight to see your children jump in to lend a hand before school, serving their friends and gift wrapping presents. P&F initiatives only happen with parent volunteers - thank you for giving up your time to help our St Thomas children.
Special thanks also to Daniel Walsh for his very generous donations for our Mother's Day Raffle
Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 1 June at 7pm. We hope to see you there, or feel free to dial in!
Have a wonderful week.
Bianca Della Vedova
PRESIDENT
Ciao!
Italian Club has begun and the students have loved exploring all things Italian. It has been great to see so many students get involved and embrace this wonderful culture. This term we have been learning about colours!
Ciao a tutti!
Miss Georgia Lee & Mrs Brianna Kirkbride
Dad's and Father Figure Camp Out
The St Thomas Dad's Camp Out is back!
All St Thomas dads and father figures are warmly invited to this year's Camp Out. An overnight adventure full of fun, mateship and trying new things with your kids in the great outdoors!
When: Saturday 29 October - Sunday 30 October 2022
Where: The Jarrahfall Bush Camp & Dare Adventures Team, Dwellingup
Please secure your tickets via https://www.trybooking.com/BYDSF
Sports News
Running Club
If the weather is poor on Friday, I will send a cancellation email via SEQTA out in the morning.
On Friday 27th May, running club will only be for students in the Interschool Team.
Running club for all Yr. 1-6 students, will resume on Friday 10th June.
St Thomas’ Cross Country Carnival – Friday 20th May
Information has been sent out to all parents via Seqta on Wednesday evening.
Cross Country Programme:
Please find attached the programme of events with approximate times for each event, but please be aware that races may begin 10 minutes earlier or later.
Parent helpers:
Volunteers are a very important part of the smooth running of our carnival and we will require assistance of 4 parents per timeslot to help with marshalling around the course. No experience is necessary, you just need to encourage the children as they run around the course. If you can indicate which group you can marshal, for example year 6 race (your child is in year 5) so you can watch that race. If you can help on the day, please let me know as soon as possible Sharon.seaman@cewa.edu.au as races will not start until we have adults on the course. Also if you are available to assist setting up from 8.30am at Rowe Park and packing equipment away at the conclusion of the Year 3 and 4 races please let me know.
Presentations:
At the conclusion of two year groups at a time, presentations will be made at Rowe Park. Final presentations of the overall faction winner and spirit award will be held at St Thomas at 2.45pm on Friday 20th May 2022.
Time Class Distance
9.00am Yr 6 2000m – 4 laps
9.20am Yr 5 1750m – 3 ½ laps
Presentations - Years 5 and 6
9.45am Yr 2 750m – 1 ½ laps
9.55am Yr 1 500m – 1 lap
Presentations - Years 1 and 2
10.15am Yr 3 1000m – 2 laps
10.30am Yr 4 1250m – 2 ½ laps
Presentations - Years 3 and 4
Upcoming Events:
Interschool Cross Country Carnival selected Years 3-6 – Monday 30th May
Year 5 & 6 – Winter Lightning Carnival – Thursday 23rd June
Sharon Seaman
PHYSICAL EDUCATION SPECIALIST
Anything changed?
Please ensure you send any updates to: admin@stthomas.wa.edu.au
Thank you
COVID Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) Distribution
The WA Government has provided a supply of Rapid Antigen Tests to be made available to you for use by your child if they become symptomatic or if they are close household contacts. WA Health has stated that primary age students must have the student allocation issued to parents/caregivers. These RAT Tests have now arrived at our school and will be issued to each family. We are expected to keep records of distribution.
Distribution
From today:
· Pre-kindy, Kindergarten and Pre-primary parents may pick up one pack of RAT tests for each of your children from their classroom when picking or dropping off your child.
· Year 1-6 parents may pick up one pack of RAT tests for each of your children from the admin office between 8.30 - 9.30am or between 2.30 - 3.30pm.
Each family will also receive a box of children’s face masks generously donated by one of our St Thomas’ families. Please be mindful that while these RATs are safe for use by children, they should only be administered under the supervision of an appropriate adult. Any positive COVID-19 result should be reported on the school’s COVID-19 Self-Reporting Portal and positive COVID-19 RAT results must also be reported on the WA Health RAT Register as is required by the WA Government.
Self-Reporting Portal for COVID-19
It is vitally important that parents and caregivers inform the school if your child tests positive for COVID-19. Parents and caregivers can inform the school of their child’s positive or negative COVID result via this LINK.
A friendly reminder to also register your positive RAT result to the WA Health RAT Register on this LINK
Thank you
Instrumental Lessons
2022 TERM DATES
- TERM 1
- Monday 31 January - Friday 8 April
- TERM 2
- Tuesday 26 April – Friday 1 July
- TERM 3
- Tuesday 19 July – Thursday 22 September
- TERM 4
- Tuesday 11 October – Friday 9 December
Pupil free days:
Friday 3 June
Monday 18 July
Monday 22 August
Friday 23 September
Monday 10 October
Public Holidays
Monday 7 March (Labor Day)
Monday 25 April (ANZAC Day)
Monday 6 June (WA Day)
St Thomas' Primary School
Email: admin@stthomas.wa.edu.au
Website: stthomas.wa.edu.au
Location: 8 Warden Street Claremont WA 6010
Phone: (08 9286 9500
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stthomasprimaryschoolclaremont
Twitter: @StThomasCPS