Registration Standards and School Improvement 

On Thursday the staff were feeling very affirmed by the registration panel of 7 members from Catholic Education. The panel stated that St Thomas More's had a strong Catholic Ethos through the creation of our School Creed and commended our partnerships with parents and the wider community. The process also resulted in recommendations moving forward and we are pleased to say that each of these aligns with our 2023-2025 Strategic Plan.

Carpark Safety

Following on from the notification sent out via Compass on  Friday we would like to remind parents of the importance of adhering to the 10km speed limit in the carpark and only parking in the assigned bays. Thank you to those families who made us aware of cars parking illegally in the carpark. We have now given notice to these cars to cease using the carpark. Should we find that we still have unsafe behaviour in the carpark we will be engaging with Access Canberra. This extract from Access Canberra outlines ways they can support the safety of students in schools:

Access Canberra will be actively monitoring all school areas using Licence Plate Recognition vans, targeting illegal and unsafe parking:

•      at signposted ‘no stopping’ or ‘no parking’ zones
•      in bus zones
•      on zebra crossings
•      in disabled bays
•      on nature strips and across footpaths
•      in bus or bike lanes
•      where the driver has blocked off nearby residents driveways

Penalties for doing the wrong thing range from $123 upwards to $615. If you’re doing the wrong thing - you will get caught - and fined.

 Term One Fees Due

Reminders for Term One Fees have now been sent out. We would ask that all accounts are settled this week or you notify us of an intended payment plan.

ANZAC Day Ceremony

All members of our community are invited to attend our ANZAC Day ceremony at 10:30 am on Friday 28 April. We are hopeful for weather that allows the ceremony to be held in the courtyard, alternatively, we will gather in Holy Faith Hall. The ceremony will be followed by morning tea with our guests. Thank you to Mrs McErlean and Mrs Tanzer for coordinating this event. 

 Clothing Pool

The clothing pool will be set up outside the hall on our first day for Term Two, Wednesday 26 April from 8:00 - 9:00 am. This will be a great opportunity to purchase any winter uniforms you may be needing for the term knowing there are no last-minute growth spurts that will impact sizing!

 Easter and School Holidays

We wish you all a Happy Easter with your loved ones and hope you enjoy the school holidays should you be heading off for a break or utilising the fantastic service at TeamKids. Monday 24 April is a Pupil Free Day and Tuesday 25 is ANZAC Day, so we look forward to welcoming the students back on Wednesday 26 April to commence Term Two.

Luke Donnelly
Principal

Anzac day falls over the holiday period and is a time for us all to stop, reflect and thank those who have served and are serving in our Defence Force, as well as their families, for the sacrifices they make. On the 25th April 1915 members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed at Gallipoli. On the Anniversary of this day we come together to honour the service and sacrifice of all our veterans. This year aligns with the 50th anniversary of the end of Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War and so we especially commemorate those who served in Vietnam this year. The Vietnam War from 1962 to 1975 was one of the longest conflicts in the 20th century. Some 60,000 Australian Defence personnel served in Vietnam over 10 years of the war. Our initial commitment of 30 military advisers in 1962 grew to include a battalion in 1965 and a task force in 1966. Australia's last combat troops came home in March 1972, about 3 years before the war ended. Some Australians returned to Vietnam in 1975 to help with evacuations and humanitarian work during the war's final days. More than 500 Australians died in the war. Over 3,000 Australians were evacuated with wounds, injuries, or illness.

We would like to extend our thanks to all serving members and their families in our school community. We will be hosting our school Anzac Day Commemorative Service on Friday 28th April at 1030am and extend an invite for all members of our school community to attend. 

Over the past few weeks in Defence club we have had lots of fun playing games, making bracelets on Harmony Day, and creating Easter headbands to name a few activities. We will continue the fun next term and hope many of your children will continue to join us on Wednesday at lunchtimes.

We hope you enjoy your Easter break and look forward to another successful term next term.

Kate McErlean and Savida Tanzer