Dear Parents and Carers,

This morning our Yr 2 students participated in a Retreat Day in preparation for receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation this Saturday. Fr Emil, Rossen, our Youth Minister, and Mrs Mance all contributed to the morning. The Yr 2 students were given the opportunity to explore the Sacrament more deeply.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a beautiful sacrament of healing. Through the sacrament, God allows us to experience His love and mercy so that we may really learn how to be loving and merciful. The grace of the sacrament not only allows for our sins to be forgiven but can also be at work in the gradual transformation of our lives.

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’” (John 20:21-23).

This Sunday we have registration for the Sacrament of Eucharist. It will take place after 9:30am Mass.

Term Overviews

A reminder you can read the term overviews on our website under the “Curriculum” tab.

Bathroom sinks

In the recent school holidays, we lowered 2 sinks in the student toilets that are height appropriate for our little people. Let’s just say we had a dramatic increase in visits to the toilets on the first day back!

Kinder 2021 interviews

Kinder 2021 interviews have started; it’s always a good opportunity to meet the pre-schoolers and their families. For the first time is many, many years, we have more girls than boys starting in Kindergarten.

School Satisfaction Survey

An annual satisfaction survey of parents, students and staff will be conducted on behalf of all Catholic schools in the Diocese this term. The surveys are designed to gather feedback from parents, staff and students about our school and will be used to inform school improvement. I would really appreciate you filling out the survey if you are happy with the school. There are things we do well as a school community, and it would be so good to have that validated. Thank you.

The surveys will be launched via email on Friday 7 August 2020 using the email addresses supplied to the school. If you do not receive an email with a link to the survey, you can access and complete the survey at the following link. https://www.research.net/r/stthomasmoresparent2020

Super Sports Day

On Friday August 21, the students can wear their sporting team colours/uniform/jumpers, etc. for our “Super Sports Day”. (Students are not to wear football boots; however, they can wear their runners). There will be a pie/sausage roll lunch that day; notes will go home next Monday.

Our Principal Award recipients 

Yours sincerely,

Julie Wiley
Principal

First Reconciliation

We have been praying for the First Reconciliation candidates as they complete the preparation program for the Sacrament of First Reconciliation.

A mini Retreat was held for the children this morning. The children will receive the Sacrament of First Reconciliation on Saturday 8 August. 

First Holy Communion

Enrolment for those children wanting to receive the Sacrament will be after 9:30 am Mass this Sunday, the 9th of August. A Retreat day will be held at school on Wednesday 16 September. The children will receive the Sacrament on Sunday 20th September. 

Confirmation 

Enrolment for those children who would like to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation is now Sunday 16th August. The retreat day will be held at school  on Thursday 22nd October. The children will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on Sunday 25th of October.

Parish Family Bowling

Please see attached flyer PARISH_FAMILY_BOWLING.pdf

Yours in Christ,

Samantha Mance
Religious Education Coordinator

Lunchtime Craft

We will be continuing with our weekly lunchtime craft activities on a Thursday, and we are hoping it will prove just as popular as last term.

Soldier On

Solider On have a page on their website which lists all their upcoming events. These events locally include Frontline Yoga and digital photography. Please see the link below for further information. 

https://soldieron.org.au/calendar-new/

Posting

Remember to advise Mrs Ogden if your family will be posting out of Canberra and leaving St Thomas More’s at the end of this school year.  Please also let me know if I can help in anyway during this time of upheaval, whether it be assisting with information on your gaining location or just supporting your child/children over the next several months during school.

Please feel welcome to visit me at school or contact me on 6249 8869 or, alternatively, send an email to brenda.galvin@cg.catholic.edu.au

Brenda Galvin
Defence School Mentor

Mini Vinnies

We had our first Mini Vinnies meeting of the term last Friday where we brainstormed and discussed different ideas for fundraising and to which charitable organisations those funds might go to.  There were some great ideas and we are looking forward to presenting our ideas over the coming weeks.

Anglicare Pens Against Poverty

Anglicare and St Thomas More’s is putting the call out to all young writers to submit an original poem or story of no more than 500 words based on the theme ‘Lost and Found’, inspired by Shaun Tan’s book, ‘The Lost Thing’.   Please remind your children that I am happy to help proof read and edit their stories before we submit them.

The contest is open to students in grades 3 to 10. More information can be found at https://pensagainstpoverty.org/.

Entries close at 5:00pm on Friday 4 September 2020.

Please feel welcome to visit or contact me on 6249 8869 or send an email to brenda.galvin@cg.catholic.edu.au

Brenda Galvin
School Chaplain

Book Fair

Yesterday, students visited the Book Fair with their teachers. Look out for their Wish List form in their school bag if you haven’t got it already!

Purchases can be made online, by following the purchasing instructions on the back of the wish list form. Please ensure your child returns their wish list to their class teacher with the 8-digit receipt number to collect their books. Final orders must be received NO LATER THAN Friday 7^th August.

I will fill orders as soon as possible, however, if there are multiple requests for the same book, I will need to place a back order and they will arrive later in the term. Please contact me if you have any questions. madeleine.reid@cg.catholic.edu.au

MS Readathon

We just keep exceeding expectations with the MS Readathon. We have raised well over $4000 and students have started logging their books online with 176 books recorded so far. Some of our eager readers have set huge personal reading goals and recorded their achievements on their MS Readathon page. We even have children reading during playtime. Keep up the great work!

Some of our students have mentioned to me that they have family members who have Multiple Sclerosis. It’s so heartening to know we are making a difference in our own school community.

The rules are simple. Read whatever you like, as much as you can, in August. You can read novels, picture books, non-fiction – the books are totally up to you!

Happy Reading!

Madeleine Reid
Librarian

Last Chance to purchase your Family Photo

This is your last chance to purchase sibling photos from the office for $10.00. The Portrait Gallery generously donate all funds from the family photographs to our school. If you would like to purchase the photo, click on the link below to download the credit card payment slip. The slip can be sent in with your child and the photograph will be sent home that afternoon. Alternately you can contact the office and provide your details over the phone on 62498869.

Click here CC_Slip.pdf

If you wish to purchase additional copies of the photo please contact the Portrait Gallery directly on mail@theportraitgallery.com.au

School Holiday Camps