ALWAYS & EVERYWHERE

As we approach Easter and the celebration of Jesus’s triumphant Resurrection, I’ve found myself returning to the writings of Fr Richard Rohr. In his contemplative theology, Rohr invites us to see the Resurrection not just as a one-time historical event, but as a universal pattern—a constant, divine rhythm woven into the very fabric of life. He writes, “Resurrection is not a miracle to be proven; it is a manifestation of a universal pattern that is always true.”

That line has stayed with me. Rohr’s insight is simple, yet profound: if something is truly of God, then it is always true—not just once, not just for some, but always and everywhere. Resurrection, then, is what God is doing in the world, all the time. It’s not limited to Easter Sunday. It’s happening in nature, in our relationships, in our hearts—every time something broken is mended, something lost is found, something old gives way to something new.

As a Catholic, I choose to personally believe in the bodily Resurrection of Christ—not in spite of this broader vision, but precisely because of it. For me, Jesus’s Resurrection is the localisation of a universal truth. It is God saying, “This is what I do. This is who I am.” Life conquers death. Love wins. Always.

This is the deeper meaning of Easter—beyond the chocolate eggs and colourful wrappings. The Paschal Mystery tells us that our lives are also part of this divine rhythm: we will experience loss, pain, change… but we are also invited to rise, again and again. Resurrection is not just Christ’s story. It’s our story. It’s the pattern we are all caught up in—our children, our families, our world.

To the families of St Thomas More’s, I offer this Easter prayer: may you recognise God’s Resurrection power in the everyday. In healing. In hope. In quiet strength. And in love that never ends.

Mr Casimir Douglas

Thursday 10th April, 2025

Dear Parents and Carers,

SALUTATION

Grace to you and peace.

STM TV: LENTEN CELEBRATIONS

STM TV is back for 2025! In STM TV: Lenten Celebrations, our School Captains are exploring our learning throughout the school on Purple Day. From liturgies and art projects, to egg drops and sharing the Easter story, this episode has it all!

STM TV is our school's episodic YouTube show designed to regularly share the key learning experiences of our students and classes to engage our parents and the broader community in the learning journey of our school.

A huge thank you to Mrs Hayley Chugg for leading this initiative with our students. Our learners love to share their experiences, and we are so proud of their incredible achievements this term. We wish all our families a happy and Holy Easter, and trust the the holiday break will bring opportunity for rest, rejuvenation, and reflection.

PURPLE FOR A PURPOSE - CELEBRATING EASTER!

Our school was a sea of purple today as students turned up in their brightest purple t-shirts, shorts, socks, scrunchies — and just about every shade of violet in between — for Purple for Lent Day! While it was a fun and colourful sight, the real purpose behind the purple was to raise money for Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion.

This year’s theme, “For All Future Generations”, encourages us to think beyond today and take action that creates lasting change. The funds raised support Caritas' incredible work around the world — like bringing clean water to communities in Samoa, providing skills training for people with disabilities in Vietnam, and helping single mums in the Congo start small businesses and build brighter futures.

Thanks to the generosity of our students, families and staff, we raised over $600 through today’s donations and Project Compassion boxes sent in from home — a fantastic effort!

A huge thank you to everyone who took part. Your purple pride has helped make a real difference in the lives of others around the world!

EARLY YEARS - MAKING JESUS REAL DAY W/MR DAVIE

This week, our Prep to Grade 2 students spent meaningful time with Mr Davie, exploring and celebrating Making Jesus Real (MJR). Together, we learned that Jesus wants us to Love One Another and that we can do this by being friends with everyone, showing kindness, including others in our games, and using thoughtful words. Through stories, songs, and conversations, our younger students discovered that small acts of kindness can make a big difference and help us live like Jesus daily.

A special focus of our time together was understanding what it means to be a GIVER. We discussed how being a giver means being kind, helpful, and thinking of others before ourselves – just like Jesus did. The children shared beautiful reflections about people in their lives who are givers – from mums and dads to grandparents, friends, and teachers. Hearing how these role models inspire our students to be generous and thoughtful was heartwarming. In a world where we can be anything, our Prep to Grade 2 students are learning to be kind – and that’s something worth celebrating!

GOSPEL VALUE AWARDS: DIGNITY

Our fortnightly Gospel Values Awards process provides for the nomination and presentation of the Gospel Value Awards for those students who demonstrate, live out, and exemplify the school's Gospel values. For the month of April, the school community is focused on the Gospel value of INTEGRITY. Our Gospel Values: Head, Heart & Hands Framework, reminds our students that to show the value of dignity is to be honest, be brave, and be safe.

The following students received a Gospel Value Award at our Monday morning Prayer Assembly (7th April) this week, as nominated by their class teacher for exemplifying the Gospel value of INTEGRITY:

Term 1 - Week 9, 2025
Madeline Youd	Madeline you always show kindness towards others and help our classroom to be a safe and happy place to be. You are being so brave using your voice during our learning time to share your thinking. Well done!	Prep More
Ollie Cuthbertson	Ollie you are always trying to be the best version of yourself by consistently treating others with kindness and honesty, and doing your best in all class activities.	Prep Thomas
Zoe Newton	For always being an honest and caring member of our class. Zoe shows the Gospel value of integrity by consistently making responsible choices to keep herself and others safe. Amazing work, Zoe!	Grade 1/2 More
Violet Jankowiak	Violet demonstrates the Gospel Value of Dignity through her kind and considerate interactions with classmates, teachers, and staff. She consistently values and understands the worth of everyone she greets.	Grade 1/2 Saint
Isla Cocker	Isla consistently demonstrates integrity in all of her actions. In the classroom, she is not only helpful and polite but also thoughtful and considerate of others.	Grade 1/2 Thomas
Mia Gebka	For demonstrating positive leadership in the classroom and embodying our school values with integrity, consistently applying yourself to your learning, and offering thoughtful contributions during class discussions.	Grade 3/4 More
Jerome Yu	Jerome always treats others with dignity and respect and allows others to feel valued through his actions.	Grade 3/4 Saint
Estelle Williams	For being a class role model of respect and integrity. Estelle is always honest in her interactions with others, and demonstrates courage to try new things. Well done Estelle!	Grade 3/4 Thomas
Orlando Massey	Orlando has demonstrated the Gospel value of Integrity in the classroom and in our school. Your honesty, responsibility, and strong moral character set a wonderful example for others.	Grade 5/6 More
Ivy Cartledge	Ivy consistently leads by example, demonstrating responsibility, respect, and fairness in everything you do. Your commitment to doing what is right, even when no one is watching, makes you a valued member of our school community.	Grade 5/6 Saint
Grace Stephens	Grace approaches her learning with dedication, making thoughtful connections across subjects and applying her knowledge to the bigger picture of the world around her. While she thinks broadly and deeply, she never loses sight of the people within that picture—always showing empathy and genuine care for others.	Grade 5/6 Thomas

PRINCIPAL'S MORNING TEA

At our Monday morning Prayer Assembly this week, there were a number of students who received a Gospel Value Award for demonstrating the value of INTEGRITY. These students attended a special Principal’s Morning Tea in Josephite Hall this Tuesday (8th April).

We were treated to a smorgasbord of fruits, muffins and cakes and we each shared what we are grateful for in our lives, including our pets named Bluey (both a cat and a baby chick!), cuddles and hugs from Mum and Dad, our warm homes, our pets named Penny, Luna, Holly, and Dexter, dancing lessons that keep us fit, our families for always being there for us, pets, and for the greatest School Principal!

They also shared about their hobbies, interests and dreams which included Drama Club, basketball, playing hide and seek with friends, dancing at Classique and Dance Collective, gymnastics at PCYC, taekwondo, club swimming, playing on the monkey bars and swings, visiting the Japanese macaques in City Park, and travelling with family including going to Tivoli Gardens theme park in Copenhagen!

TERM 1 - HOUSE CUP WINNERS: TENISON!

Throughout Term 1, students across St Thomas More’s have been earning House tokens for demonstrating our positive behaviour expectations: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be a Learner. These tokens have been counted weekly, with the House earning the most by the end of Week 9 crowned House Cup Champions!

We’re thrilled to announce that Tenison House took out the win for Term 1 with a grand total of 3,016 tokens! A huge congratulations to all Tenison students on this wonderful achievement. Chisholm and MacKillop Houses weren’t far behind, showing just how committed all students have been to upholding our school values.

To celebrate their success, Tenison students from Prep to Grade 6 gathered in the Piazza on Tuesday afternoon of Week 10 to be presented with the House Cup trophy. The celebration continued with a fun-filled activity called Fly the Coop, where the four Tenison Pastoral Care Groups participated in some friendly competition that involved eggs, rubber chickens, a relay and a lot of fun and laughter!

The afternoon wrapped up with a cool treat delivered by our fantastic Grade 6 leaders—icy poles all round for our sweaty but smiling champions.

With Term 2 already underway, the race for the next House Cup is heating up. Will Tenison go back-to-back? Or will another House take the crown? Let the friendly competition continue!

FRIENDSHIP SKILLS

Every Tuesday afternoon, our entire cohort of 90 Grade 3/4 students takes part in something truly special: Friendship Skills activity groups. These sessions are more than just fun—they're carefully designed to stretch our students both intellectually and socially, all while building the foundations of resilience, empathy, and connection.

Each group offers a different flavour of challenge and creativity. Whether it’s teamwork through LEGO, patience and precision in Beading, the thrill of Outside Games & Challenges, the problem-solving adventures of Robotics, or the social sparks flying in the Friendship Game Playroom—there’s something for every young learner.

The groups change each term, keeping things fresh and exciting, but one thing stays the same: at the end of term, our Grade 3/4s come together to reflect on what they’ve learned—not just about the activities, but about themselves and each other.

This term, Mrs Hayley Chugg and her students in the Friendship Game Playroom put together a special video to share with their peers and our community. It captures the joy, growth, and most importantly, the friendship that’s been blooming in their group.

We hope you enjoy watching it as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it!

GRADE 3/4 BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT!

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of watching our Grade 3/4 students take to the court in the Basketball Tasmania Schools Tournament — and what a fantastic display of energy, effort and team spirit it was!

With 6 teams and 49 students representing St Thomas More’s, our players brought boundless enthusiasm and gave their all in every game. I was incredibly proud of how they conducted themselves — playing with grit, joy, sportsmanship and, above all, respect. Their teamwork, resilience and positive attitude were evident across each court, and it was a joy to witness.

Events like this don’t come together without a great deal of organisation and community support. I would like to sincerely thank Mrs Zegveld for her outstanding leadership and coordination of our school’s involvement in the tournament. My thanks also go to the many volunteer coaches and team managers — including staff, parents and friends of the school — who gave up their time to guide and support our young players. Thank you as well to the referees for their efforts across the weekend, and to the wonderful parent supporters who cheered from the sidelines and helped create such a positive and encouraging atmosphere.

Well done to all our Grade 3/4 students — you made us proud. It was a weekend full of fun, friendships and fantastic memories, and a wonderful example of the spirit we value so highly at St Thomas More’s.

FINAL GREETING

May the grace of Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

God bless,

Mr Casimir Douglas

Principal

St Thomas More's Catholic School community and students will be marching in the ANZAC Day march and attending the service on Friday, 25 April 2025. We will gather at Coles car park in Charles Street at 9:30am before heading to Prince's Square at 9:45am to start the march at 10:15am. The service starts at 10:30-10:45am at the Cenotaph. At the conclusion of the service, students can be collected from the Cenotaph in Paterson Street.

Students in K-2 wear sports uniform and students in Years 3-6 wear formal winter green uniform.

Please complete the below google form if your child will be participating in the ANZAC Day march with our school.

https://forms.gle/cFzfBULrXnuiiE4W7

Reminder that school photos will take place on Monday 5th May 2025, family photos will be taken at 8:30am on the day. Please ensure your child/ren are in the correct winter uniforms. 

MSP Photography sent an email on Monday 7th April to all families advising that photos are available to order via Compass App.  

A reminder that Term 2 resumes on Monday, 28th April 2025 for students and staff.

At the commencement of Term 2 students will be required to wear their winter uniform.  Students from Kinder to Year 2 wear their PE uniform and students from Year 3 to Year 6 wear the formal winter uniform.

During Term 1, students across all grades have been learning about responsible and safe online behaviours.  In Prep, we have been discussing online safety using the eSafety Commissioner’s key messages - Be Safe, Be KInd, Ask for Help and Make Good Choices.  Grade 1/2 M students used the resource Mighty Heroes to explore our superpowers to stay safe online, be respectful and seek help from a trusted adult.  Middle and upper primary students have been exploring protective behaviours and strategies including critical thinking, device safety, protecting privacy, spending money online and seeking support.  

The eSafety Commissioner website has a collection of excellent resources for parents and children including tips on managing time online, dealing with cyberbullying and unwanted contact and using parental controls to maximise online safety at home.  There is also a family tech agreement that may help engage all members of the family in strategies to promote safe online practices.  

Please see the eSafety Commissioner website for more information.

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents

https://www.esafety.gov.au/kids

Rebecca Thomas

Librarian and Key Teacher - Learning Technologies

Looking for a joyful, educational start for your little one? Our Joeys Playgroup at St Thomas More’s Catholic School is the place to be!

✅ FREE sessions for children aged birth to 4!
✅ Fun, learning & play in a school environment!
✅ Run by experienced, accredited educators
✅ Tuesdays 9:00am - 10:30am during term time!

Come along to Josephite Hall and watch your child’s curiosity and confidence grow! Plus, connect with other local families and share in the joy of learning together!

No bookings required — just turn up & have fun!

St Thomas More’s Catholic School
Every Tuesday (School Term)