THE FOX THAT LOST HIS TAIL

Once upon a time, there lived an old woman. One day, she milked her goat, set the pail down, and went to fetch some firewood to boil the milk.

A fox happened by, and, seeing the pail, stuck his head inside and lapped up every last drop. Just as he was finishing, the old woman returned. Furious, she grabbed her chopper and, before the fox could escape, chopped off his tail.

The fox ran to a boulder, crouched on it, and began to plead:
"Old lady, old lady, give me back my tail! I’ll fix it in place again, and then I’ll be able to return to my brethren—otherwise, they will make fun of me for having no tail!"

The old woman replied, “Give me back my milk, and I’ll give you back your tail.”

And so, the fox set off in search of milk.

He ran to the cow and pleaded, “Cow, kind Cow, please give me some milk! I’ll take it to the old woman, and she’ll give me back my tail.”

The cow answered, “Bring me some grass!” So, the fox went to the field.

"Field, my beautiful Field, please give me some grass! I’ll take it to the cow, and the cow will give me some milk. I’ll take the milk to the old woman, and she’ll give me back my tail."

The field replied, “Fetch me some water!” So, the fox went to the stream.

"Stream, dear Stream, please give me some water! I’ll take it to the field, the field will give me some grass, the cow will give me some milk, and the old woman will give me back my tail."

The stream answered, “Bring me a jug!” So, the fox went to a young maiden.

"Maiden, fair Maiden, please give me your jug! I’ll take it to the stream, and the stream will give me some water… and, in the end, I’ll get my tail back!"

The maiden replied, “Bring me some pretty beads!” So, the fox went to the peddler.

"Peddler, kind Peddler, please give me some pretty beads! I’ll take them to the maiden, and she’ll give me her jug…"

The peddler answered, “Bring me an egg!” So, the fox went to the hen.

"Hen, my dear little Hen, please give me an egg!"

The hen clucked, “Bring me some grain!” So, the fox ran to the thresher.

"Thresher, kind Thresher, please give me some grain!"

The thresher took pity on the fox and handed him a handful of grain.

With the grain, the fox convinced the hen to give him an egg. With the egg, he got the beads from the peddler. The beads won him the jug from the maiden. The jug earned him water from the stream. The water got him grass from the field. The grass pleased the cow, and she gave him milk.

Finally, the fox returned to the old woman with the milk. True to her word, she gave him back his tail. He fixed it in place, and off he ran to rejoin his brethren—none of whom made fun of him.

Mr Casimir Douglas

Monday 24th February, 2025

Dear Parents and Carers,

SALUTATION

Grace to you and peace.

COMMUNITY WELCOME EVENING

On Monday 17th February, the St Thomas More's Catholic School community came together for our annual Community Welcome Evening, and what a wonderful success it was! With over 200 parents, students, and staff in attendance, the Kitchen Garden was alive with laughter, conversation, and a genuine sense of togetherness. The open classrooms, held from 5:00pm to 5:30pm, provided a fantastic opportunity for parents to step into their child's learning environment and meet classroom teachers in a relaxed, informal setting.

The evening was a true celebration of community spirit. Families enjoyed the beautiful late-summer sunshine, sharing picnics and savouring the delicious free BBQ cooked to perfection by our School Board volunteers. It was heartwarming to see new families being warmly welcomed and long-standing connections being strengthened through conversation and shared experiences.

A sincere thank you to everyone who contributed to the event's success: our dedicated staff, our incredible School Board chefs, Mick Attard for his musical stylings a helping to creat a relaxed atmosphere, and all the parents, carers, and students who came along to celebrate the new school year. Events like this remind us of the importance of community and the joy that comes from simply being together.

WELCOME MASS

On Tuesday morning, our school community came together in Sacred Heart Church to celebrate our Welcome Mass and mark the beginning of the new school year. It was a beautiful gathering, centred around the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith. The presence of so many parents, grandparents, and friends highlighted the deep connection between our school and parish, and reflected our shared commitment to fostering greatness in our students—especially through the lens of our Catholic Identity and Mission, as outlined in our Strategic Plan (2025-2030).

A heartfelt thank you to Fr Vinco Muriyadan for leading us in this special celebration, to our staff for their preparation and support, and to our students for their reverent participation. We are especially grateful to the many parents who joined us, modelling the importance of faith in daily life. Moments like these remind us that we are more than a school; we are a faith-filled community, united in our mission to nurture kind, courageous, and hope-filled young people.

JOEYS! - SET UP FOR SUCCESS

Joeys is St Thomas More's Catholic School's free, fun, and engaging early years program for children aged birth to four. As part of the statewide Setup for Success initiative, Joeys offers a welcoming environment where children, alongside their parents or caregivers, can explore, play, and learn in a structured weekly session guided by our experienced and accredited educators. Held every Tuesday during school terms from 9:00am to 10:30am in Josephite Hall, Joeys provides the perfect opportunity for young children to build foundational skills for lifelong learning while becoming familiar with the school environment. Plus, it's named in honour of the Sisters of St Joseph who founded our school in 1938 — and you can't spell Joeys without joy!

Engaging your child in a regular playgroup like Joeys delivers lasting benefits. Through thoughtfully planned activities, children develop essential social, emotional, and cognitive skills, all while sparking curiosity and a love of learning. For parents, Joeys also provides valuable insights into early childhood development, along with practical ideas for extending learning at home. By joining us each week, you’re not only giving your child a head start for a successful transition to school but also connecting with a supportive community of local families. We’d love to see you there — come along, share in the joy, and set your child up for success!

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

Please note that 26 February 2026 (Launceston Cup Day) is not a public holiday for Catholic Schools.  

We have had sickness and vommitting at our school.  Please keep a check on your child and look out for symptoms as follows:

Loss of appetite, bloating, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, abdominal pain, diarrhoea.

Please seek medical advice if you have any concerns.