Filter Content
- Our Vision
- Reflection
- Principal's Message
- Office Closure for the holidays.
- Return to School - Wednesday 7th February 2024
- Term Dates for 2024
- Lunch Orders 2024
- Primary 2024 Instrumental Music Program Handbook and Enrolment Form
- Setup for Success Program
- Midfords Trading Hours
- Community News
- Upcoming Events
The vision for St Thomas More's Catholic School is to be a vibrant, positive, and energetic learning community, where every child is valued, and where relationships, the Gospel, and our Josephite charism are at the heart of every aspect of our educational program.
We have high expectations for student learning and student behaviour, and aim to support our students to grow into independent and confident learners, but community-minded contributors to society.
Students are invited into an intimate relationship with Christ. We know we have achieved this goal when our students smile when they arrive at school, and are still smiling when they leave.
THE 2023 SCHOOL YEAR - A REFLECTION
Written by Mr Casimir Douglas
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” – Romans 12:2
The excerpt from the Letter of St Paul to the Romans written above is reflective of the man who himself was transformed on the road to Damascus through an encounter with Christ. In one of the many pieces of Vatican literature on the nature of Catholic education, from a document titled, Educating Today and Tomorrow: A Renewing Passion, the following excerpt highlights the essential transformative nature of the task of Catholic education:
“The real expected result [of Catholic education] is not the acquisition of information or knowledge but, rather, personal transformation”.
Our task in this modern context is to aid our young people to successfully navigate the open seas of 21st century education; with faith as their compass, learning as their sail, relationships as their hull, and family as their anchor. The purpose is to renew their minds and their hearts through an encounter with Christ so that they may be transformed, and in turn transform our world. And when I speak of an encounter with Christ, I don’t speak of something as supernatural as a blinding light on the side of the road, which was the experience of St Paul, but an encounter that is experienced daily by our students, in their relationships with staff, in their learning sequences, and in the structures and support of the school. The journey of 2023 for St Thomas More’s Catholic School has not been without its challenges. But without challenge there cannot be growth. I will attempt to capture some of that unique journey of challenges and successes here, in as much as words can emulate experiences.
The central pillar and focus of our school is our faith and our Catholic identity, and in 2023 our students participated in: daily class prayer; Monday morning Prayer Assemblies; weekly class liturgies with Fr Chathura Silva; a number of whole school Masses held in the Church including the Feast Day of St Thomas More; the introduction of weekly Christian meditation; welcoming Andrew Chinn to provide music for our school Mass and hold a concert; multiple Making Jesus Real sessions each term with Mr Davie; raising money for Project Compassion; and welcoming His Grace, Archbishop Julian Porteous, to celebrate Catholic Education Week Mass with us in our Church.
There were a number of unique initiatives, some commenced and some completed, in the 2023 school year to enhance student learning, celebrate student achievement, and promote the life of the school to the community. This included the introduction of the INSIGHT initiative which is a pedagogical framework underpinned by the Science of Learning, and the support of Michael Roberts and Shaye Whitton from COGLearn to provide professional development for our teachers in this educational approach; the implementation of Online Feedback for the 2023 school year via SeeSaw; the introduction of The Resilience Project and the embedding of Gem Principles (Gratitude, Empathy & Mindfulness) in the Health curriculum; the holding of our Family, Fun & Film Night in Term 4; completing the five-yearly School Validation review process; hosting the College of Catholic Educational Leaders Conference at our school; our Tournament of Minds team receiving an honourable mention at the International Finals in Melbourne; and the continuation of STM TV as our school's weekly episodic YouTube show designed to share the key learning experiences of nominated students each week to engage our parents and the broader community in the learning journey of our school.
There were also a number of significant upgrades made to the school environment, both aesthetically and functionally. This included; the rebuilding and opening of our new school playground; our KreamArt Mural projects for Term 1 (Be Kind, Be Brave, Be Curious) and Term 4 (Rehearse the Positive & Embrace Your Weird), the installation of large panelling in the Piazza that celebrates the charism of Julian Tenison Woods and the Sisters of St Joseph; the unveiling of our digital sign at the front of the school, the concreting of pathways at the school entrance; major plumbing works to improve drainage and the schools stormwater capacity in both the Term 1 and Term 3 school holidays; and a significant upgrade in external lighting for safety and visibility during evening events.
As we anticipate the holiday break ahead, and embrace the opportunity for renewal and recreation, I encourage the staff, parents and students of St Thomas More’s Catholic School to use this time to seek stillness and quiet reflection. The rhythm of busyness in our lives tends to persist as we transition from school days into holidays; the season of giving brings with it a season of organising, budgeting, travelling, and buying. Rather than giving in to our preoccupation with the external pressures of agendas, demands, and requests, may we make the time in silence to discover the truth of what drives us from within: the love of God and the love of our family and friends. To finish I would like to express my most heartfelt and sincere gratitude to all those who have contributed to the task of educating and forming our students in 2023.
Dear Parents and Carers,
SALUTATION
Grace to you and peace.
THANK YOU!
Words are funny things. They can bring pain, and they can bring joy. They can be meaningingless, and they can leave us plumbing the depths of just a few short words seeking to to understand them.
Indeed, there are two simple words that when shared, and shared genuinely, have the power and potential to transform relationships, communities, and the world. And as I share these two words with you, please know that they are fully charged with the sincere gratitude, thankfulness, and respect with which they are intended: thank you!
Thank you to all students, staff, parents, carers, volunteers, and friends for your contributions to the life of St Thomas More's Catholic School in the 2023 school year. I thank you all professionally as the Principal, and personally as a human being. The journey of 2023 for St Thomas More’s Catholic School has not been without its challenges. But without challenge there cannot be growth. And the growth, success, achievement, and flourishing of our students in 2023 is a testament to the love and support of all the key people in the lives and education of our young people.
Community engagement is a perennial priority. That is, to provide opportunities and to hold space for our students and parents to connect with the school community and to foster belonging. The staff of St Thomas More's Catholic School are absoluately committed to this goal, and below is video evidence of this commitment!
So, due to popular demand, and for our school community to enjoy, we have released the performance of the STM Wiggles from our 2023 Carols on the Oval event! Hopefully, this will help to spread the joy, fun, and spirit of this giving season. Merry Christmas!
YEAR 6 GRADUATION MASS
Our Year 6 Graduation Mass & Awards Ceremony was held at Sacred Heart Church in Newstead this Monday (11th December) evening. It provided an opportunity for the staff and the families working with the graduating class of 2023 to; celebrate their educational journey for the past eight years, join in the Eucharistic liturgy together, present the recipients of our Excellence & Honours Awards, acknowledge the parents who have supported their children through Primary School, thank the staff for their guidance of our young people, and hear from Mr Douglas about his mother's pavlova!
Congratulations to all Year 6 students on their graduation, and we wish you all the best in your transition to High School. And don't forget your Pavlova Recipe for Success in High School: relationships, routine, new opportunities, and embrace your weird!
Please find below the names of the recipients of our Year 6 Excellence & Honours Awards for the 2023 school year:
Academic Achievement Award:
Excellence Award - Ashlee Sheehan
Honours Award - Clarice Kirshbaum
Patrick Carney Arts Award:
Excellence Award - George Johnston
Honours Award - Taj Lewis & Isabelle Senior
Sportmanship Award:
Excellence Award - Alexis Harmey
Honours Award - Eleanor Pietsch
Citizenship Award:
Excellence Award - Harry Taylor
Honours Award - Emily Phillips
GRADE 6 GRADUATION DINNER
This past Friday evening (8th December) we held our Grade 6 Graduation Dinner at the Tailrace Centre. Despite the ominous weather forecast, the students and families had plenty of time to capture the moment with individual, small group and class photos, which did bring about a tear or two!
The dinner commenced with the students sharing beautifully and spontaneously through prayer what they have been grateful for in their educational journey at St Thomas More's Catholic School. And after a yummy dinner and dessert, the dancing was on! The parents then joined their children for renditions of Grease Lightning and Livin' on a Prayer, and did not hold back on showing off their dance moves either!
Thank you very much to the Grade 6 teaching team for their organisation of the dinner, and for planning and hosting such a special and memorable evening for the graduating class of 2023.
2024 SCHOOL AND HOUSE CAPTAINS
On the afternoon of Monday 4th December, I sent a letter to the parent community notifying them of the appointment of the 2024 School Captains and House Captains.
The appointment of the School Captains and House Captains for the 2024 school year involved the current Year 5 students: formally nominating for the position, making a speech on the virtue of their candidacy to the entire Year 5 student cohort, and attending and demonstrating their leadership skills at the Year 5 Leadership Retreat. The election to these positions is by the democratic vote of their peers and teachers.
Therefore, following the completion of the process listed above, it is my great privilege and joy to inform the entire school community of the appointments for the roles of School Captain and House Captain for the 2024 school year:
STAFFING ANNOUNCEMENT - LOCKETT SENSEI
Our Japanese langauge teacher, Lockett Sensei (Mrs Kayla Lockett), has been appointed to a teaching role at Sacred Heart College in New Town (Hobart) for the 2024 school year where she will continue to explore her passion for teaching Japanese.
Lockett Sensei has also been teaching Japanese at Larmenier Catholic Primary School in St Leonard's, St Anthony's Catholic Primary School in Riverside, and St Patrick's Catholic Primary School in Latrobe. At this stage the appointment is for 12 months only and therefore Lockett Sensei has been granted 12 months of leave from each of these schools to pursue this opportunity for professional growth. Lockett Sensei will be well cared for at Sacred Heart College, which as a fellow Josephite School, embraces the tradition of caring for every individual person in its community.
Please join me in congratulating Lockett Sensei on her appointment, and in wishing her all the best for the 2024 school year. You will be missed, Lockett Sensei!
The school will shortly advertise a vacancy for a teacher (0.4 FTE) for the 2024 school year. Further information regarding this recruitment process will be made available in due course.
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
Office Closure for the holidays.
Our front office & accounts department will be closed from 3:00pm, Wednesday, 13th December 2023, re-opening at 8:00am on Thursday, 18 January 2024.
Return to School - Wednesday 7th February 2024
We look forward to welcoming our students to school on Wednesday, 7th February 2023. We hope all families enjoy the holiday break.
Lunch orders will commence on Friday, 9 February 2024. Lunch orders can been ordered via the FlexiSchools app. This system allows parents, to place orders from home, work or school at any time. This provides a quick and easy service and through the Web Portal, parents can view purchases, set spending limits and top up the balance on the student account.
Getting online is easy and only takes a few minutes to register. Simply go to the website and click 'Register'. You will be sent an email with further instructions on how to complete the registration. Or if you need more detailed instructions, click here. Once registered, you can start placing orders immediately. If you have any questions, FlexiSchools provide a help desk on 1300 361 769, or you can contact them via their website.
If you already have students listed on the app, please ensure that you have updated the class that your student will be in 2024.
Primary 2024 Instrumental Music Program Handbook and Enrolment Form
For Parents/Guardians that have students leaving Grade 2 for Grade 3 in 2024, Grade 4, Grade 5 & Grade 6 2024, please see information regarding the Catholic Primary School Music Program.
The below link will take you to the Enrolment form.
https://www.stpatricks.tas.edu.au/our-community/catholic-primary-school-music-program
Launceston Library
Launceston Library will be offering nine activities or events during the 2023/2024 summer school holidays, in addition to the three state-wide activities:
Summer Reading Fiesta - Libraries Tasmania
Summer school holiday activities - Design a Library Card Competition (libraries.tas.gov.au)
Summer school holiday activities - Scavenger Hunt (libraries.tas.gov.au)
Our program also includes activities at sites in our catchment area: Campbell Town, Deloraine, Lilydale, Longford, Ravenswood, and Westbury. Additionally, you will find QR codes that link to the Eventbrite pages of other libraries in the North and East, such as Kinimathatakinta/George Town, Scottsdale, and St Helens.
Please find attached a copy of our School Holiday Program. Many of the sessions do require registration. Events that require registration have a QR code that links to that specific event on our Eventbrite page.
For information about all summer school holiday program activities in the north, please visit the following Eventbrite page:
NORTH Summer School Holiday Activities | Eventbrite
Activities will continue to be added to this page over the next week.
Term 2 commences
All day |
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Set up for Success/Joeys
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Recurring event |
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Author visit - Lian Tanner (Grade 5/6)
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM |
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3/4 Excursion
All day |
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Mother's Day Breakfast
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM |
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Faith Sharing Session - THREE
06 May 2024 - 07 May 2024 |
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Set up for Success/Joeys
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Recurring event |
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1/2 Excursion to The Gorge
All day |
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Drama Competitions
All day |
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2024 School photos
All day |
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Set up for Success/Joeys
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Recurring event |
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Whole School Mass
9:45 AM - 10:45 AM |
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Sacrament of Reconciliation
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM |
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Board Meeting
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM |
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Assembly
2:20 PM - 3:00 PM |
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Set up for Success/Joeys
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Recurring event |
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P & F Meeting
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM |
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Information Evening Confirmation and First Eucharist
7:30 PM - 8:30 PM |
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STM Cross Country
All day |
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Set up for Success/Joeys
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Recurring event |
|
Futsal Grade 3 & 4
All day |
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Futsal Grade 5 & 6
All day |