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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.
FIRE IN OUR BELLIES
Catholic education is my vocation, my calling, and the endeavour to which I have given my life. Following my appointment to the Principalship of St Thomas More's Catholic School, I was pleased to be able to hear some of the feedback on the application and interview process from Hutton Consulting. In particular, from my interview with Dr Tim Hawkes OAM, he indicated that I have 'a fire in my belly for Christian education and leadership'.
I do indeed have a fire in my belly for Christian education and leadership, and I sincerely thank each and every member of the school community for your role in fanning those flames.
As I encounter a period of enforced rest, recuperation, and recovery for the remainder of this term; I am buoyed in knowing that we have an incredible team of staff who are equally as passionate about the learning, wellbeing and faith formation of our students to whom I entrust their care and support. And equally so, I take solace in knowing that this work we do, is not our work, but God's work.
I am constantly renewed, energised, and invigorated in knowledge that I have committed my life to participating in God's mission to the hearts and minds of young people. There is no more sacred calling than to seek the flourishing of the human persons in our care.
After all, Jesus came not that he may teach us how to be spiritual, for we are already inherently spiritual beings, created in the image of God. Jesus came to show us how to be human: how to love, how to give, how to challenge, how to rise, how to fall but keep moving, how to show compassion, how to forgive, how to break bread with friends, how to seek truth, how to know God, how to know ourselves, how to be ourselves, and how to live a miraculous life.
Not the supernatural miracles of walking on water, stopping storms, multiplying loaves of bread, or changing water into wine; but the everyday miracles born of our very nature, when our very humanness is placed at the service of others. That is the lesson of Christ's self-emptying on the Cross; that we too may empty ourselves to make space for what is truly important in our lives: the love of our family, the love of our friends, the love of God, and a fire in our bellies to seek the flourishing of the human persons in our care.
I wish you all a safe, happy, and blessed Easter. God bless!
Wednesday 27th March, 2024
Mr Casimir Douglas
SALUTATION
Grace to you and peace.
HOLY WEEK - MORNING PRAYER ASSEMBLIES
Today, on Holy Thursday, I spoke to the students at our Prayer Assembly gathering this morning about the Maori phrase, nga mihi. It means thank you or I am grateful. It is used in a context where there is a deep sense of appreciation, where the comment reflects the genersoity of what they have received. And through God we have received all of creation for which we are so grateful, nga mihi. All the way from the giant star in the night sky, to the tiny grains of sand on the earth, nga mihi. Life is a gift, and this weekend at Easter through both Christ and the Cross, and chocolate eggs and bunny rabbits, we celebrate the incredible, divine, and sacred gift of life.
Holy Week is the most sacred week on the Church calendar. It is the week in which we liturgically experience and celebrate the Paschal mystery and the Risen Christ. The symbols of Jesus' passion, death and Resurrection are vivid and provocative reminders of God's love, grace and self-giving. Indeed, they are a reminder of the centrality of our own love, grace and self-giving to one another.
We celebrated Holy Week at school through a number of liturgies together as a whole school in the Piazza. These were reflective, prayerful, and hopeful occasions in which our students participated wholly, respectfully, and enthusiatically. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Mrs Belinda Taylor for her organisation and leadership of these prayer assemblies, and wish the entire St Thomas More's Catholic School community a safe and Holy Easter.
PRINCIPAL'S MORNING TEA
At our Friday afternoon School Assembly last week, there were a number of students who received a Gospel Value Award for demonstrating the value of DIGNITY. These students attended a special Principal’s Morning Tea in Josephite Hall this Tuesday (26th March).
We were treated to a smorgasbord of fruit, muffins, and scrolls and we each shared what we are grateful for in our lives, including Masie the dog, family, the good education at St Thomas More's, our Mums, Dad giving me a bunny rabbit, friends who make us laugh, baby brothers, and dogs jumping on our beds to wake us up and lick our faces! They also shared about their hobbies, interests and dreams which included basketball, soccer, netball, playing with our siblings, the climbing frame and swings in our playground!
GRADE 5/6 GALA DAY - TERM 1
Last Friday (22nd March) we held our Grade 5/6 Gala Day, where we competed against students from all other Catholic Schools in Launceston in some friendly sporting competition. The purpose of the day is to give our students who excel in particular sporting arenas the platform to shine in their chosen sport whilst representing their school, the opportunity for all students to try a new sport or activity for the day, and of course, for our students to meet new people, make new friends, and foster new relationships with their peers from the other Catholic schools to prepare and create connections to support the leap to secondary schooling at St Patrick's College.
The Grade 5/6 Gala Days are held each term, and across each term of the school year the students are afforded the opportunity to a range of different sports. For Term 1 this year, the students were able to opt into Cricket, Touch Football, Table Tennis & Croquet.
Thank you very much to the Gala Day Coordinator, Mr John Anderson, and to Mr Nick Stacey for coordinating and leading our school's organisational responsibilities. Our students were exemplary in their behaviour and engagement throughout the day, and this is also a credit to the hard working staff, and parent volunteers who generously gave their time to support the students.
JACKJUMPERS - GO GREEN DAY!
Next Thursday (4th April), we will be holding a Go Green Day where all students are invited to dress in as much green clothing as possible to celebrate the amazing achievement of our Tasmania JackJumpers this season!
Whilst the finals will have been already completed by next week, and we will already know whether or not our JackJumpers were able to successfully Defend the Island and claim the NBL Championship - win, lose, or draw we will gather in green to show our support!
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
