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.

TO WHOM DO WE TURN?

We owe a great deal of Western thinking to the Greek philosopher and scientist, Aristotle (384–322 BCE). Aristotle taught that there were ten different qualities to all things, including “substance” and “relationship”. Substance is that which is “independent” of all else and can stand on its own. Aristotle ranked substance as the highest quality. In early Christian traditions, the West tried to build on Aristotle to prove that this God whom we had come to understand as Trinitarian was a substance. We didn’t want an ephemeral old relationship God, you know. We wanted a substantial God whom we could prove was as good as anybody else’s God! (Rohr, Richard; The Divine Dance; 2016). 

If we accept this is true, and that we are created in the image of a triune God, that is not a static substance, but a flow, a radical relatedness, a perfect communion, a symbiotic relationship, a circle dance of love, then we must accept our very nature is to live in relationship with ourselves, each other, and the divine dance and grace of God.

Indeed, the invitation of Christ is to enter a life of genuine and compassionate living, loving and relating - a fullness of life (John 10:10). But this invitation to genuine love and connection is being drowned out in an ocean of stimuli created to attract and distract our attention. All the readings from the past few Sunday Masses have been focused on the work of the Spirit as captured in the scriptures, following the celebration of Pentecost. It is a story for me that lives on inversion to the Tower of Babel, in which those people driven by their egos to make themselves like gods became confused, disconnected, and ultimately, separated. In our modern context, for each of us as individuals, the story of the Tower of Babel plays out not as a tower, but as the power of a god that lives in our pockets every day - a small black screen. At the touch of a button we can spend thousands of dollars, have access to accumulated libraries of a millennia of knowledge, and find endless streams of entertainment in games, movies, television and music. Talk about confusion, disconnection, and separation!

And when we need solace, silence or a moment alone to whom do we turn? When we need to boost our confidence and seek affirmation to whom do we turn? When we seek connection and belonging to whom do we turn? When we need to share our experiences and seek wisdom and guidance to whom do we turn? The unfortunate, but all too real answer, is our phones. Created in God’s image, we have created a god in our image.

The purpose of this reflection is not to condemn or demonise technology. Far from it. My phone, sitting on my bedside table, unattached from me and unused is no danger nor distraction to anyone. But human behaviour and relationship to their phone is. The question we must ask ourselves is do we need to reevaluate our relationship with the small black screen? If we are investing heavily in the relationship with the false god in our pockets, then which other relationships are going unnoticed, unnurtured, and undervalued? It turns out that binary and algorithmic systems built on 1’s and 0’s are limited and limiting for the fullness and growth of the human person. This smallest and blackest of mirrors reflects our own personal schisms. 

Turning off our phones at night and deleting our favourite apps does help, but this is ‘hacking at the branches, rather than striking at the roots’ (Henry David Thoreau). If we are to rearrange our values and prioritise living, loving and relating, then we must ask ourselves - where do we place our faith? 

Where do you place your faith? Where do you find your answers to the most important questions? Can your phone tell you how much you are loved? Can your phone define your personal worth and value? Can your phone teach you about how to find and appreciate real beauty in the world? Can your phone determine how grateful you are for your children, your family and your friends?

I suspect you won’t find the real answers to those questions on your phone. I may be wrong… but I don’t think I am. The answers will be found in your genuine relationship and connection with yourself, with others, and with God. God who is relationship itself - that which binds, connects, relates, joins, includes, embraces, and brings together - God’s Grace. And by accepting Christ’s invitation to a full life of living, loving and relating we open ourselves to experience the gift of God’s Grace.

Mr Casimir Douglas

Sunday 26th May, 2024

Dear Parents and Carers,

SALUTATION

Grace to you and peace.

NATIONAL RECONILIATION WEEK

The National Reconciliation Week theme for 2024, Now More Than Ever, is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will —and must —continue.

Now more than ever, the work continues. In treaty making, in truth-telling, in understanding our history, in education, and in tackling racism. We need connection. We need respect. We need action. And we need change.  Now more than ever, we need reconciliation.

We celebrated National Reconciliation Week at St Thomas More' Catholic School on Tuesday 28th May. This included a special Prayer Assembly for reconciliation, and local Indigenous elders sharing conducting stories, arts and crafts workshops with our students.

Thank you very much to Mrs Simone Ross for her organisation of these experiences and her commitment to promoting the value of diverse cultures, languages, and worldviews for our students.

GOSPEL VALUE AWARDS: EMPATHY

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 March, the school community is focused on the Gospel value of EMPATHY. Our Gospel Values: Head, Heart & Hands Framework, reminds our students that to show the value of EMPATHY is to be gentle, learn, and listen.

The following students received a Gospel Value Award at our School Assembly on Friday (31st May), as nominated by their class teacher for exemplifying the Gospel value of EMPATHY:

Term 2 - Week 5, 2024
Felix Young	Felix is always quick to check in with his friends and quick to say sorry when he needs to. He listens to others and invites other children in to his games. Thanks for being such a caring member of our classroom.	Prep More
Harvey Claxton	You show empathy when you are being kind and gentle with your friends, when you genuinely listen to others, and when you are a passionate learner in Prep.	Prep Thomas
Catherine Viney	For being a supportive and kind friend to everyone in our class. Cate sees when people need help and she acts on it straight away. Thank you for being such an empathetic member of our class, Cate!	Grade 1/2 More
Archer Coombes	Archer will always be the first to assist his classmates. When he has completed his own work and understands the material, he often offers to help his classmates who are finding the task challenging. He approaches his peers with kindness, asking if they need assistance and patiently explains the concepts they are struggling with. These actions demonstrate empathy among Archer's peers.	Grade 1/2 Saint
Isla Elliott	For showing our Gospel Value of "Empathy" by being kind, understanding, and caring towards others. Isla, you always try to understand how others feel and help them, just like Jesus taught us to. THANK YOU for always being there for 1/2 Thomas.	Grade 1/2 Thomas
Summa Zuj	For being an encouraging and supportive team player in Futsal and sharing your enthusiasm with your teammates regardless of the result. Keep up the great work Summa.	Grade 3/4 More
Charlie Herr	Charlie regularly demonstrates empathy towards his peers. This was evident at the recent futsal tournament when he comforted a friend who was injured.	Grade 3/4 Saint
Ava Carr	Ava models our Gospel Value of Empathy through the way she interacts with her peers every day. She embodies the qualities of a kind, caring, supportive and encouraging friend. Keep being you, Ava!	Grade 3/4 Thomas
Isobel Zegveld	Isobel consistently demonstrates the Gospel value of respect within our school community through her kindness, understanding, and patience towards her peers.	Grade 5/6 More
Eliza Eldershaw	For her empathy and understanding of her peers and all those around her. She always shows kindness, whether it's a friendly smile or a helping hand.	Grade 5/6 Saint
Levi Roney	Levi shows great empathy towards his peers. He is always considerate of others feelings and is polite and respectful to his peers and teachers.	Grade 5/6 Thomas

These students will also attend the Principal’s Morning Tea next Tuesday (4th June) in the Josephite Hall during the first break at 10:50am with myself and Fr Jesse.

TAS FUTSAL SCHOOLS TOURNAMENT

What an exciting and exhausting experience it was at Elphin Sports Centre on Tuesday 28th May and Wednesday 29th May for the Tas Futsal Primary Schools Tournament! Across the two days the competition featured over 100 students from St Thomas More's Catholic School, both girls and boys, from Grades 3-6, and we are so proud of their effort, performance, and how well they represented our school, both on and off the court.

A special congratulations to our Grade 3 Boys team on winning their Grand Final, 5-2. And also to our Grade 4 Boys on winning their Grand Final, 9-1. Our Grade 5 Boys won their Grand Final, 5-2! This is the third year in a row that the team has won the tournament! Congratulations to these students and their coach Jason Cassidy on the incredible achievement of a three-peat! All three teams will now head to the State Finals in Hobart. And well done also to our Grade 6 Girls for reaching the semi final stage of the tournament!

Thank you to all the parents, volunteers and staff who gave their time today to coach, supervise, and cheer on our students.

I also wish to express my sincere gratitude for Mr Nick Stacey and Mrs Danielle Hodgetts for their leadership and organisation of our students participating in the event. We were, by a significant margin, the most well represented school (in terms of student numbers and parent support) present at the tournament.

LITTLE GEM PRODUCTION (TASDANCE) FUNDRAISER!

As a part of the fundraiser for our Early Years production, on Friday 7th June we have invited the students to “come dressed in what makes you happy”. For a gold coin students can wear what makes them happy, keeping in mind it is winter and we are at school. We discussed last week pyjamas, sporting gear, cool shoes would be appropriate. Any students who would not like to do this are welcome to wear their normal uniform to school that day. 

The Early Years production will integrate the themes of gratitude, empathy, and mindfulness, bringing these important values of wellbeing to life through song and dance. If you are interested in attending the performance, the details are below:

When: Wednesday the 3rd of July from 6:00pm till 7:00pm

Where: Door of Hope in South Launceston, in the Main Auditorium. 

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

We ask that parents who are using the Flexischools app to order their children's lunches on a Monday and Friday to please remember to update their child/ren's class on the app. Some children's classes have not been updated this year, therefore their lunches are being delivered to the incorrect classrooms.