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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.
SKIPPING STONES
It was my grandfather that taught me how to skip stones. Growing up in Ulverstone on the north-west coast of Tasmania, our grandparents lived not far from us in the sleepy seaside town. Their house was a mere five-minute walk from a beautiful, quiet and pristine beach.
Just as the ocean gave way to the sandy slope of the beach, so too did the sand give way to thousands of stones and pebbles that followed the crest of the beach for miles. These stones had been carried, spun, swirled, rolled, rounded and smoothed through their journey in the ocean before coming to rest on this sandy retreat.
No matter the time of year, usually a couple of hours after the Sunday roast lunch had settled in our bellies, in the afternoon we would walk down to the beach. Our grandfather taught us how to carefully and patiently examine each stone to identify the perfect blend of smoothness, roundness, and most critically, flatness. He then demonstrated the correct technique for hurling the stone across the ocean so that it would skim and skip artfully across the surface of the water two, three, four, five, six, or hopefully, many more times.
He explained that the perfect technique was to hold the stone in the arc between the thumb and forefinger with the flat side facing down. The throw itself needed to be in a side arm motion starting behind you at waist height and releasing the stone when your arm had reached the maximum velocity in front of you.
And the release of the stone itself required precision and dexterity. As your arm reaches the zenith of its movement, you allow the stone to move from the arced webbing next to your thumb and roll it along your index finger until it reaches the tip of the finger. And at that point you flick both your wrist and the point of your forefinger to create a clockwise spinning motion with the stone as you propel it toward the surface of the water, so that it rotates around its own axis keeping the large flat side of the stone facing downward. This will allow the stone to ricochet and leap off the surface of the water, continuing its spinning dance until it meets the surface again.
But the mechanics of the throw must also consider the angle at which you propel the stone toward the surface of the water. If the throw is angled with too much downward force, then the stone, no matter how carefully selected, will plunge straight into the watery depth. Too much upward force, and the stone will travel too far in the air and lose the maximum speed and rotation at the start of its travel which are necessary for the skipping to occur. Therefore, the throw must also be flat and straight, and released at the same height of the level of the water, which adds a complicating crouching and bending torque to your physique as you throw.
And the water itself impedes the completion of a perfect throw. As you approach the beach on your walk you hope for flat and still water - no wind, no waves – to create the ideal surface for stone skipping. However, if conditions were not advantageous, the timing of your throws, in-between waves or in-between sets of waves, needed to be metronomic to create maximum opportunity for your stone to skip.
On the surface, stone skipping may appear a mundane and trivial activity. But when you unpack the mechanics, the technique, the artfulness, and of course, the sheer joy of completing a masterful throw, we see the richness, the complexity, and the challenge in the pastime.
And whilst the walking and throwing were a physical outlet and activity for a young man with a full belly of food on a Sunday afternoon. Those times at the beach with my grandfather were not filled with yelling, shouting or frenetic activity. They were quiet, stoic, contemplative, and considered. There was no boasting and no competing – there was nothing to win. Just the peace, serenity, and contentment found in skipping stones and the company of family. This is what I really learned in those days.
My grandfather passed away a few years ago in his nineties. As we lowered him into his final resting place, I placed with him a stone with the perfect blend of smoothness, roundness, and most critically, flatness. My grandfather taught me many things. But this I hold above all others because of the pervading sense of equanimity that it fills me with… even as I write this.
We must ask ourselves: what are the activities, the hobbies, the pastimes, and the experiences that we regularly and routinely share with our children? And what are they teaching our young people? How are they shaping them? Is the balance of those familial experiences providing for their holistic development?
I often reflect on these questions during the school holidays in which I spend every minute with my children. And yes, I have taught them to skip stones too. Thanks, Grandpa.
Mr Casimir Douglas
Friday 12th July, 2024
SALUTATION
Grace to you and peace.
LITTLE GEM PRODUCTION RETROSPECTIVE!
Our Early Years' Little GEM Production was held on Wednesday (3rd July) evening at the Door of Hope with over 500 family members and friends in attendance!
Throughout the evening we had a photographer and videographer from IdeasBanq capturing all the energy, the emotions, the sights, the sounds, the laughs, and the tears... and all that just from the adults in the crowd!
But the real stars of the show were our wonderful, incredible, and resilient students. IdeasBanq have produced a retrospective of the project, which is shared below for our school community as a YouTube clip. It encapsulates the entire scope of the initiative from the preparation and planning, all the way through to the performance on stage at the Door of Hope, live and in (rainbowed) colour!
Please enjoy!
'WINDOW ON CREATION' BY SR CARMEL JONES rsj
We are so blessed to have the wisdom, kindness and presence of Sr Carmel Jones rsj as an active contributor to our school community. Sr Carmel, a former teacher and Principal of Josephite schools throughout Tasmania, has penned a publication on the life, story and charism of Fr Julian Tenison Woods.
The educational resource is designed for Upper Primary and Secondary staff and students and was published on World Environment Day last month. The book is inspired by the Franciscan charism, of which Sr Carmel said: "This led me to look at the world, as if out a window, with St Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis and Fr Julian Tenison Woods."
The e-book Window on Creation is available for reading and download via FlippingBook: https://online.flippingbook.com/view/1004194906/
OLYMPICS DRESS UP DAY
We are excited to announce that our school will be celebrating the upcoming Olympics with a special Olympics Dress Up Day! This event will take place next Friday 2nd August, and we encourage all students to participate.
Students have the following options for their attire on this day:
Dress in green and gold to show their support for Australia: Let's cheer for our home team by donning the vibrant colors of green and gold! It's a fantastic way for students to express their national pride and support our athletes as they compete on the world stage.
Dress up to show support for a different country they admire: This is a wonderful opportunity for students to celebrate the diversity of the Olympics by representing another country. Whether it’s the sleek blue of Team USA, the striking red of Team Canada, or the traditional attire of Japan, students can showcase their admiration for the global community and learn more about different cultures.
Dress in the relevant attire for their favourite sport: Whether they love soccer, swimming, gymnastics, or track and field, students can come dressed as their favorite athletes. This option allows them to express their personal interests and passions, and to celebrate the sports they love.
We hope this event will inspire our students to learn more about the Olympics, different cultures, and various sports. It’s a wonderful opportunity for our school community to come together and celebrate the spirit of the Games.
WINTER WONDERLAND DISCO
It's time for our students to put on their dancing shoes and dress up in their best Winter Wonderland themed gear, because it's time for the Winter Wonderland Disco!
The perennial event is an annual favourite for parents and students alike, and is a valuable fundraiser for our fantastic Parents & Friends Committee who do a power of work in organising this fun and energetic evening each year.
Please find the flyer for the event with all the important information below.
THE RESILIENCE PROJECT - TEACHER SEMINAR!
We were pleased to send a number of our teaching staff to attend The Resilience Project's Teacher Seminar in Melbourne this week. It is a professional development event designed by educators, for educators, to empower teachers with tools to improve their students’ mental health as well as look after their own wellbeing.
Our staff were able to snap a photo with Martin Heppell! Martin is a Partner and Facilitator in The Resilience Project and features prolifically in the curriculum video content. He is a former AFL player, and former primary school Assistant Principal, also sent our Early Years students a hilarious and sincere video of himself and his daughter congratulating them on their Little GEM Production success!
CATHOLIC EDUCATIO TASMANIA - BUSINESS SERVICES CONFERENCE
It has been busy week in staff professional development! This week we sent our wonderful Office Staff team to attend Catholic Education Tasmania's Business Services Conference! They participated in workshops designed to focus on leadership, communication, and wellbeing.
They were also able to capture a moment with the amazing Julie Cross! Julie 'Sparkle' Cross is a renowned motivational speaker whose message and story celebrates resilience, inclusivity, bravery, vulnerability, and authenticity. Our team were able to hear from Julie at the conference last year, and were even more thrilled to meet Julie this year!
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
