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LIVING THE LEGACY OF ST THOMAS MORE
This Sunday, we celebrate the Feast Day of St Thomas More, our school’s namesake and spiritual patron. On Monday, we come together as a whole school community to honour him in a very STM way—through faith, festivity, food, fun, and friendly House rivalry. While the events of the day will fill hearts and bellies alike, the deeper purpose of our celebration is to remember and re-centre ourselves in the life and mission of the man who gives our school its name.
St Thomas More was a man of conscience, courage, intellect, and deep faith. He was a champion of justice and truth—willing to stand for what was right even when it cost him everything. As a lawyer, statesman, scholar, and martyr, More reminds us that greatness is not found in popularity or power, but in living with integrity, purpose, and humility. His witness speaks powerfully to our school’s Strategic Plan and to the kind of greatness we aim to foster in every child.
In our Strategic Plan (2025–2030): Fostering Greatness, we define greatness not by what a child achieves but by who they are becoming. We speak of greatness as kindness, tenaciousness, and stillness. These three descriptors are not only educational aims; they are echoes of the very life of St Thomas More.
Kindness: More was known for his wit and warmth, even in the face of persecution. His ability to see the dignity in others, even those who opposed him, reflects the compassion we hope to nurture in our students. Our learning environments, pastoral care structures, and student leadership programs aim to teach our students to be compassionate and inclusive, always acting with empathy and fairness—just as St Thomas More did.
Tenaciousness: More stood firm in his beliefs even under immense pressure. His quiet strength and moral courage inspire us to teach resilience, responsibility, and brave leadership. Whether it’s through our wellbeing initiatives, the Feast Day Cup, or the Way of St Thomas More Behaviour Curriculum, we teach our students that true strength is found in sticking to what’s right and looking out for others.
Stillness: In the final moments of his life, More’s peace and prayerfulness were unshakeable. He teaches us that faith and reflection are not luxuries, but essentials for a grounded and meaningful life. Our commitment to Christian Meditation, student-led prayer, rich Religious Education, and faith formation is our way of keeping this legacy alive.
On Monday, as we celebrate our Feast Day with song, story, shared meals, and spirited games, we’re not just throwing a party. We are participating in a living tradition—one that connects our school’s strategic direction with a 16th-century saint whose life still lights our path. May we continue to be a school community that is known, not just by our words or plans, but by the way we live out the faith, hope, and courage of St Thomas More.
Mr Casimir Douglas
Tuesday 17th June, 2025
Dear Parents and Carers,
SALUTATION
Grace to you and peace.
SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION
On Saturday evening, a number of our students received the Sacrament of Confirmation at Sacred Heart Church, surrounded by their families, sponsors, and parish community. The celebration, led by Archbishop Julian Porteous, was a moving and joy-filled occasion that marked an important moment in each child's journey of faith. We are incredibly proud of the following students: Stella Bya, Sam Bye, Imogen Dilger, Kade Hodgetts, Eden Luttrell, Phoebe Mellor, Willow Simpson-Kitt, Alice Wheatley, and Jerome Yu.
We extend our deepest thanks to the parents and carers who have walked alongside their children in faith, modelling love, patience, and commitment along the way. We are also very grateful to Mrs Belinda Taylor, our Religious Education Coordinator, for her thoughtful preparation and pastoral support of each student throughout the Confirmation program. It was a beautiful celebration of our Catholic identity and the strength of our faith-filled community.
May the gifts of the Holy Spirit continue to guide and inspire these young people as they grow in wisdom, courage, and grace.
LISTENING TO STUDENT VOICE
What would you do to support youth wellbeing?
At St Thomas More’s Catholic School, student wellbeing is one of our highest priorities. To ensure we are not only supporting our students effectively but also listening to their experiences and ideas, our school participates annually in the Resilient Youth Survey.
This national survey, conducted by Resilient Youth Australia in partnership with The Resilience Project, gathers vital data about how students are tracking socially, emotionally, and mentally. It allows schools like ours to develop informed, evidence-based strategies to build resilience and promote wellbeing across all year levels.
The Resilience Project’s philosophy centres on the pillars of Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness (GEM). Through classroom activities, whole-school initiatives, and partnerships like this survey, we empower students with the tools to better understand and regulate their emotions, build positive relationships, and navigate challenges with confidence.
Recently, our students in Years 3–6 took part in this year’s survey. One of the questions asked was simple yet powerful:
“If you could magically do anything, what is one thing you would do to support the wellbeing of young people?”
The answers from our students were insightful, creative, and full of compassion. They reflected a genuine desire to make the world a kinder, safer place for others—and reminded us just how powerful student voice can be in shaping our school’s culture.
We invite you to take a moment to watch the short video linked below, showcasing a selection of student responses. It’s a heartwarming reminder that the seeds of empathy, leadership, and hope are already growing strong in the hearts of our young people.
ALL SCHOOLS CROSS COUNTRY CARNIVAL
This Tuesday (17th June), an excited and rugged up group of 40 students travelled out Symmons Plains on a cold but sunny day to compete in the All Schools Cross Country Carnival. This carnival hosts students from nearly every school in Tasmania: public, private or Catholic. Each race features the best long distance runners from each school, and boasts an average of 250 students per race... that's one massive starting line!
The students represented our school and themselves proudly, running hard, trying their best, and showing support and encouragement for all competitors. Congratulations to students who finished in the Top 100 of their races!
Grade 3 Girls: Scout Lunson (69th)
Grade 3 Boys: Ash McPherson (10th), Huxley Clarke (70th) & Archer Coombe (80th)
Grade 4 Girls: Stella Bye (34th)
Grade 4 Boys: Kip Cruse (7th)
Grade 5 Girls: Gemma Richardson (6th), Frankie Lunson (55th) and London Trotter (84th)
Please also find below a link to the Athletics Tasmania website, which includes the full results for every race and every competitor for the event:
https://thetimingguysresults.com/TasPSXC/2025
Thank you very much to our staff for organising the event and supervising the students, and to our parents who braved the cold to spectate the event and cheer on our students!
ALL STRINGS SOIRÉE
This Thursday (19th June), the Guilford Theatre at St Patrick's College hosted a wonderful evening for our Semester 1 Strings Soirée. The theatre was buzzing with excitement as our talented students showcased their growth and dedication in string music.
The performances were truly impressive, highlighting the considerable progress the students have made in their musicianship. Parents, tutors, and staff were all incredibly proud of how the students performed and represented St Thomas More’s Catholic School.
A special thank you to Mrs Brown and Ms Sulzberger for their exceptional guidance and support in helping our students thrive on their musical journey. Their dedication to nurturing the students' talents was clear in every performance.
We look forward to seeing our students continue to shine and develop their musical abilities in the future!
PRIMARY SCHOOLS NETBALL TOURNAMENT!
Forty of our Grade 5/6 students proudly represented St Thomas More’s Catholic School at the Launceston Primary Schools Netball Tournament today — and what a brilliant day it was! With four STM teams competing, our students demonstrated outstanding teamwork, sportsmanship, effort and encouragement throughout the day.
Two of our teams progressed to the finals series: STM Diamantes, coached by Mrs Angela Edwards and Mrs Julia Goldsmith, and STM Sapphires, coached by Mrs Jacky Hartley. The Sapphires showed great determination in their Quarter Final clash but were narrowly defeated by Launceston Christian School in a competitive match.
The Diamantes powered through their Quarter Final with an impressive win over Launceston Church Grammar, before coming up against a strong Scottsdale Primary side in the Semi Final. Despite a spirited effort and excellent play, Scottsdale proved too strong, taking the match 13–5.
We extend a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated staff who supported and coached our students: Mrs Angela Edwards, Mrs Jacky Hartley, Mrs Gemma Stephens, and Miss Isabella Davie. We’re also incredibly grateful to the many families who came along to cheer from the sidelines, helping to create a fun, supportive and memorable day for all.
Congratulations to all involved — we couldn’t be prouder of our students for the way they represented St Thomas More’s with pride and positivity.
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
Within the next couple weeks we will hold an unannounced emergency practice with staff and students to test our response to a potential fire scenario, which would warrant the school to go into an evacuation. Like for lockdown drills, we recognise the worth to test this process. We have plans in place to make this practice as least disruptive as possible. If you have queries please contact our Safety Officer, Kirsten Seymour on kirsten.seymour@catholic.tas.
Looking for a joyful, educational start for your little one? Our Joeys Playgroup at St Thomas More’s Catholic School is the place to be!
✅ FREE sessions for children aged birth to 4!
✅ Fun, learning & play in a school environment!
✅ Run by experienced, accredited educators
✅ Tuesdays 9:00am - 10:30am during term time!
Come along to Josephite Hall and watch your child’s curiosity and confidence grow! Plus, connect with other local families and share in the joy of learning together!
No bookings required — just turn up & have fun!
St Thomas More’s Catholic School
Every Tuesday (School Term)
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Feast of St Thomas More's
All day Recurring event |
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Feast of St Thomas More's
All day Recurring event |
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STM Feast Day Mass
9:30 AM - 10:30 AM |
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St Thomas More's Feast Day Celebrations
All day |
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Whole School Mass
All day |
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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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Foundation Band & Strings Workshop 1 - St Ailbes
All day |
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Set up for Success/Joeys
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Recurring event |
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Term 2 concludes for Staff and Students
All day |
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