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- Reflection
- Principal's Message
- Grade 1/2 Fire Pit Incursion
- 3/4 Writing Extension Group - short story competition
- Circle of Life program
- Friendships and URSTRONG
- Lunch orders to recommence in Term 3
- STM Awards
- Chathura Ranmuni Silva Ordination to the Priesthood Friday, 31 July 2020
- Parish Bulletin
- No bus transfers from St Patrick's on Monday 20th July
- Conclusion of Fare Amnesty on bus services
Not an Outsider but an Insider
In the Jewish story of the creation of Adam, the author has God fashion a figure of a human being out of damp earth, and then breathes into the nostrils of this clay figure. It becomes ‘Adam’. In Hebrew, the word for breath, wind or Spirit is the same, so this story tells us that we become human when the Holy Spirit is breathed into our very being.
St Paul tells the early converts in Rome, those recently baptised, and therefore tells us who are baptised: ‘The Spirit of God has made his home in you.’
Since your baptism, the Holy Spirit, the Breath of God, dwells in you in a special way. Baptism re-creates us, sharing in the life of the true Adam.
We could pause for a moment to pray:
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love.
© Fr Michael Tate; mtate@bigpond.com
Dear Families,
What a term this has been! Again, thank you very much for your support and I hope you and your family are able to enjoy a restful break.
Starting Term 3 we will be further lifting some of our CoVID19 restrictions, and activities such as whole school assemblies and Set Up for Success will be able to resume. During the break I will send out a detailed list of what activities can resume and the procedures that must be put in place for these activities to resume. As per every business, we have a CoVID19 Safety Management Plan and must abide by Government regulations. It is important that we all follow the directions provided for the health and safety of everyone. You will receive a detailed letter in the second week of the holidays.
A reminder that our parking has been changed from a 5-minute zone to a pickup / drop off zone. From all reports this has improved our drop off / pick up procedures.
During the break I ask you to be mindful of your child’s online usage. Online usage is accessible from any wifi, 4G/5G or Bluetooth enabled device: computers to phones, gaming consoles to watches, ebook readers to TVs.
I am pleased to inform you our canteen will resume from Wednesday 22nd July 2020. As per Term 1 orders are through the Flexischool App only. We’ll forward you an updated menu as soon as possible. There are a couple of changes, lunch orders will be only available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and a 35 cents per order delivery charge has been added. We look forward to lunch orders returning.
Have a great holiday break and keep safe.
God Bless,
Shayne Kidd
3/4 Writing Extension Group - short story competition
We have the Circle of Life program taking place in Week 1 of Term 3.
The program is a values-rich approach to relationships and sexuality education for Catholic schools. Students took home pamphlets this past week with information about the program. Please click on the link below for a digital copy.
Growing healthy friendships and relationships continues to be a focus for us all here at St Thomas More’s. It is becoming evident that isolation from friends whilst in COVID-19 lockdown has had an impact on many friendships. Some have been strengthened as a result of social distance, whilst other friendships have become a bit wobbly, as they have changed and moved in different directions (and as Friendship Fact #4 teaches us, ‘Friendships change and that’s ok’). This time has been destabilising for many of us, and for our children too!
To teach students what is normal in a friendship we use URSTRONG’s language and ‘Friendology 101 Curriculum’. Through ‘Friendology 101’ students learn skills and strategies to empower them to manage conflict independently (referred to as Friendship Fires™) and effectively deal with mean-on-purpose behaviour. The language that we use when helping children navigate friendships is particularly important. At our school we don’t use the term ‘bullying’ because it is generally misunderstood, misused and disempowering. We prefer the term mean-on-purpose, because taking action to stop mean-on-purpose behaviour is far more empowering! There are many ways that you can support your children in their social and emotional learning at home too:
- by using the same URSTRONG ‘language of friendship’ that we use at school, when you are talking about friendships at home (Friendship fires™ & Mean-on-purpose)
- by accessing URSTRONG’s free parent resources, watching the ‘Language of Friendship Video Series’ and doing some friendship-based activities with your children at home. (Use the coupon code URSTRONG to access membership for free)
- Helping children remember the ‘4 Friendship Facts’ by making them visible in your home
- Role playing and practising skills, such as ‘quick comebacks’ and ‘talking it out’ at home to empower your children to confidently problem solve for themselves
- Reading books and stories that model healthy friendships
As we return to school in Term 3, we will continue to be focusing on the explicit teaching of Friendship skills. If you would like further information about how to access URSTRONG to support your children at home, please get in touch.
Megan Booth, School Counsellor (Mon & Tues)
Email: Megan.booth@aohtas.org.au
Lunch orders to recommence in Term 3
We are pleased to advise that lunch order will recommence in Term 3.
Lunch orders will now be available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, commencing from Wednesday 22nd of July, through the FlexiSchools app.
You will notice there is now a small surcharge on each order to cover a delivery fee from St Patrick's to facilitate this service. If you have any queries, please contact the office.
Congratulations to the following students for receiving awards this week:
Chathura Ranmuni Silva Ordination to the Priesthood Friday, 31 July 2020
The Archdiocese of Hobart, together with the Ranmuni Silva family, cordially invite you to join the celebration of the Ordination to the Priesthood of Chathura Ranmuni Silva on Friday, 31st July 2020 at 7 pm.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we invite you to join the celebration by watching the live-stream broadcast of Chathura’s Ordination on YouTube. The attached invitation provides details about how to access the live-streaming broadcast.
No bus transfers from St Patrick's on Monday 20th July
Please note that St Patricks College have a Student Fee day on Monday, 20th July. As such, no connecting bus services will be available from St Patrick's College on this day. Please make alternative arrangements for your child's travel.
However, Metro have advised the following:
- Route 822 to St Patrick's College, which normally transfers students at St Patrick's to the Route 856 bus to Prospect Vale and Blackstone Heights, will instead continue on from Mt Leslie Rd as Route 856 to Prospect Vale and Blackstone Heights. Students travelling through to Prospect Vale and Blackstone Heights can stay on the Route 822 bus and will not need to transfer.
Services will return to their normal arrangements at St Patrick's College from Tuesday 21 July.
Parents/carers with any questions regarding these arrangements should contact Metro via email correspondence@metrotas.com.au or phone 13 22 01.
Conclusion of Fare Amnesty on bus services
Metro Tas have advised that following the conclusion of the fare amnesty period, from Monday 6 July all Metro Tasmania services will resume fare collection and boarding from the front door.
Metro is still asking passengers to avoid cash payments on board, or to have the correct change if they must pay cash, wherever possible. Please refer to the attached flyer for details