13 November 2024

Dear Lord

We remember the fallen soldiers that have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. On Remembrance Day, we come to you and ask for healing for families of lost loved ones and to help the rest of us make sure that Remembrance Day is more than once a year, but a continual act of gratitude.

Amen

Night of the Notables
Congratulations to our fifteen Year 4, 5 & 6 students who participated in Night of the Notables on Tuesday evening. “Night of the Notables” is an exciting event where our students celebrate influential figures throughout history. Each student selects a notable person to research, focusing on their achievements, impact, and personal qualities. They then create presentations, which include dressing as their chosen figure, sharing key insights, and sometimes even performing monologues. This night allows our students to showcase their learning and creativity, bringing history to life while developing their research and public speaking skills. Special thanks to Mrs Gibbs for preparing the students for this amazing showcase.

Annual General Meeting (AGM):
Tuesday, 19 November 2024 – 6:30 pm
We warmly invite you to our Annual General Community Meeting next Tuesday, 19 November. The evening will begin with refreshments at 6:30 pm, followed by the meeting in the school hall from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm. During the AGM, we will review the year’s highlights, celebrate achievements, and announce staffing for 2025. This gathering offers a wonderful opportunity to connect, reflect on the year, and look forward to what’s ahead.

Transition Morning for 2024:
Monday, 2 December – 9:00 am to 10:30 am
On Monday, 2 December, students will meet their 2025 class teacher and spend time with their new cohort during our Transition Morning.

Christmas Concert
Tuesday, 3 December
We warmly invite you to our Christmas Concert, The ‘Miracle on Bethlehem Street‘, A Christmas musical, on Tuesday, 3 December. Gates open at 5:30 pm for a family picnic, with the concert beginning at 6:30 pm. We look forward to sharing this festive evening with our families, friends, and community members.

May God bless your week.

1:1 iPAD PROGRAM
In 2025, Years 4-6 will continue with the Parent-owned 1:1 iPad program. If parents feel their child’s device needs updating, they are welcome to purchase a new iPad and advise the school so that the school management software can be installed prior to use. The Apple iPad is the only device students are permitted to use at St Thomas’. iPads can be purchased from any retail store, or through Winthrop Australia by clicking here. As previously communicated to 2025 Year 3 parents, next year the school will provide Year 3 students with a school-owned iPad and peripherals such as headphones and keyboard case. If you have any questions regarding the iPad program, please contact me to discuss.

REPORTS
End of Year reports for Kindergarten to Year Six students will be available to parents on the afternoon of Monday 2 December through Seqta. Kindergarten students will receive a report that communicates achievement in-line with elements of the Early Years Learning Framework and WA Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines. Pre-primary to Year Six students will be assessed on curriculum areas of the WA Curriculum, as set out by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) – the independent authority mandated by the government for setting and administering the Western Australian curriculum. Teachers will provide achievement grades and effort grades for each student in each subject studied across the year. ‘A’ to ‘E’ letter grades are used in Years 1-6 (not Pre-primary), where a ‘C’ grade denotes achievement in-line with the expected achievement level of a student in that year level. They will also communicate progress in personal and social development, and in addition to a grade, make a comment on achievement across the year in Religious Education, English, Mathematics and Personal and Social Development. If you have any questions regarding the reporting process, please contact me.