2025 T4W2 - 22 October - St Thomas' Primary School

Welcome to St.Thomas'

A Prayer for Grandparents

A Prayer for Our Grandparents

Loving God, We thank You for the gift of our grandparents, for their wisdom, their stories, and their unconditional love. They are the roots of our families, nurturing us with kindness, patience, and faith.

Bless all grandparents with good health, joy, and peace. May they feel valued and cherished, knowing the important role they play in our lives.

Help us to learn from their example, to listen with open hearts, and to show them the same love and respect they so freely give.

May we always treasure the time we share, and may our homes be places of connection between generations.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Important Dates

TERM 4
Fri. 24 October – Y5 & 6 Surfing
Sat. 25 October – Dad’s Campout
Sun. 26 October – Grandparents Day
Mon. 27 October – Y3 & 4 Bike Education Excursion
Mon 27 – Fri 31 October – Y6 Students Canberra Tour
Wed. 29 October – Y5 Parish Mass
Mon. 03 November – Y3 Retreat Penance
Tue. 04 November – Y3 Sacrament of Penance
Wed. 05 November – Y4 Parish Mass
Wed. 05 November – Outdoor Classroom Day (Early Years)
Fri. 07 November – Y5 & 6 Surf Lessons
Fri. 07 November – PP Assembly @ 8:45 am
Mon. 10 November – STEM (Yrs 5 & 6) Incursion
Tue. 11 November – Remembrance Day Liturgy Y5’s
Wed. 12 November – Y3 Parish Mass
Thu. 13 November – Y5 Leadership Speeches
Thu. 13 November – P&F Meeting @ 6:30 pm
Fri. 14 November – Kindy Parent Orientation 9 – 10 am
Wed. 19 November – Y6 Parish Mass
Thu. 20 November – Chess Competition (in-house)
Thu. 20 November – AQWA Y5 Shark Sleepover
Fri. 21 November – Presentation Mass @ 9 am – Yrs 2-6
Mon. 24 – 28 November – Week 1 Swimming Lessons Commence (PP – Y6)
Mon 01 – Fri 05 December – Week 2 Swimming Lessons (PP – Y6)
Tues. 25 November – Annual General Community Meeting 6pm
Wed. 26 November – Kindy Student Orientation 3:30 – 4:30 pm
Wed. 26 November – Keyed-Up Recital Piano
Mon. 01 December – Night of the Notables @ 6 pm
Wed. 03 December – Road to Bethlehem @ 7 pm
Fri. 05 December – Graduation Dinner Y6
Mon. 08 December – Transition Morning
Tues. 9 December – Christmas Concert 5.30pm
Thu. 11 December – Y6 Graduation Liturgy @ 9 am
Fri. 12 December – Y6 Adventure World Excursion
Fri. 12 December – Term Four Concludes

School Calendar

Please remember dates of events can be subject to change

2025 Term Dates

TERM DATES:
TERM 1 – Wednesday 5 Feb – Friday 11 Apr
TERM 2 – Tuesday 29 Apr – Friday 4 Jul
TERM 3 – Tuesday 22 Jul – Friday 26 Sep
TERM 4 – Tuesday 14 Oct – Friday 12 Dec

PUPIL FREE DAYS:
Monday 28 Apr
Friday 30 May
Monday 21 Jul
Monday 25 Aug
Monday 13 Oct

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:
Monday 3 Mar (Labour Day)
Friday 18 Apr (Good Friday)- in school holidays
Friday 25 Apr (ANZAC Day) – in school holidays
Monday 2 Jun (WA Day)
Monday 29 Sep (King’s Birthday)

From the Principal

CELEBRATING OUR GRANDPARENTS

We had a wonderful morning celebrating Grandparents Day at St Thomas’. It was a special opportunity to recognise the love, wisdom and support that grandparents bring to our lives. The day began with a beautiful liturgy led by our Year 3 and 4 students, followed by a delicious morning tea kindly prepared by our parents & friends, and some entertainment by our Choir and Pre-primary students. Grandparents then visited classrooms, where students proudly shared their work and learning. Thank you to everyone who helped make the day so memorable.

SCHOOL WASTE EDUCATION DAY AT ST THOMAS’

Last Friday, students from Years 1–6 participated in a School Waste Education Day, sponsored by the Town of Claremont and supported by the Western Metropolitan Regional Council. This high-energy program featured interactive, age-appropriate activities designed to teach the top five G.R.E.A.T. behaviours: Gifting, Recycling, Earth-cycling, Avoiding, and Taking. The goal was to encourage students to do better than landfill and get waste in the right place. Key concepts included:

· Gifting unwanted, quality, reusable items to charity, neighbours and friends, as well as swapping and selling goods.
· Recycling the top five items: paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, and aluminium and steel cans.
· Earth-cycling food scraps and garden matter into compost at home, school, or in a community garden.
· Avoiding excess waste, packaging, and disposables by switching to sustainable and reusable alternatives.
· Taking batteries, e-waste, and chemicals to hazardous drop-off points, and containers and soft plastics to community locations.

Our School Waste Education Day reflects the focus on environmental responsibility embedded in our School Improvement and Strategic Plan. By teaching students’ practical ways to reduce waste and care for the planet, we are building lifelong habits that support a cleaner, greener future for our community.

ANNUAL GENERAL COMMUNITY MEETING (AGM) – Tuesday 25 November 6pm.

Our school community is warmly invited to attend the Annual General Community Meeting on Tuesday, 25 November in the school hall. This important event brings parents, carers, and staff together to celebrate the achievements of 2025 and look ahead to the future.

Refreshments will be served from 6:00 PM, followed by the meeting at 6:30 PM. During the AGM, we will share highlights from the year, present reports from the Principal, Advisory Council Chair, and P&F Chair, and outline key priorities for our school for 2026 and beyond.

This is also a great opportunity to learn more about how you can contribute to our school community through involvement in the Advisory Council or Parents & Friends Association. Your participation helps shape the direction of St Thomas’ and strengthens the partnership between home and school. All are welcome.

YEAR 6 CANBERRA TOUR

Next week, our Year 6 students will embark on their much-anticipated Canberra Tour; twenty five students, accompanied by Mr Godsall, Mrs Pitcher, and Mrs Thomson. This incredible educational experience gives students the opportunity to explore our nation’s capital and deepen their understanding of Australian history, government, and culture.

Throughout the tour, students will visit many iconic sites including Parliament House, the Australian War Memorial, and the National Museum of Australia, as well as participate in engaging programs that bring classroom learning to life.

This tour directly supports the Civics and Citizenship strand of the SCSA Western Australian Curriculum, helping students:

· Understand the roles and responsibilities of government and how laws are made.
· Explore the significance of democratic values and Australia’s system of government.
· Reflect on the contributions and sacrifices of Australians in times of conflict.

The Canberra Tour is a highlight of the Year 6 calendar and an important part of preparing students for their transition to secondary school. We look forward to sharing all their adventures when they return.

Natalia Thomson

Principal

From the Assistant Principal

COMMUNITY

On the first day of Term Four, I had the pleasure of working with students in Pre-primary to Year Six, to examine our 2025 Focus of ‘Community’ in more detail. At St Thomas’ Primary School, our 2025 community value is Community. It is a word that is more than a value, and means more than just being with other people. It’s about belonging, supporting one another, and growing in faith and friendship. In Catholic education, community is at the heart of everything we do. It is how we live out the Gospel, care for each other, and build a school where every child feels safe, valued, and known. It is a responsibility to shrare our God-given gifts and talents for the beenift of ourselves and for others. Research from the Harvard Graduate School of Education shows that strong family and community engagement leads to: Higher student achievement, better attendance, greater self-esteem, and stronger relationships between families and schools. These benefits are especially powerful in primary school, where children are forming their identity and learning how to relate to others in meaningful ways. Together, St Thomas’ is more than a school, it is a community of faith, hope, and love.

SOCIAL MEDIA AGE RESTRICTIONS

Whilst currently many social media sites such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have user agreements restricting users under the age of 13, as you may know the Australian Government is bringing in laws to restrict children under 16 from using social media. The finer details such as which apps/sites and how this will work are being discussed, however the eSafety Commissioner has information regarding the proposed changes and how they may effect families. If you are interested in the proposed changes, I recommend visiting the following website for more information:

https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions

PHOTOS

Photo orders have been distributed. If you have any outstanding photo orders, please make contact with the front office or your child’s teacher.

T4 CLUBS

This term’s Co-curricular Clubs offerings are now available for this term:

https://stthomas.wa.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2025-T4-ClubsPoster.pdf

UNIFORM – TERM 4

A reminder of the change in uniform next term. Years One to Six student no longer require a tie for Term Four. Pre-Kindy, Kindergarten and Pre-primary students have no change to their uniform for Term 4.

STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE

The St Thomas’ Primary School Strategic Plan details the journey our school is on. Currently, the Strategic Plan working party is fine tuning the next plan, set for implementation early in 2026. It is divided into four ‘pillars’ and lists outcomes and actions that we aspire to achieve over the mid to long term period. As we move from our existing Strategic Plan, please see below a list of the impressive achievements our school community has achieved over the past few years.

Of the 28 actions listed: 18 completed/initiated, 10 in progress of being embedded.

Of the 49 ‘Success Measures’ listed: 35 completed, 11 have been started and in progress, 2 not started (these two elements were impacted due to a change Capital Development Plan procedure from CEWA, and Global Citizenship being deferred due to other pressing professional learning requirements for staff).

You may view the current document on our website at: https://stthomas.wa.edu.au/strategic-plan/

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY

We have recently revised the way we begin our school Gatherings. After thoughtful consultation with our CEWA First Nations consultant, we recognised that our previous Acknowledgement of Country focused primarily on place and history. While this remains important, we are now expanding our approach to include a ‘people’ element — recognising the stories, families, and connections that shape our community. In Term Four, our Year Six students have taken this to heart by writing their own personal Acknowledgements of Country. These reflections include their family heritage, special places, and the ways their stories connect with the Whadjuk Noongar land on which we learn and grow. Sharing these student-written acknowledgements allows our whole school community to hear the diverse voices of our young people, and allow us to celebrate both similarities and differences in their journeys. This week, Ruby from Year Six shared her beautiful acknowledgment at our Gathering. We invite you to read her words and reflect on the richness of our shared community.

Heath Nankivell

Assistant Principal

Congratulations to our Award Winners

Term 4 / Week 2 Values Award Winners

Term 4 / Week 2 Merit Award Winners

Angelico Arts Show

Academic All Stars

School Fees for 2025

As the end of the school year approaches we remind families to please settle their school fees on or before 28 November.

If you have a payment plan in place (direct debit) then this will automatically occur and there is nothing further you are required to do.

Should you have any queries please contact Victoria in Finance either by phoning: 9286 9500 or emailing: accounts@stthomas.wa.edu.au

Thank you for your continued support.

Swimming Lessons

SWIMMING LESSONS

In weeks 7 and 8 of this term, all students in Pre-primary to Year Six will take part in Swimming Lessons. St Thomas’ uses the external provider Rare Indigo to teach these lessons. Lesson locations are as follows:

PP, Year 1 and Year 2 – Claremont Pool (both weeks)

Year 3 & Year 4 – Claremont Pool (first week) and Cottesloe Beach (second week)

Year 5 & Year 6 – Cottesloe Beach (both weeks)

Please see an infographic below highlighting some statistics from a recent Royal Life Saving report, and Rare Indigo’s statistics on St Thomas’ students’ swimming achievements. More information regarding these lessons will follow in the coming weeks.

Year 4 News

At St Thomas’, we believe that hands-on learning is essential in helping students truly understand mathematical concepts. When children manipulate materials, explore patterns, and engage in problem-solving activities, they develop a deeper and more lasting understanding of maths. This approach not only builds confidence but also encourages curiosity and collaboration.

This term, we’ve kicked off our maths journey by diving into the world of 2D shapes, with a special focus on quadrilaterals. Students have been exploring the features and properties of various quadrilaterals, including parallelograms, trapeziums, rhombuses, and rectangles. Through hands-on activities such as shape sorting, drawing, and constructing, students learn to identify and describe these shapes using mathematical language. It’s been wonderful to see their enthusiasm grow as they discover the unique characteristics that make each quadrilateral special!

Acknowledgement of Country

I grew up in Cottesloe where the bustling livelihood of the Napoleon street shops meets the beautiful crystal-clear water of Cottesloe beach. Walking along the beach, engaging conversations with new friends, and swimming in the clear blue water is part of the reason I love Australia.

But I’m not the first one to walk on that beach or swim in that water, before me there was the First Nations Peoples. They have walked this land for tens of thousands of years before anybody else swam in the water.

Anytime we walk past a Gumtree or a Banksia we know there are different Dreamtime stories within it.

We are so grateful that this land is what it is today, and we acknowledge our history.

Ruby Y6

School Waste Education Day

Teacher Appreciation

Thank you to the Claremont Baha’i Community for the recognition of our wonderful teaching staff and spoiling us with another lovely morning tea!

Celebrating our Grandparents

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to our wonderful Grandparent’s Day Morning Tea. The event was a huge success thanks to your generosity, time and assistance.

Whether you helped with the set-up, prepared delicious dishes, assisted with serving or stayed behind to clean up, your support made all the difference. The atmosphere was filled with warmth, smiles, and school community spirit – something we are truly grateful for.

Our grandparents and special guests were so appreciative of the care and hospitality shown, and it was a beautiful reminder of the strong, welcoming community we have here at St Thomas’.

Thank you once again for helping create such a memorable celebration.

With gratitude,

P&F Group

Crazy Camel Fundraising

Thank You for Your Support!

A huge thank you to all our wonderful parents and families for your generous support of our Crazy Camel fundraising initiative! Thanks to your enthusiasm and participation, we successfully raised $1,070.

These funds will go directly towards resources and opportunities that benefit our children, helping to make their learning experiences even more engaging and enjoyable.

Thank you Mrs Byrne for incorporating this into the art classes, your guidance and for making this fundraiser possible. St Thomas’ families, we truly appreciate your ongoing support and community spirit — together, we make a difference!

P&F Group

VacSwim Enrolments Now Open

October and summer (December/January) school holiday vacation swimming enrolments are now open.

As we head towards summer, many families are starting to get back into the water or planning holidays by the beach, rivers or swimming pools. It is important children stay safe and confident in the water.

VacSwim provides children 5 to 17 years of age with the opportunity to develop and progress their swimming and water safety skills during the school holidays across the State. There are programs for beginner, intermediate and advanced swimmers.

Enrolments are now open, and families can enrol online.

Further information, details of locations and information on how to enrol is on our website.

2025 T4W2 – 22 October

Welcome to St.Thomas'

A Prayer for Grandparents

Important Dates

2025 Term Dates