Welcome to St.Thomas'
Our Vision is to ‘Educate the Whole Child’ and empower learners as global citizens, to be curious, collaborative, creative and critical thinkers, inspired by Christ.
Prayer
Prayer for Harmony Day
Loving God, We thank You for the diversity that enriches our community and the unique gifts each person brings.
On this Harmony Day, may we embrace respect, unity, and understanding. Help us follow Nano Nagle’s example by creating communities of love and inclusion.
Guide us to be kind, welcoming, and a reflection of Your peace and light.
Amen.
Important Dates
Fri 28 Mar-Interschool Swimming Team Training 7:30-8:15am
Mon 1 Apr-‘Djeran’ Season begins
Fri 28 Mar-PP Speech Screening
Wed 2 Apr-Harmony Day Celebrations including PALS Dance Performance
Thu 3 Apr-Interschool Swimming Team Training 7:30-8:15am
Fri 4 Apr-Interschool Swimming Team Training 7:30-8:15am
Mon 7 Apr-Interim Reports available through Seqta (in the afternoon)
Mon 7 Apr-Interschool Swimming Carnival
Tue 8 Apr-Parent-Teacher Interviews KG-Y3
Mon 7 Apr-Interschool Swimming Carnival
Wed 9 Apr-8:45am Stations of the Cross
Thu 10 Apr-Parent-Teacher Interviews Y4-Y6
Thu 10 Apr-PP Speech Screening
Fri 11 Apr-PP Speech Screening
Fri 11 Apr-Term 1 Concludes
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
Harmony Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the vibrant and diverse community that makes our school so special. It’s a day to embrace inclusivity, respect, and belonging and to teach students the importance of understanding and appreciating different cultures and backgrounds.
Next Wednesday, 2 April, St Thomas Primary School will celebrate Harmony Day.
This year, Harmony Day beautifully aligns with our school’s focus on community and the inspiring work of Nano Nagle, founder of the Presentation Sisters. Nano dedicated her life to fostering unity, compassion, and care for the marginalised. Her legacy encourages us to build strong, supportive communities where everyone feels valued and respected.
Through the lens of Nano’s teachings, Harmony Day connects our school community, celebrates diversity, and inspires us to live with love and inclusion. We have planned engaging activities that highlight these values and reflect our focus on community.
A special highlight of the day will be a performance by students from Kindy to Year 6, presenting the Dreamtime story ‘The Coming of the Colours – The Story of Jindalee’. This meaningful and creative retelling will take place at 2:30 PM on Wednesday, 2 April, outside on the limestone stairs. Parents and families are warmly invited to join us for this celebration.
Thank you for your continued support in making St Thomas Primary School a place where Nano Nagle’s spirit thrives, and where everyone belongs.
May God bless your week
Natalia Thomson
Principal
Student Code of Conduct
St Thomas’ Primary School Codes of Conduct apply to staff, students, volunteers, parents/carers, and guardians as applicable. The student code of conduct has been developed by students, for students. As significant adults in children’s lives, we understand that children are learning and 100% adherence to the Code may not be achievable, however our guidance and restoring of relationships after incidents at school are important to model and support students in their personal and social development. Please see our Student Code of Conduct below.
From the Assistant Principal
TERM ONE INTERIM REPORTS
These reports will be available for parents of Kindergarten to Year Six students on the afternoon of Monday 7 April. Reports are accessed through Seqta. Parents new to the school this year will have an invitation to access Seqta usuing their unique credentials prior to reports being made live. Reporting in Term One communicates a student’s progress in Relieigious Education, English and Mathematics, as well as four social/personal indicators.
NAPLAN
A huge congratulations to all Year Three and Year Five students for completing their NAPLAN assessments. When the school receives NAPLAN results, we will distribute to parents.
PARENT-TEACHER MEETINGS
These meetings will be conducted in the final week of this term. The purpose of these 10minutes meetings are to discuss each student’s progress so far in 2024. The discussion will be based around the Interim Reports, available Monday prior to the meetings, that include an indicator of student achievement in Religion, English and Mathematics, being above, at or below expected level. Teachers will also identify areas for future focus for your child. Meetings will take place online with links being communicated prior to the meeting. Information for parents to book a meeting time-slot will be sent to all parents next week.
UNIFORM
I refer you to the St Thomas’ Uniform requirements and purchasing procedure, available through our website by clicking here. In readiness for Term Two and Three winter uniform, Year Ones-Year Sixes wearing a tie with their formal uniform. If you require any items, please order early to ensure your child has the correct uniform to begin Term Two. Ordering can be through the Perm-A-Pleat website at the above link, or through the second hand uniform shop.
Heath Nankivell
Assistant Principal
Award Winners
Merit Awards
Weekly Focus Awards
Swimming Carnival Record Breakers
Solar Car Challenge
Curriculum Corner: Science
Have you ever seen what happens when you mix acetone (nail polish remover) with Styrofoam? Ask the Year 6s to tell you!
SCIENCE
In Chemical Science this term we have undertaken lots of fun experiments across all year groups.
• Pre-Primaries have been learning about different properties of materials; we saw what happens when we mixed different colours together, it was like magic, making brand new colours! We have investigated which material made the best flying paper plane, as well as investigating which materials make the best boats (buoyant/waterproof). We will finish the term off by investigating the properties of different items of clothing and exploring what houses are made of and why.
• Year 1s have described and compared materials using observations and predictions about how we can physically change materials through bending, twisting and stretching. Later this term we are going to investigate heating and cooling as well as watching things disappear (dissolving)!
• Year 2s have been learning about how materials are combined to use the best properties of each material for the job at hand. We have learnt about engineers, architects, and designers and how these people think about the properties of materials and choose the best ones for what they need to design and make. We will finish off the term by learning about sustainability through recycling materials and how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people use different materials for different purposes.
• Year 3s have been learning about how the world is made up of atoms which combine to make molecules; they have completed investigations into melting points of different materials as well as recording the temperature at which wax freezes. They will finish the term off by looking at how changes of state can be useful when recycling and they will design their own investigation into melting chocolate.
• Year 4s have been looking at how materials are chosen and used for specific purposes. They have discussed and investigated the manufacturing, functional, and economic properties of materials, and have chosen suitable materials to build a house to a budget, realising that sometimes we may not be able to choose the best item for the job due to economic and/or sustainability issues. They will finish off the term by designing clothes for a particular extreme environment.
• Year 5s have investigated phases of matter and learnt about the differences between mixtures and compounds (reversible and irreversible changes). They have completed investigations into the properties of materials and compared different materials. They have looked in detail at solids, liquids and gases and how physical properties of materials change with a change in the phase of matter.
• Year 6s have looked at reversible and irreversible changes; they have investigated the 5 ways we can tell a chemical reaction has taken place (temperature change, colour change, odour change, formation of a gas, formation of a solid) and have learnt about the Conservation of Mass. They will be investigating how we can create a physical change and, to finish off the term, they will complete an investigation using their knowledge of chemical reactions to work out what a mystery material is.
STEM
This year, Years 3-6 are also getting further enrichment of the curriculum through extra STEM lessons in either semester 1 or 2.
• This semester, Year 3s are in Greenland but, unfortunately, their luggage didn’t arrive and they need warm shoes to go on the dog-sleds tomorrow! They have investigated what shoes are made of, how insulation works, and which materials make the best insulators, as well as thinking about other properties of materials so not only are their feet warm, but they are comfortable. They will be planning and making our shoes based on their knowledge of these properties.
• Year 4s are back in the time of the explorers and must build a boat that will travel for a set distance and time across a body of water, carrying a load of passengers and the things required for their journey. So far, they have investigated both the best material to make their boats waterproof, and the best material for buoyancy. The next steps are to plan their boat, using their knowledge of the properties of materials, and then build them. Once built, as all good engineers do, they will test, evaluate and improve their boats before they compare their finished products. The students will also have to consider economic factors during their planning and building stages as they will be given a budget (in Pounds Sterling, of course!) to purchase items from the commissary; some budget conscious students may already have asked for items from home that they can recycle for free!
We look forward to everyone seeing our engineering processes and final creations at the Year 3&4 STEM showcase towards the end of Term 2, more information on this will follow in due course.
E-CHALLENGE
In E-Challenge Year 6s have been working on solar powered cars, investigating which wheels, gears, and angle of solar panel is best for making the fastest car. This week one team of 4 Year 6s competed in the Synergy Solar Car challenge. They had to build a solar car from scratch using the materials provided and then race them against other schools. It was a fun (albeit, hot!) morning and the team did a great job coming second in one of their races, but unfortunately not making the finals.
The Year 4 E-Challenge group have been puzzling over some very tricky Maths challenges, using their knowledge of number, critical reasoning skills, and their perseverance to solve these problems.
The Year 5 E-Challenge group have been busy preparing for the Academic All Stars Competition which St Thomas’ is hosting next term. They have completed practise Maths, Art and Poetry challenges so far.
We have had a very busy and fun term in STEM at St Thomas’!
Natalie Cloud
Science & STEM Specialist
Natalie Cloud
Science & STEM Specialist
Catholic Performing Arts - CPAF
SPIRIT OF ARTS FESTIVAL 2025
The Performing Arts Festival for Catholic Schools and Colleges provides an opportunity for students to share their musical gifts and talents with the community, granting them the chance to perform in a public forum. This process develops confidence, self-esteem and social skills. Participants of the Festival are provided with positive feedback to help guide students to improve and develop their performance technique in a friendly setting.
The Festival is held during Term 3 and students from Years 4 – 6, who study voice and/or play a musical instrument are encouraged to enter.
Participants interested in performing in 2025 are requested to complete the entry form below and return it to school as soon as possible. Please note:
A COPY OF THE SHEET MUSIC MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE ENTRY FORM.
All applications must be returned to the front office no later than Friday 11th April. Parents are responsible for arranging transport and supervision of their children for the performance. The entry fee for this section of the performance $18.00 and this fee will need to be paid to the school before the entry is submitted. You can pay your entry fee to St Thomas’ BSB = 086-006 A/C NO = 467758384 REF: Student Name PAF.
After receiving your application, I will send the rules for your child’s specific section to both you and the music tutors. Please be aware that if your child requires an accompanist or backing music that this will need to be organised by you and your music tutor at your cost. Those using backing tracks are required to bring a suitable and reliable device and speaker to use for the performance.
Nicole Wills
Music Teacher
The Coming of the Colours
Our wonderful PALS performance of Waaliny Walkern: The Coming of the Colours will take place next week on the 2nd April at 2:30pm on the outside steps. Everyone is invited to attend our Harmony Day celebration. We ask that the children please bring in their costume for the performance to be stored in the classroom in a bag clearly labelled with their name.
· Kindergarten children are asked to please wear a plain black T-shirt, black shorts or leggings and sneakers.
· Pre-Primary children are asked to wear a plain black T-shirt, blue St Thomas’ sports shorts and sneakers.
· Year 1 & 2 children are asked to wear a plain blue T-shirt, blue St Thomas’ sports shorts and sneakers.
· Year 3 & 4 children are asked to wear a plain red T-shirt, blue St Thomas’ sports shorts and sneakers.
· Year 5 & 6 children are asked to wear a plain green T-shirt, blue St Thomas’ sports shorts and sneakers.
Nicole Wills
Music Teacher
Save the date
P&F News
Easter Competition
“Guess How Many Easter Eggs Are in the Jar” – This Thursday!
Our ‘Guess How Many Easter Eggs Are in the Jar’ competition is happening this Thursday at recess!
When: Thursday recess (10.40-11.00am)
Where: Undercover area
Cost: 50c per guess
All funds raised will go towards Project Compassion. Come along, have a go, and support a great cause!
Mini Vinnies
Curriculum Corner - Year 4 News
Busy start to the year!
In our Year 4 classroom, we’ve embarked on an exciting journey of honing our writing skills, starting with story drafting. We discovered that effective dialogue is crucial as it enriches the narrative by providing deeper insights into the events and the characters involved. Currently, our focus has shifted to report writing, where we are exploring the techniques used by proficient writers to craft informative and engaging reports.
One of the highlights of this term has undoubtedly been our STEM activities! We are challenged to design and build a ship that can move forward using two different power sources. While many of us are experimenting with wind power, some groups are ambitiously working on making their motors waterproof to propel their ships. This STEM project is beautifully interwoven with our HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences) studies on explorers and our Maths unit on financial literacy, providing a meaningful context for our shipbuilding endeavour.
Lila Gibbs
Year Four Teacher
School Fees
Please ensure you have returned your payment option advice form to our office. For those families paying in instalments the first instalment was actioned 7 March. If you haven’t returned the form please do so as a matter of urgency.
Should you have any queries regarding your fees please contact Victoria McDonald in our Finance Office: accounts@stthomas.wa.edu.au
M.O.S.T.
Holiday Tennis Camps
Music Lessons 2025
Instrumental music lessons are available at St Thomas’ Primary. Children can learn voice, keyboard, piano, violin, drums, guitar and flute. Please contact the school office for a music form if your child is interested in commencing music lessons in 2025.
