Term 4 Week 3 St Thomas' Newsletter
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Girai Wurrung people of the land on which we live and learn. We recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay respects to elders, past, present and emerging.
Prayer - Mission Month
From the Principal
We had a wonderful evening on Saturday night at the school where our online auction came to a conclusion with over $21,000 raised. My heartfelt thanks go out to our families and local businesses that donated items to be auctioned. Also to the P&F led by the president, Ella. In particular to Melissa who coordinated the auction, your efforts are appreciated by all. That goes for all those who helped behind the scenes and on the night. On behalf of the school we are extremely fortunate to have such an active P&F and supportive Terang and school community.
Last Monday night we had a number of students from Grade 3 and 4 make their sacrament of Reconciliation. Congratulations to the following students:
Penny Heffernan Ailish Meade Archie Wurlod Harry Heffernan Charlotte Taylor
Matilda Monk Ava Richard Georgie Gubbins Evie Conheady Luka Jones
Harriet Conheady Pippa Irving Nellie Kenna Angeline Richard Fletcher Gleeson
Enjoy the remainder of the week
Matt Uzkuraitis
News
ASSEMBLY: We will have assembly this week. Grade 3S will be sharing. Please note that assembly will take place at the church on Friday at 2:30pm. Please note the change of time.
WEDNESDAY WEEKLY MASS: No weekly Mass
CANTEEN: Our school canteen is up and running. The prices are as follows:
Fruit Boxes: $1
Quelch: 70 cents
LEARNING PORTFOLIOS: A reminder to return your child's Learning Portfolio as they will be updated with semester 2 learning material/assessments. These learning portfolios were handed out on the last day of term 2 as part of our reporting process.
P&F - Major Fundraiser
As mentioned before our online auction concluded on Saturday night with over $21,000 raised. If you purchased something online and you weren't there on the night to pick it up, you can claim your prize at the front office at school.
Again, our thanks go out to all our families and businesses that donated items and to our P&F for their planning and preparation of our Major Fundraiser. Thank you.
P-2 Swimming
P-2 Swimming lessons commence next Monday. There will be a permission form on PAM tomorrow. The times for the classes are as follows:
12:30 - 1:00pm: Grade 2P
1:00 -1:30pm: Grade 1K
1:30 - 2:00pm: PrepM
These swimming lessons will be held at the Kolora indoor pool.
Super 8's Cricket
The students in Grade 5/6 will participate in the Super 8's cricket next Monday 27th October in Terang. A permission form will be out on PAM tomorrow with further details.
Mental Health in Primary Schools
SWPBS - Uniform Blitz
This term, our school will be taking a proactive approach to the way students wear their school uniform. We believe that wearing the uniform with pride helps to build a strong sense of belonging, equality, and respect within our school community.
Throughout the term, teachers and staff will be reminding students of the expectations around correct and consistent wearing of the school uniform. This includes ensuring that all uniform items meet the school’s dress code, are in good condition, and are worn appropriately each day. This will become part of our School Wide Positive Behaviour (SWPBS) Blitz that we will have.
We ask for your support in helping your child to meet these expectations. Together, we can ensure that our students take pride in representing our school and uphold the high standards that make our community special.
We have attached the outline of the expectations of what can be worn. As we have a transeasonal approach to our uniform, the summer or winter uniform can be worn on any given day and it can’t be a mixture of the two. Sports uniform is to be worn Thursday unless stipulated otherwise by the school or classroom teacher.
Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership.
TERM 4 - Important Dates
TERM 4 DATES
OCTOBER
Monday 27th October - P-2 Swimming lessons
Tuesday 28th October - P-2 Swimming lessons
Thursday 30th October - P-2 Swimming lessons
NOVEMBER
Monday 3rd November - SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY
Tuesday 4th November - MELB CUP PUBLIC HOLIDAY
Thursday 6th November - P-2 Swimming lessons
Friday 7th November - Mission Day
Monday 10th November - P-2 Swimming lessons
DECEMBER
Wednesday 3rd December - Yr 6 Graduation Mass and Dinner
Tuesday 9th December - Statewide Transition Day
Wednesday 10th December - Xmas Concert
Friday 12th December - Yr 6 Final Assembly
Monday 15th December - Yr 6 Fun Day
Wednesday 17th December - Last Day of Classes for students
Thursday 18th December - SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY
Friday 19th December - Last Day for staff
Birthdays
We say happy birthday to the following students who celebrate a birthday this week. We hope you have a terrific birthday.
Madison Edge
Paddy Tuckett
Georgina Blackford
School TV
World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day, observed on 10 October each year, is a global initiative that highlights the importance of mental health to overall wellbeing. It serves as a timely reminder that mental health challenges can affect anyone: children, teens, and adults alike.
This day is not only about reducing stigma, but also about strengthening awareness, encouraging open conversations and ensuring young people know where to turn to for support. By acknowledging World Mental Health Day we can help reduce stigma to build more compassionate and supportive environments.
Parents and caregivers play a central role in shaping the mental health of their children. World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to pause and reflect on the pressures young people face in today's world and how we can best support them. Whether it's helping them find balance between school, technology and rest, encouraging open conversations about feelings, or modelling healthy coping strategies ourselves, taking small steps at home can make a big difference. By engaging with resources and discussions on this day, families can strengthen their understanding of mental health and contribute to a culture where seeking help is seen as a sign of strength, not weakness.
Find out more on the link below:
Community News
Child Safety Officer
