Term 3 Week 9 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

From the Principal

It was great to see the students and staff dress up for their Book Week and activities day last Friday. Thank you to the parents, who no doubt would have spent time organising outfits and costumes for their kids. It was a great day had by all.

We have reached the end of term 3. We have packed plenty in with still some more activities to take place this week such as our Grade 1's having an excursion to Mount Noorat today and our Grade 3/4's heading off to camp on Thursday and Friday to Sovereign Hill in Ballarat. 

I hope everyone has a great term break. Enjoy the rest and hopefully some warmer weather and we will see you in term 4. A reminder that our first day of classes for Term 4 is on Tuesday 7th October. 

Enjoy. Go cats!!

Matt Uzkuraitis 

News

ASSEMBLY: PrepM will host assembly this week. We will be having it on Friday at 9am - this is due to our early finish on this day

WEDNESDAY WEEKLY MASS: PrepM and their Grade 6 buddies will attend our weekly Wednesday Mass at 10:30am. We invite any parents or parishioners to attend.

LAST DAY OF TERM 3: A reminder that we finish at 2:30pm this Friday. Buses will leave at this time as well. Our Grade 3/4 campers will be back by 2:30pm as well.

Last Day of Term 3

The last day of Term is on this Friday. We will be finishing at 2:30pm. Also on this day the students will be able to wear their favourite sports teams colours/clothes. This could be their favourite Football, Netball, Basketball or Soccer team. If you are in the position it is a gold coin donation as the Junior School Council would like to raise money for some sandpit equipment.  

Also, a reminder for any families who are yet to bring in their Sausage and Juice form to do this asap. Thank you

Grade 3/4 Camp and Grade 5/6 Camp

A reminder to our Grade 3/4 families, that camp is this Thursday 18th - Friday 19th September. If your child requires medication on the camp you will need to come in and fill in the medical authorisation form - this is for prescribed medication and also non prescribed medication such as panadol/nurofen.  We ask this is done prior to Thursday. 

Also to our Grade 5/6 families, Melbourne camp will be in the first week back of Term 4 from Wednesday 8th October to Friday 10th October. We ask that if your child requires medication on the camp you will need to come in and fill in the medical authorisation form - this is for prescribed medication and also non prescribed medication such as panadol/nurofen.

If you would like to speak to the teachers regarding your child going on camp, we ask that is done prior to the departure days. 

Building Works - Update

A further update to our Building Project. We have a building company who has won the tender bid for our project. Mathcon will be completing our refurbishments. We have a site walk with them tomorrow where we will have a better indication on timelines and construction. 

We are planning for works to get under way next term and therefore our Junior area will be impacted first. Our Prep-2 classes will be setting up their classrooms in the following areas for Term 4:

PrepM - In the Community Room (front of the school)

Grade 1K - Library

Grade 2P - Portable (next to maintenance and sports shed) 

As this exciting new stage is set to begin, we understand the next few months will be challenging in a logistical sense and we know that there will be a need for patience whilst these works are undertaken. 

P-2 Swimming lessons - Term 4

Our Grade Prep - 2 students will have 5 swimming lessons in Term 4. These lessons are at the Kolora indoor pool. The lessons are run by the trained swim instructors from the Splash Factory. 

The dates are as follows:

Monday, 27th October 2025

Tuesday, 28th October 2025

Thursday, 30th October 2025

 Thursday, 6th November 2025

Monday, 10th November 2025

We will have more information at the start of next term. 

School Readiness Sessions

We will have our last activity of our School Readiness Session. It will be tomorrow.   

See the flyer below for more information 

TERM 4 - Important Dates

TERM 4 DATES

OCTOBER

Monday 6th October - SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY 

Tuesday 7th October - First day of classes for Term 4

Wednesday 8th - Friday 10th October - Grade 5/6 Camp to Melbourne

Monday 13th October - Sacrament of Reconciliation at St Thomas' Church at 7pm

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.

Darcy Gavan 

Kaizher Patrick 

Elsie Delaney

And to these students who celebrate a birthday over the holiday break:

Billy Moloney           Max O'Connor            Layla Thornton             Indi Blair            Sophia Magouliotis

Fin Moloney              Elijah Roberts

School TV

Parenting Styles

There's no such thing as perfect parenting. Every family is unique, and every child's needs are different. But by understanding the various parenting styles, we can make more thoughtful choices that support our children's growth in healthier and more effective ways.

Most of us parent as a blend of our own upbringing, lived experiences and external influences such as books, podcasts or parenting websites. Parenting is one of the most rewarding roles in life, but it is also one of the most challenging. The journey can be further complicated by circumstances such as divorce, separation, blended families, trauma or bereavement. Not to mention the many everyday pressures and hurdles that families face.

The idea of "parenting styles" has been researched for decades, showing that the way we interact with, nurture, and guide our children has a significant impact on their development. Whilst there are a number of different approaches, research consistently shows that children thrive when parents and caregivers are both warm and loving, while also providing clear guidance, structure and support. This balance helps children feel safe and valued, while also encouraging independence, resilience and emotional wellbeing.

By learning more about the different styles and how they influence children, you can make informed choices about the approach that best suits your family. And remember, styles are not fixed. They can evolve over time as your child grows and their needs change.

Find out more on the link below:

Community News

JUNIOR GOLF - TERANG GOLF CLUB

Junior golf starts on Saturday 18th October at 9:00am at the Terang Golf Club.  MyGolf will run for 6 weeks and is for all school aged kids. All abilities are welcome and equipment is provided if required. You can register online using the link below at a cost of $30. If you have any questions call Phil Beasley on 0438 921 213. 

https://www.golf.org.au/mygolf/facility/Terang+Golf+Club

Check out our Facebook and Instagram for more details: 

https://www.facebook.com/p/Terang-Golf-Club-Inc-100057459339549/

https://www.instagram.com/teranggolfclub/?igsh=NHZhdTNxcDhrdGt6#

Child Safety Officer