Welcome to Term 4.

I love this time of year. I know there are many people who experience hay fever. I'm very fortunate that I don't and can enjoy spring in its fullness. I love the longer, warmer days, the new growth in the garden, walks in the local area and barbecues in the evening with family and friends.

One of the best moments at this time of year is when we see our students come to school in their summer uniform again and it becomes very clear just how much they've grown. When we notice this we're reminded how much they have learnt and changed over the year and we feel very proud of them all.

You may notice that features of the front of the school have been repainted during the school holidays. We're embarking now on a journey of developing the school facilities, beginning with a little painting and planting. Over the next 12 months we're going to develop two master plans for both the buildings and grounds and we look forward to engaging everyone in the relevant aspects these processes.

Staffing Updates

There are no changes to classroom teachers this term. We welcome Ms Emily Hudson as a full-time teacher who will continue to team teach in 6 Green this term and provide additional relief across the school on other days. We also welcome Ms Dehme Smith as a full-time relief teacher across the school. 

I would like to congratulate Ms Naomi Wicks, our Arts teacher, who has successfully been appointed to a teaching position at Merici College from 2026. Naomi has been a member of our teaching staff for many years as both a classroom teacher and, in more recent years, the Arts teacher. Naomi's passion and dedication in this last role has been exceptional and our students have been very fortunate to learn so much from Naomi. We will miss her in our school community. While Naomi will be difficult to replace, we are in the midst of a recruitment process for an Arts Teacher and hope to appoint someone in the next few weeks.

Next year we will also welcome Ms Beth Fear as an additional Classroom Support Teacher (CST). The Diverse Learning Team are a very dedicated and skilled team who support a large number of students across K-6 to access and participate in all aspects of school. Beth is an experienced teacher and CST who will provide additional support and direction and work closely with teachers and parents. We look forward to expanding the team and providing teachers and families with greater access to our Diverse Learning support.

Pupil Free Days

Our Pupil Free Days are never wasted opportunities. Yesterday our staff spent time training for a new system wide assessment platform for tracking and monitoring students literacy development. We have already been doing this for a number of years and we are moving to an online program that allows for faster analysis of results. As a result, our teaching can become even more responsive to the needs that are identified in our assessments. Teachers also spent time planning and preparing for the term ahead. We're all very energised and excited for Term 4.

Summer Uniform

Please be familiar with the Summer Uniform requirements. We'll be checking in with students this week to ensure they are wearing the correct summer uniform. We'll give them a quiet reminder if they need it and be in touch with parents if more support is needed.

New Curriculum Trial

As we look for ways to embed high impact teaching practices here at St Thomas Aquinas our Years 4 and 5 students will trial Maths Mastery this term. Maths Mastery is a program similar to our Spelling Mastery program. It utilises teaching strategies that involve explicit teaching along with opportunities to recall and practice mathematical skills and knowledge. It takes approximately 20 minutes per day and will be in addition to the existing mathematics program. We're looking forward to seeing the results.

Mission Week

With the recent ceasefire in Gaza and the pouring of aide into the area we see more clearly the incredible level of need in war torn areas.

This week is Mission Week at St Thomas Aquinas. It is important for drawing the attention of our students towards the needs of others in the world who do not have the same level of access to water, food, shelter and safety. In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus challenges us to understand that when we feed, clothe, visit and look after those who are hungry, thirsty and alone we do the same to God. In James' letter to the christian community he explains that faith without actions means nothing.

Mission Week helps our students to know and understand that they share the world with other people who are also valued and loved by God. They can share their resources to provide food, clothing and safety for them. They can make a difference to others.

Today a guest speaker from Catholic Mission has shared stories with all classes about the communities they help and the difference that their support can make. Please check in with your child to hear what they are learning about and encourage them to participate in the week's activities. 

I hope everyone has a lovely beginning to Term 4 and I look forward to working together with families to reach the end of another year of learning and growth for every student.