Dear Families, 

This is the last Newsletter for Term 1 and I would like to congratulate our children on the way they have settled into the 2023 school year, engaging in their learning, meeting our expectations and being respectful classmates to others.

Next week our children will be focussing on the most important week in our Church, Holy Week, leading into Easter.  This Friday, March 31, we will be coming together for our Holy Week Whole School Liturgy in the church. This will take place at 1pm and we warmly welcome our families to attend if they are able to do so.

It is a very exciting day today for our Year 6 students. As part of the Grade 6 STEAM program, students will be attending the Formula 1 Rolex Australian Grand Prix 2023.

"The Driving Learning program is a key pillar of the Tech Hub precinct, built on inspiring our future leaders to take on a STEM-focused curriculum. By raising the profile of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, we encourage today's youth to develop the skills required to drive innovation tomorrow.

The students will be attending the "Tech Hub" where they will take part in the Driving Learning program. Our students can expect to engage with Australian tech experts, hear from F1 professionals, and walk away with a host of new knowledge. I hope the day was a wonderful experience for our senior students. 

2023 Enrolments are now open and being accepted. If you have a child ready to begin school in 2024, please collect an enrolment form from Mary in the front office and hand it back to the office by next Thursday April 6.  We have had many new families join us for our Open Days and we are looking forward to them joining our school community next year.  If you have any friends, family or neighbours needing to choose a school for their child, please let them know about STM.  As your recommendation always attracts new enrolments.  

Thursday April 6 is our last day of  Term 1. The children will finish at 12.00pm and will be able to wear casual clothes on this day. This will be a gold coin donation initiative . Melanie Horan our Wellbeing Leader and Rita Totino our Deputy Leader met with our  SAT (School Action Team) Leaders to discuss where the money raised could be donated. Through discussions the SAT Leaders have decided that the money raised will be donated to The Royal Children Hospital, Good Friday Appeal. 

ANAZAC Day badges and pens are available from the main office. We will be having an ANZAC Day service here at school on Monday April 24. More information about this service is located below. 

Beginning Term 2, on every Monday mornings we will have a short Assembly in the quadrangle. When the bell sounds, all children will walk from the Senior and Junior Greens, with their school bags, to an allocated spot and line up with their teacher. We will have an Acknowledgement of Country, raise the flags and sing the National Anthem. There may be a few brief announcements about what may be happening over the week. If it is raining, this assembly will not take place. You are welcome to join us for this Monday Assembly, and we ask that you stand on the pavement between the Senior building and the quadrangle.

We have a number of jumpers and jackets located in Lost Property at the moment. If you are missing any items please come and have a look. 

We have a Parent Information Night coming up on Wednesday April 5. The focus of this night is to help you understand the implications of our ever changing digital world and the impact of its use on your child.  Thank you to both Sonia and Melanie for organising this opportunity for our community.

Thank you to families who are up to date with Term 1 school fees. Please be sure to make contact with Mary Anastasopoulos if you need to make a payment. 

I hope you have a restful Easter break and you can enjoy time with your families.  Stay safe and we return to school on Monday April 24. 

Kind regards, 

David Hurn 

Principal 

MARCH

• Friday 31st - Holy Week whole school liturgy in the church at 1.00pm                    

APRIL

• Sunday 02nd - Daylight Saving Time ends

• Tuesday 04th - End of term 1 Mass at 10.00am - families invited to attend

• Wednesday 5th - Inform and Empower Parent information session @7.00pm - see info below under Wellbeing

• Thursday 06th - Last day Term 1 - 12.00pm finish; Canteen closed; Casual Clothes day; Gold coin donation (Please see poster below)

• Friday 07th - Good Friday

• Sunday 09th - Easter Sunday

• Monday 24th - 1st day back Term 2

• Tuesday 25th - Anzac Day - Public Holiday

**'Public Events' are listed on our website under 'News and Events', the link being; https://www.stmhadfield.catholic.edu.au/news-events

On the bottom right hand side there is a blue box with a + symbol. If you have a google account, you can link the 'Public Events' calendar to your own personal Google calendar and keep up to date with the most current events and times.

Please don't hesitate to contact the office if you have any questions.

Thank you so much  to all the families that have attended our Learning  Showcases so far. There are a few more over this last week of term.  We hope that you have a deeper insight into your child's learning, and enjoyed learning with your child. 

ANZAC DAY Assembly

On Monday 24th April, our assembly will be to acknowledge ANZAC Day.  This is the national commemoration of Australia and New Zealand, for the role of the armed forces. It marks the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War, who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. Please join us on the quadrangle at 8.55am

Rita Totino

Learning and Teaching Leader                     

Amazing STM authors

Our students have been working really hard to innovate on mentor texts that we have been reading in class. The students have been thinking about making good word choices in their writing.

Snails made shiny paths and a pair of two sparrows cuddled in the rusty engine. (Year 1 Aria)

When Magpie was almost home she took her last step and died. Magpie went up to heaven and she was amazed at how the land truly looked before the devastating bushfires ploughed through the beautiful, green bush. (Year 3 Thomas)

Mother Bat is feeling mournful, like Stellaleuna was her key to the missing treasure, while trying to skid away, dodging the pouncing owl. (Year 4 Lucas)

Coping with the weather, trying to reach the sun, with mud sticking onto my toes, I reach a sparkling, clear beach. (Year 5 Eliana)

Sacrament Updates 

The Grade 4 Sacarament of Reconciliation will be celebrated on Friday the 6th October at 10am in our Church during school hours. 

The Grade 4 Sacrament of First Eucharist  will be celebrated on on Sunday 15th October at 11:30am in our Church. 

The Grade 6 Sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated on Thursday 22nd June at 6pm in our Church.

Parent Information sessions for all Sacraments will be presented later this year. A date and time will be organised and communicated with you shortly. More information about all Sacraments will follow closer to the time. 

Caritas Australia 

Lent marks the beginning of the annual Caritas Australia Project Compassion Appeal. Donations to Project Compassion allow Caritas Australia, the Catholic Agency for International Aid and Development, to work with local communities around the world to end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity. The theme of Project Compassion 2023 is ‘For All Future Generations’ and reminds us that the good we do today extends to impact the lives of generations to come. It invites us to make the world a better place by working together now and finding long-term solutions to global issues. We encourage you to put your compassion into action this Lent through prayer, fasting and almsgiving in support of Project Compassion. Each classroom will receive a Project Compassion box for their donations or you can donate online via the Caritas Australia website at: www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion 

If you are interested in becoming a Parent Rep for your child's class, joining the STMPA, or volunteering for fundraisers and events throughout the year, please fill out your details in this document.  We would love to welcome you!

Regards,
Kate Mackintosh

The 2023 Premiers' Reading Challenge is now open! 

The Challenge is something that St Thomas More participates in every year. It celebrates the importance of reading in a child's life, setting them up for school but also opening their minds to imagine, explore and learn more about the world around them. Since the Challenge first began in 2005, more than 3 million students have read nearly 50 million books.

This is the message from the Premier:

I’m pleased to let you know that the 2023 Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge has started.

The Premiers’ Reading Challenge will take you on a journey where you can discover new people, places, and things in every story.

Let your imagination run wild as you pick up each book; you’ll also gain important literacy skills and knowledge.

This year, while you take part in the Challenge, I encourage you to challenge yourself. Read a book you wouldn’t normally read and, you never know, it might be your new favourite.

Once you get started on the Challenge, you’ll be as wild about reading as I am.

Don’t forget to tell your friends about your favourite books too!

The Hon Dan Andrews MP

Premier of Victoria

Anyone who completes the Challenge receives  a Certificate of Achievement from the Victorian Government.  

• For students from Prep to Year 2, the Challenge is to read or experience 30 books. 

• For students in Years 3 to 10, the Challenge is to read 15 books.   

Parents can find useful information about the challenge here 

If your child would like to participate in this wonderful celebration of reading and books then please email Lou - leveston@stmhadfield.catholic.edu.au 

We will activate your child in the Premiers' Reading Challenge website and send you further details. 

Lou Eveston

Librarian