Dear Families,

I hope this message finds all the wonderful families of STM in good health and spirits. Unfortunately we are currently facing a rise in COVID-19 positive cases here at STM and regrettably I have tested positive. We appreciate the vigilance and responsibility shown by the families who have informed us of these cases. This information is crucial for our ability to maintain a safe school environment. We kindly ask that if your child is feeling unwell or displaying flu-like symptoms, regardless of COVID-19 test results, that you keep your child at home. This measure is especially important because we have immunocompromised students and family members within our school community. 

It’s the season for staffing changes in schools across Victoria (and likely all of Australia!). Here at STM, we’ve emerged unscathed so far, and I am extremely grateful for our amazing staff, who remain fully committed to your child's educational journey.

As we move towards the end of the year, it’s time to start working on the 2025 class lists. At STM, we approach this task with great care and consideration. Our primary focus is always the wellbeing and educational needs of each student. We understand that class placement is a matter of importance to both parents and students, and I want to assure you that we approach this process with dedication, aiming to foster a positive and productive learning environment.

Our staff collaborate closely to create class lists that consider a variety of factors, including:

• Academic Needs: We aim to balance classes to ensure an equitable distribution of abilities, allowing each student to learn at their optimal level and receive the necessary support or challenges.

• Social Dynamics: We carefully consider social relationships among students to create classrooms that foster positive interactions and a sense of belonging.

• Teacher Expertise: We strive to match students with teachers who have the expertise to meet their specific educational needs and learning styles.

We do consider any requests put forward by families each year. If you wish to make a request, please email me directly at dhurn@stmhadfield.catholic.edu.au. While we aim to accommodate these requests where possible, please understand that we cannot always meet every specific request due to the complexities involved in creating balanced class lists. Rest assured, we do our best to create an inclusive and supportive environment for every student.

Upcoming Events

This Thursday morning, our Year 4 students will be celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation at 10:00 am in the Church. A big thank you to the Year 4 team for their preparation and, once again, to Clara Privitera for ensuring the event runs smoothly.

Also, this Thursday afternoon, we have our Art Show starting at 5:00 pm. There will be a $5 entry fee per adult to help cover the cost of art materials, while STM students and younger siblings can enter for free. Tickets are available for purchase on CDF Pay prior to the event and will also be sold at the door via EFTPOS or cash. Please note a change to the entry point—all guests must enter via North Street due to staffing and Child Safety protocols. This is a change from earlier communication where we will have a table set up outside the hall where you will be able to buy tickets. Food trucks will be available in the staff car park as a dinner option, and the school canteen will sell snacks.

Volunteering at STM

As we look ahead to 2025, we are always seeking support from our families, particularly for running school events. This is becoming increasingly challenging as STM relies heavily on our staff and the limited number of volunteers. Moving forward, we would love to see more parents and caregivers offering their time to assist the school. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Lisa Salemme at lsalemme@stmhadfield.catholic.edu.au.

Friday September 20

This Friday, 20 September, we encourage students to wear their casual clothes in support of the Moira Kelly Foundation. A gold coin donation is appreciated. A reminder that school will finish early at 12:00 pm this Friday.

Term 4 Reminders

When we return for Term 4, students are expected to be in their full summer uniform, including their school hats. As per our 'No Hat, No Play' policy in Terms 1 and 4, any student without a hat will need to stay in a shady area during breaks. Please apply sunscreen to your children in the morning, as staff are not able to do so. You may also wish to provide a supply of sunscreen in their school bags for them to reapply during the day.

Please scroll down for more information with what is happening here at STM. 

Thank you for your ongoing support, and I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events!

David Hurn

Principal 

Please find the TERM 3 CURRICULUM OVERVIEWS BELOW:

• Prep

• One

• Two

• Three

• Four

• Five

• Six

A friendly reminder that the STM Art Festival will serve as the Learning Showcase for all year levels this term. Our dedicated Art Teacher, Mrs. Mantello, has been working tirelessly to bring this event together. We're eagerly anticipating the opportunity to showcase the incredible artwork created by our students on September 19th.

Kind Regards,

Sonia Mazzei
Acting Learning and Teaching Leader                     

THE RESILIENCE PROJECT
A reminder that the Parent/Carer Hub content is available for all parents to use at home. It is designed to keep families engaged in the program. It includes information about the key principles of Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy, along with the benefits of regularly practising these. Additionally, it offers activities that families can practise at home to support their wellbeing. 

Accessing the Hub- The Hub can be accessed via the secure link below, with no account setup or login required: https://theresilienceproject.com.au/2023-parent-carer-hub-inspire-hugh/

SEASONS Term 4- Grief and Loss Program

In Term 4 we are very pleased to be commencing the SEASONS program. Seasons is a grief and loss program for children who experience change in their lives due to the separation and divorce of parents or serious illness or death of a loved one. Seasons is a peer support program that provides an opportunity for young people to express, acknowledge, normalise and integrate their grief. A teacher is trained to guide the process. SEASONS is based on the seasons of the year as an image of the movement through grief to new life’. If you are interested in your child/ children participating in the program or would like more information please contact Mel Langtry (mlangtry@stmhadfield.catholic.edu.au or Bec Russo (rrusso@stmhadfield.catholic.edu.au) The program will by run by Mel and Bec for 45 minutes on a Friday during school time for 8 sessions.

Warm Regards,

Melanie Langtry
Acting Deputy Principal
Student Wellbeing Leader

Ciao a tutti!

This term i studenti have loved engaging in games and learning about how to ask and respond to questions about school activities they like (mi piace) and don't like (non mi piace). Over the last two weeks, they have participated in assessment tasks to ascertain their level of acquisition and understanding of the language learnt throughout the term.  Next term, we will be focussing on the following vocabulary:

Our goal for the second semester of the year is for i studenti  to practise using the language in context throughout the day. The teachers and students have a goal to use the following phrases in class and at the canteen.

We encourage translanguaging to ensure students are feeling confident in communicating in complete sentences. They do this by replacing the words they don’t yet know with English. For example; Posso avere a sandwich per favore? 

You might like to encourage your children to make requests for things in Italian like this. 

Grazie e buone vacanze!

TCL team

Adriana Bonacci and Maria Vainieri

2024 STM ARTS FESTIVAL

Thursday 19th September @ 5.00pm - 7:30pm

Dear Families,

The 2024 St Thomas More Arts Festival is on TOMORROW!

This is an opportunity for our students to showcase their artistic talents through the Visual, Musical and Performing Arts. The Arts Festival will include an Art Gallery of work created by the students from Prep to Year 6. 

In the past, our Gallery has usually been set up in the school hall, however due to the current dynamics of the school being under construction, we have decided to exhibit the artworks in your child’s classrooms. Each year level has focussed on a particular artist. I encourage you to use the map to navigate to each classroom across the school and embark on an artist journey, where you will be inspired and hopefully gain some insight and new found knowledge. Our children have been working hard all year on developing their art pieces. 

ENTRY

There will be a $5 entry fee per adult, to help cover the cost of art materials. STM students and younger siblings enter free. Tickets will be available for purchase on CDF pay. Tickets will also be sold at the door via eftpos or cash. Please enter the school via North Street only. 

If you have paid on CDF prior to the Arts Festival please show receipt/screenshot on arrival.

CLASS AUCTION ART PIECES

The library will include a display of the 2024 class auction pieces. These art pieces are a great souvenir of each 2024 grade. As in previous years, parents will have the opportunity to bid for these unique one-off art pieces created by each class during their Art sessions. These will be auctioned off at the library stage between STM Factor performances by our guest auctioneer. Eftpos facilities available for payment.

STM FACTOR

The school STM choir and STM Factor performances will also take place on the library stage. STM Factor is based on the “X Factor” TV show and students of all ages auditioned in front of a panel of judges to be chosen to perform on the night. 

CATERING

Food trucks will be set up in the staff car park on Angus street as a dinner option:  The school canteen will also be open and will sell snacks.

The Arts Festival will begin at 5:30pm (classroom doors open) and will conclude at 7:30pm. 

Food Vans will be trading from 5:00pm and families are able to purchase before and during the Art Show if they choose.  This is a biennial event that celebrates the ARTS and allows our children to explore their imagination and creativity.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Annette Mantello

Visual Art Teacher

For everyone’s safety, please be advised that  students and siblings are not permitted to play any ball games on the senior and junior green during the event. Thank You