Dear Families and Friends,

As we embrace the warmth of the Spring in coming weeks, we prepare for the change of the colours of the trees and the length of the daylight - bringing warmer days. Canberra is certainly traditionally beautiful at this time of year, and we look forward to spending more time outside (wearing a hat) to enjoy the Bush Capital.

Despite the many spicy flus that this season has bought us - the school community continues to thrive and I am grateful for the unwavering support and dedication that each of you brings to St. Thomas Aquinas Primary School.

As previously advised the Tell Them From Me survey is an opportunity to gain important information from our school community to help improve our school in many strategic and operational ways. The information gained from families is vital in order to prioritise our human and financial resources and as such I ask that all families please make the time to complete the survey. Please visit the following link http://tellthemfromme.com/5qmq3

A special thank you to Rachael Hind for her continual encouragement of student reading. Rachael provides such an array of reading and learning materials to ensure there is something for every student. We were very excited to receive the news that St. Thomas Aquinas Primary has won one or more categories in the Chief Minister’s Reading Challenge. Rachael will attend the awards ceremony on Wednesday on behalf of our community – we look forward to hearing more information on acknowledgement of this achievement.

This month, even after the closing ceremony, we have a unique opportunity to unite as Australians as our nation reflects on our participation in the Olympic Games in Paris. The Olympic spirit embodies values that resonate deeply within our community: hard work, perseverance and the celebration of diversity. As our athletes compete on the world stage, they not only represent their individual talents but also our collective pride as Australians. We should all take this time to celebrate the dedication and effort they have shown to reach this significant milestone.

In our school, we are instilling the same values in our students. Through various activities and programs, we encourage them to strive for excellence and to support one another in their pursuits. We are proud to nurture a generation that understands the importance of teamwork, respect, and resilience—qualities that will serve them well both on and off the field.

I invite you all to engage in discussions with your children about the Olympic Games and the inspiring stories of our athletes. Let’s foster a sense of pride in our heritage and encourage our students to dream big, just as these extraordinary individuals have done.

As we look forward to the upcoming weeks, we have several exciting events planned at our school, including the Chinese Expo, numerous sport gala days, Book Week, Belconnen zone Athletics and an Author visit to name a few. I encourage you to participate and support our students as they showcase their talents and hard work.

Thank you for being an integral part of our St. Thomas Aquinas community. Together, let us continue to inspire our students, celebrate our achievements, and embrace the Olympic spirit as we celebrate extraordinary achievements in Paris.

Warm regards,