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- Message from the Principal
- School Fees - Overdue
- What's on at STA
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- Christmas Vigil Mass
- Library News
- STA STAY SAFE
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- Learning Language at STA
- Year 6 - Upcoming Events
- STA Awards - Congratulations
- Kindergarten Green - Class Party
- Fun Monday
- News from the ELC Coolabahs
- ACT Human Rights Commission - Feeling Safe Survey
- SCC - Uniform Store
- SCC Uniform Store
- STA Fete News
- Birthdays - December/January
- 2025 Term Dates
- Royal Canberra Show 2025
- Holiday Happenings
- Engineering & Robotics Holiday Camp
Dear St Thomas Aquinas Community,
I hope this message finds you all well and filled with the spirit of the season.
Last week, we celebrated a magnificent occasion with our Year 6 Graduation Mass and Award Ceremony. It was a heartfelt event that truly showcased the achievements and growth of our students. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all the staff, students, and parents who attended and supported their children throughout their time at school. Your presence and encouragement mean the world to our students, and it is a testament to the strong community we have built together.
As our Year 6 students embark on their next journey, I wish them joy, health, peace, and gratitude. May their future be filled with endless possibilities and cherished memories.
I would also like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks for welcoming me as Principal this year. I am genuinely looking forward to my return to St Edmund’s College in 2025, but I will carry with me extraordinary memories of this dedicated staff and the beautiful children I have had the privilege to work with. The warmth and love I have experienced from this community have enriched my time here, and I am truly grateful for that.
As we approach this Christmas season, I wish blessings upon each of you. May your time together as families during this Holy season bring the love of Jesus and His family—Mary and Joseph—into your homes.
Stay well, safe, and loving, and may we all be blessed by the Lord as we celebrate the birth of Christ with family and friends….
It is soon time to rest and restore from the year’s labours!
God bless one and all this Christmas!
Farewell.
Tim Cleary
A friendly reminder that school fees for 2024 are now overdue.
Please contact the front office to arrange payment prior to the end of the school year. Please note that all school fees are required to be paid in full by the end opf each school year as per the Enrolment Contract.
Thank you for your cooperation.
| WEEK | DATE | EVENT |
| 9 | Tues 10/12 | Meet the Teacher Day |
| 9 | Wed 11/12 | Year 6 Big Day Out |
| 9 | Thur 12/12 | Leadership Ceremony - Year 5 Familes invited to attend |
| 9 | Thur 12/12 | Class Party - Kinder Green |
| 9 | Fri 13/12 | Year 6 Water Fight Farewell |
| 10 | Mon 16/12 | Last Day for students |
| 10 | Tues 17/12 | Pupil Free Day |
| 2025 | TERM 1 | All students return on Tuesday 4 February 2025 |
| Parish Priest | Father Gerard McCormick |
| Parish Secretary | Sharon Greaves |
| Telephone | 02 6258 1563 |
| charnwood@cg.org.au | |
| Address | 23 Lhotsky Street CHARNWOOD ACT 2615 |
| MASS | TIMES |
| Monday to Friday | 9:30am |
| Thursday - School Mass | 9:30am - one grade each week |
| Public Holidays | 9:30am |
| Saturday Vigil | 6:00pm |
| Sunday | 9:00am Children's liturgy is held during the school term. All families are welcome to attend. |
Advent Prayer Celebrations
Congratulations to Kinder Green and Mrs Scanlan for your fabulous Advent liturgy last Thursday. It certainly was a joy to share that prayer time with you. We are eagerly anticipating 5 Blue leading us in prayer this week for our fourth and final Advent liturgy. All families are invited to join us in the church at 2:00pm this Thursday afternoon for this celebration.
Leadership Ceremony
Our Year 6 Leaders perform their final official task this coming Thursday, 12th December, as they pass on the light of leadership to our Year 5 students. This special ceremony will be held in the school hall at 9:30am. All parents and families, especially those of Years 5 & 6 are most welcome to join us.
Christmas Appeal
A huge thank you to everyone for the donations to our St Vincent de Paul Christmas Hamper appeal. Your generosity is overwhelming. Your kind support will go to help many in our local community to not only enjoy Christmas a little more with the practicality of food and drink, but also to know that someone cares for them and is thinking of them. Thank you again.
Dignity Hamper – final call for 2024
As part of our ongoing support of St Vincent de Paul and those in need in our own community we have established a new dignity hamper. Families are invited to donate to the hampers items to assist the homeless and those in need with hygiene items such as shampoo and conditioner, body wash or soap, deodorant, tampons and pads, incontinence aids and moisturizer. All donations can be place in the new cubes outside the Coordinators’ Office. These will be passed on to St Vincent de Paul as the cubes at the end of this week. Thank you in anticipation of your generous donations.
Thank You
On a personal note, I would like to thank the St Thomas Aquinas community for your warm welcome this year. The kind and generous community of this school and parish make teaching and leading in the school a wonderful experience. Whilst I am sad to be leaving this community, I am very excited by the new opportunities being offered and eagerly anticipate seeing many of you again in the future.
Meaghan Younger – Acting REC 2024
WANTED
Children to participate in the Entrance Procession for the Christmas Vigil Mass at 6.00pm on Tuesday, 24 December 2024.
Come dressed as an angel, a shepherd or any other character related to the birth of Jesus.
Meet at the entrance of the Church at 5.50pm. The children will be given a statue, a candle or a gift to process in with.
These will then be placed in the manger at the beginning of Mass.
After delivering their item, children return to sit with their parents.
If you have any questions, please contact the Parish directly.
Please Return Your Library Books
It is time to return all your library books. Please have a good look around the house for books with the STA barcode on them.
Please also let me know if you are missing any books.
Students are introduced to new Ngunnawal vocabulary weekly. To match our Ngunnawal word, Mrs Wang is also introducing the matching Chinese word to increase our culture learning. Special thanks to Miss Evans & Mrs Wang.
Please keep up to date by visiting our weekly newsletter.
Further information surrounding these events will be distributed within the coming days and weeks. We hope families and students enjoy celebrating and farewelling our wonderful Year 6 students & families.
December Birthdays
Levi T, Benjamin D, Zayne K, Raydon A, Flynn O, Eleni B, Nathaniel E, Rhythm G, Harper C, Annaliese M, Trinity N, Emilie T, Flynn S, Hazel A, Jade J, Declan R, Alena G, Allan-James H, Aurelius F, Beau S, Samuella B, Naomi L H, Heidi S, Alexander D, Gemma M, Austin R, Ayen K, Bonnie P, Isabelle W, Heath M, Jonathan E
January Birthdays
Athena V, Ronith T, Delilah W-P, Rohi B, John B, Heath W, Lucas A, Layla E, Fay D, Elizabeth K, Rafe H, Mason N, Summer H, Sofia H, Heath W, Michael J, Sienna A, Hannah E, Isabelle M, Amelia H, Kai U, Lars S, Kendall T, Miller R, Imogen T, Ryan W, Amelia W, Melody N, Athena M, Lazarus F, Casey M, Zander R, Mia Phillips, Frejya P, Charlotte M, Maci M, Alice S, Beau R
The 2025 Royal Canberra Show competitions are now open for entries! This year, we are particularly excited to bring back our Art and Photography competition, and we’d love to see your school community represented.
Calling all talented students. Whether it’s art, photography, horticulture, produce, cooking, cake decorating, or crafts, there’s something for everyone to showcase their creativity and skills.
Here are the links with all the information you need to get started:
- Horticulture and Produce Competition (including Cooking and Cake Decorating): https://www.rncas.org.au/horticulture-produce.html
- Art and Photography Competition: https://www.rncas.org.au/art-and-photography.html
- Craft Expo: https://www.rncas.org.au/craft.html
We encourage you to explore these opportunities. The Royal Canberra Show is a fantastic platform for young creatives to share their talents with a broader audience and celebrate their achievements.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We can’t wait to see the incredible entries from your school!
