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Dear Families,
Be more not have more
The theme of the Year 6 graduation ceremony last night was 'Be more not have more' which is an abbreviation of Oscar Romero's famous saying 'Aspire to be more than to have more'.
What a beautiful sentiment for us to consider in our Advent season. As society pushes us to want, to provide more gifts, to judge the season by how much we have it is such a gift to be reminded that being more is in fact the answer.
I spoke to the Year 6 graduating students and gave them some advice about being more. I thought I'd share a little with you.
Be more like your parents; be more loving, be more caring, dream more dreams for fantastic futures.
Be more like St Thomas; be more curious and ask questions, investigate more and find answers, be more committed and faithful.
Be more like your teachers; be more organised, plan more about what comes next, be more adaptable and flexible when things go wrong.
And most importantly
Be more like your friends; be more joyful, find more fun in life, be more engaged, laugh more, be more silly and excited.
For us all I pray we can be more grateful. This is the true key to happiness according to researchers in positive psychology. When we are able to see our lives through a grateful heart and mind we are happier. This is why often those who do not seem to have very much are rich in their spiritual and emotional lives. When sharing time with family and friends this Advent and Christmas season take every opportunity to switch the story over and use grateful language to help spread love and positivity. After all this is what Jesus asked of us - to love one another.
Kind regards,
Mrs Kate Dourley
Principal
Christmas Message
The school holidays are approaching and it will be time for our students to take a very well-earned break. They will have time to wind down and spend some time to appreciate family and friends (without the lockdown restrictions – Yay!). But it will also offer the chance to appreciate Advent - waiting time before Christmas.
I am very big on the ‘why’ when approaching anything that involves a celebration or special event. We should know why we do things before blindly participating in anything. For instance, we should stop and think “why?” when we reflect on ANZAC Day. We should ask ourselves, “why?” if we partake in Halloween. And Christmas is definitely no exception. The trap is to go along with how everyone else is going along with a special event or celebration.
Everyone has a go-to tradition that they love to do every year. Some people love to listen to Bing Crosby carols. Many are decking out their front yards with a light show – so much so that they have loads of devoted visitors drive past certain streets to catch the presentation! Some love to go to town on a special recipe for glazed ham. There are lots of ways to celebrate Christmas.
But do we take enough time to stop and think about the ‘why’? If we are doing so many special things to celebrate Christmas but forget about the ‘why’ then what is the purpose of celebrating? What does Christmas mean to our family? Has Christmas morphed into something that is beyond our control? Does Christmas become stressful instead of joyful? If the answers to some of these questions raise more hairy questions, it’s time to re-evaluate. Reclaim Christmas for yourself and remember that Emmanuel is ‘God with us’ – Jesus is with us. That is the ‘why’ of Christmas.
For everyone in the St Thomas the Apostle community, relish in a joyful Christmas!
Message - Deputy Principal: Inclusive Education
Dear Families,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for trusting us this year with the gifts that are your children. We have loved watching them grow and develop into the young people they are with the skills they need to navigate this world. Our students surprise us every day with their insights, perspective, wonder and awe. Their love of learning and of each other is infectious. Our students have travelled a rocky journey this year, much like Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem but with the support of their peers, teachers and most importantly you, their families, they have reached the end of the 2021 school year with much to be proud of and thankful for.
For our Year 6 students, we wish you the very best in pursuing your hopes, your dreams and most importantly your happiness in everything you do. May your learning journey continue to inspire you and challenge you to be the very best version of yourselves.
For our families who are leaving us, thank you for choosing St. Thomas the Apostle as the school for your children. May you continue to be the shining light for them as their first educators and loudest supporters.
To all our families, may you find time together this Christmas to rest, relax and reflect on what you have with each other. Find time over this holiday period to stop, pause and listen. Do the things that we are often too busy to consider. Recharge and refresh in preparation for what we hope will be an exciting, joy filled and successful 2022.
God bless everyone.
Jen Gulavin
(Deputy Principal: Inclusive Education)
Final Reminder Library & Take - Home Reading Books
Please return all reading books by Monday that your child may have brought home and not yet returned.
Kind regards
Pauline Whelan
Unclaimed Scooter
A scooter was found on the school grounds earlier this week.
If it belongs to your child, please contact the office.
DOSCEL Christmas Card Competition Winners 2021!
December | |
Tuesday 14th | Last Day of School Term 2021 |