School Stewardship and Upcoming Parent Event

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

I hope this message finds you well as we approach the end of another productive and engaging term at St Therese school. Stewardship lies at the heart of our mission to nurture the growth of each child and build a strong, supportive school community.

We are delighted to welcome our newest members to the School Board, Carla Schaefer and Lauren Kilsby. They bring a wealth of experience, fresh perspectives, and a commitment to serving our school community. I also thank our continuing board members for their dedication to our school’s future direction. I encourage you to learn more about what we achieved in the 2024 school year by reading the AGM report, which you can find within this link: 2024 Annual Report (printed copies are also available in the school office).

Additionally, I’d like to remind everyone to register for the upcoming ThinkUKnow parent session, happening here next Tuesday 1st April @ 6:00-7:00pm. This invaluable event will provide insights and resources to help you keep your children safe in the digital world. SAPOL will present age-appropriate sessions during the school day to the children in Years 3-6 on Wednesday 2nd April. By attending the parent only session, you will be well placed in having an informed discussion with your child.

Please ensure you secure your spot by registering via SZapp at your earliest convenience, and if you require our free child minding so you can attend this event, email info@sts.catholic.edu.au by Friday 28th March.

Staffing Update

After 16 memorable years at St Therese School, Graeme Crossman has decided to step down from his teaching role and embark on a new chapter in his journey.

Graeme has been an integral part of our school community, leaving a lasting impact on both colleagues and students alike. His dedication and passion for education has been highly valued by many in our community.

Please keep your eye on SZapp for details on how you can share in Graeme’s farewell. In the meantime, please join me in expressing gratitude to Graeme for his many years of service and wishing him success in his future endeavours.

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school community. Your engagement is what makes this school such a vibrant and nurturing environment for our children to grow and thrive.

Warm regards
Dee-anne Peters
Principal

St Patrick’s Day

On St Patrick’s Day we were very lucky to be visited by the Newry School of Irish Dancing. Their dancers entertained with a range of different dances which were very lively and had us all tapping our feet and in awe of their skills and energy. Our students were very fortunate to be able to participate in mini dancing workshops led by the Newry dancers who did a wonderful job of breaking down their dances into simple moves our students could do. A big thank you to Bettina for organising the visit, it was such a treat and so much fun for our community and a fantastic way to celebrate St Patrick’s Day through the art of Irish Dancing.

The Season of Lent

In John’s Gospel Jesus prays that we may all be one.

The message of Project Compassion this year is unite against poverty. In the Book of Matthew, Jesus said: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.

Let us pray that we can unite to bring peace and justice and so care for the world and humanity. Our Yr 1/ 2 Students challenged us at Whole School Prayer this week by asking us what we will do to make a difference for others during this season of Lent. The Reception and Yr 1/ 2 Classes recently raised $143.60 at their Ice Block Fundraiser for our school community and other events are planned for later this term to raise more money for Project Compassion.

Project Compassion has been running for 61 years, beginning as a fundraiser for a fishing boat for Tiwi Islanders and growing to a multi-million-dollar Lenten appeal that has now raised nearly $300 million for people all around the world. Please give whatever coins or small change you can to fill the Project Compassion boxes on the prayer tables of your child’s classroom to support the ongoing work of Caritas. Through Caritas we can unite against poverty this year.

Lenten Prayer
God of our journey
we are all pilgrims of hope
brought together by your love
and your wish that we may all be one.
We pray that in this Year of Jubilee
when we are called to greater justice
and care for our common home
that we may Unite Against Poverty.
May we work in unity for the freedom of the oppressed
and the renewal of creation.
May our compassionate minds and generous hearts
help bring about a world where all can live in peace.
May our Lenten pilgrimage of fasting, almsgiving and prayer
bring us closer to your loving heart.
We ask this in the name of Jesus.
Amen

Ride2School Day

Thank you everyone who was able to participate in our Ride2School Day this year. It was such a beautiful morning and wonderful to have so many families join. It was such an enjoyable experience for everyone and great to see families having fun together while experiencing the joys of the joys of riding, active transport and reducing our int. Thank you to Andrea for her passion in organising, coordinating and making this event happen for our community. Thank you also to her team of helpers (Kym, Jade and Imelda) and their families who were chalking the route for us late into the evening the night before. Special mention to the fathers who stole the show on the day with not only their cycling but also skateboarding, scooting, dog walking and antics! A big thank you must also go to Xavier for his Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome Speech, you did such a good job! We have shared Xavier's words with you in the Ride2School special article.

Elder Community Forum

Skye, one of our 2025 School Leaders, was invited to represent our school at the Elder Community Forum at the Westbourne Park Community Centre. It was a wonderful opportunity for students to meet Nadia Clancy (MP) and Premier Peter Malinauskas. Students asked questions about issues in our community and state that were relevant and important to their generation’s future. Well done and thank you Skye for the impressive way you represented our school. The Premier and Nadia enjoyed the conversation they had with you.

Kytons Bakery Fundraiser

Don’t forget to order before Thursday April 3 for lots of wonderful and yummy baked delights from Kytons Bakery. This fundraiser is not just about Hot Cross buns; there are lots of items that you can purchase in preparation for the holidays and have on standby in the freezer ready for when you might need it. Last year, some people were disappointed when they forgot to order. Please make sure your family does not miss out this year by booking on QKR. Orders will be delivered to the school for collection on Wednesday April 9, just in time for you to have before Easter. Thank you to Mel K and her team of helpers who are working together to make this happen, your efforts are greatly appreciated.

Centenary Flashback

Thank you to everyone that has shared some of their memorabilia and photos for us to use in our historical displays for our Centenery, please keep them coming via digital format to info@sts.catholic.edu.au or drop off at Reception.

Carol Jarell
APRIM and Wellbeing Coordinator

Year 3/4 Class 1997 (current parents are in this photo)

Students Irish Dancing – then (1950) and again (2008)

We remind families that there is a pupil-free day on Monday 28 April 2025. Camp Australia will provide a full-day care option, please use their portal to book your child/children should you require this service. If you are new to OSHC/Camp Australia services, more information about registration can be found via this link: Camp Australia - St Therese School

This is a challenge aimed to encourage reading in young people.

Books can open a whole new world of awe and imagination. Stories are a wonderful way to understand more about our world, our imagination and what is or isn’t possible. Immerse yourself in the world of books and be taken on adventures you would only dream of.

Reading to or with your child or encouraging them to read alone, is helpful to every aspect of their learning and education. Watch their vocabulary expand and their critical thinking and problem solving evolve.

This year the Premier’s Reading Challenge will run from now until September 5th. We will be sending out student reading record forms to classrooms so please see your teacher.

Years 3-6 read 12 books or more, including 8 from the list and 4 free choice and get5 each book signed off by parent/carer, teacher, school librarian or public library librarian.

Reception to year 2 will be completing the challenge in the classroom.

Students who complete the challenge will receive certificates and/or medals depending on the number of years they have been involved.
Students are encouraged to complete the challenge at home as well as at school.

Why not stock up on some books from the library and enjoys some reading over Easter and the school holidays.

To find out more about The Premier’s Reading Challenge visit https://premiersreadingchallenge.sa.edu.au/ 

As we approach the SACPSSA Swimming Carnival, we acknowledge the hard work and dedication our swim squad has shown during their recent training sessions.

The Swimming Carnival is a fantastic opportunity for our young athletes to showcase the hard work they’ve put in, and we are confident that they will give their best efforts in each race. It’s a day to celebrate their talents, growth, and the vibrant team spirit that makes our student community so special.

We encourage parents to come along and support our students – your presence makes the event even more special. Best of luck to all our swimmers; we’ll be cheering for you!

Enjoy Hot Cross Buns plus more at your Easter celebrations, while raising funds to assist in the purchase of a new BBQ for our school

Niina marni

I’d like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet today, the Kaurna people, we recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past, present and future.

Welcome everyone, it is wonderful to have so many families joining us to gather together to ride to school today. Thank you for leaving your cars at home and choosing the fun and enjoyment that comes from active transport this morning.

Not only is active travel good for your health, it’s also good for the environment too!

Riding, walking, scooting or skating to school means there are fewer cars on the road, which results in:

• less pollution,
• less energy use, and
• less carbon emissions

For every kilometre you actively travel instead of driving, you save 243.8 grams of carbon emissions.

But what does that actually mean?

Carbon emissions are mostly the release of carbon dioxide, or CO2, into the atmosphere. These emissions contribute to global warming and climate change.
On National Ride2School Day 2023, students across Australia saved 29 tonnes of CO2, by actively travelling to school – the equivalent of planting 202 trees.

That’s only one day.

Imagine if we did that every day of the school year. Over a year we’d save more than 5,700 tonnes of CO2 – the equivalent of planting 40,000 trees!

So, let’s celebrate today through the joy of riding with thousands of other school families around Australia, knowing we are making healthy choices and a difference to the climate by reducing noise pollution, energy use and carbon emissions.

Let’s also look for more ways that we can use active transport more often, so we have greater impact beyond just today and more time to enjoy with family and friends. Riding is so much fun!

Riding needs to be done safely, so please remember to cross the roads with your parents and to use the school crossing or cross at the corners of the road where staff can help us.

Thank you very much to Andrea, Kym, Jade, Imelda and their families for all the work they have done to plan, prepare and set up everything for today. You have done a great job, and we are all here thanks to your efforts to make this happen. Let’s put our hands together to thank them.

Xavier - Year 5