Our School

Principal’s Welcome

A warm welcome to the St Thomas the Apostle website. We consider the education of children a privilege and recognise parents need to be fully informed on all matters related to their child’s education. We therefore encourage you to explore this website thoroughly. In doing so, you will become familiar with the routines, policies and information needed to ensure a smooth transition into school life at St Thomas’.

The purpose of education is to prepare learners for a future full of possibility. To enable learners to extend their knowledge, build skills and encounter experiences that help shape their identity. As a community of learning, our recent extensive building projects support a 21st Century educational experience.

Our teachers model a love of learning and children are actively encouraged to set their own educational goals. To enable rich learning, our teachers’ passion for education prioritises forming trusting relationships with parents, each other, but above all the students.

As educators in a Catholic school, our aim is to promote living and learning in faith to create a connected, positive culture of learners who want to make a difference in the world. People who feel proud of what they have achieved and who exercise compassion and work for peace. We strive to be living expressions of God’s love, seeking to build one another up.

In partnership with parents, we endeavour to nurture the children so that they can grow in confidence and reach their full potential. We aim to provide a learning environment that is stimulating, innovative, positive and purposeful.

This partnership invites opportunities for parents to work with the school. Through becoming involved, the bonds of communication are opened and parents are welcomed to become active in classroom learning and take part in the myriad of activities that occur in and around the school. Of course there are the more formal opportunities to participate through our School Advisory Council and the Parents and Friends Association. We recognise and value parents as one of our greatest resources, and as such extend an invitation to all parents to be involved in the school wherever possible. To enable a community which is respectful, safe and supportive providing the opportunity for all its members to live and learn in faith, we endeavour to work together.

We hope that your time at St Thomas the Apostle Primary School will be very happy and successful. Being Principal of such a great school is a privilege: bringing much joy and opportunities for deep learning and developing relationships.

The school promotes and supports the principles of Australian Democracy, including a commitment to elected government, the rule of law, equal rights to all before the law, freedom of religion, freedom of speech and association and the values of openness and tolerance.

May God bless you and your family.

Jo Nolen
Acting Principal

Vision & Values

Our Vision Statement

Guided by the Spirit, we empower a community of excellence and lifelong learners, who are inspired to make a difference in our world.

Our Mission Statement

At St Thomas the Apostle Primary School, we believe that:

• The true message of the Gospel should be modelled by all members of the school community and therefore become a lived reality;
• Catholic traditions, ideals, values and attitudes should be fostered through a comprehensive Religious Education program, which includes rich experiences in Scripture and Liturgy;
• Through the use of a variety of structures and teaching strategies all children will be encouraged to reach their full potential;
• Curriculum we teach should be challenging and relevant to the needs of individual students. It should be sequential, encourage independence and support the learning continuum of life;
• The skills and talents of all Staff are recognized and valued and that through peer support and professional development opportunities, staff are assisted both personally and professionally to achieve excellence;
• Through positive relationships we create an environment where there is a sense of belonging, acceptance, respect, growth and support for each other within our community.

Our School Values

Here at St Thomas the Apostle, we utilise five core values that underpin all of our actions and teachings around the school community. These values are:

Respect
Treat others with consideration and regard, respect another person’s point of view.

Responsibility
Be accountable for one’s own actions, resolve differences in constructive and peaceful ways, contribute community, and take care of the environment.

Doing Your Best
Seek to accomplish something worthy and admirable, try hard, pursue success.

Fair Go
Pursue and protect the common good where all people are treated fairly for a just society, without any prejudice of any kind.

Honesty
Be honest, sincere and seek the truth.

Parish

St Thomas the Apostle Primary School has a visible Catholic partnership with the parish. Throughout the year the school community participates in various Sacramental and Liturgical experiences such as whole school masses, class masses and liturgical feasts and Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation.
For more information about St Thomas the Apostle parish, please follow the link below, or for any other enquiries feel free to email Fr Steven Rigo via greensboroughnorth@cam.org.au