This week Elizabeth Parish Priest Fr Patrick Woods commissioned the staff of St Thomas More School at a special mass.

Assisted by students, Fr Pat asked staff to promise to diligently fulfil their roles by witnessing to the teachings of the Gospel, committing to serving the needs of the students in their care, and seeking to contribute to the well being of all who belong to the school community.

Thank you to Fr Pat and all the students who contributed to this special ceremony.

St Thomas More School is undergoing some exciting changes this term with the construction of new nature-based area. The work is part of a overall upgrade the school has been undergoing in recent years.

Over the school holidays, old disused classrooms were removed to make way for a central nature playspace, multi-purpose shelter and contemplation shelter. It will be a beautiful complement to our wonderful school and is due for completion by the start of Term 2.

Prinicpal Chris Platten said the works marked an exciting update for the 60 year old school.

"We are looking forward to this transformative space opening up new connections for our students, staff and community,'' Mr Platten said.

"The area will be anchored in nature-based played ideals and provide a calming centre for our school. It is fitting we undertake this major project in our sixth decade and the entire school is excited to see the outcome.''

Mr Platten school thanked parents and staff for their patience while the construction work is happening.

"I appreciate our families and staff adapting to our changed access conditions. While it is slightly inconvenient, the long-term outcome will be truly wonderful for our entire school,'' Mr Platten said.

School Access Term 1

• 8.30am to 8.50am access via black front courtyard (in front of the basketball courts).
• 8.50am to 2.45pm access via green front pool gate (in front of adminsitration building. You will need to lift the pool lock at the top of the gate to open and please ensure the gate is closed securely).
• 2.45pm to 3.15pm access via black front courtyard (in front of the basketball courts).

Children not collected by 3.15pm will be sent to OSHC and parents will be invoiced for the service.

Hundreds of Playford City families have welcomed an early Christmas present thanks to three Catholic primary schools, which all announced fee reductions for 2020.

St Thomas More School in Elizabeth Park, St Mary Magdalene's School in Elizabeth Grove, and Catherine McAuley School in Craigmore, recently told parents that their school fees will reduce. The three schools make up the Elizabeth Mercy Schools Cluster. Their leadership team worked closely with school boards, staff and Catholic Education South Australia to develop the new fee structures.

The announcement has been welcomed by families in the lead up to the festive season, with one mother saying the lower fees had made a huge difference to her family.
"I don't think you could get a bigger smile than the one on my face the day I found out about the new fees,'' said Shylie Petherick of Elizabeth.

"It just makes the school more affordable for the everyday person and means I can provide things for my daughter I have not been able to in the past.''

The decision is part of a broader effort by Catholic Education South Australia to reduce the financial barriers to families wishing to choose a Catholic education for their child.

"We recognise that the North has taken a financial hit over the last few years with an economic downturn and uncertain employment prospects within the local area. We know many families are doing it tough and wanted to do our part to ensure all children can access a high quality Catholic education," said Bruno Vieceli, Assistant Director, Catholic Education South Australia.

"We undertook an extensive analysis of each school's financial position and families' capacity to pay school fees. Each school receives different levels of government funding based on the government's assessment of the needs of that particular school community. The new fees reflect our commitment to make Catholic schools an accessible choice for families and mean the Elizabeth Mercy Schools Cluster now has some of the lowest non-government school fees in South Australia.''

These three schools have been providing high quality primary school education in the Elizabeth area for more than 60 years and are closely aligned to secondary schools Thomas More College, Xavier College, St Columba College and St Patrick's Technical College.

St Thomas More Principal Chris Platten said the reduced fees would come into effect at his school for the 2020 school year. 

"Catholic schools have been serving the Elizabeth area for many generations," he said. "We are celebrating our 60th Anniversary in 2020 and have a proud history of providing a safe, nurturing environment where children are celebrated for their God-given talents and abilities."

For 2020 Fee Information click HERE>

Teaching and learning in the 21st Century requires recognition that successful education needs to provide a set of fundamental skills that are transferable and adaptable to whatever the future holds.

In order to learn how to learn, children need to be provided with a solid foundation of skill acquisition and to develop a range of thinking and research abilities.

As educators, we aim to provide learning environments that offer lots of practice in how to make decisions, initiate ideas, persist, find out, try again, take risks, explore and research in a range of ways that relate to children's own interests.

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