St. Thomas Aquinas Message From The Principal

EASTER HOLIDAYS

We are delighted to welcome you back to a new term! This term is packed with all kinds of sport, cultural, spiritual and academic activities. Make the most of every moment – don’t let life pass you by. Be actively involved in everything, otherwise you will remain a spectator forever.

Derby

Show your support for our St Thomas Aquinas soccer, netball and hockey teams this coming weekend.
Our blood is BLUE!

Mrs Warricker recently relocated from Johannesburg. She was a teacher at Breschia House. She will be teaching Afrikaans FAL to Grade 8 and 9 learners and she oversees the Visual Arts learners. She is married and the proud mom of 4 children. Mrs Warricker loves playing board games with her family and loves reading.

Mr Mutyaso is the new Coding and Robotics teacher. He has a background in Computer Science and Mathematics. He hails from Uplands, White River. He enjoys working with technology – building small projects or exploring new innovations in the IT field. Mr Mutyaso has a son and two twin daughters and he loves spending time with his family.

Mrs Galloway is the Creative Arts teacher for Grades 8 and 9. She has two sons and one is married. She loves doing a wide variety of hobbies, handcrafts and cooking. She is involved with the VLU Soiree group and is also the liaison officer. Mrs Galloway is involved in her church and helps with outreaches. She also co-ordinates communion every month.

Grade 1 learners were introduced to various animals. They could touch a snake, pat a bearded dragon, and pet the bunnies. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all!

The professor in Science mesmerised the Grade 2 learners with all his experiments.

Grade 3 learners were transported into a virtual reality environment which they thoroughly enjoyed.

At St Thomas Aquinas School, learning is more than pen and paper – it’s about touching, feeling and discovering the world around us.

Our Grade 7 Natural Sciences learners began their snail adventure in Term 1, collecting snails, creating a terrarium and spending weeks observing their behaviour – watching them eat, exploring their shells and antennae and even giving them names.

The snails were fed fresh lettuce from our maintenance team’s vegetable garden, lovingly tended to by Mr Emmanuel Benson and Mr Sande Wilson. Along the way, learners explored the garden’s biodiversity, from mealies and cabbages to tomatoes and lettuce. Linking their observations to the Natural Sciences curriculum.

After the school holidays, term 2 brought a delightful surprise: the
snails had babies! With new life in our terrariums, fresh fun and learning are on the way.

In the spirit of collaboration, the Grade 7’s shared their terrarium with the Grade RR class. Our youngest learners were thrilled to welcome the “friendly snail visitors” into their classroom, asking uestions and qlearning first hand through touch and observation.

One of the Grade 1 learners brought his own Giant African snail, named Turbo to school. His slimy size was a surprise, but it sparked curiosity and laughter across the grades.

We are especially grateful to Mr TC Barnes, a member of our Board of Governors, who generously donated a second terrarium. Our baby snails now have a bigger home to grow in. The Grade RR’s terrarium is called “Stitch’s Slimy Factory” and the Grade 7 terrarium is called ‘Shell Station”.

Learning happens when it’s real, sensory and collaborative. We look forward to may more adventures with our baby snails.
Mrs Daly and Mrs Potgieter

From the counsellor’s office Social media
Social media has many benefits, such as: helping people learn staying connected with others enjoying entertainment

However, it comes with several risks, especially for children. The main dangers include:

Mental health issues – children may compare themselves to unrealistic posts of infuencers or stars, which can lead to
anxiety, depression and a low self esteem.

Cyberbullying – Hurful messages, embarassing posts and online discussions can negatively affect children’s emotional well-being. Safety and privacy risks – sharing personal information, locations, or school details can make children vulnerable to criminals.

Exposure to inappropriate content – children may encounter harmful or
unsuitable material online. To reduce these risks, parents should: monitor their children’s online activity maintain open communication guide their thinking about social media and set limits and controls on usage.

Overall, social media is not harmful on its own, but children need guidance to use it responsibly.