Motto	Walk in the light
Address	63 Constance Street, MAREEBA QLD 4880
Postal Address	63 Constance Street, MAREEBA QLD 4880
Phone Number	(07) 4092 1570
Fax Number	(07) 4092 2935
Email Address	principal.mareeba@cns.catholic.edu.au
Web Site	http://www.stthomasmareeba.qld.edu.au
Total Enrolments	423
Year Levels Offered	P-6
Student Population	Co-Educational
Principal	Mrs Rita Petersen
Parish Priest	Fr John Sullivan OSA
Parish Number	(07) 4092 1077

About our School

As a Christ-centred learning community, inspired by the Mercy values of love, hope, service and respect, St Thomas' strives for equity and excellence in education. St Thomas' School provides a co-educational faith-based Catholic education to students from Prep to Year 6. We celebrate and value the gifts and talents of all students, parents and staff. We provide a learning environment to develop successful, confident and creative individuals. Our Catholic tradition is celebrated through the Religious Life of the School. We develop students' academic, artistic, sporting and cultural pursuits, in the light of the Gospel values. Our school promotes positive parent engagement and strengthens meaningful connections with the wider community including our St Thomas of Villanova Parish. We are committed to a whole school approach for positive behaviours for learning where students stay safe, take responsibility, actively learn and respect self and others.

The school has an enrolment of approximately 425 students. Presently our enrolments include a significant number of students with diverse cultural backgrounds.

Characteristics of Student Body

Characteristics of Student Body

·         Student Enrolment - 425 (201 Boys and 224 Girls)

·         Class Structure - 2-3 streams

·         Verified students -  5.4%

·         Indigenous - 11.2%

·         EAL/D - 6%

·         NCCD - 16%

·         Catholicity - 42%

·         Attendance - 92%

·         ICSEA - 1023

Cultural diversity

·         Indigenous - Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and/or both

·         Japanese

·         Dutch

·         German

·         Punjabi

·         French

·         Ukrainian

·         Spanish

·         Nepali

School Annual Improvement

Priority 1: To engage in a deeper understanding of Catholic Identity and expression of Faith

By the end of 2018 the school staff will have engaged in professional learning in Catholic Identity and the Charism of St Thomas' School.

This will be measured by:

1. Staff articulation and understanding of our Vision & Mission Statement - Why are we here?
2. Staff utilising and understanding the language and terminology of the Catholic Identity Project

Strategies and resources implemented

• Staff PD on revisiting our Vision & Mission Statements on 25/10/2017 provided by Joan Neal
• A Catholic Identity team was formed within the school.  Team comprised of both staff, parents and students
• Writing of units in Year 4 & Year 6 to reflect a recontextualization model of Catholic Identity and the associated language and concepts.
• Opportunities for staff to be engaged in professional discussions regarding Catholic Identity and the Religious Life of the School

Priority 2: To develop teachers' capacity to effectively use and understand data from the Business Intelligence (BI) tool to directly influence their teaching to progress student learning

In 2018, staff participated in fortnightly 40 minute PLT meetings to analyse data, plan and differentiate the curriculum for the diversity of all learners.  Teachers accountability within the PLT framework included sharing of best practice (grounded in evidence-based research), reflecting on strategies implemented and an increase in frequency of visible learning practices.

Strategies and resources implemented

• Professional development in the use of the BI tool to analyse student progress and to guide teaching implemented
• EO and LST to support differentiation strategies
• PLT meetings included:
  • analysis of school data
  • explicitly addressing the school's professional learning agenda
  • collaborative planning
  • embedding cross curricular skills
  • utilising learning progressions
  • setting specific improvement targets with timelines with SMART goals
  • engaging in professional conversations about contemporary pedagogical practices
  • collaborative common assessment planning of writing
• Initiation of a data wall for all students on Reading
• Implementation of the 'The National Phonics Screening' checklist at the end of Year 1
• Teachers reflecting on their current teaching of reading to review and inform future pedagogical practices (refer to: Simple View of Schools - Debbie Hepplewhite -2015)
• Literacy Coach to support teachers by planning lessons together; filming of lessons for feedback; teachers to review and reflect lessons filmed; and ongoing peer observation and coaching
• EO to support PLT process with CST

PRIORITY 3:  St Thomas' professional learning community will continue to review, evaluate and build-on curriculum design and development, centred on improving teacher efficacy to maximise and know their impact on learning and setting high expectations for all learners

Strategies and resources implemented

• Completion of St Thomas' Essential Agreements - (Reading, Phonological/Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocab, Comprehension, MR, Writing, Grammar & Punctuation, Spelling, Handwriting, Speaking & Listening) which make explicit what (and when) teachers should teach and students should learn
• Master coach, Joanne Dooner provided modelled explicit teaching practices and worked alongside classroom teachers with an emphasis on Morning Routine, Reading (Big 5) Spelling (4 knowledges) & Writing.
• Prep & Year 1 classroom teachers critically reviewed current phonics and phonological awareness pedagogical practices with JoAnne Dooner to ensure the implementation of best practice
• Setting of learning goals each term to work on by students.  Explicit expectations and feedback given by teachers to students
• Gathering of evidence based on classroom walk-throughs by leadership
• Modification of teaching practices using the principles and framework of Visible Learning, explicit teaching and literacy coaching.

Areas of growth

Priority 1: School's Mission Statement was reviewed in Week 0, 2018.  St Thomas' now has a new Mission Statement, Vision and Statement of  Religious Character.  Our statement was presented to the School's Identity Team involved staff, parents and students.  Year 6 RE units have been rewritten in 2018.  

Priority 2: Teachers have engaged in regular PLT meetings to complete essential agreements including sequence and scope documents, vertical alignment of text types in writing, guided reading rotations, explicit instruction.  Ongoing reviews are conducted.  National Phonics Screening completed in Term 4.

Priority 3: Literacy coach worked alongside Prep/Year 1 teachers to build efficacy in the teaching of phonics. Literacy coach worked with all teaching staff to build capacity and the theoretical understanding of Morning Routines.  Leadership visited JoAnne Dooner's schools in Sydney to seek clarification and future directions regarding implementation of Morning Routine, Phonics and Literacy Block.

Distinctive Curriculum Offerings

• The School offers students a sound academic education in all key learning areas including Religious Education.  Social and Emotional Learning is an important part of daily class lessons.
• Specialist teachers deliver Australian Curriculum in LOTE (Japanese) and HPE
• Student excellence showcased through school-based programs in instrumental music, public speaking, chess, choir, band, student representative council and sports including Rugby League, netball, cricket, soccer, and futsal.
• Our students actively support a range of social justice pursuits including Caritas, Catholic Mission, St Vincent de Paul and School of St Jude in Tanzania.
• Optional lunch time activities including Readers' Cup, Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program, STEAM/STEM, Robotics and Mini Vinnies.

Extra Curricular Activities

These include:

• Student Representative Council
• Sporting - netball, rugby league, soccer and cricket
• Athletics and Cross Country teams
• Instrumental Music Program
• Band
• Choir
• Chess
• Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program
• Mini Vinnies
• Robotics Club
• Opportunity to try out for a variety of sports

Social Climate

St Thomas is a friendly and supportive school community where parents and staff work together to provide a safe, progressive and enjoyable environment for students. Wellbeing is an important factor for all students at the school and social emotional learning permeates all aspects of the curriculum. 

As a Parish school St Thomas's is closely linked to community activities with a view to raising student awareness about need beyond their own. Students become involved in fundraising appeals such as collecting items for the Winter and Christmas Appeals and educating others about the work of St Vincent De Paul.  We also raise funds for Project Compassion during Lent and Socktober; a crazy sock day to support Catholic Mission and our sister school in Tanzania, The School of St Jude.  Students also warmly welcome visitors each year such as the students from Loreto College Sydney and grandparents during Catholic Week.

The school has a Learning Support Team, a School Counsellor and various School Officers who support integration, classroom and our diverse needs programs. 

Parent Engagement

St Thomas' recognises the importance of parents as the first educators of their children and actively encourages parental involvement. All parents are members of the school Parents and Friends Association.  Family barbecues are organised by the Parents and Friends Association and have been very successful opportunities for families of students in each year level to meet and mix socially. These evenings also promote and celebrate the importance of families spending time and having fun together. In the spirit of community and valuing your child's education, parents are encouraged to take an active role in the life of the school through the P&F Committee.

Our parents actively work to assist in improving student outcomes in a variety of roles. Parents help in classrooms by helping with literacy or maths groups, creating resources for classrooms and our library, collecting money from stallholders at the monthly Mareeba Markets, assisting in the tuckshop, assisting during swimming lessons and attending class excursions.

Parents are also made to feel welcome at events such as Whole School and Year level Masses and liturgies, our School Swimming Carnival and Athletics' Day, Harmony Day, St Thomas of Villanova Feast Day, celebrations for NAIDOC WEEK, to parade with students on Anzac Day and to attend weekly assemblies.

Fortnightly newsletters keep parents informed and parents can download our school app and access alerts for any updates for calendar events or school news.

Parent Satisfaction

Many of our parents feel our school is a welcoming and caring community where everyone is treated with respect.  Parents believe that St Thomas' promotes justice, compassion and service.  Parents also agree that St Thomas' has a good reputation in our local community and would recommend the school to others.

Parents also report that the school is meeting the academic needs of their child with teachers making learning fun and encouraging of children's efforts.  Overall, our parents believe that their child is receiving an well-rounded education in a stimulating environment at St Thomas of Villanova School.

Parents believe that St Thomas' School grounds, buildings and outdoor facilities are well-presented and maintained.  Parents also report that St Thomas' School provides relevant information clearly and timely.

Data Last Updated Wed 19 Jun 2019