TWCS Newsletter Term 3 Week 2 2025

Dear Families,

Welcome to Term 3! I hope the break provided time for rest, reflection, and renewal. We return to school with great energy and enthusiasm for what promises to be a busy term.

A very special welcome to the 37 new mid-year Reception children and their families who have joined our Tenison Woods community. After participating in the Little Wonders Transition program, we are thrilled to have you with us and look forward to supporting your children as they begin their learning journey in our nurturing and faith-filled environment. Mrs M, Mrs Toni and Miss Bella are all looking forward to supporting each of our Mid Year Receptions as they begin their educational journey.

Florence      Faith
Domenic       Avi
Taraji            Hazel
Wren            Lucas
Elena            Violet
Isabella         Aurora
Andrico         Sophia
Rex               Rhiaan
Ruby             Phoenix
Scarlett         Kuch
Kimberley     Edward
Harvey          Zara
Cleo              Vali
Laura            Lily
Ada               Matias
Mehdi           Ruhaandeep
Aaliyah         Mufaro
Medhaj         Sofia
Dominic        Etzio
Gurfateh

We are pleased to share an update on the Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) tender process. The school has been working diligently to ensure the best possible outcome for our families. Last week the School Board attended a presentation from two shortlisted providers, which was an excellent opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the proposed service programs that will commence in 2026. We are currently in the final stages of making a decision to award a new contract and expect to announce the successful provider shortly. Thank you for your patience and engagement throughout this process.

In exciting news, the school has recently purchased 4 Bickford Street, a strategic acquisition that will support our long-term vision for growth and development. In the short term, the block will be used by the building sub-contractors to help minimise traffic in Bickford Street. Once the current building project is complete, we will commence a masterplan development of this space.

Our new Junior Primary building continues to progress well. Construction is on track, and we are eagerly anticipating the enhanced learning spaces that will soon be available to our youngest students. Pascale Builders are working towards a very tight timeline, with handover of the Junior Primary building expected during the October school holiday period. Initially, Reception CL, Reception C and Yr 1/2K will move into the new building to allow work to commence on the new Front Office and Administration spaces.

Please keep an eye out for more information regarding the handover and Pupil Free dates.

We are also proud to celebrate the success of our Year 3 and 5 students in the recent NAPLAN assessments. Their achievements reflect the dedication of our staff, the support of our families, and the hard work of our students. Highlighting the excellent growth our students have shown, is the percentage of students meeting the ‘proficiency’ standard. Across ALL Year 3 and 5 tests, the percentage of students who reached the proficient standard was HIGHER than between 10% and 20% when compared to all Catholic Education schools. This is a fantastic effort from the students and staff alike. Congratulations to all involved!

Term 3 is always a busy and exciting time, and this year is no exception. We will culminate the term with our much-anticipated school concert, superbly organised by Mrs E. This event is a highlight of our calendar and showcases the incredible talents of our students. We can’t wait to see them shine on stage. Please keep an eye out for the booking details as we get closer to the extravaganza.

Other events to be aware of in Term 3:

Friday 8th August
Walk a Mile

Monday 18th August   
Book Week Parade

Wednesday 20th August 
TWCS Aerobics Fundraiser - Sausage Sizzle 

Saturday 16th August 
P&F Parents Night Out 

Friday 5th September 
P&F Fathers Day Event 

Friday 12th September
School Concert

Wednesday 17th September
Volunteer Appreciation Evening 

Friday 19th September
Wellbeing Day

Wednesday 24th September
Sports Assembly 2:30pm
CSMF -TWCS Performance 

Walk a Mile in My Boots – Supporting Hutt St Centre

This year, Tenison Woods School is proud to take part in the Walk a Mile in My Boots Challenge to support the Hutt St Centre and help people experiencing homelessness in South Australia.

On Friday the 8th of August, our students and staff will walk around the local area to raise awareness and funds for this important cause. We encourage students to ask family and friends for donations. Every dollar raised will help to provide meals, showers, medical care, and support services for those doing it tough this winter.

Donations can be made via the QR code or website link posted to Audiri. We’re delighted to share that with in the first 48 hours we raised $1,214. This is a fantastic effort and a true reflection of the kindness and spirit within our school community. 

We’ll need help with supervision on the day. If you’re a registered school volunteer and available to assist, please let your child’s class teacher know. Thank you in advance for your generous support, it truly makes a difference.

Masses & Liturgies

Feast Day of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop – Friday, 8th August

On Friday the 8^th of August, we will celebrate the life and legacy of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia’s first saint, who dedicated her life to education and helping the poor. Her motto, “Never see a need without doing something about it,” continues to inspire us today.

• Reception to Year 2: Liturgy in the Beehive at 9am
• Year 3 to Year 6: Parish Mass at St Aloysius Church at 9am

Solemnity of the Assumption – Friday, 15th August

On Friday the 15^th of August, all classes will attend the 9am parish mass to celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation. This feast reminds us of Mary’s special place in heaven and her role as the mother of Jesus and the Church.

Sacramental Program – Term 3

This term, a group of our students are continuing their journey of faith through the Sacramental Program. As they prepare for the Sacrament of First Holy Communion, they are deepening their understanding of Jesus’ presence in the Eucharist and what it means to be part of the Church.

In September, these students will celebrate two very special milestones; their Confirmation, where they will be strengthened by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and their First Holy Communion, where they will receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time.

These sacraments are joyful and sacred moments in the life of our Catholic community. We invite all families to keep these children in your prayers as they grow in faith, hope, and love.

Some exciting staffing news

Last week Miss Sarah Chandler announced to staff that her and her partner are expecting their first child in the new year. This is very exciting news for Miss Chandler, and we wish them all the best for the birth of their little one. Miss Chandler will continue with us until the end of the school year.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Let’s make Term 3 a joyful and inspiring chapter in our school’s story.

Warm regards,
The Leadership Team (Ben, Claire and Sheena)

We spent the last day of term two dressed warmly in cozy, colourful pyjamas, sipping hot chocolates. Once again a huge thank you to our amazing Tenison Woods community for your generous support of the Vinnies and Moore Street Winter Appeal. Thanks to your kindness, we donated an incredible number of bags filled with warm clothing, blankets, and non-perishable food items—essentials that surely brought comfort to those doing it tough during the colder months. Funds raised from the Italian Fruit Stall and the Year 4–6 Art Show both held in Term two were used to purchase even more food and clothing, adding to our already impressive collection. Once again thank you to our wonderful community for supporting the winter appeal, your generosity will make a real difference to those in need this winter. 
 

Last Friday marked a special milestone for our reception classes as they celebrated their 100th day of school in wonderful style! The children arrived dressed as 100-year-olds, fully embracing their characters by waddling around the classroom and bringing their elderly personas to life with delightful enthusiasm.

Despite the wet and rainy weather keeping us indoors, our young centenarians made the most of their special day with a variety of themed activities. The children wrote creative sentences imagining themselves at 100 years old and enjoyed hands-on craft activities with cutting and pasting. They also shared a delightful teddy bear picnic with their favourite soft companions, adding an extra touch of warmth and comfort to their special celebration. The highlight of the day was their impromptu parade through the school, where they proudly showed off their costumes to other classes, spreading joy and laughter throughout the building.

To commemorate this significant milestone, the children created 100 handprints as a lasting reminder of their achievement. As we reflected on their journey so far, we celebrated that they are now 100 days smarter, 100 days braver, and 100 days kinder.

With this wonderful celebration behind them, our reception students are excited to see what adventures the remaining school days will bring. What a fantastic way to mark 100 days of learning, growing, and making memories together!

The SACPSSA Netball Carnival saw all Year 3-6 student’s show-off their netball skills against other Catholic schools. After a 5-week unit focus on Netball in their PE classes, all students were well-equipped to take their newly learned skills to the court and put them to the test.

With over 150 students taking part on the day, consisting of 14 teams from Tenison Woods, we have never had such strong numbers attend a single carnival before. Without the support from classroom teachers, ESOs as well as Parent Volunteers and umpires, this day simply would not be possible.

Ending the day with many wins, losses, and experiences gained, it’s no doubt we all had great fun on the day. Playing with peers, keeping active, and taking on new challenges and opportunities were all experienced at the 2025 netball carnival.

“I liked how the matches were fair and competitive, and all my teammates were nice!” – Chloe

“My favourite part was playing goal shooter and scoring lots of goals for the team” - Arlo

Congratulations to everyone who took part, and we look forward to continuing our involvement with Netball in 2026 and beyond!

Mitch Saba
Sports Coordinator

The P&F hopes everyone managed to get some rest over the school holidays, and would like to extend a warm welcome to families that recently joined our school community.

We have another busy term ahead, which commenced with showdown donuts on Friday of week one, thanks so much to Antonetta and Jane for your support, and while the result wasn’t what many would have hoped for, the sale of donuts did provide some insight into our supporter base (for anyone wondering, 149 Crows donuts sold vs 97 for Port Adelaide).

Tenison Woods P&F will be hosting the Mile End Bunnings BBQ on Sunday August 24th.  As some of our regular volunteers are unable to join on the day, if anyone within the school community is able to support, even for an hour or two, please reach out and we can find you a spot on the roster.  For those with other commitments, there is also the option to donate sausages under P&F special events on Qkr! for $6.50 per kilogram, for sale on the day.

We are also looking forward to the annual parent’s night out on Saturday 16th August at the HWY Hotel, last year’s event was a great night out, and tickets also available on the Qkr! App. 

As always invites to P&F meetings are open to all, and our next meeting will be held at 7pm on Wednesday 6th August at the school.  Otherwise to get in touch you can email pandf@twcs.catholic.edu.au. 

Regards,

Jane O’Donoghue & David Marshall, on behalf of the P&F Committee

Due to an increase in enrolments and limited capacity all sibling application forms are now due to ensure a position is made available for your child to commence in Reception 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029.

Please contact our Registrar Peta on pyates@twcs.catholic.edu.au to register your child.

Dear Families,

We hope your Term 3 has started smoothly! Here are a few important reminders and updates to help us work together to provide a safe, organised, and engaging experience for your child at OSHC.

🧑‍🏫 Who’s Working & What’s On?
Wondering who the Responsible Person on duty is or what exciting activities are planned for the day? You can find all this information displayed on our Service Board, located inside the OSHC area. We encourage you to check it regularly for staff updates and daily program highlights. Aakanksha is the Coordinator currently and OSHC families would have received a Meet the Team newsletter earlier in the week.

💊 Medical Management
If your child has a medical condition (e.g. asthma, allergies, anaphylaxis), please ensure OSHC educators are provided with:

Medication in its original packaging with a pharmacy label, and
A current, in-date action plan.

Our team will also provide you with any additional documents that are required to support your child safely at the service.

⚽ Extra-Curricular Activities
If your child attends external activities such as Auskick during OSHC time, please remind them to check in with an educator first so we can mark them as present and ensure they are safely accounted for before heading off. We also need an Extracurricular permission form completed to allow them to go.

📞 Absences – Let Us Know!
If your child will be absent from a scheduled OSHC session, please let us know as soon as possible. (You can do this via the Parent Portal) This helps us with planning and ensures we can account for every child each day and we don’t spend valuable time making calls each afternoon.

💻 Laptop Use for Homework
If your child wishes to use their own laptop during OSHC time for homework purposes, a permission form must be completed. These forms are available at the service—please speak to Aakanksha or Navreet to collect one.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. As always, feel free to reach out to our team with any questions or updates regarding your child’s care.