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    <channel>
        <title>News</title>
        <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au</link>
        <description>Thomas Acres Public School</description>
        <language>en-au</language>
        <copyright>Copyright 2020, Department of Education</copyright>
        <dc:language>en-au</dc:language>
        <dc:rights>Copyright 2020, Department of Education</dc:rights>
        <item>
            <title>Too sick to go to school?</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/2/too-sick-to-go-to-school-.html</link>
            <description>&lt;h2&gt;Not sure if you should send your child to school or keep them home?&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a title="Too sick to go to school" href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/practical-help-for-parents-and-carers/wellbeing/too-sick-to-go-to-school"&gt;Too sick to go to school&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;gives parents advice on how to manage various health conditions and may be of use when deciding on how long to keep your child home to recover or to prevent spreading illness to classmates.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This information has been supplied by&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx" title="NSW Health website"&gt;NSW Health&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;and is not intended to replace a visit to your doctor if anyone in your family is unwell.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Removing head lice and nits&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Mention head lice and most of us instantly develop an itch. You'll find these little critters at every school across Australia – and probably the world – at some point during the year. While head lice and nits, (the eggs of head lice) are certainly annoying and persistent, they're not dangerous. Here's everything you need to know to &lt;a title="NSW Education website - get rid of head lice and nits" href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/practical-help-for-parents-and-carers/wellbeing/removing-head-lice-and-nits"&gt;rid your kids of head lice and nits&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are specialised salons that cater for the treatment and removal of headlice (eg. 'No More Nitz' located in Liverpool)&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Sun, 23 Feb 2020 13:54:14 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/2/too-sick-to-go-to-school-.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2020-02-23T13:54:14Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>FREE  parenting program</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/2/free--parenting-program.html</link>
            <description>&lt;h2&gt;Bringing up great kids&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A free parenting program for mums, dads and carers living in Rosemeadow and Ambarvale area.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Please join us at Thomas Acres Public School&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Date:     Thursday, 27 February 2020 until Thursday, 2 April 2020&lt;br /&gt;
Time:    9:30 am to 11:30 am&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Free childcare and morning tea provided.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;To register please contact Renata on 0447 181 672&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a title="Bringing up great kids parenting program flyer" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2020/misc/Bringing_Up_Great_Kids_Flyer_A4_-_Term_1_2019.docx.pdf"&gt;Flyer&lt;/a&gt; (PDF 328 KB)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a title="Brinigng up great kids parenting program registration form" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2020/misc/BUGK_Registration_form_Term_1_2020.docx.pdf"&gt;Registration form&lt;/a&gt; (PDF 335 KB)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;A 'Communities of Children' initative funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 17 Feb 2020 09:08:31 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/2/free--parenting-program.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2020-02-17T09:08:31Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Cancer Council healthy lunch box</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/2/cancer-council-health-lunch-box.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;The average school child will eat more than 2,500 lunches during their 13 years at school.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Cancer Council's &lt;a title="Healthy lunch box website" href="https://healthylunchbox.com.au/?utm_medium=email&amp;amp;utm_source=signature&amp;amp;utm_campaign=nsw-hlbschool2019"&gt;Healthy Lunch Box website&lt;/a&gt; is a one-stop-shop for everything families need to know about packing a healthy lunch box.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Parents will find information on the:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;five food groups&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;what constitutes a healthy lunch box,&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;sandwich alternatives,&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;sandwich filling ideas&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;lots of quick and easy recipes and snack ideas&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;swaps for unhealthy snack foods&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Regular healthy eating blogs&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The website features an interactive &lt;a title="Lunch box builder" href="https://healthylunchbox.com.au/healthy-lunch-box/"&gt;healthy lunch box builder&lt;/a&gt; where parents can get their kids involved in planning the lunch box and choosing foods they will eat and enjoy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;

&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 17 Feb 2020 09:05:50 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/2/cancer-council-health-lunch-box.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2020-02-17T09:05:50Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Good attendance for success</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/1/good-attendance-for-success.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Teachers believe that for children to make the most out of their education and to form strong social networks they must attend school regularly.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;School starts at 8.55am.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;It is important for students to be at school on time to maximise their learning opportunities. It is a legal obligation that parents report all absences to the school. Parents must provide an explanation for absences to the school within 7 days from the first day of any period of absence. Where an explanation has not been received within the 7-day timeframe, the school will record the absence as unjustified on the student's record.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Did you know that every minute late, and a day here and there away from school, all adds up? Check out the posters below to see just how much!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a title="Attendance poster" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2020/misc/Attendance_poster.pdf"&gt;Every minute counts poster (PDF 479.6KB)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For more information regarding school attendance see the Department of Education’s website:&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/student-wellbeing/attendance-behaviour-and-engagement/school-attendance"&gt;https://education.nsw.gov.au/student-wellbeing/attendance-behaviour-and-engagement/school-attendance&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Sat, 08 Feb 2020 15:05:26 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/1/good-attendance-for-success.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2020-02-08T15:05:26Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Commonweatlh Bank School Banking - Every FRIDAY</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/1/commonweatlh-bank-school-banking.html</link>
            <description>&lt;div&gt;&lt;div id="layoutContent"&gt;&lt;div class="layout" id="L01"&gt;&lt;div class="imgRight imgSize4 imgPlace"&gt;&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;School Banking day is every FRIDAY&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;School Banking day is every FRIDAY starting Week 2, 7 February 2020.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Just drop your bank deposit book into the payment box located in the office and it will be returned to your child's class after banking has been completed.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 17 Feb 2020 09:01:58 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/1/commonweatlh-bank-school-banking.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2020-02-17T09:01:58Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Coronavirus - Department of Education statement</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/1/coronavirus-department-of-education-statement.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="sws-lead-paragraph"&gt;The department is working with the Ministry of Health to monitor and respond to the unfolding international novel coronavirus situation.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Get up-to-date information about the&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/school-safety/novel-coronavirus"&gt;department's response to novel coronavirus&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 28 Jan 2020 18:50:32 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/1/coronavirus-department-of-education-statement.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2020-01-28T18:50:32Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>#Ready2020 – a great year starts here</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/1/-ready2020---a-great-year-starts-here.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="sws-lead-paragraph"&gt;Starting school is a big moment in a child’s life. Here’s how to make the most of it.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We can’t wait for you to join us for a great year – the first step towards a lifelong love of learning.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Visit the department’s &lt;a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/back-to-school-primary"&gt;primary school resources&lt;/a&gt; for hints, tips and checklists to make a great start to the new school year, whether your child is starting Kindergarten or Year 6.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You’ll find:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Getting ready for primary school booklet – everything you need to be #Ready2020&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Daisy’s First Day – the story of Daisy the koala’s first adventure at Kindergarten&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;advice from teachers – they’ve been through this before.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Video – #Ready2020: First day of Kindy&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Duration – 1:00&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 21 Jan 2020 12:55:32 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2020/1/-ready2020---a-great-year-starts-here.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2020-01-21T12:55:32Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Staying healthy into the new school year</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/12/staying-healthy-into-the-new-school-year.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way to protect your family from harmful diseases this holiday season and into 2020. Visit your doctor for general health and vaccination advice.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Immunisation not only protects you and your family but also others in your community, by reducing the spread of preventable diseases.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Children starting school in 2020 must have &lt;a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/Immunisation-in-schools.aspx"&gt;up-to-date immunisations&lt;/a&gt; to enrol.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These vaccinations help protect children from highly infectious and severe diseases including whooping cough and measles.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Travel health&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you’re travelling overseas during the school holidays, you may need vaccinations or medication – both for general health protection and for region-specific diseases.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you’re travelling to the Northern Hemisphere, you may even need a &lt;a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/flutravels"&gt;flu shot&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Find out more about &lt;a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/staying-healthy-when-travelling-overseas.aspx"&gt;staying healthy while travelling&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 20 Dec 2019 16:09:10 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/12/staying-healthy-into-the-new-school-year.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-12-20T16:09:10Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Uniform shop extended trading hours</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/12/uniform-shop-extended-trading-hours---2019.html</link>
            <description>&lt;h2&gt;2020 extended trading hours&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Tuesday, 28 January 2020 - 9am to 1pm (Staff Development Day)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Wednesday, 29 January 2020 - 8.30am to 9.30am&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Thursday, 30 January 2020 - 8.30am to 9.30am&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Friday, 31 January 2020 - 8.30am to 9.30am&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;It is strongly advised &lt;/em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;NOT &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;to leave purchasing uniforms until the day before school starts.  This may leave you with no uniform for your child to start school in due to shortage of sizes.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Regular opening hours&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Tuesday, 4 February 2020 -  2.30pm to 3.30pm&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Printable &lt;a title="Catalogue" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2020/misc/ThomasAcresPS_Catalogue_Oct2019.pdf"&gt;catalogue&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Printable &lt;a title="price list" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2020/misc/ThomasAcres_PriceList_2020.pdf"&gt;price list&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Orders can be made by:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul style="list-style-position: inside;"&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Visiting Uniform Shop during Opening Hours.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Leave your completed order form with payment at school office in an envelope marked &amp;quot;Uniform Shop&amp;quot;.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a title="Price list" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2020/misc/ThomasAcres_PriceList_2020.pdf"&gt;Price lists&lt;/a&gt; are also available from School Office and Uniform Shop&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Order and pay for your uniforms securely &lt;a title="Pickles School Wear Online" href="https://www.picklesschoolwear.com/"&gt;online&lt;/a&gt; and have them delivered by Australia Post or delivered to your child's classroom during term  time.         &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Please note: All the uniforms are stored at Thomas Acres Public School and, therefore, we have no access to the uniform shop during the holidays.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Orders placed via the web after we close will not be sent until we open again on the pupil free day.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Call Head Office to place a phone order on 02 9905 2711.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 31 Jan 2020 10:38:24 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/12/uniform-shop-extended-trading-hours---2019.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2020-01-31T10:38:24Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>School holiday and term days</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/11/school-holiday-and-term-days.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Subscribe or view NSW &lt;a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/going-to-a-public-school/calendars" title="School holidays and term datess" style="background-color: rgb(255,255,255);"&gt;school holidays and term dates&lt;/a&gt; for&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Apple iCal,&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Microsoft Outlook&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Google Calendar and more&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You can also download a printable calendar and term planner from this webiste.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;

&lt;p&gt;To support families, there is a new &lt;a title="Back to school resources for parents" href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/practical-help-for-parents-and-carers?utm_campaign=backtoschool&amp;amp;utm_medium=vanity&amp;amp;utm_source=various"&gt;Back to School&lt;/a&gt; section with links to key information, tips and resources on the department website.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Sat, 08 Feb 2020 15:07:10 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/11/school-holiday-and-term-days.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2020-02-08T15:07:10Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>NSW schools respond to bushfires</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/11/nsw-schools-respond-to-bushfires.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Many schools are responding to the catastrophic fire rating that is affecting communities across the state this week.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We are continuously updating the&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/school-safety"&gt;School safety page&lt;/a&gt; with a list of government and non-government schools, as well as TAFE NSW campuses that are currently non-operational.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;While some schools are temporarily non-operational due to localised fires, many others in high-risk areas are non-operational as a precautionary measure.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Schools in some areas are being used as emergency evacuation centres at the direction of the Rural Fire Service.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For schools that are currently operational, school pickups and dropoffs will continue as usual. If your school is currently non-operational, it will likely remain so tomorrow.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Large scale distressing events affect our school communities in many ways.&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/media/headspace-mental-health-March-2019.pdf"&gt;Headspace’s mental health support resource (PDF 100.52KB)&lt;/a&gt; is available to help students, teachers and school staff respond to the bushfires.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Visit the&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/school-safety"&gt;School safety page&lt;/a&gt; for updates. The department’s&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.facebook.com/NSWDepartmentofEducation/"&gt;Facebook&lt;/a&gt; and&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/nsweducation"&gt;Twitter&lt;/a&gt; accounts will also provide updates during this period.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 11 Nov 2019 16:37:53 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/11/nsw-schools-respond-to-bushfires.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-11-11T16:37:53Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Could $500 help you with school costs?</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/10/could--500-help-you-with-school-costs-.html</link>
            <description></description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 31 Oct 2019 07:59:54 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/10/could--500-help-you-with-school-costs-.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-10-31T07:59:54Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>YMCA Ambarvale OSHS</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/10/ymca-ambarvale-oshs.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Before and After School Care is operated by&amp;nbsp;the YMCA and is operated on&amp;nbsp;the school premises.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Parents can drop their children off early in the morning for supervision by trained YMCA staff from 6:30am until 8:30am.&amp;nbsp;Supervision commences again after school by YMCA staff at 3:00pm and lasts up until 6pm.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The children's interests are the foundations of our programs. We encourage children to&amp;nbsp;be involved in interesting and exciting play experiences and explore their talents and potential. Children enjoy different team sports, dancing, indoor discussions and activities, such as art and craft. Homework is encouraged.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We inspire all children to engage in healthy lifestyles. We offer breakfast and afternoon tea in accordance with healthy eating guidelines. We also encourage children to participate in outdoor active play.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Opening Hours&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Mondays - Fridays &amp;nbsp; 6:30am - 8:30am&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;3:00pm - 6:00pm&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Contact Number:&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="tel:0437%20360%20281"&gt;0437 360 281&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Email:&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="mailto:oshc.ambarvale@ymca.org.au"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;oshc.ambarvale@ymca.org.au&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For more information go to the&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a title="YMCA website" href="https://www.ymcansw.org.au/centres/ymca-ambarvale-oshc/"&gt;YMCA Ambarvale OSHC website&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a title="YMCA Ambarvale OSCH" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2019/misc/Ambarvale_Flyer_Sep_19.pdf"&gt;Download Flyer (PDF 2841 KB)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 21 Oct 2019 16:38:58 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/10/ymca-ambarvale-oshs.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-10-21T16:38:58Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Grab a ticket to Schools Spectacular 2019</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/10/grab-a-ticket-to-schools-spectacular-2019.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Will you be joining us at Schools Spectacular 2019? Tickets are on sale now. Experience our live show featuring a cast of thousands of public school students from across metropolitan, rural and remote regions of NSW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Students from different ages, cultures and backgrounds will share the spotlight as they dance, play and sing for you. Choose from one of our four massive performances at Qudos Bank Arena on Friday 22 November and Saturday 23 November.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This year's events will feature:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;more than 380 schools&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;5,500 performers&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;a 3000-strong choir&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;2,300 dancers&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;an 80-piece symphony orchestra&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;a world-class stage band.&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Group bookings&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Need to make a group booking for over 10 people? Complete the &lt;a href="/content/dam/doe/sws/global/schools-spectacular/Schools_Preview_2019_Order_Form.pdf"&gt;Schools Preview Order Form 2019 (PDF 110KB)&lt;/a&gt; to attend the discounted 11am Friday matinee. The Friday matinee is discounted for school students and accompanying teachers.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you’d like to grab a spot at one of the other three remaining shows complete the &lt;a href="/content/dam/doe/sws/global/schools-spectacular/Group_Booking_Form_2019.pdf"&gt;Group Booking Form 2019 (PDF 110KB)&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Tickets for you and your family and friends&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.schoolsspectacular.com.au/the-show/tickets/"&gt;Save you and your family a spot online&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;or&amp;nbsp;by phone on 132 849.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Video – Schools Spectacular 2019&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Duration: 0:26&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 15 Oct 2019 11:05:53 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/10/grab-a-ticket-to-schools-spectacular-2019.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-10-15T11:05:53Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Applying for Year 7 entry to selective high schools in 2021</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/applying-for-year-7-entry-to-selective-high-schools-in-2021.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Selective high schools cater for academically high potential and gifted students who may otherwise be without sufficient classmates of their own academic standard. Selective schools help these students to learn by grouping them with students of similar ability, using specialised teaching methods and materials.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Selective high schools are unzoned so parents can apply regardless of where they live. Applications for selective high school placement are considered mainly on the basis of the Selective High School Placement Test results and school assessment scores. The Selective High School Placement Test will be held on&amp;nbsp;Thursday 12 March 2020.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you would like to have your child considered for Year 7 selective high school entry in 2021, you need to apply&amp;nbsp;on the internet using a valid email address (not the student’s email address).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Detailed instructions on how to apply online will be available from the&amp;nbsp;&lt;a title="high performing students website" href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-7"&gt;High performing students&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;website.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;Applications will open on this site on 8 October 2019 and close on 11 November 2019. The test will be held on 12 March 2020.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;You must apply before the closing date.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are no paper application forms. If you do not have internet access, you could apply at a public library. If you have a disability that prevents you from using a computer, you can contact the Unit for assistance after&amp;nbsp;8 October 2019.&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You must submit only&amp;nbsp;ONE&amp;nbsp;application for each student.&amp;nbsp; Remember the tear-off slip on the&amp;nbsp;&lt;a title="Intention to apply form" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2019/misc/2020_intention_form.pdf"&gt;Intention to apply form (PDF 108 KB)&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;is NOT an application and the school cannot apply on your behalf.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h4&gt;Key Dates&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;ol&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Application website opens:&amp;nbsp;8 October 2019&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Application website closes:&amp;nbsp;10 pm, 11 November 2019 -&amp;nbsp;You must apply before this deadline.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Test authority advice sent to all applicants:&amp;nbsp;27 February 2020&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Selective High School placement test:&amp;nbsp;12 March 2020&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Placement outcome information sent&amp;nbsp;overnight on:&amp;nbsp;4 July 2020&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ol&gt;
&lt;h4&gt;Resources to download&lt;/h4&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a title="application information" href="https://schoolsequella.det.nsw.edu.au/file/eafa8804-3a28-4730-9fc0-0ee49dd90f83/1/SHS-application-information.pdf"&gt;Application information (PDF 791 KB)&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;for entry in 2021.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a title="Intention to apply form" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2019/misc/2020_intention_form.pdf"&gt;Intention to apply form (PDF 108 KB)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 24 Sep 2019 15:41:46 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/applying-for-year-7-entry-to-selective-high-schools-in-2021.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-09-24T15:41:46Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Tell Them From Me survey</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/tell-them-from-me-survey.html</link>
            <description>&lt;h2&gt;Student survey&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As part of our evaluation process, our school like many other public schools in the state, will participate in a Department of Education initiative: the Tell Them From Me student feedback survey. The survey measures factors that are known to affect academic achievement and other student outcomes. The focus of the NSW-wide survey is on student wellbeing, engagement and effective teaching practices.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You may remember that our students also participated in a Tell Them From Me student survey in Term 1 this year. Asking students to complete the survey twice in one year allows us to identify trends in student responses as well as track engagement and motivation across the school year.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The survey is a great opportunity for our students to provide us with valuable and quick feedback on what they think about school life, how engaged they are with school and the different ways that teachers interact with them. More than 6,300 schools in Australia and around the world have used Tell Them From Me to survey 5.4 million students. Capturing the voices of our students will help improve how we do things at our school.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;More information about the survey is available at &lt;a title="Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation" href="https://surveys.cese.nsw.gov.au/"&gt;Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation&lt;/a&gt; website.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I want to assure you that the survey is confidential. The survey is conducted online and will typically take less than 30 minutes to complete. It will be administered during school hours between 26 August and 25 October. Participating in the survey is entirely voluntary.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A consent form and FAQs for parents/carers about the survey is being sent home with students. If you do not want your child or children to participate, please return the form to school by Monday 14th October, 2019.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Available resources:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a title="Student survey consent form" href="https://surveys.cese.nsw.gov.au/information-for-parents"&gt;Student survey Consent form&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;located at Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation website&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a title="Student survey frequently asked questions" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2019/misc/TTFM_Student_Survey_FAQs_Parent_and_Carers_T12019e.pdf"&gt;Student survey FAQs (PDF 173 KB)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a title="Student survey information" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2019/misc/TTFM__student_survey_newsletters_T4_2019.pdf"&gt;Student survey information (PDF 99KB)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The survey is available in 23 languages.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;hr&gt;

&lt;h2&gt;Parent survey&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This Term, our school will be participating in the Partners in Learning parent survey, another part of the Tell Them From Me suite of surveys (student, teacher and parent surveys) on student engagement. The survey asks parents and carers questions about different factors that are known to impact on student wellbeing and engagement.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Running this survey will help our school understand parents’ and carers’ perspectives on their child’s experience at school. These include: communication between parents/carers and staff, activities and practices at home and parent/carer views on the school's support of learning and behaviour. This valuable feedback will help our school make practical improvements.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The survey is conducted entirely online on smartphones, iPads, tablets, laptops or computers. The survey will typically take 15 minutes or less to complete and is completely confidential. The parent survey will be conducted between 26 August and 25 October. Although participating in the survey is entirely voluntary, your responses are very much appreciated. To access the survey for our school, go to &lt;a title="Parent Survey" href="https://nsw.tellthemfromme.com/survey/splash/chmgr"&gt;Tell Them From Me Parent Survey&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Available resources:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a title="Parent survey frequently asked questions" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2019/misc/TTFM_Parent_Survey_FAQs_Parent_and_Carers_T3_2019.pdf"&gt;Parent survey FAQs (parents and carers) (PDF 173 KB)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a title="Parent survey information" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2019/misc/TTFM_Parent_survey_newsletters_T4_2019.pdf"&gt;Parent survey information (PDF 99KB)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The survey is available in 23 languages.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 23 Sep 2019 12:03:46 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/tell-them-from-me-survey.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-09-23T12:03:46Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Have your say on before and after school care</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/have-your-say-on-before-and-after-school-care.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;We want to better understand your needs for before and after school care in NSW.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/basc" style="background-color: rgb(255,255,255);"&gt;Have your say today on before and after school care&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Fill out the survey by Service NSW to share your specific care needs and to register interest to stay informed of new developments.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Your input will provide insights into where there are gaps in service availability and help us to deliver extra places where they are needed.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You can also contact the team responsible for rolling out the before and after school care commitment at &lt;a href="mailto:BASCreform@det.nsw.edu.au"&gt;BASCreform@det.nsw.edu.au&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 13 Sep 2019 13:32:45 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/have-your-say-on-before-and-after-school-care.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-09-13T13:32:45Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Book yourself in for Reading Hour</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/book-yourself-in-for-reading-hour.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;This Australian Reading Hour, encourage your child to discover or rekindle their love of a good book. Take the time to learn, escape and relax on Thursday 19 September and read for one hour.&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Get involved at home&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Join in at home and read your child a bedtime story. Studies show that reading a bedtime story six days a week can give kids almost a year’s head start when they begin school. Reading has also been shown to develop empathy, promote critical thinking and help children find a sense of self.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Join in from the classroom&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Bestselling children’s author and illustrator Matt Stanton will broadcast live to primary school children across the country from the Sydney Opera House on Tuesday 17 September. We invite schools&amp;nbsp;to &lt;a href="https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/schools/whatson-schools/digitalclassroomexperiences/2019/digital-author-talk-matt-stanton-schools.html"&gt;register for the livestream&lt;/a&gt; of this free event.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Stanton’s author talk is among more than 140 events happening across the country involving more than 50 authors.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Take the Book Swap Challenge&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We all have favourite books that we come back to again and again. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;To help celebrate Reading Hour take our Book Swap Challenge. We want students, teachers, staff and parents to try reading something new on the day. To get involved, simply pair up with someone and swap your favourite books.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Take a photo and tag it with #ReadingHour so we can see how you got involved.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Video – #ReadingHour&amp;nbsp;authors talk about their favourite place to read&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Duration: 0:38&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Looking for a good spot to open a book? We asked authors&amp;nbsp;Benjamin Law,&amp;nbsp;Morris Gleitzman,&amp;nbsp;Jacqueline Harvey&amp;nbsp;and Mick Elliott about their favourite place to read.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 12 Sep 2019 11:19:31 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/book-yourself-in-for-reading-hour.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-09-12T11:19:31Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>How to be smart and safe on social media</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/how-to-be-smart-and-safe-on-social-media.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Use our new &lt;a href="https://www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.au/"&gt;Digital Citizenship&lt;/a&gt; toolkit to empower your child to understand how their online behaviour affects themselves and others.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You and your child can find information on:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul style="list-style-position: inside;"&gt;
&lt;li&gt;how to ‘be positive’ by understanding online behaviour and its effect&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;'be smart’ by thinking critically and being digitally aware&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;'be safe’ by protecting your security, privacy and wellbeing.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;A toolkit to empower you and your child&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You can find articles and videos to equip and empower your child to minimise the risks and maximise the opportunities in our digital future.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We’ve partnered with leading researchers to produce a curated toolkit – aligned to the curriculum – which teachers and you can share with the young people in your lives.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Guide your child through important concepts such as:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul style="list-style-position: inside;"&gt;
&lt;li&gt;managing privacy settings in social media&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;collaborating online&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;avoiding scams and hoaxes&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;understanding the law when it comes to online speech&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Internet banking, shopping online and much more.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Keep your child safe and happy online&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Visit and bookmark the &lt;a href="https://www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.au/"&gt;Digital Citizenship website&lt;/a&gt;. We’ll continue to add articles and resources to ensure the best possible tools are available to help you guide your child to be positive, smart and safe online.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 05 Sep 2019 11:37:24 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/how-to-be-smart-and-safe-on-social-media.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-09-05T11:37:24Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>WARNING - Magpie Swooping Season</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/warning-magpie-swooping-season.html</link>
            <description>&lt;div id="layoutContent"&gt;&lt;div class="layout" id="L01"&gt;&lt;div class="imgLeft imgSize4 imgPlace"&gt;&lt;p&gt;It&amp;#39;s Magpie Swooping Season&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;a href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2018/misc/swoopingbirds.pdf" target="_blank"&gt;Swooping Birds (PDF 431 KB)&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Please be aware that we have a swooping magpie located near our back gate (Glen Alpine).&amp;nbsp; &lt;em&gt;It is advised, if possible, to use the front gate for the next 6 weeks.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Reduce your chances of being swooped!&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Do not deliberately provoke or harass the birds as this may make them more aggressive.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Walk calmly through the area - DON&amp;#39;T RUN.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Protect your head with a large, wide brim hat or carry an open umbrella; you can place eyes on the back of hats and umbrellas which may reduce the likelihood of the bird swooping.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Wear glasses to protect your eyes.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Keep an eye on the bird as they are less likely to swoop if you look at them.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Remember…&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;STAY CALM. Accidents can occur when people, particularly children, panic.&amp;nbsp; Swooping behaviour is temporary and will cease after breeding season. Magpies and Plovers are protected by the National Parks &amp;amp; Wildlife Act 1974 and harming these native birds and/or their nests is illegal.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Sun, 08 Sep 2019 16:41:49 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/warning-magpie-swooping-season.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-09-08T16:41:49Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Parent workshop on anxiety and depression in children and adolescents</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/parent-workshop-on-anxiety-and-depression-in-children-and-adoles.html</link>
            <description>&lt;h2&gt;Your&amp;#39;re invited!!&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Thomas Acres Public School and Learning Links will be holding a parent workshop on anxiety and depression in children and adolescents:&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;When:&amp;nbsp; Monday 16th September, 2019&lt;br&gt;
Time:&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp; 1:00pm - 3:00pm&lt;br&gt;
Venue:&amp;nbsp;Thomas Acres School Hall&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A focus on what parents can do to support their children&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Parents gain knowledge regarding the symptoms displayed by children and adolescents with depression and/or anxiety. Parents gain a basic understanding of treatment, diagnosis, causes, related risk factors and practical strategies to support these children. This will be measured through an evaluation process at the completion of the workshops.&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The 2 hour session covers topics such as&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;identifying depression and/or anxiety&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;strategies to support children with depression and/or anxiety&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;risk concerns&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;how to talk to your child&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a title="Parent workshop flyer" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2019/community-engagement/Anxiety_and_Depression_in_Children_and_Adolescents.pdf"&gt;Printable flyer (PDF 326 KB)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 03 Sep 2019 14:40:15 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/9/parent-workshop-on-anxiety-and-depression-in-children-and-adoles.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-09-03T14:40:15Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Parent's guide to Online Safety</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/8/parent-s-guide-to-online-safety.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Many parents and caregivers&lt;strong&gt; feel out of their depth&lt;/strong&gt; when it comes to understanding their children's use of devices and the internet. The &lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Office of the eSafety Commissioner&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; has published new resources aimed specifically to help them, with tips and advice on ensuring safe and enjoyable experiences online. &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/online-safety-guide"&gt;The resource is available for access via a browser&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; and downloads are available in multiple languages. In addition, for parents unfamiliar with using computers, &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-the-office/resource-centre#orderableresources"&gt;a free hardcopy can be ordered&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, again in different languages. The resource is highly recommended.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Wed, 04 Sep 2019 07:31:19 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/8/parent-s-guide-to-online-safety.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-09-04T07:31:19Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Creative and Active Kids vouchers now available</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/6/creative-and-active-kids-vouchers-now-available.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Creative kids can now put a $100 voucher towards extra-curricular creative activities outside of school.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Together with &lt;a href="https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-active-kids-voucher"&gt;Active Kids&lt;/a&gt;, this program aims to encourage more NSW children to participate in a range of extra-curricular activities such as coding, languages, circus, performing arts and visual arts.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Parents can apply for one $100 voucher for each child enrolled in school on the &lt;a href="https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/campaign/creative-kids"&gt;Creative Kids&lt;/a&gt; website and use it towards the cost of registration, participation or tuition. You just redeem the voucher with a &lt;a href="https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/find-creative-kids-provider"&gt;registered provider&lt;/a&gt; in your area when making your payment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This is a great opportunity for your child to become involved in a range of activities that will build on their education, growth and development.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Service NSW is working with industry bodies to deliver the program.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For more information, contact Service NSW on 137 788 or &lt;a href="mailto:creativekids@service.nsw.gov.au"&gt;creativekids@service.nsw.gov.au&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 14 Jun 2019 11:32:19 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/6/creative-and-active-kids-vouchers-now-available.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-06-14T11:32:19Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Premier's Spelling Bee</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/5/premier-s-spelling-bee.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Please visit &lt;a title="Arts Unit website" href="https://www.artsunit.nsw.edu.au/premiers-spelling-bee"&gt;Arts Unit website&lt;/a&gt; for the word lists.&amp;nbsp; Please note these lists are password protected, therefore you will need to ask your child&amp;#39;s teacher or contact the office to&amp;nbsp;receive the password.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 20 May 2019 15:22:15 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/5/premier-s-spelling-bee.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-05-20T15:22:15Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Apply now for My Community Project funding</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/4/apply-now-for-my-community-project-funding.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Do you have a great idea to improve your area?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;My Community Project is a new NSW Government funding program that is all about local ideas, local projects and local decisions.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You can apply now for grants from $20,000 - $200,000 for projects that will make a difference to your community. Projects could include new playground equipment, sports facilities, paths or ramps to improve access, public art or a community service.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The local community can vote for their favourite projects in July and successful projects will be announced in September.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Project applications close 15 May 2019.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/improving-nsw/projects-and-initiatives/my-community-project/"&gt;Apply for My Community Project funding&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 29 Apr 2019 15:06:11 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/4/apply-now-for-my-community-project-funding.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-04-29T15:06:11Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Bring back memories, not measles</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/4/bring-back-memories--not-measles.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;With school holidays just around the corner, it’s time to visit your doctor to check that you and your family are fully protected against measles, before you travel overseas.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Measles is a serious, highly contagious, viral illness that is easily spread through the air when an infectious person coughs, sneezes or breathes. If you and your family are not fully vaccinated, or have never been vaccinated, you are at risk of contracting measles.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Not sure if you’re fully protected?&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In Australia, the measles vaccine (MMR) consists of 2 doses. If you’re not sure whether you’ve had 2 doses of the measles vaccine, visit your doctor. It’s safe to receive another dose.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Children born in Australia&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;If your children were born in Australia, they may have received the measles vaccine at 12 months old and the second dose at 18 months, in accordance with the National Immunisation Program.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;If you have a baby under 12 months old, consult your doctor about getting their measles vaccination.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Adults born in Australia&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Born before 1966 – you were most likely exposed to measles as a child and are generally considered to be immune. If in doubt, ask your GP.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Born between 1966 and 1994 – you may not have received 2 doses. Talk to your doctor about the free vaccine if you’re unsure.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Born after 1994 – the National Immunisation Program offers 2 doses, and you can check your vaccination status using the Australian Immunisation Register.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For more information about the measles vaccination, visit&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/measles/Pages/travellers.aspx"&gt;NSW Health&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;or consult your local doctor.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 11 Apr 2019 14:10:48 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/4/bring-back-memories--not-measles.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-04-11T14:10:48Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>5 road safety tips for parents and carers</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/2/5-road-safety-tips-for-parents-and-carers.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Now that students are back to school after a break it’s a good time to chat with your child about safe behaviours when you walk or commute to school.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Here are our top tips to help our students make a safe trip:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;1. Be alert and aware&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Take note of the dangers you come across on your walk and&amp;nbsp;bring them to your child’s attention. Point out dangers, such as vehicles coming&amp;nbsp;out of driveways. Talk to your child about being alert in a road environment.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;2. Hold hands&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;When on the footpath, at a crossing or in a car park always hold your child&amp;#39;s hand. It is advised to do this up to the age of at least 8 years old and closely supervise until at least the age of 10.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;3. Choose a safe crossing&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Lead by example and choose a safe place to cross the road. Explain why it is the safest place&amp;nbsp;to cross.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;4. Set a good example&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Your child watches everything you do, so if you cross at the crossing they will too. It is also important to share these messages with other carers who may walk with your child to school.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;5. Stop, Look, Listen, Think every time you cross the road&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Discuss this important road safety message. STOP!&amp;nbsp;one step back from the kerb. LOOK!&amp;nbsp;continuously both ways. LISTEN!&amp;nbsp;for the sounds of approaching traffic. THINK!&amp;nbsp;whether it is safe to cross.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Practise makes perfect&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The more supervised practice your child can get the better, so why not make Term 1 the start of a new routine to walk with your child to school more often.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Older children may be ready to make the journey to school independently. Before they take this step, observe&amp;nbsp;if&amp;nbsp;they are road safe and reinforce the road safety messages.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For more information, check out&amp;nbsp;the department’s&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/learning-across-the-curriculum/road-safety-education/safety-around-schools/reminding-parents-and-carers/walking-advice-to-share-with-parents-and-carers"&gt;pedestrian safety advice for students, parents and carers&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 25 Feb 2019 13:13:36 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/2/5-road-safety-tips-for-parents-and-carers.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-02-25T13:13:36Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Back to school</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/1/back-to-school.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;The first day of Kindergarten and the return to school in the new year are busy times for your child – and for the entire family. To help you make the most of this time and enjoy the experience, we’ve compiled some &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/practical-help-for-parents-and-carers/starting-primary-school/ready-for-school-checklist/5-back-to-school-preparation-tips-for-parents"&gt;useful tips and checklists&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;. We want every student to be known, valued and cared for in our schools.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Our film #FirstDay2019 captures the excitement – and the nerves – of the rite of passage that is the first day of Kindergarten.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;Video – Back to School 2019: First Day at Kindy&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Duration – 1:00&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Fri, 25 Jan 2019 14:51:01 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2019/1/back-to-school.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-01-25T14:51:01Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>2019 school budget allocations</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/11/2019-school-budget-allocations.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;Like all NSW public schools, this week we will receive a School Budget Allocation Report with our funding for 2019. The report will help us manage our total budget delivered through the Resource Allocation Model (RAM).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The RAM supports schools through needs-based funding to ensure a fair, efficient and transparent allocation of funds. Our school has the flexibility to make local decisions based on the specific needs of our students.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We will use our 2019 funding to support students and improve educational outcomes. The school executive will continue to work with the school community as we implement the school plan using this needs-based funding.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Learn more about the &lt;a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/our-priorities/work-more-effectively/local-schools-local-decisions/resource-allocation-model"&gt;2019 RAM funding&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Mon, 12 Nov 2018 12:21:39 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/11/2019-school-budget-allocations.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2018-11-12T12:21:39Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Parent Online Payment (POP)</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/10/parent-online-payment-pop.html</link>
            <description>&lt;div id="layoutContent"&gt;&lt;div id="L01" class="layout"&gt;&lt;div class="imgLeft imgSize4 imgPlace"&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Parent Online Payment (POP)&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;Parents can&amp;nbsp;make online payments to the school for amounts owing for students, via a secure payment page hosted by Westpac. Payments can be made using either a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card, and can be made via computer, tablet or mobile phone. The payment page is accessed from the front page of the school&amp;#39;s website by selecting &lt;u&gt;$ Make a payment.&lt;/u&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2018/misc/usingthequickwebsolutionparentinstructions22218.pdf"&gt;Parent/Carer POP Guide&lt;/a&gt; (pdf 68 KB)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Late payments&lt;/strong&gt; can affect cut off dates/times for events. Parents&amp;nbsp;should note if a payment is made after 5pm weekdays or on a weekend, the school will not see that payment until the second business day (eg. a payment made at 7pm on Friday evening will be on the report the school accesses on Tuesday morning).&amp;nbsp; Unfortunately, in most case, late payments will need to be refunded or credited to Fees in Advance.&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt; To avoid disappointment, please ensure payments via POP are made 1 to 2 business days earlier than payment due date.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;br&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Permission Notes &lt;/strong&gt;are required to be signed and returned to the office as proof of permission to attend events.&amp;nbsp; Without a signed permission note, students are not eligible to attend excursions as per Department of Education policy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Items that can be paid include voluntary school contributions, subject contributions, excursions, sales to students and creative and practical arts activities (these include band, drama and dance). There is also a category called ‘Other&amp;#39; to cover items not covered in the previous headings, ‘Other&amp;#39; can be used to make a complete payment of a school Statement of Account.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;When you access the $ Make a payment you must enter:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;the students name&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;class&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;date of birth&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;These details are entered each time you make a payment as student information is not held within the payment system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This is a secure payment system hosted by Westpac to ensure that your credit/debit card details are captured in a secure manner, these details are not passed back to the school.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You have the ability to check and change any details of the payment before the payment is processed. Receipts can be emailed and/or printed.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Details of the payments are passed daily to the school where they will be receipted against your child&amp;#39;s account. As a receipt has been issued from the payment page a further receipt will not be issued by the school.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For any enquiries regarding the online payment process please contact the Office for assistance.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 13 Jun 2019 19:13:35 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/10/parent-online-payment-pop.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2019-06-13T19:13:35Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Selective High School 2020</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/10/selective-high-school-2020.html</link>
            <description>&lt;h3&gt;Expression of Interest to apply for Year 7 entry to a selective high school in 2020&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2018/stage-3/selective_high_eoi_2020.pdf" title="Intention to apply for 2020"&gt;Intention to apply for 2020&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Selective high schools cater for high achieving academically gifted students who may otherwise be without sufficient classmates at their own academic and social level. These schools help gifted and talented students to learn by grouping them with other gifted and talented students, teaching them in specialised ways and providing educational materials at the appropriate level.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Applications for selective high school placement are considered mainly on the basis of the Selective High School Placement Test results and school assessment scores. The Selective High School Placement Test will be held on Thursday 14 March 2019.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you would like to have your child considered for Year 7 selective high school entry in 2020, you need to apply on the internet using a valid email address (not the student's email address).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Detailed instructions on  &lt;a href="https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-7"&gt;how to apply&lt;/a&gt;  online will be available from mid-September 2018&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The application website opens at that link on 9 October 2018 and closes on 12 November 2018. You must apply before the closing date.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are no paper application forms. If you do not have internet access, you could apply at a public library. If you have a disability that prevents you from using a computer, you can contact the Unit for assistance after 9 October 2018.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You must submit only ONE application for each student.&lt;/p&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 20 Nov 2018 11:46:13 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/10/selective-high-school-2020.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2018-11-20T11:46:13Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>SRC Fundraiser - Return and Earn</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/9/src-fundraiser-return-and-earn.html</link>
            <description>&lt;div id="layoutContent"&gt;&lt;div id="L01" class="layout"&gt;&lt;div class="imgLeft imgSize4 imgPlace"&gt;Thomas Acres Public School has partnered with Nepean Distributors to help fundraise using the NSW Container Deposit Scheme (CDS).&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;p&gt;We kindly ask that all children assist us by bringing eligible containers to school with them each Monday where they will be collected and processed at the bulk collection point by Nepean Distributors. Students are asked to bring their containers to the designated collection points, near the front office or near the canteen, and place containers directly into the green bins provided. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Nepean Distributors is NOT charging the school for this service all net funds will go directly towards assisting your child's education in the form of new programs and equipment.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A list of eligible containers can be found at &lt;a target="_blank" class="external-link" href="http://www.returnandearn.org.au" style="background-color: rgb(255,255,255);"&gt;Return and Earn&lt;/a&gt;.  We would also like to ask that NO glass or milk containers be brought to school and that all containers are empty, uncrushed and have the original label intact.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Which containers can be returned for a refund?&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img style="margin-right: 10.0px;" src="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/news/2018/9/capture.jpg" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Thank you for your support,&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Mrs Cassandra Josephson and Mrs Natalie Puntoriero (SRC Coordinators)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a target="_blank" href="/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/t/thomasacre-p/pdfs/2018/misc/taps_return_and_earnlettertoparents.pdf"&gt;Printable Flyer&lt;/a&gt; (pdf 135 KB)&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;/div&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 20 Nov 2018 11:39:46 AEDT</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/9/src-fundraiser-return-and-earn.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2018-11-20T11:39:46Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>About the School Student Transport Scheme</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/7/about-the-school-student-transport-scheme.html</link>
            <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The &lt;a target="_blank" class="external-link" href="https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/#/"&gt;School Student Transport Scheme&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;(SSTS) provides eligible school students with free or subsidised travel from home to school.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The scheme includes:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;Free travel to and from home and school on approved train, bus, ferry and light rail services during school term.&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;Discounted travel on buses between home and school with a&amp;nbsp;&lt;a ui-sref="termBusPass" href="https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/#/termBusPass"&gt;School Term Bus Pass&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;Free travel on NSW TrainLink Regional services and long distance coach services for boarding school students.&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;a ui-sref="schoolDriveSubsidy" href="https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/#/schoolDriveSubsidy"&gt;Subsidised travel&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;to and from school in private vehicles in areas where there is no public transport available.&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Students with a disability who are unable to travel to and from school under the School Student Transport Scheme may be eligible for assistance under the Department of Education&amp;nbsp;&lt;a title="Assisted
                    School Travel Program" target="_blank" href="http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/studentsupport/programs/astp/"&gt;Assisted School Travel Program&amp;nbsp;&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How to apply&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you are ready to apply now, click&amp;nbsp;&lt;a ui-sref="howToApply" href="https://apps.transport.nsw.gov.au/ssts/#/howToApply"&gt;here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Code of conduct for school students on buses&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;p&gt;It is every student's responsibility to behave in a manner that ensures the safety and comfort of passengers and drivers. This includes:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Behaviour on buses&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Use appropriate language not offensive or racist language&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Fighting, spitting, feet on seats, throwing things in or from the bus is not permitted&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;No eating or drinking (other than water) - unless for medical reasons or the bus operator gives written permission.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Offer seats to adults including people with a disability, elderly or expectant mothers&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not push or shove other people&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not bully or harass other passengers or the driver&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Avoid attracting the attention of the driver except in the case of emergency&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not play music at such volume that it may distract the bus driver or other passengers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;div&gt;
 &amp;nbsp;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Safety on and near buses&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obey reasonable directions from the driver (e.g. where to sit or to remain in the bus)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Remain in your seat - do not move around the bus unnecessarily&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;If standing, remain behind the front passenger seat and keep a secure hand hold at all times&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Keep bags and other items clear of the aisle&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not allow any part of your body to protrude out of the bus at any time&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wait for the bus in a quiet and orderly manner - including at bus interchanges&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Stand away from the roadside until the bus comes to a complete stop&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Allow other passengers to leave the bus before stepping onto the bus in a single line&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wait until the bus stops before moving to get off the bus at your designated stop&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cross the road where and when it's safe to do so, use crossings/traffic lights where available.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;div&gt;
 &amp;nbsp;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Legal considerations on buses&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Wear the seat belt properly adjusted and fastened, if one is available&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Obey the law that bans smoking on buses&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ensure that buses are not vandalised - report any damage, e.g. graffiti and window etching, to the driver&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not interfere with bus property, equipment and signage&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do not leave rubbish on the bus, or at bus stops or interchanges.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;div&gt;
 &amp;nbsp;
&lt;/div&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;Using bus passes:&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Show travel passes or tickets to the driver on boarding and to Authorised Revenue Protection Officers, NSW&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Police Officers or bus company representative when requested&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Use the travel pass only for its intended purpose - do not lend your pass to other students or borrow a pass from them&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;Swipe or 'dip' passes in ticket readers if available when boarding&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
 &lt;li&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If issued with a School Opal card, always tap on when boarding and tap off when leaving the bus.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Disobeying these rules may lead to the withdrawal of bus travel passes, banning students from travelling on buses and/or police prosecution and court action.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
            <pubDate>Sun, 16 Sep 2018 20:27:58 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/7/about-the-school-student-transport-scheme.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2018-09-16T20:27:58Z</dc:date>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title>Order Lunches Online at Flexischools</title>
            <link>https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/6/lunch-orders-online.html</link>
            <description>&lt;h2&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Try ordering lunches &lt;a href="https://www.flexischools.com.au"&gt;online&lt;/a&gt; today at Flexischools&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
</description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 04 Oct 2018 14:10:11 AEST</pubDate>
            <guid isPermaLink="false">https://thomasacre-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/news/2018/6/lunch-orders-online.html</guid>
            <dc:date>2018-10-04T14:10:11Z</dc:date>
        </item>
    </channel>
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