Parental Involvement

Communication is vital to foster relationships that are open, inclusive and based on trust. In providing inclusive and effective communication, we strengthen our connections by promoting the life of our school community. One of the best ways that parents can help their children succeed in school is to be involved with their education. This starts with good communication between you and your child's teacher. We acknowledge the need for stakeholders to communicate in a courteous and respectful manner at appropriate times with timely feedback.

At St Thomas’, we acknowledge that methods of communication are becoming more diverse and digital forms of communication are becoming widely used. The following forms of communication are used to foster relationships within our community:

• Thomatalk
  The link to the School Newsletter (Thomatalk) is emailed to parents/caregivers each Wednesday afternoon. The Thomatalk shares important information and messages with the community in relation to the life of the school.
  
  
• Parent Portal
  The Parent Portal is the official ‘information and communication hub’ for the school. It is a secure (password protected) online space for our families to receive important school information. The Parent Portal provides parents with theopportunity to manage and update their family details and access student reporting information.
  
  
• BCE Connect App
  BCE Connect provides a platform for parents to securely access school information, making it easier to keep track and stay in touch. The App integrates with our Public Website and Parent Portal. BCE Connect works on both Apple and Android devices and is available to download free from the App Store or Google Play. Simply “favourite” St Thomas’ Catholic Primary School to receive push notifications direct from the school. It is a quick and easy way to report student absences. There is also now a feature which allows you to add school events to your personal calendar.
  
  
• Email
  Increasingly parents and teachers are using e-mails to communicate with each other. Email is often a convenient and helpful way to communicate with your child's teacher, but parents and teachers should follow the same guidelines as for any professional communication.
  
  All emails for staff should be sent to the relevant staff member’s school email address. Emails should only be sent for professional purposes. School staff receive many emails in the course of a day; generally staff will not have time to answer these during school hours due to their work responsibilities. School staff are required to check their emails once daily on each day that they work. Any emails of an urgent manner should be sent to the school email pcamphill@bne.catholic.edu.auso that relevant information can be passed on or addressed as required.
  
  School staff will endeavour to contact you within a 48-hour turnaround period.
  
  School staff will not respond to email communication between the hours of 4pm and 8am on school days. Emails received over the weekend or during school holidays, will be responded to within 48 hours of the next workday. A teacher may request a meeting if the issue is too complex to resolve by e-mail.
  
  
• SMS
  The school uses an SMS service to send out important reminders and attendance alerts to parents.
  
  
• Social Media
  Facebook –Follow us on Facebook stthomasschoolcamphill
  Instagram - Follow us on Instagram @stthomasschoolcamphill

PLEASE NOTE: For the school to communicate effectively, parents need to ensure that their contact details are kept up to date. Parents are able to make these changes directly via the Parent Portal.

A Welcome to your P&F Association

The P&F's aim is "to provide a forum to assist the education of our children and to support the school in any way possible". This includes the traditional role of fundraising but it is also about building and keeping the school community together – in meetings and through functions where parents can interact seek information about the school's running, contribute, socialise and provide support for each other.

The P&F operates within a constitution adopted from the Federation of Parents and Friends Associations of Catholic Schools in Queensland.

Meetings are held each term one night during the week at 7.00pm. Every parent and friend of the school is not just entitled to attend, but is encouraged and welcome to do so. Our meetings are structured but informal - and go no later than 9.00pm. Our Principal and our APRE attend every meeting to provide an update of the school's activities, so this is a good forum to hear what's going on.

The P&F has a regular spot in the weekly school newsletter each Wednesday.

Each year in November a P&F committee is elected at the Annual General Meeting. The Committee consists of:

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Events Coordinator
• Events Coordinator (social)
• Committee Members

One way or another, the P&F is involved in, responsible for or helps coordinate:

• Our biennial Fete
• Payment for buses for school camps
• Classroom resources
• Payment of buses for sports carnivals
• Other fundraising and social events including Mother's Day and Father's Day stalls and a selection of Discos, Trivia nights or other similar functions.

We ask only that everyone contributes when, if and what they can to the P&F – whether that be a little time, ideas, or financially. As with most organisations like ours we rely totally on the help and time of volunteer parents.

The profits we generate from the fundraisers are used to purchase additional equipment and resources for the children – including books and literacy tools, information technology, playground apparatus and upgrades, sports equipment, safety gear and so on. We have also been able to install interactive whiteboards in each classroom and air conditioning throughout the school.

Also, a special mention about our Class Parent Representatives: These are one or two volunteer parents from each class who act as an intermediary with the P&F, facilitate a caring, assisting and social environment (arrange morning tea get-togethers, etc.) and coordinate the particular fundraising events allocated to each class.

May we take this opportunity to invite you to take an active part in the school through the Parents and Friends Association – whether by attending meetings and providing your ideas or asking questions, or in a committee capacity in due course, or in one of the many vital voluntary roles that make life fun and fruitful at this great school.

May you and your children have a rewarding time at St Thomas' School Camp Hill. We look forward to meeting you.

Student Protection and Code of Conduct Training

Each year we warmly welcome volunteers into the life of St Thomas’ and acknowledge the significant contributions our volunteers make. Brisbane Catholic Education is committed to the well-being and safety of children attending their schools. It is a requirement of Brisbane Catholic Education that all school volunteers conduct Student Protection Training and Code of Conduct Training before working with students. The training must be completed annually (even if you have completed it in previous years).

The training is provided online through the Brisbane Catholic Education's website and is available via the BCE Policies section of our school website, under " Volunteer Student Protection & Code of Conduct Training"

Parent Volunteers are required to download and complete the registration form, and hand it into the School Office once completed for our records. It is estimated to take approximately 35 minutes to complete both training sessions. This training is to be completed annually.

Blue Card Requirements

On 20 September 2025, there were key changes introduced which directly impact who is required to have a Blue Card. Parents volunteering for an activity involving their child generally will not need a Blue Card. However, it will apply to parents volunteering for activities not involving their own child; overnight excursions or camps; if their volunteering includes close personal contact with another child; or if the parent is a restricted person. If you need further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact the school office or visit this link for more information on Blue Card requirements.

The St Thomas’ School Board demonstrates Brisbane Catholic Education’s commitment to good governance, and the importance of parent and community partnerships. Our School Board enables parents, carers, guardians, staff, community members, parish priests and parishioners to participate on the peak participatory, advisory and consultative group to enhance leadership, wisdom and dialogue in school decision making. The School Board follows Brisbane Catholic Education’s model and School Board Constitution.

Typically, the School Board meets at the end of each school term to focus its work on the following priorities:

• Policy development and renewal
• Strategic Planning and Annual Planning Consultation
• Principal Input
• Parish Priest Input
• Discussions and discernment on local issues that the Principal seeks shared wisdom
• Financial Reporting