St Thomas turns 25

ST THOMAS Catholic Primary School in Drysdale is celebrating its 25th year of construction and education in coming weeks.

Opening with just 97 pupils in 1997, the school has now grown to 430.

“From the dusty potato paddocks to the architectural and environmental haven we are now in, St Thomas Catholic Primary School has come a long way,” deputy principal Lucy Wright-Smith said.

“Our students enjoy beautiful rural surroundings, incorporating a dam, frog creek, chooks, worm farms and composting for our vegie gardens and fruit trees.”

Ms Wright-Smith said the school’s founding pillars built around family atmosphere remain a strength for all pupils.

“Our values of compassion, respect, honesty and optimism continue to be embedded in our daily school lives.”

The school was designed so that the Prep to Grade 2 pupils are housed in four separate units of two classes in order to encourage an environment where students feel safe and comfortable.

Grades 3-4 and 5-6 pupils are housed in separate learning centres that each comprise five classrooms with extensive shared work areas, meeting rooms, toilets and a fully equipped kitchen.

When students reach Grades 5-6, they are also introduced to a computer lab.

In keeping with St Thomas’ focus on family, the school has now come full circle and fittingly has students attending who are the children of the school’s original pupils.

To celebrate the anniversary of its foundation and ongoing role in the region, staff and members of the school’s Parents Advisory Group are inviting the wider community to attend the school’s commemorative event on October 27, between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.