Filter Content
Dear Families,
Welcome, back or for the first time, to Thomas More College in 2025! I especially welcome our newest families.
It’s so good to be together in 2025. We find ourselves at our most successful period in Thomas More College’s history, punctuated by recent data-based achievements:
- We are currently at an enrolment of 1165 students, the highest ever for TMC.
- Our Year 12 results were amongst the best on record and reached record highs with respect to A grades. Specifically, 26% of all student grades of subjects studied in 2024 result in an A grade. This is again the highest ever recorded for our school (and is accompanied by a general trend upwards in academic achievement).
- We completed last year with record-high results in student satisfaction with their experience at TMC. Specifically, each term our students take part in Catholic Education South Australia’s pulse survey, whereby they are able to report their feelings of satisfaction (or otherwise) with our school. 2024 saw the highest results in this space.
- Our diversity continues to be celebrated at TMC through our NCCD and EALD data and accountability measures. In addition to this, in 2025 we have a new staff role in Gifted and Talented (Ms Anika Harvey) who will work on whole-school and targeted strategies to best challenge students in this space.
Overall, we are proud to offer broad, deep, diverse and excellent educational opportunities for our students where we challenge and support them to achieve their best. Thank you for being part of this exciting journey with us.
We’ve had an excellent start to the year; I thank our staff for their careful and detailed preparation; the students for their connection, responses and positive attitude; and you as families for your ongoing work with and support of us. School and families working together with students at the center, is an excellent framework with which to move forward. As staff we have a focus on continuous improvement by allowing ourselves to look at elements of our school from a different perspective this year, in order for our students to achieve and succeed.
New Staff
Given our record enrolment, and some new opportunities at TMC for 2025, this year we welcome some new faces to our staff. I am so pleased with the recruitment of our staff; they have all wanted to be part of our destination school and it’s my pleasure to introduce them to you:
- Steven Alcantara- Food Technology
- Lean Carlo Aquino- English/HASS
- Karina Carabelas- English/HASS
- Harper Dai- Maths/Science
- Jackson Day- Maths/Science
- Erin Doherty- English/HASS
- Vanessa Edwards- Hub Technician ESO
- Jaimee Heanes- Food Technology
- Mackenzie Huang- Maths
- Alison Lloyd - Italian/RE
- Rachell Patterson - Leader of Inclusive Education (Senior School)
- Hannah Pavlovich - Design Technology
- Cathy Rutherford - Maths/Science
- Roxanne Simpson - HASS/RE
- Paige Tregenza - English/HASS
- Deirdre Walters - Leader of Senior Years Pedagogy & Innovation
- James Walters - HASS/AIF & EIF Leader
- Annie Welden - Visual Arts
- Tianying Zhang - Maths/Science
2025 & Future Planning
2024 was a busy year for our school with buildings. Specifically, last year saw the completion of:
- Five new courts.
- A top-floor added to our Year 10 Gabriel Building.
- A renovation of the current Gabriel building (bottom floor) to capitalise on the four large classrooms with new staff-offices, as well as collaboration and breakout spaces for students.
- An extension of two classrooms, staff offices, student break-out and collaboration spaces, for our Year 12 Faulkner Centre.
- Connections between the Faulkner, Gabriel and Assisi (Science) buildings to formalise both our Senior School precinct and links to the rest of the school.
This year we shift our focus to three clear points regarding the future of our school:
- Publishing our completed three-year Strategic Plan (2025-2027); the Executive Team worked throughout 2024 and have been using the pre-published goals to lead the school this year. This document serves to guide us in strategic and educational leadership over three years.
- Finalising our 10 year + Master Plan. Last year we engaged architects Swanberry Penglase to consult key leaders and staff to prepare a Master Plan of buildings and construction. This document plans the long-term building plan for our school with year-by-year scope, cost and construction.
- Formally opening our new spaces in Gabriel and Faulkner in March, with our Archbishop and CESA Director present.
Practical Items
Finally, it can seem really easy to get lost in communication as a family member at our large school. Some of the best ways to work with this are:
- To check Seqta for curriculum-based documents.
- To check your daughter or son’s OneNote to see the day-to-day lesson information.
- To keep in email contact with the subject teacher (initialsurname@tmc.catholic.edu.au) regarding concerns for school work.
- To keep in email contact with the wellbeing (‘homeroom’) teacher (initialsurname@tmc.catholic.edu.au) regarding concerns regarding wellbeing/attendance/etc.
- To email the respective Year Level Director, or Director of Middle/Senior School (as shared in the start of year communication), with big picture issues.
Teaching and Leadership staff are in classes most of the day but will usually be able to respond in 24/48 hours. The Front Office is also a great resource for general information and our Team is fantastic.
I am looking forward to working you and our students throughout this year.
Take care,
Corey Tavella
Principal
Uniform Shop Opening Hours
Mondays: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Thursdays: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Fridays: 8:00am - 10:00am
Knights of the Southern Cross Scholarship
We are thrilled to share that our Year 12 College Captain Grace Leonello has been awarded an academic scholarship from the Knights of the Southern Cross for her educational journey in 2025!
The Knights of the Southern Cross Scholarship recognises outstanding Year 11 students who demonstrate academic excellence, personal ambition, and a commitment to their education. Grace’s application stood out for its strong academic performance and her inspiring personal statement and references.
A huge congratulations to Grace on this achievement! We cannot wait to see all the incredible things you will accomplish in Year 12 and beyond.
Our Study@theHub sessions have started for 2025! Join us from 3:20pm to 4:15pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons. Tuesday sessions begin at 2:40pm and finish at 4.15pm due to the early dismissal.
Students can come to the Hub after school to receive support from teaching staff or to engage in independent learning in a quiet space. Students will be required to sign in and out upon arrival and departure.
Everyone is welcome, and we look forward to seeing our students this week!
To learn about SEQTA Engage please watch this short video walkthrough.