


Our School
St Thomas More Primary School Mt Eliza
St Thomas More’s School is a Catholic Parish Primary School located in Mt Eliza on the Mornington Peninsula. The school was established in 1981 and is an integral part of the St Thomas More Parish community. With approximately 290 students, our school enjoys many of the advantages of being a smaller community. We recognise and value the strength of our vibrant community and are enriched by the partnerships between staff, parents, students and parish. We firmly believe that Catholic school communities are most effective when teachers, staff and parents work together to educate the whole child emotionally, academically, physically, socially and spiritually.
St Thomas More Primary School is set within a stunning bushland setting which provides a uniquely beautiful learning environment for our students. School facilities include dedicated Prep, Junior, Middle and Senior blocks where classrooms are spacious, bright and welcoming. In addition to these, the school has a STEM room, a well-stocked library, a recently renovated multi-purpose area, a visual arts area, performing arts space and wellbeing hub. A state-of-the-art gymnasium is used for PE, school assemblies and other special events. Children are blessed with expansive grounds that provide many generous spaces for outdoor learning, fitness and play. These include a huge grassed oval, outdoor basketball courts, two adventure playgrounds and plenty of shaded spaces for passive and imaginative play.
At St Thomas More we strive to provide a contemporary, high-quality education for every student. Through our learning and teaching programs children are encouraged to become resilient and independent learners who question, reflect, take risks, critique, analyse and act. Teaching programs are personalised to meet the needs of individual students and are based on the rigorous and consistent use of student data to ensure maximum growth in student learning.
Student learning is further enhanced by a wide range of specialist programs. Specialist classes include Physical Education, Performing Arts, Visual Arts and STEM. Students learn Japanese as an additional language and this is embedded into the classroom as part of the learning that takes place every day.
Student wellbeing is also of utmost importance to all at St Thomas More. Our key values of respect, integrity, service and empathy are taught and lived in every classroom and underpin all interactions in and around our school. A range of programs and initiatives also support students in the area of social and emotional learning. These include regular wellbeing classes, class meetings, social skills groups and lunchtime clubs. These initiatives and others ensure that children feel a strong sense of safety and belonging to school and provide the best possible environment for learning to take place.

Our Vision
We are a welcoming, inclusive community,
growing in faith, love and knowledge,
nurturing resilient, life-long learners,
empowered to make a difference.


Our Mission
We are a welcoming, inclusive community…
At St Thomas More we believe everything we do is guided by our Catholic faith. We are committed to providing a safe, supportive and caring environment for all in our community, where each individual is known, valued and respected.
Growing in faith, love and knowledge…
As a Catholic school, our beliefs and traditions are central to all that we do. We strive to develop a faith filled community of people who are empowered to serve others, ensuring that our Catholic values guide our actions, decisions and interactions.
Nurturing resilient, lifelong learners…
The dedicated staff at St Thomas More are committed to providing every student in our care with an exemplary education. Staff work collaboratively, using student data and the latest educational research, to plan high quality learning experiences that meet the needs of each individual and ensure they reach their full potential.
Empowered to make a difference…
At St Thomas More, education is a holistic journey shaping not just minds but also character, resilience, and adaptability. Through rich inquiry learning, students gain a deeper understanding of the world around them, empowering them as lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and responsible global citizens.
Meet the Team

Martine Verhagen
Principal

Sarah Anderson
Deputy Principal
Learning and Teaching Leader

Fr Patrick Bradford
Parish Administrator

Dani O’Connor
Administration/Finance Officer

Suzanne Baczyk
Administration Learning Support Officer

Gianna Hakim
Junior Teacher
Learning Diversity Leader

Lorraine Coassin
Prep Teacher
Wellbeing Leader

Mandy Shankie
Middle Teacher
Religious Education Leader

Cindy Kenny
Junior Teacher
Learning Leader

Nicole Cicchini
Senior Teacher
Learning Leader

Elise Wilson
Junior Teacher

Emilie Wilson
Prep Teacher

Olivia Klopper
Senior Teacher

Nadine Boundy
Senior Teacher

Jill Chaplin Senior Teacher

Luisa Parashis
Middle Teacher

Aaron Juliff
Senior Teacher

Karla Conlon
Junior Teacher

Denise Ferguson
Prep Teacher

Mitch Waddell
Junior Teacher

Vanessa Carbis
PE Teacher
.png)
Lauren Koziol
Japanese Coach

Julia Allsopp
STEM Teacher

Nicole Lee
Music & Performing Arts Teacher

Samantha Flynn
Art Teacher

Elise Wiseman
Learning Support Officer

Jacki Goodall
Learning Support Officer

Lorraine Stocker
Learning
Support Officer

Annalisa Vallesi
Learning Support Officer

Debbie Beasley
Learning Support Officer

Shelby Morgan
Learning Support Officer
.png)
Jo Miller
Learning Support Officer

Chelsea Donohue
Learning Support Officer
.png)
.png)
Anna Manion
Learning Support Officer
Sarah de Cleene
Learning Support Officer

Learning Spaces
We are fortunate to have a wide variety of learning spaces at STM:
-
Bright, welcoming classrooms
-
Well resourced library
-
Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) space
-
Visual Art Room
-
Performing Arts Room
-
State of the art gym/indoor basketball court
-
Multipurpose Room (including canteen/kitchen)
-
Spacious oval featuring soccer goals, AFL goals, cricket pitch and picnic tables
-
Basketball courts
-
Two adventure playgrounds
-
Natural spaces for imaginative play
-
Enviro Trail and outdoor classroom
-
Kitchen Garden
Outside School Hours Care (Camp Autralia)
At St Thomas More Primary School, we are delighted to be able to offer our families an OSHC program that operates onsite from our Multipurpose Room. This program is run by Camp Australia and staffed by dedicated educators who deliver enriching experiences to our children Before School, After School and on Pupil Free Days.
At Your OSHC by Camp Australia, the experienced team of educators are dedicated to providing a safe, inclusive and engaging space for each child to relax, learn and grow. Every experience is tailored to the needs of the children and focused on developing their curiosity, imagination and resilience. At Camp Australia, children are at the heart of everything they do.
Follow the link below to read about Camp Australia’s program at St Thomas More’s Primary.

Snapshot of Our Day
























