8 November 2024

Our Mission @ SJM

St James’ Primary School community excel in education through living and learning in Christ.

Quote

'Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up'. Pope Francis reflecting on St Paul's epistle to the Galatians (6:9-10) 

Principal’s Message

It was wonderful to have our grandparents join us for Grandparents Day at school last Monday! Their presence made the day even more memorable, as we celebrated the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren. Grandparents are such an important part of our children's lives, offering love, guidance, and wisdom. Their involvement in our school community helps strengthen the connection between generations and reminds us of the value of family. Thank you to all the grandparents who participated and made this day truly special for our students!

School Dance Night Was a Hit!

Our School Dance Night was a fantastic success, bringing our school community together for an evening full of fun, music, and laughter! The students danced the night away, creating wonderful memories that will last for years to come.

While I was unable to attend, I heard nothing but great things about the event! A huge thank you to everyone who helped organise the dance, and to those who came out to support the school. Events like these are a great way to strengthen our school spirit and build connections within our community. We look forward to more fun events like this in the future!

Congratulations to Our Regional Debating Team!

A huge congratulations to Amelia, Charlie, Jaykob, and Stella for their outstanding performance at the recent Regional Debating Competition! The team competed against some tough opposition and showed incredible skill, teamwork, and dedication.

After several rounds of challenging debates, they clinched a well-deserved second place, a fantastic achievement that showcases their hard work and commitment to honing their debating skills.

We are incredibly proud of their efforts and the professionalism they demonstrated throughout the competition. Well done to all four debaters for representing our school with such distinction!

Keep up the great work—your achievements are an inspiration to us all!

Get Ready for the P&F Colour Run – Next Friday!

The countdown is on! We’re thrilled to announce that the P&F Colour Run is happening next Friday, and we can’t wait for everyone to join in on the fun! It’s set to be a day full of colour, energy, and excitement – a perfect way to bring our school community together. Whether you're running, walking, or cheering from the sidelines, it’s sure to be a memorable event for all.

This event is especially significant as it marks the last event organised by the P&F before we transition to our new FACE model – Family & Community Engagement. While the name is changing, our commitment to fostering a strong sense of community remains the same. We’re excited about the future and the continued opportunities for families to connect and get involved.

Important Reminder: Don’t forget to approve your child’s attendance on Compass to ensure they’re ready to take part in this colourful celebration!

Thank you to the P&F for their dedication in bringing this event to life, and thank you to all our families for your ongoing support. We look forward to seeing everyone at the Colour Run next Friday – let’s make it a day to remember!

A Big Thank You to the P&F for Their Final Purchases!

A huge thank you to our amazing P&F for their generous support in enhancing our school community with some fantastic new resources! As they wrap up their final year of events, the P&F has made some wonderful contributions that will benefit our students for years to come.

Thanks to their efforts, we now have:

• Netball Singlets for our teams, ensuring our students have the gear they need to compete in style.
• A Snow Cone Machine and Fairy Floss Machine, ready to bring sweet treats and fun to our events, including Mission Day.
• A new chilled bubbler, keeping our students refreshed and hydrated throughout the school day.
• Significant contributions to new playground equipment, helping create even more opportunities for outdoor play and physical activity.

These thoughtful purchases reflect the P&F’s commitment to supporting our school’s students, staff, and community. Your hard work and generosity are truly appreciated, and we know these additions will be enjoyed by all!

Thank you once again to the P&F for everything you’ve done over the years – your contributions have made a lasting impact, and we are so grateful for all your efforts.

Pupil Free Days for 2025 – Please Mark Your Calendars!

As we look ahead to 2025, we want to make sure you’re informed about the upcoming Pupil Free Days. These days are an important part of our school calendar, providing our staff with valuable professional development opportunities.

Please mark the following Pupil Free Days in your calendars for 2025:

• 7th March – Safeguarding
• 11th April – Assessment
• 2nd May – Spirituality
• 21st July – Reading

On these days, there will be no school for students, as our staff will be engaged in workshops, training, and collaborative activities to continue enhancing their skills and knowledge.

We encourage all families to plan accordingly. Thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to another fantastic year ahead!

Mr Aaron Moon

Assistant Principal

It was wonderful having so many Grandparents and parents here with us for our celebration of Grandparents Day. We love having you here with us. We have loved been able to share what is happening in our classrooms. If you have any questions regarding your child’s progress academically or socially, please contact your child’s classroom teacher first. Either by email or phone call to book an appointment.  Teachers are the ones that work with them every day and can support them in the classroom and playground.  

Attendance 

Don’t forget that we are back to using Compass to record absences for your child. We encourage you to log into your parent portal and log the reason for absence as soon as you can. You only have 7 days to explain their absence, and then it becomes unexplained.  

Semester 2 Reports 

The Semester 2 Reports for our students have been finalised by the Catholic Schools Office. These reports will be based on your child’s engagement in our learning during Semester 2. Stay tuned for details regarding dates these reports will be sent home. 

World Kindness Day 2024

World Kindness Day 2024 is a global observance dedicated to promoting and celebrating acts of kindness. This day serves as a reminder of the positive impact that kindness can have on individuals, communities, and the world at large. It encourages people to perform intentional acts of kindness and foster a culture of compassion and generosity.

What is World Kindness Day?

World Kindness Day is an annual event that encourages individuals to practice kindness in their daily lives. It highlights the importance of empathy, understanding, and cooperation to create a more harmonious and caring world.

When is World Kindness Day 2024?

World Kindness Day is observed on November 13th each year. In 2024, it falls on a Wednesday this year, providing an opportunity for people to celebrate during the middle of the week with acts of kindness and goodwill.

How to Participate in World Kindness Day 2024?

Participating in World Kindness Day is a simple yet impactful way to make a positive difference in the world. Here are ways to get involved:

• Perform Acts of Kindness: Throughout the day, consciously perform acts of kindness, such as helping a neighbour, complimenting a colleague, or donating to a charity.
• Spread Positivity: Share uplifting and positive messages on social media to inspire others to be kind and compassionate.
• Volunteer: Offer your time to volunteer for a local charity or nonprofit organization that aligns with your values.
• Donate: Make a donation to a charitable cause that you believe in, whether it’s for humanitarian aid, education, or healthcare.
• Teach Kindness: Educate children and young people about the importance of kindness and empathy through storytelling or classroom activities.
• Random Acts of Kindness: Surprise someone with a random act of kindness, such as buying a stranger’s coffee or leaving an encouraging note for a friend.

Ma you light continue to shine brightly for all to see

Mrs Jane Jacobs
Assistant Principal

Merit Awards

Class News

ES1

What a huge fortnight we have had! Starting with our trip to the zoo and concluding with the St James’ Dance Night, the children have been very busy. We had a wonderful day at Hunter Valley Zoo and the children’s behaviour was outstanding! There was so much to see and so many zookeeper talks to attend that we almost had to run to fit everything in. Mrs Smith and Mrs Threadgate are very grateful to our parent helpers for giving up their valuable time to accompany us on the day.  

We hope you enjoyed the dance night as much as we did! The children were so brave as they faced such a massive crowd. The time spent traipsing up to the hall each day, certainly paid off. The children knew all the moves and could even hear the changes in the music and knew what move came next. Although we think they got more enjoyment performing the Macarena with the rest of the school!

Mrs Donna Smith (KG) and Mrs Trishelle Threadgate (KM)

Stage 1

Dear Parent and Carers

A huge thank you to all our grandparents, families and friends who were able to share in our beautiful Grandparent’s Liturgy last week. The students were full of enthusiasm to share their classroom and work with their grandparents / families. The rooms were a buzz of excitement and it was fantastic to be able to share our student’s educational journey across the generations.  We know the students also valued the opportunity to take home their laminated portraits to share with grandparents or relatives who may not have been able to attend on the day.

We are sure you will agree our SJM Dance Concert last Wednesday evening was an amazing success. We would like to thank the organising committee, all staff, families-friends and of course the students for making the night such a memorable experience. It was wonderful to see students also getting an opportunity to learn and demonstrate a range of skills from the Creative Arts: Key Learning Area, focusing on dance.

A reminder our annual SJM Mission Day is this Friday November 8th.

Mr Moon has also posted an especially important upcoming events flyer to COMPASS, and we encourage you to please review to keep up to date.

Learning snapshots This Week : Science and Technology and Geography

Stage One students have been busy in their Science and Technology unit: Caring for Our Earth exploring the properties and importance of water.

It was fantastic to see the students using their senses to describe water and its uses around our school, homes or communities.

We are also examining the water story and its journey to our taps.

A wonderful feature of this unit has been the student’s keen observational skills, insightful contributions to class discussions and curiosity to pose thoughtful questions to expand their knowledge and understanding.

In our Geography Unit: People and Places Part 2: Stage One students have been exploring how and why people travel to different places.

With the aid of modern technology, it has been fantastic to travel and or view some of the wonders of our world and amazing places spanning many continents.

Students also examined how transport methods vary based on destinations, travelling over land, sea or various terrains.

This week we welcome Aunty Wanda into our Year 1 and 2 classrooms to look at how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have connections to places, including land, sea and animals.  

Reminders

As the weather warms up, we certainly appreciate your continued support in ensuring essential items such as school hats and drink bottles are brought to school every day.

Please check out SJM Mission Day Flyer. Activities will be between 12-2pm. Students can come out of uniform and will need coins to buy or participate across the range of activities.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s classroom teacher for any questions you may have regarding your child’s learning. Thank you for your ongoing communication and cooperation.

Kind Regards,

Mrs Baker & Mrs Ballard (1G), Mr Sabotic & Mrs Whithead (1M), Miss Cooper (2M), Miss Becus (2G)

Stage 2

This last fortnight has been jammed packed.

The Stage 2 excursion to Tamworth was a very enjoyable day out for all. It was great to see them interacting with the wildlife at the marsupial park and cheering each other on during ten-pin bowling. We are proud of all student behaviour on the day.

We want to thank our families who visited for Grandparents Day, the liturgy was beautiful, and the students loved spending time completing classroom activities with you.

A big congratulations to all students who participated in our dance performance on Wednesday night. We all can agree that it was a huge success, and everyone enjoyed the night. We would like to thank the students for their efforts over the weeks leading up to and on the night, the committee for putting it all together and of course the families who came to watch. It was wonderful to see the students show off their skills.

The next coming weeks will not be getting any less busy.

A few events coming up are:

Friday 8^th November – SJM Mission Day
Monday 11^th November – Remembrance Day
Friday 15^th November – SJM Colour Run

Year 4 have been really enjoying their English novel Blueback and creating collages in Visual Arts.

Year 3 have been working hard investigating forces and recording data. They love working with marbles and understanding how the distance a marble will go can differ depending on the surface it rolls upon.

Miss Maher (3M), Miss Fitzsimmons (3G), Miss Dafter (4G), Mrs Jane Jacobs & Mrs Mary Ballard (4M)

Stage 3

Last week we had our dance performances. Thank you to all who attended. The students performed very well, and the teachers are proud of them all.

Year 5 & 6 have just returned from their 3 day excursion to The Great Aussie Bush Camp. The students got the chance to experience a range of activities from canoeing, raft building, high ropes, duel flying fox, giant swing and many more exciting things. We would like to thank the parents who accompanied us on the excursion for all their help.

Mrs Gehrig & Mrs Somerville (5G), Miss Brimble (5M), Mr Sweeney & Miss Lamont (6G), Mrs McLennan (6M)

What’s on in the Library

Thanks to the very generous sponsorship from Bengalla Mining Company, we had a wonderful visit from Sami Bayly, a talented natural history illustrator/author.  Sami was just amazing. She shared parts of her books, the techniques and ideas she uses for illustrating and writing, and her love of weird and wonderful creatures. Sami finds the beauty and importance of all animals, regardless of their appearance, and loves to research and draw these animals in her beautifully presented books. 

Sami’s presentation was extremely beneficial, for the development of students’ artistic skills, and to encourage students to read her books. It also fosters a love of reading and the development of students’ literacy skills. Throughout her workshops, Sami taught the students how to draw her creatures. The whole experience fostered the childrens’ curiosity and the wonders of the animal world. It was such a valuable learning experience.

It’s wonderful to be able to provide this opportunity for the schools, particularly in rural areas, where students don’t always have access to such worthwhile experiences.

We’re so grateful to Bengalla and can’t thank them enough for their very generous sponsorship.

Scholastic Book fair

Thank you to the families and grandparents who supported our annual Scholastic Book Fair. It was our most successful Book Fair to date. Funds raised will help purchase new resources for our school. Here are some resources purchased already.

Thanks to Ebony Stewart’s grandmother and Cassie Green (grandmother of Annalee Mills) for their very generous donation to our collection. It is greatly appreciated!

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Please feel free to contact the library if any problems/concerns arise.
lisa.wilson@mn.catholic.edu.au or 65433094

Happy Reading!

Lisa Wilson                 
Teacher Librarian

Nadene Douglas
Library Assistant

Community Notices

St. James’ P & F Association

P&F Committee Contacts