Dear Parents and Carers,

Last week, we celebrated the contribution that Catholic schools make to the lives of students and families around Australia. Catholic schools educate over 805,000 students (one in five Australian students) and employ over 109,000 staff. For over 200 years, Catholic schools in Australia have provided a choice to Australian families for the education of their children, that reflects their own beliefs and values.

Our Diocesan theme for Catholic Schools Week this year is “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19). In this story from the Gospel of Mathew, Jesus invites Simon, Peter and Andrew to place their trust and confidence in Him and to follow Him on a journey as His disciples (followers or students). For disciples, to ‘follow-me’ meant that they became like an apprentice to Jesus, to learn His ways, to love like He does, and to serve the poor and outsider like He does. To ‘be’ Good news to all the earth!

This invitation continues to this day as Catholic schools help fulfill the mission given by Jesus, to “Follow me!” Working alongside our parishes and other agencies to love and serve those in our communities. This attitude of service and caring for the whole person, flavours our Catholic schools’ approach to everything!

From striving for excellence in learning, to dedicated pastoral care and wellbeing, to faith formation opportunities for every child, we work hard to help each child to flourish in life.

Thank you for trusting our Catholic school with the care and education of your child. Much appreciation to all parents and family members who attended our Family Mass on the Saturday night. All the children participated with reverence. Thank you to all for representing our school so well. On Monday we had a wonderful Liturgy and successful open classrooms. Once again the children were excellent and the family members enjoyed seeing the learning occurring in the classrooms.

Staff Professional Learning

This year our school improvement focus for learning is focused on Mathematics. As a school we are working towards improving teaching strategies and increasing student motivation and engagement in this Key Learning Area.

We welcomed Rob Vingerhoets back to our school yesterday to work with the staff and students. Rob Vingerhoets is an author, presenter, experienced teacher and leader and renowned Mathematics consultant. His vision is to make mathematics accessible, engaging, and enjoyable for all students. Rob emphasizes a more dynamic, hands-on approach, where students are encouraged to explore, question, and connect mathematical concepts to real-life situations.

During Rob’s time at St James’ he worked in the classrooms facilitating demonstration lessons for our students. The staff observed and reflected on lessons, with the aim to adopt strategies into their own teaching routines. Teachers continued with an afternoon Professional Learning session lead by Rob.

Tell Them From Me Survey (TTFM)

Last Monday all families were sent a link to the TTFM survey. The survey is now open until 14th June. The feedback the school gains from this survey help for future planning and whole school improvement. If you can not access the Compass notification, please use the QR code to complete this survey.

Mrs Sonya Boslem
Principal

Sunday’s gospel is from  Matthew 28:16-20

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but they doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit ⁰and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This week we return to the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. This Sunday, on the first Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. This feast invites us to consider what we believe about God, who has revealed himself to us in the Trinity, one God in three Persons. Jesus commissions his disciples to baptise in the name of the Trinity; this is one of the clearest declarations for Baptism in the name of the Holy Trinity found in Scripture As we read this Gospel on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, we are reminded that this central mystery of faith is meant to be lived. As baptised Christians, we share in the life of the blessed Trinity and seek to invite others to share in God’s love. We pray:

Glory Be to the Father (Doxology)

Glory be to the Father,

and to the Son,

and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning,

is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen. 

Family/Parish Mass- Thankyou to all the families who attended the Saturday Mass last weekend and a special thankyou to the children who conducted the ministries: Layla, Darcey, Lily, Kiara, Ellity, Louis and Darcy . It was a wonderful celebration of our faith.

  

Friday Parish Mass – 9:15am at St Philip’s

Week 5: 31^st May - Year 4

Week 6: 7^th June - Year 3

We would love to have you join them if you are able.

 

Religious Education

What’s happening in Kindergarten?

This term Kindergarten are leaning about Knowing God the Son.

This module leads to an encounter with God through the person of Jesus Christ. Students will learn that Jesus is the Son of God who leads us to the Father. Students begin to explore the person of Jesus, as revealed in scripture texts. They listen and respond to stories about Jesus that are found in the Gospels. The students are introduced to Jesus as the one who loves us, who seeks out the lost and who humbly serves others. They will develop an awareness of God’s plan of love and care for others through the teachings and actions of Jesus.

 

What do I know about Jesus?  

What’s Happening in Year 1?

This term Year 1 are learning about Belonging to God’s Family

This module focuses on the concept of belonging to God’s family. Students will learn that being in the family of God means to be accepted for who we are: loved, cherished, celebrated, and fully forgiven. They will also wonder about and explore their place in God’s family. Students investigate ways that Jesus was part of his family and community. Students listen to some of the stories about Jesus' family naming the key people in Jesus' life.  They will also consider how the Church is like a family and how the parish is a special part of this family.

Where did Jesus live?

Comparing Jesus’ family and my family.

Patricia Miller
Religious Coordinator

Mrs Debra Petersen
 Assistant Principal

We have now transitioned to Winter Uniform. Please see uniform requirements below. Please note that boys can wear either shorts or long pants. Shirts can be either long or short sleeve.

National Sorry Day: 26^th May

On Sunday, and every year on 26^th May, National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as ‘The Stolen Generations’. National Sorry Day is a day to acknowledge the strength of Stolen Generations Survivors and reflect on how we can all play a part in the healing process for our people and nation. We cannot begin to fix the problems of the present without accepting the truth of our history. Sorry Day asks us to acknowledge the Stolen Generations, and in doing so, reminds us that historical injustice is still an ongoing source of intergenerational trauma for Aboriginal and Torres Islander families, communities, and peoples.

National Reconciliation Week: 27^th May - 3^rd June

National Reconciliation Week (27^th May to 3^rd June) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.

The National Reconciliation Week theme for 2024, Now More Than Ever, is a reminder to all of us that no matter what, the fight for justice and the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will —and must —continue. Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We all have a role to play when it comes to reconciliation, and in playing our part we collectively build relationships and communities that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, histories, cultures, and futures.

We will be commemorating Reconciliation Week today, Tuesday 28^th May at 2pm with a liturgy, followed by our weekly assembly. Classes will also read Indigenous stories and complete a variety of activities in class during the week.

Katie Frost
Aboriginal and Torres Strair Islander Teacher

Spelling Bee

This term, our diocese is holding a spelling bee competition for all primary schools. As a result, St James will be participating in class quizzes, mock spelling bee activities to nominate 2 students per class to compete in stage finals. Class teacher will also use classroom assessment to inform and guide their nominations. These stage finals will be held at St James on Tuesday 11th June (day after the long weekend). Parents of those students will be invited next week and given an opportunity to attend.  

A special note our kindergarten: we will still hold a spelling bee for our Kinder classes however this is for the purpose of highlighting and celebrating the talents of our early readers in these classes. Our kinder students are learning to spell phonetically and in the very early stages of beginning to read. To be nominated and participate in a spelling bee final is an achievement and an opportunity to showcase this skill to their peers, and a taste of what it is like in the years to come. There is no diocesan competition for Early Stage 1.

Robotics update

Our robotics team are certainly impressing us with their skills and talents for building and coding. Each student has now built their base robots using Lego Spike Prime kits and been able to successfully code these to move and navigate obstacles. Both Mrs. Griffiths and I have been taken back by the group’s skill level and ability to problem solve; particularly using all the different sensors such as colour, push and distance to equip their robot with the necessary features to navigate the game board.

We are now on to building attachments so our teams can use their robots to collect and capture objects; an important skill needed for our competition later in the year. Both our teams have will compete in the First Lego League Competition at Newcastle University (Ourimbah Campus) on the 11th November.

A huge thank you to the Dowling family for building our robotics table. This is invaluable for the group and something our school will use in the years to come. We can now practice our runs using correct dimensions and materials. A great contribution to our school!

Dio Touch Trials

On Wednesday, Evie L (Year 6) travelled to Singleton to trial for the Diocesan Touch Football team. Congratulations to Evie for getting to this level and representing our school.

Cross Country

Last week a team of 22 students travelled to Maitland Park to compete at the Diocesan Cross Country. This is a tough event and it was so wonderful to see all children give it their best and cheer their fellow peers on.

We have 3 students that made it through to the next round. 

10 boys- Wil M (1st), 11 girls- Evie L (6^th), 12 girls- Evie M (5th)

The NSWCPS Cross Country will be held on June 5 at Sydney Equestrian Centre. Good luck to you all!

St James’ Athletics Carnival

Our Athletics Carnival was a wonderful day. Sunshine, smiles, fun, community spirit and so many wonderful displays of good sportsmanship.

Congratulations to the children below that have qualified for Regionals. Information and permission request was sent through Compass on Wednesday.

800m Run

200m Sprint

100m Sprint

Relay Team

1500m

Shot Put

Long Jump

High Jump

Mrs Tegan Fry and Miss Renee Pettet
Sports Organisers

This term, we have invited World of Maths- a travelling, interactive Maths Workshop- to visit St. James'.

World of Maths offers opportunities for students to see how Maths is applied to everyday life situations and explore in a hands-on environment. Students are encouraged to work together in small teams, apply a range of problem-solving skills, and communicate their mathematical thinking with their peers.

World of Maths will visit us in Week 6, Monday 3^rd June (K - 3) and Tuesday 4^th June (4 - 6). 

The sessions are highly engaging and will show our students that Maths is all around us, and that Maths is fun! 

Kelly Menser
Pedagogical Mentor

This term our students embarked on a journey of strategy, camaraderie, and intellectual growth in the realm of the Chess Club. The club has seen novices and seasoned players come together, guided by an expert from Sydney Chess academy. As they hone their skills, each move fostering critical thinking, patience, and resilience.

The students are already learning some great strategies. Yesterday they explored some moves to achieve checkmate.

Chess champs Ryan and Connor. Special mention to Callum who won a game! Well done.

Cate Larke
Organising Teacher

It is important to prioritise advising the school of an absence for your child. There are two categories outlined below, the most common being the first. The information below applies to general routines for absence.

Full Day Absences—Less than 10 days
How to inform the school:  Please advise your child’s absence before 8:50 am by one of the following methods: 

1. Use the COMPASS app under your child’s own profile to complete an absence notification. This is the preferred method as your information updates the student management system automatically and the teacher is informed through that same system.
2. Should you be unable to use the preferred COMPASS app, please phone the school and the administration staff will complete it on your behalf. Please do not email the teacher of the absence as they are likely to be teaching and not receive the email until after school, when the day has already passed. 
3. If the school does not receive a notification of absence, it will be marked as unexplained after the day has passed. In this case, a phone call or email to admin providing the explanation will allow us to make the adjustment on COMPASS. 
4. If no explanation of your child’s absence is received after 7 days, it is archived as an Unexplained Absence.  

Longer Absences (over 10 days)

The basic premise regarding school attendance is that “It’s not ok to be away.”  However, if you intend to take leave from school for more than 10 days, parents are to required to complete an Application for Extended Leave on Compass.  These days of leave will still appear as absences in school documentation and reports. They will be recorded as per your explanation, for example, family holiday, business, or bereavement but they will still count as absences. Any extended absence requires a commitment from parents to support the student’s education while absent from school, particularly in English and Maths.

Partial Absences (Arrive Late or Leave Early)

If you arrive after 8:50am or leave before 2:45pm you must attend the school office to electronically sign your child in or out. This is a requirement by law. It is important to stress that only an adult can complete this process as it a legal document. We understand that if you are running late, it is tempting to drop children at the gate BUT we are required to have an adult sign them in. 

Similarly, if you are signing your child out early for the day, please go to the office and we will contact the classroom and your child will come to you.

As we work together in the best interest of the student wellbeing built on the social emotional and educational needs of all community members, we are reminded of our Community Code of Conduct. This was agreed to as part of the enrolment process. All members of the school community are bound by this Code of Conduct. A copy is attached below and available on request.

There has been Food Safety Changes for all school canteens. If you are a volunteer in the school canteen, can you please follow the below link to ensure compliance of the new NSW Government Food Authority Standard 3.2.2A.

https://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/retail/school-canteens

Playgroup