Lord Jesus Christ,

you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father, and have told us that whoever sees you sees Him.

Show us your face and we will be saved.

Your loving gaze freed Zacchaeus and Matthew from being enslaved by money; the adulteress and Magdalene from seeking happiness only in created things; made Peter weep after his betrayal,

and assured Paradise to the repentant thief. Let us hear, as if addressed to each one of us,

the words that you spoke to the Samaritan woman:

“If you knew the gift of God!”

You are the visible face of the invisible Father,

of the God who manifests his power above all by forgiveness and mercy: let the Church be your visible face in the world, its Lord risen and glorified.

You willed that your ministers would also be clothed in weakness

in order that they may feel compassion for those in ignorance and error:

let everyone who approaches them feel sought after, loved, and forgiven by God.

Send your Spirit and consecrate every one of us with His anointing, so that the Jubilee of Mercy may be a year of grace from the Lord,

and your Church, with renewed enthusiasm, may bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives and the oppressed,

and restore sight to the blind.

We ask this of you, Lord Jesus, through the intercession of Mary, Mother of Mercy; you who live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever.

Amen.

Pope Francis 2024 - © Copyright Pontifical Council for the Promotion of New Evangelization, Vatican State. All rights reserved

This week’s Gospel comes from Luke 6:27-38.

“But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who asks of you, and if anyone takes away what is yours, do not ask for it back again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive payment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. Instead, love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap, for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

Jesus seems to expect more from us than the ‘do unto others what you want them to do to you’ attitude. He asks for generosity and charity as well as justice. The central quality of the Christian stance to others is mercy which covers over faults and fallings, not denying them, but always offering another chance to others. Tough words from Jesus! There is an invitation to move on from hurt and bitterness. There are many other times when Jesus talks in his stories about development and growth. But by bit our heart can be turned towards kind and understanding thoughts and even feelings towards the enemy. One step towards the freedom from bitterness is to pray for people who have done us wrong, wittingly or unwittingly.

Term 1 Liturgies and Celebrations:

Friday Parish Mass Please note there has been a change to the date for Year 1 and 2 to attend the Parish Mass as the original date will be a Healing Mass for the parishioners.

2025 Diocesan Launch of the Jubilee Year

 Sunday 2 March

This year has been designated as a jubilee Year by Pope Francis as a time to renew ourselves as “Pilgrims of Hope”.

“We must fan the flame of hope that has been given to us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision.”​

Pope Francis, For the Jubilee, 2024

You are invited to celebrate the Jubilee Year with a Diocesan pilgrimage from Nobby’s Beach (8:00am) to Sacred Heart Cathedral, culminating in Mass (10:00am) and a Festival (11:00am) in the Cathedral precinct grounds. The festival will feature an official Launch of Project Compassion 2025. All corners of the Diocese are encouraged to have representation and involvement as we mark Pope Francis’ theme -Pilgrims of Hope. Attached is an outline of some planned events for the jubilee year.

St James will be forming a group of interested families to walk the 4km from Nobby’ beach to the Cathedral.  We will meet at Foreshore Park (see map attached) ready to begin at 7:45am if you are able to join us, please RSVP to my email:

patriciae.miller@mn.catholic.edu.au​

2025_Jubilee_Key_dates_poster_P.pdf

2025_Jubilee_Key_dates_poster_P _pdf 666.64 KB

Sacramental Program 2025

The Sacramental Program for All Saints Parish will begin with the Enrolment Mass on March 1^st at 5:30pm at St Philips. The Sacramental Program is for children in Year 4 or above who have been baptised in the Catholic Church and wish to complete their initiation into the Church. Below is the program outline for 2025 with all the dates and times. Enrolment forms for those who wish to participate in the sacramental program this year need to be complete and returned to Mrs Miller before the enrolment Mass. (Copies below)

Mrs Patricia Miller
Religious Coordinator

Last Thursday 13th February was National Apology Day. On this day in 2008, Kevin Rudd (then Prime Minister) made a formal apology to First Nations people and the Stolen Generations.

The Stolen Generations refers to the First Nations children and young people who were removed from their families by Australian federal and state government agencies and church missions between 1910 and 1970. This was the policy of assimilation.‍

We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians. We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country – Kevin Rudd

In the classrooms we acknowledged this by listening to the song 'Took the Children Away' by Archie Roach and listening to the National Apology to the Stolen Generations from Kevin Rudd.

The focus of our PB4L lessons will be on being respectful, responsible and resilient in all places, at all times. Each week we will look at what positive behaviour looks like in areas across the school. In Weeks 4 & 5 we will look at respectful, responsible and resilient behaviour on afternoon dismissal line and on the bus. We will continue to use the language of our matrix above, while outlining what this looks like in each area. We would encourage you to also use this language at home.

Kiaras 

Last year we reviewed the use of Kiara stickers and the acknowledgement of positive milestones at St James. As a school we are committed to reinforcing positive behaviour within our school under our PB4L matrix. Positive reinforcement acknowledges and rewards students’ efforts and achievements, leading to a supportive learning environment that encourages continuous improvement and active participation.

In PB4L, positive reinforcement can take various forms, such as a thumbs up, verbal praise, or tangible rewards. Earlier in the term all classes were introduced to the Kiara Milestone Rewards that we will be using this year.  All staff are focusing on recognising positive behaviour and tracking this through our PB4L app. Students are instantly recognised for displaying positive behaviour. These milestones will reset each year. Many students have already shared this with their parents as they are beginning to accumulate Kiaras and reaching the early milestone of 10 Kiaras.

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L)

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PB4L) is an evidence-based framework that aims to improve student behaviour and academic outcomes by promoting positive behaviour and creating a supportive school environment. The key principles of PB4L include:

1. Clear Expectations: Establishing clear, consistent behaviour expectations for all students.
2. Teaching and Reinforcing: Explicitly teaching and reinforcing positive behaviours.
3. Data-Driven Decision Making: Using data to monitor progress and guide decision-making.
4. Collaborative Approach: Involving the whole school community in promoting positive behaviour.

Through PB4L, we focus on recognizing and rewarding positive behaviour, which helps to create a positive and inclusive school culture. This approach not only reduces disruptive behaviour but also enhances students' social-emotional skills and academic performance.

Mixed Peer Groups for Instruction

In addition to PB4L, commencing Week 6 we will implement the use of mixed peer groups for instruction across grades K-6. Mixed peer groups involve grouping students of different ages and stage groups together for certain instructional activities. This approach offers several benefits:

1. Peer Learning: Our Year 6 students will mentor and support younger peers, fostering a collaborative learning environment.
2. Diverse Perspectives: Students are exposed to diverse perspectives and experiences, enhancing their understanding and critical thinking skills.
3. Social Development: Mixed peer groups promote social development by encouraging positive interactions and relationships among students of different ages.
4. Differentiated Instruction: Instruction can be tailored to meet the diverse needs of students, providing opportunities for individualised learning and growth.

By combining PB4L learning in mixed peer groups, we aim to create a holistic and supportive learning environment that promotes positive behaviour and academic excellence. We believe that these initiatives will help our students develop the skills and attitudes necessary for success in school and beyond.

If you have any questions or would like more information about our PB4L initiative and mixed peer groups, please feel free to contact Mrs Miller or Mrs Boslem.

Last Monday, 40 children from St James participated in the Regional Swimming Carnival at Wallsend Pool. The competition was fierce, the heat was intense, and thankfully, the storms held off for most of the day. It was truly inspiring to witness the children compete with such bravery, determination, and exemplary sportsmanship. We are incredibly proud of each and every one of you.

A special congratulations to the following nine children who have qualified for the next round: the Diocesan Swimming Carnival, which will be held at the Forum Aquatics Centre on February 26th. 

There was great excitement when out Junior Girls’ took out first place in the team relay!

Polding Basketball

Last week, Wil M travelled to Tamworth to compete at the Polding Basketball Trials. He was successful in making it to the possibles and probables, however he unfortunately missed out on the team. Well done for your efforts Wil! A huge achievement!

Regional Sport Trials

Over the past two weeks, we have held our school soccer and netball trials, with over 30 students participating. Congratulations to Darcy, Lincoln, Jack, Rafael, Wil M, Anna, and Claire on their selection to represent at regional level, as well as Zoe, Amity, Ava, Maisie, and Evie L for their selection to attend the regional netball trials. 

A special congratulations to Anna (soccer), Zoe, Evie and Maisie who were selected in the regional teams and will attend Dio Trials in late March. We look forward to hearing about your experiences! 

This week, we kicked off our school gymnastics program, and students have had a fantastic time practicing new skills and movements. We look forward to building on these skills in the weeks ahead!

Mrs Tegan Fry & Miss Renee Pettet
Sports Organisers

Welcome back to everyone for the 2025 School Year.

It has taken a little bit of time to settle into the new year as we persevere without a Library space. This situation will continue to provide challenges in the short term but we are confident in our plans to deliver worthwhile outcomes for our students.

Library borrowing has now recommenced and will be done weekly.

Please note that Primary classes (Year 3 - Year 6) will do their Library borrowing on Mondays. Infant’s classes will do their borrowing on Thursday's (Kindergarten to Year 2).

Students can borrow books for a two-week period and must have a designated Library Bag to borrow. Students who retain books for longer than the two-week period will not be allowed to borrow until the books are returned.

Please note; Books that are lost or damaged will need to be replaced or paid for.

The 2025 Premiers Reading Challenge will commence soon.

Key dates for students in K- 6 at St James;

The Challenge opens next Monday 24th February 2025. 

The Challenge closes for student entries Friday 22 August 2025.

2024 was a great year for St James' Primary School Kotara South as we smashed our participation numbers and received a fantastic 147 Completion certificates for our students. This included a number of Gold and Platinum certificates for completing consecutive challenges over 4 and 6 years. This was double the record breaking effort of 78 achieved in 2023.

We look forward to exceeding the 2024 record in 2025.

An initiative that commenced in 2024 with Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 will assist with our students continuing to complete the certificate requirements and then qualifying for the gold and platinum certificates.

As Teacher Librarian, Mr Coleman has undertaken to read 15 of the required 30 Premiers Reading Challenge Books to his students in Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2. The list of the books read will be sent home to parents so that they can be added to the PRC completed book list provided to each student. Parents of these students need to read the additional 15 books to their children and add them to the book list to qualify their child for the participation certificate.

This joint effort will result in every student qualifying for a Premiers Reading Challenge Certificate over the first three years of their schooling here at St James.

Students will then need to complete the reading challenge in Year 3 to qualify for a Gold Premiers Reading Challenge Certificate. Two more years of completing the Premiers Reading Challenge Certificate will result in the awarding of the Platinum Premiers Reading Challenge.

We are particularly keen for our new families in Kindergarten and the wider school to embrace this fantastic opportunity to assist in developing their children’s literacy skills.

Throughout the year we will once again have a number of Library based events like Book week, The Book Fair and the National Simultaneous Storytime. We look forward to your active support with these endeavor’s.

Looking forward to another great year.

The St James Library Team,

Mr Coleman

Mrs Churches

Mrs Farley

Seesaw

Our Kindergarten - Year 3 classes will soon be using Seesaw as a way of documenting and sharing student learning with their families. A QR Code invitation to your child's individual Seesaw profile will be sent home shortly. The paper invitation will include the instructions for using the Seesaw app. This is a wonderful way for students and teachers to share and celebrate the fabulous learning happening in our classrooms.

Home Readers Online

We now have access to Decodable Readers Australia’s online library, for use in our classrooms and for our students at home. This is an exciting addition to our toolkit of resources! Teachers in our Kindergarten - Year 2 classrooms will be using the online library in a variety of ways to help our students learn, practice and master necessary skills of reading. Students in these classes will soon also have access to the platform for home reading. More information will be provided to our infants' families in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Mrs Kelly Menser
Pedagogical Mentor

St James’ will celebrate Harmony Day on March 28th. This special day promotes inclusiveness, respect, and a sense of belonging for all Australians, embracing diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds while uniting us through shared Australian values. Our celebrations will involve: 

• Each student and staff member will receive an orange ribbon bow to wear on the day.

• Classroom activities.

• Harmony Liturgy during Assembly 2:00pm.

Mrs Clare Miller

EALD Teacher

Coming up later this term on the 31st March there is a Pupil Free Day scheduled to work with Rob Vingerhoets School Improvement Focus in Mathematics. This day will be the culmination of three productive years connected with Rob in improving Mathematics practices and assessment across the school.

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we settle back into the routine of school for 2025 a gentle reminder to all parents regarding Morning Drop Off and Afternoon Pick Up routines. Grayson Ave, Vista Pde and Princeton Ave are all very busy streets and I thank you all for understanding and patience as we continue with construction works. 

• Parents using the Kiss and Drop Zone are to go to the end of Princeton, turn and come back down to the area. Please do not U-turn on the crest. 
• If crossing Vista Parade, please use the Crossing in front of the Hall. 
• Parents are asked to not drive into the private road of the units on Vista parade to drop off in the morning. 
• Parents dropping off and walking children into school, please park away from intersections, hold your child's hand, check for cars and cross the road in a safe area. This may mean that parents park several blocks away and walk to the entrance. 
• Please abide by the road rules and not park within 10m of an intersection. Parking too close to the intersection obstructs vision and buses are unable to turn into side streets. 
• Do not park/ or drop off  in No Stopping Zones.  
• If collecting from Parent pick up in the afternoon, please ensure that your child/ren stay with you at all times especially on the curb side of the road. 
• Students walking towards Nesbitt Park have been reminded that they are not to walk along side of the drain. Parents are encouraged to meet children on Vista and walk around to Grayson Ave to Nesbitt Park.

We are all committed to keeping our children safe. Rangers and NSW Police also patrol the area on a frequent basis, so I encourage all families to please take extra care on the roads around the the school. Please take extra care to not park across driveways.

Mrs Sonya Boslem 
Principal

In exciting news, we are thrilled to share that two of our staff members are expecting babies later in the year. Congratulations Mrs Ireson (KW) and Mrs Rowlings (5B) as they prepare to welcome their little ones into the world.

There has been Food Safety Changes for all school canteens. If you are a volunteer in the school canteen the below online course needs to be completed, can you please follow the below link to ensure compliance of the new NSW Government Food Authority Standard 3.2.2A. Once this has been completed, can you please email your certificate through to admin@kotarasouth.catholic.edu.au 

https://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/training/food-handler-basics-training 

Volunteers

Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers, we really appreciate your time. If you would like to volunteer and haven't registered, please click on the link below and submit your forms. Once you have clearance the CSO will contact us to advise you have been cleared to volunteer. 

 https://www.mn.catholic.org.au/people/volunteer/

Playgroup

Thank you to our parents for the support and value that you place on your child being at school each day. Regular school attendance plays a critical role in ensuring that every student has access to the same learning opportunities. When students are not at school, are late to school or leave school early, they are missing out on so much that can impact on their future learning.

The following Attendance Guidelines are based on current legislative requirements, research on attendance and best practice.

✔ Attendance affects a child’s academic achievement and their overall wellbeing.

✔ There is NO safe threshold of absence – everyday counts.

✔ School attendance patterns are established early in a child’s schooling

 ✔ The effects of school absenteeism accumulate over time and affect children’s development now and into the future.

✔ Daily punctuality is important. The early part of each day is critical. Important learning is scheduled during this time when children are rested and receptive. Key concepts are built up in the time.

✔ Sporadic absences can affect academic achievement as much as absences over consecutive days.

✔ We ALL need to work together with our children’s best interest in mind to ensure that students are at school every day that they are well enough to attend.

Compass Unexplained Absences

Unexplained absences are required to be explained within 7 days of the absence on Compass. A weekly email will be sent to parents to alert of any unexplained absences that can be updated on Compass. Please note that if the absence is longer than 7 days, the absence is then unable to be explained by parents or school.