Dear Parents and Carers,

This week we celebrated Catholic Schools Week—a time to honour the vibrant communities within our Catholic schools in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. This week highlights the dedication of staff, the growth of students, and the shared mission to nurture each child spiritually, intellectually, socially, and physically. Catholic education is about helping every student flourish and become the person God calls them to be, through learning that inspires both the heart and mind.

We have much to be proud of in our endeavours to provide our young people with a well-rounded education that meets their needs today and for their future. We are deeply grateful for our thriving community, where teachers, parents and parish come together in unparalleled levels of care providing safe, supportive and inclusive surroundings which nurture students’ wellbeing, confidence and hope for themselves.

In this Jubilee Year, we are blessed with opportunities to share the love of Jesus Christ and remind ourselves that growing in faith builds firm trust in God’s promises. It is our trust in God’s promises that fills us with hope—even in our darkest moments, God's faithfulness never fades.

We commenced Catholic Schools Week on Monday with a Liturgy in the Hall. A big thank you to all Mrs Miller, Teachers and students involved in preparing for this occasion. It was a chance for all to be thankful for the quality learning environment we have at St James’ and through our Diocese.

We pray a Catholic Schools Week Prayer together:

Loving God,

May the God of hope fill us with joy and peace

as together we guide and nurture the minds and hearts of the young.

May the God of hope grant us wisdom to live with truth, patience to lead with compassion, and faith to inspire with love.

May we always find strength in the mission to reflect Christ’s light in our days, and may our work bear lasting fruit in the lives of those we love and serve.

Amen.

I am pleased to share details about our upcoming Pupil Free Days, which provide valuable opportunities for professional development and reflection.

On Friday, our focus will be on Wellbeing, with a specially designed program led by the Grow Your Mind team. This day will offer staff insights and practical strategies for nurturing mental health, resilience, and emotional intelligence—essential components in creating a supportive and thriving learning environment.

On Tuesday, we shift our attention to reimagining Our School’s Mission and Vision Statement. This day will be dedicated to deepening our understanding of our core values and refining our shared purpose as a school community. Through collaborative discussions, we will explore ways to align our vision with the evolving needs of our students and educators, ensuring our mission remains inspiring and relevant.

These Pupil Free Days represent more than just time away from the regular school routine—they are opportunities to strengthen our collective commitment to education and growth. We look forward to these enriching experiences and the positive impact they will have on our school community.

Enjoy the extra long weekend!

Mrs Sonya Boslem
Principal

Pentecost Sunday

Pentecost Sunday signals the end of the Easter Season. The Easter candle is lit at all masses on this Sunday and is then placed near the Baptismal font. This day commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks. Pentecost means ”fiftieth”, the feast so named as it is 50 days after Easter Sunday.

This week’s Gospel is from John 20:19-23

“When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (NRSVU)

Thomas the doubter is the patron saint of so many of us. When it comes to the spiritual, we are so often sceptical. Jesus respected Thomas's doubts and guided his fingers to show that his wounds were real. Jesus speaks of peace but shows his hand and his feet: he reminds us that there is a cost to being a presence of peace in the world.

Term 2 Liturgies and Celebrations:

St James’ Primary School is committed to providing a positive, safe environment for all staff and students. There are occasions, however, when members of our school and wider community are concerned about something happening at the school that may appear to be unsatisfactory or unreasonable.

In the first instance, please contact the school to discuss any types of grievance resolution as the first point of contact to help with these matters.

Additionally, the Catholic Schools Office has formal written protocols in place to address complaints and grievances. These protocols are in line with the Diocesan Complaints Resolution Policy, developed to provide a consistent approach for all diocesan schools. The complaints policy aims to address the concerns of parents and carers and the wider community. These concerns may include children’s learning, behaviour and welfare, school organisation and management, student health and safety issues.

To lodge a complaint with the Catholic Schools Office please click here.

You can access the Catholic Schools Office Complaints and Resolutions Policy and resources here.

These links and resources are also available on our website under the Parent Information/Complaints Resolution tab.

We ask that parents and carers follow these guidelines and take the appropriate steps in resolving any issues.  All members of the St James’ community are asked to remember that using other channels such as social media to voice complaints and grievances is not the appropriate method when issues arise.

Canteen