I’m also pleased to share that, in consultation with our onsite contractors, we will be able to host our annual Grandparents and Family Day on Friday, 19th September. Welcoming so many visitors during a building project requires careful planning, and we are committed to ensuring the day runs smoothly. The celebration will include a Liturgy, Concert, Open Classrooms, and a BBQ Lunch. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated staff for their commitment to making this event a success. More information to come.

20^th Sunday Ordinary Time

This week’s Gospel is from Matthew 2: 13-22

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you lock people out of the kingdom of heaven. For you do not go in yourselves, and when others are going in you stop them.^, Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cross sea and land to make a single convert, and you make the new convert twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

“Woe to you, blind guides who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gift that is on the altar is bound by the oath.’How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it, and whoever swears by the sanctuary swears by it and by the one who dwells in it, and whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by the one who is seated upon it.”                   NRSV

Jesus keeps the strongest language to condemn those who confuse the externals of religion with what might be at its heart. Let God lead you in your time of prayer, be prepared to let go even of habits, rituals and externals – all so that you may better hear the voice of God.

 

Sacramental Retreat  

Today the students who will receive the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist in the coming weeks met together at the Parish for a retreat day. We reflected on readings of Pentecost and took part in art activities which will be displayed in the church for  the ceremonies. We all enjoyed a sausage sizzle cooked by Father Joseph and the parishioners.

Please pray for all the children who will be receiving their sacraments over the coming weeks.

Mrs Patricia Miller
Religious Coordinator 

Grow Your Mind (GYM)

To continue our GYM program in our PDH lessons the school has purchased the book “How to Be a Fantastic Sensational Good Enough Kid” for each grade. Below is a description of the book.

A non-painful guide about how to be brave and resilient, for ages 8-12 (though we think the messaging is relevant whether you are 8 or 88). Each chapter explores a wellbeing topic or emotional dilemma with humour, stories and brain facts.  This is the only guidebook you will ever need to embrace imperfections, celebrate kindness and go forth into the world ready to be a proud good-enough kid on the lookout for glimmers and actively seeking awe. Written by Alice Peel, primary school teacher & co-founder of Grow Your Mind. The ground-breaking wellbeing program that helps children develop resilience and stay mentally fit.

 

I know some families have been shown this book by teachers and have already purchased it to help their child at home too. If you would like to do so or you are interested in other wellbeing resources please visit https://growyourmind.life/for-families/ .

ICAS

ICAS is well under way with Digital Technologies, Writing and English all being completed this week and last. By all accounts the students have enjoyed the challenge and doing something a little different.

Curriculum Focus Day – Celebrating Excellence in Teaching

This Monday, Ms Pittman and I will be joining colleagues from across the Central region for a Curriculum Focus Day. The day will spotlight the outstanding work happening in Creative Arts and Mathematics across our schools. It’s a valuable opportunity to deepen our understanding of the curriculum and strengthen the connection between teaching programs, assessment, and planning. We’re proud to represent St James and share the great work our staff and students are doing in these key learning areas.

Calling All Christmas Disco Helpers!

We’re excited to start planning our much-loved St James Primary Christmas Disco, happening in Term 4 on Thursday, 27th November! To make this event a success, we need your help.

We’re inviting interested parents and carers to join us for a ‘Disco Committee’ meeting on Thursday, 11th September at 2:00pm at school to discuss all things disco — from decorations to music and everything in between.

If you’re unable to attend the meeting but would still love to lend a hand on the night of the disco, please email Mrs Petersen to let us know. All volunteers will need to have a current clearance through the CSO.

✨ Many hands make light work, and our students absolutely love the opportunity to celebrate with a disco! We need a Disco Committee to ensure our school Disco is a huge success!! Please help out if you can!

Enjoy the weekend and family time.

Mrs Debra Petersen
Assistant Principal

NSWPSSA Union Championships 

I represented Polding in the NSWPSSA Rugby Union Trials on the 6th and 7th of August. Our team played three games during the tournament and narrowly lost to Sydney West by one try in the semi-final. We were set to play Hunter for 3rd and 4th place, but the final day was cancelled due to rain. This meant Polding tied for 3rd place with Hunter, while Sydney West and Sydney North shared 1st place. 

From the tournament, 25 players were selected for the state team, including three from Polding. Unfortunately, I was not selected, but the players who made the team were very deserving. 

Ace H 

Diocesan Athletics Carnival 

Last Wednesday, 14 children from St James competed at the Diocesan Athletics Carnival at Glendale. Well done to all our athletes for trying their very best and showing true sportsmanship.  

A special congratulations to Zoe D and Maisie E who are through to the next round. Polding will be held at Hunter Sports Centre on Friday the 12th of September. A brilliant effort from our St James children! 

NSWPSSA Netball Championships 

This week, Maisie E attended the NSWPSSA Netball Championships in Coffs Harbour. Despite losing players to injuries, the girls fought hard and achieved an impressive 5th place overall out of 14 teams. Well done Maisie! 

Meal Preparation with Children

There are many benefits to getting children involved in meal preparation. It provides opportunities for learning about math, science, and language in a hands-on, engaging way. Additionally, they can help with setting the table and cleaning up afterwards.

1. Enhances Motor Skills:

· Activities like stirring, pouring, and kneading help children develop hand-eye coordination and build strength in their hands and arms.

· Simple tasks like cracking eggs or using a spoon to scoop ingredients improve fine motor skills and dexterity.

2. Promotes Sensory Integration:

· Cooking engages multiple senses as children touch different textures (flour, dough, etc.), smell various aromas (spices, herbs), and taste new flavours.

· This sensory exploration can expand a child's vocabulary and understanding of the world around them.

3. Boosts Cognitive Development:

· Following recipes and instructions improves reading comprehension and sequencing skills.

· Measuring ingredients and counting portions introduces basic math concepts.

· Cooking provides a real-world context for learning about science, such as how ingredients change when heated.

4. Fosters Social Skills:

· Cooking together encourages teamwork, cooperation, and communication as children work towards a shared goal.

· It can be a great way for siblings or friends to bond and learn to rely on each other.

5. Encourages a Healthy Relationship with Food:

· Involving children in the cooking process can spark their interest in trying new foods and develop a more positive attitude towards healthy eating.

· It can help reduce picky eating habits as children feel a sense of ownership over the food they helped create.

6. Creates Lasting Memories:

· Cooking together provides opportunities for families to connect, share stories, and create lasting memories.

· Passing down family recipes and traditions can strengthen family bonds and create a sense of heritage.

Some great recipes can be found here:    

The Benefits of Cooking with Kids - Healthy Little Foodies

https://kidgredients.com.au

The focus of our PB4L lessons will be on being respectful, responsible and resilient in all places, at all times. 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.

This week we celebrated NAIDOC Week with Steff where she taught us traditional Awabakal dances. We had a lot of fun moving around our space being Australian Animals.

Amity B and Zoe D

Year 6

• 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. 
• The Kiss and Drop Area has been moved further up Princeton Ave to allow for the necessary clearance for the new Bus stop. Parents are asked to not drop off in the Bus Zone and use the dedicated Kiss and Drop space.
• Parents are asked to not drive into the private road of the units on Vista parade to drop off in the morning. There have been a number of parents dropping off in the Church Carpark and the Private Road at Raspberry Gully. Please do not use these areas to drop children at school for safety reasons.
• 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

Canteen

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

Entertainment Book

If you would like to order an Entertainment Book for 12 months from your date of purchase, please order via the below link:

https://subscribe.entertainment.com.au/fundraiser/3458r6

A reminder that all children are expected to be in class at 8:50am each day. Children coming to school after this time will be marked as partially absent. Please ensure that your child is at school on time each day.

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.

Please click the below link to view Parents and Carers resources:

https://officeofsafeguarding.org.au/parents-and-carers/#