Newsletter 21 August 2024
Principal's Message
What an amazing celebration of reading we shared together on Tuesday!
From Fantastic Mr Fox to Groot, Thelema the Unicorn and Alice in Wonderland, every child and staff member was involved in the celebration. Chatting about the morning in the staffroom, the overwhelming focus was on the creativity of costumes and how wonderful it was to see so many families share in the fun and festivities with us.
While we are committed to working as a team St James, events like this need a captain- thanks to Jess Duplock and her team of Year Six students for organising and running the morning. It is wonderful seeing our Year 6 students planning and running assemblies, for some this is a huge step outside their comfort zone and we are really proud of them and how they are being wonderful role models for our younger cohorts, showing courage and resilience.
Next Week is another week of celebration. We welcome Andrew Chinn who will work with our children and then share their performances with you from 2.15pm in the hall. Extended family are also welcome.
We also have 8 very excited Confirmation Candidates who will celebrate the Sacrament of Confirmation on Wednesday.
Finally, our week will conclude in celebrating our dads and special people in our lives. To help the P&F with catering, can you please complete the google form or call the office to indicate how many people will be attending breakfast.
Next term we'll be trialling assemblies on Friday afternoon at 3pm. The format will remain the same with the Year 6 students planning and leading the assembly.
Nar Nar Moo has returned!
Nar Nar Moo was a Dairy Farmers competition entry many years ago. She enjoyed a position under the big oak tree until some vandals created mischief.
She is now snuggled amongst the veggies and will enjoy a new coat next term. For now, she's just getting used to being back out in the sunshine.
Term 4 2024 - Upcoming Events
| Date | Event | |
| Monday | 07/10/2024 | School Closure Day |
| Saturday | 19/10/2024 | Reconciliation Commitment Mass |
| Wednesday | 23/10/2024 | Reconciliation Workshop |
| Thursday | 24/10/2024 | Reconciliation Workshop |
| Friday | 25/10/2024 | St James STARS |
| Monday | 04/11/2024 | School Closure Day |
| Thursday | 05/12/2024 | Carols on the Green |
| Thursday | 12/12/2024 | Grade 6 Graduation |
| Friday | 13/12/2024 | End of Year Mass and Yr 6 Guard of Honour |
Religious Education News
The Sacrament of Confirmation will be held on the 28th of August.
- ALL WELCOME
5pm or 7pm
St John the Baptist Koo Wee Rup
Rehearsal
If your child would like to attend an opportunity to rehearse for Confirmation at St John the Baptist church, this will be occurring at 3.45pm on Monday 26th August. This is not compulsory but will be a good opportunity if your child wants to see the church prior to the sacrament.
Tasty Tuesday
Parents & Friends News
Parent Helpers -
Father's Day Breakfast and School Disco!
If you are able to assist at either or both of these events please contact the school office.
Every Day Counts
First Aid
WHOOPING COUGH:
The Department of Health has issued a health alert due to increasing numbers of whooping cough (pertussis) cases in Victoria.
The key messages:
- Cases of pertussis are increasing in Victoria, mostly affecting children aged 10-12 years
- Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory illness known for causing a cough and can lead to life threatening infections in babies
- Symptoms of pertussis may be very similar to other respiratory infections, especially in the early stages, meaning diagnosis by a doctor as soon as possible is important
- Whooping cough is particularly dangerous for babies under the age of 6 months. Pregnant women, new parents or carers of babies should consult their medical professional
Recommendations:
The school asks all families to:
- Monitor all household members for symptoms and see a doctor if symptoms develop
- Notify the school if whooping cough is diagnosed
- Remain home if diagnosed with whooping cough until 5 days of appropriate treatment have occurred
If you have any questions or queries, please contact the school office.
School Fees
Term 3 Fee statements have been issued.
If you have not made any contribution towards your school fee account or contacted the office to put a payment arrangement in place, please ensure you do this as a matter of priority. It is an expectation that fee accounts are finalised by the end of each year.
Direct debit arrangements can be set up at any time, please contact the school office for a direct debit form.
If you are experiencing financial hardship and wish to have a confidential discussion, please contact Bec Kollaris.
Important Information
This year St James will be using two main platforms of communication with our families - PAM and Schoolzine.
To ensure that you keep up to date with what is happening with your children and within the school please ensure that you have access to these platforms and are familiar with their uses.
If you require assistance with accessing or setting up these platforms, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.
From time to time it will also be necessary for emails and text messages to be sent.
Schoolzine App Installation Instructions:
This is an app that you have on your phone and allows for easy reading of the newsletter, as it customises to the screen and translates into many languages if required.
Please click the link below for the instructions on installing the app on your phone.
https://www.schoolzine.com/
As part of the installation, you will be required to enter the following 4 digit passcode -
3675
Please do not hesitate to contact the school office if you have any questions or queries.
Accessing PAM Instructions:
Please use the below link to access your PAM account.
https://pam.stjamesnng.catholic.edu.au
The user name is the email you have provided to the school and if you have not logged on previously, you will be able to set a password.
If you require your password to be reset, please contact the school office.