Newsletter 18 September 2024
Principal's Message
Dear Families,
Another amazing term at St James is drawing to an end. Thank you to all who have contributed to the daily hustle and bustle of school life, particularly whole school events which we have been fortunate to enjoy. The sense of community and care never ceases to amaze me, our staff and visitors to St James. This was especially evident on Friday as we celebrated our wonderful Grandparents and special people. Again, we commend your children for their participation in all aspects of the day, particularly during Mass.
Friday is our Footy Colours Day. To support the P&F with their major term 4 fundraiser, students have been asked to bring a mystery/bingo jar to school. These will then be sold on the night and add a bit of fun to what is already shaping up to be a very entertaining event. Can families please ensure that they have their contributions to school by Friday so that these can be safely stored. I know our staff are also bringing in their jars and are having great conversations about what to put in them!
Our concrete works are 99.00009% complete! All that is left to finish is the carpark and crossing line marking which will take place on Tuesday October 8.
Have a safe, relaxing and happy holiday everyone, we look forward to seeing you on Tuesday October 8.
Take care, Bec
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 |
SunSmart
Hats are back! From September through to April, all students in Victorian schools are required to wear a SunSmart hat when outdoors. Can we please ask that all students bring their school hats back to school from Monday 16th September. Hats will be kept in the classroom for the remainder of the year.
School hats can be purchased through Beleza. Unfortunately we cannot provide spare hats to students at school, due to health regulations.
RE News
Pope Francis' Message for World Mission Sunday 2024
“Go and invite everyone to the banquet" (Matthew 20:9)
Pope Francis' message of inclusion raises the question of what unites us all and presents a valuable opportunity for growth and unity, as it requires everyone to open their hearts and minds to each other.
Guided by the Gospel, we can find answers to creating ways of inclusion and dialogue.
The Gospel is made to gather and not divide, to invite and not to exclude. This is the message Pope Francis shares, reminding everyone of the importance of sharing the Gospel and, above all, reaching out to all by inviting them to be part of the celebration we call “life,” as we all have a seat at the table.
At St James during Mission Month we will be:
Kicking goals for good
By supporting Catholic Mission Australia's 'Socktober' promotion.
Make your own sockball and be part of the journey!
The iconic symbol of Socktober is a tattered, recycled ball made of socks, t-shirts and plastic bags tied with string, representing the essence of the event.
Decades ago, a young boy named jorge Mario Bergoglio played with a similar ball on the streets of Buenos Aires. He later became Pope Francis, but he always cherished sport and had a special connection with children from impoverished communities through this shared experience.
Items Needed
To support the creation of 'sockballs' to be used at our fundraising Kick Off day (Friday October 18 - Term 4 Week 2) we are asking for help collecting:
| Plastic Bags | Packaging Paper |
| Bubble Wrap | String |
The tutorial below will help you see how we will be creating the 'sockballs' in our classrooms with these materials.
These items do not need to be purchased. We simply ask that if you have any spare bags/packaging going in the bin that you drop them off for our use instead.
Parents & Friends News
Every Day Counts
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.
DS Sports News
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