Newsletter 9 Ocotober 2024
Principal's Message
Dear Families,
Welcome back to a very busy Term 4! It's always great to see our children back, bubbling with stories of adventure, sleep ins and time with family. Term 4 is also the term where we really notice how much every one of them has grown!
On October 25 we will show our appreciation to our amazing staff on World Teacher's Day. The Yr 6 leaders have sent home a little activity to celebrate our staff and we hope that you can return these to the office as soon as possible.
World Teacher's Day also falls on our ST JAMES S*T*A*R*S night. Please come along a support our very talented students and celebrate their efforts and talents! As always, extended family are most welcome.
Have a great week, 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.
Thankyou to the staff and families who have already been bringing donations in. It is greatly appreciated and we look forward to making our sockballs together next week after Mission Day Mass
A Teaching Day with Bishop Greg
This is to invite you all to a Teaching Day with Bishop Greg themed: Cast into the deep (Luke 5:4).
Bishop Greg will be offering a teaching which is titled : “A Time of Mission in a Synodal Church.” It will be a day to interact with our Bishop on his vision for the Diocese as he leads us all on this journey along with the global church. Come, listen, share, pray, and fellowship with others.
For inquiries contact Fr Francis (Chaplain, CCR, 0448529712); Lindsay (chair, CCR Sale Diocese…), Anushka (Secretary, CCR Sale Diocese…). Details as follows:
Date: Saturday 12th October, 2024
Venue: St Ita’s Church, 50 Victoria St, Drouin
Time: 10.30am to 3.00pm
3/4 News
Our Year 3/4’s are busy writing reflections to share with you our amazing adventures at Mill Valley Ranch this week.
In the meantime enjoy a sneak peak at these images and watch this space for more.
Mill Valley Ranch
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.
From the Community
