This Week's Updates
Dear Families,
Congratulations to Lyons - Green House on their first Twilight Sports victory since at least 2001.
The many hours of behind the scenes work that Catherine Wall puts in to ensuring our Twilight sports are student participation focussed, together with the staff support prior to and on the night and the parents time and energy in food catering is a great example of our St James community in action.
It was wonderful to see so many parents cheering and supporting not only their own children but their child's friends and child's rivals. The buzz around the event and parents social interactions are as much a part of the evening as the students participation.
A special mention also needs to go to our parents who gave up their time to ensure all food was cooked and ready for purchase on the night. Amy Dougherty, Cate Pigeault, Deanne Wingate and Patrice Barrie did a magnificent job in coordinating all of this.
St John's Parish Fete
We are very excited about our upcoming Parish Fete with both parish schools, St James and St John's coming together to create a wonderful community event again this year. Please find attached the latest Fete news along with volunteer links below.
(Please click on the pop out window (middle icon) that appears when you click on the blue box below, to view and select which event you would like to volunteer for.)
- All families are asked to donate a bag of lollies for the Lolly stall by tomorrow
- All families are asked to donate a block of chocolate for the lob a choc stall by tomorrow
- Cake plates will be going home today - please bake something and bring it to the fete on the morning of the fete, or drop it to the school reception by 1pm on Friday and we will deliver them then.
- The colouring Competition sheets are available at the front office
Wrist bands are available for purchase NOW. Purchase your Wristbands before Fete Day and Save! $40 pre-fete or $45 from Friday 14th November and on Fete Day. Clickhere to purchase. You can collect your pre-paid wristbands from the school office on Wednesday and Thursday. Please bring your E-ticket as proof of purchase. You can also collect wristbands from the the RIDE TICKET STALL at the Fete on Saturday 15th November.
Alternatively, you can purchase individual ride tickets between $5 and $10 on Fete day.
- Friday 14th November is a pupil free day in advance of the School Fete
Fete Raffle Tickets
Thanks to the families who have returned their raffle tickets. All books must be returned and accounted for. They are due back by Wednesday at the very latest.
A BIG thank you to families who sold a book because $15 from every book sold goes directly to our St James P & F funds. So far we have raised over $2 400 via ticket sales. If the remaining outstanding 40 books are returned sold that will raise another $600 for our school.
Our second seller's prize draw was conducted this morning and the winning family is the Gomez Family. Thanks to Nero's Pizza for donating the prize. Please support their business when you can.
Stall Volunteers Required
Prep - Popcorn and Fairy Floss
Year One - Coffee
Year Two - Snowcones
Year Three - Lolly
Year Four - Donuts
Year Five - Cakes
Year Six - JJ’s cafe
We urgently need volunteers across all stalls at this point.
Please click HEREto volunteer
2026 School Fees
You will have received an Operoo regarding 2026 School Fees last week.
Thank you to the families who followed up with payment over the past two weeks.
Just a reminder that unless you have an ongoing payment plan, all fee accounts were due to be finalised by the end of Term Three. If you are yet to complete your payment, please do so urgently. Please contact Lisa in the office or myself to discuss your intentions if this relates to you.
Parenting Seminars
There are three upcoming parenting seminars at healthAbility in Box Hill, that may be of interest to you. Each will be held two weeks apart on Thursdays from 9.30am-11.30am.
20th November Supporting Children's Behaviour: Practical positive parenting strategies that work
4th December Keeping your cool with your kids
https://events.humanitix.com/keeping-your-cool-with-your-kids
Classlist Groupings for 2026
We will commence the process of grouping students into their 2026 classes in the next few weeks. This is a lengthy process which staff put a lot of time and thought into.
Any requests to support your child in their social/emotional development MUST include valid reasons and be made via email to myself via principal@sjvermont.catholic.edu.au no later than Friday 7 November. Requests after this date cannot be taken into consideration.
Requests are not a "teacher shopping" opportunity. Please remember that the students will all end up in one of two classes. Please also remember that requests to separate students for social/emotional reasons may result in your child also being separated from their support network who may be placed in the other class.
My advice is to trust our judgement, because we know and observe the students for many hours in many settings each week of the year.
I have extended this to this evening in case any families need to email me.
Marathon Club
Just a reminder that our Year Two students are welcome to join in Marathon Club on Wednesday mornings this term as a trial or preparation for officially joining when in
Years 3 - 6.
Remembrance Day
Tomorrow, November 11th, our school will pause for a minute’s silence to honour and remember our fallen ANZAC soldiers. Students are invited to bring a flower from home to add to a wreath at the flagpole in the quadrangle.
P&F Meeting
The next Parent & Friends Association meeting is on Tuesday 11th November from 6pm – 7.30pm – in the front Boardroom in new office building.
If you are interested in contributing or assisting the P&F in 2026, please attend as we start our planning for next year.
Friday Treats
Friday Treats are back and with the warmer weather approaching, we are selling Icy Poles.
https://volunteersignup.org/73TX8
It would be great if people could find the time to assist and volunteer, using the above sign up address.
We still need two Parent volunteers for the 21st of November and the 12th December.
Movember
It's that time of year again!
The St James lads (Mr Crowe, Mr Egan, Mr Flintoff, Mr Mutimer, Mr Sweatman and Mr Young) are once again embracing Movember by growing mos, walking/running/swimming 60km and supporting men’s health in various ways.
If you’d like to support our worthy cause, please click this link.
As of now we have raised an amazing $450 with all funds raised go towards innovative, world-class men’s health projects in key areas such as mental health, suicide prevention and cancer research. Thanks to all those families who have supported us already.
Have a great week and see you on Saturday at our parish fete!
Dave