St James Executive Leadership 

Principal News

Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope this newsletter finds you well. I wanted to provide you with a quick update on our Year 6 Canberra trip.

On Monday evening we safely arrived in Canberra and have been immersing ourselves in the rich history and culture of our nation's capital. The students are filled with excitement and enthusiasm as they explore various landmarks and participate in educational activities.

On Tuesday we had the opportunity to visit Parliament House, where the students gained valuable insights into Australia's democratic processes. They were engaged and curious, asking insightful questions and eagerly participating in the guided tours.

Tomorrow, as we wrap up our amazing journey, we'll be travelling back home. We're already reminiscing about the incredible experiences we've shared and looking forward to sharing stories with you when we return.

If you'd like to see some snapshots of our adventures, feel free to check out our social media pages for updates!  Our families in years 5 and 6 have enjoyed receiving daily updates via the Seesaw App.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education.  To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding to our school in the amount of $45.00 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs.  The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion.  As such the activities that students participate in focus on Australia’s history, culture, heritage, and democracy.   As you can see from our social media and Seesaw posts, the students are learning lots about Australia, it’s government, history and law making process.  They will continue to further their education when they return to school.

Thanks for entrusting us with your children – they're making us proud every step of the way.

Pancake Tuesday

A big thank you to all the parent volunteers from Year 1 who generously took the time to make pancakes for the students! Your dedication and support are truly appreciated, and your delicious pancakes brought smiles to everyone's faces. Your willingness to contribute to the school community is invaluable, and we are grateful for your ongoing commitment. 

Thank you for making the day extra special for our students!

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent, a time for students to reflect, seek forgiveness, and grow spiritually. At our school, the day began with a special mass led by Father Ian Ranson.

Our school hall was transformed into a pop Church. Father Ian guided us through prayers, readings, and thoughts about the significance of Ash Wednesday and the journey ahead.

A key part of the service was when Father Ian and the teachers marked the students' foreheads with ashes.

School Disco

Last Friday we had our school Welcome Disco.  On behalf of the entire school community, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude for organising this fantastic event and exciting theme of Superheroes and Villains. The night was a resounding success, and it wouldn't have been possible without your dedication, creativity, and hard work of Denise, Virginia Pullman, the Year 6 parents and so many volunteers.

Your efforts in planning such a fun-filled evening created lasting memories for our students and their families. From the vibrant decorations to the lively DJ music and engaging activities, every detail was thoughtfully arranged to ensure everyone had a fantastic time.

By bringing the community together in such a joyful and inclusive way, you have strengthened the bonds between students, parents, and staff members. Your commitment to enhancing the school experience is truly appreciated, and we are incredibly grateful for your ongoing support.

HOLT Beachside Swimming Championships - 9th year in a row!

Congratulations on an incredible achievement! Winning the HOLT Beachside Swimming Championships for the 9th consecutive year is a testament to your dedication, skill, and teamwork. Your relentless commitment to excellence has set a standard of excellence in the pool and inspired everyone around you. Your hard work, perseverance, and sportsmanship have truly paid off, and you should be immensely proud of this remarkable accomplishment. 

Here's to many more years of success and continued dominance in the pool. 

Well done team St James!

Thank you to Georgia McNamara, Emma Herbert and Maree Fatouros for supervising the students at the event.

Drop Off / Pick Up Zones

Our drop off and pick up areas will remain in place. St James and Osbourne Close will be kiss and go areas for drop off and a quick pick up at school dismissal. However, we now ask that you park within the bays allocated in St James Close and supervise your children entering the school grounds.  Please be aware that this parking is a 2min parking zone. There is ample parking on North Road if you wish to enter the school at drop off and pick up times. Please be mindful of our neighbours when parking. 

I am aware that a number of families have expressed safety concerns with the current situation in dropping off and picking up in St James Close.  Some of you may be aware that parents have received parking infringements for dropping off students in St James Closes and not adhering to the signage.  I am well aware of these concerns and can assure you that I am actively working on a solution.

School Marketing 2024 / 2025

A friendly reminder that if you would like to enrol your child into Prep 2025 please let the school know and we will then send you an enrolment form.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school directly on ph 03 9596-4766 or via email: info@stjamesbrighton.catholic.edu.au

Thanks in advance!

  COVID Safe Protocols

St James Catholic Primary School (School Portal) 

Please click here to access the School Portal  https://sites.google.com/stjamesbrighton.catholic.edu.au/stjamescatholicprimaryschool-r/school-portal-home-page

Social Media - Please follow, like and share our school Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Feeds. 

School Website:  www.stjamesbrighton.catholic.edu.au

Twitter:  St James Catholic Primary School, 3186

Instagram:  stjamesbrighton3186

Facebook: @stjamesbrighton3186

Please stay safe and healthy.

Carmelina Corio

(Principal)

Deputy Principal News

Hello Everyone, 

Emma and I are writing to you whilst on camp. We have had a fantastic week away with our wonderful Year 5 and 6 students. We are truly blessed and grateful to have this opportunity to not only connect with our students and help them build their personal strengths but to also learn so much about our nation's capital. We would also like to thank the staff who were involved in the camp. It is always a big ask but they never failed to give 110%.  

Over the last couple of weeks we have had many wonderful community events and information sessions for our families, including:

Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, meet the teacher, parent information sessions and the Welcome Disco. A huge thank you to any one in our community who has volunteered or even organised these days. These events are what helps to bring our community together in getting to know and support each other. 

School Photos

School Photos will be held on Thursday 7th March 2024 and students are to wear their full summer uniform on this day.

Photos can be ordered now and should be placed directly with Advanced Life Photography www.advancedlife.com.au using our school code 9V5 4RV 79M

Online Ordering Instructions~ Single Photo Packages~ Sibling Photo Packages (Order cut off for sibling photos is the day before photo day 6th March)

Please Note: A portrait and a class group photograph will be taken of every student at the school, regardless of purchase.  Photographs of your children taken as part of a class group are only permitted to be distributed within their own class.  Your child’s name will appear on the class group photo. If you DO NOT wish your child to be photographed, please contact your school office via email info@stjamesbrighton.catholic.edu.au with your instructions prior to Photo Day.

Please also see here a list of Key Dates for Term 1:

Monday 19th to Friday 23rd February -Year 5/6 Camp

Thursday 7th March -School Photos

Friday 8th March -Beachside Swimming competition-selected students only

Monday 11th March -Labour Day Holiday

Tuesday 12th March -Reconciliation Evening 5.30-6.30pm

Wednesday 13th March -NAPLAN testing window opens (Years 3 and 5)

Thursday 14th March -PA meeting #2 7.30pm

Monday 18th March to Friday 22nd March -Neurodiversity Week

      "          18th March to Thursday 21st March- Bodyworks program Years 4-6 only

Thursday 21st March -Palm Sunday Paraliturgy 3.15pm

                    "                     -Harmony Day

Friday 22nd March -Staff Planning Day for Term 2. School Closure Day

                  "                     -Sunday 24th March Dad’s Camp

Monday 25th March -Holy Thursday Paraliturgy 3.10pm

                  "                      -School Tours

Tuesday 26th March -St James House Athletics Carnival

Wednesday 27th March -Good Friday Paraliturgy 3.10pm

Thursday 28th March -End of Term 1 school will finish at 3.30pm

Subscribing to the St James Calendar

Step One: Open your calendar and click on Calendars in the bottom middle of the screen. 

Step Two: Click on Add Calendar in the bottom left corner of the screen. 

Step Three: Click on “Add Subscription Calendar”

Step Four: Enter the following: URL: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/stjamesbrighton.catholic.edu.au_tb4g0rlhla3aavgttb1v7outbk%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics

The “Add” button in the top right corner should now allow you to add the calendar to your phone. 

Adding relevant events to your calendar

If you would like to however just add the key dates that are relevant to your child/children please use the following steps:

Step One: On your iphone please go to the St James website. https://www.stjamesbrighton.catholic.edu.au/ then click on the three lines in the top right hand corner. 

Step Two: Click on the calendar icon in red. 

Step Three: Once you have clicked on the calendar events will appear individually. You can click on the add to calendar button to add each individual event to your calendar. 

Emma Herbert and Georgia McNamara

Deputy Principals