St James Executive Leadership 

Principal News

Dear Parents and Carers,

As we enter this busy and joyful time of year, I want to take a moment to reflect on some of the wonderful recent events and updates within our school. From the sacred celebration of Confirmation with Bishop Tony, to our lively Grandparents and Special Friends Day, and our insightful Cyber Safety session with Susan McLean, these moments have brought our community closer together in faith, support, and shared purpose.

I also want to thank you for your patience as we manage the ongoing restoration work after recent flooding; our students are happily adapting, and we’re making steady progress. Looking ahead, please save the date for our Christmas Carols on Friday, 29th November, as we gather to celebrate the birth of Christ in song and prayer.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in making St James a vibrant and faith-filled community.

Confirmation

We are grateful to everyone who joined us on October 20th for the beautiful celebration of Confirmation. Our sincere thanks go to Bishop Tony for leading our ceremony with such grace and inspiration, making it a memorable experience for our Year 6 candidates and their families.

To our dedicated parents and families, thank you for your guidance and support, helping to prepare our candidates for this important step in their faith journey. And to our Confirmation candidates – we are incredibly proud of each of you for your commitment and openness to the Holy Spirit. May this milestone bring you closer to God and guide you in your spiritual journey.

Thank you all for making this occasion so special.

Susan McLean Cyber Safety

Thank you to everyone who attended our Cyber Safety Information Session with Susan McLean on Monday night. We appreciate your commitment to helping keep our children safe in the online world. Susan shared valuable insights on navigating social media, managing screen time, and maintaining open communication with our children about their digital activities.

We hope you found the session informative and empowering. Together, we can support our children in making responsible and safe choices online.

School Flooding update

We wanted to provide you with an update on the progress of our school’s restoration following the recent flooding. Cowan Restoration has successfully removed the air blowers and humidifiers. The next steps include steam cleaning, dry cleaning, and assessing any items or areas that may need replacing.

In the meantime, all students are settled and happily working in their alternative spaces, ensuring minimal disruption to their learning.

Thank you for your continued patience and support as we work to restore our facilities.

Christmas Carols - SAVE THE DATE

We warmly invite you to join us in celebrating the joy of Christ’s birth at our annual Christmas Carols event on Friday, 29th November. This special evening will be filled with music, prayer, and reflection as we come together in faith to honor the true meaning of Christmas.

Please save the date, and stay tuned for more details. We look forward to sharing this blessed celebration with you all.

Safety:  Adhering to Speed limits around the School

As we prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our students, I am reaching out to remind everyone of the importance of adhering to speed limits around the school premises in particular St James Closes and Osbourne Close. With the new Term underway, it is crucial that we all take the necessary precautions to ensure a safe environment for the students at the school as well as neighboring schools.

Speed limits in school zones are set for a reason. They are designed to protect students, parents, and staff during peak hours of arrival and dismissal. Driving at safe speeds gives drivers ample time to react to sudden movements or unexpected events, such as children crossing the street.

Here are a few key reminders:

Observe Speed Limits: Always drive within the posted speed limits, especially in school zones.

Be Alert: Stay vigilant for children who may suddenly appear between parked cars.

Follow Traffic Signs: Pay close attention to all school zone signs, including No Standing, Keep Clear  and Pedestrian crossings.

Use Designated Drop-Off Areas: Utilise the designated drop-off and pick-up areas to ensure a smooth flow of traffic and safety for all.  Please adhere to the time limits.

By following these guidelines, we can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and create a safer environment for our children. Your cooperation and commitment to safe driving practices are greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Let’s work together to keep our school community safe.

School Security

If you are dropping off or picking up students between 9.00am and 3.30pm, please ensure that this is done so via St James Close and the front office.  For security reasons we would like to ensure anyone entering or leaving the school during class time does so via the main entrance. The doors are locked once the school day commences.  Please ring the doorbell and a member of staff will let you in.  Thank you!

School Enrolments 2025

The  2025 academic year is fast approaching.  A friendly reminder that school enrolments are now open for new students!   At St James, we are committed to providing a well rounded education that fosters academic excellence, personal growth, and social responsibility whilst maintaining our Catholic tradition. 

To enrol your child, please visit our website http://www.stjamesbrighton.catholic.edu.au for detailed instructions and required documentation. 

We encourage you to share this exciting news with friends and family who may be interested in joining our school community. Prospective families are invited to schedule a personalised school tour.  

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,

A huge thank you to our community for your support when we found ourselves underwater at the end of week 2. The prompt way in which our community jumped to support us was much appreciated. Our Assembly was moved to last Friday and what an assembly it was. Colour run wrap up, Confirmation, Sports congratulations, Veggie raffle, STEM MAD presentation and not to mention the Coding Club information that was shared. On Monday night we had Susan McLean Cyber Safety expert give a presentation to parents. Susan’s information was insightful and at times confronting, but also there were a lot of strategies given that can support parents. More on that in the Wellbeing section. 

Tomorrow we look forward to welcoming our Grandparents and Special Friends, the school will hopefully be polished and ready for our guests to arrive with a shared morning tea for everyone, time in the classrooms with students, an Art Show visit and a liturgy for All Souls Day. Next week we have the Art Show on Thursday evening. A great opportunity to see all the fabulous work being created through our Visual Arts program. 

Please below a list of upcoming key dates:

Key Dates in Term 4. 

Thursday 31st October - Stay and Play 9.15-10am

Thursday 31st October - Year 5 Superspeak Presentations

Friday 1st November - Yoga with Jackie

Friday 1st November - Grandparents and Special Friends Day

Friday 1st November - Assembly

Monday 4th November - School Closure Day TIL

Tuesday 5th November - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

Wednesday 6th November - SAC Meeting 5.30-6.30pm

Thursday 7th November - St James Art Show 5-7pm

Friday 8th November - Yoga with Jackie

Thursday 14th November Stay and Play 9.15-10am

Friday 15th November - Assembly

Monday 18th November - School Swimming Program Begins for Students in Prep-Year 5

Thursday 21st November - Year 6 Water Safety Program- Brighton SLSC All Day

Friday 22nd November - School Closure Day 2025 Planning Day

Wednesday 27th November - School Swimming Program Final Day

Thursday 28th November - Stay and Play 9.15-10am

Thursday 28th November - St James School Swimming Carnival and 2025 Swimming Trials

Monday 2nd December - Prep 2025 Orientation Session 1

Thursday 5th December - SAC Annual General Meeting 7-9pm

Monday 9th December - 2025 Prep Orientation Session 2

Monday 9th December - Year 4 Students visit St Mary’s College St Kilda All Day (cancelled)

Wednesday 11th December - Year 6 Luna Park Celebration Day

Thursday 12th December - Stay and Play final session

Friday 13th December - Semester 2 Reports released

Friday 13th December - Final Assembly for 2024

Monday 16th December - Move Up Morning for all students

Monday 16th December - 2025 Prep Orientation session 3 

Monday 16th December  -Year 6 Graduation 5-9pm

Tuesday 17th December - Final Day of 2024 1.30pm finish. 

St James is a Donation Partner for the Container Deposit Scheme. This means that each time you return your containers to Return-It Locations in the Victorian East Zone, you can choose to donate the money to St James.  This term any money raised will be donated to STEM @ St James School. 

You can either search for and donate to St James or you can use our Donation Partner ID or Barcode.  

Our Zone ID barcode is:

Thank you for helping us support our students and make a difference to our environment.

Emma Herbert and Georgia McNamara

Deputy Principals