St James News

Principal's Post

Dear Families,

Our Year Four students participated in their Interschool Gala Sports Day today. This is a new initiative to have Year Four students participate in these events this year. Our Year Five/Six students have their Gala day for the term next week, Tuesday 23 March. These events provide an opportunity for our students to use their skills developed in Physical Education classes in a structured competition against other local Catholic and Government primary schools.

Illness at School

Please keep a close watch on your children and keep them home from school if they are unwell. We have recently had a few students away with illness, particularly with possible gastro (mainly in Prep K).  We have also had a reported case of headlice in the senior grades.  Please be vigilant.

Catholic Secondary School Enrolment Applications

I take this opportunity to remind parents of children in Year Five, that Catholic Secondary College applications for Year 7, 2023 must be submitted directly to the college of your choice by 20 August this year. It is essential that you have your application submitted by the due date. The following dates will be used by catholic secondary schools for Year 5 students in 2021 who will be enrolling in Year 7 for 2023. These are:

  • 27th January 2021: Applications to colleges opened.
  • 20th August 2021: Applications to colleges close.
  • 22nd October 2021: Offers of places to prospective Year 7, 2023 students are posted.
  • 12th November 2021: Final date for acceptance by parents of offers made.

COVID Updates

For us here at St James:

  • Masks are encouraged, but not compulsory when parents enter our grounds, unless you cannot maintain your physical distance from others
  • Parents on site for greater than 15 minutes MUST sign in via the app or at the office
  • We are able to invite parents to class or level gatherings but not to whole school indoor gatherings ATM
  • Parents are not permitted to enter classrooms unless specifically invited for a meeting but we are hopeful that we may be permitted to invite parents in as parent helpers next term
  • Currently, we advise any siblings of children who are unwell with coronavirus symptoms, waiting on test results to stay at home, although this is not mandated
  • We are continuing to implement our COVID safe practices with all staff and students who are currently attending on site; physical distancing, staff wearing masks when appropriate, sanitising, routine cleaning, etc

               The Education Board has a new name:               St James School Advisory Council

Our first meeting for the new year was held last week where a main topic of discussion was the implication of the change of governance from Fr Dispin, as the parish priest to the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS). While the full implications of this change of governance are yet to be known, we have been instructed to have a School Advisory Council, rather than a School Education Board as the advisory body to the Principal of the school. For us here at St James, this essentially only involves a change in title. 

We welcomed new members Ciaran Collins and Deb Vukic while Lisa Licciardi continues in the role as Chair of the Council and Amy Darvell continues in the role of minute taker.

See the Board Shorts below – we may need to rename these to SAC Notes

  • We are reviewing our St James Student Reports with two main differences expected. First, clearer information for parents about curriculum achievements that resulted in your child’s summary assessment dot being allocated. Secondly, a change to electronic reports rather than hard paper copies being sent home
  • We discussed the pros and cons of holding the Class Information evening in February online as opposed to in person at school. The summary of this discussion was that while the online (COVID driven for 2021) format had some advantages, the in person at school format of past years is preferred
  • The Parents and Friends feedback reflected the time and effort this hard working group have put into planning events, activities and opportunities for students to participate in and enjoy and parents to socialise. While there will be a focus on fundraising, this is not the driving force behind our P & F

Prep 2022 Enrolments

Open Days are well under way. Please encourage any neighbours or friends who have a child due to start Prep in 2022 to come along to an Open Day Tour or take a virtual tour via our website. Families who have a sibling due to commence Prep in 2022, please download an enrolment form from the website and hand this in or email it to the office ASAP. We have had a waiting list for the past two years for our Prep enrolments and certainly do not want any of our current families to miss a place. We have approximately 17 enrolment forms in already.

A few brief updates/reminders

  • Year Four First Eucharist Commitment Mass this Sunday 9.45am at St John's Church
  • Please note that supervision for students on the playground commences at 8.30am in the current climate. Please make use of our Camp Australia before school care program if you need to drop your children at school early.
  • Don't forget to enrol in Auskick.  Click  here to view the details - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wU7Mie1Ths 

St James Swimmers Shine in the Eastern Regional Metropolitan Championships

Congratulations  Lewis, Connor, Ryan, Ethan, Mitch and Jacinta who competed in the ERM Swimming Championships last Friday. 

Lewis, Connor, Ryan and Ethan came second in the medley relay

Lewis, Connor, Ryan and Mitch came third in the freestyle relay

Jacinta, Ryan, Ethan and Lewis put in fine performances in their individual events

Lewis won his Individual Backstroke event to qualify for the State Finals to be held in April

Thank you to Catherine Wall and Nadine Jones who have been supporting the students throughout this program.

Camps, Sports & Excursion Fund

 

Dave