Principal's News 

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Prayer For Our St James Community

Loving God, you fill all things with a fullness and hope that we can never comprehend.

 Thank you for leading us into a time where more of reality is being unveiled for us all to see. We pray that you will take away our natural temptation for cynicism, denial, fear and despair. 

Help us have the courage to awaken to greater truth, greater humility, and greater care for one another. 

May we place our hope in what matters and what lasts, trusting in your eternal presence and love.

Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our suffering world.

Knowing, good God, you are hearing us better than we are speaking, we offer these prayers in all the holy names of God.  Amen.

School Photos

Thank you to all parents for presenting their children in full summer uniform on Monday.  The professional manner of the photographers' Advanced Photography ensured that the day went ahead without a hitch.  This year we shot the photo in the Heritage Garden which will provide a different backdrop to our normal school yard shot.  What I did notice was the large number of girls with pigtails this year which means that parents have spent time with grooming and a brush.  School photo day is always a happy day and the smiles were beautiful.

It is not too late to order photos directly from Advanced Life Photography, please see attached.

Parent Support Group Meetings

Many thanks to Karlee Agnew as Learning Diversity Leader in facilitating the Parent Support Group (PSG) meetings for a number of children in the next three weeks.  The planning and documentation provided by the classroom teachers and Learning Support Officers to support the progress of children is a solid part of assisting the ongoing growth of our children. The additional support provided by Bronwyn, Occupational Therapist and Adele, Speech Pathologist and Miss Quinlan as Teaching and Learning leader designing the adjustments made through the Intervention programs, complements St James educational provision.

St James Social Media page

The most effective manner for communication in our digital world is through digital platforms.  This mode of communication is immediate and at a fingertip to the receivers and seekers of communication.

The recent school promotion of the Heritage Garden is now on all social platforms. If you haven’t accessed the message please check out this link.

https://www.macs.vic.edu.au/News-Events/2021/March/St-James-Heritage-Garden.aspx

This is an exciting project and nearing the end of phase 2.  It appears on the webpage of Melbourne Archdiocesan Catholic schools (MACs) page in a week when we celebrate Catholic Education Week.

As social media is realistically the most favoured news source, could I request that you share, like and follow our social media platforms.  Prospective families seek information through social media and if they realise that the spread of information is constant and pushed out by parents this demonstrates that we have a vibrant school community.

Catholic Identity Survey.

In the coming weeks Year 5 and 6 Students, teachers and parents will be asked to complete the Enhancing Catholic Identity Survey (ECSI).  This survey is conducted by Leuven Catholic University in Belgium for Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne every four years.  It is held prior to the school review which will be conducted for St James in 2022. 

The  ECSI offers a threefold measure:

• the current Catholic identity of a school as perceived by members of its community is revealed
• attitudes towards a preferred or ideal future Catholic identity for the school can be measured, and
• the readiness of the school community to move into action for a strengthened Catholic school identity can be assessed.

At the moment we have some technical  issues with the links from Belgium.  Once this is rectified we will issue a letter of information and codes for parents to complete the survey.  It is important that we have a solid sample of responses in order that we can design an informed response to enhancing our Catholic Identity.  I have included a video clip that provides some initial information in preparation for the survey that will be sent to you.  It is worthwhile viewing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgdUllnzn-U

As a Catholic school we have an important role in recontextualising the Gospel message for today.  

Faith in our Future

Brendan