Principal's News

Second Sunday of Lent

As you enter the school you will notice the beautiful Lenten display in the school entrance foyer. 

Lent is the time for conversion and new growth.  Fr Barry last week at 9am Mass mentioned that after the recent rain in fire ravaged the bush is bursting back to life.  Green shoots on charred trees and many signs of regeneration. Lent is to be that time for us as well and the color of purple in the foyer and our lives will change when we open our lives to the possibilities of love, justice and connection for and to others.   Pope Francis writes a lot of challenging things. He does say that we need to listen to the poor. I am not sure if he is alluding to the material poor but maybe the impoverishment in the world around us. The lack of justice of what we see on TV and hear on talk back radio.  The presentation of what is perceived as success and power and that culture which could be an illusion to the real call to be a world of love, justice and acceptance. 

As we journey through the season of Lent may we be attentive to our response to change.

Embodied Parenting

Last Friday we had over 30 parents and staff present at the Embodied Parenting session with Manon in the Learning Hub.  Manon is an Aware Parenting Instructor and an Somatoce Experience practitioner who delivers workshops across Australia. This parent engagement opportunity with an external facilitator was made available in our desire to support parents in our partnership of becoming aware of the challenges and the joys of our children's development.  

In the two hour session Maon provided the group with tools to help us and our children with tantrums, aggression, anxiety, attention difficulties etc.  Understanding the nervous system, our emotions and what happens beneath our consciousness is critical in firstly regulating our own responses and in turn co- regulation with our children and those about us.  

For those present I am sure that our need to be safe, to be in tune with our autonomic nervous system and nurture and respond in calm and measured ways, will assist in creating communities of calm at home and at school. Manon was particularly impressed with the learning spaces and social atmosphere of our school which does bring a level of connectedness and calm to the school.

Senior School Experience

Last week's Year  ⅚ camp was a huge success.  Today the Senior students presented snapshots of the city experience.  I do know that there were some very tired students after the three days with the number of activities attended and the many kms that we covered.  Many thanks to the ⅚ students for their involvement and manners and also to the staff who either spent the complete time there or provided a change up to support.

School Advertising / Enrolment 2021

In the past two years St James has changed in its physical presentation.  We have much to celebrate. Our new website and promotional clip does explain the life of St James.  As families in our school can I request that you also celebrate what we have. Promote your school and encourage friends to visit and look at St James.  As mentioned by Helen Connell, a grandparent of Poppy, in the promotional clip ‘it is a gem of a school’ and as Eve mentions at the conclusion ‘ it's a lovely school’.  Words from a little Prep of last year.  

We all have a responsibility to increase our profile.  Social media is a strong mode of promotion as is your conversation with others.  

If you are an existing parent who has a little one commencing next year please submit an application form to include your child for a later interview.

The start of the school year

We are now half way through the first term and it is the first full week for our children in Prep.  Well done Miss Aoife Tierney in ensuring that our little ones are settled into school life. The role of a Prep teacher in the early weeks is an enormous one and does require a patient and nurturing approach.  

A special visitor today

Mrs Stacey Clingan called in today with her newborn Jude.  What a beautiful boy he is and so calm and happy. Jude was born just prior to Christmas and is doing very well.  Jude was shared around with many nurses from the staff until Nancy took hold and we and we couldn't retrieve him from her.

St James Choir

Over the past few weeks an invitation was extended to the students in Years 4 - 6 to be part of the St James choir.

This is a wonderful opportunity led by AnneMarie Sharry and Tenille Kearney from Star of the Sea.  Our first opportunity as a choir is to be the Catholic Primary school with Star of the Sea in leading the St Patrick's day Mass with all schools within the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

Catholic Education Week is an opportunity for all Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne to celebrate their Catholic identity, the pivotal role they play within their local community as well as the strength of the sector.  The theme is 'The future is listening'.

Annemarie has been working with the students and teaching them the music for the Mass.

We are excited about our choir having a lead role at the St Patrick’s Day Mass.

Financial Assistance - Information for Parents

The Victorian Government provides the Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) which assists with payments for eligible students to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

Who Can Apply

Families holding a valid means-tested concession card or temporary foster parents are eligible to apply.  A Special Consideration category also exists. Schools can receive applications from families over term one and two.

CSEF application forms are available from the school office.

For further information please go to the attached link  https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/csef.aspx

Brendan