St James News

Principal's Post

Dear Families,

Congratulations on navigating your way through first term! 

There have been many positives in terms of COVID responses; only 3 days were not on site, parents are permitted on site, parents are able to attend smaller school gatherings such as class masses, students participated in camps and interschool sports. We are able to hold our Wednesday Learning Conferences in the Community Centre where parents may catch up with one another while waiting. Unfortunately, we are not permitted to allow parents to larger whole school gatherings such as our Holy Week celebration on Thursday afternoon 2.30 - 3.15pm. We will attempt to live stream this event so keep an eye out for the link to be emailed later in the week.

 

We are very hopeful that we can allow parents into classrooms next term and are preparing to welcome parent helpers into classrooms as well by offering the parent helpers course early in the term. We are also very hopeful to be able to host our Grandparents Day on Friday 7 May and our St James 50 Year Celebration early in Term Three.

 

I thank you for your support, flexibility and understanding during these times. 

 

Please take the time to take your children along to some of the Holy Week and Easter celebrations whether in our Parish at St Johns or at another parish if you are away on a holiday. 

Emailing the School Office Procedures

office@sjvermont.catholic.edu.au 

 

This address sends emails to all office staff; Deb, Maree and Lisa and is the best way to receive a fast reply. Our office administration staff all work part time and have slightly different roles. Sending emails to individuals may result in them not seeing the email until their next working day, delaying the reply. Our magnificent office team are keen to help parents ASAP and by emailing office@sjvermont.catholic.edu.au this has the best opportunity of occurring.

Deb Lowe works Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

Lisa Morris works Wednesday, Thursday

Maree Prendergast works Thursday, Friday

Learning Conferences

Tomorrow afternoon and Wednesday afternoon/evening provide an opportunity for all parents to discuss their child's learning face to face in a three way conference with students, parents and teachers present. There is heaps to celebrate from this term's academic learning and extra curricular activities. Students have settled well back into school life and teachers are focused on planning high quality learning to meet the various needs of students.

Please ensure you arrive early and keep to the ten minute time limit. This enables all families to have their allotted time.

We have experimented with a few different procedures over the years and have found that ringing the bell every ten minutes is the most effective way to indicate to all three parties that the discussion time is finished. Of course parents or teachers may ask for a follow up meeting or email if other issues need to be explored.

Learning Conferences will take place in the Community Centre.

Sharing Easter Eggs

Overall, we have a non sharing of food procedure here at St James. This means that parents can feel confident that the food you send along in your child's lunchbox will be the only food that they eat.

For birthday treats, our strong preference is for non edible items such as pencils, erasers, stickers, bouncy balls, and other non expensive items.

 

Because Easter is a time of celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus following Lent and Holy Week, we will allow students to bring Easter Eggs for their buddies or classmates if this is your decision. We will be instructing all students that any eggs received as a gift from another student must not be consumed at school and must be taken home to show parents. Of course it is not an expectation that students bring any eggs to hand out.

COVID Updates

For us here at St James:

  • 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
  • We are waiting for any advice regarding additional opportunities we have to invite parents on site                       

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 25 enrolment forms in so far.

A few brief updates/reminders

  • 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 
  • Hot cross buns and other pastry orders will be available for collection from the Community Centre at the Learning Conferences
  • Please email your child's class teacher if you intend to depart early for an Easter holiday
  • Please complete the Optional early Dismissal google form sent out last week by this evening if you have not done so already
  • Please remember school starts back on Tuesday 20 April for students next term. Camp Australia will be running a day program here at St James for any interested families. Simply register online at https://www.campaustralia.com.au/schools/details/9AE4

 

Wishing you a Happy and Holy Easter,

 

Dave