This Week's Updates

Dear Families,

Our swimming program commenced today. Please remember that the pool does their very best to group swimmers in groups according to their needs as they assess them. Please DO NOT contact the pool if you have a question. Any questions can be raised with Carmel Foster who will follow up with the swimming coordinator at the pool.

With this unprecedented weather at the moment, please feel free for Prep to Year 4 students to wear their track suits daily. Don't forget to send along a plastic bag for children to put their wet bathers into after their lesson.

Children were proud of their input today. Groups may change after their assessment, which was part of today's lesson.

Staffing News

We are pleased to announce some new members joining our wonderful, dedicated St James staff team for 2023: Anita Dell'Orso as our Deputy Principal, Nicole Addison and Lisa Salter as classroom teachers and Cassie Pascoe (one day a week) returns from maternity leave.

Daniel Egan is taking a year's leave, Andy Kinsella is moving to St John Vianney's Mulgrave, Louise McEwan is moving back to Holy Trinity in Wantirna South and of course Carmel Foster is retiring from St James.

St Vinnies Christmas Appeal

This year we are spreading Christmas cheer a little differently! As a school, we are hoping to bring smiles to the faces of children and families on Christmas Day by providing them with some yummy food and gift vouchers to buy a special toy to pop under the Christmas Tree. Each year level will select a toy, and will raise the money to buy a voucher for the chosen toy - a gold coin donation per student will help us reach that goal. We will also have a hamper in the front office for you to place any of the following items.

Tin of leg ham 454gm
2 tins of vegetables each 425gm
Packet of shortbread biscuits
Christmas pudding 400gm
Fruit cake or Christmas cake 700gm
Long life custard carton 1 litre
2 small packets jelly crystals
Packet of Shapes biscuits
Packet of lollies (not chocolate please)
2 tins fruit 425 gm

All donations of gift vouchers and food will be given to St Vinnies to distribute to needy families in our local community. Please bring in the money and food donations before Wednesday 7th December.

Thank you for supporting such a worthy cause.

Grace & Lucie (Social Justice Captains)

School Closure Day this Friday 18 November, the day before the Fete

5 Days to go.... Please find attached the last issue of Fete news before FETE DAY.

Fete news_Fete this week.docx.pdf

Fete Raffle Ticket Update

Any outstanding books must be returned tomorrow.

Thanks,

Claire Doherty

Movember

During November, the St James lads will be raising funds and awareness this Movember for all the dads, brothers, sons and mates in our lives but we need your help.

Josh Crowe, Daniel Egan, Tim Flintoff, Dave Mutimer and James Sweatman started the month clean shaven and will slowly grow out their magnificent mos over the course of the month. If you'd like to donate to this worthy cause, visit our team page at: https://movember.com/t/st-james-manly-mo-men?mc=1

As of 14/11/22, we are already at $565! Thanks to those who have donated.

A few more updates:

A reminder to please settle your school fee accounts by the end of this month.
The 2023 St James proposed fee structure will be included in next week's full newsletter.
Please reminder your children of our mobile phone/smart watch procedures. Mobile phones need to be handed in before 9am to the office and collected when school finishes. Devices are locked away in the office during the day. Smart watches need to be switched to 'school mode'.
A further reminder that our School Closure Day for 2023 Planning is Monday 5 December.
To order a wristband for Fete rides, please see the attached flyer or go https://www.trybooking.com/CDYHB. Wristbands can be collected from the office when receipts are produced.
See you at the Fete on Saturday! The staff are running the Mini Golf and Colouring-In (with the assistance of Year 6 students) stalls. Our school choir will be singing about 2:30-3:00pm. The Talent Quest will be on the main stage between 3:00 - 4:00pm.

Enjoy the week ahead.

Dave