Week 9, Term 4
Welcome
Dear St James Community,
This will be the final newsletter for 2021; a year filled with learning, joy, and interruptions! Nonetheless, I am grateful for the year that has passed and I take this opportunity to reflect and give thanks.
This year, despite the challenges we’ve faced, we have ensured that the students learning journey, the experiences in Catholic Identity and Faith and the continuation of teaching and learning have been at the forefront of our time together. We have enhanced our programs through our co-teaching models in our flexible learning spaces, that has fostered a greater sense of belonging for students and gifted them with learning opportunities that facilitated academic growth and opportunities to glow. We congratulate everyone for what we have achieved this year, and we sincerely thank every parent and friend of our school for the unwavering support gifted to us through this very unique COVID-19 school year!
Our teachers are privileged to know and love our students and to participate in their academic journey; they recognise and applaud just how hard their students try. They celebrate their students’ achievements whether they be great or small and they share with pride the progress they make with their learning. Our staff thank you for entrusting your children into our care.
As principal of St James Primary, I consider myself blessed to be leading our awesome school; I will carry with me many memories from our year together especially as we’ve faced many new things this year. I look forward to continuing to help us all live, learn and grow in God’s love in 2022. All of the experiences of this year have contributed in some way to ensuring we offer our students the best education available. I believe we have a unique place for students to learn, where joy and being known and loved are at the core of our school. Thank you to all of the St James families for all you do for our school and for your ongoing support of my leadership.
As we close our year together we express our wishes of farewell to those families who will be moving on from our school and we thank them for the contributions they have made to our community. Particularly, we farewell our Year 6 students who have concluded their primary school years with St James and we thank them for their efforts and best endeavours that have been applied by each of them during their time here. Additionally, we farewell some staff members from our team: Miss Warby, Mrs Quinton, Mr Crompton, Mrs Anderson, Mrs Stamp and Mrs Ryan. We also farewell Mrs Daley who will be taking a period of maternity leave and we wish her all the best with the upcoming arrival of the newest member of the Daley family. We thank all of these staff members for assisting our children with their learning, for gifting our school with their talents and for all they have achieved during their time at St James. We wish all those leaving our school community joy and happiness as they enter new chapters in their lives.
Our year in picture
Term 4 (Week 10 & 11)
We have 8 days left of the school year, please note the following dates/events:
- Monday 6th December: Swimming Carnival (Years 2-6)
- Tuesday 7th December: Step Up session, 9.30am-10.30am
Students will spend time in their 2022 classroom and with their new teachers.
- Tuesday 7th December, 1:45pm : Christmas Carols
Parents and friends cannot attend, but we will livestream this on our Facebook page.
- Tuesday 7th December from 5pm: Sacrament of Confirmation
We especially pray for those receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation; may the Holy Spirit gently fill their hearts and guide them with love.
- Wednesday 8th through to Friday 10th December: Water Safety Program continues
- Monday 13th December, 9am: Kinder Graduation Liturgy in the MPC
Fully vaccinated parents and friends may attend.
- Tuesday 14th December, 11:30am: End of Year Graduation Awards Ceremony
Fully vaccinated parents and friends may attend but will be seated away from the students and socially distanced in the Doyle Centre.
- Tuesday 14th December, 6pm: Year 6 Dinner Dance
- Wednesday 15th December: End of Year Assembly
Parents and visitors cannot attend this event due to COVID restrictions.
- Wednesday 15th December: Final day of school
2022
All necessary information, including key dates relating to 2022 is in the updated parent handbook. This is located on the school website (Parents & Families > Communication & Parent Handbook > Parent Handbook [website link below]).
School commences in 2022 as listed below:
- Tuesday 1st February & Wednesday 2nd February: Years 1-6 MAI assessments (uniform shop open).
- Thursday 3rd February: First full day of school for Year 1-6 students.
- Tuesday 1st February - Friday 4th February: Kindergarten MAI and Best Start assessments.
- Monday 7th February - First day of school for Kindergarten students.
Thumbs-up
We would also like to thank the following people/groups for their support during the year:
- Fr Michael, Fr Wilber, Fr Michael and Mrs Kathy Twohill for sharing their love of God and the Catholic faith with us.
- Mrs Cree for her outstanding leadership and support for everyone.
- The School Leadership Team for assisting with the management of our school.
- The entire School Staff Team for their tireless work and dedication.
- The Grade Parent Representative/Forum members & Parent helpers who in the background this year have supported our school community.
- The Canteen Conveners and helpers for feeding us and providing scrumptious food.
- All Parents and Friends of our school who have supported and promoted our school.
- And most importantly the children who enrich our school and make it a beautiful place of learning, joy and faith.
To conclude
To our returning staff, students and families we look forward to strengthening our relationship with you and to journeying together through the 2022 school year. With joy in our hearts, we can all look forward to the next chapter of education for St James Primary and remain confident that our school will continue to be a place where the Gospels come alive and where everyone achieves fullness of life.
This coming Christmas night we will hear once more the Angel's message to the shepherds, and we experience anew the atmosphere of that holy night when Jesus was born. As we dash around town trying to find that perfect gift for someone, may we remember to spread the spirit of giving to everyone we meet and on Christmas morning may we remember Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus who celebrated the first Christmas in Bethlehem. May the joy of Christmas and Christ’s love for us gently fill our hearts and homes, so that in this loveliest of seasons we may find many reasons for happiness.
In closing, I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and I pray that our holidays are safe, happy and joyous.
With Christmas blessings,
Nic.
